Bailey, Lt. Gen. Maxwell Clay - 5/20/47 -: Lieutenant General Clay Bailey, United States Air Force, son of Bill and Jane Clay Bailey, has attained the highest military rank of any Johnson Countian. Clay is a 1965 graduate of Paintsville High School. He was admitted to the United States Air Force Academy from which he graduated in 1969. After completing several command assignments successfully, Clay attained flag rank on June 7, 1993. He was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1998.
Bailey, Judge J. F. - 1/30/1873 - ???: Judge Bailey served 30 years as Circuit Judge of the 24th Judicial Circuit, more years than any other person before or since. All of his re-election campaigns were hard fought but none were more bitter than his last one in 1944 when he was defeated by James W. Turner. Both men persuaded others to enter the race to offset their opponentís vote-getting ability. Judge Bailey presided over some of Johnson Countyís most notable criminal trials including the John Ken Wells shooting death in 1926, the Paintsville National Bank robbery trials in 1932 and the Hobert Meade murder trial in 1937.
Bailey, Warrick - 6/29/1889 - 7/27/70: Warrick and Sudie Bailey moved to Johnson County from Magoffin County in 1920. Warrick operated a livery stable and traded livestock, arranging for teams of mules and oxen to haul drilling rigs over the dirt roads from the Big Sandy River and the C & O depot in Paintsville to Oil Springs. He later became an oil buyer and lease man for Ashland Oil. In the mid-1920s Warrick and his father, L. C. Bailey, embarked on a real estate venture in St. Petersburg, Florida, buying rental property. Upon his return from Florida following the 1929 stock market crash, Warrick and his son, Colonel, opened Baileyís Electrical Shop. Soon thereafter, Warrick joined his son Perk in operating a gasoline station at the corner now occupied by the Murphy building. Warrick served for 8 years as Paintsvilleís Police Chief, a post he held until his retirement in 1950. He was a director of Citizens National Bank for many years.
Baldridge, Otto, Jr. -: Otto Baldridge graduated from Paintsville High School in 1949 and began training to enter the family barbering business. Otto joined his father and brother in the barbering profession at age 22. In the 1960s he was active in several musical productions of the Paintsville Womenís League and the Jenny Wiley Theatre. Otto has been active in civic affairs serving on the Paintsville Park & Playground Commission, Paintsville Utilities Commission, Paintsville Jaycees, Paintsville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Kentucky Board of Barbering. He was elected county commissioner in 1973.
Baldwin, Robert - 4/15/30 -: Robert Baldwin was for more than 35 years a teacher and coach at Paintsville High School. He earned his Bachelorís Degree at the University of Kentucky, a Masterís at the University of Michigan and did additional graduate studies at Ohio State University. Robert taught math and science at Meade Memorial High School on two separate occasions in the 1950s before beginning his teaching career at Paintsville. He coached track and cross country, as well as junior high football and basketball. Upon his retirement from teaching, Robert entered the real estate business as a real estate appraiser.
Barker, Bill "Radio" - 3/4/26 -: "Radio Bill" Barker joined the staff of Paintsville radio station WSIP upon its opening in 1949 and became an immediate popular hit. Hailing from Waller Hole in Elliott County, Bill initially played bass fiddle and sang with The Brown Mountain Boys.; He turned his talents to being a disc jockey and master of ceremonies for country music shows and was an institution at WSIP for more than 35 years. Bill served as a member of the Johnson County Fiscal Court and as juvenile judge under County Judge James C. Witten.
Bayes, Dr. F. M. - 7/11/1853 - 12/17/21: Dr. Bayes, a native of Magoffin County, studied medicine at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. After receiving his degree, Dr. Bayes moved to Johnson County where he established a thriving private practice. One daughter married Judge J. F. Bailey and another daughter married Dr. Harry G. Hazelrigg.
Bayes, Robert L. - 8/02/43 -: Bob Bayes, A CPA, is President and a Director of First National Bank of Paintsville and Executive Vice President and Director of Classic Bancshares, Inc.. He is a graduate of Oil Springs High School and Berea College where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Bob also attended the University of Kentucky Graduate School of Business and graduated from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking. Bob served in the U. S. Army Reserve in the 100th Division and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant before his discharge. He is chairman of the Mayo State Vocational and Technical Foundation and a member of the Johnson County Industrial Development Authority. Bob is married to Connie Daniel Bayes.
Belhasen, Dr. F. K. -: Dr. F. K. Belhasen attended the University of Kentucky College of Medicine after his graduation from Paintsville High School and undergraduate studies at Ohio State University. He was the first Kentucky native to graduate from UKís medical school. He returned to Paintsville for his private practice. Dr. Belhasen has been active in local and regional civic and political affairs, serving as a member and chairman of the Johnson County Board of Education for many years and as an appointed member of the Kentucky Board of Education.
