Jessamine County, Kentucky - The whole text, 1898 (part 2 of 5)

Tlie land clioscn did not suit the varieties of the grape introduced. Hybridizing- and crossuig had not yet developed the excellent varieties of grapes which can now be grown in all parts of the Tnited States. The European grapes were not adapted to the soil of Kentucky. All other fruits in the early settlement of the state, were produced in perfection. The cherries from \ irginia and i'ennsyK ania, tlie ai)])les and ])eaches from \irginia and North Carolina, and the ])ears from \irginia grew with marvelous ra])idit\-. and were free from all diseases, and in twenty vears after the settlement of Kentucky magnificent orchards were abundant in all i)arts of the Commonwealth. The Janet or Jeniton, the Limber Twig, the Horse apple, the Spice apple, the Prvor Red. Morton's Tearmain, the suiumer apple, propagated by slips brought over the mountains or produced from seed; found in the virgin soil of Kentucky, a vigor ami an abundance of crops which satisfied the fullest wants of the new communities; but the grapes found wild in the forests of either X'irginia or Kentuck\- were not utilized, or domesticated, and for a long while but few grapes were grt)wn.

The Kentuckv \'ine\ar(l Association was organized in Lexington in 1790. fiiHl seven hundred and tift\' acres of land "lying in the bigf bend of the Kentuckv river near the mouth of Hickman creek," were secured as the site for planting the vineyard. Great expectations were created. There was supposed to be no limit to the products and proiluction of the state and if Kuro])e could grow grapes, it was coinfidently assumed Kentucky could do likewise au'd better. The announcement of the association declared that, ""in less than four years, wine ma_\- be drmd< on the banks of the Kentucky, i)roduced from the European stock."

The cx])eriment was a dismal failure. Down in the swamps of Xorth Carolina on the banks of the Catawba river was then growing the s])lendid Catawlja grape and on the islands in James river in the midst of the forests and dense thickets the Norton's A'a. (A'irginia seedling) was yearly producing prolific crops, either of which, if trans]:)lanted to Kentucky, would have produced a vintage which would have done all the promoters of the Kentuckv A'inevard Association desired and prophesied, but these carl\- grape growers went to Europe rather than unto the

Another vineyard was started by some Swiss settlers on the banks of Jessamine creek near the Crozier Mill, but these, after some years of cultivation of the European varieties, al^andoned their vines and homes antl sought success in more congenial climes.

James DeFoure, who was at tlie head of the vineyard at mouth of Hickman creek, after his failure there, had the sagacity to discover that the Euro])ean varieties were not adapted to this portion of the country. Alexander, a gardener for Governor Penn, had propagated before the war of the Revolution, a grape now called \)\ liis name, which was thoug"ht to be the celebrated grape jf the Constantia colony from the Cape of Good Hope, l)ut which in reality was a native variety. It was called also the Cape grape. Del'^oure planted this \ine at \ evay. Tnd., and made the first successful attem])t to establish a vineyard in America. His experiments in Jessamine cotmty at least showed him the true i)ath to success and wealtli at A'evav.

God always provides men for occasions. In emergencies they invarial)l_\' arise to fill the meastire of the liour. .Men are fashioned by their surrountlings and they must l)e judged bv the same standard.

The settlement ol Ixentucky and il- wresting from the savage, made an inuisual demand uj)on the Ruler of the I'niverse. It required a man unknown in tlie past history of the human race. It nuist ])e a man devoid of fear, filled witli love of a<lventtn"e, with an instinct of freedom as strong as that of the eagle; as selfreliant as the king of beasts, as hospitable as the Arab - who in the mighty desert despises the yoke of the oppressor and who protects with his life the guest who sits at his board: as patriotic as the Roman, as enterprising as the Carthaginian, as fearless as the Saxon, as defiant of death as the Turk : and. with all these, the subtle instincts of tlu" Indian and his heroism tnider misfortune.

his lofty, gentlemanly instincts, wonM not meet the reciuirements. The Pennsylvania settler, with his indomitable patience and unfailing- courage, fell short of the demands, and the sturdy Scotch- Irishman of North Carolina, with his unquenchable love of freedom backed 1)\ his superl) bravery and uplifted by bis al)iding faith in ( lod, was not ecpial to what the time and circumstances exacted t)f the men who should undertake the seemingly impossible task of concpiering- Kentucky.

As we turn backward one hundred years to commemorate the character, lives and virtues of our forefathers and to understand their sacrifices, their valor and their splendid achievements, let us brieri\- jMcture their surroundings.

These Kentucky pioneers were to conquer a land four hundred miles away from help or succor. It was an untrodden forest, w ith no roads or path except such as the buffalo in his migrations bad trampled through the canebrake, or beasts of prev had traced in their seach iov food. It had no Inunan inhabitants, and its defense was by conuiion consent imposed upon the savage red men, who claimed as their lands that vast country which stretches from the great lakes in the Northwest to the waters of the Tennessee, the Cumberland, ( )hio, and Mississippi rivers; covering an area of o\-er 300,000 square miles. Xo survev had marked its lines : he who traversed the solitude and depths of the forest nuist rel_\- u])on the stars, or nature's marks upon the trees, as his guide. .\11 su])i)lies nuist be carried on pack-horses or pack-iuen ; powder and lead were to be transported over six Inmdred miles ; not a single l)lade of wheat or stalk of corn as vet had sprung from its virgin and fertile soil. He who entered its domain nuist always be prepared to lueet an alert, savage, brave and merciless foe. The cooing of the babe, the wail of defenseless women, or the appeal of the helpless prisoner, found no sympathy or response in the foe who defended this land. Death b\- the tomahawk or at the stake was the punishment the Inflian meted to those who invaded his beloved hunting ground. As he asked and expected no quarter for himself, he gave none to his white foe. V>\ day and by night the merciless warfare was to be waged. The coming of the morning sun onlv quickened and ^-italized anew his barbarous plans, and its departure at night

The settlement of Kentucky and its jjossession and the maintenance of the w hite man's supremacy was a part of God's plan to make the colonies free and t*) form in America a republic - a government of the people ])\ the people, which was to be the great beacon light of freedom and tlie vanguard of mankind for the establishment in the wurld of true national liberty.

The thousand pioneers flung out into the wilds of Kentucky, Avith their log stations and forts, close b} the homes of the savages, whom England was arming and teaching to slay white men and ^\hite women and white children - witli their skill as woodsmen, with their courage as soldiers, and witli their endurance as frontiersmen, and with tlieir fierce hatred of the ])arl)arous Indians, were worth ten thousand men on the Atlantic under leaders as great as even Washington, Greene, or La Fayette.

These Kentucky pioneers stayed savage invasion ot A'irginia and Pennsylvania. T]ie\- kept back the herd of marauders and murderers, which in the wilds of Ohio. Indiana, and Illinois, longed for an opportunity ti^ inil)rue their hands in white men's blood, and the savage wrath which would have ])Oured itself with irresistible tide over the settlements of the u])per Ohio, Monongehela and the Kanawha, turned its savage and bitter force upon the stations in Kentuckv. 1 he thotisands of brave and noble men, and still braver women, who from 1775 to 1783, died in the Kentticky wilderness, surrendered their lives to protect \ irginia and Pennsvlvania and stood the red men at l)ay. while the colonists were enabled to fight and defeat the I'ritish soldiers along the Atlantic coast.

1 7(;8 was the banner year for llu- creation of new counties. In 1792 seven had been fi)rmed, in 1793, one; in 1794 two, in 1796 six had been formed, and in 1798 thirteen were made, of which Jessamine was one, and the thirtv-sixth in the state. It was carved entirely out of l-"a}ette, and given one representative in the Lt'iiislature : wliile Fayelte county retained six representatives, the number to wliicli it had l)efore the separation been entitled. The ineqiiahty of representation had not then been so fuHy recognized as afterwards. The whole population of Fayette county at the time of the division was abotit 18,000. Jessamine took oft at least one-fourth of the population of Fayette and was given one member, while h^ayette. with only three times the po])ulation of newly made Jessamine, had six, or twice the voice in legislation that was given her newl\' sent out daughter.

The creation of some counties was fought for years, but that of Jessamine prodticed but little hivd feeling, h'ayette had al- \va\'s been generous in the partition of territorw W ith 264,000 acres, after some protesting and legislative discussion, she surrendered 101,000 of it to create another cotmty. Doubtless the retention of her six representatives had something to do with acciuiescence in the division.

The men in the Senate those days, were men of wide, broad views. They were chosen not b}' districts, but from the state at large by the Commission formed for that purpose under the terms of the Constitution of 1792. The Senate then consisted of only eleven members. The Senator representing Favette was James Campbell. Tn the House. Col. Rol)t. Patterson. John ?\IcDowell, John Parker, Walter Carr. Thos. Caldwell, ^McGregor,

The real cause leading up to the formation of the county, was some friction between the officers of Fayette county and the people in the Marble creek neighborhoorl.

Xew counties were already being rapidly formed. Starting with nine in 1792, by the beginning of the session of 1798, sixteen new ones had been created, five of which - Scott, Shelby. Clark, Franklin and Montgomery - had been created close to Fayette.

Col. Jolin Price was then a resident of the Marble creek district and he set about securing the formation of a new coimty. His influence with the Revolutionary soldiers, who then constituted so large a share of the legislators, was very strong. The battle over the act (creating the new county) continued from November 15 to December 19, 1798.

signed b\ the citizens demanding such an act, was on November 9. 1798, read and referred to the proper committee. The copy of the record and the extracts from the minutes of the Palladium tell the story of the struggle. They are as follows :

Resohed. tliat tlu- petition of sundry inhal)itants of Fayette countv. whose names are thercuntv) subscribed, setting forth that thev lal)or under great inconveniences from their detached situation from their present seat of justice; and praying that the said county may be divided, agreeably to certain lines therein proposed, is reasonable.

Several petitions from sundry in]ia1)itants of Fayette county. in opposition to tlic di\ision tliereof, were presented and ordered to lie on the table until the end of the present session.

]\lr. Slaughter, from the joint committee of enrollments, reported that the conunittee had cxammed the enrolled bdl entitled "An act for the divis.on of l-'ayette county." and that the same was truly enrolled. \\'hereu])oii the speaker signed the said en~ rolled l)ill.

