USA > Kentucky > Franklin County > The history of Franklin County, Ky. > Part 9
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THIE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
a short time. He died in Frankfort April 28th, 1879, and is buried in the south west corner of the Frankfort cemetery. A few men of note who were taught by him are as follows: Gen. George B. Crittenden, Gen. Thos. L. Crittenden, Col. Eugene Crittenden, Gov. T. T. Crittenden, of Missouri; United States Senator Geo. Vest, U. S. Senator J. C. S. Blackburn, State Senator James Blackburn, Mr. John B. Lindsey, Gen. D. W. Lindsey, Judge P. U. Major, Col. S. I. M. Major, and many other men who have been important factors in the government of both State and Nation.
The fourth of July celebration in 1836 was held at "Stony Point" (on top of Fort Hill) ; a barbecue dinner was prepared for the hundreds who attended. John F. Levy read the Decla- ration of Independence and B. B. Sayre delivered the chief oration. Col. Peter Dudley and Col. John Woods were the marshals of the day and had charge of the immense parade. Orlando Brown, Lewis Saunders, Jr., Chas. S. Morehead, Col. R. F. Richmond and Col. E. II. Taylor responded to toasts on that occasion.
A public dinner was given to the Hon. John J. Crittenden at Bellepoint (Todd's spring), July 23rd, 1836; about five hun- dred people were present. Toasts were responded to by John J. Crittenden, James T. Morehead, B. B. Sayre and others.
Hon. Daniel Webster and family arrived in Frankfort on Friday evening, May 31, 1837, and left for Louisville on the following Monday morning. The citizens of Frankfort joined in giving him a hearty welcome, and all were anxious to see a man of such prominence. Hle was received a few miles from town by a committee of citizens on horseback, who escorted him to the residence of the HIon. John J. Crittenden, whose house was his home while he stayed in Frankfort. On Satur- day he attended a barbecue which was prepared on the banks of Elkhorn, with the expressed design of enabling him to see "Old Kentucky as she is." He there met with citizens of all parties who extended to him a hearty welcome. He made a speech on that occasion which won for him the admiration and good will of all who heard him. The day was one which was long remembered by the citizens of Franklin County.
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The Fourth of July celebration for 1837, was held in the Capitol building. Orations were delivered by Thomas B. Stephenson and Col. Vietor Monroe, after the orations the com- pany repaired to Fort Hill where they partook of an excellent barbecue, after which several toasts were responded to. The Hon. Jas. T. Morehead presided as Toast Master.
Hon. John Brown died at his residence in Frankfort, Ky., on the morning of August 29th, 1837. He was the son of the Rev. John Brown and Margaret Preston. He was born in Vir- ginia, September 12th, 1757, and for two years he was the assistant of Dr. Waddall in a private school, after which he be- came a student at Princeton College and was there when the college was broken up by the Revolutionary war. Subsequent to this he volunteered in a company for the purpose of aiding Lafayette in his military operations in Virginia, after which he entered William and Mary College and after leaving there he commenced the study of the law in the office of Thomas Jeffer- son. Upon completing his legal studies he emigrated to Ken- tucky in the winter of 1782, and he continued to live in Ken- tucky until his death fifty-four years later. He was prominent in the events which preceded the separation of Kentucky from Virginia and no one contributed more than he to procure for Kentucky the full benefits of an unobstructed use of the Mis- sissippi river. In the year 1785, he was elected Senator in the Virginia Legislature from the district of Kentucky, and in 1787, the Legislature elected him a member of the old Con- gress, by that election he became the first member ever sent from the western country to the Congress of the United States.
Upon the formation of the new consitution he was elected one of the first Senators from Kentucky, which honor was three times, consecutively, conferred upon him by the State. He retired from public life about the close of the year 1805.
