The third pre-state convention was held in Danville on Monday, August 8, 1775. The same two folks were elected [Samuel McDowell as President and Thomas Todd as Clerk]. This would have only been about 4 months from the May meeting. Following this meeting, a letter was sent to the Virginia "General Assembly" dated 23 September 1785. According to James Robertson, the first action looking toward the creating of Kentucky into a separate State is found in an act entitled, "An Act concerning the erection of the district of Kentucky into an independent state". [Henings Statutes, Vol. 12, 37.]
Robertson records:
"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..."
Wow...here it is. The first "...desire of the good people inhabiting the district..." which was part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Must be how we came to be called the "Commonwealth of Kentucky".
Reference is taken from: "Petitions of The Early Inhabitants of Kentucky To The General Assembly of Virginia 1769 to 1792", by James Rood Robertson, John P. Morton & Co., 1914. [p 82]
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Ten Pre-State Conventions (II.)
"II. The Second Convention was begun to be held on Monday, May 23, 1785. Judge Samuel McDowell was elected President, and Thomas Todd, Clerk."
By 1785, the McDowel and Todd family had started their rolls in the settlement of Danville and the future state of Kentucky.
The Todd family had established Toddsbury, VA, 1653. [a namesake Thomas Todd was the founder.]
It was 1737 when the McDowell family arrived to the colonies among the 100 families joining the "Burden Grant" of 500,000 acres. [Scotch and Irish immigration of course.] It was 1772 that Samuel McDowell appears as a member of the Burgesses of Augusta County, VA. He became actively involved in the conventions of 1775 and 1776 prior the Revolutionary War. His first land grant in what was to become Kentucky is found July 11, 1775 for 2000 acres surveyed by John Floyd on the waters of Elk Horn.
References are:
"Twelve Virginia Counties, Where the Western Migration Began" by John H. Gwathmey which was first published 1937. Discussion of Augusta County starts p. 361. [Samuel McDowell p. 374]
"Historic Families of Kentucky", by Thomas Marshall Green, first published 1889. The McDowell family begins the book starting p. 1 to p. 116!
"Kentucky Land Warrants, for the French, Indian, & Revolutionary Wars", by Samuel M. Wilson, first published 1913. [Samuel McDowell served as a private in the French and Indian War.]
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Ten Pre-State Conventions ( I.)
At Danville, from page x [Journal of the First Constitutional Convention of Kentucky] is listed:
"I. The First Convention was begun to be held on Monday, December 27, 1784. Colonel William Fleming was elected President, and Thomas Perkins, Clerk. Delegates to this convention were chosen from the several Militia Companies of the District."
A partial list of officers and men at the battle of Point Pleasant, Oct. 10, 1774 can be found in the reference titled Virginia Colonial Militia 1651 - 1776, edited by William Armstrong Crozier. On page 89 it list William Fleming as one of the "Colonels" wounded at this battle. [The commanding officer Brig-General Andrew Lewis was killed.] A general listing of these troops can be found on pages 79 -94. I suspect that many of these men were involved in the first few meetings surrounding the formation of the State of Kentucky.
"I. The First Convention was begun to be held on Monday, December 27, 1784. Colonel William Fleming was elected President, and Thomas Perkins, Clerk. Delegates to this convention were chosen from the several Militia Companies of the District."
A partial list of officers and men at the battle of Point Pleasant, Oct. 10, 1774 can be found in the reference titled Virginia Colonial Militia 1651 - 1776, edited by William Armstrong Crozier. On page 89 it list William Fleming as one of the "Colonels" wounded at this battle. [The commanding officer Brig-General Andrew Lewis was killed.] A general listing of these troops can be found on pages 79 -94. I suspect that many of these men were involved in the first few meetings surrounding the formation of the State of Kentucky.
Friday, May 1, 2015
Ten Pre-State Conventions
Between November 1784 and April 1792, there were ten pre-state conventions all held in Danville.
The above shows the title page of the "Journal of the First Constitutional Convention of Kentucky" held in Danville, April 2 to April 19, 1792. [The final meeting of the prior conventions where the separation from Virginia was finally arranged.]
