Saturday, June 25, 2011

DISCOVERY AT K-SPRINGS

As undergrowth was cleared from the K-Springs property Elmira Kendrick had purchased at the 1873 tax sale, five springs were discovered.

Jemima Kendrick, my husband Ken’s grandmother told me, when I was researching for the K-Springs/Chelsea book, “Grandpa (Elmira Kendrick’s son Jud) told me this now. There was one spring of pure water. Further down the branch, nearer the cabin, was a spring of sulfur water, and one was a mixture of minerals. Grandpa told me that the water containing a mixture of minerals is called kalebrate.”

She could not recall the type of water in the other two springs. Other early visitors to the springs recalled that one of them had copper water.

Clifton Kendrick (grandson of Elmira, son of Luther) recalled that the family used water from the sulfur spring, except for washing clothes. It would stain clothing, he said, so “Aunt Mary” (Elmira’s youngest child) would take them to a spring “way over at Uncle Elbert’s.” (Elbert Kendrick lived along where there is now an empty lot east of the Edgar Smith family lives.

Clifton speculated, “The spring of free-stone water must not have been discovered until after the year 1900, because it was a big spring of pretty, clear water.”
After its discovery, people came from all around to wash clothes, bathe the kids and take home bucketsful the pretty, clear water for other household uses. For many years it provided water, not only for private homes, but for a church, parsonage and school.

It was from these springs on the Kendrick property that the community, school and church derived their name.


Story and photo taken from EARLY SETTLERS OF THE K-SPRINGS/CHELSEA AREA
by Shelba Shelton Nivens
(email for permission to quote or copy shelbasn@juno.com)

2 comments:

Diana Flegal said...

This picture sure makes me happy I can use an automatic washing machine. I bet we wouldn't have wanted to arm wrestle these gals!

Shelba Shelton Nivens said...

Hi, Diana, For some reason, I'm just now seeing your comment. Could that be because I didn't know how to use the blog or the comment feature? Still don't know much about it, but trying to learn and get back to blogging. thanks for the comment. I knew 2 of these ladies--era and Essie--when they were still strong and active. Essie and her husband Clifton Kendrick were my neighbors. All 3 were good sources of info for me for Early Settlers of the K-Springs/Chelsea Area book and for newspaper articles.
Thanks again, Shelba