Petitions of the Early Inhabitants of Kentucky
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PETITIONS OF THE EARLY INHABITANTS OF KENTUCKY TO THE General Assembly of Virginia 1769 to 1792 BY JAMES ROOD ROBERTSON, HA.Ph.D. Member of the American Historical Association, the Filson Club, the Ohio Valley Historical Society, and the. Oregon Historical Society; Professor of History and Political Science in Berea College. LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY JOHN P. MORTON & COMPANY (Incorporated) PRINTERS TO THE FILSON CLUB . 1914 JAMKS ROOP.RpBRRTSON, M.A.Ph.D. Member of .the Filson'.Club. COPYRIGHT, 1915, BY THE FILSON CLUB All Rights Reserved DEDICATED TO THE PIONEERS OF KENTUCKY Men and women whose courage, endurance, and integrity laid well the foundations of our first common wealth'west of the Alleghany Mountains PREFACE THE petitions here printed are offered as a contribu tion to the early period of Kentucky history. During a visit of the editor to Richmond, Virginia, in the summer of 1910, they were found in- the archives of that State. The archivist had recently segregated them from a large mass of other material and an examination of the contents showed their value as a source "of information on the beginnings of Kentucky. The petitions are printed verbatim, with the thought that they will be more useful arid interesting to the student of history in the language of the pioneer inhabitants of our first Commonwealth west'of the Alleghany Mountains. The editor has added foot-notes which may help to explain the purpose, the subject-matter, and the effect of the various petitions. The names attached to the petitions have been separated from them arid arranged in alphabetical order, with num bers referring to the petitions on which they appear. This saves considerable space, as many of the names are signed to two or more petitions. It also makes reference to them more easy. The appearance of the Original material from which these petitions were copied may be seen in the facsimile [V ] Preface of a petition from the settlers ot Lincoln County. This is, however, better than the average in form arid state of preservation. Many of the petitions are worn, the writing faded, and the style not so good as the illustration given. The wording of the petitions, though formal, is full of life and spirit, and in some cases reflects quaintness of expression. There is always a respectful deference for the authority of the Commonwealth of Virginia at the same time that freedom of speech is indulged. The petitions are printed in chronological, order rather than topical, with the thought that the development of community life can best be seen in that way." The first petition is dated 1769 and the last 1831. Only two are earlier than 1776 and six later than 1792. Thus they are seen to pertain to the period when Kentucky was a County of Virginia and those of "earlier and later date are logically connected with that period. Thus the collection presents a unity that is valuable. The collection does not include petitions which were sent to the National Government at Philadelphia or New York which have been used extensively in the printed histories of Kentucky, as they have been more accessible than the ones here printed. Nor is the collection entirely complete, as there are some laws, passed by the Assembly of Virginia, evidently based on petitions which have not been found. The collection, however, is essentially com plete, and is fully representative of the activities of the pioneer population. [ vi ] Preface I desire to express appreciation to the following for assistance rendered me in the preparation of this book: To William G. Frost, President of Berea College, for encour agement and financial aid in gathering the,material; to the late Colonel Reuben T.Durrett, formerly President of the Filson Club, for use of his extensive library; to R. O Ballard Thruston, President Of the Sorts of the American Revolution, for his cordial interest arid support; to the Filson Club and its officers for publication; to Doctor 'H. R. Mcllwain, Librarian of the State Library of Virginia, and Doctor H. J. Eckenrode, Archivist of State Library of Virginia, for cour tesies in use of source material in the Virginia archives, JAMES ROOD ROBERTSON. Berea College, Berea. Kentuckv. t vli ] CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION ;.... .'.•.- , .7 l PETITION No. 1. Request of the inhabitants east of the Alleghany Moun- • tains.for sixty thousand acres of land in the upper valley of the Cum berland River ; ••: 35 PETITION. Ko. 2. Request of the inhabitants of Kentucky at Harrodsburg to.be taken under the jurisdiction of Virginia.',..:.......... 36 PETITION NO. 3. Request of the Committee at Harrodsburg to be taken under the jurisdiction Of Virginia... 38 PETITION No. 4; Request of Thomas Slaughter and other inhabitants of Kentucky for a method of defense;............ 