Ruby Laffoon Trail through Crittenden County

 The history of roads through Crittenden County can be very interesting.  I don't remember ever seeing this stretch of road from Dycusburg to Shady Grove being named the Ruby Lafoon Trail on any old Crittenden maps, so I don't know when the name was dropped and just the State Highway numbers were used.  Maybe when the later updated road maps were redone.

 Crittenden Press, March 25, 1932. 

Senator Marion F. Pogue (from Frances, KY), introduced the following bill to the last General Assembly.

"Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:  That the road leading from Smithland, Livingston County, KY, via, Tiline, Dybusburg Ferry on Cumberland River; Thence via Frances, and Mexico over State Project No. 70, to State Highway No. 91, at Cliffie McClure's; thence over Highway 91, to Marion; thence over State Project No. 120, to Shady Grove, thence across Tradewater River to Providence, Webster County, connecting with Federal Highway No. 41; thence with Federal Highway to Madisonville, Hopkins County, Kentucky."

The road to be known hereafter, as the Ruby Laffoon Trail, has the support of the Governor and he has urged the completion as soon as possible.  

Governor Ruby Laffoon has signed the bill establishing a road project running from Smithland, thru Marion and Princeton to Madisonville, to be known as the "Ruby Laffoon Trail."

This will cover the route traveled by Governor Laffoon while he was Circuit Judge of this district.

Here is Gov. Laffoon's Historical Highway Marker located in Madisonville, KY.

Cemetery Stories

I love our old cemeteries.  They all have so many stories to tell and so much of our past history lies buried with these people.   Let's visit the beautiful hillside cemetery of Dycusburg and meet some of their long ago businessmen  that are buried here. 

James H. Clifton, postmaster and notary public, was born in Montgomery, Tenn., April 4, 1835 to Miles W. and Mary J. Walker Clifton.   His career was a long, successful and honorable one.

 

  He learned the blacksmith trade and followed it for 18 years at Dycusburg.  It was while working at the forge that he formed a large acquaintance and established a reputation for business integrity.

 

 When he began merchandising at Dycusburg, his business grew as the years went by, and he was one of the leading business houses in the county.  He handled dry goods, groceries, notions, clothing, hardware, and in fact "Everything" except whiskey and coffins.

 

 Mr. Clifton's fair dealing, his honesty, and his enterprising spirit as a merchant made him an important figure in the community.

                                   ***

 

Samuel H. Cassidy, was born to Howard and Mary Cassidy August 30, 1835 in Princeton, Ky.      At the age of twenty-one years Samuel began engineering on steamboats plying the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland Rivers.  This he followed until 1861, when he partnership with his brother-in-law, W. E. Dycus, and they began merchandising at Dycusburg.  They dealt extensively in tobacco for export and had two large stemmeries in Kuttawa, and four at Dycusburg.  

 

  Politically Mr. Cassidy was a Democrat, had been deputy county clerk for about 20 years, and for many years treasurer, and one of the town trustees of Dycusburg.  He was instrumental in introducing the telephone line over  this section  of the county. 

 

    Mr. Cassidy is a typical example of what untiring energy, backed by good common sense will accomplish.  All in all, Dycusburg owes much to Mr. Cassidy

                     ***

William Micelberry Hill, located in Dycusburg in 1855 to take a position with Cobb, Gellatly & Co., one of the largest business houses in Dycusburg.  He remained with the firm for 15 years. 

He served the town as police judge several years, making a good reputation as a fair and impartial officers.  

  He later owned and ran is own hardware and grocery business.  He carried a select stock of good, keeps the store in splendid shape.  His affable disposition, good humor, and social qualities make him a popular man, and then in a business way he is honorable and trustworthy.

       ****

James M. Graves, M. D., was born in Jefferson County, Ky., November 20, 1848.  He was the son of Dr. John M. and L. A. Graves.

At the age of 25 years James began the study of medicine with Dr. W. S. Graves, at Dycusburg.  He graduated at the Medical University of Louisville, in 1877, and has since had a very successful practice at Dycusburg.

Mineral Springs of the Past

 

Crittenden County was once honeycombed with mineral springs.  The Crittenden Springs and the Crittenden Springs Hotel was by far the most well-known and the most history has been written about this spring.  

Another mineral spring located not too far from the Crittenden Springs Hotel was the "Alum Spring."  From an old Crittenden Press article dated August 13, 1896,  the newsy item tells us that several of our young society ladies concluded to have a quiet picnic one day last week.

