Sugar Creek on the eastern side of the county flows north from its source in Johnson County past Gum Springs Church and Palzo post office in Stonefort Township to join the Saline River in section 10. There are groves of sugar maples along its banks, and the Shawnees often came in the early spring to this sugar bush. One of their favorite camps was near Indian Camp Church.
There was an early mill on Sugar Creek near the county line, called in 1839 Pratt’s mill. The road district in the Saline River area included the mill, which must have been east of Sulphur Springs.
Jacob Welty had a mill on Sugar Creek near Footprint rock, an old landmark that has disappeared. But in 1838 Mr. Welty lived north of Crab Orchard creek, for he was relieved of the duties as road supervisor June 11, 1839 in the Brushy road district. In 1859 he made a longer move, to California.
Mr. Welty was a soldier in the Black Hawk war. His horse went lame during a forced march Captain Obediah West’s Company made the summer of 1832. The saddle was left behind, and Private Welty probably rode behind one of his fellow soldiers until they reached their objective.
(Extracted from Pioneer Folks and Places, Barbara Barr Hubbs, 1939 which is on sale at the Williamson County Museum)