Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 7

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 7

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).

While on a scout to the Saline Licks, on one occasion, Ballard, with one com- panion, came suddenly upon a large body of Indians, just as they were in the act of encamping. They immediately charged, firing their guns and raising the yell. 'This induced the Indians, as they had anticipated, to disperse for the mo- ment, until the strength of the assailing party could be ascertained. During this period of alarm, Ballard and his companion mounted two of the best horses they could find, and retreated for two days and nights, until they reached the Ohio, which they crossed upon a raft, making their horses swim. As they ascended the Kentucky bank, the Indians reached the opposite shore.

At the time of the defeat on Long Run, he was living at Linn's station on Beargrass, and came up to assist some families in moving from Squire Boon's station, near the present town of Shelbyville. The people of this station had be- come alarmed on account of the numerous Indian signs in the country, and had determined to inove to the stronger stations on the Beargrass. They proceeded safely until they arrived near Long Run, when they were attacked front and rear by the Indians, who fired their rifles and then rushed on them with their toma- hawks. Some few of the men ran at the first fire, of the others, some succeeded in saving part of their families, or died with them after a brave resistance. 'The subject of this sketch, after assisting several of the women on horseback who had been thrown at the first onset, during which he had one or two single handed combats with the Indians, and seeing the party about to be defeated, he succeeded in getting outside of the Indian line, when he used his rifle with some effect. until he saw they were totally defeated. He then started for the station, pursued by the Indians, and on stopping at Floyd's Fork, in the bushes, on the bank. he saw an Indian on horseback pursuing the fugitives ride into the creek, and as he ascended the bank near to where Ballard stood, he shot the Indian, caught the horse and made good his escape to the station. Many were killed, the number not recollected, some taken prisoners, and some escaped to the station. They af- terwards learned from the prisoners taken on this occasion, that the Indians who attacked them were marching to attack the station the whites had deserted, but learning from their spies that they were moving, the Indians turned from the head of Bullskin and marched in the direction of Long Run. The news of this defeat induced Colonel Floyd to raise a party of thirty-seven men, with the in- tention of chastising the Indians. Floyd commanded one division and captain

BLAND BALLARD.

Holden the other, Ballard being with the latter. They proceeded with great caution, but did not discover the Indians until they received their fire, which killed or mortally wounded sixteen of their men. Notwithstanding the loss, the party under Floyd maintained their ground, and fought bravely until overpowered by three times their number, who appealed to the tomahawk. The retreat, how- ever, was completed without much further loss. This occasion has been rendered memorable by the magnanimous gallantry of young Wells (afterwards. the Colo- nel Wells of Tippecanoe), who saved the life of Floyd, his personal enemy, by the timely offer of his horse at a moment when the Indians were near to Floyd, who was retreating on foot and nearly exhausted.

In 1788, the Indians attacked the little Fort on Tick creek (a few miles east of Shelbyville), where his father resided. It happened that his father had re- moved a short distance out of the fort, for the purpose of being convenient to the sugar camp. 'The first intimation they had of the Indians, was early in the morning, when his brother Benjamin went out to get wood to make a fire. They shot him and then assailed the house. The inmates barred the door and prepared for defence. His father was the only man in the house, and no man in the fort, except the subject of this sketch and one old man. As soon as he heard the guns he repaired to within shooting distance of his father's house, but dared not venture nearer. Here he commenced using his rifle with good effect. In the meantime the Indians broke open the house and killed his father, not before, how- ever, he had killed one or two of their number. The Indians, also, killed one full sister, one half sister, his step-mother, and tomahawked the youngest sister, a child, who recovered. When the Indians broke into the house, his step-mother endeavored to effect her escape by the back door, but an Indian pursued her and as he raised his tomahawk to strike her, the subject of this sketch fired at the In- dian, not, however, in time to prevent the fatal blow, and they both fell and ex- pired together. The Indians were supposed to. number about fifteen, and before they completed their work of death, they sustained a loss of six or seven.

