Grant County, Kentucky

In 1876, the Centennial of the US, the Congress asked local officials to write down the history of their respective localities to be read on July 4, 1876. The following is an account written by R. H. Elliston

This page is credited to Bernie Spencer www.nkyviews.com

PREFACE

In Pursuance of an Act of Congress of the United States, recommending that a Historical Sketch of every County and Town in the United States be prepared and read on the 4th day of July of our Centennial year, copies of which were to be filed in the Clerk's offices of the respective counties, and also in the Librarian's office in Washington City, to furnish historical data and incidents from which to write a correct General History of the United States, the people of Grant County held a meeting at the Court House on the 12th day of June, 1876, to determine in what manner they would celebrate the approaching 4th of July, and to arrange a programme in accordance with said Act, they decided to have a 'good old-fashioned basket picnic' about one quarter of a mile south of Dry Ridge, in the Anderson Grove, now owned by Judge O. P. Hogan, to which all were invited to attend and bring their 'baskets well filled.' Urial Harrison was chosen to read the declaration of Independence, Judge J. M. Collins and I. L. Schwabacker to deliver Orations, and the author to prepare and read a Historical Sketch of Grant County. For our part of the exercises we have an apology. Our sketch is necessarily and materially incomplete, from the fact that only a few days were allowed us, and from which we could only snatch a few stray hours now and then from other business, to gather the historical data of a county fifty-six years old; and further, from the fact that the forty or fifty minutes accorded to us for the reading, would not permit a full and detailed history, and forbid the recording of many incidents that interestingly claimed our attention while engaged in the work, and especially forbid all biographical sketches or notices. To Chas. W. Porter, Wm. Conrad, J. J. Daniels, Robt. Elliston, sr., Judge O. P. Hogan, and Mrs. Mary A. Fenley, all of whom have lived in the county since its formation, we gratefully acknowledge our indebtedness for much information we could not otherwise have obtained, and to whom we are more than thankful for the warm interest they manifested in our behalf. We are also indebted to the personal kindness of Richard H. Collins, author of the History of Kentucky, for the dates used in the beginning, from 1772 until the formation of Pendleton county. With these explanations and apologies we hope the critic will be lenient, and if our sketch should but slightly meet the approval of those who have heard or may read it, we are amply compensated for the labor bestowed in obtaining the facts therein recorded.

R. H. E. Williamstown, July 31, 1876.