Kentucky -- Folklore and Ghost Stories - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

Re: John Wilkes Booth

jasonreplogle — 2013-02-18 03:27:25Z

I've always heard the same story coming out of Northern Kentucky where i'm from. Have you found anything else out on this? I heard the teacher is was buried in williamstown

Re: Salt connection to the Hall line ending in Switzerland

AmBaj61 — 2012-04-21 14:26:12Z

All comments taken from Wikipedia

Re: Salt connection to the Hall line ending in Switzerland

AmBaj61 — 2012-04-21 14:25:23Z

Bullitt County is located just 17 miles south of Kentucky's largest city, Louisville. It was created from two counties, Jefferson (Louisville) and Nelson (Bardstown) on December 13, 1796. Bullitt County was named for Kentucky's first Lieutenant Governor, Alexander Scott Bullitt. Settlers had already begun to settle in this area years earlier, due to the wonderful roads laid out by the herds of buffalo, deer and elk that migrated to this area for the salt as the largest lick in Kentucky's history, Bullitt's Lick, named for Captain Thomas Bullitt who found it on a surveying expedition in 1773.

Alexander was a nephew of Captain Thomas Bullitt. Famous frontiersmen, Daniel and brother Squire Boone were among many who forged thick forested hills and valleys following buffalo and deer herds to salt licks.
Bullitt's Lick was the site of the first commercial industry in Kentucky - salt production. It served all Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee territories sending salt in barrels down the Salt, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers on to New Orleans. The Wilderness Trail made a meandering turn here in Bullitt County to the Salt Licks, becoming the first inland intermodal distribution system for commerce in the western frontier. Should you travel on I-65, Ky. Hwy. 44, and/or Ky. Hwy. 61 while visiting us in Bullitt County, you'll be tracing parts of that historical trail that led from the Cumberland Gap, in the east, to Bullitt's Lick and on to the Falls of the Ohio in Louisville.

Salt, taken for granted today, was a precious commodity to pioneers. Huge continuously burning fires kept row after row of black iron kettles boiling to yield a few bushels of salt each day. The salt was shipped by flatboats on the Ohio River for distribution from Pittsburgh and New Orleans. Commercial salt production in Bullitt County was Kentucky's first industry.

Bullitt's natural resources, especially timber, suffered greatly at the hand of Kentucky's earliest industrial history, the salt industry and the iron industry. Timber fired the kettles boiling salt water into salt, and fired furnaces that melted ore into iron. After a century of this early industrial development, a successful businessman and visionary formed The Bernheim Foundation and purchased over 14,000 acres of land to allow the land to return to natural forestland. By visiting Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, you can see native flora and fauna and learn about the evolution of this area since its earliest history.

