Owensboro, KY - Revision history

Adam: Add Floods section (1883, 1884, 1913, 1937) from Hayes, Sixty Years of Owensboro

2026-08-27T01:38:42Z

Add Floods section (1883, 1884, 1913, 1937) from Hayes, Sixty Years of Owensboro

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:38, 27 August 2026
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	The Griffith House on Griffith Avenue, built by [[William R. Griffith]] in 1828 from materials found on the place, was described at that time as the only home in Owensboro remaining so nearly in its original state.		The Griffith House on Griffith Avenue, built by [[William R. Griffith]] in 1828 from materials found on the place, was described at that time as the only home in Owensboro remaining so nearly in its original state.

			==Floods==
			Flood stage of the Ohio River at Owensboro is fixed at 41 feet. The great flood of 1883 reached about that height, and the 1883 ''History of Daviess County'' was published just late enough to carry a lively account of it, quoted from the ''Saturday Post'' and probably written by its editor, [[George Vest Triplett]].

			Its championship was short-lived. The next spring the high mark was exceeded by four and a half inches — a small figure until one considers that those inches were spread over many square miles. The crest of the 1884 flood came at the same time of year as those of 1883 and 1832, its only rivals: February 17, or in 1884 the 17th or 18th. The water did much damage to the surrounding country, worsened by a storm that struck while it was at its height, and Owensboro raised a relief fund of several hundred dollars for the sufferers. The city itself stayed, as the saying went, high and dry.

			The 1884 record stood for twenty-nine years. A stone had been set at the corner of St. Ann Street and the river marking the height the water reached that year; in 1913 a brick was laid edgewise on the stone and the water came to the top of it, exceeding the old mark by the brick's width of four inches, for a maximum of 48.9 feet. Still the river did not invade the city.

			Then in January 1937, through what contemporaries considered an unprecedented coincidence of meteorological conditions, the earlier floods were made to look like pleasant spring freshets. Once the creeping water passed flood stage there was some apprehension that previous records might be equalled. On the 18th a stage of 46 feet was predicted; three days later some bold spirit ventured that it might reach 50. On January 24 it stood at 50.7 feet, with water in Third Street from Elm to Sycamore and in other western streets. The rise continued until the 29th, when the crest was reached at 54.85 feet.

			The flood then held almost stationary for two or three days — on January 31 it had receded only a tenth of a foot in twenty-two hours, and on February 2 it was still 53.9 feet. By the 8th it was down to 46.4 feet and falling rapidly. Owensboro could no longer boast of being high and dry at any stage of the river, though even in this greatest of floods the greater part of the city was untouched and no part suffered serious damage. At its height the water lay a few inches deep in Second Street at St. Ann.

			{{1943}}

	==Daviess County organization==		==Daviess County organization==

Adam: Spelling: US English

2026-08-27T01:36:22Z

Spelling: US English

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	</div>		</div>

	'''Owensboro''' is the seat of [[Daviess County, Kentucky\|Daviess County]], Kentucky, on the south bank of the Ohio River about seventy-five miles southwest of Louisville. Known to river ~~travellers~~ from the 1770s as the '''Yellow Banks''' for the ~~colour~~ of the clay bluff, it was settled permanently by [[William Smeathers]] near the turn of the nineteenth century, platted in 1816 under the proposed name '''Rossboro''', and named instead for Col. Abraham Owen, who had been killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe. It was chartered as a city in 1866 and grew through the nineteenth century on tobacco, distilling, river traffic and the railroads.		'''Owensboro''' is the seat of [[Daviess County, Kentucky\|Daviess County]], Kentucky, on the south bank of the Ohio River about seventy-five miles southwest of Louisville. Known to river travelers from the 1770s as the '''Yellow Banks''' for the color of the clay bluff, it was settled permanently by [[William Smeathers]] near the turn of the nineteenth century, platted in 1816 under the proposed name '''Rossboro''', and named instead for Col. Abraham Owen, who had been killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe. It was chartered as a city in 1866 and grew through the nineteenth century on tobacco, distilling, river traffic and the railroads.

