News articles from Wayne County Newspaper Submitted by June White and Wayne County News,who gave permission to research its old editions, and Nina Johnson, resident genealogist at Cabell County Library. December 2001 CAPT. FERGUSON SOLD FARM FOR RACE TRACK, BUT DIDN'T KNOW IT MONUMENT TO BE BUILT IN MEMORY OF DEAD HEROES DEATH TAKES. . . DR. G. R. BURGESS AGED WOMAN PICTURES THE HARDSHIPS OF EARLY DAYS Mrs. Margaret A. Bowen obit HOT LUNCHES ARE PROVEN SUCCESS IN ONE LOCAL SCHOOL DEATHS: MRS. SARAH PARSONS Finley Thompson CHILD BURNS TO DEATH WAYNE WOMAN IS 71 YEARS OLD AND HAS TAUGHT FOR HALF A CENTURY WAYNE WOMAN IS GIVEN PARTY ON 93rd BIRTHDAY **************************************************** CAPT. FERGUSON SOLD FARM FOR RACE TRACK, BUT DIDN'T KNOW IT Captain J. M. Ferguson, who celebrated his eighty-eighth birthday by selling the farm home near Ashland, where he has lived for 40 years, has precipitated a storm that bids fair to tear up the entire city--and all unknowingly. Captain Ferguson is a native of Wayne County and has a wide circle of friends and acquaintances here. As a Civil War veteran he has been prominent at many confederate reunions which have been held in this county. He is a brother of the late C. W. Ferguson, known throughout the county as "Uncle Charley." All his life Captain Ferguson has been opposed to gambling. Yet, when a big real estate man came to him with an offer of $100,000 for his farm and 300 acres, which nestles in the hills of northeastern Kentucky, and now in the corporate limits of Ashland, the old soldier snapped it up. The secret is this: The real estate man is said to have told the captain that he intended to cut the land up into lots and sell them to accommodate the rapid growth of the town. Captain Ferguson has been a life-long Methodist and opposed to gambling in any nature--and the Puritanic town of Ashland is now "sitting up to take notice," as the word has gone out that this beautiful farm is to be converted into a race track that will not be second to Churchill Downs at Louisville, Latonia or the Lexington track. The city is stirred from center to circumference, and the ministers in all churches preached last Sunday on the subject, "Shall Ashland Surrender to Race Track Gamblers?". But it seems the die is cast, for there is nothing that can be done, so far as anyone has been able to discover. In the meantime, those followers of racing who are jubilant at the prospect are enumerating the cities from which they expect to draw great crowds. They point out that in five minutes, an Ashlander can set foot in three states--West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. They plan to draw crowds from Ashland with its 25,000 inhabitants; from Ironton, whose 15,000 residents live just across the river from West Ashland; from Portsmouth, 30 miles down the river, a city of 50,000; from Huntington and its 50,000; from Wayne county and Charleston, from Point Pleasant, from Parkersburg and from many others situated in the three states. While all this is being planned by the big horsemen of Kentucky, Captain Ferguson is sitting quietly at home, thinking of the past and explaining how he made his $100,000. Captain Ferguson was born in Wayne County, West Virginia, and he takes great pride in telling how he made his first money. His first 10 cents was made by gathering a quart of turnip seeds. He had no land to cultivate, so he was given permission by an old farmer to cultivate the corner made by a "stake and rider" fence. Here he planted Irish potatoes, and when they matured he sold them for a dollar. Then he dug 32 pounds of ginseng for which he was paid $4. All this time his mother was his banker. He had about $6 now, and he bought two calves and sold them for $8 and bought a heifer. When the heifer had grown into a cow, he sold her for $12. Later he found himself the possessor of about $16, and he found a piece of land containing about 120 acres. He borrowed sufficient money from his mother to make up the deficit and bought the land. When he was 15 years old, he had more than enough money to go to school, and he entered a little academy at Ashland, known as Conductive seminary, where he studied about three months, his earlier education being in the hands of his mother. At 19 he married to Miss Susan Cannon. They bought a few acres of land and went into housekeeping at the forks of Twelve Pole in West Virginia, and from there, in the spring of 1857, they moved to Lewis County, Kentucky. They moved to Ashland in 1873, buying the farm on which he has lived all these years for $16,000, which he paid in trade and cash. His first wife dying some years ago, he married a Mrs. Dickenson of old Virginia. His only surviving children are two daughters, Mrs. ? N. Pollock of Ashland