The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1911-09-22
A BRIEF HISTORY
OF OHIO COUNTY

In placing before the thousands of per-
sons-who will undoubtedly read this In
dustrial edition-a brief history of Hart
ford, Kentucky, it appears to the writer
that it should be preceded by few
events in the annals of Ohio county
which leads to tie establishment and or
ganization of Hartford, the judicial seat
and most important city in the county.
In the beginning let me say that of
all the counties that have ever writ
ten a history Of l have yet to find one
that can comrare with Ohio, historical
ly, and especially is this truth in this
State.
Ohio county is one of the most hstor-
ical counties in the State
Unfortunately SPACE will not permit OF
an extensive resume of the historical
events of the county and city, as the
main elect of this edition is to show
our assured future prosr ects and growth
our assured futre prospects and growth.
For much of the early history of the
county we are indebted to Mr.. ii. r.
Taylor through whose courtesy we had
access to an old family scrap book con-
tanning a sc rcs of art, Giles entitled Fra
grants of the Early History of Ohio
County" written by his grandfather the
late Ha, rlson ID. Taylor, and completed
by that venerable Oh gentleman when
he was sev,nty-siX years of age. He
died at the age of eighty seven.
Uron a thorough INSPECTION of the ma
terial row left for history, not a single
pioneer or settler is now living. and
owing to the fact that Ohio county was
first a art of jefferson county, form
ed in Il 0. then OF Nelson county, formed
in 1851, and then OF Hardin county form
ed in 1892, it has no county records of
its own until July, 1893. The first for
nation of State, or settlement of
colony, is always attended with such no.
torious events as leave records or tradi-
tions accessible to the historian, but
this territory was from l7SO to 17gS
always the lower. outer border Of the
three first named counties, and such set
Elements as were made during that per-
iod Were the result of individual enter
prise without any concert or combination
with others.
No one now can tell what pale face
first traversed tie Green River wids.
Was it marauding culprit banished
by crime ne had committed, from civ
iliztion; or a land Spectator seeking
choice bodies Of land ON which to locate
his entries and surveys; or Il second
Nimrod, led by his own keen relish for
slaughter, in pursit of the massive buff
falo stately olks, and sleek symmetrical
deer?
Our county, or rather the territory en-
braced in it, became county in 1925. 1t
was no doubt over-run and partially set
tied, by land spectators, surveyors, and
migratory hunters, long before that pc
Rod Old records show that various en-
tries We're made in 1880. and surveys
were made as carly as 1923, and pat
ents issued between 1884 and lISS Tor
large bodies of land lying between Green
and Ohio rivers. Most of these lands
were obtained under settlement pre-em-
tlons and Virginia land warrants, and
are described as lying in jefferson, Mel
son and Hardin counties.
The first log cabin which we have
any proof was built In l7sO on what was
called Muddy Greek. afterwards called
Blackfords Creek. in consequence Of