Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 27

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 27

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).

Lexington, in 1802, according to the celebrated French traveler, F. A. Michaux, was the metropolis of the West-with "its two printing offices, in each of which a newspaper was published twice a week, its paper manufac- tory, its two extensive rope-walks to supply the shipping on the Ohio, its several potteries, one or two powder-mills, and on the banks of the little river, which runs near the town, several tan-yards."

Lexington in 1805 .- Josiah Espy, a Philadelphia gentleman, whose journal of a tour in Kentucky and Ohio, in Sept., 1805, was recently published, says : "Lexington is the largest and most wealthy town in Kentucky, or indeed

176

FAYETTE COUNTY.

west of the Allegheny mountains ;...... the Main street of Lexington has all the appearance of Market street in Philadelphia on a busy day ...... I would suppose it contains abont 500 dwelling houses, many of them elegant, and three stories high ....... About thirty brick buildings were then raising, and I have little doubt but that in a few years it will rival, not only in wealth but in population, the most populous inland town in the Atlantic States ...... The country around Lexington, for many miles in every direction, is equal in beauty and fertility to any thing the imagination can paint, and is already in a high state of cultivation ....... It has, however, one fault-to a Pennsylvanian an intolerable one-it is very badly watered.'

Lexington Manufactures in 1817 .- At this date, the mannfactures, and capital employed in Lexington, as estimated by judicious men, were as fol- lows : 12 cotton manufactories, employing a capital of £67,500; 3 woolen ditto, £32,600; 3 paper ditto, £20,250; 3 steam grist mills, £16,875; gun- powder mills, £9,000; lead factory, #14,800; foundries for casting iron and brass, connected with a silver-plating establishment, £9,000; 4 hat factories, £15,000; 4 coach ditto, £12,600; 5 tanners and curriers, £20,000; 12 factories for cotton bagging and hempen yarns, £100,400; 6 cabinet-makers, £5,600; 4 soap and candle factories, £12,150; 3 tobacco factories, £11,450; sundry others, £120,000; total amount of capital employed in the manufactories of Lexington, £467,225 .*

First Visitors and Improvers, in what is now Fayette county .- While com- paring in person over nine thousand depositions, in various suits in Mason, Bourbon, Nicholas, Fayette, Jefferson, Pendleton, and other counties, we gathered the following:

It is not certainly known that Daniel Boone was the first white man within the present bounds of the county of Fayette; but there is strong reason to believe that-as he spent the winter of 1769-70 in a cave in Mercer county, and was continually wandering alone through the country during the years 1769-70-71-he, at some time, was in Fayette. He was certainly here in 1775 and 1776.

1773 .- In July, 1773, John Finley and others, from Pennsylvania, [He must not be confounded with Joli Finley, or Findlay, who was trading with the Indians and hunting in south-eastern Kentucky in 1767, and again piloted Daniel Boone and others to that region in 1769-see vol. i, page 16 of Annals, ] came down the Ohio river and out into Fleming and Nicholas counties. On the 15thi to 18th of same month, July, 1773, the MeAfee party (see page 17, and also under Mercer county), surveyed land at Frankfort, and were on the north side of the Kentucky river several miles above that point. Fayette county was thus " surrounded "-but probably not visited-by whites, during that year.

1774 .- We shall hereinafter mention, in speaking of the endowment of Transylvania Seminary with escheated or confiscated lands (page 183) that in July, 1774, Hancock Taylor surveyed many thousands of acres of lands in Fayette county, and that James Douglass (deputy surveyor for Col. Wm. Preston, surveyor of Fincastle co., Va. ), assisted by Isaac Hite and others, surveyed 3,000 acres for Henry Collins, 2,000 for Alex. McKee, and 3,000 for Edward Ward. The decisions of the court of appeals, Sneed, 1801-05, show that in June, 1774, Hancock Taylor surveyed land for several parties.

