Early
Residents
By September 1797
there were only
183 white men
above the age of 21
south of the Kentucky
River in Franklin
County. This
reflects the following
land owners in
the Benson Valley.
John Adams, John
Armstrong, Robert
Armstrong, James
Arnold, John Arnold,
Benjamin Bennett,
William Bennett,
William Boyd,
Peter Carr, Henry Gibson,
William Hickman,
William Lane, Thomas
Logan, James McBrayer,
John McBrayer,
William McBrayer,
Lapsley McBride,
William McBride,
John McCampbell,
John Magill, John
Major, Timothy
Mayhall, John
Reading, John
Robinson, William
Robinson, Thomas
Smith, Thomas
Wilson and John
Veness
Churches
The Bridgeport
Christian Church was
established in
the late autumn of 1846 by
a group of men
and women living in the
village of Bridgeport
and vicinity. For many
years they had
been members of the South
Benson Baptist
Church; however, had
become disrupted
by the Calvinistic
denouncements
preached by the
Reverend Alexander
Campbell, Barton Stone
and others during
the decade 1825 - 1835.
The original church
record states the
following "We
whose names are hereunto
subscribed being
Disciples of Jesus Christ,
do this day form
and constitute ourselves
into a church
to be known by the name of
The Church of
God at Bridgeport, given
under our hand
this 7th day of November
1846". Soon
after the organization of the
new church, Mary
Bailey Jenkins, one of the
charter members
gave a tract of land
south of the
Frankfort-Shelbyville road. And,
the first Christian
Church of Bridgeport
was
built.
Lower
Benson Church was established in
1802 and was the
first Presbyterian church in
close proximity
to Bridgeport. Robert
Armstrong and
William Boyd were elected
elders and Reverend
Samuel Shannon
preached the first
sermon. In 1803, Robert
Armstrong presented
a plot of land located
on Arnold's Ferry
Road to build their first
meeting house.
The small, one-story log
building was located
about a mile east of
Bridgeport and
one mile southwest of the
Big Road on Cardwell
Lane. After the Civil
War, membership
had fallen and the church
could no longer
function. Many left to join
the First Presbyterian
Church in Frankfort.
The remaining
members ask for admittance
to the Southern
Presbyterian assembly. A
lot was purchased
on Steele Street and the
Southern Presbyterian
Church was built.
South Benson
Church
On February 28,
1810 members of the
Forks of Elkhorn
Church living in the
South Benson Valley,
ask for dismissal to
organize a new
church closer to their
homes. John
Major, William Hickman, the
Christian's and
Nancy Berryman were
accepted as charter
members of the South
Benson Church.
Located in southwestern
Franklin County
the membership quickly
grew making South
Benson one of the
largest congregations
in the Bluegrass.
A building was
erected on the Farmdale road
one and a half
miles south of Bridgeport.
Throughout the
years, the early minuet book
of the South Benson
Church has been lost.
It is impossible
to ascertain the names of the
ministers and
members of the church. In
1883, on the same
location as the original
building, the
Baptist constructed a new brick
church and gave
the old building to the
Christians.
They removed the materials to
Bridgeport where
a new church was built.
Misunderstandings
concerning the building
of a new brick
church caused the South
Benson Church
to divide again. The
contributing group
withdrew from the church
and organized
the EVERGREEN
BAPTIST
CHURCH located about one mile
east on the
Farmdale Road
at the intersection of
Cardwell
Lane.
Upper
Benson Church
The Presbyterians
in the area need a
church. They
contributed materials and
labor to erect
their first meeting house in
1795. The
Upper Benson Church was
located on Little
Benson Creek some
miles southeast
of Bridgeport and about
fives miles south
of Frankfort. Reverend
Samuel Shannon
was instrumental in its'
organization as
well as that of the Lower
Benson Church
in 1806. He served both
churches until
1812. The Elders of the
Upper Benson Church
now desired to
move to town.
In 1816, former elder
Thomas Paxton,
along with a congregation
of fifty-nine
moved to Frankfort and
formed the First
Presbyterian Church.
Education
Belle Collins
"Beautiful Hill"
The finishing
school for girls was founded
sometime before
1840 by Reverend
James Braddock.
