----- Original Message ----- From: Normanlw@aol.com To: mwdiet@home.com Sent: Monday, April 02, 2001 5:48 PM Subject: Re: Woolseys In a message dated 4/2/2001 1:02:43 PM Central Daylight Time, mwdiet@home.com writes: Has anyone contacted you re: Woolseys in Edmonson Co, KY? I posted your message to the Woolsey-List but haven't seen any activity. Please let me know. Mr. Whitaker: No, I haven't heard a word. I would very much like to hear about any stories that have been handed down about Eldridge Woosley or any of the older set and their connection with the Caves on their land. I know that those caves were mined for onyx during the time the Woosleys owned them and for gunpowder mfg. prior to the Woosleys owning them. There are about three caves at the head of Woosley Valley that were used for onyx mining and I suppose the Woosleys got their share of the money. I am presently compiling a book on the people of the cave area and would like to include the Woosleys as they played such an important roll in the early history of that area but will need some input from the family descendants. There are numerous other families but I can't get them all, but will include those who respond to my request. In the first book I compiled on the families of the Cave region, I included the Houchin family, etc. and several people wanted to know why their families weren't included but it was simply that they wouldn't respond to the request. By the way, the region at the head of Woosley Valley was known as McFadden Grove in the early days. I have found a deed in Warren co. where old John Houchin (father-in-law of Wm. Woolsey) found a "Peter Cave" in the Caney Valley which is near the mouth of Woosley Valley. This deed was dated 1809. I suspect that the Woosleys were active in much of the cavern business during their early days in Edmonson Co. because of their business connection with Larkin J. Proctor to whom they sold the Grand Avenue Cave. Thanks for your interest. If you ever come to Ed. co. look me up and we will go hiking in the Woolsey Valley. It's a beautiful place. Norman Warnell