Flag Raising Ceremony - 1941

 It's always nice when you find an article in the Crittenden Press that tells the history of a picture you have that you knew nothing about.  Such happened to me with the one below.

The Crittenden Press, January 17, 1941

The large American flag that the Americanism committee of the American Legion Auxiliary of the Ellis B. Ordway post is giving to the Marion city schools was raised on Tuesday morning, January 21, following appropriate exercises which took place in the new high school gymnasium.

Music for the occasion was furnished by the Marion High school band.

The public was cordially invited to attend these services.

                   ******

Little did they know that in 11 months that Pearl Harbor would be attacked and the beginning of World War II would begin.

Steward Chapel CME, Black Congregation Church

 

This beautiful church once stood on North Maple Street in Marion.  The plot of ground on which the church and parsonage stood was given by Mr. Herrod Travis.  

The church was rebuilt in 1916 under the pastorate of Rev. P. W. Garrett.  

Some of the ministers that pastored here were Revs. P. W. Garrett who served two years, Rev's. Morris, Moore, Robertson, J. S. Crumb who served five years, J. M. F. Jenkins who served two years, S. L. McGee who served one year, C. E. Burns who served five years, and A. B. Mason who served from 1941-1973, thirty-two years,.  He also pastored Phillips Chapel C.M.E. Church at Sturgis.  He pastored the church at Marion until December 16, 1973 when he was called from labor to reward.  (This information was taken from the little booklet "The Churches In Our County" A Bicentennial Celebration Publication, 1974.  

Rev. Albert Buford Mason died Dec. 16, 1973, is buried in the Lewis Cemetery.  He was a World War I Veteran.  Kentucky CPL US  Army.

This church was torn down a few years after this booklet was printed.  All that is left of this beautiful building is the concrete block foundation.  No more history is known about what happened to its congregation, or why and when the destruction of the building took place.

It must have been a beautiful sight in its day.

All that remains today.

Official Naming of Cochran Hill

 

 I think it is always interesting to learn how our local places received their names.  

A lot of the time our roads were named for a family that lived near-by or they owned the property where the road was.

Many of our county roads today have family names to identify them by, also by cemeteries and schools that were nearby would be a good way to name a road. 

Many places that were known for having bad wrecks on them would be nick-named by local citizens and called that through the years.  Crayne Hill and Dead Man's Curve, just outside of Marion on 60 West, were two of the worse, also Rosebud Hill another one known for it's deadly curve.

 

Cochran hill about 2 miles south of Marion of Hwy 91S was  just called Cochran hill and curve for many years, that is what it was known by as the Cochran family lived at the top of the hill.

 It was always a deadly curve with a steep hill to climb, and terrible in the winter with ice and snow.  Many a vehicle ended up going off the bridge and into the field below as it tried to navigate and get speed to climb the hill. 

It was improved for safely reasons in later years and isn't as dangerous today as it once was, as you can see in the picture, it's more of a straight road now.

 

Most roads/hwy. are never officially named, but Cochran hill and curve has it's own history about its name.

Crittenden Press. Dec. 29, 1983 -

Geological Survey officially dubs Cochran Hill and Curve

The hill and curve on Ky. 91 two miles south of Marion, which Crittenden Countians have for years referred to as Cochran Hill, has been registered under that name by the federal government.

 

The U. S. Board on Geographic Names conferred the name to the hill earlier this year in honor of Herbert Lyle Cochran, a Crittenden County farmer and carpenter, who lived there from 1911 until his death in 1976. 

John Parr Cochran of Charlotte, N. C., executor of his father's estate, said this week he began attempts to get the area officially named as Cochran Hill shortly after his father died. “I just wanted to get Dad some recognition,” he said.

 

The process involved documenting that the locale had no other official name and getting its certification from the national agency with headquarters at Reston Va.

 

Some states, Cochran said, have agencies which name geographic locations, but Kentucky does not so the jurisdiction fell to the national board, a division of the U. S. Geological Survey.

 

Cochran said he obtained letters of recommendation from then County Judge R. C. Hamilton, his mother Margaret Cochran, and other residents in the area.

 

The Cochran family has owned land in the area since the late 1700's. A log house was built there in 1879, he said and that was remodeled in 1802. That one stood just off Ky. 91 until it was replaced by the house presently there in the 1950's.

The Short Life of The Marion Reporter

 

The Marion Reporter newspaper only lasted from June 24, 1954 until March 31, 1955.

It was founded by Emmett Rodgers.  Part of his message "From the Publisher" appeared in the first edition of June 24, 1954.

You have now in your hands the first edition of the Marion Reporter, dedicated to the high concepts of honest and fearless journalism and to the everlasting betterment of Marion and Crittenden County.

Our desire to publish a newspaper stems from one great ambition - community development.  It cannot be that we anticipate the Marion Reporter being a source of great income, nor a personal device upon which we may exploit any selfish ambition.  We also recognize the simple arithmetic of years in our calculation and cannot anticipate the wheels of journalistic fortune being discovered at this late date.

We must fully recognize the fact that Crittenden county, has been feeling the business pinch.  It must be our business to bring new industries to our community, find an even greener pasture in our farmlands, organize into unselfish organizations for united strength.

In other columns of this edition you will be able to obtain the personal information about those with whom we have associated in this venture.  We have absolute faith in their integrity and their abilities.

To others in the newspaper business in our community and in the state, we extend the hand of fraternal fellowship and goodwill.  

**********

From the March31, 1955 edition:  Reporter Consolidates With Press With This Final Issue.

To Our Patrons: The Editor wishes to announce that the Marion Reporter has been merged with the Crittenden Press, which was purchased several weeks ago by  Mr. Charles E. Pepper of Henderson, Ky.

Mr. Pepper is now in the Army and expects to get his release by June 28.  He and his wife are both graduates from schools of journalism and will make their home in Marion immediately upon termination of Mr. Pepper's military service.  

The editor and staff of the Marion Report wish to thank those who have so generously advertised, its correspondents, and the 2,450 subscribers for splendid support.

As this is the final issue of the Marion Reporter, Mr. Pepper will spend his new newspaper to all subscribers of the Marion Reporter for the unexpired time to which they are entitled. 

The Marion Reporter was initiated with the single purpose and sole idea of giving Crittenden and Livingston counties the type of weekly  newspaper that they were entitled to and not as a money making venture.  

Our motto of "If you don't want it printed, don't let it happen" has been strictly adhered to insofar as was humanly possible.

Thank you,  Emmett Rodgers

My thoughts:  The Marion Reporter was indeed an informative and community minded paper.  I've read, on mirco-film, many interesting  articles from the old paper.  Two that I remember well was on the history of the Alexander Rock Quarry that was located on Hwy. 60 North and the Mi-Marker Company that was located in Marion.  It did as Mr. Rodgers said, to try and promote our local businesses and make Marion look promising for the future.  The papers was also full of local happenings and people that were in the community.

