10 October 2015

FAMILY HEIRLOOMS HAVE VALUE - MEMORIES ARE PRICELESS

Over the years we have attended many auctions.  Nothing tugs at my heart more than to see family members ruthlessly bidding against each other to purchase a treasured item at an estate sale.  In the heat of the moment it is often hard to remember that it is the memories attached to the item and not the item itself that we are clinging unto. 

Not all cherished items are antique or expensive.  In fact the most cherished keepsakes are often tattered, chipped and worn.  We have been married 47 years. Memories of my wedding and wedding showers flood back this week. 

The house in Catlettsburg, where my husband's aunts honored our marriage with a shower is now gone. Presents were deposited each gaily wrapped.  I could not help but notice that one present was wrapped in wrinkled paper and no bow.  The ladies would rearrange and kept tucking this package behind the more elegant gifts on display.

Finally the last present was handed to me.  I opened 4 pressed glasses, chipped and worn little dessert bowls.  Julina Sexton Horton Klaiber beamed and said "them is desert dishes" and went on to explain that she had used them many years and wanted us to have them. Julina was 91 years young that day.  I cherish them and use them every year especially during the holiday and smile each time I look at them.  No typographical error this lovely little lady called them desert dishes which makes me think of tropical sandy paradises that she never laid eyes on.







Among my treasures is the bisque cake topper from Howard Clayton and Katherine Marie Halderman Feyler's wedding that took place on 30 November 1918 in Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio.  It once had a dome to cover the bride and groom in period dress.  With the help of descriptive social page articles that announced the event I can envision the day.  It now is protected in the bow front cabinet in my living room. 


The bow front cabinet sat in the dining room of my grandparents on Gay Street when I was a child. It had gone thru the 1937 flood and was never refinished!  But with a few wood chips looks fine.  My mother said as the water receded they heard clanging and found a log moving back and forth hitting that glass.  It was not even cracked. My mother got it and took it to her home on Jomar in Ashland.  My parents brought it to me when we lived in Ohio.  As they moved it out the door a large table umbrella, propped up on the wall next to the door slid over and hit the glass.  Once again not even a chip to the glass.  I held my breath over the years with teen age boys thinking as the keeper of this wonderful piece I don’t want to be the one that damages the glass, after those stories!  Now my grandchildren peer thru the glass at the treasures.  Little hands leave finger prints that I hesitate to remove because it awes me that they are touching an item from their 2nd great grandparents that went thru the flood of all floods and survived!  My youngest son wants the cabinet and it will be his to continue the story.

A few years ago my husband carried my Ginny doll to an antique show; past many people and booths to have her restrung [I was unable to attend].  She is now whole again thanks to his time.  When I gaze at her I am transported back to a house long ago in Ashland, Kentucky and childhood memories come alive. I would sit cross legged in my tiny bedroom on Algonquin for hours dressing and redressing her. Mother taught me to take excellent care of any doll’s hair and today she looks like she did almost 60 years ago.

We have more valued treasures.  Hubby has his father's leather football helmet.  John Henry Klaiber played for a short time on an early Boyd County team.  We also have a picture of the team with him in helmet. 

Henry and Page Geer Martin's cherry gate leg table with several leaves hosted many family events. These included my great Grandmother Clara Geer until her death the year I was born in 1949, my father, uncle, cousins and friends.   Special events were documented with photographs.  My father was adamant that it be used in my house. It was a catalyst for his memories.  I am so thankful.  Now memories are being created around that table for a 6th generation and yes documented with photographs.

Will my descendants care about these physical items?  Will they have memories from sitting around our family table?   I hope so.


Estates are divided and sold.  Natural events destroy items.  But memories can be preserved.  Oral history pass stories and memories along.  Sometimes the stories are veiled by exuberant family members exaggerating to make the tale livelier as they are handed from generation to generation.   Not everyone can have the table but photographs can be digitized and shared so that each and every person in the family has a visual that will trigger their own memories. 

Just the other day I purchased a lot of books for winter reading.  I thought it was all novels until I found the priceless worn bible tucked among my reading material.  A beautiful story unfolded written in 1949. 

