Individual Details

Gov. John Breathitt

(9 Sep 1786 - 21 Feb 1834)

From Collins "History of Kentucky", pp. 211-212 as Found online at WorldConnect database . Posted by Bill Husler 24 Mar 2000:
Before he was of age, John Breathitt was appointed deputy surveyor of the public lands and surveyed many townships in Illinois in that capacity. He taught school for a time and acquired a good bit of property. He was admitted to the bar in Feb of 1810. Elected to the house of representatives from Logan Co about 1811 and elected lieutenant governor of Kentucky in 1828. Governor of Kentucky Sep 1832, but died in office of tuberculosis.

Breathitt was the 11th governor of Kentucky and the first Democrat.

Will written 16 Jan 1834, probate 21 Apr 1834. Benjamin E. Whittaker was administrator when settlement was recorded 25 Jul 1842.

Logan Co DB T; p.152 7 Jul 1834 By decree of Logan Circuit Court in case of Richardson Taylor agst heirs of John Breathitt & L. Wright. Convey to cmplt a certain house & lot in H. Saunders addition upon the payment of $300.
Cardwell Breathitt, Penelope C. Breathitt and Mary M. Breathitt heirs & devises of John Breathitt dec'd. in receipt of $450, sell house in Hubbard Saunders addition, Lot #56-57, formerly owned by Martha Wallace & children and in which house sd Lilburn Wright now lives. Said ground was conveyed by E. Haddin to said M. Wallace etc.
Signed: Cardwell Breathett, Penelope C. Breathett, Mary M. Breathett Rec. 9 Jul 1834

Logan Co DB U; p.294 8 Apr 1836 Cardwell Breathitt, Penelope Breathitt, & Mary M. Breathitt, heirs of John Breathitt Dec'd by Marmaduke B. Morton, Comm to James b. Burgess. Burgess vs. heirs, court rendered decree to deed to said Burgess Lot #28 in Robert Latham's additon on which said Burgesses oil mill now stands. Rec. 13 Apr 1836

Logan Co DB X Final Settlement of Estate:
p.235 28 Dec 1840 Erasmus D. Sappington & Penelope C. his wife & Cardinal [sic] Breathitt, heirs of John Breathitt Dec'd by William Owens, Thomas Grubbs & Constant A. Wilson, comm.. appt by Logan County court to divide the estate of said dec'd & execute deed of Petition. To said heirs of the first part and Mary M. Breathit, one of the heirs of the second part. Tracts assigned to Mary M. Breathitt Lot #1. Dwelling house on 2nd main street. Also a store room; corner of Erasmus D. Sappingtons store room on Main st. Also 982 acres on Big Barren River in Warren Co; Drakes Creek. 47 acres on waters of Muddy River; corner to William Russell's 2000 acres survey; William Owens line. 28 acres S of Russellville; Jonathan Paynes field & corner, his line; Richard Bibb Jr. Also 12 ½ acres corner to tract now owned by David Caldwells heirs. 333 acres in Todd County on waters of Wolf Lick Fork of Muddy River.
Signed: Erasmus D. Sappington, Penelope C. Sappington, Cardwell Breathitt by Comm.
County Court Dec Term. 28 Dec 1840 ordered recorded.
p.237 28 Dec 1840 Cardwell Breathitt & Mary M. Breathitt to Erasmus D. Sappington & Penelope C. Sappington, formerly Penelope C. Breathitt. Lot #2. The dwelling house where John Breathitt dec'd lived. SW corner of Mary M. Breathitts lot. A Store Room at SW corner of Richard Bibb's store house on main street. Tract of 1125 acres including the head of Muddy River. Upper corner to George Mason; line of 100 acres survey conveyed by William Whitsett to James Burnett, sd Burnetts line; corner to C. Perrin, survey made in the name of Washington Stewart. Also 112 acres orner to William Russells 2000 acres Military survey; crossing the road; corner to James M. Beall; corner to Mrs. Curd. 330 acres on waters of Muddy River, corner to tract William Ownes purchased of Robinson heirs; survey in name of Nathan Johnson. 102 acres on waters of Big Clify, ½ of 200 acres survey patented to Cardwell Breathitt & John Breathitt. 103 acres on waters of Pond River patented to John Breathitt; corner to William Dodd, Askew Sheltons line, Peter Simmons line. 84 acres on head waters of Wolf Lick fork of Muddy River, part of 400 acres patented to John Breathitt; survey in name of B. Dunlap; corner Peter Hays. Signed:
Cardwell Breathitt, Mary M. Breathitt, by Comm.
Rec. 28 Dec 1840
p.240 28 Dec 1840 Erasmus D. Sappington and Penelope C. his wife and Mary M. Breathitt, heirs of John Breathitt to Cardwell Breathitt, another heir. Division #3. Dwelling house & lot in Robert Lathams Edition to Russellville, adj Thomas Grubbs lot. Also store house & office adjoining same, formerly occupied as a banking house and all of the ground attached. 682 acres South of Russellville and on both sides of the Nashville Rd. corner to Mrs. Howard; line of Benjamin E. Whitakers, in ownes line. Also 61 acres near Russellville, corner to M. B. Morton; George W. Gray & James M. Bealls. Also 233 acres on waters of Muddy River; corner to William Russell's 2000 acres survey & corner to Mary M. Breathitt's 47 acres, Wm Owens line. Also 134 acres on waters of Wolf Lick Fork of Muddy River and in Todd Co. NW corner to a 200 acres survey in name of Isaac Lewis, corner to Mary M. Breathitt 333 acre survey. Also 200 acres both sides of Little Clifty patented to John Breathitt. Signed: Erasmus D. Sappington, Penelope c. Sappington, Mary M. Breathitt.
Rec. 28 Dec 1840

