Cordova

This little village situated in the southern end of the county at the crossroads of the Leesburg Pike (Highway 39) and Crooked Creek Road, played an important part in the affairs of Grant County in the very early days. Jeremiah Morgan, born in 1796,came to this part of the county about the time Grant County was formed. He was made overseer of the Leesburg Road from Crooked Creek to the Harrison County line in 1827. He lived in Harrison County until January 6, 1827 when the legislature moved the southern line of Grant County from Crooked Creek to the top of the dividing ridge between Crooked Creek and Raven Creek. When Jeremiah Morgan directed the working of the Leesburg Road in 1827, there were but five families besides his own living on it from Cordova to Stringtown. In the September court of 1826, Thomas Metcalfe, Governor of Kentucky appointed Jeremiah Morgan a justice of the peace in his district and in 1839 Charles Wycliffe, the Governor of Kentucky appointed him sheriff of Grant County and Robinson Nelson was appointed justice of the peace.

The Cordova Post Office was established and the place named following the war with Mexico. Jane Webb gave it its name, taken from the name of a place in Mexico suggested by a Mexican soldier. In 1848 William Webb was granted license to operate a tavern at Cordova and Jeremiah Morgan in 1858 was granted license to sell "spiritous liquors" at his store at Cordova. Probably the longest record of any family in the county or state holding the office as magistrate belongs to the Morgan family, the terms total just about 100 years.

It is thought that the only doctor to live his entire life in Cordova and practice medicine was Dr. Robert E. Limerick. He was born in 1858, graduated from the Cincinnati College of Medicine in 1885, married America (Maggie) Nelson that same year, and lived in Cordova until his death in 1932. He started to practice when the only mode of travel was on horseback, but he bought a car and learned to drive at the age of 60 years. His wife kept the last toll-gate on the Leesburg Road at Cordova.

Clay Morgan and Ned Stone operated a store which stood across the road from the Limerick home. The post office was located in this store and later moved across the creek to the store on the northeast corner of the crossroads. It was discontinued when rural routes were established; Tom Caldwell was the first mail carrier from Berry and Tom Simon was one of the very first carriers from Corinth.

About 1900 Edward L. Dunn operated a store on the northeast corner of the crossroads, then built the two-story store across the creek on the southwest corner, with living quarters on the second floor. Willie Gill opened the store vacated by Dunn, then later built the store across the road on the northwest corner and operated it for many years. He sold the store to Sam Baird. That building burned and a new building was erected.

At one time there were three blacksmith shops in operation in Cordova. One by Willie Stone, another by Jimmy Martin, and one by John Wolfe. Dick Haley and Harry Clary had owned blacksmith shops here a little earlier. A harness shop owned by Buddy Dunaway stood next to the Stone Shop.

The first school was located in the center of the village, but it burned and relocated north of the village about 1915. This building was abandoned when Cordova school was consolidated with the Corinth School about 1926. Some of the teachers of this old school were Willie Stone, Julia Marshall, Lillie Elliott, Walter Dunn, Nannie Mae Stone, Georgia Rose, Lena Chapman, Kate Ratcliff, Kathryn Morgan, Pet Morgan, Grace Limerick and Dritha Limerick.

Leslie Bailey operated a saw mill here for many years; also a feed store that was erected on the site of the first school. There was no church at Cordova, but the majority of the families belonged to the Christian Church and attended at Stringtown and Mt. Pleasant.

Sesqui-Centennial, 150th Year of Grant County
Published by the Grant County Sesqui-Centennial Committee, 1970.