09 Sunday Aug 2015
Posted in Big Ugly Creek
Tags
Abraham Shelton, Appalachia, assault, Cabell County, crime, Daniel Neil, Edward Franklin, genealogy, Henry Walker, history, James McCormack, James Stuart, Joel Estes, John Irwin, Obediah Bias, U.S. South, Virginia, West Virginia, William Hampton, William Wirt Brumfield
William Wirt Brumfield was found guilty of assault and fined $5. Cabell Law Order Book 1, County Clerk’s Office, Huntington, WV
20 Saturday Jun 2015
Posted in Big Harts Creek, Big Ugly Creek, Fourteen, Green Shoal, Harts, Little Harts Creek, Queens Ridge, Sand Creek
Tags
A.F. McKendree, Abbotts Branch, Abijah Workman, Abner Vance, Admiral S. Fry, Albert Abbott, Alexander Tomblin, Allen Adkins, Allen Butcher, Anderson Barker, Andrew Dial, Andrew Elkins, Anthony Lawson, Archibald Elkins, Arnold Perry, Baptist Fry, Barnabus Carter, Big Ugly Creek, Burbus C. Toney, Cabell County, Charles Adkins, Charles F. Dingess, Charles J. Stone, Charles Lattin, Charles Spurlock, Charleston, Christian T. Fry, Crispin S. Stone, Cultural Center, Dicy Adams, Douglas Branch, Edmund Toney, Elias Adkins, Elijah A. Gartin, Evermont Ward, Fourteen Mile Creek, Francis Browning, Garland Conley, genealogy, George Hager, George Perry, Grandison B. Moore, Green Shoal, Hamilton Fry, Harts Creek, Harvey Elkins, Harvey S. Dingess, Harvey Smith, Henderson Dingess, Henry Adkins, Henry Conley, history, Ira Lucas, Isaac Adkins, Isaac Fry, Isaac Samuels, Isaiah Adkins, Jacob Stollings, Jake Adkins, James Browning, James Butcher, James Justice, James Smith, James Toney, James Wilson, Jeremiah Farmer, Joel Elkins, John Dalton, John Dempsey, John Fry, John Gore, John H. Brumfield, John Rowe, John W. Sartin, John Washington Adams, John Workman, Joseph Adams, Joseph Fry, Joseph Gore, Josephus Workman, Joshua Butcher, Kiahs Creek, Levi Collins, Lewis Adkins, Lilly's Branch, Limestone Creek, Little Harts Creek, Logan County, Lorenzo D. Hill, Low Gap Branch, Mathias Elkins, Meekin Vance, Melville Childers, Moses Brown, Moses Harrison, Moses Workman, Noah Hainer, Obediah Merritt, Obediah Workman, Paris Vance, Patton Thompson, Peter Dingess, Peter Mullins, Polly Vance, Price Lucas, Ralph Lucas, Reese W. Elkins, Richard Elkins, Richard Vance, Robert Elkins, Robert Hensley, Robert Lilly, Royal Childers, Sally McComas, Samuel Damron, Samuel Ferrell, Samuel Lambert, Samuel Parsons, Samuel Short, Samuel Vannatter, Sand Creek, Sims Index to Land Grants, Spencer A. Mullins, Squire Toney, Stephen Lambert, Thomas A. Childers, Thomas Dunn English, Thomas P. Spears, Wesley Vance, West Virginia, West Virginia State Archives, William Brown, William Buffington, William Dalton, William Hainer, William Johnson, William P. Blankenship, William Smith, William Straton, William T. Nichols, William Thompson, William Vance, William Wirt Brumfield
Persons receiving land grants between 1812 and 1860, including acreage totals, for the following streams located in Logan and Cabell counties, (West) Virginia: Big Harts Creek, Big Ugly Creek, Fourteen Mile Creek, Little Harts Creek, Sand Creek, Kiah’s Creek, Green Shoal, Brown’s (Abbott’s) Branch, Douglas Branch, Low Gap Branch, Lilly’s Branch, and Limestone (partial). This list does not necessarily reflect ALL of the person’s landholdings; only land in the Harts Creek community are noted. Also, some persons are duplicated due to receiving grants individually or jointly. Known nonresident landowners are denoted by a (*). My ancestors are placed in bold font. Note: This is a work in progress.
