The good people of New Market were greatly surprised by the appearance of a young man who came among them at the close of a cold, cloudy day late in the autumn of 1801. He was dressed in the rough garb of the pioneer tramp, but upon his head, in place of a cap, he carried an eighteen gallon copper kettle. He had a large bundle strapped to his back with buffalo tugs, and carried a smaller bundle under his arm, while in his hand he carried something looking greatly like an Indian bow.
This unique individual was Michael Stroup, a maker of wool hats, just from Chillicothe, looking for a place to begin business. Stroup was entirely indifferent to any criticisms upon his personal appearance. He was hunting a place to work, and soon had his kettle set in a cabin, and the sound of his bow was heard preparing the wool for hat making. He soon exhausted his stock of material, and as no wool could be obtained in the neighborhood and as his hats when sold barely covered the expenses of his journey and fixtures, he was without stock and without the means of buying more. His hats were sold at $18.00 per dozen.
Just when he was in doubt and uncertainty about the future, an opportunity opened for him to make some money in another way. Simon Kenton had built a mill on Mad river, just beyond the present site of Springfield, and employed Robert Boyce, of New Market, to bring the millstones from Maysville. The journey from Maysville to New Market was not very difficult, as a comparatively good road had been opened between the two places, but after reaching New Market, the forest was unbroken on to the site of the mill. Kenton had empowered Boyce to employ men to cut a wagon road through to Springfield, promising to pay the money as soon as the, stones for his mill arrived.
Stroup, William Finley, and George Cailey were employed to do this work. They began the labor about the middle of February, 1802, and reached Spring-field, half starved and frozen, in fifteen days from starting out. Simon Kenton was not at the mill and when found he was in his cabin four miles away and without money to pay for the labor performed or food necessary for the return journey. They obtained a meal on credit, of a log house tavern keeper in Springfield, and with all speed hastened back to New Market after an absence of nineteen days, hungry, and their clothing in rags from brush and brier. Stroup was greatly vexed, but otherwise managed to finish his stock of hats. These men opened a roadway important even down to the present, for the "Old Mead River road" survives, as a public highway.
The history of this wedding, as given in Scott's history, is amusing, also valuable as a picture of the character and moral tone of social life at that time. "Miss Walker was a very handsome, black-eyed girl of eighteen, who had emigrated from Fleming county, Ky., with her mother and stepfather, Joseph Myers, to the falls of Paint four years before, and came to New Market in 1801.
"She wore on this occasion a nice plain cap on her head, white silk gloves, a plain white collar, and shoes and stockings. Her dress was a very fine light-figured calico, which cost one dollar per yard. Most of those who could get it preferred white muslin worth two dollars per yard; often, however, they wore homespun, as meeting all requirements. The groom* was dressed in brown dress, coat and pants, white mar- seilles vest, white socks and low quartered shoes and white kid gloves. Generally in those days the grooms were not nearly so well dressed. The wedding took place at two o'clock p. m. The party was small and the ceremony was performed by Squire Oliver Ross.
"'Well,' said the squire, in his peculiar Irish style, 'we have met today to join together in holy matrimony Michael Stroup and Polly Walker, as respectable a couple as iver the Lord brought togither. Now I hope that not one of you will have any objections to their gettin' married. I think there will be no objictions. Join your right hands. Wall, Mr. Mike, will you take Miss Polly, whom you hold by the right hand, and as good looking and virtuous a young lady as iver the Virgin Mary was, to be yer lawfully wedded wife. Do you promise to forsake all others (now by the Lord, Mike, you must quit your running after other girls and cling to her alone, will ye, Mike?)'
"'Yes, yes," said the groom, "Oh, by G—d, yes.'
"'Well, Miss Polly, will you take Mike, whom you hold by his right hand, to be your lawfully wedded husband (he is worthy, for he is as sprightly a young man as iver wore a pair of buckskin brokins), you promise to forsake all others—but what the devil's to make a woman promise that, when you know they won't keep their promise, but I think you are an exception—you will cling to him till it please the Lord to separate you by death, will you, Polly? I know you will.'
"'Yes.'
"'Then I pronounce yoii man and wife, no more two but one. Now go home and raise your children for the Lord. The Lord bless you, ha! ha! ha! take your seats now, ha! the Lord bless you.'
Long and lovingly this couple lived in the enjoyment of their share of temporal blessing, seeing their fourteen children grow up like olive branches around their table.
Michael Stroup 
