13 October 2025

Suffrage. Boyd Countie’s First Female Jurors

 

Teresa Martin Klaiber


Nellie Clara Kautz Martin & grandson John Geer Martin 1924

     Women have stood up for civil rights for decades. In 1838 Kentucky law allowed widows and female head-of-households to vote in school elections. County records during that timeframe show only a hand full of women appearing on tax rolls including Carter, Greenup, and Lawrence County, thus the men’s vote far out-weighed any widow’s vote at school board elections. But it was still considered progress.

     By 1902 even that right was denied by the Kentucky Legislature due to an outcry of gentlemen in Lexington after a large group of African American women bravely registered to vote. This action would give men less power and stirred racial bias. It would be eighteen more years before voter discrimination because of sex would be prohibited.

    The battle for women’s equality was at its height and came to fruition in August 1920. Kentucky’s equal rights committee sent pamphlets to ministers and churches across the state asking them to urge the women of Kentucky to prepare for all the rights voting would entail including the duty of sitting on juries. At the same time the Kentucky Equal Rights Association changed their name to the Kentucky League of Women Voters.

     Thirty-one-year-old Nellie Kautz Martin, wife of John Shouse Martin, was a busy homemaker, residing in Ashland, Kentucky on Newman Street. The daughter-in-law of a Christian minister, she was active in her church, raising three sons. She epitomized the housewife of the times, and would certainly have seen the pamphlets that flooded Kentucky. Standing just a little over five feet tall she loved the national pastime of travel and camping.  Spending hours in the kitchen she always wore her apron.  Four months after the historical women’s legislation Nellie was in the news for receiving two electrical shocks from a washing machine while doing laundry. She most assuredly had her apron on. Not only was she shocked but at least four other families in the neighborhood had electrical trouble including the Ogden home which caught fire but was quickly extinguished. The Lexington Herald Leader led the story as “Electricity Runs Wild,” while an ad was running in Louisville’s paper stating “if she has to choose between the two electricity and servant – the wise housekeeper choses electricity every time.” The occupation for women on census records was over ninety percent “housewife.” The old adage “Women belong in the home,” was still being promoted by the male population.

     The Kentucky Commonwealth Attorney Association recommended changes to the legislation in January, 1922 which included the removal that women would have to be required to be housekeepers.

    It would be a year before news carried information on the first women on juries in Kentucky. Owensboro had distinguished itself as having the first all-woman jury in April 1921.  Boyd County women were elated when Mrs. Mary Elliott Flanery was elected to the Kentucky General Assembly in 1921 and then presided over the House Caucus of the General Assembly in January 1922.  She is said to have urged women all over Kentucky to contribute in activities in politics adding “…try to help the boys do something for old Kentucky.”  Flanery well known for her work for suffrage was also a journalist for the Ashland Independent newspaper.

    The Lexington Herald-Leader reran a seven-line article titled “Woman Jury Commissioner” from the Ashland Independent 12 December 1922. Nellie Kautz Martin once again had made the news.  Published as Mrs. J. Shouse Martin, she was given the “distinction of being the first woman juror commissioner in Boyd County. She was also the first woman juror having served at the January term in criminal court.”  Nellie may well have been at the courthouse January 5th when there was a shooting while transferring a prisoner from the jail to the court.  The jailer, Lon Hood was shot in his head and arm.  Papers say justice was swift as on January 7th the court sentenced John Owens of Parkersburg, West Virginia to 15 years in the state reformatory. Grand juries usually met in secret in January in each of the counties.

     With the superb help of Genealogy Supervisor James Kettel, at the Boyd County Public Library, court records show Nellie along with two other women appearing on the Petit Jury for April into May 1922.  She is listed along with Belle Emirick and Mary, McLaughlin. Isabelle McCoy Vaughn Emirick, wife of John J. Emirick died nine years after her jury duty and was buried in Ashland Cemetery. Among the gentlemen was Lupton Ogden who three years later would be married to Ruby Huffman Turner Martin. Each person on the jury appears to have taken turns as foreman. Nellie was foreperson for a liquor case. Most cases involved either transporting, keeping and selling illegal whiskey or for having a moonshine still. One case was for gaming and another for forgery.

     Nellie Clara Kautz Martin unassuming and devoted to her family and home was born 2 August 1881 at Howard Siding, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Groszholz Kautz. The family moved to Normal, Kentucky where her father was working in the lumber business in the early 1890’s.  In 1897 they moved to Yale, Bath County where John continued to work both lumber and stone.  But Nellie was quickly sent back to Boyd County to finish her education.  She was 16 and would travel between Catlettsburg, Salt Lick, Famers and Yale. Nellie married John Shouse Martin 5 August 1900 at Farmers, Kentucky in the Christian Church. They were married by Shouse’s father, minister of the church, Henry Foster Martin.  The family moved to Ashland, Kentucky circa 1906.

