Tag Archives: Charles Brumfield

Harts Area Deed Index (1887-1910)

27 Friday Sep 2019

Posted by in Big Harts Creek, Big Ugly Creek, Fourteen

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The following deed index is based on Deed Book 60 at the Lincoln County Clerk’s Office in Hamlin, WV, and relates to residents of the Harts Creek community. Most notations reflect Harts Creek citizens engaged in local land transactions; some reflect Harts Creek citizens engaged in land transactions outside of the community. These notes are meant to serve as a reference to Deed Book 60. Researchers who desire the most accurate version of this material are urged to consult the actual record book.

A.F. Morris, special commissioner, and E.W. Holley to John P. Fry     75 acres Fourteen Mile Creek     13 January 1900     p.72-73

Laura Aldridge to C.C. Fry     3 acres Big Ugly Creek     17 May 1909     p. 79-80

William Manns et ux to Josephine Robinson     75 acres Big Harts Creek     19 February 1887     p. 82

Georgia Perry to John W. Robertson     timber Big Branch Harts Creek     23 December 1909     p. 83-84

Sarah A. Perry to Georgia Perry     19 acres Ridge Between Dick Elkins Branch and Rockhouse Fork     14 September 1906     p. 85-86

Sarah A. Perry to Georgia Perry     26 acres Big Branch Harts Creek     15 September 1906     p. 86-87

Isaac G. Gartin to James M. Toney     56 acres and 35 1/4 acres Harts Creek District     3 January 1899     p. 125-127

Patten and Delana Thompson to J.W. and Mary White     102 acres and 22 acres Carroll District     22 February 1887     p. 136-137

Alvin Linville et ux to Roma Spears et ux     32 acres Big Ugly Creek     28 January 1910     p. 213-214

A.F. Morris et ux to Romie Spears et ux     32 acres Big Ugly Creek     19 July 1910     p. 214-215

J.H. Meek, trustee, to C&O Railway Company     right of way Harts Creek District     30 June 1910     p. 283-284

John W. Tomblin et ux to K.E. Toney     100 acres interest in coal, oil, cas, etc. Big Harts Creek     13 August 1910     p. 300-301

John Adkins et ux to K.E. Toney     45 acres interest in coal, oil, gas, etc. Lower Big Branch     5 July 1910     p. 301-302

Emzy Adkins et ux to Cora Adkins     40 acres Harts Creek District     4 February 1905     p. 304-305

Charles Brumfield et ux to Wilson and Sons     100 acres Ike Fry Branch     12 may 1902     T.J. Wysong, notary public     p. 375-376

A.F. Morris et ux to O.J. Spurlock     100 acres Big Ugly Creek     16 November 1909     p. 412-413

Andrew J. Browning et ux to K.E. Toney     200 acres coal, oil, gas, etc. Big Harts Creek     10 August 1910     JP Charles Adkins     17 August 1910     p. 425-426

Wash Dempsey et al to Thomas Browning     Big Harts Creek     24 January 1905     p. 426-427

C.W. Campbell, special commissioner, to John Dingess     Coal Branch     16 August 1898     p. 442-443

Note: I copied all of these deeds.

Harts News 12.03.1926

26 Monday Jun 2017

Posted by in Gill, Harts, Logan, West Hamlin

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An unknown correspondent from Harts in Lincoln County, West Virginia, offered the following items, which the Logan Banner printed on December 3, 1926:

Oh, gee! Look what is at Harts. Nothing but mud and raining.

Mrs. Dallas McComas of Harts was the guest of her mother of West Hamlin on Thanksgiving.

Edward Brumfield was looking downhearted Sunday. Cheer up, Edward. Your girl will soon return.

There was great excitement in Harts Friday. Fred Adkins’ dog died.

Miss Sylvia Cyfers of Gill was the guest of Miss Jessie Brumfield at Harts Saturday.

Chas. Brumfield was transacting business matters in Logan last week.

Mrs. Nora Brumfield is progressing nicely with her school at Harts.

All the people in Harts are anxious to read The Banner.

