BIO: John Caldwell Calhoun Mayo, 1864-1914, Pike Co, Ky ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net Submitted by Gloria Rose May 1998 ********************************************************************* Corrected copy - name spelling change verified by public record 18 OCT 2009 / T. Hembrey, SFM, KYARCH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Taken from the "Kentucky Explorer" November 1996 issue, pg 56 Editor's Note: I recently came across this 1919-1920 announcement for the John C. C. Mayo College which was once located in Paintsville, Johnson County, Kentucky. It should prove of much interest as it tells of the types of service and educational courses offered to Kentucky students some 75 years ago. The college is no longer in operation. However, a visit to Paintsville will reveal that many of its buildings are still in use. In fact, on the western end of the old campus the famed Mayo State Vocational School is located. Who was John C. C. Mayo? John Caldwell Calhoun Mayo, 1864-1914, was born in a log cabin in Pike County. by age sixteen he became a school teacher in Paintsville, Johnson County, and soon became interested in the geology of his state. Young Mayo was especially intrigued by the potential of Kentucky's coal deposits. Shortly, he became a partner in a land company and began to purchase land in Eastern Kentucky. Mayo would eventually accumulate hundreds of thousands of acres of land, and mineral rights to many more. By using the broad form deed, his companies began to control huge amounts of mineral rights in Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia. Mayo became partner, agent, and representative for many large Eastern firms. For example, he did business with steel companies, lumbering companies, railroads, coal companies, and coke companies. His fortune grew until he was considered Kentucky's wealthiest citizen. However, in 1914 at age 49, near the peak of his career, Mayo died suddenly at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. He is buried in Paintsville. In the John C. C. Mayo College, Paintsville, Kentucky. The property is the property of Methodist Episcopal Church Church, South. From 1905-1917, the school was known as the Sandy Valley Seminary. During this time it gave a noble service and lives today in the lives of the students and graduates sent forth. Mrs. S. P. Fetter (formerly Mrs. John C. C. Mayo) has recently donated to the church the Mayo mansion, offices, other valuable buildings and forty aces of land. The donors have the hearty appreciation of the entire church. May God guide us in the building of a great school here, as a monument to these good people and an everlasting glory to his blessed name. We invite the patronage of all the people who desire thorough training under Christian influence. For further information address, H. G. Sowards, President. - Written in 1920.