Merry Christmas 2022 !!

 

Why Do You Do Genealogy?

This post was first published 14 Nov 2008 and my reasons for doing genealogy remain the same today in Nov 2022. Genealogy is still fun and there is still a thrill each time a piece of new information is found.

When you are really frustrated at not finding the information you want to know, do you wonder why you even do genealogy? I do, but only for a short time. Genealogy has been such a big part of my life for so long that it is hard to imagine life without it.

But why do I do genealogy? It isn’t in hopes of finding a connection to a famous person - I gave up that hope six months after I started researching. From the very beginning of time, or so it seems, my ancestors were hard working farmers whose lives centered around providing the basics for their families. None achieved greatness in terms of money, land or personal fame, but most were blessed with courage and perseverance. I’ll take those traits over money any day.

That still doesn’t tell you why I do genealogy. I can’t answer in one word, but I can give you three reasons why genealogy is so important to me

*  The need to know my place in the world - the place where I belong, where I can call home and where my history is known. I think we all have that need and it is what drives us to find the answers in genealogy.

*  The need to organize - the need to fit each ancestor and his family into their own proper place and time. There is a sense of accomplishment when gaps are replaced with facts. This is why I still like the old fashioned family group sheets. I can see at a glance the information I have and the information I still need. When the group sheet is complete, it is time to go on to the next one.

*  Genealogy is just plain fun! There is a thrill each time a piece of information is found and connects to another bit I already have. I have met some wonderful people in this journey to find my ancestors and I would not trade the experiences I’ve had for any amount of money.

So, why do you do genealogy? I bet you can't answer in just one word!

Published 15 Dec 2022, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Spiritualism in Smithland

The following was originally published here on the 11th of June 2020.  

On the 1^st day of July 1875, a jury of 12 men met in a special term of the Livingston County Court to hear evidence and decide if Charles S. Lyon, a 35 year old resident of Smithland was of unsound mind and, if so,  to determine the cause. 

Lyon, the son of Harriet Cook and Stephen Lyon, had come under the influence of a different kind of religion and had wandered away from home. His half brother suspected he had gone to Memphis, Tennessee where one of the leaders of this religion might be found.  Although a reader of general spiritualistic literature, Lyon’s relatives believed that the immediate cause of his insanity was the reading of Dr. Samuel Watson’s works on that subject.  Lyon was found in the bottom lands across from Memphis and was brought back to Smithland to determine the condition of his mind. [1] The jury, after  hearing the evidence, rendered the following verdict: “We the Jury find that Charles S. Lyon … is of unsound mind, that he is a Lunatic … lost his mind about the 13^th day of May 1875, that the probable cause from the evidence, was Spiritualism, Religion and Love.”[2]  E.G. Leeper was appointed to convey Lyon to the Lunatic Asylum in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. We do not know if Lyon continued his interest in Spiritualism, but we do know that Lyon lived in the Asylum until his death 37 years later. His remains were returned for burial near his relatives in Smithland Cemetery.  

What was this Spiritualism that was given as a reason in Charles S. Lyon being declared insane?  Wikipedia describes Spiritualism as a religious movement based on the belief that the spirits of the dead exist and have both the ability and inclination to communicate with the living. Some people believed in elements of this movement that later became known as Spiritualism, but there was no organized movement prior to 1848.  Also, there was no formal text outlining the principles of Spiritualism.   “Spiritualists believe in the possibility of communication with the spirits of dead people, with whom they regard as ‘discarnate humans.’ They believe that spirit mediums are gifted to carry on such communication, but that anyone may become a medium through study and practice.” They believe spirits are capable of growth and perfection, progressing through higher spheres or planes …  The two beliefs – that contact with spirits is possible, and that spirits may dwell on a higher plane – lead to a third belief, that spirits can provide knowledge about moral and ethical issues, as well as about God and the afterlife. Many believers therefore speak of ‘spirit guides’ … [3] 

During the early years the fundamentals of Spiritualism were spread mainly through magazines, lectures and camp meetings and many of the speakers were women.    One of the early leaders was the Rev. Dr. Samuel Watson. In 1875, he published Volume 1 of The Spiritual Magazine.  A prominent member of the Methodist church for 30 years,  Dr. Watson chose to sever his connection with the Methodist church in favor of his strong belief in Spiritualism.    Dr. Watson was living in Memphis in 1875, the same year Charles S. Lyon wandered off to that city. [4]                                                                                                                                           

