USA > Kentucky > Daviess County > History of Daviess County, Kentucky, together with sketches of its cities, villages, and townships, educational religious, civil military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, biographies of representative citizens, and an outline history of Kentucky > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82
" The next day we were to meet at a designated point on the Indiana shore at eleven o'clock. When abont to embark to cross over, Judge H., one of my seconds ( each had two), asked me how I felt. I replied, 'Strangely indifferent; ' I can hardly realize that I am going to fight a duel.' 'But' said he, 'you must realize it, for there is bnt little time left now.' I then remarked, 'Before we go over, hang up a tape against that tree and let me try my hand.'
Digitized by Microsoft®
90
HISTORY OF DAVIESS COUNTY.
He objected, saying, . If you make a bad shot it will affect your spirits.' 'No, ' I replied, ' it will not; hang it up.' It was done; at ten steps I took a shot and cut the tape about half an inch below the black spot. 'That will do,' said he.
",Considering the probable dreadful result, to kill or be killed, many would say it argued great want of feeling to go about such a business so calmly. But if the reader has ever been engaged in a duel, if he has had time for reflection before it occurred, and his conscience is at rest as to having used every effort to avoid it, he will then see that the thing being inevitable, and his own safety depending on his shooting his adversary, no question arises in his mind which of the two to choose. Persons may say that they would as soon be shot as to shoot an adversary. That was not my case; I very much preferred to shoot my adversary. And it was important to my success in doing so, that the awful responsibility of the act should be shut out from my mind as much as possible. I would not think of it but in one way, that it was necessary to my own safety. I had no feeling of revenge to gratify, and when I went upon the ground I had no more animosity against Thomp- son than against any other man on the ground. When we took our positions and were asked if we were ready, I answerd, 'No.' I wished to see if my nerves were steady and took aim at a lump of snow on a wood-pile. Although there was snow upon the ground, and it was dead of winter,-February,-yet I felt a warm glow and a suppleness of nerve which was extraordinary. If Providence would take part with either party in a matter like this, I should think I had his support, for never was my touch so sensitive, my flesh so pliable, nor my aim so quick and accurate as at this lump of snow. I felt as though I could put my ball just where I pleased; and unfortunately for Thompson there was a grease spot very vis- ible just where I wished to aim.
"Being satisfied with my aim, I turned to the second, who had asked if we were ready, and said, 'Now I am ready.' Thompson was asked if he was ready, and answering ' yes,' the word fire was given. Our fires were ahnost simultaneous, mine a little first. For a moment Thompson stood erect, and, although my aim was good, I began to think I must have missed him. But presently a black scowl came over his countenance, he threw his pistol on the ground before him and said, 'I am a dead man!' Now, all the feelings which had been strained up were relaxed, and my first impulse was to go to his aid. But as I advanced, his second, Mr.
Digitized by Microsoft®
91
HISTORY OF DAVIESS COUNTY.
G. called to me to keep my post; that Mr. Thompson might wish another fire. I returned, but in a few moments his other second, Judge C. called out that Mr. Thompson was satisfied ; he would be unable to take another fire. My ball had entered just under his right nipple, passed through his body, and lodged in his left arm without breaking the skin except where it entered. It was not supposed he could live twenty-four hours. But he did, and finally recovered; and although at first, for some time, we were not friendly, yet ultimately we made up and were good friends. And what was singular, this shot cured him of a chronic rheumatism of ten years' standing, and of his lameness. He said I was a first- rate surgeon, though rather a rough operator. Thompson was a singular man, one of violent passions; sorry for it when the passion was over, and used to tell his friends that he could not control himself, and that he was certain he would some day be killed, -a correct prediction, for he was afterward killed in the streets of Owensboro in 1863, by a man whom he had attacked. He was a man of fine talents and fine qualities, away from his ungovernable pas- sions. The man who killed him was a workman for a carpenter, not particularly sensitive; but the event so preyed upon his conscience that he gradually pined away and died in about a year after with no complaint but remorse. "
This put an end to the distilling business. Both distilleries soon went to wreck, and a large sum of money was entirely sunk. Mr. Triplett felt some consolation in the reflection that, if they had been engaged in the abominable business, they had lost enough to punish them for the sin, and that their account with Heaven was nearly balanced; but at that time it was not considered a discreditable business.
