USA > Kentucky > Henderson County > History of Henderson County, Kentucky > Part 60
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his wife, by death, after having been married but ten months. He was again married in 1838 to Miss Elizabeth Talbott, daughter of Benjamin Talbott, a worthy farmer of Henderson County, and had three children by this marriage, none of whom survive. He was again married in December, 1867, to Mrs. Fanny Stanley, a highly accom- plished lady, daughter of Josiah Jenkins, of Buffalo, New York. He is a prominent member of the Episcopal church, and evinces the deep- est regard for the welfare of his church. Mr. McCallister is a highly cultured and refined gentleman, possesses a kindly disposition and great suavity of manners. Throughout his long and eventful career, he has always shown the greatest philanthropic and benevolent spirit, ready with his assistance, and willing to make sacrifices to promote the well-being of others. His course has won for him the highest esteem and veneration of his fellowmen. Mr. McCallister at this day is known and recognized as one of Henderson County's wealthiest citizens. In addition to a handsome residence, and four large store- houses in the city, he is the owner of thirty-two hundred acres of most valuable farming lands in the county, four hundred acres on the south side and twenty-seven hundred and fifty acres on the north side of Green River.
Since writing the above, Mr. McCallister died August 7th, 1886, at 2 o'clock p.m., and was buried in Fernwood from St. Paul's Episco- pal Church.
ELIJAH W. WORSHAM. The father of Elijah W. Worsham moved from Indiana to Kentucky in the year 1820, settling upon a farm, purchased by him, some half mile or more above Evansville, on the Ohio River, in the then wilderness of this locality which was com- paratively uninhabited. At the time, and for many years afterwards, all of the country lying between what was known as the pole bridge slough and the point opposite Evansville, was covered by a dense un- dergrowth of cane higher than a man's head while riding on horse- back.
Wild beasts made their abode in this cane, notably some bear and many wolves. Mr. Ludson Worsham married Miss Margaret King, daughter of Elijah King, one of the early pioneers, and to them was born, February 12th, 1823, the subject of this sketch.
In 1832 John Collins secured the contract for carrying the mail once a week between the towns of Henderson and Evansville and sub-contracted to Ludson Worsham. At nine years of age, young Elijah was appointed to perform the then arduous duty of making this weekly trip on horseback, exchanging the mails between the two
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towns At the time, there were but few settlers in this territory, Samuel, William, Joseph, James, Harbison, Luke and Wash Butler, Eggleston Matthews, James McClain, Ludson Worsham, John Eakins, and a Mr. Scott, comprising the whole list of inhabitants from the Water Works to Evansville, and not over five of this number were men of family.
Manfully did the young boy perform his duty for three long years, and many a time was he frightened almost out of his wits. His father furnished him a very fine horse, so thus far he was comfortably equipped. A strange incident occurred the first year he was employed in carrying the mail, which is worth relating. His trips were made on Friday of each week, and one day, in the summer of 1832, as he was coming from Evansville, mounted upon his mail sack, he met at the pole bridge slough, Mr. Samuel Butler, who stopped and advised him to proceed no further, telling him at the same time, that the cholera had broken out and was depopulating the town; that men had been seized with the frightful disease and fallen in the streets. This in- formation, of course, unnerved the young mail carrier, and regarding not only the advice of Mr. Butler, but believing discretion the better part of valor, determined, and did return to his father's house, where he was justified, after relating what had been told him. He put up his fine horse and returned to the house, wondering what the post- masters of the two places would think of his non-appearance, for it was the first time he had ever missed. That evening he went to the stable to feed his horse, when, to his amazement, he was found dead, having died during the afternoon from a severe attack of colic. The young man was greatly distressed at the loss of his horse, and while contemplating his death in connection with the story told him the day before, on the road, a messenger came up with the still more startling intelligence of the death of Mr. Butler, from cholera, only a few hours prior to that time. Young Worsham's early education was to a degree fragmentary, being obtained at such schools as were then in the country, and during the intervals of labor. During the winter months he was sent to school, but the summer months were devoted to working on the farm and chopping cord wood. He continued to live upon the Worsham homestead until the year 1847. In 1844, at the age of twenty-one, he married Miss Miriam Jane Graham, a young lady of great native beauty, and yet handsome. In the year 1847, his health having failed him, and attributing it to river bottom life, he purchased a farm near Bloomington, some nine miles out on the Knoblick road, to which he removed and contir ied to re-
