The Armed Stranger

The Armed Stranger

In the early 1960's, on a country farm in Casey County, Kentucky, two teenage girls lay huddled in bed.  A vicious summer storm was blowing outside, and rain was crashing against the tin roof, with a dreadful din.  Even though it was about 3:00 am the girls were wide awake. Margret and Kay Miller were sharing the bed, listening to the storm and getting more frightened by the minute.

Lightning flashed and suddenly Kay let out a piercing scream, pointing at the window.  Margaret looked where she was pointing, but all was darkness.  In a high pitched voice she asked "What is it?"

Kay whimpered "There is a man outside the window!"

Margaret's response "In a storm like this, who would be outside?"

Suddenly lightning ripped the night apart, and they saw his silhouette outlined against the shade drawn window.

"Oh, my God, he has a gun!" Margaret screamed.

All four girls started screaming for help at the top of their lungs.  The girls' father, Dave Miller, came running into the room.  "For land sakes, what's going on?"  He yelled above the girls screams.

The girls were crying and talking over top of each other.  He eventually understood "---- man ---- gun -----outside window!"  Dave ran back to his room, grabbed the shotgun, and ran out into the storm.

After a while he came back in, wet, and mad clear through.  He stomped back to the girl's room.  "There is nobody out there!" he shouted.

The girls were still sobbing, but were adamant, "There was a man out there!"  As Dave looked at the girls, wet and angry, lightning flashed again.  "He is still there!" they sobbed.

Dave ran to the window and jerked up the shade as another bolt of lightning illuminated the night once more.

Outside the window was the clothesline, a piece of linen still attached, next to a pole propping up the middle of the line.  In other words, "the man with a gun."

According to Margaret, HE didn't think it was nearly as funny, as I do.

Casey County, Kentucky

Casey County, Kentucky

One of my hobbies is researching my family tree.  I first went through the Choate line, with much help from rootsweb, to their American arrival in 1676, then back several generation in England.  I found Choate ancestors, from Tennessee, who served in our country's wars from the Civil through WWII.  While this was interesting, what truly grabbed my attention, was Casey County's role in history, when I started researching my other family lines.

We moved from Bush Hog (McFarland) Ridge in Casey County, to Indiana, while I was a child.  Even though we moved north, I missed the hills of home and would head back every summer.  Though I have always loved Casey, I never truly appreciated its historic significance until I started researching my family tree.

My grandfather, Kit Choate, married Dorothy Bell Allen.  Her family extends back to Benjamin Allen.  While young I visited the Allen Cemetery and noticed the old grave stone from 1826, but did not realize how significant it was. 

Benjamin Allen first appeared on the Lincoln County, Kentucky census of 1790.  This area was to become part of Casey County, when it was formed in 1806.  He must have been a very influential man; he raised and commanded a unit of the Virginia Militial in the Revolutionary war, for which he was awarded 1000 acres in Casey County.  The old Allen Cemetery where his body resides was part of the original grant, and the farm that surrounds it is still owned by an Allen.

Grandma Miller was a Hughes.  Her great-grandfather, Calvin George Hughes, was a soldier during the Civil War who died in Casey County.  He is buried in the Lebanon National Cemetery.  His wife and son moved to Casey County.  Calvin's grandson, Grandma's uncle, joined the Army and died in France in 1918, during WWI.

Grandma Miller's mother was a Coffman.  Her great-grandfather, Thomas Kauffman Coffman, enlisted on July 28, 1862, in Casey County and served in Company I 8th Kentucky Volunteers.  He died at Clarksville, TN, in 1863.  Thomas' grandfather Jacob  Kauffman Coffman was from Virginia and served in the Revolutionary War from April, 1777 - 1782.  He was take prisoner at the battle of Eutaw Spring, South Carolina.  He also served in the battles of Monmouth, New Jersey, July 1778; Shamong, NJ; and New Point, VA, October 1781, where Cornwallis surrendered.  Jacob moved to Casey County in 1817.

