Page | 1 THE KENTUCKY PILGRIM The Society of Mayflower Descendants in the Commonwealth of Kentucky Spring 2020 Issue Governor Ben Talbott's Message As we approach KSMD's Spring annual meeting in Plymouth and elsewhere. Furthermore, Meeting I realize that my three- Foster, who joined the GSMD Color Guard, has twice acted year term as your Governor will as our speaker, once speaking about the Honor Guard itself come to an end on Saturday, April and its Mayflower history, and more recently about 25 when our new Governor will be Kentucky's most famous madam, Belle Brezing, who was elected. Therefore, in concluding the model for Belle Watling, the madam in the movie Gone With The Wind. my term, I wish to say that it has been a privilege, honor and great Also, I need to thank Anissa Davis, our Historian who pleasure to represent our members has worked especially hard over the last three years to in this role over these last three increase our KSMD membership from 166 members to 201 years. members, and with more to come. Anissa has also served Most importantly, however, I want to take this as our First Deputy Governor, and recently she has been opportunity to thank all of the members of our Board, and working hard on KSMD's special Kentucky projects others of our members who have helped me so much in designed to commemorate the Mayflower's 400th carrying out my duties to this organization. There are too Anniversary- a big undertaking which she agreed to chair for this year of 2020. many of you to name everyone individually, but there are a few who were so important that I would be derelict not to I also should not forget to mention specifically name them. Carol Vaughn who has acted as our First among those are Fay Charpentier-Ford and Jerry Secretary, and Howard Roberson, our Ford who explained to me how to prepare our regular web-master, and David Hampton, our newsletter and our menu and agenda documents, etc., while Captain. Furthermore, I want to thank Fay was also carrying out the important role of KSMD all three of my daughters, Betty Burton, Treasurer. In addition, they have been tremendously helpful Sandra Butler, and Libby Berryman for in the preparation of table decorations and the donation of their help on various matters, but gifts for our semi-annual drawings. In addition, Jerry has especially Libby for all the work she did been hard at work in putting together our next KSMD in helping to raise funds for the GSMD Members Directory which should be coming out soon. These Meetinghouse, and in running down the proper telephone numbers and are just a few of the important things they do for our Carol Vaughn organization. addresses for members with whom we had lost contact over the last few years. Without this effort In addition, I wish to thank Martina Ockerman and we would not be able to prepare a proper KSMD Members Foster Ockerman for their wonderful assistance. For Directory. example, Martina is not only our Elder, but she has also acted as the Chair of the Needless to say, there are others who deserve special Fundraising Committee for thanks also, such as Marie Dering and Evelyn Zolondek for the GSMD Meetinghouse for their generous contributions to the GSMD Meetinghouse, the last two years. Although and Bill Swinford, Dan Klinck, and Bill Carrell, II for their we were committed to raise allowing us the use of their club memberships for our Annual Fall Meeting and Annual Spring Meeting. $5,000 for that effort, we have actually raised over Also, I wish to publicly recognize and thank my $16,000, and we have seven secretary, Patty Miller, for all her assistance, particularly in more months to raise even learning how to put together the articles and photos in the more. The GSMD newspaper format of our Kentucky Pilgrim newsletter. Meetinghouse acquisition Seeing her make everything properly fit together is like and restoration has been watching a miracle in progress. described by GSMD as Martina & Foster Ockerman being the most important And also, I especially want to thank my wife, Sandy, project ever undertaken in the for her participation, help and encouragement which allowed me to carry out my duties to the best of my ability. history of GSMD. Moreover, Martina and Foster have on several occasions attended with Sandy and me the GSMD Page | 2 And finally, I wish to assure you that our Nominating topped off with a delicious slice of warmed apple pie and a Committee is already hard at work in selecting the large helping of cinnamon ice cream. nominees for our new officers to take charge of KSMD for The Compact ceremony was then performed by the next three years. Historian and First Deputy Governor Anissa Davis, who KSMD's Fall Meeting also subsequently auctioned