History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II, Part 9

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 9

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

built at a station on Clear creek two miles east of where Shelbyville now is. His father, with several others, had left Boonesboro in 1779 and settled in Boone's station. There was a station on Bear Grass called Bear Grass, three miles east of Louisville, and one eight miles from Louisville called Linn station was on the place afterwards owned by Colonel R. C. Anderson.

Boone's station at that time was the only station between Linn's and Harrods creek. 'Squire Boone's station was about twenty-two miles east of Linn's station. Bland Ballard and Samuel Wells at that time lived in the station and General Floyd lived in that of Bear Grass. There were two couple to be married in Linn station. Bland Ballard and a man named Corris went from Linn station to Brashear's station, near the mouth of Floyds fork, now Bullitt county, after a Baptist preacher, John Whitaker, to marry them. This was the first legal marriage in this part of the county. In going over Bal- lard discovered an Indian trail and was satisfied there was a large body of savages. He retraced his steps to Linn station and sent word to Bear Grass station, and then went to Boone's station that night. They held a meeting and agreed to leave the station and go to Linn station. 'There were a number of large families in Boone's sta- tion at that time, viz., the Hintons, Harrises, Hughes, Hansboros, Bryans, Vancleves, and . many others. They could not all get ready to move the next day, but some were determined to go. Squire Boone was not ready and could not prevail on them to wait another day. So Major Ballard conducted this party, leaving Squire Boone and a few families to come the next day. When Ballard's party reached Long run he was attacked in the rear. He went back to protect that part of the train and drove the Indians back and held them in check as long as he could. In going back he saw a man and his wife by the name of Cline, on the ground. He told Cline to put his wife on the horse and hurry . on. They were in the bed of Long run. Bal- lard returned in a short time to find Cline and his wife still on the ground. He put her on the horse and gave the horse a rap with his riding whip, and as he did so an Indian pulled a sack from the horse. Ballard shot the Indian and hurried to the front. Here he found a great many killed and the people scattered leaving

their cattle and losing their baggage and many horses. Some reached Linn's station that night, and a few Boone's. Boone and his party re- mained in his station several days after that be- fore they went down to Linn's. A few of the names of the killed on Long run are the two Miss Hansboro, sisters of Joel Hansboro, a Mr. McCarthy, a brother of Mrs. Ric Chenoweth, and a Mrs. Vancleve, an aunt of Colonel G. T. Wilcox.

The next day General (then colonel) John Floyd, Colonel (then captain) Wells, and Bland Ballard (afterwards major), and thirty-four others from Linn's and Bear Grass stations went up to bury the dead When they reached Floyd's fork, Bal- lard said to them: "You send a few men and as- certain where the Indians are." He was, however, overruled, and on they went. At the head of the ravine they were surrounded, and sixteen of their men were shot down at the first fire. Fourteen were buried in one sink. They began to retreat. Isaac Boone said when they reached the fork he discovered an Indian following him. He raised his gun, the Indian stepped behind a tree. Just at that time General Floyd and Colonel Wells came in sight, Floyd on foot and Wells on horse- back. Wells said to Floyd: "Take my horse." Floyd, being large and fleshy, was much ex- hausted. They took to the bushes, and reached the place selected should they be defeated. It was near where Thomas Elder's new house now stands, on the Shebyville pike, about three miles above Middletown. For some time prior to this, General Floyd and Wells were not friendly. Isaac Boone said: " General, that brought you to your milk." The general's reply was: "You are a noble boy; we were in a tight place." This boy was then but fourteen years of age, and was at that time in Sims' station. The occurrence took place in September, 1781.

'Squire Boone's wife's maiden name was Jane Vancleve. Enoch Boone, their youngest son, was born at Boonsboro, October 15, 1777, being the first white male child born in Kentucky. He died in Meade county, Kentucky, in 186r. 'Squire Boone died in 1815, and was, by his re- quest, buried in a cave in Harrison county, In- diana. Sarah Boone, mother of G. T. Wilcox, was the only daughter of 'Squire Boone. She was married to John Wilcox in 1791, and he settled upon, surveyed and improved land pat-

HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

ented in the name of Sarah Boone by her father, four miles north of Shelbyville.

The Wilcox family had a paternal parentage in George Wilcox, a Welshman, who emigrated to North Carolina in 1740. He married Eliza- beth Hale, and by her had six children-George, David, John, Isaac, Eliz, and Nancy, who came to Kentucky in 1784. George, Jr., married Elizabeth Pinchback; David married Sarah Boone, sister to Daniel Boone; and John mar- ried Sarah Boone, daughter of 'Squire Boone, and mother of G. T. Wilcox.

