[J. R. VanHoose]

If anyone is interested in some local Eastern Kentucky history could you please post some questions and I will try my best to give you a concise, correct answer. Anything anyone has ever been curious about. The early Native Indians, early settlements, local issues of slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, etc.

I thought this would be a good way to get some people interested in history and find out some things about the area where we live!!!

[BlackcatAlum]

What counties did Floyd take up in the 1800s? The only one I know is that Pike used to be Floyd.

[J. R. VanHoose]

What counties did Floyd take up in the 1800s? The only one I know is that Pike used to be Floyd.

Floyd County was actually formed in 1799 from the following counties: Fleming, Mason, and Montgomery!!

Pike County was formed in 1821 entirely from land that once used to be Floyd County!!

[BlackcatAlum]

Thanks.

[mcfan1]

J.R., I'm guessing you were a History major at Marshall. I really admire the fact that you really are interested in history about our area, and make an effort to try to get everyone else interested in our nation and area's history.

[TOMCAT06]

I've got one for yah jr! I've been told that there is a house on prospect ave. in ashland that has an underground tunnell all the way down to the ohio river and it used to be part of the underground railroad! Any truth whats the story??

[J. R. VanHoose]

J.R., I'm guessing you were a History major at Marshall. I really admire the fact that you really are interested in history about our area, and make an effort to try to get everyone else interested in our nation and area's history.

I really like the local history aspect of it all. I wish everyone could know how much history we have, right here, in our back yards. We can get out and touch it and see it without having to look at pictures or read about it, it is here. I also want to try and make people proud of where they are from, the people of Eastern Kentucky are not a people without history, we have it, but we must first learn about it and educate ourselves about it!! I just hope this thread gets some god discussions going and I can help people learn about some things and they can help me learn as well!!!

[J. R. VanHoose]

I've got one for yah jr! I've been told that there is a house on prospect ave. in ashland that has an underground tunnell all the way down to the ohio river and it used to be part of the underground railroad! Any truth whats the story??

Now that one I am not sure about, if anyone can shed some light on the subject it would be greatly appreciated. I can tell you this. Slaves did go down the Big Sandy trying to make their way to free territory. I have read old Ohio newspaper adds calling for help locating "lost" slaves from the Floyd County area. I know Maysville has an underground railroad museum, but I am pretty sure that the Catlettsburg/Ashland area was a "big" station on the Underground Railroad for slaves coming from Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Tennessee, and Southwestern Virginia. Where else would they have gone?

[TOMCAT06]

I think its awesome!!! I love local history and the question i asked came up at work the other day so i thought it was perfect! I'll try to find out some more on it and get back anyone else who knows anything id love to know about it!

[thetribe]

This is really awesome J.R. I too am happy that you are here with us helping with these questions. Midee and I were actually talking about local history of our areas not very long ago, trying to get each other some information about our counties and families and such that we found interesting.

Could you just tell me some stories of really interesting stories or facts about Pike County that aren't so popular and widely circulated?

If I have any specific questions I will be sure to post them.

[The Fan]

Dr. Thomas Walker the first white man in Kentucky set up camp in a bend of the Licking River 1/4 mile north of what is now Salyersville on his initial trip into Kentucky .He then stayed a week trading with local Indians . I read this in a Kentucky History book cant remember the name of it .

[The Fan]

J.R. The Magoffin County Historical Society has amassed alot of info on Eastern Ky history if you are interested PM me and will set up a time to go there i will introduce you to the curator he is there everyday and he loves to talk history

[J. R. VanHoose]

This is really awesome J.R. I too am happy that you are here with us helping with these questions. Midee and I were actually talking about local history of our areas not very long ago, trying to get each other some information about our counties and families and such that we found interesting.

Could you just tell me some stories of really interesting stories or facts about Pike County that aren't so popular and widely circulated?

If I have any specific questions I will be sure to post them.

I will try to get some out to you some time this evening!!!

[J. R. VanHoose]

Dr. Thomas Walker the first white man in Kentucky set up camp in a bend of the Licking River 1/4 mile north of what is now Salyersville on his initial trip into Kentucky .He then stayed a week trading with local Indians . I read this in a Kentucky History book cant remember the name of it .

He also came down Paint Creek, through present-day Paintsville, and followed it to its mouth along the Big Sandy River. He named the river the Louisa (after the daughter of the Duke of Cumberland). Somehow, during the course of time the name became the Levisa and that is why we have the Levisa and Tug Forks of the Big Sandy River.

[J. R. VanHoose]

J.R. The Magoffin County Historical Society has amassed alot of info on Eastern Ky history if you are interested PM me and will set up a time to go there i will introduce you to the curator he is there everyday and he loves to talk history

It will probably have to be after basketball season, it is quite busy this time of year if you know what I mean!!

