Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 103

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co.
Number of Pages: 1654

USA > Kentucky > Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II > Part 103

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The Trees have kept, for 96 years, the silent record of the first known visit to what is now Mouroe county. A quarter of a mile w. of Tompkinsville, a stately beech bears the name of "D. Boone, 1777," and is an object of curi- ous interest and of frequent visits. Other trees, in other neighborhoods, bear the same date, but without a name-indicating that several hunters were here in that year on an excursion. Dr. Thomas Walker and Daniel Smith, the Virginia commissioners to run the boundary line between Virginia and North Carolina-of which states Kentucky and Tennessee then formed the western parts-marked their names and Feb. 25, 1780, on two beech trees, on the west bank of the Cumberland river, at the point where the state line crosses, in this county.

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Of the Soldiers of the War of 1812 a number are still living in this county- Wm. Maxey, Jesse Hood, Stephen Pitcock, and others, now upon the pension list, in acknowledgment of their services.

During the War of the Rebellion, Monroe county was nearly devastated. Roving bands of marauders-some professing allegiance to the cause of the Union, some to that of the South, and some to neither cause-overran the county, and rendered life and property precarious and insecure.

Col. S. S. Stanton, of Tennessee, led the first Confederate troops into the county, late in the autumn of 1861. He burned Camp Anderson (in the w. portion of the county), which had recently been evacuated by the Federals ; and returned, through Tompkinsville, to Tennessee. The celebrated Gen. Pat. Cleburne, with several regiments, passed through the county, during the" same autumn; and Gen. Bragg's entire army in 1862. In the winter of 1862, Col. John H. Morgan's Confederate rangers encountered Maj. Jordan, who was encamped half a mile E. of Tompkinsville. After a sharp conflict, the Federals retreated, leaving their tents and most of their baggage. Several were killed and wounded on each side. See p. 535.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

MONTGOMERY county, the 22d formed in the state, was estab- lished in 1796, out of part of Clark county, and named in honor of Gen. Richard Montgomery. Since that date, portions of its then territory have been taken to form or aid in forming the counties of Floyd in 1799, Clay in 1806, Bath in 1811, Harlan in 1819, Perry in 1820, Lawrence and Pike in 1821, Morgan in 1822, Breathitt in 1839, Letcher in 1842, Owsley and Johnson in 1843, Powell in 1852, Magoffin and Wolfe in 1860, Menifee in 1869, and Lee and Martin in 1870-in all 18 counties ; no wonder Montgomery is now a small county territorially ! It has been called the Piedmont of northern Kentucky, extending on the s. and s. E. to the Red river and Slate mountains, which separate it from Powell on the s. and from Bath on the S. E .; and is further bounded N. by Nicholas and Bath, E. by Menifee and Bath, and w. by Clark and Bourbon counties. It lies on the waters of Hinkston creek and Red river, and their tribu- taries-Spence fork, Flat, Lulbegrud, Slate, Somerset, and Syca- more creeks. Much of the soil, for fertility, is unsurpassed in the state ; indeed, in the great drouth-year of 1854, the corn crop of Montgomery county was much better than in any neighboring county-which was attributed to its greater depth of soil ; it is first-rate, rich, limestone soil. Hemp is raised to some extent, but the principal exports are fat cattle, mules, horses, and hogs.

Towns .- Mountsterling, the county seat, situated on Hinkson creek, near its head, about 5 miles E. of the Clark county line and 7 miles w. of the Bath county line, is 60 miles from Frank- fort, 343 from Lexington, 20 from Paris, 26 from Richmond, 143 from Owingsville, 51 from Maysville, 51 from West Liberty, and 26 from Stanton. It has considerable trade; and since the completion of the Elizabethtown, Lexington, and Big Sandy railroad from Lexington to Mountsterling in 1872, has steadily

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

and handsomely increased in population and business ; population in 1870, 1,040 ; established in 1792, and named after Mr. Stirling, the former owner of the land, but usually written Mountsterling. Jeffersonville is a small village, 7 miles E. of the court house, on the state road to Prestonsburg. Levee, Montaview, Aaron's Run, Eln Hill, Howard's Mill, and Side View, are post offices, and several of them small villages.

STATISTICS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

When formed. See page 26

.P. 258

Tobacco, corn, wheat, hay ... pages 266, 268 -

Horses, mules, cattle, hogs. ... p. 268

Population, from 1800 to 1870 whites and colored. .p. 260 Taxable property, 1846 and 1870 ... p. 270

towns .. .p. 262 Land-No. of acres, and value ...... p. 270 Latitude and longitude. .. p. 257

white males over 21 .p. 266

children bet. 6 and 20. .. p. 266

Distinguished citizens .. see Index.

