This article provides information about the Cedar Run area in Franklin County, Kentucky. It discusses early settlers, churches in the area, and various burying grounds and graveyards, including their locations and notable features. It also contains a table of the 1870 landowners of Cedar Run, including Farmdale, Alton & portion of Bridgeport .
The Cedar Run located in the southwest section of Franklin County is bordered by Frankfort to its’ north, Anderson County to the south, the Kentucky River to the east and the community of Bridgeport to the west. Within the area is the community of Farmdale and the property of Stewart Home School, former Kentucky Military Institute.
Early Settlers of Cedar Run Kentucky
J. N. Blakemore was the proprietor of Arnold Spring Distillery on the Lawrenceburg – Frankfort Pike near the Anderson County line. He manufactured sour mash, copper distilled whiskies. Ben Farmer and his son were dealers in dry goods, groceries, clothing and housewares. Colon M. Jones was a farmer and trader in horses and mules that he shipped to the south. James Saffell and his son James M. Saffell ran the Cedar Run Distillery adjacent to their flour mill on Cedar Run Turnpike south of Frankfort.
1870 Property Owners in Cedar Run Kentucky
Property Owners in Cedar Run, including Farmdale, Alton & portion of Bridgeport – 1870
| Name | Post Office | Place of Birth | Occupation | Settlement Date | Acreage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen, Robert D | Farmdale | Washington, D.C. | Superintendent K.M.I | 1845 | 125 |
| Averill, M.D. | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1839 | 225 |
| Blakemore, George | Alton | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1838 | 350 |
| Blakemore, J. N. | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Distiller & Farmer | 1837 | 196 |
| Brown, Scott | Frankfort | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1818 | 800 |
| Cole, J. H. | Alton | Anderson Co., KY | Farmer | 1882 | 233 |
| Crockett, D. S. | Bridgeport | Anderson Co., KY | Farmer | 1856 | 44 |
| Farmer, Ben | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer & Merchant | 1821 | 310 |
| Green, George S. | Farmdale | Owen Co., KY | Farmer & Merchant | 1872 | 229 |
| Hughes, B. S. | Farmdale | Shelby Co., KY | Farmer & Teacher | 1851 | 493 |
| Johnson, M. A. | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1833 | 5 |
| Jones, Colon M. | Farmdale | Mercer Co., KY | Dealer in horses | 1867 | 640 |
| McKee, S. D. | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1818 | 212 |
| Malone, William | Farmdale | Rutherford Co., TN | Farmer | 1862 | 3 |
| Miner, Jefferson | Frankfort | Shelby Co., KY | Carpenter | 1855 | 45 |
| Moore, William A. | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer & Miller | 1832 | 260 |
| Parker, J. T. | Farmdale | Anderson Co., KY | Farmer & Distiller | 1845 | 60 |
| Pattie, William | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1810 | 155 |
| Rogers, J. H. | Frankfort | Bourbon Co., KY | Farmer | 1849 | 100 |
| Scofield, William | Bridgeport | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer & Fruit Grower | 1829 | 250 |
| Thomas, J. H. | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1855 | 347 |
| Thomason, D. A. | Frankfort | Woodford Co., KY | Farmer | 1869 | 65 |
| Vaughan, J. C. | Frankfort | Franklin Co., KY | Carpenter | 1847 | 50 |
| Vaughan, N. A. | Frankfort | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1850 | 85 |
| Wright, J. H. | Farmdale | Shelby Co., KY | Farmer | 1836 | 1 |
Churches of Cedar Run Kentucky
Cedar Chapel
Located on U.S. 127 south on the corner of Jones Lane. This was the only Methodist congregation in the area.
Evergreen Baptist Church
Established by former members of the South Benson Church.
Farmdale Baptist Church
Conflicts in the Evergreen Baptist Church heightened, which split the church. In March of 1981, former members began the Farmdale Baptist Church. Worship was held in several locations until the completion of a new church in July of 1983. The church is located on U.S. 127 South close to the Franklin-Anderson county line.
Burying Grounds and Graveyards of Cedar Run Kentucky
- Collins Graveyard located on Highway 151 near the Franklin Anderson county line. About 35 marked graves.
- Farmdale Graveyard located on the left side of Old Lawrenceburg Road about fives miles from Frankfort.
- Farmer Graveyard located near Evergreen Baptist Church. All stones have been destroyed; however, there is record of those buried there.
- Fore Burying Ground is the resting place for members of the Fore and Major families. Located on South Benson Road, three-fourths mile from the Evergreen Road intersection.
- Halmhuber Graveyard is the final resting place for John Halmhuber and his wife. Located at the beginning of Evergreen Estates on Evergreen Road.
- Hancock Cemetery is located south of the intersection of Highway 151 and the east side of South Benson.
- Major Graveyard is located at the intersection of I-64 and the Alton-Graefenburg Road. Graves were moved during the construction of I-64. Metal markers, no names.
- Mayhall Cemetery has only one marked stone; that of H. S. Mayhall. Several more graves marked with fieldstone. This cemetery is located on the south side of I-64 about 1 mile east of the Alton-Graefenburg interchange.
- Miner Burying Ground is located at the intersection of Ninevah and the Old Lawrenceburg Road.
- Payne Burying Ground contains the graves of the Payne and Vaughan families. Located three miles south of Frankfort on the Old Lawrenceburg Road.
- Thomas Graveyard is located at the Franklin-Anderson county line between Graefenburg and Alton one mile south of South Benson and Avenstoke intersection.
- Tinsley Graveyard is located 2 miles south of U.S. 60 at Graefenburg, west of Highway 151 and south of I-64. Charles Tinsley 1808-1880 is the oldest stone.
- The Pattie Graveyard located on property of Stewart Home School. In 1882 William Pattie was living close to the KY Military Institute.
Sources:
- Atlas of Frankfort and Franklin County 1870-1880, by J. L. Drake & Company
- Capitol on the Kentucky, by Kramer
- Church and Family Graveyards of Franklin County, by KY Genealogical Society
- Frankfort 200 Celebration 1786-1986, by Frankfort’s 200 Birthday Committee
- History of Franklin County, Kentucky, by L. F. Johnson