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Frank Nell's memories of old Columbia: from Interview with Naomi Green It was a time when everybody lived in the city limits and I knew everyone's name. - FRANK NELL, in an interview with Naomi Green, May 2, 1983 The following article is just a sample, albeit it a very, very special one, of the material which regularly appears in the Adair County Review. If you read no other article in Columbia Magazine, read this. We hope it encourages you to subscribe to the Adair County Review. - ED WAGGENER Membership in the Adair County Genealogical Society is is $15.00 a year. With membership you receive four issues of the Adair County Review. The address is: ACGS, PO Box 613, Columbia, KY. 42728 By Lila Ford Editor, Adair County Review I have taken the interview in which Frank Nell spoke with Naomi Green and I have written a story derived from it. The interview was held May 2, 1983 at the Adair County Public Library in Columbia, Kentucky. It was one of several interviews for oral history in Adair County. This interview appeared in the Summer edition of the Adair County Genealogical Society's "Adair County Review". Also, the library has a book by Carl Howell and Dixie Hibbs which has postcards that shows the square, some of them in the early 1900's. The title is "Postcard history Series Southcentral Kentucky: Adair, Barren, Green, Hart, and Taylor Counties. It was published in 1980. Frank Nell memories, from the interview with Naomi Green, May 2, 1983, at the Adair County Public Library. Mr. Nell, a member of a very prominent Adair County family, served as Adair County Sheriff and retired after a tenure as Adair County Circuit Court Clerk. My name is Frank Nell. I was born August 17, 1915 in Adair County, Ky. My father was George Elbert Nell, son of Doctor James King Nell and my mother was Ella Rose, daughter of John Rose. I was born in the Gradyville community of Adair County. As a little boy I can remember my father was a merchant. He ran a general merchandise, hardware, dry goods and grocery. He was a trader also. He traded in livestock and real estate. He also ran with his sister and mother the post office in Gradyville for years. He also ran a drug store inside his general store. He was not a druggist. He also had an undertaker shop. I have his old Undertaker License at home in the safe. That was back in the early teens. There was a bank in Gradyville, there were two other stores, mostly groceries and dry goods. My mother ran a millinery shop there, she made ladies hats. All of this was after the Gradyville Flood that happened on June 7, 1907. My uncle, Dr. L. C. Nell lost his wife and four children, four boys, in the Gradyville Flood. Altogether twenty-two lives were lost in the flood. I remember hearing about the flood. Some say it was just like a cloud burst above Gradyville. And the creek was known as Big Creek. It came down in waves destroying homes and everything in it's path. My uncle, Dr. L. C. Nell, was away on a house call, horseback, when he rode in, the flood waters rose fast and went back down fast.And has he rode in to his front yard before he knew his home was gone. We lived in Gradyville until 1924. We moved then to West Point, Mississippi, and from there to Lincoln County,McKinney, Kentucky, where my father ran a big rolling mill. He traded the mill to a home and farm in Ohio and we stayed there for awhile. Then we moved back too McKinney and he traded for the mill back. From there in 1927, we moved to Columbia. Miss Bess Patteson house is where we first lived when we came to Columbia. Next to the Library. Start around Columbia Square, opposite flow of traffic, from Greensburg ST I will describe what Columbia looked liketo me when we returned.I will start with where the old hotel was. Back then, it was run down and in pretty bad shape. To the best of my knowledge, King Crenshaw, ran the hotel at that time. Adjacent to the hotel, as you go around the square to the north and east therewas a vacant lot,I think there used to be a jeans shop there later on in years. At this time, a dinner bell that hung in the lot and it was rung for the dinner meals at the hotel. The next building was a big frame buildingwhere Mr. Leslie Bennett ran a grocery store with his three daughters, Margeritte, Bessie and Pearl. Up over the store, Mr. Will Jones ran a little shop of some kind. Next to the grocery store was a barber shop ran by Mr. George Lowe. There you could get a haircut for a quarter and he had an old time nickledeon they called it at that time, you put a nickel in and the piano would play a tune. Up over the barber shop there was a dentist office, Dr. Ford. ( This area was where in the 80's Coy Downey had the real estate office.) Next to that was a restaurant ran by Ralph Willis. Then there was the old Post Office on the corner (where David Wells Insurance office was ). The Postmaster at that time was Mike Winfrey. Turn off the Columbia Square, go down left side of Campbellsville Street As you turn down Campbellsville Street there