KLAIBER CEMETERY

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

James Klaiber, Teresa Klaiber, Craig Fannin Trustees

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

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

KLAIBER CEMETERY, BOYD COUNTY, KY

LAST	GIVEN	BIRTH	DEATH	STONE
BLACKBURN	KERMIT	30 DEC 1914	20 JUNE 2003	42
BLACKBURN	WILMA M	16 NOV 1928		42
BLAIR	FAMILY PLOT
BOCOOK	SANFORD		9 DEC 1910	84
CLARK	JOHN T	9 OCT 1848	15 JUL 1915	10
CLARK	JOSEPH M	24 JUL 1860	4 AUG 1915	11
CLARK	MITCHELL	7 MAY 1819	14 SEP 1892	8
CLARK	SARAH R	1 MAR 1823	3 OCT 1902	9
COMBS	LEWIS	1900	1923	80
COMBS	MARTHA	1851	1930	79
CONLEY	DORIS ENYART	1954	1993	28
CONLEY	GLADYS SEXTON			100
COX	FRED RAYMOND	18 AP 1900	1 JUL 1964	53
CRUM	JOHN ALLEN			5
CRUM	MAGGIE			5
CRUM	WISE			6
DOWDY	SARAH CRABTREE	1903	1971	87
DOWDY	THOMAS	2 MAR 1895	29 AP 1969	87
DURHAM	FREDERICK H	7 JUN 1891	4 FEB 1973	86
DURHAM	SARAH C	4 DEC 1893	7 JULY 1983	86
ENYART	CURTIS
ENYART	DOUGLAS
ENYART	LEONARD L	1888	1975	44
ENYART	MARY E	1921	1989	43
ENYART	MARY G	1894	1973	44
ENYART	TOM	1914	26 JUL 2000	43
ESTEP				66
FANNIN	MARY E		31 JAN 1899	54
FELTY	DEBRA	1953	1998	99
FERREL	HELEN			76
FERREL	RAYMOND	1921	1995	76
FUGATE	DAVID WAYNE	29 AP 1965	27 OCT 1966	30
GALLION	CLARENCE			11
GALLION	EMA			11
GALLION	GOLDIE	28 MAR 1896	30 APR 1896	37
GALLION	H. D.	14 FEB 1827	2 NOV 1890	13
GALLION	INFANT			11
GALLION	WILLIAM H	1855	1920	12
GUSSLER	WILLARD SCOTT	1912	1982	88
HARRIS	JOHN H	2 MAR 1860	11 MAR 1909	22
HATFIELD				86
HATFIELD	EMMETT			86
HOOD	MATILDA	3 DEC 1805	20 MAR 1887	57
HOOD	WILLIAM P		14 AUG 1974	56
HOWE	SARAH		6 JUN 1874	7
HUND	BETH FANNIN			101
HUND	EDWARD			102
JARVIS	EMRALD	18 SEP 1907	6 MAR 1968	77
JARVIS	LAURA	5 SEP 1910	31 DEC 1942	77
JONES	ARTHUR L	1941	1944	27
JONES	CHARLES	1928	1943	27
JORDAN	DELLA C	28 JUN 1930	30 AUG 1930	96
JORDAN	G. W.		20 APR 1930	93
JORDAN	H. B.	10 DEC 1906	30 JUL 1931	96
JORDAN	IRA VERNON	4 FEB 1901	27 APR 1933	90
JORDAN	MARY E	1870	1940	97
JORDAN	MARY JANE	26 MAY 1874	24 APR 1936	92
JORDAN	THOMAS P	1871	1951	97
KELLEY	E ALICE	1868	1896	34
KELLY	ELIZA O		18 NOV 1895	60
KLAIBER	ELSIE R	7 JAN 1912	24 NOV 1987	32
KLAIBER	INFANT		1945	31
KLAIBER	JAMES DAVID			32
KLAIBER	JAMES DAVID
KLAIBER	JAMES MATTHEW	21 JUL 1858	22 DEC 1949	67
KLAIBER	JOHN ANDREW	20 OCT 1831	4 Dec 1920	51
KLAIBER	JOHN H	15 JUL 1911	18 JUNE	32
KLAIBER	JULINA HORTON	30 JUNE 1877	20 APR 1978	67
KLAIBER	MARGURETTA		14 SEP 1896	68
KLAIBER	MARY ANN MCBRAYER	24 MAY 1834	1 APR 1919	51
KLAIBER	MARY MONTGOMERY	22 JAN 1879	9 AUG 1912	33
KLAIBER	N. A.	24 SEP 1861	28 SEP 1904	52
KLAIBER	TERESA LYNN MARTIN			32
LAWRENCE	JOHNNY			27
LAWRENCE	RUBY ENYART			27
LAWSON				63
LAWSON				63
LAWSON				63
