Kentucky Union Land Company records

Abstract

These papers relate to the Kentucky Union Land Company, in particular its efforts to secure lands in eastern Kentucky for the Kentucky Union Railway Company.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Kentucky Union Land Company records
Date
1791-1935 (inclusive)
Bulk, 1880-1899 (bulk)
Extent
6.0 Cubic feet
Subjects
Land companies--Kentucky.
Land tenure--Kentucky.
Railroad land grants.
Railroads--Kentucky--History.
Arrangement
Organized into the following series: Correspondence (1811-1935, undated), Financial Papers (1864-1934, undated), Business and Legal Papers, Maps, Miscellaneous, and Oversize Materials.
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by Processed by Beth Eifler; machine-readable finding aid created by Beth Eifler
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Kentucky Union Land Company records, 1791-1935, bulk 1880-1899, 59M110, Special Collections and Digital Programs, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
The Kentucky Union Land Company (KULC) was a subsidiary of the Kentucky Union Railway Company and was responsible primarily for conducting surveys, purchasing lands through which the railway would run, and securing the right of way for the railway. The Kentucky Union Railway line eventually crossed over 500,000 acres of valuable coal, iron, and timber lands, lying mostly in the eastern Kentucky counties of Breathitt, Perry, and Letcher. Two of the land company's agents were George W. Sewell, who was also a Kentucky legislator, and James McGuire of Irvine, Kentucky. Capt. J.M. Thomas and Mr. Benjamin Crawford were also responsible for purchasing a large body of lands for the KULC.
The Kentucky Union Railway Company was reorganized in 1894 as the Lexington and Eastern Railway Company and later purchased in 1909 by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company.
Scope and Content
These papers relate to the Kentucky Union Land Company, in particular its efforts to secure lands in eastern Kentucky for the Kentucky Union Railway Company. Materials consist of correspondence, financial papers, legal documents, and maps. The financial papers include bills, receipts, cancelled checks, expense reports, agreements, stock certificates, memorandum, and some correspondence. Legal documents include surveys and surveyors' reports, deeds and indentures, and court records dealing with land disputes. Most of the deeds, indentures, and surveys in the collection are copies made in the 1870s-1890s, but there are also a few original materials dating from 1791-1869. Some family histories may be traced through the deeds and other court documents, including that of Samuel C. Young, the McGuire Family, and Baronness Caroline Von Roques of France. There are also a few miscellaneous documents relating to businesses owned by the land company, including the Three Forks City Company, St. Helen's Land, Coal and Iron Company of Frankfort, and the Kentucky Industrial Consolidation Company of Clay City.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Use Restrictions
Copyright has not been assigned to the University of Kentucky.

Contents of the Collection

CORRESPONDENCE, 1811-1935, undated

Scope and Contents note

Letters mostly concern land purchases. Arranged chronologically by date.

February 18, 1811-December 20, 1888

  • Box 1, Folder 1
To top

April 17, 1889-September 24, 1889

  • Box 1, Folder 2
To top

January 9, 1890-July 18, 1893

  • Box 1, Folder 3
To top

July 31, 1895-November 8, 1899

  • Box 1, Folder 4
To top

January 13, 1900-September 22, 1902

  • Box 1, Folder 5
To top

February 7, 1905-November 29, 1935

  • Box 1, Folder 6
To top

undated

  • Box 1, Folder 7
To top

FINANCIAL PAPERS, 1864-1934, undated

Scope and Contents note

Included are stock certificates, cancelled checks, bills, receipts, expense reports, agreements, memorandum, and some correspondence. Arranged chronologically by date.

1860s-1870s

  • Box 2, Folder 1
To top

1880s

  • Box 2, Folder 2
To top

1890-1897

  • Box 2, Folder 3
To top

1898-1899

  • Box 2, Folder 4
To top

1900s

  • Box 2, Folder 5
To top

undated

  • Box 2, Folder 6
To top

Cancelled checks, 1869-1934

  • Box 2, Folder 7
To top

Stock certificates, Kentucky Industrial Consolidation Company, December 1, 1890

  • Box 2, Folder 8
To top

Other Cases

Brun d' Aubignose, et al. vs. De Redern, et al.

