This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the October 3, 2013 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

            We had a right nice gift made to the historical society recently.  Chyrl Jean (Burgett) Morgan and her son John Morgan brought in two of the old time telephones to us.  These once belonged to Milton “Cap” Arnett and his wife Caroline “Carrie” Patrick Arnett.  They lived on the William Arnett Branch of the Middle Fork area.  These are a great addition to our Pioneer Village and we are looking forward to displaying them.

            A whole month has gone by since our Labor Day celebration of the Rudd family. The earliest known Rudd was in Virginia in the early 1700’s. Several generations lived out their lives in Virginia, their records showing in the counties of Henrico, Halifax and Chesterfield.  The fifth generation from the immigrant was Archibald Rudd who was born in 1792 Chesterfield Co. VA.  He married in 1822 Grayson Co. VA to Nancy who is usually listed with the surname Woosley.  Archibald died in 1872 here in Magoffin County, KY in the Johnson Fork area.

            We have had information come in from Daniel Rudd that identifies two siblings of Archibald Rudd, all sons of Archibald “Archer” Rudd and his wife Martha whose surname is unknown at this time. 

            Archibald had a brother Riley Rudd b. 1790 in VA and lived out his life in Lawrence County, KY. Both he and Archibald are believed to have served during the War of 1812.  Riley and his wife Mary were the parents of three known children:  (1) Elizabeth Ann Rudd m. Robert Francis (lived in Halifax Co. VA); (2) Martha Jane Rudd m. John Robert Rose Boggs (died in Elliott Co. KY); and (3) Mary Francis Rudd m. John Henry Casteel, Sr.  They married in Lawrence Co. KY and lived out their lives there.

            John Robert Rose Boggs and his wife Martha Jane Rudd have many descendants in the Magoffin County area.

            Archibald and Riley had an older brother William Rudd b. about 1787 in Chesterfield Co. VA and died about 1860 in Virginia.  His wife was Deborah Locket Tynes, dau of William Tynes and Mary Locket.  They had a daughter named Mary Susannah who married John Seymour. They lived in Woodsonville, Hart Co. KY near the Mammoth Cave area.

            At the Sunday Reunion Dinner during Founders Day, we had Joseph A. Dalton from Middletown, OH come in to visit.  He is a grandson of Thomas Dalton and Emilie Stacy and great-grandson of Allen Dalton and Nancy Rudd.  We were very pleased to make his acquaintance and enjoyed visiting with him that afternoon.  He very much enjoyed seeing the historical markers in the Pioneer Village and found several of his ancestors names on them.  Since his return home he has shared several pictures and family information with us. 

            We had an email from Leola Warren who states her family descends from James Addison Monroe Reed and Louellen Rudd.  This family moved to Arkansas.  Ms. Warren says James Addison Monroe Reed was a son of Solomon and Susan (Fletcher) Reed and married Louellen Rudd, a daughter of Archibald Rudd and Nancy Burton. We are still researching this family and would appreciate any help.

            We also want to thank Wanda Burton Hunt for the information she has sent on the earlier generations of the Rudd family. She has sent us some excellent resource materials that are aiding us in our research.

            Several of our local residents are helping us with our project of adding to our collection of Founders Day pictures.  Veronica Rudd Hall, Melanie Arnett Cain, Jodie Miller Shepherd and Kathy Brown have shared pictures with us.  Others have told us they will be bringing in copies of their pictures and we are looking forward to receiving them.

            A request came to us via email for a picture of Peter Hunley.  His great grandson, Frank Zeman would like to find a picture of him.  If anyone knows of such a picture, please let us know.

            Norma Patrick Seto visited our library recently.  She has sent us a very interesting account of her early school days on Turkey Branch of Johnson Fork here in Magoffin.  She was born in the house John D. Holbrook and his wife Deanna live. The house had fallen into disrepair but John refurbished it and it is now a wonderful pleasant place to visit.  This was the location of our June 2013 historical society meeting and remains as a good memory. 

You will be seeing some of Norma Patrick Seto’s material in our Rudd family book, in the 150 Years of Cooking In Magoffin County cook book and also the Magoffin County Sesquicentennial book. 

Doris A. Gast ([email protected]) is looking for information on Josephine Howard who married John Hall in 1885.  They had four children, Lilly Hall, Roscoe Hall, Dover Hall and Ellis Hall.  She would like birth and death information on both Josephine and John.  Both of them died sometime during the 1890’s.  Their son Ellis who was born in 1893 was raised by James Rod and Phoebe Howard.