his town. With touching faith, he reserved a fine site on the crest of the most commanding hill for the future state capitol. It was a prophetic dream that had to wait thirty years for its fulfilment. Goat-sheds meanwhile adorned its brow, and gave it the unpoetic name, "Goat Hill."
Among the original settlers who came with Dexter was John G. Klinck, a South Carolinian of sanguine and enthusiastic temperament, who, writing years afterwards of the town in these early days, says:
"As soon after this as I could have the centre pointed
out to me, I selected my lot, which was a privilege of
first choice, and to name the place, which I called New
Philadelphia—and the name was never changed until
1819. I employed a Mr. Bell to build me a cabin, and
in showing him where, we found on the corner a post
oak in the way of laying the ground sill, when I immediately
seized the axe and felled it, remarking to Bell,
'This is the first tree: future ages will tell the tale.'"
Immigration was brisk, and the high and
healthy bluffs were tempting sites for homes.
So the next year, 1818, two more towns
sprang up in sight of New Philadelphia. One
was a mile or two down stream, and bore
the name "Alabama Town." The other,
