Lawrenceburg in Anderson County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

Distinguished Officers - Alumni of Kavanaugh

By Trinket Troy, April 28, 2006

1. Distinguished Officers - Alumni of Kavanaugh Marker

Inscription.

Distinguished Officers - Alumni of Kavanaugh. . Kavanaugh School. Rhoda C. Kavanaugh founded school on Woodford Street which became known as "Little Annapolis." First boarding student came to prepare for Naval Academy in 1914. From then until 1945, Mrs. Kavanaugh launched 150 future Navy officers from her "dry-land harbor." She also instructed students for West Point. Fifteen later became Army officers. Success of the school was due to her superior teaching methods. Students also received rigorous physical training coupled with stern but impartial discipline. Kavanaugh School merged with city schools in 1949. . Distinguished Naval Officers - Alumni of Kavanaugh. Admiral Edmund Tyler Wooldridge - 1920 . Vice Adm. Charles K. Duncan - 1933 . Rear Adm. John Huston Brady - 1923 . Rear Adm. (Ret) Rhodam Yarrott McElroy - 1935 . Rear Adm. (Ret) Andrew Irwin McKee - 1917 . Rear Adm. (Ret) Logan McKee - 1921 . Rear Adm. (Ret) Elliott West Shanklin - 1924 . Capt. J. Wade Adams, Jr. - 1924 . Capt. (Ret) Warfield Clay Bennett, Jr. - 1936 . Capt. Fred "Buzz" Borries, Jr. - 1935 . Capt. (Ret) James Beattie Denny - 1933 . Capt. (Ret) Hugh Murrey Durham - 1942 . Capt. (Ret) James Gilbert Franklin - 1933 . Capt. (Ret) Joseph Howard Gibbons, Jr. - 1924 . Capt. (Ret) George Russell Lee - 1935 . Capt. (Ret) Percy Anthony Lilly, Jr. - 1941 . Capt. (Ret) Malcolm Wood Pemberton - 1922 . Capt. (Ret) Hugh Trent MacKay - 1930 . Capt. (Ret) William S. Manning - 1939 . Capt. (Ret) Frank Smith - 1935 . Capt. (Ret) Ronald Francis Stultz - 1939. . Distinguished Army Officers - Alumni of Kavanaugh. Graduates of U.S. Military Academy, West Point: Maj. Gen. William Mattingly Breckinridge 1928 . Brig. Gen. William Robards Buster 1939 . Col. (Ret) Robert Pepper Clay 1925 . Col. John Hiley Cobb, Jr. 1943 . Col. (Ret) John Richard Knight 1940 . Col. (Ret) Thomas Washington Woodyard 1935. . (Graduates of Kavanaugh often remarked that the academic courses and the physical discipline at this school were more strenuous than at the service academies.) . This historical marker was erected in 1973 by The Kentucky Historical Society and the Kentucky Department of Highways. It is in Lawrenceburg in Anderson County Kentucky

Kavanaugh School. Rhoda C. Kavanaugh founded school on Woodford Street which became known as "Little Annapolis." First boarding student came to prepare for Naval Academy in 1914. From then until 1945, Mrs. Kavanaugh launched 150 future Navy officers from her "dry-land harbor." She also instructed students for West Point. Fifteen later became Army officers. Success of the school was due to her superior teaching methods. Students also received rigorous physical training coupled with stern but impartial discipline. Kavanaugh School merged with city schools in 1949.

Distinguished Naval Officers - Alumni of Kavanaugh. Admiral Edmund Tyler Wooldridge - 1920 • Vice Adm. Charles K. Duncan - 1933 • Rear Adm. John Huston Brady - 1923 • Rear Adm. (Ret) Rhodam Yarrott McElroy - 1935 • Rear Adm. (Ret) Andrew Irwin McKee - 1917 • Rear Adm. (Ret) Logan McKee - 1921 • Rear Adm. (Ret) Elliott West Shanklin - 1924 • Capt. J. Wade Adams, Jr. - 1924 • Capt. (Ret) Warfield Clay Bennett, Jr. - 1936 • Capt. Fred "Buzz" Borries, Jr. - 1935 • Capt. (Ret) James Beattie Denny - 1933 • Capt. (Ret) Hugh Murrey Durham - 1942 • Capt. (Ret) James Gilbert Franklin - 1933 • Capt. (Ret) Joseph Howard Gibbons, Jr. - 1924 • Capt. (Ret) George Russell Lee - 1935 • Capt. (Ret) Percy Anthony Lilly, Jr. - 1941 • Capt. (Ret)

Kavanaugh School image. Click for full size.

By Trinket Troy

2. Kavanaugh School

This large white victorian is now the Kavanaugh House Bed and Breakfast.

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Malcolm Wood Pemberton - 1922 • Capt. (Ret) Hugh Trent MacKay - 1930 • Capt. (Ret) William S. Manning - 1939 • Capt. (Ret) Frank Smith - 1935 • Capt. (Ret) Ronald Francis Stultz - 1939.

Distinguished Army Officers - Alumni of Kavanaugh. Graduates of U.S. Military Academy, West Point: Maj. Gen. William Mattingly Breckinridge 1928 • Brig. Gen. William Robards Buster 1939 • Col. (Ret) Robert Pepper Clay 1925 • Col. John Hiley Cobb, Jr. 1943 • Col. (Ret) John Richard Knight 1940 • Col. (Ret) Thomas Washington Woodyard 1935.

(Graduates of Kavanaugh often remarked that the academic courses and the physical discipline at this school were more strenuous than at the service academies.)

Erected 1973 by The Kentucky Historical Society and the Kentucky Department of Highways. (Marker Number 1479.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Military. In addition, it is included in the Kentucky Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1914.

Location. 38° 2.32′ N, 84° 53.52′ W. Marker is in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, in Anderson County. Marker is on East Woodford Street (U.S. 62) near Dogwood Drive, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 241 East Woodford Street, Lawrenceburg KY 40342, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 5 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Kavanaugh School (here, next to this marker); William H. Townsend (approx. 1½ miles away); Renowned Congressman

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(approx. 1.8 miles away); Upper Benson Church (approx. 4½ miles away); Hebron Church (approx. 5.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lawrenceburg.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on April 29, 2006, by Trinket Troy of Burke, Virginia. This page has been viewed 4,035 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 29, 2006, by Trinket Troy of Burke, Virginia. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.