Dennis Partridge

Christian County, Kentucky County Officers

It may not be uninteresting in this connection to give a list of the county officers in the order in which they have served. Be-ginning with the Circuit Clerks they are as follows: Young Ewing was the first Circuit Clerk, appointed at the first term of the court in March, 1803. He was succeeded by James H. McLaughlan, he by Nathan S. Dallam, and he by John H. Phelps, who filled the place acceptably until 1842, when Richard Shackelford succeeded him. In 1853, R. R. Lausden was appointed, but the next year (1854) was the first election under the new … Read more

Christian County, Kentucky Poor Farm

“The poor ye have with ye always,” said the Master, and to care for them is a duty incumbent upon us as civilized beings. Kindness costs but little, and to the child of misfortune it sometimes goes almost as far as dollars and cents. The writer recently visited one of these institutions called poorhouses, and was pointed out a man, who, it was said, could once ” ride ten miles on his own land,” but a series of misfortunes brought him to the poorhouse. None of us know how soon we may go ” over the hills to the poorhouse.” … Read more

Christian County, Kentucky in the Civil War

Less than a decade and a half after the close of the Mexican war, the great civil war between the States broke out. Hitherto our wars had been waged against savages or foreign foes, but this was an internecine strife, wherein the “brother betrays the brother to death, and the father the son, and children rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death.” It was without a parallel in the history of nations and dwarfs into utter insignificance the mightiest struggles of the past. It is not the purpose of this history to enter upon … Read more

Casky Grange N. 38, Patrons of Husbandry

The following sketch of Casky Grange, No. 38, Patrons of Husbandry, was furnished for this work by Mr. Winston Henry. We give it in full: “This Grange was granted a charter on November 4, 1873, and, as its number indicates, was one of the first in the State-the first one organized in Christian County. The charter members were the following: J. H. B. Vaughan, Winston Henry, S. G. Buckner, W. T. Radford, J. H. Lander, E. W. C. Edwards, Dr. J. P. Peyton, D. M. Whitaker, Alex Campbell, James W. Fields, D. B. Bronaugh, Josiah Gray, Dr. E. R. Cook, … Read more

Casky, Pembroke and Longview Precincts, Christian County, Kentucky

He who attempts to present with unvarying accuracy the annals of a county or even a precinct, whose history reaches back through the long stretch of a century of years, imposes upon himself a task beset with many difficulties. These difficulties, manifold and perplexing in them-selves, are often augmented by conflicting statements and varying data furnished by well-meaning descendants of early settlers, as material from which to compile a true and faithful record of past events. To give facts and facts only should be the aim and ambition of him who professes to deal with the past, and in the … Read more

History of Christian County Cemeteries

To care for the dead, and beautify and adorn their silent habitations, is a solemn duty incumbent upon the living, and a beautiful, well-kept burying-ground is a sure index of the finer feelings of the people to whom it belongs. Abraham said: ” Give me possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of sight,” and since that day all nations and peoples have paid more or less respect to their dead, according to their stage of civilization. The early records of the county show that Bartholomew Wood, among other donations to the town of … Read more

Christian County, Kentucky Election Precincts

For the better execution of the laws in the different departments, and the more convenient dispatch of business, the county was laid off into districts. At a term of the County Court held June 14, 1802, we find the following entry: Ordered, that Christian County be laid off into four districts, agreeable to the following bounds, to wit: The road from Logan court house by Christian court house to William Prince’s-the old road separate the four districts by the first line, and the other line to run from the mouth of Little River along the wagon road to Christian Court … Read more

Bainbridge, Hamby, and Scates’ Mill Precincts

The history of these three precincts, Bainbridge, Hamby and Scates’ Mill, forming the northwest portion of Christian County, are almost identical in their social, religious and political organization, and are there-fore taken together. Starting with the boundary lines of the Union Schoolhouse Precinct on the south, and the Hopkinsville Precinct on the east, the topographical, geographical and agricultural features of this part of the county are also very similar, if not identical with that already de-scribed in the northeast portion in the chapter devoted to the precincts of Mount Vernon, Fruit Hill, Wilson and Stewart. In a word, almost the … Read more

Bethel Female College

The Hopkinsville Baptist Church has been marked for its devotion to the cause of education. Under its fostering care various private schools were conducted for years prior to the existence of the institution whose history I am requested to prepare. Many now living remember Dr. Ring, Elder W. C. Vanmeter, and Miss Leach as Baptist teachers. This desire upon the part of the Baptists to educate culminated in 1851 by securing a charter for the Baptist Female Institute, and in 1854 steps were taken to erect the present buildings. Donations were made by the brethren and friends about Hopkinsville and … Read more

Biography of Gen. James S. Jackson

A lawyer, soldier and politician, was Gen. Jackson. He was born September 24, 1823, in Fayette County, Ky., and was the son of David Jackson, a farmer, and Juliet Streshley of Woodford County, Ky. He was thoroughly educated, and graduated in letters at Jefferson College. He studied law, and graduated from the Law Department of Transylvania University in 1845. When the war with Mexico began, he volunteered and served for a time as a Lieutenant; but having had an ” affair of honor ” with Thomas F. Marshall, who belonged to the same regiment, and fearing court-martial, he resigned and … Read more