The Biographical encyclopaedia of Kentucky of the dead and living men of the nineteenth century, Part 66

Author: Armstrong, J. M., & company, pub
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Cincinnati, J. M. Armstrong
Number of Pages: 946

USA > Kentucky > The Biographical encyclopaedia of Kentucky of the dead and living men of the nineteenth century > Part 66

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his party ; was a thorough student of political science. At the very outset of the civil war, although not a com- batant, by reason of an injured arm, he cast his lot with the South, and used every exertion to induce Kentucky to follow the seceded States; left his home, with Breck- inridge and others, in September, 1861 ; made his way to Virginia, and thence to Tennessee and to Bowling Green, in his own State; set afoot, and was largely in- strumental in organizing, a provisional government for the State; and, at the convention assembled at Russell- ville for that purpose, November 18, 1861, he saw his desires carried into effect. A Constitution for the State was adopted, under which Kentucky was admitted into the Confederacy, and he was chosen Provisional Gov- ernor. When the rapid events of the war compelled the Confederates to retire from the southern part of the State, he accompanied the army ; was a part of the mil- itary family of the commander, Gen. A. S. Johnston; participated in the councils resulting in the movement from Corinth to Shiloh; went into that great battle as aid to Gen. Breckinridge; was afterwards aid to Col. Trabue, when the Kentucky brigade was separated from Gen. Breckinridge; his horse was shot from under him; he then entered the ranks of Capt. Ben. Monroe's com- pany, and fought during the rest of the day ; that night, he took the oath of a private, and enrolled himself in Company E, Fourth Kentucky Infantry ; on the follow- ing day, went into battle, and early fell, mortally wounded ; lay on the field until the afternoon of the 8th, when he was discovered by Gen. McCook, and re- moved to a United States hospital boat, where, receiv- ing every possible care, he died on the following morn- ing, April 9, 1862. His remains were sent to Lou- isville, by Gen. John M. Harlan and other Federal of- ficers, and were from thence conveyed to his home, in Scott County, where, amidst a great display of sympathy and popular regard, his body was interred. He was a brave, generous, noble-hearted man, and was greatly honored and respected in his community and State. He left a wife and seven children.

'OLLINS, RICHARD H., Editor, Lawyer, and Historian of Kentucky, was born at Maysville, Kentucky, May 4, 1824. His father, Judge Lewis Collins, was distinguished as the author 0 of the most extensive and best known history of Kentucky, and as an editor and judge. His paternal grandfather was Richard Collins, a Virginia soldier of the Revolutionary War. His maternal grand- father was Major Valentine Peers, a Virginia officer in the Revolutionary War, on the staff of Gen. Weedon, and with Washington at Valley Forge. He was edu- cated until sixteen at the Maysville Seminary; entered

Centre College, at Danville, Kentucky, in May, 1840; graduated in September, 1842, and made A. M. of same in 1845. Among his college-mates were, Robert C. Wickliffe, Governor of Louisiana; Presley Ewing, Thomas Turner, and William C. Anderson, members of Congress ; Henry C. Wood, Chief-Justice of Kentucky ; William T. Martin and Matt. V. Ector, major-generals; and Joseph H. Lewis, brigadier-general of the Confed- erate army. He studied law, and graduated at the Transylvania Law School, Lexington, Kentucky, in 1846. Among his classmates in this school were, James B. Beck, United States Senator and Representative; William E. Simms, member of United States Congress, and Senator in Confederate Congress; and James S. Jackson, member of Congress and brigadier-general United States army. Mr. Collins was editor of the Maysville "Eagle," 1845-50, and, again, 1853-57 ; prac- ticed law at Maysville, 1851-53, and at the Cincinnati bar, while a resident of Covington, Kentucky, 1862-71; was founder and publisher of the Danville "Review," 1861. The great work of his life was his " History of Kentucky," two volumes, one thousand six hundred pages, published in 1874; an enlargement of his father's history of Kentucky, originally published in 1847, in one volume, five hundred and sixty pages. Of this large work, one-fifth was reprinted from the first edi- tion of 1847; the remaining four-fifths will perpetually attest the remarkable industry, perseverance, and accu- racy of the author. It is the most recent and most comprehensive history of the State, and, beyond ques- tion, the most full and complete of all the histories of the several United States. It was a high compliment to Mr. Collins that the Legislature of the State con- tracted with him, before it was written, for over five thousand copies of the work, for the use of the common- schools, and as a nucleus for school libraries throughout the State.

