OF CASEY ·County, KENTUCKY 191
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THE MEN, WOMEN, EVENTS, INSTITUTIONS, AND LORE OF CASEY COUNTY, KENTUCKY \V. 1\1. \VATKINS Born at Grove, Casey County, Kentucky, August 18, 1884. Worked around mills, on a ranch in Texas, taught rural schools, spent a year in California as timekeeper and bookkeeper, spent a year and a half in the railway mail service, attended school at Middleburg, Union, Cumberland, Bowling Green Business University, University of Kentucky, Western, and Eastern. Was principal of the schools at Golden Pond, Liberty, Albany, and Kings J.v.fountain. Superintendent of Casey County schools since 1926. Has written articles for educational journals and papers. 1vfarried Edna Lee llJurphy June 19, 1916. Children-Josephine, Elizabeth Lee, Sharleen, and Jimmy. Gathered the material for this history during the years 1936, '37, and '38. THE MEN, WOMEN, EVENTS INSTITUTIONS & LORE of CASEY COUNTY KENTUCKY • Collected by W. M. WATKINS THE STANDARD PRINTING COMPANY INCOBPOR ATE D PUBLISHERS LOUISVILLE -tc KENTUCKY Copyright 1939 by W. M. WATKINS DEDICATION We wish to dedicate this work to my mother, my wife, my kinfolk, the school children, the men and women that make up the population of the county, to those sons and daughters who have gone to homes out of its bounds, to the many kind friends who have helped so willingly, and to the following loyal school ·teachers of 1938-1939, who by their co operation in subscribing for two copies each made the collection of this book possible : Velma Gibson, Kidd Store; Glen Elliott, Woodrum; Gorman God sey, Brown; Flonnie Dye and Gordon Godsey, ·v~lley Oak; Mabel Law horn and E. E. Workman, Willow; Frank Helm, Mintonville; Sue Russell,' Centennial; Virgie Pelley, Goose Creek; Lillie Rector, Riffe Creek; Beulah Wesley, Boyle; Josephine Watkins, Linnie; Hilda Wolford and Early Blevins, Woods Creek; Hazel Gilpin, White Oak; Rathmel Wes ley, Caney Fork; Mae Ellis, J acktown; George Grubbs and Mary D. Young, Ellisburg ; Cecil Purdom and Hettie Jeffries, Johnson Chapel; Edward Grubbs, Neeley Gap; Wallace and Dora Floyd, Walltown; Auda Haggard, Fairview ; Geneva Lane, Blacklick; Ocrey Hatter and Huel Buis, Poplar Hill; \, 1rginia Elliott, Bethany; Margaret Coffey, Tate; Sammy Witt, Brush Ct eek; ·vVillie Luttrell, Pine Grove ; Dimple Adams, Spraggens; Rufus McAnelly, Martin Creek; Charles T. Wethington, Sulphur; Jason Moore, Beech Bottom; Helen Dunham, Green Pond~ Roy Thomas and Heaston Settles, Pine Hill; Ethel Combest, Stapp; Hammond Young, Thomas ; Stella Ashley and Carroll Dye, Bethelridge ; Montie and Elmer Elliott, Mt. Olive; Effie Wethington, Beech Grove; Lillard Rodgers, Lucille Hendrickson, and Beulah Keith, Rheber; Charles Coffey, Beatrice Allen, and Bonnie Wesley, Gilpin; E. T. Cooper,. Peck; Stanly Bryant, Dry Fork; Mary Pitman, Chuckuluck; Curtis Norfleet, Pumpkin Chapel ; Heber Tarter and Edna Thomas, Hammonds ; Louise Murphy and Ivan Ellis, Rockyford; Clevo Zachary, Walnut Hill; Harold Wells, Knoblick; Fred Hatfield, Campbell ; Adolene Gibson,. Freys Creek; Emm~ Williams, Shoehammer; La£ ern Wesley and Leland Rubarts, Woods ; Willivena Wethington, Buckeye ; Sister Otha Abell and Sister Benedict Thomas, Clementsville; Lucille Rodgers and Charley V Wesley, Phil; Mary Luttrell, W. T.; Alton and Adell McAnelly, Foster; Howard Moore, Atwood; Ruben Baldock and J. S. Lawhorn, Good Hope; Edna Toms, Lanhamtown; Ralph and Floyd Wilkinson, McDaniel; Chester Coffey, Jonathan; John Burriss, Chelf ; M. K. Stephens and Helen Luttrell, Maple Grove; Anna Hays, Elk Cave; Floyd Douglas, Poplar Springs; Delbert Hatter and Gustava Carman, Calvary; Jessie Wesley Dillon and Helen Wesley, Ridge ; Robert Elliott and Christine Compton, Grove; Lucille Carter, Butchertown; Carlos Moore, Scotts c:;:hapel; Alvin Zachary, Contown; Inez Ashley, Oak Hill; Ada Hedland, Sandknob ; Dorothy Yaden, Calhoun; E. V. and Gladys Carrier, Creston. Gladys Richards, Red Hill ; Nettie Rich, Maxey Valley; Roland Bartle, Shucks Creek; Lucy Moore and Gladys Gilpin, Griffith; Artie Moore, Griffith; Josephine King, Cochran; Beulah Buis, Little South; Aro1na Bray, Ferndale ; Demaris Wesley, Delk; Ruth L. Brown, Wess ; Josh Taylor, Lawhorn Hill; Bernice Walls, Hatter Creek; Joe Jones, Chestnut Level; Wade Walters, Luttrell; R. J. Luster, Patsey Riffe, Georgia Wes ley and Anna Young, Atterson; Alva Lee Wesley, Hickory Grove ; Willie Ann Coffey, South Fork; Claire Yates, .Noel Chapel; Ruby Rash, Gib son; Ted Burriss, John Tarter, Mary Pelley, and Christine McCain, Dunville; Anna Stephens, Duncan; Ethylene Zachary, Murphy; Howard Short, McFarland; Josh Wells, Mrs. Roberta Wells, Van Renneau, Earl Butcher, J as. W. Murphy, Mrs. Goldie Race, Mrs. Rhoda Curtis, Mrs. Lucy Wash, Marvin Wesley, Lina Compton, Coletta James, Bessie Witt, Irene