Daily happenings: Robert and his letters; Ed and his sporty lumberjacket; Herbert and his greenback bills; Jessie and her satin slippers; May and her curls; Tom and his frock tail coat; Bessie and her red sweater; Cora and her white cap; Corbett and his oil can; Howard and his bob tail sweater; Clyde and his little tight shirt; Nora and her magazines; James and his dog; Enos and his red hair; Cora and her powder puff; Ella and her marcel wavers; Aunt Hollena and her cane.

Harts News 02.26.1926

17 Thursday Nov 2016

Posted by in Gill, Hamlin, Harts, Huntington, Logan, Sand Creek, West Hamlin

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An unknown local correspondent from Harts in Lincoln County, West Virginia, offered the following items, which the Logan Banner printed on February 26, 1926:

Several boys and girls of this place attended singing school at Coal Branch Sunday.

Dr. Ferrell and Cora Adkins were calling on friends at Sand Creek last Saturday evening.

Miss Jewell Brumfield attended Sunday school at Gill Sunday and was accompanied by Sylvia Ciphers and Hawkins Perry.

J.C. McEldowney of Charleston was calling on friends and relatives at Harts Saturday.

Chas. Brumfield was a business caller in Huntington Saturday.

Ward Brumfield was transacting business in Hamlin Saturday.

Blanch, Anna and Laura Lambert were visiting friends in Harts Wednesday.

Hardin Marcum was calling on Shirlie Adkins at West Hamlin Sunday.

Hendrix Brumfield attended singing at Coal Branch Sunday and reported there were over fifty singers present and the singing was progressing nicely.

Every body is planning to hunt Easter eggs here.

Mrs. C.C. Pack and daughter, Miss May, were visiting relatives in Logan Saturday and Sunday.

Enos Dials spent Sunday in Huntington.

Daily Happenings: Bob Hendrix meeting the train; Ward with the tax books; Watson with his pipe; Herb in the garage; Nora and Jewell teaching school; Bessie and Cora in the store; Aunt Cathrine with her hair; Sadie with her glasses on; Luther in his old rattle trap; Wesley reading the newspaper; Fred, the law maker.

Justices of the Peace and Constables of Harts Creek and Guyan Districts (1967-1970)

22 Sunday May 2016

Posted by in Chapmanville, Harts

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Between 1967 and 1970, the following men served as justices of the peace and constables in the Harts Creek District of Lincoln County and the Guyan District of Logan County, West Virginia.

1967

Harts Creek District

Justices of the Peace

Walden Frye (D), Harts

Jesse Tomblin, Harts

Constables

Collie Lambert, Harts

Carman Mitchell (D), Harts

Guyan District

Justices of the Peace

Clifford Belcher (D)

Ezra Butcher (D)

Constables

Sidney Dingess (D)

Ray McFarlin (D)

1968

Harts Creek District

Justices of the Peace

Walden Frye (D), Harts

Jesse Tomblin, Harts

Constables

Collie Lambert, Harts

Carman Mitchell, Harts

Guyan District

Justices of the Peace

Frank Blevins (D)

Ezra Butcher (D)

Constables

Sidney Dingess (D)

Ray McFarlin (D)

1969

Harts Creek District

Justices of the Peace

Charles Wilson Brumfield, Harts

Luther Dempsey, Harts

Jesse Tomblin, Harts

Constables

George D. Dalton, Harts

Carman Mitchell (D) Harts

Guyan District

Justices of the Peace

Frank Blevins (D)

Ezra Butcher (D)

Constables

W.E. Wheatly, Jr. (D)

Ray McFarlin (D)

1970

Harts Creek District

Justices of the Peace

Charles Wilson Brumfield (D), Harts

Luther Dempsey (D), Harts

Constables

George D. Dalton (D), Harts

Carman Mitchell (D), Harts

Guyan District

Justices of the Peace

Frank Blevins (D)

Tyler Fender (D)

Constables

W.E. Wheatley, Jr. (D)

Ray McFarlin (D)

Harts Creek Area Justices of the Peace (1879-1910)

16 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by in Big Harts Creek, Sand Creek, Warren

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Between 1879 and 1910, the following men served as justices of the peace in the Harts Creek community. The primary source for this material is “Commissioner’s Record of Destroyed Title Papers 2,” which is located at the Lincoln County Clerk’s Office in Hamlin, WV. Material is arranged based on the person’s name as given in the deed, the date of the deed, and the date of the deed’s acknowledgment by a JP. I have also found JPs listed in Deed Book 50, 51, 52, 54, 55, 56, and 60. Deed Book “S” at the Logan County Clerk’s Office as well as numerous records in the Logan County Circuit Clerk’s Office have also provided information. Many thanks to the county clerks and their employees who have always been so helpful to my research these past twenty-five years.

