Old log cabin

Old log house built in 1861

Mr. Hicks family owns what was once the Mauser home place.  It was erected in 1861.  It had started out as a log house.  It had one large room upstairs and two rooms down stairs.  Later on there was an addition added on.  Mr. Hicks didn’t know the date of the addition, but the log house, part, had a date of 1861 engraved in a log upstairs.  The addition had a large room that was used as a kitchen then there was a smaller room used as a pantry and an extra room. It was put together with nails made by hand, which, Mr. Hicks showed me, they had square heads.  He even gave me one as a souvenir.  The addition had large logs underneath, that the rooms were built upon, but the outside walls were made of lapped boards, not the large logs like the other part of the house.  I didn’t wander around in the new rooms , it was not very safe.  I did , however, go into the log structure, with Mr. Hick’s permission.  “At your own risk”. He had told me.  I accepted.  When I go into these places, I have to take certain risk and responsibilities.  The right front of the cabin, was full of hay, so I couldn’t even peek inside there.  I entered the through the left door.  In front of me, at the end of the hall was the back door.  To my right was the door that went into the room with the hay.  To my left was a stairway that went upstairs.  the steps were starting to separate from the wall, but were still sturdy.  There were no spindles on the rails, it was a solid wood panel.  I carefully made my way up the creaky stairs.  At the top, was a window, that overlooked the back yard and the homes new addition.  There was another small hallway  that ran the width of the house, along the stairs, to another window.  I am sure there was great ventilation.  If you make a right at the top of the stairs, there is a doorway to enter into the large room.  You can see the logs and the large gaps where the mud, or whatever they had used to seal the gaps, had faded way.
The wood floors were still solid and the lattice strips that made up the ceiling were starting to fall down, revealing newspapers that were stuffed into the beams to help keep out the stinging winds, proving to be an efficient barrier in its day.
I had made many observations and took many pics trying to preserve the memory of this homestead.   I hope you enjoy my observations.
Now for a little part of the history.
The Mauser’s that built this beautiful cabin, were moonshiners.  they sold a lot of moonshine.  Many barrels a day.  They even made a hole under the kitchen part, that allowed them to store barrels, for their booze, underneath the house.  There was and still is a spring by the cabin, which I am sure they used in making their illegal, product.  Yes, it was not legal to make or have moonshine in the day.
The cabin sits way back off the road and is part of a lovely farm.  I can picture them running the moonshine and for some reason, the song, “Copperhead Road ” comes to my mind.
Well, how did the Hick’s family obtain this place? You may ask.  Well, If I got this right.  Mr. Hicks,  Dad or Granddad, co signed on a loan for the property.  There were only four payments made and then it fell to Mr. Hicks to make the remainder of the  payments.  Mr. Hicks did, finish paying for the property and that is how it changed names.  I will be talking to Mr. Hicks again and I will update some of this info.  If need be.  I am writing this to the best of my knowledge, from memory.  and if I am wrong I will correct it, after I Talk to he owner.
OK! Update.  The moonshine was made under the floor of the kitchen, by the original owners, the Mausers.  They made one or two batches a week.  The Mauser family, would bring up 3 barrels of water a day, from the spring that was next to the house.  There are three springs on the farm. The one by the house was used mainly by the Mauser clan. It  has never ran dry.  Even during dry weather it continued to have water. There was a spring on the west side of the farm.  A man, that lived,upon the hill would  come down to the west spring and get his water.
The recipe for the moonshine was printed on cardboard that was nailed to the upstairs wall.  The board that had the date engraved on it was removed and kept by the present owner of the farm, at his home.
The gallons of moonshine were stored in the rafters of the log house, during the prohibition era. And the family had  a crawl space, which I took pics of, that allowed them to hide their white gold.
Uncle Ernie bought the farm from the Mauser family.  He was a drunk and ended up not being able to make his payments.  He lost the farm to his brother whom consigned on the 85 acre, farm loan.  It was handed down to the Mr. Hicks. ( The gentleman I met.) after his father passed away in the 90’s.
I thought this was some great history and a true Kentucky story.  I am so  grateful for Mr. Hicks allowing me to explore his cabin and share his memory’s of the place.  It was a blessing meeting him.



This article is under construction so there is more to come.  Lords willin.
The Mauser cabin ©Tammy Sullivan 2015
The old Mauser log cabin, set way back in the woods.
Surrounded by the white, and the pink dogwoods.
You would never guess, the obscure things that went on inside.
Or all the things she has seen, and tries to hide.
A moonshiners castle, that is what I have been told.
Oh the stories and the legends that cabin does hold.
How I wish these old, walls could talk,
the tales of this ones past, to be unlocked.
I could sit here, beneath the oaks, throughout the day.
And listen to every, single word, you had to say.
As the gentle, kiss from the warm breeze,
Amongst the blooms of the dogwood trees.
The fragrant smell of the bloom surrounds me.,
covering me with a sweet, peace  as I take in all I can see.

A Kentucky home place.  A little bit of colorful history as I see it