I've made an effort to get my “desk” (i.e. table) cleaned up somewhat as we are counting down the days until our 28 th Founder's Day celebration. We went over the many things that need to be done at our last monthly meeting. The “home twenty” bunch is becoming fewer as Father Time has taken his toll and those of us that are barely hanging on can hardly keep up the pace, so if there are those who will help, there's a place for you.
Now, I've been told I'm expected to be called “Grandpa” right about the time Founder's Days are here. Abbie has promised to have the stork bring a boy baby whose name will be Preston Scott Conley…and Connie Wireman was bragging about expecting to be a Grandma again about the same time so we both may be on Cloud Nine during Founder's Days.
We will be having meetings soon with pageant directors, food booth vendors, parade chairmen and all the other aspects of this year's activities. It is time to try to get things done! That list of “things to do” compiled at our last meeting took up a whole page, if you would like to get involved, I will let you have a look at the list of things that need to get done.
We have had much sadness around these parts lately as we have lost several people who were much valued for their help and contributions. Audie Gullett Minix passed at age 96 on June 22nd. Our contributing writer Patty Auxier lost her father Cledith Wireman on June 21st. Both their families have worked diligently down through the years to aid us in our efforts. We were informed of the death of Avey Larck, husband of Lora Adams, on June 13th. They were frequent visitors and shared much information with us. We are sorry to lose Willie Gene Gullett this week. He and his family were of much help during our Gullett Founder's Days. We send our sympathy to his wife and also to his grandson Brent Gullett. We became acquainted with him during his time of working at the Salyersville Independent.
Our sympathy goes out also to the family of James Wardie Hall. He was born in 1928 at Elsie, KY and was a service man from 1952 to 1965, the son of James Hall and Orpha Reed. Wardie and his wife Virginia are long time members of the historical society and have sent much good information our way. We thank Virginia for suggesting expressions of sympathy be sent to the Magoffin County Historical Society. We have been looking into his genealogy. His mother was a dau of Catlin Reed and Maude Reed. Maude was a dau of Wm. S. Reed and Arzilla Dunn. Wardie's father was the son of Stephen Hall and Elizabeth Hammond. Elizabeth was a dau of Josiah Hammond and Gilla Ann Wilson. Who were Stephen Hall's parents?
Karrie Sadler (jolly @aptalaska.net) whose grandfather was Warrick Adams writes that he moved from our area and ended up living in Wenatchee , WA . Warrick was a son of Samuel Jonse Adams b. 1824. Jonse was a son of William “Billy” Adams b. 1802 and grandson of Stephen Adams b. ca. 1778 Wilkes Co. NC. Stephen was a son of John Adams, Jr. b. 1747 Fairfax Co. VA and gr/son of John Adams Sr. and wife Ann. John Jr. married Nancy Caudill b. 1752, dau of Benjamin Caudill. Stephen married Mary Webb b. 1775, dau of James Webb and Letty Nelson. William “Billie” married 1 st . Elizabeth Mullins; m. 2 nd Elizabeth Williams and m. 3 rd to Nancy Fuller. Samuel “Jonse” married Mahala Rice b. 1828, dau of John Rice b. 1786 and Nancy Davis.
This week I got the old Salyersville Star Theater seats out of the Legion Hall that will probably be torn down by the time you read this. The Codell contractors will be pushing the old building down in one day's time, we are told. Belsey Connelley has been taking some items to a Carty fellow who is building a church on Stinson.
The historical society has also received the glass pie case that was used in the old Cozy Corner restaurant and has been in Watson's Barber Shop for several years. Matthew Watson and his wife gave it to us. So this week has seen us in possession of two items, the “pie case” and the theater seats which are a part of our history.
Now, the 100 year capsule that was buried in the courthouse yard in 1960 and taken up when the new Justice Center was built is now in our archives building and should be reburied to be taken up again in 2060, plus the American Legion Memorial, the William “Uncle Billie” Adams sign and also the cannon should be put back in the yard. I have been hoping for a giant flag for Magoffin County for many years now. Couldn't this be put in the new administrative building “yard” also?
We are expecting a new bridge to replace the swinging bridge over to the park here in Salyersville. We are saddened by the loss of the swinging bridge. Even though it is said to be unsafe it had become a tourist attraction.