In the year 1838, there were two bridge companies incorpor- ated, one with the expressed intention of constructing a bridge from Washington street to the south side near the mouth of Benson creek, and the other to build a bridge across from the foot of Ann street. There was also an act approved February the 1st, 1838, the preamble and a part of which is as follows:
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"Whereas it is represented to the present General Assembly that it is the desire and intention of a number of individuals to establish a public school suited to the wants and conditions of all classes of the Commonwealth, in the town of Frankfort, and whereas the Frankfort Seminary has been pulled down and re- moved from the public square, thereby depriving the citizens of the only house of public instruction in said town as well as the entire loss of the proceeds of six thousand acres of land granted by the Legislature to the County of Franklin for seminary purposes; and whereas it is a matter of great import- ance to the public, that the town of Frankfort shall be supplied with water, as well for private as for public uses, and it is repre- sented to the General Assembly that the same can be done by conveying it from the Cove spring in the neighborhood of said town; and that the security of the private and public buildings thereof would be greatly protected. Section 1-Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, that it shall be lawful for Edmund HI. Taylor, Philip Swigert, Thomas S. Page, Mason Brown and John J. Vest to raise by way of lottery in one or more classes, as to them may seem expedient, any sum not exceeding one hundred thousand dol- lars to be appropriated, one-half for the use and benefit of a city school in the town of Frankfort, and the other half for the construction of such reservoirs, pipes, conductors, and other works, that may be necessary and proper to convey the water from the Cove Spring into said town, in such manner and quantities as the aforesaid persons may think suitable to the convenience of the people of said town and the safety of the private and public buildings therein." The act further pro- vides that the managers shall execute a bond to the Common- wealth for a faithful discharge of their duties, and their powers are defined. The amount to be raised was to be paid to the Trustees and expended by them.
The provisions of this act were carried out; that part in reference to the public school became the basis of one of the best public schools in the State, the interest on the money raised has been used to pay the running expenses of the city school for three-quarters of a century.
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The proposed water works were completed in 1839, at a cost of about $38,000 and the city was supplied with water by reason thereof until the latest improved water works were com- pleted in 1886. At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the town of Frankfort held on the 4th day of November, 1839, it was unanimously resolved: "That this Board entertains the highest respect for the integrity and moral worth of John Moore, Esq., and that they hereby tender him the individual thanks of the trustees and the acknowledgments of the citizens of the town for the faithful, skillful and workmanlike man- ner in which, as contractor for the water works, he has intro- duced fresh water into the town of Frankfort."
The pipes were supplied by a never failing spring known as Cove Spring, sufficiently elevated to throw the water into any building in the town.
The city sold these water works to the Frankfort Water Co., in 1885, for the sum of $20,000 in cash and for other valuable considerations.
The said company erected upon one of the hills south of the city two reservoirs of an aggregate capacity of five million of gallons, the flow line of which was two hundred and fifty feet above the intersection of Broadway and St. Clair streets. The pumping machinery has a capacity of delivering into the reservoirs 2,000,000 of gallons in twenty-four hours. The sup- ply of water is taken from the bottom of the channel of the Kentucky river some distance above the sewerage of the city. The water mains are of the best quality of cast iron, tested to withstand a hydrostatic pressure of three hundred pounds to the square inch.
The original cost of the construction of the said water works was $125,000, to which has been added many thousands of dollars for improvements. Frankfort boasts of the best water works in the State.
The Kentucky Historical Society was incorporated by act approved February 16th, 1838. The act names the in- corporators, empowers them to elect officers, make by-laws. select time and place for holding meetings and defines their powers. The preamble sets out in full the object of the society.
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This society was re-incorporated in 1880, and re-organized in 1886. It was not until 1906 that the State gave any substantial aid; at that time there was an act appropriating five thousand dollars per year and providing for stationery supplies for the society and providing for the publication of The Register Maga- zine of the society, the purchase of objects of historical interest, and the payment of a Secretary-Treasurer.
The winter of 1838, was as delightful as any one could desire, there were neither snows, heavy rains nor hard freezes.
Rev. Joseph J. Bullock, of Frankfort, was named by the Governor for the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, in 1838. This was a new office created by the Legislature. Other appointments for Frankfort men made at that time by the Governor, were John M. Bacon to be police judge of Frank- fort, General Ambrose W. Dudley, Quartermaster General of the State of Kentucky and Hon. Jas. T. Morehead to be presi- dent of the Board of Internal Improvement.
In the summer of 1838, the locust desolated the whole country, they blighted the forests, herbs and fruits of the whole county.
