John Emry--spelling in 1880 Jackson Co. Ky. census--was born in 1861, Estill County, Kentucky to parents William Hembree and Julia Ann Ellen Jackson Hembree. His father William died from fever on Jan. 1862 at Lebanon, Ky., at age of 21, after joining Union forces at Estill Springs, Estill County. John was probably less than a year old when his father died.

Lilley D. Rose was born abt. 1859 to John T. Rose and Martha Ann Priest(DePriest) Rose, in Jackson County, Ky.

John and Lilley married April 1, 1878 in Jackson County, Jesse Hurst signed surety bond for their marriage. John was 17, and Lilley was 19. They had one daughter and I have found 6 sons I know belong to them, with a possible 2 more I have not proven as of this date. All signs point to this "James" and "Samuel" Embree belonging to them, but with the children being orphaned, it is very hard to find proof.

John was shot and Lilley died probably from smallpox within two weeks of each other in late 1899 or early 1900. They left 7 to 9 orphaned children, who used the Embree name in their lifetimes.

Horselick Creek is a heavily wooded area, beautiful but rugged, with hills and hollers everywhere, and of course, the Creek. It is now part of the Daniel Boone National Forest. John and Lilley lived there, along with many of Lilley's relatives around them.

John's life started with tragedy, losing his father at such a young age. He and Lilley were so young when they married, but had a houseful of children and survived in the hills of Jackson County, Ky. I didn't have much when I started, below are my dad's and my aunt's versions of what happened. I may never know the whole truth, but I have so much more than I had before.

My aunt, Geneva Embree Keeney, John and Lilley's granddaughter, told us at different times that John had went and voted after being told not to by a group of men. Violence was common in the early elections at that time. Lilley was very sick before this. John returned from voting and went inside his house and sat down. A little later, at the edge of dark, he heard a group of horses coming toward house. They stopped in front and a man yelled, "John Embree, come out!" He did get up and walk out on the porch, when he did, a man shot him dead right there. Lilley died within 2 weeks of him.

My father's story was slightly different than Aunt Geneva's. My brother told me that he had told him all his life that his grandpa John Embree had been shot at "the foot of the holler" going up to the house by a group of men, he also said it was because of voting in an election.

There are many interesting pages in this information. I am listing a few things that must have to do with my great grandparents deaths. Thank you so much, Gloria, for posting your great grandfather's collection.

The local Board of Health of Jackson County met at McKee July 28, 1898. By the power invested in them under Chapter 13 of the Kentucky Statutes declare that the infested areas of district of this Jackson County are quarrantined.

Beginning at the Manchester Road on the lands of Jerrie Turner, his land, him and family included. Also the adjoining lands of Kenith Hemby, him and his family included.

Beginning at the Hellard's, him and his family and lands included.

Beginning at James Lunsford Sr., his lands and his family included, thence to Mich? Rose, him and all persons on his land included. Thence to Charles Phillip's, him and all persons on his land included. Thence to Robt. Rose's, him and all persons on his land included. This line from said Phillip's to Robt. Rose's includes Whit Rose and family and all persons living on his land. Thence from Robt. Rose's on his land to Jenie Rose including her and her land and all persons on her land. Thence from Jenie Rose to Rob. Maupin including him and all persons living on his land. Thence from Rob. Maupin's to Izabelle Drew including her and all persons living on her land. Thence from Izabelle Drew's to James Rose's, him and all persons living on his land. Thence from James Rose's to the beginning of James Lunsford Sr. All persons within these lines are included. Wilace ? Rose, him and all persons living on his land included. It is further ordered that all persons residing in these boundaries be vaccinated.

Signed by
W.H. Clark
M.S. Secy
G.C. Goodman
C.M. Azbill
L.P. Johnston

There is also a letter from Dr. J.A. Mahaffey of Sturgeon, on behalf of quarrantined families, requesting Dr. McCormick(secretary for Ky. State Board of Health) to come here because the people cannot get their mail and guards were placed by the Jackson County Board of Health and the people need his assistance.
He tells of his visiting 3 people with the disease, a Mr. Turner is about well, while 2 of Widow Hellard's children are covered with blisters and crusts. Mrs. Hellard is complaining considerably. He says these are the only cases he could find near McKee.

Apparently the good doctor Mahaffey didn't know at the time that Dr. McCormick was one who insisted on quarrantine and the placing of guards around the area to prevent spread of disease.

Jackson County Court, on July 28, 1898, appointed guards to the quarrantined area of Jackson County, document signed by L.P. Johnston.

I won't write down the whole list, you can see it for yourself on website above, but it brought alot of questions to my mind. Knowing that there was a quarratine, with guards, no less, explained as I read Gloria's information of what had happened to John Hembree--exactly what my aunt and father had said--he snuck out and voted or was on his way, and got shot for it. But as I read closer, I see one voter, John Hummond, voted Republican and to the far right of page, it says "killed". I wondered if it was John Hembree and the writer just didn't know the name for sure or the spelling or didn't want the true last name found out. There were people named Hammonds in the area at the time.

With Lilley dying so soon after, and brothers taking in hers and John's children, and since the guards were allowed to kill, there may have never been any paperwork done on John's death. There was also a courthouse fire at McKee, Ky. in 1949.

My second question was "if John was in quarrantine area and was shot for leaving to vote, why are all these other names on voting list that were quarrantined, too? " There are Lunsford's, Hellard's, Rose's, Drew's, Phillip's and Turner's, who were from the same section he was from, so why was he killed?

I'm sure I'll never find the true answer to that question, but I don't believe anymore that he was killed for the act of voting, something more was behind his death. John was 36/37 when he died and Lilley was 39/40, dying within 2 weeks of him from smallpox. I have no idea if John and Lilley were properly buried or not--at least John, that is, I think the Rose family would have given Lilley a proper burial. More than likely thier cabin was burned because of the smallpox. John's bones may be at the foot of one of those Horselick Creek hollers for all I'll ever know........