Census - [date: 1900] [place: Magoffin Co, KY]

Household

Census - [date: 1870] [place: Magoffin Co, KY]

Precinct No. 6/House #68. Wesley Whitaker, 22, male, white, farmer, born Ky. Louisa Whitaker, 18, female, white, keeping house, born Ky. Jahaza Whitaker, 3, female, at home, born Ky. Johnson Whitaker, 40 (?70), male, occ. "none", born Va. Susanna Whitaker, 65, female, born Ky. Caroline Hamilton, 10, female, at home, born Ky.

Birth Note

Age 2 on 1850 census, living in the household of his grandparents. Age 10 on 1860 census, living with grandparents Johnston and Susannah Whitaker.

Death Note

Possible death date: See Journal of the Magoffin County Historical Society, Spring 1993, Vol. 15, No. 1, page 28, George W. Spradlin's Journal, Ivyton, Ky: "Whitaker, Wesley d. 23 Jul 1930."

Census - [date: 1850] [place: Floyd Co, KY]

From the "Arnett Album": Family #474: Wiley Whitaker, 24, male, farmer, born KY. America Whitaker, 20, female, born KY. Johnson Whitaker, 1, male, born KY.

Census - [date: 1860] [place: Floyd Co, KY]

From the "Arnett Album": Page 30/family #207: Wesly Whitaker, age 33, male, farmer, value of personal property $180, born Kentucky. America, 28, female, seamstress, born Ky., can't read or write. Johnson Whitaker, 12, male, born Ky, attended school. Rhoda, 10, female, born Ky, attended school. Sally, 7, female, born Ky, attended school. Benj, 4, male, born Ky. David, 2, male, born Ky.

Census - [date: 1870] [place: Floyd Co, KY]

From the "Arnett Album": Precinct #2, page 15. Willey Whitiker, 43, male, white, farmer, born Kentucky. America Whitiker, 38, female, white, keeping house, born Ky. Johnson Whitiker, 21, male, at home, born Ky. Rhoda Whitiker, 18, female, at home, born Ky. Sarah A. Whitiker, 15, female, at home, born Ky. Benjamin Whitiker, 13, male, at home, born Ky. David Whitiker, 11, male, at home, born Ky. Selt____ Whitiker, 8, male, born Ky. Mary Whitiker, 6, white, born Ky. Alexander Whitiker, 3, male, born Ky.

Death Note

He is buried in Rowan, NC.

Birth Note

Age 20 on 1850 census, living with parents.

Census - [date: 1850]

Age 23 on 1850 census, living with parents.

Census - [date: 1860] [place: Floyd Co, KY]

Page 31/family #209: William Whitaker, age 29, male, farmer, value of real estate $800, value of personal property $200, born Kentucky. Sophia, 29, female, seamstress, can't read or write. Susanah, 8, female, attended school. Nancy, 8, female, attended school. Benton, 4, male. Fannon, 1, male.

Death Note

From the "Arnett Album." William is said to have died of measles in the Civil War.

Marriage Note

Mae, Homer's first wife, connects him with the White family. He remarried and moved to Illinois, where his other children were born. Five of the Allen brothers served in World War II (Homer, Creed, Ollie, Ralph and Russell).

Gwendolyn Mary WHITE is the sole survivor in her family-- her brothers, sisters, and parents all have passed on. Her father called her "Dolly" because he said she looked like a doll when she was a baby. She inherited her Grandmother PODELL's West Prussian work ethic and keeps busy gardening, housekeeping, refinishing furniture, and managing the farm. Like her grandmother, Gwen enjoys picking berries, canning vegetables and giving them away. --Thomas Dale Allen, her son, 1997.

Occupation -
Housekeeper

Occupation -
Certified Public Accountant

Religion -
Roman Catholic

Marriage Note

In which church were Deborah and Mark married?

She worked as a bank as a teller and at a flower shop prior to marrying. After they got married she never worked again (except at raising her two children - which as we all know is definitely a full-time job).

Marriage Note

It is logical that Richard and Elijah were brothers; also worth noting is that they both married Williams girls. Most likely Edy and Catherine were cousins. (See Floyd Co. Marriage Records.) Note that Richard names his second son Elijah, possibly after his brother (or father?). See note for Daniel Allen who died in Morgan County, KY, April 1826.

