History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II, Part 7

Author: Williams, L.A., & Co., Cleveland
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : L. A. Williams & Co.
Number of Pages: 680

USA > Ohio > History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II > Part 7

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Daniel Mckinley, an old and respected citizen, was born October 5, 1805, in Shelby county, or what is now known as Spencer county. He came to Jefferson county in 1833, and lived in the county till his death, which occurred April 25, 1881. He was married December 13, 1827, to Miss Kezia Russell, of Nelson county, Ken- tucky. They have had thirteen children, seven of whom are living. Mrs. McKinley was born November 1, 1808. She is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Mckinley was also a member.

Daniel B. Mckinley was born January 24, 1844, in Jefferson county, Kentucky. He is a son of Daniel Mckinley. He was married in 1869 to Miss Mildred Day, of Spencer county, daughter of Richard Day. They have had four children-Carrie, Hallie, John, Lizzie. Lizzie is deceased. Mrs. McKinley died March 7, 1877. Mr. Mckinley is a member of the Pres- byterian church.

Colman E. Drake was born February 19, 1832, in Spencer county, Kentucky. His father, Benjamin Drake, was a native of Pennsylvania, and came to Kentucky when the country was wild. Mr. Colman Drake came to Jefferson county in 1869. His farm lies in Spencer and

HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

Jefferson counties. It contains one hundred and sixty acres. He was married in 1871 to Miss Marietta Stevens, of Garrard county, Ken- tucky. They had one child, but she died when very young. Mrs. Drake died September 17, 1872. She was a member of the Christian church.

Robert Carrithers was born November 19, 1812, in Shelby county, though what is now Spencer county. He lived there till 1834, when he came to Jefferson, where he has ever since resided. His father came from Pennsylvania. Mr. Carrithers was married in 1833 to Miss Edna Stalland, of Spencer county. They had nine children by this marriage. He was again married, in 1856, to Miss Elizabeth J. Russell, of Spencer county. They had three children by this marriage. Mr. Carrithers is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church; Mrs. Carrithers of the Methodist church.

Squire Mckinley was born November 28, 1820, in Shelby county. His father, James Mc- Kinley, was a native of Kentucky. He died in 1863. Mi. S. McKinley learned the carpenter's trade when young and followed this occupation for a short time. He was married in 1844 to Miss Mary McKinley, of Spencer county. They had two children by this marriage-James S. and John W. He was again married, in 1854, to Mrs. Sophia Drake. They had nine children by this marriage-Sarah B., George C., Ivanhoe, Charles E., Cynthia K., Marietta, Benjamin F., William F., also a girl not named. Mrs. Mc- Kinley is a member of the Methodist church. -

HARRODS CREEK

is a fertile, rolling tract of land along the river's edge, north of Louisville, extending from the suburbs of that city to the northern limit of the county. Like most precincts, its contour or form is irregular, being much greater in length than in width.

It has good advantages in the way of a turn- pike that runs through it, going from Louisville to Oldenburg. Also in the Narrow Guage rail- road, formerly built by the citizens of the pre- cinct, and which afterwards passed into the hands of a company. This latter road, with its reasonable rates of travel, affords the citi-

zens fine opportunities for carrying on mercantile pursuits in the city.

Among the early settlers may be mentioned the Wilhites, who were probably among the first, James Taylor, relative of Colonel Richard Tay- lor, who came in 1799, and settled near the present town of Worthington upon a tract of a thousand acres or more of land. He was early identified with the political history of the county, and was clerk of the county court. He had a brother who served in the Revolutionary war. He was the grandfather of Dr. N. Barbour, of - Louisville, and was a native of Virginia.

Thomas and Richard Barbour were early set- tlers here, locating on large tracts of land just above Harrod's creek. Richard Barbour was among the first magistrates of the precinct, and held the office for a long time. Thomas Bar- bour, his brother, and father to Dr. Barbour, was an early representative of this county in the Leg- islature. He married Mary Taylor, a cousin of Zachary Taylor, and raised a large family, Dr. Barbour being the only living representative of the family at this time. He built a large flour- ing mill (to which was attached a saw-mill) about the year 1808-09, and later on one was built lower down by Glover. These mills were greatly advantageous to the county, furnishing a ready market for the grain, which would be ground and then shipped to New Orleans. Mr. Barbour died in 1820. He had two sons, Thomas and James, who were in the War of 1812. The Barbour mill was run until about the year 1835, when it went down.

