Editor’s Note: We are republishing excerpts from the 1891 Woodford Sun. The Constitutional Convention of 1890-91, which enacted the constitution which remains intact today with numerous amendments since, began meeting in Sept. 1890, and was presided over by Ambassador Cassius M. Clay of Madison County. The excerpts related to this will be the Clippings focus. For historical purposes, we reprint the Clippings “warts and all,” and so the presence of derogatory and racist stereotypical words are reprinted.
The Woodford Sun
March 5, 1891
[CONSITUTIONAL CONVENTION FETE]: The reception ball, and banquet given by the Convention delegates last Thursday evening to the people of Frankfort in return for the generous entertainment they have received at the hands of those people the past six months, was a brilliant success and rivals any social triumph. About 500 guests were present and the toilets of the ladies were unusually elaborate and elegant. The guests were given a handsome souvenir badge of white satin bearing the inscription “Con. Conv. 1849-1890” with the Kentucky coat of arms. The north wall of the ballroom was elaborately hug with flags in the center of which was a handsome oil portrait of Gen. John C. Breckenridge in his Confederate uniform. There were several square dances and a Virginia Reel on the dance card. Woodford County was represented by three of the prettiest girls who were present in the persons of Misses Henrietta Blackburn, Sunbeam Hempstead, the daughter and niece of Woodford’s able delegate, and Miss Willie Robb. The first two lovely brunettes and the latter a blonde of almost perfect type with a beautiful eye and hair. The gentlemen from Versailles were John Winn and Mr. Mastin. Daniel Bowmar was present amongst the press for the Sun, We congratulate the men of the Convention for the success of their big “Blow Out.”
[FARM NOTES]: There were 500 head of Woodford County raised cattle on sale at the Winchester court. Woodford County tobacco sold for good prices in Louisville.
[WOMEN’S SUFFERAGE]: Mrs. Josephine K. Henry, of Versailles, delivered an address before the National American Woman Suffrage Association in Washington last Friday, on the “Kentucky Constitutional Convention.”
[DUKE OF MARK=LBOROUGH PURCHASES TROTTERS]: The Duke of Marlborough, England, has purchased six high-bred, young trotting horses from A.J. Alexander of Woodburn Farm.
[ASSAULT IN JACKSONTOWN]: Last Saturday night, Levi Parker went to the house of Anderson Taylor in Jacksontown, and and calling him to the door struck the latter between the eyes with brass nucks, knocking him senseless. They had both had a difficulty. Both are colored. Parker was landed in jail and on Monday Judge Parrish fined him $10 and costs.
[POLICE COURT]: There were three cases in court, all involving colored persons, for engaging in Sunday fights, and charged with assault and battery.
[COUNTY WEALTH COMPARED]: Woodford, one of the smallest counties in the Commonwealth, compares in taxable wealth according to the last assessments as follows: Woodford, $8,509,000; Mercer, $4,571,000; Jessamine, $4,797,356; Madison, $8,089,000; Clark, $8,123,620; and, Warren, $9,500,000.