DANIEL TALBOT HOUSE

151 E. 2nd, Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Built 1818

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

Benj. Stout, “Admr. of D. Talbot, dec’d,” had an ad in the Kentucky Gazette in October, 1819: “to rent – a neat two-story brick house on Constitution Street near the residence of Mr. Matthew Kennedy. Apply to David Stout on Mulberry St.” Daniel Talbot died in April, 1817, and his administrators were Benjamin, Jonathan and David Stout.

The next year, the Lexington Public Advertiser carried an ad: “To be rented – A neat two-story Brick House and Garden on Constitution St., nearly opposite the residence of Mr. Matthew Kennedy. Apply to Mrs. Amy Talbott at Mr. David Stout’s, or to Benj. Stout.”

The “neat two-story Brick House” was sold by court decree February, 1825, in the suit of John Ward vs. Daniel Talbot’s heir, and resultant deeds revealed the fact that the house was then “occupied by the Rev. Richard Tidings.”

Rev. Tidings, pastor of the Methodist Church, had revived a languishing congregation following Dr. C.W. Cloud’s withdrawal several years before, and stimulated them to the point of erecting a new church in 1822, on Church Street between Limestone and Upper Streets. (The old church remains standing today, having later served as the City Hall, “Independence Hall” and Odd Fellows’ Hall).

Daniel Talbot’s house, sold by commissioner July 14, 1825, was bought by Thos. W. Miller and the deed transferred to his brother, Geo. Miller, Jr., June 20, 1828.

The latter on the same day conveyed to Evalina Burton “my house and lot on Constitution St. at present occupied by the Rev. Richard Tidings,” a negro slave Hannah, and “the following household furniture:”

“One Mahogany side-board, two Bureaus, one pair Cherry Dining Tables, one large and one small table, one Breakfast table of Cherry, two Rush bottom settees, 12 fancy Windsor Chairs and settee to match, one dozen more common chairs, one large print The Declaration of Independence, three smaller ones—two of Washington and one of Lafayette, two looking glasses gilt frames, three feather beds, bedsteads and furniture—together with my kitchen furniture and Con. Room and passage carpets, two prints of Shakespeare, window curtains, etc.

George Miller, Jr., died in May, 1831, and bequeathed to “my beloved wife, Evalina Miller, my Dwelling house and the entire lot of ground situated on Constitution St.” (He had purchased an additional 50 feet a few months before his death from Thos. and Nanette B. Smith, increasing his frontage from 90 to 140 feet).

He willed his wife a slave and “the Cart and two Court horses.” He gave his father his watch and seal, the latter prized as coming from his “deceased brother, Thomas.” To his nephew, Geo. Miller, he bequeathed his gold sleeve buttons and five slaves. He gave his brother, Henry, his bay stallion, “Havoc,” as well as the residue of his estate. He appointed his wife executrix with “the counsel and aid of my neighbor John Wirt.” Charlton Hunt and John Wirt witnessed the will.

The widow mortgaged the house and lot, “the same upon which the said Evalina at present resides,” in 1833 to Richard H. Chinn. In 1838 she conveyed the property (140 feet) to Smith Burton—it adjoined the lot on the east “formerly owned by John P. Eblin and now occupied by Mrs. Fleming,” and on the west “Thos K. Layton’s lot” (Vigus).

Burton mortgaged the lot, lying between D.L. Vigus and Susan Fleming, and “the house occupied by “Mrs. Evalina Miller” in 1840 to Joseph Beard.

Burton died July 19, 1849, the year of the second cholera plague, “at the room of his residence” and dictated his nuncupative will, with instructions that his friend, John Wilson, carry out his wishes. (Burton married Hannah Barker December 10, 1845).

In the meantime his neighbor, John Wirt, as City Collector, had been instructed by the Mayor and City Council to sell the house in October, 1840, for street improvement costs. The “Public Sale” ad stated that it was “now in possession of John Allen’s wife, late Mrs. Boyce,” and belonged to the heirs of George Miller. Joseph Beard bought it at the sale.

In September, 1848, Henry Miller, “of the District of Columbia, devisee of George Miller,” paid Beard for the taxes assessed by the City and took over the house.

Henry Miller and Catzarener, his wife, “of the District of Columbia,” sold the house and 140 feet, “being the property lately owned by George Miller, dec’d, and occupied by his widow at the time of her death,” to L.C. and T.G. Randall in 1848 for $1,800. Thos. G. Randall then built the mansion next west.

The Randalls, who were big manufacturers and merchants, suffered financial reverses and were compelled to surrender their entire holdings to their creditors in 1863. their rope and bagging factory at Seventh and Limestone, store on north-east corner of Upper and Water Streets, and their respective residences, slaves and entire estates were lost.

D.H. Davis, of Louisville, was deeded the Constitution Street property, and in September, 1865, sold it for $9,000 to Mrs. Sarah Aubrey, wife of R.J. Aubrey. The deed called for “the house and lot at present occupied by Thos. G. Randall as a residence” (155 feet between the lots of Mrs. Vigus and D.A. Sayre) and “the stable lot on the same street and opposite the residence of said Randall” (50 feet, between the lots of Sprake and Mrs. Wirt).

The Aubreys then sold their home across the street to Curtis J. Smith and moved into the Randall mansion.

Aubrey was the operator of a livery stable—the old Dr. Levi Herr place, which stood where the new Phoenix Hotel was built years later. In a mortgage deed in 1866, Aubrey described the livery stable as “separated by an alley from the property on which Gen. Leslie Combs resides.”

Included in the mortgage was “the house and lot on Constitution St. at present occupied by said Aubey and wife as a residence”—next to D.A. Sayre’s lot “now occupied by E. Frary,” and extending 145 feet to the lot of Mrs. Vigus.

The Aubrey sold the Old Talbot house in July, 1867, to Malachi Haley (30 feet). The deed said the eaves of the Ice House back of the Aubrey home overhung part of the ground sold, but that it was not to be molested.

Haley sold to J.M. Beasley in 1869, and he to N.T. Cheek in 1872. Cheek conveyed the historic house to Jeannie B. Sharp in 1876 "for $600 and one diamond cross-pin valued at $400” and $500 additional.

The Aubreys sold the Randall Mansion to Thos. D. Elmore, of Woodford County, in July, 1869, for $6,800.

Ada Meade Saffarans, famous actress and wife of Daniel T. Saffarans, bought the mansion several years later from Margaret Woolfolk, and today it is known as her former residence to the elder generation.

Transcribed by pb, April 2006