Timeline
500 B.C. - 200 A.D. The Adena Culture (Mound Builders) flourished in the Bluegrass area, building at least 17 mounds in Montgomery County.
900 A.D. - 1750 A.D. The Mississippian culture, particularly the Shawnee toward the end of the period, lived in the area.
1772 Fincastle County, VA was formed. It included southwest Virginia and all of Kentucky.
1775 William Calk, Enoch Smith and Robert Whitledge left Ft. Boonesborough and explored Hingston Creek in what was to become Montgomery County. They found a spring, which Calk marked as his own.
1777 Kentucky County, Virginia was formed.
1778 Fort Boonesborough settlers began traveling the Warrior's Path through the area that became Montgomery County on their way to Lower Blue Licks to gather salt.
1779 William Calk, Edward Williams, Nicholas Anderson, John Harper, John Judy, John Crawford, James French, John Kelly, Moses Thomas, Spencer Reed and William Sade (all from Ft. Boonesborough) went with William Calk to visit his claim and establish their own claims. These men and possibly others built cabins and planted corn in order to make their own land claims. John Kelly built his cabin at what was to become Mt. Sterling. They did not move there or bring their families until 1791-1792.
1780 Kentucky County, VA was divided into Fayette, Jefferson and Lincoln County, VA. The future Montgomery County was part of Fayette County.
1780 The first documented Indian attack took place at Grassy Lick where a party of 4 men from Strodes Station were hunting deer. 1 was killed, 2 were captured and 1 escaped.
1780 Daniel Boone traded gunfire with a pair of Indians on Slate Creek, killing one and wounding the other.
1782 The Battle of Little Mountain (Estill's Defeat) took place at what is now Mt. Sterling. It was the area's only Revolutionary War battle, in this case with the Wyandot who had joined forces with the British and were attacking Kentucky outposts.
1785 Bourbon County was formed from Fayette County.
1789 McGee's Station, Baker's Station, Enoch Smith's place, and Morgan's Station were established.
1789 Jacob Myers established Bourbon Ironworks on Slate Creek. Peter Harper, Benjamin Allen and a man named Watson were killed in separate incidents.
1790 John Judy helped Enoch Smith clear his land, for which he received 100 acres (where Mt Sterling now stands). Hugh Forbes built the first permanent settlement at what was to become Mt. Sterling. He called his settlement Little Mountain. Baker and Morgan's Station were attacked. Samuel Dickerson was killed.
1791 Nicholas Anderson established his station at the head of Hinkston Creek, and Thomas Montgomery established his station at the head of Stepstone Creek. Fort, Troutman, and Cassidy also established stations.
1792 Clark County was formed from Bourbon County.
1792 Gilmore's Station was established 12 miles east of Mt. Sterling on Slate Creek, and Hansford's Station was also established.
1792 The town of Mt. Sterling was established at what had been called Little Mountain. 640 acres for the town was donated by Hugh Forbes, John Judy, Enoch Smith and Samuel Spurgin.
1793 Lulbegrud Baptist Church and Grassy Lick Methodist Church were founded. A road was laid out between Strode's Station in Clark County and Mt. Sterling and the Bourbon Ironworks.
1793 Morgan's Station was attacked and burned by a band of Wyandot Indians. 2 were killed, 19 women and children were captured. 12 of the captives were found dead the next day.
1796 The present stone house was built at Morgan's Station.
1796 Montgomery County was formed by an act of the Kentucky General Assembly December 14, 1796 with an effective date of March 1, 1797.
1799 Floyd County was formed from Montgomery's south side
1812 Bath County was formed from Montgomery's east side.
1812 War of 1812
1816 Montgomery's southwest corner went to Estill County.
1818 Mt. Sterling's first newspaper, the Kentucky Laurel, was established and was published twice a week by John Spencer.
1830 A post office was established in a Mt. Sterling store.
1851 A courthouse fire destroyed many records.
1852 Montgomery's southern half went to Powell County.
1862 Civil War - The first Battle of Mt. Sterling was fought near the courthouse.
1863 The second Battle of Mt. Sterling was fought with the town changing hands three times.
1863 Confederate forces set the Mt. Sterling courthouse and jail on fire.
1863 Union forces burned Jeffersonville (Ticktown).
1864 The third Battle of Mt. Sterling was fought with Confederate forces robbing the bank and looting many stores.
1864 Union forces built Fort Hutchinson across from Machpelah Cemetery to stop Confederate raids on Mt. Sterling.
1869 A small piece of Montgomery's southeast corner went to Menifee County.
This timeline is a work in progress.
Contacts
Marvin Allen  Montgomery County Coordinator |
| Suzanne Shephard KY Asst. State Coordinator |
| Jeff Kemp KY State Coordinator |
