Founding of New Eddyville chronicled
Lucy Murphy relative donates scrapbooks, apparel, other Lee Jones artifacts to historical society

Above, Sally Whittington’s face is mirrored in the late Lee Seldon Jones’ Citizen of the Year plaque awarded to him in 1966.-BOBBIE FOUST/Herald Ledger

Historical material that chronicles how Eddyville was saved from oblivion in the wake of Lake Barkley’s impoundment has been given to Lyon countians.
While visiting their daughter in Louisville, Richard and Sally Whittington also visited a relative of the late Lucy Murphy who gave them hundreds of artifacts that had belonged to Eddyville benefactor Lee Seldon Jones.
Murphy was Jones’ longtime secretary and caregiver in his declining years. Murphy, who died in July, had become owner of Jones’ possessions when he died in 1990.
Especially important historically are two scrapbooks containing hundreds of newspaper articles and photos that chronicle events leading to New Eddyville’s location at Fairview on land donated by Jones. Murphy kept the scrapbooks containing articles from the beginning in 1954 when Jones began buying farms near Fairview through the town’s development in the mid-1960s.
“These (artifacts) will go to the Lyon County Historical Society,” Sally Whittington said. “They were gifted to us from that estate, and we’re just thrilled to death with them. It’s really a treasure trove of history. It’s a timeline from the ‘50s. It’s a fantastic gift.”
Also among the items are an excellent portrait of Jones, his diploma from Western Kentucky State Teachers’ College (now university), a hand-tailored, royal blue, sport coat, blue and white Tattersal pants, handmade white shirt, hand-painted silk tie, cufflinks, a handmade, white vest and socks and shoes he had worn.
“Lee Jones was the most flamboyant dresser I ever knew — just snappy,” Whittington said. “I remember him wearing that outfit.”
Also among the items are Jones’ Citizen of the Year plaque presented to him Aug. 16, 1966 and an aerial photograph of Eddyville given to Jones by Barge, Waggoner, Summner, the Nashville engineering firm that laid out the new town.
Many articles of the time were particularly depressing calling both Eddyville and Kuttawa “doomed” or “to be sacrificed to progress.” However, one particular article — “Two towns, one dam, big dilemma” written by the late Joe Cross Creason in the Louisville Courier Journal — was more positive. In his April 28, 1957 story, Creason, a Benton native, simply laid out the facts and questions facing citizens of Eddyville and Kuttawa:
 Where would the towns go?
 Would they merge into a new community in a new location as had been suggested?
 Would they move or would they simply disappear and their residents scatter to the four winds.
The latter was Jones’ fear during that turbulent period, which he had foreseen as early as 1950 or before.
Whittington said the historical society is “so fortunate for (Murphy’s family) to have thought of us.”
“We sent a condolence note, and we received a note back asking if we would be interested in these things ... and Richard and I went to Louisville and picked up these things,” she said, noting that the trunk of her car is still full.
She said the material is a picture of the very beginnings of relocating the towns and “the thinking of so many people in Lyon County.”
Jim Atchison, executive director of the Lyon County Historical Society, said he hasn’t seen the material the Whittingtons received but has talked with Sally about it.
“I understand there are a lot of documents and newspaper articles, and then there are some items from Lee Jones’ office,” he said. “I certainly am going to be very pleased to see it. There is no doubt about what this community owes to Lee Jones and Miss Lucy Murphy. She was also a very good friend of Lyon County.
“We just can’t wait to catalog it and go through it and see what is there,” he said. “Our only concern from the historical society perspective is how much material there is and having room to display it. We’re going to have to work something out on either a rotating basis or possibly putting some of it on display at city hall. ... I have seen a portrait (of Jones), a very well done portrait.
“We’re just really excited about it,” Atchison said. “And we have a board of directors who are going to have to sit down and ... see how we can best use it and how we can pay tribute to both Lee Jones and Miss Lucy.”