USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III > Part 103
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FRED L. JUETT, M. D .- A physician of ac- knowledged skill, industrious and progressive, Fred L. Juett, M. D., of Lexington, has won success in his profession and gained an assured position in the medical circles of Fayette county. He was born in Oxford, Scott county, Kentucky, the birthplace, likewise, of his father, William Thomas Juett.
Josephus Juett, his grandfather, was born in Kentucky, very near the meeting line of three counties, Scott, Bourbon and Harrison, where his father, the Doctor's great-grand- father, David Juett, was a pioneer settler. Fol- lowing in the footsteps of his ancestors, he became a tiller of the soil, and during his forty- five years of earthly life lived on a farm. He was twice married, first to Mary Jane Shuff, by whom he had one son, David Washington Juett. His second wife was Mary Thompson, who was born in Harrison county, Kentucky, a daughter of John and Sallie (Gilkey) Thomp- son. She survived him for a long time, pass- ing away at the venerable age of eighty-seven years. She reared three sons and one daugh- ter.
William Thomas Juett, acquiring a good education in his youthful days, taught school for one term, but had no ambitions for a pro- fessional career. When ready to take upon himself the responsibilities of a married man, he bought land near Oxford, Scott county, on the Oxford and Muddy Ford pike, where he has since been actively and profitably engaged
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in general farming and stock-raising. His wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Louisa Nichols, was born in Nicholas county, Kentucky, where her parents, William and Julia Nichols, were born, reared and married, although their last years were spent in Scott county. Seven children were born to them, as follows: Fred L., the subject of this brief personal review; Effie, Ward, Carl, Nellie, Edna and Mabel.
cinnati, where he was graduated with the class of 1899. Having received his degree of M. D., Dr. Juett settled in Lexington, where he now commands a large general practice, his pro- fessional skill and ability being acknowledged and highly appreciated.
The union of Dr. Juett with Betsey Gorham was solemnized in 1904. She was born in Fayette county, a daughter of Thornton and Emily (Ross) Gorham. The Doctor and Mrs. Juett have one child, a daughter named Fred- die. Dr. Juett belongs to the American Insti- tute of Homeopathy, to the Southern Homeo- pathic Medical Society and to the State Ho- meopathic Medical Society. Fraternally he is a member of Lexington Lodge No. I, A. F. & A. M .; of Lexington Chapter No. I, R. A. M .; of Webb Commandery No. 2, K . T .; and of Oleika Temple, Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
JAMES GUTHRIE .- A man of far more than average business ability and tact, enterprising and progressive, James Guthrie, late of Shel- byville, was for many years one of the most extensive and prominent agriculturists of Shelby county and one of its foremost citizens. He was the third in direct line of descent to bear the name of James, and was of honored pioneer ancestry, having been the great-grand- son of Thomas and Mildred (Howell) Guth- rie, who came from Fredricksburg, Virginia, to Kentucky in 1782, and settled in Woodford county, where they reared their ten children to honest and useful lives.
James Guthrie, the first, born in Virginia March 28, 1779, was but three years old when brought by his parents to Woodford county,. Kentucky, coming from there to Shelby county in 1837. He located about ten miles east of Shelbyville, where he kept a stage stand and public house of entertainment until his death in 1840. The maiden name of his wife was Elizabeth Gibbs. She was born in Virginia November 18, 1780, a daughter of Julius Gibbs, a Revolutionary soldier, who
came to Scott county, Kentucky, with his family in 1782. One of their family of eleven children was James, the next in line of de- scent. Another son, Jeptha Guthrie, was for several years a pork packer in Louisville, but spent his last years on his farm in Shelby county, while his widow is now a resident of Shelbyville.
James Guthrie, the father of the subject of this brief biographical sketch, was born in Woodford county, Kentucky, May 27, 1806. When ready to begin life for himself he bought land in the northern part of Shelby county, and was successfully engaged in till-
Obtaining his rudimentary education in the common schools of Oxford, Kentucky, Fred L. Juett attended the Kentucky Wesleyan Uni- versity, at Millersburg, Kentucky, after which he entered the Pulte Medical College of Cin- . ing the soil until his death, October 21, 1879. He married Elizabeth Francis Smith, who was also of pioneer stock.
