USA > Kentucky > Franklin County > The history of Franklin County, Ky. > Part 16
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In the early part of the last century a man by the name of Oliver Perry Scanlan owned the land on which the Scanlan Springs were located and which afterwards became famous as the Franklin Springs. This was the first health and pleasure resort west of the Alleghanies and it was largely patronized for many years. When General Jackson was President of the United States. Col. R. T. P. Allen, then a boy sixteen years of age, conspired with other and older boys, at West Point, to rid the campus of a nuisance on the grounds and one night they
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set fire to the building. An inquiry was at once made and young Allen was the only one who was man enough to ad- mit that he was connected with the offense. On account of the admission and on the charge of insubordination in refusing to divulge the names of his accomplices he was expelled. He took his case to the President, but still refused to betray his friends. His manly conduct made such an impression on the President that he restored him to the institution. After he graduated he was commissioned Captain and soon thereafter he was promoted to Colonel and placed in charge of the engineer- ing of the harbor on lake Michigan. While making a visit at the White House, he met the President's niece. Miss Julia Bond, who afterwards became his wife and who in later life was known as "Old Miss" by the hundreds of "her boys" as she always called the cadets of the K. M. I. A visit of this couple in 1843 to the then famous watering place led to the purchase of the grounds and the charter was granted to the Kentucky Military Institute by the Legislature of Kentucky, and this became the first military school of the South and West ..
The contractor who erected the buildings was George Vest, the father of United States Senator Vest of Missouri. The main building was burned in 1854 and it was rebuilt by Hiram Berry, contractor.
Prior to the war the K. M. I. was patronized almost ex- clusively by the South. "Many noted men were educated there. This statement applies especially to the officers of the South- ern Confederacy. Senator John Sharp Williams and other United States Congressmen were educated there.
After Col. R. T. P. Allen grew too old to manage the school, his son, Col. R. D. Allen, took charge and successfully conducted it for about fifteen years, after which a joint stock company purchased the property anul attempted to continue the school, but after a few years gave up the effort and it was dis- continued. The K. M. I. charter has since gone into the hands of Col. C. W. Fowler at Lyndon, Kentucky, who having been educated at the old K. M. I. is an excellent man to have charge of the new. The real estate of the old K. M. I. was
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purchased by Dr. J. Q. A. Stewart and since that time has been known as The Stewart Home. It has become one of the most prosperous institutions for the training of children of backward mental development in the West or South.
In 1877 there were several hundred hogs running at large on the streets of Frankfort. This had been the custom from the earliest history of the town. When the City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting the further use of the streets for that purpose, a great protest was made by many good citi zens who thought their personal rights had been invaded.
At the city election of this year, Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr., was elected mayor of Frankfort by a majority of one vote. Col. S. I. M. Major was the contending candidate. In June of the same year Col. Taylor resigned and Col. S. I. M. Major was elected.
Thomas W. Scott was elected to represent the county at the August election of that year and Judge Lysander Hord was elected Representative in 1879.
For several years boat racing was one of the favorite sports of the young men in Frankfort. A great contest was to be decided in the month of September. The railroad bridge and the banks of the river were lined to see the race. It was sup- posed that there were more than three thousand people present. Col. J. Stoddard Johnston and Mr. J. L. Waggoner were the judges; Judge W. L. Jett, umpire, and J. W. Pruett, starter ; the distance was one mile and five-eighths and the time twelve minutes. The race was between the Zozma, manned by George L. Payne and Dr. J. Lampton Price, and the Undine. manned by Clarence Drane and Howard Jett. The Zozma won the blue silk pennant which was presented by Col. J. Stoddard Johnston in an appropriate address.
Thomas N. Lindsey died Nov. 22, 1877. He was the father of Gen. D. W. Lindsey and John B. Lindsey. He was one of the leading lawyers of the Frankfort bar and a writer of considerable note. For a period of thirty or forty years he was a constant contributor to the press, under the non de plume of Black Jack. He was a strong writer and he discussed a great many different subjects. If his articles were collected and
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put in a bound volume, it would make a very material addi- tion to the literary productions of the county. At a bar meet- ing held at the court house Judge Craddock said that "Thomas N. Lindsey was a good story teller, industrious, kind, affection- ate, temperate. even tempered, faithful and most agreeable." After several other lawyers had made appropriate remarks Col. S. F. J. Trabue arose and attempted to speak but his emo- tions overcome him. He spoke not a word and resumed his seat. Judge G. C. Drane said, "Gentlemen that is the most eloquent speech made today."
