"We knew a good time was in store when Captain Smith, an aged gray haired man, tucked his fiddle under his chin and began to saw" said an old timer. Captain Smith came to Harlan from Virginia and usually stopped at the Sam Howard Hotel on Central Street, where Baughman Insurance is today.

He used to play "Listen to the Mockingbird," "Sail Around Old Bald Eagle," and "Skip to my Lou," and after a few tricks with the fiddle, he took the floor and "stepped off a few gigs."

Joe Alderson, a traveling man from Virginia came to towm often too, and when he did the crowd gathered at the hotel for a dance.The Virginia Reel was a very popular step. He was very handy with the fiddle too.

Sam Howard's daughter, Amelia, was very small in the early '90's, but and exceptionally good organist. Her father bought and organ for her that almost reached the ceiling. Everybody stopped by the hotel to hear her play.

When the Virginian stopped by the crowd soon gathered for a square dance. Billy Gish played the guitar and french harp while Marion Howard picked the guitar.

"Jessie Wilse Howard was one of the best set 'callers' in this part of the country", an old timer remarked, "although some say he couldn't beat old Hamp Howard."

Most of the dancers were held in the homes. There were a few in the court house in the early part of the '90's but they were always orderly and quiet. Some of the girls were forbidden to dance.

One day, one of the older group saw a girl sitting in the parlor while others danced "alright, let's every body get up and march," she said. (This was to include the ones who were not dancing).

"The "tune pickers" wore out several sets of strings to entertain the crowd. passers-by could hear the strains of "Pop Goes the Weasel", and in a clear, shrill voice the caller yelled "swing your partner and do-si-do."

Fiddler Charges $1 Dance

Critt howard lived on Clover Street at the site of the Harlan Motor Company. Among the children were Lige and Garrett Howard. Their home was a favorite place for young people to gather to dance.

Many times George Fleenor played his fiddle for $1 a night to entertain a group. "Fleenor was a fine blacksmith and he played his fiddle in his spare time," said a pioneer citizen.

It was very exciting to go a few miles out of town to a square dance. Mrs. Ella Hensley, who lived upon Catron's Creek near Ligget, "set a supper" and held a square dance after. The supper cost fifty cents and the dancing was free.

Some of the boys around Harlan including Tom Ward, Marion Howard, Harmon, Will, and John Eager, Jeff Rice and Jim Kelly, saddled their horses and rode to Liggett for the occasion.

Cut horses Bridles

The boys in that neighborhood usually stood around while the visitors do-si-doed with their girls. One night they slipped out and cut their horses bridles. The visitors thought that was a pretty bad trick.

The next time they went calling, they hired William Andy Hensley, deputy sheriff, to watch their horses. While the dancing was in full swing, someone fired a gun outside and blew out the lamp.

In the confusion, the bridles were cut and the horses scattered. They didn't go very far but the visitors had to wade mud out on the dark to bring them back.

picture...ALL DRESSED UP---Some of the belles of the '90's pose in the picture gallery of Mrs. Margaret Smith Kelly, one of Harlan's first photographers. Shown left to right; bottom row, Mattie Smith and Mae Rice; second row, Nannie Smith, Amelia Howard, and Pearl English; top row, Ben Rice, Alice Howard and Laura Nolan.

Sunday January 24, 1954

Volume 53 Number 19

Pages 1 & 8

Click Here to return to Main Harlan County Page