Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 109

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 109

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STATISTICS OF OLDHAM COUNTY.

When formed. See page 26 ; Corn, wheat, hay, tobacco .. pages 266, 268

Population, from 1830 to 1870 .p. 258 Horses, mules, cattle, hogs ... p. 268

whites and colored. .p. 260 Taxable property, 1846 and 1870 .... p. 270

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

white males over 21 .p. 266 | Latitude and longitude .. .... .p. 257

children bet. 6 and 20 ..... p. 266 | Distinguished citizens .. see Index.

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM OLDHAM COUNTY.

Senate .- Camden M. Ballard, 1843-47, '50-51 ; Samuel S. English, 1847-50 ; John P. Smith, 1857-59; Samuel E. De Haven, 1859-63; Richard T. Jacob, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker, 1863-67 ; Thos. B. Cochran, 1865-67. [See Henry co.]

House of Representatives .- Win. Gatewood, 1828; Jacob Oglesby, 1829 ; Jas. S. Crutchfield, 1830, '31; Jack Pryor, 1832 ; Philip C. S. Barbour, 1833 ; Robert O'Brien, 1834; Wm. Campbell, 1835; Newton Lane, 1836, '37,'39 ; Camden M. Ballard, 1838; Edward M. Taylor, 1840; John Fible, 1841 ; Wm. T. Barbour, 1842; John Bryan, 1843 ; Francis F. C. Triplett, 1844 ; Thos. A. Rodman, 1845 ; George Armstrong, 1846 ; Jas. F. Wilson, 1847, '48 ; Patrick H. Blankenship, 1849; John Rodman, 1850 : Thornton Triplett, 1851-53 : Jacob W. Griffith, 1853-55; Jas. M. Speer, 1855-57 ; Samuel E. De Haven, 1857-59, '63-65 ; Richard T. Jacob, 1859-63 ; Richard C. Hud- son, 1865-69 ; Dr. Henry C. Duerson, 1869-71; Wmn. Tarlton, 1871-73; John Fible, 1873-75.

From the records of Jef- Will Oldham ferson county we have ob- tained the autograph of Col. WILLIAM OLDHAM, in honor of whom this county received its name. He was a native of Berkeley co., Virginia; entered the Revolutionary war as an ensign, in 1775; became a captain, and continued in active service, until the spring of 1779, when he resigned, and emigrated to the Falls of the Ohio, now Louisville ; commanded a regiment of Kentucky militia in the memorable battle of St. Clair's defeat, Nov. 4, 1791, where he was killed by the Indians. He was a chivalrous and enterprising man, a brave and experienced officer, and very efficient in defending the country against the incursions of the Indians. He was one of

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669

OWEN COUNTY.

the first magistrates of Jefferson county, an active, useful, and public-spirited citizen.

The late John Johnston, of Piqua, Ohio, for many years U. S. Indian agent, in his " Recollections of the Last Sixty Years," in 1846, records the following incident of the celebrated Indian chief, Little Turtle :

" The Little Turtle used to entertain us with many of his war adventures, and would laugh immoderately at the recital of the following :- A white man, a prisoner for many years in the tribe, had often solicited permission to go on a war party to Kentucky, and had been refused. It never was the prac- tice with the Indians to ask or encourage white prisoners among them to go to war against their countrymen. This man, however, had so far acquired the confidence of the Indians, and being very importunate to go to war, the Turtle at length consented, and took him on an expedition into Kentucky. As was their practice, they had reconnoitered during the day, and had fixed on a house recently built and occupied, as the object to be attacked next morning a little before the dawn of dav. The house was surrounded by a clearing, there being much brush and fallen timber on the ground. At the appointed time, the Indians, with the white man, began to more to the attack. At all such times no talking or noise is to be made. They crawl along the ground on their hands and feet; all is done by signs from the leader. The white man all the time was striving to be foremost, the Indians beckoning him to keep back. In spite of all their efforts, he would keep foremost ; and having at length got within running distance of the house, he jumped to his feet and went with all his speed, shouting at the top of his voice, 'In-

dians ! Indians !' The Turtle and his party had to make a precipitate retreat, losing for ever their white companion, and disappointed in their fancied con- quest of the unsuspecting victims of the log-cabin. From that day forth, this chief would never trust a white man to accompany him to war."

