Back on the Road Again

When some people these days hear the name REO Speedwagon, they think, "oh yeah, I've heard them on the radio a time or two," but they don't realize the origin of the band's name stems from one of the workhorse vehicles of the early Twentieth Century and it has an Owingsville connection.  Ransom E. Olds, founder of the Olds Motor Vehicle Company that later became Oldsmobile, established the REO Motor Car Company in 1905.  Based in Lansing, Michigan, the REO line of vehicles lasted until 1975 and at one time was one of the wealthiest automobile manufacturers of the early 1900's.  Touring cars were largely produced by the REO Company those early days; usually open top convertibles that people used to drive across the dusty country roads on a leisurely afternoon. 

A truck manufacturing division was established in 1910 to help move products across the booming nation.  A light duty truck called the REO Speedwagon hit the production market in 1915 with a state of the art chassis and basic design that became a widely used service vehicle until around 1953.  These trucks were the predecessor of the modern pickup truck and used as hearses, ambulances, delivery, tow, dump and fire trucks.  Prior to World War I, the Speedwagons were a highly successful and durable line of vehicle.  

Fire trucks have been in service for hundreds of years throughout the world.  The earliest trucks were hand drawn pumps that were deployed by men carrying or dragging them to fire scenes.  Cities soon began to sprawl out, demanding the need for more efficient trucks to carry more water and get to fires more quickly.  The first self-propelled fire truck was a steam powered engine built in New York City in 1841; probably the first modern fire truck powered by a combustion engine was manufactured by the Knox Automobile Company in 1905.  The REO Speedwagon fire trucks usually featured what was called the 'Gold Crown' type six cylinder power plants; a heavy duty motor which gave them extra power to pull the weight of the truck with a load of water and other equipment.  The top speed, however, was left to be desired; most of the trucks only managed about 45 miles per hour at best. 

Classic open cab style 

The City of Owingsville sought a new, modern fire truck sometime in the 1930’s.  The earliest known fire truck Owingsville had was an old hand-drawn Howe pumper housed where the Hometown Mortgage office now stands.  Water was drafted from cisterns or wells into the truck via large rubber hoses as men used a lever/piston type mechanism to get water pressure through the cotton fire hoses.  The City Council voted to purchase a reliable fire truck and settled on a 1932 REO Speedwagon vehicle.  Unfortunately, the council meeting minutes from that era have been lost, so the actual date is unknown.  Current Fire Chief John Barry Staton recently sat down with Tom Byron and discussed some of the history of Owingsville’s ‘Old REO’.  In the early 1930’s, Owingsville’s water supply was upgraded with new fire hydrants to better protect the city under the direction of Ernie Downs.  Byron said that Downs was in charge of the water company and held a significant role in the city’s affairs.  He wasn’t sure of Downs was fire chief at the time, but Tom says his uncle, Ed Byron, was the mayor during this time.  “I believe Dinks Jones may have been the Fire Chief when the truck was bought,” said Tom.  “Jones actually went to St. Louis and drove the fire truck all the way back to Owingsville".  This was an interesting feat due to the slow speed of the truck and the fact it was an open top.

The 'Old REO' stayed in service many years and was housed at the old city hall building which is located across from Gray's Funeral Home on Slate Avenue.  During this time, the fire truck was only allowed to respond to fire calls within the city limits; a policy that remained until more recent times.  Tom Byron said that the city bought another fire truck around 1953 or 1954; a Ford that with the Speedwagon, were the two front line trucks for the City of Owingsville. It was mentioned that the REO fire truck was an open topped vehicle, which maintains that vintage, classic look.  The padded wooden seat probably wasn't very luxurious or comfortable for long rides, but it served the purpose.  The truck's hose bed is wooden planks that were stained to protect against the wet cotton hoses that were stored until the next call.  Unlike today's fire trucks that hold 1,000 or more gallons of water, the REO Speedwagon only held maybe fifty gallons of water.  There is a coupling that is fitted onto the driver's side of the truck that hooked to a hose firefighters secured to a fire hydrant which fed water into the tank for larger fires.  In its day, the fire truck was a vibrant red with gold trimmings painted on it and Owingsville F.D. painted in gold on the hood.  A simple 'O.F.D.' was also painted in gold on each side of the truck's body just behind the cab.  Only a couple of people could ride in the open cab, which left the other firefighters to ride on the side boards or tailboard to the fire scene.  One can envision this classic sight of a fire truck roaring down the streets as firemen hung onto the sides.

Eventually, standards in firefighting were streamlined and certain rules were established regarding how much water a fire truck needed to flow to effectively extinguish a large fire, rendering the REO Speedwagon truck obsolete.  The truck went out of service sometime before the fire department reorganized in 1975. Jeff Adkins, who has been a member of the Owingsville Fire Department since 1984, recalls seeing the 'Old REO' sitting at the service station that once stood where Owingsville Fire Department's station is now located.  Around 1982 or 1983, the truck was even decorated as a parade float and pulled through the May Day Parade.  As time went on, the REO Speedwagon was moved to the old water plant that used to be along Slate Avenue, and next door to Tom Byron.  Tom told Chief Staton that he was talking to the late Mayor William Steele and the mayor told Tom, "this old truck needs to go away somewhere soon".  Understanding the historical and local tradition the old truck had, Byron purchased 'Old REO' , saving it from being scrapped.  The truck was moved to a barn Tom owned and there it stayed for twenty-eight years. 

About a month ago, Tom Byron needed help repairing a tractor that was on the farm.  Randy Ferrell, who owns a local repair shop and tow service on East High Street, came to help Tom.  Along with him was Jeff Adkins, who had always knew the truck was somewhere on the property.  With permission, Jeff opened up the door to a barn and before him was "Old REO".  Randy and Jeff negotiated with Tom and was granted permission to haul the vintage fire truck out of the barn to the shop on a journey of restoration.  The truck is in quite remarkable condition; the vibrant red and gold paint has faded and oxidized, the tires have dry rotted and seat cushions are gone, but the truck is just stunning to look at. 

Owingsville's REO Speedwagon fire truck will be restored back to its original state over the course of the next several months.  If you attended the May Day Parade last week, you saw the truck poised upon

Randy Ferrell's roll back truck with Mayor Gary Hunt and Owingsville Fire Department junior member Jacob Purvis atop it.  Randy said that over the past month, several people have stopped to snap pictures or even asked to buy it.  The truck still belongs to Tom Byron, who has the original title dated 1932, and there are no immediate plans to sell it anytime soon. There are only 7,000 original miles on the REO Speedwagon, most of which were tacked on when the maiden trip from St. Louis to Owingsville was made. One piece of equipment that isn't on the truck is the old bell, which was donated to the Bath County Memorial Library in honor of Mayor Robert Gilmore, but an old pike pole and section of hose is still there.  The spotlight and red beacon light is still on the truck and appear to be in great condition.  Randy said the power plant six cylinder motor is in remarkable shape, and has been pulled out to be restored along with the rest of the truck.  As months go by, it will be interesting to see the restoration progress of this vintage gem of a truck; a true visual relic of Owingsville's history.

