Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 16

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 16

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white males over 21 .p. 266

Latitude and longitude . 257

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

Distinguished citizens. "Index.

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM CALLOWAY COUNTY, SINCE 1859.

Senate .- John L. Irvan, 1859-63 ; Col. G. A. Christian Holt, 1867-75 (elected speaker of the senate, Feb. 16, 1871, and acting lieutenant governor until Sept., 1871).

House of Representatives .- Virgil Coleman, 1859-61; Daniel Matthewson, 1861-63: but expelled Dec. 21, 1861, for being " connected with the Confederate army, and for being a member of the Russellville convention," and succeeded by Leroy Brinkley, 1862-63; John Whitnell, 1863-65, but died 1865, and succeeded by W. II. Covington, 1865-67 ; Francis U. Dodds, 1867-69; Wm. M. Hamlin, 1869-71; W. W. Ayers, 1871-75.

The First Settlement, probably, was in 18IS, by David Jones and James Stewart, from Caldwell county, Ky., on land about a mile east of where Wadesboro now stands. Western Kentucky was then called " Jackson's Purchase."

The First County Seat, together with the Land Office, was at Wadesboro;

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CALLOWAY COUNTY.

which became a flourishing town of over 300 inhabitants, and was much frequented by emigrants and land speculators, for the purpose of entering vacant lands. The public land sales, authorized by the legislature, were largely attended, and occasions of great interest and excitement. After the public lands had been entered and sold, Wadesboro lost its prominence ; many citizens moved away, the public buildings fell into ruins, and the county seat was removed to Murray.

The people of Calloway county, during the late civil war, were intensely Southern in their feelings. Over 500 men joined the army of the Confed- erate States, and about 200 the Federal army, ont of about 1,800 of military age. The county was the scene of many encounters between small parties of the opposing forces; and during the last half of the war was overrun by small bands of guerrillas, who in the name and uniform of either army, plundered hundreds of the citizens of their horses, money, and other prop- erty, and murdered 30 to 40 in cold blood. Time, and the kindly associa- tions of peace, have rapidly soothed the bitterness of war, and buried its feuds and hostilities.

Fort Heiman, on the west bank of the Tennessee river, in the s. w. corner of Calloway county, was occupied for some time by Confederate forces under Gen. Abram Buford, with one brigade of cavalry, one (3d. Ky.) regiment of mounted infantry under Col. G. A. C. Holt, and a battery of light artillery. These constituted the left wing of the Confederate army of Gen. Napoleon B. Forrest, when he made his successful assault on Johnsonville, Tennessee, on the E. bank of the Tennessee river, Nov. 4th and 5th, 1864 (see vol. i, 146). ~~ Col. A. P. THOMPSON, of this county, at the head of his regiment (3d Ky., C. S. A.) was killed in the desperate assault on the fort at Paducah, March 25th and 26th, 1864 (see vol. i, 132). Lieut. Col. G. A. C. Holt (afterwards, 1871, acting lieutenant governor of Kentucky) succeeded to the command.

This county was called after. Col. RICHARD CALLAWAY, who removed with his family to Kentucky in 1776. He speedily became an efficient actor in the affairs of the infant settlements, and his services were numerous and valuable. As early as 1777, he and John Todd were elected the first burgesses to the general assembly of Virginia ; while, in the spring of the same year, he had been appointed a justice of the peace. In 1779, he, with others, under an act of the Virginia legis- lature, was appointed a trustee to lay off the town of Boonsborough. The trustees declined to act ; others were appointed. Mr. Morehead, in his eloquent Boonsborough address, classes Col. Calloway among the law-givers and defen- ders of the frontier. His career in the new settlements, however, was short. Like a great many other daring spirits of the times, he was killed before he had an opportunity of very greatly distinguishing himself.

CAMPBELL COUNTY.

CAMPBELL county, the 19th in order of formation, was erected in 1794, out of parts of Mason, Scott, and Harrison ; and em- braced so much territory that Pendleton, Boone, Kenton, and part of Grant counties have since been erected out of it. It was named in honor of Col. John Campbell. It is situated in the northern part of the state; is bounded on the N. and E. by the Ohio river, w. by the Licking river, and s. by Pendleton county. The river bottoms are level, rich, and productive ; the uplands, undulating or hilly.

