Hearne History - Page 443

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pulpit, with a sounding-board overhead, and boxed pews about four feet high. In two of these pews was written in a plain bold hand, the names of Lowder Hearne and Clement Hearne, doubtless written with their own hands, more than a hundred years ago. This venerated old building has cened to be used regularly, but the Episcopalians in the locality, for many miles distant, chiefly descendants of the old Hearne and Cannon families, have an annual and confirmation service there, once each year. The next place of special interest to me was the old home occupied by Clement Hearne before removing to Kentucky, 1798. This old building (some ten miles east of Laurel) was also in a good state of preservation, but the land I consider very poor and sandy; it would not sell for more than seven or eight dollars per acre now (less than lie sold it for in 1798), and that is more than it is worth. I have heard grandfather say that he had an abundance of out-buildings there, and a fine garden, in which grandmother had a large variety of flowers, the favorite of which was pinks; but except the dwelling, the well, one yucca plant, and the land, it seems that all my ancestor had left there had disappeared. In viewing the appearance of the place I was thoroughly impressed that Clement Hearne did not emigrate any too soon, far, as I have stated, the land here has decreased in value from one hundred years ago, and the land that Clement Hearne bought in Ky., 1799, at a little less than seven dollars per acre sold after his death in 1851, for sixty-five dollars per acre, and has made a substantial advance since that time. While a great many of our family, both Hearnes and Cannons, have emigrated, I could but wonder why all had not but my observation has been that the poorer the country, the fewer of the people emigrate.

On a farm adjoining this is the old Cannon homestead, where my grandmother, Keziah Cannon, (and her sister Lavinia, who married Lowder Hearne, an older brother of Clement), was born and raised. The old homestead dwelling still stands, in a good state of preservation for its age, and more commodious in all respects and surroundings than the Clement Hearne place. Adjoining this place is the Protestant Episcopal church called "Greenville," standing in a piece of woodland, on the acre of land given by Clement Hearne; the old building of more than a century ago has given place to a

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Copyright (c) 1999, 2007 Brian Cragun.