Frank Sexton: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

Frank Sexton’s death information is a good example of “carved in stone” not always being correct.

Frank was the son of Elisha “Lige” Sexton and wife Elizabeth Hicks. He was born 3 June 1904 in Boyd County, Kentucky.  He moved to Logan County, West Virginia, when he was 21, where he married Ivy Vannatter on 21 May 1927.  The first error in official records was when the clerk recorded Frank’s father as Elias in the marriage records. The couple had three boys: Charles Percy born 1928; Franklin born 1929; and Joseph Harrison Sexton born 1932.

Family told this compiler Frank died in the mines in West Virginia.  Since the stone said the death date was 21 January 1935 I did a deep search of newspapers which was futile. My search coincided with the Boyd County Library project of indexing obituaries.  As luck would have it, at the time, fellow library worker, Nancy Schnitzker knew I was working on the Sexton surname and would alert me when she made any new entries. Bingo! The obituary appeared in the Ashland Daily Independent one year later!  The article posted on 26 January 1936 stated that the funeral service of Frank Sexton was held Thursday from the Sexton resident on Garner.  This newspaper stated that he was killed in a mine accident at Holden, West Virginia but that the paper did not learn of the accident details.

Hoping I could glean what reporters in Ashland could not, I began a search in West Virginia papers.  The Charleston Daily Mail posted Frank Sexton’s obituary on the same date, 26 January 1936, stating that funeral services were held Thursday and burial was at Catlettsburg, Kentucky.  “He was killed instantly in a mine accident at Whitman, Monday.”  Thus the tombstone, handmade much later is off by one year.

Both Holden and Whitman do lay in Logan County, West Virginia. Once again I had two conflicting bits of information. As far as I can ascertain there were three large mining operations in Whitman and as many as twelve mining camps containing homes and boarding houses. Holden was surrounded by mining operations as well.  The 26^th was on a Sunday.  The accident according to the Charleston paper occurred on Monday which would be January 20th.  With one last ditch effort to find out more about the accident I finally located a one-line entry in the Charleston Daily Mail on Wednesday the 22^nd “Whitman. Frank Sexton 34 died beneath a slate fall.”

Catherine Sexton: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

When I began this series, Whispers from the Grave, it was with the intention of sharing the many conversations (as well as research) I have done on this family for the past fifty-five years.  While I “married in” this is truly my family.  This land is where I belong.  This cemetery will be my last earthly home. 

Genealogists always feel a pull toward particular individuals.  Catherine Sexton has drawn me for years.   When I first started our family tree,  I asked my father-in-law what his great grandmother’s name was. His reply was Sexton – no I said “I mean her maiden name”.  He just shrugged.  My mother-in-law said she heard maybe Sutton and wrote that in a corner of a family paper.  Was Catherine related to Elizabeth Sutton Gallion, also at rest in Klaiber Cemetery? 

The biggest snafu beginning genie’s make fell in my lap.  The 1850 census showed Bartlett Sexton and another Catherine Sexton in Mark and this Catherine’s household.  The 1850 does not give relationships in a household. Like other newbie’s I assumed Mark’s parents because of age.  Never assume anything.  After years of deep digging (pun) Mark’s parents turned out to be Elisha and Tabitha.  It took dna to reveal that Catherine was indeed Catherine Sexton Sexton.

She is also an amazing pioneer true Appalachian pioneer.  So much so, that I wrote a book based on her life during the worst of Covid.  I am very proud of this publication and the only reason it is classified a “historical novel” vs. a biography is not knowing what and when she fed the chickens.

Catherine Sexton Sexton was born 15 March 1808 in Russell County, Virginia the daughter of Bartlett and Catherine Sexton.  She married Marcus Sexton and migrated thru Pound Gap and finally settled in what would become Boyd County, Kentucky.  She and Marcus had at least two children with Henry Powell Sexton surviving to adulthood.  Catherine died on Long Branch, Boyd County, Kentucky 7 June 1893.  She survived epidemics and the Civil War.  I invite everyone to read Catherine Heart & Soul which is still available on Amazon.  It is not only her history but the history of several counties, Kentucky migration and more.

Lula & Charles Edward Reeves: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

Lula M. Penix Gallion Reeves was born 3 April 1894 in Greenup County, Kentucky.  She was the daughter of Ursula Penix.  Her father, George W. Plummer, worked for the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail Road Company and married Luella Osburn the year after Lula was born.

By the time Lula was seven years old she was living with her mother in the Jasper Newton and Miriam Lambert Sexton[i] household, on Garner in Boyd County, Kentucky.   They were using Ursula’s maiden name of Penix.   Her mother was working as a servant.   Lula was sixteen by 1910 and still living with the Sexton’s.  Also in the household is Arthur Gallion, working as a servant for the Sexton’s.

Arthur L. Gallion was the son of John and Elizabeth Blankenship Gallion and grandson of Hiram Gallion, who is buried in Klaiber Cemetery.  Arthur married Minti  Stewart in 1913 in Carter County, Kentucky.  When He married Lula[ii] 7 April 1917, in Logan County, West Virginia, it says he was a widower.

Lula’s mother, Ursula “Essie” Penix had another child, Lucy Belle Penix, born about 1901.  She and her mother were living in the Dan Hogan household in 1910, on Garner Road. Ursula was again working as a household servant.  When Lucy Belle married in June 1917 to Millard Adams, at the age of 16, the record states her father was Tom Miller.   One of the subscribing witness, at the wedding, was William V. Sexton, brother of Jasper Newton Sexton.

