Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 123

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 123

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).

756

WEBSTER COUNTY.

tobacco factory, 2 physicians; incorporated Feb. 22, 1871. Vanderburg, 4 miles s. E. of Dixon, has a Baptist church, 2 phy- sicians, 1 store, 2 taverns ; population about 100; incorporated Feb. 15, 1860. Montezuma and Bellville, on Tradewater river, and Steamport, on Green river, are small villages, which " got their growth " many years ago. Poole's Mill has a store, tavern, and blacksmith shop.

STATISTICS OF WEBSTER COUNTY.

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

Population, from 1860 to 1870 .p. 258 Horses, mules, cattle, hogs .P. 268

whites and colored. .p. 260 Taxable property in 1870 p. 270

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

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

children bet. 6 and 20 yrs. p. 266

Distinguished citizens see Index.

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM WEBSTER COUNTY.

Senate .- Webster county has had no resident senator.

House of Representatives .- O. L. Drake, 1867-69, resigned 1868, succeeded by John A. Brooks, 1868-69 ; Jeff. C. Holeman, 1869-71; G. W. Bailey, 1871-73; S. C. Humphrey, 1873-75.

DANIEL WEBSTER, after whom this county is named, was born in Salisbury, N. H., January 18, 1782; died at Marshfield, Mass., October 24, 1852. Grad- uated at Dartmouth College, 1801; studied Jaw; was admitted to the Boston bar, 1805; and subsequently established himself at Portsmouth, N. H., where he rapidly rose in his profession. Mr. Webster had a commanding reputation before he entered political life, when he was elected to the House of Repre- sentatives of Congress in 1812. He was a Federalist, and opposed the war with Great Britain ; but, when commenced, he advocated its vigorous prose- cution. His maiden speech in Congress was never reported; but Chief-Justice Marshall, who heard it, predicted that Webster "would become one of the first statesmen in America, and perhaps the very first." During that and the sub- sequent session, Mr. Webster distinguished himself in the debates on a bill to charter the United States Bank, on the subject of protection to American man- ufactures, and on other prominent measures. Determined to seek an enlarged professional field, which necessitated his retirement from Congress, he removed to Boston, in 1816, and, for seven years, devoted his time exclusively to the law. During that period he won several cases of celebrity, and established a repu- tation as a jurist quite equal to Pinckney or Wirt-who were then considered the foremost at the American bar. He was henceforward retained in nearly every important cause in the U. S. Supreme Court. In 1822 he was again elected to the House of Representatives of Congress, and, the following year, Massachusetts sent him to the U. S. Senate. This thenceforward was to be the theater of those forensic efforts which won for him a world-wide distinc- tion. It is impossible, in the limits of a short article, to present an extended sketch of his public services. His voice was heard on every important ques- tion, and his speeches were, without exception, of unrivaled ability. He was the champion of the U. S. Bank, and of the high protection interests; he op- posed the removal of the bank deposits, the sub-treasury scheme, and every other measure of the party of which Gen. Jackson was then the acknowledged leader. His debate with Hayne, of South Carolina, on the doctrine of nulli- fication, is the most memorable of all in the annals of the Senate. Mr. Web- ster was Secretary of State in Harrison's and Tyler's Administrations; reflected to the Senate in 1845; a prominent candidate for the nomination for President in 1848 and in 1852; struggled, in conjunction with Mr. Clay, for the adoption of the "Compromise" measures of 1850; was appointed Secretary of State by President Fillmore the same year, which position he retained until within a few weeks of his demise, when he resigned on account of failing health. Mr. Web- ster, it is conceded, more than almost any one else of our public men, united in himself the high qualities of the orator, statesman, and patriot.

757

WHITLEY COUNTY.

Green River is navigable for many miles above Webster county.

Several Springs in a cluster, of sulphur and chalybeate water, at Sebree City (Springdale), have for many years had a fine reputation for their medi- cinal qualities. The hotel accommodations are excellent.

Highland Lick, 6 miles w. of Dixon, supplied, before 1800, the salt for quite a large scope of country. No salt works there now.

The old Indian trail or trace, from Nashville, Tenn., to St. Louis, Mo., passed directly over the spot where Dixon is now built.

