John Logan (pioneer)
Encyclopedia
John Logan was a pioneer and politician from the U.S. state
of Virginia
and later, Kentucky
. He participated in Lord Dunmore's War
in 1774, serving under his brother, Benjamin
. After moving to Kentucky County, Virginia
, he took part in several expeditions against the Shawnee
, including some led by Daniel Boone
, John Bowman
, and George Rogers Clark
. After Kentucky County was split into three counties, Logan represented his home county, Lincoln
in the Virginia House of Delegates
and at several of the conventions that effected the separation of Virginia from Kentucky.
When Kentucky became a state in 1792, Logan briefly served in the Kentucky Senate
and was appointed as the state's first treasurer
, an office he held continuously until his death in 1807. After being appointed treasurer, he moved to Franklin County
, where he became one of the first trustees of the city of Frankfort
, which became the state capital. He also represented Franklin County at the 1799 state constitutional convention and later became the county's first circuit court judge.
by way of Pennsylvania
and settled near the North River
in Virginia
. John Logan was baptized
into the Presbyterian
church on May 10, 1747.
David Logan died in 1757, leaving no will
, and his entire estate passed to his oldest son Benjamin
when he came of age in 1764. Benjamin sold the entire estate and divided the money among himself and his brothers and sisters. Benjamin and his brother, Hugh, used their shares to purchase a farm on the James River
, and their sister Jane joined them there. John Logan soon purchased 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of land for himself near his family. In the early 1770s, he married Jane McClure; they had six daughters and a son. Benjamin Logan moved again, this time settling on the Holston River
, and John and his wife followed in 1773, establishing their home at Black's Fort (now the city of Abingdon, Virginia
).
in a militia unit led by his brother Benjamin during Lord Dunmore's War
. His unit arrived too late to participate in the Battle of Point Pleasant
, but were able to accompany Lord Dunmore
during his invasion of the Shawnee
lands beyond the Ohio River
.
In 1776, Benjamin Logan made claims for himself and several members of his family, including John, in Kentucky County, Virginia
along the Dix River
, although the family did not immediately move there. John Logan joined the local militia
in several excursions against the Indians
. During one engagement, the forefinger of Logan's right hand was severed by a bullet. In August 1778, Logan and Daniel Boone
led an unauthorized expedition against the Shawnee known as the Paint Creek Expedition. The party engaged a small detachment of Shawnees with indecisive results before retreating; the Shawnee group may have been sent in advance of the larger war party that later laid siege to the settlement of Boonesborough
.
In 1779, Logan answered John Bowman
's call for volunteers for a campaign against the Shawnee. On May 30, 1779, he participated in a raid on the Shawnee village
of Chillicothe
. In July, he was charged with ensuring the safe conveyance of gunpowder
and ammunition from Boonesborough to the fort at St. Asaph's (near the present-day city of Stanford, Kentucky
). Later that year, he was promoted to captain; his brother Benjamin was promoted to colonel
and John assumed command of his brother's old unit. In 1780, he was ordered to bring four-fifths of his company
to the mouth of the Licking River
for a retaliatory mission against the Indians, who had combined with British
forces to overwhelm the settlements of Ruddle's Station and Martin's Station. The mission, led by George Rogers Clark
, resulted in the complete destruction of the Shawnee settlements of Chillicothe and Pekowee
in August 1780.
In January 1781, the Virginia legislature created three counties from Kentucky County. John Logan's property lay in newly created Lincoln County. When the county court
of Lincoln County was organized at Harrodsburg
on January 16, 1781, both John and Benjamin Logan were appointed as justices; this was the first court organized in what would become the state of Kentucky. At the first meeting of the county court, John Bowman presented his commission as lieutenant
of the county militia and Stephen Trigg
presented a similar commission as colonel. Benjamin Logan and James Harrod
received commissions as lieutenant colonel
and major
, respectively, but both declined because they thought they deserved a higher rank. John Logan was subsequently recommended to Governor
Thomas Jefferson
for the lieutenant colonel's commission Hugh McGary was recommended for the major's commission. Due to a delay – left unexplained in the court's records – John Logan was not sworn in as lieutenant colonel until January 16, 1782.
