From early newspaper accounts we were aware that our county had a number of early settlers who relocated in the state of Washington. Wenatchee was the most mentioned place and, apparently, offered many job opportunities. Many of these news articles would tell of various people making a visit back to Magoffin Co. KY.

We had the experience of having a visitor from Washington, Mark Edward Hamilton, with paternal ancestors having strong connections to Magoffin, Floyd and Breathitt counties. Mark Edward’s sister, Janeil Hamilton Decker, had contributed some information to us on this family in our early years of operation. Mark and Janeil’s mother’s parents, Robert Campbell and Martha (Edmonds) Miller were originally from West Virginia.

Mark Edward is the son of Arnold Edward Hamilton. Arnold was a son of Edward Hamilton and Stella Salyer.

Edward Hamilton (son of Reuben Hamilton and Caroline Adams) was born in 1891 Magoffin County and died in 1918 Washington. He married in 1911 Washington to Stella Salyer who was born 26 Jan 1892 in Magoffin County and died in 1981 Wenatchee, WA.

Edward’s parents Reuben Hamilton and Caroline Adams were married in 1890 Magoffin County. Reuben was a son of Andrew Jackson Hamilton and Phoebe Patton. Caroline was a dau of Green Adams and Nancy E. Rice.

Andrew Jackson "Jack" Hamilton was born 25 Dec 1847 Floyd Co. KY and died 22 Mar 1904. He is buried here in Magoffin County on the Hamilton Cemetery, Mash Fork, KY on the same cemetery as his father Stephen Hamilton (b. 1814 d. 1899). Jack Hamilton married Phoebe Ellen Patton who was born 22 Feb 1847 in KY and died 27 Jan 1913.

Stephen Hamilton was a son of David Hamilton and Sally Fitzpatrick. Stephen married Sarah Handshoe, the dau of Andrew Handshoe and Patsy Wilson. Stephen and Sarah were the parents of (1) Mary J. Hamilton 1838, (2) James J. Hamilton b. 1840 m. Louisa Salyer, (3) Martha Hamilton m. 1862 Michael Risner, (4) Andrew Jackson Hamilton (see above), (5) Margaret Hamilton d. at age 26 in 1878 m. in 1865 Magoffin Co. KY to John Jones, (6) Amanda Hamilton m. in 1867 to Wilson Risner, (7) Alex Hamilton, (8) Francis Hamilton b. 1855, (9) David Hamilton b. 1857 Middle Creek, Floyd Co. KY and (10) Green Hamilton died at age 18 on 25 Dec 1878.

Jack Hamilton’s wife Phoebe Ellen Patton is buried in a Hamilton Cemetery in East Wenatchee, WA. She was a dau of David "Dave" Patton b. 1807 d. Apr 1880 of pneumonia fever in Breathitt Co. KY where he had lived for 23 years. David’s wife was Rebecca Prater, dau of Jonathan Prater and Margaret Griffith. She and David are listed in the 1850 Floyd Co. census then in the 1860 and 1870 Breathitt County records. By the time the 1880 census was taken, Rebecca Prater Patton was listed as age 72, (she and parents’ b. VA), in the Bakerfork area of Breathitt County home of her daughter Caroline and William Gearheart (sometimes spelled Gayheart).

David and Rebecca (Prater) Patton had a family of at least 13 children: (1) John Patton, (2) Fanny Patton, (3) Robertson Patton b. 1836 d. 1920 Knott Co. KY, (4) Wilbourn Patton, (5) William Patton, (6) Henry C. Patton, (7) Christopher Patton, (8) Margaret Patton, (9) Almira Jane Patton, (10) Caroline Patton d. 1947 Knott Co. KY, (11) Juda Patton, (12) Sarah Patton b. 25 Apr 1855 and (13) George Patton b. 2 Dec 1857.

Edward Hamilton’s first wife Stella was a daughter of William Samuel Salyer and Mary Caroline Prater. William was born 22 Dec 1870 in Magoffin County and d. in 1932 Wenatchee, WA. He and Mary Caroline were married in Magoffin County in 1887. William was a son of John Wesley Salyer and Polly Anna Gullett. John and Anna were married 9 Aug 1858 in Morgan Co. KY. John b. 1828 and wife Anna b. 1835 were in the 1900 Magoffin Co. household of their dau Neucarious and husband James E. Sparks.

Mary Caroline Prater was a dau of William Prater and Rebecca Elam. William and Rebecca married in 1869 and appear as ages 18 and 16 in the 1870 Magoffin County census with his mother Louisa in their home. By 1880 William and Rebecca are listed as living on State Road Fork with three children, Mary C. age 9, Franklin Prater b. 1871, and Charles L. Prater.

We believe this William to be a son of William Prater b. 1816 d. 15 Sep 1856 (Morgan Co. KY Vital Statistics) and his wife Louisa/Levisa Kennard. This needs further research.

William’s wife Rebecca was born 14 Nov 1854 in Morgan County, KY and died 8 Oct 1933 in Washington. Her parents were Robert S. Elam (1828-1855 Morgan Co. KY) and Artimissa Patrick (1831-1891). Robert was a son of Jeremiah Elam. Artimissa was a dau of John B. "Squire" Patrick and Martha "Patsy" Kennard.

After Robert Elam’s death Artimissa married 2^nd to Elias (Prickett) Columbus. Elias was born in 1813 Brown Co. OH and died in 1888 Johnson Co. KY. His parent’s were Isaac Prickett and Mary Campbell. Elias had his surname legally changed to Elias Columbus (Magoffin County Court Order Book One, page 20).

Elias and Artimissa were the parents of John Wesley Columbus who married Louisa Elizabeth Connelley, a dau of Constantine Connelly, Jr. John and Louisa were the parents of one of our much appreciated early members and contributors, John C. Columbus of Ferguson, Missouri.

John Christopher Columbus was born 27 Jul 1903 in Johnson Co. KY and died in St. Louis, MO on 6 Jun 1993. He and his wife Mary Briggs Clarke Columbus are buried in the Rosehill Elmwood Cemetery in Owensboro, Daviess Co. KY.