John Henry Harris. Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

John Henry Harris was the son of Lawrence and Cynthia Collingsworth Harris, born in Johnson County, Kentucky, 2 March 1860. 

Family traditions have whispers of truths, some flamboyant, but mostly hearsay.  Thus a repeated story appeared in 2007 on a noted genealogy site stating that “John Henry Harris wandered into Rush, Boyd County, Kentucky and went to work for Evie’s uncle, Taylor Mayhew…” and that is how he met his wife.[i]

John Henry Harris was one of ten known children of Lawrence and Cynthia.  The family had moved to Johnson County from Floyd County before some of the family migrated to Boyd County.  By 1869 John Henry Harris’ older sister, Nancy, had married George W. Crum[ii] and resided on Bolts Fork of Boyd County.  One of Crum’s brothers, James Crum, would later marry, Susannah “Susan” Sexton, the daughter of Richard Sexton and Mary Lucas[iii].  Susannah was a grandniece of Marcus/Mark Sexton buried in Klaiber Cemetery.

By 1880 John Henry Harris and father Lawrence Harris, are residing next door to the Mayhew Family on what is now Long Branch Road, along with John’s sisters Sarah A. and Mary.  Indexing of census records is done by volunteers and unless the indexer is familiar with a local area many errors are made.  Thus the indices show Lawrence as “Lance” misread and easily overlooked.

John Henry Harris and Susan Evangeline “Eva” Mayhew were married 13 June 1886 on Williams Creek in Carter County at the “Pleasant Church”[iv].  Eva’s father, William Mayhew died 3 May 1890 and is buried in Klaiber Cemetery.  John and Eva resided with her widowed mother, Mary Mayhew in 1900.

In 1903 Taylor Mayhew, brother of Eva, was deeded the north side of Salmons Fork at the mouth of Long Branch to a corner with the property of Philip Howe from brother John D. Mayhew, all part of William Mayhew’s, then deceased, property.[v]  In turn, in November  Taylor had several transactions involving the north side of Salmons Fork which partitioned  William Mayhew’s property.  71 acres on the north side of Salmons Creek  was deeded back to siblings including one to John and his sister Susan E. (Eva Mayhew) Harris[vi].  All the property in turn reverted back to Mary “May” Ross Mayhew, widow of William C. Mayhew.

Ever confusing is the renaming of this part of the creek on early maps.  Today maps show Long Branch Creek going straight up Long Branch Road into Carter County.  But early maps and deeds show Long Branch Creek turning at the bridge (the mouth of Long Branch) and running up the lane past  what is now this compiler’s home, then past the Philip Howe aka Klaiber log one room house.  Long Branch Creek meanders through the bottom fields behind our home and then curves back  left where the head of Long Branch ends in the water shed in Carter County.  Salmon’s Fork was in fact the stream continuing up what is now Long Branch Road in front of then Mayhew property[vii].  The Philip Howe log home still stands behind our log home and is a Kentucky Registered Landmark.

Mary Elizabeth Ross Mayhew, mother of Eva died 8 September 1904 and is buried in Klaiber Cemetery.

John Henry and Eva Harris had six children by the time of William Mayhew’s death[viii].  John Henry Harris died on 11 March 1909 here on Garner.

 Eva, widowed with five of her children are still residing next to the Mayhew holdings.  By 1920 Eva had moved to Logan County, West Virginia where, son Charles was renting and working in the coal mines.

In the 1950’s Julina Sexton Klaiber, campaigned for funds to fix the road and  fence around Klaiber Cemetery. Among the responses was a letter dated  May 1956 “…Dear old friend and neighbor. I am Mae Harris daughter of John and Eva Harris, now Mrs. R. E. Bryant…”  The Bryant’s were living in Worthington, Franklin County, Ohio and donated for the care of the road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[i] Angie Harris Pelfrey, Ancestry.com, original submitted by NolaBull

[ii] s/o Reuben and Pricilla Mutters Crum

[iii] Carter County Circuit Court Bk 30/31 Divorce 1911

[iv] FHL 1842850

[v] KY Boyd deed book 40 p 2

[vi] KY Boyd deed book 4-0 p 4

[vii] Today what was then Salmons Fork runs along Blanton  and Stewart, Green and others property on the south and  across the road, Wright’s, Stewarts, Tolliver’s on the north.  Today the creek and road running into Carter County is simply all labeled Long Branch. While the turn at the county bridge at 22937 and creek running up the hollow is simply not named on most maps.  By experience this compiler can tell you that when there are heavy rains the water rushing from the water shed into Long Branch,, down the hollow and into the main Long Branch is not something for the faint of heart.   Long Branch flows between the old Howe/Klaiber one room and our log home flooding the lane and leaving  us to wait for receding waters.

