Double Wedding - Union County, Kentucky

I am sharing a little information from my research today.  It is the announcement of the marriages  of sisters, Amanda and Elinor Barbara Joyce of Morganfield, Union County, Kentucky. The announcement appeared in the Owensboro Messenger on Thursday, 10 Oct 1907, page 5. Although I never met Amanda and “Nellie” Joyce, they were distant relatives and were the daughters of James Madison Joyce and Mary Paschal Davenport.  Our common ancestor was Revolutionary War patriot George Joyce (1759 – 1835).

“The marriage of Rev. H.B. Self and Miss Amanda Joyce, and Mr. Allen Omer Hooper and Miss Elinor Barbara Joyce, of Morganfield, was solemnized at the Christian church at Morganfield Tuesday morning. The ceremony was said by the Rev. R.H. Crossfield, of Owensboro.

“The church was tastefully decorated for the occasion by the girls of the 1905 class of the Morganfield high school of which Miss Amanda Joyce was a member.

“The ushers were Mr. Fred Dyer, of Sturgis; Mr. Will Markwell, of Sturgis, and Dr. Richard Foster, of Morganfield. Immediately after the ceremony the wedding party left for Louisville, where Mr. and Mrs. Hooper will visit Mr. and Mrs. Milton Young, formerly of Morganfield. From Louisville Mr. and Mrs. Self will visit in several central Kentucky cities. On their return to Morganfield, Mr. and Mrs. Self will be at home with Mrs. Elinor D. Hatfield and Mr. and Mrs. Hooper will be with the groom’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Hooper, near Grove Center.

“Rev. Self was formerly assistant pastor of the First Christian church here and has many friends in Owensboro. He recently accepted the call to the Christian church at Morganfield.”

Amanda Joyce Self was born in 1885 Union County and died 3 Dec 1970 Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama. According to a death notice, her body was returned to a Union County funeral home, but the place of burial was not given. [1] Her husband, the Rev. Self, was buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Morganfield.[2] 

Eleanor Barbara Joyce, better known as “Nellie,” was born in 1888 Union County. She died in 1919 and is buried beside her husband, Allen O. Hooper in Odd Fellows Cemetery #37.[3]

 

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[1] “Deaths and funerals in Kentucky,” The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky, Fri., 4 Dec 1970, p. 3. “Morganfield - Mrs. Amanda Self, formerly of Union County, died in Birmingham, Ala. The body will be returned to Whitsell Funeral Home here.”

[2] “Retired Minister, Rev. Self, Dies,” The Messenger, Madisonville, Kentucky, Thurs., 2 July 1959, p. 10.

[3] Find A Grave, Memorial #107954266, Nellie Joyce Hooper and Memorial #107954272, Allen O. Hooper.

Published 15 April 2021, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Union Lodge, Uniontown, Kentucky 1867

 Any record that places a particular person in a particular place at a particular time is a good record. Union Lodge, No. 219 was held at Uniontown, Union County, Kentucky on the First and Third Fridays in each month. The following information comes from Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, published by Frankfort Commonwealth, printers, Frankfort, Ky. 1867, accessed on Google Books 5 January 2018.

OFFICERS

J.G. Griffin, Master

T.C. Blackwell, Senior Warden

Geo. W. Phipps, Junior Warden

G.W. Orme, Treasurer

Cyrus Jones, Secretary

J.W. Berry, Senior Deacon

J.W. Johnson, Junior Deacon

                                         J.W. Stafford, Steward and Tyler                                          

    PAST MASTERS- J.W. Berry, G.W. Orme, J.G. Griffin

   MASTER MASONS- Green G. Boyle, David R. Bridges, Jas. E. Brown, John Cartmell, Saml. A. Davis, Abner Davis, Alonzo Hatfield, William J. Harris, J.W. Head, C.H. Higginson, L.C. James, D.A. McKellar, Jas. R. Phipps, Hiram G. Phipps, John T. Slack, T.J. Sweets, Henry Soechtig, U.H. Threlkeld, A.H. Willett, Philip Snow.

   FELLOW CRAFTS- Alex D. Cooper, R.E. McClanahan, E.D. Yeager, E.J. Porter.

