USA > Kentucky > Franklin County > The history of Franklin County, Ky. > Part 10
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The Frankfort common school system was adopted in 1840, and a tax of 45 cents on the hundred was authorized to be collected in 1841, and in November of that year the school went into operation. The following salaries were paid for the first ten months: Mrs. Price, for services and house, $750; Miss Mills, for services and house. $550: Mr. Harris, for services, $550; Mrs. Harris, $170, and Mr. Culter, $270.
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The number of children taught the first year was 230. The trustees were J. Swigert, Thomas S. Theobald, A. P. Cox, HI. Wingate and Thomas B. Stephenson, and L. Hord was clerk. All of these parties were re-elected in November, 1842, and a tax of 12 cents on the $100 was voted.
In 1840 there was great doubt as to the exact location of the line between Franklin and Scott counties. By an act of the Legislature approved January 4th, 1841, Isaac Wingate and Willis Blanton of Franklin County, and two commis- sioners from Scott were appointed to re-establish the line. Doubt arose as to where the line ran on account of the re- moval of trees and other objects which marked the line in the improvement of farms, etc. The starting point was the "eight- mile tree" on the road leading from Frankfort to Georgetown, and to run thence in a straight line so as to intersect the big Buffalo road between the head of Cedar creek and Lecompts run. The report of the commissioners was filed and recorded in both Franklin and Scott counties.
In the year 1842 Philip Swigert, Henry Wingate, Or- lando Brown, Austin P. Cox, James Shannon, James F. Dryden and Thomas B. Stephenson were elected trustees of the City of Frankfort. Philip Swigert was chairman of the board. In the same year the old jail property on Mero street was ex- changed with Jacob Swigert for the ground on which the county and circuit clerks' office and the present jail were built and the contracts for building the county offices were entered into.
Jolin Morris was Sheriff in 1841. Peter Jett was assessor in 1842. Oberson Lynn was Sheriff in 1843.
On May the 14th, 1842, Hon. Frank Johnson died in Louisville, Ky. He served many years in the State Legislature and several terms as a member of Congress from Kentucky. HIe was a distinguished member of the bar. He was the chief attorney for John U. Waring. charged with the murder of Samuel Q. Richardson in 1835. He was a resident of Frank- fort for several years.
On June the 3d. 1842, Scott Brown died at his home four miles above Frankfort near the Kentucky river, in his 77th
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year. For many years he was a magistrate of the county and for two years he was Sheriff. He came to Kentucky from Virginia in 1790, and settled in the southern part of the county. He bore his part in the labors and hardships of the pioneer. He was an upright, honest and useful citizen, be- loved and esteemed by all who knew him. He was not only a valuable and useful citizen, but he was a patriot and a soldier. He left several children, of whom Gen. Scott Brown and Judge Ruben Brown were a part.
On October 26th, 1842, a Whig barbecue was held in Frankfort, which was attended by between 10,000 and 15,000 people. The speakers' stand was in front of the old capitol building and the dinner was served on Market street. The meeting was presided over by ex-Governor Thomas Metcalf. Speeches were made by Col. Daniel Breck, of Richmond, Va .; Henry Clay, John J. Crittenden, Judge Owsley, Gen. Leslie Combs, Hon. Garret Davis, Hon. John White, at that time Speaker of the lower house of Congress, and Congressmen L. W. Andrews, Chilton Allen, William J. Graves and James C. 'Sprigg. Several other members of Congress were present. About 1,000 Whigs from Jefferson and Shelby counties walked through the country to Frankfort in order to be present on that occasion.
On Wednesday, January 4th, 1842, an earthquake was felt in Frankfort about 9 o'clock p. m., but no serious damage was done.
Daniel H. Harris was postmaster at Frankfort from 1840 to 1843. In 1843 Gen. William Hardin was appointed in his stead.
There was a very severe wind, hail and rain storm on Sun- day, May the 28th, 1843: great damage was done to the whole country. A man by the name of Thomas was killed by a fall- ing tree, and a tree also fell on the Presbyterian church near South Benson and very materially damaged it. This storm was long remembered in Kentucky as the most violent and de- structive which ever desolated the State. The destruction to the growing timber was great ; nearly every tree on some farms was blown down; fences were blown away by the wind or
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washed away by the water. The rain was heavier at Frankfort than it was in any other section of the State. It was ascer- tained by measurement that over six inches of rain fell, which was one-sixth of the entire quantity of rain which falls in Ken- tucky in a year.