They now made arrangements for a tremendous business in coal, and so brilliant seemed the prospect that the loss by the distilleries seemed but a trifle. They turned into building boats at their steam- mill, turning out one a week, contracted with other mills to build all they could, and various points were all alive building boats for them. They were in high spirits, imagining they were making from $150 to $200 a day. But an event occurred to blast their prospects, as unexpected as would have been an earthquake to sink all their coal mines, namely, a frost, which destroyed the sugar- cane after it had ripened-an event that had not occurred before for twenty years.
When, however, by great efforts the evil caused by this misfort- une seemed to be remedied by finding a market among the tow-
Digitized by Microsoft®
92
HISTORY OF DAVIESS COUNTY.
boats, and they again renewed their shipments, a belief that the heat of the coal caused the boilers to burn out induced the tow- boats to abandon it; and here was a second great disaster which almost prostrated them, and which it was beyond the power of man to foresee. Determined to die with their colors flying, how- ever, and believing that they need not fear another frost, and that the idea of burning out the boilers would be deemed nonsensical by the next season, they made another struggle and shipped a con- siderable quantity. But the planters would not buy, and captains of ships would not employ tow-boats which burned coal because the smoke blackened their sails. They were now effectually done for and dissolved partnership.
After this Mr. Triplett went to his original business and rapidly recovered the ground he had lost, but the proceeds had to go to pay dues on his own and the firm's lands; ultimately he began to emerge, and with most of the property with which he started.
He next went into a Texas speculation with an apparent profit of over $90,000, which induced him to make a purchase amount- ing to 20,000 acres; and the Government of Texas, failing to carry out its contraet, again involved him in embarrassments from which it took a long time to recover. After a long struggle, however, his prospects began to brighten. Indeed, they seemed so flattering that he ventured to purchase a tract of land alongside of Bonharbor, which he wanted in order to command the whole coal field there. For this he gave $20,000, and cramped himself to make the first payment, confident that he would soon be in ample resources and easy again. But in this he was mistaken. Fortune was not yet tired of her pranks with him. Every thing went wrong with him. IIe became reckless, and his creditors concluded he was going to ruin. They sued him from all quarters, sold his property, until nearly every lot in Owensboro was gone, and he had owned more than half of the vacant property in the town. According to the laws of Kentucky, if land sold under execution does not bring two thirds its value, it may be redeemed in twelve months by paying ten per cent. per annum interest on the amount of sale. Mr. Trip- lett managed to redeem the lots which had been sold. At a sub- sequent period he sold Haphazard for $13,000, 1,000 acres of the best land in the county, on the Ohio River, one and a half miles from Owensboro, the mere buildings on which were worth more than half the money.
In 1842 the tariff was raised, and an energetic impulse was given to the manufacturing business. Mr. Triplett owned the Bonharbor
Digitized by Microsoft®
93
HISTORY OF DAVIESS COUNTY.
coal mines and 2,000 acres of land, beginning about two miles below Owensboro, possessing great advantages for manufacturing. He built a small woolen factory for jeans and linseys, and after- ward purchased cotton machinery to manufacture their warps. He attracted the custom of steamboats for his coal and with good suc- cess. He owned a vast amount of property in various portions of the State, some of which he sold to advantage, and ultimately reached a point of independence.
Robert Triplett died in Philadelphia, in 1853, with cancer in the face. He had nine children. His oldest daughter, Ann, married J. Andrew White, of Petersburg, Va., and soon afterward died. Emily married Honorable George H. Yeaman, now of New York City. Virginia died a few years ago, unmarried. The oldest son, Robert, Jr., died at the age of about twenty-one, in January, 1852, of erysipelas.
Digitized by Microsoft®
CHAPTER IV.
ORGANIC, LEGAL AND POLITICAL.
Under the above caption we classify such historical matters as relate to the organization of the county, the officers and representa- tives of the county, political notes, election returns, the courts, and the bar. In the next chapter we give biographical sketches of the more prominent public men of the county, both of the past and of the present. As the public records are not complete in all departments, and the memory of the "oldest inhabitant" not quite able to give names and dates for every period back to the year one, there are a few blanks in some of the lists which we are not able to supply.
