Margie Bailey Scrapbook

Submitted by Kellie Scott

Mary Hatton, member of the Bourbon Genealogical Society, has donated this material.  It was given to her by her friend Thecla Bailey.  The scrapbook was Theckla's mother Margie Bailey.

Mrs. Alice Lawson, Dies At Age Of 102 Years (DOD 5/7/1968)

   It was on May 1 that Mrs. Alice Colston Lawson celebrated her 102nd birthday.  Tuesday, the centenarian, one of Bourbon County's residents, died at her home in Millersburg. 

    Bourbon County Coroner, Bruce Forsythe said Mrs. Lawson was found dead in her bed by her grandson, Colston Madden, about 11:30 a.m.

    Madden had gone to his grandmother's home about 9 a.m. to see that she had her breakfast, Mrs. Lawson, residing alone.  At 11:30 he returned to the home to check on her, as was his practice, and found her dead. 

    Madden and other relatives and friends made regular checks at her home throughout several times every day to make sure everything was in order with her because of her advanced age. 

    A native of Nicholas County, she was the daughter of the late Isaac and Americus Colston and was a member of the Woods Chapel Methodist Church in Millersburg. 

    In addition to the grandson, she is survived by two great grandsons, Colston Jr. and Robert Madden, Cleveland, Ohio.

    The body was removed to the Martyn-Hurley Funeral Home, however, funeral arrangements are not complete.

GLANCES HERE AND THERE  by I.D. Zern

These are really "Peter Vinegar Days" in Central Ky.  Oldsters and semi-oldsters hereabouts will remember the term formerly used as descriptive of heat waves.  It was used on occasions when the temperature mounted to a degree which might be considered as this mundane sphere's nearest approach to the climate Peter Vinegar used to associate with the nether regions in his famous sermons delivered everywhere in the country and elsewhere. 

The colored evangelist who lived and held forth for the part in Lexington, was a familiar figure in Nicholas County between 40 and 50 years ago often appearing at Henryville and at Ewing where his fiery delineations of the world to come for sinners were of the quality that made his name a byword throughout the Bluegrass and a synonym for heat.

The application of his name to the hottest of days persisted long after the old preacher had gone to his reward in, I have always hoped, a far cooler region than that which he often described in his favorite sermon entitled:  " A Dam' Hot Day"

PETER VINEGAR INFORMATION
Editor: The Herald
I noticed that more dope on Peter Vinegar is desired, following the mention of the noted revivalist in the Demon Dopester's column. 

Mrs. Anna Bell Ward of Somerset is writing a historical novel and one of her characters is Peter Vinegar of Chitlin' Switch of Fayette Co.  I believe that if anyone interested in this matter would would drop her a line, she could furnish the information and would be glad to do so.

REMEMBERS PETER VINEGAR

When I was a small girl down in Carlisle, Nicholas County, there came to the community a tall, gaunt Negro man who said his name was Peter Vinegar and that he had come to pour out religion of the Good Book on the sinners.  He was known to have a revival at Ruddles Mills, Bourbon County and several other settlements.  His sermon texts were quite unusual.
" For the bed I am too short" "Hold that Tiger" "The debbil is a porcupine"
He vanished quite suddenly, just as he had come.  - Mrs. Guy R. Bell


This is information for "Folklorist" Peter Vinegar.  Peter Vinegar was the Rev. Alexander Vinegar who died July 19, 1905.  Accounts of his death were carried by both of the Lexington papers.  An article concerning him by Bob Fain was published in the Lexington Herald Leader August 20, 1953.  Mrs. Nannie Bell Taylor objected to some of the statements made in this article in a letter to the editor-Mary Hester Cooper

If " Folklorist" will contact Mrs. Jessie Vinegar, 477 West Fourth Street,  Lexington, he may be able to get a line on Peter Vinegar.  I think the old fellow is buried in the of the colored cemeteries in or around Lexington and this Mrs. Vinegar married one of his descendants.  Peter often came to Cynthiana for camp meeting days and drew large crowds of white folks.  -Reader of Cynthiana