Pirtle-Rogers Family Papers, 1797-1875

Held by The Filson Historical Society 

Creator:  Pirtle-Rogers Family 

Title:  Papers, 1797-1875 

Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Collections Department. 

Size of Collection:  0.33 cubic feet 

Location Number:  Mss. A P672a 

Scope and Content Note 

Collection includes papers, 1816-1875, of Henry Pirtle. Pirtle papers include letters to him from Larz Anderson, George Bancroft, John Barbee, Rufus Choate, James Kent, and others of a personal and business nature; letter from Pirtle, 1856, defining his position in regard to the American Party; and a contract, 1845, between Pirtle and James Speed to be partners in a law practice. Other papers include letters, 1801-1836, to General James Taylor of Newport, Ky., from Dr. Coleman Rogers, Dr. John Sellman, Judge John Coburn, James W. Moss, Dolly P. Madison, and Richard M. Johnson; letter, 1829, from Martin Van Buren to William T. Barry about the return of Taylor’s fugitive slaves from Canada; a power of attorney, 1797, from Joseph Rogers of Fayette County, to John Winn to obtain property due him from the estate of his wife’s father, Thomas Ford, and her former husband, Joseph R. Farrar; correspondence, 1803-1820, of Dr. Coleman Rogers and his wife, Jane Farrar Rogers, while he was studying medicine at the University of Pennsylvania; and twelve cards of admission to medical lectures at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Biographical Note 

Coleman Rogers 

• 1781 Born in Culpepper County, Va. 
• 1802? Began to study medicine under Dr. Samuel Brown at Lexington, Ky. 
• 1803 Entered the University of Pennsylvania. 
• 1804? Returned to Danville and practiced with Dr. Ephraim McDowell. 
• 1805 Married Jane Farrar. 
• 1817 Received the degree of M. D. 
• 1817 Began to teach Anatomy at Transylvania University. 
• 1833 Procured a charter for the Louisville Medical Institute. 
• 1855 Died in Louisville 

Henry Pirtle 

• 1798 Born in Washington County, Ky. 
• 1826-1832 Served as Judge of the Circuit and General Court in Louisville. 
• 1840-1843 Served as state senator. 
• 1846 Appointed Circuit Judge. 
• 1846-1869 Law professor at the University of Louisville. 
• 1850 Appointed Chancellor of the Louisville Chancery Court by Governor Crittenden. 
• 1868 Retired as a judge. 
• 1880 Died. 

Folder List 

Box 1 

1 Henry Pirtle: Plan for finding the time of the sun’s rising, 1816 July 11.Contract with Nicholas MacArthur for purchase of a lot in Louisville, 1833 Mar. 15. 

2 Henry Pirtle correspondence, 1833-1875. 

3 Henry Pirtle/James Speed law partnership contract, 1845 July 7.

4 James Speed Pirtle correspondence, 1853. Resolutions on James Speed Pirtle’s death. 

5 James Taylor correspondence, 1801-1836.

6 James Taylor statement of account with Smith and Findlay for Miss Farrar,1796 Nov. 11-Dec. 28.

7 Power of attorney from Joseph Rogers to John Winn, 1797 Sept. 30.

8 Jane Farrar correspondence, 1803-1805.

9 Jane Farrar correspondence, 1806-1815.

10 Jane Farrar Rogers correspondence, 1816.

11 Jane Farrar Rogers correspondence, 1817-1820 and n.d.

12 Coleman Rogers correspondence, 1804-1820.

13 Letter from David Todd to Robert Todd, 1848 Jan. 6, about the Battle of Blue Licks.

14 Land grant to Bustard and Nooe, assignees of John W. St. Clair, for 149 acres of Ill. land, 1824 May 3. Signed by James Monroe. 

15 Cards of admission to lectures at the Medical School, Univ. of Penn., 1803-1817.

15a Newspaper clippings.