The History of Crittenden Community

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Preface

The history of Crittenden Community, Grant County, Kentucky, was prepared for the Rural Community Conference held at Crittenden October 11, 12, 13, 1929. The limits of this community include, north on the Dixie the farm of T.S. Sebree; east on Shady Lane the farm of J.C. Fisher; east on Flingsville road the farms of J.E. Doud, V.G. Mann, Joe Rogers, and J.J. Marshall; south on the Dixie Highway the farm of E.V. Ransom; west on the Mt. Zion road the farm of C. McGuire; west on Violette road the farms of O.B. Johnson and Ferdie Dance; west on Lebanon road the farm of R.C. Stewart. This conference was a part of the Agricultural Extension program of County Agent J.E. Wilson, and it was held under the Co-operative Extension Work in the College of Agriculture of Kentucky and the United States Department of Agriculture co-operating. Miss Virginia Fenley, Crittenden, Ky., is editor-in-chief of this history.

History first took the form of tradition and was handed down orally from generation to generation. Though much of the early life of Crittenden has been lost in the obscure past, by looking up the old traditions, we have been able to catch glimpses of a background of unusual historical interest and romance.

Every Kentuckians feels a thrill of pride as he recalls the heroism and patriotism of the pioneers who traveled the old Wilderness Trail which led from the settlements in Virginia across the great mountain wilderness to the settlements in Kentucky. In 1776 Kentucky was a county of Virginia. In 1792 it was admitted to the Union. In 1820 Grant county was created out of the western part of Pendleton county. At the northern end of Grant county lies the little village of Crittenden.

Early Days

The town was named by Mrs. John W. Fenley for the distinguished statesman John J. Crittenden, who was three times elected to the United States Senate, was once Governor of Kentucky, and twice appointed Attorney General of the United States.

Many famous men have passed over the old road between Covington and Lexington, among them being Kentucky's beloved statesman, Henry Clay. The Marquis de Lafayette who had given so much assistance to the colonies during the Revolutionary War was invited by Congress to pay a visit to the United States in 1824. On behalf of the people of Kentucky, the governor and the legislature invited Gen. Lafayette to visit Kentucky. He was met at Frankfort by seven military companies and a cavalcade of citizens. From Frankfort he went to Lexington, and from Lexington to Cincinnati, passing through Crittenden. The Henderson house just south of town was at that time a Wayside Inn, whose proprietor was Col. Littleton Robinson. Here Gen. Lafayette and his escort stopped for dinner and the people of the community assembled to pay honor to the great Frenchman. The traditions of the Robinson family relate the legend that the pet deer of a young daughter of Col. Robinson, from the deer park back of the house was killed to provide a dinner of venison for the distinguished guest and his friends.

Kentucky was not originally the possession of any one of the Indian tribes but a common hunting ground for them all. There was probably an Indian village on a broad ridge about a mile south of Crittenden. There was abundance of water on each side of this ridge, and many Indian relics were found there, such as mauls, pestles, and tools for crushing corn. This land was afterwards owned by C.J. Hutsell, and his son T.M. Hutsell, now a resident of Crittenden, remembers gathering many arrowheads--even a bushel at a time--on this farm in his boyhood days. We have been told by some of the older residents of the community that there was an Indian school near this ridge in the twenties or thirties. We have not been able to find any reliable data concerning this school.

The Henderson house south of town was built in 1815 and the forest was cleared for the building. Rev. Thomas Henderson, a Baptist minister, bought this house in 1822 when he was living in Scott county where he preached for a number of years. In 1825 Mr. Henderson was made superintendent of an Indian school situated on the farm of Col. Richard Johnson near Georgetown. This school was called Choctaw Academy and Mr. Henderson was its superintendent for fifteen years. Mr. Henderson's family came from Scott county to Crittenden in 1838 and he joined them in 1840. Since that time the descendents of Mr. Henderson have lived in the old house which is now the home of his granddaughter-in-law, Mrs. Henderson Rouse.

