Benjamin Francis "Whitey" Ford, better known as the 'Duke of Paducah', was born on May 12, 1901 in DeSoto, Missouri. He was quite a character. While in school, he was always 'mixed up' in acting in the school he attended. The teacher once was very mad at Whitey because he spoke during a part of the play where silence would have drawn a laugh, and ruined the scene. He swore he'd never speak again. It was the worst thirty seconds he ever spent. He would later go on to take banjo lessons. The teacher refunded his mother's money after two lessons. Whitey just seemed to have that effect on people. He became a comedian on the radio, and the title 'Duke of Paducah' was given him by the radio announcer. He became a regular on the Grand Old Opry in 1944, and his famous one liner was, "I'm going back to the wagon, boys, these shoes are killing me!" Paducah's mayor Seaton created Whitey an honorary citizen for a day later in his career. Whitey carried that honorary card in his wallet till he passed away. The Market House Museum has a pair of his shoes on display, as well as an original Joke Book published by Whitey.