OWEN COUNTY.

OWEN county, the 67th in order of formation, was erected in 1819, out of parts of Scott, Franklin, and Gallatin counties, and named in honor of Col. Abraham Owen. It is situated in the north middle part of the state. The Kentucky river is its west- ern boundary line for 28 miles ; and Eagle creek rises in Scott, flows through the southern part of Owen into Grant in a northern direction-then, making a sudden bend, runs nearly parallel with the Ohio river into the Kentucky river in Carroll county, skirt- ing the northern boundary of Owen in its progress. The county is bounded N. by Carroll, Gallatin, and Grant counties, E. by Grant and Scott, s. by Scott and Franklin, s. w. by Henry, and N. w. by Carroll. The face of the country is undulating, part of it hilly, and the soil generally good-producing fine tobacco, corn, oats, buckwheat, and barley ; cattle, sheep, and hogs are raised in large quantities, and stock-growing is rapidly increasing-the county being well adapted to grazing and one of the best watered in the state. Besides the Kentucky river and Big Eagle creek, are Big Twin, Little Twin, Cedar, Big Indian, Caney, Clay Liek, and Severn creeks. The Cincinnati branch of the L., C. & L. railroad (the " Short Line ") runs near the northern boundary of Owen county, giving it, in conjunction with the Kentucky river, remarkable access to the best markets.

670

OWEN COUNTY.

Towns .- Owenton, the county seat, and near the center of the county, is 30 miles N. of Frankfort ; 9 from the Kentucky river at Gratz, and 12 from the Short Line railroad at two points, by turnpike ; it has a substantial brick court house, 2 churches, 9 lawyers, 3 doctors, 1 bank, 3 hotels, 8 stores, 12 mechanics' shops, and 1 large tobacco drying house, which handles over half a million pounds of tobacco yearly ; incorporated Dec. 18, 1828 ; population in 1870, 297, and growing rapidly. New Liberty, 5 miles from the railroad and 8 N. w. of Owenton, has 7 stores, 13 mechanics' shops, and 2 churches ; incorporated Jan. 24, 1827; population in 1870, 304, a decrease of 81 since 1850 ; the Owen county agricultural fair is held near this place. Dallasburg is a handsome little village in the N. w. part, the " garden spot " of the county, 4 miles from the railroad. Monterey (formerly Wil- liamsburg) is a thriving village, in the s. w. part of the county, ¿ths of a mile from the Kentucky river, and near the famous Pond Branch (see below) ; incorporated March 1, 1847. Lusby (better known as Lusby's Mills) is situated in a romantic region on Big Eagle creek ; incorporated Feb. 13, 1869. Gratz, on the Kentucky river, a few miles below Lock and Dam No. 2, was incorporated Feb. 6, 1861. New Columbus and Poplar Grore are small places.

STATISTICS OF OWEN COUNTY.

When formed See page 26 | Tobacco, hay, corn, wheat ...... pp. 266, 268

Population, from 1820 to 1870 .p. 258

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

whites and colored. .p. 260 Taxable property in 1846 and 1870 ... p. 270 towns. .p. 262 white males over 21 .. .. p. 266 Land-No. of acres, and value of .... p. 270 Latitude and longitude ... ...... p. 257

children bet. 6 and 20 yrs. p. 266

Distinguished citizens ..... .see Index.

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM OWEN COUNTY.

Senate .- Cyrus Wingate, 1828-41 ; Jas. P. Orr, 1851-53 ; Asa P. Grover, 1857-61 ; J. Harvey Dorman, 1869-73.

