Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 56

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 56

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350

HARPE'S HEAD.

"that he would never steal another horse." Nance, his mare, exhibited both speed and bottom in this race of life or death. The other horses were nothing like equal to Nance, or to Love's mare, and their riders being large men, Big Harpe might entertain hopes of escape. In the first two or three miles he kept far ahead, no one trailing in sight except Tompkins. There was no difficulty in following, through the rich mellow soil of the wilderness, the tracks made by the horses of Harpe and Tompkins. Leeper was second in the chase, and . the rest followed as rapidly as possible. As the race progressed, Big Harpe drove into a thick forest of large trees upon a creek bottom. As he approached the stream to cross it, he encountered a large poplar tree, four or five feet in diameter and one hundred feet in length, which had been blown down, its roots being at the perpendicular bank of the creek and its top extending back 80 as to make an angle between the creek and the tree of about forty degrees. The bank was so high and perpendicular that it was impossible to descend and cross the creek with safety, and alike dangerous to attempt jumping over the tree. He retraced his steps to the head of the tree, and there met Tompkins face to face, with some thirty steps between them. Each reined up his foam- ing steed and stopped. Neither attempted to fire. Tompkins told Harpe that escape was impossible, and he had better surrender. "Never!" was the brief reply. At that moment Leeper was in sight. Harpe dashed off at full speed, while Tompkins tarried for Leeper. As soon as he came up, he said, "Why didn't you shoot?" Tompkins replied " that his mare was so fiery he could not make a safe shot upon her, and he would not fire unless he was sure of execution."

" Leeper had fired upon the Harpes and Smith at the branch, and finding that his ramrod could not be drawn in consequence of its having got wet, told Tompkins he could not reload, that his horse was fast failing, and that Harpe would escape unless Nance could catch him. Tompkins replied, "She can run over him upon any part of the ground." Leeper said, "Let us exchange horses and give me your gun and shot-pouch, and I'll bring him down, if I can over- take him." They dismounted, exchanged horses and arms, and Leeper dashed forward after Big Harpe. The noble mare proved her ability to "run over him upon any part of the ground."

"Leeper crossed the creek, and, after passing through the thick tall trees in the bottom, came in sight of the fleeing Harpe as he reached higher ground, with its prairie grass and scattered trees. 'The gray mare was (not) the bet- ter horse.' Nance gradually gained upon her. When Leeper got up within thirty yards, Harpe warned him 'to stand off, or he would kill him.' Leeper replied, "One of us has to die, and the hardest fend off.' As the woods be- came more open and interposed fewer obstructions, Leeper thought he had 'a good chance.' Suddenly putting Nance to her full speed, he rushed up within ten steps of Harpe, threw his leg over the mane and the bridle over Nance's head, jumped to the ground, took aim, and fired. Harpe reined up, turned, presented his gun, and it snapped-all without dismounting. Leeper after- wards said, 'If Harpe's gun had not snapped, the ball would not have passed within twenty yards of me, so badly was it aimed.' Harpe then threw his gun down, wheeled the gray mare, and pushed on his course. From these circumstances, Leeper 'knew he had hit him.' He caught and remounted Nance, and soon overtook Harpe, who told him to keep off, or he would shoot him with a pistol. In a few seconds, Harpe ceased to urge the gray mare for- ward, and put both his hands to the pummel of the saddle to hold on. Leeper rushed alongside and threw him to the ground. Two balls had entered near his back-bone, and come out near the breast-bone. Harpe begged that he might be taken to justice, and not be put to instant death. Leeper told him his request was useless; that his wound was fatal, and he must soon die. Tomp- kins and the other pursuers came up, one by one. Stigall immediately pre- sented his gun, with a view to blow his brains out; but Harpe moving his head backwards and forwards. so as to prevent it, Stigall placed the muzzle against his body as he lay on the ground, and shot him through the heart.

"Thus perished the most brutal monster of the human race. His head was cut off by Stigall. Whether the body was buried or left a prey for wolves, I did not learn. The party intended to use the head in getting the large rewards

351

HOPKINS COUNTY.

which had been offered by the Governors of Kentucky and Tennessee, but the heat of summer rendered its preservation impracticable. A tall young tree, growing by the side of the trail or road, was selected, and trimmed of its lat- eral branches to its top, and then made sharp. On this point the head was fastened. The skull and jaw-bone remained there for many years-after all else had been decomposed and mingled with the dust. The place where this tree grew is in Webster county, and is known upon the map of Kentucky as "Harpe's Head" to this day.

