Christian County KY

Biography of Hon. Robert P. Henry

The son of a Revolutionary soldier and the representative of a distinguished family was Robert P. Henry. He was born in 1788 in Scott County, Ky., where his father, Gen. William Henry, had settled among the first in that region. He graduated in Transylvania University at Lexington, and studied law with Henry Clay. In 1809 he was admitted to the bar, and the same year was appointed Commonwealth’s Attorney for the district. He served in the war of 1812 as aid to his father, with the rank of Major. In 1811 he married Miss Gabriella F. Pitts, of Georgetown, Ky., … Read more

Last Wolf

Last Wolf: [HW: KY4] On January 20, 1910, a famous gray wolf was seen in Christian County and killed by a man named Tyler. This wolf seemed to be the last wolf seen in this County. It had terrorized the farmers in the Sinking Fork neighborhood, and a party organized by Charles L. Dade formed to hunt and kill this wolf which was done on the above date. The wolf measured 48 inches from tip to tip and stood 24 inches high.

Slave Narrative of Annie Morgan

Interviewer: Mamie Hanbery Person Interviewed: Annie Morgan Location: Hopkinsville, Kentucky Age: 65 Place of Residence: 207 W. 2nd St., Hopkinsville, Ky Story of Annie Morgan: (age 65, 207 W. 2nd St., Hopkinsville, Ky.) Annie was born of slave parents. Her mother and father were slaves of the Payne family. Ques: Annie can you give me or rather tell me of some of your earlier life with your parents, or what your mother and father has told you of things before and after the Civil War. Ans: Wal, wal, I do declare it has ben so long I’se jes don’t remember. … Read more

Biography of Abraham Stites

Abraham Stites was a son of Dr. John Stites, and was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, during the Revolutionary war, and with his mother was removed into a cellar to avoid danger resulting from a sharp engagement then going on between the British soldiers and the rebels of that day. A singular coincidence in the life of Mr. Stites is that he died in February, 1864, in Hopkinsville, during a skirmish here between the Confederate and Federal troops. He, with a large family connection of the Ganos and Stiteses, removed from New Jersey to the Ohio Valley in 1808, carrying … Read more

Biography of Gov. John M. Palmer

John M. Palmer

John M. Palmer was born in Scott County, Kentucky, September 13, 1817, and soon after his birth his father, who had been a soldier in the war of 1812, removed to Christian County, where lands were then cheap. John M. is still remembered by many of the old citizens as a bright, intelligent boy, fond of reading, and who lost no opportunity to improve his mind. He received such education as the new and sparsely settled country afforded, and in 1831 his father removed to Illinois. Shortly after a college was opened at Alton on the “manual labor system,” and … Read more

Biography of Hon. Ninian Edwards

The eminent character of this gentleman requires more than a passing mention, in fact, a sketch of the early courts and bar of Christian County would be imperfect without an extended notice of him and his many public services. He has left a record in two States that time cannot efface. As a lawyer, jurist and statesman he was pre-eminently great. For nearly forty years he devoted his best energies to the service of his country, wielding an influence exceeded by few of his day and time. At the period when Judge Ninian Edwards lived his most active life, the surroundings … Read more

Biography of Hon. Benjamin Shackelford

But few men of his day and time, a period when judges held office during good behavior, occupied the circuit bench longer than Judge Benjamin Shackelford. For thirty-six years-more than the average of human life-he presided over the Circuit Court of this judicial district. And during that time fewer of his decisions were reversed by the higher courts than of any judge, perhaps, in the State. Although making no parade of it, Judge Shackelford possessed in a full measure that absolute incorruptibility that insures purity in the administration of the law. His judgments were always distinctly marked with impartiality and … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mary Wooldridge

Interviewer: Mamie Hanberry Person Interviewed: Mary Wooldridge Location: Hopkinsville, Kentucky Place of Birth: Washington County, Kentucky, Age: (about) 103 Place of Residence: Clarksville, Pike R.R. #1, Hopkinsville, Kentucky “Mary and her twin sister were slaves born in Washington County, Kentucky, near Lexington, belonging to Bob Eaglin. When Mary was about fourteen years old she and her sister was brought to the Lexington slave market and sold and a Mr. Lewis Burns of the same County purchased her. Mary doesn’t know what became of her sister. Five or six years later she was again put on the block and sold to … Read more

Slave Narrative of Kate Billingsby

Interviewer: Mamie Hanberry Person Interviewed: Kate Billingsby Location: Hopkinsville, Kentucky Date of Birth: 1828 Place of Residence: R.R. #2, Hopkinsville, Ky Kate Billingsby, Ex-slave, according to a record in a Bible the Buckners gave her when she married was born in 1828. She was owned by Frank and Sarah Buckner. Born in this County and has spent her life in and around Hopkinsville. She lives on what is known as the Gates Mill Road about one half mile east of US 41E and owns her own home. Aunt Kate as she is generally called is a small black negro and … Read more

Biography of Gov. Charles S. Morehead

As a lawyer, legislator and Governor of the Commonwealth Mr. Morehead was alike popular. He was born in Nelson County (this State) July 7, 1802. His education was begun in the schools of his county, but completed at Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky, from which he graduated with honors. Upon the completion of his education, he located in Christian County, and commenced the practice of law in Hopkinsville. He was elected to the Legislature in 1828, and re-elected in 1829. In his first election, he received the almost unanimous support of the county, although his youth rendered him scarcely eligible to … Read more

