GRAYSON COUNTY

The county of Grayson was formed in 1810, and named in honor of Colonel William Grayson. It is situated in the west middle part of the State, and is bounded by Breckinridge and Hardin counties on the north ; east by Hart; south by Edmonson ; and west by Ohio county. The face of the county is generally level and the land about second rate. Wheat, corn, oats, grass and tobacco, are the principal productions. The total value of taxable property in this county in 1846, was $539,165 ; number of acres of land in the county, 130,222— average value of land per acre, $1,33 ; number of white males over twenty-one years of age, 1013; number of children between five and sixteen years of age, 1,506: population in 1840 was 4,461.

The principal water courses are Rock creek, Big and Little Clifty creeks, Pleasant Run, Cave creek, Bear creek and Caney creek. On the two last named creeks the bottoms are rich and fertile.

Like most of the counties of Kentucky, this abounds in mineral waters. There are an immense number of white sulphur springs, about one hundred of which are included in a small tract of land not more than a quarter of an acre in extent. These springs are situated within four miles of Litchfield, and are said to be more strongly impregnated with sulphur than any in the United States. Some of these springs are very cold, and some very warm, and it is said that many remarkable cures have been effected by the use of the waters.

The principal towns are Litchfield and Millerstown. Litchfield is the seat of justice, and is distant 110 miles from Frankfort. It contains a court house and other public buildings, one school, three stores, one grocery, two taverns, two doctors, two lawyers, one saddler, one gunsmith, one blacksmith, one shoemaker, one tannery: population 130. The town was named after David Leitch, who patented the land on which it stands. Millerstown is a small village, containing a population of 50 inhabitants.

Colonel William Grayson, for whom this county was named, was a native of Virginia. He was first elected a member of Congress in 1784. He was a member of the Virginia convention which was called to ratify the constitution of the United States. In this illustrious assembly his talents rendered him conspicuous. He opposed the adoption of the constitution. After the adoption of the constitution he was elected in conjunction with Richard H. Lee to represent his native State in the senate of the United States. He died March 12th, 1790, while on his way to Congress.