This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the August 27, 2009 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

The Salyersville Independent  is a weekly newspaper published and edited by Michael David Prater, P. O. Box 29, Salyersville, KY 41465. Telephone (606) 349-2915.  Yearly subscription rates are $24.00 in Kentucky and $30.00 per year out of state.

            The celebration that we’ve been working toward all year has arrived!  The 31^st Magoffin County Founders Days honoring the Manns Clan begins September 1^st!! Our last planning session was well attended with the following signing in: Roy “Todd” Preston, Imogene Manns Stevens, Ronnie Pelfrey, Charlene Mann Pelfrey, Faye Mann, Ronnie Mann Jenkins, Hollie Jenkins, Brenda Jenkins, Dallas Bentley, Kay Bentley, Joe Howard, Ruie Howard, Green Mann, Debbie Mann, Jim W. Back, Jackie Howard, Ruby Manns Oaks, Irene Manns McIntosh, Cassie Manns Carpenter, Ettazene Manns Montgomery, Marvin Minix, Mary Ann Minix, Jim Auxier, Lena Manns Auxier, Herley Manns, Ted Manns, Jr., Paul A. Bailey, Helen Bailey, Randall Mann, Belsey Connelley, James C. Montgomery, Dorothy S. Wireman, Connie A. Wireman, Jill Cole, Leola Cole, and Leola’s foreign exchange student Cara Senhen.  Welcome to Magoffin County, Cara!

            A little extra celebrating was in order as it was Marvin Minix’s birthday! 

            We have enjoyed our association with the Manns Clan this year and look forward to their continued involvement in our activities.

            Paul Bailey and his wife Helen from Wheatfield, IN were very welcome visitors last week. They were interested in finding the gravesites of Paul’s ancestors William Bailey and Susan Barnett.  We set out about 8 a.m. Saturday morning to visit the Henry Gardner Bailey Cemetery near the head of the Straight Fork of Licking. As it was very foggy we didn’t get to see much of the countryside.  We stopped at the late Martha Handshoe’s and her son drove up to the gate with us but we didn’t have the right key so we walked the rest of the way up to the cemetery.  We did a lot of searching but failed to find evidence of his ancestor’s graves although it is probable that they are buried in this cemetery.

            We walked back to my car, stopping at the beautiful church where we met up with one of Martha’s daughters.  We enjoyed getting to talk with some of Virgil and Martha’s family again.  Coming back downstream we went around the road to see the mouth of Bullmire thence on down to Half Mountain and upstream to see the Martha “Patsy” Whitaker and the Stephen Arnett memorial markers.

            Needless to say, they were two happy but tired people when we arrived back at the home twenty! 

            I then went over to Ramey Park as our DAV group had a booth and I was supposed to take a shift working.  I found a bunch of comrades enjoying themselves, seeing which one could sell more soft drinks and tickets on the fishing rods they were raffling off so I just sat down and rested my old bones, listening to the picking and singing.

            In the late afternoon, William Elsey “Belsey” Connelley was named as co-winner of the honored citizen of the year.  I make a motion that he drive his giant wrecker that he built several years ago through the Founders Days parade!  Belsey and his wife (my sister Luva) have been members of our historical society since our beginning.

            Another very nice couple visited us this week.  Karla Howard Buckmaster and her husband were here.  They, along with Henry Clay Sizemore, Jack and Lori Sizemore, Randall Risner, Della Mae Allen and I visited the Jake Wireman Cemetery as well as other cemeteries in that area.  The Jacob Wireman Cemetery is in a beautiful location and we enjoyed our visit to this historic place very much. After viewing the cemetery, we were delighted at the beautiful voice of Lori Sizemore singing Amazing Grace, which brought on a short prayer of benediction, no doubt a climax of many such services held on that old cemetery down through the years.  It brought tears to Karla’s eyes.

            Of course, she was on hand Saturday night to enjoy the Charlie Sizemore band in concert!  This was a wonderful couple to have as visitors.

            Karla ([email protected]) left a query for us. She wrote that we had mentioned in a recent column that Frank Litteral married second to Alice Stone b. 1875. We had used the initials of “J. F.” for him and she asked for clarification.

            The 1880 Magoffin census lists Cudberth Stone, age 54 with wife Clarinda Arnett (b. 1853).  Their youngest child was Alice Stone, age 9 at that time.  Our Howard book lists Morton Howard married 20 Sep 1891 to Alice Stone at the home of C. B. Stone. They had two children Dora and Cassie.  Then we find this marriage: William Prater married 23 May 1898 to Alice Howard at John Bailey’s home. Thirdly we find J. F. Litteral married 6 Aug 1904 to Alice Prater.  It is interesting to note Fred Risner b. 1888 married Ida Prater, dau of William Prater and Alice Stone.

            Our Risner book also has a reference: Fred Risner, son of George Risner and Jane Howard (b. 1888 d. 1976) buried at the mouth of Shoney Branch married Ida Prater b. 10 Oct 1900 d. 24 Dec 1984 (also buried at Shoney Branch).  Ida was the dau of William Prater and his 2^nd wife Alice Stone. Their 8 children are listed.

            In Magoffin Marriages we also found Fred Risner married 12 Apr 1916 to Ida Howard by Smith Whitaker of the Hopewell Church with witnesses John and Dona Wireman.  Thus Alice Stone appears to have married first to Morton Howard; married 2^nd to William Prater and m. 3^rd to J. F. Litteral.  I am open to corrections and additions on this question.

            We wish all our local people and visitors to our area a happy Founders Day. This is a family oriented event with the purpose of celebrating and preserving the heritage of our area and its people.  We thank all who participate and especially those who have worked so hard to bring this event to our county!