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.