Harrison_County_Kentucky_One_Place_Study-3.png

Buena Vista / Sylvandell District

Privacy Level: Open (White)
Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Harrison County, Kentucky, United Statesmap
No Profile Manager [adopt this profile]
This page has been accessed 184 times.


Back to Harrison County, Kentucky Project

Back to Harrison County, Kentucky One Place Study

Back to Harrison County Guide to Place Names


Contents

Sylvan Dell / Sylvandell District of Harrison County

Disambiguation: The origins of the name are unknown. Sylvan Dell or Sylvandell may refer to: a village, post office or a voting district or precinct. Buena Vista may refer to: a village, post office or a voting district or precinct. The subject of this page is the district; information on the villages is included as well.

The earliest settlement in the area was probably Scott's Station, settled by John Scott. George Low was also an early settler in the region. An early mill built by __ Caruthers. Also Thomas Moffatt built a mill and distillery near Scott's Station [both horse mills?]. David Snodgrass built first water mill near village of Sylvan Dell. First magistrates were David Snodgrass and John Waits. No mills or distilleries by 1882. At that time the district contained a tobacco packing business (Samuel Craycroft & H.H. Harding), a store near Republican Church (about the area where the village of Buena Vista should be, but not named by Collins) run by Evans & Craycroft, and a store run by L.D. Routt in Routtsburg (near Salem Church). There were four schools in this district in 1882 (details unknown), and three villages: Scott's Station/Shady Nook, Routtsburg, Sylvan Dell. [Perrin, pp. 311-2]


District previously known as Buena Vista. Both also known as Precinct/District 2

  • 1870 census lists district as Buena Vista
  • 1877 Beers Map lists district as Buena Vista
  • 1880 Census lists district as Buena Vista (pop 1600 [Perrin]
  • 1900-1920 census lists district as Sylvandell

Villages

Buena Vista

A small village containing a store, church, school, and physician. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] Republican Christian Church should be located near this village, but so far, no mention corroborates. RCC founded about 1814-15 by Barton Stone; log church built 1816; Perrin gives further details with 1835 member-list; congregation 1882: 270; has cemetery. [Perrin p. 312]

  • "It is said that some Harrison County men, including a future magistrate, David Ross, returned from service in the Mexican War with the February 1847 Battle of Buena Vista fixed indelibly in their minds. Accordingly, this name was given to a post office on the present Ky 392, about one mile south and west of Beaver Creek and six miles ene of Cynthiana, that storekeepers Robert and William Smith operated from May 17, 1848 to January 1864. The name, in its typical Gringo pronunciation [byu/na~ vihs/ta] was also given to the local precinct t hat was later called Sylvan Dell. The extant Republican (Christian) Church has occupied a nearby site since 1816."[1]


Routtsburg

Near Salem Church (first built in 1850; rebuilt 1870; early ministers Mr. Snodgrass and Vanhook Lee). Had a store run by L.D. Routt. [Perrin, p. 312]

  • "On August 1, 1881 Peregrine Phillips established the post office of Venus at a site about half a mile from the Salem Christian Church and 7-1/2 miles northeast of Cynthiana. The name he first proposed for this office was Hall for Venus Hall, who was probably also the source of its chosen name. The small mill village it was to serve (to July 1904) may then have been called Phillips and/or Routtsburg. Postmaster-designate Phillips himself referred to the community as Phillips in his Site Location Report of July 14, 1881. Perrin referred to the settlement of Routtsburg centered on L.D. Routt's store near the Salem Church. T.D. Routt replaced Phillips as Venus's postmaster in November 1881 . Some people today identify this rural neighborhood as Salem for the local church organized in 1854."[1]

Scott's Station (later Shady Nook)

[Scott Station] - small village containing a store, church, school, and physician. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] Probably the earliest settlement in the district later known as Buena Vista/Sylvan Dell. Settled by John Scott. Thomas Moffatt built an early mill & distillery near Scott's Station. By 1882 the area was known as Shady Nook. [Perrin, pp. 311-2]

