Radio station WRUS featured a one-hour call in radio program in October on the history of Extension and the Extension personnel serving in Logan County
over the years. Many of the Assistant Agents and 4--H. Agent serving briefly in the county moved on to other counties and agriculture related work. The
listeners in the radio audience were active with their call-ins to remember their favorite Agent and recall how they were helped and encouraged by
these Agents. It was exciting to recall these pioneer Agents and hear of their influence among the people throughout the county.
We went to the ESP web history site to locate and report on the Agents who have worked in Logan County, some dating back to 1914. We were assisted with
our search by: Joe Williams, Jennifer Klee, George Duncan, Jeanie Davis, Anna Grayson Smith, Kaye Wilkins Warren, Ben Brown, Evelyn Richardson,
Josephine Orange and Jim Turner .They provided first hand information that we used on the program.
This public program was an exercise that is recommended for other counties to pursue. It is most revealing to hear from the listeners concerning the
years of positive influence that personnel of the College have had on county citizens over the years.
Below is the list of Agents who have worked in Logan County that we are aware of so far, Also included are comments about Aubrey Warren by his
daughter, Kaye Wilkins, and about John Watklington from his niece, Jeanie Davis, who works in Extension herself. Also included is information about
Rodney Haines, whose funeral was held in Russellville on Nov. 15.
MAMMOTH CAVE
LOGAN COUNTY
County Extension Agent for Agriculture
and Assistant County Agents
William H. Rogers 1914-1916
W. Rodney Whitlow 1917-1923
C.B. Elliston 1923-1924
Recession, No appropriation
1924- 1926
Stewart Brabant 1926-1929 became county agent Henderson County
R.S. Dunn 1927
C. L. Hill 1929-1938
Troll Young Jan 1930 became county agent Green County.
O.B. Redd 1934
John R. Watlington 1936-1958:
R.C. Hume 1936
Fred M. Klingner 1938-1940
Woodrow H. Hughes 1941-1942
Bennett K. Brown 1941-1951
John L. Walton 1942
George Noble 1943-1944
Leonard B. Williams 1944-1945
Robert Thornton 1944
Garland Bastin 1946-1948 became Dairy Specialist/Area Director
Howard Campbell 1946
George Campbell 1949
Grover Corum 1950-1953
Louis L. Duncan, Jr. 1951-1956
George Everette 1954-1955 became Tobacco Specialist, Princeton
Thomas E. Moseley 1955-1957
Granville King, Jr. 1956-1969: became African American Agent in Jefferson County
John Carr 1957
Steve Callihan 1957 Ag Econ Specialist
James L. Hardin 1958-1969
Aubrey Warren 1958-1980
Iris 'Mac' McLarty 1958-61 became Ag Agent in Union County and in Mississippi
Ben F. Brown 1961-1969
William Robertson 1964-1966 became UK Regulatory Field Man
Darrell Tichner 1967-1968 became Ag Agent Marshall County
Don Kessler 1971 became Ag Agent Simpson County
Bill Peterson 1975-1977 became Ag Agent Mason County
Tommy Harrison 1980-1983 Small Farm Agent/ 4-H Agent Muhlenberg County
Rodney Haines 1980-12000
Joanna W. Coles 5/1/2000 - currently Ag Agent Warren County
Chris Milam - present
CountyExtension Agent for Home Economics
and Assistant Home Demonstration Agents
Mary J. Morton: 1914---
Geneve B. Edwards 1921-1923
Sarah Brown Money 1935-1939
Cornelia Crafton (Thompson) 1939-1944
Shella Proctor 1944-1972 African American Agent
Margaret Sullivan (Berg) 1944-1973
CoIrene Beavers 1948-1949
Ann Ward 1948
Susan Langley 1949
Patricia Lawson 1950-1951
Kathryn Greenwood 1950
Gladys Cotham 1952
Ravenel Hensley 1953
Eddie Rose Bartley 1954-1955
Roberta Cherry 1954
Melva Dean Garrell 1956
Jocile Stewart Pillow 1958- 1961
Jo-ann Pierce 1959-1961 Home Ec Hopkins County
Patricia Bates 1962-1963
Carol Napier 1964-1967
CountyExtension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences (Effective 1/1/1998)
Marian Davis 1972- 2004
Rachel Hance 2005- Present
County Extension Agent for 4/H Youth Development
David Sparks 1977-1979
Adrian Hayes 1979-1981
Harold Boggs 1982-1985
Pamela Phillippe 1986-8/15/97
Patricia D. Payeur 12/1/97 - 2002
Darlene Taylor 2002-06
Gary M. Templeman March, 2006 - present
Logan County natives who have worked with UK Extension:
George A. Duncan, UK Ariculture Engineer Specialist
Carolyn Marcam Ham, Home Ec, Muhlenberg County
Marion Jennie Pillow Davis, 4-H Barren County/ H-E. Logan County
Anna Grayson Smith, 4-H Hart County., Warren County./ current District Director Lake Cumberland
J. Henry Duncan, Ag/ Dev Agent, Butler County/ Area Program Director, Pennyrile, Licking River/ Ag Water Spec
Joanna W. Coles, Ag Agent Logan County/Warren Countyunty
Charles Orange; , 4-H, Simpson County. 1977-1986
Jessie Dawson:, Home Demonstration Agent, Muhlenberg County. 1940s- 1960
Sue Strickler, 4-H, Hancock County, short term in 1990s
Sheena Thomas Brown, Current 4-H Agent Livingston County
Kaye Warren Wilkins about her father, Aubrey Warren
We moved to Russellville in 1958, when I was five years olds; and Daddy did not retire until after I had married. Therefore, the majority of my
childhood memories center around Daddy working as the Logan County Extension Agent. Daddy worked in Extension for almost 40 years, with his work
beginning in Muhlenberg County. This is where he met my mother, as my grandfather Cecil Lovell operated the Experiment Station for the University of
Kentucky.
