Welcome to Harrison County, KYGenWeb  

Precincts and Communities

Precinct of Sylvan Dell, Kentucky

Chapter XI
Pages 311-312

Sylvan Dell Precinct - Boundaries and topography - Settlement of the whites - Their early trials and troubles - Pioneer industries - Villages - Churches and schools.

History, is but an imperfect record of human experience, though, notwithstanding its defects, it is of almost infinite importance to the race, for the probably events of the future can be foreknown only by a knowledge of the past. Men and nations are wise only as they can look into the future, and anticipate coming events which "cast their shadows before," and this can be done only from analogy with what has taken place in the past. "The proper study of mankind is man," and history in its widest sense is such a study. This places the historian in the light of a public benefactor the succeeding generations. His name will become embalmed in song as the cycles of time sweep by, and will become colossal in the hearts of generations yet unborn, a sublime monument to the departed genius of past ages. It is not expected that the simple narrative of these pages will be anything more than a mere record of events that have occurred within the restricted limits of this small division of Harrison County. To sketch the progress and improvement from the coming of the pioneer to the present time is the extent of our aim in this chapter.

Sylvan Dell Precinct, or "Buena Vista," as it was formerly called, which is described as Election Precinct No. 2, lies in the extreme eastern part of the county, and is bounded on the north by Precinct No. 8 and Bracken and Robertson Counties, east by Robertson and Nicholas Counties, south by Nicholas County and Cynthiana Precinct, west by Cynthiana Precinct, and had a population by the census of 1880 of 1,600 of whom only about ten per cent were colored people. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in farming, and are plain, energetic, prosperous people. The land of the precinct slopes toward the north, as evidenced in the fact that all the streams trend toward the Ohio River. The North Fork of the Licking River forms the north boundary for a distance of five miles; Beaver Creek traverses the central portion of the precinct from southeast to northwest, receiving as tributaries Brushy Fork and James Run from the west; Coleman Creek, in the northeast, is a small tributary of the North Fork of Licking River. The land is hilly and rough, but generally fertile, and admirably adapted to tobacco and corn, which are the chief crops; merely a sufficiency of wheat is raised to supply the home demand. A heavy growth of timber, of which there is still considerable standing, covered the land, chiefly oak, ash, hickory, walnut, elm, etc. Many portions still contain a thick undergrowth, affording an excellent shelter for small game, such as quails, pheasants, rabbits, etc., which abound in great numbers. Larger game was plenty in the early time, and many of the pioneers became famous hunters, making the pursuit of game their chief occupation. Originally this precinct included portions of Nos. 1 and 8, but recent changes have reduced it to its present dimensions.

The date of the first settlement made in what is now Sylvan Dell Precinct is not definitely known. The first white settlers are supposed to have been John Scott and George Low. Scott settled at Scott's Station, a place which he founded and which is now known by the romantic name of "Shady Nook," to distinguish it from Scott Station in Jefferson County. Low settled half a mile from Scott's Station. Clem Satterfield also settled about half a mile from the Station. A family of Popes, of whom Jacob Pope was the oldest, settled near where Sylvan Dell Village now stands. Thomas Harvey and David Evans were also early settlers. Many other families came in now, and the country rapidly settled up.

The early life of the first settlers was rather rough, and it was only by hard work and close economy they managed to live. Money was scarce and hard to get in those early days. There was no market for surplus produce. Cincinnati and Louisville were insignificant villages, with no trade or market. Farming was not a science as it is now. Agricultural implements were few, and they of the crudest kind. The neighboring blacksmith usually made the plows, and some neighbor, with an ax and an auger, would "stock" them. There were no such plows as we have at the present day. But as time passed on, improvements were made until prosperity crowned the efforts of the settlers.

