Casad and Clear Pond

I've written before how people's names and items of interest have been used to create names for post offices, roads and communities.  One of these long ago places was Casad, Ky.  What as odd name, and how did a post office and community become to be known by this name.

Some tidbits of information I found in the old Crittenden Presses led me to, what I think is the answer, to how Casad got it's name.   From the Crittenden Press, Aug. 8, 1897, it told that Mr. M. F. Casad of Cave-In-Rock was in town Monday.  He came over to perfect arrangements for putting up a mill on the R. N. Walker place, a mile this side of the River.  At the time the land was owned by Robert N. Walker.

Casad is located off Hwy. 91 North about a mile on the Easley Road.  In the early 1900's this was the location of a general merchandise store and also where the post office was located.  There was also a grist mill located next to the general store.  The mill was known as Casad's mill since Mr. Casad had built the grist mill.   

In 1915 when the post office was established for the section, it would be the natural thing to do to name it Casad as it would be located in the general store located next to the mill.  By now the surrounding area would be known as Casad.   Mr. F. M. Casad is buried in the Cave Hill Cemetery in Cave-In-Rock, Ill, just across the Ohio River. 

This area was also known for it's numerous naturals ponds.  The ponds were know for miles around and folks would travel here by horse and wagon to enjoy a day of picking and fishing around the waters.  The starting of these ponds were started by sink holes that had become stopped up. 

Clear Pond, in the picture above, was one of the larger ponds, it was also the scene of many baptizing form the area churches.  It was a very popular fishing place, and in later years 4-H camp would be held here and even a church service or two was known to have taken place here.

Civil War Story - The Blackberry Cobbler

Many incidents happened during the period of the Civil War that we will never know, perhaps even in some of our own ancestors life's.  A few incidents are known as they were handed down from generation to generation.  These stories are priceless to our history.

Here is a true story shared with me by Miss Helen Moore, who is now 95 years old.  It's titled "The Blackberry Cobbler."   Brownie Moore was her father.

Brownie Moore stood beside the kitchen table as he was being tantalized by the delicious smell of a blackberry cobbler that had just been taken out of the oven.  Brownie had gotten up early that June morning and picked the blackberries.  Now he could hardly wait to taste the pie.

Just then the salve boy, who was suppose to keep a lookout during the day for raiders, came running into the kitchen saying riders were seen coming.

It was Brownie and the slave boy's job to take what stock they had left to the woods behind the house and hide them there until the raiders were gone.

Brownie started out the door to help hide the animals, when he turned and ran back in the kitchen and grabbed up the blackberry cobbler saying, "I'm not going to let any raiders have my pie," and off he ran with his prized Blackberry Cobbler. 

The raiders came and searched the house.  They emptied out the flour barrel and found the silver that Brownie's mother, Nancy, had hidden in the bottom of it.  One of the men said, "Won't you women ever learn that the flour barrel is the first place we look for valuables.  All you women hide your silver in the bottom of a barrel."

The raiders took all the food and valuables they could find, but Brownie had saved his Blackberry Cobbler.

Robert Moore, Jr. and his wife, Nancy, had moved from Orange Co. North Carolina to Kentucky in 1834 and settled on a farm, on a high hill in what is now Crittenden County, about four miles west of Marion.  Today it is known as Moore Hill.

Train Wreck

Exciting days when the big black locomotives ran through Crittenden County, wheels turning and black smoke bellowing from the smoke stack.  So much history lost when the rails were removed forever in 1999.  

I'm sure there were many accidents and incidents caused by the big trains, but few were reported or written about in the local paper.  A few photos were taken of some of the wrecks and here is one of them.

Crittenden Pres, Feb. 1938.  Broken Rail Causes Wreck.  Six cars leave track early in the morning on thru freight from Evansville to Princeton.

A broken rail was the cause of a wreck of a thru freight on the Illinois Central lines about one mile south of the city early Monday morning.

Six cars left the track and three of them overturned.  The cars leaving the track and not overturing were loaded with coal while those overturning were loaded with starch, wheat, and potatoes.

None of the train crew were injured as the freight was reportedly moving at a slow rate of speed when the accident occurred.

The train, a thru freight from Evansville to Princeton, had left the local yards about two in the morning and the derailment occurred several minutes later.

A wrecking crew and crane were on the scene within a short time and traffic was not delayed as a result.

The damage was estimated at several thousands of dollars.

Cochran Co. Implement Day

Cochran's Implement Day started in 1911.  It was a big day for Marion.  It drew is many people from the county and also surrounding counties.  The day was filled with all kinds of new farm equipment for the farmers to view and ask questions about, and hopefully purchase before the day was over.  There would be contests of all kinds, including produce and stock.  Who had the best and the largest. 

In March 12, 1937, the paper announced that after a lapse of several years, the Implement Day would be coming back.   The day was sponsored by T. H. Cochran Co., and they were going to have a special representative to speak on the advances made in various types of farm equipment.

The feature of the day will be a display of the famous Farmall tractors and a line which the company has handled for many years.  These tractors will be on display at the new warehouse located just south of the Hardware store.

A factory representative of Red Spot Paint & Varnish Co., will be in attendance and advise all as to the proper types and grades of paints and varnished to use on buildings and structures.  T. H. Cochran was one of the founders and original stockholders of the company.

For the ladies a stove demonstration on The Perfection and Boss oil stoves.  With a sample of "Good biscuits and coffee" produced on the stove.  Two well-known ladies will provide the cooking skills.

Souvenirs will be given during the day and all courtsties shown to visitors whether they be in the market for implements, products, tractors, or paints.

It is a day when Cochran & Co. play host to this section and it has therefore been a day long looked forward to by all.

It must have been exciting day.