260 E. Short St., Lexington, Fayette
County, Kentucky
Built 1839
Source: Old Houses of Lexington, C. Frank Dunn, typescript, n.d., copy located in the Kentucky Room, Lexington (Kentucky) Public Library.
Rev. London Ferrill, freed slave of royal African birth, who became one of the outstanding colored preachers more than a century ago, built this fine old residence in 1839. He purchased the lot next to the First African Baptist Church from Alfred Warner October 3, 1838.
Elijah Warner, famous clock-maker of early days and half-brother of Alfred Warner, to whom he willed the property in 1829, had bought the Old Methodist Meeting house that stood on the corner (built in 1806, of brick, succeeding a log cabin used by the Methodists beginning in 1789).
The Methodists sold the property in 1823 to Elijah Warner, who used it as a cabinet shop and clock factory until his death in 1829. His will stated that on the adjoining ground were "erected stables, carriage house and sheds."
Alfred Warner sold the old brick building on the corner to the First African Baptist Church February 6, 1833, and the remainder of the Short St. frontage to Rev. London Ferrill in 1838. Ferrill is listed in the 1818 Directory as a "waiter" and lived at that time in a frame house where the Esplanade now is located.
Ferrill died in 1854 and willed to "Elizabeth Jackson, a free girl of color reared by me, the brick house, being my present residence on Short St. opposite the residence of Thos. H. Waters," and 20 feet adjoining to her brother, "Eleanor Jackson, a free man of color reared by me," together with his frame house up the street.
"Alfred Warner had sold Ferrill the lot for $400 paid and that London hath conveyed and assigned to said Warner the services of a certain Negro boy named Henry, up to September 15, 1845.")
Ferrill willed that if the devisees named died before he did, the property was to be divided one-third each "for the use of the church of which I am now the pastor," the Morton City School and the Orphan Asylum. J.B. Johnson, Farmer Dewees and Thos. H. Waters were named the executors.
Robert H. Webb bought the property when it was sold in 1899 following a suit of "City of Lexington, for the use of Morton City School and the Lexington Orphan Asylum, vs. Robert H. Webb." Webb's administrator sold the house that year to Belle Rice whose executor sold it to W.E. Barron in 1911.
James T. Looney, the famous "Burgoo King," purchased the property and today operates the grocery store on the first floor.
Transcribed by pb October 2004