Anthony Lawson*, 6502 acres
Anthony Lawson et al*, 3400 acres
Charles Lattin et al, 2667 acres
John H. Brumfield et al, 2328 acres
Spencer A. Mullins, 2145 acres
John Dempsey et al*, 2090 acres
Isaiah Adkins, 2058 acres
Evermont Ward*, 1800 acres
William Johnson, 1794 acres
Elijah A. Garten, 1620 acres
Charles J. Stone, 1610 acres
Hamilton Fry, 1488 acres
William Johnson et al, 1435 acres
Burbus C. Toney, 1332 acres
William Straton et al*, 1319 acres
Thomas Dunn English*, 1085 acres
Thomas A. Childers et al*, 1050 acres
Samuel Damron et al, 1043 acres
Joshua Butcher, 808 acres
William Straton*, 791 acres
Elijah A. Garten et al, 770 acres
Isaac Adkins, 720 acres
Moses Harrison et al, 700 acres
Abner Vance, Jr., 642 acres
George Hager et al, 600 acres
Isaac Adkins, Jr., 595 acres
Samuel Short et al*, 561 acres
Elias Adkins, 560 acres
George Hager, 520 acres
Crispin S. Stone et al, 485 acres
John H. Brumfield, 480 acres
Moses Brown, 412 acres
Peter Mullins, 408 acres
Robert Lilly, 393 acres
Joseph and Dicy Adams, 384 acres
Charles Lattin, 378 acres
Albert Abbot, 370 acres
Christian T. Fry, 367 acres
Lorenzo D. Hill, 340 acres
Lewis Adkins et al, 325 acres
Enos “Jake” Adkins, 320 acres
Richard Elkins, 311 acres
Obadiah Merret*, 310 acres
Squire Toney, 307 acres
Isaac Samuels et al*, 300 acres
William T. Nicholls et al*, 296 acres
Samuel Lambert, 269 acres
Richard Elkin, Jr. et al, 260 acres
Anderson Barker, Jr. et al, 250 acres
Noah and William Haner et al, 250 acres
William Smith et al, 250 acres
Harvey S. Dingess, 242 acres
Abijah Workman, 239 acres
Samuel Ferrell, 238 acres
Noah Haner et al, 235 acres
Charles F. Dingess & Peter Dingess, Jr., 233 acres
Henderson Dingess, 233 acres
Richard Elkins et al, 230 acres
James Justice*, 220 acres
John Fry, 204 acres
Elias and Allen Adkins et al, 200 acres
James Smith and Harvey Smith, 200 acres
James Toney et al, 200 acres
James Browning, 190 acres
William Buffington et al*, 190 acres
Charles Lucas, 190 acres
James Wilson et al*, 190 acres
James Butcher, 185 acres
Jacob Stollings, 185 acres
A.F. McKendree et al*, 185 acres
Grandison B. Moore, 180 acres
Peter Dingess, 170 acres
Joseph Fry, 162 acres
Robert Elkin, 160 acres
Admiral S. Fry, 157 acres
Robert Hensley, 154 acres
Richard Vance, 153 acres
Levi Collins, 150 acres
Harvey Elkins, 148 acres
James Smith, 148 acres
Reese W. Elkins, 125 acres
John Fry, Jr., 125 acres
Price Lucas, 125 acres
Ralph Lucas, 125 acres
William Dalton, 123 acres
Andrew Dial, 120 acres
Lewis Adkins, 116 acres
Patton Thompson, Jr., 112 acres
John W. Adams, Jr., 110 acres
Charles Adkins, 110 acres
Obediah Workman, 106 acres
Stephen Lambert, 105 acres
John Goare, 104 acres
Moses Workman and John Workman, 100 acres
James Toney, 95 acres
Francis Browning, 94 acres
Alexander Tombolin, 94 acres
Allen Butcher, 93 acres
Ira Lucas, 93 acres
William P. Blankenship, 92 acres
David Robison, 92 acres
Joseph Gore, 90 acres
Archibald Elkins, 87 ½ acres
Anderson Barker et al, 85 acres
Isaac Fry et al, 85 acres
Paris Vance, 84 acres