One of the first industries in the precinct was a mill. There were several horse-mills erected in an early day. A man named Caruthers had one of the first remembered. Thomas Moffatt built a mill and a distillery near Scott's Station very early. David Snodgrass built the first water-power mill in the precinct, near the present village of Sylvan Dell. A Mr. Marsh had one about half a mile below on Beaver Creek. Quite an extensive grist and saw mill and distillery were erected by Freman & Florence in the northeast part of the precinct, but it has lately been abandoned. There are at present no mills or distilleries in operation in the precinct. Samuel Craycroft and H.H. Harding have each a large tobacco packing establishment which works up most of the tobacco crop at home. Evans & Craycroft have a store near the Republican Church, about one mile from Sylvan Dell. L.D. Routt has a store at a place called "Routtsburg" near Sale Church. The first Magistrates were David Snodgrass and John Waits. The department of justice as at present represented by David Ross and Peter Florence, Magistrates, and McCoy, Constable.

The village of Shady Nook, formerly Scott's Station, was laid out or rather settled, in very early times. It was named for John Scott, its pioneer, but was afterward changed as already noted, to Shady Nook. It is six miles due east of Cynthiana, its nearest shipping-point, and is connected with it by a good turnpike road, which is being extended to intersect the Lexington & Maysville pike six miles north of Millersburg. The first store was kept in the village of John S. Whalley; the first blacksmith was Francis Scott. The place now contains two stores, which do a good business, post office, church, physician, school, etc. It is quite a business place, and has a flourishing trade. The post office was established in 1875, with Joseph Scott as Postmaster, an office he still retains. The mail is received tri-weekly. The school is an excellent one, and has a daily attendance of about sixty pupils. It has been in charge of Prof. J. Florence for about three years, who has brought it to a good state of perfection. The village has a population of forty-five souls and as many bodies. The church is Methodist Episcopal, and was built in 1870. It is a frame building; the first pastor was Rev. John S. Cox; the last one Rev. J.S. Ruggles. There is no regular pastor at present; the congregation is small, the church having but about fifteen members.

Sylvan Dell village is located six miles north of Shady Nook, and six miles northeast of Cynthiana, but has no connection with the latter place by pike. It is a small village, and has only about thirty inhabitants, and one store, two blacksmith-shops, one dentist, one physician, etc. The first store was kept by Richard Whittaker. Lawson Miller is Postmaster; mail is received tri-weekly.

The Salem Christian Church is an old organization, but the date of its formation could not be ascertained. The first church was built in 1850; the present one in 1870. Revs. Mr. Snodgrass and Vanhook Lee were early preachers of this church. It has a flourishing membership at present.

Republican Christian Church was originally organized by Elder Barton W. Stone, about the year 1814-15. A log church was built in 1816 on the ground where Republican Church now stands. The New-Lights, as they were called, met there to worship occasionally until 1835, when the Christian Church proper was organized by Elder John Robards, with the following members: Fielding McDuffey and wife, Nicholas White and wife, James Davis and wife, Walter Evans and wife, Thomas McFarland and wife, Thomas Harvey and wife, David Snodgrass and wife, Jonathan Evans and wife, Joshua Evans and wife, John Pope and wife, and several others. A prayer meeting was organized, and John Pope and David Snodgrass from speaking in meeting became ministers, and were pastors of the church for several years. The old log church was burned in 1837, and the same year a frame edifice was built, 24x32 feet, but this being too small to hold the congregations, in 1870 a house was built, 36x50 feet, a frame, at a cost of about $1800. The membership at present is about two hundred and seventy, of whom Elder Bela Metcalf is pastor. It has always been noted for large congregations, and a handsome little cemetery is adjacent, where sleep many of the early members.

Education received the early attention of the people of the precinct. Schools were taught in the neighborhood almost as soon as there were children enough to start one. The name of the first teacher is lost "'mid the rubbish of forgotten things," but the foundation he laid for education of the youth of the country still lives. The precinct has four good schools, and education is in a flourishing condition.--Perrin.

