Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 87

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 87

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[This sketch properly belongs under Monroe county.]

JAMES. MONROE, in honor of whom Monroe county was named, was the fifth president of the United States; born in Westmoreland co., Va., April 28, 1758; graduated at William and Mary college, 1776, and immediately entered as a cadet in a corps then organizing under Gen. Mercer; soon after was made lieutenant, and joined the army at York; was in the engagement at Harlaem heights, and at White Plains, and in the retreat of the army through the Jerseys; was with Washington when he crossed the Delaware and made the successful attack on the Hessians at Trenton-where he was wounded in the shoulder ; was aid to Lord Sterling, in the battles of Brandywine, Ger- mantown, and Monmouth; retired from the army, and entered the office of Thos. Jefferson as a student of law; in 1780, was sent by Mr. Jefferson, then governor, as a commissioner to Gen. DeKalb, to ascertain the strength and prospects of his (the southern) army ; was a member of the legislature of Virginia, 1782, '86, '87, 1810; of the continental congress, when only 24 years old, 1782-85, for three years ; of the Virginia convention, 1788, which adopted the constitution of the United States, but voted against its adoption ; of the U. S. senate, 1790-94; minister to France, 1794-96; governor of Vir- ginia, 1796-99; again sent to France, 1803, by President Jefferson, to act with Mr. Livingston, the resident minister there; was transferred to London, as successor to Mr. King; thence ordered to Spain, but returned to England on the death of Mr. Pitt; spent several years upon his farm in Virginia; was again governor, until he resigned to enter President Madison's cabinet as secretary of state; was president of the United States for eight years, 1817-25; and in retirement until his death, July 4, 1831, aged nearly 73.

536

MAGOFFIN COUNTY.

MAGOFFIN county, established in 1860, out of parts of Morgan, Johnson, and Floyd counties, and named in honor of Beriah Magoffin, then governor, was the 108th formed in the state. It is situated on the head waters of Licking river, and extends over on to the waters of Big Sandy ; the Licking for 60 miles divid- ing it nearly centrally from s. E. to N. W. It is bounded N. by Morgan and Johnson counties, E. by Johnson and Floyd, s. by Breathitt, and w. by Breathitt and Morgan. The valleys or bottom-lands are rich and quite productive ; the face of the country generally is broken and hilly ; its minerals are iron ore and coal of a fine quality. The principal streams are Johnson's, Lick, Stateroad, Middle, and Burning Spring forks, and Oakley creek.

Salyersville, the county seat, was established in 1860 and named in honor of Samuel Salyer, then a representative in the legisla- ture, and through whose influence the county was made. It is situated near Licking river, at the mouth of the Stateroad fork, 20 miles s. E. of West Liberty, and 19 miles w. of Paintsville ; has a brick court house, wooden jail, 4 dry goods stores, 2 black- smiths' shops, a steam saw, grist, and flouring mill, with carding machine attached, 2 lawyers, 1 physician, and 3 churches (Method- ist, Baptist, and Reformed or Christian) ; population in 1870, 106.

STATISTICS OF MAGOFFIN COUNTY.

When formed See page 26 | Hay, corn, wheat, tobacco ... pages 266, 268

Population, from 1860 to 1870 .p. 258 Horses, mules, cattle, and hogs ...... p. 268

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

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

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

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

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM MAGOFFIN COUNTY.

Senate .- Elijah Patrick, 1863-67; Joseph Gardner, 1867-71.

House of Representatives .- Joseph Gardner, 1861-63 ; Reuben Patrick, 1863-67.

Magoffin County was first settled about 1800, by emigrants originally from South Carolina-John Williams, Archibald Prather, Clayton Cook, Ebenezer Hanna, and a few others. Some of them had previously attempted a settle- ment in 1794, but were driven back by Indians.

The First Permanent Settlement was made one mile below Salyersville, at Licking Station-so called from the Indians having once temporarily occupied it. It is in a bend of Licking river, the land nearly in the shape of a horse- shoe, and is admirably suited for an Indian fort.

The only Surviving Pioneer of this section, in Oct., 1871, was W. B. Pra- ther, then living in Morgan county.

A Burning Spring, 4 miles from Salyersville, on the Burning Spring fork, was formerly an object of curious interest. In 1865, during the great oil fever, some parties bored for oil near the spring, and its burning ceased permanently.

During the late Civil War, on the morning of Nov. 30, 1863, Capt. Peter Everett, with about 200 Confederates, surprised a company of Federals, sta- tioned at Salyersville and on Licking Station hill-killing 1 lieutenant, wounding 4 or 5 privates, and capturing 25 prisoners and 40 horses.