Xovember 24. in committee of the whole went through the bill for the division of Fayette, wlTicli, after some amendments, was ordered to be referred.

Some very important assistance must have been rendered in securing the necessary legislation tor the creation of the countv by Col. Joseph H. Daveiss; for, in a letter written to him eight months after the passage of the act. Col. John IVice proceeds to thank Colonel Davis for his services in this regard.

Chapter Cxliil

Section i. lie it enacted l)y the General Assembly. That from and after the first day of February next, all that i)art of the county of Fayette, included in the following bounds, to wit: Beginning on the Woodford line, where it strikes the Kentuck}' river, near Todd's ferry ; thence along said hne half a mile north of John Allin's military survey; thence to the seven-mile tree, on Curd's road: thence to the eight-mile tree on. Tate's creek road: thence along said last mentioned road to the Kentuckv river: thence

Sec. 2. A court for tlie said county shall be held by the Justices thereof, on the fourth Monday in every month (except those in whicli the court of quarter sessions are hereafter directed to be held) after said division shall take place, in like manner, as is provided by law in respect to other counties, and as shall be by their conmiissions directed.

Sec. 3. The Justices to be namvMJ in the commission of the peace for the said county of Jessamine, sliall meet at the house of Fisher Rice, in the said county, on tiie first court day after said division shall take place, and having taken the oaths prescribed by law. and a sheriff being legally qualified to act. the justice-> shall proceed to appoint and qualify a clerk, and shall, together with the Justices of the court of quarter sessions for said county, fix upon a place for holding courts therein ; then the courts shall proceed to erect the public buildings m such place ; and until such buildings are completed, shall appoint such place for holding courts as they may think proper; provided, always, that the ap- ])ointment of a place for erecting the public buildings shall not be made unless a majority of the Justices of the said courts conciutherein.

Sec. 4. It shall l)e lawful for the sheriff of the county of Fayette to collect and make distress for any public dues or ofificers' fees, which shall remain unpaid by the inhabitants of the countv at the time of such division, and shall be accountable for the same in like manner as if tliis act h':id not been made.

Sec. 5. The cotut of Fayette shall have jurisdiction in all actions or suits in law or equity, that shr.ll l)e depending therein at the time of such division, and shall try and determine the same, issue process ,and award execution thereon.

Sec. 6. The cotu't of cpiarter session for the said county of Jessamine, shall be held, annually, on the fourth Monday in January, ^^ilarcli, Jul}- and ( )ctober.

Sec. 7. 'khe said county of Jessamine shall send one representative to the General Assembly, and the countv of Favette shall retain six representatives.

Whereas, it is represented to this General Assembly, that disputes have arisen between the inhabitants of the counties of Fayette and Jessamine, in ascertaining the true line of division: an'.l also in the collection and manner of appropriating that part of the levy which was levied by the County Court of Fayette, on the inhabitants now in the C()unt\- of Jessamine; for remedy whereof -

Section i. lie it enacted l)y the General Assembly, that the dividing line run bv the surveyor of Jessamine count}', is hereby ratitied and contirmed.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, that the County Courts of Fayette and Jessamine, shall, on their respective parts, in the month of March, next, ai:)point, each, a commissioner, who are herebv authorized to examine the records of T^ayette county, and enquire into the situation of levies and appropriations heretofore made by the Count}' Court of Fayette : and if upon such examination, it shall appear to the said commissioners, that there is, or ought to be, a deposit, amounting to more than the claims given into the said County Court of Fayette, the said court of Fayette is hereby required to pay to the court of Jessamine county, for the use of said county, their proportion of said deposit.

Up to this time the thirt}'-five comities created had all been named for soldiers, pioneers, or a statesman, with one exception, and that was Ohio county, the thirty-fifth, \\hich was named for the great river which marks the northern boundary of Kentucky for 700 miles and had been called by the Indians, the Ohio. "The Beautiful River." Ctmiberland was called for Ctmiberland river, but the river had before been named by Dr. Thos. Walker for the Duke of Cumberland. Such names as JelYerson, Favette (La

Jessamine creek - one hundred \ears ago a stream of large volume and great beauty - rises near the line of the R. X. L & B. Railroad, close to the station called Xealton and about half a mile from where the Xich(^lasville & X'ersailles turn])ike crosses, and on the land now owned by Pleasant Cook. Esq. Along its banks grew the jessamine in richest profusion. This flower was found in great abundance in many ])arts oi the territor\- eml)raced by the new county. The name had been given to the creek by the pioneers, and the beauty of the plant and the beautv of the name so impressed the early settlers that they called this beautiftd stream Jessamine creek. It is about twenty miles long and empties into the Kentuckx' ri\er.

The county, always full of romance, in some wa\ heard the -story of Jes.saimine Douglas, which was to the efifect that jessamine Douglas, the beautiful daughter oi a Scotch settler, was one day sitting ui)on the bank which overhangs the source of thi<^ creek, and wliile, in maidenly contemplation, gazing into the depths of the water, an Indian cautiously and silenllv stole upon her and sunk his tomahawk into her head and tlien tore her beautiful aul)urn locks from her head, with his scalping knife.

This story is given Ihe flavor of truth by its insertion in Collins' History of Kentucky. See A'ol. 2, page 399. The author goes on to sa}- that the land about the head of the creek was settled l)y the father of jessamine Douglas. There is no foundation for that pathetic and dramatic incident. The land at the head of Jessamine creek was not settled by Douglas, but by Michael Cogar, and tliis historical tradition has not even a shadow of foundation.

The letter of Col. John Price, quoted below, written within eight months of the legislative creation of the county, settles, beyond all cavil, that the county was called from Jessamine creek and the flower, and not from Jessamine Douglas. The story of the beautiful Scotch girl and her tragic end, has been told so often and has been so honestly and faithfully believed by the peo]:)le of the county, and it has in it so much of that tragic and bloo(l\' character which marked Kentucky's early history, that it is both ungenerous and ind-:ind to destroy and disrupt the faith for nearly one hundred years has reposed with unfaltering trust in the pathetic story.

As Colonel Meade did not come to Jessamine county until 1796, and as 1)Oth the East and West P'orks of Jessamine creek were known and traveled in 1774 and 1775 and on down to 1790, and lands described and surveyed by the creek, and its course and meandcrings laid down on T-'ilson's and other maps and plats long prior to 1790; it is impossible for the creek to have been named for Jessamine Douglas, who, under no circumstances, did she come with Colonel Meade, could have arrived in Kentucky prior to I7<i6. The \\'illiams deposition, the Watkins journal, and Filson's map show that Jessamine creek was a well known and named stream prior to 1789.

My Esteemed I'riend : I have read your favor of October 6th with much pleasure. The county of Jessamine was surveyed l)v m\- friend, Maj. Erederick Zimmerman. I think he commenced his work in May, 1796, but the county was not organized as a countv until February 14th. In August the next year I was chosen as a member of the General Assembly 1)\- the county - without opposition.

The villainy practiced in the Marble creek neighborhood by the constables and other petty officers of Fayette county, induced me to make an effort to form a new county, as I had known for several years that it was becoming impossible for my neighbors to get along on peaceable terms with officers who took pleasure in arresting and putting in prison men ami women for the pitiful sum of $5. The only bed of straw, the only horse, the onlv cow, or pig of a neighbor, was leveyed on and sold at Lexineton b\- the sheriff, but we now have a new set of officers and they are nuich better men than the others, who have so long annoyed ni}- neighbors with their villainy.

Col. John Price induced many of his A'irginia friends to settle in the Marl)k' creek neighborhood. The following letter to Lewis Tapp will be extremely interesting, as he has many descendants in Jessamine count)- :

Dear Sir and I'Tiend : I have received yours of .\pril 2(\. T take preat pleastu^e in informing you that if you have a desire to leave \'irginia and settle in Kentucky I would advise you to ])ay a visit to this portion of Kentucky. Jessamine county was formed eight vears ago. I settled in the limits of the county in 1788. The population is 5,400. The surface of the land for the most part gently undulating, rising here and there into hills and moderate elevations. The timber is white asli. hickory, hackberry. rlni, white oak, also wliite and ])lack walnut, besides this variety nl tini])er in the count w cedar trees, yellow p()])lar, beech and cherry is scattered over vari<nis ])arts of the CDiuUy. The ])rincipal creeks in the comity are Hickman and Jessamine. There are also numerous smaller streams well distributed throughout the county. You can 1)U}- good land in this town for $20 per acre and in Pdkhorn first-class land is worHi from $10 to $12 ]xm- acre.

In response to this invitation Lewis Tapp came to Kentucky and settled in the Marble creek neighborhood, four miles from tiie residence of Colonel IVice. He raised a large famih- of great respectability, and died in 1822. Tapp's Branch is named in memory of him.

On the 22d day of April, 1799, an order was entered fixing the seat of justice for Jessamine county at the place now occupied by the town of Xicholasville. The following order, entered by six of the justices of the peace, determined the county seat;

a court began and held for the county of Jessamine at the house of Jonas Davenport in said county, on Monday, the 22d day of April, 1799,

"(Jrdered that the seat of justice for Jessamine county be permanently fixed on the lands of Thos. Caldwell and Chefley Gates on the Hickman road."

The blank before the name of Lewis should have been filled with \Mlliam, and the blank before the name of Price should have been filled with the name of William.

The original act creating Jessann'ne county, directed that the location of the countv seat should be determined only by a majority of the justices. William l~^cott, llngli ("hrisman. and John Freeman were not ])resent at the time of the entering of this order. Init Thos. Caldwell, one of the justices who voted, was joint owner with Chesley Gates of the twent}'-five acres which had l)een laid out bv Rev. John Metcalf, on the 16th of Septend>er. 1798.