LUCAS	BESSIE J	1926	1966	72
LUCAS	CARL D	1918	1918	74
LUCAS	CHARLEY	24 MAY 1905	22 AUG 1925	94
LUCAS	ELIZABETH	22 MAY 1912	27 NOV 1989	69
LUCAS	FRANK K	1884	1966	71
LUCAS	GARNER			78
LUCAS	H. K.	1846	1933	70
LUCAS	LUCINDA	1850	1931	70
LUCAS	MARTHA E	1919	1923	73
LUCAS	NANCY A	1888	1967	71
LUCAS	RALPH C	14 MAR 1914	16 JUL 1977	69
LUCAS	SHERMAN			34
LUCAS	TAYLOR			34
LUCAS	VIRGINIA MYRTLE	24 SEP 1924	29 JUL 1926	78
MADDOX	AMANDA M	1908		76
MADDOX	ARLIE	18 MAY 1921	18 AUG 1978	89
MADDOX	THOMAS J	1895	1960	76
MAYHEW	DIMMA	2 JUN 1867	9 APR 1895	24
MAYHEW	FLORA S
MAYHEW	MARY E	21 SEP 1834	8 SEP 1904	26
MAYHEW	WILLIAM C	2 NOV 1932	3 MAY 1890	25
MCCORMICK	JACKIE RAY	11 MAR 1939	11 MAR 1939	1
MOORE	J. L.	21 JAN 1925	20 NOV 1999	64
MOORE	REBECCA J	15 MAR 1937		64
REEVES	CHARLES EDWARD			95
REEVES	LULA M	1894	1955	95
SEXTON	CATHERINE		7 JUN 1893	17
SEXTON	ERNEST O	20 MAR 1920	10 JAN 1986	39
SEXTON	EVERET	8 JAN 1905	17 JUN 1905	85
SEXTON	FRANK	6 MAR 1904	22 JAN 1935	29
SEXTON	HAROLD			98
SEXTON	HENRY POWELL	1892	1974	38
SEXTON	HOPIE M	9 MAR 1910	30 JUN 1930	82
SEXTON	HOWARD	1 MAY 1922	20 JUN 2002	62
SEXTON	JASPER N	15 JAN 1869	10 NOV 1967	83
SEXTON	KENNETH "HOP"	1926	1989	81
SEXTON	KENNETH E	25 NOV 1926	19 OCT 1989	75
SEXTON	MARIAM L	1 APR 1878	17 MAR 1930	83
SEXTON	MARK	2 JAN 1812	22 OCT 1877	16
SEXTON	NELLIE G	1898	1962	38
SEXTON	r NORMAN	30 NOV 1899	8 NOV 1921	84
SEXTON	WILLA
SEXTON	WIRT ELAM	18 JUL 1918	4 NOV 1997	83
SHEPHERD	DORIS	25 AUG 1953	25 AUG 2000	63
SHEPHERD	JOHN			63
SHEPHERD	WILLIAM R	10 JAN 1941	11 OCT 1970	48
SMITH	CLYDE JR	11 JUL 1927	23 MAR 1930	65
SMITH	CYNTHIA	1901	1994	64
SMITH	JAMES RICHARD	21 DEC 1924	25 JUN 1988	64
SMITH	LEWIS DEWEY	5 MAR 1899	9 OCT 1977	64
SPARKS
SPARKS	DAVE	1898	1966	46
SPARKS	FRANKLIN D	20 MAR 1942	23 FEB 1969	45
SPARKS	NORA	20 JUL 1902		46
STANLEY	CLARENCE	24 MAR 1922	8 JUN 1966	61
STANLEY	DWIGHT M	29 AUG 1884	14 SEP 1904	41
STANLEY	GEORGE J	28 JUL 1895	19 DEC 1973	61
STANLEY	J. B.	31 MAR 1858	25 OCT 1939	40
STANLEY	JOE	1890	1940	62
STANLEY	MARGARET E	7 SEP 1895	30 JAN 1961	61
STANLEY	MYRTLE	1892	1981	62
STANLEY	SUSAN	18 MAR 1856	30 OCT 1908	40
STEWART	ISABELLA A		23 OCT 1871	55
STEWART	PAULINE	11 nOV 1922	23 SEP 2002	77
UNKNOWN				35
UNKNOWN				59
UNKNOWN				58
UNKNOWN				36
UNKNOWN				18
UNKNOWN				21
UNKNOWN				19
UNKNOWN				15
UNKNOWN				14
UNKNOWN				23
UNKNOWN				20
VANNATTER	BERT	7 MAR 1917		49
VANNATTER	DOROTHY	22 JUN 1924	9 MAR 1984	49
VANNATTER	GARY EDWARD	18 FEB 1941	23 JUN 1968	47
VANNATTER	WILLIAM LEONARD	23 JUN 1942	24 DEC 1970	50
WOOTEN	BEATRICE	3 JUN 1897	1 APR 1950	3
WOOTEN	EVERETT	1890	1973	2
WOOTEN	J. C.	19 JUN 1918	27 SEP 1920	4
WORKMAN	INES	21 APR 1900	12 OCT 1933	91
WORKMAN	INFANT			91
				76
				76

