It was on 16 June, 1774, when James Harrod and his party of pioneer settlers reached the plateau between the Salt and Kentucky Rivers in the heart of a land that would one day be called Kentucky. Physically exhausted from their long trip down the Ohio and up the Kentucky River and fearful of the ever present danger from roving bands of Indians, they gave no thought to the restless discontent of their counterparts who lived along the Eastern seaboard. Uppermost in their minds was survival.
Acutely aware that they had penetrated deep within enemy territory, they immediately set about laying out Harrod's Town. . . .
They were followed shortly by Daniel Boone, Benjamin Logan, John Floyd, Simon Kenton and numerous other pioneer leaders. Their greatest enemy, or so they believed was the Indian. They could not have known that Fate was already laying the groundwork that would lead the Eastern seaboard revolutionary and the Western pioneer to a common goal, a goal to establish a permanent home which was destined to erupt into a long and vicious legal war.
Unfortunately, many of the earliest settlers believing that just to settle the land was all that was necessary for ownership delayed too long the registration of their surveys and claims. Apparently
 |
| Clay County Genealogical Society |
 |
| Clay County, Illinois Courthouse |
Illinois Counties: Alexander, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Marion, Monroe, Perry, Pope, Randolph, Washington.
Illinois Counties: Bond, Clay, Clinton, Edwards, Fayette, Lawrence, Madison, St. Clair, Wabash, Wayne, White
From the original record in the Harrison County Court House, Corydon, Indiana . . . At this early date, Harrison included parts of what now are Crawford, Floyd, Orange and Washington Counties.
Rev. John Sutton's wife was Ruth Stout, gdau. of Col. Joseph Stout, son of Jonathan Stout, son of Richard & Penelope Stout, first English settler in New Jersey. Jonathan constituted Hopewell Baptist Church, Hopewell, New Jersey. An old progenitor, William Sutton, a Quaker came to America ca. 1836. Ruth Stout was also a descendant of Capt. Jas. Bolen from Hingham, England and first Secretary of Providence, New Jersey.
The Duncans, Brownings & Mauzys came from Culpepper, Virginia. Some of them had been married in Culpepper by Lewis Conneran honored Baptist Preacher and a worthy soldier, who fought alongside their fathers in the American Revolution.
Will Book C, p. 331 - James Wilson, Will Aug. 9, 1820, probate Sep. 4, 1820, Heirs: widow Rachel, children: William, James, young, John, Winifred, Thomas, Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Eliza. executors: son James, nephews William & Matthew Wilson. Wit: Henry Myers, Zephiniah Lacy, William Barnes
Will Book H, p. 276 - Capt. Thomas Hopkins, verbal statement Oct. 6, 1834, died Oct. 9, 1834, heirs: children John, Benjamin, Anna Jane & Rufus C., widow Sarah. Servants to be set free and sent to Liberia. Wit: Sarah Hopkins, John Hopkins, Benjamin Hopkins, W.I. Dinwiffie, A. Webber, Anna Jane & Rufus C. Hopkins
Will Book H, p. 344 - Ruth Hopkins, will Aug. 7, 1833, probated Jan. 5, 1835, Executor: brother Thomas, heir: sister Ann Rice, widow of James, land in Virginia left by father John Hopkins, Wit: Edw. Morris, Joseph Williams, John McCarroll
Will Book L, p. 446 - John Galbreath, division of estate April 26, 1843. Heirs:
Boyd, Gregory. Family Maps of Bartholomew County, Indiana, Norman OK, Arphax Publishing Co., nd
Wayne County Record, Jan. 22, 1880, Thursday, Pin Oak Column - Four died in the southern part of the township from diseases during fall and winter. Following are the names of those persons: Wm. Simms, Rebecca Robertson, Mirtle Simms & Levi Burkitt. Mr. Simms and Mr. Burkitt were old men above sixty years of age, while the other two were small children. - Rebecca Jane Robertson, daughter of Dr. Amos Sloane & Sarah (Warren) Robertson. She was born Jan. 18, 1874 and died Oct. 24, 1879.
February 24, 1881, Ensley Column, John Robertson and wife have the sympathy of the entire community in their bereavement caused by the loss of their only baby. It was about 3 months old when Jesus called it home.
Wayne County Press, May 5, 1881, Ensley Column, Died, May 1st, E.M. Robertson, of a complicated disease. He leaves a wife and five children, most of them grown . . . He was near 50 years of age and has been a resident of this neighborhood for about 30 years.
Wayne County Press, May 5, 1881, Deaths: Meeks -- Died, at his home near
The Family of James Taylor - James Taylor, the immigrant to Virginia, came from Carlisle, England. He appeared in Virginia about 1680, and signed the petition for the removal of the Vestry of St. Stephen's Parish, and by 1686, he was established on land which he purchased, which was located on Whorecock Creek (now called Garnett's Creek), which is on the upper side of the Mattopony River.
He had a family before he settled in King & Queen, who came with him to Virginia. His first wife died in 1682, and he married for his second wife, Martha, daughter of Richard Gregory of Essex County. This alliance had something to do with his settlement in this area, for the Gregory's had land in this section.
James Taylor, the first, died in 1698.
James Taylor, the younger, spent his early years in St. Stephen's Parish where he was born in 1675. In 1699, he married Martha, daughter of Col. Roger Thompson, of St. Peter's Parish, New Kent County. James Taylor was recommended to the governor to be justice of the county court, but was too young to serve. Later, when of age, he became a justice, sheriff and was
Record of Marriages in Shelby County Kentucky for the Period of Years 1792 to 1851 Inclusive
The obituary notices have been edited to include a) name of person deceased, b) place of residence, c) wife / husband / parents / survivors, d) date of death. For purpose of bibliography an abbreviation of the name of the newspaper from which any notice is taken is given with that notice. The notation following any obituary refers in every instance to the year named in the obituary. KG = Kentucky Gazette, R = Lexington Reporter
 |
| December 3, 1818 |
4 - Jedidiah Lathrop born in Norwich, Connecticut son of Israel & Mary (Fellows) Lathrop
7 - General Israel Putnam born
9 - France declares war on Spain
12 - Rowland Powell md. Mary Tilden in Connecticut
21 - William Beasley will written in Essex County, VirginiaMarch
7 - Josiah Rockwell born son of Josiah & Rebecca (Loomis) Rockwell
