Sunday, April 28, 2019

Threlkeld Memorial Lake



A post card showing the newly built city water filtration Plant, located on the Chapel Hill Road.  Cira late 1930's, early 1940's.

Threlkeld Memorial Lake
In 1933 Marion's long awaited for water project was finally becoming a reality. A WPA project for the city was to beautify the water works lake site on Chapel Hill Road. 

December 8, 1933 – After the filter plant and dam were completed, Marion's next project was to turn the water works lake sight into a park and it would be called Lake Side Park. 

June 8, 1934 -Mayor J. V. Threlkeld, passed away on April 22, 1934. Mr. Threlkeld was one of Marion's most popular Mayors. Through two administrations and entering upon the third he served his city and in that capacity was instrumental in securing the R. F. C. loan for the financing of the filtration plant and water works reservoir recently completed.

Through the efforts of Dr. T. A. Frazer, a lasting tribute will be paid to former Mayor J. V. Threlkeld, by naming the grounds of the new Marion water plant the “J. V. Threlkeld Memorial Lake Park.

With the cooperation of the council, local citizens, the Marion Kiwanis Club, other interested individuals and the Kentucky game and fish Commission, the lake site will be beautified and made one of the most appropriate memorials ever imagined. At the earliest possible date the lake will be stocked with game fish and such as may be furnished by the State and Federal government . The lake site will be beautified and made one of the most appropriate memorials ever imagined.

(These park plans were not completed until the fall of 1952 when the Marion Kiwanis Club decided to make it one of their 1952 projects and placed six concrete picnic tables and brick or stone furnaces where people might go for an outing. ) But it never was the popular community site that they thought it would be. I can remember doing some child hood fishing in the lake with my dad and having a family picnic on the grounds. It is one of our forgotten passages of time as nothing is there to show it as it once was. The old treatment plant was torn down in 1983.
***

Sunday, April 21, 2019

General Joseph Hughes Resting Place



This little family cemetery is located on the Mt. Zion Cemetery Road, off of S. R. 654 North in northern Crittenden County. 

Joseph Hughes played an important role in the early history of Crittenden County.  The Hughes family had deep roots in the early days, even when Crittenden was still a part of Livingston County.   He was the son of Thomas I. Hughes and Nancy Roe Williams Hughes.  

The Hughes family history states that he was a general in the War of 1812, thus the General on his tombstone.

Joseph was present at the first county court held at Cross Keys Inn, the home of Samuel Ashley, on April 4, 1842.  (Located near the present day Crooked Creek Church.  The spot is marked by a historical marker)

He was a justice of the peace in Livingston County as early as November 1823, and also served as a member of the state legislature from Livingston County before Crittenden County was formed, then when Crittenden county was formed, (Jan. 1942) he was appointed county treasurer, and he was also the first man in the newly formed county to solemnize the rites of marriage.

Joseph, at this time, was the oldest magistrate of the county(but was only 53) and by virtue of his office he would have been sheriff, but Joseph declined the post and recommended W. B. Hickman to be appointed in his stead.

Joseph married Mary Sellers on Jan. 12, 1809 in Livingston County. 

Also buried here are: 
  • Louisa J. Crow, Born Sept. 16, 1839 and Died July 10, 1892.  She was the daughter of Francis and Adaline (Lynn) Gill.
  • Martha P. W. Nunn, Born Jan. 31, 1819, Died Dec. 24, 1851.  Daughter of Joseph and Mary Sellars Hughes and wife of Otha Nunn.  Her full name was Martha Percenia Washington Hughes. (Could have died from childbirth, from child listed below)
  • Martha P. W. Nunn, Born Dec. 3, 1851 and Died July 9, 1852.   (Daughter of Martha and Otha Nunn)
There are likely more of Joseph's family buried at the location, since no stone has been located for Joseph's wife, Mary Sellars Hughes, and she and Joseph had several more infants who died as infants and there are no stones for any of them.






 

Saturday, April 13, 2019

Boaz School


Schools of today are so much different from what they used to be, there is no comparison. 

