Daviess County History - Dudley Ford

Source Daviess County History:

Mary E. Ford

 Mary E. (Johnston) Ford applied for a pension based on her husband's service in the Confederate army. Her husband was Dudley Ford, born 27 Nov 1844 - died 14 March 1912, Ohio County.  Sgt. Dudley Ford is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Hartford.

John A. Ford, William Ford and James W. Ford

JOHN A. FORD was born January 6, 1819, in Ohio County, Ky., where he has always resided. His father, Joseph Ford, a native of Pike County, was born in 1797, and died in 1868. He was the son of a Revolutionary soldier, who also served in the war of 1812, and died in Pike County about 1825. Joseph married Lucinda, daughter of John and Dolly (Piper) Awtry, of Ohio County, born in 1794, died in 1859, and from this union sprang John A.; Dolly (Likins); David; Joseph; Isaac served in the late war; also William; Burrel; killed in battle; Angeline; Martha; and Charlotte, who married three brothers named Kuykendall. October 15, 1840, Mr. Ford married Martha J., daughter of Nathan and Nancy (Likins) Keown, of Ohio County, born May 16, 1821, and to them have been born Mary (O'Bannon), Newton J. (served in the late war), John W. (in the late war, at the capture of Morgan), Margaret (Berkley), Narcissa A. (Lunsford), Alexander (deceased), Joseph N. (deceased), Thomas H., Jacob S., Lucinda J., and Nancy M.  Mr. Ford is a farmer having 177 acres of fair land in a good state of cultivation. He has, for forty years, been a member of the Baptist Church and politically is a stanch Republican.

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

Note:  John Alfonzo Ford died 14 May 1894 in Ohio County. Mr. Ford is buried in the Old Salem Cemetery.

WILLIAM FORD, Ohio County, was born in Shelby County, Ky., September 19, 1824. His parents were John and Nancy (Garth) Ford. The father was born in South Carolina, and at the age of ten years came with his father, Elisha Ford, and settled in Shelby County, Ky. The mother was a native of Rockingham County, Va. The grandfather, Elisha Ford, served eight years as a soldier in the war of Independence. There were of John Ford's family eleven children, six of whom are living: J. Harvey Ford, resides at Fordsville, Ohio County; Mrs. Reuben Miller, a widow, residing in Ellis Precinct; Mrs. Truman, of Fordsville, also a widow; William, our subject; Milton Ford, who resides in Daviess County, and Mrs. William Bates, of Breckinridge County. An elder brother, now deceased, was a resident of Fordsville, and gave his name to the town and precinct; his son, James Ford, is a successful business man of Hartford. The father, John Ford, settled in Ohio County, near Fordsville, in 1833, and died in 1870; his wife in 1865. William Ford was married, December 9, 1846, to Elizabeth Whittinghill, second child of J. C. Whittinghill. She was born in Daviess County in 1830, and received a fair education. Mr. Ford, at the age of twenty four years, purchased a farm in Ohio County, subsequently sold it, and purchased another, which he sold, and soon afterward removed to Illinois, where he remained five years and prospered greatly as a farmer; he then sold his property in Illinois, and returned to his native State and settled on a farm in Breckinridge County. Wishing to give his children the opportunities of receiving a good education, he removed to the city of Owensboro, and subsequently purchased the beautiful farm on which he now resides, in Ellis Precinct, Ohio County. Mr. and Mrs. Ford are the parents of three children: James W. married Maggie Metcalf, daughter of William Metcalf, Sr.; Mary Jane, the wife of Virgil Miller, is an accomplished scholar and teacher; Sallie E., also well educated, is a teacher of music. The family are life long members of the Baptist Church. Our subject, prior to the late war, was an old line Whig, since that time he has been a Democrat. He has been successful as a farmer; has taken a deep interest in the education of his children, all of whom are intelligent members of society. His home is one of the best in the precinct, and his farm of 107 acres of good land is well improved. A brother, Elisha, now deceased, represented the counties of Ohio and Hancock twice in the Kentucky State legislature.

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

Note:  William H. Ford died 19 Jan 1918 in Ohio County. Mr. Ford is buried in the Panther Creek Baptist Church Cemetery.

