Fancy Farm, Kentucky was Named for a Well-Tended Farm

In 1843 a small but growing farm community in western Kentucky petitioned the United States Postal Department to establish a post office.

A postal inspector was dispatched and stayed at the well maintained farm of John Peebles. Peebles was angling for the position of post master and a salary paid by the government. When the inspector agreed that the town warranted its own post office, Peebles asked him, "What should they name the town?" The inspector replied that they should be called "Fancy Farm" in recognition of Peebles' well-kept farm.

Similar settlements were being established nearby in Graves County such as Lowes eight miles to the north and Dublin, the same distance to the south.

The village was similar to thousands of others in Kentucky and neighboring states. It differed in being a community of Roman Catholics, mostly English in origins, and part of a migration that started in St. Mary's County in Maryland.

Samuel B. Willett arrived in 1829 and was soon joined by his wife Elizabeth Hobbs and young brother John William Willett. Within a few years, a number of his in-laws, cousins, and neighbors had joined him and formed St. Jerome Parish. The first church, a log cabin built on the site of the present church, was built in 1836.

Alfred and Ambrose Hobbs, brothers of Elizabeth, purchased quarter sections adjoining Sam Willett's.

From the start, Fancy Farm was an extended family, separated from the surrounding communities by its religion. By the 1840 census, St. Jerome had at least 32 families with about 180 souls. Only four individuals were listed as being over the age of 50.

Heads of households in the Graves County neighborhood included: Stephen Ballard; Charles Bright; Cornelius Carrico; Thomas Curtsinger; George, Henry, and John Hayden; Alfred, John, and Mary Hobbs; John B. Pierceall; Solomon Riley; Benjamin Roberts; William Thomas Toon, Hillary Toon., Stanish Lloyd Toon, and William Toon; as well as Samuel B. Willett.

The first settlers lived on their newly purchased farms scattered across the countryside. Several families bought land in adjoining Hickman County. They were: Henry Carrico; James and John Cash; James Elliott; Samuel and William Hayden; Thomas Hayden, Sr. and Jr.; Samuel Thomas, and four Hobbs families headed by, Horatio, Jerome, Joseph, and Samuel. St. Denis was eventually established as a rural Catholic parish in Hickman County in 1914. Father Charles Heaseley, who was pastor at St. Jerome from 1880 to 1912, named these families as the founders of Fancy Farm.

Over time, the Catholic families tended to gravitate toward St. Jerome Church. They wanted to live near the church and later the school, both for the comforts of religion and for the social life not available on isolated farmsteads. Those early settlers who were not Catholic, such as the Peebles family, eventually sold out to Catholics.

Nearly everyone was a farmer. Tobacco was the cash crop, but most farms produced enough wheat, corn, and other crops to feed the family and livestock. Many children provided the work force needed as well as some security for parents that reached old age.

The agricultural census of 1850 shows that Sam Willett owned 550 acres valued at $800. Eighty acres were cultivated. He owned four horses, four milk cows, two oxen, 14 sheep, 40 hogs, and 14 "other cattle".

The Willett farm produced a wide variety of crops. Fourteen bushels of wheat were listed, five bushels of rye, 750 bushels of corn, 100 bushels of oats, 15 pounds of wool, 20 bushels of potatoes, 20 bushels of sweet potatoes, 100 pounds of flax seed, five pounds of silk cocoons, and 150 pounds of butter. The value of slaughtered animals was put at $90 and home manufactures was listed as $25. No tobacco was grown.

Elizabeth (Hobbs) Willett, wife of Samuel, bore 12 children. They were: John William (b. 1829 m. Teresa Carrico, eight children), Susan Mary (1831-1917 m. Henry Jefferson Carrico, nine children ), Samuel Thomas ( 1833-1893 m. Cecilia Ann Roberts, six children), Elizabeth Appalonia (1835-1912 m. James Phillip Hayden, two children and secondly m. Thomas F. Curtsinger, four children), Francis Patrick Kendrick (1837-1917 m. Sarah Ellen Austin, nine children), Matilda Josephine (1840-1926 m. Ignatius Francis Carrico, nine children), Elisha Joseph (1840-1911 m. Theresa Ann Pierceall, eleven children), Elizabeth Jane (1844-1922, m. Francis Marion Carrico, eight children), Nancy Ann Elder (1846-1928 m. Samuel Elisha Abel, seven children ), James Alexander Phillip (1848-1926, m. Augusta Ann Elliott, seven children), Charles Constantine (1850-1909 m. Anna Isabel "Belle" Cash, 10 children), and Francis Eugenia (b. 1852- d. before 1860). A clear example of how interconnected the families became.

Despite his farming and rapidly growing family, Sam Willett found time to serve as Graves County Sheriff for one term in the 1840s and later as deputy sheriff. He also served as postmaster from 1854. In the 1860 census, the household had real estate worth $3750 and personal property worth $2600.

John William or "Jack" Willett (1821-1909) had even more family connections. His first wife was Florida Anne "Rhody" Carrico. They had nine children. They were: Thomas Jefferson (1846-1908, m. Frances Ann Pierceall, four children; and later married Emma Elizabeth Wilson, five children), Amanda Jane (1850-1909, m. Elisha Francis Curtsinger, nine children), Anna Evalina ( born 1852 and died young), Amelia Francis (1853-1880, m. Joseph Pierceall, two children), Samuel Cornelius (1855-d. young), Susan Asenia (1857-1929, m. Phillip Watts Curtsinger, three children), Teresa Neomia (1859-1941, m. John Hilary Toon, 12 children), Mary Irene (1860-1940, m. William Taylor Cash, 10 children), and Jacqueline Anne (1864-d. young).

Jack Willett's second wife was Elizabeth Gale Burgess. They had four children: Fred Lee (1880-1881); twin John Feehan (1882-1953, m. Bridgett Appalonia Hayden, eight children); twin Henry de Leon (1882-1959, m. Mary Elizabeth Hamilton, two children), and Mary Maude Lee (b. & d. 1884).

Jack Willett's third wife was Angeline Mary Potter, and their only child was Benjamin Joseph (b. 1890, m. Lula May Toon, five children).

John William Willett became known as "Uncle Jack" because he was "everybody's relative" and because of the affection people felt for him. Later in his life he moved to Mayfield, Kentucky and was widely know by everyone in the countryside. He was often seen walking from Mayfield to Fancy Farm. For unknown reasons, he kept a handkerchief tied around one hand.

Sources:

History of St. Jerome Fancy Farm, Kentucky

A book edit by Brother Leo Willett

http://www.thelansdens.com/Ancestors/aqwn32.htm

http://www.fancyfarm.net/history.html