Salt connection to the Hall line ending in Switzerland

AmBaj61 — 2012-04-21 14:24:26Z

Salt in Bullit Kentucky with
German Halle Schwäbisch Hall
Schwäbisch Hall (or Hall for short)[2] is a town in the German state of Baden-Württemberg and capital of the district of Schwäbisch Hall. The town is located in the valley of the river Kocher in the north-eastern part of Baden-Württemberg. The first part of the name, "Schwäbisch" refers to the name of the region, Swabia. The most probable origin of the second part of the name "Hall" is a west Germanic word family that means "drying something by heating it", likely referring to the salt production method of heating salty groundwater.[3] The salt mine closed in 1925.[4]
Salt was distilled by the Celts at the site of Schwäbisch Hall as early as the fifth century.[5] The first time it was mentioned in a forged document called "Öhringer Stiftungsbrief" that dates in the final years of the 11th century.[5] The village probably belonged first to the Counts of Comburg-Rothenburg and went from them to the Imperial house of Hohenstaufen (ca 1116). It was probably Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa who founded the imperial mint and started the coining of the so-called Heller. Hall flourished through the production of salt and coins. Since 1204 it has been called a town.[5]
After the fall of the house of Hohenstaufen, Hall defended itself successfully against the claims of a noble family in the neighbourhood[5] (the Schenken von Limpurg). The conflict was finally settled in 1280 by King Rudolph I of Habsburg; this allowed the undisturbed development into an Free Imperial City (Reichsstadt) of the Holy Roman Empire. Emperor Louis IV the Bavarian granted a constitution that settled internal conflicts (Erste Zwietracht) in 1340. After this, the city was governed by the inner council (Innerer Rat) which was composed by twelve noblemen, six "middle burghers" and eight craftsmen. The head of the council was the Stättmeister (mayor). A second phase of internal conflicts 1510–12 (Zweite Zwietracht) brought the dominating role of the nobility to an end. The confrontation with the noble families was started by Stättmeister Hermann Büschler, whose daughter Anna Büschler is the subject of a popular book by Harvard professor Steven Ozment ("The Bürgermeister's Daughter: Scandal in a sixteenth-century German town"). The leading role was taken over by a group of families who turned into a new ruling class. Amongst them where the Bonhöffers, the ancestors of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
[edit]Middle ages
From the 14th to the 16th centuries, Hall systematically acquired a large territory in the surrounding area, mostly from noble families and the Comburg monastery. The wealth of this era can still be seen in some gothic buildings like St. Michael's Church (rebuilt 1427–1526) with its impressive stairway (1507). The town joined the Protestant Reformation very early. Johannes Brenz, a follower of Martin Luther, was made pastor of St. Michael's Church in 1522 and quickly began to reform the church and the school system along Lutheran lines.
Hall suffered severely during the Thirty Years' War, though it was never besieged or scene of a battle. However, it was forced to pay enormous sums to the armies of the various parties, especially to the imperial, Swedish and French troops, who also committed numerous atrocities and plundered the town and the surrounding area. Between 1634 and 1638 every fifth inhabitant died of hunger and diseases, especially from the bubonic plague. The war left the town an impoverished and economically ruined place. But with the help of reorganizations of salt production and trade and a growing wine trade, there was an astonishingly fast recovery.

Re: looking for johnny booger ghost story

jacquelineframes — 2012-03-24 16:45:08Z

Im very interested also in the stories. My grandfather was Jc young and I think that makes him my great grandfather. Please email at jacquelineframes@yahoo.com

Medicine Books and Dream Books

Mokuleia2 — 2011-12-09 02:40:33Z

Can anyone point me in the right direction to explore which cultures/peoples were most likely to keep dream books and medicine books? I have just found out that my grandmother kept her own handwritten editions of these books which were destroyed upon her death...and I am having trouble with this line of research, so I thought I might use this as a clue to point me in the right direction of previous ancestors...

Re: A Haunted House in Middlesboro, KY

danielpeters_1983 — 2011-10-20 18:12:10Z

can u tell me anything about this house, or where its located so i can find out more about this house?

John Wilkes Booth

klafamily — 2011-10-18 19:18:27Z

I am wondering if anyone else has a family "legend" about John Wilkes Booth. As you may know there is some historical controversy on whether or not Booth was actually killed in the barn on Richard Garrett's property on April 26, 1865. Many conspiracy theories have been spun. Whether or not my family has one of those or not remains to be seen, but they do have a story whereby they do not believe John Wilkes Booth died in the barn on Richard Garrett's property.

The fact that they were southerner's (from Kentucky) may have helped this theory; however, family legend says that my great-great-uncle Jim Webster, who was a child in the late 1880s, had a teacher that the family thought was John Wilkes Booth. They said he resembled JWB, except he was clean-shaven, he walked with a limp in the same leg that JWB broke when jumping from the theater seat to the stage. Additionally, Uncle Jim always claimed that when this teacher was teaching history and they took a field trip to the birthplace of Lincoln (which was nearby), the teacher would always mention going just a little further down the road to the birthplace of the "real" President (Jefferson Davis). Lastly, when the subject of Lincoln's assasination would come up in history class, the teacher would skip over that section and say, "Well you all know what happened."

