Liquor Laws Defied

 

Liquor Laws Defied – January 7, 1921

According to the Gov. Edwin P. Morrow, in an address to the Association of Circuit Judges and Commonwealth Attorneys, moon-shining and bootlegging are rampant in Kentucky, and the violations of the liquor laws are such as to challenge all of the forces of law and order.

 

"Illicit manufacture and sale of liquor has grown to an appalling extent" he said. There is today a challenge being thrown out to the forces of law and order in Kentucky, he told them, "So far as the sale and manufacture of it is concerned there has never been anything like it before." I ask the Circuit Judges of Kentucky to meet this challenge, I will help in as much as I can. I will go to the utmost of my power fighting this evil and in sustaining you. No man convicted of participating in the whiskey traffic will find any clemency at my hands."

 

Which shall be supreme in this state, the Law or the Blind Tiger?

(Blind tiger is a place where liquor is sold illegally. This term was popular during the Prohibition Era (1920-33) when alcohol was illegal in the U.S.)

It was also rampant here in our own Marion and Crittenden County. I found many, many items and articles in the old Crittenden Presses telling about the struggle to stop the manufacturing and selling of the bootleg liquor. I’ll share just a few in this post and maybe more in a later post. I find them interesting to read about this era of our past history.

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Crittenden Press, Oct. 2, 1925 – Case Of Booze In Monument Shop?

A supply of alleged liquor, supposedly being stocked for disposal on circus day, was accidentally discovered last Friday night about ten o’clock by Policemen Joe Barnes and Hugh Norris. The officers were doing some sleuthing in the vacant lot behind the marble shop of Henry and Henry and saw Press Hill leave the back door of the shop, it is alleged.

 

A casual glance revealed to them a dark object in the door and officer Norris turned on his flashlight and saw a man whom he recognized as Kenna Powell just inside the open door by a box that was partly open and the opening displayed some bottles in neat rows, and asked him what he was doing there at that time of the night.

 

Just at this time it is alleged that Howard Henry walked in and was asked by the officer what was in the box. He is said to have denied any knowledge of the contents. While they were thus engaged in the questioning and replies Kenna Powell made his escape.

 

The three men were later taken in custody on warrants charging them with illegal possession of liquor, it is said. Hill and Powell were released on $500 bonds each and Henry on his own recognizance. The trio is to appear for trial Saturday.

 

There is said to have been thirty-two half pints of liquor in the case, which was placed in the custody of County Judge E. Jeffrey Travis.

Oct. 9, 1925 – Jury Orphans The Case of Booze

Last Saturday occurred the trials of the three men charged with the possession of the case of alleged liquor found by Policeman Norris and Barnes on Friday night of the previous week.

 

Howard Henry was the first on to face the jury and conducted his own defense. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

 

Press Hill next presented his case to the courts. County Judge E. Jeffrey Travis presiding. He bound the defendant over to the Nov. grand jury.

 

Kenna Powell was tried before a jury, also conducting his own defense, and the jury was unable to agree, after which the commonwealth dismissed the case.

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April 5, 1929 – Sheriff Bing in "Shiner’s" Plant

County officers who searched the farm of Geo. H. Brooks Tuesday night confiscated and brought to Marion a portion of a still, some "moonshine" liquor and mash which was found concealed in the woods on the Brooks farm.

 

The raid was made at about midnight by Sheriff P. R. Taylor, Deputy B. F. Walker and Special Deputy C. F. Conger. In addition to the still over two gallons of liquor, about 400 gallons of mash, a quantity of meal and about 500 pounds of sugar were found.

 

No arrests were made as the still was deserted. It is believed that the owner of the farm did not know that the still was in operation on his place.

 

The Brooks farm is located on the Mexico and Caldwell Springs road about two and a half miles from Mexico.

