The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-07-30
old COURT.
House CLOCK
Of Frankfort Put in Place
In Year 1893.
Bought by City in Philadelphia
Interesting Gossip Of
the Building.

Now that Franlin county's old
court house is being dismantled pre-
paratory to remodeling it, some of the
facts connected with its originu con-
struction may be of interest. They
did not do things in the days when
the court house was built as they do
now and some of the court orders
leading up to the erection of the
court house are very interesting.
For instance in November, 1881, the
records show that the county court
entered the following order: Ordered
that James Shannon, Henry Wingate,
Mason Brown and Phillip Swigert be
and they are hereby appointed Com
missioners on behalf of this court to
procure a suitable plan for a court
house and offices for the county and
circuit clerks together with the prob
able cost of said building.
The records snow that in Novem-
Der, 1882, or one year later than the
above order, contract was closed
with Gideon Shryock to build the pre-
sent court house. The court house
was completed but there was some
hitch about its acceptance, as the
court did not believe it had been built
in accordance with thhe terms of the
contract, for in November 1885 the fol-
lowing order was entered ordered
that the place of meetings of this
court be hereafter in the stone build
ing erected in part of lot in
the town of Frankfort by the Commits
sioners appointed to build the new
court house it being understood by
the court that this order is not to
operate as a reception of the court
house from the said Commissioners,
the same not yet having been finished
Shryock must have had a hard time
getting a final setlepent out of the
court for building the court house for
in 1871 the order book shows that Dan
ridge S. Crockett Jeptha Dudley and
James Thompson were appointed
Commissioners to settle the account
of Gideon Shryock for building the
court house. The Commissioners
made one report which was rejected
by the county court in June, 1S4S, but
in September, 1913. they made another
report showing a balance due Shryock
of $59767 ard he was paid after wait
ing fourteen years for his money.
In November, 1885, the following in
teresting order was entered by the
county court: Ordered that the taller
for the time being, be and he is here
by appointed keeper Of the court
house and lot, that the sam shall
never be used for preaching or relig-
ious worship of any kind whatever.
And that it shall not be used for any
other purposes without the consent of
the majority of the resident magis-
trates for the time being in North or
South Frankfort, Provided however,
that this order is not to he construed
into a reception Of the court house
from the Commissioners or under
taker.'
The city records show that the cloe
for the court house was paid for en-
tirely by the city and has always been
kept in repair by the city. The clock
was bought in Philadelphia and was
put in place in the cupola in 1888 or
the early part of 1894. The clock was
hauled from Philadelphia o Pittsburg
by wagon from Phtsgurg to Maysville,
Ky. by boat and from Maysyille to
Frankfort by. wagon again and the
freight bills for oil three sections of
the transportation route were attach
edl to the bill OF lading for the clock.
The total cost of the clock was about
N.F.