The county had not been formed at the time of the first surv^ey of Xicholasville, but was onlv created on the i<;th of December, three months afterwards: nor had the town of Xicholasville been officially recognize<l until the 26th da\' of .Vugust, i79<;. < >n that day, proceeding under the statutes of Kentucky then in force for the establishment of towns, another order was entered, on the motion of Thos. Caldwell and Chesley Gates, which is as follows :

On the motion of Thomas Caldwell and Chesley Gates it is ordered that a town l)e established on their lands lying on the Hickman rcjad, at the place where the seat of justice for said countv is established, to be called and known by the name of Nicholasville and bounded as follows to wit: JJeginning at a stake in Caldwell's field running- A\'. 12 cleg. E. 87 poles to a stake ; thence S. 78 deg. E. 36.84 poles to a stake; thence S. 12 deg. W. 42 poles to a stake; thence S. 78 deg. E. 14 poles; thence .\'. 12 deg. E. 2 poles; thence S. 78 deg. E. 3 poles; thence S. 12 deg. \V. 5 poles; thence X. 78 deg. W. 17 poles; thence S. 12 deg. W. 42 poles; thence X. 78 poles W. 36.84 poles to the beginnmg. And it is further ordered that Joseph Crockett. William Shrieve, Richard Young, James Johnson, Gabrl. Madison, William Robards, Xicholas Lewis, James Davenport, Patrick (iraw I'hil. Webber and Chesley Gates be appointed trustees of the said town.

These trustees were simply appointed for the benefit of the land owners. It was their (lut\- to make disposition of the lots in the town of Xicholasville, which now for the first time was officially recognized as the name of the county seat ; so that in celebrating the centennial of Xicholasville on SeptendDer 16, 1898, it is a celebration of the centennial of its stu'vey, rather than of its first official existence and recognition.

The contest in regard to the location of the seat ui justice began even before the creation of the count}- by legislative authority. The establishment of a new county had been under discussion throughout the territory for (|uite a while. The ])etition which had been prei)ared for the legislattire and the agitation of the question concerning the existence of a new count\ . had been more or less discussed by the ]ieoplc within the limits of the ]iroposed county. It was diffictdt, of course, to determine exactlv where the line would run, but the tremendous l)end in the Kentucky river - which forms almost a horse-shoe - rendered the location of the county line very easy, as it was onlv necessarv to run from the T\eutuck\- ri\-er on the one side, to the Txentuckv rix'er on the other side, in order to cut off a countv of reasonabk> i)roportions.

The first session of the Court of Quarter Sessions was held at the house of Fisher Rice, in the county of Jessamine, on the 25th (lay of March, 1789. Governor Garrard commissioned Joseph Crockett, William Shreve and Richard Young as justices of the Court of Quarter Sessions.

The Court of Quarter Sessions then heard all matters except criminal matters, and these were heard in the District Court ai Lexington. Idiese three gentlemen were all present at Fisher Rice's on the said day, and they unanimously appointed Samuel H. W'oo'dson, clerk of the Jessamine County and Quarter Session Court. Mr. Woodson immediately entered upon the discharge of his duties, with Joseph Crockett as his security, his bond being in the sum of $1,000. Joshua Lewis was on the same day ap- Ijointed by the Court of Quarter Sessions state's attorney to prosecute causes for the Commonwealth within Jessamine county.

The first lawyers to qualify in the county for the practice of law were Joseph Lewis, William McDowell, Samuel Venable, and Melding L. Turner. These were all on that day qualified for practice in the Quarter Sessioin Courts. Fielding L. Turner was the father of the Hon. ( Kscar Turner, so long a distinguished member of Congress from the First District of Kentucky. He removed from Kentucky to New (Orleans, wdiere his son Oscar was l^orn in 1829.

( )n the following day, ]\Iarch 26. 179c;, the first session of the court was held, the members of the court having qualified on the previous tlay.

The house of Fisher Rice was used as a place for holding Quarter Session Courts for several years. Courts were alsO' held at the house of Samuel H. Watson, the clerk of said court, who then lived on the farm now the ])roperty of the Shelys.

In those da\s it was necessary to a])point commissioners to value certain lands taken by the sherifi:' under execution. John Hawkins, Patrick Gray, Joseph Chrisman, John McKinney, and Jonas Daven])ort were a]i]:)ointe(l said commissioners, and this was tlie first order ever made by court of record in Jessamine count3\ the suiimKT oi ij^-j'^). had for its foreman Alanoah Singleton, and amontf its members were l->ancis Lowens, Benjamin Xetherland and Samuel Rice. The first indictment for selling whiskv was found at this term of court against William Patterson, and the information on which this presentment or indictment was found was given h\- t\v<j meniljers of the grand jury. Frances Lowens and S. Walters.

The first man who ever took out license to kee]) a tavern in Jessamine count}- was .Maj. lleniamin Xetherland. A free negro. Bob Speed, was also a prominent caterer in those days, and he also took out a license to keep tavern, and some of the most prominent men. especially among the lawyers, have dined at Ivs tavern, wliich was at a corner on Main street inmiediatelv opposite the court house.

The first court held in Jessamine count}' was on the 25th of k^ebruary, J/yy. Ihe meml)ers of the court assembled at the house of Fisher Rice, who lived in the field opposite the Kleber Price place, and where Mrs. Bridget O'Connell ncnv lives. The record says: ".\t said time and place connnissions \\ ere pioduced from Governor ( larrard. directed io William Lewis. Ihos. Caldwell. W illiam Scott, (iabriel Madison, George Walker, William Price, James Johnson, John Lewis, John Berr}, Hugh Chrisman and John Freeman, appointing them Justices of the Peace in and for the county of Jessamine, whereu])on William Lewis, Escp. first named in tliL- connnission aforesaid, administered the se\"eral oaths prescribed law, to Thonia,^ (aldwell. William Scott. Gabriel Madison, George W alker. William Price. James Johnson. John Lewis. John Berr}, llugh Chrisman and John I-'reeman : and Thomas Caldwell, l\s<|., administered the said oaths to William Lewis, and then the court was held for the said county."

the gentlemen within named. Charles West. Esc]., ])roduce(l a commission from the ( lovernor. James Garrard, a])- pointing him sheriff for the count}- af(>resaid. which, i)eing read, the said West took the several oaths prescribed b}- law, and, together with Major Dickenson, !''rances Lowens, T\atrick Gra\- and

Jcihn Scott as sureties, executed their bund tu the Governor of the Commonwealth, in the penalty of $3,000, conditioned as the law directs for the due performance of duties."

The court then proceeded to the appointment of a clerk, one Sanmel Hughes Woodson, who was aj^pointcd Clerk, pro tern., who, thereupon, took the several oaths prescribed by the laws of this state, and the Constitution of the L'nited States, and, tog'ether with jose])h Crockett and Andrew Mc('iill entered into ])()nd t(i the (iovernor in the penalty of $1,000, as the law directs, wliich l)(>nd was ordered to be recorded."

"Countv ."surveyor, l-'rederick Zinnnerman, produced in court a Cdumiission from (lOvernor Garrard, appointing him surveyor of this countv, whereupon he executed bond in the penalty of $2,000, with James Curtin and Frances Lowens as securities, conditioned according to law. He took the several oaths jjrescribed ]\v the laws of this state and the Constitution of the United States."

Lewis and lienjamin Uradshaw are appointed to let and contract for the ])uilding of a bridge on Curd's road, near the ferry, which c<3ntract to !)e made by letting to the highest bidder." Curd's Ferr_\- had been established at the mouth of Dick's river bv the general legislature in 7786. Daniel Mitchell presented his conunission as coroner, and cjualified as such.

The first lawyers admitted to practice in the Jessamine County Court were Joshua Lewis and Fielding Turner, who separately ])ni(luced in court, on the above dav, their license, pro])erly autlienticated, as tiie law clirects, and were, thereupon, admitted to practice.

The Jessamine Circuit Court was organized in 1803, and its first order was the a])])()intment of a clerk. Sanmel H. Woodson received this appointment, and held tlie of^ce until t8i(), when he resigned. The following orders will show the Constitution of the cnnrt. and also the first petition filed in the court:

''He it renK'nil)crc(l that in ])Ui'suance of an act of tlie General Assenihl}-, entitled. ".Xn Act io establish Circuit Courts, and an act entitled an act to amend an act entitled an act to establish Circuit Courts," the Honorable Samuel McDowell, Circuit Judge, attended at tlie court house of the county of jessamine, on the i8th day of A])ril. 1803, being- the third Monda}-. Present, the Honorable .Samuel McDowell. Circuit Judge.

"It is ordered that h'ielding L. Turner. Escj., be a]:)pointed clerk, ])ro tempore, to this court, who. thereupon, took the several t)aths prescribed In' law. and executed his l)ond. with Samuel H. Woodson and Joseph Crockett his security in the i)enalty of £ 1000, conditioned as directed bv law.

"It is ordered that Samuel H. Woodson be appointed clerk to this court, and that the ])ro tem])ore ap])ointment made I)}' the court this day. l)e discontinued, and. thereu])on. the ^aid ."^amuel H. \\'oodson took the several oaths required bv law. and executed hrs bond, \\ith Joseph Crockett and ^^'illiam Lewis his securities, in the ])enalt}' of £1.000.

"At a Circuit ( Ourt. began and held for the coimtv of Jessamine, at the courldiouse thereof, on the 18th day of July. 1803: Present, the iionorable Samuel McDowell, Circuit Judge, and Richard ^ Dimg, Esq. :

P.e it remendje'red that heretofore, that is to say. on the 13th day of jtnu'. one thousand, eight lumdred and two. lames Dunn, by ^^ m. .\lcl)owell. his atlorne\-, ai)])lii'd for and obtained from the clerk's office of the late court of Quarter Sessions for the county aforesaid, the Commonwealth's writ of capias ad respondendum, which, together with the motion of iilaintiff. liv his at- torney aforesaid, it was ordered that the said Deft, shouhl a[)pear at the next rules, enter speeial l)ail and plead to the plaintiff's action, or that judg'ment would be granted the plaintiff for the debt in the declaration mentioned and what damages he hath sttstained in the premises and a writ of enquiry awarded him to have the same assessed by a jury of the bystanders at the next court."

