The Biographical encyclopaedia of Kentucky of the dead and living men of the nineteenth century, Part 88

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 88

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

NDERWOOD, HON. JOHN COX, Lieutenant- Governor, was born in Georgetown, District of Columbia, on the 12th of September, 1840; and is the oldest son of Judge Joseph R. Under- wood, by his second wife. William Thomas Underwood, the first member of the family in this country, landed in Virginia, from England, in 1680, and married a Taylor, by whom he had five children. His second son, Thomas, also married a Taylor, by whom he had nine children; the second of whom was John, who married a Rogers, of the Revolutionary fam-

506

BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPÆDIA.

ily of that name, and left eight children. His oldest son, Joseph Rogers Underwood, the father of the sub- ject of this sketch, was brought to Kentucky by his maternal uncle, Edmund Rogers, when quite a boy. (See sketch of Judge J. R. Underwood.) Both Thomas and John Underwood represented Goochland County in the Virginia Legislature for many years. The second wife of Judge Joseph R. Underwood, and mother of John C., was the daughter of Col. John Cox (who, for many years, was Mayor of Georgetown, District of Columbia), by his wife, Jane Threlkeld, a direct descend- ant of Sir Thomas Threlkeld, a Danish general of the sixteenth century. John Cox Underwood was born at his grandfather Cox's, while his father was attending Congress; but, at the close of the session, was brought to Kentucky. He received his early education in the various schools of Bowling Green, Kentucky; and, when about fourteen years of age, was sent to the high-school at Jacksonville, Illinois, where he remained two years. He was then sent to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Insti- tute, of Troy, New York, a college of civil engineer- ing and general sciences. He remained at that insti- tution four years, and graduated, with distinction, as a civil engineer, at the beginning of the late war. Upon returning to Kentucky, like most of the youth of his State, following his highest convictions of right, and because of his love for the Southern people, he es- poused their cause in the civil strife. Having studied military as well as civil engineering, he served the South mainly as a military engineer in Virginia; but, coming West, after the battle of Chancellorsville, was taken sick, and fell into the Federal lines, upon the re- treat of Gen. Bragg from Tullahoma, and was held a prisoner during the remainder of the war, spending the greater portion of his prison existence in McLean Bar- racks, Cincinnati, and Fort Warren, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. Upon being released from prison, he returned to Bowling Green, Kentucky, and engaged in the practice and pursuits of a civil engineer and archi- tect. He has contributed largely to the improvements of his section of the State, in the way of public enter- prises, such as the construction of bridges, public roads, buildings, ctc. He was City Engineer of Bowling Green, Kentucky, from 1868 to 1875 inclusive, and did much toward beautifying and substantially improving the city. He was elected to the City Council, in December, 1869, and served one term, when he was elected Mayor, which position he held two years. During his connection with the city of Bowling Green, he caused many permanent improvements to be made, which will remain as lasting monuments to his engineering skill and activity. In the Summer of 1872, he became a candidate, before the Democratic party, for Congress, but was defeated by a few votes in the convention, by the Hon. Charles W. Milli- ken, of Franklin, Kentucky. The same year he was

elected Grand Master of the Independent Order of Odd-fellows of the State, and, by his energy. and close attention to the interests of the Order, contributed sub- stantially to its increase and prosperity throughout the jurisdiction. In 1875, he was nominated for the office of Lieutenant-Governor of Kentucky, by the Democratic party, receiving more than two-thirds of the vote of the convention on the first ballot ; and, after a most ac- tive and energetic canvass, was elected, by a majority of more than forty thousand votes over his opponent, which position he still holds. Having become Speaker of the State Senate, without first having had Legislative experience, was, indeed, a compliment, and his friends looked forward to his inaugural trial with anxiety, but were more than satisfied by the success he achieved. At the close of the session, he received the unanimous thanks of the Senate, expressed in an engrossed resolu- tion, referring to the "dignified manner in which he presided over that body, and to his knowledge of par- liamentary law, strict impartiality, uniform urbanity, and courtly bearing." Having delivered an address to some of the graduates of Centre College, at Danville, Kentucky, in 1876, the Faculty of that institution con- ferred upon him the honorary degree of A. M. Lieu- tenant-Governor Underwood is a man of strong common sense, a forcible speaker, is self-reliant, possesses great determination of character, and is energetic in a superla- tive degree. His ability runs in the executive line, and his ruling traits are his great fairness in all transactions, and the inflexibility of purpose with which he pursues a course when he has determined upon it. In politics, he is of the Jeffersonian school, and has contributed no little in the organization of the Democratic party, by service on the county and State committees. His attempt to free the State from the growing evil of BRIBERY, by adequate punishment, during the Legisla- tive session of 1876, deserves, and has received, general indorsement throughout the Commonwealth. He was married, on the 16th of May, 1867, to Miss D. A. Dun- can, daughter of Joseph Dillard Duncan, Esq., of War- ren County, and the result of such marriage is five children, of whom three are living.

