A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III, Part 31

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 860

USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III > Part 31

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fices, hardships and often death and but few courageous frontiersmen had dared to locate within its borders, so the work of progress and improvement remained to the future, and there was little promise of early development. They were very poor and had but two horses, one of which the wolves killed and the other became entangled in wild grape vines and in- jured so it died. But, fortunately for them, a horse had strayed from some remote settle- ment and as no owner could be found the neighbors, knowing of their misfortune and consequent distress, insisted on their taking and using the horse, which they did and were thus enabled to support their young and grow- ing family. They erected their rude house not far from a spring of water and when it was finished and they had become the happy in- mates they erected in that humble house an altar unto the Lord, at and around which they dedicated their house to the Lord. They were members of the Methodist church and were truly pious people. Being poor and schools scarce, with but poor teachers, our subject's father had to stay at home and work, altogether receiving only a few months' instruction. When he became of age he left home to make his own living. The morning he started his father followed him to the gate, and as he bade him goodbye he placed a half dollar in his hand and said, "This, my son, with the blessing of God is all I have to give you." He went immediately to Rodger Clem- ons, who lived at that time in Montgomery county, near Mt. Sterling, and engaged to work for him for seven dollars a month. Af- ter one year he went to Illinois, where he re- mained one year, then returned to Kentucky and worked one year for Mr. Clemons. Sometime during the year he formed the ac- quaintance of Miss Susanna Johnson, and on February 11, 1830, they were married. They began life very poor, her father giving her a little colored girl and a few things with which to begin housekeeping.

They lived on her father's farm, on the waters of Somerset Creek, for five years, af- ter which they bought a small farm in the bridge's neighborhood. The subject of our sketch still has the deed to this farm, dated 1837. They lived here for one year, when they sold out to go to Indiana, but his wife thinking it best to remain in Kentucky, he bought a small farm, on which he lived forty- nine years, adding to it as he was able. They were the parents of nine children, four of whom are living: Mrs. Fannie Henry, a widow living in Montgomery county, Ken- tucky; our subject; Mrs. Maria Boyd, a widow living in Montgomery county, Ken-

tucky; Mrs. Leo Gaines, a widow in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. He was a devoted hus- band and a fond and affectionate father, a kind and obliging neighbor and a most worthy and excellent citizen. He was a man of large natural and practical good sense, industrious, economical and one of the best financiers in the country. Starting in life poor, by his in- dustry, perseverance and good management he accumulated a goodly portion of this world's goods.

Before he began to divide his property among his children he had bought and paid for five hundred acres of land and at the time of his death he had advanced twenty-seven thousand dollars to his children. He was truthful, honest and just, firm in his convic- tions of right and prompt in his discharge of all his duties as a citizen. He never had a lawsuit, never took a drink at a bar, played a card or carried a concealed weapon in his life.

Just after he joined the church he took a decided stand against every form of vice and maintained it until his death. In November, 1830, Brother "Raccoon" John Smith was conducting meetings at Somerset, near his house, and at the close of the meeting seven- teen were baptized, after which Brother Smith preached at night. At the conclusion of his discourse our subject's father requested the preacher to baptize him on the following morning, and on being asked at what hour, said, "I want to be baptized with the rising of the sun that I may arise to walk in new- ness of life." Accordingly at a very early hour next morning the thick ice was cut away and as the sun came up from behind the eastern hills he was baptized. He united with the church of Somerset and was a mem- ber for forty-seven years, forty-five of which he was an elder and for a number of years he did the baptizing for his church. He was a rigid disciplinarian, an earnest and faithful worker in the social and prayer meetings and for a number of years consecutively he did not miss a single meeting of the church and kept it up until a short time before his death, when his age and other infirmities kept him confined to his room. Being a great lover of the Bible and having been a constant reader, and having heard so much preaching and his house having been for fifty years the preach- er's home, he had acquired a large amount of information concerning the scriptures. For several years he had prayed that he might die on Sunday and at the same hour of the day at which he had been baptized. Accordingly on Sunday, the 6th day of the month, at 4 o'clock, he was stricken with paralysis and for two weeks was a great sufferer, and on Sun-

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day, the 20th, just as the sun arose, the Lord answered his prayer and once more did his spirit rise to walk in a new life.