Coal abounds in Webster county ; indeed, next to Hopkins county, it has by far the greatest amount of coal of any county in the western Kentucky coal field. It crops out of the hill sides or is exposed in the creek valleys, in workable veins. The town of Providence is on the top of a hill, around which three veins of coal, each 5 to 6 feet thick, are exposed in a total depth of 125 feet. For miles around, these veins spread quite uniformly. The slackwatering of Tradewater river by private enterprise, or with state aid, would open a splendid field for profitable operations in coal, lumber, and pro- bably in iron.

Iron .- A vein of red ochreous iron ore extends through the s. w. part of this county, of good quality.

Lead Ore has been found at several places.

Big and Little Harpe, the noted highwaymen, once roamed through this region [see detailed accounts, under Hopkins county]. Three miles from Dixon, is still standing the oak tree, by the side of which Big Harpe's head was stuck upon a pole, when he was killed by Lieper. The letters H.H., for Harpe's Head, carved upon the oak at that time (1799), are still legible; and that oak was, from 1811 to 1860, the corner tree of the three counties, Union, Henderson, and Hopkins. In the town of Dixon are streets named after Stigall and Lieper, two of the principal actors in the bloody tragedy which closed the career of Big Harpe.

William Jenkins, a soldier of the war of 1812, aged 103, was, in Nov., 1871, still living in Webster county. He had been a constable of Hopkins county (before the formation of Webster) about 1808-10.

WHITLEY COUNTY.

WHITLEY county, formed in 1818 out of the w. part of Knox, and named in honor of the great Indian fighter, Col. Wm. Whitley, was the 59th in order of formation. . Part of its terri- tory was taken, in 1825, to help form Laurel county. It is situated on the southern border, in the s. E. section of the state ; and is bounded N. by Laurel, E. by Knox and Josh Bell, s. by the Tennessee state line (and Scott and Campbell counties, Tenn.), and w. by Wayne and Pulaski counties. It is about the 10th largest county in the state, and embraces over 450 square miles. It is drained by the Cumberland and its tributaries-that river winding through it for 45 miles, in a general western course, and quite centrally, except that it enters on the N. E. and flows out on the N. w. border ; Laurel river, with 4 miles of the Cumber- land, forms the N. boundary line. The face of the country, ex- cept the river valleys, is hilly and broken; two spurs of the Cumberland mountain penetrating the s. E. corner, to within a short distance of Williamsburg, on the Cumberland river. Corn is the staple product, and cattle and hogs the principal exports of the county.

Towns .- Whitley Court House, formerly and still generally

758

WHITLEY COUNTY.

called Williamsburg, on the right bank of the Cumberland river, about 100 miles nearly s. E. of Frankfort, 30 s. of London, and 472 s. E. of Somerset, is a small village; incorporated in 18 -; population in 1870, 139-an increase of 14 in ten years. The other villages or post offices of the county are-Boston, Lot, Marsh Creek, Meadow Creek, Young's Creek, and Rockhold's.

STATISTICS OF WHITLEY COUNTY.

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

Population, from 1820 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 WHITLEY COUNTY.

Senate .- Wm. C. Gillis, 1835-59, '59-63. [See Harlan and Knox counties.]

House of Representatives .- John F. Sharp, 1820 ; Burton Litton, 1821, '22, '24, '27, '28 ; Baker E. Watkins, 1825, '26 ; Dempsey White, 1833, '35, '38, '39; Joel Snyder, 1836, '40 ; Andrew Craig, 1837 ; Basil Brawner, 1841; Thos. Rockhold, 1842, '43 ; Jas. H. Early, 1844 ; Jeptha W. Brawner, 1845 ; Jonathan Foley, 1846; Milton E. White, 1847, '63-65 ; Solomon Stephens, 1848 ; Levi Monroe, 1849; Daniel Cain, 1850 ; Thos. R. Harman, 1851-53; Squire Gatliffe, 1853-55 ; Pleasant W. Mahan, 1855-57; W. B. Skean, 1857-59 ; H. S. Tye, 1859-61; Hugh F. Finley, 1861-63, re- signed Aug., 1862, succeeded by Jas. M. Jones, 1862-63 ; Jackson Veatch, 1865-57 : Robert Bird, 1867-69 ; George W. Little, 1869-71, '71-73. [See Knox and Laurel counties.] J. T. Freeman, 1873-75.

Several good Chalybeate Springs have their source in Whitley and Pulaski counties. When tested at the fountain head, some of them were " found to contain carbonate of the protoxide of iron, with traces only of chlorides, and possessing feeble de-oxidizing properties."

