My story for today begins with looking at the photographs Ritchey and I took at Albany Cemetery in Clinton County.  Clinton County is located on the Kentucky/Tennessee border, not exactly centered, a little more to the east, between Cumberland and Wayne counties from which the area was taken in 1834 to form Clinton County.  The photos that caught my eye were those of Isaac Story and William L. Story. 

Isaac A. Story was born March 11, 1844 and died August 30, 1915.  His gravestone is taller than most, a bit thin, with an open book at the top – most likely the Bible.  His epitaph reads, ‘He died as he lived, a Christian.  He has gone to the mansion of rest.  His trials are ended, they rest is won.’  William L. Story is buried beside Isaac, born August 22, 1849, died November 18, 1928.  His stone reads, ‘Upright and just he was in all his ways, a bright example in degenerate days.’  Otherwise William’s stone is an exact copy of Isaac’s.

A search for Isaac Story in Clinton County led to finding a petition from his mother, Mary E. Story, Sr., along with her children Charles N., Amanda J., Isaac A., William L., Mary E., Jr., and James B.  Her husband, and their father, Benjamin Story died in May of 1864, and in the next year Mary and the children petitioned the court for land Benjamin had purchased but was not in his name.  This woman stood up for her rights!  She received the 160 acres, one third given to her as her dower, and two thirds to her children.  The deed was written in 1864, no day or month listed, and authorized August 28, 1865. County. Indian Creek is a huge area of water off the Cumberland River. In the 1837 taxes for Clinton County Isaac Story, Sr., and son Benjamin Story both owned acreage on Indian Creek.

Petition Mary Story, Sr., and Children

Clinton County Kentucky Deeds 1864-1867

Pages 217-218

Whereas on the ? day of ? 1864 Mary E. Story, Sr., widow of Benjamin Story, deceased, and Charles N. Story, Amanda J. Story, Isaac A. Story, W. L. Story, Mary E. Story, Jr., and James B. Story, children and heirs at law of Benjamin Story, deceased, did file their petition in equity in the clerk’s office of the Clinton Circuit Court against J. C. Burchett, Administrator of Isaac Story, Sr., deceased, who was the father of the said Benjamin Story, alluding in said petition that the said Isaac Story, in his lifetime, had made a Deed of Conveyance to the said Benjamin to the lands hereinafter described, which deed was destroyed with the other records of Clinton County Court and the said Mary E. Story, Sr., alluding in said petition that she was the widow of the said Benjamin and the other plaintiffs his children and heirs at law, and she, the said Mary E. Story, Sr., was entitled to dower in said land and that the other plaintiffs were entitled to conveyance in fee simple to all of said land at the death of the said Mary E. Story, Sr., and whereas said plaintiff filed the field notes of said land surveys by John W. Marion, Surveyor of Clinton County, such proceedings were had thereon at the February Term 1865 of Land court a judgement was rendered for a conveyance to be made to the parties aforesaid dividing that dower or one third of said land be conveyed to said Mary E. Story, Sr., and the residue to the other plaintiffs aforesaid and C. P. Gray by said court appointed commissioner of said court to convey as aforesaid.  Now, therefore, in consideration of the ? the said C. P. Gray as Commissioner aforesaid, does hereby convey to the said Mary E. Story, Sr., widow of the said Benjamin Story, deceased, Charles N. Story, Amanda J. Story, Isaac A. Story, W. S. Story, Mary E. Story, Jr., and James B. Story, the following tract or parcel of land, lying and being in the County of Clinton and State of Kentucky on the head waters of Indian Creek and bounded as follows, to wit, beginning on a rock corner to G. W. Hurt’s land, thence S21 ¾ W50 poles, 22 links to a rock corner to a tract of land owned by Isaac Story, deceased, and with dividing line thereof N73 W19 poles 20 links to a rock, S20 ½ W20 poles to a rock, N42 W12 poles 6 links to a rock in the A? Road, thence S47 ¼ W136 poles 4 links to a rock in Graham’s line and with the same N36 ½ W74 poles 2 links to a rock on Beck’s old line and with the same N20 E passing Beck’s old corner at eight poles, in all 62 poles 18 links to a poplar and chestnut, N47 E96 poles 24 links to a rock in the A? Road, thence S27 ½ E36 poles to a rock in said road, thence S85 E89 poles 15 links to the beginning, containing one hundred and six acres, two roods and twelve poles by sur-

ey to have and to hold the parties aforesaid free from all claims, hereby warranting to the dower interest to the said Mary E. Story, Sr., widow aforesaid and warranting an absolute title to the other parties aforesaid against all claims so far as said and aforesaid is required or authorized by law.  In witness whereof the said C. P. Gray leaves of has hereto set his hand this 28^th day of August 1865.

C. P. Gray, Commissioner

1865 August 29 Deed acknowledged in open court, examined and approved.

T. T. Alexander, Judge of Clinton Circuit Court

Kentucky Clinton Circuit Court – August Term 1865

J. C. Gray, Clerk of the Clinton Circuit court certify that at the August Term 1865 of said term the foregoing Deed of Conveyance from C. P. Grayson, Commissioner to Mary E. Story, Sr., Charles N. Story, Amanda J. Story, Isaac A. Story, W. L. Story, Mary E. Story, Jr., and James B. Story, was by said C. P. Gray, Commissioner, exhibited in open court and by said commissioner acknowledged to be his act and deed, the same being examined and approved by the court and endorsed by said court ordered to be certified to the Clerk of the Clinton County Court for record, and the same being duly and legally stamped is hereby done.  Given under my hand this 4^th day of September 1865.

Attest, C. P. Gray, Clerk

Kentucky Clinton County Court

J. C. Gray, Clerk of the Clinton County Court, certify that on this day the foregoing deed from C. P. Gray, Commissioner, to Mary E. Strong, Sr., Charles N. Story, Amanda J. Story, Isaac A. Story, W. L. Story, Mary E. Story, Jr., and James B. Story, together with the certificate of authentication therein duly stamped was produced to me in my office for record, whereupon I have duly recorded the same together with this certificate in my office.  Given under my hand this 4^th day of September 1865.

A copy attest C. P. Gray, Clinton County Clerk

In the 1870 census for Clinton County we find Mary E. Story, 65, born in Tennessee, with five children – Charles, 29; Amanda J., 27; Isaac A., 26; William L., 20; Mary E., 18; and James P., 14.  The family continued to live together, except for daughter Mary who first married a Mr. Smith, according to the 1880 census, and after his death a Mr. McKinley. 

Mary Mackey Story died October 1, 1893, and was buried in Story Cemetery in Clinton County, beside her husband Benjamin Story and son Alfred George Story, who died in 1864 at the age of 16.    

In 1900 Charles, Amanda, Isaac and William live together.  Charles is a farmer, Isaac a stock raiser and William a druggist. 

Son Isaac had served in the Civil War and was wounded during battle.  After returning home from the war Isaac became a minister and preached the gospel until his untimely death.  The following notice in The Columbia News relates his sad death, being kicked by a horse.  He was 72 at the time of his death.

In 1920 the three siblings – Charles, Amanda and William – are still together. 

Charles died in 1921 and William in 1928. 

In 1930 Amanda is living by herself, in the home she shared with her brothers.  She is listed as aged 80, but since she was born in 1844 she would have been 86.  She owned her home, passed down to her from her brothers, and it was valued at $2,000.  She lived on Burkesville Road.  I could not find her in the 1840 census or buried in a Kentucky cemetery.  She most likely had no one left to purchase a gravestone for remembrance of her.