Knox County Kentucky History by Elmer Decker

THE OLD STATE ROAD

As early as 1779 Virginia authorities felt need of a road instead of a trace, to the Kentucky settlements. In that year two commissioners were appointed to locate a road through Cumberland Gap. They reported the advantages to be derived from making a good wagon road. The project was commenced and completed in 1781. Whether it was a good wagon road or not is the question.

Guards had to be employed to protect workers from the Indians. By act of the General Assembly of Virginia, November 27, 1790, Mercer, Lincoln and Madison Counties were empowered to give aid to guard companies. These counties were to furnish thirty men each during the months of October and November. Officers received six shillings per day, while privates were paid four shillings per day. Certificates for these amounts were given, and some were not redeemed until after Kentucky became a state.

Before the State Road was established by Kentucky, an effort had been made to improve the Old Wilderness Road by private enterprizes. Colonels John Logan and James Knox acted as commissioners. In 1792 men worked the road for Twenty-
two days. They received two shilling per day. Guards continued to be kept on the road during this time and afterwards. As late as November 16, 1799, there were two companies of troops from Lincoln County guarding the road. These troops were kept at the stations erected in the wilderness.

Governor Shelby, November 6, 1793, in an address to the legislature, stated that he had been authorized by the President of the United States to establish two blockhouses on the Wilderness Road leading to the Holston Settlements, provided they could be garrisoned by militia, to be continued in service not longer than six months and who would be entitled to the considered, the rendering of this road safe so important to the State as to make the establishment of these posts a serviceable object, but has found it very difficult to establish and relive the garrisons with militia under the existing militia law, and almost impractical to procurement to engage in such service voluntarily for the pay and rations allowed the United States Troops. He therefore had appointed two officers to enlist the number of men necessary for such service, for the term of six months, giving up his opinion that volunteers would be allowed by the State Militia into the service of the United States Troops. He recommended the payment of same because the importance of the service rendered. It a savings as compared to calling out the militia, and owing to the impracticability of keeping up the posts with militia. An act of December 19, 1793, granted the additional pay to those men whom the Governor had deemed to expedient to enlist with expectation of the allowance, and also authorized the Governor to enlist any number of men, not exceeding thirty, to serve for not more than one year from the end of the Legislature then in session.

In 1793 Hood had a station at Hazel Patch, mentioned by Bishop Asbury, by 1795 there were two, and possibly three, other stations; Moddrell's between the Rockcastle and Laurel Rivers, probably Wood's Blockhouse; Thomases, on a branch of the laurel River and Middleton's, not between Turkey and Little Richland

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Creeks, but between Turkey Creek and Stinking Creek at Woodson's. To show the exact location of Middleton's Blockhouse the following deed from George Smith of Jessamine County, Kentucky to Wade N. Woodson of Cumberland County, Virginia is cited. The description of the tract of land conveyed reading as follows:

(May 2, 1805) Beginning at a red oak, hickory and ash standing on the side of a hill 200 poles east of Stinking Creek where a north line from. the road crosses said creek at the distance of two miles; thence west 200 poles to the creek, 760 poles to the road near Middleton's Station, 840 poles to Turkey Creek---

Thomases Station was called old by Knox County authorities in 1800, when Nimrod Farris was granted a tavern license by the county court.

The State Road was established by act of the General Assembly in November 1795. Governor Shelby had recommended it. Two thousand pounds was appropriated to build a wagon road thirty feet wide from Crab Orchard to Cumberland Gap.

It was understood that the Old Trace was to be enlarged and improved. Upon proposals being advertised for, the original trail blazer, Daniel Boone wrote Governor Shelby a letter, as follows:

feburey the 11th 1796

Sir,
After my Rest respts to your Excelancy and famyly I wish to inform you that I have sum intention of undertaking this New Roade that is to be cut through the Wilderness and I thank My Self initeled to the ofer of the bisness as I first Marked out that Rode in March 1775 and Never re'd anything for my trubel and sepose I am no Statesman I am a Woodsman and think My Self as Capable of Marking and Cutting that Roade as any other man Sir is you think with Me I would thank you to wright me a Line by the post the first oportuneaty and he will Lodge it at Mr. John Miler son Hinkston fork as I wish to know Where and When it is to be Last So that I may attend at the time I am Deer Sir your very omble servent.

(signed) Daniel Boone

To his Excelancy governor Shelby

Boone did not receive the business.

The new road was opened to traffic in 1796. It followed the direction of the Boone Trace, but by taking a more direct route, lessioned the distance between Crab Orchard and Cumberland Gap.