Hand crank type windshield wiper

Add caption

Faint Owingsville FD on the hood

Thomas Deye Owings, Military and Civic Leader



Colonel Thomas Deye Owings, 28th US Infantry

The War of 1812 is regarded as America’s Second Revolution.  The British Government had restricted trade during their war with France and had captured several thousand American merchant sailors and hundreds of ships loaded with goods.  They also opposed the annexation of America into the remaining British held territories of the Northwest, which is now the upper Midwest near the Canadian border.  In return, the United States opposed British support of the Native American tribes who fought the pioneers expanding westward past Kentucky.  In June 1807, the British ship Leopard engaged the USS Chesapeake, a frigate with deserters from the Royal Navy, at Norfolk, Virginia.  While on blockade patrol, Salusbury Humphreys, captain of the Leopard, ordered the Chesapeake to submit to a search.  Captain James Barron refused the order from the British naval officer, prompting the Leopard to fire on the American frigate.  The crew of the Chesapeake only managed to fire a single shot before being nearly decimated by the furious cannon fire.  Three of the Chesapeake’s crew had been killed with 18 wounded, including Captain Barron.  Realizing the gravity of the situation, Barron lowered his flag, signaling surrender.  Humphreys ordered the Chesapeake to be boarded regardless of the surrender, and four men were taken off the stricken ship, three of which were American sailors who had previously served on British ships.  This act sent shockwaves across the Untied States and a cry for retaliation was sounded.  President Thomas Jefferson responded with the Embargo Act of 1807; choosing to treat the issue diplomatically rather than with force.  This incident, known as the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair, helped spark the declaration of war five years later.

During this time, Kentucky was the known as the far western territory. The Mississippi River was the westernmost point in the United States, with territories in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan being mainly frontier occupied by natives.  American expansion into these territories and into Canada was hindered by native tribes who were supplied by the British.  Kentucky was a young state of only twenty years at the time war was declared in June, 1812.  A vast majority of those who would fight against the British and Natives came from Kentucky, including Owingsville’s namesake, Thomas Deye Owings.  Owings was the owner of the Bourbon Ironworks and successful businessman, securing a government contract in 1807 to supply the newly formed US Navy with cannon balls, grapeshot and canisters.  The war material was taken by oxcarts to a shipping point in Maysville, then loaded onto boats and floated down the Ohio River to the Mississippi to New Orleans.  When the War of 1812 broke out, Owings raised a regiment of 377 soldiers; mostly soldiers from Bath and surrounding counties.  On April 3, 1813, Owings was commissioned as a colonel of the 28^th US Infantry and attached to General Isaac Shelby, who, consequently, was Kentucky’s first governor and Revolutionary War veteran.  Shelby was again governor at the outbreak of the war, and was asked to supply troops to support the Northwest campaigns.  He was personally asked by future president General William Henry Harrison to join the fight and lead more volunteers in June, 1813, raising a force of 3,500 soldiers to fight the British and Native Americans.  Thomas Deye Owings’ regiment, under General Shelby’s force, was part of the recapture of Detroit in September 1813 and in October, participated in a significant battle that would help change the course of the war.

Shawnee Chief Tecumseh led a Native American tribal confederacy and was allied with the British Army commanded by Major General Henry Procter during the war.  Tecumseh opposed the treaties between the Federal government and the native nations, and wanted to reclaim the territories as their own.  With the coalition of the British, the confederacy was well equipped to match the Americans and had gained significant victories early in the conflict; notably the capture of Fort Detroit and control of Lake Erie.  A fierce naval battle on September 10, 1813 resulted in the British losing Lake Erie and cutting vital supply routes the British needed to sustain Detroit and other occupied territories.  Colonel Owings and 28 others from the 28^th Infantry joined Commodore Oliver Perry’s fleet as sharpshooters hidden in the rigging of the frigates during this crucial battle.  Immediately after this battle, General Procter began a retreat to a position near Lake Ontario at Burlington Heights; an act that would threaten to leave the native confederacy to fend for themselves.  Tecumseh objected to the retreat and argued to stay and fight the Americans, but relented and joined General Procter. 

General William Henry Harrison, with a force of around 3,500 infantry and cavalry which included a detachment of the 28^th Infantry including Colonel Owings, pursued the fleeing British a few days after the Battle of Lake Erie.  The army captured several abandoned boats and encountered several stragglers that were taken prisoner along the way.  The British army consisted of around 800 troops from the 41^st Regiment; Tecumseh’s warriors numbered around 500, both greatly outnumbered and outgunned.  The armies would finally meet along the Thames River near Moraviantown in present day Ontario.  Around daybreak, October 5, 1813, General Procter formed a battle line in an attempt to surprise and trap the American army.  Tecumseh positioned his warriors along a swampy area to the right of the British position to try to flank Harrison’s troops.  Unfortunately, Procter failed to fortify his position and left the field of battle unbroken.  James Johnson was ordered to make a frontal attack with his mounted Kentucky riflemen, breaking through the line under a hail of bullets from Tecumseh’s warriors.  The British were overrun; General Procter and 250 men retreated while the rest surrendered.  Tecumseh and his warriors stayed to fight, inflicting flanking fire into the Americans.  A charge led by Colonel Richard Johnson into the natives’ position was quickly stopped by intense firing, with fifteen of Johnson’s soldiers killed or injured; Johnson was reportedly hit five times.  The main force became bogged down in the swampy marsh during the fight, and at some point, a bullet fatally struck the great Shawnee Chief.  American reinforcements began to assist Colonel Johnson’s troops, and soon the native’s flank began to fail.  The warriors became disheartened after Tecumseh’s death and began a hasty retreat from the battlefield.  This victory was a crushing blow to the British and natives; securing the Northwestern front and Detroit in favor of the Americans.

After the war, Thomas Deye Owings returned to Owingsville, and welcomed as a war hero.  Word of his bravery and indirect assistance in the killing of Tecumseh fueled that sentiment among those around the already successful man.  He elected into the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1815 until 1818, and as State Senator in 1825.  In 1835, Texas sought to gain independence from Mexico, and Colonel Owings pledged 1,500 troops to support the Texas Revolution.  His own son, Robert Smith Owings, joined Captain Burr Duvall's army based in Bardstown and was sent to New Orleans to await orders to march into Texas.  From letters sent to various parties during this time, it seems Colonel Owings was financing the recruitment and munitions for the Kentucky army's Texas campaign.  On March 27, 1836, the Goliad Massacre took place when over 400 US prisoners of war were killed by the Mexican Army, including 75 Kentuckians an Owings' son.  In April, Colonel Owings and a regiment of troops numbering around 1,500 left Maysville on a steamer bound for New Orleans.  From there, the regiment planned to move into Texas, but the Texans' victory at San Jacinto ended the fighting before Colonel Owings' regiment could see battle. 