	==The Yellow Banks==		==The Yellow Banks==
	The site was known as the Yellow Banks by river ~~travellers~~ as early as 1776, though the first recorded use of the name dates from 1798. ''The Navigator'', a journal issued for Ohio River boatmen at Pittsburgh, recorded in its 1814 edition that the place was named for the yellow appearance of the banks of the river. The name was applied to the whole bank for three or four miles, and specifically to the landing where the first settler had his cabin.		The site was known as the Yellow Banks by river travelers as early as 1776, though the first recorded use of the name dates from 1798. ''The Navigator'', a journal issued for Ohio River boatmen at Pittsburgh, recorded in its 1814 edition that the place was named for the yellow appearance of the banks of the river. The name was applied to the whole bank for three or four miles, and specifically to the landing where the first settler had his cabin.

	[[William Smeathers]], also recorded as Bill Smothers, was born in Virginia in 1762 and was a woodsman, hunter, scout and soldier. He had helped build the fort at Hartford, in Ohio County, about 1782 to protect settlers, and moved from there to the Yellow Banks — by his own account, for more elbow room. He made the first permanent settlement in the area about 1797–98. Some historians have reported a frontier military post at the banks as early as 1795.		[[William Smeathers]], also recorded as Bill Smothers, was born in Virginia in 1762 and was a woodsman, hunter, scout and soldier. He had helped build the fort at Hartford, in Ohio County, about 1782 to protect settlers, and moved from there to the Yellow Banks — by his own account, for more elbow room. He made the first permanent settlement in the area about 1797–98. Some historians have reported a frontier military post at the banks as early as 1795.
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	The site was selected as the county seat in 1815 by commissioners appointed by the first county court, held in April of that year. The town was surveyed and platted in March 1816 by Capt. James W. Johnson, the first county surveyor, and an eighty-acre town was laid off and approved by the Daviess County Court.		The site was selected as the county seat in 1815 by commissioners appointed by the first county court, held in April of that year. The town was surveyed and platted in March 1816 by Capt. James W. Johnson, the first county surveyor, and an eighty-acre town was laid off and approved by the Daviess County Court.

	The name proposed to the Kentucky legislature was '''Rossboro''', or Rossborough, ~~honouring~~ David Ross, who died in 1817 and was one of the wealthiest Virginia merchants and landowners of his day and a friend of Thomas Jefferson. The legislature declined the proposal in ~~favour~~ of a name ~~honouring~~ one of its own members, Col. Abraham Owen. The county had already been named for [[Joseph Hamilton Daveiss]] more than two years earlier, and the naming of the town for Owen was understood as a companion tribute: the two men had been friends in life and both fell at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811.		The name proposed to the Kentucky legislature was '''Rossboro''', or Rossborough, honoring David Ross, who died in 1817 and was one of the wealthiest Virginia merchants and landowners of his day and a friend of Thomas Jefferson. The legislature declined the proposal in favor of a name honoring one of its own members, Col. Abraham Owen. The county had already been named for [[Joseph Hamilton Daveiss]] more than two years earlier, and the naming of the town for Owen was understood as a companion tribute: the two men had been friends in life and both fell at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811.

	Abraham Owen was born in Prince Edward County, Virginia, in 1769 and came to Kentucky in 1785. His father, Brackett Owen, had built Owen's Station, a frontier post about four miles from present-day Shelbyville. Abraham considered Shelby County his home and represented it in the legislature; he helped lay out the town of Shelbyville and served as its trustee and magistrate and as county surveyor, and was a member of Kentucky's second constitutional convention in 1799.		Abraham Owen was born in Prince Edward County, Virginia, in 1769 and came to Kentucky in 1785. His father, Brackett Owen, had built Owen's Station, a frontier post about four miles from present-day Shelbyville. Abraham considered Shelby County his home and represented it in the legislature; he helped lay out the town of Shelbyville and served as its trustee and magistrate and as county surveyor, and was a member of Kentucky's second constitutional convention in 1799.
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	The surveyor's name appears as James W. Johnson in the 1883 history and as James W. Johnston in later place-name research.		The surveyor's name appears as James W. Johnson in the 1883 history and as James W. Johnston in later place-name research.

