Linda Ramsey Ashley was born in Mt. Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky, and graduated Valedictorian from Mt. Vernon High School in 1959. She then graduated from Transylvania University in 1963 with honors and a degree in American History. Linda received her Master of Science, Library Science, Special Collections degree from the University of Kentucky in 1978. After a brief stint teaching high school and then raising her family, she returned to work in 1978. For four years, Linda worked at the Kentucky Historical Society where she was assistant editor of the Kentucky Ancestors publication. She wrote book reviews, answered letters, edited queries and did final editing. Another duty was indexing 18 years of the Kentucky Ancestors which entailed typing 10,000 index cards and putting them in alphabetical order. Her next position was with the large specialized Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton, Illinois from 1983 to 1986, where she did all the literature searches.
From 1987 to 1996, Linda was employed as a Research Specialist at BIS Strategic Decisions in Norwell, Massachusetts. This was a leading international market research company. She attended American Library Association meeting in 1989 where the internet was first demonstrated to librarians, and immediately implemented it at BIS. Linda then worked as curator of the John and Priscilla Alden House in Duxbury, Massachusetts from 1997 to 1999. There, she managed the volunteers for the historic home, presented programs and wrote articles for the Mayflower Quarterly. She then became head librarian for the Mayflower Society in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 2000. She continued to write articles for the Mayflower Quarterly as well as assisting visitors with their research, especially their efforts to become members of the Mayflower Society. Linda continued to speak to a variety of organizations and organized annual meetings of the Mayflower Society members until 2003.
Throughout the years, she has researched and published a number of articles and books, three of which are in the Library of Congress. This extensive background in research and genealogy has provided Linda with a wealth of resources, which she willingly shares. She is a professional genealogist, providing her skills to numerous people all over the United States. She has taught genealogy classes in five states over a period of fifty years and is currently teaching Saturday afternoon classes at the Berea branch of the Madison County Library. Her topics range from basic genealogical techniques to using legal documents such as wills, deeds and censuses to tapping numerous sources on the internet. She says she is old, but continues to share her vast knowledge and expertise.
The Madison County Historical Society is honored and proud to present this Specific Historic
Contribution for genealogical expertise to Linda Ramsey Ashley.
Beverly and Shirley Dezarn purchased their farm on Bend Road in College Hill in 1979. At that time, the couple did not plan to restore the log house located there. After learning that the structure had been a stage coach stop and a weigh station with a lower-level slave quarters and a summer kitchen, they sought advice from craftsmen and builders and decided to restore the cabin. The cabin was being used as a barn at the time of the purchase with many animals homesteading inside. The logs were taken down, a new foundation with limestone facing was laid and the logs were reassembled. Beverly and Shirley learned how to mix and apply the chinking between the logs. They were thankful to the talented craftsmen from Madison County who were willing to help restore the building to its original appearance and once more become a home. The couple found a cemetery on a hill adjacent to their new home. One of the legible headstones is for “Elizarb, the daughter of Galen White”. Upon further research, it was determined that this was Elizabeth Hill and she was the daughter of a Revolutionary War soldier. Beverly and Shirley maintain the cemetery.
In 2001, Pat and Dan Crawford, who lived on the farm in The Bend informed Beverly and Shirley of their intention to sell part of their farm where the Bend School was located. To prevent the building from being torn down it was offered to the Dezarns if they would move it to their farm. The one room school had strong support beams, making it possible to move on a flatbed trailer two miles away. Upon being loaded, the current occupants, numerous mice scrambled out the back as a Lexington Herald-Leader journalist took photos. The Dezarns were able to save the school Beverly had attended and where his mother, Alma, had been his teacher. Alma and her sisters, Ada and Virgie, had been educated at The Bend School. Ada also taught at The Bend.
When the school closed in 1947, it became a dwelling. Restoration began by removing all participations to get to the original walls. The front wall had patches of black paint which had been the blackboard. One of their most rewarding restorative projects was having period windows constructed out of salvaged windows from a local abandoned home. The Madison County School System donated antique desks that had been in storage. Other people donated furnishings and books in memory of loved ones. After approximately two years, the project was completed.