Logan was briefly given command of George Rogers Clark's militiamen who were building a fleet of armed boats and fortifications and Louisville
later that year. In August 1782, he was ordered to gather as many men as possible and pursue the Indians that had attacked Bryan Station
. At Lexington
, Logan met his brother Benjamin and the remnants of an advance party led by Stephen Trigg and Fayette County
Lieutenant John Todd
. Trigg and Todd's party had been soundly defeated at the Battle of Blue Licks
; Trigg and Todd, along with two majors, five captains, and five lieutenants were among the casualties. The combined force returned to the battlefield at Blue Licks, but the Indian forces had already returned north of the Ohio River, and the men returned to their homes. In November, John Logan was among the men led by George Rogers Clark on a retaliatory mission that destroyed the Indian settlements at McKee's Town, Willstown, and Standing Stone.
Logan was commissioned by Virginia governor Benjamin Harrison
as colonel of Lincoln County to replace Stephen Trigg on July 22, 1783, although he had already been functioning in that capacity for three months. He served a single term in the Virginia legislature in 1784. He arrived late to the session, and consequently served on no committees. He helped defeat a resolution calling for the repeal of laws that conflicted with the Treaty of Paris
and voted with the majority to restrict the ports that could be used by foreign vessels. When the town of Stanford was established in March 1786, Logan was named one of its first trustees.
In October 1785, Logan and twenty-two militiamen recovered property and prisoners from an Indian raiding party that had attacked several families camped along the Wilderness Road
. He again joined George Rogers Clark for an expedition against the Shawnee in October 1786, but was later critical of Clark's actions during the campaign. He co-signed a letter to Governor Edmund Randolph
claiming that Clark had, without proper authority, enlisted men and commissioned officers for a garrison at Vincennes
and confiscated Spanish
property to supply the garrison.
On December 12, 1786, Logan was sworn in as sheriff
of Lincoln County. In February 1787, Logan gathered a group of militiamen to avenge the killing of a Virginian named Luttrell by Indians near the city of Somerset
. Logan tracked the Indians over the Cumberland River
into Indian territory in what is now Tennessee
. He and his men attacked the group of Cherokee
s – killing seven of them – and recovered horses, pelts, and other items believed to belong to settlers in the area. The Cherokee who survived Logan's attack formally protested his actions to the government of Virginia. Governor Randolph ordered Harry Innes
, attorney general for the state's western district, to prosecute Logan for violating the terms of the United States' treaty with the Indians
, but Innes refused, citing Logan's recovery of items belonging to Virginian settlers as proof that his actions had been justified. No other action was taken against Logan.
During the 1780s, Logan served as a delegate to the first, fourth, sixth, and seventh Kentucky statehood conventions in Danville
. In June 1788, he represented Lincoln County at the Virginia convention
to consider ratification of the United States Constitution
. Logan and nine of the other thirteen delegates from what is now Kentucky voted against ratification, but the convention voted 88–78 in favor of it. Logan's primary opposition was due to his fear of federal power without the inclusion of a bill of rights
. The following year, John Logan replaced his brother Benjamin as lieutenant of Lincoln County following Benjamin's resignation.
In 1789, Logan was elected to the first of three consecutive terms in the Virginia House of Delegates. During the first of these terms, he helped draft the legislation authorizing the separation of Kentucky from Virginia. In 1790, he helped author a bill providing funds to clear obstacles from the Wilderness Road; he was named as one of the supervisors of the work, along with Henry Innes, Isaac Shelby
, Samuel McDowell
, and John Miller.
, and Logan was unanimously chosen for the office. A week after the ballot, he resigned his position in the Senate and assumed the post of treasurer. As treasurer, Logan had the difficult task of financing the state using a combination of currencies from The Netherlands, France
, Austria
, Prussia
, Portugal
, Italy
, and elsewhere. The situation was complicated when the federal government refused to redeem the paper money issued by the states of Virginia, Pennsylvania
, and North Carolina
to finance the Revolutionary War
, rendering these notes worthless. In the early days of the Commonwealth, tobacco
, animal pelts, and land warrants were more useful as currency than paper notes. At times, Logan had to personally borrow money to cover the state's obligations.