On December 7th John Julian, the father of Judge Ira Julian, died. He studied law under John J. Crittenden and en- tered the practice of his profession with bright prospects of sue- cess, but on account of bad health he had to give up his profes- sion. He was known as a man of superior mind and culture.
The election for county officers in the year 1878 resulted as follows: R. A. Thompson re-elected Judge; R. W. Lawler. Jailer: William Julian, Attorney: James G. Crockett, Clerk ; D. M. Woodson. Surveyor: John R. Graham, Coroner; Robert Sanford, Assessor, and Thomas B. Ford, School Commissioner. The following year John R. Graham died and Alexander MeEwan was appointed Coroner.
Frankfort owned a lottery franchise which had been granted by the Kentucky Legislature and which the city con- tinued to lease as late as 1879. The lessees executed a bond in the sum of $100,000 for a faithful preformance of their con- tract.
A statement was made by the Franklin County Fiscal Court that more than four hundred ex-convicts had settled in and around Frankfort and the Legislature was requested to pass an act requiring all convicts to be returned to the county from which they had been sent when their terms of service ex- pired. The fact that for nearly a century the ex-convicts and their descendants were permitted to remain in Franklin County explains, to some extent, the great amount of lawlessness and crime which has marked the progress of the city and county. For several months prior to October the city of Frankfort and its vicinity was flooded with counterfeit silver coin of various
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denominations. On investigation it was found that the in- mates of the penitentiary had started up a mint of their own. The moulds from which the counterfeit coins were cast were of plaster paris, but they served the purpose of turning out a very passable article. A large number of home-made dimes, quarters and half dollars were found, together with the metal from which they were made and the crucible in which the metal was melted.
On Monday, March 26th, 1879, Hon. John M. Eliott, Judge of the Court of Appeals, was shot and killed near the ladies' entrance to the Capital Hotel, by Thomas Buford, of Henry County. The weapon used was a double barrelled shot gun loaded with buck shot. Judge Eliott and his associate, Judge T. II. Hines, were at the point designated when Buford approached Judge Eliott with the gun in his hand and said, "Judge, I believe I will go snipe hunting, won't you go along?" The Judge refused and Buford then said, "Won't you take a drink," and before any further conversation ensued the gun was discharged and Judge Eliott fell. Buford lowered his gun and said, "I am sorry I did it." He then knelt down and placed his hand upon the Judge's brow and his hat under his head. The shot entered the right side about the lower ribs, passing through to the opposite side. After Buford was placed in jail he said that he killed Judge Eliott because of the decision which the Judge had rendered against him on the Saturday preced- ing wherein $20,000 were involved. He said that he had made up his mind to kill both Judge Eliott and Judge W. S. Pryor, but he thought of Judge Pryor's children and let him off on that account. Buford had also threatened the life of General D. W. Lindsey, who as special Judge had decided the case against him in the circuit court. Buford was removed to Louis- ville in order to prevent a mob from hanging him. On his ap- plication for a change of venue, Judge O. D. MeManama granted his petition and the case was tried in Owen County. Buford plead insanity and the jury acquitted him.
The residence of Pascal Iliekman, who was killed at the River Raisen, was torn down and the warehouse of Col. J. W. South near the mouth of the tunnel was built on the site. The
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house was occupied by Pascal Hickman and family in 1812-13, but it was built several years prior to that time. The nails which joined the wood work were made of wrought iron and the window and door frames were fastened together by locust pins.
John Cardwell died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Wil- liam P. Johnson, on September 17th, 1879, at the age of ninety- three years. He was born in Culpepper County, Virginia, in the year 1786. His father, William Cardwell, was a native of Virginia, from which State he moved to Kentucky and set- tled in Mercer County in 1796. John Cardwell lived there until 1813 when he enlisted in Capt. Terrell's company, Col. Bate's regiment of Kentucky volunteers in war of 1812. He participated in the battle of New Orleans, January 8th, 1815. After the close of the war he returned to Kentucky and mar- ried Margaret Arnold, daughter of James Arnold. To them were born a large family of children. Some of their numerous progeny have settled in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri.
