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This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the March 31, 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.

It was a pleasant week here at the Magoffin County Historical Society but not without its poignant moments. We had Mae Bailey Fletcher’s daughter Linda and her husband Allen Satchwill of Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee along with Mike and Ruth (Harbel) Verbois of Santa Barbara, California visiting.

We had some enjoyable time with them recalling the people and events of our year celebrating the Fletcher family heritage during Magoffin County Founders Days. We experienced some sadness also as we recalled memories of several people who have passed on since that event, including Linda’s mother, Mae.

Mae lived at various places in these United States but always enjoyed coming back "home" to Magoffin County. Her first husband was Shedrick "Ted" Fletcher, son of Fred Fletcher and Bernie Bailey. Fred was a son of George W. Fletcher and Sarah Jane Bailey. Fred’s wife Bernie was a daughter of Granville Pearl Bailey and Sarah Prater.

George W. was a son of Simon Fletcher and Mary "Polly" Adams. George W.’s wife was the daughter of Alfred Bailey and Margaret "Peggy" Adams.

Mae was a daughter of Roy Bailey and Betty Rowe. Roy was a son of Smith Bailey (b.1872 Carver, KY d. 1955 Tip Top, KY) and Cora Miller (1887-1987). Smith was a son of the Rev. John "Johnnie" Bailey (1843-1921) and Katy Rowe. Katy was a daughter of William Rowe and Mary Finch.

John Bailey was a son of Joseph Bailey and Jennie Runyon. According to family records Joseph and Jennie are buried in the Tip Top Cemetery just above the graves of their son Johnnie and his wife Katy. Markers for their gravesites may have been set in recent years. Perhaps someone who has knowledge of this will let us know.

Joseph Bailey’s parents were John Bailey and Susan who is believed to have been a Patrick. They lived and died on Bull Mire Creek in the Galdia community above Royalton. Some years ago Bob Whittaker set a stone and cemetery name marker where this old cemetery is believed to have been. When first visited by Connie Wireman, her children Kim and Bill and her mother Mae Arnett, they found three markers with readable inscriptions here but several later attempts to relocate the exact location of the cemetery were unsuccessful. The late Jack Watson who lived on Bull Mire at the time guided Connie and Mae to the cemetery on that first trip they made.

Linda’s great grandfather, Smith Bailey (1873-1955) was married to Cora (1887-1987), a daughter of John Miller and Silvany Owens.

John Miller (1866-21 Dec 1948) married in 1886 Magoffin Co. KY to Silvany Owens. John was a son of Samuel Miller and Arty Bailey. Silvany was a daughter of James Owens and Malinda Wireman.

Roy Bailey’s wife Betty was born in 1903, the daughter of Galen Rowe and Mary Pearlie Pinkerton. Galen was born in 1875 Breathitt Co. KY, the son of William Rowe and Mary "Polly" Watkins. We did not find Pearlie in a household with parents.

There were Pinkerton children in the 1860 Magoffin County home of Fielding and Sally (Sizemore) Wireman. They were Eliza age 13 and William Green age 11. Going back to the 1850 Floyd County census we find these children with their mother Susan Pinkerton age 27 in their grandparent’s home, John and Susan Bailey. There was a sister Eliza Pinkerton age 4 in that census also. Near neighbors were Reuben Arnett and John Salyer so apparently they lived in the Galdia/Swampton area of present day Magoffin County. We had no other information on Susan Bailey Pinkerton when we printed the Bailey family book in 1986. If anyone can provide info on this line of the family, please write to Magoffin County Historical Society, PO Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465 or email [email protected]

Linda’s cousin Ruth and her husband Mike Verbois were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary with this trip to Magoffin. Linda’s father Shedrick "Ted" Fletcher was a brother to Ruth’s mother Lucy Fletcher Harbel so they share the same Fletcher-Bailey ancestry.

It was a pleasure to be able to show them the markers in the Pioneer Village courtyard that were connected to their families and to send them to see the set of monuments on Gun Creek dedicated to their ancestor George Fletcher and family. These markers were placed during the Fletcher Founder’s Days under the direction of Col. Morris O. Fletcher and with the help of the late Myrtle Fletcher Cole Hughes. We know Myrtle would have been pleased and proud to know that descendants were visiting the markers. None of those attending the dedication that year will ever forget the memorable performances of Fletcher family descendants in the mini-drama on Gun Creek. Our picture album of the year’s events brings back a lot of wonderful memories.

Janie Long Manning has notified us of her aunt Callie Long Conley’s passing on 18 March 2016. Callie was born 8 January 1915, the daughter of Paris F. Long and Clara Ethel Ferguson. She was married to Edwin Conley. Callie and her sister Gladys Spradling, who died in 2001, lived in Melborne, FL and both became members of our historical society in 1980, soon after we were organized.

Callie and her sister were always supportive of our activities, sharing pictures, info and stories. Callie last visited Magoffin County in 2002 and we are glad to have pictures of her during that visit.

One of our "precious memories" of Callie is of her telling her family what she wanted for her 99th birthday was "that latest cookbook Todd Preston is talking about in his newspaper column." We are so grateful for our friendship with Callie and her family.

The month of April is on the horizon and one of Magoffin County’s favorite sons is having a birthday! April 2nd is his special day and all of us want to wish Jimmie Allen of Dixie Addition here in Salyersville a very happy birthday!

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Last modified:      Friday, April 08, 2016