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Senate .- James McElhenny, 1800-04 ; Wm. Farrow, 1812-15; Jas. Mason, 1815-20 ; Samuel L. Williams, 1820-24, '28-32, '40-44 : Aquilla Young, 1832-40 ; Walter Chiles. 1848-51, '61-65, died 1862 ; Jas. McKee, 1857-61, died 1861. From Montgomery and Estill counties-Jesse Daniel, 1824-28. From Montgomery and Clark counties- Samuel M. Taylor, 1844-18. [See Floyd co.]

House of Representatives .- Bennett Clarke, 1797 ; John Poage, 1798 ; Jilson Payne, 1799, 1800, '02, '03 ; B. South, 1800 ; Richard Menifee, 1801, '02, '06 ; Wm. Farrow, 1801, '10, '11 ; Thos. Fletcher, 1803, '05, '06 ; Jesse Woodruff, 1805 ; Jeremiah Davis, 1S10 ; David Trimble, 1811 ; Henry Daniel, 1812, 19, '26 ; John Crawford, 1812 ; Samuel L. Williams, 1814, 'IS : Jesse Daniel, 1814, '15 ; John Jameson, 1815, '16, '17; Samuel T. Davenport, 1816; Eli Shortridge, 1817, '24; Jas. S. Megowan, 1818 ; Amos Davis, 1819, '25, '27, '28 ; Alex. S. Farrow, Thos. Mosely, 1820; John Williams, Kenaz Farrow, 1822 ; John Mason, Jr., 1824; John B. Duke, 1825 ; Aquilla Young, 1826 ; Wm. Wilkerson, 1827 : Chas. Glover,' 1828, '39; Jas. Hayes, 1829, '30; Benj. F. Thomas, 1829, '30, '31, '32 ; Thos. E. Barnes, 1831 ; Josiah Davis, 1832, '33 : Chas. S. Gatewood, 1833, '37 ; Jos. Harrow, Hugh Dugan, 1834 : David Heran, Jas. McKee, 1835; Richard H. Menefee, 1836; Richard Apperson, 1838, '43; Jas. Bruton, 1840 ; Nelson Prewitt, 1841, '44 ; Jos. Bondurant, 1842; Belvard J. Peters, 1845 ; Madison Stewart, 1846, '48 ; Archibald W. Hamilton, 1847 ; Win. F. White, 1849; Strother D. Mitchell, 1850, '51-55 ; Jas. H. Turner, 1855-57 ; John W. White, 1859-61 ; Thos. Turner, 1861-63 : Benj. F. Cockrill, 1865-67 ; Wm. S. Richart, 1869-71; Gen. John S. Williams, 1873-75.

Of Mounds and Ancient Works, Montgomery county has an unusual. propor- tion, of the largest size and apparent importance. The mound which gave name to Mount-Stirling was so large and prominent as to give name to the locality before 1782 as the Little Mountain. It is within the limits of the town, and in 1806, when visited by a Philadelphia merchant, Josiah Espy, was described as "a remarkable Indian mound, about 25 feet high, almost 125 feet in diameter at the base, and perfectly circular-evidently formed by human art, but when or by whom is altogether unknown, and most probably will always remain so." It was cut down in 1846, and a large brick residence afterwards erected upon the spot. In 1816, there were trees on the mound as large as those in the neighboring forest. In digging it down, many curi- ous things were found, interspersed with human bones-among them, a cop- per breastplate and two white queensware breastplates, each about the size of a man's hand; a great number of large beads, some of copper and others of ivory ; bracelets of copper, etc.

An ancient work situated near Mountsterling (plainly visible in 1819, when visited by Prof. C. S. Rafinesque), consisted of a large truncated mound, 25 feet in height, flanked on the north and west by narrow grades or slopes. It was connected with a circular work, 350 feet in diameter, by an elevated way or terrace, 100 feet long. The circle had a small mound in its center, and a gate-way opening to the east. Three small mounds occur in connection.

The group of ancient works represented in the engraving below-situated on the west side of Brush creek, 6 miles s. E. of Mountsterling-was also quite distinct in 1820, when measured and sketched by Prof. Rafinesque. The work indicated by the letter A was 100 feet square, composed of a slight

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

embankment, with an interior diteh. There was an entrance from the east. The elliptical mound C was about 200 yards distant from A, towards the east. It was 9 feet high, 270 feet in circumference, truncated, and surmounted by a smaller conical mound. Another small mound was connected with it, as shown in the plan. B was a circular work, 510 feet in circumference,

FORT

INGETINCENOUSE

ROADETO

ROAD

CRE

with a ditch interior to the wall, and a gate-way opening towards the east. The unexcavated ground in the interior was square in form, exhibiting an entire identity in this feature with various works in the state of Ohio. D was a hexagonal enelosure; whole eireumference 300 feet, each side 50 feet, with a gate-way at the eastern eorner. On the opposite side of Brush ereek is a large elliptical mound, E. This group occupies a broad elevated plain.