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April 22, 1927 – Officers Take 3 Stills and Mash

Sheriff and Deputies Make Raids on Three Stills and Capture One Man

 

During the past week several stills have been raided in Crittenden County and quantities of mash found in every case.

 

W. H. Hardesty, justice of the peace in the Tolu magisterial district, together with B. F. Walker, Fred Hill and George Holloman raided the farm of Buckner Croft near Tolu last Friday, April 15, and found a still that had been in recent operation. The still was of forty gallon capacity and with it was found 350 gallons of mash.

 

No arrests have been made in the case but it is suspected that the moonshiner lives on the other side of the river.

 

Last Saturday night Sheriff P. R. Taylor with deputy B. F. Walker raided the J. H. King farm near Cookseyville and discovered one gallon whiskey and one hundred gallons of mash. The discovery was made in the woods on the back of the farm and the mash and whiskey was covered with a quantity of cedar brush. No arrest were made.

 

Sheriff Taylor with Deputy Walker and Chief of Police Hugh Norris located a still in Charlie Bob Sanders’ smokehouse on the Tradewater river Monday night. The still was of thirty-five gallon capacity and with it was found one hundred gallons of mash and five gallons of whiskey.. Sanders was placed under arrest and is now in jail at Marion awaiting trial.

Blacks Add to History of Marion

 

This interesting article is from the "Special Historical Supplement" of the Crittenden Press, December 7, 1972

As has been previously noted, a large number of free black people were citizens of Marion.  This was largely due to the fact that most of the County's early landowners did not condone slavery as it was practiced in the deep south, but as sort of an indenture servitude or apprenticeship. 

 After the death of their personal masters many of the former slaves were freed by provisions of their wills as is witnessed by the fact many of the local black people have the same family names as many of the early Crittenden County settlers.

Joined by many others from  Virginia and Tennessee after the end of the Civil War, the black people moved into Marion and settled in the undeveloped section of the town nearest the places of employment of the trades in which they had become quite expert during slavery.  These trades were the handling of tobacco, mineral mill work, garden farming and all types of domestic service.

About 1890, Herrod Travis organized the men who had experience in air-cured brickmaking into a company which produced most of the "soft" brick used in Marion construction before 1911.

 Travis' ownership of a large part of what is now the north-western corner of Marion plus the nearness of Walker & Wilson Company's tobacco factory caused the formation of the North Marion black neighborhood.

The alleyway where the Kiln was located later widened into a street and was named Travis Street in his honor.

(Somehow someone thought to make a picture of the Travis kiln, or it may be his home, I'm not sure which, before it was torn down, this means a lot in helping preserve our past history.)

Herrod Travis is buried in the Old Black Cemetery, located at the very end of N. Weldon St. in the wooded area. His tombstone reads King Herod Travis.

River Brought First People to Crittenden

Rivers and Paddle Wheeler From Yesteryear

The following recollection was told to Bob M. Wheeler by his father, Floyd Clark Wheeler as they went on boating trips on the Ohio when Mr. Wheeler was game warden for the county.

 

Before Navigational Dams 50 and 51 and the dikes on the Ohio were constructed, the current of the Ohio bounced off Battery Rock on the Illinois bank, then swung southwest to the Kentucky bank where the Tradewater added to its onward rush.

 

The residue from the two rivers formed a large earth and rock bar on the Illinois side opposite what was to become Weston. This bar extended down river in sandbars with the end being at the present Dam 50 site.

 

This bar forced the river into a narrow canal-like channel that hugged the Kentucky bank until the waters from Camp Creek merged with the Ohio. It then bounced off Cottonpatch Hill and slowly swung northwest to hug the Illinois bank past the Cave-In-Rock bluff. This formed a natural crossing place for larger grazing animals on there way to the Saline River Valley salt licks in southern Illinois.