"Mrs. Joyce Stephens Feb 8, 1949 age 16. This bible was presented to me when I married Cecil M. Stephens. There was a $100.00 bill enclosed. My parents, Eva and Boyce McMillon gave all of us $100.00, if we did not smoke, drink alcohol nor coffe. I failed on the coffe. I used the $100.00 on supplies (lumber, etc) for our first home. Dad also gave us 2x4/s from his saw mill.  Trees were from the property on East Main (old Merritt property)."


Hubby and I could not let this wonderful bible story alone.  A little research showed that this lady lost her husband last year but was still living.  Obvious that after such a loss and cleaning out, the bible got lost in the shuffle.  I hit social media genealogy walls.  Within minutes I had 3 cousins from across the United States wanting that bible.  Within three days, one of the cousins, visiting from Florida was on my doorstep to retrieve it.  The joy of getting that bible back to family is beyond words or money. We never sell things like that even though we own a antique store Deliverance Farm Cabin Antiques.  We always try to get the item back to family members as a heart warming gift.

We are given the best device in the world to preserve memories.  The power of the written word.  Today we can combine that power with visual photography and sound bites.  Genealogy programs allow us to "attach" each digital item with the individual that once owned a physical item or was involved in the activity that created a special memory.

Yes, it is wonderful to have a physical item but so deeply sad if that item is fought over and family ties wounded. It is just stuff and we can't take it with us. But we can hold tightly to the memories.

09 October 2015

CORONERS BOYD COUNTY, KENTUCKY



Coroners
Boyd County, Kentucky

     Early coroners in Kentucky not only assisted with death by un-natural cause or violence but could process criminal and civil cases as well as make an arrest when necessary. Early records indicate that the coroner was appointed by the local court.   Today coroners are duly elected within each county.  They are considered constitutionally elected peace officers.  They are assisted by the Kentucky State Medical Examiners Office when necessary.  There is also a Kentucky Coroners Association providing a network for these elected officials.

     Coroners are required to submit reports to the circuit court on their findings but are not required to keep any particular record system.  Thus records can be vague, inconsistent or very brief when located at the county courthouse.  If a death certificate is marked delayed and the coroner signature appears it is wise for researchers to also check circuit court records for further investigation.

W. T. Hood, Boyd County Coroner 1870. On August 1870 Boyd County Court Orders show W. P. Hoods  appointment.  William Zachary Taylor Hood was born March 1848 the son of William P. and Matilda Howe Hood. He married Helen Davis the daughter of William Davis and Elizabeth McCroskey Davis 18 September 1875.  The Hoods lived on Sammons Fork of Garner on what was to become known as Poor House Road and at this writing is Long Branch Road. Hood did not complete medical college until 1884, in Cincinnati, Ohio. The family later moved to Peoria County, Illinois and later Sangamon County, Illinois. 

W. B. Porter. Boyd County Coroner 1874.  Failed to qualify and left a vacancy county then called and appointed him to fill the vacancy.  Dec 1874 order book 4 page 133

J. W. Martin 1882 Coroner     cited Order book 5 page 35-41 and 347


J. H. Wade 27 October 1890 resigned as Coroner of Boyd County. Order Book 6 page 309 and 346.

A. H. Moore, Boyd County Coroner 1900 -

Charles  R. Hunter, Boyd County Coroner 1921-1931.   In 1930 Dr. Hunter and his wife Eliza B., son Sylvester and daughter Mary V. were residing in Upper Ashland. Dr. Hunter died in June 1932 at Sandy Hook, Elliott County, Kentucky.

J. C. Hall, Boyd County Coroner 1931-[39 still listed]



Russell Compton, Boyd County Coroner 1956-1976.   Compton was a partner and funeral director for Kilgore and Collier Funeral Home, Catlettsburg, Kentucky.  Compton is retired and still lives in Boyd County, Kentucky.

C. Wayne Franz , Boyd County Coroner 1969-1976. Franz was born May 26, 1915 in Wurtland, Greenup County, Kentucky, the son of Theodore Benard and Nora Ann Fox Franz. During the Korean War he was a flight surgeon with the U. S. Air Force.  Franz married Audrey Elwanda Gussler 6 July 1940.  She was the daughter of Ova and Bessie Lyons Gussler. Franz had a private medical practice in Ashland, Kentucky for 30 years.  Franz is credited with establishing an emergency ambulance service in Ashland and was instrumental in the formation of the FIVCO District Health Department.  Franz was acting physician for the Gertrude Ramey Childrens Home for many years.  He served the balance of an unexpired term of Boyd County Coroner...


