USA > Kentucky > Franklin County > The history of Franklin County, Ky. > Part 5
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The most dire calamity that ever befell the people of Franklin County happened during this decade (1810 to 1820). The history of the war between the United States and Great Britain ; the causes which led up to it and the sequences which followed it are a part of national history. The United States army in the northwest was composed almost exclusively of Kentuckians, a history of which is properly a part of the history of the State. Franklin County, however, did more than her just proportional part ; she furnished more men, and more money, and she gave more of her heroic blood for the honor and glory of this great country than could have rea- sonably been expected from one community.
There were two full companies enlisted from Franklin County; the first under Paschal or Perchal Hickman as cap- tain was mustered into the service August 15, 1912, and was known as Captain Paschal Hickman's company, first rifle regiment, Kentucky militia; it was engaged or enlisted to Oeto- ber 14, 1812. The muster roll shows the following:
.
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
Paschal Ilickman, Captain. Peter G. Voorhies, Ensign. Benjamin Head, 2d Sergt. Jno. Nailor, 4th Sergt.
W'm. T. Pemberton, 2d Corp. Benj. B. Johnson, 4th Corp.
Peter Dudley, Lieutenant. David Quinn, 1st Sergt. Geo. Nicholls, 3d Sergt. Alexander Rennick, 1st Corp. Richard Chism, 3d Corp.
PRIVATES.
Joseph Armstrong.
Berrisford Arnold.
William Brown.
Isaac Boone.
James Bassett.
Overton Brown.
William Brattan.
John Brook.
Samuel Blackburn.
James Biscoe.
Martin Calvert.
Garland Cosby.
Joseph Clark.
Phillip Clark.
John Cox.
Lemuel Davis, Sr.
Lemuel Davis, Jr.
Lewis Fennick.
Nathan Goodrich.
Jolın Hays.
Elisha Herndon.
Moses Ilead.
James B. Humphreys.
William D. Hensley.
John A. Holton.
Geo. T. Johnston.
John Koons.
Simon Kenton.
Gideon King.
Zachariah B. Lewis.
John Lane.
Jacob Lively.
Joseph Mosely.
Timothy T. Moore.
Otho McCracken.
David E. Mathews.
Lapsley McBride.
Joshua Moore.
Timothy Marshall.
John G. Mullican.
Francis Mayhall.
John Mayhall.
John Noland.
Robert Owen.
Meriwether Poindexter.
John Phillips.
Jno. Richardson.
James Parker.
Benjamin Pannell. Jesse Poe.
Joseph Pitts.
William Pruett.
Samuel Reading. Geo. Robertson. Jas. Richardson.
Jno. Rossen.
Alexander Robinson. Reuben Sparks.
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
Wm. Stevens.
Samuel Smith.
John Smith.
Jesse Smiley.
Rankin Steel.
Wm. Sanders.
Francis Slaughter.
Jno. Sanders.
Samuel, Throckmorton.
John Tate.
Thomas Tate.
Wm. Updike.
Ben'j Underwood.
Van West.
James Wilson.
William West.
George Yancy.
The eighty-six men composing this company were all killed at the battle of the River Raisin, except thirteen of them, only twelve of whom are known at this date to have returned to their homes in Franklin county, to-wit: Lieut. Peter Dud- ley, Alexander Renick, Joseph Clark, Lewis Fennick, Elisha Herndon, John A. Holton, Z. B. Lewis, Francis Mayhall, John Mayhall, John Richardson, Alexander Robertson and James Wilson.
The order of battle at the River Rasin was as follows: Lieut. Colonel John Allen, commanding the right wing; Major Graves, the left; and Major Madison, the centre; Captain Bal- lard (acting Major) was placed in advance of the whole with two companies, one company commanded by Captain Hick- man. Subaltern Lieut. Chinn, the other by Captain Graves.
Captain Hickman was severely wounded and was carried from the battlefield, both of his legs were shot off, or were so badly mangled that they were amputated the next morning, January 23, 1813.
The Indians were permitted by General Proctor to slaugh- ter his wounded and defenseless captives, "Captain Hickman was rudely dragged to the door, his brains dashed out with the tomahawk and his body thrown back into the house."
A. B. Woodward, Judge of the Supreme Court of the territory of Michigan, in a letter to General Proctor, dated De- troit, February 2, 1813, stated that some of the prisoners after the capitulation of the 22nd of January had been tomahawked and others had been shot and still others had been burnt at the stake by the savages.