It was “A Sad Case,” when Charles S. Lyon was judged to be of unsound mind because of “Spiritualism, Religion and Love.”  Was he, indeed, of unsound mind or was he simply practicing a different kind of religion?  Lyon was not the only person in the area who espoused Spiritualism. Peter H. Conant of Smithland (1809-1890) was also a believer in this religion. According to his obituary, he was “a Spiritualist and an earnest believer in the faith.” [5]  “The Conant family belonged to a religious group that did not believe in marking the graves of its dead. Many of the family members were buried in a sand bank on the left of Highway 60 that now runs from the town of Smithland to the Cumberland River bridge.”[6]  His burial place is unknown.

Robert Dale Owen of New Harmony, Posey County, Indiana was also a Spiritualist.  Owen (1801-1890) was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives, wrote about his personal and political views and published two books. His family is found throughout New Harmony’s history.  Another well-known Spiritualist was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) who was interested in many subjects, including the paranormal and those of a mystical nature, but is perhaps better known as the creator of the character, Sherlock Holmes.

Spiritualists are still found in all segments of society with some having websites and online videos explaining their beliefs.

---

[1] “A Sad Case,” Daily Louisville Commercial (Louisville, Ky), Fri., 9 July 1875, p. 4, GenealogyBank, accessed 1 June 2020.

[2] Lunacy Record, Charles S. Lyon, Livingston County Loose Court Clerk’s papers, Box 19, July term 1875, Livingston County Court Clerk, accessed 2008.

[3] “Spiritualism,” Wikipedia, < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritualism>, accessed 4 June 2020.

[4] S. Watson. The Spiritual Magazine, Volume 1, (Memphis, TN: Boyle & Chapman, 1975) Google Books, accessed 4 June 2020.

[5] “A Sad Case,” Daily Louisville Commercial, 9 July 1875, p. 4.

[6] Leslie McDonald. Echoes of Yesteryear, (Smithland, KY: Livingston County Historical and Genealogical Society, Smithland, Kentucky, 1972) 105-106.

Published again 1 Dec 2022, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Happy Thanksgiving!

Published 24 Nov 2022, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Interview with Mother

In 1992 and 1993, I did several  oral interviews with my mother, usually as I was driving her back to Kentucky after visiting my family in Indiana.  These tapes laid in a desk drawer until they were recently re-discovered.  They are now a precious reminder to me of my mother, who passed away in 2006. I can press the on button and immediately hear that soft Kentucky accent with the infectious laugh.

Never one to mince words, Mother was "on stage" as soon as that light started to glow on the recorder and she didn't stop until the tape ran out. She remembered and told me about things that happened when she was a young child, including the names of neighbors and exactly where their houses stood.

 Mother was born in 1919 in Western Kentucky where life was hard during the ‘20s and '30s.  Of primary importance was providing for the family and families were usually large. As the second oldest in her family of six children and the oldest daughter, Mother helped care for the younger children.  She learned at an early age to cook, clean and do laundry. Mother's mother was of delicate health and much of the responsibility for running the household fell to Mother and her sister. Play time, or what there was of it, was spent with her brothers and sister or with her many cousins, most of whom lived in the Pleasant Grove Church neighborhood of Crittenden County.

All of her life, Mother called her parents Mama and Daddy. Her voice softened when she talked about them. They were strict disciplinarians, but they were respected always. Anything less would not have been tolerated.

When news of a possible war in Europe began to filter to the United States, my grandfather would go to his brother's home nearby to listen to their radio and then would go home to tell his wife and children what was going on. Mother said the news frightened the children as they thought war was imminent. They got their own radio for Christmas shortly thereafter, but Mother's father was disappointed that there was nothing but seasonal music on Christmas day.

Mother attended Pleasant Grove School through eighth grade and then boarded with her grandfather, Chester Bebout, and his wife Minnie, to attend Salem High School. Mother told how her mother had always said that her daughters could not marry until they were 18 years old so when Mother turned 18, she thought it was time to marry ... and she did on the 25th of July 1937 when she was 18 years and 18 days of age. That marriage lasted until my father's death 39 years later.

