Here are a few comments relating to the Civil War letter. By the way, Joe Moore made a sketch of the inside of the cave. It used to be at the T/R House, but I have no idea if it is still there.


The letter closes with the writer thanking Gaither and hoping he continues to guide the country as Sec. of State in Kentucky as well as he guided the cave tour. But sometime in 1862 Gaither resigned as KY Sec. of State and joined the Confederacy. Magoffin the governor "sympathised with the southern cause" and did not get along with his pro-union legislature, so he resigned. He served 1859 - 1862. He wanted to be replaced by James Robinson, a friend of his. That was done, but Robinson only lasted one year. And I mention that because the person then elected to be governor was Thomas Bramlette who served the next 4 years - crucial years '63-67 during wartime and reconstruction. Bramlette was born in Clinton County, but lived in Columbia for about 10 years before he was elected governor. He lived on Burkesville Street in what later became the Hancock Hotel. He raised and led the 3rd Kentucky Infantry at the outbreak of the war until 1862 when Lincoln requested he be ! U.S. District Attorney for Kentucky. Col. Bramlette was quite active in this area; he was a stockholder for the M&F School.

As I understand it, Robert Todd was given a lot of land as payment for survey work; he also had been granted land for serving in the Virginia militia during the Revolutionary War. He held several positions in the early formation of Columbia/ Adair County.

Robert had a brother Levi who was very prosperous in the Lexington area. Levi had a son named Robert. Robert had a daughter named Mary, who married Lincoln. So, that daughter's great uncle was the Robert who lived in Adair County. --Vonnie Kolbenschlag

This story was posted on 2012-01-23 02:45:31

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