Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 17

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 17

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In the October of 1779, two keel boats, laden with military stores, bound from New Orleans to Pittsburgh, under the command of' David Rogers, were ascend- ing the Ohio river ; and when near the sand-bar, above where the city of Cin- cinnati now stands, called four mile bar-they discovered a number of Indians on rafts and in canoes coming out of the mouth of the Little Miami river, which stream was then very high, and shot its waters. together with the Indian craft, nearly across the river. Colonel Rogers immediately landed his boats, and the crew, to the number of seventy men, advanced secretly through the woods and willows that grew thickly on the sand bar which here joined the Kentucky shore, expecting to attack the Indians, when they should land, by surprise. Before, however, Rogers had succeeded in reaching the point where he presumed he would encounter the savages, he found himself suddenly surrounded by a force of more than treble his numbers. The Indians instantly poured in a close dis- charge of rifles, and then throwing down their guns, fell upon the survivors with the tomahawk ! The panic was complete, and the slaughter prodigious. Major Rogers, together with forty-five of his men, were almost instantly destroyed. The survivors made an effort to regain their boats, but the five men who had been Jeft in charge of them, had immediately put off from shore in the hindmost boat. and the enemy had already gained possession of the other. Disappointed in the attempt. they turned furiously upon the enemy, and aided by the approach of darkness, forced their way through their lines, and with the loss of several severely wounded, at length effected their escape to Harrodsburgh.

Among the wounded was Capt. Robert Benham. Shortly after breaking through the enemy's line, he was shot through both hips, and the bones being shattered,

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he instantly fell to the ground. Fortunately, a large tree had recently fallen neal the spot where he lay, and with great pain. he dragged himself into the top, and lay concealed among the branches. The Indians, eager in pursuit of the others, passed him without notice, and by midnight all was quiet. On the following day, the Indians returned to the battle ground, in order to strip the dead and take care of the boats. Benham, although in danger of famishing, permitted them to pass without making known his condition, very correctly supposing that his crippled legs would only induce them to tomahawk him on the spot, in order to avoid the trouble of carrying him to their town.

He lay close, therefore, until the evening of the second day, when perceiving a raccoon descending a tree, near him, he shot it, hoping to devise some means of reaching it, when he could kindle a fire and make a meal. Scarcely had his gun cracked, however, when he heard a human cry, apparently not more than fifty yards off. Supposing it to be an Indian, he hastily reloaded his gun, and re- mained silent, expecting the approach of an enemy. Presently the same voice was heard again, but much nearer. Still Benham made no reply, but cocked his gun, and sat ready to fire as soon as an object appeared. A third halloo was quickly heard, followed by an exclamation of impatience and distress, which con- vinced Benham that the unknown must be a Kentuckian. As soon, therefore, as he heard the expression, " whoever you are, for God's sake answer me," he replied with readiness, and the parties were soon together.

Benham, as we have already observed, was shot through both legs. The man who now appeared, had escaped from the same battle, with both arms broken ! Thus each was enabled to supply what the other wanted. Benham, having the perfect use of his arms, could load his gun and kill game with great readiness, while his friend, having the use of his legs, could kick the game to the spot where Benham sat, who was thus enabled to cook it. When no wood was near then., John Watson would rake up brush with his feet, and gradually roll it within reach of Benham's hands, who constantly fed his companion, and dressed his wounds as well as his own-tearing up both their shirts for that purpose. They found some difficulty in procuring water at first; but Benham at length took his own hat, and placing the rim between the teeth of his companion, direc- ted him to wade into the Licking up to his neck, and dip the hat into the water by sinking his own head. The man who could walk, was thus enabled to bring water by means of his teeth, which Benham could afterwards dispose of as was necessary.

In a few days, they had killed all the squirrels and birds within reach, and the man with broken arms was sent out to drive game within gunshot of the spot to which Benham was confined. Fortunately, wild turkies were abundant in those woods, and his companion would walk around, and drive them towards Benham, who seldom failed to kill two or three of each flock. In this manner they sup- ported themselves for several weeks, until their wounds had healed so as to ena- ble them to travel. They then shifted their quarters, and put up a small shed at the mouth of the Licking, where they encamped until late in November, anxiously expecting the arrival of some boat, which should convey them to the falls of the Ohio.

