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 33
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Assessed taxable property in 1546, 8719,257 ; number of acres of land in the county 175,118 ; average value per acre, $2,16; number of white males over twenty-one years of age. 961 ; number of children between five and sixteen years 'old, 1,125. Population in 1830, 4,342-in 1840, 4,939.
LIBERTY contains a court-house and public offices, three
231
CHRISTIAN COUNTY.
churches, one school, five stores and groceries, three taverns two lawyers, three doctors, seven mechanics' shops-population 200. Incorporated 1830.
Colonel WILLIAM CASEY, in honor of whom this county received its name, was a native of Frederick county, Virginia. In company with two or three tamni- lies, he removed to Kentucky in the early part of the winter of 1779 -~ 0; and during the intensely cold weather of that memorable winter, lived in a camp on the Hanging fork of Dick's river. He remained there until the year 1791; whra under the influence of that spirit of adventure and change which marked the era in which he lived, he struck his tent, and removed to Russell's creek, a tributary of Green river. Here, at a distance of fifty miles from any white settlement, in conjunction with several families who pushed their fortunes with him, he located and built a station. Though feeble in numbers, the hardy band of pioneers by whom he was surrounded. and who reposed in him unbounded confidence as a leader, maintained themselves, gallantly and victoriously. against several attacks of the Indians. His station was subsequently reinforced by several famihes, whose presence was instrumental in preventing any further assault on the part of the Indians. In one of the incursions, however, of a small band of savages, Mr. John Tucker, a Methodist preacher, together with his wife, were cruelly murdered.
CHRISTIAN COUNTY.
CHRISTIAN county was formed in the year 1796, and named in honor of Colonel WILLIAM CHRISTIAN. It lies in the south-western part of the State, adjoining the Tennessee line: Bounded on the north by Hopkins and Muhlenburg; east by Todd; south by the State of Tennessee, and west by Trigg. HOPKINSVILLE. the seat of justice, is about two hundred miles from Frankfort.
The auditor reports the valuation of the taxable property of Christian for 1846, at $4,855,552; number of acres of land in the county, 377,147 : average value per acre, $5,08 ; number of white males over twenty-one years of age, 2,149; number of children between five and sixteen years old, 2,548. Population in 1830, 12,694-in 1840, 15.587.
This county is twenty-two miles wide and thirty-two long, containing an area of seven hundred and four miles, and is the eleventh county in the State in point of wealth. The southern division of the county is generally composed of rich, fertile, level bottoms, and produces fine crops of tobacco, corn, wheat, rye, oats, and grass. The northern division is broken, and in some portions almost mountainous, with a soil less fertile, but sutti ciently rich to sustain a large population-finely timbered, we! watered, and abounding in inexhaustible beds of coal and iron ore. The general basis of the soil is a red clay, founded on cav- ernous limestone ; and like most of the southern counties, abounds in sinks, caves and caverns. The situation of the coun- ty is elevated, and the surface of the country has a descending inclination in all directions from the centre, as it contains the head waters of Pond, Trade Water, Little, and the west fork of
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CHRISTIAN COUNTY.
Red rivers : The first emptying into Green river, the second into the Ohio, and the two last into Cumberland river. Mineral and Sulphur springs abound, and many invalide visit them during the watering season. The staple products are corn, wheat, oats and tobacco-not less than 3,500 hogsheads of the latter article being exported annually ; while coal from the mines, in large quanti- ties, finds its way to market.
There are five towns in Christian-Hopkinsville, Belleview, Garrettsburg, Lafayette and Oaktown. HOPKINSVILLE is the county seat ; situated near the centre of the county, on Little river, in a gently undulating, fertile valley, and presents a neat and flour- ishing appearance: Contains a large and commodious court-house, market-house, branch of the Bank of Kentucky, six churches, (Baptist, Presbyterian, Christian, Cumberland Presbyterian, Methodist and Episcopalian), a part beautiful and well finished edifices ; two male and two female academies ; one printing office, (the Hopkinsville Gazette), eighteen dry-goods stores, three drug stores, five groceries, three hotels, with nineteen lawyers, thirteen physicians, and the following mechanics' shops, viz : four blacksmiths, four saddlers, seven tailors, six carpenters, four cabi- net and chair makers, two tinners, two hatters, five shoe and boot makers, four wagon and carriage makers, two silversmiths, three house and sign painters, one gun smith, two tanneries, one barber, one carding factory, and three large tobacco factories. Population 2,000. Immediately in the vicinity of the town is a beautiful botanic garden and nursery, containing six acres. and supplied with choice fruit, shrubbery, plants, etc., together with a fine fish pond, well stocked with fish, the water of which is con- veyed five hundred yards through pipes, and flowing up in the centre, forms a beautiful fountain. This garden is a place of very general resort. Hopkinsville was laid out in 1799, on the lands of Mr. Bartholomew Wood, and called Elizabethtown, by which name it was known for several years. It was incorpo- rated in 1806, by its present name, in honor of General Samuel Hopkins.
