Eastern Kentucky Genealogy

The Modern Genealogist

2012-01-11T19:51:00.004-05:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

January 2012

Genealogy home offices are evolving with modern technology. It's 2012 and microfiche and film readers are being relegated to attics and junk piles. With the National Archives skipping microfilm and releasing the 1940 Federal Census as digital scans and replacing older model copiers with new high tech copier/scanners the end of these clunky machines is near at hand. My own microfiche machine has become a convenient place for post-a-notes.

The most astonishing modern technology notion has given me more than pause. A recent news release announced that schools are slowly removing cursive from grade school curriculum's . Why? Because of the use of keyboards. Students identify with print on those tiny little keys. During a family discussion this past month my 12 year old granddaughter proudly reported she is proficient in cursive. Thank goodness! When I asked how my family thought future generations would decipher documents, if not taught cursive, it was suggested that students would choose it as either an elective or a specialty course. After all we genealogists already have lectures and even Kip Sperry's wonderful book Reading Early American Handwriting when deciphering hand written documents. And if the truth be told my handwriting is not what it used to be. I refuse to blame it on age but will contribute it to the fact that 99% of my communication is with a keyboard.

Reflecting back, I remember feeling very modern when using my first microfilm reader. It was certainly exciting and very modern when the Commodore 64 was installed in the office. Then I danced a jig as the large clunky monitor was replaced with a sleek flat screen. I loved getting that little extra bit of space on my desk.

My office library is still intact with rows of beautiful bound books. I confess I have turned to the ereader for novels and general reading and freed up much needed space on the shelves for more genealogy hardbound copies that I would not part with. I am thrilled with all the wonderful genealogies that have now been digitized so that I don't have to find that one special copy at a library hundred's of miles away. We can have it both ways.

The microfiche machine is leaving the premises. Ah, much needed space on the desk for new gadgets! But, but, but, I am having trouble letting go of my microfilm reader because filmed court recorded in my office have not been scanned to date.

All this makes me wonder if my grandchildren know what carbon paper and memeograph machines are/were? Does it matter when modern translates to improved and knowledge at our fingertips? As fast as technology is evolving, what tools will the modern genealogist include five or ten years from now? You are never to old to be modern. You just have to be quick enough to keep up with what is new. Blink these days and you will miss it.

I will close my January 2012 modern rambling thoughts because of the need to send another document to the "cloud." Maybe I will red flag this to reread in 2024 and get a giggle from what I thought was so modern today.

The Williams House, Catlettsburg, Kentucky

2011-09-27T17:40:00.001-04:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

September 2011

Much has been written about Mordecai Williams of Catlettsburg, Kentucky. Williams was born 20 December 1835 in Greenup [now Boyd] County, Kentucky, the son of Marcus Lindsey and Elizabeth Williams. A lengthy biography can be read in History of Kentucky and Kentuckians by E. Polk Johnson [1912], Volume III pp 1206-8. The biography has been copied at several url's. The original volume contains the following photograph:

Portrait from History of Kentucky & Kentuckians, Vol. III

His biography mentions a "narrow escape from losing his life." The biography tells of two burglars who entered his home, shooting him twice and escaping. They were later captured and sent the penitentiary.

Articles of the incident appeared across the country in September 1903. Most say there was only one burglar. The Emporia Gazette in Kansas ran an article "Kentuckians Hot After a Man who Shot Up a colonel Contrary to Law." The Atlanta, Georgia paper headline read: "Shot Down By A Burglar. Kentucky Colonel Is Desperately Wounded by Night Prowler. But the most descriptive and closest article I found to home was in the Portsmouth Times several days after the incident on September 12th.

"USED SABRE - Honorable Mordecai Williams Chases a Bold Burglar - And is Shot Down by the Thief - Ashland Man in a Thrilling Midnight Encounter.
Mordecai Williams, one of the most prominent citizens of Eastern Kentucky, was shot through the chest by a burglar at his home in Normal, just north of Catlettsburg, Monday night. Mr. Williams was defending himself with an old sword, valued as a relic, when the burglar fired the shot.

Mr. Williams was awakened by his wife, who heard the burglar in the room. He saw the intruder, and as there was no other weapon in the room he secured the sword and struck the intruder with it. the burglar then fired, the bullet striking Mr. Williams near the heart and passing entirely through his body.

After he was shot, Mr. Williams did not fall but continued his pursuit of the burglar, wielding the old sword, and the latter was finally forced to jump from a second story window, without securing any booty. A search was made for him after the alarm was given but he had disappeared.

Although the bullet passed entirely through Mr. Williams' body, coming out near the spine, no vital organs were hit and he may recover.

Mordecai Williams is one of the most prominent and best known citizens of Northeastern Kentucky."

For the record Mordecai Williams did survive and lived twenty more years. He died 17 May 1923 and is buried in what today is Williams Section of Golden Oaks in Boyd County, Kentucky. It was known as Williams Cemetery and was up the hill behind the home referenced in the attack.

His wife at the time of the attack was Penelope, "Neppie" the daughter of John P. Savage and Margaret Frizzell. The Williams married 25 August 1875 after they were both widowed. Neppie died 23 January 1920 and is also in Williams Section of Golden Oaks.

I chuckled a bit at a mis-spelling in the Atlanta paper. That article stated that Sheriff John "Henne", with a posse was hunting a burglar. It did go on to say that Sheriff "Henne" was the son-in-law of Colonel Williams. "Henne" is John Fisher Haney who married Ann Dickinson Williams. The Haney family lived right next door to the Williams family.

The marriage of Haney to the colonel's daughter caused commotion. The news reached Ironton and was posted in the paper there. Haney was born February 1870 in Ohio.

"Ironton Weekly Register, August 26, 1893
Runaway Marriage. - An event occurred yesterday in Catlettsburg that has created considerable stir in social circles, being no less than the marriage of Miss Anna D. Williams to John Haney, of Normal. It is said that the young couple have been attached to each other for some time, but their marriage was opposed by the grandmother of the bride. The father accompanied them yesterday and the marriage was solemnized at Catlettsburg, by Rev. Mr. Carnahan. Mr. and Mrs. Haney left for Chicago after the ceremony and are now enjoying the sights at the World's Fair. - Ashland Signal"

Annie Williams Haney died in October 1901 of typhoid fever. on 14 January 1904 John Fisher Haney married Gertrude Minor.

The Williams home was full of laughter in June 1903 when the Haney's daughter Anna Williams Haney celebrated her 9th birthday at her grandparents. It was such a big social event that the Catlettsburg Daily Press made note calling Mordecai's home simply the "Williams House."

Even as late as the 1990's when I first learned of the Klaiber connection to the home it was simply referred to as the "Williams House."

Three years before Mordecai's death, John Fisher Haney's father Joseph, who had been living with the Haney family at Normal, died in Boyd County. John Fisher Haney died in August 1925 and was buried in Woodland Cemetery, Ironton, Lawrence County, Ohio.

During the early 1930's as people struggled with the Depression the James Matthew Klaiber family rented their own farm out on Big Garner and moved into the Williams home, renting from Gertrude Minor Haney.

The Klaiber family could make more money with this move during hard times. James Matthew Klaiber plowed all the ground that now consists of Golden Oaks. Son John Henry Klaiber drove a truck for the local feed company and helped his father farm. In February 1931 they got a Federal Crop Mortgage for "all crops...now planted and growing...Boyd County...the farm of Mrs. John Haney located on the east end of Ashland near Catlettsburg...bounded on the north by school property...175 acres." The Mortgage was filed by John Henry's sister Martha who worked as clerk at the Boyd County Courthouse in Catlettsburg. The Klaiber family were able to return to their own farm by 1935.

John Fisher Haney's widow, Gertrude continued to live until 21 March 1970. She also is resting in Woodland Cemetery, Ironton, Lawrence County, Ohio.

The William's House was still standing in October 1974 when Evelyn Jackson wrote an article in the Press Observer [vol. 1 #35, 31 Oct.] on the Williams genealogy. Today nothing of the home stands except a set of cement steps going up the side of the hill.

Eastern Kentucky Black Research After the Civil War

2011-09-12T17:56:00.001-04:00

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

September 2011

[This article reflects word usage of period]

The Civil War was over. The ratification of the 13th Amendment freed slaves in 1865. Kentucky counties were already trying to determine how to handle taxation lists. In 1865 Boyd County appended a list of eighteen free Negroes over age 16 but did not tax them in the handwritten tax book.

Trying to integrate these families into the general economy and day to day life in Eastern Kentucky was problematic. By 1866 counties were trying to abide by all new legislation and rulings. The Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1866 stated Boyd County reported 118 which does not match the local tax book.

Obviously there was some confusion in taking tallies and who was to be counted. This in large was because, without occupation, many of these newly free individuals were moving around trying to find a way to support their families.

The counties reported a tax of Negroes that varied. Most taxed $2.00 per Negro. Greenup County reported taxing 143 Negros over 18. Greenup also charged them tax on their property.

Legal marriages were recognized in 1866 by the state of Kentucky. But they were recorded by counties in separate books. Many of the books for various counties have not survived. The book for Boyd County, Kentucky has survived and is labeled “Register 1-1-A, Colored Marriages.” Thus if you are researching your black heritage these marriages, as of this writing are not in the Marriage database at either FamilySearch or the Boyd County Public Library online site. The marriages have been extracted in Boyd County, Kentucky, Monographs I.

By 1867 separate tax pages of “Free Negros” in Boyd County show the individuals being taxed for the same items of all individuals residing within the county. A list of those persons being taxed in Boyd County can be found in Boyd County, Kentucky, Monographs I, by this writer, along with other information on slavery and the Black population of the county.

Neighboring Greenup County had problems with taxation submitted to the Auditor of State in 1867. In March Kentucky passed an act to benefit "Negroes and mulattoes." The taxes collected were to be set apart as a separate fund for the education of their children and paupers. According to records, the sheriff, Joseph Pollock and Constable W. F. Harding and others had failed ot turn over the money to an appointed receiver, there being no county treasurer at the time. The case went to Appeals Court and the judgment was affirmed. The case appears in Kentucky Opinions Containing the unreported Decisions of the Court of Appeals, compiled by J. Morgan Chill, Volume 5, published by Bobbs Merrill Co., Indianapolis.

This writer wonders if this was Greenup's way of protesting the Freedmen's Bureau and the funds utilized to school the children? You can read more about the Freedmen's Bureau in A History of Blacks In Kentucky: From Slavery to Segregation, 1760-1891 by Marion B. Lucas.

Two Kentucky marriages appear in the Freedmen's Records, one for Montgomery County and another for Hickman County in 1867. None are listed for Eastern Kentucky.

In 1867 The Revised Statues of Kentucky stated that all freemen of the commonwealth excluding “negroes, mulattoes and Indians” would be armed and disciplined for defense. This also meant they were excluded from the state militia. In elections for representatives every male citizen with exception of “negroes, mulattoes and Indians” having reached 21 year of age and resided in the state two years could vote. The forty-second chapter also stated that any free white person who played a game of cards or with dice or any game whatever involving money or a thing of value was disqualified from holding any office or serving on jury.

The Freedmen’s Bureau office in Louisville Confidential lists for identification of claimants shows at least one soldier from our area. So while they could not defend Kentucky in 1867 several served during the Civil War from Kentucky. Jackson Scott served in Company H of the 100^th Regt. Of the United States Colored Troops. He states that he was born in Carter County, Kentucky and enlisted the 16^th day of May 1864 at Greenupsburg, Kentucky. He enlisted for 3 years. He was described as 21 years old and 5 feet, 9 ½ inches tall. Black hair, black eyes, black complexion. His occupation was farmer. He was discharged 26 December 1865 at Nashville. He stated that Alfred Gill and Jerry Lee enlisted about the same time he did. At the time of his enlistment he was the slave of Stewart Scott of Floyd County, Kentucky. The U. S. Freedmen Bureau Records of Field Offices 1865-1878 are available at Ancestry.com. There are 1032 images of the Confidential lists of 1872-3. Beginning at image 97 you will find form 24 for the surname beginning with Ahl and continuing thru the alphabet by browsing.

While these people fought for freedom, in those early years, for many years it was selective freedom. Black’s would not be able to testify against white citizens until 1871 in Kentucky nor could they serve on a jury until 1882 in our state. Thus if you are researching your Black heritage in Eastern Kentucky you will only find them in circuit court records if they are accused of a crime prior to 1871. Utilizing and understanding the history and laws of Kentucky will also help you on your exploration and research.

You can find another article African American Research in North Eastern Kentucky written by this author 15 March 2010 at this blog. Boyd County, Kentucky Monographs 1 includes several articles by this author on Black research in Boyd County. Information for purchase of the cd can be found at FLI Publications.

Neal Valley Grange

2011-09-07T23:51:00.000-04:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

September 2011

On a hot muggy day the last shred of dirt and trash was shoveled from the old smoke house on the Sexton, Klaiber property, Garner, Boyd County, Kentucky. The smoke house had yielded tons of papers, cards and documents, full of silverfish it was still a joy of discovery for this genealogist. As we literally scraped dirt from the floor a corner of a paper caught my friend’s eye. Everything stopped as I gently brushed away the dirt and carefully lifted the delicate paper. With this final act the smokehouse gave up its biggest, oldest, most precious document.

“Resolution in favor of Brother Mark Sexton. Diseased. November 16^th 1877. At a meting of the Neal Valey Grange No. 1340 it was resolved whereas it has pleased the all wise Creator to call one of our beloved brothers Mark Sexton from time to eternity on the 21^st day of October 1877. Resolved that Neal Valey Grange has lost a worthy member of our order and who was devoted to the cause the seat that he once occupied and our hall is now vacant. His wife has lost a devoted husband and his children a pious and affectionate Father. Resolved that while we bow to the will of our divine Father we deply regret the loss of our brother Mark Sexton and hereby simpathise with the bereft widow and children. Let us console ourselves that when we will mete Brother Mark Sexton where all will be joy and separation will be no more. Resolved that the members of Neal Valey Grange – No 1340 weare the badge of mourning for thirty days. Resolved that we tender one coppy of the above resolutions to the widow and children and one to be reserved and kept by the Grange. R. F. Rice, Wm. R. Webb, J. W. Shortridge.” [All spelling and punctuation as created in original handwritten resolution.]

Mark Sexton is buried on the farm overlooking the smokehouse. Actually he was re-buried in Klaiber Cemetery after his remains were removed from Bell’s Trace, Lawrence County 16 years after his death.

“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.” [Big Sandy News, Nov 10, 1893]

Now I was holding a handwritten memorial to this gentleman. The fact that there was a Grange in our area sent me on a quest. Where was Neal Valley Lodge #1340 located? While Granges are still extremely active and part of the heartbeat of Ohio the history of Kentucky Granges is limited and slowly being lost.

I started with a simple search for Neal Valley. There is no Neal Valley in Boyd County, Carter and Lawrence County. All three counties were counties that Mark Sexton had resided in and paid taxes in during his life time. There is a Neal Valley mentioned in Selections from Morgan County History, Volume 1 [page 309]. Located at West Liberty, 300 acres were purchased in 1840 by Peter Kelly Neal [1804-1869] for 75 cents an acre. Neal had migrated from Scott County, Virginia accompanied by two sons Bill and Harrison Neal. Mark Sexton lived with his father Elisha Sexton in Scott County, Virginia in the early 1800’s. But there is no indication that Sexton resided in Morgan County. And to date this writer has not found anything written about a Neal Valley Grange in or near West Liberty and Neal Valley.

The next step was to contact the National Grange. They have no record of a Neal Valley Grange No. #1340. The National Grange was founded in 1867 to help rehabilitate the Civil War divided rural farm areas. Histories of the Grange state that by 1874 there were 6000 Granges. The Granges had been active for ten years when Sexton died. The first Kentucky Grange was in Todd County in 1871. The organization formed a corporation in 1875 with a bill passing the Kentucky Senate [Journal of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, 1875, General Assembly, page 807].

Known as the Patrons of Husbandry and commonly called the Grange their objectives included maintaining laws, reducing farm expenses and fighting against the credit system. According to Greg McKee, North Dakota State University, in his recently published Early Cooperatives the Granges even had stores to serve their members where they sold groceries, clothing , farm equipment and supplies. Members consisted of male and female, husband and wives. All members of the Grange had to be interested in husbandry.

Was a Grange active in the Boyd County area or did Sexton belong elsewhere? A diary entry by William Lewis Geiger states a Grange met at Cannonsburg in February 1875. No name of the Grange was cited. The Grange closed in Boyd County 15 October 1884 when the Kentucky Democrat printed

“Bolt’s Fork Oct. 9….Grange met last Saturday…We are informed that the Grange met at the Hazlett school house, last Saturday and distributed their little trinkets among the few members and finally closed up their business for good.”

Bolt’s Fork is on the Boyd/Lawrence County line.

The signers of the resolution include John W. Shortridge, a farmer residing in Lawrence County, Kentucky in 1880. William R. Webb also resided in Lawrence County, a farmer, about 62 years old when he signed the resolution. R. F. Rice is probably Robert French Rice born on Garner then Carter County in 1840 [later Boyd County] and died 30 April 1919 in Lawrence County. He served in Company K of the 40^th during the Civil War. His obituary appeared in the Big Sandy News 30 April 1919.

The Kentucky Historical Society has a small fragile pamphlet in the Special Collections from the Minutes of the Kentucky State Grange, 1874 [G30 G757]. At least 21 counties are cited, mostly in central and western Kentucky. One statement did catch my eye: “…deputies assigned to form new Granges visited almost every county in the state…” The booklet states that the state organization has 60 subordinate Granges.

The State meeting was held at Louisville. The secretary of the National Grange, Oliver Hudson Kelley resided in Louisville, had been a clerk at the Bureau of Agriculture and was a founder of the National Grange. In 1875 he wrote Origin and Progress of the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry.

One of the resolutions put to vote during the state meeting in 1874 reads: “Resolution on horse thieves. Whereas in many places in the Commonwealth horse thieves have become troublesome and annoying to people…resolved Patrons of Husbandry that each subordinate Grange…appoint a committee of sufficient number to serve such times…to assist brother Granges…by pursuit or otherwise whose property has been stolen…” And another resolution allowed Subordinate Granges in any county to appoint a deputy who would be empowered to organize Granges within his own county and “also in counties where none exist…”

Did Neal Valley in Morgan County have a subordinate Grange that sent a deputy to Lawrence County and Boyd County? The pamphlet goes on to state that there were 212 delegates in attendance with all counties represented accept a few counties including the following in Eastern Kentucky: Boyd, Elliott, Floyd, Greenup, Johnson. The delegate from Lawrence County is listed as O. D. Botner. Oliver D. Botner was a farmer born in Virginia and resided in Louisa, Lawrence County. He served in Company G of the 14^th during the Civil War. He died 14 June 1913 [KY D. Cert #16394] and is buried in Pine Hill Cemetery at Louisa.

In 1879 The 2^nd Annual Report of the State Bureau of Agriculture, Horticulture and Statistics in Kentucky, reported that there were numerous county Granges with several hundred subordinate Granges and that a great many held monthly meetings in different counties reporting quarterly to the State Grange. The Journal of Proceedings of the National Grange of Patrons of Husbandry reported for Kentucky the same year that the subordinate Granges within the state were not reporting as they should have. And an interesting final comment for Kentucky was “…a fair proportion of the members of the subordinate Granges are ladies, those Granges are in the most flourishing condition.”

While researching any clues to Neal Valley Grange I did discover another Grange tie to Boyd County, Kentucky. On 8 July 1878 Thomas Clark Atkeson [some mis-spell it Atkinson] married Cordelia Meek the daughter of Zephania Meek [editor of the Central Methodist] at Catlettsburg, Boyd County, Kentucky [Boyd Marriage book 6A-230]. The newspaper reported the marriage in the 13 July edition “ married…at the residence of the bride’s father by Rev. JF Medley, T.C. Atkeson of Buffalo, WV to Cordelia Meek, oldest daughter of the editor of the Central Methodist. After marriage they resided at Buffalo, West Virginia. Two years later Thomas Clark Atkeson joined the Grange in West Virginia. For twenty-four years he was Master of the West Virginia State Grange and eight years was Overseer of National and eventually became a member of the Executive Committee. Atkeson wrote The Semi-Centennial History of the Patrons of Husbandry in 1916 and included biographical sketches. He wrote the following about his wife:

“Mrs. Atkeson has been a devoted wife and mother, and has been very largely responsible for her husband’s success by her helpful encouragement. She served one term as Ceres and two terms as Pomona in the National Grange, and has held the same offices in the State Grange….”

Cordelia was about 10 or 11 years old when her father Zephania Meek moved from Johnson County, Kentucky to Catlettsburg. Cordelia and Thomas Clark Atkeson are buried in Atkeson Cemetery, Putnam County, West Virginia. {For those interested Ceres is a degree in the Grange and named for the Goddess of Food Plants. Pomona is the fifth degree administered by the Grange.}

The University of Kentucky houses the Guide to Kentucky Patrons of Husbandry Records 1873-1939. It was very disappointing after reviewing the minutes and records that only a scant few Granges with emphasis on Christian County and Church Hill are in this collection. There was no mention of Eastern Kentucky Granges. Cornell University, Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections houses a Guide to the National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry Records 1842-1994. The summary states that it includes the personal papers of Oliver H. Kelley, founder and first National Secretary. But a review of the box descriptions shows no descriptive information for Kentucky Granges.

A list of National State and Local Commericial Organizations in 1903 does list a few Granges throughout Kentucky, none in Eastern Kentucky. The Grange number’s are three digit not the four listed for Neal Valley.

These tiny pieces of information do not answer all the questions. All involved with the resolution do have ties with Lawrence County and at least two, Sexton and Rice, have ties to Garner, now Boyd County. But it does not answer if Neal Valley was the Grange that closed at Hazlett School House. Hazlett School House was located just a few miles north of the Lawrence line and considered part of Bolt’s Fork.

This file has remained open on my office desk for many years now as I continue to find tid bits that add to the history of our area.