     This compiler can only visualize the couples 50th wedding anniversary in black and white photographs because while I was present, I was only one in 1950. By then the Martin’s had moved to Ironton, Ohio. I do remember her in that apron spending a whole afternoon baking and cooking for just me and my great grandfather as I grew a little older. In the fourth grade I was just about her height and John Shouse with his booming voice towered over both of us as he cranked an old victrola for my entertainment. Nellie died 14 September 1964 and is buried with an unimposing grave marker in Rose Hill Cemetery in Ashland. If family members knew about her small contribution in history, they never talked about it leaving just a seven-line piece of old news in archives. She instilled a lesson of humility and a reminder that each of us make a little history every day.


24 August 2024

Jerusha's Peculiar Appalachian Witch Magic

 I am proud to announce my newest book: 

Jerusha's Peculiar Appalachian Witch Magic



The Appalachian belief system is as old as the hills and mountains that make up the Appalachian region of America. The practices, superstitions, and ways in this book are real. Jerusha is an accumulation of many met along the way, especially in eastern Kentucky. Is it just coincidence, superstition, or really witchcraft?

12 August 2024

THE EPWORTH HERALD JUNE 10,1900

 

  THE EPWORTH HERALD JUNE 10,1900 

extracted by Teresa Martin Klaiber. Original in possession of compiler 2024.

An original hand written document found in the Sexton/Klaiber house, Long Branch Road, Garner, Boyd County, Kentucky. Spelling is left as cited. Extractor notations are in brackets and italics and are not a portion of the original transcript.

The Epworth Herald, Voice of the Herald. I have been in existence now about two years, and have been passed around from one Leaguer to another and with very few exceptions have been present at every meeting of the League, and can say without boasting that I have furnished my quota of entertainment, instruction and news on each occasion, and the good I have done if any, I ascribe to the various editors who have arranged my pages. I have faithfully reported all the marriages, deaths, births and local news of my jurisdiction, especially those happenings in the ranks of the Leaguers. My jokes on Leaguers, while at times have been bitter doses for some have been enjoyed by the majority, in such cases our motto is “Charity for all, with malice towards none." I have no complaint to make as to my treatment or reception of the last two years but think the contributions to my pages should be more universal, while several of the Leaguers have done what they could to make my pages entertaining and instructive, others have done nothing and of late some of the old contributors have paid to send in their spicy and instructive letters for my pages. 1 hope to see the Prodigals returning soon. While I cannot make any promise of improvement for the future, will say that with each Leaguers help extended we can do more in the future than we have in the past. What good have we done in the last two years? None can tell, nor will it be known until, “we shall know as we are known." We do not know what emotion and feelings have been stirred in some heart, by the reading of my pages, nor what incentive they have been, to cause someone to strive to attain a higher sphere in life, thereby becoming a better man or woman. If my pages have been instrumental in helping some beloved Leaguer in his or her struggles and trials of life, my existence has not been in vain, but I will ever strive to and advocate progress. We as a paper and as a League, or as anything else must either advance, or retrograde, which will we do? It depends on you as members which we will do? As for the Epworth Herald, my watch-word and war cry shall be in the future as it has been in the past, Forward! Forward!! Progress!!! and Liberty and freedom in the cultivation of all that is exalting, refining and enabling, as embraced in the Leagues motto, “All For Christ."

GENERAL NEWS Page # I.

Again the messenger of death visited the home of one of our friends and took away a loving wife, in person of Manda Stewart who had been in poor health for quite a while, and with the hopes of improvement went to Texas. She leaves many relatives and friends to mourn her loss. We all sympathize with her lonely companion in his grief. And hope we may be able to do or say something to aid him and encourage him to live to fulfill the last request of his dying wife “Meet her in Heaven.” Oh that we may all leave some evidence behind us that will give our friends the assurance of our happiness when we depart from this life.

We were Sony to hear of Mr. and Mrs. Jno. Hazlett having been very sick, but glad to hear of them being out again.

We are glad to see Dr. Frank Lesslie locate in our midst. Success to you Dr. Frank. And as he is very intelligent in Christian literary work we would gladly welcome him in our League. As we need more workers. Leaguers we are banded together for good work, just all we can do. We may think it be very little and yet we may be doing “great work” we cannot see, so let us all make an attempt to do what our hands find to do. And look for more to do.