 

Down from Cave In Rock was the formation of huge sand bars, which later became McKinley Island. The river then bounced off the Tower Rock out-jutting to slant southwest thru the narrow channel between the McKinley bars and the head bar of Hurricane Island. This passage was the one feared most by captains of mercantile flatboats. They would even hire local pilots at Cave In Rock to maneuver their boats through the rough passage.

 

At Hurricane Island, the Ohio struck the Kentucky bank a little above what is now called Hurricane Creek. The creek added more swift water to the river's flow. It was just below the mouth of Hurricane Creek that a Revolutionary War pensioner of Virginia, Robert Kirk, set up a flatboat dock on his land grant. The site was very near today's equipment transfer point from the Tolu Landing to Hurricane Island. It became knows as Kirksville and it was the only dock marked in what is now Crittenden County on the early Ohio River navigational charts.

 

Below Kirksville, the Ohio channel rushed down on the south side of Hurricane Island, (the opposite of today's flow which resulted by the constructional of navigational dams), and curved its way around the west tip of the island, before taking a northwestward turn to bounce off the Illinois side below Elizabethtown.

 

It would have been extremely difficult for the first pioneers of Crittenden County to land and dock these flatboats, which contained fragile household and farming equipment of the early years, without expert piloting. The supplying of the settlers who had pioneered what was to be Crittenden County was done overland, and soon became a profitable market to many advanced-type commercial flatboats. So enterprising pioneers like Robert Kirk and George Flynn at Weston took advantage of ownership of natural harbors to provide docks for this trade.

***

After reading and learning about some of the early history of the the Ohio River let's recall some of the wonderful and nostalgic, steamboats that plied these rough and rowdy waters of long ago.

 

Of the early steamboat captains and boat owners, few names rated higher than the names of Judge Wiley Fowler's sons. Famous boats bore their names: the Joe Fowler, the Gus Fowler, and the Dick Fowler. 

 

The Joe Fowler was named for Captain Joseph Fowler and was the most popular packet on the river. She made regular trips with passengers and freight from Louisville to Pittsburgh and she was always in demand for Madri Gras season for the trip to New Orleans. The Joe Fowler was the fastest stern-wheeler on western waters. The shanty boat dwellers dreaded to see her coming, because she threatened their tiny boat-home that dotted the rivers for many years. Not only did the Joe Fowler carry passengers and mail, but she carried freight. 

 

Despite the fact that the Joe Fowler was a hard working boat, both she and the Dick Fowler were luxuriously furnished for passengers and live bands provided music for dancing each evening.

 

Another excursion boat owned by the Fowlers was the Idlewilde. Her river excursions were a popular event. Instrumental bands of the time were on board to provide entertainment and music for dancing on the Ohio. She made regular stops at all the landings along this area. 

 

In the early 1900's, Mr. W. B. Wilborn, the Fowler's agent at Fords Ferry, advertised summer excursion on the steamers Joe Fowler and John S. Hopkins. He wrote that one should take advantage of the extra low rates and enjoy the most pleasant trip offered on inland waters. Boats duly furnished and have all appointments. Orchestra on board. The fare, with berth and meals, from Fords Ferry to Paducah and return is $2.50 for the round trip, and from Fords Ferry to Evansville is $3.00 for the round trip. 

 

It is fascinating to think about the steamers stopping at all the landings along the Ohio that we are familiar with, from Weston, and Fords Ferry to Clementsburg, Cave-In-Rock, Tolu, Rosiclare, Carrsville, and E'town landings. What a bustling and wonderful sight it must have been. 

 

Many other excursion boats also operated on the rivers and the showboats announced their arrival to all the local towns with booming calliopes and she cruised down the river, the music bouncing off the hills at Weston and Cave In Rock and echoing down the river. 

 

The Delta Queen when she was docked at Cave-In-Rock in 2008.

(note: I was fortunate enough a few times, before the historic Delta Queen was docked for good in Oct. 2008, to hear the calliope as she docked at Cave-in-Rock landing and as she took off and resumed her trip down the river. It is something I will never forget, and makes you long to hear it once again and to see the great paddle wheel churning the river as she moved away.)