The school was located
about one mile
from Bridgeport on the
Bridgeport-Farmdale
Pike. Braddock and
his wife was in
charge of the school until
it was destroyed
be fire in the 1850's.
Advertisements
indicate the school was
still in operation
in 1855; however, like
many private schools
its' days were
numbered.
Trustees were: Dandridge
S. Crockett, J.
Russell Hawkins, John W.
Russell and
ALEXANDER JULIAN.
Bridgeport Female
Institute
Feeling the loss
Belle Collins a group of
residents purchased
a lot from William
and Elizabeth
Hodges, which was located
on the north side
of Main Street. The
Bridgeport Female
Institute was established
in 1858. Mr.
and Mrs. C. M. Moore of New
York were
administrators. The school
building was a
two-story frame building;
first floor for
classes and second floor was a
dormitory. Like
Belle Collins, its' income would
not meet expenses
and at the end of Spring
term of 1860 the
doors closed.
Bridgeport
School
In the summer
of 1851 the first school was
constructed in
Bridgeport. It was a one
room frame building
located on Evergreen
Road. Due
to over crowding a two room
school was built.
A larger building was
built on the present
site; however, it burned.
The next school
building was completed in
1942. High
school students occupied the
second floor while
elementary classes were
on the first floor.
About ten years later
high school students
were given a new
county high school.
The Bridgeport
School continued
as an elementary for the
next fifty years
or so. It's doors closed and
a new school was
completed in 2005 on
King's Daughters
Drive.
Lattice
School
Shortly after
the Civil War, in the fall of
1865, another
private school established
for grown girls.
The old Bridgeport Female
Institute, was
sold by the Hodges, to Dr.
John B. Stout
on October 24, 1865. The
building was remodeled
and became the
Lattice School.
It was a two-story building
with a double
latticed porch, from which it
derived its' name.
In latter years small
girls were admitted
for studies beginning
in the grades.
The school received some
financial aid
from Franklin County until it
was abandoned
in 1875. Dr. Stout turned
the building into
a residence. It burned to
the ground in
the fire of 1880.
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Bridgeport
- Benson
The community
of Bridgeport is located about five miles from downtown Frankfort. It's
name
was derived from
the two cover bridges which once spanned Armstrong's Branch and
South
Benson Creek.
The covered bridges are now gone and the taverns that have endured
the test
of time are now
private residences. The general store and post office, once the local
gathering
place to met
and reminisce of old times, has long been closed. Travel between
Frankfort and
Louisville on
the "Big Road", once so vital to the economy in Bridgeport is no more.
Today,
this once thriving
little town is now a residential area where modern life intertwines among
the few remaining
structures of days gone by.
In the early summer
of 1774, a party of hunters and explorers, led by James Harrod
traveled
into the wilderness
of Kentucky. James Harrod was on his way to establish a settlement
on the
waters of the
Salt River, which would later become known as Harrod's Fort. In canoes
the party
left the Ohio
and worked their way down the Kentucky River to the mouth of a large
creek.
Harrod, interested
in learning of the surrounding countryside, sent Richard Benson, one of his
best men to explore
the creek. A few miles up the creek, Benson found a bottom land
of
thick forest.
Following a natural route he located a smaller stream which fed back
into the
river. The
next day, at the mouth of this stream, he met Harrod and his party who had
continued
up river. This
large creek was immediately given the name Big Benson Creek and the smaller,
Benson called
Little Benson. Harrod's party continued up stream, then overland to
join in the
building of the
first settlement in Kentucky. Harrod returned to Little Benson Creek
in the
early spring of
1775; built a cabin and planted a crop of corn.
In 1780 Harrod
was granted a preemption of 1400 acres for settlement. The beginning
of land
acquisitions in
the Bridgeport area was first acquired by William Armstrong, who made an
entry
for 300 acres
on the Kentucky River, March 6, 1781. Governor Benjamin Harrison of
Virginia
approved this
grant on the Little Benson and the stream became known as Armstrong's
Branch.