ORIGIN OF THE COUNTY AND OF ITS NAME.
Previous to 1780, Kentucky was a county of Virginia. In May this year it was divided into three counties-Jefferson, Fayette, and Lincoln; in 1784 Nelson County was formed out of Jefferson; in 1792, after Kentucky became a State, Hardin was formed from. Nelson County; in 1798 Ohio was formed from Hardin; in 1815 Daviess was formed out of Ohio; and in 1854 McLean County was formed from portions of Daviess, Muhlenburg and Ohio. Pre- vious to the latter date Daviess County extended south to Green River. At one time a small strip, containing about 150 settlers, was transferred from Ohio County to Daviess: in 1829 a piece was taken from Daviess in the formation of Hancock County; and about 1857 the western line of this county was moved about four miles down the river.
The following act, creating the county of Daviess, was approved January 14, 1815:
CHAPTER CXC .- An Act for the erection of a new county out of the county of Ohio.
Skc. 1. Be il enacted by the General Assembly of the Common- wealth of Kentucky, That from and after the first day of June next, all that part of the county of Ohio ineluded within the fol- lowing bounds, to wit: Beginning at the mouth of Blackford's
(94)
Digitized by Microsoft®
95
HISTORY OF DAVIESS COUNTY.
Creek, thence up the same to the mouth of the Horse Fork, thence up the same, so as to include Joseph Wright, thence to the upper end of the Crane Pond, on Panther Creek, thence a straight line to the head of Buck Creek, so as to include Baxter Davis, crossing the Hammond Ferry road, at the forks of the said road and the Yellow Bank road, and down the same to Green River, thence down Green River to the Henderson County line, thence with said line to the Ohio River, thence up the same to the beginning- shall be one distinct county, and called and known by the name of " Daviess." A court for the said county shall be held by the jus- tices thereof on the second Monday in every month in which the Circuit Courts are not hereafter directed to be held.
SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That the justices named in the commissions of the peace for said county of Daviess shall meet at the house of John Leaman, in said county of Daviess, on the first court day after the said division shall take place, and having taken the oaths prescribed by law, and a sheriff being legally qualified to act, the justices of the County Court shall proceed to appoint and qualify a clerk.
SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That Benjamin Fields, Jolın Daveiss, David Glenn, Sr., John McFarland, Edward Hay- den and John Leaman, of said county of Daviess, be, and they are hereby, appointed commissioners to fix a place for the permanent seat of justice in the said county of Daviess, who shall meet at the time and place appointed for the first meeting of said justices, or as soon thereafter as the said commissioners can; and each having taken an oath before some justice of the peace to discharge the duties of a commissioner, in fixing on a seat of justice for the county of Daviess, without favor, affection, partiality or prejudice, according to the best of his skill and ability, they, or a majority of them, shall proceed to fix on a place for the permanent seat of justice for said county, having due regard to public convenience, of water and sitnation, as it respects the capacity of the land in said county for sustaining present and future population. And, having ascertained the place aforesaid, they shall certify under their hands the same to the County Court.
And they, tlie said commissioners, for their services, shall be allowed each $2.00 per day for every day they shall necessa- rily be employed in performing their said duties, to be levied and paid out of the first county levy; and thenceforth the said County Court shall cause to be erected at such place the necessary public
Digitized by Microsoft®
96
HISTORY OF DAVIESS COUNTY.
buildings; and, until such buildings are erected, shall hold their several conrts in the most convenient house to said place. Each court shall appoint its own clerk, a majority concurring therein; but a majority of those present on any court day may appoint a clerk pro tempore.
SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, That the Circuit Court for the county of Daviess shall be held annually on the second Monday in the months of April, July and October.
SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the sheriff of the county of Ohio to collect and make distress for any public dues, and officers' fees, which shall remain unpaid by the inhabitants of the said county of Daviess at the time such division shall take place, and shall account for the same in the same manner as if this act had not been passed. And the courts of the county of Ohio shall have jurisdiction of all actions and suits, either in law or cquity, which shall be depending before them at the time of such division; and shall determine the same, issue process and award execution thereon.