Procuring the necessary vehicle and loading it with all kinds of goodies, including their saucy and fascinating selves, they hasten themselves to the cool and umbrageous shades of Alum Springs.

Those composing the party were: Misses Nar Nunn, Fannie Cooper, Cal Cossett, Mary Dorr, Dixie Givens, Laura Miles, and Mrs. Fannie Cook as chaperone.

The only history we have of this Spring is this post card with the name on it and the little news article about the picnic.

Cargo Carrier Named the USS Fluor Spar

 

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The USS FLUOR SPAR - Hog Island, Pa. June 7, 1919

Marion and Crittenden County, Kentucky received high honors at Hog Island, Pa., the world's largest shipyard, this morning, when the Fluor Spar, a 7,8000 ton cargo carrier, was successfully launched. The vessel was christened by Miss Frances Marshall Gray, of Marion. The vessel was named and the sponsor chosen by the Crittenden County Loan Committee as a reward for the excellent work done by citizens of Crittenden County Liberty Loan drives.

 

The launching of the Fluor Spar made a total of twenty-one ships launched at Hog Island since February 21 last. The vessel was launched with her hull one hundred per cent complete and her outfittings in excess of sixty-five percent.

 

The vessel was named and the sponsor chosen by the Crittenden County Kentucky Liberty Loan Committee. Crittenden County received the honor for the excellent response of its citizens to the call of the Government for subscriptions to the Liberty Loans.

 

Marion, the home of the sponsor was the home of the late United States Senator Ollie James. Mrs. James was to have attended the launching but was delayed in Washington.

 

Fluor Spar the name chosen for the vessel by the Liberty Loan Committee, is a mineral mined in the vicinity of Marion and is used in the manufacture of high grade steel. It was an appropriate name for a steel cargo carrier, as it is used by the steel mills in the manufacture of the plated used in the construction of ships. 

 

The sponsor was accompanied by her brother, E. D. Gray also of Marion. Frances and E. D. Gray were the son and daughter of George Curtis Gray and Mildred Jenkins Gray of Marion. 

 

Frances and her parents are buried at Mapleview Cemetery.

(Hog Islanders is the slang for ships built to Emergency Fleet Corporation designs number 1022 and 1024. These vessels were cargo and transport ships, respectively, built under government direct and subsidy to address a shortage of ships in the Untied States Merchant Marine during World War I.)

Interesting Facts About Some Early County Post Offices

 

Through the years interesting facts about the early post offices have been published. I find these interesting and informative to read. Here are some of these interesting tidbits.

* Lambs, Lambsville or Willow Grove was a small pioneer town located on the Flynn’s Ferry road in the 1830s, and was started by Joel Lamb, who first built a blacksmith shop and a tanyard. It was located near the Fishtrap Road and Wilson Farm Road.

* January 17, 1895 – A new post office will shortly be established at J. H. Robinson’s on the Marion and Fords Ferry route. The name of the office is “Mounds,” and J. H. Robinson will be the official to stand upon it.

* Jan. 17, 1895 - Mounds Post Office was housed in a country store building. The store was the property of Mr. Harloe Robinson. Both the store and the office were operated by Mr. Robinson.

* August 17, 1899 – A new post office has been established in Rodney. It is at James Hickland’s and Mr. Hickland is the postmaster. The office is supplied Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays from Weston.

* Mar. 29, 1900 – Starr is a new post office, situated at Piney Camp grounds, near Stonewall. We have two mails a week, Tuesday and Friday. Carl T. Boucher is the postmaster and is already to hand out your mail or sell you goods.

* The Pony post office established July 19, 1880, by Richard Vanhook who remained postmaster until John T. Cochran took over January 12, 1881. Pony was discontinued Dec. 14, 1884, and its mail service assumed by Levias. Going by the usual procedure of post offices in the county, the post office was conducted in a corner of Richard Vanhook’s general store somewhere near Midway.

* Kirksville-Hurricane-Tolu – The post office department reveals that the post office in Tolu was first established as Hurricane Aug. 23, 1857. It was changed to Tolu Feb. 3, 1890. The post office of Hurricane was in a boat at the river, when the town was named Tolu the office was moved from the river to town.

* The Weston Post Office was originally established as Westonburg on February 22, 1859. The post office named was changed to Weston on October 24, 1877. Rose E. Sturgeon was appointed as the last postmaster on February 11, 1916 and served until the post office was discontinued on July 31, 1916.

