Pages 209-210

TURKEY FOOT PRECINCT- INTRODUCTORY AND DESCRIPTIVE - TOPOGRAPHY, TIMBER, ETC. - SETTLEMENT OF THE PIONEERS - THE NAME OF TURKEY FOOT - EARLY INDUSTRIES AND IMPROVEMENTS - VILLAGE AND POST OFFICE - CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, ETC., ETC.

Turkey Foot Precinct

Standing as we do down the stream of time far removed from its source, we must retrace its meanderings with scarce anything to guide save the few moldering relics of the past which lie along the shore, and even these grow fainter and still more faint, and uncertain as we near its fountain, if indeed, they are not wholly concealed in the debris of years. Written records grow less and less explicit, and finally fail altogether the nearer we approach the beginning of the community, whose life it is our purpose to rescue from the gloom of a fast receding past. The old pioneers have sunk to rest, after the toils and privations of the border, whither they had come, buoyed up with hope and renewed with vigor, to build, for themselves and loved ones, homes, amid beautiful scenery, while yet whoop of the Indian and the howl of the wolf resounded on every side. Here and there a white haired veteran, bowed with the weight of years and toil, who was born has been reared upon the soil, remains to tell us of those days "lang syne" and from their lips principally we have received the data from which to weave the fabric of this history.

That portion of Scott County, now known as Turkey Foot or Election Precinct No. 6, lies in the north central part of the county, with Big Eagle Precinct on the north, Harrison County on the east, Oxford Precinct on the south, and Lytle's Fork and Georgetown Precincts on the west. The land is rough and broken, but is quite productive, and well adapted to tobacco raising. The timber was, originally beech, hickory, ash, mulberry, black walnut, etc., The principal streams are the East and West Forks of Big Eagle, which rise in Oxford Precinct, and flowing northward unite in Turkey Foot Precinct, thus forming Big Eagle Creek. From this circumstance the precinct received its name - the fancied resemblance of the junction of these streams to a turkey's foot.

The settlement of Turkey Foot Precinct dates back to a period more than ninety years gone by. Of the early settlers of the country now embraced in this precinct, we may mention William Vance, Asher Hinton, Benjamin Carr, - Reed, William Price, Abraham Fields, Benjamin Peck, Edward Burgess, Peter Antle, John Gibson, Patrick Watson, John and P. Hyles, Cornelius Butler, James Sutton, Joshua Murphy, Joseph Leach and others. Mr. Vance settled near Turkey Foot Post Office in 1790, on the farm now owned by his son, Capt. Joe Vance; Mr. Hinton and Mr. Carr also settled about 1790, on farms now owned respectively by their sons. Reed settled near Turkey Foot Post Office about the same time. He has a son, Eben Reed, still living in the precinct; William Price also settled about the same time, on the place now owned by Thomas Hyles. Jocob Price, his son, lives in the precinct. These early settlers, with the others mentioned above, are all dead, but many of them have descendants in the neighborhood, who occupy the lands of their ancestors.

Nothing is more common than to hear the aged, pioneer, when in a loquacious mood, relate the difficulties, hardships and discomforts of his early trials, without it is to hear him tell how free, how cheerful, and how glorious were the days of his early pioneer life, when free, and "wild, as the wild bird, and untaught, with spur and bridle undefiled," they lived, untrammeled by the conventionalities of fashionable life. Both of his pictures are true. What was pleasant and beautiful, was so in excess; and what of life there was that was fought with danger and deprivations, and obstacles to be surmounted, was bitter indeed. Though there are none of the original settlers now living, there are those who, born here in the pioneer days, remember some of the early scenes, and have so often heard the story from their ancestors as to be as familiar with the hardships of frontier life as though they had personally experienced them. In a country like this, even its wildest state, there was not so much of uncompensated hardship for the hunter and trapper, considered by himself, provided he had good health. But to men with families, weakly women and helpless children, there were seasons when, in behalf of his family, great suspense and anxiety fell to his lot. He could move from danger; he could seek supplies and shelter, but his family could not. It is unnecessary to go very minutely into the details of pioneer family history; it is "an old, old story." The pioneer's battle with danger, privation and poverty; his daily struggle for the necessaries of life, is an oft-repeated tale, and needs no repetition here.

The early industries of Turkey Foot Precinct were comprised in mills, tanneries, distilleries, etc. Among the pioneer mills were those of Holden & Hyles, Steele's, Hinton's and perhaps one or two other small affairs. Holden & Hyles' was situated on a fork of Big Eagle creed; Steele's also was on the same stream. Hinton's was a horse-power mill, and was in the southern part of the precinct. A tannery was started by William Jackson in 1805; and some years later, on was opened by a man named Brissy. Both have long since ceased operation, and no trace of them now exist. Pemberton's distillery, on a fork of Big Eagle Creek, was the first whiskey factory in the precinct. Another distillery was built in 1826, by John Price, in the eastern part of the precinct. There is no trace left of either of these early institutions. A distillery was built by Samuel Greene about 1860, but it is not now in operation.

The first road through Turkey Foot was known as the "Turkey Foot road", and ran from Harrison County through the little hamlet of Turkey Foot to Georgetown, and was laid out about the year 1795. The only pike is the Lexington & Covington pike, formerly known as the Dry Run pike. It is the dividing line between Turkey Foot and Lytle's Fork Precincts.

The village of Turkey Foot is a small collection of houses, and contains a store, a blacksmith shop, church, Masonic lodge, post office, etc. The place was settled about the year 1790, by William Vance, as already noted. The Postmaster of Turkey Foot is Mandeville Hinton.

The Christian Church at Turkey Foot was organized in 1854, and a frame church building put up. Among the ministers that have officiated to its congregations are, Elders Brown, Rogers, Williams, John A. Gano, Sr. and perhaps others. The church has now about one hundred members. Elder Gunn is the present pastor.

A schoolhouse was built on the farm of George Maddox about 1850, and Samuel Greene was the first teacher in it. There is no school there now; house long since torn down. The precinct is somewhat deficient in educational facilities. The only school now in the precinct is taught in the church at Turkey Foot, by Frank Sutton, who has some thirty pupils. Like most of Scott County, the people depend chiefly on private schools and academies for the educating of their children. - Perrin

Source:
History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison & Nicholas Counties, Kentucky, Edited by William Henry Perrin, 1882
Previously submitted by Jo Thiessen