29 October, sat out early after breakfast for Frankfort (KY) and met Mr. (Dennis) Fitzhugh, who confirmed the death of Governor Lewis. Dennis Fitzhugh was William Clark’s brother-in-law and a trusted friend. The letter written by William on 30 October, Lexington, KY, clearly describes his situation. We arrived here this evening all in the Same State of health we were when we parted with you, but not in the Same State of mind. (1) William Clark clearly expressed his, and no doubt Julia’s, shock at learning of the death of Meriwether Lewis. In Frankfort they dined and saw Mr. Allen (2) Hardin (3) Bibb (4) Trigg (5) and Governors Scott (6) and Greenup. (7) This was a significant group of Kentucky political leaders to see at one location. The meal and meeting most likely occurred at Capt. Daniel Weisinger’s Inn and Tavern. The inn, at Main and Ann Street, was near the Capitol, today’s “Old Capitol”. In addition to the rooming and dining facilities, the tavern was a place to discuss politics, making it akin to the Willard Hotel in Washington D. C. where the term “lobby” was “coined.” Like the Willard, the Weisinger Inn had its own share of political intrigues, that included Gen. James Wilkinson and the Burr conspiracy. Old State Capitol, 300 West Main St, Frankfort, KY Source: VisitFrankfort.com That afternoon the Clarks proceeded to Daley’s via the old Frankfort Pike (KY 1681) and stayed all night. Today “Daleys” is the Offutt-Cole Tavern and is owned by the Woodford County Historical Society. (8) The historical structure is at the intersection of the Old Frankfort Pike (KY 1681) and US 62 and two miles from picturesque Midway. (9) Offutt-Cole Tavern – Source: Wikimedia. National Register Historic Places, 1977 Credit: Russell May, “Old Frankfort Pike” The Clark Family was spending the evening less than 12 miles from the home and birth place of Matthew Harris Jouett, the future painter of General George Rogers Clark and Thomas Jefferson. The Jouett painting of George Rogers Clark is counted as one of the best likenesses of the “Hannibal of the West”. Today the original can be seen at the Filson Historical Society and a print at Historic Locust Grove, both in Louisville, KY. (10) After the purchase of a quart of whiskey at Lusk Ferry on the KY side of the Ohio River no further notation is made of whiskey. However, for the past few days the Clark party had been traveling through the future Bourbon Capital of the World. (11)
Sources
(1) Holmberg, James,
Dear Brother: Letters of William Clark to Jonathan Clark , Yale University Press, New Haven, 2002 DB, page 224.
(2) Possible Thomas Allin (1757-1833) KY politician, served in Revolutionary War and KY Militia. Kleber, John,
Kentucky Encyclopedia , University of KY Press, 1992, page 16. (3) https://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/KY/FR-buried.html (4 ) https://www.infoplease.com/biographies/government-politics/george-mortimer-bibb-ky
(5) Mr. Trigg, is an uncertain person. Possibly William Trigg, Jr. brother of Col. Stephen Trigg.
(6) Charles Scott, 4th Governor of Ky, served in the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, and Indian Wars of the Old Northwest.
(7) Christopher Greenup, 3rd Governor of KY, served in the Revolutionary, served as a Trustee of Transylvania University
(8) https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=170030 (9) https://www.meetmeinmidway.com/ (10) http://jouetthouse.org/ (11) https://kybourbontrail.com/map/