USA > Kentucky > Henderson County > History of Henderson County, Kentucky > Part 65
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
vacation was spent in the law office of his brother, under the tutor- age of his brother and the Hon. S. B. Vance. Therefore, in Septem- ber, 1879, he was admitted to the bar, as a practicing attorney of this Commonwealth.
In October, 1880, he was selected as commissioner of schools for the County of Henderson, and was twice elected to this office, which position he filled with credit to himself and profit to the public. On the second day of December, 1880, he was married to Miss Florence Walker, daughter of Hal. B. Walker, and settled down to the prac- tice of law in the City of Henderson, Kentucky ; one child, a daugh- ter, has been born of this marriage. In August, 1883, he was elected to the office of Judge of the Henderson City Court, which position he now holds.
In August, 1884, his father-in-law, Hal. B. Walker, departed this life, leaving a large and extensive livery business, of which our sub- ject, in partnership with (. F. Walker, an uncle of his wife, became the purchasers. He is yet engaged in the livery business, and is re- ceiving a liberal share of patronage. Judge Ward is a simon pure Democrat, and has never been defeated for an office for which he was an announced candidate.
NATHANIEL A. KITCHELL, M. D., physician and surgeon, was born at Lewisburg, Muhlenburg County, Kentucky, on the twen- ty-first day of June, 1835. He was educated in Brown County, Illinois, and, when at the age of twenty-two years, returned to Ken- tucky and settled at South Carrolton, on Green River. He had evinced a very decided preference for the profession of medicine, and, therefore, soon after arriving at South Carrolton, commenced to study under the instruction of Dr. C. C. Forbes, of that place. Soon afterwards he attended lectures at St. Louis, Mo. In April, 1860, he began the practice of his profession with Dr. Rufus Linthicum, of Henderson County, and continued with him to the fall of 1861, when, led by all his sympathies to side with the people of the South, he entered the Confederate army and went to war. He enlisted with Col. Adam Johnson and was with that distinguished commander in most of his engagements with the enemy, notably the terrible battle near Owensboro. He was with Morgan in his Indiana and Ohio raid in the summer of 1863, and was captured in Ohio. After his capture, the Doctor was sent a prisoner to Fort Delaware, where he was confined until the seventeenth day of the following November, when he and other physicians of Morgan's command were sent to City Point, on James River, Virginia, and there exchanged for an equal
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
number of Federal surgeons. Upon reaching Richmond; Dr. Kitchell was detailed by the Surgeon General to take charge of the Federal sick in Hospital No. 21. During the winter he availed himself of the opportunity offered, attended the Richmond Medical College, and was awarded a Confederate diploma. In March, 1864, he rejoined the remnant of his command, but was soon after taken sick, and, in May, his health being so much impaired, he returned to Kentucky and again commenced the practice of his profession at Robards Station, Hen- derson County. During the winter of 1873 and 1874, he attended Bellevue College, New York, and in the spring received his second diploma. He then returned to Robards Station and continued to practice until September, 1878, when, owing to continued ill-health, he abandoned the profession altogether. A few years subsequent he took up his residence in the city of Henderson, and, in partnership with his old and long-time friend, J. D. Robards, engaged in the pur- chase of tobacco, and also in the manufacture of plug, twist and smoking tobaccos.
On the nineteenth day of June, 1884, the Doctor married Miss Frances Ellen Triplett, of Henderson County, and a son, N. A. Kitchell, Jr., born July 18th, 1885, is the issue of this union. The happy success and honors Dr. Kitchell has won are due largely to his energy and perseverance. With a kind disposition and unswerving integrity, he has won the respect and esteem, not only of his com- munity, but of the members of his profession generally, to whom his name and labors are well known. During this summer, 1887, the firm of Robards & Kitchell was dissolved, the doctor retiring. Since that time he has purchased the tobacco stemmery of Thomas Evans and is now engaged in purchasing in his own right and name.
