Skaggs named Grand Marshall

FLEMINGSBURG — L.C. Skaggs named Grand Marshall for this year’s Fleming County Future Farmer’s of America Tractor Parade.

Hinton Mills owner Adam Hinton said Skaggs appointment for the honor was highly approved by many people in the community who have reached out to him to express their appreciation.

Skaggs was born in May of 1933, in Elliott County, Kentucky, which was just a few years before the end of the Great Depression Hinton said.

Former Agriculture teacher Charles Berry said Skaggs along with his five brothers and two sisters grew up on a small beef cattle and tobacco farm.

“He attended a one room school and graduated from Sandy Hook High School in 1952 and enlisted in the US Army almost immediately afterwards at 19 years old,” Hinton said.

Berry said Skaggs served in the Korean war, according to Hinton Skaggs served for three years with 16 months and eight days in Koro.

“He served until May 5, 1955. He served with the 11th Evacuation Hospital (semi-mobile) at Won Ju Korea, it was a 400-bed evacuation hospital. He also served as personnel sergeant,” Hinton said.

Hinton explained the 11th evacuation hospital was selected to process the 3,709 prisoners of war and that Skaggs was selected as chief personnel clerk to help return the prisoners of war.

“The US Secretary of the Army awarded Sergeant Skaggs Meritorious Service from the period of March 30-May 29, 1954. Also a Citation Commention Ribbon and two metal pendants for service,” Hinton said.

Berry said after Skaggs returned home from service he attended Morehead State College and during the time period he also married his childhood sweetheart Sarah Johnson.

“He attended the University of Kentucky (after two years at Morehead Skaggs transferred to UK) where he did student teaching to become a high-school agriculture teacher. He taught at Sharpsburg High School in Bath County for three years,” Berry said.

According to Hinton, Skaggs started teaching Vocational Agriculture and FFA in 1959 and then transferred to Fleming County High School where he taught agriculture and FFA for 31 years, retiring in July 1992.

“When L.C. came to teach at FCHS, the Fleming County FFA had just emerged from its hay-day. In fact, Flemingsburg High School had the first FFA chapter even before there was a national FFA organization. They also produced the first state FFA President plus two more during the first 20 years of FFA. L.C. also helped start the welding program in Fleming County and was Ashley Applegate’s first welding instructor and Ashley went on to become Fleming County’s first state winner in FFA welding. He (Skaggs) always fought for what was right and for the agriculture program,” Berry said.

Hinton said Skaggs may have created a spark that caused the Kentucky Welding Institute to develop in Flemingsburg.

“Mr. Skaggs did 10 welding lessons for the farmers for years. Several vocational agriculture students have, after graduating from high school, gone into business and farming and many of them along with FFA members have been district FFA officers and state FFA officers,” Hinton said.

According to Hinton Skaggs along with two other citizens in their 90’s who are part of the parade will be featured on the event shirt that has been commissioned by Hinton Mills.

“Minnie Doyle agreed to sing the National Anthem before the parade, Marvin Suit will be offering the prayer and then of course L.C. Skaggs our Grand Marshall—all of them were born in the 1930’s. So we had to make a last minute adjustment and feature them on our shirt,” Hinton said.

Hinton encourages everybody to come out and show support for the parade and Skaggs on Oct. 6, at 1 p.m. in downtown Flemingsburg.