Appalachian History

Alice Jane Meek (1877-1961) could trace her roots to members of pioneer families in Eastern Kentucky. Her resourcefulness emerged early when, amid serious competition, she wooed and wed a teacher from a one-room schoolhouse in Van Lear who had been her instructor. She bore John C.C. Mayo —“Calhoun” to her— two children, John C.C. 2nd [...]

John C.C. Mayo (1864-1914) was born a poor mountaineer in Paintsville, KY, and by the time of his premature death at 49 of Bright’s Disease, had amassed a fortune in the neighborhood of $20,000,000, making him Kentucky’s wealthiest man. Mayo became a teacher at age 16, interrupted his classroom activities to enroll in Kentucky Wesleyan [...]