Christian County KY

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

Slave Narrative of Joseph Mosley

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Joseph Mosley Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Place of Birth: March 15, 1853 Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana FOLKLORE JOSEPH MOSLEY, EX-SLAVE 2637 Boulevard Place [TR: Also reported as Moseley in text of interview.] Joseph Mosley, one of twelve children, was born March 15, 1853, fourteen miles from Hopkinsville, Kentucky. His master, Tim Mosley, was a slave trader. He was supposed to have bought and sold 10,000 slaves. He would go from one state to another buying slaves, bringing in as many as 75 or … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mary Wright

Interviewer: Mamie Hanberry Person Interviewed: Mary Wright Location: Kentucky Place of Birth: Gracey, Kentucky Date of Birth: August 1, 1865 Place of Residence: 204 W. Fourth St. “I was born at Gracey, Kentucky on Mr. James Colemans far, in a log cabin wid a dirt floor en a stick chimney. “Folks uster weat wat dey calls a “Polanaise”. Hid wat kinder like a wrapper made of calico made wid tight in de waist en wide in de bottom. Den I’ve remembers de basque waist on de over skirts dese war made real tight waists wid a point in de back … 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

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

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

Christian County, Kentucky Census Records

1790 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records 1800 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records 1810 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records 1820 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records 1830 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records 1840 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records 1850 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records 1860 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records 1870 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records 1880 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records 1890 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records 1900 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records 1910 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records 1920 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records 1930 Christian County, Kentucky Census Records

Slave Narrative of Scott Mitchell

Interviewer: Margaret Bishop Person Interviewed: Scott Mitchell Location: Breathitt County, Kentucky As told by Scott Mitchell, a former slave: Scott Mitchell, claims his age as somewhere in the 70’s but his wool is white on the top of his head. Negroes don’t whiten near as quickly as white people, evidently he is nearly 90, or there-a-bouts. “Yes’m I ‘members the Civil Wah, ’cause I wuz a-livin’ in Christian County whah I wuz bohn, right wif my masteh and mistress. Captin Hester and his wife. I wuz raised on a fahm right wif the, then I lef there. “Yes, Cap’n Hester … Read more

Biography of Robert W. Worsham

This enterprising and representative citizen of Malheur County has the distinction of being one of the early pioneers of Oregon, while also he was among the very first in many mining regions where he endured the almost overwhelming hardships there encountered and wrought with a strong hand and courageous heart, doing well his part in the great development of the west. Robert W. was born in Hopkinsville, Christian County, Kentucky, on April 30, 1839, being- the son of Robert and Emeline (Elgin) Worsham. He was reared on a farm and in the winter months attended school. In 1852 he came … 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

Slave Narrative of Cora Torian

Interviewer: Mamie Hanberry Person Interviewed: Cora Torian Location: Hopkinsville, Kentucky Place of Birth: Christian County KY Age: 71 Place of Residence: 217 W. 2nd St., Hopkinsville, KY Story of Cora Torian: (217 W. 2nd St., Hopkinsville, Ky.-Age 71.) Bell Childress, Cora’s Mother, was a slave of Andrew Owen. He purchased Belle Childress in the Purchase and brought her to Christian County. Cora was born in Christian County on Mr. Owen’s farm and considered herself three years old at the end of the Civil War. She told me as follows: “I has dreamed of fish and dat is a sure sign … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles C. Brumfield

CHARLES C. BRUMFIELD, one of Todd County’s enterprising young farmers, was born on March 11, 1856, in Christian County, Ky., and is the third of five children-three boys and two girls-born to Wiley N. and Pernecy (Wood) Brumfield, natives of Virginia, and Christian County, Ky., respectively, of English descent. Subject’s father was married twice, his first wife having been Margaret (Watwood) Brumfield, by whom he had six children-four boys and two girls–five now living, Subject was reared on a farm; his parents died when he was quite young, his mother on November 23, 1861, his father on February 11, 1863. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Uncle Dick

Interviewer: Mamie Hanbery Person Interviewed: Uncle Dick Location: Christian County, Kentucky Uncle Dick, a negro servant of one of the Hendersons, was the fiddler of the neighborhood at weddings, husking parties and dances. Dick’s presence was essential. Uncle Dick was fully aware of his own importance, and in consequence assumed a great deal of dignity in his bearing. Before setting out he always dressed himself with the greatest nicety. At the appointed time he was at the place with all the weight of his dignity upon him. Woe to the “darkies” who violated any of the laws of etiquette in … 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

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

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.

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

Biography of Robert M. Bronaugh

Robert M. Bronaugh of Baileyville had been a factor in the life of Kansas for considerably more than half a century. His people were in fact territorial pioneers. He fought when the country needed his fighting ability as a young man during the Civil war, and after that took up farming and latterly business connections with Baileyville, where he is still a merchant and is vice president of the Baileyville State Bank. He comes of old French stock and of aristocratic ancestry in America. Mr. Bronaugh was born in Schuyler County, Illinois, May 6, 1844. His paternal ancestors some generations … 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

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