On October 6, 1780, Native Americans shot Edward “Neddie” Boone, Daniel’s brother, and scalped him near Flat Rock in Bourbon County . They buried him beneath an old Buckeye Tree, where he died. The address of the grave is 870 See Road, ½ mile north of the junction of KY 537. Locals named the nearby creek Boone Creek in honor of Edward’s death. He left his widow, Martha Bryan Boone, and six children: Charity, Jane, Mary, George, Joseph, and Sarah.
Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Henderson native and Kentucky’s 19th governor, Lazarus Whitehead Powell , born in 1812. Powell’s reforms gave Kentucky one of the top educational systems in the antebellum South. He also improved the transportation system and vetoed legislation that increased banks’ overabundance. Powell’s election as governor marked the beginning of the end of Whig dominance in Kentucky. Powell’s predecessor, John J. Crittenden, was the last governor elected from the party of the Commonwealth’s favorite son, Henry Clay.
Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Louisville native and artist Enid Yandell, born in 1869. Yandell specialized in portrait busts and monuments. She created numerous portraits, garden pieces, small works, and public monuments. Enid also contributed to the Woman’s Building at the Chicago World’s Fair.
October 6, 1873, Deputy Marshal William A. Burton, Paris Police Department , died while arresting two brothers causing a disturbance in a local saloon. The saloon’s owner had called for Deputy Burton after the two men became boisterous and refused to leave. Deputy Burton had placed one of the brothers under arrest when the other interfered and shot him twice, killing him.
October 6, 1880, President Rutherford B. Hays appointed Eli Huston Murray, a Cloverport native Territorial Governor of Utah.
Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Todd County native Caroline Ferguson Gordon, born in 1895. A novelist and literary critic, she received two prestigious literary awards, a 1932 Guggenheim Fellowship, and a 1934 O. Henry Award. She won 2nd place in the O. Henry award for her 1934 short story Old Red. Seventeen writers placed third including William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, and Thomas Wolfe.
On October 6, 1900, Kentucky State College Blue and White football team won the 1st game of a 10-game season to be 1-1. The Cats played in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) conference. Coached by William H. Kiler in his 1st year, they finished 4–6 and 0–2 in SIAA play.
October 6, 1909, The New York Sun headline read : MARQUISE DIES ON LINER SHE HAD HOPED TO REACH AMERICA BEFORE END CAME: The Marquise Monstiers-Merenville was Miss Caldwell of Kentucky—She got the Order of the Rose From Pope Leo XIII., but Later renounced the Church.
October 6, 1917, the Kentucky football team beat the Maryville, TN team 19-0 . Kentucky went on to be shutout the next six games. In the nine-game season, Kentucky outscored their opponents 104-56.
October 6, 1928, the Cardinals defeated the Eastern Kentucky Colonels 72-0 in Louisville’s Parkway Field. The young interstate rivalry stood at 2-0.
On October 6, 1949, Matt Winn passed away in his hometown of Louisville . In 1902, with Churchill Downs in danger of closing, Winn formed a syndicate of local investors to take over the operation. His renovations to the clubhouse and many promotions saw the business make its first-ever annual profit. Winn changed the wagering from bookmaker betting to a Pari-mutuel betting system and, in 1911, increased business substantially when he reduced the wager ticket from $5 to $2. In 1915, he convinced Harry Payne Whitney to ship his highly-rated filly Regret from New Jersey to Louisville to compete in the Derby. Whitney agreed, and Winn’s effort paid off with nationwide publicity surrounding the first filly ever to win the Derby. In 1943, the U.S. Government asked Winn to suspend the Derby because of WWII and he declined. That year Count Fleet won the Roses and the Triple Crown. Arthur Daley, columnist of The New York Times , said in 1949, “the Kentucky Derby is a monument to Winn, it is his baby and his alone.”
October 6, 1951, Army CPL James C. Oliver from Lincoln County died fighting in the Korean War.
