Jack Jouett's Ride

Charlottesville, VA
Marker No. Q-17

Marker Text: On 4 June 1781, John "Jack" Jouett Jr. arrived at the Albemarle County Courthouse to warn the Virginia legislature of approaching British troops. The state government under Governor Thomas Jefferson had retreated from Richmond to reconvene in Charlottesville because of the threat of British invasion during the Revolutionary War. Jouett had spotted Colonel Banastre Tarleton and his 180 dragoons and 70 cavalrymen 40 miles east at Cuckoo Tavern, and rode through the night to reach here by dawn. Jouett's heroic ride, which allowed Jefferson and all but seven of the legislators to escape, was later recognized by the Virginia General Assembly, which awarded him a sword and a pair of pistols.

Location: At the corner of High and Park Streets, Courthouse Square at rear of the Albemarle County Courthouse. Erected by the Department of Historic Resources in 1998.

Photo taken with High Street in the background. Marker on northeast corner of the courthouse square.  Click any photo to enlarge.

  We continue our series of markers about Jack Jouett's ride from Cuckoo to Charlottesville with the marker indicating his arrival in Charlottesville and this marker is located in the Albemarle County Courthouse square.

  Upon reaching Thomas Jefferson's home at Monticello about 4:30 a.m. on June 4, 1781, Jouett proceeded at once to rouse the sleeping occupants. Among them, besides Jefferson, were the Speakers and other members of the two houses of the General Assembly. Jefferson not only thanked Jouett for his timely warning: but is understood to have tendered a bracing glass or two of his best Madeira. Refreshed, the rider mounted his horse and rode the remaining two miles to Charlottesville, where he awakened dozens more of Virginia's legislators, many at Swan's Tavern which once stood just about 150 feet south and across the street from this marker and was owned by Jack Jouett's father.

  Jefferson apparently took Jouett's warning seriously, but thought he had ample time to get away. Jefferson enjoyed breakfast along with other legislators staying at Monticello, then his guests joined their colleagues in town. Jefferson sent his family to safety at Enniscorthy Plantation fourteen miles away, via Blenheim, the Carter estate. He then spent nearly two hours securing and sorting his important state papers for packing or destruction. Technically, Jefferson was no longer Virginia's governor, his term had expired June 2. The government, however, would not appoint his replacement, General Nelson, until the fifth, and Nelson would not take office until the twelfth.

Franklin County

Town of Chambersburg, PA

Marker Text: Formed on September 9, 1784 from Cumberland County and named for Benjamin Franklin. Site of Falling Spring, noted limestone trout stream. Birthplace of James Buchanan, 15th President of the United States. Chambersburg, county seat, was laid out 1764.

Location: County Courthouse, Memorial Square (N. Main St.), corner of U.S. Route 11 & 30, Chambersburg, PA. Erected by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in 1981.

The front of the Franklin Co. Courthouse can be seen to the left of the marker.  Click any photo to enlarge.

  While taking photos of historical markers, I have noticed that each state deals differently with how they place markers related to the historical background of individual counties. In Virginia and West Virginia, they place markers related to counties at the borders between counties, so there are as many county markers as there a roads entering a county. Where in Pennsylvania and Kentucky place county related markers in front of the county courthouse. I generally don't photograph multiple county markers, unless I notice the text is different between markers, like I noticed with two Warren County, VA markers I posted earlier.

Marker is in the town square of Chambersburg in front of the courthouse, the Underground Railroad marker is located in the background.

  In Pennsylvania, today's marker was taken in Chambersburg, PA in Franklin County. From an historical point of view Franklin County and Chambersburg is full of history. John Brown stayed here for awhile prior to his raid on Harper's Ferry. Franklin County was at the center of Underground Railroad activities. Franklin County was the birthplace of Jame Buchanan the only U.S. President to date to come from Pennsylvania. Chambersburg was one of few northern towns invaded by the Confederates during the U.S. Civil War and almost completely destroyed by the Confederate army of Gen. James McCausland in 1864, the only northern town to experience this degree of destruction. Many of these events have individuals markers and some I will post later or have posted.

Pike Co. Courthouse and Jail

Pike County, KY
Marker Number: 1866

Marker Text: Courthouse erected 1888-89 by McDonald Bros.; later renovated 1932-33. Here was scene of Hatfield clan trials for murders of Tolbert, Randolph, Jr., Pharmer, Alifair, and Calvin McCoy. The defendants lodged in adjacent jail; found guilty and sentenced to life in prison except Ellison Mounts, hanged February 18, 1890. Courthouse and jail part of Hatfield-McCoy Feud Historic Dist.

Location: Main St., Pikeville in front of the Pike County Courthouse. Erected by the Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky Department of Highways in 1990.

Marker on right in front of the Courthouse.  Click any photo to enlarge.

  After the 1888 New Year's Day raid by the Hatfield's at the home of Randolph McCoy, the trial of the Hatfield clan proceeded on 1889 with the killing at the New Year's Day raid included. While researching the feud, you would have thought information about a trial would have been easy to get. For some reason little information about the actual trial is available.

  Into 1888, public opinion shifted against the Hatfields, Special officer Frank Phillips and a posse rode into West Virginia. They captured Wall Hatfield and eight others to Kentucky to stand trial for the murder of Alifair McCoy, who was killed during the New Year's Day raid. Despite the fact, that Phillips lacked properly executed extradition papers.

Site of Log Courthouse

Marker Number 49
Boyle County, KY

Marker Text: Kentucky District Court sessions held here March 14, 1785, until Court of Appeals set up in 1792. Created by Virginia statute on May 6, 1782, the court first met in Harrodsburg on March 3, 1783. Later meetings at Low Dutch Station and John Crow's Station before moved here. Samuel McDowell, John Floyd, George Muter, first judges; Walker Daniel, prosecutor; John May, clerk.

Location: 134 S. 2nd Street in Constitution Square, Danville, KY Erected by the Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky Department of Transportation in 1980.

  In 1783, Samuel McDowell moved his family from Rockbridge County, VA over the Wilderness Road and took up residence in Fayette County. He had received an appointment in 1782 by the Virginia Assembly as one of the commissioners to settle land claims in the district of Kentucky. Like his father, Samuel McDowell was a surveyor.

  In 1783, the District of Kentucky was formed and the first district court was opened at Harrodsburg, with Samuel McDowell, George Muter, and John Floyd as judges. It is said that owing to the unsuitability of the building, the court was moved in 1784 to Crow's Station, near what is now Danville. This led to the development of Danville, the place where McDowell was destined to spend the remainder of his life.

King William County Courthouse

King William County, VA

Marker No. OC-27

Marker Text: The King William County courthouse, erected early in the second quarter of the 18th century, is one of the older courthouses still in use in the United States. This T-shaped building was constructed of brick laid in Flemish bond, with an arcade imitating the first capital in Williamsburg. One of the best preserved of Virginia's colonial courthouse buildings, it features fine Georgian brickwork. About 1840 the courthouse was enlarged with a unique stile and a brick wall was erected to enclose the court green. Its rural historic setting is a rare survival.

Location: On Route 1301 (Courthouse Road), just off Virginia Route 30 to the north, east of the intersection with Route 619 (Horse Landing Road) about 17 miles northwest of West Point, VA. Erected by the Department of Historic Resources in 2001.