Philip Michael Neal, Boyd County Coroner 1976 -1998.  Prior to his appointment he acted as deputy coroner under Dr. C. Wayne Franz for seven years. Neal is owner of Neal Funeral Home and Kilgore & Collier Funeral Home located in Catlettsburg, Kentucky.  Mike and his wife Sandra have been active in missionary trips with Oakland Avenue Baptist Church, Catlettsburg.             



04 May 2015

KLAIBER CEMETERY




KLAIBER CEMETERY is a Kentucky Registered non-profit cemetery under KRS 367.932 (12).

James Klaiber, Teresa Klaiber, Craig Fannin Trustees
This article originally appeared at our web page www.deliverancefarm.com. This web page has been revised.  Several genealogy articles have been transferred to this blog for safe keeping. I will continue to maintain this blog as long as my health allows.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
While Boyd County, Kentucky was still in its infancy the James Howe family had quietly settled in a small house above Solomon's Fork, Sammons Branch (now Long Branch), of the East Fork of Garner. To the east of James Howe's 145 acres(1) and across Long Branch you could see the William Hood farm.

It was on the point, high on the hill of the William Hood farm, that James Howe laid to rest his small ward, the minor/infant daughter of deceased Allen Stewart, in October of 1871. Howe had been appointed tiny Isabelle Stewart's guardian in May of 1866.(2) It is possible that others may have been buried there prior to Isabelle's death, but hers is the earliest marked tombstone today (1996).

Some of the other families that settled in the area included Ross, Marcum, Prichard, Sexton, and Gallion. The Sexton's had moved to what was Carter County, later Boyd, from Letcher County, Kentucky, as had Hiram Gallion's wife Elizabeth Sutton Gallion. Gallion had been appointed to view a road (help survey) from the forks of Garner Creek to the Carter/Boyd County line, in December 1865.(3) Standing high on the hill of Hood's property, at the point just north of these early burials, one could see the makings of a road following the creek bed, just below.

As the road became a little more accessible, German immigrant John Andrew Klaiber, added to the network of families that worked and shared up and down the creek, purchasing the farm that could be viewed to the right of the cemetery.

In August 1874 William Hood died and was laid to rest on the hill of his farm, near Isabelle Stewart. Just two months earlier, their neighbor Sarah Howe had passed away and was given the Hoods blessing to be buried on The Hood property. Sarah was related to William's wife, Matilda. The Hood property changed hands several times before Henry Powell Sexton purchased it from George W. and Angelina Ross in 1885.(4)

H.P. and his wife Julina McCormack Sexton already had 11 children, the youngest named for her mother. His parents, Marcus and Catherine, lived over the hill in Lawrence County on Belle's Trace. Just three years after the Sexton's purchased the farm on Garner, Mark (as he was usually called) died.(5) The family had a team carry his body up the hill to the point that was quickly developing into a burial ground. Through the years the Sexton's held huge family reunions, and as they gathered in front of their large two story home, each could look across the road and up the hill at the pioneers who formed this area of the county. The Sexton's tenderly cared for the cemetery, eventually placing a small fence with a small entrance gate around the point. The family kept the area cleared and the Sexton ladies always made sure fresh flowers graced family graves.

The first known recorded entry of a grave yard was written 2 March 1893 when Henry Powell and wife Julina sold George Mayhew a 20 x 50 foot section "beginning at a post of the fence..." and "on a point nearly opposite the mansion house." The deed also states that William Mayhew was already buried there.(6)

The second recorded entry of a grave yard was filed in the Boyd County Recorder's Office on August 2, 1899.(7) H.P. Sexton sold John Andrew Klaiber one eighth of an acre for his family and heirs along with the "right of ingress and egress." This surveyed area was above the original fenced burial sites.

In 1905 Henry Powell Sexton's youngest daughter Julina, recently widowed, married John Andrew Klaiber's son James Matthew.(8) When H.P. died in 1913(9), widow Julina McCormack Sexton began the division of the property among her large family. These partition deeds carefully set apart 80 square yards for a grave yard. Daughter Julina and her husband, James Matthew Klaiber, continued the tradition of nurturing the cemetery. They instilled both the love of the land and the loving care of the cemetery in their son John Henry.

