Velva Kinney Justice (1907 – 1993) lived at the mouth of Dinkins Hollow on Rachel Branch in Eastern Carter County KY. Most locals now call this general community Star after the iron furnace that operated nearby from 1847 to 1874.
Velva carefully raised her own large family but she also helped a large indigent family living deeper in Dinkins hollow. These were the children of Valentine “Felty” Fannin (1903 – 1983) and Imogene Wheeler Fannin (1929 – 2003). Felty was the nephew of Velva’s Husband, Chead Justice (1890 – 1965), a son of Chead’s sister, Martha Justice Berry Fannin (1881 – 1961).
While in Dinkins Hollow, the Felty children sometimes came to their Great Uncle Chead Justice and his wife Velva’s farm to bathe using a hand pump and a large livestock watering trough. After their baths the Felty children ate food that Velva had prepared for them. But, Felty, Imogene, and their large family did not stay put. They were constantly on the move living here and there throughout the tri-state area (KY – OH – WV). Years after the Fannin Family left Dinkins Hollow, before Velva Justice died, she had great worry and concern about what had happened to the many Fannin children that she knew had a very precarious future.
Velva’s daughter, Lydia Justice Edwards, was deeply touched by her Mother’s repeated, but unanswered, queries regarding the fate of Imogene’s Children. Before her Mother’s death, Lydia promised her Mother she would find out what had happened to Imogene’s Children.
Below is a link to a detailed, meticulously researched, and comprehensive narrative by Lydia Justice Edwards regarding her personal project to determine for her Mother, Velva Justice, what happened to Imogene’s Children. This book is about the children, but many details, testimonials, facts, and related information pertain directly to the people and places of The Williams Creek Basin.
There is also a link to a Book Proposal, also written by Lydia Justice Edwards. This proposal describes the detail of this short book, Imogene’s Children, and provides a short bio of the author.
Link to Imogene’s Children, the short book
Link to the book proposal for Imogene’s Children
Enjoy! Lon
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