" Moses Stigall's character was very bad; he was afterwards killed for aiding Joshua Fleehart in running off with Miss Maddox. Peak Fletcher and a brother of the young woman followed the runaways, and overtook them in the now state of Illinois. They were found at night in a cabin, which was cautiously and silently approached; and, at a given signal, Maddox and Fletcher fired upon Fleehart and Stigall through the chinks, and killed them. Miss Maddox was sitting at the time in the lap of her lover, with an arm around his neck.

" Thus the narrative made by Mr. Ruby is ended. But I deem it proper to add some facts which I learned from the late Major Wm. Stewart, of Logan county, who was one of the most extraordinary men I ever knew :

" At Russellville, on the 4th of April, 1839, Major Stewart told me that, in the years 1794-5, he was doing business for Jo. Ballenger, in Stanford, Ky. (When I was a boy I often heard this man spoken of and called Devil Jo. Ballenger.) In one of these years Ballenger raised a party, captured the Harpes, and com-

mitted them to jail in Stanford, for the murder of Lankford in the wilderness between the Crab Orchard and Cumberland Gap. They were afterwards re- moved to Danville for safer keeping; there broke jail, and got off, with their wives and children, and located them a few miles from the site of the city of Henderson. After that, they left the country, and were gone until the sum- mer of 1799. Stewart confirmed the statement already made as to the murder of the youth Trabue, and of Mr. Dooley. They also murdered a man named Stump, on Big Barren river, below Bowling Green.

"In 1799, after Big Harpe was killed and Little Harpe had fled from the State, their wives and children were brought to Russellville, in Logan county, where the women were tried as accomplices of their husbands, and acquitted. Stagall and a party of his associates intended to murder the women, after their acquit- tal. This evil design was detected, and its accomplishment prevented, by the wise conduct of Judge Ormsby, and of Major Stewart, who was then sheriff. The judge ordered the sheriff to put them in jail, as though it would never do to turn such characters loose upon society, but secretly told Stewart he might remove them, after night, to any place of safety. Accordingly, Major Stewart put them in jail, but, soon after dark, removed them, and hid them in a sink. The next night he sent them about five miles from Russellville, to a cave, where he kept thein supplied with food. Stigall and his party remained in Logan county some days after the trial of the women, hunting for them in every direction. Major Stewart said each of the three women had a child; that Big Harpe's two wives were coarse women, but that Little Harpe's wife was a beautiful young woman, and had been well raised. The wife of Little Harpe, after he was hung in Mis- sissippi, married a highly respectable man, and raised a large family of chil- dren -all much esteemed for honesty, sobriety, and industry. I asked the Major the name of the man she married. He could not be induced to divulge it, because a silly world might take occasion to reflect upon her children in consequence of her connection with Harpe.

"Major Stewart said the women seemed grateful to him, and related with ap- parent candor the story of their lives and their connection with the Harpes. They told him their husbands had once been put in jail at Knoxville, Tenn., upon sus- picion of crime, when they were innocent; when released, they declared war against all mankind, and determined to murder and rob until they were killed. They said they might have escaped after the murder and robbery at Stigall's, but for the detention at the branch where Smith was shot. Big Harpe, expecting to be pursued, proposed that the three children be killed, that the others might flee without that incumbrance. His two wives and brother consented, after some discussion; but the wife of Little Harpe took her child off to the branch, where she had seen a projecting, shelving rock, under which she placed it,

352

JACKSON COUNTY.

and laid down at its outer side, determined to remain and die with her child. As her husband came to the branch to let her know they had concluded to put the children to death, he saw Smith, the horse hunter, approaching. He moved towards him, and sounded the shrill whistle on his 'charger'-the un- derstood signal of impending danger. Big Harpe almost in a moment made his appearance at the branch mounted on Love's mare, when the firing com- menced. Smith was shot down, and the Harpes fled. Big Harpe did not gc directly to the camp, but cireled around it, fearing the pursuers might already have taken it. These sudden and unexpected events saved the lives of the children, by allowing no time for their execution. Little Harpe's wife and child hastily returned to the camp, when the firing took place a little distance below the shelving rock, and were made prisoners, with the wives and chil- dren of Big Harpe.

" What I have written was communicated to mne as coming directly from eye-witnesses and participators in the transactions related."

"Harpe's Head" became so noted a place that even the line of Union county, when formed, was made to run by it " in a direct and straight line."-[4 Lit- tell's Laws, p. 213.