CLARENCE CHRISTIAN GIVENS, editor and publisher, was born in Providence, Hopkins County, on the ninth day of Novem- ber, 1865, and educated in the common schools of his county. He is a son of Matthew C. Givens, present Judge of this judicial circuit. In his young life he evinced a fondness for newspaper work, and, at the age of seventeen years, commenced the publication of the Sebree Sunbeam, a three-column folio, at Sebree, Kentucky. He spent one year in this enterprise, then sold out and came to Henderson in the employ of Thomas L. Cannon, who, at that time, was publishing the Sentinel. He remained with the Sentinel but a short time, when he removed to Providence and commenced the publication of the Gleaner He soon succeeded in building up a large circulation, and, at the end
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of six months, desiring to go into a larger and more extended field, removed to Madisonville and commenced the publication of the Hopkins County Gleaner, seven columns. Here he sought patronage in opposition to the Times, an old established paper published by Zeno F. Young, one of the most popular and deserving publishers in the State. Nothing daunted, young Givens took off his coat, and, by working night and day, soon gained a large patronage and drew around himself a host of friends. His paper was soon after enlarged to an eight-column folio, then to a nine-column with steam power added. By determined industry and square dealing, he registered the largest number of subscribers ever claimed by any paper in the county. Twelve months had scarcely rolled by, when he purchased the Times and consolidated it with the Gleaner. Not satisfied, but determined to go into a yet larger territory of newspaper usefulness, in July, 1885, he removed to Henderson and commenced the publication of the Hen- derson Gleaner, a nine-column weekly. By dint of personal persever- ance and unlimited effort, Mr. Givens has secured a circulation never attained by any paper heretofore published in Henderson. He is a bundle of nerves and each nerve is the embodiment of energy. Work is his motto, and work it is with him from morn 'till night. It is creditably asserted that his paper now has a circulation of five thous- and. His advertising, as well as job work patronage, is proportionally large.
In the month of August, 1885, Mr. Givens married Miss Emma M. Sloan, of Madisonville, and unto them on the twenty-fifth day of August, 1886, was born a daughter --- Lizzie May. In politics he is a Democrat, in religion a Baptist. This young editor and publisher is a living example of what can be accomplished by intelligence and systematized hard work. Recently a one-third interest in the Gleaner has been sold to Professor Haag, of South Carrolton, Kentucky, for two thousand dollars. The firm is now Givens & Haag.
COLONEL ROBERT SMITH was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, on the nineteenth day of August, 1784, from which place his father moved to Monongahela County, Virginia, where the family lived until the year 1796. During this year, Mr. Smith, unmindful of the great difficulties attending a journey to the far West, removed with his family, to Henderson County, and settled al- most directly opposite Evansville, Indiana. After remaining here but a short time, he found to his great discomfiture, that the river bottoms were extremely unhealthy, and thereupon determined to remove in search of a healthier location. He again broke up home and settled ne ar what
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
is now known as Smith's Mills, on the farm at present owned by B. F. Martin, where he continued to live up to the time of his death. When Colonel Smith, then a lad of fourteen years of age, and his father passed through Henderson, there were but three or four log cabins to be seen, and the county nothing more than a vast wilderness. He was strong, healthy and full of natural fire and energy, and in this wild country he had realized his fondest backwoods dreams, for the forests were filled with game of all kinds known to the western wilds, including buffalo, bear, deer, and thousands of turkeys, squirrel and small game. The only drawback to a youth of his temperament was the lack of educational facilities; there were no schools, and, although deprived of even what is termed an ordinary common school educa- tion, he yet so managed with such books as he could lay his hands upon, to gather for himself a fair understanding of the most important English branches. At the age of nineteen, in the year 1803, Colonel Smith intermarried with Miss Seltsey Rollesson, a lady of strong mind and in every way fitted to make home cheerful and happy. No two ever lived more happily together. When the memorable campaign of Harrison against the Indians was agitating the country, Colonel Smith, being a man of ardent patriotic temperament and ready to resent a wrong done his country at any time, volunteered as a private and went under General Samuel Hopkins into the then Indian territory, beyond Terre Haute, Indiana, but was too late for the battle of Tippecanoe. When the Kentucky troops were disbanded, he returned to his home and assumed once more the arduous duties of making a livelihood in the yet wilds of Kentucky. Later, when the British were threatening New Orleans, his noble spirit rallied to the call of his country, and at the head of a company organized in this and adjoining counties, em- barked on a flatboat or barge for New Orleans, to join General Jack- son's army. He arrived with his company on the evening of the fourth of January, 1815, and only received his arms and amunition the night before the great battle. On this memorable eighth day of January, Colonel Smith and his men distinguished themselves for gallantry, daring, indomitable courage, and will-power. They were during the whole engagement in the thickest of the fight, in the centre and im- mediately opposite the spot where the renowned General Packenham was killed. In May, he, with his company, returned home, and ever after that time it was his custom to celebrate the 8th day of January. After this war Colonel Smith settled down upon his farm, and yet, while devotedly attached to his life's profession, he was neverthe- less an active participant in all matters of interest to his adopted
