This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the August 23, 2012 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

            Founders Days 2012 begins next week, Tuesday, August 28^th!  You would think since the Magoffin County Historical Society has sponsored 33 of these yearly events already that this would not be such an exciting time for us, but nay, not so!  Things are really bustling around here with preparations going on all over.  We are working furiously to get everything ready to welcome the MARSHALL family and friends to Salyersville and Magoffin County.  

            Kay Bentley has her materials ready for the registration welcome booth.  Be sure to sign in and let us know you were here.  We keep our registration books from year to year and it is interesting to look back and see our lists of visitors.  You might also win a prize if you are present at the Talent Showcase/Look Alike Contest after the parade on Saturday.  This fun event is directed by Tonya Ward and Lisa Swiger.  Of course, they get a lot of help from Randy and Shelley!

            We are always appreciative of our DAV Chapter 15, the Boy Scout Troop and the Magoffin County Muzzleloaders for lending pageantry to our opening ceremony on Tuesday as well as the dedication of the Founders Day marker on Saturday.  On Tuesday we always look forward to the music provided by the Prater Memorial Methodist Church.  They have helped us for all of our years as a historical society.

            We have a very special event planned for the unveiling of the Marshall family name on our Pioneer Village marker on Tuesday.  We are pleased to have these young people take part in this program: Aliyah Dunn, Brooklyn Poe, Caleb Marshall, Conner Newson, Daniel Marshall, Isaac Risner, Jaymie Lovely, Jonathan Mann, Julia Stephens, Kellen Simpkins, Kenley Simpkins, Madison Auxier, Mahayla Caudill and Marshall Bailey. We thank Margie Manns, Lena Auxier and her brother Adam Manns for making the decorations.

            From all the telephone calls we are getting asking for more information we know that the Baby Pageant and the Children’s Pageants are going to be huge successes!  We thank our Baby Pageant directors Jessica Howard, Carol Jean Howard, Lisa Preston, Paula Montgomery, Abbie Conley, and Theresa Dotson and our Children’s Pageant directors, Lisa Swiger and Tonya Ward. 

            We hear that the Miss Teen and the Miss Magoffin Pageants are shaping up nicely.  Miss Teen has as its directors Tanika McFarland, Olivia Wireman, Jincy Bailey, Jenny Beth Howard and Carol Howard.  The directors of Miss Magoffin are Jincy Bailey, Melodye Stephens, Tanika McFarland, Ginger Oney, Olivia Wireman, Jenny Beth Howard, Bryanna Howes and Jill Johnson.

            You will notice that several people do double duty activities for us during this community event.  We are always looking for an extra pair of hands to help so if you are so minded, pitch right in where you see a need.  Of course, your most important job is to make welcome and offer a helpful hand to those who are visiting our town and county for this event!

            Friday’s events are geared especially toward showcasing our children.  The Magoffin County Extension Office begins the day with the ever popular Pet Show. The directors are Brooke Jenkins-Howard and Russell Sparks.  Charlotte Gillum and Theresa Miller have prepared all the certificates and prizes for the School Events.  Tim and Debbie Cain always have a marvelous show with the Herald Whitaker Middle School students.  

            We have enjoyed the Magoffin County Library having a book signing with area authors for the last few years and this is something special for us.  This is an excellent time to get some special reading material AND meet the book authors.  We hope this will be an incentive for more Magoffin County and area people to set their stories into print.

            We have a fine list of MARSHALLs as Grand Marshals this year:  They are Arnold Marshall, Avonell Allen Marshall, Bernice Dotson Moore, Bill Marshall, Charles Marshall, Hazel Marshall Judd, Lou Whitt, Marie Salyer Marshall, Myrtle Fletcher Cole, Sue Patrick and Tom Marshall.

            We are looking forward to the parade with all its pageant winners, floats and parade entries by church groups, civic organizations, youth groups, families and businesses.  Magoffin County is well known for quality parades and this one is sure to be very special!

            On Sunday you are invited to old fashioned church services here at the Pioneer Village conducted by the State Road United Baptist Church.  This is a special time for many of us who look forward to it from year to year.  There are already plenty of plans and recipes flying around as Jincy Bailey, Olivia Wireman, Punky Howes, Jodi Marshall and Melodye Stephens get ready to welcome all to the Magoffin Homecoming Dinner at the Hall Community Center.  This year a special treat will be smoked barbecue prepared by Jackie Prater through the courtesy of the Big Lick Pentecostal Church.  Rounding out the day will be a Gospel Sing at the cabins with Dennis Marshall and his daughter Jeniffer Marshall Lovely taking care of the emcee duties.

            We are not finished yet!  Meet at the old Charles Minix Cemetery on Oakley Creek on Sunday at around 10 a.m. for a marker placement for Reuben Marshall and Elizabeth Nolan Marshall.  Charlotte Gillum is also inviting us to participate in setting a marker for Revolutionary War soldier Thomas Watkins, Sr. on that day.

            It has been a busy year and a very eventful one.  At times we thought it would be impossible to have a Founders Day celebration this year but Magoffin County is rebuilding and moving ahead.  We are proud of our town, county and most of all, our people!