Catherine Sexton: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

When I began this series, Whispers from the Grave, it was with the intention of sharing the many conversations (as well as research) I have done on this family for the past fifty-five years.  While I “married in” this is truly my family.  This land is where I belong.  This cemetery will be my last earthly home. 

Genealogists always feel a pull toward particular individuals.  Catherine Sexton has drawn me for years.   When I first started our family tree,  I asked my father-in-law what his great grandmother’s name was. His reply was Sexton – no I said “I mean her maiden name”.  He just shrugged.  My mother-in-law said she heard maybe Sutton and wrote that in a corner of a family paper.  Was Catherine related to Elizabeth Sutton Gallion, also at rest in Klaiber Cemetery? 

The biggest snafu beginning genie’s make fell in my lap.  The 1850 census showed Bartlett Sexton and another Catherine Sexton in Mark and this Catherine’s household.  The 1850 does not give relationships in a household. Like other newbie’s I assumed Mark’s parents because of age.  Never assume anything.  After years of deep digging (pun) Mark’s parents turned out to be Elisha and Tabitha.  It took dna to reveal that Catherine was indeed Catherine Sexton Sexton.

She is also an amazing pioneer true Appalachian pioneer.  So much so, that I wrote a book based on her life during the worst of Covid.  I am very proud of this publication and the only reason it is classified a “historical novel” vs. a biography is not knowing what and when she fed the chickens.

Catherine Sexton Sexton was born 15 March 1808 in Russell County, Virginia the daughter of Bartlett and Catherine Sexton.  She married Marcus Sexton and migrated thru Pound Gap and finally settled in what would become Boyd County, Kentucky.  She and Marcus had at least two children with Henry Powell Sexton surviving to adulthood.  Catherine died on Long Branch, Boyd County, Kentucky 7 June 1893.  She survived epidemics and the Civil War.  I invite everyone to read Catherine Heart & Soul which is still available on Amazon.  It is not only her history but the history of several counties, Kentucky migration and more.

Henry Kane Lucas and wife Lucinda Sexton: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

  

Henry Kane Lucas was born 6 December 1846 in Letcher County, Kentucky to Emanuel “Todd” Lucas and wife Charlotte “Lottie” Moore.   He grew up in Letcher County. Henry and his father, Emanuel migrated and first appear on the 1867 Carter County, Kentucky tax list[i].  Henry was just 21 and had no values while his father shows 100 acres still being taxed in Letcher County.

Henry Kate Lucas met Lucinda “Cinda” Sexton about this time.  Lucinda was born in 1850 in Kentucky. By 1860 she is living in the household of Fletcher Burton along with mother Hulda Sexton[ii] and siblings Bartlett Hasker, Kate and Helen, Sexton.   The next entry in the 1860 census is for the Henry Powell Sexton family.

Family history states that Lucinda was a “woods colt” between Hulda Sexton and James Henderson.  Lucinda’s death certificate also states her father was James Henderson.  The term “woods colt” feels so much freer and nicer than the harsh word illegitimate that society used to put on children. 

There are so many reasons that marriage records may not be located easily.  Marriages are filed by county, not by state, and up until a few years ago we did not have digitized indices, which can still be incomplete or names mis-spelled.  If a minister did not file at the local court house, then there is no record. If the bride and groom slipped across a state line it is harder to track the marriage.  In Virginia we now know that Walter Plecker, state registrar, campaigned to expunge ethnic marriages in Virginia. He even had a list of surnames including Sexton that were to be expunged.  Research shows he succeeded in his hateful quest. To date, we have not found a marriage record for Henry Kane Lucas and Lucinda Sexton, though the records in both Carter County and Boyd County seem very complete where they were living at that time.

Lucinda was seventeen in 1867, and as stated Henry twenty-one.  Their first child, Emily Alice Lucas (m. Frank Kelley) was born in 1868 in Carter County.    This compiler can identify and verify eleven children[iii] and with oral history the possibility of two other children.  Norman Lucas, grandson of Henry Kane Lucas, says two more sons are buried in Klaiber Cemetery, marked only by sunken field stones; Sherman and Taylor Lucas.  When the season is very dry the outline of both the graves is very visible. Both lay, in line with, and just to the south of Emily Alice Lucas Kelley’s headstone.  Norman and his wife usually placed a flower on each of the two graves when they visited. Neither of these boys appear in any census record for Henry Kane and Lucinda Sexton Lucas.    In December 1883, The Ashland Independent wrote the following: “Glenwood, died on the 15^th after thirteen hours bleeding at the nose an eight-year-old son of Henry Lucas.”  Neither of these names appear with Henry Kane on the 1880 census.

