Before Abolition


Book Description

This book includes information about more than seven thousand black people who lived in Clark County, Kentucky before 1865. Part One is a relatively brief set of narrative chapters about several individuals. Part Two is a compendium of information drawn mainly from probate, military, vital, and census records.







Early Kentucky Settlers


Book Description

These are extracted court records.




A Garrard County Tragedy


Book Description

"Why did Pa have to die?" What Pa was involved in had been handed down from generation to generation. The Hill's and the Evans' had fought over land and squabbled over money for years - taking each other to court, putting up unseen boundaries on land to keep each other out. Mary Hill didn't understand everything about the feud. She knew that Uncle Jesse was shot and killed two years ago, but was really too young to grasp what had happened. So young, and so familiar with sorrow, Mary struggles to keep her family together in the midst of a bitter and violent feud. Just fifteen years old, she is thrust into the role of mother to her twelve siblings, fearful that, with the coming of each new day, a new tragedy will strike. By escaping Garrard County, Mary may be able to save her family from further bloodshed, but can she get them all out in time?




John Martin of Lower Howard's Creek, Clark County, Kentucky


Book Description

John Martin was a pioneer of Clark County, Kentucky, where he lived on Lower Howard's Creek. John had been a blacksmith in Goochland County, Virginia, where he married Rachel Pace. He owned a small farm there before moving to Ballenger Creek in what is now Fluvanna County. John and Rachel were the parents of thirteen children. In the late 1780s, the parents and children moved to Kentucky. John settled on a hillside farm in an area then known as the Bush Settlement. John now has descendants too numerous to count, some still in Clark County, the others spread all over. Our John Martin has been confused with a number of other men of the same name, and their deeds have been conflated to create a mythical man. One goal of this work is to provide a fully documented history of the life of John Martin of Lower Howard's Creek. Illustrated, indexed.




Captain Billy Bush and the Bush Settlement, Clark County, Kentucky, A Family History


Book Description

No one played a more important role in the settlement of Clark County than Capt. William "Billy" Bush. Born in Orange County, Virginia, Billy came out with Daniel Boone in 1775, resided for a time at Fort Boonesborough, then spent the rest of his life living a few miles from the fort. He thus became one of the first permanent settlers in Kentucky. Billy was also a key figure in establishing Providence Baptist Church, the first church in Clark County. Their place of worship-the Old Stone Church-is now the oldest church on Kentucky soil. Billy Bush laid claim to thousands of acres of land between Winchester and the Kentucky River, and Daniel Boone ran the surveys for him. This land became the foundation of the Bush Settlement.













A Brief History of Northern Kentucky


Book Description

Thousands of years ago, the land that would become Northern Kentucky emerged above sea level when a large portion of the continental plate bulged upward. Today, the region rests on the crest of that uplift, known as the Cincinnati Arch. And just like the fascinating geology of this region, Northern Kentucky continues to grow and develop. From the arrival of the Native Americans, to the first European settlers in the late 1700s, to the building of Ark Encounter at Williamstown in 2016, Northern Kentucky's landscape and population have changed dramatically. This encompassing study delves into the region's unique past and considers its ever-evolving future. Provided is a wide-ranging overview of Northern Kentucky's rich history, including details about its early pioneers such as James Taylor Jr., Simon Kenton, and Daniel Boone, who knew the potential of the incredibly beautiful territory they had discovered at the mouth of the Licking River. The collection also chronicles significant historic moments, like the Battle of Blue Licks, the building of the Roebling Bridge, and tragedies such as the Ohio River Flood of 1937 and the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire of 1977. Famous Northern Kentuckians, such as singer and actress Rosemary Clooney, artist Frank Duveneck, and performer Kenny Price, are also featured. This well-rounded study also addresses the revitalization of the region—including the recent multi-billion-dollar riverside developments in Covington, Newport, and Bellevue—and how Northern Kentucky has evolved into one of the most desirable places in the country.