Stephen Lambert (Logan County) 1879, 1885-1886

State v. John Mullins (1879-1880)

NOTE: Moses Dalton stated that he was a “magistrate” in c.1885.

Deed: W.T. Butcher to Birl Farley     11 September 1885     11 September 1885

Deed: William and Emily Dingess to Polly C. Bryant     25 January 1886

Hall v. Baker     30 September 1886, 16 October 1886

NOTE: Stephen Lambert died, according to court docket files, on 21 October 1886 or 23 October 1886

A.B. Lowe was appointed justice in place of Stephen Lambert, deceased     8 November 1886

Andrew D. Robinson (Lincoln County) 1879

State v. John Mullins (1879-1880)

John McCloud (Logan County) 1881-1884, 1890-1892

Deed: Margaret Browning     01 October 1879     29 January 1881

Deed: A.A. Low to Stephen Lambert     1 June 1881     25 March 1882

Deed: Weddington Mullins     14 March 1881     18 July 1882

Deed: Charles Browning     1 June 1881     22 July 1882

Deed: Francis Vance     1 July 1882     10 March 1883

Deed: John Messer     15 September 1882     12 February 1884

Deed: Henry Workman v. Melvin Butcher     24 March 1884

Deed: Henry Workman v. Melvin Butcher     28 March 1884

Deed: Ezekiel K. Johnson     1 July 1882     30 December 1884

Workman v. Butcher     24 March 1884, 28 March 1884, 9 June 1884

Deed: Robert Mullins to Sarah E. Gore     25 November 1890     3 December 1890

Deed: Sophia Kinser     1 June 1881     12 November 1891

Deed: Farabell and John Vance to Salena Vance     11 October 1892

Jeremiah Lambert (Lincoln County) 1881-1884

Deed: John Henry Adkins     10 May 188?     3 June 1881

Deed: Archibald B. Harrison     1 July 1882     7 July 1882

Deed: John H. Fry     1 July 1882     16 August 1882

Deed: Sampson S. Brumfield      1 July 1882     17 August 1882

Deed: Minnis W. Perry     1 June 1881     13 April 1883

Deed: Enos Adkins     1 July 1882     3 June 1883

Deed: Sarah E. Thompson     23 March 1883     23 June 1883

Deed: Miles B. Browning     14 April 1881     10 August 1883

Deed: Elisha Vance     15 September 1882     10 August 1883

Deed: Moses B. Toney     21 August 1882     21 August 1883

Deed: Jeremiah and Ballard Lambert     1 July 1882     12 September 1883

Deed: Van D. Lambert     15 September 1882     30 January 1884

Deed: Albert G. Abbott     23 March 1883     14 February 1884

James H. Marcum (Lincoln County) 1881

Deed: Harmon and Susan Stroud to Louisa A. Wiley     18 November 1881

Canaan Adkins (Lincoln County) 1885-1888

Deed: Mitchell Browning and Charles Kinser     23 March 1883     5 March 1885

Deed: John and Chloe Ann Messer to Floyd Caldwell     16 March 1885     16 March 1885

Deed: Aaron and Nancy Jane Adkins to B.W. Walker     12 June 1885

Deed: John M.P. and Victory Thompson     1 July 1882     18 July 1885

Deed: Sarah E. Vance, Mary L. Nelson, and Peter M. Mullins     25 April 1883     8 August 1885

Deed: Aaron and Nancy Jane Adkins to B.W. Walker     12 June 1885     12 June 1885

Deed: Abner Vance     21 August 1882     6 October 1885

Deed: Telitha Spears to Blackburn Lucas     26 July 1886     26 July 1886

Deed: Charles Lucas to Blackburn Lucas     18 September 1886     18 September 1886