The Ebb & Flow of Genealogy

2011-07-29T05:59:00.000-04:00

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

July 2011

Over the years I have encountered enthusiastic people who are interested in a family tree but quickly fade away because they are not enthralled with the technical research that is required to properly document their line. On the other hand there are others who incorporate genealogical research into their life.

Avid hobbyists and seasoned professionals alike have a love of family and history. They love the quest for more knowledge and information and make it a lifelong adventure.

There has been an ebb and flow to my journey in the world of genealogy and historical research. Right now I am in one of those low tide moments where immediate family needs come first and genealogy endeavors come in little golden moments. This ebb and flow of my life, which has incorporated research in it for many years, gives me pause with my morning tea to think about the journey.

Each genealogist has a personal reason for what they do. No two people, like snowflakes, are alike. My journey began with a tattered bible and grandmother who encouraged my journey. It glowed intensely when I held my first born son and began to fill out his baby book. It started at the kitchen table with a small file folder and has grown into an office that when built has extra supports underneath to hold the file cabinets.

Family Lineage Investigations developed and over the years moved to three separate states. The moves were part of the flow of family life. Along the way clients and fellow genealogists became lifelong friends.

The first word in my business name says it all – Family. Over the years my children thought that vacation always included cemetery visits. They learned to be proud of country and heritage by tagging along. One son restored a cemetery as his Eagle Scout Project.

The years have included stints of speaking engagements, book projects, cemetery restorations, log house documentation, an antique shop and five years as genealogist for our county library. Each and every adventure in my journey has been an education.

There have been bumps along the way. Sometimes I have had to temporarily close the books for respite. One such ebb was major back surgery because I lifted a tombstone to see what it said on the other side. I smile warmly at a high tide moment. I remember slipping away from an OGS Conference and driving the many miles home to check on teenage sons and missing the surprise presentation of the McCafferty Award. I visualize them looking under tables for me having seen me only moments earlier.

I think the most amazing, wonderful thing about our research is that it only gets better. You can pause on your journey and come back and find that technology has opened new doors. Genealogists are preserving the memories while creating new ones. We researchers are caught in the ebb and flow of history of this thing we call life. Wikipedia says “there is no unequivocal definition of life.” I see it as the ebb and flow of each generation.

Image courtesy of: http://www.clker.com/clipart-44788.html

Fox News - Rabies in Eastern Kentucky

2011-07-15T15:57:00.002-04:00

FOX NEWS

Rabies in Eastern Kentucky

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

July 2011

When I was about 12 years old a beautiful red fox lingered near our house. I stood on the porch and watched for many minutes before calling my father. He quietly asked me to go get his gun. I knew something was seriously wrong when he said that. My father, you see, was a veterinarian and while an avid hunter for food, loved all creatures and would not harm one unless necessary.

After it was over he stated that he would send the head off to Frankfort. No other explanation was needed. I was well versed by that time about Rabies. The only way to test for Rabies was to send the complete head to the laboratory. I had seen it many times and knew the routine. And of course he was correct the animal was sick and was in early stage Rabies. I now know the many signs to look for in animals.

I was only about 3 years old when I saw my first rabid dog. The dog was in full blown distress with jaws locked pressed against the cage in our clinic. I was well protected and not allowed to cross the room, as my father gently gave me the first of many lessons in life about God’s creatures. I also remember my father going through a series of shots not once but several times so that he would not get “lock jaw” after being bitten by an animal he was trying to save.

Even before the state of Kentucky and Board of Health passed a bill in 1952 proposing all dogs be vaccinated my father was campaigning to inoculate all animals. In time the state organized clinics so that the shots were affordable for everyone with an animal. By the time I was a teenager I helped set up clinics from the back of the Martin Veterinary Clinic white pick up truck. We had a table, folding chairs, state forms, tags, pliers to attach said tags, and ink pens. We were in business. Many were set up in parking lots, or country fields. No matter where they were held people came with truck loads of animals to get their shots. If they did not have the required fee my father would reach in his pocket and slip me the money and say “fill out the form.” Many times I would hear “Doc, I am a little short, but I’ll pay you later.” Eastern Kentucky folk are good for their word, and they did. My father gave so many shots in a day that in his book Never a Ho Hum Day he says “By the days’ end, my fingers were sore from pushing the plunger of the syringe.”

By the late 1960’s Rabies was not the horrid experience and most people in the hills of Kentucky knew that they could protect their herds and animals with a simple vaccination. Those mass immunization programs helped decrease the instance of Rabies in Eastern Kentucky.

While I knew the effect on animals and the torture of those shots my father took, the full impact of what the disease did to humans had not emerged in my girlish head. As an adult the reality makes me cringe. I have researched death certificates in Eastern Kentucky and from time to time I will find one with the cause listed as “Rabies,” “bitten by rabid animal” or simply “lock jaw.” Every time I read one I see visions of that dog at the clinic. The vicious animal with no control, snarling, foaming at the mouth, eyes maddened and jaw uncontrolled beginning to freeze in place. This is a horrible, horrific way to die.

In Klaiber Cemetery, in a peaceful quiet corner, overlooking the most beautiful piece of God’s country I have ever seen are the graves of two brothers. Charles and Arthur Eugene Jones. They are the sons of John and Goldie Ellen Walker Jones. Their sister Lottie Marie Jones Lucas is one of the quietest and nicest ladies I have had the privilege to meet. She and her husband Norman have been faithful visitors to Klaiber Cemetery and their loved ones for many years. I remember the day Lottie stood by the brother’s grave marker and told me their story.

Charles, three years younger than Lottie, was born 16 June 1928 and died 11 January 1942. He was 14 ½ years old and attended Oakview Public School. His death certificate states that he died from “rabies due to dog bite about November 26, 1942.” Lottie said he was out hunting and a follow up notation on the death certificate confirms “dog bite while hunting rabbits.” Lottie says that the family knew he had been bitten but did not realize nor understand how serious this could be until it was too late. Her brother lingered through December into January and the doctor was not called until it was too late.

Their brother Arthur Eugene was born 14 December 1941, contracted measles and pneumonia and died in a matter of three days on 1 March 1944. Lottie’s voice was but a whisper as she finished her sad tale.

I have always thought, as every little girl, that my father was a hero. He was and I can’t help wonder how many lives did he save by getting a sore finger pushing that plunger?

Catlettsburg Pottery

2011-06-29T15:10:00.001-04:00

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

June 2011

About twelve years ago hubby and I attended an auction in Russell, Kentucky. The auction ran into the wee hours of the night but there were some exciting items that kept everyone alert. The item that brought the most attention and bids was a 5 gallon salt ware crock marked Catlettsburg, Kentucky. We have inherited a Cecil crock from Catlettsburg and also have a more widely known Hamilton & Jones crock from Greensboro, Pennsylvania. Since, at the time, we were living in the heart of pottery country in Muskingum County, Ohio, I made a mental note to someday research the early potteries of Catlettsburg, Boyd County, Kentucky.

The clay utilized for salt ware has a white grey appearance. The term salt ware is applied because salt would be tossed in the kiln at the highest temperature. As it vaporized it created a shiny glaze. Salt glazed ware began to replace wood vessels for food storage in the mid to late 1870’s. The pottery is also referred to simply as stoneware.

The compound cobalt can also withstand extreme temperatures produced in the kilns. The decorators would either free hand or stencil the name of the pottery or an advertizing firm’s name on the piece, using slip made with the cobalt, creating a beautiful blue that is prized by collectors. Since clay has variations because of locale and firing results each piece of crockery is unique. My love of all things with a history combined with my favorite color blue makes these beautiful historic pieces one of my favorites.

William Ely mentions potter’s clay along the banks of Big Sandy in his book The Big Sandy Valley. The United States Geological Survey Bulletin 1896-1905 talks about clay used principally in the manufacture of fire brick and locally suitable for pottery in Catlettsburg. It goes on to cite that the product was also obtained near Amanda Furnace in Greenup County and shipped to Cincinnati for the same purpose. The 1906 Kentucky Geological Survey says that clay rests on Ferriferous limestone and has been found in the cliff between Ashland and Catlettsburg. “The color of the clay varies from dark near the top to a light drab below.” The article goes on to state that “Forty feet below the clay opening, at the base of the cliff-forming sandstone, coal number four is now being mined and used at the pottery plant. … Underneath the coal is a deposit of fire clay three feet in thickness…”

Local newspapers are housed at the Boyd County Public Library, many of which have not been microfilmed. The first advertisement mentioning pottery at Catlettsburg indicates it is being shipped on the river to the wharf. The ad indicates that there must not be a producing pottery large enough to meet buyer demand locally and thus is being imported. The ad appeared in the Big Sandy Herald December 1869 and involves Colbert Cecil who will be cited later in this article.

The Catlettsburg Centennial 1949, page 14 states “James Le Grand McLean operated a pottery on what is now Oakland Avenue…produced jugs, churns, jars...the pottery was torn down in 1890. Work continued for the Weaver Pottery in the lower end of town in …1888…Above McLean Pottery and facing the railroad was John W. Dillon’s Machine Shop.” The article provides great clues for further research. Early Sanborn maps show that James L. McLean does have a lot next to Mrs. J. W. Dillon’s Pottery on Louisa Street which would later become Oakland Avenue. No kiln nor pottery is shown on McLean’s lot. But the Dillon property shows a substantial building with another building housing a kiln on Mrs. Dillon’s property which borders John W. Dillons Machine Shop. John L. Vance in his History of the Great Flood of 1884 made a list of “sufferers” from the Ashland Democrat. The list appears to have been compiled as they went from location to location and includes the following names in the order given: “…J. W. Dillon, A. Borders, A. P. Borders, Catlettsburg Pottery Company, Stein & Son…”

James McLean does not appear in the Federal Census in 1880 in Catlettsburg. The 1892 Wiggins Directory for Catlettsburg lists James L McLean at 320 Louisa Street and the Foundry of J. W. Dillon at 336 Louisa Street. By 1900 McLean gives his occupation as brewery man. James Le Grande McLean was born in 1851 in Ohio and died in 1907. He married Minnie F. Price 17 November 1886 in Boyd County, Kentucky.[i] He and his family are buried in Catlettsburg Cemetery. The lot that McLean lived on had been a small portion of property owned by Archibald Borders. It appears that McLean worked next door at the Dillon’s pottery operation.

I have not located any person listing their occupation as potter in the 1880 Federal Census. John Dillon lists his occupation in both the 1870 and 1880 Catlettsburg census as Machinist. Having reviewed records from the formation of the county in 1860 including IRS tax records of the early 1860’s I find no one paying tax on pottery manufacturing during the years leading up to the 1880’s. John W. Dillon married Julia Ann Borders, the daughter of Archibald Borders 19 April 1863. There is no indication that they had a large pottery until the 1880's. Thus it is this writer’s theory that the first significant pottery production in Catlettsburg did not commence until between 1880 and 1884.

The Dillon couple received property on Louisa Street from Archibald Borders[ii] the year after they married where they settled and John W. Dillon built his large machine shop and an excellent reputation.

The first advertisement for Catlettsburg Pottery Company that I have located from the scattered newspaper collection is from the 27 August 1884 Kentucky Democrat, the same year as the flood. The ad clearly states that in 1884 John Dillon, J. W. Dillon and Thomas L. Marr are partnering and manufacturing pottery as the Catlettsburg Pottery Company on Louisa Street.

Julia’s father and brother A. P. Borders shipped goods via steamer along the Sandy River. Their goods include crockery. Her husband, John W. Dillon, was the son of John Wesley Dillon [1801-1891] from Burlington, Lawrence County, Ohio. The elder John Dillon purchased a pottery from Joshua Hambleton[iii] in Burlington. Thus John W. Dillon was more than familiar with the working and running of a pottery business.

Captain Ellis Clarence Mace born 1862 near Burlington wrote an autobiography[iv] and mentions a boat the Sandy Fashion that blew up at the mouth of Sandy in 1879 and killed two people. “I was at this time working for the Burlington Pottery. John Dillon would give us boys seventy-five cents to take a skiff load of jugs down to Catlettsburg and ship on one of these boats. That day we had just delivered a consignment to the Sandy Fashion and we left for home at the same time she left for Pikeville. We were about half a mile above the point when she exploded her boiler. Joe Newberg and Alfonzo Osborn were killed. Osborn was pilot.” It is easy to see that the Dillon pottery on Louisa Street was an extension of John Dillon’s pottery across the river at Burlington, Ohio, and did not start firing until after 1880. Maybe the cost and hardship of skiffing the pottery from Burlington to Catlettsburg was the catalyst for encouraging the younger Dillon to open a pottery on Louisa Street where shipping was thriving.

The other partner involved, according to the ad, in the earliest Catlettsburg Pottery was Thomas L. Marr. Marr married Matilda Williamson, daughter of Benjamin and Easter Deskins Williamson in Lawrence County, Ohio. In 1880 he was working as a clerk on a wharf boat in Catlettsburg. He would be one of the first people to notice how productive pottery was as it was shipped in and out of Catlettsburg. The 1892 Wiggins Directory of Catlettsburg lists him as a bookkeeper living on Penola Avenue. In all probability his contribution to the pottery was keeping books. When Matilda died in Cabell County, West Virginia Thomas moved back to Catlettsburg living on Front Street in 1910. Thomas L. Marr died 30 December 1920. The couple is buried in Catlettsburg Cemetery.

A social news article appeared in April 1891 at Burlington stating that “John W. Dillon, of Catlettsburg, was in town a few days ago”[v]. John’s father, the elder John W. Dillon died in 1891. A newer and larger pottery was established in the north end of Catlettsburg in 1889. With the death of the elder Dillon, his own age and the growth of the newer pottery the demise of the Dillon works was eminent. The 1901 Sanborn map still shows the Dillon Pottery works but has added “not in operation.” John W. Dillon died 9 October 1902 and is buried in Catlettsburg Cemetery. Julia Ann Borders Dillon lived until 19 July 1909 and is buried beside her husband.

For Catlettsburg pottery lovers narrowing down exactly which pottery produced a pot marked “Catlettsburg Pottery Company” may be difficult. On 5 September 1889 D. D. Gieger and A. L. McDyer went to the courthouse and filed incorporation papers under the name of Catlettsburg Pottery Company. It is unclear at this point in my research if Dillon gave them permission to utilize the name or not. Did he sell his pottery wheels, molds and other equipment to the new pottery? What is clear is that Dillon was the first to use the company name.

Capital stock, at $100.00 per share, in the new Catlettsburg Pottery Company was held as follows: D. D. Geiger 2 shares; A. L. McDyer 30 shares; C. W. Berger 1 share; C. Cecil Jr. 1 share; John McDyer 4 shares. The purpose of the said incorporated company was the manufacturing and sale of stoneware, sewer pipe, tiling and paving bricks. The incorporation was stipulated to commence on the 16^th of September 1889 and continue in said manner for 25 years. I found no renewal which indicates the Corporation of Catlettsburg Pottery Company would be defunct by 1914.

Incorporated as such, the pottery ran under various name changes throughout it’s life. First called McDyer & Co. Pottery it was built on the Ashland and Catlettsburg Turnpike “one mile north of the courthouse.”[vi] It appears prior to the filing of Incorporation on the Sanborn Map in 1885. The detailed drawing shows a large furnace within the building that is brick lined. Extending back from the furnace is a large kiln. Notations state that there is no watchman, no hose, no lights, heat live steam and fuel wood.

John McDyer, son of John and Laverna Hutchinson McDyer, married Nellie Geiger in Boyd County 20 April 1881.[vii] Nellie was the daughter of D. D. Geiger and Anna Eliza Henderson. Prior to John’s marriage the 1880 census lists his occupation simply as merchant. The Ashland Independent 24 November 1881 writes “Rev. I. B. Hutchinson ceased cutting calico long enough the other day to join in matrimony Joshiah Bush of West Virginia to Miss Elizabeth Smith of Ohio, who were married among the bales, boxes and bundles of goods in John McDyer & Co.’s store in which the Reverend is chief clerk.”[viii] Among those boxes and bundles one can visualize a crock or two. But there is no mention of the word “pottery” when referencing the store.

John McDyer was one of the twelve jurors selected for the murder trial of William Neal in January 1882.[ix] In August 1887 William Geiger wrote in his diary that he voted for John McDyer for Legislature against Jim Hughes. By 1900 McDyer is listed as a surveyor. [x] He acted as the county engineer, was instrumental in forming the Catlettsburg Chamber of Commerce, and bid on a bridge over the Big Sandy River. When John McDyer died 13 December 1914 his death certificate lists him as a civil engineer.[xi] Well known and community active, sadly his wife, Nellie Geiger McDyer, who lived until 28 November 1940 died alone in the Masonic Home of Kentucky for Widows and Orphans in Jefferson County, Kentucky.[xii] Both John and Nellie are buried in Ashland Cemetery.

There is no mention in any materials reviewed for this article of John’s interest in the Catlettsburg Pottery other than his 4 shares in the corporation. The main shares of Catlettsburg Pottery Company were held by A. L. McDyer. As of this writing no information has been located for A. L. McDyer.

Shortly after the 1900 census the pottery name changed to the K. B. Cecil Pottery Company. The 1901 Sanborn map once again indicates that they have no watchman, no lights and no hoses. The map shows no expansion of the pottery nor the kiln. The grounds appear the same. Kinzie Berry Cecil was the son of Colbert Cecil Jr. and wife Arabella “Belle” Miller Cecil. Another son William Cecil is listed as a pottery manufacturer, living with his mother in 1900 making it highly probable that the brothers worked together utilizing their father’s share in the pottery.

Colbert Cecil Jr. along with John McDyer were among nine gentleman that formed the Catlettsburg Cemetery Association in 1882. Colbert Cecil Jr. was a wholesale dealer. Ads appear in early Catlettsburg newspapers as C. Cecil, Jr. selling stoves, grates, mantels, hollowware, glass and Queensware. An ad in the Kentucky Democrat 12 January 1887 states that he is also a manufacturer of tinware. The store was on Front Street in Catlettsburg. Potteries made good profit by taking orders for advertising. Cecil took advantage of this advertising opportunity.

Colbert Cecil Jr. died in 1896. It is conjecture that his sons would have received his share in the Catlettsburg Pottery Company Corporation. The information helps date the crock prior to 1896 in the picture above.

Kinsey Berry Cecil was only 24 years old when the pottery was named the K. B. Cecil Pottery Company. With great flair the Catlettsburg Pottery Company with K. B. Cecil as owner was published in the Annuaire De La Verrerie Et De La Ceramique in 1906. Yet after only five years the K. B. Cecil Pottery Company had changed hands in 1905 before the publication reached readers. By 1910 Kinsey/Kinzie Berry Cecil along with a brother named Colbert Cecil III were involved in banking. Brother William had become proprietor of a hotel on Penola Street. Kinsey Berry Cecil was a cashier at the Catlettsburg National Bank while Colbert was employed as a bookkeeper in the same bank. In April 1916 Colbert Cecil Jr. was convicted of “misapplication” of funds while working at the Catlettsburg National Bank. He received a five year sentence.[xiii] By 1920 Colbert was back in Catlettsburg residing with his mother on Louisa Street with no occupation. Divorced and still listed with no occupation Colbert Cecil III died 17 February 1953 in The C&O hospital at Huntington, West Virginia.[xiv] Kinzie Berry Cecil’s life was a success story. He had moved to Philadelphia by 1920 and unlike his wayward brother became a bank examiner for the United States Treasury.[xv] Kinzie died in 1954 and is buried in Catlettsburg Cemetery William also died in 1954 and is buried along with his brothers and parents.

The pottery became Weaver Pottery in 1905. The Brick and Clay Record reported that the Weaver Pottery Co., of Catlettsburg, Kentucky was considering the advisability of increasing the capacity of its pottery in March 1905. The Sanborn map for 1907 shows that the kiln had been damaged by fire and the word “dilapidated” is written across the plat showing the grind room and brick lined furnace. But the pottery was updated as shown on the 1912 Sanborn map. They still had no lights and no fire apparatus but were using steam coal and gas for fuel. The 1906 Kentucky Geological Survey describes the plant as “near Cliffside Park, between Ashland and Catlettsburg…in the manufacture of jugs, churns and similar wares…The plant has one round, down-draft kiln of 4,500 gallons capacity. It requires sixty hours to burn the ware. Coal is used as the fuel.”

John Weaver was a potter operating in Fayette Township, Lawrence County, Ohio in 1880. It is unclear if he owns his own pottery in the Burlington area or if he was possibly connected with John Dillon. What is clear is that he migrated from Roseville, Muskingum County, Ohio, the heart of all things pottery to Lawrence County, Ohio shortly after the birth of his son Earl Morton Weaver in July 1877. John L. Weaver married Martha J. Thomas in 1866 in Perry County, Ohio.[xvi]

By 1910 Earl Weaver is listed as the owner of a pottery in Catlettsburg, Kentucky. Earl married Mayme B. Williams 14 January 1906 in Boyd County, Kentucky.[xvii] When Earl died in January 1934 an obituary states that his father was the founder of the Weaver Pottery Company of Catlettsburg.[xviii] Under the guidance of Earl Weaver and the knowledge of the Weaver Potteries the business flourished until 1922. In 1921 The Chilton Hotel Supply Index listed Weaver as one of their suppliers along with Weller Pottery in Zanesville, Ohio. Then in 1922 Albert Foster Crider wrote “…pottery plant located near Cliffside Park between Ashland and Catlettsburg…which was still in operation in 1912, but is no longer. It made stoneware jugs, etc. At the present day there are few potteries in operation within the state…” [xix] By 1924 Earl is listed as an employee of the Ashland Fire Brick Company. Earl Weaver died in Boyd County 1 January 1934[xx] His simple will was written in April 1926 leaving all real and personal estate to wife Mayme.[xxi] Both are buried in the Williams section of Golden Oaks Cemetery.

While the fire in the kiln went out a legacy of wonderful salt glazed pottery still tantalizes collectors of stoneware and local history buffs, leaving tangible evidence of the craftsmanship and ingenuity of our ancestors.