JAMES W. FORD was born January 25, 1842, at Fordsville, Ohio Co., Ky., a son of Elisha M. and Nancy (Hardwick) Ford. Elisha M. is a native of Shelby County, Ky., where he was reared and educated; when a boy his father moved to Ohio County. His parents were natives of North Carolina, and were among the first settlers of Shelby County. Elisha M. was a tobacconist and farmer by occupation, and served his district two terms in the State legislature. He was a leading citizen, and took a prominent position in all local enterprises. His death occurred in 1851; his wife died in 1852. They were Baptists; he was a Mason. They were the parents of five children, two living: Mrs. Eliza Ogelvie, of Charleston, Mo., and James W.  The latter was reared in this county until fourteen years of age, when he went to Missouri to live with his sister. In company with four other boys he worked his way through to Pike's Peak in 1859. After his return from Missouri and Pike's Peak to Hartford, Ky., after an absence of about four years, he attended school until 1861, when he enlisted under Capt. Pendleton, in Company C, Ninth Kentucky Infantry (Confederate service), and served four years. "There were 140 enrolled in his company at its organization, and but twenty-six returned, and these bore forty-seven wounds." He enlisted as a private, was promoted to sergeant, later elected lieutenant. He participated in the battles of Shiloh, Baton Rouge, Murfreesboro, Vicksburg, Hartsville and in the Atlanta campaign, and never missed a battle of his regiment. Upon his return from the war he entered the drug business, at Hartford, in partnership with Mr. Taylor, whom he afterward bought out, and has since carried on the business himself, with the exception of a short term of partnership. He carries a large stock, is well located on the public square, and enjoys a flourishing trade. November 12, 1872, he married Miss Abbie E. Rowan, of Ohio County. They have one daughter, Jessie, ten years of age. Mrs. Ford is a Methodist.

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

Note:  James W. Ford died 17 May 1927 in Ohio County. He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Ohio County.

FIRST SETTLERS of FORDSVILLE

Article taken from the Hartford Herald, September 22, 1909, page 2. Thanks to Helen McKeown for the tip.

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FIRST SETTLERS
of
FORDSVILLE

And a Short Account Of Their Lives

NAMED AFTER ELISHA M. FORD

First Hand Corn Mill Brought to Hartford

History Of The Yates Family

Fordsville, Ohio county, Ky. was settled by three early Kentucky settlers, viz: Benjamin Kelley, Ancil Hall and Richard Huff. Huff settled on the north-east side of what is now the town of Fordsville. Hall settled on the west side. Huff settled about the year 1793, but it is not known at what time Kelly and Hall settled their farms, other than that they were among the first settlers of this part of the State. Benjamin Kelley, when a small boy, was one of Daniel Boone’s party, taken prisoner by the Indians while making salt at the Blue Licks in Nicholas county, and was taken to Detroit, Mich., where he made his escape, taking with him an Indian tomahawk presented to him by Colonel McKee, the British Indian agent and principal advocate of the war then existing between the United States and the savages. This tomahawk is now owned by a grandson of Benjamin Kelley living near Fordsville.

Ancil Hall was a prominent Baptist preacher of his time and his descendants are now numerous in this part of the State. Richard Huff was an energetic settler, raised a large family of sons and daughters and his posterity is now widely scattered over several States.

Each of the early settlers had a graveyard on his farm and their remains and many of their relatives and friends were buried in them. The Kelly graveyard is now the Fordsville cemetery. The Huff graveyard is now surrounded by the residences, gardens, lots, etc. of the citizens of the town and the Hall graveyard is on Cedar Hill near the western corporation line.

The early name of Fordsville was Kelley’s Precinct, in honor of Benjamin Kelley, and so remained till about the year 1848, when Galin Crowe, of Hartford, established a post-office there and named the hamlet Fordsville, in honor of Elisha M. Ford, at that time the main business man of Hartford and the first man to establish a mercantile business at Kelley’s Precinct.

About the year 1830 a widow lady from Virginia bought that part of Mr. Huff’s farm on the south-east side of a small stream which is a tributary of Adams Fork creek. This lady was Mrs. Nancy Yates, widow of Lieutenant Reuben C. Yates, who died in the United States army near City Point, Va., during the war of 1812. Mrs. Yates family, at that time, consisted of her son, Wm. H Yates, and a number of slaves. She said she was a native Virginian, that her maiden name was Yates and at the age of 12 years she had married her cousin, Reuben C. Yates, and that she was but 13 years older than her son. She further said that her husband was a Lieutenant in the army and died there when  her son was a little child, and produced letters from John Tompkins and other army officers corroborating this statement and exhibited some of her husband’s army effects, one of them being his portrait painted while he was in the army and another being a copy of “Cushing’s Tactics,” at that time being the discipline of the United States army. She also received letters from Ann Washington and other prominent Virginia ladies, showing she was of a high-class Virginia people.