Deed: Charles Lucas to William Bird Brumfield     18 September 1886     18 September 1886

Deed: Sarah A. Perry     14 April 1881     14 February 1887

Deed: William and Jane Manns to Josephine Robinson     19 February 1887     19 February 1887

Deed: Andrew Jackson Browning     23 March 1883     17 June 1887

Deed: Elvira Baisden     1 July 1882     19 November 1887

Deed: Aaron and Nancy Jane Adkins     24 August 1887     24 August 1887/14 February 1888

Deed: Jeremiah Lambert to Van D. Lambert     30 April 1888

Deed: Floyd and Martha Caldwell to Melvin Kirk     7 July 1888     7 July 1888

A.B. Lowe (Logan County) 1886

A.B. Lowe was appointed justice in place of Stephen Lambert, deceased     8 November 1886

Hall v. Baker     18 November 1886

John B. Pullen (Lincoln County) 1888

Robert Fry to Wilford Fry, Martha J. Fry, and Rosa A. Fry     3 January 1888

Elias Vance (Lincoln County) 1889-1896

Aaron and Nancy J. Adkins to Malissia Adkins     14 August 1889     14 August 1889

Marine and Polly Spurlock to Laura Fry     6 November 1889

Polly C. Bryant to children     15 July 1891

Minerva McCloud     15 September 1882     7 November 1891

2 June 1893

Andrew and Elizabeth Elkins to Thomas J. Adkins     27 March 1894

George A. and Julia Alderson, Floyd and Emily Rakes, and C.D. and Vietta T. Haverty to J.L. Caldwell     7 December 1894

Enos Adkins et ux to Allen Brumfield     28 December 1894     14 May 1895

Charles Lucas to Sarah Brumfield     6 July 1895     6 July 1895

Samuel Workman to Melvin Kirk     29 September 1896     29 September 1896

On 26 August 1898, JP Vance was sentenced to serve two years in the state penitentiary for embezzlement.

David F. Smith (Lincoln County) 1892-1907

Richard and Olive F. Adkins to Sarah M. Adkins     18 June 1892

Peter Mullins to Jerry Lambert     12 January 1901

Lewis and Malinda Nelson to A.E. Wagner     4 December 1906

Anderson Fry to A. Gill     7 January 1907

Jefferson and Nancy E. Lucas to Cumberland Adkins     11 April 1907     12 April 1907

Hiram “Hi” Lambert (Lincoln County) 1893-1894

Deed: Farabel and John Vance to John H. Adkins     6 December 1893

Deed: Salena Vance     25 December 1893     25 December 1893

Deed: Peter M. and Mary A. Mullins et al to J.L. Caldwell     24 November 1894     29 November 1894

J.S. Payne (Lincoln County?) 1894

I.N. and Elizabeth Mullins to J.L. Caldwell     1 September 1894     7 September 1894

Sol Adams (Logan County) 1895-1897, 1899, 1907-1908

Between September and October of 1895, the Logan County Banner referenced him as Squire Sol.

Between February and September 1896, the Logan County Banner referenced him as Squire Sol.

Deed: Allen and Sarah Tomblin to William Conley     07 July 1894     09 April 1897

Cynthia Ann Mullins deposition     21 October 1899

Deed: Charles Washington Mullins to Jerry Lambert     18 June 1907

Deed: Clementine and Ed Dingess et al to Catherine Adkins     1 October 1908     16 October 1908

Deed: Clementine and Ed Dingess et al to Ann F. Davis     1 October 1908     16 October 1908

Isaac Fry (Lincoln County) 1897-1904

Richard and Spencer Adkins to D.P. Lambert     17 July 1897

Charles Adkins to Malinda Adkins     25 April 1898

Russell S. Stollings et ux to William D. Farley     24 March 1900

25 June 1900

Susan and Levi Rakes et al to J.L. Caldwell     28 July 1900     30 July 1900

28 July 1904

Jefferson Lucas (Lincoln County) 1899-1907

Isaac G. Gartin to William Manns     3 January 1899     3 January 1899

William Manns to William H. Manns     3 January 1899     3 January 1899

John P. Lucas to A.B. Staley     12 March 1907

William Bird Brumfield (Lincoln County) 1899-1904

J.H. and Amanda McComas to Blackburn Lucas     30 August 1899     30 August 1899

William and Rebecca Bell et al to Thomas H. Harvey and George F. Miller     12 January 1900