Thomas Owings was awarded land grants in Texas and settled in Brenham for the last sixteen years of his life.  He was prosperous as a land owner and businessman, but only returned to Kentucky for occasional visits.  His home in his namesake town of Owingsville became an inn and hotel and is still standing today as the Owingsville Banking Company.  The Bourbon Iron Works, the first iron industry west of the Alleghenies, made its last blast in 1838 and left to abandonment.  The stack for the furnace stands as a roadside park and is on the National Register of Historical Places. It is said that Owings was nearly bankrupt and at one point had over 250 lawsuits either as plaintiff or defendant due to his business ventures and land disputes.  At the end of his life on October 6, 1853, Thomas Deye Owings was given a Masonic burial in Brenham, Texas and still hailed as a hero of the War of 1812.
His family lineage stretches far and wide, with ancestors still living in the area around Bath County, Texas, Missouri and Maryland.  While it is commonplace now for those in military service and wartime campaigns to be awarded medals and ribbons, the War of 1812 only bore the award called the Congressional Gold Medal.  It is unknown if Colonel Owings received such a medal, but his service record is of remarkable distinction.  The First Division, 28th Infantry that Colonel Owings served under was deactivated and reorganized as 2nd Battalion, 19th Infantry during the Indian Wars in 1866 and lasted until 1869, when it was finally reflagged wholly as the 19th Infantry.  A third version of the 28th Infantry went into service during the Philippine War from 1901 until 1904, and fought with distinction in all major US conflicts through Vietnam.  Although not part of the original 28th Infantry Thomas Deye Owings was a commanding officer of, the 28th Infantry was my Army Basic Training unit at Fort Jackson, South Carolina (Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry).  While most Bath Countians only know what is written on the bronze historical marker outside the Owings House, the history of Colonel Owings' military and civic leadership is one that reflects well on the town that bears his name some 212 years later. 

The Old Springfield Presbyterian Church

The Old Springfield Church, April 2016

The cornerstones of any community are the houses of the holy.  This is especially true in Kentucky, where churches of varying faiths are quite abundant.  Early immigrants from Europe came to what would be the United States to exercise a freedom in religion; we all have read about the Pilgrims who sailed from England on the Mayflower in order to break away from the teachings of the Church of England and the Catholic churches, which they felt strayed from the true meanings of the Bible.  After the colonial settlements and mass migrations to the New World began, many others followed suit and sought to teach the Gospel, establishing places of congregation and worship along the wild, wilderness trails.  According to the history of Fort Boonesboro, Reverend John Lythe from the Church of England performed the first formal Christian religious service in Kentucky on May 8, 1775, under a large elm tree near the fort during a meeting to establish a colony called Transylvania.  A piece called The Kentucky Baptist History compiled by William D. Nowlin states the first organized church in Kentucky, called Severn's Valley, was constituted June 18, 1781 near present day Elizabethtown.  South Elkhorn Christian Church off Harrodsburg Road in Lexington was founded as early as 1784 and the Walnut Hill Presbyterian Church, also in Lexington, was organized in 1785 as a small cabin for pioneers to congregate and worship.  The Stanford Presbyterian Church was recognized in 1788; however, the church wasn't built and established until 1792.

Cane Ridge Meeting House, circa 1934

The Cane Ridge Meeting House, located in  Bourbon County, Kentucky near Paris was built around 1791 as a one room log structure made of roughly hewn logs and wooden slat siding.  It was the site of The Great Awakening Revival in 1801 and reportedly attracted over 10,000 people.  Today, the original structure is enclosed within a brick building and still in use today. 

The Presbyterian Movement can be traced back to Scotland, where a reform against the Catholic churches started around the 16th Century.  Reverend Francis Makeme is credited as organizing the first Presbyterian church in America at Philadelphia in 1706.  The sect of Presbyterians that came to Kentucky were derived from the Irish who had settled in Virginia.  David Rice arrived in Kentucky in 1783 from Virginia and is regarded as the 'father or Presbyterianism in Kentucky'.  He preached at the Stanford Presbyterian Church and was a member of the Kentucky Constitutional Convention in 1792.  As the region that would become Bath County was settled, the need for a place of worship was expressed. In the minutes of the Transylvania Presbytery Meeting held June 12, 1793, the Springfield congregation petitioned to erect a place of worship.  Located on the old road that connected Mount Sterling to Blue Licks, four-hundred acres of land was donated by William Robinson to build what would be known as the Springfield Meeting House.  At the time, this portion of land was considered part of Clark County; in fact, the Springfield Church as been, at some points in time, in parts of Clark, Bourbon, Montgomery and finally Bath Counties.

Map showing some of Kentucky's Counties, 1794

  Joseph Price Howe, a Presbyterian reverend, emigrated to Kentucky from North Carolina with his family and met with Robinson during the summer of 1794 to express interest in organizing the church, which would be located along the old Blue Licks road near a large spring that inspired the name Springfield.  That fall, Reverend Howe organized  what was at the time called the Springfield Meeting House with James Trimble as the first elder.  The first members were William and John Robinson, Jane McClure and William & Rebecca Moffatt.  The church was a small square log cabin built with the abundant timber that covered the area.  According to Edward Owings Guerrant's speech made at the Centennial of Springfield Church dedication on September 12, 1894, the church, at the time of its organization, was the only one in the area; the closest being at the Washington settlement in Mason County.  This is an interesting revelation, since the Cane Ridge Meeting House is regarded as being one of the oldest churches in Kentucky, and is nearer than the aforementioned church at Washington.  Another nearby church was organized in Montgomery County in 1794 along the banks of the Lulbegrud Creek near the Clark County line on Prewitt Pike; although the first record of a minister presiding over the congregation isn't noted in records until 1799.  It is also of interesting note that the Old Republican Meeting House was built around 1791-1793 (depending on which source is read) near Bethel, but the purpose of that meeting house has long been forgotten.  Aside from a very old cemetery adjacent to the location, nothing remains of the Old Republican Meeting House.  

A few weeks after the 1801 revival at Cane Ridge drew such an enormous crowd, Springfield hosted one of similar nature, but only drawing around 3,000 people, according to the diary of Reverend John Lyle.  Another revival in August, 1802 brought many more into the congregation over the course of a weekend.  By 1803, the Springfield Church congregation had increased partly due to the revivals and the small cabin was outgrown.  A larger, double log cabin was built by Andrew and James Richart in 1804 and used until 1820.  A third church was built on the spot we know today by Thomas Graves between 1820 and 1821; being a stone and brick structure. The title to the land donated by William Robinson didn't pass to the church trustees until 1816, when John Jones conveyed three acres that included the Springfield Church and adjacent cemetery to trustees James McIlheny, Rollins Burbridge John Lockridge, Andrew Shankland and James Graham.  It is unknown exactly how many people dedicated themselves to the Springfield Church during the tenure of Reverend Joseph Howe, but it is a fair bet that it was a large amount due mostly to his active role in the revivals.  An astonishing 384 marriages were performed at the church by Reverend Howe from 1795 to 1826; the first being Patrick McCollum and Elizabeth Saint Dreskie on May 7, 1795 (a list of these marriages can be found in Robert Stuart Sanders' 1954 book An Historical Sketch of Springfield Presbyterian Church, Bath County Kentucky). 

