Ruddell's and Martin's Stations Historic Association

Remembering
Martin's Station and
RUDDLES STATION, KY

  • Gathering 2010 will be held in the 1790 Kinnett Tavern.
    Falmouth. KY. 8:30 AM, June 26, 2010.

    Here is the tentative schedule:
    8:30 - 9:30 - visit / genealogy / coffee, juice & donuts (Kinnett Tavern)
    9:30 - 9:45 - Greeting from the President
    9:45 - 10:45 - Eva Lail Story (Character presentation by Bonnie Strassell)
    10:45 - 11:30 - RAMSHA meeting / Robert Francis / Martin's monument / Ruddell's Station bricks
    11:30 - 1:00 - lunch (Assemble Cafe - 100 W Shelby St, Falmouth, KY)
    1:00 - 3:00 - Bird's War Road tour (walking / driving)
    3:00 - 4:15 - Ruddles Station (tour stop)
    4:30 - 5:00 - Martins Station (end of tour)

    Kinnett Tavern, a Federal Style Structure, was built in 1790 and sites along Bird's War Road in Falmouth, Kentucky. * A luncheon Buffet will be served just across the Street in The Assembly Cafe. The all you can eat buffet is $7.00 per person. After lunch we will walk to the nearby British & Indian landing site (Forks of the Licking) then motorcade along the exact road cut by Capt Bird and his forces as they went to attack Ruddells & Martin stations. This is the same route on which they returned with captives enroute back to Detroit. We will see Birds Crossing on the Licking River and walk on a portion of the old dirt road (along with our frontier guides John Conway & Eva Lail - bring your cameras!) on which our ancestors walked. We will end the tour at the Ruddell and Martin fort sites (on private property). Come join us for a fun filled and informative day!

    If you have a small hand held walkie-Talkie bring it along. We will use them to communicate during the motorcade, so we can point out points of interest along the way.

    In the meeting we will be discussing memorial brick projects, see you there!

    Near Falmouth (about 6 miles), is Kincaid State Park. They have a beautiful campground on Kincaid Lake. It is a great facility with great bath houses. You need a reservation, but you can do this on line.

    * If you plan to attend please let Don know at Hdlee9936@aol.com . We will need to know how many are in your party so the restaurant will know how much food to prepare. There will be $7.00 donation for the luncheon, to help defray the cost.

  • Gathering 2009 was our 11th anniversary, held at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds, Paris KY and featured a guided tour of Capt Henry Bird's War Road from Falmouth to the Stations.

  • The 2007 & 2008 Ruddles & Martin Stations Gatherings were held at The Historic Village of Ruddells Mill. Here is Don's report:

    On Friday, June 13 there will be a time for preparation and setting up equipment and tents, etc. Volunteers are welcome, so come on out and help. Our Gathering 2008 will be held on June 14 and 15. It will be a joint reunion with Historic Ruddles Mills, Inc., in the Village of Ruddles Mills, Kentucky. Our usual meeting will be at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 14 in the Ruddles Mills Christian Church shelterhouse across the street from the Church. We will conduct a business meeting to discuss the business of the association. The meeting will conclude with a lunch served at noon or there about. Antique and a flea market vendors will be set up in the village. At 3:30 p.m. there will be a tour of historical houses. Remember Ruddles Mills is one of the oldest continual settlements in Kentucky. First there is the Stephens House built before 1790 and hosted by owners BC and Beth Wyatt, then there is a tour of the Trabue House, two story log home built by Isaac Ruddell about 1790. This home has been totally and beautifully restored by the present owner Frank & Lally House. Frank is a master gun maker and personally made the blacksmith nails to match the original nails used by Isaac Ruddell. Frank also handmade the shakes for the roof with a drawknife. As I said Frank and Lally are very versatile and talented people. Frank made the weapons used in the Movies, Mel Gibson's "The Patriot," "Pirates of the Caribbean " and Russell Crow's "Master and Commander, far side of the world." Frank was Master Armor on "The Patriot" and made the rifles and pistols you see Mel Gibson use in the movie. Mel is a friend and has been a guest in their home. at 7:30 p.m. Frank and Lally will host a barbecue dinner under the trees on the grounds of Trabue House. This is a chance of a lifetime. The historic House tour and Dinner will be by "Ticket only." So you need to make arrangements to purchase tickets. We are doing this for security and privacy reasons. Sunday morning, June 15, 8:30, a.m. we will serve a Ham Breakfast at "The Foley Home." Start your day with The smell of ham, eggs and coffee served by Hostess and Historic Ruddles Mills President, Michelle Foley. at 1 p.m. "The Dedication" of the Isaac & Elizabeth Ruddell Monument in the Mouth of Stoner Cemetery. afterward we form a motorcade and proceed to a tour of the Ruddell & Martin Station Fort sites. Come join us for two exciting fun filled days.

    Don Lee, President
    RAMSHA
    859-322-6809

  • In the spring of 2007, we had a special event at a NEW reenactment of the 1780 attack on Ruddles Station.

    We had fifty RAMSHA members attending. Jon was there both as a reenactor and also representing the Simon Kenton family. Bill Overbey & Jon manned the booth for RAMSHA, representing the John Conway family.

    The location was a beautiful new Kentucky State Park park called Boone's Station. This is the farm that Daniel Boone and his family established during and after the frontier era. This site has more reenactment information: http://fortboonesboroughlivinghistory.org/html/boone_station.html

    Here is the script for the drama/reenactment.

    Here are some photos:
    http://fortboonesboroughlivinghistory.org/html/april_2007.html


    Previous year's meeting topics for discussion included Jon Hagee'spresentation on:

  • A Ruddles Station boy held captive for over a decade who even foughtalong with his Shawnee captives against Simon Kenton.
  • Another fort attacked at the same time as Ruddles and Martins.
  • Was the fort attacked twice, in the Spring as well as the Summer of1780 and what damage was done?

    We were unable to visit Martin's Station due to construction.

    In 2004, our own Jon Hagee made a presentation on the Early Frontier,including clothing, gear and other artifacts.

    In 2003 we were entertained and informed by Simon Kenton and SimonGirty/Shawnee authority Barbara Lehman of Urbana, Ohio who made apresentation on the Munger/Girty connection as well as background onthe Shawnee, who participated in the capture of Ruddles and Martin'sStations.

    In 2002 Archaeologist Nancy O'Malley brought us exciting news from the Ruddles Station siteand we enjoyed a uniformed flintlock salute by the Sons of theAmerican Revoution. In 2001, Donald Drewrey who dresses 1780'sentertained us with period music and storytelling.
    Here is a list of area lodging, dining and other points of interest, etc.

    Questions to Don Lee at (859)654-3848 or RAMSHA1780@aol.com.

  • Jon Hagee's (the original) Ruddle's Station page.

  • Our comprehensive Ruddle's and Martin's Fort Research Site. Our sincere thanks to founding member Bob Francis.

  • I have gathered some research on Grant's Station which was also attacked June 1780.

  • Join the RUDDLESFORT Discussion Group hosted by Rootsweb. The group isdesigned to bring folks interested in this event and time periodtogether. To join this group, all you have to do is follow todirections given below:
    RUDDLESFORT Mailing List to subscribe send message to ruddlesfort-l-request@rootsweb.com. In body of message put only"subscribe". This mailing list comes to you Courtesy of Jon Hagee and Bob Francis.

  • Another Ruddle's Station family by Mark Hickman.

  • President's Report of the 2002 Gathering.

  • Lodging and Attractions in the Ruddle's and Martin'sStations area.

  • Join RAMSHA.

  • RAMSHA Newsletters.


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