***

Violent Storm Hits County, Tolu Hit Hardest

The Crittenden Press, June 10, 1993.

June 4, 1993 – Violent Storm Sweeps County.  Tolu Hit Hardest.

When the skies began to darken over Tolu Friday morning, June 4, some residents of that community, did not think it would be different from any other storm.

However, in less than an hour one small community was almost literally turned upside down.

A storm, packing up to 95 mph winds, hail, lightening and heavy rains, that moved across the entire Crittenden County area, stuck it’s heaviest blow in Tolu, according to Tolu Volunteer Fire Department Chief Tony Alexander.

Alexander said state officials he had talked with have no doubt that it was a tornado that ripped through the Tolu area leaving behind massive amounts of debris, downed trees and structure damage. Residents there were left without electricity, water and telephone services.

One home in the community belonging to Myra Hamilton, has been declared a total loss by insurance adjusters.

Judge John May declared a state of emergency Friday and Alexander and other set up a command post and shelter for all of the county’s storm victims at Tolu Elementary School.

The shelter was the source of food and restroom facilities for victims and workers and was used as temporary housing for some.

Alexander and others, who were working near the Tolu community when the storm hit, had to use chain saws to cut a path though the downed trees blocking the roads to get into the community to survey the damage and help storm victims.

Noble Wright, a Tolu resident, who was a home said after the storm quieted that there are three streets here, and it looked like every one of them was covered in 15 to 20 feet of trees.

In addition to Tolu, the nearby Hebron community was also hard-hit, according to Alexander. The storm swept through the area and downed numerous trees of all sizes.

200-Year-old Tree Fell Victim to Storm  

Gene Brazell, said he lost one of the most important symbols of stability in his life. His home was not damaged by the storm, neither he nor his family were injured, but he lost a piece of history that is irreplaceable – a 200-year-old Cherry Bark Oak Tree. The tree was located on Brazell’s farm which reaches to the bank of the Ohio River.

I can’t describe the feeling I have about the loss of that tree, Brazell said. He said part of his sadness comes from the fact that the tree was on his farm when the nation began. Brazell found the tree while he was tending cattle when he was 18 years old. He said he continually visited the tree, and it was a place for him to go and relax.

The Kentucky Forestry Division determined the age of the tree to be around 200-year-old, and said it was by far the largest of its kind in Kentucky.

 

Reign of Outlaws

 This interesting article is from an old book titled "The Ohio River" printed in 1906 by G.P. Puttnam's Sons, New York.  The Reign of Outlaw and Rowdy.  I love these early printings, for I feel the earlier they were printed the more truthful they are, as the stories haven't been recopied and added to during the years of being reprinted.

 The Reign of River Outlaws and the Early Pioneers on Shore

The pioneers who entered the Ohio Valley after its conquest from the aborigines found it to be a beautiful gem very much in the rough. Savage conditions did not prevail, it is true, so far as scalping and burning at the stake were typical of them, but it was many ears before life and property were safe from outlaws, and more before rowdies and rowdyism ceased to menace liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

 

Drifting about from place to place setting up claims for land that rightfully belonged to others, now and then, if the exigency of the case demanded, committing brutal murder, and at all ties brawling in grog-shops and pilfering along the rivers, the outlaws of the "Ohio Country" gained a national reputation. But it will be readily admitted that in this matter there has been a vast deal of exaggeration; there was but one Micajah Harpe, and but one Harpe's head raised on a pole; yet to read some pages one would believe there was a Harpes head on every tree in the West, and an uncouth murdered behind every bush that grew along the wild Ohio's bank of flowers. 

 

Every new county must needs suffer, it seems, from the pens of travelers who portray exceptional incidents so vividly as to make the exception seem the commonplace. And it is also true that local historians have been guilty of exaggeration of events in their own localities; many small affairs have assumed great proportions under the gentle breath of legend.