William Brumfield, 75 acres
Henry Conley, 75 acres
Squire Toney et al, 75 acres
Andrew Dial et al, 73 acres
Burbus C. Toney et al, 73 acres
Henry Adkins, 70 acres
Isaiah and Charles Adkins, 70 acres
John W. Sartin, 70 acres
Barnabus Carter, 65 acres
Mathias Elkin, 63 acres
Patton Thompson, 62 acres
Samuel Parsons*, 60 acres
Harvey and Andrew Elkin, 55 acres
Meken Vance, 55 acres
Joel Elkins, 50 acres
Jeremiah Farmer, 50 acres
Baptist Fry, 50 acres
William Smith, 50 acres
Thomas P. Spears, 50 acres
Charles Spurlock, 50 acres
Samuel Vannatter et al, 50 acres
Edmund Toney, 46 acres
Sally McComas et al heirs, 45 acres
George Perry, 44 acres
Arnold Perry, Jr., 40 acres
William Thompson, 40 acres
John Workman, 40 acres
Josephus Workman, 40 acres
John Rowe, 38 acres
Melville Childers et al*, 37 acres
John Dalton, 34 acres
Polly Vance and William Vance (son), 33 acres
Garland Conley, Jr., 32 acres
Moses Workman, 26 acres
William Brown, 25 acres
Royal Childers*, 25 acres
Wesley Vance, 25 acres
Richard Vance, Jr., 13 acres
Source: Sims Index to Land Grants in West Virginia (Charleston, WV: State of West Virginia, 1952). Thanks to the West Virginia State Archives at the Cultural Center in Charleston, West Virginia, for use of the book.
29 Wednesday Apr 2015
Posted in Harts
Tags
Albert Adkins, Alva Koontz, Amon Ferguson, Annie Dingess, Appalachia, Ashland, attorney general, Bell Adkins, Bessie Adkins, Brook Adkins, Burl Farley, Cabell County, Caroline Brumfield, Charles Brumfield, Cora Adkins, Decoration Day, Ed Brumfield, genealogy, Hamlin, Harts, Hazel Toney, Herbert Adkins, history, Hollena Ferguson, Huntington, James Auxier Newman, Jessie Brumfield, Kentucky, Lace Marcum, Lincoln County, Logan, Logan Banner, Maggie Shelton, Mary Ann Farley, Nora Brumfield, Ora Dingess, Robert Brumfield, Robert Dingess, Robert Hale, Ruby Adkins, Shelby Shelton, state road inspecetor, Toney Johnson, U.S. South, Verna Johnson, Wayne County, Wesley Ferguson, West Virginia
An unnamed local correspondent at Harts in Lincoln County, West Virginia, offered the following items, which the Logan Banner printed on 5 June 1925:
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dingess of Logan, spent Saturday and Sunday with her mother, Mrs. Chas. Brumfield at Harts.
Miss Cora Adkins was shopping in Logan, Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brumfield of Harts spent Decoration Day in Wayne county.
Mr. Edward Brumfield and Wesley Ferguson spent several days visiting friends and relatives at Wayne.
Attorney General Lace Marcum, of Huntington has been visiting Chas. Brumfield and family at Harts.
Mr. and Mrs. Toney Johnson, of Ashland, Ky., spent Decoration Day with Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Brumfield at this place.
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Adkins has purchased them a fine new Studebaker car last week.
Miss Hazel Toney and Mr. Eplings of Huntington were calling on Miss Jessie Brumfield Sunday.
Miss Jessie Brumfield was shopping in Huntington, Saturday.
