BOURBON COUNTY, KENTUCKY

Source: Collins, Richard H. History of Kentucky, Vol. II. Covington, Kentucky: Collins & Co., 1882, pp. 325-330.

First Visitors and Improvers.-From a comparison of numerous depositions of the visitors themselves, taken between the years 1793 and 1821, in several large land-suits in Mason, Nicholas, Bourbon, Harrison, Pendleton, Fayette, and other counties, it appears that a company of fifteen men (in after years frequently called "Hinkson's Company ")-John Hinkson, John Haggin, John Martin, John Townsend, James Cooper, Daniel Callahan, Patrick Callahan, Matthew Fenton, George Gray, Wm. Hoskins, Wm. Shields, Thomas Shores, Silas Train, Samuel Wilson, (only 15 or 16 years old,) and John Woods-in March and April, 1775, came down the Ohio and up the Licking river, in canoes, in search of lands to improve. They landed at the mouth of Willow creek, on the east side of Main Licking, four miles above the forks (where Falmouth now is); and on account of high water and rainy weather remained two nights and a day. "The hackberry tree out of which Sam. Wilson cut a johnny-cake board, in the point at the mouth of the creek, was still standing in 1806, 31 years after." [Seven of them, on their way home in the ensuing fall, stopped at the same place and "barbaqued enough meat to carry them home."] They proceeded on up the Licking to near the Lower Blue Licks, "where Bedinger's mill was in 1805," thence took the buffalo trace to the neighborhood between Paris and Cynthiana-where they "improved"' lands, made small clearings, built a cabin for each member of the company, named after some of the company Hinkston and Townsend creeks, and Cooper's run, and afterwards settled Hinkston and Martin's stations. John Townsend, on Townsend creek, and John Cooper, on the waters of Hinkston, raised corn in 1775, from which the latter furnished seed to a number of improvers in the same region in 1776.

Miller's Company.-A few days later in the spring of 1775, Wm. Miller, John Miller, Richard Clark, Wm. Flinn, Joseph Houston or Huston, Paddy Logan, Wm. McClintock, Wm. Nesbitt, Alex. Pollock, John Shear, Wm. Steel, Henry Thompson, and two others­14 in all­came in canoes down the Ohio, and up the Licking to the Lower Blue Licks, where they were joined by Hinkson's company above-named. Each party sent out explorers, who examined the country, and reported to the two companies at the Blue Licks. They all traveled together the main buffalo trace towards what is now Lexington, until they reached a trace turning west, since called Hinkston's trace, which the Hinkson party followed-while the other party encamped on Miller's run, at the crossing of the lower Limestone or Ruddle's road, thence went around the country, selected 14 spots for improvement, and divided them by lot. Wm. Steele's place was on the north side of Hinkston, below the buffalo trace; he improved it by cutting down timber and planting potatoes. They all returned up the Ohio to Pennsylvania in the fall.

John Lacy improved on South Licking above Martin's station, in 1775.

In the fall of 1775, David Williams conducted Nathaniel Randolph, Peter Higgins, and Robert Shanklin, from Harrodsburg to the country between Hinkston and Stoner. In the summer previous, he was on the Middle fork, or Gist's (since known as Stoner's) creek, with Thos. Gist, James Douglass (the surveyor), James Harrod, Sigismund Stratton, Daniel Hollenback, John Severns, Ebenezer Severns,­Wabash, and others. These were engaged in surveying.

Col. Henderson's Report.-A letter, dated at Boonesborough, June 12, 1775, from Col. Richard Henderson to his co-proprietors of Transylvania­Thos. Hart, Nathaniel Hart, David Hart, John Luttrell, John Williams, Wm. Johnston, James Hogg, and Leonard Henly Bullock­gives this "idea of the geography of out-country," at that time (Halls Sketches of the West, ii, 267):

"We are seated at the mouth of Otter creek, on the Kentucky river, about 150 miles from the Ohio. To the west, about 50 miles from us, are two settlements, within 6 or 7 miles one of the other [These were the Boiling Spring (afterwards called Fontainebleau), and Harrodsburg]. There were, some time ago, about 100 at the two places; though now, perhaps, not more than 60 or 70­as many of them are gone up the Ohio, etc.; and some returned by the way we came, to Virginia and elsewhere. These men, in the course of hunting provisions, lands, etc., are some of them constantly out, and scour the Woods from the banks of the river near 40 or 50 miles southward. On the opposite side of the Kentucky river, and north from us, about 40 miles, is a settlement on the crown lands, of about 19 persons [Probably the "Hinkson. company"]; and lower down, towards the Ohio, on the same side, there are some other settlers [Probably the "Miller company "]­how many, or at what place, I can't exactly learn. There is also a party of about 10 or 12, with a surveyor, [The "Douglass and Gist party" above] who is employed in searching through that country, and laying off officers' lands; thy have been for more than three weeks within 10 miles of us; and will be for several weeks longer, ranging up and down that country."

