We had the family of Newton P. and Betty (Hall) Wallen visiting our county. Newton and Betty were both born in Floyd County, KY but moved to Indiana where Betty died in 1979 and Newton died in 1989.

Newton P. Wallen was a son of William Jasper Wallen (1877-1972) and Nebraska Sizemore. William Jasper was a son of Newton P. Wallen b. 1857 Logan Co. WV and Caroline McFarlin. Newton was a son of Confederate Civil War soldier Shelby Wallen (b. 1832 d. 1912) and Susannah Hale. Susannah was a dau of James Hale and Jane Saunders.

Shelby and Susannah Wallen had the following children: (1) James B. Wallen b. 1851 d. 1894 of fever in Floyd Co. KY m. Amanda Baldridge, (2) Jasper Wallen b. 1855 m. 1878 in Magoffin County to Sarah Flint, dau of William Flint, (3) Newton Perry Wallen b. 1857 (see above), (4) John Wallen b. 1859 d. 1916 m. Minerva Clark Nelson, dau of Alex Clark and Emma Nelson, (5) William Wallen b. 1863 m. 1^st -?- and believed to have married 2^nd Irene or Arlena -?- (6) Martin Wallen b. 1866 d. 1936 m. 1^st to Kate Sizemore (a granddaughter Sallie Wallen married Willie Shepherd); Martin m. 2^nd Martha Dollarhyde, (7) Mary J. (or "Molly") Wallen b. 1869 d. 1927 m. William Hall, (8) John Shelby "Banks" Wallen b. 1870 m. Belle Gearheart, (9) Susan "Dollie" Wallen b. 1873 d. 1947 m. Hiram "Hy" Goodman (she was named Susan on birth record and on early census records but called "Dollie" on later census records and death certificate) and (10) Joseph Wallen b. 1876 d. 1932 m. Mary Belle Calhoun.

Shelby’s son Newton Wallen was age 18 and Caroline Virginia McFarlin was age 15 when they married on 16 Sep 1875 in Floyd County, KY. Caroline gave her birthplace as Wise Co. VA. The first census listing we can find for Caroline was the 1870 Wise Co. VA census that shows Caroline V. as age 10 and her mother Matilda W. as age 53 in the home of Elmon H. McFarlane and wife Martha.

We searched some Virginia records for William McFarland (the surname is variously spelled as McFarlin, McFarlane, etc.). In 1850 Russell Co. VA William McFarlane was age 34, his wife Matilda’s surname is listed as Dale. She was age 33 (born about 1817). Their children as found in 1850 were (1) Elmore H. McFarlane b. 1838, (2) Hiram McFarlane b. 1840, (3) Malissa J. McFarlane b. 1844 and (4) Alexander McFarlane b. 1846.

By 1860 the family included Hiram and Alexander. Malissa was not shown in the household. The family had added two children: (5) Nancy A. McFarlane b. 1852 and (6) Christopher McFarlane b. 1859. Christopher died on 7 Jun 1860.

Researching this family information helped us add to our knowledge of the McFarland’s in our county. Several family members are buried in the Captain Powers Cemetery at Lakeville, KY.

Going back to William Jasper Wallen’s wife Nebraska. She was born in 1877 and died at age 96 on 6 Oct 1973, a daughter of Civil War soldier William "Bill Hawk" Sizemore and Sarah "Sally" Jacobs. Bill Hawk was a son of William "Black Hawk" Sizemore and Martha Milum. Black Hawk was a son of George "Goldenhawk" Sizemore and Sallie Anderson. Our visitors were very pleased to be able to visit Goldenhawk’s burial site at the mouth of Oakley near Royalton, KY.

Bill Hawk’s wife Sally is believed to be the daughter of one Henry Jacobs. Her mother was Mary Ann Slone.

Our visitor’s maternal grandparents were Ollie Hall and Josephine "Josie" Whitaker. Ollie was born in 1902 and died in 1971, a son of William Hall and Mary Jane Wallen (listed above). William Hall was a son of Henry Hall and Frances "Frankie" Caudill b. 1852 Lawrence Co. KY d. 1927 Floyd Co. KY.

Ollie’s wife Josie was a daughter of Lee Whitaker (1874-1941) and Elizabeth "Betty" Salyer. Lee was a son of Civil War soldier Morgan C. Whitaker (1837-1918) and Susannah Hale. Morgan C. was a minister, the son of Johnson Whitaker and Susan Arnett. His wife Susannah was a daughter of John Hale and his 2^nd wife Lovina Stone. John Hale was a son of Benjamin Hale and Mary Hollandsworth. Lovina was a dau of Enoch Stone and Nancy Vanderpool.

Elizabeth "Betty" (wife of Lee Whitaker) was a daughter of Wiley Salyer and Margaret Minix. Wiley was a son of John Salyer and Mary "Polly" Watkins. Margaret Minix (1837-1886) was a dau of James Minix and Fanny Adams. Margaret’s grandparents were Charles and Fanny (Rickmond) Minix and William and Fanny (Meacham) Adams.

We are thankful for those who continue to help the Magoffin County Historical Society in our goal to preserve and print the history and genealogy of our area. Our wish is that you and your family will enjoy this Thanksgiving season.