The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-20
ginia was imperative. Kentucky not
having an organized Government, had no

themselVes,uniesSp protection anu COuhte-
nance could be gotten from Virginia.
The settlers were almOs: entirely from
that State their attachment TO their old
homes and people were strong, and they
had carried 10 the wilds and forests OF
their new homes the traditions Of their
fathers. II was therefore with more than
ordinary interest that they regarded this
effort 10 avoid if possible any serious diff
ferences with the mother Commonwealth
Unfortunately, when Clarke and bis
companion reached Williamsburg, the
General Assembly was not in session and
Governor Henry was i'll at his home in
Hanover county, some distance from the
! Capital. This, however, did not deter
him At this iuncture Clarkes COM
panion left him to conduct the business
alone, and repaired to the country or
the IIolston. that being one of The routes
/ by which he might return TO Kentucky.
Clarke repaired in person to the bed
side OF the Governor and laid the Ken
lucky case before him. The result was
| letter from the Governor TO the Council.
urging immediate aid Upon the meet
/ ing Of the latter body they could only
/ lend the materials Of war 10 Clarke and
| Jones, because the territory known as
Kentucky had no organized government
10 receive and account for them. The
/ powder and other material had 10 be
hauled in wagons all the way from VIII
| lamsburg TO Pittsburg. This, of course,
consumed long time, during which the
people were severely tried for want of
them. At Pittsburg Clarke was furnished
| Il bfpb
transport himself his guard and the mil
itary stores down the Ohio. The right
bank Of that river and AL the country
adjacent to it was swarming with hostile
Indians. He and his party were at
times in such danger that they had 10
land in the night, hide themselves and
let the boats containing the powder aud
other materials float on down the stream,
unnamed ana at the mercy Of the cur
rent; They would afterwards push on
and oyeitake them. Finally, after a long
and pcrilOus Journey, nc managed 10
land his valuable freight at the mouth OF
Limestone Creek The temperance Of
Clarke with such evidences of his in
iluence atWilliamsburg gave great salts
faction and encouragement 10 the
anxious settlers in that remote region.
Their confidence in him was much
strengthened by this success, and he and
his compiler. Gabriel Jones, were appoint
ed TO present a memorial to the General
Assembly of Virginia in behalf of their
country. Accordingly, in the following
fall succeeding the events narrated above,
they presented this important measure.
Its object was To admit Kentucky 10 be
come an integral part Of the State Of Nir-
ginia so chat she might be entitled 10 re-
presentation in the Legislature. TIP 10
this time she had been merely a remote
part Of what was then known as the
county of Fincastle, whose western limits
were defined only by the great Mississippi.
In 1875 by act of the General Assembly
she became the cOulty of Kentucky, and
was thereby entitled TO all the rights and
privileges OF this new relation To the |
mother State This was an eminently |
important step as will be seen in the |
future. The public mind in that remote /
region was thus relieved Of anxiety. The /
people felt that they had now al least |
some hope of protection, and were more /
willing than ever TO renew their efforts, /
not only against the attacks Of the /
sayages, but TO resist as well the threaten /
ing power Of the British who had estab- /
lished fortified ports not far north of I
their homes. The importance of this |
charge Of affairs will be still more appre- /
Ciated, when we learn of the pressing |
Oyertures which had been made 10 these /
frontier people, to abjure any feeling OF /
allegiance they might entertain towards /
the Government of Virginia, so long a /
help from that quarter appeared hopeless.
The results following the Incorporation /
with Virginia of this vast and valuable J
acquisition should not be disrcgardcd /
even i'm a short sketch of the career OF the .
remarkable man who had so much 10 do .
with its accomplishment Long before
his appearance upon this new theatre of [
action Kentucky had recc we'd within her
borders many noted and influential men.
The beginning of her heroic period had
already been adorned by the names of
Boone and Floyd and Kenton and Logan
and Harold While these men of might
were contending with the dangers Of the
dark and bloody ground amid the
,avages and the wilderness, Clarke was
still youth in Virginia. measuring lands
as surveyor in his native county Of
Albemare True he had seen something
IF border warfare As an officer IN Gov
,rnor Dunmore's campaigns against tAe
,svages of West Virginia. Aud this
short experience it may have been which
mad so stirred his spirit TO seek other
ma wider fields The men who, before
Ms advent 20 Kentucky, had kept the
Indians at bay, had really done little
more They deserve due credit for the
uccessiul Judgments they made in that
ountry. and the heroism displayed in
defending them against their enemies.
But here terminated their career-. IL
emaiucd for clarke, then clmparaiyeiy
,ul young man, 90 pat upon solid
nd enduring basi, the doubtful fortunes ;
# people. living in almost chaotic dis
rider. aud constantly threatened with ,
destruction on every hand.
As soon as Kentucky became really ,
part of Virginia, new and fresh Tide
# emigration set out from the East The
winding and almost inaccessible horse
aths over the Allcghanics. along the
lolston and on TO PoweNs gap i'm the
hills, began To assume the
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