USA > Kentucky > Franklin County > The history of Franklin County, Ky. > Part 23
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The county is divided into four educational divisions, each division containing as nearly as possible the same number of pupils.
Educational Division number one (Forks of Elkhorn), contains nine sub-district schools; Educational District num- ber two (Peak's Mill), contains fourteen; Division number three (Bridgeport), contains eleven, and Division number four (Bald Knob), contains fourteen.
The farmers of the county are interested in good schools as never before. They are beginning to realize that the money expended in the education of their children is not a cost, but a splendid investment. No part of the school system is more popular than that of the high school. Franklin County has developed this plan better, possibly, than any other county in the State, having five county high schools. One with a four
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years' course and four with a two years' course. The schools are so distributed over the county that no pupil will have a greater distance to travel in reaching school than six or seven miles.
The number of pupils matriculated in these high schools in the fall of 1912 is seventy-five, this is a marvelous record when it is considered that the system is only three years old. This shows that the rural population is very responsive to educa- tional advantages.
The colored population of the county is so sparse that it is difficult to handle. The last statistical report shows that the average attendance, based on census, is nearly equal to that of the white children. Unless the tide of migration of this race from the country to the city be lessened, it will be difficult to find enough children in any community to support a school. The last census report shows less than half the number of colored pupil children in the county outside of the corporate limits of the city of Frankfort than there were six years prior thereto. At this ratio of decrease it will be but a few years when there will be no colored children in the county schools.
The city of Frankfort is now provided with six school buildings for white children and one for colored. The main building is a twenty-eight room structure with all modern conveniences, and is used for the high school and grammer grades. The new building located on the same lot west of the main building contains six rooms, and it is used as a primary building. There is a building in Bellepoint and one on Wilkin- son street of four rooms. There was a lot purchased in the summer of 1912, and a nice primary building erected on Holmes street, at a cost of six thousand dollars. The Exum property on Murray street was purchased in 1912 and con- verted into a primary school and it is now taxed to its full ca- pacity.
The colored school is located on Clinton street. The schools of Frankfort have grown rapidly during the past few years, the enrollment in 1912 being 1,424, which is a gain of about 400 in the past five years. The School Board has met this increase in attendance by providing extra teachers and in-
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creasing all the educational facilities. The high school has shown the most rapid growth, increasing since 190, from forty- eight pupils, to one hundred and ninety-three, and the teach- ing force from three to eight teachers. This is a good indica- tion of the educational progress, for it shows that children are completing their education as far as it can be done in the public school.
Domestic Science and Art, Drawing, Manual Training and Book Binding and the commercial branches have been added to the high school course of study. This course of study has been approved by the Kentucky Southern College Association, and the pupils are admitted to any university in these associa- tions without examination. A free scholarship is granted to all who enter the State University at Lexington.
The school census of colored children in 1900 was 989, and in 1912 was 554, yet the attendance in 1912 was 66 per cent. based upon enrollment, which was the largest per cent of attend- ance ever recorded by this school. The per cent of attendance in all of the schools is greater than in any past year, the cur- riculum of study broader, the interest in education greater and the facilities better than they have ever been.
The State Normal School for colored persons, located in the castern suburb of Frankfort, is well located upon one of the highest hills which surround the city. The grounds are well drained, with healthful, agreeable surroundings and picturesque scenery. The school was opened in 1887, and has been in operation for a quarter of a century. The State owns a large farm which is run in connection with the school. The State has been very liberal in providing buildings and other facilities for the higher education of the colored race. This school is a part of the common school system of Kentucky and its chief object is to train teachers for the colored common schools of the Commonwealth. It has been productive of great good especially to the colored race.
