Copperas Spring School Students 1885-86

This old picture at one time belonged to Braxton McDonald.  He numbered and identified all the students in the picture.  Which makes it a treasure.  When the picture was made the school house was made of logs. 

 1. Marshall Hill, 2. Mack Hill, 3. Henry Wilson, 4. Ed Custard, 5. Euen Travis, 6. Sallie Travis, 7. Ida Wheeler, 8. Ellen Custard, 9. Susie Travis, 10. R. F. Wheeler, Teacher, 11. Maggie Hill, 12. Edna Travis, 13. Linnie Brantley, 14. Rose Travis, 15. Susie Brantley, 16. Susie Custard, 17. Sarah Travis, 18. Mattie Custard, 19. Rose Brantley, 20. Fannie Travis, 21. Aggie Travis, 22. Bertie Travis, 23. Ellen Travis. 24. Ida Custard, 25. Effie Brantley, 26. Bell Little, 27. Mon Travis, 28. Elbert Hill, 29. Bob Travis, 31. Joe Travis, 32. Jim Travis.

Later a 2nd building was built, and the school house used to be located on the Copperas Spring Road.  At one time it was one, of only two, old one-room school houses left standing in the county.  It was razed in 2010 by the owners of the land, but not before they offered what was left of the old building to anyone that would take it and try to restore it.  There were no offers so the building is now gone.

Small Business Day

Friday Nov. 25th, 2011 is being promoted by the media as Small Business Day.  Encouraging everyone to shop local and shop at the small independently owned stores.  It really hit home this morning as I was downtown Marion going to the Bank.  All of Marion's once busy stores down town are gone, I'm not saying there aren't any stores left open, but none that were originally there many years ago.  No Drug stores, no department stores, no grocery stores or Five and Dime Stores.

There were only a couple of vehicles parked at the parking places on Main Street or down the side streets.  Many years ago this would have been a busy day for the town of Marion.  In the picture above, which was made in the mid 1940's gives us the memory of what a busy place it was, full of all kinds of businesses and shopping opportunities.  Not just one department store, but 4, 2 drug stores, barber shops, grocery stores were also on main street and around the court house square, eating places and even a  theater.

The picture at the left is West Bellville St.  The Red Front store was popular, and next to it was a hardware store, grocery store, furniture store and a few others.  Just look at tall the people on the street and all the cars parked along the curb.

I know this has happened to most all small towns, just a shadow of their former glory.  But it's fun to remember the busy times of yesteryear.

Happy Thanksgiving from Yesteryear

In Nov. 1928 a Thanksgiving Proclamation was given by Mayor J. V. Threlkeld.  In the document the mayor requests all businesses in the city of Marion to be suspended during the Thanksgiving service scheduled for  10:30 at the Main Street Presbyterian Church.   "Marion has passed thru another year of progress.  We have, as a community and as individual citizens, been blessed in many ways.  Therefore we should not forget the gratitude we owe our heavenly father for the prosperity and happiness we have enjoyed.

An old fashion "Happy Thanksgiving" to everyone that reads my Blog.

Resolution of Respect for W. L. Travis

Crittenden Press, April 27, 1906

Liberty Lodge, No. 580 F. & A.M. Whereas, on December 30, 1905, it was the divine will and pleasure of the Supreme Architect of the Universe, to whom we must all bow in humble submission, to call from labor to refreshment our dearly beloved brother, Wm. L. Travis, and Whereas, Liberty Lodge, No. 580 F. & A.M. was caused to give up, by sad death, a faithful member and a professed Christian, whose loss is felt to the fullest extent by this Lodge and the bereaved widow and orphan children.

Signed: W. O. Wicker, F. M. Matthews, L. E. Hard, Committee.

William Lander Travis, son of William Blake Travis, Jr. and Emily Brown Travis.  Was married to Mary Francis "Fannie" Redd.  Buried in the Owen Cemetery, located on S. R. 855 North, a few miles from Frances, Ky.

Traveling Difficult in Earlier Times

From the files of The Crittenden Press are found many interesting articles that tell us of hardships many years ago.  One of them was the inconvenience of the condition of our roads.

This article was written in Feb. of 1927 and the picture at the right shows how bad the mud had become.  The car in the back in mired down to its axles and the poor team of mules are having the hard time of trying to pull the car out of the mire.

Poems have been written and pictures painted of the snow-bound communities, whole books have been published about the flood-bound, but little attention has been paid to the mud-bound sections.  It is literally true that many parts of this county are really mud-bound; work has been hindered and trading halted while activities of all kinds have been slowed down almost to a standstill.

Few of the roads in this county have been in a condition that would make wagon traffic fairly easy and none, aside from the graveled highway, will permit the use of automobiles.  The problem of obtaining household supplies has gotten to be a serious matter for families in several sections and trips to the market have been made with expenditures of great effort and loss of time.

A few days ago a man from Shady Grove was in Marion, after having made an eight hour tirp from his home in a wagon without a load, drawn by four big mules. 

The Salem mail carrier, who is due to leave the Marion post office at 2:30 p.m. was so delayed by the mud on the Salem highway ( now Highway 60) that it was ten o'clock the next morning before he reached his destination in Salem.

It took many years for the county to be able to acquire a county tax that could be applied toward the maintenance of the roads.

Veteran's Day, Friday Nov. 11, 2011

Let us join in Salute with those, who in years gone by, have given of their best, freely, that all which Our Flag represents might be kept true and secure.

These three stones stand proudly in the Dycusburg Cemetery.  Three young men of the Dycusburg community that gave their lives for the freedom we have today.  Their stones tell their story.

 

 At the base of Pvt. Hall's stone reads: 

 Killed in Europe. He Gave His Life For Freedom's Cause

Weston Bluff - Civil War Site

                  Weston Bluff Skirmish

This Civil War Marker was placed near the foot of the Weston Bluff in the year 2005.  It was one of three markers set in Crittenden County to mark Civil War actions sites.  It was suppose to be part of the Ohio River Civil War Heritage driving tour.  Although I don't believe this project created much activity in our county.

There is no documented evidence that Federal garrison occupied any point in our county, but guerrilla activity was sustained within the county, the largest being an attack on a Federal transport troop at Weston in June 1864.

Confederate forces, positioned on the bluff at Weston fired upon the steamboat Mercury as it passed northward.  The Mercury was carrying the 7th Ohio Infantry, which returned fire from the boat.  The captain refused to land the boat, citing orders not to do so in Kentucky, so there was no pursuit of the Confederate forces or a larger engagement.  The skirmish is noted on the National Register of Historic Places.

View of the Ohio River from atop the Weston Bluff.

Seven Springs Missionary Baptist Church

Another one of Crittenden County's Rural Churches is Seven Springs Baptist Church.  It is interesting how this church got it name. 

  The church is located in the south end of Crittenden County off of Hwy 70 between Frances and Dycusburg. Today a modern sign marks the location and the road it is located on was also named for the church. 

The first location was on Claylick Creek, near the Cumberland River, and close to seven large springs, from which it got its name.  The church was organized in the early 1800's so it is one of our earliest churches.  

 Later the church was moved up the valley from the river, where services were held in a log building.  In the early 1900s, the church was moved out near the main road. 

This is the fourth building to house the church and was built in 1967.  It is still an active church today.  

Pictures made in October 2011.