Dr. John J. Dickey Diary, Fleming County, Ky.  Recorded in the 1870's and
beyond.  Reprinted in Kentucky Explorer, Volume 10, No 4 - September,
1995. p. 86. By permission. Clay County.

JOHN McDANIEL, June 13, 1898.

     I knew Col. Daniel Garrard well. He told me that he drank a great
deal when he was young but when he married he quit and would not drink
anything intoxicating not even cider.  General T. T. Garrard never drank
not even a dram.  I knew General Hugh White well. He drank a great deal
when young but quit entirely.  James White, his son, did not drink
anything.  Daugherty White would take a dram sometimes, get tipsy.  If he
took a drink in a saloon everybody present must drink with him, no matter
how many were there.  "Big mouthed" Jim Bolling was brother-in-law of Rev.
John Gilbert.  He would come to Manchester, buy a quart of whiskey and
stand or sit around (on) his horse and drink.  When he got ready he would
go quietly home.  He was a great friend of Daniel Garrard.
     I made the coffin of old David Benge, the old hunter, the father of
all the Benge's in Clay County.  Old Ned Callahan died at the home of his
son-in-law Robin Cornetts where Hays Coldiron lives, at Benge, this
county.  When an old man, and the deer had about disappeared, he would go
out in the evening by Mill Creek, and build up a fire and sleep by it all
night.  When old he always wore his hunting tackle, a pouch containing
flints, a pipe and tobacco, etc.  He would put it on when he dressed just
as his garments.  T. T. Garrard made his first race in 1846 against
Daughterty White for the Lower House of the Kentucky Legislature.  White
beat him about 150 to 200 votes.  I cast my first vote at that election
for Garrard.  Garrard then went to the Mexican War.  After the war he
went to California taking a Negro with him.  After returning from
California he and White ran again for the same office and White beat him
250 votes.  They agreed to make the race no more.  I did not hear them say
so but heard about it.  Clay, Letcher and Perry Counties formed the
district at that time.  John E. White and George Stivers had a
misunderstanding.  I do not know what it was about.  Stivers had gone to
his brother-in-laws, John Lynx on Rockcastle River hiding from White. 
White accompanied by Dillion White and Thomas Chestnut (Chenault?) started
to Lynx's in search of Stivers.  On the road they met with old William
Benge called 'Booger," 75 years old.  J. E. White asked where George
Stivers was.  He answered that he did not know.  White cursed him and
threatened to kill him if he did not give the desired information. 
Chestnut said to White "Don't hurt that old man."  White turned on
Chestnut and sent a bullet through Chestnut's brain killing him instantly.
This terminated the search.  White and Stivers made up and were friendly.
They were always on opposite sides in politics.  But it happened that
they were for the same man in a pending election.  Meeting each other in
John Lucas' saloon, some word passed about the election.  Stivers said he
believed their candidate would be beaten.  White said that he had
concluded not to vote for him.  "Then have you quit us?" Stivers said. 
White at this cursed Stivers.  Stivers told him he need not act the fool
about it.  Whereupon White drew his pistol and Stivers got the drop on him
and shot him first in the thigh breaking the bone and then through the
wrist from which wounds White limps today, in both thigh and hand.  White
killed William Bolling, jailor of Clay County.  I do not know the cause. 
It was done in Manchester after night.  It was done under the shed of
Pitman's Drug Store.  Bolling ran up to the yard gate of the present
Jeffrie's place and died there.  White was tried and acquitted in both
cases.  White quit drinking aftr Stivers shot him.  This was in 1865.  Old
Bill White, not living, son of General Hugh White killed a woman with a
butcher knife and stayed there about 25 years.  This was before the war. 
John G. White killed Jack Haker (Baker) in a street fight a few years ago.
Daugherty White was in the fight.

Garrard White Bolling Gilbert Benge Callahan Cornetts Coldiron Stivers
Lynx Chestnut Chenault Pitman Jeffries Haker Baker
=
CA Letcher-KY Perry-KY

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