McDonald's Park

 McDonald's Park, one of Crittenden County's almost forgotten places. 

McDonald's Park (This little article was found in The Crittenden  Press, July 20, 1961)

Cruce McDonald and wife, Gustava, and daughter, Sandra, were hosts to a Crittenden County officers' Picnic July 7, at their park located on the north side of Little Piney Creek in a beautiful level spot hemmed in by a steep hill and the winding creek. 

 

 The land is fairly level, populated with stately old trees and carpeted with green grass pleasingly kept. This park is located on the McDonald Farm and is known all around as the McDonald Park. 

 

There were over 85 people that attended the picnic. Those who were present sincerely hope that the event will be repeated again where friends and neighbors may gather together and discuss the problems of the day and ways and means of making the community better. 

 

There are numerous facilities for picnickers pleasure including an outdoor cooker, lights, a small shelter house and some seats. The park is located just off the Old Flynns Ferry Road

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Sandra McDonald Belt, shares with us that her father, Cruce, created the park, and the facilities.

 

 With large rocks located in the area and a large metal screen, he built the large outdoor cooking pit, also built the small shelter and provided picnic tables for the visitors. 

 

 He also provided the electricity so the park would be usable at night. He also kept the grounds in top shape by mowing and cleaning.

 

The beautiful little park was well known and people from miles around came to use the park for family reunions, church gatherings, and just simple fun picnics with the family. 

 

 At the time the Riding Clubs of both Marion and Fredonia were a big thing and they would have trail rides to the park. Most would ride their horse to the park and they would even stay all night, preparing their night and morning meals on the open fire pit. Their horses were well cared for also with the fresh water from the creek that ran close to the park. 

 

 Here are some folk enjoying the park.  Must have been a Sunday School picnic by the way they are dressed.

Press Honors Our Senior Citizens in the year 1928.

 In the year 1928, The Crittenden Press did several issues of honoring the county's citizens that were eighty years old or older.  This is one of the articles.  It was honoring Mrs. Fannie Travis that lived on Brown Mines Road in Frances, Ky.  Dated August 31, 1928.

August 31, 1928

Mrs. Fannie Travis was born February 13, 1844, in the home of her father, William Redd, which was then located on the Dycusburg and Salem road.

Her mother, Elizabeth Waddell Redd, was born in Virginia and came to Kentucky when about seven years old, her parents having located in Trigg County. Mrs. Travis paternal grandfather, also named Wm. Redd, came of a long line of distinguished ancestors famous in both English and American history, located in Trigg County about 1800.

He built a large brick home which still stands near Cadiz. His son, Wm. Redd, Mrs. Travis’ father, came to Crittenden about 1840 as manager for the Cobb Foundry Company, of Cobb’s Furnace which was located about one and one-half miles below Dycusburg near the Cumberland River. This was at that time a thriving center of industry and commerce. The town, dwellings, stores and offices are now gone but at that time the furnaces alone employed more than fifty white men and over 200 negroes. Mrs. Travis remembers very vividly this hustling, bustling town now vanished for the map.

She was married in 1866 to Lt. William L. Travis, who was born in Livingston County, son of Blake Travis, and who organized Co. K of the 17^th Kentucky Cavalry at Dycusburg, following the robbery by Confederate forces of his store at Canton, Kentucky (also on the Cumberland River.)

Mrs. Travis had ten children. The following named eight are still living: Mrs. Tom Wring; Mrs. Etta Stubblefield; Mrs. Pollie Patton, Mrs. Birdie Peek, Mrs. Nellie McKinney, Mrs. Maye Perkins, Mrs. Miriam Simpkins, all of Crittenden and Mr. Phil S. Travis of Salem. Her only brother, Wm. Redd III, also resides in Marion.

Mrs. Travis did not witness any action during the Civil War but was near the fight at Salem. He stories of the earlier days of Crittenden County are very interesting and historically valuable.

In spite of her eighty years she is very active and more alert mentally and physically than many people half her age. Her friends say that they have never seen her angry nor heard her say an unkind work of any one.

(Note) Mary Frances “Fannie” Travis died March 7, 1936, and her husband William L. Travis died Dec. 30, 1905. They are buried in the Owen Cemetery, near Frances, Ky.

Marion Band of 1910

Years ago band concerts, held in the courthouse yard, were very popular.

