USA > Kentucky > Biographical cyclopedia of the commonwealth of Kentucky > Part 11
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Dr. James T. Reddick divided his time between the farm and the schoolroom when he was a boy, giving the most of his time to farm work. But he was studious and by studying at home suc- ceeded in obtaining a fair primary education. He read medicine at night after working on the farm during the day. His preceptor was Dr. W. H. Neal, a prominent physician of Sumner County. At the age of nineteen he entered the medical department of the University of Tennessee at Nashville and was graduated from that institu- tion at the age of twenty-one years, receiving the honors of his class. He first settled in Hopkins County, Kentucky, where he practiced for ten years and then removed to Paducah in 1890, where he has gained a large practice and secured an ex- cellent standing among the ablest physicians in the city.
He is a prominent and influential member of a number of benevolent orders, a Mason and Odd Fellow in all the branches of those orders and a member of the Elks. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the public schools, ex-presi- dent of the Paducah Medical and Surgical So- ciety, vice-president of the Southwestern Ken- tucky Medical Association, member of the State Medical Association and of the American Medi- cal Association.
Dr. Reddick married Miss Willie Coleman in 1881, and they have three children: Beulah, Clif- ford and Willie. The doctor and his family are members of the Baptist Church.
T THOMAS D. RYAN, leading merchant and a highly honored citizen of Augusta, son of David and Martha (Bufford) Ryan, was born in Mercer County, Kentucky, May 2, 1828, and was educated in the common schools and at the Augusta College. Very soon after leaving school he embarked in the mercantile business, first in 1844 as a clerk for his brother, James B. Ryan, and soon became a partner in the house. They went to Peoria, Illinois, and there engaged
in a dry goods venture. Six months later James B. Ryan sold his interest to Thomas D. Ryan and returned to Augusta. After one year's ex- perience in Peoria Thomas D. Ryan also re- turned to Augusta and opened a dry goods store on his own account.
In 1862 he enlisted in the Seventh Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry, United States Army, under Colonel Metcalfe, and later under Colonel John K. Faulkner of Garrard County, in General Green Clay Smith's brigade. He was sergeant for a time, and after the battle of Richmond was acting commissary until his discharge. Among the im- portant engagements he was in were the cavalry fight at Big Hill, the battles of Richmond and Stone River and numerous battles around Frank- lin and in Central Tennessee. He received a des- perate wound in his head at the battle of Rich- mond, Kentucky, which wound threatened his life, and was honorably discharged, the papers bear- ing the signature of General W. S. Rosecrans.
In 1864 he was appointed United States as- sessor and deputy collector of internal revenue for Bracken County, which office he held for three years.
In 1867 he went to Cincinnati and was em- ployed as salesman in the wholesale dry goods house of Steadman, Shaw & Company, after- ward Steadman & Wilcox. The latter firm con- solidated with Shaw, Barbour & Company, un- der the style of Barbour, Steadman & Herrod. Mr. Ryan followed each of these changes, receiv- ing a handsome salary; but in 1873 he left that house for a similar position with Chambers, Stev- ens & Company, wholesale dry goods dealers, and was with them for four years.
In 1877 he returned to Augusta and opened a retail dry goods store, and has continued in that business until the present time without interrup- tion. His honesty, integrity and other excellent traits of character have made him a host of friends in the county, in which he is well and favorably known.
Mr. Ryan is an ardent and unflinching Repub- lican and a man of influence in his party. It is his boast that he has never scratched a ticket. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and his daily "walk and conversation" are in
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keeping with his profession. As a citizen of Au- gusta he is public spirited and enterprising, popu- lar and influential.
Mr. Ryan was married in 1850 to Laura An- geline McCormick, daughter of John E. Mc- Cormick. Mrs. Ryan died in 1878, and he was married a second time, December 24, 1880, to Rosa R. Crawford of Steubenville, Ohio, daugh- ter of Thomas Crawford of that city. He has one adopted daughter, Helen Morrison Ryan, daughter of R. J. Morrison of Steubenville, Ohio.
David Ryan (father) was a native of West- moreland County, Virginia, who came to Har- rod's Station, Mercer County, with his mother, who was a widow, when he was ten years of age. They remained in the station for one year before they were able to make a settlement on the land which his mother had bought on account of the depredations of the Indians. He obtained an or- dinary education and became a successful farmer in Mercer County, where he died in 1854. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was in Shel- by's Light Horse Brigade, and was highly hon- ored by being detailed as one of the guards in charge of Perry's prisoners taken on the lakes. After he was an old man he received a land war- rant for one hundred and sixty acres for his mili- tary services. He was a Democrat in politics, a man of strong convictions with the courage to stand up for what he believed to be right and to denounce the wrong. His chief characteristics were his love of home and of the Methodist Church, of which he was a member for many years.
