This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the February 12, 2009 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

            We have gotten through the super big ice storm for the most part.  There are still lots of folks without electric but the repairmen are working ‘round the clock.  We thank and admire all those who were there to help bring everything back to normal for the rest of us. 

            I took a little squirrel hunt a couple of days ago and found it hard to get through the woods due to the downed trees.  There are large stands of pine trees that have been flattened. I think this is the worst snow and ice damage I have witnessed in this locality. There is some good to it all though. I think of my neighbor, “Aunt” Mollie (Craft) Patrick who would say, “Don’t knock the snow, it gets water and minerals in the ground for good gardens.”  She thrived on her excellent gardens.

            The snow and ice storms might prevent our river from going dry this fall as happened last year.

            The Manns clan is really getting excited to be the honored family for the 2009 Magoffin County Founders Days.  We have gotten several inquiries as to the date of the event and where to send family information and pictures.  Our mailing address is Magoffin County Historical Society, Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465 and our next monthly meeting is Sunday the 15^th of February at 2 p.m.

            Roy H. Conley, 3900 Palm Ave., Lorain, OH 44055-2845 writes that he was saddened to learn of the passing of our friend Ethel Mae (Conley) Young and cousin Verna Mae (Conley) Jayne who died on the 13 Aug 2007.  Ethel was the last child of Roy’s uncle Claud Conley and he believes he (Roy) is the last living Conley grandchild of his grandparents John Conley and Rhoda Caudill.

            Roy also asked for any information on Francis “Granny Fannie” Shaver.  He would like to hear from someone with any info.

            Roy and I spent some time in the Army together in Alaska.  He was attached to the Fort Richardson Air Force Base and I was with the 183^rd General Hospital unit in Anchorage, Alaska.  We are 3^rd cousins. We are the only two left of the six 18-year old boys who boarded that bus in Salyersville enroute to Fort Knox back when we became part of Uncle Sam’s Army.  The others were Carl Harmon, Beecher Lemaster, David Arnett and Claudie Holbrook.

            Chester Keeton, 19 Eastfield Court, Battlefield, MI 49104 would like any info on Sherman Keeton and Nancy Hammond.

            Isaac Sherman Keeton was born in 1870, a son of Madison Keeton. Madison was born in 1849 and his father was Harvey Keeton b. 1829. Harvey was a son of George Washington Keeton b. 1808 and a grandson of Abraham Keeton and Rebecca Jane McGuire.

            George W. Keeton married Assena Davis (b. 1810) dau of John Floyd Davis.  Harvey Keeton was a private in Co. B, 8^th KY INF Union Army during the Civil War.  He married Sarah Williams b. 1829, a dau of Caleb Williams b. 1808 and a granddau of Daniel Williams and Violet Crouch.

            Madison Keeton married in 1867 to Telitha C. Williams. She was born in 1849, the dau of James Harvey Williams b. 1823. James H. was a son of Isaac Williams b. 1798 and a grandson of Daniel Williams and Violet Crouch.

            Isaac Williams married Elizabeth Lykins, a dau of William Lykins and Margaret Ritter. James Harvey Williams married in 1843 to Sarah Wilson, dau of Joshua Wilson, III and Elizabeth Lykins.

            Isaac Sherman Keeton married Nancy Ann Hamman (b. 1870), dau of Josiah Hamman. Josiah was born in 1829, a son of Benjamin Hamman b. 1799. Benjamin was a son of Joseph Hamman b. 1769 and his wife Polly b. 1777.

            Benjamin Hamman married Sarah Johnson.

            Josiah Hamman married in 1849 to Gilla Ann Williams b. 1830, a dau of Isaac Williams and Elizabeth Lykins. Elizabeth was a dau of William Lykins and a granddaughter of Marcus Lykins and Margaret Howe.  William Lykins married Margaret Ritter.

            Lynn Brewer ([email protected]) writes she is trying to find if there is a printed record anywhere of a cemetery called the Henderson Neeley Cemetery or the Marion Neeley Cemetery. She is planning a trip to our area this spring.

            The Henderson Neeley Cemetery is located off Rt. 7 near Gunlock as copied by Connie Wireman in June 1978 and printed in our Cemetery Book One. Henderson Neeley was born in 1840 and died in 1915.

            The Marion Neeley Cemetery is located at the mouth of Lick Fork of Bull Creek, off Rt. 7, copied in 1977.  There are 8 unidentifiable graves there.  Marion Neeley was born in 1875 and died in 1956, his wife Martha was born in 1877 and died in 1965. Also buried there are Earnie Neeley, Nancie Neeley, Henderson Neeley and Dellie Neeley.

            The Loren Neeley Cemetery is located on the right approximately 1 ½ miles from the mouth of Bull Creek off Rt. 7 with five or more unidentifiable graves. It was copied in 1977. Names found there are Glenn and Lena Neeley, also Susan Wireman b. 1863 d. 1940. The coordinates are N-37 degrees-32’ 826, W-82 degrees-56’ 277, elevation 1174.

            Ray Shepherd and I visited these cemeteries a couple of years ago and found them in dire need of cleaning and clearing.

            Bobby Davis and I also found and copied a Marion Neeley Cemetery on Abbott Creek of Floyd Co. KY a couple of years ago.

            Lyn Cornwell-Robinson ([email protected]) wrote to inquire about Lucinda Collins Cornwell. Grant Cornwell married 16 May 1900 to Lucinda Collins at the home of minister Riley Howard. The wedding was witnessed by Boyd Cornwell and Thomas Cornwell.

            Grant Cornwell was born in 1874, a son of Charles Cornwell. Charles was born in 1845 and married Clarinda Gibson b. 1851. Clarinda was a dau of Hezekiah “Kiah” Gibson and Nancy Nickles.    

            We are still getting membership renewals and appreciate all the nice comments we got on the last Journal.  We are working on the first Journal of 2009.  We want to thank Kimberly Arnett of Union, KY, Winfrey and Peggy Prater of Heath, OH, Bernice Moore of Salyersville, KY, Wayne Williams of Dayton, OH, Norsie Marshall of Jackson, MI and J. W. Back of Salyersville, KY who sent a little extra money with their memberships.  This really helped out with the bills this month!!  We would also like to thank Judy Whitaker Starcher of Greenwich, OH for her donation toward the James and Polly Watkins Shepherd markers.