USA > Kentucky > Lewis County > History of Lewis County, Kentucky > Part 22
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SECRET SOCIETIES .- The Free Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, and the Junior Order United Work- ingmen are the orders represented in the county.
WATER TRANSPORTATION .- The only navi- gable stream in or near Lewis County is the Ohio River, running for forty miles along the northern boundary. A large amount of the county's products goes out and its imports come in by means of boats.
RAILROADS .- The C. & O. Railroad runs the entire length of the county along the river, and passes through Vanceburg on Third Street. The Kinny branch of the same passes up Kinny from its mouth to Trace Fork, thence up said fork to the Carter Avenue line. Lewis County gave ten thousand dollars in bonds to aid the building of the C. & O.
POLITICAL PARTIES .- The Republican party,
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
the Democratic party, the People's party, or Populists, and the Prohibition party are all represented in Lewis County.
NEWSPAPERS .- The first paper published in the county was the Pioneer of Progress, published in Concord in 1850, by E. Holderness. (For fuller description see History of Concord, in Chapter 2.) The second paper was the Vance- burg Kentuckian, established by Thos. Foster. It was afterward sold to the Republican Printing Company, and edited by Judge S. J. Pugh. The company sold it to W. S. Lewis and W. L. Fitch, who used it to political advantage and elected Lewis, a Democrat, county judge, and Fitch, a Republican, county attorney. Having no use for a paper and an office at the same time, they sold it to George B. Swap, who finally moved the plant away from Vanceburg.
The next man to be enveighed into the newspaper business was Jas. S. Mavity. He published the Vanceburg Courier from April, 1876 to October, 1880, at a loss of $2,200 be- sides his own labor. John B. Bradley, who had been the only successful sawmill man in the county, thought he might like the news business, and traded the proprietor some rock piles on Holly for his "elephant," but after a few weeks payment of expenses of five dollars above the income of the office, he rented it to Bullock and
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
Eaton for the consideration of "that they would not let the paper die." Messrs. Bullock and Eaton straddled the tripod and made paste in the sanctum for one year, when Mr. Bradley sold the outfit to A. L. Mckay. Mr. Mckay spent another fortune on the paper and office material, and made rather a better paper than any of his predecessors. But aggressive politics and financial trouble brought him to his back, and he left the office standing silent and alone in its hall, and, like the Arab, silently stole away. Somebody tried to run a religious journal from that office and with that material, but it was "no go." The old material lay around till 1888, when J. S. Mavity, feeling that "he had n't had enough," launched the Vanceburg Times. Mav- ity, like the Farmer's Alliance, forgot that he was committed to the "non-political," and, with the Alliance, went through one of the hottest cam- paigns that was ever fought in Lewis County. A short time after he concluded "he had enough," and turned the paper over to J. W. Allen, who finally sold it to the Sun Publishing Company. The Times became extinct, and the Sun started off to light the citizens of Lewis. It made one annual revolution and suspended for a short time, when it was sold to Dr. J. P. Huff, who edited and published it for one year as a Republican paper. He sold it to D. J.
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
Drennan, who published a readable paper and made a living, both of which no other news- paper man had ever before done, in Vanceburg. At the present the Vanceburg Sun is owned and edited by Mr. M. O. Wilson, who has for four or five years published a paper that shows a healthy growth from the start. You will not find a more readable paper in any county in Kentucky. We trust Mr. Wilson will always prosper and for many years edit the Sun.
PUBLIC DEBT .- The county's first public debt of any magnitude, or when bonds were issued against the county, was contracted for building the present court-house, in 1864, and is described in Chapter 2.
The maximum amount of indebtedness was incurred in building the macadamized roads, and is shown by Public Debt Statement, issued and published in the Vanceburg Courier by Thos. A. Mitchell, county clerk, as follows:
BONDED DEBT, 1897
Statement of Eugene A. Jones, Treasurer of Lewis County, April 7, 1897:
COUNTY LEVY-
Amount received from all sources from
April 6, 1896. $4,015.31
Amount disbursed.
2,157.78
Balance on hand April 6, 1897 $1,857.53
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
COUNTY REVENUE-
Amount received from all sources since
$6,634.51 April 6, 1896.