E. W. WORSHAM.
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side for three years, at the end of which time he returned to his father's old place. Mr. Worsham had always taken an active interest in politics, and shortly after the organization of the American or Know Nothing party, he became a member, and in the summer of 1855 was nominated by that party, for Representative, in the following Legis- lature. The canvass was a warm one, and his opponent was a keen, astute, political manager, yet he was elected over Colonel C. W. Hutchen, defeating him by a handsome majority. Mr. Worsham served during the terms of 1855 and '56, with great credit to himself and the county.
Returning from the Legislature, he again applied himself to farm- ing on his river place, where he remained until 1859, when he pur- chased of W. B. Woodruff, the farm now owned by the estate of T. W. Witt, two miles out on the Owensboro road. In the year 1863 he built the Overton tobacco factory, and embarked in the tobacco stem- ming business on a large scale. In 1867 he moved with his family from the country into the city. In 1870 he purchased of C. A. Rudy the three-story brick store house, on Second street, now owned by A. S. Winstead, then unfinished, and completed it.
He then formed a co-partnership with A. S. Winstead, and under the firm name of E. W. Worsham & Co., bought and sold liquors in large quantities.
Added to this, was a splendidly arranged labratory, under the supervision of an expert, where the firm manufactured bitters and several kinds of malarial medicines. In 1873 he was seized with the Tule land fever, and in company with several other gentlemen, pur- chased a large lot of these lands off the coast of California. He re- moved with his family to the Golden Gate, and there raised two crops of wheat, without ever ploughing a furrow. The first year the sod was burned off of the land and wheat sown; six hundred sheep were then run over it, and from this labor alone, a magnificent crop was harvested. Next year a volunteer crop was grown from the roots of the first year's crop. The uncertain condition of the lands, however, induced him to sell, which he did, and, at the end of two years removed into the City of San Francisco, where he remained for one year, going from thence to Los Angeles, Southern California, where he engaged in grazing sheep, having on hand at times as many as twenty-five hundred head. In 1881 he returned to Henderson, formed a partner- ship with Joe. B. Johnson, built a large and finely arranged sour mash distillery, and commenced distilling under the firm name of E. W.
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Worsham & Co. Mr. Worsham was Deputy Sheriff in 1852 and '53, has served the city in the Council and School Board, and has been twice elected president of the Fair Company, to-wit: in 1882 and '83. He was made an Odd Fellow in 1844, and has during his life been an active, earnest and useful member, being now, by appointment, Deputy District Grand. In 1846 he joined the Baptist Church, and remained an earnest working member until 1870, when he applied for and was granted a card of withdrawal. The fruit of his marriage has been ten children, only four of whom are now living, Andrew Jackson, Dr. Ludson, DeWitt Clinton, and William Graham, all intelligent, promising young men. The ups and downs of life, to which Mr. Worsham has fallen heir, have been many, yet by superior judgment, keen foresight and close management, he has not only held his own, but has amassed a handsome fortune. Although sixty-five years of age, he looks as young as most men of forty-five.
ANDREW JACKSON WORSHAM. - The young gentleman of whom this sketch tells, is the eldest living son of Elijah W. and Miriam Jane Worsham, and was born in Henderson County on the seventeenth day of May, 1850. His father, by honest effort, faithful application, and fine judgement, had gained from this world a competency sufficient to give to his children such an education as they would take ; therefore, our subject was given the benefit of the best schools of his county, and afterwards sent to Poughkeepsie Commercial College at the city of that name in New York. Subsequent to that time, he matriculated at the Eminence Ky. Military College, where he finished his educa- tion with credit to himself and the father who had been so mindful of his son's future interest.
In the month of August, 1873, the father of our sketch removed to the State of California, taking with him his entire family, and settled upon the San Joaquin River, near San Francisco.
