Muhlenberg County Kentucky


Biographies S

John K. Sullivan

John K. Sullivan, Muhlenberg County, was born December 17, 1836, five miles from South Carrollton. He is the second of eight children - five boys and three girls - born to Rolley and Lucy (Nall) Sullivan, natives of North Carolina and Washington County, Ky., respectively, and of Irish and Dutch descent.

Rolley Sullivan was the son of Uriah Sullivan, who was born in North Carolina, and came to Kentucky in 1810, first settling in Christian County, and five months later came to Muhlenberg County, and settled on Green River, on a farm of 200 acres, which our subject now owns; he died in 1816.

John K. Sullivan was reared on a farm, received a fair English education, and taught school several terms in an early day. He made his home with his parents until he was twenty-eight years old, with the exception of two years he spent at Ceralvo, Ohio County, during the war. He has been extensively engaged in stock raising, in which he has been very successful; he owns 1,450 acres of land in good condition, which he has accumulated by his own industry, and resides in one of the finest residences in South Carrollton.

He was married November 29, 1865, to Mary C. Rowan, of McLean County, Ky., a daughter of John and Lydia (Stevens) Rowan, natives of Ohio County. Six children were born to this union: John W., Robert, Lydia, Stephen (deceased), Minnie and Lucy.

Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan are members of the Baptist and Methodist Episcopal Churches, respectively; he is a member of the K. of H., and was a member of the Grange.

Source: Battle, J.H., W.H. Perrin, and G.C. Kniffen. Kentucky: A History of the State. Louisville, KY: F.A. Battey, 1885. Page 924.

Updated July 9, 2018