and Mrs. Charles Smith of California. Captain Ferguson is possibly one of the best known men in Kentucky and West Virginia, as he has attended all Methodist conferences for years. He served in the Civil War on the Confederate side. Wayne County News Wayne, West Virginia May 11, 1922 ***************************************** MONUMENT TO BE BUILT IN MEMORY OF DEAD HEROES In accordance with a law enacted by the last legislature providing for the erection of suitable memorials for men who gave their lives in the World War, a monument has been ordered to commemorate the memory of Wayne County boys who made the supreme sacrifice while in service. The monument for Wayne County soldiers will be placed on the courthouse square in Wayne. The costs of approximately $12,000 is covered by the special levy provided by the legislature. Rev. W. H. Beale of Wayne is in charge of the erection of the Wayne County monument and announces that he hopes the memorial will be ready for unveiling by July 4th. It is planned that the program for the dedication will include addresses by prominent men in addition to the impressive ceremony which will attend the unveiling. The name of every Wayne County soldier, sailor, or marine who died while in service during the World War will be inscribed on the monument. So far Rev. Beale has received the named of twenty-nine men who died in service. He believes there are others from Wayne County whose names have not been reported to him. We are publishing herewith a list of the names received so far. If any reader of Wayne County News knows the name of any Wayne County man who died in service whose name is not included in this list, kindly forward the information at once either to this newspaper or to Rev. Beale at Wayne. Our readers are earnestly requested to co-operate with us in order that not a single name may be lacking when the Wayne County Memorial is unveiled. The work of placing the names of the men on the monument will be begun in a few days, which makes it necessary that the information requested be sent in at the earliest possible date. The names of the men received to date who died in World War service are as follows: Harry Adkins, Fort Gay Lindsey Adkins, Wayne Van Bradshaw, Wayne William Crum, Jr., Crum William H. Damron, Dunlow Roy Davis, Lavalette Emery Dean, Fort Gay Scott Hamm, Fort Gay Lee Hooser, Fort Gay Charlie Johnson, Kenova Mason H. Keister, Fort Gay Clyde L. Lester, Fort Gay Roscoe Lynch, Kenova Ransom Marcum, Crum Patrick Milum, Genoa Thomas Muncy, Ceredo William S. Napier, East Lynn William H. Payne, Ceredo Claude W. Pogue, Ceredo Merton M. Postle, Ceredo Wayne Sellards, East Lynn Thomas P. Smith, Quaker Charlie A. Stone, Ceredo Minville Thompson, Fort Gay Smiley Wellman, Ceredo Andrew J. Wellman, East Lynn Kelly Williamson, Dunlow Otto Jackson, Wayne Allen Tabor, East Lynn Wayne County News Wayne, West Virginia May 11, 1922 ************************************************** DEATH TAKES. . . DR. G. R. BURGESS Dr. G. R. Burgess, widely know local physician, died at the John Hopkins hospital in Baltimore earlly last Thursday morning, following an illness extending over several months. The body was returned to Wayne for burial last Saturday. The services were in charge of Rev. Jenkins of Huntington, Rev. Switzer of Huntington, amd Rev. Beale, pastor of the Wayne M. E. church, of which the deceased was a member. The funeral services were attended by hundreds of people from this and adjoining counties. Interment was made in Elmwood cemetery. Dr. Burgess was a member of a prominent Boyd County, Kentucky family, but he came to Wayne County to live shortly after his graduation from the Louisville Medical college. He practiced here for forty years and was personally known to most of the people in the county. Dr. Burgess was a successful farmer and business man and was one of the organizers of the Wayne County Bank, of which he was a director. The deceased was twice married. His first wife was Miss Clara Ferguson, daughter of the late "Uncle Charley" Ferguson, who was the mother of the five surviving children: Mrs. J. H. Meck and Basil Burgess of Huntington; Misses Ruby and Marrjorie Burgess of Wayne; and Mrs. Norman Curry of Catlettsburg. Dr. Burgess' second marriage was to Miss Letha Ketchum, of Westmoreland, who survives. Mrs. Burgess was at his bedside throughout his final illness. Dr. Burgess leaves the following brothers and sisters: Mrs. D. S. Martin, of Catlettsburg; Mrs. Amelia Powell and Mrs. Kate Stoughton of Huntington; Mrs. T. B. McClure, of Wayne; John B. Burgess, of Ardel and Dr. Will Burgess of Catlettsburg. The late Judge G. G. Burgess of Wayne was also a brother. Wayne County News Wayne, West Virginia October 12, 1922 ****************************************************** AGED