1775 .- In April, 1775, Wm. McConnell, Andrew McConnell (killed in 1782 at the battle of Blue Licks, ) Francis McConnell, Alex. McClelland, John McClelland, Wm. McClelland, David Perry, and Charles Lecompt, came from the " Monongahela country," (in Pennsylvania and Virginia, ) down the Ohio river, in a large canoe or periogue, to the mouth of the Kentucky, up that stream to the Elkhorn region, and there explored the country, and made some " improvements." They started homeward in the last of June-Wm. Mc- Clelland, Win. McConnell, and Chas. Lecompt, by water, the others going across the country and meeting them at the mouth of Lawrence creek, on the Ohio river, 6 miles below Maysville. Some of them remained in Mason co. until August, building cabins and "improving." Win. McConnell had ex- plored that county in 1774.

# Fearon's Sketches of America, pp. 248-9.

177

FAYETTE COUNTY.

In April, 1775, Joseph Lindsay, Wm. Lindsay, Patrick Jordan, Garret Jordan, John Vanee, and others, met at Drennon's Liek (near the Kentucky river, in Henry county,) and came up together to Elkhorn, (where John Lee and Hugh Shannon joined them,) thence up Elkhorn to the forks, from the forks to the place now called Georgetown, and thence to (or near) the place where Lexington now stands *-- their business, to explore the country and make improvements .. The morning after they encamped at (or near) the place where Lexington now is, which was early in May, the company remained in camp on account of the rainy weather. Patrick Jordan went alone down the fork on which they were encamped, and discovered a large spring on the north side of, and a short distance from, the fork-the same where Thomas Lewis was living in 1797. When he returned to camp and told of the spring, Joseph Lindsay-the only one of the company who had not made choice of an improvement-said he would have it, and promptly offered Jordan two guineas to go with him and show it. They went together, taking axes, and made an "improvement"-cut poles and built a cabin, 3 or 4 logs high and about 10 feet square, girdled some trees, made a brush heap or two, and cut the initials J. L. on a tree at the head of the spring-the same kind of im- provement usually made at other places. After that, several of the company went over to Harrodsburg, and the others down to the Forks of Elkhorn after their provisions (four and corn), working tools, etc., which had been left there with the canoes. In a few days, the brothers Jordan returned with Joseph Lindsay to his spring, (May, 1775,) assisted him to plant between a quarter and half an acre of land in corn, and then left him-Lindsay declaring he meant to live there. In Sept., 1775, Patrick Jordan went by and found Lindsay living there, in a camp he had built; besides the plow irons, wedges, hoes, axes, etc., which he had gotten up from Elkhorn, Lindsay had roasting ears and snap beans, the first Jordan had seen in the country. In July, 1776, he called there again, and saw two acres of corn, and some fruit trees grow- ing, and about a quarter of an aere of land enclosed with a fence. Lindsay was not there ;. "it was growing troublesome times on account of the Indians, the people were scary, and had generally left their 'improvements' and gone into the stations for security.""Lindsay had gone to Harrodsburg. His brother Wm., and Andrew Steele, had recently been with him at his im- provement. Wm. McConnell deposed that he knew Lindsay, saw him and two others completing the cabin, and noticed where he had sown some apple seeds. June 25, 1775, Shannon, Lee, and Jos. Lindsay embarked in a canoe at the mouth of Elkhorn, and went up the Ohio river to the Pitt country- returning in Dec., 1775.

Wm. Garrett deposed that on July 16, 1775, he was a chain carrier for John Floyd, was with him at a spring now called " Preston's Cave spring," and got him to survey land at a spring where Thomas Lewis was living in 1799, not- withstanding he saw J. L. carved on a trec, and other improvement signs. Win. Meredith was with Col. Floyd in the summer of 1775, when he went around the lines of Shadrach Vaughn's military survey, on North Elkhorn (near Bryan's Station) ; and Col. Isaac Shelby (afterwards governor) saw him at Boonesborough, in Dec. afterwards, when he was going to Virginia (he returned in May, 1776).