IIon. John J. Crittenden returned to his home from St. Louis on July 4th, 1843. He came all the way by water. He thought the rapidity of his transit was wonderful. It took him two days and twenty-three hours (71 hours) from the time he stepped on the boat at St. Louis until he landed at his door in Frankfort. Fifty years later it would have taken him about fifteen hours to make the trip.
In 1843, A. W. Macklin built a mill dam across Elk- horn creek, nine feet high. This dam was built at the same place where Bennett Pemberton had built one many years be- fore and which was washed away.
John M. Hewitt, who represented Franklin County in the Kentucky Legislature in 1855-1857, was charged before the Legislature with having prostituted his official position of Judge as a means of private revenge, and of being guilty of judicial tyranny that ought not to be tolerated in a free coun- try. He was accused of being an extortioner, a claim shaver and usurer.
The Frankfort Commonwealth, dated July 2nd, 1844, said: "Mr. Clay (Henry Clay) was in Frankfort Wednesday and Thursday of last week, in fine health and spirits. It is understood he came to pay his respects to his amiable and ac- complished friend, the favorite of every circle in which she is known, Mrs. Tubman, of Georgia, who entertained him with much courteous hospitality at her home during his late South- ern trip."
In 1844, the Frankfort Bridge Company rebuilt the St. Clair street bridge. The Franklin County Court made an agree- ment with the bridge company to furnish six thousand dol- lars with which to help build the bridge, and in consideration of same the bridge company was to furnish free passage to all horseback and foot travelers of the county for all time. The bridge was completed in 1848.
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The most rapid growth of Frankfort at any time in her history prior to 1900, was from 1840 to 1845. Its population was doubled during those five years.
In 1845 the "Grand Polka" and many other fashionable and beautiful dances were introduced in Frankfort. In that year P. & J. Swigert did a large and lucrative business in a pork slaughtering and packing establishment. On the 28th of November, 1845, seven hundred hogs were driven through Frankfort from Tennessee on their way to Cincinnati for slaughter.
In 1844 the Board of Magistrates of Franklin County, elected William A. Goram Jailer of the county, and in a short time thereafter he became very intemperate and in 1845 the Court, "for divers good causes to the Court appearing, it is ordered that William A. Goram be removed from the office of Jailer in and for the county of Franklin, and that Benjamin Luckett be appointed Jailer for said county." Mr. Goram was not satisfied with the order removing him. He took the case to the courts and the Court of Appeals on October 13th, 1845, held that the magistrates had no right to remove him. The Board of Magistrates at that time consisted of the following members, viz: Samuel B. Crockett, James Shannon, John Thompson, Franklin Chinn, Samuel Bristow, Samuel B. Sco- field and Dandridge S. Crockett, was convened November 17th, and William Goram, by attorney', appeared, and offered to file the mandate of the Court of Appeals, and the Court said: "This day came again the parties by their attorneys, and the motion to enter the mandate being now fully heard and the court being fully advised, it is considered by the court that the motion be overruled." When giving the grounds on which the question was decided, the court said: "The governed can only preserve their liberty by a division of power, and making the several depositaries of authority guards and checks upon each other. In proportion to the concentration of controlling influence with a few or a single tribunal, however numerous, are the social and civil rights of man endangered. The late at- tempt of the Court of Appeals to seize upon the power con- fided by the Constitution of the State to the County Court
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relative to the office of Jailer impels us to protest against such usurpation and declare the grounds of our resistance." The Court further said: "We protest against the intermeddling of the Court of Appeals in the matter, and insist that they shall be restrained to their constitutional sphere of action." Further along in the opinion, the Court said: "If the distinc- tion between executive and judicial were not palpable to the bluntest mind, by reference to the case of Taylor vs. The Com- monwealth, 3 J. J. Marshall, page 401, it might be learned." The opinion closed with the following statement: "Believing that our rights have been invaded by another branch of the government styling itself the Court of Appeals, and that it is much safer to decline the exercise of all doubtful authority than to attempt to correct imaginary errors, we declare to the world that we will not record the mandate of the Court of Ap- peals." On the Sth of June, following, the Court of Appeals issued attachments against James Shannon, Dandridge S. Crockett, Samuel B. Scofield, Robert C. McKee, Franklin Chinn and Samuel Bristow, magistrates of Franklin County, returnable the fourth day of the term, for contempt in fail- ing to attend the Court in obedience to its summons previously issued and executed, and showing cause why, as justices of the peace of Franklin County they had refused to enter and carry into effect the mandate of the Court in the case of Goram vs. Luckett, made at the fall term. The defendants were granted the right to execute a bond in the sum of one hundred dollars for their appearance on the day set. The attachments were executed on all of the defendants except Shannon, and they refused to execute the bond for their appearance and they were committed to the custody of Benjamin Luckett as Jailer of
Franklin County. At that time a writ of habeas corpus could be issued by two magistrates. On the 20th of the month a writ of habeas corpus was issued by James Shannon and Robert C. MeKee as justices of the peace, to the Jailer, com- manding him to bring the body of Dandridge S. Crockett be- fore them in the jail, and show by what authority he was im- prisoned. Mr. Luckett appeared at the time stated and gave the stated cause of the commitment, but the Court deemed
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it insufficient and discharged the prisoner, and thereupon Dandridge S. Crockett and James Shannon issued similar writs for the other members of the fiscal court, and in that way released all of them. John M. Hewitt, George B. McKee and Robert C. McKee were the attorneys who represented the de- fendants; there was no prosecuting attorney present. On the the 20th of July, 1846, there was an order reinstating Willian A. Goram as Jailer of the county and at the same term of Court Goram resigned and Luckett was appointed.
