Harrison County, Kentucky, Guide to Place Names

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Location: Harrison County, Kentucky, United States

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Contents 1 Harrison County, Kentucky, Guide to Place Names 2 Alphabetical List of Towns/Villages 2.1 Precincts (1882) 3 Sources

Harrison County, Kentucky, Guide to Place Names

Place names in rural areas are a tricky thing. The ebb and flow of populations, industries and current events seem to wash rural communities into existence, then just as quickly erase them. Understanding exactly where a historic village or post office in Harrison County, Kentucky was located can be difficult. But that knowledge can be extremely helpful for genealogists trying to break down those family brick walls.

This page offers a sourced alphabetical list of Harrison County place names, what information is known (or sometimes merely speculated) about them, as well as some companion maps. These maps are referencial only - they are not intended to be taken as technically or mathematically correct. But they should point researchers to the correct general area of the county.

A quick-reference page, Source Appendix for Place Names and Districts has a list of sources researched to date with a table of locations mentioned for each source.

If you have further information on these places, or have heard of a place that's not included here, please contact the Harrison County, Kentucky One Place Study coordinator, or feel free to make edits. This page is still a work in progress, but it is the research focus for the current month (Apr 22).

• Not all Wikilinked individuals have been confirmed as yet, but are listed here as likely matches. Further research to be done. Also, not all individuals named have been checked for WikiTree profiles.

