CHAS. H. WICKLIFFE HOME

323 S. Upper Street, Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Built 1813

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

There was a "red frame house" (now razed--vacant lot) here in 1810 when David Dodge sold a large lot to Thos. H. Pindell, together with the remains of his burned hemp factory in the rear of it.

Dodge's deed called for 64 feet fronting High Street and extending back to Maxwell's line (street). It included a frontage on Upper Street of 80 feet from the north property line of the old frame cottage (in this tour) "to a brick negro house to a 12 feet alley." The property was summed up as "the ground on which the said Dodge's rope walk, Negro house, red frame house, Stable, Yarn House, etc., stand."

"Pindell sold the Upper Street part of his lot in June, 1813, to Joseph Barbee, "to the corner of a Brick Shop now occupied by Joseph Barbee" on Upper St. "at the alley" for $1,900.

Before March, 1817, Joseph Barbee had demolished the frame house and erected this two-story brick. He sold it that year to Wm. W. Graves. He built the adjoining brick at the same time and was residing in it.

The 1818 Directory lists "W.W. Graves, Merchant, dwelling Mill ST." On July 16, 1817, Wm. W. Graves and wife, Polly, issueda deed of trust on his residence to Hon. Wm. T. Barry to cover judgment of $1,306.23, ____ Worrell, Jennings, & Co., Philadelphia, Pa.

Graves sold his dwelling in December, 1817, to Charles Buck, partner of Daniel Bradford.

Charles Buck announced in the local press in 1820 that he had determined to move to Lexington for the purpose of educating my children and would take in "a few genteel boarders."

Buck sold the house to Col. Josiah Dunham in May, 1827, citing his residence then as Franklin County, Ky. He must have returned to Franklin County sooner than this, as an adjoining deed in December, 1826, referred to this house as "owned by Chas. Buck, in which Mrs. Porter now lives."

Eli F. king purchased the property from Colonel Dunham in 1831, and an adjoining deed in 1833 said it was "owned by Mr. Eli F. King and where he now lives."

Alfred Warner bought it in December, 1833, and occupied it as a residence. Alfred Warner (1838 Directory: "Manufacturer, r.s. S. Upper St. bet. High and Maxwell") owned considerable property here and elsewhere. He had bought the lot north of here, including the next brick house, and thus expanded the frontage of this property to 58 feet before he conveyed it.

Warner sold the house ten years later (58 feet) to Louisa (Clark) Wickliffe, wife of Chas. H. Wickliffe, Mayor of Lexington in 1839 and son of the noted early tavern-keeper Charles Wickliffe. The son met with many financial difficulties, finally losing a large grocery he operated at north-east corner of Short and Broadway, and other property. His wife had money in her own right, and had a trustee appointed for her real estate.

Mrs. Louisa Wickliffe sold the property to Wm. Sinclair in 1848 and bought a classical brick cottage on Constitution Street ("Josephus Happy House").

Wm. Sinclair and wife, Susanna, in March, 1849, sold "the present residence of the first parties" to Sarah Smith, who mortgaged it six months later, stating it was "at present occupied by David Tingle."

In December, 1864, Sarah Smith, "late of Toledo, Ohio and now of Milwaukee, Wis." Conveyed it to Mrs. Susan J. (Patrick) Stevens and Mrs. Mary E. (John) Ingles, "being the same house now rented by her to said Patrick Stevens." (The house next south was "owned by the heirs of Dr. Wm. H. Richardson," and next north was "the McConnell lot now owned by Shepherd,")

The property was sold by the Stevens and Ingles families by Commissioner for $2,200, to James W. johnson in July, 1867.

Johnson and Wife, Tabiths, conveyed the house and 58 feet, between "Mrs. P. Bishop and DR. roberts," extensing back "68 feet to the Old Dutch graveyard," in June 1870, to Asa Dodge and Wm. H. Holmes. In September, 1881, Daniel B. and Lydia M. Holmes gave their interest to Dodge, saying it was the property "conveyed to Mrs. Laura A. Holmes."

Dodge sold it to Fielding Powell in September, 1889. In 1892 Powell conveyed the property "between Bishop and Roberts," to Annie E, Fields.

Transcribed by Pam Brinegar, March 2000

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