Mr. James Auxier Newman, a state road inspector of Huntington was the guest of Miss Jessie Brumfield, Tuesday at Harts.
Mr. Robert Hale and Mrs. Hallene Ferguson were seen out car riding Monday evening.
Mr. Amon Ferguson, Ora Dingess, Bell Adkins were seen out car riding Sunday evening.
Mr. and Mrs. Burl Farley of Cabell county and Mr. and Mrs. Albert Adkins and daughter, Miss Ruby, of Hamlin were the guests of Mrs. Chas. Brumfield at Harts, Sunday.
Mr. Alva Koontz, of Huntington is our new State inspector this week at Harts.
Mr. and Mrs. Shelby Shelton and children of Huntington spent Decoration Day at Harts.
15 Wednesday Apr 2015
Posted in Big Harts Creek, Warren
Tags
A.B. Lowe, Aracoma, Cabell County, Harts Creek, history, Huntington, Island Creek, Lincoln County, Logan County, Logan County Banner, mail, Mud Fork, post offices, Trace Fork, Twelve Pole Creek, Warren Post Office, Wayne, Wayne County, West Virginia
This brief editorial regarding Warren Post Office appeared in the 6 March 1890 issue of the Logan County Banner, printed in Logan, WV.
“Warren, in Lincoln county, from which all the people on Harts Creek and upper Twelve Pole receive their mail, is eighteen miles from this place, but it takes us a full week to get a letter from that place. A letter arriving to this place from Warren has to go by Brownstown, thence by the C. & O. Ry. to Huntington, thence by Wayne C.H., and thence to Warren, a distance of two hundred miles. The route from Wayne C.H. to Warren should be extended up Harts Creek and Twelve Pole and then down the Mud Fork of Island Creek to this place, with new offices at the Mouth of the Trace Fork of Harts Creek and at or near A.B. Lowe’s on Twelve Pole.”
09 Monday Mar 2015
Posted in Big Harts Creek, Lincoln County Feud, Timber
Tags
Blood in West Virginia, Brown's Run, Burl Farley, Cabell County, feud, genealogy, Harts Creek, history, Lincoln County Feud, Logan County, photos, rafting, Roach, Smokehouse Fork, timber, timbering, U.S. South, West Virginia
Burl Farley, timber boss and feudist, resident of Browns Run of Smokehouse Fork of Harts Creek, Logan County, WV
17 Tuesday Feb 2015
Posted in Big Harts Creek, Lincoln County Feud, Timber
Tags
Appalachia, Blood in West Virginia, Brown's Run, Burl Farley, Burl Farley Bridge, Cabell County, genealogy, Harts Creek, history, Lincoln County Feud, Logan County, logging, Roach, timbering, West Virginia
James Burl Farley of Browns Run of Harts Creek was a leading timber figure in the Guyandotte Valley. He was also a key participant in the Lincoln County Feud. Farley later relocated to Roach in Cabell County, WV.
16 Monday Feb 2015
Posted in Big Harts Creek, Lincoln County Feud, Logan, Timber
Tags
Appalachia, Blood in West Virginia, Cabell County, Canada, Enoch Baker, genealogy, Harts Creek, history, Huntington, Lincoln County Feud, Logan County, logging, Nova Scotia, photos, timbering, West Virginia
Enoch Baker, a native of Nova Scotia who once worked timber on Harts Creek, is shown here years later at his Huntington, WV, office.
15 Sunday Feb 2015
Posted in Barboursville, Cemeteries, Lincoln County Feud
Tags
Appalachia, Barboursville, Blood in West Virginia, book, books, Cabell County, doctor, history, Lincoln County Feud, photos, physician, Virginus R. Moss, West Virginia
Dr. V.R. Moss was one of two physicians who treated Hollena Brumfield after her ambush. Earlier today, I visited his grave at Barboursville Cemetery in Barboursville, WV.
Dr. V.R. Moss was one of two physicians who treated Hollena Brumfield after her ambush. Earlier today, I visited his grave at Barboursville Cemetery in Barboursville, WV.
