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 Dr. Eilsha Edwards

DR. ELISHA B. EDWARDS, Postmaster at Elkton, Ky., was born in Elkton, Todd County, February 2, 1824. He descends from one of the first families of the county, in point of settlement, and from one of the first in the State in point of honorable and intelligent men. His parents were Elisha B. Edwards, Sr., and Martha F. Upshaw; the former a son of Hon. Benjamin Edwards. Elisha B. Edwards, Sr., was a brother of the Hon. Ninian Edwards, so noted in the early history of Kentucky and Illinois, and was born in Maryland, May 11, 1781. He came from … 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 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 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 Dr. I. N. Walton

DR. I. N. WALTON was born in Henry County, Tenn., August 19, 1827, and is a son of Simeon and Mary (Henry) Walton. Mr. Simeon Walton was a native of Louisa County, Va., having been born there in 1789, but his parents were of Welsh descent. He came to Robertson County, Tenn., when two years old, with his parents, where the latter died. Simeon grew to manhood in that county, married Miss Henry, who was a native of that county. In 1811 he came to Henry County, Tenn., where he lived until his death, which occurred in 1865. While a … Read more

Social Development of Todd County, Kentucky

THE early society of Todd County was derived from Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. The natives of the latter State largely preponderated in the northern part of the county, while the Virginians and North Carolinians were found in about equal proportions in the southern part. The greater part of those who came here early were in limited financial circumstances, though the cheapness of the land and the opportunity of profitable speculation attracted a few who. were remarkably well-to-do for that period. There were few, if any, of outward marks of difference, and neighbors were too highly prized in the sparsely … 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

Biographical Sketch of R. H. Coleman

R. H. COLEMAN was born in Dinwiddie County, Va., on July 24, 1840, and is a son of Edmund N. and Eliza (Watkins) Coleman. The parents were both natives of Virginia, the father being born there on September 29, 1797; the mother on October 17, 1798; the former was of Irish descent, the mother of Welsh. When subject was about eighteen months old the parents came to Logan County, Ky. They lived there only one year, and then came to this county; here they settled on the farm now owned by subject, and here the father died on April 28, … 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

Biographical Sketch of Josiah Wilson

JOSIAH WILSON was born in Washington County, Ky., on March 11, 1837, and is a son of John II. and Harriet (Pettit) Wilson. The parents were also natives of Washington County, and there they lived and died. The father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was in the battle of New Orleans. Our subject was the tenth of eleven children, of whom three are now living, viz.: Mrs. Catherine Brook, of East Liver-pool, Ohio; Anthony, in Washington County, Ky., and Josiah (our subject). The field schools of his native county furnished the latter’s education. He commenced life … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Seymour H. Perkins

SEYMOUR H. PERKINS, of the business firm of S. H. Perkins & Co., Elkton, Ky., is a son of Judge B. T. Perkins, Sr., and was born November 7, 1844, in Elkton. He was reared in his native village, which has ever been his permanent home. In 1861 he enlisted as a member of Company F., Twenty-fifth Kentucky Infantry, and in the organization of the company was elected to the commission of Second Lieutenant. He shared in the service of his regiment until shortly after the battle of Shiloh, when, on the account of loss of health, he resigned his … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Wade M. Clark

WADE M. CLACK was born November 13, 1826, in Simpson County, Ky. The parents were Sterling and Elizabeth (Jones) Clack. The father was a farmer, born in Tennessee; he died in 1868, at the age of sixty-five. The mother died in 1854, aged fifty-five. She was a member of the Baptist Church. Wade M., on starting for himself, worked as a hand for several years. In 1858 he bought a farm of forty acres; he then bought and sold three times before coming to his present location in 1874. He has improved his farm, which contains 140 acres. He was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William M. Bell

WILLIAM M. BELL, ” Roseheath.” The subject of this sketch is a native of Todd County, Ky., and was born in his present residence, June 25, 1840. His father, Rev. Caleb N. Bell, was born in 1788, in Beaufort, N. C.; was an itinerant Methodist preacher in Virginia; removed to Kentucky in 1820, and died here in 1872, having been a useful minister of the Gospel for sixty-two years. He was thrice married, and his children are: Martha A. (Greenfield), John W., Mary S. (Clark), Eliza J. (Mills), Caleb M. and subject, who received a classical education t Emery and … Read more

Biography of Daniel E. Goodman

DANIEL E. GOODMAN (deceased) was a native of Hart County, Ky., where he was born June 7, 1838. He came to Elkton, Todd Co., with his parents, John A. (deceased) and Sarah E. Goodman (deceased), when a boy, and he was here educated and grew to manhood. For many years his father kept the only hotel in the village of Elkton, the building now owned by Dr. J. L. Woollard, known as the Elkton Inn. Daniel E. was the eldest of a family of twelve children, born to these parents. In early life, Daniel began a mercantile career, in which … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin D. Eddins

BENJAMIN D. EDDINS was born in .Todd County, Ky., November 4, 1841, where he still retains his residence, though about one-third of his farm lies in Christian County. His father, Dulany Eddins, was born August 14, 1800, in Orange County, Va., and died in Todd County, Ky., July 24, 1864. He was a member of the Bethel Baptist Church. The family are thought to have been of Scotch origin. Subject’s mother, Susan S. Downer, of Culpeper County, Va., was born June 14, 1806, and died in Todd County, February 11, 1874. Her grandfather, Col. John Slaughter, of the Revolutionary war, … Read more

Biography of J. M. Simpson

J. M. SIMPSON is a son of Peyton and Jane (Waugh) Simpson; the former was a son of William and Nancy (Hawley) Simpson, the grand-parents of our subject. William Simpson was born December 3, 1769, and died June 9, 1854. His wife Nancy was born June 19, 1785, the time of her death is not known. Both she and her husband were natives of Virginia. Peyton Simpson, the father of J. M. was born September 22, 1799, in Virginia. In youth he learned the cooper’s trade and followed it for many years. On November 23, 1828, he started over the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jonah W. Hale

JONAH W. HALE was born October 14, 1824, in Todd County, Ky. His parents were Thomas and Nancy (Pittman) Hale. The father was a native of North Carolina, and died in March, 1855, aged about sixty years. The mother died about the year 1826. Mr. Hale began for himself at the age of nineteen years; he rented for many years, then bought 183 acres, and since has bought 157 acres; he at present owns 340 acres, and is clever and well-to-do. He was married, February 6, 1848, to Martha E. Utley, daughter of James and Fanny (Grace) Utley. The latter … Read more

Biography of Hazel G. Petrie

HAZEL G. PETRIE, (some of the family spell the name Petree, others as above, which is the original and correct orthography), is a descendant of Peter Petrie, who was born in Scotland, of Scotch-Presbyterian parents. When in his seventh year, Peter attended a school taught by a Presbyterian minister, somewhat distinguished for his rigid enforcement of the rules. For some real or fancied infringement of the rules of the school, the Scotch schoolmaster chastised Peter, who fled for refuge to his mother, who, unfortunately for Peter, was of the same stern stock as the schoolmaster. She accordingly administered a second … 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