June Kimberlin of West Virginia was visiting our county recently. She brought with her an article she had prepared for our historical society quarterly Journal on the family of Monroe Davis. We went out to Turkey Branch to visit the Davis cemetery. This is the area we chose to set the Archibald Rudd marker, a culminating activity of the 2013 Rudd Founders Day event. We also stopped by to see John and Deanna Holbrook. John was out working as usual but we had a delightful visit with Deanna.

James Wireman of Lima, OH stopped in to inquire about his Wireman ancestors. We were able to fill out an ancestor chart for him from material found in our series of family books. The Wireman’s, as well as other families, frequently use the same given names from generation to generation so there are many nicknames in the family.

James’ paternal grandparents were the Rev. Thomas Wireman and Eliza Conley. Thomas was born 25 Aug 1903 and died 1 Jun 1971 in Ionia Co. MI, the son of Fielding Wireman and Luraney Wireman.

Fielding Wireman was born in 1874 and died 27 Jan 1935. His parents were William "Frosty Bill" Wireman and Jennie Bailey. "Frosty Bill" was a son of Fielding "Uncle P" Wireman and Sarah "Sally" Sizemore. "Uncle P" was a son of John Wireman and Rebecca Carpenter; his wife Sarah was a daughter of George "Goldenhawk" Sizemore and Sallie Anderson.

"Frosty Bill’s" wife Jennie Bailey was a dau of Samuel Bailey and Nancy Runyon.

"Frosty Bill’s" son Fielding married Luraney Wireman born in 1876 to Morgan (or Morganthal) "Bright Eyes" Wireman and Elizabeth "Betty" Shepherd. Morgan was a son of John B. Wireman and Florence Sizemore. Betty was a dau of Abel Shepherd and Mary "Polly" Hale. Abel was a son of minister Jacob Shepherd and Elizabeth Hale. Polly was a daughter of Harrison Handshoe and Margaret Hale.

The wife of Thomas Wireman was Eliza Conley (1904-1987 MI), dau of John Conley (1867-1937) and Nancy J. Bailey (1872-1949). John was a son of Civil War soldier Joseph Conley (14 Jul 1825-27 Jun 1912) and his 2nd wife Mary "Polly" Bailey. Joseph is buried on the Gardner Bailey Cemetery on Straight Fork at the head of the Licking River. His parents were David Conley and Peggy Phillips. A Civil War marker was set for him on 3 Sep 2007 for Joseph Conley by James Montgomery, Bob Whittaker, Willie Ray Conley, Joe Skeens, Herley Manns and Todd Preston. Willie Ray is a direct descendant.

John Conley's wife Nancy Jane was a dau of Civil War soldier William Bailey and Susan Barnett. Susan gave the following info on her application for a widow's pension: her maiden name was Barnett, she had lived at Mid in Magoffin County all her life. Her husband William was born 11 Jan 1844 and died 26 Aug 1921. They had been married at the clerk's office in Breathitt Co. KY in 1871.

Susan died 9 Mar 1923.

Our visitor James Wireman's maternal grandparents were George Prater and his 1st wife Susan Bailey (1895-1937). George m. 2nd to Sylvania Hale, dau of John Hale and Nancy Wireman.

George was a son of James Prater (1861-1923) and America Bailey. James was a son of Civil War Confederate soldier Riley Prater and Lucretia "Creasy" Shepherd. James' wife America was a dau of Joseph Bailey and Jennie Runyon.

George Prater's wife Susan was a dau of Adam Bailey and Nancy -?-. Adam was born 22 Sep 1918 to Buck Bailey and Canzala Whitaker. Canzala (dau of Thomas Benton Whitaker and Cynthia Shepherd) was first married in 1905 to Kindle Miller. They had a son Clay Miller b. 1906 d. 1935. Canzala and Buck Bailey were the parents of Eva Bailey, Adam Bailey, Ada Bailey, Edna Bailey, Sarah Bailey, and B. J. Bailey.

We are uncertain of Adam Bailey's wife's surname. They were married 23 Aug 1894 in Magoffin County and her name appears to be Nancy Tyre.

Please write us at Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465 or email [email protected] if you can provide any additional or corrected information.

Another of our very welcome visitors was Rebecca Patrick Flaherty of Savannah, Georgia, a daughter of Thomas Ray "Tommy" Patrick and Patricia Sawyer.

Tommy was a son of Watt Patrick and Erin Higgins. Watt was a son of Berry South Patrick (1867-1945) and Josephine Arnett (1867-1938). Berry South was a son of Levi Patrick and Nancy R. Salyer.

Berry South’s wife Josephine was a dau of Logan Arnett and Nancy Howard.

Erin Higgins Patrick was a dau of George Higgins and Maude Risner. George was a son of John Higgins/Hagins and Phoebe Howard. Maude was a dau of Benjamin F. Risner and Lydia Lykins.

Rebecca’s mother Patricia is a descendant of the Handshoe and Howard families from the upper Licking River area. Rebecca was a dau of Elec/Alec Handshoe and Dora Howard. Alec was a son of Samuel Handshoe and Ritta Conley. Dora was a dau of John J. Howard and Sally Allen who are buried in the Howard Cemetery near the Floyd County line on Rt. 7.