Barbara Whitt, a granddaughter of Bal and Josephine (Lykins) Whitt and of Sherman and Dora (Miller) Bailey, came to visit.

Bal and Josephine were well-known and respected residents of Royalton, KY. The story of the tragic loss of their sons during World War II was told by Bruce Stephens, Jr. in our series of tribute books to our Magoffin County veterans. "Bal" was born as Merida Ballard Whitt on 26 Aug 1876 in Morgan Co. KY to William H. Whitt and Galena Elswick. William H. was born in 1848 Tazewell Co. VA and died in 1930. He married in Magoffin County in 1871 to Galena (1850 VA-1931 KY), the dau of John William Elswick and Nancy Galena Oney. Nancy G.’s parents were William and Sarah (Brown) Oney.

William H. Whitt was a son of James Madison Whitt (1810 VA-1955 Morgan Co. KY) and Rebecca Day (1815 VA-1854 Morgan Co. KY). James M. was a son of Richard and Elizabeth Whitt. Rebecca was a dau of Joseph and Rhoda (Cook) Day.

Bal Whitt’s wife Josephine (7 Jun 1894-13 May 1980) was a dau of James Buchanan Lykins (1855/57-1938/9) and Emma Jane Allen (1865/67-1946/48) who are buried in the Salyer Cemetery in West Liberty, KY. Their dates vary on several documents.

James B. was a son of Rolly Coffey Lykins who was born in 1832 to William S. Lykins and Rebecca Coffey. Rolly’s wife was Sarah Buffington; they were married in 1849 Morgan Co. KY and appear in the 1850 census record of Morgan County.

James B’s wife Emma Jane was a dau of Greenberry Allen (1846-1912) and Letitia Amyx (1844-1908). Green was a son of Daniel Webster Allen and Susannah Taulbee. Letitia was a dau of Wm. G. Amyx and Eveline Davis.

On Barbara’s maternal side, her grandfather Sherman Bailey (1907-1977) was a son of Grover Cleveland Bailey and Hester Rowe who were married in 1927 Magoffin County. Grover C. (1884-1943) was a son of John Bailey and Katherine Rowe. Hester (1887-1968) was a dau of Wesley Rowe and Jane Rigsby.

The ancestry of these Rowe families can be found in the 470-page book Frederick Rowe, From North Carolina and Tennessee to Eastern Kentucky and Beyond by Dr. Lennie Carter ($40) that can be ordered from the Magoffin County Historical Society, PO Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465.

Sherman Bailey’s wife Dora Miller (1909-1937) was a dau of Socrates "Crate" Miller and Cindy Blevins. Crate was born 27 Nov 1887 and died 29 May 1928, a son of Elhannon Miller and Florence Johnson who were married in 1879 Magoffin County. Florence was a dau of Alfred and Margaret Johnson.

Elhannon Miller was a son of Joseph and Sally (Noble) Miller who are buried in Perry Co. KY. Joseph was a son of William Joseph Miller and Elizabeth Cockerill. Sally was a dau of Nathan Noble and Virginia Jane Neace.

Crate’s wife Cindy Blevins was born in 1887 and died 1938 Morgan Co. KY. She was a dau of William Blevins (1853-1937) and Martha Gross (1855-1929). Cindy married 2^nd to Boyd Bays.

Tom Hale was another visitor to our library. His father Henry Clay Hale, Jr. was born on Buck Creek here in Magoffin County, the son of Henry C. Hale, Sr. and his 2^nd wife Virgie Shepherd. Henry and his first wife Betty Bradley had no children.

Henry C. and Virgie had a son (1) Dingus Hale who was born 27 Sep 1920 and died 10 Aug 1924. The child was buried at the mouth of Open Fork of Buck Creek by their neighbor Elliot Wireman.

Other children of Henry and Virgie were (2) Elmer Hale, (3) Margaret Hale, (4) Myrtle Madge Hale, (5) Clyde P. Hale, (6) Berta M. Hale, (7) John Henry Hale, (8) Wanda Jean Hale and (9) Olive Marjorie Hale.

Henry C. Hale was a son of Henry H. Hale who died at age 44 on 1 Dec 1878 in Breathitt Co. KY. According to vital statistics records he was the son of Preston Howard and Margaret Hale. Henry C.’s mother Susan Hughes was born in 1840 and died in 1921, the dau of Toliver and Elizabeth "Bessie" Hughes. Susan is buried on the Jeff Shepherd Cemetery at Gunlock, KY.

Henry C. Hale’s mother Virgie was a dau of Thomas Jackson Shepherd and Josephine Hale. Josephine’s parents were Benjamin Hale and Elizabeth Shepherd. Thomas J. was a son of Jacob "Turpentine Jake" Shepherd (1846-1911) and Sallie Ann Coburn. Kate Neeley Shepherd showed us the gravesite of Turpentine Jake in 1977 on the Jeff Shepherd Cemetery but he does not have a marker.

Our visitor Tom Hale’s maternal grandparents were Everett Fugate and Meadie Wireman. Everett was a son of Daniel Boone Fugate and Delilah Roberts. Daniel B. was a son of Lewis Fugate and Elizabeth Napier who were married in 1859 Perry Co. KY. Delilah’s parents were Alfred Roberts (1847-1931) and Elvira Campbell.

Everett’s wife Meadie was the dau of Dan "Blue Dan" Wireman b. 1878 to John F. "Fiddler" Wireman and Margaret Hale. Fiddler was a son of Fielding Wireman and Sally Sizemore. Margaret was a dau of John Hale and Vina Stone.

Blue Dan’s wife Sarah Jane Oliver was born in 1881 to James Oliver and Polly Shepherd. James "Jim" Oliver was a son of Shadrach Oliver and Nancy Allen. Polly was a dau of Brice H. Shepherd and Nancy Stone.