Bio written by Kendel Culbertson. The stories are just stories passed down and vary by who is doing the telling.

1850 Listed in the Morgan Co., KY Census with mother in grandfather's home
1860 Listed in the Morgan Co., KY Census with mother and stepfather
1870 Listed in the Morgan Co., KY Census with mother
1880 Listed in the Precinct 1, Wolfe Co., KY Census
1900 Listed in the Clifty, Wolfe Co., KY Census
1910 Listed in the Clifty, Wolfe Co., KY Census
1920 Listed in the Clifty, Wolfe Co., KY Census

Raney was the only child of Charles and Delilah Culbertson. I was told by O.C. Helton that he was named after his GGGrandfather Rev. Rene Chastain. Raney was about 1 year old when his father died. He was raised by his mother and stepfather Lewis Murphy.

Raney bought a farm in the Clifty area, of Wolfe Co., KY. The farm had a 1000 acres and with the help of his sons Charles, William, Silas and James, logged all the virgin timber from this farm. Raney and James did the falling. Charles and Silas did the trimming of the upper branches after the tree was on the ground. William hauled the logs after they had been cut into length, to the top of the cliffs above Red River where he and the Lane's set blocks so that the logs could be stacked to await shipment. When the rains came and the river had risen the blocks were knocked away and the logs rolled to the top of the cliffs and fell into Red River where they floated down stream to Clay City to the saw mill. O.C. Helton told me that Raney's first cousins, living in Scott Co. VA, would come to Kentucky and visit him and help log. They would walk from Scott Co., VA, after the crops were laid by and stay several months working. It was said they enjoyed their stay with Raney and would return only when it was time to take the corps in.

Raney and Nancy were married by Joe Nickell at Joe's residence. I have been told that Nancy was half Indian, but I do not have any proof other than a photo of her. In the photo she appears to be on Indian decent. Raney's second wife was Sarah Centers. She and Nancy were first cousins. They were buried with Raney in the Raney Culbertson Cemetery, located on his farm in Clifty. Raney's children: Raney, Asa V., Delila and Ethal, (each died as a child) and Charlie were also buried here. Raney's grandchildren Melvin, Claud, and Dewey are also buried here. This information from Edison Culbertson.

My grandfather Omer Linkous told me that he remembered Raney. He said that he would walk over to their house and that his mother would cook meals and feed him. He said one time he and his brother helped Raney make a walking cane. They used the frame of an old bicycle to make a handle for the cane. They worked all one afternoon sitting in the shade. I have photographs of Sarah, Nancy and Raney. The one of Raney shows him sitting on a porch holding a cane but it does not appear to be the one Omer helped him with.

When Raney will was probated in 1926, his son Charley was mentioned and also Inez and Juel Brewer children of Margaret.

Mary E. Centers was a daughter of Solomon Centers Sr. and Nancy Bell, and and was a sister to Solomon Centers JR., father of Sarah Centers. Raney died prior to March, 1923, at that time Sarah and children petitioned the Wolfe county court, to settle his estate, on May 7, 1923. Sarah received Lot #1 of R.M. Culbertson estate thru court order and Special Commissioners Order. See Commissioner Deed Book 2, page 250. Death certificate has the following codes: 21-019-09267-21.

Grave marked with native stone with RWC carved into it. Death date on newer stone wrong.