[i] Boyd County, Kentucky Marriage Book 9A page 175

[ii] Boyd County Deed book 2 page 4

[iii] Ironton Register, Thursday, Aug 29, 1895

[iv] http://incolor.inetnebr.com/raydar/notiongoing/dox/ellis1big.htm

[v] Ironton Register, April 16, 1891

[vi] Sanborn Map, Catlettsburg, KY 1907

[vii] Boyd County, Kentucky Marriage Book 7A page 57

[viii] Jackson, Evelyn, Bygone Bylines, page 42

[ix] Daily Evening Bulletin, 17 Jan 1882

[x] Ker, Charles, History of Kentucky, Volume #4

[xi] Kentucky Vital Statistics, Boyd County Death Certificate 1914-30764

[xii] Kentucky Vital Statistics, Jefferson County Death Certificate 1940-26439

[xiii] Hartford News, Hartford, Kentucky 12 April 1916

[xiv] West Virginia Vital Certificate, Cabell County #1255

[xv] Census, 1920, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 24-WD Series T625, roll 1627 page 71

[xvi] Perry County, Ohio Male Index to Marriage Records 1818-1914, Marriage book 4 page 434

[xvii] Boyd County, Kentucky Marriage Book 24A page 83A

[xviii] Portsmouth Times, 3 Jan. 1934

[xix] Clays of Kentucky, Series 6, Volume 8 Kentucky Geological Survey, 1922

[xx] Kentucky Vital Record, Death Certificate Boyd 1934 - 168

[xxi] Boyd County Will Book 4 page 276

This Is The Face of Genealogy

2011-06-05T16:51:00.001-04:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

June 2011

An insulting, degrading picture was recently attached to announce an upcoming genealogy event in California by LA Weekly. All genealogists are asking what was the author thinking? Can she possibly be such a horrible person? Where were the editors of LA Weekly to allow such a degrading, insulting photograph to make it into publication?

The paper was obviously swamped with complaints and by 4:00 this afternoon the picture has been removed from the article. Thank goodness. But it has still left me seething!

Usually I don't utilize the Eastern Kentucky Genealogy Blog for this sort of thing. But not only was this hurtful to the California genealogy group sponsoring an educational seminar, and an attack on the science of genealogy, it also offended my beloved Appalachia.

My only comment is to say to the author and the world that the photograph in my blog represents the true nature of genealogy.

This Is The Face of Genealogy

My beloved grandmother Katherine Marie Halderman Feyler 1892-1980

So I now wonder, in the year 2011 how many people in the world still visualize the pioneers of my beloved area in derogatory terms. In a climate where we all fight against racism and want equality, what do the jokes of southern and Appalachian culture actually do? Raised here I have laughed at "red neck" jokes. Laughed when people ask why my farm is called Deliverance Farm but quickly set them straight! For the record: de.liv.er.ance: the act of delivering ...set free...liberation. Coming back home to Eastern Kentucky was a breath of fresh air.

Why would anyone think our pioneer ancestors, good or bad were not the foundation on which our own lives are based? Tonight I think I will bow my head and pray for the person who has created an international genealogical uproar!

My best to the Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree June 10-12 2011.

Saving Voices Part 5

2011-06-03T15:25:00.001-04:00

transcribed by Teresa Martin Klaiber

June 2011

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: John tell Terri about your first plane ride and what you threw out at everybody.

John Henry Klaiber: I didn’t throw nothing out. Pauline Riddle wanted me to throw out a piece of paper and I told her she couldn’t use it again. They had a plane down there at the river bank one Sunday. I don’t know, I was loafing around. There was Pauline and her boyfriend. They was taking them up as couples, see. Heck I was a single. There was some other girl there and they put us together. Pauline said you get up there and throw me out a piece of paper. I said you can’t use it. Come back and she said …I was ahead of them, said “who was that woman you were with.” I said “I don’t know.” “What was you doing taking a plane ride with her.” I said “That is what the man said to do” taking two at a time. I said “We were both by ourselves.” I don’t even remember what she said her name was now. It didn’t make no difference to me. I never went around with the same one all the time. … Why no … trade automobiles and I would pick up some lady and take them a ride. Well I knew all the ladies around and if they wanted a ride I would take them. [Ashland Airport was on the banks of the Ohio near Mansbach Scrap Yard is 2011].

Teresa Martin Klaiber: What kind of car did you have?

John Henry Klaiber: I had a Ford and I had a 35 Chevrolet.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: Did they have running boards?

John Henry Klaiber: The other did. The 35 didn’t. The Ford did. It was a 31.
Teresa Martin Klaiber: You were telling awhile ago when you took the pigs to Ironton, would you spend the night?

John Henry Klaiber: Spend the night. … We usually stayed at some of the relatives. Put the horses in the livery stable. See right over from the courthouse used to be a livery stables. Ketch [?] Campbell run it. He was the Mayor and a pretty good veterinarian. Everybody put the horses in the livery stable … took them in and fed them. I think he charged ten cents for putting them in the stall … maybe a quarter if you gave them feed. Dad always put his horses in the livery stable and went down to Land’s and stayed all night. [Johnson Landon Klaiber ½ brother of John Henry Klaiber.] Landon never bothered to take them down there, he had a pair of mules then. He had his powder houses, where you put your powder in it to dry it over on 60. Then there was two out there …[interruption].

[1938 Feb 7 Klaiber Explosives Co...Gussie Klaiber, Drusie Weddington, J. L. Klaiber city of Ashland nature is buying and selling of wholesale and retail dynamites, powder, gelatin and other high explosives of all kinds and makes including blasting supplies used in connection with said explosives and with hauling and transporting of said explosives -likewise the preparation of explosives for purpose of shooting and exploding same in gas and oil wells, mines and other places --Boyd County Incorporation book 7 page 271]

John Henry Klaiber: See you usually took the feed with them to feed your horses. Feed them on the back of the tail gate in the wagon bed, you see. We would deliver most of the stuff out at Cannonsburg. That was the end of the pavement. 60 was paved out to Cannonsburg. But the first pavement I ever remember was from Cannonsburg to Catlettsburg. The old Cemetery Road. That was the first pavement I remember all the way out in there. I think it was paved before 60 was.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: Did Ironton have a stock yard?

John Henry Klaiber: No they had a stock yard over on Jack. A sale over there. Years ago at old Man Hazlett’s place. They would bring the livestock in there so many days of the week … people wanted to buy cattle would go over there and look them over. And anybody had any to sell they would bring them in. Used to be they bought the cattle and buy them in the summer or spring and fatten them and take them up in the fall. They would buy them at a certain price. Maybe the bottom would fall out of it or the price would go up. Then they would gather them up and take them some place and weigh them. Nearly everybody had calves. Then they would hit the road with them. They would drive them to Kenovy [Kenova, West Virginia] and put them on cars [train] or on a boat at 50 cents a head. But dad said that the fellers in Catlettsburg took timber to Cincinnati. And got down there and the old Dutch people [German] and back and forth they’d go talkin German, see. Them fellers didn’t know what they was talking about. They would burn the britches off em. They come back to Catlettsburg and gave [grand] dad twenty five dollars a piece to teach them German. They went back the next trip, them fellers got out there and went to talking and these two guys went to talking German too. They’d offer so much and they didn’t take it and they would offer them something else. But before they didn’t know what they was doing. Said that twenty five dollars made them a thousand. Learnin a language, see.

But now dad could speak German you see [James Matthew Klaiber]. Him and Henry Riekert used to talk. Every time they got together why Shade [William Shadrick McGlothlin 1868-1941. Daughter Esther was 1^st wife of Henry Riekert] would make em talk for him. But dad had to have somebody lead. He’d forgot a lot of it, as a kid up. One of my cousins was in World War I. He was in Germany a long time and he talked it pretty well. Him and dad would sit around of an evening and talk for hours. I got so I could understand a few words of it. I would hear them talking it. I don’t know if I would now or not.

[Changing subject] But Rush over here had all kinds of stores a long time ago. … There must have been five hundred people over there.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: There was a train stop there right?

John Henry Klaiber: Freight depot. Company store. See if you went over the hill over there they had rail road tracks run up there and had a coal tipple. An old coal tipple and load coal on cars there and the tracks ran across the road, up that holler. There is where they loaded their lumber, timber. They’d be ten or fifteen wagons of lumber, cross ties, timber over there mud axle deep.

Up here from the barn up I’ve seen the oxen run into their belly in mud coming up through there….it was that way in winter time after it would freeze and thaw out. If you pull a ton on a wagon from over from Rush you had a real team. I know one time we was hauling from up here in the head of the holler, a saw mill up there. I don’t know there were five or six teams. I was just a big boy but I drove cross ties over there and had to take the horse to pull them off. I wasn’t big enough to roll them off the wagon. There was an old man…and he couldn’t hear. But he was a tease. The boys, somebody would get up on the hill behind a tree and holler whoa at his horses and stop them on that hill [chuckles]. Getting to have some fun out of him, see. The wagon would just sit there. Well he usually walked beside the wagon. He’d stand there a little bit and speak to them and away they’d go. The next day way down the road there I was up on the hill I seen the old man and I seen him reach down every once and awhile and get something and lay up on his load. When his team stopped that first time he just cut loose with a rock at the tree. We got over there unloading and the old man reared back and laughed and said “I had my fun today.”
…crazy young bucks.

Charlie Mayhew lived up here where Mead lives. Him and his mother. He worked over there at the head of the holler at Four Mile in a coal mine. They pulled that coal out of Four Mile through the hill to Rush. He’d leave on an ole horse about four o’clock in the morning, maybe five in the morning. Every house he passed he’d holler. That was the alarm clock.

Beulah Ross lived down here where Fred Dowdy lives.[Vanover property 2011] Frank is her husband [Frank Riffe Ross 1887-1938]. He worked away a whole lot. She was crazy as she could be. She always had to have some stay with her. So one night there was a big snow on. I don’t know a couple of the girls was down there with her. She called up home and asked mom if there was anybody up there. Somebody around the house. Mom said “Oh Beulah what is the matter with ya?” “I heard them out there.” Well the young men then they would just walk around of the night from one house to another and sit around and talk. I don’t know who it was but a couple was down there and mom told them to go down. Beulah told the girls “If there ain’t no tracks out in the snow they will ride me to death.” She went in and put Frank’s gum boots on [laughter] got out and went around the house, back out in the road. Where the road was broke you couldn’t track them. Went back in. When the boys come down there they found the tracks around the house, and Beulah had made them. She was scared but if they found out they was probably going to laugh at her… she never told it for a long time. She had a boy there. He was about 15. She was just one of them goofy people, didn’t want to stay by herself.

They used to keep geese. Turned the old goose in your lap and put the head out here. Turn it backwards, see. Lay it flat on its back and pull the feathers off…they just pull right off…off the stomach and the side and off the back too. They saved them feathers. Beulah had brought her geese up and her and mom were pickin them there in the building. Me and Russell was having to catch them. Up there in that barn yard. They was just running our tails off. I picked up a corn cob and hit one in the head and caught it. Took it in and gave it to Beulah or mom one. Anyway when the one got, whoever got done pickin it, laid it down the old goose was dead. They said “Lordy Mercy, smothered that one to death.” Well Russell he caught him one that way and gave it to the otherin. I don’t know which one. They got done pickin they had smothered theirs to death. I told Russell “They ain’t no smother.” We had to quit that right quick. You didn’t fool the women then or your dad either.

And maybe that is why Go Tell Aunt Rhody was his favorite song [Part 4]. This ends the sound of voices from 1978. But they still echo on around the cliffs and in my heart.

Saving Voices Part 4

2011-06-02T19:14:00.000-04:00

transcribed by Teresa Martin Klaiber

June 2011

This is part 4 of a transcription of a cassette tape recorded in 1978 on Big Garner, Boyd County, Kentucky.

John Henry Klaiber: Went up Sandy one time a huntin. Tryin to buy some cattle … talked to him. He said “well you’ll have to eat supper with me.” He said "you wanna drink before we eat?" I said "It don’t make any difference if I do or I don’t." “By God,” he said “I’ve got it.” Well I said "Let’s have it." I had to go with them. Back up in there then you didn’t contrary them. You’d insult them if you didn’t eat with em. We took two or three swigs of that moonshine and went in to eat. There was a beef head laying on the table and they hadn’t took the eyes out. I sliced me off a piece and ate it just like they did.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: Yeah, but John tell about the place you went up the road here and saw …spittin clear across the table and you decided to come home. Where was that?

John Henry Klaiber: Up the holler above Cline Stewart’s. They was makin molasses up there. I was supposed to eat dinner up there. I don’t know who it was now. He was a Reverend. I went out and washed and the table was sittin here by the window. I washed outside and started walking around to go in and she spit across the table and out the window. [laughter] Boy, that bothered me then but it wouldn’t any more. I just come on around went back in the field and went back to work.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: Mrs. Toppin, we would buy butter from her. She lived down here. Jimmy was pretty good sized…but anyway she had the best butter. And you know somebody was down there one day and they said “well my goodness,” that she chewed tobacco all the time. She wouldn’t let that husband come and open the fridgerator and get him a drink of water. Afraid he would get a little dirt on the fridgerator … I told John about it and he said “oh boy, she’s got good butter, though.” …[tape damage]…and it was years before we discovered that she would let her daughters, when they went to the high school, stop and get her some chew. We wondered why the daughter was kinda embarrassed about going to the store. She knew she had to bring that chewin tobacco back to her mother. She was the sweetist thing.

John Henry Klaiber: Bought some cattle over there at Elkhorn City…and I had to drive them down the road. I started drivin them down and puttin them in the truck and three guys come up the road. Couldn’t tell, they hadn’t shaved, their beards were long. This feller walked up and said “Why the hell didn’t you try and buy my cattle?” I said “Mister I didn’t know.” The guy said “They is as good as them.” I said “No doubt about it Mister.” You had to get along with people. I said “I’ll tell you what I will do I’ll go look at your cattle as quick as I load these. I won’t say I’ll buy em.” He said “You boys go up and get them cattle so we can look at them.” He went back down. Well I guess I walked two miles back there to look at them. I was by myself. That was when we lived in Ashland. I looked at the cattle and he priced them to me. Of course I didn’t have money to pay for em. Oh I gave him so much down on them. Before he would take any money, I had told him “I am goin buy your cattle but it might be a week or longer for I can get back after em.” He said “Boys, run them cattle in the pasture so the man will know what they look like when he comes back.” I stood there while he moved them cattle around past me … put so much down on them. Well I got to go back quicker than I thought I would. It was about one o’clock in the morning when I got up there. I just stopped where I was. It was a long way to the house and I thought I would sleep in the truck til … someone grabbed me by the arm. So I didn’t know what was going on. … It was that old man. He said “Did you think my bed wasn’t good enough to sleep in?” I said “Hell no, Mister, your bed sounds awfully good, but I didn’t want to disturb you.” We walked about two miles up that holler and I went to bed in his bed. We had breakfast the next morning. Baked ham and biscuits and stripped gravy.

[Editoral note in background every time John Henry said an off color word Elsie whispered that I needed to erase that. I did not. Tk]

Teresa Martin Klaiber: What is stripped gravy.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: He had to teach me to make stripped gravy [pronounced strip ped gravy].

John Henry Klaiber: Don’t you know what red eyed gravy is? Ham….grease. Take your ham out and take a little water and milk and flour. Put that in there and stir it up.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: Lots of grease…

John Henry Klaiber: Called Red eye or stripped eye either one. …[bad tape]…water just makes red.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: His Aunt Martha [Martha Sexton Reece] could make dumplings and they was so good.
John Henry Klaiber: I would work midnight turns and had a couple of days off. Well I would drive some place and hunt me up a load of cattle. If you come in around meal time they thought you ought to eat. Just about had too to get along with em.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: … to Reeces…right after we were married and he was surprised they had cars sitting out and no chairs to sit in. What was it they had?

John Henry Klaiber: They had a big stone. Uh Aunt Martha Reece, her husband’s sister lived up there; was still livin then. I went up there one Sunday. We pulled up and there was two brand new Oldsmobiles sittin in the drive way. And when we went to eat dinner why there was a bench behind the table against the wall and a few kegs to sit on….those big ole automobiles but they didn’t have chairs.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: And he was amazed they didn’t cut the bread.

John Henry Klaiber: They broke it. … dumped it out on a plate and didn’t even cut it…

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: I guess that was like Biblical times, you break the bread together.

John Henry Klaiber: Said you wasn’t supposed to cut bread you was supposed to break it. How come you didn’t go along?

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: Clearing throat. We hadn’t announced – we were keeping it a secret. … I was already in the family. I had been in the family for two months before anybody knew it. [John Henry and Elsie Ellis Rucker Klaiber were married 4 August 1939 at London, Laurel County, Kentucky.]

John Henry Klaiber: Didn’t tell in case I wanted to get rid of ya. [Chuckles]

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: John said he never had a pair of shoes on til he got married [talking over each other].

John Henry Klaiber: …[garbled]...they just stayed with us see. Have some place to stay. Some of those boys come in from Indiana [Some of the Sexton family migrated to Indiana to work in coal mines.] Nobody wore shoes. And this old woman went barefooted all the time. When they pulled up down there at the house there was the old woman out in the yard bare foot …

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: What was that song you used to sing about Aunt Rhody? You used to sing it to Jimmy and all the little boys.

John Henry Klaiber: You sing it then! [Reciting] Go tell Aunt Rhody the old grey goose is dead. The one’s she been savin to make me a feather bed. [Tape was stopped and conversation picked up later] You see I used to work at Armco and Bill [Prichard] worked at Armco. And they had the old poor house down there and Armco had a club house out of it. It was gone before you went there…

We used Kerosene lamps here about twice, winter before last [power outage]. It went off along in the night and they quit taking calls they got so many. It was around zero. We fooled around here awhile and cranked up that gas stove in the wash room. Enough to keep the pipes from freezing. Next morning I got up and called in there. Had a report on it and they asked where abouts and I said up here on Garner and he said “Which Garner is it?” I said “Big Garner.” Oh he said there would be electric by noon that they were coming thru Louisey [Louisa, KY] with a transformer now. He said don’t open the deep freeze. I said “Freezer, Hell, I want heat!.”

That would have been in 1975 and as I write this we continue to have electric outages on a regular basis in 2011. Big Garner was the last in the county to have telephone party lines as well. After we married in 1968 and called home I spoke to everyone up and down the road. Once I assured them we were ok they would hang up and let us continue our family conversation.

I do hope you are enjoying these episodes as much as I am transcribing them. It is a window for my children and grandchildren about the farm and area they have come to know and love as much as we do. To be continued!

Saving Voices Part 3

2011-05-31T08:15:00.001-04:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

May 31, 2011

Saving Voices Part 3 continues with a transcription of a cassette tape during a summer visit in 1978 with the Klaiber family and their memories of growing up in Boyd County. This segment talks about food. You never left the Klaiber home hungry nor without a jar of Elsie's wonderful sweet pickles.

John Henry Klaiber: You always had to have something to eat or drink every place you went…

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: There were these stoves …and there was these pumpkins over these drying places. You know they dried the pumpkin. And Aunt Minervy [Minerva Patton wife of William Vincent Sexton] did it that way at that old Sexton house and gave Martha [Martha Klaiber Cox] that cupboard.

John Henry Klaiber: Uh they would put a, they would make a frame and put fine wire over it and hang it up over the cook stove and they would dry their stuff that way.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: Apples, beans…

John Henry Klaiber repeating over wife: Apples, beans…
Teresa Martin Klaiber: I thought they hung them in the dark…

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: No over the stove to dry them.

John Henry Klaiber: Now beans

Elsie Rucker Klaiber interjecting: I used to string them and hang them out here in the sun, you know

John Henry Klaiber: Beans you would take a needle and run a string through them and pull them up.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: Them’s leather britches.

John Henry Klaiber: Hang them up and let dry.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: And let the flies speck em. [laughter]

Teresa Martin Klaiber: And what would you do with the dried beans then?

John Henry Klaiber: Well eat em!

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: They are called leather britches and buddy they are the gassiest things you ever eat. [laughter] Did you ever eat any Jim? Yeah I had some before Jimmy was born and the kids was up here, my nieces.

John Henry Klaiber: The bean was pretty good sized before you would string em and dry them.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber whispering so to not interrupt: You cook them all day long. … But Terri, everybody had leather britches, they called them. That was just an old fashioned name for dried beans. And then they would put them in a bag and put them away for the winter. They may put some pepper or something in there to keep the bugs away.
But I had sauerkraut. I used to make sauerkraut when we was first married. And one day, I think on Monday, the kids had been here, Harolds [Harold Rucker brother of Elsie] kids. Two or three of them. They would come stay while their mother [Virginia Wiley Rucker] went to college. Mom and I went down there and she said “Elsie you take two and I’ll take two. I can’t stand to see those five girls there locked up in that house all day long. Their so scared.” Up from Dog Fork they would throw rocks and everything you know at the house. They lived in the school house. So I said well we will take two up there then. And on a Monday we had had hard bargains. You know when you fried the chickens on Sunday we had the hard bargains. The necks and all the scrap parts instead of stewing them and make dumplings I just fried em.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: What did you call them?

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: Hard bargains.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: That’s the left overs?

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: No that’s the part that joins the back.

John Henry Klaiber: It’s the piece of the chicken that went over fence above the legs.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: It’s just nothing but the bones…that is just the way we cut them…that was just an old fashioned name for them. But anyway, Terri, we had these last nest of these dried beans. I had the Kraut and the kids had gone out here on the hill. It was two years before Jimmy was born [1945] and after my first baby was born [a little girl born and died 17 April 1945]. I got over there with them and got some good berries [if berries were in it had to be June/July 1945] and we made a cobbler. And the county agent – we had a screened in porch you know – before we remodeled our house. The county agent came and John asked him to eat while I was in there. And there were all those scrappy foods.

John Henry Klaiber: Why it was Henry Pope and it wouldn’t make no difference.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: And John said well we have some leather britches here and Lord we had leather britches forever. And kraut and blackberry cobbler. Oh he enjoyed it but I was so embarrassed.

John Henry Klaiber: You see the way they used to make kraut. I don’t know if you know or not.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: She was never raised, her family wasn’t raised [meaning that the first 11 years of my life I grew up in town.]

John Henry Klaiber: You see you would take a cloth bag and put it in a stone jar and cut your kraut up like ya was cutting slaw

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: With a kraut cutter.