Andrew Mars and his cousin Andrew Steel were early settlers also, locating on lands oppo- site Twelve-mile island.

. Dr. William Adams was the first resident physician of the precinct. He, as was the cus- tom in those times, obtained a general experi- ence, mostly by the practice of medicine. He, . however, attended lectures in the Transylvania college, but never graduated. His advent to the place was about the year 1825. Ten years afterwards Dr. N. Barbour practiced the medical profession there, and continued the practice un- til in 1872, when he removed to Louisville, where he has an extensive practice. Dr. Bar- bour is a graduate of the Ohio Medical college, Cincinnati, receiving his degree of M. D. from that institution in 1835. He afterwards took a

HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

course of lectures in medicine in Philadelphia. CHURCHES.

The subject of religion early engrossed the attention of the people of this part of the county, but no building or regular society was organized until about the year 1820.

The Taylors and Barbours were Episcopalians but the Presbyterians erected a brick church this year, and they connected themselves with that organization.

Dr. Blackburn, of Tennessee, a scholarly gen- tleman, was one of the first pastors of this society. Some of the names of the corporate members are here appended-'Andrew Mars, Thomas Barbour, Robert and Edwin Woodfolk, John D. Lock, and some of the Wilhites. The building as erected remained until about the year 1850, when owing to its crumbled condition it was replaced by another. The Rev. Dr. McCowan, a learned'and an excellent gentleman, preached here some eight years.

The church is not as strong in its membership as it was at one time, but is still in existence, the Revs. Thomas Christler and Alexander Dorson being the pastors at the present time.

The colored people organized a society known as the Greencastle church in 1875; J. Wilhite officiating at that time. The building was erected at a cost of one thousand dollars, and the society has a membership at this time of one hundred and nine. They are known as the Mission Baptists. Rev. E. J. Anderson is the present pastor,

The town of Harrods Creek was laid off quite early, and divided up into small lots. It was formerly known as the Seminary land. It, how- ever, was never built up and remains to-day only a few straggling houses.

Harrods Creek Ferry was formerly an import- ant wharf; this was in the palmy days of Middle- town and when Louisville was deemed an un- healthy village. Goods were shipped and landed at this harbor until, probably, about the year 1810, when the metropolis of the county was moved to the Falls of the Ohio river, and the principal trade went there.

Harrods creek and Big Goose creek are the principal streams of this precinct. They each furnish an abundance of water the year round, and near their mouths run close together and parallel for a mile or so. Harrods creek stream

empties into the Ohio river ten miles above Louisville, and where it is about forty rods wide. About a fourth of a mile from its mouth it dips at an angle of about seven degrees, giving it an appearance of falls. It has been stated that this creek, like many others in the State, has subter- ranean passages, through which a part of its waters flow without crossing the falls.

Goose Creek waters formerly turned a grist- mill for Mr. Allison, and still farther down a saw-mill that was run for many years, but there has been no mill on this stream for full thirty years. The old grist-mill, after it was abandoned, was used for a time as a school-house.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES.

Abraham Blankenbaker was born July 13, 1796, in Mercer county, Kentucky, where he lived till he was five years of age, when he went to Shelby county in company with his parents and resided there till 1822. He went to Louis- ville and lived there till 1853. He then moved to Harrods Creek, where his family now reside. Mr. Blankenbaker died March 22, 1871. He was married to Miss Anna Close, of Oldham county, Kentucky, June 16, 1833. This union was blessed with five children, though only one survives. Mr. Blankenbaker was an exemplary man and was highly esteemed by all who knew him.

Jesse Chrisler, one of the well known residents of Jefferson county, was born April 9, 1799, in Madison county, Virginia, and lived there till he was five or six years of age, when he came to Kentucky with his parents. He lived in Louis- ville about twenty-five years and was engaged in the grocery and banking business in the mean- time; he then went to Harrods Creek, where we now find him. most pleasantly situated. He was married December 12, 1838, to Miss Mary L. Cleland, of Mercer county, Kentucky. They have had seven children, five of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Chrisler are members of the Pres- byterian church. Mr. Chrisler is a well known and respected citizen.