WOMAN PICTURES THE HARDSHIPS OF EARLY DAYS A visitor at the Wayne County Court House would perchance notice an aged silver-haired woman going to and from a grocery store, or in summer she might be seen sitting through the hot afternoon in her willow rocker. There is something about her that causes one to look the second time. One would naturally suppose that she is a woman with an interesting history, one who has seen much of the growth and history of our county at first hand. She has lived almost a century--ninety-three years, to be exact. Mrs. Amanda Osburn is her name. Throughout her home and neighboring counties she is known as "Aunt Mandy." Her first husband was Col. Joseph Mansfield, whose death came about in a way similar to that of Stonewall Jackson. "Aunt Mandy" has seen her county, Wayne, form from Cabell county, and later her state was formed from the western part of Virginia. She has seen the United States in the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and the World War. She has lived in old Virginia in that aristocratic period before the Civil War. Later she, with her family, became an immigrant and came to the "west" where she lived in the wilderness which covered this part of the state. In short, she has seen life from many angles and her keen observation and strong memory make her an authority on the history of the tri-state section. She is something of a philosopher too--but enough of her introduction to you. Hear her story of the tragic death of Col. Mansfield. "In the spring of '61, Col. Mansfield and I were living in this place then called Trout's Hill, prosperous and happy. "The war clouds gathered and burst. All was astir in the old town and county. Neighbors suddenly found themselves at war with each other. Finally, ties were broken. "My husband received orders to gather troops in Wayne and Cabell counties and to march them to Barboursville, where they were to join other companies being formed in the southern part of the state to support the "Stars and Bars." "Mansfield soon had a company raised and moved on towards Barboursville. They met some Union men at Skurry's Creek, and after a skirmish, the Union soldiers fell back. "Col. Mansfield had to wait for a company of men being raised in Ohio. After waiting several days my husband decided he would leave his men in camp and ride home one night and see his family-- we had four children--before moving on into the south. It was a distance of about twenty-five miles over the hills and he began his ride just about dark. "He passed several sentries and a mile or two from camp settled down for the long ride, thinking he was through the lines. "When eight or ten miles from camp, he was much surprised to see a soldier step out in the road and order him to halt. He thought he was surely out of the southern lines by the time and that this must be a Union man. He spurred up his horse and dashed past the sentry. "The soldier fired his musket and yelled to his comrade who also shot at him. "Bending low, Mansfield galloped on. The soldiers mounted and gave chase. About a mile farther they came to a riderless horse standing in the road. My husband was lying there on the ground, shot through the chest and bleeding to death. The men, one of them from the old home town here, saw at once that they had killed their commander. In the darkness neither had recognized the other. "They carried him back to camp. Mansfield told them to turn the horse loose and let him come home. Mansfield died in a short while." "Aunt Mandy" knows what it means to feed an invading army. Shortly after Col. Mansfield's death, a small body of troops from Indiana came to Wayne, she said. "These men came trooping in and ordered me to cook for them. I had no choice but to obey. I didn't mind feeding them for never in my life have I sent anyone away hungry. "Twice each year my husband always went to Cincinnati and bought a load of supplies and clothes which could not be had closer. I knew when this store ran out there would be no other, so I hid the whole lot. These soldiers found them, but to this day I have never been able to figure out how they did it. They took everything. "A friend sent me a dressed hog a few days before the troops came. I hid that also, but they found it and ate it. I got one mess of the ribs from the hog. I tell you this to show how hard it was to keep anything to eat during the war. "When the soldiers left Wayne, they drove a big wagon up to my front door and took everything of value they could lay their hands on. They took my husband's law library which was worth about a thousand dollars. They piled the books in the wagon like bricks. There was just enough room for the drive to sit on." Eighty years ago when Aunt Mandy was a little girl