HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY KENTUCKY
by
charles
m. meacham
1930
CHAPTER IV
GEN. SAMUEL HOPKINS
Gen. Samuel Hopkins; Getting Down to Business; Officers Who Have Served the County for 133 Years.
Gen. Samuel Hopkins, for whom the town of Hopkinsville was named in 1804, seven years after it was first founded, was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, and was an officer in the Revolutionary War. Gen. Hopkins was still further honored by the General Assembly of Kentucky in 1836, when Hopkins County was created and named in his honor. He was deserving of all of the honors bestowed upon him. Collins’ History, page 351, says of him:
“He bore a conspicuous part in the great struggle for freedom. Few officers of his rank performed more active duty, rendered more essential services, or enjoyed to a higher degree the respect and confidence of the commander-in-chief. He fought in the battles of Princeton, Trenton, Monmouth, Brandywine and Germantown, in the last of which he commanded a battalion of Eighth Infantry, and received a severe wound, and the almost entire force of those under him were killed and wounded. He was lieutenant-colonel of the Tenth Virginia Regiment at the siege of Charleston and commanded that regiment after Col. Parker was killed until the close of the war.”
The following anecdote is told of him:
At the surrender of Charleston, on the 20th of May, 1780, he was made prisoner of war. After a short detention on an island, he and his brother officers, his companions in misfortune, were conducted by a British vessel around the coast to Virginia. During the voyage, which was a protracted one, the prisoners suffered many privations, and much harsh treatment, being often insulted by the captain. Hopkins became indignant at the cruelty and insolenee of the captain of the vessel and determined, at all hazards, to resent the harsh treatment to which they were subjected. On receiving his day’s allowance, which consisted of a mouldy biscuit, he deliberately crumpled it up into a wad, and then presenting it to the captam, demanded of him whether he thought that was sufficient to keep soul and body together. The petty tyrant was taken by surprise, and had no reply. “Sir,” continued Hopkins, “the fortune of war has frequently placed British soldiers in my power, and they have never had cause to complain of my unkindness or want of hospitality; that which I have extended to others, I have a right to demand for my companions and myself in similar circumstances. And now sir,” he continued with great emphasis, “unless we are hereafter treated as gentlemen and officers, I will raise a mutiny and take your ship.”
This determined resolution had the desired effect. His companions and himself, during the remainder of the voyage, were treated with kindness and respect.
In 1797, Col. Hopkins, who had been made a General, came to Kentucky and settled on Green River, then the eastern boundary of Christian County. During the succeeding years, he served several sessions in the legislature, and was a member of Congress from 1813 to 1815.
In October, 1812, he led a corps of two thousand mounted volunteers against the Kickapoo Indians’ villages in Illinois. Being misled by the guides, the party wandered for several days in the prairies without coming in contact with the Indians and finally returned to the capital of Indiana. The following November, Gen. Hopkins led a body of infantry up the Wabash and succeeded in destroying several deserted Indian villages, but lost several men in an ambuscade. As winter came on he retired to Vincennes and the troops were disbanded. After this campaign, Gen. Hopkins served the term in Congress referred to and then retired to private life on his farm near Red Banks, afterwards Henderson.
Gen. Hopkins was the son of Isabella Taylor and Samuel Hopkins of Virginia.
Born April 9, 1753, and married to Elizabeth Bugg in 1783.He was a cousin
of President Madison, and of President Monroe, and a
double second cousin of Patrick Henry. He was also a cousin of Stephen
Hopkins, of Rhode Island, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence;
a cousin of the father of President Zachary Taylor, and a near relative
of Bishop Hopkins, of Vermont, and of Johns Hopkins, the founder of the
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.
He was a staunch member of the Episcopal Church.
He was colonel of the Tenth Virginia Regiment in the Revolutionary War. His title as general was not given him until the War of 1812.