Sylvan Dell Precinct
Pages 691-694:

SAMUEL W. CRACRAFT, farmer, P.O. Sylvan Dell; born in Mason County, March 11, 1818; his grandfather, Thomas Cracraft, came from Ireland and settled in Virginia; removed to Kentucky very early when the Indians were still troublesome, died in Kentucky upward of four score years of age; his father, Joseph Cracraft, came from Virginia; he was a cooper by trade as well as farmer; died in Robertson County, aged about 84 years. Our subject, Samuel W. Cracraft, was raised a farmer; he also now deals pretty extensively in leaf tobacco, in the year 1842 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Wm. and Fannie (Griffin) Smith, of Bourbon County; he is the father of seven children, six of whom are living, viz: Mary Ellen, married first to Wash Taylor and now to James Smith, of Nicholas County; Sarah, married to Jno. McGuire, of Robertson County; William, living in Texas; Thomas, married to Frances Minor; and Fannie, married to John Argo; both himself and wife are members of the Irvinsville Baptist Church; enlisted in the Southern army in the fall of 1861, under Capt. Cameron, 1st battalion of Kentucky Cavalry, Humphrey Marshall's Division. Was in the two engagements at Middle Cut and Princeton, Va.; at this time being over age, he got discharged and returned home; is a Democrat, a member of Fair Play Grange and a demitted member of the Mt. Olivet Masonic Lodge.

LAFAYETTE J. DAVIS, farmer, P.O. Cynthiana, born in Harrison County, Sept. 15, 1834; his grandfather, James Davis, came from Virginia or Pennsylvania when quite small; he died March 1, 1857, aged seventy-one; he was a member of the Christian Church for forty-five years, being one of the first to embrace the doctrine of that sect. William Mc. Davis, father of our subject, was born Dec. 26, 1811, and was raised as a farmer and cooper; he served as Magistrate of Sylvan Dell Precinct from 1858 to 1862; he held a responsible office in the State militia; he died July 3, 1874. L.J. Davis was married Oct. 1858, to Mary E., daughter of Peter and Agnes (Beaton) Pope, and granddaughter of John Beaton, all of Harrison County; four children have blessed their union, all of whom still live, named and aged respectively: John W., born Oct. 17, 1859; Sarah A., Feb 18, 1861; Wright, March 17, 1865; Mary A., May 23, 1867. Mr. Davis now holds the positions of Deacon and Clerk of the Republican Christian Church, of which his wife and daughter are likewise members; he is now Chaplain of Fair Play Grange; he was appointed to fill out the unexpired term in the magistracy of N.C. Marsh, who was elected in 1874, and resigned in 1876, his suffrage has always been exercised in aid of the Democratic party.

GREEN D. EVANS, farmer, P.O. Sylvan Dell; was born in the house where he now resides, April 10, 1826. His grandfather, Walter Evans, came from Maryland, and settled at Summit Station in Nicholas County, where it was not safe for settlers to reside except when banded together for mutual protection. When the Indians made an attack upon Summit Station, Walter Evans was one of the party who followed them to the Ohio River, where they discovered them in the act of crossing the river in their canoes. He died in Harrison, June 20, 1846, aged eighty years. David Evans, father of our subject, was born in Nicholas County in 1795. He was serving apprenticeship as blacksmith in Cynthiana at time of war of 1812-15. He stood three drafts and drew clear each time. He died in 1865. G.D. Evans was raised as a farmer. On Dec. 13, 1855, he married Emeline, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Lennox) Davis, of Harrison County, who has borne him eight children, five of whom are living: James D., Sallie K., David, Elizabeth and Luther Green. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are members of the Republican Christian Church. He is now Treasurer of Fair Play Lodge of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. In politics he is a Democrat.