A WRECK.

The second lamentable disaster which filled the minds of these citizens with dismay and horror occurred on the 8th of July, 1881, at Floyd's Fork railroad bridge. The passenger trains on the road running between Shelby- ville and Louisville were unusually crowded, it being at the time of the exposition in the last named city. The train returning to Shelbyville was late, owing to some unaccountable delay, and was running with more than ordinary speed. It reached the bridge crossing Floyd's fork about 8 o'clock in the evening. A cow was standing on the track just in front of the bridge, but before she could be whistled off the engine struck her, knocking her off and killing her instantly. The shock threw the engine off the track, and, being close to the bridge, struck the corner of that structure in such a way as to demolish it. The train was still running at a high speed, all this happening in less time than it takes to write it. The bridge went crashing down into the water a distance of twenty feet or more. The engine, from the impetus given by its weight and rapid motion, leaped full twenty feet from where it first struck the bridge, bringing the tender, baggage car, and passenger coach down with it in a mingled mass of timber, its load of human freight, and all. Heavy timbers from the bridge fell on every side and on the crumbled mass of coaches, that now resembled a pile of kindling wood. The terrible ' crash made by the falling of this train was heard for miles around, and instinct- ively the citizens surmised the difficulty and immediately set out for the scene of the disas- ter. Telegrams were immediately despatched to Louisville and Shelbyville for assistance, and it was not long before help gathered in from every

quarter, and the work of removing the ruins be- gan. The heavy timbers had first to be removed before some bodies could be recovered, and the night was well nigh spent ere all were secured. Some were crushed immediately to death, others injured, and some only fastened in by the heavy weights over them, and strange to say some were not in the least hurt, save receiving a jar, incident to the occasion. Unfortunately this number was small.

The names of those killed are given below: Phelim Neil, of Shelbyville, president of the road; William H. Maddox, city marshal of Shelbyville ; Robert Jones, shoemaker, of Shelby- ville, and the father of a large family; Walker Scearce, of Shelbyville, a young man very suc- cessful in business, whose death was much regretted; Humbolt Alford, a resident of Boston and a fine young lawyer of Louisville; James Hardin, a resident of Boston and a highly re- spected citizen; a Mr. Perry, of Louisville, a boarder in the family of George Hall, near Bos- ton; and a gentleman from California, name not known.

Among those not hurt was a small girl named Mary Little, who sat near a gentleman who was killed. She made her way out unscathed save in the loss of her clothing, which was greatly damaged by the water and considerably- torn, presenting herself before her mother's door with- out a hat, and in a somewhat sorry plight. Mr. George Petrie, the conductor, was badly hurt at the time. There were about forty passengers in all, and but few escaped death or injury.

The officials of the railroad were prompt in rendering aid to the unfortunate ones, paying off all claims against them for the loss the sad mis- hap had occasioned, though the misfortune was not due in the least to any mismanagement of theirs.

Boston is a small place of only some ten fam- ilies. The precinct was formerly a part of Fisherville. Esquire Noah Hobbes has been one of its magistrates, serving in that capacity for sixeen years. His associate is William Raglin. His son J. F. Hobbes was school commissioner six years.

The old Baptist church on Long run is one of the oldest churches west of Lexington. This so- ciety was organized during the pioneer times.

Rev. Henson Hobbes, a Virginian by birth,

HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

and a good man, officiated here as minister and died in 1822 or 23. He had four sons all preachers. He was among the first settlers on the ground. The old church building was a frame. The one now in use is of brick and was built full thirty years ago.

The Methodist Epicopal church was built but four years ago.

The following may be mentioned as among the early preachers of Boston precinct: Revs. Sturgeon, Hulsey, Joel Hulsey, John Dale, and Matt Powers, who has been preaching now in the Baptist church for twenty years. Rev. John Whittaker was among the early preachers, being here during the time of the massacre.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES.

John L. Gregg was born in Shelby county, July 7, 1838. His father, William Gregg, was one of the early pioneers of Kentucky. Mr. Gregg has a farm of four hundred and eighty acres of excellent land. He is engaged in general farming. He was married September 15, 1859, to Miss Susan Hope, of Shelby county. They have seven children. Mr. and Mrs. Gregg are mem- bers of the Baptist church. He is a Free Mason.

