Pendleton County Merchants of the Past

CARL KIBLER LANCASTER
REAL ESTATE AND AUCTIONEER
FALMOUTH, KY 41040
12/17/1916 TO 12/30/1993

The following was generously compiled and submitted to Greg Justice by Wanda Lancaster, thanks Wanda!

Carl K. Lancaster was a business man in the best aspect of the word sale.  When you went to one of his auctions you knew that you had been to an auction.  A box of items being nic-nac's and such sold for a price of anyehere from a quarter to dollar and higher depends on the items.  But in any event you could walk away with something from Carl's auctions.  Nothing like today's auctions.  He would accept any bid and even down to a nickel and dime.  Try that today. 

Carl K. Lancaster was born in Franklin County KY on 12/17/1916 to Leady Donaldson ad Annie Redden Lancaster.  Carl went to and was educated in a one room school house in Switzer KY.

Carl married Iva Switzer and one daughter was born named Eva Lloyd, (Eva Lloyd Brown today).  Farming was the main way of  life for Carl and family until they moved to Harrison County and decided to attend auction and real estate school.  Carl had no trouble finding his way to success in his field of auctioneering.  Carl could sell ice cubes to an eskimo, and then some.  At the start he conucted sales under the direction of John L. Cummins as apprentice auctioneer.  Carl passed his exam and was well on his way.  His ability to keep your attention at sales was great, he would tell a joke for a short story, and keep right to selling.

Carl moved to Pendleton County in the fifties and continued to farm as well as run his real estate and auction office.  As a farmer he raised cattle, tobacco, hay and grain.  Carl worked for the Lexington Stock Yard for a 10 year period, one day a week.  Also he worked the Falmouth Stock Yard.  The Walton Stock Yard selling the livestock as well as lots of misc. items.

In 1962 Carl married Wanda McNabb Bennett.  Wanda stood by Carl and worked right beside him, as clerk and cashier for their company.  A couple of outstanding sales for Carl was the Pendleton School System, he sold the Goforth, McKinnysburg, Morgan, Mt. Auburn and Butler schools at auction.   Next, he sold the estate of the late George Gedge.  Being his personal property on Maple Ave. as well as his Shell service stations at Falmouth, Brooksville and Butler.  Carl was appointed auctioneer for the Eastern District of KY Bankrupcy, by Attorney Portia Shafer of Covington, KY.

Carl and Wanda owned and operated the Menzie Bottoms Auction Barn.  Along with the auctions they had a new and used furniture store there also, which is now the site of the new Philip A. Sharp Middle School.

During Carl's career he signed for a number of apprentice auctioneers, such as B.N. Sonny Wilson, Earnest Doodle Bobb, Felix Wade, Terry Barnes, Charlie Webster, and Elmer Prim along with others.

In the late 70's Carl and Wanda purchased the property located on 2nd St. and Mountjoy Street.  Here they built the new home and moved to town.  They opened the new and used furniture store there at 206 Mountjoy St.  I had the pleasure of living next door to them and at times Carl would catch me doing some of the most silly things. For instance, once I was clowning around in the back yard and singing to the top of my lungs, when from out of nowhere Carl kinda yells me at and says "You know, Greg, I always wished that I could sing but now I wish you could."  HaHaHa, he was a trip.

Life changes people some time for good and some for bad, but all in all we change.  On July 5th 1989 Carl suffered a stroke that left him unable to talk or walk.  This was the hardest thing Carl had to deal with.  But he made way and found the means in which he lived the rest of his life one day at a time.  Carl died 12/30/1993 after his 4 year and 4 month struggle at Edgemont Manor in Cynthiana, KY, at the age 77 years and 13 days old.

Carl will live in the memories of all he had cotact with in his lie.  Life to little time for the man with dreams and ideas to share them all with the world.

This information was submitted by Wanda M. Lancaster, Carl's wife to Greg Justice (Memories) on 2/14/2001.

EARL WALLACE
Owner & Operator
Falmouth Laundromat
&
Carrousel Dry Cleaners

Earl and Bertha Mae Wallace, of Falmouth, Ky., were owners of the Falmouth Laundromat and Carrousel Dry Cleaners. Located at 307 and 308 Shelby St. They employed several people through the years, Ruby White, Marie (Sis) Lovelace, Jim Hamilton, Robert Morgan, John Payne to name a few. On Saturday Sept 15, 1973 the Laundromat burned. After the fire Earl remodeled the building of the dry cleaners to replace the laundromat business where it is at today, and the old laundromat building is now the parking lot.. Earl and Bertha loved the Falmouth area serving the public and raising their family here. Below is a few pics of Shelby St  of the Laundromats. Both buildings are gone today.

Rule's Cut Rate Store
325 Main St
Falmouth, Ky 41040

Seaman Rule - Proprietor

To this day, when anyone remembers Seaman, the Candy Case comes to mind! It was filled with the most delicious goodies, chocolates, cocoanut marshmallows, butterscotch fudge, and every flavor of hard candy! The Candy Jar filled with peppermint patties, How about Doubble Bubble Gum? Yes, Seaman would stand patiently while the child decided how to best spend their ten cents. He would patiently put back a piece in case there was a change of mind.

The Fountain comes to mind next. Ritz American ice cream has never been duplicated. He put in the first Fountain Coke machine and Cherry Cokes were all the rage.

Toys comes next in line. I had a hand in that as we opened Ellen's Toy Shop!

Of course patent medicine was stocked. Remember Hadacol? Craig's Express delivered it by the case! You know what-everyone felt better that took it.

Just a few memories!

Mary Ellen Klaber, Daughter

Thanks Mary Ellen for you taking the time to share your Father's Merchant History with us.

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