Three Forks of the Kentucky River Historical Association

Various 1895 to 1899

For Clay, Jackson, Lee, and Owsley Counties

Based on the Minutes of the Booneville Association
Of Baptist Churches compiled by Dennis L. Brewer

Expanded and Annotated by Betty Thomas Finger

—1895—

ALLEN, BENJAMIN T., age 53 years, was born in Clay County, KY March 1, 1842 and died March 1, 1895. Joined Baptist Church at Prospect under influence of Elder J. G. Parsons in August, 1884 - Left a wife and ten children. [Considering that these minutes were handwritten, could this have been Benjamin F. Allen?] [Benjamin Franklin Allen was born June 29, 1842 to John B. Allen (b. 1787, GA) and Esther Baker (b. 1798, KY) in Clay County, KY. He married Hannah F. Tankersley (b. 1851 KY) on Oct. 24, 1866, in Clay County. Children born to Benjamin & Hannah are: Paralee b. 1868, Elizabeth B. b. 1869, James b. 1872, Rosa b. 1875, Blevins b. 1878, Fannie b. 1880, Dora b. 1884, Robert George b. 1887, Carrie b. 1889, John B. b. 1891, Charles Boyd. b. 1893. [Benjamin F. died April 1, 1895 and is buried in the Hounchell Bend Cemetery, Wild Cat, Clay County, KY.]

BELL, BENNETT, Aged 63 years; joined the church in 1887 at New Prospect; Departed this life in October, 1895. Left a daughter to mourn his passing.

BODKINS, JOSEPH E. [s/o John Bodkin (b. 1793) & Esthma Haile (b. 1789)] was born September 8, 1816 and died June 26, 1895. He was born and raised in Knox County, KY. [Home in 1870 was Sturgeon, Jackson County, KY] Joined the Church in 1878 and was a member of the Bethany Church, Jackson County, Ky - Left behind a large famiily of children to mourn him. [Joseph married Martha "Patsy" Sasser (b. 1830, SC) on Oct. 29, 1839 and they had 14 children: Elhanon M. b. c.1840, Mahala (or Mahalia) b. 1842, Mary b. 1844, Yaden (or Aiden) Sasser b. 1847, Smithy Mae b. 1849, Henry b. 1851, Lewis Garrett b. 1853, William Clinton b. 1855, James Thomas b. 1857, Blevins Chestnut b. 1858/59, John Wesley b. 1859, Joseph E. Jr. b. 1862, Daniel Slaughter b. 1864, and Martha Jane b. 1866 [Martha "Patsy" (Sasser) Bodkin died Dec 29, 1896 and both she and Joseph are buried in the Swindling Gap Cemetery Northeast, High Knob, Jackson County, KY.]

BOWLES, JAMES [M.] was born in Clay County, Ky March 4, 1831 [to Elbert H. Bowles and Nancy White Lair] and [was] baptized into the church in 1890 - Member of Crane Creek - and died November 24, 1895. Leaves a wife and eight children. [James Bowles married Jemima "Mima" Thomas (d/o Joseph Thomas and Anna Jemima Couch) on January 13, 1853 in Owsley County, KY. They had 11 children; William, Jedediah Hibbard, Jane (died 1881), John, Elisha "Lish", Emily, Nancy Ann, Martha, Sherman, Grant (died 1895-1900), and James Marion. James M. Bowles was a Sergeant in the Civil War in Company E of the 14th KY Cavalry Volunteers.]

