Old House on Main St

Old House on Main St., Grayson, Ky.

"Two Wilhoit sisters inherited this house. It was then rented to several families until recent years."

Remarked by a former resident



"The old house with the green roof that was demolished belonged to Thursa Ruth Horton 1898-1988 
who was a very popular piano teacher in Grayson at one time."

"I don't know if anyone cares but the descent went like this":

1. Travis Horton 1770-1848 M. Rebecca Lester
    a. Elijah Sergent Horton 1811-1866(1 of 4 Horton brothers to marry 4 Cox 
        sisters) m. Nancy Cox 1814-1886 (built and owned the reconstructed log
        home on Grayson Lake Dam property (beautiful 2 story dog trot)
        1. Henry Cox Horton 1838-1914 m. Thursa Blankenbaker 1835-1927
          (former Police Judge of Grayson, Justice of the Peace, Fields Company, KY
          Partisan Rangers, CSA)
            a. William Andrew Horton 1865-1931 (and noted physician, had a hand in 
                the future Horton & Brown Drugstore, one of the original stock holders
                of the Commercial Bank of Grayson) m. Mollie Lewis 1869-1942
                children:
                1. William Lewis Horton 1894-1970 m. Bessie Stidham 1908-1993
                    (no children) a former director of the Commerical Bank of Grayson &
                    former Postmaster of Grayson.
                2. Thursa Ruth Horton 1898-1988, never married, very popular piano
                    teacher and former owner of the now destroyed house on Main 
                    street with the green roof
                3. Phoebe Edith Horton 1899-1989 m. Arthur R. Huff 1888-1983, he 
                    was a school teacher, merchant and partner in the Horton Drug 
                    Store in Grayson and sold real estate such as the Horton Farm 
                    Estates
                    a. living daughter Jane Horton Huff married a Henry Rupert Wilhoit 
                        who is living so I quess this is how the Wilhoits inherited the 
                        house but I can't say for sure.
                4. Mary Blanche Horton 1908-1917 died young and left no issue

"I only bring this up because its just another sign of an old Carter/Elliott County family fading away 
and the history of a house shouldn't be limited to its destruction without some mention of its antecedents."

Yours truly
Mrs. Ann Horton Mefford
turtle111 at windstream.com

A descendent of Travis Horton and Rebecca Lester through their son Reese Duff Horton who married Susan Cox


Photos taken January 31, 2014

Click here for a much larger image of this photo.

View of the old house from Main St., about 400 feet west of Carol Malone St.

This old shed behind the house is part of the same property. At one time it was used to store lumber
for a mill that was on the opposite side of Main St. from the old house.


Photos taken April 22, 2014

Farmers Hardware is just across and alley way west of the old house

The north side of main St.

Click here for a much larger image of this photo.

The house being demolished on April 22, 2014

Click here for a much larger image of this photo.

The shed behind the house. Apparently this shed and the house to the east will also be demolished.

Click here for a much larger image of this photo.

The house being demolished on April 22, 2014

Click here for a much larger image of this photo.

The house on the next lot to the east. Empty and probably ready for demolition.

Click here for a much larger image of this photo.

Commercial building also part of the same property. Was used for farm equipment sales until recently.

Click here for a much larger image of this photo.

Old tree in the northwest corner of the yard. A child's swing do doubt hung from that limb for many years.

Click here for a much larger image of this photo.

A pause in the demolition

Click here for a much larger image of this photo.

Soon, nothing will remain but fading memories.

Submitted by  John W. Grace

Back to Your Carter County Photo Album