On the 27th of November, they observed a flat boat moving leisurely down the river. Benham instantly hoisted his hat upon a stick, and hallooed loudly for help. The crew, however, supposing them to be Indians-at least suspecting them of an intention to decoy them ashore, paid no attention to their signals of `distress, but instantly put over to the opposite side of the river, and manning ev- ery oar, endeavored to pass them as rapidly as possible. Benham beheld them pass him with a sensation bordering on despair, for the place was much frequen- ted by Indians, and the approach of winter threatened them with destruction, unless speedily relieved. At length, after the boat had passed him nearly half a mile, he saw a canoe put off from its stern, and cautiously approach the Ken- tucky shore, evidently reconnoitering them with great suspicion.

He called loudly upon them for assistance, mentioned his name, and made known his condition. After a long parley, and many evidences of reluctance on the part of the crew, the canoe at length touched the shore, and Benham and his friend were taken on board. Their appearance excited much suspicion. They were almost entirely naked, and their faces were garnished with six weeks

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growth of beard. The one was barely able to hobble on crutches, and the other could manage to feed himself with one of his hands. They were taken to Lou- isville, where their clothes (which had been carried off in the boat which deserted thein) were restored to them, and after a few weeks confinement, both were per- fectly recovered.

Benham afterwards served in the north-west throughout the whole of the Indian war, accompanied the expeditions of Harmar and Wilkinson, shared in the dis- aster of St. Clair, and afterwards in the triumph of Wayne. Upon the return of peace, he bought the land upon which Rogers had been defeated, and ended his days in tranquility, amid the scenes which had witnessed his sufferings.

The county of Campbell received its name in honor of Colonel JOHN CAMP- BELI., a native of Ireland. He came to Kentucky at an early period. Having received a grant of four thousand acres of land from the commonwealth of Vir- ginia, which was located immediately below, and adjoining the grant on which Louisville stands, Col. Campbell became an extensive landed proprietor, and a very wealthy man. He was a member of the convention which formed the first constitution of Kentucky, from Jefferson county. During the same year. he was elected one of the electors of the senate from Jefferson, and in the electoral col- lege was chosen the senator fro:n Jefferson county, in the new State legislature. He was a large man, of fine personal appearance, and strong mind, but rough in his manners. He never married, and having died childless, his large estate passed into the hands of many heirs.

HENRY STANBERY, for some years past a resident of the "Highlands " in Campbell county, was born in New York city, 1803; graduated at Washing- ton College, Pa., 1819; admitted to the bar, 1824; attorney-general of the state of Ohio, 1846-51; member of the constitutional convention of Ohio, 1850; attorney-general of the United States, 1866-68; associated with Benj. R. Curtis, of Mass., Thos. A. R. Nelson, of Tenn., and Wm. S. Groesbeck, of Ohio, in defence of President Andrew Johnson before the U. S. senate, for impeachment, March, April, and May, 1868; resumed the practice of the law in the U. S. courts at Cincinnati, in the supreme court of Ohio at Colum- bus, and in the U. S. supreme court at Washington city.

Gen. GEORGE BAIRD HIODGE was born in Fleming co., Ky., April 8, 1823 ; educated at the Maysville Seminary and at the naval school, Annapolis, Md .; midshipman in the U. S. navy, 1845; at the siege and surrender of Vera Cruz, as aid to Commodore David Connor, 1847, and served as midshipman throughout the Mexican war, resigning April, 1850; in 1853, at the age of 25, made a remarkable but unsuccessful race for congress as the Whig candi- date, against Hon. Richard H. Stanton, the ablest and most popular Demo- crat in the district, very largely reducing his majority; engaged in the practice of law at Newport; 1859-61, representative in the state legislature, and chairman of the committee on Federal relations; 1860, candidate for elector for the state at large on the Breckinridge and Lane ticket; left Kentucky Sept. 23, 1861, and entered Southern army as a private ; elected member of the provisional government of Kentucky, 1861; a member from Ky. in the Confederate provisional congress, 1861-62; member of the first permanent Confederate congress, 1862; when not in congress, continued to serve in the Confederate army ; made captain, and assistant adjutant-general of Gen. Breckinridge's division, 1862; promoted to major, for distinguished gallantry at the battle of Shiloh, April, 1862; colonel, 1864; brigadier-gene- ral of cavalry, 1864, and in command of the district of Mississippi and Louis- iana to the close of the war, 1865; resumed practice of the law, at Newport, 1866; chosen elector for the state at large on the Greely and Brown ticket, Nov., 1872, by the highest vote cast, and presided over the electoral college at Frankfort, Dec., 1872. Gen. Hodge is an able lawyer, a shrewd politician, a handsome writer, a ready and enthusiastic popular speaker; he is already freely spoken of as the probable Democratic candidate for Governor of Ken- lucky in 1875.

