EPISCOPAL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

(Thomas January House)
Second Street, 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.

The 1818 Directory lists "Thomas January, Hemp manufacturing, Second Street," and evidently came out just after Mr. January had built his residence here. He had sold his ancestral home, "Mount Hope," to Andrew McCalla, ensconced his mother in a house he owned on Main St. between Cheapside and Mill St., and removed here.

Mr. January became heavily involved financially and issued a mortgage on his house and 5-acre tract here to the Bank of the United States March 18, 1820. The tract began "on Second St. at the center of a stone post within the post and rail fence on the lot now occupied by the said January," followed the "pailing of the said January the length thereof 333 feet to the stable," then west to the "alley or street between Mrs. Russell's residence and that of the said January," south to Second St. and along Second St.--the "said premises being the same on which the said January now resides."

In further substantiation of the above, a deed to Jos. H. Hawkins to his rope walk "between the later residence of Thomas January and Mrs. Russell" was recorded March 1, 1827. (Thomas January, "for many years a respectable inhabitant of this town," died January 26, 1825, the Kentucky Gazette announced).

Rev. Peers bought the house from the Bank of the United States June 17, 1831, and started his Eclectic Institute for male students here, and in 1832 induced Dr. Robert Peter to come to Lexington to deliver a course of lectures before the Institute. Dr. Peter decided to remain here and shortly after accepted a chair at Transylvania University.

Rev. Peers, an Episcopal minister, was one of the earliest advocates of the common-school system in Kentucky. He was elected President of Transylvania University in 1833, presiding at the dedication of Morrison college, and served for nearly three years.

In February, 1834, the Episcopal Theological Seminary was incorporated and this former residence of Thomas January and Institute of Rev. Peers was purchased from the latter with two acres of ground. Bishop B.B. smith and Dr. John Esten Cooke, who was an enthusiastic supporter of the Church, solicited subscriptions for the Seminary in Philadelphia and New York. A library of 3,500 volumes was obtained, mostly through the generosity of Rev. Peers who remitted $1,000 of the price paid for the house for that purpose.

Dr. Thomas W. Coit (who became President of Transylvania University) and Dr. Cooke served gratuitously as professors in the Seminary. Dr. Harry Caswall, an Englishman whose salary for three years was contributed by the parishioners of the Church of the Ascension, New York City, was Professor of Sacred Literature.

The Seminary was flourishing when a division arose in the parish and by the time it was settled the learned instructors had gone. Dr. Cooke went to Louisville with the Medical School. Dr. Colt returned to the East. Mr. Caswell went to Indiana, later returning to England.

Bishop Smith had found his many duties onerous, and upon returning from a Convention in the East, resigned as Rector of the Christ Church here in October, 1838. In the meantime the Seminary had languished and was closed. Bishop Smith, whose house near the church had been sold to Prof. Wm. Iucho, was granted permission to use the Seminary building as a residence. He opened and for several years conducted a young ladies' school here (he was also Supt. of Public Instruction in 1839-40.

The grounds and building were sold in 1844, and the old January residence, with added pillars and wings, has been owned and occupied by several distinguished citizens since that time.

It is interesting to note…the vast contrast that the house, then fenced in on a dirt "road," offered to its mellowed elegance today on a street of fine old homes built long since.

Transcribed by Pam Brinegar, June 2000