Grave site of Rev. Joseph Price Howe

Reverend Howe remained the pastor at the Springfield Church for thirty two years. He also preached occasionally at the Little Mountain Church in present day Mount Sterling and the Point Pleasant Church in Bourbon County. The last sermon Reverend Joseph Price Howe preached was at the Peeled Oak Church in 1827.  He passed away at his home in Mount Sterling July 11, 1827 at the age of 62 and is buried next to the church he organized.

A host of pastors manned the pulpit over the years at the Springfield Church, but the one of the most known aside from Reverend Howe was Edward Owings Guerrant. Guerrant was born in nearby Sharpsburg, Kentucky February 28, 1838.  After graduating Centre College in 1860, he received by the Ebenezer Presbytery as a candidate for ministry.  At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Guerrant joined the Confederacy and served as a staff officer for General Humphrey Marshall.  Later, he achieved the rank of captain in John Hunt Morgan's 2nd Kentucky Cavalry and participated in many campaigns during his time in service.  After the war, Guerrant studied medicine, graduating from Belvue Medical College in 1867.  Guerrant moved back to his native Kentucky and practiced medicine in Mount Sterling until 1873.  He was ordained and licensed by the West Lexington Presbytery October 30, 1875 and preached at Springfield Church, and others in Clark County, Louisville, Wilmore and Woodford County.

Rev. Edward Owings Guerrant

The Springfield Church's Centennial celebration was held September 12, 1894 and Reverend Edward Guerrant delivered the address.  He gave an historical account of the church's organization and a comparison of notable events and the age of the church, such as the birth of Kentucky in 1792 and the Indian raid at Morgan's Station that occurred the year prior to the organization of Springfield Church.  The entire address was published in the Mt. Sterling Gazette and provides some great information about the origins of the church.  Reverend Guerrant presided over the American Inland Mission and received the degree of Doctor of Divinity during his ministry.  He also became a well known author and published a memoir of his time with John Hunt Morgan that gave an intimate insight of a soldier's life during the Civil War.  It is said that Reverend Guerrant's oratory skills and dedication to the church was one of great favor among the congregations he preached to.

The dilapidated Old Springfield Church, circa 1951

Time and wear began taking its toll on the Springfield Church during the early 20th Century.  Spot repairs were made to make the building usable through the years as offerings would allow, but the congregation began declining.  Reverend Thomas Jackson Ray presided over the congregation from 1936 until 1943.  At the time of his death at age 40, Ray did dual duty at Springfield Church and the Menefee Memorial Church in Sharpsburg.  After his death, the Springfield Church lay dormant and fell into a shape of disrepair.  The doors closed and the people moved to other churches, leaving one of Kentucky's oldest churches and cemeteries to the elements.  Nature began taking the old burying grounds over; the tombs of Reverend Howe and many other early settlers disappeared under thick vegetation.  The church's roof and floor timbers began decaying as termites fed on the 120-plus year old structure.  Trees and native bushes crept up the walls, cracking the old brick and displacing the aged mortar.  It seemed the church would collapse and be lost forever.  In March, 1954, H.D. Bastin, Chairman of the Presbyterian Home Extension Committee, set out to revive rural churches, including the Springfield Church.  He appointed a local committee comprised of Frank Taylor, William and Mark Smathers, Stanley Brown and Frank Hill to see what was needed to restore and reopen the historic church.  A community call was put out and soon, a great many people came to rescue the ailing house of worship.  All of the labor and a vast majority of the material was donated.  The floors and window sills had to be completely replaced; the old wooden floor was torn out and 40-50 loads of rock were hauled in to fill the underfloor prior to the concrete being filled in.  The cemetery was cleaned up and the old stones replaced and uprighted as needed.  By September 19, 1954, the Old Springfield Church was again ready to accept a congregation.  Three services were held that day, morning, afternoon and evening.  The morning service had around 300 people present, the dedication service was at 2:30 p.m. and had over 500 in attendance.  A fellowship dinner was held at noon and many people from all over the state and even other surrounding states attended.   Visiting members of the Presbytery were in attendance and brought messages, including Versailles Presbyterian Church minister emeritus Dr. Robert Sanders, Lexington-Ebenezer Presbytery Executive Secretary Reverend Walter Maude, and  Elder H.D. Bastian.  The Sharpsburg Christian Church choir, along with the Stanton Presbyterian Church and Elizaville Presbyterian Church choirs, performed as August Schmidt from New Orleans played the piano.  Frank Taylor, the minister of the newly dedicated church,  praised the tireless efforts of the people of Bath and surrounding communities during his service by saying, "We have reopened Old Springfield, and we intend to keep it open."

The Springfield Church was known as the "Mother of Churches" as it's members spawned the organization of the Gilead Presbyterian Church in 1839 at Sharpsburg, the Sharpsburg Presbyterian Church in 1848, and the Owingsville Presbyterian Church, now the St. Julie Catholic Church, in 1876.  Indian Point Presbyterian Church in Maynard County, Illinois was also organized by members from the Old Springfield Church.   Several important meetings of the Presbytery were held at the church, including one in 1836 that debated the issue of slavery.   A petition to include the Old Springfield Presbyterian Church on the National Register of Historic Places was initiated in 1971, and finalized in 1979.  Today, a bronze marker is on the front of the church as a standing monument to the early settlers who paved a spiritual way of life in the wilderness of Kentucky.   In recent times, the congregation and ministers of Springfield Church have came and went.  According to the site Find A Grave, the cemetery holds 279 interments dating back to the late 18th Century to just recently.  Many of these graves are illegible now but for the most part, the stones are still standing.  Many other places where the ground is sunken are tell-tale signs of a grave with no marker and scatter the grounds here and there.  Several very old above ground stone boxes adorn the grounds, sealing the remains of those souls below.  The church once again is dormant and no longer holds services; I've been told it has been several months since the Gospel was delivered before a congregation. 

I recently visited the site for the first time and found it rather peaceful and intriguing; the history the site holds is immeasurable.  Just inside the wooden gate, there is a curious stone step-like structure that greets visitors.

Stones used for mounting horses

At first I thought it was maybe part of the original entrance to the cabin that was once there, but during the course of this research, I learned this was a step used by women to mount horses and coach buggies that once was the only means of travel.  The cemetery is quite large and extends well past the rear of the church over the three acre tract.  The church itself is locked tight and the stained glass windows offer no glimpse into the sanctuary; it would be sacrilege to gain entry illicitly.  It is my hope that the church and the hallowed grounds around it remain intact and taken care of until the doors open once more.

If you decide to visit this historic site, it is located on a remote back road that is populated with some families who are descendants of those who organized and worshiped in the Old Springfield Presbyterian Church; so be mindful and respectful.  Recent reality television shows have glorified paranormal experiences and people have been known to gather at the site to see if the spirits of those buried around the church are in a state of unrest.  Whether of not they have truly seen or heard something is a matter of opinion.  The fact is that the Old Springfield Church is a revered and hallowed place that has outlasted the times for over 222 years.

