This article, written by Todd Preston, the president of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the November 9 , 2006 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.  The Salyersville Independent is a weekly newspaper published and edited every Thursday. For inquires or comments, please write to , P. O. Box 29, Salyersville, KY 41465. Yearly subscription rates are $22.00 in Kentucky and $26.00 per year out of state.

David Paul Prater, 1905 Tracy Road #121, Northwood, OH 43619 visited on Friday evening. He is the grandson of Charlie and Roxie (Allen) Prater. Charlie is the son of Elijah White Prater. Elijah was a son of Rev. Elijah Prater and grandson of Archibald Prater and Sarah Fugate. Sarah was a dau of Josiah Fugate. Archibald's 8th child was Rev. Elijah Prater who married Jane “Jincy” Patrick. Their 14th child was Elijah White Prater b. 1835 who married Emalina Patrick. Emalina was the dau of Wilson Patrick and Parthena McFarland and gr/dau of Richard Patrick b. 1802 who married in 1824 to Eleanor Kennard b. 1807. Eleanor was the dau of James Kennard. James married in 1782 Montgomery Co. VA to Mary “Polly” Patrick b. 1767 d. 1857. Polly was a dau of Jeremiah Patrick. The following Monday morning Bob Whittaker and I traveled up Rt. 7 to the John Wireman Cemetery near the mouth of Trace Fork of Licking. He was searching for some clue as to where his ancestor Polly Wireman Mullins, dau of John Wireman and wife of Isaac Mullins, was buried. We found two cemeteries; the first is John Wireman b. 1796 who married Rebecca Carpenter b. 1801. Her mother was Delphia b. 1877, wife of Fielding Carpenter. John, Rebecca, and Delphia have newer markers set by the Wireman Reunion in the mid 1980s. There are about 25 graves marked with field stones and no identifications but the cemetery is kept in good condition. The coordinates are N-37-35.286, W-082-57.984, elevation 1034. A short distance on the hill above is the Morgan Wireman Cemetery and Bob was awed at the care given this cemetery with its concrete table and benches. I was involved in the dedication of the Confederate soldier monument set at Morgan's grave in Oct 2002. Several years earlier I built a metal cemetery name marker that sets proudly at the foot of the hill. Why am I bragging on the condition of these two cemeteries? First because they represent our founding fathers and mothers of almost two hundred years ago!   Second, if this old cemetery can receive this much care, a lot more could be kept in the same condition. Bob and I traveled on up Trace and turned up the left fork to the Jake Fork. I hadn't been in that area since 1950 when I wore the badge of conservation officer. When we returned to the home twenty we found David Paul Prater and John waiting as I had promised I would accompany them to the Wilson Patrick Cemetery. I quickly ate a burger en route to Short Fork where I met up with them and went on to Dry Bread Fork of Middle Creek. They parked their vehicle and we went up the creek bed to Jerry Hardt's where we parked. We had been advised we might get stuck if we traveled further but I learned I could have made it, after a half mile walk. The Prater's are grandsons of Charlie and Roxie (Allen) Prater and they had been informed their great grandfather Elijah White Prater b. 1835, a Civil War soldier (Co. D 45 th KY CAV, USA) was buried in what I call the Wilson Patrick Cemetery. I've made several trips to this cemetery which hasn't had any care for several years. Wilson Patrick b. 1824 married Parthena McFarlan b. 1827 d. 1887. Parthena has a monument but Wilson doesn't.   There are some members of the Sparks family buried here also, as well as a Slusher girl and at least one more burial with an illegible monument. Palestine Prater, among others of her family, claims that Elijah White Prater is buried in this cemetery but we could find no evidence. We would like to obtain a marker and set it here as Palestine says it is Elijah's burial site. Catherine Smallwood, 60 Morgan/Hitower Road, Falmouth, KY 41040 visited making inquiries about Andrew Ritchie b. ca. 1942 who married Mary A. Hale b. ca. 1844. He is found in the 1870 and 1880 Magoffin County census with children, John H. b. 1866, William Joseph b. 1868, Nancy b. 1869, Mary E. b. 1871, Rebecca b. 1874, George W. b. 1875 and David D. b. 1879. William Joseph Ritchie, son of Andrew Ritchie, married in 1940 to Mary Strong, dau of Pleas Davis and Rhoda Joseph.  We can't find parents for Andrew Ritchie and any help would surely be appreciated!             The spooks and goblins visited the Historical Society in large numbers Tuesday on Halloween. These smaller children, mostly kindergarteners, numbered nearly 200. That evening it began raining but we put up some large umbrellas and my daughters along with Eddith Hensley of the Community Center, the Rainbow Girls and their leaders, braved the elements to treat another 100 or so kids. My son-in-law Brian Conley showed off some of his artistically carved pumpkins. Even with the rain we would class this as a very successful Halloween 2006! Doug Watson, 1502 Beagle Club Rd., Underwood, IN 47177 (kw270w @aol.com) writes that he would like to have info on the family of his dad, the late Lee Watson. Lee was the son of Raleigh Watson and Stella Jackson. Raleigh was born in 1897 to Harrison Watson b. 1867, son of Joseph Watson (b. 1843) m. Cynthia Cole b. 1843. At present Joseph's parents are unknown. Harrison married 1906 to Elizabeth “Betty” Prater b. 1869, dau of Riley Prater b. 1837. Riley was a son of Jonathan Prater and Obedience Prater. Jonathan married Margaret Bailey b. 1819, dau of John Bailey b. 1786 and Susan b. 1794. John was a son of Joseph Bailey and Martha “Patsy” Brashears. Raleigh married Stella Jackson b. 1901, dau of Lee Jackson b. 1874. Lee was a son of John Jackson b. 1834 and married in 1852 to Mary Minix b. 1836, dau of James Minix and Francis Adams. Francis was a dau of William Adams and Fanny Meacham. Lee Jackson married 1898 to Minnie Marshall b. 1883. Leah Spencer (ripken1982 @foothills.net) would like info on the family of Henry Clay Adams b. 1858 who married Laura Hereford. Laura was born in 1865, the dau of Beverly W. Hereford b. 1831. Beverly was a son of James H. Hereford b. ca. 1797 and Mariah or Miranda b. ca. 1829 (surname unknown).  Beverly W. Hereford married in 1860 Lawrence Co. KY to Rebecca Elizabeth Scott b. 1844, dau of William E. Scott b. 1824 NC. He served in Co. I, 14 th KY INF, USA and was the son of William Scott and Sarah J. Davis. William E. Scott married in 1840 to Sarah J. McFarland b. 1822, dau of Elvin McFarland and Ellen Riley. Henry Clay “Bud” Adams b. 1858 was a son of Gilbert A. Adams b. 1826, son of William Tolson Adams b. 1806. William T. was a son of Mose Adams and gr/son of William Adams and Mary Baker. Mose Adams married Mary Garland, dau of Samuel Garland and Mary Harper. Gilbert A. Adams married Perlina or Pauline Prater b. 1831, dau of Rev. Elijah Prater and gr/son of Archibald Prater and Sarah Fugate. Rev. Elijah Prater married Jane “Jincy” Patrick which ties in with the line researched above in this column. We will be glad to hear from you on any eastern Kentucky genealogy or history question. Email [email protected], telephone 606-349-1607 or write to Magoffin County Historical Society, Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465. We are located next door to the Hall Community Center at 191 South Church Street in Salyersville. Back to Archives