Our Salyer descendant of the week was Warren Russell Salyer of Alabama who was searching for info on his grandparents, Wiley D. Salyer and Belle Fraley. Our first clue was our Magoffin County Marriages book that Stanley Gardner and Connie A. Wireman transcribed for the Magoffin County Historical Society as one of our first printing projects back in 1980. We found that Wiley Salyer and Bell Fraley were married here in Magoffin County in 1896. One Wash Fraley was a witness so we searched for him in the census books. We found a Washington Fraley in the 1850 Floyd County home of Daniel and Mary "Polly" (Hatfield) Fraley. Wash was born in 1837 and first married to Matilda Yates and married secondly in 1869 to Charlotte Yates. By 1910 in Floyd County, G. W. "Wash" was age 67 and widowed, living in the Abbott Creek home of his son Daniel G. Daniel G. was a brother to Belle who lived next door with her husband Wiley D. Salyer and children.

By 1920 Wiley D. and Belle had moved to Hardin County, OH. Belle’s father George W. Fraley, 83 years old and widowed, lived in their household. George W. Fraley, a Civil War soldier, died 22 May 1923 and was buried in the Preston Cemetery, Alger, OH. His wife had died in 1900 Floyd Co. KY and was buried in the Hackworth Cemetery at Bonanza, KY.

By 1930 Wiley and Belle lived in Saint Anne, Illinois where Wiley D. was a truck farmer.

A newspaper clipping from a 1946 newspaper reports that Wiley D. Salyers died 8 Feb 1946 in Battle Creek, MI after a fall from a wagon while helping his brother-in-law John Morgan Cole gather corn. He was visiting his sister Polly and her husband John Morgan at the time.

Wiley D. Salyer was a son of Thomas R. Salyer and Louisa Barnett. Thomas and Louisa were also married in Magoffin County in 1877. Thomas R. was born 27 Oct 1859 and d. 8 Aug 1900. Louisa married secondly to Wesley Whitaker.

Thomas R. Salyer was a son of Thomas L. Salyer and a grandson of John Salyer and Polly Watkins. Louisa Barnett, Thomas R.’s mother, was a daughter of William Barnett and Anna Risner.

Wiley D.’s wife Belle Fraley was a daughter of George and Charlotte (Yates) Fraley. Belle and Wiley are first found in their own household in 1900 Floyd County. At that time they have a one-year old daughter Alice in their home.

We found the following children for Wiley D. Salyer and Belle: (1) Alice b. 1896, (2) Mattie Salyer b. and d. in 1898 at Brainard, KY, (3) a son Bertlett Salyer b. 1901, (4) Lester Salyer b. 1903, (5) Amy Salyer b. 1905, (6) Vernie Salyer b. 1910, (7) Homer Salyer b. 1912, (8) Ocie Salyer b. 1915, (9) Dosha Salyer b. 1917, (10) Ruth Salyer b. 1920, (11) Ethel Salyer b. 1923, and (12) Richard Wayne Salyer b. 1925 (our visitor’s father).

It was interesting to follow the travels of one of our Magoffin County families as they moved north, no doubt in search of work.

Pictures and further info on this Salyer family would be welcome. Please send to Magoffin County Historical Society, PO Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465 (email: [email protected])

We learned only this week of the passing of Edward R. Hazelett of Paintsville, KY. Mr. Hazelett, in addition to being an Army veteran and an educator in the Johnson County school system, was very active in the genealogy field. He served as a past member of the Executive Committee of the Kentucky Historical Society and was past president of both the Johnson County Historical Society and the Big Sandy Valley Historical Society.

Mr. Hazelett’s roots run deep in Magoffin County. He was born in Johnson County on 8 Nov 1926 to Warrick R. Hazelett and Mable Conley. His father Warrick was born in Magoffin County in 1905, the son of John A. Hazelett and Ardelia Francis McFarland. John A. (b. 15 Aug 1865 Magoffin Co. KY d. 9 Dec 1953) was a son of Preston Hazelett (1841-1923) and Armizinda Patrick (1839-1899). Warrick’s parents and grandparents are buried in the Captain Powers Cemetery here in Magoffin County.

Our historical society was fortunate in having the help of Mr. Hazelett, as well as his mother Mable in compiling some of our volumes of genealogy. Mable was a descendant of Captain Henry Connelley through Thomas Conley and Lydia Joynes. She was also a descendant of Rev. War soldier Archibald Prater through Dicy Prater who married William Rice.

The Hazelett family appears in the early Magoffin County census records. John A., a son of James Preston Hazelett and Armizinda Patrick, and his wife Ardelia were married in Magoffin County. The Patrick line descends from William and Molly (Reins) Patrick and James and Mary (Patrick) Kennard. John’s wife Ardelia was a daughter of Alexander McFarland and Sarah Huff.

Edward R. Hazelett died at age 89 on 15 Sep 2016. We feel privileged to have known him and we send our condolences to his family and friends.