Biographical cyclopedia of the commonwealth of Kentucky, Part 76

Author: Gresham, John M., Co., Pub
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago, Philadelphia, J. M. Gresham company
Number of Pages: 726

USA > Kentucky > Biographical cyclopedia of the commonwealth of Kentucky > Part 76

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

James Davis (grandfather) was a native of Har- rison County, and for many years a well-known distiller, but the latter part of his life was devoted to farming.

David L. Evans, after attending the common schools, took a thorough course under the tutor- ship of Professor N. F. Smith, who had a private school in Cynthiana. He taught school in the county for one terin and then removed to Garrard County and opened a general store at Point Lick. He remained there about two and a half years and then went to Kansas, where he commenced the

study of law, returning in a short time to Cynthi- ana, where he completed his law course with M. C. Swinford, and was admitted to the bar in Oc- tober, 1889. During the same year he became a partner of Mr. Swinford, under the firm name of Swinford & Evans, which relation has con- tinued satisfactorily until the present time. The firm has a very large and lucrative practice.

In November, 1894, Mr. Evans was elected county attorney on the Democratic ticket, taking charge of the office January 1, 1895.

M RS. MARY B. R. DAY, who has been State Librarian for six years and whose present term of office expires June 1, 1896, is a native of Franklin County, Kentucky, and a daughter of John W. Russell, whose family name is found in many pages of the best histories of Kentucky. Mr. Russell was himself quite prominent in Ken- tucky politics, and was an intimate friend of Pres- ident William Henry Harrison. He was a de- scendant of a Scotch-Irish family, whose ances- tors came to Virginia prior to the Revolution, and, with the characteristics of their intelligent race, were true patriots in the struggle for Ameri- can independence.

Mr. Russell married Ann M. Julian, of a Hu- guenot family, and a daughter of Charles Julian, who was one of the wealthiest men in the state. He moved to Kentucky from Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Mrs. Day was educated principally in Frank- fort, and to the many liberal endowments of mind and heart she added those accomplishments which have distinguished her as a lady of unusual intelligence and refinement.

She was married in 1880 to W. E. Day, a trav- eling correspondent of the Chicago Journal, who died in 1881. Her health failed and she lived sev- eral years in Florida and the West. Mrs. Day spent near all of her living in her efforts to regain her health, and showed both pluck and ability from her first effort in politics; although defeated in her first race she made such friends as to give her great strength with the succeeding Legisla- ture and she was elected against strong opposi- tion. She served with credit through the Con- stitutional Convention and long Legislature

44I

KENTUCKY BIOGRAPHIES.

which imposed more work on the librarian than any legislative bodies ever held in the state.

Returning to Kentucky she was one of the brightest women of the capital, and it was on ac- count of her popularity and extensive acquaint- ance that she was elected State Librarian by the Legislature in 1890. It was a deserved recogni- tion of her scholarly accomplishments and business ability-the highest official compliment that could be paid to a lady in Kentucky. She is now serv- ing her third term, but withdrew from the last race before the caucus.

Mrs. Day is a member of the Daughters of the Revolution and is a sister of John C. Russell, a prominent attorney of Louisville, of whom see sketch.

"The penitentiary at Frankfort has no doubt the best Warden in America in the person of Colonel George. And he has with him the best of men to assist him. The writer was the guest of Captain Gervis Stone, who is the clerk of the prison. He needs no commendation. His name wherever known is enough to know that he is not there as the favorite of some one, but of worth and compe- tency.

With such men at the head of our prison, they have turned what might be a hell on earth into a humane home for our unfortunate brothers. Rev. Mr. Cooper, the chaplain, is a small man, but as large as all out-of-doors. He is doing a noble work and tells me he has the co-operation of all the officers, and that the Warden never fails to worship with the prisoners.

I met on Sunday afternoon some of Frankfort's best women, among whom was the State Librar- ian, Mrs. Day, teaching the Sunday School. May God bless them and their labors. I believe many men are made better rather than worse."

Written by Rev. George Froh and published in the Spencer Courier.

JACKSON McCLAIN, of the real estate and insurance firm of McClain & Rogers of Hen- derson, eldest son of Colonel Jackson and Car- rie (Hunt) McClain and elder brother of M. Hunt McClain, whose sketch is given above, was born in Henderson, Kentucky, June 16, 1870.

