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History of Glensfork, KY, II aka Glenville, Glens Fork, & Hardscratch Continued from History of Glensfork, KY, Part 1 By Welcome Hamon, Glensfork, KYSubmitted by Lila Ford, Adair County Genealogical Society from the Adair County Review, edited by Mike Watson Early Settlers continued. . . . Matthew Taylor Matthew Taylor, a native of Adair County, bought the Clayborne Strange place of 140 acres in 1886 and lived there the rest of his life. He was at that time superintendent of Adair County schools, an office he held for twelve years. It was while he was I office that the first schoolhouses were built for Negroes in the county. He taught school in Adair, Cumberland and Metcalfe Counties during his seventeen years of teaching. He was also deputy surveyor of Adair County for many years. Matthew Taylor married January 21, 1862 to Miss Mary Jane Loy and they reared nine children. None of his descendants now live in Glensfork. Mr. Taylor was a Mason, a lifelong Democrat and a member of the Christian Church. He died in 1923 and is buried beside his wife in the family cemetery on the farm he owned for many years. Dr. William Blair Dr. William Blair bought the Matthew Walkup farm in 1890. This is the place known as the Doctor Blair farm all during my lifetime. He was a native of Russell County, a Civil War veteran, a medical doctor, a farmer and a one-time school teacher. He enlisted, at the age of 20 years old, in Company B, 13th Kentucky infantry and participated in the battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Hough's Ferry in Tennessee, Campbell's Station, the siege of Knoxville, Rocky Face Ridge and Resaca in Georgia where he was wounded May 14, 1864 in his right arm while carrying the flag. He was discharged January 1865. After returning home he taught school for four years then attended and graduated from the University of Louisville's School of Medicine in 1875. He returned home and continued the practice of medicine until three years previous to his death when he suffered a stroke and was helpless for those last years. August 12, 1869 he married Miss Sarah Ann McKinley. They reared seven children; none of their descendants now reside at Glensfork. Dr. Blair was a Republican and a member of the Separate Baptist Church. He and his wife and many members of the family are buried in the family graveyard on what was then a part of the farm, but is now reserved to the ownership of the Blair family. The introduction of commercial fertilizer and of pure bred cattle was slow in coming to Adair County. Sometime after the close of the Civil War the first Jersey cows were brought to the county. The first male of this breed was placed in charge of Matthew Taylor, an enterprising citizen of the village of Glenville. This animal met an ignominious death at the hands of some persons in the locality who were not friendly to Jersey bulls. Mr. Taylor, one morning, found him dead with his head under a rail fence, well weighed down. In 1873 Asiatic cholera came to Adair County causing several deaths at Columbia and on the Bowmar farm near the village of Glenville. On the night of April 5, 1890, we had a five inch snow at Glenville resulting in a freeze that bit the onion tops, then high above the ground, down to the crest of the snow. The Fords move here from North Carolina "Uncle Sammy" and "Aunt Rebecca" Ford, former North Carolina residents, who came to the east Glens Fork country at an early day and acquired land on Cedar Creek, on the Glens Fork-Montpelier road, cut logs and built a house that was unique in that the walls of the house were built entirely of red cedar logs. Aunt Rebecca was heard to remark "I wouldn't trade my old red cedar house for any home I know of. " Newspaper entries about early Glenville, Glens Fork From the Farmer's Journal, 11 November 1874 Glenville has a liquor law which forbids the retailing of ardent spirits within one mile of the town. The leading citizens of the place say it shall be enforced."(Note from editor: the college was eventually built at Campbellsville--Russell Creek Academy, now Campbellsville College") From the Columbia Spectator "Some lightening rod gentlemen have been in Glenville for several days, putting up rods. They are now gone. One of their ladies is stopping at Mrs. Sidney Helms."Note the above W. P. Sharp performed the marriage ceremony for H. K Taylor and Viantha Blair Marcher 25, 1896. He lived then at the tanyard house. The Webb family owned west of the Blairs. Ghira Wesley owned land on the right side of the Creelsboro Road, just above Glensfork. Joe Bardin owned land on right of Simpson Ridge Road and Jesse Wilkinson owned land left of this road. John Claiborne Strange lived