We are again called upon to chronicle the passing away of the ever lessening band of men who were pioneer ministers of our church in some parts of the state; that of Rev. HARVEY P. [PLEASANT] HALL of Beattyville, Lee County, KY [s/o Harvey P. Hall Sr. & Betsy Beckett]. "Uncle Harvey" was born in Lee County, Virginia, December 21, 1819 [Early census records have TN as birth place] and died in Lee County, KY, January 18, 1895, aged 75 years and 27 days. In 1845 Brother Hall came from Virginia to Owsley County but shortly after, he moved to Lee County to the present Hall homestead with his wife, Miss Mary [Polly] Bowman of Owsley County [d/o Elisha Bowman & Ann Evans, b. Mar 20, 1825 Owsley County KY]. The faithful wife was left behind for a short time but in the care of a large family of grown sons and daughters. [Mary died July 14, 1895 in Lee County. Children born to Harvey and Mary are: Sarah Ann b.1843, Aaron b. 1846, Joseph b. 1848, Permelia b. 1851, Harvey b. 1853, Frances Jane b. 1855, John C. b. 1856, Elizabeth b. 1859, Henry b. 1863, Mary A. b. 1864, William b. 1867, Laura b. 1869, and Archibald b. 1873.] [Harvey and Mary are buried in the Hall Chapel Cemetery, Lower Buffalo, Lee County, KY.]

—1896—

BAILEY, ELIZABETH, [d/o Harvey Hundley Combs and Elizabeth Parsons] was born May 12, 1839 in Owsley County, Ky near the mouth of upper Wolfe Creek - Died June 11, 1896 near where she was born - Left behind a husband [Samuel James Bailey b. 1835], nine children, and eight grandchildren to mourn her passing - Had joined Athens Church 15 years prior to her death. [Children of Elizabeth and Samuel: James Harvey b. 1857, Mary J. b. 1859, Richard E. b. 1861, William Marion b. 1868, Martha b. 1872, Nancy A. b. 1874, Margaret S. b. 1876, Ida B. b. 1879, and Frances b. 1882.] [Elizabeth and Samuel are buried in the Combs Cemetery, Conkling, Owsley County, KY.]

BRIDGES, WESLEY, late of Union Church, Jackson County, Ky, was born in Hawkins County, TN in 1823 - Joined Royal Oak in Owsley County and [was] baptized by Henry Ponder. He died February 29, 1896.

GARRETT, MARY A. was born in Lee County, Va on September 9, 1879 and united with the Baptist Church at Ells Branch in the winter of 1892 and lived a pious life until she was drowned on March 29, 1896. She left a father, mother, brothers and sisters to mourn her passing.

HATTON, Mary Jane, wife of Dr. John Hatton (b. 1845) [married Mar 16, 1866 Clay County, KY], was born October 4, 18[4]9 [to William B. Allen and Sarah "Sally" Robinson/Robertson], Joined Walnut Grove Church in 1873 and [was] a Charter member in the reorganization of this church. Died March 25, 1896 [Cemetery record has March 12, 1895]. Left a husband, five children and a brother to mourn her passing. [Known children born to Mary Jane and John L. are: William b. 1868, Theopholis b. Sep 8,1870, Luther b. 1876, and Harvey b. 1877. Both Mary Jane and John (d. 1901) are buried in the Hatton Graveyard, Clay County, KY.]

HENSLEY, LUCINDA, [d/o Robert "Boston Bob" Baker & Sarah Elizabeth Rogers. She was born in 1838, Clay County, KY. She married first John D. Bowling (s/o William Bowling and Deborah Duff). They had two daughters, Orlena b. 1857 and Nancy Jane b. 1859. They divorced in 1860. She later married Theophilus Hensley in 1871. They had Robert b. 1871 (d. July 12, 1919 from a gunshot wound, killed from ambush), William b. 1872, John b. 1875, and Lucy b. 1877. Lucinda] died in July 1896 at age of 58 years - Was a member of Ells Branch Church.

[1896/1897] REED, MARY aged 88 years, [Possibly Mary "Polly" Southard-Silvers, b. 1812 Virginia, married James Reid Oct 18, 1839, Clay County, KY] united with Liberty Number 2 in Clay County forty-five years ago. She leaves four children. [Children of Mary "Polly" and James Reid are: James Jr. b. 1846, Leander b. 1852, Louticia b. 1856, Lanizie b. 1858.