His children were: Samuel Goode, who died unmarried; Elizabeth, who married James Barbour; Anne, who married Judge Thomas Towles, and who lies buried by her father’s side; Jacob Bugg, who married Caroline Brent; Lucy, who married Dr. Wardlow, her second marriage being to Dr. Levi Jones; Sarah Pettus, who first married Mr. Horseley, and afterwards John Bibb; Martha, who married George Lyne, and Mary Bush, the youngest, who died unmarried. Of her, is told the following anecdote: During the Civil War when the Federal soldiers were occupying Henderson, they came to Miss Bush Hopkins and told her she would have to take the oath of allegiance to the United States Government as they had heard she was a Rebel. She quickly retorted, “Yes, I am a Rebel! George Washington was a Rebel !“ And so surprised were they at her candor that she was not made to take the oath.
Gen. Hopkins died September 16, 1819, and was buried on his farm near Henderson. In the month of June, 1929, a marker was placed upon his grave by the Samuel Hopkins Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution of Henderson, named in his honor.
I am indebted to Mrs. Louise Rucker Trafton (Mrs. Spalding Trafton) who compiled these facts concerning the old heirs, for the D. A. R. chapter, and read the paper from which they are taken when the marker was erected. His female descendants who have held membership in the chapter were enumerated as follows: Miss Edith Cheaney, Mrs. Rhoda Tanner Doubleday, Mrs. Alice J. Garth, Mrs. Alice McDaniel, Mrs. Ruth C. Ringo, Mrs. Emma Bunch Tanner, Mrs. Judith T. Arvin Werner, Miss Mary Stewart Bunch, Miss Mary Towles Sasseen, Mrs. Bettie Beverley Powell, Miss Nannie B. Cross, Miss Mary Willie Arvin, Mrs. Mary Cross Strain, Mrs. Martha Lyne Bright, Miss Laura Lyne, Miss Mildred Crutchfield, and Mrs. Louise Crutchfield Wickliffe. Seventeen in all and this does not take into account his numerous male descendants.
His epitaph reads: “Firm with temperance, benevolent with sincerity, and liberal without ostentation, he closed a long life of exemplary usefulness in military and civil employment, characterized by ardent devotion to his country, and the best interests of man.”
Someone has said, “It is laudable and commendable to honor our heroes,
for when people forget their heroes, that nation quits producing heroes.”
Mrs. Trafton’s paper concluded with this tribute:
“And so we place today on his grave our official D. A. R. bronze marker. We are proud to do honor to the loyal husband and father, the fine citizen, the conscientious statesman, the patriotic officer and Indian fighter, who has rested here in the soil of his beloved ‘Spring Garden’ for nearly one hundred and ten years.”
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
The records of 1797 show that the money then in use was pounds and shillings. The sheriff’s settlement shows that the building of the courthouse and jail cost thirty pounds, about $150. Young Ewing for surveying the county line from Green River to Tennessee was paid fourteen pounds and twelve shillings. The clerk was paid five pounds and the sheriff seven pounds for “expense of fees.”
Destroying wolves was one of the leading industries of the new county
and the “first families of Kentucky” seemed to have engaged in it. Eight
shillings was paid for each scalp and thirty-seven were paid for the first
year. Those cashing them in were Peter Carpenter, Henry Wortman, Benjamin
Couns, Abraham Hicks, Henry Clark, James Lewis, David Smith, John Clark,
Abraham Stewart, William Wallace, Joseph Kuykendali, James Elliott, John
Roberts, George Hardin, Benjamin Hardin, Joab Hardin, Bat Wood, who had
two to his credit; Peter and John Shaffer, who had three, and Benjamin
Garris, who seems to have been the real hunter of the day, as he collected
for nine. The name Garris was probably a mispelling of Garrott.
The sheriff’s report showed 388 tithes for 1797, which had increased
in 1800 to 592, with Muhlenberg, Henderson and Livingston Counties cut
off. For 1800 the county levy, now given in cents, was fixed at 62½
cents and Benjamin Campbell was appointed “Commissioner of Tax” with Young
Ewing on his bond.