John Henry Klaiber: Put the kraut down in there and make yer brine, salt brine strong enough to hold up an egg.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: That is the old fashioned way.

John Henry Klaiber: Then you pulled your cloth bag together and tied it. Poured that up over it and put you a rock down over it.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: A clean rock. You always scrubbed it.

John Henry Klaiber: Well it wouldn’t always matter if it was clean or dirty [laughter].

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: Terri, and you would cut the stalk. Do you know what the stalk is. That is the old fashioned name. You know the center, the part you throw away of the cabbage when you make slaw?

Teresa Martin Klaiber: The heart?

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: The heart.

John Henry Klaiber: Don’t you eat that? That’s the best part …

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: But pickle those and buddy they are real. And kraut juice, my mother [Barbara Elizabeth McGlothlin Rucker] couldn’t keep kraut juice cause we loved it so. We’d drink it and then she’d have to make new brine. Oh it’s a good laxative. … I can’t have kraut now …

John Henry Klaiber: It would be made a little different from what you buy I imagine.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: It tastes better. The women make it now and just put it in quart jars and beat it down and they take a teaspoon full of salt, teaspoon full of sugar and boil in water and seal it up… then they would pickle their beans –

John Henry Klaiber: They would cover their jar over so nothing would get in it. Pickles the same way, corn. Sulphur apples –

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: Oh yeah, sulphur apples are delicious. Elzema [Rucker Gallup] and Mildred [Rucker Hall] brought us some last year. You have firm apples. You put them in a barrel and you put the sulphur down in there and leave them so many days.

John Henry Klaiber: You set it afire. Get a sulphur fire and put it in a barrel and put the apples over it and let them stay there til that sulphur burns up through em. It will keep I don’t know how long.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: And they are the prettiest white ones. They brought me a gallon…

Teresa Martin Klaiber: What do they taste like?

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: You just rinse that sulphur off. You just slice them and fry them or stew them and make pies. They are the most delicious things you ever saw. But she did hers in glass jars. And people pickled their corn the same way.

John Henry Klaiber: You see you killed your own meat. Salt it down. Then you’d take it up and hang it and let it drip, drain. Then you’d build a fire under it and smoke it. Then when you would get it smoked enough it got brown all over with smoke. Use Hickory or sassafras. You didn’t want a fire blazing. Lay there and smoke, see. Then they’d take their meat down and wash it in alum water. Then rub it with brown sugar and black pepper.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: Honey, it’s delicious.

John Henry Klaiber: Then put it in a paper sack, or put a cloth over it and put it down in a cloth bag and hang it up in the smoke house and let it hang there. Then you’d have ham to eat all summer.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: Then they quit using that and packed them in Morton Salt.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: I remember dad bringing some home when he would go on a country call [John Geer Martin DVM] and paying him with ham and soaking it. …
John Henry Klaiber: To take the salt out of it.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: They’d use Morton’s Salt. A lot of them it didn’t taste good like that.

John Henry Klaiber: Well then they didn’t have Morton’s Salt. I expect when your dad started he got a lot of ham or chickens to help pay his bill.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: He said [John Geer Martin, veternarian] that is how he got started with these farmers. You were a baby and he said “I got to get back, I’m in the dog house. I haven’t been home for supper in so many nights…been workin”

John Henry Klaiber: Used to pay the work hands. You had a work hand with you, you go down to the smoke house and cut them off a big chunk of bacon. And that would pay them for a day’s work.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: …my mother would make ten gallon of pickled beans, ten gallon pickled corn, ten gallon of kraut. Then they would kill a hog. And they’d take that, well some people still …I was raised on pickled beans. My mother would get them out and fry them. We’d have a pot of corn bread, onions, tomatoes and everything.

John Henry Klaiber: Them pickled beans, let them be a little warm and sprinkle a little sugar over them. Not any better eatin.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: Well I will tell you. My mother, every night, there were seven of us in the family. We had to string a whole quart, I mean a whole gallon crock full of beans. The next morning she would go out and dig some potatoes and we would scrape those potatoes. She took that big iron pot, three legged and put it on the fire and she would wash them beans and par boil them and get all the vitamins out. We didn’t know any different. She would get a little slab of meat. And sometimes she would put it down in the bottom and she’d put those beans in and they were all cooking early in the morning. Right before dinner she would drop those potatoes in. Then she would go out and get cucumbers and onions and slice them up and put them in vinegar. Then slice a big platter of tomatoes. And we knew she cooked up enough beans for our dinner and we left the other part for supper. And that’s what we ate and we loved it. Oh those green beans, potatoes, corn bread, cucumbers and onions.

John Henry Klaiber: You had corn bread and good ole bacon . Let the grease stay in it. Pour it out on your plate and mix your corn bread in it. Good eatin.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: I’ll tell you what I liked. I was like my daddy [David Leander Rucker]. I always liked pork. Back bones and ribs cooked down to thick broth. And then make hot biscuits.

John Henry Klaiber: Terri, they’d dig out a little hole and throw straw and leaves in it and put the potatoes in it. Pile the potatoes on up. Then throw straw or leaves on over it, throw dirt all around and up over it that thick. … That would keep them all winter.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: And turnips the same way.
John Henry Klaiber: And cabbage. You turn a cabbage upside down and cover it over. Let the roots stick up out of the ground and it will keep all winter.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: You would go to town in the Fall in your wagons and bet a barrel of flour and a barrel of meal. And they always had a pantry.

John Henry Klaiber: No they usually ground their own corn for meal.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: But they put the meal in one barrel and they had a great big biscuit board … that covered two barrels and we had a little pantry. And you reached down in there and got your, I seen my mother, get biscuit dough out. Get the flour and she would put it out and make a great big lot of biscuits leaving that other stuff in there. All that good buttermilk. She could pat them out and she would make pasteries. She never would make one pie. She would make half a dozen pies on the weekend. Cause you know there was company coming in car load and wagon load after wagon load. We lived in the big house there at Mavity and everyone came for the weekend from town. They would drive their, you know, buggy and drive out for the weekend to Barb’s house. They made two gallon of ice cream and had a big chocolate cake.

John Henry Klaiber: Now apples. They would either put a wooden barrel or make an A frame. You didn’t put them in like you did potatoes. You went into them oftener than you did potatoes. You’d always leave a door opening so you could get in there and get some apples out. … If you went in and got you some you’d get them out and then take your shovel and shovel your dirt back against the door to cover it all up.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: You had pork and chicken on Sunday and that was all you had unless somebody killed a beef. You know it would break a leg or something … and you would have the best steak you ever ate. … But Terri you didn’t have to buy very much, you know, produce, from town, like we do now.

Stay tuned for a little bit about home made brew!

Saving Voices Part 2

2011-05-15T09:11:00.002-04:00

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

May 2011

This is the second installment of Saving Voices. Extractions from a cassette tape recorded at the Klaiber farm, Long Branch Road, Boyd County, Kentucky, the summer of 1978. The tape has started to deteriorate and now has been converted to .wav.

John Henry Klaiber: … the McWhorter’s, Jim McWhorter’s girls lived up here. Well they wasn’t girls they was old women.

[McWhorter’s lived at the end of Long Branch across the Boyd County line in Carter County, Kentucky.]

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: …I went there when I was first married [married 1939].

John Henry Klaiber: And I went by there one day and they keep two hogs and when they fed em, one would get over in the pen with the other hog and take a stick to keep the other one away til it ate. Then when it ate the other one would get over and feed her hog and keep the other one away.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: They were the descendents of Dr. McWhorter, the heart specialist in Ashland.

John Henry Klaiber: And they bought two pigs off dad one time and I took them up there on horses and maybe a sled. Anyway I took them up to em. They put the money in my overall pocket up here and took a needle and sewed it up.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: Afraid he would lose it. I have penned many of dollar bills in Jimmy’s pocket when he would go down and take his grandmother some money or something for something.

John Henry Klaiber: They [McWhorter’s] were dandies.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: I went up there to see them. John took me up there to see them. John just drove through and down the creek up and around in the old pickup truck, when we was first married and this old log house. It was so fascinating. Big fire place. And the women were kinda, they didn’t want anyone to come because nobody hardly came because it was so far. And I tell you I sat there and looked at Mrs. Klaiber [Julina Leota Sexton Horton Klaiber] and John. We was looking at the fire and we was talking and I saw that cedar chest. It was one of those chests on chests. They call them blanket chests. Oh that was the most beautiful thing. How I would have loved to have that. I just sat there and wished for that the whole time. And I heard when they moved they moved the furniture out on a sled some way over the hill and I just wondered if it broke that chest. And they took me back. I had never seen anyone drying pumpkins. Of course I had to ask for a drink or something. [Saving Voices to be continued next blog.]

Today Long Branch Road pavement ends at the Carter County, Kentucky line. The road continues as gravel until it dead ends at the hillside within Carter County, Kentucky. The McWharter home stood at the end of the road on the left side and was finally torn down about six years ago. Denton, Kentucky is just over the hill. To get to Denton from Long Branch one must either ride a horse or possibly attempt it with a 4-wheeler, even today.

The McWharter sisters in the taped story are America Ella, born November 1868, and Elizabeth A. McWharter born about 1869. They were the daughter's of James McWharter and wife Margaret Davis and the grand daughters of Harvey McWharter and America Ulen.

Evelyn Scyphers Jackson did an article on the Harvey McWharter family in her column "Boyd County Ancestors" published in the Press-Observer in January 1976. By then Evelyn wrote "...the home place stands abandoned at the head of the left fork (Long Branch) of Garner, just across the Boyd County line, in Carter County. Nat Burke had a new roof put on and used the building to store hay while he owned it."

The girls father James McWharter purchased the property containing 87 acres on 15 February 1871 from John and Ann Hazlett.

In the story Elsie worries about the chest being damaged when moved "over the hill." Both the sisters went to live with their brother John L. McWharter in Denton, Carter County. The only way to get the furniture across the hill would be with horse and wagon and even then it would be a rough ride.

Elsie retained an undated clipping of the death of Miss Elizabeth Ann "McWhartar" in her scrapbook.

"Funeral services for Miss Elizabeth Ann McWhartar, 89, of Denton, KY., will be conducted ...today at the residence of her brother John L. McWhartar at Denton...burial will be in the family cemetery..."

America Ella died 1 February 1936. This is prior to the marriage of the Klaibers. There were only two McWharter daughters in this family. Either Elsie & John visited prior to her marriage or another lady has moved in with Elizabeth in 1939. America and Elizabeth were residing together in the house in 1930 when the census was taken. America Ella is buried in McWharter Cemetery as well. Their brother John L. McWharter died 24 March 1957 at Denton at the age of 86.

Their parents, James and Margaret Davis McWharter are also buried in McWharter Cemetery at the end of Long Branch Road on the left side of the road on the hill.

James W. McWharter 2 Jan 1842 - 24 Nov 1919

Margaret McWharter 23 Feb 1844 - 2 Aug 1920

This series of Saving Voices will be continued as the story unfolds with memories of drying those pumpkins leads to many details about food on the table in rural Boyd County, Kentucky.

Saving Voices

2011-05-13T13:29:00.001-04:00

Saving Voices

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

May 2011

Cassette tapes became the rage in the 1960’s. In 1966 music cassettes were introduced to those of us "want to be" flower children, hippies and the world at large.

By 1969 I was working at the University of Kentucky Language Laboratory with what seemed to be miles of reel to reel, humidity controlled tapes playing to booths for students in many languages. Some of the reels were converted to cassettes for student use and one of my jobs was transcribing materials.

It became a habit for me to carry a tape recorder when possible when pursuing genealogical and historical data. Today it is imperative that those old tapes be transferred to new media just like we have moved our 8mm movies from VHS to DVD. Today I carry a digital recorder no bigger than the palm of my hand in my purse.

Because of tinkering with the “new” technology, this past Christmas I presented my daughter-in-law with a voice recording of her husband when he was 3 months old. Ok, no, he could not talk but I could listen to those coo’s forever. Converted from cassette tape to a digital .wav file I can listen to my "baby" any time I sit here at the computer. Another treasure is a very short description by my mother [now with Alzheimers] describing my grandmother’s heartbreak at the loss of her Baby Grand Piano in the 1937 flood in Portsmouth, Ohio.

One tape is the Klaiber family at the Klaiber farm, Long Branch Road, Big Garner, Boyd County, Kentucky the summer of 1978. The tape has deteriorated in several places but a large percentage has been salvaged and converted to .wav format for future generations.

The background sounds are as much a joy to this writer as is the history my in-laws were sharing. The background is full of giggles and laughs of my then seven, five and three year old sons. We had traveled from New Jersey back “home.” For Kentucky is home no matter where we are. The boys were growing up in urban New Jersey and we did not want them to miss the experience and love we have of our family and Kentucky.

Today, I sit writing in a newer house, looking out at the old house where this tape was recorded and feeling the presence of those wonderful people who are laid to rest on this land that they loved. How wonderful to hear their voices yet again.

I have taken the liberty of transcribing, extracting and annotating entries for my readers that I think are a window into life in my part of Eastern Kentucky. My comments are in brackets.

John Henry Powell Sexton Klaiber: …If I was out there plowing and break a plow he [JH’s father James Mathew Klaiber, a blacksmith] never said nothing about it, went to the shop and fixed it. For I’ve seen him break a few of them. See back then you had stumps in the field. The first thing you know, why, you’d hang your plow on that stump and before you could stop your team you would have it broke. I’d rather go right out there and work a team as a tractor in the field.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: Why? Does it do a better job?

John Henry Klaiber: Well you don’t get as much done but you get the pleasure of following em. You can plow the ground with a team and you can see what you is turning over and walk along behind them there and more work. Course you can’t get nothing done anymore. When you get out there and plow with a tractor all you see is the front of you; you don’t see nothing your turning up. That’s why they don’t find, people farming, don’t find any arrow heads or things like that anymore. Get up there on a tractor you not going to see them.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: You had a whole collection of arrow heads once didn’t you?

John Henry Klaiber: I guess the last one found around here you [talking to son James David Klaiber] found it over there one day was in pretty good shape.

James David Klaiber: Where is it at now?

John Henry Klaiber: I don’t know. I think you had it last time I seen it.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: I don’t think Ian [John Ian Klaiber, grandson of John Henry Klaiber] has ever seen one. Daddy [John Geer Martin, DVM] used to come home with them when he would make a call once in awhile.

John Henry Klaiber [as family looks in hutch]. Rattle snake rattlers in there…

John Henry Klaiber: …Get up Bolts Fork… There at Bill Queen’s. You went in there to Slick Rock School House. Down in the creek and on up the creek bed until you got up to where Elmer Bowling lived. I went along in the truck that way.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: Up the creek? …You mean they would follow the creek all the way up from the Mouth of Garner all the way in here before there was a road?

John Henry Klaiber: I guess so. That is what dad said when he came in here. I don’t know if it was from the mouth of Garner or the mouth of Jack or what.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: But there was no road up here?

John Henry Klaiber: Well right up here in front of Mead’s you went down in the creek there and over around that old Beech Tree. You know where that old Beech Tree is there. Come around the creek and out in front of Cline’s [Stewart] house and up in the creek behind Bill Bradley’s trailer, there, and on up and come out of the creek above Ray Tolliver’s and then around the hill.

You know where the old house [Sexton] was over here at the Boys Farm, the one that is burnt down. You come around the hill there. Of course when you come off the main road you went down the bank and down into the creek and come around and up the creek a piece and come out in that bottom. You would come up to the old house and went straight down and across the bottom and back in the creek and from there on up the hollow… Earl’s [Sexton] dad [William Vincent Sexton], his old wagon tires in dry weather would get loose from the rim. They’d take and put them in water and soak them up. He put his wagon wheels over there in the creek ... one day, and Carl Ross down here started to take the girls home one night in the buggy and went down there and his horse got tangled up. Carl told me about that about half a dozen times. Imagine a horse stepping in wagon wheels down there in the creek…

Terri, I guess I was in the sixth grade [about 1922] I walked off the hill here and worked for an old man all summer. Hoed corn, pitched hay. Well it wasn’t exactly all summer but off and on. And he gave me fifty cents a day and I had to have a lantern to get over there and I had to have a lantern to get back. Dark when I went over and dark when I came back. When school started I told him I wouldn’t be back. Said I’d go up to the house to be paid. Well we started up through the barn yard and he had a pair of yearling calves that he had broke to work. He said I’ll give you them calves and square off with you. I said I’ll have to have a yoke. He said I’ll let you have the yoke to take them home with. And I said no, when the yoke goes over there it’s not coming back. It’s mine when I leave here with it. He said “I can’t let you have my yoke.” Why I said give me the money. I knew he wouldn’t turn loose of the money. He gave me the calves and the yoke.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: Is that the yoke that is out in the shed?

John Henry Klaiber: uhah [no]. I don’t know I brought them home.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: His daddy made that one in the shed.

John Henry Klaiber: Come home from school one day and dad gave me a fifty dollar bill. He had sold my calves. That is what I got for a summer’s work.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: That’s not bad.

Elsie Rucker Klaiber: Thought he was rich.

John Henry Klaiber: That fifty dollar bill looked like it was bigger than that wall. And then I never seen a fifty dollar bill again til I was working at the store. I delivered a bunch of stuff over here to Millard Prichard. Well he was the one that bought my calves. Millard was. And he came out there and paid me for the order. He gave me a fifty dollar bill. He said “Here I am going to give you another one.” [JH chuckling.]…I’ve never seen one since that one. See you didn’t see big money then and pretty much of any kind. But this old man over there he wouldn’t spend a dime. He kept every dime he got ahold of. He had a big ole yarn sock and had it half full of dimes…If anything was ten cents he would give them two nickels or a quarter. He wouldn’t spend a dime. He kept them dimes.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: Well the yoke out in the barn, your daddy made that Elsie said? Will it rot out there?

John Henry Klaiber: No. It really ought to have been painted. It’s still over there. Ain’t got no bow.

Teresa Martin Klaiber: What do you mean it ought to be painted? Treated some way so it won’t rot?

John Henry Klaiber: Well keep it some better. But it is sun cracked. It’s made out of small timber.

With rattle snake rattles tucked in the hutch, yokes safely hung and protected and voices of long ago children giggling and making their own memories of their grandparents, the warmth of voices past envelopes me. Please join me again for Part 2 of Saving Voices in my next post. In future posts you will find out about leather britches, kraut and German lessons. Until then think about saving the voices in your life.

Carter County, Kentucky Court Orders

2011-05-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

Carter County Court Order Book #2

Extracted by Teresa Martin Klaiber

Spelling has not been modified

P. 355 Jan 1859 John McGuire, Judge

Stephen J. England appointed commissioner to lease out poor house property...make arrangements to keep the paupers for term of 12 months from the end of James Richards lease...present poor house keeper to make report...1 March 1860.

P. 357 Motion David Davis ordered Solomon Kirk, James McGuire and Bryan Fannin or any two...view for a change in East Fork Road leading from Greenup County line to the Lawrence County line crossing the lands of David Davis in Carter County....motion John C. Eastham...above viewer for new road leading from East Fork road near Ellington's Bear Creek to Greenup county line interceding with a road leading to Johnson's Mill.

March 1859

p. 376 ordered motion of Bryan Fannin that Mark Sexton, John Y. Montgomery and C.P. Banfield or any two view nearest way for change in road passing over lands of Bryant Fannin...

P. 383 J.Y. Montgomery and CP Banfield produced report...said change is completed and ordered road be established as part of county as reviewed.

March 1859 p 383 Motion of Mortica? Menix that William McCormick, Wm Carter, James Burchett or any two view new road leading from the slate lick at co road to William Brumfield's mill...

P 384

Motion of J.Y. Montgomery that James Kilgore, George Bradley, CP Banfield or any two view way for new road commencing at co road near Allen Prichard's in direction of Isom Hogans Mill.

P., 385 Ordered that the books, records and papers of Young Y. Montgomery late Justice of the peace be transferred to James Kilgore Justice elect.

P. 397 Motion of James Bush that Joseph Sexton, James A. Wilhite and James A. Reeves or any two view nearest new road leading from Lawrence County line at head of Lost Fork down Lost Fork passing Jordan's, James Bush and Isom Gillem to Ezekiel Rice's mill on Little Fork.

P. 399 July 1859 William McCormick and William Carter return new road leading from Slate lick to William Brumfield's mill on Tygert...report filed...

P. 399 July 1859 James Kilgore, CP Banfield and GL Bradley review of road commencing at or near Jonathon Galian's to county road near Allen Prichard's...Bryan Fannin, Thomas Galien appeared and consent said road will be established over his lands...sum is ordered to issue against Thomas Galien, Jesse Bradley, RM Biggs, Allen Prichard returnable next term to show cause why road shall not be established.

P. 436 Sept 1859 ordered new road from head of Strait Creek to forks of Garner be established as county road. Ordered Isaac Fannin appointed overseer of county road leading from Strait Creek to forks of Garner and call on hands at forks of Garner thence up Garner to head including all hands on Bolts Fork....dig 12 ft and cut 30 feet.

P. 459 November 1859 James Reeves and Joseph Sexton reviewers of road leading from Lost Fork at Lawrence line to Ezekiel Rice's Mill filed...issue against James Bush, James Jordan, Isom Gillem, Fleming B. Rice, Joseph Sexton, Walter Shear, Sararie Rucker, Milton Kennedy, Ira Crisman, James Galliher and Ezekiel Rice...return next court...

P. 460 Nov. 1859 Solomon Kirk, James McGuire, Bryan Fannin view new road leading from East Fork road near mouth of Ellington Bear Creek to Greenup Co intersect with road leading to Johnson's mill...filed their report.

P. 490 March 1860 Motion of Bryan Fannin who desired change in road leading from Thomas Gallion's to mouth of Garner ordered CP Banfield, Lindsey Fannin and James Kilgore or any two view nearest ...passing over lands of Bryant Fannin....

P. 491 Motion of AP Ratcliff desires change of road passing over lands of Ratcliff ordered that Wm McCormick, Jesse Gambill and Daniel Underwood or any two may act...for change of county road leading and passing over the old Cascade Smith Farm on Buffalo.

