Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 57

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 57

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The First Steamboat navigating the Kentucky river, was the Kentucky, built at Frankfort in 1818, and ran between that place and Louisville; 80 tons burden.

1819 .12

1844

1871

OHIO RIVER RAILROAD BRIDGE, LOUISVILLE.

CITY HALL, LOUISVILLE. 1373.

357

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

STATISTICS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.

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

Population, from 1790 to 1870 ... p. 258 Horses, mules, cattle, hogs .. p. 268

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

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

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

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

Distinguished citizens ... .. see Index.

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM JEFFERSON COUNTY IN 1792, AND SINCE 1815.

Senate .- Alex. Scott Bullitt, John Campbell, 1792 ; Jas. F. Moore, 1808; Samuel Churchill, 1814-19; Alex. Pope, 1819-23 ; Jas. W. Denney 1823-26; John Hughes, 1826-31; Jas. Guthrie, 1831-40; Henry Pirtle, 1840-43; Wm. R. Vance, 1843-44; Wm. H. Field, 1844-45; Edward D. Hobbs, 1847-50; Isaac P. Miller, 1851-55 ; Wm. T. Haggin, 1855-57; Gibson Mallory, 1857-59, '63-67, killed by a Federal soldier, and succeeded by Jas. Harrison, 1863-67; Boyd Winchester, 1867-71, resigned 1868, suc- ceeded by Dr. Elisha D. Standiford, 1868-75, resigned Feb., '73; I. L. Hyatt, '73-75.

House of Representatives .- Robert Breckinridge, Richard Taylor, Benj. Roberts, 1792; Jas. Hunter, 1815, '16, '17; Richard C. Anderson, 1815, '21, '22; Richard Bar- bour, 1816, '17, '18; Alex. Pope, 1818; Jas. W. Denney, 1819; Chas. L. Harrison, 1819, '26, '27, '33; Jas. Ferguson, Samuel Bray, 1820; Maurice L. Miller, 1820. '21; Craven P. Luekett, 1821, '22; John Rowan, 1822, '24; Charles M. Thruston, 1824; Capt. Thomas Joyes, 1824, '26; Col. Richard Taylor, Samuel M. Brown, 1825; Will- iam P. Thomasson, 1825, '41, '42; Charles G. Dorsey, 1826; Judge John Joyes, 1827 ; James Guthrie, 1827, '28, '29; Judge John P. Oldham, Peter W. Grayson, 1828; Lee White, John P. Deelary, 1829; Samuel Churchill, Henry Robb, 1830 ; Robert Tyler, Robert Miller, 1831 ; Henry Churchill, 1832; David Meriwether, 1832, '35, '36, '37, '38, '39, '46, '59-61 ; Larz Anderson, 1833 ; Jas. Pomeroy, 1834 : Warwick Miller, 1834, '40 ; Jos. Funk, 1835 ; Wm. R. Vanee, 1836, '40, '41 ; Wm. F. Bullock, 1837 ; Patrick H. Pope, 1838 ; Alex. P. Churchill, 1839, '50; Isaac P. Miller, 1842, '45, '47; Daniel E. Jones, 1843, '44, '45; Edward D. Hobbs, 1843, '44, '46; Benj. H. Kerriek, 1847, '51-53; Joshua F. Speed, Robert N. Miller, 1848; Jobn Herr, John Q. King, 1849; Samuel L. Geiger, 1850, '53-55, '59-61 ; John F. Gaar, 1851-53 ; Wm. D. Melone, 1853-55; Frank P. Deatherage, 1855-57 ; Sidney A. Foss, 1855-59 ; Jas. M. Mitchell, 1857-59; John H. Harney, 1861-63; Wm. M. Allen, 1863-65; J. Fry Lawrence, 1865-69; Joshua B. Parks, 1869-71 ; E. Polk Johnson, 1871-73 ; W. II. Frederick, 1873-75.

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE.

(Louisville was allowed separate representation in the House of Representatives, 1530.)

