This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the March 10, 2005 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.
 

            March came in like a lion with about two inches of snow this morning, the first day of March, and it is still snowing so that gives us a little encouragement that the month will go out like a lamb as our forefathers related to us but we have never before encountered the topsy-turvy weather we now have.

            I have seen dandelions in bloom and the maple trees are beginning to bud as I noticed on my Sunday evening trek in the woods.

            We’ve just received word that the Salyersville Grade School STLP Club, after winning regional honors have captured state wide honors with their community project of honoring hometown veterans and some of our DAV members plan a trip to Louisville Friday, the 4^th of March to see them receive this award.

            Folks, as you know our historical society is presently collecting veterans information from WWI to the present. We are asking for discharge papers, a photo in uniform and one in civvies, a personal sketch of his or her experiences in the military and some family info such as parents, spouse, and children. We are receiving some heart-rending stories.

            We received one such yesterday from a distant cousin. He is younger than I and grew up in the Falcon area. He served in Viet Nam and tells of his experience on returning to the states and being met by hecklers and outright protestors which made the returnees want to shed their uniforms and get into civilian clothing as quickly as possible. He says he hid the fact that he was a “Nam” veteran for years.

            When I came home from a short period in the peacetime army I well remember how happy I was to get home until I saw the night lights of Salyersville, then I had a sickening feeling that I wanted to keep on going on through town but I recovered when I saw family waiting on my arrival.

            Let’s not let the present troops who are risking their lives right now, not only for our freedom but freedom for other countries that have been living under dictators or war lords be subjected to anything but embraces from freedom-loving people.

            We ask everyone to help us get all Magoffin County veterans’ discharges and pictures to us.  I have names of about 100 service related casualties and of those, there are about 25 that we have nothing but the veteran’s name. We hope you will join in this effort to commemorate and honor our service men and women.

            We want to thank Mr. Tim Barnwell of Ashville, NC again for the gift of the book “The Face of Appalachia, Portraits from the Mountain Farm”. Mr. Barnwell visited our Pioneer Village this week and donated a copy of his book to our library. It contains a large number of excellent photographs by Mr. Barnwell as well as oral history interviews with his subjects.  Tim was on his way to Morehead State University to give some lectures.

            We also want to thank the following for their donations over and above their membership dues, Callie Conley of Melbourne, FL, Pamela S. (Conley) Krafcinski of Lorain, OH, Louie Lemaster of Las Vegas, NV, Dewayne Rollins of Carson, Iowa and Betty Lykins of Salyersville, KY.  We appreciate your help tremendously.

            My daughter Abbie and I visited the Joseph/Benjamin Hammond cemetery last Saturday evening and found it in much better condition that I expected.  The left side of this cemetery contains graves of Colvin and Vanover families and the right side, I suspect, is the Hammond family.  I only found one readable inscription, B. F. Hammon.  Now, when I copied it in 1979 I found several more Hammond gravesites but this section is now overgrown with briars and small sumac bushes that will have to be cleared before the graves can be found.  This cemetery is enclosed by a right good fence and has a fairly good road to it.  I would like to say I will clean it up but I know I can’t do it by myself. If any of the Colvin/Vanover/Watson clan would set up a “working”, let me know.

            I’ve been informed that a Bed and Breakfast will soon be opened in the Dixie Addition of Salyersville. I won’t intrude on the proprietor’s official announcement but we applaud this movement.

            Aldon Jordan, 4102 S. 350 W., North Judson, IN 46366 visited Tuesday with his brother. They would like to set tombstones for Robert and Oma Jordan at Middle Fork and also for Frank and Bertha Jordan in the Rowe Cemetery at Carver. Millard Jordan gave them the location of the Rowe Cemetery and now they need to know which graves are Bertha and Frank’s.  Can anyone furnish that information?

