Livingston County

On December 13, 1798, the Kentucky General Assembly enacted legislation authorizing the formation of Livingston County, named for Robert R. Livingston of New York, who helped draft the Declaration of Independence. The year 1811 brought the invention of the steamboat, which created transportation and passenger trade up and down the Cumberland and Ohio Rivers. Solidifying Livingston County’s importance as a river port and stop-off for travelers, steamboats also brought their share of interesting characters to town. The stories and pictures still remain today, as tales of the Ford’s Ferry Gang, the Horrible Harpes, and the murder of a local slave–killed by a relative of Thomas Jefferson–are just a few of the fascinating accounts included in this book.