A week and a half ago Ritchey and I attended the second Saturday workshop at the Kentucky History Center in Frankfort. The blogging workshop was presented by the Kentucky Genealogical Society. Linda McCauley and Cheri Daniels gave great pointers to new and experienced bloggers alike. I’ve already incorporated several of their ideas!
While we were at the history center we visited the exhibit, “A Kentucky Journey”. This wasn’t my first time – have been there many times, and usually always notice something new. My purpose this time was to photograph the exhibit on Kentucky Feuds.
It was quite a shock when, through my genealogy research, I found out I was descended from a feuding family! A feud – any feud – was never mentioned by my grandfather Hill – or any of my aunts or uncles. When I started asking questions about the feud they were just as surprised as I was. Evidently the feud was not talked about in the family – perhaps it was something everyone wanted to forget.
As this map shows, most of the Kentucky feuds took place in eastern Kentucky – the Hatfield and McCoy feud was fought on the border of Kentucky and Virginia. The Hill-Evans feud was located in central Kentucky – adjacent to my home county of Mercer. This feud also began much earlier than the other feuds – 1820 – with the most of the fighting (and killing) occurring in the early 1850′s.
I have read many books, stories and articles on the feud. Many are quite sensationalized – wanting to shock and thrill the reader. Most give little thought to what actually occurred – what is in the court records. But, then again, that’s just one man’s – or one woman’s – opinion! Visit the Kentucky History Center and spend a little while in the exhibit hall. You will learn a lot about Kentucky history, and perhaps a little about yourself!
My two boys love to read about real ‘feuds’. They think it is funny that families can get soo worked up. I just laugh because the 2 of them are Always arguing! I point out – ‘that’s how feuds start’.
Regards,
Theresa (Tangled Trees)
Little do they know! What are their ages?
Oh, I need to take a look at this exhibit! Those are my Howards in the Harlan County Howard-Turner feud. As many times as I’ve been in the History Center, I have never gone through any of the exhibits.
Then you should!