A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III, Part 79

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 79

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In the year 1898 was celebrated the sixtieth wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. James L. Long, and at that time he was eighty-seven . years of age and she eighty-one. Mr. Long was summoned to eternal rest on the 30th of January, 1902, and his widow, who survived her honored husband for a number of years, passed away in February, 1909. Both were devout Christian people and their exemplary life is one worthy of commendation and of emulation. Mr. Long was sincerely interested in all matters of public import and was ever on the alert to help along any charitable or benevolent movement. At the time of his death he had attained to the patriarchal age of ninety-one years, and as the result of his many good deeds he is held in reverent mem- ory by all with whom he came in contact.

Samuel Monroe Long was the seventh in order of birth of the children mentioned in a preceding paragraph and the date of his na- tivity is the 4th of February, 1851. He was reared to the invigorating influence of the home farm in Shelby county and his prelimi- nary educational training consisted of such advantages as were afforded in the district schools. For a number of years after attain- ing to his legal majority he was identified with agricultural pursuits and live stock deal- ing. In 1875, however, he removed to Shel- byville, where, in company with his father, he engaged in the furniture and undertaking business, giving his attention to that line of enterprise for a period of seven years, at the expiration of which he became interested in the milling industry. In 1904 he purchased

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the Climax Roller Mill, of Shelbyville, Ken- tucky, which he now owns exclusively and which is in a strictly up-to-date and prosper- ous condition, having a daily capacity of two hundred barrels. In addition to his milling interests, Mr. Long is financially connected with the Citizens Bank, and with the Shelby County Bank & Trust Company, and with the Water & Light Company, in all of which he is a director.

In his political adherency Mr. Long is a stanch advocate of the principles and policies for which the Democratic party stands spon- sor, and while he has never been ambitious for the honors or emoluments of public office, he contributes in generous measure to all projects advanced for the good of the com- munity. He is a man of fine business in- stincts and one who is highly esteemed by his fellow citizens as a man of honor and straight- forward principles. His religious faith is in harmony with the tenets of the Christian church, of which he is a zealous and active member and a deacon and treasurer.

On the 29th of November, 1881, was cele- brated the marriage of Mr. Long to Miss Fan- nie Edwards, who died in March, 1883. Sub- sequently Mr. Long wedded Miss Minnie Webber, who was born and reared in Shelby county and who is a daughter of Thomas and Mary J. Webber, long a representative family of Shelby county. To Mr. and Mrs. Long have been born four children, namely: Paul W., Samuel Monroe, Jr., Mary K. and Charles B., all of whom remain at the parental home. Mr. and Mrs. Long are popular in connection with the best social activities in their home community and their beautiful and spacious residence at Shelbyville is widely renowned for its sincere and generous hospitality.

CHARLES ALFORD MCCORMACK .- The farm- ing interests of Shelby county are well rep- resented by Charles A. McCormack, a wide- awake, alert and enterprising citizen and busi- ness man, who in the management of his property interests displays excellent executive ability. His property consists of four hun- dred and five of the fertile acres of Ken- tucky and the greater part of Mr. McCor- mack's energies are devoted to its operation. one of his interests being stock raising. He is also a director of the Citizens Bank of Waddy and is well known throughout the length and breadth of Shelby county. Here he was born January 15, 1860, and here likewise was born his father, Lemuel W. McCormack, whose birth date was September 20, 1825. It must be written many times in an authentic history of Kentucky that a man's grandparents came

from the Old Dominion to the newer resources of the Blue Grass state, and Mr. McCormack is by no means an exception. His paternal grandfather, Alfred McCormack, followed the general rule, being one of the state's pioneers, locating in the eastern part of Shelby co

and remaining here until his death. The maiden name of the mother of the subject was Mary E. Ware, born in Shelby county Oc- tober 12, 1832, a daughter of Charles Ware. a Pennsylvanian. The father died June 23. 1905, and the mother survived her partner in a devoted life companionship, her demise oc- curring January 27, 1911. They were the par- ents of three children: Ada, wife of J. H. Fullenwider, of Shelby county, Edward W. and Charles A.

