In 2009, I wrote several blog posts about the Barkers Mill area of southeast Christian County, KY. I did a little study of the pioneer history along the West Fork River, and I became very interested in it. I spent several pleasant afternoons, touring and photographing the beautiful farmland, Chapel Hill church, big old houses, and other sights of the area. Some of those photos ended up on my blog along with what I wrote.
West Fork River from Barkers Mill Bridge
Chapel Hill Church
Not long after I published those posts, I received an email from a fellow who introduced himself as Will Meriwether. Born in 1923, he had grown up in the West Fork area, just over the state line in Montgomery County, Tennessee. He had enjoyed reading my posts. He was descended from some of the earliest settlers of the area-- among them, the Barkers and (of course) the Meriwethers. One of my photos, taken from the Barker's Mill bridge, looked over an area where he and his brother and friends used to swim -- a happy memory from his youth. He went away to college as a young man and became a doctor. Life took him around the world and back, but he still loved his childhood home.
I heard from Dr. Meriwether occasionally through the next decade. One of his earliest memories was a visit to a cotton gin in Hopkinsville with his father. He wondered if he remembered that correctly. I sent him an old newspaper column where the writer mused about former times when cotton was grown in Christian County and ginned in Hopkinsville. This was the sort of thing our conversations were about.
A year ago, Dr. Meriwether sent several old photos and drawings of historic homes in the West Fork area that he thought I would enjoy seeing. A few weeks ago, he wrote to me, asking if I had a recent photo of Glenburnie, an old home that was built by a Barker patriarch in southern Christian County. He was trying to help a descendant of a Glenburnie slave of Chiles Barker, who was gathering material for his ancestral history. (I did not have a photo, but I encouraged him to contact Jim Coursie, a local architect and writer, who takes a great interest in the historic houses of this area.)
A few days ago. I learned that Dr. Meriwether passed away shortly after our last email exchange. One of his daughters wrote to me about it. I was truly shocked.
William happened to be born into a family that probably had more affluence and influence (historically, anyhow,) than many of us enjoy, but he didn't coast through life on his family credentials. He made his own way with his hard work and good mind and his gift for outreach. I want to mark his passing, and so I am sharing his obituary which tells some of the highlights of his interesting and noteworthy life. I hope you will find it inspiring.
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/san-antonio-tx/william-meriwether-9198053
Condolences should be offered to the family, not to me. I will miss hearing from Dr. Meriwether, but I was acquainted with him only through our email correspondence.