Our subject's mother, Susanna Johnson, was born January 27, 1809, in Montgomery county, and died July 4, 1891. She was a daughter of Jacob Johnson, a native of Mary- land and one of the early pioneers of Ken- tucky. She became a member of the Baptist church at Somerset, at the age of thirteen years, and when the reformation took place in 1827, under the leadership of Elder "Rac- coon" Jolin Smith, she joined the Christian church and was one of the charter members at Somerset. She was a sister of the late Colonel Thomas Johnson, who was prominent during the war and later served as state sen- ator. When Montgomery county was forest and canebrake, when the hiss and growl of wild animals broke the stillness where now the locomotives scream, when the "log rollin's" and "wood pickings" were the incentives to social gatherings, Mrs. Highland was there an humble handmaiden in the Master's serv- ice, helping to plant the germ of Christian civ- ilization that blesses our population to-day.

James T. Highland, our subject, spent his youth at work upon the farm, with the win- ters spent in school until 1856. When he was sixteen years old he was selected with anoth- er boy by Colonel Thomas Johnson to take a trip of eight hundred miles to New Orleans with a consignment of mules. These were driven over to Paducah, Kentucky, and then shipped by boat to New Orleans. This work young Highland followed, trading mules in Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Louis- iana, every winter until September, 1862. He enlisted in the Confederate army as a private in Company B, Second Kentucky cavalry, with George W. Jackson, captain; O. S. Ter- ry, major; and Thomas Jolinson, colonel. In 1863 our subject was made assistant com- missary sergeant and served continuously in the compaigns of southwest Virginia, Ken- tucky and east Tennessee. Late in 1863 he went on raids around Pittsburg and Winches- ter and saw some real service. He was then transferred to the Georgian army and took part in the battles of Chickamauga, Mission- ary Ridge and in Wheeler's raid in the rear of Rosecrans' army. In January, 1864, Mr. Highland was with General John Morgan un- til his death, then with General Basil W. Duke until the close of the war, his parole dated May 2, 1865.

After the war Mr. Highland returned to the old homestead, resolved to be a farmer, a temperance man, a Democrat and a Christian, all of which he has faithfully adhered to.

His start in life was made on fifty acres of land given to him by his father and he has increased that until to-day he owns and ope- rates one thousand acres of fine land and also owns the old homestead.

On December 1, 1870, Mr. Highland mar- ried Nannie Furgeson, who died October 13, 1882, and left four children: William P., Jesse P. and Charles, all residents of Mont- gomery, and Nannie, wife of Lester Lee, who resides with Mr. Highland. On September 6, 1893, Mr. Highland married Mary E. Clay, who died January 15, 1900. Since 1884 Mr. Highland has been a director of Traders Na- tional Bank of Mt. Sterling, and at present is its vice-president. He has been a life-long member of Somerset Christian church and an elder since 1873.

HENRY WATSON is one of Mt. Sterling's well-known and influential men, an attorney of note and a loyal son of the Blue Grass state. He was born in Estill county Septem- ber 19, 1862, and is a son of Samuel R. D. K. and Elizabeth (Hughes) Watson. The for- mer was born in Bath county, Kentucky, in 1835, and died in Estill county in March, 1906. The mother, also a native of Estill county, Kentucky, is still living at the age of sixty-four years. They became the parents of seven children, five of whom are living, the subject being the eldest. C. R., Fred, Ann (wife of Duncan Edwards) and Charles R., all reside in Estill county. Lofa, the wife of Dr. Sherman Lee, is a citizen of Mont- gomery county.

Mr. Watson's paternal grandfather, Thom- as Watson, was a Virginian, and his wife, Susan Sullivan, was born in Ireland. She came to Virginia when seventeen years of age, there met her husband, and after her marriage moved with him to Bath county. Later they came to Estill county, where the grandfather was accidentally killed. The fa- ther of the subject was a farmer and throughout the course of his life he was de- voted to the interests of the Republican party.