"James Dunn, l)y his attorney, complains of Nicholas Lewis in custody, etc., of a plea that he render to him the sum of seventytwo pounds, current monev, ctu'rent money of Kentucky, which he owes antl unjustly detains, for that, whereas, the said defendant on the thirtieth of Alay, 1800, at tlie parish oi Kentuckw and county aforesaid, by his certain note, in writing, sealed with his seal and to the cotirt now here shown, eighteen months after the date aforesaid promised and (jl)ligated himself to the plaintiff to pay him the sum of thirtv-six poimds, for the payment of which said sum the said defendant bound himself in the penal sum of seventy-two pounds like monev, yet said defendant not regarding his obligation hath not paid the said sum of thirty-six pounds, although often rccjuired, by means whereof an action hath accrued to have and demand of him the said sum of seventy-two pounds, but the said defendant, to pay the same or any part thereof, although often recfuired the same to pay, hath hitherto refused, and still doth refuse, wherefore the said James Dunn savs he is injured and liath sustained damage to the \-alue of yi pounds, and therefore, he sues, etc. \\m. McDowell, A. V. ; Jno. Doe and R. Roe, P. P."

The first will recorded in jessamine countv was that of Charles Weber. It is only interesting because the first of its kind ever ]ilaced upon the records:

"First, my desire is that all my just debts be paid by my executors, hereafter mentioned, and in the following manner: First 1 wisli my mare and colt to be converted to my debts, and if they should not be sufficient. m\' negro fellow, Jjooker, is to be hired for the balance till ])aid, as m_\' executors think most expedient. Then the said negro to Ijc hired on till the profits amount to sixty ])Ounds. The first forty pounds arising is to be delivered to my l)rother William Webber, for his own use and his heirs forever. The other twent} pounds to be given ^o my brother, Philip Weber, for his own use and his heirs during life, and then the said negro to be delivered to my brother John Webber, for his use and his heirs during the life of the said negro, or the said Jcjhn Webber or his attorney.

"Api)lying for the same, T do also give and bequeath unto my brother Archie Webber, my negro boy b\- the name of Bill, to him and his heirs forever. I also appoint and ordain James Owens, and Ro])ert Cohoun, of Jessamine countv, executors of this, mv last will and testament, desiring that the actine: executors to my estate shall, in lieu of my expenses to them, recover with m\- other debts that is t(_) be ]iaid, twenty dollars each for their services in cash out of mv estate.

"In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this the seventeenth day of June, one tliousand. seven hundred an.d ninety-nine. Signed, sealed and published, and do declare this to be my last will and testament, revoking all other wills ])eforc named 1)\- or for me.

It is difficult to establish the exact location of a Baptist church in the very earliest settlement of the count v near Clear creek. This was the church at which Lewis Craig- fretjuentlv preached; it is near what is now known as the Jack Cuiuiin^ham property, or the Fisher place, it was called Mount Moriah, and in early times was a very important burying-oround. Joel \\'atkins. in his diar}', mentions the fact of having attended services at that point several times, and there seeing large congregations. It was established about the same time as the Ebenezer chttrch, bttt the latter is undoubtedly the oldest church organization in Jessamine countv.

Cotinty .Attorneys: John Disliman, John S. llronatigh, A\'m. R. Welch. Wm. llyrd Woodson, Cieo. R. Pryor, Benjamin P. Campbell, Ijenjamin A. Crutcher, John H. Welch, E. B. Hoover, N. L. Bronaugh. J. A\'illard Mitchell.

Under the Constitution of Kentucky in i7Q<j. the oldest Justice of the Peace was made Sheriff. Charles \\'est, first Sherifif ; Bartholomew Kinnard, dc]:)Uty ; Tienj. Nicholson; Thos. Butler, deputy ; Lewis Singleton, Andrew McCam])bell ; James H. AlcCampl)ell ; John Perry, .^r. ; James \\'ilmor:' ; Campbell \Vilmore ; Harri.son Daniel; \\'. 1'. Daniel; William Bronaugh; \\\ P. Daniel r Jerry Dickerson ; Newton Dickerson ; John TUitler , deputy ; AL T. Lowry; Thomas F. West, his deputy; Geo. T. Chrisman.

On Saturday. September 16. 17(;8. Kewjohu Metcalf took the initial steps to locate Xicholasville. At the time of the location of tlie town he called it after lion. George X^icholas. .\t that timeseveral roads, well-located, converged at the point. The settlers from Jessamine and llickman creeks, which were then the most tliickly poinihited parts of the territory embraced in Jessamine counts', were in the habit of travehng l^etvveen these two creeks, ddie road which tlu'n ran to Lexington ran substantially on the luie of tlie turn[)ike and its traces are still distinctly visible to the eye at various points along- the turn])ike. This was true of the roads whicli ran from Xicholasville and what is known as Russell's tavern. In the location <f the turnpike, very little of this old line was used. This was ec|urdl\- true of the road to Sulphur Well, but tlie roads crossed at that time north and south and east and west, e.xacth' where Alain street and Alaincross street now intersect each other.

The inducing- causes which led to the location were, first, fou"" large spring-s, which were presumed then, to be never-failing. These all were within the limits of the twenty-five acres laid out into the town, and second, to the fact of the road passing from Lexington and Danville, and from luist Hickman to Jessamine.

crossings at rig'ht aiii^les at the point. Little Jessamine, or East Jessamine, was then a stream of more importance than now. Rising about a mile al)ove and fed by other streams along the line, ii became quite a volume for a creek by the time it passed through the borders of the newly laid out village.

It was quite a while after the town was established before nuich trade centered within its limits. The people who first lived in the town were farmers in the immediate neighborhood.

There was no ])ost-office in Xichola^ville for several years after its location. 'Jdic mails were carried on horseback between Lexington and Oanville and Lancaster and Harrodsburg. Its location was not made without clashes of personal interest. Samuel H. Woodson, who was then a lawyer, desired to establish the town where the Shelv ])lace now stands, about one mile south of the present location, wliile Frederick Zimmerman sought to have the town established about three-ciuarters of a mile north, on top of ilic hill, just beyond the Duncan farm. It re(|uired several years to get the matter finally settled, and it was largely due to the great niHuence as well as the persistent efforts of Rev. John ]\Ietcalf that the town was laid out in its present location.

Nathaniel ^McLean, who married Catherine lUackford in Morris county. New Jersey, was a brother-in-law of Uenjamin Blackford. McLean luiilt the first log cabin in Nicholasville on the lot now owned by .Mr. liurdine. P>lackford himself had settled on the farm just north of Xicholasvillc. now owned l)y his grandson, lvol)ert Duncan, in 1783.

John McLean, .\ssociatc justice of the Cniled Stales Supreme Court, lived for quite a while in his \-outh on the Duncan farm. AVhen four years old his father moved to Morgantown. A a., and thence came to Nicholasville, Ky.. and subsequently moved to ^^'arren county. Ohio. He remained in Jessamine until he was about sixteen years of age. In 1812 he was eected to Congress from the Cincinnati district. He refused the nomination for the Cniled States Senale in 1815. l)ui was elected a Judge of the Su|)reme Court of Ohio, in 1816. In 1821 he was ap- ])ointcd postmaster general and in i82() lie was a])])ointed .Associate Justice of the Cniled States Supreme Court. He was a man of great ability and .great force of character. He delivered a dissenting ojjinion in the Dred Scott case, declaring that slavery was contrary to right and that it had its origin in power alone, and that in this country it was sustained only by local law. He died in Cincinnati on the 4th of April, 1861.

Within the memory of persons living, there was an old well dug" 1)\' Judge McLean's father on the Duncan place. It was east of the house about 200 yards.

The next settler in the town was Maj. Uenjamin Xetherland. Shortl}- after the battle of Blue Licks, in 1782. he ])ut up a log cabin on the lot nmv occupied by the county jail, and adjoining it short 1\" afterwards, another log cabin. This was subsequently re- ])laccd b\ the Mingo tavern. The tavern house he erected in 1793. and it was still used by !iim as a hotel at the time of his death, in 1838. Previous to ( )ctober, 1801, there was no post-office nearer to Xicholasville than Lexington. ( )n the first of September of that year Major Xetherland wrote to the postmaster general ttrging the establishment of a mail road from Lexington. Xicholasville Lancaster and Harrodsburg, and bv wav of Frankfort and Richmond.

"Your letter was received. Enclosed you have an advertisement, inviting proposals for carrying the mail from Xicholasville to Lexington. Frankfort. Lancaster and Richmond, and 1 shall be glad to receive yours. Mr. Clay has recommended your appointment to the office of postmaster of Xicholasville, and 1 have decided upon your appointment unless you decline, and wisli to avoid the trouble. I am

"Xicholasville. Ky.. Sept. 2T, 1801. "Your favor of the 4th of August came to hand while I was in Lexington, with enclosed advertisement for carrying the mails from Xicholasville to Lexington. Frankfort. Richmond. Harrodsburg and Lancaster. Tt is the earnest wish of all the inhabitants

"From information 1 have received 1 conclude it will be agreeable to vou to accept the office of postmaster at Xicholasville. You will receive herewith two packers containing a copy of a law for regtdating postoffices. with forms and directions, a key for unlocking the mail ])ortnianteau. a table of ]«:)Stoffices. and the necessarv blanks. The enclosed bond you will be ])leased to execute with sufficient siu'ety or sureties and then return the same together with a note, after they have l)ein duly certified by the Justice of the Peace, before whom you shall take and subscribe them. AX'hen they are received at this office a conunission will be dulv forwarded, ^'ou can commence business as soon as your bond is executed and forwarded, if you think prc^jier

It is evident that these two letters crossed each other on the post road, between Washington and Xicholasville. .Major Xetherland remained ]>ostmaster at Xicholasville for more than twenty years, and kept the postoffice in the Mingo ta\ern.

Col. George Nicholas and Rev. John .Metcalf were close friends. Four years before Xicholasville was located he wrote Colonel Xicholas the follo'wing letters: of Dctlicl Academy, and have Ik-c-ii ^o confined tor the last two weeks in fitting up suitable places of al)ode for some of my pupils that I have greatly neglected my private affairs, and especially that portion of them which }ou are attending to in Lexington."

"It afi^orded me great happiness to hear that you had returned in safety and health to your family and friends. I expected to hear fr()m you more frequently, but, i suppose, the mtiltiplicity of care and busines prevent your devoting nnich of your time to letters, save what you wrote to me and Joseph Crockett. Ikit now that you have arri\-ed at home I shall ex]:)ect to hear from vou soon and as often as usual. I nmst inform you that I have named our county seat Xicholasville in honor of you. I was all day laying off three streets to-day, and m\ nerves are very much affected by the severe labors in the wet weather. These being the circumstances under which I write you this hasty note, I fear it will have i)Ut poor claims upon your time, but I can not help it.

