ROBERT J. DUFF

ROBERT J. DUFF, Ohio County, was born December 25, 1838, in Granger County, Tenn., and in 1851 removed to Ohio County, Ky., where, in 1861, he enlisted in Company F, Seventeenth Kentucky Infantry, remaining in the service of his country until the regiment was mustered out in 1865. Soon after his discharge from the army he removed to Spencer County, Ind., remaining there until 1868, when he returned to Ohio County, Ky., where he has since resided. His father, Robert R. Duff, a native of Virginia, died in 1848, aged fifty-flve years. Robert R. espoused in marriage Caroline Walker, of Virginia, who died in 1848 at the age of forty-five years. Their offspring are Araminta (Long), Louisa T. (Mitchel), John W., Robert James, Hugh T., Rufus S., Temple H., and Carrie E. (Wedding). On May 28, 1858, Robert J. (subject), married Josephine, daughter of Robert G. and Mary A. (Hale) Wedding, Ohio County; she died in 1867. To their union was born one child — Emmer E. (Johnson). Mr. Duff next married, March 6, 1870, Mrs. Martha M., widow of Fleming R. Kuykendall and daughter of Calvin and Mary (Walker) Johnson, of Ohio County, born October 10, 1848, and to them have been born Ida P., Thomas T., James A., Charles P., Robert C, Carrie (deceased), and Ollie W.  Robert M. Kuykendall is a son by Mrs. Duff's former husband. Mr. Duff is a successful farmer, having 195 acres of productive and well-improved land in good condition. He is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics a stanch Republican.

Source: J. H. BATTLE, W H. PERRIN, & G. C. KNIFFIN 1895

Note:  Mr. Duff died in Sulphur Springs, Ohio County, KY 17 August 1917.

Obits - October 15, 1970 (7 thru 9 of 9)

The Ohio County Times

October 15, 1970

Obits - October 15, 1970 (3 thru 6 of 9)

The Ohio County Times

October 15, 1970

Obits - October 15, 1970 - The Ohio County Times (1 thru 3 of 9)

Showboats On the Green River

The following is a link to a fun piece about “Showboats On the Green River” by Celeste Happeny.  The piece was posted on the WKU Folk Studies Sound Facebook page. It features the recorded recollections of Catherine Dobbs Hill.  It is about 3 minutes in length.

https://soundcloud.com/wku-folk-studies-sound/celeste-happeny-showboats-on-the-green-river?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=facebook

MEN IN SERVICE

MEN IN SERVICE

The Ohio County Times

November 25, 1970

            Staff Sergeant William L. Tooley, Jr., son of William L. Tooley, Sr., Highway 62, Rockport, has received his second award of the Air Force Commendation Medal for outstanding achievement at Tyndall AFB, Florida.

            Sergeant Tooley, disregarding his personal safety, entered a hazardous area to assist in extinguishing a fire on an aircraft. His actions not only saved the burning aircraft but also prevented the fire from spreading throughout the area. He is an aircraft mechanic at Tyndall with a unit of the Air Training Command.

            Sergeant Tooley returned from Vietnam last January after com­pleting a 12-month duty tour at Tan Son Nhut Air Base.

            The 1964 Centertown High School graduate attended the Gulf Coast Junior College, Panama City, Florida.

            His wife, Evelyn, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Anglin of 1301 Georgia  Avenue, Lynn Haven, Florida.

            Sergeant Tooley's mother, Mrs. Irene Tooley, resides in Louisville.

____________________________________

            Navy Seaman Apprentice Darl W. France, son of Mr. and Mrs. Owen France of 510 Central Avenue, Beaver Dam, has returned to Norfolk, Virginia, after a deployment to the Mediterranean aboard the guided missile frigate, USS Belknap.

            The Belknap was participating in an advanced fleet missile exercise in the Caribbean when, along with the guided missile frigate USS Leahy, she was called upon to escort the attack carrier USS John F. Kennedy in a high speed transit  to the Mediterranean to provide additional support of the Sixth Fleet forces.

______________________________________

            Army Private Edgar C. McIntyre is assigned to Company A, 18th Bat­talion, 5th Brigade, here in the Training Center, Armor (USATCA).

            He will spend the next two months learning the fundamental skills of the soldier in today’s modern action ar­my; firing live ammunition under simulated combat situations, learning protective measures and first-aid for  chemical, 'biological, and radiological attacks, as well as being schooled in the use of modern arms.