In the fall of 1869 I called to see Mrs. Yates. I told her that my grandfather was a soldier in Washington’s Continental army and an officer in the war of 1812 and that I had called to see her as the widow of one of my grandfather’s comrade officers.

Mrs. Yates was feebly reclining on her bed and at that time she was suffering from cancer of the breast, which soon terminated in death. She was cheerful and very courteous to me and appeared to be greatly interested in my grand-fathers services in the army, as they had been told to me. After I had addressed her for some time she made some remarks about her husband’s in the army and the close attachment his men had for him. She handed a bunch of keys to a servant and ordered her to bring some small portraits from a bureau drawer. On the return of the servant Mrs. Yates exhibited some old-time daguerreotype portraits of the Yates family. One of the portraits was taken from a French painting of her husband.

After the death of Mrs. Yates I copied the Lieutenant Yates portrait for my military drawing book and at this time I think it is the only one that is in existence. The original one and other relics of the Yates family were destroyed when the Yates homestead was burned some years ago.

Many prominent persons called to see Mrs. Yates and among the presents sent to her was the hand corn mill brought to Hartford by Hon. Elisha M. Ford on his return from the Legislature in 1845, and the balance wheel of this mill was at the Yates farm a few years ago. Mrs. Yates died November 9, 1869 and her son, William, preceded her June 30, 1864. Some years before Mrs. Yates died she selected a burial place on the farm near her hone and  her remains and those of her son now lie side by side on the east side of a large oak tree.

Article written by Edwin Forbes

Old mill from Fordsville.  Photo by Dennis Watson.

Ohio County 2014 Armed Forces Day Observance

Ohio County 2014 Armed Forces Day Observance

CONFEDERATE TOMBSTONE DEDICATION AFTER 118 YEAR WAIT

Manalcus Ford was born in Princeton, Caldwell County, Kentucky on July 10, 1826 and died March 12, 1896, in Centertown, Ohio County. He was the son of William Ford, Jr. and Sarah (Chapman) Ford.  He was married July 9, 1849 to Mariah Sawyer who was born July 19, 1831, died April 7, 1923 and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Livermore, McLean County, Kentucky.  Manalcus Ford is buried at Walton’s Creek Baptist Church Cemetery near Centertown, Ohio County, Kentucky, with son G. Manalcus ‘Mack’ Ford born October 18, 1855 and died May 6, 1891, of tuberculosis, having joined Walton’s Creek Church in 1878.

Manalcus ‘Mack’ Ford, Sr., a blacksmith, also was a minister of the General Baptist faith and served as a Sunday School superintendent.   His military history reflects his service in the Confederate States of America army as a Captain in the Civil War.   He served in Brigadier General Hylan B. Lyon’s Brigade Cavalry of 8th Kentucky and was captured and taken prisoner in Citronelle, Alabama on May 4, 1865 and released in Mobile, Alabama on May 30, 1865.

Mariah Sawyer Ford, as a widow, lived with son, Dr. Robert L. Ford and wife, Nora (Bennett) Ford, who are also buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.  

Newspaper clippings disclose that Manalcus came to Centertown as a new blacksmith.  Another article talked about a rooster on a post, assuming a wrought iron rooster he made that was apparently a long ago fixture of Centertown.  He was also a General Baptist minister at Green River Union Baptist Church. 

  

2014 marks the 200th year anniversary of Waltons Creek Church whose members will join American Legion members, Sons of Confederate Veterans members, with retired United States Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Rick Lambert, great-great-grandson of Manalcus and Mariah Ford, to dedicate a Civil War marker for Captain Manalcus Ford.  The marker was set by members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Forrest’s Camp #1744, Calhoun, Kentucky members.  The ceremony will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, May 17, 2014, at the cemetery.   The dedication will be performed by members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War - Sgt. Elijah P. Marrs Camp 5, Nicholasville, Kentucky.

A fitting tribute of respect for observance of Armed Forces Day, Church members and Centertown Welborn Lee Ashby American Legion Post #296 and Auxiliary Unit will be serving lunch at the church following the ceremony.

Thanks to Helen McKeown.

Passport Application - John William Ford, Jr. - 1923

John William Ford, Jr., son of John William Ford, Sr, was born in Fordsville. His family moved to Montgomery, Alabama.  In 1923 John William Ford, Jr., a student Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, applied for a passport for the purpose of traveling to Germany, British Isles, France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, and Austria. His application stated that he planned to "Work for Passage" - in other words, he would work on the ship instead of buying a ticket.

