Author Archives: CharlieClaywell

About CharlieClaywell

I have been a writer for years, mainly as a reporter, but I have always enjoyed history, especially non-mainstream stories buried inside old documents. My blog mostly centers around those stories. On occasion, though, I deviate and talk about my dog, vintage toys and what it's like to be middle-aged.

Ohio’s Legacy: Rutherford B. Hayes & The Original, Contentious, Deceptive Presidential Election

Posted on January 22, 2015 by CharlieClaywell

Rutherford B. Hayes was one of the first men to be elected president without receiving the majority of the popular vote. The first was John Quincy Adams — who lost in both the Electoral College and popular vote to Andrew Jackson. At issue was the fact that neither Adams nor Jackson received the required 131 electoral votes, which pushed the decision to the House of Representatives — who selected Adams.

But with Hayes, it was an even more contentious situation. Hayes, the Republican candidate, ran against New York Governor Democrat Samuel J. Tilden and from the beginning Tilden was projected to win. On the night of the election, the popular vote indicated that Tilden had won by as much as 300,000 votes.

Hayes went to bed that night, presuming he had lost.

So What Happened?

Well, the Republican National Chairman found a loophole and wasn’t ready to admit defeat. What unfolded was a blight on the election process.

To win the presidency in 1876, a candidate needed 185 electoral votes. For Hayes to win, he needed the contested electoral votes in Louisiana, South Carolina, and Florida. If all the disputed electoral votes went to him, he would become president, however if just a single vote went to Tilden, Tilden would become the 19th U.S. president.

The process dragged on until January 1877 when Congress established an Electoral Commission to resolve the issue. The commission, made up of eight Republicans and seven Democrats, voted along Party lines in favor of Hayes — eight to seven — on the contested votes in Louisiana, South Carolina, and Florida. This gave Hayes the win with 185 electoral votes to Tilden’s 184.

Some historians say a backroom deal was broker in the process because the South was threatening to secede (again) if Hayes was elected. The deal, these historians say, included at least two promises: Hayes would only serve one term and the Reconstruction laws imposed on the South would be lifted.

Both actions came to pass.

Learn more

There is actually a free book, written about 30 years after the election, that sheds a lot of light on the illegal and unethical activities by both the Democrat and Republican Parties in the 1876 election. You can read the book online here, but a simpler way to read it is with a Kindle or Kindle-like device. The book title is The Hayes-Tilden Disputed Presidential Election of 1876 by Paul Leland Haworth.

Ohio’s Presidential Legacy

5-Year-Old Boy Invoiced For Failing To Appear At Birthday Party

Posted on January 20, 2015 by CharlieClaywell

One of the greatest aspects of the Web is the ability to read bizarre stories — those types of stories that traditionally were buried deep inside the newspaper. Of course, part of the problem with all the bizarre stories is determining if they are true or not.

But since there are plenty of fact-checking sites even that is getting easier. One of the latest fact-checking sites, Emergent.info, — a real-time rumor tracker — offers a weekly roundup of stories proven true or debunked as false.

Such is the case of the five-year-old boy who RSVP’d that he was going to a birthday party — then didn’t go because of a scheduling conflict. The story as reported in an England newspaper is funny because it is treated like a genuine news event. Here is an excerpt of the father explaining why his son Alex failed to attend the classmate’s party.

But Mr Nash later realised he had arranged for Alex and his sister Lily to [go] out for a day trip with their grandparents. “By this time we did not have a contact number, email or an address to let [the boy’s mother] know,” explained Mr Nash. “So on the day of the party we asked Alex what he wanted to do; he chose to be with his grandparents.”

Learn more

If you want to test your skill on whether or not a viral story is true try Emergent’s weekly quiz — or you can read in real time rumors they are tracking — by visiting their website at emergent.info.

Categories: Funny Stories | Tags: rumors, viral

Kentucky Explorer Valuable Source For Family Historians, Genealogists

Posted on January 16, 2015 by CharlieClaywell

I came across this publication through a family member and it is a storehouse of interesting genealogy-type history. Each issue is packed with more than 100 pages of stories and photos from throughout the state of Kentucky. Besides the stories, the publication also includes letters to the editors with interesting facts and requests. It has a classified ads section where you can find family-oriented and history-oriented products.

But the real appeal of the magazine — which is printed on newsprint — are the images and stories. Much of the content is reader-submitted material which creates a tone that is unique to each piece. One of the helpful aspects of the magazine is on the back cover — where a map of the state works as a table of contents. In my case, I am interested mostly in stories from Cumberland and Clinton counties and just by glancing at the map I can see if any of the stories in that issue are from those counties.

Here couple of the stories I have read from those two counties:

Lost Tombstones, Volume 24, No. 4, Sept. 2010: This two-page story tells about seven Civil War grave markers stored at the original home of Ishum Burks — the man, Burkesville, Ky. is named for (the town I would visit when we went to see my Claywell grandparents). The article delves into history of the seven men the stones represent.
The Coe Ridge Colony of Cumberland Monroe Counties, Volume 25, No. 5, October 2010: I found this to be an extremely interesting story of the slave-era in Kentucky. The Coe family was unique in that the family permitted their slaves to raise their own crops and create crafts to generate some income for themselves. Although the story does not attempt to glamorize slavery, it does offer an often-not-seen perspective of the ‘peculiar institution’ where slave owners tried to rectify to moral dilemma of owning another person.

The magazine is $21 annually for 10 copies, but if you want to purchase back copies you can purchase 20 years on CD for $95. The company also offers hard copies at various discounted rates throughout the year, with a current deal of 25 back issues for $30.

Disclaimer: I did not receive any compensation for this review. I have simply read the magazine and find it to be a valuable source for genealogists researching Kentucky.

Categories: Family History, Genealogy | Tags: kentucky genealogy