This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the June 5, 2008 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

            “It came to pass…”  Reuben Arnett and his wife Susan Kilgore, progenitors of the Middle Fork Arnett’s now have a memorial monument.  This monument was duly dedicated on Friday, May 23^rd.  Reubin’s brother Stephen Arnett had a memorial marker set in 2004.  They were sons of David Arnett and Leticia of Harlan Co. KY and are the ancestors of practically all Arnett’s in our area.  Stephen is buried across the Licking River near the mouth of Puncheon Creek according to information provided many years ago by family historian Les Risner.

            Some thirty years ago Mrs. Hager (Mishia) Patrick told me that Reuben Arnett was buried at the mouth of Sow Branch on Rt. 30 on Middle Fork.  That and other locations were explored for signs of a gravesite for Reuben.  The monument was in the planning stages for several years but Betty Jo Arnett Lykins and Jaynie Arnett Poe just didn’t give up so with a little help in the way of begging and pleading from the Magoffin County Historical Society and the help of your monetary contributions the marker “came to pass”.  It was set at the Bear Branch Primitive Baptist Church in the Jackson L. Arnett Cemetery.

            At the dedication I mentioned that Reuben Arnett’s grandson, Reuben “Black Rube” or “Preacher Rube” Arnett, Jr. was buried in an overgrown and unvisited cemetery on the Ellis Williams farm.  After the dedication and while I was “gobbling down” all the goodies served in the church dining hall, Louise Hampton said she would help get this cemetery cleaned up.  Of course, I volunteered my help. Now, it would be nice to have a couple of four-wheelers to help get people to the cemetery for the work session.  I was made aware of the Preacher Reuben Arnett Cemetery during the last few years and pictured it in my mind that it would have no markers and be back in the woods.  This isn’t the case; there is a taller than usual marker at the cemetery but a coal haul road almost took it out. About all the cemetery needs is a clean-up and some kind of sign to keep it from getting lost completely to future generations.  Preacher Rube fathered 10 children which produced about 75 grandchildren so Louise Hampton has a goodly number of cousins.  I know there will be others as interested as she is in getting this job done so please let us hear from you. 

            Pat Montgomery did the chore of getting people up to the Jackson L. Arnett Cemetery making at least 25 trips with his all-terrain vehicle.  He is to be commended for his very welcome help.

            Among the many visitors we had over the holiday weekend were Mr. and Mrs. Seldon Holiday on their way to Ohio. Seldon brought us a box of goodies including a yoke that was made for the purpose of carrying two buckets of water.  I tried it out and found it not only fit my shoulders but also felt quite comfortable.  I hung it in Seldon’s room in the Pioneer Village, put the oaken bucket on one end and hung a kettle on the other chain to balance the load.  Seldon has brought in so many goodies down through the years we may have to build on another room or even another building (smile).

            We were glad to have Harold Fletcher and his family visiting from Ohio.  Morris Fletcher and his brother Bob were welcome visitors from Michigan and Indiana. They met up here with Myrtle Cole Hughes of Gun Creek here in Magoffin.  We also had Janice Patrick Lowder of OK, Betty Himes of FL, Dallas Patrick of MS and several members of their family. Ann Black and Lou Johnson stopped by to say hello as did Christine Prater.  Harold Lowder and his wife Rita from Ft. Wayne, IN stopped by.  We appreciate all the visitors who come by and invite you to stop in when you are in the area.

            I made my usual annual treks to family cemeteries this year, that is to the Menifee Prater and Williams cemeteries on Mash Fork then on up Burton Fork to the L. F. Caudill and Pennington cemeteries, from there to the Conley Cemetery on Horse Pen Fork, after which we went to the Blue Grass Cemetery where my daughters had decorated their mother’s grave so beautifully.

            While at the Conley Cemetery, we saw Carter Conley and his wife Vivian. Vivian sort of slipped and probably cracked a bone in her heel which gave my daughter Jessica a good excuse to give me a chastising about what could happen to Ol’ Todd in his sojourns.  Carter Conley suggested I make another plea for funds to obtain a monument for Ephraim Johnson who is buried in an unmarked grave in a practically abandoned cemetery on lower Pricey.  Let us hear from anyone interested in helping with this fund.

            The memorial service at the Ramey Park sponsored by Chapter 15 DAV was quite a success even though the chairman, Comrade Randal Hardin was admitted to the hospital on the previous day.  We were honored to have Comrade Lt. Col. Holbrook visiting. He is a step-son of local Comrade Henry Joseph and was invited to fill the Randal Hardin spot on the program.  He gave a superb talk.  This coupled with talks by Comrade Melvin Blanton, as well as Comrade Mike Blanton and our commander Chester Blanton made for a very enjoyable and memorable service.  We want to send get well wishes to Randal Hardin from all your buddies of Chapter 15 Disabled American veterans.

            Stephen Bailey (stephenbailey @dhs.gov) writes he is interested in finding info on his grandparents Jasper Bailey and Louisa Cole. Stephen is the son of Alfred Bailey and a grandson of Jasper Bailey b. 1883. Jasper was a son of William A. Bailey b. 1869. Wm. A. was a son of Alfred Bailey b. ca. 1825. Alfred was a son of Rev. Wallace Bailey who was a son of Joseph Bailey and Martha “Patsy” Brashears.

            Alfred Bailey married Ruby Blevins. Jasper Bailey married in 1910 to Louisa Cole b. 1893. Louisa was a dau of John Wesley Cole b. 1862 and a gr/dau of Valentine Cole b. 1812. Valentine was a son of William “Billy” Anderson Cole b. 1791 Buncombe, NC. William A. was a son of John Charles Cole and Cuzzie Anderson.

            William Anderson Cole married Obedience Collins. Valentine Cole married Mariah Gibson.  John Wesley Cole married in 1878 to Rebecca Nickles, dau of William Nickles and Jemima Cole.

            William A. Bailey married in 1889 to Easter Cole b. 1873. Easter was a dau of James Cole b. 1849 and gr/son of George Cole and Nancy Cole Musgrove.

            James Cole married in 1869 to Arminta Hampton Montgomery, a dau of Samuel Montgomery and Rachel Hampton.

            We have received most of the Fletcher family souvenirs for the 2008 Founder’s Days so those of you who are interested should stop in at our library at 191 South Church Street here in Salyersville.