Senate .- Percival Butler, 1845-47 ; Hamilton Pope, 1850-51; Wm. Preston, 1851-53; Nathaniel Wolfe, 1853-55 ; Chas. Ripley, 1855-59 ; Chas. D. Pennebaker, 1859-63, resigned 1861 ; John G. Lyon, 1859-63, died Feb. 22d, '60, succeeded by Lovell H. Rousseau, Jan., 1861-63; Jas. Speed, 1861-63; Wm. H. Grainger, 1863-67; Lyttleton Cooke, 1867-71 : B. J. Webb, 1867-75 : Alf. T. Pope, 1871-73 ; Th. L. Jefferson, 1873-75.

House of Representatives .- Jas. Guthrie, 1830 ; Jas. Rudd, 1831, '32, '40 ; Chas. M. Thruston, 1832, '44; Walker Alsop, 1833, '34; Mortimer R. Wigginton, 1833, '36; Samuel M. Brown, 1834 ; Thos. Joyes, 1835 ; Thos. F. Marshall, 1835, '36; Samuel S. Nicholas, 1837 ; Wm. H. Field, 1837, '38 ; Percival Butler, 1838, '39; Win. Read, 1839 ; Wm. F. Bullock, 1840, '41 ; Henry K. Wolfe, 1841 ; A. Jackson Ballard, 1842; Wm. E. Glover, 1842, '45; Wm. J. Graves, 1843 ; Jas. S. Speed, 1843, '44; Hamilton Pope, 1845, '48; John Irvine, 1846; Gwyn Page, 1846, '48; Jas. Speed, 1847; Wm. H. Grainger, 1847, '50; Walker Morris, 1848: Coleman Daniel, John O. Harrison, Robert T. Baird, 1849 ; Win. Preston, Caleb W. Logan, 1850 ; Joshua F. Bullitt, Ed- win S. Craig, A. H. Bryan, 1851-53; Bireh Musselman, 1851-55; Wm. G. Reasor, Harrison G. Sale, Wm. A. Hauser, 1853-55 ; Wm. S. Bodley, Lambert A. Whitely, Edward S. Worthington, 1855-57 : John G. Lyon, 1855-59 ; Blanton Duncan, Thos. Shanks, Chas. D. Pennebaker, 1857-59 ; Jos. Croxton, U. C. Sherrill, 1859-61; Na- thaniel Wolfe, Joshua Tevis, 1850-63; John C. Beman, Wm. P. Boone, 1861-63; John M. Delph, R. A. Hamilton. Thos. A. Marshall, 1863-65 : Hugh Irvine, 1863-65, died 1864, succeeded by Henry G. Von Seggern, 1864-67; Martin Bijur, John M. Armstrong, 1865-67 ; Alex. M. Stout, 1865-67, resigned 1866, succeeded by Joseph B. Read, 1866-67 ; Patrick Campion, Thos. L. Jefferson, Norvin Green, Robert K. White, John J. Allnut, Michael A. Downing, 1867-69 ; John T. Bunch, 1867-71 ; George W. Anderson, 1867-73 ; Wm. B. Caldwell, Wm. Irvin, sen., Elijah A. Pearson, Alfred T. Pope, 1869-71 ; Basil W. Duke, 1869-71, resigned '70, succeeded by Wmn. F. Bar- rett. 1870-71; M. Woods Ferguson. 1869-73 ; B. E. Cassilly, Jolin S. Carpenter, J. Guthrie Coke, E. F. Waide, J. P. Saeksteder, 1871-73; J. Montgomery Wright, 1871-75; Augustus H. Merritt. Edward Badger, Martin W. La Rue, Pat. Campion, Bart. W. Jenkins, John Watts Kearney, Richard A. Jones, 1873-75.

