Souvenir School Cards of Long Ago

Starting in the last decade of the 19th century, and continuing almost as long as the one room school houses existed, teachers gave little souvenir cards to their students at the end of the school year.  You will notice that these are one room schools, so the list of students includes all grades, 1-8.
 Mamie Henry was their teacher in 1905-1906.

 

The Caney Fork school was a log school building located on the A. K. Love farm, and was located between Sheridan and Hurricane.    The school closed in the 1940's and the students were sent to the Tolu School.

 

Owen School was located a few miles from the Frances community on S. R. 855 North.  It sat in the area where the Owen Cemetery is located today.  Some of the early school records date the old school back to 1897-1898. Mildred Ruth Moore was the teacher in 1922 when this little card was given to her students.

Owen School closed in the early 1950's and the students were sent to Frances School.

 The Oliver School also was located near the community of Frances.  At one time it was a two room, two story building located on the Oliver family farm.  Miss Tennie Wheeler was the teacher in 1897-98.

In 1919 this school was torn down a new building was built at Frances.

Genealogy Society Visits Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Caldwell County

For our June Genealogy meeting, the group took made a field trip to a joining county of Caldwell County to visit the Pleasant Hill and Asher Cemeteries.  Why would we do this? 

 Buried in both of these cemeteries are many with ties to Crittenden County.  Especially Pleasant Hill, as it is very close to the Piney Fork area.  Many familiar names are noticeable as soon as you enter this pretty cemetery located on a hill side. 

As you enter the cemetery this huge tree stands in guard of the grounds.  We couldn't help but be amazed at the size of its truck and the spread of its branches.

Left to right:  Rita Travis, Margaret Parish, Doyle Polk, Fay Carol Crider, Don Foster, Darlene Eskew, Steve Eskew, and that is me in the little insert picture on the right end.

The most unusual monument in the cemetery belong to Manda C. Coleman

Here some of the members stand around her mausoleum -type marker, making suggestion on some of the decorations that adorn her marker.

Her marker has unusual lettering on it in raised rolled looking markers.

There are 2 large mussel shells embedded on the front and on the top are 3 cannon balls also embedded in the top of the stone.  The mussel shells are a symbol of Eternal Life, and another source says they are a symbol of a person's journey through life.   The shells were very popular to use on old graves in this area and Crittenden County also has many graves with the remains of shells on them.

Her dates are on a stone with the same unusual lettering and is located in front of the stone.

We had a lot of fun trying to figure out all the symbols and how the unusual marker, lettering and numbers were made.

A thank you to member, Steve Eskew,  for sharing some of his research about Manda C. Coleman.

She was Manda Caroline McKee, born 1839 in Wilson County Tennessee.  Her father was Robert McKee, mother Elizabeth Turner.

Her 1st husband was Thomas Coleman, born 1833 in Smith County, Tenn.

Knowing more information about the people that are buried here and some facts about their tombstones, makes visiting old cemeteries an exciting adventure, or it does for us die-hard genealogists anyway.

June 10, 2013, the 125th Hurricane Camp Meeting

Time for the annual Hurricane Church Camp Meeting.  This will be the 125th anniversary for these meeting.
The old scared shed sits in readiness for the people starting Monday, June 10th, 2013.

The camp meeting was founded in 1888 by Samuel F. Crider, James F. Terry, John B. Perry, Richard S. Clark, Newton Franks, Joel W. Guess, and S. K. Breeding. The majority of these founders resided in or near the town of Tolu, which was located about five miles away.

 The first tabernacle was erected and the first meeting was held during the summer of the founding.  The people of the community cut logs from the nearby woods, hauled them to the sawmill and prepared them for building this first tabernacle

Rev. J. J. Smith attending this first meeting and continued to be the evangelist or one of the preachers for more than 50 years.  Many great evangelists and singers have come to Hurricane through the years.

The Hurricane Camp has changed over the years.  Besides the day and night services, there is now a youth camp during the week-long meetings.  The cabins are somewhat more modern, with a girls' dormitory and a boys dormitory. 

The sawdust floor of the tabernacle has been replaced with concrete, but the seats are still the same, rather hard and uncomfortable.  There is no air conditioning for the nighty services but hand-held fans are available for fanning the warm, humid western county night air.

The kitchen and dining hall have been updated, and all the meals are prepared daily with extra made for the nightly visitors that attend the meeting.