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THIE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
Captain Paschal Hickman was the Jailor of Franklin county at the time he enlisted for military service. Ile was a son of the Rev. William Hickman, a noted Baptist preacher and teacher of pioneer days. Paschal Hickman was six feet two inches tall and weighed over two hundred pounds. He was a very handosme man and one of the most popular of that day.
Lapsley McBride, son of Col. William McBride, and great uncle of Judge W. Lapsley Jett, and for whom said Jett was named; and Berrisford Arnold, who was a very handsome man, the son of James Arnold, another great uncle of Judge Jett, were also killed at the River Raisin.
The records in the Adjutant General's office at Frankfort fails to show when any member of this noted company was dis- charged from service. The discharge of Sergeant Rennick is dated Urbana, Ohio, February 21, 1813.
After the slaughter at River Raisin the few Franklin county men who returned straggled in one at a time, and each time one came home the cannon was fired and the whole sull'- rounding country as far away as it could be heard would hasten to Frankfort to inquire about the lost ones.
Lieutenant Peter Dudley, who made his escape, returned to Frankfort for the purpose of raising another company, though the recent preceding events of the campaign had proven to all that war was in reality a trade of blood, and the badges of mourning were worn by a large part of the population of Franklin county. Notwithstanding so many of her brave sons had been so ruthlessly massacred, and the majority of the large assembly of people, who had met to hear some tidings of loved and lost ones; when the gallant young lieutenant with a drummer and fifer commenced his march through the crowd proclaiming his purpose of raising another company and re- questing all who were willing to go with him to fall in to the ranks, in less than thirty minutes one hundred young men were in line.
The Weekly Register published in Baltimore in 1812-13 in a statement dated Frankfort, March 10, 1813, says: "On Thursday, the 4th inst., the regiment of militia of this county
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
(Franklin) was paraded on the commons in this place for the purpose of furnishing from it seventy-two men, its quota. In less than thirty minutes one hundred men volunteered under Lieut. Peter Dudley, who had but a few days previous returned from the army under General Harrison, yesterday they were mustered and inspected, when the number was increased to one hundred and fifteen. Lieutenant Dudley was appointed Cap- tain, Geo. Baltzell 1st Lieutenant, Samuel Arnold 2nd Lien- tenant, and George Gayle Ensign. We understand about thirty-five hundred dollars was subscribed to go towards equip- ing the volunteers."
"It is reported the Governor has ordered out the two regi- ments commanded by Cols. Dudley and Boswell as reinforce- ments to Harrison ; they march in a few days."
On Saturday, April 17, 1813, was the following from Georgetown, Kentucky:
"Captain Dudley, of Frankfort, passed through this place on Tuesday night with one hundred and twenty-two as re- spectable, as brave and as fine volunteers as any county ever produced, destined for the Rapids. We will venture to assert that Captain Dudley and his patriot band will give a good ac- count of themselves and when attacked by the enemy they will leave their mark."
After the cold-blooded murder of the wounded at French- town (River Raisin) an editor in sympathy with the allies said in his paper, "We would advise the recruiting officers of the Government to enlist fat men for the western market that the Indians may not butcher lean unprofitable stock."
In addition to the two companies above named there were several Franklin county men in other companies; Benjamin S. Chambers was Quartermaster, and William Church was a Captain ; John Cardwell was in Captain Zachariah. Terrell's company, and was at the battle of New Orleans, while his brother George Cardwell was under Captain Simpson, with Richard M. Johnson at the battle of the Thames, and he, like many others claimed the credit of killing Tecumseh. He was known as Tecumseh Cardwell from that time until his death many years after.
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
Samuel A. Theobald, a lawyer from Frankfort, was Judge Advocate in Richard M. Johnson's regiment, and was one of the immortal "Forlorn Hope" consisting of twenty men who volunteered to advance in front of the army at the Thames, in order to draw the fire from the Indians, who were known to be in hiding, and awaiting the advance of the army. This was the method adopted by Col. Johnson to locate the enemy ; of these twenty men only one escaped unhurt, fifteen of then were shot dead. "Their leader (Col. Richard M. Johnson) with a dozen wounds still sat creet, his Judge Advocate (Theobald), close to his side."
The charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava, led by Lord Cardigan in 1854, was made through the mistake of a superior officer ; and the six hundred men rode "Into the jaws of Death" because they were commanded to do so, but the "Forlorn Hope" rode "Into the jaws of Death" a willing sacrifice for their coun- try's honor, and for the protection of their comrades in arms. In the history of the world there has never been recorded a braver act than was performed by Samuel A. Theobald on that 5th day of October, 1813.