Speakers of the Senate .- Alex. Scott Bullitt, 1792-1804 ; J. Campbell, pro tem., 1799. Speakers of the House of Representatives .- Robert Breckinridge, 1792-96 ; Richard Clough Anderson, 1822; Robert J. Ward, 1824; Gwyn Page, 1848; David Meri- wether, 1959-61 ; John T. Bunch, 1869-71 and 1871-73 (unanimously).

358

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

The First Trading Voyage past the Falls was that of Col. Richard Taylor and his brother Hancock Taylor-who, with Abraham Haptonstall and others, went from Pittsburgh to the mouth of the Yazoo, in 1769. (See page 16, vol. i). The next voyage was that of Capt. Wm. Linn and George Gibson (see p. 18) from Pittsburgh to New Orleans, after military stores. In 1782-3, Messrs. Tardiveau and Honore left Redstone Old Fort, (now Brownsville, Pa.,) in the commencement of a trade to New Orleans-which they trans- ferred to Louisville, and continued to the Spanish and French settlements of the Mississippi.

The First Exploring Party was that headed by Capt. Thomas Bullitt, (see page 17, vol. i.) which, on July 8, 1773, pitched camp above the old mouth of Beargrass creek ; and continued for about six weeks exploring and surveying lands in what are now Jefferson and Bullitt counties. Of this party, as we gather from sundry depositions, were Col. James Harrod (who founded Har- rodsburg), John Smith (who was living in Woodford county as late as 1823), Isaac Hite (still living in Jefferson county in 1792), James Sodousky (who lived to old age in Bourbon co. ), Abraham Haptonstall (still living in Jefferson co. in 1814), James Douglass (one of the most prominent of the early surveyors and who settled in Bourbon co.), Ebenezer Severns, John Fitzpatrick, and others. They were joined, afterwards, about August 3d, by Hancock Taylor (a celebrated surveyor, killed by Indians), Matthew Bracken (after whom Bracken creek and county were named), and Jacob Drennon (who gave name to Drennon Springs, in Henry county)-from the McAfee company up the Kentucky river, when they parted company, July 31, 1773.

The First Rude Stockade was built in the fall of 1778 or early in 1779, near the ravine at the foot of 12th street.

The First Encampment of regular settlers-the six families of Capt, James Patton, Richard Chinoweth, John Tuel, Wm. Faith, John McManus, and another whose name has not been preserved-was, in the spring of 1778, on Corn island, opposite the present city of Louisville (now all washed away). The island was so named, because those families planted and raised corn upon it, that year-probably the first ever raised within a circle of 25 miles around. The ground had been cleared for the purpose by Gen. George Rogers Clark's troops, on their way to conquer the British possessions in Illinois. In the fall of the same year, 1778, they removed to the mainland, at a place called, in 1819,* White Home, where they erected their cabins. In the spring of 1779, a few emigrants, arrived from Virginia, and settled adjoining and a little below them.

The First White Child born in Louisville was Capt. John Donne.

The First Shingle Roof building was in the fort at 12th street, erected by John Campbell-the year not known.

First Brick Houses .- As stated elsewhere, the 1st brick house was built in 1789, by Mr. Kaye, ancestor of Frederick A. Kaye (mayor a number of years, 1838-45), on Market, between 5th and 6th streets; the 2d, by Mr. Eastin, on the N. side of Main, below 5th; and the 3d, by Mr. Reed, at the S. w. corner of Main and 6th streets.

When the First Patch of Wheat was raised near the fort at Louisville, " after being ground in a rude hand-mill, it was sifted through a gauze neck- erchief, as the best bolting-cloth to be had. It was then shortened with rac- coon fat, and the whole station invited to feast upon a flour cake."

The Lexington and Ohio railroad, in 1838, was in full operation from 6th street to Portland, and from Lexington to Frankfort; the balance of the road said to be " under contract."