 Hurricane church is one of the old landmark churches in this area, having been founded in 1843.  The land for the church was donated by one of the early pioneer settlers, Richard Minner.  The church building now standing is the third building that has graced this beautiful naturally terraced hillside, having been constructed in 1931.  It replaced the second building that was destroyed by fire in 1919.

  There are many stories to tell besides just attending services.  The yearly event was the highlight of many people's social lives, just about the only social lives they had.  Here they could  recall old friendships made in years past, the ladies could visit and catch up on all the past and present news in their lives.  Many courtships were made here and several marriages were the results of these meetings.

One humorous story that has been past down through the families is one about Mr. Abe Rankin, a well-know farmer and business man of the Fords Ferrys neighborhood.  When the Camp Meetings were in

their heyday (probably in the early 1900's), Sunday was the big day when people came from miles around in their best dress-up clothes.

 Mr. Rankin, bought some blue and white bed ticking and had him a suit made out of it.  Needless to say there was not another bed ticking suit there, and he made quite an impressive sight, whether it was good or bad, I do not know, but he was remembered for years with his blue and white striped suit.

The Mi Marker Company - 1951

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April 20, 1951 - A New Industry For Marion.

A new industry, not only to Marion, but new in the widest sense, because it is the only one of its kind in the United States.

Through the indefatigable and untiring efforts of our fellow townsman, Emmitt Rodgers, he has begun the manufacture of an article which is indispensable for the use of soldiers, sailors, marines, laundries, housewives, and all other where he marking of clothing and other articles is essential. The product is handled under the trade name of "MI-MARKER," which is protected by U. S. Patent laws, and it is being sold throughout the country to Army posts, and installations, and many other distributors.

Mr. Rodgers has taken over the space in the Jenkins Building formerly occupied by the pool room, which has been thoroughly renovated and painted, and where he now has a force at work. Also, a number of Marion housewives are now engaged in assembling the various parts of the Marker in their home. (Tink Hinklin remembers when the company occupied the office space next to their cleaners on Carlisle Street and also that the MI stood for Military Identification-Markers.)

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November 11, 1954

Four years ago, in November 1950, the Mi-Marker Company, located in the Jenkins Building in Marion, developed and perfected a laundry and clothes marking kit for members of the Army and Air Force. From a humble beginning, the firm has grown steadily, until today. 20 persons from the community are steadily employed.

Sales during the past 12 months have been over $200,000. More than 150 Army, Air Force, Navy and Marie bases and installations in the United States are now offering Mi-Marker kits through their Post exchanges. The kits are also handled through Exchanges in Alaska, Panama, south Sea Islands, Japan, Germany and France.

Kits are also made for camps and schools, or wherever there is a risk of confusing identification of clothing in a group.

The product has been developed into a handy, packaged kit enabling the user to make up his own rubber stamp for clearly identifying his clothing with his name or serial number. With the product, laundry and cleaning mix-ups are virtually eliminated, as the stamps and ink employed provide an unmistakable lasting identification.

Contained in each kit is a full set of assorted numbers and letters, from which the user makes up his own rubber stamps. The letters are affixed to a self-adhering convenient handle. A bottle of indelible ink, an ink pad and directions for use, complete the kit.

Prior to the development of the product for use by servicemen, there were some thirty different companies, marketing various types of clothing markers. All of these were inadequate, did not meet military regulations and were frequently too expensive, selling for as high as $2.50.

In December 1950, the Fort Campbell and Camp Breckenridge Post Exchanges each purchased 6500 Mi-Marker kits, retaining them to servicemen at 75 cents each. The demand for the kits was great and before January of 1951, both Exchanges reordered the units.

From the beginning, sales expanded to the present nationwide and extensive foreign distribution coverage through Post Exchanges.

Continually striving to improve their product, the Mi-Marker Company has recently adopted a modern two-tone plastic box for packaging each individual kit. These have replaced the former cardboard boxes that were used.

The ink pads and stamp handles on which the rubber letter are mounted, were formerly shaped from wood. To improve their use in service, these parts are now molded in plastic.

The operation at the Marion Mi-Marker plant begins with the molding of raw rubber into the various sizes of letters and numbers that are used in the various types of kits manufactured.

In the molding process, a special raw rubber manufactured by B. F. Goodrich Co. is molded or cooked on an "Acroplate." Over 2000 pounds of rubber are used each month.