P. 491 Ordered CH Stewart, Thomas Glancy and Jonathon Galion or any two may act to view nearest and best way and change in road leading from forks of Strait creek to Thomas Galiens....

P. 492 March 1860 James McGuire, Solomon Kirk and Bryan Fannin filed road passing over lands of Davis...same established....

P. 531 September 1860 Ordered that Jonathon Galien overseer in place of Charles H. Stewart resigned over age of the road leading from CH Stewart to Thomas Galiens ...call hands all on Dawson Branch on Strait Creek up Strait Creek to CH Stewart's thence up left hand fork to head...thence to head of Williams Creek to Thomas Galiens including all hands of Williams creek above.

P. 532 Ordered that Jonathon Galien appointed Supervisor to open and change road from CH Stewart's to Thomas Galien and call on hands....beginning at Mt. Savage furnace including Mt. Savage thence up Strait Creek to head thence to Williams Creek and hands of Williams Creek from P. Norton's up to its head ...all hands on Stinsen Creek....

P. 548 December 1860 Motion H.S. Rice and Isom Gillem desire private passway ...ordered Absolem Jordan Daniel Foster, Joseph Sexton or any two may act...view best way for private pass from house of Isom Gillem's to Strait Creek Road at the land or near where widow Roda Trout lives....

P. 559 released from county levy for 1859...among others is Archibald Rice....Elijah Rice for 1859-60...

Mains Family Research Opens doors to Friends

2011-04-14T19:05:00.010-04:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

April 2011

Those of us that live in Eastern Kentucky have rich histories from all corners of the world. My maternal line has wonderful Quaker heritage dotted with great stories including the Mains, McGrew and Ong families.

Today there are three Friends Meeting Houses in Kentucky: Berea, Louisville and Lexington. Least you think Kentucky does not have Quaker heritage let me remind you that Daniel Boone was a Quaker. Dear Myrtle addressed migration of Quakers into Kentucky in her advise column which is very informative.

As I sat down to scan my Mains family materials I realized that I have not reviewed these treasured documents in some time. I descend from Culbert Mains who died in 1761 in York County, Pennsylvania by his son Robert Mains.

I joined the NSDAR, in the state of New Jersey, under Robert Mains in 1979 [#635867]. Robert was a Pvt. 8th Class in the Cumberland County Militia 6th Battalion. Looking at the application I am flooded with memories. Both the Regent, Rowena Robinson Billos, and Registrar, Esther Adalaide Gerald, dear friends, are now deceased as is one of the ladies that endorsed my papers. My sons called her the "Cookie lady." Kathryn Burkley never failed to give my sons healthy oatmeal cookies and was honored to get the name. Her friendship brings back many memories. The final endorsement was by my now lifelong close friend Denise Plested.

It is not just researching and learning about your ancestors but about the journey and the people and friends you make along the way. When I started looking at the Mains family I was quickly told to contact a distant cousin in Cambridge, Ohio. Little did I know how that journey would play out.

Mary Bernice Johns did not just hand me the genealogy I was seeking. She rather gave me a treasured scavenger hunt. It was the early 1970's and we resided in New Jersey. I would ask a question and in return receive little cards and messages with rhymes saying "If you look for - such and such book - you might find a clue." With little children under tow I would seek out the valued item or publication and then write her once again excited with my find. I especially enjoyed a one line note that said simply "You know you have a link to Ong's Hat." What fun! Of course we visited Ong's Hat.

Blessed living within proximity of the Pennsylvania Historical Society, Swarthmore, Rutgers and many other resources I began to put together the proper lineage.

Little did I know that in just a few years our relationship would grow and our lives would touch each others. In time our personal lives took us back to beloved Ohio where I realized I was just a few short miles from Mary Johns home. I could not wait to meet this lady who seemed to be such a character. I carefully followed directions to her home. It was not hard to find.

Mary Bernice Johns lived in a two story pink house - solid pink - really pink and not hard to find. I was greeted with "If you want anything I have you must wait til I die." I assured her I came to see her and was a bit confused by that first greeting. But something told me this meeting was good for both of us. I told her I had saved every note she had mailed me. She cackled loudly and said "I was afraid you would not write any more if I gave it all to you at once." I quickly realized she was lonely and I looked forward to our friendship.

Mary Bernice Johns never married and spent her life teaching in Cambridge, Ohio. She was devoted to her only brother Llewellyn James Johns [1899-2002]. As I crossed the threshold I entered a world of large floral pink everything. She proudly told me she had even designed the carpet that matched the pink floral drapes.

She had extraordinary ideas. Besides teaching she created and patented several glass paperweights.

Mary was born 20 March 1902 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of John Arthur Johns and Armintha Brown. Her recall was wonderful and we had many chats about ancestors and her genealogy adventures. Our visits eventually included trips to the doctors and dentist as she struggled to stay independent. Finally one day she called and said she had checked herself into the nursing home.

Visits in the nursing home were short as she declined and a guardianship auction was arranged. True to her character instructions were carried out by her brother's caregiver and her Power of Attorney. The auctioneer called stating that when they moved the items for auction there were instructions for boxes of genealogy that I was to share with another cousin on the Brown side. At that time I had no idea that these materials would include correspondence beginning in 1925 that would become instrumental in my continued research.

Besides the materials that were set aside for us, I attended the auction. The following describes some of her beloved belongings from the letter I wrote the Brown cousin the following day. "...the teddy bear brought $900.00 as did the carpet in the living room. The corner cabinet brought $2,700.00. One piece that drew my attention was a ...chest...that the auctioneer described as about 1810 made in western PA. ...enclosed are the tin types ...two brown envelopes are stock pictures...majority ...are marked as McKeesport or the area...there were over seven whale oil lamps...None sold for less than $200.00...The only piece that you may be disappointed that I did not purchase was a stock photograph of a stage and team with a sign across the stage stating Arkansas Transport. There were four or five in the open stage and the driver. the back said simply "J. A. Brown."...it sold for $65.00...I purchased some of her original art for the paperweights, a piece of copper luster creamer and...Among her original art work [paper weight] were notarized statements that these were her original designs ...I will place them in the Cambridge Museum..."

I was also contacted by the real estate agent that needed books and left over papers cleared from the house. I am so thankful for that call for we retrieved even more family history and donated historical books to the school library where she had taught.

Mary Bernice Johns died 4 March 1994. As my husband and I walked into the funeral we thought we were in the wrong place. Only two gentleman were in attendance: her brother and his caregiver. Llewelyn hugged and thanked me for being her friend. We quietly waited and not one single person attended this woman's final good byes. I had no idea that besides being a distant cousin that I truly was the only friend she seemed to have in the end. No matter what her life had been with others she had been a good mentor to me in many ways. She is buried in Mt. Vernon Cemetery, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Among the correspondents and materials are letters from Scott Lee Boyd author of The Boyd Family and Leota Huemme Koontz author of the Koontz Family And Relatives. Photographs included a circa 1930's view of Finley Mains home in Sewickley Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Comparing with 1979 photographs provided by a fellow researcher the house had weathered well.

Not only did this portion of my life journey teach me about my Quaker Friends heritage I acquired many new friends.

Often I think we pursue our genealogy quest and correspond with many, even more so, with internet technology, without really taking the time to get to know the people sharing the information. Every person mentioned has left me with a lesson in life and I am a better person for knowing each of them.

Mary Bernice Johns, Armintha Brown Johns, Nancy Mains Brown , Jacob Mains, Finley Mains & wife Jane Watson, James Mains & wife Rebecca McGrew, Robert Mains, Culbert Mains.

Teresa Lynn Martin, Mary Helen Feyler Martin, Howard Clayton Feyler, Dessie Mae Clayton Feyler, Anna Jane Graham Clayton, Mary Jane Mains Graham, Finley Mains & wife Jane Watson, James Mains & wife Rebecca McGrew, Robert Mains, Culbert Mains.

Eastern Kentucky Genealogical Society

2011-03-31T12:44:00.006-04:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

31 March 2011

Technology changes in the world of genealogy are increasing. With new technology older local genealogy societies have had trouble keeping up. At their hay day these local groups were a golden link to people living outside an area to obtain information about their ancestors.

Personally, I could not wait until I received my copy of the Tree Shaker produced by the Eastern Kentucky Genealogical Society and edited by beloved local historian Evelyn Jackson. I read the newsletter from cover to cover and with a little luck found a notation or two about one of the families I was working with.

Today I received my final notice that the Tree Shaker and the Eastern Kentucky Genealogical Society will not continue. The notice stated that the editor has moved out of state. Jimmy Eppling did a wonderful job with the newsletter. He had big shoes to fill when he replaced Evelyn Jackson. But honestly, I don't believe that his moving is the reason for the collapse of the society. It is the times. On line subscriptions, ebooks and even genealogy blogs have moved into new territory while the local societies struggle to keep up.

The Tree Shaker will always be a valuable tool for me and others. Much of the submitted materials were scraped together by dedicated people. The most cherished items, in my opinion, are the extractions of local bibles in the early editions. Bible records that would not have been published or known by later researchers are now preserved in the archives of the newsletter.

Volume 1 #1 was printed in the Winter of 1977. Mrs. Allen Hopes was president of the society and Charles A. Barker, vice president. Volunteers from the society represented the various counties, of Elliott, Greenup, Carter, Pike and Lawrence through the years. It was their job to supply records from each of those and other counties.

Mrs. Rufus Phillips wrote "The Eastern Kentucky Genealogical Society is well into its second year of existence and we are finally getting our publication started...Many records should be abstracted and published. Cemeteries should be located and recorded. Copies of old letters and records help to fill in the history of the area. Old bibles are particularly important..."

The society and the newsletter fulfilled the goals beyond imagination. They went on to produce several publications that are now golden gems in Eastern Kentucky research. That first newsletter was a simple surname index to the 1830 Lawrence County, Kentucky census records. In 1977 that was such a wonderful tool for researchers who had to do a page by page search of microfilm IF a microfilm machine was available. Today - well today the 1830 fully indexed is a click away on the internet. Yes every new technology is based on foundation stones. These societies were the foundation stones to the way we research today.

What many may not know is that the society was also the best supporter of Eastern Kentucky's largest genealogical library holdings. Money from dues/subscriptions and sale of books was utilized to purchase items for the genealogy holdings at the Boyd County Public Library. And even as the society is eulogized it continues to boost the library. The funds from the society will be used to purchase even more books for the Winder Collection of the Boyd County Public Library so that researchers from across the country can continue to be benefactors of the society.

The Tree Shaker will continue to be remembered and utilized. Indexed in PERSI and shelved in many libraries in our country - well worn and loved in personal libraries such as my own.

One final thought and thank you to a most beloved man, James Powers, who over the years has been dedicated to the society and newsletter. He has mentored me, protected and loved the holdings of our library and made Eastern Kentucky Genealogy a wonderful research area. Hats off!

Mutual Aide & Regulators Part #3

2011-03-29T18:25:00.000-04:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

March 2011

This is the final installment of the Mutual Protection Society of Boyd County, Kentucky ledger housed at the Boyd County Public Library, Central Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky. These are extractions of entries. My comments in brackets. Spelling is as written in ledger. Once again thank you to Charlotte Lambert Mosley who donated the original ledger, discovered in an old desk in her possession. Through her generosity this valuable history is now available to all researchers.

Page #57...Mutual Protection Society of Boyd Co., KY held at Davis School House. February 9th, 1889...N. A. Klaiber was appointed to notify S. D. Finley to pay ...fee on his store and to notify John Hazlett to pay into fee on add horses. The comite on John W. West reported unfavorable and the comite discharged...

The following were elected: Grant Griffit, W. T. Clay, C. G. Tanner, C.C. Fields, Liss Chafins. By vote of lodge business was suspended to receive the pet. of John E. Lambert.

...Resolution presented to this order by J. S. Carlyon reads as follows: In order to avoid litigation and unnecessary expenses between members of this order and amicable settle all differences or disputes that may in the future arise between them it is resolved that all differences and disputes shall here after be settled by arbitration instead of resorting

Page #58 continued. to litigation and we pray that a section sustaining the same be inserted in our bylaws. It is resolved that all differences and disputes between members of the order shall be settled or a dispute be arbitration the disputants shall have the power to choose tow disinterested members who shall in their turn select a third person whose duty it shall be to hear the complaints of the disputants and after hearing the same settle the difficulty if possible in accordance with the laws of justice, reason and right...

J. C. Lambert paid .25 adt horse. Anson Pope refused to pay on adt horse.

N. A. Klaiber resolved that Section 4 of our constitution and Sec. 12 of bylaws so amended to read...initiation fee...two dollars for each member. Fifty cents for each horse or mule owned by said members. Five dollars for each store that has a capital of ore exceeding $3,000 or share owned in the same. Five dollars for each private, state or national bank or share owned in the same. Two dollars for each store that has a capital not exceeding $3,000 or share owned in the same. One dollar of said fee to accompany the petition for membership. The remainder to be paid at the time of initiation of the candidate who shall be given six months from the time of his election in which to present himself for initiation...

Page #59. ...Davis School House. March 16, 1889...Initiated: John Smallridge, Lon Ross, C. C. Fields, Liss Chafins, C. G. Tanner.

J. S. Carlyon's resolution was ballot and rejected. Petitions received for: John L. Chadwick, Geo. J. Justice, John Stanley, J. L. Rucker [James Leander Rucker], Alley Kimbird [Kimbird Alley].

Page #60 continued. Petitions received for Charles Brown, A. F. Qullen, Cal Johnson.

N. A. Klaiber reported that S. D. Finley had paid fee on his store.

John E. Lambert ...elected....

Page #61. ...Davis School House, April 13, 1889. ...Pass Sexton paid one dollar on leavey on Oct 4, 1888. Leander White was initiated...following elected: John L. Chadwick, George Justice, John Stanley, J. L. Rucker, Charley Brown, Calvin Johnson. The following were rejected: Kimbird Alley, A F. Quillen.

Pet. of Henry Mowery, V. G. Kimbler was received.

Henry White Jr. and Wm C. Fields paid on leavey of Oct. 4, 1888....

Page #63. Davis School House, May 11, 1889. Henry Mowery and N. G. Kimbler elected.

Page #64. Davis School House, June 8, 1889. J. L. Chadwick and Henry Mowery initiated.

Resolution...no less than five names shall be received or considered in the establishment of a new lodge...

Page #66. August 5th, 1889. The Mutual Protection Society met at Harvey Kinner's...object of the meeting was to bring James Lane to justice for trying to sell out and get away and leaving Mr. Kinner to pay a security debt for him.

The society held a consultation and agreed to go to Mr. Lane's house to get Mrs. Lane to sign a bill of sale for Mr. Kinner. We went and Mrs. Lane was gone. Mr. Kinner left a written notice at the house for Mr. Lane to not dispose of any of the crop, cows or horse until said debt was settled.

August 5.89. We the undersigned deem it necesary to call a special meeting of the Mutual Protection society at H. H. Kinner's at the hour of 4 o'clock P.M. for the purpus of assisting Brother Kinner in rendering justice from Jas. Lane in a bill of sale. Signed L. J. Stewart, Wm. Hogan, M.S. Hazlett, C. H. Banfiled, Thomas Brown, W. L. Aloy.

Page #69. Regular Meeting...Davis School House August 10, 1889. Comit repoorted favorable on the pet. of ? Burton and the ballot was laid and when call Mr. Burton was duly elected.

Page #70. ...Davis School House. Sept. 7, 1889....Ben Lewis petition was received ...Resolution presented by N. A. Klaiber. Resolved that our constitution and by laws be so amended to read as follows: A Members widdow shall be intitled to all of the benefits of this order except attending lodge as long as she rimans his widdow and only as long as she reamans his widdow.

Page #71. ...Held at Davis School House. Oct. 5, 1889...The comitte on Ben Lewis pet. ask for longer time to make a report. C. L. Davis was appointed to get oil and lamp wicks for the lodge. ...

Page #72. Regular Meeting of the Mutual Protection Society Lodge No. 1 at Davis School House. [This is the first entry citing the Lodge as No. 1.]   ...W. L. Clay, Pres; J. D. Higgins, Sect.; John Lambert Treas. Pro.; C. C. Fields outside sent; George Fields inside sent.

Linsy Fannin's pet [pet = petition] received... The comitte reported unfavorable on Ben Lewis' petition and the count discharged.

The Mutual Protection society of Boyd Co. Ky. held at Davis School House to District No 19 Davis School to coal $2.00 assessed by the citizens of said district Dec 7, 1889...

Page #73. Continued. In obedience to our request the different lodges sent deligates as follows: Falls of Blaine Lodge, Jasper Casey and C. C. Crank. Rockville Lodge Theodore Kinner and James H. Kinner. Grayson Lodge J. A. Blankenship and George Gee. Bolts Fork Lodge C. H. Higgins.

Lewis Berry and Harvey Kinner retired with the other deligates for a while and returned and reported that they had agreed on an ?? sign and a pass word for the insuing year...

Page #74. ...Davis School House. Jan. 4, 1890...Life Fugutt's pet. recd. Dow Sexton's pet. recd...[Lorenzo Dow Sexton.] The comitte on Linsey Fannin's petition wasent not present.

N. A. Klaiber reported that he and W. H. Banfield ...went to Louisa to the convention and that he spent one dollar of the lodges money and one dollar of his own money....

Page #75. The lodge received the new constitution and by laws. W. H. Banfield would not receive any money from the lodge to pay his expense to the convention at Louisa. The lodge extended many thanks to Mr. Banfield for his kindness...

The following names paid twenty cents each for their dues last years: Jos. Kirk, W. Brooks, J. W. French, William Hogan, M. S. Hazlett, David Davis, George Fields, W. H. Banfield.

This lodge sold 25 coppies of the new constitutions and by laws to the Bolts Fork Lodge for 65 cents.

W. H. Banfield was elected president. William Hogan was elected for vice president, C. T. Davis elected for Treas., N. A. Klaiber was elected for secy, W. A. Lambert was elected for inside sentinel, M. S. Hazlett was elected for outside sentinel.

Page #76. The Mutual Protection Society. Davis Lodge No. 1 held at Davis School House, Boyd Co., Ky. April 5th, 1890.

James Twinam took the obligation and duly initiated into this order... my motion V. O. Davis and Wm. L. Clay, was appointed as additional commiti to act with N. A. Klaiber on the petition of L. D. Sexton, the regularly appointed commiti being absent.

The commiti of Life Fugutt's petition asked for and was granted more time before reporting.

The comiti reported favorable on the petition of L. D. Sexton. The ballot was spread and when collected he was declared duly elected.

On motion a new comiti was appointed on the petition of Lindsey Fannin and allowed to report at once...reported favorable.

Page #77. Mr. Fannin was declared elected.

On motion a comiti of three was appointed to take testimoney and investigate the charge brought against Bro. Harvey Kinner by the Bolts Fork Lodge. The said Kinner is charged of using slanderous talk about Geo. Powers a member of the Bolts Fork Lodge. Comiti W. L. Clay, J. D. Higgins, and C. C. Fields. Said comiti to report at our next regular meeting...

The following paid last years dues: W. A. Lambert, V. O. Davis, W. T. Hood, L. T. Hood, L. J. Stewart, Jno. M. Clay, R. A. Prichard, J. P. Castner, Cris Smith, W. L. Geiger, J. D. Mayhew, Joseph Barrett, H. P. Sexton.

By request of W. T. Hood a permit was granted the members who resides nearer to Princess than to this place to organize a lodge to be known as Princess Lodge No. 11...

Page #78. January 24, 1891. ...Bro. Banfield was duley elected president. bro E. D. Davis duley elected vice president. W. L. Clay elected sec, John Clay treasure, James French inside sentinel, C. C. Fields outside sentinel. ...

[Same page] Oct 17, 1891 Regular meeting of the the Mutual Protection Society...Bro W. H. Banfield was elected a delegate to the ? Log [lodge] and N. A. Klibar [Klaiber] was elected an alternate for the same...

Page #79. ...Davis School House. Nov. 14, 1891...Petition of Geo. Kirk Jr was recommended by L. C. Hazlett, E. White and Henry Mowery.

On motion the permit of John Brown was received from Whites Creek Lodge and Br. Brown was accepted as a member of this lodge.

Petition of John M. Ross was recommended...was initiated....

Page #80. Oct 21st, 1893....Electing the following officers Edward Davis president, R. Davis vice, W. L. Caly sect., John M. Clay treasurer, Fillmore P. Holly outside sentinel. H. Kinner inside...allso a new pass word was adopted for the year...An order was past to have a call meating at Hazlett School house on the night of Oct 28...

Page #83. June 29, 1895. ...Davis School House in Boyd Co., Ky...Waite Worman was elected pres., J. P. McGlothlin was elected vice pres., Wm. A. Lambert was elected Secretary, John Kouns was elected tres. These are to hold office till replaced by new officers in January 96...

Page #84. July 6th, 1895...Davis School House ...Petition of Arch Morris received. Petition of Jas. Herron received...

Page #87... Davis School House August 3. 95...favorable on the petition of Jas. Herron and the vote being put to the house Mr. Herron was declared elected...favorable on petition of Arch Morris and the vote being put to the house Mr. Morris was declared elected.   The petition of Theodore Kouns was received...Mr. Kouns was declared elected. Petition of Wm Kirk was received...elected.

Page #88. Petition of Geo. Wah received and elected...John Simpson Sr. ...elected. Jes. Johnson ...elected. Allen Lambert ... elected. J. C. Lambert, J. J. Kouns and Harvey Kinner was appointed to make a new pass word and

Page #89. ...appointed to make some new signs and have them ready by the next regular meeting.

Page #90. August 3, 1895....Davis School House ...petition of Henry Elenberger... George Wah ...initiated and paid for self...

Page #91. Sept. 28, 1895. Davis School House...Henry Elenburger...elected. Petition of Henry Lucas, Wm. Locke and Wm. Gallion received. David Murphy bought and delivered the lodge two lamps and oil ...

[The next few pages involve the estate of C. H. Kouns. The Kouns family at Mavity is where the ledger was located in the old desk.]

Page #103 - 105 List of C. H. Kouns property sold Feb. 17, 1906.