The School System of Louisville, in 1838, was composed of the " Collegiate Institute " and seven Free Schools. The former was established-" on the lot and buildings formerly the property of the Jefferson Seminary, which were donated to the city for the purpose "-by city ordinance of Nov. 27, 1837, with an annual appropriation of $2,000, besides the tuition fees; and then had 70 pupils. Faculty, Rev. B. F. Farnsworth, president, and professors John HI. Harney, James Brown, Leonard Bliss, two vacancies, and tutor H.

* Dr. McMurtrie's Sketches of Louisville, pp. 107-8.

UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, IN 1846.

MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF UNIVERSITY OF . LOUISVILLE, IN 1846. (Destroyed by fire, Dec. 31, 1856; but Re-built.)

359

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

F. Farnsworth. Of the 7 free schools, No. 1. was a " grammar school" for boys, at corner 5th and Walnut; No. 2, at same place, free school for boys; No. 3 and No. 7, for boys, on Jefferson, between Preston and Floyd ; No. 4, for boys, on 10th, between Grayson and Walnut; No. 5, for girls, in 2nd story of school house at 5th and Walnut; and No. 6, for girls, on 10th, between Green and Walnut. Total children in schools, over 1,000. Although called free, a tuition fee of $1.50 per quarter was charged in all but No. 1, where the tui- tion was $2. Salaries of principal teachers, $750 to $900; an assistant teacher in each school paid by the fees-as also was Samuel Dickinson, the " general school agent."

Battle of the Pumpkins .- In the fall of 1780, shortly after the expedition of Col. George Rogers Clark against the Chillicothe and Piqua towns, there was a short respite from Indian depredations. During this peace of about a month's duration, two athletic young men, brothers, Jacob and Adam Wicker- ham, went out of a fort, at the Falls or on Beargrass a few miles distant, to a small lot they had cleared and planted. Filling a bag with pumpkins, Jacob put it on his shoulder and got over the fence. An Indian started up from a place of concealment, and ran up behind him, tomahawk in hand. Changing his plan, on seeing that Adam was watching him, he dropped his tomahawk and grasped Jacob around the body-who threw the bag of pump- kins back on the Indian, jerked loose and ran at the top of his speed. The Indian picked up his gun and fired, but without effect. In the meantime, another Indian thought to capture Adam, who was still inside the fence, the Indian outside. They ran towards the fort, along the fence which separated them. Adam outran the Indian, sprang over the fence, crossed the Indian's path, ran down a ravine and leaped over a large tree which lay across it. The Indian was not active enough to jump over the tree, but threw his tom- ahawk, and hit Adam with it, pole foremost, on the back-leaving a ring as red as blood. Hearing the Indian's gun, the men in the fort (10 or 12) sal- lied out and met the Wickerhams; but were too late to catch the Indians, who made off instantly .*

Early Stations .- In the fall of 1779 and spring of 1780, seven different stations were formed on Beargrass creek. These were Falls of the Ohio, Linn's, Sullivan's Old, Hogland's, Floyd's, Spring and Middle ; and in Jeffer- son county, in the course of the next four years-Sullivan's, Sullivan's New, Daniel Sullivan's, Fort Steuben, Floyd's 2nd, New Holland, Poplar Level, Kuykendall's, Kellar's, Brashears', and A'Sturgus'. Elisha Applegate, still living (Feb., 1873) at the ripe age of 91, at the residence of his son-in-law, Robert Burge, on the site of old Fort Nelson, No. 24 on 7th street, between Main and the Ohio river, was born in 1781 in Sullivan's Old station.

Fort Nelson .-- In 1780, the first fort that deserved the name of fort was built; and in 1782, a larger and more commodious one was constructed, north of Main street and between 6th and 8th streets. This was named Fort Nelson, in honor of Gen. Thomas Nelson, at that date (the 3d) governor of the state of Virginia, which then included all of Kentucky. "7th street passed through the fort gate, opposite the headquarters of Gen. George Rogers Clark. The fort contained about an acre of ground, and was surrounded by a ditch 8 feet deep and 10 feet wide, intersected in the middle by a row of stump pickets. This ditch was surmounted by a breast-work of log-pens, filled with earth obtained from the ditch, with pickets 10 feet high planted on the top of the breast-work. Next to the river, pickets were deemed sufficient, aided by the long slope of the bank."t

