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(photo from milesmedia.com) The Kentucky River Palisades in winter, when William O. Bruce and his family landed in Henry County, Kentucky
In February, 1812, a large flatboat carrying William Owen Bruce, his wife, three sons, a new daughter-in-law, and several servants touched land on the western side of the Kentucky River at a break in the Palisades. It was cold, and the journey had been long, having begun in Culpeper, VA the year before. William’s father, John, a Revolutionary War veteran had passed away, and William, seeking his fortune, much as his grandfather had before him in England, set off for new territory. The promise of good, cheap land beckoned. As a Scotsman, Irishman, and Englishman, William knew the value of good land.
William had sold his share of his father’s estate, pocketed the money, and set off with his family and servants for the State of Kentucky, first by wagon train to Morgantown, (now West Virginia), and then, by flatboat down the Monongahela River to Pittsburg, and past Pittsburg onto the mighty Ohio River. At the mouth of the Kentucky River, the party had turned south, to reach the heart of state. The party included his eldest son, John, named in honor of his own father, John’s new young wife, servants, household goods, and livestock—everything needed to begin a new life in the rich lands of Kentucky. They brought with them many books, for William was well-educated, china, a set of finely-turned silver spoons from England, as well as the necessities of farm life.
The Bruce party had been very fortunate, though they weren’t aware of it at the time. Their timing had been impeccable. Setting out in the fall of 1811, they very likely were on the river during December. They no doubt felt the effects of the New Madrid Earthquakes of December 16, 1811, and January 23, 1812, but had missed the extreme effects that were experienced in Kentucky further west of their location. Near the time of their landing in Kentucky, the February 7, 1812 earthquake hit. This quake had been strong enough to ring church bells from Boston, MA to Charleston, SC, yet, while trees toppled into the water all along the Kentucky River, they had been able to escape injury or damage.
(photo from pruiett-parker.com) An Ohio River flatboat, the best transportation down the Ohio River and up the Kentucky River in 1812.
They had also been extremely fortunate to arrive during the time of the uneasy peace held between the settlers and the Shawnee prior to the beginning of the War of 1812 and Tecumseh’s Uprising. They had, no doubt, seen a lot of Shawnee activity in the area, but were neither attacked, nor threatened. They had arrived safely, with their livestock and household goods, on the banks of the Kentucky River, on a wide spot in the tall Palisades area, known for its sheer cliffs lining the river.
The family tied to flatboat to shore, and William set off to the nearest town to purchase land. He came upon the small town of New Castle, the county seat of Henry County, Kentucky. Seated on his horse, he would have noticed the settlement of log cabins, all quite sturdy, and the few wooden and brick homes of the small town. He made his way to the newly-erected frame courthouse, where he purchased all the land that he could. It was a sizeable chunk, even for those days. In all, by 1840, William and his sons would own nearly 6% of Henry County, from the Kentucky River to the Kentucky Turnpike, which was later named Drennon Springs Road, (see map below). His son, John, purchased land adjacent to his father’s holdings, along the Kentucky River as well as a large tract of land closer to New Castle.
(photo from kykinfolk.com) Mt. Gilead Church, as it looked in the 1990s. Beneath the ugly siding are the hand hewn logs. At the time the church was built, in 1812, it served as a stockade, (note the tall thin windows), a school, and church. It originally had two doors, one for the men, and one for the ladies.
William, aware of the tensions building both in Virginia with England, and the Native Americans near his adopted state, quickly built a sturdy, two-story log house with wide open, central walkway, the residence of the family on one side and a barn on the other to keep his livestock safe. He and his boys cleared some of the land purchased, down in the bottoms, and planted their first crop. Then, they industriously set upon building a combination school, church, and stockade, which he named Mt. Gilead Methodist Episcopal Church.
They were doubly blessed with the bounty of their land when they discovered that Drennon Springs, located partially on their property, was a source of salt for the area. William and his sons, as they had time, could boil the spring water to produce a high quality, mineral-laden salt that could be used to cure hams and salt down meat. William wisely allowed the people of the area, including the Shawnee, to come to the springs to produce salt at will.
Shortly after they finished the stockade/school/church, the War of 1812 was declared, and Tecumseh, supplied and abetted by the English to the north, began his uprising. A call for volunteers to fight the Shawnee went out, but John, new to the state, and with a young wife, stayed home to farm with his father in their new found land. While the Bruce family was unscathed, massacres took place along the Ohio River and the Kentucky River, killing many settlers and their children. William, in his mid-40’s, took precautions to protect his family and his property, and supplied several of the town’s volunteers with provisions for the fight. He then proceeded to stay home and prosper.