   ENTERED APPRENTICES- Thomas G. Phipps, B.F. Poole, John F. Rebum.

   EXPELLED- Andrew McIntyre, July 19, 1867.

 Published 18 Feb 2021, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog,  http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Deaths of 3 Revolutionary War Pensioners - Union County, Kentucky 1840s

 

Not all death dates are found on death certificates and tombstones. The following entries in county court order books [court minutes] give the death dates of Revolutionary War pensioners in Union County, Kentucky Court Order Book E (1845-1855).  The source is located at the end of each entry.  OB E = Order Book E

Satisfactory proof was this day made in open court by oaths of James Eddins and John J. Curry that Edward Curry late of Union County departed this life on the 14^th day of May 1836 & that he was the identical person named in an original certificate here shown to court bearing date at the war office of the United States on the 27^th day of March 1834 numbered 26588 signed by Lew Cass Secretary of War and granting to the sd. Edward curry a pension of $50 per annum and further proven that Edward Curry died leaving no widow. [OB E, p. 58, 20 July 1846]

Satisfactory proof was this day made to the Court by oaths of Benjamin S. Gardiner and Thomas S. Chapman that William Givens was a pensioner of the United States at the rate of $20 per annum; was a resident of the county of Union and died in the County of Union on the 2^nd day of February 1847 and that he left no widow. [OB E, p. 124,  16 Aug 1847]

Satisfactory proof was made in open Court by oaths of William P. Jackson and Joseph W. Cromwell that William Hammock late of Union County departed this life on the 2^nd day of January 1849 & that he was the identical person named in an original certificate here shown to the court bearing date at the war office of the United States on the 14^th day of April 1834 numbered 26647 signed by Lew Cass Secretary of War & granted to William Hammock a pensioner of $30 per annum and further proven that Hammock died leaving no widow. [OB E, p. 207,  19 Feb 1849]

Published 27 Nov 2020, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/ 

 

Union County, Kentucky Guardian Appointments 1848

A guardian was appointed when a person was unable to act for himself  or was a minor (under the age of 21 years).  The parents may or may not have been living. At the age of 14, a minor could choose his own guardian with the approval of the county court. If under the age of 14, the court appointed the guardian. In 1848 Union County, the appointment of a guardian was recorded in  Guardian Bond Book 1848 - 1853 as well as in the County Court Orders Vol. E, 1845 - 1855. Both books are available on FamilySearch.org. The notation in brackets at the end of each entry refers to the Court Order book and page number. For example, E:152 refers to Court Orders E, page 152.

William Greathouse, orphan of Isaac Greathouse,  made choice of Phillip Johnson as his guardian. Surety: Alexander M. Henry.  20 Mar 1848.  [E:152]

James Benson was appointed guardian of Willis B. Benson and Dolly Benson, orphans of Elizabeth Benson dec'd. Surety: Enoch B. Benson.  20 Mar 1848.  [E:153]

Leonard L.  Robertson was appointed guardian of Susan E. Robertson, Mary A. Robertson, Martha Jane Robertson, Thomas D. Robertson and Leonard E. Robertson, orphans of Sarah Robertson dec'd. Surety: Enoch B. Benson.  20 Mar 1848.  [E:154]

Hardy F. Holeman, orphan of John Holeman Jr. dec'd, made choice of William F. Holeman as his guardian. Sureties: William T. Vaughn & Robert S. Hill.  20 Mar 1848.  [E:154]

Elisha J. Durbin was appointed guardian of Mary C. Kane, infant orphan of James Kane dec'd. Surety: Hillory J. Rapier.  17 Jul 1848.  [E:180]

Thomas H. Barker was appointed guardian of Ira H. Barker, orphan of Thomas Barker dec'd. Sureties: Edward Yates & Edward Brady.  18 Sep 1848.  [E:186]

John B. Buckman was appointed guardian of his son, Thomas C. Buckman. Surety: Charles N.  Buckman.  18 Sep 1848.  [E:189]

Leroy Thomas was appointed guardian of Leroy Thomas, Napoleon Thomas, Amanda Thomas & Eliza Thomas, orphans of Eliza Thomas.  Surety: John S. Wilson.  20 Nov 1848.  [E:194]