John T. Bate was born December 30, 1809, in Jefferson county, Kentucky, and has ever re- sided near his old home. He has followed farming as an cccupation the greater part of his life, though he was engaged in manufacturing several years. His farm contains five hundred acres of excellent land. Mr. Bate was married

HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

December 25, 1834, to Miss Ellenor A. Lorke, of Oldham county, Kentucky. They have had two children, Octavius L. and Clarence. Octa- vius is deceased. Mrs. Bate died about forty- one years ago. Mr. Bate has been magistrate twenty years and is highly esteemed by all of his fellow citizens.

James Trigg was born November 17, 1816, in Oldham county, Kentucky, and resided there till 1849, when he went to southern Kentucky, where he was engaged in farming till 1863, when he came to Jefferson county, where we now find him most beautifully situated on a farm of ninety-five acres. Mr. Trigg was married April 17, 1849, to Miss Mary W. Harshaw, of Oldham county. They have had three children, two of whom are living. Mrs. Trigg died in 1873. Mr. Trigg is a member of the Christian church.

Alexander B. Duerson was born August 9, 1825, in Oldham county, Kentucky, and re- mained there until 1856, when he moved to Jef- ferson county, where he now resides upon a farm of two hundred and eighty-five acres. Mr. Duer- son was married in 1855 to Miss Mary A. Lyle, of Natchez, Mississippi. They have had four children. Mr. and Mrs. Duerson are members of the Presbyterian church, as is, also, their daughter. Mr. Duerson is deacon of the church at Harrods Creek, and is a most worthy man.

F. S. Barbour was born August 27, 1843, in Jefferson county, Kentucky. He has always re- sided upon the homestead farm, which contains two hundred and sixty-five acres of excellent land, part of which is on Diamond island, in the Ohio river. Mr. Barbour was married December 31, 1867, to Miss Annie S. Cleland, of Boyle coun- ty, Kentucky. They have had four children, three of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Bar- bour are members of the Presbyterian church.

T. J. Barbour, a brother of F. S. Barbour, was born March 25, 1842, in Jefferson county, and still resides at the old homestead. He has long been an invalid, being troubled with the spinal disease. He is a member of the Presbyterian church.

William Barrickman was born February 24, 1824, in Oldham county, Kentucky, where he resided until he was twenty-one years of age, when he went to Jefferson county and lived there three years. He afterwards resided in different counties of the State until 1877, when he moved

to Harrods Creek. Mr. Barrickman was mar- ried in 1870 to Miss Bettie Carpenter, of Bul- lock county, a daughter of Judge Carpenter. They have had five children, four of whom are living. Mr. Barrickman has a farm in company with Judge DeHaven, which contains four hun- dred acres of excellent land. He is engaged in stock-raising, chiefly, and is considered a success- ful farmer.

Glenview stock farm, one of the largest in the county, is situated six miles from · Louisville, and is a large and beautiful place. Mr. J. C. Mc- Ferren, the present owner, bought the place about thirteen years ago. He does an extensive business, and is widely known. His farm con- tains eight hundred and eighty-five acres. He keeps from one hundred and fifty to two hundred head of trotting horses. His stock is among the most celebrated in the country. Mr. McFerren has one of the most beautiful residences in this county. His farm, with the stock now upon it, is worth at least three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Mr. McFerran is a native of Barren county, Kentucky.

SPRING GARDEN PRECINCT.

This precinct was formerly called Spring Grove. It lies adjacent to Louisville and in con- sequence its history is mostly blended with the history of that city.

The noted, well known George Rogers Clarke was a large land holder near the once beautiful springs of this place. So were the Churchills, Phillipses, Ballards, Stamfords, and others so prominently connected with the history of the county and State. General George Rogers Clarke, of Albemarle county, Virginia, came to the county in 1775; was a captain in Dunmore's army, and was offered a commission afterwards by the British authorities, but had the interest of the struggling colonies too much at heart to be- tray his country. He came to Kentucky to bring about a satisfactory connection between the two States. His history will be found in another portion of the work. He was never married.

Hon. Elisha D, Staniford, M. D., was a native of this portion of the county. His father also was a native of Kentucky, and his mother was of Irish descent. Dr. Staniford was born

HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

December 31, 1831. He studied medicine under Dr. J. B. Flint, and graduated in the Ken- tucky School of Medicine; was for years presi- dent of the Red River Iron works, of the Louis- ville Car Wheel company, of the Farmers and Drovers' bank, president of the Saving and Trust company, and held other very important positions. He was also at one time member of the Senate, and was also a member of the House of Representatives.

