Again, I am using as my source the old works of the History of Kentucky" in many chapters on the Outline History of Kentucky. We are jumping forward into the 1840's and Kentucky had been a state for a little short of 50 years. The 1840's were a decade of changes in Kentucky. Many events were working, some under the surface, that had a great impact on its citizens. One such event, an on-going one at the time, was the stealing away of Kentucky slaves. Beginning in 1843 through 1845, men would come into Kentucky and steal slaves off in the dead of night and "run" them off to Canada, using the "underground railroad". Some slaves were re-captured in Ohio. In that state several judges gave judgment for damages based on the reasonable value of the slave rescued, but those judgments were never paid. Then people became lax in prosecuting the cases and some even encouraged the taking of the slaves. Collins reports that in 1849, "under a leader from the north, forty-two slaves in one body attempted to escape from Fayette and Bourbon counties." It was in June of 1845 that Cassius M Clay began publishing in Lexington, the anti-slavery newspaper called "The True American". It helped develop and intensify the growing uneasiness as to the safety and permanent value of slave property. The slavery issue was not to go away as Kentuckians were torn in their views on slavery. May 1846 marked the war with Mexico. Again Kentuckians were divided on their opinions on this topic but when the Governor called for volunteers, he was expecting as few of 5,000 from Kentucky. Instead, over 13,700 volunteers showed up. The United States definitely came out on top in this struggle that resulted in the independence of Texas. The Kentucky soldiers, with those of the other states were elated over the American victory and a new frontier was opened up. But soon, something else took over the attention of the Kentucky farmer who had worked his fingers to the bone in eeking out a living here. Despite the richness of the soil, the beauty of the land, man is born with a wanderlust! To placate this longing for something new and exciting - California had gold! California, recently ceded by Mexico, seemed the pot at the end of the rainbow. Can you imagine the conversations long into the night of young men in Kentucky and elsewhere, dreaming of the adventures of traveling clear across field, mountain and stream to strike it rich in the gold fields of California? And, can you picture the mothers, wives and children who begging their loved one not to go on such a dangerous journey? Many still remembered the trek into Kentucky many years ago and the perils they faced. But they went - from all over the country, swelling the California lands to bursting. Wildernesses soon became camps with many growing into cities, some falling later into ghost towns of dreams failed. And, behind the scenes came more discussion as to the admission into the Union of California when General Taylor was inaugurated. Some took the stance that if California was to be admitted, it must be a free state - others fought for it to be a slave state. The first mention of possibly the country was on the verge of a civil war was heard, but this was not to happen for a few more years. During this time also was discontent over banking systems, and new political parties carrying the names of "Anti-relief", "Old Court", "National Republican" and "Whig." Kentucky, along with the other states was suffering from growing pains. NOTE: Would you please add the name of Ensign Lewis Bailey PRIDE of Madisonville KY who was killed on the USS Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor 7 Dec 1941 to the list of men killed in World War II. (c) Copyright 19 Feb 2004, Sandra K. Gorin Colonel Sandi Gorin SCKY Links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html SCKY surname registry sites: http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyclinto/reg.html http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyclinto/forms/SCKYreg.html Gorin Publishing: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/