It was four years before business justified a court of Quarter Sessions,
corresponding to the present circuit court. The first meeting was February
17, 1801, with Justices Adam Lynn and Samuel Hardin, presiding. A grand
jury was empaneled and from the faded records the names of five can be
read, viz.: James Thompson, foreman, Thomas Vaughn, James Lockard, William
Stroud, Jr., and Henry Wolf. The names are probably those of settlers whose
descendants use a different spelling in some instances, such as Lockett
and Wolfe.
Two years later the court of Quarter Sessions was succeeded by the
circuit court, with two judges, Samuel Hardin and James Wilson.
The first circuit court met March 28, 1803. Seven lawyers produced their licenses and were sworn in as members of the first bar. They were Rezin Davidge, Samuel Caldwell, Matthew Lodge, James H. McLaughlin, John A. Cape, Robert Coleman and James H. Russell.
Rezin Davidge was appointed commonwealth’s attorney. The grand jury empaneled was: Samuel Bradley, foreman; Isaac Stroud, William Husk, Hugh Johnson, John Wilson, William Cravens, Benjamin McClendon, Bartholomew Wood, John Welsdon, Thomas Martin, Thomas Vaughn, Isaac Hayes, John Caruthers, Joseph Starkley, Peter Thompson, Daniel Bristow, William Stroud and James Barnett. The grand jury returned several indictments against people for “profane swearing.” One of these against Matthew Lodge, a lawyer, was the first case tried. Lodge was fined five shillings and costs. Most of the others were also fined the same amounts. The next term was held June 27, 1803, with three judges, Hon. Ninian Edwards having been made presiding judge with the former two as his assistants. Judge Edwards afterwards moved to Illinois and was one of the early governors of that state.
This court met regularly thereafter in September and March. In 1803 Matthew Gooch was admitted to the bar and in 1804 Henry Davidge, Wilham Wallace and John Campbell were admitted.
About this time, the court was reduced to one judge, Ninian Edwards
being retained. The newly organized court held its first term in June,
1804, and the name Hopkinsville appeared for the first time, instead of Elizabeth.
Attorneys now began to come in thick and fast. In June, 1804, William Featherston, Christopher Thompson and John Gray were admitted and in September of the same year Joshua Crow, Henry Toulman and Samuel Work were added. Still another, Alney McLean, came in the following March. At the term of March, 1805, John Campbell was appointed commonwealth’s attorney, succeeding Rezin Davidge. At this period James H. McLaughlan was circuit court clerk. His records were well written and neatly kept and the old records are still quite legible and easily read.
COUNTY CLERKS, 1797 TO 1934
| John Clark | March, 1797, to May 15, 1798 |
| Justinian Cartwright | May, 1798, to July, 1798 |
| John Clark | 1798 to 1824 |
