This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the September 27, 2012 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

            Here at the Magoffin County Historical Society library we get a large number of visitors each week searching for family history.  Sometimes they want to visit family cemeteries and former home sites or other places of interest in our county.  Most of our visitors are from the northern or Midwestern states.  Every now and then we get visitors from places far away and such was the case last week when we had Joe Green and Aaron Salyer come to our research library all the way from AUSTRALIA! 

            Aaron Salyer had heard about our library from an aunt.  His line of Salyer ancestry goes back seven generations to Zachariah Salyer, Sr. b. ca. 1730 and died ca. 1789 in Piedmont, NC. 

Aaron’s father was Stephen James Salyer, son of John Edward Salyer.  John Edward was a son of James Knox Polk Salyer (b. 1872 Magoffin Co. KY d. 1936 Blackfoot, ID) and Emily “Lizzie” Williams.  James K. Polk Salyer was a son of William W. Salyer (b. 1843 KY d. 1879 Slate Creek, Montgomery Co. KY) and Phoebe Gose b. 1867 in Magoffin Co. KY, dau of Phillip Gose and Mary “Polly” Arnett.  William W. Salyer was a son of Isaiah Salyer b. 1814 Copper Creek, Russell Co. VA d. about 1891 in Montgomery Co. KY.  Isaiah’s wife was Phoebe Arnett b. 1818 d. 1900, dau of Stephen Arnett and Elizabeth Howard.

Isaiah Salyer was a son of William M. Salyer b. ca. 1778 Burke Co. NC d. 1854 Floyd Co. KY.  Wm. M. was first married to Nancy (?) b. 1798 Russell Co. KY and they lived in Floyd Co. KY.  Nancy’s surname has not been confirmed but by tradition she was said to have been a Raney.  Wm. M.’s second wife was Dorcas Patton, dau of John Patton. 

So how did this young man with the same Salyer lineage as nearly everyone in our area with a Salyer ancestor wind up in Australia?  Well, Aaron’s father Stephen James Salyer married Deborah Ann Huley in Newcastle, Australia.  Aaron was born in Singapore and the family later moved back to Australia where his sister was born.

Aaron’s family is documented in the book Westward Branches of the Salyer Family, a book of Salyer genealogy compiled and privately published in 1982 by Bus and Fran Salyer of Oklahoma.  In her foreword Ms. Fran Salyer gives credit to Elisabeth L. W. Salyer for permission to use some of her information in this book. 

We had other Salyer family researchers that week also.  Debbie Ross of Bolivar, MO came to visit on September 14^th with her mother Leatha Elkins. We were able to trace her lineage on several lines.  Leatha was the daughter of Tilden Penix and Doshia Salyer.  Tilden was a son of Leander Penix (b. 1873 d. 1950) and Mollie Conley.  Leander was a son of William Penix and Nancy Jane Montgomery.  Mollie was a daughter of Wallace B. Conley and Amanda Reed.

Doshia Salyer was a daughter of Will Salyer and Mary Jackson.  Mary was a daughter of Elisha Jackson and Lou Caudill. 

Still another Salyer researcher came from Coshocton, OH.  He is Boyd Salyers, son of Robert Salyers who was born 16 Nov 1914 and (2^nd wife) Laura J. Barnett, dau of George Washington Barnett and Mollie Patrick.  G. W. Barnett was a son of Dan Barnett and Mollie was a dau of Dave Patrick.

Boyd’s Salyer grandparents were Charlie Salyer (b. 1880 d. 1955) and Fada Flint.  Charlie was a son of Isaac Salyer and Perlina Bailey.  Isaac was a son of Jeremiah Salyer and Elizabeth Conley.  His wife Perlina was a daughter of Lemuel Bailey and Annie Dykes.

Jimmie Allen happened to stop by and he and Boyd had a nice conversation on the Flint/Powers family.  Fada Flint was a daughter of William Flint and Lucinda Powers.  William was a son of John J. Flint and Fada McFarland.  Lucinda was a daughter of Archibald Power and Rhoda Patrick.

I know that many of our readers will see family names they are familiar with in these three family genealogy charts.  It is always interesting to hear from those who have Magoffin County ancestry and we invite you write to us at Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465 (email: [email protected]).  If you wish to come in to our library we are located at 191 South Church Street in Salyersville between the WRLV Radio station and the Lloyd M. Hall Community Center. 

We are getting the second Journal of the year ready to put in the mail so look for that soon.  The third issue is also almost finished.  We are also planning the layout for the 4^th issue which will contain a picture section of our 34^th Magoffin County Founders Days.  The Marshall family and friends were well represented at all these activities and we appreciate all the contribution of pictures for our albums and Journal.  Please remember that we still would like to receive any genealogy information for a Marshall family book.  We hope to hear from you.