Kari Farnell

Re: 7th son of a 7th son

mariah53 — 2011-10-07 16:43:24Z

the story my granmother told me about the warts were- take ur gramdmothers dish rag without her knowing and rub it on ur wart then bury it under a rock and dont tell anyone.. i've never tryed but though i would throw it in with all of these..:)

Re: 7th son of a 7th son

shannaowens1 — 2011-05-08 07:04:30Z

This is a true "myth". My great grandfather had the gift of healing people as a 7th son of a 7th son. As a woodcutter and farmer out in the country, access to doctors was very limited and people used to seek him out to stop bleeding in workplace accidents. He also healed my mother's hand of warts when she was a girl. He prayed a bible verse while he covered her hand, and then told her they would be gone the next day...and they were.

Re: looking for johnny booger ghost story

heatherholland13 — 2011-04-07 17:50:08Z

he lived in knott county i lived right below his grave very werid thing happened were he is buried. trust me i know

Re: 7th son of a 7th son

jdjones124 — 2011-03-23 13:10:52Z

In my family, it was the 7th child of a 7th child who was said to have the special gifts. The last one I know of was a daughter, and one of her attributes was (allegedly) the ability to lift items by levitation. They called this "raising the spirits." I've heard a lot of the old folks who observed it, and they swore it was a fact. When her youngest sibling was frightened to the extent that she begged her sis to stop, big sis stopped doing it as an entertainment. I have always wondered if a child whose family strongly believes he or she will have particular skills just grows up without anyone telling them they can't do such things, they are not hampered by disbelief. That might account for the variations of 7th sons of 7th sons, 7th sons, twins, 3rds of 3rds, etc., having such similar talents.

Re: 7th son of a 7th son

johnh4129 — 2011-03-22 10:18:44Z

Looking through your listings. The 7th son of a 7th son- or plain 7th son- or a twin and I'm sure others have these gifts. The Olive Hill, KY area has several people that can do these things. Sassafras is the tree to mark to cure asthma when the child out grows the mark or cut a Sassafras stick the same height as the child and hang it over the doorway of the house to cure asthma when they grow longer than the stick. Draw fire is the taking away the pain from a burn by handling the area. They can stop bleeding and can do that over the telephone- they just need to know where the person is bleeding from. Blowing in the mouth for thrush and in the ear for ear aches.

Re: 7th son of 7th son

mom_nancy2000 — 2010-10-27 23:39:49Z

According to my grandmother who is from Kentucky, what must be done is cut a potatoe in half. Rub the potatoe on the wart, bind the potatoe back together with string, then bury it without the person with the wart knowing where it is buried. If the potatoe is dug back up before it rots the wart will return to that person. Or if the person that had the wart finds out where it was buried it will not go away, or will return. Course that is just her version of the wart thing. She said anyone could do it didn't have to be a 7 of the 7th. But there were things 7 of 7th could do that others couldn't. As mentioned before curing Thrush, or an earache.

Re: KY Midwives

mom_nancy2000 — 2010-10-27 23:31:48Z

According to my father (born and raised in Harlan, KY) who was delievered by a midwife, and his mom had one for almost everyone of her births...

In most rural communtites there were no doctors, or they were considered unaffordable, and alot of women passed with there first child. Usually older girls of the family were ones to become midwives as they helped either there mother birth siblings, or there mother/grandmother taught them how to "heal". So despite what alot of people may believe most of them weren't trained anywhere other than at home or at a neighbors house.

Like stated in one of the before posts. Most often midwives were paid with goods "garden vegtables, meat, milk, ect", most were not paid with money.

The midwife that came to deliver my father, was said to have arrived 3 days early, and stayed with the family until labor "came upon" my gmother.

Also my dad says that "cutting the pain" was just like an episiotomy these days. When the woman wouldn't stretch far enough she was cut instead of letting her rip. Making healing time alot easier on the woman.

Hope this helps this isn't from any source on the net, this is strictly from my father. If you want to know more just send me an email.

Re: Kissing Your Loved Ones Goodbye.

