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 71
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MOUNT-STERLING, the county seat, is situated on Hinkston creek, near its head, about five miles east of the Clark county line, and seven miles west of the Bath county line,-being sixty miles from Frankfort. It has improved rapidly for a few years past, and now contains 1.000 inhabitants. The public buildings are, a very large, commodious, and well arranged brick court house, clerks' offices, three churches, (Presbyterian, Methodist, and Reformed), a male academy -- a large, fine, new brick building, built under a
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JOHN A. CRAWFORD.
charter from the legislature. and in which is kept the Highland Institute, one of the most flourishing literary institutions in the State, having four teachers. and from one hundred to one hun- dred and eighty pupils each session. There are sixteen lawyers and seven physicians in the town, sixteen dry goods stores, one hardware store. one drug store, three groceries. one book store. printing office, two taverns, one shoe store, and a large number of mechanics' shops. Jeffersonville is a small village, eight miles east of Mount-Sterling, on the State road to Prestonsburg, with one tavern, a store, and a blacksmith shop.
Number of acres of land in Montgomery, 176.276; average value of land per acre, $13.14: number of white males over twenty-one years of age, 1,360 ; number of children between five and sixteen years old. 1,778. Total valuation of taxable prop- erty in 1840. 84.039,948. Population in 1840, 9,332.
No county in Kentucky has suffered more from land litigation than Montgomery. The laws of Virginia for the appropriation of lands, were the greatest curse that ever befell Kentucky. Some- times as many as five or six patents covered the same piece of land : and the occupant, besides the title under which he entered, frequently had to buy two or three times more, or lose his home and his labor. The difficulties in the land titles belong to the State at large, and need not be specially pointed out here.
The MOUND which gave name to Mount-Sterling, was cut down during the year 1846. Many curious things were found, inter- spersed with human bones-among which were, a copper and two white queensware breastplates, about the size of a man's hand ; a great number of large beads, some of copper and oth- ers of ivory ; bracelets of copper. &c. Thirty years ago, there were trees on this mound as large as those in the neighboring forest.
About five miles west of Mount-Sterling, on the farm belonging to the heirs of Mr. Jacob Jolinson, is another mound, near to what was once an entrenchment. The latter was square, and when cleared, the timber which was growing in the trenches and on the banks was of the largest and richest growth,-just such as that which surrounded it in the forest. On the eastern side of the square, was, evidently, a gate, some twenty feet wide, which was on the brow of the hill ; thence down to a spring, some thirty yards off, for the width of the gate, there were no trees of any kind, when the country was first settled by the whites.
Montgomery county was not settled as early as those west of it. The first corn raised in it, was by Capt. JOHN A. CRAWFORD, in the year 1790. He was employed, in that year, to clear the land and cultivate a few acres of corn. for which he was to receive one hundred acres of choice land. In conjunction with a negro man, he cleared foar acres and cultivated the same, for which he received his hundred acres, and which lies adjoining Mount Sterling, and upon which he has resided ever since. and raised a large and respectable family. He is now a vigorous, sprightly old man. about eighty-two years old. He was under tien. Wayne in the north-west. and, also, commanded a volunteer company during the last war with Great Britain.
470
MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
In 1782 Montgomery county was the scene of a rencontre between the whites and the Indians, which was marked by a display of cool intrepidity, on both sides, worthy of veteran troops. This event is known in history as Estill's de- feat, and is perhaps more honorable to the Indian character than any other battle fought during those times.
In the month of May, a party of about twenty-five Wyandots invested Estill's station, on the south of the Kentucky river. They killed a white man, took a negro prisoner, and after destroying the cattle, retreated. Soon after the Indians had disappeared, Captain Estill raised a company of twenty-five men, and with these pursued the enemy with the design of inflicting summary vengeance for these outrages. He came up with them at the Hinkston fork of Licking river. They had just crossed the creek, which is here very narrow, and were leisurely ascending a hill of moderate elevation which arose on the opposite side. Estill's men immediately opened a fire on the retreating Indians, who at first manifested a disposition to run, but their chief, being severely wounded, ordered them in a loud voice to stand and fight. Upon this the Indians promptly prepared for bat- tle, each man taking a tree, in which position they returned the fire of the whites.