Page #2.

Mr. Alvin Harvey spent a few days very pleasantly with his wife last month. [Wife Sophia nee Klaiber do John Andrew and Mary' Ann McBrayer KI aider. J

Mrs. Flora Banfield and sons, Arthur and Clyde of Catlettsburg were visiting friends and relatives here a couple of weeks ago. We understand she has accepted the position of teach the public school at Greenhill this fall.

Miss Stella Barrett [d o John K. and Viola Hazlett Barrett] visited her grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Jno. Hazlett fJohn and Anna Hensley Hazlett! a few days last week. Mrs. Jno. [John] Klaiber Jr. and son visited his home folks a couple of weeks ago.

The S.S. District Convention held at the Long Branch School House had a large attendance, good behavior, and was a success in general. All seemed to enjoy the music rendered by the Long Branch Choir, as well as the talk of Rev. McKinister and Mr. Fergeson on S.S. work.

Mr. Jerome Duvall of Denton spent Tuesday night, the 29th with N.A. Klaiber [s o John Andrew and Mary Ann McBrayer Klaiber/ while enroute to the memorial service of the M.P.S. held at the Fannin grave yard on Bear Creek. The morning was spent in honoring their deceased brethren that was buried there. Also those that were buried at the Laurel grave yard. In the afternoon the Odd Fellows held their memorial service at the Fannin grave yard.

Page #3.

Mr. Jim Prichard  [married Della Sexton] seems to be very much interested in the Long Branch S.S. and says he always likes to stop at “Grandpas." That,s right Jim go ahead.

Mr. Frank Coles of Ashland visited Mr. Jno. Hazlett one-day last week, while the roses were in bloom. Mr. F.C. Loves to wear roses, doesn’t he TRUDIE. [Gertrude Hazlett d/o John and Anna Hensley. Trudie married Edward Chaffin in 1905.]

Mrs. T.D. Stewart accompanied by Miss Louella Banfield is visiting her parents in Portsmouth. Miss Kate Allen is spending a few days at Culbertson visiting her sister Mrs. Cart Fannin and Povvel’s face is correspondingly lengthened in consequence.

Miss Belle Banfield as the guest of her friend Sophia Harvey a few days last week.

We learn that Mr. John Banfield has accepted the position of overseeing a small drove of cattle for Mr. Neal of Lawrence County. That’s right John be good to the old folks.

Mrs. Samantha Prichard was visiting her daughter Mrs. Mullens of Catlettsburg a few days last week.

Mrs. Hanze [Haines] is very ill at the home of her daughter.

Page #4.

Mrs. Jim Sexton’s,  [James McClelland Sexton married Missouri Haines.]

Miss Belle Banfield seemed to very melancholy last Sun. Afternoon. What was the difficulty.

Belle has the two hours expired yet.

Mr. and Mrs. George McGlothlin was visiting relatives in Lawrence County lat Sun. [George s/o James P. and Elzema Elswick McGlothlin married Janet Preston.]

Mr. Will Horton has just returned from a week’s visit to his fathers at Ironton, O. [William Harry Horton ]

Mr. and Mrs. Jno. (John! Klaiber have just returned from a week’s visit to her sisters Mrs. Dr. Ramey at Rock Camp, Ohio. [Susan J. McBrayer married 3 December 1863, Boyd Co., KY Miles Eperson Ramey].

Miss N— Allen is visiting friends at Laurel for the past 2 weeks.

Rev. McKinister preached a very interesting sermon at the East Fork Chapple this morning.

Mesres. Allen and Edward Prichard of Wayne, W. Va. Are visiting their grandma Mrs.

Prichard.

Miss Trudie Hazlett visited her sister Mrs. Barrett last Sun.

07 December 2023

Inez (Ines) Lorenza Jordan Workman: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

 


During the year I have highlighted some of the burials in Klaiber Cemetery in this series.  The cemetery has listings on find-a-grave however the original submitter in charge of those memorial entries is deceased and modification of his entries has been difficult.  Klaiber cemetery has more than its share of unmarked graves or simple field stones.  The use of various names of the cemetery during different time frames has sometimes made it difficult to determine where a person was laid to rest.  The Kentucky Historical Society, tried to give cemeteries throughout Kentucky a definite name during a 1970’s project.  It fell on deaf ears for locals who, when giving information for an obituary call a family cemetery by a name that may or may not be correct.

When I became a trustee of Klaiber Cemetery almost 30 years ago I was told that a grandchild of Inez Workman was buried at her feet.  The informant said they thought it was the child of Inez’s son Bellvard.  Extensive research on her family shows that the grandson was in fact the son of William Robert and Francis Holley Workman.

