Jackson Purchase Historical Society

Minutes from the Spring Meeting

President Dr. Bob Lochte called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m.
1) Approval of the minutes of the January 26, 2013 meeting
2) Secretary’s Report. In the absence of resigned Secretary Kate Reeves, Downing shared her minutes about the January meeting. Bobbitt moved, Ullrich seconded, approved as distributed.
3) Treasurer’s Report. Wells moved, Mathis moved, approved as distributed.
4) Journal Editor’s Report. Downing shared Sarah Strange’s email that the Journal will be finished upon President Lochte presenting his comments. She possibly could accept another article for the July publication and definitely for next year. Lochte encouraged Dr. Wesler to submit an article. The latter noted he promised Sarah an article about 10 years ago. So, that is a possibility. Hopefully Dr. Wesler will come through.
5) Discussion of elections. With all present officers willing to continue into 2013-2014, the officer slate is complete except for Secretary. Lochte asked how to proceed. Mathis noted the Bylaws allow appointment in case of a vacancy. Lochte will inquire about possible candidates.
6) Old Business
- Summer and Fall 2013 meeting plans.
- Summer 2013. The next meeting is scheduled for July 27, 2013, at the McCracken County Public Library. Lochte presented for consideration 3 possible programs. We could tour the Market House Theatre which has museum features. A couple of issues there are that his contact does not ordinarily work on Saturdays and there is a tour fee. A second approach is to have Nathan Lynn of the McCracken County Public Library to sing and also talk about pre-radio copies of music in the area. Another possibility is Irvin Cobb. Robertson promptly gave a brief biographical sketch of Cobb’s career. Urged by Lochte, Robertson and Bobbitt will cooperate to put together the July program about Cobb. Naturally that leaves us still with two future possibles.
- Fall 2013. That meeting will be at the Weldon Public Library in Martin, Saturday, November 2, 2013. Bobbitt explained the origins of the joint JPHS – West Tenneseee Historical Society meeting in Martin and the necessity of continuing that association. Downing just started to explain one of three topics by UTM Civil War historian Dr. David Coffey when Robertson suggested covering a Civil War “reign of terror” in Western Kentucky. Apparently Ullrich and Robertson disagree about that “reign.” Lochte encouraged the two fellows to put together the program for Martin, and they will. [Two other items Downing did not present for consideration by the UTM Civil War historian were an account about a Tennessee cavalryman and the forthcoming multi-volume Civil War Encyclopedia of which Coffey is an editor.]
- Membership recruitment. We definitely need more publicity about our programs and activities. A secretary can assist us along these lines. Other ideas are certainly welcome!
7) New Business.
- Docents for Wrather Musem. Presently there is no head for Wrather and future plans are uncertain. According to Ullrich, we should know more in May. We definitely have an interest in Wrather since it stores our Journal back issues. Maybe JPHS members in and around Murray could provide tours. Ullrich noted that the MSU History Department has a Public History program which might play a role. Wells will explore the matter.
- Old Cemetery Preservation Records. Betty Johnson expressed her interest in preservation of cemeteries and cemetery data and wondered about JPHS interest. Wells spoke about a Graves County survey. Ullrich contributed some information, too, perhaps about Calloway County. Lochte saw possibly there being a sort of sub-group of JPHS. They will explore.

Adjournment. The JPHS business session ended at 11:07 a.m. after a vote moved by Robertson and seconded by Ullrich.
Program. Dr. Kit Wesler of Murray State University presented his research about the Wickliffe Mounds. Several members toured the site at the reduced $3.00 made available by Carla Hildebrand.

Present: Marvin and Sandy Downing, Gil and Cathy Mathis, John Robertson, Dieter Ullrich, Bill and Jo Wells, Charles and Bobbitt, and unidentified local couple. Guest and former member Betty Johnson who paid her dues. Our speaker Dr. Kit Wesler of Murray State University.

The Spring Meeting of the Jackson Purchase Historical Society will be held in Wickliffe at the City Hall on April 27. The doors to the meeting hall open at 10:00 a.m. and the meeting will begin at 10:30.

The speaker will be Kit W. Wesler, Professor of Archaeology at Murray State and former director of the Wickliffe Mounds Historic Site. Dr. Wesler’s presentation will be on his research and work at the Wickliffe Mounds for over the past two decades.

Members of the Society may take a tour of the Mounds following the meeting at a group rate of $3.00 per person. Dr. Wesler will lead the tour and take questions.