 

The lower Ohio River was very sparsely settled until a comparatively late date and in pioneer days this portion of the river was for a time a noted resort for bands of pirates from whose hands the descending flat-boatman did well to steer clear. 

Cave-in-Rock, on the Illinois shore near the present hamlet of that name, was a notorious rendezvous for a number of years. This is a cavern measuring about two hundred feet long and eighty feet wide; at its mouth it is eighty feet wide and twenty-five feet high. The floor was very smooth throughout and the walls arose in grades like seats in a theater. 

 

Strange hieroglyphics dating far back into prehistoric days covered the gloomy walls. The mystery of the place was enhanced by another room-like apartment over the cavern; the passage-way to this second cavern was like a huge chimney some fourteen feet long. Since about the time of the war of 1812, if not before, this grotto has born the name Cave-in-Rock; about it towers a rocky eminence into which the grueling hands of the floods have torn this aperture.

 

Early in the century a man named Wilson brought his family to this river stronghold and made it his home. More than that, he threw the home open to the passing public and mounted his hospitable sing, "Wilson's Liquor Vault and House of Entertainments," where not the passerby reads "St. Jacob's Oil"' if the proprietor's liquids were not a balm it was not because there were not broken heads to mend. 

 

For the idea gained for its originator all the returns that his ingenuity deserved; flatboats were continually passing down the river to Mississippi ports and a grog-shop (an alcoholic liquor, esp. run diluted with water) at the water's edge was a feature that at that day and that place could not fail to attract both the curious and the thirsty. 

 

As evil never fails to carry in it the seeds of its own undoing, so here the House of Entertainment soon gathered a plotting band of guerillas headed by none other than Wilson, the proprietor, which began a murderous confidence game that take rank in the West with the worst of outrages. 

 

The gang made its headquarters on nearby Hurricane Island and the plan of operations was fiendishly simple; richly laden, were inveigled to the cave, where in short order a crew from the island took charge of the boar and floated it to New Orleans; here the cargo and boat were sold and upon returning to Cave -in-Rock the proceeds were divided. Many circumstances combined to make this conspiracy safe and the conspirators wholly free from suspicion. 

 

The danger of the river travel on the Ohio and Mississippi was great, and so many boats were wrecked that the owners of any one of the captured boats could easily account for their loss of the score of dangerous navigation.

 

Then too, there were the dangers of the return overland trip from New Orleans in case the boat did reach its destination in safely; this journey through Tennessee and Kentucky, as will be shown, was perilous in the the extreme for those carrying money. Thus the desperadoes at Hurricane Island were not suspected for some time and it was longer still before the scattered population of the region took the matter into ins hands.

 

Wilson's band numbered nearly fifty; many of these escaped before the storm broke; a few were taken prisoners. A large price was set on Wilson's head and to obtain it, one of is own murderous gang killed him. "Not long after," writes so good as authority as Collins, "In the upper room of his mysterious cavern were found about sixty skeletons, which confirmed the take of systematic confidence, betrayal, and murder.

 

The reign of outlaw-ism in the area was of prolonged duration, attracting wide attention and gaining for the area a reputation as unique as it was unsavory. The river was the highway of travel and consequently social conditions here came under the eye of hosts of travelers, whose accounts had, after, a wide circulation. Frequently these accounts were told with literal truthfulness and yet, as they stand, are misrepresentations. 

 

The outlaw-ism was a natural product of the era of disputes over land and of grubbing (clearing of the land). It was a hard time to live or let live; the good old days are written and spoken of lightly but they must not be made to cover the first two generations of pioneer life. 

 

The life was exhausting; the forests were to be feled, the great logs rolled together and burned, and families reared and provided for, and usually the land to be paid for – with markets many miles away. All this had to be done under the most difficult climatic conditions, the fevers attacking the men at their work in the wet forests, especially along the river, with regularity and often with fatal effect.

