The Sizemore family is one for which we receive a lot of help requests. Eddie Sizemore visited looking for info on his ancestors. We are still researching this family. His father Arnold Sizemore was a World War II veteran who was born in Perry County, KY and died in Powell Co. KY, the son of Sherman Sizemore. Sherman was born in 1898 and married Arty Napier. His parents were Hiram Sizemore, Jr. and Kate Crabtree. Hiram Sizemore, Jr. was a son of Hiram Sizemore, Sr. b. 1823 Perry Co. KY d. 1864 Breathitt Co. KY. Hiram Sr.’s wife Juda Noble was born in 1822 Perry Co. KY, dau of Nathan Noble and Virginia Jane Neace.

We found Hiram Sizemore in the 1900, 1910 and 1920 Breathitt Co. KY census records: Hiram and his wife Catherine "Kate" had these children in their household: George N. Sizemore, Floyd Sizemore, John Sizemore, Sherman Sizemore, Goodlow Sizemore, Sally Ann Sizemore, Nancy Sizemore, Gobel Sizemore, Andy Sizemore and Flint Sizemore.

Hiram Sizemore, Jr.’s grave marker gives his dates as born 4 Feb 1861 d. 21 Jan 1941 but he appears as age 3 months in the 1860 Breathitt Co. KY census and was listed as age 40 born in 1860 in the 1900 Breathitt census.

Eddie Sizemore’s mother Thelma was born in Powell Co. KY, the dau of Avery Helton and Hazel Tester. Hazel was a dau of John Tester of Wolfe Co. KY and Henrietta Howell. Avery was a son of Robert Lee Helton and Cynthia Ann Townsend. Avery’s grandparents were Jesse and Martha (Montgomery) Hylton and Jacob and Virginia (Spencer) Townsend.

Another visitor was Tony Miller of Prestonsburg, KY, the son of Bill Miller and 1^st wife Goldie Shepherd. His paternal grandparents were Clyde Miller (b. 1901 Floyd Co. KY d. 1969 buried Spurlock Creek, Floyd Co. KY) and Hester Wallen (b. 1909 d. 1979, dau of Shelby "Shell" Wallen and Cynthia Bradley. Clyde was a son of Leander Miller and Jennie Miller.

Leander Miller was born in 1869 Magoffin Co. KY and died 17 Nov 1936 Floyd Co. KY. He was first married to Sarah Rose. His second wife Jane "Jennie" Miller was our visitor’s ancestor. Jennie Miller b. 1875 Magoffin Co. KY d. 1961 Floyd Co. KY was the dau of Samuel Miller, Jr. and Arty Bailey. She had first married William "Bill" Prater, a son of Riley Prater and Creacy Shepherd. Jennie and Bill Prater’s children were (1) Grace Prater m. Will Hall; (2) Lulie Prater m. 1^st James Prater and m. 2^nd -?- Whitaker; and (3) Oscar Prater (Miller) m. Ella Stephens. Oscar was raised by Leander Miller and used the Miller surname.

Jenny and Leander Miller were the parents of (4) Maggie Miller m. Bennie Hamilton and John Mellon; (5) Ernest Miller m. Julia Belle Hughes; (6) Clyde Miller m. Hester Wallen (see above); (7) Ann Miller m. Henry McKenzie; (8) Lillie Miller m. Raymond Ousley and Joe Thornsbury; (9) Osie Miller m. Samuel George Ousley. There were also some children who died young.

Leander Miller was a son of Civil War soldier James Wilson Miller (Private, Co. I, 5^th KY Inf. and Co. B, 13^th KY Cav.; later re-enlisted in Co. B of Caudill’s 13^th KY Cav.). He was one of the participants in the Battle of Middle Creek as well as battles at Mt. Sterling and Cynthiana, KY; was captured at Gladeville and taken as prisoner of war. After being exchanged he returned to his company which disbanded in April of 1865.

James Wilson Miller was a son of Samuel Miller and Frankie Carpenter. His wife was Nancy Jane Prater b. 1848, dau of Thomas Prater and Mary "Polly" Coburn.

One of our members, Donna Hamons Miller of Shelbyville, KY helped with the information on this Miller family.

A government issue Civil War marker was set for James Wilson Miller on the Miller Cemetery on Salt Lick of Magoffin Co. KY. We understand that the marker has been damaged and in need of repair or replacement.

Clyde Miller’s wife Hester Wallen was a dau of Shelby Wallen and Cynthia Bradley. Shelby was a son of James B. Wallen and Amanda Baldridge. Shelby’s wife Cynthia was a dau of Jacob Bradley and Barbara Watkins.

It seems that each bit of info that comes in to us helps add more interesting and pertinent information to our store of genealogy. Below are other instances of help we have received. We invite you to send family info and/or queries to us at Magoffin County Historical Society, PO Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465.

In our recent mail we received info from a lady in Myrtle Point, Oregon, giving us info on her Prater ancestor. She is a descendant of William Prater and Mary Ann Thurman through their son Daniel Prater and Mary "Polly" McCoy. This family of Praters grew up and married in Pike County, KY. One daughter Mary "Polly" Prater married William Thomas Justice and moved to the state of Washington. The info received has been added to our Prater book revision manuscript.

We have mentioned before that some thoughtful person, whose name we do not know but whose letters are postmarked in Illinois, regularly sends us packets of Indiana obituaries that have eastern Kentucky connections. In the latest packet we found obituaries that have been inserted in several manuscripts we are working on. A couple of these were put into the revision of the Prater book as well as the Mann/Manns family book. Among the other surnames were obits for Rowe, Minix, McCarty, etc. One of the obituaries was for Essie L. Stephens Shepherd (1921 Royalton, KY-14 Apr 2015, Plymouth, IN). She was the daughter of Bruce and Pearl (Allen) Shepherd and was married to William F. Shepherd, the son of William "Singing Bill" Shepherd and Susie Miller. She was the sister of our good friend Bruce Stephens of Hazard, KY. We send our sympathy to Bruce, his wife Jo and other family members.