"Whoopee, here I come," yelled James "Red Fox" Farmer as he topped the hill on Main Street at the church corner nearly 60 years ago. "Red Fox" was hired to go to Pineville early one morning before daybreak by John "Grandad" Jones and George B. Turner to bring back the newspapers so they could read about the Civil War.

"Red Fox" walked every foot of the way. "How did you make out?" one of the men asked.

"I walked fast on level ground and fun down the hills," he answered. He took a cut-off on Tanyard Hill and saved about three miles. "Red Fox" was quite a character who lived back on the Tway mountain.

He was seldom ever seen riding a horse. The 120 pounder walked everywhere he went usually wearing a cotton checked shirt, trousers, no hat and bare foot. "Red Fox" was a curious creature and always spotted strangers.

"Tom Golloway," the stranger answered.

"Why man you couldn't have a name like that," he said quickly.

Peddlers Supplied News

The pioneer citizens, consisting of about 20 families, knew very little about the developments of the Civil War. The only news they received was from peddlers. A few people did subscribe for the Courier Weekly from Louisville.

The "middle of town" consisted of several yards from where the Baptist Church is today on Main Street to the river and up Clover Fork to the funeral home.

Fate Harris lived on the church corner. John Jones' home sat half way the main block and his store ws on the bank corner. "Grand" Jones had the post office in his store for a while. A slit in the front door was used to deposit letters through.

Ed Calk owned a general store across the street, as did George Skidmore. Old timers recall the firsr red stick candy they ever saw was in the Skidmore store.

Mouth Waters

"It was in a jar and the prettiest sight I ever saw," he said. "I would go there and sometimes when I had no pennies my mouth would water and he would come around and break me off a piece," he added.

"One day he said he was going to sell the store and put all the money right up here in his head," he said. The boy was amaxed and wondered how he was going to do that. Later he learned that George Skidmore was going to study law and all the knowledge would be in his head.

Cam Hurst and Skelt Ward had homes across the street from Fate Harris and the old livery stable was on the corner. On up the street was Sam Howard's hotel which was built about 70 years ago.

U.S. Marshal Shot

A U.S. deputy marashal was staying upstairs in the hotel one night when one of his enemines climbed a tree near the hotel and shot him through the window.

The court house and Bill Kelly's home ended the Main Street. The only other street was "headed up Clover Fork" and was later named Clover Street. The Ben Rice, Lloyd Huff, George Turner, and Hi Helton families lived side by side. The town spread out in later years.

Sunday April 18, 1954

Volume 53 Number 90

Page 1 & 8

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