xt70zp3vt865_102 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt70zp3vt865/data/mets.xml https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt70zp3vt865/data/63m46.dao.xml unknown 14 Cubic Feet 31 boxes archival material 63m46 English University of Kentucky Copyright has not been assigned to the University of Kentucky.  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Harkins Family papers Mineral rights -- Kentucky -- Floyd County -- History. Law reports, digests, etc. -- Kentucky. Mining leases -- Kentucky -- Floyd County -- History. Practice of law -- Kentucky. Bankers -- Kentucky. Banks and banking -- Kentucky -- Prestonsburg. Coal trade -- Kentucky -- Floyd County -- History. Lawyers -- Kentucky. 1921-1942 text 1921-1942 2016 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt70zp3vt865/data/63m46/Box_13/Folder_19/0001.pdf section false xt70zp3vt865_102 xt70zp3vt865 fr’
HARKINS 8: HARKINS
COUNSELLORSATLAW
WALTER s, HARKINs PRESTONSBURG, KENTUCKY
JOSEPH D.HARKINS
Ninth,
1939.
Dear Walter Davidson:-

When you took the Job of working at the race track this
winter, I Was very doubtful whether or not it “as best for you to
do so, but when I was told about it you were already at work, and
I was further told that you were going to school each morning und
working at the track each afternoon. I hoped that it would work
out all right, but I doubted it, for nothing should have been
permitted to be done which would have interefered with your
school work in any manner.

I have talked to you over the phone during the time, and
on each occasion I :sked you how you core getting along Vith
your school work, and if you were going to school regularly, and
each time you told me you were going to school each day and
keeping up with your work. The correctness of those statements

K you know better than I do.
I have many different contacts with Iiumi through the
season and through the year, not only through the fumily and
F‘ freinds , but even through strangers as well, and I happen to
D have information that you have not been going to school or giv-
LE) ing any uttention to your school work since the time you took
the job at the race track. The last inforuation comes to me only
today, and from a stranger to me.
. Your grandfather was a Highly eduCuteo mun, educating him-
self by the study of books worth while; your father was a highly
educated man, a most excellent and competent physician, and I
personally know that he continued his studies of the best medi-
cal books so long as he was in active practice. They were each
and both most proud of you and had high aspirations for you; and
I am saying to you frankly that I Know that if there w as or is
anything which would make one turn over in his grave, your lack
of interest in your schools, in your studies, and in preparing‘
yourself for an honorable and successful career, would Cause
each of them to do so.
They were not and are not theonly ones who were or are
proud of you; your Mother is, and so are all the rest of us .
However, if you dont know it, or dont realize it, I am telling
you that I know that your lack of interest in your school work
and in preparing yourself for the future has caused her many,
many heartaches, and I firmly believe has contributed to a great
extent to her present physical condition. She hasnt said so,
but one doesnt have to have things said to them or written to
them to understand and to know many things in life. She has been
far too good and too lenient with you for your own best interest.
I dont know what you can expect for yourself if you dont
f take advantage of your opportunity to prepare yourself for some
\\_5 business or profession. It doesnt make any difference what the
business or profession is so long as it is honorable and given

 I ,
y .
»~,!
HARKINS 8c HARKINS
COUNSELLORSATLAW
WALTER s_ HARKINS PRESTONSBURG. KENTUCKY
JOSEPH D.HARKIN5
you a chance for a livelihood, and for stepping upward in such
business or profession. I had thought, as you had told me, that
you were interested in preparing yourself as a public nccouutant
and in higher accounting, and I was delighted that you were so
interested, since one who is an outstanding men in such pro—
fession is always assured of employment and substantial earnings
and there has never been a time when there has been more or a
greater demand for men of such profession; however, one cannot
become an outstanding accountant or other business or professional
man by reading dime novels, cheap magazines, or other similar
trash, staying awake and out at all hours of the night, and then
sleeping a substantial portion of the day. To be u successful
man in any business or profession, you will heVe to continue your
studies for the rest of your natural life , Keeping familiar
with all the latest developments therein.

It has come to me on many occasions that you have fre -
quently stated and boasted that there Wes no need for you to go
to school, that you would never have to work. I dont know Just
where you get that idea; and if you do have it, the quicker you
get it out of your mind and chsnge your opinion, the better it
will be all around, and especially for you personally. As a result
of your grandfather working hard and he and your grandmother each
being Saving of such earnings, and he investing them in property,

D‘ he passed on to your Mother and the rest of us properties of con-
siderable value, but of little income. Then your Uncle Scott and
I spent more than two years of the hardest of work and away from
home mos of the time in working out a proposition which made the
property income producing to s large extent; and in so doing I
assumed a series of heavy respons ibilities and obligations
which none of the rest of the family assumed or were called on
to assume. Your Mother and all the rest of the family co—operated
with us at all times and at the proper times. As a result ever
since you were a young boy, your Mother has had s reasonably good
income, sufficient to maintain and support herself and you and
Grover and to give each of you the benefit of a good education,
and it is true you haven't had to work~--but there is no assuranc e
that such income will continue many y~srs in the future; when
gas wells and oil wells are drilled in, the product is being
constantly exhausted, never replenished, end there is no assurance
that even a year from now there will be a dollar of income from
the oil or gas properties which we have. Many of the wells on
our properties have already declined to such an extent that they
produce practically no royalty, and gas fields have heretofore
exhausted themselves almost overnight. While we have a large
amount of coal, w e are not getting one cent of return from the
coal and it is a liability, not an asset, for we have to pay the
taxes on it; and without the oil and the gas, the estate would
not have a sufficient income to pay the taxes on the coal or
other properties . With this situation as it is,it i he as a
f or you to go to school, and it is a fggt that you will have £0
work, Just the same as I do or any 0 the rest do. Of course,

\ - if you are not prepared for anything else, you can probably

 I
r’4 '
I
HARKlNS 8: HARKINS
COUNSELLORSATLAW
WALTER so mems PRESTONSBURG, KENTUCKY
JOSEPH Do HARKINS

always get a WPA Job, but even then you would have to work.

