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Archiver > INMONROE > 2002-03 > 1015014382


From: "Judy Turner" <>
Subject: Re: [INMONROE] Covered Bridges in Monroe County
Date: Fri, 1 Mar 2002 15:26:24 -0500
References: <5.1.0.14.1.20020301083210.04125300@localhost>


Randi--Nancy Jane was my great-great grandmother. I recall visiting my
great uncle Clarence Blackwell who lived in the old homeplace on top of the
hill overlooking this bridge. I need to get to either the Monroe Public
Library or the Historical Society to view the file you mention.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Randi Richardson" <>
To: <>
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2002 8:33 AM
Subject: [INMONROE] Covered Bridges in Monroe County


> There is a vertical file at the MCHS labeled "Covered Bridges. Stupid me,
> last time I was there I looked for a file on "Bridges, Covered" and found
> nothing. It has some information about the Judah/Judy Bridge. Apparently
> it was considered "lost" because it was out of the way and forgotten
> about. It was built near a mill and home owned by the Judah family. The
> Judahs and others kept their hogs in there during the winter. Both
animals
> and people took shelter there during times of high water. One source
> indicated the bridge was dismantled for its lumber in 1946; another source
> indicated the year was 1947.
>
> According to other information in the file, there was a total of 12 1/2
> covered bridges in Monroe County. The half bridge was the one over the
> river connecting Monroe and Owen counties at Gosport. I have the article
> about the destruction of that bridge. Off the top of my head I can't
> remember the date, I think it was in the 50s. It was around Halloween and
> someone started a fire on the bridge as a prank. It burned for a while
> unnoticed. By the time the fireman got to the bridge, the fire was
> raging. Despite their efforts, the bridge collapsed into the river and
one
> man lost his life.
>
> There was a very interesting story about the Nancy Jane Bridge over Salt
> Creek. It was part of a family history contributed by Agnes Chambers
> Blackwell. The land belonged to the Chambers family. John, who inherited
> the property from his father David (I'm recalling this off the top of my
> head, so don't quote me), died in the Civil War. The family history
> contains excerpts from some of the interesting letters he wrote home to
his
> family during the war. His widow, Nancy Jane, continued to live on the
> property. During times of high water when people were unable to cross
Salt
> Creek, they called on Nancy Jane who kept a canoe tied up to a
> tree. Either she or one of her children would then assist the traveller
in
> crossing. When the bridge was built in the 1880s, it seemed only natural
> to call it the Nancy Jane.
>
> There was only limited information about the other bridges. I contacted
> the public library and asked if they had a similiar file. They did. Now
I
> just need to get over there and see what they've got.
>
> Can anyone on this list contribute additional information about the
covered
> bridges in Monroe County. If so, I would be very interested.
>
> Randi Richardson
>
>
> ==============================
> To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records,
go to:
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>
>

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