BIOGRAPHY:
Posted Sep 25, 2023 by Judith Kathleen Pryor Lezotte
Thomas was the first mayor of Pineville KY.
Born April 6, 1844 in that portion of Knox County that would later become Bell County , near where Pineville now stands, Thomas Jefferson Hoskins lived in that community until his death in 1927. His ancestors first settled in North Carolina in the late 1700's, migrated to Washington County, Tennessee around 1802, (records indicate that the Hoskins family were in, what was then Washington Co NC and later TN as early as 1778) moving to Knox County, KY shortly thereafter. Hoskins married Lucy Renfro whose father , James T. Renfro in 1821, owned most of the land which comprised the Cumberland Ford settlement, which was later named Pineville.
Hoskins ran a general merchandise store and undertaking establishment on Main Street, where he sold everything early settlers needed except tobacco and firearms. These he wouldn't tolerate. Once when he thought someone was burglarizing his store, he told his wife he was going to sleep in the store. She said, "If you don't have a gun to scare them off, what will you do?" He replied, "Well, I'll just say gentlemen, everything in this store is mine, but if you see something you need, you may feel free to take it."
Thirteen children were born to "Uncle Jeff" and "Aunt Lucy." as they were affectionately called, but only six survived: Susie Lydia, who married Charles Gragg: Elilzabeth "Bess," who married first Homer White and after his death married Sterling Williams: Josiah Renfro, who married Vera Tyree: Ruth Renfro, who married George Hodges: Carlo Brittain who married Anna Sullivan: and John Madison , who married Sue Walters. John Madison Hoskins was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD, and had a brilliant career in the US Navy, attaining the rank of Vice Admiral.
T.J. Hoskins and his wife also reared six relatives: Sallie, Josie and Davie Hoskins, and Carl, Sudie and Bruce Brittain. Aunt Lucy was a godly woman, a devout Methodist. When townspeople got seriously ill, they called on "Aunt Lucy" to pray for them. She was once seen at 2:00 a.m. going by buggy to pray for someone out of town.
When Pineville was incorporated in 1889, a city council administered the city. In 1890 the council appointed T. J. Hoskins the first mayor. His grandson, James Renfro Gragg, would also serve as mayor of Pineville from 1966 to 1972.
T. J. Hoskins' father, Hiram, married Elizabeth "Betsy" Chadwell, from Virginia and had T.J., Josiah, who married Mellie Unthank and was killed after a successful race for sheriff; Dr. John who never married and practice medicine in Oklahoma; Linda, who married Will Baughman; and Sarah who married a man names King.
Posted Sep 25, 2023 by Judith Kathleen Pryor Lezotte
Thomas was the first mayor of Pineville KY.
Born April 6, 1844 in that portion of Knox County that would later become Bell County , near where Pineville now stands, Thomas Jefferson Hoskins lived in that community until his death in 1927. His ancestors first settled in North Carolina in the late 1700's, migrated to Washington County, Tennessee around 1802, (records indicate that the Hoskins family were in, what was then Washington Co NC and later TN as early as 1778) moving to Knox County, KY shortly thereafter. Hoskins married Lucy Renfro whose father , James T. Renfro in 1821, owned most of the land which comprised the Cumberland Ford settlement, which was later named Pineville.
Hoskins ran a general merchandise store and undertaking establishment on Main Street, where he sold everything early settlers needed except tobacco and firearms. These he wouldn't tolerate. Once when he thought someone was burglarizing his store, he told his wife he was going to sleep in the store. She said, "If you don't have a gun to scare them off, what will you do?" He replied, "Well, I'll just say gentlemen, everything in this store is mine, but if you see something you need, you may feel free to take it."
Thirteen children were born to "Uncle Jeff" and "Aunt Lucy." as they were affectionately called, but only six survived: Susie Lydia, who married Charles Gragg: Elilzabeth "Bess," who married first Homer White and after his death married Sterling Williams: Josiah Renfro, who married Vera Tyree: Ruth Renfro, who married George Hodges: Carlo Brittain who married Anna Sullivan: and John Madison , who married Sue Walters. John Madison Hoskins was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD, and had a brilliant career in the US Navy, attaining the rank of Vice Admiral.
T.J. Hoskins and his wife also reared six relatives: Sallie, Josie and Davie Hoskins, and Carl, Sudie and Bruce Brittain. Aunt Lucy was a godly woman, a devout Methodist. When townspeople got seriously ill, they called on "Aunt Lucy" to pray for them. She was once seen at 2:00 a.m. going by buggy to pray for someone out of town.
When Pineville was incorporated in 1889, a city council administered the city. In 1890 the council appointed T. J. Hoskins the first mayor. His grandson, James Renfro Gragg, would also serve as mayor of Pineville from 1966 to 1972.
T. J. Hoskins' father, Hiram, married Elizabeth "Betsy" Chadwell, from Virginia and had T.J., Josiah, who married Mellie Unthank and was killed after a successful race for sheriff; Dr. John who never married and practice medicine in Oklahoma; Linda, who married Will Baughman; and Sarah who married a man names King.
