By Steve Flairty
NKyTribune columnist
I am amazed at the stories that come out of small Kentucky communities. I learned a whole passel more recently when I absorbed four volumes from The Untold Clay series, authored by Gary Burns, a resident of Clay County and a member of the Clay County Historical Society (CCHS), in southeastern Kentucky.
But first, some perspective.
Native Kentuckians often possess an extraordinary “sense of place,” which means, essentially, an emotional connection to where they were raised and to the values of their community that helped raise them. Though that attachment might sometimes be negative, for most I meet, it’s a treasured thing with more good than bad.
To demonstrate, just take the sheer volume of local, small-town historical societies around Kentucky. A few of which I’m well acquainted with are ones in Cynthiana, Winchester, Harrodsburg, Versailles, and Pendleton County, in Butler — located in the house where my mother was raised. Each is exquisitely well-done, and it’s only a tiny sampling of the Commonwealth’s offering.
Around Clay County, people certainly take their heritage pretty seriously—and even when it isn’t pretty. Renowned Kentucky historian Dr. Thomas Appleton considers the Clay County Historical Society (CCHS) “one of the most active and successful in the state.”
Kudos for the organization’s authenticity—read honesty.
Untold Clay’s first volume deals with George Lyttle, aka Dick Fellows. Lyttle grew up in Clay in the 1850s, but he moved to California after the Civil War. There, he took on a couple of roles as an outrageously deceitful person. The first role he portrayed was as a mild-mannered schoolteacher, and the second as a robber of stagecoaches and the like. His larcenous self wasn’t very successful, and he served time in both San Quentin and Folsom prisons. Gary Burns supplies 86 detailed pages of the life of Lyttle, who wasn’t friends with the concept of moral character.
With the second volume, Burns authors Bad Clay: The Dark Side of the County, where he uses 141 pages to describe, he said, “the seemingly endless cycle of revenge killings throughout the 1800s and into the 20th Century, and the more notable personalities and events that defined the era.”
He follows Bad Clay with Chesnut Clay: Bob Chesnut and the Real West. Chesnut grew up on the county’s Sexton’s Creek, but he left the area as an adult to seek adventure on the Great Plains during the late 1800s. Burns noted Chesnut’s “greatest claim to fame was as a wagon boss traveling across dangerous frontier country.” However, Chesnut admitted that he spent his later years hiding from the law.
With his fourth and final volume, Burns spent lots of time focusing on an iconic event in American history, one that included a Clay native who earlier left the county in 1872. Foster Clay: Survival at the Little Big Horn, presents the account of Private James Foster, who survived the 1876 massacre of federal troops against the onslaught of Plains Native Americans. Besides discussing Foster’s part in it, Burns presents many more details about the battle in general, including some surprising ones.
Curious and in admiration of Burns for his strong research and writing of the four books, he graciously worked through a Q and A with me:
Flairty: You were diligent in researching and writing the Untold Clay series. Describe your process and the time frame.
Burns: I usually let the subject find me – which they always do. For example, I began writing about Bob Chesnut shortly after viewing his buckskin suit and assorted weapons in the display case at the “Clay We Were Museum,” in Manchester. I see some piece of history that beseeches me to find and tell the story of its owner and I must. I have no choice in the matter but to research and write that story. It usually takes me about two-three years to write a 250–300-page book. I estimate that for every eight hours of research time, I will glean roughly a half a page of written product. I feel any historian that is doing less for more is taking dangerous shortcuts with fragile history.
Flairty: Your passion for Clay County is unmistakable, enough to write a four-volume set about some of its most notable. That said, most of the accounts you share show negative historical elements of your community. How do you reconcile your love of your home with the bad parts you share?
Burns: My Revolutionary War ancestors settled in Clay County, prior to it becoming its own county. When I was growing up, my grandfathers, step-grandmothers, aunts, uncles and cousins were still living there. I love the mountains and take pride in the people’s accomplishments. Yes, Clay County has had more than its share of negative events and associated dangerous people. But mountain folks are good at learning from their mistakes and whether good or bad history, it has to be told as accurately as can possibly be recorded. Good people make bad mistakes and if we search hard enough, we find like qualities in bad and good. Many so-called bad people still love and take care of their families. Occasionally we find that trait missing in those we call good people. Men and women in the history of Clay County have frequently become victims and in turn have often retaliated for that offense, but no more so than the violence committed in places like nineteenth century Texas; there they were painted as Robin Hoods and heroes. In all parts of Eastern Kentucky, the same actions got the perpetrators painted as villains and wild men. The only difference, history was recast as theater.
Flairty: Local historical societies around Kentucky look for ideas to improve their reach. What might the Untold Clay series offer to them as a blueprint?
Burns: First, I think that any other historical society attempting to surpass what Clay County has done, would find themselves at an impasse. In Clay County, it’s the human effort that makes it one of the best historical archives and special collection depositors I’ve ever run across. But, with that said, most of the time the quality, or lack thereof, of a society depends on the community’s monetary support. If you don’t have that, you can’t invest in an institution to save your local history. Next, you have to have passionate people who are willing to devote their time and labor. They have to be on the search for historical texts and artifacts all the time. And they have to bring in historians or budding historians (such as undergrad and graduate history interns) to do the legwork and write their findings. I don’t say “trained” historians, though those save you a lot of time, but they have to have a good working knowledge of how and where to find primary sources related to their area. It comes down to surround and fill your society with passionate people.
Flairty: Of all the “bad guys” and their events you profile, are there any for which you feel a bit sympathetic towards, and why?
Burns: I would admit, I feel empathetic for just about all of them. With the economic famine, state and federal neglect, and other factors beyond their control that Eastern Kentuckians endured from the 1860s through the 1960s, some men and women are going to break. I always think, one wrong turn on the path of life and that could have been me, robbing, killing, imprisoned, or killed as well.
Flairty: Describe your role at CCHS and talk about what’s in your writing future!
Burns: Just like everyone else at the center or like me on the periphery of the Clay County Historical Society, I will continue to volunteer my time and effort as contributor to articles, books, and research for CCHS. At present, pertaining specifically to a Clay County born figure, I am writing a biography of Colonel Joseph Garrard (1851-1924), a son of General T.T. Garrard and great-grandson of Governor James Garrard. Like so many Clay Countians, he dedicated his life to the service of his country. Garrard is an unsung hero and was a champion of the underdog and minority – who also had his national scandal. Without telling anymore, that’s the trailer, let’s say.
For questions about the book series or to order a set, contact Gary Burns at mgysgtburns@gmail.com.
Another wonderful column, and great interview. I once worked in Manchester and Clay County, and have family and friends there. Thanks for expanding the spotlight!