During the period he was a spy for General Clark, he was taken prisoner by five Indians on the other side of the Ohio, a few miles above Louisville, and con- ducted to an encampment twenty-five miles from the river. The Indians treated him comparatively well, for though they kept him with a guard they did not tie him. On the next day after his arrival at the encampment. the Indians were engaged in horse racing. In the evening two very old warriors were to have a race, which attracted the attention of all the Indians, and his guard left him a few steps to see how the race would terminate. Near him stood a fine black horse, which the Indians had stolen recently from Beargrass, and while the atten- tion of the Indians was attracted in a different direction, Ballard mounted this horse and had a race indeed. 'They pursued him nearly to the river, but he escaped, though the horse died soon after he reached the station. This was the only in- stance, with the exception of that at the river Raisin, that he was a prisoner. He was in a skirmish with the Indians near the Saline Licks, Colonel Hardin being the commander; the Colonel Hardin who fought gallantly under Morgan at the capture of Burgoyne, and who fell a sacrifice to Indian perfidy in the north- west; the father of General M. D. Hardin, and grand-father of Col. J. J. Hardin of Illinois, whose heroic death at Buena Vista was worthy of his unsullied life.

In after life Major Ballard repeatedly represented the people of Shelby county in the legislature, and commanded a company in Colonel Allen's regiment under General Harrison in the campaign of 1812-13. He led the advance of the detach- ment, which fought the first battle of the river Raisin-was wounded slightly on that day, and severely by a spent ball on the 22d January. This wound, also, con- tinued to annoy his old age. On this disastrous occasion he was taken prisoner, and suffered severely by the march through snow and ice, from Malden to Fort George.

As an evidence of the difficulties which surrounded the early pioneer in this country, it may be proper to notice an occasion in which Major Ballard was dis- turbed by the Indians at the spot where he then resided. They stole his only horse at night. He heard them when they took the horse from the door to which he was tied. His energy and sagacity was such, that he got in advance of the Indians before they reached the Ohio, waylaid them, three in number, shot the one riding his horse, and succeeded not only in escaping, but in catching the horse and riding back in safety.

BARREN COUNTY.

BARREN County, the 37th in order of organization, was formed in 1798, out of parts of Warren and Green ; and takes its name from what is generally termed the barrens or prairies which abound in this region of our country. It is bounded on the north by Hart county, east by Metcalfe, south by Monroe and Allen, and west by Allen and Warren. From Glasgow, N. and N. E. for about 10 miles, the land is level and the soil rich ; beyond, it is generally hilly and poor; the remainder of the county is mostly rolling, with a productive soil. The subsoil is of clay, founded on limestone. Tobacco is the most important article of export. Petroleum is produced from wells in large quantities. There were three small salt furnaces in 1846.

Towns .- Glasgow, the county seat, established 1809 ; is 11 miles from the L. and N. railroad, by Branch railroad ; population in 1870, 733. Care City, on the L. and N. railroad ; population in 1870, 387. The other towns and villages in the county are: Glasgow Junction, Hiseville, Park, Roseville, Prewitt's Knob, and Horsewell, or Cross Roads.

STATISTICS OF BARREN COUNTY.

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

Population, 1850, 1860, 1870 .p. 258 Horses, mules, cattle, hogs .. ... .... p. 263

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

children bet. 6 and 20. .. p. 266 Distinguished citizens see Index.

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM BARREN COUNTY, SINCE 1859.

Senate .- Jas. R. Barrick, 1859-63 ; Jas. W. Gorin, 1865-67 ; Preston H. Leslie, 1867-71, who was speaker from 1869-71, and became Governor on Feb. 13, 1871 ; John S. Barlow, 1871-75.

House of Representatives .- John W. Ritter and Ishmael H. Smith, 1859-61 : John S. Barlow, 1861-63, but resigned Feb. 7, 1862, and succeeded by W. W. Waring, 1862- 65; Benj. F. Trabue, 1865-67; Basil G. Smith, 1867-69; Joseph H. Lewis, 1869-71, but resigned 1870, and was succeeded by Samuel W. Brents, 1870-71; Wm. R. Bates 1871-73 ; Geo. C. Young, 1873-75. [ See page 000.]