Making Sorghum in 1954

 

Left to right skimming the sorghum juice: Cora McKinney, Stella Croft and Earl Croft.  Watching in the background Orville McKinney.  Mr. Croft says "constant skimming of sorghum juice while it cooks over a steady, hot fire, insures a good, clear product - and a tasty one.

From the Marion Reporter, Oct. 7, 1954.  After thirty-six years away from the business, Earl Croft, a Sheridan farmer, has recently returned to sorghum making and finds that it pays neat profits.

Croft is able to sell all the sorghum he can make to folks who frequently make long journeys to his farm to buy the flavorful product.

At an early age, Croft began making sorghum and continued until he was twenty, when he married.  For thirty-six years he was inactive in the business until his recent return to ti.

Croft's mill is located on a farm which is about six miles west of Marion near the Siloam school.

In the processing of sorghum Croft explained the cane is first stripped, then cut and hauled to the mill.  Care must be taken to keep the cane butts off the ground to secure production of clean sorghum .

The juice is extracted from the cane by feeding it through a roller-type mill.  The extracted juice is then fed through three strainers into a barrel, then into an evaporator.

The juice is then cooked over a steady, hot fire, while it is constantly skimmed.  When it reaches the sorghum state, it is kept at a constant depth to prevent scorching.  It is then drained off through a strainer and placed in buckets ready for use or sale.

The sorghum is actually a by-product of the sorghum cane which is used as grain in forage and in some industrial products.

Courthouse Memorabilia

 The old Courthouse that we all knew prior to 1961 is only a memory now.  

Thankfully we do have lots of good pictures taken through it's 90 years of serving the county.  Also some memento's of it's history have been saved.

The earliest piece of history is this brick located in the Crittenden County Historical Museum.

History of the brick:

At the March 12, 1866 court session, the court contracted J. K. Frick to draft a plan for the erection of the Courthouse. The court accepted Frick's plans and the courthouse was to be completed by the first day of January 1867.

This courthouse was again damaged by fire in the early part of 1870 when a tinner, who was repairing the roof, left his torch burning and started a fire, which partially burned this building.

At the June 11, 1870 court meeting, the court ordered John W. Blue, W. H. Rochester, and R. W. Wilson, who is appointed courthouse commissioner, for style building committee, and financial committee for the purpose of building the courthouse. Said courthouse is to be built at same place and on same form as of old courthouse.

Court Meeting Oct. 10, 1871, this day the commissioner heretofore appointed to superintend the building of the new courthouse, filed their report. The court reviewed said report and accepted the house. This was the 3rd courthouse building. 

 

This piece of court house history is in Mapleview cemetery.  In 1976 a memorial stone was made for Carl Frazer of Marion from a cornerstone of the old courthouse.  The inscription says:  This man choose for his monument this stone taken from the Crittenden County Court House, built in 1870 and replaced 1961.
 

 

No history of the origins of the Court House Bell other than it was donated to the Crittenden County Historical Society when the old court house was torn down in 1961.   It was located in the cupola of the old court house.

A piece of the old iron fence that once enclosed the whole court house square.  I think people must have just taken some when it was torn down.  This piece and various pictures of the old court house are also located in the Museum.

Another piece of Court House Memorabilia is the weather vane that was atop the cupola on top of the court house.  It is also located in the Crittenden County Historical Museum.
 

This piece of court house history is located on the late Thomas and Ethel Tucker home on  South Main Street, now The Tucker House Lodging and Events.  Thomas, our wonderful late historian, tried to save the old court house, knowing one day it would be a unique piece of architect and all its history to the county, but as said before, progress moves on. 

 But he was able to save a beautiful piece of the old iron railing that surrounded the second story balcony and it adores the home's front porch today.

Some Early Church Session Minutes of the Bells Mines Church

 Many, many years ago, attending and belonging to a church was very different from the ways of today. I'm not judging either way, but it is interesting, to say the least, to be able to have a source to look back on those days of long ago, when the church kept a watchful eye upon one's daily lives and activities. If you were a member of that church and wanted to stay a member in good standing, you were held accountable for your actions. This article is the history of the old Bells Mines Cumberland Presbyterian Church, with a few of the actual minutes of their sessions copied from the original church record book.

***

A selected few of the very interesting church session minutes that were kept during the early days of the church.

Bells Mine Church, March the 29^th, 1890

Church session met according to appointment, and was convened with Prayer by Rev. W. C. M. Travis, all the Elders & Deacons being present, with exception of Elder J. C. Collins absent; after which we proceeded to business.

1. By reading the minutes of our last session, which was approved for record.

2. On motion it was agreed to dismiss Brother John Bishop from our church roll, according to his own request.

3. Charges were brought against Sisters Nannie B. Sarlls, and Betty Mick for dancing, and also charges where preferred against Sister Rachel A. Sarlls for giving dances at her house. (Nannie B. Sarlls was the daughter of Rachael A. Sarlls)

4. On motion the following Brothers where appointed to serve as a Committee to see these Sisters, Brother T. K. Black, R. M. Adamson, J. A. Hina and J. W. Imboden and to report at our next session.

5. We proceeded to the election of delegates to represent our Congregation at our next Presbytery at Sugar Grove. We elected Brothers R. M. Adamson, principle and T. J. Black, alternate.

6. Moved and seconded to adjourn to met again on Saturday evening before the 3rh Sabbath in April 1890. Closed with Prayer by Brother R. M. Adamson. Rev. W. C. M. Travis, Mod., J. A. Hina, Clk.

***

Bells Mines church, July the 5^th, 1890

Church session met according to appointment on Saturday evening before the first Sabbath in July. Opening prayer by Pastor Rev. W. C. M. Travis, Elders J. C. Collins, T. J. Black and J. A. Hina being present, Bro's R. M. Adamson absent and Rev. W. B. Crowell from Cave Spring being present and invited to a seat in the Session. 

 

We proceeded to business with the report of the committee; that we suspend Sisters N. B. Sarlls and Betty Mick for a unlimited time; Brother T. J. Black is chosen to notify those Sisters of their suspension, but if they come to our next session to make a open confession or in writing, that we would hear them.

 

Upon information that Brother John W. Imboden has been drinking & cursed & swore & played cards; it is ordered by the session that a committee of three be appointed to see said Bro. & report at our next meeting. The Moderator appoints Bros. J. A. Hina, J. C. Collins & T. J. Black on said Committee.

 

Upon information that Sister R. B. Sheeley gave leave to dance at her house, it is ordered by the Session that Bros. T. J.. Black to serve as a committee to see said Sister and to invite her to come to our next session to answer said charges.

***

Bells Mines, August the 2^nd, 1890

Church session met according to adjournment, all the Elders being present. Business preceded by reading the minutes of our last session, which was adopted for record.

 

The committee on Sister R. A. Sheeley's case was called on and made the report, the report was satisfactory received and the committee discharged; but the case of Sister Sheeley continued, that she should appear at our next session.

 

The Committee on the suspending of those sister, made the report and was satisfactorily received and discharged on motion it was agreed, that we instate to our membership Sisters N. B. Sarlls, as she being present at our Session and made a open acknowledgment. The case of Sister Mick be continued.

