TIP #219 - THE PIONEER'S FIRST GLIMPSE OF KENTUCKY It has been said rightfully so, that genealogy is not just a list of births, deaths, marriages and burials. Genealogy is YOUR family; what they did, how they lived and what effected their lives. I have done previous tips on some of the history of early Kentucky, but as one gets deeper into one's family tree, the researcher wants to make his history "live." Names and dates are impressive for those who can trace their family tree back to nobility or felon ... but the family tree is never so exciting as when one explores the surroundings. Collins, in his History of Kentucky, written originally in 1847, took such a look. He realized that in generations to come, descendants of these hearty pioneers would want to know what made them they became. What did early Kentucky look like? One Capt. Imlay, an officer of the Revolutionary army, and an early witness of the settlement of Kentucky, published in 1793, New York, a description of the western territory of North America. This was his view of Kentucky, written to a correspondent in England. "Everything here assumes a dignity and splendor I have never seen in any other part of the world. You ascend a considerable distance from the shore of the Ohio, and when you would suppose you had arrived at the summit of a mountain, you find yourself upon an extensive level. Here an eternal verdure reigns, and the brilliant sun of latitude 39 degrees, piercing through the azure heavens, produces in this prolific soil an early maturity which is truly astonishing." "Flowers full and perfect, as if they had been cultivated by the hand of a florist, with all their captivating colors, and with all the variegated charms which color and nature can produce here, in the lap of elegance and beauty, decorate the smiling groves. Soft zephyrs gently breathe on sweets, and the inhaled air gives a voluptuous glow of health and vigor, that seems to ravish the intoxicated senses. The sweet songsters of the forest appear to feel the influence of the genial clime, and in more soft and modulated tones warble their tender notes in unison with love and nature. Every thing here gives delight; and, in that wild effulgence which beams around us, we feel a glow of gratitude for the elevation which our all bountiful Creator has bestowed upon us." (Collins, p. 153). Collins quotes John Filson's "Discovery, Settlement and present state of Kentucky," published as a supplement to the above which was written in 1784: "The country in some parts nearly level; in others not so much so; in others again hilly, but moderately - and in such places there is most water. The levels are not like a carpet, but interspersed with small risings and declivities, which form a beautiful prospect. The soil is of a loose, deep, black mould without sand, in the first rate lands about two or three feet deep, and exceedingly luxuriant in all its productions. The country in general may be considered as well timbered, producing large trees of many kinds, and to be exceeded by no country in variety. Those which are peculiar to Kentucky are the sugar tree, which grows in all parts, and furnishes every family with great plenty of excellent sugar. The honey-locust is curiously surrounded with large thorny spikes, bearing broad and long pods in the form of peas, has a sweet taste, and makes excellent beer. The coffee tree greatly resembles the black oak, grows large, and also bears a pod, in which is enclosed coffee. The pawpaw tree does not grow to a great size, is a soft wood, bears a fine fruit, much like a cucumber in shape and size, and tastes sweet. Of the fine cane, on which the cattle feed and grow fat, this plant in general grows from three to twelve feet high, of a hard substance, with joints at eight or ten inches distance along the stalk, from which proceed leaves resembling those of the willow. There are many canebrakes, so thick and tall, that it is difficult to pass through them. Where no cane grows, there is an abundance of wild rye, clover and buffalo grass, covering vast tracts of country, and affording excellent food for cattle. The fields are covered with an abundance of wild herbage not common to other countries. Here are seen the finest crown-imperial in the world, the cardinal flower, so much extolled for its scarlet color, and all the year, excepting the winter months, the plains and valleys are adorned with a variety of flowers of the most admirable beauty. Here is also found the tulip-bearing laurel tree, or magnolia, which is very fragrant and continues to blossom and seed for several months together." (Collins, p. 154). The principal rivers of Kentucky are the Ohio, Mississippi, Tennessee, Cumberland, Kentucky, Green, Licking, Big and Little Sandy, Salt and the Rolling Fork of Salt River. The Mississippi washes the Kentucky shore from the mouth of the Ohio to a point below New Madrid. Big and Little Sandy lie in the eastern extremity of the State. The Kentucky, Licking, Salt