There was much more that Mother had to say. She talked about pie suppers at Pleasant Grove, spending the nights with relatives and the childhood antics of my brother and I. There was much that came in Mother's life after these interviews. I wonder what she would have had to say about her re-marriage and the death of her son and second husband.

If I can make one comment about these tapes, it is that I am so very fortunate to have made them over 20 years ago. If you have older relatives living, I strongly recommend that you interview them while it is still possible.

Originally published 12 March 2015, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

To Some Evil -Minded Person

 Some things are just too good not to share, even if they have little genealogical importance. The following advertisement appears in the Henderson Weekly Reporter, Thursday, 19 September 1861. It was first published on this blog on the 8th of April 2009.

To the Public

Some evil-minded person has put in circulation a report concerning me which I desire to be forever set at rest. The person who said that I was a married man, and had two children, is an infamous liar and the one who started it is a d--d rascal. I defy the originator of the lie to come before me and prove it, and from what I can find out, some of you Henderson class has started it. [signed] G.W. Boone. Corydon, August 1, 1861.

Published again 9 Nov 2022, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Children Born Out Of Wedlock

 The following post on bastardy cases was originally published 11 Jul 2017.

What happened when a woman gave birth to a child begotten and born out of wedlock?  Did the mother have any legal recourse?   If she named the child's father, yes, she did have legal recourse.

An unmarried white woman could go before a judge of the county court of the county in which the bastard child was born and accuse a person of being the father of the child. Her statement was then reduced to writing and signed.

If the child appeared to be less than three years of age, a warrant was issued, requiring the accused person to be apprehended and brought before a judge of the county court. He was required to enter into recognizance, with good surety, in the sum of $300, to appear at the county court and abide by the judgment of the court.

If the accused person refused to give recognizance, the judge would commit him to the county jail where he would remain there until he gave recognizance or otherwise be discharged by due course of law. [1] If ordered to pay a sum of money, the father might pay in a lump sum or in installments.

There were cases, however, where the mother of a bastard child never went to court to name the father of her child and it is assumed she and/or her family provided support for the child. The aim of having the father pay for the child was to prevent the child from becoming a charge upon the county.

Bastardy cases are most often found among loose county court papers in the county clerk's office.  Among the information given is the name of the mother and the accused father, the date of the child's birth and whether male or female and sometimes where the child was born. Bastardy cases may also be mentioned in the county court minutes, but with fewer details given.

---

[1] The Revised Statutes of Kentucky, Approved and Adopted by the General Assembly, 1851 and 1852, and in force from July 1, 1852, Vol. 1 (Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & co., 1867) Chapter 6, Approved 17 February 1858; accessed through Google Books, 2 February 2016.

Re-published 27 Oct 2022, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Research Tip - Sources and Credit

The following post was originally published on this blog 17 Sep 2019 and is still important today.

To be the best genealogist possible, there are several research guidelines and rules we should follow. To disregard them shows we either do not know how to properly do research or we do not care. The following rules are among those most often disregarded.

1.  Genealogists are taught that every fact not within common knowledge must be substantiated with a source.  Using proper source citations demonstrates your knowledge of what constitutes proof for each fact and where it can be found. Not citing your sources is asking people to read your mind to learn where you found your material. I don't know anyone who has that ability.

2.  "Borrowing" material from other genealogists without giving them credit is not acceptable - anytime. This applies to family group sheets prepared by others, family trees on Ancestry.com, photographs taken by another person, family histories written for family reunions and, yes, blog posts. The rule of thumb is this: If you didn't write it, it isn't yours and you should not use it without permission. If permission is given, be sure to give credit to the person who did write it. 

There are many rules in genealogy, but the two listed above are ones that are consistently disregarded.   Be a responsible genealogist, cite your sources and give credit to others for their work.

Published again 6 Oct 2022, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog.

Left Out of the Will?

The following Research Tip was originally published here on 22 Feb 2018. 