Henry Watson, to quote from his own ac- count, was reared upon a farm hidden in the woods. He took advantage of common school opportunities, and remained upon the home farm until his eighteenth year, and when quite young was made deputy marshal of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, which position he held until he had the misfortune to lose a foot in an accident. He moved to Mt. Ster- ling in 1884, and has remained here to the present time and been identified with its vari- ous interests. Among these was the telephone business, and he has also been engaged in real estate enterprises. While interested in

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the telephone business he assisted in organiz- ing the Independent Company in Winchester, Jackson, Beattyville, Richmond, Clay City and Morehead, being, indeed, a pioneer in that line. He also owned a one-half interest in the Clay City Exchange.

For some years during his spare time Mr. Watson had read law, and on April 17, 1896, he was admitted to the bar, and in the profes- sion his readiness in debate and mastery of any subject he handles entitles him to much consideration. His ability and trustworthi- ness have been honored and recognized by the gift of several public offices. He served four years on the city council, and was at one time revenue agent for Montgomery county, Ken- tucky. He enjoys no small amount of popu- larity as a lodge man, being a member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Ancient Or- der of United Workmen, having three times been elected grand foreman of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky. He is a member of the Christian church and has given life-long alle- giance to the policies and principles of the Democratic party, being willing to undertake any mission within his power for the sake of the cause.

In November, 1882, Mr. Watson laid the foundation of a happy married life by his un- jon with Frances Frazer, daughter of Aaron and Matilda (Adams) Frazer. This estimable lady was born in 1860 and died in September, 1905, her nativity having occurred in Estill county. The subject and his wife were the parents of five children, three of whom are living at the present day. These three sons, Carlyle B., Wilton C. and Clancy, are at home. Mr. Watson was a second time mar- ried, on August 21, 1906, the lady to become his wife being Miss Florence Joyce, a daugh- ter of Richard Joyce, of Clark county, Ken- tucky, and a native of Montgomery county, Kentucky. They have one child, a little daughter named Laura Elizabeth.

WILLIAM HENRY CORD .- In the death of William Henry Cord not only the community in which his interests were centered but the entire state of Kentucky lost a splendid citi- zen of the truest type, an educator of the most enlightened character, and the Christian church, of which he was a presiding elder and an ordained minister, one of its pillars. Born in Mason county November 6, 1864, on April 10, 1910, when in the prime of life, he "Gave

His body to the pleasant country's earth, And his pure soul unto his captain, Christ, Under whose colors he had fought so long."

The parents of William Henry Cord were both Kentuckians and both father and mother

were of Fleming county, the names of these worthy citizens being Henry Thomas and Su- san (Bently) Cord. When the subject was a young lad they removed to Mason county and secured a farm, and it was amid rural scenes that his youth was passed. Upon a founda- tion consisting of the knowledge and discipline to be obtained in the district schools he erect- ed a superstructure of higher education and in 1881 was graduated with the degree of bachelor of arts from the Kentucky Classical and Business College, and also availed him- self of the advantages of a correspondence course conducted by the Bryant and Stratton Business College of Louisville, Kentucky. After teaching for two years in the county schools he received the degree of A. M. from Hiram College at Hiram, Ohio. He then started a school at May's Lick and devoted his energies to its instruction for a time. In 1887 he accepted a position as bookkeeper at Owington and in 1890 removed to Hazel- green, Wolf county, Kentucky, where he as- sumed charge of a mission school conducted by the Christian Women's Board of Missions of the Christian church. This school, which began its existence with eleven pupils, through his good judgment and unflagging zeal even- tually became one of the best schools in the state.

In 1906 Mr. Cord came to Mt. Sterling and established a school to which he gave the title, Collegiate Institute, this opening with sixty- eight pupils. The new and modern building which housed it was completed in September, 1909, but he lived to enjoy its advantages only a few months. For years he had been an elder in the Christian church and in 1890 he was ordained and during his residence at Hazelgreen preached in connection with his school work. His charges were Camargo and Somerset churches, and he discoursed before Somerset congregations on Sundays and be- fore Camargo church on the afternoons on al- ternate Sundays. One of the fields in which his influence was most potently known was in Sunday-school work, in which he took a heart-felt interest, and he was president of the Sunday-school Association of this dis- trict.

A man of large physical presence and splen- did physique, his strength was great and he had never been ill in his life, so that his drop- ping dead in the school room was an even greater shock to his many devoted friends than it might otherwise have been. He was a prodigious worker of the type who never give to themselves a spare moment and he lit- erally worked himself to death. His death cost the community one of its best educators

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and honored Christian citizens, but his mem- ory will remain green for many a day.