REATHITT, JAMES, Lawyer, fourth son of William and Elizabeth Breathitt, of Virginia, was born 1794, in Logan County, Kentucky ; was reared and educated in that county, and studied law, in company with James T. More- head, in the office of his brother, Gov. John Breathitt. He finished his legal studies under John Pope, and located at Hopkinsville, where he became one of the most prominent lawyers of his State. He was an Old-line Whig, and took great interest in the affairs of his party, yet devoted his energy and time mainly to the duties of his profession. He represented Christian County in the Legislature, in 1818 and 1819. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church; was amiable in disposition, but rather reserved in his deport- ment; was a man of strong convictions, adhering, with

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great independence, to what he believed right, under all circumstances; was noted for his integrity of character, and the high moral and religious tone of his life; was a fair public speaker, without being a brilliant orator; and was one of the most intelligent, solid, and valuable men of Southern Kentucky. Mr. Breathitt was twice married : first, to the daughter of Major Peyton Short, and by that marriage had two sons, Peyton and John Breathitt; he was again married, January 21, 1830, to Miss Gabriella Harvey, daughter of the late John Har- vey, long one of the influential citizens of Frankfort; by this marriage he had one son, Harvey Breathitt. The Breathitts were natives of Ireland, both hi's father and mother being brought to this country while chil- dren; his mother's maiden name was Whitsett; her family settled in Maryland, and many of them became distinguished in the affairs of that State.

"ONVERSE, REV. THOMAS E., Clergyman, was born in 1841, in Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, and is the son of Rev. Amasa Converse, a worthy and successful editor, and minister of the Gospel. (See sketch of Rev. Amasa Con- verse.) He was educated at Princeton College, New Jersey; and, in the year 1866, began the study of theology at Union Theological Seminary, in Prince Ed- ward County, Virginia. In 1870, he was sent as a mis- sionary to Hangchow, China; in the following year he returned to the United States, preaching on various charges in Shenandoah County, Virginia, till 1875, when he went to Bardstown, Kentucky, and took charge of the Presbyterian Church, where he is now located. He is a preacher of great earnestness and ability, and has won for himself a fine place in the es- teem and affection, of his Church and community. He is a man of rare culture and refinement, but plain and unassuming in his manners ; is polite and courteous, and possessed of a large fund of good humor. Mr. Con- verse was married, in 1869, to Miss E. J. Leyburn, of Virginia.

HOMAS, HON. SAMUEL BEAL, son of Sam- uel Thomas, was born in Frederick County, Maryland, August 4, 1811, and started from home to make his way in the world at a very carly age, probably working for several years on one of the mail lines leading to Washington City; for there it was, in that capacity, that Edward P. Johnson, mail contractor, found him, as a mere boy, working at eight dollars per month; took a fancy for him, brought him to Kentucky, about 1828, and made him clerk in his office, and then general road agent over