Grandma's paternal grandmother was Mary Elizabeth "Mollie Crockett."  She was born in Casey County and was a second cousin to Davy Crockett.  Her grandfather, Robert Crockett, was from Frederick County, Virginia, and had his own distinguished history in the Revolutionary War.  He served from 1776 to 1782, and was in the Battle of Kings Mountain.  He moved to Kentucky in 1800.

My uncle David Miller served in Viet Nam, and Grandpa Dave Miller was a sharpshooter in WWII.  Grandpa was part of the Normandy Beech, D-Day Invasion.  Grandpa's gg-grandfather moved to Kentucky after the Revolutionary War.  He served in the war from 1778 to 1784.

I have not finished researching all of my Casey County family branches, and probably will find may other fascinating members.  I find it amazing how a small central Kentucky county has proven to be both a magnet. that drew heroes, as well as a well of patriotism, from which the country has drawn time and again.

The Hughes/Crockett Family Lines

The Hughes/Crockett Family Lines

My grandmother, Hazel Earl Hughes, was one of four children.  Her parents were Claude Clay Hughes and Mary Emma Coffman.  Great-grandpa Claude Hughes’ family came from Fentress County, TN to Casey County, KY.  His parents were George Wesley Hughes (Wes) and Mollie Crockett.  Both of the Crockett and Hughes lines are interesting.

Wes Hughes parents were Calvin George Hughes and Martha Jane Pile.  Calvin was a Union Soldier killed during the Civil War, in 1862, in Kentucky, and buried in the National Cemetery, in Lebanon, KY.  His parents were James Albert Hughes and Mary Ledsinger.  James Hughes drowned in Fentress County, TN in 1851.  He was originally from North Carolina, and was a full blood Cherokee Chief.

Mollie Crockett’s parents were William Nelson Crockett and Rebecca Anderson.  Crockett migrated from Fentress Co., TN to Casey Co., KY with his family between March 27, 1867 and June 1, 1869.  William Nelson Crockett’s parents were William Crockett and Delilah Lucinda Pile.  William was a first cousin to the famous Davy Crockett. 

William parents were Robert Crockett and Margaret Eliza Witten.  Robert was not only a famous Revolutionary War verteran, but he was also one of the hero’s of the Battle at King’s Mountain.  This battle was a major turning point for the Americans in the south.

From: Kathryn E. Jones, Crockett Cousins

Robert Crockett was born in 1755 in Frederick County, Va. (later Berkeley County, Va.). He enlisted in the Revolutionary War in 1776 from Sullivan County, N. C. (then a part of Washington County, Va. and now Sullivan County, Tenn.). He was in the Battle of Kings Mountain. After his discharge in 1781 or 1782, he resided in Greene County, N.C. (now Tennessee). He bought for 50 shillings 100 acres of land on 20 September 1787, on waters of Lick Creek in Greene County. Around 1800 Robert and his family moved to Cumberland County, Ky. (then a part of Green County, Ky.). He received a headright grant of land in Green County, Ky. in 1797 on Spring Creek waters of Obey's River. At that time the Kentucky and Tennessee boundary was six miles south of the present line and included Wolfe River. Some of this grant actually included a part of what is now Fentress County, Tenn. Four months before his death, he was a resident of Fentress County, Tenn. As he was 81 years of age at that time, it is reasonable to assume he became ill and was cared for at the home of one of his children living in Fentress County. At.least two of his children, James and Robert, Jr., were residents of Fentress County in 1839 for these two sons applied from Fentress County for the final Revolutionary War pension payment of their "father, Robert Crockett of Cumberland County, Ky." This claim also states that when Robert Crockett died, he left no widow.

This Robert Crockett was one of the founders of Claiborne County. He is listed on the first court records for that county.  Robert’s parents were David Crockett and Elizabeth Hedge.  David was killed on February 28, 1836 during a Cherokee raid in Cumberland, KY.