Amount disbursed . 5,615.55
Balance on hand April 6, 1897
$1,018.96
INFIRMARY FUND-
Amount received from all sources since
April 6, 1896
$4,146.08
Amount disbursed 1,433.17
Balance on hand April 6, 1897
$2,712.91
GENERAL BRIDGE FUND --
Amount received from all sources since
April 6, 1896.
$861.92
Amount disbursed . 273.04
Balance on hand April 6, 1897
$588.88
RAILROAD-
Amount received from all sources since
April 6, 1896. $8,371.16
Amount disbursed 6,890.00
Balance on hand April 6, 1897
$1,481.16
QUICKS RUN BRIDGE-
Amount received from all sources since April 6, 1896 $4,817.43
Amount disbursed. 3,730.81
Balance on hand April 6, 1897 $1,086.62
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
FORFEITED LAND-
Amount received from all sources since
April 6, 1896.
$291.76
Amount disbursed . 322.60
Deficit April 6, 1897 $30.84
ROAD FUND-
Amount received from all sources since
April 6, 1896.
$5,320.95
Amount disbursed 3,172.76
Balance on hand April 6, 1897
$2,148.19
BONDED DEBT-
Turnpike bonds outstanding . $32,150.00
Railroad bonds outstanding 6,000.00
Quicks Run Bridge bonds outstanding 900.00
Total bonds outstanding. $39,050.00
Paid on Bonded Debt during year 1896. .. $7,850.00
TAX LEVY
The total levy for year 1897 is 70 cents per $100, and is as follows:
County Levy 12 cents per $100
County Revenue
15
66
Road Tax. 20
General Bridge 5
66 66 66
Railroad 5
3
66
Infirmary .
Turnpike. 5
Total 70
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
BONDED DEBT, 1899
Statement of Eugene A. Jones, County Treasurer of Lewis County, for year ending April 4, 1899:
COUNTY LEVY-
Amount received from all sources $4,286.02
Amount paid out. 3,007.92
Balance on hand April 4, 1899
$1,278.10
COUNTY REVENUE-
Amount received from all sources $4,551.08
Amount paid out 2,651.63
Balance on hand April 4, 1899
$1,863.45
GENERAL BRIDGE-
Amount received from all sources $2,108.70
Amount paid out 585.37
Balance on hand April 4, 1899
$1,523.33
RAILROAD TAX-
Amount received from all sources $1,224.21
Amount paid out . 129.00
Balance on hand April 4, 1899
$1,095.21
QUICKS RUN BRIDGE-
Amount received from all sources $1,202.34
Amount paid out. . 1,051.29
Balance on hand April 4, 1899
$151.05
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
FORFEITED LAND FUND-
Amount received from all sources $139.11
Amount paid out. 66.42
Balance on hand April 4, 1899 $72.69
INFIRMARY FUND-
Amount received from all sources $3,188.90
Amount paid out . 2,876.25
Balance on hand April 4, 1899
$312.65
TURNPIKE TAX-
Amount received from all sources . $2,134.46
Amount paid out. 1,094.15
Balance on hand April 4, 1899.
$1,040.31
ROAD FUND-
Amount received from all sources $10,764.23
Amount paid out . 5,794.58
Balance on hand April 4, 1899
$4,969.65
INDEBTEDNESS PAID --
County bonds.
$1,755.00
Note on Infirmary farm 888.30
Turnpike. 969.15
Total, 1899 $3,612.45
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
BONDED INDEBTEDNESS-
The following is a statement of the bonded indebted- ness of Lewis County:
County bonds Nos. 471, 487, 489, 490, 491,
495, 496, 500, 501, 557, 558, 559, 560,
561, 562, 563, 564, 565, and 566, ag- gregating the sum of . $9,630.00
County refunding bonds Nos. 1 to 74,
inclusive, aggregating the sum of. . 23,400.00 Railroad refunding bonds Nos. 5 to 16, inclusive, aggregating the sum of. 3,600.00
Total bonded indebtedness, April 18,
1899. .$36,630.00
The bonded debt was cleaned up in 1906.
