I made the mistake of posting a picture of Basil on a Harlan County Facebook page. Since Ive been gone, Harlanlike all of Eastern Kentuckyhas been devastated by prescription drug abuse. For instance, threats didnt faze me. BTW I live on Watts Creek and have most of my life..off and on. I lived in Harlan and Loyall. First time reading it. None of my schools still exist. I left Ky in 1990 but go back very very often. I was able to buy it when we lived in the Corbin area for $20 a box. I LOVE where i am from and am harlan county proud even when i dont have much to be proud of.lol. You mustve been a good student, John. My parents didnt ever say much about their lives or or about my Grandfathers as both of them met violent deaths back then. My Mom was a nurse at the hospital there (where I was born in 66). Maybe they never left. No matter where Ive traveled in this great country, I never fail to meet someone that is either from Harlan, or knows someone that lives there!! Fleming County has beautiful, rolling hills, but they arent mountains. John. Daughter of a preacher. Lynch had a skating rink when I was a teenager. It would occasionally be condemned but re-open at some point. I left here when i was 15 came back in my late 20s. Never mind. There are gun thugs in Harlan County, U.S.A., in particular a mean, squinty-eyed, jackal named Basil Collins, his pistol sticking out of his Dickies like a goofy cap Ben Joe Harris disarmed the guy so that it would be a fair fight. Coal Mining. Howdy, You hit the nail on the head. I graduated in 71 from JACHS. (: Did you know Jo Alice Chitwood or Lance Johnson? The result - Harlan County, U.S.A. (1976) - was an astonishingly intimate and passionate work that won the Oscar for Best Documentary and recently was selected as one of twenty-five films by the Library of Congress to be placed on its Film Registry. BTW until barrack obama declared war on our coal mines,a fact, there were more millionaires in Harlan, Pike,Perry Counties, per capita than in our largest cities. There are differences: we`re north east, you`re south east. Someone told me that the best way to commit suicide was to stand around in Smith and act like youre counting money! Oh, and that knife fight deal down there: I saw a big one at Hall once, in the yard in front of the school crazy watching the teachers try to break that one up. I volunteer as a cashier at a nonprofits ReStore. Second, my parents lived in Harlan County their entire lives, as have aunts, uncles, cousins and many of my closest friends. Ive got a few more Harlan County memories. I love the fact she loves a mountain boy, just like her Momma did:) This is a great article!! I visit very often, as my father still lives there. If we meet anyone else from Eastern Kentucky, we can get instant acceptance with a simple I grew up in Harlan. Translation: Despite appearances, I will kill you if necessary. I am a badass.. Hey, I actually remember the Cliff Hanger (by reputation only), but it was not for my younger crowd. If you read it carefully, youll note that I said I havent lived there in 30+ years. My mother is Drena Crowder-Leonard. I dont need tattoos, i have scars. Like much of Eastern Kentucky, the population has declined for decades. If he is still living can you ask him about any Leonard relatives he know about or put him in touch with me. I am origionally from Atlanta. It was an old theater whose best days had long past. https://www.facebook.com/groups/WallinsCreekers/. In fact, I got up this morning with the intent or renewing my research. My parents were stalwarts. If he called on you and you missed the questionBOOM! Thanks for the kind words. And of that i am very proud. Everywhere I go here in Ohio I run into people from Harlan or people who have relatives from there and some still living there. I live in the city now, and raised my daughters here. If I go back to Harlan for even a day, even my family cant understand me when I get back. If so, let me know so I can fill any dates, places, names and information you may furnish to me. I was born in my grandmothers house, in those days hospitals were few and far between. The other motel in Browning Acres is Mount Aire Motel. My mother taught at Evarts for many years. JACHS did not open until the 66 67 school year. Where you from?..Pike Countylol. The first of the month is a big time in Harlan. A mouthy little man like me finds out the hard way that bad is good, but big is better. I KNOW A LOT OF REALLY GOOD PEOPLE AT CAWOOD AND SMITH, KY. An outlander is someone who used to live in Harlan. My mom grew up in Cutshin, my dad was from Martins Fork, they met at The Court Cafe. Even though they know whats best for Harlan, we dont really like them. I knew that truly dangerous people dont threaten much. Of course, theres a downside. I was blessed to have been raised in the mountains. The previous mentioned Clarence E. Leonard