  

The Old Springfield Church is located on Springfield Road (KY Route 3289) in Bath County.  Directions are:  Off Kentucky Route 11 from Sharpsburg - head south out of Sharpsburg toward Mount Sterling approximately 2 miles.  Springfield Road will turn off to the left.  Go 3.6 miles down Springfield Road, the church will be on the right. 

From Mount Sterling, exit Interstate 64 at the 110 exit, go north on Kentucky 11 toward Sharpsburg approximately 7 miles.  Springfield Road will turn to the right.  The church is 3.6 miles down on the right.  An alternate route is to travel out Route 11 to the four-way intersection at Judy Drive In.  Turn right onto Kentucky 537 and travel approximately 3.5 miles.  Springfield Road turns left at a sharp curve, almost T-intersection.  The church is one mile down on the left.

From Owingsville - Travel US 60 West outside Owingsville toward Mount Sterling, go approximately 6.5 miles to Van Thompson Road at the Montgomery County line. Turn right onto Van Thompson Rd (Kentucky 537) and go 2.5 miles to a sharp 90 degree left hand turn.  At that point, a road will go straight at the curve, that is Springfield Road.   The church is one mile down on the left.   

A Hoss is a Hoss, of Course

One thing about growing up in a small town is the community events that are held throughout the year.  Owingsville has several notable events that have become part of the local tradition; May Day and the Lion's Club Horse show are two lasting events that still draw crowds today.  But, not so long ago, there was a time when Owingsville was filled with vendors, food, and outhouses on hot July days....wait, outhouses?

There was a local tradition each July that brought Owingsville together much like the May Day Festival called Hoss Tradin' Days.  Now, for the folks who are not from a small town or have never heard of the term, a hoss is a southern term for horse.  Back in the early days, every second Monday was court day, and vendors filled the streets selling produce, farm implements and livestock.  Horses, hogs and cattle were bought and traded all through the day while local merchants opened their shops for all to browse and buy the latest things.  Local saloons and taverns (yes, at one time Owingsville had such places) would be busy with patrons quenching their thirst and telling tall tales.  The most busy times for court day activity were the months of March, April and October. In addition to all the livestock bartering, street minstrels played their songs to anyone who would hear them and toss a coin into a hat.  Politicians mingled and shook hands of prospective voters during election times, and ministers preached the Gospel to the crowds.  As the modern age approached, the street spectacles of court days in Owingsville and 'hoss' trading went by the wayside.

Owingsville and Bath County went through a revitalization period in the 1960's and 1970's with focus on bringing people back into the town.  The Chamber of Commerce proposed and helped organize a modern era trade day to go in conjunction with the Lion's Club Horse Show, dubbed Hoss Tradin' Days.  Although there wasn't any livestock paraded down Main Street, stores opened their doors, vendors set up food booths and a small flea market atmosphere brought the town alive each July.  It was similar to the annual May Day Festival, without the parade.  Usually, an exhibition of some sorts in the middle of Main Street entertained the crowds, while bands played in the 'pocket' behind the courthouse or behind the library.  Perhaps the most entertaining event during this day was the outhouse races.  Teams consisting of local business groups built mobile outhouse props, some quite elaborately made, and pushed them from the intersection of North Court and Main Streets to the stop light.  It was all in the name of fun and friendly competition, with prize money awarded, that was usually always donated to a charity.  Prominent business owners, political figures, and elected officials got into the outhouses and hoped that the wheels remained sturdy and the structure didn't fall apart during the short race.  One particular race I recall involved late businessman Parley Richardson, who was in an elaborately designed creation.  As the team pushed his outhouse to the finish line, Parley, being the jokester he was, darted out of the outhouse in a pair boxers and his pants around his knees.  The crowd roared in laughter as he ran across the finish line ahead of the team. 

In 1992, I was a firefighter recruit with the Owingsville Fire Department.  We made a simple outhouse for the race that July and I was chosen to ride upon the throne, pun intended.  Our team consisted of Norman Crouch, Mike Crockett, Ricky Faudere, and Fire Chief Wes Everman.  We raced against Champ Maze's Law Office and came in second that day, but it was a fun event to have been a part of.  That was the last true Hoss Tradin' Days event I attended, as I left for military service soon afterward.

Hoss Tradin' Days lost its spark sometime soon after I participated; time, funding and other methods of entertainment became the biggest culprits in the demise.  The Chamber of Commerce attempted to revamp Hoss Tradin' Days in 2012 and relocated it to the Miller Shopping Plaza just outside of town.  Several local vendors set up booths to sell items, but it lacked the excitement of the former days.  Eventually, the idea fell short and again, Hoss Tradin' Days was scrapped.  Many residents have fond memories of the summer festival in town, some have expressed a longing for it to return; perhaps one day, Owingsville will again see the days of rolling outhouses down Main Street.

Standing on Shaky Ground

It was a hot Sunday afternoon in July, a slight breeze stirred and the sun was poking out of the clouds that had hung around most of the day after some brief showers that wandered through earlier.  My sister was inside the mobile home we lived in cooking while my mom was mowing the back yard.  My dad was working on the farm that day and I was on the porch of our home being a typical six year old; hammering nails into a two by four for whatever reason.  I raised the hammer to strike a nail and as contact was made, the whole porch started violently shaking.  I tossed the hammer down and ran out into the yard, fully thinking I had caused the end of times.  I ran to my grandmother's house next door and my great-aunt was crouched on the floor yelling, "oh honey, it's an EARTHQUAKE!"  In a couple of minutes, the shaking was over but our nerves were still rattled.

The strongest recorded earthquake in Kentucky happened Sunday, July 27, 1980 at around 2:50 p.m.  The magnitude 5.2 quake was centered just west of Sharpsburg and  felt as far north as Canada.  There was some slight damage to brick chimneys, foundations and some small cracks in the ground in Bath County, with more damage noted in Maysville some forty miles north.  According to the United States Geological Survey, some thirty aftershocks were recorded, with a 2.5 magnitude aftershock recorded July 31.  When people think of earthquakes, they usually envision large faults like the San Andreas Fault or the New Madrid event; that they won't occur in the area of Kentucky Bath County lies. So, what exactly is a fault?  A fault is basically a crack in the rocky areas deep in the Earth's crust.  These cracks are from the movement of rock mass against other rock masses.  Large faults are the result of what's called plate tectonic forces, where large masses of rock cause boundaries between the plates the rock beds set upon.  Energy released when one of these plates move causes an earthquake. 

Fault line along I-64 in Bath County

There are a few ancient faults that lie far below the surface of Bath County; one is in plain sight along Interstate 64 near the 117 mile marker headed east bound.  The rocks along the cuts in the hillside reveal a shift in the geology where, millions of years ago, the Earth's tectonic plates collided.  This fault is very old and dormant, running across the interstate to Day Road, where it is deep below the surface and out of sight. 