The following named lawyers were members of the Frank- fort bar, located at Frankfort in the year 1912; the positions held by each are noted: J. C. W. Beckham, Representative of Nelson County, Speaker of the House, Lieutenant Governor and
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Governor of Kentucky. J. W. Blackburn, Jr., Assistant Adjutant General with the rank of Major, present Auditor's Agent for Franklin County. Guy H. Briggs, Auditor's Agent, Judge Advocate Gen. with rank of Col. Eli II. Brown, Repre- sentative of Nelson County, Speaker of the House, Prison Com- missioner. James T. Buford, County Attorney, Representative of Franklin County. J. Morgan Chinn, Representative of Mercer County. Frank Chinn, Master Commissioner of the Franklin Circuit Court. T. H. Crockett, City Attorney, present City Prosecutor. Frank M. Dailey, County Attorney, present City Attorney. T. L. Edelen. Robert B. Franklin, present Commonwealth's Attorney 14th District. James Garnett, pres- ent Attorney General. Paul C. Gaines. Robert L. Green, pres- ent Clerk of the Court of Appeals. Elwood Hamilton, present Representative of Franklin County. J. H. Hazelrigg, County Judge of Montgomery County, Chief Justice of Kentucky. Dyke Hazelrigg. W. C. Herndon, City Attorney, present Police Judge of Frankfort. J. Hunt Jackson, Representative of Owen County. W. L. Jett, Supt. of Schools of Franklin County, Po- lice Judge of Frankfort, Master Commissioner of the Franklin Circuit Court, Auditor's Agent, Postoffice Inspector under President Cleveland. J. W. Jeffers, present Master Commis- sioner of Franklin Circuit Court. L. F. Johnson, County At- torney, Auditor's Agent, Representative of Franklin County. Ira Julian, County Attorney, Representative of Franklin County, Circuit Judge of 14th Judicial District. M. M. Logan, present Assistant Attorney General. J. F. Lockett, Assistant Attorney General. D. W. Lindsey, City Attorney of Frank- fort, Col. in Federal Army, Inspector General and Adjutant General of Kentucky. John B. Lindsey. T. N. Lindsey. D. W. Lindsey, Jr., County Judge of Franklin County. W. C. Marshall, present County Attorney of Franklin County. L. W. Morris. Charles H. Morris, present Assistant Attorney Gen- eral. Dulin Moss. Chas. Mason. II. V. McChesney, Supt. of Livingston Public Schools, Supt. of Public Instruction and Secretary of State. Thomas B. MeGregor, Assistant Attorney General. Lewis McQuown, Chairman of the Democratic State Central and State Executive Committee. Lewis A. Nuckols,
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Representative of Woodford County, Commissioner of the Woodford Circuit Court. Edward C. O'Rear, County Judge of Montgomery County, Chief Justice of Kentucky. Thomas II. Paynter, Representative in Congress, Chief Justice of Ken- tucky, present United States Senator. James H. Polsgrove, County Attorney, and County Judge of Franklin County, pres- ent Mayor of Frankfort. W. H. Posey, Master Commissioner of Franklin Circuit Court. J. A. Scott, Representative of Frank- lin County, Master Commissioner of Franklin Circuit Court. Robert L. Stout, present Circuit Judge of 14th Judicial District. Samuel A. Thomas. A. C. Vanwinkle. B. G. Williams, County Attorney and County Judge of Franklin County. Oscar Wolf. Physicians and surgeons located in Frankfort in 1912: C. W. Anderson (colored), Joseph Barr, R. M. Coblin, J. S. Coleman, C. P. Coleman, O. B. Demarce, C. A. Fish, Neville M. Garrett, J. W. Hill, Josephine Hoggins, Harlan Heil- man, H. S. Keller, Flora W. Mastin, L. T. Minish, W. L. Montgomery, Thomas R. Moore, Warren Monfort, John Patterson, O. II. Reynolds, E. C. Roemele, John G. South, A. Stewart, E. E. Underwood (colored), C. K. Wallace, J. W. Willson and U. V. Williams.
The State Historical rooms, under the care and supervision of Mrs. Jennie C. Morton, Secretary-Treasurer of the State IIis- torical Society, are located on the first floor and in the southwest corner of the new capitol building. For nearly half a century relies and specimens of historical nature have been collected and preserved. At the present time there are several rooms filled with articles of almost priceless value; if destroyed many of them could not be reproduced. If the collection was properly advertised and sold at public sale, it would likely bring more than one hundred thousand dollars.
The collection contains the portraits of all the Governors of the Commonwealth except three, and efforts are being made to complete the collection. Twenty-nine of these portraits are in oil.
There are two portraits of Daniel Boone, one of them. an oil painting by Chester Harding, copied by Marshall, of Louis-
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
ville, Ky., and the other is in water color, copied from Thomas Sully, by Miss Chesney.
