from Mercer County, Kentucky – Biographies

J. Y. Leavell was born March 21, 1817, in Garrard County, Kentucky.  He received a liberal education, and became one of the leading farmers of Garrard.  He accumulated considerable property, and assisted in organizing the First National Bank of Lancaster, and was its president from 1870 to 1872, afterward a director.  In 1883 he removed to Mercer County, and in March, 1885, he was the first man to receive an appointment as storekeeper.  He was a son of Benjamin and Isabella (Miller) Leavell, to whom five sons and five daughters were born and reared.  Benjamin Leavell was born in Virginia in 1772; he settled in Garrard County in 1795, was a farmer and a slave owner; he was a son of Edward and Elizabeth (Hawkins) Leavell, who reared a family of five sons and four daughters.  Edward Leavell was a soldier in the war for independence, and was an early pioneer of Garrard County.  Isabella (Miller) Leavell was born in Fort Paint Lick, November, 1781; she was the first of four children born to William and Nancy (Yancy) Miller.  William Miller was born in Virginia, in 1747.  The Legislature of Virginia provided and requested Daniel Boone to mark a road or trail, from Virginia to Boonesborough, Kentucky.  William Miller, with several others, was employed to mark a route for guiding emigrants over the mountains to the rich and fertile lands of Kentucky.  This company of men worked unmolested until they reached the waters of Silver Creek, when they were attacked by the Indians, and two of their party killed.  When they reached the waters of Taylor’s Fork of Silver Creek, they were again attacked, and one more of their number killed.  After completing the enterprise, William Miller returned to Virginia, and was married, January, 1781, and soon after started for his new home, which he had selected before returning to Virginia.  He occupied Fort Paint Lick where all his children, four in number, were born.  He was with General Morgan on his northern campaign in 1794-95.  He is supposed to be of Scotch-Irish parents.