Todd County KY

Biography of Egbert Garth

EGBERT GARTH. In 1812 Elijah Garth came from Albemarle County, Va., to Kentucky, and made settlement near Trenton, in Todd County, on a farm now occupied by Webster C. Garth, and which he had but fairly begun to develop, when (in 1815) he died. He was twice married, first to Miss Fretwell, and second to Miss Elizabeth Wait, and as the result of each union, had four children. None of these are now living, but among their immediate descendants are some of the most worthy families of Todd County. Paschal L. was a son of Elijah Garth, and was born … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George Lear

GEORGE LEAR was born in 1820, in Todd County. His father and mother were George and Nancy (Shuffle) Lear. The father died about the year 1854, aged sixty. The mother died in 1864, aged about fifty-five. George began for himself at the age of twenty-five. He rented from his father for several years before buying. He came to this farm in 1860. He first bought 212 acres good land, and has been buying and selling land since. He was in the United States Army about four months, and, while in the service he was taken with the measles and became … 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

Biographical Sketch of Douglas Meriwether

DOUGLAS MERIWETHER was born August 25, 1842, in Car-roll County, Miss., and in 1858 removed to Ballard County, Ky., where he remained until 1861, when he enlisted in Company C, Seventh Kentucky Mounted Infantry, and continued in the service until the end of the war. His father, Robert E. Meriwether, was a native of Todd County, and died in Ballard County, Ky., 1860, aged about fifty years. He was the son of Douglas, Sr., who was born in Albemarle County, Va., and died in Carroll County, Miss. Douglas, Sr., was the son of Nicholas Meriwether, also a native of Albermarle … 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 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

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin F. Hill

BENJAMIN F. HILL, merchant, was born in 1848, in Muhlenburg County, Ky. His parents were Perry and Nicey (Wells) Hill, both natives of this State. The father was a farmer. His death occurred in 1879, at the age of sixty-four years. The mother’s death took place in 1877, at the age of fifty-four years. She was a member of the Christian Church. These parents had seven children, five of whom are now living. Our subject, the fourth child, began business for himself at the age of twenty-six years. He had previously learned and worked at the black-smith business; the latter … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles E. Tandy

CHARLES E. TANDY, one of Todd County’s young and enter-prising farmers and stock-breeders, was born November 12, 1860, in Todd County, Ky. He is a son of Dr. N. M. and Margaret J. (Jesup) Tandy. The latter was a daughter of Col. Samuel B. Jesup, born November, 1792, died August, 1866, and Catherine Jesup, born March 1795, died July, 1870. Subject’s father was born 1810, died July, 1881; his mother born 1819, died August, 1877. Parents were natives of Christian and Todd Counties respectively. Our subject received more than an ordinary education, having attended Fairview and Olmstead Academies two years … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George E. Garth

GEORGE E. GARTH was born December 4, 1839, at the old Garth homestead, in Todd County, Ky., where he grew to manhood. His father, William Anderson Garth,- was a native of Albemarle County, Va., where he was born in 1796. He removed to Todd County, Ky., in 1810, where he died in 1843. He was the son of Elijah Garth, of Virginia, who was born in Albemarle County in 1773, and died here in 1816. By his fearless activity he rescued many lives at the burning of the theater in Richmond, Va. His father, Thomas Garth, was of Scotch descent. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas H. White

THOMAS H. WHITE was born in Northumberland County, Pa.. July 12, 1852; he is a son of James and Isabella (Frymire) White, also natives of Pennsylvania. Our subject was raised in his native State, there took up the printer’s trade, which he followed three years. In 1871 he came to Mason, Tenn., and was employed by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad two years, after which he moved to Covington, Tenn., and was Agent for the C. &. O. R. R. March 25, 1880, he secured a position as Express Messenger for the Southern Express Company, in which capacity he was … 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

