Petition of the Inhabitants of Kentucky.
25 Nov 1777

edited by

James Duvall, M. A.

    Here is an early petition that shows the importance of salt and the salt licks to the early settlers.






To the Honourable House of Delegates for the Commonwealth of Virginia —
The Petition of the Inhabitants of the county of Kentucky humbly sheweth, . . .


      That your Petitioners are and have for some time past been almost destitute of the necessary Article Salt. That by reason of the Incursions of the different Nations of Indians this year past we have been prevented from making what Quantities would be necessary for ourselves and Families as we formerly did, for small Parites would be in great Danger of being cut off and larger ones could not be spared from the defence of the Families.


      That as bountiful Nature hath plentifully furnished this Country with Salt Springs where at a small expence Salt might be made in abundance many of which are claimed by Persons resident in this State who have never been at any Pains of Expence to errect (sic) Manufactories at them which if done would be very Beneficial not only adjacent Settlers but also interior Inhabitants of this Commonwealth —       Now your Petitioners humbly pray that if the Claimants do not immediately erect Salt Manufactories at the different Springs claimed by them The honourable House would take it into their consideration and Order that the said Springs should be made publick Property and be Manufactored (sic) by Government by which Means Government would be profited & your Petitioners have speedy relief and your Petitioners in duty shall ever pray —


(Here follows an alphabetical list of the names.)



William Beckley
 Thos. Brooks
 James Brown
 Jeremiah Brown
 Samuel Brown
 Wm. Bryan
 Wm. Bush
 Patrick Callaghan
 Caleb Callaway
 Charles Callaway
 Chesley Calloway
 James Callaway
 Richard Calloway
 Angus Cameron
 Saml. Campbell
 George Cave
 Wm. Cradlebough
 Henry Creamer
 John Denton
 Thos. Denton
 Joseph Drake
 James Duncan
 Samuel Elliot
 Benjamin Estill
 Bartholemew Fenton
 J. Gardiner
 David Glen
 William Glencock
 Evander Gordon
 Wm. Hays
 Henry Henbine
 Samuel Henderson
 Iran Henson
 Henry Higgins
 Richard Hogan
 William Hogan
 John Holder
 Samuel Ingram
 David Jones
 John Kennedy
 Joseph Kennedy
 Eran Kenton
 David Kerr
 Johathan Ketcham
 Jno. King
 Wm. Love
 Thomas Luttrell
 Nicholas Martzgar
 John Matan
 Jonas Menefee
 William Menefee
 Jos. Moore
 Archibald McCarver
 Hugh McGary
 William McGee
 Wilson McKinney
 John Oliver
 James Pardinez
 Benj. Paulding
 Benjamin Pettill
 William Poage
 Henry Prather
 John Preston
 Pemberton Rawlings
 John Roberts
 James Russell
 Julius Sanders
 Nicholas Schwartzmer
 Bartlett Searcy
 Reuben Searcy
 Richard Searcy
 Oswald Townsend
 William Van Cleve
 Samuel Van Hook
 John Walker
 James Waters
 William Whitley
 Daniel Wilkinson
 Cornelius Yager