his mail routes. About 1830, he and others bought Mr. Johnson out, and the firm became Hough, Carter & Thomas. With little change, this connection continued until the completion of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, in 1860, thus doing away with their great stage and mail route. In these thirty years they had control of the great mail routes, chiefly in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama, and had a vast array of em- ployés constantly engaged, and at one time as many as sixteen hundred horses in daily use in the work of trans- portation. Mr. Thomas was one of the most successful business men who ever flourished in the State. In 1830, or thereabouts, he first appeared at Elizabethtown, and from that time until the day of his death became largely a part of its history, and contributed greatly to the pros- perity of the surrounding country. He had great ad- miration for the beautiful and grand in nature. This he evinced in his beautiful home at Elizabethtown, which he adorned with every ornament taste could dic- tate, and every comfort wealth could supply. In 1863, he was elected to the Lower House of the State Legis- lature, and served two years. He was really the origi- nator of the Elizabethtown and Paducah Railroad, and served some time as its president ; and was long a direc- tor of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. He was generally interested in all the business enterprises of the country, and was especially devoted to the interests of Elizabethtown, where he lived and died. He probably did more to build up the town, in every way, than any other man, although his property was chiefly in other parts of the country. The time and means spent for the benefit of that community strongly set forth the generous and unselfish nature of the man, evinced every-where, indeed, through an exceptionally useful and successful career. During the great civil war, he was firmly at- tached to the cause of the Union, but sympathized deeply in the losses and troubles of his neighbors, using every effort in his power to ameliorate their condition, and soften the asperities of war. He was one of the largest slave-owners in his part of the State, and his losses, otherwise, were great, but these he took not into the account when placed against the good of his coun- try, or the losses and troubles of his neighbors. No young man ever applied to him for help, without receiv- ing it in some substantial way. His unbounded liberality, indeed, extended every-where, and at his death thou- sands of dollars' worth of bills, and promises to pay, from those he had favored without a prospect of return, had accumulated. Yet, at his death, he was worth more than a half million of dollars. Although a man of limited education, he was, in a remarkable way, able to pass among cducated men without suspicion of this want in himself. He started out to make a fortune, and from nothing arose to great wealth. He was a man of a fine head, and the clearest judgment; was remark-

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able in his predictions, and hardly ever made a business mistake; was possessed of the highest grade of moral rectitude; and, while being himself temperate in every thing, he was profuse in his hospitality. He was a fine stump-speaker, and appeared every-where to advantage among men. Without pomp, he was a lordly gentle- man; and, although a liberal supporter of Churches, he was connected with none, until shortly before his death. He died September 3, 1874, at his home in Elizabeth- town. Mr. Thomas was married, September 19, 1833, to Zorayda Young of West Point, Kentucky, who died January 26, 1874. They had six children, only two of whom are now living: Mary Elizabeth, the wife of James B. Payne of Elizabethtown; and Ellen, the wife of Geo. W. Welsh, a prominent business man of Dan- ville, Kentucky.

ILL, THOMAS P., Lawyer, was born August 30, 1828, in Lincoln County, and was the oldest child of Thomas and Louisa Hill; the former a native of Washington, and the latter of Lin- coln County, Kentucky. Thomas P. Hill, the original member of this family in America, came from England and settled in Maryland, in 1707. Clement Hill, his grandfather, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and came to Kentucky with the first Catholic family from Maryland, and settled in Washing- ton County; his father, Thomas P. Hill, was a young lawyer, and died, while on a visit to Louisville, at the age of twenty-five. His mother was the daughter of Randolph Peyton, son of Valentine Peyton, who was a soldier in the Revolution, an early pioncer to Lincoln County, Kentucky, and member of an English family distinguished in the early history of Virginia. Thomas P. Hill, the subject of this sketch, was chiefly educated in St. Mary's College, in Marion County, Kentucky. In 1847, he began reading law, under Hon. John Kin- kaid, at Stanford; in 1849, was admitted to the bar, and located, for the practice of liis profession, at Monticello, Wayne County ; in 1850, practiced at Somerset, Pulaski County ; and, in the following year, located at Stanford, where he has since resided, made an extensive practice, and become one of the leading lawyers of that section of the State. He is a Democrat in politics, and, al- though usually taking an active interest in political cam- paigns, he has persistently refused to accept office of any kind, devoting his energies to his profession. Dur- ing the great civil war, he was a decided Union man, but took no active part in the military service. He is, religiously, associated with the Christian or Disciples' Church, and is a man of known integrity of character, and high professional and social worth. Mr. Hill has been twice married : in 1849, to Miss Maria Peyton, a native of Lincoln County, and daughter of Simeon Pey-

ton, a farmer of that county; after her death, he was married, October 16, 1867, to Mrs. Frances A. Fowler (née Lewis), also a native of Lincoln County, and daughter of Jaquiline A. Lewis, a farmer of Boyle County, Kentucky.