PRESTON H. LESLIE, 26th governor of Kentucky, was born in that part of Wayne, which now forms Clinton, county, Kentucky, March 2, 1819. Left an orphan at an early age, his fellow-citizens are proud of that self-relying spirit and indomitable energy which made him, in his poverty, a cart-driver in the streets of Louisville at the age of 13, a wood-chopper at 14, a ferryman, farmer's boy, and cook for tan-bark choppers at 15, a lawyer at 22, a rep- resentative in the legislature at 25, a senator at 31, and governor of the 8th state in population of the American Union at 51. He began the practice of. law in Monroe county, and represented that county in the legislature in 1844 and 1850, and the counties of Monroe and Barren in the senate in IS51- 55. After removing to Barren, he was again in the senate, in 1807-71 : in December, 1869, was chosen speaker of the senate, and thereby acting- lieutenant governor; on February 13, 1871, upon the resignation of Gov. Stevenson, was inaugurated governor for the unexpired term, until September, 1871; in August, 1871, was the Democratic candidate, and elected governor for four years, from 187.1-75, by the remarkable majority of 37,156. If he shall serve out his term, he will be governor for a longer period than any other sinee 1804. He is an active member of the Baptist church, and prac- tices temperance principles at the receptions and levees in the governor's mansion. [See, also, on pages 199. 211, 214, 216, and 224, of Vol. I.]

Gen. JOHN C. McFERRAN .- See biographical sketch, on page 228, Vol. I.

EDMUND ROGERS.

There are a number of mineral springs in Barren, which are considered effica- cious in many diseases ; but none have been as yet, much resorted to. There is a white sulphur spring on the east fork of Little Barren river, sixteen miles east of Glasgow, the waters from which, as they flow off, form quite a respectable branch, and is supposed to be the largest stream of mineral water in the Green river country. There is a well on Buck creek, fourteen miles nearly west of Glasgow, which was commenced for salt water, but at the depth of thirty feet or more, a very large stream of medical water was struck (sulphur, magnesia, etc.), which rises about four feet above the surface of the earth through a large pipe, and runs off in a branch of considerable size. This is becoming a place of con- siderable resort. There are, also, several smaller springs within a few miles of Glasgow, which are thought to be very beneficial to invalids.

'The Indians in the early settlement, made but few incursions into this county. Edmund Rogers, one of the first surveyors and pioneers, was compelled on several occasions, to abandon his surveys from the signs or attacks of Indians. On one occasion when in hot pursuit of him, they overtook and killed one of his company-and he imputes his escape alone to the time occupied in dispatching the unfortunate individual who fell into their hands.

EDMUND ROGERS, one of the pioneers of the Green river country, was born in Caroline county, Virginia, on the 5th of Mav, 1762. He served as a soldier in the memorable campaign of 1781. In his native State, which resulted in the cap- ture of Cornwallis. He was in the battles of Green Springs, Jamestown, and at the siege of York. For these services he refused to apply for a pension, although entitled under the acts of congress. It was the love of his country's liberty and independence, and no pecuniary reward, which induced him to fight her battles. He emigrated to Kentucky in 1783. and became intimate with most of the early pioneers. He possessed a remarkable memory, and could detail with accuracy up to the time of his death, all the important events of the Indian wars and early settlement of Kentucky. He had enjoyed better opportunities to learn the his- tory of these transactions than most persons, in consequence of his intimacy with General George Rogers Clark (his cousin), and captain John Rogers (his brother), and captain Abraham Chapline, of Mercer, in whose family he lived for years.

Mr. E. Rogers was the longest liver of that meritorious and enterprising class of men who penetrated the wilderness of Kentucky, and spent their time in locating and surveying lands. It is confidently believed that he survived all the surveyors of military lands south of Green river. He began business as a sur- veyor in the fall of 1783, in Clark's or the Illinois grant as it was called, on the north side of the Ohio river, opposite to Louisville. In the spring of 1784, his operations were changed to the military district in this State, on the south side of Green river. He made most of the surveys on Little and Big Barren rivers and their tributary streams. Muldrow's hill was the boundary of the settlements towards the south-west in Kentucky, when Mr. Rogers commenced surveying in the military district. He settled upon a tract of land, upon which he afterwards laid out the town of Edmonton in Barren county, in the year 1800. He married Mary Shirley in 1808. She died in 1835, leaving seven daughters and one son. In 1840 owing to his advanced age, he broke up house keeping and removed with his single daughters to the house of his son John T, Rogers, where he died on the 28th day of August, 1843. His remains were taken to his own farm and buried by the side of his wife near Edmonton.

