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Editor's Note:
Readers of The Kentucky Explorer have been introduced to the
Rev. John J. Dickey in past issues. Remember that he was a traveling
preacher throughout the eastern part of the state during the
years between 1880 and 1925. He helped to establish numerous
churches and at least two colleges. He was also a teacher and
a newspaper editor. However, his most enduring gift to us today
may well be his diary that he kept faithfully during some 50
years of his later life beginning in the 1880s. In all, over
6,000 pages written in his own hand make up this interesting
digest.
In this journal of his, Dickey often wrote down accounts of events
daily. Much of the material concerns his day to day life. However,
during the late 1890s he began to gather family history on various
families he met in his travels. We are offering these interviews
to our readers in the hope that they will be appreciated in the
sense that Rev. Dickey intended. These interviews were written
word for word as they were given to Rev. Dickey. Nothing has
been changed.
D. Y. Lyttle.
Said:
Sam Cornett, the progenitor of the people of that name in the
mountains, came from Scott County, Virginia, to Harlan County,
Kentucky, and removed from there to Line Fork in Perry County.
Also, General Lige Combs, the progenitor of the large family
of Combses, could neither read nor write but was a man of great
intellect and force of character. He owned a great deal of land
in Perry County. His son, Jesse, was the first clerk of Perry
County.
General was asked by a woman in Frankfort how old he was? He
replied, "Madam, I have lived long enough to eat 500 bushels
of hominy."
(The statement "could neither read nor write" has been
contradicted. S. E. H.)
David Yancy Lyttle Cedar Creg. December 7, 1898.
I was born in Russell County, Virginia, at King's Flat, January
27, 1818. My father's name was Harrington Lyttle. My mother's
maiden name was Susana Bays. She was the aunt of William and
Hezekiah Bays of the Holiton Conference. They are Methodists
as was my mother. The name Lyttle is English. I do not know when
the first ones came over. My father's mother's maiden name was
Sneed. Bays is French. I spent my boyhood days fishing and hunting.
My mother taught me my ABCs on an oven lid. She wet them and
then made letters in the ashes. From these I learned my letters.
We had no spelling book. "Come in and welcome to Jesus Christ,"
was the name of the only book in the house, and my mother taught
me to read from that. She could read and write. My father could
only spell. We were poor, though my grandfather, Peter Bays,
gave my grandmother a tract of land, but after living on it until
I was seven or eight years old, my father removed to King's Flat
again where I was born. My father was a hunter, and he loved
the sport. He was a great bully and had many encounters. My mother
was never uneasy about him; she said that she knew he would always
conquer. I went to school to my uncle, John Bays and Benjamin
Sneed, my great uncle. The Bayses were fond of learning. The
Sneeds were talented people. Nicholas Sneed was a distinguished
physician worth perhaps $100,000 when the war broke out. He was
a trustee of Emory and Henry College. When I was 13 or 14 years
old, Andrew Martin, my uncle, who married my mother's sister,
told me I ought to go to Dale Carter, who was a self-made man
who would probably do something for me. I went to Mr. Carter,
not far from my home, and he was walking behind three yokes of
cattle in the branch. He was a lawyer. I told him that I wanted
to work. He told me I was too small to be of any service. I told
him that I would stay a year with him, and he might pay me what
he pleased. He said he would not turn a boy away who would make
such a proposition as that. He told me to take my clothes to
his house. I did so and gave them to his wife and told her our
contract. I won her by always providing wood for cooking. I was
attentive to my patron and was very faithful to every trust.
He had a great many slaves and a white man hired, 20 or 30 in
all. I would report to him the delinquencies of his hands. At
the close of the year, he told me that he and his wife had concluded
to send me to Emory and Henry College. This was the burning desire
of my heart. I had heard Rev. Creed Fulton say at the laying
of the cornerstone that his college was for the education of
poor boys. I then resolved that I would someday be a student
of that school. I told Mr. Carter that I did not know whether
I had means sufficient. "How much do you need?" was
the reply. He gave me $75 and three good suits of clothes, and
I went to college seeking admission. Rev. Charles Collins of
the state of Maine was president, Rev. Ephraim Wesley was teacher
of ancient languages, and Professor Harlow of mathematics. I
was about 16 years old. Mr. Collins said that the sons of the
men who had given the money to build the college should have
the preferences. Mr. Fulton chanced to be present and remarked
that the promise would be faithfully adhered to. Mr. Collins
told me that I must wait until those men were first served. My
first impulse was to go back to my father's home and have a big
time spending my money, but I thought I must first go to my patron
and tell him else he would deem me unworthy of the kindness he
has sworn me. I went to Mr. Carters, and he was not at home when
I arrived, but he came home after I retired. I told his wife
my story, and she gave it to him. He wrote a letter to Mr. Collins
as follows, "I never expect to send a child of mine to an
institution that seems to be so cold and heartless as yours.