[viii] Clarence Burns Harris m Ethel Rice; Flora Fain Harris; Elizabeth Ethel Harris m Ed McCormick; Ida Mae Harris m Robert Bryant; Mary Angeline Harris m Bert Allen Pelfrey

Gallion Family. Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

 

Hiram P. “Boss” Gallion was born 14 February 1827 in Floyd County, Kentucky, the son of Thomas alias Sexton Gallion and wife Ruth Watson. 

Thomas and Ruth were married 1 July 1820 in Floyd County.  Thomas was already utilizing the surname Gallion but did not change it legally until 11 January 1845[i] in Carter County, Kentucky.  Thomas sold fifty acres on the Licking in Floyd County in November 1831[ii].  He and the family were living on Lost Fork of Lawrence County, Kentucky in the 1830’s.  The family had nine children including Hiram.  By the 1850’s Thomas and family had settled on Williams Creek, Carter County, Kentucky.

Hiram married Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Sutton sometime prior to 1849, in their early twenties.  By 1850 Hiram and Elizabeth with baby Larkin were residing next to Mark (Marcus) Sexton and wife Catherine Sexton in what was then Carter County.  The 1860 census shows them next to Sarah Howe and son Philip which places them on Garner.  Both Hiram and a brother Jonathan appear on the Carter County Militia list for 1860.

In December 1865 the first court order, on Garner, of newly created Boyd County, ordered Hiram to develop a road following the creek into Carter County[iii].  This path is now known as Long Branch Road, and at one time was called Poor House Road. The road never became more than a mule path, after crossing the Carter County line to Denton. Today the road is a dead end.

Hiram and siblings were cited in a court action involving William L. Geiger, September 1877, concerning two tracts of land of Thomas Gallion, deceased and his 2^nd wife Amanda McGuire Gallion[iv]. Thomas and family had settled on Williams Creek, Carter County where he died in 1871.  Geiger, known for extending loans ended up with the land. 

Hiram P. Gallion died 2 November 1890 and was laid to rest in Klaiber Cemetery.  At the time the property surrounding the cemetery was owned by first cousin Henry Powell Sexton, son of Marcus Sexton, mentioned above.   The grave of Hiram is south of Mark and Catherine Sexton’s graves and there is a field stone next that could possibly be his wife.

 

 

 

Hiram and Elizabeth Sutton Gallion’s son Thomas  “Allen” Gallion was born 17 March 1863 in Boyd County.  He married 24 January 1892 Bell Stanley the daughter of James R.  Stanley.  When Thomas died, 18 September 1911,  the death certificate calls him “Alfred” and says he is buried in Sexton Cemetery.  Most of the time he goes by Allen[v] and the certificate seems to be a recording error as Allen did have an uncle Alfred who died in 1918. Thomas A.  Gallion died from an accidental fall of slate in one of the local mines.[vi]    After extensive research in both cemeteries this compiler believes that Thomas Allen Gallion and Belle Stanley Gallion are both in unmarked or field stone markers in the Gallion area of Klaiber Cemetery.  After her husband died, Belle remarried to John Millard Jobe in 1914[vii].  She died 24 December 1923 and her death certificate states she was buried on Garner.[viii]

Thomas Allen and Belle were parents of six children.  Mary Mae Gallion married Leonard L. Enyart and died 4 November 1973 and is buried in Klaiber Cemetery.

 

Goldie Gallion daughter of Thomas Allen and Belle was born 28 March 1896, died 30 April 1896 and is buried in Klaiber Cemetery.

Nellie Florence, daughter of Thomas Allen and Belle married Henry Powell Sexton III 24 Dec 1913 in Boyd County. Nellie died 25 September 1962 and is buried in Klaiber Cemetery.

 

 

Nora daughter of Thomas Allen and Belle Stanley Gallion married Dave Sparks 1 September 1917 in Carter County.  Nora died 2 November 1972 and is buried in Klaiber Cemetery.