Earthquakes have been recorded in Kentucky since the late 1700's when the early explorers began settling the Bluegrass State.  The most famous earthquake to affect the state was the New Madrid event in 1811 when a series of magnitude 7+ earthquakes rocked the Missouri/Kentucky border.  Starting December 16, 1811 with a powerful estimated 7.5 quake, the event was felt over 976,000 square miles.  Damage to structures within close proximity was limited due to the area being sparsely populated, but the landscape was changed greatly.  Landslides, sand blowouts from fissures occurred, and in some cases, land simply disappeared; sinking below the ground;  Reelfoot Lake in western Kentucky was formed due to the land sinking.  In some places the land thrust upward and islands in the Mississippi River disappeared totally.  Further away from the epicenter, damage was reported all over Kentucky and Cincinnati, as well as throughout Tennessee and St Louis, Missouri.  Two more powerful quakes struck on January 23, and February 7, 1812, both with a magnitude estimated as 7+.  The stories of the Mississippi River running backwards is not entirely untrue; the intense shaking churned the water with such great force, boats were toppled and portions of the riverbanks collapsed.  There were no modern seismographs in the area back then, so the magnitudes of the quakes were just estimations, and may be underestimated.  Undoubtedly, these earthquakes were felt in Bath County, however there is no mention of them in John Richards' book.

USGS map showing the areas affected by the 1980 earthquake

The Kentucky Geological Survey's website shows in addition the the fault that runs across Interstate 64, there is another that runs from the Montgomery County line near Saltwell Road and extends across the countryside to a point just south of US 60 and west of Bob-O-Link Drive.  Curiously, the fault that sparked the 1980 quake isn't shown on the interactive map.  That earthquake was classed as a right lateral strike slip type event focused in a northeast direction.  Maysville reported the most damage to older buildings in town; mainly cracked chimneys and bricks or tiles knocked off.  The total damage from the July 1980 earthquake reached over a million dollars, with  59 homes and 27 businesses sustaining major damage and 210 homes and 10 businesses with minor damage in Maysville alone.  In Owingsville, the damage was minimal, with some older buildings receiving cracks in foundations, chimneys and mortar.  It was said at the time that the balcony at the Majestic Theater was damaged, however I am unable to verify that information.  The ornate brick and concrete roof facades on the older business district received some damage and was enough concern to have them removed later.  Thankfully, no one was reportedly injured, but nerves were on edge after the earthquake.  Most people, like me, were caught off guard and had no inkling that an earthquake could happen in Bath County.  This event seemed like just a random, isolated incident that was a quirk of nature.

The evening of September 7, 1988 was a typical late summer evening.  Around 10:30 p.m.,I was lying in bed when a loud boom sounded and the house began violently shaking.  I immediately jumped out of bed, thinking a car had ran off Wyoming Road and into the house.  We ran outside as the earth started settling down from the rumbling and checked on my sister and her family next door.  While outside, a low roar started northwest of our location and gradually increased as a strong aftershock rolled across the land.  The 4.6 magnitude earthquake centered along a tributary fault near the location of the 1980 event, but this time the energy moved in a southeastern direction, meaning Owingsville and surrounding communities would feel the most shaking.  It was felt in five states and registered on seismographs in Canada.  There were twenty-three aftershocks within the following two weeks, most too small to feel.  There were some reports of the usual damage to brick walls, chimneys, basement walls and mortar cracking, but no injuries or major structural damage reported.  Once again, we were all rattled physically and emotionally thanks to Mother Nature.

A few more smaller earthquakes have shaken Bath County in recent times; in fact, a total of eight recorded earthquakes have happened since 1980's big one.  Most have been small, ranging around 2.3 to 2.5 on the Richter Scale and rarely felt.  The largest Bath County earthquake since 1988 was a 3.3 magnitude centered near Blevins Valley Road, close to Old State Road, on September 8, 1990.  Another 4.2 earthquake near Hazard, Kentucky was felt as just a slight rumbling in Owingsville on November 10, 2012. The most recent quake in Bath County was December 23, 2013 and registered 2.3 magnitude very near the center location of the 1988 event.  That quake made a loud booming noise and the shaking was felt in Mount Sterling, causing a flood of calls into the 911 center at Montgomery County with people reporting anything from an explosion to a plane crash.  It is very likely that there will be more earthquakes in Bath County as the Earth continues is evolution and the tectonic plates deep underground stay in motion. The New Madrid Fault System has been the focus of concern for scientists and geologists since the massive quakes of 1811-1812; it is anticipated that another equally large or larger earthquake could, and statistically will, strike again.  With the dense population in the area now, the effects will be most certainly devastating.  Emergency officials throughout Kentucky have plans in their local operation plans for a large scale earthquake event if, or more appropriately when, it should happen. 

For further earthquake research go to:

http://www.uky.edu/KGS/

http://earthquaketrack.com/r/eastern-kentucky/ 

Voices in the Walls

There is a special beauty to living in a small town that a big city can’t offer.  That beauty is the unique buildings and homes that line the streets, nestled behind trees along the way.  Downtown Owingsville is a prime example of this.  When Owingsville was founded in 1811, the area was a thick forest with small paths and dusty trails that zig-zagged across the land.  Main Street as we know it today didn’t exist; Coyle Street was the main drag with a few rough built homes, a school and some merchant shops lining the dusty wagon trail.  As the town grew, homes and buildings were erected across the plats that were laid out by proprietors and soon, Owingsville became a booming place.  Today, it is hard to imagine how Owingsville looked during the early times; as a matter of fact, in the forty plus years of my existence, things have changed so much.

Most residents of Bath County know the story of the Owings House and the Bath County Courthouse, but there are so many more buildings and places that have stories of their own.  The heart of the town at the stop light has been the most changed.  The shops and church are not the original structures, but were built after the great fire of September, 1893.  The block from the Perfect Lady Salon to the Citizen’s Bank was reduced to rubble and brick shells after that devastating fire.   Within a few months to a year, the town was rebuilt, including the First Christian Church we see today.  The Christian Church was founded by renowned pioneer evangelist John ‘Raccoon’ Smith in 1828, along with the Upper White Oak and Sharpsburg Christian churches.  Smith was a minister associated with the Calvinism Movement and early Baptists.  The original church was described as a ‘magnificent wood frame structure’ in John Richards’ book An Illustrated History of Bath County.  The wooden church was replaced by a brick structure in 1849 and was similar to the present day church, standing in the same spot as it does today.  The Christian Church was rebuilt and finished in 1894 and is indeed a magnificent and beautiful place of worship.  John Smith's residence further down West Main Street is still standing today and is listed on the Owingsville/Bath County Chamber of Commerce's tourism pamphlet, along with several other homes and buildings, that can be picked up at the Bath County Memorial Library. 

Fratman's Hall, early 1900's.