James Guthrie, the special subject of this personal notice was born on the home farm, near Chestnut Grove, Shelby county, March 7, 1833. On attaining his majority he began life for himself, and from 1854 until 1857 bought and sold stock in Missouri, being quite suc- cessful in his dealings. In 1859, in company with his uncle, Jeptha Guthrie, and his brother, B. F. Guthrie, he embarked in business at Louisville, Kentucky, as a pork packer, an industry with which he was actively identi- fied for four years. Locating then in Henry county, Kentucky, Mr. Guthrie bought a farm, which he managed five years, after which he began trading in stock and land, and during the next six years owned several farms and bought and sold many head of cattle.
In 1873 Mr. Guthrie returned to Shelby county, and having purchased five hundred and twenty acres lying one mile north of Shelbyville, he at once began its improvement, his first step in that line having been to build a couple of miles of stone fence. He contin- ued to add to the value of his estate, in 1878 erecting the present commodious dwelling house, and as a general farmer carried on a substantial business. He dealt extensively in cattle and mules, which he sold in Southern markets. Mr. Guthrie also made a specialty of growing hemp, devoting about one hun- dred acres of his farm, on an average, to the growing of that crop. About 1883 he embarked in a new industry, in company with Colonel W. L. Scott and John W. Bell im- porting Holstein cattle. These gentlemen brought over about one thousand head and held sales in Indianapolis, Louisville, and other cities, in their venture being successful. On the farm which he so highly improved Mr. Guthrie passed his remaining years, dying May 24, 1907.
Mr. Guthrie married, February 14, 1871, Mary Virginia Thomas, who was born in
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Shelby county, Kentucky, a daughter of Mor- ris and Amanda J. (Wright) Thomas, and a niece of Wilson Thomas, father of William J. and Benjamin Thomas. She is now living on the home farm, of which her sons, Edgar Ralph and Charles Waldo have the manage- ment. Four children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie, namely: James Morris, living on the home farm, is an attorney ; Ben- jamin Franklin, engaged in farming in Shelby county ; Edgar Ralph and Charles Waldo, who have charge of the parental estate, as above mentioned. This farm is delightfully located and is one of the finest in the county, its beau- tiful wooded pastures sloping gently to Mul -. of a number of other important positions of berry creek, along which runs the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, while the house, which is a typical Southern residence of the higher type of construction, is situated on a rising tract of ground and commands an ex- tensive and beautiful view of the surrounding country.
WILLIAM S. PRYOR .- For more than three score years Judge Wililams S. Pryor was en- gaged in the active practice of law in the Ken- tucky courts, and he is now living virtually retired in his beautiful home at New Castle, this state. The world instinctively pays defer- ence to the man whose success has been worthily achieved and whose prominence is not the less the result of an irreproachable life than of natural talents and acquired abil- ity in the field of his chosen labor. Judge Pryor long occupied a position of distinction in the legal profession in the Blue Grass con- monwealth and the best evidence of his capa- bility in the line of his chosen work was the large patronage accorded him. It is a well known fact that a great percentage of those who enter business life meet with failure or only a limited measure of success. This is usually due to one or more of several causes -superficial preparation, lack of close appli- cation or an unwise choice in selecting a voca- tion for which one is not fitted. The reverse of all this entered into the success and prom- inence which Judge Pryor gained. His equip- ment for the profession was unusually good and his service as chief justice of the court of appeals is in itself sufficient evidence of his powers as an able legist and jurist.
A native of Henry county, Kentucky, Judge William S. Pryor was born near New Castle, within sight of his present home, the date of his nativity being Ist of April, 1825. He is a son of Samuel Pryor, whose father, John Pryor, removed from Virginia to Kentucky in the pioneer days of Henry county. John Pryor entered a tract of government land in the vicinity of New Castle and among his de-
scendants have been numbered some of the most illustrious lawyers of the Kentucky bar. On the old Pryor homestead was held the first court ever convened in Henry county, and tradition says that the bench on which "His Honor" sat was a stump, while the jurors were ranged on a log nearby! In the early days the office of sheriff went by law to the oldest magistrate in compensation for his ser- vices. If, however, he did not care for the incumbency he could exercise the privilege of selling the same. By right of purchase, then, Samuel Pryor was twice sheriff of Henry county. He was also the honored incumbent
trust and responsibility and in all of them ac- quitted himself most creditably. He married Miss Nancy Samuel, a daughter of William Samuel, who was long a prominent farmer and politician in this section of the state. The maternal grandmother of Judge Pryor was a daughter of William Marshall, a member of the distinguished family of that name in Ken- tucky and a relative of Chief Justice Mar- shall.
