Description of Russellville, KY 1809 While traveling to Russellville from Col. New at Elkton, KY on 3 October, the axletree on the Clark’s carriage broke. The priority when they reached the Temples was finding a repair shop for the carriage. Benjamin Temple was the son-in-law of Jonathan Clark, William’s older brother. Temple had moved to Logan County by 1808 after marrying Eleanor Eltinge Clark in 1801 (1) William’s usual short comments turned into a lengthy description of Russellville and included a recipe for “Mrs. Temples Sweet Meats” Nelly Temples Recipe for Sweet Meats Recipe: Let your(cu)cumbers of muskmelons (or such fruit as you wish) Lay in salt water until they turn yellow. Then boil them in spring Water until they Cook plump. If they will not green as deep as you want them throw a small bit of alum in while boiling. Have your cirrup ready to lay them in before they get cold or else they will all draw up. The ginger must be soaked well before it is put in. The Temples lived in Russellville and owned a 1700 Acre farm, Federal Grove, near Auburn, 10 miles to the east on old U.S. 68. (2) In addition to being a farmer and business owner, Benjamin Temple became a lay minister and ordained deacon in the Methodist church in 1817 . (3) On Saturday 7 October, Clark reported the weather i s fine and he paid $11.50 for the carriage repair plus other expense for his horse(s) and “sat out at 6 o’clock from Russellville “. He stopped at Mr. Bell’s, and paid $.75 for rope, then stopped at Mr. Temple’s Mill in Auburn. They stayed all night at Mr. Reeds, where he met Judge Tompkins (4) and Dr. Todd, after traveling 19 miles. They had passed the beginning of South Union Shaker Village. Unfortunately, the future Shaker community was not fully organized until 1810 for food service and lodging. (5) Business Closed in 2021 South Union Shaker Village (Click Image for Source)
Sources
(1) Holmberg, James J., Dear Brother: Letters of William Clark to Jonathan Clark, Yale University Press, 2002, page 37, note 15.
(2) https://www.federalgrove.com/
(3) Holmberg, James J., Dear Brother: Letters of William Clark to Jonathan Clark, Yale University Press 200, New Haven, page 37, note 15.
(4) Judge George Tompkins, born 1780 in Caroline Co, VA, school teacher in KY and studied law before settling in St. Louis in 1809,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Tompkins (5) https://www.southunionshakervillage.com/