This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the MAY 1, 2014 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

            As mentioned in an earlier column, we are attempting to finalize some of our publications from past years, one of these being the Sesquicentennial book covering 150 years of Magoffin County history.  We have several good articles in this book that were sent to us during 2010.  Brian Ann Arnett has been working to help us supplement what we have by requesting pictures and material from people she knows who have connections to Salyersville businesses, past and present.  While Dorothy was looking for some material to help one of our visitors, she came across a copy of a 1974 Salyersville Independent that has short articles about several businesses that were in town during that time period, some are still here, such as the Salyersville National Bank. 

We have an excellent history of the Salyersville National Bank in the book.  We appreciate the girls at the bank for this story. 

The other businesses mentioned in this issue of the Independent are the Parkway Motel & Restaurant owned by Lois and Kernie Howard;  Connelley Farm Service owned by John Connelley, Salyersville E-Z Wash owned by Alonzo and Virgie Hopkins, Caudill Funeral Home owned by Ishmael and Margie Caudill, Larry Jo and Vetta Caudill, Rice’s Truck Stop 66 owned by Arnold Rice, May’s Flower Shop owned by Mrs. Basil (Ethel) May, J. Oakley Arnett Department Story owned by J. Oakley Arnett, Haskel Cheek Grocery and Auto Sales owned by Haskel Cheek, Superior Market owned by William Brown and Guy Brown, Minix Restaurant owned by Mae Minix, Prater & Dunn Funeral Home owned by Luther and Olga Dunn, McFarlan Brothers Poultry & Eggs, Patrick’s Somerset Oil owned by Ishamel Patrick, Prater’s Bookkeeping and Tax Service owned by Mike Prater, Dunn & Kelly Funeral Home owned by Luther Dean Dunn, Royalton Lumber Company, Kentucky Mobile Homes, Inc. owned by James Arnett. 

We also found an article when True Value Hardware Store opened in 1974 with owners Mr. and Mrs. Granville Joseph.

Perhaps some of these will bring others to mind for you.  We would be interested in pictures and stories about these and other Magoffin County businesses, places and people.

We had Fay Klingaman and her son Roy from Canton, OH visiting this week.  They are relatives of Barbara Reed Patrick and were doing research on her family. 

Fay is the daughter of Walter Arnett and Sara Jane Skaggs.  Sara Jane’s father was Fernando Skaggs.  We would like to learn more information about this family.  Please write to us at Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465 (email: [email protected])

Walter Arnett was a son of Sherman Arnett (19 Feb 1865-14 May 1949) and Rhoda McGuire (4 Sep 1764-16 Aug 1851).  Sherman was a son of William Arnett (1 Mar 1809-20 Sep 1900) and Jemima Ray (5 Dec 1825-27 Jul 1907).  William Arnett was a son of Reuben Arnett and Susan Kilgore.  William and Jemima are buried on the Jackson L. Arnett Cemetery where a memorial marker for one of the first Arnett’s to come to Magoffin County, Reuben Arnett (b. 1874 d. 1856).  This marker was bought with the help of a great many Arnett descendants and the chairpersons for the committee were Jaynie Poe and Betty Lykins.  This cemetery is located behind the Bear Branch Primitive Baptist Church at Hendricks, KY.

We found that Fay was a relative of the late Jewel Kennard Arnett, wife of Ollie J. J. Arnett.  Jewel’s parents were Arthur Kennard (b. 28 Jun 1886 d. 16 Sep 1974, a son of Thomas Kennard and Louisa Risner) and Lucy McGuire.  Lucy and Rhoda McGuire were daughters of Samuel McGuire and Diana Kennard.   Those of you who are familiar with the Pioneer Village will recognize this family through our Kennard cabin which has many artifacts from Jewel’s family.  The story of Lucy as a child losing her arm in a fall from a horse has been an inspiring one for many, many children as well as adults who have taken one of our cabin tours.  She did not let her disability deter her from doing all the things that she wanted and needed to do in life.  Arthur and Lucy Kennard are buried in the Bluegrass Cemetery here in Salyersville as are Jewel and Ollie J. Arnett.

Fay’s connection to Barbara Patrick is through the Arnett family.  Barbara’s mother Mishie Arnett (wife of Melvin Reed) was a daughter of Jolly Arnett and Ophia Adams.  Jolly was a son of Sherman Arnett and Rhoda McGuire. 

A list of Sherman and Rhoda Arnett’s family is as follows: (1) Neri Arnett b. 1891 m. Arizona Back; (2) Lillie Arnett b. 1892, (3)Dock Arnett b. 1894 m. Media Dyer,  (4) Lawrence Arnett b. 1896 m. Delia Row, (5) Dona Arnett b. 1899 m. Lucy Dyer, (6) Georgia Arnett b. 1901 m. Farrish Arnett, (7) Walter Arnett b. 1903 m. Sarah Jane Skaggs (Fay’s parents), (8) Jolly Arnett m. Ophia Adams (Barbara Patrick’s grandparents), and (9) Daisy Arnett b. 1907 m. Earn Craft. We are sure that some of you will find a connection here with this family.

Back to the Kennard family:  Thomas Kennard married Louisa Risner (b.1849), a dau of Isaac Risner and Polly Miller.  Isaac “Ike” Risner (1825-1886) was a son of Michael Risner and Sarah Howard.  Ike Risner was killed while cutting a tree in the logwoods and is buried on the Risner Point Cemetery at Guage, KY.  His wife Polly died in 1922 and is believed to be the daughter of William and Mary Miller.  She is buried in the Mann Family Cemetery in Menifee Co. KY.  All of us are indebted to the late David Risner for all his work on the Risner and related families of eastern Kentucky.