African Americans of the Kentucky Borderlands

Items

• Bracken County (Ky.)
  Located in northern Kentucky along the Ohio River and the boundary with Ohio, the county is 50 miles northeast of Lexington, and the county seat is Brooksville. The county is reportedly named for Big and Little Bracken Creeks, which were named for William Bracken, an early settler and avid hunter who settled along one of the streams.
• Stockton, Joshua
  Joshua Stockton lived in Flemingsburg, Ky. In the 1810 Fleming County (Ky.) census he held 14 enslaved. In the 1820 census he held 2 enslaved, and in 1830 he held 10 enslaved. He died in 1836.
• Fleming County (Ky.)
  Located in northern Kentucky, the county is about 40 miles northeast of Lexington, and the county seat is Flemingsburg. The county was named for soldier and frontiersman Colonel John Fleming.
• Terrill, John B.
  John Terrill Jr. was born in Fauquier County, VA in 1799 to John Terrill and Rebecca Cornelius, one of eleven children. His family came to Kentucky when he was about five years old. John Sr. was a board member of the Petersburg Steam Mill Company in 1818, which would later become the Petersburg Distillery. Several of John Sr. and Rebecca's children were born in Boone County.
• Currans, Elijah
  Elijah Currans was slaveholder in Mason County, Kentucky in 1850. Married twice, Currans moved to Illinios where he died in 1884. Records for Currans could not be found in Kentucky in 1860. He may have moved out of Kentucky by 1860 after his second marriage.
• Wilks, Mills
  Transcribed from Annie Walker Burns' Abstracts of Pensions: "WILKS, Mills. Kentucky Militia. BT L. WT. 7125-80-50. Old War Invalid Files #26505 "Served under Captain Uriel Sebree. "Boone County, Kentucky, February 13, 1833 Mills Wilks deposes: In 1812 volunteered in Boone County, Kentucky for six months under Captain Uriel Sebree. Affiant was appointed Corporal. Was wounded in the Battle of River Raisin, January 18, 1813, and was also taken prisoner by the Indians and taken with other prisoners to Holden. Received his discharge from Major Richard Gano., acting colonel of the Regiment. "Mentions that his family is large and somewhat helpless. Belonged to Uriel Sebree's Militia Company in 1812 and 13, and was in the Battle of River Raisin and well recollect Mills Wilks. A corporal in said company being badly wounded. Richard Collins and Berry F. Waller, physicians, certify Mills Wilks is rendered incapable of performing the duties of a soldier, and one half disabled from obtaining his subsistence from manual labor. February 23, 1833. Howard County, Missouri, August 19, 1833. Uriel Sebree, late Captain of the company of Kentucky militia in which Mills Wilks served certifies to his service as corporal and to his being wounded at the Battle of River Raisin. "Mills Wilks enlisted August 15, 1812 for six months. Discharged March 4, 1813. May 26, 1846 Doctors T.N. Wise and R. Prestlow certify that Mills Wilks is disabled to a degree amounting to total disability. "Covering jacket. Mills Wilks: Kentucky Militia Corporal Inscribed on a Kentucky will at four dollars per month to begin August 20, 1933. Certificate of pension issued February 21, 1834. Increased to eight dollars per month March 26, 1847."
• 1858--Juliet Miles Caught
  Juliet Miles, former enslaved, was caught attempting to free her children and grandchildren and others (10 total) from slavery in Bracken and Mason Counties.
• Flemingsburg (Ky.)
  The county seat of Fleming County, the town was founded by George S. Stockton. Both the town and county were named for his half-brother, Colonel John Fleming.
• Smith, Alvin
  Alvin Smith escaped enslavement in 1863, when he fled Fleming County, Ky and joined the 27th infantry, USCT and settled in Ohio. He died in 1948, a few days shy of his 105th birthday. In 1998, a bronze marker was placed upon his grave on the 50th anniversary of his death by a middle school teacher who was a Civil War buff .
• 1828 - Fleming Co., Big Moses Dixson
  On October 6th, 1828, a freedom seeker named Moses Dixson escaped from enslaver James Hood in Fleming County. He was described as about 35 years old, large and strong. A reward of $100 was offered for his return.
• 1813 - Fleming Co., Eliza and Mr. Botts
  On October 4, 1813, enslaver James Edmondson discovered that 28-yr-old Eliza, whom he had brought with him from Staunton, VA, had escaped him. She took a grey horse, equipped with a good bridle and side-saddle. She left in the company of an African American man named "Mr. Botts," also of Fleming County, who played the violin. It's not clear if he was free or enslaved.