JimSnell399 — 2010-10-10 00:10:32Z

Yes, Ramona, when my mom died in August, 1988, as I was passing by the casket one last time, I bent down and kissed her on the forehead and said, "Bye, Mom." I never did it because it was a "tradition," but because it just seemed like something very natural to do at the time. I was 26 when my mother died. I grew up in Owen County, Kentucky.

Re: A Bell Co Ghost Story

michellewell1956 — 2010-04-29 03:09:28Z

HEARD THIS ONE TOO. BUT DO NOT KNOW FROM WHENCE IT ORIGINATED FROM. SINCE I CAN NOT PROVE THE STORY, I KEEP TO THE STORIES FROM FAMILY MEMBERS THAT I KNOW ARE TRUE. MOSTLY STRANGE AND WEIRD THINGS. GHOST STORIES INCLUDED.

Re: looking for johnny booger ghost story

bigdaddykoolghaleon — 2009-10-05 18:45:19Z

I don't think I have heard the one about the knocking spirits.

I am currently trying to put all of my ghost hunting evidence and all of my knowledge of Johnny Booger into a book. I hope I can be successful with it, I have my fingers crossed.

Re: looking for johnny booger ghost story

baritchies120 — 2009-09-26 08:36:53Z

ever hear about the knocking spirits?

Re: Strange Event in Morehead KY

bjclausing1 — 2009-05-19 16:35:01Z

Cathy,

I am doing some research for a Paranormal group in Ohio and need information on a property there. The address is 53 Stonehinge Drive. The information I need is the ownership and any background I can get. Could you help me out or guide me to someone who could?

Thank you,
BJ Clausing
bjclausing@gmail.com

Re: The Legends of Marie Laveau

mimosette — 2009-04-03 21:49:09Z

...and the attached bronze plaque:

Re: The Legends of Marie Laveau

mimosette — 2009-04-03 21:47:41Z

I think you meant "Basin Street".

Here's my pic of Marie's tomb from January '09 :

ben johnson

mchamberlin62 — 2009-01-17 23:46:35Z

Ben is my dad and worked in the mines for 24yrs. He is the son or Andy and Lottie Johnson and is married to Sadie Johnson.They had 12 kids.Does anyone know anything about him.

Re: looking for johnny booger ghost story

pandafaye317 — 2008-12-09 17:28:00Z

John helped chased out the KKK when they tried to do a march in downtown hazard. He supported the blacks.

Re: looking for johnny booger ghost story

bigdaddykoolghaleon — 2008-12-02 03:58:13Z

Its good to finally hear from some people that r also kin to Johnny... I have some pictures of him at my Grandmas house, I'll have to dig them out sometime... if anybody wants to trade stories about him or just want to know something about him just email me at bigdaddykoolghaleon@yahoo.com

Re: 7th son of a 7th son

ShirleyAnnBryantChauvin — 2008-11-30 00:12:15Z

Yes My mother use to do this to me and my siblins. She rubed the wart with half the potato and buried it at the corner of the house where the rain fell.In those days all houses had rain gutters. I really think it was the acid from the potatoe which caused it to fall off. But what ever it was it worked.

Re: looking for johnny booger ghost story

ShirleyAnnBryantChauvin — 2008-11-30 00:03:09Z

My father had told me he was a GreatUncle. Most called him big John. Said he disliked Black people. Said he was once in a store and killed two black children.

Re: looking for johnny booger ghost story

pandafaye317 — 2008-11-24 20:57:30Z

Pat, Johnny Booger is also my great great great Grandfather! Send me a message and we can exchange stories! I love hearing about him.

Re: A Haunted House in Middlesboro, KY

caitlynbradford — 2008-10-11 16:20:12Z

Where is this house located??

Re: 7th son of a 7th son

MarchMorell — 2008-09-20 02:01:05Z

I agree. My grandmother has never met her father, he died before she was born and she could cure thrush mouth by blowing into the person's mouth.

