History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky, ed. by William Henry Perrin, O. L. Baskin & Co., Chicago, 1882. p. 672. [Harrison County] [Cynthiana City and Precinct] JAMES K. MEGIBBEN, distiller and farmer, P. O. Lair's Station, was born Clermont County, Ohio, May 15, 1844, to Wm. and Emily (Gelvin) McGibben. His father died when he was but an infant; was taken care of and supported by his older brother. In 1854, at the age of ten years, he came to Harrison County and began to work for himself by doing such work as his strength and age allowed, principally on a farm; at the age of nineteen began working in the distillery of John Shawhan, and continued the same until 1866, when he married and began farming, in partnership with his brother, T. J. Megibben; followed the same for about one year, when he, with his father-in-law, J. L. Shawhan, bought a distillery in Scott County, near Stamping Ground. In 1868 he sold out his business in Scott County and became a partner in the distillery business with his brother. In 1868-9 he built the distillery known as the "Excelsior No. 38." He is now the owner of an interest in two large distilleries, and is building a large distillery and flouring-mill at Lair's Station; has a farm of about 350 acres of the best land of Harrison County, pleasantly situated at Lair's Station, on the K.C. Railroad and the Cynthiana and Lair's Station Pike. Upon his farm he has a fine brick residence, which is spoken of as one of the finest residences of Harrison County. In 1866 he married Miss Mary E. Shawhan, a native of Harrison County. He is a Democrat. He has been a prominent member of the order of A.F. & A.M. at Cynthiana for a number of years. He is a thorough and energetic business man, always first in any public enterprise, and is well worthy of the high esteem in which he is held. Megibben McGibben Gelvin Shawhan = Scott-KY Clermont-OH http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/harrison/megibben.jk.txt