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.