Crittenden County's First Peach Pie

Robert F. Wheeler, at age 100, on his Ford tractor.

Robert F. Wheeler, during his lifetime in Crittenden County, wrote many historical and family history stories.  Here is one of his family stories about Crittenden's first peach pie.

I think, but an not sure, that the pie was made by the folks of Moses Shelby, brother of Isaac Shelby, the first Governor of Kentucky.

Moses Shelby and John Wheeler, my grandfather, had served together in the Revolutionary War.

In after years they migrated to Kentucky and settled near each other in what is now Crittenden County.

As customary, they planted fruit trees the first year, so that the wait for fruit might not be long delayed in their new homeland.

One of their peach tress, thriving best, bore a few peaches before the others.  There seemed to be enough if all could be saved to make a pie.

The peaches were closely watched.  No one, black or white, was allowed to touch them.

In late summer, when they were good and ripe, the peaches were gathered and a pie made on Saturday evening.  

At last the lid was taken off the dutch oven in which the cobbler had been baked. 

The young folks all gathered around to view the tempting pie, something they had not seen since leaving their North Carolina homes several years before.  To say they were ready to start on the pie might be deemed an understatement.

But it was suggested, and agreed to, that a hot cobbler was not so good as a cold one.  They decided to set it away to cool overnight so that the Sabbath could be celebrated by eating it the next morning.

Accordingly, the dutch oven was set in the cabin window to cool out through the night.  

During the night, one of the Wheeler's old cows, rummaging about about the yard, smelled the tantalizing aroma, found the fresh fruit peach pie - and ate it.

Needless to say, come Sunday morning, the family was very disappointed, and some angry thoughts were made at the cow.