Page:History of Warren County.djvu/13

 INTRODUCTORY.

WHILE it may seem to the uninitiated a task involving but little difficulty to prepare for publication a work no more comprehensive in character than this volume, and containing merely the history of a single county, still it is not out of place here to assure all such readers that the work is one demanding a vast amount of labor and research, watchful care, untiring patience and fair discrimination. This need not be said to any person who has had experience in similar work. In attempting the production of a creditable history of Warren county the publishers and the editor did not underestimate the difficulties of their task, and came to it fully imbued with a clear idea of its magnitude and determination to execute it in such a manner that it should receive the general commendation of all into whose hands it should fall. It is believed that this purpose has been substantially carried out, and that, while a perfect historical work has never yet been published, this one will be found to contain so few imperfections that the most critical readers will be satisfied.

It is a part of the plans of the publishers in the production of county histories to secure, as far as possible, local assistance, either as writers, or in the revision of all manuscripts; the consequence being that the work bears a local character which could not otherwise be secured, and, moreover, comes from the press far more complete and perfect than could possibly be the case were it entrusted wholly to the efforts of comparative strangers to the locality in hand. In carrying out this plan in this county the editor has been tendered such generous co-operation and assistance of various kinds that to merely mention all who have thus aided is impossible; the satisfaction' of having assisted in the production of a commendable public enterprise must be their present 5