Bonnie Strassell - Owen County Historical Society

Someone once said, “God pours life into death and death into life without a drop being spilled.”
In rural Owen County, the loss of a loved one is accepted as part of everyday life.
Author and storyteller Charlotte Ann Kemper Atchison described the days of mourning experienced by early Owen County families.
Charlotte grew up on Bucks Run and wrote of the times in her childhood when a deceased family member was washed and dressed in his or her finest, and placed in the parlor for viewing.

The designs varied but the purpose was uniform – defense of the Kentucky railway system during the Civil War. Block houses which could hold up to 20 men were constructed by the Union along train tacks that traversed the Bluegrass.
These were manned by federal soldiers whose job it was to thwart Confederate raids designed to interfere with northern supply routes.
Author and historian Charles Bogart was the guest speaker last week at the historical society meeting, and using Power Point, he illustrated the construction of these fortifications.

Perennial rose bushes grace either side of the monument; and for the past 90 years they have faithfully sent forth abundant blossoms. It is as if the rose bushes themselves acknowledge the great service rendered by the soldier whose remains rest beneath the ground under their outstretched roots.

Her thickly lashed gentle eyes gazing from the photo reflected a serene spirit. Despite her size she was well proportioned, and like many of her kind she holds a special place in the hearts of those who care for her.