Francis Key Hunt's Home, Lexington, Fayette, Kentucky

FRANCIS KEY HUNT'S HOME
(Judge Watts Parker Home)

133 Barr St.
, Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Built 1840

Francis Key Hunt built this beautiful cottage after his marriage and lived here until he removed to his English castle, "Loudon," in 1851. Hunt had married Julia Warfield, daughter of Dr. Elisha Warfield, master of "the Meadows," June 23, 1840.

Hunt's father-in-law, Dr. Elisha Warfield, formally presented him and his wife with the lot on March 7, 1843. It was known as Lot No. 17 in the plat of Robert Barr, who gave it to his daughter, Maria, wife of Dr. Warfield and mother of Mrs. Hunt. Barr Street had not then been named and the lot was described as "90 feet in front on the new street laid off on said plat."

The deed recited that "whereas Robert Barr gave to his daughter, Maria Warfield, lot number 17 and she having given the same to her daughter, Julia G. Hunt, wife of Francis K. Hunt," it now (March 7, 1843) was the "wish & intention of Elisha and Maria, in consideration of the love and affection which they bear for their daughter, Julia, and her husband, F.K. Hunt, and for the further consideration of one cent" to convey the lot to them.

After Dr. Warfield became well established at "The Meadows," he conveyed to Mr. and Mrs. Hunt a large acreage for their new home, "Loudon," and the Hunts sold their Barr Street house to Dudley M. Craig for $4,500. It was described as being between the lots of Benj. Warfield and Mrs. C.A. Hickey and running back to an alley between these lots and E.P. Johnson's residence (Sayre College).

Craig, who died in 1868, willed it to his widow, Henrietta Craig. In 1871, Mrs. Henrietta Craig sold it for $12,000 to Mrs. Kate Clark, wife of Joseph Clark. She conveyed it August 6, 1881, to Annie M. Craig.

Judge Watts Parker, who is said to have bought it because he "would not live in a two-story house," purchased it from James C. Rogers in 1888. Since that time it has been generally known as the "Judge Parker House."

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

Transcribed by pb, October 2006