Ex-Gov. BERIAH MAGOFFIN, after whom this county was named, was born in Harrodsburg, Mercer co., Ky., April 18, 1815, and is therefore (1873) 58

537

MAGOFFIN, COUNTY.

years old. He still lives on the farm inherited from his father, of the same name, who was from County Down, Ireland. His mother was a granddaughter of Samuel MeAfee, one of the original McAfee company who visited Kentucky in 1773 and who settled permanently in 1775. He graduated at Centre College, Danville, 1835 ; at the Lexington law school, 1838; began the prac- tice of law at Jackson, Mississippi, where he made money rapidly ; was read- ing clerk of the senate of Mississippi, 1838-39; returned in bad health in summer of 1839, and settled at Harrodsburg, in partnership with his brother- in-law, Chas. M. Cunningham, whose death soon after left him with a heavy and lucrative practice ; married Anna N. Shelby, daughter of Isaac Shelby, and granddaughter of Gov. Isaac Shelby, April, 1840; although a Democrat, was appointed police judge of Harrodsburg, by Gov. Robert P. Letcher, ( Whig), 1840-42; was elected to the senate of Kentucky, without opposition, 1850; offered the nomination for congress, 1851, but declined; Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor in 1855 against the Know Nothings, but defeated by 3,674 votes-but was elected governor in 1859, for 4 years, by 8,904 votes over Joshua F. Bell. In 1844, 1848, 1852, and 1856 was on the Democratic ticket for presidential elector, defeated three times, then elected on the Buchanan and Breckinridge ticket, 1856; was the district delegate to the Democratic national conventions at Baltimore in 1848, Cincinnati in 1856, and Charleston in 1860-in the latter, bending his energies, but un- successfully, to prevent the unfortunate split in the party.

(For the details of his public conduct as governor, see Collins' Annals of Kentucky, vol. i, pages 81 to 108.) Having designated and virtually chosen his successor, he resigned the office of governor, Aug. 18, 1862-in obedience, as he believed, to the will of the people expressed through a large majority of the legislature of the state, and the pledge having been made to him to do that which he was powerless to do, viz. : to rule the people by civil law, and to protect his friends under the broad shield of the constitution and laws.

Since the war he has been in public life but once-being chosen without opposition to represent Mercer county in the legislature, 1867-69; and has had but little to do with politics-having differed widely with the Democratic party in regard to the ratification of the Xlllth U. S. constitutional amend- ment and the admission of negro testimony; he thought the living issues enough to occupy the time. Soon after the war, he published a letter and made several speeches-begging Kentucky to recognize the results of the war and the constitutional amendments as accomplished facts, to accommodate herself to circumstances forever beyond her control, and thus to increase in- stead of destroying her influence at Washington city.

Gov. Magoffin has been remarkably successful in the management of his business interests. Since the death of Senator James Guthrie, he is probably the wealthiest of the Kentuckians who have been much in public lite, being regarded as a millionaire-largely through judicious investments in Chicago.

First Visitors to Whitley County .- See under Josh Bell county.

Capt. CHARLES GATLIFFE was an early emigrant to Kentucky, and very active in many Indian campaigns and excursions. He was a captain, from Bryan's station, in the expedition, as far as the Ohio river above Maysville, against the Indians who murdered Daniel Boone's brother Edward, in Oct., 1780; and shortly after was appointed a captain at Martin's station, in now Harrison county. He was a brave man, of fine judgment; and was highly esteemed, by Daniel Boone (as appears from the latter's deposition, Sept. 22, 1817, when 84 years old) and by the people generally, for his services and character. He died in Whitley county, June 30, 1838, aged about 90 years.

538

MARION COUNTY.

MARION county, the 84th organized in the state, was formed in 1834, by the division of Washington into two counties-the lower portion being named after Gen. Francis Marion. The general course of the division was E. and w., about half way be- tween the two county seats, Springfield and Lebanon ; leaving the new county almost in the form of a long square, about 28 miles from E. to w., and 14 from N. tos. It is situated in the central portion of the state ; and is bounded N. by Washington county, E. by Boyle and Casey, s. by Taylor, and w. by Nelson and Larue counties. Muldrow's Hill forms its s. boundary line. Its largest stream, the Rolling Fork of Salt river, passes westerly through its southern length ; the creeks are-Cartwright's, Har- din's, Collamer's, North Fork, Pope's, and Cloyd's. About two- thirds of the land is of superior quality, adapted to grazing and the cereals ; a small portion is comparatively poor. The face of the country, generally, is gently undulating ; but besides Mul- drow's, there are several chains of hills or " knobs " running partially through the county. The principal productions are corn, wheat, cattle, and hogs; that of tobacco is steadily increas- ing. Iron ore in small quantities is found in the hills of the county.

