Monday, October 13, 2008
Pond Creek Native Honored during U.S. 119 Ceremony
Saturday, October 11, county and highway officials honored a man whose home was located on what is now a portion of the new highway.
During the ceremony, Pike County Judge/Executive Wayne T. Rutherford revealed that the Transportation Cabinet had granted a request to name the last unnamed bridge along the new U.S. Highway 119 the “Eugene Bevins Bridge.” He then unveiled the road sign that will be placed to identify the bridge, which is located on southbound U.S. Highway 119 at Bent Branch, near Meta.
“What a gentle man Eugene Bevins was. A gentle man, but a man of stature. A great statesman who lived a lifetime on this property with his wife, Beth,” Judge Rutherford told attendees.
“This bridge will stand as a testament to the character and greatness of Eugene Bevins and it is an honor for me to be the one to unveil this sign to the public,” Judge Rutherford added.
“When Judge Rutherford got up and started talking, he brought back a lot of old memories. He had my dad’s gestures down perfect. You could tell they had been friend,” said Eugene Bevin’s son Eddie Bevins. “My family and I are tickled to death that the bridge is named after my father,” he added.
Before the land where the Eugene Bevins Bridge now sits was given for construction of the new highway, it and 90 additional acres now owned by Eddie Bevins had been owned by the Bevins family since the English Crown gave it to the first Bevins ancestor to come to what is now Pike County, Joseph Bevins. Joseph was one of the seven official magistrates appointed by the crown to govern the area while it was still a part of Virginia.
Eugene Bevins was born October 12, 1915, to Willy and Myrtle Bevins. He and his wife Beth had one son, Eddie. Eugene Bevins was a member of the Stone Lodge Masons, a member of the Meta Baptist Church and a Kentucky Colonel. He was very active in politics, worked for the Eastern Coal Company for 40 years and will always be remembered for his many acts of civic duty and kindness to the people in his community.
During the ceremony, Pike County Judge/Executive Wayne T. Rutherford revealed that the Transportation Cabinet had granted a request to name the last unnamed bridge along the new U.S. Highway 119 the “Eugene Bevins Bridge.” He then unveiled the road sign that will be placed to identify the bridge, which is located on southbound U.S. Highway 119 at Bent Branch, near Meta.
“What a gentle man Eugene Bevins was. A gentle man, but a man of stature. A great statesman who lived a lifetime on this property with his wife, Beth,” Judge Rutherford told attendees.
“This bridge will stand as a testament to the character and greatness of Eugene Bevins and it is an honor for me to be the one to unveil this sign to the public,” Judge Rutherford added.
“When Judge Rutherford got up and started talking, he brought back a lot of old memories. He had my dad’s gestures down perfect. You could tell they had been friend,” said Eugene Bevin’s son Eddie Bevins. “My family and I are tickled to death that the bridge is named after my father,” he added.
Before the land where the Eugene Bevins Bridge now sits was given for construction of the new highway, it and 90 additional acres now owned by Eddie Bevins had been owned by the Bevins family since the English Crown gave it to the first Bevins ancestor to come to what is now Pike County, Joseph Bevins. Joseph was one of the seven official magistrates appointed by the crown to govern the area while it was still a part of Virginia.
Eugene Bevins was born October 12, 1915, to Willy and Myrtle Bevins. He and his wife Beth had one son, Eddie. Eugene Bevins was a member of the Stone Lodge Masons, a member of the Meta Baptist Church and a Kentucky Colonel. He was very active in politics, worked for the Eastern Coal Company for 40 years and will always be remembered for his many acts of civic duty and kindness to the people in his community.
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 4:44 PM 
