USA > Kentucky > Henderson County > History of Henderson County, Kentucky > Part 12
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WHIP SAWING.
From this the reader would judge that such a thing as a sawmill had been established in the county, but that is a mistake ; there were no sawmills. Planks were ripped from hewn logs by a system denom- inated " whip sawing," an upright saw, working perpendicularly, with one man above the other, to do the work now done by engines and steam. This was a tedious process, yet the weather-boarding and framing timbers for all of the houses built in Henderson prior to 1818, was sawed in this way. There are at the present time, three houses standing in the city with the same weather-boarding which was nailed on at the time of their building, between 1810 and 1818. These buildings will be noticed in their proper order.
The April, 1806, Circuit Court came on, and with it that pests of all pests, the grand jury. Judge Knox, one of the Associate Justices, was once again made a victim on account of his passionate indiscre- tions, and with his usual adamantine face and limitless cheek, con- fessed the corn and paid his fine.
Henderson County was now eight years old by legislative recog- nition, and yet the morals of the people had not been reduced to that beautiful simplicity and religious standard the punctilious so devoutly wished. Some men would profanely take the name of the Lord in vain and yet punishment was as-certain as taxes. The grand jury was no respector of persons, on the contrary they rather took a de- light in making examples of the leading men whenever the opportu- nity presented itself. Henry P. Broadnax, Judge of the Circuit Court, William Featherston, Commonwealth's Attorney, Joel Lambert and Thomas G. Walker were each indicted at this term for profane swear- ing and fined the round sum of five shillings each, which they paid without a word: It is just to say, however, that the morals of the young county were far better, considering the character of the popu- lation as a whole, than well could be expected of a similar settlement composed of men of these days. There were but few indictments brought in by the grand jury, and they were mostly confined to minor offenses.
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
SEMINARY LANDS.
In the month of April the trustees of the Hartford Academy located on the north fork of Tradewater two hundred and forty- four acres of land. On the twentieth of Semptember Bethel Semin- ary, by David Ashley, agent, entered one thousand acres on some small branches emptying into the Ohio River.
On the eleventh day of February Henderson and Hopkins Counties were declared by law one Senatorial district, and at the fol- lowing election Daniel Ashby,of Hopkins, was elected.
COLD FRIDAY.
Nothing particularly interesting occurred during 1807, except the ever . memorable "Cold Friday," which was the subject of talk for years among those who felt its piercing chills.
Mr. Collins says : " On Thursday, February, 1807, the mercury was caused to fall sixty degrees within twelve hours by the cold winds. At nightfall it was mild and cloudy. After night it commenced rain- ing with a high west wind. This rain soon changed to a snow, which continued to fall rapidly to the depth of six inches, but the wind, which moved at the rate of a hurricane, soon lifted and dispersed the clouds, and within the short space of twelve hours from the close of a very mild Thursday, all Kentucky was treated to a gentle rain, a violent snow storm, and a bright sunshine morning, so bitterly cold that by acclamation it was termed "Cold Friday." On the morning of this day the trees in the forests were cracking like the report of guns, and everything was bound in the fetters of ice."
The County of Hopkins was formed during the early part of this year, although the act of the Legislature sub-dividing Henderson County was approved December 9, 1806.
The first case under an act to permit debtors to confess judg- ment in a summary way, was heard at the July term of the Circuit Court.
Assistant Judge Hugh Knox, who also held the distinguished office of surveyor of one of the roads, was indicted and fined during this court for non-performance of duty.
AUDUBON.
Mr. Collins, in a short biographical sketch of the life of the re- nowned ornithologist, John J. Audubon, places his arrival in Hender- son during 1807, but Mrs. Audubon, in her book of his life, places it during the year 1812. From the most reliable testimony attainable,
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it is most probable that his arrival dates from 1810 or 1812. On· De- cember 22, 1813, he purchased from General Samuel Hopkins, agent of Richard Henderson & Co., lots Nos. 95 and 96, half of the square lying on the west side of Third Street, between Green and Elm. On the third of September, 1814, he purchased lots Nos. 91 and 92, half of the square lying on the west side of Second Street, between Green and Elm.
EARLY HENDERSON STREETS.