Published 23 Jan 2020, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Roster of Men Who Died in World War I - Part IV Union County

By December 1918, the casualties of World War I  had totaled 3,030 and were divided as follows:  Killed in action, 421;  died of wounds, 310;  died of accident and other causes; died of airplane accidents, 12;  died of disease, 431;  wounded severely, 344;  wounded, degree undertermined; 398;  wounded slightly, 619; missing in action, 474.[1]

In 1919, the names of Kentucky soldiers who lost their lives during World War I were published in several newspapers, including the Louisville Courier-Journal, the Hopkinsville Kentuckian and the Owensboro Messenger. The majority of deaths were mainly caused by the influenza epidemic of 1918 - 1919.

UNION COUNTY

Louis Bingham, Sturgis, killed in action

Thomas Cody, Uniontown, died of wounds

John J. Graham, Uniontown, killed in action

William Griggs, Waverly, died of disease

Uel Hinton, Uniontown, died of disease

John Jackson, Henshaw, died of disease

Edward Kirkman, Sturgis, died in German prison camp

Charles McGuire, Waverly, died of disease

James Lee Mattingly, Morganfield, died of disease

Henry Medley, Morganfield, killed in action

Roland C. Minton, Waverly, killed  in action

Thomas B. Moore, Sturgis, killed  in action

* Henry E. Riddle, Sturgis, died of wounds

Ernie G. Sheridan, Gumgrove, died of disease

James B. Simpson, Waverly, died of disease

Willie Stull, Sturgis, died of disease

Daniel L. Thompson, Uniontown, killed in action

Orville Van Bussum, Uniontown, died of disease

Vernon Woods, Boxville, died of disease

*  Sturgis, Ky., July 31 - Funeral services for Henry E. Riddle, first Union County soldier to die in the World War, were held at the Baptist Church this afternoon. Members of Riddle Post No. 106, American Legion, and Griggs-Alvey Post, Morganfield, had charge of the ceremonies. Six cousins, all former service men, were pallbearers. [2]

Pvt. Henry Eldridge Riddle

Pythian Ridge Cemetery

Sturgis, Union County, Kentucky

Photographed 15 May 2019

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[1] "Honor's Roll,"  Evansville Press, Thurs., 5 Dec 1918, p. 3.

[2] "Union County Hero Buried," Louisville Courier-Journal, Mon., 1 Aug 1921, p. 4.

Published 25 July 2019, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog,  http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

St. Vincent Academy 1820 - 1967

The records of Sacred Heart parish at St. Vincent, Union County  show that the Rev. Stephen Baden was the first priest to visit the Catholic population in southwestern Kentucky.  The first sermon was preached at the courthouse in Morganfield and the church was permanently established in 1819. In 1820 the Sisters of Charity established a school that became St. Vincent Academy.[1]

Many students who lived at a distance as well as many who lived in the surrounding area attended St. Vincent Academy. In 1891 the school celebrated the 71st annual commencement. Special trains were run to bring the large crowd to the exercises at St. Vincent.

Instead of the usual essays and programs, the operetta, "Author With the Poets" was the main event of entertainment. Taking part in the operetta were the following students: Mary B. Pike, Julia and Mary Wheatly, Ruth Shoemaker, Alma Mott, Lucy Mattingly, Mary and Christine Clements, Lena Wathen, Alice Kelley, Etta Davis, Katherine Elam, Florence Walker, Ida Willett, Hettie Dyer, Ruby Byrd, Mary Leonard, Anna Cambron, Lue Wilson and Addie Hayden.[2]

Diplomas that year were granted to Mary Pike, of Uniontown; Alma Mott, of Princeton; Ruth Shoemaker, of Morganfield; Julia Wheatley and Lucy Mattingly, of Waverly.[3]

A newspaper advertisement from 1913 shows that the school had "modern equipment, music, drawing and painting; shorthand and typewriting taught to the best improved methods."[4]

In 1920, St. Vincent Academy celebrated its centennial for three days in June.  Several women were to attend and celebrate their 50th anniversary of their graduation, including   Mrs. M.R. Waller and Mrs. J.G. Taylor. Another graduate who was to attend was Mrs. B.M. Mart, of Morganfield.[5]

