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Early
History of Harrison County and Cynthiana Kentucky:
In 1793 Harrison
County was created from parts of what had been Bourbon and Scott
Counties. It was the 17th county in order and the 8th formed after
Kentucky had become a state. It was named for Colonel
Benjamin Harrison, the first
sheriff of Bourbon County, a pioneer settler in the area and Harrison's
representative to the Kentucky Legislature at the time of the formation
of the county. From Harrison County were created the counties of
Campbell, Pendleton, Boone, Owen, Kenton and Robertson. The county is in
the north central section of the state. It lies on both sides of the
South Licking River with the main fork of the Licking passing through
the northeast comer.
Cynthiana, the county
seat of Harrison County, is located in north central Kentucky. Cynthiana
was chartered as a town on December 10, 1793. The log settlement on the
South Fork of the Licking River was chosen to be the county seat of the
newly-formed Harrison County. It was named after Cynthia and Anna, two
daughters of Mr. Robert Harrison's, the original owner. Cynthia and
Anna. Cynthiana was incorporated as a town in 1802.
Cynthiana was established
by an act of the legislature on December 10, 1793, Harrison County
December 21, 1793.
County named
for Colonel Benjamin Harrison,
Bourbon County politician.
Kentucky's ninth
Governor, Joseph Desha, was born in Pennsylvania in 1768. After serving
as governor of Kentucky, he moved to Harrison County, where he died in
1842.
Cynthiana was named for
Cynthia and Anna Harrison, daughters of Robert Harrison.
Battle Grove
Cemetery was dedicated November 4, 1868 to honor those who fell there
June 12, 1864 during the second Battle
of Cynthiana.
The Confederate
Memorial at Battle Grove Cemetery,
dedicated May 27, 1869 in memory of the Confederate Dead who fell in
defense of constitutional liberty, is the second-oldest in the USA.
During the Civil War, the
sister of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, was wife to the pastor
of the Indian Creek Baptist Church.
Indian
Creek Baptist Church, also known
as the Endicott Meetinghouse, is the oldest church west of the Allegheny
Mountains in continuous use.
Harrison County was the
17th county in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and extended north to the
Ohio River.
"Death
Valley" Scotty was a native of
Harrison County.
More Facts and
Findings can be found on cynthianaky.com at "Through
The Years" on the Cynthiana
- Harrison County Museum web
site.
Return
to Cynthiana Online Facts and Findings.
Credits:
The Library of Virginia
Signs of History - Georgetown College
Kentucky Historical Society
Kentucky Atlas & Gazetteer
Mercer On Line
Franklin-Simpson County Chamber of Commerce
How It All Began For Trimble County by Dr. Richard A. Edwards
Lexington Herald-Leader 01/01/2000
The Rockbridge County, VAGenWeb Project
Whitley County Kentucky Genealogy
Ralph Eddie Coppage - Harrison County County Clerk
Cynthiana-Harrison County Museum
Thelma Taylor
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