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Congratulations to Idalee Hansel of Spartanburg,
South Carolina, the first to identify Mystery Person #64.
 I
have been reading a1938 telephone book this evening and I swear, I
have never seen so many stores in all my life that I had never heard a
mention of in growing up. I bet I counted 115 right at the onset
of reading the pages. I
thought sure John D. Adams would be the one, then I thought of Norman
Combs for he had if I am not mistaken 1 girl and a boy. Now, I
am thinking Lee F. Lykins. I love those
telephone pages and I hope I can save them so they will not be
destroyed. I had a ball reading over the names and letting
my mind race and I thought surely something would pop out at me but it
didn't. You haven't heard from George Pendleton and few others.
Maybe it will be guessed soon.
Congratulations to IdaLee. I
should have known that one. Can't wait for the next one.
Carlene Shackelford, Hazard, KY
Ida Lee should share part of that
1938 phone book with us. Thanks, that was a good one!
Carol Williams, Perry County
Another out on the limb guess, John B. Adams,or Norman Combs, both had general stores at Jeff. Carlene, come on now...I am making one more guess and then I have quit, Floyd Hall. I think he was a Jr. Could it be John Adams? Darrel Hill, Hazard, KY Is John Adams? Asicit Is mystery person #64 John D. Adams or Floyd Hall. Carol E. Williams, Perry County. I first thought it may be Alva Hollon. He lived in an apartment in Big Bottom. He worked for a time when he was young in the mines at Kenmont but I don't recall him talking about being a teacher. I worked for him years ago when his boys were very young. I know his brother, Slim, worked at Kenmont too. However Alva Sr. was born in Lee City in Wolfe County. He also had two boys, no girls so it can't be him. I have covered Big Bottom and no Jr. comes to mind. It is possible we don't know him as Jr. IdaLee Hansel, Spartanburg, SC Meanwhile - we hear from the Mystery Person's children
Still do not know. Mystery man must have been a teacher who came here to work in the mines.. Ida Lee, we ought to know Jr. Carlene Shackelford, Hazard, KY Could it be G. G. Starr? Hazard's basketball coach in 1921.Carol E. Williams, Perry County I grew up in Big Bottom but 1921 was a little before my time. Thanks for another mystery person. I need another clue. Carlene Shackelford, Hazard, KY Gotta do a lot of research on this one. Help me now, Carlene. I sort of visioned households in the late 30's but still could not come up with anything. Love the illustrations. IdaLee Hansel, Spartanburg, SC
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The
mystery man is Lee F. Lykins Sr. who was a native of Magoffin County and
taught school near Salyersville before coming to Perry County in
1921. He worked in the mines at Kenmont for two years and also
worked for sometime in a general store before going into business for
himself. Lykins opened a grocery store at Jeff, Ky., in
1927. He moved the business to Main Street in Hazard in 1934 where
it remained for over 20 years in the building formerly occupied by
Hardesty's, a women's clothing store near Taxi Alley. The building
was later home to Watsons. In 1956 Lykins moved his store to
Walkertown in the former location of Brock's Supermarket. The 1957
flood resulted in terrific financial loss to the grocery store and to
Lykins's home on East Main Street. Still in debt from building and
stocking his business, Lykins was never able to recover financially.
Eventually the government put up for sale his entire estate. The
Small Business Administration bid on the estate to protect its
investment. Seeing his life's work disappear was too much for
Lykins to stand. Following the auction, Lykins, who already had a
heart condition, suffered a heart attack and died at the Mount Mary
Hospital in Hazard in 1959. He left behind his wife - Elizabeth
Lindon Lykins, three children - Lee Lykins Jr., Lou Alice Francis and
Mrs. Alva Hollon, three brothers - Jessie, Charlie & Fred, and seven
sisters - Agatha Howard, Nola Harvey, Lona Whitt, Beatrice Arnett, Edna
Walters, Laura Harper, and Emma Estep.