The portraits of General Harrison and Gen. Lafayette are the most valuable in the collection; they could be sold for $25,- 000.00. In the list of highly appreciated portraits are those of Col. B. II. Young and Col. R. T. Durrett, of Louisville, and Col. D. Howard Smith and Col. Ambrose Dudley. Some of the oil paintings are those of General John C. Breekinridge, Gen. Zachary Taylor, by Allen, Henry Clay, painted at Paris, France, after the treaty of Ghent. John G. Carlisle, which is valued at one thousand dollars. George Washington, a copy of Peel's portrait of 1778, Richard Collins, the historian, and those of the two.greatest poets Kentucky has ever produced, both of whom were citizens of Franklin County, Theodore O'Hara and Henry T. Stanton. The oil paintings of Martin Luther and his wife, which were painted in 1543, are supposed to be the only oil portraits extant of that noted reformer and his wife. The society has a large collection of other oil paintings, such as Simon Kenton making his escape from the Indians, and the five paintings donated by the city of Philadelphia to the State of Kentucky, and which were brought to Frankfort by a committee of prominent citizens appointed by the city of Philadelphia. The paintings are those of Independence Hall. the State House at Philadelphia. the house where Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, and Carpen- ters Hall, where the first Continental Congress was held.
The society, also, has a large collection of books, the most of which treat of historical subjects. An especial effort has been made to secure histories of Kentucky and Kentuckians. There are thousands of other things which have been collected and which are of great interest to all who love the history and tra- ditions of the Kentucky pioneers.
The Frankfort or State cemetery is located in an ideal place, the grounds include one hundred acres of table land in the suburbs of the city. The contour of the land is sufficiently undulating to furnish a variety of scenery and at the same time sufficiently level for the purpose for which it has been set aside. The Frankfort Cemetery Company was formed and a part of
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the land purchased in 1845. The charter which was granted by the Legislature forever restrains the company from dividing any profits. Should any excess of funds arise from the sale of burial lots, or otherwise, beyond the original cost and current expenses of the grounds, it is to be applied to the permanent im- provement and embellishment of the grounds.
Mr. Robert Carmichael, the first landscape gardener who laid off the grounds and improved them, was engaged for a term of years to superintend them. He was a gentleman of great taste and accomplishments. He was regularly educated to his profession in Scotland. He died July 17th, 1858, and was buried in the grounds which he had done so much to beautify. Ile was succeeded by Mr. R. H. Nicol, who held the position until his death, eighteen years later. Mr. William Craik was then appointed (1877) and he retained the position until his death in 1904, since which time his son, Henry Craik, has been in charge. The excellent condition in which the grounds are at the present time is a guarantee of his ability to properly dis- charge the duties of the position.
In the year 1851 the Legislature of Kentucky passed an act authorizing and directing the Governor of the Common- wealth to purchase from the Frankfort Cemetery Company the lots numbered 131, 132, 143, 144, 154 and 155 "in which to bury the remains of Kentucky's illustrious dead." The price paid for which was six hundred dollars. These lots are located some distance south of the State monument and being the lots in which Governors Greenup, Adair and Madison are buried, and where Hart, Eliott and many other noted Kentuckians are to be found. The lots where the State monument and the Johnson monument are located and where the Mexican soldiers are buried were donated by the cemetery company; they are not a part of those purchased by the State.
The Legislature of Kentucky, by act of 1847-8, directed a military monument to be erected in honor of her illustrious dead on the State mound which is located near the center of the grounds and which is more elevated than any other part of the grounds. Mr. Robert E. Launtiz, of New York, one of the most skilled workmen in America, was employed to do the
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work, the most of which was done in Italy. The material was shipped to Frankfort by way of the Mississippi river. A barge was sent to New Orleans expressly for the purpose of receiving it directly from the vessel and it was delivered at Frankfort without the slightest injury.
The monument rests on a base twenty feet square, made of Connecticut granite. Many of the blocks of which the monu- ment is made weighs five tons each, the weight of the whole being more than one hundred and fifty tons. The monument is sixty-five feet high and it cost the State $15,000. The Statue of Victory, which crowns the column, was elevated and placed in position in June, 1849. The material of the monu- ment is the purest and richest monumental marble ever brought to America, though it has become discolored in places, caused by the rust of the dowel pins which were used to hold the blocks in place. Some of the blocks are slightly showing the effects of the elements to which they have been exposed for more than half a century, but at the time they were received they were free from all blemishes and were perfectly uniform in color. This material was imported expressly for the pur- pose from the celebrated quarry of C. Fabricotti, Carrara.