In May or June, 1775, Col. James Harrod and John Smith (as stated in the latter's depositions, May, 1818) passed from near Harrodsburg, through Fayette county, to the Ohio river, at Cabin creek, 6 miles above Maysville, and back; and later in the same year, John Smith piloted Harmon Connelly and Jos. Blackford forth and back over the same route.

Simon Kenton and Michael Stoner were in Fayette county at some time late in 1775. It is also probable that several of the forty or more "improv- ers " in the Hinkston and Licking region, during this year, visited Fayette.

In the fall of 1775, David Williams-who seems to have been one of the most active woodsmen of that day-piloted Nathaniel Randolph, Peter Hig- gins, and Robert Shanklin from Harrodsburg, through Fayette, to the country between Hinkston and Stoner creeks, in Bourbon county.

* Depositions of Patrick Jordan, Aug. 24, 1797, at Harrodsburg, and of five others. II ... 12

178

FAYETTE COUNTY.

Benjamin Ashley, during this year, surveyed land in Nicholas county -- a part of a survey of 200,000 acres for the Ohio Company. It is not certain that he extended his surveys into Fayette county.

Col. Robert Patterson-one of the founders of three cities, Lexington, Ky., and Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio -is supposed by many, but incorrectly, to have been in Fayette county in the summer of 1775. It should not be for- gotten that 1775, after March 25, was a peace year-the Indians,committing no depredations until April, 1776, at Leestown. From several of his depositions, and from a sketch of his life in 1843 by his son-in-law, we learn that John MeClelland and family, and six young men (three of whom had been to Ken- tucky in the spring and summer before)-Robert Patterson (then 22 years old), Wm. McConnell, David Perry, Stephen Lowry, Francis McConnell, Jr., and one other, and also Francis McConnell, Sen .- late in October, 1775, left the neighborhood of Pittsburgh for Kentucky, taking their movable property in canoes, and driving 9 horses and 14 head of cattle by land (the first impor- tation of either into northern Kentucky). In November, they reached Salt Lick creek (in Lewis county, Kv., near Vanceburg), where they parted com- pany-Patterson, Lowry, Wm. McConnell and Perry, under the piloting of the latter, striking across the country with the animals, while the others went down the Ohio river to the Kentucky and up that stream to Leestown (one mile below Frankfort). The land party went up Salt Lick to its head, crossed Cabin creek, passing the Stone Lick (Orangeburg, Mason co.), May's Lick, to the Lower Blue Lieks-where they met with Simon Kenton and Thos. Will- iams, who knew of no other white persons in the country; thence across Licking, and several branches of the Elkhorn, to Leestown. As soon as the canoes arrived, they went with John McClelland and his family to the Royal Spring, now Georgetown-where they helped to build a house and made it their home until April, 1776.

"The young men of the party then built a cabin two miles below where Lex- ington now is; where Wm. McConnell afterwards lived-the place being near the center of their improvements; and they continued there .until the corn was laid by." Because the Indians had renewed hostilities, a battalion of militia, of the inhabitants on the north side of the Kentucky river, was formed, and officers elected, who were duly commissioned by the state of Virginia. "Some of the families from the mouth of Kentucky river, from Hinkson's settlement, and from Drennon's Lick, united in building and moved into a fort at Roval Spring, (where Georgetown now is,) which was kuown by the name of McClelland's fort or station."# It was attacked for a few hours, Dec. 29, 1776, by 40 or 50 Indians, commanded by a noted Mingo warrior, Pluggy, who was killed in the attack. Of the whites, John McClel- land and Charles White were mortally wounded, and (Gen. ) Robert Todd and (Capt.) Edward Worthington wounded, but recovered. Col. Patterson had assisted in building the fort, and was one of its defenders until the begin- ning of October, 1776, when he and 6 others-David Perry, Isaac Greer, Ed- ward Mitchell, Jas. Templeton, Jas. Wernock, and Jos. McNutt-started to Pittsburgh to procure ammunition and other necessaries. On the way, two miles below the mouth of the Hockhocking, they were attacked by Indians, McNutt and Wernock killed, and Greer missing.