Estill and his men had also, in the mean time, formed a line of battle, and protecting themselves as well as they could by the trees and bushes in the vicin- ity, kept up a rapid discharge of rifles. The opposing foemen were formed on opposite sides of the creek, and maintained the fight for some time with great de- liberation and coolness.
The numbers were equal on each side, and the battle was more like a single combat, than an engagement between organized forces. Each rifleman singled out his man, and tired only when he saw his mark. The firing was deliberate, although life itself was often the forfeit. And thus both sides firmly stood, or bravely fell, for more than one hour. Upwards of one-fourth of the combatants on both sides had fallen. Never was the native bravery of men put to a more severe test. In the clangour and uproar of a general battle. death is forgotten. and even cowards die like brave men ; but in the cool and lingering expectation of death, none but the man of true courage can stand : and snch was the situation of these combatants. Captain Estill clearly perceived that no advantage had been gained over the Indians up to this period of the contest, and that while the action was continued in the manner in which it had been commenced, no decided change could be produced in the relative fortunes of the fight. Victory itself, could it have been purchased with the loss of his last man. would be bat a mournful triumph ; but even of victory, without some successful manœuvre, he could not assure himself. His situation was critical ; the promptest action was required. He cast his eyes over the field, and saw that the creek before him op- posed a charge in front ; but on the other hand he observed a valley running from the creek towards the rear of the enemy's line, and prompted by the urgency of his situation, he determined to detach six of his men by this valley, to gain the dank or rear of the enemy ; while himself, with the residue, maintained their po- sition in front.
The detachment accordingly moved off under the command of Lieutenant Miller; but either mistaking his way, or not comprehending the orders of his superior, this officer did not proceed with the requisite dispatch, and the movement was not executed in time. The Indian leader, in the meantime, discovering from the slackening of the fire in front, that the line had been weakening, made a rapol charge across the creek with his whole force, drove the whites from their useris. and compelled them to retreat with great slaughter. In the charge, Captain H -- till and eight of his men were killed. Four others were badly wounded, who made their escape. In this affair the Indians lost more than half of their num- ber ; the loss of the whites was much greater. The action lasted two hours, and there was nothing wanting in its circumstances, but numbers and the pomp and tactics of modern war, to make it memorable.
The last incursion by the Indians on the interior of the State, was made on Easter Monday, being the 1st day of April. 1793, on which occasion they took Morgan's station, on Slate creek. about seven miles east of Mount-Sterling, and carried away nineteen prisoners, all of whom were women and children. The men, not anticipating danger, were engaged in the neighborhood preparing to
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MORGAN COUNTY.
raise their crops. One old man and one woman were killed near the station, and pursuit having been made by the whites, the savages killed several of the prison- ers, and the remainder were taken to the north-west and sold. After the treaty of Greenville, in 1795, they were all restored to their families and friends.
General RICHARD MONTGOMERY, in memory of whom this county received its mame, was a major general in the American revolutionary aniny, and a native of Ireland-boin in 1737. He embraced the profession of arms at an early period, and was with Wolfe at the capture of Quebec, in 1759. On his return to England, he resigned his commission and removed to America, purchased an estate in New York, and married a daughter of Judge Livingston. On the commencement of the revolutionary struggle, his feelings in favor of the colonies being well known, he was entrusted with the command of the continental forces in the northern de- partment, in conjunction with General Schuyler. The indisposition of the latter devolved the chief command upon Montgomery, who, after various successes, (the reduction of fort Chamblee, the capture of St. John's, and of Montreal), proceeded to the siege of Quebec. Having formed a junction with Colonel Ar- nold, a combined attack was made on the place on the Ist of December, 1775; but for the want of artillery of sufficient calibre, although the attack was well planned, the assailants were defeated. General Montgomery and his two aids were killed by the only gun fired froro the battery of the enemy. He was buried in Quebec. without the honors due his rank, but his remains, by order of Con- gress, were removed to New York in 1816, and placed in front of St. Paul's church, where a monument was erected to his memory. He had received an ex- cellent education, and was gifted with fine abilities. His military talents espe- cially were of a high order, and the sorrow for his loss was heightened by the esteem which his amiable character had gained him. At the period of his death he was only thirty-eight years of age.
MORGAN COUNTY.
