This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the October 23, 2008 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

            We played host to about 140 students of the South Magoffin Elementary school to an event at the Pioneer Village sponsored by the Magoffin County Extension Office and 4-H club members on Thursday, Oct 9^th.

            The group that was to come from North Magoffin Elementary on the 8^th got rained out and we were sorry they didn’t get to come but we sure needed that little shower!  We hope they can reschedule their event.  These two new schools replace the five former elementary schools built during the time this writer, John T. Arnett, Vanzel Borders, Richmond Salyer, Emery Stephens, and Mae Hensley were some of the school board members.  The superintendents in that time period were C. M. Owens and Creed Arnett.  I remember how difficult and poignant it was during the first consolidation of schools from the old one-room school buildings used when I grew up.  We were pleased to see our students and school faculty adjusting and progressing well with this latest change.

            We had prepared a few “props” here at the Pioneer Village in anticipation of this school event.  An old cast iron kettle was set up (heated with charcoal) with steaming water to simulate clothes washing, soap making, etc.  The Blacksmith Shop was fired up with a 4-H student doing the “smithing”. Another station that got attention was the farm tools exhibit with agent Russell Sparks in charge.  Mike Walters had brought his miniature goats and Ol’ Todd explained the farming tools hanging on the log barn.

            There were six stations in all, cooking and quilting rounded out the ones already mentioned.

            Then on Sunday there was a street shindig going on in Salyersville to promote getting more exercise by walking.  I had the log homes open and I noticed some youngsters sort of pulling their parents and grandparents along to show them something. I got curious and stopped to watch.  The children wanted to show their families some of the sites of the Pioneer Village such as the Little Lucy McGuire exhibit and the log barn where the goats were kept. That made me more proud than ever of our Pioneer Village.  Our Magoffin County Extension Office and staff are all to be commended for continuing to come up with new ideas to supplement the education of our youngsters.  We notice they continue to bring back a “bunch” of trophies and awards from state and national competitions.

            The line dancers drew a very large audience during last Sunday’s events as well as the grand finale watermelon feast in the park. 

            The historical society continues to be interested in seeing gravesites of our ancestors marked so that descendants can visit the area and learn more about their family history.  With the help of some family members and others who share our desire to save the history of our area we are continuing these projects.

            On Friday we accompanied Paul Burchell’s workers as they went up the Straight Fork of Licking to set some monuments for early settlers of our area.  Our first stop was the cemetery where James and Polly (Watkins) Shepherd are buried.  A descendant, Jerry Whitaker had cleared up the area around it and now they have markers second to none.  Dorothy tells me there have been several visitors to see the new markers.

            We then went on up to the Howard Fork of Licking and set the same type of markers for John E. and Susannah (Shepherd) Howard. John E. was the son of John Howard and Nancy Cameron.  Susannah was the dau of Jacob Shepherd and Elizabeth Hale.  This cemetery was a little harder to get to and I think if Dorothy hadn’t been there to help with the pushing and pulling I really don’t believe we could have gotten the monuments up the hill!

            This cemetery is well kept with a nice chain link fence but there are 4 or 5 pine trees that should have been taken out from around the cemetery.  Folks, I’ve seen too many chain link fences and monuments smashed by pine trees that have been deadened by the pine beetle these last few years.  I would advise if you have dead or dying pine trees to get rid of them.  Last year, James Montgomery and I visited a cemetery across from Lakeville and found the chain link had been smashed in three different places and while we were standing there talking about that, another pine tree fell across that fence!

            The grim reaper has claimed another good buddy of mine.  I had just seen Ernie Perkins at the post office last Saturday and we had made plans for Sunday to visit the gravesite of a little Jackson child on the Jackson Branch of Beartree Fork of Rockhouse to clean up the area.  Ernie had informed me he had a new four-wheeler that he wanted to “break in”.

            But Ernie passed away about 8 o’clock on Sunday morning.  I visited his home Sunday evening and saw that the four-wheeler with a chain saw had already been loaded and apparently been made ready for our planned trip.

            I went to his wake two nights and to his funeral this morning.  I witnessed a very unique funeral, the two preachers related real-life “pictures” of Ernie and his life.  Knowing Ernie as I did, he would have been pleased that so many of his family and friends gathered to bid him a last farewell.  He will be greatly missed by all those in the Burning Fork area.  Several of us, I along with Wade Collins, Mrs. Howard Hannah and others want to make the trip to the little Jackson girl’s grave. Who knows, this may blossom into our pooling our efforts and setting a gravemarker so this won’t be classed as another abandoned cemetery.  We want to do this in memory of Ernie Perkins who revitalized and cleaned up the George Perkins Cemetery on Mash Fork.  Another cemetery in similar condition is the Simon Picklesimer Cemetery just below the George Perkins Cemetery in the head of Gose Creek near the “old” road.