The Vanceburg, Dry Run, and Kinnicon- nick had a small lot of bond issued to it in February, 1908.
CAPITATION AND PROPERTY TAXES .- The property tax rate for the State has ranged from forty-five cents on the one hundred dollars to fifty cents.
The poll tax on tithe runs from fifty cents to three dollars (1869) per head, and is now one dollar. The county tax is divided into the Road Fund, the Bridge Fund, the County Infirmary Fund.
Report of county clerk, 1878, to the pre- siding judge and justices of the peace composing the Lewis County Court of Claims.
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
The undersigned has learned, from various sources, that the people and taxpayers of Lewis County were desirous to know the exact fi- nancial condition of the county-the amount of its bonded debt at this time, and its resources to pay same. The records of my office contain all the information obtainable. The debt of the county now existing was contracted in aid of a system of internal improvements within its borders. The principal thoroughfares of the county are now macadamized turnpikes. In each and all of said roads the county is a stockholder to the extent of one thousand dol- lars per mile, and to pay the calls on said stock, subscribed by its officers, in obedience to law, the first bonds of the county were issued in October, 1868. From the records of my office, running through the terms of my mediate and immediate predecessors, I have coupled a state- ment showing the number, date, and amount of each bond issued; to what road issued and de- livered; when due, and which bonds have been paid. From said statement it will be seen that the bonds of the county have been issued and delivered to the various turnpike roads in the county as follows:
To the V. S. L. T. & M. T. R. $21.000.00
To the Concord and Tollesboro Turnpike. 11,750.00
To the Mason and Lewis Turnpike. 4,200.00 To the C. C. S. H. & M. Turnpike. 7,800.00
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
To the S. L. E. & Mt. C. Turnpike. $1,000.00
To the V. D. R. & K. Turnpike. 5,781.25
To the Cabin Creek Turnpike. 5,250.00
To the Vanceburg, Q. R. & C. Turnpike. 3,000.00
Making a total of. $59,781.25
On the bonds so issued there has been paid,
as shown by the statement referred to .. 29,991.18
Leaving due and unpaid the sum of .... $29,790.07
To pay these bonds, or rather, $29,790.07 of them, we have a special county revenue tax of thirty cents on each one hundred dollars' worth of taxable property in the county, which, under an Act of the General Assembly, approved February 29, 1876, can not be used for any other purpose than paying the bonded debt and interest on same. (See Acts 1876, vol. I, Chapter 272, Section 3.) Said revenue tax yielded, for the year 1877, after deducting de- linquents, costs of collection, etc., the sum of $5,470.80. Assuming that in the succeeding years the tax will yield the same amount, we can pay, in the year-
1878, after paying interest for said year $3,652.16
1879,
..
3,871.29
1880,
6.
4,103.56
1881,
4,349.78
1882,
..
4,610.76
1883,
4,887.41
Total amount that will be paid in 6 years. . $25,474.96
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
This leaves us only the sum of $1,315.11 and interest on that amount to pay out of the tax for 1884; therefore it is safe to say that the whole bonded debt and interest will be fully paid off in seven years.
The $3,000-amount of the bonds issued to the Vanceburg, Quicks Run, and Concord Turnpike-were issued for the purpose of build- ing a bridge across Salt Lick Creek, at Vance- burg, and the amended charter of said com- pany expressly provides that the $3,000 in bonds to be, and which were, issued to said company, shall be paid out of the bridge fund tax. (See Section 2 of Chapter 1021 Acts 1873, Vol. 2.) The bridge tax is five cents on each one hundred dollars' worth of taxable property in the county; and said tax yielded, for the year 1877, after deducting delinquents, exonerations, costs of collecting, etc., the sum of $875.14. Taking this as a basis, the said bonds and interest will be wholly discharged in four and a half years. These bonds, and also the bonds issued to the Vanceburg, Dry Run, and Kinniconnick Turn- pike, were issued for ten per cent, and the in- terest is counted for each year ten per cent.