St. Vincent Academy operated a boarding school until about 1964.   By March 1967, the faculty of St. Vincent's was planning the final days of the school.  There were no longer enough teachers to continue operating the high school and it was decided to close the school, leaving St. Vincent Academy parish  (grade)  school open. At that time, there were 265 students (63 students in the senior class) at St. Vincent High School and 85 parish school students. [6] 

On the 5th of December 1867, the buildings and land were auctioned off, bringing a total of $170,000. The administration building and other structures on a 10-acre plat were purchased for $17,500 by three men from Henderson, Kentucky. The land was sold to others, probably for farming.[7]

Paducah Sun-Democrat

30 July 1913, p. 7

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[1] "Few Pastors at Union Parish," Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, Mon., 7 Mar 1938, p. 6.

[2] "St. Vincent's Academy, The Seventy-First Commencement Celebrated with Appropriate Exercises," Louisville Courier-Journal, Thurs., 18 Jun 1891, p. 2.

[3] Ibid.

[4] "St. Vincent's Academy, Union County, Ky," Paducah Sun-Democrat, Wed., 30 Jul 1913, p. 7.

[5] "Observe Centennial of St. Vincent Academy, Owensboro Messenger, Sun., 23 May 1920, p . 1.

[6] "High School of Academy Founded in 1820 Is In Its Last Days," Paducah Sun, Fri., 3 Mar 1967, p. 21.

[7] "St. Vincent Academy Sold For $170,000 At Auction," Evansville Courier, 6 Dec 1967, p. 12.

Published 17 Jan 2019, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

In the News - Uniontown, Kentucky 1895

Every genealogist strives to find those documents that make up the backbone of our research.  Marriages, probates, deeds and census records are absolutely necessary in proving when and where our ancestors lived.  However, there is a way to add details to their lives and that is through the neighborhood news in the newspaper.  I live near a large town in Indiana and each week news of the little towns in southwestern Indiana, southeastern Illinois and western Kentucky were found in the old issues of the Sunday newspaper.  Some towns were listed in one week and others in the next week. No matter how often, the news told when people died, had company or moved.  It also told of church,  school and fraternal activities.

"News from Uniontown," Union County, Kentucky was published in the Evansville Sunday Courier on Sunday, 13 January 1895.

Dr. Nathan Cartmell, of Tustin, California, died at his home January 3, aged 75 years. He was many years a resident of this place, being in the banking business up to his departure in 1893. His wife, who survives him, is a daughter of Judge George Huston, of Morganfield, and a sister of Mrs. S.H. Davis, of Evansville.

At Morganfield last Monday, county court day,  installation of the county officers took place. A majority of these were re-elected to their respective offices, but the best paying office of the county changed hands, Mr. W.T. Cannon succeeding Capt. John H. Wall as county clerk . Capt. Wall is a confederate veteran, and has held this office twenty-four years since the war, his last three terms, 18 years, being continuous..

The ladies of the Episcopal church gave an oyster supper Thursday evening in the city hall, which was well patronized. The oysters were sent direct from their beds, off the Maryland coast, and were a gift to the rector, Rev. Mr. Ewing, and his wife.

Mrs. Sam Clements, of Pittsburgh, Kansas, is in the county visiting her sister, Mrs. Louis Clements.

Mrs. Alonzo Hatfield, the pleasant hostess of the Carlisle Hotel, entertained at cards, Wednesday evening a coterie of young people.

The Uniontown Minstrel Troupe will make their maiden performance in Berry's opera house next Tuesday evening, a benefit for St. John's Episcopal church.


Where else would you find this type of information that adds color and texture to the lives of our ancestors?

 Published 15 September 2016, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

St. Vincent's Academy and Sacred Heart Cemetery

St. Vincent's Academy 

Union County, Kentucky

Sacred Heart Cemetery
Union County, Kentucky

Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
Sacred Heart Cemetery

Union County, Kentucky

Published  4 May 2015, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

St. Vincent's Academy

St. Vincent's Academy was founded in 1820 and was in operation until 1967. Many young ladies of western Kentucky and elsewhere attended this fine boarding school.