The second grant
was issued to Sherman Nunnery on August 9, 1785 for 773 acres. The
northern
section of the
Nunnery grant was to become the future village of Bridgeport. In the
years to
come additional
grants were issued to: Thomas Paxton, which he later transferred
to
James McCoun,
John Robinson, Lawrence Flournoy, George Slaughter and Benjamin
Bennett.
Many years later,
the McCoun heirs sold to Abraham Bailey.
In 1810
the Franklin County Court passed a motion to build a bridge over the
south
fork of Benson
Creek, just wests of Richard Smart's property. With a good bridge over
the
creek and a more
substantial road, good transportation was needed. In 1817,
James
Johnson established
the first stage coach line in the community, known as the Old Line
and
the Opposition
Line.
Bridgeport, because
of its' location, had become a rest stop for people on their way to
Shelbyville and
Louisville. In 1826, FREDRICK ROBB, came
from Maryland and settled in the
area. Being
somewhat of a land speculator, he sold tavern sites near the intersection
to
Morris Fox, John
Jenkins and SHELAH
BAILEY.
A post office
was established in 1837 and in
1848 an act
incorporating Bridgeport as a town, not to exceed more than fifty acres.
JOHN
JENKINS,
Frederick Robb
and H. Edwards were appointed trustees. Some of the leading citizens
where
chosen as magistrates
and constables.
Burial
Ground in the Bridgeport Area
North Benson Baptist
Church Cemetery is located on highway 1005, about four miles
past
Choatville. The
cemetery is on the church grounds to the front and left of the church. As
of
1976, there were
approximately 100 marked graves. Anderson Cemetery is a family
burying
ground with
approximately 15 marked graves. The cemetery is located off Old U.S.
60 on
Sheep Pen Road,
one mile northwest of Benson Creek. The Armstrong Cemetery is
located
on the west side
of Bridgeport about one-half mile north of U.S. 60. This oldest grave
in
this cemetery
is that of John W. Armstrong, born 1822. There are approximately 10
marked
graves in this
cemetery. BAILEY GRAVEYARD, the
final resting place of the Shelah Bailey
family, one of
Bridgeport's first residents. It is located at Bridgeport .3 miles
off U.S. 60 on
Browns Lane.
Six graves are marked and legible. Conner Cemetery is located
at Little
Benson Creek.
Three graves are marked, one of whom is Thomas Paxton.
Gorman-
Duke Graveyard
is located near Evergreen Baptist Church, where six marked graves
were
legible in 1976.
Located one mile north of Devil's Hollow Road on Highway 1005, four
miles
from Frankfort
is the Grennan Cemetery, where members of the Moore and Hulette
family
are buried.
Hale Graveyard, off Bryant-Benson Road, has one marked grave and others
marked
with fieldstones.
Herndon Cemetery is on Sheep Pen Road just north of the Taylor
Branch
junction.
Approximately 10 graves are marked. The
JENKINS GRAVEYARD is the burial
place
of of members
of one of the first families of the area. Located near the intersection
of Bridgeport
and Evergreen
intersection. Kirk Cemetery is located on Old Sheep Pen Road with 10
graves
marked. Lower
Benson Burying Ground is on the Julian farm off U.S. 60. A large cemetery
with
100 or more marked
graves. The Mayhall family burying ground, one of Bridgeport's pioneer
families,
is located on
Browns Lane. Only two stones remain. Some inscriptions were recorded
years ago
Located on
Bryant-Benson Road is the Moore Graveyard. Only 5 graves are marked;
however,
other members
of the Moore family are believed to be buried there. Another of
Bridgeport's
pioneers families,
the Parrent's lie at rest in a small burying ground across from the
Bridgeport
Christian Church.
In a field at the first bridge on Taylor Branch Road is located the
Power-Hieatt
Cemetery. The
Redding Cemetery is located at the intersection of Botkin Road on Highway
1009.
Graves of the
Redding family are marked. Another cemetery located at the intersection
is that
of the Riddle
family. Members of the Cardwell and Powers family are buried here.
Riner Graveyard
located near the
intersection of Sheep Pen and Taylor Branch. The family of John Riner,
who
migrated to Franklin
County from Virginia. About twenty-five graves are illegible.
