History of Henderson County, Kentucky, Part 70

Author: Starling, Edmund Lyne, 1864- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Henderson, Ky.
Number of Pages: 892

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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.

DOCTOR PINCKNEY THOMPSON .- Among the most dis- tinguished of native Kentuckians, and most useful in their day and generation in the field of science and philanthropy, is the subject of this sketch, Dr. Pinckney Thompson. He was born in Livingston County, on the fifteenth day of April, 1828, in an humble sphere of life, having no advantages except such as may accompany poverty and utter obscurity. His parents were both natives of North Carolina, and his mother's maiden name was Thompson. Her family settled in Livingston County in the year 1796. His paternal grandfather immi- grated to Kentucky and settled in the same county, before Kentucky was admitted as one of the States of the Union. His father was apprenticed to a farmer, and on reaching his majority, volunteered in Captain Barbour's company, which assembled at Henderson, and marched overland through the cane-breaks to join General Samuel Hopkins' army, then stationed at Vincennes, Indiana. The command arrived too late for the battle of Tippecanoe, and after a few days rest, returned to Kentucky. He made several trading trips to New Orleans, and while there was pressed into the army service by order of General Jackson, and after a short service returned home, and set- tled down to hard work on a farm. In 1823, he married, and in Sep- tember, 1871, died at the residence of his son, Dr. Thompson, in this city. His wife, with whom his life had been so happily spent, survived him about four months, she departing this life in January, 1872. Dr. Thompson worked on his father's farm until his twentieth year, and during that time obtained from the ordinary county schools such an English education as they afforded. There was developed in him during his boyhood days a taste for the practice of medicine. He was a most excellent nurse, was apt in catching directions for administer- ing medicines, and was expert at detecting the various fevers. His neighbors, and those who knew him best, frequently reminded him that he ought to make a doctor of himself These frequent reminders had as much to do perhaps with moulding his life as his natural inclin- ations, and his mind being made up, in January 1849, he removed to Smithland, the county seat of Livingston, where he entered upon the study of medicine under Dr. D. B. Saunders, a very distinguished physician of that day. He continued in Dr. Saunders' office until May, 1851, at the end of which time he had grown restless from the want of advantages Dr. Saunders was unable to supply, and induced his father to permit him to go to Lousiville, Ky. He went to Louisville and placed himself under the preceptorship of Dr. T. G. Richardson, who was, at that time, Demonstrator of Anatomy in the Medical De-

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partment of the University of Louisville ; afterwards, and is now Professor of Surgery in the Medical Department of Louisiana Uni- versity, in the City of New Orleans, having succeeded Dr. Warren Stone, one of the most distinguished physicians and surgeons of the time. He continued to study under Dr. Richardson, at the same time serving in the City Hospital up to March 1st, 1853. On March 4th, of the same year, he graduated. He then returned to his old home, where he remained but a short time, and then came to Hen- derson, where he located on the fifteenth day of April and commenced the practice of his profession, without money and without an acquaint- ance beyond that of three persons. The following physicians were established in practice upon his arrival : R. A. Armistead, R. P. Letcher, A. J. Morrison, L. F. Jones, W. A. Offutt, W. A. Norwood, John Young, William Brewster and Richard Garland.

Dr. Thompson was not long in obtaining a large and lucrative practice, and has ever been held as one of the most successful prac- titioners in the profession. He has operated in tracheotomy three times, twice successfully ; has operated in lithotomy three times suc- cessfully ; performed two successful operations for cancer in the breast, besides a large number of minor, yet difficult operations.

November 26th, 1857, he was wedded to Nannie S., eldest daughter of William S. and Mary Holloway. They have two children, both sons and young men of promise. He was one of the first and most active Trustees of the Henderson Public School. He was the author of the law creating a colored School, and has continued the President of the Board from the day of its organization to this time. He has served as President of the Henderson Medical Club ; President of the McDowell Society, and President of the Kentucky State Board of Health from its organization. A number of years ago, in 1869, he conceived the idea of building a Mission Sunday School, peculiarly for the benefit of those children who, for various reasons, were unable to attend the schools of the city. He carried this plan into successful operation by building, mostly at his own expense, a house of sufficient capacity in the vicinity of his residence, and, for a number of years, supported this school mostly at his own expense. He has always served as its Superintendent. The doctor has a large school, and there is nothing in which he prides himself more than his family of Sunday school children. He has served as Elder in the Presbyterian Church since 1862. He is a Master and Royal Arch Mason. As President of the State Board of Health, he visited Hick man, Kentucky, during the yellow fever epidemic, and, upon his