He had three brothers and two sisters who came with their mother from Virginia. Solo- mon and John took part in the battle of Blue Lick, the last of the great battles with the Indians, who were driven from the state. He married a Miss Runion and raised a large family on a fine farm in Mercer County, Kentucky.
One of his sisters married Edward Sutterfield and lived in Mercer County. The other sister married Samuel Jones, who owned one of the finest farms in Mercer County.
Thomas D. Ryan's grandfather was a native of Ireland, who came to America and located in Westmoreland County, Virginia, where he died
a short time before his widow removed to Ken- tucky.
·Martha Bufford Ryan (mother) was a native of Virginia, and was of Scotch descent.
R EV. JOHN M. RICHMOND, D. D., Presi- dent of Princeton (Kentucky) College, was born in Ayr, Ontario, Canada, May 13, 1848. He is a son of William and Ann (Dickey) Rich- mond, natives of Ayrshire, Scotland, who re- moved to Canada in 1838. They were members of the Presbyterian Church, in which Mr. Rich- mond was an elder for thirty years. He was a farmer and citizen of Ayr until 1879, when he died, in the seventieth year of his age.
Matthew Richmond (grandfather) was a na- tive of Scotland and was associated with Robert Burns on Mossgiel farm, being with the bard when he wrote some of his celebrated poems.
Dr. Richmond's mother, Ann Dickey Rich- mond, was a Presbyterian of the strictest sect and a devout Christian woman. She lived to the extreme age of eighty-five years and died in Ayr, Canada, in 1892.
Dr. Richmond's early schooling was obtained in the town of Ayr, after which he attended the Collegiate Institute at Galt, and completed his literary studies in Toronto University with the class of 1868. He then attended the Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey, completing his course in 1871. The degree of doctor of di- vinity was conferred upon him by Parsons College (Iowa) in 1887.
His first charge after entering the ministry was the Hoge Presbyterian Church, Columbus, Ohio, where he remained five years. He was then pas- tor of the First Presbyterian Church at Ypsilanti, Michigan, for five years; then pastor of the Shady Side Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsyl- vania, for seven years; and was then pastor of the Central Presbyterian Church, Louisville, for six years, resigning his pastorate in 1894 to accept the presidency of the Collegiate Institute at Princeton, Kentucky. This institution, which is conducted under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church, was established in 1881, with the especial object in view of preparing young men for the ministry ; and it has never been in as prosperous
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a condition as it is now under Dr. Richmond's able management.
Dr. Richmond is a thoroughly orthodox Pres- byterian, a man of natural talent, well equipped for the work of minister or teacher, a pleasing, forcible speaker, an excellent teacher, and has developed fine executive ability in the short time he has had charge of the college at Princeton. The trustees of the institution realized the impor- tance of placing a man of ability at the head of affairs and in selecting Dr. Richmond for the re- sponsible position they removed one of the best ministers from Louisville, where Dr. Richmond was held in the highest esteem by his congregation and members of sister churches.
He has been twice married: first in 1871 to Juliette Eyre Phillips, daughter of Louis W. R. Phillips of Princeton, New Jersey. She died in 1882, leaving one son, William Dickey Rich- mond, and one daughter, Margaret Craig Rich- mond. His second marriage was in November, 1884, to Annie M. Gordon, daughter of Chief Justice Isaac G. Gordon of Pennsylvania.
W TILLIAM M. SMITH, United States At- torney for the district of Kentucky, was born in Christian County, Kentucky, January 3, 1853. He is the son of Samuel R. and Mary J. (Pattillo) Smith. His father was born in Gran- ville County, North Carolina, in 1826, where, after attaining his majority, he engaged in the business of a planter. He removed to Christian County, Kentucky, in the early fifties, and followed farm- ing on a large scale, owning a large number of slaves; but after the slaves were given their free- dom he engaged in the cotton business, continu- ing in that about eight years, when he removed to Graves County, Kentucky, where he died in 1892. He was an ardent Democrat and sympathized with the South in the late war; traveled extensively and enjoyed life, but never cared for political hon- ors. His father (W. M. Smith's grandfather) was also a native of North Carolina, who fought in the Revolutionary War, and was tendered a commission as lieutenant, but declined on account of his health and was compelled to return to his home, and died there. His ancestors were Eng- lish people,
Mr. W. M. Smith's maternal grandfather, Wil- liam Pattillo, was a native of Corsica, who came to America when he was quite young and en- gaged in general merchandise. He married Miss Ann Mayfield of Warren County, who was quite wealthy. Mr. Pattillo was a man of fine education and was still engaged in his studies when he died at the age of thirty-two. His daughter, Mary J. (Pattillo) Smith, received a college education and was a lady of fine literary attainments, a member of the Episcopal Church, and died in Graves County in 1875.
