Calloway County, was formed
in 1822, the 72nd in the Commonwealth. Parceled from
Hickman County, it encompasses 395 square miles. It was
named in honor of Col. Richard Callaway. (Note:
throughout the history you will find two spellings of
this name: Callaway and Calloway - depending upon the
books used in the reference). At one time it included
what is now Marshall County. It is bounded on the North
by Marshall County, East by the Tennessee River, South
by the Tennessee state line and West by Graves County.
The first settlement was probably in 1818, by David
Jones and James Stewart from Caldwell County. This was
in the vicinity of the settlement of Wadesboro.
Wadesboro was also the site of the first county seat.
Richard Callaway, for whom Calloway County was named,
had a long history in Kentucky. He was part of the group
of Col. Boone's in 1775 that began the First Road of
Trace from Long Island on the Holston River to
Boonesborough on the Kentucky River.
This community flourished with over 300 citizens. It
became a center for land speculation. Many emigrants as
well as the speculators came here in search of vacant
lands when the public lands were offered for sale by the
legislature. It was indeed a thriving town with much
accompanying excitement and activity. It quickly lost
its prominence when the lands were parceled and sold. It
fell into ruins with many of the citizens moving away.
The county seat was then moved to Murray.
Fort Heiman, in the southwest corner of Calloway County,
was occupied for a time by Confederate forces under
General Abram Buford, with one brigade of cavalry, one
regiment (3rd of Kentucky) infantry (under Col. Holt),
and a battery of light artillery. These were under the
control of Gen. Nathan B. Forrest when he made the
successful assault on Johnsonville, Tennessee in 1864.
Col. A. P. Thompson, a native son of the county, was
killed in the attack on the fort at Paducah in March,
1864. |
