This article, written by Todd Preston, the president of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the September 27, 2007 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.

Another kidney stone attack put me out of commission for a couple of days last week.  Ironically, when I went into the hospital the admitting nurse found I had entered on the same day exactly a year ago!  I will keep my fingers crossed that this doesn’t become an annual affair (smile).             I’m thankful everything went well with a new treatment of shock wave or “blasting”. I’m back to normal and even took a squirrel hunting trip Saturday morning. Nope, I didn’t disturb the squirrel population.             This past week has been a busy one and we have enjoyed the many visitors to our genealogy library. We have gotten the last of the Journals in the mail to our members and have been trying to catch up on the researching.             Janice LaFountain (janicel @mcm.net) asked if anyone knew the names of the parents of Susan Patrick b. 1794 who married John Bailey, Sr. b. ca. 1788 who were buried on Bullmire near their home site.  In the Floyd Co. KY Consent and Marriage Bonds we find that John Bailey m. Susanna Patrick, age 21, on 20 Sep 1910.  As of now Susanna’s parentage isn’t known and any help and/or clues would be appreciated.             Patricia Prichard Viera (viera2647 @alltel.net) sent another puzzler. She says she keeps seeing info that Ebenezer Hanna was one of the first settlers of the area and wonders if we have any more detailed information.  This settlement was first known as Prater’s Fort, secondly as Licking Station, thirdly as Adamsville and finally Salyersville when Magoffin became a county in 1860.  The local Burning Springs Church was organized in 1810 by Rev. Daniel Williams and Rev. Samuel Hanna.             In the Auxier book we found that Francis Amelia Auxier b. ca. 1800/04 m. 27 Apr 1820 to Rev. Samuel Hannah b. 1801/02, son of Ebenezer Hannah.  His occupation was a Baptist Minister and he died 4 Feb 1863 in the Civil War Libby Prison. He was present at the “Boat Fight” on the Sandy River.  Perhaps someone has researched the Hanna/Hannah family and can provide more info.             Phillip Howard of Corbin, KY, formerly of Ivyton, visited today. We discussed the need for a tombstone to be set for William Patrick, Sr. and Mollie Raines.  I have mentioned this a number of times in this column because there is a small field stone with the initials “M. P.” on it that is moved frequently when mowing is done with a large mower. Phillip has volunteered to head up a drive to obtain a monument. As there are hundreds, maybe thousands, of descendants out there that should help, even my own children, please let Phillip or I know if you are interested in helping.             I am committing to start a fund to buy a monument for William Patrick, Jr., son of William and Mollie.  William Jr. was born in 1795, served in the War of 1812 and married Nancy Prater, dau of Archibald Prater and Sarah Fugate.             William “Bill” Patrick is buried on the lower Burning Fork behind Gordon Long’s residence on the New Bethel Church land and I have permission from their pastor Sam Smith to set a marker on this cemetery.  Steve Witten was interested in applying for a government stone some years ago but we have not had an update on that. There are very few people who know where this cemetery is located and could walk through it without realizing it is an old cemetery.  I feel it is time to mark this cemetery in my lifetime and would like to get this project off the “talking” stage into the “doing” stage so if anyone feels willing to help financially, get in touch.             Confederate veteran, Thomas W. Morton was born in 1837 and died in 1909. He is buried in the Gardner Cemetery and is to have a monument set the first week of November by David Williams and his group.  More details on this will come later.             We were saddened this week by the passing of Sarah Watkins Shepherd who has been a contributing member of the historical society for many years.  Sarah and her sister Charlotte Gillum were very active with the Southern and Eastern Kentucky Tourism Development Association and have brought positive recognition to Magoffin County.             Roger and Virginia Roark, 11347-88th Terr., Seminole, FL 33772 made their 2nd visit to our library. This time they were researching the Roark family.  I took them to the Williams Cemetery on Mash Fork where his ancestor Jesse Roark b. 1842 in Letcher Co. KY is buried. Jesse was a Union soldier in Co. C, Three Forks Batt. KY State Troops and served from 1 Aug 1864 to 12 Jul 1865. He was the son of James Roark b. 1785 and his 2nd wife Elizabeth Mullins.             This Elizabeth Mullins was married first on 7 Aug 1822 in Perry Co. KY to William “Uncle Billy” Adams and they had one son Samuel “Jonse” Adams b. 1824 who married 1st Mahala Adams and m. 2nd Zilpha Adams, dau of Preston Adams.  Elizabeth Mullins m. 2nd on 18 Oct 1839 to James Roark.             Jesse Roark m. 1st to Sarah -?- b. 9 Dec 1842 and d. 1889. Both are buried in the Williams Cemetery on Mash Fork. We have not found Sarah’s maiden name.  Jesse Roark m. 2nd on 12 Sep 1894 to Celia Caudill b. 1852, dau of Abel Caudill and Mary Ann Crace.  Roger is searching for Sarah’s maiden name and any help would be appreciated.             Charles Martin and his wife Alice Faye of 112 S. Guilford St., Garrett, IN 46738 visited.  Alice is the dau of John Handshoe b. 1919, a son of Alex Handshoe and a grandson of Samuel Handshoe. Samuel was a son of Harrison Handshoe and Eva Prater. Samuel married Rittie Conley, a dau of Sampson Conley and Eliza Morris. Sampson was a son of David Conley and Margaret Phillips. David was a son of Capt. Henry Connelly.             Alexander Handshoe m. Dora Howard, a dau of John J. Howard and Sally Allen. Sally was a dau of William Allen and Nancy Osborne. John J. was a son of John E. Howard and Susan Shepherd.             John Handshoe married Sarah Shepherd, a dau of Joseph Shepherd and gr/dau of Bryson R. Shepherd. Bryson was a son of Jacob Shepherd and Elizabeth Hale. Bryson m. Elizabeth Crager, dau of Michael Crager and Elizabeth Miller. Joseph Shepherd married Frances Stephens, a dau of Reuben Stephens and Nancy Jane Hicks. Nancy was a dau of Hiram Hicks and Fanny Brown. “Little” Wilson Shepherd married Alice Allen, a dau of George Allen and Margaret Shepherd. Margaret was a dau of William “Brushy Bill” Shepherd and Elizabeth Hale. Elizabeth was a dau of James Hale and Mary “Polly” Shepherd.             We are glad that Katherine Dyer is getting good use of the new Good Times Historical Society cook book.  We got the benefits of her efforts and commend her on the good cake and bread she baked! We invite you to visit us at the Magoffin County Historical Society located on 191 South Church Street in Salyersville. Write us at Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465 (email: [email protected]). We can also be reached by telephoning 606-349-1607. Your comments and queries are welcome!