This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the March 27, 2008 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.
 

          I squeezed in another trip to Puncheon Creek between my stapling Journals and stuffing envelopes.  The first Journal of 2008 is now in the mail!
          I got with Randal Risner and Hager Jack Sizemore and visited the cemetery behind Ruby Marshall’s home. When I got there I discovered I didn’t have my GPS unit.  We went back down to Randal’s and he got his unit then back we went to a lone cemetery in an area where Sammie Joe Preston makes his summer home. This is almost on the dividing ridge between Puncheon and Big Lick.  This was my first time to visit in that area.
          We then went to a Jim Howard Cemetery located on the Howard farm that Bob Whittaker, James Montgomery and I failed to find a couple of years ago. I believe one of the Lovely boys now owns it and a tremendous logging operation is now in progress there, N-37-38.500 W, W-82-56.447, elevation 1119.
          I followed a huge logging truck up the creek bed. It appeared the truck would get bogged down but my Rodeo followed it up the road without four-wheel drive.  The cemetery was marked off with red paint on the trees and how we missed it before is unbelievable!  We had parked within a hundred feet of it.
          The lilies (jonquils) are in bloom as well as the hazelnut bushes. The redbud and dogwood will soon follow, so it is time to clean up that cemetery plot.  It seems a shame to read the inscriptions on some of the stones “Gone but not forgotten” in some of the overgrown cemeteries I have seen this winter. 
          I learned today from the Tackett brothers that a gas well road has been built to the Stephen Wheeler Cemetery in the head of Hammond’s Fork. This old cemetery has seen rough times, especially during a logging operation some years ago.
          I attended the dedication of the Thomas Morton marker in the Gardner Cemetery Saturday.  I had helped David Williams and one of his friends set the marker on Friday. David is the grandson of Ellis and Winna Lee (Rowe) Williams.
          The rain held off just long enough for a group of Sons of Confederate Veteran’s members from Morehead and a couple more from Prestonsburg to give a twenty-one gun salute.  It was very impressive.  I understand they do these salutes nearly every weekend. They are to be commended for their public service.
          Now, they would like to help do a re-enactment and visit our schools with a program and/or anything else to assist our own Licking Station Camp get more active. 
          There are plans for a re-enactment on Middle Creek this fall and we are invited to attend the Samuel May group in Prestonsburg at their next meeting.
          I suppose I’ve assisted in helping to set at least a dozen Confederate tombstones in the last few years without much fanfare.  It would have been nice to have had a program at each one such as we witnessed today so if there is anyone truly interested, let us know or contact Randall Mann, commander of the Licking Station Camp.
          If we could get enough interest we just might be able to have it near the Licking Station in lower Salyersville or near the Meadows of lower Puncheon.
          You can become a member if you have a Confederate ancestor or a collateral ancestor, such as a great uncle, etc.
          Mrs. Dora Fletcher of Spokane, WA wrote to tell information about her late husband, Arthur V. Fletcher.  Arthur was born in 1923 in Winthrop, WA and was the son of Cecil V. Fletcher and a grandson of William Fletcher.  William was a son of John Matthew Fletcher b. 17 Sep 1840 in Carroll Co. OH.  John Matthew married 21 Jul 1867 to Nancy Ann McAllister, a native of Pennsylvania and Indiana.
          John M. and Nancy migrated to Iowa in 1848 then went to Missouri one year later.  Two years later they crossed the plains with an oxen team to the state of Washington, settling at Waterville.  In 1855 and 1856, John Fletcher served with the Washington Territory Volunteers against the Indians.
          Dora E. Adams was born near the Cain Farm on Burning Fork, the daughter of Ben Adams and Ida Caldwell.  Dora and Arthur were married 3 Dec 1942 in Seattle, WA and they had one son Arthur Frederick Fletcher.  She sent a picture of the entire family.
          Dora relates her husband knew very little of his family so if anyone out there has any more info on this Fletcher family she and we would like to hear from you.
          We’ve just received info from Bob Whittaker with his proposed itinerary for his visit to Magoffin County in April.  He writes that anyone who would like to go to the Mary “Pop” Haywood Patrick gravesite to set the marker should meet at the historical society at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 19th.  They will then travel to set the memorial marker on Puncheon Creek.
          Plans are then to leave at 2 p.m. and drive to Breathitt County KY and set the Fielding Carpenter marker about 2:30.
          Bob and Betty plan to stay the week, cleaning cemeteries and searching court documents, etc. for info on Hiram “Hi” Patrick, husband of Mary “Pop” Haywood. 
          Now, folks, when you read this, mark your calendars and make plans.  We would be very pleased to have a few Muzzleloaders to accompany us along with any descendants or anyone interested in our history.

If you haven’t visited our library and archives center, come in at 191 South Church Street in Salyersville. Our telephone number is 606-349-1607. We receive mail at Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465 and email at [email protected].