Harrison Heritage News Published monthly by Harrison County Historical Society, PO Box 411, Cynthiana, KY 41031
Award of Merit - Publication or Journal, 2007 Kentucky History Awards Program http://harrisoncountyky.us/historical-society
May 2015 Vol. 16 No. 4
Letters to Civil War Governors from Harrison County Bill Penn
Recently, I was given permission to search the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary database at the Kentucky Historical Society. Although the project is still underway, researchers can examine the data gathered to date. I was able to find many letters to governors from Harrison County concerning petitions, requests for appointments of officers, pardon requests, and other correspondence. Attached are a few interesting letters that actually list, through their signatures, many of the Union supporters in Harrison County. According to the KHS web site, the Civil War Governors of Kentucky project “is a multi-year documentary-editing project dedicated to locating, imaging, transcribing, anno- tating and publishing documents associated with all five of the state’s Civil War governors, including the three Union governors, Beriah Magoffin (1859-62), James F. Robinson (1862-63) and Thomas E. Bramlette (1863-67), and the two provisional Confederate governors, George W. Johnson (1861-62) and Richard Hawes (1862-65).” (Note: the database reference number is shown at the bottom of each letter. A key to the code is available at the project’s web site. Also, the letter transcriptions by KHS staff reflect their attempts to read the writing, and there will be occasional names mis- spelled). This letter was to Governor Robinson written by William W. Trimble, probably the lead- ing Union leader in Harrison County. Trimble (1821-1886) was an influential attorney who opposed secession. His letter was written soon after the First Battle of Cynthiana and before the Confederate invasion of Kentucky. Although there were Home Guards in the county under George W. Berry, who Trimble mentions in the letter, these unpaid volun- teers were not mounted. Trimble was requesting that Berry be commissioned a major with the authority to raise a batallion for several month’s service and be properly armed and provided with horses. There is no evidence that Robinson approved having the state fund this militia unit. Under the county’s existing Home Guard authority, however, Berry could have mounted his companies, but apparently there was insufficient local funding for arms, horses, and supplies. Wm. W. Trimble Cynthiana Aug 25 /62
To Jas F. Robinson Esq
Acting Gov of Ky
It is perfectly manifest that organized bodies of horsemen are roaming through Harrison County in the vicinity of the railroad after dark, drilling & recruiting for the purpose of escaping to join some rebel forces or to act in Conjunction with other rebel forces in the state. Meanwhile they are perpetrating outrages upon citizens by arresting them and tearing up railroad and stealing horses. None but a local force can break up these organi- zations and Capture the scoundrels Composing them. By calling into service for two or three months two or three hundred mounted horse guards properly equipped & commanded quiet can be restored to this county. We unfortunately have a good many returned rebels from the rebel army who at first professed to be sorry for what they had done but who now show by their acts & sympathies that they are spies ^for^ and coadjutors with their former companions in arms. No loyal man can be secure until the power of the government is shown to be sufficient to crush these bands the sooner it shall be done the better for all parties concerned. Provision for their subsistence & pay must be made before
Kenny Simpson, Curator www.HarrisonCountyKy.US/Museum
Mary Grable, Secretary Harrison Heritage News – May 2015 (Volume 16, Issue 4) 4 And two have already been raised who Elected Geo. W. Berry Major for their battalion. One raw regiment of Federal troops has been stationed here for a few days but the Colonel says that he is powerless for the reason that his men do not know the topography of the Country are not mounted and can not with sufficient speed pursue & capture the mounted marauders We have intelligence of the existence of three companies floating about in this & the lower edge of ------Bourbon County. Send Geo M. Berry a Commission forthwith to raise 400 men with the power to appoint quarter master & means to get subsistence camp Equippage &c We have Arms for about 200 men and will need about as many more. Berry can scour the country to the Ohio men if necessary. But delay is dangerous. Promptitude & energy must be the order of the day.