AMES, REV. JOHN, Clergyman, was born in August, 1782, in Buckingham County, Virginia ; emigrated to Kentucky, in 1797, with his fam- ily, and located in the Green river country. He joined the Methodist Church about 1803, and soon after began to exhort and preach. His course was strongly opposed by his own and his wife's family, but 'he finally succeeded in converting most of them to his faith. In 1821, he entered the traveling. connection, and spent forty years of his life in

507

BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPÆDIA.

the regular work. He had charge of the Churches at Lexington, Danville, Harrodsburg, Covington, and vari- ous other important localities. In the early years of his ministry, he received only about fifty dollars a year for his services; several years, only one hundred ; and his wife, who was known extensively as "Mother James," said: " It hegan to look like living," when his salary reached two hundred a year. Besides giving his labor to the Church, he also spent, for its benefit, two farms; and died rich only in the things which belonged to the other world. He lived and worked in the most heroic period of Methodism in the West; when it required a high degree of moral courage to oppose the persecution and proscription which the Church met in those early times. He was not a highly educated man, but had a fair English education, and possessed great practical good sense. His Bible was his text-book. He was a preacher of average ability, often rising to genuine elo- quence. He was devoted to the ministry, his life being one of toil and sacrifice; and, laboring to the last, he went from his work to the grave. Father James died of pneumonia, January 14, 1860, and over his remains, at Millersburg, Kentucky, a handsome monument was erected by his friends. In 1803, he was married to Margaret Taylor, who survived him many years.

AYLESS, GEORGE WOOD, M. D., was born January 17, 1817, in Mason County, Kentucky, and was the youngest child of Benjamin and Elizabeth ( Wood) Bayless. He received a thorough literary education, and, at the age of twenty, began the study of medicine, in Louis- ville, being a member of the first class of the Medi- cal Institute. He subsequently attended lectures in Philadelphia, and, having received the degree of Doctor of Medicine, began the practice of his profession in Louisville. He soon after became Demonstrator of An- atomy in the Louisville Medical Institute; in 1848, resigned that position; in the following year, became a professor in the Medical College of Ohio, at Cincinnati; in the Spring of 1850, resigned on account of failing health, and removed to Missouri, devoting himself, for several years, to agricultural pursuits; but, that kind of life proving incongenial, returned to Louisville, act- ively renewing the practice of his profession. He was subsequently, for many years, professor in the Kentucky School of Medicine and the University of Louisville, filling the Chairs of Physiology, Anatomy, and the Prin- ciples and Practice of Surgery. He belonged to the conservative school of surgery, and was one of the most skillful and successful operators in the country. In 1870, he was attacked with paralysis, but so far recov- ered as to be able to prepare himself a home in the

country, where he expected to be able to restore his shattered health. In 1873, he visited Rock Castle Springs, receiving great benefit from the mountain air ; but, when about to return to his home, was seized with apoplexy, of which he died, September 8, 1873. His remains were brought to Louisville and interred at Cave Hill Cemetery. Many demonstrations of respect were shown his memory by the profession, faculties of medi- cal colleges, and the citizens of Louisville, among whom he had long labored, and taken a prominent place in their esteem and affections. At a regular meeting of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Louisville, three days after his death, Dr. Speed said : "It is only a few hours since we committed to the grave all that was mortal of our friend and fellow, Dr. George W. Bayless. The University in which he was long a teacher has done honor to his worth. The profession at large, of which he was an honored member, has to- day passed becoming resolutions. It is simply graceful that this College contribute its share in commemoration of his virtues." By the University Faculty, Dr. R. O. Cowling was appointed to deliver an address on the professional standing and services of Professor Bayless; and other marks of respect were shown his memory. Dr. Bayless was married, October 20, 1842, at Louis- ville, to Miss Virginia Lafayette Browne, daughter of Judge William Browne, of Virginia. Mrs. Bayless and eight of their children survived him.