[Pages missing] Page #125. Know all men by this presents that in consideration one ...cattle, one rid roan, ...Wm. Justice by this present and do bargain sell and convey to the said John Lambert... [no date and not completed].

Page #258. [Top of page simply reads] Roll. C. H. Koums, W. T. Worman, J. C. Lambert, Edward Eastham, J. Kouns, Frank Kir, Phil Holley, Jas. Leibee, John Rucker, David Murphy, Robert Davis, Chilton Davis, John Lambert, Harvey Kinner, David Rice, John Runyon, Harve Stewart, James McGlothlin, Alex. Murphy, Chris Smith, Wm. Geiger, J. C. Hogan, Sophia Eastham, Pascal Sexton, Harvy McWharter, Allen Lambert, George Wah. [No dates on page.]

Page #280. Mutual Protection Society. Whereas V. O. Davis has been elected Treas. of this society for the year of 1889 now we...as principle and C. L. Williams, J. P. McGlothlin and W. L. Clay his sureties are held and firmly bound to this society ...sum of $2000.00 for his official act as such officer given...

Page #284. Whereas Chilton Davis has been duly elected tax assessor fo the Mutual Protection society of Geigerville, Boyd County, Kentucky. Now we C. H. Kouns and C. L. Williams and Anson Pope...two hudnred dollars...condition of said bond ...discharge all duties ...as treasurer...21 day April 1888.

Page #285. Treasurer Bond Mutual Protection Society Davis Lodge No. 1. Wheas Chilton Davis has been duley elected treasurer for Davis Lodge No. 1...two hundred dollars...[sureties not cited].

Page #286. Treasurers bond Mutual Protection Society Boyd County...Whereas J. R. Davis has been duly elected treasurer...7 May 1887. Sighed J. R. Davis, C. H. Kouns, Anson Pope, J. L. Kirk and J. P. McGlothlin.

End

This compiler would be extremely interested in information on the Bolts Fork, Princess, Whites Creek and any other group that operated within Boyd County.

Mutual Aide & Regulators Part #2

2011-03-29T13:37:00.000-04:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

March 2011

Once again I wish to thank Charlotte Lambert Mosley for sharing and donating a Boyd County ledger book of the Mutual Protection Society. I posted Part #1 in the Eastern Kentucky Genealogy Blog March 28th, 2011. My comments are in brackets. All spelling as been left as utilized from the ledger. I encourage everyone to review the original housed at the Boyd County Library. This is not a complete transcription but an extraction of materials.

Page 26. Mutual Protection Society...held at Davis School House Jan. 28, 1888...Dr. Davis, President; J. S. Carlyon, Secretary; William Lambert outside sentinel; Chilton Davis inside sentinel; John J. Kouns, Treasury...petition of Jas. R. Williams...received...resulted in his election.W. A. Brooks...received...resulted in his election. C. L. Williams nomination for President...resulted in his being elected. V. O. Davis ...nomination for vice president...resulted in his being elected. Nelson Kliber [Klaiber] nomination for secretary...resulted in his being elected. Motion of Jas. McGlothlin and Chilton Davis was placed in nomination ...Chilton Davis is Treasurer.

Page #27. William Lambert placed in nomination for Financial secretary...resulted in his election. Motion of John Rucker ...nomination for inside sentinel...elected. Motion Wyatt Clay and James McGlothlin ...nomination...outside sentinel...resulted in the election of James McGlothlin. J.S. Carlyon ...reported Constitution and by-laws...completed...called to convene at Grassland Meeting House on Saturday Feb 4, 1888.

Page #28. Grassland Church...Feb. 4, 1888...On motion the new constitution and by-laws was by a majority vote rejected and filed...

Page #29. Davis School House. April 21, 1888...Mr. Gum Byington was duly installed ...payed for self and two horses. Mr. Edward White...payed for self and one horse. Mr. Chilton Davis gave bond as treasure of this order in sum of two hundred dollars and gave the following as bondsman: C. H. Kouns, C. L. Williams and A. Pope.

By vote of Lodge it was decided to pay C. H. Kouns five dollars defraying expenses to Frankfort to fight the Carter taxes....

Page #30. The petition of Wm. Hogan was received...Petition of Press Byington was received...

Page #31. Davis School House May 19, 1888. ...W. V. Sexton was appointed outside and inside sentinel. Petition of H. P. Sexton was received...[Henry Powell Sexton]. Wm. Hogan...duly elected. ...Press Byington...duly elected. Jas. M. Klaiber...duly elected. [James Matthew Klaiber son of John Andrew Klaiber.] ...

Page #33...Davis School House...June 23, 1888. ... George Powers received...Robt. Lowe received...John Runyon received.

H. P. Sexton ...duly elected. [Henry Powell Sexton was the only son of Marcus Sexton and grandson of Elisha and Tabitha Sexton.]

C. P. Smallridge Jr. was initiated in this order and paid for self 50 cents. Lon F. White was initiated and paid for self 50 cents and horse 25 cents...Wm. Hogan was initiated and paid for self 50 cents and 4 horses 1.00. Wm. H. Banfield was initiated and paid for self and 2 horses...

Page #34. By vote of Lodge N. A. Klaiber was authorized to finish collecting the levey of 1886. ...For refusing to pay the levey of 1886 the following members were expelled...R. C. Davidson, Sam Herron, John Rucker.

To recover a fox steel-trap belonging to John M. Clay know to be in the possession of Green Sexton the following committee was apointed to investigate and report...V. O. Davis, J. R. Lark, Jno. Hazlett, L. J. Stewart, R. A. Pricahrd, J. C. Graham, Thos. Brown, J. D. Higgins, C. H. Higgins, W. J. Ross and J. C. Lambert. [Greenberry Sexton was the son of Moses and Theny Sexton.]

Page #35. Davis School House, July 21, 1888...petition of Lon Ross received...petition of Geo. Stewart was received...petition of Mortimer S. Hazlett was received...petition of Chas. Clay was received...petition of Louis Berry was received... petition of Duck Shockey was received...petition of Jno. Queen Sr. received. [The entry for Jno. Queen Sr. was struck over.]

Page #36. ...Geo. Powers...duly elected. Robert Lowe...duly elected.... H. P. Sexton was duly initiated and paid for self and three horses...

By vote of Lodge...notify members by mail who had not paid the assessment of 1886 to settle the same on or before the regular meeting... On Motion of Wm. T. Hoard it was decided to have a "Mule" Barbecue in the Davis Grove the last Sat. in Sept. Sept. 29...[See Part #1 and Carter news article referencing the order referred to as Mules.]

Page #37. Committee for Barbecue: Wm. T Hoard, Joe Kirk, L. J. Stewart, C. H. Kouns, Wm. Ross, Jas. P. Caster, Wm D. Bolt, Geo M. Fuller, Wm. H. Banfield, Jno. Hazlett, Eli White, Edward White, Jno H. Eastham, G. B. Norton, P. S. Fannin, Jno. Powers, Jno. Higgins, Jno. M. Clay, Jno. Mock, D.r Wm. T. Hood, Jno. D. Fannin, Jno Matix...

Page #38. Davis School House, Aug. 18, 1888...petition of Isom Hogan received...Wm. Twinam...received...Joseph Clark...received...Frank Friel ...received. Geo. W. Stewart reported unfavorable and was discharged. The ballot was not spread.

Page #39 continued. The following were elected: Lon Ross, Mortimer Hazlett, Chas. Clay, Louis Berry, Duck Shockey.

The Pres. announced that the thief who stole John Riffe's gray mare from John Hogan's stable on the night of the 17th inst. was caught at Ironton, Ohio. The mare also was recovered and that several of the members of this lodge aided in the search.

N. A. Klaiber was apointed as a comit. of one to aske L. J. Stewart to prosecute Wm. Sexton for stealing Mrs. Stewart's bust pin or give good reasons for not doing the same.

On motion it was agreed that the secy spread the minutes of the call meeting concerning McGlothlin and Large on his book.

Page #40. Aug 11, 1888. Mavity, Ky....Mr. J. P. McGlothlin reports that he as sworn out a warrant and that Large is now under arrest and trial set for Monday at 8 o'clock Aug 13th at Mavity, KY before Esq. W. R. Musick. Moved ...committee be appointed to notify the county atty. to appear to prosecute the accused... [James P. McGlothlin married 1. Elzema Elswick and after her death married 2.Mary Jane Ratliff Blevins. The 2nd marriage ended in divorce.]

Page #41. Davis School House, Sept. 15, 1888...M. S. Hazlett was duley initiated in the secrets of the order...George Shockey was duley initiated in the secrets of the order...petition of Coon Waits ...received. Chas. H. Banfield ...received...

Isom Hogan Elected.

Page #42 continued. The following were elected: Charles Mutters, Wm. Twinans, Joseph Clark, Frank Frield...

Page #43. Sept. 25, 1888...President stated that the object of the meeting was to arrange for a barbecue ...Robert Hazlett volunteered to go to Catlettsburg to bring two men to butcher and roast the beef and mutton. Frank Chaffins and J. C. Lambert volunteered to go to Ashland with wagons for bread. R.E. White was apointed to get address of the baker in Ashland who furnishes the bread also price of same and to leave it at C. L. Williams Store for Chaffins and Lambert.

W. L. Clay volunteered to see that the wood was furnished the cooks also trench dug. John A. Klaiber volunteered to go to Vint Calvins after two sheep donated to the barbecue by Mr. Calvin. Isaac Fannin was pointed to get 1 sheep from L. C. Hazlett, 1 from Joe L. Fannin which was donated to barbeque by the ...gentlemen.

Page #44 continued. The comite on beef was instructed by the vote of lodge to procure 2,000 lbs. of beef. The bread commite was also instructed by vote of lodge to procure 1,000 lb. of bread. Frank Chaffins volunteered to furnish lumber for tables. W. L. Clay agreed to help build the same. J. C. Lambert was apointed ot procure rope to stretch around the tables as a guard.

Page #45. Oct. 4, 1888...Pres. stated that the object of the meeting was to receive bills presented by the members that had arisen from cost of barbecue...by vote of lodge an assessment of one dollar per member was laid. Also that all duley elected members that are not initiated shall pay said levey....C. L. Williams paid secy $12,27 [as written] the returns from beef and mutton hides...

page #46. Davis School House Oct. 13, 1888...David Davis was initiated...W. A.Brooks was initiated...Jno. C. Griffit was initiated...petition of Milton Stewart received...petition of John Callihan was received...[The following was written and crossed out] Moved that the case against J. P. McGlothlin be laid over until next regular meeting and that he be notified by the pres. that action will be taken against him according to the constitution.

Page #47. Continued. Coon Waits elected. C. H. Banfield elected...

Page #48. Davis School House. Nov. 17, 1888. Chas H. Banfield initiated, Isom Hogan initiated, Chas. Clay initiated, Louis Berry initiated...Jno Callihan elected and Milton Stewart rejected...

page #49 continued. Petitions received for Jas. Hensley, Calvin Holbrook, John O'Brien Jr., Jno. Riffe. L. O. White declared duley elected.

Moved that at least two or more members from each lodge in the state be requested to meet us in lodge at our Dec. meeting to agree upon and receive an annual pass word, and other points in the secret work of the society...

Page #51. Davis School House, Dec 15, 1888...John Callihan duley initiated...Wm Music Elected, Jas. Hensley rejected, Calvin Holbrook elected, John O'Bryan Jr. elected and John Riffe rejected.

Page #52. Continued. Petition of Jno Smallridge,,,Mike Galiher, J. J. Hensley... In obedience to the request the different lodges sent deligates as follows: Falls of Blaine, John P. Riffe and Buttler Mowery; Stinson, J. W. Hord and R. Q. Keffer; Rock Hill J. F. Stewart and Jas. Kinner. A comite retired with the deligates from the other lodges and came in and reported that they had agreed upon a sign and pass word to be used the insuing yeare in all lodges.

Page #53. Continued. The pass word acompanied by the sign to be used to obtain admitance in all lodges. The sign to be used in meeting a member anywhere...

Page #54. Davis School House. Jan. 12th, 1889...Geo. Powers and Robert Lowe were initiated. C. L. Williams elected president. W. L. Clay elected vice president. J. D. Higgins elected secretary. V. O. Davis elected treasurer.

Page #55. W. J. Ross elected inside sentinel. W. A. Lambert elected outside sentinel....Order to pay Lon Nunley for going for co. attorney...order to pay Jno. Irix for guarding and boarding Large. Petitions for John W. West, Wm. T. Clay, Charles G. Tanner, Liss Chaffins, Lum Fields and Grant Griffit received.

Page #56. John Smallridge elected, Mike Galiger elected, Jack J. Hensley elected. J. D. Higgins was appointed to notify S. D. Finley to pay initiation fee on his store...

To be continued.

Mutual Aide & Regulators Part #1

2011-03-28T17:54:00.003-04:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

March 2011

"The Kentucky Regulators. Catlettsburg, Ky., May 28 - For some time there have been fears of a collision in Carter County between the Militia and the Regulators, and the Governor has, in consequence, ordered troops to be ready to march to assist the officers of the company in enforcing the laws. To-day 200 Regulators gave themselves up and gave the names of 800 of their number and they will be presented to the Grand Jury for indictment. The troops will not now be needed. The Regulators have had an organization ostensibly for driving dangerous and worthless members of the community out of the country, and have used summary process in many cases." [NY Times 29 May 1880]

The Regulators and members of the Mutual Aide and Mutual Protection Society were farmers and neighbors known in church throughout our counties. Most likely one or more were your ancestors. They did not see themselves as vigilantes but felt they were protecting their family, homes, farms and community.

The Mutual Protection Society of the United States was a recognized organization. They had ritual booklets similar to other secret organizations. To become a member a person was recommended by two. When installed they swore that they were joining on their "own free will and accord." When a society member died in good standing and with advice of five members and the consent of the friends of the deceased they were buried with the honors of the society. The burial procession included an honorable member carrying the Holy Bible, suspended by a strip of red, white and blue.

Subordinate societies were encouraged. The person who organized same was to be "...sober, intelligent, discreet man, a good reader and should write a legible hand. He should have a thorough knowledge of the secret and ritual work..." [Mutual Protection Society of the United States of America, Cincinnati, University of Kentucky Archives]

The American Mutual Aide Society governed under the laws of Kentucky and in April 1886 was authorized to issue certificates to pay members sums of money after reaching certain agreed ages in the form of endowments. [Laws of KY Chapter 862, April 1886] The society was doing well as late as 1899 in our area according to an article posted by Glen Haney. The article calls the group "The Mules." In 1899 eighty-three lodges met at Denton in Carter County. Among those officers elected that day was N. A. Klaiber as Grand Consul.

Nelson A. Klaiber was born 24 September 1861 as the Civil War found its way across the country. When he died 28 September 1903 his tombstone included his membership in the K. G. E. Knights of the Golden Eagle. Founded in 1873 the K.G. E. accepted "white males of good moral character free of physical or mental defect." It was "organized into ...the Masonic." His stone also bears other organizations: S. C. G. and M. P. S. Nelson never married and lived on Long Branch Boyd County, the son of John Andrew and Mary Ann McBrayer Klaiber.

So I danced with glee and excitement when Charlotte Lambert Mosley donated an original ledger of the Mutual Protection Society for Boyd County, Kentucky to our library. Charlotte found the ledger in her Koun's ancestor old desk that had been in a home at Mavity in our county. The original ledger is now archived in the genealogy room of the Boyd County Library.

Several years ago Charlotte gave me permission to extract and annotate the ledger. To this end I now share extractions that are a window into the counties residents. I have left spelling as handwritten in the ledger. There are several pages prior to page #1with later scratchings and remarks. Extractor comments will be in brackets [ ].

"21 Oct 1893...the following officers were duly elected: Edward Davis, pres.; L. R. Davis; vice pres.; W. L. Clay, Sect.; John M. Clay, treas.; Fillmore Hally, outside sentinal; H. Kinner inside sentinal."

[Of the above, Edward Davis was born 4 April 1847, son of William and Elizabeth McCorskey Davis. He married 21 December 1868 in Boyd County to Emily Rucker the daughter of Bazel and America McGuyre Rucker.

W. L. Clay was Wyatt L. Clay born 1 November 1845 son of Charles and Caroline Stover Clay. He married Sara Ann Stanley the daughter of James R. and Sarah McGuire Stanley.]

Page #1. Trace School House. Boyd Co., Ky Jan. 16, 1886. At a regular meeting of the Mutual Protection Society held at Trace School House January 16, 1886. The order was called to business by J. H. Esthem [Eastham] president...present Frank Kirkpatrick recording secetary. W. T. Warman finance secretary. J. H. Esthem Trasure. James Libies [probably Leibee] and Edward Davis was inducted....An order was drawn on the trasure to pay P. Sexton [Powell Sexton] for servises as janitor...Moved and second that John C. Hogan and Bird Elswick be expeld from the order if not a reasonable excuse with in a month...

Election of officers. H. F. Saddler, president; Frank Kirkpatrick, recording securtary; W. T. Warman, F. C. Secutary; J. H. Esthem trasure; James ? outside sentinal; Wm Grim door keeper...

Trace School House, Boyd Co., KY Feby 13, 1886. ...Met with president Saddler prociding....Patitons received Nelson A. Klaiber.

Committies apointed John Higgins, J. H. Estham.

Page #2. John Higgens, J. H. Estham, John Clay, report of cometies. W. T. Hood, Wm. C. ? on Charles Heneker report favorable. Charles Heneker was...elected a member of this order...Moved that Frank Chapman petition lay on the table...moved that . T. P. Stewart, John Hogan, Bud Elswick, James Kener [Kenner] be suspended from this order...moved that W. T. Warman notify James McGlothin to meet the order at next meeting in March...

Page #3. March 13, 1886. T. P. Stewart was restored and elected a member of the order...John M. Clay became a member of the order...F. M. Chaffins became a member of this order paid for self and .50 for two horses...Charles Higgens paid for self and 2 horses..Nelson Kliber [Klaiber] was duly elected a member. [Other names mentioned on page are:] Henry Stewart, F. M. Chaffins, Jessie Childers, James Libies... [Each member paid for the protection of selves and especially their horses at .25 each.]

Page #4. April 17, 1886....met at Trace School House...Jessie Childers was duley elected a member, Charles Higgins was duley elected a member...paid J. H. Estham for horse and mule and two buggies to convey Sherman Lucas and Joel Ramsey to jail also 1 day bord each...paid John Rucker for bording Sherman Lucas and Joel Ramsey...paid ...W. T. Warman as gard... [Sherman Lucas was the son of Henry Kane and Lucinda Sexton Lucas.]...Pasall Sexton was to show cause why he harbored Sherman Lucas and Joel Ramsey. [Pascal Sexton 1843-1910 married Jemima Lucas daughter of Parker and Susannah Fraley Lucas. Jemima was Sherman Lucas' great aunt.]

Page #5. May 15, 1886...John Griffith petition favourable and ...duley elected a member...The comittie on Kirk Lucas petition was not favourable. Jessie Childers was duley elected as a member...Pasell Sexton reported and give sadesfaction to the order...moved and second ...order would pay all expenses in prosecuting James Hunley and bring him to justice...

Page #6 June 12, 1886...Trace School House...J. B. McGlothin, H. H. Kenner, Jessie Childers report favourable. Committee on Thomas Seary...Hugh Faulkner..E Murphy...R. C. Fugett...For the aresting Buck Hensley 1.00...J. D. Clay was duley elected a member of this order...Henry Smith's case was taken 1.60...R. A. Prichard was duley elected a member.

Page #7. June 12, 1886...received Anson Pope 1.25, John Mattacks, James Payne...at the bottom of the page are the following names with no explanation: Effie Barber, Sarah Ann Clay, Cosa Barber and Effie Clay; Ida Barber, Mattie Barber, Bascom Barber, Millie Barber, Cecil Barber Demp Barber, Scott Davis. [Dempsey, Cora, Mattie, Cecil and Bascom were children of George and Sarah Ann Stanley Barber. Cora was nicknamed Cosy or Cosa and married Leonard Klaiber.]

Page #8. Jany. 8th, 1887...Trace School House...Elected...John H. Eastham, president; V. O. Davis, vice president; J. R. Davis, Trasure, D. M. Murphy P. S.; George Foit R. S.; Jas Leibee Janitor. J. M. Childers in side g[uard]; Alex Murphy outside guard. C. F. Saddler, Secty. [V. O. Davis was Voleny O. son of William and Elizabeth McCroskey Davis.]

Page #11. May 7th, 1887. Applications for membership W. B. Mowry ocupation a farmer residence Bear Creek. Recommended by R.E. White. Committee: J. L. Kirk, V. O. Davis, J. P. Alley. Wm. Calwell [Caldwell] recommended by C. L. Williams,. P. M. Caldwell. Committee J. P. Alley, V. O. Davis, G. Fields, Isaac Fannin recommended by J. L. Kirk, C. L. Williams. Ocupation a farmer residence Culbertson. ...Geo. Hanley recommended by J. L. Kirk, R. E. White...John D. Mayhue [Mayhew] recommned by John Higgins, N. A. Klaiber...Wm. Hogan recommended by John Mattocks, Ance Pope...Harvey Kinner was present and initiated into the order...paid for self and 2 horses 1.00....committee appointed to settle the case of Bro. Grimm and C. H. Kouns. Committee Geo Fields, Wm. Davis, Frank Kirk...have argued the case and say that Bro Grimm to pay 5.00 for his part...motion to appoint Jas. Poage to attend court and prosecute parties as ordered....

Page #12 June 4, 1887///John A. Kliber [Klaiber] was duley elected members of this order...Klaiber paid for self and 2 horses. James Higgens paid self and one horse....W. B. Mowery, Henry Mowery, William Howell and Isaac Fannin was elected...George Hanley and John D. Mayhew was elected... [John Andrew Klaiber was born 20 Oct 1831 Hausen Ob Verena, Tuttlingen, Wurttemburg, Germany. John D. Mayhew born October 1856 was the son of William C. and Mary Elizabeth Ross Mayhew.]