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CARROLL COUNTY.

CARROLL county was formed-the 87th in order-out of part of Gallatin, in the year 1838, and named in honor of Charles Carroll, of Carrollton. It is bounded on the N. by the Ohio river, E. by Gallatin, s. by Owen and Henry, and w. by Trimble county. The Ohio river bottom-20 miles along the northern line, and from half a mile to a mile wide, except at one point- is moderately rolling, with a rich sandy alluvial soil. The soil along the valley of the Kentucky river, which extends through the county, is of two classes-the rich alluvial bottoms subject to overflow, and the level uplands, once covered with a yellowish soil two to four inches deep, over a stratum of bluish clay. The remainder of the county is hilly, and the soil a fertile loam over a stratum of limestone.

Towns .- Carrollton, the county seat-on the Ohio river, im- mediately at and above the mouth of the Kentucky, 50 miles below Frankfort, 12 above Madison, Indiana, and 57 above Louisville-contains, besides the county buildings, 6 churches, 2 academies, 6 stores, 3 hotels, 1 flouring and saw mill, 1 woolen factory, 2 wagon and 4 blacksmith shops, 2 livery stables, 6 lawyers and 5 doctors ; population by the census of 1870, 1,098, and in 1860, 1,511 ; incorporated in 1794 by the name of Port William, but more than 30 years ago changed to " Carrollton," after the residence of Charles Carroll. Ghent, so named after the city in Europe where the treaty of peace between Great Britain and the United States was signed in 1814, on the Ohio river, 8 miles above Carrollton, has 4 stores, 2 hotels, 3 churches, a college, and 2 doctors; population in 1870, 464. Prestonville, so named after Col. Preston, of Va., who owned the land, is at the mouth of the Kentucky river, opposite Carrollton ; contains 3 stores and 2 hotels ; population in 1870, 239. Worthville, 7 miles above Carrollton, on the E. bank of the Kentucky river, where it is crossed by the Short Line railroad bridge, is a small village with 2 hotels ; named in honor of Gen. Wm. Worth.

STATISTICS OF CARROLL COUNTY.

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

Population, from 1840 to 1870 ... p. 258 Horses, mules, cattle, hogy .p. 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 CARROLL COUNTY, SINCE 1859.

Senate .- None resident in the county.

House of Representatives .- Ben. M. Hitt, 1859-61 ; John C. Lindsey, 1961-63, but resigned, and succeeded by Wm. II. Van Pelt, Jan., 1863; W. M. Fisher, 1863-65 : Haydon S. Wright, 1865-67; Jesse D. Bright, 1867-71; John Preston, 1873-75. [.See page 773.]

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In March, 1785, a body of Indians surrounded the house of Mr. Elliott, situated at the mouth of Kentucky river, and made a furious assault upon it. The men- bers of the family generally made their escape ; but Mr. Elliott was killed and his house burnt by the savages. In 1786 or '87, Captain Ellison built a block house on the point at the confluence of the Kentucky and Ohio river, and was successively driven from his post in the two succeeding summers, by a superior Indian force. In 1789-90, General Charles Scott built a block house on the second bank, in an elevated position, and fortified it by picketing. This post was occupied until 1792, when the town of Port William (now Carrollton) was first laid out. The Indians were then troublesome.

ANTIQUITIES .- About one-fourth of a mile from the Kentucky river, on the sec- ond bank of the Ohio, and about one hundred yards from the latter river, there are the remains of a fortification, of a circular form, about one hundred and twenty feet in diameter, situated on level ground. About two miles from the mouth of the Kentucky, there are also the remains of what must have been a formidable fortification, situated on an eligible point, and of quadrangular form. The heavy embankment on which it was erected, is evidently of artificial construction, and must have been made at great labor and expense. It includes about an acre of ground, and is so graded as to throw the water from the centre in every direction. On the west and north of the fort, the paths, or roads leading to the water, and which were doubtless used for the general purpose of ingress and egress, are still distinctly marked and visible (in 1847). A third ancient fortification, the remains of which are still to be seen (in 1872), is situated on the top of the Ohio river hills, 23 miles above Carrollton. The area of the fortification was some 3 or 4 acres, and it was originally enclosed by rough stone walls. It is now covered by large timber trees. Its location was such as to give a view of the Ohio river, reaching some ten miles.

There are a number of mounds in the county, but generally of small size. In 1837, one was examined, in which was found the skull and thigh bones of a hu- man being of very large frame, together with a silver snuff box, made in the shape of an infant's shoe.

