USA > Kentucky > Historical sketches of Kentucky : embracing its history, antiquities, and natural curiosities, geographical, statistical, and geological descriptions with anecdotes of pioneer life, and more than one hundred biographical sketches of distinguished pioneers, soldiers, statesmen, jurists, lawyers, divines, etc. > Part 24
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MELBOURN contains two churches (Methodist and Christian). two schools, two stores, one tavern, three physicians, three mechan- ical trades-population ninety.
CAPTAIN BLAND BALLARD, in honor of whom this county was named, was boca near Fredericksburg, Virginia, on the 16th of October. 1761, and is now fait ATth year. He catie to Kentucky in 1779. and joined the regular militia wild 1 was kept up for the defence of the country ; and after serving on Bowman's . .. u. paign in 1779, accompanied the expedition led by Gen. Clark against the Pink- away towns in Ohio in 17-1, on which occasion he received a severe woun ! in .he hip, from the effects of which he is suffering at this day. At the time of the wound, he was near bleeding to death before he could procure surgical und. In 1 ;- 2, he was on the campaign led by Gen. Clark, with Floyd and Login as colonels, that destroved the Pickaway towns. In 1956 he was a spy bor to peril Clark in the expedition to the Wabash, rendered abortive by the mutiny of the soldiers. In the summer of 1701, he served as a guide under Generais Scott and
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BALLARD COUNTY.
Wilkinson, and was present under General Wayne at the decisive battle on the 20th of August, 1794.
When not engaged in regular campaign, he served as hunter and spy for Gen- eral Clark, who was stationed at Louisville, and in this service he continued for two years and a half. During this time he had several rencounters with the In- dians. One of these occurred just below Louisville. He had been sent in his character of spy to explore the Ohio from the mouth of Salt river to the falls, and from thence up to what is now the town of Westport. On his way down the river, when six or eight miles below the falls, he heard, early one morning, a noise on the Indiana shore. He immediately concealed himself in the bushes, and when the fog had scattered sufficiently to permit him to see, he discov- ered a canoe filled with three Indians, approaching the Kentucky shore. When they had approached within range, he fired and killed one. The others jumped. overboard, and endeavored to get their canoe into deep water, but before they succeeded, he killed a second, and finally the third. Upon reporting his morning's work to General Clark, a detachment was sent down, who found the three dead Indians and buried them. For this service General Clark gave him a linen shirt, and some other small presents. This shirt, however, was the only one he had for several years, except those made of leather; of this shirt the pioneer hero was doubtless justly proud.
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- meut, 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 thett 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 Lynn'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 nad determined to move 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 Holden the other, Ballard being with the latter. They proceeded with great caution, but did not thiscover 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 Weils (afterwards the Colo- nel Wells of Tippecanoe), who saved the life of Floyd, his personal enemy, by
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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. Ho 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 the Col. 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- tinues 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 now resides. 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 cne riding his horse, and succeeded not only in escaping, but in catching the horse and riding back in safety.
The generation now on the sphere of action, and the millions who are to suc- ceed them in the great valley, will have but an imperfect idea of the character and services of the bold patriotic men, who rescued Kentucky from the forest and the savage. The subject of this sketch, however, is a fine specimen of that noble race of men, and when his gray hairs shall descend to an honorable grave, this short biography may serve, in some degree, to stimulate the rising generation to emulate his heroic patriotism.
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BARREN COUNTY.
BARREN COUNTY.
BARREN county was formed in 1798, and takes its name from what is generally termed the barrens or prairies which abound in the region of country in which it is located. It is bounded north by Hart ; east by Adair and Green; south by Monroe, and west by Warren. Glasgow, the county seat, is about one hundred miles from Frankfort. The county embraces almost every des- cription of soil and surface. From Glasgow north and north- east for about ten miles, the land is level and the soil rich ; be- yond it is generally hilly and poor : the remainder of the county is mostly rolling, but with a productive soil. The sub-soil is of clay, founded on limestone. Fine springs abound ; and being well timbered and watered with several large creeks, saw and grist mills have been erected in abundance. The staple products are tobacco, corn, wheat, rye and oats. Tobacco is the most im- portant article of export from this county-about twenty-five hundred hogsheads being the average annual product. Horses, mules, and hogs, are also raised for export. There are three salt furnaces in operation in the county, making from thirty to forty bushels each per day.
In 1846, the number of acres of land reported was 859,941; average value per acre 83,34; total value of taxable property, $3,191,500 : number of white males over twenty-one years of age, 2,769 ; number of children between five and sixteen years of age, 3,341.
