Parrish Apts., No. 211
W. High Street, Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Source: Old Houses of Lexington, C. Frank Dunn, typescript, n.d., copy located in the Kentucky Room, Lexington (Kentucky) Public Library.
Col. Wm. C.P. Breckinridge, the "silver-tongued orator," and his wife, Issa Desha, were presented a lot by the Colonel's father-in-law, Dr. John R. Desha, September 16, 1867, (listed in 1867 Directory as here and "Co. Atty.") and built his house for their home. The lot was described as the "ground now belonging to Dr. Desha west of his office and ice house."
Col. Breckinridge had not long since returned from the Confederate Army, in which he had entered as a Captain under General John H. Morgan and rose to the rank of Colonel of the 19th Kentucky Cavalry. He became famous later for his oratory and for his editorials in his newspaper, the Lexington Herald.
Col. Breckinridge upon his return to Lexington in 1866, had succeeded William A. Dudley (who resigned to go to the State Senate) as editor of the Observer and Reporter, remaining in that position two years, until the paper was sold.
He deeded the property August 31, 1870, to his father, Rev. Robert J. Breckinridge, the noted minister, orator and writer, who died December 27, 1871. (In Danville--buried in Lexington Cemetery). Col. W.C.P. Breckinridge moved to Mill St. near 2nd, and Dr. Desha lived there with him.
Dr. Robert J. Breckinridge willed the property to his widow, Margaret F. Breckinridge, and his executor, Wm. Warfield, deeded it to her April 2, 1873.
Col. W.C.P. Breckinridge took over the Lexington Press and named it the Lexington Herald in the 1890's and died in 1904.
Colonel W.C.P. Breckinridge entertained General John C. Breckinridge at his High Street home in 1869--a colorful occasion.
Col. W.C.P. Breckinridge had his law office in 1862, just before he joined the Confederacy, in "James O. Harrison's office on Short St."
An interesting sidelight to the "Curtner" property, on which Col. Breckinridge's house was built, it is revealed in a deed for 20 feet in April, 1821, of Christopher Curtner, of Dayton, Ohio, to John H. Reid, of St. Louis, Mo.
It stated that "on the 25th of November, 1790, said Curtner executed his bond to a certain John Dunn, binding himself to convey to his part of an In Lot in the Town of Lexington--on Hill Street, part of the second Lot of 66 feet in front, next adjoining the Lot of the same front on the corner formed by the intersection of Upper and Hill Street now owned and occupied by Doctor Frederick Ridgely," and that Curtner was to convey to Dunn the 20 feet fronting Hill Street "for the consideration of four pounds to be paid in fur, three pounds in a cow and calf, three pounds in corn and whisky and the making of four coats, all of which said Curtner doth hereby acknowledge to have received from said Dunn." Dunn assigned the bond December 10, 1803, the deed said, to John Jeffreys, who assigned it September 16, 1806, to Wm. Reid, and the latter to John H. Reid May 16, 1812.
This claim seems to have been "lost in the shuffle" in later years, as Dr. John R. Desha bought the lot many years later from other Curtners.
Transcribed by pb February 2003