  • "At the head of Indian Creek, just north of where Nicholas, Bourbon, and Harrison Counties meet, and 6-1/2 miles east of Cynthiana, pioneer John Scott early settled and established what became Scott's Station. Here the post office of Scott's Station was established on August 27, 1853 with storekeeper John S. Whaley as postmaster. ·This closed in December 1856. When Joseph Scott petitioned to reopen the office in 1875 he found Scott's Station then in use for a Shelby County post office and called his instead Shady Nook for the many local shade trees. The office became Shadynook in 1895. By 1914 the small village it served was still known as Scott's Station. A store and nearby church survived the post office 's closing in 1933."[1]

Shady Nook (previously known as Scott's Station)

Formerly Scott's Station. John S. Whalley first storekeeper, Francis Scott first blacksmith. PO established 1875; Joseph Scott, postmaster. In 1882 the village contained 2 stores, the post office, a church (Methodist Episcopal: built 1870; Rev. John. S. Cox first minister; 1882 congregation about 15), a physician and a school (in 1882 about 60 students, Professor J. Florence). Population in 1882: 45. [Perrin, p. 312]

Sylvan Dell

Richard Whittaker first storekeeper. In 1882 the village had one store, two blacksmiths, one dentist and one physician. Postmaster at that time was Lawson Miller. [Perrin, p. 312]

Village first settled by Jacob Pope and family. First store operated by Richard Whittaker. Population 1880: about 30, including a store, a blacksmith, a dentist and a doctor.

PO established as Sylvan Dell 3 Jan 1873 by Robert Batson. Changed to Sylvandell 31 May 1894 by John F. Kennedy. Discontinued 31 Jul 1913.

  • "The inexplicably named Sylvan Dell post office was est ablished on January 3, 1873 on the north side of Beaver Creek, some seven miles northeast of Cynthiana. This site had earlier been settled by Jacob Pope and his family. Robert Batson, t he first postmaster, had the office in his store. In May 1894 the post office became Sylvandell and closed in July 1913. Though the community is gone i ts name is still applied to the local voting precinct."[1]

Waterways

  • North Fork of the Licking River constitutes part of the district's northern boundary. Tributary: Coleman Creek
  • Beaver Creek (se - nw) through central part of district. Tributaries: Brushy Fork and James Run (w)

Schools

Four. Little information at this time, except Shady Nook (see above).

1880 school teachers:

  • George W. Florence, William J. Florence, Caleb W. Florence, Alfred Lavesque, Mary E. Purdy, John T. McCauley, William Mastin, Nancy E. Lee, Nannie VanHook

Churches

Republican Christian Church

  • HISTORY Of BOURBON, SCOTT, HARRISON, AND NICHOLAS COUNTIES, KY., ed. by William Henry Perrin, Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co., 1882. P. 312 Sylvan Dell village is located six miles north of Shady Nook , formerly Scott's Station, and six miles northeast of Cynthiana. Republican Christian Church was originally organized by Elder Barton W. Stone, about the year 1814-15. A log church was built in 1816 on the ground where Republican Church now stands. The New-Lights, as they were called, met there to worship occasionally unti 1835, when the Christian Church proper was organized by Elder John Robards with the following members: FIELDING MCDUFFEY and wife;NICHOLAS WHITE and wife; JAMES DAVIS and wife; WALTER EVANS and wife; THOMAS MCFARLAND and wife; THOMAS HARVEY and wife; DAVID SNODGRASS and wife; JONATHAN EVANS and wife; JOSHUA EVANS and wife; JOHN POPE and wife, and several others. A prayer meeting was organized, and John Pope and David Snodgrass from speaking in meeting became ministers, and were pastors of the church for several years. The old log church was burned in 1837, and the same year a frame edifice was built, 21 x 32 feet, but this being too small to hold the congregation, in 1870 a house was built 36 x 50 feet, a frame, at a cost of about $1800. It has always been noted for large congregations and a handsome little cemetery is adjacent where sleep many of the early members.
  • Republican Christian Church Cemetery

Salem Christian Church (near Routtsburg)

Methodist Episcopal Church in Shady Nook

Who Lived Here

Occupations (excluding farming & keeping house)