41 PETITION NO. 5. Request of Hugh McGary for compensation for services rendered as a messenger to Fort Pitt ;.,.,... .7........ 42 PETITION NO. 6. Request of. the inhabitants of Kentucky for salt manu factories ....;.... , ;...... ..,..: 43 PETITION NO. 7. Request of Nathaniel Henderson for compensation for a negro slave killed at Fort Boone ...-.'....... .77 44 PETITION No. 8. Statement of grievances by' inhabitants of Kentucky in regard to land laws and request for a remedy. ......i.. 45 PETITION No. 0. Statement of grievances by the inhabitants of Boone's Fort and request for a grant of six hundred and forty acres for town site and a board of trustees, 48 PETITION NO. 10. Request of Richard Cajloway for the right to establish a ferry across the Kentucky River at Boonesborough..'. 53 >•......'• PETITION NO; 11. Request of the inhabitants at the Falls of the Ohio River for an act to establish a town at that place...:'. • • - 53 PETITION NO. 12. Request of the inhabitants north of the Kentucky River for a division of the County of Kentucky...; 55 PETITION NO, 13. Request of George Rogers Clark for confirmation of a grant of thirty-six thousand acres of land northwest of the Ohio River, . given to him by the Indians........ 57 PETITION No. 14. Request of the inhabitants of Lexington for a grant of land for a town site CO PETITION NO. 15. Statement of grievances by the inhabitants of Kentucky and a request either for a better government or independence from Virginia ......,; 7 ...• 7.• „ G2 [ ix ] Contents ...-•-." PAQE. PETITION No. 16. Request of the inhabitants of the three counties of Ken-: tucky for the old land law which required cultivation; also for the 6ft- creation of a Superior Court.... PETITION NO. 17. Request of inhabitants of Lincoln County for laws to secure better military protection, care of orphans, civil marriage, and 7 stray stock. '. .77 .......7 ;..... 68 PETITION NO. 18. Request of the trustees appointed to hold forfeited land, used for school purposes, for an extension of powers ..... .69 PETITION No, 19. Request of John Campbell that the.act.creating \he ^ town of Louisville be repealed. '....'. ,.- 72 PETITION NO. 20. Request of John Morton for.aid in securing a title to land pre-empted in Fayette County......... .....: 73 PETITION NO. 21. Request of Patrick Doran for a warrant on a tract of land pre-empted in Lincoln County... 74 PETITION NO. 22. Request of William Lytle for aid in securing the title to a tract of land at a place called Dry Run 74 PETITION NO. 23. Request of the inhabitants of the District of Kentucky for the establishment of Circuit Courts ............ 76 PETITION NO! 24. Request of the inhabitants of Kentucky cither for a better government by Virginia or a statement of the intentions of that Commonwealth... :...... 78 PETITION NO. 25. Request of the inhabitants of Jefferson, Fayette,. Lin coln, and Nelson Counties for an act acknowledging the independence of Kentucky from Virginia '..,,' — 79 PETITION No. 26. Request of the inhabitants of Lincoln County for a grant of. land for a town site —7..— 82 PETITION NO. 27. Request of the inhabitants of Lincoln County for a division of the county.. .v... .....84 PETITION NO. 28. Request of the inhabitants of the County of Fayette for a division of the county. .........;......... .-,• 85 PETITION NO. 29. Request of James Hogan for the right to establish a public ferry across the Kentucky River near Hickman's Creek...... 87 PETITION NO. 30. Request of David Crews for the right to establish a public ' ferry across the Kentucky River near Jack's Creek...... .. 88 PETITION NO. 31. Request of William Steele for the right to establish a - public ferry across the Kentucky River at Stone Lick. 89 PETITION NO. 32. Request of the inhabitants of part of Bourbon. County at Limestone Settlement for division of the county— ,.. 89 PETITION No. 33. Protest of the inhabitants of Bourbon County against . a division of the county 7 '......-.... .7.. 91 [x] Contents PAGE PETITION NO. 34. Request of the inhabitants of Washington, in Limestone Settlement of Bourbon County, Jor the grant of land for a town site.. 91 PETITION No. 35. Request of James Holloway for land in payment of services in the Revolutionary War 92 PETITION No. 36, Request of the inhabitants of Lincoln County for the establishment of the town of Stanford ..<.... ... 93 PETITION NO. 37. Request of Jane Todd for the appointment of trustees for an estate left by John Todd of Fayette County ..;.;. 95 PETITION NO. 38. Request of Mary Ervin to be allowed tq inherit the land of John Askins. ...•...;...7.. .7 ..;..:..... :...-..-........ 96 PETITION NO. 39. Request of Christopher Greenup, Clerk of Supreme Court of Kentucky, for change of procedure in regard to taxes arising from-legal processes 97 PETITION No. 40. Request of the inhabitants of Fayette County for the in spection of tobacco at the mouth of Hickman's Creek, on the north sidd of the Kentucky River.