We have a couple of copies of the Salyersville Independent from the 1960’s, thanks to Candace Conley. We found some interesting articles in them.

On this date, June 29, back in 1962 Albert K. Moore announced that he was relinquishing his job as editor of the Salyersville Independent and had sold the newspaper, giving as his reason the death of his wife of 43 years, Anna Cooper. Anna was a daughter of John Franklin Cooper and Mary Berthena May and she had died on 18 Jun 1962.

When we printed the Life Along the Licking River book series we had researched the various newspapers that Magoffin County has had through the years. We found that The Kentucky Mountaineer was probably the first newspaper and was printed from Jan 1912 to Jan 1914 by Shelby S. Elam. Beginning the next week in January but only printed until Feb 6, 1914 was a newspaper called Salyersville Mountaineer.

Another attempt at publishing a newspaper in Magoffin was The Salyersville Herald printed two weeks in June and July 1915 by D. Glenn Sublett.

The first issue of the Salyersville Independent was printed on 6 May 1921 and it has been in continuous print to the present.

The first editor was Butler Jackson "B. J." Elam, son of Leander C. Elam and Frances Nickell. B. J. was a brother of Shelby S. Elam, author of the 1955 book, Kentucky Through Thick and Thin, and also editor of the earlier newspaper, Kentucky Mountaineer.

By the end of January 1923, the Independent changed hands again with Richard M. Salyer becoming editor and publisher. His business manager was his brother W. Acy Salyer; they were sons of William Salyer and Causby Patrick.

This May 30^th 1924 issue reported that editor Albert K. Moore was a high school graduate with over four years of experience with one of the largest daily newspapers in West Virginia. He spoke of working to improve the newspaper and invited visitors to come in to the newspaper office which was located in the Odd-Fellows building opposite the post office.

Albert K. Moore continued publishing the paper until the 29 Jun 1962 issue. We are including here his final editorial from that issue. He gives some interesting history of his 38 years as editor. The following week in July 1962, Earl C. "Bob" Prater began his tenure as editor.

Albert K. Moore’s "Swan Song":

"It is said that when a swan is dying, it emits a weird tuneful melody—therefore, farewell words are called ‘Swan Songs.’

"It has become my duty to inflict upon you my swan song. It is a painful duty, not so much because I am relinquishing ownership and operation of the Salyersville Independent, but because during the past week I lost the companionship of the loved one with whom I spent forty-three wonderful years. During the past thirty-eight years Anna has been associated with me in the publication of the Salyersville Independent, and any good this newspaper has been to this community has been in a large measure due to her constant efforts.

"When we took over the Independent in 1924, Salyersville was an isolated community. The Garrett Highway, now U. S. 460, to Paintsville, had not been opened to traffic, there was only a dirt trail connecting with West Liberty and all merchandise and food stuffs came in by jolt wagon from the railroad station at Royalton or Paintsville. At about that time, it took us seven hours, by "hack" drawn by four mules, to reach Paintsville, now only one-half an hour away. The trip, not only time-consuming, was very uncomfortable in the winter time, as there was no way of keeping your feet warm or of changing your cramped position on the "spring" seats.

"In the past thirty-eight years, we have seen Salyersville develop into a little city of beautiful homes, nice business buildings, a modern courthouse and a system of hard-surfaced highways connecting it with every other county-seat town in the area. The waist-deep mud in the public square and along the main streets has given way to paved streets, the wooden shacks housing the various businesses have been replaced with modern brick and stone buildings, electric and water services are now available instead of the makeshift power and light sources and the open water wells, and the overall standard of living of the entire county has been raised to a point where it compares favorably with any section of the state.

"I know that Anna would join me in saying that we are glad that we have had a small part in this development.

"This is my last week as Editor-Owner of the Salyersville Independent.

"I have sold the newspaper, "lock, stock and barrel", to three local people: Luther Green Carpenter, cashier of the Salyersville National Bank; Scotty B. Patrick, who is employed by Ashland Oil & Refining Company in Ashland and Earl C. (Bob) Prater, who has been operating the Carpenter Appliance Company and Carpenter & Prater T-V. Bob will be the active head, and will be in the Independent office.

"I want to thank all the subscribers and advertisers who have made it possible to publish the Independent over this long period of time. I hope that you will give to the new owners the same consideration that you have given me, and that your Home Newspaper will continue to improve and prosper."