Though I have have given $500 toward the building, but I demand
the admission of this young man on the merit of my donation."
He left home the next morning before I arose, but he left the
letter for me. I didn't see him. I read it, and his wife told
me to take it and go back. The distance was about 30 miles. I
had made the trip on foot. Now, I retraced my steps, and upon
the presentation of the letter I was promptly admitted, and I
was always treated with the greatest courtesy. At the close of
the first year, I was appointed to deliver an address at the
annual commencement. I thought the clothes I had weren't appropriate
for the occasion. I went to Abingdon, ten miles away, and applied
to a merchant for goods for a suit. The merchant asked me what
voucher I could give. I drew from my pocket the printed paper
containing the notice of my appointment and showed it to him.
He said to the clerk, "Let that young man have anything
he wants. Any young man that can get such an appointment as that
can have all the goods I have!" I went back to school and
told the president that I had goods for a suit of clothes for
the commencement. He said I would not have time to have the suit
made. I told him that my speech was ready, and I could learn
it as I walked to Lebanon, 25 miles away, so he gave me permission.
I had a cousin named Bratton at Lebanon, who was a tailor. He
made my clothes. They were of back cloth, and I got a pair of
shoes. I rehearsed my speech before Professor Wiley, and on commencement
day when I stopped upon the platform I felt my foot tremble a
little. The thought of greatness of the occasion, the interest
of the faculty in my success, and the envy and jealously awakened
by my promotion rushed over my mind, and at once I rose above
all the fear and delivered my speech with an enthusiasm that
was akin to inspiration. The immense chapel contained but a small
part of the audience. There were several hundred students in
attendance, and among them were many sons of rich men. They said
that the prompting of pity had moved the faculty to give me the
honor. I returned the next September and remained five months.
I went back to Mr. Carter and became a tutor for his children.
I at first taught in the Methodist church, but objection being
made, Mr. Carter built a house on his own premises. The children
of the community attended, so I had to collect some of the tuition
by law. I got judgement before Esquire Boyd at Lebanon. From
there I went to Copper Creek in Scott County, the patrons of
Methodists and Baptists. Evangelist Drake of the Methodist church
held a revival in the neighborhood. George Hartsock, a prejudiced
Baptist who had opposes shouting, was a real scoffer. While standing
listening to Drake, he fell to the floor. He was prostrate for
sometime, but at length arose shouting, "Glory to God my
sins are forgiven," he cried. I forgot to say that Mr. Carter,
my patron, became immensely rich. He had 60 Negroes and 10,000
acres of land. Mr. Lincoln sent for him to come to Washington
after Lee's surrender to consult with him about matters in the
South. I was supremely happy in helping to elect him a member
of the Constitutional Convention of Virginia. General Brittain
of Lee County, my father-in-law, at my request wrote a letter
to the leader of the Baptist church in Russell County asking
him to support Carter, though Carter was of different politics
to them. Carter wrote to me asking my support, and I consulted
with Mr. Brittain with this result. Four hundred votes were the
result of this letter, and this elected Mr. Carter. I went into
a dark corner of the courthouse and wept like a child when the
results were known, my feelings of gratitude and joy were so
great. From Copper Creek I came to Lee County, Virginia, and
taught school on Powell River. I bought books for some children
named Osborne, who were too poor to get them. From there I went
to the Harlan Courthouse, and there I taught one or two sessions.
This was in 1842 or 1843. At this time I received a letter from
General Garrard to come to Goose Creek and teach at the seminary
near his home. It was of brick. Carlo Brittain came over to Goose
Creek at the close of my school. His presence awoke in me memories
of Miss Drusilla Brittain, his sister, whose charms had kindled
a sacred fire in my heart. Our meeting was a case of love at
first sight. She declared that her whole being was thrilled with
emotion when she first met me. When I asked General Brittain,
her father, for his daughter, he said he would have to study
about it. Things went on this way for 12 months. I had studied
law while teaching school and was admitted to the practice in
1842. Judge Quarrela of London and Judge Bridges of Somerset
examined me. This was in 1842. I began the practice of law living
at the Harlan Courthouse. It was in 1844 that I defended _______
Howard for killing Green Adams. After the argument of counsel
was over, someone remarked at the hotel that Adams had made a
wonderful speech. "Yes," said General Brittain, but
I think that boy overmatched him. Shortly afterward, Howard,
whom I had acquitted, came to me with authority to secure a license
from the clerk to marry his (Brittian's) daughter.
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