Alphabetical List of Towns/Villages

• Alberta
• Antioch/Antioch Mills? In 1874 [Antioch] contained 5 stores and shops, a flouring and saw mill, school house, church (Reformed), and 2 physicians. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] (Richland Precinct) In 1882 [Antioch Mills] contained 2 stores, a post office (Alvin Sellers), an undertaker, a milliner, a pump-maker, a carpenter shop, a flour and sawmill (Alvin Sellers), a school, a church (established and built 1848) and a physician. Population at that time about 50, including 4 teachers and 1 music teacher. The first building was a blacksmith shop in 1867, and "the town has been built since 1878[?]." Thomas Anderson had the first store. [Perrin, pp. 314-7]
• Avena
• Baltzell
• Baptist
• Beckboro
• Berry/Berryville/Berry's Station? [Berryville] formerly called Berry's Station, on the E. bank of South Licking, and a station on the K.C.R.R.; contains 3 stores, several shops, 2 hotels, 1 public school, and 1 distillery, which makes annually 3,000 barrels of Bourbon whiskey; population 230. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] (Berry Precinct) [Berry's Station] Land donated to lay out village by Col. George W. Berry (1803-1864) when the railroad was built. He built the first store and was the first postmaster. First Tavern established by W.W. Bradley. A steam mill built by A.J. McNees burned in 1866; rebuilt in 1870 as water mill. The town was incorporated in 1866. In 1882 it included two tobacco warehouses, two stores, two confectioneries, two millinery stores, one drugstore, three blacksmith shops, two wood shops, one distillery (Craig's), one shoe shop, one tin shop, one hotel, one flour mill, stockyards, one post office, telegraph and freight offices, two churches (one est. 1881), two schools: one with 2 teachers (Prof. E.O. Ware, principal and Miss Alice Kimbrough) and 80 students, one Masonic lodge (1845), one minister, one lawyer, four doctors, two undertakers, and the County Poor House. 1882 population: about 400. [Perrin, pp. 318-9]
• Boswell's Cross Roads (Leesburg Precinct) Early name of Leesburg, established by William Boswell, 1817. [Perrin, p. 324]
• Boyd/ Boyd's Station? [Boyd's Station] on K.C.R.R., 16 miles n. of Cynthiana, contains 80 inhabitants, a store, hotel, steam mill, and distillery; named after Andrew Boyd, a soldier of the war of 1812, who was still living, June 1872. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] (Berry Precinct) Early settler Andrew Boyd, Sr. established a distillery about 1843. Town established at time of railroad construction. In 1882 the community contained three stores, a post office, a tobacco warehouse and a mill (originally built by Whitehead Coleman about 1810, formerly known as Broad Ford Mill). 1882 population about 100. [Perrin, p. 319]
• Branch
• Breckinridge (Unity Precinct) Later name of Tricum/Unity? Seems to be equally spelled as Breckenridge and Breckinridge.
• Broadwell (Leesburg Precinct) Cox and Thornton first merchants in a storehouse built by Asbury Broadwell. In 1882 the community consisted primarily of houses, but also a post office and a blacksmith shop. [Perrin, p. 327]
• Buena Vista (Sylvan Dell Precinct)
• Buzzard's Roost
• Cason's? (Unity Precinct?) May have been an earlier name of Tricum/Unity/Breckinridge, or may have been in a nearby location. Mentioned vaguely by Perrin, pp. 321-2.
• Claysville - on Licking river at the mouth of Beaver Creek. Laid out by Alex. Curran and called Marysville, about 1799 or 1800, incorporated Dec. 1821 and name changed to Claysville - grew to be quite a flourishing commercial village, being a shipping point for the upper parts of Harrison and Bourbon counties, until the K.C.R.R. was completed, when it began to decline; population 125: 93 whites and 32 blacks; contains 3 stores and shops, hotel, school, 1 doctor; 2 congregations, Reformed or Christian, and Methodist, worshipping in the same edifice. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] (Claysville Precinct) Important early point of flatboat shipping to New Orleans, later diminished by the railroad. In 1882 the primary exports of the region were tobacco, grain and stock. At that time the village included two general stores, one grocery, one physician, one tavern, two blacksmith shops, two carpenters, one flour mill, one teacher, and a tri-weekly stage to Milford and Brownsville (location of these?). [Perrin, p. 328]
• Colemansville - 1-1/4 miles from Berry's Station on the K.C.R.R., has about 100 inhabitants; 2 churches (Baptist and Reformed), one public and one private school, 4 stores and shops, 1 tavern, and 2 physicians; has suffered greatly from destructive fires. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] (Berry Precinct) Important early trade location later superceded by railroad and the oldest settlement in its precinct, founded by Whitehead Coleman. In 1882 the community contained one store, "a few" shops, and two churches (one being the Baptist Church organized 1846 by Rev. Thomas Waggener (of Pendleton County). [Perrin, p. 318]
• Colville
• Connersville - 7 miles w. of Cynthiana, population 100; 4 stores and shops, a school house, and a doctor; named after Lewis Conner. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] (Leesburg Precinct) First store kept by John H. Conner in 1830 and town named for him. Lewis Conner had first tavern; E.M. Bailey was first postmaster. In 1882 the community had three general stores, a physician, a shoemaker, an undertaker, two hotels, two blacksmith shops, a cooper-shop and a post office. Earlier there had been a mill and distillery (Boyers and Pemberton), but by 1882 only the mill remained in operation. Population in 1880: 125. [Perrin, p. 322]
• Conrey
• Curry's Run
• Cynthiana - County seat. Est. 10 Dec 1793, inc. as town 1802, inc. as city 1860. Sit. on right? [east?] bank of South Fork of Licking River. Brick courthouse, seven churches: Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Methodist, Reformed or Christian, Methodist for colored, Baptist for colored. 10 lawyers, 9 physicians, 8 dry goods stores, 16 groceries, 5 hotels, 2 academies, 2 common schools and 1 select school, 2 public halls, 2 drug stores, 2 mills, 3 distilleries, 5 wholesale whisky houses, 9 saloons and restaurants, 1 wool factory, 2 printing offices, 40 mechanics' shops, and a number of other stores and occupations; population in 1870: 1,771. [Collins, v. 2, p. 321] (Cynthiana Precinct) Originally 150 acres, to be divided into 1/2 acre lots. Trustees - Benjamin Harrison, Morgan Van Matre, Jeremiah Robinson, John Wall, Sr., and Henry Coleman(psble?) [Perrin, pp. 247-8; referencing Act of the General Assembly]. Perrin devotes several chapters to Cynthiana, yet to be reviewed. [pp. 247-310]