Ursula Penix died 11 November 1918 at Lucy Belle Penix Adam’s home on Oakview in Ashland, Kentucky.  Lucy Belle gave the information for Ursula’s death certificate stating she did not know the name of Ursula’s parents nor even the birth date for her mother.  Burial was in “Sexton Cemetery.”  The question remains did the undertaker mean Sexton Cemetery on Pigeon Roost, just one ridge from Klaiber Cemetery, or was the burial actually in Klaiber Cemetery often called Sexton Cemetery, at that time? This compiler believes it is an unmarked grave in Klaiber Cemetery near the Jasper Sexton family plots.

Lula Penix Gallion and Arthur Gallion were divorced before 1930.  Lula returned to Boyd County and the federal census states she is working as a trimmer in a dress factory and is the “adopted daughter” of Jasper Sexton, living in his household[iii].  This compiler has talked with Jasper’s daughter Willa, as well as son Harold Lee Sexton, who told me Lula was “just one of the family”. 

Elisha H. Sexton deeded eight acres to Lula Gallion “a single woman” from the drain of AC&I Coal to an old corner of the  old Sexton farm 20 July 1933, in Boyd County, Kentucky[iv].  Elisha was another brother of Jasper Newton Sexton, one of eleven children of Henry Powell and Julina McCormack Sexton.

Lula married Charles Edward Reeves 24 June 1938 in Lawrence County, Ohio.[v]  At that time Lula was working as a cook in Ironton and Charles gave his residence as Logan County, West Virginia and occupation as engineer.

Charles Edward Reeves was the son of John and Cynthia “Anna” Stewart Reeves. He was born 8 May 1889 at Denton, Carter County, Kentucky.    By 1942 Charles was working on the Fred Ross Farm on Sugar Camp in Boyd County, Kentucky[vi].  Sugar Camp lays just south of Garner Road (854) before the curve and turn to Jack’s Fork, a small portion of the Ross farm.  This compiler had the honor to know Fred Ross as a child and visit that farm many times. His wife was a guest at our wedding. Lula had sold the eight acres on 27 January to Oscar McCormack.  The deed states “Lula Gallion Reeves, whose name was Lula Gallion…[vii]”  In turn Oscar[viii] sold the eight acres to Eastern Kentucky Lumber and Development[ix] within two weeks of the original transaction.[x]

Charles Edward Reeves died 10 August 1945 at his home at 2032 Front Street in Ashland, Kentucky 10 August 1945 of carcinoma of the lungs.  Lula was the informant on the death certificate[xi] and place of burial is sited as Sexton Cemetery another aka for Klaiber Cemetery.  The Ashland Daily Independent said he had been ill eleven months and gave his occupation as civil engineer working for Moore Branch Coal Company.  “The body was removed from Lazear Funeral home to the home of Jasper Sexton[xii] on Garner…”  There is no stone for Charles Edward Reeves. He lays to the right which is the south side of Lula.

Lula remained in Ashland, for a time, working in a restaurant[i].  She died 27 March 1958, on Garner.  Willa Sexton was informant for the information on her death certificate.     Only a funeral home metal marker remains today for Lula.  In 1996 the rod had rusted off and the metal marker was placed in cement to preserve her place of rest.

---

[i] Federal Census, 1950, Ashland, KY, Greenup Ave. lodger

---

[i] KY, Boyd, 1900 Federal Census; sheet 17

[ii] WV, Logan M spells Lula maiden name as  Plumley

[iii] 1930 Federal Census, Boyd County, KY house 104-115

[iv] KY, Boyd dbk 132 p 217

[v] Oh Law M, fhl film 001574156

[vi] KY Boyd 1942 Draft Registration

[vii] KY Boyd dbk 171 p 21

[viii] James Oscar McCormack b 1883 died 1950 in Boyd Co s/o John Samuel and Sarah Burke McCormack. Is buried in Ross Cemetery on Jacks Fork, Boyd Co., KY

[ix] At this writing is a small sliver of land adjoining compilers known as “Company Land” Eastern KY Development is owned by EB Lowman at this writing.

[x] Ky Boyd dbk 171 p 21

[xi] KY D cert 16155 1945

[xii] Jasper Sexton lived until 1967 and is buried in Klaiber Cemetery

Jackie Ray McCormick: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

 

As I have said before we have several tiny angels at Klaiber Cemetery.  The grief and loss for a mother must be heart wrenching.   Jackie Ray McCormick was stillborn 11 March 1939 at Kings Daughters Hospital in Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky[i].  Mother, Marie Griffith McCormick was in labor for two days and only eighteen years old. 

After the loss of Jackie, Hager and Marie were living on Pigeon Roost in Boyd County, with Marie’s parents Orville and Ella Griffith.  Both Orville Griffith and Hager McCormick were working on the roads with the WPA (Work Progress Administration).

Hager and Marie eventually moved to Ohio where both worked for Columbus Plastic Products Company.  The company was located on Mound Street in Columbus. One of their well - known products was a red retractable clothes line.  Hager and Marie both lived into their seventies  and are buried in Gallia County, Ohio.

Jackie Ray’s death certificate has several anomalies.   The death certificate says Jackie was female.  When Marie died 1 November 1998, the obituary states she was preceded in death by two infant sons. My father-in-law was married the same year, was caregiver of the cemetery for many years, and told me that Jackie was a baby boy.  Lazear Funeral Home in Ashland were the undertakers and when it was filed spelled the Cemetery name as “Clabber Cemetery.”

---

[i] KY D cert 5816