The Falls of the Cumberland River, in Whitley county, about 14 miles below Williamsburg, are among the most remarkable objects in the state. The river here is precipitated over a perpendicular fall of 62 feet; the fall and rapid is 70 feet. On a clear morning, the roar of the waters may be heard for a distance of 10 or 12 miles above and below the falls. Immediately behind the falling sheet of water, there is a cave in the surface of the rock; and a person can go almost across the river by this passage-through an arch formed on one side by the rock, and on the other by the flashing waters. Just below the falls, large fish are to be caught in great numbers. The country, for 6 or 8 miles above and below the falls, is very irregular, and presents to the eye of the traveler a succession of scenery as romantic and picturesque as any in the state. The hills and mountains rise upon one another like clouds upon the horizon.

Silver Ore .- The hundred-years-old story of Swift's silver mine [see account under Josh Bell and other counties, and this title in the Index] has received another location on Log mountain, in Whitley county. Also, in the 12 feet of shale under the conglomerate, about 6 feet above the foot of the Cumber- land Falls above described. The statement had general circulation, many years ago, that the iron ore at the Cumberland Falls was rich in silver; and "a great number of persons were deluded into the purchase of shares in a stock company which was organized for working this ore. The excitement, about the latter end of 1850, was so great, that individuals in other states were induced to leave their homes in order to embark in this flattering pur- suit." A Cornish miner was employed by the movers in the speculation to extract the silver from the iron ore, and he actually "exhibited five or ten cents worth of silver from his crucibles." But, Prof. Owen, in his report of the geological survey (vol. i, page 236), says the silver " must have been derived either from argentiferous lead, employed in large quantities to cupel . or refine the metallic ingot of iron reduced previously from the ore, or was fraudulently introduced during the process of smelting or refining-since traces of sulphuret of lead, that might be present in the ore, even if argenti-

759

WHITLEY COUNTY.

ferous, could not supply more than a small fraction of a grain to the ounce of ore."

The Iron Ore at the Cumberland Falls is essentially a proto-carbonate of iron, containing 38.81 to 42.00 per cent. of iron. It is "a very good iron, approaching the so-called black-band ore in its composition, but contains less bituminous matter; it could be quite economically smelted into a good quality of iron." Other samples of ore-from the Log mountain, from the headwaters of Mud creek, from the mouth of Poplar creek, and from the south part of Pine mountain-when analyzed, yielded 39.20, 56.37, 37.60, and 44.53 per cent. of iron; some being so pure as to require some poorer ore to be mixed with it to smelt it successfully, while other required only limestone to flux it.

When running the Boundary Line, in 1780, between Virginia and North Carolina, under Dr. Thomas Walker and -. Henderson, as the Virginia commissioners (those from North Carolina having gone home), Benjamin Stephens, of Orange county, Va. (who removed in 1807 to what is now Ken- ton county, Ky., 12 miles s. of Covington, and died there about 18-) was one of the company of men sent along as a guard from the Indians. He carried on his horse a very short rifled gun, with straps so he could swing it to his back. Because of its size it was supposed to be inefficient, and much sport made of it. One day, coming down a spur of Cumberland mountain, " probably in what is now Whitley county, the troops called for the man with the short gun and halted for him. Dr. Walker said to him : " We don't think much of your short gun, but here's a chance to test it-a target for you ; hit it, if you can." Without hope of success, and only because he was told to shoot, Stephens leaned his gun against a tree, took aim at the target-the head of a wild turkey, high up on a dead limb, about 100 yards distant-and fired. The turkey fell, and the company shouted approbation in almost deafening tones. Dr. Walker spoke up promptly, in praise of the shot and the little gun, and said, " If his father had risen from the dead, and told him he could kill that turkey, with that thing, he would not have believed it."

In October, 1786, a large number of families, traveling by land to Kentucky, known by the name of McNitt's company, were surprised in their camp at night, between the Big and Little Laurel rivers, by a party of Indians, and totally de- feated, with the loss of twenty-one persons killed, and the rest dispersed or made prisoners.

Shortly before settlements were formed in what is now Whitley county, John Tye, his son, and some two or three other men, having encamped on the head of Big Poplar creek, were attacked after night by a party of Cherokee Indians. Tye's son was killed, and the old man wounded. The other men fled after the first fire of the Indians, and made their escape. The Indians rushed upon the camp, and two of them entered it, but were immediately met by two large cut dogs, which defended the wounded sire and the dead son with a fearlessness and bravery which would have done credit to animals of a higher order. In this con- flict, one of the Indians was very severely wounded ; and, as soon as he extrica- ted himself from the jaws of the enraged dogs, the party precipitately fled, leav- ing their moccasins and leggings on the opposite side of the creek, where they had left them in order to ford the stream.

