A news worthy home

 

                    If I could choose any house along main street as my own, this would be the one!

Still beautifully maintained, this lovely place was once the home of William Barker. 

Mr. Barker was the father in-law of the towns newspaper owner, James Clyde Nelson. 

J.Clyde was just 27 years old when he started his publication, The Bath County World, which he published and edited from May 1892 until 1914 in this very house.

After he ceased the  papers operation, he wrote a correspondence column, Sharpsburg of Long Ago, for the Owingsville Outlook.

James Clyde was married to Medda Barker. Medda's mother Joanne, was the granddaughter of Moses Sharp.

In his book A time Remembered, Woodson Knight said he could always tell it was getting near Christmas time when Medda was seen around town wearing her Christmas pin on her hat!!

I have updated this post to add the following information written by Woodson Knight

On the other side of Dr. Conway’s house lived Judge Nelson, his wife, Miss Meddie, her sister Miss Nettie and their elderly father, Mr. Barker.

Judge Nelson, who presided over “City Court”, was a former country newspaper editor and lawyer of sorts.He was a highly intelligent man and with his velvet, resonant voice, a superb speaker.

An avid student of the Bible, he led Sunday School at the Baptist Church and taught class for adults.

Miss Meddie was an immaculate little woman, friendly, ever-busy and a leader in the church too.

Miss Nettie was my Sunday School teacher and was, in the terminology of the day, an old maid.Mr. Barker stayed indoors most of the time and smoked his pipe incessantly.Mother used to say she disliked going to the Nelson’s home because the air was so heavy and pungent, made that way by the tobacco smoke. I think I remember correctly that Mr. Barker, who never had to wear glasses and attributed his good eyesight to the fact that he never rubbed his eyes, gave up smoking at the age of 90!