Among other early families migrating from Letcher County into Carter and Boyd County were Lucas'. The Lucas family were related to several branches of the Sexton family. When Lucinda Lucas, a daughter of James Henderson and Hulda Sexton died in 1931 she was buried in the cemetery. Two years later, in 1933 Lucinda's husband Henry Kane Lucas also died. The family requested a deed from Henry Powell's son, James M. Sexton, who's inherited portion included the cemetery. James M. and wife Etta had moved to Jasonville, Indiana and granted the deed for a plot, for $25.00. According to records the deed was not recorded until 1955 when improvements were being made at the grave yard.(10)

John Henry Klaiber had cared for the land that belonged to his parents, aunt's and uncles, as he grew up. By 1935(11) he had purchased land from his parents and in the Spring of 1937(12) began to buy relative's partitioned properties, recreating the original deed descriptions. This purchase of 43+ acres included the cemetery, though still described as 80 square yards, it had clearly grown. After J.H.'s marriage to Elsie Ellis Rucker they also purchased a large portion of land that had once been the James Howe farm.

From the vantage point of their newly acquired home, John and Elsie could also look up the hill and view the cemetery, where they soon laid to rest a tiny infant daughter. John Henry's life centered on family, farm, and community. And with community in mind, time after time, he gave another small piece of his land to bury those in need - the boundaries long since having spilled out of any legal description, onto his farmland. Those that wished could donate a little to mend the fence and those that could not afford the cost of burials were welcome. From time to time different individuals would help John Henry out, by mowing family area's of the cemetery. The neighborhood always came together, lovingly and with honor, carefully digging each new grave.

Through the early 1900's various death certificates, and deeds refer to the burial ground as the William Hood Cemetery, Garner Cemetery, Sexton Cemetery, and Klaiber Cemetery with variant spellings. Even today, the Kentucky Geological Survey, Rush Quadrangel map incorrectly spells the cemetery as "Clybur."

The last team to carry a casket to the cemetery was on a cold, snowy Christmas Day, 1949, when a horse drawn sled took J.H.'s father, James Matthew Klaiber up the hill. (13)
His widow, Julina, was determined that a good road was needed for hearse, friends, and family members. In 1955 she wrote letter after letter, asking for donations to build a new road and to refence the cemetery. Family descendants were scattered but letters and donations came in from Gallion and
Enyart families, the Workman's, Sexton's, Klaiber's, Fannin's, and others. The improvements were completed in 1956.(14)(15)(16)

John Henry continued care of the cemetery, road and fence. Small donations came in from various branch's of families through the years. For some time before her death, Amanda Maddox collected for the Lucas family. After her death Harold Sexton continued to manage Lucas and Sexton donations. John, his wife Elsie, and sister Martha, collected from Klaiber family and friends. In the early 1990's, because of ill health it became necessary for John and Harold to share the expense of hiring someone to mow when funds were low. John Henry Klaiber died June 18, 1995, Father's Day, on the farm that he loved, with his family, and wonderful neighbors that dearly cared for him. He is buried beside his wife, and near daughter, parents, grandparents and great grandparents, neighbors, and pioneers.

The farm has now passed to son James David Klaiber. As a tribute to father, family, and community, a Cemetery Fund has been established in a local Boyd County bank with a goal of perpetual funding in the future. The Klaiber's will continue to care for the cemetery. Jim and family have lived away for over 20 years but it is so easy to be drawn back when roots run so deeply and Boyd County has always been "home." It is easier still to honor and care for the last earthly resting place of those with such a rich history of the county we love. And it is a wonderful feeling knowing that this is where one belongs.

Records show, financially, outside donations were never enough to handle fence repairs, gravel, mower repairs, gasoline, gates, and other necessities. Folks chuckled at the mailbox, J.H. mounted by the gate to accept small donations. He joked that maybe someone that lived there would win the Publishers Clearing House. A book KLAIBER CEMETERY was produced in 1996 to generate funds for the savings account located at Kentucky Farmers Bank, Catlettsburg, KY. The book generated almost $2000.00. But funds are still needed to care for fence, road and the future of our cemetery. If you would like to donate to the cemetery you can do so by sending a check payable to "Klaiber Cemetery Fund," 22937 Long Branch Road, Rush, KY 41168.