John Maxwell deposed that in July, 1775, he saw Lindsay's spring, and that Col. Floyd made a survey for him between Lindsay's and Lexington.

In Jan. 1776, a company of "improvers"-Col. Robert Patterson, John McCracken, Stephen Lowry, John Lowry, Benj. MeClelland, and Jas. Sterritt (all of whom came to the country in Nov. or Dec., 1775)-was busy in Fay- ette county. This company seems to have made Win. McConnell's, near Lexington, their " station camp." About the last of April or first of May, Patterson went from this camp to Lindsay's spring, to notify him and his brother of "the mischief which had been done by the Indians at Leestown."

When Lexington was Named .- If it be romance it is certainly a very pretty romance-as stated by ex-Gov. James T. Morehead, in his thrilling historical address at the celebration in 1840 at Boone-borough of the first settlement

* American Pioneer, ii, 344.

179

FAYETTE COUNTY.

of Kentucky, that " in the year 1775, intelligence was received by a party of hunters, while accidentally encamped on one of the branches of Elkhorn, that the first battle of the Revolution had been fought in the vicinity of Bos- ton, between the British and provincial forces ; and that in commemoration of the event they called the spot of their encampment Lexington. No settle- ment was then made. The spot is now covered by one of the most beautiful cities on the continent." But there is no reasonable ground to doubt that such was the origin of the name of Lexington. It was well understood as such in the life-time of the actors themselves. It was told of them, and they assented to its truth. It was related as fact, printed as fact, received and believed as fact, at an early day ; it was heard and read by the very hunters who made the romance, if romance it was-the very hunters who suggested and adopted the beautifully expressive and appropriate name. They must have conspired to accept it as a proud and happy afterthought, if it lacked the essential element of being true. They were here on the spot-two companies of them, whose names are given above-at the very time, June 5th to June 9th, 1775, when the glad news is said to have been received and the com- memorative name suggested. It is certain that Robert Patterson could not have been, and most probable that John Todd and John Maxwell were not in either company at the time, although the latter two were in the country. And as Wm. McConnell's cabin, (which never attained to the dignity of a station, ) was not built until April, 1776, it is not probable that that spot was the initial Lexington.

When was Lexington Permanently Settled ?- From a deposition of Josiah Collins, taken May 18, 1804, in a proceeding in the Harrison county court, it appears that Lexington was not a place of note before Col. John Bowman's expedition was set on foot, in May, 1779. Col. Benj. Harrison, after whom Harrison county was named, deposed that he " never could learn that Lex- ington did really exist, at the time of Bowman's expedition." Isaac Ruddle deposed that about the middle of April, 1779, he removed from Logan's station [near Stanford, Lincoln co.] and settled a station [in now Harrison county, near the Bourbon county line] on the south fork of Licking, called Ruddie's, and sometimes Hinkson's, station. "On the way, he passed by where Lexington now is, and there were no settlers there." John Burger de- posed that he went from Logan's station with Isaac Ruddle to settle his station, and that " when they passed Lexington, there were some cabins, but no people living there." Wm. McGee deposed that in the last of May, or in June, 1779, he and several others came from Boonesborough under Daniel Boone, on an expedition against the Indians; thence "we came to the place now called Lexington-though not called by that name then-where there was but one house." John Pleakenstalver deposed that in the last of April or first of May, 1779, he and others started from Boonesborough to go to the Shawnee- town. "We went to Col. John Todd's cabin, on the waters of Hickman, [Ralph Morgan deposes that they "encamped at Todd's spring, which is yet (1804) called by that name, about two miles from Lexington,"] lay there all night, started next morning to find some men at Elkhorn-I think the cabin was called Maj. John Morrison's cabin, now called Lexington; we missed the trail, we could not find it." "Old " John South, Sen., deposed that in May, 1779, he started from Boonesborough with some militia of Capt. Holder's company. " Capt. John Holder told me he had orders from Col. John Bow- man to meet him at Lexington, that is now so called. The first night we missed our way to Lexington, and encamped; the next morning, we sent out spies to hunt where Lexington now stands; thence we marched towards the mouth of Licking."