At the corner of Main Street and North Court Street is what locals know as Smith's Hardware store.  Owned by Charles 'Chick' Smith, the building as we see it today looks like a typical, nondescript late 1800's brick frame structure, but if you look up to the second and third level, you'll notice stained glass windows that seem out of place with a hardware store.  On the second floor of the building, there was once a live theater called Fratman's Hall.  The hall held around 500 people and had dressing rooms, a curtained stage and boasted as having the first fully electric lighting system in Owingsville at the time.  During fall and winter months, traveling actors entertained with vaudeville comedies and tragedies.  The Owings House across the street would be busy with entertainers and visitors renting out rooms to stay during the theater season. Today, the second floor is mostly a storage area and there is an area where the tongue and groove hardwood floor is sagging due to age and disrepair.  The stage is now gone, but the service elevator is still behind where it once was, still stuck between floors.  

A Howe type fire apparatus

Site of Owingsville's early fire station

 The small white building next to the present day courthouse annex is a plain, white structure that has been many things over the years; from a beauty shop, a law office, to its present function as the Hometown Mortgage business.  While searching old maps, a Sanborn Insurance map from 1903 shows in that location a fire station; likely the first fire station in Owingsville.  While I am not sure if the current structure is in fact the old fire station, the dimensions on the map seem to correlate.  The same map has a note that states there was a Howe type hand pump truck, a two wheel hand hose, 1000 feet of cotton hose line and two 25 foot ladders housed at the station.  While the fire department was mainly ordinary citizens who would mobilize in a time of need, much like the volunteer fire service we have today, it appears the city was sufficiently equipped to stop a major fire in 1903.

The Kimbrough House

The Nesbitt House

Down West Main Street, there are many large homes that range from the earliest days of Owingsville to the more modern era.  The Kimbrough House, the Nesbitt House, the Smith House are all prominent homes that have survived the times, and in at least one case, a fire that threatened to destroy.  The Nesbitt House is occupied by the Collinsworth family and is registered on the National Registry of Historical Places.  It was built between 1876 and 1878 by J.J. Nesbitt, who was a prominent lawyer and later state representative.  The nearby Kimbrough house, occupied by the Richards family who are direct descendants of John Kimbrough who built the home, is an elegant two story home with a wrought iron fence around it that features an old hitching post.  In the late 1980's, the home was threatened when a fire broke out in the rear section and did extensive damage.  Efforts by the Owingsville, Salt Lick and Sharpsburg fire departments saved one of the oldest homes in town that day.  

John Kimbrough's drug store, 1893

If you walk along the streets of Owingsville, you may notice the names Kimbrough, Richart, Ramsey and the word bank etched into the store fronts along the main business district.   Prior to, and after the 1893 fire, these buildings housed businesses owned by people of these names.  The bank was Goodpaster's  Bank and is where the library is today.  John Kimbrough owned a drug store where the florist shop is now located.  Next door, where the library's main entrance is, was J.M. Richart's dry goods store.  The Ramsey Building, now a community fellowship hall for the Christian Church, was a hardware store ran by John Ramsey.  Many people still associate the Ramsey building as the old 'dime store', which was popular store for many years  The facades of the store fronts have changed many times over the years; ornate brickwork along the top of these stores was removed in the 1980's, partly due to the earthquakes that struck Owingsville.  Byron's Department Store was among these buildings and another thriving business during its tenure.  One store building that is now gone was the Bath County Drug Store, which was on the right of the church on Main Street.  The store had a little diner in it with the red topped swivel stools and some of the best ice cream one could eat.  It was razed in the early 1990's, along with the old two story building at the corner that was the C.H. Hoon building and more recently, Farmer's Bank.

Some of the oldest structures in Owingsville still stand today, like the Bailey house at North Court and Main Street which was built around  one of the first cabins built in Owingsville.  The site where Richardon Funeral Home is located is where Harrison Conner built a cabin around 1803; eight years before Owingsville was founded.  The Catholic church on East Main Street began as the Presbyterian Church and was established in 1876.  After the great fire, the First Christian Church congregated at the Presbyterian church until the new building was erected.  The house belonging to the Elam family located at the corner of East High Street and East Alley was once owned by E.V. Brother, an early county judge executive, and is reportedly the location of Owingsville's earliest church. Each one of these old houses are magnificently built structures of a bygone day; built with a construction method that is entirely hands-on with very little modern amenities.   

A row of early homes in Owingsville

An interesting row of houses along West Main Street across from Brooks Alley are some of the oldest structures in town and Bath County.  Shella and Walter Bailey own the row of houses and have worked for the past several years  restoring them.  At the western flank stands a restored log two story cabin with a large brick fireplace. Shella told me that the cabin was built between 1795-1810 and was once used as a stagecoach stop.  The interior is intact and features the original fireplace and mantle.  A fire did some damage to an added on section of the cabin around 1990, but the original part wasn't damaged.  The two structures adjoining the cabin were built around 1810 and sit on the original stone foundation.  The easternmost house was known as the 'rock house' and at one time featured two massive stone fireplaces, one of which still stands. Across from these buildings, where the gas station is, stood the Brooks House.  The Brooks house was built either just prior to or shortly after the founding of Owingsville.  It was a boarding house and tavern in the early days, being a favorite stop for travelers before the Owings House was constructed.  In 1828, President Andrew Jackson stopped at the tavern on his way to take the Presidential Oath, creating a whirlwind of excitement.  The Brooks House continued to serve as a hotel, boarding house and restaurant until the early 1900's when it was torn down.  To my knowledge, there are no pictures of this historic place.  

The 'pocket' behind the Bath County Courthouse was once a center of activity for Owingsville.  Starting at the Owings House, the rows of shops bear little resemblance to how they would have looked even in the past sixty or even forty years.  Law offices, a post office, a grocery store, and drug store once occupied the row of buildings, with the Masonic Lodge and Majestic Theater being the standouts.  Davis Department Store was also a busy and popular business in the pocket for many years.  Patrons could buy all the latest fashions and home items at the store and it remained open at some capacity until the late 1980's.  In the corner of the pocket was one of Owingsville's most popular places, Boyd's Restaurant.  Marjorie Boyd operated the eating spot and served highly acclaimed  home cooked style meals for many years, even to passing senators and governors.  My aunt Frances Willman once owned a beauty shop next to the Karrick's Cut Rate Store building; I can still vaguely remember being there as a small child while my mom and grandmother had their hair permed.  The most popular hot-spot in the pocket was the Majestic Theater. 

The Majestic Theater, 1947

From 1922 until 1984, the Majestic was one of the key meeting places for people in Owingsville,  Starting out as a silent film type theater, countless people still recall seeing their first Elvis Presley movie, or a news reel report of a local soldier from World War II there.  I personally have the fond memory of standing in line almost to the Owings House waiting to see the premier of Star Wars.  The modern age of home video brought a decline in theater patronage and the Majestic soon fell by the wayside, closing the curtain permanently after 62 years of entertaining Bath County and Owingsville.  In the 1990's, the row of buildings from the Karrick store to the corner where Doc Cameron's office stood was razed, including the Majestic.  A bank and clinic was built in the spots these once popular businesses thrived for all those years.  The Davis Department Store became a pool hall, Boyd's Restaurant became a number of businesses, including another short lived eating spot, and the law offices moved.  The WKCA radio station still occupies a spot in the pocket where it has since the mid 1980's next to the Owingsville Bank.