Roberts Graveyard
back of Roberts
Schoolhouse on Roberts Road is the final resting place of the Hulker and
Truell
families. Along
the tracks, at the Benson Depot on Highway 1665 is the Robinson Graveyard.
The
Sargent Graveyard
is located in the back of Broadview Manor Subdivision. Graves marked
with
fieldstones.
Charles Smith, is buried in the Smith Cemetery north of Benson Creek
on Sheep Pen
Road. The
Taylor Burying Ground is the burial place of the Revolutionary War soldier
James
Taylor and members
of his family. It is located on Taylor Branch, near Bryant-Benson
Road.
Jeremiah Tracy,
one of Franklin County pioneer families graveyard is located on
Bridgeport-Benson
Road north of
U.S.60. Some graves not marked, although records have been kept.
Tracy-Stockton
Graveyard is located
at Sheep Pen and Roberts Road. The Stockton family was another
pioneer
family of the
Benson-Bridgeport area. The Wright Burying Ground is another burial
site located
at the southeast
corner of the Julian farm at the junction of U.S. 60.
Property
Owners in Bridgeport-Benson Area - 1870
Name |
Place
of Birth |
Occupation |
Date
of Settlement |
Acreage |
| Angraves,
J. |
Leiester,
England |
Butcher |
1850 |
15 |
| Armstrong,
E. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
1827 |
185 |
| Bradley,
T. B. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
1839 |
60 |
| Branch,
A. B. |
Shelby
County, KY |
Dairyman |
1864 |
101 |
| Brown,
R. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
1822 |
770 |
| Crockett,
Rebecca C. |
Virginia |
Farmer |
1848 |
100 |
| Crutcher,
W. L. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
1844 |
40 |
| Hamilton,
J. B. |
Clark
County, KY |
Farmer |
1851 |
213 |
| Hawkins,
J. R. |
Spottsylvania
County, VA |
Physician |
1851 |
200 |
| Hulette,
J. M. |
Clark
County, KY |
Farmer |
1842 |
118 |
| Jenkins,
J. W. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
1837 |
|
| Julian,
Alex. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
|
1000 |
| Julian,
Alex., Jr. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Deputy
Sheriff |
1854 |
|
| Julian,
C. H. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Cattle
trader |
1856 |
305 |
| Jenkins,
J. W. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
1837 |
150 |
| Moore,
J. D. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
1844 |
200 |
| Moore,
J. P. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
1835 |
76 |
| O'Connell,
J. J. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Machinist |
1851 |
|
| Parrent,
C. H. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Teacher |
1842 |
|
| Parrent,
Joseph, Sr. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
1818 |
160 |
| Parrent,
T. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Merchant |
1848 |
Lot |
| Pattie,
P. R. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
1821 |
250 |
| Pryor,
J. P. |
Lauderdale
County, AL |
Journalist |
1871 |
311 |
| Roberts,
P. H. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
1844 |
80 |
| Robinson,
J. O. |
Palestine,
Texas |
Student |
1871 |
|
| Rodgers,
B. F. |
Scott
County, KY |
Farmer |
1850 |
|
| Riner,
M. A. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
1837 |
105 |
| Samuels,
R. M. |
Mercer
County, KY |
Farmer |
1860 |
10 |
| Shoush,
J. H. |
Montgomery
County, KY |
Carpenter |
1852 |
92 |
| Staten,
Joe T. |
Trimble
County, KY |
Dairyman |
1876 |
103 |
| Stockton,
J. P. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Carpenter |
1821 |
280 |
| Sudduth,
Geo. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
1827 |
152 |
| Suttles,
J. U. |
Oldham
County, KY |
Farmer |
1864 |
21 |
| Taylor,
W. F. |
Franklin
County, KY |
Farmer |
1834 |
33 |
| Terry,
Jos. |
Madison
County, KY |
Farmer |
1853 |
116 |
| Waring,
Jacob |
Virginia |
Farmer |
1865 |
36 |
In May of 1880
fire destroyed the Odd Fellows Hall and
several homes in Bridgeport. The population
was greatly depleted.
Many of the citizens, so devastated,
moved to Frankfort to reestablish their lives.
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