An Old Fort, or fortification, on a high and rocky hill, about 4 miles from Madisonville, is an object of curious interest. The wall is of stone, and con- tains an area of ten acres. No one living can tell when or by whom it was built.

JACKSON COUNTY.

JACKSON county was the 105th erected in the state, in 1858, out of portions of Madison, Estill, Owsley, Clay, Laurel, and Rockcastle ; named after Gen. Andrew Jackson. It is on the border of the eastern middle portion of the state ; is bounded N. and N. E. by Estill and Lee counties, E. by Owsley, s. E. by Clay, s. by Laurel, w. by Rockcastle, and N. w. by Madison county ; and is watered by tributaries of both Cumberland and Kentucky rivers-Laurel fork, Middle fork, Indian, Moore's, Pond, Horse Lick, Sturgeon, War fork and South fork of Station Camp creeks. On the head waters of several creeks are bodies of comparatively level land, but in the county generally the land is hilly and broken ; the soil is thin, usually clay, sometimes sandy-freestone, except on the waters of Horse Lick and South fork, where it is limestone. Iron and other minerals abound. There are vast bodies of coal and timber ; of the latter but little has been taken off. Corn is the principal production.

Mc Kee, named after Judge Geo. R. McKee, is the county seat and only town. A temporary court house was used until 1872, when a substantial frame court house was erected. In the county are 5 lawyers, 5 physicians, 1 hotel, 1 tanyard ; and the Christian or Reformed, Predestinarian Baptist, Regular Baptist, Missionary Baptist, and Methodist are the denominations.

STATISTICS OF JACKSON COUNTY.

When formed See page 26 | Hay, corn, wheat. .pages 266, 268 Population, from 1860 to 1870 .p. 258 Horses, mules, cattle, and hog .. .... p. 268

whites and colored. .p. 260

Taxable property, 1570 .. 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. Nce Index.

353

JACKSON COUNTY.

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM JACKSON COUNTY.

Senate .- None resident in the county.

House of Representatives .- Hiram S. Powell, 1867-69, 1871-73.

Caves and Mounds .- On the South fork of Station Camp creek are some mounds or Indian burying-grounds. On the waters of the South fork of Station Camp and Horse Lick creeks are some remarkable caves ; on the latter, one has been penetrated over a quarter of a mile; on its bottom or floor, wagon tracks are plainly seen.

Silver Ore .- In the summer of 1872, quite a sensation was created by the reported finding of a lump of silver, weighing about four ounces, near a rock on which was inscribed " June 3, 1632." Extensive digging and search was made for its source, but without success.

Salt was made, many years ago, at a well on Horse Lick creek.

Among the First Settlers were families named Casteel, Fowler, McQueen, and Harrison ; John Casteel on Pond creek; Moses Parris on Laurel fork ; and others still earlier, at other points.

County Judges .- Isaac J. Faubus, 1858-62; C. S. Martin, 1862-66; Hiram S. Powell, 1866-67, when he resigned to take his seat in the legislature ; Robert Hays, 1867-70; Ambrose Powell. 1870-74. Thos. J. Engle was both county and circuit clerk, 1858-62; and J. M. Wood, 1862-74.

ANDREW JACKSON, for whom this county is named, was born in the Waxhaw Settlement, N. C., March 15, 1767, and died at the "Hermitage," near Nash- ville, Tenn., June 8, 1845. He was the child of poor Irish-Scotch parents, and was left an orphan and destitute at a tender age. He was a volunteer soldier in the Revolutionary war at thirteen, a schoolmaster at sixteen, and licensed to practice law before he reached twenty years of age. His first pub- lic employment was as the public prosecutor for the Western District of North Carolina, which embraced what is now the State of Tennessee. In 1791, he married Mrs. Rachel Robards, from whom her husband had obtained a divorce for alleged adultery with Jackson. Two years later, doubts as to the legality of the proceedings eventuated in a second performance of the marriage cere- mony. Many years afterwards, when Jackson had become a political leader, the circumstances of this marriage led to serious misrepresentations of the husband and much sorrow to the wife. It is believed by many that Robards' criminal accusation against his wife was unfounded, for all bore testimony to her exemplary conduct, and Jackson himself was never before or afterwards accused of an unchaste act.