SEO. 6. Be it further enacted, That the citizens of the said county of Daviess shall vote for members to serve in the General Assem- bly, as joined withi and making a part of the county of Ohio, in the same manner as heretofore, until the next apportionment of the ratio of representation by the Legislature of this Common- wealth, except that the sheriff of said county shall meet the sher- iff of the county of Ohio on the first Friday after the election shall have closed at the court-house in Ohio County, and shall compare the polls and declare the election accordingly.
SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the circuit judge belonging to the said district to attend and pro- ceed in the Circuit Courts of the said county.
The above act was approved just three days after the battle of New Orleans. Had the act not been passed until after the news of Jackson's victory there had been received, this county might have been named after that hero.
During the following month the Legislature passed a supple- mental act, making it the duty of the surveyor of Ohio County, by himself or his deputy, to run out and plainly mark the line between the counties of Daviess and Ohio, and report the same to the court of each county; and also making it the duty of the commissioners to return lists of taxable property to the clerk of Daviess County, etc.
Digitized by Microsoft®
97
HISTORY OF DAVIESS COUNTY.
This county was named after the eminent lawyer and military hero, Joseph Hamilton Daveiss, a sketch of whom appears on a subsequent page; but, by a mistake in enrolling the bill creating the county, during its passage through the Legislature, the name was spelled " Daviess;" and consequently the name of this county has since been spelled differently from that of the great Daveiss and of his descendants and relatives. Other names in this State have similarly suffered; as, Green, after General Greene; Muhlenburg, from Rev. and General Muhlenberg; Calloway, from Colonel Callaway; Menifee from Hon. Richard H. Menefee, etc.
This patriot has been remembered in other States; as, Jo Da- veiss County, Ill .; Daviess County, or town, in several other States, etc.
SURVEYS.
The original survey of the lands in this part of Kentucky, as in all the rest of the States, and even in all the older States, was done prior to the modern Government system of square-mile sections coincident with the cardinal points of the compass. Each tract of land was described with reference to adjoining tracts, and gen- erally had irregular boundary lines, which, of course, still exist. Several surveys were made, commencing at points or centers re- mote from and independent of each other.
Previous to 1792, when " Ken-tuck-e " was under the ægis of Virginia, that mother of States from time to time granted lands, sometimes large tracts, to her ex-soldiers, especially officers, of the Revolutionary war. These were called "military lands." Besides, she would also give " certificates," or "land warrants," to any other party, for a stipulated fee. Each possessor of a warrant was allowed to "locate " his land where he pleased; and although required to be very precise in the recorded descriptions of their tracts, they were often too illiterate to fulfill the requirements of the law. Each owner was required to bear the expenses of the survey, and different surveyors were employed, some of them careless, who would work outward from the respective localities until they came into conflict. Hence, as immigration poured in, conflicts of claims became numerous and vexatious. Sometimes good farms were made, and finally lost by subsequent surveys, even after as many as twenty years occupancy. In one instance, in this county, as many as four surveys covered the same piece of ground! One surveyor in this part of the State commenced on Green River, 7
Digitized by Microsoft®
98
HISTORY OF DAVIESS COUNTY.
another on the Ohio, another on Rough Creek, etc. The " Dela- port survey " below Owensboro was made by a Frenchman of that name, who, before completing his work, went to Philadelphia, fell in love with an actress, and forever after abandoned the survey. On one occasion a surveyor was running a line along where the present jail is located, not knowing that he was within five miles of the Ohio River.
Generally, however, in order to lighten the expenses and dimin- ish the annoyances of a survey, a number of warrants would be thrown together, and parties would often settle by dividing the dit- ference. The lots which were first laid off in Rossboro (now Owensboro), lay one fourth over upon Madison's survey, and the parties settled by taking alternate lots on each side of the line.
Daviess County at present contains about 420 square miles of territory. In 1837 about five voting places were establislied in the county. Under the Constitution of 1850, requiring precise bound- ary lines of precincts, seven were described by the County Court in this county; in 1867 nine were laid out, and since then, two more. These are all described in their respective histories toward the lat- ter part of the volume.
POLITICAL NOTES.
The election returns, so far as they are now to be found on file in the office of the county clerk, are given on subsequent pages- complete returns for the county in this chapter and fragmentary returns in the respective precinct histories.