Deliverance Farm Cabin Antiques

Log Cabin Heritage at  Deliverance Farm

 This article originally appeared on our webpage at deliverancefarm.com.  Because of illness and unstable posts this is duplicated from my web page.  I will continue to maintain this blog as long as my health allows.uue to maintain the Eastern Kentucky Genealogy Blog as long as my health will allow.      The  
Restoration on the old farm house at "Deliverance Farm" Boyd County, Kentucky began in 1998.  We utilized PermaChink - a grit based silicon mixture that adjusts to shifts in temperature and log expansion and shrinkage.    We have also treated all the logs for "critters," gone over the stain and sealed the logs.

The front room is traditional square log dating to about 1867.  Originally part of the old Howe farm, the Klaiber's purchased this portion of the farm from the Jordan's in 1944.  [See  annotated title search below]

The room is complete with fireplace and hardwood floors.  Memories of Christmas trees, parlor chats, and candy pulling fill the air.  While the front porch is not original it comes complete with two swings - and we invite our friends to visit and sit a spell.    Renovation discoveries have included an unknown window tucked beside the fireplace and initials H and H  W carved   on the left side of porch.  Additionally the name JEB is carved just to the left of the entrance door.  Chinking varied from the original mud and horse hair packed mixture to the 1930's popular "repair" chinking of  cement.

The house was heated with a coal stove, in the added middle section, from at least 1932 until 1971.  It was covered with redwood siding and trim which helped protect the home from varmits.  In 1971 the house was remodeled and aluminum sided. Typical of most early farm homes, the structure was added on as needed.  The 1932 newspapers used as a barrier between log and newer structure and as "padding" for wall paper give clues to the addition of the middle portion between log structure and kitchen and cellar.  This is a good indication that originally there was a dog trot to the cellar area.

                            A Little Bit of History

On the 3rd day of  September 1866 W. P. Hood  and Matilda   his wife sold, their son-in-law, James W. Howe and Sarah his wife,   in consideration of $1.00, a tract of  land described as laying on Salmons fork of Garner, being a part of the survey of Richard Graham, deceased [Boyd County dbk   3:274]. This is one of several tracts now a part of Deliverance Farm, owned by James and Teresa Martin Klaiber.  William P. Hood was the son of  Thomas and Sarah Hood, early settlers of what was then Greenup County, Kentucky.   He was born 2 March 1805 and died 14 August 1874.  He married 13 December 1831 Matilda Howe born 3 December 1805 died 20 March 1887, buried in Klaiber Cemetery. William P., according to historian Evelyn Jackson also had a son named   Price by one of his slaves.