Biography of James Breathitt

Mr. Breathitt was born in Virginia and came to Kentucky when very young. His father, William Breathitt, settled in Logan County in 1800, when southern Kentucky was little else than a wilderness. He was a highly respected citizen, though of limited wealth, and hence was unable to give his children collegiate educations. His eldest son, John Breathitt, became a prominent man, and served his State in many high and important positions. He was elected Lieutenant-Governor in 1828, and in 1832 Governor of the Commonwealth, but died before the expiration of his term. James read law, either with his brother or … 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

Slave Narrative of Nannie Eaves

Interviewer: Mamie Hanberry Person Interviewed: Nannie Eaves Location: Hopkinsville, Kentucky Place of Birth: McLain County KY Age: 91 Place of Residence: R. R. #2, Hopkinsville, Kentucky Nannie Eaves, age 91, born in McLain County, Ky. being a slave of William Eaves, never sold, address now R.R. #2, Hopkinsville, Kentucky. “I guess I was about twenty one years old wen I was freed.” I’se was neber once treated as a slave cause my Massa was my very own Daddy. Ben Eaves my husband was a slave en chile of George Eaves my Massa’s brother. He ran away from his Massa en … Read more

Colonel Dodge Reaches Villages of Western Indians

Trailing through broad and verdant valleys, they went, their progress often arrested by hundreds of acres of plum trees bending to the ground with tempting fruit; crossing oak ridges where the ground was covered with loaded grapevines, through suffocating creek-bottom thickets, undergrowth of vines and briars, laboring up rocky hillsides and laboring down again, the horses picking their way through impeding rocks and boulders, until on the twenty-ninth of the month, two hundred miles from Fort Gibson, General Leavenworth and his staff reached Captain Dean’s camp, a mile or two from the Washita, where there were quartered two companies of … Read more

Negro Holiness Meetings

Negro Holiness Meetings: Once a year a group of 200 or 300 negroes give a religious Camp Meeting in a field on the Canton Pike about one mile southeast of Hopkinsville. There is quite a settlement of negroes call themselves or their church the Holiness Church. They claim to be sanctified and cannot sin. A few nights ago I was invited to attend one of these meetings, the negroes reserve some benches under the tent for white people. The night that I attended there were two preachers and it seems as though it is the duty of these preachers to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin N. Woodson

County Attorney of Fannin County, was born in Lincoln County, Kentucky, in 1850; came with his father to this state, four years later. He grew up, and was partly educated at Honey Grove. In 1872, he attended school at Glascow, Missouri, from which place he went to New York City, studied law and obtained his diploma in a law school of that city. Not long after this, he was admitted to the bar and licensed to practice by Judge Davis, of New York. In 1875, he came back to Honey Grove, but afterwards moved to Ladonia, where he remained until … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William B. Blackburn

One of the first resident lawyers of Hopkinsville, and one of the able men of the State, was William B. Blackburn. He came from Woodford County about 1799, a young lawyer just admitted to the bar. He remained four or five years, and during his stay made his home in the family of Bartholomew Wood, the pioneer of Hopkinsville. What his success was while practicing law here is not known, as there is no one here now who knew him then, and it is only through Col. Buckner, of Louisville, who served in the Legislature with him many years later … Read more

A Kentucky Barren

The name popularly applied to the region embraced within the limits of Barren, Warren, Simpson, Logan, and the lower part of Todd, Christian and Trigg Counties, is very misleading to the modern ear. To the pioneers of the early part of this century, impressed by the stern experiences of frontier life, it meant a land ” where every prospect pleases” the eye only to dupe the understanding. They had been brought up in a timbered country, and had been educated to believe that it was necessary not only to their comfort but to their very existence. They had an exaggerated … Read more

Slave Narrative of Easter Sudie Campbell

Interviewer: Mamie Hanbery Person Interviewed: Easter Sudie Campbell Location: Hopkinsville, Kentucky Place of Residence: Princeton, Caldwell Co., Kentucky Age: 72 Place of Residence: Webber St., Hopkinsville, Ky CHRISTIAN CO. (Mamie Hanbery) [HW: Ky 3] Story of Easter Sudie Campbell, (age about 72, Webber St., Hopkinsville, Ky.) Born in Princeton, Caldwell Co., Kentucky, her parents were slaves, the property of Will and Martha Grooms of Princeton. Aunt Easter as she is called has followed the profession of a mid-wife for forty years. She is still active and works at present among the negroes of Hopkinsville. “Yes, sho, I make my own … Read more

Christian County, Kentucky Cemetery Records

Christian County Christian County, Kentucky Cemetery Records Hosted at Christian County USGenWeb Archives Project Burt Cemetery Chapel Hill Cemetery Gee Cemetery Greenmoore Cemetery Hayes Cemetery Hord Cemetery McReynolds Cemetery Messamore Cemetery Powell Cemetery Steele Cemetery Christian County, Kentucky Cemetery Records Hosted at Christian County, Kentucky KYGenWeb Boyd Cemetery Bobbitt Cemetery, Bobbitt-Boyd Cemetery Brick Church Cemetery, Sinking Fork Baptist Church Broadcastle Cemetery Burgess Cemetery Cornelius Cemetery Cocke Cemetery Crofton-Ridgetop Cemetery, Partial Faughender Cemetery Grant Family Cemetery  aka Clark Cemetery Gresham Cemetery Grissom (Grissam) Cemetery Harmony Grove Cemetery Hill Cemetery Hord Cemetery Jackson (Thos.) Cemetery Lander Cemetery McCarroll Hill Baptist Church Cemetery … Read more