The contest about the location of the county seat must have been carried on for some time and quite vigorously. (_)n the 7th of October, 1803, Air. Aletcalf wrote the following letter:

"Jessamine comity : "Mv Dear Sir - I write to assure you that we have succeeded. amid nmch f<^olish opposition from Samuel H. Woodson, Comity and Circuit Court Clerk, and l\Ir. I'^rcderick Zimmerman, Countv Survevor, in locating our count}- seat. Mr. Woodson wanted to locate the t(^wn near his residence, one mile south of the first sur^ ve\-, which I made six years ago, including twenty-five acres. VlV. Zimmerman wanted the town to include the residence of Fisher Rice, which is one mile north. I am now convinced that through your efforts and Mr. Caldwell's and mine, T have defeated Mr. W'oodson and Mr. .Zimmerman in their foolish opposition to the present location, which is more suital)le and more convenient to roads east and west to tlic Kentucky river. A supply of good water was anotlier great advantage whicli we had ovei the other two places. There are four good springs of water that never run (h"\ . This convenience to good water, more than any other consideration, caused me to select this location in preference to the other places. I thank vou for the assistance you gave me in defeating a claim as foolish as it was selfish. I am pleased to learn that Mr. Zimmerman, as 'legal surveyor,' has sun^eyed the present site, which was legally recorded last year (1802). We have twenty heads of families erecting houses on a number of lots. Come and see me soon."

Chapter Cccciv

Section i. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, that the trustees of the town of Nicholasville. in the county of Jessamine, shall have power to levy a tax on the real property in said town, in proportion to the value of lots, not exceeding one hundred cents for every hundred dollars; and the trustees, or a majority of them, shall have power to cause an assessment to be made of the lots in said town, in order to enable them to tix tlie sum to he paid l)y the proprietors or occupants di the lots, provided, however, that a majority of the trustees shall concur in levying the tax.

Sec. 2. .\nd the trtistees, or a majorit\ of them, may appoint some fit person to collect the tax ; and shotild the owner or occupant, refuse to ])ay the ta.x for the space of three months after the amount of tlie tax is fixed as herein provided, in tliat case the collector shall, afttT giving tliirty days' notice ])}- advertisement at three of the most ])ublic ])laces in said town, expose for sale the lot or lots, or so nnicli tliereof, as w ill be sufficient to ])av the tax and cost of sale: bin the owner or owners of the lot or lots, his.

her or their heirs, executors or achninistrators. shall have twelve months from the time of sale of the lot or lots, or parts of lots, to redeem the lot or k)ts, or ])art of lots, 1)_\' ])aying" to the purchaser Uie amount of the lot or lots, or pait of lots sold, with lOO per cent thereon : and the collector shall be entitled to 7 ])cr cent on the auKjunt of the tax collected under this act.

Sec. 3. And the trustees of the town shall have full power to convey to the ])urchaser, b\- deed or deeds of conveyance, the lots, or parts of lots, sold under the ])rovisions of this act, and not redeemed within the time allowed for redemption, which shall vest in the purchaser, his, her or their heirs, or assignee, or assigns, all the right, title and interest of the (nvner, or owners, in and to the lot or lots, or parts of lots, saving, however, to infants, femes covert, and persons of unsoimd minds, a right to redeem within three vears after their several disabilities shall ha removed, or come of ag'e : j^rovided, however, that the collector shall not l)e allowed to sell any lot or part of a lot where sufTiciency of personal estate can be foimd on such lot or lots, or parts of lots, to satisfy the tax due ; which the collector is hereby authorized to seize and sell.

Section I. lie it enacted 1)\- the (ieneral .Vssembly of the Conmionwealth of K'entucky, tliat the free, white male inhabitants of the town of Nicholasville, who shall have attained the age of twenv-one vears and upwards, shall meet annually in each year, at the court-hotise in said town, on the first Alonday in May. and elect seven trustees for said to\vn, which trustees shall possess the cpialiflcations hereinafter mentioned; and a majority of them so elected, shall be sufificient to constitute a board, who sliall be, and they are herel)\', authorized to make such by-laws for the government and regiik'ition of said town as to them shall seem proper.

not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of this state. The said trustees shall have full power and authority to impose a poll tax annuall\-. on the male inhaljitanis of full atre. not exceeding one dollar each.

."^ec. _'. I')C it lunJKT enacted, that the said trustees shall appoint tlieir clerk or any other officer they ina\- think pro])er, who shall continue in office for and during- tlie time for which the trustees, who a])])ointe(i them, shall remain in office, and the said trustees shall ha\-e ])o\\er and authorit}' to renio\-e anv officer bv them a])])ointcd, for nei^lect of duty or malfeasance in office, and appoint any otlier instead of the person so removed.

Sec. 3. l')e it further enacted, tliat tlie tru.stees of said town or a majorit}' of them shall ha\e full power and authorit\- to lew a tax annually, on the real pro])erty in said town, in proportion to the value of the lots in their imi)roved state, not exceeding one hundred cents for ever_\- hundred dollars" \-alue. and the trustees or a majorit}- ot them, sluill have power to cause an assessment to he made of the value of the lots in said town h\- some person ot persons, appointed by tliem, in order to enable them to fix the sum to ])e ])aid by the ])roi)rieiors or ()ccu])ants of said lots; provided, however, that a majoritx- shall concur in laving the tax.

Sec. 17. lie it fiu-ther enacted, that the said trustees shall, before they can. recover any fine or fines for a breach of their bvlaws or ordinances. ha\e a fair copy of their l)v-laws set u]) at three of the most ])ublii- i)laces in said town at least three weeks.

Sec. i<;. I'-e it furtlier t-nacted, that it shall be the dutv of the trustees, annuall\. at the August ('oimt\- Court of lessamine, to make a settlement with the C'otmty Court and i)a\' over anv moneys that ma_\- be on baud, to their successors, and in case of failure the Count)- Court is hereby aiuborized to summon them to a])pear at their next or succeeding term to make a settlement and to enter up judgment against them ftjr an_\' sums that may appear against them and award exectttions thereon.

Sec. 20. I'.e it further enacted, that the first election under this act shall l)e Ik Id by two Justices of the Peace, for the cotmtv of Jessaiuine, and the Clerk of the Board of Trustees, at the time said election takes ])lace.

The hrst election was held on the 31st of May, 1824. A certificate of this was in the following- words: "We do certify that we have this day caused an election to be held for trustees of the town of Xicholasville, agreeably to an act of the leg^islature of the state of Kentucky, approved the 18th of November, 1823, when the following gentlemen were duly elected trustees for the said town for the ensuing year, namel\- : !>. Netherland, Sr.. Harrison Daniel, Lew L. Todd, W'm. Perkins, John Messick, James Lusk. W'm. Cox. Cnven (uider our hands this 31st day of May, 1824.

A meeting of the Board of Trustees of the town was held on the 19th da_\- of June, 1824, at Mingo Tavern. ( )n that da}- the report of James Wolmore, Waddell G. T)ruce and Benjamin Netherland, Jr., as conmiissioners, and \V. G. Bruce was allowed $2 as assessor for making out a list of taxable property in the year 1823, and B. Netherland, Jr., was allowed $105 for services as assessor for one year. The tax rate was fixed at 30 cents on each $100 worth of value on the valuation fixed b\- the commissioners. On the 27th of Septeml)er, 1824, another meeting was held, when the treasurer was directed to pay Wm. ( )verstreet $10 for his services as town sergeant and market master, and W'm. Campbell, who was the father of the late Henry J. Campbell, county judge, who died in 1866, was allowed $15 for his services as town sergeant for six months.

An ordinance on the subject of dogs was also passed. Tt was known as a by-law and declared "That any person in the town of Nicholasville who shall keep more than one dog or bitch shall be fined $1 for every twenty-four hours he shall retain the same after the lOth day of May next," and that it should be the duty ol the town sergeant to enforce this l)y-la\\ on all alike. It was also ordered that Wm. Cox be allowed $73 for whi]:)]Mng thirteen

In tlie (lavs of slavery in Kentucky all the towns and comity seats adopted ordinances or b\-laws ])re\-entini4' negro slaves or free negroes from visiting the towns after the hours of lo o'clock, either in tlie streets or collecting on street corners or at the kitchens of others than their owners. If they had a written permit from tlieir owners stating their business in town after lO o'clock at nighi tliey were ])ermitte(l to g(j free and were not arrested and whi])ped. The author renieml)ers when a boy very often to have tised Ids father's name to a great man_\" of tliese permits in the town of Xicholasville for his slaves, and in return to have received numerous ])ies and cakes and freciuently btmdles oi stick candy, wliich the grateful recipients of the order Ijrought back as an assurance of their gratitude and as the means of securing further indulgences.

The report of the Commissioneis aiijioiiiled to value the houses and lots and slaves in the town was received, adopted and ordered to he recorded, which is done as follows :

Value Of Taxable Property In Nicholasville

\ arious other legislative enactiiicnis were passed from time to time, until 1884 the town first had authority to choose a Mayor, together with a Board of Councilmen. in that year. J^on. John S. Bronattgh was elected first .Mayor of Xicholasvillc ; he served eight years, bttt declined re-election. He was on every hand regarded as a most valuable oflficial. and brouglit the affairs of the town into splendid condition. lie was succeeded by Dr. Charles Talbert. who served two years, and he by A\'illiaiii T.. Steele, the present Mayor.

Mavor - William Steele, grandson of Samuel ^IcDowell, born 1843. Councilmen - Jephtha D. Hughes, born in 1852; Charles Mitchell, l)(M-n in 1856; Frank Smith, born in 1870; Charles Evans, born in 1852 ; Andrew McAfee, colored, born in 1861 ; Adam Adcock, born in 1851.

No citv in Central Kentucky has grown more rapidly or has more beautiful streets or a better city government. The little village of 1798, with a few straggling log houses has become in 1898 a thrifty, energetic and enterprising city of 3,500 people, with 8 miles of streets, with handsome residences, with imposing public buildings and with every comfort and convenience which enter into modern city life.

On the occasion of a centennial which Xicholasville celebrated on September 16, 1898, the history of the man for whom the county seat was called, becomes profoundly interesting.

