Chronicles of Boone County

Kirtley, Robert E.

Item

Title

Kirtley, Robert E.

Alias

Kertley, Robt

Gender

Male

Biography

Robert Kirtley was born May 30, 1786 along the Rapidian River in Culpepper (now Madison) County, Virginia, the son of Jeremiah and Mary Kirtley. In 1796 he moved with his parents to Boone County, Kentucky, where he resided for the rest of his life.

Around 1806, Robert married Mary Thompson, the daughter of Asa Thompson of the Bryant's Station area near Lexington, Kentucky. They lived on a farm, and had ten children together, several of whom died in infancy.

In February 1811 Robert Kirtley was baptized by Christopher Wilson, and joined the Bullittsburg Baptist Church. His life in the local religious community was briefly interrupted in 1812 when he entered the Kentucky militia as a Lieutenant, serving under General Harrison. With the end of the War of 1812, Kirtley returned home.

Robert became a Deacon in 1817, and was licensed to preach in July 1819. He was later ordained in August 1822. In 1826 he succeeded James Dicken and Absalom Graves as the sole pastor of Bullittsburg Baptist Church. He served for thirty-one years as a moderator for the North Bend Association of Baptists, retiring from the post in 1865.

With the death of his wife, Mary, on 15 June 1851, Robert soon remarried. His second wife was a widow, Mrs. Louisa Graves. She, too, passed away following a short illness, on 13 September 1858.

Robert Kirtley died early in the morning of 9 April 1872. His funeral was held at Bullittsburg Baptist Church the following day. S.L. Helm officiated. He is buried in Bullittsburg Baptist Church Cemetery.

The 1810 census shows him in Boone, Kentucky with three known enslaved. He was known to have 20 enslaved in the 1830 Boone County, Kentucky census. Robert and Polly Kirtley appear in the 1850 census in District 2, Boone, Kentucky.

In the 1860 census Robert Kirtley is living in Petersburg, Boone, Kentucky and listed as a farmer. The 1870 census shows Robert living in Petersburg, Boone, Kentucky with family. His occupation is listed as minister.

Member

Kirtley family

Birth date

30 May 1786

Place of birth

Culpeper County (Va.)

Father

Kirtley, Jeremiah

Mother

Robinson, Mary

Life event(s)

Marriage 1: 1 Dec 1806

Fayette County (Ky.)

Marriage 2: 17 Jun 1852

Boone County (Ky.)

Spouse(s)

Thomson, Mary

Graves, Louisa

Child(ren)

Kirtley, Asa Thompson

Kirtley, Ann Quarles

Kirtley, James A.

Kirtley, George Robinson

Kirtley, Robert Edward

Death date

9 Apr 1872

Death and burial information

Bullittsburg Baptist Church Cemetery (Bullittsburg, Ky.)

Occupation(s)

Clergy

Employed by

Big Bone Baptist Church (Boone County, Ky.)

Bullittsburg Baptist Church (Bullittsburg, Ky.)

Military service

unit unknown (War of 1812)

Allegiance

United States of America

Held rank

Lieutenant

Participant in

1806--Brothers Frederick and Pippen Escape

1838--Escape of Frederick

1865--Mary Enslaved by Kirtley is Excluded from Bullittsburg Baptist Church

n.d.--Silva Excluded from Bullittsburg Baptist Church

Related resource

Reverand Robert E. Kirtley House (Hebron, Ky.)

Member of

Bullittsburg Baptist Church (Bullittsburg, Ky.)

Neighbor of

Neighbors in the 1860 Census: Watson, John; Lindenburg, Philip; Kirtley, James A.

Relationship

Known enslaved: unknown, Burk; unknown, Elva [2]; unknown, Lucy [22]; unknown, male [54]; unknown, Mary [27]; unknown, Silva; unknown, Susan K; unknown, William [11]

Kirtley, Burk

unknown, Elva [2]

unknown, Lucy [22]

unknown, male [54]

unknown, Mary [27]

unknown, Silva

unknown, Susan K

unknown, William [11]

Description

Enslaved held in 1820: Males, 14 thru 25, six; Males, 45 and over, three; Females, 14 thru 25, four; Females, 26 thru 44, one; Females, 45 and over, two

Enslaved held in 1830; Males, under 10, four; Males, 10 thru 23, four; Males, 36 thru 54, three; Females, under 10, three; Females, 10 thru 23, four; Females, 36 thru 54, two; Females, 100 and over, one

Enslaved held in 1850: Female, 56 years old, black; Male, 56 years old, black; Female, 40 years old, black; Male, 38 years old, black; Male, 20 years old, black; Female, 19 years old, black; Male, 17 years old, black; Male, 15 years old, black; Male, 13 years old, black

Enslaved held in 1860: Male, 68 years old, black; Female, 68 years old, black; Female, 54 years old, black; Male, 48 years old, black; Female, 30 years old, black; Female, 9 years old, black; Male, 6 years old, black; Female, 2 years old, mulatto

Bibliographic citation(s)

FindAGrave.com, memorial #15698344

Source(s)

Find A Grave.com

Population Schedules of the Seventh Census of the United States, 1850. Slave Schedules

Population Schedules of the Eighth Census of the United States, 1860. Slave Schedules

Third Census of the United States, 1810

Fourth Census of the United States, 1820

Fifth Census of the United States, 1830

Seventh Census of the United States, 1850

Eighth Census of the United States, 1860

Ninth Census of the United States, 1870

Personal Property Tax Lists of Buckingham County, Virginia 1764-1792

Kentucky, County Marriage Records, 1783-1965

History of Kentucky Baptists: Kirtley Family

Item sets

AA--Slaveholders--Kentucky--Boone County--K

War of 1812--Veterans--Kentucky--Boone County