Sunday, March 1, 2009

Monday, December 15, 2008

Otto Vernon Elder (1899 - 1980)




The above 1932 letter fueled my interest in genealogy. My Uncle Otto received this letter from a Mr .Wheeler, grandson of Mary Elder Wheeler. Read how his aging grandmother recalled her 1790’s boat trip to Western Kentucky.

Uncle Otto had gone to work in St Louis following his 1923 graduation from the University of Kentucky. I took this photo in 1951 when he was visiting me while I was attending UK. The signs point to two venues of Sports Champions. Stoll Field was home to UK Football Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Across the street, UK Basketball Coach Adolph Rupp was settling into his “new” Memorial Coliseum.

Today, my brother and I, both UK graduates and Kentucky Colonels, keep up with UK sports at http://www.ukathletics.com/.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Site of Elder Drug Company



An earlier post (January 25) shows J. D. Elder in front of his 1914 drug store.
He later moved to this corner and took in his new son-in-law as partner.
Earlier posts show the historic homes of J. D. Elder (February 8) and
son-in-law J. H. Slaton (February 11).
The side view shows steps to the drug store's rear entrance,
and a door to a stairway to the offices of Dr. R. E. Cardwell.
For the current status of this corner of East Main and South Broadway, see: http://www.journalenterprise.com/articles/stories/public/200805/07/demolition05072008_news.html
Read what Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton recently said about preservation:

Monday, March 10, 2008

Heating With Coal
























The article in my earlier post, Providence (KY) in 1912,
reported that Providence had seventeen active mines.
For a list of mines, go to:
http://www.coaleducation.org/coalhistory/coaltowns/coalcamps/webster_county.htm

As you would guess, homes were heated by coal.
An early photo of the Historic J. D. Elder House, (Feb 8th post),
shows its TWO chimneys.
A later photo shows the LEFT chimney replaced.
The fireplaces were sealed and natural gas heaters installed in the 1950's.
There was no longer a need for the detached coal shed.
The Historic J. H. Slaton House, (Feb 11th post),
had a furnace in the basement - with coal delivered through
a coal chute near the front porch steps.
On our farm in Union County coal was delivered through the window shown behind our horse.











Providence Company Stores - Then and Now






There were two coal company stores on South Broadway,
on opposite sides of Bank Street.

Ruckman Store Company and Providence Mining Company are described in the
1912 Enterprise articles above.

The color photo, taken by me in 2004, shows the Ruckman site and
the remaining half of the Providence Mining Company Store.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

W. B. Snow






This continues my series of profiles of Crittenden County Natives.
This 1912 Enterprise story shows W. B. Snow as an assistant bank cashier.

In 1940 the Enterprise had this ad for his Providence Ice & Fuel Company.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Juriah's Children









In an earlier post I mentioned that Juriah and J. D. Elder moved to Providence with their

five children. There is apparently no photo of all five siblings together.


The top photo, taken shortly after they moved in September 1910, shows (L to R):
Mary, Anna, Carl and Otto. Sadly, Carl died a few months later.


The next photo, taken about 1919, shows, (L to R):
Mary, Anna, Otto and Stella>


The bottom photo, taken in 1961, shows (L to R):

Stella, Otto, Anna and Mary.