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
county. He served as magistrate during the years 1816, '17, '18, '19, '20, '21, '22, '23, "24, "25, '26, '29, '30, '31, '32, '33, '34 '35, '36, '37, '38, '39, '40, '41, '42, '43, '44, and as sheriff of the county two terms, 1827 and '28 and 1845 and '46. In the year 1816 his wife died, and this to him was by far the hardest blow of his life ; by this wife he had five children, Hosea, Eliza, Cynthia, Sarah and Matilda, two of whom are yet living, Hosea and Eliza. Hosea Smith is now in his seventy- ninth year, and lives where he was born and raised near Smith's Mills; Eliza married Littleberry Weaver, and is still living with her son, Albert B. Weaver, near the City of Henderson. In the year 1817, Colonel Smith married his second wife, Elizabeth Carrington , with whom he lived in conjugal happiness to March the 5th, 1858, when he died upon the same place he had settled sixty four years be- fore. By his last marriage there were seven children, Elizabeth, Francis, Thomas S., Robert, George W., Mary Ann, and Margaret, only three of whom are now living ; George W., Mary Ann, and Mar- garet. On the ninth day of February, 1862, George W. married Miss Adelia Cotton, unto whom there were born four children, Minnie, Ella, Maud and George. Mrs. Smith died several' years ago, and on the ninth day of February, 1887, Mr. Smith married Mrs. Martha L. But- ler. It will be observed that he was partial to the ninth day of Feb- ruary, as both marriages were solmenized on that day. Margaret Smith, on the twenty-third day of December, 1857, married B. F. Martin, by whom she has had two children, Sallie B., who married Dr. Lev. Royster, and Fannie. Mary A. Smith, on the twenty sixth day of November, 1857, married Samuel L. Cooper, by whom she has had four daughters, namely, Maggie, Lizzie, Katie and George.
December 18th, 1821, by an act of the General Assembly of Kentucky, Colonel Smith was appointed in behalf of Henderson County, together with Reuben Berry, of Union County, and Daniel Talbott, Surveyor of Henderson, to run and establish the boundary line between Henderson and Union Counties. Smith's Mill's Post Office, one of the first established in Henderson County, and the pretty little village called by the same name, derived their appellation from an old horse mill, erected by ('olonel Smith near the spot where the residence of B. F. Martin now stands. No man took a more ac- tive interest in the development of Henderson County, than did Col- onel Smith. From 1803 to within a few years of his death, his name was intimately associated with every public enterprise. He was in- strumental in building more than one house of religious worship, and was never known to fail with his means when called upon for any like
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
purpose. He was a Whig in politics, and a recognized leader of his party. Since the foregoing was written Hosea Smith and Mrs. Eliza Weaver have both died.
WILLIAM HENRY WEBSTER, farmer and magistrate, was born in Fleming County, Kentucky, on the seventeenth day of Sep- tember, 1822. His father, Henry F. Webster, was born in Virginia on the twenty-fourth day of March, 1785. His mother, Sarah M. Howard, was born in Maryland June 4th, 1787. They were married in Virginia December 31st, 1811. Mr. and Mrs. Webster came to Kentucky in the year 1816, and settled in Fleming County where both of them died, the father on May 22d, 1860, the mother on May 20th, 1856. The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools of his county, and, arriving at the age of twenty-four years, he married Miss Margaret H. Manzey, of Fleming County, on the twen- ty-sixth day of February, 1846. She died, without issue, May 28th, 1853. On the fifth day of March, 1854, he married Mrs. Catharine Triplett Boise, of the same county. She died without issue November 27th, 1854. August 5th, 1856, he married Miss Susan M. Triplett, of the same county, and she died February 21st, 1868, leaving four children, namely, Mary E. Webster, born September 12th, 1857 ; Annie E. Webster, born March 22d, 1862; Sarah E. Webster, born September 1st, 1865, and Susan B., born February 13th, 1868. Mr. Webster served his native county as Magistrate for sixteen years, and on the first day of April, 1868, removed to Henderson County. On the sixth day of January, 1869, he married Miss Annie M. Samuel, of Hopkins County. She is yet living, and is the mother of six children, four sons and two daughters : Robert J., born October 2d, 1869; Wm. H., born October 19th, 1871; Emma F., born Septem- ber 25th, 1873 ; John Edward, born February 17th, 1876: Acsah Bell, born April 7th, 1878, and Radford Dunn, born January 29th, 1881. Since Mr. Webster's coming to this county, he has served as Magistrate thirteen years, and was recently elected to serve four more years, beginning January 1st, 1887. He is a member of Holloway Lodge, A. Y. M., No. 153; was initiated in 1855, in Fleming County. He is also a Chapter Mason, having been exalted to the Royal Arch. Mr. Webster, in addition to his magisterial duties, is engaged in farm- ing near Niagara.