The Dezarns are retired teachers and have always welcomed students to the school. In 2004, fourth graders from Daniel Boone Elementary were the first group to visit. Since then, other elementary schools, especially Waco Elementary fourth graders, have taken field trips to The Bend. Beverly gives a presentation, telling the students stories about what it was like to attend a one room school. At the end of the presentations, he always asks, “How many of you would like to attend a one room school?” Without fail, all students eagerly raise their hands.
An outdoor community church service is held annually on the grounds in the fall. Beverly and Shirley welcome all visitors to the school and eagerly share their vast knowledge of the local history. They only ask that you sign the guest book.
The Madison County Historical Society is honored and pleased to be able to present our 2023
Preservation Award to Beverly and Shirley Dezarn.
Bill Robinson moved to Madison County in 1978 to become editor of the Richmond Register. After attending Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee, and then graduating from the University of Tennessee in 1973, he worked for a series of weekly papers before returning to the state of his birth. The opportunity to edit a then-daily newspaper in a city the size of Richmond – especially one that was home to a regional university – was irresistible. In retrospect, Bill says he may have been in a bit over his head. But when he found that Madison County was also home to both a Civil War and a Revolutionary War battlefield, he knew he had made the right move. Seeing history as key to understanding the present and mapping the future, Bill said he always had the Register cover news about the historical society, the Madison County Civil War Roundtable, the Society of Boonesborough and other such groups.
After six years at The Register, Bill went to work in the Berea College public relations office for five years and learned much about the history of the college and its community. Among his duties was a revision of a booklet about the college's history. At Berea, Bill became better acquainted with Professor D. Warren Lambert, one of the county's noted historians. Later, Bill would have the privilege of formatting the pages of Dr. Lambert's book about the 1862 Battle of Richmond, When the Ripe Pears Fell.
Bill took advantage of living in a university town and took graduate courses in history at EKU. Inspired by the historical society's bicentennial history of the county, Bill researched the life of Curtis Field Burnam, who was instrumental in keeping Kentucky in the Union and later helping create the state's first two public teacher colleges. From this research, he wrote two papers on Burnam's life, one presented to the Civil War Roundtable and the other to the historical society.
By 2004, Bill was ready to settle in back at The Register, writing local news and features that often-included articles about the activities of the historical society, the roundtable and the then newly created Battle of Richmond Association. Among these were stories about the society's observance of the World War I centennial and the 1862 Battle of Richmond's sesquicentennial. He also wrote articles for the Battle of Richmond magazine, which is published every few years. Even in
retirement, when a new edition of the magazine was published in 2022, Bill wrote every article. When he retired in 2017, Bill said he was surprised and gratified when the Battle of Richmond Association presented him with a plaque recognizing his writings about the association's activities.
In 2016, Bill shared with Richmond Register news writer Machaela Ballard the annual State Media Award of the Kentucky Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. This was for a series of articles that he and Machaela wrote about efforts to make the historic Boone Trace part of the nation's popular walking trail system.
Bill and his wife, Elizabeth, moved to Georgetown after his retirement to be full-time grandparents, but his interest in history remains strong. He is in the second year of a two-year term as president of the Scott County Historical Society.
The Madison County Historical Society is pleased and honored to present the Author Award to Bill Robinson.
Dorothy Dudley White Miller was born May 29, 1914 in Richmond, Ky., the second of six children born to Bertha Ballew White and John Andrew White, a schoolteacher and alumnus of Berea College. She was married to Alvin D. Miller of Peytontown. She grew up at River Hill in northern Madison County and was a member of Cleveland United Methodist Church at River Hill, where she served as church clerk for over sixty years. The church later merged with the Wesley United Methodist Church of Lexington. Mrs. Miller was educated in the racially segregated Madison County School system with graduation from Richmond High School in 1932 as Class Salutatorian. She earned a scholarship to Knoxville College, in Knoxville, Tennessee, which she attended for three years before earning her B.A. Degree from Kentucky State College, in Frankfort, Kentucky. In 1958, she earned a M.A. degree from the University of Kentucky.