Jackson was the district attorney of Tennessee when it was a territory; he was a member of the Convention which made the first constitution of the State, in 1796; was its first Congressman (1797), and was sent to the U. S. Senate in 1798. But, without ever having made a remark or cast a vote as such, so far as appears on the record, he resigned the following year. He was judge of the Supreme Court of Tennessee, in 1801, and was subsequently elected major-general of the militia. Meanwhile he engaged in commercial opera- tions, which resulted in disaster, and he was forced to sacrifice a large landed property to discharge the pecuniary obligations of his firm.

In 1806, Charles Dickinson, a noted duelist, provoked a quarrel with Jack- son, which led to a duel. It was fought in Kentucky, at a point a day's jour- ney from Nashville, with pistols-distance, eight paces. Gen. Tom Overton, Jackson's second, won the right to give the word. Dickinson, who was quick on trigger, fired first, but his adversary stood unmoved, and apparently unhurt. Jackson had reserved his fire, and, taking deliberate aim, fired with fatal effect. Di kinson fell mortally wounded, surviving but a few hours. After he had left the field, Jackson disclosed the fact to his second that he had been hit. Dick- inson's ball had broken a rib. His second, amazed at the nerve of his princi- pal, expressed surprise that he could fire with precision after receiving such a wound. "Sir," said Jackson, in reply, "if he had shot me through the heart, I would have lived long enough to have killed him." Such was the reliance of the man over his own will.

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354

JACKSON COUNTY.

On May 31, 1814, Jackson was appointed major-general in the U. S. Army. His services in the wars with the Choctaw and Creek Indians, his military operations at Mobile, together with his great victory over the British at New Orleans,* are matters belonging to history, and need not be repeated here. His military renown became known to the Old World as well as to the New, and his achievements were praised by both. A British journal said his vic- tory over Packenham "stamped him as a military genius of the highest order." Hero worship is a weakness of the American people, and his brilliant suc- cesses gave Gen. Jackson great popularity throughout the country. He was made commander-in-chief of the southern division of the U. S. Army, re- ceived the thanks of Congress, and at even that early day was thought of for President. In 1817-18 he conducted the war against the Seminole Indi- ans in Florida, and soon afterwards retired from the army. In 1823 he was elected U. S. senator from Tennessee, and the Legislature indorsed him for President. He remained in the Senate two years. Defeated for the Presi- dency in 1824, he was elected to that office in 1828, and again in 1832. The leading events of his administration were noted for his troubles with France, which were amicably adjusted, the suppression of the Nullification movement in South Carolina, the establishment of the Sub-Treasury system, and fall of the U. S. Bank, and the Indian war in Florida. He retired to the " Hermit- age," at the expiration of his second Presidential term, and died eight years afterwards.

Jackson was undoubtedly a remarkable man. He had neither the profound thought of Webster, the eloquence or statesmanship of Clay, nor the logic of Calhoun-all of whom were, in some sense, his rivals-yet he was even more conspicuous than they, and accomplished greater results. What, then, may be inquired, was the secret of his strength ? It was his moral heroism. He was the embodiment of truth, honor, and integrity. He despised the devious arts of the politician, and scorned to sacrifice candor to policy. He reached his ends by the most open and straightforward course. It has been truthfully said of Jackson that "he united personal with moral courage beyond almost any man of whom history keeps record."

* For an account of the Battle of New Orleans, see page -.

355

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

JEFFERSON county-making, with Fayette and Lincoln, the three original counties which composed the district of Ken- tucky-was formed out of part of Kentucky county, in May, 1780, by the Virginia legislature, and named in honor of Thomas Jefferson, then governor of the state, but more widely known as the author of the Declaration of Independence, and third presi- dent of the United States. It then embraced " that part of the south side of Kentucky river which lies west and north of a line beginning at the mouth of Benson's big creek, and running up the same and its main ford to the head; thence south to the near- est waters of Hammond's creek, and down the same to its junc- tion with the Town Fork of Salt river ; thence south to Green river, and down the same to its junction with the Ohio." As now reduced in size-by the formation of 28 other counties and parts of counties out of its original territory-Jefferson is situ- ated in the north-west middle part of the state, and bounded N. by Oldham county and the Ohio river, E. by Shelby, s. by Spencer and Bullitt counties, and w. by the Ohio river. Louis- ville is the county seat.