 

When this home-building and land-clearing was accomplished, if one had a picture, it would reveal not only the changes that had been wrought, but a host of prematurely broken down men and women, besides and undue proportion resting peacefully in a family grave yard nearby. 

 

If one could attempt truly to chronicle merely the hardship ad suffering of a day when dentist and rubber boots were unknown, the result would be too painful to be interesting reading.

Crittenden County Fair - September 27, 1940

Fair Weather Forecast For Two Day Event - Boxing Bouts And Riding Show 

Crittenden Fair opens this morning with a parade.  Formation is scheduled at Fohs Hall with all entries asked to assemble no later than 8:30.  The Fair continues thru Saturday concluding with a horse and riding show at the football field Saturday night.  Saturday afternoon a series of boxing bouts are to be staged at the field. 

 Parade Formation

C. W. Haynes yesterday released formation of the parade:  J. Ray Daughtrey and W. W. Runyan, Parade Marshalls; Marion School Band; Farm Bureau; Riding Section; Team of Oxen; Farm Machinery; Car Section; School Section; and Fire Dept.

Athletics

Athletic contests are to feature the Friday afternoon hours and bring together foremost athletes of the county.  Features are three legged and sack races for school pupils.

Stock Show

Stock exhibits are more and better than in former years.  This includes both prize stock, farm stock, and that entered by 4-H clubs.

Boxing

Boxing Saturday afternoon headlined by Stanley (Blackhawk) Oliver meeting Harry Mudd, Princeton, in the 114 class in a grudge battle.  Two preliminaries open the card.  Others scheduled are Charley Cook against Bill Oliver, of Princeton, both making 145 weight; Junior Foster, 130, is pitted against another Princeton scrapper, Elbert Sharkey, in the same weight division.   Six bouts appear on the main card. 

Immigrants Come To Bells Mines For Work

Immigrants Part of Our Past History

Part of our almost forgotten history lies in the northern part of county in the area known as Bells Mines. We know that John Bell, politician from Nashville, Tenn., came to Crittenden County, back while it was still Livingston county in the 1830s. He purchased a lot of land around the Tradewater river to start his coal mining company. 

 

I’ve always wondered how did a politician from Tennessee find his way to far western Kentucky to purchase land and start a coal mine operation. As we all know back in the early 1800s Andrew Jackson, another politician from Tennessee, was here exploring for silver and created a couple of our old iron furnaces. My thoughts are John Bell knew Andrew Jackson from their political careers in Nashville, and perhaps Andrew Jackson told John Bell about the this area and it’s minerals.

***

Immigrants Come To America

By the early 1850’s and 60’s, European immigrants had learned of the need for mine laborers and they began to arrive at Bells mine seeking employment.

 

The American coal industry, relied heavily on immigrant labor during the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Immigrants were recruited to the coal mines in various ways. I have always wondered how the immigrants knew about the Bells Mine Coal company. How did they know to travel through the unknown and come to this area. Maybe this will give some insight on how they knew to come here. Some were attracted by labor agents stationed in major ports of entry who often recruited new arrivals by painting a rosy picture of the living and working conditions in the mines. Other followed friends and relatives in a search for employment and a steady income to support their family. 

 

In the decade from 1845 to 1855, large numbers of immigrants fled to the United States to escape the results of crop failure and starvation, civil and religious unrest, sever unemployment or almost inconceivable hardships at home. They also sought to escape the political unrest caused by riots. A lot came to the United States because all young men would be automatically drafted into the military. This is the reason the Hina family came to America and then to Bells Mines. The father wanted his sons to come here to escape being drafted and have a better life, but what their reasons were, they came to work and make a better life.

 

Many early immigrants were primarily natives of coal mining regions of Great Britain, Ireland and Wales, with large number of eastern and southern European immigrants flooding in during the late 19^th century. Many of these were skilled miners.