This labor has been undertaken and per- formed by the undersigned for the reasons herein before stated, and from a desire to inform those who are compelled to bear the burden, of the
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
extent and probable duration of the debt, and hoping that it will prove beneficial to those for whose satisfaction and in whose interest it was prepared, it is respectfully submitted. THOS. A. MITCHELL, Clerk Lewis County Court.
STATISTICS 1879 vs. 1896
LEWIS COUNTY STATISTICS, 1879
Average value of land per acre, $5.07.
Number of acres cultivated, 289,658.
Value of land tilled, $1,507,164.
Number of horses and mares, 4,653.
Value of horses, $154,855.
Number of mules, 306.
Value of mules, $13,950.
Number of genets, 29.
Value of genets, $825.
Number of cattle, 4,487.
Value of cattle over $50, $34,637.
Number of stores, 60.
Valuation of stores, $45,325.
Value under Equalization law, $119,869.
Value of gold and silver plate, pianos, etc., $18,145. Total valuation of taxable property, $2,149,099.
Tax at 40 cents on the $100, $8,580.20.
White males over 21 years old, 2,772.
Colored males over 21 years old, 42.
Legal white voters, 2,718. Legal colored voters, 42.
White children between 6 and 20 years of age, 4,189. Colored children between 6 and 20 years, 54.
Hogs over six months old, 4,165.
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
Studs, jacks, and bulls, 6. Taverns licensed, 4. Blind white persons, 5. Deaf whites, 4. Number of sheep killed by dogs, 48.
Value of same, $144. Pounds of tobacco raised, 237,300.
Tons of hay raised, 496,700.
Bushels of wheat, 37,985.
TAX COMMISSIONERS' REPORT, 1896
To the Judge Lewis County Court:
We, the undersigned tax commissioners, year 1896, would respectfully report, on the completion of our labors, that we find the total amount of taxable property of Lewis County to be as, returned by the assessor, all told, $2,164,094 as against $2,191,305 for 1895. There are 3,725 voters, a gain over the return for 1895 by 222. In view of the depressed condition of business generally, and the very low prices of all farm stock and produce, and at the suggestion of our county judge and attorney, we adopted a rule at our first setting not to raise any list unless it was a very clear case of "too low in value" -our object from start to finish to hold up the assess- ment to 1895 as near as possible. The presence of the assessors was of great benefit to us, and will result in a much more correct tax book, and less annoyance to our taxpayers in having to come to the County Court to get errors corrected. All of which is respectfully sub- mitter, S. A. AGNEW,
E. C. SELLARDS, GEO. M. DAVIS,
I. I. WALKER, JAS. H. GARRETT,
Commissioners.
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
The total value of taxable property in Lewis County in 1865 was $2,471,269. White males over 21 years of age, 1,673. Enrolled in the militia, 848. The money paid for common schools out of the State fund was $2,722.50.
In 1896 the valuation of taxable property was $2,164,094, which is a decrease since 1865 of $307,175. This is perhaps one of the benefits of "resumption."
The number of voters in 1896 is 3,725, an increase of 2,052. The value of each voter's property, on a general average, in 1865, was $1,477.60; in 1896 it is $580.96, or a loss on each of $896.64. Counting the same number of voters in '65 as '96, the loss is $814.77 to each.
EXPENSES 1895-96
Statement of the receipts and expenditures from April 1, 1895, to April 1, 1896, of the taxes in hands of treasurer and collected for year 1895, as shown by settlements made with sheriff and treasurer for year 1895:
COUNTY LEVY TAX FUND-
To amount in hands of treasurer, April, 1 1895 $942.92
To amount transferred to the fund from Scaffold Lick Bridge fund, being sur- plus left in said fund after completing bridge. 945.08
To amount received from Lewis and Mason Turnpike. Dividend on stock held by Lewis County in said turnpike. . . 31
208.00
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
To net amount of county levy tax collected for year 1895 7,563.68
Total amount chargeable to the fund, $9,659.68
By amount drawn on this fund by Fiscal Court, October term, 1894. $2,729.43 By amount drawn on this fund by Fiscal Court, April term, 1895 . 3,895.02
By amount drawn on this fund by the County Court during the year 1895. . 3,443.16
Total amount drawn on this fund ... $10,067.61
Amount overdrawn.
