Weston Early School Days

An interesting article from the Crittenden Press, dated Nov. 30, 1916, about some fun times at one of our little county schools many years ago.  This is a picture of the old Weston School House.  It was probably made a few years before the school was torn down.  It must have been a full house on the night of the Pie Supper.

One of the most enjoyable school affairs of the season was a pie supper at the Weston school, Nov. 24th. 

 A cake was sold for the prettiest girl.  The candidates were Miss Mary Ainsworth, a very pretty and charming young lady from Hebron and Miss Ruby Sturgeon, one of Weston's most beautiful girls, and Miss Mae McDowell, one of Cave-in-Rick's favorite girls. 

The votes cast for Miss Ainsworth were 460, for Miss Sturgeon 365, and for Miss McDowell 6. (That is a lot of votes cast in all)

There were fourteen pies sold which brought $15.50.  

The play entitled "Mrs. Briggs of the Poultry Yard," given by the older pupils created much laughter and amusement among the company.

Miss Ruby Hughes as Mrs. Briggs, a very poor widow; Charley Hughes & James Riley as Ralph and Jimmy Briggs her sons; Misses Beulah Walker and Mabel Gahagen as Melissa and Alvira Briggs, her daughters; Pink Rankin as Silas Green, a near relative; Miss Winnie Walker was Mandy Bates her cook; Charley Collins as Mr. Lee a very weatlhy gentleman; Miss Ruby Gahagen, as Virginia Lee his daughter; Miss Lillian Bennett as Daisy Thornton her friend; Mrs. O'Connor, an Irish woman who has no liking for goats, was played by Miss Ruby Sturgeon.

The play was directed by the teacher, Miss Juliet Pope, and was said to be one of the best plays Weston school has ever had as yet.

Hurrah for Weston, she is climbing higher every year.  We are all proud of our school boys and girls and also our teacher.

Marion's Kiwanis Club

It seems in the early 1900s-1920s, Marion had a lot of enthusiastic young and older men a like that were very civic minded and were always willing to work for their town and community.  They were always working together to make Marion a better place to live and a better working environment.  

One of the organizations that was formed to help these causes was the Kiwanis Club.  It was formed in May of 1923.

 Along with their hard work for the community, the members also enjoyed some fellowship together, such as the crowd that attended a Kiwanis Barbecue picnic.

From the files of The Crittenden Press, comes some history of the organization.

Another one of Marion’s Community Minded organizations was the Kiwanis Club. It received its charter in May of 1923.

May 4, 1923 – Marion Kiwanis Club

The Marion Kiwanis Club met on Friday evening of last week for their “Charter Party” and a splendid program had been arranged for the occasion. The meeting was also turned into ladies’ night. The district governor made the presentation at the banquet.

The Marion Orchestra furnished music for the occasion. The Kiwanis Club Quartet sang several selections and Misses Guess and Mrs. Newton Moore entertained with some musical numbers.

During the course of the dinner there was prize drawing for the ladies. Each Kiwanian gave some prize for the occasion. At the plates for souvenirs were memo books with the Kiwanis emblem for the ladies and match boxes with the emblem for the men.

Clem S. Nunn resided at the meeting and as soon as the banquet had been served, introduced Hon. Charles T. Gilbert of Nashville, District Governor of the Kiwanis International.

Mr. Gilbert gave a splendid address, explaining what Kiwanis was and its work and how the Club became organized and received its name, and at the conclusion of the address presented President L. E. Crider with the Charter. 

This was followed by a speech by Mr. Crider accepting the Charter, and outlining the work that the local club will undertake and has undertaken to accomplish. Our motto is “We Build” and our principle endeavor is to build our community to its highest level.

The hall was decorated in the Kiwanis colors and Kiwanian hats and been passed around in the beginning of the party so everyone present could not help but have the Kiwanis spirit.

During the dinner Secretary Bourland read the several telegrams from the various clubs welcoming the local organization into their large family.

Preserving and Displaying Your Family Heirlooms and Photographs

The Crittenden County Genealogy Society met this past Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015.  For this month's programs we did a show and tell of "How you preserve and display your family heirlooms and photographs."  It turned out to be an interesting and informative meeting.

 First to show and tell was member, Jean Owen.

Jean had taken a family hand-saw from her husband's family that lived in Caseyville, Ky. 

On the blade she attached a county farm scene from wall paper.   She painted the wooden handle blue to match her room colors.  She then hung the saw on the wall and made a display with other family items.

A family heirloom now a show piece in their home for all the family to enjoy.

 Member Rita Owen Travis, collects antique picture frames that are different and unique.  These are frames that are attached together by a swinging bar in the frame.

In this collection she has pictures of some of her great grandparents.  

At her home she has more of these frames and family photos together to make a large display.

  This is your truly with a prized family treasurer.

The one of a kind picture frame was made for me by my father, Billie Travis.

Inside the frame is a Cross-Stitch Book Marker made especially for me by my daughter, Tina Underdown Laurie.  The marker says "I Love You, Mom"  Stitched by Tina. 

The marker was suppose to be used, but it was too pretty to be pressed between the pages of a book, so it became a wonderful wall hanging.

Fay Carol Crider has preserved her mother's side of the family in a picture/scrapebook.

In it she has family pictures, newspaper articles, obituaries and other family memorabilia.

All items labeled and dated for anyone that will be interested in the future.

 

Member Steve Eskew shared a few of his many family photos.  He

takes old yellowed and faded photographs and enhances them on his computer.  Steve suggests typing the photo's information on address labels and attaching them to the back of the photos, as sometime the ink from pens doesn't do well on the photograph paper.

He also has picture albums on his computer web-stite where he arranges all his family photos.

Don Foster shared some family military photos and a good way to arrange them in a frame to be displayed so all can see and appreciate the family heritage.

Jacob Martin Cemetery

A hiking trip last fall to the old Martin Cemetery in the eastern section of the county was a real treat.  One can't help but wonder how the land used to be- so that a family cemetery would be located in such an isolated and almost un-find-able location.

Located in a heavily wooded area, was it once a cleared field? of just a cleared place in the forest that was close to the old home place? 

The last burial there was Mary Isabelle Morrow in April 15, 1940.  Her husband A. B. (Abednego "Bed") Morrow was buried in 1938. Strange to see this modern tombstone in such a location.

The family the cemetery was named after was Jacob and Rebecca Martin.  Rebecca has a stone, but according to earlier family researchers, Jacob is buried here in an unmarked grave.

Also buried here is 

Charles H. Hubbard.  CO. A 17th  KY Cav.

Others buried here with stones are: Annie L. Carter, 

Wife of T. H. Carter.

20-Oct-1882 

26- Oct-1909

Nancy J. Fowler, wife of B. G.

14-Feb-1840

18-Mar-1896

B. G. Fowler is listed on the back of the stone, but there are no dates.

Raymond Martin  1928-1930

Lossie Martin 1920 - 1930

According to other family records there are several more members of the family buried here in unmarked graves.