Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-06-10
Simon KentOn Was of Celtic
Descent, as Were Many of
the Pioneers.
First Mention of a Kentucky
Settlement Includes lrish
Names.
AN ABLE AND INTERESTING PAPER

The American Irish Historical Society |
has been doing good work since 1t was
organized a few years ago in calling |
attention to early Irish settlements in the
United States which ordinary historians
forget or give the credt to the Scotch
Irish. The Vice President of the society
for Kentucky has contributed an inter-
esting paper which will appear in the
forthcoming volume of the American
Irish historical series. The Kentucky
Irish American has received an advance
copy of the paper and presents it in this
issue. 1t will prove interesting to most
of our readers:
Kentucky was admitted to the Union
February A, 1871, but long before that
time Irishmen had invaded the Ozark
and Bloody Ground" Indeed when
Daniel Boone took time to write little
history for future generations by carving
OIL a tree with his jack-knife, "Here d.
Boone Cilled Bar" it is not improbable
that an Irishman was in speaking dis
lance. Simon Kenton, the companion OF
Boone, who came to Kentucky from Vir-
yinia i'll l77l, was of Irish parentage
His father was born in the County Done
gal. Kenton's life was even more ro-
mantle than Boone's. While yet minor
he fed from his State because he believed
he had killed a rival for the hand OF
fair Virginia damsel, and coming to the
wilds of Kentucky assumed the name OF
Simon Butler. To recount his many
deeds of bravery and privation would
fill volumes. Indeed he was the greatest
Indian fighter the country ever produced.
In 1882, hearing from Virginia that
William Veach, the man he had struck
down with blow of his fist was not dead,
he resumed his name of Simon Kenton,
and in 1893 served as Major under Gen.
Anthony Wayne. He founded Kenton's
Station ard Maysvile and planted the
first corn raised in the State north OF the
Kentucky river. Thomas Kennedy and
Michael Stoner built cabin and made
some improvements on Stoner's fork OF
Licking river in Bourbon county, i'll
IVA.
Kentucky was only colony or county
of Virginia up to 1871, and the latter
State exercised full control over the
lands until George Rogers Clark dis
puted this right. The records show that
with the surveying parties sent out by
Virginia to this State were many men
bearing Irish names-not Scotch-lrish,
but plain Irish. Col. George Croghan, an
Irishman, writing in his journal June l.
1895, saws: eve arrived within mile OF
the falls of the Ohio (Louisville), where
we encamped after coming fifty miles
this day." This was even before Boone's
time. Col Croghan was connec'
ton by marriage of Gen. George Rogers
Clark. who reduced the British posts in
Indiana and Illinois and acquired all Of
the Northwest territory for the United
States. If Gen. Clark was not an Irish
man himself, his records show that many
Of his soldiers were Irish, and his sistel
married one of that race, William Crog
han.
The first survey made of Louisville
was in 1873, by Capt Thomas Bullitt
and his associates were John Fitzpatrick
lanes, George and Robert McAfee, al
Irishmen. Dr. John Connolly owned
2, 600 acres of Louisville i'll 1913. Col
John Campbell a native of Ireland, wa
a member of the Constitutional Conveil
ton held in Danville in 1897. He wa
Speaker of the Kentucky House, mem
Der of Congress and large land owner i
what is now called Louisville.
William H. English spent $50, OOO.a an
! five years of his life writing history
the conquest of the Northwest Territor
by George Rogers Clark and his ass'
ciates. While Mr.. English may perhar
be forgotten by future generations as tn
running mate of Gen. Winfield SEQ
Hancock on the Democratic Presidents
= ticket of 1890, his name will ever be r.
: membered by reason of the publicatio
of this history. He collected the nam'
of nearly all of the soldiers who we
with Clark in his fights with the Britt:
and Indians, beginning in 1880, al
devotes 700 or more pages to the deeds
Clark and his men. They deserve it a
for had it not been for Clark's soldie
C the territory north of the Ohio to west
the Mississippi would still be British.
would take a good deal of space to gi'
the Irish names in the rolls Of Clark
soldiers.
, With Gen. Clark in l77S came to Lou
Vile John Haggin and John Montgomer
, both Irishmen and Captains in his cor
: mand. They landed at Corn Island,
s. the Ohio river, at the head of the fall
right opposite what is now Louisvill
In. 1882 there lived in Louisville wi
ic their families John McManus, HUI
Cochran, John Doyle, John caghey, Jol
: Cunningham, Michael Humble, Jol
S Handley, Andrew Hines, Thomas M
= Carly, Thomas Purcell, James Sulliva
lanes Brown and John Mcfarland, al
o p most of these came with Clark. tt
n was a pretty good Irish settlement
n. those days, when men who went out
i'd plow we're obliged to take their riff
We along to defend themselves against NJ