This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the May 26, 2005 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.
 

            Decoration Day became known as Memorial Day after the Civil War and was declared as a holiday. It is observed by many as a day to remember our family loved ones.

            The DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Chapter 15 will be having a community gathering at the Veteran’s Memorial at Ramey Memorial Park at 10 a.m. May 30^th. They invite everyone to join in.  If your group (church, civic organization, fraternal organization, club, or school) would like to participate, let us know in advance.

            My buddy Roscoe and I went to an abandoned cemetery where a monument for Revolutionary War soldier John McGuire was set in a ceremony a couple of years ago, complete with speeches and a 21 gun salute.  When Rosco and I went to the cemetery, he remarked “You mean this wilderness is a cemetery?”  One couldn’t even see the John McGuire memorial.  Folks, this is the John Hamman Cemetery on the Banks of Bloomington.  John Hamman gave three and one half acres of land for Bloomington town, named for the blossoms of his vast peach orchard.  He could have named it Hammondtown, like most of us today would do.

            I found this abandoned cemetery in 1978 and talked with Ms. Sadie Morris Lovely who told me some of this cemetery had washed away.  Ruth Clarke Gardner recently stated it was gravesites of two Prater children.  Ben Gardner now owns the land adjoining this cemetery. As a scoutmaster he and his troop adopted this cemetery as one of their community projects and kept it cleared and mowed.  Afterwards, I’ve cleared it a few times, otherwise it has been neglected.

            Rosco and I attacked it with weed eaters then with fire rakes and pruning shears then with chain saws.  After four hours, we changed the looks tremendously but it will take another such session to get it in a respectable condition which we plan to do.  Now, Rosco has to live, so it is costing several bucks.  We plan to set a large monument for John Hamman this Founder’s Day.  Doris Rose ([email protected]) had a bank balance of $352 in the Bank of America and we have $92 here.  We make a plea for all descendants to chip in to make this a reality.  We already have the monument in and it is  ready for inscription.  Won’t you help, thus saving another cemetery?

            I could quickly name two or three dozen more cemeteries that are sorely neglected and we are urging a turn around in the way people respect their ancestors who are buried in unmarked graves.  Some of us are nearing an age that couldn’t be bringing this message in a few more years.

            Later: I got my buddy Rosco to go back to the John Hamman Cemetery on Monday. We sawed up several more trees that measured 6 to 12 inches in girth and made another siege with rakes and mower.  The cemetery will now look presentable if it is kept mowed.

            Our DAV Chapter 15 was invited to the S. T. L. P. Awards Ceremony on Tuesday evening where every school in Magoffin County got a Gold Award and some got Platinum. Our DAV Chapter received an award for their participation with the Salyersville Grade School, which earned them statewide honors.  If you haven’t come by to look at our window display, do so soon as we have pictures and memorabilia from the Salyersville S. T. L. P. 

            Our historical society’s monthly meeting was held Sunday the 15^th without me being present.  I saw a report of the business that was discussed by Donna Miller, Kay Bentley, Mark Hammons, Brooke Jenkins, Connie A. Wireman, Sarah Shepherd, Charlotte Gillum, Belsey Connelley, Luva Connelley, Leola Cole, and Dallas Bentley.   I don’t know but I think this was a first for me, so I ought to get some kind of plaque for one meeting missed out of 324 “ain’t” such a bad record, but I got a lot of ribbing! (smile)

            Dorothy Howard, Lessie Conley, Connie A. Wireman and I selected a memorial for Thomas Howard and Frances Jackson to be set by Memorial Day.  A down payment has been paid on this beautiful stone and we have faith that a bunch of Thomas Howard’s descendants will come through with enough money to finish paying it off.

            Then there needs to be a committee in place to plan for a dedication service on or around Memorial Day. If the cemetery was cleared off by then it would be a great asset, even if those brush piles were burned on the lower edge of the cemetery.  I know they are there; I cut and piled them two years ago.

            Peggy Abbott ([email protected]) is trying to find info on George Salyers b. ca. 1885 in KY and appears in the 1920 census living in Dayton, OH. He married Elizabeth Sizemore Hammons, dau of Hugh Sizemore and China Roberts.  Elizabeth was first married to William G. Hammons who died in 1918.  They had a son George Chadwick. I have to pass this one on to our readers. Can anyone help Peggy?

            Linda and Dale Day ([email protected]) is looking for Alifair Whitt’s gravesite. She m. John R. Day. Alifair must have died prior to 1889 as John R. Day married on 25 Sep 1889 to Samantha Ellen Fletcher.  Linda thinks she was born in Magoffin County and died here so supposedly was buried here.

            I have looked at census records of Ingram Whitt who was age 21 and single in the 1860 Magoffin census. He enrolled in Co. G, 24^th Regt. KY Inf., Union Army and was discharged in 1865. He m. 1^st on 5 Feb 1853 to Louise Whitt b. 1838 and they had children Delila b. 1865, Alonzo Eppson b. 1867, John E. b. 1869, Harvey Perry b. 1874, Martisa Kate b. 1874 and Callihan “Cally” Whitt b. 1878.

            Ingram then married 2^nd to Rebecca Lykins and they had children Louetta Florence b. 1885, George Clinton b. 1891, Edgar b. 1895, Ressie b. 1900, Rena b. 1901, and Gracie b. 1904.

             The 1920 Magoffin census shows Rebecca to be a widow.  I can’t find Alifair Whitt to be a child of Ingram in his Civil War record or any other document unless her name was written as Artellia b. 1877.  Please send more information.

            John Porter, Jr. was in town all last week researching his Porter family. He would like to know where Priscilla (Bailey) Porter is buried; she was the wife of Cummings Porter.

            He also would like info on Sarah Porter, dau of Albert Porter and his 2^nd wife Mary “Nannie” Fugate.  Sarah was sent to an orphanage in Louisville, KY, Sarah, a sister and two brothers were there in 1920.  Sarah was adopted by a Conley family of Salyersville. Who was that family?

            Wimp Conley think it was Elder Lon Conley.  Can anyone confirm this?  The 1930 Magoffin census lists Alonzo Conley, age 54, wife Sophia J. Sellards age 54, with Harkless Watkins age 15 (adopted).  Let us hear from our readers.

            Bert Crace’s daughter, Mrs. Blair and her husband visited last week. Bert Crace was born in 1905 to James Crace (b. 1889) and Grace Minix.  Grace was a dau of Grant Minix b. 1864 and Josephine Whitaker. Josephine was b. in 1864, a dau of Micajah  Whitaker and Lydia -?-.  Micajah was the son of Lewis Whitaker b. in South Carolina. We would like any info on Lewis’ parents and how they fit into the Mark and Patsy Whitaker line.

            James Crace was a son of John Crace b. 1850 who m. in 1871 to Cassie Willis. John was a son of Stephen Crace b. ca. 1820 and Margaret Gullett (dau of William Gullett and Tempy Hopper).  Stephen was a son of Peter Crace and Annie Adams. Annie was a dau of Stephen Adams and Mary Webb.

            We want to send out our thanks to J. W. Back for his donation towards our Veteran’s book.  We have also had several people bring or send in info for that book this week, two being Lessie Conley and Bessie Wireman.