He received a liberal education in the Hender-

son schools and was well prepared for a busi- ness career when he engaged in the real estate and insurance business in his native city, to which employment he has given his attention with profit- able results and has established a very extensive business. He is a man of strong individuality, with many of the characteristics of his father, whom he resembles in many respects, especially in his methodical habits and excellent business judg- ment. He is well posted in the value and his- tory of property and is one of the most reliable ap- praisers in Henderson County. Although quite young, he has fully established himself in the con- fidence of his fellow-citizens, who predict for him a successful future. Few young men have han- dled their patrimony with finer discrimination or better results and he is constantly adding to the nucleus of a splendid fortune. He has been a member of the water works commission of Hen- derson for the past year.

Mr. McClain was married in April, 1891, to Myra Strother Hart, and they have one child, Carrie Lucelia.

THOMAS D. WILLIAMS, M. D., one of the most skillful and reliable physicians of Bards- town, son of Thomas H. Williams and Sarah T. Rodman, was born near Beechland P. O., Wash- ington County, Kentucky, January 1I, 1840.

His father was a native farmer of Washington County, in which he spent all the years of a use- ful life and died February 10, 1895, aged 82. He was an earnest Christian and is remembered as a very active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

Samuel Williams (grandfather) was born in Maryland and was one of the earliest settlers of Washington County, where he was distinguished as a scholarly gentleman, an educator and a sur- veyor. He removed to Marion County late in life and died there at the advanced age of eighty-six years. The Williams family is of Welsh origin, the progenitor of whom came to Maryland in co- lonial days.

Sarah T. Rodman Williams (mother) was born in Washington County, Kentucky, in 1820, and died there May 22, 1890, aged seventy. She was also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church

442

KENTUCKY BIOGRAPHIES.

South and a woman of great piety and Christian benevolence.

David Rodman (grandfather) was a native of Maryland, of Scotch-Irish descent and was one of the pioneers of Washington County, where he fol- lowed farming and millwrighting principally and was for a time engaged in business as a merchant in Springfield. He was one of the most indus- trious and influential men of his times.

Dr. Thomas D. Williams came of a good stock of sturdy, intelligent people, who were the peers of their neighbors-not prominent in public af- fairs nor ambitious for public applause-but men and women who performed their duties with punc- tuality and lent character and stability to the com- munity in which they shared the privations so fa- miliar to the people who developed a new coun- try and prepared the way for the comfort and en- joyment of their posterity. He was made ac- quainted with the rugged duties of farm life, and, as a boy, performed his share in the field and for- est, attending school betimes, until he was suf- ficiently advanced to enter the Covington Insti- tute in Springfield, where he was prepared for his collegiate course, which followed in Maxwell Col- lege, in the same county. After leaving college he was engaged in teaching, an avocation in which many eminent men have found the key to success and fame, and then attended the Bellevue Med- ical College in New York in 1867 and 1868, from which he received his diploma and began the practice of his profession in Washington County, removing to High Grove, Nelson County, after one year's practice, and there continued the ex- acting labors of the country physician for seven years. Leaving that field he went to Maud, Wash- ington County, and practiced in that vicinity un- til 1886, when he sought a more inviting field in his present location at Bardstown. In the mean- time, after practicing about eight years, he took a postgraduate course in the Hospital College of Medicine at Louisville, from which institution he also received the degree of M. D.

His success has been most gratifying, especially in his present location. Thoroughly qualified by study and long experience, he is one of the most reliable and popular family physicians in Nelson County or thereabouts. Devoted to his profes-

sion, industrious and energetic, faithful and prompt to answer the signal of distress, he has won the confidence of his patients and the public to a most gratifying degree. He is still a student and a careful reader of medical literature, keep- ing pace with the rapid progress of medical science and is a member of the Kentucky State Medical Society, and secretary of the Nelson County Med- ical Society. He was one of the founders of "The Buck Fork Medical Society (embracing the coun- ties of Nelson, Marion and Washington), which was a most prosperous organization for eight years, four years of which time Dr. Williams was its active secretary and for three years its presi- dent.

In 1893 the Pan-American Medical Congress was held in Washington City, D. C. Dr. Chas. A. L. Reed, Chairman of Committee on Perma- nent Organization, appointed Dr. T. D. Williams Chairman on Organization for the Local Profes- sion for Bardstown and Nelson County, which position he filled with ability and honor to himself and his profession. He has always been deeply in- terested in the success and advancement of his profession, and has, for many years, been an en- thusiastic medical society man, always delighting in the discussion of medical topics. He has writ- ten several articles for the medical press, which received most favorable comment, especially his article or essay on "Puerperal Convulsions," read before the State Medical Society at Danville, Ken- tucky, in 1879.

