Dedication to B58 Hustler, "Pink Panther"

  Today, June 23, 2012, I attended the  dedication ceremony for the Historical Marker commemorating the December 12, 1966 crash of the B-58A Hustler 60-1119  76 assigned to 305^th BW, known as the “Pink Panther”. Three United States Air Force personnel lost their lives that fateful day, Major Richard F. Blakeslee, pilot; Captain Floyd E. Acker, Nav/Bomardier; and Captain. Clarence D. Lunt.

B-58 Huslter, "Pink Panther"

With an application from Becky Riddle, the Kentucky Historical Marker Program Coordinator, Chris Bennett and Alan Reed were able to push the project forward. It was the dream of Major Richard Blakelee’s son, Rob to have a historical marker placed at the site of the crash.

Rob Blakeslee

Becky Riddle, Kentucky Historical Society

Darrell Hovius, an English Professor at the University of Cincinnati was a 14 year boy home watching “Big Valley” on the family TV, when simultaneously he heard the crash and the electric power went out. The family thought the Russians had attacked. Remember this was during the Cold War.  

Darrell Hovius

Rev Don Scilly

  Reverend Don Scilly shared a moving remembrance of the crash day. Much more personal information about officers who died, the airplane, and the historical marker project can be found at www.b58memorial.com. Honor guard for the dedication was provided by the VFW post 6097.

VFW Post 6097

Historical Marker B58 "Pink Panther"

Crash site 1966

B-58 Hustler, 60-1119 76 crashed about 1.3 miles west of McKinney, Lincoln County, Kentucky.

Alvin Hamm, Valerie Thompson, Don Scheffler

 I am proud to say that two of my own cousins, Alvin Hamm and Don Scheffler are members of the Kentucky Patriot Guard Riders who road today for this dedication.  More about the mission of the riders can be found at http://pgrofky.com/

I was pleased to observe the dedication ceremony and applaud all those responsible.
All photographs are my own.

John Crawford and Sarah Aldridge Marriage Records 1840

John Crawford and Sarah "Sally" Crawford were married 3 December 1840 in Henry County Kentucky by Joseph Sewell.

The Marriage Bond for John Crawford and Sarah Aldridge

  Know all men by these presents that we, John Crawford and Henry Blackaby, are held and firmly bound unto the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the sum of Fifty pounds to the payment whereof will and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, our heirs, Ex'er's and Adm'rs jointly and severally, virtually by these presents. 
Signed, sealed this 2 day of Dec 1840. 
  The Condition of the above obligation is such that whereas a marriage is about to be solemnized between the above bound John Crawford & Sarah Aldridge, daughter of John Aldridge of this County. Consent legally certified. 
  Now if it shall always appease that there is no lawful cause to obstruct said marriage then the above obligation to be void else to remain in full force and virtue. 
                                                                              John (his x mark) Crawford {Seal}
                                                                              Henry (his x mark) Blackaby {Seal}

Consent from John Aldridge, for his daughter Sarah

  Mr. E. J. Thomas Clerk of the Henry County Court you are hereby permitted and requested by me to issue license to John Crawford to marry my daughter,  Sally Aldridge. Given under my hand this 24th Nov 1840. 


Attest. Jas. E. Houghton                                                              John (his mark x) Aldridge 
Henry Blackaby

The Minister's Return

  The minister was required to record a list of the marriages he performed. This is the list for Joseph Sewell. The last couple on the list are John Crawford and Sarah Aldridge.

John Crawford to one Sarah Aldridge the 3 of December 1840.

Note: Henry County Kentucky early original marriage records are held at the Henry County History Center and Museum located in the Caplinger House at 219 S. Main Street, New Castle County Kentucky. This is also the home of the Henry County Kentucky Historical Society. They are not at the local courthouse in New Castle.

Photographs by Valerie J. Thompson, Professional Genealogist

Alexander Thompson Surveys 1799

175 acres surveyed for Alexander Thompson 1799

  This past week I had the pleasure of assisting an Alabama descendant of Alexander Thompson  in the quest for the ancestral homelands.  Alexander Thompson had two land grants originally issued in Lincoln county Kentucky in 1799.  They are located at  the mouth of Cedar Sinking Creek,  South Fork of the Cumberland River. Lincoln County Survey Book for years 1792-1821, page 120, 122, 123.