| Abraham Stites | 1824 to 1853 |
| John S. Bryan | 1853 to 1862 |
| George H. Lawson | 1862 to 1866 |
| E. M. Buckner | 1866 to 1870 |
| Byron M. Harrison | 1870 to 1874 |
| John W. Breathitt | 1874 to 1891 |
| John P. Prowwse | 1891 to 1906 |
| G. L. Campbell | Jan, 1906 to 1910 |
| Robert T. Stowe | 1910 to 1914 |
| Lucian J. Harris | 1914 to 1918 |
| George B. Powell | 1918 to 1922 |
| Frank H. Bassett | 1929, (reelected for 4 yrs)
1922-1934 |
COUNTY SHERIFFS
| Charles Logan | Mar 21, 1797, to May 14, 1798 |
| John Wilson | 1798 to 1801 |
| Mathew Wilson | 1801 to 1803 |
| Samuel Means | 1803 to 1806 |
| William Armstrong | 1806 to 1808 |
| James M. Johnson | 1808 to 1810 |
| James Thompson | 1810 to 1812 |
| John Maberry | 1812 to 1814 |
| John Wilson | 1815 |
| Samuel Bradley | 1815 to 1818 |
| James Bradley | 1818 to 1820 |
| James Moore | 1820 |
| Benjamin Lacy | 1821 |
| James Bradley | 1822 to 1824 |
| Matthew Wilson | 1824 to 1826 |
| Joseph Clark | 1826 to 1828 |
| Jonathan Clark | 1828 |
| F. P. Pennington | 1829 |
| James Bradley | 1830 to 1832 |
| Samuel Younglove | 1832 - 1834 |
| John Buckner | 1834 to 1836 |
| Cons Oglesby | 1836 |
| Alfred L. Hargis | 1837 |
| Powhatan Wooldridge | 1838 to 1840 |
| Edward Payne | 1840 |
| R. D. Bradley | 1841 |
| Thomas Barnett | 1842 |
| William Henry | 1843 |
| John Buckner | 1844 to 1848 |
| Milton Clark | 1846 |
| Daniel S. Hays | 1847 to 1850 |
| Larkin T. Brasher | 1850 |
| Benjamin Bradshaw | 1851 |
| Thomas S. Bryan | 1852 to 1854 |
| Richard D. Bradley | 1854 to 1857 |
| John B. Gowen (Rep.) | 1857 to 1861 |
| Richard T. McDaniel (Rep) | 1861 to 1864 |
| John McCarroll (Dem) | 1864 to 1867 |
| John D. Steel (Den) | 1867 |
| James O Ellis (Dem) | 1868 to 1869 |
| James Wallace (Rep) | 1869 to 1873 |
| William L. Garth (Rep) | 1873 to 1875 |
| Polk Cansler (Rep) | 1875 to 1877 |
| Peter F. Rogers (Rep) | 1877 to 1881 |
| Cyrus M. Brown (Rep) | 1881 to 1885 |
| John Boyd (Rep) | 1885 to 1889 |
| W. Moses West (Rep) | 1889 to 1893 |
| McJ. Davis (Rep) | 1893 to 1898 |
| J. J. Barnes (Rep) | 1898 to 1902 |
| Lemuel R. Davis (Rep) | 1902 to 1906 |
| David Smith (Dem) | 1906 to 1908 |
| John M. Renshaw (Rep) | 1908 to 1910 |
| Lowe Johnson, Sr (Dem) | 1910 to 1914 |
| Jewel W. Smith (Dem) | 1914 to 1918 |
| James J. Claiborne (Rep) | 1918 to 1922 |
| Oscar M. Wilson (Dem) | 1922 to 1926 |
| Simeon L. Cowherd (Dem) | 1926 to 1930 |
| Barrette E. Brown (Rep) | 1929-elected for 1930 to 1934 |
COUNTY JUDGES
(Under new Constitution)
| Alexander D. Rogers | 1858 to 1862 |
| H. R. Littell (Rep) | 1862 to 1866 |
| A. G. Wooldridge | 1866 to 1870 |
| James O. Ellis | 1870 to 1874 |
| A. V. Long (Rep) | 1874 to 1882 |
| William P. Rinfree (Dem) | 1882 to 1886 |
| T. J. Morrow (Dem) | 1886 to 1890 |
| John W. Breathitt (Rep) | 1890 to 1898 |
| Polk Cansler (Rep) | 1898 to 1902 |