	The county's name was misspelled in the legislative act that established it in 1815 and was never corrected; the surname of the man it ~~honours~~ is properly '''Daveiss'''.		The county's name was misspelled in the legislative act that established it in 1815 and was never corrected; the surname of the man it honors is properly '''Daveiss'''.

	[[Category:Towns]]		[[Category:Towns]]
	[[Category:Owensboro]]		[[Category:Owensboro]]
	[[Category:Daviess County, Kentucky]]		[[Category:Daviess County, Kentucky]]

Adam: Expand into a full city article: founding and naming from Rennick/Potter, newspapers, trades, 1936 survey, Seven Hills, notes on source discrepancies

2026-08-27T01:35:41Z

Expand into a full city article: founding and naming from Rennick/Potter, newspapers, trades, 1936 survey, Seven Hills, notes on source discrepancies

Show changes

Adam: Cleanup: add infobox and lead, organize into sections, unwrap OCR line breaks

2026-08-26T23:02:42Z

Cleanup: add infobox and lead, organize into sections, unwrap OCR line breaks

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Adam: Spelling

2016-10-17T17:29:54Z

Spelling

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	\|Henry Dugan \|\| 1845-1847		\|Henry Dugan \|\| 1845-1847
	\|-		\|-
	\|~~Abiiei-~~ Lee \|\| 1847-1849		\|Abner Lee \|\| 1847-1849
	\|-		\|-
	\|C. D. ~~Ja.kson~~ \|\| 1849-1851		\|C. D. Jackson \|\| 1849-1851
	\|-		\|-
	\|Thomas ~~Landrnm~~ \|\| 1851-1855		\|Thomas Landrum \|\| 1851-1855
	\|-		\|-
	\|~~Joscjib~~ G. Harrison \|\| 1855-1859		\|Joseph G. Harrison \|\| 1855-1859
	\|-		\|-
	\|John ~~Loclie~~ \|\| 1859-1863		\|John Locke \|\| 1859-1863
	\|-		\|-
	\|Joseph G. Harrison \|\| 1863-1866		\|Joseph G. Harrison \|\| 1863-1866

Adam at 17:25, 17 October 2016

2016-10-17T17:25:33Z

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	\|1880-		\|1880-
	\|}		\|}
	Besides these, special Judges were appointed at various times, among whom were John. H. McHenry and George H. Yeaman.		Besides these, special Judges were appointed at various times, among whom were John. H. McHenry and [[George H. Yeaman]].
	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
	\|+Clerks of the Circuit Court		\|+Clerks of the Circuit Court
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	\|Thomas W. Watkins \|\| 1850-1854		\|Thomas W. Watkins \|\| 1850-1854
	\|-		\|-
	\|George H. Yeaman \|\| 1854-1858		\|[[George H. Yeaman]] \|\| 1854-1858
	\|-		\|-
	\|A. G. Botts \|\| 1858-1866		\|A. G. Botts \|\| 1858-1866

Adam: Corrected John P Devereux name

2016-10-12T19:56:30Z

Corrected John P Devereux name

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	\|1842-1851		\|1842-1851
	\|-		\|-
	\|John P. ~~Devereaux~~		\|[[John P. Devereux]]
	\|1851		\|1851
	\|-		\|-

Adam at 21:05, 11 October 2016

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	\|}		\|}
	The first Clerk, George Handley retained his position until April 1827, when he resigned the duties of the office. Horace Allen, who had previously acted as Deputy, became Clerk. Allen died while in office and was succeeded by John S. McFarland, who resigned the position October, 1845. John P. Thompson also died while server as Clerk.		The first Clerk, George Handley retained his position until April 1827, when he resigned the duties of the office. Horace Allen, who had previously acted as Deputy, became Clerk. Allen died while in office and was succeeded by John S. McFarland, who resigned the position October, 1845. John P. Thompson also died while server as Clerk.

