Henderson County, Kentucky - Chapter 16, 1887

Chapter 16

/^HE census of 1810 gave Henderson County 4,703 population. ^^ The census of 1820 gave a population of 5,714, an increase in ten years of 1,011 souls. The population of the Village of Henderson, in 1810, according to the census, was 159. The population for 1828, is not given. Assuming the increase of the village population to have equaled that of the county, as a whole, we may conclude as that of the county was over twenty per cent., the village may safely be estimated at twenty per cent., which would then make the population in 1820, the year of which we are now writing, 1,191, all told. A sort of boom struck the county this year, and immigration came in fast, both to the county and village. Immigration had been alarmingly slow prior to that time, and as an evidence of it, the liberal terms offered by General Samuel Hopkins, agent of Richard Henderson & Co., in the disposition of their town and out lots, had been embraced by but very few persons. The lot on the corner of Water and Upper Fifth Street, now the property of Hugh Kerr, was not disposed of until 1819, and then it was donated to Wyatt Ingram.

Agreeably to an act of the Legislature to divide the county into certain precincts, and to allot a constable to each district, the county proceeded to lay off the county as follows : cinct, between the Smith's Ferry Road and the road to Christian County Court House, and the Third Precinct, below the Christian Road, and between that and the Ohio River. There had been but t one voting place prior to that time, and that was at the Court House. This division of three precincts, created three voting places - one at the Court House, one at Zachariah Galloway's, near what is now known as Hebardsville, and one at Cannon's, ^in what is now known as Walnut Bend. Owing to the old system of three days' election, ample time was given each voter to attend and cast his vote.

Arrangements for grinding grain became more satisfactory, for ' the reason a great number of grist mills were established. Most of these mills were built along creeks, to be run by water, during the rainy or wet weather seasons, and in addition had what was known as the sweep attachment, to be operated by horses or oxen, but subsequently the tread was substituted for the sweep.

During this year an established rate of fare between the Falls of the Ohio and New Orleans, was agreed upon, in which a passenger from New Orleans to the '- Red Banks," or Henderson, was taxed one hundred and ten dollars, and going down stream, from the Falls of the Ohio to Henderson, the sum of ten dollars. While this would be considered an exhorbitant charge at this time, at that time it was considered so much cheaper than walking, no man who could spare the price of passage, would have been safe to complain.

It is calculated that this year there were sixty-eight steamboats on the rivers, with an aggregate tonnage of twelve thousand seven hundred and seventy; yet, for a long period, until economy of time became more important in human life, travel and freight stood mostly by the old keel and flatboats.

The Court of Claims for Henderson County, in estimating the necessary expenditures of the county for this year, laid the levy at one dollar and twenty-five cents per tithable. The Commissioners of Tax reported, for 1820, fifteen hundred and forty-six tithables, and this number, at one dollar and twenty five cents, gave the county one thousand nine hundred and thirty-two dollars and fifty cents, from which amount, delinquents had to be deducted.

sixteen hundred and sixly-four tithables, and the court laid the levy at one dollar each, making a total of $1,664 subject to delinquencies.

The winter of eighteen hundred and twenty-one and two, is said to have brought the mercury to the intense degree of twenty degrees below zero.

December 21, an act was approved directing a change in the time of holding the courts of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit,composedJof the counties of Muhlenberg, Henderson^ Hopkins, Union, Daviess, Breckenridge, and Ohio. Under this act the courts of Henderson were held, commencing on the fourth Monday in March, June, and September, and continued six juridical days.

An act passed prior to this, but during the same month, directed that a Circuit Judge and Commonwealth's attorney be appointed for the Fourteenth District, who should reside in the district. Soon after the passage of this act. Judge Alney McLean of Muhlenberg, was appointed, and served for years with great ability and satisfaction. In the latter part of this year or the early part of 1822, John J. Audubon removed from Henderson.

Commissioners reported, fifteen hundred and sixty-eight tithables, and the levy was laid at one dollar and a quarter per head. It will be observed that the tithable population fluctuated greatly, and that the solid growth of the county was lamentable about this time.

The tithable population in 1821, showed sixteen hundred and sixty-four, ninety-six more than the present year, and this number was not agam reached before 1828.

School Districts

Agreeably to an act of the General Assembly, the County Court, by Commissioners, divided the county into twelve school districts. This, with the exception of the splendid achievement of the Trustees of the Henderson Academy, was the first public recognition of the necessity of a general diffusion of knowledge throughout the county ; yet nothing was done for many years subsequent to that time.

It was enacted December 11, " That whenever there shall be five Mondays in the months of March, June and September, or either of them, the term of the Henderson Circuit Court, appointed by law to be held in those months, shall be extended to two weeks, if the business thereof shall be required."

Congressional Districts

Under an act passed January 1, the County Courts of Henderson County were directed to be held on the fourth Monday in every month, in which no Circuit Court was held.

An act, passed December, " Be it further enacted^ That the County of Henderson shall be entitled to sixteen Justices of the Peace, and no more, two of whom shall reside in the town, and one north of Green River."