Mr. John Harvie died at Frankfort September 26th, 1838. Ile was born in Virginia; he lived in Frankfort about thirty years. He represented Franklin County in the Kentucky Legislature in 1835. He was a man of superior qualities of mind and heart. He was one of the very finest specimens of the "Old Virginia Gentleman," and that term applying as it did to him with all its force, conveys the most perfect idea of his life and character. He was the father of Mr. John and Col. Lewis Harvie, who lived to be very old men and who also be- longed to that old school of Virginia and Kentucky gentlemen. They died in Frankfort about the close of the last century. Col. Lewis Harvie was small in stature; he was very courteous and no one doubted his courage. On one occasion Judge Wil- liam Lindsay was discussing some proposition before a Legisla- tive committee at the Capital Hotel, at which time he made a statement in reference to Col. Harvie and to which he took exceptions. He took his watch from his pocket and holding it before him, he said: "Judge Lindsay, I will give you just
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three minutes in which to take back the statement which you have just made." Judge Lindsay had not thought of offend- ing Col. Ilarvie and he promptly said: "I don't want that much time, Lewis, I will take it back right now ;" this response raised a shout of laughter from those present, and each of the partici- pants in the controversy thought that the joke was on his op- ponent.
On May the 9th and 10th, the first giraffe ever seen by the people of Frankfort was placed on exhibition; at that time it was considered one of the most wonderful of living creatures. Thousands of people from all sections of the country came in to see it. It attracted the notice of the press to a very unusual degree.
In 1839, Mr. Joseph Flood and Miss Eliza Ann Major, daughter of Rev. John S. Major, were married. The Common- wealth said of her: "We know that the happy bride has made a most seasonable choice and she is truly fortunate who has obtained, in this time of unprecedented drouth, not a mere sprinkling, but a whole Flood for her portion."
Governor James Clark died in Frankfort on the 27th day of August, 1839. There was a meeting of the citizens at the court house ; Col. James Davidson was called to the chair and Hon. J. J. Crittenden, Col. R. F. Richmond and Orlando Brown were appointed a committee to prepare resolutions. His remains were accompanied from the Governor's Mansion to the top of the plain, by a large concourse of citizens on foot, in car- riages and on horseback, the whole being preceded by Capt. Lockwood's infantry company. At the top of the plain it was placed in a car and escorted to Lexington.
On Tuesday night, August 27th, 1839, the whole world was gazing at the great beauty of the heavens, the Auora Borealis was brighter than was ever known before. The Com- monwealth said: "The truth is, the imagination could not em- body in its conception such peerless splendor, and human language never had the power to describe it."
The fourth annual fair of the Franklin Agricultural So- ciety was held near Luckett's Tavern, at the Forks of Elkhorn, commencing Wednesday, October 9, 1839. One of the first
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fairs in the State was held a short distance below Frankfort, near Leestown. The first mention made of it was in 1798, but evidently a fair had been held there some years prior to that. time, and the grounds at that place were used for many years subsequent thereto. There was also a race course in connection with it. The exact location or length of same is not known, but it was used for many years. The county records show that there were several indictments against parties for unlawfully selling whiskey on the race course, and at the fair grounds. During the summer and fall large crowds of men and boys would congregate there on Sunday for the purpose of horse racing, foot racing, cock fighting and whiskey drinking, which would some times end in a free for all fight. These Sunday meetings continued until they became a nuisance and the police authorities put a stop to them. The Franklin Association held a fair there annually until a new race course and fair grounds were constructed near the Forks of Elkhorn, which were used for nearly half a century. The buildings on these grounds were destroyed by fire a short time prior to 1860. These grounds were located on the farm owned by Col. Steve Black in 1909, a short distance from the Forks of Elkhorn. The fairs held there were attended by people from all sections of the State. The race course was a mile in length and was one of the most noted in the State. Some of the best horses of that day were run on it. It was known as the Capital Course. The adver- tisement of this course in the year 1840 was as follows: "Capital Course Races."
Races over the Capital Course will commence on Wednes- day, the 6th day of May, 1840, and continue four days.
First Day-Cooper Stake, a silver pitcher, value $100, and $100 entrance, mile heats, closed with the following subscrib- ers: W. W. Bacon, J. W. Fenwick, Col. Wm. Buford, Capt. J. A. Holton, Sidney Burbridge, Capt. Wm. J. Harris and Benjamin Luckett.
Second Day-Weiseger Stakes, three mile heats, purse $300.
Third Day-Two mile heats, silver pitcher, value of $100.
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Fourth Day-A post stake, free for all, $50 entrance fee. A. W. LOCKWOOD,
Treasurer.