15 Sunday Feb 2015
Posted in Cemeteries, Hamlin, Lincoln County Feud
Tags
Appalachia, Blood in West Virginia, book, books, Brandon Kirk, Cabell County, genealogy, history, Huntington, Lincoln County Feud, photos, Professor Coin, Spring Hill Cemetery, Thomas H. Harvey, West Virginia
Judge Thomas H. Harvey was judge during the sensational Haley-McCoy murder trial in 1890. Here’s the Harvey family monument, located at Spring Hill Cemetery in Huntington, WV.
Judge Harvey was brother to the rather famous “Professor Coin.” Here I am earlier today at the Harvey monument.
07 Wednesday Jan 2015
Posted in Big Harts Creek, Big Ugly Creek, Fourteen, Green Shoal, Harts, Little Harts Creek, Queens Ridge, Toney
Tags
America Dalton, Andrew Elkins, Appalachia, Arena Ferrell, Ben Walker, Blackburn Lucas, Brad Toney, Cabell County, Catherine Adkins, Charles Adkins, Charles Lucas, D.K. Adkins, Emma Duty, Floyd Enos Adkins, Floyd Fry, genealogy, George Alderson, George Duty, George Hill, George Staley, Greenville Perry, Harts Creek District, Hezekiah "Carr" Adkins, history, Hollena Brumfield, Irvin Lucas, Isaac Gartin, John Clay Farley, John F. Duty, John H Fry, John W. Berry, L.H. Burks, Levina Hager, Lincoln County, M.B. Adkins, Malinda Johnson, Melissa Adkins, Nancy Alford, Overton Elkins, Patterson Ferrell, Patterson Toney, Sarah A. Brumfield, Sarah Berry, U.S. South, Wade S. Lambert, West Virginia, William Bell, William R. Lucas, Wirt Toney
Based on land books available at the Lincoln County Clerk’s office, the following persons owned property with buildings in Harts Creek District in 1903. Many of the persons listed below were business owners. The value of their structures are provided:
Hollena Brumfield, $750
Catharine Adkins, $300
George Hill, $250
Blackburn Lucas, $250
Bradford Toney, $250
Floyd E. Adkins, $150
L.H. Burks of Cabell County, $150
George and Emma Duty, $150
John H. Fry, $150
Wirt Toney, $150
George Staley, $75
$100
D.K. and M.B. Adkins
John C. Farley
Arena Ferrell
Patterson Ferrell
Levinie Hager
Malinda Johnson
Charles Lucas
Wade S. Lambert
Irvin Lucas
William R. Lucas et als
Greenville Perry
Patterson Toney
$50
Charley Adkins
Hezekiah Adkins
Malissa Adkins
George Alderson
Nancy A. Alford
William Bell
J.W. and Sarah Berry
Sarah A. Brumfield
L.H. Burks of Cabell County
America Dalton
John F. Duty
Andrew Elkins
Overton Elkins
Floyd Fry
Isaac G. Gartin
Blackburn B. Lucas
Benjamin W. Walker
Source: Land Book (1901-1904), Lincoln County Clerk’s Office, Hamlin, WV.
11 Wednesday Jun 2014
Tags
Ben France, Cabell County, civil war, Confederate Army, fiddler, fiddling, history, Long Branch, music, photos, West Virginia
Ben France, a Confederate veteran and fiddler from Long Branch area of Cabell County, WV
11 Wednesday Jun 2014
Tags
Appalachia, Army of Tennessee, Battle of Gettysburg, Ben France, Ben Haley, Brandon Kirk, Cabell County, civil war, Confederate Army, Dave Bing, Ed Haley, fiddler, genealogy, Guyandotte Valley, Henry France Cemetery, history, John D. Rockefeller, John Hartford, Long Branch, Milt Haley, music, Old Soldier Fiddlers, Shenandoah Valley, Stonewall Jackson, Wayne County, West Virginia, writing
Around that same time, Brandon located a picture of Ben France in a newsletter called High Notes: Mountain Music from West Virginia (1996). France was the most famous fiddler in the Guyandotte Valley during the 1850s. He may have been acquainted with Ed’s grandfather, Ben Haley, or even influenced Milt or Ed.
