Percival Hotel (Walton, Ky.)
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Title
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Percival Hotel (Walton, Ky.)
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Description
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Formerly known as the Farmer's Hotel, the Percival Hotel in Walton was owned and operated by Ira Percival in the late 1800's.
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In the wee hours of 10 January 1871, a fire broke out in the hotel. The cisterns and wells in town were nearly dry, and volunteers had to haul water from a pond just outside of town. The fire was intense, and the hotel was completely destroyed. Ira Percival's young son, Orville, a young girl named Christina Ransler who was living with the family, and a domestic servant named Amanda Garrison all died in the fire. Soon after the tragedy, the Percivals sold the property and moved to Union where they bought another hotel.
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The victims of the fire are buried in the Percival family cemetery on Walton-Nicholson Road, including Amanda Garrison, who is listed as “coloured” on her tombstone. African-Americans were generally buried in separate cemeteries at that time. It is believed that their badly burned bodies were impossible to distinguish, leading to all three victims being buried together.
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Began
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1870
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Ended
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10 Jan 1871
Linked resources
Items with "Place of death: Percival Hotel (Walton, Ky.)"
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Garrison, Amanda |
Person
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