House of Representatives .- Cyrus Wingate, 1824, '25, '26, '27; Benj. Haydon, 1828, '32, '34, '36, '37, '43 ; Thos. Woolfolk, 1829, '31 ; John Brown, 1830 ; Thos. B. Dillon, 1833 ; Jas. S. Brown, 1835, '41; Jos. W. Rowlett, 1838, '39. '40, '42, '50 ; Henry B. Gale, 1841; Jas. P. Orr, 1845 ; Win. W. Alnutt, 1846 ; Jas. F. Blanton, 1847, '53-55 ; John W. Leonard, 1848 ; John C. Glass, 1849; John Calvert, 1851-55 ; Henry Giles, 1855-57; Hiram Kelsey, 1857-59; Robert H. Gale, 1859-61 ; E. F. Burns, 1861-63, resigned, succeeded by Wm. Roberts, Jan., 1863 ; J. B. English, 1863-65 ; Jeremiah D. Lillard, 1865-69, resigned 1868, succeeded by Wm. Lusby ; John Duvall, 1869-71; C. W. Threlkeld, 1871-73. From Owen and Scott counties-Alex. Bradford, 1819. [See Franklin co.] From Owen-Cyrus W. Threlkeld, 1873-75.

Churches .- In 1847, there were in Owen county 14 Baptist, 1 Presbyterian, 6 Methodist, and 5 Reformed or Christian churches. In 1873, the number was largely increased, but the relative proportion nearly the same.

Many Mineral Springs are found in Owen county, the waters of some of which have valuable medicinal properties.

Limestone, from which good hydraulic cement could probably be made, is found one mile N. E. of Lagrange, and also on Curry's Fork of Floyd's creek.

Analyses, in connection with the geological survey, of the soils, both from old fields and from woods, in the southern edge of Owen county, and of virgin soil from the neighborhood of New Liberty, indicate a much poorer quality of land than where based on the blue limestone of the Lower Silurian for- mation. These fands would be benefited by top-dressings of lime or mart- such marl as is found on the waters of Dickey's creek, 14 miles from where Benj. Haydon lived in 1856.

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611

OWEN COUNTY.

In Politics, Owen county has been noted for many years for its remarkable devotion to the principles and men of the Democratic party. For U. S. presi- dent in 1868, the vote cast was 2,198 for the Democratic and only $2 for the Republican candidate; while the corresponding vote for governor in 1871 was 2,389 to 288 -- the increase in the latter being all or nearly all negroes. The county was, at three several apportionments, changed to different con- gressional districts, and each time made them Democratic; the first time, causing the election of Maj. John C. Breckinridge in the Ashland district, in 1851; and his re-election in 1853 over ex-Gov. Robert P. Letcher. Ever since, Gen. Breckinridge has been the idol of the county; and has shown his appreciation of such remarkable devotion by naming one of his sons Owen County Breckinridge.

Two Confederate Camps were established in Owen county, during the war of the Rebellion-Camp Marshall (named after, and established by, Gen. Humphrey Marshall), in the summer of 1861, near Lusby's Mills, on a high hill which commanded a view of the county for miles around. On the side next the village, the hill is very steep and in places precipitous; to this day the " rebel " boys laugh and joke about their tumbles, in hurrying down to the village after Owen county whiskey. Hundreds of men congregated there, to enlist in what is now called the " Lost Cause "-many of whom went through the lines and fought bravely, while others returned to their homes. The second camp or place of rendezvous was Vallandigham's Barn, about 1} miles from Owenton. The sentiments and sympathies of the people of Owen county were almost unanimous in favor of the South ; and Confederate soldiers were nearly always in the county, for concealment, for recruiting purposes, or for a dash upon their enemies. Many persecuted Southern sympathisers and Southern soldiers escaping from northern prisons or cut off from their commands, found a temporary hiding-place in the thick undergrowth in sev- eral portions of the county. Mose Webster's most daring operations were, some of them, planned and carried out from or in Owen county. Few, if any, counties in the state furnished so many soldiers to the Confederate army, in proportion to population. Federal soldiers made frequent dashes into the towns or country, rudely quartering upon the people, or arresting some of the best citizens and incarcerating them in military prisons-some by their violence and injustice driving many into the Southern army who would have remained at honre. Several citizens were shot by Federal soldiers, by order of bogus courts-martial; and several men killed by bushwhackers. Many depredations were committed, by soldiers and pretended soldiers, of both parties. And yet, very much of what Owen county saw, and felt, and suf- fered, was repeated, over and over again, in nearly every county in the state. It was part of the Federal policy to make Kentucky feel the humilia- tion, and bitterness, and personal suffering of a relentless civil war ; and those who sought by an honorable, and gentle, and kindly course to keep the masses of the people at home and quiet, were soon hurled from authority, if not dis- graced or practically " retired " from the army.