 

William Henry Gallion, son of Hiram and Elizabeth “Betty” Sutton Gallion was born 15 November 1855 in Carter County.  He married 24 October 1882 Elizabeth Pennington, in Carter County.  By 1920 William was residing on Williams Creek. William Henry Gallion died 17 August 1920 at Music, Carter County.  Informant was James Sexton and burial simply says “Garner, KY.”[ix]  He is buried in Klaiber Cemetery. Wife, Elizabeth Pennington Gallion died in May 1932 and was buried at Denton, Carter County, Kentucky.

There are three field stone infant graves that have been verbally said to be a Clarence, Emma, and unknown Gallion baby marked on the map as 11, 11A and 11b.  To date there is no indication or document to verify these infants. Gertrude “Gertie Gallion the daughter of Thomas Allen and Belle Stanley Gallion married George Washington Stapleton.  They had an infant son, stillborn Stapleton, 9 May 1922. The death certificate for this infant says “Sexton Cemetery.”  There are Stapleton’s and Sexton’s also in Sexton Cemetery on Pigeon Roost.  If any family members can shed light on any of the unidentified graves in Klaiber Cemetery please feel free to message the compiler.

 

 

 

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[i] KY, Legislative Act Chapter 45…section 2 that the name of Thomas Sexton of Carter County be and same is hereby changed to Thomas Gallion…act signed 20 Jan. 1852.

[ii] Floyd Dbk F p 28

[iii] KY Boyd Ct Order P 272

[iv] KY Carter dbk H p 40

[v] Thomas Allen had a  uncle Alfred who married Arminda McBrayer and died in 1918 and is buried in Hall Cemetery at Norton’s Branch. 

[vi] KY D cert 22612, 1911.

[vii] KY Carter M 26 Feb 1914

[viii] KY D cert 29604

[ix] KY D cert 19810

David Wayne Fugate. Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

 

Catlettsburg has been dubbed with several nicknames including Gate City (because of flood walls) and Cow Town (because of the stock yard that was there for many years). The residents of Catlettsburg, Boyd County, Kentucky are a tight knit group of caring people.  Many folks already had Halloween decorations hanging outside and the weather was fair when tragedy struck Gate City, October 1966.

A terrible house fire occurred on the 26 October 1966 on Center Street [i]in Catlettsburg. The house was owned by Damron’s and rented to Ethmon and Juanita Sparks Fugate along with their eight children.  The local newspaper[ii]  published the tale the following morning, after the death of the youngest child David Wayne Fugate.

Eldest son, Simeon Thomas (age 20) had taken a gasoline can into the bathroom to clean (we assume to remove oil or paint), stepped into the tub, when another child knocked over the can which promptly ignited. He got out of the tub, grabbed the child and immediately ran from the house. All others, at home, including the owner, Damron, escaped but the home was gutted. 

David Wayne Fugute, the tiniest member of the family, was born 29 April 1965[iii] in Boyd County.  He was just eighteen months old.  A little angel.  There are several inconsistencies in the news article, including the various ages of the other children.  One blaring error is that Martha Klaiber Cox was a sister.  She was in fact a close friend and distant relative of David’s grandmother Nora Gallion Sparks.  At the time Cox was working in the county clerk’s office at the courthouse and was probably with her when the newspaper was trying to get an interview.  The Fugate family, did in fact have a little girl Martha (born 1948).

The article also states that David Wayne Fugate died from the burns he received.  But another sister, Darlene, then only four, wrote me in 2004 stating that he “hid and they could not find him.”  She goes on to say “I was only 4 when our house burnt and David was lost. David did not die from the burns, but his lungs gave out.”  No matter the circumstances, the little tyke, had been taken from them.

David Wayne Fugate was named for his grandfather Dave Sparks.  David born 12 March 1898 in Elliott County, Kentucky had married Nora Gallion[iv] in 1917.  Dave had died 10 April 1966, after a two-day illness, and was buried in Klaiber Cemetery where Gallion and Sexton’s  also were laid to rest. Little David Wayne Fugate was buried in Klaiber Cemetery.

 

 

Mother, Juanita Sparks Fugate[v] moved to George County, Mississippi and was living with daughter Darlene when she died 19 January 2016.  She was brought back to Kentucky and is buried next to her forever baby, David Wayne Fugate.

 

 

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[i] 2213 Center Street

[ii] Ashland Daily 27 Oct 1966 front page

[iii] KY Birth cert vol 0336 certificate 17672

[iv] Nora d/p Thomas Allen Gallion and Belle Stanley; gg of Thomas Alias Sexton Gallion

[v] Mississippi State Dept of Health cert 2016 04123

Mary Elizabeth Klaiber & John H. Fannin. Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

This is the only picture the compiler has of Lizzie. Cropped from a family group picture standing behind her older brother James Matthew Klaiber.