In the early settlement of the county, Joseph Johnson was killed by three Che- rokees, on Lynn camp. They entered his house in the dusk of the evening, when there was no men about it but himself, and killed him with their tomahawks and knives. His wife was out milking the cows at the time, and was ignorant of what was passing within until she reached the door of the cabin, when she be- held her prostrate and bleeding husband in the agonies of death, and the Indians standing over and around him, inflicting additional wounds upon the now uncon- scious body. The savages discovered her almost at the instant she reached the door, and one of them sprang at her with his tomahawk. She dropped her milk pail, and precipitately fled in the direction of the house of the elder Johnson, about a hundred and fifty yards off, the Indian in full chase. Mrs. Johnson was

760

WILLIAM WHITLEY.

a remarkably stout, active young woman, and the race was one for life. Getting a few yards the start of the savage, she maintained the relative distance between them, until she reached the yard fence of the old gentleman; and as with one bound she cleared the obstruction, the savage made an unsuccessful thrust at her head, gave a yell of disappointment, and instantly retreated.

WILLIAM WHITLEY, from whom this county received its name, was one of the most distinguished of those early pioneers, whose adventurous exploits have shed a coloring of romance over the carly history of Kentucky. He was born on the 14th of August, 1749, in that part of Virginia then called Augusta, and which afterwards furnished territory for Rockbridge county. Unknown to early fame, he grew to manhood in the laborious occupation of tilling his native soil, in which his corporeal powers were fully developed, with but little mental cultivation. He possessed, however, the spirit of enterprise, and the love of independence. In 1775, having married Esther Fuller, and commenced house-keeping in a small way, with health and labor to season his bread, he said to his wife, he heard a fine report of Kentucky, and he thought they could get their living there with less hard work. "Then, Billy, if I was you I would go and see," was the reply. In two days he was on his way, with axe and plow, and gun and kettle. And she is the woman who afterwards collected his warriors to pursue the Indians.

Whitley set out for Kentucky, accompanied by his brother-in-law, George Clark ; in the wilderness they met with seven others, who joined them.

We are not in possession of materials for a detailed narrative of Whitley's adventures after his arrival in Kentucky, and shall have to give only such desul- tory facts as we have been enabled to collect.

In the year 1785, the camp of an emigrant by the name of McClure, was assaulted in the night by Indians, near the head of Skaggs' creek, in Lincoln county, and six whites killed and scalped.

Mrs. McClure ran into the woods with her four children, and could have made her escape with three, if she had abandoned the fourth ; this, an infant in her arms, cried aloud, and thereby gave the savages notice where they were. She heard them coming: the night, the grass, and the bushes, offered her conceal- ment without the infant, but she was a mother, and determined to die with it; the like feeling prevented her from telling her three eldest to fly and hide. She feared they would be lost if they left her side ; she hoped they would not be killed if they remained. In the meantime the Indians arrived, and extinguished both fears and hopes in the blood of three of the children. The youngest, and the mother they made captives. She was taken back to the camp, where there was plenty of provisions, and compelled to cook for ler captors. In the morning they com- pelled her to mount an unbroken horse, and accompany them on their return home.

Intelligence of this sad catastrophe being conveyed to Whitley's station, he was not at home. A messenger, however, was dispatched after him by Mrs. Whitley, who at the same time sent others to warn and collect his company. On his return he found twenty-one men collected to receive his orders. With these he directed his course to the war path, intending to intercept the Indians return- ing home. Fortunately, they had stopped to divide their plunder ; and Whitley succeeded in gaining the path in advance of them. He immediately saw that they had not passed, and prepared for their arrival. His men being concealed in a favorable position, had not waited long before the enemy appeared, dressed in their spoils. As they approached, they were met by a deadly fire from the concealed whites, which killed two, wounded two others and dispersed the rest. Mrs. McClure, her child, and a negro woman, were rescued, and the six scalps taken by the Indians at the camp, recovered.

