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Page 35
GRANDPAP'S BOURBON COUNTY BILL
By Everett A. Mahrug
Pap took a pen name--his own rearranged in a "sort-of backwards"
fashion--to tell a story based on an ill-fated attempt by his
grandfather, Jacob Durham, to form a new county, with
Russellville as the county seat. According to family lore, Jacob
intended to place the court house on a parcel of land he owned in
the center of town, surrounded by other property he owned,
including a store. Years later, Frank Durham gained sole title to
the "courthouse" property and deeded it to the town.
Grandpap, Jacob Mahrug, had come from Kentucky in an "early day",
and located his new domicile equidistant from four surrounding
county-seat towns. He laid out a new town and named it "Mahrug."
In the center of his town plat he carelessly left a large
"Square."
As a boy back in Kentucky, Grandpap learned the blacksmith's
trade, and followed that vocation for a while. . . At his new
place of residence he started a general store, the first store in
Mahrug. Both he and it prospered. He sold lots in this coming
town. The town grew. He bought and cleared, and sold and rebought
farm lands roundabout. He became a "Squire," and administered
justice without fear, but probably with some favor. He journeyed
on horseback to Cincinnati and Philadelphia to buy goods,
transporting them overland by wagon from the closest navigable
point in the chain of rivers. His store came to be the trading
point and social center for miles around. He extended "store
credit" anywhere and everywhere, and it was universally
understood that Christmas Day was pay day. . .
In this environment, Grandpap started his family of four boys and
one girl. . . He had the first carriage and the first piano in
the county, even though Darter was the county seat and center of
culture and population.
His mother back in Kentucky signifying her desire to visit him in
his new home, he sent the carriage, the two older boys and three
"hands" back to bring her to Mahrug in State. The trip took over
two months, and she had to wait until the next summer to find
weather and roads suitable to make the return home. Back in
Kentucky, she advertised him and the new country so extensively
that two of her neighbors bought enough land of Grandpap that
Fall to make back to him all the expenses of her pilgrimage, and
then some.
In somewhat less than due time, considering his status as an
immigrant from another State, Grandpap got elected as a
Democratic member of the House, in the State Legislature. Early
in the first Session, he introduced a bill to substantially
increase the Governor's salary. . . By a mere coincidence, it was
referred to the Fees and Salary Committee, of which Grandpap was
a member. It was unanimously reported favorably to the House by
the Committee at its first meeting after introduction. Passing
the House and Senate intact, it was reluctantly signed by the
Governor, and became law.
At the next roll call, Grandpap introduced another bill which
came to be known as the "Bourbon County Bill." Its purpose was
aimed to accommodate the people around Mahrug with a nearer court
house and closer county seat. Without trace of partiality, it
would simply carve a new county out of the four existing
contiguous counties to Mahrug, make Mahrug the county seat
thereof, and give the new county the name of "Bourbon", (a name
most likely suggested by scenes from Grandpap's nativity). True,
it did provide for the bonding of the territory comprising the
new county to procure funds to acquire land for and construct the
court house, jail and other county buildings, and "other
necessary expenses," but these things were naturally incident to
the formation of any new county.
Through another coincidence, the Bourbon County Bill was referred
to the County and Township Business Committee, of which Grandpap
was Chairman. It was promptly reported favorably to the House by
the Committee. After some delay and a little explaining, it
passed the House by a very substantial majority and went to the
Senate for its action thereon. . . The Senate's County and
Township Business Committee in turn named a subcommittee to
"examine thoroughly into its merits" The subcommittee was
composed of two experienced and dependable members of the
Majority party and a Whig member who had a bill pending for a
separate judicial court for one of his counties. . .
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