October 6, 1952, Army PFC Joseph E. Clark from Daviess County , Marine Corps Kenneth D. Hartley from Versailles , Navy PO3 Thomas L. Horton from Daviess County , Army PFC Thomas M. Jordan from Kenton County and Marine Corps PFC Jasper L. Wright from Morgan County , all died fighting in the Korean War.
October 6, 1962, Keeneland opened up their Fall meet with Blue Croon scoring an upset victory in the $15,000 Fayette Handicap . He paid $23.60 to win.
October 6, 1967, Army SP4 Danny D. Burkhead from Taylorsville, Spencer County died fighting in the Vietnam War.
On October 6, 1972, Clark County Judge Executive explained how wild hemp planted during WWII for rope and other supplies attracted tourists from out of state. After a nationwide story about Winchester wild hemp, the young people came calling. The judge estimated that 35 people had already appeared in court for “marijuana” possession during the year, primarily young people from 18-25; the youngest was 14. The court routinely charged a $100 fine and a 30-day suspended sentence. The judge praised the Kentucky legislature for giving counties the jurisdiction to handle the cases. Previously, “marijuana” cases were only heard in District Court.
October 6, 1983, the San Diego Chicken with wrestler Jerry “The King” Lawler before the A.W.A Southern Heavyweight Championship match at Rupp Arena. Tickets were $7 for ringside seats and $6 for general admission to see the famous mascot as Lawler’s manager.
On October 6, 1984, the most electrifying run by a Wildcat in the history of Commonwealth Stadium was the darting cut-all-away-across-the-field 76-yard jaunt in the 4th quarter to clinch a 27-14 victory for the Homecoming crowd over Rutgers.
October 6, 1989, Louisville native and Hollywood director, Gus Van Sant’s Drug Store debuted in the U.S.
October 6, 1996, Eddyville native Forrest Carlisle Pogue Jr. passed away in Murray . An official U.S. Army historian during WW II, he promoted oral history techniques and collected many oral histories from the war under the direction of Chief Army historian S. L. A. Marshall. Mr. Pogue later became the Executive Director of the George C. Marshall Foundation and Director of the Marshall Library at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA.
On October 6, 2001, Tracy Cerise made Kentucky hunting history when he downed a 700-pound, 6-by-6 (12-point) bull on a reclaimed mine site near where Breathitt, Perry, and Knott counties converge. He also shot the first elk in Kentucky in 150 years.
On October 6, 2011, city officials announced that the Louisville Clock would move to its 6th site. After years in storage, the ornamental clock returned to its original location in downtown Louisville. The 45-foot clock, which features colorful characters racing on its face, displayed at Theatre Square, near the Brown Hotel, for a little while until moved again.
October 6, 2014, a Kentucky economic study claimed the number of Kentucky distilleries had tripled in two years, the same time it takes straight bourbon to age . The report predicted more than $1 billion in industry capital projects would occur from 2008 to 2019. Around 95% of the nation’s bourbon is made in Kentucky.
On October 6, 2019, Mitch returned to Kentucky and posted a video on FB to raise money, promising to stop any impeachment of President Trump. The Senate majority leader ended the video by saying, “I need your help. Please contribute before the deadline.” The first of two impeachments was pure daytime soap opera TV. The sequel wasn’t as good, but the ratings demanded it.
On October 6, 2020, Dr. Fauci boasted during a Q&A session that his most significant decision during the COVID-19 pandemic was advising the president to “shut the country down.” “It was a recommendation to President Trump,” Fauci said. “It wasn’t my decision that I could implement.” The Barrington Declaration disagreed with the captured doctor and the businessman president.
On October 6, 2021, Kentucky sanctioned 19 Kentucky state workers who participated in a scheme to collect state and federal unemployment benefits during the coronavirus . None of the 19 were prosecuted; one got fired, and eight were briefly suspended and then returned to their jobs. Meanwhile, a judge told Jerry Lundergan, who remained free to appeal, that he must report to prison on November 30.
On October 6, 2023, Governor A. Beshear gave away another Big Check! This time, for $6.8 million to many good causes. The question then becomes how and who tracks where the money is spent; sounds like a good county-by-county website.