What Does the Fourth of July—and Being from Kentucky—Have in Common?
Independence Day wasn’t won with words alone. It was earned by men and women who stood together against the most powerful army in the world. They suffered hardships we can hardly imagine: marching barefoot in snow and ice with nothing but burlap wrapped around their feet… going hungry… waiting on pay that never came.
They endured loss after loss and survived brutal winters in places like Valley Forge. They slept in drafty cabins, battled illness, and faced despair. But through it all, they believed. Not just in their own freedom, but in the promise of liberty for generations to come.
So what does this have to do with being from Kentucky?
Because one of those Patriots was Nicholas Carter, our forefather. He endured all of it—for us. For his service, he was granted 200 acres of land west of the Appalachian Mountains, and like many other Carters, he settled in what would become Kentucky. He built a new life, one that eventually led to ours.
So tonight, while you’re grilling or watching fireworks, take a moment to remember Nicholas Carter—and the sacrifices he made so that we could celebrate our freedom. Let’s honor the courage, the grit, and the faith of those early Patriots. Because our independence was not free—it was fought for.
Happy Fourth of July.