Counties Of Todd And Christian Kentucky Collections – Page 2 of 12

Courtship and Marriage in Early Kentucky

Attending church had other merits to the young gallants of long ago than vigorous preaching. It was quite the thing if a young man had the means to escort his lady to church on horse back. The less fortunate walked and then ” went home ” with his girl after services. On such occasions it was no uncommon thing after getting out of sight of the church for the young lady to remove her morocco slippers and fine stockings and walk home with her escort barefooted. If Kennedy is to be trusted ” the general custom was to see your … Read more

Biography Sketch of W. B. Shelton

W. B. SHELTON, by occupation a physician, was born in Todd County, Ky., October 20, 1843, and is a son of Crispin and Polly B. (Dodd) Shelton, both natives of Kentucky-the former of Scotch-Irish and the latter of Irish descent. Crispin Shelton was born August 3, 1807, and his wife was born in 1819. In youth he learned the carpenter’s and cooper’s trades and followed them in connection with farming, his principal occupation. He has held the office of Jailor of Todd County, and he and wife are devoted members of the Christian Church. W. B. Shelton was reared and … Read more

Biography of W. S. Gill

W. S. GILL was born in this county on July 9, 1838, and is a son of Coleman and Mary L. (Watkins) Gill. The father was born in Fauquier County, Va., in 1806, and came to Todd County in 1810 with his parents, who settled about one mile south of the Lasley Mill in this district, and there the latter died. The father, upon reaching manhood, turned his attention to farming, and settled near the mill; here he lived_ for upward of twenty years. He then moved to the south part of the precinct; here he lived until his death, … Read more

Biography of W. H. Sarver

W. H. SARVER, son of Henry and Mary 0. (Rice) Sarver, was born in Sumner County, Tenn., near Gallatin, March 1, 1835. His father was a native of North Carolina and of German-Scotch descent. His mother was a native of Tennessee and of Scotch origin. His father was educated at the pioneer schools of his day. In early life, by his own natural abilities, he became a skillful millwright and followed this calling in connection with farming. During his life he owned several mills; at one time two mills, a carding machine and pottery, doing an extensive business. He was … Read more

Biography of Samuel W.Taliaferro

SAMUEL W. TALIAFERRO is a resident of Guthrie Precinct, and lives upon the farm where he was born April 15, 1843. He is the fifth child of a family of six, born to Samuel W. and Sallie (Moore) Taliaferro. The father was born in Albemarle County, Va., July 19, 1798. In youth he came to Greene County, Ky., a few years later he came to Todd County and settled on this farm, where his widow now resides; he died October 11, 1879. On coming here he worked at the brick-laying trade, and at the end of a few years had … Read more

Biography of Samuel Horace Wells

SAMUEL HORACE WELLS, County Clerk of Todd County, was born December 25, 1850; is a son of William H. and Mary (Porter) Wells, and a native of Todd County. His father was also born in this county October 23, 1822; was a son of Jesse Wells, and descended from an old Virginia family, which was represented in the State of Kentucky at a very early day. William H. married Mary E. Porter, daughter of Samuel Porter, once a resident of Elkton. She was born February 11, 1827, in Todd County, and died September 26, 1872. William H. Wells was a … Read more

Biography of Samuel Chesnut

THE CHESNUT FAMILY. Among the prominent families who early immigrated to Todd County in the pioneer days, may justly be mentioned the one appearing at the head of this brief sketch. Near the beginning of the present century the widow Chesnut removed from North Carolina to Todd. County, Ky., and settled on the Elk Fork of Red River. With her came her sons, Samuel, James, John and Alexander. They were zealous members of the old Seceder Church. Of these sons, Samuel, born in North Carolina, 1793, was a valiant soldier in the war of 1812, and died in 1866. His … Read more

Biography of Romulus A. Lindsey

ROMULUS A. LINDSEY, a native of Todd County and an enter-prising farmer, was born September 1, 1839. He is the fourth of eleven children-four boys and seven girls-nine now living, born to John and Martha (Johnson) Lindsey,’ natives of Christian County, Ky., of Irish descent. Subject’s father is the on of Archibald and Jane (Meacham) Lindsey, son and daughter respectively of John Lindsey and John and Lucy (Brewer) Meacham. The Lindsey family first emigrated from South Carolina to Virginia, thence to Christian County, Ky., about the year 1805 or 1806, where they entered lands and endured the privations of a … Read more

Biography of Robert H. McKinney

ROBERT H. McKINNEY was born November 26, 1845, in Todd County, Ky. His parents are William W. and Rebecca (Griffin) McKinney, natives of Kentucky. The parents of William W. were John and Naomi (Ridgedill) McKinney, natives of South Carolina. John died in 1834, aged sixty-five. His wife died in 1824, aged about 50 years. Of their eleven children, Nancy Rector, of Texas, and William W. are all who survive. The latter is one of the respected, good farmers of the county, owning at present writing 300 acres of land. His first marriage, to Rebecca Griffin, August 25, 1840, resulted in … Read more

Biography of Rev. Crittenden Reeves

HON. CRITTENDEN REEVES was born in this county December 28, 1842. In 1849, he moved with his brothers to Missouri; remained there until 1856, and then returned to Todd County. Of his father, an obituary notice says: ” Benjamin H. Reeves, the eldest son of Brewer and Martha Reeves, was born in Augusta County, Va., March 21, 1787, and moved with his parents to Christian County, Ky., about the commencement of the present century, and settled on the West Fork of Red River. Shortly after their arrival in Kentucky his father died, leaving his widow and infant children in comparatively … Read more