• 1863 - Fleming Co., Freedom Seeker's long life memorialized
  Alvin Smith escaped enslavement in 1863, when he fled Fleming County, Ky and joined the 27th infantry, USCT and settled in Ohio. He died in 1948, a few days shy of his 105th birthday. In 1998, a bronze marker was placed upon his grave on the 50th anniversary of his death by a middle school teacher who was a Civil War buff .
• Mason County (Ky.)
  Located in northeastern Kentucky along the Ohio River and the boundary with Ohio, the county is 50 miles northeast Lexington,and the county seat is Maysville. One of the original counties that predated statehood, it was named for George Mason (1725-1792), who wrote the Declaration of Independence.
• Hedges, Washington W.
  Washington Hedges was born June 30, 1798 in Bracken County, Ky. He married Sally Robinson on January 10, 1822 in Boone County, Ky. Washington Hedges was known to have one enslaved in the 1830 Boone County, Kentucky census. The 1840 Boone County, Kentucky census shows W. W. Hedges with ten known enslaved. Washington W Hedgies was living in District 2, Boone, Kentucky in 1850. In 1860 Washington is living alone in Taylor Port, Boone, Kentucky. His occupation was listed as farmer. He married Jane Ewing on January 3, 1861. The 1870 census shows Washington and wife Jane Hedges living in Taylorsport, Boone, Kentucky. The 1880 census shows Washington living in Lebanon, Boone, Indiana. He stated both of his parents were born in Virginia. Washington Hedges died on November 15, 1881 in Boone County, Indiana and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.
• Terrill, Jesse, Rev.
  The 1830 Boone County, Kentucky census shows Jesse Terrill with one known enslaved. In 1840 Jesse Terrill is living in Randolph, Missouri with five known enslaved. The 1850, 1860 and 1870 Silver Creek, Randolph, Missouri census shows Jesse Terrill as a clergyman.
• 1848--Mass Escape of Fifteen to Twenty Freedom Seekers
  15 or 20 freedom seekers from Mason County escaped from slaveholders Greathouse, Gorsuch and others. Six of the group crossed at Ripley. Conductors were captured, one white and one free person of color, from Cincinnati. This occurred on the same night as a large group from Harrison was being pursued and engaged in Bracken County.
• 1855--Four Slaves Escape
  Four enslaved persons escape from Bracken County in April (slaveholder, Joseph Harris), 4 from Union County (slaveholder, Williamson) with 2 from Boone County (slaveholder unknown).
• 1855--Group Escape
  Two unnamed freedom seekers fled from Boone County along with four people from Union County, slaveholder Harvey Williamson, five from slaveholder Joseph Harris of Bracken County. They crossed at point 1/2 mile below Sedamsville.
• Augusta (Ky.)
  The largest city in Bracken County, it was founded as an Ohio River trading post by Philip Buckner. It was named for Augusta County, Virginia.
• Harris, Joseph
• unknown, Eliza [31]
  On October 4, 1813, enslaver James Edmondson discovered that 28-yr-old Eliza, whom he had brought with him from Staunton, VA, had escaped him. She took a grey horse, equipped with a good bridle and side-saddle. She left in the company of an African American man named "Mr. Botts," also of Fleming County, who played the violin. It's not clear if he was free or enslaved.
• Dixson, Moses
  On October 6th, 1828, a freedom seeker named Moses Dixson escaped from enslaver James Hood in Fleming County. He was described as about 35 years old, large and strong. A reward of $100 was offered for his return.
• Botts, unknown
  On October 4, 1813, enslaver James Edmondson discovered that 28-yr-old Eliza, whom he had brought with him from Staunton, VA, had escaped him. She took a grey horse, equipped with a good bridle and side-saddle. She left in the company of an African American man named "Mr. Botts," also of Fleming County, who played the violin. It's not clear if he was free or enslaved.
• Norris, John D., Sr.
  "John Norris, of Petersburg, Boone County, Kentucky, who is said to be the last survivor of the battle of Lake Erie, was in the city yesterday on his way home from Paris, Kentucky, where he went went to attend the meeting of the veterans of the War of 1812. Mr. Norris, though upward of 80 years old, appears to be hale and hearty. On the 11th of February, 1860, the Kentucky Legislature voted him a gold medal, which he had with him yesterday. On the one side of it is an engraving representing Perry's Victory, and underneath the words, 'We have met the enemy, and they are ours.'" -- Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Jun 1871.
• Crosby, Susannah