TEXT FROM THE HISTORICAL MARKER
Home of Statesmen-
Side 1:
Two hundred feet west John Boyle built log cabin, 1798, that is still part of home. He and three others, who later set up housekeeping in that cabin, were state legislators and represented the district in Congress 28 years.
John Boyle, 1774-1834, also Chief Justice, Court of Appeals; U.S. District Judge. Boyle County named for him.
See other side.
Side 2:
Continued from other side.
Samuel McKee, 1774-1826, also on Gen. Harrison's staff, War of 1812.
George Robertson, 1790-1874, also Kentucky Secretary of State; Chief Justice Kentucky Court of Appeals. Robertson County named for him.
Robert P. Letcher, 1788-1861, also Governor of Kentucky, 1840-44; Minister to Mexico, 1849-52. Letcher County named for him.
Location: Marker is at 106 West Maple Street, Lancaster KY 40444.
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The Place:
LETCHER COUNTY KENTUCKY
From Wikipedia
"Letcher County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,548. Its county seat is Whitesburg. The county, founded in 1842, is named for Robert P. Letcher, Governor of Kentucky from 1840 to 1844.
Letcher County is a dry county, with the only exceptions being the Highland Winery, the city of Whitesburg, and the city of Jenkins.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 339 square miles (880 km2), of which 338 square miles (880 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2) (0.3%) is water. Letcher County's natural areas include Bad Branch Falls and the Lilley Cornett Woods."
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The Person:
ROBERT P. LETCHER
From Wikipedia
"Robert Perkins Letcher (February 10, 1788 – January 24, 1861) was a politician and lawyer from the US state of Kentucky. He served as a U.S. Representative, Minister to Mexico, and the 15th Governor of Kentucky. He also served in the Kentucky General Assembly where he was Speaker of the House in 1837 and 1838. A strong supporter of the Whig Party, he was a friend of Henry Clay and John J. Crittenden.
Letcher's family came to Kentucky around 1800. Letcher attended the private academy of Joshua Fry, then studied law. He was briefly a judge advocate in John Allen's volunteer militia during the War of 1812. He began his political career in 1813, representing Garrard County in the Kentucky House of Representatives. In 1823, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served for more than a decade. During the 1824 presidential election, he acted as an intermediary between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay. Adams' opponent, Andrew Jackson, charged that, through these negotiations, Clay agreed to support Adams for president in exchange for being named Secretary of State.
In 1840, Letcher was chosen as the Whig nominee for governor of Kentucky over William Owsley. In the general election, Letcher won by landslide over Judge Richard French. Letcher's fiscally conservative policies helped Kentucky recover from the financial Panic of 1837. By the end of his term, the state was experiencing budget surpluses and state banks had resumed specie payments. After Letcher left office, he was appointed Minister to Mexico by President Zachary Taylor. Following this, he made an attempt to return to the U.S. House, but was defeated by Democrat John C. Breckinridge. Letcher's defeat in Henry Clay's home district was a strong indication of the decline of Whig influence in Kentucky. Though he remained active in politics, Letcher never again sought public office. He died on January 24, 1861."
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