Newspapers|Ballard Co.|KYGENWEB

FIRST CATHOLIC CHURCH ERECTED IN BALLARD CO Tho first Catholic church In Ballard county will be blessed next Sunday Sunday at 10 30 oclock by the Rt. Rev. Bishop William George McCIoskey of Louisville. The edifice is Sir Marys at La Center. In charge of the Rev. A. O. Sullivan and Father Knue of Glasgow will preach the dedicatory sermon. There are no Catholics In La Center the congregation being farmers but the La Center company donated a lot and $100 toward the buildings and townspeople contributed liberally toward the work. A neat frame edifice is the result and already the news has attracted the attention of German Catholic farmers in southern Indiana many of whom talk of emigrating to Ballard county where land is comparatively cheap and now they may have a house of worship of their faith.

The Paducah Sun-Democrat

(Paducah, Kentucky)

20 Nov 1907, Wed � Page 1

La Center, Ky.. Student, Rhodes Scholar-elect, Was Sailor During War. Lexington, Ky.. Dec. 4. William Hugh Peal. 23 years old La Center, Ballard County, Ky., a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, University University of Kentucky, was chosen as the 1922 Rhodes scholar from Kentucky among nine candidates.

Peal's scholastic standing is among the best in the University and he has been on the high distinction list for several years. He served in the navy during the war.

At present he is a special trustee, in charge of property and business of the former members service club. He was winner of the Bennett prize of 1921 for the best essay on the "Principles of Free Government." He is a member of the Delta Sigma Pi and the honorary honorary fraternity of commerce.

Peal plans to study international law while at Oxford. He is a son. of J. H. Peal, Sr.. of La Center and has relatives in England.

The Courier-Journal, 05 Dec 1921, Mon, Page 3

Neighbors Plow In La Center, Ky., May 5 (JP) Farmers of the Hazelwood community community of Ballard County today showed in a heart-warming way that they were good neighbors. They wiped away a pall of despair that had been hanging over the Roy Elrod Farm since early Sunday morning. Elrod and his boys were facing bitter failure this crop season because lightning struck their barn. Destroyed were all their work horses, corn and hay, the farm wagon, and many smaller tools. Today the neighbors gathered taking time out from their own piled-up chores and did virtually all the plowing and planting the Elrods planned before their hopes went up in smoke. Seventeen tractors rolled into the Elrod driveway soon after the sun came up. The drivers asked simply to be put to work. By mid-morning, 20 acres of corn land had been plowed and was being planted. And 30 additional acres had been plowed and to Job of prepared for soybeans. Later, after the corn was planted, the 2-acre tobacco patch was broken and disked. The day's work put the Elrod crop plans well ahead of schedule and gave the family aid that will enable it to put out a normal crop and make up some of the loss resulting from the lightning. G. A. Lynn, one of the tractor operators, summed up the way Hazelwood community residents felt: "We don't think this is out of the ordinary. A man needs help and we give it to him. We believe in helping our neighbors." Seven head of stock all the power the Elrods had to depend on since they do not own a tractor perished in the blaze caused by the lightning. The fire blow was doubly bitter because Elrod and his eldest son, Charles W., bought the place only four years ago and were leaning heavily on anticipated 1948 income to keep up the payments. Trouble is not new to the Elrods. Tragedy has been stalking them the past five years. Since 1943 here are the trials they have suffered: Their home near La Center burned to the ground with everything lost. Kindliness of neighbors and hard toil had about erased that blow when the second tragedy happened. Jack, a son, came home on an Army furlough and drowned while swimming in a Ballard County lake. Then Charles, 27, who now completes the farm partnership, was wounded in action. He recovered and went back to war and was wounded again. Still the wounded-in-action telegrams did not stop. Twice more before he left Europe, Charles suffered serious gunshot wounds. He is partially disabled, Neighbors also plan to rebuild when lumber becomes available. ________ the destroyed barn for the Elrods

The Courier-Journal, 06 May 1948, Thu, Page 17