First Family north of Georgetown.­In the latter part of April, 1776, Samuel McMillin came with Capt. John Haggin and family "to the cabin where Haggin lived in that year, and remained there, or in that neighborhood, until after Christmas-about which time the neighborhood was driven off by the Indians and the settlement entirely evacuated," Capt. Haggin removed his family in July to McClellan's fort, at Georgetown. John Miller, Alex. Pollock, Samuel Nesbitt, Wm. Steele, and Wm. Bays came to John Haggin's cabin in July, 1776­" where Haggin was then living with his family." Wm.Kennedy was there, also. Haggin's cabin was on Paddy's run, in Harrison county, not far from Hinkson's settlement or station.

Besides those just named, Wm. Nesbitt, Win. Craig, Geo. Bright, Jas. McGraw, Jas. McMillin, John McMillin, Joe. Peake, Thos. Shores, Robert Thompson, Wm. Miller, Wm. McClellan, Wm. Houston, Col. Benj. Harrison (after whom the county was named), Thos. Moore, and Robert Keen, came to Harrison county, and most of them made improvements, in 1776. Thos. Shores planted potatoes in the spring of that year, and several of the others raised corn. Michael Stoner, Thos. Whitledge, and Thos. Dunn raised corn in what is now Bourbon county, in 1776. James Kenney, Thos. Kennedy, Robert Whitledge, James Galloway helped to make improvements in Bourbon county.

John Lyon's Company­-On May 3, 1776, a company of 10, from Pennsylvania­John Lyon, John Boggs, Henry Dickerson, Thos. Dickerson, Wm. Graydon, James Kelly, James Little, Wm. Markland, John Virgin, and Reason Virgin-, "came to John Hinkson's improvement, where some persons had resided for nearly a year past." At the instance of Hinkson, Wm. Hoskins conducted them to some rich lands which had not been taken up, some miles to the east-probably on Houston creek (then called Martin's creek), in Bourbon county; at any rate, "Townsend and Cooper's run were between their improvements and Hinkston." Besides the usual improvements­uncovered cabins, small clearing, initials on trees, etc.-they covered John Lyon's cabin, 14x16 feet, with boards, made it their "station-camp," split some rails, inclosed a piece of ground, planted some corn, peach stones, and apple seeds, and lived there until June; when seven, and shortly after two others, returned up the Ohio river to Redstone. Win. Graydon remained in the country, and in the summer of 1777 was killed by Indians at the Shawnee spring.

Hinkson's Settlement, "on Licking creek," says a letter from Col. John Floyd to Col. Win. Preston, dated at Boonesborough, July 21, 1776, "has been broken up; 19 of the settlers are now here, on their way in-John Hinkson among the rest. They all seem deaf to any thing we can say to dissuade them; 10, at least, of our people are going to join them-which will leave us with less than 30 men at this fort. I think more than 300 men have left the country since I came out, and not one has arrived -except a few cabiners down the Ohio." On July 7, 1776, the Indians had killed John Cooper-who raised the first corn in Harrison county; at least the first in quantity sufficient to furnish seed to the immigrants in 1776.

Capture of Ruddle's and Martin's Stations.­From depositions of Isaac Ruddle, James Ruddle, Nicholas Hart, Samuel Vanhook, and John Burger, who were among the prisoners taken, and whose lives were spared-and from other sources, it appears that Vanhook and probably most of the others were not released from captivity for 4 years and 2 months; that several never returned, but continued to live among the Indians; and that, when on their way to besiege Bryan's station, Aug. 14, 1782, in which they failed, and in the disastrous battle of the Blue Licks on the l9th of the same month, the Indians required Nicholas Hart and several others of the prisoners to come with them-thus making them witnesses of the perils and sufferings of their friends, without the power to help them. When murdering some of the women and children, after the capture, they concluded to adopt little Johnny Lail, two years old, if he should have the nerve and endurance required of an Indian boy; so they rolled him rapidly down the bank, and he did not cry-thus securing his own adoption and that of his brother George, three years older. Johnny was returned, with the other prisoners, after the close of the war, and lived to be nearly eighty years old and a useful citizen. George remained with the Indians and married among them; afterwards he came buck and settled in the home of his childhood, but his Indian wife deserted him and went back to her people.

