This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the May 17, 2012 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

            We have been busy working on a new window display.  We hope you had the opportunity to view our displays these last few months.  Last month we had the great opportunity to display one of Jean Wireman’s quilts.  Ms. Wireman of the Waldo, KY had made a “I Love Magoffin County, KY” quilt several years ago and we thought it was appropriate in view of the recent tornado damage our county has endured.  We are thankful that there was no loss of life in our county and will always be grateful for the help from all the agencies and individuals.

            We would like to remind you of the next regular meeting time of the Magoffin County Historical Society. We will meet this coming Sunday afternoon, May 20^th, at 2 p.m. at our historical library here at 191 South Church Street in Salyersville.  It is located between the WRLV Radio station and the Lloyd M. Hall Community Center.  We have our own parking lot adjacent to our archives and library building.

            We had a very welcome but poignantly sad visitor this last week. Ms. Debbie Craft of West Liberty, KY visited us and presented the historical society with a large box of research material that Rev. Wardie Craft and his wife Hazel Bach Craft had accumulated down through the years. Among these records are many handwritten pedigree charts.  It will take much time to go through the collection.  Of course we are very pleased to have this wonderful material gathered at a time when much effort and time was required to do research.  One had to visit the site of the source records, such as the courthouses, libraries, cemeteries, etc. as well as do personal interviews and read a good many books.  Now a great many depend on the Internet for the material they are looking for.

            Our sad thought at receiving this material that the Craft’s so lovingly collected is that they are no longer here to continue the wonderful work they started.  Wardie, who was born 8 Feb 1909 died 28 Feb 1998 and was buried at his home on the Memory Hill Cemetery at Caney, KY.  He was the son of Alonzo Craft and Martha Ellen Holbrook.  His wife Hazel was born 2 Mar 1917 and died 16 Oct 2009. She was the daughter of Orben Bach and Nellie Taulbee.

            Wardie and Hazel had no children of their own but over the years opened their home to over 50 children that they loved and cared for.  Ms. Debbie who brought the genealogy material to us from Memory Hill was one of those.

            Wardie and Hazel worked for many years establishing a historical and tourist attraction for eastern Kentucky.  Memory Hill is a large plantation with a beautiful home full of antiques; the grounds hold several log structures, a large cemetery and a memorial marker as beautiful as any I ever saw.  This 16-ton marble memorial is dedicated to the memory of Elder Daniel Williams an early pioneer minister who came into Kentucky in the 1770’s.  Daniel Williams is the ancestor of many thousands of individuals and all of us are indebted to Wardie and Hazel for preserving much of his history.  As a young man, Wardie found the gravesite of Daniel Williams in the Old Caney Cemetery.  At the time the cemetery was so overgrown that he had to crawl through a path that animals had made in the vegetation.  As long as he was able, Wardie cared for this old cemetery where so many other early pioneers are also buried. 

            The year 1995 when we celebrated the Williams family at our annual Magoffin County Founders Days was a very special one as we were privileged to have Wardie and Hazel take part in the festivities.  Wardie, although he was wheelchair bound, was here for the dedication of the Williams marker in our Pioneer Village and spoke at the ceremony.  He and Hazel also welcomed all those who visited the Old Caney Cemetery and the gravesite of Elder Daniel Williams that weekend.  We have some very precious memories of that wonderful year.  We have an album of pictures taken that year that give a glimpse of the many special activities conducted during that time.

            Yes, we have had many wonderful Founders Days here in Magoffin County in the past, 33 to be exact.  We have had help and cooperation from some great people, not only in our area, but also from all over the United States.  Our city and county governments, our local businesses, as well as many civic organizations have also been very supportive.  This year we have embarked upon an additional year of Founders Days in honor of the Marshall family.  This activity was instigated by our historical society before the March Tornado that literally rearranged our lives here in the mountains of eastern Kentucky.  We have not been able to focus our total efforts toward Founders Days this year and are in dire need of the help of any person or group that would help us plan and execute this 34^th Magoffin County Founders Days.