On September 1, 1867, John Muir, the noted American naturalist, started his walk from Indianapolis to Cedar Keys on the Gulf of Mexico. In his book, A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf, Muir recounts his visit to Munfordville. "September 5 - Arrived about noon at Munfordville; was soon discovered and examined by Mr. Munford himself, a pioneer and father of the village. He is a surveyor - has held all country offices, and every seeker of roads and lands applies to him for information. He regards all the villager as his children, and all strangers who enter Munfordville as his own visitors. Of course he inquired my business, destination, et cetera, and invited me to his house.
After refreshing me with "parrs" he complacently covered the table with bits of rocks, plants, et cetera, things new and old which he had gathered in his surveying walks and supposed to be full of scientific interest. He informed me that all scientific men applied to him for information, and as I was a botanist, he either possessed, or ought to possess, the knowledge I was seeking, and so I received long lessons concerning roots and herbs for every mortal ill."
Muir's host was Robert Samuel Munford, born November 19, 1809, to the marriage of Richard Jones Munford and Elizabeth Embry Munford. He attended Centre College and became a surveyor. His work on bee-keeping was highly regarded. In the 1870 census Munford is listed as a bee-keeper having $10,000 in property.
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