Proctor, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Proctor is an unincorporated community
in Lee County
, Kentucky
, United States
. It lies along Route 11 south of the city of Beattyville
, the county seat
of Lee County. Proctor is also located near the beginning point of the Kentucky River
. There are three tributaries which combine near Beattyville and Proctor; the North Fork of the Kentucky River, the Middle Fork of the Kentucky River; and the South Fork of the Kentucky River. For this reason, many local businesses make mention of the "Three Forks".
, many veterans settled in the mountains of Kentucky
. One of these was Archibald D. McGuire.
who fought in the Battle of Tippecanoe
. He came to the Three Forks area from the Boonesborough, Kentucky
Settlement in 1799 and settled on what is now the James H. McIntosh farm located in Proctor Kentucky, the site of a large spring.
In 1848 the town of Proctor was established. It was named after Joseph Proctor, a companion of Daniel Boone
, who traveled often in the area as a circuit preacher. Early Proctor enterprises included hotels, groceries, carpentry, basket making, boat building, salt gathering, coal mining, timber operations, and flour milling.
The community of Proctor was originally located within Estill County, but was assigned to the Lee County
area when Lee County was formed in 1870 and was the first county seat. Its post office operated from 1843 until 1918. The first court was held on April 25, 1870 in the Old Howerton House.
Samuel and Patience Kelly Beatty sold their land along the Kentucky River
to encourage the establishment of a town across the river from Proctor. In 1850 "Beattyville" was chartered.
In 1862 the Proctor flour mill was burned by troops of CSA Colonel John Hunt Morgan
as he attempted to stop the retreat of General George W. Morgan
(USA) from Cumberland Gap
.
Lee County was established as Kentucky's 115th county on March 1, 1870 from part of Owsley, Wolfe, Breathitt and Estill Counties.
Lee county may have been named for Confederate General Robert E. Lee
, but many early settlers came from Lee county Virginia and the name may have came from that fact. James Madison Beatty , the first County Attorney, and his wife Josephine, donated land in Beattyville for a courthouse and jail, and the county seat soon moved across the river to Beattyville.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Lee County
Lee County, Kentucky
Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 7,916. Its county seat is Beattyville. It is a prohibition or dry county.-History:...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It lies along Route 11 south of the city of Beattyville
Beattyville, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,193 people, 509 households, and 294 families residing in the city. The population density was 599.6 people per square mile . There were 561 housing units at an average density of 282.0 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 98.99% White, 0.42%...
, the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Lee County. Proctor is also located near the beginning point of the Kentucky River
Kentucky River
The Kentucky River is a tributary of the Ohio River, long, in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The river and its tributaries drain much of the central region of the state, with its upper course passing through the coal-mining regions of the Cumberland Mountains, and its lower course passing through the...
. There are three tributaries which combine near Beattyville and Proctor; the North Fork of the Kentucky River, the Middle Fork of the Kentucky River; and the South Fork of the Kentucky River. For this reason, many local businesses make mention of the "Three Forks".
History
After the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, many veterans settled in the mountains of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. One of these was Archibald D. McGuire.
who fought in the Battle of Tippecanoe
Battle of Tippecanoe
The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought on November 7, 1811, between United States forces led by Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory and Native American warriors associated with the Shawnee leader Tecumseh. Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa were leaders of a confederacy of...
. He came to the Three Forks area from the Boonesborough, Kentucky
Boonesborough, Kentucky
Boonesborough is an unincorporated community in Madison County, Kentucky, United States. It lies in the central part of the state along the Kentucky River. Boonesborough is part of the Richmond–Berea Micropolitan Statistical Area....
Settlement in 1799 and settled on what is now the James H. McIntosh farm located in Proctor Kentucky, the site of a large spring.
In 1848 the town of Proctor was established. It was named after Joseph Proctor, a companion of Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
, who traveled often in the area as a circuit preacher. Early Proctor enterprises included hotels, groceries, carpentry, basket making, boat building, salt gathering, coal mining, timber operations, and flour milling.
The community of Proctor was originally located within Estill County, but was assigned to the Lee County
Lee County, Kentucky
Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 7,916. Its county seat is Beattyville. It is a prohibition or dry county.-History:...
area when Lee County was formed in 1870 and was the first county seat. Its post office operated from 1843 until 1918. The first court was held on April 25, 1870 in the Old Howerton House.
Samuel and Patience Kelly Beatty sold their land along the Kentucky River
Kentucky River
The Kentucky River is a tributary of the Ohio River, long, in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The river and its tributaries drain much of the central region of the state, with its upper course passing through the coal-mining regions of the Cumberland Mountains, and its lower course passing through the...
to encourage the establishment of a town across the river from Proctor. In 1850 "Beattyville" was chartered.
In 1862 the Proctor flour mill was burned by troops of CSA Colonel John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan was a Confederate general and cavalry officer in the American Civil War.Morgan is best known for Morgan's Raid when, in 1863, he and his men rode over 1,000 miles covering a region from Tennessee, up through Kentucky, into Indiana and on to southern Ohio...
as he attempted to stop the retreat of General George W. Morgan
George W. Morgan
George Washington Morgan was an American soldier, lawyer, politician, and diplomat. He fought in the Texas Revolution and the Mexican-American War, and was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
(USA) from Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap is a pass through the Cumberland Mountains region of the Appalachian Mountains, also known as the Cumberland Water Gap, at the juncture of the U.S. states of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia...
.
Lee County was established as Kentucky's 115th county on March 1, 1870 from part of Owsley, Wolfe, Breathitt and Estill Counties.
Lee county may have been named for Confederate General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, but many early settlers came from Lee county Virginia and the name may have came from that fact. James Madison Beatty , the first County Attorney, and his wife Josephine, donated land in Beattyville for a courthouse and jail, and the county seat soon moved across the river to Beattyville.