On June 15. 1887, Mr. Cord laid the foun- dation of an ideally happy married life by his union with Edith Ireland, born September 5, 1866, at Bainbridge, Indiana. She is the daughter of Thomas A. and Susan (Black) Ireland, the father born in Owen county, Kentucky, February 26, 1826, and died in 1888, and the mother born in Bourbon county in 1835. She survives and makes her home with Mrs. Cord. Mr. and Mrs. Ireland unit- ed their hands and fortunes in marriage in the year 1852. In Ferbuary, 1846, the father enlisted at Georgetown, Kentucky, and served as a cavalryman during the Mexican war. Less than a decade later when the question which had been debated on thousands of plat- forms, which had been discussed in countless publications, which thundered from innumer- able pulpits, and caused in their congrega- tions the bitter strife and dissension to which only cases of conscience can give rise, was about to be settled in the life and death con- flict upon the battlefield he enlisted in a com- pany in the Confederate service and was made captain, the company being a part of Hum- phrey Marshall's command. He was cap- tured near Nashville, Tennessee, put in prison for a while and then taken to Louisville, where for fourteen months he was incarcer- ated at Camp Chase. He was ill and in gen- erally serious condition of health and his brave and faithful wife journeyed to Wash- ington, D. C., where she obtained a personal interview with President Lincoln and a par- don for him. With this she returned to Lou- isville, secured her husband's release and took him to her former home in Indiana, where he recovered his health. They subsequently re- turned to Owington. Mrs. Ireland, as said before, still lives to tell of her meeting with "Father Abraham," whom she adores and venerates beyond all other heroes. For eight years previous to the Civil war Mr. Ireland was sheriff of Owen county and for twenty- four years was county clerk.

Mrs. Cord was educated at North Middle- town, Kentucky, and spent one year at North Traverse, Missouri. She proved a helpmeet to her husband in no uncertain sense and from 1890 to 1899 assisted him in the school at Hazelgreen, teaching music among other things. They became the parents of three children, all sons, whose names are Robert, Raymond and William.

Robert Cord, the eldest son, was born June 9, 1888, at Owington, Kentucky, and received his education under the tutelage of his fa- ther. He graduated at Hazelgreen when six-

teen years of age and then matriculated at the Transylvania University at Lexington and was graduated there. He taught at Mt. Ster- ling and was principal of the city schools at the time of his father's death. Upon that sad event he also assumed the responsibilities of his father's place and conducted both until the close of the school year. He has now perma- nently taken up his father's work where it was left and expects and hopes to carry on the work as it was started, his character and ability making this indeed fortunate for all concerned.

JOHN O'KELLY, of Ashland, Boyd county, Kentucky, is a loyal and public-spirited citi- zen and is decidedly one of the most enter- prising manufacturers and business men of this section of the fine old Blue Grass state. He is president of the O'Kelly Brick Com- pany and is president and general manager of the John O'Kelly Construction Company, both of which concerns were exploited and incorporated by him.

A native son of Ashland, Mr. O'Kelly was born on the 30th of April, 1860, and is a scion of fine old Irish stock. His parents, Michael and Margaret (O'Kelly) O'Kelly, were both born in Galway county, Ireland, the former in 1822 and the latter in 1825. The father was reared to maturity on a farm in his na- tive land and when twenty-three years of age, in 1845, he decided to seek his fortunes in the New World, emigrating to the United States in the year 1845. He embarked on a sail boat and spent six weeks on the voyage, eventually landing at New Orleans, Louisiana, whence he went to Mobile, where he remained for a short time. About 1852 he came to Kentucky, locating in Mason county, where he secured a position in connection with railroad construc- tion, having charge of men for contractors on one of the early railroads. Subsequently he established his home at Maysville and in 1854 he came to Ashland, which town was just be- ing platted. Here he engaged in the general contracting work on his own responsibility and continued to be identified with that line of enterprise until his death. At times he carried on extensive business projects, includ- ing railroad work, streets, country roads, etc. For about twenty years he was interested in a general merchandise business at Ashland. While at Maysville, Kentucky, he met and married his wife, who was a neighbor and playmate of his youth in Ireland. Michael O'Kelly was summoned to the life eternal on the 25th of July, 1895, at the age of seventy- three years, and his cherished and devoted wife, who long survived him, passed away on the 12th of March, 1907, at the age of eighty-

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two years. Mr. and Mrs. O'Kelly became the parents of seven children, five of whom are living.