Mr. McCormack has been a lifelong resi- dent of Shelby county. Here he recieved his education and here, upon his father's farm, he learned those lessons of thrift and application which have stood him in such good stead. He has ever evinced an interest in public affairs and is one of the county's Democratic leaders, being at present a member of the Democratic County Committee. He is the stalwart cham- pion of good education and for a number of years held the office of school trustee, his council in such matters being considered as of weight. All measures which he deems as likely to prove conducive to the public wel- fare receive his support. He is a prominent and popular Mason and is privileged to wear the white plume of the gallant Knight Tem- plar. Both he and his estimable wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, South.

Mr. McCormack was married in Bloomfield, Nelson county, Kentucky, February 12, 1884, the young woman to become his wife and the mistress of his household being Miss Sallie Huston, born in Nelson county, Kentucky, December II, 1863. She is the daughter of William B. and Sallie Ann ( Ferguson ) Hus- ton, both natives of Nelson county, where both were gathered to their fathers. The father's demise occurred in June, 1895, and the mother, who was born in December, 1823, died May 17, 1892. Members of the Huston family, as well as of the McCormack, were among the early Kentucky pioneers. Mrs. McCormack's great-grandfather, Joseph Ferguson, built the first Methodist church in Nelson county.

Unto the union of Mr. and Mrs. McCor- mack have been born four children. The eldest, Elizabeth H., died November 5. 1904, when in her twentieth year ; Lemuel H. is sec- ond in order of birth; Mary L. is the wife of George N. Smith; and Hester K. resides at home.

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ELISHA R. McCAMPBELL .- One of Waddy's representative and highly respected citizens is Elisha R. McCampbell, who since 1899 has held the office of postmaster and has in the able performance of its duties proven himself one of the most enlightened of the servitors of Uncle Sam. Although a farmer during the earlier part of his career, he moved to Waddy in 1892 and was for some time president of the Deposit Bank of this place. He is well known throughout Shelby county and is active in the many-sided life of the community in which his interests are centered.

Postmaster McCampbell was born near Waddy, Kentucky, January 3, 1847. His father, James W. McCampbell, was a native of the Old Dominion and came to Kentucky when young with his father, Robert McCamp- bell, and settled in Shelby county. Thus the family which, as its name indicates, was founded in the Blue Grass state in pioneer days has long residence as one of the reasons for its loyalty. Robert McCampbell won rec- ognition in the new community as a good citi- zen and he died here at an advanced age. James W. McCampbell died during the perio 1 of the Civil war, when aged about forty-five years. The maiden name of the mother was Levisa Kinney, a native of Shelby county and a daughter of Elisha Kinney. She died in 1863-the same year that witnessed the de- cease of the father, her years being forty They were the parents of the following five children : Elisha R .: Amanda E., widow of William T. Snider; Elizabeth A., wife of J. B. Young; John W .; and James M.

As Mr. McCampbell has spent his entire life in Shelby county it goes without saying that he received his education here. As he was several years removed from the attain- ment of his majority when he became an or- phan, he early was forced to face the serious issues of life, which no doubt gave him self- reliance beyond that of most young fellows of his years. He was drawn to agriculture and spent a number of years engaged in this pur- suit, his farm being situated near Waddy. In 1892, however, he concluded that town life would be more congenial and he moved to Waddy, where he has ever since resided and where he is looked upon as one of the essen- tially useful citizens. As mentioned before, he was for a time president of the Deposit Bank of Waddy, which was established in the year 1890. Mr. McCampbell has always been one of the influential local Republicans. doing all in his power to advance the interests of the cause and it was the source of general satis- faction, when in 1899 he was appointed to the office of postmaster, which he has since

filled most acceptably and with strict adher- ence to its requirements.

Mr. McCampbell established an independent household in October, 1867, when in Shelby county he was united in the holy bonds of matrimony to Lucy A. Snider, who was born in Shelby county and is a daughter of Joseph Snider, also of Shelby county. The Snider family came originally from the state of Penn- sylvania. To Mr. and Mrs. McCampbell has been born one daughter, Miss Mattie. They are members of the Baptist church and are prominent in the social activities of the place.

Mr. McCampbell has not severed his con- nection with the agricultural life of Shelby county, but still owns two hundred acres, eligibly situated, upon which are conducted operations in general farming and stock rais- ing. It should be incorporated in a history of Mr. McCampbell that for eight years he held the office of magistrate.