Pioneers

Some of the older residents or pioneers of the community were Littleton Robinson, Alvin Kyes, Stearns Kendall, Ezekiel Brown, Thomas Brown, Charles Daniels, Benjamin Menefee, John W. Fenley, Richard A. Collins, Gustavus Fisher, Rev. Wm. Sechrest, a Methodist minister, Ephraim Carter, James Hudson, Larkin Webster, John A. McClure, William Barker, Nathaniel McClure and William McClure. Most of these pioneers came from Virginia and endured the hardships of early travelers. They were not among those "to falter or to fail, camping on the Wilderness Trail." Many of these became farmers and the forests were cleared for their home.

Early Industries

Collins' History states that Crittenden was established as a town in 1831. It was probably incorporated by the State legislature in the winter of 1837, for the records fin the county clerk's office at Williamstown show that at the July term of the court Judge Woodyard appointed John W. Fenley, George Buckner, Gustavus Fisher, Ephriam Carter and James Hudson, trustees for the town of Crittenden until the next regular election. The town was laid off in lots in 1832, and a plat of the town shows that the street between Hutsell's corner and J.P. Penick's store was called Sayers street, John W. Fenley owned the land lying northwest of Sayers street to the old Allphin road including the Fenley homestead and the farm lying west of it. Alvin Kyes owned the land lying southeast of Sayers street. Two three-story brick buildings were erected by Mr. Kyes just south of Sayers street. Next to these the Sons of Temperance built a three-story frame building. These three buildings then occupied the space now occupied by the store of J.P. Penick, the Tobacco Growers Deposit Bank, and the store of Henry Chipman. In one of these building Mr. Kyes had a dry goods store for which he bought goods in New York. In part of this building Mr. Kyes manufactured tobacco. Later there were three tobacco factories in the town at the same time. These factories were operated by William Rich, Homer Hudson and Richard Reed. Still later E.K. McClure manufactured tobacco.

Early in the twenties a carding machine was operated on the lot afterwards occupied by Dr. Henderson. Another carding machine was later in operation on Slayers street, about half way from the highway to the cemetery. John Mitchell had charge of this machine.

A tread mill for grinding grist on Sayers street was operated by a Mr. Boyers and later by James Stephenson.

John W. Fenley owned a saw mill one and one-half miles southeast of Crittenden. It was operated by horses, walking on an immense wheel, which furnished the power. This mill furnished the lumber for most of the buildings erected in the community at that time. It was in operation as late as 1842. R.J. Dyas had charge of this saw mill. On C.J. Hutsell's farm nearby five hundred poplar logs were cut on five acres in one day.

Another mill was located in the hollow about two hundred yards back of the present school building. It was a steam mill and ground wheat and corn, and sawed lumber. It was sold by T.M. Kyes to W.H. Elstner in 1853. Early in the fifties a Cincinnati firm, Kellogg and Foot, converted this mill into a distillery. After a time the distillery was given up and the building once more became a flour mill, operated by David Craig.

Beginning in 1873 R.L. Collins operated a flour mill. Later his sons became his partners and this mill was in operation for fifty years.

From 1852 to 1859 C.J. Hutsell operated a distillery two miles east of Crittenden; from 1850 for thirty-five years Arthur Barr was engaged in boot and shoe making; Alfred Byers and Newt Slade were tailors; R.J. Dyas had a saddle and harness shop; James Ranton had a shoe repair shop; about 1870 Charles Kuester, wagon maker, came to Crfittenden.

Some of the merchants who have done business in Crittenden are Alvin Kyes, Kellogg and Foot, B.H. Stansifer, W.J. Mount, Calvin Holton, A.R. Clark, Ratcliff and Mansfield, Hamilton Hayes, John Mitchell, E.R. Roberts, Hogsett and Ratcliff, Bird Bros., C.C. Collins, Mitchell and Durrett, W.C. Menefee, Sam Marshall, Crutcher and Vallandingham, John Allphin, I. Lezel, G. Schiller, J.R. Stephens, J.P. Penick, Henry Chipman, Miss E. Monahon.

