Bullitt County History

Abraham Froman 600 Acre Survey in 1828

From the following transcribed document, found in the T. C. Carroll Plats in the Bullitt County Clerk's office, and labeled with the location of slide 248, map 12, we learn that in 1828 Abraham Froman had his 600 acre tract at the junction of the Salt and Rolling Fork rivers resurveyed. It is an interesting document as it describes in some detail the challenges facing surveyors as they attempted to follow earlier plats.

We know from this document that this tract of land passed from Paul Froman to his brother Jacob Froman, and from Jacob to his son Abraham Froman. The first transaction is shown on another page here. The second is found in Bullitt County Deed Book C, pages 225-6. Later, when Abraham Froman moved to Missouri, he left his power of attorney in the hands of his son, Bayless (or Bailey) Froman [Bullitt County Deed Book H, pages 306-7].

This survey would later include the site of Pitt's Point, described on another page here and also here.

The deposition of Joseph Smith of lawful age taken on the 8th day of July 1828 before Whitledge Overall, John Graham, and George F. Pope, commissioners appointed by an order of the County Court of Bullitt County to procession a tract of land containing six hundred acres lying in said county in the junction of Salt River and the Rolling Fork entered in the name of Paul Froman & patented to Jacob Froman & by his conveyed to Abraham Froman. The deponent being sworn deposes and says that on the 7th day of July 1828 he was one of the chain carriers in marking the survey which was directed by said commissioners. That said commissioners began at a large Elm standing at the junction of the Salt River. That about the last days of February or the first days of March 1798 he first saw the said Elm tree which was then plainly marked as a corner. He has since that time known it as a corner tree. Since he first saw the tree he has been informed by Abraham Froman that said tree was the beginning corner of said 600 acre survey. Abut three or four years ago, he ran three lines of said survey and then first became acquainted with the ash & birch on the bank of Salt River called for in said patient. In running out from the river he followed a marker line about as far as a marker line was on yesterday - he pursued the course & after running some poles over the distance called for he came to a line which led to the Rolling Fork. He states that he thinks that the lines which were fun by the commissioners on yesterday were run some where near to the lines which he ran and further this deponent saith not. (signed) Jos. Smith.


Drawing accompanying the document;note that
the tract shows 675 acres, not 600.

In obedience to an order of the County Court of Bullitt County, we the commissioners therein named do make the following report: That on the 7th day of July 1828 we met at the Elm tree called for as the beginning corner of the 600 acre survey patented to Jacob Froman, assignee of Paul Forman which tree we remarked owing to the marks on the tree being very dim. We then run up Salt River to following courses towit: N 36° E 14 poles, N 20° E 14 poles, N 13° 24 poles, N 10° E 10 poles, N 19° E 16 poles, N 30° E 12 poles, N 39° E 12 poles, N 46° E 8 poles, N 34° E 18 poles, N 42° E 8 poles, N 50° E 20 poles, N 68° E 14 poles, N 85° E 12 poles, N 70° E 12 poles, N 81° E 22 poles, S 78° E 14 poles, S 71° E 14 poles, S 83° E 14 poles, S 80° E 18 poles, S 72° E 22 poles, S 65° E 30 poles, S 78° E 14 poles, S 82° E 12 poles, S 84° E 12 poles, S 82° E 20 poles, S 67° E 14 poles, S 63° E 14 poles, S 54° E 6 poles to an ash and beech plainly and anciently marked as a corner, the beech being dead, we remarked the ash and marked two small birch trees standing near to the ash & beech as corner trees in the room of the dead beech. We then ran south five degrees west the course called for without allowing any variation of the compass & followed an ancient marked line (same of which live trees we remarked) near to the foot of a knob, pursuing the same course over the knob & finding no line trees marked we marked the line until after we crossed Browns run where we found two anciently marked line trees on the course & continued the same course in all from Salt River three hundred & fifty six poles, and finding no corner we drove down a stake & marked a small white walnut bush & a beech 3/4 of a chain westwardly of said stake & a beech about eighteen feet northeastwardly & a beech eastwardly of said stake as a corner (we also directed a stone to be placed at that place). On examining & searching for a corner we found a fallen beech & white walnut (both much decayed) & a sapling white walnut which sprang up from the root of the walnut & which was marked as a corner tree about eight or nine years ago as appeared from a block taken therefrom, these trees stood eight poles S 85° E from the stake & trees marked & made by us as the corner of said survey. We then ran N 85° [looks like 60 minutes] the course called for following an ancient marked line, without any variation, seventy poles at the crossing of a creek, from that we found no marked line to the Rolling Fork but we continued on the course called for and marked a line to the said fork, searched but found no corner in all 253 poles to the fork. On the bank of the fork we marked a maple, hickory & sycamore as a corner in the room of the maple called for. In running this line, at the distance of 70 poles [appears marked out: "it appears that the surveyor"] from the corner which we made on searching we found three live trees between that & the high bank of the creek, which trees were about two & a half poles to the right of the true line on that course for some distance we found no live trees [two words unreadable] until we found a corner of same survey & there an irregularly marked line for some distance towards the Rolling Fork & about [27?] poles from the true line. From the corner which we made on the fork we ran the following course & distances down the fork towit: N° 14 W 9 poles, N 10° W 20 poles, N 1° E 34 poles, N 9° E 8 poles, N 2° E 26 poles, N 2° W 28 poles, N 5° W 18 poles, N 15° W 10 poles, N 16° W 14 poles, N 19° W 20 poles, N 27 1/2° W 8 poles, N 30° W 20 poles, N 28° W 12 poles, N 32 1/2° W 16 poles, N 40° W 6 poles, N 36° 14 poles, N 35° W 10 poles to the Beginning. We refer to the [?] plat and the deposition of Joseph Smith taken by us which was signed by George F. Pope, on of the commissioners at the request of said Smith, he not being able, owing to the palsy, to either write his name or to make his mark. July 9th 1828. (signed) Geo F. Pope, John Graham, Whitledge Overall.

State of Kentucky
Bullitt County Court Clerks office
August 4 1828

The foregoing commissioners report and proceedings made by the commissioners under the order to procession the land of Abraham Froman in Bullitt was this day returned to my office properly certified whereupon at the instance of said Abraham Froman I have truly entered the same of record in my office. Att. Noah C. Summers, Clerk, Bullitt County Court.


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The Bullitt County History Museum, a service of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is located in the county courthouse at 300 South Buckman Street (Highway 61) in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. The museum, along with its research room, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday appointments are available by calling 502-921-0161 during our regular weekday hours. Admission is free. The museum, as part of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization and is classified as a 509(a)2 public charity. Contributions and bequests are deductible under section 2055, 2106, or 2522 of the Internal Revenue Code. Page last modified: 12 Jan 2024 . Page URL: bullittcountyhistory.org/bchistory/froman_abraham_survey.html