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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY,

return, made an able report to the board ; was present at the meeting of the "Sanitary Council " of the Mississippi Valley, at Memphis, April, 1879, where he was elected Vice President. In 1880, he was re-elected, but, finding it impossible to attend meetings regularly, Dr. Wirt Johnson, of Mississippi, was elected in his stead. He has always taken great interest in sanitary matters ; has attended four meetings of the National Health Board, and was two years a member of the Advisory Committee of the American Public Health Association. He did more, perhaps, than any other one man, to secure from the Legis- lature an act incorporating, and establishing upon a sound and sensible basis, the present State Board of Health. At one time, when the State appropriation was inadequate for the purposes of the Board, he visited Washington and was successful in securing from the National Board sufficient help to guarantee a successful fight against dangerous epidemics. In 1860 he built the handsome residence on Main Street, now owned by G. G. Ellis, and, in 1867, built his present residence. He has been identified largely with every movement looking to the improvement of Henderson, taking an active part in its educational, social and other leading interests, and has been for over a quarter of a century, not only a most active and successful prac- titioner in his profession, but also one of the most earnest and valuable members of society. He has served for a number of years as Presi- dent of the Henderson County Bible Society and has annually received a re-election without opposition.

REV. D. OWEN DAVIES, D. D., Pastor of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Davies began his ministry in the City of Baltimore, taking charge, while yet a student in the Princeton Theological Sem- inary, of the " Old Duncan Church," as it was called, during the pro- tracted illness of its pastor. It was this church that called Dr. Stuart Robinson, from Kentucky, to his brilliant Baltimore pastorate. Mr. Da vies next ministered to the Central Church of St. Louis(now Dr.Branks'), while the pastor, Rev. S. J. P. Anderson, D. D., made an extended European tour. After a winter in the South and a summer in the North, seeking restoration of health, which had become critical, Mr. Davies was induced to take charge of a church in Cincinnati.

In the spring of 1863, he was settled over the church at Paris, Bourbon County, and, while there, was married to a daughter of Governor Richard Hawes, and there his first child was born. From Paris Mr. Davies went to Clarksville, Tenn., in 1868, where he did a good work in restoring to prosperity one of the best churches in that State, and in saving to the church and county Stewart College, now the

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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.

Southwestern University, already doing so well and promising so much for the higher education of Southern youth. Thence Mr. Davies came to Henderson, taking charge of the church in this city June, 1871. Since that time he has continued to minister to his Henderson flock with an ability and anxiety of purpose that causes him to be more beloved by his people as each year rolls by.

The work of this eminent and hard working divine is here to show for itself. The additions to his church each year have been very large, and, as a result, the old church now has a second church of large seating capacity, one of the handsomest buildings in the State, and a large and growing congregation. Verily, Mr. Davies has performed a great and good work. The fruits of his unceasing labors will follow after him.

JOSEPH ANTHONY HODGE, M. D., was born in Salem, Livingston County, Kentucky, February 2d, 1829. His father, Edwin Hodge, a farmer, born in the same locality in the year 1805, was a son of Robert Hodge, who, some years previous, had emigrated from North Carolina to that county. The grandfather of Robert Hodge, with two brothers, Henry and Anthony, came from England to this country in colonial times, one of them settling in Virginia, one in Maryland, and the other in North Carolina. The family name was originally Hodges, and one of these brothers, Anthony, for whom the subject of this sketch was named, always bore the name of Hodges, as do his descendants to this day.

The maiden name of the mother of Joseph A. Hodge was Nancy Selissa Hughes, a daughter of Joseph Hughes. It maybe remarked, that the County of Livingston was divided in the year 1842 into two counties, Livingston and Crittenden. The Hughes family lived in the latter section of the old county, and it was in the latter also that the subject of this sketch was reared. After the death of his father, when he was but eight years old, his mother married Doctor John S. Gilliam, a Virginian by birth, but at that time a resident of the same neighborhood with herself. In many respects he was quite a remark- able man, and proved to be a most kind and indulgent step father. It was through his instrumentality that his step-son began the study of medicine in his eighteenth year, graduating from the medical depart- ment of the Louisville University in 1850, when he was just twenty-one years old. From the time of graduation until the spring of 1863, he was engaged in practice in Marion, Crittenden County, Ky., removing from there to Henderson in April of that year. He arrived in the latter place on the twenty-eight of the month.