William M. Smith is the sixth of eleven chil- dren. After attending the country schools he graduated at Mayfield College and then attend- ed the Law Department of the University of Louisville, finishing his legal course in 1872. He at once commenced the practice of law with Mr. A. B. Stublefield in Mayfield, a partnership which was terminated after two years by the death of the senior member of the firm. Mr. Smith continued the business alone for two years and then he was for a time associated with Judge W. M. Miller, and later with Judge W. W. Tice. This relation was dissolved by mutual consent and the firm of Robertson, Smith & Robbins was formed and continued until Mr. Smith's appointment as United States district attorney in February, 1894.
Mr. Smith was county attorney for four years, was a member of the Kentucky Legislature for two years, 1889-90, was a presidential elector in 1888, and held other positions of responsibility which were conferred upon him by the people of his county.
Mr. Smith married Miss Augusta N. Anderson, daughter of Hon. Lucien Anderson of Mayfield, September 26, 1874. Mrs. Smith died in 1879, leaving three sons, Harry A., Terry Pattillo, and Lucien R. In 1884 he married Miss Dellah M. Sherrill, daughter of Col. Lee Sherrill of Ballard County, and there are three children as a result of this marriage.
Mr. Smith is a Democrat of the Cleveland type, and while he has held a number of positions, elec- tive and appointive, he is not a politician. His de- light is in the law, and he gives his time wholly to his official and professional duties. He is a member of the Christian Church,
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G EORGE WASHINGTON MERRITT, a I highly popular young attorney of Russell- ville, was born in Christian County, Kentucky, August II, 1857.
His father, Washington Merritt, was born in Todd County, Kentucky, July 5, 1835, and re- moved in 1856 to Christian County, where he engaged in farming. He lost all of his property during the civil war, and in 1865 he removed to Robertson County, Tennessee, where he died Jan- uary 10, 1878. He was married October 29, 1854, to Lucy A. Waller, who was born in Pottsylvania County, Virginia, November 20, 1834. She was educated in the common and private schools of Todd County. She was the mother of four chil- dren: Leonard Ross, born August 22, 1855, died July 31, 1885; George Washington; Louisa Alice, born June 14, 1860, married Stephen Plas- ter, who died in October, 1891, and married Miss Knight of Butler County, Alabama; Rosa Lee, born September 3, 1868, wife of Edward Col- lier of Fort Deposit, Alabama.
Daniel Ross Merritt (paternal grandfather) was born in Williamson County, Tennessee, January 10, 1800, was educated at Franklin College; was a graduate in medicine; removed to Todd County, Kentucky, in 1821, where he practiced medicine until 1838, when he abandoned his profession in order to give his attention to a very large landed estate. He was married three times: first to a widow Fort, whose children were William J., Eliza and one who died in infancy. His second wife was a widow Vance, whose children were Cordilia, Allie, Daniel and Washington (father). His third wife was Penelope Hannum, who was the mother of Richard, Henry Clay, Fisher Harri- son, Rosabella, Montgomery, an eminent lawyer of Henderson, Philander and Charlotte, a total of fourteen sons and daughters. Mr. Merritt died in July, 1883. Five of the sons were in the Con- federate army.
Benjamin Leonard Waller (maternal grand- father) was born in Pottsylvania County, Vir- ginia, January 12, 1810, and died October 18, 1866. He was a fine Greek and Latin scholar, was for fourteen years a prominent teacher and educator, in connection with his farming inter- ests. He removed to Todd County, Kentucky,
in 1838, when Lucy A. Waller Merritt (mother) was three years of age, and taught school for twelve years, at the same time looking after the business of his farm. He married Dorothy Wil- son, a native of Virginia, and they had nine chil- dren: Lucy A. (mother), Eliza, Benjamin, Nan- nie, George, Zachary Taylor, Sallie, Wilson and Cora. Two of the sons were in the Confederate army. They were members of the Christian Church.