Belleview is a small village, ten miles from Hopkinsville, con- taining a Baptist church, post-office, store, grocery and tailor's shop. Garrettsburg is fourteen miles south from Hopkinsville, and contains a Baptist church, a lawyer, a doctor, two stores, one grocery and five mechanics shops. Lafayette is situated in the south-west corner of the county, eighteen miles from Hopkin .- ville, and one mile from the Tennessee state line -- contains one Presbyterian, one Cumberland Presbyterian, one Methodist Episcopal, one Methodist Protestant, and one Reformed or Chris- tian church ; right stores and groceries, three physicians, one tavern, post-office and eleven mechanics' shops. Oakton lies thirteen miles south-east of Hopkinsville, on the Clarksville road, and contains a post-office. two stores, a blacksmith and tailor.
Christian county contains several exceedingly interesting natural curiosities. Ist. Two ot the forks of the Little river sink and disappear entirely in the earth
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WILLIAM CHRISTIAN.
for many miles, when they emerge and flow on about their usual width. 2d. The Pilot Rock, a rare curiosity, is situated about twelve miles from Hopkinsville, rather north of an east direction. The rock rests upon elevated ground, and is about two hundred feet in height. Its summit is level. and covers about half an acre of ground, which affords some small growth and wild shrubbery. This rock attracts great attention, and is visited by large numbers of persons, particu- larly in the summer months. Its elevated summit, which is reached without much difficulty, affords a fine view of the surrounding country for many miles, present- ing a prospect at once picturesque, magnificent and beautiful. 3d. Situated in the northern extremity of this county, near " Harrison's tanyard," about twenty miles from Hopkinsville, is a Natural Bridge, somewhat similar, but on a reduced scale, to the celebrated rock bridge in Virginia, which was considered-by Mr. Jefferson the greatest natural curiosity in the world. The bridge in question crosses a deep ravine, is thirty feet in height, with a span of sixty feet, and a magnificent arch. The surface is perfectly level, and the general width about five feet. The scenery in the vicinity of the bridge is remarkably romantic, and presents great attractions to the lovers of the picturesque in nature.
The first settlement in the county was made in 1785, by John Montgomery and James Davis, from Virginia, on the west fork of Red river, where they built a block house. At or near this block house, was a large cave, which served as a hiding place for themselves and families against the attacks of marauding parties of Indians.
Col. WILLIAM CHRISTIAN, in honor of whom this county received its name, was a native of Augusta county, Virginia. He was educated at Stanton, and when very young, commanded a company attached to Col. Bird's regiment, which was ordered to the frontier during Braddock's war. In this service, he obtained the reputation of a brave, active and efficient officer. Upon the termination of Indian hostilities, he married the sister of Patrick Henry, and settled in the county of Bottetourt. In 1774, having received the appointment of colonel of militia. he raised about three hundred volunteers, and by forced marches, made a distance of two hundred miles, with the view of joining the forces under General Lewis, at the mouth of the Great Kenhawa. He did not arrive, however, in time to par- ticipate in the battle of Point Pleasant, which occurred on the preceding day, the 10th of October, 1774. In 1775, he was a member of the general state convention of Virginia. In the succeeding year, when hostilities had commenced between Great Britain and the American colonies, he received the appointment of colonel in the Virginia line of the regular army, and took command of an expedition, composed of 1200 men, against the Cherokee Indians. No event of moment occurred in this expedition, the Indians having sued for peace, which was coo- cluded with them. After his return from this expedition, Colonel Christian resigned his command in the regular service, and accepted one in the militia, at the head of which he kept down the tory spirit in his quarter of Virginia through- out the revolutionary struggle. Upon the conclusion of the war, he represented his county in the Virginia legislature for several years, sustaining a high reputa- tion for his civil as well as his military talents.
