HARLAN ENTERPRISE
DECEMBER 23, 1923
TRAIN KILLS C.F.C NOLAN
Harlan County Pioneer meets death at Chad Sunday Afternoon
C. F. C. Nolan, 79 retired business man and
one of last of the sturdy
pioneer stock that were responsible the founding of Harlan County,
was killed by a
switch engine near his home at Chad Sunday afternoon.
Mr. Nolan, 79 was returning from a walk and
stepped back on the railroad
track after letting a fast freight train pass him, when he was struck
in the
back by a switch train that was closely behind the freight. He was
placed in
the cabooseof the train and rushed to the Lynch hospital but died before
it was reached.
Mr. Nolan, known all over this section as "Uncle
Chad", was loved and
respected by all that accorded the privilege of calling him friend.
His home
at Chad was a haven for rest and entertainment for all who passed that
way, rivaling the late
lamented Col.Taylor for the title of a "Prince of Hospitality" .
Uncle Chad was born March 5, 1845, and served during
the Civil War on the
Home Guards, being actively engaged on several occasions with maraudding
bands of Confederate soldiers. On one occasion, Mr. Nolan, who was
just a
boy, found on the battlefield part of the records of General John H.
Morgan.
He was married in 1862, to Louisa Turner who lived
on Clover Fork, where
Evarts is now located. Mrs. Nolan died January 10, 1918.
In the early years of his life, Mr Nolan was in
the employ of a number of
large corporations in obtaining mineral rights in Harlan. He also engaged
in
the lumber and stave business before coal mines were developed or the
railroad had entered.
He was elected to the Legislature for two successive
terms, serving from
1900to 1904 as Representative from this district. During his stay there,
Mr.
Nolan was an active adherent of the proposed plans to build a new State
Capitol. He
also introduced the bill in the House to change the name of County
seat of
Harlan, County from Mt Pleasant to Harlan.
Mr. Nolan's grandfather, John Nolan was an aide
on the staff of General
George Washington during the Revolutionary War and was given a grant
of land
for his services that included the present site of Middlesboro much
of Bell
County and a part of Harlan. The family moved to that property from
their home in
Leesburg, Va.
Chad, Ky and Nolansburg, Ky were both named in honor of
Mr. Nolan whose
early efforts and foresight had made possible the development of that
section
of the valuable coal fields of Harlan. No other man in Kentucky had
the
distinction of having two railroad stations named for him.
"Uncle Chad" was the last of his generation, loveable,
kindly always
neighborly and hospitable and people swore his integrity and honesty.
Harlan
County and Eastern Kentucky mourn the loss of this steadfast patriot.
Mr. Nolan was the father of 14 children, five are
still living. The
survivors are; Mrs. Betty Marshall, Beggs, Okla. Dr. J. W. Nolan; Harlan.
Mrs. Lucretia
Davisworth, Creech, Ky. Mrs. Berry Howard, Wallins and Gillis Nolan,
Creech.
Researcher: and Submitted By:
Elva Nolan Morgan
[email protected]
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