History of Providence, KY
Part 5
by Frances Bassett Price

Early Stores

When Dixon was incorporated as the county seat of Webster county in 1861 Wiley Ledbetter moved his store there. The stand passed from hand to hand. In 1883 A. Niswonger bought the property and established his business there. In 1911 he erected his handsome brick building 48 x 90 feet. He is identified in the minds of most people now living in Providence with the town and its growth.

Wm. and Daniel Head left Providence during the Civil War going first to Evansville, later to Princeton, Indiana.

John Montgomery conducted a grocery buisness in the Daniel Head building. Later Dr. John A. Bassett and Robert Terry had a drug store in the building, from 1870 to 1878.

James Kerr Givens operated a large dry goods store in the Wm. Head building, now the site of the Providence Coal Mining Company's store, in the 1860's and 1870's.

On New Year's day, 1863, John H. Parker, born in Person County, North Carolina in 1835 opened a large dry goods and grocery store in the N. S. Long building back and across Short Street from the Wm. Head building. He added to this building from time to time until he had eight large store rooms. Associated with him were Thos. Donnelly, Albert Bailey, and Blucher Montgomery. He was also a dealer in leaf tobacco and ran a large stemmery. He also operated a skating rink and opera house. He left Providence in 1886 and located in Honey Grove, Texas.

J. J. and Leland Woodson, members of an old and distinguished family, were merchants here at an early day. Leland Woodson later went to Madisonville and J. J. Woodson conducted a general merchandise business on West Main Street for many years.

J. B. Benjamin, now the dean of Providence merchants, began business here 54 years ago as a new-comer from Georgia,. He is still on the job in the hardware business in connections with his son, Lucien.

The early merchants went and others came. In the early 1850's Richard Savage sold his property and went to Union county. James D. Headley, a State Senator from 1855-59, and son of William Headley, acquired the property and kept store and tavern there for more than ten years. He built an attractive front to the old dwelling of Savage. A number of his children were born there, among the number Mrs. Mary Rudy of Evansville and Mrs. James G. Gist of Providence. His oldest son, John W. Headley, born in 1841, a Civil War hero, was Secretary of State under John Young Brown, and was one of the most prominent politicians of the state in his day. Newton Headley, brother of William, and uncle of James D. Headley, represented Hopkins county in the General Assembly in 1847-48.

In 1859 the Rev. Nicholas Lacy bought the property and about 1865 he sold it to Edward Skinner, who built a store building on the opposite corner. In 1869 T. B. Payne, son of the Rev. Cornelius Payne of a noted Virginia family, came to Providence and went into business with Skinner, stepfather of his wife. In addition to his store and tavern business -- the later was discontinued in 1883 -- Mr. Payne did a large tobacco and livery stable business. In 1893 N. J. Payne, an only son, was admitted to partnership and the firm continued to do an extensive business as T. B. Payne and Son until 1914. A large store building was built in 1886. Following its almost complete destruction by fire it was rebuilt in 1924 as it now stands and is occupied by M. Eskind.

The first brick store was built by Thomas Kerr Givens on the east side of South Broadway. Soon after John Daniel Wynns built another on Main Street, now the Boston Store, and opened a well-equipped drug store. Later his brother, G. W. Wynns took over the drug part of the business and J. D. Wynns conducted a dry goods and grocery store until 1895 in this brick building.

T. K. Givens, who was also a large tobacco buyer, farmer, and stock dealer, and his son, Henry, did an extensive dry goods and grocery business in his brick store until 1898 when H. T. Thomson bought them out.

At an early day Levi Coleman had bought property along N. Broadway, north of Ledbetter and Marlin, and did a thriving business with a wagon and blacksmith shop. At his residence, still farther north where the Solans-Walker property is now located, he kept an inn for many years. Later the Rev. John Walker, a Baptist minister from Virginia bought land and built a residence north of Coleman.

In a house belonging to Coleman, now the Ledbetter store, James Kane, an expert cabinet maker from Winchester, Virginia, first cousin of the noted Artic Explorer Elisha Kent Kane, organized the first Masonic lodge in Providence in January 1853.

Each store in the business district has changed hands so often and so many new ones have been built and changes and additions to the old ones have been made, as the years have sped by that it would be impossible in the scope of this sketch to give further details concerning them.

When the gold rush started in 1849 for California most of these famiilies were represented in the western hegira. Some returned but many remained in the great western states; others stopped and settled at various points enroute. Several most interesting and romantic accounts have been written of the great western trek, notably one by Mr. John Montgomery, beloved Providence citizen, which was published in the Kentucky Historical Magazine about fifty years ago.

The Mexican and the Civil War each took their quota of blood and tears, as did the Spanish and World Wars but steadily year by year Providence like the famed green apple, "grew and grew."

From the 150 inhabitants at the time of incorporation, sixty years later at the turn of the century the population was 1285. Then with the World War and the great demand for coal the town forged rapidly ahead in population as well as industries.

As the founders of Providence advanced with the growth of the town they cast about for cultural advantages for their children. In the midst of the rich farming lands were several log school buildings, which the town children also attended.