In 1910 these were the local men that made the music.  Front row left to right:

Douglas Clement, Jim Hicklin, Ollie Tucker, Bandmaster Mr. Lawson, Ashley Kemp, Jim Travis, Harry Hammond, William Rochester and Medley Cannon.

Back row: Walter Guess, W. E. Potter, Carey Henry, Mr. Lawson's son, Noble Hill, Jeffrey Travis, Dugan Ramage, Ira Sutherland and Lee Easley. 
 

The old gazebo was a favorite gathering place to hear the local band play on week-ends.

North Main Street 1919 Fire, (post #2)

 An old article found in The Owensboro Messenger, Owensboro, Kentucky, Wed. July 23, 1919, gives more information on the fire of July 22, 1919 that destroyed a section of Marion Business section.  Since The Crittenden Press office was destroyed in this fire, it's good to have information saved in another newspaper for details that we wouldn't know.

Marion, KY July 22, 1919.  More than half of the business section of this own was completely destroyed by fire of unknown origin, which broke out at an early hour this morning.  the loss is estimated at about $250,000.  Most of the buildings were well insured.

When discovered at 3 o'clock the fire was raging in the Crittenden Press building, owned by S. M. Jenkins, of this city.  It soon spread to the Marion Bank building, which was also destroyed and then consumed the R. F. Dorr furniture store, the Haynes Drug Store, Moore's grocery store, Asher's grocery, D. O. Carnahan's dry goods store, Marion dry goods store, Chandler & Chandler's grocery store, Mayes & Mayes dry goods store,  and all other buildings in the block -except the Masonic Temple.

In all, eight two-story brick structures were absolutely gutted. 

 It is believed that the fire many had originated in the Crawford Rankin Dry cleaning establishment.

The town has no water works system and the fire was fought solely by bucket brigades, in which practically all of the men of the city worked strenuously.

The flames spread very rapidly, although there was no strong wind, and this latter fact was responsible for the saving of the business buildings that were not burned.

No lives were lost and no injuries suffered.

Although the Crittenden Press building was owned by Mr. Jenkins, the paper was recently sold to J. S. Hogard.  The newspaper plant was wholly destroyed.

The County Farm and Old Time Coal Mining in January 1897

 These two interesting articles appearing in The Crittenden Press, January 7, 1897 107 years ago.

The County Farm.

Ever since the gold standard was fastened upon this country I have had a feverish desire to visit the county poor farm, as being the prospective future residence of myself and many other deluded silverites.  

Early Christmas morning Lynn Phillips and I started out for a general hunt, taking the road "over the hill to the Poor House."  

The poor farm is rightly names, for as it now stands it is about the poorest specimen of a farm I ever saw, consisting principally of a 15 or 20 acre field of gullies without any fence around it, adjoining the garden on the north, and a small fenced field of beautiful yellow clay opposite the house.  (This county poor farm was located at the end of W. E. Newcom Rd, off of Hwy 365)

 I learn that the farm of some 200 acres was originally purchased by the county for $2,200; that some $500 or $600 worth of timber has been realized from it and that 150 acres were sold to Eli Nunn for $500.  The land purchased by Mr. Nunn lays well, and is the only part of the farm worth shucks.

My informant tells me that Mr. Nunn offered two mules for the remainder of the farm, including the buildings.

The dwelling is beautifully located, and appears to be in a fair state of preservation. 

OLD TIME COAL MINING.

Among other old time veterans of that section I met Mr. J. W. Phillips, who is still hale and hearty in the 79th year of his age, and who has been a subscriber to the Press ever since the paper started.

Mr. Phillips at one time owned a large body of land in Bells Mines.  He told me that sixty years (1836) ago he hauled coal from what is now known as the Sneed tract to the old Lamb blacksmith shop and to old Salem.

The coal cost 12 1/2 cents a bushel at the mine and he was paid the same for hauling it.

Mining in those days was evidently in its infancy.  The dirt was first dug from the top of the coal with a pick, and the coal then cut out with an old ax and measured up in a bushel basket.

It is needless to say the miners of "stone coal holler" never went on a strike.

Pioneer Lawyers in Marion

Attorney's played an important role in the early day's of our county's history.  From the archives of The Crittenden Press we find some interesting history of some of the attorney's of the times.  For such a small town, Marion had several lawyers. 

