27 Monday Mar 2017
Posted in Big Ugly Creek, Cemeteries, Rector
Tags
Appalachia, Brandon Kirk, cemeteries, genealogy, history, Lincoln County, photos, Phyllis Kirk, Rector, Squire Toney, Squire Toney Family Cemetery, West Virginia
Squire Toney Family Cemetery near Rector on Big Ugly Creek, Lincoln County, WV. I first visited this cemetery in the mid-1990s. Photo by Mom. 23 January 2017.
27 Monday Mar 2017
Posted in Lincoln County Feud
Tags
Appalachia, Blood in West Virginia, Brandon Kirk, Buchanan County, genealogy, Grundy, history, James P. Mullins, Kentucky, Lincoln County Feud, Louisa Jane Mullins, Maysville, photos, Phyllis Kirk, The Evening Bulletin, Virginia
On 9 November 1889, The Evening Bulletin of Maysville, Kentucky, referenced Louisa J. (Collins) Mullins as a key participant of the Lincoln County Feud. Years earlier, in 1872, L.J. had married James P. Mullins in Buchanan County, Virginia. I recently visited Grundy, the county seat of Buchanan County. Photo by Mom. 25 March 2017. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7839482/elizabeth_louise_mullins_hatfield_1889/
22 Wednesday Mar 2017
Posted in Huntington
Tags
Appalachia, Cabell County, education, history, Huntington, Huntington Advertiser, Marshall College, Marshall University, photos, West Virginia
Huntington (WV) Advertiser, 16 August 1897.
Huntington (WV) Advertiser, 23 December 1897.
15 Wednesday Mar 2017
Posted in Big Harts Creek, Cemeteries, Halcyon
Tags
Appalachia, cemeteries, Chloe Mullins, Floyd S. Gore, genealogy, Harvey Gore, history, John Gore, John Gore Family Cemetery, Joseph Gore, Leander Gore, Logan, Logan County, Logan County Banner, Margaret Gore, Martha Gore, Martha Lawson, Mary Ann Lawson, Nancy Jane Toney, photos, Rebecca McDonald, surveyor, West Fork, West Virginia
John Gore (1816-1895), son of Joseph and Martha (Pine) Gore. Husband to Margaret “Peggy” Dingess. Settled on the West Fork of Harts Creek in Logan County, WV.
John Gore Land Grant (1848), Logan County, (West) Virginia.
John Gore obituary, Logan County Banner (Logan, WV), 9 October 1895.
John Gore grave, West Fork of Harts Creek, Logan County, WV. 5 June 2015.
14 Tuesday Mar 2017
Posted in Fourteen
Tags
Appalachia, Aude Adkins Family Cemetery, Brandon Kirk, Dry Branch, Fourteen, Fourteen Mile Creek, Frye Family Cemetery, Frye Ridge, Lincoln County, nature, photos, West Virginia, Willard Frye, Willie Frye
This spot will always remind of my great-uncle Willard Frye and his cattle. During my high school years, I wrote poetry here. 30 October 2015.
Looking up toward Uncle Willard Frye’s old cattle grounds. 30 October 2015.
Nice slope near the fishing pond and the Aude Adkins Family Cemetery. 30 October 2015.
Frye Ridge Road near the Frye Family Cemetery, Fourteen, Lincoln County, WV. 30 October 2015.
Slope near the fishing pond and the Aude Adkins Family Cemetery. 30 October 2015.
Near the fishing pond. Frye Ridge, Fourteen, Lincoln County, WV. 30 October 2015.
Frye Ridge, Fourteen, Lincoln County, WV. 30 October 2015.
Frye Ridge is one of the area’s most beautiful places, especially if (like me) you are a Frye descendant.
Gravel road near the Frye Family Cemetery. Frye Ridge, Fourteen, Lincoln County, WV. 30 October 2015.
Uncle Willard Frye’s amazing barn…a landmark! Frye Ridge Road, Fourteen, Lincoln County, WV. 30 October 2015.
Frye Ridge Road, Fourteen, Lincoln County, WV. My great-grandfather, Willie Frye, owned most if not all of this ridge. Today, his descendants still own most of the land.
09 Thursday Mar 2017
Posted in Ferrellsburg, Guyandotte River, Lincoln County Feud
Tags
Allen Adkins Branch, Appalachia, Ben Walker, Blood in West Virginia, Brandon Kirk, Ferrellsburg, Green McCoy, Green Shoal, Guyandotte River, history, Lincoln County, Lincoln County Feud, Melvin Kirk, Milt Haley, photos, Walker Branch, West Fork, West Virginia
Walker Branch is a tributary of the Guyandotte River located in Ferrellsburg, Lincoln County, WV. Photo taken 27 November 2016.
