St. Paul's Episcopal Church - Henderson, Kentucky

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church sits in quiet dignity at the corner of South Green and Center Streets near downtown Henderson, Kentucky. This “stuccoed-brick Gothic” church was consecrated 21 May 1860 after an earlier church, located at Third and Main Streets, fell into disrepair. The new church had the distinction of containing the first pipe organ in Henderson. According to the church website , “St. Paul’s grew and thrived during the Civil War. Divided in sympathy, the congregation nonetheless held together.” St. Paul’s was the scene of much activity shortly before the execution of two Confederate soldiers in July 1864.

The Henderson Reporter of Saturday, 23 July 1864 faithfully, albeit with bias, reported the events leading up to the event. Before the execution, however, the town of Henderson was rife with rumors of attack, which were vividly described in the newspaper. The reporter painted a realistic picture of the feelings and actions of the local citizens.

While reports were flying through Henderson that a fight between the Confederates and Federals was imminent, an order was sent out to clear the town of women and children. “In the meantime, citizens collected … on street corners, rushing through the streets with ludicrous impetuosity, ridiculously clambering upon house tops for protection behind chimneys, while a timid tide of women and children, anxious men and fear-bleached negroes streamed into the Episcopal Church building, prudently resolved to valiantly and boldly hug the floor during the turbulent melee; soldiers who had sworn to protect the old flag here and there were confusedly clattering in headlong dashes … on every street was heard the furious clamor of buggy wheels and the clangorous appeal of the lumbering wagons intermingled in one tumultuous, small Bull Run-like stampede.”




The Federals concentrated their forces at the Court House and deployed skirmishers on Elm and Center Streets and waited in painful expectation for the War to hit them. The expected attack never happened. Confederate forces withdrew from their posts. Gunboat No. 17 arrived that night and “several shells whizzed with an ominous whir over the city. They, however, did no damage. On Friday, no demonstration was made upon the town, and the day dragged lazily along …” About 5:30 p.m., activity picked up and preparations were made for the execution of the two Confederate soldiers.

Henderson is fortunate to have issues of the newspaper which recorded the events of this crucial time in our history. An eye witness account provides us an inside view of the emotions of the citizens and the events. Henderson is also fortunate to have this beautiful, historic church still active in a far different world.

Photographs of the church and sign were made August 2009.

Copyright on text and photographs
by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG
Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog
http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

News From Marion, Kentucky 1920

Because some Crittenden County, Kentucky natives migrated to Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana for employment during the early part of the 20th century, there was interest in news from “home.” The following items appeared in the Evansville Courier, Thursday, 30 September 1920.

Mr. and Mrs. Dave Franks, of Mancos, Colo., arrived Sunday for a visit with relatives. Mrs. Franks is the sister of Mr. Ed Flanary of this place.

Mrs. Dr. T. Atchison Frazer has gone to Evansville for an operation for appendicitis. Miss Edith Burton accompanied her.

Marion Methodists received the announcement of the appointment of Rev. G.P. Dillon as their preacher for the year. Rev. Dillon comes from the Madisonville church, where he served six years.

The Baptist church held a meeting Friday night, and Rev. Maroney of Louisville was called to serve their church.

The family of Mr. and Mrs. James A. Moore celebrated the 59th anniversary of their wedding Saturday at the home of John Moore. The families present were A.C. Moore, Ed Moore of Madisonville, Charlie Moore of Louisville, Mrs. Carrie Bacon of Hopkinsville, D.E. Moore, Mrs. Levi Cook and John Moore of Marion. The occasion was an old-fashioned barbecue and the good things usually accompanying it. Two brothers of Mrs. Moore, Charlie and Harry Bourland, of Evansville were expected but could not come.

Saturday morning between 10 and 11 o’clock, the Methodist Church at Hurricane and the shed and some camps burned. The origin of the fire is unknown. It caught under the shed where sawdust had been left after the camp meeting. This is the only place in Crittenden County now where camp meetings are held. The loss was a great one to that church, with little, if any, insurance. A new piano was in the church and burned. Two lady teachers and a child went there that morning, expecting the school institute to be held there, and found the building on fire. Ere they could get any help, it was burned too far to save anything but a few benches and the bible.