He is a Mason and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

Dr. Williams was married (first) to Annie M. Burdette, daughter of Peyton Burdette of Mt. Washington, Kentucky, February 28, 1871. She died September 1, 1879, leaving two children: Lizzie, now deceased, and Nannie.

Peyton Burdette was one of the leading citizens of Bullitt County, a man of sterling worth and in- tegrity, full of energy and enterprise, and did more than any other citizen to build up Mount Washington, and to advance the educational and commercial interests of the town. He lived to be a very old man and was escorted to his last rest- ing place by one of the largest processions of sor- rowing friends in the history of the town.

443

KENTUCKY BIOGRAPHIES.

Dr. Williams was married the second time to Miss Theresa Reed of Springfield, Washington County. She was a daughter of Nelson Reed, de- ceased, who was one of the wealthiest and most prominent farmers of the county. Mr. Reed was a prominent member of the Presbyterian Church, and one of the most liberal supporters of Pleasant · Grove Church, at which place he and all his fam- ily held their membership.

Miss Nannie Williams, only daughter and child of Dr. Williams, is now a pupil of Logan Female College, Russellville, Kentucky, and has been for three years. She will graduate from that institution in June, 1897.

Dr. Williams' brothers are: J. R. Williams, a prominent farmer of Washington County; John M. Williams, a merchant and farmer of the same county; Rev. James H. Williams of the Kentucky M. E. Conference and Samuel W. Williams, a farmer of Washington County, all of whom with their families are members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church South.

The character of the parents may be judged from the excellent standing of their sons, among whom there is none who has not honored the fath- er's good name.

M ILTON YOUNG, the leading stock farm- er and breeder of thoroughbred race horses in Kentucky, was born in Union County, Ken- tucky, January 10, 1851. He is a descendant of the family of Youngs whose progenitors came from the North of Ireland and settled in the Val- ley of Virginia and Pennsylvania after the close of the Revolutionary War.

His father, Judge Milton Young, was a native of Nelson County, Kentucky, who removed to Union County early in life, probably about the time of his marriage, and lived there until 1859 and then removed to Henderson, where he died at the age of forty-eight years. During his residence in Union County, he was County Judge for two terms and was a member of the Kentucky Legis- lature from Henderson County at the time of his death. He operated an extensive tobacco stem- mery after removing to Henderson, and shipped tobacco to England. He was quite wealthy before

the Civil War, and owned a large number of slaves. He was a Henry Clay Whig, and took an active interest in politics, and was an influential leader in his party. His early opportunities for obtaining an education were limited, but he ac- quired a wide range of useful knowledge, and mastered civil engineering and informed himself on all questions of practical use in his sphere of life. He possessed a strong mind, great firmness, decision and force of character and was a highly respected citizen of his county. He married Maria Thompson, whose father, Stephen Thomp- son, was a farmer in Washington County, Ken- tucky.

Bryan R. Young (grandfather) was a native Virginian, who removed to Kentucky in 1796, and was one of the first settlers of Nelson County. His father's old farm in that county was opened in 1793, or about that time, and is still known as the "John Young Farm," upon which stands the first brick house that was built in the state. His daughter, Elizabeth Young, sister of Judge Mil- ton Young, married Thomas Brown, and was the mother of ex-Governor John Young Brown. Bryan R. Young was a practicing physician in Nelson County, a leading citizen and politician, and was a member of Congress in 1845-7.

Milton Young of Lexington was nine years of age when his father, Judge Milton Young, re- moved from Union County to Henderson, and he lived there until 1884, except during two years when he was in Hopkinsville. For several years he was successfully engaged in the cigar and to- bacco business, and subsequently was in the hard- ware and implement business for five years at Henderson.

In 188I he was married to Lucy Spalding, daughter of Honorable I. A. Spalding (ex-Rail- road Commissioner) of Union County, and they have five children: Sue Spalding, Alice, Mamie, Milton and Jack Spalding.