ACOBS, JOHN ADAMSON, long Superin- tendent of the Institute for Education of Deaf Mutes, at Danville, Kentucky, was born August 19, 1806, in Leesburg, Loudon County, Vir- ginia. His parents emigrated to Lexington, Kentucky, while he was a child, and afterward located at Lancaster, Garrard County, where his early boyhood was passed. At the age of thirteen, he was left an orphan, by the death of both parents, and for some time after was much indebted to his old bachelor uncle, Hezekiah Ricketts, for assistance rendered him. At the age of fourteen, he taught a school in Madison County, and was the first in that county to teach English grammar as a common-school study. At the age of seventeen, he entered Centre College, with the view of completing a thorough course of education, but, at the age of eighteen, was appointed Superintendent of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, recently located at Danville, Kentucky, and from that time devoted himself to the interests of that institution. In order to thor- oughly fit himself for the duties of the position, he spent eighteen months at Hartford, Connecticut, in the Insti- tution for 'Deaf Mutes, and also studied sign language and the best methods of teaching, under eminent French teachers. Thoroughly prepared, hc took charge of the institution, in 1825, and filled the position, with great zeal and faithfulness, throughout his life. He conducted the institution on the recognized principles of mental philosophy, as applied in such cases in this country and in Europe. In 1854, having enjoyed the proceeds of the boarding department of the institution, he, against the wish of the trustees, relinquished this source of profit to himself, and accepted a salary of one thousand dollars, by this unselfish act saving the institution twenty-five hundred dollars a year. In 1834, he pub- lished a book of lessons for dcaf mutes, and, in 1859, two volumes, called " Primary Lessons for Deaf Mutes," which elicited much favorable attention from able judges, among whom was Charles Baker, Principal of the York- shire Institution, England, perhaps the oldest establish- ment for the education of deaf mutes in the world. To his great efforts is largely attributable the existence of the Institution for Feeble-minded, at Frankfort. For more than forty years, he worked for the charitable in- stitution over which he had charge, his entire life being marked by the most unselfish, broad, liberal, intelligent, and manly traits. He was a Christian, and probably

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America has not produced a better instance of a genuine Christian philanthropist. Mr. Jacobs died in the insti- tution, the morning of November 27, 1869.

RINNAN, ROBERT LEWIS, son of W. J. Grinnan and Martha (Bridwell) Grinnan, was born September 1, 1842, in Fredericksburg, Vir- ginia. His father was a native of Prince Will- iam County; and a cotton-goods manufac- turer; came to Kentucky in 1855, and finally located in Harrison County. His mother was the daughter of Richard Bridwell, a soldier of the war of 1812, and a farmer of Stafford County, Virginia. R. L. Grinnan received a good education; and first began business in the foundry of his uncle, at Maysville; 1858 and 1859, he spent in learning the cooper trade at Cynthiana; in 1860, he learned the photographic busi- ness in Maysville, and spent several years carrying on the business in different towns of the State ; spent 1870, variously engaged, in California ; in that year, located at Lancaster, Kentucky, where he has since resided. February 7, 1867, Mr. Grinnan was married to Mrs. Amanda Sutfield (née Salter), daughter of Gabriel Salter, a farmer, and, for several years, a Representative in the Legislature from Garrard County. In 1874, he was elected Police Judge of Lancaster. In 1876, he was ap- pointed on the staff of Gov. McCreary, with the rank of colonel. Mr. Grinnan is a Democrat in politics ; and is a member of the Christian Church.

