![[Asa Kirtley home]](kirtley.jpg)
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Asa Thomson Kirtley, born Feb. 17, 1809 in Boone Co., Kentucky, came
to this area in 1838. He settled about two miles east of the
present town of Mooresville where he built a frame or log house. Mr. Kirtley
traveled to Boonville, Missouri, on business. When he returned home
in March 1841 he found his home in ashes. The family members were safe and
were living nearby with another family.
He began construction of a brick home. Stone for the house foundation and the walls of the smokehouse was quarried from the northeast corner of the plantation. The brick was made from clay mined on the premises. Logs from a walnut grove north of the house were floated down Grand River to Brunswick (the nearest sawmill) where they were sawed into lumber. The best boards were polished and used for the mantel, doors, window frames and other interior trim. There was also a large barn and granary across the highway south of the house. Abner T. Cunningham bought the plantation from Kirtley in 1867. The house and smokehouse are still standing in 2006. |