Inez Lorenza Jordan was born 21 April 1900, the daughter of George Washington and Mary Jane Perkins Jordan.  Inez married Lindsey Mansfield Workman 11 July 1918 in Boyd County, Kentucky when she was seventeen.   The family had three known children: Bellvard Rothland Workman, William Robert Workman and Ethel Marie Workman.

By 1930 the family had settled in Huntington, Cabell County, Kentucky where Lindsey worked at the Nickel Plant.  Inez had a brain hemorrhage and died 13 October 1933.  The death certificate was recorded in Boyd County, Kentucky with the informant her husband giving his address as Gyandotte, West Virginia.  Kilgore and Collier Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements and according to the death certificate burial was in Sexton Cemetery.  As stated before Sexton Cemetery should not be confused with Sexton Cemetery on Pigeon Roost, this county.  Sexton was an aka for Klaiber Cemetery located on Long Branch, Garner, Boyd County, Kentucky.

Inez’ son William Robert Workman (born 22 July 1921 in Boyd County, Kentucky) married Francis Holley 24 December 1938 in Cabell County, West Virginia.  On 4 Feb 1941 the couple had a son born in Huntington prematurely.  The infant was brought back to Garner for burial. The West Virginia Department of Health Death Certificate states “Sexton Cemetery.”   Once again the alias was used for what is now registered as Klaiber Cemetery with the state of Kentucky.

Wishing all my readers a blessed holiday season and during these trying times prayers for peace. 

 


04 December 2023

Beatrice Gallion Wooten: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

As the year winds down, so does this year’s series “Whispers from the Grave…”    These mini bio’s do not include everyone in the cemetery but highlight many.  Most can also be found on  find-a-grave.   Hopefully these blog posts help give a little more detail to newer researchers.    As a trustee of the cemetery for almost 30 years I have collected information on each person in Klaiber Cemetery.

If you have been a reader of our mini bio’s you will notice that each person has some tie, directly or indirectly with others in the cemetery.  Beatrice is a good example.  Beatrice is the daughter of Larkin and Rebecca Stamper Gallion.  She is a direct ancestor of Thomas Sexton who changed his surname to Gallion when he moved to Kentucky.  Thus she is related to both the Sexton’s and Gallion’s in the cemetery.

 

Beatrice was born 3 June 1897.  She married Everett Wooten 26 September 1914 in Boyd County at her parent’s house.   Their first son, Russell Warren Wooten was born 5 July 1915 in Boyd County, Kentucky. The family moved to Logan County, West Virginia where they had a son James Clifford Wooten 19 June  1918.  He did not thrive and died, “with stomach troubles” in Shamrock, West Virginia, 27 September 1920.  His death certificate simply states he was brought back to Kilgore, Kentucky for burial. The family supplied a sweet grave stone in the cemetery.



The family rented and Everett drove a truck for the coal company.  He was a evangelist minister of the Pilgrim Holiness Church and spoke at many church gatherings in Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia and later in Indiana where son Russell was also a minister.  Everett even worked as a garbage collector while still working hard as a coal miner to make ends meet in the 1950’s.  Beatrice died 1 April 1950 from heart issues and asthma in Logan County, West Virginia.   Her death certificate states burial was April 6th in Sexton Cemetery.  This is an alias often used by those related to the Sexton’s for Klaiber Cemetery and should not be confused with Sexton Cemetery just a few miles away on Pigeon Roost. 

 



On 2 December 1950 Everett Wooten married, second, Corda Alice May, in Jackson County, West Virginia.  They moved to Gallia County, Ohio where Corda died 5 October 1965. 

Everett then settled in Waterloo, Lawrence County, Ohio.  He was in Terre Haute, Indiana when he died from cancer 19 December 1973 and was brought back to Klaiber Cemetery for burial.   The Terre Haute Tribune incorrectly stated he was from Waterloo, Iowa.  He died at the residence of son Rev. R. W. Wooten stating that Everett was a retired minister who had been a minister 30 years.


28 November 2023

Isabelle Alice Stewart: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber


Isabelle A. Stewart was born 20 December 1863, the daughter of Alfred aka Allen Stewart and wife Sarah Elizabeth Hood.   

Alfred C. Stewart married 1 January 1863 Sarah Elizabeth Hood in Boyd County, Kentucky.  They were married by Bryant Fannin at William P. Hood’s home here on Garner.   William P. Hood and wife Matilda Howe were Sarah’s parents.   