Not being mentioned in a father's will does not mean your ancestor was deceased or disowned by his father. Check the deeds to see if land or other property had been conveyed to your ancestor before his father's death.   Also, a father would often convey property at the time of the child's marriage.  

Published one more time on 30 September 2022, Westeern Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Funeral Customs

The following is a re-print of a post from 10 Dec 2008.

Funeral customs vary from place to place, depending on the era, culture and area. I have always been fascinated by the practices in other states.

One of my earliest funeral memories was being a flower girl at the funeral of a great aunt in southern Illinois. The flower girls were often nieces or great nieces and carried flowers from the church to the burying ground nearby. Dressed in my best dress and Mary Jane shoes, that vase of flowers was clutched tightly to my chest. That must have been sometime in the early 1950s.

Years later while living in Michigan, I mentioned that memory to friends and they had never heard of having flower girls at funerals. I know it was common in western Kentucky as well as southern Illinois, but that custom perhaps did not spread to other parts of the country.

Another custom that has fallen out of favor is having the viewing of the decedent in the home. When my grandmother died in the late 1950s, her casket was placed in a corner of the dining room. A family member sat next to the casket day and night and visitors came and went at will, with the remains not being moved to the funeral home until shortly before the funeral service. The smell of carnations was so strong in that room of my grandfather’s house and it made such an impression on me that, for years later, I could not be in that room without catching the scent of the funeral flowers.

Another thing that has changed in western Kentucky is the use of music at funeral home services. When my father died in 1975, a lady from his church sang his favorite hymns. I can remember her voice just soaring through that room - a truly beautiful version of "How Great Thou Art." Today, recorded music is often used and it doesn't have the same personal touch that a live person provides.

Customs and times change. Were funeral things done differently in your area?

2nd Time Around 15 Sep 2022,  Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Clues in Epitaphs

The following post was first published 19 May 2017.

Have you wondered about the origin of an epitaph on a tombstone? Did it have special meaning to the deceased or the family?  One of the easiest ways to check on the epitaph is to ask our friend, Mr. Google. That's what I did with the epitaph on the tombstone of Martha A. Perkins, who is buried in Leeper Cemetery in Livingston County.

 Martha A.

Wife of

J.D. Perkins

Born

Sept. 24, 1827

Died

Apr. 3, 1876

Aged

48 yrs. 6 mo's, 9 da's

"Hard is it from thee to part

Tho it rend my aching heart

Since an heir to glory's gone

Let the will of God be done."

The epitaph is taken from "Psalms and Hymns Adapted to Social, Private and Public Worship of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church."  Could this be a clue to Martha A.'s religious affiliation? Or was this epitaph ordered from a tombstone catalog with little thought given as to whether it was appropriate for the decedent? If charges were made for each letter, an epitaph of four lines would have been fairly costly and certainly more expensive than a simple epitaph like Gone Home or Farewell or Gone But Not Forgotten.

To be most helpful, transcribe every word on the tombstone.

Second Time Around 23 Aug 2022, Western Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Military Draft - Civil War

The following post was first published  on the Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog on  5 May 2011. 

Both the Confederate and Federal  governments relied  on a military draft to obtain men to serve during the Civil War. The Confederate Conscription Act was the first to enact an American military draft on 16 April 1862. It called for healthy white men between the ages of 18 and 35 to serve for a term of three years. The upper age limit was raised to age 45 in February 1864. A bit later the age limits were expanded to men between the ages of 17 and 50.

The Federal government had a similar draft law, but it didn't take effect until 3 March 1863. The Federal draft covered men between the ages of 18 and 45.

Exemptions occurred on both sides for men in certain occupations. These included river and railroad workers, miners, teachers, telegraph operators and civil officials. In addition, men of draft age for the Union army were exempt if they had physical or mental disabilities. They were also excused from service if they were the only son of a widow, the son of infirm parents or a widower with dependent children. Men of draft age living in the South were excused from service if they owned 20 or more slaves.

The Enrollment Act of 1863 allowed Union soldiers to obtain an exemption from service by paying $300 or by finding a substitute. 

The military draft was not popular and the law was often abused  in the North as well as in the South. 

Published again  12 Aug 2022, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Happy Anniversary Reddick and Mary Ann!

