My Genealogy Hound

CAPT. JOHN R. DOUGHERTY, a prominent pioneer of Spencer County, was born on the banks of the Ohio River, seven miles below Rockport, September 26, 1824. He is the only surviving member of a family of eight children, born to John and Rebecca (Aikin) Dougherty, natives respectively of Ireland and Scotland. The father, who was a school teacher, married in his native country, and came to America a short time before John R. was born, locating on a farm in this county, where he lived until 1829. He then moved to Rockport, where he taught school and farmed until his death, July 30, 1857. The mother died April 11, 1834. At the age of sixteen the subject of this sketch began flat-boating between here and New Orleans, which business he continued until 1849. He has since owned and managed a wharf-boat at the lower landing, at which he has been fairly successful, having dealt extensively in grain and produce. He now owns considerable property in the town and township, in addition to the building and business of the lower landing. November 10, 1873, he married Rose (Knott) Davis, a native of Daviess County, Ky. They have no children, but have reared two orphan girls. In politics Capt. Dougherty is a stanch Republican, has served a number of terms in the Town Council, is a member of the I. O. O. F., and is one of Spencer County’s most enterprising citizens. He has paid considerable attention to gathering relics, and has a valuable collection of arrow-heads, hatchets, and other instruments made by the Mound-Builders.