Hinkson's or Ruddle's station was on the north side of South Licking, about a mile below the mouth of Townsend creek, and a mile and a quarter above the present Lair's station, on the Kentucky Central railroad. It was originally settled by John Hinkson in April, 1775, who remained there for fifteen months, and a little community was gathering around it; but it was abandoned in July, 1776, through fear of the Indians. Hinkson came back afterwards and occupied his "improvement" on the south side of South Licking, opposite his first "settlement." In April, 1779, Isaac Ruddle, from Logan's station, assisted by John Burger, rebuilt the old station and fortified it; his brother, James Ruddle, and others soon followed; it increased in strength, and henceforth was most generally known as Ruddle's station, although still frequently called Hinkston's. The common belief that there was once a pioneer station at what is now well known as Ruddell's Mills is incorrect.] In 1845, the late Charles Lair­whose farm embraced the station, and who, in 1794, had taken down the old gate and remnant of the stockading-blasted in the side of the rocky river-bluff below his house, and about 300 yards from the old fort, a substantial vault, to which, in addition to the dead of his kin, he transferred all the remains of the murdered at the time of the capture in 1780, the bodies having been thrown in a pile and covered with stones at the time.
The following account of the capture of the two stations is the fullest and most accurate to be obtained:

In the summer of 1780, a formidable military force, consisting of six hundred Indians and Canadians, under the command of Colonel Byrd, an officer of the British army, accompanied by six pieces of artillery, made an incursion into Kentucky. The artillery was brought down the Big Miami, and thence up Licking as far as the present town of Falmouth, at the forks of Licking, where, with the stores and baggage, it was landed, and where Colonel Byrd ordered some buts to be constructed, to shelter them from the weather. From this point Colonel Byrd took up his line of march for Ruddle's station, with one thousand men. Such a force, accompanied by artillery, was resistless to the stockades of Kentucky, which were altogether destitute of ordnance. The approach of the enemy was totally undiscovered by our people until, on the 22d of June, 1780, the report of one of the field pieces announced their arrival before the station. This is the more extraordinary. as the British arty were twelve days in marching from the Ohio river to Ruddle's station. They cleared a wagon road the greater part of the way. This station had been settled the previous year, on the easterly bank of the south fork of Licking river, three miles below the junction of Hinkston and Stoner's branches of the same stream. A summons to surrender at discretion to his Britannic majesty's arms, was immediately made by Col. Byrd-to which demand Captain Ruddle answered, that he could not consent to surrender but on certain conditions, one of which was, that the prisoners should be under the protection of the British, and not suffered to be prisoners to the Indians. To these terms Colonel Byrd consented, and immediately the gates were opened to him No sooner were the gates opened, than the Indians rushed into the station, and each Indian seized the first person lie could. lay his hands on, and claimed him as his own prisoner. In this way the members of every family were separated from each other; the husband from the wife, and the parents from their children. The piercing screams of the children when torn from their mothers-the distracted throes of the mothers when forced from their tender offspring, are indescribable. Ruddle remonstrated with the colonel against this barbarous conduct of the Indians, but to no effect. He confessed that it was out of his power to restrain them, their numbers being so much greater than that of the troops over which he had control, that be himself was completely in their power.

After the people were entirely stripped of all their property, and the prisoners divided among their captors, the Indians proposed to Colonel Byrd to march to and take Martin's station, which was about five miles from Ruddle's; but Col. Byrd was so affected by the conduct of the Indians to the prisoners taken, that he peremptorily refused, unless the chiefs would pledge themselves in behalf of the Indians, that all the prisoners taken should be entirely under his control, and that the Indians should only be entitled to the plunder. Upon these propositions being agreed to by the chiefs, the army marched to Martin's station, and took it without opposition. The Indians divided the spoils among themselves, and Colonel Byrd took charge of the prisoners.

The ease with which these two stations were taken, so animated the Indians, that they pressed Colonel Byrd to go forward and assist them to take Bryan's station and Lexington. Byrd declined going, and urged as a reason, the improbability of success; and besides, the impossibility of procuring provisions to support the prisoners they already had, also the impracticability of transporting their land, to any part of the Ohio river-therefore the necessity of descending the Licking before the waters fell, which might be expected to take place in a very few days.