			{\| class="wikitable"
			\|+Sheriffs of Daviess County
			\|Charles Y. Duncan
			\|1815-1821
			\|-
			\|William Glenn
			\|1821-1823
			\|-
			\|John Piles
			\|1823-1825
			\|-
			\|Remus Griffith
			\|1825-1827
			\|-
			\|J. Leman
			\|1827-1829
			\|-
			\|Warner Crow
			\|1829-1831
			\|-
			\|John Daveiss
			\|1831-1833
			\|-
			\|R. C. Jett
			\|1833-1835
			\|-
			\|S. Hawes
			\|1835-1837
			\|-
			\|E. McCreery
			\|1837-1838
			\|-
			\|R. C. Jett
			\|1838-1839
			\|-
			\|William Newton
			\|1839-1841
			\|-
			\|William B. Baird
			\|1841
			\|-
			\|Joseph M. Potts
			\|1841-1843
			\|-
			\|John G. Howard
			\|1843-1845
			\|-
			\|Henry Dugan \|\| 1845-1847
			\|-
			\|Abiiei- Lee \|\| 1847-1849
			\|-
			\|C. D. Ja.kson \|\| 1849-1851
			\|-
			\|Thomas Landrnm \|\| 1851-1855
			\|-
			\|Joscjib G. Harrison \|\| 1855-1859
			\|-
			\|John Loclie \|\| 1859-1863
			\|-
			\|Joseph G. Harrison \|\| 1863-1866
			\|-
			\|W. H. Perkins \|\| 1866-1868
			\|-
			\|H. W. Scott \|\| 1868-1872
			\|-
			\|W. H. Perkins \|\| 1873-1874
			\|-
			\|H. W. Scott \|\| 1874-1876
			\|-
			\|J. H. Gates \|\| 1876-1878
			\|-
			\|Ed. C. Davis \|\| 1878-1882
			\|-
			\|A. B. Miller \|\| 1882
			\|}

			{\| class="wikitable"
			\|+County Judges
			\|Thomas W. Watkins \|\| 1850-1854
			\|-
			\|George H. Yeaman \|\| 1854-1858
			\|-
			\|A. G. Botts \|\| 1858-1866
			\|-
			\|George W. Triplett \|\| Elected in 1866-'70-'74
			\|-
			\|H. W. Scott \|\| 1879
			\|}

			In 1788, when this portion of Kentucky was Nelson County, it was represented by John Steele and Matthew Walton, in the convention which ratified the present Constitution of the United States.

			Of the earliest justices of the peace, we mention the names of John Calhoon, and eminent lawyer and great man; John Daveiss, who was acting in 1818; and Warner Crow, who had the office at least from 1818-1823.

			[[Category:Towns]]