Following the battle of the Thames there were a large number of English prisoners brought to Frankfort, Kentucky, and confined for a considerable period in the State penitentiary. The officers vigorously resented this treatment which they designated "ignominious," but little sympathy was aroused on their account. The murders and barbarities at Raisin and Meigs had not put these men of the Forty-first Regiment in a position to ask or expect much from Kentuckians. These pris- oners were subsequently exchanged, but not for some months.
After the battle of the Raisin the bodies of the dead soldiers were left unburied, and were devoured by dogs and hogs. Many months after that Governor Shelby directed that the bones of all the brave men who were killed or died, and remained unburied, should be collected and properly interred ; sixty-five skeletons were found and buried.
"On July 4, 1818, they were removed and reinterred in the cemetery at Monroe, Michigan; after that a committee was appointed at Detroit to bring them there, where they were
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
again interred. In 1834 the boxes containing these bones were removed to Clinton Street Cemetery in Detroit. In September of the same year they were again exhumed, and placed in boxes marked "Kentucky's gallant dead, January 18, 1913 (should have been January 22-23), River Raisin, Michigan," and brought to Frankfort, where they were again buried, and they will doubtless remain forever in the State Lot in our "Beautiful City of the Dead."
To the shame of Kentucky be it said that no man knows at this day where the bones of these honored dead are buried. The removal to Kentucky was prior to the time the present cemetery was purchased and a part of it dedicated to Kentucky heroes. At that time the cemetery was back of Thorn Hill, and even tradition is silent as to whether or not these bones were removed to the new cemetery.
James Y. Love, the only son of Mrs. Elizabeth Love, joined Captain Dudley's company. She was at first very much grieved, but after thinking over the matter said: "But I would despise him if he did not want to go." She prepared with her own hands the uniform he wore and he went with his mother's prayers, and a mother's love.
Mrs. Elizabeth Love was one of the strong women of pioneer days; she was the wife and afterwards the widow of Major Thomas Love, who was an officer in the army of General Wayne, and served in his western campaigns. The time of en- listment of Major Love having expired he located permanently in Frankfort.
Mrs. Love was noted for her social and Christian virtues. For many years she and her husband were proprietors of a hotel known as the "Love House," where they entertained Aaron Burr, and other noted men of that day. She was re- markable for her personal beauty and grace of manner, and her literary attainments were marvelous considering the age and the section of the country in which she lived. She was a woman of strong character; on one occasion when she was a young lady, the Prince, afterward King of the French, was traveling through the United States, she attended a ball given in honor of the King. He was struck with her graceful move-
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY,
ments, and commanding air, and did her the honor to single her out as his partner for the dance; she declined this flattering preference to the mortification of the Prince and to the surprise of all, but her reason for not dancing was that she had only a few moments before refused to dance with one of her neigh- bor's sons, and if she must give offense she would rather offend the illustrious foreigner than one of her own companions and countrymen; she tried at all times to be just; she sought for the right and when found she fearlessly followed it. She was one of the great women of this country.
It was she who established the first Sabbath schools in this country, and which were also the first established in this State; her influence was always for good. For a period of fifty years she was a resident of Frankfort. "None knew her but to love her, none named her but to praise." She died at Frankfort on the 19th day of January, 1845.
Another strong character those times produced was Col. Anthony Crockett, a native of Virginia. He was born in 1758: he enlisted in the Revolutionary war in 1776, and only left the army when peace was declared; he was at White Plains, Brandywine, Monmouth, Saratoga, Germantown, Princeton and Trenton. At the battle of Brandywine when LaFayette was severely wounded Col. Crockett took him in his arms and carried him to a place of safety. When General Lalviyetie visited Frankfort in 1825 he expressed great pleasure in meet- ing him again.
In 1784 he came to Kentucky and purchased from his brother-in-law, James Arnold, a tract of land located on the Lawrenceburg road about three miles south of Frankfort, which tract of land remained in the hands of his descendants for more than a century.
In 1790 he was a member of the Virginia Legislature from Kentucky ; in 1796 and 1799 he was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from Franklin county. When the war of 1812 came on he was exempt from military service, but he volunteered and rendered valiant service, though he was then an old man. For thirty years he was Sergeant at Arms of the Kentucky Senate. He died in 1838, and was buried in
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
the Benson church yard in Franklin county. He was a man of fine physique, six feet three inches in height; he was gentle by nature, but fearless and valiant in battle.