Judge Pryor was reared to the invigorating influences of the old home farm, in the work and management of which he early began to assist his father, and his preliminary educa- tional training consisted of such advantages as were afforded in the district schools of the locality and period. Before completing his last session in the neighboring school it was conceded that the young William S. knew more about Latin than his teacher and there- after he pursued his studies by himself at home. He early began to look upon the law as a chosen vocation and in 1843 he began to study for that profession in the offices of his uncle, Judge James Pryor, of Covington. So rapid was his progress in the absorption and assimilation of the science of jurisprud- ence that he was ready for admission to the bar in the following year. As he had not at- tained his majority it was necessary to have a special enactment of the legislature, grant- ing him the right to practice in the Kentucky courts. Riding horseback twenty-eight miles to Frankfort, he was examined at the old state house by Judge John J. Marshall and was then given his license to practice. He im- mediately opened law offices at New Castle and in short order succeeded in building up a large and lucrative clientage, holding his own among such eminent members of the legal fraternity as Humphrey Marshall, Justice J. M. Harlan, formerly of the supreme court, Judge McHenry, Judge Wilson, William J. Graves and others. He rapidly gained pres- tige as a versatile trial lawyer and as a skilled
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and well fortified counselor and in due time figured prominently in a number of important litigations in the state and federal courts. In 1866 just appreciation of his powers as an illustrious member of the bar was given him in that he was then elected to the judgeship of the circuit court of the Eleventh district. On the 6th of September, 1871, Governor Les- lie appointed him to fill a vacancy on the ap- pellate bench.
An orator of power, a keen lawyer, an acute logician, and withal a student of men possess- ing a rate insight into their natures, Judge Pryor soon became a potent influence on the circuit and appellate benches and in 1872 he was regularly elected to preside at the appel- late court. His opponents for the nomina- tion were Chancellor Menzies, of Covington, and Judge R. McKee, a leading lawyer and widely renowned politician. Each county held a separate primary or mass convention. Judges Pryor and McKee met at Harrodsburg and agreed to decide their claims by the old mus- ter fashion, each candidate appointing a cap- tain who would march out of the crowd, and all those who favored a certain candidate would march after him. When all was ready some one called out, "All in favor of Pryor follow Goddard, and all in favor of McKee follow Thompson." The two captains at once marched out of the court house and the fol- lowers of the respective candidates fell in line behind them. Mr. Pryor having the longest line, Mr. McKee withdrew from the race and by election Judge Pryor was returned to the appellate bench without opposition. In 1880 and in 1888 he was again elected without op- position, and in 1896 he was the candidate of the Democratic party but the state was carried by the Republicans and he was de- feated by Judge A. Rollins Burnam. Sub- sequently he went upon the bench as chief justice in accordance with the state law that the judge having the shortest term to
that position, and serve shall occupy
he was incumbent thereof for four terms. On the bench he was associated with Martin Cofer, Mordecai Hardin, Caswell Bennett, John R. Grace, Thomas. F. Hargis, William Lindsay, B. J. Peters and John M. Elliott. Judge Pryor has a most phenomenal record as judge, having served with the utmost efficien- cy for fully a quarter of a century on the benches of the Kentucky court of appeals. As a jurist he early evinced the highest capa- city for original investigation and interpreta- tion of the law. His mind was clearly skilled in logical reasoning, which. enabled him to solve a legal complexity as easily as a prob- lem in Euclid. As a lawyer he was not one
who relied upon antecedent cases but went down to the fundamental principles and ap- plied them to the case in hand, whether simi- lar questions had been adjudicated adversely or not.
In addition to his extensive legal affairs Judge Pryor was long deeply interested in a number of business enterprises of broad scope and importance and he still devotes a great deal of attention to the general supervision of his beautiful farm in Henry county. During his active career he dealt extensively in stock and was president of the Eminence Agricul- tural Association. Concerning him the fol- lowing appreciative statements have been made and they are considered worthy of perpetua- tion here.