During the days of Whiggism, Daviess County, in its aggregate vote, went sometimes one way and sometimes the other. It elected the Whig ticket 1816-'44, 1847-'8, 1850-'5; the American, or Know-Nothing, in 1856-'7; Union, 1861-'5; and Democratic all other years from 1845 to the present time.
The first account we have of a local club being organized for the election of a Presidential candidate is that of the "Daviess County Clay Club," which was formed Feb. 22, 1844. Dr. Murray was elected President of the club, and addresses were delivered at the first meeting by Messrs. Weir, Johnson, Triplett and Mc- Farland. An oyster feast was given afterward by Mr. Heath.
The election of Aug. 2, 1847, was very exciting. The Whig candidates for Congress were numerous, namely: F. Peyton, J. II. McHenry, P. Gray, W. Green, and R. L. Waddell. Their claims were submitted to a convention, and R. L. Waddell, of
Digitized by Microsoft®
99
HISTORY OF DAVIESS COUNTY.
Christian County, was selected. His Democrat opponent was Sanmel Peyton, of Hartford, Ohio County, who was an advocate of the Mexican war and a defender of President Polk, while he former was opposed. The candidates for the Legislature were William R. Griffith and Finley W. Wall, both Whigs. The former had been a resident of this county more than thirty years, having come here, as he said, "when this region was a howling wilder- ness, and had seen it transformed to a smiling garden." Mr. Wall was only twenty-six years of age, but had many good qualities to commend him as a legislator. A greater number of votes were polled in this county than ever before-830 in Owensboro alone, and 1,700 in the county. Griffitli, who also was opposed to the proposed Constitutional Convention, fell behind Wall (in favor of the Constitutional Convention) by eight votes in the county. Waddell received 770. to 916 for Peyton.
From Bon Harbor about forty voters for Wall came up in a very large cart, with wheels about twelve feet high, and drawn by nine yoke of oxen, and with banners streaming for Wall and Con- vention. Friends of both parties strained every nerve, and the old and the sick were all conveyed to the polls.
The railroad tax, referred to under date of 1852 in the following table, was voted down in the county. It was for a road on the line of the present O. & N. road. In 1866-'7 the proposition carried.
The year 1856 was the period of the Know-Nothing victory in this county.
An election of Representatives for the extra session of Congress was held on the 20th of June, 1861, in this district, then the Second. Captain James Jackson was the Union candidate, and John T. Bunch "Southern Rights." Jackson carried every county but Daviess, which gave Bunch 194 majority. About 1,700 votes were cast. The district gave Jackson 6,220 majority. At this election Kentucky gave 40,000 or 50,000 majority for the Union.
In the election of Aug. 3, 1863, the ticket headed by C. A. Wickliffe was stricken from the poll-books as being disloyal, un- der an order from General Boyle, of the United States Army. The majority of George H. Yeaman, Union, over J. H. McHenry, Southern Rights, was 298; in the district, over 5,000. The State Union ticket this year consisted of Bell (declined and T. E. Bram- lette substituted), Jacob, Harlan, Garrard, Page, Dawson, Steven- son, and John S. McFarland. It was elected.
Digitized by Microsoft®
100
HISTORY OF DAVIESS COUNTY.
The election of Aug. 1, 1864, was not influenced by any mili- tary interference. J. G. Harrison was the Union Whig candidate for Sheriff, and A. J. McAtee the Union Democrat, whom the Southern Rights party supported, so far as they voted at all. But the election of August, 1865, was claimed by the Southern Rights men to be under military control and a farce. Mr. Pettit, editor of the Monitor, among many others, was refused the privilege of voting, and he commented severely upon the administration, claiming that several loyal Democrats were debarred at the polls. In Owensboro a Federal soldier was stationed on each side of the door at the voting places.
At the election of Aug. 6, 1866, the "Southern Rights" party was successful, as also at succeeding elections generally. Negroes were admitted to the franchise in 1867, and although their first vote, April 6, of that year, in Owensboro, was all given, except two, for the Republican ticket, the Democratic success was greater than before for several years.
The election of April 15, 1867, was held for the purpose of de- termining whether the county should subscribe $10,000 shares, sufficient to constitute a capital stock of $250,000, in aid of the Owensboro & Russellville Railroad Company. The vote stood 1,231 for, and 1,039 against it.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.