Courting was difficult in the late 1800's in south central Kentucky. One solution was to just date the boy or girl next door! And, that is just what happened. Again, and again, and again, and... The result was a very large group of double-first cousins!
According to family legend, a muddy one-lane dirt road separated the William M. and Nancy Jane (Ennis) BASTIN home and the David Walker and Katherine (Hardy) SMITH home, and stepping stones and a log was the path one took when courting :-) Here is a photo of the SMITH family, many of whom married BASTINs. Standing, left to right, back row, are Callie, Luctricia, Eugenia, Myrtie, Cynthia, and Lillie. Sitting, left to right, front row, are Lewis, Lee, David Walker Smith, Katherine 'Kate'(Hardy) Smith, Jim, and Ed.1
Luctricia married Charlie Bastin, s/o of William M. and Nancy Jane (Ennis) Bastin. Eugenia married James Thomas 'Tom' Bastin, s/o William M. and Nancy Jane (Ennis) Bastin. Myrtie married Medford Grigsby Bastin, son of Joseph Henry and Sarah Parish (Turner) Bastin. (Note: _This_ Joseph Henry Bastin was a brother of William M. Bastin. Another Joseph Henry Bastin was a son of William M. Bastin's brother, Richard Emory Bastin, and was a nephew of William M. Bastin!) Lee married Maggie Bastin, d/o of William M. and Nancy Jane (Ennis) Bastin. Ed married Mary Jane Bastin, d/o of William M. and Nancy Jane (Ennis) Bastin. Confused? Don't feel bad -- I was for years, and occasionally get that way, again :-)1
(Photo courtesy of Nathan and Norma Barton, and Glenda Bastin. Thanks!)
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