George Nicholas was born August nth, 1753, in Williamsburg, \'a. His father was Robert Carter Nicholas, a prominent lawyer, a member of the Mrginia House of Burgesses (Legislature), connected with the Colonial Government of Virginia, and Colonial Treasurer. He became a captain in the Continental army, and practiced law in Charlottesville after the war. Of the X^irginia Convention, called to consider the Constitution of the Cnited States, he was a member, and he ablv and earnestly advocated its ado])tion, wliicli j^revailed by a vote of 88 for and yS against, and that onl}- after a lengthened and even acrimonious <liscnssion.

"Richmond, \'a.. ( )ct. 24th, 1788. "I propose attending the ( ieneral Court in the District of Kentucky, as an attorney, and shall ])e at the next March term, if not prevented l)y some unforeseen event."

As Harrodsburg and Danville were, in pioneer days, places for the most important conventions, and the seat of the count} . it was doubtless for the purpose of being near the seats of justice which induced Colonel Xicholas to find a home in Mercer.

In December, 1791. a convention was elected to meet in Danville April 3d, 1792, to frame a State Constitution. George Xicholas w'as one of the men elected a member of this convention from Mercer county, lie was the greatest lawyer in this body. His experience as a member of the Mrginia Convention, in the discussion of the Constitution of the United States, and his superb legal training, comliined with his logical and analytical uiind, and his ])()wer of accurate statement, made him the man of and for the occasion.

In his fortieth year, in the full tide of his mental and ])h\sical powers, and with a ripe judgment, the result ol military, civil and judicial experience, combined with a peculiarly ])hilosophical and analytical mind; it was both reasonable and [proper that he should be tiie dominant s];irit of the body. Experience subsequentlv showed that man\- of the jirovisions of the Constitution adopted at his suggestion, were not adapted to the conditions surrounding Kentucky. It onh remained in force seven \"ears. and was then, by almost tlie unanimous will of tlie people, set aside in 1799.

Xo forty-live men ever assenil)le(l together who were more ])atriotic and wlio more faithfnll}' endeavored to (Hseliari;e the trnst confided to their kee])ini4\ lienjamin Logan. Alexander iUilhtt, Robert Breckinridge, David Rice, Samuel McDoAvell, Caleb Wallace, were a part of that distinguished convention, and in that period of Kentucky's history, they represented a courage, fidelity, ])atriotism and lo\'altA' to the ])eople which reached the highest limit of Inunan attainment.

The ])erfect knowledge Colonel Xich-olas had obtained 'jf the Constitution of the I'nited States and his admiration of its ])rovisions, created by his splendid defense c^f it in the X'irginia Con\-entiou. were largely used in the creation of Kentucky's first Constitution. His superb legal attainments, his varied knowledge, his judicial mind, his unbounded patriotism, and his thorough conce])tion (jf the true principles of government, made him an unquestioned leader in such a bodv.

The Constitution was framed and adopted in seventeen days, and in thirty days from the asseuibling of the convention a Governor was elected, and in sixty days a Legislature assembled under its provisions.

Colonel Nicholas was married to Mar\- Smith, of Baltimore. One of her brothers, Sanmel .Smith, was a member of the House of Representatives and Lnited .States Senator for twenty-nine years, and another. Robert Smith, was Secretar}- of the X'avy under President Jefiferson, and Secretary of .State under President Madison. ( )ne of his sons, S. .S. Xicholas, was one of the most distinguished lawyers of the state. He was a Judge of the Court of Ap])eals, Judge of the Louisville Chancery Court, and one of the Commissioners a])pointed in 1850 to revise the laws of Kentucky. His youngest daughter, Hetty Morrison, was the wife of Hon. Ixichard Hawes, of l^aris. Ky., at one time Provisional Governor of Kentuck\', while under the control of the Confederate States; and he represented the Ashland District in Congress. 1 837- 1 84 1 . He opened a law school at his own house, and taught gratuitously such men as Joseph Hamilton Daveiss. John Rowan, Martin D. Hardin. Robert Wickliffe. William T. Barry. Isham Talbott, and John Green. He moved to P>ath county in 1794, to which his interests in the old slate furnace, which was operated from 1 790 to 183c), and was for nearly 50 years one of the

Ill he was elected Professor of the Law Department then added to Transylvania University, then in the zenith of its glory, but he died shortly afterwards, in July. 1799, in his forty-sixth year.

The ca])ital of Jessamine is named, as will be seen, from one of the really great men of his i)eriod. It was called for Colonel Nicholas through the partialit) of Rev. John Metcalf, who held the highest admiration for Nicholas, and who had known him in \ ir~ trinia, before his removal to kentuckv.

Even to the soldiers who particij^ated in great battles in ]\Iexico or the recent war there was never any military experiencewhich left so charming memories as that of service in the old state militia, commonly known as the "Corn Stalk Militia. "" It was called the Corn Stalk .Militia because there were no arms for the troops and verv IreciueiUly the\- used corn stalks in the j^lace of guns. The state militia grew U]) with the early settlement of Kentucky. In those times every man was a soldier and was ready to respond to such call as might be made in defense of his home or in i)unishment of the Indians, who had invaded the state.

From 1775 down to 1793. every able-lxxlied man was of necessitv connected with some military connnand. A while after the Indian peace of 1794, the militia organization slackened a little, vet it never died out as a state institution until after the C'onstitution of 1849-50 was enacted.

U]) to that time ever\' male citizen from the age of twenty-c^ne to fort\-h\'e was to rejiort for (lut\- at all drills, in default ot which a fine was adjtidged.

Jessamine comU\ had two regiments, fornnjil in different ])arts of the comity, and they wt're recptired to assemble in ih.e spring for battalion drill. In September they had what was called a "big muster," which was a brigade drill, called in that da\ "The E\(>lution of the Line."

Company Orders Militia Notice, 1S32

dier-general down, consisted of epaulets, sword, red sash, high hats with plumes tipped with white, and a black cockade on one side. The great day in the county was the big muster, and from all parts of the county, not only the soldiers but the citizens came to Nicholasville, and these military oflficers were as proud and well satisfied with tlieir appearance as any army officer equipped wath gold and tinsel, under the forms prescribed by General Miles of the present day.

The drills were great occasions and were especially attractive to the boys, who would post themselves along the roads and watch the incoming of the officers. Standing on the fences and on high steps they would wait with keen zest for the uniformed men, and as thty \vould see an officer coming up in his splendid attire, tlicy would yell out with delight and enthusiasm: "Here comes a muster man." The band was not composed of scientific musicians or many pieces ; it included a tenor and bass drum and a fife, all of 'vbich were played by the negroes.

The band v\-ould begin the march around town playing martial airs, early in the morning, and they would marcli u]) and down the streets and thrill the crowds with their soul-stirring strains. First, the musicians, then the companies would fall in.

When the line had been formed, the captain would go up and down and dress the men with his sword or cane. After the alignment of the companies, they would form in regiments and move in column to a field or pasture near the town. .\t the head of this cavalcade would march Brigadier-General Horine. The troops would move along without keeping step, some with umbrellas raised, some with coats, some without coats, and many smoking, and the brigadier-general commanding would have his cob pipe in his mouth - thus imconscious of his military position and unconscious of his military bearing, as he sat on his horse with his back bent and his head inclined forward.

( )n rcarhiiii;- the licld. the i^reat ami sirikini;- maneuver wtjukl be to form a liollow scjiiare. The use of this Ijy the J British troops had inijjressed it u])()n the sokHers' minds as a most im- ]jonant acromphslimenl. 1 1 look a k)n^' time to get the S(|uare formed and sometimes took a still lom^'er time to unform. After s(|narinj:;" and uns(|narinL;', the command would come to ])arade rest and then would he extended an ()])|)ortnnity for notices to be ,2:iven by th.e farmers - stich as "farms for sale or rent, stock for sale, or lost li\e stock." After this the S(|uare would be formed ag-ain and from this a battle line would be stretciied; then a coimter-march would be ordered.

( )n one (occasion (jeneral Ijorine had his conun.uid in line of battle, but not remembering' to reverse or about face wheri they had almost reached a high worm fence which enclosed a thirt\-acre held, lie called out: 'd'ull the fence down or climb it." As. under tlie orders of the conunan.ding general, it had bee!T left discretionarx with them what cotU"se to i)tn"sue. they ])ulled the fence down.

Small boys and all the idlers al>oin town moved u]) and down with the line and ])ecamc as profountlly interested in the evolutions as the soldiers themselves.

These occasions were alwa\s splendid oi)portunities for great profit of the \endors of watermelons, ginger cake, and sweet cider, l-'ew jessamine men of that da\- will forget Aunt .Milly

Capt. William R. Kean organized an infantry company known as the Jessamine Grays. This command for a long time had great celebrity. The uniform was of gray cloth, with frock coat, the breast of which was ornamented with silver braid, and had silver stripes down the sides of the trousers. The hat was of black leather with a drooping red and white plume.

Capt. J. D. Hill was in command of this company for many vears. He was succeeded by Capt. Tucker Olds, of Nicholasville. The company was long the pride of the citizens of the county and it was not disbanded until near the beginning of the late war.

The early settlers on the Fourth of July were accustomed to have patriotic celebrations. They invited each other to their homes and in sumptuous repasts and neighborly communion celebrated the important events, not only in their own history, but in the history of their country. Tn 1794 Col. William Price had such celebrations at his house. As early as 1802 formal meetings uere held to glorify the Fourth of July. There are in existence now the minutes of a meeting called on the 12th of June, 1802, to take formal action upon the celebration of the Fourth of July for that year. The following co]iy of the doings of that meeting Avill show the character and nature of the ceremony :

At a meeting of the citizens of Nicholasville on the 12th of June, 1802, Maj. Benjamin Netherland in the chair, Col. John Price, secretary, it was resolved, that the 26th anniversary of the Independence of our beloved country be celebrated on the Fourth of July next in Nicholasville. Thereupon, a committee of arrangements was appointed, who, in accordance with the resolutions of the meeting, present the following as the order of the day :

I St. The Military Jessamine Blues, under Capt. James Price and T^ieutenant Caldwell, will be drawn up between the residence of the Rev. John Metcalf and Mrs. Dillard's gate, in double file, with music on their right, will move down Main street, when the procession will be formed by each class, or division, falling in the rear of its preceding class, or division, according to the subsequent arrangement, the front class falling in the rear of the military.