| William T. Fowler (Rep) | 1902 to 1906 |
| James Breathitt (Rep) | 1906 to 1908 |
| Charles O. Prowse (Rep) | 1908 to 1910 |
| Walter Knight (Dem) | 1910 to 1918 |
| Green H. Champlin (Rep) | 1918 to 1922 |
| Larenzo K. Wood (Dem) | 1922 to 1930 |
| Frank Rives (Dem) | elected for 1930 to 1934 |
CIRCUIT COURT CLERKS
| Young Ewing | 1803 to 1805 |
| James H. McLaughlin | 1805, several years |
| Nathan S. Dallam | succeeded McLaughlin |
| John H. Phelps | succeeded Dallam to 1842 |
| Richard Shackelford | 1842 to 1853 |
| R. R. Lansden | 1853 to 1854 |
| John C. Latham | 1854 to 1862 |
| Joab Clark | 1862 to 1868 |
| Nat Gaither | 1868 to 1880 |
| B. T. Underwood | 1880 to 1886 |
| C. M. Brown | 1886 to 1892 |
| J. M. Starling | 1892 to 1898 |
| J. M. Starling | 1898 to 1904 |
| C. R. Clark | 1904 to 1910 |
| W. A. Radford | 1910 to 1916 |
| Claude R. Clark | 1916 to 1922 |
| Walter Ezell | 1922 to 1928 |
| Rex Croft | 1928 to 1934 |
COUNTY ATTORNEYS
| No Record | 1854 to 1870 |
| Hunter Wood (Dem) | 1870 to 1874 |
| No Record | 1874 to 1878 |
| Harry Ferguson (Rep) | 1878 to 1882 |
| E. G. Sebree (Rep) | 1882 to 1886 |
| John W. Payne (Dem) | 1886 to 1880 |
| Larkin T. Brasher (Dem) | 1890 to 1894 |
| Otho H. Anderson (Rep) | 1894 to 1906 |
| John C. Duffy (Dem) | 1906 to 1914 |
| Ira D. Smith (Dem) | 1914 to 1918 |
| Sam T. Fruit (Rep) | 1918 to 1922 |
| W. O. Soyars (Dem) | 1922 to 1926 |
| John C. Duffy (Dem) | 1926 to 1930 |
| W. H. Southall (Dem) | elected for 1930 to 1934 |
COUNTY CORONERS
| Alfred Younglove | 1854 to 1860 |
| Thomas Wiley | 1860 to 1862 |
| William A. Sasseen | 1862 to 1863 |
| C. W. Mills | 1863 to 1864 |
| No record for 6 years | |
| Thomas C. Truitt (Rep) | 1870 to 1874 |
| J. F. Meacham (Rep) | 1874 to 1878 |
| J. C. Courtney (Rep) | 1878 to 1882 |
| Beverly Kelly (col Rep) | 1882 to 1886 |
| Dr. D. E. Bell (Dem) | 1886 to 1890 |
| J. W. Lillard (col, Rep) | 1890 t0 1894 |
| J. L. Allensworth (col, Rep) | 1894 to 1920 |
| Dr. J. H. Rice (Dem) | 1910 to 1914 |
| Dr. G. W. Lovan (Dem) | 1914 to 1922 |
| Pat H. Major | 1922 to 1930 |
| E. C. Stevenson, | elected for 1930 to 1934 |
COUNTY ASSESSORS
Prior to the adoption of the new constitution, in 1851, the assessors
were called Commissioners of Tax and were appointed by the county court.
Joab Clark served for 18 years prior to 1853.
Beginning in 1853, the assors have been:
| John W. Wiley (Rep) | 1853 to 1856 |
| O. S. Brown (Rep) | 1856 to 1862 |
| J. Milton Clark (Rep) | 1862 to 1866 |
| F. P. Stuart | 1866 to 1870 |
| J. Milton Clark (Rep) | 1870 to 1874 |
| F. S. Long | 1874 to 1878 |
| Young J Means (Rep) | 1878 to 1882 |
| R. T. McDaniel (Rep) | 1882 to 1886 |
| M. A. Littlefield (Rep) | 1886 to 1890 |
| D. R. Perry (Dem) | 1890 to 1894 |
| J. B. Everett (Rep) | 1894 to 1898 |
| J. A. Boyd (Rep) | 1898 to 1902 |
| R. A. Cook (Rep) | 1902 to 1906 |