But in the same series of depositions-all taken in the summer of 1804, to prove another matter, located forty miles north of Lexington-are some which are more to the point. David Mitchell deposed that he " was not in Bow- man's expedition, in May, 1779, but at the time was a residenter in Lexing- ton ; he killed meat for the garrison while the army was out; he recollected of 14 citizens coming over [from Harrodsburg] to settle in Lexington, about the 14th of April in that year ; Ro ert Patterson and John Morrison were two of them." Josiah Collins deposed that in May, 1779, "his residence was at

180

FAYETTE COUNTY.

Lexington, having moved there in April from Harrodsburg." Col. Robert Patterson deposed that he-" an inhabitant of Lexington, and an ensign in Capt. Levi Todd's company of militia-was ordered into Bowman's expedi- tion, and left Lexington about the 15th May, 1779. Todd's, Holder's, and Logan's companies rendezvoused at Lexington." Maj. John Morrison de- posed that " he became a resident of Lexington in April, 1779." Capt. Samuel Johnson deposed that " in April, 1779, Col. Robert Patterson, with himself und others, made a settlement at the town of Lexington." Elijah Collins de- posed that in May, 1779, he and James Parberry, being then inhabitants of Lexington, joined Bowman's expedition. Col. Levi Todd, Col. Wm. Whitley, Gen. James Ray, and a number of others, deposed that they rendezvoused at Lexington-Capt. Todd further saying that Col. Bowman had directed him "to leave a sufficient number of men to protect Lexington." James Guthrie deposed that on the 13th of May, 1779, he joined at Louisville Capt. Harrod's company for Bowman's expedition, and after its return he "repaired to the place where Lexington now is, and resided there until March, 1780."

It thus appears that the first settlers at Lexington were Col. Robert Patter- son, Maj. James Morrison, Capt. Samuel Johnson, David Mitchell, Josiah Collins, Elijah Collins, James Parberry ; and (according to Bradford's " Notes on Kentucky,") Wm. McConnell, Hugh Shannon, John Maxwell, James Masterson, and Capt. James Duncan (improperly spelled Dunkin). Mr. Brad- ford also gives the name of Isaac Greer, probably a mistake for James Greer- the former having left the county for Pittsburgh, and probably fallen a prey to the Indians on the 12th of Oct., 1776, at the mouth of the Hockhocking river.

The First Newspaper ever published west of the Allegheny mountains (excepting the Pittsburgh Gazette, which preceded it only a few weeks) was the Kentucke Gusette, at Lexington-its first number having been issued on the 11th day of August, 1787. The matter intended for that number was set in type on board of a flat-boat while descending the Ohio river to Lime- stone (Maysville), or else at Limestone while waiting for pack-horses to transport it over the great buffalo " Middle Trace," which led over the " sugar loaf" hill just back of that point, and via the Lower Blue Liek spring, to Lexington. An apology of the editor, John Bradford, [see his portrait in the

group of "Kentucky Editors and Publishers,"] in that first No .- was ever a newspaper's first issue unheralded by an apology or explanation ?- perpetu- ates the interesting information that, in that terrible carriage on pack-horses from Limestone to Lexington, " a great part of the types fell into pi." [For further information about the Gazette, see the biographical sketch of John Bradford, page 195; and for " Extracts," pp. 193-4.]