On page x of the pamphlet is outlined the dates and the names of some of the folks involved. The next several posts will give this information. The process to become a State took also ten years in the lives of those living in Danville.
Item 1:
"An informal meeting of 'the principal men of the District' which resulted in the calling of the First Kentucky Convention was held on November 7 and 8, 1784. Colonel William Fleming presided on the first day of the meeting and Colonel Isaac Shelby presided on the second day. Christopher Greenup was chosen Clerk."
The participants of the battle of "Point Pleasant" made up many of the folks recorded among these pages. Colonel William Fleming was seriously wounded in the battle which became a legend among the settlers of this area. He also secured as many as 30,000 acres with some being in all three counties. [Jefferson, Fayette, Lincoln]
Isaac Shelby was considered the "hero" of "Point Pleasant" who lead a flanking attack to save the day. [He was to become the first Governor of the State.]
Christopher Greenup was one of the first Trustees of the town lots of Danville, and purchased lot #57 with George Nicholas and Thomas Barbie. The year 1784 was to start things off.
The reference(s):
Journal of the First Constitutional Convention of Kentucky - Held in Danville, Kentucky, April 2 to 19, 1792. Published in Commemoration of Kentucky's Sesquicentennial Anniversary, June 1, 1942, By the State Bar Association of Kentucky. Lexington, Kentucky, 1942.
Certificate Book of The Virginia Land Commission 1779-1780. By The Kentucky Historical Society, 1923. [Southern Historical Press, Inc., SC., 1981]
Jones, J.E., "KEN-TAH-THE", The Life and Times of Walker Daniel, Founder of the Town Lands of Danville, Kentucky, 18th Day of June 1784, 2009.
The above shows the title page of the "Journal of the First Constitutional Convention of Kentucky" held in Danville, April 2 to April 19, 1792. [The final meeting of the prior conventions where the separation from Virginia was finally arranged.]
On page x of the pamphlet is outlined the dates and the names of some of the folks involved. The next several posts will give this information. The process to become a State took also ten years in the lives of those living in Danville.
Item 1:
"An informal meeting of 'the principal men of the District' which resulted in the calling of the First Kentucky Convention was held on November 7 and 8, 1784. Colonel William Fleming presided on the first day of the meeting and Colonel Isaac Shelby presided on the second day. Christopher Greenup was chosen Clerk."
The participants of the battle of "Point Pleasant" made up many of the folks recorded among these pages. Colonel William Fleming was seriously wounded in the battle which became a legend among the settlers of this area. He also secured as many as 30,000 acres with some being in all three counties. [Jefferson, Fayette, Lincoln]
Isaac Shelby was considered the "hero" of "Point Pleasant" who lead a flanking attack to save the day. [He was to become the first Governor of the State.]
Christopher Greenup was one of the first Trustees of the town lots of Danville, and purchased lot #57 with George Nicholas and Thomas Barbie. The year 1784 was to start things off.
The reference(s):
Journal of the First Constitutional Convention of Kentucky - Held in Danville, Kentucky, April 2 to 19, 1792. Published in Commemoration of Kentucky's Sesquicentennial Anniversary, June 1, 1942, By the State Bar Association of Kentucky. Lexington, Kentucky, 1942.
Certificate Book of The Virginia Land Commission 1779-1780. By The Kentucky Historical Society, 1923. [Southern Historical Press, Inc., SC., 1981]
Jones, J.E., "KEN-TAH-THE", The Life and Times of Walker Daniel, Founder of the Town Lands of Danville, Kentucky, 18th Day of June 1784, 2009.
Monday, April 20, 2015
Town Lots Prior to 1792
Prior to 1792, the town lots of Danville were under the care of Trustees. [See post 4 Mar. 2015 "In Trust"]. The figure which follows show the lots as "sold" up to the time Kentucky became a State of the Union.
The 10 lots held by Harry Innes remains in blue. [14,20,35,43,44,45,46,47,55,56]
The lots which include the remaining Trustees are shown in green. They are as follows:
Peter Tardeveau had six lots. [4,8,12,25,62,63]
George Muter had four lots. [52,53,54,55]
Thomas Perkins had four lots. [28,29,50,51]
Andrew McCalla had two lots. [1,21]
The Trustees held 26 lots between them which is 41% of the town prior to 1792.