Died of tuberculosis while in the Governor's house.
His Momument erected by the legislature of Kentucky is in Maple Grove Cemetery in Russellville. They did not want the monument in out-of-the-way Breathitt Cemetery so took a spade of earth from his grave. According to Mrs. J. Wells Vick, his bones still rest in the Breathitt Cemetery.

HISTORY OF KENTUCKY, by Lewis Collins, and J.A. & U.P. James, published
1847. Reprinted by Henry Clay Press, Lexington, Ky., 1968, pp. 211-212
[Logan county].

JOHN BREATHITT, late governor of Kentucky, (for whom this county was
called) was a native of the state of Virginia. He was the eldest child
of William Breathitt, and was born on the ninth day of September, 1786,
about two miles from New London, near the road leading to Lynchburg.
His father removed from Virginia, and settled in Logan county, Kentucky,
in the year 1800, where he raised a family of five sons and four
daughters. The old gentleman was a farmer, possessed a few servants and
a tract of land, but not sufficiently wealthy to give his children
collegiate educations. The schools of his neighborhood (for it should
be remembered the Green river country was a wilderness in 1800),
afforded but few opportunities for the advancement of pupils. John, the
subject of this notice, made the best use of the means for improvement,
placed within his reach, and by diligent attention to his books, made
himself a good surveyor. Before he arrived at age, he received an
appointment as deputy surveyor of the public lands, and in that
capacity, surveyed many townships in the state of Illinois, then a
territory of the United States.
John Breathitt taught a country school in early life, and by his
industry and economy, as teacher and surveyor, he acquired property
rapidly, consisting mostly in lands, which were easily obtained under
the acts of the assembly appropriating the public domain. After his
earnings had secured a capital capable of sustaining him a few years, he
resolved to read law, which he did under the direction of the late Judge
Wallace. He was admitted to the bar as a qualified attorney, in
February, 1810. His industry and capacity for business, soon secured
him a lucrative practice; and from this time he rapidly advanced in
public estimation.
In 1810 or '11, he was elected to represent the county of Logan in
the house of representatives of the general assembly, and filled the
same office for several years in succession. In 1828, he was elected
lieutenant governor of the commonwealth, the duties of which station he
filled with great dignity and propriety. In 1832, he was elected
governor, but did not live to the end of his official term. He died in
the governor's house, in Frankfort, on the 21st of February, 1834.
It is not the design of the writer to notice the political
principles, official acts, and measures of policy recommended or
executed by Governor Breathitt. These may be found among the archives
and records of the county, and their consideration here would swell this
article to the magnitude of a lengthy work. It may not, however, be
improper to say, that Governor Breathitt acted with the democratic