MORGAN county was formed in 1822, and named for General DANIEL MORGAN. It is situated in the eastern part of the State- Licking river flowing in a north-western direction through the centre : Bounded on the north by Carter ; east by Lawrence and Johnson ; south by Breathitt and Owsley ; west by Montgomery and Bath, and north-west by Fleming. The face of the country is hilly, interspersed with fertile valleys. The soil is based on free stone, with red clay foundation. Iron ore, coal, alum and copperas, with mineral and oil springs, abound in the county. Principal productions are, Indian corn, oats, potatoes and i'ti -- the exports, pork, beef and horses. Besides Licking river, watch flows through this county, the head waters of Little Sandy And Red river have their rise here-the former flowing into the thao river in Greenup county, and the latter into the Kentucky river in Clark county.
Number of acres of land in Morgan,* 515,962 ; average value of lands per acre, 96 cents ; valuation of taxable property in 1946, 8602,494 ; number of white males over twenty-one years of age, 1,068 ; number of children between five and sixteen years old, 1,547 : Population in 1840, 4,603.
* The territory of this county is full six times as large as that of some other counties of the State.
472
MUHLENBURG COUNTY.
The towns of the county are-West Liberty and Hazle-Green. WEST-LIBERTY, the seat of justice, is one hundred and seven miles from Frankfort-contains a court-house, a Methodist church, a Christian church, two lawyers, one physician, two taverns, three stores, and eight mechanics' shops : Population 100-established in 1825. Hade-Green is a pleasant little village, with a popula- tion of about 40 souls.
General DANIEL MORGAN, from whom this county received its name, was a dis- tinguished officer of the war of the revolution, and was born in New Jersey in 1736. His first employment was that of a wagoner. In this capacity he was with the army at Braddock's defeat. On the return of the army he received a commission as ensign in the English service. From this period until 1774 noth- ing distinet is known of the history of General Morgan. In this year he com- manded a company in Dunmore's expedition against the Indians, He comman- ded a detachment consisting of three rifle companies under Arnold at Quebec, and led the forlorn hope in the assault. Here he was taken prisoner. On his exchange he received the appointment of colonel in the continental army. He was at the head of lis riflemen in the decisive and victorious battle of Saratoga. For his gallantry in this action, the legislature of Virginia passed a resolution present- ing him with a horse, pistols, and a sword.
MUHLENBURG COUNTY.
MUHLENBURG county was formed in 1798, and named in honor of Gen. PETER MICHLENBURG, of the revolutionary army. It is sit- uated in the south-western middle part of the State, and lies on the waters of Greene river : Bounded on the north and north-east by Greene river, which separates it from Daviess and Ohio ; east by Butler ; south by Todd and Logan ; and west by Hopkins. In the southern portion of the county the surface is broken, and the lands comparatively poor : while the middle and northern divi- sions are undulating, and the soil productive. Corn, pork. and tobacco. are the staples. The county abounds in coal and iron ore. The " Henry Clay Iron Works," four miles from Greeneville is supplied with ore of a superior quality from the contiguous high grounds, which, as the quantity is inexhaustible, has obtain- ed the name of the " Iron Mountain." There are several mineral springs in Mulilenburg ; and salt, in small quantities, was at one time manufactured in the county.
Number of acres of land in Muhlenburg. 274,809 ; average value of lands per acre, $1.93 ; valuation of taxable property in 1846, $1.298,019 ; number of white males over twenty-one years old, 1,366 ; number of children between five and sixteen years old, 1,741; population in 1840, 6,961.
There are five towns in the county, viz : Greeneville, Lewisburg. Rumsey, South Carrollton, and Skilesville. GREENEVILLE, the seat of justice, is one hundred and twenty miles from Frankfort. It contains, besides the usual public buildings, one Presbyterian and one Methodist church, six lawyers, three physicians, one semi-
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NELSON COUNTY.