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Immigrants Arrive at Bells Mines

In the 1850 Crittenden County census an unbelievable number of immigrants already lived here, all located in the area of Bells Mines. From Germany there were families and individuals totaling 74, from England 42, France 5, Prussia 6, Wales 1, Scotland 1. From Prussia and Germany came craftsmen in the trade of Shoemakers and Blacksmiths. 

 

In the 1860 Census more immigrants had come from England, Ireland, Denmark, France Baveria, Wales and from Switzerland and made the population ever more. 

 

Besides this large number of immigrants, there were also living here a large number of people from the states of Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and Indiana. Most all of the heads of these families were listed as miners.

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Naturalization Application for Immigrants

These immigrants that came to America would need to fill out an "application for naturalization" and file his intent in either the county or circuit court. He could also file his intent in one state and, if he met all the requirements, became a citizen while living in another state. 

 

The first statute dealing with naturalization was labeled the Naturalization Act of 1790 and allowed any white person, alien, of good character who have been in the United States for two years to become a citizen. Not included were slaves, indentured servants and most women. The applicant also had to renounce all allegiance and fidelity to every "foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty " and promise to support the Constitution of the United States. 

 

After his period of time was up he would return to court and finalize the process and become a citizen. There are many of these applications located in the Crittenden County Clerk’s office in the old County Court record books. Here are a couple that I abstracted.

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Order Book 2, June 14, 1858, page 2

This day Joseph Hina appeared in Court and on his solemn oath declared that he came from Baden on or about the ___ day of ___ while a minor under the age of 21 years that he hath resided in the United States for the span of 3 years previous that it was Bonafide his intention to become a citizen of the United States and to renounce forever all allegiance to any foreign Prince Potentate State or Sovereignty particularly Electorate of Baden whereof he is a citizen and subject and having adduced satisfactory proof to the court that he hath resided in the United States for 3 years past that for the first three years of that period he was a minor and under age and the said Joseph Hina is declared to be and is hereby admitted a citizen of the United States which is ordered to be certified. (The Hina family stayed in the community and has descendants living here today.)

***

Book 2, July 9, 1860, Page 426

Christopher Barnaby personally appeared in Court and produced a certificate duly authenticated showing that he has on the 12^th day of April 1858 in the county court of Crittenden County in Kentucky and made the necessary declaration of his intention to become a citizen of the United States and having declared an oath that he will support the Constitution of the United States that he doth absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiances and fidelity to any foreign Prince Potentate State and Sovereigenty whatever and particularly Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland of whereof he was before a citizen or subject and having produced to the court satisfactory evidence of his having resided in the United State five years at least and in this state one year at least and that during that time he has behaved as a man of good moral character attached to the principals of the Constitution of the United States and will disposed to the good order and happenings of the save whereupon the said Christopher Barnaby is hereby admitted and declared a citizen of the United States.

(Christopher Barnaby stayed in Crittenden County and lived all his life in the Bells Mines community and had a small coal mine of his own, known as Barnaby’s Mine.)

***

Times were hard

In the 1860’s during the Civil War, times were extremely hard on the community of Bells Mines. There would be many days they weren’t able to work the mines and the Union army confiscated their coal barges and what coal they had mined, and took it for their own use, this left the mines unable to move what coal they had to other locations to sell for funds to pay the miners. 

 

As the hard times for the coal company continued, many of these families once again packed their belongings and moved on to other places, some moved over the county line into Union County to work in their mines, (one of these families was Piper), many moved on to Southern Illinois, and I found several families moved to West Virginia, Texas and even out west. By the 1870s and 1880s most all of the original immigrant families that came to Bells Mines had moved to other parts of the country taking their history and family names with them. But without them in the beginning, Bells Mines Coal Company might not ever have been.

 

The Bells Mines community of 1860 shows some of the families that are living there.  As you can see their occupation was "miner"