ELIZABETH HARRISON HOME

Built by the Fishers for Richard Monks
(Drug Store corner Main & Dewees Sts.
Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Built before 1814

When Richard Monks moved into this house in 1814 it represented the city limits on East Main street and was the first house to greet the eye of the visitor coming into the "Town of Lexington" over the Boone's Station Road.

In the rear of it, on Short Street, was the old Methodist Church--the first of this denomination in the "metropolis of the West." The Methodists worshipped here until 1822, when they removed to Church Street between Upper and Limestone.

The deed to the lot, purchased by Monks of Maddox Fisher and Mary, his wife, for $300, was for a "tract containing between 41 and 3 feet, the front beginning on Main street at a corner produced by Back street" (now Dewees) and "running with Back street to an alley between the Methodist Meeting House and said lot." The line ran "thence with said alley to William Fisher's lot, between 41 and 3 feet and with the line of his lot to Main street." Deeds described it as 41 and 43 feet on Main street for nearly 80 years, when it became a 42 foot front.

The 1818 Directory cites "Richard Monks, Weaver," Main Street, as evidence of his living here not long after he bought the lot. Mortgages to M. Fishel in 1822 and to the Bank of the United States in 1823 further affirm that Richard Monks and his wife, Jane, resided here. The Old Methodist House also is mentioned in all these deeds.

The Kentucky Reporter of May 21, 1828, published the following obituary of Richard Monks:

"Died in this town on Friday last (May 16) Mr. Richard Monks, Sen. one of our oldest citizens. At an early period he emigrated from Europe and has been a citizen of Lexington for 30 or 40 years. He was probably the first practical weaver of this town. He has left as an inheritance to his descendants an unsullied name, together with a knowledge of his profession to his sons, which under more propitious conditions, and a more decided American feeling in our councils, we trust will secure to them independence and riches."

The "lot of ground with all the houses and appurtenances" was sold at public auction on December 13, 1830, as the outcome of a suit brought by Michael Fishel against the heirs of Richard Monks.

Elizabeth Harrison became the purchaser. The deed, made October 31, 1833, showed the old church was gone. It said the lot extended on "Back Street to alley between the Methodist Meeting House (now Warner's lot) and said lot, thence with alley to Fisher's (now Downes) lot between 41 and 43 feet," etc., "being the same lot and house at present occupied by the said Harrison."

A mortgage of Elizabeth Harrison in 1842 and another in 1843 said it was the "same property now occupied as a residence by Elizabeth Harrison, having on it a two-story brick house and other buildings." A mortgage deed in 1856 to Samuel B. Harrison to cover indebtedness of $4,206 covered:

"A lot of land on Main street opposite the plank yard of F. Montmullin, Sr., and adjoining the residence of Mr. Price, it being the lot on which I now reside and the same conveyed to me by Commissioner October 31, 1833."

Samuel B. Harrison mortgaged the property June 4, 1880, to Robert R. Stone. In 1884 it was sold at public auction, as a result of a suit brought by B.G. Thomas, administrator of Samuel B. Harrison, and Patrick Ryan became the purchaser. Ryan conveyed it to M.N. Sellers in 1892. Not many years afterward, L.B. Shouse, now president of the Lafayette Hotel Co., engaged successfully in his first business venture here, in partnership with J.T. Looney, long hailed as the "Burgoo King of Kentucky."

The building was used as a grocery during the latter part of the nineteenth century--and the rear part was a grocery a hundred years ago. Mrs. Harrison took a mortgage on "the entire stock in trade in groceries contained or kept in his grocery store on the corner of Main and ________ streets" in 1848 from Wm. E. Harrison (presumably her son). In 1837 she had deeded to Mary Ann E. Harrison "in consideration of natural love and affection to a daughter, a house, lot and appurtenances on the corner of Main and Cherry streets, opposite Samuel Redd's factory; also, a grocery store and its whole contents, one dark brown settee, nine chairs of same color, and Scotch carpet, one certain bedstead, bed and furniture, also all my household and kitchen furniture, together with the buildings, etc."

"Cherry street" appears to have been the name of Dewees Street then--the grocery store was in the rear. The "factory" was across Back street.

The 1838 Directory confirms this in the following:

Mrs. E. Harrison, boarding house, 133 E. Main St., corner Back.
William Harrison grocer, Back St. near E. Main.
Samuel Redd (Redd & Miller) upper end of E. Main St.
Redd & Miller, rope and bagging manufacturer, 135 E. Main St.

That the house was built before 1814 is shown by the following ad in the Reporter March 18, 1814:

"For sale--A HOUSE and Lot situated on Main and Back streets, the House built of brick, opposite Redd & Womack's Carriage shop (the latter was on the north-east corner). There is an excellent pump on the lot. For terms enquire of RICHD. MONKS on the premises.

Source: Old Houses of Lexington, C. Frank Dunn, typescript, n.d., copy located in the Kentucky Room, Lexington (Kentucky) Public Library.

Transcribed by pb, June 2006