Memories Of The Hurst Family

By Margaret Bishop - 1938

Editor's Note: As in earlier Journals we are here indebted to Miss Margaret Bishop who came to Breathitt County some fifty years ago to gather material for a history being written about our county at that time. Most of the material she gathered was not used in the final book. Yet, much of it was saved and is today quite valuable as a record of our county's early history. The following material she gathered from older members of the Hurst family (her notes do not give their names) is a good example of her work.

John Hurst, ancestor of Hursts of Breathitt County emigrated from England and settled in Powell's Valley. His father (do not have name) emigrated from Holland to England on account of religious persecution. John Hurst was married twice. His first wife was a Miss Lizzie Biddle. Their son, Henry Hurst, came to Virginia with his parents and he settled near the Clinch River.

Henry Hurst was married to a Miss Elizabeth Kaiser. They were both born in the year 1762. She had two brothers, Andrew and Ephraim Kaiser. They lived in the same neighborhood as the Hursts. The Kaisers were of German and Dutch origin. Henry and his wife, Elizabeth (Kaiser) Hurst, had four sons and two daughters: Andrew, Elisha, Harmon, Samuel, Henry, Esther, and Elizabeth. Harmon Hurst married a Miss Headly. During the year 1840, he paid taxes on the following property: one tract of 200 acres, on the North Fork of the Kentucky River, value $600; one tract along same river, value $300; two slaves, value $1,000; three horses, and fifteen head cattle, total value $21,626.

Herman (as near as I can learn this should be Harmon, but not certain, MFB) Hurst was the only citizen of the county of that name. I saw him and his family get into a boat at the mouth of Quicksand in May 1837, and go down the river bound for Missouri. He was an uncle and a great uncle of two prominent lawyers of that name in Breathitt County, and was also the uncle of the Hon. Wm. L. Hurst, of Wolfe County, the oldest member of the bar in the mountain part of Kentucky and for whom I secured the position (as my successor) as deputy clerk in the Circuit and County Clerk's office of Estill County in 1844, which was the beginning of his law studies.

Samuel Henry Hurst, son of Henry Hurst, was born September 19, 1799. He came here in 1818, for he bit an ear off another man in a fight. It being a crime, he fled from Virginia and came over into the mountains of Kentucky, came to Breathitt County. He was the youngest son of his parents. His brother Harmon and his parents were here at the time. Samuel Henry married a Miss Sallie Landsaw of Wolfe County, daughter of William Landsaw, of Stillwater. The post office is now called Landsaw. They had the following children: four boys and three girls: Andrew, William L., Daniel Duff, Henry C., Elizabeth, Esther, Dulcenia, and Emily Jane.

Hardin Hurst, was the eldest son of Samuel Henry Hurst, born in Breathitt and married to Miss Dulcenia Landsaw of Wolfe County. They lived in Wolfe Co. They had the following children: Samuel Henry, Jr., who later married and lived in Breathitt County. He had several children, among whom were, Samuel Henry, known as Capt. Hurst (a nickname). They lived in the Frozen Creek section and did a large business in the manufacture of lumber and farming. Capt. operated a dairy, as well at the time of his decease and his widow, Mrs. Mary (Swango) Hurst continues it. Her farm was badly damaged, and the lives of any of her farm and dairy employees drowned in the devastating flood of July, 1939.

Another son of Hardin Hurst's, Taylor Hurst, M.D. paid the mortgage on his father's farm, on Frozen, and owned it following his father's decease. Dr. Taylor Hurst, taught school during his vacations from Medical College and following his graduation practiced with a lumber company, then went to Hazard. He built the Hurst-Snyder Hospital, and associated Dr. Snyder in practice. He owned the Hurst Hotel and much other valuable property in Perry County. During the flood of 1927, he donated $1000.00 to the rebuilding of the Perry County Schools.

Henry Hurst, Sr., a grandfather of these men, served in the Militia, during the Revolutionary War, in Virginia. Records are on file in the War Department, Washington, D.C. His wife, Elizabeth (Kaiser) Hurst, died August 10, 1832, and her body was buried in the Linville Hagins graveyard, near Meatsyaffold, along Quicksand Creek. At the time of her death she was living on Macey's Branch, near the Quicksand Creek.

Following her decease, her husband went to Stacey's Fork, Morgan County, where he lived with his daughter Elizabeth, married to Absalom Haney. He died there on October, 1844, and his remains were interred in the family graveyard on his daughter's farm. The D.A.R. erected a monument at his grave, in honor of his services as a Revolutionary soldier, 1912.

Samuel Henry Kash, of Lexington, and J. Ceaser Hurst, of Lexington, both his grandchildren, went to Stacey's Fork and had the body of Henry Hurst, Sr., disinterred, removed to Breathitt County and interred beside those of his wife, Elizabeth (Kaiser) Hurst, in the Linville Hagins Graveyard, during the summer of 1938, erecting the monument provided by the D.A.R. at his head. The grandchildren provided a similar monument for their great grandmother.

Dr. Taylor Hurst was keenly interested in the education and discipline of youth. He contributed his service as a truant officer of the Hazard Schools and then was appointed the truant officer of the Perry County schools, serving without pay for many years. Following the flood of 1927, he went to Cincinnati, interested the Chamber of Commerce, in the rebuilding of the Perry County Schools destroyed in the rural sections, and obtained $7,000 toward the fund for this purpose. He was deeply interested in the education of the underprivileged child. He educated or assisted in the education of some 18 children and youths. Some of whom he sent to college. One young boy, son of a miner, he cared for and sent to Hazard High School, and at his decease made provision in his will for this youth's maintenance (the boy assisted at the Hospital when out of school) and a College education.

