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5th Silent City maybe the best. Weather was perfect, too

Estimated attendance: 55
Story still in progress. Just in, Ernestine Bennett has submitted the narrative for Parker C. Hardin. Click on headline for story plus photo(s) as uploaded.

By Ed Waggener
with accounts of Vignettes by Ernestine Bennett and Emmalee Baker


The weather cooperated perfectly, the groups presented Adair County history in an unforgettable manner, and major historical questions and great Adair County trivia was handed out a-plenty for those of us with perpetual nine-year old minds who relish nuggets of information.

This and five other equally riveting skits were performed by these casts:
  1. Joey Conn as Joe Patteson
  2. Emmalee Baker as Laura Miller
  3. Mike Watson as Parker C. Hardin
  4. Lee Ann Jessee as Kitty Ann Frazier
  5. J.D. & Ellen Zornes as John & Cordelia Eubank
  6. Gary Pikedid the Pelham Story along with help from Mr. Richard Phelps, Barry Jones, Ken Hill, and Kenneth Bennett
The attendance was good, though not a record, but assuredly, in the immortal words of all those hundreds of Adair County community newspaper correspondents of yore. A good time was had by all.



All the vignettes were outstanding. They included:

Lt. Joseph Conn as Joseph Frisbee Patteson: "My friends called me J.F. cause if you called me "Frisbee," I was ready to fight.

"I was born August 5, 1876 passed May 13, 1956 and died May 13, 1956.

"My parents were Oliver Bomar and Mary Belle Patteson. My father served during the Civil War for the Union Army, with the 13th KY Infantry, which was formed by his cousin, E.H. Hobson. He was made Captain of Co. B. He fought with the 13th at Shilooh, where he developed rheumatic fever. Oliver spent the rest of the war as the Captain over the Louisville recruiting office.

"After the war Dad returned to Columbia and married Mary Belle Russell. They had seven children. Oliver lived out the remainder of his life in the Montpelier Community. Oliver was elected as Sheriff of Adair County in 1890. He took office in January of 1891, but was forced to resign due to ill health on October 14, 1892. He subsequently passed away of heart failure on the road between Montpelier and Columbia on March 27, 1893.

"I married Annie Bessie Coffey on December 14, 1904. Bess was the first licensed female funeral director in the state of Kentucky. Our daughter, Mary Helen Stotts became the first licensed female mortician in Kentucky.

"I orginated the modern funeral home in Columbia in 1920. It was then known as Patteson Funeral Home. In 1937, it became the Patteson and Stotts Funeral home after Dallas Sotts joined the firm. Dallas Stotts later married my daughter, Mary Helen Patteson. Dallas operated the funeral home from 1931 until his retirement in 1972. After I sold my business share of the funeral home in 1935 and moved to Florida, the funeral home became known as Stotts and Cheatham HOme and operated under that name until 1943. For Three years, Dallas Stotts operated the funeral home alone. It was remodeled and the High Street entrance was added in June of 1945. In 1946, Allen Phelps became a business partner and the name became Stotts and Phelps Funeral Home. Louis McQueary became a partner in 1972 and later, Richard Phelps bought an interest in the business, thus giving the modern name of Stotts, Phelps, McQueary Funeral Home.

"In my younger days, I worked as a builder and craftsman. I made many pieces of fine furniture which still exists today. I build the orginal home of Richard and Mary Beth Pehlps located on Jamestown Hill and assisted in the building of the home of David and Libby Rogers home at 572 Greensburg Street, just down from the Cotton Durham home.

"At the time of my death in 1956, I was survived by my wife, Bess Coffey Patteson, three daughters, Margaret Love, Mary Helen Stotts Moncrief, and Lucille Conn. I had four grandchidren, Marshall Love, Joan Robert Patteson Love, and Susan Moncrief.

I still have deep roots in Columbia. The business I started is still in operation today. I have a grandson, Mr. Billy Conn, three great grandsons, Dylan Davis, Dax Conn, and Joseph Conn. And Great Granddaughter, Elizabeth Conn, all of whom still reside in Columbia." -JOEY CONN as Joseph F. Patteson.

Emmalee Baker portrayed Laura Miller; account written by Emmalee Baker.: Emmalee writes this about her ghost, "She was born into a prominent family of Adair County. Her father was J.H. Miller and her mother was Louisa F. Robinson-Miller. Together they had eight children (including Laura). J.H. was a keeper of dry goods in the local general store and Louisa was a homemaker. Laura's brother, Nathaniel, was a bank president at the first branch of the First National Bank here in Columbia. The Miller family played a big role in the Columbia Church of Christ. Laura was born on March 21, 1865, a year after near the end of the Civil War. In April of 1884, an epidemic of cholera was traveling throughout the community and Laura was infected. She died on the 17th of April, 1884, when she was only 19 years old. She was never married and had no children." -EMMALEE BAKER

Kitty Ann Frazier was portrayed by Lee Ann Jessee. Account of vignette written by Ernestine Bennett.:

Catherine Ann Brawner Frazier went by Kitty Ann. She was born 1800 in Virginia. She married when she was 16 to James Frazier and he was 28, in 1816.