Malinda J. Vance to Emma Vance     21 July 1904     21 July 1904

George F. Frye (Lincoln County) 1901-1902

Farabell Vance to Salena Vance     7 May 1901

Enos Adkins to A.G. Adkins and F.E. Adkins     15 February 1902     15 February 1902

Rufus Pack (Lincoln County) 1903-1909

Isaac and Nancy M. Workman to Abijah Workman, Jr.     2 February 1903

Henry C. and Martha Sias to Isaac F. Nelson     17 February 1909

Charles Adkins (Lincoln County) 1905-1910

02 November 1905

Charles and Caroline Brumfield to J.M. Brammer and B.F. Scearcy     7 November 1906

Blackie Lucas to Elizabeth Lucas     15 July 1907

Asa and Rebecca Williamson to Hugh Evans     18 February 1908

William Workman to Joseph Browning     15 July 1908

Malinda Adkins to Isaiah Adkins     20 July 1908

02 January 1909

Joseph and Rosey Browning to Lace Marcum and T.R. Shepherd     1 April 1910

William Toppins (Wayne County) 1907

Deed: L.C. and Pinkston Queen to Sarah B. Maynard     18 December 1907

Hugh Evans (Lincoln County) 1908

Deed: John W. and Evaline Sartin to George Shepherd     29 July 1908

A.E. Wagner (Lincoln County) 1910

Deed: Anderson Fry to Rush and Mary Slate     14 January 1910

J.M. Brammer et ux to David Farley     11 April 1910     19 April 1910

Harts 07.03.1925

02 Saturday May 2015

Posted by in Harts, Holden

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An unnamed local correspondent at Harts in Lincoln County, West Virginia, offered the following items, which the Logan Banner printed on 3 July 1925:

Mr. and Mrs. Rosco Dingess, of Blair, spent the week end visiting friends and relatives at Harts.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dingess, of Logan, and sister, Miss Ina Dingess were visiting relatives at Harts, Sunday.

Miss Jessie Brumfield, of Harts was shopping in Logan, Saturday.

Mr. and Mrs. Fisher B. Adkins, of Harts, spent Sunday at Camden Park in Huntington.

Mr. and Mrs. John McEldowney returned to their home at Charleston, Sunday after a few weeks visit with friends and relatives at Harts.

Mrs. John Beamins, of Holden, was the guest of Mrs. Robert Brumfield, at Harts, Sunday.

Miss Sylvia Shelton, of Sand Creek passed through our town Sunday.

Mr. Amon Ferguson, of Huntington, was calling on Miss Ora Dingess at Harts Saturday and Sunday.

Mr. Chas. Brumfield and little son, Howard were visiting relatives in Huntington and Ashland, Ky. this week.

Mr. James Auxier Newman, of Huntington, was calling on friends at this place, Monday, while enroute to Big Creek.

People at this place were glad to see Hendrix Brumfield on our streets again.

Rev. Gartin is teaching a successful singing school at Harts. Everybody is invited to come.

Miss May Caines, of Wayne, was calling on Miss Jessie Brumfield, at Harts, Sunday.

Herbert Adkins was transacting business in Logan, Saturday.

It was a great shock to the people of this place to hear of the death of Bill Porter, for he had a wide circle of friends at Harts.

Harts 06.19.1925

30 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by in Harts, Holden

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An unnamed local correspondent at Harts in Lincoln County, West Virginia, offered the following items, which the Logan Banner printed on 19 June 1925:

Mr. Chas. C. Brumfield, of this place are visiting friends and relatives at Logan and Holden this week.

Alva Koontz and James Auxier Newman, of Huntington were seen to pass through this town enroute to Big Creek, today.

Mr. and Mrs. Burl Farley, of Salt Rock, were guests of Mrs. Chas. Brumfield at Harts Sunday.

