FRANCIS HOSTETTER HOUSE

No. 242 E. 3rd St., Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Built 1840

James Sullivan, the purchaser of Lot. No. 11 from Rev. Edward McMahon, erected this brick cottage at the same time his neighbor built the two-story frame (1840).

Sullivan and his wife,  Mary Ann, sold the house to Francis Hostetter May 4, 1846, if not sooner.

Hostetter a year later (June 1, 1847) bought the old candle factory at Upper and Third Streets from James R. Sloan. The same day he conveyed his house here to Sloan.

Sloan, in releasing a loan on the former property, stated: "Whereas James R. Sloan and Elizabeth S., his wife, by deed June 1, 1847, sold and conveyed to Francis Hostetter a house and lot in the City of Lexington since used as a soap and candle factory...the same conveyed to J.R. Sloan by Wm. Self and wife."

Wm. Self is shown in the 1838 Directory as operating the industry there, and it had been a soap and candle factory since its establishment about 1817 by John D. Clifford.

Sloan, meeting with financial difficulties, had his trustee convey this house in 1851 to Simeon N. Drake, who sold it the next year to James O'Neil.

Chas. Hainey purchased it of O'Neil in 1854.

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

Transcribed by pb, July 2006