In 1785, Colonel Christian emigrated to Kentucky, and settled on Bear-grass. The death of Colonel Floyd, who was killed by an Indian in 1783, rendered his location peculiarly acceptable to that section of the state, where a man of hix intelligence, energy and knowledge of the Indian character, was much needed. In April of the succeeding year, 1786, a body of Indians crossed the Ohio and stole a number of horses on Bear-grass, and with their usual celerity of inove- ment, recrossed the river, and presuming they were in no further danger of parent. leisurely made their way to their towns. Colonel Christian immediately raised a party of men, and crossed the Ohio in pursuit of the marauders. Having tound their trail, by a rapid movement he overtook them about twenty miles from the river, and gave them battle. A bloody conflict ensued, in which Colonel Chris- tian and one man of his party were killed, and the Indian force totally destroyed .* His death created a strong sensation in Kentucky. He was brave, intelligent and remarkably popular.
*Vide Marshall's History. vol. 1. page 229. This account varies in some of its paruculars imm that which appears in the biographical sketch of Lieutenant Governor Bullitt, who belonged to the party of Colonel Christian. See Bullitt county.
234
CLARK COUNTY.
CLARK COUNTY.
CLARK county was established in 1793, by an act of the legis- lature, and named in honor of General GEORGE ROGERS CLARK. It is situated in the middle section of the State, and lies on the waters of the Kentucky and Licking rivers. It is bounded on the north by Bourbon county, on the east by Montgomery, on the south by the Kentucky river, which separates it from Madison and Estill counties, and on the west by Fayette county. One half of the western half of Clark county is very productive, the soil being as good as any in Kentucky ; a fourth of the county is very much broken, but fertile ; the remaining portion is very poor oak land. The exports consist principally of hemp, cattle, horses, mules, and hogs.
The aggregate value of taxable property in Clark county in 1846 was $5,904,832; number of acres of land in the county, 167,055 ; average value per acre, $20,56 ; number of white males over twenty-one years of age, 1,666; number of children be- tween five and sixteen years old, 1,931. Population in 1830, 13,052-in 1840, 10,302.
The towns are Winchester, Kiddville, Colbysville, Schollville, and Webster. Winchester is the county seat, situated on the Lexington and Mount Sterling road, and forty five miles distant from Frankfort. It contains a Methodist, Presbyterian and Re- formed Baptist church, a public seminary, a female academy, twelve stores, six grocery stores, ten lawyers, six physicians, two hemp factories, and a large number of mechanical shops. It has a population of about 700 souls. The other villages, above named, are small, and contain but few inhabitants.
Clark county was settled at a very early period in the history of Kentucky; It being separated from Boonsborough, the first point settled in the State, only by the Kentucky river, which forms the southern boundary of the county. Strodes Station, a point of considerable importance in the early Indian wars, was situated about two miles from Winchester, the present seat of justice. In the year 1780 it was besieged by a large body of Indians, who attempted to cut off the supply of water from the garrison. But, foiled in this effort, the savages were repuised and forced to retreat. In the pursuit which followed, a white man by the name of Van Swearingen, a man of noted courage, was killed. This was the only loss sustained by the garrison during the siege.
When this county was first settled, some ancient corn-fields were discovered about twelve miles east of Winchester. It was supposed that these fields had been cultivated by the Indians, many years prior to the period of the first entrance of the whites into this territory.
At the present time Clark county is noted for its fine stock, its highly culti- vated fanns and beautiful grass pastures. Captain Isaac Cunningham, a citi- zen of this county, who died in 1812, was the pioneer of the grazing business in Kentucky, from which he amassed a large fortune. He was a man of great In- tegrity of character, an ardent patriot, and held in high esteem by all who knew him. At the battle of the Thames he commanded a company of Kentucky volun- teers, which did good service during the engagement.
The two Howard's creeks in Clark county derived their names from the venera- ble John Howard. a well known citizen of Kentucky, who died some years ago.
