Cedar Run & Farmdale
Southwest Franklin County, Kentucky
Sources:
- Atlas of Frankfort and Franklin County 1870–1880 by J. L. Drake & Company
- Capitol on the Kentucky by Kramer
- Church and Family Graveyards of Franklin County by Kentucky Genealogical Society
- Frankfort 200 Celebration 1786–1986 by Frankfort's 200th Birthday Committee
- History of Franklin County, Kentucky by L. F. Johnson
Transcribed By: Anne H. Lee
Community Overview & Geography
The Cedar Run area is located in the southwest section of Franklin County, bordered by Frankfort to the north, Anderson County to the south, the Kentucky River to the east, and the community of Bridgeport to the west. Within this region lies the community of **Farmdale** and the historic property of the **Kentucky Military Institute (KMI)**.
Early Residents & Local Enterprises
- Arnold Spring Distillery: Operated by J. N. Blakemore on the Lawrenceburg-Frankfort Pike near the Anderson County line, manufacturing sour mash, copper-distilled whiskies.
- Ben Farmer & Son: General dealers in dry goods, groceries, clothing, and housewares.
- Colon M. Jones: Farmer and trader in horses and mules shipped to the south.
- James Saffell & Son (James M.): Operated the Cedar Run Distillery adjacent to their flour mill on the Cedar Run Turnpike south of Frankfort.
Historic Area Churches
- Cedar Chapel: Located on U.S. 127 South at the corner of Jones Lane; historically the only Methodist congregation in the area.
- Evergreen Baptist Church: Established by former members of the South Benson Church.
- Farmdale Baptist Church: Formed in March 1981 following theological and community splits within Evergreen Baptist Church. Worship was held in various temporary locations until a new church was completed in July 1983 on U.S. 127 South near the Franklin-Anderson county line.
Property Owners in Cedar Run, Farmdale, Alton & Portions of Bridgeport (1870)
| Name | Post Office | Place of Birth | Occupation | Settlement Date | Acreage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALLEN, ROBERT D. | Farmdale | Washington, D.C. | Superintendent K.M.I. | 1845 | 125 |
| Averill, M. D. | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1839 | 225 |
| Blakemore, George | Alton | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1838 | 350 |
| Blakemore, J. N. | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Distiller & Farmer | 1837 | 196 |
| Brown, Scott | Frankfort | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1818 | 800 |
| Cole, J. H. | Alton | Anderson Co., KY | Farmer | 1882 | 233 |
| Crockett, D. S. | Bridgeport | Anderson Co., KY | Farmer | 1856 | 44 |
| FARMER, BEN | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer & Merchant | 1821 | 310 |
| Green, George S. | Farmdale | Owen Co., KY | Farmer & Merchant | 1872 | 229 |
| Hughes, B. S. | Farmdale | Shelby Co., KY | Farmer & Teacher | 1851 | 493 |
| Johnson, M. A. | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1833 | 5 |
| JONES, COLON M. | Farmdale | Mercer Co., KY | Dealer in horses | 1867 | 640 |
| McKee, S. D. | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1818 | 212 |
| Malone, William | Farmdale | Rutherford Co., TN | Farmer | 1862 | 3 |
| Miner, Jefferson | Frankfort | Shelby Co., KY | Carpenter | 1855 | 45 |
| Moore, William A. | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer & Miller | 1832 | 260 |
| Parker, J. T. | Farmdale | Anderson Co., KY | Farmer & Distiller | 1845 | 60 |
| Pattie, William | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1810 | 155 |
| Rogers, J. H. | Frankfort | Bourbon Co., KY | Farmer | 1849 | 100 |
| Scofield, William | Bridgeport | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer & Fruit Grower | 1829 | 250 |
| Thomas, J. H. | Farmdale | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1855 | 347 |
| Thomason, D. A. | Frankfort | Woodford Co., KY | Farmer | 1869 | 65 |
| Vaughan, J. C. | Frankfort | Franklin Co., KY | Carpenter | 1847 | 50 |
| Vaughan, N. A. | Frankfort | Franklin Co., KY | Farmer | 1850 | 85 |
| Wright, J. H. | Farmdale | Shelby Co., KY | Farmer | 1836 | 1 |
Burying Grounds & Graveyards
- Collins Graveyard: Highway 151 near the Franklin-Anderson county line (~35 marked graves).
- Farmdale Graveyard: Left side of Old Lawrenceburg Road, about five miles from Frankfort.
- Farmer Graveyard: Located near Evergreen Baptist Church (stones destroyed, but records of burials survive).
- Fore Burying Ground: Resting place for members of the Fore and Major families on South Benson Road, 3/4 mile from the Evergreen Road intersection.
- Halmhuber Graveyard: Final resting place for John Halmhuber and his wife at the beginning of Evergreen Estates on Evergreen Road.
- Hancock Cemetery: South of the Hwy 151 intersection on the east side of South Benson.
- Major Graveyard: Located at the intersection of I-64 and Alton-Graefenburg Road; graves were relocated during I-64 construction (metal markers, no names).
- Mayhall Cemetery: South side of I-64 about 1 mile east of the Alton-Graefenburg interchange (one marked stone for H.S. Mayhall; others with fieldstones).
- Miner Burying Ground: Intersection of Ninevah and Old Lawrenceburg Road.
- Payne Burying Ground: Payne and Vaughan families, 3 miles south of Frankfort on Old Lawrenceburg Road.
- Thomas Graveyard: Franklin-Anderson county line between Graefenburg and Alton, 1 mile south of South Benson and Avenstoke intersection.
- Tinsley Graveyard: 2 miles south of U.S. 60 at Graefenburg, west of Hwy 151 and south of I-64 (Charles Tinsley 1808–1880 is the oldest stone).
- Pattie Graveyard: Located on the property of Stewart Home School (formerly KMI).