We have been familiar with and admired the art work of the late Jean Reed Mann for several years so it was a great pleasure to have her daughter Peggy from Oak Ridge, Tennessee visit us recently. She brought the historical society a supply of prints from a painting her mother had done, entitled "Reminiscence". The sale of the prints will help us with supplies for our genealogy library.

Peggy’s father was Arnett Mann (attorney and WW2 Sergeant), son of Solomon Leander "Sol" Mann and Bess Arnett. Her mother’s parents were Loy Reed (4-term Magoffin County Court Clerk) and Peggy Minix.

The purpose of Peggy’s trip was to find substantial proof that her ancestor Lucinda Craft, the wife of John Mann, was indeed a daughter of John Craft and Susannah Hagins. Lucinda was born in 1823 Perry Co. KY and died in 1905 at Lambric in Breathitt Co. KY.

Most prepared genealogies of the Craft family name 15 children born to John Craft. John was twice married, his first wife, Susannah Hagins, was the mother of the following children: (1) William M. Craft b. 1822 d. 1913 m. Rhoda Hampton, Mary "Polly" Barnett, Cora Noe and Analiza "Mary" Hampton; (2) Lucinda (see above) m. John Mann, son of Samuel Mann and Preshi Dykes, (3) Eliza Craft b. 1825 m. Thomas Mann, a brother to John; (4) Mary Ann Craft b. 1826 d. 1906 m. Caleb Puckett; (5) Daniel Craft b. 1830 d. 1905 m. Idress Risner; (6) John Linville Craft b. 1832 d. 1905 m. Nancy Jane Back; (7) Press Craft b. 1835 d. 1897 m. Sally Higgins and Serena Clemons; (8) Elijah Craft b. 1837 d. 1894 m. Louvena Williams; (9) Allen Craft b. 1840 d. 1926 m. Rachel Oliver and Phoebe Jane Collins.

John Craft married secondly to Elizabeth Brown. Their children were (10) Henry Craft b. 1846 d. 1921 m. Arty Catherine Vaughn, (11) Mary Emily Craft b. 1848 d. 1916 m. John Craft; (12) David Craft b. 1853 d. 1936 m. Sarah Elizabeth Howe; (13) Thomas Craft b. 1854 d. 1919 m. Abby Moore; (14) Sarah Craft b. 1855 d. 1914 m. William Cooper and (15) James Craft b. 1857 d. 1944 m. Pearlene Bailey.

The first census that lists names of everyone in a household was in 1850 and by that time Lucinda and John Mann were married and had two children: (1) Adam Mann and (2) Eve Mann (not known if she had a double name or if this is a wrong inscription– there is a 30 year-old "Phoebe" listed in 1880). The John Mann family is listed in the Breathitt Co. KY census records of 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 and 1900, the last two census years on Spring Fork. Other children born to them were (3) John Wesley Mann, (4) Zerilda or Surilda Mann, (5) Samuel Henry Mann, (6) Eliza Mann b. 1864 d. 1948 m. Leander Howard, and (7) Susannah/Susan Mann

Lucinda Craft Mann died prior to 1900; her husband John was listed that year as age 80 with daughters Eva and Susannah in his household, along with a 16-year old grandson Calla.

We advised Peggy to explore land records and other court documents in the counties where this family lived to try to find the positive relationship she is searching for. If any descendant should have information that would help her, please contact us here at Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465 (email: [email protected]).

As so often happens, our next visitor Linville Ritchie had a connection to the previous visitor Peggy Mann’s family. His ancestor Squire Ritchie was married several times, the last on 25 Mar 1909 in Breathitt Co. KY to Susannah "Cricket" Mann b. 6 Jun 1865 to John and Lucinda (Craft) Mann. Susan accidently drowned at age 70 on 31 Jul 1935 on South Fork of Quicksand, near mouth of Brickey in Breathitt Co. KY.

Linville stopped by to inquire about the location of his grandfather Linville Ritchie’s (1896-1941) gravesite. He knew it was near Salyersville but did not know in which area. We found that his grandfather was buried in the Ollie May or Victor May Cemetery at Gifford, KY.

The elder Linville was a son of Wayne Ritchie and Rachel Shepherd; a grandson of Squire Ritchie and also of Kelse Shepherd.

We found several marriages for Squire Ritchie, two of them in Magoffin County. His first wife was Rachel Combs. The two Magoffin County marriages were In Sep 1895 when he married Isabell Gullett then in Oct 1898 he married Peggy Perkins. His last marriage was to Susannah "Cricket" Mann as listed above. He died 23 Apr 1926 and was buried in Hazard, KY.

Linville Ritchie (b. 1896) married Sylvania Napier b. 1900 d. 1945 in Knott Co. KY; she was a dau of Manuel Napier (1876-1913) and Elizabeth Patrick. After Manuel’s death, Elizabeth m. 2^nd to Will Short.

Manuel or Emanuel b. 1876 was a son of John Napier and Fanny Fugate.

Elizabeth (1875-1939) was a dau of Andrew Patrick and Mary Jane Creech.

Our visitor Linville’s maternal grandparents were Elias Smith and Elizabeth Shepherd of Knott Co. KY.

Elias was a son of Benjamin Smith and Matilda Oliver who were married in 1852 Breathitt Co. KY. Benjamin was a son of Thomas and Sarah Smith. Matilda was a dau of Joshua Oliver.

Elias Smith’s wife Elizabeth was a dau of David Kelsey Shepherd and Leatha Smith.