is my Uncle. His name was Arthur Johnson, he was from Cumberland, but lived at It reeked of Pine Sol. It rated right up there with his song about Jim and Tammy Baker, pretty good actually. If its easy, theres nothing better. If you dont, I cant fault you for that, either. Harlan County was fighting for the right to have a union. When Sheriff No one from Harlan . This strike had only one death. I knew Lisa vaguely. Abe was in my class @Black Star when it was an elem. A striking coal miner was in critical condition last night in Harlan County, Ky., after being struck in the head by a shotgun blast. It was the latest violent incident in Harlan County, long a scene of labor unrest. I didnt want to leave. Rarely is an Eastern Kentucky county a destination. Ive often heard that anywhere you go on Earth you can find someone from Harlan county. My roots and my heart are there and for me thats important. Read my post about growing up in Loyall sometime. Born and raised in Cumberland.I live in Florida now loved your article.Proud of my roots! Great description. My Dad and his six siblings were all raised in Evarts. Mrs Abraham was my Home Ec teacher @Hall High. I grew up in Sunshine too. I absolutely LOVE this! Entertained by the tendency to call you a mooron and ignorant while not fully grasping the importance of grammar and spelling. My Dad taught English there for a long time (Mr. Creech). On this criterion, Robertson County would qualify, but again, its just too far north. This is the first time I stumbled across you blog. My dad and papa were both coal miners for blue diamond mining for years. The Short area), my last name being Short ha! Maybe 700 or so now. Geelong. Sometimes you hear gun fire in the distance, but thats in the woods. Harlan is total badass. My sister in law was born over in Leatherwood. The obvious beingwe are just like you and every one else. Enjoyed the article. I was just in Harlan County this weekend. I was born in Harlan and I remember living there, but I didnt have the experience that my parents had (who were both born in Harlan County) since I didnt grow up there. I would have loved to have had that McDonalds there when I was kid. .I didnt think to ask them while they were alive. Some escape, but most dont. I am now in Knoxville tn, happy as a proud old grandpa can be, and thankful the good Lord saw fit to bring me through times i cant tell about. I have many good friends I have met through the Hall High Gamecock web site. He died in 1980 at age 63, and 42 years later his name is presented on the roads of Harlan. Go help someone else. my growing up years were behind the old telephone company next to Robinette Chevrolet which was across from the old Macks Supper Market and down the street from Hackneys. Harlanthats what we call itisnt a destination, either. If someone tells you that he or she is from Harlan, they could mean any town from Pathforkto Holmes Mill to Cumberland to Cranks. I rarely saw Janice after I left the hospital, And we DID bathe just like people from up north. Our teeth arent all that bad, although mine arent great. Theyre usually the folks who dream of turning all of Eastern Kentucky into a massive tourist destination by having all the people who live there pack up and move. I saw a little of all of it. In talking about monthly checks, I can remember visiting my family in Louellen, a coal mining camp in those days, and going down to the the company store and watching people get their cheese in blocks and their commodity meat which was actually spam. You have to have mountains, not hills. Women took over the picket lines. That is where my husband grew up. Ring any bells? Being a descendant of such a controversial character of those times I may be asking for a social beating on here. Just curious, if you struggled with the inclusion of Whitley county..what was your rationale for the inclusion of mccreary county? You are so right, except I dont know anyone named Lonzo. Welfare checks. Thanks. LO I respect ALL coal miners. So much that even some locals have a hard time understanding me. Paddling. Nothing like the beauty of a snow covered mountain, springtime with sprinkles of dogwoods and redbud blossoms or the beautiful fall foliage! Are we still allowed to be in Appalachia? Graduated from jach in 78. John,I also remember those 1st grade field trips. Very isolated. We know trash when we see it, and Im not talking about garbage pick up. Im proud of where Im from and yes my Daddy was a coal miner for a time. WebHarlan County is a county located in southeastern Kentucky.As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,831. The general store, a thriving Coal community. Doris, do I know you? My brother actually had a knife pulled on him at Cawood. Elliott County. I am a faithful Kentucky Basketball fan and follow them year in and year out, through good and bad GO BIG BLUE.. Never