The remains of George Witherspoon, who died in Louisville Sunday, were buried in the Mapleview Cemetery. Mr. Witherspoon comes from one of the old families of this county and was a brother to Mrs. R.W. Wilson of this place.

Wordless Wednesday - Cumberland River Bridge

Bridge over Cumberland River, U.S. 60 in Livingston County, leading from Smithland to Salem. Photograph dated 14 August 2009. Click on photo for an enlarged view.

Tombstone Tuesday - Chester and Minnie Bebout

Copyright on text and photograph by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG

 



Bebout

Chester C.

1857 – 1942

Minnie T.

1882 – [blank]

Buried Salem Cemetery, Livingston County, Kentucky. According to his death certificate, Chester C. Bebout was born 24 December 1856 and died 7 January 1941. He was the son of Peter Bebout and Harriet Wilson. Minnie Thorning was the daughter of John and Charlotte Thorning. Minnie died 26 November 1967 at the age of 85.

Chester C. Bebout and his first wife, Mary Elizabeth Lewis, were my great great grandparents.

Tombstone photographed 24 May 2009.

Another Landmark Gone

The former First Christian Church, the oldest church in Henderson, was demolished yesterday. It had graced the corner of S. Green and Washington Streets since the 1850s. During the Civil War, the church was taken over by the Federal Army and after the war, it was returned to the congregation. In 1962 a new church was built farther south on Green Street with the old building later becoming Haven Pentecostal Church. Before demolition, the building had been empty for several years. This photo, taken in June 2009 of the side of the building, shows the older part of the church in the back and the newer brick portion, built about 1930, in the front. All that remains of this old landmark today is a pile of bricks and rubble.

Pat Oliver 1943 - 2009

Willis "Pat" Oliver, original coordinator for the counties of Caldwell, Crittenden, Livingston, Lyon and Trigg for KYGenWeb, passed away in Huntsville, Alabama 15 August 2009. He was born in Lyon County, Kentucky 4 February 1943.

In real life Pat retired from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency's Missile and Space Intelligence Center as Senior Intelligence Officer/Physicist in 2003.

RIP Pat.

A Case of Mayhem

Smithland, Kentucky has not always been the quiet, little town it is today. In the 1830s and 1840s, it was a bustling river port with people arriving and departing on the steamboats that plied the Cumberland and Ohio rivers.

When boatmen had a little too much refreshment, they often created their own entertainment and it wasn’t unusual for someone to get hurt. That’s what happened in late November 1836 when Thomas Joice was stabbed while trying to be a good Samaritan.

Salem, the county seat, was some distance from Smithland so the coffeehouse of John Price on Water or Front Street in Smithland was the location where witnesses gave testimony about the troubling events. Samuel D. Crunk stated that on the 20th of the month, in the street between Robert M. Mitchell’s and S.P. Gower’s, George Thompson, who appeared to be intoxicated, pushed Wm. Slaughter to the ground. Thomas Joice saw what had happened, caught Thompson by the shoulders and jerked him away from Slaughter, telling him to let Slaughter alone and not hurt him. Thompson slapped Joice, who immediately slung Thompson back and walked away. Thompson then cursed Joyce and “abused him much saying … that he would cut him with a knife.” Joice walked back and caught him by the arm or label of his coat then Thompson "cut him through the nose and mouth and it is believed Thompson stabbed Joice with the intention of taking his life.”

Robert Douglass verified Crunk’s statements, saying he also saw Thompson slap Wm. Slaughter. Thompson used abusive language, which induced Joice to stop a moment and then he proceeded on towards S.P. Gower’s. Thompson went after Joice and called him “an Irish Son of a Bitch” before cutting him.

George Thompson was taken before Thomas Willis and James McCawley, justices of the peace. With his securities, M.B. Belknap and R.M. Mitchell, Thompson posted bond for his appearance at the next term of Livingston Circuit Court.

Thompson appeared in court on Wednesday, 1 March 1837, and was indicted by the Grand Jury on a charge of Mayhem. The following day, the jury gave their verdict, “Guilty of the charge and he shall be confined in the jail and penitentiary for the term of one year.” The attorney for the defense made a motion for a new trial. The guilty verdict was set aside and a new trial was ordered. The case was continued from session to session of court until Tuesday, the 5th of June 1838, when the attorney for the commonwealth introduced a motion of Nolle prosequi, indicating he would no longer prosecute.