With near-total autonomy over the state's finances, Logan created the county offices of justice of the peace
, sheriff
, auditor, and surveyor and set their salaries. Logan was also charged with finding a way to ensure adequate defense of the frontier state; he divided the state into districts based on population in order to ensure equitable conscription
of soldiers for the state militia.
Concurrent with his service as treasurer, Logan was named as a trustee for the city of Frankfort
in December 1794 and served on a five-man commission to oversee the construction of the jail there. In 1799, he represented Franklin County
at the constitutional convention that produced the second Constitution of Kentucky
. He was chosen as a trustee of the Kentucky Seminary in 1800, and was appointed the first circuit judge of Franklin County, presiding over the court's first session on April 18, 1803. He continued to serve as state treasurer until his death in July 1807 at Frankfort.
The remainder of his term was served by David Logan, although records are unclear whether this was his son or his nephew – the son of his brother Benjamin – who were both named David. Logan's son David married the daughter of Stephen Trigg and their son, Stephen Trigg Logan
, was became a judge in Illinois
and a law partner of Abraham Lincoln
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and later, 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...
. He participated in Lord Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War was a war in 1774 between the Colony of Virginia and the Shawnee and Mingo American Indian nations....
in 1774, serving under his brother, Benjamin
Benjamin Logan
Benjamin Logan was an American pioneer, soldier, and politician from Shelby County, Kentucky. As colonel of the Kentucky County militia of Virginia during the American Revolutionary War, he was second-in-command of militia in Kentucky. Logan was a leader in Kentucky's efforts to become a state...
. After moving to Kentucky County, Virginia
Kentucky County, Virginia
Kentucky County was formed by the Commonwealth of Virginia by dividing Fincastle County into three new counties: Kentucky, Washington, and Montgomery, effective December 31, 1776. Four years later Kentucky County was abolished on June 30, 1780, when it was divided into Fayette, Jefferson, and...
, he took part in several expeditions against the Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
, including some led by 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...
, John Bowman
John Bowman (pioneer)
John Jacob Bowman was an 18th century American pioneer, colonial militia officer and sheriff, the first appointed in Lincoln County, Kentucky. In 1781 he also presided as a justice of the peace over the first county court held in Kentucky...
, and George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war...
. After Kentucky County was split into three counties, Logan represented his home county, Lincoln
Lincoln County, Kentucky
Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 24,742 in the 2010 Cesus. Its county seat is Stanford. Lincoln is a prohibition or "dry county" and is part of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
in the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
and at several of the conventions that effected the separation of Virginia from Kentucky.
When Kentucky became a state in 1792, Logan briefly served in the Kentucky Senate
Kentucky Senate
The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky Senators...
and was appointed as the state's first treasurer
Kentucky State Treasurer
The Kentucky State Treasurer is elected every 4 years. The treasurer, who can serve two terms, acts as the state's chief elected fiscal officer. The salary of the state treasurer is $110,000 a year...
, an office he held continuously until his death in 1807. After being appointed treasurer, he moved to Franklin County
Franklin County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,687 people, 19,907 households, and 12,840 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 21,409 housing units at an average density of...
, where he became one of the first trustees of the city of Frankfort
Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort is a city in Kentucky that serves as the state capital and the county seat of Franklin County. The population was 27,741 at the 2000 census; by population it is the 5th smallest state capital in the United States...
, which became the state capital. He also represented Franklin County at the 1799 state constitutional convention and later became the county's first circuit court judge.
Early life
John Logan was born to David and Jane (McKinley) Logan in the spring of 1747. He was one of eight children in the family. Prior to John's birth, his parents had immigrated from UlsterUlster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
by way of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and settled near the North River
North River (South Fork Shenandoah River)
The North River is a river in the mountains and Shenandoah Valley of northern Virginia, the United States. It joins the South River at Port Republic to form the South Fork Shenandoah River....
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. John Logan was baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
into the Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
church on May 10, 1747.