GEORGE WILLIAM WADDY .- Among the des- ignated functions of this publication touching the history of Kentucky is to accord recog- nition to those who stand representative in their various fields of activity and from this viewpoint there is propriety in noting the sa- lient points in the career of George William Waddy, agriculturist and good citizen, who in the community in which he is best known is held in unqualified popular confidence and es- teem. Although he has devoted his energies for the most part to his chosen vocation, he was also engaged for a time in the engineering department of railroad construction work. He is prominent in public affairs and served with efficiency for several terms as county surveyor. Politically he is in the advance guard of Shelby county Democracy.

- George William Waddy has the somewhat unusual record of having been born upon the very farm upon which he now lives, the date of his birth being July 26, 1852. His father, William Lewis Waddy, was born near the town which bears his surname, March 30, 1819, and his father, Captain Samuel Waddy, was born in Virginia, May 2, 1771. The lat- ter came to Kentucky at an early day and located in Shelby county, where he became a useful factor in the life of the developing section, his death occurring August 22, 1836. It may be taken as a mark of the confidence he enjoyed among his associates the fact that he was for many years a member of the fis- cal court of Shelby county. William Lewis Waddy, father of him whose name initiates this review, died September 11, 1895. He 1 was an enterprising citizen of Shelby county and took a very active part in public affairs. 1 The village of Waddy was named in honor of

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this gentleman, who received his title of major as an officer in the home guards. While in the Civil war he was upon the staff of Gen- eral Sills. The mother of Mr. Waddy was Mariah Louise Thurston, born in Shelby county, Kentucky, in May, 1832. She was a daughter of Dr. Robert Thurston and Mariah (Searcy ) Thurston. Dr. Thurston died in Shelby county in the summer of 1856. Mrs. Waddy was summoned to the Great Beyond December 26, 1907. She and her husband were the parents of five children. Robert S. died when. a youth eighteen years of age. George William, our subject, was next in or- der of birth. Thompson Miller, a farmer by vocation, was born December 28, 1855, and died in Shelby county in October, 1910. Lui- cinda Ida died when about twenty years of age. Mariah Louise is the wife of Landon T. Bailey, of Waddy.

Since Mr. Waddy has been a lifelong resi- dent of Shelby county it goes without saying that here he was reared and educated. As previously mentioned he has devoted most of his active years to farming, his two hundred and thirty acre homestead farm being located about one and one-quarter miles from Waddy and being dear with many associations and family traditions. He engaged in the engi- neering department of the construction work of the Louisville Southern Railway, but he later abandoned that to devote himself more thoroughly to his vocation.

Mr. Waddy was first married, in Shelby county, January 17, 1877, to Miss Mary S. Cardwell, born in Shelby county May 31, 1854, a daughter of William T. and Katharine S. Cardwell. The demise of this worthy woman occurred August 8, 1904. On Feb- ruary 24, 1910, Mr. Waddy was united in matrimony to Miss Emma Brown, a native of Spencer county, this state, and a daughter of Thomas H. and Capitola Brown. Their home is an hospitable and attractive one.

As before mentioned, Mr. Waddy is a lead- ing Democrat, and he has been prominent in public affairs, having well served his fellow citizens as county surveyor and in 1908 hav- ing been a candidate for the state senate, al- though defeated at the election by Hon. P. J. Beard. He is active in the good works of the Christian church and for many years has been an elder. He is a popular member of the ancient and august Masonic order, with which he has been affiliated since the year 1875. His name is one of the best known in the state and in his manner of bearing it he does it all- honor.

. JACOB L. ZARING, who was born and reared in Shelby county, Kentucky, and who has passed his entire life thus far in the county of his birth, commands the unalloyed confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens. He is the owner of a splendid estate of six hundred and twenty-five acres of most arable land in Shelby county and is financially interested in various banks and other important business concerns of broad scope and importance in this section of the state.