“These are the ‘Old Soldier Fiddlers’ — two Union, two Confederate — who toured the country after the Civil War,” the caption read. “The second fiddler from the left is Ben France of Wayne County, a Confederate courier who was second on the scene after Stonewall Jackson was fatally wounded. France was the great-great-great-great-great-uncle of our own Bing Brothers. Thanks to Dave Bing for the use of the photograph.”
A little later, I called Dave Bing, a West Virginia fiddler pretty well known among the traditional festival circuit, to ask him about the picture.
“Uncle Ben was born in what is now Wayne County, West Virginia, in the 1840s,” he said. “He joined the Confederate Army at the age of seventeen and served as a carrier in the Shenandoah Valley campaign. He was in the area on a mission the night Stonewall Jackson was shot and was said to be the second man to come to his aid. During the Battle of Gettysburg, he was wounded and transferred to the Army of Tennessee where he served until the end of the war. Uncle Ben was known as a fine horseman.”
France became somewhat of a professional musician after the war.
“After the war, Uncle Ben and three other war veterans (all fiddlers) toured the country playing resorts and fine hotels,” Bing said. “The group was known as the ‘Blue and the Gray.’ Uncle Ben once played by invitation for John D. Rockefeller, Sr. at his hotel. He was an outstanding banjo player but was more famous for his fiddling. He was well-dressed and always had his fiddle — which he called ‘Sally.’ He never married but was the father of a daughter. He died in 1917. He was buried in Henry France Cemetery located off of Long Branch in Cabell County.”
31 Saturday May 2014
04 Sunday May 2014
Posted in Barboursville
Tags
Appalachia, Barboursville, Cabell County, Fred B. Lambert, genealogy, Guyan Valley High School, history, Lincoln County, photos, U.S. South, West Virginia, writers
Fred B. Lambert, regional historian and educator, Cabell County, WV
23 Wednesday Apr 2014
Posted in Civil War
Tags
Albert Gallatin Jenkins, Appalachia, Cabell County, civil war, Green Bottom, history, photos, U.S. South, West Virginia
Albert Gallatin Jenkins House, Cabell County, WV, 2013
04 Friday Apr 2014
Posted in Hatfield-McCoy Feud, Women's History
Tags
Appalachia, Cabell County, Charles Flynn, Jim Vance, Logan County, Logan County Banner, Mary Vance, Milton, West Virginia
Mary Vance, wife of Jim Vance, of Hatfield-McCoy feud fame, Logan County Banner, October 4, 1894
16 Sunday Mar 2014
Posted in Big Harts Creek, Ed Haley, Lincoln County Feud, Timber
Tags
Appalachia, Burl Farley, Cabell County, culture, genealogy, history, life, photos, Roach, West Virginia, writing
Burl Farley, Roach, Cabell County, WV
16 Sunday Mar 2014
Posted in Big Harts Creek, Culture of Honor, Ed Haley, Lincoln County Feud, Timber
Tags
Anthony Adams, Appalachia, Ben Adams, Burl Farley, Cabell County, Carolyn Johnnie Farley, culture, Ed Haley, Green McCoy, Harts Creek, Hattie Farley, history, Imogene Haley, James Pig Hall, John Frock Adams, Lewis Farley, life, Logan County, Milt Haley, moonshine, Roach, timbering, West Virginia, writing
After the Milt Haley murder, Burl Farley was involved in several other feuds on Harts Creek. Around 1910, he and his brother-in-law Anthony Adams “had it out” over a “mix-up” of logs.
“The Adamses were mean,” Johnnie said. “They’d kill each other.”
Burl also beat up a neighbor named Pig Hall and dared him to ever frequent his property again.