 

The report of Committee's on the case of John W. Imboden was received and the committee discharged; on motion it was agreed to suspend and depose J. W. Imboden for one month. (Mr. Imboden must have had a change of heart, for earlier he was a member of the committee to check on the Sisters for dancing.)

***

Joseph A. Hina, the Clerk of Session, that took the minutes for each meeting, held this position from 1888 to 1913, except for a three year period. His penmanship is beautiful to see.

 

The Aerdome, Marion's Open Top Theater

 From the archives of The Crittenden Press comes some interesting history about Marion's early motion picture theaters. The Aerdome appeared in 1909.

July 8^th, 1909, Mr. W. C. Reymere, of Toledo, Ohio comes well recommended as a good, honest, respectable and capable business man, able to give the people a good show for their money. He formerly operated a show at Lima, Washington Court House and Lancaster, Ohio, and at each place gave a good show and pleased his patrons.

Marion people should patronize the Aerdome, if as good as reported and thus encourage Mr. Reymers and his family to locate and give a permanent amusement. The films he uses are of the highest class and will please even the most fastidious.

Several ads were in the Press during the year of 1909 telling of the films that were to be shown at the Aerdome. But then there wasn't anything more about this early theatre until the early 1920's and the Press told it's readers about a new Theatre nearing completion.

May 2, 1924- Marion's new outdoor motion picture theatre, the Aerdom, located on the Carnahan corner (where Five-Star is located today) at Main and Bellville Streets is rapidly nearing completion.

Messrs. C. L. Cassady and W. P. Hogard, the owners announce that it is their plan to have everything in readiness for a big opening night on Saturday, May 17^th, with a picturization of Harold Bell Wright famous novel, “When a Man's a Man” as the attraction. An orchestra has also been engaged for the opening night.

Mr. Cassady is one of the best show men who has ever conducted a place of amusement in Marion. Previous to the destruction of the old opera house he operated a moving picture theatre therein, and everyone remembers the class of attractions he brought here. His many friends will be glad to learn that he is to cater to their wants in pictures again.

Newton Moore, one of the best moving picture machine operators in this section has been engaged to run the machine. The Aerdome will have a seating capacity of about 500 and is being constructed in such a way that it will be a credit to its prominent location and to the town.

May 16, 1924 – Aerdome to Open Saturday

With the possible exception of the romances which so recently culminated in weddings, probably nothing has cause so much interest and comment in Marion in recent months as the outdoor theatre at the corner of Main and Bellville Streets.

A large percentage of the outdoor theatres of America are of a very cheap type construction and an eyesore to their neighborhoods.

Not so with the one now nearing completion. Manager Cassady is superintending the work personally and is planning on making the corner a more beautiful one than it was a few years ago when the Epworth League had a park there.

The Aerdome is to be formally opened on Saturday night, May 17, with one of the best pictures produced in recent years as the attraction – Harold Bell Wright's powerful novel “When a Man's a Man” is the title. Those who were fortunate enough to see “Shepherd of the Hills” here a few years ago are certain to want to see this the latest story by this popular author to be pictured.

For Tuesday night, May 20 the attraction is “Mighty Like a Rose,” a picture that is being shown right now by many picture houses as a “feature” picture. “Flaming Youth” with the beautiful and popular Coleen Moore as the star is one of the early bookings, date to be announced later.

In July movie listing included: Rudolph Valentino in “Blood and Sand.” A story of old Spain and the Bull fights. “The Isle Of Lost Ships, featuring Milton Sills, all star cast. If you are looking for a picture of adventure and action, don't miss this one.

May 23, 1924 – Aerdome Opens To Large Crowd. Marion's New Place of Amusement Proves Popular on Opening Night.

Proof that the people of Crittenden and also Livingston and Caldwell appreciate and will patronize high class moving pictures was evident last Saturday when the new Aerdome opened it's doors to the public with “Wen a Man's a Man” as the feature picture.

The weather man was very kind to the management, for after threatening most of the day to mess things up, the clouds blew away in the late afternoon and the night was a gem of beauty.

It was a new experience to most of the crowd to sit outdoors in the glow of a wonderful full moon and witness one of the greatest stories ever picturized, most of the scenes of which were laid outdoors. A person could almost feel the picture it was so realistic.

It is said that the largest crowd that ever witnessed a single performance in a moving picture theatre in Marion was present at the Aerdome opening.

                            ****** 

One of the few people that remembered the Airdome was the late Miss Helen Moore. She was a small child about six or seven when it was in operation and she said about all she can remember is that it was an open top rectangle shaped building with wooden chairs for the seats. The screen was at one end and the film projector at the other. The top was open to the skies. Miss Moore remembers one of her little friends like to brag that she didn't have to purchase a ticket to see the movies, because her parents had a local business on the second floor of the Masonic building and she could see the movies from their store window.

These were the days of the silent films with the wording across the bottom of the screen of what the actors were saying. The one movie that Miss Moore particularly remembers seeing was Peter Pan and the little fairy Tinker Bell. She remembers that she was so enchanted with the little fairy that when she went home her pet dog, cat and her dolls were all rechristened with the name of Tinker Bell.

The Airdome theatre didn't last long for it burnt in 1925, but no details were available about the fire.

By 1926 Mr. W. W. Runyan had opened his Kentucky Theatre on Main Street and this was probably the end to the open air theater, for it was not rebuilt.

Marion Featured in April 27, 1930 Evansville Courier and Journal

 

 Three Great Men Given to U. S. By Marion, Kentucky.  Two United States Senators, One Governor of Oklahoma Born in City.

What peculiar properties of greatness does the city of Marion hold?

A strange question, and an unanswerable one.  But his little city of 2,100 inhabitants has brought forth three men who have written their names on the pages of United States history.

Ollie M. James one of the most brilliant orators and certainly one of the greatest figures in Kentucky history, became United States senator.

W. J. Deboe, also a United States senator from Kentucky, claims Marion as his home.

Lee Cruce, Oklahoma's second governor, was Marion born and reared.

The homes of both Senators James and Deboe still stand in this city, directly opposite each other at the same street intersection.

The bodies of both lay in the Marion cemetery, a towering shaft marking the resting lace of Senator James.

                               Center of Mining

Marion, the county seat of Crittenden County, lies in a section of the most scenic beauty in Western Kentucky.  All about are sweeping hills that break the monotony of the broad plain common to this section of the state.

The city was named for Gen. Francis Marion, Revolutionary war hero.

Marion is the center of a rich mining industry, lying in the midst of one of the only two fluorspar districts in the United States of any consequence.  Consequently Marion is the headquarters for several companies engaged in this industry.

In four counties in the country is most of the fluorspar produced, Crittenden and Livingston counties in Kentucky and Pope and Hardin counties in Illinois. 

Among the companies operating in the Crittenden County field are the Franklin, a subsidiary of the Aluminum Corporation of America; the Lafayette, a subsidiary of the United States Steel corporation, the Holly, controlled by Cincinnati capitalists; the Eagle, under control of Wheeling, W. Va., capitalists; the independent Gugenheim, and Kentucky Fluorspar companies, privately owned and developed.  The mines normally employ about 1,000 men.