Aggravated Fever

In the summer of this year, an aggravated bilious fever, visited most, if not all of the river towns of Kentucky, and while it was not so distressing at this point as at others, it was yet frightful. So terrible was this disease in form and character, it gained and deserved the name of yellow fever. The mortality was very great, and the alarm existing on account of it, throughout the whole interior of the neighboring States, was of the most exciting character. It has been said by graphic writers, that during the months of July, August, and September, so strongly were the inhabitants of this and other towns pre" disposed to this disease, by joint influence of climate, and the miasm of marshes, ponds, and decayed and decaying vegetable matter, that they may be compared to piles of combustibles, which needed bu^ the application of a single spark to rouse them to a flame.

This frightful malady, was the most terrible blow ever given the place, and for many years afterwards, the name of Henderson was synonemous with that of "Grave Yard." Emigrants dreaded to pass through the place, and of those who had determined to locate herej many were dissuaded from their purpose, by the assertion that it was rushing upon death to make the attempt. This occurred, too, just at a period when the resources of the town, beginning to develope themselves, were attracting the attention of capitalists. Had the feeling of alarm ceased with the disease, it would have been less of a blow> but for years after, it was referred to as a warning against emmigra' tion hither.

The Commissioners returned forty-eight more tithables this year than Last. This was the year of the Walton murder. This murder of Walton was one of the most heartless, cold-bloo*ded and incarnate specimens of human depravity to be found in the records of any county. It has never really been surpassed in savage lands.

The militia was now in its glory, and all able-bodied men were required to turn out to company, batallion and regimental muster. It was a great bore to all but a few ambitious officers and privates. Thomas K. Newman, and John Newman, as field officers of the fortyfirst regiment, settled with the paymaster January 31, and then a great jollification was had.

An act, approved January 3, changed again the time of holding the Circuit Courts. Under this act, the courts were held on the third Monday in March, June, and September, and were directed to sit twelve juridical days, and where there were five Mondays in the month, to sit eighteen days, if the business of the court required it.

The Commissioners of tax reported this year sixteen hundred ^^nd twenty-fou: tithables, and the court levied eighty seven and one half cents, making a total of fourteen hundred and twenty-one dollars. It was reported to the court, that the jail was uncomfortably cold, and out of the abundance of fellow-feeling, James Rouse jailer, was directed to furnish criminals coal, during the day time, and blankets at night.

Coal Mining

It may be asked where coal was brought from so early as 1826 ; there were no mines at that time. In the early times there were many places on the Ohio River where coal cropped out of the surface of the bank, or decline, between the bluff bank and the water'.« ?.dge. Notably among those locations was the mouth of Sugar Creek, above the water-works. At this point coal was taken out without mining or blasting, dumped into boats, and floated down to the town. This mine furnished the town of Henderson up to 1850 with most of the coal used. Dr. Thomas J. Johnson, even between 1850 and 1860, dug coal at Sugar Creek and boated it down to the town, price about equal to the expense of getting out the whole amount. There were wealthy men in those days as there is now - for instance, Leonard H. Lyne, assessed this year sixty-eight slaves, four hundred and fifty-one acres of farming land, and twenty-eight horses.

Congress had passed a law appropriating a certain amount to be paid to surviving soldiers of the Revolutionary War. The County Court of Henderson County received a number of declarations of pensions, and ordered them to be certified to the Secretary of War. The following are of record : Wynn Dixon (father of Governor Archibald Dixon), John Martin, William Brown, Thomas Baker, Joel Gibson, William Frazier, Furna Cannon, Peter L. Matthews, John Ramsey, Isham Sellars, General Thomas Posey, Dr. Joseph Savage, Gabriel Green, and Nathaniel Powell. Fourteen of the old patriots, who fought that America might be free, lived their latter days in this county, and were buried beneath its sod. The gallows, upon which was hung the lifeless body of Calvin Sugg, cost the county the great sum of ten dollars. It was built by James Rouse, and the court, thinking perhaps that it might be needed again, passed in substance the following order. ''James Rouse being regarded as a fit person, it is ordered that he be appointed to take care of the gallows."

Tavern Bates

The Commissioners of Tax reported for this year fifteen hundred and sixty-four tithables - sixty less than last year - and laid the levy at 75 cents - 12^ cents less than last year. The effect of the panic and hard times had not worn away. Many men had fled the State, taking with them their slaves to avoid the levy of executions for debt. It is a fact that many slave-holders left the State with their slave property for this very purpose, and afterwards, by permission of the County Court, returned again. This, perhaps, may explain the discrepancy so noticeable during the years of hard times, as they were known. Political excitement in Kentucky ran high during this year.

Under the law, passed February 23, 1808, free negroes and mulattos were prevented from migrating to Kentucky, unless allowed to do so by a special act. During this y^-ar a number of free negroes came to the State, and by special act were freed and exempted from the pains and penalties of the law of 1808. Frank Hogg, one among the first, if not the first, was granted the right to remain in the Commonwealth, and authorized to hold real estate. From this beginning quite a colony of free negroes migrated to the county, and so far as is known, were orderly, well behaved and industrious people.

1828. The Commissioners of Tax reported this year seventeen hundred and thirty tithables, and the levy was fixed at one dollar twelve and a half cents, making a total of nineteen hundred and forty-six dollars and twenty four ( ents. It will be observed that the number of tithables reported this year is one hundred and sixty-six greater than last year, and the tax increased thirty-seven and a half cents.

1829. The tithable population reported this year was seventeen hundred - thirty less than last year - and the levy fixed at 68^ cents - fortyfour cents less than last year.