My grandmother was married to a Stephens. I have been researching that side of my family. From researching ancestry i have came to conclusion that my grandfather is a descendant of the Stephens family that moved to Virginia and founded Stephens City Virginia. His father would be John Stephens (that married Rachel Hensley), son of Lewis (1766) But i cannot find proof, if anyone out there has any info please let me know.

Re: A Haunted House in Middlesboro, KY

mattbrimm123 — 2008-06-29 04:16:08Z

WHAT HOUSE!!!!!?

WHAT STREET!!!!?

WHAT ADDRESS!!!

PLEASE!!!
I WANT TO VISIT IT FOR MYSELF!!
(I'M NOT AFRAID OF GHOSTS)
PEACE~

Re: looking for johnny booger ghost story

patmcintire1 — 2008-06-21 20:20:58Z

Johnnny booger was my great,great, great grandfather.I have been hearing storys about him since i was young. would you have any pics of him by chance or any more info if so please let me know we can swap stories.

Ghost Stories for a Book

paganist — 2008-02-19 20:41:54Z

I am looking for stories of local ghost or urban legends. If the story did not happen to you please DO NOT use the real names of the people. I also at least need the city and state it occurred in. If you would like your name printed as told by also send your name. If the place is public and people are allowed to go there please send the directions in the story also. Send to velvetbrooks@yahoo.com

Ghost Stories for a Book

paganist — 2008-02-19 20:41:32Z

Re: An Old Cox Family Ghost Story...Harlan Cty, KY

jacqui1966 — 2008-01-23 23:01:25Z

hi there, i noticed you have the surname fairlamb in your family, i am a fairlamb also and live in newcastle england, 40 minutes drive away from allendale where which the fairlambs originally came from,id love to know your connection to our family.

Re: Strange Event in Morehead KY

missuntouchables18 — 2007-11-21 21:37:21Z

I live about half way between Clearfield Cemetery and Stewart Cemetery. This was not in the local paper and this is the first I've heard of it. The picture was probably taken in Clearfield Cem but I don't know for sure.

Cathy

Re: 7th son of a 7th son

GrannyMoose907 — 2007-11-16 21:15:36Z

Since none were able to thank him, I would like you to know how much he was appreciated. He may have even been the one who saved my brother-in-law.
Thank you and God bless
Deanie

Re: 7th son of a 7th son

rhondasweet1 — 2007-11-16 20:38:57Z

My name is Rhonda Reynolds Hale. I am from Olive Hill, KY. My dad is the 7th son of the 7th son and I know that because of this in my childhood days I have seen several people bring their children with thrash of the mouth to my father so that he could blow into the mouth of the child, which is said to cure thrash. It worked!!

Re: An Old Cox Family Ghost Story...Harlan Cty, KY

angel523790 — 2007-11-05 14:21:08Z

Sorry i really need to find some information as well my grandmas name is sally sylvia smith and has three daughters my mom linda pendo-married name aunt tammy ramirez-married name and uncle frank fairlamb-maiden name i havent seen my uncle frank for along time im talking years sooo if any one knows please help!

Re: 7th son of a 7th son

MaxineBowlingFriedly — 2007-11-05 01:29:11Z

You do not have to be a 7th son of a 7th son to cure the thrush, so several people have told me. I have had people come to me with their small children and babies and they say they were cured after I blew in their mouths. Even a grown woman came to me with it and she swore by it. I have never said it is true or not true, but those people would tell me later that it worked.

The reason they said I could do it is because I never saw my father. He died before I was born. How this could work, I have no idea. I just leave it up to the persons who want it done.

Re: 7th son of a 7th son

GrannyMoose907 — 2007-11-04 23:27:45Z

One of my brothers-in-law had thrush in his mouth and throat when he was a baby. He had quit eating and was getting dehydrated and wasting away. They took him to the doctor and the doctor told them that there was nothing they could do. They sent the baby home to die. My father-in-law said he knew a 7th son of a 7th son and wanted to take the baby to him. My mother-in-law did not believe in it but figured it couldn't hurt. They took Danny to the man and he took Danny to a back room to do whatever he did. She heard that he blew in his mouth. When they were going out the door, my father-in-law thanked the man and the guy said not to do that. It had undone all that he had done -- so he took Danny back into the back room and did it all over again. This time they did not thank him. On their way home, Danny started acting like he wanted a bottle. She had one with her, just in case, and she offered it to him and he downed the whole bottle.