HORNBERRY, WARREN, Retired Merchant, was born February 27, 1816, in Jefferson County, Kentucky. His father, J. M. Thorn- berry, was a farmer, and long a magistrate in that county, and was one of the most influential and valuable men of the county. The family is of English origin. Warren Thornberry received a thorough education in the schools of his native county, and at Georgetown College, Georgetown, Kentucky. From 1838 to 1840, he had charge of the construction of the turnpike from the mouth of the Salt river to Munfordsville ; subsequently engaged for a time success- fully in trading at Fort Smith, Arkansas; returned to Kentucky and engaged in the grocery business; served seven years as assessor; and, in 1847, settled on his farm in McCracken County ; in 1852, moved to Paducah and was for several years City Engineer. He also en- gaged in the tobacco trade, and was greatly instrumental in placing that great interest on a permanent foundation in that part of the State. Although mainly retired from active business, he still devoted some attention to the tobacco trade. He has been an active, cnergetic, suc- cessful business man, and an influential and valuable citizen. Mr. Thornberry was married, July 26, 1839, to

508

BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPÆDIA.

Miss Mary J. Thomas, daughter of Jack Thomas, Clerk of Grayson County, Kentucky. His only son, James Warren Thornberry, is now an active and enterprising business man of Paducah.

aLOVER, CHESLEY JACKSON, Wholesale Grocer, was born February 23, 1830, in Mont- gomery County, Kentucky. His father, Charles Glover, was a farmer, who emigrated from Vir- ginia at an early day, and settled in Kentucky ; and is a descendant of Robert Glover, of Eng- land, who was burned at the stake, on account of his religious belief, in the sixteenth century ; and whose de- scendants emigrated to America, and settled at James- town, in 1620. He commenced life in the mercantile business at Howard's Mills, Montgomery County, in 1848; was engaged in business at Aaron's Run for some time ; and removed to Mt. Sterling, in 1852, where he has since resided. He has frequently been a member of the Coun- cil of Mt. Sterling; Chairman of Town Trustees; for a long time, was Chairman of the Democratic County Com- mittee; is now President of the Mt. Sterling Coal Road; and has done as much as any man in the county for the interests of his section. Many improvements have been due mainly to his energy and enterprise. He is a mem- ber of the Christian Church; and has long been recog- nized as one of the most substantial and prominent business men of his section. He is just, upright, and honorable; and has the confidence of the people among whom he has lived so long. Mr. Glover was married, March 11, 1857, to Miss Maria L. Gilkey, daughter of Charles Gilkey, of Montgomery County.

ITCH, REV. JOSIAH WHITAKER, Method- ist Clergyman, was born March 28, 1840, in Lewis County, Kentucky. He received his early education in the country schools; and by subsequent application acquired a good knowl- edge of the languages and moral and men- tal sciences. At eighteen years of age, he began the study of law, and at the same time engaged in teach- ing school. Two years after, he abandoned the law and entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; was received into the Conference of that Church, at Newport, in 1860; and successively supplied the circuits of Fox Creek, Tilton, Orangeburg, Winchester, North Middletown, Mt. Zion, and Flem- ingsburg. He has frequently appeared in the field of debate, as the exponent of the doctrines of his Church, having held a debate with Elder John A. Brooks, of the Christian Church, in the Fall of 1869, which was pub-

lished, in book form, by R. W. Carroll & Co., of Cin- cinnati. This was the beginning of a series of discus- sions throughout the State, in which Mr. Fitch took a prominent part. He has since held discussions with Elder Samuel Kelly, F. G. Allen, J. B. Briney, and J. C. Walden, also of the Christian Church; and, in 1875, held a discussion with Elder Benjamin Lampton, of the old Regular Baptist Church. In 1871, he was appointed Presiding Elder of the Harrodsburg District; and, in September, 1872, was placed in charge of the Lexing- ton District, which position he held for four years. In September, 1873, he was elected delegate to the Gen- eral Conference of the Church, which convened at Lou- isville, in 1874. He has never been blessed with robust health; but, notwithstanding, has filled every position to which he has been called, with great ability and ac- ceptability to the Church. Mr. Fitch was married, November 11, 1862, to Miss Sarah Trumbo; after her death, married, in 1866, Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Benton, daughter of Robert Scobee, of Clarke County.