John T. Little was born November 26, 1832, in Jefferson county, and has always resided in the State with the exception of six years in John- son county, Indiana. His grandfather, Joseph Keller, a native of Virginia, was an early pioneer, and the old stone house in which he lived is still standing, and a crevice made by an earthquake in 1810 or 1812, is yet quite noticeable. His father, John Little, was born in Maryland, about forty miles from Baltimore. In 1866 Mr. Little, the subject of this sketch, went to Louisville, where he was engaged in the grocery business and as manufacturer of plug tobacco about ten years, then moved to Boston precinet where he is still in business. Mr. Little was married in 1866 to Miss Eliza Cochran, of Louisville. They have two children.

A. G. Beckley was born in Shelby county in 1810, and resided here until 1855, when he came to Jefferson county and settled in Boston precinct on a farm of two hundred and fifty acres of excel- lent land. His father, Henry Beckley, was a native of Maryland, and came to Kentucky in an early day. He was married December 18, 1832, to

Miss Jane Boone Wilcox, of Shelby county. Daniel Boone, the "old Kentucky pioneer," was a great-uncle of Mrs. Beckley. She was his nearest relative in Kentucky at the time of his burial. Mr. and Mrs. Beckley have had six chil- dren, three of whom are living: Sarah A., John H., George W., Rasmus G., Edwin C., William R. Sarah, John, and Edwin are deceased. George was captain in the First Kentucky regi- ment. Mr. and Mrs. Beckley are members of the Baptist church.

Noah Hobbs was born in Jefferson county, August 12, 1818. His father, James Hobbs, was a native of Shelby county. Mr. Hobbs, the subject of this sketch, worked at the carpenter trade till he was about forty years of age. He came upon the farm, where we now find him, twenty-four years ago. He was married in 1840 to Miss Elizabeth Frazier, of Shelby county. They have had three children, only one of whom is living: Alonzo, Horatio C., and James F. Alonzo and Horatio are dead. James F. is a Free Mason, and was school commissioner six years. Mr. Hobbs has served as magistrate sixteen years.

A J. Sturgeon was born in this county in 1841. His father, S. G. Sturgeon, an old resident, was born here in 1811. Seven of his children are now living, viz : Sarelda, wife of R. T. Proctor, of this county; A. J. Sturgeon; Melvina, wife of David Cooper, Shelby county; Robert S .; Flor- ence, wife of George Cochran, of this county; Simpson, and Katie. A. J. Sturgeon married Miss Sue D. Elder, of this county, in 1866. They have six children: Maudie, Eugene, Adah, Nellie, Edward, and Lois. Both Mr. and Mrs. Sturgeon are members of the Baptist church. Mr. Sturgeon also belongs to the Masons and Knights of Honor. He has been deputy assessor three years.

VALLEY PRECINCT.

George W. Ashby was born in Spencer county, Kentucky, in the year 1821. In 1855, or when in his thirty-fifth year, he came to Jefferson county and located in Valley precinct near Val- ley Station on the Cecelia branch of the Louis- ville & Nashville railroad. In the year 1857 he was married to Miss Eliza J. Kennedy, of Jeffer-

HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

son county. She died in 1875, leaving besides her husband a family of three children. The father of George Ashby was Mr. Beady Ashby, who came to Kentucky when a boy.

.William L. Hardin was born in Jefferson county, Kentucky, in the year 1829. He has been thrice married : in 1854 to Miss Elizabeth Philipps, a daughter of Mr. Jacob Philipps of Jefferson county ; in 1860 to Mrs. Swindler ; in 1875 to Miss Mollie Finley, of Louisville. They have a family of four children. The first representative of the Hardin family who settled in the county was the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, Mr. Jacob Hardin, who came to the Falls of the Ohio seventy or seventy-five years ago. The father of William L. Hardin, Benjamin Hardin, was born in Jefferson county. Mr. Hardin lived the early part of his life in Louisville, where he worked at his trade, that of a plasterer, since which time he has lived on his farm near Valley Station.

Mansfield G. Kendall was born in Lower Pond settlement, near where Valley Station now stands, September 9, 1815. In 1847 he was married to Miss Eliza Jones, a daughter of Cap- tian Henry Jones, of Jefferson county. The result of this marriage was a family of five boys, two of whom are still living. Henry J., who lives on the old homestead, follows the mercantile busi- ness. The other, Lewis, is a farmer. Mr. Kendall followed the business of a wagon-maker, until his retirement a few years since. His father's name was Raleigh Kendall, who settled in Lower Pond many years previous to the birth of the subject of this sketch, when there were only four or five families in that region. Mr. Henry Kendall married Miss Margaret M. Lowe, of Springfield. Lewis married Miss Frederica Trinlere, of New Albany.

