Genealogy Trails, Hardin County, Illinois

Genealogy Trails

Hardin County, Illinois

"OUT OF THE PAST"

February 1939

Source: Hardin County Independent News

Claims County More Than 100 Years Old

When Allen Barnerd, Sparks Hill, was in Elizabethtown, recently, he told the editor that Hardin county has been a county more than 100 years. He said he had a tax receipt to show that members of his family had paid taxes to Hardin county in 1800's before 1939.

A note from him containing two tax receipts was sent to the Independent last week. With these Mr. Barnerd wrote:--

"My grandfather, Allen Andrew Barnerd settled on Rock Creek precinct in 1827, on a farm where the Peters Creek Tower now stands. He procured 80 acres of land under the "Bit Act."

"The tax receipt which I mentioned, written with red ink, has been misplaced, but I am sending two other receipts which will show that Hardin County was settled more than 100 years ago." One of the receipts stated: "Received $1.65 in payment in full of taxes for the 1845. (Signed) Lewis Lavender, sheriff." The other receipt stated "Received of Allen A Barnerd $5.55 in full payment of his personal and land tax for the year 1856. (Signed) J. W. Ralph, sheriff."

Mr. Barnerd thinks this 1856 receipt is 1836, which would mean that Hardin was a county more than 100 years afo. But there is an arm on the top of the 5 in that figure of the year 1856 which is not contained in other 3's in the same handwriting giving the location of the land. Also, it would be more history-making than to change the 100th birthday of Hardin county from 1839 figures at Springfield , for a man's taxes to drop from $5.55 in 1836 to $1.65 in 1845, in Hardin county, Illinois, or any other county in the United States, in the opinion of the editor. So he must have paid $5.55 in 1856 not 1836.

Post Office Discontinued

The Post Office at Hall Ridge, Ill., was discontinued., Feb. 15, and Herbert Oxford is carrying mail to residents of Hall Ridge as an extension of his rural mail route out of Cave In Rock. Mr. Oxford used to carry the mail only as far as the Bob Hill corner, where the Hall Ridge mail carrier met him, but now he will carry the entire route, which will be one of the longest in the county.

Celebrated 80th Birthday

Mrs. Victoria Humm, who was 80, Saturday, Feb. 18, celebrated the day with her sons Nick and George, at George's home in Eichorn, Sunday. Guests enjoyed the birthday dinner, and the large Angelfood cake lighted with candles was the big surprise for Grandma. After dinner, the afternoon was spent enjoying music and Chinese checkers. Grandma Humm remembers when she was a girl, people planted orchards, and chestnut and pecan trees. She remembers helping her father plant a pecan orchard which grew large and was cut down only a few years ago. She said she had dropped potatoes many a day. Potatoes used to be the main crop in the county. Grandma Humm has lived all alone since the death of her husband Karl Humm, Sr., on his birthday, May 18, 1918. She has four children; Jack, Frank, George, Nick, and 28 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Marriages

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Brown, Rosiclare are announcing the marriage of their youngest daughter, Imogene, aged 20, to Oakley Dixon, aged 22, who is in the CCC camp at Eddyville. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. O. Dixon of Grantsburg. They were married Saturday morning in the Methodist church in Paducah, KY. The witnesses at the ceremony were the bride's mother, Mrs. Mark Brown, and daughter, Mr. Tom Creamer, Miss Thelma Travillion of Grantsburg and Bernard Dixon also of Grantsburg. The bride is a member of the Senior class of Rosiclare High school. She plans to continue at school until she graduates this spring.

A marriage license was obtained in Paducah, KY., last week by Ruby Ferrell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Ferrell, Karbers Ridge, and Milford Ginger, Elizabethtown, route 3. The bride plan to continue to attend school at Cave In Rock where she is a member of this years graduating class. He lives with his father, Fred Ginger near Karbers Ridge.

Miss Alvatine Ledbetter, age 19, a member of Rosiclare High School senior class and J. L. Bateman were married February 11 at Smithland, KY., by the Baptist minister, J. J. Smith. The bride is the daughter of Mrs. Emma Ledbetter and groom the son of Mr. and Mrs. L. T. Bateman. They have rooms at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jess Davidson in Rosiclare. Mrs. Bateman plans to finish this year of High school. J. T. Bateman has employment at the Rosiclare mines.