Event Memorial - [date: OCT 1983] [place: Memory Hill, Morgan Co, KY]

Morgan County's "Memory Hill" A Dream Realized

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By Hazel Craft - 2000

On April 29th, around 100 interested, enthusiastic friends and loved ones gathered at Memory Hill at Caney, Kentucky (near West Liberty), to help dedicate a "dream come true" for Mr. and Mrs. Wardie Craft of Caney; a dream that was conceived in 1958 in Washington, D. C., while the late Mr. Craft and his wife, Hazel, who continues to reside at Memory Hill, were on their honeymoon.

Wardie made the remark, "Wouldn't it be great if we could someday, somehow, leave a museum depicting the history of Eastern Kentucky!"

From that day forward, for almost 60 years, they worked toward that goal; collecting early American furniture, old cooking utensils, crocks, churns, tools, dishes, and much more. Many, many friends and loved ones made this collection possible.

The Crafts often remarked that the completion of the foundation was a "miracle." They often told the children, "God does work in mysterious ways."

So many people were connected in this dream that it's impossible to name them all. So many miracles took place. Wardie often remarked that it was a miracle that he was hired to teach at the Clear Fork School in Breathitt County, where he met a young 16-year-old girl, Hazel Bach; who had no other thought, but to finish school and become a teacher. Hazel often remarked that meeting Wardie "turned her world upside down."
Wardie made the remark to a friend, "I just met my wife." That was the beginning of an almost five-year courtship that resulted in marriage on June 12, 1938. From that day forward, they both worked toward their goal for a museum.

Hazel said, "We were both pack rats, collecting so many objects that, otherwise, would probably have been deposited in a garbage dump." They not only collected old objects, they began collecting children that needed a home and the love and affection the Crafts could bestow. Around 20 of their children and family members were present at the April 29th dedication.

It's impossible to enumerate all the accomplishments that took place on Memory Hill. By the way, the place was named Memory Hill in honor of their children, and the many school children with whom they came in contact.

Wardie retired as the principal at Cannel City School in 1969. Hazel taught on for 13 years. Wardie then started, in earnest, to fulfill their dream. First, he and his brother, Ernest Craft, with the aid of many others, moved seven log cabins from Morgan, Magoffin, Breathitt, and Wolfe Counties to the site. One is the two-story Henry Cabin from the Index community. Two cabins were made from this one cabin.

The logs were numbered so that the cabins could be reassembled as they were originally. Six were completed; two are not completed. After almost 20 years, the cabins have deteriorated and need some repairs. There is a church, a school, a home, two museums, and a blacksmith shop.

Plans were then made to erect a memorial to Elder Daniel Williams, an early pioneer who came into Kentucky in 1775 with Daniel Boone, on his second trip to Kentucky. Elder Williams' grave had been lost. Wardie began searching for the grave after reading in Spencer's "History of Kentucky" that Daniel Williams lived and was buried on Caney Creek.

Two men, Lomax Barker and John Lykins, informed Wardie that the old elder was buried either at Caney or Malone. Finally, Wardie located the grave in the Old Caney Cemetery, by crawling through a path animals had made through the tangle of vegetation. From that day forward, he became the caretaker of this old historic cemetery, where so many early pioneers are buried. Sixty percent of Morgan Countians alive today are descendants of Daniel and Violet Crouch Williams.

With the aid of Wardie's dad, Green Honchul, his classmates, and (later) his students, the cemetery was cleared, and the stones were re-erected around the graves. In the past few years, the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex has done a great job taking care of the historic old cemetery.

In the early 1970s, the Daniel Williams Historical Society was formed. In 1997, a transition was made and the historical society became the Memory Hill Foundation, with the aid of a former student of the Crafts, Joe Benton, a Lexington attorney. Many, many thanks are extended to him.

Now, the impressive marble structure erected in memory of Elder Daniel Williams adorns the Daniel Williams Park. This memorial was made possible by relatives and friends, who had their names inscribed on the monument for $100 per name. Presently, there is still space available for a few more names. The 16-ton memorial was dedicated in October 1983.

