245 S. Limestone St. Lexington, Fayette
County, Kentucky
Built 1835
Source: Old Houses of Lexington, C. Frank Dunn, typescript, n.d., copy located in the Kentucky Room, Lexington (Kentucky) Public Library.
Mrs. Juretta Roman, who married Dr. Joseph G. Chinn, purchased the century-old brick house here from Mrs. Rebecca Kirby in October, 1845. The property then fronted nearly 92 feet on Limestone St.
John Anderson's heirs had bought the lot from Charles Humphres and conveyed one-half of it to Samuel Oldham and the other half to John Boulware, in March, 1835.
Oldham issued a mortgage deed on the property in February, 1837, to Jacob Ashton, "whereas Ashton hath become bound with said Samuel Oldham and as his security on a note to E.W. Craig for $1,134.40." Oldham's lot fronted 45 feet.
Oldham sold the house at a good price ($5,550) to Wm. R. Bradford in May, 1839. Bradford and wife, Agnes A., conveyed it to Rebecca Whitt in May, 1841. A mortgage release by R. Pindell and M.C. Johnson stated the house was "in the occupancy of Drummond Hunt" in April 184_.
Mrs. Rebecca (Whitt) Kirby sold it to Mrs. Roman (nee Juretta W. Higbee, widow of Wm. Roman) in October 1845.
Mrs. Roman married A.T. Shepherd, of Scott County, Ky., in May, 1848, and had a contract recorded concerning their separate ownership of property.
Mrs. Shepherd married Dr. Chinn in 1850 and again filed a "contract." It said, "Whereas Dr. Joseph G. Chinn, of Lexington, Mo., and Mrs. Juretta W. Shepherd of Lexington, Ky., intermarried on September 23, 1850, each being at the time owners of separate estates they had agreed to separate ownership. "he parties further stipulate that they will, when they reach the state of Missouri, execute such further writing as may be necessary by the law of that State to give full effect to the agreement."
Dr. Chinn returned to Lexington, Ky., and he and his wife resided here until Mrs. Chinn's death.
In the meantime Dr. Chinn had the adjoining lot originally owned by John Anderson's heirs, and sold it to Jos. D. Trapp in 1867. Dr. Chinn said in the deed that it began "at a notch" he had sawed in the fence.
J.M. Beasley bought the house where "Juretta W. Chinn, wife of Dr. Jos. G. Chinn, resided up to her death," in 1872. The house was sold as a result of a suit (April, 1877) and brought in by J.M. Beasley--deeded in September, 1877. The frontage then was 83 feet, with J.D. Trapp on the South and Mrs. Parrish on the North.
J.M. Beasley and wife, Jennie, sold the house to John F. Price in 1894.
Dr. Joseph G. Chinn was a Union sympathizer during the war, but all of his sons went into the Confederate Army in Gen. John H. Morgan's command. He lived a long and eventful life.
Born in Bourbon County, Ky., April 1, 1797, whence his parents had come from Virginia, he was brought up on a farm.
He enlisted at the outbreak of the War of 1812 when but 15 years of age. Upon his return he studied medicine under Paris, Ky., doctors. He attended the University of Pennsylvania 1816-17 and received an M.D. degree. He practiced medicine at Paris, Ky., and later took a course at Transylvania University, from which he was graduated in 1843. He had removed to Lexington by 1832 and was living in Col. Robert Patterson's old home on West High St., later purchasing "Cherry Grove" (where the 1838 Directory listed him).
Dr. Chinn removed to Lexington, Mo., deeding "Cherry Grove" from "Lafayette Co., Mo.", May 4, 1846. He practiced there for nine years, then returned to Lexington, Ky. While in Lexington, Mo., he served as Mayor and City Judge, and after his return to Lexington, Ky., was elected a member of the Board of Councilmen and later Mayor. He died at the age of 98 years.
Dr. Chinn married a third time, when he was 80 years old. The bride, Mrs. Catherine W. Lawson, was 90. Dr. Chinn, age 90, died September 7, 1891, at the home of his grandson, Dr. C.W. Trapp, here on Limestone St. His wife, then 102, died January 1, 1899.
Transcribed by pb April 2003