Adair County Pioneers Progress

Pioneer Sketches for those with ancestors in Adair County.
 

Neatsville / Neetsville
By Denny Lester

Neatsville / Neetsville:  Founded and located on Green River in the early 1800's and named for Kentucky immigrant, Rudolph Neat, Sr. and his offspring who came from N. Carolina.

The old Neatsville community grew around a ford on Green River on the Casey County side of this river.  Due to erosion and possibly other factors, the river shifted and this community re-established on the south side in Adair.
At one time, Neatsville had a hotel, saloon, stores, Masonic Lodge #705, several mills (saw), distilleries and salt works. Neetsville was incorporated in 1847 by the state's general in 1847.

Town voters probably met at the house of Dr. Portman that year and elected five trustees for the new town.  They were:  William Thomas, Jackson Drake, John Hardwick and Philip Winfrey, a brother of one of my g.g.g.grandfathers.

Fines were implemented for "running horses", "shooting firearms", or "disorderly conduct within the limits of the town".
The first post office was named Casey's Creek (est. 4 Jan 1833), Thomas Harwick listed as postmaster.  The community/town changed its name to "Neettsville" on 16 Aug. 1836 and corrected to "Neatsville" on the same day.

Other postmasters were:  John Upton, Samuel C. Caldwell, Peter B. Winston,John S. Campbell, James Hawks, William D. Busby, James Gowdy, Joseph Campbell, Joseph Williams, James Coppage, John L. Carter, Joel Wells, James Goode, Joseph Napier,
William Kelsey, Otha Kelsay.
Name changed again to Neetsville on 28 Aug 1876.
Source:  An Adair County, Kentucky History, Volume 1.  Michael C. Watson (2001).