“Where there is great love, there are always wishes.” ~ Willa Cather
I got to spend another Father’s Day with this guy, the best dad I could ever wish for. We grabbed mom and off we went for another Eastern Kentucky adventure. After pigging out on excellent BBQ ribs at Prestonsburg’s Pig in a Poke, we went in search of Adam Terry’s grave. Known to many in Knott and Perry counties as “Bad Ad”, Adam was dad’s grandfather. When he wasn’t farming, or drinking, he made a living protecting moonshiners particularly during prohibition. According to family lore, he had over 20 stills in his care at one time. He killed an estimated 9-15 men. Four revenuers came up Ball Creek (it follows highway 1087/ Vest Talcum Road). They never left and were never found thanks to Bad Ad. They say he was so mean the preacher refused to bury him in the family plot at Ary where his first wife, my biological great-grandmother Elizabeth Jones, is buried. Instead, he was buried on his farm on Ball Creek with his second wife, Lettie Creech. Today, the cemetery sits beside Highway 80 near the Knott/Perry County line (it’s actually in Knott County). Dad and I tried to find it last year, but the trees had grown so much that we drove right past it, and we would have done it again if not for mom’s eagle eye. Some of dad’s cousins are now buried alongside Bad Ad. Even though the cemetery sits just off the road, the trees have provided a decent barrier, making it a quiet, beautiful spot. I love my Father’s Day adventures with dad. Today did not disappoint.
Lois Wilson
A good Fathers Day adventure. I can remember visiting papaw when I was around 5 years old. We sit on the front porch swing and he would push the swing, he was very quite didn’t talk much. I still have that image of him today.
Kopana
I have a similar image of Papaw Prater sitting in a chair at Cannel City, stoic and silent.
march 21, 2023 – the outhouse: where art goes
[…] grave and that of his second wife having been relocated because of Highway 80. I talked about it in this post and this one. You won’t find the Terry Branch of Ball Creek on maps anymore. In fact, even […]