A STORY THAT INSPIRED A BOOK…
Let us tell you a famous story that happened at “the crossroads” in Sango. The year of the event was 1908, and the crossroads being referenced are Woodson Road and Trough Springs Road. (Note: For our regular readers, you might recognize that N. and S. Woodson Road used to be one road known as Woodson Road. The original crossroads was located just a bit east of the current intersection.)
Just like today, everyone in the early 1900’s wanted the best price for their work, product, or crop. Tobacco farmers weren’t convinced that what they were being paid by the big tobacco companies was enough. Between 1900 and 1904, multiple tobacco firms joined together to form The Tobacco Trust. Once formed, tobacco prices dropped to 4 cents a pound. This along with the federal tax became a huge burden on the growers.
1904, over 5000 regional growers met and created the Dark Tobacco District Planters Protective Association of KY or for short…”The Association.” These events started the famous Tobacco Wars.
The Association was known for raiding the farms of any Hill Billies (farmers who would not join them). The raids included burning down barns, raking plant beds, salting crops, and physical violence. The members of The Association wore masks and often came at night. They became known as the Night Riders.
In 1908, Ben Sory, a well known tobacco buyer in Clarksville, caught word that the Night Riders were coming to Clarksville. On March 10th at about 2am, Sory and his men laid in wait at the crossroads.
Seven men did pass through the crossroads. Two of Sory’s men, Gardner and Hunt, fired into the group. Earl Bennett (17 years old) was wounded and supposedly walked home with buckshot in his head. His brother, Voyn Bennett (21 years old), died at the scene. Story tells that a member of the Woodson family was one of the first on the scene, but Voyn was already dead. The other 5 men were not injured.
It was determined that the group of 7 men were not traveling that night with the purpose of raiding. Gardner and Hunt received a sentence of 10 years each. Sory was publically shunned for his part in organizing the group. Voyn Bennett was buried in the Sango Cemetery. The Assoication boycotted Clarksville businesses for a month in an effort to distance themselves from the incident.
Of note, Robert Penn Warren wrote a novel that was inspired by the Tobacco Wars. It was called “Night Riders” and was published in 1939. If you need a good fall read, you might want to check out a copy.
(SOURCE: Waters, Charles M., and Ann Evans. Alley. Historic Clarksville: the Bicentennial Story, 1784-1984. Historic Clarksville Pub. Co., 1983. pp.103-107)