S.D. MCCULLOUGH'S FEMALE ACADEMY

"Sessions House"
164 Market Street, Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Built About 1834

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

Capt. Samuel D. McCullough, whose "Reminiscences" in the Lexington Public Library furnish a wealth of early local history, was conducting a female academy here a century ago.

The 1838 Directory carries an ad and also special mention in the introduction showing it was a flourishing institution. (It continued here for 14 years, according to Dr. Robert Peter). The Directory ad cited the "Lexington Female Academy, Samuel D. McCullough A.M., Principal, with two assistants, number of pupils averages from 40 to 60."

Hubbard B. Smith had sold 33 feet "adjoining the lot of the Episcopal Church on the north-east side" to David A. Sayre March 15, 1831, "together with the appurtenances." The latter was a log house which Peter Paul, Sr., stone cutter, had erected and resided in at an early date. Upon his death in 1822 he willed the log house to his daughter, who married Smith, and a frame house on the next half (33 feet) to his son, Peter Paul, Jr.

Mr. Sayre evidently razed the log structure and had John McMurtry, who became a famous architect, build this brick house as a "Sessions House" for the McChord Church, located farther up the block.

He also bought the frame house from Rev. John Ward in 1838 and sold it the next year to Wm. Iucho, who razed it and built an addition to his house (next north).

The 1838 Directory confirms the above statements in listing the house here, as follows:

Samuel D. McCullough, Female Academy         18 Market St.
Wm. Iucho, professor of music                      22 Market St.
John B. Tilford, merchant                             24 Market St.

As the only other buildings from Iucho's to the corner of Second Street were a "small brick office built by Major Thos. Bodley" (where the new apartment house now is) and the McChord Church (next north--burned), obviously Mr. Tilford resided in Professor Iucho's roomy house.

John Brand, the famous hemp manufacturer, bought the house in March, 1848 (the year before he died) from David A. Sayre and wife, Abby V. The deed stated that the "money (was) being paid to John McMurtry at the request of D.A. Sayre"--indicating that McMurtry had built the house.

Brand's heirs conveyed the property to Catherine Crosby, Philadelphia, Pa., in November, 1867, "known as the old Sessions Room." A supplemental deed from Harriet H. Brand's guardian in February, 1869, described the property as "a house and lot on Market St. adjoining the Episcopal Church and known as the Sessions Room, and at present occupied by J.J. Miller and used by him as the printing and business office of the Farmers Home Journal."

In her will made the same year (died 1871), "Catherine B. Crosby, of Philadelphia, Pa., but at present residing with my daughter, Mary J. Miller, wife of Col. J.J. Miller, in the city of Frankfort," devised all her real estate to her daughter.

Col. James J. Miller and wife sold the house in May, 1881, to Thomas Foreman and wife, who conveyed it two months late to Mary Payne Neville. Thirty years afterward Miss Zelinda Neville sold it to Waller O. Bullock, who later conveyed it to Mrs. Lizette H. Morgan.

Transcribed by pb, April 2006