In 1844, in excavating for a cellar on the north side of Main street, oppo- site the Louisville Hotel, the remains of the timbers forming the base of Gen. Clark's block-house were discovered. It appears from this that the south facade of the fort was on Main, extending from 6th to Tth streets as far as the N. E. corner of the Tobacco Warehouse-with its pickets extending eastward, so as to enclose a never-failing spring of water, which may yet be seen about 190 feet from Main and a little west of 5th street; this spring has been neglected for many years and fallen into disuse .;

* Am. Pioneer, ii, 399. t Louisville Directory, 1838. # Haldeman's Louisville Directory, 1844-45, p. 46.

360

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

The First Proprietors .- Of the plain on which Louisville is built-including the sites of Portland and Shippingport-all then in the county of Fincastle, Virginia, 2,000 acres were patented, Dec. 16, 1773, in the name of (Dr.) John Connolly, a surgeon's mate in the general hospital of the royal forces, by virtue of the English king's proclamation of 1763. On the same day, and under the same proclamation, 2,000 acres adjoining and below Connolly's were patented to Charles de Warrenstaff or Warrendorff, an ensign in the (roval) Pennsylvania regiment. In 1774, the latter conveyed his tract to Dr. Con- nolly and to Col. John Campbell, an Irish gentleman, who afterwards settled at Louisville and became a leading citizen. [We preserve his autograph here-

as that of the active proprietor of Louisville. See sketch of him JohnCampbell under Campbell county, which was named in honor of him.] In 1775, Campbell purchased of Con- nolly an undivided half of the first mentioned 2,000 acres; and the 4,000 acres were partitioned in such a way that the upper and lower thousand acres fell to the share of Con- nolly. On July 1, 1780-owing to Dr. Connolly having previously been active in the cause of his royal master, the upper 1,000 acres were escheated ;* and Louisville, by an act of the Virginia legislature, established thereon. In 1778, Connolly conveyed his lower 1,000 acres to Col. Campbell-who was a bachelor, and who devised all his lands within five miles of Beargrass to Allen Campbell.

Plan .- Louisville was first laid out in August, 1773, by Capt. Thomas Bullitt, but no record of the plan or survey has been preserved. Indeed, the only proof that any lots were sold thereunder is entirely inferential and uncertain ; and is contained in the statute of Virginia of May, 1780, " establishing the town of Louisville at the Falls of Ohio." "The owners of lots already drawn," and "those persons whose lots have been laid off on John Campbell's lands," are the qualifying words that prove a plan previous to May, 1780-perhaps referring no further back than to a then recent laying off " a considerable part of John Connolly's lands into half-acre lots for a town." Certain it is, that in 1780 Louisville was laid out by Col. Wm. Pope. Subsequently, a new survey was made by Wm. Peyton, assisted by Daniel Sullivan-who plotted the out-lots. These surveys and plats, like the first one of Capt. Bullitt in 1773, have all disappeared-all trace of them having been lost even as early as 1819.| The only plat on record at the latter date was adopted in 1812, ac- cording to a survey of Jared Brookes-which is just one-half of the 2,000 acres granted to Connolly, the division line having been run, July 20, 1784, by Dan. Sullivan.

The Prices of Lots, on the principal streets (each half an acre, 105x210 feet), for a long time after the first settlement of Louisville ranged from $700 to $1,400. Some were sold at merely nominal prices-one on Main, near 4th. was knocked off by the public crier for a horse, valued at $20. In 1812, largely because a branch of the Bank of Kentucky was established at Louisville, real estate rapidly enhanced in value, and these Main street lots sold as high as $4,000 and $5,000 each. A still further enormous advance took place in 1817, upon the location of a branch of the United States Bank-these same lots selling for $300 per foot, or over $30,000 each.

