Biographies F
J. Leo Fentress
J. Leo Fentress, Noted Newspaperman, Politician, Postmaster, Dies Friday
J. Leo Fentress, 78, died at the Muhlenberg Community Hospital Friday, Aug. 28, at 9:30 a.m.
Mr. Fentress, veteran newspaperman, so-called “one-man chamber of commerce,” lifelong Democrat and former postmster of Central City, died following a brief illness at the Muhlenberg Community Hospital, which, incidentally, was established partially as a result of his campaign to construct one in Central City.
Mr. Fentress was born in 1881 at South Carrollton. During his childhood both of his parents died and he was reared by the McLean family on a farm near Nelson, now owned by Mack Robertson. His only formal education was obtained in the public school at South Carrollton and at the Old Slaton School in the Nelson community.
He was often referred to as the “Father of Central City” and there has been diversity of opinion as to the origin of that appellation. Whether it was because he had accomplished so much for his adopted city or it resulted from the great number of children he reared, is not known. He and his late beloved wife, affectionately known as “Miss Louis,” had 17 children, 15 of whom they reared and all of whom, together with 40 odd grandchildren returned to Central City for his funeral and interment at Fairmount Cemetery last Sunday.
On Sept. 20, 1906, the Central City Argus was established with J. Leo Fentress as its editor. It is presently owned and published by Larry Stone, Amos Stone and Ralph Utley. Six years after this great paper appeared on the journalistic scene, it was renamed the “Twice-a-week Argus” by W.E. Coleman, a successor in title. In 1918 Mr. Fentress repurchased the newspaper and retained it for two years. In 1927 he reacquired it and merged it with the Times which he had established in 1925. He continued to publish it for a year and then sold it to Clyde Watson, Cecil Shaver and R.O. Pace. In 1930 Mr. Fentress established The Messenger which he sold later to Rudd E. Reno, who finally combined the three into the present Times-Argus and Messenger.
In 1913 Mr. Fentress took his first plunge into politics. He campaigned successfully for the office of county court clerk, defeating the popular and able incumbent, Lewis Kirkpatrick, who later moved to Russellville. J. Leo attributed his victory to a newspaper campaing featured by his photograph in the center, surrounded by pictures of each of his seven children. His slogan was “Elect Leo Fentress and the Seven Reasons Why.” In 1931, he made another race, for the Kentucky Legislature. Again he was elected by use of a similar campaign, except in the latter race he pictured 14 “reason why.”
Let it be said to the credit of his example and instruction that all of the “reasons” grew up to be worthy men and women. They developed in true printer's tradition becoming beginners in graded school and printer's devils simultaneously. It was a familiar sight for people on the street to behold in the newspaper office five or six little boys and girls standing on goods boxes and nail kegs setting type like adults and doing the various other chores around a printing shop. The industry and ingenuity of the Fentress children was so well known that a local wag corrected another who had observed that Mr. Fentress had reared 15 children. It was restated by the wag that, to the contrary, “he was the man who was reared by his 15 children.” At any rate, there was a period in the recent past when seven of the younger Fentresses were simultaneously employed by the Washington Star and two by the Government Printing office in Washington, D.C.
At the end of the PWA era, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Mr. Fentress postmaster at Central City, which office he held until he reached retirement age.
In 1920 he sponsored a county Road Bond issue campaign by which he hoped to improve roads. J. Leo was the chief promoter, orator and instigater. He was opposed in the bond election which followed by the late Hubert Meredith and other influential citizens, the election failed.
But he was determined to have hard roads in the couty. He enlisted the aid of others to raise by subscription sufficient money to build the road to Greenville. Donations from many leading citizens and former citizens including T. Coleman DuPont, finally paid for the highway although three contractors went broke on the project before it was completed. A few years later he prevailed upon our citizens to vote a $500,000 bond issue which was used to construct the roads from Central City to South Carrollton.
They were constructed of natural rock asphalt, a material generally considered by road builders to be too expensive for general use. The construction was good but the development of automobiles and changes in traffic requirements made the roads obsolete long before they were worn out. Those curvy, narrow roads have been replaced by modern highways of design and dimensions better suited to present day needs and the original roads are now primarily as neighborhood and secondary roads. But it is interesting to note that after 38 years usage, those roads are as sound structurally as our newest pavements. These bond campaigns became so bitter, they gave rise to a political feud which proved as durable as the natural rock asphalt and lasted as long as the two principals lived.
When the depression came, early in the 1930's and the WPA was set up as an agency to provide relief jobs, Mr. Fentress was quick to see the opportunites it might provide for the development of his community. But first, he needed a sympathetic mayor and city administrator. He forthwith set about to elect his friend, Freeman Herschberg, to the office of mayor. He succeeded. By some legerdemain they managed to raise the amounts required of the city before the government made the grants for his various projects. He managed to get himself appointed in various capacities and then set about building concrete streets, a baseball park, a city park with swimming pool and numerous other city improvements. He engineered the acquisition of a modern system of municipal water works. When the projects ran out, he busied himself with the task of bringing into the community factories for the employment of our people. He interested a furniture factory in coming here. To facilitate the acquisition, he obtained enough donations from the busines men of the city in one week's canvassing to purchase the building which is at present occupied by the Central City Furniture Co. They took the building at a very low rental with an option to purchase. Before expiration of the term of the lease, the company exercised its option and purchased the building. This factory has been one of our greatest assests through the years; most satisfactory from every viewpoint.
J. Leo, during his active years, was the most optomistic of men. He sacrificed his own interests in his public zeal. It was once said that if he were twins, Central City would have surpassed the city of Louisville in its industrial growth. If such a phenomenon were possible and they should set their hearts and minds to the taks, we are prepared to believe it could be accomplished.
If J. Leo Fentress was not “the father of Central City,” it cannot be denied that he was its foremost benefactor. This community is indebted to him for many of the finer things we enjoy today, including the founding of this newspaper. But for his unselfish service and tireless efforts we never would have had the use and enjoyment of the many modern community facilities we were privileged to have and to enjoy long before other cities in our area and similarly situated acquired them. He left many physical monuments to his industry and vision.
Survivors include five sons, J. Leo Jr., Albert D., William F., Charles T., Jessie M., all of Washington, D.C.; 10 daughters, Mrs. W.D. Turner, Mrs. Ed Buffum, Mrs. Lionel Keel, Mrs. Jack Kennedy, all of Gulfport, Miss., Mrs. C.H. Craddock, Dallas, Texas, Mrs. Grainger Simpson and Mrs. John Liskeny, both of Dayton, Ohio, Mrs. Charles Taylor of Marion, Ill., Mrs. Stewart Ried, Mrs. Carl Brown, both of Washington, D.C.; 40 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Sunday, Aug. 30, at 1 p.m.
Source: “J. Leo Fentress, Noted Newspaperman, Politician, Postmaster, Dies Friday.” The Messenger [Central City, KY], 3 Sept 1959.
Contributed by J.P. Johnson
Updated June 19, 2018