Shortly before Isabelle’s birth Alfred joined the 40th Kentucky Infantry (Union) at Lexington, Kentucky on 1st of December.   Alfred was the son of Andrew Stewart and Rachel Cook who lived at Mount Savage, Carter County, Kentucky.  Alfred was shot while on duty and died of his wounds 23 December 1864.

Isabelle’s mother Sarah Elizabeth Hood Stewart next married James W. Howe on 29 October 1865.  Howe, son of Geprge W Howe and Sarah Fannin Howe, had been captured and served six months in Andersonville Prison before returning home.   In May 1866 the courts appointed Isabelle’s step father as her legal guardian. James R. McBrayer acted as surety.  One anomaly appears on the court order. Her deceased father is listed as Allen Stewart instead of Alfred as shown in all other known records[i].

Isabelle appears, in July, 1870 on the census with her step father and mother listing her age as six.  The family is living on Garner.[ii] Fifteen months, later on 23 October 1871 Isabelle Alice Stewart died.   At this writing the compiler does not know the cause of her death.

Her burial in Klaiber Cemetery is thought to be one of the earliest if not the first burial in what today is Klaiber Cemetery.  Her grandfather William Pickett Hood and her step father’s mother Sarah Fannin Howe both were buried in Klaiber cemetery two years later in 1874.

 

 



[i] KY Boyd CT Order roll 344012 page 293

[ii] Note a title search shows this was a portion of what is owned by this compiler and her husband.  The MT Hilton survey dated April 1879 shows James Howe fields next to Philip Howe’s property with a marked house thought to be the cabin that sits behind the authors home today.  The Hilton survey can be found at the Boyd County Public Library and the item is marked as B-6.

22 November 2023

James B. Stanley Family: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber


James B. Stanley was a Baptist lay minister in eastern Kentucky.  He was born 31 March 1858 in Lawrence County, Kentucky the son of James R. Stanley and wife Sarah McGuire.  He grew up in the Bolts Fork and Jacks Fork area bordering Garner, Boyd County, Kentucky where he also farmed.  He had ten siblings including Belle who married Thomas A. Gallion and 2nd John M. Jobe.

J. B. Stanley married Susan Tomlin 1 December 1878 in Boyd County, Kentucky at the home of William Rouse.  Susan was the daughter of Andrew “Andy” Tomlin who came to Kentucky from Virginia by the time she was four years old.  The Stanley family had seven children.  The last child George was born in July 1895.  In 1900 the family was living over the county line in Carter County.

A son Dwight M. Stanley, born 29 August 1884 died 14 September 1904 and was buried in Klaiber Cemetery.  A circle carved reads “In honor of our beloved son.”   Susan, his mother, died 30 September 1908 and was also laid to rest in Klaiber Cemetery.



Left with the children and George only three, James B. Stanley remarried to Eliza Kiser the widow of Joseph Cordle[i].  In 1920 J. B. and Eliza were residing n Van Lear, Johnson County, Kentucky but moved back to Boyd County some time before 1926, near Summit.  Eliza Kiser Cordle Stanley died 13 December 1926.  Her funeral was held at the Summit Baptist Church and burial was at Coalton Cemetery.

Another son, Frank (born 20 May 1887) had moved to Minden, Fayette County, West Virginia where he was a miner.  He was only forty years old when he died, just 11 months after his step mother’s death.  Frank died 23 November 1927. The death certificate states the cause as Bright’s Disease.  The document simply states burial “KY.”  The Ashland Daily Independent wrote a small article with the headline “Kilgore Main Dies in West Virginia.”  How-ever the paper misspelled Minden as Winden and states “Details regarding Stanley’s illness and death were not learned.  In the early 2020’s Minden made headlines across the nation as a hotbed of toxic land causing cancers.  At this writing it is unclear where Frank was buried.

 

The Reverend James B. Stanley lived until 25 October 1939 when he died in the hospital at Paintsville, Johnson County.  His son William Bascom Stanley, living at Van Lear, was the informant on his death certificate.  The family brought J. B. back to Klaiber Cemetery, in Boyd County, Kentucky, for burial beside his first wife Susan.

Susan and J. B.’s son Joseph “Joe” Stanley (born 3Aapril 1890) died 16 January 1940 in Floyd County, Kentucky. He collapsed inside a mine shaft and died in route to a hospital.  His wife Myrtle Prater Stanley had his body brought back to Klaiber Cemetery for burial.



Myrtle was the daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Bays Prater. Myrtle lived until 24 September 1981 and is also in our cemetery.



[i] Eliza Kizer Cordle Stanley was the daughter of Andy and Margt. Willis Kizer