By Bob Vlach
Woodford Sun Staff
Historian Bill Penn never planned on writing a book about Henry Lewis Martin Sr.
It was while researching two farms on Midway Road and Old Frankfort Pike that the author and co-owner of the Historic Midway Gift Store says he became aware of Martin – a Civil War veteran, statesman, sugar investor and mule dealer.
It was through that research and his friendship with Martin’s granddaughter, Mildred Martin Buster, a frequent visitor to his and his wife Leslie’s downtown Midway store, that Penn became interested in writing about Martin’s life.
Penn, a Civil War and local historian, learned through his research that Martin rode with John Hunt Morgan after joining the Confederacy when he was 14. “He lied about his age,” says Penn.
Later in life, Martin owned Woodford County’s Calumet Farm, which was next to The Maples – the farm where his son Henry Lewis Martin Jr. (Mildred’s father) and family lived.
Martin Sr. named his farm Calumet before there was a farm with that name in Fayette County. According to an article in the Jan. 5, 1953 edition of the Lexington Herald-Leader, “Some sources date the house to which he gave the Indian name meaning ‘pipe of peace’ as early as 1810, others as late as 1835.” The story goes on to say Martin Sr. made his money selling mules – buying in Missouri and selling in Kentucky and New Orleans.
Penn does not know why Martin chose the name Calumet, but says he may have been inspired by a plantation named Calumet in Louisiana, where he frequently did business.
Penn’s research was bolstered by letters written during the years when Martin was a prisoner of war at Rock Island, Illinois. Mildred kept her grandfather’s letters and shared them with Penn.
“She was always wanting me to write everything down,” says Penn. He says the book about Martin really started to come together when his great-granddaughter Kate Martin Buster came into the picture.
News in and around the small but surprisingly interesting town of Midway, Kentucky, from The Woodford Sun
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Thursday, June 29, 2023
LOCAL HISTORIAN & STORE OWNER BILL PENN WORKING ON BIOGRAPHY OF HENRY LEWIS MARTIN SR.
CLIPPINGS FROM THE BLUEGRASS CLIPPER
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By Woodford Sun Staff
July 2, 1903…
The finest crop of tobacco we have seen this season is on the farm of J.W. Parrish just north of town. The ground is a part of the Moore land recently purchased by Mr. Parrish and is virgin soil. The plants in many places cover the ground and the field is clean of weeds. There is probably not a better piece of tobacco in the county.
The Midway city council has improved the north side of Railroad Street in front of the Clipper office. The old culvert has been changed, the board covering it was taken off and the street graded down to the curbing with an open drain to carry off the water freely.
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The East Tennessee Telephone Co. came here in 1898 under a five-year franchise. Three months ago, the city council advertised the franchise for sale. There were no bids. The telephone company continued operating without a franchise or license. The telephone company then discontinued its service, to the chagrin of many citizens, who thus got very mad at the council. The East Tennessee has built up the best service here during the five years and their rates, service and number of subscribers outstrips all their competitors. They simply did not desire to get a new franchise with the restrictions set out by the council. The East Tennessee decided to abandon their service and have begun to take out their equipment. The council is now seeking an accommodation and the service may yet be saved.
Matt Scott, porter of the Long Hotel, was run over and killed by the V&M train Tuesday about 9 p.m. while crossing the track in front of the train. Scott had been at a party at Anderson Owsley’s near the track, just this side of the L&N bridge. The train was over two hours late.
Quarterly report of the Citizens Bank of Midway shows resources of $160,149.46 and deposits of $101,212.28. John A. Steele is cashier and H.C. Poynter, M.D. Offutt and H.L. Martin are directors. Semi-annual dividend #22 will pay 4 percent.
July 3, 1924…
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Nave and son of Orlando, Florida, are on a visit with Mrs. Icie Nave and Miss Lelia Nave.
The following teachers have been elected for Midway School for 1924-25: high school, Miss Susan Peffer, principal (5th year); Miss Mary King Burrier, domestic arts and sciences; Miss Nell Noland, languages. Grammar school, Miss Lucille Stockley, principal; Mrs. Ambrose Davis, history and geography; Miss Sallie Pates, 3rd grade; Miss Lelia Nave, 2nd grade; Mrs. Jennie Clarke, 1st grade. Several vacancies are yet to be filled and a music teacher has not been selected.
A.C. Pettit has purchased a new Ford coupe and is now showing his hand learning to run it. It was bought from the Nave Brothers of Midway.