In the year 1813 William Arnold and John A. McDowell were admitted to practice law in all the courts at Frankfort. On February 15th of that year William Trigg resigned as Clerk of the County Court and Fleming Trigg was appointed in his stead. On the same day Silas M. Noel produced credentials of his ordination and of his being in regular communion with the Baptist Society, and having taken the oath of fidelity, a testimonial was granted him in due form.
On April 19, 1813, William Hall resigned as Sheriff and John A. Mitchell was commissioned Sheriff, with John J. Marshall and others as his sureties. On the same day Anna Arnold was appointed Administratrix of Berrisford Arnold. The order recites the fact, that Berrisford Arnold was killed at River Raisin, and the next succeeding order recites that Benjamin Hiekman was elected Jailer of the county to take the place of Paschal Hickman, who was murdered in his tent after his surrender at the same battle.
On May 13th Jephtha Dudley, a magistrate of Franklin county, resigned as magistrate and was commissioned an officer in the United States Army. On the same day Theodrick Boul- ware, a Baptist preacher, was granted a testimonial and em- powered to celebrate the rites of matrimony.
On June 21, 1813, William E. Quarles was commissioned Sheriff of the county, and John Parker was granted the right to erect and operate a grist mill on Glenn's Creek ; this mill was operated for more than half a century; a part of the old dam still remains to mark the site.
The Order Book of the County Court shows that tavern keepers were allowed to charge not exceeding the following rates, to-wit: for supper and breakfast, 25 cents each ; dinner, 37 cents; grain, per gallon, 1216 cents ; horse at hay one night or twenty-four hours, 25 cents; Maderia or other imported wines, $2.00 per quart; Jamaica spirits, French brandy or Hol- land gin, 50 cents per pint ; county made gin, 18 cents per half pint; Sangaree, or punch, 75 cents per quart.
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
George Major was admitted as an attorney at the Frankfort bar September 20, 1813. During this year a new jail was built at a cost of one thousand dollars. This jail was located on Clinton street where the colored Methodist church now stands; the jail had formerly been on Holmes street, nearly opposite the woman's entrance to the State Penitentiary.
There was an act of the Kentucky Legislature, approved January 24, 1812, for the benefit of William and Lapsley Me- Bride. The act recites that their father, Col. William Mc- Bride, had been appointed commissioner to open a road from Holstein to Crab Orchard and that he was killed at the battle of Blue Licks, having received no part of the consideration for said work. The act authorizes the issuing of warrants for 2,- 800 acres of land to his said sons.
Henry Davridge, Circuit Judge, had for his associate Cir- cuit Judges Nathaniel Richardson and Hugh Innis for many years prior to 1813; and for many years subsequent thereto his associate Judges were Nathaniel Richardson and Silas M. Noel.
There was an act of the Kentucky Legislature to incorpor- ate the Frankfort Library Company, approved January 13, 1812.
Fleming Trigg resigned as County Court Clerk, April 18, 1814, and Willis A. Lee was appointed in his place.
John J. Marshall was appointed magistrate April 18, 1814, and during the same year John Green established a ferry across the Kentucky river at the mouth of Glenn's Creek; this ferry was afterwards known as Arnold's ferry for many years, later it was known as Cardwell's ferry. It was the most important crossing on the river outside of Frankfort. Mrs. Mary E. John- son, daughter of John Cardwell, and granddaughter of James Arnold, still owns the Arnold homestead (1908) located op- posite the mouth of Glenn's Creek on the south side of the river. having inherited same from her grandfather; it was a part of ten thousand acres of land granted to him in 1784 for services in the Continental army.
During the same year John Green also established a ware- house for tobacco, flour and hemp at the mouth of Glenn's
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THIE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
Creek; John Green was a Baptist preacher; he was uneducated, but a man of strong character, and did much good in his day and generation. On one occasion while holding divine service, he had his song book up-side-down, and some one called his at- tention to the fact. He said it made no difference to him, he could read as well that way as if it was right-side-up.
In the year 1814 John D. Cook and Samuel D. Fishback were admitted to practice law in Frankfort. In the same year Benjamin Hickman was elected jailer.
The county levy was fixed at $1.25 each "titheable" for the year 1815.
In the year 1814 James Russell established a mill on the south fork of Benson Creek that has been one of the noted land- marks of the county for nearly a century.