ROBERTSON, MALINDA, [b. 1832, d/o Serena Reid. Also went by Cornett (probably name of stepfather, Jordan Cornett], wife of S. C. [SILAS COLUMBUS] Robertson [b. 1829, married July 7, 1864, Clay County, KY. Their children were Mary Ann b. 1865, Sophia b. 1867, William b. 1869, Delora b. 1872, Henry Clay b. 1874, and Alexander b. 1878, and possibly more, (last found on 1880 Clay County Census). Malinda also had four children prior to her marriage to Silas. They are: Luticia Cornett b. 1854, Millard Cornett b. 1856, Elizabeth Cornett b. 1860, and Jefferson b. 1861. She] departed this life September 28, 1896 - Was in the reorganization of New Prospect [Church], formerly Walnut Grove.

—1897—

DOYLE, MARY, ["Polly" WESTON b. 1816-1821 VA] wife of John Doyle (b. 1818-1824 VA), was born December 18, 1816 and died January 16, 1897. Left a husband and six children to mourn her passing. [Children of John and Mary are: Isaac (b. 1848, d. 1905), David (b. 1849), Francis J. (female, b. 1850), James Harvey (b. 1856), Elbert Martin (b. 1860), John (b. 1864, d. 1919), and Job A. (b. 1865.)]

GARRETT, GEORGE W. was born in Lee County, Va. [to William T. Garrett and Mary Susan Burgin] on the 3rd day of October 1876 and married Miss Rosa Bell St. John of Clay County, Ky. on March 28, 1894. Both joined Ells Branch in August, 1894. He died July 27, 1897, leaving a wife and two little girls to mourn his passing. [One of his children is "Ebbie" b. 1895.]

HIGNITE, EMILY, wife of J. B. [Joseph] Hignite, was born in Clay County, Ky. on February 10, 1858. [Emily was the daughter of Perry A. Burns and Sarah "Sallie" Davidson. She married Joseph Hignite July 25, 1874 in Clay County. She died October 8, 1897. Buried in the R. H. Davidson Cemetery in Onieda, Clay County, KY]

HORNSBY, WILLIAM was born in North Carolina in 1827 [to Job Hornsby and Sarah Hensley Robinson] and moved to Clay County, Ky in 1846. [He married Sarah Sallie Lunsford (b. 1834) on Feb 2, 1850.] He joined Liberty No.2 Baptist Church in 1866 or 1867 under the preaching of Daniel Murphy. He died June 18, 1897, [Laurel Creek, Clay County], leaving a wife and five children to mourn his passing. [The children of William and Sarah are: Harvey (b. 1855, d. 1927), Nancy (b. 1856, d. 1916) Isaac (b. 1857), Joseph (b. 1858), and Charley (b. 1864, d. 1949).

SMITH, SAMUEL, was born [in 1836] in Hawkins County, TN [to Franklin/Francis Smith and Lucretia Barrett] and came to Owsley county in [about] 1848 where he lived a short time before his death which occurred at his home in Clay County, Ky May 7, 1897. He died suddenly. He was married twice. He leaves behind two children by his first wife [Martha Neely] and two by his second [Mrs. Martha Thacker]. He was a member of Union Church, in Jackson County. Children of Samuel Smith are: Charles (b. 1861), Nancy J. (b. 1865), John (b. Oct. 1869), and William (b. 1871).

—1898—

BRANDENBURG, L. F. (recorded under "1898," but illegible) [Probably LEWIS FRANKLIN BRANDENBURG, s/o Jonathan Brandenburg and Paulina Roberts, born Dec. 10, 1861/62, died May 10, 1898. Married first 'unknown'. They had Jaluh Edna b. 1884. Married second Mary Peters b. 1862, d/o James Elisha Peters and Elizabeth L. Hughes. They had Walter Green b. 1888, Martha Hester b. 1891, Lewis Edward b. 1895, and Carl Taylor b. 1895.