Walker Branch is named for Benjamin Wade Walker (1851-1917), a United Baptist preacher who once lived along the stream. Photo taken 27 November 2016.
Walker Branch appears in early deeds as Allen Adkins Branch. Photo taken 27 November 2016.
In October of 1889, Ben Walker and Melvin Kirk brought the corpses of Haley and McCoy from Green Shoal to West Fork via Walker Branch and through Low Gap. Photo taken 27 November 2016.
08 Wednesday Mar 2017
Posted in Cemeteries, Ferrellsburg, Lincoln County Feud
Tags
Aaron Adkins, Appalachia, Bertha Dingess, Bill Fowler, Blood in West Virginia, cemeteries, Elias Adkins, Ferrellsburg, Ferrellsburg Community Cemetery, genealogy, Harts Creek, history, Lincoln County, Lincoln County Feud, photos, West Virginia, Will Adkins
George Washington “Will” Adkins headstone (1863-1889). Will Adkins, a son of Aaron J. and Nancy Jane (Gillispie) Adkins and father to Bertha (Adkins) Dingess, drowned at the mouth of Harts Creek. Bill Fowler, a merchant and uncle to Will, purchased his headstone. Will is buried at the Elias Adkins Family Cemetery, now called the Ferrellsburg Community Cemetery, in Ferrellsburg, Lincoln County, WV. Photo taken 29 November 2016.
06 Monday Mar 2017
Posted in Barboursville, Harts, Women's History
Tags
Appalachia, Barboursville, Cabell County, Earl Brumfield, education, genealogy, Georgia Brumfield, Harts, Hendricks Brumfield, history, Lincoln County, photos, teacher, West Virginia
Georgia (Thompson) Brumfield, wife of Hendricks Brumfield, with son, Earl Brumfield, in Harts, Lincoln County, WV. Earl (1914-1996), who became a school teacher in Lincoln and Cabell counties, was a good friend to me. I enjoyed visiting him at his Barboursville home in 1994-95; his father was a first cousin to my great-grandmother, Eva (Brumfield) Kirk.
04 Saturday Mar 2017
Posted in Harts
Tags
Appalachia, architecture, Charley Brumfield, Harts, history, Lincoln County, photos, West Virginia
The Charley Brumfield residence is one of only a few remaining historic landmarks in Harts, WV.
The Charley Brumfield residence as it appeared in the late 1920s-early 1930s.
02 Thursday Mar 2017
Posted in Huntington
Tags
antiques, Appalachia, architecture, Cabell County, Central City, history, Huntington, photos, West Virginia
Central City Historic Antique District in Huntington, WV. April 2016. For more information, follow this link: http://www.oldcentralcity.org/
01 Wednesday Mar 2017
Posted in Ed Haley
Tags
Appalachia, architecture, Boyd County, Catlettsburg, Ed Haley, Ella Haley, fiddler, fiddling, history, Kentucky, music, photos
April 2016.
The Elks Building, April 2016.
April 2016.
April 2016.
April 2016.
April 2016.
View of the Ohio River from Catlettsburg, KY. April 2016.
28 Tuesday Feb 2017
Posted in Logan
Tags
Appalachia, baseball, history, Logan, Logan Banner, Logan County, photos, Sports, West Virginia
Logan Banner, 9 April 1926.
28 Tuesday Feb 2017
Posted in Hatfield-McCoy Feud, Logan
Tags
Albert J. Kirk, Appalachia, genealogy, history, Joe Hatfield, Logan, Logan Banner, Logan County, photos, Republican Party, sheriff, Tennis Hatfield, West Virginia
Tennis Hatfield, Republican, is Sheriff of Logan County, WV. Source: Logan Banner, 20 April 1926. My Kirk family was aligned with Tennis and Joe Hatfield. Uncle Albert Kirk served as a deputy under Sheriff Joe Hatfield.
28 Tuesday Feb 2017
Tags
Appalachia, Ashland, Boyd County, Ed Haley, Ella Haley, fiddler, fiddling, history, Kentucky, music, Noah Haley, Patsy Haley, photos
Noah Haley, Ed Haley, and Ella Haley seated for a holiday dinner in Ashland, Kentucky, Christmas 1946. Photo courtesy of Patsy Haley.
22 Wednesday Feb 2017
Posted in Ferrellsburg, Guyandotte River
Mouth of Walker Branch, Ferrellsburg, Lincoln County, WV. 12 November 2016.
19 Thursday Jan 2017
Posted in Big Harts Creek, Lincoln County Feud, Warren
Tags
Appalachia, Billy Hall, Blood in West Virginia, Brandon Kirk, history, Lincoln County, Lincoln County Feud, nature, photos, Rockhouse Fork, West Virginia
Billy Hall Farm, Mouth of Rockhouse Fork of Harts Creek, Lincoln County, WV. 3 December 2016.