The statue of victory which crowns the work and the four cagles which guard the corners of the die were sculptured in Italy from models prepared by Mr. Launitz.
The Bass or relief figures on the panels and the coat of arms were sculptured, and the rest of the marble work executed in the studio of Mr. Launitz in New York City.
On the upper base facing the west is the following in- scription : "The Principal Battles and Campaigns in Which Her Sons Devoted Their Lives to Their Country," are inscribed on the bands and beneath the same are the names of her of- ficers who fell. The names of her soldiers who died for their country are too numerous to be inscribed on any column. On the north side of the upper base is a tablet on which is in- scribed "Military monument erected by Kentucky. A. D. 1850." On the east side of same is the inscription "Kentucky has erected this column in gratitude equally to her officers and soldiers." Facing the south is the coat of arms of Kentucky
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with the motto of the State, "United We Stand Divided We Fall." On the bands are inscribed the names of twenty-two battles, or campaigns, and beneath these bands are the names of eighty-four officers who fell in battle.
There are four cannon located near the monument, two of which were taken from the enemy at the battle of Buena Vista, the other two belonged to the State. On the north side of the State monument is the sarcophagus of Henry Clay, Jr., who was Lieutenant Colonel of 2nd regiment of Kentucky Infantry. IIe fell at Buena Vista, February 23rd, 1847. Near him, on his left, is that of Cary H. Fry, Major of 2nd Kentucky regi- ment, and the next one on the left is that of Adjutant G. N. Cardwell, and the last one in that row is that of Col. W. R. McKee, who also fell at Buena Vista.
A short distance northwest of the State monument is a small marker on which is inscribed "Capt. A. G. Bacon, 3rd Kentucky Cavalry, U. S. A., killed at Sacramento, Ky., De- cember 28th, 1861; aged 42 years." The A. G. Bacon post of the Franklin County G. A. R. was so named for Capt. Bacon. About half way between the State monument and the R. M. Johnson monument is the sarcophagus of "Theodore O'Hara, Major and A. D. C., died June 5th, 1867."
In 1851 the Legislature of Kentucky, by commissioners, contracted with Mr. Robert E. Launitz for the erection of a monument to the memory of Col. Richard Mentor Johnson and for which the State paid the sum of nine hundred dollars. At the time this work was completed it was the most beautiful monumental structure in America and though it has been in- jured by vandals and the ravages of time, it still shows that a master in his art planned and executed the work. It is located at the extreme southern part of the military lot. It is made of Italian marble, the base is of granite on which is a shaft ten feet tall and four feet square. A good likeness of Col. Johnson is carved on the north side, and cannon are on each corner. On the east side is inscribed: Richard Mentor Johnson, born at Bryant's Station, Kentucky, 1781; died in Frankfort, Ken- tucky, on the 19th day of November, 1850.
On the south side Col. Johnson is represented on horseback
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in the act of killing Tecumseh. The Indian is on one knee, falling backwards, with a tomahawk in his hand.
On the west side is the following inscription : "To the men- ory of Col. Richard M. Johnson, a faithful public servant for nearly a century." As a member of the Kentucky Legislature and Representative and Senator in Congress. Author of the Sunday mail report and of laws abolishing imprisonment for debt in Kentucky and in the United States. Distinguished by his valor as a Colonel of a Kentucky regiment in the battle of the Thames. For four years Vice-President of the United States. Kentucky, his native State, to mark the sense of his eminent services in the cabinet and in the field, has erected this monument, in the resting place of her illustrious dead.
The shaft has a flag of stars and stripes around the top, falling to one side and crowned with a large American eagle which holds a laurel wreath in its beak. The work is most excellent and the whole design beautiful beyond description.
The monument of Daniel Boone and Rebecca, his wife, is located on the brow of the hill overlooking the city and the Kentucky river, the panels of which have recently been replaced, the new panels being an exact reproduction of the old. The whole monument was practically rebuilt and enclosed by an iron fence to prevent vandals in the nature of relic hunt- ers, from again destroying it. The remains of Ellison Wil- liams, a friend and companion of Boone, were removed from Kenton County to Frankfort by resolution of the Kentucky Legislature. He was buried near the tomb of Daniel Boone on May 21st, 1860, with military honors. Gen. D. W. Lindsey was in charge of the military.
