John McDaniel
The Kentucky Explorer, Volume 9, Number 8, February 199, “Kentucky Genealogy From Dr. John J. Dickey’s Diary – 1898. By permission. Perry County. Sandi Gorin
John McDaniel – Benge, Ky., March 14 1898. I was born in Perry County, March 13, 1825. My father, John McDaniel was born in Buckingham Co., VA. He came to Kentucky before he was married. He had 11 children: Reuben, Thomas, Heziah, Mary, Jessie, are all dead. Elizabeth Robinson, Eula, Nancy Robinson, myself and William who lives at Barbourville, are living. My great-grandfather came from Ireland. His son, Thomas, was my grandfather. He was a deaf-mute. My mother was Judah Cornett, daughter of Nathaniel Cornett. He lived in Perry. His brother, Roger Cornett, lived at Benges. My uncle Robin Cornett, kept the toll gate which stood just east of where James Benge now lives. It was kept by Elijah McWhortr at the foot of McWhorter Hill previous to that time. I think the gate was discontinued about or during the War. In 1852 I took Bob Potter to Mt. Vernon to school. We paid toll at a store house some 6 to 10 miles this side of Mt. Vernon, kept by a man named Smith. There were many six-horse wagons that came to Goose Creek when I was a boy, from Louisville, loaded with goods and went back loaded with salt. Robin Cornett would buy things from these wagons for people who would leave money with him for that purpose. When the K.C.R.R. reached Lexington it killed the sale trade from Central Kentucky. One was hardly out of sight of wagons those day. When I work at Gen. White’s about 1843, there were 12 furnaces in operation on Goose Creek and salt was selling at 35 cents a bushel. The following persons owned or operated furnaces at that time: Alex White, above the mouth of Buzzard; Adam White, of Abington at the mouth of Buzzard; Daniel Bates, above Hortons on the west side of the creek; Gen. White, at the forks of Goos Creek; T. T. Gerrard, where it now stands, built in 1832; Daugherty and James White, on the main Goose Creek, above the forks; Frank and William White, on the same fork; Racener at D. Y. Lyttle’s ford below Mancester; someone near where Garrison now lives at the ford of Little Goose Creek; Frank Clark, at the mouth of Red Bird, making a total of ten. Previous to that time there was a furnace at ford of Little Goose Creek, west of Manchester on the Burning Springs Road between James Love’s house and the ford. There was once a furnace just above town at the mouth of Tanyard Branch; James Bowling was drowned in the deep well ear it called McHone hold. I worked there three months for Gen. White. I heard Dough White say in speech when running against T. T. Garrard for lower house, that he had eaten clabber out of a dish, sitting on the floor, around which were gathered his brothers and sisters, each of whom would take the spoon in turn as it was passed from one to another. (I suppose this was a little demagoguery to win votes as T. T. Garrard was born rich. J. J. D.) Water below 5 degrees is too weak to be profitable, over 12 degrees, it was not good owing to “bitter water” in it. It would also make cale salt. 9 degrees is the best head for salt, at these works. The deeper the wells were bored the stronger the brine. There was a furnace 6 miles above the mouth of Buzzard. In 1846, Dough White beat T. T. Garrard 175 votes for representative. The next race he beat him 25 votes. They then ageed to make the race no more. I saw Dick Wyatt hunt for killing another Negro. I saw James Cottingim hung for killing Sam Chessant. I did not see Dr. Baker hung. I started to see Bill Baker hung for killing Frank Prewitt but a woman died and I had to make her coffin so could not go. I did not see Callahan and Begley hung at Barborville for killing Newberry. Callahan was son of Ned Callahan, the old settler. They killed him for his money and got 25 cents. Newberry was a cattle buyer. The murder was committed at Red Bird, a Newberry Hill. Robin Cornett and his Uncle Roger Cornett, married Charlotte and Zilpha Callahan, respectively, sisters of the man who was hung. Old Ned Callahan died at Roger Cornetts, as did his wife. Old Ned Callahan put on his shot pouch every morning as long as he lived. He would set his gun by his side. He owned Negroes. He would go out and build a fire and sleep all night in pretty weather as he did in the days of hunting.