During the residence at that point, and on the night of the tenth of November, 1873, Mr. A. J. Worsham, the subject of whom we are writing, met with the most exciting and distressing accident associated with his entire life. Before proceeding with the narrative mentioned, let us say that subsequent to that time, from 1875 to 1881, our subject lived at a little place called Banning, where he was engaged in mer- chandising. Banning, as all far West towns are, was inhabited by a peculiarly ignorant and desperate class of people-Spaniards, cow boys and toughs generally. Men were accustomed to ride on horse- back into the stores, and, at the deadly end of a " British Bull Dog " or six-shooter, demand what was wanted and ride out again. Life
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was but a feather weight, and one and another shot down, was as innocent an amusement with them as coasting on a snow clad hill is to the children of our clime.
This was the inevitable, and our subject soon found it out, yet he had settled there, purchased property and invested his all, and that he fully determined to protect. His admirable personal and social traits gained for him friends among the toughest of the neighborhood. His personal bearing showing no fear, but, at all times, exhibiting a courage undaunted by the display of weapons, won him other friends, and his proud Kentucky blood showed him so prominently beyond bulldozing that " Devil Jack," as he was known in his youth, soon became the head of the town and respected by all around him. Many of the incidents connected with his life in Banning are thrilling, intensely interesting. and, were they committed to print in full, novel- istic form, a story could be told that would make a volume.
But back to the night of November 10th, 1873. The day pre- ceding this night was windy, bleak, chilly and cold, and, as the weary sun was lolling in the West, the winds gained headway, and, as twilight came, so came a perfect windstorm. Our subject, accompa- nied by a friend, had, during the day, sauntered along the shore of the great river, coasting in a sailboat, not to kill the tedium of slow- creeping days, but there was a mission of love, and when one has a big heart and feeble hands, a heart to hew his name out upon time as on a rock, then immortalities, to stand on time as on a pedestal, dan- ger presents no fears. Racking night came, the wind drew the pale curtains of the vapory clouds, and showed those wonderful, mysterious voids throbbing with stars like pulses of men. Our subject and his friend, young, brave Duncan Cargill, bent upon love across the raging waters, bade their time with patience until patience ceased to be a virtue, and go they must and go they would.
" The King of Day had dipped his weary head - Within old Father Ocean's billowy bed."
Yes, it was night when the little boat left its mooring, and the dauntless young men bended themselves to the work of the oars. The river, at this point, was one and a half miles in width, and the rolling whitecaps flying housetop high, the wind howling as wolves for blood; yet, on they went, the little boat mounting the madcaps and, swan-like, settling gracefully in the valley, only again and again to be tossed high up. Slow progress was made, however; the sea grew worse and worse until our subject's blood ran back ; his shaking knees against each other knocked, and
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he foresaw that the dark-winged angel respects not time nor . place. He realized " All seasons are thine, O Death !" and how true it was, for at eleven o'clock, the boat capsized, the two were thrown into the cold waves, and soon thereafter, the winds sweeping over its restless surface, sighed a requiem in the trembling shrouds of poor Cargill. Wave tossed and almost frozen, our subject saw his comrade go down to the valley and shadow of death.
" What next ? " he cried.
" I know not. do not care. There's nothing which I cannot bear Since I have borne this startling blow."
The position in which he thus found himself, appalling as it surely was, seemed to nerve him to a determined and successful fight for life. Midnight came and found him still clinging to the capsized boat, fighting the waves. One o'clock came with the same result ; two, three and four o'clock came, and yet he was drifting. At this hour he had drifted near shore and was almost unconscious. A merciful providence, through a Mr. Sutherland, went to his rescue, lifted him from the water onto his shoulder and carried him to his house, where blankets and other restoratives were administered and his life saved. He revived in the course of time, but how many could have successfully contended with the ordeal.
On the seventh of June, 1876, not quite three years subsequent to the time of which we have heen writing, Mr. Andrew Jackson Worsham (who is an "Old Hickory " in fact) was united in marriage to Miss Florence Rhorer at her home in the City of San Francisco. They now have four children, John Cook, Miriam, Milton Young and Ludson. Several years ago Mr. Worsham returned to Kentucky with his family and has since been engaged in the wholesale liquor and distilling interest. He is a Republican in politics, a Baptist in religious training, but by no means an enthusiast in the work of any religious or secular work. He himself is a consistent, hard worker, attends diligently to his business and accords that same right to all his friends, who are numbered by the thousand. Our subject is a member of both the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias.
