The History of Pine Knot

The act creating McCreary County contained a provision for a board of commissioners to be appointed by the governor, consisting of three members from two political parties who were residents of the county. Their duty was to select a temporary county seat, with a temporary place to hold court, and a place to keep the public records until a permanent place was established. Further, the Board of Commissioners would have the power to divide the new county into magisterial districts. For this purpose, they were to meet at the town of Pine Knot as soon, after their appointments, as possible.

The three persons ultimately appointed by the Governor were: W. B. Creekmore, Chairman; R. P. McDaniel’s, Secretary; Morris Hayes, member.

The County officials appointed by the Governor, selected from the eligible citizens of the county, were J. C. Goode, County Judge; W. F. Hinkle, County Attorney; P.R. Bell, Sheriff; W. M. Bills Roberts, Jailor; Joe Myrick, County Court Clerk; Walter Broyles, Circuit Court Clerk;  and W.S. Gilreath, Superintendent of Schools.

Each of these appointed officials were Democrats!

The county government was, therefore, established and fully staffed with legally appointed officers, but very little action was undertaken by either the Board of Commissioners or the county officials until after June 12th, 1912, ninety days after the legislative act was signed officially recognizing McCreary County as the one hundred and twentieth county.

They officially took action at Pine Knot on June 17, 1912. All appointed county officers were sworn in that day and bonded. J. C. Goode executed a bond of $5,000. His appointment was examined and approved, and he was sworn in by Flem D. Sampson. Circuit Judge of the 34 Judicial District.  Judge Goode sureties were John West, J. E. Harmon, J. W. Swain, I.N.Steely;, M. B. Campbell, John West, and J. W. Morgan.

Joseph Myrick was sworn in as county court clerk and bonded for $2,000. His sureties were I. N. Steely, M. B. Creekmore, anad John West. Preston R. Bell, Sheriff, $20,000 bond; sureties were W. R. Cress, M. B. Campbell, K. E. Harmon, John West, S. G. Morgan, and J. W. Swain. W. S. Roberts, Jailer, $2,000 bond. Sureties were Cress, Morgan, and Campbell. Circuit Court Clerk: $2,000 bond with sureties J. L. Creekmore, J. C. Bird, John West, J. W. Morgan, M. B. Campbell, and W. H. Meadows.

The County was divided into six magisterial districts: 1. Pine Knot, 2 Strunk’s Lane, 3. Pleasant Run, 4, South Fork, 5 Cumberland Falls,  and 6 Eagle. There were fifteen voting precincts. They were Pine Knot, Stearns, Whitley City, Barron Fork, Cumberland Falls, Beaver, Mill Creek, Eagle, Laurel, Pleasant Run, Hayes Creek, Strunk’s Lane, Dolen, Trace Branche, and Whitehead.

In Regular session the Board of Commissioners read and approved the above actions on June 28, 1912. Only minor corrections, then, were made of boundary calls of district and precincts.

After the Governor made his appointments of six magistrates for McCreary County, they were T. M. Hayes, Avery Williams, John A. Gilreath, S. C. Bell, John Vitatoe, and Lee Ballew.

The county court was, however, in almost continuous session, with one special term following another. The first regular term was held on June 28th, 1912, in the main room of the Pine Knot Banking Company. Several more appointments were made during this special time.

The Act had to be done within ninety days after the Governor had signed the bill March 12, 1912. Therefore, the election had to be held September 12, 1912.

During a special term on July 22, 1912, an order was issued for the election to be held September 7, 1912, and all polls to be opened at all voting precincts for that purpose.

The people of Pine Knot had worked harder than any other group to have the county created, and, to them, their progressive little town was unquestionably the desirable site. They began immediately to lay out the location of the permanent courthouse and jail to be built.