The Churchills, of Louisville, were also resi- dents of this precinct. The family is a large one and formerly constituted one of the most prominent ones in Virginia, extending back some two hundred years. William Churchill, being a church warden, by his last will, made in 1711, left a sum of money, the interest of which was to be used for the encouragement of the ministry, to preach against the raging vices of the times. Samuel C. Churchill came to the precinct when eight years of age, in 1784. His father, Armstead Churchill, married Eliza- beth Blackwell and settled in Spring Garden, on a large tract of land. His son, Samuel C., father of S. B., married Abby Oldham, only daughter of Colonel William Oldham. Colonel Oldham was a Revolutionary soldier, and was in command of a Kentucky regiment when St. Clair was defeated in 1791. Samuel C. Church- ill was a large and extensive farmer, and devoted himself solely to his farm. S. B. Churchill was born in this precinct in 1812; was educated at the St. Joseph's college, Borgetown, Kentucky; went to St. Louis and edited the St. Louis Bulle- tin for many years; was Representative to the Missouri Legislature in 1840; delegate to the Charleston convention in 1860. He returned to Kentucky in 1863, and was elected to the State Legislature from Jefferson county. In 1867 he became Secretary of State under Governor Helm, and continued in office under Governor Stevenson. His brother, Thomas J. Churchill, was a captain in the Mexican war, a major-gen- eral in the Confederate army, and after the war Governor of Arkansas.

Spring Garden precinct, being contiguous to the city, gives the citizens the advantages of school and church-there being no church buildings in this portion of the county. The land is of good quality and the agricultural in- terests well eveloped. p

SHIVELY PRECINCT.

Among the early settlers of this precinct should be mentioned the name of Colonel Wil- liam Pope, who was one of the early settlers of the State. He arrived at the falls of the Ohio river in 1779, and, like other adventurers, with his young family occupied the fort at the entrance to the canal. He was a native of Farquier county, Virginia, the son of William Pope, of Virginia ancestry, whose wife was Miss Netherton, and by whom he had three sons, of whom William was also one of the pioneers of the new State, and lived to a great age, dying in 1825. Colonel William Pope married Penelope Edwards, and his four sons became distinguished men. John was at one time Governor of the Territory of Arkansas and also a member of Con- gress. William Pope, the second son of the pioneer, was a wealthy farmer in this vicinity, a man of splendid business talents and great in- dustry, and amassed considerable fortune. He married Cynthia Sturgus, who was the mother of Mrs. Ann Anderson, the wife of Larz, son of Colonel Richard C. Anderson, of Revolutionary fame. Her only son was Richard C. Anderson, named in honor of her grandfather. The de- scendants of the Pope families are numerous, and were many of them quite prominent men.

Major Abner Field was a very early settler in this portion of the State, and was one of the first representatives in the Virginia House of Bur- gesses. He married a daughter of Colonel Wil- liam Pope. His first son, Dr. Nathaniel Field, is a prominent physician of Jeffersonville, Indi- ana.

Christian William Shiveley, was also a very prominent and early settler of this precinct, and in honor of whom the precinct was named. He built his mill about the year 1810. He settled on a large tract of land, then a wilderness.

There were many other prominent citizens in this precinct of whom may be mentioned the Kissiger family, Fulton Gatewood, Squire Thornburry, a magistrate; Matthew Love, John Jones, who kept the tan-yard for many years; Amos Goodwin, Leonard Gatewood, school teacher; the Town- sly's, and others.

The salt works in this precinct were quite im- portant in an early day. People come for salt at that time from a hundred miles distant. Joe

HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

Brooks, John Speed, and D. Staniford operated here a long time. Jones' tan-yard, built about the year 1807, was near the salt works, and the old Shiveley tavern, on Salt River run, was the stopping place for the traveler-the stone meet- ing-house, built about the year 1820, stands on the Salt River road, and was used by all de- nominations.

In an early day religion and dancing occupied much attention. The earthquake that occurred in r8rx seems to have jarred the religious feel- ings of the community considerably. Everybody then imagined the world was surely coming to an end and joined the church, but the next winter the fiddle and not the preacher held sway, and the heel and toe kept time to the music almost constantly. The earthquake was severe and pro- duced considerable commotion.

JOHNSTOWN PRECINCT.

is the same in character and quality of land and surface of the country as the other precincts south of Louisville, being marshy and filled with ponds. This was specially true in an early day before any draining was done.

