TIP# 125 - EARLY FORTS AND STATIONS IN KENTUCKY - MORE DATA Early on in this KYRESEARCH, I posted a long list of the early stations where the settlers came to live in the beginning settlement days of Kentucky. I'd like to take a more in-depth look at some of these stations. BIG CROSSING STATION: This was the first permanent settlement in Scott County, KY. It was located along the North Elkhorn about two miles west of Georgetown. Robert Johnson founded this station during the winter of 1783-84 and he named it for the buffalo path that crossed the stream there. He moved his family there in 1783 and built a mill in 1784. Spring floods destroyed it before it ever began operation. More settlers came into the area and the station gradually ceased to exist. He later used it as a private residence. Johnson left the area in 1815 and moved into Gallatin County, where he founded the town of Warsaw. (See Nancy O'Malley, Stockading Up, Lexington, KY, 1987.) BOILING SPRINGS SETTLEMENT/JAMES HARRODD'S STATION: This was founded by James Harrod in 1774 in now Boyle County, about six miles south of Harrodsburg on the Dix River. Harrod was a surveyor from Virignia and came here in 1773, laying out the town of Harrodsburg in June 1774. South of this area he laid out some more land where there was a large pool which was fed by the Boiling Springs. Several families arrived at this station by March 1775 and the area was fortified against Indian attacks. By 1784 the Boiling Springs bore little resemblance to a station, but rather a community since no Indian attacks had been entured. Harrod disappeared in 1792 during a hunting trip. (See O'Malley). BOWMAN'S STATION: Named for Colonel John Bowman who was the first county lieutenant and military governor of Kentucky. He established this station on the Cane Run in 1779 and originally housed seven families including Robert Bowmar [sic], Stephen Collins, Joseph Collins, Elisha and Robert Pruett, William Hall, James Cox and Thomas Glass. The station's population grew in the spring of 1790 to 28 families. The station was not stockaded as the cabins were built in a much protected valley. Bowman was known for his temper and opinionated nature but he was greatly admired. He died in 1784 at age 50, and later his son, John Jr. built a house near the station. (See O'Malley and John Walter Wayland's The Bowmans: A Pioneering Family in Virginia, Kentucky and the Northwest Territory, Staunton, VA, 1943.) BRYANT'S STATION: Also spelled Bryan, four brothers - William, Morgan, James and Joseph came from North Carolina to a fort five miles northwest of the Lexington Ford, on the south bank of the Elkhorn Creek. Here they built 45 cabins and a two-story blockhouse style fort. It was here, during the Revolutionary War, that almost 6700 Indian, Tories, Canadian Rangers and others, under Alexander McKee, Simon Girty and Capt. William Caldwell came into Kentucky and arrived at this station August 14 or 15, 1782. After surrounding the station in ambush, they prepared for battle. Messengers were dispatched to Lexington after they were discovered and on the 16th the battle began. They failed to take the station and withdrew during the night. (See George W. Ranck, History of Lexington, Kentucky: It's Early Annals and Recent Progress (Lexington, Ky., reprint 1970). COX'S STATION: This station was built on Cox's Creek, 5 miles north of the current Bardstown, KY. The land belonged to Colonel Isaac Cox and was used as a protection against Indian raids. Others, including Jonah Heaton, Daniel Holman, Thomas Jones, Richard and Samuel Richardson, Thomas Polke, William Chenoweth and 11 other settlers traveled by boat down the Ohio River to the mouth of the Kentucky River, coming from Redstone, PA, April, 1775. The then came by foot to Nelson County, during which an Indian attack killed two of their party. The station was not established until 1780. (See Sarah B. Smith, Historic Nelson County: Its Towns and People, Bardstown KY, 1963.) CRAIG'S BURNT STATION: This station, named John Craig's Station, housed mainly Baptists who were seeking religious freedom. It was established in 1779 on David's Fork east of Lexington. The Craig family included John, Joseph, Lewis and Elijah, were here and part of the "Traveling Church" - which had come from Virginia. They settled here on Christmas Eve in 1779 in four cabins, possibly an enclosed stockade. The inhabitants were forced to flee during an Indian attack in March 1781 - going to Boone's Station. The settlement was burned by the Indians after their departure. (See O'Malley). CROW'S STATION: This station, built by John Crow on over 1400 acres of land which he had claimed while traveling with James Harrod. It was a crudely built fort which provided safety for setters who were flocking into Kentucky after the Revolutionary War. It later became part of the town of Danville and was used for a time as an original courthouse. The fort fell into disrepair in 1783 and the families moved onwaard. John Crow was murdered by one of his own slaves. (See Calvin M. Fackler, Early Days in Danville, Louisville, 1941). ESTILL'S STATION: Founded in 1780 by Captain James Estill along with his brother, Samuel. It was located about 3 miles southwest of present day Richmond, Ky., on Otter Creek. There was a later Estill's New Station about two miles southweast of the original and was in a populated area of Madison County. It was the temporary home of Green Clay, also Monk Estill (James' slave). The latter saved the station from ruin in the battle of Little Mountain or Estill's Defeat 22 Mar 1782. Samuel Estill moved later to Tennessee and died 1837. FLOYD'S STATION: This was one of six stockated stations in the Middle Fork of Beargrass Creek, built in November 1779 by John Floyd - now a suburb of Lewisville. He was a deputy surveyor in Fincastle County, VA