mary, six stores, one grocery, two taverns, one wool carding fac- tory, two tobacco factories, and eight mechanics' shops. Popu- lation, 400. Established in 1812, and named after the distin- quished revolutionary general, Greene. Lacisburg is a small vil- lage, situated on Greene river, nine miles from Greeneville, con- taining two stores, one warehouse, and about 50 souls. Rionsey lies on Greene river, at lock and dam No. 2, about twenty-five miles north of Greeneville-contains one Union church, one law- yer, two physicians, two taverns, five stores, two groceries, one school, two saw-mills, two grist-mills, one carding factory, and six mechanics' shops. Population, 300. Named after James Rum- sey, for whom the honor is claimed of having built the first steam- boat in the United States. South Carrollton, situated on Greene river, two miles below Lewisburg-has two stores, three ware- houses, one Cumberland Presbyterian church, one physician, one tavern, and four mechanics' shops. Population, 75. Skilesville is situated on Greene river, at lock and dam No. 3, fourteen miles east of Greeneville, and contains one physician, two stores, and about 15 souls. Named after James R. Skiles, who introduced the first steamboat upon Greene river, and who spent a fortune in promoting the navigation of the river.
Gen. PETER MUHLENBURG was a native of Pennsylvania. and by profession a clergyman of the Lutheran church. At the breaking out of the revolution, he was a young man of about thirty years of age, and pastor of a Lutheran church at Woodstock. In 1776, he received the commission of colonel, and was re- quested to raise his regiment among the Germans of the valley. Having in his pulpit inculcated the principles of liberty. he found no difficulty in enlisting a re- giment. He entered the pulpit with his sword and cockade, preached his fare- well sermon, and the next day marched at the head of his regiment to join the army. His regiment was the eighth Virginia, or, as it was commonly called. the German regiment. This corps behaved with honor throughout the war. They were at Brandy wine, Monmouth, and Germantown, and in the southern campaigns. In 1777, Mr. Muhlenburg was promoted to the rank of brigadier general. After the war, he returned to Pennsylvania -- was for many years treasurer of that State, and served three terms in Congress, after the adoption of the constitution. In person, Gen. Muhlenburg was tall and well-proportioned, and. in his address, re- markably courteous. He was a fine disciplinarian, an excellent officer, and es- teemed and beloved by both officers and soldiers.
NELSON COUNTY.
NELSON county was formed in 1781, and named for Gover- nor THOMAS NELSON, of Virginia. It is situated in the middle part of the state, and lies on the waters of Salt river : Bounded on the north by Spencer ; east by Washington and Marion : south by Larue ; west by Hardin ; and north-west by Bullitt. The sur- free of the county is undulating The soil in the northern por- tion is of an excellent quality, and well adapted to the growth of hemp ; while that of the southern portion is rather thin, though there are detached parcels of good land, particularly in the bot-
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NELSON COUNTY.
toms of the Beech and Rolling forks, and Pottinger creeks. This county grows almost every variety of grain and grasses. The exports are, principally, hemp, flour, hay, corn, apples, hogs, cat- tle, horses, mules, and whisky.
Number of acres of land in Nelson, 252,597 ; average value of lands per acre, $9.00 ; total valuation of taxable property in 1846, $4,967,176 ; number of white males over twenty-one years of age, 1,987; number of children between five and sixteen years old, 1,754. Population in 1840, 13,637.
CATHOLIC COLLEGE, BARDSTOWN, KY.
The towns of Nelson are, Bardstown, Bloomfield, Fairfield, Chaplin and New-Haven. BARDSTOWN, the principal town and county seat, is situated on an elevated plain, three-fourths of : mile north of the Beech fork of Salt river, about fifty miles from Frankfort. and forty miles south-west from Louisville. It contains a fine brick court-house, four churches. (Baptist, Metho- dist, Presbyterian and Roman Catholic.) fourteen lawyers, nur physicians, ten dry goods stores, one drug store, several grocery stores, one bagging factory, one wool factory, one steam coffon factory. and twenty-five mechanics' shops. Population about 2,000. St. Joseph's College, located in this town, was founded in
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FEMALE COURAGE.
1×19, and is under the control of the Roman Catholic denomina- tion. Rev. Edward McMahon is president, assisted by four pro- fessors. Numbers about one hundred and fifty students, with five thousand volumes in the library. Commencement in August. The college editice is a very commodious and imposing structure. There is a Roman Catholic Female Institution two and a half miles north-west of Bardstown-and Presbyterian and Metho- dist Female Academies in Bardstown-all extensively patronised and in a flourishing condition. Bardstown is one of the hand- somest towns of the west, and contains an enterprising, intelli- gent and remarkably moral population.