In purity of life and manly virtues, Mr. Rogers had but few equals. His in- tercourse with mankind was characterized by great benevolence and charity, and the strictest justice. He was ever ready to lend a helping hand to the needy and deserving. He raised and educated his nephew, the honorable Joseph Rogers Underwood.

He was not ambitious of distinction. He accepted the office of justice of the peace shortly after he settled in Barren county, at the solicitation of his neigh- bors. Perceiving as he thought, an act of partiality on the part of the court, he resigned his commission at the first court he ever attended, and thereafter per sisted in his resolution to hold no office.

Mr. Rogers believed that the distinctions made among men, arising from the offices they filled, without regard to their intellectual and moral attainments and

BARREN COUNTY.

qualifications, were often unjust. He therefore spurned official stations and those who filled them, when he thought genuine merit was overlooked, and the shallow and presumptuous promoted. He believed that the fortunes of men, were con- troled by things apparently of little moment, and that there was in regulating and governing the affairs of this world, if not of the whole universe, a chain of Causes and effects or consequences, in which every link was just as important as every other in the eyes of God, although in the estimation of men, they were re- garded as very different in importance. To his philosophic mind, he saw what mankind usually call great things. springing as results from very little things, and he was not disposed to concede that the effect was entitled to more considera- tion than the cause. He admitted a controling providence, which operated in a manner inscrutable to man; and hence he never despised what were called little things, and never became greatly excited with passionate admiration for what were called great things. He admitted there were two great principles at work in the earth, one of good, the other of evil. His affections and his actions were all with the good.

Mr. Rogers and his brother captain John Rogers, made a very singular contract. It was firmly agreed between them, that he who died first, should return from the world of spirits, and inform the other what was going on there. This en- gagement between the brothers, was most seriously entered into. Mr. Rogers has often told the writer, that there could be no such thing as visits from the spirits of the dead, and holding intercourse with the living; for said he, if such a thing could be, I know my brother John would have kept and fulfilled his pro- mise. He discountenanced every thing of a superstitious character.

Inscription .-- Mr. Butler, in his History of Kentucky, states, upon the author- ity of Judge Underwood, that Edmund Rogers had discovered on a beech tree, standing upon the margin of the east fork of the south branch of Little Barren river, before there was any settlement south of Green river, the following inscrip- tion : "James M'Call, of Mecklenburg county, North Carolina, June 8th, 1770." These words were cut in very handsome letters, with several initials of other names.

ANTIQUITIES .- The most remarkable mounds in the county, are situated at the mouth of Peter's creek, on Big Barren river. Twelve miles south-west from Glasgow, on the turnpike leading to Nashville, and immediately in the fork of the river and creek, there are a large number of small mounds, which closely resemble each other in size and shape. They now appear to be two or three feet high, of an oval form, about fifty yards apart, forming a circle of from four to five hundred yards in circumference, and presenting strong indications of having had huts or some other kind of buildings upon them. About the center of the circle of small mounds, is situated a large mound, twenty or thirty feet high, and from ninety to one hundred feet in diameter. Without the circle, about one hundred yards distant, is another large mound, about the same dimensions of the one within the circle of small ones. Upon these mounds trees are growing, which measure five feet in diameter. Some two hundred yards from these mounds, are a number of small mounds, which contain bones, teeth, and hair of human beings, in a perfect state of preservation. These bones are found in graves about three feet long, and from one to one and a half feet wide, all lined with flat stones. In the neighborhood, for half a mile or more, are found many of these graves. There is a large warehouse standing on the mound which is within the circle of small mounds.

There is a cave in the bluff of the river, about three miles above Glasgow, which contains a large number of bones ; but it is of small dimensions, and no correct description has been obtained of it. On Skaggs' creek, about five miles south-west of Glasgow, there is a small cave, in which human bones have been found, but they appeared to be those of infants altogether. One bone was found, which seemed to be that part of the skull bone about the crown of the head; it was made round, about two and a half inches in diameter, scolloped on the edges. and carved on the outside. Whether this was made for an ornament, or for eating out of, could not well be determined, although it was sufficiently large to be used as a spoon.

46 /

BATH COUNTY.