was an alley between the Post Office and the next building, which was a big framed building, Buchanan Lyon Company, a wholesale grocery bought it and remodeled it and put in a wholesale grocery there. They later sold out to F. X. Merkley who put in a Ford Dealership there. Then another alley, and then there was some buildings, I have forgotten who was in the first one. Kentucky Utilities was in the next one, and then later on they moved to the first building. Mr. Jim Willie Walker and a Mr. Bennett ran a Durant Garage in the next building. They sold Durant Automobiles and Trucks. Below the garage was a big two story house, that a Mrs. Smith had moved from the square and put in a boarding house and served meals. (This area is where the parking lot is across from the municipal building.) Across the street, Merchant Street, I believe. John and Charlie Kelsay ran a service station, a Standard Service Station, with the old hand pumps that you pumped the gas up and read the gallons as it came through. Cross Campbellsville Street and go toward Columbia Square Across the street on the south side of Campbellsville Street, Mr. W. R. Myers, lived on the corner above where Grissom-Maupin- Heskamp Funeral Home is, they lived on the corner and there was a little Shell Service Station right on the corner of their yard, (where the Municipal building stands now.) Right behind was a vacant lot and on the corner behind was an old garage, I believe they just did mechanical work. As you go up Campbellsville Street from the Myers property (where Richard Wethington run the pool room), Mr. Jim Goff ran a dry goods store and next to that Amly and Ores Royse ran a shoe store and a variety store. As you walked on up the street, there was an alley, then where Ben Franklin is now on the corner, you walked up a flight of wooden steps into a restaurant, a Mr. Lowe. I can't recall his first name ran. Also in the same building but partitioned off, Stanley Epperson and Elmer Keen ran a grocery store. Back to Columbia Square walking from Campbellsville ST to Jamestown ST and down it to Reed Street Turn down the square then south a Miss Lillie Smith had a boarding house that she later moved to Campbellsville St.,it was a framed boarding house. Next to her, Mr. Sam Lewis, who was the father of Alvin Lewis, ran a poultry house on the square. (Itwas where the hardware store ran by Tayloris.) Mr. Lewis boughtpoultry, eggs, furs, hides all of kinds. May apple root, ginseng, all types of herbs and yellow root. Healso bought wool, sheep wool, at that time there was a lot of sheep in the county. Past that, was a croquet yard. (Where Dr. George Webb's dentist office and other offices are.) Mr. Chapman ran a little fruit stand rightin the corner, and there was built on to what is old Russell Building, where Lerman's is, it was built on what is now Coomer's Cafe and use to be Lany, Bray & Company next door. They were built on later. Oris Royse moved his variety store where Lany, Bray & Company is. Next door and half of what is now Lerman's, C. R. Hutchison & Sons ran a hardware store. The next building was the old Russell Company. Mr. J. O. Russell opened the business there and if I'm not mistaken he built the building. In the back of Lerman's under the Lerman Brothers, well it's the ground level, Mr. Jack Young ran a meat market. In the alley behind the Lerman's building, Mr. Howard Chilton sold feed and fertilizer. Then down the street a Mrs. Murrell lived on the corner where Shrader's building is now, the one he used for storage. Below that, directly below that, Ernest Harris had a bottling plant, he sold all types of flavored drinks, but his big sellers were Parfait and Nu Grape. It started out as George Henry Nell and W. E. Harris, and later on W. E., was the one I remember running it. Heading back up Town Hill on Jamestown Street to Square Where Shrader's is now is where Mr. Henry Miller had an old frame building that he stored telephoneequipment cause he owned the telephone lines in Columbia at that time. Jeffries Hardware originally belonged to Tom Ed Jeffries, who was the father ofLynn and Todd Jeffries. They sold the store when I was a boy to Mr. Fayette Davis. It remained Davis Hardware for years and then it went back to Jeffries Hardware when Lynn bought it. Up over the hardware store was a dentist office ran by Dr. Murrell (where Dr. Randall is now). Dr. Murrell pulled my first tooth that I ever had pulled. Next was a bank. The First National Bank. Next to that was C. R. Barger and ErisBarger had a hardware and grocery store. Up over their building was a telephone exchange. It was operated by two Bradley girls, I can remember Mildred but I can't remember her sister. Then in the corner of that part of the square was the old Adair County News. Where is Dollar Store is now used to be a dry goods store operated by Mr. Murrell and Miss Lula Jones. Later on Miss Jones bought out Mr. Murrell and it became Lula Jones Dry Goods Store. Upstairs over that was the city leased Judge'sOffice, when I can remember Mr. Gus Jeffries was