Yelvington, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Yelvington, Kentucky is a small, unincorporated community located approximately 12 miles east of Owensboro
along U.S. Route 60
east and near the Daviess
-Hancock
county line.
Court in 1867.
Yelvington was settled in the early 19th century when it was in the northern portion of Ohio County, KY, by Valentine Husk and James Smeathers, brother of famed pioneer William Smeathers
who first settled Yellow Banks, Kentucky
; now Owensboro. It was also an early crossroad for the Vincennes, Indiana
to Hartford, Kentucky
Indian trail and the Yellow Banks trail. This route gave what was to become Daviess county's third primitive overland route of travel.
Yelvington was a prosperous community with a funeral home, hotel, various stores and other forms of commerce including a distillery owned by C.L. Appelgate and Company
which was built between 1879 and 1880 on the west side of the community as well as another whiskey distillery owned by a lawyer, Camden Riley, Jr. A raging fire burned through the community in the late 19th century which destroyed most of the business. Most of the business rebuilt a few miles to the east along the railroad at the Powers Station, today known as Maceo, Kentucky
situated along U.S. Highway 60 East about 10 miles east of Owensboro, Kentucky.
Yelvington was also home of United States Senator Thomas C. McCreery
who was born there December 12, 1816. He was elected to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Senator James Guthrie of Louisville
in 1868 and remained in office until March 3, 1879 when he returned to Daviess County
to live in Owensboro, KY. McCreery died July 10, 1890.
Yelvington is home to the Yelvington Baptist Church
organized on June 30, 1813 about two mile west of its present location. When organized the church adopted its original name as "Panther Creek Church of Ohio County
, near Yellow Banks, Kentucky
." This name was adopted because the what is now known as Yelvington was in Ohio County
at that time. In 1817 the name was changed to "Rock Spring", and in 1854 the name was changed to "Yelvington Baptist
Church" and as remained so ever since. It is the oldest Baptist church in Daviess County, KY.
Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro is the fourth largest city by population in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the county seat of Daviess County. It is located on U.S. Route 60 about southeast of Evansville, Indiana, and is the principal city of the Owensboro, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's...
along U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway, running from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast in Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection...
east and near the Daviess
Daviess County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 91,545 people, 36,033 households, and 24,826 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 38,432 housing units at an average density of...
-Hancock
Hancock County, Kentucky
Hancock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1829. As of 2000, the population was 8,392. It is included in the Owensboro, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its county seat is Hawesville. The county is named for John Hancock...
county line.
History
The original boundaries of Yelvington were set by the Daviess CountyDaviess County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 91,545 people, 36,033 households, and 24,826 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 38,432 housing units at an average density of...
Court in 1867.
Yelvington was settled in the early 19th century when it was in the northern portion of Ohio County, KY, by Valentine Husk and James Smeathers, brother of famed pioneer William Smeathers
William Smeathers
William "Bill" Smeathers , also known as Smithers or Smothers, was a pioneer settler of Kentucky and later Texas....
who first settled Yellow Banks, Kentucky
Yellow Banks, Kentucky
Yellow Banks, Kentucky was the name of the rustic community founded by pionersman William Smeathers around 1790 on the banks of the Ohio River. The name was derived from the yellowish colored banks along the river. In 1817, Yellow Banks was incorporated as a city under the name Owensborough,...
; now Owensboro. It was also an early crossroad for the Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Indiana, United States. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 18,701 at the 2000 census...
to Hartford, Kentucky
Hartford, Kentucky
Hartford is a city in Ohio County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,571 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ohio County. It is believed to be named for a deer crossing on the nearby Rough River....
Indian trail and the Yellow Banks trail. This route gave what was to become Daviess county's third primitive overland route of travel.
Yelvington was a prosperous community with a funeral home, hotel, various stores and other forms of commerce including a distillery owned by C.L. Appelgate and Company
C.L. Appelgate and Company
C. L. Appelgate and Company was a bourbon whiskey distillery established and located in Yelvington, Kentucky. It was owned, built and operated by Colonel C.L. Applegate and his brother Edward Applegate sometime between 1875 and 1880 on the west of the road between Maceo and Yelvington, Kentucky,...
which was built between 1879 and 1880 on the west side of the community as well as another whiskey distillery owned by a lawyer, Camden Riley, Jr. A raging fire burned through the community in the late 19th century which destroyed most of the business. Most of the business rebuilt a few miles to the east along the railroad at the Powers Station, today known as Maceo, Kentucky
Maceo, Kentucky
Maceo is an unincorporated community in Daviess County, Kentucky, United States. Maceo is located at the junction of Kentucky Route 2830 and Kentucky Route 405, near U.S. Route 60, northeast of Owensboro. Maceo has a post office with ZIP code 42355....
situated along U.S. Highway 60 East about 10 miles east of Owensboro, Kentucky.
Yelvington was also home of United States Senator Thomas C. McCreery
Thomas C. McCreery
Thomas Clay McCreery was a Democratic U.S. Senator from Kentucky.Born at Yelvington, Kentucky., McCreery graduated from Centre College, in Danville, Kentucky, in 1837. He studied law, passed the bar, and commenced practice in Frankfort, Kentucky...
who was born there December 12, 1816. He was elected to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Senator James Guthrie of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
in 1868 and remained in office until March 3, 1879 when he returned to Daviess County
Daviess County
Daviess County is the name of several counties in the United States :* Daviess County, Indiana* Daviess County, Kentucky* Daviess County, Missouri...
to live in Owensboro, KY. McCreery died July 10, 1890.
Yelvington is home to the Yelvington Baptist Church
Yelvington Baptist Church
Yelvington Baptist Church organized on June 30, 1813 about two miles west of its present location in Yelvington, Kentucky, is the oldest Baptist congregation in Daviess County, Kentucky...
organized on June 30, 1813 about two mile west of its present location. When organized the church adopted its original name as "Panther Creek Church of Ohio County
Ohio County
Ohio County is the name of three counties in the United States:* Ohio County, Indiana* Ohio County, Kentucky* Ohio County, West Virginia...
, near Yellow Banks, Kentucky
Yellow Banks, Kentucky
Yellow Banks, Kentucky was the name of the rustic community founded by pionersman William Smeathers around 1790 on the banks of the Ohio River. The name was derived from the yellowish colored banks along the river. In 1817, Yellow Banks was incorporated as a city under the name Owensborough,...
." This name was adopted because the what is now known as Yelvington was in Ohio County
Ohio County
Ohio County is the name of three counties in the United States:* Ohio County, Indiana* Ohio County, Kentucky* Ohio County, West Virginia...
at that time. In 1817 the name was changed to "Rock Spring", and in 1854 the name was changed to "Yelvington Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church" and as remained so ever since. It is the oldest Baptist church in Daviess County, KY.