The Legislature of Kentucky appropriated a sufficient sum of money to remove the remains of Daniel and Rebecca Boone from Missouri to Frankfort, Kentucky. Mr. Thomas L. Crit- tenden and Colonel Boone were the committee which was sent after them. Mr. Harry Griswold, who owned the farm in Warren County, Missouri, on which the pioneers were buried, refused to permit them to be removed and the committee had considerable trouble in securing them, though they had the written consent of the near relatives of the Boones. When the coffins were opened it was found that the large bones were perfect in size and shape, but of a very dark color and so far decomposed in substance as to have lost their strength and weight, to a considerable extent; a number of the small bones were rotten and could not be raised in form. Their coffins were entirely rotten except the bottom planks. The body of Boone had been buried about twenty-five years and that of his wife about thirty years.
The committee, with the remains, reached Frankfort in August and the re-interment was on Saturday, the 13th day of September, 1845. It was requested by the committee on ar- rangements that all business in the city be suspended and that all persons unite in the ceremonies. This committee consisted of the following citizens of Frankfort: Gov. R. P. Letcher, chairman; P. Swigert, W. Tanner, John P. Cammack, Robt. W. Scott, George W. Craddock, Landon A. Thomas, A. C. George, H. I. Bodley, John A. Holton, Keen O'Hara, John L. Moore, Geo. W. Graham, A. G. Hodges, James Davidson, John M. Hewitt, D. S. Crockett, Jno. Mayhall, Joseph Gray, Henry Wingate, John J. Vest, Jacob Beaverson, Lewis Sneed, E. HI.
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Watson, A. W. Dudley, Langston Bacon, C. W. Kenedy and James P. Page. Nearly every county in the State was repre- sented in the vast assembly of people and also many from the Southern and Western States were present to pay the last fun- eral honors to the pioneers of the great western valley. The spot selected for the final resting place of Daniel and Rebecca Boone was very appropriate, no more beautiful one could have been found in all the great State of Kentucky. Situated on a high hill far above the Kentucky river, it commands an un- obstructed view of the surrounding scenery, beautiful, grand, sublime; the Kentucky river wends its way between majestic hills and the spires of the classic old town are seen in the dis- tance. The evergreens which stand above their last resting place constantly remind the wayfarer of the soul's immortality and these
"Lofty Pines above their grave, Keep green the memory of the brave."
In speaking of the procession which followed the Boones to the cemetery, the Commonwealth said: "Of the people who composed the great body of the procession, it may well be said that the Saxon race in no clime or country could have been more nobly represented, whether for the brave appearance of the men or the splendid beauty of the women; they seemed indeed the suitable inheritors of this goodly land."
The Methodist annual conference was in session at that time and these two events filled every house in the city, both public and private. Every means of transportation was used to reach Frankfort; all the boats which were in the Kentucky river trade at that time were crowded to their utmost limit, and the excursion cars on the railroad and stage coaches from the interior brought thousands of people to the city.
When the first signal gun was fired at 10 o'clock, the large procession began to form and at half past ten, it moved in the following order:
General John T. Pratt, Marshal.
Company of Military.
1
.
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Pallbearers.
Music. Hearse. Pallbearers.
2. Relatives and Companions of Daniel Boone and Wife.
Marshal, Gen. Leslie Combs, with Col. Jessie Bayles and W. R. Herve, Assistants.
