I am trying more precisely to locate the land owned by my Christian/Caldwell County Colley ancestors by reading early court order book descriptions of roads and road work. Can anyone help me with this? I think I'm lost. My Colley ancestors lived on land on the waters of the Muddy Fork of the Little River and on the waters of Wallace's Fork beginning in 1799. In Perrin's history of Christian County, published in 1884, the Colley farms were described as being on the Princeton road near the Caldwell County line. Am I correct in thinking that this "Princeton road" would have run roughly where Highway 91 does today? In Christian County Court Order Book A, page 156, 22 August 1803, it says: "Etheldred Scoggins resigned as Surveyor of the road leading from the crossing of the Muddy Fork at Willis Hicks to the Livingston County line and that Lott Nichols be appointed in his stead as far as Jacob Colleys and James Cook from that to Livingston County line and that Sam'l Bradley, Esq., allot the hands." In 1800, Livingston County's southern line extended from what is now Hopkins County's border down to what is now the eastern border of Marshall County. So, was the road described in the court order above the same road as what was later known as the Princeton road? Viewing, surveying, and arguing over a similarly described road appears to have gone on for some years. Throughout, there is frequent mention that this road should run from Willis Hicks' to "the house and barn." No further description of the house and barn or its owner is given. Does anyone have any idea as to what landmark the house and barn that apparently needed no further description could have been? On 10 December 1804, my ancestor Andrew Colley along with Willis Hicks, Samuel Bradley and John Colley were appointed to "review and mark that part of the road leading from Willis Hicks to the house and barn and report thereof to our next County Court." Am I correct in thinking that the men who were assigned to view and mark off roads were chosen from among the owners of the land through which the proposed road would pass? Finally on 12 August 1811, the court ordered that the road be opened. "It is therefore ordered that said road be established according to the report of the viewers from said Hicks to the house and barn and that it be opened accordingly 30 feet wide. It is ordered that Luke Nichols be appointed surveyor of the said road from said Hicks to the house and barn commencing at the Muddy Fork and continuing to Jacob Colley's Spring Branch, Mathias Early from that to house and barn with allotment of hands filled." Jacob Colley and Jacob Walton had objected to the proposed siting of the road. Are these court orders describing two different roads or was the road "to the house and barn" the same as the road later called the Princeton road? Does anyone know where Willis Hicks' land lay? I will greatly appreciate any help that anyone can give me in more precisely locating the land mentioned in the road orders. Thanks! Betty Ravenholt

Is this the James Cook born in 1783 in Caldwell County that was married to Sarah Early? Also, Luke Nichols born the same year in North Carolina and married Nancy ????? Virginia in Seattle ----- Original Message ----- From: <Ravenholt@aol.com> To: <KYCHRIST-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 9:07 PM Subject: [KYCHRIST] Roads in early Christian Co. - Colley, Hicks, Nichols, Scoggins, Early lands > I am trying more precisely to locate the land owned by my Christian/Caldwell > County Colley ancestors by reading early court order book descriptions of > roads and road work. Can anyone help me with this? I think I'm lost. > > My Colley ancestors lived on land on the waters of the Muddy Fork of the > Little River and on the waters of Wallace's Fork beginning in 1799. In Perrin's > history of Christian County, published in 1884, the Colley farms were described > as being on the Princeton road near the Caldwell County line. > > Am I correct in thinking that this "Princeton road" would have run roughly > where Highway 91 does today? > > In Christian County Court Order Book A, page 156, 22 August 1803, it says: > "Etheldred Scoggins resigned as Surveyor of the road leading from the > crossing of the Muddy Fork at Willis Hicks to the Livingston County line and that > Lott Nichols be appointed in his stead as far as Jacob Colleys and James Cook > from that to Livingston County line and that Sam'l Bradley, Esq., allot the > hands." > > In 1800, Livingston County's southern line extended from what is now Hopkins > County's border down to what is now the eastern border of Marshall County. > So, was the road described in the court order above the same road as what was > later known as the Princeton road? > > Viewing, surveying, and arguing over a similarly described road appears to > have gone on for some years. Throughout, there is frequent mention that this > road should run from Willis Hicks' to "the house and barn." No further > description of the house and barn or its owner is given. Does anyone have any idea > as to what landmark the house and barn that apparently needed no further > description could have been? > > On 10 December 1804, my ancestor Andrew Colley along with Willis Hicks, > Samuel Bradley and John Colley were appointed to "review and mark that part of the > road leading from Willis Hicks to the house and barn and report thereof to our > next County Court." Am I correct in thinking that the men who were assigned > to view and mark off roads were chosen from among the owners of the land > through which the proposed road would pass? > > Finally on 12 August 1811, the court ordered that the road be opened. "It is > therefore ordered that said road be established according to the report of > the viewers from said Hicks to the house and barn and that it be opened > accordingly 30 feet wide. It is ordered that Luke Nichols be appointed surveyor of > the said road from said Hicks to the house and barn commencing at the Muddy Fork > and continuing to Jacob Colley's Spring Branch, Mathias Early from that to > house and barn with allotment of hands filled." Jacob Colley and Jacob Walton > had objected to the proposed siting of the road. > > Are these court orders describing two different roads or was the road "to the > house and barn" the same as the road later called the Princeton road? > > Does anyone know where Willis Hicks' land lay? > > I will greatly appreciate any help that anyone can give me in more precisely > locating the land mentioned in the road orders. Thanks! > > Betty Ravenholt > > > ==== KYCHRIST Mailing List ==== > Christian County KYGenWeb > http://www.kyseeker.com/christian > > ============================== > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 > >