her father left Chesterfield County, Virginia, to travel overland by wagon to Missouri. After traveling for six weeks, they rearched a point on the Ohio River near the mouth of Big Sandy. Here they were told that rich farming lands could be bought cheaply on Lick Creek (now Wayne County). The journey to Missouri was abandoned. Her father, John Smith, took the family to Lick Creek where he bought a farm for fifty cents an acre. She has lived in Logan, Cabell, Boone, and Wayne counties. She moved twenty-four times before she was twenty-one years old. Her father's home used to be the headquarters of the old time trappers, who were more than welcome for the yarns they always told around the fire side. They always brought news of the other settlements with them. And they always left the carcass of a bear or deer, taking the skin with them. The family's meat supply was kept up in this way during the hunting season. "Aunt Mandy" recalls that panthers and wolves could be heard howling around her pioneer home at nights. Wild turkeys filled the woods and could be heard almost every day gobbling and calling to each other. Back in the forties the closest store to those living on Lick Creek was at Barboursville. The trip was made on horseback over narrow paths through the woods. Mrs. Osburn remarks that the rough pioneer days produced strong and sturdy men and women. "Hot house posies of the human kind were unknown then," she says. "Our forefathers saw to it that we children were not idle too much and we all grew up with stong bodies and a lot of discipline." Mrs. Osburn takes an active interest in all public affairs. In the campaign of 1920, the first in which women enjoyed the privilege of voting, she opened the fight with a speech in the court house in support of the Democratic party. She is heartily opposed to the removal of the court house to Kenova. She is a remarkable woman, and her wife has been spiced with plenty of variety--Huntington Advertiser Wayne County News Wayne, West Virginia February 16, 1922 ********************************************* BELOVED WOMAN SUCCUMBS AFTER YEAR'S ILLNESS Mrs. Margaret A. Bowen died at her home in Wayne early Monday morning of this week, following a complicated illness extending over the past year. In her last illness she was confined to her bed for four weeks. The deceased was affectionately known to a wide circle of friends as "Aunt Puss." The hospitality of her home and her characteristic trait of attending to the sick endear her in the memory of everyone who knew her. No night was too dark and no task too great to prevent "Aunt Puss" from visiting and caring for those who were sick. "Aunt Puss" died at the age of 79 years; she was born March 25th, 1843. On August 31st, 1865 she was married to H. F. Bowen, remembered as "Uncle Fisher," who preceded her to the grave eight years ago. At the age of fourteen years, "Aunt Puss" became a member of the Presbyterian church. She lived an exemplary Christian life. Her presence in the community was an inspiration to her friends and neighbors. Her life was rich in deeds of kindness to others. Funeral services were conducted at the home Tuesday morning by Revs. A. W. Damron and W. H. Beale and interment made in the Elmwood cemetery; the services were attended by a large crowd of friends of the family from this and adjoining counties. The following children survive: Mrs. Minnie Herald of Logan; Cassie Bowen and Mrs. Vesta Booton of Wayne; Mrs. Effie Goddard, Nashville, Ark.; Clovis Bowen, Huntington; and Leo Bowen of Monroe, Washington. One daughter, Mrs. Nannie Dial, is dead. All of the children were here for the services except Mrs. Goddard and Leo Bowen, both of whom were unable to come. Wayne County News Wayne, West Virginia November 16, 1922 ********************************************* HOT LUNCHES ARE PROVEN SUCCESS IN ONE LOCAL SCHOOL Hot lunches are served at the Staley school, Ceredo district, under the direction of the teacher, Doris Copley, this being perhaps the first rural school in the county to serve warm lunches every day. With the winter days comes the time when the school boy or girl must munch a few cold sandwiches for lunch after eating a hurried breakfast. Then follows the long afternoon which develops a gnawing hunger which is usually satisfied with more cold food as soon as the child gets home. When supper time arrives, the child has little appetite. Is it any surprise then that there is more malnutrition of the boys and girls of the rural schools than those of the city schools where the children go home for lunch? Some health experts claim that 25 to 76 percent of the boys and girls of the rural schools are underweight. If the mothers and housewives think it is worthwhile to make hot coffee and hot lunches for the men