Knowing where your relatives came from is intriguing, at the very least. Maybe it will explain something, anything about us. All those questions…
The family member I know the most about is my father. I have pictures of him from baby to the end of his life. He was born in 1912, so way back there. I have a book someone did of Hamilton genealogy that goes back to Thomas Hamilton leaving Scotland for Maryland and then joining a group that moved to Kentucky.
The greatest source I have is a book, “The Sun Shines Bright,” written by my great-aunt, Sue Hamilton Jewell, a book of stories about the family in Uniontown, Kentucky in the late 19th century into the early 20th, including a few about my Daddy as a child.
My great-grandfather, grandfather, and father were all born in Uniontown. Here’s a photo I found that must be the Main Street that she wrote about, where even a 3-year old could be sent on errands.
Last week, I journeyed to Uniontown on the Ohio River, near Illinois and Indiana. I had no idea what I would find. Getting closer made me very emotional as I drove past fields of corn in rich agricultural west Kentucky, called the Upper South.
My great-grandfather was a grain dealer with an office in the warehouse on the river. My great-grandmother was from a plantation near New Orleans…another story to find. How did they meet? They had a great love story. Nine of their 12 children survived to adulthood, living a Tom Sawyer childhood along the river, “Our River,” as they called it.
…and later…
They had a staff of servants to help with the large home they finally moved into. Their land covered about half a block, with a diversity of neighbors on each side. There were 14 rooms with a 40 foot hallway the younger kids raced up and down on velocipedes pulling wagons. My great-grandfather was never bothered and must have been the kindest of gentlemen.
So, I drove to Uniontown with this info, along with the knowledge that the town had suffered greatly from the Ohio River floods of 1884, which brought Clara Barton to town for the first Red Cross relief effort as the river raged for weeks through the Ohio River Valley and all the river towns in its path. The 1937 flood left my widowed great-grandmother to be rescued from the second floor balcony by rowboat. The damage to the house and the remnants of the flood led to her death by pneumonia. This must be just a regular flood in this faint photo…
I knew the latest population was 1,000 and I found it on the map, but it was missing from my iPad map. How do you lose a town in an aerial shot? Scary. What would I find?
There was a town still. A levee keeps the flooding away, but the river has changed. I first looked across, imaging a shore where kids could swim across, barges and riverboats coming ’round the bend with my relatives waiting.
There was more than I expected actually. No old buildings, but a post office, VFW, cafe, two grocery markets and a marine store for the boaters who launched their boats on the river. I drove around enough to get a feel for where the house might have stood, picturing what I could from stories…the family eating fried chicken, Kentucky ham, homemade peach ice cream, and asparagus they grew in the yard. They gathered with their friends for burgoo, a community stew of whatever was brought. Such an isolated little town, a river town.
A young girl with a Kentucky drawl at Floyd’s Food Market gave me directions to the cemetery and I hurried before dark to a small cemetery surrounded by cornfields ready for harvest. Where to look? It was all very clean and well kept, divided into about four areas. In frustration, I parked and walked up the little hill. I remember Aunt Sue writing about the babies buried on the hill.
Suddenly, there it was…
…my great-grandparents. And the babies were beside them, touching little headstones for Annie, Nell G. and Merritt.
Behind them were my great-great grandmother and their oldest son, who I actually remember. Then I found two of their daughters. One died after the birth of her second child and her sister married her widower. All three of them, Verg and the two sisters he loved, all buried together. There were some others near, too. I looked and looked for any of my grandmother’s people because she grew up here, too. I didn’t find anyone…another story.
In the end, I stood by the gravestone and put my hand on it and my eyes were overflowing with tears. I thanked them for all the love they passed down. I thought of all the generations that have followed them…
One last look at the wide Ohio River, which is now kind of My River, too.
Then back to Floyd’s for a souvenir…
What did I find out? Lots more than I ever dreamed, but I’ll leave it with this…some of the best things about my family were born in a little town on the Ohio River. No flood will ever take that away. And now that river runs through me…
Confetti Thoughts 
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Thanks, Georgia. I’ll use that for sure…
This one was special, Sis. Thanks!
It was a very special & moving trip… I wonder if Aggie’s family was in the other cemetery, the Catholic one. It was too dark to go there…
The Spauldings were in the other cemetery. Glad you could make it and loved the way you described the trip.