Lynds Dodge was born in the State of New York in the year 1829. When yet a young man he came to Jefferson county, Kentucky, and contracted for the building of the first ten miles out from Louisville of the Louisville & Nashville railroad. He has followed contracting, with the exception of a short time spent on the river. He married Gabrella Walker, of Jefferson county. They have eight children. Warren Dodge is well known as the merchant and postmaster at Valley Station.

Frederick Rohr, Esq., was born in Baden,

Germany, in the year 1828. In 1852 he came to Kentucky. He was married to Miss Mar- garet J. Smith, who died in 1878, leaving a family of two daughters. 'Squire Rohr is one of the foremost men in the neighborhood in which he lives, and is well deserving the good name he bears.

Henry Maybaum was born in Prussia in the year 1833. His father, Charles Maybaum, emi- grated to America in 1834. He first settled in Ohio, where he remained until 1847. In that year he removed to Louisville, where for a num- ber of years he followed tanning. He died in Upper Pond, in 1863. Henry was married in 1862 to Miss Mary Toops, of Indiana. She died in 1864, leaving one daughter, Emma. He was again married in 1866 to Miss Sarah A. Hollis, by whom he has two children. He is in the general mercantile business at Orel, on the Cecelia branch of the Louisville & Nashville railroad.

Elias R. Withers was born in Hardin county, Kentucky, in the year 1811. In 1838 he moved to Louisville, where for thirty-seven years he lived, acting as a steamboat pilot between that city and New Orleans. At the close of that time, or in 1855, he bought the farm which he still owns and on which he resides near Orel. He was married in 1838 to Miss M. J. Davis, of Louisville. They have six children, five of whom are living.

Alanson Moorman was born near Lynchburg, Virginia, in the year 1803. He is the youngest of eight children of Jesse Moorman, who came from Virginia to Kentucky in 1807, and settled in Meade county. In 1827 Mr. Moorman was married to Miss Rachel W. Stith. They have ten children living. Since coming to this county he has been engaged principally in farming his large estate on the Ohio river near Orel. Mr. Moorman is widely known as a man of ability and strict integrity.

Mrs. Mary C. Aydelott is the widow of George K. Aydelott. He was born at Corydon, In- diana, October 24, 1820. In the fall of 1843 he moved to Kentucky and located in Meade county, where he followed farming until the year 1864. In that year he bought the farm which is still the residence of his family, on the Ohio, twelve miles below Louisville. On the 23d day of November, 1843, he was married to Miss

HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

Mary C. McCord, of Strasburgh, Shenandoah county, Virginia. Mr. Aydelott died December 3, 1880, leaving a family of three sons and one daughter. The eldest, Robert H., is a member of the firm of McCord, Boomer & Co., of Louis- ville. The second, George W., has been five years connected with the hat trade in New Albany, but is now running the home farm. The others are at home.

George Alsop was the first of the Alsop family in Kentucky. At an early day he came from Virginia, bringing with him a family consisting of his wife and several children. He, however, left one son, Henry, in Virginia. He there married Miss Mary Jones, and in the year 1828 followed his father to the West. They had five children, three sons and two daughters, one of whom, Gilford Dudley, went to Louisville in 1831, to learn the cabinet business, he then being four- teen years of age. He was married in 1842 to Miss Nancy H. Moore, a granddaughter of Col- onel James Moore. They have six children living, all but one married. Mrs. Alsop died in 1876, in her sixtieth year.

The first representative of the Lewis family in Kentucky was Mr. Thomas Lewis, who came from Virginia at a very early day, bringing with him his family, consisting of two sons and one daughter. The sons were Henry and James, who lived and died on their farms in Lower Pond settlement. Henry married a Miss Myrtle, of Virginia. He died in 1836, his wife following some years later. They left six children, four of whom are still living. One of these is Mr. Thomas Lewis, who was born in 1809; was mar- ried, in 1837, to Miss Margaret Morris, of Eliza- bethtown, Kentucky; she died in 1867, leaving beside her husband a family of seven children, six of whom are still living; four are citizens of Jefferson county, one in Florida, and one in Vir- ginia.