The first mining in this county was done under General Andrew Jackson, later president of the United States, who operated lead mines where the fluorspar now is being mined.  Lead now is a by-product.

Early Days of Barn Burning Season 1906

 

 Interesting barn burning stories found in the archives of The Crittenden Press in September 1906.  A familiar sight from years ago, not so many to be seen today, especially in our area of Crittenden County.

The Barn Burning Season Is At Hand.  Care Should Be Taken.

At this season when fires are started in tobacco barns it will pay the raisers and owners the biggest kind to be a little careful and not burn the barn.

The loss is always double in that the crop is gone and the barn is gone and nothing but a pile of ashes remains.

During the last week we notice that the tobacco and tobacco barn of M. O. Eskew located about six miles from Marion, burned Monday night about seven o'clock.  There were about 900 sticks of tobacco in the barn.

Also the tobacco barn of Henry Thomason burned a few days ago, containing about $200 worth of tobacco.  This barn was on the Bradley Crider farm three miles south of Marion.  The barn was owned by Miss Sallie Crider.

Lee Hughes tobacco barn, near Chapel Hill, burned Tuesday afternoon.  The barn was full of tobacco and Tuesday was the first day they put fire in it.  In trying to extinguish the fire, Mr. Hughes sustained a very painful burn.  His hand was severely burned.

History Of The Presbyterian Church In Ky.

 

This article appeared in The Crittenden Press Sept. 4, 1953.  It didn't say who it was written by.

The history of the Presbyterian Church in Kentucky dates back to the year 1773.  Twenty-four years later in 1797, the Rev. Terah Templin helped to organize the first Presbyterian Church in Western Kentucky in a community known then as Old Centerville, located on Livingston Creek where today is the boundary line between Crittenden and Caldwell counties.  Old Centerville did not exist for too many years and the records do not tell us what happened to the church.

Six years later in 1803 the Rev. William Dickey organized the Bethany Church, commonly called the "Old Log Church" on Crooked Creek, about one and one-half miles north of Marion.  (Located where Crooked Creek Baptist Church is today).  This was the first Presbyterian Church to be located in what is now Crittenden County.  It is back to the founding of this church that the First Presbyterian Church of Marion traces its history.  At this time this section of Kentucky was known as Livingston County.

The location of the church has moved several times since the founding.  It first moved from Crooked reek to the part of  Marion where the Old Marion Cemetery is located.

In 1881 the church moved to its present location at the corner of College and Bellville Street. (which today is the home of the Crittenden County Historical Museum).

(The picture to the left is an artist drawing of the church done in 1894, and appeared in The Crittenden Press.) 

 

In 1906 the church adopted the name First Presbyterian Church in order to distinguish it from other Presbyterian Churches in the community.

The following are some of the early Presbyterians in this area, among whom some where charter members of Bethany Church; Samuel Henry, David Hill, William G. Pickens, George Elder, David Dickey, James Rice, William Sewart, Robert and John Phillips, and John Traivs.  Mr. Dickey was the first known clerk of the session and Mr. Henry was the first delegate to attend a meeting of Presbytery. 

In the year 1854 the first Sunday School was organized within the church.

Steamboats, a part of our past history

 Told by Geneva Cooksey Dycus in 1977.

Between 1914 and 1916 we had two small boats at Dycusburg river landing. Mr. Charlie Cassidy operated the "Rambler. " He made runs to Dover, Tenn. 

 

The "Clyde" was a daily boat from Dycusburg to Paducah, operated by Mr. Lucien Vosier and Dalton Vosier. They could carry small freight and passengers. 

 

The large steamboats picked up the farmers' hogs, cattle and hogsheads of tobacco.

 

Our daily boat would depart at 6 a.m. and return at 6 p.m., if all went well. At some time later the Rambler sank below Dycusburg. Mr. Cassidy passed away and the boat was sold.

 

Then Mr. F. O. Devers and Mr. Guy Lambert moved here and put into operation a larger oil packet, the "Dispatch".  It was a very fast boat, and could carry more freight and passengers than the earlier boats. After the war improved roads and railroads were crippling the boat traffic; however, a larger boat was still needed here.

 

Late in 1918, Mr. Lambert returned to Shawneetown, Illinois and put in a ferry there, but Mr. Devers remained here. He sold the Dispatch and in 1919 he brought in our first daily steamboat, the Steamer" C. C. Bouyer."

Now the farmers as far away as Shady Grove and other communities brought their cattle to be shipped by boat and their tobacco here to our tobacco factory for sale. And then it was shipped in hogsheads to the market. It was a very nice boat, but an old boat.

 

In 1922 Mr. Devers bought a boat hull and had it brought here and my father, Robert "Bob" Cooksey and Mr. Bud Vosier built the cabin, an engineer installed the steam engine and did the electrical work. The C. C. Bouyer took care of the people's needs while the new boat was being built.

 

One morning the C. C. Bouyer sank just below town here just after it had left here at 6 a.m. One person I knew very well, Mr. Henry Tignor from Frances, was a passenger on the boat that morning. No one was hurt and everyone escaped safely.

Another small steamboat was brought in to take care of the run until the new boat was finished, that was the Cora May.

 

Soon the new boat was finished and christened the Streamer Grace Devers in honor of his wife, Grace. It was a lovely boat; it had a new player piano on it and a graphophone with all of the Roaring 20 records.

 

We felt like we had a floating palace to ride on and when my mother would announce that we would go to Paducah tomorrow, we were up before dawn to eat a big breakfast and dress our selves up for the trip. We walked to town to board the boat. In the wintertime it was dark at 6 a.m. and we walked by the light of a lantern.

 

If they didn't have too much stock to load and other freight, we would arrive at the big wharf boat dock in Paducah by ten o'clock. By 12:45 p.m. we could hear the whistle blowing to let us know to be there, ready to leave Paducah, at 1 p.m.

 

Sometimes during the summer, the Grace Devers would run excursions from Smithland up to Dover, Tenn. on Sundays. 

 

In 1925 brought many changes: Mr. Devers sold the Grave Devers and his home and return to Evansville.

 

Mr. Fred Joyce and family moved to Dycusburg and brought in a boat, the "Bedford" with a diesel engine owned and operated by Mr. Joyce and his father. He soon realized he needed a large boat, so he bought a steamboat. He changed the name to the Queen of Dycusburg. It operated from 1928 to 1934.

 

During that time, Mr. Joyce was having a boat built here on the bank of the river across the field from my home. Mr. Bud Vosier was the carpenter with other helpers.

 

They launched the boat here, and he named it the "Wolverine" as that was the name of the diesel engine he installed on the boat. It was a very pretty and a fast boat.

 

The truck lines and highways were slowly ruining the riverboat traffic. Mr. Joyce operated the boat a year and sold it to the Smiley Sand and Gravel Co.