LUDSON WORSHAM., Physician, is the second living son of E. W. and Miriam J. Worsham, and was born in Henderson County on the nineteenth day of December, 1854. At an early age Ludson Wor- sham manifested a fondness for books. He was educated in various private schools, and by private tutors, finally graduating with high honors from the "Henderson High School." He studied medicine,
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
for which he exhibited a great fondness, and graduated in the year 1879, at the Medical University, New York City. He accompanied his father during the month of August, 1873, to San Francisco, Cali- fornia, and became a citizen of the " Golden City." He remained in San Francisco several years, and then visited New York for the pur- pose of completing his medical education, which he did as before stated in 1879. Having graduated, he returned to San Francisco and immediately engaged in the practice of his profession in that city un- til 1882. His ability was so marked, his strength of character so well settled, commercial eyes were soon directed toward him, and in a short while he was induced by the " Alaska Commercial Company" to accept the position of Medical Purveyor for that district, Unalaska, a town situated upon the east coast of Unalaska Island, the largest and most extreme eastern of the Aleutian Islands, was designated headquarters. He accepted the position, and during his stay at that place, traveled among the Aleutian Islands off the Coast of Alaska. In 1884, much to the regret of the Alaska Commercial Company, Dr. Worsham tendered his resignation. For nearly two years he had per- formed his duties nobly and faithfully, his gentle kindness in sickness and in health, had won him warm friends ; therefore, it is not to be wondered, that the Alaska Company reluctantly accepted his resig- nation, but, there was a jewel in his far off native home, dearer to his noble love than all the glittering wealth above or underneath the earth of Alaska. Love knows no limit; for six and one-half long years his heart had been tangled in a golden smile ; and, why not, beauty hath made our greatest manhood weak ; other Doctors than he have gone tilting with a lance of light, in lists, of argument, and yet have knelt and sighed most plethoric sighs ; stern hearts close barred against a wanton world, have had their gates burst open by a kiss. There was one, who might have topped all men, who bartered joyously for one single smile, an empired planet with its load of crowns, and thought himself rich. With such sweet arguments staring him in the face, he yet " loved and languished after the most orthodox model." Hope, " Heaven's own gift to struggling mortals," cheered him upward and onward, and soon he was enroute to Henderson. In coming, the Doctor visited Petropaulovsk, in the southern part of Western Siberia, and, after a long, tedious and disagreeable voyage, landed safe at his native town.
A few months subsequent to his arrival, an event occurred which explains what we have been hinting at. On the seventeenth day of December, 1884, Dr. Ludson Worsham and Miss Mary L. Hodge, an
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accomplished lady, a true and devoted lover in maidenhood, an affec- tionate and self-denying wife and mother, and a model christian, were joined together in the holy estate of matrimony at Henderson, Rev. Dr. D. O. Davies, of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Dr. Worsham, immediately after his marriage, formed a medical partner- ship with his wife's father, Dr. Joseph Anthony Hodge, and for several months practiced his chosen profession in Henderson, but as time rolled on, he believed Evansville to be a better vineyard for the med- ical laborer, so on the tenth day of August, 1885, he removed to that city, and is yet domiciled there, doing, as the writer learns, a lucrative practice. Dr. Hodge, the father of Mrs. Worsham, is well known to the profession throughout Kentucky. He was at one time President of the Kentucky State Board of Health, and as a physician is recog- nized and acknowledged one of the best in the State. Dr. and Mrs. Worsham have had born unto them two children, both boys, each of whom being most appropriately named. The eldest is named for his maternal grandfather, Anthony Hodge, the youngest for his paternal grandfather, Elijah William.
Dr. Worsham was raised in the Baptist Church faith, but at this writing has not confessed the faith handed down, by attaching him- self to any church, through membership. Mrs. Worsham is a devoted Presbyterian, sincere in all she does or says. Dr. Worsham is a charter member of St. George Lodge, Knights of Pythias at Evans- ville.