A native son of Shelby county, Kentucky, Mr. Zaring was born on the 25th of February, 1868, and is a son of Lawson W. Zaring, born in Shelby county December 20, 1817. Law- son Zaring was a son of Jacob Zaring, a na- tive of Oldham county, Kentucky, where his birth occurred on the 10th of January, 1788; he died on the 26th of August, 1820, at the early age of thirty-two years. Lawson W. Zaring married Miss Elizabeth Ann Boyd, born in Shelby county on the 9th of January, 1829, and a daughter of James P. Boyd, who died in 1869, at an advanced age. To Mr. and Mrs. Zaring were born seven children, con- cerning whom the following brief data are here inserted : Minerva J. became the wife of Noble L. Zaring, and she was summoned to the life eternal on the 8th of April, 1887; Oc- tavia was the second wife of Noble L. Zaring and she died in Shelby county on the 4th of July, 1905; George D. is a resident of Shel- byville, Kentucky; Alfred H. passed away in Shelby county, on the 14th of April, 1892; Norbourne B. died in Shelby county on the 23d of March, 1882; Ida died in Shelby county on the 13th of November, 1894; and Jacob I .. is the immediate subject of this review. The father passed to his reward on the 27th of July, 1896, and the mother died on the 6th of August, 1890.

Mr. Zaring was reared to the invigorating influences of the old home farm and he early became associated with his father in the work and management thereof. After completing the curriculum of the public schools of Shel- byville he turned his attention to farming on his own responsibility and he has continued to be identified with that line of enterprise to the present time, in 1911. His fine farm of six hundred and twenty-five acres is eligibly located three and one-half miles distant from Shelbyville, in Shelby county, and the same is in a high state of cultivation, the fine buildings and substantial improvements indicating the presence of an able, guiding hand and a prac- tical, thrifty owner. He is a director and a heavy stockholder in the People's Bank &

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Trust Company at Shelbyville; is vice-presi- dent of the Shelby County Fair Board; and is a director in the Shelby House Construction Company.

On the 10th of August, 1892, in Shelby county, was recorded the marriage of Mr. Zaring to Miss Zelma Coots, whose birth oc- curred in Daviess county, Kentucky, on the IIth of July, 1874, and who is a daughter of Wilson P. Coots, long a representative agri- culturist in Shelby county, where his demise occurred on the 30th of July, 1900, in his eighty-second year. The mother of Mrs. Zar- ing, whose maiden name was Cecelia Evans, died in Shelby county on the 8th of Novem- ber, 1900, at the age of sixty-one years. To Mr. and Mrs. Zaring have been born five chil- dren, whose names are here entered in re- spective order of birth: Lawson D., Cecelia E., J. Malcolm, Wilson C. and Boyd W. Mr. and Mrs. Zaring are members of the Presby- terian and Baptist churches, respectively, to the various departments of whose work they contribute liberally of their time and means.

In his political proclivities Mr. Zaring in- dorses the cause of the Democratic party and he has ever manifested a deep and sincere in- terest in all matters advanced for the general welfare of the community in which he has so long maintained his home. He is secretary of the county board of education and he has been incumbent of various positions of local trust and responsibility. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with several representative organ- izations and as a business man he is thorough and exact in all his dealings. He is a man of broad information and most laudable am- bition and all his acts are inspired by that kindly human sympathy which counts for so much in the everyday walks of life.

BRENT RICE HUTCHCRAFT .- In the actual development of the rich mining regions of parts of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia no man has taken a greater interest or performed more of the practical work than Brent Rice Hutchcraft, of Lexington, who is also dis- tinguished as having been one of the youngest of the brave boys who bore arms in the Civil war. He was born August 29, 1848, in Bour- bon county, Kentucky, which was likewise the place of birth of his father, James Hutchcraft, and of his grandfather, John Hutchcraft, Jr.

John Hutchcraft, Sr., the great-grandfather of B. R. Hutchcraft, was born in Culpeper county, Virginia, of Scotch-Irish ancestry. Mi- grating to Kentucky very soon after its ad- mission to statehood, in 1792, he bought a large tract of land near Middletown, Bourbon county, and was there engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, carrying on general

farming with slave labor. He served in the Revolutionary war, and in the records his name is spelled Hutchcroft. He reared three sons, John, Jr., James and Reuben. He willed his entire property, consisting of fifteen hun- dred acres of land and many slaves, to his three sons, with the provision attached that they should hold and work the property in common for twenty-one years, when it should be divided, share and share alike. John, Jr., being the eldest brother, became the head of affairs. They were very successful in the management of their property, and when it was divided, at the expiration of the twenty- one years, it had so increased that each son received fifteen hundred acres of land and a large number of slaves.