Towns .- Newport, incorporated in 1795, was the county seat for many years prior to 1840, and now again has a court House in which all courts are held regularly, and probably five-sixths of the court business of the county transacted. It occupies the beautiful bottom on the Ohio river, immediately above the junc-

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CAMPBELL COUNTY.

tion with it of the Licking river, and opposite the eastern portion of the great city of Cincinnati, Ohio. It has 10 churches, an admirably managed free high school and district schools, one iron foundry and one rolling mill (each among the most extensive in the western country), besides many smaller manufactories. The Louisville, Cincinnati, and Lexington railroad passes through Newport to Cincinnati, over a magnificent iron railway bridge, finished in April, 1872-which has sideways for the travel of foot passengers and vehicles. It is also connected with Coving- ton, on the west, by a handsome wire suspension bridge and street railway. Population in 1870, 15,087, but on Jan. 1, 1873, increased to probably 18,000. Belleview, on the Ohio river, in- corporated in 1870, a new town E. of Newport, and separated fiom it by Taylor's creek, is growing fast ; population in 1870, 381. Dayton, the new name given in 1866 to the two consoli- dated villages of Jamestown and Brooklyn, incorporated in 1848- 49, is on the Ohio river, 13 miles E. of Newport, and opposite the upper end of Cincinnati : population in 1870, 618, and in- creased on Jan. 1, 1873, to probably 1,000. Alexandria, the county seat, incorporated in 1834, is 13 miles from Newport ; population in 1870, 381. California, on the Ohio river, 23 miles above Newport, and Carthage, 2 miles from California, are small villages.

STATISTICS OF CAMPBELL COUNTY.

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

Population, from 1800 to 1870 ... p. 258 Horses, mules, cattle, hogs ......... page 268

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

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

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

children bet. 6 and 20 yrs. p. 266

Distinguished citizens see Index.

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM CAMPBELL COUNTY, SINCE 1859

Senate .- R. Tarvin Baker, 1861-69 ; Thos. Wrightson, 1869-73; Geo. B. Hodge, 1873-77. [ See page 000.] House of Representatives .- Gen. Geo. B. Hodge, 1859-61 ; Cyrus Campbell, 1861-65 ; Geo. P. Webster, 1861-63, but resigned 1862, and succeeded by Jacob Hawthorn, 1862-67 ; Ulysses Pelham Degman, 1865-67; Geo. R. Fearons and James White, 1867-69; J. Calvin DeMoss and Samuel G. Geisler, 1869-71; R. Tarvin Baker, 1871-73; Wmn. A. Moran, 1871-75; Jas. M. McArthur, 1873-75. [ See page 000.]

The First Courts of Campbell county met, by law, at Wilmington, on Lick- ing river, 22 miles from Newport, but the county seat was afterwards located at Newport. In 1827 a law was passed fixing it at Visalia, a site supposed to be the center of the county, near the present Canton station, on the Ky. Central railroad, and courts were held there that year. Visalia was not the center, and the court house was launched for Pond creek, a little lower down on Licking; but by the shrewdness of interested parties it landed at New- port, and was made fast until 1840-when, on the erection of Kenton county out of that portion lying west of Licking river, the " center " idea again pre- vailed and Alexandria became the permanent county seat. At Newport, by a progressive series of legislative acts, are held the long terms of the circuit, criminal, and chancery courts. Campbell thus has practically two county seats.

The First County Court justices were-Robert Benham, Thomas Kennedy, John Hall, John Bush, John Cook, John Ewing, and Thomas Corwin. The justices of the first quarter sessions court were-Washington Berry, presid- ing, Capt. John Craig, and Chas. Daniel, sen. Gen. James Taylor was the first clerk of both courts, and Capt. Nathan Kelly, the first sheriff of the county.

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CAMPBELL COUNTY.

The Postmaster of Newport in 1796-probably the first appointed-was Daniel Mayo. An upright citizen, highly esteemed in private and public life, he held the office until his death. He was the second postmaster of Cincinnati, resigning after holding the office a short time, and removing to Newport. His predecessor in Cincinnati was Maj. Abner Martin Dunn, who died in office July 18, 1795; and his successor, who held it from Sept., 1795, until after April 1, 1796, was W. Maxwell, printer. Maj. Wm. Ruffin, the fourth postmaster was appointed in 1796 by President Washington, and continued to serve through the presidental terms of Washington, John Adams, Jefferson, and most of Madison's-resigning in 1814, to go into a business more promis- ing. During his term the post office was located on the corner of Front and Lawrence streets; and a corner cupboard, with glass doors, was found an ample depository for all the mail matter of Cincinnati.