  • Box 3, Folder 6
To top

Lewellen Bush and heirs [Please note that Lewellen Bush is also referred to as Loualen Bush in other parts of this collection.]

  • Box 3, Folder 7
To top

Geo T. Cotton vs. Nathan Noble, et al.

  • Box 3, Folder 8
To top

Frank Hieronymous vs. George Calmes

  • Box 3, Folder 9
To top

Patsy Hoskins, et al.

  • Box 3, Folder 10
To top

Claims involving the Kentucky Union Land Company

  • Box 3, Folder 11
To top

Socrates Kincaid, et al. vs. William Gray, et al.

  • Box 3, Folder 12
To top

George W. McCormick vs. E.C. Strong

  • Box 3, Folder 13
To top

Claims involving the McGuire family

  • Box 3, Folder 14
To top

Bela McHughes vs. William Rice, et al.

  • Box 3, Folder 15
To top

Thomas Mendenhall, et al. vs. Abraham Fowler

  • Box 4, Folder 1
To top

F.B. Quisenberry vs. J.D. Spencer

  • Box 4, Folder 2
To top

Thomas L. Sewell, et al. vs. Dictator Cannel Coal Co.

  • Box 4, Folder 3
To top

Samuel Smith vs. William McGuire

  • Box 4, Folder 4
To top

James Snowden vs. James McGuire

  • Box 4, Folder 5
To top

Taylor, et al. vs. Nathan Noble, et al.

  • Box 4, Folder 6
To top

Trabue vs. Samuel Smith

  • Box 4, Folder 7
To top

Trumble vs. Spencer, Prior, Buchanon

  • Box 4, Folder 8
To top

Von Roques vs. Armstrong, et al.

  • Box 4, Folder 9
To top

Miscellaneous

  • Box 4, Folder 10
To top

BUSINESS AND LEGAL PAPERS

COURT CASES

Scope and Contents note

Materials include agreements, judgments, rights of way, powers of attorney, deeds, surveys, and other legal papers. Papers relating to specific families and tracts of land have been kept together as much as possible.

Pre-existing Files

Scope and Contents note

These files were created by the Kentucky Union Land Company and pertain to cases regarding specific tracts of land. The files have been left in the order prescribed by a list provided for each file. These files are incomplete and researchers should be aware that other papers relating to these tracts of land may be found elsewhere within the collection.

William Cockrill lands

  • Box 3, Folder 1
To top

David Ross and James Currie lands

  • Box 3, Folder 2
To top

J.M. Thomas lands

  • Box 3, Folder 3
To top

St. Helen's Land, Coal, and Iron Company lands (part 1)

  • Box 3, Folder 4
To top

St. Helen's Land, Coal, and Iron Company lands (part 2)

  • Box 3, Folder 5
To top

DEEDS, circa 1791-1893

Scope and Contents note

Deeds concern lands in the following Kentucky counties: Owsley, Bourbon, Lincoln, Estill, Powell, Clay, Montgomery, Breathitt, Woodford, Clark, Madison, Morgan, Mason, and Lee; as well as the Virginia (now West Virginia) counties of Kenhawa (now Kanawha), Monroe, Harrison, and Fayette. There are also some indentures, powers of attorney, and surveys included with the deeds. Land records detail the names and relationships of sellers and purchasers, a description and location of the real estate and/or personal property in question, the selling price, and sale and filing dates. Often provided are the names and relationships of prior owners, ancestors, and neighbors. Arranged alphabetically by grantor's last name; chronologically by date thereunder.