H. BLANTON, Secretary."
In 1836 the third annual fair of the Agricultural Society was held on October 10th and 11th, one mile and a half past of Frankfort, on the farm of Isham Talbott, deceased. The lo- cation was a very favorable one, having every accommodation, etc. A public dinner and addresses were some of the attrac- tions named. This place is known as the Dudley farm and is owned by the State in connection with the Colored Normal School. In 1874 there was a fair held at what is known as Woodland Park. In the years 1875-1880, inclusive, fairs were held at the R. P. Pepper race course and were largely attended. The colored people had a successful meeting and a creditable fair at this place in 1909, and for several years prior thereto.
A very successful fair was held in 1909, about one mile above Frankfort, on the Saffell farm. The grounds were lo- cated between the Kentucky river and the Lawrenceburg road. Large crowds were in attendance and the fair was in every way a success.
The following were the members of the House of Represen- tatives from Franklin County from 1830 to 1840:
John J. Crittenden, 1830-1831 and 1832.
John J. Marshall, 1833.
Jamerson Samuel, 1834.
John Harvie, 1835.
Dandridge S. Crockett, 1836.
James T. Morehead, 1837.
Charles S. Morehead, 1838-1839 and 1840.
The population for Franklin County in 1830 was 9,234; in 1840 it was 9,420.
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THE HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.
CHAPTER NINE.
Course of Events from 1840 to 1850.
In Order Book "L," pages 22, 23, 24 and 25 of the Frank- lin County Court Clerk's office, there is a long report of Samuel Todd and S. I. M. Major, Commissioners, as to the condition of the County Clerk's office, giving the number and condition of books, deeds, mortgages, orders, wills, etc .. also itemizing and giving the condition of all other records in the custody of the County Clerk. The report closes by saying, "The Clerk's office is a small. one story building, very uncomfortable and unsafe; there is but one room and the floor of that very open, the walls very thin and slightly plastered."
There was a large influx of foreigners, especially Irish, to the county of Franklin in the year of 1840; at this date Wil- liam II. Holman was the proprietor of the "Tavern on the Hill," which was located on the cemetery property, about four hundred feet from the entrance to the cemetery grounds.
Henry Clay spoke in Frankfort on national affairs. Sept. 2nd, 1840. Robert P. Letcher was inaugurated governor dur- ing this year. The address of welcome on the part of the city was made by B. B. Sayre. Capt. Lockwood's infantry and Capt. Goram's cavalry, both of Franklin county were in the parade ; "The old Thames cannon was brought out upon that occasion and spoke with her accustomed cheery voice." The Thames cannon was also known as the Burgoyne cannon. It is a relic of the revolutionary war and also of the war of 1812. It was captured at the Battle of Saratoga, from the British army under Gen. John Burgoyne, by the Americans under Gen. Gates, Sept. 19th, 1777, and afterwards was surrendered to the British by General Hull August 16th, 1812, and re- captured by General Harrison and his Kentuckians at the battle of the Thames, October 9th, 1813. The cannon was presented to Governor Shelby and afterwards presented by him to the State of Kentucky. In 1909, Gen. P. P. Johnson, Adj. Gen. of Kentucky, placed it in charge of Mrs. Jennie C. Mor-
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ton, Secretary of the Kentucky Historical Society. It is one of the most valuable relics now owned by the State.
James Harlan, of Franklin County, was appointed Secre- tary of State by Governor Letcher September, 1840.
The Legislature of Kentucky authorized a lottery drawing in the City of Frankfort for the benefit of the Shelby College. The drawing was at the Weiseger House October 14th, 1840, at 4 o'clock p. m. The payment of prizes was guaranteed by security, to the State; whole tickets sold for $3 and shares in proportion ; packages of twenty-six tickets were warranted to draw at least one-half the cost of them.
The assessed valuation of the property in Franklin County at this time was as follows: There were 217,920 acres of land, which was valued at $1,777,089. There were 1,240 males over 21 years of age. There were 2,593 slaves, which were valued at $982,400, and thirty-five stores valued at $114,740. The total valuation of all property was $4,096,666. Negroes made up about one-fourth of the assessed valuation of the county, the average assessment being $378.50. The barter and sale of negroes was greater than that of any other property, the news- papers of that period were full of such advertisements as the following: "For sale -- A very likely negro woman ; a first-rate cook, washer, &c., and three children. Enquire at this office." "Negro girl for sale-I wish to sell a likely negro girl who is a good cook, washer and spinner; she is also honest." "The subscriber, living six miles south of Frankfort, near South Benson meeting house, has a very likely and intelligent mulatto boy, twelve years old, for sale: persons wanting such a boy would do well to call and see him, as I will sell a bargain, for cash in hand."