In the month of November the citizens of Frankfort and Franklin County were much excited over the disappearance of Hezekiah Gardner, a farmer and merchant who lived near the mouth of Gleen's Creek ; about the same time a blacksmith shop near the State arsenel was burnt and with it a small child, the grandson of M. H. P. Williams, at that time Sheriff of the county.
Three men, Wilson, Dougherty and Lacy, were arrested on suspicion and the excitement became so great that the County Judge placed guards at the jail to prevent the men from being hung by a mob. On the examining trial Lacy and Dougherty were released and Wilson was held to the grand jury.
On Thanksgiving Day Gardner's body was found floating in the river, only a few hundred yards below his home. It was generally supposed that after he got home from Frankfort he went down to the river to see about a small boat and it being dark, he fell in the river and was drowned. It was never de-
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termined how the shop was fired or how it happened that the child was burnt in it.
Theodore O'Hara, poet, journalist and soldier, was born in Danville, Kentucky, on February 11th, 1820, but while he was a small boy his father came to Franklin County and located a short distance from Frankfort on the Peak's Mill road where Theodore grew to manhood. Ile died in Alabama, June 6th, 1867. He was educated at St. Joseph's Academy at Bardstown. He read law and was admitted to the bar and in 1845 was appointed to a position in the Treasury Department at Washington. He was a captain of volunteers in the army against Mexico and on August 20th, 1847, was breveteil Major for gallant conduct in the battle of Contreras. At the close of the war he returned to Washington where he practiced his profession. He afterwards went with a filibustering expedi- tion to Cuba where he commanded a regiment. He became editor of the Mobile Register and was afterwards connected with the Louisville Sun and Frankfort Yeoman. He performed several diplomatic missions for the Government and was prom- inent in the negotiations regarding the Tehuantepec grant.
At the beginning of the Civil War he cast his fortunes with the confederacy and was made Colonel of the twelfth Alabama regiment and subsequently served on the staff of Gen. John C. Breckenridge and Gen. Albert Sidney Johnson. He died in Alabama, June 6th, 1867, and his remains were brought to Kentucky by special act of the Legislature and interred at Frankfort in the State cemetery.
When the remains of the Kentucky soldiers, who fell at Buena Vista, were brought to their native State, Maj. O'Hara wrote for that occasion the immortal poem by which his fame is established, "The Bivouac of the Dead."
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CHAPTER XIII.
From 1880 to 1890.
In the year 1880 Judge Lysander Hord's river bill passed the House without a dissenting vote. This bill authorizing the United States Government to improve the Kentucky river was passed by the Senate and became a law at this session of the Legislature. Judge Hord deserved credit for passing this bill. As a result he has been called the father of the Kentucky river navigation, but the actual truth is, there was more business done on the Kentucky river before the United States took charge of it than there has been since, but the decrease in river trafic was caused more by the increased railroad facilities than from any other cause.
During the decade, 1870 to 1880, tobacco grown on Frank- lin County land brought a higher price on the market than that grown in any other county in the State and since that time it has been known as one of the very best white burley tobacco growing counties in the State.
Charles Stewart Parnell, a leader in the British Parliament, visited Frankfort in February of 1880. A committee of prom- inent citizens went from Frankfort to Lexington to meet him. He addressed the Kentucky Legislature which was in session at that time.
The veterans of the Mexican war met in Frankfort in February of that year. Those who were living in Franklin County at that time were Capt. B. C. Milam, Lieut. W. P. D. Bush and musician Thomas Heffner. The privates were Robt. Sheridan, S. P. Montague, Ben Utterback, L. Mangan, Daniel Hancock, Monroe McDowell, Landon Montague, George W. Daniels, Lafayette Martin, A. B. Reed, Lieut. Col. Green Clay Smith, J. H. Redish, E. T. Parrent, Walker Stephens, H. S. Mayhall, R. A. Hawkins, Wm. Morrison, Samuel H. Bradley. C. Featherston, A. W. Polsgrove, D. O. Morris. A. W. Hamp- ton, G. W. Chambers, Alex. Moss, John E. Miles, Cyrus Calvert, A. A. Gordon, Wm. Manly, Alex Mitchell, Newt Dean and
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William Phillips. Out of the thirty-four named only two are now living (1912), to-wit: A. W. Polsgrove and Ben Utter- back.