There is a natural tunnel under Bardstown, of circular form and several feet in diameter, commencing at the eastern and ter- minating at the western declivity of the eminence on which the town is built. We have not learned to what extent this subter- ranean passage has been penetrated.
Bloomfield is a handsome town, containing one Baptist church, two physicians, five stores, two taverns, and sixteen mechanics' shops, with a population of 400. New Haven has a Roman Cath- olic church, one Methodist Episcopal church, one tavern, four phy- sicians, four stores, and ten mechanics' shops : Population 300. Fairfield contains one Catholic church, three physicians, one tar- ern, four stores and six mechanics' shops-with a population of 150. Chaplin has three physicians, three stores, one tavern, and seven mechanics shops- population 150.
FEMALE COURAGE .- The following record of the indomitable courage and ama- zing physical strength of one of the pioneer females of Kentucky. we copy from the interesting work of Mr. McClung, the Sketches of Western Adventure :
" During the summer of 1787, the house of Mr. John Merril, of Nelson county. Ky., was attacked by the Indians, and defended with singular address and good fortune. Merril was alarmed by the barking of a dog about midnight. and upon opening the door in order to ascertain the cause of the disturbance, he received the fire of six or seven Indians, by which his arm and thigh were both broken. He instantly sunk upon the floor and called upon his wife to close the door. This had scarcely been done when it was violently assailed by the tomahawks of the enemy, and a large breach soon effected. Mrs. Merril, however, being a perfect Amazon, both in strength and courage, guarded it with an axe, and successively killed or badly wounded four of the enemy as they attempted to force their way into the cabin.
"The Indians then ascended the roof, and attempted to enter by way of the chimney ; but here again they were met by the same determined enemy. Mrs. Merril seized the only feather bed which the cabin afforded, and hastily ripping it open, poured its contents upon the fire. A furious blaze and suitling smoke instantly ascended the chimney, and brought down two of the enenn. wir. l. y for a few moments at the mercy of the lady. Seizing the axe, she quickly dispatched them, and was instantly afterwards summoned to the door, where the only remaining savage now appeared, endeavoring to effect an entrance, while Mrs. Merril was engaged at the chimney. He soon received a gash in the check, which compelled him, with a loud yell, to relinquish his purpose, and return haas- tily to Chillicothe, where, from the report of a prisoner, he gave an exaggerated account of the fierceness, strength, and courage of the " long knife squaw !"
In August, 1792, information was communicated to Major Brown. of Nelson eminty, that a party of Indians were committing depredations on the Rolling fork of Salt river. He immediately raised a company of volunteers, and commenced
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NELSON COUNTY.
a vigilant search for the marauders. Falling on their trail, he pursued and over- took them, when a brisk skirmish ensued between his men and the rear of the Indian force, consisting of twelve warriors. In this spirited conflict, four of the Indians were left dead upon the field, and the remainder were dispersed. The loss of the whites was one man killed, and two wounded.
The Hon. CHARLES A. WICKLIFFE, who has filled a considerable space in the political history of his State and country, is a native of Kentucky. His father, C. Wickliffe, removed from Virginia to Kentucky in 1784, when the few and feeble settlements in the western forests were still exposed to the horrors of sav- age warfare. His mother was a sister of Col. John Hardin, so celebrated in the traditions of the west, for his heroism and tragical fate. The subject of our sketch is the youngest of nine children. His father, with small means and ? large family, was unable, partly from the condition of the country at that early period, to bestow an education upon any of his sons. beyond the rudiments of the English language. The whole family, however, were brought up in habits of industry and economy.
The oldest brother, Robert Wickliffe, after he had attained the age of twenty- one, commenced the study of the law under the celebrated George Nicholas. and. by his vigorous talents, and industry. has raised himself to well known eminence at the bar and in the councils of his country. The other two brothers, one of whom is dead, engaged in mercantile pursuits, and attained great respectability and high standing in the society in which they moved. Charles A. Wickliffe re- mained at home until his seventeenth year, when, manifesting a desire to obtain an education, he was sent to a grammar school in Bardstown, under the care of the Rev. Dr. Wilson. where he remained about one year. He afterwards enjoyed the benefit of Dr. Blythe's instructions, at Lexington, for about nine months.
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