In the year 1815 Richard Taylor and John J. Marshall were appointed commissioners to superintend the reconstruc- tion of the county jail, the cost of which was not to exceed twenty-five hundred dollars ($2,500.00). At the same term of court commissioners were appointed to act with commissioners from Shelby county to build a bridge across Big Benson, at Bohannon's ford, but the cost was not to exceed four hundred dollars ($400.00), for Franklin county's part of the contract.
In June, 1815, William Samuels produced a commission from the Governor appointing him Sheriff of the county. At the same court Charles S. Todd and John HI. Todd were ad- mitted to practice law.
John J. Marshall resigned the position of magistrate Au- gust 19, 1817. On the same day the Trustees of the town of Frankfort complained of the manner in which Sunday taverns were run, and they asked that the licenses of Leonard AAltemus, William Duckham, James W. Pruett, George W. Gayle, James Hampton, William Downing and Lewis Pruett be revoked.
In August, 1817, Lewis R. Major was appointed magis- trate, and during that year a grist mill and saw mill was built on Elkhorn, near Jones' station.
Francis P. Blair, Jacob Swigert and Thomas A. Marshall were admitted to practice law. John Bartlett was appointed Sheriff June 16, 1817. On the same day on motion of Reuben
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
Medley, a Methodist minister, oath was administered at .!! certificate issued.
On September 15, 1817, the following order was entered, to-wit: "This Court doth certify that Western B. Thomas, . who intends making application for license to practice law, is a man of honesty, probity and good demeanor."
"A report of the inspectors of the Frankfort warehouse state that during last season they received 389 hogsheads of tobacco, and have shipped 306, they also report the warehouse in bàd condition."
Given under our hands this 17th day of November, 1817. (Signed) "JAMES & BROWN."
"Also that they received 38 hogsheads at Leestown and shipped 27; they also report this warehouse out of repair."
In the year 1817 there were assessed 2,206 titheables at one dollar per tithe.
In 1818 Joseph M. White and Harry J. Thornton were ad- mitted to practice law. During this year Achilles Sneed built a water grist mill at the Falls of Big Benson, which place is now known as Conway's mill.
During this year Jeremiah Green, a Baptist preacher, and Eli Smith, a Presbyterian preacher were granted certificates by the county court.
The bridge at Hardinsville was rebuilt during this year. On December 22, 1818, Benjamin Hickman resigned as Jailer, and Stanley P. Gower was appointed in his stead.
The income of the county for the year 1819 was three thousand dollars. During the year 1819 Isaac Caldwell, Mar- tin Marshall, Silas M. Noel, Robert Hughes, Nathaniel Sawyer, Horace Warring and George Oakley were admitted to practice law at Frankfort. Philip White was appointed Sheriff of the county June 28, 1819.
At the September term 1819, the following order was en- tered: "It appearing to the satisfaction of the Court, that the bridge across Big Benson on the lower road to Shelbyville has been completed agreeable to contract, it is therefore ordered that the Sheriff of this county pay to Charles S. Todd the sum
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
of $480.00 for doing the stone work, and to Joseph Russell the sum of $247.00 for doing the wood work of said bridge."
Isaac Caldwell was County Attorney by appointment dur- ing the year 1819. John Bartlett, as Sheriff, failed to pay the money which he had collected for the county and there were a. great many suits filed against him and his sureties during the year.
Jacob Swigert produced a commission from G. Slaughter, Governor of the Commonwealth, appointing him a magistrate which position he held for many years.
In 1820 a contract for building a jail yard and a jailer's : residence was entered into; the wall around the yard was to be twelve feet high, made of brick, with a timber on top, well secured. The residence and yard were to cost three thousand dollars ($3,000), the residence was back of the jail on Lewis street, now Elk Avenue.
In the year 1820 there were 2759 tithes assessed in the county, and there were fifty-seven roads in the county to which hands and overseers were appointed.
The first man charged with murder after the conviction of Henry Fields in 1798, was Benjamin Mayhall in July, 1814; he was tried by a jury and acquitted. There were several in- dictments for murder during the years 1818 and 1819. Thomas P. Major, James Ransdale, Zepheniah Jackson, Elijah Kendall, Jeremiah Kendall, Jacob Holeman and William P. Greenup were all charged with murder. The indictments against the Ransdales, Jackson and the Kendalls were for the murder of Albert Carter in July, 1818. The charge was for "Striking said Carter with a certain gun of the value of ten dollars, which the said Wharton Randsdale in both his hands, then and there had and held, etc."
The Commentator gave the following account, headed :
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