Some of the druggists of former days were N.M. Lloyd, R.D. Dyas, Craig Fenley, H. Pettit, Jas. Brawner, Frank Williams, R.D. Collins, and E. Showers.

The Tobacco Growers Deposit Bank was organized May 15, 1893. Dr. W.J. Zinn was its first president, and John T. McClure its first cashier. In its thirty-six years of existence the bank has had three cashiers--John T. McClure, Ira W. Bird and W.J. Schneider.

Fires

Crittenden has had several disastrous fires. On May 5, 1867, the business section of the town was destroyed by fire. This included the two three-story buildings belonging to Mr. Kyes and the three-story Sons of Temperance building. Ratcliff and Mansfield rebuilt the house at the corner of Sayers street, and Marshall Hudson built a three-story brick building where the Temperance Hall had stood. Another fire destroyed this part of town on April 14, 1897.

The Great Drouth

In 1854 Crittenden experienced a very unusual drouth. No rain fell from June 15, to November 16.cisterns, wells and springs became dry. The town was supplied with water by hauling from a pond in a creek which was fed by a spring; and for cooking and drinking purposes by hauling from a spring two miles from town. Dr. Opie Lindsay hauled a wagon load of water from the pond or the spring every day for about two months. Dr. Lindsay employed a man to do this hauling and the town was supplied with water without cost to any one except Dr. Lindsay.

Schools

The history of Crittenden's schools is the history of a people always appreciative of education and striving to give their children the best opportunities available. The early schools were private schools of the academy type. Not until about 1890 did the public schools reach such a standard that private schools seemed no longer necessary. Between 1841 and 1846, Rev. Thomas Henderson taught a school at the "Wells," which site is now a part of the Lloyd Reservation. Other teachers of the forties were Rev. B.G. Fields and A. Allfriend. Teachers of the early fifties were Mr. Foree and W.T. Simmons. In the later fifties the fever for better education came on the people and it was determined to start a college. The moving spirits in this enterprise were Judge James O'Hara, Captain John W. Fenley and Captain Calvin Holton. In order to secure the support of all the churches the school was called Union College. Rev. Jesse H. Corwin, a Universalist minister, was made president. Miss Mary Barnum of Connecticut, and Miss Elizabeth Durbin of Madison, Ind., taught in this school, which was located in a three-story building which then stood where the bank now stands. Mr. Corwin's school brought to Crittenden students from Kenton, Boone, Gallatin, Bourbon and Grant counties. This gave the social life a great uplift, and it continued to be of a high order until the war between the States. In the sixties the school was taught by Messrs. Jones, Sautelle, Hendee and Ireland.

During all this time the community was without a school building, and various houses were rented for this purpose. A school building was erected by popular subscription in 1869. This building afterwards became Collins' mill and is still standing. In 1868-1869 Mr. and Mrs. N.M. Lloyd taught in the Gault House. The following year they taught in the new school house. In 1870-1871 Mr. and Mrs. Purcell taught in the new school house, and the next year Mr. Nathaniel Stephenson taught there assisted by Miss Mary Wood. About this time the school house was sold and became Collins' mill.

The next decade was probably the brightest in the history of Crittenden's schools. Mr. John J. Hogsett had charge of the school for the following nine years, and the impress of his influence during that decade, may still be seen on those who were fortunate enough to be his pupils, many of whom are now prominent in communities much larger than the old home town.

The next teacher was Mr. C.M. Arnold, and then came Miss Belle Ballou, whose school occupied two floors of Hudson's Hall. Miss Ballou was assisted by Mr. Evan S. McCord, Miss Floy Moore, and Madame Edwards. The next teachers of this private school were Mr. and Mrs. Morris, followed by Rev. N.C. Pettit and Rev. B.E. Goode.

There was another private school sponsored by Mrs. Holton, which had many excellent teachers.