Eventually, Burl left Harts Creek. He timbered briefly at Bluewater in Wayne County then sold his property on Brown’s Run to Johnnie’s father in 1918. He settled at Roach, near Salt Rock, in Cabell County.
Burl’s involvement in Milt Haley’s death apparently haunted him in his later life. Johnnie remembered him being drunk and talking about it.
“I believe it bothered his mind,” she said. “When you do something dirty, it usually hurts your mind. And the cancers eat his face up and killed him. It eat him completely — his ears off, nose off.”
We asked Johnnie if she ever heard what happened to Ed’s mother and she said, “I always thought from what I heard that she stayed with some people around in the Harts Creek area until she died. Before she died and after he died, she was able to work some and she’d go out and work for the neighbors to keep herself up and not ask nobody for nothing. She was an independent person. Don’t know where she’s buried nor nothing.”
Billy wondered if maybe Emma had remarried and Johnnie said, “Well, I’d say — going by some experiences I’ve saw — my dad died when my mother was 48 years old — you can’t call that old — and she never married nor never looked at a man and she lived to be 75 years old on the day she was buried.”
Was there a chance that Ed’s mother might have shacked up with someone?
“No, I don’t believe so,” Johnnie said. “The old women back then was different from the women today. I’ll just put it like I believe it: they were not sex crazy and they lived their life decent. They believed the Bible. They believed one man to one woman and when death parted them…stay single. I’d say my mother was happily married — she had twelve children and to have twelve children she musta loved him or she wouldn’t a stayed with him, would she? My dad, he drank a lot and he abused her a lot, but you know what? When he died and was put in the ground, my mother made a statement. She says, ‘I’ll never be married again.’ She said, ‘There goes my first love and that’s it.’ I’ve saw men ask my mother if she was ready to get married. She said, ‘I wouldn’t look at a man.’ She had the opportunity to marry into some good families, but she wouldn’t do it. And Mom raised nine of us children by herself and buddy she worked hard to raise us. She taught school.”
We asked Johnnie if she’d heard anything about Ben Adams hiring Milt and Green to ambush Al Brumfield.
“I never could get the full details on who was the ringleader behind it,” she said. “They always got to be a leader, and he’s the one that agitates and gets them out and gives them the whisky that gets them drunk. I’m gonna tell you something. Old Ben Adams was mean as a snake, honey. He didn’t care. And old man John Adams was just as mean. Ben was a brother to Grandpaw Anthony.”
Times were pretty wild on Harts Creek in those days.
“They’d go have associations and campaign rallies and they’d kill all kinds of hogs and sheep and stuff you know and have a big dinner set out for them,” Johnnie said. “And buddy they’d just go there and campaign and fight like dogs and cats. Get drunk. I remember in elections and stuff about what they’d do to my dad. They’d get him drunk and he’d walk up and take a knife and just cut a man’s tie off’n his neck as though it wasn’t nothing. Everybody with a big half a gallon of moonshine under his arm. Pistol in his pocket. Now that went on around here, honey. In the sixties, they stopped.”
I asked Johnnie where the old association grounds were and she said, “Well, they’d have one here at Grandpa Burl’s farm and then they’d go on down in Lincoln County and post another’n and they’d ride mules and horses and run them to death.”
Johnnie figured Ed played at the association grounds “because he liked to drink and he was where the action was. He played wherever he could find him a drink.”
15 Saturday Mar 2014
Posted in Ed Haley, Lincoln County Feud
Tags
Appalachia, Burl Farley, Cabell County, culture, genealogy, history, life, Mary Ann Farley, photos, Roach, West Virginia
Burl Farley (extreme right), Roach, Cabell County, WV
07 Friday Mar 2014
Tags
Appalachia, Ben France, Cabell County, civil war, Confederate Army, fiddler, fiddling, Fred B. Lambert, genealogy, history, music, photos, West Virginia
Ben France, fiddler and Confederate veteran, Cabell County, West Virginia. From the Fred B. Lambert Papers at Special Collections Department, Morrow Library, Marshall University, Huntington, WV.
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