$407.93
COUNTY REVENUE FUND-
To amount in hands of treasurer, April 1, 1895 $1,289.08
To net amount of county revenue tax col-
lected for year 1895.
2,069.68
Total amount chargeable to this fund $3,358.76
By amount drawn on this fund for payment of Lewis County Turnpike bonds and interest during the year 1895 . $2,548.69
Balance in hands of treasurer, April
1,1896 $810.69
QUICKS RUN BRIDGE FUND-
To amount in hands of treasurer, April 1, 1895. $1,301.07
To net amount of Quicks Run Bridge, tax
collected for year 1895
2,956.68
Total amount chargeable to this fund $4,257.75
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
By amount drawn on this fund for pay- ment of bonds and interest, and to make fill and fencing to said bridge during year 1895 2,360.83
Balance in hands of treasurer, April 1,1896. $1,896.92
RAILROAD TAX FUND-
To amount in hands of treasurer, April 1, 1895. $1,197.65
To net amount railroad tax collected for year 1895 1,065.61
Total amount chargeable to this fund $2,263.26 By amount drawn on this fund for pay- ment of bonds and interests during 1895. $947.83
Balance in hands of treasurer, April
1,1896. $1,315.43
INFIRMARY TAX FUND ----
To amount in hands of treasurer, April 1, 1895 $2,990.66
To net amount Infirmary tax collected for year 1895. 887.09
Total amount chargeable to this fund $3,877.75 By amount drawn on this fund by the
County Court during the year 1895 .. $2,652.18
Balance in hands of treasurer, April 1,1896 $1,225.57
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
ROAD TAX FUND-
To net amount road tax collected for year 1895. $4,416.30
By amount drawn on this fund by County Court during the year 1895 $1,515.83
Balance in hands of treasurer, April 1,1896. $2.900.47
GENERAL BRIDGE TAX FUND-
To amount in hands of treasurer, April 1, 1895 (no tax levied for 1895) . $667.66
By amount of orders drawn on this fund by County Court during year 1895 535.86
Balance in hands of treasurer, April
1, 1896. $131.80
FORFEITED LAND FUND-
To amount in hands of treasurer, April 1, 1895 $44.70
To amount paid to treasurer by T. A. Mitchell, county clerk, during year 1895 . 215.86
Total amount chargeable to this fund $260.56 By amount orders drawn on this fund by County Court during year 1895. $232.06
Balance in hands of treasurer, April
1,1895. $28.50
CLAIMS-
Claims allowed by the Fiscal Court payable out of the County Levy Tax of 1896.
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
October Term 1895, viz .:
For aid to paupers outside of infirmary ... $1,324.98
work on roads. 248.85
county officers' fees . 432.05
justice of the peace fees 146.25
" constable fees. 34.65
" miscellaneous claims . 255.60
" justices of the peace attending this court 42.00
Total amount claims allowed, Oc- tober, 1895 $2,484.38
April Term 1896, viz .:
For aid to paupers outside of infirmary . . . $899.43
work on roads. 515.63
county officers, fees. 1,432.20
justice of the peace fees
57.95
constable fees. 60.60
officers of election, 1895 143.80
" miscellaneous claims. 126.02
rent of room to hold elections.
31.00
" justices of the peace attending this court 54.00
Total claims allowed April term, 1896. $3,319.63
Total claims allowed by Fiscal Court, pay- able out of County Levy, 1896 $5,804.01
BONDED DEBT
The bonded debt of Lewis County is as follows:
Total amount turnpike bonds outstanding $33,578.84. Total amount railroad bonds . 6,500.00
Total amount Quicks Run Bridge bonds . . 5,350.00
Total amount of bonded debt of Lewis County $45,428.84
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
BONDS DUE 1896-
Turnpike bonds. $3,750.00
Quicks Run Bridge bonds 4,450.00
Three of the railroad bonds will be paid off in 1896, and the balance, $5,000, will be refunded as per order of the Fiscal Court, April term, 1896 1,500.00
Total amount bonds to be paid in 1896.