"The Judge is a man of broad sympathy and great benevolence. Charity in its widest and best sense is practiced by him, and his benevolence has made smooth the rough way of many a weary traveler on life's journey. In his private life he is distinguished by all that marks the true gentleman. His is a noble character-one that subordinates personal am- bition to public good and seeks rather the bene- fit of others than the aggrandizement of self. Endowed by nature with high intellectual qual- ities, to which were added the discipline and embellishments of culture, his is a most at- tractive personality. Well versed in the learn- ing of his professon, and with a deep knowl- edge of human conduct, with great sagacity and extraordinary tact, he stands today al- most without a peer at the Kentucky bar, honoring the state which has so honored him." (1897).
On the 8th of February, 1848, was solemn- ized the marriage of Judge Pryor to Miss Mary C. Brinker, who was born and reared in Henry county and who was summoned to the life eternal in the year 1855.
This union was prolific of two children, a son and daughter, Samnel and Joanna. The latter became the wife of D. M. Castleman and is now a widow. Samuel is a farmer and lives in Henry county. On the 31st of Jan- uary, 1856, Judge Pryor was united in mar- riage to Miss Apphia Beasley, of Henry county. She died in February, 1895, and left surviving her seven children-Joseph is an ex-circuit judge of Louisville ; Robert is Dep- uty Commissioner in the Chancery Court; James is an extensive dealer in tobacco at St. Altemus, W. Virginia; Mary is the wife of A. O. Lanford, of Henry county; Fannie married Dr. Owen Carroll, a prominent physi- cian and surgeon of Louisville; Laura mar- ried Lerbram Phelps, of Louisville, a tobacco merchant; and Nancy (now dead) married
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Dr. Samuel Oldham. As previously inti- mated Judge Pryor is a staunch advocate of the principles and policies promulgated by the Democratic party and he has ever been loyal to its best interests. He is affiliated with a number of professional and fraternal orga- nizations of representative character.
Although the Judge has attained to the ven- erable age of eighty-six years, he still retains in much of their pristine vigor the remark- able mentality and vigor of his youth. He only retired from the work of his profession in 1909 and since that time he has been living at New Castle in full enjoyment of former years of earnest endeavor. He is everywhere esteemed for his brilliant mind and unusual vitality and no one in Kentucky is accorded a higher degree of popular confidence and re- gard than is he.
EDMUND H. TAYLOR, JR., of Frankfort, Kentucky, is the son of John Eastin Taylor and Rebecca (Edrington) Taylor, and was born at Columbus, Kentucky, in 1832. His grand- father was Richard Taylor, Jr., who was the government surveyor of Jackson's Purchase. His great-grandfather was Commodore Rich- ard Taylor, who served with much distinction in the Revolution, and was one of the ten fight- ing Taylor brothers several times referred to elsewhere in this work. The family traces back to James Taylor who came from England to Virginia in 1658 and his descendants, now numbering thousands, are found in every southern state. Among his descendants are James Madison and Zachary Taylor, presidents of the United States, John Taylor of Carolina, Edmund Pendleton, the noted jurist, and many other distinguished men.
E. H. Taylor, Jr., finding himself early in life the possessor of a limited patrimony, went out into the world to carve out his fortune. He set his face to the future and never looked back. Such men as he do not fail, no matter what their object in life may be. Of a vigor- ous mind and boundless energy, Mr. Taylor has surmounted every difficulty in his path and today, apparently not recognizing the number of his years, is actively in control of the great business his foresight and energy built up. Educated in the splendid private school of the late B. B. Sayre at Frankfort, he at first en- gaged in banking as cashier of a bank at Ver- sailles, Kentucky, going later to Lexington where, in company with others, he conducted a private banking institution. During the war, he turned his active mind to other business in- terests, the condition of the country not being conducive to the peace of mind of bankers. The war ended, he found himself the possessor of a young wife, a fine education, some busi-
ness experience and but little else in the shape of worldly goods. In 1868, he struck the path which fate appeared to have held in reserve for him. Engaging in the distillery business, he laid safely and well the foundation of the fortune that has come to him largely through his own boundless and remarkable energy. The products of his establishment are found in every city of the Union and on the great mar- kets of the Old World. The pride of the house of E. H. Taylor, Jr., is that it does not now nor ever has sent out anything but pure goods.
