This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the April 7, 2011 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

            Another one of our military heroes has been laid to rest…Comrade Paul C. Lemaster had many extraordinary experiences while serving our country.  He met the Viet Cong on Pork Chop Hill and although wounded, he fought a good fight and survived.  Paul did not let the disability caused by his wounds slow him down or break his fighting spirit.  He met his disability and made a successful and productive life for himself.  He married, became a father, grandfather and a leading citizen of his community.  His young grandson did his eulogy at the funeral wake; it attested to the love and respect his family had.  The overflowing crowd at the funeral home wake plus the large attendance at the burial site showed the love and respect the community had for Paul C.

            I talked with his brothers, Forrest and Bill, who were my school buddies of yesteryear about their genealogy.  I knew their grandparents and their families but I did not know Warren Lemaster’s grandfather and they knew him to be Richard Lemaster.  In researching, I found that Richard Lemaster married on 27 Nov 1879 to Francis J. Crace, the daughter of Campbell Crace b. 1814 and gr/dau of Peter Crace and Anna Adams.

            Richard was a son of Ambrose Lemaster b. 1810 and Francis “Fanny” Shavers b. 1822 according to information given by Aaron Lemaster and Billy Lemaster.  Richard is buried in the Lemaster Cemetery, located behind the old Falcon School, a cemetery we cleaned up last year when we set a monument for Francis “Fanny” Shavers with the names of her and Ambrose Lemaster’s children listed on it.  Ambrose was first married to Haney McGuire.  Family members have sent funds to place a stone for the children of Ambrose Lemaster. 

            There isn’t a road to this old cemetery except to go up the Tommy Prater Hollow.  Darrel Francis has bought the adjacent farm on Round Hole Branch and expects to open up a road near the Lemaster Cemetery.  I believe Magistrate Buck Lemaster endorsed this cemetery road.

            Keith Hobon, 720 W. Broadway, Leipsic, OH 45856 ([email protected]) who is a member of the Southern Cherokee Nation of Kentucky is interested in buying a piece of land on Big Lick large enough to set a camper on and also wants to learn more about the descendants of John Cole b. 1775 and Cuzzie Anderson b. 1760.  Other areas of interest are Wallis Cole b. 1847 and wife Margaret Adams; Meredith Poe b. 1826 and wife Angeline Adams; James Monroe Watkins b. 1830 and Mary Elizabeth Poe b. 1830, as well as John Watkins b. 1862 and wife Rose Ann Perkins b. 1862.

            Matt Stanley ([email protected]) writes he is the son of Robert Stanley.  Robert is the son of Millard Stanley and Clara Caudill.  Matt says his father had an older brother who died within days of his birth and he would be interested in pin-pointing the cemetery where he is buried.

            Our cemetery records show there is a Carl Edward Stanley b. 1924 d. 1925 buried in the Roark Cemetery on Burning Fork.

            The 1930 Magoffin Co. KY census shows Alfred Stanley’s son Millard as being age 17 or born in 1923 so this seems to be his sibling, even though it seems odd as most of the Stanley’s are buried in the Lick Creek area.

            It won’t be long until the regular meeting of the Magoffin County Historical Society. The date will be April 17^th at 2 p.m. at our historical society library at 191 South Church Street.  Anyone interested in helping the Magoffin County Historical Society remain a vital organization and/or help with plans for the 33^rd Founders Days is urged to attend.  We have designated the Joseph family to be the early settling family to be honored this year and we need your input in order to set plans in motion for this Labor Day event.