OYD, HON. LINN, Lawyer, was born Novem- ber 22, 1800, at Nashville, Tennessee. On reaching manhood, he removed to Kentucky. In 1827, he was elected to the Legislature, from the counties of Calloway, Graves, Hickman, and McCracken; in 1828 and 1829, from Callo- way, and, in 1831, from Trigg County; from 1835 to 1837, was elected to Congress from the First District ; was again elected, in 1839, continuing to serve by re-elec- tions until 1855; from 1851 to 1855, was Speaker of the House of Representatives, and, during the Thirty-first Congress, was Chairman of the Committee on Territo- ries; in 1859, he was elected Lieutenant-Governor of Kentucky, on the Democratic ticket, but died Decem- ber 17, 1859, at Paducah, before entering upon the duties of his office. During his career in Congress, he labored faithfully for the interests of his constituents, and gained for himself a high reputation in that body and among the people of his State.

GRIFFITHS, GEORGE WASHINGTON, M. D., was born August 22, 1840, in Altatacca, South Wales, Great Britain; and is the son of Rev. Thomas Griffiths and his wife, Anne Jeremy. His father was an author of considerable noto- riety in the Presbyterian Church, and one of its most able preachers. Three of his sons are physi- cians. Dr. George W. Griffiths was brought to Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania, when an infant, and received a

509

BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPAEDIA.

fine education in the schools of that city. In 1855, he came to Louisville, Kentucky, and was for several years clerk in a drug-store, in the mean time engaging in the study of medicine; and, for a year or two prior to the commencement of the civil war, gave his attention wholly to preparing himself for his profession. He es- poused the cause of the National Government, opened a recruiting office in Louisville, and aided in raising the Fifth Kentucky Federal Infantry; was appointed lieu- tenant of one of its companies, but preferred the position of Hospital Steward to the Second Kentucky Cavalry; served actively in that capacity for a year or two; de- clined the position of assistant surgeon of his regiment; was appointed adjutant, and accepted the position; took a leading part in re-enlisting the men of his regiment, at the close of its term of service; was commissioned Captain of Company A, in the Second Kentucky Cav- alry, and, with his regiment, took part in the battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Stone river, Chickamauga, Benton- ville, and other engagements of the war; was wounded in the left shoulder, at Crawfish Springs (battle of Chickamauga) ; took part in McCook's raid to the rear of Atlanta; was wounded and captured in Georgia, in 1863, and, after a confinement of several months, under fire, at Charleston, was exchanged; rejoined his regi- ment at Savannah, Georgia, and, at the head of his squadron, accompanied Sherman and Kilpatrick through the Carolinas. He was brevetted major for meritorious services as acting assistant surgeon, and for gallant con- duct on the field ; and, at the close of the war, was ap- pointed First Lieutenant in the Seventh United States Regular Cavalry, by President Grant, for gallant conduct at the battle of Chickamauga, and for meritorious serv- ices during the war, a position he could not accept. He attended medical lectures at Jefferson Medical Col- lege, in 1865 and 1866; and afterwards took a regular course at Long Island College Hospital, graduating in 1866, and immediately entered upon the practice of his profession, at Louisville. He has given considerable attention to public affairs, and, in 1871, was elected member of the School Board from his ward, and de- clined re-election; figured conspicuously in the great contest for the mayoralty, on behalf of the present in- cumbent, Charles D. Jacob; serving as Chairman of the celebrated "Reform Committee of Fifty." In 1869, was appointed United States Examining Surgeon, at Louisville ; has filled the position of Medical Director of Kentucky, for the Grand Army of the Republic; and has been for years prominently identified with many of the leading popular social organizations, and, since 1876, has been an officer in the Walnut Strect Presbyterian Church. He has established a large and valuable prac- tice, and taken a high rank in his profession. Dr. Griffiths was married, October 1, 1867, to Miss F. H. Nicholas, and has three children.