Adam at 20:48, 11 October 2016

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	Owensboro, the County ~~site~~ of Daviess County, is located on the south bank of the Ohio River, at what was known to the early keel and flat-boat men as the Big Yellow Banks. The name was given because of the deep yellow color of the river bank, composed of yellow clay, extending about six miles along the river, and from ten to twenty feet above the highest floods in the Ohio. The site was selected as the County seat in 1815, by Commissioners appointed by the first County Court, held in April of that year. The survey of the first ~~lat~~ of the town extended from the Ohio River and a ravine on the north, to ~~fourth street on the~~ Street on the south, and from Lewis Street on the east to Walnut Street on the west. The survey and plat thereof was completed by Captain James W. Johnson, the first County Surveyor, on the ~~23d~~ day of March, 1816, and approved by the Commissioners and Court with the name of Rossboro, and ratified by the agent and owners of the land, George Hanley being agent for Ross and other proprietors. Later the name was changed to ~~öst~~, in honor of Colonel Abram Owen, formerly of Shelby County, Kentucky. ~~Col. onel Jo. H.~~ Daveiss and Colonel Owen were both officers serving under General W. H. Harrison at the bloody battle with the Indians under Tecumseh at Tippecanoe, now Indiana, but then Indiana Territory. Both fell in the thickest of the fight. The County had already received the name of ~~Daveis~~, and the old settlers, some of whom had been in the same battle in which Daviess and Owen were killed, determined, as a mark of respect, to link the names of the two together for all time to come. They had been associates and friends in life, fell together in battle, and it was appropriate that their names be joined after death. The old name of 'Yellow Banks," however, still clung to the place, and the town was hardly known by any other name, even by the citizens, until about 1839 or 1840. The post-office bore the name of 'Yellow Banks' up to the time of 1837 or 1838. In 1833 the population was scarcely 200 all told, and not a single church edifice or organization. The increase in population was small until 1850. A branch of the Southern Bank was located in Owensboro about that time. The power of the Trustees had been enlarged by Legislative action, and those officials began to drain and improve the streets. The action of the Trustees, and the fact that the Bank was one of the institutions of the place, gave assurance that there was some money in town, and seemed to infuse new life into the citizens, even the old fogy part of the population, which had been averse to enterprise. Improvements began to be made. Better houses were commenced, new-comers poured in and a steady growth was maintained until 1861, when the war put a stop to all enterprise and public improvement. The population decreased, and not until 1866 did improvements begin again or was an increase of population noted. A moderate but perceptible degree of progress and growth has continued until now in 1875, when the population is estimated at about 8,000. Owensboro contains churches of the following denominations: Baptist, Cumberland Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist, Southern Presbyterian, Northern Presbyterian, Christian or Campbellite, Baptist, Episcopal, German Catholic, German Lutheran. The above have been named in the order of their establishment. There is also a colored Baptist, and a colored Methodist, church. All, except two, of the houses of worship, are substantial brick structures, with a capacity of seating over one half of the entire population. There are three banks-the Deposit Bank, Planters' Bank, and Savings Bank. The public schools are two in number, each with a full roll of professors and teachers. The school buildings are large and commodious brick edifices, with a capacity for 900 to 1000 pupils. The Catholic Sisters have a female school with about 100 pupils, and the Vaughan Female Seminary, of which Mrs. E. S. Phillips is proprietress, is an institution richly meriting the patronage of the community. There are several other private schools in the city, altogether accommodating from 1000 to 1100 pupils. There are also one or two schools for colored children. Prominent among the other institutions of the city are sixteen stemming and prizing tobacco establishments. The smallest has a capacity for handling 600,000 pounds, whilst several of the largest have each a capacity for handling		== Early History ==
			Owensboro, the County seat of Daviess County, is located on the south bank of the Ohio River, at what was known to the early keel and flat-boat men as the Big Yellow Banks. The name was given because of the deep yellow color of the river bank, composed of yellow clay, extending about six miles along the river, and from ten to twenty feet above the highest floods in the Ohio. The site was selected as the County seat in 1815, by Commissioners appointed by the first County Court, held in April of that year. The survey of the first plat of the town extended from the Ohio River and a ravine on the north, to Fourth Street on the south, and from Lewis Street on the east to Walnut Street on the west. The survey and plat thereof was completed by Captain James W. Johnson, the first County Surveyor, on the 23rd day of March, 1816, and approved by the Commissioners and Court with the name of Rossboro, and ratified by the agent and owners of the land, George Hanley being agent for Ross and other proprietors. Later the name was changed to Owensboro, in honor of Colonel Abram Owen, formerly of Shelby County, Kentucky. Colonel Joseph Hamilton Daveiss and Colonel Owen were both officers serving under General W. H. Harrison at the bloody battle with the Indians under Tecumseh at Tippecanoe, now Indiana, but then Indiana Territory. Both fell in the thickest of the fight. The County had already received the name of Daveiss, and the old settlers, some of whom had been in the same battle in which Daviess and Owen were killed, determined, as a mark of respect, to link the names of the two together for all time to come. They had been associates and friends in life, fell together in battle, and it was appropriate that their names be joined after death.

			The old name of "Yellow Banks," however, still clung to the place, and the town was hardly known by any other name, even by the citizens, until about 1839 or 1840. The post-office bore the name of 'Yellow Banks' up to the time of 1837 or 1838. In 1833, the population was scarcely 200 all told, and not a single church edifice or organization. The increase in population was small until 1850. A branch of the Southern Bank was located in Owensboro about that time. The power of the Trustees had been enlarged by Legislative action, and those officials began to drain and improve the streets. The action of the Trustees, and the fact that the Bank was one of the institutions of the place, gave assurance that there was some money in town, and seemed to infuse new life into the citizens, even the old fogy part of the population, which had been averse to enterprise. Improvements began to be made. Better houses were commenced, new-comers poured in and a steady growth was maintained until 1861, when the war put a stop to all enterprise and public improvement. The population decreased, and not until 1866 did improvements begin again or was an increase of population noted. A moderate but perceptible degree of progress and growth has continued until now in 1875, when the population is estimated at about 8,000.