the city police there. The next building, my fatherGeorge Nell and Uncle Otis Rose put in a grocery store when I was a little boy, Next was Hershel Taylor's little cafe, which is now part of the Men's Shop. It was a narrow little cafe where the local college and high school kids hung out. Next door, Mr. Dillon ran a drug store, which is now a Head Start Office, then on the corner, Mr. W. I. Ingram, the father of John Ingram and James Ingram, ran a dry goods store and school supplies, we bought all our school books and supplies from Mr. Ingram. Off the Square and out Burkesville ST Right behind Mr. Ingram's, as you go up Burkesville Street, Old Hancock Hotel. Mr. George Hancock lived in it. Also some other families, I can remember they quit using individual, more or less an apartment house converted into. One part of that my father had at one time a little express office, received all the express that came to this county and freight, stored in that room. Next to that (Where is Insurance Office is). Mr. Murray had a little house that he lived in between the hotel and where Watson and Walker Real Estate is now. Mr. Johnny B. Watson and Jow Nance ran a grocery store. On the corner across the alley and across the street, continuing on up Burkesville St.Mr. Judd, father of Harlan Judd, who is an Attorney in Burkesville now, lived there. Then next door, Mr. Hutchison lived, his porch ran clear to the sidewalk. Another house was next but I can't remember who lived there, but next to them was where Mrs. Charlie Hutchison lived. On the corner where Houchens parking lot is, Dr. Flowers lived and he had his office in the same building. Cross Burkesville ST at Guardian and head back to Square Directly across from Dr. Flowers' house, Mrs. Daisy Hamlett and her son ,Edward and daughter Margaret lived. She ran the Adair County News. She and her son Edward. Best as I can remember you go across the street and start back up toward the square, the building Harlan Coomer lives in was there originally but I don't remember who lived there. Across the same street, Henry Miller lived there, he owned the telephone Company. As you come toward the square it's pretty much the same as it was except they built a new Methodist Church where the old one used to stand. Then there used to be a little parsonage beside the Methodist Church and then on the corner Morris Epperson lived. Mrs. Sally Fields lived in a brick house across the street. Adjacent to her where the Western Tire Store and Vaughn's Dress Shop now stands, Mr. Tutt which I never knew but I knew his widow, Mary Tutt and her son Nathaniel Tutt lived in the brick home there. Back to Columbia Square walking from Burkesville ST to Greensburg ST and out it Then you come to what is now Russell and Company which was originally Russell and Company. John Lee Walker built the building. John Lee built the building and sold half to his brother Doc Walker, they put in a dry goods store on the corner, they had a big business. Then there was a Theatre where Columbia General Appliances is now. Alfred Harper and Vernon Yarberry ran it at one time and then F. X. Merkley bought it. Next the Bank of Columbia is what is now part ofthe Bank. Next door, Mr. Mont Maupin, father of Jimmy Maupin ran a barber shop. Hugh Thomas, who is now 80 years old still barbering was working at the barber shop with Mr. Maupin and Mr. Burley Young. Mr. Richard Paull had a drug store where the dress shop is now. Next to that was Mr. Henry Moore and a Mr. Young ran a cafe. Mr. Young also made glasses, I suppose he was an optometrist. In the next building, a big framed building, a Mr. George Wilson ran a grocery store. I still have some of the tokens at home worth a nickel in change. Up over the store was Dr. Gose who was a medical doctor. And what is now Marshall's Shoe Store and the rest of that building, was a lot with a big front yard belonging to Mr. Bradshaw. He had a wrought iron fence all around his yard and the old house is where Louise Hutchison's dress shop is now. His yard ran all the way to the square. Directly behind that building, when I was a boy, Bob Wethington, father of Richard Wethington, and Alan Reed ran a silent movie in an old frame building. Ralph Hurt played the Piano, I can remember it very distinctly. Next to that is the Baptist Church, it burned, and I being a Baptist, we moved to the old silent movie house and had our Sunday School and Church in there till we got our new church built. From the church there was no other building until you got to Mr. Barbee's, Sid Barbee, who was the father of Alta Garnett and Joe Barbee. (Sid was a nickname for Buck Barbee.) Across the street, I have been told where Stotts-Phelps-McQueary Funeral Home is, where the jail was. I can't remember but I have been told that. That pretty wells covers what we had at that time. It was a time when everybody lived in the city limits and I knew everyone's name. Note by author: Frank Nell died June 22, 1986. This story was posted on 2005-10-04 13:59:33
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