DE WITT CLINTON WORSHAM is the third living son of Elijah W. and Miriam J. Worsham. He was born in Henderson County, on the fifth day of May, 1857, and it seems that, that happy event to the parental head of the family, and his now hundreds of friends and warm admirers, had a concurrent bearing with him. It is by no means a coincidence, but an evidence of taste on the part of our subject to have celebrated his twenty-ninth birthday by wooing, winning and uniting unto himself for life, in marriage, a lady so gifted in all the graces so necessary to make man's abode in this mundane sphere happy and contented. Yet all this is true, for on the fifth day of May, 1886, this solemn and sacred rite was celebrated at the First Presby- terian Church of this city, the contracting parties being De Witt Clin- ton Worsham and Miss Fannie R. Walbridge. On the third day of June, 1887, there was born unto them Ellen Frances, a bright bloom- ing daughter.
In August, 1873, our subject accompanied his father to Califor- nia, and while there graduated from "The California College," lo"
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cated at Vacaville. He lived in the Golden State with his father for eight years, and returned to Henderson on the fourth day of Septem- ber, 1881. During his life on the Pacific Coast he studied and mas- tered the art of telegraphy, and at one time was in charge as business manager of one of the principal offices of that part of this great coun- try. It is due to say, however, that the Western Union Telegraph Office at Henderson deserves the credit of his beginning his studies ; yes, it was here, that, in 1870, he first contracted a liking for the mys- tic art. Our subject gave up telegraphing for several years, but of late months a good part of his time has been given to the service of the Western Union. That he is competent to accept any position in the art " Lightening," the writer of this has no doubt. For three years last past, Mr. Worsham has served his State in the capacity of a soldier member of the "Carlisle Rifles" State Militia. He was never called to do dangerous duty, but no matter, he held himself in readiness, and it was no fault of his that he was not in the field doing active duty He held the position up to the time the company was disbanded by process of law, which only occurred a few months ago. Mr. Worsham is a Democrat in politics, a Mason in the mystic tye, and so far as the writer knows, holds no partial church leaning He is associated with his father and brother in the wholesale liquor and distilling business, and serves the great business in the capacity of bookkeeper. For several years he successfully engaged in the sale of boots and shoes, but resigned that trade to enter a partnership with his father.
WILLIAM GRAHAM WORSHAM was born in Henderson County, on the fourth day of March, 1860, and is the fourth living son of E. W. and Miriam J. Worsham. His father, as he did in the case of his other boys, spared no means to give him a substantial education. He matriculated, first at the Henderson Public School, and remained a student at that institution up to a short time prior to his father's re- moval to California in August, 1873. While in his adopted State, young Worsham was sent to the "Boy's High School " at San Fran- cisco, and subsequentiy completed his education within the walls of the " California College," a noted educational faculty called by that name. Subsequent to leaving college, he went to Los Angeles, Cali- fornia, settled there, and on the tenth day of May, 1881, was married to Miss Margaret Blasdel, formerly of Lawrenceburg, Indiana, a lady reputed to be handsome, intelligent and agreeable-an affectionate, energetic and most estimable woman, They have one child, Nellie Worsham, born June 28th, 1885.
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Mr. Worsham is an apt, quick business young man, and is to-day filling two important official positions in the city of his home. He is collector for the " Los Angeles Furniture Company," Secretary of the Fire Department of that city, having been elected by the Fire De- partment June 3d, 1887. He is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land, lying in Los Angeles County, and located in what is known as the " Mineral Oil Belt," or better known as the "Puenti Oil District." A company is being formed for the purpose of devel- oping this territory, and it is confidently predicted that the tests pro- posed will eventuate in success. There are at present six large wells located adjacent to this district of land, that are yielding three hundred barrels of petroleum daily. Mr. Worsham has never attached him- self to any church or any lodge. In politics he is a Democrat. To sum him up, he is a young man of fine business qualifications and hab- its, and will eventually, if permitted by health, make for himself a name to be envied.
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