The Tyler Settlement’s First Owner

The first owner of the Tyler Settlement was Edward Tyler, born 1719 in Prince Georges County, Maryland.  Edward was the grandson of Robert Tyler, a wealthy planter and member of the legislature.  In Edward’s youth he lost the money inherited from his grandfather and, in about 1740, moved to the Appalachian region of the Virginia frontier.  Here he worked as a trader and in about 1750 married Ann Langley.  Their ten children were born in this region.

In 1780 Edward, his wife, and seven of their children, came down river to the Falls where they settled first at Linn’s Station on Beargrass Creek.  In 1782 Edward purchased a treasury warrant that entitled him to claim over 1,000 acres of land.  He located his claim on Chenoweth Run east of present Jeffersontown, where three of his sons and one nephew established farms.

Edward, apparently not a farmer himself, moved into Louisville with Ann and in 1784 began operating a tavern on Main Street near Fort Nelson.  He owned additional lots and at least one warehouse in Louisville from which he wholesaled merchandise and in several instances helped supply the army of George Rogers Clark.  Edward remained in Louisville until about 1788/89 when a fire destroyed his warehouse.  After that he and Ann moved to the Tyler Settlement farm established by their youngest son also named Edward.