This article, written by Todd Preston, the president of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the October 4, 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.

Mary Lou Brown Byrd is coming to Magoffin County the second Monday in October (Oct 8th) and her sister Olive Preston Marshall is planning a dedication ceremony for the gravesite of Little Nora Patrick and her brother Robert.  This will be at 1 p.m. at the cemetery.  If you would like to come, meet us here at the historical society at 12:30 on the 8th. Bring your video camera!             We got a little rain shower Tuesday evening and the promise of more which is needed to break our drought-like conditions.  A friend and I have concluded it is about the driest fall we’ve seen in many a year.  How many cicadas or “jar flies” have you seen or heard? How many mole tunnels have you seen in the back yard? The ground is packed so hard that earthworms, etc. can’t penetrate the crust.             One thing for sure, our Licking River hasn’t “licked” much this summer. In fact, it shows what “river keepers” we are as it is revealing all the old tires and other unsightly debris that has been poured into it.              We do want to brag on our new bridge!  It spans the Licking River from Ramey Park to the Pioneer Village and the Hall Community Center which makes it a quick passage from Dixie to the downtown area.  It is a great asset to the community of Dixie.              The surprise of surprises was to have the Fiscal Court choosing to name it the Magoffin County Historical Society Bridge!  This meeting was reconvened by Judge Hardin who called for a motion which was made, seconded and all voted “aye”. By this time Ol’ Todd was speechless and so nervous I couldn’t get in on the ribbon cutting but Connie Wireman came through with flying colors.  I finally caught my composure and got a long section of the ribbon, cutting it in smaller pieces to give to those who had gathered. Several thanked me and said they would use the ribbon as a Bible marker, needless to say, Ol’ Todd was prouder than ever.  Thanks, county officials!             Just the fact that our society was recognized in this manner after thirty years of plain old hard work to help better our town, county and, in fact, our state’s image was extremely rewarding.  It was nice to bask in the limelight for a few minutes! (Smile)             I remember going to larger towns and when being asked where I was from, I would then be asked “Where is that?”  I now believe our historical society has helped put our area on the map.  We have a large percentage of members who live outside Magoffin County and who have helped spread the word about our area.  Now, fueled with this boost of public support the motto of the historical society of preserving the past for the future could be interpreted as “onward to greater heights!”             We continue to get visitors, emails, letters and phone calls from those who want to learn more about the history of our area and its people.  The following is a sampling of those inquiries.             Sydney Garrett-Hayes (sydneygaretthays @yahoo.com) wrote for genealogy help. Her gr/grandfather was Garrett Hayes b. 1875. He married Lavina Allen b. 25 Mar 1885 and they had three daughters Hester, Lora and Maggie Hayes.  Garrett was a son of Epperson Hayes.  The 1880 Floyd Co. KY census has Apperson Hays age 36 (b. 1844), wife Catherine Sutton b. 1844 and children Arminta age 13, Angeline age 12, Laura age 10, Patrick Henry age 8, Lenro B. Garrett age 4 and Rufas age 2.             The 1900 Floyd Co. census shows Epperson Hayes age 57 living in the Allen Precinct with wife Catherine age 52, and children Alonzo age 26, Garrett age 25, Ruthford B., Grover B. age 14, and Bertha age 12.             I suspect Epperson Hays was a son or close kinsman of John Hayes b. 1774 NC who married on 10 Mar 1816 to Elizabeth Anderson. Elizabeth shows as being born in 1794 in TN in the 1850 Floyd Co. census.              