• Dunaway
• Durbantown/Durbintown (Berry Precinct) [Durbantown] in 1882 contained a branch post office, a store and a blacksmith shop. [Perrin, p. 319]
• Eckler
• Eckler's Mill
• Fairview
• Garnett's Station
• George's PO
• Gunnell's Station
• Havilandsville - named after Robert Haviland, a small village near the Pendleton County line, 15 miles from Cynthiana, contains 1 store, a steam mill, school house and church. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] (Richland Precinct) R.S. [Robert] Haviland kept first store around 1832 and was first postmaster, built a woolen and cotton factory in 1838 (manufacturing jeans and lindseys); manufactured and shipped tobacco and operated a pork processing facility. W.B. Arnold operated a flour mill and wool-carding machine in 1882. W.D. Hickman operated a store and tobacco prizing[?] business in 1882. In addition, at that time the community contained 2 stores, a blacksmith shop, a post office and a physician. Population: about 50. [Perrin, p. 314]
• Hell's Halfacre
• Hinton
• Kelat
• Lair's Station/Lair [Lair's Station] - on the K.C.R.R., 4 miles s. of Cynthiana, contains a store, wagon and blacksmith shops, 2 flour mills, 2 distilleries, and a school house; population 125. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] (Cynthiana Precinct) In 1882, only a mill and distillery. [Perrin, p. 247]
• Leeslick - 8 miles from Cynthiana, noted for its white sulphur springs, is a small village with a store and school. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] (Leesburg Precinct) First store was kept by John Scott in 1835. Thomas Arnett built an early distillery. In 1882 the community had two stores, a blacksmith shop, a saw mill and a grist mill and a nearby school. Population in 1882: about 40. [Perrin, p. 327]
• Leesburg/Leesburgh [Leesburg] - 10 miles SW of Cynthiana, contains 160 inhabitants, a carding factory, 6 stores and shops, hotel, 2 churches (Reformed or Christian, and Presbyterian), and 4 physicians; this part of Harrison county is noted for the extreme fertility of the soil. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] (Leesburg Precinct) Laid out by William Boswell in 1817 and first called Boswell's Cross Roads. First store and about 1818 kept by William Cogswell (also first postmaster). First blacksmith shop 1803-1818 kept by John Hardrick. First tavern kept by Levi P. Scroggins in 1821. Industries included: a hat factory (est. 1830 by Jouett and Griffith), a hemp factory (est. 1837 by M. and W. Anderson; converted to cotton factory 1838 by William Hearn), another hemp factory (est 1842 by Zach Graves), two tanyards (est. about 1819; one by Samuel Kinkead, one by Hamilton and Cummings). First church was Republican Church, built 1830 [is this the same as the Republican Church now near Buena Vista?]. The Christian Church was built in 1833, John A. Gano(psble?) first preacher. Had a Masonic Lodge from 1820 to about 1880. In 1882 the community had four general stores, a blacksmith shop, a wood shop, an undertaker, a carding factory, three churches and four schools. Population 1882: 225. [Perrin, p. 324]
• Marysville - on Licking river at the mouth of Beaver Creek. Laid out by Alex. Curran and called Marysville, about 1799 or 1800, incorporated Dec. 1821 and name changed to Claysville. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322]
• McLoney
• Mouth of Raven PO
• New Town PO
• Oddville - 6 miles north of Cynthiana. Methodist church, school house, 1 doctor, 4 preachers, 3 stores and shops, and a steam mill; about 60 inhabitants. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] Mentioned by Perrin as post office only [Perrin, p. 247]
• Paxton
• Poindexter Mentioned by Perrin as post office only [Perrin, p. 244-7]
• Raven Creek
• Renaker
• Richland
• Robertson Station/Robinson/Robinson's? [Robertson Station] - 9 miles N. of Cynthiana, has 50 inhabitants, a store, school house, and mill. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] (Berry Precinct) [Robertson Station] in 1882 the community contained one store and post office, one flour mill and saw mill, one lawyer and one physician. 1882 population: about 30. [Perrin, p. 319]
• Routtsburg (Sylvan Dell Precinct)
• Rutland - In 1874, a small village that contained a store, church, school, and physician. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] (Rutland Precinct) Laid out in 1848 [original name not yet known], first home built by Meredith Collins on land given to him by Whitfield Collins, originally owned by William Kinman. First store kept by Meredith Collins; sold to F.M. Bailey (from Vermont) who applied for post office and chose name of Rutland (after Vermont). Bailey first postmaster. In 1882 the village contained a general store, a hotel, a blacksmith shop, a woolen factory, a shoemaker, a wagon-maker, a post office, a teacher, a physician, two barbers and a masonic lodge. [Perrin, p. 321]
• Salem (Sylvan Dell Precinct)
• Scott's Station (Buena Vista Precinct)
• Selma
• Shady Nook (Sylvan Dell Precinct)
• Shawhan
• Smithville Mentioned by Perrin (p. 328) as a village in the Claysville Precinct, probably an error in reference to Smitsonville (see below). No other references to a Smithville have been found to date.
• Smitsonville (Claysville Precinct) Probable place refered to by Perrin as Smithville (no known Smithville existed in Harrison County). Post office only, no village to speak of. [Perrin, p. 328]
• Stony Castle
• Sunrise
• Sylvan Dell / Sylvandell (Sylvan Dell Precinct)
• Traveller's Rest
• Tricum - 6 miles W. of Cynthiana, on the Raven Creek turnpike, has 40 inhabitants, 2 stores and a school house. [Collins, v. 2, p. 322] (Unity Precinct) Later called Unity. By 1882 the community had one store, one hotel, one blacksmith shop, one wood-shop and one church. Population at that time: 50. [Perrin, p. 322]
• Two Lick Creek & School
• Unity (Unity Precinct) Later name of Tricum. In 1882 the community had one store, one hotel, one blacksmith shop, one wood-shop and one church. Population at that time: 50. [Perrin, p. 322]
• Venus (Sylvan Dell Precinct)

