The Thanksgiving season is here, reminding us that another year will soon end. We are thankful for the many people who have come our way in our almost 40 years as a historical society and who helped us in our mission to "preserve the past for the future." Unfortunately our numbers have dwindled in the last few years as time has taken its toll and it seems prudent to review the path we have taken.

We continue to work to complete the Sesquicentennial books entitled People, Places, Events 1860-2010 which has grown to a set of THREE volumes. Additional work has gone into our series of family books also as well as our final Journal of 2017, these news columns and meeting with those who come to visit.

We had a visitor recently whose grandparents were from the family lines of Howard, Jenkins, Adams and Wheeler.

Donna Howard Shepherd’s father Solan Howard was a son of William Ashland Howard and Lula Ann Jenkins. Wm. Ashland and Lula had a large family that included triplets and twins. They are (1) Golden Howard, (2) Toy Howard, (3) Greenville Howard, (4) Wonnie Bell Howard, (5) Elizabeth Howard, (6) Esta Howard, (7) Flora Howard, (8) Ivory Howard, (9) Eva Howard, (10) Dola Howard; the triplets (11) Vennie Howard, (12) Emmie Howard, (13) Dennie Howard and the twins; (14) Solen Howard and (15) Lola Howard.

William Ashland Howard (1886 d. 1968) was a son of Jesse Howard and Elizabeth Rigsby. Wm. Ashland’s wife Lula (1886-1976) was a daughter of Francis Marion Jenkins and Cynthia A. Phipps.

Jesse Howard (1856-1940) was a son of Thomas Howard and Mary Sturgeon who were married 12 Jan 1850 in Morgan Co. KY. Thomas was a son of Moses Howard and Mary Ann "Polly" Patrick. Moses was a son of Thomas Howard and Francis Jackson. Mary Ann was a dau of James Patrick.

Jesse Howard’s wife Elizabeth was born in 1872 Lawrence Co. KY and d. 28 Apr 1941, a dau of Henry Rigsby and Nancy Skaggs of Lawrence Co. KY. Henry Rigsby’s tombstone gives his dates as 10 Feb 1833-10 Oct 1892 but the census records generally give his birth year as 1834. Also he was still alive in the year 1900 as he and his wife Nancy lived at Bloomington in Magoffin County with their son Sanford and wife Franky Rigsby. Henry was a son of Lewis Rigsby and Betsy DeBoard. Nancy Skaggs was a dau of Peter Skaggs and Clarinda Prince.

Returning to William Ashland Howard’s wife Lula’s lineage. Her Jenkins grandparents were William M. "Billy" Jenkins and Sarah Montgomery. Billy Jenkins was born in 1827 Floyd Co. and died 1908 in Magoffin County, a son of Robert and Fanny Jenkins. Billy’s wife Sarah was born in 1834 Morgan Co. KY and died in 1887 Magoffin County, dau of Alexander "Sanders" Montgomery, IV and Mary Eddington. They are buried in the Jellico Cemetery in Magoffin County.

Our visitor Donna’s maternal grandparents were Elbert "Edd" Adams (b. 1905 Johnson Co. KY and d. 1968) and Norma Wheeler (b. 1908 d. at age 91 24 Feb 2000). Edd Adams was a son of William Preston Adams b. 19 Nov 1874, son of John Adams and Easter Elam. W. P. Adams died 1 Sep 1946 at Leatha, KY. He and Rosa Caudill were married 19 May 1898 in Magoffin Co. KY. She was born in 1876 and died in 1953, a dau of Matthew Caudill and Rebecca Elizabeth Cooper.

John Adams (b. 1850 Morgan Co. KY d. 1918 in Argillite, KY) was a son of Jackson Adams and Galathia Reffitt.

Matthew Caudill was a son of Abel Caudill and Polly Crace. Rebecca E. Cooper was a dau of Robert Lee Cooper.

Edd Adams’ wife Norma was a dau of Daniel Wheeler (1878-1958) and Lilly Hall (1886-died of flu on 28 Nov 1918). Norma was born 21 Jul 1908 and died at age 91 on 24 Feb 2000. She married 2^nd to Manford Blanton.

Daniel Wheeler was a son of Greenville Wheeler and Melvina Alice Wheeler. Greenville was a son of Daniel Wheeler and May Salyer. Melvina was a dau of William Wheeler and Judith Gibson.

Daniel’s wife Lilly Hall was a dau of John Hall and Josie Howard who were married in Magoffin County 27 Feb 1885. John (b. 1858 d. 1895) was a son of Preston Hall and Julia Ann Meek. Josie (b. 1872 d. 1894) was a dau of David Crockett Howard.