Mrs. Miller’s 41-year teaching career began at a one room school at Calloway’s Creek, the school she first attended as a student. She later taught at Middletown Consolidated and Brassfield Elementary Schools. When the public schools were integrated, Mrs. Miller was forced by the Madison County School System to obtain librarian certification in order to continue employment, in spite her master’s degree in education. She attended Eastern Kentucky University to obtain Librarian Certification and was assigned to White Hall Elementary as school librarian until her retirement. During her teaching career, she brought cheer and inspiration to her students and encouraged them to reach for the stars and to do their best. She was exemplary among teachers, as any student in her classroom would attest. She inspired many with her humble and reserved demeanor. One of her students, Ann Peyton Spann, the first African American graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, attributed the inspiration to become a teacher and school administrator to Mrs. Miller, her fifth grade teacher.
Mrs. Miller’s accomplishments are many. She was named "Distinguished Citizen of Richmond" and Madison County twice, and a "Dorothy White Miller Day" was observed in Richmond. She was commissioned a "Kentucky Colonel" in 2003 by Governor Paul E. Patton. She was a dedicated member of the Phyllis Wheatley Chapter of Order of the Eastern Star of Richmond, Kentucky, and was the author of The History of Cecelia Dunlap Grand Chapter Order of Eastern Star Prince Hall Affiliated Jurisdiction of Kentucky, 1895-2004.
She was an active member of many organizations including the Concord Homemakers Club, AARP, NAACP, the Ballew-Broaddus-Simpson-Noland Family Reunion, and the Retired Teachers Association.
Thanks to the foresight and organizational skills of Mrs. Miller, much of the history of Madison County’s education of its Black students has been preserved. A significant contribution was her collection of school graduation programs from the mid-1930s to the mid-1950s. Perhaps her best accolades come from her students and colleagues… “Ms. Miller was kind and she was fair. She inspired us to be our best.”
Dorothy Miller was a dedicated educator who nurtured in her students an appreciation for their heritage and preparation for future achievements. She also contributed to numerous organizations in the community including documenting their activities and history. She is most worthy of this recognition.
The Berea Tourism Commission was organized in 1968. It moved into the historic L&N Railroad Depot in 1987 where it not only markets all the attributes of Berea, but also displays L&N memorabilia, Churchill Weavers artifacts and a variety of crafts which derive from the Appalachian area history.
Berea Tourism’s broad focus on marketing the city as a whole creates a unique message that Berea is truly for everyone. Part of tourism’s vision in recent years has been to examine the incredible historic attributes of Berea and shine a spotlight on the people, places, and events that helped shape not only our wonderful city and county, but the State of Kentucky as a whole. This can be seen in the addition of historical content shared on social media, references to
major historical moments in paid magazine editorials, and a special location on the “Visit Berea” website dedicated to the history of the area.
Berea Tourism has supported the annual Battle of Richmond re-enactment by providing golf carts and drivers to transport handicapped individuals. Most recently, Berea Tourism has agreed to partner with the Madison County Historical Society with Sharyn Mitchell in the lead to broaden the historical information displayed on the website by building a new guide to African American History in Berea. This guide will take visitors on a journey through shared stories, local people, and notable locations that contributed to the foundation and advancement of African American Communities in and around Berea.
Donna Angel is the Director of Business Development and Tourism for the City of Berea. She is known for her efforts in preserving Berea’s reputation as the Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky and the historical significance of the city. These purposes emphasize the origins of many of Berea’s current arts and crafts businesses from Eastern Kentucky’s mountainous region pioneers.
Madison Campbell was born to Lucy and Jackson on September 1, 1823 near Silver Creek and Joe’s Lick Knob. He was enslaved to Eldy Campbell. In his autobiography Madison describes his boyhood playing with the owner’s sons, Billy, Archer and Davie while assisting in the sugar making and working in the cornfields. He learned to make baskets and weave chair bottoms from his father. He kept the money he made from selling them and paid Davie 50 cents to teach him to read at night.