Some people never grow old. Mary Elizabeth Klaiber Fannin is forever a young woman in the hearts of family.

Mary Elizabeth Klaiber was born 9 October 1866, on Division Street, in Catlettsburg, Boyd County, Kentucky.  She was the fifth child of immigrant John Andrew Klaiber and wife Mary Ann McBrayer.  She was called Lizzie by family and friends. 

As a child the family moved to Garner[i], in Boyd County.  The pastime for children along Garner, besides farm chores, was wading in the creek to catch crawdads.  Some things make time feel like it stands still, as this compiler can still watch children drawn to the low water crossing to play in the creek.

Mary Elizabeth did not marry until she was twenty-five. Lizzie married John H. Fannin, 15 December 1891.  The couple were married in Ironton, Lawrence County, Ohio.  Lizzie had five children between 1891 and 1897, all born on Garner, Boyd County[ii]. Three survived.  Lizzie died at the age of thirty-two on 31 January 1899 after a snow hit most of Kentucky the day before.   For many year’s horses sledded coffin’s up the hill for burial in Klaiber Cemetery where Lizzie was laid to rest.

 

John H. Fannin was born 17 December 1859 in what was then Carter County, Kentucky.  He was the son of Lindsey and Samantha Jane Prichard Fannin.  After Lizzie’s death John settled in with his brother-in-law, George W. Workman and sister, Mary Reed Fannin Workman.  His mother also lived with them along with John’s three children.   They lived up a tiny hollow, across from Klaiber Cemetery[iii].

On 1 August 1903 John remarried to Cora Stanley.  Cora was the daughter of John Stanley and Sarah Sexton.   In 1893, her mother, Sarah, had remarried to Arch Johnson and Cora sometimes utilized her step-father’s surname.  The couple married in Hocking County, Ohio but came back to Garner, Boyd County, Kentucky to reside.  Together John and Cora had a daughter Goldia.  They still lived on property behind James Matthew Klaiber and his family in the Sexton/Klaiber two story log home.

John made a trip to Scioto County, Ohio to visit his married daughter, Kathryn “Kate” Fannin McCormick in April 1914.  The Big Sandy News reported that “he was feeling very well. On arriving at the home he sat down in the chair saying that he felt rather tired. Suddenly he became faint and died almost immediately.”  He died in Green Township, Scioto County, on the 10^th from aortic insufficiency.  His son-in-law Vinton McCormick provided the information for the death certificate.[iv] 

The death certificate says that he was returned to Rush, Kentucky for burial on the 12^th of April.  Rush, was the hub of the area, complete with train depot and a post office. The road from Rush leads to first Pigeon Roost and then what is now called Long Branch Road.  John’s father died in 1886 and is buried in Sexton Cemetery on Pigeon Roost, which is the ridge north of Long Branch, Garner Creek, and Klaiber Cemetery.  His wife, as stated above, is buried in Klaiber Cemetery on Long Branch where Cora and the children were living. Walking through both cemeteries, it is, in this compiler’s opinion, obvious that John H. Fannin is buried beside his first wife, close to his home, in the area of our cemetery, where there are known unmarked and field stone graves.  It would not be a stretch to believe that Charlotte and Clara Mae Fannin, infant children of John and Lizzie are also buried in the area marked by an arrow, next to the tombstone of Mary Elizabeth Klaiber Fannin.  But please draw your own conclusions, hopefully, until further proof surfaces.

 

 

 

 

 

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[i] Now Long Branch Road, Boyd County, Kentucky

[ii] Charlotte, Clara Mae, Kathryn, Wm Denver, Arthur Elsworth,

[iii] At this writing the lane is called Willow Lane with the property owned by Pierzala.

[iv] Ohio  Vital, Scioto,  21827

Benjamin Franklin Estep. Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

Tucked under the mistletoe laden tree in Klaiber Cemetery is a stone simply marked “Estep.”  There are also four matching corner stones, indicating that this is a plot and may have more than one grave.  Many years ago I would walk among the stones listening to stories John Henry Klaiber and Harold Sexton would tell.  But for some reason we never got around to the Estep stone.  Once I realized that time was running out, I left a notebook,  carefully labeled, “Klaiber Cemetery” for John Henry to make some notes or stories about various graves.  Sadly after his death I found the notebook, as blank as when I gave it to him, tucked under the jar marked Cemetery with less than $40.00[i]. 