You are now past twnnty—two years of age, and plenty
old to realize the responsibilities of life. For God's sake, for
your Mother's sake, for your own Sake, and for your Father's
memory, wake up and realize that only you for yourself can de-
terrine whether you will be a success or a failure in life; quit
Wasting your time on worthless things, and devote your time and
energies towards preparing yourself for something worthwhile
and profitable for yourself.

There is not a week passing but that some boy or girl
does not come to see me, seeking my aid in obtaining entrance
to some schbol where they may work a portion of their time, such
as Berea, Ceney Creek or other Community Center schools; I have
seen hundreds of young men waiting on table, washing dishes, cutting
grass, tending furnaces, and other kinds of leebor to enable them
to obtain an education; end with such facts in mind, it is beyond
understanding or comprehension that you are not willing to go to
school or to study when every opportunity is cheerfully given

(7 you to do so.

DJ I sent to do everything I can to help you in every way,

K, as well as any of the others of my nephews, :nd will always want
to do so, but I cant help and no one els s can help except you
are willing to help yourself and prepare yourself to be helped.

[FD I hope you till nppreciite the spirit in which this letter
is written you, end that you sill keep it and re~reed it often.
It is not written in the spirit of criticism, but ruthe_r with the
hope and wish that it will create in you a desire and ambition
and determination to do those things which are necessary to be
done to enable you to become nod to be the kind and character of
men your Father would want you to be, your mother Wants you to
be.

My love to your Mother, to Grover and yourself.
Your Uncle,
JDH.

 L
FIAtLl. EL IdiAl_L
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
LEESBURG, V|RGINIA

WILBUR C. HALL

STILSON H HALL

GEORGEFWEAVER May 29’ 1939.
Messrs. Harkins & darkins,
Attorneys at Law,
Prestonsburg,
Kentucky.

_ Gentlemen:

We have a client who is under the im—
pression that his wife would inherit from
James Derossette, who formerly lived near
your city.

We are advised that Mr. Derossette died
about fifty years ago.

‘ Our client refers to the deceased as one
of the wealthiest men in that section and has
been told that there was a will.

However, we have written the Clerk of the
Court at Prestonsburg, who says there is no

. will of record.

Feeling that your law firm would be familiar
with the name and could furnish us,§without costs
at this time, information regardinggthe family
of Derossette, we are writing you. 7

We will certainly appreciate any courtesy

. you may extend in answering this letter.
Yours very truly,
M
SHH:MA \ ‘
\
’> . .

 jp‘ ,3 f ;‘ ~
’ p x 1
, CHARLES K. o CONNELL
. , FRANKFURT, KY.
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_.':.i'3E_‘:‘53.??3393‘5‘51255 ' 513323223; 2?:
seems. ‘ssssssssfisss
w>€iiiii§ iiiiiiiiisiiiiiiiiiii
Hon. Joseph D. Harklns
Attorney at Law,
Prestonsburg, Kentucky
Dear Sir:

I have announced my candidacy for the office
of Clerk of the Court of Appeals, subject to the action of
the Democratic Primary, August 5th. Since my appointment by
the Court of Appeals to succeed my father, the late W. B.
O'Connell, and my subsequent election to fill out the un-
expired term, I have endeavored to be of service to the
members of the bar and to discharge the duties of the office
efficiently and courteously.

As I may be unable to see you personally, I
am writing this letter to ask for your support and assist-
ance in my behalf.

I feel that the experience which I have had,
both as a deputy and as clerk, qualifies me for the office,
and, if elected, I will make a sincere effort to maintain
the present policy of service.

With sincere personal regards, I am,

CKO:C Cordially yours,

. . V‘ )

L 1' I (l/ _ V
( "1 7'1 (( 1’ /’ K| { ( (l? t A" C (<

 .’ y
I
’
July
Tenth,
1939.
Hon. Chgrles K. O'Connell,
Fr nkfort, Ky.
Dear Sir:-

Your form letter lelative to your c;ndidacy for the 39mia~ticn
for the Orrice of Clara of Couit of Appeals.

Tuere are six democrutic voters in tne infladiate Limily, :uc you
kno% without my tellip; you tntt finCh of these votes till be c at '
for you for the Clerk 5 office, ad :or Glenn fiatcher for Secretary
of State. Tn re m«y b3 some division of opinion, possibly, in some
of the otner races, but I h2ve ulw:ys been too zone of four father,
end all of us or you and Glenn for tnere :0 be any question in
your respective races.

Further, on tne inrms »..:‘uf. in benefit images thirst re: may: ';:-21.11121“
seventy iive to one hundred u;mocr tic voters, “at ; will 01 course
call tneir attention to you boys at the propér time.

Best wishes.

Show this letter to Glenn.

Very truly yours,
JDH.