A

  • Box 5, Folder 1
To top

B

  • Box 5, Folder 2
To top

C

  • Box 5, Folder 3
To top

D

  • Box 5, Folder 4
To top

E

  • Box 5, Folder 5
To top

F

  • Box 5, Folder 6
To top

G

  • Box 5, Folder 7
To top

H

  • Box 5, Folder 8
To top

J

  • Box 5, Folder 9
To top

K

  • Box 5, Folder 10
To top

L

  • Box 5, Folder 11
To top

McGuire family

  • Box 5, Folder 12
To top

M

  • Box 6, Folder 1
To top

N

  • Box 6, Folder 2
To top

P

  • Box 6, Folder 3
To top

R

  • Box 6, Folder 4
To top

Sh-St

  • Box 6, Folder 5
To top

Su-Sw

  • Box 6, Folder 6
To top

T

  • Box 6, Folder 7
To top

W

  • Box 6, Folder 8
To top

LAND SURVEYS

Scope and Contents note

Surveys are often accompanied by field notes and maps.

Pre-existing Files

Scope and Contents note

These files include copies of surveys of lands in Fayette and Madison counties made between 1783 and 1798.

Files for Patron Use

Fayette County, Nos. 1-34 (1783-1784)

  • Box 7, Folder 1
To top

Fayette County, Nos. 35-59 (1784)

  • Box 7, Folder 2
To top

Madison County, Nos. 7-9, 32-67 (1788-1797)

  • Box 7, Folder 3
To top

Madison County, Nos. 68-98 (1798)

  • Box 7, Folder 4
To top

Restricted Files

Fayette County, Nos. 1-34 (1783-1784)

  • Box 7, Folder 5
To top

Fayette County, Nos. 35-59 (1784)

  • Box 7, Folder 6
To top

Madison County, Nos. 7-9, 32-67 (1788-1797)

  • Box 7, Folder 7
To top

Madison County, Nos. 68-98 (1798)

  • Box 7, Folder 8
To top

Field Note Booklets

Scope and Contents note

These field notes mostly pertain to land owned by the St. Helen's Land, Coal, and Iron Company.

Chronological table of St. Helen's; unlabeled St. Helen's notebook

  • Box 8, Folder 1
To top

Report on St. Helen's lands (4 notebooks)

  • Box 8, Folder 2
To top

St. Helen's surveys, ink copy books 2-8

  • Box 8, Folder 3
To top

St. Helen's lands, field notebooks 1-2

  • Box 8, Folder 4
To top

St. Helen's lands, field notebooks 3-4

  • Box 8, Folder 5
To top

St. Helen's lands, memorandum nos. 1-2

  • Box 8, Folder 6
To top

R.M. Jones notes on St. Helen's lands

  • Box 8, Folder 7
To top

James M. Bourne's notebooks on St. Helen's lands and Cane Creek

  • Box 8, Folder 8
To top

Thomas L. Sewell lands

  • Box 8, Folder 9
To top

Field notes of Lovell and Garrett lands in Wolfe County, Kentucky, W.A. Ward, Surveyor

  • Box 8, Folder 10
To top

Notes of Four Mile Circle, Books No. 1-2, March 25-June 18, 1890

  • Box 8, Folder 11
To top

Other Surveys, 1880s-1890s

Scope and Contents note

Arranged alphabetically by name of tract.

Adams and Crow

  • Box 9, Folder 1
To top

W.S. Allen

  • Box 9, Folder 2
To top

Anderson and Chenault

  • Box 9, Folder 3
To top

James Barnett (and heirs)

  • Box 9, Folder 4
To top

George A. Begley

  • Box 9, Folder 5
To top

Bush and Ponder

  • Box 9, Folder 6
To top

John Carnan

  • Box 9, Folder 7
To top

Thomas Carter

  • Box 9, Folder 8
To top

Thomas Hart

  • Box 9, Folder 9
To top

R.M. Jones Surveyor's Reports

  • Box 9, Folder 10
To top

McGuire and Cochran

  • Box 9, Folder 11
To top

John Marr (and heirs)

  • Box 9, Folder 12
To top

Mill branch and farm

  • Box 9, Folder 13
To top

J.M. Oliver's field notes (location unknown)

  • Box 9, Folder 14
To top

David Ross and James Currie

  • Box 9, Folder 15
To top

William M. Smith

  • Box 9, Folder 16
To top

Isham Stamper

  • Box 9, Folder 17
To top

Richard Thompson

  • Box 9, Folder 18
To top

Ephraim Thomson

  • Box 9, Folder 19
To top

MISCELLANEOUS

Scope and Contents note

Included are stock certificates, options to buy land, proxy votes, powers of attorney, and agreements. Arranged chronologically by date.