            Interspaced with the constant emphasis on proper physical con­ditioning, diet, rest and health habits, there will be ample opportunity to utilize USATCA's many and varied recreational and religious facilities. Following the completion of Basic Training, PVT McIntyre, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. McIntyre of Route 1, Narrows, will receive at least an additional eight weeks of either advanced individual or on-the-job training to qualify him in a specialized military skill.

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            U.S. Air Force First Lieutenant George A. Barnes of Beaver Dam has been decorated with his second Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement in Southeast Asia.

            Lieutenant Barnes, son of Tim Barnes, Rt. 3, Beaver Dam, distinguished himself as an F-4 Phantom pilot when he flew a mission against enemy trucks and supplies on a heavily defended route. Despite intense antiaircraft artillery fire, he made repeated accurate ordnance deliveries, destroying trucks and supplies destined for use against allied forces.

            The lieutenant was honored at Ubon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, where he serves with a unit of the Pacific Air Forces.

            A 1961 graduate of Beaver Dam High School, he received his B.S. degree in 1966 from the University of Kentucky and was commissioned the following year upon completion of Officer Training School at Lackland AFB, Texas. He is a member of Alpha Gamma Rho.

            Lieutenant Barnes' wife, Johnnie, is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. I. K. Cross, 8 Parklane, Texarkana, Texas.

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            Army Private Larry E. Patton, 24, son of Mrs. Helen F. Powers, 3454 Dermont Thruston Road, Owensboro, Kentucky, recently completed nine weeks of advanced individual in­fantry training at Ft. Polk, Louisiana.

            During the course he received guerrilla training and lived under simulated Vietnam conditions for five days, fighting off night attacks and conducting raids on enemy villages. He was taught methods of removing booby traps, setting ambushes and avoiding enemy ambushes.

            Other specialized training included small unit tactics, map reading, landmine warfare, communications, and firing the M-16 rifle, M-60 machine gun and the 3.5 inch rocket launcher.

            Pvt. Patton entered the army in June 1970 and completed basic training at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky.

            The Private, son of Ellis G. Patton, 313 S. Main St., Beaver Dam, Ken­tucky, received his B.S. degree in 1970 from Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green.

            His wife, Marjorie, lives at Western Hills Trailer Park, Bowling Green.

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            Army Specialist Four Dennis R. Young, 21, whose mother, Mrs. Cherlena Young, and wife, Bertie, live at 800 Madison Street, Beaver Dam, is serving in the 545th Military Police Company of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) near Phuoc Vinh, Vietnam.

            Recently the company had the honor of being recognized as the most outstanding military police company in the U.S. Army. In ceremonies at the base camp, the commanding officer of the 545th was presented the first award of the Jeremiah P. Holland Trophy by Colonel Wallis K. Wittler, Provost Marshal, U.S. Army, Vietnam, representing Major General Lloyd B. Ramsey, Provost Marshal General of the U.S. Army.

Vital Statistics 1852 & 1853

1970 Tornado

THE OHIO COUNTY TIMES

November 25, 1970

 Typical scene in Hartford & Rockport

"We were lucky a lot of people were not killed," one man said as he sat talking to neighbors and friends in a cold and darkened restaurant. 

"I thought it was the end of the world,'' a woman said as she surveyed the ruins of a friend's home.

These were just two of the many sentiments expressed Friday morning following Thursday night's storm which spawned winds of tornado force.

Sections of Rockport and Hartford were two of the hardest hit areas in ­the storm's path which stretched from Cleaton in Muhlenberg County to Tell City, Indiana. One section of Rockport looked as though it literally had been bombed. Many houses were extensively damaged and  at least two house trailers were demolished.

Roland Wilkerson and his wife were in one of those trailers when the storm struck around 10 p.m. Mrs. Wilkerson was slightly injured and was admitted to the Ohio County Hospital. The wind lifted their mobile home from its concrete block foundation and rolled it more than one hundred feet down a hill and into another house. Only the wheels remained intact. Wilkinson was vitally concerned about the injuries to his wife and the loss of their home. He also  had another worry. While discussing the ordeal with others in a restaurant, Wilkerson said, "it broke my only Johnny Cash record."

