Hamilton College, Lexington, Fayette
County, Kentucky
Built 1816
Source: Old Houses of Lexington, C. Frank Dunn, typescript, n.d., copy located in the Kentucky Room, Lexington (Kentucky) Public Library.
James Haggin, grandfather of the late James Ben Ali Haggin, master of Elmendorf Farm, purchased 400 feet on Broadway at Fifth St., from Lewis Sanders and wife, Anne (Nicholas) August 7, 1816, for $4,000.
The deed disclosed that it was the "same lot upon which the said Haggin has late erected a dwelling house." It extended from Fifth St. to "a new street opened by said Sanders to Spring St." It continued along the new street to Spring St., with a back line of 400 feet to Fifth St. and along Fifth St. to "Main Cross (Broadway).
The 1818 Directory lists "James Haggin, Attorney at Law, office Upper St., near Main, dwelling Main Cross sT."
(James Haggin, of Mercer County, was married to Miss Henrietta Humphreys, of new Lexington, May 26, 1803).
The 1835 John Lutz map of Lexington pictures "Castle Haggin: where Hamilton College stands today, and, although it had a new owner by then, it is listed in the 1838 Directory as "Castle Haggin, Residence of Joel Johnson."
After James Haggin's death, suit was brought by the Bank of the United States against the widows and heirs of Haggin and "the lot conveyed to James Haggin by Lewis Sanders and the same on which Haggin formerly resided, including the dwelling and outhouses," was sold October 13, 1835. Joel Johnson was the purchaser ($6,500).
In April, 1839, Joel Johnson conveyed the property to Lycurgus L. Johnson, of Chicot County, Ark., as trustee for the former's wife, Verlinda Johnson, for love and affection. It was described as the lot "on which said Haggin formerly resided and at present the residence of said Joel Johnson."
Mrs. Johnson's trustee sold the house in May, 1856, to R.C. Lawless for $8,000--"the same being formerly the residence of said Joel Johnson and afterwards of said Velinda Johnson."
Lawless and wife, Elizabeth, who has purchased more acreage, sold the property "fronting on Broadway and embracing all the front between Fourth and Fifth Sts." in September, 1865, to J.M. Hocker, of Boyle County, for $18,600.
Hocker was residing here when a teacher, on extra time after his college duties, opened a private class composed of eight girls in "Castle Haggin." This gave Hocker the idea of utilizing the large dwelling for a school of his own. By 1872 he had Hocker's Female College under way and sold Robert Graham a half interest in it for $40,000. Five years later he bought back Graham's interest and conveyed the property to the Trustees of Hocker's College, who were as follows:
J.B. McGinn, H. Turner, Wm. Mitchell, J.B. Norton, J.B. Brin_, Robert Graham, J.D. Trapp, H.A. Headley and J.W. McGarvey.
The deed was to become effective upon the payment to Hocker of $50,000 from subscriptions pledged. The deed listed more than a page (two columns) of subscriptions, the principal ones being: Wm. Hamilton, $10,000; Graham and McGarvey, $5,500; Edward Bondurant, $5,000; H.A. Headley, $2,000; B.F. Farra, $1,500; and J.S. Patterson, W.O. Swee_, W.T. Withers and James Farra, $1,000 each. Payment by some of the subscribers must have been slow, as a lien taken by Hocker was not released until July, 1898.
In January, 1879, the trustees of Hamilton College issued a mortgage on the property, so the Hocker College trustees must have conveyed it soon after acquiring it. It still is Hamilton College, part Transylvania.
The "Castle" is H-shaped, Mrs. Charles F. Norton points out, and well may stand for Hocker and Hamilton as well as Haggin.
(The classical brick cottage on the Fifth St. corner of the property was apparently built by Robert Graham, to whom Hocker sold the lot in 1869. Graham resided her for many years, finally selling it to Josiah B. Skinner in 1893.
Transcribed by pb May 2003