Capi. John Bartle, it appears from the first newspaper published in Cin- cinnati, * of date Nov. 23, 1793, was then the leading business man of New- port-like a large proportion of the population in 1872, resident in Newport, but doing business in Cincinnati, where as one of the firm of Strong & Bartle, he kept a store some time before May, 1791. He was still living, 94 years old, one of the "observed of all observers" among the pioneers invited to the semi-centennial celebration of Cincinnati, Dec. 26th, 1838, but died with- in three years after.

Ferry .- April 10, 1795, Jacob Lowe established a ferry across the Ohio river at Cincinnati.

Real Estate as early as Dec., 1793, began to be, as it still is, a staple article of trade at Newport. The first newspaper advertisement of it was-230 acres of " excellent land, in a square body, on Licking river, seven miles from the mouth, for which corn, whisky, flour, neat cattle, horses, pork, beef, or cash, will be taken in payment." In May, 1795, James Taylor advertises for sale 4,000 acres of military land in Ohio, near the mouth of the Little Miami. Aug 3, 1795, H. Taylor and James Taylor, attorney in fact for James Taylor, sen., advertised "for sale on Sept. 7th, on 12 months credit, a number of valuable and well situated lots in Newport." "The Ohio and Licking bind- ing two sides of this town, makes its situation equal to any in this state ; to which may be added the advantages of the permanent seat of justice for Campbell county."

Anti-Duelling .- " A Kentuckian" in Campbell county, on Dec. 30. 1795, published a notice in the Centinel requesting " the citizens of the North- Western Territory to desist from the horrid practice of staining the Kentucky bank of the Ohio river with human gore, by duelling-as it is an open viola- tion of the commonwealth."

French and Spanish Complications .- On Dec. 7, 1793, Gen. Arthur St. Clair, as governor of the territory of the United States north west of the Ohio, issued from Marietta, Ohio, a proclamation requiring the inhabitants of that terri- tory to observe a strict neutrality as between the European powers then at war-France on the one side (" to whom we are allied, but are not parties

# Centinel of the North- Western Territory, printed by W. Maxwell, corner of Front and Sycamore streets, Cincinnati. The office was removed, Dec., 1794, " to the house lately occupied by Capt Levi Woodward, on the top of the second bank." at the corner of Third and Sycamore streets. The Ist No. was issued Nov. 9, 1793. A well pre- served file for two years and a half, Nov. 23, 1793 to June 4, 1796, is now in possession of Enoch T. Carson, of Cincinnati, who kindly loaned it to us. For the first 33 Nos., to July, 1794, the size of the paper was 12 by 19 inches ; then was enlarged to 16 by 19 inches, and, on Sept. 19, 1795, again enlarged to 17 by 21 inches. The agent to receive subscriptions in " New-Port " was Capt. John Bartle, until Dec. 7, 1724 ; then Capt. Nathan Kelly-who seems to have been an esquire or justice of the peace in March, 1795, and by whose thoughtful care this file of papers was preserved, as they all bear his name. The price of the paper is not stated, until Nov. 15, 1794-when this appears at the head, " Priec per annum 250 cents, Price single 7 cents." E litori- als seldom appear, and then only as one or more short paragraphs of news. Nov. 28, 1795, the editor apologizes " for the present diminutiveness of his paper, it being owing to the late drought, which has prevented the Paper Mill in Kentucky from going, and from which he generally has received his supply of paper." In the summer of 1796, Mr. Maxwell sold out, and the new proprictor changed the name to The Freeman's Journal, under which it was continued to the beginning of 1800.

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in this war "), and other powers and particularly Spain, on the other side- and forbidding them to join themselves to, or in any manner to aid or abet, certain Frenchmen, named L'a Chaise, Charles Delpeau, Mathurin, and Signoux, in any attempt they may meditate against the Spanish settlements on the Mississippi ; and commanding all officers, civil and military, to pre- vent them from making any levies of men or other preparations in said terri- tory, to imprison them should they have the audacity to attempt it, and to restrain the inhabitants from joining them.

Shortly after, but without date (probably about Jan. 10, 1794), George Rogers Clark, Esq., " Major General in the armies of France, and commander- in-chief of the French revolutionary legions on the Mississippi river," issued "Proposals for raising volunteers for the reduction of the Spanish ports on the Mississippi, for opening the trade of said river, and giving freedom to its inhabitants, etc. All persons serving the expedition to be entitled to one thousand acres of land; those that engage for one year will be entitled to two thousand acres; if they serve two years, or during the present war with France, they will have three thousand acres of any unappropriated land that may be conquered-the officers in proportion. Pay, &c., as other French troops. All lawful plunder to be equally divided agreeable to the custom of war. All necessaries will be provided for the enterprize, and every precaution taken to cause the return of those who wish to quit the service, as comfortable as possible, and a reasonable number of days allowed them to return; at the expiration of which time their pay will cease. All persons will be commissioned agreeable to the number of men they bring into the field. Those that serve the expedition will have their choice of re- ceiving their lands or one dollar per day."