John William Ford, Jr. died 12 June 1989 in Orlando, Florida.

PASSPORT APPLICATION:

Name: John William Ford, Jr

Birth Date: 13 Nov 1899

Birth Place: Fordsville, Kentucky

Age: 23

Passport Issue Date: 11 Jun 1923

Passport Includes a Photo: Yes

Residence:  Montgomery, Alabama

Father Name:  J. W. Ford

Father's Birth Location: Fordsville

Father's Residence: Montgomery, Alabama

The photo on the left of this image is not related.

Miss Prudie Ford

Hartford Herald

March 28, 1906

MET DEATH IN A WATERY GRAVE

RATHER THAN BE ACCUSED OF THEFT

Pitiful Suicide of a Pretty College Girl in Rough River Here

LEFT LETTERS TO PARENTS AND LOVER

            Hartford perhaps never went through more tragic time of excitement and heartfelt interest than during last week. Some excitement was caused Thursday morning by the fact that Miss Prudie Ford, a pretty young college student, could not be found. She was last seen sitting on the south bank of Rough river near the old water mill apparently writing in a tablet. The natural inquiry then came up as to why she should leave or absent herself. She had been boarding at the residence of Mrs. J. F. Collins, and it was learned on Monday Mrs. Collins had turned the girl away for the alleged reason that she had been wearing her grand-daughters clothes and suspicion that had appropriated money and other articles about the house for her own use.

            When the young lady left Mrs. Col1ins house she went to board with Jailer Midkiff, taking her trunk with her. Jailer Midkiff says that on Wednesday morning Mrs. Collins called him by telephone to her residence and told him she had learned that Miss Ford had gone to board with him and that she considered it her duty to tell him what kind of a girl she was. Mr. Midkiff says that Mrs. Collins told him several things about the young woman, among her remarks saying that Miss Ford had stolen enough money and other properly from her to send her to the penitentiary a dozen times. Jailer Midkiff then came back down town and discussed the matter with County Attorney Woodward and Supt DeWeese. The young lady passing by at the time, they called her into DeWeese’s office and informed her of the rumor that was afloat against her. She said that she had heard it before and declared her innocence in the most positive terms. She told them to go over to the jail and search her trunk if they wanted to. They assured her that it was only through a kind interest in her behalf that they had questioned her.

            She left them apparently on her way to school, but stopped at a drug store and bought a penny pencil and two drachms of arsenic - 5c worth. That was Wednesday morning. About two o’clock in the afternoon of that day she asked permission from her teacher to go home. This was granted and she left but did not go to her boarding house at the jail. Instead she walked along up the bank of Rough river and sat down at the month of a slough that empties into the river. Ex-Sheriff Cal P. Keown, who was duck hunting across the river saw her sitting there, apparently reading or writing and one or two others saw her but did not think anything especially strange of it, as the river banks being near the college form a favorite haunt for the students.

            Thursday morning excitement began to grow because no trace of the girl could be found. Miss Ford had a lover named Lawrence Gary and he, after much search here, mounted a horse and went to the residence of her parents at Horse Branch a distance of fifteen miles. He returned without information, reaching here at night of the same day. In the meantime searching parties found two letters at the spot where the girl was last seen. One was addressed to her lover and the other to her parents The one to her parents was as follows:

MY DEAR, DEAR PARENTS:

            Today as I was returning from school Mr. DeWeese and Woodward and Mr. Midkiff called me to the court house and told me that Mrs. Collins was accusing me of stealing property and money amounting to $40 and that they should prosecute me. I will end my life rather than have a false charge brought against me. I am innocent and God being my Judge, I have resolved to end my life. I have been a loyal girl since I entered school here and have I been true to my God. I die with this sentiment ringing from my lips: “God is merciful and just.” When this reaches you I will be in the bottom of Rough creek. That is, my body – but my soul shall be with Jesus. Live so as to meet me there. Death is sweet at this hour and on each an occasion. With love and prayers – I am dying.

Yours a short time.    Prudie

 The following is a copy of the letter addressed to her lover:

LAWRENCE DARLING:

            Since I left Mrs. Collins she has accused me of stealing some things from her and God knows I am innocent. She says she will have me prosecuted but I hardly think she will. I am now at the water mill and ready to jump in.  I love you but rather than to have my name mingled with any such as this, will bid you Godspeed and adieu. May this life be happy, but Oh! remember me. I shall await your coming in the next world. You have always said that should you commit suicide you would rather drown. I said I would rather poison myself, but to be sure and certain of ending my life I will take a dose of both. Be a good boy and meet me in the better world.   

