The Magoffin County Historical Society is usually very receptive to visitors and we enjoy their stays here however; there was one visitor last week that "wore out his welcome" and that was "Ole Man Winter"! He brought us a sampling of most any kind of weather you can imagine with temperatures dipping down to almost 30 degrees below zero, a snowfall of from 12 to 16 inches, rain, sleet and ice, and flooding of the Licking River and its tributaries.

We are thankful for all those who had to work outdoors during this weather to see that we had electricity, water, mail and passable roads. We have also heard of many good people out there who saw to the needs of their neighbors and others so that food, medicines and other necessities were available to them.

We appreciate having our adjacent parking lot and sidewalk cleaned and made safe for us.

A nice pile of mail awaited us at the post office and on the computer after being out of the office for a few days and we are gratified by the number of membership renewals coming in for 2015. The Spring Journal is being worked on at the present time.

Among the emailed letters to us was one from Joann Hanna of Buckeye, AZ who is searching for information on her grandmother Dolly Slusher. Dolly was born 10 Jul 1910 in Magoffin Co KY to parents John Clinton Slusher and Rosalee Jenkins. Dolly married 24 Oct 1934 to Harlan Tackett. Joann’s mother Frieda Tackett was born on 1 September 1935 and her mother Dolly passed away on 17 Feb 1941 of high blood pressure when her daughter Frieda was only 6 years old. Her death certificate gives information that she was buried in the Adams Cemetery on 18 Feb 1941 with undertakers being Cook and Colvin of Elsie, KY.

We believe Harlan Tackett may be the son of Ben Tackett and wife Creca who are found in the Bloomington area of Magoffin County in 1910. The family is listed as: Ben Tackett, age 28, wife Creca age 29, children Harlan Tackett age 7, Chemus Tackett age 3 and Diancy Tackett age 1 and 3 months.

The family would like any information and/or pictures of Dolly Slusher Tackett that someone may have. If anyone knew her in her lifetime, Joann’s family would like to hear from them.

John Clinton Slusher was born 20 May 1879 and died 15 Mar 1963. He and his wife Rosalee (Jenkins) Slusher (31 Mar 1884-1954) are buried in the Big Run Cemetery in Lucasville, OH. When John Clinton Slusher registered for the draft of World War One, he gave his address as Lickburg, KY and his birthday as 20 May 1880. At the time he was employed by Sam Keeton and was married to Rosa Lee Slusher. His personal description was blue eyes, black hair, short in stature and medium build.

Clint Slusher was a son of Phillip Slusher (1848-1914) and Samantha Conley (1853-1917). Rosalee Jenkins Slusher was a son of James Jenkins and Caroline.

We were able to find John Clinton in three Magoffin County census records:

In 1910 the family lived at Bloomington. John C. Slusher was age 26, wife Rosa L. was age 22. They had a son Berie Slusher age 3, a son Mannah Slusher, age 2 and a daughter Emily Slusher age 1 1/12. Samantha Slusher, widowed mother, age 44 was also in their household.

We have not been able to find the family in 1920 but in 1930 they are listed as living on Lick Creek Road in Magoffin County. Clinton Slusher was age 51, wife Rosy L. age 44, Dollie age 19, Robie age 17, Maggie age 15, Geneva age 13, Ovay age 9 and Hettie age 7. In 1940 Magoffin they appear as follows: Clint Slusher age 65, Rose age 60, Neva age 22, Robie age 23, Hettie age 16, Ovie (a grandson) age 18 and Mary (a granddaughter) age 11.

Since nearly everyone was more or less "house-bound" these last several days, we all did a little more home cooking than usual. We are going to end this column with a recipe that was sent to us by Laurie McKenzie back in the 1990’s. She had found this handwritten recipe in one of her mother’s cookbooks.

The recipe is for "Aunt Ethel May’s Kentucky Pie" The ingredients are: 1/4 cup butter, 1 cup cream, 2 1/2 cups sugar, 5 tablespoons flour, 3 whole eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla.

The directions were to melt the butter, mix the flour and sugar, add butter and well-beaten eggs, and bake in pie shell. No temperature or time was given but 350 degrees sounds about right, it should be done in about one hour. We will have to check on that (smile).

"Aunt Ethel May" was a half-sister to Laurie’s grandmother Bertha Salyer Poye (wife of Anton Poye). Bertha’s parents were Nancy Jane Allen and Sebastian "Bass" Salyer. Ethel May was the daughter of Nancy Jane Allen and her second husband Will Press Power.

Laurie later married Edward Raymond Levy in 2000 and they were frequent visitors to our historical society. Laurie compiled a volume of our early Historical Comments columns and presented it to us for printing. She was working on a second volume before her untimely death on December 30, 2009.