and came here from his home in Amherst Co VA in 1774. He was known as "the first white person to occupy land in what is now Jefferson County who had clear title to his property." At first, there was one cabin with John, his wife and child, three of his brothers and two brothers-in-law. But, by February 1780, there were ten families relocated here. In the winter of 1779-80, George Rogers Clark recommended Floyd's appointment as a commander of the Jefferson County militia. He was fatally wounded 9 Apr 1783 during an Indian ambush. The station continued with the assistance of his wife, Jane Buchanan Floyd who later married Alexander Breckinridge. She died in 1831 and was buried next to her first husband in the Breckinridge Cemetery where the station stood. GILBERT'S CREEK STATION: (Lewis Craig's Station) This station was founded December 1781 by Rev. Lewis Craig mentioned above. GOODWIN'S FORT: This was located on the north bank of the Rolling Fork of Salt River, 12 miles west of Bardstown in Nelson County. The name was also spelled GOODIN'S Fort and was founded by Samuel Goodwin in 1780. He, along with his brother, Isaac Goodwin, along with their families came to the Falls of the Ohio in April 1779 where they stayed a short time. They then moved to the location of the fort, cleared land and built cabins. Because of Indian threats, he stockaded his cabins and established a small fort in 1781. Goodwin continued to live at the fort until, due to his being unable to get a clear title on the land, he was forced to move to Larue County where he died in 1807. (See Evelyn Crady Adams, Goodwin's Fort (1780) In Nelson County, Kentucky, Jan. 1953). GRANT'S FORT: This was also known as Grant's Station, on the Houston Creek near Bryan's Station and the Fayette County Line. It was built in 1779 by John Grant who came from NC., along with William Ellis of VA. It was built to house 20-30 families. An Indian attack occurred here in June of 1780. The fort was burned and two men and one woman were killed. The Grant family sold the land to George Berry in 1778, and was used as a rest stop for people traveling to and from Lexington. HARMAN'S STATION: This station was located near the junction of John's Creek and the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River in Johnson County. It is thought to be the oldest permanent settled in this area of eastern Kentucky. The blockhouse there was built in 1798 by a party of men from Walker's Creek, VA under the guidance of Mathias "Tice" Harman. Jenny Wiley, the famed frontier heroine, escaped her Indian captors and fled here early in 1790. (See Henry P. Scalf, Kentucky's Last Frontier, 2nd ed, Pikeville, Ky, 1972). INNES'S STATION: Henry (Harry) Innes built this station in 1792 in Franklin County, about 5 miles northeast of current Frankfort, KY. The log house was one and a half stories tall, portholes in the walls served as a means for shooting at attackers. It was attacked that same year by Indians who killed one of his slaves and captured another slave. He lived at this station until his death in 1816. 9See George A. Lewis, 'A Relic of Indian Days," Register, 19 (Jan 1921). LOGAN'S STATION (ST. ASAPH): This fort was located at Buffalo Spring, west of Stanford in Lincoln County. Benjamin Logan built this fort in 1775 with the help of John Floyd. There were supposedly three blockhouses, 7 cabins, gates at each end. Settlers supposedly built a ditch to the spring which was covered by puncheon logs and dirt. At various times this station houses Ben Pettit, William Whitley, William Menifee, George Clark, James Mason, Samuel Coburn and their families, John Martin, John Kennedy, James Craig, William Hudson, John King, Azariah Davis, Burr Harrison and William May along with many women and children, slaves and visitors. Many Indian raids occurred here including the one of 20 May 1777 which continued for 13 days. (See Charles Talbert, Benjamin Logan, Lexington, KY, 1962). McCLELLAND'S STATION: This was one of the first stockaded stations north of the Kentucky River. It was founded by John McClelland October, 1775. It was located at Royal Spring which flows north into the North Elkhorn Creek. It was built on land originally owned by John Floyd in 1774. John McClelland was from Westmoreland County, PA, and returned there in 1775 to get his family ready for the move to the station. This included his wife, Sarah; brothers William and Alexander and also included Robert Patterson. The settlers here were shocked by an Indian attack in April of 1776 and with the help of Simon Kenton and John Todd, the inhabitants there fled their settlement. McClelland was killed by another Indian attack on December 29th and the station was unofficially closed. (See O'Malley noted elsewhere). McCONNELL'S STATIONS: Francis and William McConnell are credited with building this station out of which grew Lexington in Fayette County. They surveyed the land here and in Scott County. Both men established small stations. The Francis McConnell Station is the best known with early settlers coming here in 1780 including Robert Edmiston, David Campbell, John Brookey, John Nutt, Matthew Harper and John Stevenson. The station closed about 1784; Francis dying early and William becoming a noted citizen and early trustee of Lexington. (See Carolyn Murray Wooley, The Founding of Lexington, 1775-1776, Lexington, Ky, 1975.) To be continued. © Copyright 19 February 1998, Sandra K. Gorin, All Rights Reserved. >>}}}0>> <<0{{{<< Sandi Gorin - 205 Clements Ave., Glasgow, KY 42141-3409 502-651-9114 - sgorin@glasgow-ky.com GORIN GEN PUB: http://members.tripod.com/~GorinS/index.html KYRESEARCH ON THE WEB: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgwqury/Ky/Tips/index.cgi ~~~~~~~ KYRESEARCH,KYBIOS,SOUTH-CENTRAL-KENTUCKY lists - Write for info. ------------------------------