Appalachia Crossroads
By Clayton Cox
Gateway Press
Baltimore,Maryland

Chapter 13

Archibald Borders, son of John and Catherine Sellards Borders, and
grandson of Hezekiah Sellards, was born May 20, 1798, in Giles County, 
Virginia, died Nov. 12, 1886 in Lawrence County, KY. He is buried in a 
small enclosed cemetery atop the hill down river from where his large 
log home once stood on the old river road above the present Belle Chapel.  

His gravestone is the spire type or Washington monument style resting 
upon a square pedestal and approximately ten feet in height.

On Dec. 14, 1820, he married Jane "Jency" Preston, born about 1799 in 
Virginia, dau of Moses and Fanny Arthur Preston.

Though the youngest son in the family he became the wealthiest and best 
know of the eight children. Lawrence County Court Records reflect 
numerous land transactions and leases of property up to 3000 acres per 
parcel. His usual signature was simply "A Borders".

Archibald served as a magistrate in this area, when it was part of Floyd
County, KY. When Lawrence County came into being in 1822, he continued 
in this position until the 1st County Judge was elected in 1851. He ran 
for office winning the election and served as the first county judge 
until 1958.(this must be a typo as he died in 1886)

At first he and Jane settled at White Goose Shoals. Shortly after their 
first two children were born they moved to the large farm situated on 
River Road, between Borders Chapel and Belle Chapel.

Upon a visit to the old homeplace of Archibald, McDonald Akers, then 
owner of 645 acres of the farm walked over the farm with his son-in-law, 
E. B. Lycan, and me. Mack pointed out where the old residence stood and 
looking across the Levisa Fork, one could see though the fall foliage 
the entrance to the old Peach Orchard mine. As you walk over the farm 
you find evidence still exists of Archibald's many and varied activities.

Just behind the field were the residence stood, are two small hollows.  
The right one, just below the cemetery, is referred to as tan bark 
hollow. Sink holes or depressions still exist where once ground pits 
were located for leather tanning operations. On the front slope of the 
ridge separating the two hollows, and directly behind the old residence 
for his combination saddlery and shoe shop.

In addition to these activities Archibald engaged in timber and tan bark 
sales. About 1860 he built the "Sandy Valley", a steamboat most popular 
on the Sandy prior to the Civil War, and one that played an important 
part in the development of the community of Peach Orchard. When Colonel 
Garfield cam into the area to head the Union Forces, he commandeered 
the Sandy Valley, while the river was at flood stage, forcing the crew 
to take the craft from its docking, turn it in the heavy current, and 
move up river as a supply ship for his troops.

Up river from Archibald's home, and just around the bend on the River 
Road is a large brick dwelling, on which Archibald used slave labor in 
construction of a home for his son, David. Bricks for the residence 
were fired in the area between the residence site and the Levisa Fork.  
This was the residence occupied at the time of our visit by Mr. McDonald 
Akers and his family.

One of the surprising things is that Judge Archibald died intestate.  
In Lawrence County Deed Book 45, page 61, is recorded a Commissioners 
Deed, at the direction of the May 1891 term of court, to settle a portion 
of his estate. This deed carried 43 signatures of the next of kin.

After Archibald died, Jane married McDonald Preston

Issue:
Arthur Borders
David P. Borders
John L. Borders
Daniel Borders
Allen P. Borders
Julia Ann Borders