MARION DUNCAN .- The subject of this sketch was born in the Southern portion of Henderson County, near the Union County line, on the sixth day of December, 1838. He was next youngest of a family of six children, of whom there were four girls and two boys.
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
His father was Nathan Benjamin Duncan, of Virginia ; his mother, Martha Tyree, of Caswell County, North Carolina. They were mar- ried in North Carolina and came to Kentucky at an early day. Mrs. Duncan died in 1879, aged seventy years. Mr. Duncan's grandfather, Nathan Duncan, of Virginia, immigrated to Henderson County, and died near Corydon. When our subject was less than two years of age, his father died, leaving a widow and children in a badly embarassed financial condition. She had no means to educate her children, and there were no public schools at that time. Young Marion was hired at hard labor before he was large enough to hold a plow handle, and this life was continued until he arrived at the age of twenty. His wages, amounting from two to thirteen dollars per month, were paid to his mother for her and his sisters' support. At the age of twenty, his sisters having all married and his mother giving up house-keeping, young Duncan started out into the world to seek his own fortune. How well he has performed that duty we shall see before this brief sketch closes. Yes, he started out into this merciless world, without a dollar, influence or education. Health, energy and a determined will was his entire stock in trade. Having grown up as a farmer, and having gained a reputation for industry, integrity and great capacity for directing and controlling labor, he was sought for by men of means to take charge of large plantations. The first two or three years he exercised the most rigid economy, saving every dollar he was not necessarily compelled to part with. This he did for a wise purpose; he had now found out the value of an education, and though twenty- three years of age, determined at all hazards to educate himself. To this end, therefore, he entered school at Corydon, and studied through- out two ten months' sessions. During this time he spent no idle time, but applied himself with an assiduity of purpose that brought to him a good common school English education ; nor was this all, during va- cation he studied at night and worked during the day, in order to earn something to assist in paying his board and tuition His money fast evaporating in necessary expenses, and not having the means to take a collegiate course, in order to fit him for professional life, he determined to return to that occupation his early condition in life had forced upon him. In January, 1863, he was employed to take charge of the farm and laborers of John W. Alves. He remained two years with Mr. Al. ves at a good salary. During the years 1866, '67 and '68 he was in charge of William McClain's lands and business in the Horse-shoe Bend, at a salary of $600, $700 and $800 per year. In 1869 he was employed by Mr. George Atkinson, in charge of his Union County
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
farm, opposite Shawneetown, Illinois, at a salary of $1,300. At the beginning of 1870 he was employed by Mr. Joseph Adams, to take charge of Diamond Island, which he did. He remained in the employ of Mr. Adams for eight years at annual salaries ranging from $1,600 to $1,800. The highest price ever paid a manager was paid the sub- ject of this sketch. Mr. Duncan then determined to work no longer for others, but to launch out on his own hook. During the entire four- teen years he managed for others, h · had never an unpleasant word with any of the gentlemen for whom he did business, and so success- ful was he, it was only a question of salary who would or could secure his services. Furthermore, during the fourteen years, he never de- manded a price for his services that was not paid him willingly. At the close of 1877 Mr. Duncan formed a co-partnership with A. S. Nunn, of Henderson, and purchased Slim Island, lying in the Ohio River, in the upper or northwest corner of Union County, and con- taining four hundred and seventy-five acres of very fine land. For this Island they paid the sum of $14,000 cash. Since that time they have purchased about eleven hundred acres of land near Henderson, and are working from forty to sixty-five laborers.