Towns .- Lebanon, the county seat, is handsomely situated at the head of Hardin's and near the head of Cartwright's creek, on the principal (formerly called the Lebanon, now the Knoxville) branch of the Louisville and Nashville railroad, 67 miles from Louisville, and by turnpike 60 miles from Frankfort, 27 from Bardstown, and 39 from Columbia. It contains 9 churches-2 Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, and Christian or Reformed, for the whites, and Catholic, Methodist, and Bap- tist for the colored people-2 female academies, and several other schools, 12 dry goods stores, 2 drug stores, 2 shoe and hat stores, 2 banks, 2 hotels, and a number of other places of business of shops. Population in 1870, 1,925, just double what it was in 1860 ; in 1873 probably 2,200. It was incorporated in 1815, and first commenced by the late Ben. Spalding, and named by him from the surrounding growth of cedars. New Market, 5 miles s. of Lebanon, on the Rolling Fork, has 2 stores, 1 church, and a population of about 150. St. Mary's, on the railroad, 5 miles w. of Lebanon, and near St. Mary's College, has a flouring mill and 2 stores ; population in 1870, 113. Loretto, 5 miles further w. on same railroad, near Loretto Academy, has 2 stores ; population in 1870, 42. Chicago, on same railroad 13 miles further west, and 55 miles from Louisville, has 2 stores, 1 church, and about 130 inhabitants. Raywick, on the Rolling Fork, 3} miles w. of Chicago and 12 w. of Lebanon, has 2 churches and 2 stores ; population in 1870, 160, an increase of 2 in ten years; named for Messrs. Ray and Wick-liffe. Bradfordsville, named

539

MARION COUNTY.

for the first settler, Peter Bradford, is 9 miles E. of Lebanon, and has 2 stores and 2 churches ; population in 1870, 155, a decrease of 31 in ten years.

STATISTICS OF MARION COUNTY.

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

.p. 258 Horses, mules, cattle, hogs. .. p. 268

Population, from 1840 to 1870 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 MARION COUNTY.

Senate .- Jas. P. Barbour, 1850 ; Benedict Spalding, 1861-65 ; Robert A. Burton, Jr., 1869-73. From Marion and Washington counties-James Schooling, 1837-41 ; John S. Medley, 1849.

House of Representatives .- L. A. Spalding, 1837; Edward C. Purdy, 1838, '50 ; Clement S. Hill, 1839 ; John Shuck, 1840 ; Jas. P. Barbour, 1841; Jesse Abell, 1842; Buford N. Penick, 1843; Edmund A. Graves, 1844, '46, '71-75; Cornelius Railey, 1845, '47, '53-55 ; Jos. M. Boarman, 1848, '57-59; Wm. T. Hamilton, 1849 ; Thos. J. Nash, 1851-53 ; Jas. M. Fogle, 1855-57 ; Robert A. Burton, Jr., 1859-61; John R. Thomas, 1861-67 ; Richard M. Spalding, 1867-71.

Newspapers .- In Jan., 1854, the Lebanon Post was begun, and published until 1858; it then changed hands, and was called the Central Kentuckian. The Lebanon Democrat was established in the same year. After the war, the Central Kentuckian was published in 1866-67 and probably before ; and the Lebanon Clarion from April, 1867, to 1870. The Lebanon Standard, begun in 1870, is still published (May, 1873).

Railroads .- In 1853, the project of a branch from the Louisville and Nash- ville railroad at Shepherdsville, via Bardstown and Springfield to Lebanon, was agitated. Marion county would have subscribed the requisite amount of stock, but Nelson refused to help unless made the terminus of the road. In 1855 projects were discussed of a railroad from Lexington to Nashville, via Lebanon, and of a branch of the L. & N. railroad from Boston station, in 37 miles to Lebanon. The latter was adopted, $200,000 subscribed by the county and $120,000 by individuals-the stockholders of the branch being made equal to those of the main stem. It was finished to Lebanon in Nov., 1857; and since the war has been extended to Livingston, opposite the w. line of Laurel county. The county subscribed $300,000 to the Cumberland and Ohio railroad, which is now (May, 1873,) being constructed through the county.

Turnpikes .- Few counties in the state have as many miles of macadamized roads as Marion-75 miles, all built by home public spirit.