Edmund Bollen Randolph was born in Jeffer- san county in 1837. He was married in 1872, to Mrs. Elizabeth Anderson, of Jefferson county. She is the daughter of Mr. John Griffith. 'Squire Randolph is the son of Mr. William Randolph, who settled in Jefferson county about the begin- ning of the present century, and who was one of the county's most prominent early time men. He was a pensioner of the War of 1812, and was one of " Mad" Anthony Wayne's soldiers. 8

He was killed by being thrown from a buggy in 1859, at the advanced age of ninety three years.

Anthony Miller is the seventh of ten children of Robert Miller, who came to Jefferson county in about the year 1800. Anthony Miller was born February 5, 1816. He served, when a youth, an apprenticeship at the plasterer's trade, and has since worked at it considerably during the greater part of his life. In connection with this he has farmed, and has lived on his farm in Valley precinct for the last thirty-five years. On the 4th of July, 1842, he was married to Ellen Camp, a native of Louisville. He is the father of nine children, five of whom are living-Cas- sandra, Myra, Anthony, Weeden, and Will.

WOODS PRECINCT.

John Harrison, Esq., was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, in 1809. When he was about eleven years of age his father, William Harrison, moved to Jefferson county, where he lived until his death, which occurred about thirty years ago. 'Squire Harrison was married September 4, 1834, to Miss Mary Ann Kendall, a daughter of Raleigh Kendall, of Lower Pond. They have six children living, all married. He was for nine years a justice of the peace, having been elected to the office four times. Has also been assessor of Jefferson county for sixteen years and has held many offices in the gift of the people.

Captain Eli P. Farmer was born in Monon- galia county, West Virginia, in 1819. In 1823 his father came to Kentucky and located in Jef- ferson county. He was, however, a Kentuckian by birth, being born near Lexington, in 1791, and was one of the pioneers of the State. He was married to Miss Sarah Price, of Virginia, by whom he had six children. Two are still living ; one is in Texas ; the other, the subject of this sketch, Captain Farmer, was married in 1845 to Miss Sarah A. Gerking, of Jefferson county, by whom he has eight children, four of whom are married. He was an officer in the Thirty-fourth Kentucky infantry, and served about one year in the First cavalry.

HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.

CROSS ROADS.

Thomas Milton Beeler, Esq., was born in Jefferson county, Kentucky, in 1833. His father was John C. Beeler, who came with his father, Charles Beeler, to Mann's Licks at a very early day, supposed to have been somewhere in the nineties. The grandson and subject of this sketch was married in 1855 to Miss Margaret A. Standiford, a daughter of 'Squire. David Standi- ford, who was one of the earliest settlers of Jefferson county, and for a long time a magistrate. Squire Beeler has been blessed with a family of nine children-all now living. He has filled the magistrate's office for six years.

The first representative of the McCawley family in Kentucky was James McCawley, who came to Jefferson county from Virginia, when it was still included in the State of Virginia. From an ac- count of provisions purchased for the use of the fort at Harrodsburg from December 16, 1777, to October 18, 1778, we find that he was living in that neighborhood at the time. From there he came to Jefferson county. In after years he went back East, and returned, bringing with him the first wooden wagon ever seen in this region. His cabin was located on the place now owned by his grandson, Dr. B. F. McCawley, near the little creek which still bears his name. He was frequently attacked by the Indians, and at one time lost a valuable horse by their cornering the animal between the chimney and the side of his cabin. He fired at them, with what effect he never knew. Colonel William McCawley, son of James McCawley, was born on McCawley's creek in 1807, and was a lieutenant colonel, and afterwards colonel of Kentucky State militia. He was a farmer by occupation. His wife was Miss Hench, of a Virginia family, who died in 1838. Colonel McCawley died of cholera at his home, in July, 1850. They left two sons and two daughters, the oldest of whom, Colonel George W. McCawley, was killed while leading the seventh charge of the brigade he was com- manding, against Hooker's corps at Peach Tree creek. The second, Benjamin F. McCawley, was born at the McCawley homestead in 1837. In 1858 he graduated at the Kentucky School of Medicine, since which time he has lived on the old homestead, practicing his profession. He was married in 1865 to Miss Teresa Schnetz, of Kansas. They have five children.

John Terry was born in Virginia in 1810. In 1811 his father, Joseph Terry, emigrated to Kentucky, settling on McCawley's creek, in Jef- ferson county. He was married in 1830 to Miss Margaret McCawley, daughter of Joshua Mc- Cawley, of the same county. She died in 1865, leaving seven children, all of whom are married ; the youngest of whom, Taylor Terry, married Miss Annie E. McCawley, and now lives on the home place.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II, Part 9

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