Civil War Marker at Bells Mines

Crittenden County wasn't very active in the Civil War, as not many battles were fought on the soil of our county.  But the county was over run by the troops of both armies, who often plundered and terrorized the county for their won reasons.

One documented site was at Bell's Mines.  The skirmish was between Company C, 52nd Kentucky Mounted Infantry (USA) under Lt. Thomas W. Metcalfe and a band of 300 guerrillas on July 13, 1864.  Metcalfe, with 46 men, had left Cloverort, Kentucky on July 5, 1864, to patrol the Green River country.  The patrol was attacked at Bell's Mines by approximately 300 guerrillas.  The company's records recounted its losses as 22 horses and "rigging," one man killed, and 11 men captured.  The Evansville Daily Journal stated that six of the men had escaped and reached Shawneetown where they reported the action.

This Civil War Marker was placed near the Bell's Mines Cemetery in April of 2005.  

Bell's Coal Mines were first owned by John Bell from Tennessee.  Bell ran for President in 1860 as the candidate of the Constitutional Union Party.  Kentucky was one of three states he carried.  The picture on the right of the marker is of John Bell.  The flag in the center was a Campaign Flyer from Bell's run for the Presidency as Constitutional Union Party. 

Marion Christian Church

Seeing the Dogwood trees blooming this week and the weather going through a very unsettling and very cold uncomfortable few days, made me think that this is surely Dogwood winter.  Today in our fair town it got to 48 degrees with a wind chill of 38.  Very uncomfortable.  

The Dogwood trees next to the Marion Christian Church on West Bellville tried to brave the rain and wind today and even if it was cold and miserable the trees are a beautiful sight.  The wind has damaged some of their petals after today.  

This church has a long and varied history.  The church was built in 1890 as a Methodist Episcopal Church South.  The Methodists worshipped there until April 12, 1912 when they moved into their present church on College Street.

After they moved various organizations used the building and it was once used for storage from a near by hardware store while they were working on their store.

In Sept. 2009 the church was awarded an official status as a Kentucky landmark.  The award identifies the Marion Christian Church as an "architectural, archaeological and historic property."

Fohs Hall History

Fohs Hall located at 143 N. Walker Street is certainly not the oldest building in Marion, but it is the most historic.

F. Julius Fohs planned and had the building built in 1926 and presented the magnificent building to the Marion Board of Education.  It was built for the high school grades. The picture at the right was made soon after it was finished in 1926. 

The Fohs family moved to Marion from the state of New York in the year 1890.  Julius attended school at the Marion schools, and as a boy, through the exploring of the surrounding hills, caves and mines, he got the inspiration of the rocks as a basis for his life work.  He went on to be an internationally known geologist.

Even though he became very wealthy and was well known all over the work, he always remembered his roots and wanted to do something for the community where he grew up and learned to love the rocks and minerals of the earth.  His dream was a wonderful school and auditorium for these people.  

 

On Oct. 22, 1926 Julius Fohs said in his Fohs Hall dedication speech "In providing for you, in this building, a better basis for a better education and a better cultural background, this gift is a fulfillment of that dream I have for your community.  I present this building, Fohs Hall, the only building of its kind in America, to the Marion School Board as a gift of love to the the community of my childhood, to be used for the furthering of those worth-while things which really make life worth living.

Fohs Hall today is looked after by Fohs Hall, Inc., a group of interested citizens interested in the preservation of the building.  Fohs Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in May 1982, and in June of 2001, a Kentucky Historical Marker was placed at the entrance of the building. 

Today  Fohs Hall is used as as a community center and civic auditorium.

April Genealogy Meeting

The Crittenden County Genealogy Society met this past Saturday with another interesting and informative meeting.  

Present at the meeting in the picture at right are:

LtoR: Betty Croft, Brenda Underdown, Connie Gould, Dot Kunnecke, Doyle Polk

Backrow: Steve Eskew, Fay Carol Crider and Don Foster.

The program was about Genealogy and History gifts that one can make for Christmas gifts or just as a special gift to members of your family.  Some of the ideas discussed were: 

• Family Reunion Cookbooks, at your family reunion make family group photos and gather family members recipes;  Not only family photos but also favorite family recipes to pass down through future generations
• Family recipe cookbooks, included with the recipes, some family history
• Family photo albums with some history for each photo; Don't leave those special pictures just laying around, place them in an album or on a CD to share with family members, have dates and the occasions listed with the photo
• Calendars with family members birth dates, anniversaries, special occasions, or other information about the family, also photos can be used with the calendars.

We as the family historians are responsible for collecting and saving our family history and photos.  Always remember to write the date, and the names of the people on the back of the photos.  A little time in doing this will be appreciated many years later.