I have published a couple of posts about the wedding anniversary of Reddick Smith and Mary Ann Wolstenholme in this blog. This post combines previously published material plus additional data. Both families have presented research challenges, but they remain among my favorite ancestors. Mary Ann's grandfather, the Rev. Hugh Wolstenholme, came to America from England before 1820 as a result of his political views. Reddick Smith's grandfather was John Smith, but which one? Wythe County, Virginia is thought to have been  his home. Until I find out for sure, I will continue to dig and dig and dig. In the meantime, here is my 2022 anniversary post on Reddick and Mary Ann.

Today is the 156th 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 after his death. Several others of the children died as infants.

In 1902, my grandmother married Lycurgus Mino Joyce and had given birth to two sons when they, along with her parents and her brother Ed. decided to move to the state of 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, so everyone boarded the train and returned to southern Illinois. Reddick died in Hardin County in 1913 and Mary Ann in 1933. Both are buried in Central Cemetery.

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've tried for years to find out where and when he died, but I bet she could tell me exactly what I want to know.

Reddick and Mary Ann witnessed many changes during their lives. They saw the birth of the telephone and automobiles 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 record, which was played on a wind-up apparatus and was part of a large cabinet. Reddick circled round and round the cabinet then tried to open the back to learn who was sitting inside singing.

Mary Ann was a tall, angular woman with red hair and who smoked a pipe, using Star brand tobacco, according to my father. After Reddick's death, she stayed with her children, rotating from one to the next  until her death. 

All I have of Reddick and Mary Ann are stories originating from Mary Ann, a few documents, 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 wear this ring today.

On this anniversary of their marriage, I am thankful for the memories they made for their descendants.

Published 2 Aug 2022, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

The James Pinkney Joyce Family

 

My great-grandparents, James Pinkney Joyce and Martha Minerva Womack, were married in Hardin County, Illinois 149 years ago in 1873.  James Pinkney, a Civil War veteran,  was 38 years old and his bride, Martha, was 31. Together they had two sons, John Abner, and Lycurgus Mino, also called L. Mino or Mino. L. Mino was my grandfather. James Pinkney had other children from the marriage to his first wife, Martha Ann Williams. These children were William, Sarah, Andrew Jackson, JoAnna, George Washington, Columbus Franklin, Thomas Henry and Eliza.  The only children who did not live to adulthood were Sarah, Columbus and Eliza. James P. was a farmer in Monroe Precinct.

The marriage of this couple was short with Martha M. passing away from consumption in January 1880. She was only 37.  James P. died in December 1881 at the age of 46 so, in less than two years the children lost both parents.   JoAnna, who was born of the first marriage,  was only 16 years old when her father died, but she stepped in and cared for younger half brothers, John Abner and L. Mino. 

Published 31 July 2022, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

 

Legends, Traditions and Stories

 The following was first published here 17 Oct 2013.

Grandma said Grandpa was part Native American. He must have been, she said, as he looked Native American. Auntie said Grandpa's ancestor was Cherokee, after all Grandma said he was Indian and the Cherokees came through this area of Kentucky on the Trail of Tears. Uncle said Grandpa "fell away" from the Trail of Tears and stayed in Kentucky. Otherwise he would have gone on with the rest of the Cherokees. Dad said he didn't care if Grandpa was Indian or not. He was tired of hearing about it and changed the subject.

So, was Grandpa of Native American descent or not? How much faith do you put in family stories? What do you believe and what do you discard? And finally, where do you look for Native American records in Kentucky? 

Family legends, traditions and stories are fun, but they don't have to be true to be fun. Sometimes they are so preposterous that we are sure they are not true. But what about the stories that could be true.

One way to find out if those stories are true is to have your DNA tested and follow that with searching records going backwards from what is known to what is not known. These records should include census, vital records, deeds, mortgages, church records and anything else available for the appropriate time period.  Don't forget to ask yourself if the record you are  using makes sense to have been your ancestor.                          

I've been researching Kentucky records for a long time and have never seen  a single document or a big book marked "Native American Records" in the courthouse. Except for separate books for African American marriages, all other records are found together with no label indicating color or ethnicity.

So, record those legends, traditions and family stories and be sure to write down the date you heard them and the name of the storyteller. Then get busy researching to determine if they are true or not.

