The first mention in the Court records in Campbell County pertaining to this land (Twelve Maples) is to be found in the Major David Leitch Patent recorded in the Campbell County Clerk's office in the Court House at Alexandria, when Major David Leitch, a Scotchman, and a Revolutionary War officer came to Campbell County with about twenty followers in 1789 and built a block-house with pickets and established Leitch's Station on the Licking River about six miles from this river's mouth, gave leases to settlers for improvements and sold portions of the land to a number of persons.

The total area covered in Major Leitch's land grant consisted of 13,000 acres and covered much of the area now known as Cold Spring, Pooles Creek and Johns Hill in Campbell County. There are now situated in the area of Cold Spring, now covered in the area of the Major Leitch's patent, four churches, two schools, the Saint Joseph Grade School and the Cold Spring Grade school, formerly known as the Walnut Hills Academy (John C. Youtsey advocated the erection of a local academy to teach the youth of the area in the higher branches of learning, which developed later into the establishment of the old Walnut Hills Academy), the Saint Joseph Orphanage (now the Campbell Co. Industrial Park, D A V is located on this land), the Campbell County Infirmary, (now Lakeside Place), and the old Henry Farney Homestead, (now a home for Boys, Campbell County Lodge), the famous painter of Indian scenes.

Major Leitch was married to Miss Keturah Moss, from Virginia who later settled in Blue Grass Region of Kentucky.  In 1794 Major Leitch while making a survey of his patent lands contracted pneumonia and died at the Station.  After Major Leitch's death, Keturah Moss Leitch married General James Taylor, thus uniting the two largest estates in Campbell County. It will be noted that the property was at one time the property of Major and Mrs. David Leitch and later General & Mrs. James Taylor.  Presently residing in the home are Mr, & Mrs Norman (Claire) Button and their daughter, Sabra (Bunny) Button.

A promient young man of Newport and of the Youtsey family was none other than John C. Youtsey, who with his wife and himself purchased this property then consisting of one hundred and four and three quarters of an acre, the deed being dated September 18, 1844.  The deed states that the transaction was made by James Taylor and wife by James Taylor Jr., attorney in fact.  There was mention in the deed of $850.00 being paid by the purchaser, but that is the only financial figure given.  It was signed by Keturah Taylor and witnessed by John B. Durran, County clerk and Benjamin D. Beall, Ass't Deputy County clerk at that time.

In the same Deed Book, is a similar deed but dated August 22, 1845 from the same James and Keturah Taylor to John C. Youtsey, but showing one hundred and six and one quarter acres, and showing a price of $5,000.00 having been paid for the acreage.  However, the deed was not filed until September of 1846 with Benjamin D. Beall as the County Clerk and John Durran as Deputy. The deed also said that it is the same property as stated in the Major David Leitch Patent.

The Alexandria Court Records show that between 1921 and 1926, a part of this large farm came into the possession of William H. Goetz; this taking place after the death of Mr. John C. Youtsey and finally after the death of Mrs. John C. Youtsey in or about 1920, the estate or farm was also divided into different subdivisions, there being many and numerous heirs of the Estate.  However, finally the issues at stake being fully settled, the property finally came into the custody of Mr. Goetz. The deed also said that in consideration of the payment of $9,822.92 by Goetz the following described real estate is transferred to him, consisting in all of 106;I/2 acres of land.

Also in another deed book it was found that this property was transferred from Melvin F. Schlueter (builders) and his wife to Mrs. Virginia Drahmann, wife of the late John B. Drahmann of Ft. Thomas.  Now this property with house located thereon was sold by Mrs. Virginia Drahmann to Mr. & Mrs. Norman A. Button and dated on March 5, 1959, the deed being filed the same day and attested to by Attorney Frank V. Benton, TI and left for record in the County House at Alexandria.

INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF BUILDING

Motorists traveling south along U.S. 27, just beyond Cold Spring often are intrigued by this large white house gleaming among a dozen spreading maple trees. Everyone is impressed with the large lawn in front of and on the side of this house, as well as the huge trees to be found in the front and on both sides of the house, there being twelve maple trees and one pecan tree, as well as others of different species.

The first sight of this magnificent structure shows a large box-shaped building about two and one half stories high and about fifty feet in each direction and about fifty feet high and located on less than an acre in dimensions.  The next thing that may be noted are the two large white pillars running from the porch to the eaves of the roof, the architecture being typical Greek Revival.  Also you will see a double porch or veranda. .When Mr. & Mrs. John Drahmann first purchased this house and property a number of improvements were made, as it was hardly habitable at that time.

Upon entering the house, to the left is the Living Room of eighteen by thirty-six feet and twelve feet high, once known and used as a ball room.  Everyone is much impressed with the rare and unusual architecture employed in building this house. The walls in the living room, as well as in the Library are twelve feet high.  Also attention should be given to the glass in the windows and doors, as they are the original hand blown variety definitely extinct in todays homes.  There are two large wood-burning fire places to be found in the living room, originally the ball room.

To the right of the hall at the entrance may be seen the study (or library) which was used as the parlor originally.  The study is square in shape, eighteen by eighteen feet, this is now used as the family room.  There is also to be found an inscription written on one of the windows giving the date of November 28, 1865.  This informal room leads to the stately dining room. The dining room has hardwood floors, other flooring is pine.  A built in cabinet on the back wall holds a collection of old glass.  From the dining room you enter into the kitchen, many guests are fascinated by the quaint kitchen, where a great log burning fire place complete with original spits still exists and is used by its occupants.  The kitchen opens on a large screened veranda, from the veranda you can see a beautiful landscaped area, and an original farm bell, which often serves as a doorbell for friends who prefer to use this rear entrance.

On the second floor are to be found five large bedrooms.  Open fireplaces grace very bedroom and the floors in the bedrooms or either ash or pine. A large Victorian dressing room and bath combination with a long mirrored dressing table and quaint fire place is on the second floor. The same putty holds the windows to their casements as was used more than one-hundred years ago. Also Roman numerals are to be found engraved on the shutters.

The walls of the basement are made of stone, as well as those of the house proper, made of brick burned on the premises. The stone to build the foundation was taken from a near by creek in Campbell County. There are four rooms in the basement, with two gas fired hot water furnaces. The huge rafters in the basement that hold up the building are of the finest poplar hand hewn logs obtainable anywhere and came from the Poplar Ridge Thicket Region in the southwestern section of Campbell County. The entire height of the house is fifty feet.

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