Immediately after it was decided not to go forward to Bryan's station, the army commenced their retreat to the forks of Licking, where they had left their boats, and with all possible dispatch got their artillery and military stores on board and moved off. At this place the Indiana separated from Byrd, and took with them the whole of the prisoners taken at Ruddle's station. Among the prisoners was Captain John Hinkson, a brave man and an experienced woodsman. The second night after leaving the forks of Licking, the Indians encamped near the river; every thing was very wet, in consequence of which it was difficult to kindle a fire, and before a fire could be made it was quite dark. A guard was placed over the prisoners, and whilst part of them were employed in kindling the fire, Hinkson sprang from among them and was immediately out of sight. An alarm was instantly given, and the Indians ran in every direction, not being able to ascertain the course he had taken. Hinkson ran but a short distance before he lay down by the side of a log under the dark shade of a large beech tree, where he remained until the stir occasioned by his escape bad subsided, when he moved off as silently as possible. The night was cloudy, and very dark, so that he had no mark to steer by, and after traveling some time towards Lexington, as he thought, he found himself close to the camp from which he had just before made his escape. In this dilemma he was obliged to tax his skill as a woodsman, to devise a method by which he should be enabled to steer his Course Without light enough to see the moss on the trees, or without the aid of sun, moon, or stars. Captain Hinkson ultimately adopted this method: he dipped his hand in the water, (which almost covered the whole country), and holding it upwards above his head, he instantly felt one side of his hand cold; be immediately knew that from that point the wind came-he therefore steered the balance of the night to the cold side of his hand, that being from the west he knew, and the course best suited to his purpose. After traveling several hours, he sat down at the root of a tree and fell asleep.

A few hours before day, there came on a very heavy dense fog, so that a man could not be seen at twenty yards distance. This circumstance Was Of infinite advantage to Hinkson, for as soon as daylight appeared, the howling of wolves the gobbling of turkeys, the bleating of fawns, the cry of owls, and every other wild animal, was heard in almost every direction. Hinkson was too well acquainted with the customs of the Indians, not to know that it was Indians, and not beasts and birds that made these sounds-he therefore avoided approaching the places where he heard them, and notwithstanding he was several times within a few yards of them, with the aid of the fog he escaped, and arrived safe at Lexington, and brought the first news of that event.

The Indians not only collected all the horses belonging to Ruddle's and Martin's stations, but a great many from Bryan 'a station and Lexington, and with their booty crossed the Ohio river near the mouth of Licking, and there dispersed. The British descended Licking river to the Ohio, down the Ohio to the mouth of the Big Miami, and up the Miami as far as it was then navigable for their boats, where they hid their artillery, and marched by land to Detroit. The rains having ceased, and the weather being exceeding hot, the waters fell so low, that they were able to ascend the Miami but a short distance by water.

The following account of an adventure at Higgins' block-house, near Cynthiana, is from the notes of Mr. E. E. Williams, of Covington, Ky., an actor in the events which he records:
After the battle of the Blue Licks, and in 1786, our family removed to Higgins' block-house on Licking river, one and a half miles above Cynthiana. Between those periods my father had been shot by the Indians, and my mother married Samuel Vanhook, who had been one of the party engaged in the defence at Ruddle's station in 1780, and on its surrender was carried with the rest of the prisoners to Detroit.

Higgins' fort, or block-house, had been built at the bank of Licking, on precipitous rocks, at least thirty feet high, which served to protect us on every side but one. On the morning of the 12th of June, at day light, the fort, which consisted of six or seven houses, was attacked by a party of Indians, fifteen or twenty in number. There was a cabin outside, below the fort, where William M'Combs resided, although absent at that time. His son Andrew, and a man hired in the family, named Joseph McFall, on making their appearance at the door to wash themselves, were both shot down-M'Combs through the knee, and McFall in the pit of the stomach. McFall ran to the block-house, and M'Combs fell, unable to support himself longer, just after opening the door of his cabin, and was dragged in by his sisters, who barricaded the door instantly. On the level and only accessible side, there was a corn-field, and the season being favorable, and the soil rich as well as new, the corn was more than breast high. Here the main body of the Indians lay concealed, while three or four who made the attack attempted thereby to decoy the whites outside of the defences. Failing in this, they set fire to an old fence and corn-crib, and two stables, both long enough built to be thoroughly combustible. These had previously protected their approach in that direction. Captain Asa Reese was in command of our little fort. "Boys," said be, "some of you must run over to Hinkson's or Harrison's." These were one and a half and two miles off, but in different directions. Every man declined. I objected, alleging as my reason, that he would, give up the fort before I could bring relief; but on his assurance that he would bold out, I agreed to go. I jumped off the bank through the thicket of trees, which broke my fall, while they scratched my face and limbs. I got to the ground with a limb clenched in my hands, which I had grasped unawares in getting through. I recovered from the jar in less than a minute, crossed the Licking, and ran up a cow-path on the opposite side, which the cows from one of those forts had beat down in their visits for water. As soon as I had gained the bank, I shouted, to assure my friends of my safety, and to discourage the enemy. In less than an hour, I was back, with a relief of ten horsemen, well armed, and driving in full chase after the Indians. But they had decamped immediately, upon hearing my signal, well knowing what it meant, and it was deemed imprudent to pursue them with so weak a party-the whole force in Higgins' block-house hardly sufficing to guard the women and children there. McFall, from whom the bullet could not be extracted, lingered two days and nights in great pain, when he died, as did M'Combs, on the ninth day, mortification then taking place.