By age 17, he considered himself to be a bit wild and it took the sudden death of a white friend to move him toward religion. “I never had anything to strike me so forcibly in all my life and a thought came to my mind whether he (Billy) was in heaven or torment”. Madison says he found Jesus at a religious revival and wanted to join the Baptist Church. However, by law a slave had to belong to the church of the master who had to give a certificate. Eldy was of the Methodist persuasion and would not give permission. Madison joined the Methodist Church with baptizing “by pouring water” in August 1842. Old ministers in the church recognized his abilities and encouraged him to “go forward exhorting”. He was licensed to “exhort” by a white Methodist minister. By 1846, he was preaching in Garrard County at
a school house, and in 1852 he was licensed to preach. The more he read the Bible, he decided, “I found I would not make an honest Methodist minister”. When his master died, he appealed to the widow, Hannah Campbell, a Baptist, who agreed to give him a certificate, which allowed him to join the Richmond Colored Church, where he was baptized by immersion.
In August 1857 he was sent to the Tates Creek Association for ordination by his church. There he was examined by a council of white ministers from the Tates Creek Association who found him qualified for ordination. On the third Sunday in June 1858, he was called to be the pastor of the United Baptist Church Colored of Richmond. In 1859, he received 150 certificates from slave owners to baptize and began doing so in Mr. Bronston’s Pond. In 1863, Madison was able to purchase his freedom for $233 with money he made by being hired out.
After the start of the Civil War, not desiring to join the army to kill fellow man, he and his wife were hired to keep house for the clerks in Nicholasville for $500 per year. While there he officiated at the Baptist church. Upon returning to Richmond in April 1865 with $616.00, he purchased a house. Along with David Tribble, he began establishing Baptist churches in southern Madison County. They bought land and erected a church, New Liberty Baptist, in Bobtown. He preached there until 1873, baptizing 125 members. Madison was elected Moderator by unanimous vote and continuously reelected for 17 years. In 1892, he was elected Assistant Moderator of the General Association which had membership of 60,000.
In 1879, Rev. Madison was instrumental in founding the Simmons Bible College in Louisville; served on its Executive Board, and in 1892 was conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity. Madison was an active participant in Richmond’s civic arena. Newspaper accounts show he was elected to represent Madison County as a delegate to the Republican Convention held in Lexington, May 1891. Rev. Madison Campbell estimated that he walked 6080 miles for the ministry before 1866 as a slave could not own a horse, 9600 miles by horseback in his ministry, 1940 miles by buggy, 1600 miles by stage, 14,300 miles via railroad. He had 46 ministers ordained and licensed by him, 17 ministers ordained while he sat in council, and 71 deacons he assisted in ordaining. He baptized over 3000 people while pastoring the Richmond church for 35 years, New Liberty for seven years, Kirksville for 22 years and at Beattyville and other places in Madison County.
He and his wife Polly Ballard had 14 children. Following her death, he remarried Roxanne Moberly. He departed this life on September 19, 1897. Upon his death, the Semi-Weekly Interior Journal (Stanford, KY) reported that “The circuit court at Richmond adjourned out of respect to the Rev. Madison Campbell whose funeral occurred at 12:30 Wednesday. It was the first time in the history of Madison County and perhaps in the state that such an honor was paid to a colored man.”
The Madison County Historical Society is pleased and honored to be able to present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Madison Campbell.
Paul was born and raised in Massachusetts. He served in the military during World War II and the Korean War. In 1954 he brought his considerable energies and talents to Berea where he met and married Barbara Byrd, earned the esteem and affection of fellow students and professors and, in 1958, completed a B. A. in English.
Paul left Berea to embark on a brief, but accomplished career as a high school teacher. In 1965, he left his position as Head of the English Department at Tirad High School, and was joyously welcomed back to Berea College where he was placed in charge of the theater program. For 21 subsequent years, Paul worked his miracles on Berea College stages and in the lives of countless students. Eddie Kennedy, who, in his senior year, began to act under Paul’s direction, explains that Paul helped students believe they could do things they thought weren’t possible. And then he helped us do them. Many who were Paul’s students thirty years ago are still out there doing things he taught us. His role has been described more as mentor and coach than just teacher.