After 24 ballots, the Democratic voting pattern is as follows: McAdoo has ranged from 431 votes on the first ballot to as low as 412 and as high as 525 on the 40th. Smith’s range has been from 241 to 321 on the 29th and back to 319. Others include Underwood 39 to 42; Robinson 19 to 24 and out; Sweet 12 on first ballot; Brown 17 to 9 and out; Saulsbury 7 to 6; Silzer 38 on first ballot; John w. Davis of West Virginia 31 to 128 and back to 67; Ritchie 22 to 17; Harrison 43 to 20 and out; Cox 60 to 55; Bryan 18 to 11 and out; Ralston 30 to 34; Jonathan Davis of Kansas 20 to 49 to 3; Ferris 30 on first ballot; Glass 25 to 39; Kendrick 6 on first ballot; Thompson 1; Walsh 1 to 16 to 1; Berry 1; Grebs 1; Baker 1; Owen 20 to 24 to 4; Daniels 1 and Martin 1.
Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Fint sold to Clay Johns the rights, etc. to Clifton Ferry on the Kentucky River for $3,000.
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
CLIPPINGS FROM THE HISTORIC BLUEGRASS CLIPPER
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June 25, 1903…
Henry L. Martin Jr., who has been attending Columbia College in New York, is at home for the summer holidays.
Charles E. Marvin of Midway, banker and prominent in the burly business, will become the next State Banking Commissioner July 2. He will succeed James P. Lewis, according to informed sources.
WOODFORD CHAMBER HOLDS REAL ESTATE AGENT IAN VANSTEENBERGH RIBBON CUTTING AT MIDWAY MUSEUM
MIDWAY ANNUAL JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL A HUGE SUCCESS
MIDWAY HELD ITS JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION last weekend. The event included a gospel extravaganza, a discussion on why Juneteenth is celebrated, a performance by Chautauqua actor Nancy Green (Aunt Jemima: The Pancake Queen), and music by DJ Nevermind and the Ark Band. School friends Elizabeth Elliott, left, and Vivian Smith are pictured during the celebration. (Photo by Stacy Thurman).
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MIDWAY COUNCIL PASSES 23-24 BUDGET AND TURNS FOCUS ON CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
CLIPPINGS FROM THE HISTORIC BLUEGRASS CLIPPER
By Woodford Sun Staff
June 18, 1903…
Rules for raising chickens: 1. Don’t run the hens uphill when you want eggs. 2. Don’t leave the henhouse unlocked when there is a revival nearby. 3. Don’t poke your face near a setting hen. She might miss your nose and peck your eye out. 4. Don’t set scrub hens and expect to hatch thoroughbreds. This is a bad year for miracles. 5. Don’t let your hens scratch up your neighbors’ flowers and then wonder why she didn’t invite you to her last lawn party. 6. Don’t plant grapevines in your hen yard unless you do it for their special benefit. Chickens know a good thing when they see it. 7. Don’t hunt for eggs while you are starving the hens. If you cannot break up the egg-hunting habit, feed and care for the hens. A chance is all they ask to show you what they can do.
Dr. W.E. Risque has just fitted up handsome offices in the Offutt building on Winter Street, just above Mrs. Rau’s place
C.B. Hawkins and J. Van Shipp will leave for New York this week with a number of thoroughbreds to be entered in the sale in that city next week.
Last Monday morning Rural Carrier for Route #1, W.B. Lucas had just reached the limit of his route and was crossing over to make the return on the Leestown Pike when he met death in a most horrible form. Just as he was crossing the track at Montague’s Corner a few yards below the depot at Duckers, the morning westbound C&O, which was three hours late, crashed into his wagon and killed him and his horse instantly. It is supposed that he jumped from his wagon in an attempt to escape but was caught under the wheels and dragged for nearly 100 yards. His body was mangled horribly. He probably did not know the train was late and probably did not expect any train to be coming by at that time. The accident occurred at about 12:15 p.m. The C&O had been due in Midway at 8:43 and had passed through at 12 o’clock and was traveling at a high rate of speed. It was an unusually heavy train. Mr. Lucas is survived by a wife and five young children. Crutcher, who was deputy under Lucas, has been appointed as mail carrier and has entered upon his duties.
The Midway boys will play the most important baseball game ever staged in this town tomorrow when they engage the traveling Nebraska Indians, a team which won 137 of 152 games last year. A large crowd is expected, and 25 cents admission will be charged. The Nebraska Indians baseball team has complied the following record over the past few seasons: 1898, 81-22; 1899, 108-35; 1900, 91-52; 1901, 137-26; 1902, 137-15.