From: Kathryn E. Jones, Crockett Cousins

Robert Crockett was born in 1755 in Frederick County, Va. (later Berkeley County, Va.). He enlisted in the Revolutionary War in 1776 from Sullivan County, N. C. (then a part of Washington County, Va. and now Sullivan County, Tenn.). He was in the Battle of Kings Mountain. After his discharge in 1781 or 1782, he resided in Greene County, N.C. (now Tennessee). He bought for 50 shillings 100 acres of land on 20 September 1787, on waters of Lick Creek in Greene County. Around 1800 Robert and his family moved to Cumberland County, Ky. (then a part of Green County, Ky.). He received a head right grant of land in Green County, Ky. in 1797 on Spring Creek waters of Obey's River. At that time the Kentucky and Tennessee boundary was six miles south of the present line and included Wolfe River. Some of this grant actually included a part of what is now Fentress County, Tenn. Four months before his death, he was a resident of Fentress County, Tenn. As he was 81 years of age at that time, it is reasonable to assume he became ill and was cared for at the home of one of his children living in Fentress County. At least two of his children, James and Robert, Jr., were residents of Fentress County in 1839 for these two sons applied from Fentress County for the final Revolutionary War pension payment of their "father, Robert Crockett of Cumberland County, Ky." This claim also states that when Robert Crockett died, he left no widow.

Robert Crockett's will was probated in Cumberland County, Ky. on 2 March 1836. It is possible that he may have had other children but below is the list of children of Robert and Margaret Crockett named in his will.  This Robert Crockett was one of the founders of Claiborne County. He is listed on the first court records for that county.

David Crockett’s parents were William Crockett and Agnes Richie.  William’s parents were Joseph Louis Crockett and Sarah Stewart.  They were both from Ireland.   Joseph’s parents were Antoine Desasure De Crocketagne and Louise De Saix.  They migrated from France to Ireland.  Antoine’s parents were Gabriel Gustave De Crocketagne and Michelle Frances Harney.  Gabriel was born in 1600 and died in 1643.  Michelle was born in 1621 and died in 1689.  They both lived their whole lives in Montauban, France.

The Millers

The Millers

My grandfather, Dave Columbus Miller, served with distinction as a WWII sniper.  He arrived in France, at Normandy, on D-Day.   The rest of his time in Europe he was sent off alone to pick off enemy officers during and before battles, denying valuable leaders to the enemy.  The constant killing tortured him, but it needed to be done, and he was good at it.

Grandpa’s parents, Samuel Thomas Miller and Elizabeth Frances Bettie Dean, were married on November 15, 1897 had seven children total.  One, Ingram James Miller, died at nineteen, when a tree fell on him, while he and his father were cutting timber.  Samuel Thomas Miller was the son of Samuel Miller and Bernetta Pratt, married on December 11, 1862.

Samuel Miller was the son of James S. Miller and Nancy Patsy Ramsey.  They met in Wayne Co, Ky, and married in 1818.  They had a small family with fourteen children.  Samuel’s family moved to Wayne Co, from Wilkes Co, NC.  Samuel was born in 1790 and died in 1850.  He is buried in the Miller Cemetery in Taylor County.

Samuel’s parents were Frederick and Mary Miller.  They had ten children.  Frederick spent 1777 to 1884 fighting in the American Revolution.  Only four generations separated Frederick and my grandfather, both fought hard for their country.  Grandpa had brothers that fought in WWII and a son that fought in Vietnam.  There are also other Miller relatives that fought in American wars, but I have tried to limit this to a direct line to my grandfather.  When America needed them, the Miller boys, could be depended upon.

Fredrick Miller

I have traced my Miller line from Casey County, Ky  to North Carolina and Fredrick and Mary Miller.  Fredrick was in the Revolutionary War between 1778-1784.  I will attempt to trace the family to their arrival in America.  I will post info when I find this, or I give up.