19 Thursday Jan 2017
Posted in Hatfield-McCoy Feud
Tags
Appalachia, crafts, Hardy, Hearty Artisan, Herbie Dotson, Jim Hall, Kentucky, photos, Pike County, Pike County Tourism, West Virginia, Williamson, Williamson Daily News
Before Christmas, I visited The Hearty Artisan in Hardy, Kentucky. The Hearty Artisan features locally-crafted items of superior quality. Conveniently located on Highway 319 just outside of Williamson, WV, and situated in Hatfield-McCoy Feud country, the shop is a perfect destination for tourists seeking unique gift items.
Photo submitted. Williamson Daily News, 10 November 2016.
The Hearty Artisan, located at Hardy, KY (just outside of Williamson, WV), offers locally made one-of-a-kind items for sale. For more about the store, follow this link: http://williamsondailynews.com/news/7489/the-hearty-artisan
Carvings by the renowned Jim Hall. Be sure to follow the shop’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/theheartyartisan/
Tater Buddies by Jim Hall.
12 Monday Dec 2016
Posted in Hatfield-McCoy Feud
Tags
Appalachia, Betty McCoy, cemeteries, feuds, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, history, Johnse Hatfield, Kentucky, photos, Pike County, Roseanna McCoy, Stringtown
On December 7, 2016, I visited the Betty McCoy House at Stringtown, Pike County, Kentucky. According to tradition, Roseanna McCoy gave birth to her child by Johnse Hatfield here at Aunt Betty’s residence in 1881. The romance between Johnse and Roseanna represents one of the more familiar events of the Hatfield-McCoy Feud. NOTE: The present-day house includes the original log structure. Until recent years, this home stood across the highway and faced the river.
Betty McCoy residence in Stringtown, Pike County, KY. According to legend, Roseanna McCoy gave birth to Sarah Elizabeth at this location in 1881.
Betty McCoy residence in Stringtown, Pike County, KY. According to legend, Johnse Hatfield continually tried to see Roseanna while she stayed here with Aunt Betty.
Historical Marker at Stringtown, Pike County, KY. This is Site 2 on the Hatfield and McCoy Driving Tour brochure.
To reach Sally’s grave in the McCoy cemetery, you go up these steps…
And up these steps…
Sarah Elizabeth “Sally” McCoy grave at Stringtown, Pike County, KY.
12 Monday Dec 2016
Posted in Hatfield-McCoy Feud
Tags
Appalachia, Brandon Kirk, Diggers, feud, feuds, Frank Phillips, George Wyant, Hardy, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, history, Kentucky, National Geographic, Neil Warren, photos, Pike County, Randolph McCoy, Tim Saylor
On December 7, 2016, I visited the Randolph McCoy Home Place in Hardy, Pike County, Kentucky. Neil Warren provided a friendly welcome to the property and offered detailed historical insight into the Hatfield-McCoy Feud. If you are following the Hatfield and McCoy Driving Tour brochure, this is Site 3.
Signage leading to the Randolph McCoy Home Site in Hardy, Pike County, KY. Local resident Neil Warren will likely greet you right away and provide much historical information. Mr. Warren is a great host.
Here I am standing “inside” of the Randolph McCoy home. This is the location of the infamous New Year’s Day raid in 1888. It was incredibly powerful to visit the location of this tragedy, which I first read about as a high school student over 25 years ago. The awful events that transpired here are what brought the feud to national attention. Photo by Suzy Phillips (descendant of Frank Phillips).
Just back of the McCoy home site is this woody slope. I looked up into these trees and imagined Hatfields swarming down upon the McCoy cabin. After surveying the property, my lasting impression of this site was: “I don’t see how Randolph McCoy survived this attack.”
This large bottom is located behind Randolph McCoy old home site. “King” George Wyant and Tim “Ringy” Saylor of National Geographic’s “Diggers” TV program have twice visited here. http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/diggers/episodes/hatfields-mccoys/
The wooded slope behind the McCoy cabin fascinated me. The McCoy cabin had been extremely close to the slope making it easy to shoot down on Randolph McCoy’s family from above… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc1AWh40PZ4
The Randolph McCoy well. Wonderful to realize that Randolph and his family drank from it. A piece of history.
17 Thursday Nov 2016
Posted in Coal, Kiahsville, Queens Ridge
Queens Ridge, Kiahs Creek, Wayne County, WV. 29 October 2016
Writings from my travels and experiences. High and fine literature is wine, and mine is only water; but everybody likes water. Mark Twain
This site is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and promotion of history and culture in Appalachia.
Genealogy and History in North Carolina and Beyond
A site about one of the most beautiful, interesting, tallented, outrageous and colorful personalities of the 20th Century
Brandon Ray Kirk 