The molded rubber lettered sheets are then perforated or sliced part way through the rubber by hand-operated knives. This permits the desired letters to be removed from the sheet easily by the user.

A given quantity of strips of letters or numbers are then packed, along with the stamp, ink pad and ink, into the plastic boxes. These in turn, are packed in shipping cartons ready for shipment by truck or parcel post to the various Post Exchanges or other distributors.

The company was founded by Emmett Rodgers and Murray Rodgers of Paducah. Present management is under Emmett Rodgers, who has offered a standing invitation to visitors to stop in anything and view the operations of this thriving local industry. (The business later moved to the old Ford Garage on Main Street.)

Memorial Day Services At Mapleview Cemetery, 2013

A beautiful Day May 27, 2013 for the Memorial Day Services at Mapleview to remember and honor those that gave their all for their country.

A nice crowd turned out to show their respect to these men and their families.

This is a picture of the War Memorial that has crosses for all that were KIA through the years.

 Army National Guard Col. Scott A. Campbell gave the Memorial Day Address.  

 It was an exceptional speech and dedication to those that paid the price for our freedom through all the past wars to the present conflicts.  

 One of Crittenden County's few remaining World War II Veterans, Mr. Ronald "Tink" Hicklin, was a familiar face at the program.  Tink is 94 years old, and is still active about town, and also one of Marion's favorite people.

Always a Hello for everyone and always willing to share his memories of years past.   

 

History of a Flower Shop and the Memory of her Son

February 1954 -A Business That Was built on a Gardenia and a Memory – By: Mrs. Hattie Winn

In 1943 I visited my son, Lt. Harold Winn, who was stationed at Camp Wheeler, Georgia. The Gardenias were in full bloom and I especially admired a large bush which grew near the officer's club. Harold picked three of the blooms from the bush and presented to me. I cherished these blooms and brought the back to Marion with me. When I got home, I planted the gardenias. They grew and thrived and I was so proud of them. As I watched them grow I thought of my happy visit to Harold, little did I realize it would be my last visit to see him.

He went overseas in July 1944, where he was killed in action near St. Lo France. I was grief stricken; I felt as if my whole world had tumbled in. I was on the verge of insanity. I felt as if I had nothing left to live for. It wasn't fair to my family. That summer the little gardenia plants died from lack of care, but the memory of them lingered in my heart. 

On day I wrote a letter to the commanding officer at Camp Wheeler, I told him about the Gardenias Harold had give me, how I planted them and they grew, but after the sad news of Harold's death, from lack of care the plants died. I asked him to sent me a couple o f cuttings from the bush as a memorial to Harold. At first, I didn't mail the letter because I though he would say "oh that is just another sentimental mother," and would throw the letter away. About three weeks later, on a sudden impulse I put the letter out for the postman. Before I had time to change my mind, it was gone. Three or four days later I received a letter from the commanding officer saying he was going to send me the entire bush, and it would be shipped by truck from Camp Wheeler.

It came by Army truck and accompanied by two officers, who presented to me the gardenia bush weighting about 15 pounds. It was a beautiful plant and I was so overcome I could hardly realize my wish had been granted. For this was more than I had expected. It was really too large for my sun porch, so I purchased a small greenhouse where it continued to grow and bloom.

In the spring my friends urged me to get some potted plants. I did and in a short time I added three more sections to my little greenhouse. Little did I realize the gardenia bush would open a new way of life for me.

I began to think things over and to realize I was only one mother among thousand of others who had suffered the same great loss. I kept trying to find myself, and I did. I soon found I could help others in their sorrows and that I could bring happiness, beauty and consolation to those who needed it through the beauty of flowers. I didn't feel sorry for myself anymore.

I built a small brick building connecting it to my greenhouse which is now known as the Cottage Flower Shop. I enjoy a nice business. It gives me something to do and think about, and I am happy because I know Harold would want it that way. 

This is the home of George and Hattie Winn.  Her Cottage Flower Shop was built to the left of the house, you can see a potion of the front of it in the left of the picture.  Mrs. Winn died in 1984 at the age of 97 years.  

I'm sure many Crittenden Countians remember the Cottage Flower Shop and in later years it was moved to a different location, and was the Cottage Flower and Gift Shop, run by her daughter, Vonelle Winn Sturgeon.