George Payne Jouett: A Jouett in the Civil War

The Jouetts of Virginia and Kentucky were members of a particularly distinguished family. One of the family’s several heroic military men has gotten less attention than the others. George Payne Jouett applied his energy to several jobs – from attorney to politician to steamboat agent to soldier. Once Kentucky cast its lot with the Union cause in the Civil War in 1861, he helped organize an infantry regiment. He served as lieutenant colonel of the 15th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. Service with this unit took him on long marches to Alabama and back to Kentucky in 1862. Lieutenant Colonel Jouett led his men into the Battle of Perryville, the biggest battle ever in his home state. A Confederate bullet killed him during the worst of the fighting. His was a career deserving of remembrance. Nicky Hughes, Executive Director of the Shelby County Historical Society, will chronicle Lt. Colonel Jouett’s life and career at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13, at the Visitor Center of the Jack Jouett House Historic Site in Versailles. Hughes formerly served as the curator of the Kentucky Military History Museum, curator of the Old State Capitol, Historic Preservation Coordinator for the Division of Historic Properties and curator of the Capital City Museum in Frankfort. Admission is free. The Jack Jouett House is located at 255 Craig’s Creek Road, Versailles. For more information contact the Jack Jouett House at 859-873-7902 or info@jouetthouse.org. The program is sponsored by Woodford County Fiscal Court and the Woodford County Heritage Committee.