BIOGRAPHY:
Posted Sep 25, 2023 by Judith Kathleen Pryor Lezotte
Thomas was the first mayor of Pineville KY.
Born April 6, 1844 in that portion of Knox County that would later become Bell County , near where Pineville now stands, Thomas Jefferson Hoskins lived in that community until his death in 1927. His ancestors first settled in North Carolina in the late 1700's, migrated to Washington County, Tennessee around 1802, (records indicate that the Hoskins family were in, what was then Washington Co NC and later TN as early as 1778) moving to Knox County, KY shortly thereafter. Hoskins married Lucy Renfro whose father , James T. Renfro in 1821, owned most of the land which comprised the Cumberland Ford settlement, which was later named Pineville.
Hoskins ran a general merchandise store and undertaking establishment on Main Street, where he sold everything early settlers needed except tobacco and firearms. These he wouldn't tolerate. Once when he thought someone was burglarizing his store, he told his wife he was going to sleep in the store. She said, "If you don't have a gun to scare them off, what will you do?" He replied, "Well, I'll just say gentlemen, everything in this store is mine, but if you see something you need, you may feel free to take it."
Thirteen children were born to "Uncle Jeff" and "Aunt Lucy." as they were affectionately called, but only six survived: Susie Lydia, who married Charles Gragg: Elilzabeth "Bess," who married first Homer White and after his death married Sterling Williams: Josiah Renfro, who married Vera Tyree: Ruth Renfro, who married George Hodges: Carlo Brittain who married Anna Sullivan: and John Madison , who married Sue Walters. John Madison Hoskins was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD, and had a brilliant career in the US Navy, attaining the rank of Vice Admiral.
T.J. Hoskins and his wife also reared six relatives: Sallie, Josie and Davie Hoskins, and Carl, Sudie and Bruce Brittain. Aunt Lucy was a godly woman, a devout Methodist. When townspeople got seriously ill, they called on "Aunt Lucy" to pray for them. She was once seen at 2:00 a.m. going by buggy to pray for someone out of town.
When Pineville was incorporated in 1889, a city council administered the city. In 1890 the council appointed T. J. Hoskins the first mayor. His grandson, James Renfro Gragg, would also serve as mayor of Pineville from 1966 to 1972.
T. J. Hoskins' father, Hiram, married Elizabeth "Betsy" Chadwell, from Virginia and had T.J., Josiah, who married Mellie Unthank and was killed after a successful race for sheriff; Dr. John who never married and practice medicine in Oklahoma; Linda, who married Will Baughman; and Sarah who married a man names King.
Posted Sep 25, 2023 by Judith Kathleen Pryor Lezotte
Thomas was the first mayor of Pineville KY.
Born April 6, 1844 in that portion of Knox County that would later become Bell County , near where Pineville now stands, Thomas Jefferson Hoskins lived in that community until his death in 1927. His ancestors first settled in North Carolina in the late 1700's, migrated to Washington County, Tennessee around 1802, (records indicate that the Hoskins family were in, what was then Washington Co NC and later TN as early as 1778) moving to Knox County, KY shortly thereafter. Hoskins married Lucy Renfro whose father , James T. Renfro in 1821, owned most of the land which comprised the Cumberland Ford settlement, which was later named Pineville.
Hoskins ran a general merchandise store and undertaking establishment on Main Street, where he sold everything early settlers needed except tobacco and firearms. These he wouldn't tolerate. Once when he thought someone was burglarizing his store, he told his wife he was going to sleep in the store. She said, "If you don't have a gun to scare them off, what will you do?" He replied, "Well, I'll just say gentlemen, everything in this store is mine, but if you see something you need, you may feel free to take it."
Thirteen children were born to "Uncle Jeff" and "Aunt Lucy." as they were affectionately called, but only six survived: Susie Lydia, who married Charles Gragg: Elilzabeth "Bess," who married first Homer White and after his death married Sterling Williams: Josiah Renfro, who married Vera Tyree: Ruth Renfro, who married George Hodges: Carlo Brittain who married Anna Sullivan: and John Madison , who married Sue Walters. John Madison Hoskins was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD, and had a brilliant career in the US Navy, attaining the rank of Vice Admiral.
T.J. Hoskins and his wife also reared six relatives: Sallie, Josie and Davie Hoskins, and Carl, Sudie and Bruce Brittain. Aunt Lucy was a godly woman, a devout Methodist. When townspeople got seriously ill, they called on "Aunt Lucy" to pray for them. She was once seen at 2:00 a.m. going by buggy to pray for someone out of town.
When Pineville was incorporated in 1889, a city council administered the city. In 1890 the council appointed T. J. Hoskins the first mayor. His grandson, James Renfro Gragg, would also serve as mayor of Pineville from 1966 to 1972.
T. J. Hoskins' father, Hiram, married Elizabeth "Betsy" Chadwell, from Virginia and had T.J., Josiah, who married Mellie Unthank and was killed after a successful race for sheriff; Dr. John who never married and practice medicine in Oklahoma; Linda, who married Will Baughman; and Sarah who married a man names King.
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