3. Officers and Soldiers of the Late War; L. Hord and John Watson, Assistans.
4. Committee of Arrangements; Orator of the Day and Officiating Clergy.
5. President and Members of the Frankfort Cemetery Com- pany.
6. Governor, Suite and Officers of the State and U. S. Depart- ment.
7. Judges of the Superior and Inferior Courts and Officers.
8. Members of Congress and Legislature.
9. Trustees and Officers of the City; J. Swigert and Col. E. HI. Taylor, Assistant Marshals.
10. The Rev. Clergy and Members of the Methodist Episcopal Church Conference; Dr. E. H. Watson, Assistant Mar- shal.
11. Masonic Order.
12. Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
13. City Fire Companies; Wm. M. Todd, Assistant Marshal.
14. Male and Female Sunday Schools and Teachers; Samuel
Harris, Assistant Marshal.
15. Day Schools and Teachers; Gen. L. Desha, Marshal.
16. Military.
17. Music ; R. H. Crittenden, Assistant Marshal.
18. Ladies and Gentlemen on foot.
19. Gentlemen on foot; Major E. H. Field, Marshal.
20. Strangers and Citizens in carriages.
21. Strangers and Citizens on Horseback.
R. Knott, Col. W. A. Goram and R. H. Reese, Assistant Marshals.
The hearse in which were placed the remains of Boone and wife was drawn by four white horses and decorated with evergreens and flowers; the pallbearers were Col. Richard M. Johnson, Gen. James Taylor, General Ward, Gen. Robt. B.
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McAfee, Gen. Peter Jourden, Mr. Waller Bullock, Capt. Thomas Joys, Mr. Landon Sneed, Col. Jolm Johnson, an early companion of Boone; Mr. Williams and Col. William Boone, a nephew of Daniel Boone. The hearse was preceded by the following military companies :
1. Cavalry Company of Woodford County, in Command of Captain Graddy.
2. Lexington Flying Artillery, Commanded by Capt. S. D. Mccullough.
3. Versailles Artillery, Commanded by Capt. E. II. Field.
4. Danville Artillery, Commanded by Capt. S. S. Fry.
5. Lexington Old Infantry, Commanded by Capt. Happy.
6. Frankfort Cadets, Commanded by Capt. F. Chambers.
7. Frankfort Lancers, Commanded by Capt. Vest.
8. Capitol Guards, Commanded by Capt. A. G. Hodges.
These troops were all in new uniforms, and following which were the Masonic fraternities and Odd Fellows in uni- form. The bishop who presided at the Methodist conference and the members of the conference were in the funeral proces- sion. The opening hymn was read by the Rev. A. Goodell, of the Baptist Church, after the singing of which the venerable Bishop Soule, of the M. E. Church, led in prayer. Then came the orator of the day, Hon. John J. Crittenden, who "enchained attention by the spells of his magic eloquence-that he threw around his subject all the fascinations of his peerless fancy and unrivaled oratory, and when he ceased to speak the listeners still stood fixed to hear." The Rev. J. J. Bullock, of the Presbyterian Church, delivered the closing prayer, and Rev. P. S. Fall, of the Christian Church, pronounced the bene- diction. After the ceremonies were over the coffins were lowered into the grave and the pallbearers threw some earth over the remains. Hundreds of people then passed by, and each one threw a handful of dirt, and in that way assisted in filling up the graves.
The State, in 1860, appropriated sufficient money to erect a handsome monument, nicely carved, over their remains. This monument was completed in 1862. The panels were of Italian marble. It was built by John Haly, of Frankfort.
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
Vandals, as relic hunters, so defaced the panels that the monu- ment was practically destroyed.
The Legislature of 1906 appropriated $2,000, which sum was supplemented by the Rebecca Bryan Boone Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, making a sum sufficient to replace the panels. The work was completed in 1909, making it practically a new one. The new panels are of South Carolina marble, and they are an exact reproduction of the original.
The county seal was purchased in 1845.
The most memorable high water tides in the Kentucky river were in 1819, 1846, 1882 and 1883.
In 1845 the mill at the Kentucky penitentiary ground meal for a large part of the county; its capacity was forty bushels of corn per hour. The toll for grinding was one-eighth.
Clinton and Mero streets, between Washington and the river, were graded and paved in 1845, so that the water, then in a swampy section of the town, was drained to the river.
In 1845 the postoffice was moved from the Mansion House to a room on Lewis street, near Main, under the rooms oc- cupied by the Yoeman Printing Company. B. F. Johnson was postmaster.
In 1844 Mrs. M. Train Runyan commenced teaching a private school for young ladies in Frankfort, which became famous in this section of the State, and which she continued to teach for about thirty-five years.