Lavina Allen was a dau of Santford Allen b. 1860 and Isabella Justice. Santford was a son of Reuben Allen b. 1841 and Lavina L. Halbert. Reuben was a son of Felix Allen b. 1814 and Rhoda Martin b. 1828. Rhoda was a dau of Joel Martin and Rebecca Fletcher. Felix was a son of George Allen and Cynthia Patton. Cynthia was a dau of James Patton and Florence Graham.             A visitor to our library was Marilyn Jean Brooks who lives at 8702 WSR 18, Lot 78, Fostoria, OH 44830. She was looking for the family cemetery on Swamp Branch near Riceville off Rt. 825. This is the Bays Cemetery. Does anyone have a list of burials for this cemetery that they would share?             Jean is the dau of Curtis James May and Elizabeth Jackson. Elizabeth m. 2nd to Donnie Conley.  Curtis was a son of William May and a gr/son of Blair May b. 1868 and Sarah Adams b. 1810. Sarah was a dau of Stephen Adams and Mary Holbrook.              Blair May was a son of Caleb May b. 1780/81 Washington Co. VA and d. 1827 Floyd Co. (present day Magoffin County). Blair m. ca. 1801 to Margaretta Patrick, dau of Jeremiah Patrick and Sarah Blair.             I took Jean and her husband to the May Cemetery where I saw a new monument had been set for Blair May as well as for Caleb and Margaretta May.             Visiting on Monday was Norma Jean (Gordon) Carter, Box 32, Telephone, TX 75488 (yes, “Telephone” is the name of their town!).             Norma Jean is the dau of Arrena Reed and William R. Gordon. Arrena was born in 1902, the dau of Harlan Reed b. 1873 and Ada/Eda Rowe b. 1872. We have not identified her parents.             Harlan was buried in the Old Carpenter Cemetery in Vanduser, Missouri. He was a son of James Reed b. 1833 and married in 1854 to Emily Prater b. 1836. Emily was a dau of Robert F. Prater and Mary Henry. This James Reed was a son of Daniel Reed and Martha “Patsy” Lewis.             Now, we know a little more about Harlan Reed whose family info was sketchy in our Reed book.  With Norma Jean’s visit, we now expect to learn a “bunch” more as she has the 1930 census of New Madrid, MO and the 1920 census of Pike Township of Stoddard Co. MO.  We would like to know more info about Ada or Eda Rowe b. ca. 1872.             Thys DeYoung (thys.DeYound @opm.gov) is a descendant of James Harvey Lykins b. 11 Nov 1854 Morgan Co. KY and d. 1 Jan 1938 Darfork, Perry Co. KY. James Harvey was the father of Rinda Lykins b. in 1880. Until recently it was believed that James Harvey Lykins was the son of Peter Lykins b. 7 Jul 1799 and Winnie Williams b. ca. 1805.             The death certificate for Rose Ellen Lykins b. 1861 d. 1933, sister of James Harvey Lykins, gives parent’s names as David J. Lykins and Betsy Lykins. Who is this David J. Lykins?             I’ve spent several hours on this question without solving it. Here are the census records referred to: In 1850 Morgan County is Peter Lykins age 49, wife Winnie age 45, with children Nancy age 22, Elizabeth age 21, Isaac age 19, David age 14, Edy age 12 and Peter age 10.             The 1860 Morgan Co. KY census lists Peter Lykins age 59 (b. 1801), Winnie Williams age 55 (b. 1805) and children Elizabeth age 30 (b. 1830), David age 24 (b. 1836), Edy age 22 (b. 1838), Peter age 19 (b. 1841), James H. age 5 (b. 1855), and Winney J. age 3 (b. 1857).              The 1870 Magoffin census shows Elizabeth Lykins age 41, a widow with James H. Lykins age 15 (b. 1855), Winnie age 13, Rose E. age 9, Eda E. age 7, Nancy age 5 and Mary F. age 2 (b. 1868).  It would appear that Elizabeth “Betsy” Lykins may have been a daughter-in-law of Peter and Winnie Lykins and her husband David J. had probably died early. Would you let us know your thoughts on this query or any other that we have posed?  You are also welcome to send your own family history question to the Magoffin County Historical Society, Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41464 (email: [email protected]). Our genealogy library is located at 191 South Church Street and our telephone number is 606-349-1607.