FloydsForkbears famed surveyor’s name Virginia native met atragic earlyend

In 1774, John Floyd led agroup of sur- veyors into with the task of sur- veying tracts of land for men back in Vir- ginia —men who had received land grants BULLITT for military service COUNTY in the French and In- dian War. MEMORIES On June 13 one of the surveyors, James Douglas, laid out 1,000 acres on the north side of the Salt River for William Christian. It included the large salt lick that would become known as Bullitt's Lick. Charles Hartley After the survey is aBullitt was finished, the par- County author ty traveled up the Salt and historian River about five miles where they en- countered alarge branch entering the Floyds Fork is shown just upstream from whereBardstown Road crosses the fork. COURTESY OF NOAA/NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE river on the north side. Thomas Hanson, in his journal, reported that they named it Unfortunately,hewas captured by the On April 8, Floyd, his brother Charles, Floyd's River.They camped nearby,and British near the Bahamas, and spent the Captain Alexander Breckinridge, and a the next day they continued upriver next year in an English prison. According few others were traveling together to the Hill Road about 20 miles, finding the river crooked to one report, the jailer's wife helped him saltworks at Bullitt's Lick. They were ex- oks Bro 1116 with stony hillsides much of the way. to escape and he made his way to France pecting no trouble; indeed John Floyd 4

The next day it stormed, and they re- where , the American was wearing abright scarlet cloak, a Road Bells N Hwy. Road mained in camp. One can imagine Floyd ambassador,helped him to return to tempting target for would-be attackers. 65 Mill thinking about the branch they had left America in the autumn of 1778. About amile south of Brooks Spring, Ridge

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behind bearing his name, and wondering He soon married Jane Buchanan, and where the Wilderness Road crossed a Preston

Coral Coral 44 BlueLick where that dark passage led. Today it still in October 1779 he returned to Kentucky branch of Brooks Run, shots rang out. Road bears his name, but we call it Floyds Fork, with his wife and son, as well as several of One shot dropped Charles Floyd's horse; 2 3 Old Mill 44 the site of the Parklands of Floyds Fork, his brothers and sisters. They settled another struck John Floyd. 1 4th which has been in the news quite abit near the Falls of the Ohio, and Floyd led Charles, seeing his brother in trouble, St. Shepherdsville lately. the construction of astation near Bear- sprang up behind him and fled the scene. Cedar Grove Floyd, as ayoung man, located in Fin- grass Creek, which became known as According to one report, the two brothers Road castle County,Va., where he taught Floyd's Station. made it back to the Fishpools where Colo- school, and lived in the home of Col. Wil- In 1780 Floyd was one of seven trust- nel Moore had acabin. However,John MEMORIESOFJOHNFLOYD liam Preston, the county surveyor.Under ees of Louisville, and the next year he was Floyd's wound was fatal, and he died two JohnFloyd ledagroup of surveyorsinto Preston's tutorage, Floyd became an ex- appointed surveyor of Jefferson County, days later. Kentucky in 1774.Theyvisited theBullitt's cellent surveyor himself, and led this and County Lieutenant. Jane Floyd gave birth to their young- Lick area where... mission into Kentucky. Floyd was involved in several skir- est son on April 24, and named him for his Despite the danger from Indian at- mishes with Indians including one in Sep- father.When grown, John Floyd Jr. 1. JamesDouglassurveyed1,000 acresfor tack, Floyd completed his work and made tember1781 when he led aparty into mod- moved back to Virginia where, in 1830, he William Christian, whichincludedthe Salt his way back to Virginia. Then, the next ern-day Shelby County to attempt to res- became governor. His son, named John Lick. year,Floyd led another group of survey- cue survivors of an Indian raid, only to be Buchanan Floyd, was also governor of 2. Thenextday they traveledupthe Salt ors into Kentucky by way of the Cumber- ambushed himself. Floyd lost half his Virginia and later secretary of war. Rivertothe mouthofabranchthatthey land Gap. In May,they camped near the men, and barely escaped with his own Already aleader among men, John namedfor John Floyd. present site of Stanford, and Floyd life. Floyd was still only in his early 30s when named the place St. Asaph's. Logan's Fort By the spring of 1783, England had he died. It is impossible to know what fu- 3. Then they proceededupthe river. would be built here in 1777. ended its attempt to quell the American ture he might have had, if not struck 4. Later, in 1783, afterJohnFloyd had He was still in Kentucky when the rebellion, and Indian attacks inspired by down in the Indian ambush. But we can returned to theLouisvillearea,hewas Revolutionary Warstarted, and hurried the British had almost ceased. In April, speculate that the name John Floyd ambushedbyIndians on hisway to back to Virginia where he was given Jane Floyd was expectantly awaiting the might have been quite prominent in Ken- Bullitt's Lick andwas fatallywounded. charge of aprivateer ship to prey on Brit- birth of their next child. The years of con- tucky politics had he lived. SOURCE: bullittcountyhistory.org/if/floydx.html © Charles Hartley, Shepherdsville,Ky. ish shipping. flict seemed to be coming to aclose. STEVEREED/THECOURIER-JOURNAL

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