From: KyArchives [Archives@genrecords.org] Sent: Friday, April 01, 2005 2:53 PM To: Ky-Footsteps Subject: KY.Female.Orphan.School.Woodford-Pulaski-Boyle.1850.SCHOOLS Kentucky Female Orphan School Woodford-Pulaski-Boyle County KyArchives History Schools Book Title: "Kentucky Female Orphan School, A History", By Harry Chapter V - First Session Opens Oct 3, 1849--Board of Trustees at That Time--Fourteen Pupils Present at Opening Session--Doctor Pinkerton Makes Inaugural Address--John D. Dawson, of Missouri, First Superintendent--First State Convention of Disciples Endorses School and Pledges Aid. Wednesday, October 3, 1849, was an auspicious day in Midway. The first buildings for the Kentucky Female Orphan School were finished and furnished and the School was ready to open. According to the oldest and only existing record book of that period the board of trustees then was composed of Samuel Nuckols, chairman, John G. Allen, Lewis B. Crutcher, P. S. Fall, John T. Johnson, James Ware Parrish, William F. Patterson, L. L. Pinkerton, B. P. Smith. The board had elected John D. Dawson, a well-known educator, of Missouri, as superintendent of the School, and his wife, Mary Jane Dawson, was chosen matron. Miss Bettie Yost was assistant matron. Fourteen pupils were actually present for the opening exercises. The names of five others had been recorded, but were not on the grounds. Of the fourteen original pupils, one was only three years old and died of whooping cough the first of April following. Another girl, Mary Fanny Shuly, entered the School near the close of the month of October. The ages of the first enrollment of pupils ranged from three to fifteen years. Four of the girls did not know the letters of the alphabet. One of them, ten years old, could not count up to 12. Only one of the first pupils, Ella Jane Fitzpatrick, thirteen years of age, it appears, had previously received any schooling worthy of the term. She "could read very well and had studied geography." There are records missing for some of the early graduating class years and since I was sent a cy of the page with my gr grandmother's graduation--I have only those listed in the years 1853-1864, p 197 as follows: 1853 Martha Ann Burkhardt, Pulaski Co. Mary Fannie Sheeley, Jessamine Co. 1854 Virginia Davis, Perryville Mary E. Fletcher, Danville Mary Ann McCrocklin, Louisville 1856 Martha Runyan, Madison Co. 1857 Ellen Daisly, Louisville Sarah Wright, Woodford Co. 1864 Elizabeth Frances Butler Listed in the Woodford Co. Ky 1850 census (orphan asylum) are the attendees of the Ky Female Orphan School at Midway, Ky. This school started in 1849 with children attending from various surrounding areas. I discovered my gr grandmother, Bettie (Mary Elizabeth) Fletcher age 11 and her sister, Margaret age 16, attending this school. I wrote to the Woodford Co. Historical Society and they copied material from a book written about the school that showed Mary Elizabeth Fletcher graduated in 1854 at the age of 15 listing her residence as Danville (Boyle Co.) Ky. Mary Fletcher went on to write beautiful poetry and I have a picture (1866) of her and a poem she wrote in 1866. Mary Fletcher m David D. Harris 1857 Danville, Ky and they immediately left to live in Independence, MO. The following is my transcription from the 1850 Woodford Co. census of those enrolled in the school--the spelling of some names were questionable. Dawson, John D. 41, schoolteacher b Ky Dawson, Mary J. 37, b Tenn Dawson, Theodore B. 12, b Ky Dawson, Wm C. 9, b Ky Dawson, Mary E. 4, b Ky Williams, Martha 4, b Ky Quire, Elizabeth 5, b Ky Quire, Abagail 7, b Ky Johnson, Olivia 8, b La or Va Johnson, Williana 10, b Ky Robertson, Caroline 8, b La or Va Slaughter, Elizabeth 10, b Ky Shuley, Fannie 10, b Ky Roberts, Elizabeth 14, b Mo Fletcher, Bettie 11, b Ky Fletcher, Margaret 16 b Ky McConnell, Mary 14, b Ky Balweton?, Adean 15, b La or Va Pitchford, Eliza J. 16, b Ky Wright, Sarah 8, b Ky Davis, Ann 12, b Ky Curd, Mary 12, b Ky Burkhart, Jane 15, b Ky Burkhart, Marta 13, b Ky Crocklin, Mary 12, b Ky Runyon, Martha 9, b Va Elliott, Bettie 12, b Ky Davis, Eliza 22, b Scotland Osoroke?, Michael 27 male, b Ireland Pinkerton, Lewis L. 38, clergyman, b Md Pinkerton, Sarah A. 36, b Ohio Pinkerton, Wm W. 12, b Ohio Pinkerton, Virginia 9, b Ky Pinkerton, Burnett S. 7, b Ky Pinkerton, James P. 5, b Ky Pinkerton, Samuel D. 3, b Ky Roberts, Mary 17, b Ky Roberts, Eugenia 17, b Ky Ban?, Jane C. 18, b Ky Ban?, Susan 15, b Ky Coffman, Susan 15, b Ky Lingenfelter, Frances 14, b Ky Neal, Louisa 14, b Ky Farra, Margaret 13, b Ky Bush, Susan C. 14, b Ky Bush, Rachael A. 17, b Ky Morton, Susan 15, b Ky Dedlake, Sallie 15, b Ky Webb, Jane 12, b Ky Nelson, Theodosia 13, b Ky Hollis, Mary 13, b Ky Exum, Margaret 12, b Ky Ford, Mary 12, b Ky Dale, Fannie 13, b Ky Submitted by: Carol E. Barron http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00003.html#0000612 This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/kyfiles/