Bullitt County History

Alexander Scott Bullitt

From Historical Sketches of Kentucky, Lewis Collins, 1848, page 221:

Gardner McKay

ALEXANDER Scott Bullitt was born in Prince William county, Virginia, in the year 1761. His father, Cuthbert Bullitt, was a lawyer of some distinction and practiced his profession with success until he was appointed a judge of the supreme court of Virginia, which office he held at the time of his death. In 1784, six years before the father's death, the subject of this sketch emigrated to Kentucky, then a portion of Virginia, and settled on or near the stream called Bullskin, in what is now Shelby county. Here he resided but a few months, being compelled by the annoyances to which he was subjected by the Indians, to seek a less exposed situation. This he found in Jefferson county, in the neighborhood of Sturgus' station, where he entered and settled upon the tract of land on which he continued to reside until his death. In the fall of 1785, he married the daughter of Col. W. Christian, who had removed from Virginia the preceding spring. In April, 1786, Colonel Christian, with a party of eight or ten men, pursued a small body of Indians, who had been committing depredations on the property of the settlers in the neighborhood of Sturgus' station. Two of the Indians were overtaken about a mile north of Jeffersonville, Indiana, and finding escape impossible, they turned upon their pursuers, and one of them fired at Colonel Christian, who was foremost in the pursuit, and mortally wounded him. Next to Colonel Christian, was the subject of this sketch and Colonel John O'Bannon, who fired simultaneously, bringing both Indians to the ground. Under the impression that the Indians were both dead, a man by the name of Kelly incautiously approached them, when one of them who, though mortally wounded, still retained some strength and all his thirst for blood, raised himself to his knees, and fired with the rifle which had not been discharged, killed Kelly, fell back and expired.

In the year 1792, Colonel Bullitt was elected by the people of Jefferson county a delegate to the convention which met in Danville, and framed the constitution of Kentucky. After the adoption of the constitution, he represented the county in the legislature, and was president of the senate until 1799, when he was again chosen a delegate to the convention to amend the constitution, which met in Frankfort. Of this convention he was chosen president. The year following this convention, (1800,) he was elected lieutenant governor of the state, in which capacity he served one term. After this, his county continued to send him to the legislature, of which body he served either as a representative or senator, until about 1808, when he retired from public life, and resided on his farm in Jefferson county until his death, which occurred on the 13th of April, 1816.


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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/alexanderscottbullitt.html