For a while in their later years, Henry Kane Lucas and Lucinda lived with daughter Laura Ellen at Geigerville, Boyd County[iv].  Laura had married Reuben Biggs in April 1887, then widowed, had returned from Indiana after Biggs death.   Lucinda Sexton Lucas died 5 January 1931, at Denton, Carter County.[v]   Her death certificate was signed by Fred Tyree, a doctor who resided at Hitchens.    Lucinda was laid to rest in Klaiber Cemetery.

Henry Kane Lucas death followed on 2 June 1933 at Denton, Carter County.[vi]  On the 22^nd of June 1933, son, Frank Kane Lucas, requested a deed from Henry Powell Sexton’s estate via son James McClelland Sexton for the plot in Klaiber Cemetery[vii].  The deed describes the cemetery  “known as the William Hood Cemetery” and is 50 feet in each direction.   The deed gives the family a right to and from the cemetery and strictly stated that the burials would not interfere with other grave sites.

In 2010 some stones were knocked over, by cattle, after someone left the gate open.  One of the stones was Henry and Lucinda’s.  With the help of neighbors we quickly got the stone remounted.

 

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[i] KY, Carter, fhl 008337275

[ii] Hulda was the daughter of James Enoch Sexton and Permillia Sexton and granddaughter of Elisha and Tabitha Sexton.

[iii] Issues of HK & Lucinda: Emily Alice b 1868; Mary b 869; Laura Ellen 1870;  Perry Allen 1872; Eva 1874; John Dee 1876, Henry Denton 1879; Frank Kane 1885, Esau 1887 – possibly Sherman b unk and Taylor b. unk.

[iv] KY, Boyd 1930 census

[v] KY d cert 493, filed Denton, Carter Co.

[vi] KY d cert  13190 filed Denton, Carter Co.

[vii] KY Boyd dbk 314 p 165 not filed until 1955

Frank Kane Lucas & wife Nancy Ann Perkins Lucas: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

I wish to thank Dreama Calvo  donated  this picture of Frank Kane and Nancy Perkins Lucas. The picture is thought to be taken on their farm on Long Branch Road, just across the Boyd County line into Carter County, Kentucky.

 

Over the years we had visits with Norman Franklin Lucas and Lottie Marie Jones his wife. Many times we walked among those in Klaiber Cemetery, as Norman and Lottie told us stories.  Norman was one of thirteen children of Frank Kane Lucas and Nancy Ann Perkins, his wife. 

Norman’s father, Frank Kane Lucas was born 4 July 1885 in Boyd County, Kentucky the son of Henry Kane Lucas and Lucinda Sexton Lucas.  They lived on Garner as he was growing up. Farming was the primary source of income, and living off the land.

When Frank was twenty he married Nancy Ann Perkins, the daughter of James “Frank” Perkins and Martha J. Cotton.  Frank was deceased by the time they married and Nancy’s mother Martha J. had remarried to John “Jack” Combs.  Frank and Nancy married 17 January 1906 with the written permission of her mother, Mrs. Martha Combs, because she was only eighteen years and four days old.  Their marriage followed a miserable cold spell for the area, though a bit warmer and damp, everyone wore heavier coats.  Julina Sexton Klaiber, William Vincent Sexton and William’s wife, Elizabeth “Trudi” Enyart Sexton were witness.  They were married by J. W. Hedrick.

Tragedy struck after the birth of Carl Douglas Lucas who was born 10 January 1918 and died the 11^th of September 1918 from gastro intestinal issues. His death certificate is filed for Carter County just across the line on Long Branch.  He was laid to rest in Klaiber Cemetery.

A daughter Martha Edith Lucas was born 23 June 1919 in Boyd County. Julina Sexton Klaiber kept a diary during this time frame and entered her death on 22 October 1923 but did not write down the heartbreaking details.   Little Martha was playing with matches and caught her clothing on fire.  She was buried in Klaiber Cemetery on the 24^th.

 

 

 

Just one year before Martha’s death, Frank had purchased 22 acres on Garner Creek just over the Carter County line from his father and mother, Henry Kane Lucas[i]. Many of the farmers in our area made extra money by signing leases for oil and gas throughout the years and still do. It was an easy way to make some extra money when you owned the mineral rights to your property.  Frank had a lease, in Carter County, with Kentucky Fuel Gas Corporation.  These leases gave the company right of exploration and the possibility of sinking a well.  If the well produced the lease stipulated either royalties or the free use of gas.[ii]

In the late 1930’s Frank invested in 35+ acres along Williams Creek in Carter County[iii]. Williams Creek winds around to Glancy Fork and Denton. Long Branch Road extends, but dead ends, from Boyd County into Carter County. As I have stated many times, there was a horse path across the hill from Long Branch to Denton that was easily accessed. Frank’s World War II draft card, filed in Carter County, describes Frank as five feet ten inches tall, with brown eyes and black hair.  Farming had left him lean at 125 pounds.

