History of Maysville, (Mason County) Kentucky United States of America

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Local History Notes:

MAYSVILLE, a handsome city of Mason county, Kentucky, on the Ohio river, 60 miles above Cincinnati, and 60 miles N. E. from Lexington. It was formerly called Limestone, from Limestone creek, which here enters the river. The situation is elevated and delightful. A range of bold and verdant highlands, rising immediately behind the city, render its appearance, as viewed from the river, exceedingly attractive. It is compactly built. Among the public buildings are a handsome city hall, a substantial stone jail, a hospital, and 7 or 8 churches. It contains also 2 banks, 2 large seminaries, besides the public schools, and printing offices, in which 4 newspapers are published. In the extent of its business and population, Maysville is the fourth town in the state, and is steadily advancing in these respects. It is the entrep?t of the goods and produce imported and exported by the north-eastern section of Kentucky, and is the most extensive hemp market in the United States. A railroad is in course of construction extending from this place to Lexington, and another to the mouth of Big Sandy river. Among the various manufactures in operation may be mentioned 2 steam-cotton factories, 1 large bagging factory, 2 iron foundries, 5 rope walks, 12 manufactories of ploughs, and 5 of coaches and wagons. The corporation have expended $70,000 on the different turnpikes which converge to this point, in addition to individual subscriptions. Maysville was settled in 1784, and incorporated in 1833. Population in 1853, estimated at 6500.

Biographies:

Richard Henry Stanton, representative, was born in Alexandria, Va., Sept. 9, 1812; son of Richard and Harriet (Perry) Stanton; and brother of Frederick P. Stanton; grandson of Benjamin Stanton and of Alexander Perry, and a descendant of John Stanton who came from England prior to the sixteenth century, and of David Perry of a Huguenot family of France. He attended the Alexandria academy; studied law and removed to Maysville, Ky. He was married, Sept. 19, 1833, to Asenath, daughter of the Rev. Pharis and Elizabeth (Bonner) Throop of Fairfax county, Va. He was postmaster of Maysville; a Democratic representative from Kentucky in the 31st, 32d and 33d congresses, 1849?55, and was presidential elector for Buchanan and Breckinridge in 1857. He was state attorney in 1858, and a delegate to the Democratic national convention in New York in 1868. He served as district judge, 1868?74. He edited the Maysville Monitor, and the Maysville Express, and is the author of: A Code of Practice in Civil Criminal Cases in Kentucky (1855): Practical Treatises for Justices of the Peace, etc. of Kentucky (1861); Practical Manual for Executors, etc. for Kentucky (1862). He died at Maysville, Ky., in November, 1891.

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

William Nelson, soldier, was born near Maysville, Ky., in 1825. He entered the U.S. navy as a midshipman, Jan. 28, 1840; was promoted passed midshipman, July 11, 1846; commanded a battery at the siege of Vera Cruz, Mexico, March 9-29, 1847, and afterward served in the Mediterranean squadron. He was promoted master, Sept. 19, 1854; lieutenant, April 18, 1855, and was attached to the Niagara in 1858, in which vessel the negroes taken from the slave-ship Echo were returned to Africa. He was serving on ordnance duty at Washington, D.C., early in 1861; was promoted lieutenant-commander, July 16, 1861, and had charge of the gunboats on the Ohio river. He notified President Lincoln that to hold Kentucky to the Union it would be necessary to send to the state 10,000 stands of arms, as the secessionists had taken possession of the state arms, and at the same time he offered his services to recruit and equip a Union home guard. His services were promptly accepted and the arms furnished, and on the day after the August election, 1861, the recruits began to gather at Camp Dick Robinson, and by September 1, there were four Kentucky regiments. Lieutenant Nelson was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers and resigned from the navy. He had also gathered from eastern Tennessee 2000 volunteers under Captain Carter, and some difficulty arising as to the distribution of troops, Gert. George H. Thomas succeeded to the command of Camp Dick Robinson and General Nelson was sent on raids in eastern Kentucky. On Nov. 8, 1861, he engaged with two Ohio regiments re-enforced by detachments from several Kentucky regiments, in checking the advance of Col. John S. Williams on Prestonburg and forced the Confederate leader to retreat into Virginia. Nelson was then ordered to join the column in front of Louisville, where he was assigned to the command of the 4th division under Gen. D.C. Buell, who had assumed command of the Army of the Ohio, Nov. 15, 1861. In the battle of Pittsburg Landing, April 6-7, 1862, he took a conspicuous part as commander of the 4th division, and was promoted major-general of volunteers, occupying Murfreesboro, Tenn., July 13, 1862, after which he joined in repelling the raids of Morgan in Kentucky. He was defeated at Richmond, Ky., Aug. 30, 1862, and defended Louisville against Bragg's threatened attack. In a dispute with Gen. Jefferson C. Davis at the Galt House in Louisville, while in command of that city, General Davis, either intentionally or otherwise, flipped a small wad of paper in General Nelson's face and Nelson thereupon slapped Davis's face with the back of his hand. When they next met General Davis drew a pistol and shot Nelson, who died within half an hour. General Davis was arrested, but had no trial. General Nelson died in Gait House, Louisville, Ky., Sept. 29, 1862.

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