Biography of R. D. Bellamy

R. D. BELLAMY was born in Lexington, Fayette Co., Ky., on December 14, 1818, and a son of John and Sarah (Johnson) Bellamy. The father was a native of Dinwiddie County, Va., and came to the State in 1810. In 1812 he was drafted into the war, but procuring a substitute he was excused. While a resident of that county he turned his attention to the carpenter’s trade. In 1819 he came to Todd County and turned his attention to farming. Soon after his arrival here he built a distillery near Daysville. This he ran for some time; he afterward … Read more

Biography of Nelson Wade

NELSON WADE, a leading citizen and merchant of Fairview, was born in northeastern Todd County, Ky., March 23, 1825, and is the third of ten children-seven boys and three girls-nine living, born to Brunt and Easter (Carr) Wade, natives of Virginia and Todd County, Ky., respectively. The father was of Welsh-English and the mother of Irish descent. Subject’s grandfather Wade was a native of Virginia; his grandfather Carr, of Ireland. Subject’s father was born in 1793, and served one year in the war of 1812. When he became of age he emigrated ‘to Todd County, Ky., where he rented land … Read more

Biography of Michael Kennedy

THE KENNEDY FAMILY. In the year 1809 Michael Kennedy, Eleanor (McCaffrey) Kennedy his wife, and their six children Thomas, William, James, Betsey, Paulina and Urban E. removed’ from Lincoln County, Ky., to Todd County (then Christian). Michael Kennedy was a coppersmith by trade, and was brought up in Dublin, Ireland. He came to America about the beginning of the Revolutionary war, in which he served as a soldier. At the close of that glorious struggle for liberty, he took up his residence in Virginia as a hunter and pioneer, and was there married in 1785. The following year, and shortly … Read more

Biography of K. L. Terry

K. L. TERRY was born December 29, 1841, in Muhlenburg County, Ky. William A. and Elizabeth (Hay) Terry were his parents. The father was a native of Virginia, the mother of North Carolina. The father was a farmer; his death occurred in 1844, aged twenty-four years. The mother is still living at the age of sixty-six years; the parents were members of the Baptist Church. These parents had two children, K. L. and William B. The latter is a druggist in Princeton, Ky. K. L. began for himself at the age of twenty-six. Previously he had assisted his mother on … Read more

Biography of Jr. Benjamin T. Perkins

BENJAMIN T. PERKINS, JR., lawyer, was born September 12, 1846, in Todd County, Ky. The family is of English origin, and was among the early emigrants from the mother country, who took up their residence in Virginia. They remained in Virginia but a short time, when, following the general drift of the population westward, they found themselves in the wilds of Kentucky. His grandfather came to Kentucky some time prior to the year 1800. His son, Benjamin T. Perkins, Sr., and father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Todd County, in 1818, became a prominent lawyer, and … Read more

Biography of Joshua Cates

A remarkable character and an energetic business man was Joshua Cates. Few now living remember him personally, or that he was once an influential citizen of the county. He was no common man in anything, not even in his eccentricities and peculiarities, for these were his most charming characteristics. It is said that he bore a strong resemblance to Napoleon Bonaparte, and that he was as great a man in his way as the little Corsican Lieutenant. He was not learned in the books, but he was rich and original in intellect, and rough sometimes in his speech, but still … Read more

Biography of John W. Petree

JOHN W. PETREE, a leading and enterprising citizen and farmer, was born November 27, 1830, about four miles east of Fairview, and is the third of children-three boys and two girls-three now living, born the third of five children to John and Sythie (Mobley) Petree, natives respectively of South Carolina and Johnson County, Ga.; the father of Scotch-Irish descent and the mother, on her father’s side, of Irish origin. Subject’s father was born in May, 1El 806; emigrated to Todd County, Ky., in an early day and settled near Elkton, where he lived till about 1871, when he moved to … Read more

Biography of John H. Heltsley

JOHN H. HELTSLEY was born October 18, 1838, in Todd County, Ky.; his parents are Michael and Dorothea (Sears) Heltsley, both natives of Kentucky. The father is engaged in farming and now living in this county; his age is nearly seventy years. The mother died in the fall of 1863, aged about fifty. John H. began for himself at the age of twenty-two years; he commenced by farming on the farm where he now resides, which then contained 112 acres; he held the farm sixteen years, then sold and moved to Arkansas. After remaining there one year he returned and … Read more

Biography of John F. Bell

JOHN F. BELL, merchant of Elkton, Ky., is a son of J. W. Bell, and Sarah H. Bell (nee Browder). He was born February 11, 1851, at Bell’s Chapel in Todd County, where his father died September 2, 1884, John F. received the advantages of a common English education, in his native county, and in the Browder Institute of Logan County. In 1872, he came to Elkton and for one year was employed as a salesman in the business house of James Russell; he then effected a partnership with Mr. R. M. Russell in the grocery trade, which partnership was … Read more

Biography of James T. Penrick

JAMES T. PENICK was born in Todd County, Ky., April 30, 1848. He is the eleventh of a family of thirteen children, born to Nathan and Nancy H. (Caldwell) Penick. His father was a native of Virginia; was born in 1807, and was brought by his father, William Penick, to the State of Kentucky in 1814. This family located in Green County, where Nathan grew to manhood, and where his father, William Penick, died. About 1828 Nathan married Miss Nancy H. Caldwell, and they remained residents of Green County until 1847. At the latter date they came to Todd County, … Read more