Re: Legends of Witches and Shapeshifters of Kentucky.

lizbanks2000 — 2007-11-04 17:04:28Z

my husband is related to "Devil Bill" through his sister, Abigail Boggs who is my husbands great great great grandmother. My husbands family is superstitious and has always believed in the supernatural. My husbands grandmother who I knew before she died would have been called a witch at one time because of her herbal remedies but "Devil Bill" was a bit extreme it sounds like.

Re: Murder of Alexander Goins

lizbanks2000 — 2007-11-04 16:57:07Z

we know about it because my husband's ancestor is Ely Boggs, the man who supposidly killed Alexander Goins. I don't know anything about Alexander's ancestry but My husband is decended from the Maggards and Boggs on his father's side. It is an interesting mystery, I dont know what to think.

Re: Our Family Lore concerning Babes

lizbanks2000 — 2007-11-04 16:53:06Z

My son is 9 now but when I was pregant with him, my husbands grandfather died during an operation- his family did not want me to go to the funeral because they feel it is bad luck (they live in Gray Hawk, KY, Jackson Co) and I did not believe it but to be polite, my husband and I decided i should not go. Then, when I was pregant w/our daughter who is now 8, his grandmother became very ill and passed away, I missed her funeral also!! We joke that it might be a good idea not to have any more children!!!

Re: 7th son of a 7th son

lizbanks2000 — 2007-11-04 16:45:55Z

the myth about putting a pototoe on a wart then burying it is a German folk lore. I have never heard of the 7th son thing but my husbands kentucky family has one about the 3rd son of a 3rd son..which my husband is. Not many people have 7 sons anymore! and we have a boy and a girl and no plans of having more.

Re: Witches of Harlan

jackblanton_1 — 2007-10-15 17:56:10Z

i was born in harlan,county ky a town called wallins creek i grew up with some thompsons and hensley my grandmothers name was julia nichols and my uncle paul nichols i have cousins last name kinkards and sergants maybe you know some of my people. e-mail me back let me know. jack blanton

Re: Carter County Ghost stories

fmfsdg1 — 2007-10-06 20:43:54Z

I noticed that this post is old. Just curious, did you publish the book? I am an artist and have thought many time of putting together an illustrated book of KY folk stories.

Re: Kissing Your Loved Ones Goodbye.

GrannyMoose907 — 2007-09-26 21:21:31Z

I always pat the person on the hand as a way of saying good by, good job, your work is done -- and -- as a way of proving to myself that they are no longer there. When you touch that cold flesh, you really realize that they are not in it any more. My mother's family was into kissing the person who died but they were also into screaming and yelling and fainting. They were hill folks and funerals were never sedate and boring in that family. Everybody has their own way. There have been a few times that I have thought that I would be better off if I could have expressed my emotions so freely. Although we have had undertakers (what do they call them now??) request that they stop kissing the body because they "groom" the body and put make-up on it and if too many kiss it, it messes up the make-up. So if you are going to kiss them, doing it right before they close the casket would be a good time -- and do it very lightly.

Re: Kissing Your Loved Ones Goodbye.

scfarris1 — 2007-09-26 20:21:23Z

Cont'd
Hit the wrong button. Anyway I'm still sorry I didn't kiss my father-in-law goodbye in 2000. No one did. I think that's so sad.
Oh well, different strokes for different folks.
Sue

Re: Kissing Your Loved Ones Goodbye.

jjltexasgal — 2007-09-26 19:26:59Z

I was very close to my mother-in-law and kissed her goodbye - the first time I had ever done it. I was shocked to learn how cold she was. My sister was made to kiss an aunt goodbye and my sister said she had bad dreams for a long time. I believe my sister was 12 or so.