The Franklin Springs were sold in 1845. For more than half a century they had been famous as a watering place. They were located about six miles south of Frankfort. Col. R. T. P. Allen purchased these springs and established the Ken- tucky Military Institute there. This institution of learning became very popular, especially for Southern boys. Colonel Allen was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was an officer in the Florida war and was professor of mathematics in Transylvania University for three years, which position he resigned to organize the Kentucky Military Institute.
In 1846 the Legislature changed the line between Franklin
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
and Anderson counties, commencing at the mouth of Boones Branch in Little Benson, and from thenee in a southwesterly course to Hogshead's old house, thence down Parkers Spring Branch to Little Benson so as to include the dwelling house occupied by Fielding L. Connor, but afterwards owned by James D. Parker, in the county of Anderson, and leaving the Presbyterian Church in Franklin County.
In 1846 the Legislature appropriated $50 with which to purchase books for the moral culture and instruction of the prisoners in the penitentiary. The fund was placed under the control of the Governor.
Franklin County furnished two companies for the Mexi- can war. One was Company C, First Regiment Kentucky Mounted Volunteers, under Capt. Ben C. Milam, and the other was Company B, Second Regiment Kentucky Foot Volunteers. under Capt. Frank Chambers.
The muster roll of Captain Milam's company is as fol- lows: Ben C. Milam, captain; James H. D. McKee. first lieutenant; Richard D. Harlan, second lieutenant; John T. Roberts, Ben B. Bennett, Humphrey Evans, sergeants; John Swigert and Lewis J. Foster, corporals. The privates were James Herring and B. S. Gayle, buglers, and Joseph Robb. James Bates, Johnny Cavender, Cyrus Calvert, Robert Cochrm, Nathaniel C. Cook, Clinton D. W. Cook, Benjamin Church, Richard Davenport, Zachariah Dougherty, James E. Evans, Bennett Edwards, B. S. Fields, A. W. Holman, Jeremiah Harrison, William Hassett, Fielding S. Hawkins, James F. Lee. Samuel C. Leonard, T. J. Macy, L. Martin, A. J. Mitchell, A. J. McDonald, William McLean, Ben Franklin Pearce, John H. Redish, George M. Shannon, John A. Snelling, J. J. Soward, John A. Scott, W. W. Stapp, W. C. Stockton. A. Wilkerson and John S. Semonis. The following were dis- charged from service on account of disabilities, to-wit: W. M. Robb, B. Utterback. E. T. Parrent. corporals; the privates were G. W. Bailey, R. B. Howard, D. Hancock, Thomas Har- per, Joel Ashley, W. P. Jones. J. J. Kendall. J. D. McKee. S. Montague. J. G. Miles. F. M. Milam. S. McQueen, Samuel Mars, R. P. W. Noel, W. II. Price, A. B. Reed, W. H. Sudduth,
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
and J. Wilson. Those who died in the service were James Bailey, W. J. Hall, Robert Latta, W. Newton, and W. William- son. The following: J. F. Ellingwood, James Lester, and John Sanders were killed at the battle of Buena Vista February 23d, 1847. On January 22, 1847, the following members of this company were captured by the Mexicans, to-wit: John Swigert, James Herring, James Bates, Cyrus Calvert, Robert Cochran, Zachariah Dougherty, A. W. Holman, John A. Scott, A. Wilkerson, William Whitehead, and W. S. Wood.
The muster roll of Captain Chambers' company: Frank Chambers, captain ; James Monroe, first lieutenant; Henry C. Long, William D. Robertson, and Samuel P. Barbee, second lieutenants; William F. Gaines, William Hardy, and Hanson S. Mayhall, sergeants, and Richard P. Evans, Clark Knott, James B. Davidson, and Ambrose W. Hampton, corporals; Thomas B. Heffner and George W. Chambers, buglers. The privates were George Allen, John Amer, Elias T. Bartlett, Samuel S. Bartlett, Benjamin O. Branham, Emil Brea, John J. Christopher, Patrick H. Chambers, John L. Collins, W. Wil- liams, L. Craig, James W. Cummings, Daniel Easley, George W. Edwards, Charles R. Featherston, Richard A. Gayle, Abel P. Harris, Ruben A. Hawkins, William M. Hayden, John R. Hayden, William Henderson, David J. Herndon, Willson J. Jordon, James E. McGune, David McQueen, Moses S. Milam, Thomas J. Milam, William Morrison, John E. Moore, William W. Perrin, Almus W. Polsgrove, John Polsgrove, James N. Reed, William R. Satterwhite, James W. Sheets, Samuel Sheets, Norman Sidbottom, Robert Sheridan, James Sherrin, William Skyler, Walker Stephens. James D. Taylor, Lewis Tull, Thomas Webb, and James L. Williams.
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