A Memoir of Lexington & Its Vicinity
With Some Notice of Many Prominent Citizens and Its Institutions of Education and Religion
By William A. Leavy
Written for my own satisfaction and domestic use only.
Elkland, near Midway, Woodford County, Kentucky
September 10th, 1873
Kentucky Historical Society Editor's Note: These memoirs are typed from a photostatic copy of the original manuscript, now [1942] in possession of Miss Elsie Leavy of Austin, Texas, grand-daughter of the writer. Copied verbatim by Nina M. Visscher, Librarian, Kentucky State Historical Society, and published with the consent of her friend, Miss Elsie Leavy. Page numbers and headings of the manuscript appear in parentheses as in original copy. Manuscript broken up into 8 issues of the Register.
Table of ContentsNotice of Ranck's History Review of Ranck's Chapter on “Ancient Lexington,” Notice of the most early settlers, Isaac Shelby, The four McConnells and four Lindsays, 3 John Maxwell & John Campbell, 4 Robt. Patterson, 3—Jas. Masterson, 3-4 Ashe's Catacomb &c. refuted Lexington's conspicuous citizens then Block House & Fort Public Spring, 13-14 John McKinney, 14 First Inn Keeper & Early Inn Keepers— Kentucky Hotel, R. Bradley, W. Satterwhite & others, 17 Broadway Hotels, Lanphear, Ayers &c., 17 John Bradford, 17 Daniel Bradford, 18 Genl. Jas. Wilkinson, 18-19 Capt. John Fowler, 19 Judge John Coburn, 20 William Leavy & John P. Shatzell, 20-21 George Teagarden & Dr. W.H. Teagarden, 22 Patrick McCullough, 22 Robert Barr, & sons, Thos. T. & Robt. R., 23 Dr. Elisha Warfield, 23 William Morton, 24 Col. James Morrison, 24 Alexr. Parker, Thos. James, 25 George Anderson & John M. Boggs, 26 Thos. & Jas. Anderson, 26 Robert Parker & his older brother John, 27 Peyton Short Esq., 27 Charles Wilkins, 28 Andrew Holmes, 28 John W. Hunt, 29 Col. Thomas Hart, 31 Thos. Hart Jr., Nathanl. G. Hart & John C. Bartlett, 32-33 Genl. Thomas Bodley, 34 John Jordan Jr., 35 George Nicholas, 36 John Breckinridge, 36 Henry Clay, 37 William Macbean, 38 Lewis Sanders, Fayette Cotton Factory, Sandersville, 38-40 James Hughes Esq.—Chas. Humphreys Esq., 40 William T. Barry, 41 James Brown, Jos. H. Daviess, John Pope, 42 Jas. Haggin, 43 Robt. Wickliffe & Transylvania Institute, 44 Saml. Downing & Sons, Andrew McCalla & family—son Genl. John, 46-47 John D. Clifford, A. Legrand, B. Borland & others, 48 Cornelius Coyle, 49 John Brand, 49 J.P. Schatzeil, 50 James Weir & his Woodford Cotton Factory, 50 John S. Snead, Robt. & Alex Frazer, 51-52 Population at different periods, 53 Original establishment of Lexington by State of Va., 54 Original Deeds of lots to Settlers by the Trustees, 54 Lots F & E Their Deed to Col. Christopher Greenup, 55 In Lot No. 44 (1789) Wm. Leavy's, 54-55 Lexington first laid off in In & out lots 1782, 55 Lexington 1803 & 1804 & best new buildings, 56 N.E. Corner Mill & Short Streets, J. Pope, Col. Morrison's & Dr. Walter Warfield's, 57 First stone street pavements, 56 Public Square & Presbyterian Meeting Lot, 58 Rankin's Presb'n Meeting, 59 First Presbyterian Church, 1st preachers & Contractors—Sheriffs, 61 Lexington White Lead Mfg. Co., 61, 130, 204 Transylvania University, its first endowment by Virginia, Edward West, 62 John Todd 63, 65 |
Professors of Transylvania University, 65 Dr. Blythe, 66, 198 Dr. Bishop, 65, 67, 68, 197 E. Sharpe, 68, 199 Bertrand Guerin, 69, 201 University Lot & Buildings, 64-65 Students of Transylvania University, Academical KentuckyInsurance Company, 1802-1818, 77 Cost & payment S. Trotter's Dwelling, residence, 78-79 Early Lexington Merchants besides those mentioned— Luther Stephens & Hallet M. Winslow, 83 Wm. & Jas. Holloway, Morrison O'Rear, A.F. Hawkins, & Hawkins Morrison, A. Hunter, 86 Joseph Hudson, Jos. H. Hervey, 86 Wm. H. Rainey & Rainey & Ferguson, 86 Jos. & Bushrod Boswell, Morrison Boswell & Sutton, 87 B. & Thos. E. Boswell & Co., Gist Metcalf & Co., Robt. G. Dudley & Co., 87 Thomas Wallace, Saml. Thompson & Co. Jas. & R.M. Johnson & Sebree & Johnson, 88 Saml. Pilkington, Thos. Huggins, 88 Edwd. Crutchfield, Crutchfield & Tilford, 88 Dudley & Carty, John Carty, 88 J.B. Wilgus & Co. & J.B.W., 88 John McCauley & Co. & J.B.W., 88 Wm. Swift, Stephen Swift, 88 David Castleman, 89 George Trotter Sr., 89 Wm. Smith & Smith & Von Phul, 90 Henry Bell, 90 G.W. Hale, Jas. M. Elliott, 90 Col. Geo. Trotter Jr. 90½ Leonard W. Wheeler, 90½ Dr. Frederick Ridgely, 91 Dr. Samuel Brown, 91 Dr. Benjamin W. Dudley, 91 Dr. James Fishback, Dr. B.W. Dudley, 92 Dr. C.W. Short, Dr. Lunsford P. Yandell, 93 Dr. Charles Caldwell, 92 Dr. Daniel Drake, W.W. Richardson, 93 Dr. John Esten Cooke, Jas. Conquest & Cross, 94 Re-organization of the College attempted by the Board La Chaumiere des Prairies, Col. David Meade, 114 Graaf Von Phul, Landscape Gardening, 116, 118 Rev. Stephen Theodore Baden and the Catholic Periods, Incidents & Events, Indians, 122 Early Farmers &c., 122-123 Early Farmers &c. 124 St. Clair, Harmar & Wayne, 128 Years 1811, 1812 & '14, '15, 128-131 Rise of the Book Business, Book Stores, 132, 133 Wm. Essex, 133, 135 Salaries of Clerks, 158 Lexington as recollected its buildings and people in 1801, 36, 158 Wholesale rates of Goods 1792 to 1830, 159 W. Leavy's purchase of John Duncan, Jan. 1792, 159 Schools & Academies, Female Academies, 160-162 Teachers of Music, 163 Theatricals in Lexington, 163 Revivals in 1834-35, 169 Orphan Childrens Asylum, 170 Theatricals in Lexington, 163-171 1811, My closing year at the University, 190 College premiums, Judges Underwood & Marshall My first entrance in the store, 192 Matthew H. Jouett, from 1804 to 1828, 193 Transylvania University 1803-1811, 197-201 B. Guerin, Henry Kirke White Subjects referd. to in Ranck's History blank pages before 1 Davis Sutton & Geo. W. Sutton, 206-7 M.A.A. Giraud & Mor' Desforges, 206 Givin R. Tompkins, 208 Vault & Grounds visited &c 1877 Augt. 7th, 195-6 |
Transcribed by P. Brinegar, July 2001.
Updated December 13, 2025.