Summer has arrived and we are enjoying increasing numbers of visitors to our genealogy library. While working on the Summer issue of our quarterly Journal we took notice of the many home locations of those who come to search for their Magoffin County roots or just to visit. Not only do we see people from our county and the surrounding area but many states are represented as well as foreign countries. So far in the last couple of months we have had patrons from Pakistan and England and from the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

We like learning more about our early settlers from their descendants who may now live in distant areas but who still remember their ancestors.

Queries received also give us an insight into the life and times of early Magoffin County and our people.

Jill Shepherd has written to learn more about her Shepherd family. Her great grandfather Vinson Shepherd (1868-1940) was a son of George Henerson Riley Shepherd. George H. was a son of David Henderson "Henry" Shepherd and his father was David Henderson Shepherd (1793-1873).

A visitor, Michael Doyle, wanted to learn more about his mother’s family who descend from the Keeton and Harper families of Magoffin County.

Michael’s grandparents were Henry Clay Keeton b. 1 Nov 1894 at Edna, Magoffin Co. KY and Myrtle Belle Harper b. 16 Sep 1899. They died in Hamilton, OH. Henry Clay was a son of Riley Keeton (8 May 1835-13 Apr 1926) and Sarah Evelyn Cockerham.

Riley Keeton was a son of George Washington Keeton (1808-1882) and Nancy Assena "Sena" Davis (1809-1874).

Riley was twice married; his first wife whom he married 26 Feb 1857 in Morgan Co. KY was Emily Jane Sebastian (25 Nov 1836-22 Aug 1883).

Riley’s 2^nd wife Sarah Evelyn Cockerham was born 10 Aug 1863 and died 10 Mar 1945, the dau of John Miles Cockerham and Nancy Holland.

As an aside note on this family, when Sarah’s brother William J. Cockerham died in 1940 at Mt. Sterling, KY the funeral was in charge of the Patrick and Prater Funeral Home of Salyersville, KY.

John Miles was born 5 Jul 1833 and died 27 Jan 1924 at Mt. Sterling, KY. In 1860 he and Nancy lived in Breathitt Co. KY and in 1870 and 1880 they are enumerated in the Wolfe Co. KY census. He was a son of John W. Cockerham and Elizabeth Hill, both born in North Carolina and lived in Owsley County in 1850. The surname Cockerham is spelled various ways, the most common today in our area is "Cochran".

Sarah Cockerham Keeton reported in the 1900 census that they had been married 15 years and she had 4 living children of 5 born. The children were Maudie Keeton b. 1886, Dorsie Keeton b. 1891, Henry C. Keeton b. 1894 and Myrtle Keeton b. 1899. In 1940, at age 75 and widowed, Sarah lived in Salyersville with Noah and Myrtle Harper, Sarah’s daughter and son-in-law. Noah and Myrtle were well-known Magoffin County citizens.

Riley lived on Grape Creek at Edna in Magoffin Co. KY. He died at almost 91 years of age. Riley has a very nice marker in the Abraham Keeton Cemetery; at one time it was known as the Riley Keeton Cemetery. The marker is lettered for Riley and both his wives.

Our visitor Michael Doyle’s grandmother Myrtle Belle Harper Keeton was a daughter of James Whitt Harper (30 Nov 1857-21 Aug 1941) and Emily Jane Amyx (25 Feb 1857-27 Jan 1932). James Whitt was the son of Rebecca Harper and James Harvey Whitt. James Whitt was a postmaster at Edna, KY and a storekeeper. Emily Jane was the dau of William B. Amyx and Evaline Davis.

We were able to give Nancy Hughes and her son Brent, visiting from Los Altos, CA, some help in the Watkins family research. She was researching the line of Thomas Watkins, Sr.  It was a pleasure to be able to show her the marker that was set for Thomas Sr. during the year we honored the Marshall family. We also visited the cemetery where Thomas Watkins, Jr. is buried.

Mrs. Hughes has been kind enough to stay in touch with us via email and tell us about her progress with research since her visit to our library. This is very much appreciated.