While these ponds were not tillable, they fur- nished the opportunity of much amusement to the young men who loved sport, and as they were filled with ducks, these places were of fre- quent resort. On one occasion, however, they were the cause of furnishing a bit of Indian history.

Among the earliest settlers of this portion of the county was the Lynn family, and on one occasion the young men left home for a season of sport, and visited the ponds as usual for game. Not taking any precaution against the Indians, they were captured by a roving band of savages and carried over into Indiana. The forced visit made in company with the dusky warriors was not altogether to their liking. But, making the best of their imprisonment, they feigned such friendship for their red brothers, and so much liking to a roving life, that in the course of a few months they succeeded in gaining the entire confidence of their captors, and on one occasion, when left with the squaws while the warriors were hunting, took French leave, and came home.

GILMAN'S PRECINCT.

This precinct lies just east of the city of Louisville, and embraces some of the richest and most fertile lands in the county, and it may be truly remarked, some of the finest in the great State of Kentucky.

It has natural boundary lines on its south, east and north sides in the streams of Bear Grass and Big Goose creeks. The former of these streams skirts the whole of its southern and southeastern sides, and the latter its northeastern boundary. The precinct of Harrod's Creek lies just to its north. The Louisville & Cincinnati railroad runs through the entire length of this division, having stations every mile or so apart, giving the citi- zens an opportunity of living in their beautiful homes in the country and of carrying on busi- ness in the city. Trains run so frequently, both in the morning and evening, that a large portion of these people are professional or business men whose business is in the city. A ride over the road through this precinct shows a grandeur and magnificence of country life rarely beheld. Large, elegant and costly edifices may be seen on every side. Here are also large, valuable farms under the highest state of cultivation. The Magnolia stock farm established by A. G. Herr in 1864, is probably as fine a farm as can be found in the State. It was so named by George D. Prentice as early as 1841, from the number of magnolias that grew upon it. It was not established as a fancy stock farm until as above stated, when Mr. Herr began raising the finest thoroughbred stock, for which this farm has made a reputation throughout the States and Canada.

The Eden stock farm, under the proprietor- ship of Mr. L. L. Dorsey, has likewise attained for itself a reputation not unenviable.

The roads leading to various places in this precinct are in a better condition and more direct than in some of the precincts of the county. The Lyndon and Goose Creek turn- pike road, put through in 1873, and the one tead- ing from Louisville give the people good high- ways, and with the railroad, excellent opportuni- ties for reaching Louisville.

The remoteness of settlement renders it im- possible to give dates of the original patents of lands taken in this section of the county, but it

HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

is known the attention of emigrants to the county was attracted to this section as soon as else- where.

The Bullitts, Taylors, Bateses, Herrs, Brecken- ridges, Chamberses, and a host of others, since familiar names to every household, settled here in an early day, opened up the wilderness, raised large families, and have long since departed. The record ieft by these pioneers is mostly of a traditionary character. We aim to give but the reliable facts.

The Indians were troublesome to a degree, and the whites were under the necessity of build- ing stations and block-houses to defend them- selves against their attacks. Abbott's station was one of these points, built in an early day. It was afterwards owned by Mr. Herr, who purchased the property of Abbott's widow. Of the massacres which took place here we have but little that is reliable. The Indians would, however, cross the river from Indiana, steal horses, and sometimes make depreda- tions upon the whites. They, on one of these raids, barbarously massacred a white wom- an and cut off her breasts. This event took place on A. G. Herr's place. There is also on this farm in a charcoal pit a place where the In- dians made their arrow-heads of flint. Where this stone was obtained by them is not known, as there are no flint quarries known in the county, and probably none this side of Canada.

Of the early settlers who came to this section of the county John Herr was among the first. He was a young man of no means, and came with Mr. Jacob Rudy. His possessions were in Continental scrip, $60,000 of which, when sold brought him but the paltry sum of $14. Mr. Herr finally amassed a considerable fortune, owning before he died about one thousand acres of land. He married Miss Susan Rudy and had lived, at the time of his death in 1842, to the advanced age of eighty-two years.

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History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II, Part 7

Author: Williams, L.A., & Co., Cleveland Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : L. A. Williams & Co. Number of Pages: 680

Author: Williams, L.A., & Co., Cleveland
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : L. A. Williams & Co.
Number of Pages: 680