 

In late 1935 Mr. J. H. Ferguson and Mr. Bills brought in a boat, the "Cordelia." Freight continued to dwindle and by 1936 they sold the Cordelia, and that year ended our daily boat trade between Dycusburg and Paducah.

 

Many people along the river were left stranded until the farmers roads were improved, and they could own trucks and take their produce to market themselves.

 

We had from two to three showboats here each year. The early 1940's saw our last show boat it was the "Golden Rod."

Marion's Last Used Car Lot

 The last new car dealership in Marion was for Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth. It closed it's doors in 1991.

***

Today (Sept. 2021) Marion has only one used car dealership. It being Bobby Stinnett Used Cars located at 331 Sturgis Road. This business is run today by Shawn Stinnett, son of the original owner, Bobby Stinnett, who started this business in Dycusburg in 1961.  

After his father passed in 1991, Shawn continued the family business and moved it to it's present location today on Sturgis road just outside of Marion. 

 Now after 60 years of supplying good used vehicles to not only Crittenden County but other counties around and southern Illinois, it is one of the longest continued successful businesses in the area.

Shawn said he has been blessed through the years with a successful business, and always tries to make it right with his customers, has service with a smile, has a warranty on his vehicles and gets along good with everyone.

The week I talked with Shawn he had just recently gotten 10 good used vehicles and had already sold eight of them and was in need of replenishing his stock. He says good used vehicles has really been difficult since the program Cash for Clunkers some years back really hurt the supply. But he works hard trying to keep his lot filled with nice dependable vehicles that people can afford and something for everyone.

***

There are two other used car dealerships in Crittenden County those being Joshua Motors, LLC located on Hwy. 60 West, where the old drive-in theater used to be, and Jones Used Car Sales on Mott City Road going toward Crayne.

Ira Walker Cook Receives The Carnegie Medal in 1913

 The Carnegie Medal is a bronze medallion three inches in diameter and is awarded to civilians who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree saving or attempting to save the lives of others.

Ira Walker Cook, 15, school boy, saved J. Glenn Springs, 16, school boy, from drowning, Fords Ferry, KY, May 31, 1913.

Glenn, who was learning to swim, became distressed in deep water in Walker's Pond, 30 feet from the bank, and went beneath the surface.

Ira, who was on the bank, called to a young man near Glenn to go to Glenn's assistance; then, when the young man made no move toward aiding Glenn, Ira swam to Glenn and grasped his arm.

Glenn caught Ira's arm with both hands, and both went beneath the surface.  Ira jerked himself free and reached the waters surface before Glenn.  He grasped Glenn and holding him at arm's length swam 10 feet to water in which he could stand, and then helped Glenn to wade to the bank.

Ira Walker Cook

Born: June 14, 1898

Died: Oct. 7, 1978

Buried: Mapleview Cemetery, Marion, KY

This wonderful piece of history has a home in the Crittenden County Historical Museum, 124 East Bellville St., so all that visit can see and read the history of the Medal and Ira Walker's Cook brave deed.

The Medal and history was donated to the Museum by Ira's son, Percy Cook.

Communities of Long Ago

 Today it is hard to imagine all the little communities and post offices that once dotted the country side of Crittenden County.  Some of the names we are familiar with and know the origin but others, where the names came from we will never know.   During the many years that local people from the old communities sent their neighborhood news to the Crittenden Press we learn of these many now gone communities. Below are some community names of yesteryear that sent their news to the paper.

These were in the Dycusburg-Frances-Mexico area

• Kid Ridge - some family names in the area were: Teer, Boister, Tabor, Jones
• Stringtown - Brown, Polk, Peek, Travis
• Caldwell Springs -
• Seven Springs - 
  
• Red wing - Perkins, Davenport, Greenlea, Peek, Patton
• Emmaus - Howard, Brown, Hodge, Butler
• White Rose - Campbell, Ward, Tabor, Holloman, Brown, Travis 
• Pigmy - Fletcher, McCree, Wicker, Asbridge, McMaster 

Located in the area of Crayne to Marion

• Lilly Dale - remember today by the road being named Lilly Dale Road, but no history how it gots its name.
• Crayne - one of the last old Post Offices is located here and still a small community
  
• Midway - was located on the Coleman Road.  Some family names were Paris, Bradley, Rushing, Duffy
• Ridge Road - names included Elkins, Woodall, Brookshire (must have been located near Midway above.
• Walnut View - Elder, Adams, Elkins, Loyd

Not too far from the above area was Piney Fork and some small communities of

• Piney Creek -
• Star - Crider, Woodall, James, Crayne, Corley
• Stonewall - was located near Piney
• Belmont - Alexander, Rushing, Crider

Chapel Hill area

• Chapel Hill -
  
• View and White Hall - Cardin, Wheeler, Clement
  
• Elm Grove - Cardin, Chambliss, Norman
• Sisco Chapel - name preserved as the county road is named Sisco Chapel Rd.
• Timothy Oaks - - Ford, Waddell, Stovall

These are all located in southern to the center part of the county.  We'll name some more in the upper part of the county in another posting.

Flourspar Mining at Mexico

This is an interesting article about our fluorspar history. Rich and promising was the outlook of the spar mines at this time in our history. The Mexico and Frances areas of the county were busy with all the mines that dotted their landscape. What a busy place it must have been.

From the archives of The Crittenden Press, May 2, 1912

The Press reporter visited the village of Mexico recently and was surprised to note the thousands of tons of fluorspar in the yards there ready for shipment. 

 This spar belongs to the Kentucky Fluorspar and Marion Mineral companies. Mexico is the natural shipping point for a large-scope of our mining territory, embracing the Riley, Pogue, Yandell, Tabb, Wheatcroft and other mines, and the town will certainly grow with the prospective expansion of the mining business and has a bright prospect just ahead.

It has two general stores, well stocked and thriving, besides other business plants, and it has our old friend Squire Myers, who is watching over things. Keep your eye on Mexico, she's acomin.'

The name Mexico never has seemed just right for the class of a town that Mexico is. There's too much enterprise, go-aheaditiveness, bustle and hustle to be handicapped with the name of a foreign country.

Somebody every now and then says, "No one has ever made a profit in mining Fluor Spar." The Pigmy Mining Company over at Mexico says differently. Why, Prof. Wright of Louisville, picked out the name "Pigmy" or why he selected a section of land that none of us though of he only knows. But here's a fact, every thirty days the Pigmy Mining Company through the management of Prof. Wright packs down sixteen hundred dollars of profit and there's but little fuss made over it and another thing, the spar is not being forced, four hundred tons only are mined and shipped, just four dollars per top is the profit made on it by the Pigmy and this allows the second man to make a fair profit for his work.

This Mexico country, but a few miles south of Marion, is a whole lot of country. Here's the Hoosier Mining Co., W.H. Whittaker, President, building a hotel that will cost over five thousand dollars and he's building it for the employees.

Mr. Whitaker says, "This is to be my home hereafter and the home of many of my Michigan friends – people who know all about the copper country of Michigan and the zinc fields of Wisconsin and Illinois. Of course the Hoosier Company has a good thing, an especially strong thing in zinc; more zinc is in sight just now than we ever thought could be sold or used in America.