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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.

On December the fourth, 1851, he married Miss Susan A., daughter of Doctor Rufus Linthicum, of the County of Muhlenberg, Ky., having made her acquaintance four years previous, when she was a school girl at St. Vincent Academy, in Union County, Ky. This transaction has never caused a moment's regret, and has ever been regarded as the chief event of his life.

Dr. Hodge is a member of the Henderson Medical Club, Mc- Dowell Medical Society, Kentucky State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He is also a member of the Board of Medical Examiners of the Third Judicial District of Kentucky, and has been such from its establishment, over eight years ago. He was President of the Kentucky State Society from 1875 to 1876, and has acted in the same capacity for the Medical Club. He is a man of very strong character and eminently fitted for the arduous duties of his chosen profession.

Dr. and Mrs. Hodge, in their marital union, have been blessed by a family of seven children, two bors and five daughters, all of whom are yet living, and of whom it can be said, seven more promis- ing children were never born. Of the five daughters it has frequently been asserted, by competent judges, that they possess a charm of personal beauty and brightness of life unsurpassed by any similar number reared in Kentucky.

WILLIAM EVANS BENNETT .- The subject of this brief sketch was born on the twenty-seventh day of January, 1814, on the place he spent his life. He was a son of Evans Bennett and Eliza- beth Morris, natives of Virginia and North Carolina. Mr. Bennett was educated at the country schools of his neighborhood. The school house where he was taught was a rude log hut with one door and a large dirt chimney. I have often heard him say that when his teacher, for any cause, proposed to apply the rod to him, his first object was to get between him and the chimney, and then make his escape by that outlet, which was almost as easy as going out of the door. Mr. Bennett was all his life a farmer, and, by close application and hard work, possessed himself of a competency sufficient to raise a large family of children and keep him and those who lived with him in his old age in comfortable circumstances. For very many years he served his county as magistrate and was one of the most highly respected upon the bench. He was a plain, unassuming, Christian gentleman, full of life and humor, honest and temperate in all things. He bore no man malice ; was a kind, congenial neighbor, and as greatly respected as any man who has lived in the county. Mr. Bennett died several years since, leaving a large family of children.

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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.

LUTHER FERDINAND WISE. - The subject of this sketch was born in Ohio County, and is a son of William Bradford Wise, who was born in 1805, and Irene Blevins, born 1810. Both his paternal and maternal ancestors were native Virginians.

In 1861, at the beginning of the War of the Rebellion, the father of our subject enlisted in the Union army at Calhoun, Ky., under Captain J. R. Wise, Company I, Colonel Hawkins' Eleventh Ken- tucky Infantry. He participated in all of the battles and skirmishes in which his regiment was engaged, notably Shiloh and Stone River, and was mustered out of the service, near the close of the war, at Louisville. He was a farmer before and after the war, and owned what was known as the handsomest place between Hartford and Paradise, Ohio County. The father died in 1875, leaving nine children, three boys and six girls, all of whom are living at this time.

Luther Ferdinand Wise was born on the ninth day of September, 1848, and, when arriving at school age, was sent to a private school at Hartford, where he, by industry and close application, gained for himself a good country education. He commenced business as a clerk in a store at Rochester, Ky., and, in 1869, removed to Hender- son and accepted a clerkship with W. H. Lewis, then engaged in the boot and shoe business. On the twenty-sixth day of July, 1876, he married Mrs. Sarah A. Griffin (nee Hatchitt), daughter of James Hatchitt, for many years a leading and influential citizen of this county. As a result of that marriage, one child has been born unto them, Hatchitt L., born May 15th, 1877.