Page #13. Culbertson, KY. April 9...1887...J. C. Estham [Eastham] ...J. H. Poage ...to arest a ? and theft ...at J. H. Poages Mill on Bare [Bear] Creek Ky on the nite of April 8. It is moved and second that the said scioty meet at 7:00 pm at J. H. Poages Mill to serch ...and to see if we can find out the guilty party ...[ the next entry in different ink]Andrew Burchett was found guilty and confesses guilty and was handed over to the debty sheriff of Boyd Co. to answer to the cort of Boyd Co.

page #14 ...Isaac Fannin was duley elected a member of this order and paid for self and one horse. William Cal[d]well was elected and paid for self and 2 horses. James Kin[n]er, L. D. Sexton, William D. Ross reported...B. F. Freman was rejected. James Kin[n]er was rejected. L. D. [Lorenzo Dow] Sexton was rejected. William D. Ross was elected. Anderson Fields was elected, George Stanley was rejected. James Surries was rejected. John Runyan was rejected....It was moved that this ...be removed to the Davis School House and carried...

Page #15. Davis School House August 27th, 1887...President John H. Eastham, C. L. Williams was appointed secy; David Murphy financial secretary, John R. Davis Treasurer.

The Petition of L. T. Hood was received and the following committee appointed: C. L. Williams, Lon Nunley, Henry White Sr. The petition of Fred Nierman was received and the following committee was appointed: Anson Pope, George Fields, V. O. Davis. The report of the committee on the petition of W. H. Banfield made a favorable report and on motion ...was received...duly elected a member...on suggestion of C. H. Kouns the committee on the petition of Wm. Lambert was directed to make an immediate report...favorable...duly elected...petition of Isom Hogan...favorable...and the ballott was spread and when collected ...duly rejected.

Mr. L. J. Stewart [Landon J. Stewart] notified the society that Abe Prichard and R. A. Prichard was no longer owners in the store on Garner but that owners S. D. Finley and Dr. A. Prichard now in store owned the entire store.

Page #16. Dr. Hood reported that he only owned 1 horse at this time and now desires to be assessed accordingly. On motion of W. L. Clay was ordered to make a ballot box and to paint one end or one half of outside of said box white and the other black...

Page #17. Davis School House Oct. 1, 1887... Bro. C. L. Williams President pro tem. N. A. Klaiber was apointed secy pro tem. C. H. Kouns treasurer pro tem....petition of Wm. V. Sexton was received ...petition of Henry Adkins...Wm. Lambert took the obligation of this order and was duly initiated in the secrets of the order...T. L. Hood ...duly elected...Fred Nearman ...duly elected. Geo. Ross was apointed to investigate the law concerning the payment of guards by the state in the McGlothin case.

Page #18. ...motion...L. J. Stewart it was decided that this order meet at Grassland Church on Bear Creek for the purpose of considering the propriety of revising the constitution and by-laws of this order...

Page #19. Grassland Church Oct 17, 1887...Jas H. Poage was appointed secy pro tem...Bro. Wm. Davis ...read the constitution by laws and obligation of this order...agreed ...appoint a committee to draft a new constitution and by laws...com [committee]: Br. W. T. Hord [of] Culbertson, L. J. Stewart [of] Garner , C. H. Kouns [of] Mavity, Geo. W. Ross [of] Mavity, G. W. Enyart [of] Cannonsburg, Dr. B. S. Rice [of] Catlettsburg, J. S. Carlin [of] Denton.

Page #20. ...Davis School House. Oct 29, 1887...Wm. V. [William Vincent] Sexton was duly elected a member...L. T. Hood ...elected...Petition of A. H. Hogan received...petition of H. H. Hogan received...Petition of Lewis Mayo received...

Page #21....committee on the petition of Lewis Mayo failed to report...new committee...duly elected. Petition of Henry Adkins...duly elected. Petition of A. H. Hogan...duly elected. Petition of Hansford Hogan...duly elected. Petition of Wm. H. Nunley received.

Page #22. Petition of David Davis received...John Brown recd...H. W. Crum rec...W. M. Byington recd...L. O. White received...E. V. White recd...A. F. White recd...C. P. Smallridge recd...John Small ridge recd...[Others committee members cited on page:] L. J. Stewart, J. D. Mayhew, John Maddox, J. J. Kouns, John Rucker, L. C. Hazlett, J. R. Lark, Robert Hazlett.

Page #23. ...Motion the chairman apointed a committee to see the Circuit Judge to get an order to the C. C. Clerk of Boyd County for the return of jewelry belonging to Dave Fuller and flannel belonging to Gaylord Norton taken by George Taylor. Committee Wm. Davis, J. J. Kouns and A. F. White.

Page #24. Dec. 24, 1887...Lon O. White ...declared elected. John Brown...declared elected. H. Wise Crum...declared elected [Henry Wiser Crum]. A. T. White...declared elected. Gun Byington...declared elected. W. H. Nunley ...declared elected. David Davis...declared elected.

Page #25. ...Jno. Smallridge...declared rejected. C. P. Smallridge Jr...declared elected. Edward White...declared elected.

Petitions received for Jas. R. Williams, Wm. A. Brooks.

To be continued beginning with January 1888.

Genealogy - The Dirty Little Secrets

2011-03-14T20:57:00.001-04:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

March 2011

I am going to tell you a dirty little secret. Professional genealogists start out doing genealogy at square one with a four generation chart just like you. Some are a little more savvy about proper citations, some have better filing systems than others and some have educational backgrounds that help guide them into new research territory.

It also depends on when any given genealogist starts on their journey. You see if you are just starting the journey you have much better tools than say this old bird that started in the early 1970's.

Another dirty little secret is that professional genealogists tend to be like the cobbler who let his son go without shoes. They put their personal research on a back burner to assist others in their quest. They end up grabbing a bite here and there while concentrating on another genealogical problem.

Thus a forced sabbatical has turned into a reality check for this seasoned [better word than old] researcher. I have dusted off an old notebook of one of the earliest family lines I worked on to scan the documentation and check my citations. [The word scan in the 1970's simply meant to search the horizon and had nothing to do with our documentation.]

These 1970 photostats are not in nice acid free sleeves. Yes, holes in each page. The next page is a bit yellowed, slick, crackled and fading. A wonderful development in copy machines that did not last. [A quick scan and enhancement have saved the day on this one.] Let me remind you that at the time these were the recommended ways to keep your documentation.

So let's investigate this same notebook a bit further. Did you know that highlighters were a great new "tool" but that if you used a copy machine they left a huge black line. Highlighters were invented by the Japanese in 1962. It was some time before the problem with copiers and the fluorescent ink showing as a black line were corrected.

The book with the highlighted pages was not easy to track down in the 1970's. I had to travel to another state to view a limited edition copy. Today I found the same book on-line in less than two minutes and reprinted clean pages. [On-line in the 1970's might have meant you still had a party line on dial up telephone.]

This wonderful research notebook includes cherished photographs of tombstones and holds memories of wonderful cemetery trips. The photographs are Polaroid instant pictures. The color in those pictures are faded. Luckily even then I took both Polaroid and 35mm photographs, keeping the negatives. Today our digital cameras replace all need of films.

Mind you, this is still good research and contains some very valuable materials. Before copy machines, researchers would create a list of questions to mail out to family members across the country. All hand written, over and over again, with the hopes that the family would mail them back with answers. A copy of questionnaires from the 1930's is nestled in this research notebook, donated by an earlier [still a better word than older] researcher. Everyone that filled out those hand written forms are gone now.

I still give myself an A+ for citing each source, providing title pages and keeping the materials in such a manner as to make my scan project easy.

Today we are encouraged to digitize our materials and to keep abreast of new media to transfer our records. Besides scanning these old materials, I have also been transferring cassette tape interviews to digital .wav files. My office also contains old 8 mm films that were first transferred to VHS then to DVD. If you are just beginning your journey you will begin by digitizing your research as you get it. You have "how to" guides to tell you about archiving your materials at your finger tips.

But there is another reality. Good research is just that - good research. The next generation can pick up this notebook and know that the citations are correct for this particular line. Hopefully the next generation and the generation after that will continue to care for the now scanned materials and share the now digitized photographs of tombstones that may no longer be standing as they were in the 1970's.

I must say that this particular notebook does not include staples nor paper clips. Another no-no. But then the researcher that shared those valued hand written forms had them held together with rusty straight pins.

We now organize our materials in databases designed specifically for genealogy instead of handwriting family group sheets over and over again. I remember my first computer like it was yesterday and the first time I saw a demonstration of a scanner I was in awe. Today I sit surrounded by computers, scanners, mp3 players and e-book readers. My cell phone is on the charger and I have memory sticks organized on a hook. I wonder what my ancestors would think of all this? I wish I could visit the future to see where this is all leading. I am a techie.

But honestly, the real dirty little secret is that no matter how you trace your genealogy or how you save your files, it is the journey that is important. It is the joy of learning about your family and then sharing the stories, pictures, and artifacts with the next generation.

Clip art compliments of

"God Willing, And the Creek Don't Rise"

2011-03-01T18:17:00.014-05:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
1 March 2011

As I sumped my Eastern Kentucky basement, on the last day of February, and watched Long Branch of Garner Creek hurdle through my property before heading down our road to Garner Creek, I received word of an emergency just a few miles away.

Thanks to the heroic efforts of our wonderful emergency services, a woman's life was saved after her car plunged and submerged in the cold February waters on Four-Mile and Trace. Barbara Groves car lost control negotiating the wet road. Many locals said prayers for her and today the news said she was released from the hospital. My heartfelt wishes for her speedy recovery. My sincere praise for the many trained volunteers that are dedicated in protecting us here in Boyd County.

While discussing this with my family we remembered another rescue turned recovery exactly fifty years ago, February. Long Branch, Garner Creek, Trace Creek and many other small tributaries dump into the East Fork as it heads toward the river.

On February 22, 1961 Mildred Burns Banks and her sister Mary Burns Webb were returning from a visit at Kings Daughters Hospital along Route #180, very near Boyd County High School. The car "failed to negotiate a curve... ricocheted off a tree down a 10 foot embankment, crashed into a bridge abutment and flipped over in the water." Due to the heavy rains of East Fork it was described as at least five feet higher than normal and murky.

Both sisters were laid to rest in the Jeremiah Burns Cemetery on Route #3.

The sisters were issues of Jeremiah Burns [18 April 1858 VA-24 Jun 1932] and wife Minnie V. Kinner [1869-1946]. Their grandmother was Elvira J. Hogan who married Harvey Kinner.

It never ceases to leave me in awe when the rains start in our neck of the woods. The creek glistens with a pretty musical lilt on most days. I love to walk along the edge looking for treasures and watching the multitude of life that exists along and in it. Then as the water washes down the cliffs it is only a matter of sometimes minutes before it becomes a raging, dangerous power of nature.

The creek has always played a role in the development of the area. The creek bed along Garner was the path and roadway when the area was first developed. The road still follows its twists and turns. You can not tame it. The Clyde Ross Farm moved the creek to make way for more profitable fields. So did the Klaibers but when the rain starts you can still see the water struggling to use the old creek path.

We have many personal creek stories. We tell people that are visiting that they might want to leave when the rain starts or stay longer than expected. Those that don't listen turn back and sit a spell. It goes down as fast as it comes up.

A dear friend reminded me yesterday about the saying "Turn around, don't drown." We tend to think our cars are strong. I attempted - just once -to follow another vehicle as the waters were coming up. The back wheels rose and I began to feel like I was floating - gunning it the tires grabbed and I was lucky.

We tend to think of April showers but February seems to be the start of our flood "season." One hundred and thirty years ago, 23 February 1881 the Independent wrote "The iron bridge at Hood's Fork has been washed out by the recent floods, and turned clear over."

On 22 February 1883 the Independent reported "high water, everything flooded at Catlettsburg." At Rockville, Lawrence County the news reported "The river rose here within 18 inches of the rise of 1862 and 4 inches higher than 1875."

Then on Valentines Day, 14 February 1884, the paper reported that the 1884 flood "beats the record. Nothing like it since Adam's Noah!" The paper does not talk about the outlaying areas just the towns along the Ohio and Big Sandy. It must have been just as hard on the tributaries.

Before my readers ask why would anyone live near areas prone to the ravages of nature - the answer is simple. It is God's country and it is all part of God's plan. We continue to try to harness it. I grumble about my wet basement. Then hero's save a life and the sun comes out and I once again hear the lilt of the gentle stream and know I am where I belong.

Pleasant Barber

2011-02-22T09:21:00.023-05:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
February 2011

Pleasant Barber is said to have been born 27 March 1842, his pension indicates March 1844 and census indicates as early as 1840 in Greenup County, Kentucky. When he died 19 October 1897 he died with the surname Barber. He is buried in Ashland Cemetery, Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky.

His mother's first name is Phoebe. Many researchers have repeatedly copied other researchers work stating that she was the daughter of Joseph Barber and Nancy Goad. They lead you to believe that Pleasant took his mother's maiden name as an adult. At this point in my research I am not convinced that this is the case.

Most suppositions by those researchers seem to be based on the 1850 Federal Census for Greenup County, Kentucky. This census shows Phoebe age 41 in the household of Jacob Hood and lists the following children all with the surname of Hood: Hezekiah 16, Nancy A. 13, Pleasant 10, Tabitha 6, and Bluford 4. Also in the household is Nancy Barber [nee Goad] age 72 born in Virginia.

Looking at this census Pleasant Hood has yet another birth year - circa 1840. The assumptions made by researchers is that Nancy must be Phoebe's mother. It is an assumption because the 1850 does not give relationships in households. Being under the same roof does not define a family group simply by age. By experience I know this assumption can sometimes be a slippery slope.

Jacob Hood married Phoebe Barber 17 November 1842 in Greenup County, Kentucky. The marriage record does not state if either the bride or groom might have been married prior to this union. Most Jacob Hood researchers state that Jacob Hood's first wife died prior to the 1842 marriage. She did not. Most Jacob Hood researchers simply say he disappears from records after the 1850 census entry. He did not.

Jacob Hood married 20 November 1829, Greenup County, Kentucky Joanna Lewis. On 3 April 1842 according to Greenup County Civil Court Orders [film 989385] Jacob divorced "Joan" Hood. He was then free to marry Phoebe.

By 1860 Pleasant is residing in Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky with Dr. Hiram Ferguson and family. The census gives his age as 19 [birth 1840/41] and he is still utilizing the surname Hood. Analysis of the 1850 and 1860 census would place Pleasant's birth prior to the marriage of Phoebe Barber to Jacob Hood. Thus he was either illegitimate or Phoebe __ was married to a Barber prior to her marriage to Jacob Hood.

Continuing a review of the 1860 census Jacob Hood is now residing in Carter County, Kentucky with wife Mary and several Cooley children. Jacob Hood married Mary ___ Cooley 8 July 1860 in Carter County. To date this compiler has not found a divorce for Jacob and Phoebe. Phoebe does not appear in any 1860 census I have reviewed but reappears in 1870.

In 1865, the subject of this study has enlisted in the 14th Regiment mustering in at Louisa giving his age as 21 [birth now stated as 1844]. He continues to appear on muster rolls, tax lists, census, and directories as Pleasant Barber with no further mention in his records of the surname Hood.

The next step was to follow the trail of the other male minors in the Jacob Hood household from 1850.

The eldest minor was Hezekiah Hood but by 1860 he is listed as Hezekiah Barber, born about 1835 in Virginia. He is residing in the household of a William Barber just 2 years older and William's family. William Barber was also born in Virginia. Hezekiah migrated to Elizabeth Township, Lawrence County, Ohio by 1870 and later dies 5 June 1924 in Wellston, Jackson County, Ohio. From 1860 until his death he continues to use the surname Barber.

The youngest male child in 1850 is Bluford Hood born after the marriage of Phoebe Barber to Jacob Hood. In 1860 Bluford Hood is in the Andrew Hood household in Carter County, Kentucky. He enlisted at Louisa in 1863 in Company K of the 45th. As expected he is utilizing the Hood surname.

While I have not located Phoebe Barber in 1860, she was still living. In 1870 Phoebe is listed as infirm residing with Hezekiah in Decatur Township, Lawrence County, Ohio. She is 56 years old. Also in the household is a Joseph Hoode age 5 born in Kentucky. For those Barber/Hood researchers who may be scratching their heads and not locating this census it is because The Barber family is listed as Barker. Hezekiah is living next door to Bluford Hood. Thus in 1870 Phoebe is cited as Phoebe Barker.

Joseph Hood"e" born in 1865 was born five years after the marriage of Jacob Hood to Mary __ Coley. To date this compiler does not have any documentation for Phoebe from 1860 until her reappearance in 1870.

Phoebe continues to reside in Lawrence County, Ohio and by 1880 she is listed at Bluford Hood's as his mother, age 68, a widow with the surname Hood, born in Virginia and her parents born in Virginia.

Phoebe's death record gives no further clues about marriages. She died 7 June 1881 in Washington Township, Lawrence County, Ohio as Phoebe Barber . The register simply states that she was a "widow" at her death.

From the analysis we can safely assume that Phoebe was in Virginia in 1835 when Hezekiah was born. She did migrate to Greenup County, Kentucky about the same time that Joseph and Nancy Goad Barber did. Joseph was in Campbell County, Virginia in 1830 and in Greenup County, Kentucky by 1840.

In the 1830 Campbell County, Virginia there are females in the Joseph Barber household but none fit the age of Phoebe. If she is Joseph Barber's daughter she is not living in that household in 1830.

Joseph Barber does have a son named Pleasant Barber. This Pleasant was born about 1808 in Virginia and married Jane Crain according to researchers. {I find a marriage of a Pleasant to Irene Crane 20 Aug 1831 in Campbell County but have not located a marriage under Jane Craine.} This Pleasant is in Greenup and Boyd County and in 1870 is residing in Upper Township, Lawrence County, Ohio. This family unit ended up in Cass County, Missouri where they died.

Joseph and Nancy Goad Barber also have a son Reuben who married Frances Mary Crain. They named their first son Pleasant Barber. He was born 15 May 1827 in Virginia. Pleasant married 2 December 1851 in Greenup County, Kentucky to Jestine Betts. By 1880 Pleasant and Jestine are residing in Oak Hill, Jackson County, Ohio.

Joseph Barber appears to have died about 1844 when the Pleasant Barber, our subject was an infant/toddler. Joseph had no land holdings according to the Greenup County tax rolls. Researchers attribute four sons to Joseph: Pleasant, Reuben, Charles and Lewis along with 2 daughters. It is possible that there were other sons, one who may have married Phoebe of this sketch.

Until further evidence crosses my desk I will try not to assume more than the records indicate. Phoebe had at least one or possibly 2 [William] male issues under the name of Barber while residing in Virginia. After her marriage to Jacob Hood her children born prior to that marriage are in the census utilizing their step father's surname which was not an uncommon practice. As the minors reached adulthood they went back to using the surname Barber.

Our subject, Pleasant Barber married 9 November 1865 in Morgan County, Kentucky to Mary Ann Phillips. The family had six children and in later years lived on West Front Street in Ashland, KY.

Dear Ms.? Mr.? Mrs? Jblow@heavenknowswhere.com

2011-02-18T18:04:00.012-05:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
February 2011

"Dear Ms.? Mr.? Mrs? Jblow@heavenknowswhere.com,

It was lovely to receive another extensive e-mail from you with data on your family. I was especially delighted that you shared pictures of your great grandparents which were nicely identified.

I would love to catalog all your information in my collection. I am sure future generations will enjoy reading your stories about your family. Sadly I do not have proper source information to create a citation before filing your material without some reference points about you, the author.

It is certainly understandable that you are concerned about privacy issues. However in this day and age not only do physical telephone books carry your name and telephone but any number of on-line databases and maps track where we reside.

Let me assure you that when your descendants read your genealogical material they are not going to recognize your coded email address. The average person now has three and sometimes more e-mail addresses at any given time.

While I realize I am from an older generation, business classes still teach the elements of a good letter. E-mail is, after all, a letter. While the e-mail format generates a date, subject and each parties e-mail it is still up to us to use the elements of a good letter.

Understand I am not nosey nor a stalker, I am a genealogist who likes to be able to not only learn about your ancestors but to be able to archive and share the documented evidence for future generations.

It would be so nice to be able to address you by your proper name in our next correspondence. I worry that if you change service I will be unable to contact you to share newly discovered genealogical gems in the future.

You took a lot of time and effort to write to me and I wish to sincerely thank you for that. Please take credit, where credit is due for what you have written. I promise to give you credit as well.

Yours in Genealogy,

Teresa Martin Klaiber
Rush, Boyd County, KY 41168

Opening Doors - Eastern Kentucky Genealogy and Continued Education

2011-02-11T16:21:00.022-05:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
February 2011

I usually try for a clever title for my blog but just could not come up with an eye catcher that would convey my emotions.

As genealogists we are memory collectors. Sadly my mother has been struck with Alzheimers which steels those memories. I am her caregiver as well as the keeper of memories for both of us now. While I am on this journey with her my travel as well as research has been greatly curtailed.

Through the years patrons and clients alike have expressed gratitude for services I have provided which always left me with a warm fuzzy feeling. Realizing that many could not get to the area because of disabilities gave me drive to visit the hundreds of cemeteries to digitize every stone & to turn over every stick and stone for information they needed. But until I became "home bound" I truly did not realize how that gratitude translated from the client/patron eyes or how much new technological avenues would effect me emotionally. They are such a blessing.

I have discovered many avenues to pursue to keep me in the know and to keep up with the ever advancing world of technology in my beloved field of Genealogy. Avenues that would never have been available to any of us ten years ago.

Besides the obvious use of archive and library databases, Footnote, Ancestry, GenealogyBank, and Heritage Quest, doors are opening every day to gain new knowledge.

Genealogy bloggers are constantly reviewing new materials and sharing their knowledge with all of us. I use RSS feed to daily keep me abreast of my favorite blogs. RSS stands for "Rich Site Summery" which translates simply to notification of daily changes in any given web url. My RSS feeds come directly into my e-mail reader. For more information visit the RSS Primer.

I miss the comradery of other genealogists at state meetings and National conferences. But because of social networking I have been able to stay in touch with many I have met through the years via Face Book which has gained a huge genealogy network.