Half of Mrs. Helen Grave's home was torn away by the unexpected storm. Luckily, Mrs. Graves was in the other half.

The exact velocity of the wind has not been established. A spokesman for one usually reliable source said his recording instruments were knocked out with the wind reading gauge stuck on 66.8 miles an hour. It could have been much higher.

               

Devastation was evident in every direction. Roofs were ripped from the houses, large trees were uprooted, barns were demolished and utility  poles were down. Many power lines were down and the fact that electrical service was knocked out could have been a blessing in disguise. Broken lines lay in streets, across cars and in yards. Because the power supply from Beaver Dam was disrupted, those lines lay harmless.

Many homes were without elec­tricity and water for more than 18 hours. This also meant an equal number of homes were without heat.

At least nine persons were treated for storm-caused injuries at the Ohio County Hospital. Two were admitted but none was injured seriously.

The mobile home of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Abbot in Echols was blown from a hill wrecked. Mrs. Abbot was  slightly injured. She said she protected her two year-old son by placing two pillows around him.

Gill's Radiator Shop and Myers' Restaurant, both south of Hartford, were extensively damaged. A remodeling project was almost completed at the radiator' shop.

Clifford Smith's trailer home,  located near the hospital, was overturned and totally, wrecked. Smith, who was in the mobile home with his wife and three children, said the roof of the trailer started flapping like canvas prior to the strongest gusts of wind.

John Shields was in his residence on the Bob Hudson-Jack Baird farm off Highway 69 when the storm struck. Shields said many of the more than 200 head of cattle on the farm ran for the barn when the wind toppled a nearby tree. That proved to be a mistake for at least five of the animals. Within a matter, of minutes, the barn collapsed, killing four cows and a calf. Two more cows were injured and reportedly would be destroyed. Several trees around the house were blown down and several pieces of farm machinery were damaged when the shed they were in collapsed. Shields had his personal car parked in a garage behind the house. The wind lifted the garage from its foundation, demolishing the structure as it hit the ground. Shields' car was not scratched.

A large barn on the Goshen Road was lifted off the ground and set down just a few yards away. Damage to the building was light.

Clifton Cardwell, Rockport, stayed busy trying to keep his restaurant customers in coffee. Because the power was off, his large coffee maker was inoperative and he was at­tempting to keep cups filled with the use of a small perculator.

Larry Todd, manager of Kentucky Utilities office in Hartford, estimated the wind damage to his company's facilities at $12,000 to $15,000. Todd said electrical service was restored to most residents in Rockport by 5 p.m. last Friday. Homes which were not going to be lived in that night were omitted. The KU executive also said a 125 foot tower just across the county line in Muhlenberg County was twisted and will have to be replaced. The tower supported a 33,000 volt transmission line which serves Ohio County.

Members of the Ohio County Chapter of the Red Cross went to Rockport Saturday and determined property damage and human suffering was sufficient to warrant Red Cross aid. A spokesman for the chapter said between 40 and 50 family homes were damaged. A registration office was set up Monday in the Rockport Presbyterian Church to handle applications. The amount of relief provided by the Red Cross will be determined by individual needs.

No official estimate of financial loss has been released but the figure is expected to run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Service station just south of Hartford on U.S. 231 leased by Jim Don Tichenor

Trailer off Highway 62 owned by Danny Asberry

Home of Mrs. Helen Graves

A Wagon Load of Apples

A Wagon Load of Apples

  An Oral History Story

“My dad, G.O. Cox, told me this story, recorded on tape, about taking a

wagon load of apples to sell at the Broadway Coal Mines company store.

“Well, we took a wagon load of apples down to the Broadway Mines and was going to peddle them out.  Got ‘em all loaded up, and got up before daylight and eat breakfast, got the horses harnessed up, and took that load of apples down there and was going to go…they had company houses in big long rows…and we were going to go from house to house and sell those apples.  But…when we got down there, well somebody told them about it at the company store, which was a great big store where all the miners had to trade. 

“And, so a man come down there and told us we couldn’t sell those apples…at those houses.  That if we wanted to sell those apples, to bring them down to the store and they would buy them.  We drove down to the store…and the porch was way up high…had a great big old porch on the side of a hill.  Higher than a wagon bed.  And that old storekeeper come out there…I never have forgot it…because he had on an apron.  And he stood there and looked down at those apples, and told Grandpa what he would give him for ‘em…I’ve forgot what it was, it wasn’t but just a little…bit. 