Other children of Frank and Nancy that grew to adulthood but are buried in Klaiber Cemetery include Laura Jane born 3 September 1910 in Boyd County and married 20 December 1929 Marion Emerald Jarvis.  She died 31 December 1942 in Columbus, Ohio and was brought back to Klaiber Cemetery for burial. Marion remarried in 1943 Mary Brennan.  When he died 6 March 1968 he was buried in Klaiber Cemetery, as well.

Bessie Juanita Lucas was born 4 June 1926, never married and lived most of her life on Garner.  She moved to Columbus in 1965 and died there 25 November 1966 and was brought back to Garner for burial[iv].

Bessie Juanita’s father Frank Kane Lucas died 23 December 1966 after an extended illness, after farming most of his life. Nancy lived exactly one month and died 23 January 1967 from a heart attack. Both are laid to rest in Klaiber Cemetery.

 

 

Their son Ralph Clifton Lucas born 14 March 1914, married 22 October 1938 Elizabeth Alexander.  He was a member of Coalton Community Church and had worked for Jeffery Manufacturing Company in Columbus, Ohio. Ralph died 16 July 1977, Rush, Kentucky, of a heart attack. He was buried in Klaiber cemetery 18 July 1977.  His widow Elizabeth died 27 November 1989 in Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio and was brought back to Klaiber Cemetery for burial on the 30^th.

Frank and Nancy’s daughter Amanda Marie born 28 October 1908, had two marriages. She married Herman Burke who died in 1930 and is buried in Rice Cemetery, Lawrence County, Kentucky.  Amanda married second Thomas J. Maddox.  Thomas was born 13 September 1895 in Elliott County, Kentucky died in 1960 in Columbus, Ohio. He was brought back for burial in Klaiber Cemetery. Amanda died 17 October 1994 and is buried in Klaiber Cemetery.

Other children of Frank and Nancy include Florence Lucas McKnight buried in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio; Nora (no further info.); Lenora Irene Lucas Smith died Sandusky, OH; Hazel Lucille Lucas Davis died Greenup Co., KY and is buried White Chapel in Barboursville, Cabell, WV: Norman Franklin Lucas buried in Columbus, Franklin County, OH; Ruth Evelyn Lucas Caudill buried Franklin County, OH; Raymond Lucas buried Columbus, OH.

 

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[i] Ky, Carter deed book 39 page 285

[ii] KY, Carter Deed book 49-272 release of lease  4-3-1928

[iii] KY, Carter deed book 58 p 603,

[iv] Daily Independent Nov 1966

Mary Jane Montgomery Klaiber: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

Mary Jane Montgomery was born 22 January 1879 in Carter County, Kentucky, the daughter of John Howe Montgomery and Samantha Jane Boggs.  John and Samantha Jane were married 27 January 1874 in Carter County.[i]  Samantha Jane was only sixteen years old. They were married at her father, Elihu Bogg,s home in Carter County.  Mary Jane had two older brothers James W Montgomery born in November of 1874 and Elihue, named after Samantha’s father, born in 1876.

Very shortly after Mary Jane’s birth, John Howe Montgomery departed for the west, settling in Iowa.  Family tradition says Samantha Jane had him declared deceased, only to have him come home, find out he was supposed to be dead, turned around and headed back to Iowa.  This compiler has not reviewed circuit court records for a divorce at this writing. 

Samantha Jane Boggs married James B. Hall on 29 November 1883[ii], when Mary Jane was about four years old.  Samantha utilized her maiden name of Boggs when she remarried.  Hall was born December 1858 in Greenup County, Kentucky, and became Mary Jane’s guardian.  The family resided in the Willard vicinity of Carter County[iii]. 

A horse path from Denton leads across the hills to Long Branch Road, now Boyd County, Kentucky.    From Denton it was an easy ride to Willard.  Long Branch is still a dead end road leading out of Boyd County into Carter County, today.  On 15 September 1896 Mary Jane married John Marcus Klaiber the youngest son of John Andrew and Mary Ann McBrayer Klaiber.  Mary Jane was just seventeen. James B. Hall, her guardian gave consent to their marriage.  They were married in the clerk’s office at the courthouse in Catlettsburg, Kentucky[iv].