No reason is given for the motion, but perhaps the attorney was tired of waiting to try the case or maybe most of the parties had moved on. Thomas Joice was the only one of the group who appeared on the 1840 Livingston County census, but was not on the 1850 census. In 1840, he was a young man, just 20 or 30 years old. Smithland might have been just a brief stopover for him. R.M. Mitchell and S.P. Gower, who were mentioned in the testimony of both witnesses, kept taverns on Water or Front Street.

While this case is not of great historical value, it is valuable as it gives us a view of Smithland during this time period.

References: Livingston Circuit Court Equity, Ordinary and Commonwealth Cases, Box 55 of 142, Accession No. A1986-289, Dept for Libraries and Archives.
Livingston Circuit Court Order Book H:458, 465 and Book I:162

Wordless Wednesday - Henderson Marker

Marker in Transylvania (Central) Park, Henderson, Kentucky. Photographed 16 August 2009.

Tombstone Tuesday - Jerry J. and Sarah E. Croft

Copyright on photo and text

by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG

Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog

  



Croft

Jerry J.

Mar. 31, 1848

Sept. 29, 1929

Sarah E.

Dec. 1, 1854

Oct. 29, 1943

Buried Pleasant Grove Church Cemetery, Crittenden County, Kentucky. Tombstone photographed 14 August 2009.

Jerry Jeremiah Croft was the son of Logan Croft (1819–ca 1881) and Maryan Jane Lucas (1818-1885). Sarah E. Cooper was the daughter of Joseph Cooper and Nicey Pennington, who left Tennessee and settled in Pope County, Illinois. Jerry Croft and Sarah Cooper married 16 February 1870 Pope County. They were my great-great-grandparents.

Union County, Kentucky Courthouse

Union County, Kentucky courthouse, Morganfield, Kentucky. From a post card dated 1942.

Seminar 22 August 2009

REMINDER!

Willard Library Special Collections Dept., 21 First Avenue, Evansville, Indiana 47711 is sponsoring a free all day seminar next Saturday, 22 August 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Ron Darrah will present four programs on using obscure genealogical sources. Vendors willl have books and supplies available in the library park.

For more information and reservations, email lmartin@willard.lib.in.us or call 812-425-4309.

Webster County, Kentucky News 1918

The following information is taken from neighborhood news as printed in the Henderson Gleaner, Saturday, 5 January 1918. Items such as these are especially valuable as there are no extant Webster County newspapers for this year.

From the Providence Enterprise:
Providence lost another good one and beloved woman in the death of Mrs. Attaway Brown, wife of Mr. J.A. Brown, who passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones at her home here Tuesday morning. Mrs. Brown was a victim of cancer, from which she had been suffering for several months and her death was not unexpected. Mrs. Brown was about 50 years old and is survived by the husband and two daughters, Misses Opal and Collie Brown. She is also survived by her father, Mr. Thomas Quirey, a well-known citizen of Union County, and two brothers and two sisters. The brothers are Charles Quirey, of Wheatcroft, and John Quirey, of Sturgis. The sisters are Mrs. Col Hammack and Mrs. William Carter, of Sturgis. The remains were taken to the home of her sister, Mrs. Hammack, near Sturgis, Tuesday evening and buried at Rock Springs Wednesday morning. Funeral services were conducted at the church by Rev. Sisk.

Mrs. Irene Givens and Mr. S.C. Loften, a well-known and highly respected couple of near town, were quietly married at the home of the bride Wednesday evening. Rev. Benjamin Connaway officiating.

James Blankenship and Miss Hattie Baker, prominent young people of Lisman, were married at the home of the bride Tuesday. The bride is the charming daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T.F. Baker and the groom is a worthy young farmer.

Thomas Thomson, of Trinidad, Col., who has been visiting friends here, left for the west Thursday.

Mrs. John Brevard Harris returned to her home in Franklin, Ky. Tuesday after a visit to her mother, Mrs. R.F. Jennings.

Mrs. W.A. Walker was called to Crittenden county Thursday by the critical illness of her father, Mr. Willoughby Guess. Mr. Walker accompanied her to Marion.

James Young Jr. returned this week from Cincinnati, Ohio, where he volunteered for the United States air service. A slightly defective vision caused his rejection.

