Yelvington Precinct

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Map of Yelvington Precinct in 1876.

Boundaries and Land Description

In 1867, the boundaries of this precinct were thus described by the County Court: Beginning at the intersection of the Joseph Wright and Hawesville road, thence with the Joseph Wright road to the Ohio River, thence up the Ohio River to the mouth of Blackford Creek, thence up Blackford Creek to the White Oak ford, thence to the Barker road at D. Winkler, Jr.'s, excluding him, thence with the Barker road to intersection of new road and Barker road at corner of precincts No's. 2 and 4, thence a direct line to the beginning.

The precinct and village of Yelvington derive their name from Mr. Yelverton Overly, one of the earliest settlers of the town, who had a blacksmith shop where the village of Yelvington now stands; Yelvington is a corruption of Yelverton.

Its extreme dimensions each way are about eight miles, and its northernmost point, at the mouth of Pup Creek, is the most northern point in the county. Pup Creek runs westward through the southern portion, and Little Blackford Creek drains a portion of the north side. The village of Yelvington is situated east of the center of the precinct, on the Owensboro and Hawesville road. The low land of the precinct along the river was once the most densely populated portion; but it is now the least inhabited, as most of this land is subject to overflow, and cannot therefore be drained and subdued. The lowlands of the river and of the bottoms of Blackford and Pup creeks constitute one third of the territory of this precinct. The upland is undulating and hilly, especially along the northeastern border where the bluffs of Blackford Creek are very prominent, some of them being 150 feet high.

The river and creek bottoms are a rich, sandy loam, and yield large crops of corn and tobacco; but the area of tillable land can not be extended by drainage, on account of its being subject to overflow. There is coal in all the bluffs of Blackford Creek, and at one point lead was once found in an early day, from which the settlers made bullets. There is probably more limestone in this precinct than in any other part of the county. The land here was once covered with a dense forest, which has not yet altogether disappeared.

Early Settlement

The first settler in this precinct was Valentine Husk, who came around 1798, and after living a short time at Yellow Banks settled at the mouth of Pap Creek. In 1804, he moved to Knottsville Precinct, where he died. James Smeathers and James Adams came very early; both subsequently settled in Knottsville, and died many years ago. Richard C. Jett, born in Virginia, settled on Blackford Creek in 1809. Hon. Benjamin Duncan was one of the pioneers. He was from Virginia, and died in the Kentucky Senate in 1824. Charles Duncan, James Bates, Charles Worthington, the Edwards family, Amos Shaw, Amos Riley, General John Davis and Harry Willis were early settlers. The Roberts family came early. Their names were Merry, Benjamin, Harry, and Wesley. Merry Roberts was a soldier in the war of 1812. Richard Hawes came from Jefferson County in 1821, and bought large tracts of land in Daviess and Hancock counties. Enoch Kendall came about the same time that Hawes did; he was a soldier in the war of 1812. George and James Haywood, brothers, came prior to 1825. Mr. Gentry, Amos Moore and a Mr. Shaw settled near Blackford Creek. Thomas Clay, James Estes and Mr. Mills were also early settlers.

Iceland Landing is a steamboat landing on the Ohio River, the only landing capable of being used in all stages of water for twenty miles above Owensboro, on the Kentucky side of the river.

Towns in this Precinct

Source: History of Daviess County, Kentucky. Chicago: Interstate Publishing Co., 1883. Print.

An Illustrated Historical Atlas Map Of Daviess County, Ky. Published by Leo McDonough & Co. 1876.

Source: David Rumsey Map Collection, Online Copyright ©2000 by Cartography Associates.