June 19, 1924…
Mrs. Delie Taylor, 82, Winter Street, was with her daughter May on Monday afternoon at home when she was taken sick. Drs Anderson and Risque tried to help her, but she passed away Tuesday at about 7 a.m. She had lived in Midway four 60 years. She was the widow of Oscar F. Taylor, who died in May of 1883. Her maiden name was Suggett and her mother was Lucy Johnson from Virginia. She was born on the Brown place near Great Crossing. Her husband built the Odd Fellows Building and ran the store of Taylor & Paynter. She leaves two sons and a daughter.
Grover Burkhardt was killed, Owen Chism is under arrest and charged with drunkenness and Mrs. Audrey Chism in hospitalized as a result of an auto accident Monday morning on the Lexington Pike, two miles from Versailles. All were residents of Frankfort. Burkhardt’s head was caught between the car and a telephone pole when the auto left the road. Apparently, Burkhardt fell asleep at the wheel and his head was hanging out the window when they car left the road.
Mrs. John T. Gatrell gave a party for her daughter, Miss Morrell Gatrell, who celebrated her 11th birthday. Guest included Ruth Gatrell, Sue Rodgers, Shannon Reigner, Alexzine Mastin, Louise Stevens, Emily Logan, Frances Rose, Anita Simpson, Faris and Emily Cleveland, Louise McKinley, Loretta McKinivan, Lucille Haney, Effie Starks, Christine Driscoll, Mary Katherine Wilson, Arthur Allison Jr. and Eleanor Brown. The party was at her home on Park Avenue.
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MIDWAY BOURBON & BLUES FEST
Shelby and Steele Rouse of Versailles are pictured with their 14-month-old daughter Nora at the Bourbon & Blues Festival on Saturday. (Photo by Scott White)
Midway Bourbon & Blues Festival
THE FIRST ANNUAL Midway Bourbon & Blues Festival was this past weekend. Attendees were entertained by blues bands, sampled bourbon from several distilleries and shopped at a wide array of vendors. The band Soupbone, pictured above, played an energetic set of rhythm and blues. (Photo by Scott White)
Sparks fly over condition of building in downtown Midway
By Scott White
Woodford Sun Staff
The Board of Architectural Review (BOAR) met for nearly three hours last Tuesday, June 6, as it dealt with an application for a new certificate of appropriateness (COA) sought by Naser Alamdari the owner of a building at 116 East Main Street in downtown Midway.
The City of Midway and county planning officials have long attempted to resolve the failure of Alamdari to follow through on previously approved COAs and building permits. The building, which has an historical overlay, is not just unsightly but poses a threat to public safety, according to neighboring business owners.
Planning Director Steve Hunter began the meeting with a history of the planning and zoning process involving the building since 2016. Hunter stated that contrary to applicable local regulations and state statutes, the original COA was renewed annually which is prohibited.
Thus, from a regulatory perspective, Hunter suggested the most appropriate approach was to approve the new COA with conditions on a tight timeline followed by a new building permit. At that point, the appropriate oversight and enforcement could be undertaken if Alamdari continued to fail to follow through. Hunter indicated he had met with Alamdari, Midway Mayor Stacy Thurman and Woodford County Judge-Executive James Kay on the proposed option.
This led to a discussion about the impact of the mistake in renewing the original COA and whether applicable state statutes could offer a solution. Hunter indicated that the board did not have legal counsel to provide an answer and nor is Woodford County Attorney Alan George its counsel. This left several members expressing frustration and confusion on the best way forward.
Alamdari next took to the podium. Rather than speaking in support of his request for a new COA, he claimed the proposal was new to him and that he had not been given a copy of the COA packet until late that afternoon. BOAR member Debra Shockley pointed out that nearly all of the conditions attached to the original and annually renewed COA are contained in the renewed application signed by Alamdari when it was originally approved in 2016.
Alamdari complained that Shockley was being disrespectful to him and accused her of having “an attitude problem.” When others posed questions, he continued to evade or ignore the question with statements of his history of alleged mistreatment by the board as well as various public officials. By the time he was requested to take his seat after a lengthy back and forth with several members and chair Mike Hall, Alamdari never provided any update or reason for not addressing any of the conditions of the original and renewed COAs; nor did he address the current safety hazards the building has created to members of the public and nearby businesses.
