Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 09: BIOGRAPHIES – Families
1930 – 1961

“Sarah Napier Bailey. 1947.” [nace_II_album_009.jpg]
NAPIER FAMILY, 1930 – 1961
TAGS: Napier Family, Pine Mountain Settlement School, Pine Mountain Community, PMSS Boarding School Students, PMSS Community School Students
According to Ethel de Long’s DEAR FRIEND LETTER 1911 [Hindman], the Napiers are descendants of the of the four original settlers of Greasy — Minyards, Napiers, Turners and Chappels. Many Napiers were among the student body at Pine Mountain Settlement School.
For additional assistance in locating histories of families in Eastern Kentucky see:
Harlan County, Kentucky Genealogy – FamilySearch Wiki
Early Settlers on the Poor Fork of the Cumberland River, Harlan County Kentucky and Adjoining Counties by Jackie Owen (1990) [out of print – Contains information on the Creech Family and related families as well as black-and-white photos, and an index. It also includes family charts, pages for recording births, marriages, and deaths and information on the families of: Adams, Ball, Blair, Branson, Caudill, Chadwell, Collier, Creech, Day, Ely, Ewing, Howard, Kelly, Napier, Nolan, Parker, Posey, Scott, Sims, Spencer, Turner, and others.]
Napier Family: HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PMSS COLLECTIONS
Barbara C. Napier’s handwritten letter is transcribed on the page for GRACE LEWIS CREECH.
Ben F. Napier (b. 1872), a farm laborer, was the father of Sarah Ellen Bailey (b. May 7, 1914). Sarah described her mother, Malissa Jane (Curry) Napier (b. 1873), as a “great herb doctor” who was happiest when she was sitting at her spinning wheel. According to the 1920 U.S. Census, Sarah, at five years old, was the youngest of eight children. Her brothers were Bradley (24), George (20), Floyd (17), Ada (15), Johney (9), Loyd (7). She had one sister, Lizebeath (12). At the time of the Census, the family was living in Jane, (Harlan County), Kentucky. SARAH BAILEY biography.
Ben Napier and Lloyd Turner wrote “Turner’s True Story,” in which the grandson of Lloyd Turner tells the story of slick horse and mule trading by Loyd and Ben Napier with Mr. Chapel. MARGARET MOTTER WRITING: “TURNER’S TRUE STORY.”
Darlene Napier is listed as “Reporter” for the Youth Group “C” in the 1963 GUIDANCE INSTITUTE REPORT (pp. 49-58).
Floyd Napier married Lilly (or Lillie) Day and had 3 children: Sol, Nel, and Delphia, according to genealogy information in SOL DAY’s biography.
Glynn Napier is named in one of Glyn Morris’ 1934 letters. GLYN MORRIS 1934 Correspondence. Glynn Napier’s article “A Description from the Study of ‘The Tale of Two Cities’” was published in the student publication, PINE CONE 1932. She was the editor of the “World News” section of PINE CONE 1934.
H. Napier’s sixth grade letter is transcribed as an example of Kentucky mountain parlance. MARGARET MOTTER NOTEBOOK.
Id and Lira Napier are mentioned in a letter from Evelyn K. Wells to her family dated May 4, 1918(?), describing a shooting on Abner’s Branch. EVELYN K. WELLS 1918 Excerpts From Letters Home.
James Napier wrote a children’s letter (#49), to Miss [Margaret] Motter. [Notation at top of page: “…1930s?”] “English II. “Two years ago I decided to quit school. I was in the first year high school…I decided to go up in Ohio to try to get a job, so the first day I got there I went to work so it made me believe I were a real man and didn’t need any education….[the foreman] put me a hold of a pick and shovel and told me to work hard. When he said that my mind turned toward how I were going to live so I returned home and begin to school again and I never have had least idea at that kind of work any more.” EDUCATION – CHILDREN’S WRITING III.
John Calvin Napier and Shafer Napier were listed among the men from Perry County, KY, who were U.S. Army Privates in the WWI. Source: “Hazard, Heart of the Coal Fields” by Samuel Morse Chenault, Lexington Herald, [Dec. 21, 1919]. LOCAL HISTORY SCRAPBOOK “Hazard, Heart of the Coal Fields 1919.” They were also among those listed in the LOCAL HISTORY SCRAPBOOK narrative, “History of the Combs Family,” by S.S. Combs.
Kyle Napier is mentioned in the October 2008 Notes: “In recent years, Ben [Begley] has [worked] with Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission (KSNPC) and Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, which is working to preserve special natural areas on Pine Mountain” in partnership with the School. The article quotes Ben as saying, “I…never tire of spending time in the forest with my colleagues: Hugh Archer, Tom Barnes, Marc Evans, Kyle Napier, and Wally Roberts. We are always learning from each other.” BEN BEGLEY Biography.
Mr. Napier was the operator of a “big shovel” during the building of the road, as described in the PMSS Notes of 1948. He was the father of Birdie Napier, a Pine Mountain student. PMSS NOTES 1948.
Opal Napier is listed as a student in the CONIFER – 1949 May Supplement.