Yours respy W. W. Trimble [KYR-0001-002-0010] Typical of many letters to governors, this petition requested appointment and promotion of Capt. William B. Dunn, an officer from Harrison County. Signers included county judge Broadwell, deputy provost marshal Dickey, State Representative Ward, Sheriff McClintock, county clerk Wilson, and as in the previous letter, W. W. Trimble. Dunn enlisted in Company F., 20th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Although a promotion was recommended by the governor, Dunn’s service record in the Ky. Adj. Gen. Report lists him as captain. Cynthiana. Harrison Co. Ky. Nov. 9. 63 Govr Bramlett
Dear Sir. We learn that there is a vacancy of the Office of Major in the 20th Reg. Ky In. now stationed at Lou- isville-. We write you for the purpose of recommending to you for that of our fellow country-man Capt Wil- liam B. Dunn - the senior Capt. of that Regiment To grant him that advancement we think well deserved also in accordance with the almost unanimous wishes of the entire Reg. We all know Capt. Dunn as one who in our darkest hour in this secession Co. rallied to the standard of our common country We think him true & worthy. Also capable of discharging the duties of the office with honor & to the state. & to the nation. We respectfully solicit for him the appointment of Major It will highly gratify his many friends. We are Dear Gov. very respectfully yours, W. W. Trimble [KYR0002-025-0001]
L Coppage John Spohn Robert Johns J. B. McClintock S H C W. L. Worthcall J. S. Frizell W. S. Haviland Jas. Musellman Chas S. Wilson J. T. McClintock C. G. Sand J. Q. Ward A. H. Ward (Rep.) Henry Nesbitt Leslie Combs J. F. Ware Elias Henry W. H. Cox W H Stewart George Morrison N. Curtis John Stweary George T. Renneckar L. H. VanHook J. L. Magee Wm Cormen John W Renaker John R Witt W. W. Trimble J. E. Dickey, H D P W. A. Stewart Bendenmanium M L Broadwell P. J. H. C. J L Griffith J. A. Cook J W Peck William W. Cleary, the state representatives from Harrison County, was a well-known southern sympathizer whose speeches advocated a state convention to consider secession. Cleary had sponsored pro-Southern legisla- tion in February 1861 offering resolutions and amendments that the governor authorize a special vote for a state convention in Frankfort to make recommendations concerning Ken- tucky’s “honor,” or in other words, whether the state should secede. The resolutions failed to pass, but Cleary was thereafter associated with the secessionist movement and labeled a potentially disloyal citizen. On March 20, 1861, Cleary represented the 8th congressional district, along with future Confederate governor of Kentucky, Richard Hawes, at the Frank- fort States Rights convention. Desha and Cleary, two “disunion politicians,” contributed to Harrison County’s image as a den of secessionists. On March 21, however, there was a strong showing of Harrison County Union support when citizens countered Cleary’s resolutions by gathering 530 signatures on petitions to Governor Magoffin asking him to not call a state convention, labeling it illegal since the state constitution authorizes only the legislature to call a William W. Cleary convention, and as well, it would lead to additional taxation. Of course, the county leaders who were Southern sympathizers did not sign the petition, but no comparable petition supporting a convention is in the state archives. However, with a white county population of about 2,400, this petition cannot be considered a convincing presence of Union sentiment in the county. Harrison Heritage News – May 2015 (Volume 16, Issue 4) 5
