This article, written by Todd Preston, the president of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the October 25, 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.

We here at the “Home Twenty” have experienced several busy weeks in the aftermath of Founder’s Days and still have several chores to complete after our enjoyable Carpenter Family celebration.  Although there has been but little water flowing under the “new” Magoffin County Historical Society Bridge from the community center over to the park, we are keeping our fingers crossed for a good soaking rainfall.             I sometimes think of retiring or at least slowing down but after reading Ms. Betty Risner Brown’s column in the Oct 18th Salyersville Independent, I’ve come to the conclusion that I here at the “home twenty” might…nay, HAVE to shift to a higher gear to reach the heights she has put me in (smile).             Arbadella Reed very generously gave us some church seats as they were installing some new ones in their church.  Toddie and I brought three of them in to the Pioneer Village and I hope to make another trip today so that Arbadella can get set up for weekend services in that beautiful church on Cow Creek.  The painted scene behind the pulpit is second to none.             We also want to thank the following recent donors, monetary and otherwise, Brenda Poe, Mary Lou Brown Byrd and Rosemary Turner Lore.             We are tackling another project and that is setting monuments for William Patrick Sr. and William Patrick, Jr., two very early settlers of our area.  Connie Wireman and I went to the William Patrick, Jr. gravesite and at first we passed it right by.  The site has fallen into a neglected condition since we last visited it but we finally found it. I sprayed some shaving cream on the field rock which brought out the inscription.  We found a few other stones but none that appeared to be William Patrick’s wife, Nancy Prater.             William Patrick, Sr. has a little field stone in the Meredith Patrick Cemetery at Bradley with only W. P. on it. Some intensive research has caused us to think that his wife Mollie Rains may have died prior to William Sr. coming into this part of Kentucky.             We also found that information on William Sr. and William Jr. has become interchanged as one person through the years and perhaps we can sort some of it out before finalizing the inscriptions for the stones.             Jack Allen, 126 Bulah, Battle Creek, MI visited recently. He is the son of Ethan Allen who was born in 1905 and a grandson of Dudley Allen b. 1883. Dudley was a son of James D. Allen b. 1855 and a grandson of James Allen b. ca. 1823 and Nancy Roberts.  James D. married Mary Arnett b. 1856, a dau of Stephen Arnett and Elizabeth Gullett.             Dudley married Della Arnett b. 1888, a dau of Elcaner Arnett b. 1862. Elcaner was a son of William Arnett and Jemima Ray.             Elcaner Arnett m. Susan Craft b. 1864, a dau of Daniel Craft.  Daniel was born in 1830 to John W. Craft and Susana Haggins. Susana was born in 1803 to William R. Haggins (b. 1758 and a Rev. War soldier) and Mary “Polly” Linville. Polly was a dau of Moses Linville.             Daniel Craft married Idress Risner b. 1833, dau of James Risner and Margaret Adams.             Jack Allen’s mother was Ada Craft, a dau of Milton Craft b. 1871. Milton was a son of Sanford F. Craft b. 1873 and a grandson of Sanford Craft b. 1852.  Sanford Sr. was a son of William Craft b. 1820 and Rhoda Ames? B. 1825.             Sanford Craft, Sr. m. Annie Arnett b. 1849, a dau of William Arnett and Jemima Ray.  Milton Craft married Telia Dyer b. 1877. She was a dau of Wiley Dyer b. 1846 and a granddau of Nelson Dyer and Clarissa Gullett.             Wiley Craft m. Jane Arnett b. 1854, dau of David Arnett and Lydia Gullett.             Another visitor was Paula Hunter, 1022 Bald Hill Rd., Carlisle, KY 40311 (ramhunter @gmail.com). She was seeking info on the Coles, Collins, McGuinn and Perkins families.  Paula descends from Ben McGuinn who was born in July 1897 according to the 1900 Magoffin census. Ben was a son of Floyd McGuinn and Rosanna Collins. Rosanna was a dau of John Collins and Louisa Cole. Louisa was a dau of Valentine Cole and Mariah Cole.             Rosanna Collins married 2nd in 1889 to John Riley Perkins b. 1873. Her children were Thomas b. 1896, Benjamin b. 1897 and Sarah K. b. 1899.              I am not able to find Floyd or Ben McGinn or McQuinn so any help would be appreciated.             Judy Bisig of Omaha, NE (jbisig @cox.net) writes she is a descendant of the Revolutionary soldier John McGuire who is buried in Magoffin Co. KY and asks what info is available on John.             John McGuire was buried in an abandoned cemetery about a mile down river from Bloomington. A memorial monument was placed for him there in the John Hammons Cemetery near Bloomington.             John McGuire was born in 1756 Ireland and died 10 Apr 1837. He was a son of Lt. James McGuire who was born ca. 1735 in Ireland and died 19 Aug 1782.              Lt. James McGuire was a son of John McGuire who was also born in Ireland.             Judy’s email says she visits Kentucky several times a year so we invite her to stop by our facility and, if at all possible, we will take her to the John McGuire gravesite.             Mark Risner came in to the historical society last week. He lives at 3519 Greenwich Angling Road, Greenwich, OH 44837 (risnermt @earthlink.net).  He is researching the family of Alvia Risner and ancestor Millard Risner b. 1888. Millard was a son of Marshall Risner b. 1844 and a Union soldier in Co. F. 14th KY during the Civil War. Marshall was a son of Jacob Risner b. 1805 and a grandson of Michael Risner and Sarah Howard.             Jacob or Jake Risner b. 1815 married Mary Ann Marshall, dau of Reuben Marshall.  Marshall Risner m. 2nd to Ellen Marshall, dau of Mason Marshall and Mary Barnett.             Millard Risner married Nannie Risner b. 1886, dau of Lundy Risner. Lundy was a son of George Risner and a grandson of James Risner. James was a son of Michael Risner and Sarah Howard.  James married Margaret Adams, dau of William Adams and Fanny Meachum.             George Risner married Mary Hamilton Leath, dau of David P. Leath and Mandy Hamilton.             Lundy Risner married Kate Howard who died 17 Feb 1895 and is buried in Alger, OH. Kate was a dau of Lark Howard, Jr. and Nancy Jane Arnett. Nancy was the youngest dau of Reuben Arnett and his 2nd wife Luraney Jones.             Lark Howard was a son of Stephen Howard and Rebecca Minix. Rebecca was a dau of Charles Minix, Jr. and Margaret Patrick. Margaret was a dau of Robin Patrick and Betsy McMullen.  Charles Jr. was a son of Charles Minix, Sr. and Fanny Richmond.             Elizabeth Sellards Copley (eacopley99 @aol.com) shared the following information. Her great-grandfather William Sellards married Sophia Jane Amyx and they were the parents of a dau Kate and a son Floyd William Sellards.  Floyd was Elizabeth’s grandfather and she would like to know where he is buried.             Sophia was a dau of James Fleming Amyx and Micha Lemaster.  Who were Micha’s parents?  Sophia married 2nd to A. J. “Preacher Lon” Conley and they had a son Winfield.  Sophia was the widow of A. J. Conley when she died and was buried at Gray Fox with Wiley Hensley as undertaker.  According to Sophia’s death certificate the surname was spelled Conneley.  Can anyone provide directions to the cemetery at Gray Fox?              The 1930 Magoffin census lists Alonzo Conley age 54, wife Sophia J. Sellards age 54, with Harkless Watkins, adopted son, age 15. It is always interesting to hear from our readers so write to us at Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465 (email: [email protected]).  You may also telephone 606-349-1607 or come in to visit at 191 South Church Street in Salyersville.