Historical Museum Opening Today

The Historical Museum will be opening for the season today, Wed. April 6th.   Schedule is Wed.-Sat. 10:00-3:00.

Roberta Shewmaker is our curator again this year. 

If your in the area stop by and visit the Museum.  We have lots of local history items for you to see.  And Roberta is familiar with the area and can help with questions you might have.

'One new item we received is an old permanent wave machine.  Used many years ago.  It has the cords with clamps on the end to put on one's hair to make it curl or wave.  It looks like some kind of torture machine.  A must see item.

Also in a few days we will have our quilts out for you to see, several different kinds from different periods in our history.

I'll also be at the Museum several days a week, so maybe I'll see you there.

Victorian Calling Cards

In the day of genteel manners and formal introductions, the exchange of calling cards was a social custom that was essential in developing friendships.  

The custom of carrying calling or visiting cards began in the early 1800's.  Calling cards were left at each persons home the individual went to visit, whether they were home or not.  The person visiting would typically either leave their card in a "card receiver" which was set on an entry table in the foyer or on a parlor table.

There were many different styles of calling cards. Early calling cards were created one at a time by a skilled penman.  Each card displayed the bearer's name written in calligraphy with a bit of flourishing.  Doves, wheat, and flowers were commonly added as ornamentation on these early cards.  On each of these cards, the pen was held perfectly still while the card itself was rotated.  This cherished and highly skilled craft of calligraphy and embellishment of that era is unsurpassed today.

The two cards above were from families in the Sullivan, Ky area.  The top one is James F. Seely, and the bottom one Herman E. Nesbitt.

This calling card was known as an Envelope Card.  The tiny envelope attached to the card has the word Affection on it, and when you lift it up it says "From John to Alice.  Jan. 3, 1882,"  It must have been a special little card for someone those many years ago.





Here are some more examples of the early calling cards with Doves and Flowers added as ornamentation.

The two belong offer "Good Luck" wishes from Virgil O. Nesbitt  and perhaps some wishful thinking as "You Have The Key  To My Heart" imprinted on the other.                                                             

With the development of early penny post cards around the turn-of-the-twentieth century, visiting became less common and the postcard era began.

Dycusburg United Methodist Church

Here is a nice informative article that first appeared in The Crittenden Press on June 13, 1996.  These interesting articles are a good way to learn history about different things in the county.

On June 30, 1996, members of the Dycusburg United Methodist church celebrated a homecoming at the present church site, which traces its roots back to Oct. 21, 1855. (picture was made in 2010)

On page 876 of Deed Book B at the Lyon County Courthouse, it is recorded that on Oct. 21, 1855, Issac Shelby of Livingston County deeded to the church south lot 17 for the sun of $200.00. R. M. Collum, G. B. Dycus and George M. Marshall were named as trustees.  The lot 17 mentioned was located at the corner of Commerce and Spring Streets in Dycusburg.  This was the same Isaac Shelby who became governor of Kentucky.

 

The next early record is dated in 1870 when t. B. Johnson was named trustee of the church.  Geneva Dycus has in her possession an old Sunday School record book which lists attendance, weather comments and other information for each Sunday from Aug. 10, 1873 to Oct. 5, 1879.  Some of the quotations were: 

• March 29, 1874 - Cool for the time of year.  One teacher absent, good order prevailed.  Contribution 35 cents.
• April 26, 1874 - Beautiful, clear day, 32 in Sunday School.  Good order prevailed.  Collection was 90 cents.  Preaching at early Candlelight.
• Aug. 13, 1876 - Morning interspersed with sunshine and showers.  They sprinkle upon the flowers like tears upon the blushing meadows.  Several absent. Dr. M.D. L. Allen , Esq.
• Oct. 5, 1879 - A lovely Sabbath, with nice attendance.  Mr. Solom Higgin of Eddyville was a visitor.
  

In 1904, the old church was torn down and during this time services were held in a near-by school.   V. P. Thomas and Robert Johnson served as pastors for the next two years.

Mrs. F. B. Dycus Sr., owned the lot which the present church now stands on and traded it for the original lot 17.  Construction was started on a new building in the spring of 1906.  The builders were Robert "Bob" Cooksey and Bud Vosier.  Dedication ceremonies were held in the fall of that year.  This building was used until the fall of 1945.

 

'The present building was under construction for three years and dedication services were held on June 27, 1948.  According to Geneva Dycus, "It was a beautiful day and the church was crowded to over flowing."

Some of the people who were active at this time in the church were:  Bennett Ramage, Supt. of Sunday School: Stewards: Ray Owen, Guy Patton, Mollie Lee Graves, Bonnie Ramage and Mrs. Fred Joyce;  Teachers: Geneva Dycus, Reba Henry, Shellie Decker,  Mable Dycus and Neoval Decker.  The pastor was C. G. Oliver.