party, and espoused with warmth the election of General Jackson to the
presidency in 1828 and 1832.
Governor Breathitt had two wives, both of whom he survived. The
first was Miss Whitaker, daughter of William Whitaker of Logan county;
and the second was Miss Susan M. Harris, daughter of Richard Harris, of
Chesterfield, county, Virginia.
Governor Breathitt, in all his transactions, was considerate and
cautious. Rashness was no part of his character. He was nevertheless,
firm, and pursued his objects with great assiduity, after resolving upon
the course he intended to pursue. He did not commit himself in favor of
any measure, without beforehand weighing the consequences with much
deliberation.
As a husband, father, friend and neighbor, it is not too much to
say that Governor Breathitt had no superior. In all the relations of
life, he was actuated by a spirit of indulgence and benevolence. The
comfort and happiness of others, with him were objects of pre-eminent
solicitude. His affection and kindness to his relations, manifested
itself in an eminent degree, by the assistance he gave his father, and
the liberal expenditures he made in educating his brothers and sisters.
To associates of his profession, he was uniformly courteous, and ever
ready to give the younger members of the bar aid and instruction.

There is a historical marker in Logan Co, on the Courthouse lawn in Russellville:
Seven residents of Logan County became governors in four states:
KY.
John Breathitt 1832-34
James T. Morehead 1834-36
John J. Crittenden 1848-50
Charles S. Morehead 1855-59
FLA.
Richard Call 1836-39, 41-44
ILL.
Ninian Edwards 1826-30
TEX.
Fletcher Stockdale 1865

There is also a Marker for his home, Russellville, 145 E. 5th St.
Home of Governor John Breathitt, born 1787, Virginia. Came here, 1800. Lawyer, legislator. Elected Lieut. Governor, 1828, and Governor, 1832. He was advocate of need for preserving Kentucky's valuable documents. He wrote: "There is a laudable solicitude to know everything in respect to our history." Breathitt died in office, 1834. Monument in Maple Grove Cem. by Kentucky.

Events

Birth	9 Sep 1786	Henry County, Virginia
Marriage	26 Mar 1812	Logan County, Kentucky - Carolyn Matilda Whitaker
Death	21 Feb 1834	Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky
Marriage		Susan M. Harris

Families

Spouse	Carolyn Matilda Whitaker (1795 - 1821)
Child	[Son] Breathitt ( - 1815)
Child	John Francis Cardwell Breathitt (1821 - )

Spouse	Susan M. Harris ( - 1834)
Child	Penelope Caroline Breathitt (1823 - 1904)
Child	William Whitaker Breathitt (1824 - 1827)
Child	Mary Mildred Breathitt (1827 - )

Father	William Breathitt (1757 - 1817)
Mother	Elizabeth Dawson Whitsitt (1765 - 1834)
Sibling	Jane Kelley Breathitt (1783 - 1851)
Sibling	George Breathitt (1785 - 1833)
Sibling	Cardwell Breathitt (1788 - 1834)
Sibling	Edward Breathitt MD (1790 - 1837)
Sibling	Elizabeth "Betsy" Breathitt (1790 - 1834)
Sibling	Eleanor "Ellen" Breathitt (1791 - 1813)
Sibling	James Breathitt (1792 - 1837)
Sibling	Susan Churchill Breathitt (1801 - 1830)

Individual Details

Gov. John Breathitt

Events

Families

Endnotes