The Blue Grass Mining Co. is operated by Mr. Murray Saunders. A large tonnage of fluorspar is being made ready for shipment. Two shafts are in evidence here and the product is looking very good. Both shafts are producing large amounts.

The American Fluor Spar Mining Company is another high-grade spar property over here. It is in charge of Mr. Yandell and its output is solid and substantial. The quality is exceptionally strong with the possible exception of considerable iron ore (limonites), which at present unfits it for anything except open hearth fluxing.

Fred Clement is over at the Yandell shaft and he had gone down 200 feet at that point for the Kentucky Fluor Spar Company and is just ready to put a hole through at the bottom of the shaft to the vein of fluorspar a hundred feet away.

The Marion Mineral Co., this company under the efforts of Fred Clement and Johnson Crider, and other way up mining people, had a good thing and don't forget it. They really made more money selling gravel spar at about three dollars per ton on board cars at Mexico, mining it from the Pogue property.

With the Ebbie Hodge mine which is in the hands of leasers our resume of things especially Mexicanic for this week is concluded.

County High Schools of Long Ago

 The Marion High School, established in 1895, was the only one in Crittenden County for many years.

The passing of the law requiring the counties to furnish their graduates with a high school brought greatly increased interest in the field of education in the county.

In a next few years beginning in 1919 Crittenden County had four county high schools. Dycusburg high school was closed first in 1937 because of lack of students, and the other three continued on until the fall of 1950 when the new Crittenden County consolidated high school was opened at Marion and this ended the history of the county high schools. This article is about the history of the beginning of these rural high schools and their closing in 1950.

The graduates of these senior classes of 1950 would hold the honor of being the last to graduate from these county high schools.

***

Dycusburg Elementary and High School

 

 Dycusburg began it's education history in a two-room school that was located in town in the early 1800's. In the mid 1800's, it was moved to the top of the hill because of yearly flooding of the river. Dycusburg was a two-room independent school district, supported and operated by local taxation until 1924, when it was enlarged and became a grade and high School.

It had a 4 years high school until in 1937 the Dycusburg School was merged into the county system and the high school students, which were very few, were moved to Frances high school, where they remained until 1950.

***

Frances High School

 

 On March 10, 1919, by motion of Charles W. Fox and seconded by W. W. Howerton, it was ordered that a joint county grade and high school be build and established at Frances.

In compliance with the order, this high school was the first of the “consolidated” high school buildings, which included 1-6 elementary grades and the high school grades.

Ethel Cox, from Dawson Spring and Mazie Pogue Howard were the first teachers, Mrs. Cox taught the upper grades, including a high school class of two, and Mrs. Howard had the lower grades, first through sixth.

Many students came from nearby grade schools because there was no high school nearer. Some came a long distance and had to ride horseback. Space was provided for their horses, with stalls and feed spaces built behind the schoolhouse near a pond.

Along with their academics, the older students wanted more competitive recreation. When Charles Sullenger joined the faculty to teach high school math in 1922, he helped them organize a football team. This sport only lasted a short while. There was more interest in basketball, and it became the main sport.

The first graduating class was in 1922. There were two graduates, Pauline Pogue and Louis Yandell. They had taken work in the summer in order to finish in three years. The graduation exercises were held in the Presbyterian Church, which at that time was the only church in Frances.

The graduating class of 1923 had five graduates, Ina Teer, Willabell Asbridge, Jewell Pogue, Raymond Hooks and Cecil Brasher.

March 23, 1950 Frances High School had their last high school commencement exercises, they had a total of 19 graduating students.

***

Tolu High School

 

In 1919, the first high school was taught in Tolu by Professor J. A. B. Wathers, of Golconda, Illinois.

In 1922, Tolu became a fully accredited four-year high school and R. A. Belt, a Smith-Hughes teacher, came as superintendent of both the graded and high schools.

At this time, the school building had only three rooms; but bonds were voted and an agriculture room was added. This was the first model of its kind in the state and plans of it were included in the state publication as a model room for the purpose. A complete library built to state standards and a sewing room and equipment were also added.

In April of 1946 the graduates of Tolu high school were, Phyllis Rhea Lynne, valedictorian and Betty Moore salutatorian, other members of the class were Naomi Arflack, Geneva Belt, W. G. Belt, Herbert Alexander, Jr., J. L. Sullenger and John Hardesty.

On March 21, 1950 Tolu High School had their last high school commencement exercises. Valedictorian was Margaret Nell Watson, Salutatorian was Hanford Belt.

***

Shady Grove High School

 

 In 1924, the Shady Grove High School was organized, and the new high school building was completed in the fall of 1923. Oscar Towery was chairman of the committee to form the high school. The building cost approximately $2,000, and the Caldwell County Board helped Crittenden with matching funds. Jay Brown and Bert Wood were hired as carpenters, and the rest of the labor was donated. The school had four rooms.

Shady Grove was the first school to have Delco lights, with the parents paying the bills. It also had the first drinking fountain.

Later a Home Economics room was added, which was made from the old Crider School and used for a cafeteria.

In April of 1946 there were only three to graduate from Shady Grove High School, to receive diplomas were Kenneth Gentry, Francis Casner and Derald Brown. Valedictory honors went to Derald Brown and salutatory to Francis Casner.

In April of 1950 Shady Grove high school also had their last high school commencement exercises. Wilbur Horning was the last teacher.

***

Mattoon Elementary and High School

 

 Mattoon School became a reality in the fall of 1929. Oakland, Applegate, Post Oak, Seminary and Going Springs were consolidated to form a new elementary and two-year high school.

The high school student body was composed of pupils who had attended school outside the community and many others who had finished the eighth grade in years past, but who had been unable to leave home to attend high school.

After the first year, in order to meet the needs of the enrollment, Mattoon became a four-year high school. Classes were never very large. Since this was an agricultural community, a Smith-Hughes man was employed to teach agriculture and related subjects. (Smith-Hughes teacher - The Smith-Hughes National Vocation Education Act of 1917 was an act of the United States Congress that promoted vocational education in “agriculture, trades and industry, and homemaking and federal funds were provided for this purpose.)

The basic subjects of English, history, arithmetic, algebra, geometry, geography and Latin were taught. Later, typing, domestic science and other subjects were added.

April 1931 – Four students graduated this year from the Mattoon High School. They were Frederick Brown, Misses Mary Evalena Cook, Lee Etta Howerton and Alma Leta Nunn. This was the first graduating class from new Mattoon High School. Rev. Charles A. Humphrey, pastor of the Marion Methodist Church, will deliver the baccalaureate sermon. H. W. Faith was principal at Mattoon.

***

In the fall of 1950 a new era of education would begin in Crittenden County with the combining of the Frances, Tolu, Mattoon and Shady Grove high schools, now becoming Crittenden County High School.