The first mention of High Street is made in this year, and that in connection with an order from the County Court, appointing Meri- dith Fisher, John Husbands, Joseph Fuquay and Jacob Sprinkle com- missioners to view a roadway from High Street, in the Town of Hen- derson, and such other streets and lots as to them may seem best to intersect the roads leading to Highland and Green River, at the mouth of Lick Creek. From the best information, the present First Street was originally called High Street, as Second Street was origi- nally known as Mill Street.
A tobacco, hemp, flour and pork inspection warehouse was es- tablished at Perryville, Henderson County, and one in the Town of · Henderson, on the lot of Philip Barbour, to be called and known by the name of Henderson Inspection.
Nothing of importance occurred during the year 1808 save it be the building of common board warehouses for the reception of to- bacco and articles of general merchandise. It is evidently true, however, that the people were distressed for money during that year, for out of a depositum of ninety-seven dollars and ninety-eight cents, reported by Fielding Jones, acting Sheriff, he also reported a delin- quent list amounting to seventy-five dollars and thirty-seven and one- half cents.
" WORKING " GREEN RIVER.
On the sixteenth day of February the following act was ap- proved :
' Be it enacted, etc., That it shall and may be lawful for the County Courts of the several counties through or by which so much of Green River may run as is navigable, to cause the same to be cleared out and kept in a sit uation fit for navigation, and for that purpose shall annually in the months of July, August or September, lay off said river into precincts and appoint an over- seer to each precinct, and allot a sufficient number of hands of the male titheables of the county to keep the same open for navigation. That it shall be the duty of the overseers respectively, to call on the hands, to each of them alloted, and within one month thereafter, or as soon thereafter as practicable, to pro- ceed with such hands and remove all fish pots and dams of every description,
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remove all logs, cut and clear away all timber projecting over said stream. shrub all points of islands, and remove such other obstructions in the channel as may impede the navigation of said river. Any overseer failing to do his duty shall be subject to the same penalties as are provided against overseers of roads, and every titheable failing when called on, shall forfeit and pay the sum of seventy-five cents for each day. All titheables working on the river shall be exempt from working on any of the public roads, and the number of days he shall be required to work on the river shall not exceed three in any one year."
For many years men were appointed to work Green River as regularly as they were appointed to work the roads of the county.
FIRST HABEAS CORPUS.
The first writ of habeas corpus was granted at the April term of the Circuit Court, 1809, to Joseph and Sarah Wendell, and they were discharged from the custody of the jailer.
CIRCUIT COURT RULES.
The first Circuit Court rules were read, recorded aud established at the July meeting, and are as follows .
"First .- There shall not more than two lawyers appear in any civil suit or motion, nor shall any lawyer speak more than once, unless where he appears alone for the plaintiff, or by leave of the court,
" Second .- The counsel for the defendant shall always have his pleas ready when his suit shall be called, if not, the writ of inquiry shall forthwith be exe- cuted.
" Third .- The plaintiff shall not put his suit at the end of the docket, until he has first shown by legal grounds for a continuance, then the clerk shall put it at the end of the docket.
"Fourth .- A party obtaining a leave to amend (if any amendment operates as a continuance) shall pay the whole cost of the term.
" Fifth .- On motion for a new trial, the grounds upon which such motion shall be made, shall be stated in writing, and affidavit filed where proof is nec- essary.
" Sixth .- No motion shall be made for a continuance until an affidavit is filed, stating the grounds for such continuance ; and where a witness lives out of the State, or a second motion is made on account of the absence of the same witness, the affidavit must state what the witness will swear.
"Seventh .- Whenever any suit shall be laid over by consent, it shall be put at the end of the docket.
" Eighth,-No motion will be heard after the business of the day is taken up."
At this time, and prior to this time, it was frequently the case to render judgment-especially in cases where the pla intiff was non- suited-payable in tobacco, one hundred and fifty pounds or more.
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At this term of the court William B. Smith was indicted and fined one hundred dollars for assaulting Uriah Blue, High Sheriff.
DANGEROUS WOMEN OR A COWARDLY MAN.
There were dangerous women in those good old days, or else there was one great coward. Joseph Wendell, a hard character, who had, with his wife been confined in jail and released under a writ of habeas corpus, came into court and made affidavit that he feared great bodily harm would be done him by Lydia Johnson, Mary Ann and Sarah Horton, and prayed that they be recognized to keep the peace. This was done, and General Sam'l G. Hopkins, to give emphasis to his extreme disgust, or to show his keen appreciation of the female sex, volunteered security, which was accepted. Immediately there- after at the instance of Mrs. Wendall, the aforesaid Joseph was placed under similar bond, but there was no General Hopkins to volunteer security, and Joseph was once again placed behind the bars.