On the bottom-land near Stepstone creek, a branch of Slate creek, at a point 5 miles E. of Mountsterling, stands a mound-about 15 feet high and 30 feet at the base-in which distinct strata (one of ashes, charcoal, and bones, and another of monld or black earth) have been exposed, by the action of the high water in washing away one-half of it. In this ease, and in most of the mounds in this limestone region, the tramping of stock and the action of the rains have diminished the size and height of the mounds.

Ahout 5 miles w. of Mountsterling, on the farm which in 1846 belonged to Jacob Johnson's heirs, is another mound, near to what was once a square en- trenchment. The trees growing in the trenches and on the banks, at the time they were cleared, were of the largest and richest growth-like those in the surrounding forest. On the E. side of the square was, evidently, a gate, some 20 feet wide, on the brow of a hill. Thence, down to a spring, some . 30 yards off, for the full width of the gate there were no trees of any kind- when the country was first settled by the whites.

From Land Litigation no county in Kentucky has suffered more than Mont- gomery. The laws of Virginia for the appropriation of lands were the greatest curse that ever befell Kentucky. Sometimes as many as five or six patents covered the same piece of land ; and the occupant, besides the title under which he entered, frequently had to purchase two or three times more, or lose his home and labor. But the difficulties in the land titles belong to the state at large, and need not be specially pointed out here.

The First Visitors to any part of what is now Montgomery county were Wm. Calk and several others in company, in June, 1775-who went from Boonesborough, explored the land on South Mountain ereek but not below the mountain, and gave that name to the creek. They built a cabin, at a spring

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

near the creek, about one mile above where Mountsterling now is-which beeame a prominent landmark, and was well known as Calk's cabin .*

The Next Visitors and Locators of whom any certain trace is preserved, were Benj. White, Nicholas Anderson, Edward Williams, Peter Harper, and 10 or 11 others in company, to a point on the waters of Slate ereek, about 3 or 4 miles from Estill's battle-ground-where they marked a large black ash with the letters WHITE, 1779. There they made an improvement for White, and on the opposite of the branch one for Harper. In 1780, visitors seeking for fine lands inereased in number.

Montgomery county, because of its more exposed situation, was not settled so soon as the counties west of it. Among the earliest permanent . settlers was Capt. JOHN A. CRAWFORD, in 1790-who was employed to elear four acres of land and eultivate it in corn, receiving as his pay 100 aeres of choice land adjoining Mountsterling, upon which he resided until his death, about 1850, when 86 years old. He fought under Gen. Wayne in 1794, and in the war of 1812 commanded a volunteer company.

Battle of "Little Mountain," or "Estill's Defeat."-An Indian raft, without any one on it, was observed floating down the Kentucky river, past Boones- borough, on the 19th of March, 1782-an indication that Indians were cross- ing the river above, to get into the rear of the unprotected settlements. In- telligence was promptly sent to Capt. James Estill, at his station, 15 miles south of Boonesborough and 32 miles south-east of where Richmond now is, and also to Col. Ben. Logan, the commanding officer of this region, at St. Asaph's, or Logan's station, 1 mile from where Stanford now is. The latter dispatched 15 men to Capt. Estill, with orders to increase his force by 25 more, and reconnoiter the country northward and eastward. Without dis- covering any Indian signs, they reached the Kentucky river a few miles below the mouth of Station Camp creek ; and commeneed digging a canal, to enable them to pass and repass the river with expedition, in an emergency.

On the day after they left Estill's station, a body of Indians appeared there, at dawn of day, killed and scalped Miss Innes, a daughter of Capt. Innes, in sight of the fortification, and took captive Monk, a slave of Capt. Estill. From the latter they obtained a plausible but highly exaggerated account of the strength of the station and number of fighting men in it-which so alarmed them that they beat a hasty retreat. The women in the fort (the men, except one on the siek-list, being all absent with Capt. Estill) dispatched two boys-(afterwards Gen. ) Samuel South and Peter Hackett-to take the trail of the men and inform them of the sad news at the station. The boys came up with them, early on the morning of the 21st, between the mouths of Drowning creek and Red river, in the north-east corner of what is now Madison county. Pursuit was resolved on at once.

