County Named, 1819 / Franklin

In 1819, Simpson County was named for Capt. John Simpson, one of the nine officers killed at the Battle of River Raisin on Jan. 22, 1813, for whom Kentucky counties were named. He had fought under "Mad Anthony" Wayne at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794, settled in Shelby Co., Ky., served as Speaker of the Kentucky House in 1811, and was a congressman. The county was formed from Allen, Logan, and Warren, and a "Cut-Off," a three mile strip along Logan Co., was added in 1869. When the legislature formed the county, it authorized a commission to purchase a site for the county seat. Three landowners sought to sell a site, and a water source was essential. William Hudspeth dug a well here, but it was dry. He secretly hauled water to fill the well and sold 62 acres. The water primed the well, and it was used for many years. The town was surveyed in 1819 and made the county seat by the legislature in Nov. 1820.

Franklin, Kentucky · United States