George W. Merritt attended the common schools in Robertson County, Tennessee, and graduated from Southwestern Presbyterian Uni- versity, Clarksville, in the class of 1880. He en- tered the law department of Cumberland Univer- sity, at Lebanon, Tennessee, February 1, 1882, and was graduated in June, 1884. He taught school at intervals while attending college, and for one year following his graduation from the law school at Fort Deposit, Alabama.
He was admitted to the bar in January, 1886, and began the practice of his profession in Rus- sellville, in which he has met with gratifying suc- cess. He has made his way to prominence in his profession and to success in business through his own industry and perseverance, and com- mands the respect and confidence of the com- munity in which he is universally known.
Mr. Merritt was married August 31, 1832, to Etta Sory, daughter of Thomas W. Sory. She was born in Robertson County, Tennessee, Au- gust 29, 1857. They have three children living: Vernon Washington, born October 18, 1883; Minnie Ross, born August 9, 1886, and Benjamin Leonard, born February II, 1888, died in infancy ; Sory, born December II, 1894.
FRANK F. WALLER of Lawrenceburg was born in Burlington, Boone County, August 29, 1858. His father, William H. Waller, was born in Virginia in 1823 and came to Kentucky when a young man and engaged in buying and selling horses, cattle and sheep in Boone and Kenton Counties; removed to Mt. Sterling in 1868, where he was engaged with S. Wolverton & Co., proprietors of a number of stage lines, and remained with them until the railroads de-
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stroyed their business. He has been principally engaged in farming for some years past.
Mary E. Sherrill Waller (mother) was born in Kentucky in 1835. She was the daughter of B. W. Sherrill, a merchant of Burlington, Boone County.
Frank F. Waller's early education was some- what neglected, as he went to work as a clerk in a hardware store at Mt. Sterling when only twelve years of age. In that way, however, he obtained a knowledge of business which has served him well in a successful business career. Before he was fifteen, he was appointed messen- ger of the Adams Express Co. on the L. C. & L. Railway, and filled that position for nine years, picking up further information and acquiring a knowledge of human nature of which few men of his age could boast. After leaving the road, he was appointed the company's agent at Eminence and was there for one year, when he resigned to accept a government appointment in the revenue service. He resigned after two years' service and returned to Eminence and began business in part- nership with J. S. McKendrick, dealing in lumber and coal. This partnership continued for three years, when they sold out and went to Lexington and opened a coal and lumber office there. On account of sickness in his family, Mr. Waller re- mained there only six months and then went to New Castle and formed a partnership with Mr. Monroe and engaged in the lumber and coal busi- ness under the firm name of Monroe and Waller, while at the same time they owned a transfer and stage line running from Eminence to New Castle, carrying passengers and freight, which proved a very successful and prosperous venture. He continued in these enterprises until 1893, when he removed to Lawrenceburg and engaged again in dealing in coal and lumber in connection with other kinds of building materials. In this venture he has enjoyed continued success.
Mr. Waller married Marie L. Sacra of Shelby County, August 22, 1876. They have four sons and one daughter: Harold M., Ben. F., Otis S., Joseph K. and Lucille.
Mr. and Mrs. Waller are active members of the Baptist Church, and are highly respected by a host of friends and acquaintances.
M ARMADUKE BECKWITH MORTON,
Clerk of the Logan County Court,, Rus- sellville, was born in Logan County, Kentucky, August 16, 1840.
His father, William I. Morton, was born in Louisa County, Virginia, September 9, 1786, and was educated in the common schools of that county. He came to Russellville in 1810, and after taking a course of legal studies practiced law for a great many years. He was a very public- spirited man, progressive in his ideas, and was a leader in the old Whig party. He was post- master of Russellville for several terms; was elected county attorney of Logan County in 1836, and held that office many years; served his dis- trict in the Legislature at one time; in 1854 was appointed judge of the Logan County Court; was deeply interested in religion, and frequently preached the gospel in the Baptist Church in Russellville, also at the Liberty and Friendship Churches in Logan County and in Tennessee. He was three times married, first December 4, 1805, to Rebecca Haden of Fluvanna County, Virginia, daughter of Colonel Joseph Haden. Mrs. Mor- ton died, leaving five children: Eleanor Beck- with, Amanda Pocohontas, Mary Virginia, Joseph William and George Richard.