Of the 40 men, 5 who had left families within the fort, unwilling longer to trust them in so unprotected a state, returned to the fort. The remainder crossed the river, struck the Indian trail, and pushed vigorously onward- encamping that night near the Little Mountain, at present the site of Mount- sterling. Early next morning, leaving behind them 10 men whose horses were too jaded to go further, the remaining 25 again pressed forward. [Of the 18 who survived the battle, we have rescued the names of 10: (Col. ) Wmn. Irvine, (Rev. ) Joseph Proctor ( who died Dec. 2, 1844, aged 89), Reuben Proc- tor, James Berry, Wm. Cradlebaugh, David Lynch, Henry Boyer, John Jame- son, Ensign David Cook, and Lieut. Win. Miller; and of the 7 who were killed or died from wounds, all but one : Capt. James Estill, Adam Caperton, Jonathan MeMillan, Lieut. John South, Jr., John Colefoot, and -. McNeely.] - The company had not gone far before they observed, from fresh Indian tracks, that they were not far ahead. They marched in four lines until about an hour before sunset, when 6 Indians were discovered, a little way off, pre- paring rations from the body of a buffalo. Capt. Estill fired his gun with effect, and the Indians fled. David Cook, in his ardor, got some distance in

# Win. Calk's depositions, Sept. 6, 1803, and July 16, 1804, the former taken on the battle-ground of Estill's defeat, two miles below Mountsterling. Depositions of John South, Sen., John McIntire, and others, 1803-4. 5 J. J. Marshall's Ky. Reports, page 306.

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

advance, and seeing an Indian halt, raised his gun and fired; just at that instant another Indian passed in line, and the one shot proved fatal to both. So remarkable a circumstance, witnessed by nearly all the company, inspired a high degree of enthusiasm and confidence. The battle began at a buffalo crossing on Small Mountain creek, a branch of Hinkson, in a bend of the creek, where a small branch put in on the east side, and was fought princi- pally between that and the branch next below. The Indians were making off, indisposed to fight, until their leader fell, too badly wounded to retreat with them. His death then would have ended the contest in twenty minutes after the first Indian was killed. But to the true son of the forest there is no rallying cry like that from his wounded leader. He ordered them to come back, and fight like men. Dragging his body behind a bush, from which as he sat upright on the ground he could watch and direct his braves, his voice rang out in tones of command that had never vet brooked disobedience. Three Indians had fallen before they returned a shot; but when they began the work was deadly. The numbers were equal on each side, and the battle was more like a succession of single combats than an engagement between organized forces. Each rifleman singled out his man, and fired at no uncer- tain mark. Life itself was the forfeit. The firing was deliberate. For an hour, both sides stood firmly, or bravely fell. More than a fourth of the combatants were fallen already. The native courage of the pioneers had never been so tested. They realized what returned prisoners had told them, of the power of a wounded leader. Not the lion in his den, nor the tiger at bay, is so dangerous as he. In the clangor and uproar of a general battle, death is forgotten, and cowards often die like brave men; but in the cool - and lingering expectation of death, only the man of true courage can stand. Such was the situation now. No decided advantage had been gained. What could be done ? To go forward was to leap into the jaws of death. To hold the ground was almost as certain death. The Indian chief could not retreat, and without him his men would not.

In this emergency, Capt. Estill was not slow to act. He detached six men, under Lieut. Wm. Miller, with orders to gain, under cover of the creek on the left, the flank or rear of the enemy; while himself, with the residue, maintained their attitude in front. The movement rightly executed would have won the day ; but the very change of position, to take one still more exposed and full of danger, gave time for a deliberation which proved fatal to others while it secured their own safety. A panie seized thein, and they left the ground together-deserting their brave fellows in the moment of greatest trial. As soon as Estill discovered this he ordered his ensign, David Cook, with three men, to occupy Miller's ground on the left, and hold the Indians in check. They moved promptly, but the men fell back to a little rising ground whence they could fire with more effect and less exposure. Cook pressed forward until he delivered his fire, then retreating slowly, with his face to the foe, became entangled in the top of a fallen tree, and while disengaging himself a ball struck him just below the shoulder-blade and came out near his collar-bone.