A marriage license was issued by County Clerk, A. J. Wootton, on Feb. 21, to Winfred Edwards, age 29, of Cave In Rock and Edna Jennings, age 23, Cave In Rock.

Births

Mr. and Mrs. John Byford, Marion, Ky., are announcing the birth of a daughter, Carolyn Kay, February 12th. Mrs. Byford is remembered by friends in Rosiclare as the former Miss Virginia Vaughn.

Loyd Boulden, Sycamore, has received an announcement from Philip Floria, Murphysboro, that he and his wife are rejoicing over the arrival of twin girls.

Mr. and Mrs. Richard McConnell, Sr., Cave In Rock, have received an announcement of the birth of a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Richard McConnell, Jr., on February 11th. The baby, which was born at the home of Mrs. McConnell's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Stone, Wheatcroft, Ky., weighed nine pounds and has been named Lady Joreta.

Other News

That rumbling noise in Elizabethtown, Cave In Rock and Karbers Ridge Monday night was not an earthquake or even thunder. It came from Rosiclare, where eight business and professional men were limbering up their joints bowling in the former Y. M. C. A. bowling alley. Bill Karber, Earl Kibler, H. W. Bear, Fowler Curtis, Harve Renfro, Paul Richard, Gilbert Frayser and Tom Pease were getting stiff at five cents a frame, the charge of the Boys Scouts who tend the alley's stiff frames. The Scouts First Aid treatment couldn't do anything for the other stiff frames the next day.

Mr. and Mrs. Lane and Mrs. India Flannery spent Friday at Cave In Rock, guests of Mr. and Mrs. Dave Douglas. George W. Flynn has been ill this week, unable to attend school or work at the Independent office. He is again suffering with arthritis. The M. E. Ladies Bible class is being entertained by Mrs. J. L. Hosick and Mrs. Pearl Dalton at the Hosick home tonight.

Cave In Rock: Mrs. India Flanery, Elizabethtown, visited Friday evening with her grandson and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Douglas, and attended the revival service at the Methodist Church. The Rev. Raymond Rose, Rev., Lawrence Devault, E. N. Wingate and Edgar Blakley attended a minister's meeting at Evansville, Ind., Tuesday and Wednesday. Mrs. Rose accompanied them and visited her daughter, Mrs. Jerry Paddock, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Paddock, Jr., Evansville, Ind., spent the week end with Mrs. Paddock's parents, the Rev. and Mrs. Raymond Rose. The Rev. W. B. Dunkum and the Rev. Herbert Reeves returned Monday to their home in Louisville, Ky., after conducting a two weeks' revival meeting at the Methodist church. They were accompanied as far as Carmi by Alvin Walker and Ralph Frailey. At the regular Sunday morning service, Mrs. S. E. Oxford and Mr. and Mrs. George Warren Gustin were received into the membership of the church and William Henry Gustin was christened. Twelve conversions resulted from the meeting. Mrs. Ray Lambert received a nice box of oranges from Mr. Lambert Monday. The box also contained some interesting shells which he had picked up on the coast. He is now located at Ocee, near Winter Garden, Fla., and is improving in health some since he has moved away from the coast.

Elizabethtown: Roy Koch, Eichorn, is driving a new car this week. Jimmy Birch is battling with the flu this week. Mrs. Lottie Shockley, Rosiclare, is assisting in the care of Mrs. Sarah Rose at the Rose Hotel. Claude Winters and family, Harrisburg, spent Sunday here with the Clyde Winters family. Mrs. and Mrs. Billy Mayfield and son, Ronald Dean, spent the week end with his mother, Mrs. Chas. Brazell at Cave In Rock. Miss Lillian Humm and Miss Lucille Koch spent Sunday guests of Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Koch near the Wye. Mrs. Cecelia Shetler and children, Harrisburg, spent Thursday night with Mrs. Shetler's parents, Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Koch near the Wye.