  • Blacksmith: (1880) Thomas Rice, Jefferson J Cummins, William C Fryman, Cyrus Robinson
  • Stonemason: (1880) Henry Black
  • Carpenter: (1880) James Florence, Charles Pope
  • Cabinet maker: (1880) John Heinricks
  • Chair maker: (1880) Richard M Duncan
  • Wagon maker: (1880) William R Lenox
  • Surveyor: (1880) William Myers
  • US Storekeeper: (1880) Charles W. Sharp, James F. Miller
  • Merchant: (1880) Jefferson Pope (and farmer), Lucius D Routt, Peregrine Phillips (dry goods)
  • Hucksterer: (1880) Benjamin F. Platt
  • Dentist: (1880) Hubbard F. Davis
  • Physician: (1880) Nathan Wells, Samuel T. Phillips
  • Shoemaker: (1880) John M. Ayers
  • Hairdresser: (1880) Millie Makewell
  • Seamstress: (1880) Jane Clayton, Nancy Ayers, Elizabeth Black
  • Laundress: (1880) Sarah Clayton, Mary Cummins, Edna Black
  • Nurse: (1880) George Ayers
  • Servant: (1880) Mary Bell
  • Maid of All Work: (1880) Millie Green
  • Hired Hand: (1880) David Williams, George W Lowe
  • Day Worker: (1880) Thomas Rhorer
  • Distillery worker: (1880) Coleman Williams
  • Pike worker: (1880) Patrick Hoin, Dennis McGinley, John Mahan, Daniel Sullivan, Thomas McGrath, Dennis Shine, Michael Burgess, John Shea, Michael Dugan
  • Sawmill worker: (1880) Oscar Ritchey


Beers Map 1877 Landowners

  • East of Beaver Creek

C. Bramble, A.N.P., E. Wilson, J. Edwards, Z.S., R.S. Peddicord, Mrs. C.A. Sipe, L.E. McCauley, D.H. Raymond

E. Agnew, Mrs. Agnew, H. Burgess, Z. Spegal, J.N. Henry, C. Pope, A.I. Pope,

A.N. Prather, G.W. Dotson, J.V., Mrs. F. Van Hook, E.H. Collins, G. Henry, L. Florence, H.V., B. Route, J. Route, J.H. Cummings, Friman & Florence D.E., S.S. Mill, Mrs. M. Low, T. Miller, H. Low, J.E.

H. Van Hook, A. Friman, J.F., J. Friman, W. Platt, J. Henry, H. Darossitt, G. Harrington, F. Buckner, J. Wilson, D. Smith, W.D. Purdy, Z. Miller

J. Franklin, T. Layton, S. Brunker, B.S. Peterson, A. Darossitt, W. Harney, J. Ritchey, J.L., J. Luckey, A. Medley, D. Shoubridge, J.T. Ritchey, A.J. Lyon, W. Taylor, D.S., M. Harney, P. Fryman

G. Jenkins, J. Florence, JJ.P, Mrs. L. Nichols, Robertson est., J. Horney, Mrs. A. Miller

N. Evans, T.M. Raymond, J. Judy, S.H., G.W. Henry, Mrs. R. Mastin, W. Low, P. Florence, G. Pope, W.T. Nichols, G.P., Robertson est., J. McDowell, J. Florence, S.S. Mill, J.J.P, S.L.B, Store & PO, J.J.P, J. Bridges

  • West of Beaver Creek


Who links here: WikiTree profiles and pages linked to Buena Vista and Sylvandell.

1880 Health and Demographics

Immigration

Sources

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Rennick, Robert, Post Offices of Harrison County, p. 8: accessed via Morehead State University Collection, 12 Oct 2024.

1876



This is an "orphaned" profile — there's no Profile Manager to watch over it. Please adopt this profile.


Images: 5
Harrison County Kentucky OPS logo
Harrison County Kentucky OPS logo
Beers' Map of Harrison County
Beers' Map of Harrison County
Harrison County, Kentucky
Harrison County, Kentucky
Harrison County Communities 1877
Harrison County Communities 1877
Sylvan Dell
Sylvan Dell
Collaboration
  • Login to edit this profile and add images.
  • Public Comments: Login to post. (Best for messages specifically directed to those editing this profile. Limit 20 per day.)


Comments

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.

Categories: Sylvandell, Kentucky | Buena Vista, Kentucky | Harrison County, Kentucky