Visit with the Benjamin Temple Family

3 October, traveling to Russellville from Colonel New’s, the axletree on the Clark’s carriage broke. The priority when they reached the Temple home was finding a repair shop for the carriage. Was the repair completed at the blacksmith, on 4^th Street near the Town Square?

9^th Street, O’ Bannon House

515 Main Street

Courtesy: Logan County (KY) Library, Mark Griffin.

The Lewis and Clark Story is full of stories within the larger story of Lewis and Clark. Russellville, KY is part of the United States interesting historical fabric and the parallels we still experience today as a free people willing to fight for freedom throughout the World. One of Thomas Jefferson first initiatives as President, included confronting, with military force, the Barbary Pirates in North Africia. After diplomatic efforts failed, First Lieutentant Presley Neville O’Bannon leading a small force of Marines and assorted other forces on 28 May 1805, routed the Tripoli Pirates and planted the United States Flag on foreign soil and eliminating the pirates. Resigning from the Marine Corp in 1807, O’Bannon moved to Russellville, build the house at 515 Main Street (corner of 9^th and South Main Street). Today the beautifully restored and preserved home honors Lt. O’Bannon and his courage. President Jefferson’s visionary use United States forces to stop piracy and launch the Lewis and Clark Exploration are a large part of the fabric of United States freedom for all people.

Today, explore historic Russellville and the O’Bannon House only 2 blocks from the site of the Benjamin Temple house Site.

O’Bannon House

Russellville, KY Historical Marker

Benjamin Temple was the son-in-law of Jonathan Clark, William’s older brother Jonathan Clark. 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 is 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⁾

South Union Shaker Village, 896 Shaker Museum Road, Auburn, KY 42206