2nd. Rev. Mr. ^letcalf's school children in the following order: No. I, at the r^lethodist Episcopal church. Rev. John Metcalf, marshal ; Xo. 2, at the quarter session court house. Col. John Price, marshal : drawn up in front of the school room of ]\Irs. Xancv Lafevers, with their right on Main street.

5th. Ladies of the town and vicinity, citizens and farmers of the county, in double file, at Mr. Metcalfs corner, witli right on Main street, near Mr. Xetherland's stable lot, Benjamin Hughes, Stephen Frost, Col. John Mosley, marshals.

The procession will move off at slow time at nine o'clock, a. m., to the woodland east of the town where the ceremonies of the day will proceed in the following order :

The procession will again form in the same order and return to town dispersing at the ])oints where they joined the procession in the morning and in the same order.

The ladies and gentlemen of Jessamine county are most respectftilly and earnestly invited to celebrate our Independence like patriotic men whose fathers were engaged in a bloody civil war for seven years.

The ]\Iichael Horine referred to in these proceedings, was an uncle of the late Henry Horine and John Horine. Michael Horine married a sister of (jeneral Muhlenberg, a Revolutionary soldier, and for whom MuJilenberg count} , in this state, is named. He settled in Jessamine county in 1799 and afterwards moved to Ohio, in 1808, Avhere he became ])rincii)al of a female school.

riie Hugh Chrisman mentioned is the ancestor of the large Chrisman familv in lessamine county. He was born in Rockingham county, \'a., in 1761), and died in 1849. ^i^ son. General Htnry Chrisman, long li^-ed in Jessamine as one of its most distinguished citizens and died in 1876. He lived on Hickman creek, a few miles from .Xicholasville.

James Ilenipliill, an uncle of Andrew Hem])hill, served under General \\'a\ne in the campaign agamst the Indians, and was in the battle of the l^'allen Timbers, August 20, 1794: Terrence Mc- ( Irath. who was the father of the late horseman. Price McGrath. lived in Jessamine county, and was also in tliat campaign. In tins battle General Wayne relied upon the charge of the Kentucky nioimted infantry to draw the tire of tlie Indians, and then sent in his foot men, with tlie l)ayonet. before which the Red Men precipitately fled. The l)l(nv inflicted secured ]:)eace and forever stopped Indian incursions into Kentucky.

subsequently moved to Louisville, and while there he became interested in the horse business, which he so successfully managed, and afterward founded his splendid breeding establishment for race horses in Fayette county, near Lexington.

Jessamine county sent soldiers to the war of 1812, commanded by the following captains : Capt. Jas. C. Price, Capt. Mason Singleton, Capt. Richard Hightower, Capt. Patrick Gray, Capt. Thos. Lewis. Capt. Robt. Crockett. Capt. Augustine Bower. Quite a large number of Captain Price's company were killed at the battle of the River Raisin, while Capt. Thos. Lewis' company w^as in Dudley's defeat at Fort Meigs, May 15, 1813, and there lost a large number of its members, who were either killed during the fight or murdered by the Indians after the surrender.

The following letter, written by a member of Captain Bowers' company in the battle of the Thames, will be of mterest to those whose ancestors were engaged in that fight. It was written by Nathaniel Adams, who died some years since in Pulaski county, and was the maternal uncle of S. M. Duncan. There are parts of it that relate to purely personal matters, which are omitted from the text as published :

I reached this muddie den of a village on Monday, the nth. I was in the battle on Tuesday, October 5th, and was not hurt by the bullets of the British and Indians, though I was in very great danger, as the company I was in formed the second line when Colonel Johnson made his men charge the enemy. The Indians raised a loud yell and opened a severe fire on our advance. About seventy or eighty red-coated British soldiers and an equal number of Indians opened a heavy lire on us again, emptying eighteen saddles, killing twelve and wounding more than thirty of our men in the front line. Captain Bowers rushed up in a moment and ordered our company to advance instantly. Our men rushed forward in a rapid gallop over the front line of the British, who stood their ground like men who preferred being shot down rather than surrender. Our company killed several British soldiers who had surrendered, and who attempted to escape. \\'hen we dispersed their army in die charge, we captured over ti\ e hundred prisoners. I saw a large Indian wandering along the ri\er with two guns and a bag of fried fish. I called the attention of Captain Bowers to the Indian, who, to all appearances, was going to steal a horse that belonged to one of Colonel Trotter's men. Captain Bower ordered three of the men to catch him. All three of us dashed at him. He raised one of the guns and fired; the ball came very close to my left ear. Instantly John Doolin shot him dead. He had fried fish in a dirty bag, and six scalps were in the bag, separated from his dinner of fish by a dirtv, old towel, which was marked by stains of blood. We scalped him and left him lying on his l)ack. John Doolin wanted to cut a razor strap from his thigh. l)Ut I objected to this and as we were picking up our wounded and sending them across the lake, I saw no more of the Indian.

The War of 1812 was one in which Kentucky figured more prominently than any other state. The warlike spirit had been undaunted by Indian aggressions on the frontier from 1783 down to tStt, ^^-hen llic men of Kentucky fouglit at Tippecanoe, and where the lirilliant and ])()pular Joseph Hamilton Daveiss and other gallant Kcniuikians gave their blood for the defense and preservation of the Xorthwestern territory. Kentucky, ofY and on, had in this war oxer 25,000 soldiers, .^lie gave some of her noblest blood in tlie l)attles it ])ro(luced and manifested a ])atriotism and N-alor wliich gave her increased renown. To this war Jessamine county sent, first and last, 600 soldiers.

England had nc\cr accepted gracefully the result of the Revolutionary \\"ar. The X^orthwestern Indians were fed and maintained by the ilritisli officials in Canada. They wore British clothes, used British guns and knives and traded with and for I'Jritish gold. Tlie war was l)r(night al)out by a series ol events, l)nt tlirrc were two princi])al causes:

First. Eno;lan(l claimed the rii^ht to sto]) and examine, anyuliere on the high seas, American vessels engaged in commerce, and to take from such vessels all llritish subjects.

"( )nce a subject, always a subject," a faNorite maxim of John Hull, was interpreted in the most offensive sense and any man whi: was supposed to Ijc an Irishman, Scc^tchman, etc., was taken and forced to ser\e in ihc I'.ritish navy, even though he was avi .\merican citizen. I )i|)l()niat-\ , alwavs slow to redress wrongs, was in these cases extremel\ tanU, and thousands of American citizens were thus relentlessly forced to serve a country whose allegiance the\- repudiated. The necessities of the English government were verv great. Us navv. greath' increased 1)\' the \var with the P'rench people led b\ Xapoleon, cotild only be maintained by impressment, and these -Vmerican ships were most attractive places for that sort of w(;rk. It took the news of these seizures a long time to reach home, and then a long time to get to the State Department, and then there was a long corres])ondence before even a hearing couhl be obtained. In the mean time, the men were in the navy and dri\'en b\- the lash or other more dreadful |)unishment to this hateful service.

Second: The Tnited States, in the thirty years that had passed since the Revolutionary War, had built u]) a large ocean carrying trade. England, through the blockade of luiropean ])orts, claimed the right to seize all Amei'ican shi])S and cargoes bound |i r any bl, ckaded port in Euro]ie (and they were nearly all blockaded) unless these slii])s. going to or returning from such ]-iorts. fir.st entered an E,nglish ])ort and registered and obtained license to prosecute their voyage.

As soon as the news of the war reached Kentucky ;uid before the President's recjuisition came to the (iovernor, volunteer coml^anies all over the state rushed to offer themselves to the Governor. Kentucky's (|Uota was 5,500 of the 100.000 called for. Weeks before the acttial declaration of war had been made, recruiting offices had been oi)eued and war meetings throughout the state gave asstirance that however lukewarm Xew England

One of these companies was commanded by Capt. James C. Price, a son of Col. William Price. The other was commanded by Capt. Patrick Gray. The roster of these two companies was as follows :

These companies were part of the 5th Kentucky Regiment, commanded by Lieut.-Gol. William Lewis and Majors Joseph Robb and Benjamin Graves. The other companies constituting the regiment were those of Gaptains Hart, Hamilton and Megowan from Fayette, Gaptain W'illiams, from }*Iontgomerv, and Gaptains Martin and llrassfield from Glark. Thev were ordered to assemble in Lexington on the 14th of August. They were enlisted on the 15th at Georgetown.

An immense concourse, estimated at 20.000, greeted the soldiers of this regiment at Lexington. Revolutionarv sires, hoary with age. wives whose hearts were filled with apprehension and dread, sweethearts whose trustful and tearful eves told the story of love for men in the ranks, children who looked with strange wonder upon the brilliant scene of these uniformed soldiers passing in review before the vast and sympathetic crowd, came from far and near to say good-bye and god-speed to the country's defenders. Each company paraded in its own uniform, and each vied with tlie other in evolution and manlv

XoiK' sur])asse(l the J L-ssaniinc I Uik-^ under Ca[)taiii I'ricc and tlic otlier Jessamine company under Captain Gray, and tlie vast crowds of iheir fellow citizens felt a just pride at their splentlid ai)pearance as they marched so promptly at their country's call.

Thev formed on W aier street in Lexing-ton and then marched into Main street and from thence out to the Georgetown road. 'Jdiev marched oidy about four miles and then camped for the night and next da}' went into camp at (ieorgetown. The Lewis. Regiment was reinforced l^y those of L"ol. John M. Scott and Col. John Allen, and tluy were formed into a brigade under Gen. John i'ayne.

( )n the following Simda\ the brigade was reviewed b\' (_io\ . Charles Scott and (ienerals John Payne and James W'incheste; After tlie review the soldiers and the crowd assembled and listened to an address from Henr\- Cla\ and a sermon from the eloquent ])r. James I'.Kthe, who was then president of Transylvania. Mr. Clav re\ieued the causes of the war and set forth the many and unbearable grievances which had forced the government to declare war. and closed with an a]:)peal to the troops io remembei that i\entuck\' was renowned for the bra\ery of her ])eo])le and that the\- nmst remember that the\' had both the glor_\' and the prestige of .Vmericans and Kentuckians to maintain. The vast crowxl departed aftc'r these patriotic, soul-stirring words and the soldiers went into cam]), and a few davs after marched to Xewport to recei\e their arms and e(pii])ment. Ilie most of the march was made in drenching rains, which were ominous of the hardships and mistorttuies which awaited them in the campaigns upon which tliex' had entered.

