Daviess County, Kentucky

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Some historians consider the Battle of Tippecanoe, fought in Indiana in November 1811, to be the unofficial beginning of the War of 1812. A casualty from that battle, Kentuckian Joseph Hamilton Daviess, was the namesake for Daviess County. Historical Marker #1158 commemorates the county being named for this Kentuckian.

Born in Virginia, the well-educated Daviess became an attorney and served on several expeditions against Native Americans. In 1806, as U.S. attorney, he prosecuted former Vice President Aaron Burr for treason. He was a well-respected attorney, served in the Kentucky legislature, and was "one of the first attorneys from west of the Appalachians to argue a case before the Supreme Court."

In 1811, William Henry Harrison led a campaign against Native Americans in present-day Indiana. Daviess, who was active in the Kentucky militia, eventually became a colonel in Harrison's command. At the Battle of Tippecanoe, which secured national fame for Harrison, Daviess was killed while leading a charge.

When Daviess County was created in 1815, it was named in his honor.