The Perry Place, A Certified Kentucky Heritage Farm

 

Driving down Hwy 297, about six miles off of Hwy 60 West, there is a large metal sign on the left that says The Perry Place, Established 1875. A certified Kentucky Historic Farm. I've seen this many times and wondered the history behind it. There had to be some good history to have a sign like this placed on one's property. I found out the land was owned by Robert Perry Chipps and his sister, Martha Chipps Evans. I called Mr. Chipps and was able to learn the story behind the sign.

 

In 1992, it was Kentucky's Bicentennial year. During the celebration of Kentucky's Bicentennial (1992), the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Heritage Council, realizing over the years, how Kentucky had enjoyed a rich heritage of family farms and they wanted to recognize the importance of and the significant role played by farms which had been in production for a 100 years or more. 

 

They came up with the idea to organize The Historic Farms Program – Kentucky's Bicentennial 1992. The farms to be recognized would be,

* Bicentennial Farm: Owned by the same family for 200 years.

* Sesquicentennial Farm: Owned by the same family for 150 years.

* Centennial Farm: Owned by the same family for 100 years.

* Heritage Farm: Farm with non-continuance family ownership and with 100-year old farmhouse and/or outbuildings.

 

Farm owners wanting to apply to be recognized had to fill out a Historic Farms Certificate Application which included: Farm site had to have a minimum size of ten acres; Had to have a minimum income of $1,000 a year; Had to have documentation to show original purchase by family members, such as the deed or will. Also other documents to show the farms ownership and purpose over the years.

 

The documentation for the application for the Perry Farm goes like this: The Perry Farm located about 6 miles off of Hwy 60 West on S. R. 297, was originally purchased on June 5, 1875 by John B. Perry. Maternal great-grandfather of Robert Perry Chipps, then by his maternal grandfather, Dr. John R. Perry who purchased the farm February 18, 1919, his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Beulah Franklin Perry, purchased the farm February 23, 1924. Next Mr. Chipps mother, Mildred Nunn Perry Chipps, inherited the farm by will November 21, 1971, next Robert Perry Chipps and his sister, Mildred Chipps Evans who are present 1/2 owners of the farm, inherited the farm by will May 26, 1988. The original purchase included 400 acres. The farm still retains 117 acres of the original purchase and these acres are actively farmed in crops each year. 

 

After being awarded the proud standing of being a Kentucky Centennial Historic Farm, Mr. Chipps designed the impressive aluminum marker and had Todd Riley to build it, Billy Joe Crider doing the lettering. Also placed on the marker is the Kentucky Historic Farm medallion. Henry and Henry Monuments set the large marker.

***

The Mystery of Belmont School

 

 I don't guess you can really call it a mystery, just that not much history or information was ever documented for this school.  Located out in the district of Piney Fork, it must have been very close to the old Piney Fork school on the Old Flynn's Ferry Rd,/Copperas Spring Rd.

This is the only picture ever found that even shows part of the old school.  

 

In the Crittenden County School History Book done by the Crittenden County Historical Society in 1987, there wasn’t any real history on this school only a few tidbits, done by Braxton McDonald.

* The land for the school was deeded by S. M. Asher in 1875.  So that would be the year the school was organized.  

 

* He reports that in 1881 that the Belmont school was built of logs.  

 

* Another name for the school at this time was “Stoney Point.”  (Doesn’t say when it was changed to Belmont.)

 

* I believe it closed in 1935 and students all went to Piney Fork.

 

Crittenden Press, Nov. 20, 1931 School News, Piney-Belmont

 

Those having perfect attendance for the fourth month are Charles Alexander, Douglas Alexander, Aggiewynn Asher, Juanita Asher, Kernie Crider, Dorothy Etheridge, Wanda Etheridge, Opal Felker, Howard Hunt, Vivian Hung, Willard Hunt, Lorene James, Perry James, Franklin James, Houston James, Damon Martin, Henry McConnell, Jane McConnell, Anna Wiggington, Joseph Wiggington and Ebbie Worled. 

Those making grade A this month are: Robert McMican, Opal Felker, Deward Martin, Gwindle McMican, Houston James, Aggiewynn Asher, Howard Hunt, Lois McMican and Willard Hunt.

Old Landmark The Clement Silo

 

Clement Silo. Always one of my favorite drives through the country side is on Reiter View Road out behind Crayne to check on the old Clement Silo that was built back in the early 1900's. Always a fascinating sight to see, knowing how old the concrete structure is and the difficulty it must have been building it all those years ago. 

 

An impressive structure that has marked this area for as long as anyone can remember is the concrete silo that sits at the corner of Mexico and Amos Roads. It has always been a landmark of this area. Mr. Norman Wheeler who was born and raised in this area remembers that many years ago a large barn set close by the silo, and across the road facing the entrance to the Reiter View road set the old 2-story home of Major Jeff Clement. 

 

Mr. Wheeler told me that Jeff Clement owned all the land in that area and he is the one that had the silo built. Mr. Wheeler said that his grandfather, Henry Wheeler, help build this silo and that it was built in small sections at a time. The frame would be set, filled with the concrete, and let dry, the frame reset on top of the cured section and continued on until it was complete. They used some kind of a scaffold to be able to get it as tall as it is. The silo is most certain to have been built over 100 years ago. 

 

The silo has always fascinated me ever since I was a child and we would go driving by and I would see it, now that I have many, many years behind me, I am still fascinated by the sight of it, it's strong foundation and the height of it is truly amazing. It is an impressive sight from the road, but if you stand by the side of it and actually see the width and height of it, and to think that it was constructed without any of the modern equipment that we have today, it is even more impressive.

 

Think of the history that this silo has seen pass by on the road where it stands. The wagons of spar pulled by mules, going to the depot at Crayneville or to Mexico, and that cold night in February 1908 as the band of Nightriders in the dead of night with their torches burning, made their way to the A. H. Cardin farm a few miles down the road, and burned Mr. Cardin's tobacco factory, all this and much more that we don't know, has passed by this historic structure.

***

You can always find something beautiful and interesting to see and wonder about as you drive our many county roads.

Pogue Landmark Home in Frances, KY

This historic home is located on Highway 70 in Frances, Kentucky.  I'm not sure who owns the home today, or the condition it is in,  (June 16, 2021), but it was beautiful in 2008 when this picture was taken.

In the year 1919, the Oliver School in Frances was being torn down.  It was being taken down with the logs, beams, and boards carelessly being tossed away.  This was a loss Marion Pogue could not bear to see happen.

He retrieved them to erect his house which became a home for him and his family and also a house of learning for his grandson, Forrest Carlisle Pogue, Jr. (1912-1996).  

In 1947 Marion Pogue sold the house to Ervin and Cornelia Brasher Woodall.  Upon the Woodalls moving in, they found many books left behind by the Pogues which were enjoyed by the Woodall family. 

Marion Pogue (1867-1952) was postmaster at Fredonia, and teacher at many rural schools and Dycusburh High School.

When Frances School was built, he became the first principal there in 1919.  He served four terms as state representative, one term as state senator, and nine years as inspector for the State Department of Education.  He also owned a drugstore and a grocery store in Frances. 

Nancy Martin Tabor of the Mexico community shared this information about the home.