and Rolling Fork of Salt Rivers, flow through the interior of the state. The geological formations include at the lowest level the blue limestone, then the cliff limestone, slate or shale, and sandstone. Cavernous limestone is abundant, as is the conglomerate coal series. Minerals are abundant in Kentucky including iron, lead, salt, saltpeter, gypsum, hydraulic lime. Mineral springs are to be found throughout the state. At the Blue Springs on the bank of the Licking River is found a sulphur spring which contains a large amount of common salt and is highly prized. (Collins, 159-160). What an awe-inspiring sight must have awaited the first brave men and women who rode and walked into Kentucky! Dr. Walker, who visited the state in 1758 - many years before the Commonwealth of Kentucky was formed - was followed by Finley in 1767 and Daniel Boone in 1769. Later came Knox in 1770. Many came here because of the bounty lands which had been awarded to the brave soldiers of the Revolutionary War and the French war. These lands, in payment of services rendered, were to be "located on the western waters". Surveyors were sent to Kentucky to locate all these lands. Captain Thomas Bullitt led, in 1773, a party of surveyors down the Ohio to the Falls, and he as successful in platting many of the lands. James, George and Robert M'afee, brothers, had accompanied Bullitt from Virginia to the mouth of the Kentucky River. By 1774, other parties began to arrived followed by hunters who had heard of the wealth of game in this unspoiled country. James Harrod came and built his cabin where now Harrodsburg stands. Boonesborough was formed, built by the much loved Daniel Boone. In 1775, at the completion of the fort, the first known white women arrived. Mrs. Boone and her daughters arrived at Boonesborough in September of that year; Mrs. Denton, Mrs. M'Gary and Mrs. Hogan ssettled in Harrodsburg. By the spring of 1776, Colonel Richard Calloway brought his wife and two daughters to Boonsboroguh and in March, Colonel Benjamin Logan brought his wife and family to Logan's Fort, about one miles west of Stanford, in now Logan County. Slaves came with their owners and were immediately engaged in putting out crops. It was during the summer of this year, 1775, that George Rogers Clark came to the area for the first time; he an avid hunter and a great favorite of the pioneers. In 1775, Kentucky became a county and was allowed justices of the peace, a sheriff, constables, coroners and militia officers. At Harrodsburg in 1777, the court of quarter sessions met with Levi Todd serving as its sheriff and clerk, along with John Todd, John Floyd, Benjamin Logan, John Bowman and Richard Calloway. Almost immediately, a new danger raised its head; the Indians. Fighting with the Indians became a daily way of life for the pioneers and many noble men and women, along with children, lost their lives; many whose names are lost in the pages of time. George Rogers Clark mentioned above soon played an important role in the settling of Kentucky, of whose history has been written so glowingly in many of this historical accounts. With the Revolutionary War still raging, in 1776, Clark was taking surveys in Kentucky. He noted the northwestern posts which at the time were garrisons of the British troops which supplied most of the arms and ammunitions to the predatory Indian bands. His adventures would fill volumes and cannot be extended here in this post. Virginia neglected to provide for the general survey of Kentucky County at the expense of the government and it was done by the United States. Each possessor of a land warrant was allowed to locate the same where ever he pleased, he had to pay for his own survey. His entry of land was required to be quite specific so each other locator could recognize that this land had already been taken up. But, because there were so few qualified surveyors and record keeping was not the best, many sorrows, lawsuits and problems soon sprung up as the hunters and pioneers found their entries piled upon each other, overlapping boundaries, and general confusion. As the state became more settled, the problems intensified. And the immigrants did come - elk and buffalo hunters, Indian hunters, settlers - they came in a flurry. Everyone wanted the most rich section of land and no Indian was going to stand in the way. (c) Copyright 26 January 1999, Sandra K. Gorin, All rights reserved, sgorin@glasgow-ky.com TIP OF THE WEEK! Remember to check out the Archives URL below to see the past posts to the list. Col Sandi Gorin 205 Clements,Glasgow, KY 42141 (502) 651-9114 PUBLISHING: http://www.members.tripod.com/~GorinS/index.html GORIN WEBSITE: http://members.delphi.com/sgorin/index.html SCKY: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ky/BarrenObits TIPS: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ky/Tips KYBIOS: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ky/Bios ARCHIVES: http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl