Shepherdsville's West Street

When James Shanks laid out the Shepherdsville town in 1809 Adam Shepherd had him at an 80 foot wife street on the west side of town appropriately named West Street. However, Shepherd did not deed the ground for that street to the town. Following his death, the town trustees paid his two daughters for the ground that is deeded to the town below.

Then the Kentucky Legislature made it official by passing an Act on 30 Jan 1828 confirming this purchase as part of the town. The act also mentioned the town grave yard which lay on the west side of this new street. This is the first mention we have discovered of the grave yard, now known as the Shepherdsville Pioneer Graveyard.

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Bullitt County Deed Book F, Pages 385-6

Whereas previous to the establishment of the present plan of the Town of Shepherdsville, Adam Shepherd in whom the legal title then was directed a street to be laid off at the west end of said town and when the town was resurveyed by an order of the then trustees, the said street was laid off and made a part of said town called in the present plan thereof West Street, and being eighty feet wide, but no title was ever made for said West Street by the said Shepherd, and since his death the legal title has been conveyed to Sarah Shepherd and Charlotte Shepherd who have sold the same to the present trustees.

This indenture therefore made this 22nd day of November, 1827 between the said Sarah Shepherd and Charlotte Shepherd of the county of Bullitt and state of Kentucky of the one part and George L. Robards, George W. Jenkins, Joseph R. Murray and Rufus K. Summers, the present trustees of the town of Shepherdsville of the other part.

Witnesseth that the said Sarah Shepherd and Charlotte Shepherd, for and in consideration of the sum of forty five dollars to them in hand paid before the sealing and delivery hereof, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have granted, bargained and sold and by these presents do grant, bargain, and sell, alien, release, convey and confirm unto the said George L. Robards, George W. Jenkins, Joseph R. Murray and Rufus K. Summers, trustees aforesaid, and their successors in office the said street called West Street in the said new plan of Shepherdsville in the manner the same was laid off by James Shanks who resurveyed the town, which street contains agreeably to said Shanks' report one acre and 36,964 square feet. To have and to hold the said piece of ground called West Street before described unto them the said trustees and their successors in office and to their only proper use, benefit and behoof forever.

And the said Sarah Shepherd and Charlotte Shepherd, for themselves, their heirs &c do covenant and agree to ans with the said trustees and their successors in office that they will and their heirs shall warrant and forever defend the said piece of ground called West Street as aforesaid from themselves and all persons lawfully claiming or to claim the same. In testimony whereof the said Sarah Shepherd and Charlotte Shepherd hereto set their hands and seals on the day and year before written. (signed) Sarah Shepherd, Charlotte Shepherd

State of Kentucky, Bullitt County Court Clerk's office, November 22, 1827. I Sidney S. Caldwell, deputy clerk for Noah C. Summers, clerk of the county court for said County, do certify that on this day this indenture was acknowledged by Sarah Shepherd and Charlotte G. Shepherd, grantors therein named to be their act and deed for the purposes therein mentioned, and the same is thereupon truly recorded in the clerk's office of the Bullitt County Court. Atteste: Sidney S. Caldwell, D.C.B.C.C.

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