So many other buildings and houses in Owingsville have a rich and storied history; it would literally take volumes to tell all the stories of these places and how they have evolved over the generations.  A leisurely walk through Owingsville on a warm spring, summer or fall day or evening is relaxing; one must really stop occasionally and take in the elegance and beauty these places hold.  The voices in the walls echo back to a day that sadly, will soon be forgotten.  For now, take a moment to hear the stories the walls offer and see the beauty of a small town.


http://www.bathcountytourism.com/

 http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/ky/bath/state.html

 http://explorekyhistory.ky.gov/tours/show/32

Unconventional Medicine: The Wells Family & Herbal Remedies

Long before the days of modern medicine, people relied on home remedies to treat ailments using herbs and 'potions' that were passed down through generations.  Most people who were called 'doctors' during the late 18th and early 19th centuries in Kentucky were just simply a title only, as they couldn't afford to attend a medical school, and most couldn't even read or write.  Regardless, these people were highly regarded and trusted to treat, and sometimes cure, any illnesses they were presented.

Botanical practitioners, as they were formally called, were predominate in early Appalachian settlements.  They were said to have received their recipes for their medicines from the Native Americans or they were brought over from Europe generations before.  They relied on roots, seeds, leaves, bark and other natural resources that could be mixed and used to heal problems from sore throat to gastrointestinal ailments.  Side effects, however, could be deadly if not mixed properly.  Some of these practitioners also used faith-based techniques and local folklore combined with the herbs and roots to heal the sick. Even today, there are still botanical practitioners prescribing their home remedies in the mountains of southeastern Kentucky.

Bath County had its own botanical, or herb, doctors that were from the same family, and relatives of mine. They were William Mayhall Wells and his sons, Zachary Taylor and Benjamin Franklin Wells.  The Wells family story starts when the early descendants immigrated from England in the 1600's and settled in Baltimore, Maryland.  William Wells, born in 1710 to Richard and Catherine Wells in Baltimore, moved to Lee County, Virginia with his family, where in 1780 he was reportedly killed by Indians.  William's son, Zachariah, served in the Revolutionary War with the Virginia Continental Army's cavalry, participating in battles at Germantown, Brandywide, Bordentown (or Bonhamtown).  He was captured on December 12, 1777 near Fox Chase, Pennsylvania and held in a British camp as a prisoner of war for five months.  After Zachariah's release, he resettled in Lee County, Virginia and led a quiet life until his death in 1826. One of  Zachariah's sons, also named Zachariah, is the first to have been known as an herb doctor.  It is a fair assumption that he learned the practices of botanical medicine as it was passed down the generations.  Zachariah Wells, II moved to Wise County, Virginia where he died in 1870 at the age of 92 years; an almost unheard of age during that era.

Mayhall Wells, my third-great grandfather

William Mayhall Wells, my third-great grandfather, learned medicinal practices from his father Zachariah at an early age. He was born in Lee County, Virginia around 1823 and grew up in the rural part of Wise County, Virginia near Pound Gap, a mountain pass at the Virginia & Kentucky border.  He married Lavina Stidham in 1883 and together, they reared eight children.  During the Civil War, Mayhall was commissioned as a captain in the Virginia Home Militia and tasked to help defend the Pound Gap.  An interesting short story entitled The Army of the Callahan written by John Fox, Jr. in 1902 as an article for Scribner Magazine recounts the adventures of Mayhall and his 'home guard' during this era.  The article is dated and speaks in in a heavy Appalachian dialogue, but is an interesting tale.  Around 1865, Mayhall and his family moved from Big Stone Gap, Virginia to Morgan County, Kentucky.  It was there that he was first officially known as a physician in an 1870 census record.  It was interesting to know that Mayhall was unable to read or write, but was able to use his knowledge of herbal medicine passed down verbally to treat illnesses.   Sometime within the next decade, Mayhall relocated to Bath County near the Forge Hill community and applied for a formal medical registration.  His unique medicinal recipes were widely known; many people traveled long distances to be 'cured' of a variety of ailments.  The recipes were never written down, but he passed his knowledge to three of his sons, Benjamin Franklin, Jeremiah and Zachariah Wells.

Lavina Wells died in 1888 on the family's farm and was buried in Knox Hill Cemetery off Adams Road in Bath County.  Soon after her death, Mayhall moved to Breathitt County, Kentucky where his daughter Rebekah resided.  It was there in 1889 that Mayhall received his certificate for a botanical system and became known for his famous 'blood poisoning cure'.  This medicine seemingly cured blood infections that would otherwise constitute the loss of a limb or death. The remedy made Mayhall a much sought after celebrity of sorts.  He remarried a woman named Mary Fugate and treated patients well up until his older years, passing away in Breathitt County on March 3, 1902.

Mayhall's sons Zachariah and Benjamin, or Frank as he was called, stayed in Bath County and continued to practice the unconventional medicinal ways as they were passed to them.  Zachariah
 settled in the Preston area and Frank in the Forge Hill community.  They stayed busy treating patients and curing otherwise incurable ailments with their botanical system.   Frank married Effie Hunt and their daughter, Wynona, was my great-grandmother.

Doctors Zachariah and Frank Wells

  By the time Frank and Zachariah were older, the Wells name was household for their remedies, but the advent of modern hospitals and licensed physicians soon began to edge out the botanical practitioners in more populated areas of Kentucky.  Regardless, people still sought the Wells brothers for their blood poison cure.  The recipe was closely guarded by the family; in fact, only a few people were ever told and it's a mystery of who actually may have written it down and kept it over the generations.  Frank died in 1916 at the age of 68 and was buried next to his mother at Knox Hill Cemetery.  Zachariah died in 1944, aged 93 years, and is buried at the Kendall Springs Cemetery.  My great-grandmother Wynona married Thomas Ensor of the Bethel/Sherburne area of Bath County and lived in Sherburne until her death at the age of 95.  More descendants of the Wells family still live in Bath County near the Preston and Peasticks communities, and if they still have the blood poisoning recipe, they aren't revealing it.  Today, the botanical practitioners of Bath County have disappeared; modern medicine and strict regulations by the Food & Drug Administration have all but made the home remedies obsolete.  In recent times, Amish families have moved into parts of Bath County and brought with them some home remedies.  In one very recent incident near Preston, an Amish family was investigated and their remedies confiscated for not following FDA guidelines.  There are still a few botanical practitioners in Appalachian mountain communities nestled in hollows, but their practices aren't widely known; whether it be to protect a family tradition or just to plainly protect themselves from being prosecuted.

The Wells family doctors were a unique breed who had an art for healing using what we now call unconventional methods.  It makes one wonder if their art had been further honed within an institution of higher learning, would they had found cures to ailments much sooner than modern times?  For those who were treated by the Wells family, they attested to the abilities of the men and their home remedies as being the best in the medical field.