PRUDIE

            Mrs. J. F. Collins called the editors of THE HERALD up and they in company with Col. C. M. Barnett, went to her residence to interview her. Mrs. Collins repeatedly denied that she had ever accused Miss Ford or stealing, but said that she had missed money and articles of clothing which she could account for in no other way than that Miss Ford had gotten them. It seems that Miss Ford was using a room which Mrs. Collins grand-daughters – who are away in college now - had formerly occupied, and that their clothing had consequently got mixed. It appears that everything has been recovered except the alleged cash. Mrs. Collins says that Miss Ford was always willing to deliver up anything it was intimated did not belong to her. Mrs. Collins asserts that she always treated the girl as well as she knew how - granting her special privileges.

            The search of the river was begun Thursday night and continued until midnight. All day Friday the search was continued. On Saturday morning at 11 o’clock the body was recovered with a hook-pole, about 150 yards from where she jumped in, by young Connor Ford. A public meeting was held at the court house Saturday afternoon in order to adopt suitable resolutions and raise money sufficient to give her a nice burial. The amount of $87.75 was quickly raised which was amply sufficient. Prof. Gray, President of Hartford College, was unanimously elected chairman of the meeting and R. B. Martin was made secretary. Several touching speeches were made, the most effective perhaps being that of the uncle of the dead girl, Mr. Will Ford. He said that he and her family deeply appreciated the kindness of the people of Hartford towards them, especially their poor dead relative. Mr. Rowan Holbrook, in a short talk suggested that an advisory or confidential committee be appointed for Hartford College, whose duty it shall be to advise and help strange students who come here to attend college. Prof. Gray admitted the value of the suggestion and said he would attend to it. There was a large crowd present and the deepest sympathy evinced for the unfortunate young lady.

            The following resolutions were adopted by a unanimous rising vote:

Resolved, by the citizens of Hartford in mass meeting assembled, that we are shocked beyond expression by the terrible calamity which has befallen our town and school in the tragic death of Miss Prudie Ford.

Resolved, that we extend to the bereaved family our heartfelt sympathy in this their hour of sad bereavement, and that we testify to her high character and beautiful Christian life since she has been among us as a citizen.

Resolved, further, that we as citizens of the town of Hartford believe in her integrity, purity of character and lofty spirit as exemplified by her daily associations in this community.

Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be furnished to the family of the deceased and each of the county papers.

MRS. S. J. WEDDING

MRS. S. K. COX

F. L. FELIX

H. P. TAYLOR

C. M. BARNETT

Committee

After the meeting adjourned, the public was permitted to view the remains of the drowned girl at the undertaking establishment of Jas. H. Thomas.

As soon as the body of Miss Ford was found it was brought up in town and a coroners jury was summoned, who returned the following report:

We, the jury, being duly summoned by Jerome Allen, the Coroner of Ohio county, to inquire into the death of Prudie Ford, find from the evidence that said Prudie Ford came to her death by drowning in Rough river on March 21, 1906, and from the evidence that she came to her death by her own hand. This March 24, 1906

J. W .ROBERTSON

W. H. MAUZY

L. F. BENNETT

R. E. HAYNES

J. S. CECIL

J. A. HOCKER

            At an early hour Sunday morning a large party of the friends of Miss Ford accompanied the remains to Beaver Dam, where they were put on board a train and shipped to Horse Branch. A short funeral service was held here at the undertaking establishment Saturday evening by Rev. Gardner, of the Baptist church, Miss Ford having long been a member of that denomination. She was a beautiful girl, just 22 years old and was engaged to be married next fall. She was a young lady of high culture and attainments.

            Funeral services were held at the residence of her parents Sunday at noon after which her remains were laid to rest in Cane Run cemetery. Messrs. H. P. Taylor, Rowan Holbrook and Dr. A. F. Stanley, who were appointed at the public meeting here as a committee to secure flowers, telephoned to Louisville and secured some very beautiful floral designs to mark the last resting place of the unfortunate girl. There was a large crowd at the funeral services which were conducted by Rev. H. D. Burch.

            It has been a long time since Hartford was steeped in sorrow to such an extent as Miss Ford’s tragic death has caused. The sympathy of everybody seemed to be with the poor girl and nobody seemed to put any faith in the rumors of the charges of theft brought against her. Her death and the manner of it seemed like a personal blow to every citizen. There will be many days of mourning for this unfortunate girl and many will long remember her pretty face and winsome ways. It was certainly a sad, unfortunate affair for all concerned.