Precincts (1882)

• Cynthiana Agriculture includes corn, wheat, oats, hemp, tobacco and stock (horses and cattle). Early settlers include: Judge James R. Curry, General Josephus Perrin, the Newells, Richard Henderson, William Lewis (from Maryland), Isaac Miller, __ Shawhan, the Frazer family, George Hamilton, and Gavin Morrison. Churches in 1882 included Mount Hope Chapel (1875, Rev. S.S. Deering) and Mount Zion Church (both ME South), and a Presbyterian Church at Broadwell's Cross Roads. [Perrin, pp. 243-7]

• Buena Vista / Sylvan Dell 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]

• Richland Early settlers included Robert Scott and William Stuart, both of whom planted orchards. Other early settlers were Micajah Browning, Squire Pollard, Robert Blackburn, the Marsh family, also Christopher and James Price (from Maryland). William Stuart may have built first water mill on Richland Creek near (later) Havilandsville. In the 1830s Joseph Woolery had one of the earliest distilleries in the region, near (later) Antioch Mills; another early distillery was near the (later) Mount Gilead Church. Churches in 1882 included Curry Chapel, Barlow Chapel, Benson Chapel, Crow Chapel and Mount Gilead Church. First school taught by R.S. Haviland around 1819. There were four schools in the district in 1882, and several villages, including Havilandsville and Antioch Mills. First magistrates were W.D. Haviland and S.B. Curran. Primary agricultural produce was tobacco. Other industries included a woolen and cotton factory, and a pork-packing facility in Havilandsville. District population in 1880: 1300. [Perrin, pp. 312-7]

• Berry Early settlers included: John Smith and sons, Nathan and John N. Smith (from Virginia, orginal owner of 1500 acres including what became Berry Station), Col. R.W. Porter, William Dickinson, John Burroughs (from Virginia), Jacob Sowders (from Virginia), Haman Million (settled on Raven Creek), and Abijah DeJarnette. Primary agriculture: tobacco, corn and wheat. John Smith built first horse mill near (later village of) Berry. Abijah DeJarnette also built an early mill and distillery in that area. Spencer Pigg possibly built first water mill in the area. Early mills near the Colemansville area were built by Whitehead and Frank Coleman, and Barnett Oder. Andrew Boyd established a distillery in 1843 at Boyd's Station but sold to B.K. Reynolds who moved it to Covington, KY in 1873. Churches include: a Presbyterian Church organized in 1860 by Rev. Forsythe; Fairview Baptist Church founded 1877 by Rev. A.L. Jourdan; Providence Baptist Church, 1869 (Rev. Barbee?); a Methodist Church organized about 1882; and a "colored church." Nine schools in 1882. First magistrates: Charles Lail and I.N. Ramey. 1882 Population: 2250. [Perrin, pp. 317-9]

• Rutland Early settlers included: John Kemper on South Fork of Raven Creek (abt 1791), built and ran distillery; William Kinman (of Maryland), South Fork of Raven; Jonathan Hedges (of Virginia), built a horse mill above Rutland; Edmund Dunn and Christopher Musselman (about 1792); Benjamin Dunn and Thomas Redd on the Middle Fork of Raven Creek (about 1792), Redd built a mill; Lewis and Samuel Kendall on Middle Fork of Raven, built a distillery; Frank Robinson on the North Fork of Raven Creek, also Thomas T. Thompson and Nicholas Miller (of Virginia) in that area; additionally Renakers, Faulkners and Whitfield Collins in the precinct. Raven's Creek Baptist Church organized about 1800 by a minister named Morehead. By 1882 the building had been destroyed by treefall and the flagging congregation joined with the Twin Creek Baptist Church (aka Dutch Chapel) in Unity Precinct. Also by 1882 a "colored church" in the north of district. Friendship Baptist Church was also in the northern part. Rogers Chapel (Methodist) near Rutland village, built 1874). First school between 1815-1820 on the farm of Christopher Musselman taught by Willis Whitson. Billy Duty had a subscription school in the home of John Burgess. Six public schools in the precinct by 1882. Rutland only village named. Primary produce: tobacco, also corn and wheat. Two masonic lodges (est. 1850 & 1875). Population in 1882: 975. [Perrin, pp. 319-21]