[OffTheHook]

I remember when I was in School, I had a History Teacher named Mr. Hazelett (Eddy Hazelett's dad). He is pretty well know for some of his research here in Eastern KY. One of his main obsessions was the "Swift's Silver". He felt that it may be located in this area. He seemed to think that it may be in or around the area of the subdivision Cross Creek and Rt. 460, if my memory serves me correct. Do you know any thing about this legend?

[TOMCAT06]

Im not having much luck finding out more information about the underground slave trafficing tunnel from here in ashland but ill continue to search!

[The Fan]

It will probably have to be after basketball season, it is quite busy this time of year if you know what I mean!!

i figured that you would have to wait until after the season ,just give me a yell

[thetribe]

I will try to get some out to you some time this evening!!!

That's fine. Thanks a lot.

[J. R. VanHoose]

I remember when I was in School, I had a History Teacher named Mr. Hazelett (Eddy Hazelett's dad). He is pretty well know for some of his research here in Eastern KY. One of his main obsessions was the "Swift's Silver". He felt that it may be located in this area. He seemed to think that it may be in or around the area of the subdivision Cross Creek and Rt. 460, if my memory serves me correct. Do you know any thing about this legend?

I have heard of it, many versions of the story. Is it true? Well, at this point I am not sure, but who knows, one of these days it may make someone a very rich person!!!!!

[Midee1]

Im not having much luck finding out more information about the underground slave trafficing tunnel from here in ashland but ill continue to search!

According to my wife who grew up on 2nd circle Prospect it is actually the big white house on top of Ashland Ave. I don't know if there is any truth to the but she grew up there and that is what the local rumor was back then.

[J. R. VanHoose]

That's fine. Thanks a lot.

I have been thinking about stories, and I have a few, but is there something particular that you would like to know about? I am having trouble on where to start!!!!

[thetribe]

I'm always looking for stuff to surprise myself and people I know. We all have heard of the Hatfield-McCoy feud, the "haunted" places, things like that, I just want to know stories that haven't been circulated between everyone and their brother. It's up to you J.R., I'm sure you can think of something that would be humorous, entertaining, or especially interesting to share with people that do not already know and those who aren't from the county/area.

[J. R. VanHoose]

Anyone got some good ol' Civil War questions, I can supply lots of info. on this!!!!

[J. R. VanHoose]

I'm always looking for stuff to surprise myself and people I know. We all have heard of the Hatfield-McCoy feud, the "haunted" places, things like that, I just want to know stories that haven't been circulated between everyone and their brother. It's up to you J.R., I'm sure you can think of something that would be humorous, entertaining, or especially interesting to share with people that do not already know and those who aren't from the county/area.

Here is a good story that I know from the end of the Civil War.

According to a court case in Pike County, a member of the 39th Kentucky (Union) Mounted Infantry, Henry Runyon, returned home in 1865 he discovered his wife had been giving "aid and comfort to the enemy," or in this case, a James Taylor of the 10th Kentucky (Confederate) Cavalry. Runyon filed for divorce in 1867 and by that time his wife had already left him to live openly with her Confederate hero. Apparently Runyon's wife liked the Confederacy better!!!!

[J. R. VanHoose]

Anyone ever been to the Breaks of the Mountain? Well, I had heard about this story but didn't believe it until I tried it.

According to old records a Confederate soldier was returning home from the war (his name, regiment, and destination are still unknown) and was killed. His sprit apparently haunts the area where he was killed. If you ever go the Breaks look for the road marker that discusses the Unknown Confederate soldier (it is at the top of a little knoll). Well I had always heard that if you were going downhill away from or uphill towards the marker that you could put your car in neutral and "something" would pull your car towards the marker. Well, I just had to try this. So I was going downhill (away from the marker) I stopped (there was no traffic) and put my car in neutral (instead of going on downhill (like I should have been) I was being pulled back up hill towards the marker. It was kind of spooky, yet awesome at the same time!!!!!

[thetribe]

That is funny J.R. Keep them coming.

"Bad" Frank Phillips, sheriff during the Hatfield-McCoy feud, has a daughter that isn't listed or talked about along with the rest of his family in the books published...

[thetribe]

I live VERY close to the Breaks and a bunch of us from the area have tried this. It's really wild.

[J. R. VanHoose]

Anyone ever heard of Martin Van Buren "Baby" Bates from Letcher County?

He was born there on November 9, 1837 and fought in the Civil War on the side of the Confederacy. Nothing particularly special about him, except for the fact he was a reported size of 7'10" and 470 pounds!!!!!!!!!! I hope his horse was big, I bet he almost squashed it!!! Anyway, he moved away from Eastern Kentucky and joined the circus, while working he met, fell in love with a woman named Anna Swan. Again nothing special about her except the fact that she was reportedly 7'5" tall!!!!!!!!!! They returned to live in Ohio where Anna gave birth to a stillborn son, who weighed some eighteen pounds, in 1874, and again gave birth to another stillborn child who was some 28 in. tall and weighed some 22 pounds, in 1879. They were the world's tallest married couple - according to the Guinness Book of World Records!!!!!

[OffTheHook]

Did they ever have any kids that lived?