We celebrated the first day of spring here at the historical society by sending the Spring issue of our quarterly Journals out to our members. We are pleased with the result and hope it will be enjoyable and informative to our readers. Some of the contributors of material and pictures to this issue are Patty Auxier, Jesse Buckwalter, Joan Salyer Arnett, Dorothy Wireman, Seldon Rowe, Sr., Suzanne Montgomery Antippas, Dan Castle, Lorrene Waddle, Connie A. Wireman, Pamela Bryan Thomas, Jack Sizemore, Elizabeth Holbrook Faust, Judy Wireman Salyer along with several others.
One of our visitors this week was Ruby Arnett Toy, the daughter of Roscoe Arnett and Dora Patrick. Along with her genealogy questions she brought with her some of her homemade candy which we all enjoyed (smile). We were able to help her fill in her ancestor charts with the help of our census records and the family books we have on our shelves, especially the Arnett books and the Civil War Legends in Blue and Grey books.
Roscoe was the son of Augustus Arnett and Lillie Cooper. Lillie Cooper was born in 1880, one of eight children born to Archibald Calloway Cooper and Sarah Back. Archibald, sometimes known as "A. C. Cooper" was born in the late 1840s in Breathitt Co. KY and died in Magoffin County 23 June 1930. His birthdate is variously given by descendants. The death certificate gives his birthdate as 25 May 1848 and his death date as 23 June 1930 at age 82 years and 1 month.
Archibald C. Cooper’s parentage is not known but a descendant, Mildred Martin of Wenatchee, WA who, along with the late David Risner, contributed much info on him for the Civil War book, gave one Thomas Cooper as his father. Thomas emigrated from Scotland in 1821.
Archibald Cooper married in 1873 Wolfe Co. KY to Providence Sarah Back, daughter of Isaac Back and Mary Ann "Polly" Bolling. A. C. Cooper joined as a private in Co. D, 5th KY Mtd. Inf. in the Confederate Army in September 1862. After his war service he became a minister and performed many marriages in our area. He was also a farmer and a schoolteacher. He and his wife were buried in the A. C. Cooper Cemetery at Fritz on Middle Fork, here in Magoffin County.
Lillie Cooper’s husband Augustus Arnett was the son of Perlina Arnett. Perlina was born in 1848, the daughter of William Arnett (1 Mar 1810-20 Sep 1900) and Jemima Ray (5 Dec 1825-28 Jul 1907). The family lived in the area of Magoffin County that was then Floyd County in 1850. William Arnett (b. 1809 d. 1900) was a son of Reuben Arnett and Susan Kilgore; his wife Jemima was a daughter of Jesse Ray and Sarah Owens.
Ruby’s maternal grandparents were Green Berry Patrick (22 Aug 1884-20 Jan 1968) and Nannie Barnett (23 May 1884-23 Jun 1981). Green Patrick was a son of Alexander Patrick (1856-1938) and Rebecca Higgins (1855-1925). Alexander Patrick was a son of Lewis Patrick (1816-1864) and Lucy Adams (1818-1875). Alexander’s wife Rebecca Higgins was a dau of John Higgins (1835-1912) and Phoebe Howard (1832-1918).
Nannie was a daughter of William Riley Barnett (b. 1855 d. 1934) and Julie Arnett (b. 1852). William R. Barnett was a son of William Barnett b. 1812 Russell Co. VA d. 1880 KY and Dicy Ray. William R.’s wife Julie was a daughter of Fetney Steve Arnett and first wife Levisa Kennard. Fetney Steve was a son of William Arnett and Nancy Adams.
This is a very interesting family to research and there is much yet to be done. We would enjoy hearing from descendants with stories and pictures of their ancestors. Please write to Magoffin County Historical Society, PO Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41464 or email
Magoffin County Historical
Society
