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  Magoffin County Historical Society 
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This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the March 10, 2016 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

The Salyersville Independent 
P. O. Box 29, Salyersville, KY 41465. Telephone (606) 349-2915.  Yearly subscription rates are $24.00 in Kentucky and $32.00 per year out of state.

Dennis Rudd of Georgetown, OH and his son William Rudd of Hamersville, OH were recently visiting Magoffin County, the home of their ancestors. We had already worked on his Rudd ancestry for the Rudd family book. This book was one of the activities planned by the Magoffin County Historical Society for the 2013 Founders Day celebration. The majority of the material for the book has been typed into manuscript form but is still being worked on.

Dennis Rudd’s grandfather was James Canoy "Kanovie" Rudd who was born in 1893. He married here in Magoffin County to Mary Etta Keeton. They were the parents of five children (1) an infant born and died in 1916 Magoffin Co. KY, (2) William Cello "Bud" Rudd m. Marjorie Livengood (our visitor Dennis’s parents), (3) Jelina "Lena Rudd, (4) J. K. Rudd and (5) James Elmo Rudd.

The last four children of Canoy Rudd were born in Letcher Co. KY where Canoy took his family to live and where he worked in the coal mines. Dennis told that his grandfather broke his back in an accident and was told by the doctors that he would never walk again but through perseverance and a lot of hard work, he was able to walk again. Canoy died in 1971 at Ft. Mitchell in Kenton Co. KY.

Canoy was a son of James Harvey Rudd, Jr. (1854-1908) and Louellen Wilson (1860-1935). James Harvey, Jr. was a son of James Harvey Rudd, Sr. born in 1924 Tazewell Co. VA d. 1878 Magoffin Co. and Dorcas Payne b. 1825 VA d. 1921 Magoffin Co. James Harvey, Sr. was a son of Archibald Rudd and Nancy Woosley, the earliest Rudd family to settle in our county. We do not presently know the parentage of Dorcas Payne.

James Harvey Rudd, Jr.’s wife was Louellen Wilson (1860-1935), the daughter of Marshall Wilson and Sarah Caroline Childers. Marshall and Caroline were married in 1859 Morgan Co. KY. Marshall was a son of Robert F. Wilson and Rebecca Walters. His wife Caroline was born in 1840 Morgan Co. KY and died in 1924 Bath Co. KY, the daughter of William M. Childers (1816-1904) and Eliza Baker (1818-1889 Wolfe Co. KY).

Dennis Rudd’s grandmother Mary Etta Keeton was born in 1893 and died in 1957, a daughter of William Thomas Keeton and Laura Belle Keeton. William Thomas was born in 1871 at Dale here in Magoffin. He died on Grape Creek, Lykins, KY on 26 Nov 1932. He and many family members are buried on the Tom Keeton Cemetery in the Lykins, KY community. William Thomas and Laura Belle were the parents of six children before they separated and Laura Belle went to Coryell, Texas with her parents James Harvey Keeton and Emily Jane Allen.

The children of William Thomas and Laura Belle were (1) Mary Etta Keeton, (2) Louvena Keeton died of TB in 1919, (3) Emily Goldie Keeton m. Frank Carter Allen, (4) Bessie Keeton died as infant, (5) James Harvey Keeton m. Arta Williams and (6) Ina Caroline Keeton b. 1902 d. 1974 in Houston, TX.

William Thomas Keeton was married twice more, to Laura E. Barker and to Bertha Davis. He had an additional 13 children.

Laura Belle Keeton married second to Thomas Newton Perkins in Texas.

William Thomas Keeton’s parents were Henry Clay Keeton (1852-1929) and Margaret "Peggy" Vanderpool (1846-1915). Henry Clay was a son of George Washington Keeton (1808-1882) and Nancy Assena Davis (1809-1874).

Peggy Vanderpool was the daughter of John M. Vanderpool and Nancy Hoskins. Henry Clay Keeton was her first marriage. Their children were (1) Nancy Keeton m. John Caudill, (2) William Thomas Keeton (subject of this article), and (3) Enoch Woodford Keeton m. Parritt Back.

Peggy Vanderpool married secondly to Doctor Collins. They are listed in the 1880 Magoffin County census. They had a daughter Minnie Collins. Apparently Peggy married a third time as in the 1910 Magoffin Co. census (Grape Creek) her name is given as "Peggy Medley". She lived with her son Thomas Keeton and his 2nd wife Laura. Thomas and Laura had been married 7 years and had three children together, Oates, Wornie P., and Edgar. Four of Thomas’ older children were also in the household: Mary Etta, Louvena, Goldie and James Harvey.

Margaret "Peggy" Vanderpool was a sister to Robert Vanderpool who was born in 1844 and was died 22 June 1864 as a result of a gunshot wound received at Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia during the Civil War. He died in a hospital, a Union soldier in Co. I, 14th KY Vol. Infantry and was buried in the Knoxville National Cemetery in Knoxville, TN.

Laura Belle Keeton, William Thomas’ first wife was the granddaughter of Madison Keeton and Clarissa Williams; also Daniel Webster Allen and Susannah Taulbee.

Madison Keeton was a Corporal in Co. I, 14th KY Inf. He was born 23 Oct 1829 and died 19 Feb 1863 in Union Hospital, Louisa, KY. He is buried in the Keeton Cemetery at the mouth of Johnson Fork in Magoffin County.

Our visitors were able to add to our collection of Rudd information. They enjoyed seeing the various publications with family information in our library and visiting the monuments in our Pioneer Village that told of their family history. After leaving they traveled to Turkey Branch to visit the marker for Archibald and Nancy Rudd that we dedicated on Sunday, October 18, 2015.

We were pleased to hear again from Joseph Dalton of Middletown, OH. He is a Rudd family descendant from Archibald’s daughter Nancy E. Rudd who married Allen Dalton. Mr. Dalton was here in Magoffin for the Rudd Founders Days and intends to visit again this summer. He helped us with information and pictures for his Rudd ancestors.

Those wishing to contact the Magoffin County Historical Society may do so by writing PO Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465 or email [email protected].

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