On the nineteenth day of April, 1871, Mr. Duncan was married to Miss Julia Elizabeth Mullen, in Henderson, Rev. Dr. Talbird of the Baptist Church officiating. Mrs Duncan was born on the twelfth day of December, 1846, and is a woman of many most excellent traits. Mr. Duncan and his wife are both members of the Episcopal Church. He is a steadfast Mason, and one of great influence. He has filled nearly every chair in the three lodges. He was twice elected Wor- shipful Master of the Blue Lodge, and declined. He has served as High Priest of his Chapter, and twice Eminent Commander of his Commandery, Knights Templar. He is also a Knight of Pythias. Mr. Duncan is a large grower of tobacco, corn and wheat, and a large buyer and raiser of cattle. His life, though a hard one, has been crowned by a success few men under similar circumstances have ever attained.
WYATT H. INGRAM .- The subject of this sketch was born in Orange County, Virginia, in 1783. His father, William Ingram, immigrated to Fayette County, Kentucky, and from thence to Hender- son County in 1803. Dying in the spring of 1806, with his property encumbered by debt, the burden of rearing and supporting the family of six children fell on young Wyatt, who, by unflagging industry, soon paid his father's debts and divided the property equally between the children, his brothers and sisters. The expenses of their education he bore himself, thus proving both brother and father,
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY KY.
On the eighth day of December, 1813, Mr. Ingram married Miss Jane McGready, daughter of Rev. Jas. McGready, the great Presby- terian revivalist of 1800. Soon after his marriage he became exten- sively engaged in boating produce to New Orleans. Boat building in those days was attended with many difficulties. Mr. Ingram would go up Green River with a sufficient number of men, and, with the old fashioned whip-saw, get out the necessary lumber for building his boats, put it together, and then float down to Henderson, where he would load with produce of all kinds for the Southern markets. He would then float down to New Orleans and there sell his entire stock, including the boat or boats. With the proceeds securely belted about him, he would commence his journey homeward on foot. In the course of his life, he walked from New Orleans to Henderson thirteen times. To-day such an undertaking would deter most men, but, with the dangers attending such a trip at that early day, it must have taken courage and resolution of high order. During his mer· cantile life, Mr. Ingram purchased goods from Philadelphia mer- chants. These were carried in wagons to Pittsburgh and from thence down the river to Henderson. Several times, in returning from New Orleans, he made the trip to Philadelphia by water. On one occasion he sold his produce for Spanish doubloons, and, having no better place to put them, packed them securely in his trunk. On arriv- ing at Philadelphia, he was astonished, on opening the trunk, to find that the gold had played havoc with his clothing, especially some extra fine ruffled shirts then in his trunk. Mr. Ingram's high char- acter for integrity is well known by the older people now living. The good he did was of the practical sort. Several of Henderson's once prominent citizens owe, in a large measure, their start in life to him. When Jean Spidel, with his family, arrived in New York from the old country, he hadn't the means to pay the full amount of passage money. Under the custom at that time, he sold his son John to the Captain of the vessel until he could be redeemed. It so happened that Mr. Ingram was in New York at the time, and, by some means, He asked
Spidel found it out and sought an interview with him. help in so far as to release his son from bondage. Without hesitation Mr. Ingram paid the amount due and then brought with him the entire family to Henderson. A short time afterwards he established Spidel in the butcher business, and, in less time than eighteen months Mr. Ingram was repaid in full with interest. Our subject was ever ready to lend a helping hand to the deserving, and to assist those who were anxious to assist themselves. Thus his charity was of the nobles
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
kind. He died December 15th, 1850, calmly and peacefully, and a plain, marble slab marks his resting place in Fernwood Cemetery. " If I have done good," said he, " it will be found out; no need to emblazon it at my grave."
Mr. Ingram was one of the most influential men of his day-he was a leader in all public enterprises and gave liberally of his means. He was for years one of the trustees of the town and was one of the original trustees of the old Henderson Seminary. He left a large and valuable estate, consisting of lands and town lots mostly. Seven children were born unto him, Frank, Emily, Louisa, William, Wyatt, James and Jane. Frank died when young ; Emily married Dr. Robt. Letcher and died several years after; Louisa married Hon. John W. Crockett and died twelve or fifteen years since, leaving one son, Wyatt Ingram, now grown and married; William, now City Clerk of Louisville and very highly esteemed ; Wyatt, farming in this county ; James, who organized a company, and, in command, fought in the Confederate war, since died, and Jane, wife of Dr. Ben Letcher.
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