The Oldest Newspaper now living in Kentucky is the Lexington Observer and Reporter. On Feb. 7, 1807, Wm. W. Worsley and Samuel R. Overton issued the 1st No. of The Lexington Reporter, which was continued without interruption or change of name until March, 1832; when it was purchased by Edwin Bryant and Nimrod L. Finnell and consolidated with the Lexington Observer. Its editors-who, in most cases, have also been proprietors or part- owners-have been : Wm. W. Worsley, 1807-19; Thos. Smith, 1816-32; Jas. W. Palmer, 1828-29; Edwin Bryant and Nimrod L. Finnell, 1832-33 (who had published the Observer for some years previously, and afterwards estab- lished and published for some years The Lexington Intelligencer); Robert Nelson Wickliffe, 1833-38 (probably the most brilliant of the Wickliffe family, and familiarly known by the sobriquet of "Greasy Bob." to distinguish him from the other prominent Robert Wickliffes); Daniel Carmichael Wickliffe, 1833-65; John T. Hogan, 1855-59; Wm. A. (" Parson ") Dudley, 1865-66 ; Col. Wm. C. P. Breckinridge, 1866-68; Geo. W. Ranck, 1868-71; Dr. Thos. E. Pickett, 1871-72; J. Soule Smith, 1872-73. Other writers of ability have contributed to it, or been temporarily its editors. The semi-weekly edition, has from the first been styled Observer and Reporter. [ Discontinued, April, 1873.]

The First Tavern in Lexington was kept by James Bray, in 1785.

The First Grist Mill in north Ky. was Higbee's, near Lexington, erected in the fall of 1785.

The First Almanac published in the west was in 1788, by Messrs. Bradford.

181

FAYETTE COUNTY.

The First Dancing School in Lexington was opened in April, 1788.

The First Woolen, Cotton, Gunpowder, White Lead, Paper, and Nail Factories were located in or near Lexington.

The Third Dry Goods Store in Kentucky was opened in Lexington, in 1784, by Gen. James Wilkinson.

Vaccination, as a preventive of small pox, was first made use of in Lexing- ton, prior to 1802, by Dr. Samuel Brown.

The Oldest Military Company in Kentucky is the Lexington Light Infantry, organized 1789. Its history has been one of daring and of blood-through the Indian expeditions of 1789-94, the War of 1812, Mexican in 1846-47, and the civil war, 1861-65. Brave, and talented, and brilliant men, in civil and military life, have been its officers or risen to renown from its ranks.

The Oldest Public Library in the west was established at Lexington, in 1795, as the "Transylvania," and incorporated in 1800 as the " Lexington Library." Its history is eventful, its escapes from fire and water and book thieves wonder- ful. Notwithstanding the depredations of the latter, it has a number of rare old works not to be found elsewhere-most prominent among them, bound volumes of the Kentucky Gazette from 1787, and of other Lexington news- papers of a later date.

Lexington in 1811 .- John Reynolds, afterwards governor of Illinois, (see his Life and Times, p. 121,) passed through Lexington, on his way home from Virginia. He says : "Lexington was a handsome town at that day. Near it was the first attempt to erect a steam mill I ever saw; the mill was not finished, but much work was done on it. One night in Lexington, I heard, for the first time, the watchinan cry out in a shrill unearthly tone, the time of night and the weather. I got up and went to the window to know what was. the matter. . . . . Louisville was then a small place."

The First Legislature, or General Assembly, of Kentucky was held in a two- story log building in Lexington-in two sessions; the first, of 12 days, begin- ning June 4th, 1792, and the second beginning Monday, Nov. 5th, of the same year. It was composed of 11 senators, and 40 representatives, from 9 counties-each county having a senator, except Jefferson and Fayette, which had two each. Of representatives, Bourbon had 5, Fayette 9, Jefferson 3. Lincoln 4, Madison 3, Mason 2, Mercer 4, Nelson 6, and Woodford 4; at this session, 37 acts and 6 resolutions, and at the second session, 59 acts and 9 resolutions were passed, and approved by the governor. Alex. S. Bullitt was first speaker of the senate, and Robert Breckinridge first speaker of the house; both were from Jefferson county.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 27

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