First Battle of Lebanon .- On Sept. 18, 1861, Confederate soldiers from the army then at Bowling Green made a raid on the Louisville and Nashville railroad as far as Lebanon Junction, producing great commotion, if not con- sternation. The specie in the Commercial branch bank was hurried off to Danville, under a guard of citizens armed with shot-guns and Colt's repeaters. The home guards gathered in, to the number of 700, and a regiment was organized. Late in the afternoon of the 19th, the whistle of a locomotive announced a train, which, under the excitement of the hour, was fired into by a portion of the guards who had not discovered that the train was in the hands of citizens and friends. Col. John Graves was killed, and J. Littlefield and others were wounded.

The Second Battle of Lebanon was fought July 12, 1862 (see Annals, page 103, vol i.) Sept. 8, 1862, the city was taken possession of by the Confeder- ates, who held it until Oct. 5th, two days before the great battle of Perryville. From the latter, several hundred Federal wounded were brought to Lebanon, the churches and other vacant houses taken for hospitals, and all public worship thus prevented for some time. A few Confederate wounded were also brought to Lebanon, and cared for by citizens.

A Soldiers' Cemetery was established, Jan., 1863, one mile from Lebanon, where in May, 1867, reposed the remains of 490 Federal soldiers.

540

MARION COUNTY.

Enforcing Obedience .- In the spring of 1863, Gen. Manson, in charge of a division of Federal troops at Lebanon, ordered Col. Doolittle (whose brigade was about getting on a train bound for Nashville, determined to carry off and forcibly free a number of negroes belonging to citizens of Boyle and other counties, brought here by military orders to work upon the extension of the railroad) to put the negroes out of his camp and off the train. This he posi- tively refused ; whereupon Manson ordered out several regiments of Kentucky troops to enforce his order. As the long roll was sounded, they came to the front, in line of battle, with forty rounds of ammunition. The 9th, 11th, and 12th regiments Ky. cavalry were also drawn up in line, and a battery of artillery planted in position, with orders to fire upon the train if it should attempt to leave without Gen. Manson's orders. The matter was settled without bloodshed; the commander of the department of Kentucky directing Doolittle to expel from his camp all persons not connected with the army, which he did.

The Third Battle of Lebanon was fought July 5th, 1863 (see page 125, ante). The railroad round-house, with all the commissary stores, was burned by Col. Hanson, before his surrender; and the residences of Judge Noble, Mrs. Abell, Dr. J. C. Maxwell, Dr. Ben. Spalding, Rev. J. S. Braddock, and some smaller buildings were set on fire by the Confederates to force the surrender. After the surrender, they fired the depot, and the flames spread to the Lebanon Hotel, Harris House, and several other houses. A heavy shower of rain alone prevented the destruction of the town. Lieut. Thos. Morgan, younger brother of Gen. John H. Morgan, was killed, near the close of the fight; his body was temporarily interred in the Rev. Thos. H. Cleland's garden. A brigade of Michigan cavalry, which had been lying, with artillery, a few miles from town, since 9 A. M., dashed into town, in the afternoon, just as Morgan's forces were departing, captured a straggling Confederate, and started boldly in pursuit of the others; but finding Morgan's rear guard forming in line of battle near the toll-gate, they just as boldly countermarched to their camp beyond Grimes' hill.

A Census of Lebanon, taken by the city assessor, in 1867, showed a popu- lation of 1,967 whites and 938 blacks-total 2,905; and a total valuation of property, $1,250,783. Singularly enough, by the U. S. census of 1870, there were only 1,102 whites and 823 blacks-total 1,925,

Lynch Law .- See page 174, Vol. 1.

In the Geology of Marion county appears a singular phenomenon-first demonstrated by the surveys made in locating the Muldrow's Hill turnpike, and afterwards by other surveys. . The southern boundary line of the county is the dividing ridge of Muldrow's Hill, separating the waters of the Rolling Fork and Salt river on the north, from those of Pittman's creek and Green river on the south. This hill or elevation is more than 500 feet above the bed of the Rolling Fork. In going southward there is no corresponding de- scent. The face of the country s. of the Rolling Fork-extending from Casey county around to the Ohio river-is considerably higher than in the counties to the north, bordering on the same stream. This exceptional peculiarity in the formation of the earth in this region gives force and interest to the theory of Volney-who contended that a large portion of central Kentucky was once the bed of an immense lake extending into Indiana and perhaps into a por- tion of Ohio; which broke through its southern wall or bank, and thus formed the Ohio river. The Silver Creek Hills in Indiana correspond in elevation to Muldrow's Hill in Kentucky ; and being opposite and on the w. side of the Ohio river, may have formed a portion of the southwestern border of the supposed lake. This hypothesis, too, will account for the numerous petrifac- tions of a marine formation found all over this part of Kentucky.