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235
JAMES CLARKE.
in Fayette county. He was the father of the late Governor Benjamin Howard, and of the first wife of Robert Wickliffe, Sen'r., Esq. He held a pre-emption of one thousand acres of land at the mouth of each of these creeks.
In this county repose the remains of two governors of Kentucky-Charles Scott and the late James Clarke. Monuments have been erected over the graves of both by the legislature.
Among the noted citizens of Clark, was the late venerable HUBBARD TAYLOR. He emigrated to the county at a very early period, was a senator for a number of years in the Kentucky legislature, and on several occasions was chosen as one of the presidential electors. He was distinguished for his patriotism, his hospital- ity and public spirit. He died in the year 1842, beloved and mourned by all who knew him.
General RICHARD HICKMAN, a lieutenant governor of the St. e, and acting go- vernor during the absence of Governor Shelby in the campaign of 1813, was also a citizen of this county. He was highly esteemed by his c. untrymen for his in- telligence and many virtues.
Colonel WILLIAM SUDDUTH, was one of the earliest settlers in Clark county, and the last surviving member of the convention which framed the present con- stitution of Kentucky. He was a gallant soldier under Wayne in the campaign of 1793. For thirty years he was the county surveyor of Clark. He was a man of intelligence, with the manners of an accomplished gentleman. He died at the residence of one of his sons in Bath county, in the year 1845, having nearly at- tained his eightieth year.
The Hon. CHILTON ALLAN, who for many years served as representative in congress from Kentucky, with a high reputation for ability and efficiency, is a citizen of this county. He is a profound lawyer. a statesman of enlarged and liberal views, a sound politician, a devoted patriot, and a man of remarkably pure and elevated moral character.
Among the most distinguished citizens of Clark county was the Hon. JAMES CLARKE, late governor of the commonwealth. Our materials for a sketch of his life are exceedingly meagre, and we can attempt nothing more than a bare enu- meration of the most prominent incidents in his career. He was the son of Robert and Susan Clarke, and was born in 1779, in Bedford county, Virginia, near the celebrated Peaks of Otter. His father emigrated from Virginia to Ken- tucky at a very early period, and settled in Clark county, near the Kentucky river. The subject of this notice received the principal part of his education under Dr. Blythe, afterwards a professor in Transylvania university. He studied law with his brother, Christian Clarke, a very distinguished lawyer of Virginia. When he had qualified himself to discharge the duties of his profession. he re- turned to Kentucky, and commenced the practice of the law in Winchester, ia 1797.
He remained here, however, but a short time, before he set out in search of a more eligible situation, and traveled through what was then the far west, taking Vincennes and St. Louis in his route; but failing to find a place to suit his views. he returned to Winchester, where, by his unremitting attention to business, and striking displays of professional ability, he soon obtained an extensive and lucra- tive practice.
At this period of his life. he was several times elected a member of the State legislature, in which body he soon attained a high and influential position. In 1810, he was appointed a judge of the court of appeals, and acted in that capacity for about two years. In 1812, he was elected to congress, and served from the 4th of March, 1813, until March, 1816. In 1817 he received an appointuwent as judge of the circuit court. for the judicial district in which he resided, which station he filled with great ability, and to the general satisfaction of the public. till the year 1821. when he resigned. During his terin of service as jodgre, re- curred that great and exciting struggle between the relief and anti-rehet parties. which has left its traces on the political and social condition of Kentucky, in deep and indelible characters, to be seen even at the present day. In War. 1-23, Mr. Clarke rendered an opinion in the Bourbon circuit court, in which he decided
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CLARK COUNTY.
that the relief laws were unconstitutional. This decision produced great excite- ment, and was the cause of his being arraigned and impeached before the legis- lature. But, notwithstanding the temporary dissatisfaction it excited in the breasts of the relief party. there was probably no act of his life which inspired his fellow citizens with greater confidence in his integrity, firinness, independence, and pat- riotism, th in this decision. It was given just before the election, and he must have foreseen the temporary injury it would inflict upon the party with which he acted, and which he regarded as the bulwark of the constitution. But his was a nature which knew not the possibility of making a compromise between his prin- ciples and policy.
In 1>25, he was elected to congress to fill the vacancy occasioned by Mr. Clay's appointment as secretary of state, and continued to represent the Fayette district in that body until 1831. In 1832, he was elected to the senate of Kentucky. and was chosen speaker in the place of Mr. Morehead, who was then acting as governor, in the place of Governor Breathitt, deceased. He was elected gover- ner of Kentucky in August, 1836, and died on the 27th of August, 1839, in ins sixtieth year.