| H. C. Helsley (Rep) | 1906 to 1910 |
| Lucian J. Harris (Dem) | 1910 to 1914 |
| W. J. McGee (Dem) | 1914 to 1918 |
| Oscar M. Wilson | 1918 to 1922 |
| Lowe Johnson | 1922 to 1930 |
| Re-elected | 1930-1934 |
COUNTY JAILERS
| No record from | 1854 to 1862 |
| Jack Carr | 1862 to 1866 |
| Richard A. Morris | 1866 to 1870 |
| Richard D. Williams | 1870 to 1874 |
| James W. Yancey (Dem) | 1874 to 1878 |
| Aquilla B. Long (Dem) | 1878 to 1886 |
| George W. Long (Dem) | 1886 to 1894 |
| W. T. Williamson (Rep) | 1894 to 1902 |
| John Boy (Rep) | 1902 to 1906 |
| William Johnson (Rep) | 1910 to 1914 |
| Andrew E. Mullins (Dem) | 1914 to 1918 |
| William N. Nichols (Rep) | 1918 to 1922 |
| George D. MCord (Dem) | 1922 to 1926 |
| J. D. Capps (Dem) | 1926 to 1930 |
| W. L. Gore (Dem) elected for | 1930 - 1934 |
COMMISSIONERS OR SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS
| G. A. Champlin (Dem) | 1870 to 1886 |
| F. H. Renshaw (rep) | 1886 to 1890 |
| S. L. Frogge (Dem) | 1890 to 1894 |
| Miss Katie McDaniel (Rep) | 1894 to 1906 |
| W. E. Gray (Rep) | 1906 to 1910 |
| Miss Jennie West (Dem) | 1910 to 1914 |
| L. E. Foster (Dem) | 1914 to 1922 |
| Ben H. Cook (Rep) | 1922 to 1926 |
| Harry W. Peters (Dem) | 1926 to 1930 |
STATE SENATORS
Christian County has been represented in the Senate by the following:
| Young Ewing | 1808 to 1816 |
| Young Ewing | 1820 to 1828 |
| Matthew Wilson | 1816 to 1820 |
| James Gholson | 1832 |
| Ninian E Gray | 1843 to 1847 |
| James F. Buckner | 1855 |
| Benjamin H. Bristow (Rep) | 1863 |
| W. W. McKenzie (Dem) | 1865 |
| E. P. Campbell | 1871 |
| Walter Evans (Rep) | 1878 |
| Cyrus N. Pendleton (Dem) | 1875 |
| Dr. J. H. Prewitt (Dem) | 1880 |
| Austin Peay (Dem) | 1884 |
| William Lunsford (Rep) | 1888 |
| Rev. E. A. Edwards (Dem) | 1892 |
| J. I. Landes (Rep) | 1894 |
| S. R. Crumbaugh (Rep) | 1898 |
| J. W. Downer (Rep) | 1902 |
| Frank Rives (Dem) | 1906 |
| R M. Salmon (Dem) | 1914 |
| Frank Rives (Dem) | 1918 |
| James R. Rash (Dem) | 1922 |
| John L. Thurmond (Dem) | 1926 |
| Charles G. Franklin (DemO | 1930 |
REPRESENTATIVES
Part of the time the county had two members.
| James Kuykendall | 1799 |
| Young Ewing | 1800 to 1802 |
| Young Ewing | 1806 to 1807 |
| Jacob W. Walker | 1803 to 1804 |
| John Boyd | 1809 |
| Matthew Wilson | 1809 to 1811 |
| Abraham Boyd | 1809-1811-1819 |
| Pen H. Reeves | 1812-1814-1817 |
| Benjamin W. Patton | 1812-1815-1817-1822 |
| Samuel Orr | 1813 |
| Nathan S. Dallam | 1816-1818-1824 |
| Morgan Hopson | 1816 to 1817 |
| Jams Breathitt | 1818 to 1819 |
| William Jennings | 1818 |
| Robert Coleman | 1819 |
| Daniel Mayes | 1825 |
| John P. Campbell | 1826 |
| William Davenport | 1827 |
| Charles S. Morehead | 1828 to 1829 |
| David S. Patton | 1830 to 1834 |
| Gustavus A. Henry | 1831 to 1832 |
| James C. Clark | 1832 |
| John Pendleton | 1833 |