The line of the old road between London and Flat Lick extended via the Laurel River, Lick Creek and Knox Fork of Richland Creek into the valley of the Richland. Then the course, known as the old State Road cutoff, with a grade of seventy-nine feet per mile

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for six thousand, one hundred feet, ascended to a path in the Kentucky Ridge and descended with a grade of sixty-six feet per mile for six thousand, four hundred feet into the valley of Collin's Fork. It passed over a low ridge into the valley of Little Richland Creek, which it followed for three miles, crossing a low ridge into the fighting Creek Valley, which it traversed for two miles. Crossing Turkey Creek and Stinking Creek to Flat Lick, it continued via the right bank of the Cumberland River to the crossing near Pineville and on through Pineville Narrows (3000 feet) via Patterson's Branch to Cumberland Gap.

In 1814, the following distances were given:

Crab Orchard to Hazel Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 miles
To Riceton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 miles
Raccoon Spring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 miles
Middleston's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 miles
Flat Lick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 miles
Cumberland River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 miles
Cumberland Gap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 miles

The above description is accurate and due to the sinuously of the road the distances may be correct.

Numerous changes were made in the original route throughout its entire course. The same authorities, quoted above, are again cited to show the route after such changes;

The new line, noted in 1822, was identical as far as Richland Creek, but it passed down that stream into Barbourville and continued along the right bank of the Cumberland River, which it abandoned after crossing Fighting and Stinking Creeks, and passed along the cut off bend to Flat Lick.

Another and far more important change was made, which the following Knox County order, dated February 22, 1864:

In pursuance of an act of Assembly, passed 25th day of January 1864, giving to the County Court the right to sectionize the Turnpike and Wilderness Road in Knox County, and to appoint overseers to work the same, it is ordered that H.B. Campbell be, and he is hereby appointed, overseer of that portion of the road commencing at Cumberland Gap to the Widow Davison's, known as Section No. 1, and also that Wm. H. Baughman, be and he is hereby appointed, overseer of that portion of road from the Widow Davison's to the foot of Log Mountain above Mrs. Moor's house, as Section No. 2, and that Rufus M. Moss be, and he is hereby appointed, overseer of that portion of road from the foot of Log Mountain as Section No. 3 also that G. Hendrickson be, and he is hereby appointed, overseer of that portion of road from Cumberland River to Spencer Ball's, known as Section No. 4, also that James Ingrum. be, and he is hereby appointed, overseer of that portion of the road from Spencer Ball's to the forks of the road at A. Hunter's known as Section No. 5, and that Anthony Hinkle be, and he is hereby appointed overseer of that portion of road from the fork at Hunter's to Uriah Smith's
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known as Section No. 6, and that Uriah Smith be, and he is appointed, overseer of the road from said Smith's to Barbourville Court House, known as Section No. 7, and that L.G. Dickinson be appointed overseer from the Court House to the top of the ridge the other side of Arch Brittain's, known as Section No. 8, and that Elijah Trosper be, and he is hereby appointed overseer of that portion known as Section No. 9, and that Alex Cole be and he is hereby appointed, overseer of that portion of road from Brafford's to the County Line, known as Section No. 10.

The above change in the old route was made effective in 1839. The road passed to the north of Grays, and over the waters of Lynn Camp Creek. Most of the traffic through Barbourville continued over this route until the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company built a line to Woodbine in 1883.

In 1861 a local change was ordered ratified and confirmed as follows:

On motion of the commissioners an the Wilderness Turnpike Road, satisfactory proof having been made that it is difficult and expensive to keep a bridge across Clear Creek where the said road crosses said stream and that with very little expense the road could be so changed as to avoid said bridge and have a shallow ford across said stream, and that said change could be beneficial to the traveling publick, and Rufus Moss, the present occupant and owner of the land, having given his consent and having bound himself to be responsible for all damages to all the other owners of said land and the said change having been made, as follows: leaving the State Road at the foot of the bluff on the south side of Clear Creek near the old bridge, running thence up said creek about one hundred yards to a shallow ford in the bend of the creek, running thence along a ridge to the foot of the Pine Mountain, and running thence with the foot of said mountain to the State Road.

It must not be thought, however, that the original route was abandoned. A Knox County Court order, dated April 25, 1864, reads as follows:

Ordered that Elisha Howard be, and he is hereby appointed, overseer of the Old State Road from the fork of the toll gate to the top of the Paint Hill, Section No. 1, and that Isaac Hawn be and he is hereby appointed, overseer of the Old Road from the top of Paint Hill to the bridge on Little Richland Creek, being Section No. 2, and the F.G. Burnett be, and he is hereby appointed, overseer on that portion of the Old State Road from. Richland Bridge at Section No. 2 to the bridge over Big Richland Section No. 3, also that William Gilbert be appointed overseer of that portion of the Old State Road from the bridge on Big Richland to the County of Laurel Line.