making any differences in us. Took the jury about 5 minutes to find against us, lol. Edit. His first feature film was Harlan County U.S.A. (1976, as Himself - mine foreman). The field is backdropped by some beautiful mountains, right at Tunnel Hill. Change). I told him apparently his computer didt speak Hillbilly.I am proud of my head of the holler rasin. I will list it here. I can connect with outlanders here in Georgetown by telling them, I was there the day that McDonalds opened..great times! My Grandfather/Grandmother was Floyd/Janie Clark. I went to college and had personal and professional opportunities that pulled me away. We know at least one person whose mother was really their grandmother, and sister was their mother. Ive never known anyone who didnt wear shoesand I knew some pretty rough characters. Bad and small isnt a recipe for success. My great grandpa ran a mill there. Cawood was named after James A. Cawood, long time Superintendent of the Harlan County Schools. Once you push too far north, you get out of the mountains, and we have to exclude you. Have a cousin who lives in Evarts and cousins in middle KY. He worked at Eastover for several years after the strike until Duke closed the mines. Loyallalso had a theaterthe Roadenuntil I was about 6 years old. Even though life was very hard at times, it was filled with family and friends and its been fun thinking about them this morning. We have accents which are obscured by our penchant for mumbling. Thanks for the comments. Yes, we have folks living in povertytoo many (as though there is an acceptable level of suffering) but most folks live just fine. To add to my previous comment above, my other Grandfather was Elijah Depew (nicknamed Lidge? On future blog give Watts Creek a mention. It still is in some ways, although it has been many years since the United Mine Workers Association held great sway. These are small town people just like in every small town. jack brock ha d 21 dogs and 21 kids, he got kill by a drunk man he was taking home that was about like the earth quake in los ang years ago it was bad , for those who know my grandpa honey bill saylor and my dad and my friend big al ,arnold lee saylor he was a damn good man i miss alot cause he is in all my boys alot i see him every day yours trunly ronnie gene saylor of molus ky aka molus hollow. I went to Business College, married my daddys cousin (you had to know that was coming didnt you). I definitely would NOT have fit in. She was a great homemaker and was full of wit, wisdom and love. I do not intend to change it now and I am NOT ashamed of it. The vast majority of Harlan Countians are proud to be from Harlan. Billy G. Williams. Loved the blog Ive told many people about the govment cheese. This excludes Boyd, Greenup, Lewis, etc. My kids do that, too. It was gray and you had to add the coloring to it. Thanks for the reads I have read most of your blogs. I know that area well. Congrats on a good job describing a little bit of what most folks cant imagine happened. Youve made me think about Harlan all day today and its been a good day. Hi Julie, Yes I know your mother. I owned a genteel little social club called THE CLIFFHANGER up on pine mountain, and had some of the finest folks i ever knew as customers, although mostly they considered the Garys crowd a little on the gentler side. Sherry Jones Hall. He died in 1978, I dont remember the year Basil died, but early 1980s is right. Your Great Grandfather John D. and my Grandfather Brack H. were brothers and my Grandmother Geanie and your Great Grandmother Jeanette were sisters. I am also thankful for the brief time that I knew my grandmother on Turner Hill who taught me how to grow strawberries, to make jelly, string shuck beans, quilt, crochet. There arent running gun battles anymore like the famed Battle of Evarts many decades ago. Web8.what happened to basil collins kentucky Author: t4wkr.ac.th Post date: 22 yesterday Rating: 3 (1965 reviews) Highest rating: 4 Low rated: 1 Summary: January 30, 1868, Rest assured that no one in my family considers me a disgrace or embarrassment, but your concern is noted. Thats probably why he is disabled now at a a young age. When attempting to explain to someone where I grew up it was easiest to say somewhere between Harlan and Hazard. I actually grew up on Beech Fork in Leslie County. So my family got to enjoy it even tho they never lived in Harlan. Hollywood Bledsoe from the mouth of Cloverlick in HC, once wrote a song about Government Cheese. Sometimes, these people would show up to help us. I have three amazing great-grandbabies. We lived in Yancey when I was born, moved to Brookside, then moved to Evarts (Woods Mine Area) before moving to Walker County, AL. We mispronounce light, fight, white and night. ENJOYED YOUR ARTICLE, WOULDNT TRADE THE PLACE I GREW UP FOR ANY PLACE IN THE WORLD . I have a 95 year old aunt who still lives there. They tease me that my accent changes when I cross the county line going back home :-). You have to sound like us. Enjoyed reading your blog. I aint convinced about mccounty My parents who were also my papaw and mamaw owned Tiny Jos market in Baxter. I am a born and raised harlan countian. So translation you perhaps do not have no prospect of progress which would mean you do have prospect of progress.. you are right few have paid you such complements. It well deserves its Academy Award, and 1990 inclusion in Wouldnt trade my youth spent in Harlan County for any other in the world. Fun read. