Breathitt County, Kentucky - History

History

Breathitt County was formed on February 8, 1839 from portions of Clay County, Estill County and Perry County. It was named after Governor John Breathitt. During World War I, Breathitt county attained national prominence by filling its quota of service men by volunteers. No men had to be drafted from Breathitt, the only county in U.S. with this record. During the war 3,912 men registered, 405 volunteered; of 324 called, 281 were inducted and 43 rejected. Kentuckians ranked among highest in nation in physical fitness. Currently, a Kentucky Historical Marker sits beside the old county court house lawn commemorating this achievement and is headlined, "Breathitt Volunteers". It is Kentucky Historical Marker #904. Military veterans of Breathitt county are also honored with a stone walls memorial. The memorial is erected beside the old county courthouse in downtown Jackson, Kentucky. The stone walls list all military service rendered by its citizens since the formation of Breathitt county. Kentucky state highway 15 in Breathitt county, is honorary named Breathitt county veterans highway by resolution of the county court.

Breathitt county shares a colorful political history also with political struggles between early leaders of the county. One such incident occurred at a polling place where a shoot-out had cost one or two voters their lives. The Democratic Party in Breathitt county has had influence in the county for a century, but in recent decades the Republican Party has had made a standing to voters of the county. US first ladies Eleanor Roosevelt and Lady Bird Johnson visited Breathitt county. Mrs. Roosevelt dedicated the old Breathitt county high school in Jackson. And Mrs. Johnson dedicated the current Breathitt high school gym on her tour of the county alone with the late Marie R. Turner, who was superintendent of the Breathitt county schools and political activist in Breathitt county. Women in Breathitt county have been more active in politics in recent memory with the late superintendent Marie R. Turner being a democratic activist. Betty Cornett, the first woman county judge-executive when her husband county judge-executive Robert E. Cornett died. Helen Combs was the first woman county magistrate from district #3 when her husband, magistrate J. W. Combs died and Combs ran for her own term. Rose Wolfe, became the first woman mayor for the city of Jackson, Kentucky. The late Seldon Short was a Republican activist for Breathitt County. The preacher from Vancleve, just north from Jackson; brought issues of Breathitt county to his party in the state and national levels of the Republican Party. The late Lester Smith, a former mayor of Jackson was a republician activist. The late democratic county judge-executive Nim Henson served more terms as county judge in memory and died in office. The local nursing home in Jackson is named in his honor. Many more political leaders of Breathitt county can be learned by visiting the Breathitt county museum in Jackson or the county court clerks office at the old courthouse in Jackson.

The first people of Breathitt county were Cherokee Indians living in the mountains in Breathitt county. The first "white" settlers were Irish, English, French or German decent. Relatives of Some of the notable last names that helped settle the county still exist, Allen, Bowling, Back, Cockrell, Combs, Campbell, Clemons, Deaton, Fletcher, Fugate, Haddix, Hargis, Hudson, Herald, Henson, Johnson, Miller, McIntosh, Neace, Noble, Napier, Russell, Sizemore, Smith, Turner, White. Breathitt county was a remote area with mountain trails and many creeks. Many people traveled by horseback and there were many little communities with country stores because depending where one lived, going to the county seat of Jackson could be a day trip or two. When state highway 15 came to Breathitt county, and county roads were graded by bulldozers; travel in the county began to be easier. By the 1970s, many parts of Breathitt county had roads where a car could travel up and down a mountain hollow or valley side.

Timber and coal mining have been the two most natural resources that brought jobs and grew the county's economy. Timber industry was vibrant until the late 1960s when coal mining began to bring in more money and more men went to coal mining. After the late 1980s, the coal mining boom in Breathitt county slowed to where coal mining families looked other places to find work. Currently, both industries are still sluggish in the Breathitt county area.

Breathitt county has many mountain walking trails and an Elk viewing area. The city of Jackson has a small park in town called the Lester Smith Park and the other two parks in Jackson is the Kiwanis Park and Douthitt Park. At Crockettsville (near Buckhorn) is a yearly festival that raises money for a children's home. Country singers from all around come and sing. The Honey festival in downtown Jackson is on labor day weekend in September. And a new fair called the Breathitt Heritage Fair is in October with Douthitt Park hosting booths and singing events. Notes: Cherokee links to southeast Kentucky and Breathitt County continue. Various communities of the county, including Canoe and Elkatawa and Lost Creek and others have strong Indian and Cherokee connections. source: cherokeeempire.bravehost.com