Cotham Dare was a horse that could fox trot!  No, not a trick horse but one of the first of a new breed – the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed.   But he was born in the Jackson Purchase! He was bred by N. D. Cotham of Mayfield, Kentucky and was born on May 9, 1941.  Although he was a registered American Saddle Bred stallion, a breed created by horsemen in Kentucky, when he was taken to Missouri, he was also registered in the Fox Trot association on conformation and gaits in 1948.  His registration papers shows he was the great-great-great-grandson…

Colonel Bob Smith of Martin, Tennessee Bob Smith was born in Martin on March 18, 1925, left home to serve in the U.S. Navy Construction Battalions “Seabees” in 1943, and returned home.  In the 1990s he received the honorary title, Tennessee Colonel, for his community and church work. Beginning in 1886 the African-Americans in Martin celebrated on the 8th of August to commemorate the date history said slaves learned of their freedom at the end of the Civil War.  Eventually the celebration was moved to the 3rd Sunday in August and the name changed to Homecoming.   The celebration begins with…