The area of what is known as Klaiber Cemetery is full. Those area's that do not yet hold loved ones, are reserved.


KLAIBER CEMETERY, BOYD COUNTY, KY

 
LASTGIVENBIRTHDEATHSTONE
BLACKBURNKERMIT30 DEC 191420 JUNE 200342
BLACKBURNWILMA M16 NOV 1928
42
BLAIRFAMILY PLOT


BOCOOKSANFORD
9 DEC 191084
CLARKJOHN T9 OCT 184815 JUL 191510
CLARKJOSEPH M24 JUL 18604 AUG 191511
CLARKMITCHELL7 MAY 181914 SEP 18928
CLARKSARAH R1 MAR 18233 OCT 19029
COMBSLEWIS1900192380
COMBSMARTHA1851193079
CONLEYDORIS ENYART1954199328
CONLEYGLADYS SEXTON

100
COXFRED RAYMOND18 AP 19001 JUL 196453
CRUMJOHN ALLEN

5
CRUMMAGGIE

5
CRUMWISE

6
DOWDYSARAH CRABTREE1903197187
DOWDYTHOMAS2 MAR 189529 AP 196987
DURHAMFREDERICK H7 JUN 18914 FEB 197386
DURHAMSARAH C4 DEC 18937 JULY 198386
ENYARTCURTIS


ENYARTDOUGLAS


ENYARTLEONARD L1888197544
ENYARTMARY E1921198943
ENYARTMARY G1894197344
ENYARTTOM191426 JUL 200043
ESTEP


66
FANNINMARY E
31 JAN 189954
FELTYDEBRA1953199899
FERRELHELEN

76
FERRELRAYMOND1921199576
FUGATEDAVID WAYNE29 AP 196527 OCT 196630
GALLIONCLARENCE

11
GALLIONEMA

11
GALLIONGOLDIE28 MAR 189630 APR 189637
GALLIONH. D.14 FEB 18272 NOV 189013
GALLIONINFANT

11
GALLIONWILLIAM H1855192012
GUSSLERWILLARD SCOTT1912198288
HARRISJOHN H2 MAR 186011 MAR 190922
HATFIELD


86
HATFIELDEMMETT

86
HOODMATILDA3 DEC 180520 MAR 188757
HOODWILLIAM P
14 AUG 197456
HOWESARAH
6 JUN 18747
HUNDBETH FANNIN

101
HUNDEDWARD

102
JARVISEMRALD18 SEP 19076 MAR 196877
JARVISLAURA5 SEP 191031 DEC 194277
JONESARTHUR L1941194427
JONESCHARLES1928194327
JORDANDELLA C28 JUN 193030 AUG 193096
JORDANG. W.
20 APR 193093
JORDANH. B.10 DEC 190630 JUL 193196
JORDANIRA VERNON4 FEB 190127 APR 193390
JORDANMARY E1870194097
JORDANMARY JANE26 MAY 187424 APR 193692
JORDANTHOMAS P1871195197
KELLEYE ALICE1868189634
KELLYELIZA O
18 NOV 189560
KLAIBERELSIE R7 JAN 191224 NOV 198732
KLAIBERINFANT
194531
KLAIBERJAMES DAVID

32
KLAIBERJAMES DAVID


KLAIBERJAMES MATTHEW21 JUL 185822 DEC 194967
KLAIBERJOHN ANDREW20 OCT 18314 Dec 192051
KLAIBERJOHN H15 JUL 191118 JUNE32
KLAIBERJULINA HORTON30 JUNE 187720 APR 197867
KLAIBERMARGURETTA
14 SEP 189668
KLAIBERMARY ANN MCBRAYER24 MAY 18341 APR 191951
KLAIBERMARY MONTGOMERY22 JAN 18799 AUG 191233
KLAIBERN. A.24 SEP 186128 SEP 190452
KLAIBERTERESA LYNN MARTIN