John Hutchcraft, Jr., noted as a stock- raiser, was one of the committee that went to Europe to buy Short-Horn cattle, and brought back to Kentucky the first Short-Horns brought into this state from across the At- lantic. He was a successful breeder of that grade of stock, while he and his brothers had the distinction of owning the first Arabian thoroughbred horse imported into Kentucky .. Late in life he moved to Winchester, and spent his last days at the Reese Hotel, which he owned and which was managed by his son- in-law. About the time of his death the bulk of his fortune was swept away by security debts. He married Miss McIlvane, who died several years before his death, leaving three children, as follows: Mary B., wife of Jona- than Owen; Anna, wife of Chester Reese; and James.

James Hutchcraft was educated at Mays- ville, and afterwards turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. At the breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted in the Confederate service, and was assigned to the staff of Gen- eral Humphrey Marshall. Going to the front, he remained in active service until 1863, when he was captured and taken to Johnson's Island, in Lake Erie, where he was confined until the earlier part of 1865. Being then ex- changed, he returned to Virginia and contin- ued with his command until the close of the conflict. In the meantime his slaves had been freed and his property swept away. Locating then in Harrison county, Kentucky, he took up school teaching, and remained a resident of that county until his death, at the age of sev- enty-five years.

The maiden name of the wife of James Hutchcraft was Nannie L. Rice. Her father, Honorable James W. Rice, was born in Bour- bon county, Kentucky, where his parents were pioneer settlers and spent the greater part of

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their long lives, his mother attaining to the venerable age of ninety-six years. James W. Rice, a prosperous farmer, built the first brick houses erected in his native county and was one of the influential citizens of the place, at the time of his death having been a Repre- sentative to the State Legislature. He mar- ried Patsy Waldon, who was a life-long resi- dent of Bourbon county. Mrs. Nannie L. Hutchcraft died at the age of sixty-five years. To her and her husband four children were born, namely : Belle married a Mr. Hale, and neither are now living; Clara, deceased, was the wife of Charles Clendenin ; Margaret mar- ried Frank O'Neil; and Brent Rice.

Brent Rice Hutchcraft received his rudi- mentary education in the private schools of Bourbon and Woodford counties, later contin- uing his studies in the school taught by Pro- fessor L. L. Pinkerton. When he was four years old his uncle, General "Cerro Gordo" Williams, gave him a Mexican pony, and he soon became an expert and fearless rider. When but nine years old he was also a skillful rifleman. Although scarce thirteen years of age when the Civil war broke out, he enlisted in Company K, Scott's Louisiana Cavalry, went to the front, and remained with his com- mand, in its various campaigns and battles, un- til 1863, when he was captured by the Federals at Pine Knot, Whitley county, Kentucky. Taken to Camp Chase, Ohio, he remained there a short time, and was then transferred to Rock Island, Illinois, where he was kept a prisoner until February, 1865. Being then ex- changed on condition that he should not take up arms for ninety days, he went with other comrades to Richmond, Virginia, and while there in parole camp was appointed naval ca- det and was on his way to the James river, where the gunboat lay, when Richmond sur- rendered. His services as a soldier being thus ended, Mr. Hutchcraft returned to his Ken- tucky home, and the following eight years was engaged in farming on rented land. He was afterwards engaged in the dry-goods business for some time, being located at North Middle- town, Bourbon county, two years, and at Paris, Kentucky, seven years.

Coming from Paris to Lexington, Mr. Hutchcraft embarked in the coal business, and for three years handled all coal brought into the city by the Southern Railroad. During this time he had made a close and comprehen- sive study of the coal question, and turned his attention to the development of some of Ken- tucky's rich coal fields. Organizing the Jellico Coal Company, he was its manager for eigh- teen years, and opened its four principal mines,

which have since yielded millions of tons of the well-known Jellico coal. Since severing his connection with this company, Mr. Hutch- craft has been employed as a mining engineer, operating in eastern Kentucky, eastern Ten- nessee and in west and southwest Virginia, and the rapid development of these sections is largely due to the energy and foresight of Mr. Hutchcraft.

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A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III, Part 79

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