N.E. Cor. High and Limestone Sts., Lexington, Fayette
County, Kentucky
Built Bef. 1796
Source: Old Houses of Lexington, C. Frank Dunn, typescript, n.d., copy located in the Kentucky Room, Lexington (Kentucky) Public Library.
A log or frame house, built before 1796, first stood here on the corner and a similar house was in the rear of it, back of the present stone wall on Limestone Street.
Geoge Sowerbright (Sourbray in this and some other deeds) was deeded the corner lot here by the Town Trustees "about January 3, 1795," in consideration "of an improvement made by John McKinney, Jr." Sowerbright's deed "together with the record thereof has been destroyed in the office of the Fayette Court" (the fire in January 1803), a new deed said September 6, 1806. The new deed described the lot as "a part of Outlot No. 16, fronting High St. and Mulberry St., being the same on which he now resides, measuring on Mulberry St. 68 feet and 9 3/4 poles on High St."
The 1806 Directory shows that Sowerbright and his son were living in the two houses, above referred to, on his lot: "George Sowerbright, High St." and "George Sowerbright, Laborour, Mulberry St."
In September, 1806, Sowerbright and wife sold the corner, fronting 47 1/2 feet on Mulberry St., by 160 feet n High St., to John Carty.
On the same day, George Sowerbright, Sr. and wife, Molly, conveyed to George Sowerbright, Jr., "for the natural love and affection they have for the said George, their son, "20 1/2 feet on Mulberry St. "being the balance of that part of Outlot No. 16 conveyed to George Sowerbright, Sr., by the Trustees of Lexington, the other having been conveyed by George Sowerbright, Sr. to John Carty."
George Sowerbright, Jr., met with a tragic death in the War of 1812. Taken prisoner by the Indians, and in the presence of other Lexington pioneers captured at the same time, he was horribly massacred by the drunken Indians.
The Sowerbrights left Lexington after the War of 1812, and in June, 1814, "George Sowerbray and Polly Sowerbray," now residing in Montgomery County, Ohio, sold the son's lot to Francis Downing.
The deed called for 20 1/2 feet between "the lot sold to John Carty" and "Mrs. Barr's lot." As this and succeeding deeds were indexed as "Lot in Lexington, street not given," it was difficult to trace, but here's its story briefly: After Francis Downing's death, the 20 1/2 foot lot descended to his widow, Margaret, who placed it in trust for her son, Benjamin Franklin Downing. The latter, the deed approved by his mother, conveyed the lot "with its appurtenances" to his brother-in-law, John T. Lewis, in 1834. Lewis and Widow Downing sold it in 1842 to John Carty, Jr., who owned the corner property.
Now to get back to the corner house: John L. Taylor, cousin of Mary Carty, wife of John Carty, Sr., bought the lot from Carty in May, 1820, and all indications point to Taylor as the builder of the brick house at that time. Measurement of the Limestone Street side of the brick wall, plus the small front yard on High St., will show that he kept strictly within his 47 1/2 feet. As Taylor gave his cousin, Mrs. Carty, the house at Upper and Vine Sts., where she lived and John Carty, Sr., had his place of business the same day he bought the corner lot here, the following may be considered as a further gift to the Carty family:
The Town Trustees sold the house and lot in 1830 for unpaid taxes on street and sidewalk paving and John Carty, Jr., bought the property for about $200. A week or so later, John L. Taylor deeded it to Carty for "five shillings." Carty evidently was living here in 1832 when he recorded a loan of personalty to his mother, "Mary Carty now in the house at the corner of Upper and Water Sts." The 1859-60 Directory shows John Carty, Jr. as residing here.
After the death of Carty, in a partition of property in 1884 this house went to his daughter Mrs. Helen Carty Ranck, whose daughter owns it today. Thus the house has been in the Carty family from the time it was built until now. Mrs. Ranck, wife of the historian, Prof. Geo. W. Ranck, was born here.
A concluding word about John L. Taylor should go with this story, so here it is:
John L. Taylor's will, made in the Territory on Arkansas, County of Washington, September 17, 1834, and probated there November 3, 1834 read:
"A Solemn Will: In the name of God amen, I, John L. Taylor, of the County of Washington and Territory of Arkansas, being weak of body but sound of mind, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament. Witnesseth:
"It is my will and I do direct that after my Drs. Bill and funeral expenses are discharged, that all my negroes shall be free, viz.: Thomas, Milky, Amanda, David, Joseph, William, Augustine, July Ann, Milton, Henry, Lewis, and July Ann's and Milkey's youngest children, whose names are not known."
Also, he gave the following amounts to his slaves: Thomas, $400; Augustua, $300; Lewis, $300; Milton, $600; Henry, $600; Amanda, $300; to the children of Milkey and Julyann, $300 each, and to Julyann, David, Joseph and William, $100 each. The money willed to the negroe children was to be given to them when they became of age, with interest "with the exception of Henry's, the interest of whose money is to be applied for the education of said boy."
He gave his sister, Sarah Potter and her two daughters, Garriett and Angelina Potter, the balance of his estate, and appointed John Carty, Jr., and John McCauley, "of Lexington, Ky," his executors.
In 1815 there were several log houses on the west side of Limestone Street. On July 15 that year Daniel Bradford, Auctioneer, sold off half the block from High Street towards Vine Street. there was no building on the High Street corner but the next two lots had "a good log building" and the next had "a comfortable log building thereon, calculated for the accommodation of a small family."
Bradford had advertised "the following property which, from its near situation to the New Market House on Water St., is worthy of attention."
The present Market-House, built in 1879, occupies the site of the above-mentioned.
Transcribed by pb May 2003