As a side issue, Mr. Taylor, or Colonel Taylor, to give him his courtesy title, engages occasionally in politics. For sixteen years he was mayor of Frankfort; has represented his county twice in the House and his district once in the Senate. No man ever more ably or strenuously served his constituents than he. He was tireless in his efforts to secure a new capital building and it is a pleasant reflection that he lived to see a million dollar building crowning one of the heights of Frankfort. No more genuinely hospitable man than Colonel Taylor lives anywhere and his magnificent country estate, Thistleton, near Frankfort, has opened wide its doors to many distinguished guests.
In his business, Colonel Taylor has as his aides-de-camp three sons, J. Swigert, Kenner and Edmund W., three chips of the old block, if one may venture to use the word "old" in connection with Colonel Taylor, the very youngest man of his age in Kentucky.
IGNATIUS DROEGE, SR .- The subject of this brief sketch has long maintained his home in the city of Covington and for many years was numbered among its most active and influen- tial business men. He was one of the inter- ested principals in the Licking Rolling Mill Company until his retirement from active business, in 1907, and he still retains his residence in Covington, where he holds the unequivocal confidence and esteem of all who know him.
Mr. Droege was born in Westphalia, Ger- many, on the 31st of January, 1828, and in the schools of his native land he secured his early educational discipline. When sixteen years of age he severed the ties that bound him to home and fatherland and courageously set forth to seek his fortunes in America. The immigrant boy made the voyage to the United States on a sailing ship and after a long and weary trip covering a period of six weeks lie disembarked in the city of New Orleans, whence he made his way up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to Covington. He came to this city as a stranger in a strange land and at that time there were few who could pre-
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dict that he was destined to achieve so much success as a business man and worthy citizen. "Soon after his arrival in Covington Mr. Droege secured employment in the rolling mill conducted by the firm of Busch & Jor- dan, in which establishment he thus became identified at the time of the founding of the business, in 1845. He served a thorough ap- prenticeship at the blacksmith's trade and he continued with the concern under its various changes in control and management until his final retirement from active business. During the Civil war a foundry was established in connection with the rolling mill for the pur- pose of manufacturing axles for government wagons and Mr. Droege had the management of this foundry. When the firm passed into the hands of a receiver and the plant was finally sold, in 1877, Mr. Droege purchased the plant and business and effected the organi- zation of the company which continued and successfully biult up the enterprise, as shown in the brief sketch of the history of the Lick- ing Rolling Mill Company, appearing on other pages of this work. Though he is now ven- erable in years Mr. Droege still retains his physical and mental facilities to a remarkable degree and he is enjoying the well earned rest and peace that constitute the reward of former years of earnest toil and endeavor. He is known as one of the oldest manufac- turers in northeastern Kentucky and during his many years of active identification with the manufacturing enterprise he paid out more in wages than any other manufacturer in the city of Covington.
Mr. Droege has ever been broad minded and progressive as a citizen and has done all in his power to further the social and ma- terial prosperity of his home city. His po- litical allegiance is given to the Democratic party and both he and his family are earnest communicants of the Catholic church. He has been very active in church work for many years and was one of the founders and build- ers of St. Joseph's church, one of the finest edifices in the city of Covington. He and his wife still reside in the attractive old home- stead which has been their place of abode for more than half a century. Mr. Droege has been twice married. As a young man he wedded Miss Mary A. Schmidt, who was born in Germany and who came to America
when young. Six children were born to this union and of the number five are now living, Ignatius, Jr., Frederick J., John C., Henry and Mary A. The one daughter is now the wife of Frederick H. Terleau. The devoted wife and mother was summoned to the life eternal in 1864, having been a victim of the
dread scourge of cholera, which was epidemic in this section at that time. Mr. Droege later was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Kohmann, who likewise was born in Ger- many and who is the step-sister of his first wife. She proved a good mother to the child- ren of the first marriage and she has also be- come the mother of eight children of her own, of whom four are living, namely: Wil- liam J., Charles F., Theresa and Emma. Ther- esa is the wife of Edward E. Sander, of Cin- cinnati. The deceased children are Frank, Frances, Katie, Julia and Lee.
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