Some of the early settlers of Harlan county tell of he Civil War days and of the battles and historic spots here in the county. Harlan county and all of Kentucky for that matter was more or less a dividing area between the North and South. Groups of each side would slip into the county and steal anything available from horses to "a side of meat."

One of the men from the southern army slipped through to Poor Fork one night. A group of angry citizens took up the chase as the "Rebel" took to the mountains.

High up on the side of pine Mountain was a huge rock, larger than a building as the angry citizens closed around the rock the intruder fell from the rock to his death. His idenity was never learned but the rock was called "Rebel Rock."

A mountain school teacher was slain many years ago not far from Rebel rock. The courts tried for a conviction and the commonwealth strained every effort to find the killer but the case still remains somewhat of a mystery.

Teacher Returning To Harlan

Approximately 35 years ago, Lura parsons, a Pine Mountain settlement School teacher, who had been visiting relatives in Berea, was returning to the school. The only methods of crossing the hazardous mountain were by foot or horse back.

As Miss Parsons traveled to Harlan by train, she met Dr. H.C. Winnes, a veterinarian, who was on his way across the mountain to vaccinate cows. He asked Miss Parsons if she would like to ride a horse across the mountain. She told him she would rather walk. It was high noon and the sun shone brightly.

At the foot of the mountain near Putney was a little post office. Hamp Lewis was the postmaster. It so happened that the school teacher had stopped at the post office before starting her fatal journey up the mountain.

When Dr. Winnes arrived at the school he inquired if the teacher had arrived. School officials becamed alarmed and set out to look for her. A group of pioneers formed a posse to comb the rugged mountain.

Paths across the mountain were mere trails leading in all directions. The trees and under brush were dense. For two or three days the posse hunted for the missing woman.

A little leather purse containing a baggage receipt and a few cents was found in the brush. The woman's badly beaten body was discovered half way up a hill in a thicken. She had been struck on the head with a "board heart."

Several state prisoners were working on the road at the time. Among them were Jerry Reed, Sam Elrey, and Frank Brown, Negroes. They, along with Dr. Winnes, were indicted for the crime.

The Negroes' trial was moved from the county and they were cleared. Doctor Winnes was tried in Harlan County Circuit Court at the January term, 1921. Dozens of witnesses paraded to the stand.

Eleven of the jurors agreed on acquittal but one held fast that Winnes was guilty. The jury was hopelessly "hung." Again the case came up for trial, April 15, 1921. J.G. Forester, commonwealth's attorney at the time, made a motion to dismiss the case.

Evidence Circumstantial

In stating, his reason, Forester said, "the evidence is entirely circumstantial. It would be a waste of time and the state's money to proceed further with the prosecution and would take up the valuable time of the court."

Records in the Order book show 25 or 30 pages devoted to the Winnes case, yet the murder of the teacher still remains unsolved. Many citizens over the county believed Doctor Winnes to be innocent.

picture....REBEL ROCK...A HISTORIC SPOT---Rebel Rock, atop Pine Mountain, has attracted many visitors and tourists. The huge marker, larger than a building, served as a hiding place and lookout tower during the Civil War. The natural formation was named for a Southern Army soldier during the Civil War.

Sunday October 25, 1953

Volume 52 Number 249

Pages 1 & 8

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