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I graduated in 1964. Honestly, I laughed out loud, because it was so venomous. Bell county baby.We got the mountains here too. I just know that by writing all this misinformation as if it were this day in time, you have disgraced and embarrassed your people, an you should be ashamed of yourself. This is where Norma lives, was the reply. I know exactly where you were driving. No one should have to make a livin working between 2 rocks. Dad was a good friend of Norman Yarboroughs. John, this is really good stuff! I remember when you had to take a gravel road from Pineville to Loyall when they were building the new 119. I happened across this blog through a friend. One of the great things about Harlan is that changes very little. After 8 weeks or so the letter came with I found your Harlan countian!! To the men that worked at the Highsplint mine, where the majority of filming took place for the documentary, he was the one responsible for making sure Basil and his men got through to work every day. Sadly, they didnt seem to be doing well. That is perhaps because I hail from off the grid (Smith). I dont know exactly when died, but it was sometime in the 1980s. It was described as a place where people only smiled when they heard that someone had died. The Fuzzy Duck, the Corner and the VFW. Not a native but my ears always perk up when I hear Harlan. Why? I live across the mountains from Harlan in a little off the map place called Leatherwood in perry county. as differences, real ones, but the rest is a little over stated, like JUSTIFIED, eh? Hell, it was the best cheese everthe only thing the Federal Government ever perfected! I, too, am from Harlan an outlander like yourself, and I was left laughing and shaking my head at all the things only people like us would know to be true I would love to include a link to this in my own blog, but I dont yet know how to do it, lol. . There is a bleak side to Harlan, as anywhere else. Robertson County is the toughest to exclude. So you see, all of this rambling I have just done is to state the obvious because you have made us sound like we are backwoods, unlearned, in-bred no accounts. In Harlan County, tensions were high between the striking miners in Kentucky and the mine owners. Basil Noel Very funny (and true). You hit home with many of your comments being born and raised in Eastern Kentucky, Sandy Hook, Elliott County to be exact. Whitley County has an interstate so are they still Eastern Kentucky? Elliott County is an exception becausewellyou just have to visit there to see. I loved growing up there and go back frequently. I remember commodity butter. Ishas Smiths 2nd cousin. NEAR CLOSPLINT KY AND I AM PROUD TO BE FROM HARLAN CO THAT IS HOME ALTHOUGH I LIVE IN CORBIN KY NOW. Also attended and graduated from Loyall High, where I was cheerleader and fairly popular. Eastern Ky is not privvy to divorce is it?? We were not eligible for the government cheese, but my aunt was, & she would always bring us some, every month. My reply was that he didnt scare me, I am from Harlan, Kentucky! I grew up in Sunshine, graduated from Harlan High School in 1972 and after going to Southeast and U.K., headed to California. Im sorry my great-grandchildren dont have such memories. . Crow Drums 70 (CHS). We lived the last house in the head of the holler with my poppy and granny our only neighbors. I was born in Pike Co. in 1960 and in my 53 yrs. We cant include any counties on the Ohio River. My Mom then joined the WAC. Any of that sound familiar, Pingback: SoWhere Are You From? Next, everyone is not here because we cant escape. We mourn with the family of Basil Collins for this great loss. I went back through my Ancestry.com files and I found 2: Clarence Leonard, born 24 May 1914, Walker County, AL and died 27 July 1985 at Corbin, KY, it shows he had no wife or children, and his father was John D. Leonard and his mother was Jeanette McKendrick Leonard. LOL LOL..enjoyed the article, One way to prove that someone is from the mountains is if they know someone named Lonzo! We live in McCreary Co now, so still SEKY. I pass by there to go to my mothers home, it is amazing to see in Harlan Co. Its county seat is Harlan. Harlan is not what it used to be and I would