THE TOWN
OF SEVENTY SIX, KENTUCKY
The
first in a series of stories about the history and characters of Seventy Six,
Kentucky
By David M. Cross
The
most prominent and noteworthy physical feature in Clinton County is the
waterfall originally known as Big Indian Creek Falls.
John W. Semple
moved to the falls area before 1810 (we find him in the area in the 1820
Census) and built a mill and shop. As the mill drew customers from a wide area,
he undoubtedly felt that the location might be good for the establishment of a
town around the falls. The closest villages were Creelsboro, across the
Cumberland River from present-day Clinton County, and Paoli, south of present-day
Albany. The closest county seats were at Burkesville to the west and Monticello
to the east. Albany had not yet been established, as Clinton County was not
created until 1836.
Semple served in the state
legislature in 1806. At that time we believe he was living at "Mt.
Radiance" on the Cumberland River in present-day Russell County. This is
believed to have overlooked Horseshoe Bottom, which is now under the waters of
Lake Cumberland.
Semple published a
notice in 1817 that he intended to establish the town of Seventy Six. He had
lots surveyed and Lot No. 76 was located near the Big Indian Creek Falls,
so there is a belief that the falls received its name in that manner. There is
also a school of thought that the height of the falls was estimated at 76 feet,
and the name arose as a result thereof, but most sources estimate the height at
83 feet (before the impoundment of Lake Cumberland). A third school of thought
is that it actually was based on the "Spirit of 76." It is possible that
the name has more than one source.
Semple's dream of a
town never materialized, and the Semples would ultimately leave Clinton County
for the greener pastures of Illinois and California, where they made quite a
mark:
·
Robert Baylor Semple was the first of the
family to travel to California, in 1845, prior to the California Gold Rush. He
founded the first newspaper in California and was chairman of the California
Constitutional Convention in 1849. He made an unsuccessful race to be one of
California's first United States senators.
·
John W. Semple Jr., 6'8" in height, was
an attorney who practiced in Louisville after he practiced for several years in
Clinton County. He left for California in 1849 with Will Semple Green and
another Clinton Countian, Jannes Yates.
·
Will Semple Green, grandson of John W., was
elected California state treasurer, serving in 1898-99. He was a newspaper
editor and is referred to as "the father of irrigation" in
California. His home has been restored and maintained in Colusa, a town founded
by his uncle, Charles D. Semple, who made an unsuccessful race for Kentucky state
representative in 1844, losing to F.H. Winfrey.
·
In a bit of an oddity, brother Robert Baylor
Semple founded another city – the town of Benicia, California.
·
There is a record of John Semple Jr., Charles
Semple, and Will S. Green boarding the steamer Portland in August 1849 in New
Orleans to make the trip to the Isthmus of Panama where they would portage to the
Pacific Ocean and sail to California.
·
James Semple, son of John W., was a U.S.
senator from Illinois and also served as charge d'affaires (a top
embassy position) in Colombia. He established the town of Elsah, Illinois.
James' son Eugene Semple was the next-to-last governor of Washington Territory,
in 1887-89, almost exactly the same period that Clinton County native Preston Leslie,
governor of Kentucky 1871-75, was the next to last governor of Montana Territory.
The store near the
Falls was sold to R.H. Kookindoffer, who later sold Lots 78, 79 and 90 of the
platted town, and it was later sold to J.C. Staton for $170.00, who became
Postmaster at Seventy Six. Five years prior, Kookindoffer had purchased a farm
near Illwill Creek and was Postmaster at Green Grove in Clinton County,
1857-58. We are uncertain as to when the store at the falls finally closed. The
mill remained open for many years and drew business from a broad area.
The family names of
Ellison, Semple, Gist, Andrew and Goodson are found in the vicinity of Seventy Six
but all those names are now gone from the rolls of Clinton County.
The Seventy Six
Baptist Church is the second oldest church in the county, established on
June 29, 1822 and still in operation today. Isaac Denton, long time pastor at
Clearfork Baptist Church south of Albany, helped found the church. It became a
member of the Stockton Valley Association upon formation. It was moved to its
present location at the sinks of Indian Creek in 1864; see deed from Joseph
Warinner in 1866 for a 4-acre tract, in exchange for a tract near "the
graveyard". This cemetery is referred to as the "Seventy-Six
Cemetery" in a prior deed. The original church site was located next to a
graveyard located on the Raymond McFarland farm, now owned by Steve Burchett.
There was once a Freedom Missionary Baptist Church on the Steve Burchett farm;
it was consolidated with Seventy Six Baptist Church in 1868.
The Fairview Church
tract was deeded from John Ellison to the church in 1877. It was referred to as
being "on the "east side of the road leading from Graham Cross Roads
to the town of Seventy-Six". Ellison owned a large tract of land in the
area. Graham Cross Roads was where the post office and hamlet of Snow were
located.
The Mount Union Christian Church had one acre deeded from W.H. Hammons near the "Guthrie Spring" in 1897 for purposes of building a church building. This church still thrives. When the Wells Bottom Christian Church closed the few remaining members transferred to Mount Union.
There was years ago a village called Seventy Six on the banks of the Mississippi River in Missouri. It was obliterated long ago and is nothing but row cropland. Therefore, the only Seventy Six in the United States is in Clinton County. What better place to celebrate the SPIRIT OF SEVENTY SIX than at the ONLY Seventy Six?
