"Kentucky: A History of the State" by W. H. Perrin, J. H. Battle & G. C. Kniffin  

(copyright 1887) 

(transcribed by Cathy Schultz)

EDMONSON COUNTY was formed in 1825, and was the seventy-ninth organized in the State.  Hart, Warren, and Grayson contributed to its territory, and it was named in honor of Capt. John Edmonson, a Virginian, who came to Kentucky in 1790 and settled in Fayette County, and who commanded a company of riflemen in Col. John Allen’s regiment, and was killed in the disastrous battle of the River Raisin.  Green River divides the county, flowing from east to west nearly through the center, and with its tributaries affords excellent drainage.  It is bounded on the north by Grayson County, on the east by Hart and Barren, on the south by Warren, on the west by Warren and Butler, and by the last census (1880) had 7,222 inhabitants.  The land is rolling, and in places rough and hilly; upon the whole the county is rather a poor one as regards agriculture, but it is rich in natural wonders and in mineral wealth.  In this county is the world-renowned Mammoth Cave; in different parts of it are mineral springs, and coal is considered almost inexhaustible.  The census of 1880 shows the number of bushels of corn raised to have been 328,159; wheat. 22,858; pounds of tobacco, 450,676, and other crops in similar proportions.

                Brownsville, the seat of justice of Edmonson County, is a small village of only a few hundred inhabitants.  It was laid out in 1828, and was named for Gen. Jacob Brown.  It is situated on Green River, and is near the center of the county.  It is well supplied with churches and schools.  Other villages and postoffices in the county are Rocky Hill, Cornelian Springs, and Big Reedy.  None of the towns and villages are of large size.

                Edmonson County is almost without railroads; the Louisville & Nashville passes through the southeast corner – Rocky Hill Station being in this county.  More railroads would go far toward developing the material resources and enriching the county and people.  The land was not settled as early as some portions of southern Kentucky, and being a portion of Warren County originally, its early settlement is closely connected with the latter.

                The Mammoth Cave, one of the greatest natural wonders of the world, and the largest cave ever discovered or explored, is in this county.  It is only half a mile from Green River, and about eight miles from the Louisville & Nashville Railroad.  Visitors usually debark from the road either at Cave City or at Glasgow Junction.  For an excellent historical description of this great wonder of nature, the reader is referred to Appendix A, page 583, of this volume.  But th Mammoth is not the only cave in the county.  There are several others, but of much less note, as well  as other natural wonders.

                Indian Hill is one of those peculiar elevations common in Kentucky.  It it is about a mile in circumference, and rises gradually and with great regularity on all sides except one, which is nearly perpendicular, to a height of nearly 100 feel above the level of the surrounding plain.  Upon the summit of the hill were indications of a fortification, and in the immediate vicinity were a number of mounds and burial places.  Not the least curiosity of the place is a fine spring of water issuing from the rock on the brow of the hill.  Dismal Rock, on a small stream called Dismal Creek, is a perpendicular rock rising to an altitude of 160 feet.

                JOHN A. BUTTRAM, son of William and Jenny (Parker) Buttram, was born January 24, 1849, in Scott County, Tenn.  His parents, also natives of Scott County, had a family of seven boys and three girls, of whom John A. is the fourth son.  William Buttram was a farmer, and a son of James and Gillie (Keetin) Buttram, who were of Irish and Dutch descent respectively.  John A. was reared on a farm, and at the age of fourteen enlisted in Company H. Fifty-second Kentucky Federal Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war.  He then engaged in farming about one and a half miles from his present place, in Edmonson County.  February 20, 1865, he married Sarah A. Johnson, daughter of John and Mary (Wells) Johnson, and to their union have been born Laura J., Mary E., William D., Edward V, Benjamin C, Marcellus A., Jesse A and Junietta (deceased).  Mrs. Buttram is a member of the Baptist Church.  Mr. Buttram has held the offices of marshal, constable and deputy sheriff of Edmonson County, and is now serving as assessor.  He owns 140 acres of land, seventy of which are under cultivation, and conducts a saw and grist-mill.  He cast his first presidential vote for Gen. Grant.

                JACOB M. DUVALL, son of Gabriel and Ellen Duvall, is the third in a family of three boys and two girls, and was born in April, 1848, in Edmonson County, Ky.  His father, Gabriel Duvall, a son of Jacob and Elizabeth Duvall, was reared on a farm; at the age of nineteen he married Ellen French, and commenced farming in Edmonson County.  At the age of thirty he moved with his family to Jasper County, Ill., where he and his wife both died.  After their death the children were reared by their uncle, Thomas Duvall, who brought them back to Edmonson County, Ky.  At the age of twenty-one Jacob Duvall began for himself; he raised a crop, and in the fall taught school for one term, and has since taught four terms.  In February, 1874, he married Patie Jones, who was a native of Kentucky.  To Mr. and Mrs. Duvall the following children were born:  Vitruly, Iduna, Ulysses, Cora Bellmar, and an infant daughter.  Since his marriage Mr. Duvall has followed farming, and now owns about 600 acres, of which 160 acres are under cultivation; he also trades in stock, and is one of the enterprising men of his community.  He served as sheriff one year by appointment; in politics he is a Democrat.

            L. M. HAZELIP was born in Edmonson County, Ky., July 28, 1832.  He is the sixth in a family of ten boys and six girls born to Merry and Jane (Stranger) Hazelip.  He was reared on a farm, and at the age of twenty began life for himself.  He worked one year for his brother, and then commenced farming on his own account, which he followed for about four years.  He then engaged at shoe-making at Brownsville, which trade he followed for two years; then attended Camden Seminary, Barren County, for five months, after which he returned home and attended school three months.  He then taught three terms of three months each – two terms in Allen County and one term in Edmonson.  Later he commenced the study of law with Veachel H. Jones at Glasgow, Ky., and was admitted to the bar in 1862.  He commenced the practice of his profession at Brownsville, where he still continues, meeting with good success.  Mr. Hazelip’s home is on a farm one and a quarter miles west of Brownsville.  He owns 500 acres, about 225 of which are under cultivation.  By his first marriage, which occurred in 1854, two daughters were born.  His second marriage took place in 1868, with Ester J. Madison, who has borne him six children – three boys and three girls.  Mr. Hazelip was elected county attorney in 1863, and afterward served two terms by appointment.  He was elected to the State Legislature in 1867, and served one term; was elected county judge in 1874, and served two terms.  Politically he is a Republican.  Mrs. Hazelip is a member of the Baptist Church.

                JOHN L. HAZELIP was born January 10, 1849, in Edmonson County, Ky.  He is the fourth of two boys and two girls born to Martin and Elizabeth (Jolly) Hazelip.  The parents were both natives of Edmonson County; the father was a farmer and died in that county; the mother is still living.  John L. attended the common schools, and later the college at Cave City, about fifteen months.  After his return from college he wrote for about two years in the office of the county clerk; was then appointed deputy sheriff, and served about three years: he also served as Deputy United States Marshal one year.  In 1878 he was appointed quarterly court clerk  and served until 1879, during which time and for a short afterward he studied law.  In March, 1879, he was admitted to the bar, and has since been engaged in the practice of law at Brownsville; he is now a law partner of P. F. Edwards, of Bowling Green.  He married October 25, 1881, Alice Rountree, daughter of O. H. and Elizabeth Rountree, and to them have been born Bertha E., July 27, 1882; Lillie R., December 24, 1883, and Dona, August 21, 1885.  Mr. Hazelip and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.  He has been master commissioner of Edmonson Circuit Court for five years.  Politically he sides with the Republicans.