Submitted by Lisa Hallmark Pounders
Published in The Legacy, June 1996

Cairo was established in 1851, and was incorporated in 1873. Cairo precinct originally comprised of a very large area - bounded by Henderson, Corydon, Robard's Station and Webster County.

Some of the earliest settlers were: Jacob SIGHTS; Joseph B. ARNETT; Alexander ROYSTER; John LEEPER, the slayer of Big Harpe; Jacob Newman; John CHRISTIAN; Joseph WORTHINGTON; Abraham SAUNDERS; William BLACK; Rowland HUGES; Sherwood HICKS; Nevil LINDSEY; John and Marten CATES; John McCombs; Andrew AGNEW; William HUGHES; Jack SUGG; David HUGHES; Micajah HANCOCK; Eneas McCALLISTER; John LOCK, John L. UTTLES; Joel SUGG; Andrew BLACK.

The early 1800s were a very boisterous time in the area, by the mid to late 1800s the settlers of the area saw the error of their way and grew to become a God fearing upstanding community. Pastors during this time were the reverends John STREET, John DORRIS, and John GRANTHAM. The education of the children was taught by Reverend John STREET, then later by William FRAZIER.

The first known established business was a blacksmith shop operated by William H. HANCOCK.

In 1848, a mail and stage line was established. Albert G. WALKER served as Cairo's first postmaster.

The first high school was a private academy taught by Reverend Elijah THURMAN from 1867 to 1832.

The tenth census of the United States listed the population of Cairo as being 107. In 1887, the population has been listed at approximately 300.

In 1880, Cairo supported:

FOURTEEN FARMERS: W. T. BUSBY; F. J. BUCKMAN; R. B. COTTINGHAM; A. S. HANCOCK; SS. C. Melton; J. A. QUINN; C. S. ROYSTER; W. R. Royster; W. R. RUDY' David I. ROYSTER; J. H. ROYSTER; John D. SIGHTS; J. SUTTON; N. SNIDER, J, A, TAPP.

FOUR MERCHANTS: L. COTTINGHAM; George Dixon; Black EBLEN (drug store); Lee SIGHTS (grocer).

MILLER: George W. KEMBLE (flour & grist mill)
Up to 100 bushels of flour & meal daily)

BLACKSMITH: John FRAHLICH

PHYSICIAN: William B. FLOYD

ASSESSOR: James A. PHILLIPS

UNDERTAKER: Ephraim STEWART

TOBACCO STEMMERIES: Tobacco was a very prosperous business in the 1880s. There being six stemmeries owned and operated by: William T. COTTINGHAM; William E. ROYSTER; Nick and Thomas ROYSTER; Joseph A. QUINN; J. A. FISHER and Son; David W. DENTON. Each stemmery employed fifteen to twenty workers per season and handled from 50 to 150 hogshead per season.

Circa 1885, there was one church building used by the Cumberland Presbyterian, the Methodist congregation also used the building. There were two schools located in Cairo, one for the white children and the other for the black children.