off a beautiful Alden plate November 2, 2019 which had been donated by Julia O'Hara-Slayton. That On Saturday, November 2, 2019, the KSMD held its plate was then bought by Dr. Betty Burton for $300.00, and Fall Meeting in the beautiful Pendennis Club in Louisville, the proceeds will be given to GSMD for its Meetinghouse restoration project. Kentucky. Governor Ben J, Talbott opened the meeting at 12:00 Next, Governor Talbott introduced the speaker, Foster noon by welcoming the forty-six attending members and Ockerman, who was already well-known to the group, both guests and thanking them for coming. This was as a former KSMD speaker, a GSMD Color Guard, and as immediately followed by the Invocation given by Elder the spouse of KSMD Elder, Martina Ockerman. His topic was "Belle Brezing, Lexington's famous Madam". Some of Martina Ockerman which was then followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Captain David Hampton. the interesting facts described in Ockerman's presentation are as follows: Governor Talbott then proceeded to Belle was born Mary Belle make a number of announcements Cox in Lexington on June 16, 1860 including that he and his wife, Sandy to an unmarried dressmaker and Talbott, along with their daughter, Dr. part time prostitute. Her mother Betty Burton and her husband Dr. Steve later married George Brezing and Burton had attended the GSMD Belle took his name. At age 12, General Meeting in Denver, Colorado, which was then the age of consent, at which time he presented another she was seduced by Dionesio KSMD check to GSMD for $1,550, Mucci. He did not marry her causing our total contribution presently although they continued together to exceed $15,000. for two years. She became Governor Talbott also mentioned Belle Brezing pregnant at 15 and had a daughter. Dr. Betty Burton that the GSMD was planning a number Two months later her mother died. of events for the coming 400th During the funeral their landlord evicted Belle and her daughter. anniversary of the Mayflower landing at Plymouth, including a planned voyage of the newly reconstructed Belle became a prostitute at 16 at Jenny Hill's house, Mayflower from Provincetown to Plymouth for a mere which in earlier time was the home of Mary Todd Lincoln. $2,800 per person. In addition, the GSMD was expecting Belle quickly became the most popular of the girls. At 21 over 500,000 visitors to Plymouth in 2020, with she started her own house on N. Upper, 1881. In 1889 approximately 3,500 people to become new members of the public outcry led to several houses of prostitution being GSMD. He also noted that since the KSMD would be concentrated in a "red light" district on the east edge of electing new Board members and officers at the Spring town, including Belle's. Meeting next April, he had appointed a Nominating Once described as a "$5 Committee to recommend the nominees to be voted upon house in a $1 on April 25, 2020. neighborhood" Belle's Following other announcements house was run more like a and remarks by Governor Talbott, private club, with white tie KSMD Historian Anissa Davis then dress dinners, fine clothing gave her membership report during for the girls, good food and which she reminded the attendees wine. It stood two blocks that when she was elected KSMD from a trolley stop and three Historian we had only 166 members, blocks from the old race track downtown. but that we now have 201 members, for which she was given an Among her customers enthusiastic applause. Dr. Anissa Davis were the best politicians, Martina Ockerman next gave the Blessing which was bankers, businessmen and immediately followed by a delicious Thanksgiving meal, attorneys, from whom she including among other items, delicious carved turkey, got good advice. And in 1882 when Belle was cornbread stuffing and gravy, country style green beans, Belle as a young girl corn pudding and cranberry sauce, etc., all of which was arrested for operating a "bawdy house" she was Page | 3 pardoned by Ky. Gov. Luke P. Blackburn. When the US Betty Burton, Evelyn Zolondek, John Ward, and Libby army, in Lexington for training prior to going into WWI, Berryman. forced the houses to close, Belle became a recluse and lived Governor Talbott also presented to off her savings. She contracted cancer and became addicted this new committee a list of possible to morphine. She was so well known nationally that her projects, some of which had been obituary ran in Time Magazine, which described her brothel suggested by Jim Bentley, and others of as "the most orderly of disorderly houses." Margaret which Governor Talbott had decided Mitchell based the character Belle Watling in Gone with the upon following his discussions with a Wind on Belle Brezing.