The Paint Hill referred to must not be confused with the Paint Hill on the Barbourville road at the head of Smoky Creek. This Paint Hill is the one on which Ewing Callahan now lives between Barbourville and Baughman. Between 1793 and 1800, when guards were stationed at Middleton's, the hill received its name.
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Renegade whites, painted like Indians often held up and robbed travelers on the sides of the hill. Thus it became known as the Painted Hill, later shortened to Paint Hill. The house now occupied by Mr. Callahan is only a part of the original, which was operated first as a tavern by David Johnson in 1807.

During the Civil War in 1862, the county court complained of the damages to the Old State Road made by Federal Forces as follows:

It appearing to the satisfaction of the Knox County Court that the Government wagons have greatly injured and nearly destroyed the Wilderness Turnpike Road running from Cumberland Gap to John Pitman's, as well as the bridges on said road; that said road is a State Road; that there is a toll gate on said road established by law and that none of the Government employers have paid toll on said road. It is ordered that the Clerk of this Court certify those facts to the Senators and Representatives in Congress from this state request of them to urge immediately the passage of an act making an appropriation of twenty thousand dollars for the benefit of said road, not as an internal improvement measure, but as a matter of justice.

There is one remarkable fact about the management of the Old State Road. Although, several miles of the road were within the limits of Harlan County, from its establishment in 1819 until 1867, date of the erection of Bell County and toll gates were later built across the road in Bell County, and that portion of the road from the Knox Line to John Pitman's was in Laurel County, the Knox County Court continued to control and manage it.

To show the location of the road during this time, above mentioned, the following report of commissioners was submitted to the Knox County Court:

In pursuance of an act of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, approved December 16, 1823, to run the dividing line between the Counties of Knox and Harlan, the undersigned met at Cumberland Gap on the 19th day of July 1824, and after ascertaining the course of said line agreeably to said act we proceeded from the mouth of Straight Creek, thence S. 15 W. 320 poles on the clift opposite from the Turnpike Gate, 474 poles crossing Clear Creek, 812 poles crossing the road leading up Clear Creek, 2720 poles crossing the Dick Fork of Yellow Creek, 3520 poles crossing Beam Fork of Yellow Creek, thence over the Fork Ridge, a spur of Black Mingo Mountain, passing a point five miles west of Cumberland Gap, 4200 poles to Bemett's Fork of Yellow Creek, in all 4300 poles to five hickories, two lynns, three buckeyes, a poplar, a black and a white walnut trees standing on the north side of Black Mingo Mountain on the State Line between Kentucky and Tennessee. This 29th July 1824

(signed)George W. Craig
Benjamin Tuggle
Commissioners

TOLLS

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An act, passed by the General Assembly March 1, 1797, provided for the erection of a turnpike gate, or toll gate. The gate was erected in 1798 in the Narrows above Cumberland Ford on the Pineville side of the Narrows at the present bridge across Cumberland River, and was the only one until 1830.

Tolls were as follows:

All persons except post riders, express, women, and children
under ten years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 pence
Horse, mule or mare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 pence
Carriage with two wheels. . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 shillings
Carriage with four wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 shillings
Head of meat cattle going eastward. . . . . 3 pence

Six shillings made one dollar and three pence made four and one-half cents.

Robert Craig was the first toll gate keeper, in the place of John Thurman who had refused to serve. His duties were to keep the road in repair, make bridges and etc. All the profit was to be given to him. On wheel carriages the toll was reduced one-half in 1798 and the toll gate was farmed out to the highest bidder for one year only.

In 1799 the Governor was enpowered to lease for any term of years, not to exceed five, the gate to the highest bidder. The successful bidder had to furnish $500.00 bond.

December 20, 1802, the Governor authorized to appoint a commissioner of the Wilderness Road. The one so appointed was to receive two dollars per day for the time he actually worked. The gate keeper, also appointed by the Governor, was to receive two hundred dollars per year.

Toll rates at this time had been changed, as follows:

Each wheel per carriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 1/2 cents
Each person above ten years . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 cents; 2 1/2 miles.
Each horse or beast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 cents; 2 1/2 miles.
Each head of meat cattle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 cents
Each hog or sheep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 cent

The General Assembly, December 19, 1804, divided up the road. The Knox County Court was given supervision of the part of the road from the Forty Mile Tree to Cumberland Gap. The commissioner, appointed by the court, was to receive three fifths of the total gate receipts after Madison County's share had been deducted.

John Alsup Jr. was appointed the first commissioner of the turnpike road leading from the top of Cumberland Gap to the Forty Mile Tree an the State Road by the Knox County Court in 1804. It was ordered that he receive for his services nine shillings

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per day as commissioner while employed.

