James Haggin House

167-171 N. Limestone St., Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Built 1821

The house and lot "then occupied by James March, between the residences of Z. Williams and A.T. Skillman," fronting 33 feet on Mulberry St., was sold by Court decree October 6, 1838, and James March purchased it (suit Bank of the United States vs. Charles Humphrey heirs and James Haggin heirs). Zepheniah Williams bought the other 33 feet (on the south) of this lot, which was at that time part of his residence next door.

James Haggin built the house here, apparently in 1821. In April of that year he bought 66 feet (Lot. No. 12) from Simon Hickey and wife, Sarah--"the same upon which the Blacksmith Shop formerly occupied by Hickey is situated." Deeds to the Church Street corner property for some time referred to this as the "old Simon Hickey lot."

James Haggin, a prominent attorney, formed a partnership with Judge Thos. Hickey and for a while had their office in a building on Short St., between Broadway and Mill, which Judge Hickey's father-in-law, Oliver Keen, presented to him in his will.

In the meantime, it appears that, imasmuch as Haggin procured the lot here and erected the house, it must have been built for a law office and used until Haggin removed from Lexington. Haggin had his residence on Broadway between Fourth and Fifth Sts., now Hamilton College, and his "yard" extended to the four streets that surround that block today.

(James Haggin was a son of Capt. John Haggin, an early settler in Mercer County, and the mortgage referred to next, was to two brothers, John, Jr. and Terah T. Haggin).

In March, 1828, James Haggin, now of Franklin County, Ky., mortgaged to John Haggin, Jr., and Terah T. Haggin, of Mercer County, "the house and lot in Limestone St., binding thereon 66 feet." The blacksmith shop still was there, also, as another mortgage at the same time to the Bank of the United States referred to the blacksmith shop. (Hickey was operating here in 1800, an adjoining deed showed).

James March sold the house in January, 1847, to Thomas Norris. He and his wife, Margaret, sold it in November, 1862, to Lawson Webster, who died in September, 1854, and willed it to his widow, Elizabeth Ann.

Mrs. Webster and Webster's executor sold the house to Merit P. Lancaster in October, 1857. Lancaster, for $5,000, conveyed it to Lawrence Perry March 1, 1864. Lorenzo (Lawrence) and his brother, Cassimere Perry, partitioned their property in August, 1871, the latter taking this house. Cassimere Perry's heirs, in 1875, apportioned the house to Mrs. Joseph Dinelli, an heir.

(Today occupied by R.W. Carmichael).

Source: Old Houses of Lexington, C. Frank Dunn, typescript, n.d., copy located in the Kentucky Room, Lexington (Kentucky) Public Library.

Transcribed by pb, June 2006

Updated December 13, 2025.