Champion & Champion, Twin Lawyers

Nov. 15, 1904

Thomas W. Champion is one of the leading attorneys at this bar and is a member of the firm of Champion & Champion, the twin lawyers. He was born and raised on a farm in Livingston County, near Hampton, where his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Ben Champion, Sr. now reside.

Mr. Champion is young, yet his advancement in his chosen profession has been well marked, being one of merit from the start.

He taught school in 1899, 1900 and 1901, and attended the Bowling Green Law School where he graduated, receiving a diploma and being admitted to the Bowling Green bar in June 1902 under Circuit Judge Warner E. Settle, who is now a member of the court of appeals. He at once came to Marion and settled down, where he has since been building up a lucrative practice.

His practice is with his twin brother, Joe Ben Champion, Jr., who was admitted to the bar here. Recently, in speaking of the progress being made by these two young men, we had occasion to say: “The young men are acquiring a good practice and their patronage is increasing.” They are 24 years of age. The Messrs Champion are bright young gentlemen, hard students, eloquent speakers, and will make successful lawyers.

Strange to say, while these young men are twins, matters with which they are associated often travel in parallel lines. Judges Settles and Nunn, under whom they were admitted to the bar, being elected to the Court of appeals at the same time, and it is reported that there is likely to be a double wedding before long.

The Weddings:

On November 1^st, 1904 J. B. Champion, Jr., and Miss Blanche Crawford, of Tolu, were united in marriage in Evansville at the St. George hotel. Immediately after the ceremony was performed the bride and groom, left for the World's Fair. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. B. Crawford, of Tolu.

 

On November 15, 1904, at the St. George Hotel in Evansville, Attorney Thomas W. Champion and Miss Daisy Towery, were united in marriage. The bride and groom at once left on their wedding trip to the World's Fair. The bride is the daughter of Aaron Towery, county judge of this county.

The offices of Marion's twin lawyers was located in the James building on E. Carlisle street.

***

By 1910 both brothers had moved West to practice their profession in Ardmore, Oklahoma, with other citizens from Marion.  Thomas and wife, Daisy Towery Champion are buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery, in Ardmore, Ok.   Thomas died in 1962 and Daisy died in 1976.

Joseph B's wife, Blance Crawford Champion, died in childbirth in 1906, here in Marion and she is buried in Mapleview Cemetery close to her parents.  Joe B.  died in 1949 and is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery also.

 

Schools For Black Children

 These two interesting articles came from The Crittenden Press

Jan. 4, 1894 - A colored school district has been organized south west of Marion and a house will be built on A. H. Cardin's farm.  Cardin donates the land and gave half the expense of building the house.  The trustees appointed by Superintendent Perry are Sam Parmer, Jno Hatcher and Wm. Braddock.

August 12, 1897 - New School House.  The new school house for colored pupils in the west end of town, near the Herod Travis brick yard, has been weather boarded and covered in, and will soon be completed.  It is about twenty four by thirty-six feet in size, will be well lighted and ventilated, and will present quite a handsome appearance, having already received its first coat of paint.

In 1846, nine schools for black children were in operation.

• Tolu  District - 78 students
• Hughes District - 20 students
• Weston District - 22 students
• Marion District - 131 students
  
• Dycusburg District - 20 students
  
• Piney Fork District - 30 students
• Lead Mines District - 24 students
• Mount Zion District - 21 students
• Cardin District - 23 students

In 1879-82 these locations had a school for the black students. The school and teachers were listed in old school records:

• Hurricane  - Teacher -Bell Lindsey - 33 students
• Siloam  -  Teacher -W. L. Clark - 28 students
  
• Mount Pleasant  - Teacher -E. J. Simpson - 58 students
• Marion  - Teacher - G. W. Tinsley - 58 students
• Green - Teacher - Louise Jackson - 43 students
• Piney Fork  - Teacher - Marion Thurman - 32 students
• Sulphur Springs  - Teacher - D. M. Boyd - 24 students
• Mt. Zion  - Teacher J. F. Jackson - 42 students
• Ford's Ferry  - Teacher A. D. Garnett - 31 students

In 1926, the Marion School Board built a one-room school building for black children on North Weldon Street at the edge of town.  The school, named Rosenwald, included grades one through eight.

Miss Lafie Coffied was the first teacher, and Mrs. Verna Coffield followed.

Rosenwald was closed in 1965 and the students entered Marion City Schools.