The remaining lots were occupied by the following folks:
James Edwards had two lots. [5,6]
Issac Hite had two lots.[38,39] A business partner to Walker Daniel.
John Cohurn had two lots. [7,11]
George Slaughter had two lots. [25,26] Old George was a relative of mine!
A total of eight lots which is 13 % of the town.
The lots shown in white are those that did not seem to be sold to others, and were the remaining lots opened after 1792. [16/63 = 13%] It would appear that at least three lots per block remained unoccupied except for the block on the north side of "Broad Street" = Main Street.
This was the town lots prior to 1792!
 |
| Town Lots Occupied Prior to 1792 |
The 10 lots held by Harry Innes remains in blue. [14,20,35,43,44,45,46,47,55,56]
The lots which include the remaining Trustees are shown in green. They are as follows:
Peter Tardeveau had six lots. [4,8,12,25,62,63]
George Muter had four lots. [52,53,54,55]
Thomas Perkins had four lots. [28,29,50,51]
Andrew McCalla had two lots. [1,21]
The Trustees held 26 lots between them which is 41% of the town prior to 1792.
The remaining lots were occupied by the following folks:
James Edwards had two lots. [5,6]
Issac Hite had two lots.[38,39] A business partner to Walker Daniel.
John Cohurn had two lots. [7,11]
George Slaughter had two lots. [25,26] Old George was a relative of mine!
A total of eight lots which is 13 % of the town.
The lots shown in white are those that did not seem to be sold to others, and were the remaining lots opened after 1792. [16/63 = 13%] It would appear that at least three lots per block remained unoccupied except for the block on the north side of "Broad Street" = Main Street.
This was the town lots prior to 1792!
Sunday, April 5, 2015
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?
Harry Innes was to play a significant role in the formation of the state of Kentucky. Any folks related out there?
Friday, March 20, 2015
The Petitioners
Those who singed the letter to the Virginia Legislature dated 19 November 1787 are listed below. The request begins:
"Petition of inhabitants of Danville and others...". They would be the first citizens of Danville!
1) Harry Innes
2) Martin Daniel [brother to Walker Daniel]
3) P. Tardiveau [first name was Peter] He was a friend of Walker Daniel.
4) Robert Corbi
5) Robert Daniel [brother to Walker Daniel and heir at law to the estates of Walker]
6) James Lawrence
7) David Furguson
8) J. Brown [believe his first name was James]
9) Jon. Belli
10) Stepn. Ormsby
11) John Crow [sold the 76 acres to Walker Daniel]
12) Andw. McCall
13) Thos. Barbee
14) M. Nagle
15) Samuel Irwin
16) Christo. Greenup
17) Ben Grayson [ believe "Grayson's Tavern" named after]
18) John Irvin
19) George Muter
20) Ro. Craddock [ Robert was the first name]
21) Jas. Dunlap
22)Thomas Lodg[?] unable to read name from document
23) Willis Green [business partner to Walker Daniel]
Say hello to the petitioners and first citizens of Danville!
"Petition of inhabitants of Danville and others...". They would be the first citizens of Danville!
1) Harry Innes
2) Martin Daniel [brother to Walker Daniel]
3) P. Tardiveau [first name was Peter] He was a friend of Walker Daniel.
4) Robert Corbi
5) Robert Daniel [brother to Walker Daniel and heir at law to the estates of Walker]
6) James Lawrence
7) David Furguson
8) J. Brown [believe his first name was James]
9) Jon. Belli
10) Stepn. Ormsby
11) John Crow [sold the 76 acres to Walker Daniel]
12) Andw. McCall
13) Thos. Barbee
14) M. Nagle
15) Samuel Irwin
16) Christo. Greenup
17) Ben Grayson [ believe "Grayson's Tavern" named after]
18) John Irvin
19) George Muter
20) Ro. Craddock [ Robert was the first name]
21) Jas. Dunlap
22)Thomas Lodg[?] unable to read name from document
23) Willis Green [business partner to Walker Daniel]
Say hello to the petitioners and first citizens of Danville!
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