A simple wooden cross graces Ken Ford's grave at Pleasant Hill Cemetary. His dates are shown to be (b)April 6, 1950 and (d)February 19, 2003.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Song of Sherwood
What can anyone tell us about Ken Ford, the Sherwood folk singer who invented a song about our town? He died young, leaving a wife and child behind. They lived in the house behind the Catawpa tree on Railroad Street, next door to the Odgepodge gallery. He even threatened to chain himself to the tree if the City carried out its plan to chop the tree down. He wrote and sang "The Song of Sherwood" for Sherwood's Centennial celebration in 1992. Other than these few details we hardly knew him.
A simple wooden cross graces Ken Ford's grave at Pleasant Hill Cemetary. His dates are shown to be (b)April 6, 1950 and (d)February 19, 2003.
A simple wooden cross graces Ken Ford's grave at Pleasant Hill Cemetary. His dates are shown to be (b)April 6, 1950 and (d)February 19, 2003.
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Things for Sale at the Museum
 History Book $30 |  Reynolds Fiction $12 | 
Trail Guide $5 | 
The Folks $7 | 
Cook Book $7.50 | 
Renaissance Singers $15 |
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The Sherwood Heritage Center is a project of the Sherwood Historical Society
8 comments:
It's a good song, musically. the only thing I know about Ken Ford is that he liked my oval purple rug a lot! that's the only time I ever saw him was at the Methodist Christmas Bazzar
It just dawned on me that Ken Ford might be related to the Robinson Ford or Henry P Ford brothers who settled in the Washington County/Clackamas County region in 1856. Robinson had 9 children, including Ella (Ford) Weckert! Anyone up for a little geneology???
There is a famous old restaurant half way between here and Portland, on Hwy 99, that is associated with the name "Henry Ford." No relation to the auto maker of course. I don't know whether it's still there or not.
Ken Ford seemed to have no connections with anyone. I received a very intense glance from him one time when I mentioned the term "homeless man." It was as though I were referring to him personally. He spoke with real emotion about society's treatment of such people, people such as Jesus Christ for example.
The restaurant you mentioned is the "Henry Ford Tiele" restaurant.
Very colse to Portland near 99w. It was a posh place for businessmen for lunch, ect...
Ah yes. I remember going to dinner there once. The poor waiter stood over us and recited the highlights of the menu for us, poor man. His recitation went on for quite a while, even though I already knew what I wanted to order. (He was African-American too, which made the ordeal even more embarrassing!)
J.C. Didja get a new picture of Ken's new stone? If not, send smoke signals and I send you a picture through the spider-web. Lilly
Ken Ford attended Sherwood Baptist church in the 1970's. He was invited over to my parent's home for Sunday dinner after church many times along with other young people in those days. Didn't know much about his history. Used to sing "Hey Good-lookin" around the youth group campfire for us.
Ken was one of my best friends in life. We worked and played together. He was originally from California.
His death was unexpected. We, his friends still miss him.
"I love you, man..."
Darren
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