His second wife was Louisa McCormick, who died, and left one child, Peter Henry Morton. His third wife was Mrs. Clarissa McCleland, whose maiden name was Clarissa Harlow Mc- Cormack. She was born in Lincoln County, November 16, 1802. She married John McCle- land May 5, 1822, who died, and she then mar- ried W. I. Morton in 1832, November 13. The children of this union were: Clarissa M. Morton, Joseph W. Morton, Marmaduke B. Morton and Martha L. Morton.
William Jordan Morton (grandfather) was born in Northern Virginia November 15, 1754. He was known as a "gentleman," having inherited large wealth and owning a great many slaves. His chief characteristic was his loyalty and his intense hatred of the "Tories." He was married March 16, 1779, to Martha Prior, daughter of William and Sarah Prior. She was born April 6, 1761, and died March, 1800. They were the parents of twelve children: Peter, born Decem-
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ber 16, 1779; Sarah, born November 10, 1781; Rebecca, born May 21, 1783; Francis, born March 9, 1785; William I. (father), born Sep- tember 9, 1786; Mary, born March 31, 1788; Joseph, born February 28, 1790; John, born Jan- 11ary 21, 1792; Elizabeth born September 12, 1794; Marmaduke B., born September 13, 1796; Henry Prior, born September 3, 1798; Martha, born March 15, 1800.
Marmaduke B. Morton, the tenth child named above, held the same office for twenty years that is now held by his nephew, whose name heads this sketch.
Joseph Morton (great-grandfather) was a native of Virginia. Special history unknown.
John McCormick (maternal grandfather) was a farmer of Lincoln County, Kentucky. He mar- ried Leanna Masterson, daughter of Edward and Eleanor (Coleman) Masterson. They removed from Lincoln County to North Carolina. They had five children: James, Caleb, Mary, Leanna and Leah.
Daniel McCormick (maternal great-grand- father) was a native of Ireland, who came to the United States when he was about nineteen years of age, and located in Philadelphia; married Sarah Hollingsworth, and had nine children: John, Joseph, William, Daniel, Sarah, Nancy. Hannah and Martha.
Marmaduke B. Morton received his education in private schools and in Bethel College, Russell- ville, attending the latter institution the first year of its existence. At the age of fourteen he left school and entered the office of the clerk of the County Court as deputy and served in that capacity for about five years. During the Civil war he looked after his aged mother and her property. After the close of the war he engaged in merchandising at Auburn for four or five years, and was subsequently engaged in farming, but abandoned that occupation and traveled fifteen years for a wholesale hardware establishment in Louisville; from 1890 to 1894 he served as deputy sheriff of Logan County; in November, 1894, he was elected clerk of the Logan County Court.
Mr. Morton has been a member of the Baptist Church since 1860; is a Master Mason and a highly esteemed and popular citizen,
He was married December 7, 1869, to his cous- in, Virginia Morton, daughter of Joseph Morton. She was born in Logan County, February 13, 1844, and was educated in the best schools of Logan County. They have had eight children, six of whom are living:
Henry Prior, born December 25, 1870.
Overton Harris, born October 1, 1871; died November 10, 1885.
Joseph Jordan, born April 21, 1878; died June 25, 1891.
Francis Alexander, born March 4, 1875. Clarissa Louisa, born June 23, 1876. William I., born April 6, 1878. James Hanna, born December 1, 1879. Virginia, born June II, 1882.
PROFESSOR ABNER GOFF MURPHY, President of the Logan Female College, Russellville, was born in Knox County, Ohio, October 18, 1831. He is a son of William and Sarah Ann (Mckinney) Murphy.
His father was born in Maryland, April 17, 1804, and was educated in log school houses in Belmont and Knox Counties, Ohio. He was a farmer and tanner by occupation, and a very worthy and highly esteemed citizen of Knox County, Ohio, until the day of his death, January 2, 1885. He was a steward in the Methodist Church, very liberal in the support of his own congregation, and there were few churches in the county to which he did not contribute. He was elected colonel of the Ohio State Militia and served in that capacity for five years. He was a Whig in the days of that political party, and a Republican after its dissolution. He was married December 27, 1830, to Sarah Ann Mc- Kinney, and they had three children, only one of whom, Prof. A. G. Murphy, is living. Elizabeth died in 1843, and Lydia died in 1837.
Sarah Ann Mckinney Murphy (mother) was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, December 27, 1809, and was educated in excellent private schools in Leesburg, Loudoun County, Virginia, and was a woman of rare intellectual endow- ments and attainments.
Abner Murphy (grandfather) was a native of Maryland, who went to Ohio, where he was en-
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