Historical Marker #999 in Petersburg recognizes Tanner's Station as the first settlement in Boone County, Kentucky. In 1791, Baptist Reverend John Tanner and John Taylor bought 2000 acres along the Ohio River from John Woolpur of Philadelphia. Reverend Tanner settled in what became known as “Tanner’s Station,” but the name was changed to Petersburg in 1818. Tanner's Station was built on a Fort Ancient Indian village dating to about AD 1200. This site was very conspicuous for Indians with its fertile land and access to the river.
Reverend Tanner's son, John Tanner, Jr., was abducted by Shawnee Indians in May, 1790, when he was nine years old. He had been out in the woods gathering walnuts when the Shawnee seized him. He wasn’t seen again for 24 years. The following year, his brother Edward, who was almost 15, was captured by some of the same Indians. After traveling for two days and being a great distance from Edward’s home, his captors had relaxed their guard thinking that Edward would not dare try to escape. Edward realized his opportunity and was able to get away from the Shawnee and successfully made it back home.
Reverend John Tanner moved to Missouri in 1798 and died in 1812 when he was 81 years old.