A recently discovered letter written 200 years in the past gives voice to a woman in Boone County who otherwise would have remained unknown. The letter was unsigned, but dated “September 17th, 1824, Boone County, KY” and was sent to Thomas Davis in Orange County, VA. A genealogy search based on clues in the content revealed the sender was Davis’ cousin, Robert Kirtley.
Kirtley was writing on behalf of a woman named Nancy, who had once been enslaved by his grandfather, William Kirtley of Madison County, VA. When William’s estate was divided in 1795, the enslaved families were scattered. Some were sold away, while others, including Nancy, were distributed among Kirtley’s heirs including the Davis family. Nancy and several other enslaved people were brought here in 1796 by Jeremiah Kirtley, a Revolutionary War veteran who was William’s son and Robert’s father.
Jeremiah died in 1806, and Nancy was eventually transferred to Robert. At Nancy’s request, Robert agreed to send a message on her behalf. Nancy dictated to Kirtley, expressing her love and longing for two children, Milly and Ben-Oliver, from whom she had been separated for 28 years. She reassured them she was well and wished the same for them, and even engaged in some small talk of shared acquaintances, but her main goal was to say goodbye to children she knew she would not see again.
Nancy’s early arrival identifies her as one of Boone County’s earliest pioneers despite the state of enslavement in which she lived. Her words to her children give us a view into the lives of countless others who contributed to the establishment of our county, but whose efforts and names are largely lost to history.
