The McCaleb's in Logan County, Kentucky

by
Fred McCaleb

The first notice I had of MCalebs being in Logan County Kentucky was that
A James McCaleb was on the 1.800 tax list for that county. The 1800 Ky census
was lost and the only replacement was a tax list, I didn’t find this James in
any of the other Ky censuses. In 1820 census Ifound Catherine MoCalop in Logan
Countyw±th the following family: 1 boy under 10, 2 boys 10-16, 1 boy 16-18 and
2 boys 18-26, 2 girls under 10,, 1 girl 10-16., one girl : 16-25 and Catherine
over 45, Catherine must have been approximately 50, being born about 1770, I am
guessing that the James was her husband., but wonder where they were in 1810,
James aid Gaitherine must be Kinsmen of first old Fayette Co. Ala. Hugh
YtoCaleb because in 1816 he sigaed a deed from Logan Co Ky to property he had
back in Stokes;Co. NC. from whence he had come.

Recently. (April 1982) I vissited with my daughter and son in law in Aurora
,Indiana. While at their house I was going through old church magazines
(Christian Messenger and Melennial Harbinger) from 1826 to 1880. Son in law is
a young C of Christ preacher (musical)., and had photocopies of these old
magazines and I was looking for hints of my ancesters and early Ala. C. Of
Christ history, and was held spellbound nearly all the time I was there. I
found the following in History of the Restoratom Movement (failed to get
author) quoted from a Methodist preacher describing Logan County.. Ky. about
1800.

Peter Cartwright., noted Mothodist circuit rider wrote:

"Logan Cointy., Ky. when my father raoved There was called Rogues Harbor. Here
many refugees, from all parts of the union fled to escape punishment or
justice. for although there was law., it could not bee executed and it was a
desperate state of society. Murderers. horse thieves., highway robbers., and
counterfeiters f'led there until they combined and actually formed a majority.
Those who favored a better state of morals were called regators but they
encountered fierce opposition from the rogues. A battle was fought with guns,
pistols.. dirks, knives., and clubs in which the regulators were defeated," P20

A Baptist preacher., Jams MGready (prob hell fire and brimstone type) decided to
do something about this mess, Logan county was the scene of his initiatory
meting which set the pattern for the regimal revivals fanning out thru Ky,,,
into Tenn, the Ohio country., western Va,. and the Carolinas,,

There on the edge of the prairie in Logan Ky., the multitudes came together.,

and continued a number of days and nights encamped on the ground. New, strange
and baffling things happened People fell down as men sladn in battle and
continued for hours in a breathless and motionles state, Some praying and some
shrieking, After hrs they obtained deliverance, Gloom disappeared., hope and
smiles brightened into joy. etc. This old Baptist preacher laid them m the
ground. Barton W. Stone.. one of first Co of Christ prearhers,was present, and
he held a meeting in Cadn Ridge,, Ky. with similr effect., though he wasnft
trying to knock them out. I guesa people were ready to do better,

Back to geneaology where we get our ancesters born, marrying ,dead ,etc.

On the way baok from Indiana we decided to come by Russellville, Ky, Co, seat
Logan County, And see what we could pick up on McCaebs in 2 or 3 hrs. The curt
house has never burned and the old records are there from the start. The county
is smaller than it used to be. Parts or all of the following counties have been
,formed from Logan. Christian, Butler, Warren., Mullenberg, Simpson, Todd, &
Ky, So some of the original records would be in those counties,

The earliest thing found was that Janes McCalep took up 200 acres on Green river
Apr. 25, 1799, 200 on Spring Creek, Jan 12, 1800 and 200 on Green River Aug. 5.,
1800. The next thing was that a Betsy McKellop got married to Thomas Harris
4-12-1815. The next thing was in deed book N, page97. Old Catherine MoCaleband
James Burgess:Sr, were about to get married 1825 and she was having Burgess to
sign an agreement where she would still hold her property and dispose of as
she saw fit. Samel W. Lineburg., appointed as trustee to see agreement carried
out. James Burgess was a cabinet maker and house carpenter and had right to
make use of property in carrying on his trade. So one would look for Catharine
Burgess in final disposal of property. I didn't have time for that. The next is
1829 Deed Book P, p 307 A James MoCaleb (may be son of old James and Cathrine)
has committed a felony and is under enditment to appear in court before M B
Morton & Wm. Whitsell Esqs. Agreement between James & Presley Morehead, James
lately intermarried with niece of Presley--Mariah Browning. Gives up his right
to Mariah’s share of Browning property. Mariah's property came from
grandfather James Duncan and James Browning, James losing all rights. 1835 Deed
Book U p38 James McCaleb of Franklin County and state of Ala. Appoints Moorehead
for his attorney. Or power of attorney to collect money for his slaves. James is
losing everything. 1833 Deed book R, p4O9 Indenture made this 29 day of Jan 1833
between John B. Henderson and Barsha Ann Henderson his wife late Barsha Ann
Browning., Jams McCaleb, and Mariah his wife and late Mariah Browning., the
said Barsha Ann and Mariah being children and heairs of Abner Browning deed ,
brother James Browning buying prop land on Muddy River. James part went to
James Browning Mariahts bro. 1840 Book X P63 Agreement. Mariah MCaleb and
Robert Poor about to get ma@rried Mariah and her heirs to have possession of
all lands tenements and other property. Robert Poor suffers the said Mariah to
have and to hold, sell and convey., and enjoy profits., rents and proceeds of
said land. And devise by her last will and testament all or any portion of said
property to whom she may think proper. Armaduke B. Morton entered on books.
Signed before Robert Browdery, and J.B. Herndon(bro in law of Moriah). Sounds
like Logan Co, Ky, was a very rough place for any other man man to be., I found
no record of our Fayette Co,. Al, Hugh McCaleb or selling land there, He must
have cleared out of that place before he got killed. The marriage book in Logan
County had worn out and had been rewritten just before throwing away, I imagine
some of the marriages got missed. Old Catharine lived in Russellville. I wonder
if the old James got killed., or did the same way as the young one. The records
didn't say what felony young Jams had committed. Mariah was:not 21 at time of
legal proceedings. She also didn't have offspring by James. Maybe they just got
married., James saw, things were pretty ruff., so he stole a hoss and headed out
for Ala. It is interesting to note that Russellville, Ala. is the county seat of
Franklin Co, Ala. My grandfather was named James Franklin MoCaleb, Don't suppose
it was, for James of Franklin Co. Ala, Hugh’s son James got married in Fayette
Co. Al. to Phebe Hollingsworth in 1838. He was bom about 1816, so he would have
been only 13, or 14 in 1829. Some of the MCalebs in Miss. were named James
Franklin. The old James of Logan county must have been an uncle or a cousin of
Hugh McCaleb. He could have been Hugh's dad Andrew’s bro, Old Hugh of NC
didn't mention all the old or young chi.ldren of his in his will. That James
may have helped work on Daniel Boone's wilderness trail. One might find more
info on the McCalebs in the Adjoining counties. I believe these McCalebs are
only kinsmen of our McCalebs, no direct ancesters. It would be interesting to
see what happened to the old Catharine McCaleb Burgess estate. Our ancesters
would never have committed a felony, would they?