The little white school house that stood beside the road in so many communities played a very important role in the neighborhood.  It was their school, and everyone worked hard to make it a success.

 There were all kinds of activities the parents would provide, if items were needed to supply a school room or play ground with new and useful items for the students.  There would be pie suppers, ice cream socials, or maybe a night of music by the local musicians.  Not a lot of money was made, but then, it was enough to get the things needed to make the school a better and brighter place for the students and teachers.


One of these long ago forgotten schools is Boaz.  It was located in the southern part of the county and set across the road from the front of the Seven Springs Church, just outside of the Frances community. 
 
According to some old school history, Sarah (Brasher) Boaz, wife of George Boaz donated the land for the school, so the school was named for her.  The school was started in the late 1800's.

 It started as a one room building but later another room was added.  The children than called them "big room" and "little room" to distinguish between them.

When there was a revival at the Seven Springs Baptist Church near-by the teacher lined up the children and they all crossed the road to the church to attend the morning or afternoon services.
 
Some of the teachers were: Minnie Brasher, Lucy Wheeler, Marion Pogue, Mr. Hillyard, David Postlewhweighte, Nathan Ward, Myra Campbell, Lee Linzey, John Griffin, Stella Simpkins, Harley Sunderland, Alice Brookshire Sunderland, Mildred Paris, Reba Henry, Raymond Schandemyer, Allie Hodge, Juanita Linzey, Irene McConnell, Mrs. Moore, Geneva Dycus, Lette Thompson, T. A. Martin, Mayme Lott and Sally Sullenger.

In 1955 the Boaz School, with several others in the surrounding area, were closed and the students sent to the Frances school.

The Boaz School was then torn down, today there is no evidence that a school was ever there.

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

A Visit To Fords Ferry in November 1917.


As the Crittenden Press  scribe traveled through out the county gathering subscriptions for the paper.  He would share his adventures and news of the places he visited with the paper.  His reports made interesting reading and provides us with some early history of the county that otherwise would be lost.

                                       A View of A Fords Ferry Home in the early 1900's.

A Visit to the  Community of Fords Ferry.    November 29, 1917
A number of splendid potato crops have been harvested in this part of the county during the past few weeks. The potatoes of the present year are unusually large and thrifty and some of the crops in this county have averaged at least 1000 bushes per acres.

The river is rising, rising and the steamboats are chugging, chugging as they play backward and forth up and down the great stream. The river commerce seems to be unusually active the present year and a large amount of stuff is being shipped by water.

The transportation facilities of the railroads are completely over crowded at the present time, which explains is a large measure the greatly increased activities of the steamboats.

A patent medicine vender recently visited this community and he endeavored in a most conscientious manner to convince some of the people that his medicine was the real, genuine stuff for all people who are afflicted with bad health. He refused to put any satisfactory guarantee behind his medicine, however, and was somewhat disappointed on account of his lack of success in this neighborhood. Your correspondent has got but little confidence in the great majority of the medicines which are being advertised and at the present time. There is no medicine in the world which is equal to the pure air, good water and bright sunshine which God has given us.

A large amount of splendid sorghum were produced in the neighborhood during the present season, which is quite remarkable when we take into consideration the unusually inclement weather which prevailed during the month of October.

Uncommonly large frost and even freezes failed to damage a large part of the cane in this vicinity and only one crop was damaged so badly that it could not be made up. There is something rather strange and un-explainable about sugar cane. Sometimes a single frost will ruin a crop of cane but there are other things when even a series of continuous freezes will not seriously damage it.

Your correspondent recently visited the Seminary School and he was treated in a real nice manner by the teacher and the pupils. Your pencil pusher was ardently requested to deliver a speech for the benefit of the school and after some persuasion he finally ventured upon the floor and gave his listeners a number of his ideas and opinions in regard to education and also narrated a number of his school experiences when he was a little boy. 

Both teacher and pupils seemed to appreciate the address and your correspondent was invited to come back again and make another talk, all of which he agreed to.