Town Lots of Harry Innes

What was to become the "Town Lots of Danville" were sold by the estate of Walker Daniel starting 1785.  The first name to sign the petition for the founding of Danville was Harry Innes.  He became the next Attorney General for this new area of Virginia, and a leading individual in the future of the town.  The following figure shows the "lots" purchased by him from 1785 - 1791.  He came to own 10 lots as shown in blue.

From the "Public Square" [Now Constitution Square] his lots spread to the southwest.  This represents almost 18 % of the town. 

Harry Innes was to play a significant role in the formation of the state of Kentucky.  Any folks related out there?

In Trust

A petition was sent to the General Assembly of Virginia on November 19, 1787 stating:

            "They pray for an Act to establish the land into a town called Danville"


The petition reads that Walker Daniel

      "...proceeded to lay off a part of the land into lots and streets and disposed of some of the lots".

Walker was killed by Indians the 12th of August 1784.  After his death Robert Daniel [the oldest remaining brother] laid the remainder of the land off into lots and streets.  The petition continues

      "For the safety of purchases Robert has conveyed in fee simple the streets and springs within the tract of George Muter, Harry Innes, Peter Tardiveau, Thomas Perkins, and Andrew McCalla in trust for the benefit of the inhabitants."

This is first listing of the folks who resided in Danville prior to it becoming an "official" city.  The town lands were placed "in trust" to these folks for the first three years of the life of Danville.  Thank you for keeping this trust.

Taken from "KEN-TAH-THE" , The Life and Times of Walker Daniel... p.34.

Town Lot #34

The town lots that were to become the city of Danville came under the control of  Robert Daniel, the "Heir at Law" to our Walker Daniel.  One of the first acts of business was to sell the town lots.  Lots were sold beginning February 22, 1785 through June 2, 1792. [Kentucky became a State on June 1, 1792.]   The first lot to be sold was "lot #34".  Its position is shown on the figure below.  North is to the top of the page.

John Hunter was the first to own a lot in Danville!  His purchase is dated 22 February, 1785.  Lot #34 is colored blue and lies on the corner of  "Second Street" [now Market Street] and "Cross Street" [now Third Street].  The parking garage is now located on lot #21, the old Methodist Church now stands on lot #22, and the educational wing of the hospital begins on lot #33.  The center of town in 1785 this town lot #34.

[This information is taken from my book titled: "KEN - TAH - THE" The Life and Times of Walker Daniel Founder of the Town Lands of Danville, Kentucky 18th Day of June 1784".]  Whew...a picture of the cover is shown below.  It was published 2009.

Present Day Placement

Where the 63 lots of the "town lands of Danville" were exactly located has been a point of discussion.  The main problem in this discussion, is that the plan of Danville most often used is from the book by Calvin Morgan Fackler, titled "Early Days In Danville".  The names of the streets on this plan are usually assumed to be the same names, and in the same locations, that are used today.  This is not the case.

The following figure is my attempt to place these 63 lots in their positions as they would have been located in 1784.  Please note the names of the streets are different as they are in present day Danville.

The "Public Square" is in the same location as it is today.  The name "1st Street" is still in the same location. It extended on the eastern side southward along the "Public Square".  The present "Main Street" was called "Broad Street".  Now "Second Street" is present day "Walnut Street" which is not the location of "Second Street" of today.  "Third Street" is today called "Martin Luther King Jr." and is not the location that "Third Street" is today.  "Main Cross Street" is the name that was given to the center of town. [Third Street today.]  "West Street" is now "4th Street", and the end of the town lands would come to what is called "Church Street" today.  The courthouse now stands in Lot #6.  Whew...lets try and review:

                        Main Street (of today) = Broad Street in 1784

                        1st Street (of today) = 1st Street in 1784 (extended down the Public Square)

                        2nd Street (of today) = Market Street in 1784

                        3rd Street (of today) =  Main Cross Street in 1784

                        4th Street (of today) =  West Street in 1784

                        Walnut Street (of today) = 2nd Street of 1784

                        Martin Luther King (of today) = 3rd Street of 1784

The west end of town would end where Church Street stands today.  What a deal... the present day placement of the town lots of 1784.