Adam: Created page with "Map of Murray Precinct in 1876. ==Boundaries== Murray Precinct is bounded as follows: Beginning at the mouth of Rhodes Greek, No. 2,..."

2016-09-26T22:08:07Z

Created page with "thumb|right|Map of Murray Precinct in 1876. ==Boundaries== Murray Precinct is bounded as follows: Beginning at the mouth of Rhodes Greek, No. 2,..."

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[[File:Murray_Precinct.jpg|thumb|right|Map of Murray Precinct in 1876.]]

==Boundaries==
Murray Precinct is bounded as follows: Beginning at the mouth
of Rhodes Greek, No. 2, thence up same to McLean County line,
thence with same eastward to Ohio County line, thence with
Ohio County line to Panther Creek, thence down same to the beginning.
The precinct was named after Mr. Murray, who established and
kept a store in this neighborhood for a number of years.

Along the creeks the land is generally low; the upland is undulating
and moderately hilly. The higher hills are underlaid
with coal, which is about fifty-two to fifty-four feet below high water
mark. The quality of the land is various, but as a whole it
will average about No. 2. In this precinct are several good quarries
of sandstone.

The ponds used to contain small fish and reptiles, and the scenery
around them was wild and picturesque. One of them was made by
beavers constructing a dam at the outlet. Crane Pond was
filled up and obliterated prior to 1883.

==Early Settlement==
The settlements made in Murray Precinct were among the earliest
in the county. Captain Ben Field settled here in 1793. He
came from Culpeper County, Virginia and came to Kentucky as surveyor
for the State of Virginia. He finally settled fifteen miles
south of Owensboro, where he built the first house between Owensboro
and Hartford. He died in 1843. William Tanner came in
1798, and settled in the edge of McLean County. Adam Shoemaker
came about 1795. Fields gave him 100 acres of land to
come and live next to him. He lived there till 1815, then
settled on Green River, at Huston's Ferry, McLean County. Mark
Howard came from North Carolina and settled here in 1803. He
had fourteen children and his descendants are numerous here. His
land was purchased of Harry Ennis in 1800, and was surveyed by
Captain Field; 1,100 acres were originally purchased, but only
400 could be obtained. Nelson Mason came in 1815 with "William
Newton, who died in 1820. His wife, Elizabeth, was sister to Ben
Field. Mr. Newton's son, William, married Mr. Field's daughter,
and they had eleven children; all died prior to 1883 except Mary, who lived
about four miles above Owensboro.

Joshua Griffith, John H. McFarland, Samuel and James Johnson,
Baxter Davis, Robert Tarlton, Andrew Barnett, Warner Ashley
and Mr. Clifford were early settlers. Most of the early settlers
came from North Carolina. Numerous families of Johnsons came
from that State. William May came in 1830, and settled on a farm
one mile south of Panther Creek.

The first magistrates in the precinct were William Layton and
William H. Davis, who were elected and served under the new
Constitution of 1850. Previous to this they were appointed by
the Governor.

The first religious services were held in what was called "Tanner's
meeting-house" in 1820. Thomas Downs was the first preacher.

The first whisky and peach brandy made in this county was
made by Walter McFarland, father of the honored octogenarian,
John H. McFarland.

{{Atlas}}

{{1883}}

[[Category:Precincts]]

Murray Precinct - Revision history

Adam: Created page with "Map of Murray Precinct in 1876. ==Boundaries== Murray Precinct is bounded as follows: Beginning at the mouth of Rhodes Greek, No. 2,..."