* Frances Post Office. Mr. Marion F. Pogue of Frances furnished this information on the little village of Frances, that it was named, probably by a romantic post office clerk, for Miss Frances Folsom, who became the wife of President Grover Cleveland. Frances was the first post office named after the marriage and was so christened on the day the wedding was announced. At different periods before the coming of the post office this community was variously known as “Cross Roads,” Liberty,” and “Needmore,” but as each of these names was already in use by other post offices in the state, a new one was necessary. As the people of the community made no suggestion the privilege fell to employees of the post office department, as that is the custom in such instances.

***

All of the rural post offices, but two, Crayne and Dycusburg, have long since been discontinued with Tolu being the last to be discontinued in 2011. But most all the old communities in the territory in which they were located still go by the old names.

Most of these long ago post offices where located in a corner of the local grocery store, or in some instances, the house of the postmaster. These old post offices were a welcome addition to the small communities and besides being convenient for the local residents to use, it was a daily place to meet and visit with your friends and neighbors, a great place to catch up on the happenings in your community. What great memories to have of those old post offices, grocery stores and communities of yesteryear.

Cave-In-Rock Ferry Became a Free Service in 1994

 

 The owner of the Cave-In-Rock Ferry closed his ferry service in the June of 1994.  There was no ferry service for the Illinois and Kentucky sides to cross.  At the time the charge for crossing the river on the ferry was $5.00.  It was nearly 5 months before the ferry service got started back up.  

As a result of efforts from the Ferry Authority, elected officers, business owners and county magistrates from both states, the Cave-In-Rock Ferry reopened for business on November 10, 1997, as a free service.   What an exciting day it was for both Kentucky and Illinois.  

Kentucky and Illinois both sharing the cost of the ferry.  It was the first time in the history of the Cave-in-Rock ferry that a state subsidy had funded the service. 

Without the Cave-In-Rock Ferry, motorists leaving Cave in Rock, Ill, for Kentucky would have to drive dozens of miles out of the way to either the Ky. 56 Shawneetown Bridge or U.S. 45 Brookport Bridge.  Using the Ferry and Ky. 91 North, there are only 11 miles between Marion and Cave-in Rock and Southern Illinois.

          John May, standing on left, was our current Judge Executive at the time.  

More than 100 people attended the ceremony on both sides of the river.  The free ferry service began about 1:30 that day and began on a regular 16-hour schedule Friday morning. 

 Lonnie Lewis, now owner of the ferry service, said they had been extremely busy the first six days and merchants here are lauding the increased sales they are realizing from southern Illinois shoppers. 

Ollie M. James Birthplace

 

This is a post card of the birthplace of Ollie M. James.  He was born here July 27, 1871 to Lemuel and Elizabeth James.  I do not have a date for the publication of the postcard.

This log cabin, typical of the homes of that era, contained a center hall which separated the living room-bedroom from the kitchen.  The room near the chimney was added some years later.

The remains of this log cabin stood for many years near the community of Sheridan, on the now named, Coy Watson road.  At one time the mailbox was still visible. I've been told now there isn't anything that remains of the old historic home.  

In the 1933's when work was being done on State Highway 297, then called the Wallace-Ferry Road, which ran close by the cabin, it had been proposed that the cabin be acquired and preserved as a memorial to the memory of Senator Ollie M. James.  This was never done and is now just a part of our forgotten passages of time, with nothing to show the location. 

The James family didn't live here too long after Ollie was born.  Mr. James was a well-known lawyer, and when son Ollie got school age, they moved to Marion so he could get his education from the city schools and Mr. James could be near his business.

This is the James home on East Depot Street.  Ollie lived here during his years in politics.

It's still beautiful today.  A Marion treasure.

Marion and Crittenden County have always been proud of our own Ollie M. James who was elected to the United States House of Representative to serve in the 58^th Congress, and was re-elected to the same position in the 59^th, 60^th, and 61^st and 62^nd Congresses. He won the nomination for United States Senator in the 1911 Democratic Primary, and was elected to the Senate by the Kentucky Legislature for a six-year term beginning March 4, 1913.

Ollie James was elected Permanent Chairman of the 1914 Democratic National Convention. He was considered the Party's outstanding orator, and many thought him to be the favorite for the Democrat's 1920 Presidential Nomination.

His death in 1918 at John-Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, where he was taken after collapsing at his post in the United States Senate, cut short a most brilliant career. His death was from an incurable kidney disease.