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Background

Isaac Shelby was born on December 11, 1750, in Maryland. In 1773, he moved to the Holston settlements on the western frontier of Virginia. In 1774, Isaac Shelby served under his father in Lord Dunmore's War. Following that, he explored the territory of Kentucky. In July 1776, Shelby was appointed Captain of a Minuteman Company. In 1777, he was appointed Commissary of supplies for Frontier Militia and performed the same service in 1778 for the Continental Army. In 1779, he was instrumental in supplying boats to Gen. George Rogers Clark for his triumphant “Illinois Campaign” and was elected to the Virginia Legislature. In 1780, he was commissioned by North Carolina Governor Richard Caswell as a Colonel of militia. In September 1780, he joined the pursuit of Major Patrick Ferguson and was instrumental in Ferguson's defeat at the Battle of King's Mountain on October 7, 1780. In 1781, he served under Francis Marion for the remainder of the war. In the fall of 1781, Isaac Shelby was elected to the North Carolina Legislature.

The Kentucky Years
Isaac Shelby first came to Kentucky in 1774 when he was hired by the Transylvania Company to survey the frontier Kentucky territory. In exchange for his services as a surveyor, Shelby was given his choice of land in the new region and chose a large parcel in what is now Lincoln and Boyle counties.

In 1782, Shelby moved to the Kentucky territory. In April 1783 at Boonesboro, Kentucky, he married Susannah Hart, with whom he had eleven children. They settled near Stanford (St. Asaphs) in Lincoln County, Kentucky where he worked as county surveyor and High Sheriff. He began building a stone house which he named “Traveler’s Rest”. The structure was designed by Shelby and is thought to have been one of the first stone homes in Kentucky. The main wing was two stories high with single story wings extending from either end, one containing the master bedroom and the other the kitchen. Traveler's Rest was accidentally burned in 1905 when the current owner tried to smoke out a wasp's nest in the attic. An engineer on a passing train saw the blaze and blew his whistle to alert the neighbors. However, the lack of water and a shortage of people to fight the fire resulted in the destruction of the house.

Also in 1783, Shelby became one of the first trustees of the Transylvania Seminary. In 1786, he completed Traveler’s Rest.

Shelby was a member of three Kentucky conventions in preparation of statehood in 1787, 1788 and 1789. In January 1791, Shelby joined four others on a local Board of War that had been created by Congress for the defense of the frontier of the District of Kentucky. In April 1792, he was a member of the convention, which framed Kentucky's first constitution. In May 1792, he was elected the first Governor of Kentucky and resigned his position as High Sheriff of Lincoln County.

Shelby took office on June 4, 1792 and served until 1796 and was not re-elected because the state constitution barred anyone from serving consecutive terms as governor. He served as a presidential elector in 1797, 1801 and 1805. In 1812 when war with England loomed, Shelby was again elected governor. Now a Major General of militia, he personally led 4,000 Kentucky volunteers under General Harrison to Detroit and fought courageously at the Battle of the Thames on October 5, 1813. Congress later awarded him a Congressional gold medal of honor for his efforts.

In 1817 Shelby declined President James Monroe's offer of the position of Secretary of War because of his age. In 1818, he was commissioned with General Andrew Jackson to hold a treaty with the Chickasaw Indians for the purchase of lands west of the Tennessee River, which is now known as the Jackson Purchase. In 1819, Shelby became the chairman of the first board of trustees of Centre College. Shelby was partially paralyzed in 1820 by a stroke. On July 18, 1826, another stroke took the life Gov. Shelby while sitting on the porch at his home Traveler’s Rest. He is buried in the family cemetery, which is adjacent to his homeplace under grand old trees amidst a serene Kentucky countryside. This Isaac Shelby cemetery is now a State Historic Site

Isaac Shelby was so highly esteemed for his military, political and educational accomplishments that counties in nine states are named after him. Perhaps the best example of Shelby's national fame was indicated with the news of his death, two weeks after the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Newspapers in the West announced: “Adams and Jefferson and Shelby dead."

Kentucky Colonels

The highest honor awarded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the Kentucky Colonel. As we well know The “Colonels” are Kentucky's ambassadors of goodwill and fellowship around the world. A list of Kentucky Colonels is a Who's Who of outstanding men and women around the globe. Unknown to many, this tradition began in 1813 during the 2^nd term of Gov. Isaac Shelby, when he bestowed the title of Colonel to his son-in-law, Charles S. Todd, a member of his staff. Shelby later issued commissions to all who enlisted in his regiment in the War of 1812.