Mr. Wise remained with W. H. Lewis for eight years and then accepted a deputyship under William Hatchitt, Sheriff of Henderson County, an office he filled with signal ability up to the spring of 1882. On the twelth day of March of that year, he embarked in the grocery business, opening in the two-story brick, southwest corner of First and Elm Streets. Upon the completion of the new Opera House, a few years since, he removed his stock into one of the handsome stores of that building, where he is now doing a handsome and paying trade

In politics Mr. Wise is an unswerving Democrat ; in religion a firm and consistent Baptist. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias. Altogether he is a modest, unassuming gentleman, attending, as he has ever done, strictly to bis business, and, by this mode of life, has accumulated a nice little estate. He has lately purchased the storehouse he originaally occupied, and, in due course of time, will re-occupy it.

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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.

ANDREW TATE CALLENDER was born in Henderson County, on the eighteenth day of January, 1842. His schooling was limited to a period not exceeding six months, and this fact makes his success as a business man all the more wonderful. Mr. Callender is well known as a man of commercial capacity few have ever attained to with the start he had in life. He is a son of Thomas Jefferson Callender and Martha Chiles Harris, both native Kentuckians, and both early comers to this county. It is not necessary to say that our subject is a Democrat, the Thomas Jefferson attaching to the paternal head will guarantee that fact.

The parents of the subject of this sketch, on coming to this county, settled on a farm near Spottsville, on Green River. During the building of the locks and dam at that place, T. J. Callender was one of the most faithful employees. Andrew Tate Callender was born in Henderson County on the eighteenth day of January, 1842, as before stated, and knew nothing but hard work during his boyhood. Judge Warden P. Churchill, now of Louisville, but who, at one time, resided in Henderson, instructed him in about all the studies he was ever fortunate enough to receive an opportunity of knowing anything about.

On the nineteenth day of February, 1868, after having earned for himself a wifely competency, he married Miss Mary K. Eargood, and,as a result of that marriage, there have been born unto him and his faithful life partner, three children, now living, Lila, Andrew T. and Millard Norman. Lila, the eldest, married, September, 1885, Charles McAhan, and they have one son, recently born.

Our subject has been a hard working farmer the greater part of his life, three years of which time was spent with his father in Webster County, the remainder, up to 1870, in Henderson County. During the year 1870, he came to the city and purchased what was then known as Stapp & Sheffer's steam mill grocery on the corner of Fourth and Green Streets. In 1872, he purchased the grocery stock of K. Geibel, Jr., diagonally across from his then place of business, and consolidated the two stores. He yet carries on the grocery business at the same stand, southeast corner of Fifth and Elm Streets, and is doing a lucrative trade.

To use a rather uncommon phrase, Mr. Callender has exhibited more " spread out " than most men, and, as an evidence of it, he pur- chased of George Able, in 1882, a frame store building in the Third Ward, corner of Adams and Clay Street ; seeing far enough ahead to know that that stand, if not then, would ultimately become a good

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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.

one. A short time after this purchase, this house burned, and he im- mediately erected for that locality, a commodious brick, and installed his brother as manager of a large and varied stock of groceries and necessary household goods. In this, as in all other enterprises willed by him, he has been successful, and to-day, beholds himself the pos- sessor of a competency amply sufficient for any purpose he may wish. Mr. Callender has never attached himself to any religious denomina- tion, yet he inherits the Baptist faith from the paternal, and Metho- dist from the maternal parental heads. He has never joined a Lodge of any kind. He is a member of the Public and High School Boards.

WYNN GLASS DIXON is a young farmer, living upon, and op- erating one hundred and fifty acres of fine farming land, which he owns, and upon which he successfully grows tobacco, wheat, corn and hay. He is a gentleman rather more professional looking in appear- ance than is usually the case with planters and cultivators of the soil. He comes from a family, both sides representing a worthy profess- ional lineage-in several instances, in fact, unsurpassed for legal learn- ing and governmental polity. He is a son of Charles Cornelius Dixon, who was a highly influential and worthy citizen of this county, and Isa- bella Pauline Clay, a second cousin of Henry Clay. Mr. Dixon was born in Henderson County, on the 24th day of March, 1855, and re- ceived his primary education from the county schools. Subsequent to that time, he matriculated at one of the best educational institu- tions at Mt. Vernon Indiana. At this place he graduated, and since that time, has been engaged in farming. On the seventeenth day of December, 1878, he was married to Miss Mattie Randolph of this county, and two children, Ruby Dixon, and Roger Sherman, now bless that happy union. In politics, our subject is a Democrat ; in relig- ious opinion and training, a Cumberland Presbyterian. He has never joined a Lodge of any kind, but stays quietly at his home, surrounded by a loving household, where the moonlight of connubial felicity shines upon him, without going elsewhere to seek pleasures in the so- ciety of men. The father of our subject died in the year 1881, aged sixty-two years.

