Monday, September 24, 2018

The History of the Village of Fishtrap



Fishtrap was located in the area on Hwy. 132 on the Crittenden County side of Tradewater River.  The Enon church sat upon the hill near the village. 

The name was derived from the fact that people took nets and put them in the Tradewater River to catch fish. At this time period the river was navigational for quite some distance up stream from the Ohio River by row boat. 

Just when the village became known as Fishtrap has been lost to history, but there were two general stores there at one time, where they sold everything from ten penny nails to material for ladies to make their dresses, coal oil for lamps (kerosene) that people used following the end of the candle era. One of the stores was owned by Nace Prow, and run by his wife and daughters, Inez, Ruby, Grace, Crystal and son Thomas. 

There was also a sawmill not far from Fishtrap. There were roads running east and west through this tiny village and one north and south. The business section was on the east-west roadway. There was a ferry run by Mr. James "Bud" Little family and they lived on the east-west roadway. 

The memory of any place great or small is made important because of its people, so we must begin with the residents. Upon a hill overlooking the village of Fishtrap was James Titherington and wife, Fannie H. 

On the same hill looking down at the village was the home of Wesley M. Babb and his wife, Margaret and son, Roscoe, and daughters, Dora and Iva.

Mrs. Harriet Towery, widow of Samuel Towery, and daughters, Mary and Margaret lived by the side of the road just north of Enon General Baptist Church, which was east of the road. 

Other people and families who were considered part of the area of Fishtrap were: Edward G. Powell, with his wife Mary V. and their children; Charlie, Rosa E., John, and brothers Robert H., Walter R. and Thomas E. Powell. 

More familes were – Daniel S. Babb and wife Rebecca (Brantley) and daughter, Ettie.
John R. Towery and wife Susan (Ford). Susan was the first wife of Henry Bern Simpson and they had children, Henry and Susan Simpson. Henry Bern and Susan were the grandparents of Eugene Simpson. Ewell and Susan (Martin) Little and their children, Oscar, Ercie and Linnie.
Doctor Jacob Martin and his second wife, Mattie Hubbard (his first wife was Margaret McDowell) lived near Red Top School. 

John Walter and Dollie "Byrd" Martin and their sons- Lacy, Vernis, Amos, Robert and William and daughters, Stella, Lossie and Sadie. George Martin and wife Laura E. (Canada), and their daughter Vicie L. and son Joseph E. 

John Walter Martin lived on the road down to the river where in summer when the water was low people forded the river. Just above this place was a deeper place in the river where the Enon Church baptized people upon joining the church.

Sarah Wood, known as "Aunt Sallie" and her sons, David and Thomas Wood.

Milton Woodall and his wife, Laura B. (Wood), with son Robert G. and daughters Carol, Marie and Shirley. 

There was James Franklin O'Neal, known as Uncle Frank and his wife Mary.

Abednego and Isabelle Martin Morrow lived at the top of the hill from Enon Church with their family, which included - Sarah E. Morrow who married Thomas Wood, Thomas Morrow who married Leatha Brown, Samuel Morrow who married Mary Ruth Stephens and John Walter Morrow who married Zelma Brown Fox. John Walter and Zelma had no children but raised her children, Evelyn and Harry Fox. Katherine Morrow, who married Sylvester Reel, (he came here as overseer of the building of the new iron bridge), they became one of the store owners at Fishtrap about 1924, George Lewis Morrow who married Josie Creasy, Alman Remus Morrow, who married Edna Martin, and Jacob Demetrius Morrow who married Opal Duke and became a Methodist Preacher. Abednego Morrow was the sexton and care taken of Enon Church later in life.

Ben Price and family lived there just south of the Abednego Morrow family.

All the people did not live in the village, but were considered part of the Fishtrap community. 
(This history was written by Sybil Morrow Hunt)

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