About 1892 a frame building was erected for a public school house on what is now the public school grounds. Miss Nannie Hamilton assisted b y John L. Vest and Miss Woodruff, taught here in 1892. Miss Hamilton was followed by Mr. C.S. Ellis, Mr. C.C. Adams, Mr. Henry Newton, Mr. I.W. Gaines, and Mr. B.L. Baker. Rev. F.S. Pollitt was the next principal, and associated with him as teachers were, Miss Fanny Collins and Miss Lula Vahlsing. Later principals of the school were T.C. Chandler, Reuben Sadler, P.L. Hamlet, Paul Garret, Alva Prather, Russell Bridges, A.B. Clayton, E. Newland, and H.V. Price. Mr. J.C. Eddleman is now teaching his fourth year as principal of the school.

In 1911 Crittenden had its first high school commencement, with one graduate. The county Superintendent, Mr. Dudley Starnes, stated on that occasion that Miss Jessie Crutcher was the first graduate from a county high school in Grant county. Williamstown and Corinth had special charters and were not, in this sense, county high school. In 1912 Crittenden had its second commencement with three graduates, and the same year Dry had its first commencement with four graduates.

After the consolidation of the school district of Flingsville, Lebanon, and Crittenden, a new brick high school building was erected in 1919, and this building is in use at present.

Churches

In the early days there was a Methodist church in Crittenden and the building stood just south of the house owned by Spencer Reed, and almost opposite C.W. Harvey's lumber yard. As late as the early fifties church services were held there, and in the late fifties, a school was taught in this building. This building has been gone many years. The congregation rented the Baptist church for a time and later disbanded.

Crittenden Baptist church was organized in 1850. The first pastor was Rev. J.W. Lee, and the first clerk was T.J. Cunningham. The first building was situated on Violette road a short distance from the Dixie Highway. Two well-known early pastors of the church were Rev. Martin Loomis, and Rev. Lafe Johnson. A new church at the corner of Violette Road and Dixie Highway was dedicated in 1903, while Dr. S.M. Adams was pastor.

The Crittenden Presbyterian church was a branch of the Lebanon church and was organized in 1843 with seventeen charter members. Among these were Moses McClure, William McClure, Jane McClure, Elisha Ratcliff, Thomas Ratcliff, Catherine Champ, Hannah Henderson, Nancy Barker, and Mary A. Hogsett. Rev. B.F. Armstrong was the first pastor. Rev. W.W. Evans was minister about 1870. The first building used by the congregation is now the store room of C.W. Harvey's lumber yard. A new building was dedicated in 1884 while Rev. W.O. Cochran was pastor. In recent years the congregation has become so small that regular church services have been discontinued.

The Christian church was organized in 1826. The old building "on the hill" was destroyed by lightning in 1907. The building on the Dixie Highway now used by the congregation was dedicated in 1908 during the pastorate of Rev. David Buck. Some of the outstanding ministers of this congregation were Rev. John T. Johnson, Rev. Barton Stone, Rev. Thomas Arnold, Rev. F.G. Allen, Rev. W.S. Keene, and Rev. C.P. Williamson.

Distinguished Sons

There is good authority for the saying, "There is no history,--it is all biography," so let us take a glance at some of the men who have gone from Crittenden and have taken places of prominence and importance in the larger world. Mr. Nelson Marvil Lloyd had three sons--John Uri, Ashley and Curtis G., who became prominent in Cincinnati as manufacturing pharmacists. Mr. John Uri Lloyd has become internationally known as a pharmacist and chemist. He has been president of the American Pharmaceutical Association and has been four times awarded medals by this association. He has been honored by the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy with the degree Ph.M., by the University of Ohio with the degree Ph.D., by Wilberforce University with the degree L.L.D., and by the University of Cincinnati with the degree Sc.D. He is president of Lloyd Library containing 52,000 volumes on botany and pharmacy. He has made a special study of the folk lore, dialect, and superstitions of Northern Kentucky. He is a member of the Author's Club, of New York, and of the Royal Society of Arts, England, and of a society in Paris. He is author of many scientific books and a number of novels.

