Katherine Pettit Diary c. 1899

[hand-drawn map showing Route taken to/from Camp Ceder Grove near the Road to Big Creek along Messer Branch, Coal bank Branch, cliff, and across North Fork of the Ky River; also includes references to Sally Davidson Branch and Lick Branch]

Dotted line represents the route taken by, Party, Sept 5th 1899.

Diary of Katherine Pettit

Chairman of

Social Settlement in the

Kentucky Mountains,

Under

The Kentucky Federation

of

Womens' Clubs

Aug 3-- Misses Morris, Pettit & Miller left Lex. for Hazard Ky. Tunnel caved in at Tallega, waited there 6 hrs. then returned to W. St. Helen Stayed all night with Mrs Mcguire relations of Miss Beatty & in the house where her mother was born-- Meet Mrs Duff aunt of Miss Beatty-- Went to church at night. Services conducted by Mr. Grove of Pisgah & Mr. Irvine of Clay City

Aug 5. Saturday - Slept last night on a couch with a fellow travelor an old mountain woman who smokes-- Misses Miller & Morris slept in same room in bed-- We put the feather beds on floor, but could not sleep well as the beds are alive with crawling creatures Took a Kodac picture of the Mcquire family--Relaxed

word that the debris from the tunnel had been cleared away so we started for Jackson on the regular morning train-- It was pouring rain-- Passed through the tunnel very slowly. Had fallen in from the top-- Reached Jackson on time - No word from Mr. Mitchel about wagon - Went to the Arlington hotel-- After dinner I went to see about engaging wagons to start over to Hazard-- Found we had to have two wagons as that would be cheaper than horseback-- Miss Miller went to see Mr. Taulbee the County Clerk who owned the horses and he decided to let us have the two horses wagons for $13.75 andif we pay all expenses going and coming. I went over to the station in wagon, to see to load up see to the loading up Mr Will Shelby very kindly got a broom Swept the wagon good-- Then assisted in loading up. Mr. Taulbee assured us that every thing would be perfectly safe in the stable, that they would be locked over Sunday-- But about $3.00 worth of provisions were taken from our box; lemons, bread, crackers, bananas, canned fruit & meat-- The driver thought that Mr Talbee would refund the money-- Saw Rebecca Boggs at Jackson visited other friends

Aug. 6: Sunday-- Went to Sabbath School & school meet Mr. Logan Presbyterian preacher-- Services held at the Institute Hall as the church had burned recently, The new buildings to the-- S.P. Lees Institute are fine for the Mts - Sunda Afternoon Mr Peoples the methodist minister took us to the Jail-- Miss Morris

held a very impressive service The prisoners joined heartily in the singing-- There was a boy there 16 yrs. old for murder-- Went to church that night.

Aug. 7. Monday-- Started 5 A.M. for Hazard-- The boxes in a two horse wagon, and we were in a light spring wagon with spring seats, driving two little mules-- Came slowly, roads very rough-- Plenty of rains this season so every thing was green and the roads washed out-- Went 30 miles & stopped for the night with Mr. & Mrs. Jones-- 8 other teamsters with their wagons & horses had just arrived. Fortunately there were three rooms. The men slept in room above us & had to pass through our room-- The rooms, woman & children were so filthy that I did not venture with supper-- The beds looked so uninviting that we sat out in front & talked with the teamsters until they were ready to pass through to their room-- I spread my rubber coat out on the top of the bed, the sleeves on the pillow & laid down with my clothes on, but the fleas & other things took possession of us & we could not sleep-- Every little while we would get up & shake ourselves and try it again-- At 1 o'clock I could not stand it any longer so took a chair out in the yard & sat, At 2:30 the men came down to feed their betters & gear up. We were off about daylight Explaining to our hostess that she must excuse us from breakfast as we never could eat (!) early The bracing morning