What's in a name? You've heard that question asked many times. The early settlers who came to Harlan County a few years after the war of 1812, came mostly from Virginia and brought with them a few quaint and common place names. There seems to be an incurable an incurable fondness for names that we know so well and love to repeat whenever we have a chance.

For instance, Pounding Mill--the name is almost what it suggests. It seems that years ago an old mill sat several miles up on Clover Fork. Instead of grinding the corn as a mill usually does, it pounded the corn with a "mall," thus, the name, Pounding Mill.

As we've said before, the pioneer citizens planted corn and killed wild animals for his meat. There were a few items that had to be imported, such as salt. Across the Pine Mountain into Clay County was a salt mine. The pioneer people had to walk miles and miles across the mountain or ride a horse to get their salt.

Saltrace Short Route

When someone discovered a nearer route to the salt mine, they called it Saltrace. The place has been in existence ever since

Back in 1776 when Daniel Boone came throught Cumberland Gap, a man name of Wallin came with him exploring the country. Wallins Creek was named for him.

In the early days a land owner would hire a worker to clear his land of trees, shrubs, and bushes and put it in shape to culltivate. In turn the owner let the worker have the land for four years to use as he chose in payment for the work he did.

In most instances the land was named for the worker, such as Frank's Place, or Day Place. For many years Cumberland was called Poor Fork. the land ws said to be poor. In later years Jim Huff, a member of the legislature had it changed to Cumberland.

Many Families Represented

Large tracts of white, wild , clover bottom land suggested that the name of Clover Fork. Regardless of the name that little community where you live is more than a name or just a wide place in the road.

Sometimes people are ashamed of being from a place with a peculiar name but there is a meaning for the name and they are not merely numbers or grunts. In some instances a small community thas a namesake that is now fair sized and prominent.

Ever heard of a place called "Needmore"? That was a good name for a poorly equipped country store, where the lack of everything was vivible. "Slapout" as few know now used to man a place that was slap out of everything. What we mean now by saying that we are "freshout" of something.

"Spur" Dropped From Benham

High up on the Poor Fork hill was a place known as Benham Spur. It was very cool up there all the time because the altitude was much higher than surrounding places. Because of the cool weather, the blackberries didn't rippen until late August.

The Spur was dropped from the name and finally called Benham. The Benham apples were said to be some of the finest.

These picturesque places in Harlan County with the cool mountain streams surrounded by cedar and pine trees and mountain laurel, gave distinction that no dictionary could ever define.

Kitts Named For Mare

Most of the first settlers let their horses winter out. Food was scarce and they had to get by the best they could. Samuel Hord had an old mare, so the story goes, named Kitts. Old timers say that Kitts was named for that old mare. Many communities are named for some incident that took place in the early daysof the county. John Caywood (Cawood) and his family settled at a place on Martin's Fork that was later called Cawood. The Caywood family lived near the cliff on Crummies road.

Some member of the family killed a wild animal tht had "crumply" horns, thus the name of Crummies originated from the animal with "crumpley" horns.

Sunday June 7, 1953

Volume 52 Number 131

Pages 1 & 8

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