| Joseph B. Crockett | 1833 |
| William Morrow | 1834 to 1837 |
| George Morris | 1836 |
| Ninian E. Grey | 1837 |
| Benjamin Bradshaw | 1838 |
| James F. Buckner | 1839-1840-1842-1847 |
| Robert L. Waddill | 1839-1843-1844 |
| Daniel H. Harrison | 1840-41-44-46-48-49 |
| James Gholson | 1841 |
| John McLarning | 1843 to 1848 |
| Isaac H Evans | 1845 |
| Joab Clark | 1846 |
| James F. Buckner | 1847 |
| Lysias F. Chilton | 1847 |
| Daniel H. Harrison | 1849 |
| Edmund Wooldridge | 1850 |
| Winston J. Davie | 1850 |
| John J. Thomas | 1851 to 1853 |
| Drury M. Wooldridge | 1853 to 1855 |
| Benjamin Berry | 1855 to 1857 |
| James S. Jackson | 1857 to 1859 |
| Wilson Brown | 1859 to 1861 |
| George O. Poindexter | 1861 to 1867 |
| E. A. Brown | 1863 to 1865 |
| James A. McKenzie (Dem) | 1867 to 1871 |
| Walter Evans (Rep) | 1871 to 1873 |
| O. S. Parker (Rep) | 1873 to 1875 |
| John Feland (Rep) | 1875 to 1881 |
| James Breathitt (Rep) | 1882 to 1884 |
| Larkin T. Brasher (Dem) | 1884 |
| James Breathitt (Rep) | 1886 |
| E.G. Sebree (Rep) | 1888 |
| H.B. Clark (Rep) | 1890 |
| Polk Cansler (Rep) | 1894 |
| J. W. Morgan (Rep) | 1896 |
| Andrew Sargent (Rep) | 1898 |
| James F. Rogers (Rep) | 1902 to 1904 |
| W. H. Southall (Dem) | 1906 |
| John Feland (Rep) | `1908 |
| W. H. Southall (Dem) | 1910 |
| Hiram Brown (Rep) | 1912 |
| John C. Duffy (Dem) | 1914 |
| H.C. McGehee (Rep) | 1918 |
| V. M. Williamson (Rep) | 1920 |
| George W. Morgan (Rep) | 1922 |
| Ira D. Smith (Dem) | 1924 |
| Owen Keller (Dem) | 1926 |
| E. Lambert Campbell (Rep) | 1928 |
| Denny P. Smith (Dem) | 1930 |
CIRCUIT JUDGES
| Ninian Edwards | 1803 to 1806 |
| William Wallace(Russellville) | 1807 to 1815 |
| Benjamin Shackelford | 1815 to 1851 |
| Henry J. Stites | 1851 to 1854 |
| C. D. Bradley | 1854 to 1856 |
| Thos. C. Dabney (Dem-Cadiz) | 1856 to 1862 |
| R. T. Petree (Dem) | 1862 to 1868 |
| John R. Grace (Dem) | 1868 to 1895 -resigned |
| L. C. Linn (Dem) (Calloway) | by appointment |
| James Breathitt (Rep) | 1895 to 1898 |
| Thos. P. Cook (Dem-Calloway) | 1898 to 1910 |
| J. T. Hanbery (Dem) | 1910 to 1917 |
| Chas. H. Bush (Dem) | 1917 to 1928 |
| Ira D. Smith (Dem) | 1928 to 1934 |
COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEYS
(elected for six-years terms)
| J. B. Crockett, part of the time | 1854 to 1862 records not complete |
| E. P. Campbell (Rep) | 1862 |
| J. R. Hewlett (Dem) | 1868 |
| Hunter Wood (Dem) | 1874 |
| James B. Garnett (Dem) | 1880 to 1898 |
| W. R. Howell (Dem) | 1898 |
| Denny P. Smith (Dem) | three terms, 1904 to 1922 |
| James H. Coleman (Dem) | 1922 |
| John T. King (Dem) | 1928 to 1934 |
Some known to have served before the new constitution of 1850 were:
| Rezin Davidge | 1803 |
| John P. Campbell | 1805 |
| John McLarning | 1846 |
They were appointed and records are imperfect
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