David Logan died in 1757, leaving no will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
, and his entire estate passed to his oldest son Benjamin
Benjamin Logan
Benjamin Logan was an American pioneer, soldier, and politician from Shelby County, Kentucky. As colonel of the Kentucky County militia of Virginia during the American Revolutionary War, he was second-in-command of militia in Kentucky. Logan was a leader in Kentucky's efforts to become a state...
when he came of age in 1764. Benjamin sold the entire estate and divided the money among himself and his brothers and sisters. Benjamin and his brother, Hugh, used their shares to purchase a farm on the James River
James River
The James River may refer to:Rivers in the United States and their namesakes* James River * James River , North Dakota, South Dakota* James River * James River * James River...
, and their sister Jane joined them there. John Logan soon purchased 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of land for himself near his family. In the early 1770s, he married Jane McClure; they had six daughters and a son. Benjamin Logan moved again, this time settling on the Holston River
Holston River
The Holston River is a major river system of southwestern Virginia and east Tennessee. The three major forks of the Holston rise in southwestern Virginia and have their confluence near Kingsport, Tennessee. The North Fork flows southwest from Sharon Springs in Bland County, Virginia...
, and John and his wife followed in 1773, establishing their home at Black's Fort (now the city of Abingdon, Virginia
Abingdon, Virginia
Abingdon is a town in Washington County, Virginia, USA, 133 miles southwest of Roanoke. The population was 8,191 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Washington County and is a designated Virginia Historic Landmark...
).
Political and military service in Virginia
In 1774, Logan served as a non-commissioned officerNon-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
in a militia unit led by his brother Benjamin during Lord Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War was a war in 1774 between the Colony of Virginia and the Shawnee and Mingo American Indian nations....
. His unit arrived too late to participate in the Battle of Point Pleasant
Battle of Point Pleasant
The Battle of Point Pleasant, known as the Battle of Kanawha in some older accounts, was the only major battle of Dunmore's War. It was fought on October 10, 1774, primarily between Virginia militia and American Indians from the Shawnee and Mingo tribes...
, but were able to accompany Lord Dunmore
John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore
John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore was a British peer and colonial governor. He was the son of William Murray, 3rd Earl of Dunmore, and his wife Catherine . He is best remembered as the last royal governor of the Colony of Virginia.John was the eldest son of William and Catherine Murray, and nephew...
during his invasion of the Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
lands beyond the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
.
In 1776, Benjamin Logan made claims for himself and several members of his family, including John, in Kentucky County, Virginia
Kentucky County, Virginia
Kentucky County was formed by the Commonwealth of Virginia by dividing Fincastle County into three new counties: Kentucky, Washington, and Montgomery, effective December 31, 1776. Four years later Kentucky County was abolished on June 30, 1780, when it was divided into Fayette, Jefferson, and...
along the Dix River
Dix River
The Dix River is a tributary of the Kentucky River in central Kentucky in the United States.It begins in western Rockcastle County, about west of Mount Vernon. It flows generally northwest, in a tight meandering course, passing north of Stanford and east of Danville. Northwest of Danville it is...
, although the family did not immediately move there. John Logan joined the local militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
in several excursions against the Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. During one engagement, the forefinger of Logan's right hand was severed by a bullet. In August 1778, Logan and 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...
led an unauthorized expedition against the Shawnee known as the Paint Creek Expedition. The party engaged a small detachment of Shawnees with indecisive results before retreating; the Shawnee group may have been sent in advance of the larger war party that later laid siege to the settlement of Boonesborough
Siege of Boonesborough
The Siege of Boonesborough took place in September 1778 during the American Revolutionary War. The attack on the Kentucky settlement of Boonesborough was led by Chief Blackfish, a Shawnee leader allied to the British. Months before the battle, Blackfish had captured and adopted Daniel Boone, the...
.
In 1779, Logan answered John Bowman
John Bowman (pioneer)
John Jacob Bowman was an 18th century American pioneer, colonial militia officer and sheriff, the first appointed in Lincoln County, Kentucky. In 1781 he also presided as a justice of the peace over the first county court held in Kentucky...