In the number of the Centinel dated March 6, 1794, Jh. Fauchet, Minister Plenipotentiary of the French Republic at Philadelphia, issued an order re- woking all such commissions and authorizations, and forbidding Frenchmen to violate the neutrality of the United States.

First Runaway Slave advertised north of the Ohio river .- On March 22, 1794, Wm. Bryant, of Lincoln co., Ky., advertised a runaway negro, Sam., and offered $TO reward for securing him so that his owner should get him again.

Salt .- April 15, 1794, "good old Kentucky salt" was advertised for sale at Cincinnati-most probably brought down the Licking river in canoes from the Lower Blue Licks-where it was manufactured.

Indian Scalps .- May 17, 1794, as the result of subscriptions made for the purpose, because of the increasing boldness and incursions of the Indians, . two committees of three each, from Columbia and Cincinnati offered as a reward for Indian scalps taken between April 18, 1794, and the ensuing Christmas, within certain boundaries-10 miles east of the mouth of the Little Miami, 10 miles west of the Great Miami, 25 miles north of where Harmar's trace first crosses the Little Miami, and the Ohio on the south-" for every scalp having the right ear appendant, $136 to any subscribers to the fund, or $100 to non-subscribers, for the first ten scalps, and for the second ten, $117 and $95 respectively, but nothing to Federal troops.

The First Line of " Ohio Packet Boats" from Cincinnati to Pittsburg, was advertised on Nov. 16, 1793, as leaving Cincinnati at 8 A.M., every other Saturday, but shortly after was increased to every Saturday-requiring one month for the round trip. The proprietor, Jacob Myers, took great credit to himself for the enterprise, claiming to be "influenced by a love of philan- thropy and desire of being serviccable to the public." He further stated : " No danger need be apprehended from the enemy, as every person on board will be under cover, made proof against rifle or musquet balls, and port holes for firing out of. Each boat is armed with six pieces carrying a pound ball; also a number of good musquets, and amply supplied with ammunition, strongly manned with choice hands, and the masters of approved knowledge. A separate cabin is partitioned off for accommodating ladies on their passage ; Conveniences are constructed so as to render landing unnecessary, as it might, at times, be attended with danger. Rules and regulations for maintaining order and for the good management of the boats, and tables of the rates of freightage, passage, and carrying of letters; also, of the exact time of arrival and departure at all way places, may be seen on the boat and at the printing

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office in Cincinnati. Passengers supplied with provisions and liquors, of first quality, at most reasonable rates possible. Persons may work their passage. An office for insuring at moderate rates the property carried, will be kept at Cincinnati, Limestone (i.e. Maysville), and Pittsburgh." Packet boat promises then, like steamboat promises nowadays, were not always kept ; instead of on November 30th, the second boat did not leave until December 10th, "precisely at 10 o'clock in the morning."

The First Charter of Newport was adopted Dec. 14, 1795, vesting in Thos. Kennedy, Washington Berry, Henry Brasher, Thos. Lindsey, Nathan Kelly, Jas. McClure, and Daniel Duggan, as trustees, 180 acres of land, the property of James Taylor, and laid off by him into convenient lots and streets. A few lots were laid out in 1791 ; the plan was extended in 1793; in 1795 it became the seat of justice for Campbell county, and in 1803 the U. S. government fixed on it as the site of an arsenal. Dr. Daniel Drake, in 1815, said of New- port: " Its site is extensive, elevated, and beautiful-commanding a fine view, both up and down the Ohio river. It is healthy, and affords good well water at the depth of 40 feet It has advanced tardilv, and is an inconsiderable village [Its population in 1810 was 413, and in 1830 only 717]. The houses, chiefly of wood, are, with the exception of a few, rather indifferent; but a spirit for better improvement seems to be recently manifested. Although two acres were conveyed to the county, twenty years ago, for public buildings, only a jail has yet been erected ; the building of a handsome brick court house has, however, been ordered. A market house has recently been put up on the river bank, but has not yet attracted the attention of the surround- ing country. Twoacres of elevated ground were designated by the proprietor for a common ; but upon the petition of the people, the legislature made it the site of an academy, and endowed it with 6,000 acres of land; arrangements are made for the erection of a brick school house, and the organization of a school on the plan of Joseph Lancaster. There are a Baptist and a Method- ist congregation, but no permanent meeting-houses. It has had a post office for several years. The United States' arsenal is erected immediately above the confluence of the Licking with the Ohio; it consists of a capacious, oblong, two story armory of brick ; a fire-proof, conical magazine, for gun- powder; a stone house for the keeper, and wooden barracks sufficient for the reception of two or three regiments of men-the whole inclosed with a stock- ade. It is in contemplation to connect this place and Covington by a bridge across the mouth of Licking, a work that deserves an early execution."