Powers of Attorney, 1805-1887

  • Box 10, Folder 1
To top

Legal agreements, 1812-1831

  • Box 10, Folder 2
To top

Legal agreements, 1883-1907, undated

  • Box 10, Folder 3
To top

Lieutenant S.T. Leary, request for leave of absence, March 22, 1865

  • Box 10, Folder 4
To top

Options to buy lots in Clay City, Powell County, Kentucky, April-May 1889

  • Box 10, Folder 5
To top

Southern Mutual Investment Company, Skookum Gulch Pool, November 1897

  • Box 10, Folder 6
To top

Proxy votes, June 1900-January 1915

  • Box 10, Folder 7
To top

Proxy votes, June 1915-April 1919

  • Box 10, Folder 8
To top

Proxy votes: miscellaneous notes

  • Box 10, Folder 9
To top

Board of Directors Meeting, June 2, 1919

  • Box 10, Folder 10
To top

In the matter of the Application of Bernard Francis Rollo, as foreign committee of the estate of Hugh Hamilton Stafford Northcote, an incompetent person, for the appointment of a committee in New York. Supreme Court, New York County. August 16, 1912.

  • Box 10, Folder 11
To top

Miscellaneous notes

  • Box 10, Folder 12
To top

MAPS

Scope and Contents note

Included are hand drawn maps and blueprints of maps. The maps are typically plats, showing property lines as well as the size of the land. In some cases, maps reveal the history of land ownership for that property. Organized alphabetically by family or plot name associated with the land portrayed on map. Additional maps may be found in the Oversize section.

Bush and Ponder

  • Box 11, Folder 1
To top

J.C. Cassidy

  • Box 11, Folder 2
To top

Leander Coomer

  • Box 11, Folder 3
To top

Thomas Duckham

  • Box 11, Folder 4
To top

C.K. Falkoner

  • Box 11, Folder 5
To top

John Gilliam tract

  • Box 11, Folder 6
To top

Samuel Hill

  • Box 11, Folder 7
To top

Lands upon the waters of Sandy Creek: Stephen Thompson Mason, William Thos. Hayes, and Robert Cochran

  • Box 11, Folder 8
To top

L&E Ry. Main Line; L&E Depot; County Road to Cat Creek; County Road to River; surveyed by J.B. Hall, October 1, 1897

  • Box 11, Folder 9
To top

Mrs. Lovelace

  • Box 11, Folder 10
To top

William H. Simms

  • Box 11, Folder 11
To top

MISCELLANEOUS

Clippings

  • Box 11, Folder 12
To top

"On Education."

  • Box 11, Folder 13
To top

Samuel Young Family History (from family Bible)

  • Box 11, Folder 14
To top

OVERSIZE MATERIALS

FINANCIAL

J. Kennedy Tod and Co. in a/c with Charles Hendries, April 27, 1891 - 7 October 1892

  • Box 12, Folder 1
To top

LEGAL

Land Grant to James McGuire, Estill County, June 21, 1826

  • Box 12, Folder 2
To top

Land Grant to James McGuire, Sr., Owsley County, March 5, 1855

  • Box 12, Folder 3
To top

MAPS

Scope and Contents note

For preservation purposes, these maps have been arranged according to size. Untitled maps have been identified using names of land owners and/or key locations depicted on the map. Dates have been noted when present, but most of the maps are undated.

Samuel Young, Richard Thompson, and Grigsby & Elkins lands, undated (2 maps)

  • Box 12, Folder 4
To top

Copy of original plats of Madison Co. surveys, showing connection of others with no. 44; shows Shores, Crooke, Barnett, and Marr lands

  • Box 12, Folder 5
To top

McGuire vs. Thompson, undated [removed from court cases; includes 3 maps and 1 survey.]