DOYLE, CHANEY, [d/o James & Mahala WILLIS] wife of [James] HARVEY Doyle b. 1856 VA. She was] Born August 28, 1861 in Lee County, Virginia and joined Baptist church in 1888. Died August 24, 1898, [in Lee County, KY] leaving a husband and six children. [Known children born to this union: Elbert Martin b. 1881, James b. 1884, Floyd b. 1887, Lula b. 1889, Cynthia Rose b. 1891, and Tommy b. 1895]

HORNSBY, JOHN HENRY (recorded under "1898," but illegible)

JOHNSON, CAMPBELL [Son of Samuel Johnson and Sarah Pennington] was born February 6, 1811 [in NC] and died November 19, 1898.[in Buckhorn, Perry County, KY] Joined the Baptist church in 1840. Left an "aged widow" and many relations. [He married Sarah "Sallie" Turner b. 1818/1820. Their children were: Franklin b. 1837, Nancy b. 1838, Susan b. 1840, John b. 1843, Elizabeth "Betty" b. 1847, Edward b. 1849, Green A. b. 1852, Samuel b. 1854, Maggie b. 1856, Joseph b. 1858 Campbell and Sallie are buried in the Johnston Cemetery, Buckhorn, Perry County, KY]

—1899—

DAVIDSON, MARTHA G. was born in Bedford County, Va. June 11, 1817 [to Archibald Wade and Nancy Weeks] and died August 6, 1899 in Clay County, Ky.- Joined Baptist church at age of 14 and in organization of church at New Hope. "She follows her second husband to the tomb. She leaves seven children, the youngest 40 years of age." [She married 1st Samuel H. Martin Jr. (b. 1812) on Nov. 22, 1841, in Bedford County, Virginia. He died in 1867 at Bullskin, Clay County, KY. She married 2nd Daniel Davidson (b. 1812) in March of 1868, in Clay County, KY. He died prior to 1899. Children of Samuel Martin and Martha Wade are Wilson T. b. 1843, Mary D. b. 1846, Rowland H. b. 1848, Charles C. b. 1850, Nancy J. b. 1852, Henry b. 1856, and Martha J. b. 1858. Martha is buried in the Martin-Davidson Cemetery in Onieda, Clay County, KY.]

DAVIDSON, MORGAN was born in Clay County, Ky. April 4, 1815 [to John Madison Davidson and Elizabeth "Betsy" Smith] and died March 14, 1899. [He married "Polly Stedham" March 27, 1838 in Clay County, KY and they had these children: Elizabeth, Tyra, Sarah "Sally", James, Samuel, Hiram, Aliconia "Ally" C., and Levi.]

HACKER, ELIZABETH was born in 1830 in Jackson County, Ky. and died August 27, 1899 in Clay County. She followed her husband in death and leaves behind seven children. [Believe this to be Elizabeth Morris the d/o John Morris and Leah Clark who married John J. Hacker (s/o Julius Hacker and Margaret Peggy Herd) on Feb 27, 1851 in Clay County, KY. He died between 1880 and 1899. Children of John and Elizabeth are: William J., Sarah Lee (b. 1854), Henry, Mary E., Daniel, Stephen, John, James, and Sarah (b. 1874).

DAVIDSON, SAMUEL, born on Bull Skin, Clay County, Ky. August 27, 1830 [to James A. Davidson and Rachel Allen] and died March 22, 1899 at his old home about one mile from the place of his birth. Joined the church in 1891 at New Hope, Clay County, Ky. and ordained a Deacon on the fourth Saturday in June, 1892. - Leaves a wife and eight children to mourn his passing. [He married Mary D. Martin April 18, 1864. Children born to this union are: John b. 1863, Martha b. 1864, Rachel b. 1866, William b. 1868, Surrilda b. 1874, Albert b. 1876, James E. b. 1878, Rowland H. b. 1880. Find A Grave also lists Luther b. 1882, and David W. b. 1887 Samuel and Mary, are buried in the R H Davidson Cemetery, Oneida, Clay County, KY.