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MIDWAY UNIVERSITY SPORTS: Nevaeh Brown earns All-American honors at 2023 NAIA Outdoor Nationals
MIDWAY, Ky. -- Following a couple weeks of training and practice, Nevaeh Brown of the Midway women’s track & field team made the trip north to Marion, Ind. to compete in the 42nd Annual NAIA Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships.
It was yet another successful showing for the junior from Louisville, Ky. after she earned the third All-American honor of her storied career. Brown cleared 3.70 meters in the pole vault which earned her a fifth place finish out of 21 total vaulters.
For Brown, it is the second All-American honor of the season after carding an eighth-place finish at the Indoor Track & Field National Championships in March.
The first All-American honor of her storied career came at the 2022 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships where she finished in fourth.
Monday, June 12, 2023
CLIPPINGS FROM THE BLUEGRASS CLIPPER
By Woodford Sun Staff
June 12, 1924…
The Booth Tarkington play, “The Trysting Place,” is highly complimented by the paper this week. The cast included Miss Florence Cannon, James Cogar, Mrs. A.B. Arnett, Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Willis, F.V. McChesney and R.W. Lacefield. Mrs. Roy Farmer, Miss Lily Parrish and Mrs. T.M. Roach entertained with a musical and reading prelude. Miss Lucy Peterson directed, Mrs. W.G. Lehman was business manager and Miss Elizabeth Lehman was in charge of scenery.
More than 600 visitors crowded around Pinkerton and Parrish Halls for the 75th commencement of the KFOS last week. This is the first Protestant school for the education of orphan girls in America. Fourteen out of a student body of 138 received diplomas. Two hundred alumnae from some 30 classes, from 1876 to 1923, were on hand for the occasion. Last year 140 girls were turned away because there was not enough room. Mrs. Ella Johnson Mountjoy is superintendent, and the Rev. E.J. Clarke is financial director.
John Dupee has been granted a permit to build a garage on Higgins Street.
Two fiery crosses were burned in Versailles Thursday night. One on the old Seller Carriage Co. lot, the other on Court Place just north of the courthouse. There was an open meeting in the Troy and Nonesuch area. By actual count, there were 3,500 autos and some 12,000 to 15,000 people present Friday night on the Blake Farm, near Troy and Nonesuch, at a huge Ku Klux Klan meeting. Between 100 and 200 men were initiated and an address was delivered by a Frankfort minister. [Ed. Note: We are re-publishing this terrible event from the Clipper for historical purposes.]
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BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT DENIES CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR EQUINE WASTE FACILITY ON GEORGETOWN ROAD
By Bob Vlach
Woodford Sun Staff
The Board of Adjustments (BOA) voted unanimously to deny a request for a conditional use permit (CUP) to operate an equine waste composting facility on Georgetown Road (KY 341), north of I-64.
During a hearing prior to the BOA’s decision on Monday, neighboring landowners voiced their opposition to the plan to construct the composting facility on 20 acres of farmland in the A-1 (agriculture) zoning district. Environmental and traffic concerns were cited as reasons to deny the CUP for a portion of the farm at 1278 Georgetown Road (owned by the Homer Michael Freeny Jr. Trust).
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MIDWAY CITY COUNCIL MEETING, JUNE 5
By Scott White
Woodford Sun Staff
Midway City Council had a short agenda this week with only a few action items. The most significant was the first reading of the budget ordinance. It will receive its second reading at the June 20 meeting, which is being held on Tuesday due to the Juneteenth federal holiday that Monday.
The council approved the permit application for the sixth annual Bourbon Burn bike tour, which is a three-day, 250-mile ride through the Bluegrass visiting distilleries and horse farms. The riders will pass through Midway on Sept. 30.
Austin Render, the event organizer, described the route will travel through Midway. Councilmember Sara Hicks raised a concern about riders crossing Winter Street from Stephens Street. Reeder indicated that since the event is on a weekend that a traffic safety monitor may not be necessary.
Councilmember Kaye Nita Gallagher questioned this given typical weekend tourism traffic. Assistant Police Chief Rob Young agreed with the council’s concerns and advised that he would work with Reeder to have police placed at higher risk street crossings. Reeder welcomed the idea and agreed to immediately reach out to Young. Reeder said, “Our riders love the Midway leg as they usually will eat lunch here and check out shops.” The riders will gather at the new Midway Distilling Company on Leestown Pike before heading off to the next phase.
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