Mr. Dock Martin, a South Providence grocery, slipped and fell on the ice Wednesday and sustained a fractured leg.


From the Sebree Banner:
Dr. M.P. Cox, age 80, a former physician of Boxville, died at the home of his sister, Mrs. Bertys Stodghill, of Ortiz, on December 23. Interment was at Morganfield. He is survived by four daughters.

Miss Vera Sunn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sunn, formerly of this place, but now of Henderson, was married to Claud Henry in Evansville during the holidays.

C.A. Timmons, age 70, a brother of J.E. Timmons, of this place, died at his home in Ammorilla, Texas several days ago of pneumonia.

Prentice Johnson, of this place, and Miss Gene Vaughan, formerly of this place but late of Rockport, were married at the court house in Greenville last Thursday.

Wordless Wednesday - Across the Ohio River

The view from beside the Rose Hotel gazebo in Elizabethtown, Hardin County, Illinois, looking across the Ohio River to Crittenden County, Kentucky. Photographed 27 July 2009.

Tombstone Tuesday - Nathaniel Barber

In
Memory or
Nathaniel Barber
Citizen of Smithland in Ky.
for his last 10 [16?] years. Son of
Uriah & Barbara
Barber born the 11th Nov
1792 in Northumberland
County Pensylvania died
Sept 2, 1833 aged 41 years
3 months & 21 days
A man of usefulness & amiable
temper. He has left a mourning father
with a numerous circle of connections
and friends in Scioto County, Ohio
[remainder illegible]

Buried in Smithland Cemetery, Livingston County, Kentucky. Nathaniel Barber first appears on the 1824 Livingston County tax list. That same year he purchased lot 83 at the corner of Charlotte and Court streets in Smithland.

Tombstone photographed 1 July 2009. Click on photo for an enlarged view.

Copyright on text and photographs
by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG
Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog

DDD Census of 1880

There are several different kinds of census records available to the genealogical researcher. One often not used because it is not always easily accessible is the Defective, Dependent and Delinquent Classes census of 1880. This is an expensive census to own and local libraries usually do not have it in their collections.

The Defective, Dependent and Delinquent (DDD) census lists those persons who were insane, idiots, blind, deaf mutes, paupers or indigents in institutions, poorhouse, asylums and jail inmates during the year ending 31 May 1880. The listings in Kentucky are by district or town. For this article, I have listed the names in alphabetical order. The DDD census is available at the Kentucky Dept for Libraries and Archives; M1528, Roll 41 covers the counties of Adair through Jackson. Roll 42 covers the counties of Jefferson through Woodruff.

The following names appear on the Caldwell County list on Roll 41:

Allsbrook, Catherine
Atkinson, W.R.
Brelsford, Ivie
Buckner, Delia
Bumpass, Easter
Butt[?], Martha
Campleton, Julia
Cash, Martha
Childress, Henry
Clayton, Mary
Cossit, Jane
Daws, Mary
Ervin, Lucy Ann
French, William
Galusha, Eliza
Galusha, James
George, Wm.
Grogan, Frank
Hankins, Nancy
Harper, Harriet A.
Hendrix, James H.
Hollowell, Henry
Hunter, Charlotte
Isen, John
Luster, John
Mansfield, James
Morse, John
Parker, Martha C.
Phelps, Millie
Pierce, Arminta
Riley, James
Robinson, Julia
Rustin, Nathaniel
Scott, Lucy J.
Webb, Reuben
Wiley, J.W.
Wood, Wm.

Henderson Business Directory 1862

Anything that sheds light on the lives of our ancestors is a valuable resource. One way to determine what goods and services were available to our ancestors at a particular time is through advertisements in the local newspaper. A virtual “Business Directory” can be constructed through these advertisements.

The following “Business Directory” is taken from the Henderson Reporter in March 1862. Keep in mind that this was during the first year of the Civil War and goods and supplies were not yet in short supply.