Frankfort Ky March 21st, 1861 Hon. B. Magoffin Dear Sir
At the request of many citizens of Harrison County I send you the accompanying protests against the calling of a state convention—
very Respectfully yr Friend T. F. Marshall [KYR0002-023-0007 thru -0021]
Kindsey Hucheson J W Jones Squire Wallingford W. C. Musselman Wm W Boggels David H. Batson M. Catherwood J.D. Patch N H Rowland Benjamin Winsele W. R Hildreth John Colvin L. B. McClintock R M Wall F. T. Mc- J. C. McKinley. Thos. W. Smith J. J Curran R M Hedges Clintock Isaac Ramey Erick Martin J N Hughs Benson Roberts M Hurly S. C Perrin Jr Wm Boone Joseph M. T. Bailey Wesley Sparks Reuben R Arnold Harison Smith R Morse William H. Robinson George Stursy H Rowlan John P. Swinford W. C. Patton Harry Snodgrass S E Brachall R. C. Smith James Dunaway G W Berry Sr J T Hoffman J. W. Royse D L Renneckar J. D. Dudley M Bradley W. M. Asbury W H Burnbarger Adam Juett A. McNee S G Stown W B Duncan Alex McClintock William D Stewart J W Limerick H Bruce David Duckworth Robert Thompson K W. Lair Isaac N. Knoe John Jameson James Duckworth William Lang Jas W McKee W. Howard N Y Renneckar Wm Duckworth M T Broadwelt James Swinford Jeremiah Keith Patrick Carew Joseph Whitley Y A Nichols J. Van- A. P. Rennekar Geo Million Henry Crenshaw Wm Burns Jr. deran J M Walker Charles Latimer A L Furnish Geo Krammer William Ravenscraft G. H Givens William Ratliff W J. Conner Martin Linn Dennis Nichols M W Rankin J W. Lanier S. D. F Courtny A. S. Bryson L C Rankin T. W. Hedges Daniel R Ramey John B Rainey George Pugh Eli Howard E. Swern Burrell Million John benaret A. C. Curran George Goodnight U. S. Asbury E. M. Pogue Thomas Vaughan S R Whitehead William Toudvine Samuel Martin Gary Bryant John Ralston H. Field— William B Renaker M Limerick John P. Dunaway A J Ralston Quenton Turner Cornelius Ammer- Wm. C A. White S. C. Sheppard M A Ralston Ephraim Gross man Thomas Edwards G. W. Duncan James Mettes Arasha Maxbery J. W. Ralston T J Terry E Whalin David Ralston S M Barns S White John Bruce L. W. Wolf Luke Adams Wm McClean Newton Henry N D Hume James Jolley Sen Joshua Fields A. S. Baless John Conner Thomas Clemmans Benjamin T. Price Jas J Laughlin T B Hughes T Lebrelar L. B. Bryant Benson Williams D V Ralston John C Barns Wm Lowry Dotson Dunaway J. B. Dawson L L Conner J F Miller John C Wilson W H H Coleman BenjaiminSamuel Eills B W Duncan John Sells R J. Dalney J. W. Kenady A. S. Kents> Nelson Conner Martin Riley Alex Kimbrough James Ingels Wm H. Miller T J Furnish Lord Morrision Caleb Walton John M. Lyter F. M. Dorr Alex Paul Martin Waldron John McKee John C Johnson T. N. Baless Wesley Coppage T J. Langly Wm Vanderan G S Gordon Robert Wossel A Sattliff Thomas Shanon Elija Kirtley B Robinson Wm Wossel P Conner T Morrision A Addam R. T. Ryan C. T. Schable H. F. Hughes. J Fogle J Brown Nichols C A J Newton Smith Frank Box A. Williams M Barns Webster G W Huffman M. Bliss S B Carman L. M. Reeves Saml Kimbrough John J Monroe C. G. Frazer Russell Baily John Barns Wash Bruce C W Barker W. C. Hobson G W Rohr M ornier M. J. Rankin H Ditts W. L. Bents J. C. Ashcraft Alonzo Jackson Thomas Ware G. W. McNee Robert Atkins Harrison Heritage News – May 2015 (Volume 16, Issue 4) 6
