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)
