A previous owner, Andrew Shader moved to Nelson County where his indebtedness resulted in a Circuit Court sale and his Shepherdsville lot was purchased by Rachel Coffee.
Rachel Coffee died, leaving the town lot and additional land west of town. She left two heirs, William Walden and Mary L. Coffee. Mary married John H. Shepherd, son of James Shepherd. Both John and Mary were not yet 21 at the time. From the first deed shown below, it appears that on 23 Sep 1870, James Shepherd and William Walden came to an agreement that with an exchange of cash, Mary would get the land west of town and William would get the town lot. However, it could not be finalized until Mary became 21, so an additional deed was required on the 6th of November 1871 to finish the transaction.
On 21 May 1872, Walden sold the lot to Elizabeth Collings. Then in a Circuit Court suit, the ground was purchased by Wesley Phelps, as shown below.
Bullitt County Deed Book Z, Pages 298-299
Whereas in the suit of Wesley Phelps against Stephen Kulp and others then pending in the Bullitt Circuit Court a judgment was rendered on the 5th April 1877 directing the master commissioner to sell the property herein conveyed to satisfy a debt due said Phelps of $374.73 and on the 26th June 1877 said master filed his report of said sale which report was confirmed on the 27th day of June 1877. It appearing from said report that the master commissioner after advertising the sale of said property as required by the judgment did on the 2nd day of May 1877 at the courthouse door in Shepherdsville, Bullitt County, Kentucky offer it publicly for sale to the highest bidder on the terms named in the judgment. When Wesley Phelps being such bidder bought it at the price of $374.73 and the court on the 27 June 1877 directed the master commissioner to convey same to him.
Therefore in consideration of the said sum of $374.73 and the premises above set out, Elizabeth Collings and her husband J. F. Collings by R. McConathy, master commissioner of the Bullitt Circuit Court, doth convey unto Wesley Phelps all their title to the property purchased by him as aforesaid to wit: the house and lot on Main Street in Shepherdsville, Bullitt County, Kentucky conveyed by W. H. Walden and wife to Elizabeth Collings, known on the plat or map of said town as parts of lots No. 39 & 40. To hold the same forever. Witness the signature of the grantors by the commissioner aforesaid this 1st October 1877. (signed) Elizabeth Collings, J. F. Collings by R. McConathy, Master Commissioner, Bullitt Circuit Court.
Examined and approved, October 8, 1877. (signed) S. E. Dehaven, Judge, 17 Judicial District of Kentucky. I R. McConathy, clerk Bullitt Circuit Court, certify that the foregoing deed was on the 8th October 1877 produced in said court, acknowledged by R. McConathy, Master Commissioner, to be his act and deed. Examined and approved by the court and ordered to be certified to the proper office for record, which is done this 30th October 1877. (signed) R. McConathy, Clerk.
State of Kentucky, Bullitt County Sct
I E. W. Hall, clerk of the Bullitt County Court in the state of Kentucky, certify that on the sixth day of April 1885 the foregoing deed from J. F. Collings and wife by R. McConathy, Master Commissioner of the Bullitt Circuit Court, to Wesley Phelps was produced to me in my office and lodged and ordered to be recorded, and that I have truly recorded it with the foregoing and this certificate in my office this ninth day of April 1885. (signed) E. W. Hall, Clerk by R. F. Hays, D.C.
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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: 20 Oct 2026 . Page URL: bullittcountyhistory.org/bchistory/collings-phelps.html
