Category: People
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Winchester observes Fanny Cole Day
October 14th was celebrated as Fanny Cole Day, in honor of former slave Fanny Cole who became a successful entrepreneur in the 1820s. The event, hosted by Abettor Brewing Company, offered food trucks, vendors, and a performance by Jane Burnam portraying Fanny Cole. Despite facing discrimination, Cole managed to expand her grocery business, achieve commercial…
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John B. Huston
John Boyd Huston was one of the most brilliant attorneys to ever practice law in Winchester. Huston was born in Nelson County on October 1, 1813. His parents, devout Presbyterians, hoped to educate their only son for the ministry. After graduating from Centre College, he dashed their hopes by enrolling in law school at Transylvania…
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James Craddock’s Unusual Will
Most 19th century wills start something like this: “I, John Smith, of the County of Clark and State of Kentucky, do make this my last will and testament . . .” James W. Craddock’s will began a little differently — “Dear Sweet, The mails are stopped for the present . . .” This was the beginning…
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A first for Winchester: Pride and Inclusion Fest!
Andi Stephenson and Tiff Hays have made a fundamental decision about Winchester, the town they both grew up in. While it’s a great community and a wonderful place in which to grow up and live, it could be more supportive and affirming of its marginalized communities. I first heard about these two young ladies from…
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African American Blacksmiths of Clark County
Following Emancipation, former enslaved men who had learned a trade had much better economic prospects than unskilled laborers. One of these trades, blacksmiths, were much in demand in Kentucky after the Civil War up until the mid-1900s. In addition to shoeing horses, they made and repaired farm implements and a variety of tools. William Webb…
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Kevin Palmer Paints Ron Kibbey
This year’s Beer Cheese Festival in Winchester was a huge success, with perfect weather and a record crowd. My wife Clare and I walked it from end to end, checking out exhibits and visiting with friends. On North Main Street, we ran into Ron Kibbey at Kevin Palmer’s Art booth. Ron showed us a caricature…
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M. T. McEldowney
Morgan Thomas McEldowney (c. 1865-1934) was born on a farm near Vanceburg in Lewis County, attended the University of Kentucky, and came to Winchester as a young man. Here he had the good fortune to come under the notice of Smith Kerr, proprietor of Winchester’s most successful flour mill. He proved himself so useful that…
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John E. Fryer, M.D.: Psychiatrist and Dr. H. Anonymous
In the 22 years I’ve lived in Clark County I had not heard the name of John Fryer. I first read about the famed gay psychiatrist only a month ago in a column by Linda Blackford in the Lexington Herald-Leader. How could I have missed him? In spite of a legendary speech to the American…
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Misfortunes of Nelson Bush
Nelson Bush (c1790-1875) was a son of Clark County pioneer John Bush, a brother of Capt. Billy Bush. John died when Nelson was a small boy; many of John’s children were raised by Bush aunts and uncles. At age twenty-five Nelson married Nancy Neil, a daughter of Allen and Mary Neil. Nelson’s peaceful life was…
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Meet Kentucky Teacher of the Year this Thursday
Kentucky's 2022 Teacher of the Year, author Willie Carver, will be in Winchester this Thursday. The event at the distillery is free to the public and also includes free food and cocktails! It will take place on Thursday, July 27 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Regeneration Distillery, 31 E. Broadway in downtown Winchester.