April 2007 Photographs
Scroll down and view just a sample of the many
photos you will see each month
in The Kentucky Explorer magazine.
Above is a rare old scene of the Hardy Hotel in West Point, Hardin County, Kentucky, ca. 1900. Guests were waiting for the train at this railroad hotel which was owned by the Hardy family. The railroad station used by the Illinois Central Railroad and The Louisville, Henderson, & St. Louis Railroad was located across the street from the hotel.
Looking east at the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Shelby Yard, Pike County, Kentucky, in 1950. An 0-8-0 C-16 class switcher steams in the yard. The track diverging toward the bottom of photo is the Sandy Valley and Elkhorn Subdivision to Jenkins. The brick building shown at left and behind the black water tank is the trainmen's bunkhouse. The two-story building to the right and behind the tank is Fitzgerald Restaurant. In the background is the engine terminal and several steam locomtives being serviced. The three-stall roundhouse is shown on the right. (Photo from the Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society collection.) See the article Memiors of Railroading In Eastern Kentucky in the April 2007 and May 2007 issues of The Kentucky Explorer.
Ron Weaver, 420 Worthington Place, Richmond, KY 40475, shares this photo of his Weaver family members. He writes: "The photo was taken ca. 1915. L-R: Uncle Ernest Weaver, born 1880; Grandfather James Taylor Weaver, born 1854; Grandmother Alice Weaver, born 1856; Aunt Grace; my father, James R. Weaver, born 1894; and Aunt Flora, born 1882. The Weaver Family home was located between Falmouth and Lenoxburg, Pendleton County, Kentucky. My grandfather, James Taylor Weaver, was the son of Levi David (wife Francis, born 1819 in Kentucky) Weaver, born 1813, who was the son of William Weaver born in 1784 in Maryland.
Thelma Howard Estes, 405 Elmhurst Court, Lexington, SC 29072; hkyhilbly@aolo.com, shares this old photo with our readers. The photo was taken in Rosspoint, Harlan County, Kentucky, ca. 1926. Thelma writes, "The man standing by the cab of the truck is Cull Clem, my grandfather. He died ca. 1929. He was married to Nellie Sergent Clem (third lady from the left, holding their son, Fred). The second girl from the right is my mother, Fleeta Clem Howard. The second girl from the left is Lydia Clem Howard. The man in the cab of the truck is Henry Sergent. He was married to Susanna Howard Sergent (first lady in truck, holding their daughter, Dolly). Henry's son, Hulen, is the third boy from the left. The man on the hood of the truck is Green Middleton. He married Stella Sergent Middleton (lady in the middle, holding their son, Jack). Green's son, Ottis, is the first boy from the left. The fourth child is a Middleton. The last girl in the front row is Flossie Middleton, Green's daughter. The man sitting on the running board is Major Sergent. Henry and Major were brothers to Nellie and Stella. My mother, Fleeta, married Susanna's brother, Pearl Howard. They were the parents to Newanna, Dorcus, Thelma, Kay, Freda, and Kenneth. Mother passed away on 12/2/2006 at the age of 91.
Audus Raymond (A. R.) of Crittenden County, Kentucky, in his Model-T. A. R. and a friend, Auberdean Clements, traveled from Crittenden County to Wyoming in this vehicle during the 1920s. See letter at right.
Robinson Peyton Homestead
One of Casey
County's pioneer homesteads still stands today on the Big South
Rolling Fork on Gusty Branch Road just off the south side of
Highway 78. This is the old Robinson Peyton home. A house built
of heavy timber frame construction in the early 1800s, it was
the site of numerous county and state political meetings during
the late 1800s.
Robinson Peyton (1813-1881) was the son of Vincent Peyton (born
ca. 1785 died 1820s) and Polly Robinson (1788-1850). Vincent
was the son of Valentine Peyton (1749-1831) who was a well-known
pioneer in nearby west Lincoln County. Valentine Peyton dug the
historic Peyton's Well on Hanging Fork Creek in 1775.
Robinson Peyton was married in Casey County in 1839 to Amanda
Parker (1821-1892). They were the parents of several children,
and a number of their descendants live in the area today. Robinson
Peyton was active in local government and community affairs and
was elected to the Kentucky Legislature during the 1870s. Peyton
made many trips on horseback between his Casey County home and
the State Capitol at Frankfort. A number of prominent state officials
visited Peyton at his home during his service as state representative.
Robinson Peyton died in 1881 and is buried in a large family
graveyard which is located on a high hill just east of his old
home. After many remodelings, this old home underwent a last
major renovation about 1900 when a large frame addition was built
on the west side. The original section of the house is easily
spotted by a huge stone chimney in the rear section of the house.
The old Peyton home remained in the family until about 20 years
ago and has changed ownership at least twice since that time.
Today, Robinson Peyton's gravestone is overturned and the cemetery
is in near ruin. Sadly his old home has suffered the same fate
and is now unoccupied. With some of the best examples of stone
fences laid in the old "edge fence" pattern, standing
just yards from the house, this old homestead is one of Casey
County's forgotten historic treasures.
Allan R. Leach, P. O. Box 14, Hustonville, KY 40437, shares this article with our readers.
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