HENRY H. HARDING, farmer, P. O. Shady Nook, born in Harrison County, Jan. 31, 1831; his grandfather Thomas Harding came from North Carolina at an early day, and settled in Nicholas County, near Hooktown, where he resided till he fell a victim in 1833 to that dreaded scourge, the cholera; his father Wm. Harding survived the year of the great epidemic and was carried off in 1835 by consumption. Henry H. Harding was raised on a farm and acquired the trade of cooper before he reached his majority; he married first Nancy E., daughter of William and Mary (Maffit) Bishop, of Harrison County; four children were born to them, two of whom, Napoleon B. and Samantha Ann, are living; he next married Elizabeth, daughter of Jno. and Visa (Friman) Florence, of Harrison County; they have eight children, all living, named and aged respectively: Thomas McF., 20; Berry M., 18; Jno. W., 15; Visa W., 13; Ira Ecty, 12; Luther, 7; Nannie M., 5; Henry N., 2; self and wife members of Republican Christian Church. Mr. Harding is a member of the Orient (Masonic) Lodge, of Nicholas County, in which Lodge he now holds the office of Junior Warden; in 1861 he was elected Constable by the Republican party and served for five years.

JOSEPH MUNTZ, Jr., farmer, P.O. Oddville, born in Harrison County, Oct. 1, 1842. His grandfather, Jacob Muntz, was a native of Prussia, and served in the Austrian Lancers against Napoleon. His father, Joseph Muntz, Sr., is a native of Baden, Germany, where he was born June 21, 1809; came to New Orleans in 1836, and married Lavinia Davis of Pennsylvania. Volunteered for the Mexican war in 1846, but as the troops were all cavalry and he had never ridden a horse, he could not go. He and his wife are still living with their son. Joseph Muntz, Jr., of whom we write, enlisted in the Union Army, July 12, 1862, under Capt. Wm. Bradley, Co. D. 7th Ky. Cavalry. Six days after, and before he had been sworn in, he was taken prisoner at the first Battle of Cynthiana, by Morgan's men and paroled; was afterward sent to Camp Chase, Ohio, for exchange, but returned eighteen days after, walking the entire distance home. Remained in Harrison County till June 1863, when he left to join his regiment. He was regularly mustered into service in October 1863, in the same company in which he enlisted at Nashville, Tenn. Was in several engagements in East Tennessee, among them Mossy Creek, Beaver Dam and others; was in Resaca, Ga., when Hood attacked the place. At Chattanooga, Ga., had his feet badly burned while asleep before the fire, having them encased in a gun blanket. After remaining in the hospital ten days, he again joined his company at Nashville, Tenn., came to Louisville with them where they were re-equipped with horses and sent back to Nashville. He remained in the South till the close of the war, was in many skirmishes, endured several forced marches, in one of which they covered three hundred miles in six days. Was in Forsythe, Ga., with a scouting party of eighteen when a special train arrived bearing Gen. Cobb and staff, with flag of truce indicative of the surrender of the Southern Army. Was afterwards among the party detailed for the purposed of capturing Jefferson Davis. Returned home and was mustered out July 10, 1865. In May, 1867, he married Armilla White, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Lenox) Davis, who had two children at the time of her marriage, Wm. Yancy and Mary J. By her he is the father of six children, all of whom are living: Joseph A., born Aug. 21, 1868; James Louis, April 29, 1871; Laura E., Oct. 9, 1872; Roy Harlan, June 18, 1874; Geo. Nicholas, Feb. 20, 1878; Walter F., Jan. 23, 1880. His wife died Oct. 2, 1881, and was a member of Salem Christian Church. Although opposed to secession, he has always been a Democrat in principle. He now holds several important positions of honor and trust, among which is the presidency of the Oddville and Beaver Baptist Church Turnpike Company. He is a member of the Fair Play Grange.

NICHOLAS C. MARSH, farmer, P.O. Oddville, was born in Harrison County, Aug. 4, 1833, his grandfather, Thomas Marsh, came from Maryland, near Baltimore, in the latter part of the eighteenth century and settled in Bourbon County; afterward moved to Nicholas, thence to Harrison, where he died at the advanced age of eighty-four. Nathan C. Marsh, father of our subject, was born in Bourbon County, April 22, 1808; was elected Magistrate of Harrison under the old Constitution, about 1849; he is still living, now a resident of Bracken County. Nicholas C. Marsh married, April 22, 1856, Mary G., daughter of Augustus F. and Sally Ann (Browning) Holton; they have five living children, named and aged as follows: Augustus F., born May 5, 1862; Matilda F., April 29, 1865; Thomas, July 8, 1870; John D., Dec. 1, 1872; James H., July 24, 1879; himself and wife are members of the Republican Christian Church; he is a member of the Blue Lodge (Masonic) at Cynthiana, and is also a Royal Arch Mason in the Chapter Lodge at the same place; was appointed by the Governor to fill out the unexpired term of Squire Whittaker's magistracy; at the expiration of this time he was elected by the people to the office for four years; served two years and resigned; he has also filled the local offices of School Trustee, etc.; he votes the Democratic ticket.

