History of Gallatin County, Part 38
Things Worth Knowing About Gallatin County
Sparta bridge over Eagle Creek at Sparta was built in 1874 at a cost of $7500.
The first bridge across this stream was erected in the year 1851. Millard Fillmore was President. Mrs. Stowe was then writing the book that was to make her famous, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and Congress was bitterly discussing the slavery question. John L. Hehn was Governor of Kentucky (Whig) and John J. Landrum, of Warsaw, was the County's Representative in the state legislature.
First deed made in Gallatin County, March 2, 1799, reads as follows: Between Martin Hawkins and his wife, Margaret Hawkins, of the County of Franklin, and Common Wealth of Kentucky of the one part, and John Fister of the county of Franklin and commonwealth of the aforesaid of the other part. Witness: that the said Martin Hawkins and his wife Margaret of and in consideration of the sum of five pounds current money of Kentucky to them in hand paid the receipt whereof they do hereby acknowledge and forward acquire and discharge the said John Fister, his heirs, executors and administrators have witness.
Martin Hawkins, Wm. Berry. P. Butler, Clerk.
Married in Gallatin County, September 3, 1809, John Kelley and Anna Gullion.
On September 23, 1809 John McCrary and Mary Gullion, the Rev. Henry Ogbourne performing the ceremony.
January 4, 1814 Henry Bruce and Elizabeth Walters by the Rev. Raymond Scott.
January 12, 1812, Joseph Gullion and Margaret Wyant, by Rev. Wm. Morgan. The late mentioned were the great-great-grandparents of the late Edmond Gullion who recently won the International Oratorical contest in Washington, D. C.
Also, the marriage of George Nevell and Elizabeth Gullion, March 15, 1810 by Rev. Henry Ogbourne - from an old diary.
An act of Legislature passed December 14, 1821 changing the election precinct from the house of Nathanial Sanders, known as the Eagle precinct established January 15, 1810 which is now repealed and that elections in the said precinct shall in the future be held at the house of Robert Gaines in the town of Fredericksburg.
Part of Gallatin added to Boone: December 27, 1820, an act of Legislature ordered a division between Gallatin and Boone in which beginning at Scott and Franklin line thence to David Gibson's house in Gallatin Co. to Ohio River, leaving Gibson's house in Gallatin instead of Boone, but adding a part of Gallatin to Boone. See Acts, 1821, p. 359. These acts were passed during the term of office of Governor Adair. Also the time of holding Circuit court in Gallatin Co. in 1821 was on the 2nd Monday in April, 4th Monday in August and 3rd Monday in November and continue six judicial days at each time. Gallatin was in the 4th Judicial District at that time.
Gallatin County, on February 1, 1813 was given one more justice of the peace, making four in all.
An Act of Legislature to sink a well on the public grounds in the town of Port William was approved, January 16, 1813, Sect. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, that it shall be lawful for the county court of Gallatin county to appoint commissioners to contract for the purpose of digging a well in the public square in the town of Port William and either put a pump therein or fix a bucket and chain thereto under such restrictions as they may think proper to direct giving county court privilege to levy a sum not exceeding $200 for the purpose.
An Act of Legislature of January 21, 1813 authorized the county of Gallatin to establish a ferry across the Kentucky river. Said ferry was to be toll free. This ferry was established for the benefit of those going to and from the county court, justice of the peace court, general elections, which was of three days endurance, regimented or drill musters, etc. in fact all governmental duties were to be given free ferrage.
An Act to establish an academy in the county of Gallatin was approved January 13, 1813. The trustees were Carter Tarent, Wm. Winslow, Jno. Barner, Garland Bullock, and Robt. Plummer. They constituted a body politic and corporated to be known as the "Trustees of Gallatin Academy." They were to meet in the following May, 1813, for the purpose of selecting a permanent seat for said Academy and proceed to erect a building. These trustees were given full power to purchase such apparatus, books, etc., as they deemed necessary for the use of said academy. This educational institution was erected in the town of of Port William in the year 1814 on what was known as the "old college" site, and the present site of the Carrollton high school.
Undated, and uncredited. Our suspicion is that this is an old clipping from one of the Louisville papers.