  • Box 12, Folder 6
To top

Miscellaneous unidentifiable maps, plats, and surveys

  • Box 12, Folder 7
To top

Surveyed by R.C. Mansfield on January 16-17, 1889; copied from Mansfield's plat

  • Box 12, Folder 8
To top

Lands along the borders of Letcher, Leslie, and Perry Counties (Beehive, Owens, Beech, Clover, Lynn, Stoney, and Beech Rock)

  • Box 12, Folder 9
To top

Lands near Grigsby & Elkins line; John Edwards tract

  • Box 12, Folder 10
To top

Cornett lands; Beech Fork; Big Leather

  • Box 12, Folder 11
To top

Map showing W.S. Allen's land on the waters of Quicksand Creek (2 copies)

  • Box 12, Folder 12
To top

Map showing relationship of V.P. Richardson, R.M. Morton, and William Bowen, Jr. lands to estate of Hesekiah Morton, dec'd, and the division of said estate between 8 heirs-at-law. Plotted from field notes of R.M. Jones, August 13, 1891.

  • Box 12, Folder 13
To top

Plot of KULC's lands at Bowen, Powell County, Kentucky, to accompany letter of R.C. Ballard Thruston to E.T. Halsey, Receiver, dated June 26, 1891

  • Box 12, Folder 14
To top

Land in controversy in the case of Samuel Smith vs. William McGuire, et al. (1 survey and 1 map)

  • Box 12, Folder 15
To top

Isham Stamper plat (3 copies with one marked as an exhibit in the case of Kentucky Union Land Company vs. Cornett, et al.)

  • Box 12, Folder 16
To top

W.S. Allen lands, tract no. 1 (2 maps)

  • Box 12, Folder 17
To top

Grigsby & Elkins lands

  • Box 12, Folder 18
To top

Platted from R.M. Jones field notes on Red River lands; showing Maples McNabb lands

  • Box 12, Folder 19
To top

Thomas Duckham lands

  • Box 12, Folder 20
To top

Big Beech Corner; Barnett line; Marr line

  • Box 12, Folder 21
To top

Thomas Franklin - map with survey of plat

  • Box 12, Folder 22
To top

Original plat of Thomas Franklin Survey (copy), 10-6-1890

  • Box 12, Folder 23
To top

Entire survey made by Buckner deed; Tracing from report of Ira G. Profitt in suit of Loualen Bush's Admr. vs. Jas. W. Moore, et al.; filed Oct. 29, 1873 [Please note that Loualen Bush is also referred to as Lewellen Bush in other parts of this collection.]

  • Box 12, Folder 24
To top

St. Helen's Land Company lands, Lee County, Kentucky

  • Box 12, Folder 25
To top

John W. Richards land tract no. 20; Wm. Combs and J.J. Byrne lands

  • Box 12, Folder 26
To top

Brashears and Cornett lands (3 copies)

  • Box 12, Folder 27
To top

Thomas Franklin survey, Fayette County, Kentucky; shows lands of John Carnan, Grason & brothers, and Samuel Young.

  • Box 12, Folder 28
To top

Brashears and Cornett lands; Mrs. A.J. Shepherd lands (2 maps)

  • Box 12, Folder 29
To top

McGuire, Snowden, and Dunaway lands

  • Box 12, Folder 30
To top

McGuire, Snowden, Dunaway, Barnett, and Adams & Crow lands

  • Box 12, Folder 31
To top

McGuire, Snowden, Dunaway, St. Helen's, and Vanderpool (or Jack) lands

  • Box 12, Folder 32
To top

Lands leased in 1891 to Samuel Hill, Frank Schwartz, Felix G. McGuire, J.C. Cassity, Jno. Plummer, Mrs. Lovelace, Chas K. Falkoner, Coomer, and Wm. H. Simms, et al.

  • Box 12, Folder 33
To top

MISCELLANEOUS

Heirs of James McGuire [2 genealogical charts]

  • Box 12, Folder 34
To top

Insurance for the Kentucky Union Land Company from May 11, 1901 to May 11, 1902, The Imperial Insurance Company Limited of London, England.

  • Box 12, Folder 35
To top

CITY PLANS

Three Forks City, KY, undated

  • Folder 13, Item 1
To top

UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.

UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

Requests

No items have been requested.



Submit a request for SCRC materials.




You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.