There are several remarkable places in Owen, which merit a description. The "Jump Off," on the Kentucky river, is a perpendicular precipice, at least one hundred feet high, with a hollow passing through its centre about wide enough for a wagon road. The " Point of Rocks," on Cedar creek, just above its mouth, and near Williamsburg, is a beautiful and highly romantic spot, where an im- mense rock, about seventy-five feet high, overhangs a place in the creek called the " Deep Hole," to which no bottom has ever been found, and which abounds with fish of a fine quality. "Pond Branch" is a stream of water which flows from a. large pond in a rich, alluvial valley, which, from its general appearance, is supposed to have been at one time the bed of the Kentucky river. It is about a mile and a half distant from Lock and Dam number 3. The water flows from the pond and empties into the river, by two outlets, and thus forins a complete mountain island, two and a half miles long and a mile and a half wide in its broadest part.

· 672

OWEN COUNTY.

Colonel ABRAHAM OWEN, In honor of whom this county received its name, was born in Prince Edward county, Virginia, in the year 1769, and emigrated to Shelby county, Kentucky, in 1785. The particulars of his early life are not known, and his first appearance on the public theatre and in the service of the country, was upon Wilkinson's campaign, in the summer of 1791, on the White and Wabash rivers. He was a lieutenant in Captain Lemon's company in St. Clair's defeat, November 4th, 1791, and received two wounds in that engagement -one on the chin, and the other in the arin. He was in the expedition led by Colonel Hardin to White river, and participated in the action which routed the Indians in their hunting camps. His brother John, James Ballard and others of Shelby county, were his associates on this occasion. It is not known that he was in Wayne's campaign ; but in 1796, he was surveyor of Shelby county, and afterwards a magistrate. He commanded the first militia company raised in the county, and the late venerable Singleton Wilson, of Shelbyville, brother of the late Dr. Wilson of Cincinnati, was the lieutenant. They had been asso- ciates in Wilkinson's campaign, and the humane efforts of Colonel Owen to pro- vide for the wants and promote the comforts of his companion, were illustrative of his general good character. Owen was soon promoted to be a major, and then colonel of the regiment. Lieutenant Wilson was promoted to the rank of captain, having served with distinction as a spy in the campaign led by General Wayne.

Col. Owen was, soon after, elected to the legislature, by the largest vote ever before polled in the county ; and, in 1799, was chosen a member of the conven- tion which framed our present constitution. Shortly before his death, he was a member of the senate of Kentucky. No man in the county had a stronger hold on the affections of the people, whom he was always ready to serve in peace or in war. In 1811, he was the first to join Gov. Harrison at Vincennes, for the purpose of aiding in the effort to resist the hostile movements of the Indian bands collected by the energy and influence of Tecumseh and his brother, the Prophet. He was chosen by Gen. Harrison to be one of his aids-de-camp; and, at the memorable battle of Tippecanoe, fell at the side of his heroic chief, bravely fight- ing for his country, deeply regretted by the whole army and by his numerous friends in Kentucky. In battle he was fearless-as a citizen, mild and gentle- manly. He was esteemed an excellent officer on parade, and possessed a high order of military talent.