The County Court contracted with John Williams to bridge Lick Creek at the Owensboro crossing, and at that time the floor sills were only required to be twenty-four feet long.
The depositum reported by the Sheriff for this year, was two hundred and thirty-eight dollars and twenty cent. The delinquent list thirty-three dollars.
By an act of the General Assembly the whole of Richard Hen- derson & Co.'s grant of land was taken into Henderson County. This was done by an act entitled, " An act to add part of Ohio County to the County of Henderson," approved January, 1809, and is as follows :
" Be it enacted, etc., That from and after the first day of April next, all that part of Ohio County comprised within the following bounds, shall be added to, and considered a part of the County of Henderson, to wit : beginning on the Ohio at the mouth of Green River and running up the Ohio to where the line of Henderson & Co.'s grant strikes the same, thence with said line to Green River, thence down the same to the beginning."
By this act, what is now known as the Point Precinct, was added to Henderson County.
During this year, Mr. Phillip Barbour was largely interested in the manufacture of salt, at the United States Saline Territory, of Illi- nois, and while that necessity was not so unreasonably high in price as it was a few years prior to that time, it was yet too high for the con- venience of the ordinary pocket-book. It was now manufactured in greater quanities, from the fact, with the opening up of the country, larger supplies of water had been discovered, and greater convenience
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
secured for boiling and evaporating. From an old letter found, the following is taken, to give a limited idea of the salt trade, and how it was carried on from this section at that time. Only a few years be- fore, it was a difficult matter to supply Henderson and the surround- ing country, but the discovery of the Saline Wells overstocked this market, and directed the attention of dealers to other and more populous markets.
On July 25, 1809, Stephen Cantrell, Jr., & Co., Nashville, Tenn., wrote Mr. Barbour, acknowledging the receipt of a quantity of salt, and stating that the general price of salt in that town had been for some weeks past, steady at two dollars per bushel, but in order to effect a ready sale of his shipment, they had disposed of the entire lot at one dollar and seventy-five cents per bushel ; further, that the price would likely fall the approaching season, owing to the exportation of large quantities looked for. In this letter was an account of sales in which they charge up 5 per cent. commissions for handling and sell- ing. In Mr. Barbour's old papers, the following bills of lading were found :
" Shipped in good order and well condition, in and upon the good boat called, the . Nancy.' 31 bbls. salt, for account James Wilson, bound to Nash- ville, Tennessee, Charles Stewart, Master."
" April 10, 1809. Shipped in good order, by Philip Barbour, in and upon the good boat called, the · Ohio Packet,' James Barbour, Master, bound for Louisville, eighty-four bbls, salt; freight to be paid at the rate of sixty-six cents per hundred weight "
CORDELLING.
The "Nancy " and "Ohio Packet," were keelboats or barges, propelled by hand, for it is well known that there were no steamboats at that time. These were drawn up stream by ropes in the hands of men trudging on shore by the water's edge. The immensity of this undertaking can hardly be realized at this time, for it is something fearful nowadays to move an empty barge a few hundred yards up- stream, but in early days, before the introduction of steam, men cor- delled heavily ladened barges, unconscious of the enormity of the un- dertaking, and plodded along in quite as good humor, as will usually be found displayed by the crew of one of the largest and finest Ohio River steamers.
CHAPTER XIV.
·
MISTAKE IN THE CENSUS-COTTON CULTURE-CONTEMPT OF COURT- HORSE RACING-WORKING GREEN RIVER-THE EARTHQUAKES- THE FIRST STEAMBOAT-FLOOD OF 1812- CUT MONEY -- HURRICANE, ETC.