            Roger Howard, 1300 15 Mile, Marshall, MI and his wife Carrie were recent visitors researching his family. Roger is the son of Edgar Howard and grandson of Fred Howard and Myrtle Howard.  Myrtle was born in 1899 to James Howard (b. 1873) and Jane Risner (b. 1875). Jane was a dau of Gardner Risner (b. 1848) and Elizabeth Poe (b. 1855). Elizabeth was a dau of Meredith Poe and Angeline Adams. Gardner Risner was a son of Jacob Risner and Mary Ann Marshall.

            James Howard was a son of Samuel Howard b. 1837 and Mary Walker b. 1841 Perry Co. KY.  Samuel was a son of Dryden Howard b. 1801 and Juliann Napier b. 1801 VA. Dryden was a son of Samuel Howard and Chloe Osborn.

            Fred Howard was a son of Sublett Howard b. 1870 and Polly Salyer b. 1867. Polly was a dau of Calvin Salyer b. 1839 and Evaline Helton b. 1842. Evaline was a dau of Andrew J. Helton and Delphia Wireman. Calvin was a son of David Salyer b. 1817 and Susanna Miles (Arnett). David Salyer was a son of William Salyer and Nancy.

            Sublett Howard was a son of John E. Howard b. 1846 and Polly Ann Salyer. Polly was a dau of Wm. W. Salyer b. 1825 and Luquena Howard b. 1823. She was a dau of John Howard and Nancy Cameron. John E. was a son of Lewis Howard b. 1928 and Elizabeth Shepherd. Elizabeth was a dau of Jacob Shepherd and Elizabeth Hale.  

            Tina Johnson (tinajjohnson1971 @yahoo.com) wrote to ask for info on Buford Fletcher of Royalton. Tina is the dau of the late Grace Adams. I can’t seem to pick up on either Buford or Grace so please send some birth or marriage dates.  Even knowing names of siblings can help us find someone you are searching for. It makes our look-ups easier if dates or approximations are received with the query. If there should be a kinsman able to answer Tina’s questions, I’m sure she will appreciate it.

            Toney Gullett (gullett @charter.net) whose grandparents were Paris Gullett and Virgie Harvey wrote to us. Their son Kenneth Gullett was Toney’s father.  Again, I have searched for this and have only found a Paris Gullett age 11 (b. 1909) in the 1920 Morgan Co. KY census. He was a son of William Gullett b. 1878 and his wife was Lula Elam b. 1883. Send us some dates on your family and we will try again.

            Doris Cornelius, 71271 So. 340 Rd., Wagoner, OK 74467 sent her ancestor chart. It lists Andy J. Owens b. 8 Dec 1854 d. 29 Jun 1992 Low Gap, KY, perhaps the son of Shade (Shadrack) Hall Slone and Jane “Jennie” Owens.

            Andy J. Owens m. 12 Feb 1876 to Fady Marshall b. 1859 d. 1914. They reared 13 children, the 4^th being George W. Owens b. 7 Oct 1886 d. 1960. George m. Kate “Kit” Nelson, grandparents of Doris. Fady was the dau of Andrew Marshall and Nancy (Fada) Carpenter. She was a dau of William Carpenter and Sarah Howard.

            The Breathitt County KY marriages lists Andrew Owens age 20, m. 12 Feb 1876 to Fady Marshall age 17.

            The 1880 Breathitt census lists Fady Owens, age 20 with a child Bruce age 1 in the home of Andrew Marshall.  Somewhat close by is Andrew Owens age 26 in the home of John B. Roark.

            By 1900 in Johnson Co. KY, A. J. Owens b. 1854, Fady b. 1859, mother of 9 children and 8 living have listed in their household: Snowden b. 1882, George W. b. 1884, Dora B. b. 1889, Sarah b. 1891, Laverna or Laura Ann b. 1893 and James R. b. 1896.  Their other children were Bruce b. 1879, William b. 1880, Mollie b. 1884, J. C. b. 1898, Emmy b. 1900, Gobel b. 1903, Delia May b. 1905 and Jane b. 1907, for a total of 14 children.