DAVID H. RAYMOND, farmer, P.O. Oddville, was born in Harrison County, Aug. 18, 1818; his grandfather Raymond came from England and settled in Virginia; his father came from Culpepper County, Va., and settled in Mason County, Ky.; he served five years in the Revolutionary war for the Independence of the United States, he was at the battle of Yorktown, and witnessed the surrender of Cornwallis; he served as Magistrate for several years, and had four sons that held the same office; he received the office of Sheriff under the old constitution, being the oldest Magistrate in the county; on his farm, now occupied by his son David H., there are apple trees still bearing which were set out before he moved to the place, ninety years ago. David H. Raymond, the subject of this sketch, was raised a farmer, which occupation he still follows; he married Sept. 24, 1840, Mary Ann, daughter of Martin and Sallie (Hardin) Van Hook, of Harrison County, by whom he had eight children, five of whom survive: Sarah, Charles M., Amanda F., John D. and Annie D.B.; his wife died March 25, 1881; she was a member of the Republican Christian Church, while he is in communion with the Beaver Creek Baptist Church. His career as a servant of the people began in 1840, when he was elected Constable; he served one year and resigned on account of other business; in 1851 he was elected as Magistrate in his own precinct over several opponents; this was the first election under the new constitution; he was elected by the Know-Nothing party to represent Harrison County in the Legislature; he was a candidate for the same honor against Dr. Beale, but was defeated; he was a candidate for Deputy Sheriff in 1854 with George Lemon, and carried the east side of the river by about 300 majority; he suffered defeat, however, his opponent, John Berry, carrying the west side by perhaps six hundred votes. In politics he is Democratic.

DAVID ROSS, farmer, P.O. Shady Nook; is a native of Harrison County, where he was born Dec. 5, 1823; his grandfather, James Ross, was a native of Ireland, when he emigrated about 1787 and settled in Harrison County; he was one of its first settlers, his father, David Ross, Sr., was but two and a half years old when he came to Kentucky, being in the vigor of manhood when the war of 1812-15 broke out, he was among the first to enlist from Harrison County; he escaped unhurt and lived until 1852. David Ross, Jr., was raised on a farm; he learned the carpenter's and cooper's trades; he gained a common school education by his own industry, on the 2nd of Oct. 1851, he married Dulcena, daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Orr) Paxton, and granddaughter of Jno. Orr, Esq., of Nicholas County; he has five living children: Mary, born June 23, 1842, and married W.H. Pope; Jno. T., Sept. 10, 1854; Granville, May 3, 1857; Wm. Yancey, April 10, 1863; Victor, Nov. 30, 1869. In 1846, Mr. Ross enlisted in the Mexican war under Capt. Jno. Shawhan, Col. Humphrey Marshall's 1st Kentucky Cavalry and served twelve months; he was in the battle of Buena Vista, under Gen. Taylor and acted principally as scout and guard; in 1878, he was elected to the Magistracy of Sylvan Dell Precinct, over Lafayette Davis, which office he now holds; he is a member of the Republican Christian Church; politics Democrat.