This county received its name in honor of CHARLES CARROLL, of Carrollton, one of the signers of the declaration of Independence, and the last of that immortal band of patriots who descended to the tomb. Mr. Carroll was born at Annapolis, Maryland, on the 8th of September. 1737, O. S. He received his literary educa- tion in France, and studied law in England. In 1764, he returned to Maryland, a finished scholar and an accomplished gentleman. He married in 1768. He soon became a distinguished advocate of popular rights, and ultimately an ardent and devoted friend of the independence of the American colonies. At one time the delegates from Maryland in the continental congress were instructed to vote against the declaration of independence ; but through his influence the decision was reversed, and under new instructions on the 4th of July, 1776, the votes of the Maryland delegation were given for independence. Mr. Carroll having been appointed a delegate, on the 18th of July took his seat in Congress. On the same day a secret resolution was adopted, directing the declaration to be engrossed on parchment, and signed by all the members, which was accordingly done on the 2nd of August. As Mr. Carroll had not given a vote on the adoption of that instrument, he was asked by the president if he would sign it; " most willingly," he replied, and immediately affixed his name to that "record of glory," which has endeared him to his country, and rendered his name immortal. He subsequently aided in the formation of the constitution of Maryland, was a member of congress, a member of the state senate, and a member of the senate of the United States. He retired from public employments in 1801, and died Nov. 14, 1832, aged 95.

An anecdote is told of Carroll, illustrative of the fearlessness and firmness of the man, which may not be out of place here. Immediately after he placed his naire to the declaration of independence, one of his friends jocularly remarked- that if the British got hold of him, they would not know whether it were he or the Charles Carroll of Massachusetts, who had signed the declaration; conse- quently, they would be at a loss which to hang as the rebel. " In order," says he, " that there may be no mistake about that, I will save them the trouble of hanging two of us," and instantly affixed his residence to his name, and by which he was ever afterwards known as ". Charles Carroll of Carrollton."

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First Visit .- In 1754, James McBride, with others, came down the Ohio river in a canoe to the mouth of the Kentucky river, and there marked a tree with the first letters of his name. The letters were still visible in 1784, 30 years after. John Filson, the first who printed a history of Kentucky, claims that McBride was the first white man who traversed this province, of whom we have certain accounts. In March, 1751, Christopher Gist and company came down the Ohio river as far as the mouth of the Cutawa (Kentucky), then went up its banks to its headwaters, and crossed over to the Kanawha. [See pages 14-18, vol. i; also, under Fayette, Franklin, Mercer, Scott, and other counties ].

Opening of Navigation .- No words can better express the opening of busi- ness on the Kentucky river, and the cessation of danger from Indian inroads, than the following advertisement, copied from the Cincinnati Centinel of the North- West Territory, of Jan. 15, 1795:

NOTICE .- The subscriber informs the gentlemen, merchants, and emigrants to Kentucky, that he will be at the mouth of Kentucky river on the first day of February next, with a sufficient number of boats to transport all goods, etc., which they may think proper to entrust him with, up the river. He will also keep a store-house for the reception of any goods which may be left with him. Carriage of goods to Frankfort 50 cents per hundred, to Sluke's warehouse 75 cents, to Warwick 100 cents, Dick's river 125 cents.

Mouth of Kentucky, Jan. 15, 1795. ELIJAH CRAIG, JR.

The Butler Family .- Few of the prominent families of Kentucky have been so generally distinguished as this for high military bearing and gallantry, genuine good sense, and longevity ; while no other is so singularly retiring and modest, and so free from political ambition and desire for public position. The family is of Irish descent. The grandfather of the present elder gener- ation (most of whom reside in Carroll county, and in the cities of Covington and Louisville), was Thomas Butler, born in Kilkenny, Ireland, April S, 1720. Of his five sons who attained eminence in America, Richard, William, and Thomas were natives of Ireland ; Percival (or Pierce) and Edward were born in Pennsylvania. "All of these were officers of the Revolutionary War, except Edward (who was too young, but entered it before its close), and all rendered important service. Richard, the eldest (in honor of whom Butler county, Ky., was named), was lieutenant colonel of Morgan's rifle regiment, and helped to give it its high character and fame; afterwards colonel of another regiment, and commanded Wayne's left in the attack on Stony Point ; was made major general, about 1790; with Gen. George Rogers Clark and Mr. Parsons at the mouth of the Big Miami river, as commissioners who made a treaty with the Shawnee and Delaware Indians; and was killed in St. Clair's defeat, Nov. 4, 1791-where his brother, Maj. Richard Butler, was wounded and with difficulty rescued from the Indians, by his surviving bro- ther, Capt. Edward Butler above. All these brothers and their immediate descendants were engaged in the military service of the country, in all the wars before 1800, while the survivors were in the war of 1812, and not less than nine of a younger generation were in the Mexican war.

