The nineteenth century was period of rapid westward expansion. New territories, which were being rapidly acquired, had to be explored. New states were being formed which called for a new style of leadership. The middle part of the century saw a devastating war where brother fought brother. In the midst of all this activity, a unique family grew up in the backwoods of Kentucky, in Fayette County, later called Woodford County.

As the story goes, Lt. John Crittenden returned home from the Revolutionary War with his good friend, Lt. John Harris. In August of 1783, John Crittenden married Judith Harris, the sister of John Harris in Powhatan County, Virginia. John Crittenden became a Major in the Virginia state line. Shortly after his marriage he moved to Fayette County, Kentucky and represented Fayette County in the Virginia House of Burgesses from 1790-1805. He and Judith had nine children between January 1785 and October 1802.

Harriet Crittenden, born January 1785, was the oldest child and was my ggg grandmother. Her brothers and nephews achieved remarkable results in war and politics as follows:

1) Brother John Jordan Crittenden, born September 1786, was Illinois territory attorney general, 1809-1810; member of the Kentucky state house of representatives, 1811-1817, 1825-1829; served in the U.S.Army during the War of 1812; U.S.Senator from Kentucky, 1817-1819, 1835-1841, 1842-1848, 1855-1861; U.S.Attorney General, 1841, 1850-1853; Governor of Kentucky, 1848-1850; U.S.Representative from Kentucky 8th District, 1861-1863. It was just prior to the start of the Civil War in 1861 when he proposed the Crittenden Compromise in a vain attempt to thwart the start of the war, but by that time the two sides had become too polarized for a compromise to succeed.

The dichotomy of a conflict which pitted brother against brother was never more evident then that of his two sons. Gen. George Bibb Crittenden, was a confederate general, and Gen. Thomas L. Crittenden, was a union general. Sallie Lee, John's first wife and mother of the two generals, was descended from John Taylor, the immigrant ancestor, who was born in England, August 10, 1607 and arrived in Lancaster County, Virginia in 1648. This same John Taylor was the progenitor of two presidents, Zachary Taylor and James Madison, and is the only common ancestor I have found for both my parents, George and Jean (Montgomery) Hughes (see the descendants of John Taylor in my genealogical database). A grandson of John Jordan Crittenden was killed in General Custer's expedition against the Sioux, 1876. Crittenden County, Kentucky is named for John Jordan Crittenden.

2) Brother Robert F. Crittenden, born January 1797, was Secretary of the Arkansas Territory (i.e. Territorial Governor) from 1819-1829. Crittenden County, Arkansas is named for him. Mrs. Priddy, my 8th grade Arkansas history teacher, at Jefferson Davis Junior High School, in North Little Rock, Arkansas, taught me about Robert Crittenden. Thanks Mrs. Priddy.

3) Brother Henry C. Crittenden, born May 1792, had two remarkable sons. William Logan Crittenden, was shot in Havana, Cuba by the Spanish authorities in 1851. He was General Lopez second in command of the unfortunate expedition organized to aid the Cubans in their struggle for independence. When requested to turn his back and kneel before the firing squad for execution, he replied, "A Kentuckian never turns his back to the enemy, and I kneel to none but my God." He died standing erect facing his accusers.

Henry's other son was Thomas Theodore 'Tom' Crittenden, born January 1832 in Kentucky. Colonel in the Union Army during the Civil War; Missouri state attorney general, 1864-1865; U.S.Representative from Missouri, 1873-1875, 1877-1879; Governor of Missouri, 1881-1885. Thomas Theodore Crittenden had a son, Thomas Theodore Crittenden, Jr., born December 1863 near Springfield, Illinois. Mayor of Kansas City, Mo., 1908-1910.

Most of this information can be found in a unique web site put together by Lawrence Kestenbaum called politicalgraveyard.com.

If genetics played any part in a great family, the Crittendens certainly had interesting ancestors. In addition to Major John Crittenden, Revolutionary soldier and outstanding citizen, and representative in the Virginia House of Burgesses. Their mother, Judith (Harris) Crittenden was granddaughter of Mary Jefferson, aunt of President Thomas Jefferson. Most researchers trace the Judith's Harris line back to a gg grandfather, William Harris, who was justice for Henrico County, and member of the House of Burgesses 1652, 1653, 1656-1658. The father of William Harris was the immigrant ancestor, Captain Thomas Harris, member of the Virginia Company, 1609, immigrated to the Colony in 1611. Burgess for Henrico County. Captain Thomas Harris' grandfather, Sir Arthur Harris, married a Dorothy Waldegrave. His gg grandfather, also a Sir Arthur Harris, married Johanna Percy. Those two marriages tie the Harris line to the Plantagenet line that stretches back to William the Conqueror.

A favorite story of mine about President Thomas Jefferson involves President JFK. JFK was an admirer of Thomas Jefferson. When greeting a group of Nobel laureates at the White House, President Kennedy said, "This is the most brilliant group of minds ever assembled in this room (at the White House)". He then paused for a second, "Except on those occasions when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."