The Journal (1)

The first "Constitutional Convention" of Kentucky was held in Danville, April 2 to April 19, 1792.  A "Journal" was kept of the meetings, which was reproduced by the State Bar Association of Kentucky for "Kentucky's Sesquicentennial Anniversary, June 1, 1942.  On page 1, the first day's activities are recorded as follows:

"At a Convention begun and held at Danville in the County of Mercer on Monday the second day of April in the year of our Lord One Thousand seven hundred and ninety-two."

[Boyle County was not to form for almost 1/2 century [1842] after this convention was held here in Danville.  All legal and court records are located in Mercer County prior to 1842.]

"On which day being the day appointed by a resolution of a Convention held for the District of Kentucky on the Thirtieth day of July One Thousand Seven hundred and Ninety."

[This was the ninth convention that was held at Danville on Monday, July 26, 1790.  George Muter was elected President, and Thomas Todd, was elected Clerk at this 9th meeting.]

" A Majority of the members having met and taken their Seats."

"Ordered That Mr. Thomas Todd be appointed Clerk to this Convention."

"The Honble Samuel McDowell was unanimously elected President"

Appointing "Clerk" and "President" was the first order of business.  The Todd and McDowell families were continue their roles in the foundation of Danville.  The front page of this source is shown below:

The Creating of Kentucky

The text by James Rood Robertson contains the following in a footnote on p. 82 pertaining to the first action taken by the General Assembly of Virginia toward the formation of Kentucky as a State. [Henings Statues, Vol. 12, 37 ]

"Whereas it is represented to be the desire of the good people inhabiting the district known by the name of the Kentucky District that the same should be separated from this Commonwealth whereof it is a part and be formed into an independent member of the American Confederacy and it is judged by the General Assembly that such a partition of the Commonwealth is rendered expedient by the remoteness of the more fertile which must be the more populous part of the said district and by the interjacent impediment to a convenient and regular communication therewith, Be it enacted, "

"A convention was to be held at Danville on the fourth Monday of September made up of delegates from the seven counties, five from each.  The call was to be posted twenty days and the election was to continue five days to give full opportunity for expression of opinion."

"The boundary was to be unchanged, the new State was to assume its just proportion of the debt, the lands of non-residents were not to be taxed above those of residents, grants of land by the new State were not to interfere with grants made by Virginia, lands set apart for soldiers were subject to grant only by Virginia, up to 1788, the use of the Ohio River to be common, and assent of United States Congress to the separation necessary."

Wow...what a deal...all to happen at a convention to be held at Danville!  Historic Danville...indeed it is.