John O'Kelly was the fifth in order of birth in a family of seven children and he received his early educational training in the parochial schools of Ashland. While still a youth he was associated with his father for a couple of years in contracting work and later he entered a nail mill, where he worked as nail feeder for about four years. On attaining to his legal majority he began to do contract work on his own account and for two years he was in partnership with the late Judge Savage. During 1884-5 Mr. O'Kelly had charge of the city street department, having been appointed to that position by the city council. In 1886 he engaged in the livery and ice business, in which enterprise he was eminently successful, following the same for some eight years. In 1895 he purchased the harness and buggy business from John B. Sanford and operated the same for four years, and in the meantime, in 1897, he became the owner of a small brick yard, which has since been developed into an immense, thriving concern. In 1905 the man- ufacturing of fire brick was added to the lat- ter project and at the present time, in 1911, the daily capacity of the brick plant is twelve thousand fire brick and thirty thousand red brick. It is a macadam brick manufacturing plant and the article produced is of the very best quality, the business territory covering northeastern Kentucky and West Virginia. The market for the fire clay and the fire brick is principally in the south, largely Alabama and Georgia, although some shipments are also made to Illinois. The plant was operated in the name of John O'Kelly until 1905, when it was incorporated under the laws of the state with a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars, its first official corps consisting of : John O'Kelly, president; Edward O'Kelly (deceased), vice president and general man- ager; Thomas J. Brady, secretary and treas- urer. The board of directors was as follows: John O'Kelly, T. J. Brady, Edward V. O'- Kelly and J. M. Hutton. At the present time E. V. O'Kelly is vice president and general manager and the concern is known under the name of the O'Kelly Brick Company. At the same time that the above company was formed Mr. O'Kelly organized the John O'- Kelly Construction Company, with a capital stock of twenty-five thousand dollars, for the purpose of building street railways, streets, sewers, etc. The latter concern was the ont- growth of the contracting business which Mr. O'Kelly had carried on for a number of years, during which time, in 1901, he constructed the

electric car line from Parkersburg, West Vir- ginia, to Marietta, Ohio, connecting those two places with a splendid rapid transit line. The Construction Company of which Mr. O'Kelly of this sketch has always been the head has successfully engineered many large contracts in general railway contracting in steam and electric lines, and it is one of the best known concerns of its kind in the state.

In his political convictions Mr. O'Kelly has always been aligned as a stalwart in the ranks of the Democratic party, in the local councils of which he has long been an important and active factor. In 1885 he was appointed deputy county clerk, in which office he served with the utmost proficiency for two years, at the expi- ration of which he resigned in order to ac- cept the position of deputy sheriff. In the latter capacity he served for four years when, in 1892, he was elected sheriff of Boyd coun- ty. In 1894 he was candidate for re-election to the office of sheriff but owing to the nor- mal Republican majority in this section he met with defeat. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and in his re- ligions faith he is a zealous communicant of the Catholic church. Mr. O'Kelly's remark- able success in life is the outcome of his own well directed endeavors. He is a man of marked business ability, great thrift and un- usual perseverance-a veritable captain of in- dustry. As a citizen, business associate and friend his life has been irreproachable and he is extensively known as a man of high ideals and fine moral fiber.

On the 25th of October, 1886, was solem- nized the marriage of Mr. O'Kelly to Miss Margaret Moriarity, a native of Ashland and a daughter of Patrick Moriarity, who was long a pioneer citizen and well known business man in Boyd county. Mr. and Mrs. O'Kelly have two children, concerning whom the fol- lowing brief data are here incorporated-Ed- ward V., who is now associated with his fa- ther in business, was graduated in the local parochial schools and in Georgetown Univer- sity, at Washington, D. C .; and Marguerite, who is now attending the Winona Seminary, at Winona, Minnesota. Mrs. O'Kelly is a woman of inherent graciousness and refine- ment and she is also a communicant in the Catholic church.

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A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III, Part 31

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 860

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 860