James Knox Polk South

Born:  February 1, 1844 in Breathitt Co, Kentucky

Died:  January 29, 1921 in Breathitt Co, Kentucky

Buried:  Frankfort cem, Franklin Co, KY

Married: Eudora Gray Lindsey October 5, 1876 in Franklin County, Kentucky.  Daughter of Nicholas Cave Lindsay  and Martha Ann Cave.  She was born February 2, 1852 in Gallatin Co or Henry Co, KY and died April 10, 1918 Franklin Co, KY

Became an ordained minister

Military Service- Company B of the 5th Kentucky Infantry, CSA
Enlisted- 1861 at Salyersville, Magoffin County, Kentucky
Highest Rank- Private
Transferred- to Company D
Military Service- Company D of the 5th Kentucky Infantry, CSA
Enlisted- October 9, 1862 at Jackson, Breathitt County, Kentucky
Highest Rank- elected 1st Lieutenant on October 9, 1862

Post War-
- Moved to Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky - Operated the prestigious Excelsior Academy, which opened in 1878.
- Was a minister in the Disciples of Christ Church

Died- January 29, 1921 at Jett, Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky

Children
1. Spice Belle South (1878-1940) m. Dudley Chase Chaffee (1872-1952)
2. Nicholas Lindsay South (1879-1957) m. Nellie Clanton
3. Floretta M. South (1881-1967) m. Simon Francis Hamilton
4. Mary Weldon South (1883-1951)
5. Ethelind Cane South (1886-1953) m. Reuben Massey Coblin (1875-1954)
6. Eudora Lindsay South (1888-1978)
7. James Knox Polk South, Jr (1891-1947) m. Alice Seely Alexander (1893-1980)
8. Vachel South (1894-1927)

Notes: He joined the Confederate Army at age 14 by lying about his age. He was soon 15 and became a Lieutenant (1st) on the battlefield at age 17. He fought in all major battles of the Civil War with the Orphan Brigade. In 1871 he graduated from Transylvania's College of the Bible and became an evangelical preacher with the disciples of Christ (Christian Church). He married Eudorah Lindsay (also a college graduate in 1871) in 1876. Their school opened in 1878 and was accredited by the legislature in 1880. The Excelsior Collegiate Institute, by name. He and Eudorah Lindsay had 8 children. The Rev. South founded The Swallowfield Church in 1892.
In 1880, Eudora Lindsey South and her husband, Reverend James K. Polk South, established the Excelsior Institute. For more than thirty years this private institute was high quality education for Franklin and surrounding counties.

 

From Jim South:

It might interest you to know that Eudora herself was quite a character herself! Although she was "betrothed" to Polk at the time, after she graduated from School, she and some friends toured Europe, before settling down to a "domestic life" and raising a family. While she was on this tour of Europe, she wrote many, many letters to Polk, describing the things she saw and experienced while abroad. After returning home, and finding that Polk had saved every one of her letters, she condensed those letters into a book, which she later published, called "Wayside Notes". She also published a book of poetry, some she wrote, and some that some of her students had written. To the best of my knowledge, there exists only one copy (a re-print of her two books "Wayside Notes and Fireside Chats". I got hold of the book several years ago through a "lending library" from some place in Iowa I believe. However, knowing it was the only one available, I made a photocopy of the entire book.

I did a quick check on the internet and found the following reference:
An alphabetical bibliography of books by Victorian and Edwardian women travellers published between 1837 and 1910
Compiled by John Theakstone, Spring 2002
South, E. L. (Eudora), Wayside Notes and Fireside Thoughts, 562 pp. , Burns, 1884
Graduate of Hockes College