As the Civil War  came to a close,  James W. Howe and Sarah E. Hood Howe [born about 1839]   sold Phillip H. Howe,  December 18, 1867 this portion of the property [Boyd County dbk 7:123] and  we surmise  it was Phillip and his family that first lived in this cabin.  The 1870 Federal Census shows Phillip age 24, Sarah 56 [his mother], Martha K. 32, Sarah 21, George W. 19, Matilda 17 and a Wesley  Bellding 18 being enumerated on East Fork.  His mother Sarah [nee Fannin married George W. Howe  20 Oct 1836 in Lawrence County] died in 1874 and is also in Klaiber Cemetery.

On  19 December 1879 Allen Prichard purchased the property  with the deed giving the description as between Long Branch and Sammons Fork [Boyd County dbk 9:54].   In 1893 he deeded the property to his daughter Hellen S. Finley.  The property stayed in the Prichard family until August 1909 when S. H. and S.D. Finley sold the land to Jasper Sexton [Boyd County debk 57 page 417].
Jasper Newton Sexton [born 15 January 1869 died 10 November 1967] was the son of Henry Powell Sexton and Julina McCormack Sexton.  He married Miriam Robert Lambert 20 January 1898 in Boyd County.  They with their tiny son Royal Norman born 30 November 1899 moved into the cabin.  Through the years the following children were also born while living there:  Willa B. 10 December 1902, Everet born 8 June 1904, Thomas Edgar born 28 June, Sophia Mae born 9 March 1910, Harold Lee born 18 December, Maymie Lynd born February 1917, Wirt Elam born 18 July 1918 and a stillborn infant in February of 1916.   On January 22, 1920 Jasper sold the property and home to J.A. Hazlett [Boyd County dbk 77:604].

John Allen Hazlett was born 24 April 1892 and died 9 December 1959.  He married Eula D. Bolt born 20 November 1895, the daughter of Kent and Bertha Mae Pope Bolt.   J.A. and Eula owned the property for 5 years selling to T.P. Jordan and wife Elizabeth on 29 August 1925.  At the time of the sale the description referred to the ridge between Long Branch and Solomon Fork.  Thus there is a question about the proper name of the fork - Salmon, Sammons, Solomon [Boyd County deed book 106:90].

Thomas P. Jordan born abt. 1870 was the son of Absolom Jordan [s/o Pleasant] who married Julia Ann Coburn .  Julia was the daughter of  Thomas Coburn and wife Julina nee. Brumfield  Julia's grandparents were Micajah Brumfield and Eleanor Clay Brumfield.  Elizabeth Jordan died 18 January 1940 and Thomas remarried.  On November 25, 1944  son E.W. Jordan sold the property to John Henry Powell Sexton Klaiber and wife Elsie Rucker Klaiber [Boyd County dbk 192 page 355], adding the tract to additional lands in the family.  John Henry was the great great grandson of Micajah and Eleanor Clay Brumfield and thus had "family ties" to the Jordan's.   John Henry was the son of  James Matthew Klaiber and wife Julina Sexton Klaiber.  Julina was the sister to Jasper Newton Sexton who previously resided in the cabin.    John and Elsie remained on the farm, having remodeled the home, until their deaths.  Elsie loved antiques and referred to the original cabin which was now the front room as her "parlor"  where she played hostess to guests.  Their only son James grew from infancy to adulthood on the farm and now [2015] retains the deed to the property.

In the Fall of 2013 the Klaiber's opened the cabin doors selling country antiques.  Renamed Deliverance Farm Cabin Antiques the "shop" is open each Saturday May - October from 9am til 4.  You are welcome to come browse, pet our donkeys and sit under the wonderful huge maple trees.

"Blind Mary"

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

February 2013

Shortly after our marriage, in 1968, my mother-in-law invited me on a visit to "Blind Mary's." No one had heard of "politically correct" and most popular country folk in our area had and still have nicknames.

Every outing or introduction to a new person was an oral genealogy extravaganza for my husband's mother, Elsie.  She did not fail me as we headed out, loaded with jars of pickles and fresh rhubarb for Mary.  

Mary was born 7 March 1917, the daughter of William Vincent and Minerva Patton Sexton.  She was a twin, a rarity in the Sexton family.  Her sister Martha Ellen had died at ten months old from pneumonia [7 January 1918].  Elsie chattered on as we drove up the hill on Route #854 that they had been born on Pigeon Roost.  

