History of Mason County Kentucky United States of America

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Biographies:

Alexander William Doniphan, soldier, was born in Mason county, Ky., July 9, 1808; son of Joseph Doniphan. He was graduated at Augusta college in 1826, and was admitted to the bar in 1830. He removed to Lexington, Mo., where he practised three years. He was a student of military tactics and identified himself with the state militia, gaining the rank of brigadier-general in 1838. He commanded the state troops sent to quiet the troubles between the settlers and the Mormons, and he forced their prophet, Joseph Smith, to surrender their leaders for trial and to remove their people beyond the limits of the state. In the war with Mexico he was colonel of the 1st Missouri mounted volunteers and was with Kearney's expedition to Santa F?; and with a regiment of less than 1000 men, after Kearney had left for California, tie set out from Santa F? to join General Wool at Chihuahua, Mexico. He first conquered a peace with the Navajos Indians and on Dec. 14, 1846, defeated a Mexican force at Bracito river in the face of a black flag, killing and wounding nearly 200 Mexicans with the loss of one man killed and seven wounded. He occupied El Paso two days later and on Feb. 8, 1847, started for Chihuahua, 250 miles distant. On February 28, when seventeen miles from his destination he encountered 2000 Mexicans at the pass of the Sacramento, gave them fight and with a loss of one killed and eleven wounded, he killed and wounded more than 800 of the enemy. Chihuahua surrendered March 1, 1847, leaving him without orders, and after waiting several weeks he set out with his little army for Saltillo, 700 miles distant, reaching the place May 21 to find the war ended. He then took his command to Brazos, Santiago, and thence by boat to New Orleans where they were discharged. He was a representative in the state legislature, 1836, 1840 and 1854, and died in Richmond, Mo., Aug. 8, 1887.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Thomas Marshall, soldier, was born in Mason county, Ky., April 13, 1793; son of Capt. Thomas and Frances Maitland (Kennan) Marshall, and grandson of Gen. Thomas and Mary Randolph (Keith) Marshall. He received a classical education and began the study of law. In April, 1812, on account of an insult offered his father, he fought a duel with Charles S. Mitchell on the banks of the Ohio above Maysville in which he was severely wounded. He was a second lieutenant in the war of 1812. He was married about 1819 to Catherine Taylor of Virginia, who died in Kentucky in 1820, and secondly, in Washington, D.C., Nov. 6, 1821, to Juliana Winchester Whetcroft of Annapolis, Md. He became the owner of 3000 acres of land in Lewis county, Ky., where he lived, 1819-53. He was a representative in the state legislature in 1817, 1828 and from 1839 to 1844, and served for one session as speaker. He was commissioned by President Polk brigadier-general of volunteers at the outbreak of the war with Mexico. He commanded a brigade of Kentucky volunteers under Gen. John E. Wool and on account of a disagreement with that officer he was left at Rineonada Pass with only part of his brigade. Receiving orders to march to Buena Vista his brigade cut their way through the forces of General Minon, and his arrival discouraged the Mexicans who capitulated before his men could take part in the action. He was with Gen. Winfield Scott in the march to Mexico city and during the last six months of the war he was military governor of Mexico. In conjunction with General Worth he preferred charges against General Scott which led to a court of inquiry. Soon after his return to Kentucky at the close of the war, his wife left him, and he was shot and killed by one of his tenants. He died on his plantation in Lewis county, Ky., March 28, 1853.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

John Robert Procter, geologist and civil service reformer, was born in Mason county, Kentucky, March 16, 1844; son of George Morton and Anna Maria (Young) Procter; grandson of Abram Euford and Mary (Lurty) Procter, and of Willoughby Tibbs and Judith (Cook) Young, and a descendant on both sides from soldiers of Virginia in the Revolution. He received his primary education in his native county; took the scientific course in the University of Pennsylvania, 1863-64, and left to join the Confederate army in 1864, serving in the artillery as lieutenant, October, 1864-April, 1865. He was married in 1869, to Julia Leslie, daughter of John Porter and Elizabeth (Andrews) Dobyns, and had three sons; one of whom, Andr? Morton, became lieutenant in the U.S. navy; another, John R., Jr., lieutenant in the artillery, U.S.A., both serving in the Spanish-American war, 1898. Mr. Procter made his home on his farm in Mason county, 1865-73; was assistant on the state geological survey, 1873-80, and head of the survey from 1880 until its close in 1893, succeeding Professor Shaler. During his service he refused to make appointments as awards for political services, or to remove competent assistants who happened to be of opposite political party, being sustained in this course by the governors of the state until 1893. In that year the governor advocated the claims of certain of his political friends to appointment, and Mr. Procter advised that the survey be closed rather than used for advancing political interests. He served on the jury of awards on mines and mining during the Columbian exposition at Chicago, 1893, and on Dec. 2, 1893, was appointed president of the U.S. civil service commission, which office he still held in 1903. He was elected a member of the Geological Society of America; a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science; president of the Cosmos club of Washington, and a member of the Century association of New York. His publications include reports on his work on the geological survey of Kentucky, and contributions to magazines on civil service, economic and international subjects.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Benjamin Drake, author, was born in Mason county, Ky., Nov. 28, 1794. He was a brother of Dr. Daniel Drake. He removed to Cincinnati about 1815, was admitted to the bar about 1825, and practised law during the remainder of his life. In 1830 he established and became editor of The Western Agriculturist, and subsequently edited the Cincinnati Chronicle, His published works include: Cincinnati in 1826 (with E. D. Mansfield, 1827); The Western Agriculturist and Practical Farmer's Guide (1830); The Life and Adventures of Black Hawk, with Sketches of Keokuk, the Sac and Fox Indians, and the Late Black Hawk War (1838); Life of Gen. William Henry Harrison (with Col. Charles S. Todd, 1840); and Life of Tecumseh, and his Brother the Prophet, with a Historical Sketch of the Shawanee Indians (1841). He died in Cincinnati, Ohio, April 1, 1841.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Mason County Kentucky

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