Laurel County

Laurel County, established in 1825 out of parts of Rockcastle, Clay, Knox, and Whitley counties, was the 80th formed in the state. It derived its name from the river Laurel, which runs partly through the county, and is supposed to have been so named from the quantity of laurel growing upon its banks. It is bounded north by Rockcastle and Jackson counties, east by Clay and Knox, south by Whitley, and west by Pulaski and Rockcastle counties. The face of the country is elevated, and generally rolling; the staple products are corn and oats; cattle and hogs are extensively raised.

Towns
London, the county seat, is on the line of the Knoxville branch of the Louisville and Nashville railroad, 148 miles from Louisville [the road (March, 1873) is only finished to Livingston, 19 miles north west], 102 miles from Frankfort, 24 miles west of Manchester, and 30 miles north of Williamsburg or Whitley Court House; population in 1870, 165, a falling off since 1860, according to the U. S. census, of 70.
Hazelpatch is a small village, 8 miles North of London.
Besides these, there are 7 post-offices in the county, some of which have a few houses around.

Members of the Legislature from Laurel County

Senate
Jarvis Jackson, 1849;
Robert Boyd, 1867-75.
From Laurel, Lincoln, and Rockcastle counties,
Henry Owsley, 1829-34. [See Knox and Harlan counties.]

House of Representatives
Jarvis Jackson, 1830, '31, '35;
Thos. J. Buford, 1838, '41, '42, '43;
Mark A. Watkins, 1840;
Evan Chestnut, 1844;
Granville Pearl, 1846;
Wm. Jackson, 1848;
George P. Brown, 1850;
George W. Miller, 1853-55;
E. B. Bacheller, 1861-63;
Chas. B. Faris, 1865-67;
J. Francis Baugh, 1869-71.
From Laurel and Whitley counties,
John S. Laughlin, 1829.
From Laurel and Rockcastle counties,
John J. Haley, 1851-53.

Minerals
Coal is found in great abundance, iron ore has been discovered, and some appearances of lead.

Swifts Silver Mine was supposed, in 1846, to be in Laurel County. (See full description under Josh Bell County.)

Several Chalybeate Springs (natural mineral springs containing iron salts) are in this county. The water power on the streams is unsurpassed.

The Remains of Old Indian Towns or towns inhabited by some ante-Indian race, were found, among them vessels apparently used for cooking, and other implements.

Boone's Old Trace ran through this county, immediately over the spot where the court house is built; it was still perceivable a few years ago.


Source: History of Kentucky, Volume II, by Lewis Collins, Published by Collins & Company,
Covington, Kentucky, 1874