32
LAWRENCEJOHNNY

27
LAWRENCERUBY ENYART

27
LAWSON


63
LAWSON


63
LAWSON


63
LUCASBESSIE J1926196672
LUCASCARL D1918191874
LUCASCHARLEY24 MAY 190522 AUG 192594
LUCASELIZABETH22 MAY 191227 NOV 198969
LUCASFRANK K1884196671
LUCASGARNER

78
LUCASH. K.1846193370
LUCASLUCINDA1850193170
LUCASMARTHA E1919192373
LUCASNANCY A1888196771
LUCASRALPH C14 MAR 191416 JUL 197769
LUCASSHERMAN

34
LUCASTAYLOR

34
LUCASVIRGINIA MYRTLE24 SEP 192429 JUL 192678
MADDOXAMANDA M1908
76
MADDOXARLIE18 MAY 192118 AUG 197889
MADDOXTHOMAS J1895196076
MAYHEWDIMMA2 JUN 18679 APR 189524
MAYHEWFLORA S


MAYHEWMARY E21 SEP 18348 SEP 190426
MAYHEWWILLIAM C2 NOV 19323 MAY 189025
MCCORMICKJACKIE RAY11 MAR 193911 MAR 19391
MOOREJ. L.21 JAN 192520 NOV 199964
MOOREREBECCA J15 MAR 1937
64
REEVESCHARLES EDWARD

95
REEVESLULA M1894195595
SEXTONCATHERINE
7 JUN 189317
SEXTONERNEST O20 MAR 192010 JAN 198639
SEXTONEVERET8 JAN 190517 JUN 190585
SEXTONFRANK6 MAR 190422 JAN 193529
SEXTONHAROLD

98
SEXTONHENRY POWELL1892197438
SEXTONHOPIE M9 MAR 191030 JUN 193082
SEXTONHOWARD1 MAY 192220 JUN 200262
SEXTONJASPER N15 JAN 186910 NOV 196783
SEXTONKENNETH "HOP"1926198981
SEXTONKENNETH E25 NOV 192619 OCT 198975
SEXTONMARIAM L1 APR 187817 MAR 193083
SEXTONMARK2 JAN 181222 OCT 187716
SEXTONNELLIE G1898196238
SEXTONr NORMAN30 NOV 18998 NOV 192184
SEXTONWILLA


SEXTONWIRT ELAM18 JUL 19184 NOV 199783
SHEPHERDDORIS25 AUG 195325 AUG 200063
SHEPHERDJOHN

63
SHEPHERDWILLIAM R10 JAN 194111 OCT 197048
SMITHCLYDE JR11 JUL 192723 MAR 193065
SMITHCYNTHIA1901199464
SMITHJAMES RICHARD21 DEC 192425 JUN 198864
SMITHLEWIS DEWEY5 MAR 18999 OCT 197764
SPARKS



SPARKSDAVE1898196646
SPARKSFRANKLIN D20 MAR 194223 FEB 196945
SPARKSNORA20 JUL 1902
46
STANLEYCLARENCE24 MAR 19228 JUN 196661
STANLEYDWIGHT M29 AUG 188414 SEP 190441
STANLEYGEORGE J28 JUL 189519 DEC 197361
STANLEYJ. B.31 MAR 185825 OCT 193940
STANLEYJOE1890194062
STANLEYMARGARET E7 SEP 189530 JAN 196161
STANLEYMYRTLE1892198162
STANLEYSUSAN18 MAR 185630 OCT 190840
STEWARTISABELLA A
23 OCT 187155
STEWARTPAULINE11 nOV 192223 SEP 200277
UNKNOWN


35
UNKNOWN


59
UNKNOWN


58
UNKNOWN


36
UNKNOWN


18
UNKNOWN


21
UNKNOWN


19
UNKNOWN


15
UNKNOWN


14
UNKNOWN


23
UNKNOWN


20
VANNATTERBERT7 MAR 1917
49
VANNATTERDOROTHY22 JUN 19249 MAR 198449
VANNATTERGARY EDWARD18 FEB 194123 JUN 196847
VANNATTERWILLIAM LEONARD23 JUN 194224 DEC 197050
WOOTENBEATRICE3 JUN 18971 APR 19503
WOOTENEVERETT189019732
WOOTENJ. C.19 JUN 191827 SEP 19204
WORKMANINES21 APR 190012 OCT 193391
WORKMANINFANT

91



76




76