Sketch of a Kentucky Town

Tanner's Station was the first settlement at this place, now remembered, or known, when, I have not been able to ascertain.  Before it received its present name (Petersburg) it was called Caledonia, or New Caledonia. Under its present name, it was laid out, or surveyed into lots, by Judge John J. Flourney, under an act of the legislature of 1817, fifty-seven years ago. The charter trustees were John Alloway, Francis Allen, Jacob Pratt, and Zarah Toucey.  Willis Graves was at that time the County Clerk of Boone.  The first settlers at the present town of P. were Judge John J. Flourney, who owned the greater part of the bottom, the trustees named, John Alloway, Francis Allen, Jacob Pratt, and Zarah Toucey.  Amariah Chapin, carpenter, who came to this place from Cincinnati in 1817, lived her 49 years and moved to Indiana, and died in that state in 1869; Ami Wilson, carpenter; Uriah Hardesty, cooper; Decker, tailor; William Arnold, rope maker; john Alloway, sen, tavern keeper, who was living in 1857, in central Iowa; John Alloway, jun., who moved to Nashville, Tennessee; James Thompson, cooper; Hugh McAllen, cabinet maker; Henry G. Smith, teacher; Daniel Spangler, blacksmith; Elisha Cox, carpenter; and others.

In 1820, were W.H. Chapin, wagon maker; still a resident (1870); John Carson, blacksmith; Gershom Hubbell, merchant; Dorastus Hubbell, river man; George W. Brashear, merchant; Isaac Westerfield, physician, from Glasgow, Ky., who had studied medicine under the celebrated "Indiana doctor," Richard Carter; Samuel  Hardesty, Justice of the Peace; Richard Hardesty, Constable.  The constables, at that time, were appointed or elected by the justices.  Hugh M. Allen, postmaster; William H. Gaines, blacksmith.  He was a brother to Major John P.Gaines, and now (1870)resides in Arkansas.  The Petersburg Flouring Mill ,the present principal business centre of the place, was built and owned by Judge John J. Flourney and Benjamin J. Willis, between 1820and 1830.  They sold it to William Arnold; he to Alsop and Barbaro, of Louisville, Kentucky; they to John Fisher, of Virginia; he to William H. and John W. Snyder, of Virginia, about the year 1855.  It was next bought by Joseph C. Jenkins & Co., who sold it to its present owners, William Appleton & Co.  the distillery connected with the mill, was built by the Messrs. Snyder, and with the mill transferred to the subsequent owners of both.  The mill and distillery have been much improved, from time to time, and now (1870)give employment to many persons as millers, distillers, coopers, teamsters, &c., &c., and support or furnish business to many persons in Petersburg not directly connected with either of them.  At present, 1870,Charles E. Bracht, son of Maj. F. G. Bracht, of Grant County, is one of two U. S. store-keepers at this place; there are also employed here two U. S. Gaugers.  The "burg"  has also churches and schools, dry goods stores, groceries and mechanics shops of the various kinds; and the citizens are generally moral and intelligent, many truly refined.

excerpted from the Covington Journal, January 25,1873