			Owensboro contains churches of the following denominations: Baptist, Cumberland Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist, Southern Presbyterian, Northern Presbyterian, Christian or Campbellite, Baptist, Episcopal, German Catholic, German Lutheran. The above have been named in the order of their establishment. There is also a colored Baptist, and a colored Methodist church. All, except two, of the houses of worship, are substantial brick structures, with a capacity of seating over one half of the entire population. There are three banks-the Deposit Bank, Planters' Bank, and Savings Bank. The public schools are two in number, each with a full roll of professors and teachers. The school buildings are large and commodious brick edifices, with a capacity for 900 to 1000 pupils. The Catholic Sisters have a female school with about 100 pupils, and the Vaughan Female Seminary, of which Mrs. E. S. Phillips is proprietress, is an institution richly meriting the patronage of the community. There are several other private schools in the city, altogether accommodating from 1000 to 1100 pupils. There are also one or two schools for colored children. Prominent among the other institutions of the city are sixteen stemming and prizing tobacco establishments. The smallest has a capacity for handling 600,000 pounds, whilst several of the largest have each a capacity for handling 2,000,000 pounds of tobacco each season. All of the together have a capacity of almost 20,000,000 pounds. There are also two planing mills, one furniture factory, a wheel, hub, and handle factory, chair factory, stave and barrel factory, with quite a number of wagon and carriage factories, blacksmith shops, carpenter shops, cabinet shops, etc.

			In the "professional" class of the community is numbered twelve or thirteen physicians, some of them quite eminent in their professions. About thirty practicing lawyers constitute one of the strongest bars in the State. Merchants, grocers, and all the trades are well represented.

			== County Organization ==
			Daviess County was formed in the year 1815. The County received its name from General Joseph H. Daveiss, whose residence for some years was on the Ohio River above Owensboro. The name should have been spelled "Daveiss," but through a mistake in enrolling the bill during its passage through the Legislature, the name was spelled "Daviess," and from that time down this way has been adopted of spelling the name of the County.

			The following embraces the persons who have filled the various official positions in enumeration with the government and organization of the County:
			{\| class="wikitable"
			\|+Judges of the Circuit Court
			\|Henry P. Broadnax
			\|1815-1822
			\|-
			\|Alney McLean
			\|1822-1842
			\|-
			\|John Calhoon
			\|1842-1851
			\|-
			\|John P. Devereaux
			\|1851
			\|-
			\|Jesse W. Kincheloe
			\|1851-1856
			\|-
			\|James Stuart
			\|1856-1867
			\|-
			\|James L. Johnson
			\|1867
			\|-
			\|George W. Williams
			\|1867-1870
			\|-
			\|[[Martin Hardin Cofer\|Martin H. Cofer]]
			\|1870-1874
			\|-
			\|James Stuart
			\|1874-1880
			\|-
			\|Lucius P. Little
			\|1880-
			\|}
			Besides these, special Judges were appointed at various times, among whom were John. H. McHenry and George H. Yeaman.
			{\| class="wikitable"
			\|+Clerks of the Circuit Court
			\|George Handley
			\|1815-1827
			\|-
			\|Horace Allen
			\|1827-1832
			\|-
			\|John S. McFarland
			\|1832-1845
			\|-
			\|William B. Wall
			\|1845-1856
			\|-
			\|John P. Thompson
			\|1856-1862
			\|-
			\|Ward Payne
			\|1862
			\|-
			\|Joseph Thomas
			\|1862-1868
			\|-
			\|M. L. Ogden
			\|1868
			\|-
			\|John P. Thompson
			\|1868-1872
			\|-
			\|Joseph Thomas
			\|1872
			\|-
			\|John G. McFarland
			\|1872-1874
			\|-
			\|[[Frank F. Conway]]
			\|1874
			\|}
			The first Clerk, George Handley retained his position until April 1827, when he resigned the duties of the office. Horace Allen, who had previously acted as Deputy, became Clerk. Allen died while in office and was succeeded by John S. McFarland, who resigned the position October, 1845. John P. Thompson also died while server as Clerk.