Blackwelder, Myra Van Hoose -: Myra Van Hoose Blackwelder, daughter of Marvin and Marlene Minix Van Hoose and a native of Paintsville, won the Kentucky womenís high school golf championship three years and was twice the stateís womenís amateur golf champion. While attending and playing for the University of Kentucky Myra won 10 intercollegiate tourneys. In 1980 she was named LPGA Rookie of The Year. By 1991, when she was inducted into the Kentuckyís Sports Hall of Fame, Myra had played on the LPGA tour for 12 seasons.
Blair, W. D. "Doc" - 7/24/23 - 7/5/89: Dr. William D. "Doc: Blair was a dentist. Active in the Paintsville Kiwanis Club which he served for many years as its secretary, Doc entered politics and served as a State Representative for six years.
Blair, Willie - 12/18/65 -: Johnson Central baseball pitching ace Willie Blair was drafted by Toronto in the June 1986 draft. Following his graduation from Johnson Central in 1983, Willie attended Morehead State University where he was named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference team in 1986. He has since played for such major league clubs as Cleveland, Houston, San Diego, New York Mets and Detroit.
Blanton, Tubby - 9/6/24 - 3/16/96: Tubby Blanton, and his father Big Everett Blanton, owned and operated Johnson Countyís only ice plant for almost 75 years. Tubby, a popular, soft-hearted giant of a man, played football for Paintsville High School before entering the U. S. Army during World War II. He served in the artillery in Europe. Before the days of automatic ice makers the Blantons delivered ice to local homes and businesses, including drug store soda fountains. Tubby worked for his father while he was in high school, carrying 50 and 100 pound blocks of ice as if they were weightless.
Blevins, "Cuzzin" Clyde - 3/21/20 -: "Cuzzin" Clyde graduated from Paintsville High School in 1938. Following World War II Clyde opened a grocery business which, with his natural instinct for marketing and the use of his distinctive voice as a ìpitchmanî for his store on local radio, he made quite successful. Clyde developed the Northgate Subdivision of Paintsville. Upon his retirement from the retail grocery business, Clyde assumed the leadership of the Paintsville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce in a volunteer capacity.
Blevins, Wayne C. - 4/14/12 -: Wayne C. Blevins served three terms as County Judge Executive of Johnson County. In his earlier years he was a farmer and a coal miner. During World War II he was employed at the shipyards in the Port of Baltimore. His father was Elisha Blevins, a livery stable owner and Johnson County Jailer.
Brugh, Walter -: Walter Brugh became a Kentucky football coaching legend while serving in that capacity at Paintsville for 39 years. He retired in 1995 having won more high school footballs games than any other coach at the time. World War II interrupted Brughís own notable high school playing career which he resumed under Coach W. L. Perkins upon his discharge from service. He then entered The Citadel and returned to Paintsville as Assistant Coach in 1951 under Coach Jim Wheeler before assuming the head coaching reins in 1956. Brugh coached many of Paintsvilleís football greats, including Jim Conley, Mike Minix (father and son), John Porter, Joey Couch, Bobby Mullins and Tony Mayes.
Buckingham, Claude - 12/23/1878 - 5/2/53: Claude Buckingham was a businessman who began his working career as a helper in a local newspaper with his brother John. He was later employed by Paintsville National Bank and Paintsville Bank & Trust (later Second National Bank and now Citizens National Bank). In 1938 Claude was elected County Judge of Johnson County.
Buckingham, John E. - 11/9/1874 - 8/26/59: An attorney, banker and politician, John E. Buckingham was one of the closest advisers to John C. C. Mayo and his wife, Alice Meek Mayo Fetter. Although he began his career as a newspaper editor and Paintsville Postmaster, Buckingham became a successful attorney and banker. He was elected as Kentucky State Treasurer in 1936.
Burchett, Carroll -: Carroll Burchett, athlete, educator and administrator, was one of the two truly outstanding basketball players at Flat Gap High School in the decade of the 50s. Carroll went on to play for Adolph Rupp at UK. He entered the field of vocational rehabilitation where he served for many years as director of the Carl D. Perkins Rehabilitation Center before being appointed as Director of Kentuckyís Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Butcher, Donnis -: Donnis Butcher was one of the most outstanding basketball players ever produced in Johnson County. He played for Meade Memorial High School before starring at Pikeville College. He was drafted into professional basketball where he played successfully for several teams before becoming a coach of the Detroit Pistons.
Butcher, Professor George W. - 9/15/1884 - 12/23/72: Professor Butcher was a truly gifted teacher. He taught several years at the Sandy Valley Seminary, John C. C. Mayo College and Paintsville before teaching the balance of his career at Meade Memorial High School at Williamsport for a total of 53 years of teaching. He is credited with being largely responsible for the development and growth of Meade Memorial High School as well as contributing greatly to teacher education in Johnson County.
Butler, Thomas - 7/21/1900 - 5/25/93: Tom Butler was a career employee of the C & O (later Chessie System) Railroad. He had three sons, C. T. , Jim and David. C. T. graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy and entered naval aviation. He was killed in a plane crash in Florida. Jim Boy, as he was known locally, earned a medical degree and established a practice in Lexington. David graduated from the University of Kentucky, entered the U. S. Air Force and retired as a full colonel.