C.G. Lloyd was for forty years member of Lloyd Brothers, Manufacturing Pharmacists. He was eminent as a botanist and mycologist, and received from the University of Cincinnati the degree Sc.D. in 1926, a short time before his death. He spent much time in his last years in Crittenden and it is to him that Crittenden is indebted for the Welfare House and the beautiful flowers of Lloyd Park.

Some other men who have spent a part of childhood or youth in Crittenden and have later held places of distinction elsewhere are John J. Hogsett, educator of Danville; Worth Dickerson, congressman; Milt Barlow, comedian; Rev. Will Taylor, Methodist minister and presiding elder and pastor of many prominent central Kentucky churches; C.C. Bagby, lawyer of Danville; E.S. McCord, eminent lawyer of Seattle, Washington; John Ratcliff, millionaire of Cunningham, Kansas; Gen. N.F. McClure of the United States Army; Willis Violette, vice president of the Standard Oil Co. of Kentucky; Bail Pollitt, author and teacher of law at the University of New Jersey; Joe Mann, wholesale merchant of New York City.

Covington has been indebted to Crittenden for its former well-known citizens Judge James O'Hara, Dr. William Henderson, Haden Kendall, Homer Hudson, J.M. Collins, Judge W.M. Fenley, C.Y. Dyas, Weeden O'Neal, John O'Neal, Dr. Craig Fenley, Dr. B.K. Menefee and Shelly Rouse.

Judge James O'Hara and Mr. Cyrus Yancey were Crittenden's earliest lawyers. When J.M. Collins lived in Crittenden he had a number of young men as pupils who studied law under his tutorship and these have gone out to be successful lawyers in many parts of the country. Judge B.F. Menefee has been a practicing lawyer in Crittenden for many years and is still a resident of the village, though now in failing health.

Physicians

Crittenden has been fortunate in its physicians. The earliest were Dr. Singleton, Dr. J.C. Ashby, Dr. William Henderson. Then came Dr. Bartlett Kniffin, Dr. Opie Lindsay, Dr. Thomas R.W. Jeffray, Dr. S. Poore, Dr. John Fenley. Later there were Dr. J.H. Brown, Dr. Cujmmins Collins, and Dr. B.K. Menefee. Dr. J.J. Marshall has been practicing in Crittenden since 1907, and Dr. H.F. Mann since 1919. Dr. J.L. Price, of Sherman, and Dr. Charles Bird, of Indianapolis, are well-known physicians who were school boys in Crittenden.

War Time

There are many incidents connected with Crittenden concerning the thrilling and tragic days of the War between the States, for its position as a border town brought the suffering and tragedy very close home.

Gen. Lew Wallace and his soldiers were at one time camped in the Daniels field near the Southern Railway station.

One Sunday morning when the congregation was assembled at the Christian church and many horses were tied to the hitching posts in the yard, "Morgan's Men" paid a visit to the church yard and captured the horses. One coming from the church the congregation learned of this deplorable loss. Mr. W.L. Collins hastened to his stable and selected a valuable horse and went in pursuit of the raiders. Mr. Collins then traded to the captor this valuable horse for that one of his horses more highly prized, which had been taken from the church yard.

At one time in the days of the war, a rumor spread through the village that a negro uprising had started and was rapidly gaining force and would soon be on the town. About a hundred people gathered at the Fenley homestead and a messenger was dispatched on horse-back to Walton to learn the situation. On his return the villages were much relieved to learn that it was not an "uprising" but a harmless gathering of negroes for their own entertainment.

Crittenden, like all of Kentucky, passed through this ordeal, bravely bearing her part, and brothers and friends on each side protected those on the other side, when the opposing forces were in the neighborhood.

