Does your research take you to early Kentucky?
If so, have you explored the early survey records? I’m fortunate that the surveys for Garrard County, Kentucky, were compiled in the excellent book Back of the Cane by Fred Logan Simpson.
One of the entries in this book features a member of my Crawford FAN Club: Moses Dooley. Not only does this two-page entry provide detailed information about his land, but it also offers rich insights into Moses Dooley’s life and community connections. With ChatGPT’s help, I extracted a timeline of events from these pages.
Timeline of Moses Dooley
Before 1779–1780
- Lived in Bedford County, Virginia.
- Served as a Captain in the Bedford County Militia during the American Revolution.
1779 or 1780
- Migrated from Bedford County, Virginia, to Kentucky (then still Virginia territory).
November 20, 1779
- Treasury Warrant No. 1811 issued to James Buford, later assigned to Moses Dooley.
April 26, 1780
- Made his initial land entry for 50 acres near Downing’s Station, but this was later withdrawn in favor of a larger tract.
May 26, 1780
- Entered 500 acres on Sugar Creek in what was then Lincoln County (now Garrard County), adjoining John Downing’s entry on the east.
January 15, 1783
- Survey completed for the 500-acre tract by William Henry and James Thompson.
June 15, 1784
- Grant officially issued for 500 acres to Moses Dooley.
Around 1780s–1790s
- Became an early Baptist preacher in the Sugar Creek area.
- Associated with other Baptist preachers such as Richard Cave and Feathergill Adams.
- Helped establish the Old Sugar Creek Meeting House, likely contributing to the early religious community there.
1797
- Deeded a ridge running down to Sugar Creek to Feathergill Adams.
- This was the first deed recorded in Garrard County (Deed Book A, page 1).
Circa 1800
- Moved from Garrard County to Barren County, Kentucky.
- His sons, Reubin and Thomas Dooley, became Baptist ministers and later active in the Christian Church movement.
1818
- Went on a preaching tour to Preble County, Ohio, with Samuel Rogers, a noted minister who later became a Campbellite leader.
Later years
- Remembered as a very pious and good old man by fellow ministers and religious historians.
Besides the timeline, the entry also provides a glimpse into other early Baptist preachers in Kentucky. Here’s a summary of those preachers and their activities:
List of Preachers
Moses Dooley
- Where: Sugar Creek area (present-day Garrard County, Kentucky), later Barren County, Kentucky; also on a preaching tour to Preble County, Ohio.
- When:
- Around 1780s–1790s in Garrard County.
- Moved to Barren County in 1800.
- Preaching tour to Ohio in 1818.
- Notes: Early Baptist preacher; helped establish Old Sugar Creek Meeting House; described as pious and influential.
Richard Cave
- Where: Sugar Creek area, adjoining Moses Dooley’s survey.
- When: Late 1700s (exact dates not specified but contemporaneous with Dooley).
- Notes: Another early Baptist preacher; his land joined Dooley’s.
Feathergill Adams
- Where: Sugar Creek area, to the east of Dooley.
- When: Settled by 1797 (when Dooley deeded him land).
- Notes: Baptist preacher; received land deed from Dooley in 1797.
Randolph Hall
- Where: Northwest corner of Moses Dooley’s survey (Sugar Creek area), also preached at Forks of Dick’s River.
- When: Just before Dooley left for Barren County (around 1800).
- Notes: Revived the Old Sugar Creek congregation; later buried with his wife in the church yard.
Samuel Rogers
- Where: Preble County, Ohio (on a preaching tour with Dooley).
- When: 1818.
- Notes: Later became a Campbellite and follower of Barton W. Stone.
Additional Context
- Old Sugar Creek Meeting House:
- One of the first congregations to feel stirrings of the Reformation movement.
- Later influenced members who moved to Missouri Territory and became leaders in the early Christian Church movement.
Conclusion
Exploring Moses Dooley’s timeline and the network of early preachers in Kentucky reveals much more than land surveys and property grants — it uncovers the vibrant story of faith, community building, and migration on the early frontier. By tracing these records, we gain insight into how families like the Dooleys shaped not only the physical landscape but also the religious and social fabric of early Kentucky and beyond. If your research leads you into early Kentucky, I encourage you to look beyond the land entries and discover the stories of the people who helped settle and shape these communities. You never know what connections you might uncover in your own FAN club.