Hardin Marcum and Elliot Fleur, C. & O. operators of Ranger, were calling on Miss Jessie Brumfield Saturday evening at Harts.

Robert Brumfield, of this place has purchased a fine new Studebaker car this week.

Mr. and Mrs. John McEldowney and children of Charleston are visiting relatives at this place.

Rev. Porter, Minister of the Baptist church preached an able sermon here Sunday which was largely attended.

Fisher Adkins, of Harts made a flying trip to Huntington Sunday.

Misses Jessie Brumfield and Cora Adkins were guests of Sylvia and Vesta Ciphers and Miss Mattie Gill, of Gill, Sunday and reported a fine time.

Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Adkins of Harts and Miss Ethel Brumfield were visiting friends at Hamlin, Sunday.

Hon. Grant Cremeans the Circuit Clerk, and family of Hamlin were guests of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Brumfield, Friday.

Harts 06.05.1925

29 Wednesday Apr 2015

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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.

Harts c.2000

20 Tuesday May 2014

Posted by in Big Harts Creek, Ed Haley, Harts, Spottswood, Whirlwind

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The community of Harts sits indiscreetly in the narrow section of the Guyandotte Valley on land that makes up the northernmost region of the Logan County coalfield and what was once “feud country.” Located some ten miles from a four-lane federal corridor linking the state capital to eastern Kentucky and fifty miles up a two-lane rural highway from Huntington, the second largest city in West Virginia, it is a settlement just on the cusp of modernization. It is a treasure trove of hidden history, quickly disappearing even in the minds of its locals, who have little if any recollection of its booming timber era or the exciting times of the railroad hey-day. It’s really the kind of place you might drive through without noticing much — or never have a reason to drive through at all.

Basically, Harts is an old timber town divided in the center by a lazy muddy river and intersected by a two-lane highway, Route 10. On the west side of the river — site of the old Brumfield business headquarters — is an empty store, a tavern-turned-church-turned-beauty shop, a garage, and a brick tabernacle. On the east side is an old brick general store, a nice video rental establishment, a state highways headquarters, an old wooden general store, a small brick post office, a fire department, a grocery store, a hardware store, a general merchandise store, a Victorian general store-turned-restaurant, and a new brick Head Start center. Running between those buildings on the east side is a track owned by CSX (formerly C&O) Railroad. Just behind the businesses are a few dozen houses of all vintages: brick, wooden, single-story, two-story… There are no street signs or traffic lights or even stop signs.

Route 10 connects Harts with the city of Huntington to the north and with the Logan coalfields to the south. From town, Big Harts Creek Road heads west up the creek to West Fork or Smokehouse Fork, while a little unnamed road diverges north past the tracks toward extinct post offices named Eden Park and Sand Creek. The four streets in town are paved but very few locals even know their proper names, which are Railroad, Beecher, Ward, and Brumfield Avenues. Just down the river is a brick house-turned-bank, a rural health clinic, a brick construction company headquarters, a new coalmine development area called Heartland, and a mechanic shop/gas station (owned incidentally by one Charles Brumfield).

Culturally, Harts might be thought of as an inconspicuous Harlequin romance and Wild West show gone wild, at least in its not-so-distant past. Many of the rabble rousers and roustabouts are long since dead. Actually, somewhat to my disappointment, a lot of the old families are gone completely from the area and no one really feuds any more. Many residents seem to work as schoolteachers or run small stores or work in the coalmines or draw government relief. People are nice and treat each other well. Most are related or at least seem to be. They watch TV or go to church or tend their yards or hunt or fish or ride four-wheelers or hop on the four-lane at Chapmanville and drive to Wal-Mart some 45 miles away. Old-timers are quick to say that Harts has a bad reputation for no reason — the only two murders within town limits occurred almost a century ago. There are no parks, museums or movie theatres — and only a few registered Republicans. It’s the kind of place where you can leave your doors unlocked at night or if you’re gone all day…and feel safe about it.