Edna Sizemore Patrick, 2933 Ball Fork Rd. , Ary , KY 41712 visited looking into the Sizemore and Ritchie families. Edna is the dau of Harrison Sizemore b. 1915 Perry Co. KY and gr/dau of Colson Sizemore and Peggy Allen. Colson is thought to be the son of Saul Sizemore and a grandson of Goldenhawk Sizemore. Harrison Sizemore married Sarah Hazel Ritchie b. 1916 Knott Co. KY, dau of Nick Frazier b. 1886 and Martha Ellen Dean b. 1885.
Knott County was formed in 1884 from Perry, Breathitt, Floyd and Letcher counties.
Olive Blevins, 116 Reynolds St. , Danielson , CT 06239 would appreciate any info on the marriage, death, cause of death and burial place of Mollie Wireman and Gallihue/Andrew Blevins. Our Wireman book on pages 199 to 210 lists this family. Mollie Wireman b. 1904 Old Town, Greenup Co. KY married Gallahew Blevins. Their three sons were James Andrew Blevins b. 1924 d. 1970 buried Plainfield , CT ; Charles Edward Blevins d. 1994 buried Jacksonville, FL and Gallihue H. Blevins b. 1929 d. 1951, killed in action and buried in Arlington Cemetery, Arlington, VA. If anyone can help Olive with any more information in her search, I'm sure it would be appreciated.
Sharon Clapper, 210 Grace St. , Danville , IL 61832 (scorpio41 @insightbb.com) writes that Rollie Paul Howard was her maternal grandfather and he married Stella Sapp. This is all the info she has. Can anyone help Sharon with her family history?
Clarence Henry Clay (socclay @zoomnet.net), the grandson of “Black” John Gullett and gr/son of Harris Gullet writes they are the ones who were visiting hoping to find “Black” John's grave but figured the climb up Yellow Hill might best wait until the leaves fall. As I have mentioned several times, this is one of three cemeteries on or near Yellow Hill that is fenced off by the Mountain Parkway, and if it is ever four-laned, this oversight should not be permitted a second time. The cemeteries I'm referring to are the Ellis Bailey Cem., the Yellow Hill Cem. And the Harvey/Trusty cemetery.
Shirley Wireman Calhoun (gscalhoun @gci.net) writes that she met a man by the name of Burley Sizemore who lived in Hawaii and died June 21 st . His father was adopted. She would like to find any information on this Burley Sizemore and his father.
Maureen Spradlin (Maureenspradlin @att.net) 43 W 523 Scott Road , Sugar Grove , IL 60554 visited Tuesday with her father, Erdman Olsen Spradlin. Erdman was born in 1928 to George Spradlin (b. 1897). George's father was William J. Spradlin b. 1866 and his gr/father was Solomon Spradlin b. 1842. Solomon's father was Jesse Spradlin b. 1896. Jesse Spradlin's parents were Henry and Poly Spradlin. Jesse married Sarah Stone. Solomon married Mary “Polly” Prater. Wm. J. married Emily Crace and George Spradlin m. Ollie Allen b. 1900.
Solomon appears in the 1870 Magoffin Co. KY census but is not found in later census records. Did he go to Greenup County, KY?
Dorothy was able to find William Spradlin's obituary which gives info that he was born 14 Jun 1866 and d. 16 Nov 1943. His wife was Emily Crace and they had 10 children. The family lived at Ivyton and he was a member of the Ivyton Baptist Church.
I found the cemetery where William, his wife Emily, along with Okra Hackworth and dau Carylon Hackworth were buried. There was one unidentifiable grave back in 1978. The cemetery is located in front of the Big Lick Church on Rt. 114, Middle Creek Road .
Ollie Allen was a dau of Levi Allen and gr/dau of Samuel C. Allen b. 1846. Samuel was a son of John Allen and Nancy Jane Click. Samuel m. Sarah Allen, dau of George Allen and Malinda Howard. Levi married Hattie Dotson b. 1876, dau of William Dotson. Perhaps there is someone out there who can help with more info.
We appreciate your letters and phone calls. Telephone 606-349-1607, email
[email protected]
or write Magoffin County Historical Society, Box 222 , Salyersville , KY 41465.
Magoffin County Historical
Society
This
article, written by Todd Preston, the president of the
Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the
July 20, 2006
issue of