WILLIAM SAMUEL GRADY. The gentleman whose name heads this sketch, a farmer by occupation and a good one, too, is the son of Brockman B. Grady and Jane Powers, natives of Shelby County, Ken- tucky. William Samuel, was born near Shelbyville, Shelby County, on the third day of September, 1841, and on the twenty-first day of January, 1869, immigrated to Henderson County. His life's occupation, aside

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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY,

from the time he gave his chosen country, fighting for the Confederacy, has been that of a farmer. Two years after coming to Henderson County, to-wit : on the twenty-seventh day of December, 1871, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Butler, a highly connected young lady, and one whom the writer of this is pleased to remember as one eminently qualified to assume the duties of mother and housekeeper. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Grady : Henry and Furman Harvey ; the latter now dead, having been the victim of an accident at Colonel Jackson McClain's home farm several years ago. Our subject was a gallant soldier of General John H. Morgan's command, and with his General, was captured in the Morgan raid through Ohio. He was confined in Camp Chase, near Columbus, and, subsequently, with one or two comrades, effected his escape and footed it to Cincinnati, where he boarded a steamer and landed at Louisville without being molested or even suspicioned. As he was a good soldier, ever doing his duty, he is a charitable, open hearted, good citizen, loving his friends, and doing unto his neighbor as he would have done unto himself.

WILLIAM EDWARD LABREY was born at New Albany, Indiana, June 9th, 1844, and was educated from the city schools of that place. He is a son of Edward Labrey and Theresa Palmer. His paternal grandfather, Anthony Labrey, died in Paris, France ; his maternal grandfather, R. J. Palmer, who was the first President of the Iron Mountain Railroad and grocery merchant, died in 1865, at Hanover, now Crystal City, Missouri.

Our subject has always manifested a taste for active life and from that disposition, before his majority, engaged in trading in stock and following teaming for a livelihood. He was one of the first to volun- teer his services to the support of the Union at the breaking out of the late war, and was mustered into the Thirty-eighth Indiana Regi- ment at New Albany, on the seventeenth day of June, 1861. His regiment was assigned to Scribner's Brigade, General Rousseau's Division, Army of the Cumberland. At the noted and terrible battle of Perryville, Mr. Labrey served as Ordinance Master and was placed in charge of an ordinance train. While there, in the discharge of his duty, he was wounded in the left side and was given a six months' leave of absence. He afterwards was appointed Wagon Master of the Fourteenth Army Corps, General Walcott commanding. Prior to Walcott, the Fourteenth Corps was commanded by General George H. Thomas, so distinguished for his fighting pluck and splendid mili- tary judgment. Mr. Labrey participated in many battles and skir-

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mishes, notably Perryville, Chickamauga and Kennesaw Mountain. At Chickamauga he was the second time wounded while trying to rally a wagon train. For all this, the Government has recognized his services by placing his name upon the pension rolls-a recognition worthily bestowed. Three months after the close of the war-in 1865 -Mr. Labr y was in charge of one of the largest Government Wagon Posts.

June 15th, 1865, at New Albany, he was married to Miss Minnie Gilchrist, and this union has been blessed by the birth of seven children, Maude, Effie, Bert, Kate, Annie, Minnie and Wilbur. In 1867, our subject with, his then little family, came to Henderson, where he has been engaged, up to this writing, in teaming, contract- ing and carrying on a livery busines. It is due to say of him that, by energy and industry, knowing no limit, he has proven his metal, gained a snug property and lives happily in the society of a loving family and a host of friends.

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History of Henderson County, Kentucky, Part 70

Author: Starling, Edmund Lyne, 1864- [from old catalog] Publication date: 1887 Publisher: Henderson, Ky. Number of Pages: 892

Author: Starling, Edmund Lyne, 1864- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Henderson, Ky.
Number of Pages: 892