In 1884 he removed to Fayette County, where he has ever since been engaged in breeding thor- oughbred horses. He bought the celebrated stock farm, "McGrathiana," situated three miles from Lexington on the Newtown pike. This is one of the finest and most extensive stock farms in Ken- tucky, consisting of seven hundred and fifty acres

444

KENTUCKY BIOGRAPHIES.

of the finest blue grass land. He keeps three hundred brood mares, which, in 1894, furnished the turf with one hundred and seventy-four win- ners, whose combined winnings amounted to $346,283 in stakes and purses. In the last two years sons and daughters of the McGrathiana stal- lions have won $710,496 on the American turf, a marvelous unbeaten record of a wonderful thor- oughbred breeding plant.

Though the stallions, living and dead, repre- senting McGrathiana Stud Farm had fourteen less winners, that captured $17,930 less in 1894, than did the same representative horses in 1893, the showing last year is even better than during the season of the World's Fair Carnival. In 1893, race meetings were held at Monmouth Park, Gloucester and Guttenberg, while in 1894, ad- verse legislation closed the above named tracks, with their half a million dollars in stakes and purses, a part of which the horses bred at Mc- Grathiana have always been lucky enough to win. With the chances at the same valuation of stakes and purses in 1894 as was offered in 1893, last year would have, no doubt, witnessed horses by McGrathiana sires winning fully $400,000. As it is, the mark they made in 1894 has only been beaten by the McGrathiana stallions the previous year, and the combined winnings of two seasons constitute an unbeaten record in the annals of American racing. They had out a winner every day, on an average, for nearly six months, and they won, on an average, over one and a half races per day during the entire year. Had a man fol- lowed the sons and daughters of these horses for two years he would have had nothing but money, as in 730 days (two years), they have won 1,268 races, that in valuation equaled an average of nearly $1,000 per day. The following resume gives a condensed record of Mr. Milton Young's famous sires which, in 1894, made such a re- markable showing. It is worthy of note, too, that the now famous McGrathiana Stud has been in the hands of Mr. Milton Young for thirteen years only.

Hanover's get have shown this year again their high class as three-year-olds. Halma has devel- oped into a great stake winner. He landed the Phoenix Hotel Stakes, one and one-eighth miles,

in I:52} (a second slower than the record); the Kentucky Derby and the Clark Stakes. In the Phoenix Hotel Stakes the contending horse was The Commoner, another son of Hanover, who was giving Halma five pounds. At even weights it is doubtful which would have won, and it was a feather in Hanover's cap that his two sons should have run such a bruising race in fast time. It proves conclusively that the Hanovers train on and stay as three-year-olds. Other three-year-olds that have been returned winners this season are The Commoner, Hallowe'en, Urania, Hollywood, Buck Massie, Sligo, Miss Young, Whyota and Handspun, winner of the Tennessee Oaks, etc.

Among Hanover's two-year-olds are the highly tried Handspring and the winners Hand Maid, Lela Dell and Helen Mar.

Where is a sire in America that can boast of a Derby and an Oaks winner in the first season? There is no doubt that Hanover will in a short while be at the head of our winning stallions, and perpetuate the famous line of Glencoe, who sired the greatest of all mares, old "Pocahontas."

In spite of the decrease of racing in 1894 as compared to 1893, the get of Duke of Montrose won only 1,996 less in 1894 than they did in 1893, and out of forty-seven starters thirty-five of his get were money winners, while twenty-six cap- tured one or more races. His son, Henry Young, broke the one and three-sixteenths mile record in the Columbus Handicap, at Washington Park, Chicago, in which he defeated a great field, includ- ing Yo Tambien, Cash Day, Rudolph and Dr. Rice, in 1:583. Saragossa beat all kinds of horses last year, while Pocahontas was easily the best of the Western three-year-old fillies and Ta Ta was a very smart two-year-old. Duke of Montrose up to the close of 1894 has had out ninety-five start- ers during his stud career and sixty-eight of these performers have proven winners. Just half of the two-year-olds by him that were out last year were winners and one of these performers won eight races.

Macduff's record of thirty-two winners in forty- three starters was a grand one, inasmuch as only eight starters by him failed to earn money in 1894. Out of thirteen two-year-old starters he had ten winners, and in that lot were Kitty Clive, Satsuma

445

KENTUCKY BIOGRAPHIES.

and Katherine, all high class performers. Of six- ty-two performers that represent all of Macduff's get that have appeared on the turf as yet, fifty- three have won races, making his percentage of winners reach a shade over 90 per cent. It is hard to find a stallion with as good a showing in this respect, considering the number of starters by him that have faced the red flag.

