Dr. Fred A. Engle Jr. - Madisons Heritage Rediscovered: Stories from a Historic Kentucky County

Published by The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2012 by Fred Engle and Robert Grise

All rights reserved

Unless otherwise noted, all photos are courtesy of the Eastern Kentucky University Library Special Collections and Archives.

First published 2012

e-book edition 2012

ISBN 978.1.61423.614.6

print ISBN 978.1.60949.627.2

Library of Congress CIP data applied for.

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the authors or The History Press. The authors and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Dedicated to the memory of Dr. and Mrs. Fred A. Engle Sr. and Dr. and Mrs. P.M. Grise, who began this Madison County journey.

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many people have given their time, effort and knowledge in support of Madisons Heritage Rediscovered. Dr. Engle would like to thank his wife, Mary, for all her help and support. Dr. Grise would like to thank his wife, Martha, for her support and editing. Kathryn would like to thank Dr. Linda Frost, director of the EKU Honors Program, and Dr. Alan Banks, director of the EKU Center for Appalachian Studies, for their support and encouragement of this project.

The authors and editor would like to thank Eastern Kentucky University for all the opportunities the school has provided them and the Richmond Register for supplying the platform for these articles. The authors would like to thank the staff of the EKU Library Special Collections and Archives (archives.eku.edu), especially Jackie Couture, whose expertise and knowledge of the county was invaluable to this project. Thanks also to the countless friends and family members who have made this book possible.

INTRODUCTION

Local history can be found in many places: the bottom of desk drawers, in libraries and archives and in the memories of longtime community residents. History is often discovered, lost, then rediscovered as generations of people look for their heritage and their communitys past.

Madisons Heritage Rediscovered is the product of such a search for community history. It is the culmination of hundreds of hours of research, writing, energy and pride in the history of Madison County, Kentucky. The authors, Dr. Fred A. Engle Jr. and Dr. Robert N. Grise, have devoted more than forty years to the preservation and continuation of their countys heritage through their weekly newspaper column, Madisons Heritage. This book is but a small glimpse into their large body of work chronicling Madisons past.

Madison County has a rich history of pioneer settlement, education and local and national leadership. Located in the Bluegrass region of central Kentucky at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Madison County was formed in 1786 from Lincoln County, Virginia. It features rolling hills and fertile farmland, is bounded on the north by the Kentucky River and is bisected by Interstate 75. The location of Daniel Boones pioneer fort and site of numerous historical events, including the Battle of Richmond, the county is known for its many prominent citizens, businesses, civic organizations and institutions.

Richmond, the county seat, is Madisons largest city and home to Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). The Blue Grass Army Depot occupies a large portion of central Madison County, and the city of Berea, home to progressive Berea College, sits at the southern edge of the county. Smaller communities scattered throughout the county have also played a large role in the development of the area. Many significant and unique features of the countys past have provided plenty of interesting subject matter for the authors.

A map of Madison County, Kentucky, by Dr. Robert N. Grise.

My whole life, I had known that my grandfather wrote a column about Madison County history for our local newspaper, the Richmond Register. It was not until I was in college that I realized the significance of his and his coauthors contributions to the county. Through their preservation efforts and writings over the years, they have shared the history of Madison County with residents of all generations. Since 1969, they have published over 2,000 articles, as well as three earlier compilations of articles, and continue to share their knowledge of local history to readers every week.

Many characteristics make the Madisons Heritage column special. The articles cover a wide range of subject matter, from the pioneer history of the county to stories about local people, businesses, places and events. Many different sources have been used over the yearshistoric documents, archival materials, old newspapers, items and accounts from community members and even the authors own memories of growing up in Richmond. In addition, the columns duration and volume, as well as the depth and quality of the articles, are exceptional. Madisons Heritage has given readers unprecedented insights into the countys past through its extensive supply of local history, uncovering many hidden reserves of information and helping further define the countys past.

Out of pure love for local history and without academic backgrounds in history, the authors have worked tirelessly researching Madisons past, using their skills as writers to bring public history alive. Their remarkably similar lives are often reflected in their articles, and their experiences as lifelong residents of the county provide a unique perspective on bygone times.

Madisons Heritage is an interactive, collaborative effort between the authors and the community, as the authors continue to produce articles weekly and the community continues to be interested and involved. The column has incorporated comments, suggestions, inquiries, materials and facts provided by local citizens, producing a community history with the contributions of countless Madison Countians interested in preserving their heritage.

As a senior in the Honors Program at EKU, I began a multifaceted project involving the Madisons Heritage column. In my research, I found articles in my grandpas desk drawers and in the EKU Library Special Collections and Archives and set out to compile, catalog and digitize all of the Madisons Heritage articles. I also talked to the authors to get their perspective on their work and our communitys past. As daunting as this task proved to be, I was constantly rewarded with new knowledge and further appreciation for my grandpas work and my county. I wanted the articles I digitized to be widely and easily accessible, so I created the Madisons Heritage Online website (madisonsheritage.omeka.net) to house the articles and information about the column. I also wrote a thesis on the column and its significance to the county based on my research.

Madisons Heritage Rediscovered is the final piece of my project and another chapter in the history of the Madisons Heritage column. With the input of the authors, I selected and edited over sixty articles from the column originally published in the