HOMPSON, ED. PORTER, Educator and Author, first son of Lewis M. and Mary R. Thompson, was born near Center, Metcalfe County, Kentucky, May 6, 1834. His father, born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, was brought to this State, by his parents, when quite young; and his mother was born and reared at Mount Airy, the old family seat of her father, Waddy Thompson, in Metcalfe County, Kentucky. Her parents came from Pittsylvania County, Virginia, early in this century. The subject of this sketch was left, in his twelfth year, to the care of his widowed mother, and, consequently, his education mainly depended upon his own efforts. He has, however, taken high rank among the scholars of his native State, being especially dis- tinguished as a mathematician and linguist, his accom- plishments in the latter embracing both ancient and modern languages. He engaged in teaching, chiefly, until 1860, when he studied law, and obtained license to practice; but the commencement of the civil war prevented his entering upon his profession. In 1861, he entered the Confederate army, and served until the sur- render, returning to Kentucky in the latter part of May, 1865. He then engaged, for a time, in farming, and was afterwards editor of a magazine in Louisville; but, for the most part, he has devoted himself to teaching, being now President of Owen College, at Harrisburgh, Owen County, Kentucky, one of the most complete and thoroughly conducted educational institutions in the State. He has, in the mean time, made frequent con- tributions to periodical literature, and is the author of the "Academic Arithmetic," and the "History of the First Kentucky Brigade," a work of great labor, and one of the most complete and valuable among the rec- ords of the civil war. Religiously, Prof. Thompson is identified with the Methodist Church, though not an active member. He was married, April 22, 1858, to Miss Marcella P. Thompson.

ICKERSON, REV. ARCHES CHARLES, D. D., Presbyterian Clergyman, was born in De- cember, 1806, in Campbell County, Kentucky. His father, William Dickerson, a Virginian by birth, was a merchant of Lexington; became an officer in the war of 1812, and lost his life in the defense of the country. Arches Charles Dickerson, at the age of sixteen, entercd the office of the Clerk of Bourbon County, at Paris, where he spent four years, when he entered the Miami University, at Oxford, Ohio, and commenced his studies, with a view to entering the ministry; in 1829, became a private tutor at Natchcz, Mississippi; in 1832, was licensed to preach; in 1839, received a call to the Presbyterian Church at Bowling

510

BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPÆDIA.

Green, continuing uninterruptedly, as pastor of that Church, for seventeen years; for many years past, has given his attention largely to the care of his estate, in the mean time ministering to various Churches over the country ; and, for the last six years, has been regularly employed as an Evangelist by the Louisville Presbytery ; has been greatly devoted to furthering the cause of tem- perance in the country; was an advocate of gradual emancipation; during the civil war, stood on the side of the Government, but devoted himself unremittingly to the needy and suffering in both contending armies; his home, during much of the war, being in the midst of the contest. He was a warm advocate of the union of the divided Churches; strongly favored a union of all denominations of a kindred nature; has been, for inany years, a contributor to various Church periodicals; is a Director of the Theological Seminary at Danville; and, in 1870, received the degree of D. D. from Centre Col- lege; has been a man of great industry, of unswerving rectitude; has given much of his life to bettering the condition of the human family ; has been identified with every good cause in his community; has been distin- guished throughout life for his exceptional personal, social habits, and has been one of the most useful and valuable men of his section of the State. Mr. Dicker- son was first married, in 1830, to Mary Watkins Platner, of Mississippi; she died in 1838; he was afterwards married to Mary J. Rogers, daughter of Capt. Thomas Rogers, of Warren County, and a near relative of the late Judge Underwood.

AINES, WILLIAM A., was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, in March, 1832; and died at Frankfort, November 18, 1872. He was left an orphan in childhood, and dependent on his own resources; went to Missouri at the age of seventeen, and engaged in the dry-goods busi- ness; returned to Kentucky, and was employed as clerk in the dry-goods house of Carr Chiles, of Frankfort, for two years; was appointed postmaster, which office he held for four years, and, upon the death of President Lincoln, resigned, and gave his whole attention to mercantile pursuits; became a partner with E. H. Taylor, Jr., and H. Berry, distillers, and the firm was known as Gaines, Berry & Co .; their transactions soon required an Eastern house, and the firm of Paris, Allen & Co., New York, was received in partnership; and in this business Mr. Gaines continued during the rest of his life, acquiring a handsome fortune. The commercial standing and importance of the house became so great during his connection with it, as to make it advisable for the firm name to remain unchanged after his death. He was one of the most valuable men of Franklin

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The Biographical encyclopaedia of Kentucky of the dead and living men of the nineteenth century, Part 88

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