HE year 1810 found the village of Henderson with a much smaller population than it was reported to have had in 1800. The census return for 1800 gave Henderson a population numbering two hundred and five souls ; the census return for 1810 gave a population of one hundred and fifty-nine souls. There was evidently a mistake in the first enumeration, and this is to be accounted for on the ground of ignorance on the part of those employed to take the list. It is highly probable, and no doubt the fact, that the population of a greater part, if not the entire surrounding country, was accredited to the town in the census of 1800 ; certainly there was no falling off in the population from 1800 to 1810. The census return for 1800 gave Henderson County a population of one thousand four hundred and sixty-eight souls, and Henderson County at that time embraced all of the territory now embraced in the four Counties of Henderson, Hop- kins, Union and Webster. The return for 1810 places the population at four thousand seven hundred and three souls, an increase of three thousand two hundred and thirty five, and yet Hopkins County em- bracing a territory forty miles in length and twenty six in breadth had been taken from Henderson. It may be taken as a settled fact, there- fore, that there is an important inaccuracy somewhere, and most posi- tively certain that the village of Henderson did not contain a popula- tion of two hundred and five souls actual residents during the year 1800.
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
It is very much to be doubted if the village of Henderson con- tained a legitimate population of one hundred and fifty-nine souls in 1810, for, by reference to the poll books of an election held on the first day of May, 1819, for the purpose of choosing five trustees of the village, only twenty-one votes were recorded. Estimating the pop- ulation at seven to the voter, and assuming that the vote owing to its importance was pretty near a full one, the population of the place at that time would have been only one hundred and forty-seven.
HEMP AND COTTON CULTURE.
Hemp and cotton were both grown in the county this year, but with what success it is unknown. G. W. Warde, living on the Ohio River between Evansville and its mouth, cultivated both, and at the December term of the County Court. made application for the estab- lishing of an inspection warehouse.
CONTEMPT OF COURT.
At the July term of the Circuit Court Judge Broadnax had his temper and judicial courage thoroughly tested by Edward Cheatham, one of the venirmen, who was a man of some importance at that time.
Mr. Cheatham engaged in conversation, and being rather strong of lung, interrupted the business of the court. He was admonished by the Judge and yet persisted. He was fined six dollars, and this seemed to incense him ; he was fined ten dollars once, twice, and yet he refused to be quiet ; he was fined thirty dollars, once, twice and three times, and still he defied his Honor, the Judge. Finally he was ordered to prison in the custody of the jailer, there to remain until his several fines, aggregating one hundred and sixteen dollars, were paid, or secured to the Commonwealth. He ranted and raved, as he journeyed on to the house of correction, and not until having slept one night a prisoner, and calculating the cost, did he come to a proper understanding of how foolishly he had acted, and the extent of his beligerency. He succumbed to the magesty of the law, and prayed pardon, which was granted next day. This determined course of Judge Broadnax ever afterwards secured him the respect due his position, and no more self-important men tempted his authority.
HORSE RACING.
Horse racing was extremely fashionable in 1810, and perhaps more than half a dozen tracks were located at different points in the county, where men would congregate and bet from a gill of cider to twenty-five, and even fifty dollars lawful money. Those men who fre- quented such places were, as a general rule, wild fellows, given to frolic and recklessness, and caring little for the Sabbath day.
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militia was descending the Mississippi River to aid in the defense, and when it arrived at New Orleans, was almost entirely without arms or ammunition, nor were there any adequate magazines in the city from which they could be supplied. Several boat loads of arms had been shipped at Pittsburg, and were then struggling through the shoals of the Ohio, and such was Jackson's preparation for defense. General Thomas' Division of Kentucky Militia arrived in the early part of January, but could not at first muster over five hundred mus- kets. Immense exertions were made to arm them, and even on the day of battle, there were six hundred ready and anxious to fight, who could not procure a musket or shotgun, with which to defend their country.
HENDERSON SOLDIERS.
Early in December, Captain Robert Smith, of Henderson County, and father of the present County Clerk, embarked with his company on board a flatboat en route to join the other Kentuckians, who were moving down the river to reinforce Jackson's little army. Hender- son was represented in this command by Captain Robert Smith ; First Lieutenant, Morton Rucker ; Asa Turner, Ensign ; Thomas Kilgour, Payne Dixon, Joel Lambert, John McGraw, William Lambert, Wil- liam Sandefur, Charles M. Brown, William Arnett, John Mayho, Strother Berry, John Vickers, William Tupin, Dan. Powell, Philip Mc Namar, Thomas Skillet, Eneas Hardin Obediah Keach , John Fu- quay, Jesse Stephens, Samuel Butler, Daniel Bromley, John Slayden, Stephen Rouse, Captain Holmes, Handley Harmon, Captain J. B. Anthony, and many others.
