This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the June 10, 2010 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

            I slipped into the Salyer-Fletcher Reunion held over in Ramey Park on Saturday of the Memorial Day weekend.  I had heard that Ms. Myrtle Fletcher Cole would have a pot of her famous chicken and dumplings there so I took my biggest spoon and went over to visit.  I’ve been told her dumplings were the best made and have attempted to see for myself several times but the pot was always empty by the time I’d get to it.  I’m here to tell you, Myrtle’s chicken and dumplings are scrumptious! 

            I also got to meet some of the Salyer crowd attending and found they were very knowledgeable of their kinsmen, including the Saponi or “Salyersville Indian” population. Genealogy is a subject I never tire of discussing.

            We have a new book just printed!  This is Volume 3 in our Salute to Veterans from World War 1 to present day series.  The book has information on service men and women with Magoffin County ties from H through M (surnames Higgins to Maynard). We are working to complete this series as soon as we can as we have had many inquiries about the status of this project.  The latest volume is ready for mailing at $32 postpaid.  These books, along with the five-volume set of books on Civil War soldiers tell the history of Magoffin County’s contribution toward freedom for our country.

            Memorial Day has passed for another year and we know many who spent a lot of money on decorations for their loved one’s graves. We also know of many who cleaned up cemeteries with their own labor or contributed money to help get it cleaned up.

            I visited the Menifee Prater, the Williams, the “Hen Ike” Lemaster, the Fairchild, the “Sherd” Conley, the George Helton (that I had cleaned up a few days before) and the Smith Adams cemeteries, all on Mashfork, where I put flags on all the veteran’s graves.  Then I went on to the Rufas Kazee and the Conley Cemetery on Horsepen that evening. Every cemetery that was having a short service for those who had come to visit also had a caretaker who was begging for money to pay those who clean cemeteries.  I did this myself at the Kazee Cemetery as it costs $75 each time it is mowed.  I did a little begging and came up with enough for one mowing but it will need more than that in the coming months.  My point is that if one must choose, it is better to contribute toward cemetery upkeep than use the money for decorations.

            It was good to see that most cemetery visitors had removed and properly disposed of the old flower arrangements instead of just throwing them over the fence.

            Although the weather was extremely hot, I noticed that there were larger crowds of visitors at the various cemeteries this year where they are keeping up the traditional “meeting on the hill” on Decoration Day.

            I’ve placed several dozen flags on Veteran’s graves here in Magoffin and about a dozen in the Paintsville area where I take care of four cemeteries.

            The DAV Chapter 15 held a memorial service at the Veteran’s Memorial in Ramey Park and we want to thank our local funeral homes for setting up tents.  We had a few sprinkles of rain plus they also provided shade.  VAMCCO has obtained a larger flag and also had some landscaping done and it all looks very nice.

            Belsey Connelley was the oldest veteran in attendance this year and he was invited to take part in the ceremony.  This Memorial Day ceremony is a yearly event so if you weren’t here to take part in it this year, plan to be here the next time.

            While I was mowing the old Irvin Prater part of the Bluegrass Cemetery in Salyersville, I noticed several people at the Archibald Prater memorial monument that we dedicated to his memory last fall as part of the Sesquicentennial celebration.  As Katie would have said, they all thought it was “bee-u-tiful”!

            My daughter Abbie had a fish fry at her house to top off Memorial Day. After I had gorged myself they brought out a big birthday cake for ol’ Todd. This was the second birthday bash and it wasn’t even my birthday yet!  June 1^st is my birthday and I was born in 1928. I can’t help it if people think I’m a teenager (smile). I am writing this on my 82^nd birthday.  As a grand finale, ANOTHER birthday cake appeared here at the home-twenty headquarters so I’ve gained a few pounds, thanks to all who have helped me celebrate this year.  Several visitors and the home-twenty gang were here to help celebrate this time as Dorothy served the delicious cake. Visiting were Randall Risner, Leola Cole, Oma Shepherd Risner and her daughter Carolyn.  We missed Val McKenzie this year, by coincidence he had visited nearly every year on or around my birthday for the last several years. Thanks to everyone for the birthday cards, the latest was from Betty Risner Brown of Rensselaer, IN!

            Before we sign off, we want to mention that we are still looking for stories for Magoffin County’s Sesquicentennial book sponsored by the offices of the Magoffin County Judge and the Salyersville Mayor.  Since our last column we have received a story on Stanley Gardner, one of the three co-founders of the Magoffin County Historical Society. This was written by his son-in-law Jack Cook.  Carlotta Rowe Howard and her sister Winna Lee Williams sent in a story and remembrance about their parents, Bill and Lizzie Rowe.  Carlotta also sent a history of the Faith Freewill Baptist Church.  Oma Shepherd Risner has contributed a treasure of material about her Shepherd family along with stories about Royalton and the surrounding area.