Happy researching!

Published again 13 July 2022, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Carved in Stone Doesn't Make it Right

Once a name is carved incorrectly in stone, it is difficult, if not impossible, to correct it. The following tombstone is a case in point. This post was first published 29 Dec 2009. It is my understanding this monument was erected long after the lives of the mother, Harriet C. Bebout, and her son, John Bebout, had ended.



This lovely tombstone for John Bebout and his mother Katherine is located at Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Crittenden County, Kentucky. There is just one thing wrong with the tombstone - the mother's name is incorrect. Most records list her name as Harriet or Harriet C. Bebout. It would be easy to assume the C. in Harriet's middle name stood for Catherine, making the name on the tombstone correct. However, in the will of her father, John E. Wilson, recorded in Crittenden County Will Book 1, page 46, she is listed as "Cassa Bebout wife of Peter Bebout." When her daughter, Harriet Ann Bebout, married James P. Sullenger in 1863, the wedding was at "Casander Bebout's."

Her full name might be Harriet Cassander or Harriet Cassa , but it surely was not Katherine. Harriet C. and her husband, Peter Bebout, were my 4th great grandparents. Harriet C. Wilson Bebout was born in 1824 and died in 1908. Peter Bebout was born in 1823 and died in 1862.

Published again 29 June 2022, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog,  http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Celebrate !

Originally published  21 June 2018. 

What do you do when you learn your ancestor was a crook, outlaw or  simply had a penchant for operating on the other side of the law?  Celebrate ...!   Yes, celebrate,  especially if he got caught! Crooks left records  and those records can be full of information. Even cases involving will contests or disputes over debts can provide information.

The bigger the crime, the more records generated by the crime. The records for civil and criminal cases are usually located in the Kentucky Dept for Libraries and Archives in Frankfort.  To learn how to order records from KDLA, go  Here

Scroll down to Civil Case File Record Request and Criminal Case File Record Request

In the meantime, celebrate that you had an ancestor who left records about his life.

Published again 9 June 2022  Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog,  http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com

Civil War Loyalty Oath

A re-run of an earlier post:

 Smithland, Livingston County, Kentucky was under control of the Federal army throughout almost all of the Civil War. In late 1861 and early 1862, several rules were instituted that were meant to suppress support for the Confederacy. It was unwise to openly show support for the South in any way.  Even flying a Confederate flag could result in a heavy fine.

Teachers, ministers, jurors and public officials were required to take a loyalty oath. Below is the oath signed by C.W. Threlkeld, who was authorized to solemnize the rites of matrimony in 1864. This is from Livingston County Loose County Clerk's Papers 1863-1867, Box 16, filed October Term 1864.

Oath
I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this State and be faithful and true to the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Laws and government thereof so long as I continue a citizen thereof and I do further solemnly swear that I will not aid assist abet or comfort directly or indirectly the so called Confederate States or those now in Rebellion against the United States or the State of Kentucky so long as I continue a citizen of this state. So help me God.   [signed] C.W. Threlkeld
Subscribed and sworn to in open Court Oct 4th 1864.  Att: J.W. Cade, C.L.C.C. [Clerk of Livingston County Court]

Second posting on 15 May 2022.

Kentucky Marriage Bonds

This is a repeat of a post first published here 30 Nov 2017 

If your ancestor obtained a marriage bond in a Kentucky county, but there is no evidence a marriage was performed there, do not assume the couple did not marry. Check for a marriage return in neighboring counties. The marriage bond could be obtained in one county and the couple  could be married in any county in the state. The marriage bond, however, was not valid outside Kentucky.

Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

It's the latest Style ... in 1908!

 Genealogy isn’t just a list of names and dates. To really study genealogy and understand how our ancestors lived, we need to study the social and cultural aspects of the time period too, including what clothing fashions were in style.

Clothing fashions, of course, were not necessarily the same in rural areas as they were in metropolitan areas. My great-grandmother was born in 1877 in Crittenden County, Kentucky and married when she was just 18 years old. Between 1896 and 1917, she had twelve children. She led a full life - full of hard work, rearing a family and attending church on Sunday. I’m sure high fashion was not high on the priority list in her life, or in the lives of most of her neighbors.

