Collins' 1878 Historical Sketches Of Kentucky

Crittenden County
Indian Murder. - In 1799, four Shawnee Indians were loitering about what was then known as Lusk's Ferry, in Crittenden County, opposite the present town of Golconda, Illinois. They came to the house of Mr. Lusk, examined him minutely, but did not molest him. Their movements were mysterious and boded harm. At length, they killed a Mr. Duff, who resided at the mouth of Tradewater. Then, they suddenly disappeared. There was reason to believe that someone residing at Fort Massac/Massacre had employed the Indians to commit the crime.

Fulton County
"Earth-cracks" can be distinctly traced in the bluffs on the Kentucky side of the Mississippi River, for a quarter to a half mile, 20 to 70 feet wide; bounded on either side by parallel banks, one to five feet above the sunk ground, the trees still growing firmly-rooted in the soil. These earth-cracks are still more conspicuous on the Missouri side, near New Madrid, and in Obion County, Tennessee. In the latter are still visible depressions 100 feet deep, and varying from a few feet to 100 feet wide; which are said to have been more than double this depth when originally formed.

Hancock County
The celebrated Breckinridge Cannel Coal Mine lies on the edge of Hancock and Breckinridge Counties, eight and one-half miles from Cloverport, on the Ohio River. It lies about 95 feet under the summits of the main ridges, which are here from 425 to 460 feet high. The dip is west, three to four inches in 100 feet, or 13 to 21 feet in a mile. It varies in thickness from 22 to 42 inches, in some places, running down to 16 inches. In volatile matter, it exceeds any coal found in Kentucky, and some portions are nearly equal in yield of oil and waxy products to the Boghead Coal of Scotland. In 1856, at the coal oil works near Cloverport, about 6,000 gallons per week of crude oil were distilled and purified. After a few years, the discovery of petroleum or earth oil in inexhaustible quantities made the distillation of cannel coal unprofitable, and these works were discontinued.

Livingston County
Robert R. Livingston, a distinguished American statesman, was born in the city of New York in 1746. He studied and practiced law with great success. He was a member of the first general Congress. He was one of the committee, which prepared the Declaration of Independence. In 1780, he was appointed Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and throughout the Revolution signalized himself by his zeal and efficiency in the cause. He was, for many years, chancellor of his native state, and in 1801, was appointed by President Jefferson minister to France. He was a general favorite at the French capital, and in conjunction with Mr. Monroe, he conducted the treaty, which resulted in the cession of Louisiana the United States. He died in 1813. Livingston County was named in honor of him.

McCracken County
Silver and Lead. - About 1846, considerable time and money were expended in searching for silver ore, with but very partial success; lead ore was found, but not in paying loads.The Chalybeate Spring, in the bank of Massac Creek, on the property of Mr. Robb, contains, besides chloride of alkali (probably chloride of sodium), some chloride of magnesium and less bicarbonate of lime and magnesia than is usually found in ordinary spring water. The water has a fine medicinal effect. Birch Trees, in luxuriant growth, larger and more numerous than elsewhere in the district, are immediately around this spring. A White Silicious Clay was passed through at 40 feet, overlaid by yellow sand, just before reaching the water, when boring for water at Mr. Robb's place.

Whitley County
The Falls Of The Cumberland River, in Whitley County, about 14 miles below Williamsburg, are among the most remarkable objects in the state. The river here is precipitated over a perpendicular fall of 62 feet; the fall and rapid are 70 feet. On a clear morning, the roar of the waters may be heard for a distance of 10 or 12 miles above and below the falls. Immediately behind the falling sheet of water, there is a cave in the surface of the rock; and a person can go almost across the river by this passage, through an arch formed on one side by the rock, and on the other by the flashing waters. Just below the falls, large fish can be caught in great numbers. The country, for six or eight miles above and below the falls, is very irregular; and presents to the eye of the traveler a succession of scenery, as romantic and picturesque as any in the state. The hills and mountains rise upon one another like clouds upon the horizon.

Nicholas County
The First Expedition After The Powder brought down the Ohio River by (Gen.) George Rogers Clark and John Gabriel Jones in December 1776, and secreted on the Three Islands, some ten miles above Limestone (Maysville), set out from McClelland's Station (Georgetown), a day or two after the arrival there of Clark and Jones, with the intelligence. Nine men on horseback, under Col. John Todd, piloted by Jones, were waylaid on December 28th, on Johnson's Fork of Licking, near the Lower Blue Licks, by a small party of Indians; who were following the recent trail of Clark and Jones. The Indians made a sudden and vigorous attack, killed Jones and Wm. Graden, and took Jos. Rogers prisoner. Josiah Dixon was missing and never heard of anymore. The rest, among them Samuel McMillin, retreated safely.

Pike County
Iron is found, in several forms, in block of impure ore, in thin layers of carbonate of iron, and in a body of rusty ferruginous shale. It has not been worked. Col. Sidney S. Lyon's Base Line, in the geological survey of Kentucky, began at Uniontown, on the Ohio River, longitude 10 degrees 55' west of Washington; in latitude 37 degrees 46'. In its extension, eastwardly, it cut the Virginia state line near the northern corner of Pike County, at a point probably now in Martin County.