FLEMING COUNTY HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Fleming County's first residents were nomadic hunters' who visited the Upper and Lower Blue Licks along the Licking River near the county's western and southern borders perhaps as early as 8000 BC.

Adena craftsmen may have carved the enigmatic six foot diameter limestone bowl and lid shaped "kettles" which lay strewn along the summit of Campbell Mountain, near Hillsboro in south central Fleming County around 2,000 BC.

An ancient Native American trade route called the "warriors trail" or "Athiamiowee" (path of the armed ones) led through Fleming County entering the county near Mt. Gilead in the north.  It led to Stockton's Spring near Flemingsburg and thence to Upper Blue Licks in the south.

John Finley led Daniel Boone into Fleming County in 1769 and may have visited the county as early as 1752 while trading with the Shawnee's in central Kentucky.  Finley surveyed land near the Upper Licks in 1773.  He later built a house and lived many years before passing on.  His grave is yet visible today near the community of Battle Run. 

George Stockton and John Fleming explored the county in 1776.  Stockton built a cabin near present day Flemingsburg, and moved his family and friends there in 1787 to form Stockton's Station, the first community in Fleming County.  A deed bearing his and his wife's (Rebecca) signature remains on file at the Fleming County Courthouse Archives.

On August 10, 1752, 17 pioneers was ambushed and defeated near Battle Run.  Four pioneers were killed and several wounded including John Fleming, in what was the initial skirmish which led to the Battle of Lower Blue Licks fought on August 18, 1782 between 182 pioneers and 220 Native Americans under British command.  The pioneers were badly defeated there with 70 killed in what is know as the last battle of the Revolutionary War.

In 1798, Fleming becomes an official Kentucky County formed out of Mason, and named in honor of John Fleming.

General John Hunt Morgan and his Confederate Calvary invaded Fleming County several times during the course of the Civil War, engaging in battles near Elizaville and Plummers Landing.

James J. Andrews, who lived in Flemingsburg two years prior to becoming a union spy during the Civil War.  He led 21 union troops on a daring mission deep into Confederate territory where his forces steal the locomotive engine "The General" on April 12, 1862.  He was later captured and hanged on June 7, 1862.

Franklin R. Sousley, born in Fleming County on September 19, 1925.  He joined the Marine Corp January 5, 1944.  Franklin was the youngest of six Marines photographed raising the American flag on Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima, in February 1945.  His was killed on March 21, 1945 by enemy sniper fire on Iwo Jima.  Today he is buried in the Elizaville cemetery, where a monument has been erected in his honor.