Strathmore is another wonder as a sire of win- ners. In twenty-four starters out last year, he was represented by eighteen winners, and two others of his six non-winners landed money. Cash Day, a grand three-year-old, equalling the record of Wildwood and Faraday (one mile seventy yards in 1:44), was his brightest star, though his old timers Strathmeath, Monrovia and Soundmore, as usual, have done well. Strathmore had six win- ning two-year-olds in ten starters, among them being Queen May, Glad and Ashland, all of which were good class. Strathmore would have been higher up in the list of winners had Strathrol not turned out a sulker, as the colt showed high class in the spring, running the $10,000 Ducat to a head, a mile in 1:40 flat, the fastest time ever scored in a mile race in Kentucky. Ten Broeck's mark, a quarter of a second faster, also scored in that state, being made against time. During his career in the stud Strathmore has furnished the turf with forty-seven starters, thirty-three of which have won races. He also has the distinction of be- ing one of the few living horses that has sired a winner of $100,000 or over, his son Strathmeath having won $109,772 in stakes and purses.

Imp. Pirate of Penzance had no big money winners out last year, but he had a great array of winners, only three of his fifteen starters failing to earn brackets. One of these won in 1893, so in all his starters last season he had but two maid- ens. Little Cripple turned out a very fine selling plater, while Rhett Goode was a stake winner and Bandit scored several fine victories. He had but four two-year-old starters, and three of them proved race winners. But nineteen of this son of imp. Prince Charlie's get have as yet started in the two seasons he has been represented on the turf, and fifteen of these performers have proven winners. This showing is all the more remark- able inasmuch as, with but one or two exceptions,

he has been favored with a very inferior lot of mares.

Favor had nine winners in his list of starters last year, Fertile being the best class of the lot. In the two seasons he has been represented on the turf by thirty-one starters. Of these seventeen proved winners, a fair average considering his chances, he having been favored with few good mares. Of thirteen two-year-old starters out by him last year six won races, and nine proved money winners.

Imp. Simple Simon is a son of the great St. Simon, who was unbeatable on the turf, and whom Fred Archer, the greatest jockey of all time, pro- nounced the best race horse he ever threw a leg over.

Since St. Simon's retirement from the turf his success at the stud has been unprecedented. The first of his get appeared on the turf in 1889, and with the disadvantage, compared with older sires, of having only two-year-olds to represent him he was third on the list of winning stallions. The premier position that season was occupied by his sire, Galopin, with Hampton second and St. Si- mon a good third. Every year since 1889 St. Si- mon has been the undisputed champion stallion.

The following statistics show the amounts won each year by the sons and daughters of St. Simon in first money only:

1889. $121,500 3d on the list of winning sires.

1890. 164,000. .1st on the list of winning sires.

1891.

134,500. .1st on the list of winning sires.

1892. 266,250. 1st on the list of winning sires.

1893.

183,000. 1st on the list of winning sires.

1894.

210,000. .1st on the list of winning sires.

T'tal.$1,079,250

Such figures speak for themselves.

To refer at length to the cracks by St. Simon would be almost equivalent to writing a history of the principal events of the English turf since 1889, which would take up too much space. In 1890, when the oldest of his get were three years old, a larger proportion of first-class stakes fell to their share than to the first get of any stallion before or since. Their wins included the St. Leger, the Oaks, the 1,000 Guineas, the Epsom Grand Prize, the Newmarket Stakes, the Newmarket Oaks, the Rous Memorial Stakes, the Sussex Stakes, the Zetland Biennial Stakes, the Brocklesby Stakes, the Ascot Biennial Stakes, etc.

446

KENTUCKY BIOGRAPHIES.

Lady Gladys, the dam of Simple Simon, was by Gladiateur, one of the greatest race horses ever foaled, winner of the 2,000 Guineas, Derby, St. Leger, etc. Lady Gladys threw the winners Gal- lant, Gayland and Laddie. Gladiateur is the sire of Lord Gough, he the sire of the dams of Kil- warlin (winner of the St. Leger, etc.), and Ben- digo, another crack. Margery, the granddam (sis- ter to Scottish Queen, winner of the 1,000 Guin- eas), was by Blair Athol, winner of the Derby and St. Leger.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Biographical cyclopedia of the commonwealth of Kentucky, Part 76

Author: Gresham, John M., Co., Pub Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Chicago, Philadelphia, J. M. Gresham company Number of Pages: 726

Author: Gresham, John M., Co., Pub
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago, Philadelphia, J. M. Gresham company
Number of Pages: 726