The family first rented at Star Furnace.  The 1900 census marked out farming as John Marcus Klaiber’s occupation.  The surrounding men were all marked as miners.  By 1910 they had six children and had moved to Stoner in Clark County, Kentucky where they rented and he did general farming.

Mary Jane Montgomery Klaiber developed pulmonary tuberculosis and died 9 August 1912 at Stoner[v].  Mary Jane was just thirty-three years old.  She was brought back to Garner for burial in Klaiber Cemetery.

 

 

The photo that must have been inserted on the monument as been gone for at best fifty-five years, as it was not there when this compiler became a member of the Klaiber family.  The widow, John Marcus Klaiber remarried to Ruth Margaret Chatfield in June 1918 in Lawrence County, Ohio and settled at Ohio Furnace, Scioto County.  Klaiber and Chatfield had seven more children together.

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[i][i] KY, Carter M   film 004260201

[ii] Ky, Carter Mb 1 p 276

[iii] Circa 1910 the Hall’s moved to Magnolia, Mingo County, West VA where he tried mining.

[iv] KY, Boyd M bk 15A p 213

[v] Stoner or Stoner’s creek was named for pioneer Michael Stoner.  The creek flows thru Bourbon and Clark counties.

[vi]

Mary Ann McBrayer Klaiber: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

Mary Ann McBrayer was the sixth child born to James R. and Anna Sanders McBrayer on 24 May 1834 on Williams Creek.  When she was ten her father got his deed for property on Four Mile in what is now Boyd County, Kentucky.  He purchased 200 acres from William Carter and like many of Carter’s land transactions, the deed was not clarified until 1852.[i]  This property is at the end of Four Mile Road today where Rush Off Road, known as Lowman property, is today.   I blogged about McBrayer Cemetery on Four Mile in 2020.

According to an article in 1919 she joined the M. E. Church South when she was 18 in Cannonsburg, Kentucky under the ministry of Rev. Thornton.[ii]. She married 1 November 1855, Carter County, Kentucky[iii], to German born John Andrew Klaiber, at the age of 21.  James R. McBrayer along with John Andrew posted bond for their marriage.  The actual marriage book spells John’s last name as Claiver living at Cannonsburg (then Greenup County) age 24 born Hirlemburg Germany (sic).  Mary Ann McBrayer was residing on Four Mile in Carter County born on Williams Creek in Greenup County.

Granddaughter Martha Klaiber Cox had a German bible in her possession for many years, said to have come over with Klaiber, but it did not contain any family information. Martha said that even in their elder years some in the area were suspicious of his German accent.  When the United States declared war against Germany in April 1917, the Klaiber’s were in their 80’s, yet there were still whispers of animosity even though John Andrew Klaiber had become an American citizen in July 1859. As I write these blog bios, I heard from another descendent, Pamela Wolf, who says that her family oral history told of James R. McBrayer not wanting Mary Ann to marry the German.

But marry she did, having ten children.  They are said to have buried German gold under a fence post and it was never recovered[iv]. She lived through the Civil War and in the twilight of her years World War I. The family lived first in Catlettsburg, then Catletts Creek, and eventually settled on Long Branch.  Besides their own children, John Andrew also had several apprentices involved in his boot making over the years. In 1870 her mother-in-law came over from Germany to live with them.  It was a full household.  And yet as the McBrayer’s spread westward she managed to keep in touch.  A letter from Maggie Culver to Mary Ann dated 1 June 1910 is still in my possession.[v]

Mary Ann McBrayer Klaiber died 1 April 1919 at her home here on Long Branch.  Ironically the article about the elder Klaiber’s came out in the West Virginia Methodist News just eight days later submitted by Mrs. J. C. McGlothlin. The last paragraph reads “May their remaining time here on earth be the happiest, brightest and best of their long lives is the wish of.”

Mary Ann was a member of Eastern Stars. She could join as a wife of a Master Mason.  The Masonic order is open to all religious beliefs.

 

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[i] KY, Carter, Debk B p 339

[ii] West Virginia Methodist News, April 1919

[iii] KY Carter M bk B p 29

[iv] Which fencepost or which property is never mentioned in either John Henry Klaiber or Martha Klaiber Cox family tales.

[v] Maggie Culver was the granddaughter of Susan Board Corbitt McBrayer who married  James Riley McBrayer, brother of Mary Ann.

Emily Alice Lucas Kelley: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

 

Emily Alice Lucas Kelley was born circa 1868 in Carter County, Kentucky.  Alice was the daughter Henry Kane Lucas and Lucinda “Cinda” Sexton.  

