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Congratulations to Ida Lee Hansel for identifying J. W. Craft
In 1921, a group of civic-minded citizens got together and decided that Hazard needed improvements. At that time Hazard had no paved streets, no central water system, no fire department and in fact little or any services to offer to the taxpayers and citizens of the community. Among this group of men were T. D. Draughn, G. P. Fitz, L. F. Brashear, Ed Purdon, E. C. Combs, Ernest Faulkner, Sam Ward, W. A. Stanfill and J. W. Craft. Craft was elected Mayor of Hazard in January 1922. During his eight years in office, bonds were let to build a water plant, streets were paved including Main Street, Big Bottom and Baker Hill. A fire department was established and a sewer system was built. He was Hazard's Mayor from 1922 until 1929. Mystery #33 Mystery #32 Mystery #31 Mystery #30 Mystery #29 Mystery #28 Mystery #27 Mystery #26 Mystery # 24 Recent Mystery People Joe Foley M. C. Napier Dudley Goodlette R. L. Collins John Gross Blondie Eblen Clymon Shelton Zeke Smith Fred Combs Lus Oxley William Stanfill S. B. Snyder Carl Seale Nell Harper Harry Greer J.E. Johnson Ern Begley John Copeland |
Mystery Person #25
Joe Craft Sr., was born in London, Kentucky. He came
from a long line of lawyers. His maternal grandfather was Judge
over a district that covered 17 East Kentucky counties following the War
Between the States. His grandfather, Judge Granville Pearl, rode from county to county on
a mule. J. W. Craft completed his grade school and high
school education in London. He attended Milligan College in
Milligan, Tennessee, and he received his Law degree from the Jefferson
School of law in 1909. He opened his first law office in
London. He once asked the advice of Judge H. C. Faulkner, as to which town the
Judge would recommend to a young lawyer to build his practice.
Judge Faulkner suggested either Hazard or Whitesburg. Craft chose Hazard.
He opened up a law
office on August 13, 1913. He was associated with W. H. Miller and
P. T. Wheeler. Their offices were located in the old Perry State
Bank Building (later Citizens Bank) on Main Street, next to Taxi Alley.
He remained in partnership with Miller and Wheeler until 1927 when Wheeler
retired. Craft and Miller continued until Miller withdrew
from the firm in 1922. From 1922 until June 1st 1930, Craft practiced alone. In 1930, he formed a partnership with
Senator W. A. Stanfill. J. W. Craft's son, Joe Craft Jr., joined
Craft and Stanfill in 1939. Sentator Stanfill retired from the firm
in December 1945.