Ford Stone House

Ford Stone House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Nearest city	Elliston, Grant County, Kentucky
Coordinates	38°43′00″N 84°44′59″W
Area	0.7 acres (0.28 ha)
Built	c.1820
NRHP reference No.	80001532
Added to NRHP	February 27, 1980

The Ford Stone House, located south of Elliston in Grant County, Kentucky, was built c. 1820. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

It is a one-and-a-half-story cut stone house with exterior chimneys on both ends. The house was built facing south, but was later moved and faces north.

It is located just west of Kentucky Route 1942 in the small community of Folsom, Kentucky (population 85).

Description

Originally built to face south, the house has been reoriented, and its entrance now presents itself on the north side.

This 1½-story structure is crafted from cut stone and features prominent exterior chimneys, giving it a stout appearance. On the first floor, each side of the central entrance is adorned with a small window, while the second level remains unbroken by any protruding bays. However, the gable ends are distinguished by attic windows flanking the chimney. Recently, a side entrance has been added to the east, adjacent to the chimney.

It is believed that the initial layout included two rooms on the ground floor, but it has since been transformed into a single expansive space, with an enclosed staircase located along the south wall. This staircase ascends to an attic room, which was once finished with plaster. The original woodwork has largely been lost, with the exception of a mantelpiece on the east wall of the first floor.

Surrounded by open fields, the site lacks any remaining outbuildings. The property line extends 25 feet from the north and west walls and stretches eastward to Kentucky Highway 1942, while extending southward approximately 75 feet to include the family cemetery.

After standing empty for several years and suffering from neglect, the property has recently been sold and renovated for residential use by its new owners.

The cemetery nearby features five simple headstones, though none bear any identifiable names.

Significance

The Ford Stone House is notable as one of the few remaining stone structures in Grant County, and it may well be the oldest.

Grant County, established in 1820 by the Kentucky General Assembly, is located in the northern part of the state. The landscape features rolling hills and a primarily rural environment, with Williamstown serving as the county seat and home to around 2,063 residents.

Believed to have been built around the time of the county's founding, circa 1820, the Ford House carries historical significance due to its ties to the Ford family, who were pivotal in the region's early milling industry.

John Ford, the house's first owner, moved to Kentucky from Virginia around 1794. He acquired the land in 1811 after relocating from Bourbon County. Following his death in 1840, the estate passed to his son, Elijah. Tragically, Elijah was murdered in 1856 by a slave named Warrick Ford, an event that deeply impacted the local community. Many long-time residents of Grant County still recount details of the murder, the ensuing trial, and Warrick's quick conviction and execution, noting that these were among the rare legal hangings recorded in the area.

While stone buildings from the late 18th and early 19th centuries are more common in regions like the Bluegrass, they are relatively scarce in Grant County, which is situated about 25 miles south of Cincinnati. The county's limited resources and economic challenges hindered the construction of more sophisticated structures, with most significant architecture emerging during the mid to late Victorian era, following the arrival of the railroad.

Interestingly, despite John Ford's peaceful passing, local narratives often mistakenly attribute the story of the murder to him, further complicating the family's legacy and intertwining it with the tragic events surrounding Elijah's death.