I was mentally trying to figure out why she kept calling her my husband's cousin.  It would take a little genealogy sleuthing to finally determine that Mary Sexton was my husband's 1st cousin once removed.

We pulled up in Rush, Kentucky to a small house with the most beautiful wisteria climbing on the porch I had ever viewed.  The sweet aroma  carried on the breeze as we knocked.

Mary greeted us with smiles and made me feel so welcome and warm.  She took little time before she opened up and told me she had been ill as a small girl causing her blindness.  She was sent to Louisville, Kentucky for two years at the School for the Blind where she learned Braille.  She carefully pulled out her prized possessions, books in braille, showing me how she read them.

Her house was neat, her yard well kept and she maintained it all by herself.  As we sat and talked she asked if I liked wood carving.  Having a year as an art major, I piped up that yes I admired carving very much.  Well she said "I wood carve."    I sat in total disbelief as she showed me how she made spinning tops for children from old wooden spools.  She laughed and handed me some to keep which I cherish to this day.

Then she showed me a wooden chain with a caged ball inside, all hand carved. As she handed it to me she said "keep it, it ain't very good."  I have kept it and can tell you it is wonderful.  Many years later and back in Kentucky I joined a wood carving group and attempted to carve my own ball inside the cage.  It was lopsided and not very well made.  

As the years passed, whenever we were in Kentucky and had a little time I would again cross over the hill with my mother-in-law for a little visit with "Blind Mary".  I never once saw anything but a smile on her face.  In 1980 the weekly letter from home contained a copy of a newspaper article about Mary.  I smiled as I read it, Kentucky seeming far away from New Jersey where we were then living.  

George Wolfford had done her justice in his article in the Ashland Daily Independent [8 July 1980].  As I read about her visit to Cannonsburg Elementary more memories flooded back.  The students were delighted to see her books and her woodcarvings just as I had when I first met her.  I had attended Cannonsburg Elementary in the old school in 1962 with its outhouse, pot belly stoves and cold corners and in the new building the next year before heading to Boyd County High School.  Wolfford went on to say that it was teacher Minnie Gee that introduced Mary Sexton to all the students at Cannonsburg Elementary.

The article was like a homecoming for my husband and I as we brought out the little wooden tops and chain to show our own children who asked many questions about how "Blind Mary" could carve without seeing.  Mrs. Gee was my Geography teacher at Cannonsburg those many years ago.  Both these wonderful ladies have left lingering memories with many from our county.

Time has ticked on, we moved back to Kentucky and Mary Elizabeth Sexton continued to live in the  little house in Rush, a single woman, who independently maintained her home and the wonderful climbing wisteria that I fell in love with.  "Blind Mary" died in the home she loved 16 March 2002.  She had always greeted our postal lady at the door and when she did not answer gave the sad alert.  Mary is buried in Sexton Cemetery very near where she was born on Pigeon Roost.

Today her home is gone along with the wisteria but the memories are forever.

The Great American Water Shows Aka The Great American Water Circus

The Great American Water Shows

Aka

The Great American Water Circus

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber Oct. 2012

 

The circus is always full of spectacles that leave us wide eyed and breathless.  But one of the most amazing shows winter quartered, for a few years, just across the river in Ironton, Lawrence County, Ohio from 1902 until about 1905.

The Great American Water Circus was a floating show.  The show travelled along the Ohio River going up the Alleghany River [at least one trip] and along the Mississippi.  Sometime between the 1903 and 1904 season it changed the name from the Great American Water Circus to the Great American Water Shows.[i]

 The show was described as two or three barges bound together with a large tent that covered the entire length, depending on what news articles are read.   Several advance ads stated that the tent was 60x175 feet.   Still a lot of canvas over barges tied together in any formation. The tent was touted to seat 2000 people.  At least one article I read said that it seated about 1000.  The show cost adults 25 cents and children under eight 15 cents.  