Knobs .- Another peculiarity of this region is the numerous knobs, some of them conical or sugar-loaf in form, extending all along the Rolling Fork on the north, apparently of the height of Muldrow's Hill, and perhaps onee con- neeted with it but detached by some violent commotion of nature.

A Hurricane passed through New Market, March 19, 1870, which destroyed two churches (Presbyterian and Baptist), and seriously damaged 12 resi- dences and other houses; a number of citizens injured, but no lives lost.

541

MARION COUNTY.

The First Settlers of Marion county were from Maryland and Virginia, and their descendants constitute a large portion of its population-among them the families of Spalding, Abell, Wickliffe, McElroy, Smock, Phillips, Ray, Graves, Yowell, Tucker, Averit, etc.

The Last Survivor of the Pioneers of now Marion county, Wm. E. McElroy, was still living in May, 1872, aged 96; he removed to that region in 1788, when 12 years old, in company with his father and two uncles and their families, 54 in all. He united to the Hardin's creek Presbyterian church, located where Lebanon stands, in the great revival of 1800.

For sketches of distinguished persons, native or once resident of this county, see Robert Wickliffe under Fayette co., Chas. A. Wickliffe under Nelson co., Archbishop Martin J. Spalding, Rev. Chas. Nerinckx, and Rev. Win. Byrne, under the sketch of the Roman Catholic church.

TWYMAN HOGUE * (his full name James Twyman Barret Hogue), son of Rev. Aaron A. Hogue-born in Lebanon, Ky., Nov. 19, 1843-was a remark- able instance of precocious intellect, early and rapidly developed under afflic- tion, a veritable child-man. At the age of six months he repeated words distinctly ; at nine months framed short sentences and showed that he under- stood their meaning; before he was three years old, began to " preach " in a childish way, to his little playmates-mingling broken texts of Scripture with his own simple comments ; taught himself to read by learning one letter at a time, and notwithstanding the physicians forbade his mother to teach him --- he all the time wondering why to learn to read should make him sick; by copying on a slate printed letters, then written letters, and then comparing them, taught himself to write, and wrote his mother's name upon her work- box before he was five years of age ; started to school at six years of age, and began in the Union spelling-book, in two weeks was advanced to the second reader, and in four weeks more stood at the head of a fourth-reader class, some of the members of which were 14 years old; in six and a half months, being all the time he remained in school, he mastered spelling, reading, geography, and arithmetic. When seven years old, a fall from a swing, alighting upon a limb already afflicted with hip disease, and increasing his spinal affection, made him for life a cripple and emaciated invalid, confined generally to his room and bed. Shortly after this fall, he read Bunyan's Pilgrim's Prog- ress, which was blessed to his conversion; and on April 1, 1854, joined the Presbyterian church, his examination exhibiting a comprehension of the plan of salvation and knowledge of the doctrines of the Bible seldom found in persons under 18 years of age; he was fond of the richest devotional works; at eight years, he carefully read Josephus' History, noting down what was added by Josephus that was not in the Bible; at this age, also, he began his diary, and wrote for the Lebanon Post newspaper several pieces of poetry, simple in language, but exact in rhyme. He began to study Latin, but soon abandoned it, being anxious to read the Bible in the languages in which it was originally written ; and bent his energies to the Greek and Hebrew, saying he desired to get at God's thoughts in God's own words. He objected to the Bible translated into Latin, the Vulgate, that it " was not written by God himself, but was man's work, and no better than our English Bible to enable us to understand the meaning of God." When eleven years old, he read the Greek testament with some fluency, and with his Hebrew grammar and lexi- con could see whether the commentaries which he read upon Hebrew words were correct. Seeking to be useful, he began a series of articles over an un- known signature for the Louisville Presbyterian Herald, one of which ocensioned a controversy with a venerable D.D., who was greatly astonished upon learn- ing that his opponent was " that little bit of a baby !" as he called him. No wonder, for his body had scarcely grown any since he was seven ; he was a mere child, lying in his crib, with his head propped up. Hle published a series of articles upon prayer, and eight letters to a young minister-saying that when he wrote them he conceived himself as having entered the ministry,

* Twyman Hogue, or Early Piety Illustrated. By Rev. Wm. W. Hill. Phila, 1859.

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 87

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