For directions or more information about the meeting please contact Bob Lochte at rlochte@murraystate.edu.

A door to history awaits you at the William Clark Market House Museum, Paducah’s award winning history museum. Celebrate Paducah’s history at the museum’s Gala Grand Opening this Saturday April 6th. Visitors will enjoy free admission and door prizes from Noon until 4:00 p.m. The museum is located on South Second Street of Market House Square in historic Downtown Paducah.

New exhibits for Spring/Summer 2013 include the “Bill Carson Coca-Cola Collection” and “Five Germans and an Irishman, the Many Flavors of Kirchhoff Bakery” exhibit.

The “Bill Carson Coca-Cola Collection” honors the longtime promoter of the Paducah bottling plant. Book author and Coca-Cola collectibles expert B.J. Summers will be available for questions from guests.

“Five Germans and an Irishman, the Many Flavors of Kirchhoff Bakery” exhibit features Kirchhoff’s Bakery.

Louis Kirchhoff will be on hand to answer questions about the bakery and his family heritage.

A restored 1930′s Kirchhoff panel wagon will be parked by the curb for photo opportunities. Mr. Kirchhoff will be passing out free wooden nickels to random visitors inside the Museum near the Kirchhoff exhibit good for cookies.

The Museum will have several Coca Cola items and free individual historic Coca Cola plant postcards for giveaways, and boxed historic Paducah note cards at $1.75 for a box of five and many Paducah souvenirs in the their gift shop.

Schoolteachers interested in group tours should contact the museum at 270-443-7759 or visit the museum website at www.markethousemuseum.com.

McCracken County Public Library’s next Evenings Upstairs program is on March 21st at 7 p.m. The program is titled “Explore Kentucky’s Diverse Fiddling Traditions.” John Harrod has been performing over forty years as he brings old music to new generations. Because of its location between major routes of western migration, Western Kentucky became a melting pot of culture in the 18th and 19th centuries. Harrod explores the region’s musical roots and gives a preview on this weeks WKMS Sounds Good radio program.

All shows are open to the public. For more information contact Bobbie Wrinkle at bwrinkle@mclib.net.

An Evening Upstairs at the McCracken County Library will present Reverend Newton Bush: Freedom at a Terrible Price at 7:00 p.m. on February 28th in the Second Floor Meeting Room.

January 1, 1863 was an historic day in United States history. President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation took effect, freeing most slaves in the United States. But for enslaved men living in Kentucky and other border states, it was a bittersweet occasion. Lincoln desperately wanted to keep Kentucky loyal to the Union. It was not until 1864, when Kentucky became the last state allowing their enlistment that slaves could join the Union Army. Like many Kentucky-owned slaves, Newton Bush risked his life to escape from his owner and travel to Camp Nelson and enlist in Company E of the 5th Regiment United States Colored Cavalry.

Fighting for their freedom and a better life for the people they loved, Bush was one of 24,000 men of color from Kentucky who joined the Colored Cavalry. It didn’t take long for them to discover that joining the Army didn’t result in being treated with respect and dignity or that more value was placed on a horse than a colored solder. But their loyalty to the Union and bravery in battle eventually earned the respect of the white soldiers.

For Bush and the troops in the Colored Cavalry, the fighting didn’t end when the Civil War was over. They had endured slavery and risked their lives to preserve the Union, yet they spent the rest of their days in fear of being harassed and killed while fighting for freedom and equal citizenship.

Co-sponsored by the Kentucky Humanities Council & The Friends of the Library.

Jackson Purchase Historical Society Minutes, January 26 2013, at Wrather West Kentucky Musueum

President Dr. Bob Lochte called the meeting to order. The minutes were presented and Charles Bobbit moved we accept the minutes and it was seconded and approved.

Marvin Dowling presented the financial report. It was moved that we accept the report by Charles Bobbit and it was seconded and approved. Membership costs were discussed: $15 for individual membership and $20 for a family membership to the Jackson Purchase Historical Society.

The spring meeting will be held at Wickliffe on Saturday, April 27 in the meeting room of the Wickliffe City Hall. Dr. Kit Wesler will present the program.

Wickliffe Mounds is now part of the State Park System and Carla Hildebrand will conduct a tour for anyone and it will be at a discounted rate of $3.00 instead of $5.00.

Currently the summer meeting plans are in the process of being organized. Many have expressed an interest in a tour of an historic church.