Warren Napier is listed as “Recorder” for the Hall Area in the 1963 GUIDANCE INSTITUTE REPORT (pp. 26-37).
Napier Family: IN PINE MOUNTAIN VALLEY AREA, 1934-1942
TITLE | LAST NAME | FIRST NAME | DATE OF INFO | SOURCE OF INFORMATION |
Mr. & Mrs. | Napier | Ben | 1934 – 1942 | MAP OF COMMUNITY RESIDENTS 1934 – 1942 |
Mr. & Mrs. | Napier | Lloyd | 1934 – 1942 | MAP OF COMMUNITY RESIDENTS 1934 – 1942 |
Napier Family: PMSS WORKERS
NONE FOUND
Napier Family: PMSS BOARDING STUDENTS, 1930-1937
STUDENT NAME | YEARS AT PMSS | GRAD? |
Napier, Burl | 1930-1933 | |
Napier, Glynn (Gwendolyn) | 1930-1933 | |
Napier, Haney | 1930-1931 | |
Napier, Lillian | 1937 | |
Napier, Opal | 1934-1935 |
Napier Family: PMSS COMMUNITY SCHOOL STUDENTS, 1952-1961
LAST NAME – FIRST NAME – MI – DATE OF BIRTH – DATE OF RECORD
Napier Alonzo 1943-12-17 1958
Napier Anna 1939-04-25 1955
Napier Doyle Lee 1949-01-16 1959
Napier Daryl 1959-04-12 1959
Napier Helen Golda 1945-09-21 1952
Napier Helen Louise 1945-07-28 1958
Napier J.R. 1949-09-10
Napier John Dotson 1942-09-08 1956
Napier Kelly John 1945-01-30 1960
Napier Mack 1942-03-18 1958
Napier Sharon 1951-02-18 1959
Napier Sheila 1947-08-10 1961
See Also:
ALICE COBB STORIES About Sarah [Napier] Bailey 1940
SARAH [NAPIER] BAILEY Biography
ALICE COBB STORIES Hike to Napier and Gabes Branch
Mr. Napier’s Observations of Pine Mountain
WILLIAM NAPIER & BONNIE McINTOSH
Napier Family: GALLERY
- “Sarah Napier Bailey. 1947.” [nace_II_album_009.jpg]
- “Sarah Napier Bailey. 1947.”[nace_II_album_009.jpg]
- Sarah Napier Bailey, maker of cornshuck mats, baskets, and dolls, 1944. [nace_1_067c.jpg]
- “Mrs ? Napier.” [kingman_080.jpg]
- “Aunt Sal’s Day, 1930. Mrs. Wilder, Mrs. Creech, Squire Creech, Miss Gaines, Norma, Mrs. Lewis, Mrs. Creech, Woodrow, Edmund Napier.” [kingman_074a.jpg]
- “Wilson, Napier, Callahan, Shoemaker, Sexton, Cornet, Jesse Lynch.” [kingman_064a.jpg]
Title |
Napier Family |
Identifier |
|
Creator |
Pine Mountain Settlement School, Pine Mountain, KY |
Alt. Creator |
Ann Angel Eberhardt ; Helen Hayes Wykle ; |
Subject Keyword |
Napier Family ; Pine Mountain Settlement School ; Pine Mountain Community ; PMSS Boarding School Students ; PMSS Community School Students |
Subject LCSH |
Napier Family. |
Date |
2018-05-28 |
Publisher |
Pine Mountain Settlement School, Pine Mountain, KY |
Contributor |
n/a |
Type |
Collections ; text ; image ; |
Format |
Original and copies of documents and correspondence in file folders in filing cabinet. |
Source |
Series 09: Biography – Families |
Language |
English |
Relation |
Is related to: Pine Mountain Settlement School Collections, Series 09: Biography – Families |
Coverage Temporal |
1930 – 1961 |
Coverage Spatial |
Pine Mountain, KY ; Harlan County, KY ; |
Rights |
Any display, publication, or public use must credit the Pine Mountain Settlement School. Copyright retained by the creators of certain items in the collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law. |
Donor |
n/a |
Description |
Core documents, correspondence, writings, and administrative papers of the Napier Family ; clippings, photographs, books by or about the Napier Family ; |
Acquisition |
n/d |
Citation |
“[Identification of Item],” [Collection Name] [Series Number, if applicable]. Pine Mountain Settlement School Institutional Papers. Pine Mountain Settlement School, Pine Mountain, KY. |
Processed By |
Helen Hayes Wykle ; Ann Angel Eberhardt ; |
Last Updated |
|
Bibliography |
Source(s) ”Napier.” PINE MOUNTAIN VALLEY COMMUNITY RESIDENTS LIST 1910s-1940s ; GUIDE TO BOARDING SCHOOL STUDENTS, 1929-1949 ; COMMUNITY SCHOOL STUDENTS LIST GI-Z. Series 09: Biography – Families. Pine Mountain Settlement School Institutional Papers. Pine Mountain Settlement School, Pine Mountain, KY. Internet resource. |
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