This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the February 26, 2009 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

            The damage done by falling trees during the recent ice and wind storms has been a topic that people are still talking about around here.  I took a trip up State Road then went up Horse Pen and down Burton Fork.  There is some damage to all the cemeteries I visited except the Isaiah Conley, the Williams and the Prater cemeteries.  I’ve spent several hours clearing up the large oak that had fallen into the Rufas Kazee Cemetery where my parents are buried.  Luckily only the top of the tree actually fell into the back of the cemetery where there are no graves.  I suspect the Smith Adams Cemetery is in the worst shape and the Fairchild Cemetery a close second of those I’ve visited thus far.  White pines, cedars and plain old pines were hit the hardest.  I can’t help but wonder about the habit of setting this type of tree out in cemeteries or for that matter close to our homes.  I cut a tree out from above my home last fall that I’m sure would have fallen on the house.

            The only damage I saw in the Penix Cemetery was that the top of a cedar tree had fallen on “Aunt” Sally Reed’s grave site but there were a couple of pine trees blocking the access road.

            We have been pleasantly surprised by the large attendance to our monthly meetings which are centered on honoring “The Manns Clan” during the forthcoming 2009 Magoffin County Founders Days.  It reminds us of our earlier years.  We are really happy to have representatives of the family to help with the plans for the year.  Attending last Sunday’s meeting were Rena Faye Mann, Ronnie Jenkins, Ronnie Pelfrey, Charlene Pelfrey, Brenda Jenkins, Carolyn Goble, Green Mann, Connie A. Wireman, Willie Montgomery, Nellie Montgomery, James C. Montgomery, Dorothy Wireman, Lena Auxier, Jim Auxier, Cassie Manns Carpenter, Irene Manns McIntosh, Imogene Manns Stevens, Ettazene Montgomery, Dallas Bentley, Kay Bentley and Belsey Connelley.  Herley Manns was noticeably absent but after it was reported that he had been playing Tarzan without a “safety net” we excused him. (smile) 

Click on photo....to enlarge!

            Herley reported in the next morning to sign the papers for Bob Whittaker’s adoption into the Mann Clan for the coming nine months!

            Herley told us that a lot of downed trees have blocked the railroad trail down Hawes Fork of Breathitt.  The cemetery where William and Rhoda (Howard) Manns are buried in currently unmarked graves is near this railroad right of way.  Setting markers is one of the projects the Manns descendants are working on this year. Imogene Manns Stevens along with Jim and Lena Manns Auxier have added some to the fund.

            A search is also on for the gravesite of Samuel Mann.  We found records that Samuel was viewing roadways in 1838 according to Floyd Co. KY court orders.  In 1840, Samuel Mann was a close neighbor to Benjamin Oney, Sally Picklesimer, William Risner, John Montgomery, Benjamin Lemaster, William Prater, Jacob Wireman, Nancy Barnett, Eli Risner, Polly Fletcher and Moses Hoskins.  Solomon Stratton, the deputy sheriff of Floyd County at that time, was appointed administrator of the estate of Samuel Mann, deceased, in the July term of the Floyd Co. court in 1841. Samuel’s personal estate was appraised by Meredith Patrick, Morgan Puckett, Reuben Marshall and Jeremiah Patrick.

            We would like to find out any information about Samuel.

            We have had several inquiries concerning sending one’s family information (genealogy, pictures, stories, etc.) to the Magoffin County Historical Society.  We have set up a collection file for this information here in our library and we invite anyone interested to send your material.  We accept information down to the youngest family member.

            Betty Power Penn of Garnett, KS writes that she is interested in making a contribution toward setting a monument for Archibald Prater and would like more information on this project. 

There is a section in the Bluegrass Cemetery here in Salyersville that has been used as a turning place for vehicles and has destroyed many gravesites.  There is a Powers section adjacent to this area and it has been claimed by many older folks, including the late Wiley Rice, through his grandson the late M. F. Rice, that Holloway Power and his wife Clarinda Prater were buried there.  However, there is a double marker in another cemetery that has the names of Holloway and Clarinda on it.  There seems to be no grave on Clarinda’s side and Holloway’s grave is covered by one of the large shaped rocks similar to those that were carved and placed over many very early graves in our area. 

Now, there are some references that Archibald Prater’s burial site was destroyed when the old stone building was built near the old Magoffin Institute.  Therefore I propose to set a monument for Archibald Prater in the Irvin Prater section of the Bluegrass Cemetery with a notation on it as to where he is actually buried. 

Another monument that I am proposing is one for Martha “Patsy” Brashears Bailey and her daughter-in-law, Martha “Patsy” Gullett in the Christopher or “Pete” Gullett Cemetery on State Road Fork.

A monument was set by Joseph Bailey’s descendants for him outside the Cain Cemetery at the mouth of Rockhouse Fork of Burning Fork as his actual gravesite was unknown.  At the same time we set a marker for Christopher Gullett outside the Tackett Cemetery due to the difficulty of getting to the actual burial site.

The 1850 Floyd Co. KY census lists Christopher Gullett, age 70, Patsy age 30 with Patsy Bailey age 100, living in the household.  It is conceivable that they are buried in the Pete Gullett Cemetery, now referred to as the Warren Blanton Cemetery.

I propose a small monument such as was set for William Patrick and Mollie Reins to be set for Archibald Prater and also for Martha “Patsy” Brashears Bailey.  I would like to see these set in my lifetime and just as soon as I can get an estimate from our monument supplier, I will let folks know the cost so hopefully they can get them set by Memorial Day 2009.

We want to send Happy Birthday greetings to Ruth Anna Montgomery, wife of James! They are two of the mainstays of the historical society.