The towns of Barren are Glasgow, Chaplinton, Edmonton and Frederick. GLAScow, the seat of justice, is situated on the turn- pike road leading from Louisville to Nashville, one hundred and twenty-six miles from Frankfort --- contains three meeting houses, in which seven denominations worship, viz : Methodists, Episco- palians, Reformers, Old and New School Presbyterians, Cumber- land Presbyterians and United Baptists ; two academies, male and female ; one school, thirteen stores, two groceries, eleven lawyers, five doctors, two tanneries, with a large number of me- chanical trades, Was established in 1809, and named after the old city of Glasgow, in Scotland. Population six hundred. Chaplinton, a small village on Big Barren river, contains a store, a post-office, etc. Edmonton, a small village eighteen miles south-east of Glasgow, contains one school, one store, one tan- nery, one doctor, post-office, etc. Frederick, situated seventeen miles north-east from Glasgow-contains one school, two doc- tors, one tannery, etc.
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 cast fork of battle 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 ut
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EDMUND ROGERS.
Glasgow, which was commenced for salt water, but at the depth of thirty feet er inore, 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 pya. and runs off in a branch of considerable size. This is becoming a place vi 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 May, 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 inilitary district in this State, on the south -wie of Green river. He made most of the surveys on Little and Big Barren rivers and their tributary streams. Muldrough's hill was the boundary of the settlements towards the south-west in Kentucky, when Mr. Rogers commeneed 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 1809. She died in 1835, leaving seven daughters and one son. In 1810 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 talon- bors. Perceiving as he thought, an act of partiality on the part of the court. an 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 at! qualifications, were often unjust. He therefore spurned official stations asi the?" who filled them, when he thought genuine merit was overlooked, and the shallow and presumptuous promoted. He believed that the fortunes of men, were ein- tried by things apparently of little moment, and that there was in mything and governing the affairs of this world. if not of the whole universe. a chan of causes and effects or consequences, in which every link was just as important as
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BARREN COUNTY.
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.
In illustration of his idea that apparent trifles were important affairs, he often told the writer that the most consequential events of his life, had been the result of his falling off a log and getting wet, in attempting to cross a creek. This happened the day he left Pitman's station to go into the wilderness south of Green river. He got his papers wet, and was induced to return to the station to dry them, and then to take a new start. Upon his return, he met with a stranger who had a large number of land warrants, and made a contract with him for their location. Under this contract he secured the land around Edmonton where he lived, and upon these facts he reasoned thus : " If I had not fallen into the creek, I should not have turned back ; if I had not returned to the station, I should not have made the contract by which I obtained the land on which I set- tied; if I had not got that land, I should not have lived upon it; if I had not lived there, I should have been thrown into a different society, and most probably would never have seen the lady I married, and of course would not have had the wife and children I have; and as a further consequence, the very existence and destiny of those children and their descendants through all coming genera- tions. and the influence they may exercise in families, neighborhoods and coun- ties, depended upon my falling from the log."
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.
The motto upon which Mr. Rogers acted through life, was "to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly before God." He often repeated these words as con- taining man's whole duty.
His last illness was of short duration. He was in his perfect mind to the last breath. About an hour before he expired he was seen to smile, and being asked what occasioned it, he said, " he was thinking of the vain efforts of three of the best physicians in the country, to save the life of an old man when his time had come." He died with perfect composure and without a struggle.
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 cast fork of the south branch of Little Barren river, before there was any settlement south of Green river, the following inscrip- tion : " Jaines M'Call, of Mecklenburg county, North Carolina, June 5th, 1970." These words were cut in very handsome letters, with several initials of cthier 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 liet high, of an oval form, about fifty yards apart, forming a circle of from four to five hundred yards in circumferener, 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 inound, twenty or thirty feet high. and from ninety to one hundred feet in diameter. Without the circle, about one hundred
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BATH COUNTY.
yards distant, is another large mound, about the same dimensions of the rie within the circle of small ones. Upon these mounds trees are growing. . ..: :: measure five feet in diameter. Some two hundred yards from these meet or a number of small mounds, which contain bones, teeth, and hair of human t. : . 4, in a perfect state of preservation. These bones are found in graves about !! « feet long, and from one to one and a half feet wide, all lined with fiat stowe -. 14 the neighborhood, for halt a mile or more, are found many of these graves. Tiere is a large warehouse standing on the mound which is within the circle of studii 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, aud no correct description has been obtained of it. On Skegg's 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.
BATH COUNTY.
BATH county was organized in 1811, and is situated in the eas- tern part of the State, and lies on Licking river. It is bounded on the north and east by Fleming, south by Morgan, and west by Montgomery. It received its name from the great number of medicinal springs which abound in the county. The celebrated Olympian or Mud Lick springs are situated here, which contain a variety of waters, such as salt, black and red sulphur, and cha- lybeate of iron. Four miles east of these springs is the White Sulphur.
Lands reported for the county in 1846, 205,261 acres ; average value per acre, $8,63; total valuation of taxable property, $3 .- 006,835. White males over twenty-one years old, 1,232 ; children between five and sixteen years old 2,420. Population in 1>30, 8,799 -- in 1840, 9,763.
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