An anecdote is preserved, in a sketch written twenty-six years ago, which shows the character of the race, and that its military instinct was an inheri- tance. While the five sons were absent from home in the army, the old father took it into his head to go also. The neighbors collected to remon- strate against it, but his wife said: " Let him gol I can get along without him, and raise something to feed the army in the bargain ; and the country wants every man who can shoulder a musket." This extraordinary zeal did not escape the observation of Washington," and hence the toast he gave at his own table, whilst surrounded by a large party of officers-" The Butlers,

* This anecdote rests on the authority of the late Gen. Findlay, of Cincinnati.

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and their five sons." Gen. Lafayette, too, was an admiring observer of this house of soldiers, and in a letter now extant, paid them this handsome trib- ute, " When I wanted a thing well done, I ordered a Butler to do it."

But it is with the Kentucky branch that we have to do. Gen. PERCIVAL BUTLER, the fourth son above, was born at Carlisle, Pa., April 4, 1760; at 18, entered the Revolutionary army as a lientenant; was with Washington at Valley Forge; in the battle of Monmouth ; at the taking of Yorktown; at- tached, for a short time, to a light corps under Lafayette, who presented him with a sword; immigrated to Kentucky in 1784; married Miss Hopkins, sister-in-law of Col. John Todd, who commanded and perished in the fatal battle of the Blue Licks; settled as a merchant, in Jessamine county, at the mouth of Hickman, but removed in 1796, to the mouth of the Kentucky river, while the neighborhood was yet a canebrake ; was made adjutant-general of Kentucky when she became a state, and in that capacity joined one of the armies sent by her to the North; was the last of the old stock left when the war of 1812 began, and did therein his full part; was a brave, useful, high- spirited citizen ; he died in 1821, aged 61 years.

Col. THOMAS L. BUTLER, the oldest son, born in Jessamine co., Ky., April 17, 1789; was aid to Gen. Jackson at the battle of New Orleans, and because of his coolness and prudence was left by Jackson in command of the city to protect it against outbreaks ; a member of the Ky house of representatives in 1826 and 1848; still living (Jan., 1874), nearly 85 years old.

Gen. WILLIAM ORLANDO BUTLER, the second son, was born in Jessamine co., Ky., April 19, 1791; graduated at Transylvania University, 1812; post- poned the study of law, to volunteer as a private in Capt. N. S. G. Hart's company at Lexington ; was elected corporal, and marched to the relief of Fort Wayne ; promoted to ensign in Col. Wells' 17th U. S. infantry; in the two battles of the river Raisin, Jan. 18 and 22, 1813, he signalized himself by self-devotion and daring, was wounded and taken prisoner; captain of 44th U. S. infantry, in the attack at Pensacola; in the battles at New Orleans, Dec. 23, 1814 and Jan. 8, 1815, Gen. Jackson says he " displayed the heroic chivalry and calmness of judgment in the midst of danger, which distinguished the valuable officer in the hour of battle;" received therefor the brevet rank of major ; was aid to Gen. Jackson, 1816-17; resigned, stud- ied law, and practiced at Carrollton; married a daughter of Gen. Robert Todd ; was representative from Gallatin county in the Ky. legislature, 1817, '18; in U. S. congress for four years, 1839-43, and refused to be a candidate for a third term; was the Democratic candidate for governor in 1844, and reduced the Whig majority to 4,624; June 29, 1846, was appointed major- general of the volunteers raised to support Gen. Taylor in his invasion of Mexico; acted an important part (and was wounded) at the battle of Mont- erey, Sept. 19-24, 1846, and in subsequent events in that part of Mexico; Feb. 18, 1848, succeeded Gen. Scott in the chief command of the army in Mexico, until the treaty of peace, May 29, 1848; May, 1848, was nominated for vice-president of the United States, on the Democratic ticket, with Gen. Cass, but defeated by Taylor and Fillmore; 1851, supported by the full party vote for U. S. senator, but not elected ; Jan. 29 to Feb. 27, 1861, one of six commissioners from Kentucky to the "Peace Conference" at Washington city ; since when he has enjoyed the retirement and ease of his farm-home ; is still living (Jan., 1874), aged nearly 83.

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 17

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