EDMAN, WILLIAM G., M. D., D. D. S., was born near Eldridge, Onondaga County, New York, April 2, 1821. His parents were of Ger- man ancestry, who early emigrated to the United States, and were among the first settlers on the Hudson river. He received his educa- tion, first in the district-schools, afterwards at Cazenovia and Homer Academies. In 1843, he came to Kentucky, and began to teach school, at the same time studying medicine; and, from 1843 until 1846, studied and at- tended lectures at Jefferson Medical College, Philadel- phia, where he graduated with honor. From 1846 until 1849, he practiced medicine in Shelby County, Ken- tucky; his health then failing, he turned his attention to the study of dentistry, and graduated in Ohio Dental College, at Cincinnati, and located at Henderson, Ken- tucky, where he remained ten years, engaged in active and successful dental practice. In July, 1860, he re- moved to Louisville, where he has a large and lucrative practice. He is l'resident of the Southern Dental Asso- ciation, and was one of the first movers towards organiz-

ing the Kentucky State Dental Association. He has invented quite a number of dental instruments, which are now in general use in the profession; among which may be mentioned Redman's cylinder pluggers, file carrier, and mallet plugger. In 1865, the Louisville Medical College conferred upon him the degree of M. D. In 1839, he joined the Methodist Church; was con- nected with that denomination until 1865, since which time he has been a member of the Episcopal Church. He is not a partisan in politics, generally voting for the man he deems best suited for the position. He has been for years a member of the Independent Order of Odd-fellows, filling all the prominent chairs of his lodge. IIe is full of life, and has an active mind, which he keeps always employed. By his excellent habits, he has acquired a fortune which would enable him to retire from practice; but, at the age of fifty-five, he pursues his profession, and probably will continue as long as his fine constitution holds out. Dr. Redman was married, in 1849, to Miss Mary C. Chisen, of Lexington, Ken- tucky. They have thirteen children, ten of whom are now with them.

RMSTRONG, JOHN, Dry-goods Merchant, was born in 1779, near Enniskillen, Ireland. He early came to the United States, and settled in Pennsylvania, where he received a good educa- tion, and started in life as a teacher. Between 1790 and 1800, he came to Maysville, Kentucky, where he remained the rest of his life. Three other brothers came to America with him, all of whom raised large families, and became wealthy and valuable men. Their parents finally followed, and afterwards made their home and died in Maysville. Mr. Armstrong spent some time, after his arrival in Maysville, in a small mercantile business, through the town and county; but was finally able to establish himself in Maysville, where his busi- ness continued to flourish, year after year, until it had become of large proportions, and he one of the most wealthy, public-spirited, and valuable men in the county. He was largely concerned in the construction of the Mays- ville and Lexington Turnpike, the first macadamized road built in the State. He was the first president of its con- pany, and held the office during his life. He was a con- temporary with Christian Shultz, Andrew M. January, and a few others, with whom he was largely instru- mental in building up the town and county. The pub- lic improvements of the State, indeed, began in the Maysville pike. He built as many as a half a hundred of the houses now standing in Maysville ; and built and donated to the city a house for the use of the public- schools-the only gift to the schools cver made by a citi- zen. His name was for fifty years identified with all the business and social interests of the community; and was,

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doubtlessly, one of its most useful and esteemed citizens. He was mainly instrumental in the erection of the Third Strect Methodist Church, the first built in Maysville for the Northern wing of that body. Armstrong Chapel, in East Maysville, owes its name to him; and his home was sometimes the church, and always the resort of the Methodist minister. He was a pillar in the Methodist Church. Although a liberal and public-spirited man, he was a man of moods and eccentricities; and these often gave interesting colors to his deeds and gifts. He was a man of medium size; and, although not robust, could maintain himself long under great physical and mental pressure; and was one of those men who make out of the world about what they wish. He died Au- gust 12, 1851. Mr. Armstrong was four times married: November 13, 1800, to Mary Smith, of Carlisle, Penn- sylvania; to Mrs. Ann Brown, of Cincinnati, in 1831 ; February 4, 1834, to Mrs. K. B. Pascault, of Baltimore; September 19, 1836, to Mary Nowland, of Kent County, Maryland. Only five of their children are now living: James S., of Paris, France; Mrs. Eliza Lee, of Balti- more; Mrs. Emily Dobyns, of Maysville; Mrs. Amelia Duke, of Maysville; and Frank W. Armstrong, of Hills- boro, Ohio.