When thinking back on Daddy's tenure, I recall that he never seemed too busy to take a call from someone, go visit a farmer who wanted him to come look
at a crop, or attend a night meeting which was related to some area that would be of a help to someone. Some of the events that readily come to mind
are: June Dairy Month, the Beekeeper's Association, Feeder Calf Sales, Tobaco Judging, The Big Show at the Tobacco Festival (where people would bring
in their largest produce items), Field Days, and livestock shows at the County Fair.
Also, I think about the fact that the Extension Office was located in the basement of the old Post Office. I remember Daddy always thinking he needed
to be at work, in case someone needed him. One day we had a huge snowfall, and Daddy walked towork. That day he somehow locked himself in the restroom
at the office. Finally, I think it was Bill Guion who came to his rescue. There was a soil lab located in the Extension Office to readily give the
farmers information. Daddy also recorded many radio programs entitled "Farm and Home Garden Tips" He also wrote a weekly column for the local paper,
which always included a picture of some farming operation in the County.
I can remember taking messages for Daddy when someone would call our house. Even one day, I think the person asked me if I knew what could be wrong
with their strawberries. I am afraid I was not much help to them, other than to say I would give Daddy the message. I also remember people would even
bring things to the house for Daddy to look at to try to identify a problem or issue for them. I know one night someone came to our house about
midnight to get Daddy to identify a spider for them, as they were worried it was a brown recluse spider. It was!
There were many people that worked with Daddy during his years in Logan County, and it would be difficult to mention them. I would be afraid that I
would leave out someone that he would want me to mention. I know Daddy worked closely with the community, and I can remember him going to Fiscal Court
to talk about the Extension Service. Daddy continually read to try to keep up with the latest information to help the economy of the farmer, and he was
always so proud to report high yields of crop production. I know he was so proud when he as selected to be the Grand Marshal in the Tobacco Festival
Parade and when there was an event held, entitled Aubrey Warren Appreciation Week. Daddy worked hard, and it was said that he wore out many pairs of
shoes walking across the farms of Logan County.
Jeanie Davis on her uncle, John Watlington
“Uncle John” served as Ag Agent in Logan County from 1936-1958. I don’t remember him too well, but do recall that when my dad was in Nashville on
fellowship at Vanderbilt, we would go to Uncle John’s home and farm for a visit on the weekends-that was around 1960 and before I was in school. My mom
always characterized Uncle John as “very kind.” Uncle John left Extension to dairy farm full time and had a lucrative business in selling milk
products. He also did beekeeping and honey production. I am sure all those years as an Extension agent served him well in private business! He and his
wife lived in Russellville in a house full of beautiful antiques-a hobby of theirs.
Uncle John graduated from the University of Kentucky and worked as a waiter and sold socks door to door to get through school. He was a hard worker at
an early age!
John’s brother, Phil Watlington (my grandfather), was Ag Agent in McLean County from 1923-1925 and Bourbon County from 1925-1967. My grandmother, Mary
Lynne was a Home Demonstration Agent in McLean County from 1923-1925 (when she married my grandfather). Mom is retired from Extension in New Mexico
with 35 years service. And I am still at it!
Notes on Rodney Haines from his obituary
He graduated from Ohio State University in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture education and a Master of Science degree in ruminant
nutrition in 1958. In 1959, he began working for the Extension Service through Ohio State University as a 4-H agent in Lawrence County. In 1966, he
moved to Asheboro, N.C., and worked as a dairy and beef extension agent. While in North Carolina, he established to North Carolina Cattleman’s
Association and organized the first out-of-state dairyman tours.
In 1980, he moved to Logan County, where he remained until he retired with 40 years of service in the extension program. While in Logan County, he
helped acquire a new facility for the extension offices, which had been in the basement of the old post office. He helped organize the Logan County
Cattlemen’s Association and implemented the first Cattlemen and Dairymen tours. He received the Distinguished Service Award at the National Association
of Agriculture County Agents in 1988.
He married Shirley Earlene Coburn in 1962 in Arabia, Ohio, and lived in Ironton, Ohio. In Russellville, he was a member of the United Methodist Temple
Choir and various church Committees. He was past president of the Rotary Club, past president of the deGraffenreid Chorale, past president of the
Optimist Club (North Carolina), and a volunteer pianist for the Methodist Temple. He was active in the Logan County Garden Club.