H.F. Turner
Attorney & Counselor at Law
Main Street nearly opposite F.H. Hiller’s Bookstore

J.F. Clay
Attorney at Law
One door below Hillyer’s Bookstore, upstairs

S.B. Vance
Attorney at Law

Snyder & Long
Boot & Shoe Shop
Mill Street

N.H. Barnard (successor to W.H. Ladd)
Manufacturer & Dealer in Stoves, Crates, Hollow-ware, Tin, Copper & Sheet Iron Ware

T.S. Schaeffer
Cheap Furniture
Main Street

John Reichert
Tobacco & Cigar Store
West Side Main Street

Henderson Reporter
Printing: Funeral notices, labels, invitations

T. Schaeffer
Wood and Metallic Coffins

Dr. W.M. Sharrard, Surgeon Dentist
Second story over Sharrard’s Jewelry Store

Lewis Zeller
Fashionable Shaving, Shampooing and Hair-Cutting Saloon
Main Street, two doors below Postoffice

George Hak
Merchant – Tailor, Dealer in Ready-Made Clothing
Mill Street

Prof. T.D. Adams, Ambrotype Artist
Gallery of Art

American House – J.H. Fulwiler, Proprietor
East Side Elm, between First and Second Streets

Croft Family Gathering 1930

Family of Jim and Josie (Bebout ) Croft circa 1930 Crittenden County, Kentucky. In the center, wearing a white shirt and suspenders, is James Newton Croft, and to his left is his wife, Josephine Adaline Bebout. They are my great grandparents and were married in 1895. The couple on James Newton’s right are Chester C. Bebout (white shirt and black string tie), my great great grandfather and father of Josie, and his third wife, Minnie. Chester was born in 1854 and died 1942. To the left of Chester are my grandparents, Herman R. Croft and Nettie C. Vaughn. They were married in 1915 Crittenden County. My mother, A. Lavern Croft, is kneeling on the far left beside her sister, Melva Croft.

For an enlarged view, click on the photograph.

Tombstone Tuesday - Samuel J. and Floy D. Alves

Alves
Samuel J.
1847 – 1923

Floy D. His Wife
1847 – 1923

Buried Fernwood Cemetery, Henderson, Kentucky. Tombstone photographed March 2009.

Samuel J. Alves was born 2 August 1847 and died 3 June 1923. His parents were Dr. William J. Alves and Augusta Ann Hughes.

Florence Dallam was born 5 August 1847 and died 2 March 1923 at the home of her daughter, Camilla, wfe of A.P. Harness. Florence was the daughter of Frances Henry Dallam and Camilla J. Barbour. Samuel J. Alves and Florence Dallam married 27 April 1869. They were members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Henderson.

FGS Conference in Little Rock September 2-5, 2009

The Federation of Genealogical Societies Annual Conference is set to take place this September 2-5 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Based at the Statehouse Convention Center in the exciting Rivermarket District, this event is drawing genealogists, historians, librarians, and archivists from all over the United States and beyond. You can still join them for four full days of learning more about genealogy, finding cousins, seeing how much is online, seeing how much is not online, figuring out how to get the most out of records, determining what archives or libraries have the answers, helping your genealogy society, and spending some money in the large Exhibit Hall. There will be almost 200 educational sessions. Don’t let this event pass you by.

The Arkansas Genealogical Society is the host for this event that has previously been in Boston, Seattle, Phoenix, Fort Wayne, Davenport, Orlando, Philadelphia, Austin, St. Louis, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Rochester, Cincinnati, Kansas City, and places in-between. It’s a place to meet authors, lecturers, librarians, archivists, and bloggers whose names you will recognize.

Registration Deadline
August 26 is the last day to pre-register for the conference online or by mail. It is also the deadline to reserve your spot at the luncheons, gala banquet, or the special Night at the Ballpark. There may be only a few extra tickets available at the conference registration on Tuesday, September 1st for these events.

Onsite Registration
Tuesday, September 1st is the first day pre-registrants may visit the FGS/AGS registration booths on the lower level of the Statehouse Convention Center to pick up your name tag, tote bag, CD syllabus of lecture handouts, miscellaneous goodies, 20 door prize tickets, and begin the networking. Not pre-registered? No problem. There will be a line for just that task. You may register for one day or the full conference. Registration opens at 2:00 p.m. and runs until 6:00 p.m. on that day. It reopens at 7:00 a.m. on September 2d. Conference Registration

Exhibit Hall
What will you find in this hall on Thursday-Saturday? Aisle after aisle of booths featuring books old, new, and rare; genealogy software and hardware and demonstrations; preservation supplies; genealogical and historical societies; ethnic organizations; libraries; archives; maps; gifts; genealogy professional organizations; DNA companies; popular magazines; scholarly journals; databases; continuing education opportunities; author book signings; publishers; hotels from Salt Lake City; and places to sit, rest, and network with other registrants. The Hall is also open to non-registrants.