As a researcher, I knew that descendants of Shadrack Estep lived in our neck of the woods[ii].  Actually you did not need to be a sleuth to grasp that family did live in our area of the county, since the Hack Estep Boys Home was on the next road[iii], while we were growing up.

Sometimes, researchers just stumble on their lightbulb moments when looking for something else.  I can’t resist scanning the newspapers while reviewing them on microfilm or digitally.  Thus an article titled “Ben Estep Dies at Logan, W.VA.” in the Ashland Daily put a pause on my actual search. The final paragraph  reads: “Funeral service will be conducted at the grave at Sexton cemetery ON GARNER…[iv]”

Most burials in Sexton Cemetery on Pigeon Roost Road will say “on Pigeon Roost” while burials in what is today called Klaiber Cemetery would be “on Garner” due to the creek location.  Thus, after process of elimination of other cemeteries on Big Garner, I deduced that the marker in Klaiber Cemetery is in connection to Ben buried on Garner.

 

Benjamin Franklin Estep was born 11 July 1880 in Boyd County, Kentucky and grew up just over the county line on the East Fork in Lawrence County.    He was the son of William Harrison Estep[v].  The sibling closest to him in age was named Shadrack, for their grandfather Shadrack born in 1820.

As an adult Benjamin  moved in with his brother Shade and family, first working at a livery stable in Ashland, Kentucky[vi].   As many young folks did when Ben married they went across the river to Lawrence County, Ohio.  Benjamin Estep married Lillie Belcher 27 March 1915 in Lawrence County, Ohio.[vii]  He gave his parents as Harrison Estep and mother Jennie Hogan[viii] [ix].  Lillie was born in Lawrence County, Kentucky, the daughter of Isaac Alonzo Belcher and Samantha Helen Leslie[x].   Ben gave his occupation as a transfer manager at that time.

As the family grew, Ben worked in the steel mill and rented.  By 1920 they were residing on Hoods Creek Pike and had three children.  Benjamin Franklin Estep died in Logan County, West Virginia 3 October 1927.Neither the death certificate nor the Ashland Obituary give the reason he is in Logan County.  The death certificate simply says place of burial Ashland, Kentucky[xi].

Lillie Belcher Estep resided in Huntington, Cabell County, Kentucky after Benjamin died.   In 1930 she was a packer in a bottle company. By 1940 she had remarried to Thomas Smith, Jr.  Thomas was a fireman for a railway company and Lillie is listed in the 1940 census as still working as a packer in a glass factory.  Thomas Smith Jr. died in June 1950 and was buried in Spring Hill Cemetery, Huntington, Cabell County, Kentucky.  Lillie died 30 July 1962 in Lawrence County, Ohio[xii]. She was laid to rest beside her second husband in Huntington.

As a compiler, I would enjoy communicating with any researcher that can shed further light on Benjamin or the graves in Klaiber Cemetery

 

 

 

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[i] Proudly there is now a cemetery fund at Kentucky Farmers Bank that anyone can donate for care of the cemetery and road to the cemetery.  To all that donate and care we thank you.

[ii] 1870 Federal Census, Boyd County, KY   living next door to John Andrew Klaiber and family…John Andrew Klaiber and family are buried in adjoin lots to the simple Estep stone

[iii] Pigeon Roost Road, Boyd County, KY

[iv] Ashland Daily Independent, 4 Oct 1927

[v] According to Wm Harrison Estep when he m in 1907 Mary E Wilson in Law Co KY it was his third marriage

[vi] KY, Boyd, Ashland, Federal Census 1910

[vii] OH, Law m bk 25 p 62

[viii] Benjamin is in the home of Harrison Estep and wife Jane as a son, in 1900.  Harrison married 30 April 1870 in Boyd County to Jane  Gillespie.  Jane died in 1904. 

[ix] KY Vital d cert of sister Lora Estep Thomas 1928 also states mother is Jane Hogan born KY as well as d cert of sister Ida May Estep Kirk in 1942 & brother John R Estep who d in 1924 

[x] Lesley, Leslie: Wm Robert Lesley & Elizabeth Buchanan Lesley…a history of two hundred years in America 1755-1955 p 118

[xi] WV Vital 11508, Logan Co.

[xii] Oh D Index