I have to admit, after several visits to Harts, I loved it. On one visit, I learned from Billy Adkins that the old Ben Walker farm was for sale…and seriously considered buying it. (I passed on the idea when I realized that my wife would never forgive me for it.) Harts, then, would remain a place to “see.” I began telling folks out on the road that it was “my Ireland.” It represented a desire on my part to get back to the kind of places where (at least in my romantic imagination) a lot of fiddle playing originated. A lot of my friends were from these kind of places. For them, when they wanted to tap into that ancestral ancient tone, they thought of Ireland, whether they were Irish or not. For me, coming from St. Louis, Harts was the closest I could ever hope to get to that. Such places are at the heart of the music I love.

Venturing up Harts Creek, the first thing you really notice is Harts High School, a forty-some-year-old two-and-a-half-story yellow brick structure near the mouth of West Fork with a gymnasium, annex building, and a baseball field, all situated on what was a prison camp during the early fifties and, a little further back in time, the upper reaches of the Al Brumfield property (and, a little further still, an Indian camp). In many ways, this school is the lifeblood of the community — at least in the lower section of the creek. In the mid-sixties, just as Harts began to turn away from its violent past, the high school basketball team won a state championship and began building a program known regionally for its successes. Today, basketball is what this community is best known for — not the murders or moonshining traditions of years past — with crooked politics maybe finishing a close second.

A little further up the creek, just below the Logan County line, a few miles past an old country store, a little restaurant, another baseball field, and a place of worship named the Cole Branch Church of Jesus Christ of the First Born. From there, the road forks left onto the Smoke House Fork of Big Harts Creek, location of the Hugh Dingess Elementary School and Dingess, Butcher, Farley and Conley country; or the road forks right into the head of Harts Creek to “Ed Haley country.” Of course, no one calls it that. People think of it as “Adams country” or “Mullins country” and really, that’s about all there ever was in that section. Ed himself is often identified with the Mullins family — his mother’s people. The adults in this part of Harts Creek vote in Logan County — not Lincoln — and send their kids on buses over Crawley Creek Mountain to Chapmanville High School. This section of the creek — where gunshots once rang out regularly and where moonshine was so readily found — is now remarkably quiet and low-key outside of the occasional marijuana bust. Unfortunately, it seems to have lost its musical tradition as well.

Trace Fork, the site of Ed Haley’s birth, is attributed by Ivy Branch in its head, Adams Branch, and Boardtree Branch toward its middle and Jonas and Dry House Branch toward its mouth. There are several small family cemeteries on Trace, with the maroon-bricked Mountaineer Missionary Baptist Church at its mouth. In previous days, the Upper Trace Fork School (now Trace Old Regular Baptist Church) sat in its headwaters, where the Logan-Lincoln-Mingo county line meets. As a matter of fact, Ivy Branch heads near Kiah’s Creek at the Wayne-Mingo County line, while Boardtree Branch heads at McCloud Branch of Twelve Pole Creek in Mingo County. Adams Branch heads at Rockhouse Fork in Lincoln County.

A little further up the main creek is Buck Fork, an extensive tributary comparable to West Fork or Smokehouse in size. It is the ancestral home of the Mullins, Bryant, and Hensley families whose names still dominate the mailbox landscape. In previous decades, it was the location of the Hensley School and Mt. Era Church. Just below Buck Fork on main Harts Creek is a large Adams family cemetery, while just above it is the equally large Bob Mullins family cemetery.

Continuing up Harts Creek is Hoover Fork, home of the Mullins, Adams, and Carter families as well as the Hoover Church of the General Assembly. Henderson Branch, home seat for Tomblins and Mullinses is the next tributary, followed by Lambert Branch (at Whirlwind) and Workman Branch. Bulwark Branch follows (populated by Carters and Workmans), trailed by Brier Branch (Smiths) and Tomblin Branch. In the headwaters of Harts Creek are Tomblins, Daltons, and Blairs, as well as the Pilgrims Rest Church and Hannah Baptist Church.

In all sections of Harts, gossip reigns supreme as a source of local entertainment. (This in spite of Bob Adkins’ warning that people should “tend to their own business.”) Maybe that’s why we hear so much about a 100-year-old murder when we ask about it and a bunch of other things we don’t ask about. Genealogy is super important. When you sit down to talk with someone, the first thing they want to know is how you fit into the community pedigree. It’s a way of squaring you up.