Eddie
I figured they were in the Catholic cemetery, but it was too dark to get over there. I apologized to Aggie. I don’t know much about her life there, although I have some materials to read that someone gave my mother. Glad you liked the piece.
I found your My River Kinfolk while looking for a picture of the Distillery and Wharehouse ithat was once located in Uniontown, KY. I grewup in Uniontown. The last house we lived in was located on the conrer of 3rd and Pearl across from the Baptist church. What was known as the Hamilton house was located on the coner of 3rd and Spruce. The house was bought by me Mother sometime in late 40’s or early 50’s. I am not sure when it was torn down. Our house at 3rd and Pearl has also been torn down. There is a block building that sits on the property today. Uniontown has changed considerably since I moved away. Many of the older building of my childhood are not there anymore.
Hi Byron. I was so excited to get your comments. I’m surprised that the Hamilton house was in any shape when your mother bought it due to damage from the 1937 flood. Tell me more about when you lived in Uniontown. I don’t know if any Hamiltons, Givens, Spaldings or others of my family were around. Thanks so much for writing.
Karen Hamilton Fraser
Hello. I loved loved reading your Storey. I have lived in uniontown my entire life. I’m 35 years old. I have worked at Floyd’s supermarket since I was 16. My uncle Gary Ashby takes care of the city cemetery. I love reading history of Uniontown and looking at old photos. Thanks for sharing!!! If I can ever be any help sending you info of our little town feel free to drop me an email. Again thanks for sharing!!
Hello, Devon. Thank you so much for writing. I wish I’d had more time in Uniontown last summer and now I want to come back. For some reason, my piece about my visit spread this weekend (I wrote it last summer) and I’ve heard from several people who either lived there or might be related to me. I loved Floyd’s and my hat I got from there. Thank you uncle for his care of the cemetery. It looked perfect when I was there and I appreciated it. When I head that way again, I’ll be sure to contact you. I’d love to have someone who lives there to ask questions.
Karen
I am enjoying reading your blogs about Uniontown! My great grandparents, Cyrus “Ty” Ford and his wife, Minnie Fallis Ford, lived there. Thanks for sharing your information!
Thank you. I hope to get back there soon.
My family is also from uniontown. Their last name was borup. Most moved out after the flood in the 30’s.
Thank you for your comments. My great-grandmother died of pneumonia in the 1930s from moving back into her house after it had been badly flooded. The river had so much influence on Uniontown – good and bad.
My name is Matt Buckman. I was born in 1945 and lived on Spruce St between 4th and 5th streets from 1950 until 1967. I walked by the Hamilton House virtually every day on my way to Ford’s Grocery Store which was located across 3rd Street from the Hamilton House. Although the house was run down, people lived in it until approximately 1956. It was abandoned at about that time and I and friends of my age would enter the house to capture pigeons or shoot them with bb guns. I remember going to the attic/third floor and walking over receipts and check stubs from the Hamilton business. There were hundreds if not thousands of them lying on the wooden floor.
The photo above is exactly (although in much better condition) as I remember the house. It was known as being haunted and dangerous because of its condition. There were only two houses in the two blocks between where I lived and the Hamilton House. My relatives lived in those houses. The Hamilton House was torn down after 1956 but before 1962.
The house that is on that property now was moved from another location and was owned by the parents of my best high school friend.
Thank you, Matt. I love hearing the stories of this wonderful house, although it makes me sad that it became so run down. I guess after that last flood, it was sold and later abandoned. My great-grandmother refused to leave and died of pneumonia for staying in the wet house. I think all the kids had left by then and didn’t come back to get the things out of the attic. It has an incredible history and I’m proud to be part of it. You and I are the same age, by the way.
My mother was adopted, searched for her family all her life. Through DNA i have been able to finally connect with some of her birth family. Her family is also from Uniontown. My mother’s people with surnames Berry, Smith, and Duncan. I hope to visit this sweet little town before long, and possibly meet some relatives 🙂
It’s wonderful that we can research these things now. I’m charmed by Uniontown and hope you will be too. Thanks for writing.
Karen
Your g. aunt’s book, The Sun Shines Bright, was it published? I have googled it for information but can’t find any. My family: Cambron, Rhodes, Boone also came from Uniontown and I am always looking for more stories.
Hi,
Yes, it was published. Sue Hamilton Jewell, “The Sun Shines Bright.” It was published in 1952 by Pageant Press. I have found copies of it online every once in awhile & was able to get them for all my kids. Hope you can find it for great stories of the area. She was a delight!