Door prizes
Many of the vendors in the Exhibit Hall will be giving away conference door prizes. Each registrant will receive 20 door prize tickets with your conference name tag and syllabus CD at the registration booth. The ticket will ask for your name, mailing and e-mail addresses and phone number. Bring along some of those address labels you have sitting around or print some up before you leave home to save some writing. Each participating vendor will have a box labeled for door prizes. Each attendee chooses which door prize box to drop their tickets in depending on the door prize being given. Some will have more than one door prize drawing during the three Exhibit Hall days. The names of the winners will be posted on a bulletin board in the Exhibit Hall. If you are a winner, all you need to do to claim your prize is to revisit the specific vendor’s booth.

Conference sessions to be recorded
Many of the conference sessions will be audio recorded and available for purchase on CD. Listings of those sessions being recorded will be available at the conference. Jamb-Inc. will be doing the recording and will have a booth where you can make your on-site purchases. The CDs will also be available after the conference from Jamb-Inc. but mailing fees will be charged.

Last minute Conference Information
Be sure to read the Conference News Blog during August and even during Conference Week to learn last minute details, reminders, suggested things to bring along, types of clothing to wear, and detail on special items. . Some exciting special announcements will be made in the next couple of weeks on the blog!

Happy Anniversary, Reddick and Mary Ann

Today is the anniversary of the marriage of my great-grandparents, Reddick Smith and Mary Ann Wolstenholme. On the 2nd of August 1866, they stood before Henry Holt, justice of the peace in Davidson County, Tennessee, and promised to “love, honor and obey” each other for the rest of their lives. I don’t know if they were able to fulfill that promise, but I do know they lived together until Reddick passed away in Hardin County, Illinois.
Reddick and Mary Ann must have met during the Civil War when he was stationed in Tennessee. He stayed there when the war ended, they married, and had two children before moving to his family home in Hardin County about 1870.
Reddick and Mary Ann had 14 children, with only about half living to adulthood. My grandmother, Beatrice Mary, was born in 1877 and lived until 1968. When I was a child, she told me that one of her younger brothers, I believe it was Earl (1883-1896), became ill suddenly and his footsteps remained in the dusty field, where he was working, after his death. Several other children in the family died as infants. In 1902, my grandmother married Lycurgus M. Joyce and had two sons when they, along with her parents and brother Ed decided to move to Washington. Selling everything they owned, they boarded a train to an area where they hoped life would be easier. According to a story told by my father, Reddick hurt his back, didn’t like Washington, and everyone boarded the train to go back home to southern Illinois. My grandparents would later have two more children, a son and a daughter. Reddick died in Hardin County in 1913 and Mary Ann in 1933.
Oh, the stories they could tell. I would like to know about Reddick leaving the army each spring to go home to plant crops. I would like to know about the months he spent in Libby Prison before being exchanged. I would like to ask Mary Ann what her life was like in Davidson County. Why did she not keep in touch with her family after she moved to Illinois? Family legend has it that Mary Ann’s father, Hugh Wolstenholme, died on the road between her old home in Tennessee and her new home in Illinois. I bet she could tell me exactly where Hugh is buried.
Reddick and Mary Ann witnessed many changes during their lives. They saw the birth of the telephone and automobile and electricity became common. My dad used to relate the story told to him by Mary Ann about the first time Reddick heard a phonograph, which was a wind-up apparatus and was contained in a cabinet. Reddick circled the cabinet and tried to open the back to learn who was sitting inside talking.
All I have of Reddick and Mary Ann are a few documents, some stories, pictures and, my prize possession, the wedding ring Reddick made for Mary Ann. A jeweler told me a silver coin was placed on a rod and hammered until a circle of the right size appeared. Apparently, this was a common way to fashion a ring when money was scarce. I am proud to wear this ring today.
On the 143rd anniversary of their marriage, they are remembered and honored.
Published 2 August 2009, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/