A part of the Jessamine troops were in what was known as Dudley's defeat, which was fought on May 5. 1813. on the kit bank of the .Manuiee ri\er. o])])osite to Fort Meigs, a few nnles south of d'oledo, Ohio. . .

had a fatiguing march for men and ammunition, and they found these on approaching the open boats lodged on the left bank of the Maiimee river, within hearing of the cannon of Fort Meigs, where General Harrison was then besieged by the British and a large force of Indians.

At twelve o'clock on the night of May 4th, when General Harrison was informed of General Clay's approach, he directed General Clay to land 700 men on the west side where the British were, charge their batteries, spike their cannon, and immediately return to their boats and cross over to the American fort. The remainder of Clay's troops were to land on the east bank and force their way into the fort by sorties from the garrison. Dudley's regiment was ordered to perform the first service. They were successful in the beginning, but the bravery of the Kentuckians and a misunderstanding of orders drew them into an ambuscade where they were cut ofif and surroimded Ijy overwhelming numbers, and the apparent victory was turned into dreadful defeat.

When the Kentuckians landed they marched at once toward the battery. This battery was taken without a struggle. It was left in possession of two companies, but it was shortly after taken by the British and forced to retreat to their boats and cross the river, when they reached Fort Meigs in safety.

The Kentuckians advanced and charged the Indians, and after seeing that they were outnumbered they attempted to retreat to the battery. They found this no longer in possession of their friends, but manned by British soldiers in large mmibers, who opened fire upon them. Arriving without order and being taken completely by surprise, they were compelled to surrender or be shot down. They surrendered. They were robbed by the Indians, who inflicted blows upon the prisoners at their pleasure. Most of the Americans were stripped of their clothes, and they were told l)y the British soldiers that the Indians intended to make them run the gauntlet, and just before the Americans reached the fort, the Indians taking advantage of their helpless condition, whipped and bruised and killed them as they pleased. A large nimiber of them were shot down and scalped. One Indian shot four prisoners and scalped them in the presence of their comrades, and in the presence of the British ofificers these Kentucky troops were subjected to all sorts of indignities, and even

The blundering and misfortunes and the disasters which attended the War of 1812 in the Northwest, in the end took a turn. The American arms were at last to receive some reward. The great naval battle fought on Lake Erie, on the loth of September. 1813. had destroyed the British fleet under Captain Barclay; not a single ship escaped. The gallant Perry had grandly accomplished his task and told his own story of the victory and success in those glorious words, "We have met the enemy and they are ours."

More than a lumdred Kentuckians who knew nothing of ships and had never sailed on any water but rivers, volunteered to serve on the vessels under Perry, and they deserved part of the credit for that superb victory.

(ieneral Proctor and his Indian allies under Tecumseh, after the destruction of the British fleet, , were safelv shut in noon English soil. General Harrison was not slow to avail himself of the effect this naval victory had secured, and he at once crossed into Canada and commenced his pursuit of Proctor and Tecumseh.

The horses of the Kentucky troops were corralled on the Michigan shore; they were surrounded by l)rush and trees cut down and pickets driven so as to make a complete ench^sure. When the pursuit was determined upon it was impossible to secure guards for the horses and camps other than by draft. Xo man was willing to accept such inglorious service unless by compulsion.

The capture of the llritish vessels enabled General Harrison to make an immediate crossing and with five brigades of Kentuckians and 120 L^nited States regulars, he landed on the Canada side on the 27th of September.

Col. Richard M. Johnson's Kentucky mounted infantry was the only cavalry in the invading army. It was a splendid regiment of thirteen companies and contained nearly 1,400 men.

The river Thames is a small stream rising in Canada east of Detroit and cini)t\in<:^- into Lake St. Clair. About forty miles ea?t of Detroit there was a small Moravian settlement, and after a dreadful and tiring march of a week, late in the afternoon of October 5. 1813. tlie .American army was in such close i)ursuit that Proctor and Tecumseli were forced to offer l)attle.

]'roct(M- liad 600 liritish regulars and Tecumseh had 1,500 Indiaiis. Th.ey were formed along the river bottom, with Tecumseh on the left, and tliere awaited the approach of the American ami}-, which was composed almost entirely of Kentuckians. Governor Shelby had abandoned his duties as governor and assumed the place of conuuander-in-chief of the Kentucky forces. Both he and General 1 larrison had uijon their stafTs some of the most brilliant men of the state - Geo. AValker, William T. Barry, John Speed .Smith. (Jen. John Adair. J. J. Crittenden and I'ercival Butler.

Colonel Johnson had during the ])revious months trained his regiment \o charge on horseback, and so soon as General Harrison learned that the Uritisli were formed in o])en order he directed Colonel Johnson to charge with his regiment mounted.

Colonel Johnson discovered that the front of the British regulars was too narrow for tlie use of all his men. He divided his regiment, gave lialf of it to liis brother. James Johnson. Lieut.- Colonel. Colonel Johnson called for an adxance guard of twenty men to nio\-e in advance of the troops. He had ])romised the \\ives and mothers and sweethearts and friends of his troops, when they asscnilded at Stamping Ground to start for the war, that he would in ex'ery way protect their lives in the campaign on which the\' iiad entered witli him. He conceived the idea that if he could draw the fire of the Indians upon an advance guard, that the main force could charge and ride tiver the enemy's line before it could reload, and that, though lie might sacrifice the twenty men ho would save heavy mortality among the remainder of his force.

It was a heroic thought, and it was carried out in a heroic way. Xineteen men gallantl}- volunteered to ride willi Colonel Johnson in ad\'ance on the enemv : oi these onh ten are known.

The advance was placed under the command of Col. William AN'hitley, who was a private in Captain Davidson's company. Of the members only the following names are known : Lieut. Samuel Logan, Coleman's company ; L. L. INIansfield, Stucker's company; Benjamin Chambers, quartermaster; Robert Payne, Stucker's company; Dr. Samuel Theobald, Coleman's company; William Webb, Stucker's company; Garrett Wall, forage major; Eli Short, forage master.

Lieut.-Col. Johnson at once charged the British regulars. He passed through their line, then turned and fired upon them in the rear. They immediately surrendered. Col. Richard M. Johnson, with half the regiment, with the advance guard in front, charged the Indians who at once poured in a deadly fire upon the advance guard, all of whom were either killed, wounded, or had their horses shot under them, except Dr. Samuel Theobald, of Lexington. The brave and heroic William W'hitley was killed at the first fire on the advance guard.

In these later days, when acts of heroism are applauded with such vigor and enthusiasm, it is v.ell to remind the world of such deeds as those of Gen. W^ill::.m O. Butler and Johnson's advance guard at the river Thames. These lose nothing in comparison Avith the conduct and courage cf any men of any age.

Proctor's regulars were all captured, the Indians were routed, Tecumseh was killed, his force was scattered, and peace in the Northwest was at once assured. Proctor himself abandoned his men, his carriage and baggage, and fled precipitately from the field. His guilty conscience smote him as he heard the Kentuck}- hosts on entering the battle, with mighty shout cry out, "Remember the Raisin." He knew that his perfidy and barbarity deserved the death that the comrades of the murdered h.eroes of Raisin would inflict upon him, and like a coward he fled from the just wrath of the American soldiers.

In this splendid battle a large number of the men from Jessamine participated, and part of its glory belongs to those who composed the Jessamine troops.

"My Dear Father : T have only time to inform you and my friends that I am now confined to my bed- with severe rheumatism in my legs. I am unable to walk, but am very kindly treated Frenchman who served in our armies under General Washington and received a severe shot in the left liip joint at the battle of Princeton, he has lived in tliis dreary country thirty years engaged in fishing on the lake. . Our company under Captain Bowen was in the battle of Thames river on the 5th. A cannon ball killed Captain Bowen's horse in the beginning of the battle, but he soon got another one much stronger and active than the horse he brought from home. After Commander Perrie gained the victory on the lake, the Barbarian Proctor abandoned the post at ]\lalden and took a position on the river Thames. His rapid movements, we have learned since the battle, was very annoying and displeasing to his Indian allies. This morning Captain Bowen called to see me in company with Captain Danfield of the Britisli army. I heard Captain Danfield say that the Indian chief Tecumsey was very mad at General Proctor for leaving his Indian brethren exposed to the vengeance of our soldiers. Danfield said that he heard the Indian chief address Proctor in very severe language about his leaving Maidens. It was also stated by the English officer that Proctor was fairly outgeneraled by Harrison and was mial)le to escape with all his baggage, being hard pressed l)y liim in ever}- move up the Thames. After a great deal of heavy marching and loss of sleep both armies met in the vicinity of a Dunkard settlement called Moravian town, which was deserted, not a lumian neing in it when the fight took place October 5th. The battle did not last very long, but it was fierce and savage. The Indians imder their Chief Tecumsey were in possession of a thick woods, who. w ith the British infantrv had formed their line of battle on ground which gave them some advantage over our troops. When the fight opened I saw Gen. Harrison with Commodore Perrie who was in the battle and was acting as aid. he and Captain Butler, Colonel Cass wlio was a very large man liad the i)OSt of honor and led the front line. Colonel Johnson, of Scott comUy. witli tlie mounted men was ordered to charge at full speed, and break their line. Johnson rushed along tlic line hat off and gave command in a loud voice that now was the time to fight, and m an instant his mounted men inckuling Captain JJowen's company were rushing on the lines of the enemy. At first our horses recoiled on receiving the heavy fire from the liritish and Indians, yet it w-as only momentarily, the voice of Colcjnel Cass and our Colonel Trotter was heard amid the roaring of nuisketr\ , tlic enemy run in every direction, we were completel}' victorious. Governor Shclljy whose presence on the field was greeted 1^\' thousands. The Indian chief Tecumsey was killed, over 500 of the eneni}- were taken in by our men. 80 of the English were killed and over 100 Indians were left on the field. Come to Newport after me and bring three feather beds in the wagon, as I can not bear jolting. Your son,