That wasn’t the case, though, for young ladies who lived in the larger city of Henderson, Kentucky. In 1908, "Merry Widow" hats arrived and were all the rage.

The Henderson Daily Gleaner reported on 5 April 1908 that "Scores of pretty young girls and blushing widows were seen on the streets yesterday bedecked with ‘Merry Widow’ hats in screaming colors. The new hats are really things of beauty, especially when worn by the young maidens, and within a few days it will be difficult for two women to pass each other on a sidewalk of reasonable width, for the ‘Merry Widow’ hats are the broadest that ever shaded a pretty face."

Three days later it was reported in Paducah, Kentucky that the deacons of the First Baptist Church proposed to bar the "Merry Widow" hats and passed a resolution compelling women to remove them in church.

The Gleaner wasn’t finished with news of those hats as it was reported later that month that "Merry Widow" hats massed in a solid bank in the foremost rows of St. John’s Catholic Church in St. Louis, Missouri prevented a panic among the worshipers at Easter service by hiding from the congregation a dangerous blaze on the altar, which was extinguished by the priest and altar boys. Paper flowers were ignited by candles on the altar and while the fire burned fiercely, those in the church remained with bowed heads in prayer, the flames blocked by the wide-spreading Easter creations resting atop the heads of the ladies who were sitting under the sanctuary rail, where they could not see the fire.

"Merry Widow" hats weren’t in fashion very long, but they were a lively topic of conversation while they lasted.


Originally published 26 October 2007. Published again 6 April 2022, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Rules for the Jailer

Here is another of our posts from the past. This one appeared in the Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog on the 20th of Feb 2020.  If you share it with anyone, please remember to give credit to the Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog.

Being the Jailer in 1875 in Lyon County, Kentucky consisted of more than carrying the keys to the cells. Other duties were required and were spelled out in a document found  among loose county court papers in the courthouse in Eddyville. How do these rules compare to the duties of present-day jailers?

Rules for the government of the Jailer

 

"The Jailer is required to Keep the Jail perfectly clean, & suffer no filth of any Kind to accumulate in or about it.

He is required to clean out the privy valt [sic], or Sink, under the Jail, immediately and as often as may be necessary to prevent a stench in the Jail.

He is required to whitewash both the upper and lower cells and to use in the cells and in the Sink under the Jail, chloride of lime or other disinfect out in such quantities and often enough to destroy the Scent and purify the air of the Jail.

He is required to Keep the clothing and bedding of prisoners perfectly clean.

He is directed to feed the prisoners confined in the Jail at regular intervals three times a day with a sufficiency of wholesome food and to keep them supplied with fresh water."

Filed in open Court and ordered to be spread at large upon the order book of this court and delivered to the Jailer April 26, 1875.

Prohibition in Western Kentucky

A repeat of a post from the archives of the Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, 21 Aug 2014.

The United States became a different place in January 1920 when the 18th Amendment went into effect.  No longer could people legally manufacture, transport or sell alcoholic beverages.  The Amendment wasn't passed suddenly.  The  country had been leaning more and more toward prohibition for many years. It seemed to be what folks wanted ... Well, some folks wanted it. Others didn't plan to give  up their alcohol and if it could not be bought, they would just make it themselves.

Shortly after the 18th Amendment was passed, articles about raids on hidden stills began to appear in the newspapers, including those in western Kentucky. In July 1920, Hopkinsville Constable Claxton and two other men "secured 46 gallons of moonshine liquor which was being transported in a high power automobile."[1] In a scene straight out of the movies, a getaway was made with one man balanced on the running board of the car with the back seat loaded high with kegs and glass jars of liquor.

Another raid was made by lawmen on the old Thomas O'Nan farm south of Corydon, Kentucky and captured a 30 gallon moonshine still with 3 1/2 barrels of corn mash and a gallon jar  half full of "white liquor." [2]  The "operators" were not captured, but the still was taken to the courthouse in Henderson to be viewed by anyone wanting to see an operating still.

