The Civil War forced the warring families of Clay County into an uneasy truce. The Garrards, Whites, Howards, and Bakers found themselves allied as they fought for the Union. But the war brought new challenges: the Northern army destroyed Clay County’s salt mines in order to keep them out of the hands of the South, and the Emancipation Proclamation brought an end to slavery, which had helped make salt mining so profitable.The Garrards and the Whites were so rich that they were able to withstand these pressures on their businesses. But the poorer Bakers and the Howards soon found themselves fighting over scraps of land and timber. And in 1898, a business dispute led “Bad Tom” Baker and “Big Jim” Howard to assassinate members of each other’s families, starting a wave of killings and arsons so bloody they would reshape the state.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
No persons identified in this episode.
This episode hasn't been transcribed yet
Help us prioritize this episode for transcription by upvoting it.
Popular episodes get transcribed faster
Other episodes from American History Tellers
Transcribed and ready to explore now
Buffalo Soldiers | Suffering in Silence | 4
26 Feb 2025
American History Tellers
Listen Now: Scam Factory
25 Feb 2025
American History Tellers
History Daily: The Battle of Karnal
24 Feb 2025
American History Tellers
Buffalo Soldiers | The Last to Leave | 3
19 Feb 2025
American History Tellers
Buffalo Soldiers | The Brass Letters | 1
05 Feb 2025
American History Tellers
The Irish Famine Relief Mission | Ship of Hope | 1
29 Jan 2025
American History Tellers