A Catacomb .- In December, 1870, a party of hunters chased a fox into a cave, on Beaver creek, 5 miles from Glasgow, and about 50 feet from the Columbia road. The cave is well known, and had been occasionally visited. But in the southern avenue the hunters explored a tortuous fissure in the rock, about 20 feet long, just large enough to admit the body of a man, which led them into a small oblong chamber, 18 feet long and 20 feet high. In this they found the remains of at least ten human beings; the skulls nearly all sound, many bones perfect, others too much decayed for removal. On several of the skulls, lying on the surface, was a limestone formation, caused by the dripping of water from the stone ceiling. The robbers and murderers who infested this road and region, in early days, probably used this cave, and in this secluded chamber deposited their murdered victims.

BATH COUNTY.

BATH county, the 56th formed in the state, was carved out of Montgomery county, Jan. 15, 1811, and named from the great number of medicinal springs within its borders. It is situated in the eastern part of the state. Licking river flows along its entire eastern and northern sides, and its principal tributaries in the county are Flat, Slate, and Salt Lick creeks. The county is bounded N. by Fleming county, E. by Fleming, Rowan, and Menifee, s. by Menifee and Montgomery, and w. by Montgomery and Nicholas counties. The portion w. of Slate creek, with its leading roads macadamized, is a limestone formation, some of it as fine for grain and grass as any in the world ; the eastern is poor and hilly, a portion well timbered, and contains one of the largest deposits of iron ore in Kentucky, with some bituminous coal, but not in workable beds.

Towns .- Owingsville, the county seat, first settled by Harrison Connor, but named after Col. Thos. Dye Owings, has a court- house, 2 churches, and 2 banks, and is steadily growing, with prospect of rapid increase on completion of the Lexington and Big Sandy, and the Frankfort, Paris, and Big Sandy railroads ; population in 1870, 550. Sharpsburg, named after Moses Sharp, 11} miles w. of Owingsville, is a larger business point, has 4 churches and a bank ; population in 1870, 319. Bethel, 4 miles N. of Sharpsburg ; population about 80; Wyoming, on Licking river, 7 miles N. of Owingsville ; population in 1870, 120; and Polksville, 7 miles from Owingsville ; population about 40.

STATISTICS OF BATH COUNTY.

When formed. See page 26 Corn, wheat, hay. .pages 266, 268 Population, from 1820 to 1870 .p. 258 Horses, mules, cattle, hogs .p. 268

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

" towns 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 .. .. see Index.

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE, SINCE 1859.

Senate .- Maj. Geo. W. Connor, 1369-73.

House of Representatives .- John H. Gudgell, 1859-61 ; Van Buren Young, 1861-63, but resigned Aug. 15, 1862, and succeeded by Dr. Joshua Barnes, 1862-65 ; Lander Barber, 1865-67, but seat contested, and declared vacant, Jan. 13, 1866, and succeeded by B. Dan. Lacy, 1866-67 ; Geo. Hamilton, 1867-69; Alpheus W. Bascom, 1869-73; Henry L. Stone, 1873-75. [See page 000.]

BATH COUNTY.

The Olympian springs, 8 miles s. E. of Owingsville, is a watering place of considerable celebrity, with 3 springs, sulphur, salt sulphur, and chalybeate. During the war of 1812, Col. Thos. Dye Owings, while raising and organiz- ing the 28th regiment U. S. infantry, had his camp here, and built inost of the cabins. Many of them were burned during the recent civil war, but have been rebuilt.

The Old Slate iron furnace was built about 1790. It went out of blast in 1838, Beaver furnace and forge about 1826, Caney furnace in 1849, Clear creek furnace in 1854, Maria forge in 1850.

The only fortification or station in early times, in what is now Bath county, was a blockhouse, in 1786, on the old Slate ore bank, where Jacob Myers afterwards erected the Slate iron furnace-in which the furnace hands took refuge on the approach of Indians. The only thing now left to mark the spot is the well, which still furnishes excellent water.

First Court .- This was held on May 5, 1811, at the house of Capt. James Young, on Flat creek-John Allen, circuit judge, presiding, Col. Thos. Dye Owings and Jas. M. Graham, associate judges. The court appointed John Trimble, attorney for the commonwealth, and Tandy Allen, clerk; the latter resigned, during the term, and Thos. Triplett was appointed. The grand jury returned only one indictment. The house in which this court was held was destroyed by fire in 1866.

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 7

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