It is a little known fact, but 67% of the casualties suffered by Americans during the War of 1812, were Kentuckians. Kentucky was the front line, as was Indiana and Ohio. Tecumseh was killed at the Battle of the Thames. Simon Kenton, a noted Kentucky pioneer and explorer, protected the body of Tecumseh so that the Shawnee could bury him in secrecy, and with honor.
(photo from 2.bp.blogspot.com) One of the few log cabins still standing in New Castle today-- from the early days in the history of the town.
In 1813, back in Kentucky, as fighting raged along the rivers and to the north, a son was born to John and his wife Harriet. He was baptized at Mt. Gilead Methodist Episcopal Church with the name of William Owen Bruce, for his grandfather, as was the custom of the family. In time, John and Harriet also had three other sons-- John, Thomas, and Stamper. To make it even more confusing for their many descendants, John’s two brothers, (Thomas and William), also had sons named John, Thomas, and William, as well as his sons.
William O. Bruce, the younger, knew his grandfather very well. As a child, William had sat in his grandfather’s lap, while his grandfather tickled his ears. His grandfather taught him to ride like a gentleman, and had bought books for him. His grandfather’s favorite flower was the Sweet William. William, the younger, married Sophronia Ann Combs, whose family were in residence in Henry County when the elder William moved to Kentucky. He eventually inherited much of the property from his father, and gave large portions, (1500 acres each), to his three daughters by Sophronia, (Hattie, Mary Francis, and Ludia), while he lived in his father’s, (John), house on the Drennon Springs Road, behind Mt. Gilead Methodist Church. John and Harriet moved into William O. Bruce’s, (the elder), home upon his death—a fine brick home built to replace the sturdy log cabin.
It was William's, (the younger), home that the northern troops took as their headquarters before the battle of Perryville, driving William, Sophronia and their two young daughters, (Hattie and Mary Francis), to their house in New Castle. Their fields were the scene of several skirmishes between the northern and southern soldiers. It was in this house that he died in 1903, having passed his love and knowledge of family lore to his youngest granddaughter, my Grandmother, who sat, spellbound, beside him, holding his great calloused hands. William, the younger, loved his little granddaughter, buying ribbons for her hair, and a wonderful little metal toy—when you pull its hat, the legs of the toy dance. His favorite flower was also the Sweet William, like his grandfather before him.
Through my dear little Grandma, of which I speak often, I have direct knowledge of her grandfather, who had passed on direct knowledge of his grandfather. Mt. Gilead Methodist Episcopal Church is still standing, but is currently used as a place to store hay. It is in bad repair, and where the siding, (installed at a later date), has fallen off, the hand hewn timbers, cut by my great-great-great-great grandfather may be seen. His sons, John, Thomas, William and their wives and children, are buried behind the church, but their graves are overgrown and invisible today, the headstones in disarray. William, the elder, is buried next to his brick family home, built to replace the sturdy log cabin. The brick home is still standing, on the road that has since been named Batts Lane.
William O. Bruce, the younger, is buried in the main cemetery of New Castle, near his brother Stamper. His home burned to the ground in 1905, (thankfully much of the furniture was saved and lives in my house, and my mother's house). William, Sophronia, and his second wife, (Mary Francis’ and Ludia’s governess-- quite the scandal), and their two children, named, (you guessed it), John and William, are buried beside him. John and William were veterans of WWI and never married. I visit their graves frequently, placing flowers there for my family. I knew John and Will very well, and loved them. The church was still in use as a church during my childhood, and I loved to go there, (John and Will had the key), and sit in the cool darkness.
My family has lived in Kentucky for 200 years this month. I love it here. Not far from my home in Louisville, I can drive past the Bourbon Stock Yards, where my great-great-great grandfather, John Bruce, sold his cattle. He very likely drove his cattle past the Water Tower, where I work now. Or, I can turn east, and be in New Castle in about thirty minutes, and see the land that was once untamed. I can see the broad green fields of my great-great-great-great grandfather, and call to them, knowing that they hear me, somehow.
Yes, Kentucky is my home. I will never leave it willingly.
Thanks for coming by!
(photo from a .pdf file from Hill-ky.org) The land owned by W.O. Bruce and his sons, in Henry County Kentucky, 1840 tax census.