North Frankfort and South Frankfort were united and made one corporation in 1880. A joint committee composed of D. W. Lindsey, B. F. Meek and Green Clay Smith were ap- pointed to represent South Frankfort and W. P. B. Bush, J. W. Pruett and W. T. Reading, to represent North Frankfort in the settlement of the accounts between the two corporations, and to determine what part of the existing debts each corporation should pay. It was determined by this committee that it was to the best interest of both North and South Frankfort to cancel and relinquish all accounts between them and to make all the property of every kind and description belonging to North Frankfort, the common property of the city of Frankfort and all the debts of both corporations were assumed as liabilities of the city embracing both North and South Frankfort, and it was so reported to the council and the two towns were consoli- dated on that basis, by an act of the General Assembly which was in session at that time.
In 1850 the two towns were consolidated and were run under the same government, but their property rights were not fully settled until the act of 1880.
Col. J. W. South died suddenly in the Senate chamber on April the 15th. He was warden of the State penitentiary and had held that position for ten years prior to his death. Both Houses of the Kentucky Legislature adjourned and all the public offices were closed by order of the Governor. The remains were followed to the cemetery by many of his friends, by the Governor and staff, public officers, members of the Senate and House of Representatives, and a large concourse of citizens. He was a man of strong personality and he left numerous progeny; some of whom have become prominent in the affairs of State and nation.
On the 15th of May there was a destructive fire in Bridge- port. The Odd Fellows building and Dr. Williams' and J. B. Russell's residences were totally destroyed. The fire engine from Frankfort went to the scene in charge of convicts and did
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effective service. Hon. S. 1. M. Major. Mayor, also went and remained with the fire company until danger of further loss was over.
At the meeting of the fiscal court of the county in May, the county purchased one-third interest in the St. Clair street bridge and made it free to the people of the county.
In June the inventer, Col. T. L. Rankin, put up an ice machine for Mr. Sigmund Luscher, which had a capacity for producing 20,000 pounds daily. The cost of the machine was about $10,000. At the time this first ice factory was built in Frankfort it was considered one of the greatest inventions of that day. About the same date M. H. P. Williams, Jr., Wiley and John Williams, known as The Williams Bros., placed the telephone exchange in Frankfort.
During this year bicycles came into use. About the 1st of September the people of Frankfort were much interested in two young men who went through the city on bicycles, going from Lexington to Louisville. These machines had very large front wheels and the seats were so high that it was difficult and dangerous to ride on them.
On September 22nd Col. J. W. Hunt Reynolds died. possessed of a large estate. He was a noted breeder of thorough- bred horses and he succeeded in producing several of the most noted running horses known to the turf. He was only thirty- five years old at the time of his death, but his uniformly gentle and courteous bearing endeared him to all who knew him.
Gen. George Bibb Crittenden died in November, 1880. Ile was a son of Hon. John J. Crittenden, and began the prac- tice of law with his distinguished father. He served as an officer in the war between Texas and Mexico. He was captured by the Mexicans and was in a Mexican prison for nearly a year. This story has been told about him: "The Mexicans having determined upon a retaliatory measure declared that a certain mimber of the prisoners should be shot and to that end designated which should be the victims by requiring that lots should be drawn. A box containing a certain number of white and black beans was produced, those who drew the white beans were to be spared, and those who drew the black were to be shot.
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Gen. Crittenden, being an officer, was among the first to draw and he got a white bean, one of his intimate friends, who came later, was a man of family having a wife and several children. Gen. Crittenden gave him the white bean and risked his life by another draw, which fortunately resulted in his drawing another white bean." After his release from the Mexican prison a friend of his father, who resided in that city, gave him a horse, saddle, bridle, some blankets and money for his return home. One of his countrymen, who had been released with him, was sick and Gen. Crittenden gave the horse and blankets to him and made his way back home with his other companions. In the war between the United States and Mexico he was an officer and served through the war. In the war be- tween the states he served on the side of the South with the rank of Brigadier General. During this war he borrowed $200 in gold from a member of the Confederate Congress and though there was no written obligation on his part, in 1871 he sent this money by Judge William Lindsay to the widow of the man from whom he borrowed it. He came back to Frankfort after the war and in 1867 was elected State Librarian which position he held until 1871. He was buried in the Frankfort cemetery.