's call for volunteers for a campaign against the Shawnee. On May 30, 1779, he participated in a raid on the Shawnee village
Battle of Chillicothe
The Battle of Chillicothe was part of the western theater of the American Revolutionary War.In May 1779, Colonel John Bowman of the Kentucky County militia, accompanied by Benjamin Logan and Levi Todd, led between 160 and 300 militiamen against the Shawnee town of Chillicothe...
of Chillicothe
Chalahgawtha
Chalahgawtha was the name of one of the five divisions of the Shawnee, a Native American people, during the 18th century, as well as the name of the principal village of the division. The other four divisions were the Mekoche, Kispoko, Pekowi, and Hathawekela...
. In July, he was charged with ensuring the safe conveyance of gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
and ammunition from Boonesborough to the fort at St. Asaph's (near the present-day city of Stanford, Kentucky
Stanford, Kentucky
Stanford is a city in Lincoln County, Kentucky, United States. It is one of the oldest settlements in Kentucky, having been founded in 1775. Its population was 3,430 at the 2000 census...
). Later that year, he was promoted to captain; his brother Benjamin was promoted to colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
and John assumed command of his brother's old unit. In 1780, he was ordered to bring four-fifths of his company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
to the mouth of the Licking River
Licking River (Kentucky)
The Licking River is a tributary of the Ohio River in northeastern Kentucky in the United States. The river and its tributaries drain much of the region of northeastern Kentucky between the watersheds of the Kentucky River to the west and the Big Sandy River to the east.-Origin of name:The Native...
for a retaliatory mission against the Indians, who had combined with British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
forces to overwhelm the settlements of Ruddle's Station and Martin's Station. The mission, led by George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war...
, resulted in the complete destruction of the Shawnee settlements of Chillicothe and Pekowee
Battle of Piqua
The Battle of Piqua, also known as the Battle of Pekowee or Pekowi, was part of the western campaign during the American Revolutionary War...
in August 1780.
In January 1781, the Virginia legislature created three counties from Kentucky County. John Logan's property lay in newly created Lincoln County. When the county court
County Court
A county court is a court based in or with a jurisdiction covering one or more counties, which are administrative divisions within a country, not to be confused with the medieval system of county courts held by the High Sheriff of each county.-England and Wales:County Court matters can be lodged...
of Lincoln County was organized at Harrodsburg
Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Harrodsburg is a city in and the county seat of Mercer County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 8,014 at the 2000 census. It is the oldest city in Kentucky.-History:...
on January 16, 1781, both John and Benjamin Logan were appointed as justices; this was the first court organized in what would become the state of Kentucky. At the first meeting of the county court, John Bowman presented his commission as lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
of the county militia and Stephen Trigg
Stephen Trigg
Stephen Trigg was an American pioneer and soldier from Virginia. He was killed ten months after the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown in one of the last battles of the American Revolution while leading the Lincoln County, Virginia militia unit at the Battle of Blue Licks in present-day...
presented a similar commission as colonel. Benjamin Logan and James Harrod
James Harrod
James Harrod was a pioneer, soldier, and hunter who helped explore and settle the area west of the Allegheny Mountains. Little is known about Harrod's early life, including the exact date of his birth. He was possibly underage when he served in the French and Indian War, and later participated in...
received commissions as lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
and major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
, respectively, but both declined because they thought they deserved a higher rank. John Logan was subsequently recommended to Governor
Governor of Virginia
The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
for the lieutenant colonel's commission Hugh McGary was recommended for the major's commission. Due to a delay – left unexplained in the court's records – John Logan was not sworn in as lieutenant colonel until January 16, 1782.
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
later that year. In August 1782, he was ordered to gather as many men as possible and pursue the Indians that had attacked Bryan Station
Bryan Station
Bryan Station was an early fortified settlement in Lexington, Kentucky...
. At Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, Logan met his brother Benjamin and the remnants of an advance party led by Stephen Trigg and Fayette County
Fayette County, Kentucky
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 295,083 in the 2010 Census. Its territory, population and government are coextensive with the city of Lexington, which also serves as county seat....
Lieutenant John Todd
John Todd (Virginia)
John Todd was a frontier military officer during the American Revolutionary War and the first administrator of the Illinois County of the U.S...