JOHNSON, SARAH ["Sally", daughter of Edward Turner & Sarah Buttery], widow of Campbell Johnson [1811-1898], deceased , was born in Clay County, Ky. April 10, 1820 and died November 21, 1899. [They are buried in the Johnson Cemetery, Slemp, Perry County, KY] She joined the Baptist Church at Johnson in 1868. [Their children are: Franklin (b. 1837), Nancy (b. 1838), Susan (b. 1840), John (b. 1843), Elizabeth "Betty" (b. 1847), Edward "Ed" (b. 1849), Green A. (b. 1852), Samuel (b. 1854), Margaret "Mag" (b. 1856), Joseph (b. 1858), and Flavis (b. 1859).]

PHILPOT, GRANVILLE C. was born [in 1877] in Clay County, Ky [to Edmund "Ed" Philpot & Louisa Reid.] and died April 1, 1899. Joined Baptist Church at Mt. Zion and was elected Clerk soon afterward, remaining thus until his death. He was a young man, age 21 - He leaves a father, mother, and about ten brothers and sisters to mourn his passing. [Children born to Edmond Philpot & Louisa Reid are: Mary b. 1879, James b. 1882, Easter 1884, Isabel b. 1886, Leander b. 1888, Joseph G. b. 1890, Martha b. 1892, Jane b. 1894, Bettie b. 1895, Samuel b. 1898, Parilee b. 1901.]

STEADHAM, JAMES was born in Wilkes County, N.C. April 14, 1811 [to Samuel Stidham and Sarah Osborne] died October 7, 1899. [He married Mary "Polly" Little Feb. 29, 1836]. Joined the Baptist Church in 1838 and was an officer for many years. He leaves an aged widow and 11 children to mourn his passing. [James and Mary "Polly" (b. 1818) had the following children: William b. 1837, Samuel 1839, Ebenezer (1850 census) or Edmond b. 1841, Nellie b. 1843, Andrew J. b. 1845, Prudence b. 1847, James C. b. 1849, Jeremiah b. 1852, Spicy b. 1854, Joseph b. 1856, Jane b. 1858, Babe (female) b. 1860 (1860 census), Mary b. 1861, John B. b. 1866. James and wife Mary "Polly" are buried in the Old Stidham Cemetery in Wolfcoal, Breathitt County, KY.

TURNER, CORDELIA ["Cricket", (twin of Orlena) d/o Edward Deaton and Jemima Spicer] was born in Breathitt County KY about January 1, 1858 [s/b Aug 14, 1855; d. Aug 10 1899; buried Crockettsville Cemetery, Breathitt County] and joined the Baptist church in 1890. Left a husband and eight children to mourn — [Late 1870 or early 1871 Cordelia married Alexander "Big Bud" Turner (b. 1851, d. 11/10/1920), the s/o Terrance (or Torrence) Larkin Turner (b. 1820) and Mary "Polly" Herald (b. 1825). They had these children: Edward "Ned" b. 1871, Elizabeth "Lizzy" b. 1874, Greenberry "G.B." b. 1875, America "Armina" b. 1878, (Rev.) Ashbury b. 1881, Irvine b. 1886, Jesse b. 1887/88, and Gemima b. 1889. After Cordelia died Alexander married Alice Baker in Jan. of 1900. Alexander and his second wife, Alice, are buried in the Turner Cemetery, Jackson, Breathitt County, KY.]

WEBB, LIZZIE [Sarah Elizabeth Roberts] wife of Julius Webb [(b. 1863), s/o Benjamin & Lucinda Webb, m. Oct. 2, 1884, Clay County, KY], was born in Clay County December 6, 1867 [to James Roberts and Mary Jane Hyden] and died June 6, 1899 [Julius & Lizzie had these children: Mary b. Feb 1887, Lucy b. March 1889, Hugh b. July 1890, Pearl b. Dec 1892, Lee (female) b. July 1896, Hansford b. March 1899.] Joined the Baptist Church at Riverside when 15 years of age. Leaves a husband and six children.


Sources: Birth, Death, Marriage records, Census Records, some Civil War pension records, Find A Grave, Owsley County Cemeteries ("TT" Barrett's site), and Ancestry.com, — with a little help from the friends of the Three Forks KY River Historical Association.

If you can add or correct any information on any of these individuals, please contact us. We would appreciate your input. Thank you.