G wernor Clarke was endowed by nature with great strength of mind, and a fine vein of original wit. Ilis literary attainments were respectable, ranking in that respect with most of his cotemporaries of the legal profession at that day. A fine person. a cheerful and social disposition, an easy address, and fascinating manners, made him the life of every circle in which he mingled. He was full of fun, fond of anecdotes, and could tell a story with inimitable grace. To these qualities, so well calculated to display the amiable traits of his character in their most attractive light, he added all those stern and manly virtues which inspire confidence and command respect. His death made a vacancy in the political and social circles of Kentucky, which was very sensibly felt and universally de- plored.
General GEORGE ROGERS CLARK, whose name is deservedly celebrated in the early history of Kentucky, and conspicuously prominent in the conquest and set- tlement of the whole west, was born in the county of Albemarle, in the State of Virginia. on the 19th of November, 1752. Of his early years and education, but little is known. In his youth, he engaged in the business of land surveying, which appears to have presented to the enterprising young men of that day, a most congenial and attractive field for the exercise of their energies. It is worthy of remark. that many of the most opulent and influential families of Kentucky were founded by men engaged in this pursuit. How long Clark continued in this vocation. is unknown. He commanded a company in Dunmore's war, and was engaged in the only active operation of the right wing of the invading army, against the Indians. At the close of this war, he was offered a commission in the English service, but, upon consultation with his friends, he was induced h" the troubled aspect of the relations between the colonies and Great Britain, to decline the appointment.
In the spring of 1775, he came to Kentucky, drawn hither by that love of ad- venture which distinguished him through life. He remained in Kentucky during the spring and summer of this year, familiarizing himself with the character of the people and the resources of the country, until the fall, when he returned to Virginia. During this visit, he was temporarily placed in command of the ien g- ular militia of the settlements ; but whether he held a commission is not known. In the spring of the following year (1776), he again came to Kentucky, with intention of making it his permanent home ; and from this time forth. his nan closely associated with the progress of the western settlements in power and civ- ilization.
His mind had been very early impressed with the immense importance of dos frontier country to the security of the parent State of Virginia. as well as to the whole confederacy ; and his reflections on this subject led him to perceive the importance of a more thorough, organized. and extensive system of public de fence, and a more regular plan of military operations, than the slender resource of the colonies had yet been able to fleet. With the view of accomplishing this design, he had been in Kentucky but a few months, when he suggested of the settlers the propriety of convening a general assembly of the people at Har-
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GEORGE ROGERS CLARK.
redstown (now Harrodsburgh ), to take steps towards forming a more definite and Critain connection with the government and people of Virginia, than as yet : Kivits The immediate necessity for this movement grew out of the memorable and w. il known conflict between Henderson & Co., and the legislature of Virginia, rela- uve to the disputed claim of jurisdiction over a large portion of the new territory. The excitement which arose out of this dispute. and the prevailing uncertainty whether the south side of Kentucky river appertained to Virginia or North Caro- lina, (the latter claiming by virtue of Henderson's purchase of the Cherokees at the treaty of Wataga), added very greatly to the perplexity of the settlers, and rendered it necessary that the disposition of Virginia should be distinctly ascer- tained. The proposed meeting was accordingly held at Harrodstown on the 6th of June. 1776, at which Clark and Gabriel Jones were chosen members of the assembly of Virginia. This, however, was not precisely the thing contemplated by Clark. He wished that the people should appoint agents, with general powers to negotiate with the government of Virginia, and in the event that that commonwealth should refuse to recognize the colonists as within its jurisdiction and under its protection. he proposed to employ the lands of the country as a fund to obtain settlers and establish an independent State. The election had, however, gone too far to change its object when Clark arrived at Harrodstown, and the gentlemen elected. although aware that the choice could give them no seat in the legislature, proceeded to Williamsburg, at that time the seat of gov- emment. After suffering the most severe privations in their journey through the wilderness, the delegates found, on their arrival in Virginia, that the legislature had adjourned, whereupon Jones directed his steps to the settlements on Holston, and left Clark to attend to the Kentucky mission alone.
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