A beautiful good morning from Benton County to all you wonderful readers. This is my time of year. Thanks to Dr. and Mrs. Lew W. Dougherty and Mr. and Mrs. Harold Lowell for the nice compliments on my articles, but remember I love help.
With permission of Mr. Blanty Holladay's relatives and my research I will attempt to write about Lots 11 and 12.
Thomas H. Burton built a log storehouse on Lot 12. It was occupied by Burrell Beard, who was first postmaster of Camden and used this building.
In deed book A., Page 190, the Commissioners George Camp, Green Flowers, Ephrian Perkins, Lewis Brewer, and John F. Johnston sold Lots 11 and 33 to James and Christopher K. Wyly on October 16, 1839. On part of lot 11 C.K. built a two-story frame house where he and his family lived for several years. It burned around the middle of 1919. C.K. bought Lot 12 and continued the storehouse and post office. James Wyly took over after C.K.'s death and went bankrupt.
John Pafford bought the property and used it as his residence for several years. He sold lots 11 and 12 to Mr. G.B. Holladay. He sold to the Methodist Episcopal Church South in 1926. The Cornerstone was in place in 1927. The new building was completed in August 1929. This was used through Easter Sunday 1975. Sometime around August of 1977 the new sanctuary was in operation.
Mr. John Pafford was a good citizen and a devoted Methodist and grandson of John Pafford who founded the Flatwoods Methodist Church, and who was the first pastor there. He was interested in the church which was being built on the lot which he had once owned. One day while at the site, sitting on a wooden horse and watching the work going on, Mr. Pafford accidentally fell and broke his neck, dying from his injury. Following is the obituary of Mr. Pafford which appeared in the September 14, 1928, issue of the Camden Chronicle.
"A Pall of glum followed the announcement of the sudden death of one of Camden's most estimable citizens, John Pafford. Mr. Pafford sustained injuries in a fall which resulted in his death a few hours later. He is survived by his widow and four children, Mrs. J.B. Dinwiddie of Faxton, Rev. Knox Pafford of Dyer, W.C. Pafford of Rushing Creek, and Miss Mary Pafford; all whom were present at his funeral. Also a grandson Glendell Pafford and wife of Gates. Mr. Pafford had resided in our mist for a number of years and was highly esteemed as a law abiding and quiet citizen, who numbered his friends by his acquaintance. Camden realizes that is has lost a good citizen. The deceased was a man about 81 years of age and was born in the Flatwoods Community and the body was given burial there Wednesday. Funeral services were conducted by Revs. H.W. Davis and W.S. Lockman in the presence of one of the largest gatherings in the history of Flatwoods, where so many of the country's strong men have been laid to rest."
Thanks goes to Kelton Cuff for the obituary.
Thought for the week: Listening may be the most important thing you do today.
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