Tolu was Hoppin' and Whiskey Boats were Outlawed

 Crittenden Press – Oct. 2, 1913

Down in Crittenden County, round about "the mouth o' Hurricane," a large number of the law are arresting the proprietors of "Whiskey boats," who have been running their floating blind tigers since the salons at Rosiclaire, on the Illinois shore were lidded. The fight against the rum demon in Crittenden has been a long hard and not always a successful one since reconstruction days.

One of the leading centers of population in Crittenden is Tolu, which set up as a rival of Hurricane post office about thirty-five years ago, with certain topographical advantages that augured success.

Not the least of these was that the home of Joel Guess, which topped a knoll west-southwest of the Devil's Elbow, as a parabolic, rather than diabolic curve in Hurricane Creek.

The city to be was composed of a sawmill, which made corn into meal when not making logs into lumber, and a department store consisting of one department in which staple groceries, stick candy, paraffin chewing wax, calico, chilled plows, sardines, cove oysters, ear bobs, striped blankets, plow gear, soda crackers and other necessaries and luxuries of life huddled close together under a clapboard roof, and surrounded a stove nearly as great in circumference as that in the cabin of the Arkansas Belle or the Will S. Hayes.

The stove was surrounded by a circle of nail kegs upon which tillers of the soil, logging men, flatboat men and other constituent elements of the spare population of a still heavily timbered section of Western Kentucky sat to discuss such public questions as to whether there would be any probability of the re-establishment of slavery in the event of a Democratic President's election and whether mast-fed hogs would be "up" or "down" at Evansville next autumn.

The waning rival of the then unmanned settlement, sometime referred to as Guess' sawmill and sometimes as Weldon's store, known as Hurricane Landing. The post office store, stood upon stilts near the river's brink, where the waters of Hurricane Creek, called "Harricane" locally, and as often as not by the "mud" clerks of the steamers as well as the mates, although of course, not by the captains, met the Ohio river under the spreading branches of gnarled sycamores.

The creeks mouth afforded a harbor for store boats, floating shows and picture galleries as the boys called the tin type boats upon which the artist would put a set ring upon the finger of any patron without extra charge and make it look so natural that nobody who saw the picture could say the subject never wore a ring when the picture was taken. A.

When the post office store yielded one night to the upward pressure of a heaving sea during high water and floated out over the river bank, trailing its stilts beneath it to embark upon a voyage of uncertain termination, it was conceded even by those who had held out to the superiority of the landing as the site of a future city, that the settlement up at the Devil's Elbow had been appointed by fate to wear the laurels. From that time forward the settlement waxed.

All of this history is told because the good citizens of Crittenden County and they were many in proportion to the total population, were even then attempting to lay the rum demon by the heels. Before the settlement at Devil's Elbow had been given a name and when it was going by the bifurcated appellation of Weldon's store and Guess' mill a singularly potent stomach bitters known as "Tolu Tonic" was upon sale there.

The label of the bottles did not violate the law against the sale of spirituous vintage or malt liquors, but there was a high lonesome and headache in each bottle. So popular did Tolu Tonic become among the bibulously and convivially inclined, and so thriving was the business, done in the commodity that the humorists in the neighborhood began calling the point at which it was obtainable "Tolu." The jest finally crystallized into a name and that is now official.

The joke upon the law was lithographed forever upon the United States map. "Tolu" got the post office and became a flourishing little city. It has always been outwardly dry, but doubtless the oldest inhabitant will admit confidentially that there has always been a nip in sight for the worldly wise either in the form of straight liquor boot-legged or sold on a trading boat or under a winking label as bitters. It has rarely been necessary to pull a Leavenworth skiff to Rosiclaire or Elizabethtown in order to buy a quart of tanglefoot.

Since the days when some of the backwoodsmen marveled at the manner in which the first "screw propeller boat," ran up stream without stern wheel or side wheel in sight, and when old hunters brought their long deer rifles down to the bottoms to shoot a strange varmint when the first siren whistle awoke the echoes between Shawneetown and Golconda, the war upon, the rum demon has been earnestly prosecuted by the sober and thoughtful and law abiding citizens of Crittenden.

But the blind tiger still lurks in the jungle, the boot-legger still walks abroad and the whiskyboat turns her nose into the "mouth Ole' Harricane" when the lid is put on at Rosiclaire.

And so runs many a story of this persistent attempt of the strong and the good to prevent the weak from indulging in their weaknesses and the wicked from profiteering by their wickedness.

Marion's Taverns and Saloons

There is no comparison between the beer-joints and saloons of today and the mid-19^th century tavern. One hundred fifty years ago a tavern was a rest stop for weary travelers. The taverns served meals, provided overnight lodging, stabling for their animals, as well as the selling of "spirits", in the same manner, as does a modern super-market in a wet territory.

Since a tavern was such as asset to the reputation of a state, Kentucky law required that each applicant apply for a $10-a-year tavern-operation license, furnish proof of his good reputation, his ability and intention of performing full normal services, and furnish a $100 performance bond.

On September 9, 1844, John S. Gilliam was issued a license to keep a tavern in his home in Marion. It is quite likely that Gilliam did this only with the intention of providing what in those days was considered a necessity to a new town, for he could not have had more than two guest rooms in his one-story cabin.

On May 5, 1845, in an effort to control the prices to be charged in the rapidly multiplying number of taverns that were springing up at almost every crossroad in the infant County, the Crittenden County Court set this bill of tavern rates: Breakfast, dinner and supper - .25¢, Night's lodging – 12 ½ ¢. Horse feed – 12 ½ ¢, Whiskey per ½ pint – 5 ¢, Rum, brandy or wine per ½ pint – 10 ¢.

E. A. Calvert built on the northwest corner of Salem and Fords Ferry Streets (the site of the Marion Fire Department today). This building became Calvert's Tavern, the second tavern and first real hotel in Marion.

On Feb. 9, 1846, John W. Williams rented this building and was issued a license to operate Calvert's Tavern for one year. The next year Calvert's Tavern was purchased by John H. and James W. Bruff, and they leased it to John C. Henson who operated it until the 1860's.

In 1870 Calvert's Tavern was run by N. B. Douglas, and it was called White's Tavern. It was the first stagecoach tavern stop in Marion.

From an editorial in The Crittenden Press dated June 22, 1893, Deputy Sheriff John Pickens shared this information. "Yes sir, a reputable citizen of the Eastern portion of the county told me that he had every reason to believe that "Moon shine" liquor was being manufactured in his neighborhood, but as for as proving it, or locating the worm, that was something, that could not be done, even though you might be cocksure it is within three miles of you."

Two or three years ago, continued Sheriff Pickens, a still was operated in that section. Men have told me how they contrived to get 'a wee drap' of the mountain dew occasionally. To a certain cave they went; an oyster can and a string would successfully bring from the bowels of the earth a pint or quart, you put some silver in the can, lowered it with the string, you pulled on the string and behold the can had been transformed into a bottle.

An officer went on the search for that distillery, but he never captured it; he found "bar signs" but no "bar."