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



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