Kedered Robisen John P Crenshaw George Reneker David Vanarsdell W. O Smith A. Hammer Wm Thomson Jacob Reneker Wm R. McCandless H L Northcutt C. T. Wilson A. H. Ward Robert May John P Gruwell I. Y. Stevens T Geier Wm Nesbit James Stump D. b. Lemoon Benjamin Dinn Jos M Woods E. D. Rowland Dr James P Madison J V. Scott J. A. Nesbit Richard King N. Dunn Robert Ravenscraft John Slade James T Nichols Wm Snodgrass Jno. M. Kimbrough Aaron A Dills N M Eddleman A. Renecker Jno Northcutt Alfred Day Wm Conner Garrett J. Whitson J. Reneker Jr. Joseph Cosby Saml Williams Sr Bird Cason James P Baird Jas H. Coffman G. W. Coon G M Givens Wm Townson C L. Brashears A. S Weld Jon Kohr Daniel Grandbeck D W Haydon Wm McMurphy John Lair John Coons Wm A Gray Jackson Conrad B. S. Dean J H Thompson Jas T Mussleman Lewis Day Wm Gossett John T McKinly A. J Norey Wm. H Curran Allen Smith B G Badgett John Erlen sen T. R. Rankin Hiram Karr T Bassett J P Gossett John B. Crouch John. W. Styles Washington Whaling Wm G Courtney S Rennecker Granvill Cason Wm. J Grisman George M Pugh Napoleon B Wilson A Rennecker N Stone F A. Eveleth John Richee W S Haviland Nat Renneker Thos Boyd J. P. King Samuel Downard J B McKinley G. P. Renneker G Daugherty Clifton Andrew John Sparks Francis Gray James Tippett J. C. Edwards George Lamb Montraville French H S Webb B T Morison George S. Ingels J. E. Dickey John B Wheeler G. W. Burns R. M. Michall L. C. Boyd R C Nelson T Raman J. L. Ward B. B. Hume William G. Sledges C. T. Delling F Murphy Amos Ammerman Edward C Hutchinson Henry C Hedges Wm. Shumate Enoch North W L Wilson F. F. Wiglesworth R L Spradling W. Saber James G Kearns Samuel Patterson jr Hiram Ashbrook James Edwards J. S. Brooks Richard Turner D R Ammerman A. S. Wiglesworth Joseph Ingels S Douglass Tomkins Barlow C. L. Williams W Clinkson J. S. Mc nees Paul Douglass G Mullin A J White Wm F Curran J. P. Blair Geo. C Phillips Wm Barlow J W Pick John Marr G. B. Fishback C. Whaley Wm M Hill Richard Waite Claborn Hutchison John Angel T H Lunge B N Mullin J S Day W. S. Manson Thos Corwin Emanuel Lemmon Thomas Hill H. B. Madison S D Manson Thos Boyd Benj. Humphries James M. Hill Thomas D Bassett S W Lockhart John Spohn Herman Rohr Zachariah Wilson L W Shernser Burton Bresnaugh H Cox W R Epperson Jacob T Debruler Philip Ammerman James Bresnaugh J L Magee H. Coffman M D Raymond H N Toadeine Richard Bresnaugh J I Frizell James Slade J P Raymond J L Fitzwaler Andrew Ashbrook D Black J. B. Courtney M. Raymond L S Jameson Moss Manson G. W. Whaley Daniel Waits Junius Loomy Wm Ammerman James Manson J N Miller Robt. J. Batson Wm Loomey Porter Jett David S Hall E M Bailey John F. T. Rose Jacob Ashcraft E D McAdams R Lanaster Wm J M. Lucey. Coleman Preston Aaron Edelman J H Lancaster Geo. W. Dunn Harrison Cummins John Conner L Coppage Benjamin C Cason W Y Mcduffee John Courtney Harding Landesback Charles W Dills J D Renneckar R A Mclean William J. Courtney A Layton W A Stewart Wm Pixley Ephraim Knight Daniel Courtney A Heitch John Gossett Wm Gemmon George Brown Samuel Levesque John Wheeler Darius Gossett Richard Wolf J A J A Reeves H H Vanhook T Lingenfelter Wm. T. Holden Marshall Steers E S Johnson Charles M. Waits John Baily John Goodnight Robert A Levesque- John Criswell John Gleiwichs Leason Taylor William Holden M. D. Martin Charles. W. Rose P. F. Doubman Harding Landesback George Goodnight Sr John Craig John Riggin J Wm C. Gruell Ezekial Scott John C Hardin W H Martin J F L St Thomas C. W. Hutcherson William French Robert H. Reneker D. F. Lemmon W W Trimble J. W. Miner B C Day L Lewis D Terry John Sellers Jr H Nichols William S Holly Robert Jones John M Stump Henry Sellars A C Marsh James L Dunn George Kimbrough George Stump F. M. Robertson Chas. T. Daniel George Redmon Harrison Heritage News – May 2015 (Volume 16, Issue 4) 7