James owned all of Burkesville Street to Frazier Street and back to where M&F High School used to be.

They had seven children, and the oldest was Ermine Frazier. In July of 1842 James obtained a license to run a tavern in Columbia. He suddenly died in August and Kitty Ann obtained the license.

In 1856 Kitty Ann donated land to the Presbyterian Church. Her brother William, who never married owned a lot of land and obtained a small fortune.

He died in 1859 and for some reason his siblings were estranged from each other. One of them moved to Taylor County, Barren County and another moved to Minnesota.

When Kitty Ann died in 1868 all of the children got back together for a few days, but then Ermine contested William's will. Ermine's children and grandchildren also contested the will and it was tied up in court for 40 years. In 1906 the judge ruled in favor of Ermines children and each child got $12,000.

J.D. and Ellen Zornes portrayed John and Cordelia Eubank. Eubank was a blacksmith turned Magistrate. Cordelia Eubank was John Eubank's third wife.

Lee Ann Jessee portrayed Kitty Ann Frazier: The actress stood inside the Frazier family plot during Silent City 2011 and flawlessly delivered the story of this great family from Columbia's past. The Fraziers owned most of what is now Burkesville Street east to Frazier Avenue. Kitty Ann Frazier gave the land for the Columbia Presbyterian Church and the family figured prominently in the establishment of the M & F High School.

Historian Mike Watson portrayed Parker Calhoun Hardin. Account of presentation by Ernestine Bennett Parker C. Hardin was a young lawyer en-route to Scottsville, Allen County, from Bardstown, where he expected to locate for the purpose of practicing his profession. Upon reaching Columbia the weather had become extremely cold and he concluded to remain a few days-until travel would become more comfortable. In two or three days he became acquainted with the young men and liking the town, he concluded to give up Scottsville and became a permanent resident of Columbia.

He opened an office and for more than fifty years was a practicing attorney at the Columbia bar, being admitted to the Bar in 1822 when Christopher Tompkins was Circuit Judge. During his career here he served two terms in the State Senate and was twice elected County Judge. He was a man of decided convictions and plainly spoke his views upon all public questions.

He was born 23 October 1800 and died 30 December 1876 with burial in the Columbia Cemetery. Mr. Hardin was 3 times married, first in 1824 to Mary Ann Waggener, born 1806,died1829, daughter of Rev. War veteran John Waggener, with whom he had a son, Robert, who was a soldier in the Mexican War, and who died in the city of Mexico during that conflict.

Parker C. married second, Caroline Watkins,born1813, died 1847 buried Columbia Cemetery. They had 3 sons:Charles A., Parker Watkins, and Ben Lee Hardin all of whom were lawyers.

Parker C. married third to Caroline Jane Lewis in Adair County in 1849: she died 1891 and was buried in Frankfort Cemetery. They had seven children-John M., Julia, Callie, Bettie, Sarah Cabell and Sophia.It has been a noted family, several members of it having filled honorable and responsibe positions.

Questions the writer received:

The most repeated questions we received could be answered with three very different, but very positive answers. 1) Who is this JIM I love to read on CM? Answer: I can't reveal that information. 2) Are you JIM? Answer No! But wouldn't it be great to be as smart as JIM? and 3) Are you Ralph Roy? Answer: No! Ralph Roy is Ralph Roy. I'm Ed. Just Ed. or in Chinese, I go by and answer to "Hae U."

It took a longer answer to explain to the Pelham Branch story re-enactors why only one of their cast - indeed only one of the whole Silent City company, had earned the right to be called Mr. Richard Phelps. The short answer is Mr. Phelps pre-eminence in the Adair County thespian community. He's earned the "Better'n Anything on KET Award," and has earned the Mr. title as much as the old radio actor Mr. Joseph Cotton did.

Photos will be posted as captions are written and as better ones are received. -EW


This story was posted on 2011-10-25 06:17:38
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Mike Watson one of the early performers for Silent City



2011-10-24 - 307 Greensburg St, Columbia, KY - Photo by Ed Waggener.

Starts at 5pmCT TODAY Adair County Historian Mike Watson was one of the first actors at the Adair Public Library, here to portray Parker C. Hardin. 5th Annual Silent City Tour started at Adair County Public Library, 307 Greensburg ST, Columbia, KY. Mr. Watson says that there is still another facet to native Adair Countians who have received Congressional Medals of Honor: Besides Sgt. Dakota Meyer and Brig. Gen. James Alexander Williamson, there a third recipient, but this one has a twist. He's promised the details, for later.

