W. High St.,
Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Built Bef. 1805
Source: Old Houses of Lexington, C. Frank Dunn, typescript, n.d., copy located in the Kentucky Room, Lexington (Kentucky) Public Library.
Lexington has a wealth of old frame houses--some of them, such as this big two-story, being mansions in their days.
The 1806 Directory shows "John Caldwell, Wheelwright, High St." residing here. He had purchased 66 feet on High St.--one-half of Inlot No. 73--from Capt. Wm. Allen, to whom it had been transferred by Thos. Carneal, who bought it November 26, 1791, from the famous jeweler Samuel Ayres--"deeded by the Town Trustees to Ayres."
Ayres and wife, Dolly G., made the deed to Caldwell in 1812, and this house may be the outgrowth of the one Ayres built and was living in when Robert McAfee says he boarded with him in 1795. Ayres, he said, "that lived on High St. in the upper part of town, but afterwards moved down on Main St. opposite the Seceder Church."
The deed from Ayres shows Caldwell already had installed improvements, however, as it says the lot extended back to "said Caldwell's stone wall in a range with the stable."
John Caldwell bought the adjoining property, at the corner of Broadway and High, in 1818 from Samuel Blair and is listed in the 1818 Directory: "John Caldwell, Blue-dyer and Cotton spinner, High St. corner Main Cross. He also owned the third 66 feet from the Broadway corner (Inlot No. 74) and conveyed the entire property to Andrew Caldwell in 1830.
The 1838 Directory lists "Andrew Caldwell, Cotton manufacturer, South Main Cross corner High, residence W. High below Main Cross."
In the meantime Andrew Caldwell bought "John Bradford's Factory" on Vine St. back of this lot (referred to in adjoining deeds afterward as "Andrew Caldwell's Steam Mill") and in 1839 bought the Geo. A. Weber Brewery property next to it. He also owned a mill on Spring St.
In 1830, the day John Caldwell deeded him the property above referred to, Andrew Caldwell mortgaged "five lots or tracts"--two on Spring St. and the others "Conveyed by John Caldwell, being the same whereon Andrew Caldwell and John Caldwell do now live on High St. and (Spring St.) to include both the cotton factories."
The 1859 Directory lists: "Andrew Caldwell, flour mill, e.s. Spring bet. Vine and High."
In 1874 he conveyed to his wife "all that lot on north-east side of High St. between Broadway and Spring, being the same which has been occupied by the parties as a residence for many years."
Transcribed by pb March 2003