Three Forks of the Kentucky River Historical Association

Abijah Gilbert

[Clay County, KY, July, 1898] (Pgs 2384-2386)

My father had 11 children, only five reached majority. My oldest sister (blank) married Andrew McROBERTS, a farmer of Knox county but born and raised in Lincoln. She had one child, a daughter (blank) who married Silas WOODSON, his first wife. She had one child, a son, who died when a young man. I was elected to the Senate in 1860 to fill the unexpired term of (blank). I voted against Kentucky seceding and for this my house was burned during the war. I removed then to Clay's Ferry, in Fayette County. I rented the ferry. The Rebels burnt my boat and it cost me $300 to build a new one. I tried to get Congress to pay me for my boat but could not. A Union Officer stationed at Richmond ordered me to build a new boat and he pressed one above me at Comb's Ferry until I got one built. The Union authorities refused to pay the regular rates for ferriage which reduced my bill $800. I ferried all night once, putting a regiment of Union soldiers over. I could carry 25 men and horses at once. The river was out of banks, drift running. I paid $1205 a year for the ferry part of the time and $1600 part of the time. The Union soldiers killed a desperate Negro on the ferry boat. He had robbed and stolen, searched women, etc. A man called from the Madison side one day, it was raining. I told the ferrymen to wait till the shower was over. The man swam the river though it was very high. He said the Rebels were coming, that he had dispatches, that six men had been drowned and he would report me for refusing to carry him over. I was alarmed. Daugh WHITE of Clay came over the next day. He said no Rebels were coming, that doubtless the fellow had stolen something and was escaping justice and the story of the drowned men was a fabrication. I have never heard of him anymore.

I served two terms as door keeper of the Senate: one term while I lived in Fayette County, I afterwards (later) served a term in the Lower House from Clay, Owsley and Estill. BRASHEARS of Perry opposed me in my race for Senate. My cousin Asa GILBERT, Democrat, opposed me in the last race.

Red Bird was killed by some hunters below the mouth of Big Creek and thrown into a hole of water. I do not know whether my father helped to bury him or not. I have heard my father talk about Red Bird but I do not remember anything definitely now. There was no justification for the murder of Red Bird. The hunters quarreled with him about furs and killed him out of greed. He had an Indian with him called Jack, who escaped.