This is Thanksgiving week and it has given us a chance to slow down a bit and reflect on all our many reasons to be thankful. Our friends, members and readers are high on our list as we thank you for continuing to help us with our search for historical and genealogical information. We send our sincere appreciation for your help and our best wishes to you and your loved ones for a happy and healthy Thanksgiving

Among the visitors to the Magoffin County Historical Society library recently were Guy and Kerry Cole of Murphysboro, Illinois. They saw our facility in passing by and came in to look for information on Guy’s ancestors. After leaving our library they visited several cemeteries on Oakley Creek.

Guy is the son of Edward Cole and Lucy Mae Salyer. It was not too difficult to search out Guy’s paternal line as it was included in our Montgomery and May family books but it took a bit more time to find his mother’s family.

Guy’s father, Edward Cole was a son of Taylor Cole and Ethel May. They had been married in 1921 Breathitt Co. KY. Edward was a son of Miles Cole (b. 1851 d. 1912 and buried at Tip Top, KY). Miles was a son of Dial Cole and Rebecca Fletcher.

Dial Cole, b. 1836, was first married to Rebecca Mary Fletcher who was a daughter of George Fletcher and Louisa Marshall. Miles Cole was Dial and Rebecca’s first child. Miles first married in 1876 to Mary "Polly" Bailey, a dau of Joseph Bailey and Jennie Runyon. The second marriage of Miles Cole was to Laura Watkins, dau of Thomas Watkins, Sr. and Elizabeth Teeters. Miles Cole’s 3rd wife, Katie, was a daughter of Washington Marshall and Nancy Holbrook and they were the parents of our visitor’s grandfather Taylor Cole.

Louisa Marshall was the 2nd wife of George W. Fletcher. She was born in 1802 Russell Co, VA, the dau of Reuben Marshall and Elizabeth Noland. A wonderful marker was set on Gun Creek on land owned by the family of Myrtle Cole for George "Old George" and Louisa during our Fletcher Founders Days, under the direction of Col. Morris O. Fletcher.

Taylor Cole’s wife, Ethel May was a daughter of Leander "Lee" May and his 4^th wife Leona Taulbee. Lee May was a son of James Samuel May (b. 2 Jul 1848 d. 13 Sep 1917) and Christina Tackett. James Samuel was a son of Caleb May and Sarah Pelphrey. Lee’s wife Leona was a daughter of John Taulbee and Rosylin.

James Samuel May was a son of Caleb May, Jr. and Sarah Pelphrey (she was a dau of Alexander Pelphrey and Ailsey Lemaster). Alexander Pelphrey was born in 1795 VA and died in 1873 Johnson Co. KY, son of William Pelphrey and Nancy Hannah Crabtree. Alexander and Ailsey were married 28 Oct 1813 in Floyd Co. KY.

Caleb, Jr. was a son of Caleb May Sr. and Margaretta Patrick. Julia Howard Basham of Salyersville, KY and Elmon Conley of Lexington, KY helped with the May family research in 1992. The info on James Samuel May came from our friend and co-founder of the historical society, Stanley Gardner who was a descendant of Lee May and his first wife Sarah Adams.

Edward Cole’s wife Lucy Mae Salyer was born in 1913 and died in 1964, a dau of John Marion Salyer and Dora Adams. John M. was born in 1859 and died in 1957; his parents were James Marion Salyer and Sarah F. Blanton. John M. first married Minerva Yates (b. 1866 d. 1901) and they had seven children (1) Cyrus Salyer b. 1888, (2) Rosa Salyer b. 1890, (3) Myrtie Salyer b 1892, (4) Warnie Salyer b. 1894, (5) Earnie Salyer b. 1896, (6) Kelly Hobert Salyer b. 1898 and (7) Charles Salyer b. 1901.

James Marion (John M.’s father) was a son of Henry Salyer and Elizabeth Connelley. Sarah Blanton’s parents were James Henderson Blanton b. 1814 TN d. 1891 Johnson Co KY and Dicy Ely (b 1815 d. 1907).

John M. married secondly to Dora Adams and by 1930 (Johnson Co. KY census) had several children: (8) Lucy Salyer b. 1913, (9) Ruth Salyer b. 1914, (10) Grant Salyer, (11) Maurine "Monnie" Salyer, (12) Gracie Salyer, (13) John Salyer, (14) Genevie Salyer, (15) Irene Salyer and (16) Caroline Salyer. The 1940 Magoffin census shows them on Rockhouse with an additional child (17) James Salyer b. 1935.

John M.’s 2^nd wife Dora Adams was a daughter of William R. Adams (1866-1945) and Minerva Patrick. William R. and Minerva are buried in the Allen Cemetery located on Short Fork Creek of Rockhouse here in Magoffin County.

Dora and John M. Salyer were married 17 Jan 1911 by preacher Elijah Whitaker in Magoffin Co. KY. In 1920 and 1930 they lived in Johnson Co. KY; in 1940 they were in Magoffin and later moved to Knox, IN. Dora Adams died 18 May 1974 and was buried in the Round Lake Cem., Knox, IN.

William R.’s parents were George Adams (1832-1876) and Nancy Caudill (1832-1900). George Adams was married in Letcher Co. KY on 10 Aug 1852 to Nancy Adams, both were born in Perry Co. KY.

William R.’s wife Minerva was a dau of Lewis Patrick and Nancy Baldridge. William R. and Minerva lived in the Ivyton Precinct according to the 1910 Magoffin census.

Another inquiry came from Randy Patrick of Ohio who also has a Fletcher family line. He is the grandson of Frank Patrick and Ethel Arnett. Frank was a son of Hamilton Patrick (1879-1946) and Mousie Owens (1881-1966). Ethel was a daughter of Hayden Arnett and Norabelle Dyer. Hayden was a son of William Arnett and Nannie Fletcher.

Our address is Magoffin County Historical Society, PO Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465 (email: [email protected]).