never want to live there again, but your blog awakened the beautiful memory of what it was. Im from Loyall. Thanks for reminding me of a great memory of my mother! Brought back some memories. And Misty, April and I grew up together. I made another U turn and started back toward Harlan at a much slower pace and was directed to take the Loyall turn off. There arent any hotels to speak of, really. We wore machine guns with semiautomatic carbines. I appreciate your comments but must, of course, defend myself. The economy continues to contract and isnt likely to get much better. I also would talk to Art at the store in Loyall, where I would stop to get gas. They point to the many fine folks in the county who were (and still are) horrified by the goings on at Eastover. I wonder why they went to Harlan to get married. Right now, its in a big down turn. I know that area, well, too. I was born and raised in Harlan, KY a lil place called Sunshine. Join us . Most of my old mean crowd are dead. There are doctors, lawyers, accountants, teachers, coaches, laborers, deadbeats and criminals. I have neglected my research of the Leonards and McKendrick for some time because of my health problems. Youre probably thinking of Arthur Johnson. In response to your statement about pretenders, I personally feel Im still a Harlan resident at heart even though I dont live there and dont visit very often. I live in Northern KY now but all my family still resides in Harlan so I visit a lot. Its too dull. I have all the respect in the world for the good people in Harlan county its rough with mines getting shut down and people loosing what they know best and thats coal Im sorry it rough that is a reason I moved but keep strong everyone in Harlan has a big heart and I promise they are some the best people u ever meet in ur life. I couldnt quit reading it. You say that you came here now and then, but if you did you would know that we have many amenities and hotels such as a holiday inn express and a comfort inn. I loved living in Ages,Ky for the 2 years I was there!! He was a clerk there. We outlanders like our Harlan roots. They go to other parts of the state or country and live as ex-Harlan Countians. Harlan is mean. I lived there 6 years and worked in the mines . While not as corrupt as his predecessor Boyle, he seems on his way down that pathor not. ha! Black lung finally got the best of him but legally these days black lung doesnt exist. Anyway, I just had to leave a note. ha! Earlier strikes had resulted in a great deal of bloodshed on both sides. Im sorry but I dont think so. There was nothing like sitting on the front porch swing drinking RCs from my uncles one room store. loved this. But they dont always leave. My life is very much divided into two partsbefore and after Harlan. Very proud of my heritage. I grew up in Eastern Kentuckyborn and raised as we say. They may be from such places as Shields, Jones Creek, Smith, Cranks, Punkin Center or Happy Top, although I can name you folks from all those places who have done quite well for themselves. How can I contact your Uncle Clarence E. to find out if he has any information to help with my research? I have resided in Knoxville, TN for 26 years but Eastern Kentucky will always be home because that is where my extended family and my husbands extended family continue to reside. I graduated from Cumberland High School in 1975. I loved reading your blog and all, or at least most of the comments! Basil Collins was Uncle Basil to us. E Hudson. Love love love Harlan County Kentucky and the people. No Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn, etc. If I knew them personally I would surly let them know about it too. My mom always bought margarine but our housekeeper would get the butter and we thought it was strong. Nowadays, I would love to have some! Outlander here Born at HARH, raised in Grays Knob- attended Hall Elementary and Junior High, JACHS and then got out to attend UK. It is classified as a moist countya county in which alcohol sales are prohibited (a dry county), but containing a "wet" city, in this case Cumberland, where package alcohol sales are allowed.In the city of Harlan, Were the last group thatcan openly derided. They might even live in Harlan, but it doesnt suit them. Therefore, the kids of this county today only have to step out theyre door and into a pool. He was actually the son of my aunts husband, so that technically makes him a cousin, but age-wise he was more of my dads generation so that made him an uncle. A man that loved It was a movie experience like no other. Harlan County, U.S.A. (1976) captures the story of strike conducted by the United Mine Workers of America Local Union in Harlan County, Kentucky. His hair was infamous! We didnt have that problem when I lived there. disadvantages of cooperative coaching style,
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