The Number of Buildings in Louisville, in 1819, was 670, principally brick- some of them comparing in elegance. with the best private residences in Phila- delphia and New York. In Feb., 1873, the number of houses was estimated at 25,000. Louisville has always been famous for the great elegance of her private residences, and the general disposition to provide handsome and com- fortable homes.

The First Policemen were John Ferguson and Edward Dowler, in 1810 ; salary $250 per annumn.

* See history of this escheat, page 183, ante, which we rescued from the papers of an old suit in 1792 in Fayette county. R.II.C.

t McMurtrie's Louisville, page 111.

KARS FFURS

HARA

STOVES & CRATES

TIN WARS

VIEW OF MAIN STREET, LOUISVILLE, IN 1846.

361

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

Steam Navigation in the West .- In 1806, two barges-one of 30 tons, belonging to Reed, of Cincinnati, the other of 40 tons, owned by Instone, of Frankfort-and six keel-boats, did all the carrying trade of Louisville and Shippingport. In 1812, at Pittsburgh, the first steamboat on the western waters was built and owned by Robert Fulton and Robert M. Livingston, named Orleans, of 200, or 300, or 400 tons burden (according to different accounts), with low-pressure engine ; was on her voyage during the great earth- quake, and reached New Orleans, Dec. 24, 1812; ran between New Orleans and Natchez, voyages averaging 17 days; on July 14, 1814, when on her up trip, and lying by, opposite the upper end of Baton Rouge, she settled-by reason of a great fall of the river, during the night-on a sharn stump, which went through the bottom and sunk her.

The 2d steamboat was the Comet, 45 tons, stern-wheel ; built at Pittsburgh, 1813, by Daniel French, using his new patent vibrating cylinder. She made a voyage to Louisville in the summer of IS13, and to New Orleans in the spring of 1814; made two voyages to Natchez, and was sold-the engine put in a cotton gin.

The 3d boat was the Vesuvius, 390 tons, built at Pittsburgh ; sailed for New Orleans, spring of 1814, under Capt. Frank Ogden; left New Orleans for Louisville in June, and grounded on a sandbar, inside of Island No. 61, below the river St. Francis, 687 miles above New Orleans; lay there until floated off by a rise in the river, Dec. 3, when she returned to New Orleans, and was put in requisition by Gen. Jackson ; she grounded on the Batture, when going for wood, a few days after, and became of no use to the government ; in 1815-16, took the place of the Orleans in the Natchez trade ; afterwards, about 1818-19, made several trips to the Falls; but returned to the Natchez trade and ended her days, in 1820; in 1816 she was partially burnt, opposite New Orleans, and rebuilt.

The 4th boat was the Enterprise, 45 tons, built at Bridgeport, Pa., on the Monongahela river, by Daniel French, on his patent; made two voyages to Louisville, in the summer of 1814; Dec. 1, 1814, took in a cargo of ordnance stores at Pittsburgh, and sailed for New Orleans, under command of Capt. Henry M. Shreve; arrived at New Orleans Dec. 14th, and was dispatched by Gen. Jackson up the river in pursuit of two keel-boats laden with small arms, which had been delayed on the river; 12 miles above Natchez she met the keels, took their masters and cargoes on board, and returned to New Orleans- having made the trip of 624 miles in 63 days ; was actively employed. for some time, in transporting troops, etc., prior to and after the battle of New Orleans, Jan. 8, 1815 ; made one voyage to the Gulf of Mexico, as a cartel, one voyage to the rapids of Red River with troops, and nine voyages to Nat- chez; May 6, 1815, set out for Pittsburgh, reaching Shippingport in 25 days, on May 30-being the first steamboat that ever arrived at that port from New Orleans ; a remarkable trip considering the lack of pilots and of woodyards, and the necessity of running only in the day-time ; thence proceeded to Pitts- burgh, changed captains, and was lost in May, 1816, in Rock harbor, at Shippingport.