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Silent City 2011: Audience got frighteners put on them



2011-10-25 - 315 Campbellsville Street, Columbia, KY - Photo By Ed Waggener.
Two mystery men were in the Columbia City Cemetery, holding camp, a frightening sight for 2011 Silent City's audience. It was the supposed to be terrible pair, Those Pelhams, realistically portrayed by Barry Jones, left most recently seen as Jesse James in the 2011 Bank of Columbia re-enactment, and the very versatile Kenneth Bennett, who portrayed one of Adair County's all time heroes, the martyred R.A.C. Martin in the bank re-enactment, but looking ever bit as blood thirsty as Jones, in the above scene. Jones also occasionally plays good guys, as he did so well in an earlier Silent City, portraying his great grandfather, Doc Jones.

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Silent City 2011: Emmalee Baker as Laura B. Miller



2011-10-25 - Columbia City Cemetery, 315 Campbellsville Street, Columbia, KY - Photo by Ed Waggener.
Emmalee Baker gave a tremendous performance in her first appearance in a Silent City production, portraying Laura B. Miller. Emmalee writes this about her ghost, "She was born into a prominent family of Adair County. Her father was J.H. Miller and her mother was Louisa F. Robinson-Miller. Together they had eight children (including Laura). J.H. was a keeper of dry goods in the local general store and Louisa was a homemaker. Laura's brother, Nathaniel, was a bank president at the first branch of the First National Bank here in Columbia. The Miller family played a big role in the Columbia Church of Christ. Laura was born on March 21, 1865, a year after the end of the Civil War. In April of 1884, an epidemic of cholera was traveling throughout the community and Laura was infected. She died on the 17th of April, 1884, when she was only 19 years old. She was never married and had no children." -EMMALEE BAKER

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Silent City 2011: Joey Conn as Joseph F. Patteson



2011-10-25 - Columbia Cemetery, 315 Campbellsville Street, Columbia, KY - Photo by Ed Waggener.
Lt. Joseph Conn portrayed his grandfather, Joseph F. Conn, founder of what is today Stotts-Phelps-McQueary Funeral Home.

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Silent City 2011: Lee Ann Jessee as Kitty Ann Frazier



2011-10-25 - Columbia, KY - Photo by Ed Waggener.
Lee Ann Jessee, Director of the Adair County Public Library, and veteran Silent City actress, stands inside the Frazier family plot and flawlessly delivered the story of this great family from Columbia's past. The Fraziers owned most of what is now Burkesville Street east to Frazier Avenue. Kitty Ann Frazier gave the land for the Columbia Presbyterian Church and the family figured prominently in the establishment of the M & F High School.

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Silent City 2011: The Frazier family plot



2011-10-25 - Columbia Cemetery, 315 Campbellsville Street, Columbia, KY - Photo by Ed Waggener.
The crowd had moved up the hill to Parker C. Harden's grave when this photo was taken. The Frazier family plot is one of the most recognizable locations in the cemetery, catching the eye of pedestrians, bikers, hikers and motorized vehicles on Lindsey Wilson Street and Campbellsville Street.

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Silent City 2011: J.D. & Ellen Zornes as John & Cordelia Eubank



2011-10-25 - Columbia Cemetery, 315 Campbellsville Street, Columbia, KY - Photo by Ed Waggener.
J.D. and Ellen Zornes portrayed Cordelia and John Eubank.

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Silent City 2011: Gary Pike as Nathan Montgomery



2011-10-25 - Columbia Cemetery, 315 Campbellsville Street, Columbia, KY - Photo by Ed Waggener.
Gary Pike narrated the story of the naming of Pelham Branch.. Behind him is Joe Coffey, Montpelier, KY. Also in the vignette were the actors Barry Jones, Kenneth Bennett, as the infamous Pelhams; and Ken Hill, as Colonel William Casey, and Mr. Richard Phelps, portraying Nathan Montgomery.

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Silent City 2011: Col. Casey, Nathan Montgomery save the town



2011-10-25 - Columbia Cemetery, 315 Campbellsville Street, Columbia, KY - Photo By Ed Waggener.
It was one of the most realistic whuppings ever delivered in an outdoor drama. When Col. Wm. Casey, left sat on poor Barry Jones as one of the Pelhams, and Nathan Montomery subdued the other Pelham, played by versatile actor Kenneth Bennett. Colonel Casey looked a lot like Ken Hill, and Nathan Montgomery was Mr. Richard Phelps. According to the narrator, the younger Nathan Montgomery played by Gary Pike, the Pelhams had set up camp north of town, and raised suspicions in the refined city of Columbia. Col. Casey and Nathan Montgomery went to investigate, disarmed the Pelhams, whipped them pretty good, sentenced them to 40 lashes they themselves administered, and the Pelhams left the country, but to be forever immortalized with a creek named for them and a prestigious Adair County highway, Pelham Branch Road, named after two scoundrels or misperceived hapless sojourners. Take your pick.

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