Constable Bob Adamson  and Deputy Charlie Bob Sanders of the Bells Mines community of Crittenden County, Kentucky captured a large moonshine still along with two gallons of "white mule," which was delivered to county authorities in Marion. [3] Before daylight, the lawmen went to where they thought the still was being operated, but a sentinel on the opposite hill saw them and fired two shots. The constable and his deputy made a dash for the still and the operators ran off. Shots were fired, including one that passed through the Constable's hat, but the still operators got away. Their identities were unknown.  The lawmen found three gallons of moonshine and brought two gallons to town. The other gallon container was broken and the contents lost.   Hmmm.

The 18th Amendment was repealed in 1933, ending one of the more colorful eras of our country's history.

 

---

 

[1]  "Hold Up Truck Load of Booze," Evansville Courier, 2 July 1920, p. 19.

[2]  "Find Still But Not the Operators," Evansville Press, 28 September 1921, p. 2.

[3]  "Still Captured Near Bells Mines," Crittenden Press, 20 June 1924, unknown page.

A repeat publication on 14 Feb 2022.

Salem Shops Shut on Sundays in 1836

 Blue Laws are nothing new in Kentucky. Even in the 1830s merchants banded together to keep stores and shops closed on the Sabbath. The following Article of Agreement among merchants, mechanicks, grocery and tavern keepers was found among loose county clerk's papers in Livingston County. The following document was first published here on 31 Jan 2013.

"We the undersigned traders & Merchants of the town of Salem, Ky. for the purpose of correcting some degree the pernicious practice of Opening Shops, Stores, &c on Sunday, do obligate ourselves to close & keep closed our doors on the Sabath, & in all cases refuse to trade with any who may come to town on said day to loiter & drink. And do further agree unanimously to present any Grocery, Store or Shop that persists in so unholy & unlawful practice in Salem. June 7, 1836. The above obligation is not to prevent the furnishing of medicin Shrouds &c Sent for by the sick or required for the Dead. [signed] Greer & William, [?] Johnson, G. Robertson, [?] Richardson & Greer, Jos. Watts, Bayliss & McCrosky, Joseph Watts & Co., H.M. Woods, Given Williams & Given, R. & W.U. Hodge, Bass & Williams."

Published again on 30 Jan 2022

Singing For Better Weather

 This post on the weather comes from previously published posts of the Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog. Somehow it seems appropriate. The only thing missing was a pandemic.

After a couple of years with mild winters, those of us living in the middle part of our country had almost forgotten what a real winter was like. Mother Nature hastened to remind us the middle of this month when she sent us bone-chilling temperatures and several inches of snow. 

The winter of 1950 cut a swath of destruction across the country– from  tornadoes in the south, a paralyzing blanket of slush in the midwest and  snow and ice dumped on the northeast.  The tornadoes killed 48 people and injured hundreds.

When two large rain-swollen rivers meet and merge, a flood is sure to happen. The result in 1950 was an inundated business district with part of the residential area being covered by water, too. Part of Smithland had been flooded since early January. [1]

The residents of Smithland, Kentucky knew how to deal with disaster when their options were few.

“From the Pacific Northwest to New England, the northern half of the nation was barraged by almost every weapon in winter’s book – snow, rain, freezing drizzle, high winds and sub-zero temperatures.

“Flood refugees at tiny Smithland, Ky., held a community sing to bolster their spirits. More than 200 people sang “It Ain’t Gonna Rain No More” and “River Stay way From My Door” as the Cumberland and Ohio Rivers, which join near the town, climbed steadily higher …

“The Red Cross served coffee, donuts and punch, and county clerk Gabe McCandless reported, “Yes, sir, everybody was kinda cheered up and felt much better when the thing was over.”[2]

---

[1] “Where Cumberland Meets Ohio,” Evansville Press, Evansville, Indiana, Thurs., 16 Feb 1950, page 1.

[2] “Tornado – Battered Southern Sections Get Flood Misery; All Northern Half of U.S. Feels Winter,” Clinton Daily News, Clinton, Oklahoma, Tues., 24 Feb 1950, p. 1, Newspapers.com accessed 18 Feb 2021.

p.s. Don't expect new posts from now on. Maybe cabin fever is getting to me or perhaps this is a way to entertain myself on a quiet winter day.  

Gone Fishing!

 

Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/