This week I have gotten the next best thing since I can't travel right now! Rootstech has streamed several sessions daily, at no cost for those of us at home. They also are providing a live Twitter feed which has left me smiling.

In the past several weeks I have attended several free - yes I said free - Webinars with different subjects. Everything from DNA to tweeking my own computer genealogy program. [Thank you for the wonderful talks Roots Magic!]

While conferences can be pricey with motel reservations, travel expenses and conference prices you cannot beat face to face contact. I honestly have gleaned more sitting at a round table during lunch than in some of the actual classes. You certainly can't beat the friendship. I love you all! BUT under certain circumstances I now realize other avenues can and should be available to the world at large.

Many genealogical conferences offer copies of the class after it is over. But now I am spoiled with live streams and see a future for them at conferences where you pay for a choice of conference sessions.

Maureen Taylor wrote an article about Online Education in The Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly's December 2010 issue. It was an exceedingly helpful reminder to me that being on a forced sabbatical does not mean that I can not continue to grow in my field.

Among her list were free videos that start for beginners and expand to professionals. FamilySearch and Ancestry's Learning Center are two places to begin and with video's there are no time restraints. They are just a click away.

I have always encouraged new researchers, given free consultations and shared documentation balancing it with the business and my personal genealogy. "Random Acts of Kindness" and "paying it forward" by complete strangers shows that humanity is not the ugly world we see on television news shows - thank goodness. These single acts have such power for those that would otherwise not be able to access materials.

A big example of "acts of kindness" is volunteering for indexing at FamilySearch. I sat with tears in my eyes when I found the Hungarian funeral card for my great great grandfather in Budapest listing my Amerian grandfather in bold print as his grandson. Thank you FamilySearch. Sadly I found it to late for my mother to comprehend its significance.

Genealogy has become not only my passion and occupation but now a distraction from the stress that fills the sadness in my life. During this "sabbatical" I am digitizing my personal collection, checking my citations and in some cases looking at family documentation I have not reviewed in many years. Like the cobblers son things were on a back burner while I helped others. Yes, we all need to clean up our own documentation and cite our sources!

Digitized materials can now be shared with each son and grandchild. This includes a medical history for my family. My legacy and my memories handed down so that those that follow will know my love of family past and present.

We never stop learning.

Happy Anniversary

2011-02-03T08:37:00.020-05:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
February 2011

It is hard to believe that a year has transpired since I decided to start the Eastern Kentucky Genealogy Blog. Geneabloggers call it a bloggaversary. It has been a year of new discoveries and new friendships.

We celebrate many kinds of anniversaries in our world. Retailers usually offer sales to "celebrate" and romantics even celebrate the day they met.

I have another anniversary coming up in April. Forty three years of marriage with the most patient man in the world. He has supported my genealogical endeavors, held my hand during and after back surgery when I stupidly lifted the tombstone to see what was written on the other side, has moved file cabinets and the FLI library across 3 states, stood in cemeteries in the pouring rain while I got one last picture, and driven miles out of his way for courthouse research. When we reach that fifty year milestone it will be with a celebration.

I love to look at the Sunday paper and see the announcements of others anniversaries. You know that the smiling faces have ridden the wave of every day life with its ups and downs and are to quote my New York friend now "soul mates."

Among the relics in my house is a hammered silver pitcher and two goblets presented to my great grand parents, Stephen Simpson Halderman and wife Anna Catherine Gorath in 1923 by the Hempstead Academy of Medicine in honor of their 50th anniversary. The Halderman's were married 28 August 1873 at Berlin Cross Roads in Jackson County, Ohio and S. S. had been a past president of Hempstead. A copy of the flowery newspaper article accompanies the set. It is another bonus that a picture of the couple is also in the collection.

Besides local newspaper article concerning anniversaries, I find that religious newspapers can give very detailed information concerning anniversaries. I have written about John Andrew aka Johann Andreas Klaiber and wife Mary Ann McBrayer many times. They were married 1 November 1855 in Carter County, Kentucky.

After 63 years of marriage an article appeared in the West Virginia Methodist News published in Sutton, West Virginia concerning the couple. The article gives both of their birth dates, when they converted to the Methodist faith and other details of the family. Having had 10 children they also had 49 living grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren in 1919 [great genealogy tool]. {9 April 1919 edition WV Methodist News}

The article includes information on the couple's health including the fact that Mary Ann had a dislocated hip in 1917 and that John Andrew had a similar accident.

One of the most interesting paragraphs provided information on the home that stood on our farm along with a well known community minister:

"...Their home has always been the home of the Methodist preacher Rev. John Martin who so often visited their home in their young days, would retire to a room upstairs for prayer and study. He called this room the "prophets room" and by such it was known by their entire family and their intimate friends."

John Martin [no relation to this compiler] married many throughout the Boyd County community of Garner.

I am looking forward to sharing another year of bits and pieces from my office here in Eastern Kentucky with readers. It is always a thrill to hear from you as well. So as the sun rises over the cliffs I am raising one of my treasured goblets in a toast to all who write and share the history of our ancestors.

Paper Migration

2011-01-28T15:01:00.011-05:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
January 2011

People migrate for many reasons. Genealogists follow the migrations. When people migrate their "stuff" migrates with them. During the ten years that we had an established antique shop in the heart of Ohio, we often joked that items purchased on the East Coast eventually ended up in California where high end dealers sold the item back to New York.

I sat in the middle of the floor of my office the other day with stacks of original source materials including old diaries, ledgers and letters around me and thought about those analogies and what I was guilty of when we moved back to our beloved Eastern Kentucky from Ohio.

As Family Lineage Investigations Antiques & Genealogy, I purchased many ledgers and documents at auctions. My intent was to publish the materials and make them more accessible to everyone. It was a good plan and some were published. I also purchased many items from other states and donated them to respective libraries in the area where the items originated rather than sell them in our shop.

Good intentions aside, what actually happened to much of the Ohio materials could have made them less available or worse - lost.

Several years ago, I realized the materials just were not "at home" in Eastern Kentucky. I called the librarian for the Guernsey Chapter OGS who drove to Eastern Kentucky and retrieved a car load of original source ledgers for that county. They are now safely housed in their home county and available in a logical place for researchers to find them. Why didn't I do that before I moved? Moving is emotional and hurried and time slips by quickly. So I felt relieved that the items were returned and smug that they had not been scattered around the country or worse tossed by some uncaring person.

Over a period of time, I have donated other original source items found in my Eastern Kentucky office to various places. Mind you my office is not huge. I think it is homey. My sons shake their heads calling me that horrible name "pack rat". I take offense arguing that I am organized and everything has purpose. Or rather I did until that moment when I discovered a storage box that left me sitting on the floor with those wonderful items scattered around me.

I have spent the last several days making contacts and can report that they are migrating yet again but this time home. I hope they enjoyed their vacation in Eastern Kentucky.

Migration of documents is a problem that every genealogical researcher faces. It reminds me of the preparation of my book New Concord 1833-1902. A small article appeared in the local paper which noted that we could not find any volume of council minutes prior to 1900. Within a week I had a letter from George L. Carlos in Winter Haven, Florida. He wrote "I was born in New Concord and served the village for many years...I was a council member when the old Town Hall was torn down ...I retrieved from the city dump the council minutes...I have carried these with me for many years over half the country but it is time for them to go home." The ledger did come home and the original is safely archived at Muskingum University and extracted in my publication which is now available digitally.

As our new Eastern Kentucky home was in the midst of log raising, I was busy cleaning and organizing the estate of my father-in-law. Their home was small and never cluttered but something was jammed behind the head board of a bed. I was startled and excited when I pulled out a ledger. That ledger had migrated from the Boyd County Courthouse. I can only speculate how it made it to our rural farm but it is now extracted and published for all to use: Boyd County, Kentucky 1902 Tax Journal. While it is not a wealth of information it does verify that a person resided in the county and what district they were in during 1902. Mind you the book did not travel far but could easily have been lost for future generations.

In May 2010 I wrote about the Garrett Chapel United Methodist Church Records from Lawrence County, Kentucky which also migrated but luckily had been copied. When I wrote that blog I said "I stand firm that records belong where they were created in a safe environment for historical purposes."

Even after the reality that I had tucked away materials that needed to go home, I still feel that way. I have rectified my error and encourage everyone to be vigilant and make sure those wonderful jewels are placed where they can easily be utilized. I encourage everyone to enjoy regular visits to antique shops and auctions and help these items find their way home.

stock illustration, Image zoo thank you fotosearch.com

Forget Me Not

2011-01-22T17:39:00.021-05:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
January 2011

No better time to write about historical quilts than when the temperatures dip to single digits across the United States. I have written about signature quilts and utilized them as examples in many genealogical speeches throughout the years.

Some of my most treasured documentation comes, not from courthouse paper sources, but rather from the items that surround me. My beautiful blue garnet ring bears the inscription date that my great grandparents were engaged. I carefully dust a tiny porcelain bride and groom from 1918 that sat on top of the cake when my grandparents were married. Quilts tell stories as well.

The documented provenance of an artifact is as important to a genealogist as it is to any archaeologist or antique auctioneer. Lose the link in the provenance of a bible, for example, and we lose a little more of our personal history. Elizabeth Shown Mills provides family historians and genealogists a template to cite our source, including the provenance in Evidence Explained [page 105]. While many provide footnotes and sources for books and documents, I rarely see artifacts having a full citation.

One blustery, cold November day in 1996 while visiting Martha Klaiber Cox [1908-2005] in Catlettsburg, Boyd County, Kentucky, she pulled out a fragile quilt from beneath many others quilted by her mother, Julina Leota Sexton Horton Klaiber.

As Aunt Martha lovingly spread the quilt on the bed I could see the deterioration, especially of the early silk materials which is commonplace in crazy quilts. She told me that either her mother Julina [1877-1978] or her grandmother, Julina McCormack Sexton [1836-1914] had pieced the quilt. The quilt simply has initials but Martha explained they were initials of friends and family that lived on or around Garner, Boyd County, Kentucky.

It is possible that both Julina's worked on the beautiful stitches.

The initials with probable names:

AJS
AS = Anne [Caldwell] Sexton [1856-1892]
ASS
BS = Bertha Sexton [1888-1890 d/o James & Missouri]
BW
CE = Cora Enyart [d/o Wm F. & Sarah Lett Enyart]
DWM
DM = Dimma Mayhew [1867-1895]
DS
EHS = Elisha H. Sexton [1856-1946]
EWS = Edward Sexton [possibly 1880-1892 s/o LD & Miriam]
GMH
GWM
HB
HPS = Henry Powell Sexton II [ 1874-1963]
HS
JFR = James Franklin Reeves [1828-1921 1st cousin of Julina McCormack Sexton]
JH
JLR = Julina L. Reece [1891-1893 d/o D. W. and Martha E. Sexton Reece]
JM
JMc
JMS = James McClelland Sexton [1865-1941]
JS = Julina Sexton [1877-1978]
LB
LDS =Lorenzo Dow Sexton [1858-1949]
MFS = Miriam Frances [McKnight] Sexton [1861-1931]
MHS = Missouri Haines Sexton
MLS =Marcus Lindsey Sexton [1857-1880]
MM
MS =
NS = Nelson Sexton
OMH
RC
TMS = Telitha nee May Sexton [1862-1945]
WCS
WDR
WH
WVS =William Vincent Sexton [1861-1936]
WW

At 88 years of age, Martha was generous and gave me the quilt that day. Having family of her own, I knew that I was meant to be the guardian of the quilt for just a short time and would some day return the quilt to her branch of the family.

I purchased a large textile acid free box and tissue and lovingly cared for the quilt from November 1996 until the summer of 2009. In 2009 the quilt was given to Freda Cox Tackett, daughter of Martha to deliver to Martha's grand daughter Tina Lynn Tackett Toth. Another generation can now cherish the history of this beautiful artifact.

My own home has many reminders of both Julina's including several pieced quilts by Julina Sexton Klaiber. She walks with me in spirit as I see the spring daffodils she planted many years ago. In February 1962, nicknamed Lade, she wrote:

"This is my request - Lade Klaiber. One thing I am - if I should pass away I do want you all to be good to each other and devide {sic} the dishes and quilts and the other things in the house if you want them and the pictures take care of them and each one will know what yours that you gave me. And one thing please take care of the flowers for I did love them and hope all will be happy and live for Jesus."

In 1996 James and Teresa Martin Klaiber divided some of the daffodil bulbs sharing them with others within the neighborhood. On Memorial Day 1997 we donated bulbs in Julina Leota Sexton Horton Klaiber's name to a daffodil project in Greendale, Wisconsin as part of a program for Birds & Blooms.

Forget Me Not

"On the road again - Goin' places that I've never been"

2011-01-06T19:15:00.018-05:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
January 2011

Willie Nelson can't wait to get on the road again but I am not sure our ancestors enjoyed the road as much as he does.

Our early Eastern Kentucky roads were built and maintained by the county with all able bodied males over 15 required to work on them. There were a few exceptions. Males over fifty were exempt as were ministers of the gospel. The county order books are a roll call for these men to come do their duty.

The first step for a new road was to approach the county court and request an opening or possibly change the path of an existing road. Three gentleman would then be appointed to view and report back the best possible route. Once the road was approved hands in the vicinity were called to do the work.

The better roads would be laid with crushed rock which had to be hauled from a local quarry or even further if one was not close. The rock was crushed by manual labor prior to the invention of awkward rock crushers. They used a method known as Macadam which was simply layered crushed stone. While the process was introduced in 1820 it did not arrive in Kentucky until after 1850 and then only to roads linking larger towns. Rock was not to be over 6 ounces in weight and no larger than what could pass through a two inch ring according to Wikipedia. Labor intensive and grueling work.

In reality most of the local roads of Eastern Kentucky were mud and muck. Kentucky did not have a state highway commission until 1912.

One of my favorite books in my office collection is a reprint of Tour Book The Midland Trail compiled for the National Midland Trail Association in 1916. The Kentucky West-Bound Log begins on page 16. When describing Olive Hill, in Carter County, Kentucky you find the following description:

"From Olive Hill there may be a detour via Soldier which is easier than the road logged via Upper Tygert...the next ten miles is really bad road, altho much better in summer than in spring, ...it is well not to try to drive too fast, for taking it easily the distance may be made in a short time without undue strain on either car or driver."

My father describes the roads of our area in 1950 as:

"...primitive. What there were simply followed the old paths and cow trials...There were only two paved main roads, US 60 toward Lexington and US 23, wandering laboriously south into the real mountain counties. The county roads were graveled, when it was available, and any road off these could at times be impassible. [Never A Ho Hum Day, John G. Martin, page 20]

The following picture from Magoffin County is estimated to have been taken between 1916 and 1925.

John Shouse Martin Collection

The Big Sandy Road was later marked as US #23. The picture below states "3 miles from Catlettsburg". Looking at the picture the family is coming north toward Catlettsburg.

John Shouse Martin Collection, Sandy River Road, 1917

It never ceases to amaze me how our pioneer ancestors migrated from place to place. There seems to be a special need for many of us to be "On the road again..."

"Fill er Up" Indian Oil Company

2011-01-03T03:54:00.021-05:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
January 2011

In today's "modern" world, with the click of the mouse, a search for Indian Oil Company gets you thousands of hits and wiki descriptions of a large corporation based in India.

But in the early years of "modern" gasoline stations in the United States Indian Oil Company was well known in the Midwest and Eastern Kentucky.

Indian Oil Company started out as Indian Asphalt Company and in 1905 set up operations in Georgetown, Kentucky. One of their products was Bluegrass axle grease. A year later they changed their name to Indian Oil Company and built a Refining company based out of Lawrenceburg, Illinois. In 1909 they purchased Havoline Oil Company and the Havoline name quickly became a well known name throughout our area.

An excellent web site developed by Jim Hinds gives a detailed time line of the company. He should be commended for his efforts to fetter out the details and history for this company.

The company growth was in leaps and bounds. One of the many traveling salesmen for Indian Oil Company was John Shouse Martin who resided in Ashland, Kentucky. He joined the company during World War I and continued to work for Indian Oil Company until it was purchased by Texaco in early 1931. Texaco received all rights to the manufacturing process of Havoline motor oil at that time.

The company maintained an office on East Front and 28th Street in Ashland as well as a plant [shown in picture above] with J. W. Johnson as manager.

Besides Martin, L. F. Carmine of Lexington and C. F. Leslie of Huntington all were let go by Texaco in 1931 and quickly announced in the Ashland newspaper that they were now working for Valvoline Oil Company of Cincinnati. Lawrence M. Kelly took over the southern Ohio territory for Texaco that had been held by J. S. Martin.

Martin took many photographs in his travels and his collection includes this picture of the first Indian Station in Ashland, Kentucky. This may be the station listed in the 1924 city directory at 1000 East Winchester. The station was operated by J. W. Johnson.

The first gasoline stations in the United States were built between 1905 and 1907. They were known as "filling stations", a term I heard even in the mid 1950's. By 1929 there were two Indian gasoline stations in Ashland, Kentucky. One at 2500 Winchester Avenue operated by R. D. Gardner and another at 13th and Lexington operated by Curtis Murphy.

From horse and buggy to the gasoline age we are now moving into yet another "modern" world and I am sure we will hear much more about it in 2011. The price of gasoline is skyrocketing. But let me savor for just a moment more, full service fill ups with my windows wiped to a sparkle.

Come All You Tender Hearted

2010-12-12T12:58:00.017-05:00

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
December 2010

By now all my readers should be aware of my love of ballads and how they can be used in genealogy and history.

My families genealogy includes the sad story of Floyd Alson McCormack [1836-1906] and wife Francis Jane Ratliff McCormack's two daughters deaths in Carter County,Kentucky..

A few years ago a family cousin, Robert McCormack, asked if I knew of a ballad sang by the Stanly Brothers. I immediately sent him the copy from Ballad Makin in the Mountains of Kentucky by Jean Thomas. What is interesting about her publication is that she says the ballad "came to Jilson Setters' ears..." It did not say that Jilson Setters aka William Day was the author.

Over the years Robert has collected several versions of the ballad and now has a web page that is a true delight. Simply titled The Fire Tragedy, I am sure my readers will enjoy it.

As the snow storm moves into Eastern Kentucky, I am scanning McCormack items in my collection and refreshing my memory concerning the ballad. Among my items is a copy of the Carter County Herald, Olive Hill, Kentucky, dated 26 October 1922. The article is titled "A Sad Recollection."

This article has a few inconsistencies and states that Mrs. Francis McCormick was a widow residing in Flat Woods, Carter County and suffered from rheumatism. After putting her little girls to bed, she went to the neighbor's house to get some liniment and while there the house caught fire and burned. This article states the the affair happened in 1867.

The newspaper version follows:

Come all ye tender hearted
Your attention I will call;
I'll tell you how it started,
Come listen one and all.
On Wednesday night there was a light
Saw shining on the hill;
A mother ran with all her might,
While everything was still.
Two little girls had gone to bed,
While mother ached with pain;
"I'll get some liniment," she said,
"And soon return again."
Don't stay too long, dear mother,
For well be lonesome here,"
And then mother might have seen
Them drop a silent tear.
She went into a neighbor's house,
Some hundred yards away,
Twas there she sat and talked with them
Bud did not mean to stay.
They hear a noise life thunder
As the flames began to roar;
Ain't it an awful wonder
They never went to the door?
Time passed on much longer,
But still she did not go;
Ain't it an amazing wonder
The mother acted so?
When she started home again
Her house was in a flame;
She cried, "My babies, you're gone,
I am the one to blame."
She burst the door asunder
The flames rolled over her head.
She cried aloud, "No wonder."
She found her babies dead.
The little ones had gone to sleep
Before their mother came.
Oh how still they slept,
Wrapped in the red hot flame.
Their little bones lay on the ground,
They both lay face to face,
Their arms they were entwined around
Each other they did embrace.
Don't grieve for them, dear mother,
For they are now at res,
Ain't it an amazing wonder
How soon they both were blessed?
If they had said with you, ma,
Till they had both grown old,
They could not have purchased what they have
Though they had a world of gold.
We know they are gone from you, ma,
It's their eternal gain;
They're beyond the curtains of the sky
Where they'll never know no pain.
We know they're gone from you, ma;
God will it so to be;
Just put your trust in him, ma;
Your babes you soon shall see.

This version published in the Carter paper states that it was composed by M. J. Williams in 1888. The version published by Jean Thomas varies in many ways and never uses the word ain't or ma.

The story has some twists. In 1870 Francis was living in Greenup County, Kentucky working as a seamstress with her children and an Elizabeth Williams age 67 born in East Virginia. The little girls vary in ages from 8 years old to 6 months. Husband Floyd is not in the household. However he reappears in 1880 in Lawrence County living with a younger wife Martha [Haney]. Thus she was not a widow in 1870. Floyd did not die until 20 June 1906.

Looking for M. J. Williams who composed the ballad in 1888, I found Montraville J. Williams, the son of Jefferson Brooks Williams living next door to John Q. A. Davis, a violin and dulcimer maker in 1880 in Olive Hill, Carter County, Kentucky. Williams is 22 years old working on his fathers farm but was certainly influenced by John Q. A. Davis and his music.

Kentucky Vital records show that Montraville J. [spelled a variety of ways] was born 24 February 1858 in Smokey Valley, Carter County to Jefferson B. and Mary Griffith Williams.

By 1900 Montraville Williams is living with a sister's family and is selling organs. Montraville appears to have never married and is found in 1920 living as a boarder in Eagle, Carter County with no occupation, just two years prior to the writing of the article in the Carter County newspaper.

I was able to to locate the obituary of "Mont J." Williams published 17 January 1929 in the Carter Herald. With a special thanks to James Powers at the Boyd County Library, I did not have to make the drive on this snowy day to obtain the obit. We discussed what a wonderful genealogy find the obituary was because it lists when each of the siblings pre-deceased Montraville. Sadly the article does not state the one thing I had hoped - which was his occupation and involvement with music and musical instruments. According to the obituary Montraville J. Williams died 12 January 1929 and was buried at Globe, Kentucky.

Anyone with further information on any other ballads that M. J. Williams may have compiled is encouraged to contact me.

clip art by: www.clker.com