. Trigg and Todd's party had been soundly defeated at the Battle of Blue Licks
Battle of Blue Licks
The Battle of Blue Licks, fought on August 19, 1782, was one of the last battles of the American Revolutionary War. The battle occurred ten months after Lord Cornwallis's famous surrender at Yorktown, which had effectively ended the war in the east...
; Trigg and Todd, along with two majors, five captains, and five lieutenants were among the casualties. The combined force returned to the battlefield at Blue Licks, but the Indian forces had already returned north of the Ohio River, and the men returned to their homes. In November, John Logan was among the men led by George Rogers Clark on a retaliatory mission that destroyed the Indian settlements at McKee's Town, Willstown, and Standing Stone.
Logan was commissioned by Virginia governor Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
as colonel of Lincoln County to replace Stephen Trigg on July 22, 1783, although he had already been functioning in that capacity for three months. He served a single term in the Virginia legislature in 1784. He arrived late to the session, and consequently served on no committees. He helped defeat a resolution calling for the repeal of laws that conflicted with the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain on the one hand and the United States of America and its allies on the other. The other combatant nations, France, Spain and the Dutch Republic had separate agreements; for details of...
and voted with the majority to restrict the ports that could be used by foreign vessels. When the town of Stanford was established in March 1786, Logan was named one of its first trustees.
In October 1785, Logan and twenty-two militiamen recovered property and prisoners from an Indian raiding party that had attacked several families camped along the Wilderness Road
Wilderness Road
The Wilderness Road was the principal route used by settlers for more than fifty years to reach Kentucky from the East. In 1775, Daniel Boone blazed a trail for the Transylvania Company from Fort Chiswell in Virginia through the Cumberland Gap into central Kentucky. It was later lengthened,...
. He again joined George Rogers Clark for an expedition against the Shawnee in October 1786, but was later critical of Clark's actions during the campaign. He co-signed a letter to Governor Edmund Randolph
Edmund Randolph
Edmund Jennings Randolph was an American attorney, the seventh Governor of Virginia, the second Secretary of State, and the first United States Attorney General.-Biography:...
claiming that Clark had, without proper authority, enlisted men and commissioned officers for a garrison at Vincennes
Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Indiana, United States. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 18,701 at the 2000 census...
and confiscated Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
property to supply the garrison.
On December 12, 1786, Logan was sworn in as sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Lincoln County. In February 1787, Logan gathered a group of militiamen to avenge the killing of a Virginian named Luttrell by Indians near the city of Somerset
Somerset, Kentucky
The major demographic differences between the city and the micropolitan area relate to income, housing composition and age. The micropolitan area, as compared to the incorporated city, is more suburban in flavor and has a significantly younger housing stock, a higher income, and contains most of...
. Logan tracked the Indians over the Cumberland River
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
into Indian territory in what is now Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. He and his men attacked the group of Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
s – killing seven of them – and recovered horses, pelts, and other items believed to belong to settlers in the area. The Cherokee who survived Logan's attack formally protested his actions to the government of Virginia. Governor Randolph ordered Harry Innes
Harry Innes
Harry Innes was the first United States federal judge in Kentucky.Innes was born in Caroline County, Virginia, the son of the Reverend Robert Innes and Catharine Innes. Innes attended Donald Robertson's school and William and Mary College...
, attorney general for the state's western district, to prosecute Logan for violating the terms of the United States' treaty with the Indians
Treaty of Hopewell
The Treaty of Hopewell is any of three different treaties signed at Hopewell Plantation. The plantation was owned by Andrew Pickens, and was located on the Seneca River in northwestern South Carolina. The treaties were signed between the Confederation Congress of the United States of America and...
, but Innes refused, citing Logan's recovery of items belonging to Virginian settlers as proof that his actions had been justified. No other action was taken against Logan.