husking corn in the fields, or for those chopping wood, if the farmers think it is a safe precaution to heat water for the stock, cook feed for the hogs and chickens during the cold days, why isn't it worth while then, to provide a warm lunch for the school child? Miss Copley answered this question by providing a hot lunch for her pupils. Here's the way she does it: "The pupils and parents were first interested in the project. With their help it has been a success, in every way. "The equipment consists of an oil stove, a twelve quart preserving kettle, teakettle, two dishpans, garbage pail, peel knives, two tablespoons, two teaspoons, and two forks. A small bookcase serves as a cupboard to hold the dishes and supplies. This equipment was donated by the patrons of the school. Each child brings his own dishes and they, also, are kept in the cupboard. "The larger girls are divided into teams, two in each team. Two teams work together. The first week team number one cooks and team number two washes the dishes. The second week they change, team number two doing the cooking. At the end of two weeks two more teams take up the work. The cooking team plans the menu a day ahead and the children bring the necessary supplies. "Because the most nourishing lunches are desired, milk is used as a basis for most of the lunches. Soups, cocoa, and other boiled foods are also served. "The girls prepare the food at recess and at noon it is ready to serve. The Parent-Teachers Association has cooperated with the school in every way that could be desired." This is Miss Copley's first school and she is doing good work. She tackles the cut of the ordinary phases of school work and makes them "go." Wayne County News Wayne, West Virginia January 19, 1922 ********************************************* DEATHS MRS. SARAH PARSONS Finley Thompson CHILD BURNS TO DEATH Sarah Parsons of Nestlow, Wayne county, died suddenly of heart failure in the Red River church Saturday evening. She had been in good health up to the time of the stroke. She was an active worker in the church and took a leading part in the services Saturday. Toward the last, she made an appeal to those not members of the church, imploring them to become Christians. When she sat down, she gasped for breath and never spoke another word, death being instantaneous. Mrs. Parsons is survived by her husband A. C. Parsons, and the following children: Charlie, Chester, Clarence, Jennings, Cora, Ethel, Lelia, Bessie, and Nola Parsons. Interment was made in the Sanders cemetery. CHILD BURNS TO DEATH The two year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Golden Mills, who live on the head of Little Lynn Creek, in this county, was burned to death last week. The little boy fell into the fire while the parents were out of the house and the flames were not extinguised until he was fatally burned. He lived about twelve hours after the accident. The father of the boy was burned about the hands and face in attempting to put out the fire. FINLEY THOMPSON Finley Thompson of Fort Gay died at his home last week. Mr. Thompson had had failing health for some time, having been confined to his bed for two months. He was converted a few weeks ago, was baptized and received into the Methodist church, South, by the writer of this item. The body of Brother Thompson was taken to Joel's Branch for burial. Brother Thompson leaves to mourn his loss a wife, six sons, one daughter, several brothers and sisters, and a lot of other relatives. Funeral services were conducted by the writer and assisted by Rev. Crabtree, in the presence of a large crowd after which his body was laid to rest. REV. J. W. BLANKENSHIP Wayne County News Wayne, West Virginia January 19, 1922 **************************************************** WAYNE WOMAN IS 71 YEARS OLD AND HAS TAUGHT FOR HALF A CENTURY Arabella Copley of Fort Gay, Route 2, has been a teacher in the Wayne County schools for half a century. And despite the fact that she is now 71 years of age, Miss Copley is still an enthusiastic worker. She taught a successful term last year. In view of these unusual facts, the editor of this paper wrote Miss Copley last week requesting her to write an article for the Wayne County News. She very graciously agreed and below we are glad to publish her unsually interesting contribution. Editor's Note. BY ARABELLA COPLEY I am seventy-one years old and have taught school 50 years. I never went to school but very little after I was ten years old. I went one term to Mr. Frank Chapman and part of a term to Prof. McClure. They were both splendid teachers. My parents were anxious to give their children an education, but the Civil War came up and interfered with the schools; then my mother died and I had the care of the family. Most of my studying