200 acres surveyed for Alexander Thompson 1799

Modern mapping of the surveys

With a huge assist from Jeff Renner, author of Three Springs and a Wilderness Station,  the surveys can be seen on a current satellite map. Jeff is a Pulaski County resident, and county coordinator for the Rockcastle County genealogy site http://kykinfolk.com/rockcastle/

Alexander Thompson was born between 1770-1761 according to the 1830 Census of Pulaski County. He was married to Mary "Polly" Norton, daughter of Messer Norton who is listed as chain carrier on both of Alexander's survey's. He was listed on the 1810 Census of Wayne county Kentucky, and the 1820 Census of Pulaski County Kentucky. His surveys are very close to the Wayne and Pulaski county lines. Alexander is listed on the 1831 tax list for Pulaski County Kentucky. He may have removed to Benton county Alabama shortly before his death, or he may have died in Kentucky and his widow removed to Benton county Alabama to be with an older child there prior to the settlement of his estate.  There are no land records in Alabama for Alexander. Deed records regarding the Power of Attorney given to his son William D. Thompson to sell the property in Pulaski County are recorded in  Deed Book 10, page 61-73, dated 1838. Names of his heirs are listed. Polly Thompson, Alexander's wife, also relinquished her right of dower.  Final settlement was in Alabama in 1841.

Children of Alexander Thompson and Mary "Polly" Norton are:
1. John A. Thompson was born 25 Feb 1795. Census records read he was born in Tennessee. By 1835 John and his wife, Martha Harper, had removed to St. Clair County Missouri. He died there 8 July 1867 and is buried at the Iconium Cemetery, St. Clair County, Missouri. Photo of his tombstone can be found at Findagrave.com.
2. William D. Thompson was born about 1797 in Kentucky. His wife's name was Mary. He died in February of 1849 according to the 1850 Mortality Schedule of Benton, now Calhoun County Alabama.
3. Anna "Anny" Thompson was born about 1805. She married Oswell Griffin. This family, too, removed to Benton, now Calhoun County Alabama. She died about 1878. Bible records of Oswell Griffin give some information about this family. See footnotes: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jareeves&id=I1280
4. Martha "Patsy" Thompson was born about 1806 in Kentucky and died after 1860. She married Eli Phillips. This couple were on the 1860 Census St. Clair County, Alabama. 
5. Mercer Thompson was born 18 May 1807 in Kentucky. He married Matilda Sullins. He married second, Cassandra Elizabeth..... He also migrated to Alabama. He died there 25 Nov 1887 Etowah County, Alabama. He and both wives are buried at the Lebanon Avent Cemetery in Gadsden, Etowah County. Photos of stone at Findagrave.com
6. Sampson Thompson was born 1 Aug 1809 in Kentucky. He married 21 Mar 1829 Pulaski County Kentucky Elizabeth Fry, daughter of Valentine Worley (per consent).  Alexander gave written consent for this son, as did Valentine Worley. Mercer Thompson was witness to both consents and Bondsman. He and his wife are buried at Lystra Baptist Church Cemetery in Cullman, Alabama. Eliza Thompson died 1901. Photo of her stone can be found at Findagrave.com
7. Hester "Hettie" Thompson was born about 1810 in Kentucky. She married Humphrey Hardwick 5 Dec 1833 in Wayne County Kentucky. She died after 1864, Humphrey Hardwick died 20 Sept 1862 according to the affadavit Hettie filed for his pension. He is buried at Zion Hill Cemetery Calhoun County Alabama.
8. Leonard Thompson was born about 1811 in Kentucky. He married Mary "Polly" Laughlin 14 Feb 1837 in Calhoun County Alabama. He was living in Jackson County Alabama in 1870.
9. James Thompson was born about 1815 in Kentucky married Ann Grimes 28 Mar 1837 Benton/Calhoun County Alabama. He was living in Calhoun County Alabama in 1860.