H Ray Balern M McCabe E. P. Rose John Poindexter Allen Stewart John Dunn Thomas J Dunn Robert Scott Thos. Hanney Wesley Ammerman A C Burns John A Daniel J F. L H Wheeler Asbry Lenex Mc Kendry Toadvine In February 1863, Congress authorized the governor of Kentucky to recruit 20,000 men for a Kentucky state militia to protect against guerillas. Brigadier General Jeremiah T. Boyle was appointed commander and instruct- ed each county to raise troops. This letter petitioned the governor to appoint W. W. Trimble to be colonel of the Harrison County unit. The governor agreed, for Harrison County organized the 54th Regiment Kentucky Militia at Cynthiana on October 17, 1863. On October 30, 1863, the unit elected as officers: W. W. Trimble, colonel; Quincy Ward, lieutenant colonel; and J. B. McClintock, major.
[To Governor Bramlette]
Cynthiana Harrison Co Oct.r 12.th 1863
We the undersigned loyal citizens of Harrison Co Ky do hereby petition his Excellency Governor Bramlette of this State, to appoint Wm W. Trimble Esqr of this town and county, as a Colonel of home guards for this district, we believe him the best qualified man in this district.
Robert Jones F G Coy Richard Waits George Kimbrough W. S. Haviland L Coppage P M John Van Deven G. W. Berry Capt Thos. Laitsch Dennis Nichols John L Magee Pro Mar 6t District Ky Geog C Phillips Joseph Scott J W Peck J. P. Ware Clk H Circt Ct. P. L. Peterson W. A. Stewart Ben Cummins John R Smith Wm Thomson J Newton Smith Hiram D Peck [KYR 001-018-0028]
From the ranks of the Harrison Rifles, a Kentucky State Guard unit, Captain Jo Desha recruited a company of 107 men that on the morning of April 22, 1861, left Cynthiana on a train to Louisville, one of the first Confeder- ate units from Kentucky, if not the first. His resignation from the State Guard was sent to Governor Magoffin about two weeks earlier.
Cynthiana Ky. Apr. 8./61 Governor Magoffin- Dear Sir-
I hereby resign my commission as Captain in Ky. State Guard. Will you have kindness to telegraph me on the receipt of this whether you accept my resignation-I intend to serve the best interests of Ky., wherever my lot may be cast. Respt Jo Desha
Jos Desha Resignation as Captain- April 9. 1861. Accepted B. M [KYR 0001-018-0009] Harrison Heritage News – May 2015 (Volume 16, Issue 4) 8
Harrison County’s Lost Buildings Patterson House, ca. 1895
According to Peddicord’s Cynthiana Since 1790 (p. 35), this house, on the southeast corner of Main and Mill Streets, was built ca. 1895. It was owned by Dr. J. Hickman in 1905, and was bought a few years later by Dr. Patterson. Jesse Williams purchased the house about 1930. St. Edward Catholic Church later pur- chased the house and demolished it for parking spaces.
Market St. and Court St., Cynthiana, Ky., now Joe B. Hall Court. Photo, 1961, Bill Penn Harrison Heritage News – May 2015 (Volume 16, Issue 4) 9
“Military Map of the States of Kentucky and Tennessee”(detail), 1865, drawn by Charles E. Swann. Harrison Heritage News – May 2015 (Volume 16, Issue 4) 10
Statistics as of 4/20/15