May 27, 1921
MARION
I have known Marion all of my life. My father J. P. Hogard came here on horse back to the old horse mill when Marion was not a town, not even a village, only the old mill and one residence. The first time that I can remember coming to Marion was on an ox cart with four bags of corn across the front bolster. Some of the men I learned to know were David Stinson, Judge Wager, Cub Bigham, William Carnahan, and Mr. Douglas, who kept the tavern on the corner where Douglas Carnahan now sells goods, Robert Fulton Haynes, J. W. Blue Sr., Nathan R. Black, J. N. Woods who sold goods on the corner where the Farmers Bank is located, Charlie Higginbotham, who ran a saloon where the Marion Bank is, W. N. Rochester, Hick and R. N. Walker and others whose names I can not recall. Most all these men were highly respected.
I never did like the business of the Higginbothams and never had much admiration for Judge Wager.
For the first time that I came to church here was in the old brick out by the old grave yard, so called then. The house was well filled and I sat by Judge Wager. While H. M. Ford was preaching Judge Wager turned and spat on me. A thing I have not forgotten to this day. Then I was sure that town people looked down on country people.
Some way country people get to believe that people in town think themselves above them. But this is a mistaken idea. There may be a few now and then who really think so but they are few only, and these few are rather to be pitied than blamed. For the salvation of this county, socially, religiously and politically depends largely on the great common people, most of whom live in the country.
Marion is the county seat of Crittenden county--the only town of any size in the county. It is here that all litigations etc., have to be settled, the great common center. The town people can not get along without the country people, nor can the country people get along so well without the town people. It must be mutual, we must live to benefit each other.
I have lived in several counties in the state and none of these counties have a better citizenship than Crittenden. Take the families like the Hunt, Paris, Wheeler, Crider[,] Dowell[,] Rankin, Baker, Hughes, Adams[,] Walker, Hill, Minner, Hodges, Asher, Sullenger, Pickens, Deboe, Lamb, Wilson, Crayne, Guess, Gass, Cook, Daughtrey, Conger, Dean, Gahagen, Postlethweight, Franklin, Wilborn, Carter, Conger, Harpending, Ordway[,] Pogue, and space will not allow me to call the names of families whose names stand for good citizenship. Then we have in Marion a citizenship equal to the best. The Marion bar is made up of good citizenship, the Moores, Henderson, Bennett, Rochester, Blue, Nunn, Deboe. Marion merchants are all good citizens as well as good business men. In fact in all walks of life no town will excel Marion for citizenship.
Marion can be made one of the most beautiful towns in Western Kentucky. Let our motto be--United we stand, divided we fall. Let us all put our shoulders to the wheel and push.
W. F. H.
Source: Crittenden Press. (Marion, Ky.) 1919-Current, May 27, 1921, Edition 1, Image 4 - Chronicling America - The Library of Congress.
[My comments are in brackets.]