Isaac Shelby

He surveyed the land of our pioneer region. He was a military hero in the fight for our nations “liberty and freedom”. He was not only the first but also the fifth Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This great Kentuckians’ character still shines and the integrity of his actions are being carried out today through the good deeds sponsored by the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonials.

Isaac Shelby’s story is Kentucky!

Timeline

1750
December 11 - Isaac Shelby born in Frederick County, Maryland.
1773
Isaac Shelby moves with his family to the Holston settlements.
1774
Isaac Shelby serves as a lieutenant in Lord Dunmore's War.
October 10 - Isaac Shelby is present at action at Point Pleasant.
1775
Isaac Shelby serves as second in command at Fort Blair until June.
1776
July - Isaac Shelby is commissioned a Captain in the Virginia militia.
1777
Isaac Shelby is appointed commissary of supplies on the Virginia frontier.
July 20 - Isaac Shelby attends the Long Island Treaty at Fort Patrick Henry.
1778
Isaac Shelby is appointed commissary of supplies for the Continental Army in expeditions against Northwest Indians
1779
Isaac Shelby was elected to the Virginia Legislature from Washington County.
Isaac Shelby is commissioned a Major by Virginia Governor Thomas Jefferson.
1780
Isaac Shelby is commissioned a Lieutenant by North Carolina Governor Caswell.
July 20 - Isaac Shelby captures Tory fortifications at the Pacelot River.
August 18 - Shares command at Musgrove's Mill.
October 7 - Shares command at the Battle of King's Mountain, N
1781
May - Isaac Shelby arrives at Augusta, Georgia in support of Elijah Clarke and Andrew Pickens.
Isaac Shelby joins Francis Marion's force.
Isaac Shelby is elected to the North Carolina Legislature.
1782
Isaac Shelby moves to the territory of Kentucky.
1783
April - Isaac Shelby marries Susannah Hart.
Settles in Lincoln County and becomes county High Sheriff.
Becomes one of the first trustees of the Transylvania Seminary.
1786
Isaac Shelby completes his home, Traveler’s Rest.
1787
Isaac Shelby attends a Kentucky statehood convention.
1788
Isaac Shelby attends a Kentucky statehood convention.
1789
Isaac Shelby attends a Kentucky statehood convention.
1791
Janaury - Isaac Shelby is selected as a member of Board of War of the District of Kentucky.
1792
April - Isaac Shelby helps frame Kentucky's first constitution.
May - Elected the first Governor of Kentucky.
June 4 - Takes office.
1796
Isaac Shelby ends his term as Governor of Kentucky.
1797
Isaac Shelby serves as a presidential elector.
1801
Isaac Shelby serves as a presidential elector.
1805
Isaac Shelby serves as a presidential elector.
1812
Isaac Shelby is again elected Governor of Kentucky.
1813
October 5 - Isaac Shelby is present at the Battle of the Thames.
1819
Isaac Shelby becomes the chairman of the first board of trustees of Centre College.
1826
July 18 - Isaac Shelby dies at Traveler’s Rest, Lincoln County, Kentucky

Bibliography

Aron, Stephen. How the West Was Lost:  The Transformation of Kentucky from Daniel Boone to Henry Clay. Johns Hopkins, 1996. 

Kleber, John, Harrison, Lowell, and Klotter, James (eds.). The Kentucky Encyclopedia. University Press of Kentucky, 1992. 

Lossing, Benjamin J. Our Great Continent New York: Gay Brothers & Company, 1890

Talbert, Charles Gano. Benjamin Logan, Kentucky Frontiersman.University Press of Kentucky, 1962.

Ward, William S. A Literary History of Kentucky. University of Tennessee Press, 1988.

Wrobel, Sylvia, Grider, George. Isaac Shelby: Kentucky's First Governor and Hero of Three Wars. The Cumberland Press, 1974.

Gov. Isaac Shelby

Displayed are items belonging to Isaac Shelby, soldier, statesman, surveyor and Kentucky’s first Governor. In 1774, Shelby served under his father in Lord Dunmore's War. July 1776, he was appointed Captain of a minuteman company. In 1777, he was appointed Commissary for frontier militia and performed the same service in 1778 for the Continental Army. In September 1780, he joined the pursuit of Major Patrick Ferguson and was instrumental in Ferguson's defeat at the Battle of King's Mountain on October 7, 1780. These personalized utilitarian items were most likely with Governor Shelby during at least some portion of his frontier military service and quite possibly at Kings Mountain.

Kentucky Longrifles

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