ODD, HUGH BLAIR, Retired Teacher, was born in Spottsylvania County, Virginia, June 2, 1813, and is descended, on both sides, from distinguished English and Scotch families; some of his ancestors being noblemen, and others leaders, in the chivalrous days of Scot- land. Some of them were among the early adventurers to America; and his maternal grandfather, Col. Wins- low, of the British army, finally settled in Virginia, where he died. His grandfather, Richard Todd, settled in Virginia, and there his father, William Todd, who was an Episcopal clergyman, was born. In 1834, he moved to Kentucky, and located in Fayette County, where he soon afterwards became a convert to the "Christian Reformation," and died in 1854. The sub- ject of this sketch was educated in the private schools of Virginia, and began teaching at the age of seventeen. After teaching two years, he moved to Kentucky, in 1835; located in Fayette County, where he started his first board- ing-school, and, after four years of success, bought "Green Hill," near the home of Henry Clay, and there established a school which became celebrated in the State. He after- wards carried on, for two years, a most successful school for young ladies, at Lexington. This he abandoned to take charge of the school at Carlisle, but, after remain- ing there two years, he was chosen, in 1841, to preside over the new school at Mt. Sterling, where he remained, with increasing popularity and success, until 1851, when he was, under substantial offers and protests from his

friends in Mt. Sterling, induced to take charge of Cam- den Point College, Missouri. Early in the second year after taking charge of that institution, it was entirely burned, with great loss to himself. While the fire smoldered in the ruins, he began the work of recon- struction, and with such enthusiasm as to inspire the friends, and, in an incredibly short time, he had erected a better building, in which, for several years, he carried on a prosperous school. He was then prevailed upon to take charge of the new college at Platte City, where he remained until the commencement of the rebellion, when he resigned, to cast his fortunes with the South. He was commissioned by Gen. Price to perform some services for the Confederacy ; was present at many battles, and continued to serve that cause, until, broken in health, in 1862, he took charge of Rogersville Female College, in Eastern Tennessee, where he remained until the neces- sities of the war compelled him to close the institution, in 1864. In the following year, he took charge of the Odd- fellows' Female College, at Gallatin, Tennessee, where he remained until the Spring of 1870, when he was selected, by the Grandsire of the I. O. O. F., to assist in estab- lishing, in California, a branch office of their Widows' and Orphans' Insurance Company. In this mission he was successful, as in the other efforts of his life. He returned to Gallatin, and again took charge of the Col- lege; but, after one year, came to Kentucky, and re- mained at the head of the school at Carlisle, until he became the Odd-fellows' State Agent for the Widows' Home and Orphans' University, which they were pre- paring to open at Harrodsburg. This work was tempo- rarily suspended in 1873, and, in the same year, he retired to his home, at Eminence, Kentucky, where he hopes to spend the remainder of his days. This is one of the remarkable characters only here and there pro- duced in a generation. Over forty years a teacher, he carried on some of the most popular and successful schools in the country. His faculty for organizing, and leading the people to respond to his demands, was won- derful. In four States he worked, made a reputation, and left a memory that shall live far along down the cur- rent of time. He is a speaker of rare ability, every-where demanding respect, and always carrying with him the feelings of the people. For years he lived near, and was for much of his life the friend and companion of, Henry Clay. Indeed, no man living so much resembles that great statesman in the prominent features of face, the dignifed bearing of person, or courtly address and manners. He now stands six feet high, perfectly erect, active and unbroken in mind and body, as at life's me- ridian. He was raised in the Episcopal Church, after- wards became a member of the Baptist, but is now an active worker in the Church of the Disciples. He is a member, in high standing, in several social organiza- tions, and has, during an eventful career, lived mainly

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The Biographical encyclopaedia of Kentucky of the dead and living men of the nineteenth century, Part 66

Author: Armstrong, J. M., & company, pub Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Cincinnati, J. M. Armstrong Number of Pages: 946

Author: Armstrong, J. M., & company, pub
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Cincinnati, J. M. Armstrong
Number of Pages: 946