• Unity/Tricum/Cason's At one point included part of Berry Precinct [psbly the west half?] and was called Cason's then. (Still referred to as Cason's in the 1880 census.) Name changed to Tricum after redistricting, then to Unity (Tricum and Unity same village). Early settlers include: Buck Cason and Charles Courtney(?) (both of Virginia); Adam Renaker(?) (of Maryland); John Conner (of Virginia, "old-school baptist preacher"); Benjamin Conrad (built a horse-mill near Connersville. Several early small distilleries; primary agriculture in 1882 was tobacco. George Lemon one of first magistrates. Earliest known school taught by Christopher Whitson near Cason's, about 1820; five schools in 1882. Churches include: Twin Creek Baptist (aka Dutch Chapel; organized in 1830 by William Conrad; John Conner early minister; congregation abt 30 in 1882); Salem Chapel (Methodist; first church established in precinct though no building until 1835, near Connersville, membership 75 in 1882); Mount Zion Chapel (Methodist, also established early but no building until abt 1830, first pastor Josiah Whitaker). [Perrin, pp. 321-2]

• Leesburg Early settlers included: William K. Boswell (about 1791 came from Loudon County, Virginia; settled near Leesburg, built a mill abt 1810); also Elijah Chinn, John Kinkead, Elkanah Jennings, Billy Lowry, David Dickson, James Ward, William Gray & sons, William Frances and John Craig, Sr. (of North Carolina, about 1791; built first water mill on Mill Creek). Two early settlers near Leeslick, Proctor Cleveland and John Paul built first horse mills. John Miller opened a distillery about 1810. Benjamin Conrad built an early horse mill near Connersville. Old Mount Pleasant Church built 1795 (Rev. Lyle first preacher); moved to Broadwell in 1860. Mill Creek Baptist Church built in 1810, ended 1865 (John Conner first preacher). First school taught at OMPC in 1795 by __ McCollum. Primary agriculture: corn, wheat, hemp, tobacco, and some grazing. First Magistrate: William English. [Perrin, pp. 323-4]

• Claysville Early settlers included: John Whitehead, Stephen B. Curran, __ Dean, Daniel Durbin, and the Obey family. An early school existed about 1825, taught by __ Duncan. Primary agriculture: tobacco, corn and wheat. Early flatboat shipping via Licking River (to Ohio R. then Miss. R.) to New Orleans led to development; later diminished due to railroad. [Perrin, pp. 327-8]

Sources

• Lewis Collins, History of Kentucky, Volume 2, Collins & Co. (Covington, KY) 1874, pp. 321-323; accessed 21 Mar 2022 via The Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/collinshistorica02coll/page/320/mode/2up
• William Henry Perrin, ed., History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison, & Nicholas Counties O.L. Baskin & Co., 1882: accessed via The Internet Archive, 24 Mar 2022: (https://archive.org/details/cu31924081311676/page/310/mode/2up) note: pages 315 &316 appear to be absent from this edition, but no text seems to be missing.
• Rennick, Robert M., "Harrison County - Place Names" (2016). Robert M. Rennick Manuscript Collection. 75; accessed 24 Mar 2022 via Morehead State University: https://scholarworks.moreheadstate.edu/rennick_ms_collection/75
• Philip A. Naff, HarrisonCountyKy.US, Placenames fro a-z, 2010; referencing 175th Anniversary of Harrison County, booklet, no publisher information given, 1969: accessed via http://www.harrisoncountyky.us/history/origins-a-z-placenames.htm and archived to The Wayback Machine 4 Apr 2022.
• Philip A. Naff, HarrisonCountyKy.US, Communities at HarrisonCountyKy.US, 2017; accessed via http://www.harrisoncountyky.us/places/communities.htm and archived to The Wayback Machine 4 Apr 2022.
• Post Offices in the United States, Blair and Rives (Washington D.C.), 1836; accessed via GoogleBooks 31 Mar 2022: https://www.google.com/books/edition/United_States_Official_Postal_Guide/QPsCAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
• Rode's United States Post Office Directory and Postal Guide, Charles R. Rode (New York), 1853; accessed via GoogleBooks 31 Mar 2022: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_United_States_Post_Office_Directory/4v5NAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
• Jim Forte Postal History https://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=KY&county=Harrison&searchtext=&pagenum=2, Accessed and saved to the Internet Archive, 21 Mar 2022.