Marcus “Mark” Sexton: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

Marcus Sexton was born 2 January 1812, in Virginia to Elisha and Tabitha “Bitha” Sexton.  His parents were members of Stoney Creek Church, in Russell County, Virginia when Marcus was born.

Marcus along with his wife Catherine came thru Pound Gap into Kentucky before 1836.  They lived a few years in Perry and Letcher County, Kentucky before migrating northward to Carter County, Kentucky. 

Marcus is highlighted in a book I wrote several years ago Catherine Heart and Soul.    The 1865 Internal Revenue Records give his occupation as “stallion keeper.[i]”   He was involved in several court cases including one concerning a black horse.  Marcus and Catherine lived on Pigeon Roost, Boyd County, Kentucky and later moved to Lawrence County, Kentucky, on Bell’s Fork, where he died 22 October 1877.  He was buried on Bell’s Fork.

Catherine came back to Boyd County and by the time she died in June 1893 was living on Long Branch of Garner with her son Henry Powell Sexton and family.  In November 1893 the Big Sandy News reported: “Powell Sexton of Garner passed thru Bolts Fork yesterday with the remains of his father who died 16 years ago and had been exhumed and buried in the family graveyard beside his wife who died a short time ago.”[ii]

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[i] Internal Revenue Service Record Group 58. Roll 21, Oct 1865

[ii] Big Sandy News 10 Nov 1893

Jasper Newton Sexton & Miriam Lambert Sexton: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

Jasper Newton Sexton was born 15 January 1869 in Boyd County, Kentucky, the son of Henry Powell Sexton and wife Julina McCormack. 

Jasper married 20 January 1898 Miriam Roberts Lambert.  She was the daughter of James Calvin Lambert and wife Marietta Davis.  Their reception was a big event on Garner and Luella Banfield carefully entered it in her day book[i].  Daughter Willa said her mother described the day of the wedding with a carpet from the road all the way to the house and butter molds in the shape of something special.  The marriage is recorded in the East Fork Methodist church records.  The marriage took place at Miriam’s father, Cal’s house on Garner.  John Childers and Thursy Davis[ii] were witness.

Jasper was a farmer all his life.  He and Miriam had ten children.  Harold Lee (b.1912) , Hopie (born 1910) and Wirt (b. 1918) were born in what today is the Klaiber Hood Cabin on our farm[iii].    Their first son Everett born in 1905 was their first child, to die and be buried in the cemetery. Everett died 17 June 1905. He was followed by Jasper II born 24 February 1916, died the same day.  Jasper was buried in Sexton Cemetery on Pigeon Roost. The next year they had another stillborn girl they named Maymie Lynd Sexton. 

The family buried son Royal Norman on the 10^th of November 1921 He had gone to Sullivan County, Indiana to work in the coal mines and died from the falling of slate  in a mine accident.  He was brought back for burial in Klaiber Cemetery.

Miriam’s nickname was “Toad.” She died 17 March 1930, from pneumonia, and was laid to rest in Klaiber Cemetery.  Three months later the family buried Hopie who I wrote about in our last blog post. 

Jasper continued to live on Garner for the rest of his life.  He died 10 November 1967. His funeral service was held at East Fork United Methodist Church. 

I love the inscription on their stone “We shall never grow old or be separated Again.”

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[i] Luella Banfield’s Day book is housed in the genealogy room of the Boyd County Public Library

[ii] KY Boyd mbk 16a p 47

[iii] Sexton Willa B telephone interview September 1997

Sophia Mae “Hopie” Sexton: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

Sophia Mae “Hopie” Sexton was born 9 March 1910 in Boyd County, Kentucky. She was the daughter of Jasper Newton Sexton and Mariam Roberts Lambert Sexton.  Whenever family remembers and talks about her she is simply “Hopie.”  Her father’s nickname was “Hop.”

Hopie went to Portsmouth, Ohio and was working as “forelady” for a steam laundry company when she was eighteen.  When she and her friends went to the river to swim and cool off. Tragedy struck.   Hopie drowned in the Ohio River on June 30, 1930, when she was twenty.  

The Portsmouth Daily Times told the sad story. “…Found near foot of Harmon Street where she met death Monday night -Companions rescued. Zelda Lowder of Bluefield and Everett Harlowe 12 have close call.  Strangled by waves from a ferry and a barge ...Miss Hopie Sexton 20, of 2334 Jackson Street, was drowned in the Ohio river...occurred about 300 yards west of the upper ferry landing...body was recovered...by city firemen. … about 20 minutes after the victim disappeared the rescue squad of the city fire department hooked the body and lost it as it neared the surface. The body was later recovered near the same spot which is close to the place where she went down...Miss Sexton is the fourth drowning victim here this month...Zelda Lowder and Everett Harlowe were saved by the girl’s father C. L. Lowder. John Wall 17...Clarence Johnson 19...Nobel Sadler 21 ...Charles Lemon 35 of 2334 Jackson Street cousin of the drowned woman....others....were bathing  in the river near the scene when the drowning occurred and went to the rescue...Miss Sexton came here from Cannonsburg, Kentucky south of Ashland, Kentucky about two years ago. She was employed in the American Steam Laundry. For the past two months she had been living with her cousin Mrs. Charles Lemon[i]. Previous to that time she resided on Glover Street.  She is survived by her parents Mr. and Mrs. Jasper Sexton, three brother, Edgar, Harold and Mert[ii] and one sister Billie[iii] all of Cannonsburg …”

Hopie Mae’s death certificate[iv] simply states “Accidental drowning” “Drowns while in River.”   Her brother Thomas Edgar Sexton was the informant for the death certificate.  Thomas became a pastor for the Church of God in Boyd County, Kentucky.

The Ashland Daily Independent was either given incorrect information or confused the death.  On July 2 the paper stated that Hopie Mae Sexton had died at her home after an illness of several days.  If this were the only article, researchers would incorrectly think Sophia “Hopie”  Mae Sexton died in Kentucky, which would be an error. The family brought Hopie back to Boyd County, to be buried in Klaiber Cemetery on 3 July 1930. 

 

 

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[i] Mrs. Charles Lemon maiden name Bertha French was a 2st cousin once removed through her mother’s family.

[ii] Mert is an error – the brother ‘s name is Wirt Elam Sexton

[iii] Billie in the article is Willa Bertran Sexton. Her nickname was Bill.

[iv] OH Vital, Scioto 38680