has been done at home. The greatest desire of my life was to get a good education, but I I failed but through no fault of my own. All these years I have felt the need of better training. I often think how much more good I could have done had I been better prepared. I was sixteen years old when I taught my first school at the mouth of Dragg, fifty-five years ago in a large, old log Methodist church. Instead of comfortable seats and desks that the pupils have now, we had rough hewn logs resting on rocks against the walls to sit on. We had no black boards, pencils or tablets and very few books. A few children had slates, and among the older teachers, woe be upon the child caught making pictures on the slates! I called the pupils in by rapping on the outside of the door with a switch. I had no certificate and only a verbal contract with the trustees. In a few weeks, the County Superintendent visited my school, walked up in the pulpit and sat down by me, picked up an old elementary spelling book, asked me a few questions, gave me some good advice, then wrote out a second grade certificate and gave it to me. We only had a term of four months and would probably not get all of our meager salary in a year. All of the schools I think in those days were taught in churches. One cold, rainy day, old Bobby Hagar, a Methodist preacher, came in to fill his appointment. He preached to us, and when he knelt down to pray, a wet hungry hound sat in the door and howled dolefully. He gave us a scolding because there were not more of us there and went on to the next appointment. John Marcum taught the first school in Cassville. I'm talking of old times now, and he was simply John Marcum then, not Judge. If I remember right, he taught in a back room of an old store house, and his pupils sat on benches without any desks of any kind. Now they are planning to build a brick of some seven or eight rooms with all the modern conveniences at Fort Gay. They will have a splendid corps of teachers and a principal that all will be proud of. You will wonder when you pass by at play time where all of the children came from. Some of the note-worthy developments since I first began teaching are the uniform examinations, which gives each teacher equal justice; free text books, which gives the poor child an opportunity to get an education; the graded schools that do so much to encourage the pupils to climb higher educationally; and the well equipped, comfortable houses; but the best of all advancements are our efficient, enthusiastic, well-trained teachers. I hope the young teachers as well as the old will always remember they are going out to train the rising generation for good citizens and that they will always set an example of truth, honesty, and industry before their pupils, for it is only by example we can really teach those virtues. Wayne County News Wayne, West Virginia July 27, 1922 ************************************************* WAYNE WOMAN IS GIVEN PARTY ON 93rd BIRTHDAY The members of the class taught by Chas. E. Walker in the Wayne Baptist Sunday school arranged a surprise dinner party to meet at the home of Mrs. Amanda F. Osburn, the oldest member of the class, on Wednesday, the 29th day of November, that being the 93rd anniversary of the birth of "Aunt" Amanda, and it was a delightful surprise. The class, together with the officers and teachers of the school and others who had heretofore been members of the class while residents in Wayne, having prepared a feast in the way of eatables, gathered at the home, bringing an abundance of good things to eat, and invited "Aunt" Amanda to join them in a birthday dinner in her honor. Mrs. Osburn was born in Chesterfield County, Virginia, November 29, 1829. Though quite old, she is very stout and active for her age. Those present were Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Click, Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Wilcox, Mr. and Mrs. Everett F. Walker, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Newman, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Peters, Mr. and Mrs. Chas. E. Walker, Mr. and Mrs. Fisher F. Scaggs, Mr. and Mrs. Simpson Booton, Mrs. Jones S. Porter, Frederick Porter, Nell Jones Click, Mrs. P. H. Napier, Junior Napier, Mrs. Mont Pigg, Ora Frances Pigg, Mrs. Lora Lambert, Mrs. Joe Newman, Mrs. H. W. Thompson, Mrs. J. M. Thompson, Mrs. O. J. Smith, Mabel Smith, Homer Smith, Nevel Smith, Miss Alma F. Walker, Ruth Walker, Miss Irene Smith, Miss Helen Newman, Mr. Lawrence M. Walker, Mrs. A. W. Damron, Mrs. C. L. Damron, Josephine Peters, Mr. Albert Smith, Joseph Jefferson Newman, Mrs. R. J. Thompson, Opal Smith, and Amanda F. Osburn. Wayne County News Wayne, West Virginia December 7, 1922 *************************************************