This could be boring if you don't like history, so you may want to pass it by.
The Civil War was really hard on the area of Kentucky where my folks called home. Most of the folks in Smiths Grove were Southern leaners, with many exceptions, and just north of here most folks were Northern leaners with many exceptions.
In the Smith Grove Cemetery there is a monument to one of the rare GAR stones of one of my relatives, Ransom Cochran Hazelip, Sr.:
A photo of R C:
R C had a wonderful life and ended up wealthy. Now to the bad part. RC killed his brother in law during the Civil war. He felt horrible about it and erected this monument to his brother in law, John Keefus:
Here is the story written by my cousin:
The following story written by Norman Warnell, Edmonson County KY History & Genealogy
Standing gray and worn in an old graveyard north of Brownsville, is something different in tombstones.
The stone slab was erected by a slayer over his victim's grave, and the epitaph written by the guilty one to relieve a tortured mind, is an expression of deep regret. The epitaph reads:
"To the memory of John Keefus....shot and killed Feb 3, 1862 by R.C. Hazelip, who writes this epitaph and places this stone on his grave as a token of fraternal love cherished for the deceased and the deep regret and profound sorrow at having had cause to commit such a deed. May God in His mercy save him in Heaven. By his side lies little Johnny, his only child."
John Keefus came to Edmonson County in the late 1850's, where he met Polly Hazelip, sister to Ransom C. Hazelip, and they were married. In the early days of the war, Keefus enlisted in the Union Army. R.C. Hazelip joined the Union army and was commissioned a lieutenant and appointed to guard Brownsville.
Keefus was in Buell's army and as the army advanced south, he decided on a trip to see his wife and child, a son who had been born while he was away. Feb. 1, 1862 Keefus appeared at his home.
Two days later, word was received that the Confederates were advancing to meet Buell, and it was expected that a battle would take place near Brownsville. Hazelip received word of the expected clash, and prepared to hold the ferry at all costs. He summoned the men in his command to guard duty. Crossing the river, he met his brother-in-law, Keefus.
Hazelip, a lieutenant, ordered Keefus, a private, to fall in and defend the ferry crossing. This Keefus refused to do, explaining that his furlough was almost expired and that his presence in Buell's advanced guard was needed. Hazelip refused to excuse him and ordered him again to fall in. Keefus refused, and turned and started walking away, pulling his rifle up to shot if anyone stopped him. Hazelip raised his rifle and killed him on the spot. Keefus' son, Johnny later died.
Hazelip immediately left Edmonson County and joined with the 11th Kentucky Inf. A week later he wrote his brother..."Dear Brother:... I would give ten thousand such worlds had I them in my possession could last Monday been blotted from time and we never had started to meet the rebels....John was a good fellow, and when properly at ourselves we was friends..."
A month later, writing from Camp Andrew Jackson, R.C. Hazelip wrote his family and his sister..." Polly Ann, my dear little sister, you feel near to me, though no doubt you look upon me as a miserable being....no doubt you look upon me as an enemy, though God Almighty who are in heaven, knows that I acted in self defense, and no other thing would have induced me to commit the action I did. I would this moment have both arms cut from my shoulders and one eye plucked out from my head could I blot from action, the work of that day...My sun of peace has set beneath a dark cloud, which time can never erase. My peace is done. "
As the years passed, Hazelip felt remorse for having killed Keefus. He brooded over the tragedy and sought solace in travel. Polly Ann married again, and Hazelip in atonement, presented her with a farm. and gave land to the church she attended to use as a burying ground and construct a new church. As a final gesture he erected the tombstone in an effort to relive his mind. However, no peace came to him.
Hazelip had found out, and what many people never learn, that only God can forgive sin...man can't even forgive himself. On Aug 16, 1874, at the old church in Brownsville, R.C. Hazelip professed salvation and was baptized. That had a remarkable effect upon the town. Within two weeks 52 people joined the church and were baptized. Attorney P.F. Edwards, the man credited for getting the court-house built at Brownsville in 1874, was among the group.
Rance C. Hazelip was a different man. He soon became president of a bank at Leitchfield, and he, along with his brother William, organized the first bank at Smiths Grove. William became the wealthiest man in Warren County at that time, and R.C. became a successful business man.
Hazelip died 1898, a well respected man and was buried in the front row at the Smiths Grove Cemetery. His sister, Polly, remarried and raised a large family, naming one of her sons 'Ransom C. Davis".
