James Harrod

James Harrod (* around 1746; † after 1792) was a pioneer of American settlement in the US state of Kentucky in the 18th century. Although he founded the first permanent white settlement in Kentucky, he was never as famous as Daniel Boone . Harrod was born in Pennsylvania , the exact year is uncertain. Many members of his family, including his brother and his father's first wife, were killed in Indian raids. During the Seven Years War he fought as a British soldier. After the war, he explored the areas west of the Appalachian Mountains as a ranger and learned French and numerous Indian languages . In 1774 he founded Fort Harrod , the first permanent white settlement in Kentucky. The city of Harrodsburg emerged from this fort . Harrod acquired extensive property and was considered a wealthy citizen. In 1778 he married the 22-year-old widow Ann McDonald. Her husband had been killed by Indians and she brought a son named James with her into the marriage. In 1779, Harrod was an MP for Kentucky County to the Virginia General Assembly and Colonel in the Militia. As such, he led expeditions against the Indians in the northwest of what was then the USA in 1780, 1782 and 1786. Their daughter Margaret was born in 1785, but his stepson James was kidnapped by Indians and murdered on the torture stake in November 1787, which weighed heavily on Harrod. He again went on extended tours into the wilderness more often. In 1792 he went on a long hunting tour in the wilderness and was never seen again.

literature

• Susan Reigler: The complete Guide to Kentucky State Parks. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky 2009, ISBN 978-0-8131-9208-6
• The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Edited by John E. Kleber. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky 1992, ISBN 978-0-8131-1772-0
• Charles Haven Ladd Johnston: Famous Frontiersmen and Heroes of the Border, Their Adventurous Lives and Stirring Experiences in Pioneer Days. Lilu Press 2008, ISBN 978-1-4097-1839-0

Web links

Wikisource: James Harrod  - Sources and full texts