at Matthew Taylor's place. Winston Strange, brother of John Claiborne, lived at the Dr. William Blair place. He ran the first store in the community, it stood where the graveyard is now. He later moved it to Glens Fork. It stood behind where Aaron's Store building now stands. First store in village was run by Joe Kelsay The first store right in the village of Glens Fork was run by Joe Kelsay, a great uncle of Charlie Kelsay of Columbia. The first blacksmith shop in the vicinity of Glensfork was run by Joe Eubank and was located at the forks of the road near the Blair graveyard. The first Masonic Lodge at Glens Fork was chartered in 1872. The present lodge building was built in 1904. It now has 29 members (Jan 1971--editor). The Tan Yard There was once a tan yard at Glens Fork. It was there as early as 1874. Some men who operated it were Charlie Walkup, John Harrison Kelsay, Sidney Helm and Jim Helm. The tan yard was on the west side of the creek, right in the village. There were 8 or 10 vats, about 4 feet wide, 6 feet long and 6 feet deep. Water from springs ran into the vats. They put lime in to remove hair from the hides. Bark from chestnut oak was ground and put in water with the hides. This tanned the hides. It took one year to tan the hides. Ike Taylor ran a saddle shop in a building in the center of the village and Dunk Simmons made shoes. Lanis Helm ran a carding factory on the creek across the road from the present Methodist Church. There have been a large number of grist mills, saw mills and stave and hickory mills operated in this community over the years. The organization of farmers known as the Grange had a lodge at Glens Fork which was unusually strong since there is numerous references to this small community in a copy of their paper, THE FARMER'S JOURNAL, of 1875, the members met in a store building on the left side of the road going south through Glens Fork. Medical doctors at Glens Fork A large number of medical doctors have lived at Glens Fork. Among them are: Dr. S. W. Strange, Dr. Frank Winfrey, Dr. Will Taylor, Dr. Jim Hammond, Dr B. J. Bolin, Dr. Sam Taylor, Dr. S. P. "Tink" Miller, Dr. Otha Miller, Dr. William Blair. Also, buried at the Taylor-Wesley cemetery are several doctors, though don't know where they practiced: Dr. James R. Taylor, Dr. Thomas Taylor, Dr. Ben Taylor. Dentists were: Dr. Butler Kelsay and Dr. William Wheat. Furniture and Coffin maker Mr. Clint Walker made and sold furniture and coffins in a corner of his yard several years after 1900. Churches Old Salem About one mile west of Glens Fork, on road 768, there once stood an old log church called "Old Salem." Glens Fork Methodist Church The oldest deed I could find (for the Methodist Church was made August 26, 1854. George Washington Taylor and wife Frances deeded 3 acres, 2 rods and 20 poles of land for the M. E. Church, South, for the sum of $1.00. This church was named Taylor's Chapel. It stood near where the Graf Abell home stood. Taylor's Chapel Church On November 17, 1890 the Taylor's Chapel Church property was sold to Joseph Potts for $70.00. The proceeds were put in the parsonage at Columbia. In 1880 a church building was built on present church grounds. October 24, 1881 Ghira and Samantha Wesley deeded the ground on which the present building stands. The church paid $15 for the land which consists of 1/2 acres and 16 poles. The deed was made after the church was built because the deeds states "being the same upon the church house now stands". I presume this Methodist Church was M. E. Church, South. However, the deed states M. E. church at Glenville. I do not know the exact details about the old Methodist church building at Columbia being moved to Glens Fork. It is my understanding that this was more than 70 years ago and that it was the building that burnt in 1928. In 1930 the present building was built and the Sunday school rooms were added in 1955, I believe. On November 24, 1896 Winston Strange and wife, Mildred, sold the church a tract of land containing 30 square poles for $110. This property was to be used for the benefit of the parsonage of M. E. Church, South. I think the land lay between the present post office building and the Matthew Taylor property. Mr. Ed Lee Grider (85 years old in 1971) and Mr. Elmore Wilkinson (81 years old last May) say they know nothing about a parsonage ever being on this piece of property. No doubt it wasn't, as on October 8, 1897 the church sold this property to W. L. Taylor for $113.63 On May 1899 Robert A. Yates and wife, Dony, deeded the 89 square poles of land to the church for the use of a parsonage. The church paid $125 for this property. On March 4, 1911 the church sold this property to W. B. Helm of Greensburg for $140. The house used as