$9,700.00
TAX LEVY, 1896
The taxes levied by the Fiscal Court for the year 1896 are as follows:
County Revenue. 20 cents per $100
Quicks Run Bridge
10
66 66
Infirmary
10 .
66
Road.
10 66 66
Railroad
5
General Bridge
21/2"
County Levy .
20
And $1.50 on each male over twenty-one years of age. (Attest:) THOS. A. MITCHELL,
April 23, 1886. Clerk Lewis County Court.
The statements above are of previous years. Now, to get a more thorough understanding of the conditions of the county, we give you the following statements of 1911:
Statement of Geo. Willim, treasurer of Lewis County, term ending April 4, 1911: COUNTY LEVY-
Amount received .
$ 6,124.37
disbursed. 4,586.83
Balance on hand $1,537.54
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
COUNTY REVENUE-
Amount received . $7,161.08
disbursed 3,357.14
Balance on hand $3,833.94
ROAD FUND --
Amount received . $10,835.01
disbursed . 6,706.11
Balance on hand $4,128.90
BRIDGE FUND-
Amount received.
$3,769.68
disbursed 2,274.25
Balance on hand. $1,495.43
MCDANIEL BRIDGE FUND-
Amount received .
$3,207.12
disbursed . 2,632.00
Balance on hand $575.12
FORFEITED LAND FUND-
Amount received.
$345.59
disbursed. 142.75
Balance on hand $202.84
INFIRMARY-
Amount received .
$2,910.08
disbursed 2,872.84
Balance on hand $36.24
BONDED DEBT-
McDaniel Bridge Fund $2,500.00
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
MAGISTERIAL DISTRICTS .- There are seven Magisterial Districts, numbered from one to seven, consecutively. They are fully shown on the accompanying map. In each district are two voting places, except in No. 3, Vanceburg District, there are four places to vote. The districts are also named-No. 1 being called Mowers; No. 2, Vanceburg; No. 3, Quincy; No. 4, Laurel; No. 5, Petersville; No. 6, Burton- ville; No. 7, Tollesboro. The polling places are all known by names. In District No. 1 are Mowers and Concord; in No. 2 are Martin, Valley, Vanceburg No. 1 and No. 2; in No. 3 are Quincy and Tannery; in No. 4 are Laurel and Grassy; in No. 5 are Rands and Petersville; in No. 6 are Burtonville and Esculapia; in No. 7 are Tollesboro and Henderson, sometimes called Poplar Flat.
The law allows one magistrate and one constable in each of these districts, so that under the present law there are only seven magistrates instead of twenty-two, as under the old Constitution. This is quite a saving in expenses when the Court of Claims is in session and the justices are allowed three dollars per day. Three times 22 are 66, but 3 times 7 are 21, a difference of $45 in one day.
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CHAPTER X
ANECDOTES AND TRADITIONS-CLOSING REMARKS.
THE following anecdote of Thos. Stratton and William Sympson is told by the older people at Vanceburg:
"In the long time ago, when the wild turkey still inhabited the hills of Salt Lick, Thos. Stratton and William Sympson were out hunt- ing, but both unconscious of the other being near him. Both of them heard a turkey gobbling and went in his direction, but from the side of opposite hills the turkey was sighted in an oat field in the hollow where Thos. Case lived. Both men saw the turkey and fired at the same time, and as he was killed, both went for the game. When they met in the field both claimed the turkey, and each showed the other how he killed the bird by the wound on his side which was toward him. They could not decide the matter, and agreed to take the turkey to Captain Mitchell, who lived near, and have it cooked for their dinner. In dressing the bird Mrs. Mitchell found two bullets welded to- gether in the middle of its carcass. This re- vealed the mystery-both had hit it, and their
490
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History of Lewis County, Kentucky
shots had met in its body, with the result above named."
A great deal of the unwritten history of a country can be picked up from the tales and traditions of the older inhabitants. Many times valuable secrets creep out in this way, which for some unaccountable reason the old inhabitant thought it was his duty to hold locked in his memory, and which, if divulged at the proper time, might have been of immense value to coming generations. The first two following are specimens of this class.
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