On December 6th, 1880, the iron work of the Benson bridge gave way and fell into the creek. It had just been placed in position and was thought to be self-sustaining. Eight men were on it at the time, but none of them were seriously hurt and the abutments were not damaged.
During this year Marshall J. Allen and William E. Brad- ley, of the W. A. Gaines & Co. Distillery, secured a patent which created a revolution in whiskey making. The new pro- cess made an increase of half a gallon of whiskey to the bushel of grain and it also made a remarkable improvement in the quality of the goods.
George W. Gwinn died of pneumonia January 27th, 1881. Hle had been, successively, Deputy Clerk of the Court of Ap- peals, Councilman and Mayor of Frankfort, Master Commis- sioner of the Franklin Circuit Court and Magistrate. He held the latter position for about thirty years. He was a man of strong character and was an efficient officer. 1
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Albert G. Hodges died the following March at the age of seventy-nine years. For half a century he was identified with the history of Kentucky. He commenced his newspaper career in Lexington, but he moved to Frankfort in 1826. He married a Frankfort woman and went into partnership with James G. Dana in the publication of the "Commentator." In 1833 he began the publication of the Commonwealth and was elected public printer which position he held for a quarter of a century. Ile was buried in the Frankfort cemetery.
On the 18th day of March a sad accident occurred near the mouth of Flat Creek. The boiler of the circular sawmill belonging to Tyler & Harrod burst and killed John Harrod, one of the owners, Lawrence Harrod, his brother, and Frank Graham. William Arnold had his jaw bone broken. James Redding, William Whalen, Lewis Harrod and Hugh Tyler were more or less injured. Everyone in the mill at that time was hurt except William Skeggs. The boiler was a portable one that had been used for a threshing machine. The boiler was torn into two large pieces, one piece weighing 2,500 pounds was thrown one hundred feet one way and the other part was thrown 261 feet another way. The parts of the house and ma- chinery were torn and scattered in every direction.
The rooms of the Kentucky Historical Society. located on the third floor of the old State house, were opened and dedicated June 7th, 1881. This being the anniversary of the discovery by Daniel Boone of the beautiful plateau of Ken- tueky. The chief address was made by Prof. Jos. D. Pickett, and some remarks were made by Governor Luke P. Blackburn and ex-Governor J. B. MeCreary. During this year the county voted $100,000 for the Kentucky Midland R. R .. and the city of Frankfort voted $150,000 for the same purpose.
One of the most exciting, but bloodless, episodes in the history of Frankfort occurred on September 16th. Adam Forepangh's circus was advertised to be in Frankfort on that day. The city council by ordinance undertook to prohibit it from being unloaded in the city. Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr., Mayor of Frankfort, ordered the police not to permit the unloading of the effects of the circus within the limits of the city. The
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railroad company thereupon secured an injunction from the Franklin Circuit Court restraining the Mayor and council from interfering with the unloading. After the service of this order upon the Mayor, he went in person to the train and assumed command of the police force and notified all parties concerned that any attempt to unload the cars would be at the peril of those who did it-that he would shoot down any man who made the effort.
There was an immense crowd at the station. Several thousand people were packed in the street and the whole city was in a state of excitement. It was announced that the city authorities had openly defied the law and had arrayed the police force of the city against the authority of the State. This being made known to Judge Thompson (County Judge) he immediately ordered the Sheriff to proceed to the train and see to the execution of his order of injunction. The Sheriff, E. O. Hawkins, believing that there was an armed resistance, and that he was without sufficient force to enable him to carry out the order of the court, went to the Governor and asked that the McCreary Guards be directed to report to him. The Governor having a personal knowledge of the trouble and knowing that great excitement prevailed in the city, promptly complied with the request and the troops were ordered out. At a quarter past four o'clock they appeared and went in double quick to the train where they, under the directions of the Sheriff, dispersed the police force and saw that the cars were unloaded without further molestation. The whole trouble arose from the fact that the circus company proposed to set up its tents beyond the city limits and thereby escape payment of the tax which the city had imposed upon it.
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