Garrett, The Casey County High and Liberty Graded; W. G. Kirtley, Mrs. W. G. Kirtley, Elizabeth Fogle, Mrs. Robert Elliott, Preston Short, Miss Bettie Royal try, and Nancy Young, Middleburg. Also to Chas. F. Lawhorn, attendance officer, and to the County Board, French Toms, chairman, Flora Keith, Otis C. Tarter, Paul D. Combest, and Kenneth Pelley. Vl FOREWORD The author has long felt that a record? should be made of the lore and events of the county. No one else seemed inclined to undertake the job. The following is the collection of work done by many other persons. There will be some errors. Much material gathered from the court books had to be rejected. We have taken the liberty, with the permission of Editor Otis Thomas, to print some of the chapters in Peter Bim Riffe's "Celeste" or "An Early History of Casey County." We are indebted to Edgar B. Wesley, Herman Lucas, Lincoln Wells, Father Stuart, Homer Short, Jessie Anderson, Billy Meeks, S. A. McKin ley, Oliver Popplewell, many of the teachers and their patrons, Tom Miller, Os Bowman, M. K. Humphrey, Frank Bell, Professor Wells and faculty and pupils of the Casey County High School, Jimmy Fogle, County Court Clerk John W. Weddle and his deputy S. E. Jeffries, M. L. and Uncle Bud Sharp, and many others who co-operated so well. · It is hoped that this little book will create a deeper love and appre ciation for our county by her people; that it will make for a deeper friend ship among the fine citizens who live in both town and country; and here is hoping that we can live in peace and love, in progress and enjoy ment. Let us live simply and think lofty thoughts. We humbly beg your forgiveness £or all that is left out of this at tempt to gather the lore and romance of our home community. None regret the fact more than I, that we could not make it better. Your friend, BILL WATKINS. Liberty, Ky., 1939 .. Vll CONTENTS Page DEDICATION -------------... ---.-- ---.. --------. -... -... -. --· --·-...... --.----- --... -. ----- .... ----------------·- .. ---. - ..V FOREWORD --.··---·-- ---------------------. ----------. --------------.. ---......... ----------------.. ---------------. ··-. Vll CHRISTOPHER RIFFE ------· --. ---..... -------.. ---. --- .. -.. -... -.. ---... --....... --.. --.... ---------------- 1 NEIGHBORING COUNTIES 6 ORGANIZING .CASEY COUNTY 11 First' Court Records 13 The Beginning of Liberty .......................................................................... 17 SCHOOL MATTERS 19 An Act Incorporating Min ton ville ................................................... 25 The Middleburg Schoo I ............................................................. ~ ......... 26 The Liberty School 30 DISTRICT HISTORIES Middleburg 33 Clemen tsville 42 Grove 44 Stapp 47 Ragged Ridge 49 M·ount Olive 54 Yosemite 55 Pine Grove 57 Val Ie y Oak ............................................................................................... 60 Brown 61 Freedom ---........ ----- .. -.. ---.... -------------. --------------.. ----------------------. ------. ------------------- 62 Bethelridge 63 Gilpin ----------- .. -----... -·--------------- .. -.. --------------------- ...... --- .. ------------------ ---------.. ------------ 65 Wallto,vn 66 Ellisburg ----------------------- .. -. -----. --- .. ----- ... ----- .. -. ----------... ---- .. --- ... ----------- .. -- ----- .. --------- 68 Ch u•ckul u ck ........................................................................................... ·... • 70 Pa ts ey Riffe ···················································································-······· .. 71 Dry Fork 72 Maxey Valley 72 Hammond 73 B rush Creek ............................................................................................. 74 Tate 74 Woods 75 Calvary 76 Buckeye 77 Indian Creek 77 Rich Hill 78 Martin Cr-eek 79 Sulphur Run 80 Lawhornhill ·----------------------- .. -·----------- .......... ------------. -----------------------. -- ------------ 80 Atwood 80 X CONTENTS DISTRICT HISTORIES-Continued Page Poplar Springs ·---·--·------. --·-.. -.. -----· ---. ----------.. ------.----. ----. ----------. --.---- --------- 81 Thomas 81 Murphy ------------------·-···· -------.. -.. ------------------- ----------.-- -----------.-- ----------·---------- 81 Red Hill ------------------------------------------------------------.. -----------------------------------· 81 Lanham town ------------------· -----.---- --------------------.- .--- .- ----. --- --.- ----... ----------------- 81 Elk .Cave ···--··--··-····--········· ................................................................. 82 Boyle ··-····· ·-------------------------------. -----·-. ------.-- --.-- --. --.- --------------------- ---- -.. ------- -- 82 Good Hope ----------------------------·-----·-----·------------------------------··········---------·---------··