At the March 1805 term of the Knox County Court he made the following

May 26th to cash received . . . . . . . . . $404.00
June 10th to cash received . . . . . . . . . 44.00
July 20th to cash received . . . . . . . . . 40.50
Sept. 19th to cash received . . . . . . . . . 124.00
Oct. 30th to cash received . . . . . . . . . 62.00
TOTAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $674.50

CONTRA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Credit

by cash paid John Dougherty for 11 3/4 steel pr.,
16 lbs. iron at 2-6 and iron at 9 pence . . . . . . . . . .Ll-9-4 1/2
By John Ballinger for 457# iron at 9 pence. . . . . . . . . 1-2-0
By d. for oxen and driver, 2 Nos. at 25 d., l5by
John Barbour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-0-0
By John Barbour for 69 lbs. Iron at 9 pence . . . . . . . . 1-3-9
By Thomas Graham for smith work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11-0
By David Webb for work at 10:00P.M .. . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2-6
By Willian Webb for work at 10:00 P.M . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11-10
By Wm. Freeman for work at 10:00 P.M. . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11-10
By George James for 200 bacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11-10
By Moses Brown for three days work. . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1-0
By Stephen Smith. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9-0
By Richard Ballinger for sundries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6-0
By James Bates for work at 10d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11-0
By Joseph Girffith for b-smith work . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1-0
By William Sam for sundries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-9-0
By James Lyons for pork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13-0
By James Allsop for pork. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10-0
By Moses Dorton for sundries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-15-0
By Shite & Daugherty for sundries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-0-0
By William Hogan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3-0
By Charles Stewart for beef and pork. . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10-0
By Charles Stewart for beef and pork. . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10-4 1/2
By William Robenson for meal at 2-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10-9
By Joseph Ballow for 1 1/2 months . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-0-0
By Jacob Baughman for work and beef . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-0-0
By Wm. Tinsley for cart wheels, etc . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12-6
By David Webb for work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-12-0
By Keyton Murry & John Holcomb blacksmith . . . . . . . . . 0-16-7
By Richard Davis for provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-0-9
By Joseph Ballow for 170 lbs bacon at 10p . . . . . . . . . 5-3-0
By Nat Herberd & Daniel Miller for sundries . . . . . . . . 0-12-0
By Wm. White & George Thornsbury for sundries . . . . . . . 0-11-3
By John Gordan for work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10-0
By Thomas Begley for beef, etc .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12-6

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By Moses McSpadden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-3-0
By Joseph Perce for work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12-2
By Richardson Herdon for work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-0-0
By Isaac Martin for cart and oxen . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6-0
By Daniel Alsup for 3 3/4 months work at $12. . . . . . . . 13-5-0
By Arthur Neil for 2/3 of a month's work. . . . . . . . . . 2-8-0
By act. for 336 lbs of beef at 18-8 per 100 . . . . . . . . 2-15-9
By Wm. Alexander for work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-13-9
By Joseph Riley for sundries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2-0
By Old Mr. Hammons for sundries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15-2
By Obadiah Payne for work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10-3
By Reason Wheat for work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-12-0
By Hugh Hales for one deed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-6-0
By Gidian Smith for 5 months, 10 days . . . . . . . . . . . 16-0-0
By Richard Pierce for 12 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6-6
By Reynolds for four days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-10-0
By 3 bushels corn furnished . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-9-0
By 1 horse furnished 72 days. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-10-0
By John Walker for 129 lbs of beef at 16-8. . . . . . . . . 1-1-6
By John Barbour for packing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-4-6
By Thomas Johnson for sundries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10-0
By Moses Hignight for 1 bushel salt . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-12-0
By Wm. Spencer for 2 lbs steel at 2-9 . . . . . . . . . . . 0-5-6
By his services for 4 months, 12 days at 9. . . . . . . . . 59-8-0
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L 236-7-5

The above account was sworn to in open court and ordered to be recorded. It will be noted the gatekeeper collected his tolls in dollars and cents but paid his expenses in pounds, shillings and pence.

An act of December 21, 1805, provided for a redivision of the road. Knox County was apportioned that part between Cumberland Gap and the Sixty-one Mile Tree, and was to receive one-half of the toll, the remainder to be divided between Lincoln and Madison Counties in proportion to their respective road mileage.

To show that gate keepers and commissioners were held strictly accountable for the up-keep of the road it is recorded that in 1802, Thomas Moor (Moore) keeper of the Turnpike Road leading to Cumberland Gap was presented (indicated) for not keeping it in repair. At the October term of Circuit Court in 1807, John Alsup was also presented for not keeping the State Road in repair.

In 1810 the General Assembly exempted citizens of Knox County and their property from the payment of tolls. This law was repealed February 24, 1824.

By 1816 ferries instead of bridges and fords were being used. Ferriage rates were as follows:

Wagon and team . . . . . . . . . $0.50

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Two wheel carriage . . . . . . . 0.25
Man and horse. . . . . . . . . . 0.12 1/2
Single horse, mare or mule . . . 0.06 1/4
Head of cattle, sheep or goats . 0.01
Foot passengers. . . . . . . . . 0.06 1/4

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