The above advertisement appeared in the Henderson Daily Journal, Monday, 3 August 1914.

Published 2 May 2013, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog,  http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Historic St. Vincent's Academy

The following information has been abstracted from an article, "St. Vincent Academy is Historic Kentucky School," published in the Evansville (Indiana) Press, Sunday, 9 February 1936.

Five miles north of Morganfield in Union County, hidden from the highway by towering trees and shrubs, stands the oldest secondary educational institution in western Kentucky. It is St. Vincent Academy, founded in 1820 by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.

Prior to 1881, Sisters of the Academy sponsored a small school for boys across the road from the academy. In 1881, the boys' school was closed because of small attendance. It was reopened in 1914 and is September 1923, for the first time in the history of St. Vincent's, 22 boys were enrolled in the academy proper. Francis Murphy was the first graduate of this group.

In 1820, Sisters Angela Spinks, Frances Gardiner and Cecily O'Brien were sent by their superiors to organize a school in Union County on a farm set aside for use of the Sacred Heart Church. They made the journey of some 150 miles on horseback through what was then a wilderness. Their equipment consisted only of what they could tied in three aprons and carry in their arms.

Hardships of that journey were many and the three pioneers met discouragement when they arrived at the log cabin farm house only to find it occupied by a family that refused to move. The three educators spent their first night on what was later to become the academy farm in a poultry house.

Once established in the primitive log cabin, it fell to the lot of Cecily O'Brien and Frances Gardiner to teach the "large" class of five students. The following year the sisters were joined by three more instructors. A log cabin lean-to was added to the cabin. The school started to grow.

By 1842, there were 35 students. To keep pace with the growing enrollment, cabin after cabin was built. In 1852 or 1853, the academy's land totaled some 400 acres, including the property on which the old Sacred Heart Church stood. Construction was started in that year on a new brick academy building. For years the old Sacred Heart Church was used as a recreational hall. A second floor was added to the building and it was to this portion of the school that students were "sentenced" for misdemeanors. Punishment usually consisted of mending clothes or memorizing columns of words from a dictionary.

Perhaps one the best word pictures of the school in the 1850s was left by the wife of General John A. Logan of Civil War fame, in her book, "Reminiscences of a Soldier's Wife." She tells how students were coached in manners, or how to enter a parlor and meet guests without being awkward; of sewing all her own clothes, and of the Sister Superior's journeys to Louisville by boat to buy material for graduation costumes and of graduation exercises under the trees on the lawn.

The school was now housed completely in brick buildings. It had its own light plant, its own power plant, orchard, truck garden, dairy and bakery. The enrollment in 1936 was around 135 pupils.

St. Vincent's Academy was in operation until 1967.

In the News ...

Newspapers are a great source for filling in gaps in genealogical research. Everything that might possibly be of interest was reported in the local newspapers, even if the parties resided across the river or in another county. The following items concern residents of Union County, Kentucky, but appeared in the Gallatin Democrat, published in Shawneetown, Illinois.

8 July 1898
Al Cole accompanied by his wife and sister, Miss Lary, attended the funeral of his grandmother, Mrs. Robert Hales of Uniontown, Ky. Wednesday of last week.

Marriage Licenses
Geo. Nolls, 22, Dekoven, Ky.
Martha Miller, 22, Dekoven, Ky.

15 July 1898
Marriage Licenses
Jas. T. Williams, 22, Tilden, Ky.
Callie Gibson, 19, Tilden, Ky.

9 September 1898
Dave S. Stevens, a prominent farmer of Union County, Ky., aged about 75 years, committed suicide Aug. 29th, by hanging himself with a plow line at his home at Mt. Olive, near Henshaw. Family troubles, it is said, caused him to commit the deed. He had been despondent for some time but it was not thought that he entertained any such ideas as that carried out by his suicide.

14 October 1898
Marriage Licenses
R.M. Cullen, 29, Gum Springs, Ky.
Ollie R. Cullen, 20, Gum Springs, Ky.

Guy Cary, 25, Henshaw, Ky.
Ida McMurray, 16, Henshaw, Ky.

Amos Kuykendall, 36, Sturgis, Ky.
Nettie Steel, 32, Sturgis, Ky.



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