One of the first settlers to come to the territory that is now Morgan County was Joseph Cottle, a Revolutionary War soldier and hero.

It is not known exactly what year he came. However, it was around 1800. The best information is that he came to Fayette County and settled about where Lexington is now located. He traded his land there for a horse, bridle, saddle, gun and dog and came to Morgan County before it was formed.

He had been bonded to a man by the name of Gray. He probably was brought from England as a boy about 1750 or 1760 and became a soldier in Washington's army.

Three of the essential things in making a location in pioneer times was a good spring, game and fish. Joseph Cottle found these things in the bend of Licking River, four miles from West Liberty. Here he built his cabin.

The spring still flows and is about 200 feet from the site of his cabin and at the base of a beech tree which is standing today.

Charley Cottle, a great grandson who visited the site with me, said that in early days when it was legal to make brandy and whiskey, that the spring afforded water for the still, and many a gallon of good brandy and liquor was made at the spring.

Joseph Cottle wisely selected a beautiful site in the Cottle Bend for his home and to start the Cottle family which today is a large and honorable one.

Joseph Cottle is buried about a 100 yeards from where he built his cabin, where Boyd Johnson now lives. On this knoll one can see for miles down the Licking River, bordered by green pine hills and rolling fields.Only a rought stone marks the site of his grave, within a few feet of where his son, Isaac Cottle, who was born July 4, 1813 and died December 4, 1898, lies buried. Several other graves in the cemetery, which is nicely fenced and preserved, bear the names of Cottle. One is John Cottle born April 18, 1844 and died August 4, 1920.

A footbridge crosses Licking River near the spring and leads to the valley and hills called the "Cottle Bend." At one time this area for more than three miles was owned by some of the Cottles, from the mouth of Jones Creek to near the Gordon Ford. There is no good road today into this section, only what was at one time a wagon road or trail to ride horseback.

While hunting in this bend last winter, I was amazed with the beauty, and the silence of all this land. Only one family lives here, Boyd Johnson. Blaine Nickell owns part of it, and the low divide between the Upper and Lower Bend is only about 50 feet high. On either side is a range of hills and woods. It would be easy to cut a canal across this divide and save the river three miles run.

Traveling over US-460, one can see most of this valley, but cannot appreciate its beauty unless you look over it and look down into the river valley, and imagine why Joseph Cottle settled here. From the John Cottle home, I went up a large branch flowing into the river. Most of this land has never been cleared and I imagine it was very much as Joseph Cottle saw it.

One of Joseph Cottle's sons was David N. Cottle. He had a large family. They were: John, Frank, Jim, Isaac, Lizzie Jones, Cyntha Easterling, Sallie McGuire and Katie Davis who married Perry Davis. They moved to Rossville, Kansas, in the early days. John Cottle lived on the farm near the mouth of Jones Creek. He was a very dignified and straight gentleman, nearly always came to town every Saturday afternoon riding a fine saddle horse. The farm is now owned by Blaine Nickell.

Another of Joseph Cottle's sons, Robert Cottle, took his family and drove an ox cart from Morgan County to Kansas.  He settled in Linn County, Kansas, where he raised his family.  One of his sons,  Al. R. Cottle, went to Oklahoma where he became U.S. Marshall and was one of the most colorful in the west.  In 1902 he went to Indian territory to teach school and to study law.  In 1903 he was appointed Deputy Marshal by Theodore Roosevelt and served as marshal for more than 50 years under eight presidents.

When he retired in 1953 he was the oldest U.S. Marshall in terms of service in the United States.  He served as marshal at Muskogee, Ardmore and Tulsa.  Some of the most dangerous and notorious outlaws in history were in his territoy.  He knew Al Jennings and Henry Starr.  He had Starr in his office a short time before he was killed as a train robber.  He saw Indians and Negroes whipped under the tribal law before the state was formed, and had to contend with and arrest some of the most dangerous men in the nation.
 

Note:
I don't believe it has ever been proven that Joseph Cottle served in the Revolutionary War.  For another look at his story visit: Cottle Country