420 W. High St. (cor. Brown St.), Lexington, Fayette
County, Kentucky
Built 1818
Source: Old Houses of Lexington, C. Frank Dunn, typescript, n.d., copy located in the Kentucky Room, Lexington (Kentucky) Public Library.
William Bell, inventor who sold profits on his patents to Nathan Burrowes, the famous mustard manufacturer, and to John McMurtry, the noted architect, had his friend Burrowes make a plat of a "two-story brick house" and lot he had just purchased from John Fisher January 20, 1821, "whereupon sd. John Fisher now lives." (1818 Dir.: John Fisher, Brickmaker and bricklayer, High St.) 1818 Dir: William Bell, Planemaker, High St.
Burrowes sketched the residence, a stable immediately behind the house (today part of the west half of the house) and one considerably back of it (behind an adjoining lot of Maj. Wm. S. Dallam) and a 44 foot alley on the east (today widened to ______ Street). It was bounded by High St., the "Keiser heirs' corner," Wm. Macbean's lot and Major Dallam's small lot.
The deed said it was "the lot whereon John Fisher now lives on High St., conveyed to him by Jesse Moore, of Montgomery County, Ky., December 5, 1801, part of outlot S.
On March 11, 1821, Bell bought Major Dallam's property - "a red framed house and lot adjoining John Fisher's brick house. This house and lot was deeded to said Dallam by Thos. H. Pindell, who bought it at public sale from Fisher.
William Bell recorded a $20,000 bond of Nathan Burrowes August 5, 1819, wherein Burrowes was to pay the expense of procuring a patent and to derive one-half the profits on a riding machine invented by Bell. The "machine or carriage" was described as "the economical carriage moved by manual labor."
In 1838, obtained a patent "for a saw-mill for sawing shingles, staves &c," and contracted with John McMurtry in 1847 to pay him one-half the profits "for vending said patent for the state of Kentucky."
John McMurtry bought the property April 8, 1847, it being next to "the residence and lot of Dr. David Bell" (William's brother). McMurtry sold it in 1854 to Dr. Bell, the side-alley now being 12 feet. Dr. Bell and his wife lived here until they moved to Spring St. Farmer Dewees got judgment against Dr. David Bell in 1858 and the house was sold at public auction the next year.
Judge George Robertson, the father-in-law of Dr. Bell, bought "the Western half of the house and lot - called the Bell House," (29 ft.) and Mallory Martin purchased "the East half of the double-house (46 ft.) conveyed by Wm. Bell to John McMurtry."
Judge Robertson conveyed his half of the house "called the Bell Place" to John Davis December 17, 1861, and Martin and wife (of Jessamine County) their half to Miss Louisa D. Ross June 30, 1862.
John David and wife sold the "Western half of the entire house and lot called the Bell property" to Henry Wolf in 1864, and Wolf conveyed it to Jacob David in July, 1876.
Julia David, widow and administratrix of Jacob David, brought suit against other heirs and the "Western half of the Bell property" was sold at public auction.
"Adolphus Ochs" (the noted publisher of the New York Times, who died recently) was the purchaser, in 1882.
Adolph S. Ochs and Effie M., wife, "of Chattanooga, Tenn.," sold their half of the house - still "called the Bell property" - October 6, 1883, to Julia F. Ambrose, who sold it in 1892 to Luke U. Milward.
Thus "the house that Jack built" has survived more than 120 years - which in itself is quite a tribute to John Fisher, a pioneer brickmaker - and seems in a fair way to carry the name of the inventor, William Bell, on for many more years.
The rear side walls of the house show the original house built by Fisher.
The following interesting ad appeared in the Kentucky Gazette April 9, 1830, signed by William Bell and followed by testimonials:
"The subscriber has invented and will exhibit to such of his fellow citizens as will call at his house on High St., a PATENT BEDSTEAD combining simplicity with utility...the undersigned continues to make Planes of various descriptions. Jan. 15, 1830."
The first testimonial was signed "Ashland, H. Clay, Jan. 5, 1830," and was as follows:
"I have used in my family the patent bedsteads of Mr. Wm. Bell, of Lexington, and found them greatly superior to those in common use. Being constructed so that the posts are put together without screws, they are stronger and less liable to get out of order. The will hardly ever require any precaution to destroy bugs, as they afford no place of retreat to them."
Asa Blanchard and Samuel Pilkington stated that they use the patent bedsteads, that they were easy to put up, were secure against bugs and combined all the advantages that could be desired.
A joint testimonial, saying the bed "affords no hiding place for bugs," was signed by John Brand, Elisha I. Winters, J. Harper, Archibald Logan, Oliver Keen, Daniel Bradford, Joseph Ficklin, John Roche, Robert Frazer, A.K. Smedes, Dr. Chas. W. Short, Dr. Chas. Caldwell and Thos. P. Hart.
Transcribed by pb October 2002