“And there was five or six men all settin’ on benches around there on that porch and…Grandpa looked back at all of them and says, “I’m going to dump these apples out at a certain creek”.  I have forgotten the name of it.  “And if anybody wants any apples, tell them to come out there and they can get all the apples they want.’  And he gave them horses a click, and said, “Giddyap.”  And hit the horses, and we drove off. 

“And, we went about two miles out of the town to a creek there with a big steep bank, and he drove the wagon down there, and pulled it back up where the backend of it would be down real low, and he got out and went back there and pulled the end gate out of that wagon and let all the apples roll out.”

(At this point, my daughter, Jennifer, asked:  “Couldn’t he sell them somewhere else?”)

G.O.:  “There wasn’t anywhere else to go.  That was a town.  That was all of it.  The mines run it and owned it all.  (Broadway Mines).”

Janice Brown:  “Did all of you pick those apples yourselves the day before?”

G.O.:  “Well, of course, we did.  We got out in the orchard and went from tree to tree, and picked out good apples, and polished them, and put them on a wagon bed piled with straw.  Why heck.  We had put a lot of work into ‘em.  Everybody picked.  Everybody in the family.  Yes.  Trying to make a little money.”

Jennifer:  “That was you and your granddaddy?”

G.O.  “Yes, my grandfather Smith.  My mother’s daddy…James Thomas Smith.”

Amy:  “That sounds like fun!”  (at that time, my daughter, Amy was nine years old.)

(My dad next remembered something else about the wagon story and selling apples):

“But I was always saying something.  On that same porch that I told you about when we drove up there to sell those apples.  Well, there was always a bunch of loungers sitting around there that wasn’t working.  And mama sent me to the store one day for something.  But when I walked up those big high steps and got up on that porch, well, one old man turned around to me and said, “Hello, Stoebuck.”  And I said, “Hello, Homemade.”  And just went right on in the store.” 

Jennifer:  “What does Stoebuck mean?” 

G.O.:  (chuckling) “It was just a name he had for me.  But I have never forgotten it.” 

Jennifer:  “Because you called him, “Homemade?”

G.O.:  “Because I called him “Homemade” -- and all of them guys just like to have fell off the benches.  And then I heard my Daddy tell my mother a few days later, that everybody in that mine went to calling that guy, “Homemade.”  And that liked to have tickled them to death, you know.  And I guess it embarrassed him.”

~ Submitted by Janice Cox Brown

JOHN DOHERTY

JOHN DOHERTY was born in the county Donegal, Ireland, in 1836, and is a son of Owen and Hannah (Sweney) Doherty. Owen Doherty was married in his native country, where he was engaged in farming and contracting all his life. He and his wife were life-long members of the Catholic Church. John Doherty received but little education in youth in his native land, where he was mainly engaged in farming until he was nineteen years of age. In April, 1855, he landed in the United States, first going to West Virginia, where he was engaged in railroading for several months. He then removed to Pittsburgh, Penn., where he was engaged in flat-boating down the rivers to New Orleans until the breaking out of the war. In 1861 he was employed in the ordnance department of the United States forces of Louisville, Ky., and immediately after the capture of Nashville, Tenn., by the Federals he was transferred to that city where he remained about three years. He then engaged in the liquor business at Nashville, remaining about one year. In the summer of 1865 he made a visit to Ireland, remaining until the fall of that year. In 1867 he engaged in the liquor trade at Mt. Vernon, Ky., where he remained about two years and then returned to Nashville, where he was engaged in the same business for a time. In the spring of 1870 he came to Rockport, Ohio County, where he has since been engaged in the liquor and grocery trade. He is also engaged in farming and stock raising. Mr. Doherty was also engaged in the coal business in Ohio County. He, Smith, Keith & Co. opened the Rockport Mines, now known as the Echol Mines, of which he yet owns a portion of the stock. In addition to the above, Mr. Doherty also owns valuable property in Rockport. He was married, May 29, 1882, to Maggie Doherty, a native of Louisville, Ky. They have one child — Owen, born February 8, 1885. Both are members of the Catholic Church. In politics Mr. Doherty is a Democrat.

Source: J. H. BATTLE, W H. PERRIN, & G. C. KNIFFIN 1895