Ten days after this event, a Mr. Moore, and his party, also emigrants, were defeated two or three miles from Rackoon creek, on the same road. In this attack, the Indians killed nine persons, and scattered the rest. Upon the receipt , of the news, Captain Whitley raised thirty men, and under a similar impression as before, that they would return home, marched to intercept them. On the sixth day, in a cane-brake, he met the enemy, with whom he found himself face to face, before he received any intimation of their proximity. He instantly ordered ten of his men to the right, as many to the left, and the others to dismount on the spot with him. The Indians, twenty in number, were mounted on good hor-

761

WOLFE COUNTY.

ses, and well dressed in the plundered clothes. Being in the usual Indian file, and still pressing from the rear when the front made a halt, they were brought into full view ; but they no sooner discovered the whites than they sprang from their horses and took to their heels. In the pursuit, three Indians were killed ; eight scalps retaken ; and twenty-eight horses, fifty pounds in cash, and a quan- tity of clothes and household furniture captured. Captain Whitley accompanied Bowman and Clark in their respective expeditions against the Indians.

In the years 1792, '93 and '94, the southern Indians gave great annoyance to the inhabitants of the southern and south-eastern portions of the State. Their hostile incursions were principally directed against the frontiers of Lincoln county, where they made frequent inroads upon what were called the outside settlements, in the neighborhood of Crab Orchard, and Logan's and Mckinney's stations. Their depredations became, at length, so frequent, that Col. Whitley determined to take vengeance, and deprive them of the means of future annoyance; and, with this view, conceived the project of conducting an expedition against their towns on the south side of the Tennessee river.

In the summer of 1794 he wrote to Major Orr, of Tennessee, informing him of his design, and inviting the major to join him with as large a force as he could raise. Major Orr promptly complied ; and the two corps, which rendezvoused at Nashville, numbered between five and seven hundred men. The expedition is known in history as the Nickajack expedition, that being the name of the princi- pal town against which its operations were directed. The march was conducted with such secrecy and dispatch, that the enemy were taken completely by sur- prise. In the battle which ensued, they were defeated with great slaughter, their towns burned, and crops destroyed. This was the last hostile expedition in which Whitley was engaged during the war.

Very soon after the general peace, he went to some of the southern Indian towns to reclaim some negroes, that had been taken in the contest; when he was put under more apprehension than he had been at any time during the war. A half-breed, by the name of Jack Taylor, who spoke English, and acted as inter- preter, if he did not intend to procure Whitley's death, at least determined to in- timidate him. The Indians being assembled, as soon as Whitley had declared the purpose of his visit, Taylor told him he could not get the negroes ; and taking a bell that was at hand, tied it to his waist, then seizing and rattling a drum, raised the war-whoop. Whitley afterwards said, when telling the story, "I thought the times were squally ; I looked at Otter Lifter : he had told me I should not be killed :- his countenance remained unchanged. I thought him a man of honor, and kept my own." At this time the Indians gathered about him armed, but fired their guns in the air, to his great relief. Whitley finally succeeded in regaining his negroes, and returned home.

Sometime after the affair of the negroes, he again visited the Cherokees, and was everywhere received in the most friendly manner.

In the year 1813, being then in the sixty-fifth year of his age, he volunteered with the Kentucky militia, under Gov. Shelby, and fell in the decisive and victo- rious battle of the Thames, on the 5th of October.

Col. Whitley was a man above the ordinary size, of great muscular power. and capable of enduring great fatigue and privation. His courage as a soldier was unquestionable, having been foremost in seventeen battles with the Indians, and one with a more civilized foe. In the battle of the Thames, he fell at the first fire. His memory is cherished throughout Kentucky with profound respect, as that of one uniting the characters of patriot and hero. [See pp. 409, 410.]

WOLFE COUNTY.

WOLFE county, the 110th formed in the state, was established in 1860, out of parts of Morgan, Breathitt, Owsley, and Powell counties, and named in honor of Nathaniel Wolfe, then a state senator from the city of Louisville. It is situated in the central eastern portion of the state, on the waters of Red river, which

m 763 - 768

762

WOLFE COUNTY.

runs from E. to w. through the county, while the North fork of the Kentucky river forms its southern boundary ; is bounded on the N. and E. by Morgan, s. E. by Breathitt, s. by Lee, and w. by Lee and Powell counties ; and contains an area of about 170 square miles. Besides the above, the streams are Gilmore's, Stillwater, Swift, Parched Corn, Wolf Pen, Gilladie, Upper Devil and Lower Devil creeks. The surface of the county generally is hilly and broken, with some rich level land along the river and creek bottoms. Corn is the principal product ; but wheat, oats, hay, and some tobacco are raised, and cattle, hogs, horses, and mules to a very limited extent.

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 123

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