Paul Power’s most significant production was the outdoor drama, Wilderness Road. He acted and performed support activities in the original run from 1955 to 1958. With his considerable theatrical talents, he produced and directed its resurrection from 1972 to 1980. This historically based play focused on Appalachian life from the early settling of Kentucky through the Civil War. The production became Berea’s first destination activity and started Berea as a tourist and crafts center. Paul was instrumental to the work of the Berea Players, the Theater Apprenticeship Program, the Summer Repertory Theater, and the Henrietta Childs Children’s Theater. He viewed drama as a means of fostering community among diverse, and sometimes divided, people.
Shortly before he retired in 1986, he remarked, “My own goals and objectives have always been to cement the relationship between [Berea] students and the [local] community. . . Children are the best means of breaking down prejudices. With the children’s theater course that I am teaching this summer, I will try to build up rapport between my students and children of the community.”
He was renowned for forging students, faculty and staff members, and townspeople, adults and children, the hearing and the deaf, into tight-knit casts and audiences. Several Bereans recount eagerly waiting to learn whom Paul had cast in his latest play; one friend remarked, “You just never knew whose name you’d find on the playbill.”
Paul’s creative energies extended beyond acting and directing; he authored everything from full-length musical comedies to historic vignettes to scrips for the deaf. He judged high school drama competitions, taught sign language classes in Richmond in the park, and baked the most divine of angel food cakes. He was a funny, engaging, kind and generous man. In 1995, the Berea Alumni Association presented him with the Award of Special Merit.
The Madison County Historical Society is pleased and honored to present the Educator Award to Paul Power for inspiring a multitude of students and his efforts to resurrect the historical drama, Wilderness Road.
Richmond Tourism, founded in 1981, has deep roots in promoting the history of our county and has worked to preserve and promote Richmond’s historical heritage in order to attract more visitors interested in its rich history. Supporting historical preservation is crucial for maintaining a city's unique identity, cultural heritage, and historical significance. Richmond Tourism has provided support to historical attractions by funding thousands of dollars in sponsorships for the Clermont Foundation (White Hall), Fort Boonesborough Foundation, and the Battle of Richmond Association. These funds have allowed these sites to purchase artifacts, market special events, and pay for things not normally covered in their governmental budgets. It has also developed the Battle of Richmond Driving Tour, the Connections publication, an African American Heritage Guide, and the Downtown Walk Tour booklet. On the digital side, its monthly Tourism Talk TV show has featured historical documentaries that tell the story of Richmond and Madison County. Recently, “History with Dave” has become a fan favorite.
Whenever possible, Richmond Tourism advocates for historical preservation. During the early 2000’s they were instrumental in developing the “Richmond Historic Overlay”. The overlay provides protection to historical structures in our downtown area.
Not to be forgotten is its flare for the dramatic. Over the years it has recounted and highlighted the city’s history in dramas such as a “Stroll Thru the Past at Irvinton and Downtown”, “Ruby Richmond – Historical Housewives”, and group tour step-on guides.
Most recently it has led the effort to celebrate the City of Richmond’s 225 th anniversary, developing the “Doors of Richmond” poster, the 225 logo, and 225 th Anniversary video.
These marketing efforts promote heritage tourism with encouragement to visitors to explore and appreciate our historical sites and landmarks. Heritage tourism brings economic benefits to the community while fostering appreciation for our local history.
Madison County native, Director Lori Murphy Tatum has worked in the travel and tourism industry for over 20 years and has received numerous certifications in the Tourism/ City Administration field.
Cincinnati native, Assistant Director David Jones has worked in the tourism and historic preservation field for seven years and earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Eastern Kentucky University.
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Madison County Historical Society, Inc. 121 Aspen Ave. Richmond, KY 40476 |
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Email us : info@madisoncountykyhistory.org |
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