During the 1780s, Logan served as a delegate to the first, fourth, sixth, and seventh Kentucky statehood conventions in Danville
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
. In June 1788, he represented Lincoln County at the Virginia convention
Virginia Ratifying Convention
The Virginia Ratifying Convention was a convention of 168 delegates from Virginia who met in 1788 to ratify or reject the United States Constitution, which had been drafted at the Philadelphia Convention the previous year.The Convention met and deliberated from June 2 through June 27 in Richmond...
to consider ratification of the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. Logan and nine of the other thirteen delegates from what is now Kentucky voted against ratification, but the convention voted 88–78 in favor of it. Logan's primary opposition was due to his fear of federal power without the inclusion of a bill of rights
Bill of rights
A bill of rights is a list of the most important rights of the citizens of a country. The purpose of these bills is to protect those rights against infringement. The term "bill of rights" originates from England, where it referred to the Bill of Rights 1689. Bills of rights may be entrenched or...
. The following year, John Logan replaced his brother Benjamin as lieutenant of Lincoln County following Benjamin's resignation.
In 1789, Logan was elected to the first of three consecutive terms in the Virginia House of Delegates. During the first of these terms, he helped draft the legislation authorizing the separation of Kentucky from Virginia. In 1790, he helped author a bill providing funds to clear obstacles from the Wilderness Road; he was named as one of the supervisors of the work, along with Henry Innes, Isaac Shelby
Isaac Shelby
Isaac Shelby was the first and fifth Governor of the U.S. state of Kentucky and served in the state legislatures of Virginia and North Carolina. He was also a soldier in Lord Dunmore's War, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812...
, Samuel McDowell
Samuel McDowell
Samuel McDowell was a soldier and early political leader in Kentucky. He was the father of Dr. Ephraim McDowell.McDowell participated in three major wars...
, and John Miller.
Political service in Kentucky
When Kentucky became a state in 1792, Logan was chosen as a member of the state senate. Just two weeks after the Senate convened for the first time on June 4, 1792, a joint ballot of the House and Senate was taken to select a state treasurerKentucky State Treasurer
The Kentucky State Treasurer is elected every 4 years. The treasurer, who can serve two terms, acts as the state's chief elected fiscal officer. The salary of the state treasurer is $110,000 a year...
, and Logan was unanimously chosen for the office. A week after the ballot, he resigned his position in the Senate and assumed the post of treasurer. As treasurer, Logan had the difficult task of financing the state using a combination of currencies from The Netherlands, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and elsewhere. The situation was complicated when the federal government refused to redeem the paper money issued by the states of Virginia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
to finance the Revolutionary War
American 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...
, rendering these notes worthless. In the early days of the Commonwealth, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, animal pelts, and land warrants were more useful as currency than paper notes. At times, Logan had to personally borrow money to cover the state's obligations.
With near-total autonomy over the state's finances, Logan created the county offices of justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
, auditor, and surveyor and set their salaries. Logan was also charged with finding a way to ensure adequate defense of the frontier state; he divided the state into districts based on population in order to ensure equitable conscription
Conscription in the United States
Conscription in the United States has been employed several times, usually during war but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War...
of soldiers for the state militia.
Concurrent with his service as treasurer, Logan was named as a trustee for the city of Frankfort
Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort is a city in Kentucky that serves as the state capital and the county seat of Franklin County. The population was 27,741 at the 2000 census; by population it is the 5th smallest state capital in the United States...
in December 1794 and served on a five-man commission to oversee the construction of the jail there. In 1799, he represented Franklin County
Franklin County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,687 people, 19,907 households, and 12,840 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 21,409 housing units at an average density of...
at the constitutional convention that produced the second Constitution of Kentucky
Kentucky Constitution
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the document that governs the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was first adopted in 1792 and has since been rewritten three times and amended many more...
. He was chosen as a trustee of the Kentucky Seminary in 1800, and was appointed the first circuit judge of Franklin County, presiding over the court's first session on April 18, 1803. He continued to serve as state treasurer until his death in July 1807 at Frankfort.
The remainder of his term was served by David Logan, although records are unclear whether this was his son or his nephew – the son of his brother Benjamin – who were both named David. Logan's son David married the daughter of Stephen Trigg and their son, Stephen Trigg Logan
Stephen T. Logan
Stephen Trigg Logan was an American lawyer and politician.He practiced law with Abraham Lincoln from 1841 to 1843. He served as Illinois circuit court judge and in 1847 was elected to the Illinois Constitutional Conevention. He also served in the Illinois House of Representatives...
, was became a judge in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and a law partner of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
.