Most newspaper articles reference it as a two ring circus. According to descriptions the show had 14 parade wagons and 40 horses[ii]  as well as a dog show at one point.  The show had approximately forty-two people.[iii]

 

I found a grainy photograph of the show docked at Marietta, Ohio in the December 1958 issue of Bandwagon.  The photograph is the property of the Circus Historical Society.  The best quality photograph is the property of the Public Library of Cincinnati with their wonderful river collection.  But I truly got excited when I found that they have a picture of the inside of the tent showing seating, horses and  pony.  I am left wondering if perhaps that is the owner in the foreground with a smoke in his mouth.  The library notes that it is from the {Frederick} Way Collection.

William P. Newman was the mastermind and owner of this floating circus.  He was born in Ironton, Lawrence County, Ohio 27 March 1872[iv], the son of Valentine [born Germany] and Mary [born Massachusetts].  He was one of at least seven children.  Valentine Newman was a lumber merchant and by the time William was fourteen he left home and tried his hand at several jobs.  He married 25 November 1896 Carrie Haller and the family can be found renting in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio in the 1900 census.  His occupation at this time is listed as superintendent.  But, it does not clarify what he is supervising.   

There were many show boats plying the waters of the Ohio that stopped in Portsmouth, Ironton and Ashland.  They had theatrical stage shows and music. How Newman visualized and created this unique circus and convinced performers to bring their animals onboard is a wonder.

The overhead for a show of this type must have been high.  Besides barges, a steamboat was required to push all of the trappings up and down the waterways. In 1903 the Cricket was one of the boats utilized.  The first towboat that this writer found mention of being utilized for the show was the J.C. Reynolds in July 1902 where it began its journey from Liverpool, Ohio.[v]  In 1904 the Katie Mc brought the show into Indiana.  River news was reported in detail by newspaper produced in Brookville, Indiana called The Sun.  There is no doubt that the show struggled.  In 1904 “Col. Newman” talked with the owner of the Floating Palace while in Evansville.  Rumors were circulating that the show was then out of business but the news  corrected the rumor stating the show was reorganizing and had even bought a calliope.[vi]

Newman’s wife was the cashier for the show.  R. E. Stroup resigned his position, as advertising manager, with the Portsmouth Times in April 1903[vii] to become Great American Water Circus advance man.  Stroup had only held the position with the paper for a month.  The Portsmouth Times had announced his taking a position with them after leaving the “Ironton newspapers.”[viii]

The show left winter quarters and usually made the next appearance at Ashland then Catlettsburg if heading up river.

Newman’s father Valentine died 5 November 1909 and was buried in Woodland Cemetery in Ironton.[ix] By 1910 the Newman’s had moved back to Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio.  They resided with Carrie’s parents Jacob and Mary [nee Schaffer] Haller on Walnut Street.  William P. gave his occupation as “none.”  Jacob Haller was an engineer at the county courthouse at this time.  Jacob Haller was originally a tanner, born in Lycoming County, PA.[x]

By 1920 The Newman’s had their own place and W. P. gave his occupation as manager of a bakery.  In 1913 they had a daughter named Mary.  By 1940, still living in Bucyrus, William gives his occupation as a salesman of step ladders.  

Census records can be a bit deceiving, leaving huge gaps in a person’s life.  The Cleveland Plain Dealer gave more information about his life in entertainment in his obituary 12 June 1950.  The article stated that he was one of Bucyrus first motion picture theater owners.  It went on to describe a partnership in billboard advertising for many years.  Besides his wife, and only daughter [Mrs.  Robert W. Ferguson],  a brother, Louis also resided in Crawford County.

Carrie, widowed, lived until her death, 29 January 1967, in a care facility in Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio.

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[i] Breckenridge News, Cloverport, KY, 29 June 1904

[ii] Rain, D.A. The Water Book. A Compendium of Facts and Fables 1993

[iii] Memoirs of the Lower Ohio Valley, Vol. 1, page 135

[iv] Ohio, Lawrence County Birth Records

[v] Evening Bulletin, Maysville, Ohio July 18 1902

[vi] Breckenridge News, Cloverport, KY 13 July 1904

[vii] Ironton Register, Ironton, Ohio 3 April 1903

[viii] Portsmouth Times, Portsmouth, OH 7 Mar 1903

[ix] Episcopal Church Burial Records, Ironton, Ohio http://www.lawrencecountyohio.com/churches/records/episcopal/Burials_1902_1911.htm

[x] History of Crawford County, Ohio. Baskin and Battey, 1881. PP 749.