The meeting portion was adjourned and the group welcomed the speaker, Dwain McIntosh. He was later offered a complimentary annual membership to the Jackson Purchase Historical Society. The program was titled “High School Basketball in the early 1950’s.” Basketball was “King” in the Jackson Purchase at that time for many area basketball teams, such as Cuba, Brewers, North Marshall and Augusta Tilghman High School. The program was very informative and well received by the audience.

The Jackson Purchase Historical Society will meet on January 26, 2013 at the Wrather West Kentucky Museum on the Murray State University campus in Murray, Kentucky. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. with refreshments and conversation. The formal session starts at 10:30 a.m. during which Dwain McIntosh will present a program on High School Basketball in the early 1950’s. The sport of basketball was “King” in the Jackson Purchase at that time for many high school teams. All are welcome to join us for this presentiation on an exciting era in Kentucky’s sports history.

Jackson Purchase Historical Society Minutes for November 3, 2012, at Martin, Tennnessee.


President Dr. Bob Lochte called the meeting to order. The minutes were presented and approved.

This was a joint meeting with the West Tennessee Historical Society was held at The Weldon Public Library in Martin, Tennessee.

Dr. Bob noted he will talk to Chris Wooldridge about submitting a short article on his presentation which he did July 28 in Mayfield.

It was also suggested we need to get our e-mail list updated.
Marvin noted that the treasury fund is always lower at this time when we pay for the journal printing. The Journals are for sale for $6.36. Talk to Marvin if you wish to purchase a journal.

Balance as of August 1, 2012 is $2755.51. Cost of printing the journal $709.90. It does not include the dues paid after July 28th meeting or the sales of several back issues of the Journal. The updated balance as of October 31, 2012 was $3125.51. It was moved by Dieter Ulrich and seconded by Kate Reeves that we accept the Treasurer’s Report.

Linda Higgins and Ed Frank were guests from the West Tennessee Historical Society

Old Business- Dwain McIntosh will present the program January 26 at Wrather West Kentucky Museum, Murray, Kentucky on High School Basketball in the Jackson Purchase during the early 1950’s. Basketball was “King” in the Jackson Purchase at that time for many local communities.

There are no firm plans for spring, but the floor was opened for suggestions. A visit to the Archeological Site at Wickliffe Mounds for March of next year was discussed. It was noted there is no large meeting space at Wickliffe Mounds and that we would need to meet at a public facility nearby. Other sites of interest were suggested: Fulton Railroad Museum, Milan Agricultural Museum, Delta Heritage Center, Tina Turner’s first school and the museum at Palmersville.

The goal for 2013 is to increase membership and the meeting was adjourned.

The program was “Demographics and the Census in West Tennessee” by Richard Saunders.

Kentucky and Tennessee: The Best of Neighbors

On December 6th at 7:00 p.m. Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Bill Cunningham will discuss aspects of the shared history and other commonalities of Kentucky and Tennessee dating back to the creation of the two states. The program is free and will be held in the 2nd Floor Meeting Room of the McCracken County Public Library.

Cunningham is the author of seval books on regional history, including On Bended Knees, Castle, Children of Promise and Flames in the Wind. He was named the Robert Penn Warren Western Kentucky Writer of the Decade in 2011.

For more information about the program please contact Bobbie Wrinkle at 270-442-2510 ext. 119 or bwrinkle@mclib.net

The Cane Creek Cemetery in Ballard County will have an “Open Cemetery” event on Sunday, October 28 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tours will begin at 2:15.

The cemetery is located on Slater Road (Hwy 1290) behind Cane Creek Church north of Wickliffe. The event will inform visitors on what can be done to care for neglected and forgotten cemeteries. Presentations will be made by Circuit Judge Timothy A. Langford and Judge Executive Vickie Viniard starting at 3:45.

George Bell, of John W. Bell Monument Works in Cairo, Illinois, will display tools that he uses to hand carve monuments. He will also recite the history of the Kurzcorder Company of Cairo which carved many of the historic monuments in the region during 1800’s.

On display will be photos of the cemetery’s cleanup efforts and demonstrations on how to safely clean old tombstones. Rubbing do’s and don’ts will be shared along with informative brochures from the Kentucky Historical Society on historic cemeteries in the Commonwealth.

Please check the Ballard County Cemetery Board Facebook page for updated information regarding the event. Remember to wear comfortable shoes and bring a lawn chair if you difficulty standing for long periods of time.