In the following December, the legislature of Kentucky went into mourning for the loss of colonels Daveiss and Owen, and others who had fallen at Tippecanoe ; and, in 1819-20, the memory of Col. Owen was perpetuated by a county bearing his name. McAfee, in his history of the late war, says : " His character was that of a good citizen and a brave soldier ;" which Butler, in his history of Ken- tucky, speaking of him, pronounces to be " no little praise in a republic and in a warlike State."

He left a large family to unite with his country in deploring his premature fall. His daughters intermarried with the most respectable citizens of Henry county, and his son Clark is a distinguished citizen of Texas, having won a high rank in her civil and military annals. His brothers, Robert and William, survive him, and are highly respectable citizens of Shelby county. His father was an early settler, of high standing and marked character. His fort, near Shelbyville, was the resort of intrepid families of that day, and may be said to have been the foun- dation of the capital of the flourishing county of Shelby. The chivalric patriot- ism of Col. Owen, in leaving a position of ease and civil distinction at home, to volunteer his services against the north-western savages, is truly illustrative of the Kentucky character ; and after ages will look back upon the deeds of heroism at Tippecanoe, with the same veneration with which the present generation re- gards the memory of those who fought and fell at Thermopylc.

673

OWSLEY COUNTY.

OWSLEY county was established Jan. 23, 1843-the 96th in the state-and named in honor of Judge Wm. Owsley, afterwards governor of Kentucky. It is situated in the eastern middle por- tion, on the waters of the Kentucky river ; is bounded N. by Lee county, E. by Breathitt, s. by Clay, w. by Jackson, and N. w. by Estill. The South Fork of Kentucky river runs quite centrally through the county from s. to N., the main Kentucky forms part of the N. boundary line; and its Middle Fork crosses the N. E. part. The soil along the river valleys is rich and productive ; but the face of the country generally is broken and the soil not sufficiently strong for profitable cultivation. Corn is the staple production ; rye, wheat, and oats, cattle and hogs are raised.

Towns .- Booneville, the county seat, is situated on the south side of the South Fork of Kentucky river, 343 miles s. E. of Irvine, Estill co., 35 s. of w. of Jackson, Breathitt co., and 32} N. of E. of McKee, Jackson county ; incorporated-March 1, 1847 ; population in 1870, 111, a falling off of 10 in 10 years. South Fork, 4 miles, Traveler's Rest, 5 miles, and Island City, 10 miles, from Booneville, are post offices and small places.

STATISTICS OF OWSLEY COUNTY.

When formed .. See page

Population, from 1850 to 1870 .. p. 258

26 | Tobacco, corn, wheat, hay ... pages 266, 268

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

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 OWSLEY COUNTY.

Senate .-- Abijah Gilbert, 1850; Jas. Ewing Gibson, 1859-63.

House of Representatives .- Harvey S. Hensley, 1857-59; Abijah Gilbert, 1859-61; Andrew Herd, 1863-65 ; Andrew J. Herd, 1867-69 ; Howell Brewer, 1869-71 ; Jos. P. Hampton, 1871-73. From Owsley and Clay counties-Jos. N. Eve, 1853-55. From Owsley and Estill counties-Elisha L. Cockrell, 1847; Morton P. Moore, 1850. From Owsley-John S. 'Herd, 1873-75.

Owsley county is included in the eastern coal field-except the lower por- tion of the valley of Sturgeon creek, and the valley of the Kentucky river from the mouth of Sturgeon creek to the Estill county line. The coal measures in the vicinity of Proctor and Beattyville -- which were in Owsley county when examined by the state geological survey, in 1859, but are now in Lee county-contain four, if not five, veins of coal. The " main coal," which has received most attention from the miners, measures from 42 to 50 inches ; and had then been opened and mined at some 9 banks, on the Kentucky river, the South fork, the Duck fork, Sturgeon, Upper and Lower Stufflebean creeks, and Mike's branch. The general dip of the country is three-fourths of a degree (2º) in a S. 52º E. direction. "The coal is bright, and breaks with a square butt into fine large blocks, which bear transhipment." The coal veins vary from 6 inches to I foot, 3 feet 10 inches, 4 feet, and the "main coal" 5 feet thick. Analyses of the coal from different banks showed the percentage of sulphur to be 0.645, 0.796, and 4.074.