Biographical Sketch of Harry F. Willoughby

HARRY F. WILLOUGHBY, lawyer, Attorney for Todd County, was born in 1852, in Montgomery County, Tenn. His parents were Frank and Mariah (Hackney) Willoughby, who removed to Todd County, while Harry F. was a small boy. His father was a member of the Baptist Church, by occupation a farmer, and died in this county in 1861. His widow was subsequently married to Mr. W. T. Kennedy, who died in 1877. She is still living and now a resident of the town of Elkton. Harry F. was educated in Todd County, read law in the office of S. W. Kennedy, and … Read more

Early Kentucky Amusements

The early sports were allied to useful occupations. Quiltings, wool-pickings and spinning-bees were made up by the women, when the afternoon was given to work and the night to games, the young men coming in to share the entertainment and escort the girls home. House-raisings, log-rollings and husking-bees were occasions when the men after a hard day’s work would spend, the evening with the young women invited in. As society developed, however, the times showed “smart signs of wickedness ” in place of these earlier amusements. Horse racing, shooting matches, raffling and dancing came in to disturb the staid people … Read more

Biography of Jeptha D. Vawter

Jeptha D. Vawter. In the task of giving credit to the men who made Kansas, it would be difficult to single out one who was more deserving of a place among those makers and builders than the late Jeptha D. Vawter of Shawnee County. He had much to do with the early history of that county, and what he accomplished, the ideals he lived for, and the influences that emanated from his life, are still vital and quickening. His was a long as well as a useful life. He was born in Todd County, Kentucky, July 18, 1809. By character … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Richard C. Hardison

RICHARD C. HARDISON, teacher, was born February 3, 1858, in St. Mary’s Parish, Louisiana. His parents are Richard B. and Elizabeth Hardison. The father is a native of Kentucky; he is a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church South; he preaches and teaches in the public schools; he owns a farm of 100 acres in Muhlenburg County, Ky., which is carried on by himself and his son, John C. He has been a minister for about eight years, and a teacher for nearly thirty years. The mother is a native of Virginia. She also is a member of the Methodist … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Hinton

SAMUEL HINTON was born December 20, 1843, in Simpson County, Ky.; his parents were Jesse and Sarah (Mayes) Hinton, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. The father died October 29, 1879, at the age of fifty-two; the mother is still living with her son Wesley in this county. Samuel Hinton came to this county in 1856, and settled in this district, where he has since resided; he was married May 10, 1863, to Elizabeth Bivin, a native of this county. Eight children were born of this marriage: Sarah E., William I., Atlas H., L. Thomas, Flora L., Rodolphus (deceased), … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin Downer

BENJAMIN DOWNER was born August 10, 1819, in Todd County, Ky., and has continued to reside here to the present time. He is the son of Benjamin Downer, Sr., a native of Spottsylvania County, Va., where he was born in 1782, and in 1809 removed to Todd County, then a part of Christian County, Ky., where he died in 1826. His wife, Elizabeth, daughter of John S. Slaughter (of Revolutionary fame), was born in Culpeper County, Va., in 1782, and died in Todd County, Ky., in 1862. From this union sprang Susan (Eddins), Frances (married first to Clark and afterward … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Lucy A. Fox

MRS. LUCY A. FOX was born in Christian County, Ky., April 11, 1824, and removed to Todd County in 1838, where she still retains her residence. She is the honored daughter of James Clark, who was born in 1791, reared at Frankfort, Ky., and served his country as a gallant soldier in the war of 1812, and died in 1877. He was the son of Matthew Clark, a native of Virginia, who died in Kentucky about 1830. Subject’s mother, Susan S., daughter of Col. Beverly Stubblefield (of Revolutionary fame) and his wife Mary (Shelton), was born in Virginia, 1797, and … 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

Biographical Sketch of J. L. Phillips

J. L. PHILLIPS, agent of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, was born May 7, 1841, in Mercer County, Ky.; he is a son of John and Rowena (Parker) Phillips, both natives of Pennsylvania. At the age of sixteen our subject engaged in teaching school, and continued at that until the age of twenty-four; he then secured employment with the St. Louis & South-Eastern Railroad, remaining with them about two years. He was employed by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad in 1860, and has been engaged with this company ever since. The past five years he has held his present position, … Read more