Elizabeth Love, one of the greatest women of pioneer days, and Margaretta Brown, widow of United States Senator John Brown, are buried only a short distance south of the Boone monument.
Inscribed on the John Brown monument is the following: "Margaretta Brown, wife of John Brown, and daughter of Rev. John Mason and Catherine Vanwick. Born in the city of New York on the 12th of November, 1772; died in Frankfort. Ky., on the 28th of May, 1838. She was eminent for talents, learn-
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ing, charity, piety and all the virtues that adorn the female character. It should be recorded on her tomb that she or- ganized the first Sabbath School in the Mississippi valley."
Near the southern portion of the grounds is the last resting place of Joel T. Hart which is marked by a black block of Quincy marble from Quincy, Mass., which is nearly squarc. The top slopes to the east and on which is inscribed, "Erected to the memory of Joel T. Hart by the State of Kentucky. Born February 11th, 1810; died March 2nd, 1877." "Seek him not here but in the stone where he lives in his own art's im- mortality."
The monument which was dedicated to the memory of the Confederate dead was placed in position and unveiled in the spring of 1892. It stands in the center of the Confederate lot, encircled by the graves of the Confederate dead. The base of the structure is of solid granite. The figure is a statue of James G. Crockett at parade rest. He was a Franklin County soldier in the Confederate army and lost a leg in the defense of the South. In a short time after his return from the war he was elected County Court Clerk of Franklin County which position he held until his death, about 1883. The monument was made of the finest Italian marble, imported from the Carrara quarries, Italy. The statue is six feet in height. The following are the inscriptions on the face of the base :
"Our Confederate dead 1861-1865."
"They sleep-what need the question now if they be right or wrong
They know ere this whose cause was just in God the Father's sight, They wield no warlike weapons now, return no foc- man's thrust,
Who but a coward would revile the honored soldier's dust."
Reverse Side.
"Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends."
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West Side.
"The marble minstrels voiceful tone
In deathless songs shall tell
When many a vanquished age hath flown
The story, how ye fell ;
Nor wreck, nor change, nor winter blight.
Nor time's remorseless doom
Shall dim one ray of holy light
That gilds your glorious tomb."
East Side.
"To every man upon the earth
Death cometh soon or late
And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds
For the ashes of his fathers
And the temples of his God's."
The Trabue lot is the largest one in the grounds, and it is the only one in which there is a vault.
Col. S. F. J. Trabue was a good lawyer and a good citizen He was several times a candidate for Congress in the Ashland district, and he displayed ability as a debater. He was an optimistic land dealer and railroad promoter. He died in De- cember, 1898, at an advanced age.
The remains of Solomon P. Sharp were buried in the old cemetery on the back part of A. C. Henry's place at Thorn Hill in 1825, but were removed to the new cemetery about 1850. So also were the remains of Governor Madison buried there and afterwards removed by the State to their present resting place, over which a monument was erected, suitably inscribed. Over seven thousand people are buried in the Frankfort cemetery. During the past ten years the average has been one hundred and fifty per year. In the list of noted men buried there, is one Vice President of the United States and eight United States Senators, nine Governors of Kentucky, four ministers to foreign countries, four naval commanders and three United
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States District Judges, two poets of national reputation, one sculptor of international note and two historians.
To give a biographical sketch of all who are buried there, who are worthy of being mentioned and who have done their part in making history, would be to re-write a history of Frank- lin County which would be extended into a history of Ken- tucky, with many important facts in the history of the nation.
There were statesmen, soldiers and patriots, orators, sculptors and men of letters, in fact they carved for themselves honorable names in nearly every calling and avocation in life.
Women, too, are buried there, who were equally patriotic, who were God fearing, honest and true; who were warm hearted, generous and affectionate and who acted well their part in the formation of character, and in the training of men. Woman's work has too often been that of "Martha," but her service was none the less acceptable and necessary for the development, progress, prosperity and happiness of men. She, too, is en- titled to the meeds of valor. The most costly monument should be erected to commemorate her virtues and her worth and her grave should be decorated with flowers and the laurel wreath.
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