Newsletter
Executive Committee Members:
President, Gilbert Mathis; gil.mathis@murraystate.edu
Vice President, Robert Lochte; bob.lochte@murraystate.edu
Secretary, Cecelia Edwards; mc_edwards@bellsouth.net
Treasurer, Marvin Downing; mdowning37@charter.net
Member-at-Large, Melissa Earnest; melissa.earnest@yahoo.com
Past President, Marion Claybrook
Winter – Volume 8 – Number 3 NEWSLETTER Page 1 of 2
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Summer Meeting
July 30, 2011
American Quilters Museum
Paducah, KY
Our speaker was John Robertson, a JPHS member and former professor of history in Paducah, who spoke about Jennie Fyfe, a nurse in Paducah during the Civil War. Robertson’s account was based on letters Fyfe wrote, 1864-1866, to her family while traveling from Cairo, Illinois to Paducah and while she worked in the hospitals. Her letters belong to the University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library, but Robertson and Vonnie Shelton of the McCracken Public Library obtained permission to transcribe them and to make this presentation for the Society.
Fyfe was an eyewitness to Nathan Bedford Forrests’ raid on Paducah because she was working in hospital #2 where she could see the rebels arriving. In the spring of 1865 after the Civil War ended, Fyfe began working as a teacher in support of the recently freed African Americans in their quest for education. Fyfe was part of the movement devoted to the advancement of freed blacks, especially in Louisiana. Fyfe died from complications of cataract surgery in 1913 and is buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Lansing, Michigan.
Society business conducted at this meeting:
Meeting opened by President Claybrook who directed the reading and approval of the Secretary’s and Treasurer’s Reports.
Melissa Earnest, Journal Editor, thanked Ann Adams and the personnel at the Printing Department of the University of Tennessee at Martin for the excellent job they did for us. Earnest also mentioned that she thought this year’s Journal was truly a “page-turner”!
New officers were elected at this meeting for the 2011-2012 year. They are Gil Mathis, President; Bob Lochte, Vice President; Cecelia Edwards, Secretary; Marvin Downing, Treasurer; Melissa Earnest, Member-at-Large.
Cecelia Edwards showed the progress she has made on the Civil War quilt, which is about 90% completed.
Dues were collected for the 2011-2012 year and the Journal distributed. If you have not paid your dues or wish to become a member, please contact Marvin Downing via email at mdowning37@charter.net
The Journal is free to current members but others can purchase a copy for $6 by contacting Marvin Downing (mdowning37@charter.net).
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Fall Meeting
November 5, 2011
Weldon Public Library,
Downtown Martin, Tennessee
This will be our annual joint meeting with the West Tennessee Historical Society. It will begin at 10:30 a.m. in the Weldon Public Library, 100 Main Street, Martin, Tennessee.
Our speaker will be Dr. Stan Dunagan, UTM Geology Professor. His topic will be “The New Madrid Seismic Zone: Then (1811-1812 and Now”.
Dr. Dunagan has studied at UTM, and earned his Ph.D at UT Knoxville in 1998. He joined the faculty at UTM in the Geology Department in 2002 where he has taught both online and traditional classroom courses and has written several scholarly articles. More information on Dr. Dunagan can be found on the Society’s website at www.jacksonpurchasehistory.org.
Directions to the Weldon Public Library: From Jackson, TN: follow US Highway 45E North into Martin (becomes Elm Street). At the first traffic light, Elm Street deadends, turn right onto University Street. At the next traffic light turn left onto Lindell Street. One block later is Weldon Library on the right. Looks like a New Deal Post Office building because that’s what it was!
From Fulton, KY: Follow U.S. Highway 45E South into Martin (becomes Lindell Street) through 3 traffic lights (one flashing?) cross the railroad tracks, and turn left one block before the 4th traffic light.
From Dresden, TN: Follow TN Highway 22 into Martin. Highway 22 becomes Highway 431. Stop one building on the right before Main Street dead ends at Lindell Street.
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Our New Officers
President: Gil Mathis. Gil is Economics Professor Emeritus of Murray State University, Murray, KY. Gil and his wife, Cathy, have been members of the Society since 2009.
Vice President: Bob Lochte. Bob is currently the Chair of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications at Murray State University, Murray KY. He is married to Kate Lochte, who is WKMS-FM Station Manager. Bob and Kate have been members of the Society since 2006.
Cecelia Edwards, Marvin Downing, and Melissa Earnest were officers of the Society in 2010-2011.
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2012 JOURNAL
We just get done publishing one and it is time to begin gathering the materials for our next Journal edition! Guidelines for submission can be found on the Jackson Purchase Historical Society Web site at http://www.jacksonpurchasehistory.org/.
You can submit them electronically to
melissa.earnest@yahoo.com
or
by postal mail to Melissa Earnest, 206 Cherry Lane, Princeton KY 42445-2325.
The deadline for submissions is May 1st in order to give the editor plenty of time to prepare the files for the printers. Thanks to those of you who’ve already submitted or committed to an article!
REMINDERS
The 2011 Journal was distributed to members at this Summer Meeting. If you were not able to attend, you can pick up your copy at a future meeting or contact Marvin Downing (email: mdowning37@charter.net) to make other arrangements.
Membership dues for the 2011-2012 year (August 1, 2011 to July 31, 2012) can be mailed to Marvin Downing, Secretary-Treasurer, 113 Brooks Drive, Martin, TN 38237.
Thanks for your support!
WHAT IS THE JACKSON PURCHASE HISTORICAL SOCIETY?
The Jackson Purchase Historical Society (JPHS) was organized November 28, 1958. The mission of the JPHS, within the region encompassing all the territory in the Chickasaw Purchase of 1818, is to promote interest and study in regional history, to preserve historical facts, memorabilia, and the general heritage of the region, to improve public understanding and appreciation for this area by participation in observances and dedications of local historical significance, and acts as a resource for educational institutions.
Membership in the JPHS is open to all who are interested in the history of this region of the country, in the preservation of its heritage and in fellowship with those of kindred interest. The fiscal/membership year is from August 1st to July 31st.
JPHS Contact Information
Jackson Purchase Historical Society
P.O. Box 223
Mayfield, KY 42066
Email Address: www.info@jacksonpurchasehistory.org.
Website: http://www.jacksonpurchasehistory.org.