JACOB TAYLOR, farmer, P.O. Oddville, was born in Harrison County, June 15, 1818, his grandfather, Jacob Maybrier, was a foreigner, and weaver by trade; he came to Kentucky very early and enlisted while here in the war of 1812-15; he was in one engagement. His father, Jacob Taylor, came to Kentucky from Ohio, and died in Harrison County in 1818, aged about thirty-five; his son Jacob, whose sketch is here recorded, passed his youth as a farmer's boy; he married Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin and Rebecca (Padgett) Allen, of Mason County, by whom he was the father of six children, four of whom are living: Benjamin, aged forty-two; William, forty; John, thirty-three; Rebecca Ellen, thirty-five; he has fourteen living grandchildren. Mr. Taylor has been a widower since Feb. 18, 1848; is a member of Salem Christian Church and Democratic in politics. About the year 1840 he was thrown from a horse and suffered a fracture of the left thigh bone, which, from having been improperly set by the attending physician, has never united and now presents the peculiar feature of a joint between the knee and hip; being unable to sustain his weight upon that limb it has rendered him a cripple for life. During the war he was arrested for the crime of being a Southern sympathizer. Two of his sons were in the Confederate army; one returned, the other died at Harper's Ferry of small-pox, near the beginning of the war.

P.P. WYLES, farmer, P.O. Oddville; born in Mecklenburg County, Va., April 7, 1844. His grandfather Hebbon Wyles, was Scotch-Irish descent and married an English lady. His maternal grandfather, Peter Puryear, for whom our subject was named, was a native of France, whence he emigrated after the French Revolution and married a Virginia lady; he took an active part in the war of 1812-15. His father, Leroy B. Wyles, was a native Virginia; was in the Confederate army in the late war; had also three sons in the same army, of whom P.P. was the youngest; had command of a wagon train, was killed by a falling tree about 1875. P.P. Wyles, the subject of this sketch was raised on his father's farm, receiving the rudiments of an education from the common schools. When the war broke out in 1861 he was among the first to enlist in the cause of the South, being at that time but little over sixteen years of age. His company, the Clarksville Blues, was the first southern troops that went from Mecklenburg County, and was commanded by Capt. George Hedges. They were placed in the 14th Virginia Regiment under Col. Hodges, Armstead's Brigade, Pickett's Division of Lee's army of Northern Virginia. They were in several skirmishes and fought their first regular battle at Seven Pines. At the battle of Malvern Hill, thirty days after, our hero lost his right arm by a shell. He was conveyed to the rear in an ambulance, but could not get his arm amputated until twenty-four hours after. He remained in the hospital at the Old Union Hotel in Richmond for two weeks, when he went home on an indefinite furlough and was never in active service again, though he visited his old regiment on several occasions. He was present when Dahlgren and Kilpatrick attempted to liberate the prisoners at Richmond. After the war he began to feel the necessity of an education and to perfect it he entered Randolph Mason College, of his native county, which he attended for two and one-half years, defraying his expenses by teaching in the preparatory department. At the end of the two and a half years, the site of the college was moved from his county and not having the necessary means to follow it, he was obliged to give up school. About this time he came to Kentucky in answer to an advertisement for a teacher at Lair's Station in Harrison County. He secured the position and has been in teaching every year since up to 1879. In 1878 he was elected School Commissioner of Harrison County, which office he now fills. In 1870 he married Meribah daughter of Joseph and Charlotte (McCauley) Sipe, of Harrison County. Five children have been born to them, the dates of whose births are as follows: Herbert, Oct. 25, 1871; Leroy, Sept. 30, 1873; Joseph W., Feb. 11, 1876; Emma A., March 6, 1878; Jno. P., Feb. 15, 1881. Himself and wife are members of Beaver Baptist Church. He is also a member of Beaver Lodge of Good Templars. Politics, Democrat.

Source:
Transcribed and edited by Philip Naff, August, 1999.
Information previously posted by Jo Thiessen

BACK TO PRECINCTS

HOME

All information submitted to and published at this site is intended for research purpose only. It may not be reproduced for
COMMERCIAL publication without the written consent of the creator. Although public records are not subject to copyright law,
the design of format is a personal creation and is subject to the laws of copyright. If you have any questions concerning
the information published on this page or at the Harrison County, Kentucky GenWeb website, please feel free to email
me, Anne H. Lee, and I will be glad to address your questions and or comments.

© 2004 - 2018 Anne H. Lee