The 5th was the ÆEtna, 360 tons, length 153} feet, breadth 28 feet, and 9 feet depth of hold; built at Pittsburgh, by Fulton and Livingston; sailed in March, 1815, for New Orleans, and went into the trade of towing ships from the lower part of the Mississippi up to New Orleans; could not get a trip of freight up the river, as shippers preferred to employ barges to the Falls, at eight cents per pound ; in the fall of 1815, under Capt. Robinson De Hart (who was still living in Louisville as late as 1848), made the first of six trips to Louisville, with very few passengers, and 200 tons freight at 43 cents per pound for heavy and 6 cents for light goods ; above Natchez, had to depend upon drift wood, sometimes lying by for two or three days to get wood cut and hauled ; broke a shaft, and finished the trip to Shippingport on one wheel, in 60 days; made return trip to New Orleans in seven days, with a few pas sengers, and 300 tons freight at one cent per pound. Was still running in same trade in 1819. [In 1841, between 400 and 500 steamers, from 75 to 600 tons each, and valued at $8,000 to $40,000 each, were navigating the western rivers; cabin passengers were sometimes brought from New Orleans

362

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

to Louisville on the best boats, for $10 to $15 each, and freights at 15 cents per hundred pounds; down river freights and passage were higher ; rate of speed-7 to 15 miles per hour up, and 10 to IS down stream, making trips from New Orleans to Louisville in 5 to S days, and down in 4 to 5 days. ]

'The sixth steamboat built in the west was the Dispatch, 25 tons; 7th, Buf- falo, 300 tons ; Sth, James Monroe, 90 tons; 9th, the Washington, 400 tons, a two-decker, built at Wheeling, Va., constructed, partly owned, and commanded by Capt. Henry M. Shreve, of Louisville; her boilers were on the deck, the first boat on that plan (they were previously in the hold); she crossed the Falls, Sept., 1816, for New Orleans, returning to Louisville in the winter ; in March, 1817, left Shippingport on her second trip to New Orleans and back, being absent but 45 days. This was the trip which convinced the despairing public that steamboat navigation in the west was a success. 59 more steamboats were built, at different points, during the next two years- making 6S in all, up to the spring of 1819.

Steamboats built in Kentucky .- The Ist was the Pike, 25 tons, built at Hen- derson, Ky., by Mr. Prentiss-for the trade from Louisville to St. Louis ; 2d,- the Kentucky, 80 tons, at Frankfort, owned by Hanson & Boswell-in the trade thence to Louisville ; 3d, the Gov. Shelby, 120 tons, built at Louisville by Messrs. Gray, Gwathmey, and Gretsinger, with Bolton and Watt's engine; 4th, the Napoleon, 332 tons, built at Shippingport, in 1818, by Shreve, Miller, and Breckinridge, of Louisville ; 5th, the Exchange, 200 tons, built in 1818 at Louisville, owned by David L. Ward; 6th, the St. Louis, 220 tons, built in 1818 at Shippingport; 7th, the Rifleman, 250 tons, built in 1819 at Louisville, and owned by Butler and Barnes, of Russellville. The first boat built at Maysville was one of 110 tons, in 1819; at Portland, one of 300 tons, by Gray and Anderson, in the same year ; at New Albany, Indiana, the Ohio, 443 tons; and the Volcano, 250 tons, by Capts. John and Robinson DeHart, both in 1818; at Cincinnati, Ohio, the Eagle, 70 tons, Hecla, 70 tons, and Henderson, 85 tons, all in 1818, and all for Kentuckians ; at Jeffersonville, Indiana, in 1819, the United States, 700 tons, with "two separate engines made in England-doubtless the finest merchant steamboat in the universe, drawing but little water, and capa- ble of carrying 3,000 bales of cotton." It is a singular fact that of the first 41 steamboats in the west, 7 were built in Kentucky, and 24 at least were owned by Kentuckians. Before 1830 Kentucky had lost her prominence in that line.

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 57

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