In this boat they proceeded as far as Smithland, at the mouth of Cumberland River, where they were transferred to an ordinary horse- boat. This was a miserable, rickety affair, and absolutely filthy, so much so, many of the men were taken sick, and seven of them died be- fore reaching Natchez. This sickness and death was attributed to the un- healthy condition of the horse-boat, and upon arriving at Natchez, another boat was provided, and in this they floated to their landing place, at the bank in front of the city, arriving on the evening of the fourth of January, 1815.
Thus we find Captain Smith and his little band of patriots landed at the City of New Orleans. They arrived there late in the evening of the fourth, every man eager to be assigned a place directly in front of a Red Coat, or, if needs be, on the picket line.
More than one of them had promised friends and relatives, whom they had left behind, a red coat, as a memento of the great battle to
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be fought, and actuated more by this, perhaps, than any other incen tive, they were almost uncontrolable. They fumed and fretted, they complained, and yet it seemed as though they were destined to be left behind. The company had no arms, and for a time it looked as though they would never be supplied. This enraged many of them, and all the camp guards and strict military regulations were hardly sufficient to restrain these determined fellows and keep them within bounds. Several of them, disregarding all rules of discipline, secretly abandoned camp, and before morning returned with a gun apiece which they had purchased or purloined. On January 7, their great anxiety was satisfied by the arrival of guns and ammunition, and they, with the other Kentucky troops, were assigned a most important place in the line of battle.
THE MORNING OF THE EIGHTH
Was cloudy and misty, and about daybreak General Packenham pre- sented his compliments, by the firing of two rockets in the air, which were the signals to move forward. The Kentuckians little dreamed, while floating down the Mississippi unarmed, and suffering the priva- tions incident to those early times, that they were so soon to stand face to face in front of the Duke of Wellington's trained soldiers ; sold- iers who had met and defeated the great Napoleon only a short time previous ; soldiers who had been taught to know no fear, to respect no danger ; but these were the men whom the militia had volunteered to drive from Louisiana soil. About eleven hundred Kentucky militia, and a Tennessee brigade, formed the center of Jackson's army be- hind breast works.
The Kentuckians were commanded by General Ad ir, who formed a reserve corps, and were directed to march to the assailed point and strengthen the line there. It was well understood that an attack would be made on the eighth, and the Kentucky troops were marched to the lines before daylight, and halted a few yards from the center until the grand point of. attack should be disclosed. An em- inent historian says in his story of the battle :
"It was intended that the lines should have a depth of ten files at the point of attack, so that the stream of fire should be incessant The front rank alone would fire as fast as the nine ranks behind could pass forward their loaded muskets, receiving those discharged in their places.
" When the point of attack had been clearly disclosed, the Kentuckians were ordered to close up with the Tennesseans, upon whom it was evident the storm was about to burst.
" In three columns the English veterans of six glorious campaigns, cox- ered with renown as with a garment, and hitherto victorious on every field,
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rushed against an earthen breastwork, defended by men who had hurried from the plow and the workshop, to meet the invaders of their country. The fog lay thick and heavy upon the ground, but the measured step of the center col- umn was heard long before it became visible, and the artillery opened upon them, directed by the sound of the mighty host, which bore forward as one man to the assault. At the first burst of artillery the fog slowly lifted and dis- closed the center column advancing in deep silence, but with a swift and steady pace.
" The field was levei as the surface of the calmest lake, and the artillery plowed through the column from front to rear without a moment slacking its pace or disordering the beautiful precisions of its formation.
"Its head was pointed against the center of the Kentucky and Tennessee line, whose ten ranks of musketry stood ready to fire, and as soon as it came within one hundred and fifty yards the musketry opened with destructive effect. Then there was a moment's pause in the fire. The artillery along the whole line discharged showers of grape, the roar of musketry was as one deep uninter- rupted thunder like the roar of one hundred waterfalls, and the central breast- work tor four hundred yards was in a bright and long-continued blaze, which dazzled the eye, yet the heroic British column still bore forward into the very jaws of death. The head of the column actually reached the American ditch, and were there killed or taken. The residue paused and seemed be- wildered for a moment, and then retired in disorder under the same extermin- ating torrent of fire, which had greeted their advance.
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