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Washington Hensley
Harlan County, KY
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The information contained in the following article was made available to me through the research of D.E. Hensley, Jr. of Gulston, KY.; the heir of George Washington Hensley, early Harlan County, Kentucky pioneer.
In the late 1980’s I was researching the history of the early coal mines that operated in Harlan County Kentucky. I was looking for coal companies that issued company scrip. During the research project I failed to locate any scrip but I discovered the following story, which was very interesting. The subject of the story helped to write the legacy and heritage of our great coal producing county.
The first recorded coal mine to operate on Cartons Creek and probably one of the first coal mines to operate in Harlan County was near the area now known as Bardo, KY. The year was 1896, 15 years before the railroad hauled coal from the area in 1911.
Harlan County’s first documented coal operator began to mine coal in 1896. His name was George Washington Hensley, born in North Carolina around 1838. His mother was Ruth Edwards and she gave her son the same name as her husband. George was nicknamed “Wash’s Wash” or “Wash Wash” instead as the typical Junior or George Washington Hensley II. George arrived in Harlan County with his parents the last part of the 1800’s. He grew to manhood and married his cousin, Mary Emaline Hensley, daughter Enos “Bear” Hensley and his wife Caroline Hensley both North Carolina natives. He is not to be confused with another George Washington Hensley who was born in 1880 in Harlan County to his wife’s father, Enos Hensley and her stepmother, Alice Fee Hensley who was the daughter of Abner and Icy Farmer Fee.
Abner Fee owned considerable acreage with rich coal reserves adjacent to “Wash’s Wash” Hensley’s land near present day Liggett, Kentucky. The Liggett Mining Company purchased part of the land and the mineral rights.
“Wash’s Wash” bought 200 acres of land from Noble Smith and H. Skidmore in 1859 at .05 cents per acre. According to the old deeds describing the land, it was located “on the waters of Catrons Creek.” In early days five cents per acre was a bargain even for mountain land.
“Wash’s Wash” mined coal into the early 1900’s from his mine. He sold coal throughout the area and an employee, Sam Scott hauled coal in a horse drawn wagon from Catrons Creek along the Hagen Trail to the Martins Fork area of the county. “Wash’s Wash” had a son named Elijah who was married to Amanda Edwards. Elijah and “Mandy” lived in a small cabin next to the Hagan Trail. Goods and supplies came into the county along this road and provided Elijah and “Mandy with ample opportunity to profit from their location. They provided meals, cakes and pies to their overnight guest and area residents. Amanda was well known as an excellent pioneer cook.
“Wash’s Wash” operated his coal mine well into the 1800’s and sold most of his land to the Harlan Fuel Company. Land was also sold to the Black Eagle Coal Company and the area on the north side of his property to the Kentenia Corporation. He received approximately $30.00 per acre for the prime coal land of which he only paid $10.00 per acre. The coal land was approximately 200 acres and a profit was made of $6,000.00. This appeared to be a tremendous profit, however, the land was to yield countless millions in later years. The coal reserves still produced countless tons of quality coal well into the 1980’s and even to this day.
One of Elijah’s sons was D.E. Hensley, he was one of Harlan County’s first practicing veterinarians. D.E. was self taught in veterinary medicine and practiced for many years in the County. He was issued a special license by the State of Kentucky even though he never attended veterinary school. Mr. Hensley saved my (W.C. Stump) pet groundhog’s foot after an injury in 1969. His son D.E. Hensley, Jr. traced his family history back to the original George Washington Hensley who was his great grandfather.
George Washington Hensley didn’t use company scrip but when he sold the property to the Harlan Fuel Company he indirectly made it possible for the company’s first owner, Elzo Guthrie to organize Harlan County’s longest operating coal mining company. Scrip was issued by the Harlan Fuel Company from 1919 to 1958. The legacy of Harlan County coal production started by this early coal operator is a noteworthy part of Harlan County’s heritage.
W.C. Stump, submitted 12/07