Jackson Purchase Historical Society

Created in 1823, Graves County was named for Benjamin Franklin Graves. Born in Virginia in 1771, Graves is presumed to have died in Indian captivity as he was wounded and captured during the Battle of the River Raisin in the War of 1812. Formed out of Hickman County, Graves is the second largest county (in land mass) in Kentucky. Its county seat is Mayfield.

A perhaps forgotten citizen of Mayfield is George Bingham. Although born near Cadiz in Trigg County Kentucky, his family moved to Mayfield when George was 11 (1891). George was a journalist and humorist who created the imaginary hamlet of Hogwallow, Kentucky, populated with Kentuckians we would all recognize as they were drawn from citizens of Mayfield and Graves County. Through his syndicated column, he recorded daily the events in Hogwallow entertaining readers in the United States and Canada during the 1920-30s. He also published his Hogwallow stories in a weekly publication called the Hogwallow Kentuckian. Each issue of the Kentuckian contained a hand drawn map of Hogwallow so readers could follow exactly where “things” were happening. Mr. Bingham was co-owner of the Mayfield Messenger in the late 1920s contributing an “Around Town” column while contributing Hogwallow “paragraphs” to the Louisville Times. Mr. Bingham later published a weekly newspaper in Mayfield. He was also at one time associated with the Mayfield Daily Times. He died in 1938, leaving his wife, the former Ellie Gregory, a son, and two daughters.

It is not known if any issues of the Hogwallow Kentuckian still exist. But if the following sample is any indication, they would be good to read today:

“The curtain at the Tickville Opera House is worn out, and until a new one can be bought, the audience will have to keep its eyes shut between acts.”

(This posting created from an article in the Jackson Purchase Sesquicentennial Publication, 1969)

Created in 1824 and named in honor of Capt. Virgil McCracken, it was the 78th formed in the state. It is bounded on the north by the Ohio River, N.E. by the Tennessee River, south east by Marshall County, south by Graves County and west by Ballard County. First county seat was established in 1827 at Wilmington (about 8 miles west of Paducah and 3 miles south of the Ohio River). The county seat was moved to Paducah in 1832 because of flooding; the records were moved in skiff.

The county was named for Captain Virgil McCracken, a native of Woodford County Kentucky. McCracken was killed at the Battle of the River Raisin near Detroit during the War of 1812.

Besides being the home of Vice President Alben Barkley, Paducah was home to one of the most famous humorists, Irvin S. Cobb. Cobb was a newspaper reporter, war correspondent, author, and movie star. He is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Paducah.

American Red Cross organizer Clara Barton visited Paducah in 1884 via steamboat to help direct relief work during the Ohio River flood. Relief boats traveled from Pittsburgh to Cairo in the first flood relief operation of the American Red Cross.

(This posting created from articles printed in the Jackson Purchase Historical Society 1969 Sesquicentennial publication)

The official flag of the United States of America was adopted June 14, 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.   Believed to be celebrated first in 1861, in Hartford Connecticut, it was Woodrow Wilson, in 1916, who issued the proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day.  National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress in August of 1949; however, Flag Day is not an official federal holiday.  The week in which Flag Day falls is designated National Flag Week.  Presidential proclamation is usually made to urge citizens to fly their national flags not only on Flag Day but the entire week.

Flags are symbols and have been popular through the ages.  They generate feelings of intense national pride, patriotism,  and respect for country.   On the field of battle, the flag marks the warrior’s headquarters and is a rallying point.   In 1861, a private in the 1st Tennessee Infantry Regiment recalled: ‘Flags made by the ladies were presented to companies, and to hear the young men tell of how they would protect the flag, and that they would come back with the flag or come not at all, and if they fell they would fall with their backs to the field and their feet to the foe, would fairly make your hair stand on end with intense patriotism, and we wanted to march right off and whip twenty Yankees.” (The Flags of the American Civil War 1: Confederate, by Katcher and Scollins, ISBN 9781855322707, page 3, para. 1).

The scientific study of the history and symbolism of flags is called vexillology.   If you are interested, visit the North American Vexillological Association website where you can find information on flags from not only all parts of America but all over the world.

Lake County Tennessee is located in the far northwest corner of the state bordered on the west by the Mississippi River, on the north by Fulton County Kentucky, on the east by Obion county, Reelfoot Lake, and on the east and south by Dyer county.  Mostly flat it contains approximately 104,950 acres of land and about 15,000 acres in lakes.  The county was created in 1870 out of Obion County and named for Reelfoot Lake, which was created by the 1811-12 New Madrid earthquakes.  Tiptonville is the county seat.

Lake County’s most famous son is Carl Perkins, the King of Rockabilly.  He was born near Tiptonville in April 1932.  When he was fourteen, his father moved the family to the Memphis area.   Perkins was best known for writing the song, Blue Suede Shoes, which made both Perkins and Elvis Presley famous.  Perkins played his guitar commercially for over 40 years and toured with Johnny Cash for over 10 years.  Perkins died in Jackson, Tennessee on January 19, 1998.

Today, Tiptonville’s visitor center is named after Carl Perkins and the city holds an annual Blue Suede Shoes and BBQ event in the summer.  This year the event will be held July 15, 16, and 17.  Ya’ll come!

(This post created primarily from information found on the Internet)