The Henry Lucas family lived close to the Kelley family in 1880 in Carter County, Kentucky. Alice married Samuel Franklin “Frank” Kelley about 1885 when she was still a teen.  At this writing no official marriage record has been located.  Between 1886 and September 1894 Alice and Frank had five children: Henry, Dimmie, Laura, Rosie and Maude.

On 15 November 1895, Alice’s mother-in-law Eliza, wife of Joseph Kelley, died and was buried in Klaiber Cemetery. I blogged several times in 2010 about Eliza and her wayward husband Joseph Kelley.  In Joseph Kelley Goes to Prison I also talk about Alice’s husband, Samuel Franklin Kelley, son of Joseph Kelley. 

As a married woman, Alice Lucas Kelley “fell between the cracks” because so much of the 1890 Federal Census was destroyed and her husband does not appear to own land in the area.   She is cited as the mother of several of her children in their later marriage records. Alice died in 1896, at the age of 28, and the only record, thus far, is the tombstone in Klaiber Cemetery.  Despite some attempt to file death records. uniform records were not maintained until 1911.  Thus far this compiler has not located any local news article concerning Alice Lucas Kelley’s death either.

Emily Alice Lucas Kelley tombstone prior to 1990’s repair.

Klaiber Cemetery E. Alice Kelley tombstone after repair

 

Alice’s husband, Samuel “Frank” Kelley, was born in February 1865 in Lawrence County, Ohio but grew up in Boyd County, Kentucky   He was only four years old when his father was sent to prison. In the 1870’s the Kelley’s were residing on Trace, Boyd County, according to tax records (no land value).  By 1876 they begin to appear on Garner, Boyd County.

 After Alice died, Frank remarried 20 June 1897[i], to Elizabeth in Carter County, Kentucky.  The marriage leaves a little unsolved mystery for this compiler.  Henry Sexton acted as surety[ii].  Both Frank and Henry sign by mark.  The marriage states that Elizabeth’s maiden name is FULTON/FELTON and this is her first marriage. Look carefully at the marriage certificate and you will see they were married at James Osters which this compiler believes should read James Austin’s. Her obituary[iii] in May 1945 states that her brothers are James Austin(of Russell, KY) and Samuel Austin (of Rush, KY) among others.  Records for their children also state her maiden name as Austin.  The Austin’s lived on Trace, Boyd County in 1880[iv].  By 1900 James Austin was still mining coal and Samuel and James along with others are in District 7 of Carter County, Kentucky.

 

Frank Kelley was a coal miner.  Just months after his 2^nd marriage he had two horses stolen[v] which would certainly be a financial loss to the family. Coal mining in Eastern Kentucky was hard and in the 1890’s the workers in Carter County were earning below the state average.[vi]

When the mines began to produce less in Boyd/Carter County, miners moved in several directions including Coalton, Jackson County, Ohio; Morgan and Perry County, Ohio looking for work.  This compiler has a special interest in these migration patterns.  Frank and his family migrated to Morgan County, Ohio and finally settled in McLuney, Harrison Township of Perry County, Ohio.  Perry County was a tromping ground for research and cemeteries for many years for me.  Thus my interest was doubled with a connection to Klaiber Cemetery, in Boyd County, Kentucky, and Perry County, Ohio records.  Samuel Franklin Kelley died 2 October 1943[vii] at his home in Harrison Township, Perry County, Ohio. Elizabeth Austin Kelley, his wife, died 7 May 1945.  Both are buried in Iliff Cemetery, Perry County, Ohio along with other family members.  Other Austin relatives are buried in Coalton Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky, as well.

Emily Alice Lucas Kelley is not alone in Klaiber Cemetery.  Besides her mother-in-law both her mother and father and two brothers are at peace in this hollowed ground.

 

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[i] Ky, Carter, Marriage Bond p 134 & marriage stating Frank 2^nd married and Elizabeth Fulton/Felton age 24 first m.

[ii] This compiler believes that this Henry is Henry Powell Sexton b 22 Jan 1853 , married Hiley Jane Branham.  They also lived in Dist 7 of Carter County 1900.  Henry was s/o Samuel P Sexton and wife Elizabeth Madden.

[iii] Times Records, 8 May 1945 , page 2

[iv] 1880 Federal Census, KY, Boyd Trace…James Austin  28 coalminer b. VA, Sarah 29, ELIZABETH 9 b. KY, Maggie W 6 Cintha A 3, John Austin brother 10 coal miner

[v] Big Sandy News, 3 Dec 1897

[vi] Banks, Alan J., Land and Capital in Eastern Kentucky 1890-1950. Appalachian Journal, Vol. 8, 1989

[vii] Zanesville Signal, 5 Oct 1943