a parsonage stood in a corner where a branch empties into Glens Fork Creek. It has been torn down. Zan Morrison and his sister, Mary Tilda, were the last ones to live there. On March 20, 1931 the church bought a tract of land containing 31 square poles from Charlie and Delia Thomas for $25. This land was between the highway and Glens Fork Creek. On September 18, 1890 the Methodist church at Glens Fork sold to the United Brethren Church the right to use the church in consideration of half of expenses of repairs and furnishings the Methodist Church. The officers of each church were to meet and agree on the time each church were to hold their regular meetings. On September 5, 1910 the United Brethren sold their interest to the M. E. Church for $175. A Partial list of ministers who served as ministers of the Glens Fork Methodist (now United Methodist) Church since about 1900: Jim Black, ? Pennycuff, ? Beck, Marion Capshaw, ? Christie about 1925, L. W. Turner 1925-1929, Frank Hulse 1929-1930, L. D. Smith 1930-1931, V. V. Cape 1931-1932, Leonard ship 1932-1934, J. W. Moore 1934-1935, Carl McGee 1935-1936, Earl Sipes 1936-1938, Claude L. Parker 1938-1941, C. E. Pickett 1941-1943, ? Miller 1943-1944, John S. Eastridge 1944-1946, ? Jarbo 1946-1947, C. H. Pittman 1947 to about august 1951, (Pittman ran off with Mrs. Lyda Loy), Claude Hale 1951-1953, V. Chandler, Tim Chamberlain, Elmer Tabor 1953-1954 (for a few months three fellows, I think they called it some kind of plan, I forget what now, each preached a church at different times), V. W. Chandler 1954-1955, A. Humble 1955-1958, Donald Davis 1958-1959, Bryan McGuffey 1959-1962, C. Scott 1962-1964, Charles Guthermuth 1964-1965, William Roundtree 1965-1968m Gene Latham 1968-! 1970, Tom Morrison 1970-1971 and Buford Helm 1971-.When I first remember going to service at Methodist church, or rather when I became old enough to notice church, the conference year began in October and remained that way until about 1956. I think I can remember Bro. Humble's wife complaining that the calendar year had been switched to the beginning of October to June or July, I forget which. The parson could have a garden started and before he could get full benefit of the garden, he would have to move. The Glens Fork Methodist church was selected to be recognized for its outstanding work in 1955. The citation was given at a special dinner meeting February 1, 1956 at the Farm and Home week in Lexington, Ky. The University of Kentucky's Town and Country Church Fellowship sponsor for the eight year, 1955, made the selection on the basis of church development and growth, community cooperation and service and special activities. In 1955 this church (Glensfork Methodist Church) had several additions of members following the church's first Lord's Acre Program in 1954. Not only was the membership increasing, but $800.95 wash was realized through this program under the leadership of V. W. Chandler, pastor. In 1955 the Lord's Acre Program was continued and the proceeds of $1,000 from 38 projects went for a complete face lifting of the church necessary repairs including a new roof and windows were made; a new addition was to supply Sunday school rooms and a fellowship hall; the entire building was painted and a parking area graded. Furthermore, members helped the other four churches of the charge to redecorate and refurnish the parsonage for their new pastor, J. A. Humble, who succeeded V. W. Chandler. To read all three installments of The History of Glensfork by Welcome Hamon:"As you can see, Mr. Welcome Hamon was a wonderful historian. We at the Genealogical Society are forever grateful for all the work and information that he gave us. We hope that you have enjoyed this wonderful history," Lila Ford said. The Adair County Review is a quarterly publication of the Adair County Genealogical Society, it is received by all members of the Society. It is published in the Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Membership is open to anyone interested in the preservation of history of Adair County and the surrounding counties of Casey, Cumberland, Green, Metcalfe, Russell and Taylor. Annual dues are $15.00. Membership can be mailed to Adair County Genealogical Society , P.O. Box 613, Columbia, Ky. 42728. Membership renewal is due in January of each year. Meetings are held at the Adair County Public Library, 307 Greensburg St. Columbia, KY., and are held on the first Monday night of each month. Meetings begin at 6pmCT. For more information about the Genealogical Society you can call the Adair County Public Library at (270) 384-2472 or contact Lila Ford at lila607@yahoo.com. This story was posted on 2009-06-25 03:54:36
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