· Chalybeate Springs .- In the bed of Licking river, within a mile of its mouth, when the river was low, in 1815, several copious veins of Chaly beate water burst out, and were occasionally resorted to. In addition to the car- bonate of iron, they contained the different salts common in the spring water of Kentucky.

Bridges .- In 1815 some enthusiastic persons spoke of a bridge across the Ohio river. The anticipation did not become reality until 1869, when the wire suspension bridge, with two piers, between Covington and Cincinnati was completed. The iron railroad bridge, with 7 piers, between Newport and Cincinnati was crossed by railroad trains on April 1, 1872, but not open for foot and vehicle travel for several months after. The wire suspension bridge between Newport and Covington was opened in January, 1854. and the Short Line railroad bridge, 23 miles above the mouth of Licking, in 1871. A substantial wooden bridge over the Licking river, opposite Butler station, on the Ky. Central railroad, was finished in 1872.

Fall of the Suspension Bridge .- On Jan. 16, 1854, only about two weeks after it had been opened for travel, the beautiful wire suspension bridge between Newport and Covington fell with a crash-carrying down 19 head of cattle and two men on horseback, Taylor Keys and Henry Clarcom. The men escaped without serious injury; one horse and six cattle were killed or drowned. The original cost was $65,000; the cost of rebuilding $36,000.

See Index, for further incidents about Newport and Campbell county.

Gen. JAMES TAYLOR was born April 19, 1769, at Midway, Caroline co., Va .; emigrated to Kentucky in 1791; was the first clerk of Campbell county. In

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the war of 1812, he was a quartermaster-general of the north-western army. When Gen. Ilull surrendered Detroit to the British forces under Gen. Brock, in August, 1812, Gen. Taylor, Maj. (afterwards Brig. Gen. ) Thos. S. Jesup, and other officers were called upon to assist in drawing up the articles of capitulation ; but all indignantly refused any participation in an act so dis- graceful to the American arms. Gen. Taylor had previously taken an active part in the plan concerted by the field officers to displace Gen. Hull and confer upon Gen. McArthur the command of the fortress ; but the latter, with his command, did not reach Detroit in time to consummate the plan. Few men have shown the intuitive perception of Gen. Taylor about the extraordi- nary growth of the Ohio valley; he was probably the largest landed proprie- tor in that region, and left an estate estimated at $4,000,000. He died before his wife, Nov. 7, 1848, on the very day of the presidential election. By the courtesy of the judges, who went to his chamber to receive his vote, he had the inexpressible satisfaction of casting it for his friend and relative, Gen. Zachary Taylor, for president of the United States. His remark, on giving his vote, was characteristic-" I have given the last shot for my country.

Mrs. Taylor removed to Kentucky in 1784, in company with a large party of emigrants, among them the Rev. Augustine Eastin, of Bourbon county, who married an elder sister. In their progress through the wilderness, and after they had made their encampment for the night, the party of Mr. Eastin were overta- ken about night-fall by a large body of emigrants, who were seeking new homes in Kentucky. Mr. Eastin advised the party to encamp with him, as Indian signs had been discovered through the day, and there were strong reasons to ap- prehend an attack. The party, however, disregarded the warning, and having traveled about a mile further, made their encampment. From some unex-

plained cause-probably incredulous of danger-they retired to rest without sta- tioning a single sentinel to guard their camp, or warn them of the approach of an enemy. In the midst of the night, when the fatigued and jaded travelers were wrapped in the most profound sleep, the savages attacked them, and killed and scalped more than half of the company, numbering altogether about forty per- sons. A man, his wife, and two children, of this company, became separated at the instant of alarm. The mother, with her youngest child, effected her escape to the woods, and made her way back to the camp of Mr. Eastin. The father also escaped, and in a short time afterwards reached the settlements ; the eldest child was slain: Two weeks after the arrival of Mr. Eastin's party in Kentucky, the husband and wife were re-united, each supposing, up to the period of the'r meeting, the other to be dead.

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 16

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