“First Things” In Henderson City and County Since The Good Year Of 1765, By Spalding Trafton, Published 11 January 1924
Do you know who was the first mayor of Henderson, KY?
Do you know when the first case ot smallpox was had in Henderson KY?
Do you know who filed the first slander suit in this county?
Do you know who was the first person indicted by a grand jury in this county?
Do you know when the first newspaper was printed here, and what its name was?
Do you know who was the first blacksmith who did business in this county?
These quertes and many other first things and events that have happened, occurred or transpired in
Henderson and Henderson county from its beginning until about the present time are answered as follows:
Col. George Croghan in 1765 was first to discover the site of Henderson. He surveyed the Ohio as far down as the mouth of the Wabash.
1791 Henderson, first named “Red Banks.”
First settlers. Michael Sprinkle, Johnnie Upp,
Wm. Smith, John Husbands, John Haussman, Jacob Sprinkle, John Kuykendall, Eneas McCallester, and John Dunn.
1794 Diamond Island school, the first in the county, was established.
1796 First grist mill, Capt. Dunn. First physician, Dr. James Hamilton.
1797 First road was Smith’s Ferry Road.
1798 First county court was held. John D. Haussman, clerk; Joe Mason’s will probated.
1799 The first election was held. First survey of Henderson made by Edward Talbott. First jail built.
First constable, Johnathan Anthony.
1799 First tavern, was Bradley’s tavern.
First magistrate was Charles Davis.
First sheriff, Andrew Rowan.
1800 First tax commissioner, Eneas McCallister. First coroner, Daniel Smith.
1801 Hugh MeGary was the first man indicted in this county. charge against him was selling liquor without license.
1801 The first postmaster was George Holloway.
1802 First mob took three prisoners from jail, but didn’t lynch them.
1802 First ferry established by Jonathan Anthony
1803 First felony indictment, Hugh McGary, indicted for stealing money from a guest at his tavern. First county and circuit court clerk, Ambrose Barbour.
1804 First lodge organization, Jerusalem Lodge No. 9, F. & A. M
1804 First jailer, John Haney.
1805 First circuit court held.
1806 First wooden bridge built in the county.
1808 First church built in entire county was “Grave Creek” church.
1809 First habeus corpus writ was granted Joseph and Sarah Wendell.
1810 First recorded marriage, Lewis Lambert and Peggy Williams. Ceremony said by James MeGready.
Town incorporated.
1810 John Baptist Dezarne, was the first “hobo” or tramp.
1811 William Allen was the first person indicted for sending a challenge to fight a duel.
1811 First divorce suit, Joseph VanKirk vs. Nancy VanKirk.
1811 First tobacco warehouse built by Philip Barbour.
1811 First steamboat to land here was the “Orleans” built by Robert Fulton and Robert M. Livingstone at Pittsburg.
1813 First court house built.
1815 Amos White, First convict sent to penitentiary.
1816 James Davis, counterfeiter sent up for three years.
1816 First steam grist mill, Audubon & Bakewell.
1817 First steamboat built in Kentucky, built here by J. Prentiss.
1818 First legal execution, Chas C. Carr, hanged for murder of Lemnel Cheaney. Bank of Henderson, first bank established here.
1819 First slander suit, Daniel O’Toole vs. Gabriel Holmes; judgment for $425.
1819 First man to be naturalized was John Boyle, an English subject.
1819 First town clerk, Wm H Thomas. First town treasurer, N. F. Ruggles.
1821 First church built in city of Henderson was the Union Church.
1822 First town marshall, John Green. First assessor.
W. H. Thomas.
First distillery, no date given, was a peach and apple brandy distillery, operated by Mr. Melton.
1823 First newspaper, “The Columbian”, published by William R. Abbott and printed by Joshua Cunningham.
1824 First wharfmaster, N. F. Ruggles.
- First case of smallpox.
1827 First county treasurer, F. E. Walker
1840 First county school Supt. John McCullagh. First county attorney, Thomas Towles.
1842 First fire engine.
1843 First presiding elder of Methodist church here, Richard Tydings.
1851 First county judge, William Rankin.
1852 First county assessor, Thomas J. Lockett.
1853 First council advisors, Hughes & Dallam.
1854 Know Nothing Party first came into existence here and claimed Henderson county
1854 Henderson incorporated as a City.
First mayor, William B. Vanzandt, elected together with the following councilmen: Jas. W. Clay, George M. Priest, Jacob Fulweiler, John H. Lambert, Barak Brashear, and David H. Unselt.
1854 City officers elected as follows: city judge, Worden Churchill; city marshal, Solomon Nestler; treasuer, Henry Lyne; assessor, Young E. Allison.
1854 lonian Debating Society organized.
1855 First coal mine by D. R. Burbank.
1856 First saw mill established by Joseph Clore
1857 First county poor house superintendent, Jas. W. Gibson. First steam ferry, J. W. Anthony.
1858 First billiard table placed in Hancock House, the first in town.
1860 Streets lighted with gas for the first time. First iron rail laid on Henderson & Nashville Railroad.
1866 First city physician, Samuel Fox. Jan. 11, Stephen Duvall, publicly whipped by order of jury for theft of meat.
1867 Bonds for $300,000 voted for railroad. E. L. Starling president first high school board. T. M. Jenkins, first superintendent gas works. John B. Hart, first public administrator.
1869 Erection of first public school building, the Center Street school, begun. Maurice Kirby, first city superintendent of schools.
1873 J. T. Wilson, first superintendent county roads
Jail physician, Dr. J. A. Hodge. Poor house physician, Dr. S. C Smith. Bonds voted for waterworks. Station House built.
1874 First Building & Loan Association.
1875 John W. Geibel, first inspector of oils.
First president of Farmers Bank. First president of Henderson National Bank, L. C. Dellam.
1881 First gravel road, Henderson to Cordon constructed.
1882 First buggy company organized.
1883 First telephone exchange established in rear of postoffice by H. S. Park. Henderson Cotton Mills built.
1884 First mention of Central Park as a city park. It was entered on the records as “Court Park”
1884 The Gleaner was first daily newspaper.
1884 First typewriter I ever saw was in the Farmers Bank.
1885 In Juy of that year the first locomotive passed over the Henderson bridge.
1886 Charles W. Quinn, first street inspector.
1886 First street railway with mule drawn cars.
1887 March 15th, John A. Lyne, Peter Hofmann and David Banks Jr, were appointed park commissioners.
First soda-water fountain was at W. S. Johnson & Brother’s drug store.
1896 City lighted by electric light for first time.
The present city hall was built during Mayor Powell’s administration in 1903.
First Automobiles, Leslie P. Hite, Dr. W. H. Edwards and Wm H. Sieber.
Commission form of government effective 1821.
If there are, any other “First Things” that I have omitted, would appreciate receiving them for future publication.