Another a young girl whom he attended professionally (she was a cripple) interested him to the extent that he educated her, and she is employed at the hospital which continues to bear his name. He provided a specified sum each month, for in his will. He died of cancer during the summer of 1934. He had provided for the burial of his parents on his own farm in Breathitt County. This small cemetery is enclosed within a white fence, is situated on a hillside across the North Fork of the Kentucky River. It faces the Kentucky and Virginia Highway No.15, a few miles below Jackson when entering from Lexington. Previous to his death and following the flood of 1927, Dr. Taylor Hurst, gave to the Red Cross the privilege of cultivating many acres of his Breathitt County Farm, that they might provide farm produce for the needy.

Before his decease, he told a friend of his, who was a co-worker in much of the rehabilitation following the flood, that he wanted to be buried on his farm, facing the Public Highway. He requested her, that when she would be passing through this part of Breathitt County, she stop and think of him, for a few minutes. (Mrs. Hibler, manager of the Hibler Hotels and the Hurst Hotel, Hazard, who went to Hazard in 1890, one of the three remaining persons who went there at that time to invest in property. (MFB).

Another son of Hardin Hurst, William L. Hurst, and his wife were the parents of Hardin Hurst, Jr., M.D., Dr. Hardin Hurst practiced his profession in Jackson and surrounding counties besides Breathitt, for many years. He was one of the stock-holders and staff of the City Hospital, operated in Jackson from 1923 to 1932. Dr. Hurst left here for the State of Washington in the spring of 1925 and practiced there till his decease by automobile accident some time during 1930. Two other sons were Andrew Kaiser and Taylor. Taylor Hurst, lived in Wolfe County mostly, but a few years ago, early in the 1920s he returned to Breathitt having property here. He died here. He was the father of the late Judge Samuel Hurst, of Beattyville. Judge Samuel Hurst was elected Circuit Court Judge of the district of which Breathitt was a part in 1921. He commenced his duties January 1922. He served this district, at that time composed of the following counties: Breathitt, Lee, Wolfe, and Estill, until the Legislature re-districted the Courts in 1924. Judge Hurst was then appointed to fill the Bench in the District of which Lee continued a part. The new District of which Breathitt became a part included Wolfe and Magoffin Counties. Judge Hurst was deceased a few years ago.

The two daughters of Hardin Hurst, Sr., were Mary Belle, married to Judge J.C.C. Bach. They were the parents of Grannis Bach, Attorney-at-law. Esther Jane, the other daughter married Thomas Steele, of Wolfe County. The early home of Hardin Hurst, where several of his children were born, still stands near Highway No.15, about one mile beyond Wilhurst toward Lexington, in Breathitt County. This cabin is in fair condition. Wilhurst was named for their ancestor, William Hurst, a combination of the name. Wilhurst is a regulation Greyhound Bus Stop, has a post office and school house.

Hardin Hurst, Sr., William L., was the father of J. Ceaser Hurst, of Lexington, but formerly of Breathitt and Wolfe Counties. He, for many years, has owned property in Breathitt County. A daughter, Nellie, married the late Judge David B. Red- wine. Redwine was a Representative, from the district including Breathitt, to the Kentucky Legislature. He was the man who, had the bill incorporating Jackson City, 1889, put before the house to be voted on. His widow and two daughters live in Lexington.

Emily Jane, one of Samuel Henry Hurst's and his wife Sallie Landsaw married Alfred Cope Kash, son of William Kash of Quicksand, born December 7,1838. Their children include: Mrs. Laura McGuire, Jackson; Samuel Henry Kash, Lexington; "Ely C. Kash, Jackson;William Landsaw Kash,Irvine;Estill County; Kelly Kash, Washington, D. C.; Oliver Kash, Louisville, and the elate Dr. Daniel Kash, of Jackson and Hazard.

Mrs. Laura McGuire and her husband had eight children. One son, William Lindsay, enlisted with the Railroad Engineers #52, Company B. in the World War, February, 1918, sailed for duty over- seas, April 1918. He was in hospital following his return to the United States, April, 1918. He was confined to the hospital, in Arizona for several years. He died in March 28, 1927. His only child lives with his mother in Jackson.

Kelly Kash is an attorney-at-law, practicing in Washington. He was Commonwealth Attorney of Breathitt County and other counties of the Judicial District, shortly before the World War.

William Landsaw Kash is a Baptist Preacher (Primitive Baptist) and an attorney-at-law. He has practiced in Breathitt and now is in Estill County. Ely C. Kash, Jackson is a traveling salesman, and was Railroad Commissioner, from the 3rd District, 1920-1923.

Samuel Henry, is employed in the street department, Lexington.

Oliver Kash is an insurance salesman, Louisville. Dr. Daniel Hurst Kash was born August 17,. 1881 and deceased July 17, 1927. His son, Vernon Oliver Kash, M.D. born December 23, 1911 is practicing medicine at Hurst-Snyder Hospital, Hazard, Perry County. Dr. Dan's widow and daughter live in Lexington.

Dr. Dan H. Kash, practiced medicine in Jackson and surrounding counties to Breathitt, for several years, following the lumber and coal camps. He went to Blue Diamond Coal Camp about two years previous to his decease. He died a short time following an operation from a complication.

The Hurst were large landowners in Quicksand and especially along the Frozen Creek section. Robert A. Hurst owned land on the Quicksand, doing business in land transaction, 1888 till 1911.

Samuel H. Hurst, owned land and did business in land transaction 1888 till 1921.

Samuel H. Hurst, Jr., owned land and had land transactions on Frozen Creek 1921-1926. This is one they called "Capt." a nickname.

Most of the Hursts are about 5 ft. 10 inches and fleshy men and women too and usually have dark hair and eyes; however, some of them are blue eyed.