The contest in front only flagged as the brave men fell, or as their ammn- nition ran low and made them fire more cautiously. Adam Caperton, one of Capt. Estill's warmest personal friends, was shot through the head, which did not immediately kill but crazed him. Unconscious of what he was doing, he walked or staggered out into the open space which still separated the com- batants, when a powerful Wyandotte, whose gun had just been emptied, sprang from behind a tree to tomahawk and scalp him. Estill near by, with gun also empty, though already wounded three times, could not abandon to his fate his unarmed friend, but rushed towards the savage with drawn butcher-knife. The latter saw his danger; and turning instantly, grappled with Estill in a hand-to-hand, life and death contest. Each was so powerful and quick, the other could not use his weapon ; first up, then down upon the ground, twisting and turning like two immense serpents struggling for the mastery. At last Estill's broken arm-shattered by an Indian's ball, four months before, and not yet strong-gave way ; and the Indian, with a wild yell of triumph, buried his knife in his body and killed him instantly. That yell

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

was the death knell of two brave spirits-an instant more, and the Indian fell dead across Estill's body, pierced by a ball from the unerring rifle of Joseph Proctor. He had been watching the contest with steady aim, but hesitated to shoot lest he should kill his captain while trying to kill his foe.

One more death, and the battle scene closed. Jonathan McMillan fell- the last of the whites killed. The voice that rallied the Indians was now no longer heard. Both leaders were still in death, and by a kind of mutual consent the bloody contest, which had waged for an hour and three-quarters, subsided. The whites abandoned their dead, and with great efforts carried off their three seriously wounded, Wm. Irvine, James Berry, and David Cook- the first named being borne much of the way to Estill's station, 40 miles, on the back of his friend Joseph Proctor. It was really a " drawn " battle ; but the Indians being left in possession of the ground, it has always been known as " Estill's Defeat ;" sometimes as the " Battle of Small Mountain," because only two miles distant from that "notorious " spot, now Mountsterling. It was ascertained from the slave Monk, who escaped from them, that the In- dians had 17 killed and 2 others wounded ; and this report was confirmed by Mrs. Gatliffe, then a prisoner among them. Indeed, a tradition derived from the Wyandotte towns after the peace, says but one of their warriors in this battle ever returned to his nation. Of the whites, 7 were left dead upon the field ; 1} came back to Estill's station, and were ever after held in high honor ; and 7 returned to " dishonor"-even their very names, except of the leader, being fortunately lost. For over twenty years, David Cook watched patiently for Wm. Miller to come to Richmond, swearing he would kill him on sight; but Miller prudently kept away. If he had met the threatened fate, no jury in Madison county would have convicted Cook-so intense was, and to this day is, the admiration for those who fought, and the detestation for those who shamefully retreated from, that most desperate and deadly of all frontier battles.

It is a singular circumstance-probably never true of any other field in the long history of battles-that this field was accurately surveyed and plat- ted, at least three times, in as many law suits about land-locations whose beginning corners referred to the site of or some seene in this battle. Chief Justice Robertson, with the plat before him, in announcing the decision of the court of appeals, in one of the cases, said :*

" A trace led from Boonesborough to Calk's cabin and spring, near the creek, and about three miles above where the battle was fought. This eabin was the only one within several miles of the battle ground, and could have been easily found. There was a small improvement a short distance above the battle ground, and on the opposite side of the creek. The battle was fought on and near the main creek, principally between two tributary branelies, a a, the lowest of which empties itself into the creek in a singular manner. 'Little mountain' is only about two miles above. Estill fell at A; MeNealy at B ; Jolin South at C; John Colefoot at D; Jonathan McMillan at E; a gun has since been found at F; David Cook, who survived, was shot down at G. [The spot where fell Adam Caperton and the other one of the killed, was not identitied. ] These spots have been designated, and these facts proved, by the concurrent testimony of several of the surviving combat- ants, and others who have been sworn in this case. It was also proved that

# The author, omitting the handsome description in the original edition of this work, has compiled a much more full and detailed account of this remarkable battle, much of it from authorities recently discovered and from 29 depositions (taken in E. Crews ts. Crews' Heirs) of men some of whom were actually in the battle, and most of the others were of the party who went to bury the dead. Besides these, he had before him the account written at the dictation of David Cook, for Hunt's Western Review, in June, 1820 ; Chief Justice George Robertson's account of it, in pronouncing the opinion of the court of appeals, Jan. term, 1831, in Arthur Conley's lleirs rs. Wm. Chiles, 5 J . J. Marshall, pp. 304-06; the account of it written by the late Col. Win. H. Caperton, from repeated conversations with several soldiers in the battle (published in . Cist's Miscellany," 1815, pp. 3, 4); Conversations in April, 1973, with Col. Wm. Rudes, over 80 years old, and other aged citizens of Madison county who were well acquainted with some of the actors in the battle; letter of Col. James W. Caperton, April, 1873, to the author, etc., etc.

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 103

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn Publication date: 1874 Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co. Number of Pages: 1654

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co.
Number of Pages: 1654