Hon. Geo. W. Craddock came to Frankfort in 1840 as a representative of Hart County. After his term of office ex- pired he located here and became one of the leading citizens and attorneys of the capitol city. He took an active part in the politics of the city and State. On one occasion a mass convention was held in Frankfort and several politicians tried to make speeches for their candidate, but the electors had con- verted themselves into a howling mob, and they refused to
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listen to any orations on that occasion. Judge Craddock finally arose and commenced his address by saying: "Gentle- men and fellow-citizens, hoodlums and-" After one pro- longed shout the crowd settled down and gave the judge a very respectful hearing. He married a Frankfort woman and they raised a large family of children. He died in Frankfort in 1898.
In 1840 Mr. James G. Dana, reporter of the Court of Appeals, died at his home in the City of Frankfort. For many years Mr. Dana was the editor of the Commentator, a news- paper published at Frankfort. He was distinguished for his ability as a newspaper man and as a lawyer. For many years he was the official reporter of the Court of Appeals, and the reports of that day bear his name.
On the 15th of December, 1840, Maj. George Swingle died at his home in Franklin County in his 84th year. He was an acting major under General Washington in the revolution. He was never known to take ardent spirits.
Hon. John C. Breckinridge was a citizen and resident of Frankfort for several years. His law office was on St. Clair street next to Mrs. Watson's boarding house. Gov. R. P. Letcher was located in Frankfort in 1845. His law office was on the west side of St. Clair street.
Dr. Luke P. Blackburn was also located in Frankfort at that time. He and Dr. Churchill J. Blackburn were partners in the practice of medicine. Their office was in the building erected by Dr. W. L. Crutcher on St. Clair street.
Prior to 1851 nearly all the traveling through the coun- try was either by stage coach or horseback. There was a stage which left Frankfort for Louisville every morning at 8. It took nine hours to travel from Frankfort to Louisville. The fare was $2. There was also a stage to arrive from Georgetown each morning. It returned at 2 p. m. There was one which left Frankfort for Madison three times a week; also one to Lexing- ton and Harrodsburg cach morning.
In 1841 there were steamboats run from Bowling Green by the way of Green and Barren river navigation, up the Ohio and Kentucky rivers to the capital, for the accommodation of
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the members of the Kentucky Legislature. This was con- sidered a revolution in the mode of travel between the two great divisions of the State.
The steamboats which were in the trade between Frank- fort and Louisville during this decade were the Tom Metcalf, Bob Letcher, and The Ocean. The Blue Wing was built ex- pressly for the Kentucky river trade, and was placed in com- mission in 1845. The Sea Gull in 1847. The W. R. McKce in 1845. The Isaac Shelby, Fashion and Kentucky about 1846. Other boats in the Kentucky river trade since 1850 were: The Planet, Little Ben Franklin, Oliver Anderson, Little Mail, Gray Eagle, Blue Wing No. 1, Blue Wing No. 3, Dove No. 1, Dove No. 2, The Wren, City of Frankfort, Lancaster, Hornet, Hibernia, Fannie Freeze, City of Clarksville, Falls City, Park City, and Nellie. There were two steamboats built at the mouth of Steamboat Hollow, a short distance below the City of Frank- fort. One was a sidewheel boat built in 1822 and was called the Plough Boy, and the other about 1830. It was built of locust and was called Locust Lexington. It was not used in the Ken- tucky river trade.
In the year 1841 there were no lights of any description on the streets of Frankfort, except such lights as were carried by pedestrians. The sidewalks were sadly out of repair, some were broken in places, sunken in others and covered by mud in many more. In many places there had never been any sidewalks constructed. Walking after night was exceedingly disagrecable, if not dangerous. The pavement in front of the Mansion House (McClure Building) was very bad. The post- office was located there at that time, and it was almost im- possible to get to the postoffice without wading ankle deep in mud and water.
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