Besides the Ohio river-which, in a beautiful curve, borders half of the northern and the entire western portion of the county -Jefferson is watered by Beargrass creek (the most noted in the early history of the state), which enters the Ohio through the city of Louisville, and by Pond's and Floyd's creeks-the letter emptying its waters into Salt river. The middle and west- ern part of the county, including the city of Louisville, is an almost unbroken level plain, rich, productive, and highly culti- vated ; while the uplands, in the eastern portion, are undulating or hilly, with a soil inferior to the bottom lands, but producing excellent wheat, oats, and corn. The county is dotted with fine gardens and fruit farms for the supply of the Louisville market with vegetables and fruit.

Towns .- Louisville-incorporated as a town in 1780, and as a city in 1828-is situated at the Falls of the Ohio, immediately at the original natural junction with that river of Beargrass creek (whose waters have been turned into a more direct chan- nel at the upper part of the city). It is, by water, 598 miles below Pittsburgh, 193 below Maysville, 132 below Cincin- nati, 368 above Cairo, 607 above Memphis, 1,377 above New Orleans, 568 from St. Louis, and 128 'below Frankfort ; while by turnpike it is 53 miles from Frankfort, and by rail 65 miles ; and by rail from Lexington 94 miles, from Nashville 185, Mem- phis 377, St. Louis 274, and Cincinnati 109 miles. It is built on an elevated plain, 70 feet above low-water mark in the Ohio river, and 20 to 25 feet above the highest flood-mark, with a river front of 10 miles. Its area is 13 square miles-ample enough, if no further extended, for a population of 500,000. It is regu-

356

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

larly laid out on a plan similar to that of Philadelphia-the principal streets running parallel with the river and nearly due E. and w., and the cross streets N. and s. Their aggregate length is about 184 miles ; their width 60 feet, except Main, Market, and Jefferson, which are 90, and Broadway 120 feet wide. 50 miles of street railways, built and stocked at a cost of $1,000,000, make access convenient to all parts. In Nov., 1872, there was completed railroad connection with 61 counties, and water trans- portation to 33 counties more, in all 94 out of 116 in the state. [For further description, see succeeding pages.]

Jefferson county has some of the oldest towns in the state : Campbelltown, incorporated in 1785, name changed before 1806 to Shippingport, and by that name incorporated in 1829 (now a part of Louisville, at the foot of the rapids and of the Canal, and between them) ; Portland, on the Ohio river below the mouth of the Canal, was laid off in 1814 for the proprietor, Wm. Lytle, and incorporated in 1834 (also, now, a part of Louis- ville) ; Newtown was incorporated in 1794, afterwards called Jeffer- son or Jeffersontown ; Middletown, settled some years before, but not incorporated until 1801-population in 1870, 244; Anchor- age, a beautiful village 12 miles E. of Louisville, on the railroads to Cincinnati and Lexington, is the seat of Bellewood Female Seminary, Rev. Wm. W. Hill, D.D., president, and near by is the celebrated Forest Academy (for males, and with military drill,) Rev. Burr H. McCown, D.D., president. There are sev- eral other small villages in the county.

Comparative Growth .- It will be interesting to compare the growth of a few branches of business, etc., in Louisville, at three different dates-1819, 1844, and 1871 :

1819 1844 1871

Wholesale and retail stores ... 36

162 276 |

Lawyers.

80 205

Commission stores 14 41 107

Physicians

198

Book stores ... 3

6 31

Steam factories or mills. 3

129

Printing offices

3 10 25

Other factories. .11

187

Drug stores 3 18 77

Banks

6 26

Hotels and taverns.

15 34

Churches.

Groceries

23 138 681

Schools and colleges. 1

Mechanics' shops, all kinds .. 64 314 672

Of Banks, in 1819, Louisville had 3, with limited capital; in 1872, there were 28 incorporated and 5 private banks, with $10,630,529 capital, and $8,454,748 deposits.

The First Ship reached Louisville, June 16, 1800. She was built at Eliza- bethtown, on the Monongahela river, in Penn., and left there with 720 bbls. of flour, May 17, 1800; was detained at Louisville by low water until the follow- ing January ; at Fort Massac, Ill., added to her cargo 2,000 bear and 4,000 deer-skins, for the New Orleans market. She made several voyages as a packet beincan New Orleans and New York, sailing once from New York to the Balize in 12 days, the quickest trip ever known at that date-1801.

First Steamboat .- In October, 1811, late in the night, the inhabitants were aroused from slumber by the whistle of Fulton's steamboat, the Orleans, on her first trip from Pittsburgh to Natchez; she made several trips between Cincinnati and Louisville, until a rise in the river enabled her to pass the Falls, late in November.

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 56

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