Adam at 18:58, 11 October 2016

2016-10-11T18:58:24Z

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	~~Test~~		Owensboro, the County site of Daviess County, is located on the south bank of the Ohio River, at what was known to the early keel and flat-boat men as the Big Yellow Banks. The name was given because of the deep yellow color of the river bank, composed of yellow clay, extending about six miles along the river, and from ten to twenty feet above the highest floods in the Ohio. The site was selected as the County seat in 1815, by Commissioners appointed by the first County Court, held in April of that year. The survey of the first lat of the town extended from the Ohio River and a ravine on the north, to fourth street on the Street on the south, and from Lewis Street on the east to Walnut Street on the west. The survey and plat thereof was completed by Captain James W. Johnson, the first County Surveyor, on the 23d day of March, 1816, and approved by the Commissioners and Court with the name of Rossboro, and ratified by the agent and owners of the land, George Hanley being agent for Ross and other proprietors. Later the name was changed to öst, in honor of Colonel Abram Owen, formerly of Shelby County, Kentucky. Col. onel Jo. H. Daveiss and Colonel Owen were both officers serving under General W. H. Harrison at the bloody battle with the Indians under Tecumseh at Tippecanoe, now Indiana, but then Indiana Territory. Both fell in the thickest of the fight. The County had already received the name of Daveis, and the old settlers, some of whom had been in the same battle in which Daviess and Owen were killed, determined, as a mark of respect, to link the names of the two together for all time to come. They had been associates and friends in life, fell together in battle, and it was appropriate that their names be joined after death. The old name of 'Yellow Banks," however, still clung to the place, and the town was hardly known by any other name, even by the citizens, until about 1839 or 1840. The post-office bore the name of 'Yellow Banks' up to the time of 1837 or 1838. In 1833 the population was scarcely 200 all told, and not a single church edifice or organization. The increase in population was small until 1850. A branch of the Southern Bank was located in Owensboro about that time. The power of the Trustees had been enlarged by Legislative action, and those officials began to drain and improve the streets. The action of the Trustees, and the fact that the Bank was one of the institutions of the place, gave assurance that there was some money in town, and seemed to infuse new life into the citizens, even the old fogy part of the population, which had been averse to enterprise. Improvements began to be made. Better houses were commenced, new-comers poured in and a steady growth was maintained until 1861, when the war put a stop to all enterprise and public improvement. The population decreased, and not until 1866 did improvements begin again or was an increase of population noted. A moderate but perceptible degree of progress and growth has continued until now in 1875, when the population is estimated at about 8,000. Owensboro contains churches of the following denominations: Baptist, Cumberland Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist, Southern Presbyterian, Northern Presbyterian, Christian or Campbellite, Baptist, Episcopal, German Catholic, German Lutheran. The above have been named in the order of their establishment. There is also a colored Baptist, and a colored Methodist, church. All, except two, of the houses of worship, are substantial brick structures, with a capacity of seating over one half of the entire population. There are three banks-the Deposit Bank, Planters' Bank, and Savings Bank. The public schools are two in number, each with a full roll of professors and teachers. The school buildings are large and commodious brick edifices, with a capacity for 900 to 1000 pupils. The Catholic Sisters have a female school with about 100 pupils, and the Vaughan Female Seminary, of which Mrs. E. S. Phillips is proprietress, is an institution richly meriting the patronage of the community. There are several other private schools in the city, altogether accommodating from 1000 to 1100 pupils. There are also one or two schools for colored children. Prominent among the other institutions of the city are sixteen stemming and prizing tobacco establishments. The smallest has a capacity for handling 600,000 pounds, whilst several of the largest have each a capacity for handling