Social Life

A former resident of Crittenden who left the town fifty years ago, recently wrote these words in a letter: "I remember when Crittenden was the banner village of northern Kentucky, in administration, in churches, and in social life. From 1848 to 1860, there was a large group of young men and young women who took great interest in the intellectual and social life of the town. These young people gave picnics and other entertainments which were attended by young people from Covington, Kenton, Boone and Gallatin counties, and Crittenden stood at the apex of social life in Northern Kentucky. Young men came from other states to enjoy the dances and other festivities and some were captured by home girls." A long-preserved invitation to a ball given at Christmas, 1849, shows that there were floor managers from Covington, Walton, Crittenden and Dry Ridge. In these days the churches and lodges were in a flourishing condition. There was a Masonic Lodge, an Oddfellows Lodge, a Sons of Temperance Lodge, and a Know-Nothing Lodge. There was such strong community feeling and fellowship that the whole town turned out to say good-bye to two of its boys, John and Will Elster, when they started out with a fine outfit of mules and wagon to travel over the land route to the California gold fields in 1849.

Transportation

This history would be incomplete without telling of the wonderful progress in transportation in the century. The early settlers came over the mountains on horse-back, or in wagons carrying their treasures packed between feather-beds. Time brought improvements in the roads and the stagecoach became possible. For many years Crittenden was a relay station for a stage coach line operating between Covington and Lexington and this was the chief means of travel for forty years. Horses and mail were changed at Crittenden. The stage coach was drawn, sometimes by four horses, sometimes by six, and its daily arrival was an event of interest to the residents of the little village. The northern part of the line was owned and operated by Grant county men. After the road was macadamized, from 1842 for a number of years, the line between Covington and Williamstown as operated by John W. Fenley. A man named Irving was at this time operating a line from Covington to Lexington, and Captain Fenley in partnership with a Mr. Hawkins of Lexington, extended his line to Lexington, and this line was in operation until the Kentucky Central railroad was built. At a later period Mr. O.P. Hogan of Williamstown operated the stage coach line.

In 1853, at the time of the cholera epidemic, the stage coach carried a passenger who seemed perfectly well on leaving Crittenden, and who was dead of cholera, before the coach was a mile out of town.

Some of the old stage coach drivers were Calvin Holton, Larkin Brown, Kit Bates, George Beasley, and Kit Webster.

The Cincinnati Southern railway was begun in 1871, and the first train passed over it on July 23, 1877. On the opening of the road, the President of the United States made a good will trip from Cincinnati to Chattanooga. The train bearing President Hays stopped at the towns along the way and many of Crittenden's citizens gathered around the rear platform of the train and enjoyed the privilege of shaking hands with a President without a trip to Washington. A beautiful gift of flowers was presented to the President by some ladies of Crittenden. The rail road was a big advance in the history of transportation, and a still greater advance was made in 1928 when the Dixie Highway was completed between Covington and Lexington, and buses going each way, every hour of the day, were put in operation.

Farmers

Our last word must be in appreciation of what has been done by the farmers in this century of community life. Beginning in the days when the land was forest, the farmer has cleared and cultivated the land, and provided food for the community. He has endured great hardships, and faced the most difficult tasks with courage. All Kentuckians are proud of the brave women of Bryan Station, who saved the fort from Indians in 1782. Perhaps there was no braver woman among that little band, than some of the farmers' wives who have been patient and heroic in bearing their share of the farmer's life. From the primitive struggles of early days the farmer has advanced step by step, to the present time when farming is done scientifically, and so many farmers' homes are provided with modern conveniences, and there is so much to make the farmer's life independent and dignified.

This review of the past should make us feel that our community has been a worthy one. It should stir us to ambition to live up to the best in the past. and to make the future better than that which has gone before. If the early days seem, in some ways, more notable than the present, we may well ask ourselves if we, of today, are as public-spirited and as loyal to our community as were our forefathers.

Modern life has conveniences such as were never dreamed of by our father. With our splendid highway, automobiles, electricity, telephones, and radios, life has become enriched beyond their fondest expectations. With the same devotion to home, with the same courage and desire to uplift the community as our fathers had, we should easily make the Crittenden of today pass far beyond the high standard of its brightest days.