December 5, 1919
MEMORIES OF EARLY DAYS
PRESS REPORTER INTERVIEWS OLDEST RESIDENT.
Mrs. Electa M. Frisbie has Lived in Marion for More than Seventy-five Years.
Marion has a resident who has lived here for 75 years.
Her father first bought a dwelling from James Doss, a log house which stood near where Mrs. T. J. Cameron's residence now stands.
Mrs. Frisbie said to the reporter: "My father, William Carnahan, moved from Madisonville to Marion when I was 15 months old, 75 years ago. He often said he brought all he had with him in a two horse wagon."
"My father was a saddler. He served an apprenticeship with a man in Madisonville for three years. This man gave him a horse and saddle. My father then bought coon hides and took a wagonload to Evansville and sold them, and then bought a stock of leather and set up shop.["]
"I remember David Bourland, Jeo [Joe] Bourland's grandfather. He learned the saddler's trade under my father and stayed at our house for many years.["]
"Then there was William Hogard, who owned a large plantation two miles east of Marion. He and my father were good friends. I remember "Uncle" William would most always bring his saddle bags full of big apples and give them to me. He appointed my father constable, the first public office he ever held and he was afterwards sheriff for eight years.["]
"The first school I remember was a little log house down the Fords Ferry road, now Main street, and Nathan R. Black was the teacher. Mr. Black was the first lawyer I remember seeing.["]
"Doctor John Gilliam was the first physician I remember knowing. And Rev. Haddon, a Presbyterian, the first minister. When I was quite small church services were held in the court house and later the old brick church was built down on the Princeton road, now South Main.["]
"My father, mother and one sister were buried down there in the old cemetery.["]
"I also remember Mr. J. N. Wood, who for years was one of the leading merchants and a prominent citizen. He came here from Illinois if I remember right. I also remember when John W. Blue, David Stinson and many other of the former prominent men came to Marion."
Source: Crittenden Press. (Marion, Ky.) 1919-Current, December 5, 1919, Edition 1, Image 1 - Chronicling America - The Library of Congress.
[My comments are in brackets.]