Iron Ore from the North Fork of the Kentucky river, one mile above Proc- tor, in now Lee county, and some from Proctor, yielded, upon analysis, 35.400 and 34.304 percentage of metallic iron-"rich enough to be profitably smelted into iron, but containing rather more phosphoric acid than is desir able in iron ore."

II ... 43

674

OWSLEY COUNTY.

Of Iron and Lead Ores and Lithographic Stone, some rich specimens were discovered, in the summer of 1866, in Owsley and Wolfe counties. The lithographic stone was of superior quality, bore a fine polish, and the quarry was said to be inexhaustible.

WILLIAM OWSLEY, the 14th governor of Kentucky, was born in 1782 in Virginia. His father, Wm. Owsley, emigrated, the next year, to the county of Lincoln in the then " district of Kentucky," settling on the waters of Drake's creek, near the present town of Crab Orchard. The son, William, succeeded in getting a better education than was common for boys at that day, taught school awhile, became deputy surveyor, and afterwards deputy sheriff, his father being high sheriff of the county.

It was whilst William Owsley was engaged in his early official pursuits as deputy sheriff, &c., that he attracted the attention of John Boyle, afterwards chief justice of Kentucky. Judge Boyle, perceiving the promise that was in young Owsley, offered him the use of his library, and the advantage of his in- structions in the study of law. The offer was accepted, and by perseverance and close application, Owsley soon obtained license and commenced the practice of law in Garrard county. His success was immediate. He ranked high at the bar, and became the intimate and firm friend of Judge Boyle. He afterwards represented Garrard county several years in the legislature, and became so favor- ably known to the public as a legislator and lawyer, that, in 1812, when he was only thirty-one years of age, and had been but few years at the bar, Governor Scott appointed him to the supreme bench of the State, as the colleague of Judge Boyle, who had been honored by a seat on the appellate bench three years pre- viously. Judge Owsley resigned this office in a short time, in consequence of the passage of a law reducing the number of judges of the court to three. But a vacancy occurring in 1813, he was immediately re-appointed by Governor Shelby.

During the service of Boyle, Owsley and Mills, on the supreme bench, that ever memorable controversy between the old and new court parties was waged. The annals of Kentucky's history will attest the momentous character of that struggle, and duly commemorate the virtues of the men that were then made conspicuous. Never before did the fires of discord burn more fiercely in any civil community. Never before was a State so near anarchy, revolution and ruin. Firmness, wisdom and coolness alone could save the country in that time of dread and peril. All these qualities were pre-eminent in the judges who then sat upon the bench. They were equal to the crisis. They withstood the storm of popular tumult, careless of the rage of disappointed partisans, flushed with temporary triumph, but crossed in the enjoyment of victory. It seems Providential that such men were on the bench to save the State in that stormy trial.

Having seen the constitution of his country safe through the dangers that beset it, Judge Owsley remained at his high and honorable post till the year 1828, when, after having served upon the bench longer than any man in the State, except Judge Boyle, he resigned his office, and retired to private life on his farm in Gar- rard county, which he had held and cultivated as a successful practical farmer, for about twenty-five years. Sometime after this, he again represented his old county, Garrard, in the legislature. But finding it inconvenient to attend to his . circuit court practice and his growing practice in the court of appeals, he gave up the former, and having parcelled out his farm among his children, (of whom he had five,) he removed to Frankfort. Here he resided until 1843, when, out of the gains of his practice, he purchased himself a splendid farm in Boyle county, to which he removed, giving up his practice altogether. In 1844, after one of the most exciting and hard fought contests ever witnessed in the State, Wil- liam Owsley was elected governor of Kentucky over Colonel William O. Butler, by far the inost popular and formidable candidate the democratic party had ever run in the State. The vote received by Governor Owsley was 59,680, which is larger by 1,191 than the great vote received by General Harrison in 1840.

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 109

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