After the monument was erected, another one was erected honoring Wardie's great-great-grandfather, Daniel Duff, another pioneer minister, who preached with Daniel Williams. The large 20-room house, Daniel Williams Park, Memory Hill Cemetery, and the 19-acre farm now belong to the Memory Hill Foundation. At Hazel's death, the great collection of antiques and early primitives are willed to the foundation.

So much could be said concerning the Craft's lifetime efforts. Their one wish is that their efforts are not in vain, and what they have left at Memory Hill will enrich future generations, by allowing them the opportunity to understand and appreciate their heritage and great history of Eastern Kentucky.

Memory Hill Foundation wants to sincerely thank each and everyone who helped put the grounds and the large house in shape for the dedication. Special thanks to the Woodsbend Boys Camp for making the creek banks presentable, for removing the tons of trash that had lodged in beautiful Caney Creek, and to Judge Executive Sid Stewart for sending two dump trucks to remove the debris and trash retrieved from the creek.

Also, many thanks to Carol Adkins, Mary Stamper, Arkie Ward Patrick, Angela Jackson, Paul Craft, Tammy Craft, and many others, who helped make the place presentable for the dedication. The program included prayer by Elder Roy Collett, an introduction and history of Memory Hill by Hazel B. Craft, and remarks by Elder Gerald Hopkins, State Rep. John Stacy, and State Sen. Walter Blevins. Elder Gerald Hopkins gave the benediction.

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Hazel B. Craft, HC 68 Box 224, West Liberty, KY 41472, shares this story with our readers. She contributes material to the Kentucky Explorer from time to time.

Marriage Note

The couple was married by Squire BOONE.

Marriage Note

They lived in Florida.

Marriage Note

It is logical that Richard and Elijah were brothers; also worth noting is that they both married WILLIAMS girls. Most likely Edy and Catherine were cousins. (See Floyd Co. Marriage Records.) Note that Richard names his second son Elijah, possibly after his brother (or father?). See note for Daniel Allen who died in Morgan County, KY, April 1826.

Census - [date: 1860] [place: Magoffin Co, KY]

Isaac WILLIAMS, Jr., age 26, is listed with his wife Susanah in household 187.

Birth Note

DOB=1834 if this is the correct Isaac WILLIAMS in the 1860 Magoffin Census.

Census - [date: 1860] [place: Magoffin Co, KY]

Isaac WILLIAMS, age 62, is listed with his wife Elizabeth in household 257.

Marriage Note

1860 Magoffin Co., KY Census: WILLIAMS, Isaac, age 62, with wife Elizabeth, H257

Birth Note

Jasmine was 7 lbs, 1oz. 19" long at birth.

Death Note

"Jeremiah preserved the Revolutionary War coat that Elder Daniel Williams wore while fighting for this nation's independence. The coat, Mr. Williams remembers, was made of some kind of heavy homespun material and its color was purple. It became lost after Jeremiah Verdman Williams died in 1888. He was Daniel's youngest son."

Daniel's son, John T. Williams, was one of the Justices of the Peace appointed by Governor Adair to set up the County of Morgan in 1822. He became known as Squire John T. and lived on Williams Creek of Elkford. A part of his old home is still standing on the farm now owned by Bruce Williams, a descendant. Squire John T. was the father of Capt. John T. Williams of Lower Caney who was a captain in the Confederate forces during the Civil War. Capt. John T. lived in a large house near Liberty Road where Mrs. Minnie Phillips now lives. (Thomas D. Allen, 1997)

Occupation -
Justice of the Peace

Marriage Note

Lisa and Kenny are probably the same age.

Census - [date: 1860] [place: Magoffin Co, KY]

Miles WILLIAMS, age 23, is listed with his wife Elizabeth, in household 495 .

Birth Note

Information in 1860 Magoffin Co., KY Census confirms birthdate.

"The son of Elder Daniel Williams, Wiley C. Williams, was elected Morgan County's first State Representative and served from 1825 to 1827," EARLY MORGAN COUNTY, by Arthur C. Johnson, p. 266.

Occupation - [date: 1825 to 1827] [place: Morgan Co, KY]
State Representative

Marriage Note

"Sept. 12, 1821: Sir, please to grant license for Peter Lykins and my daughter Winny and in doing so you will oblige your friend. (s) Violet Williams" NOTE: Daniel had died in 1820.

Another letter came from Russell Wireman, 116 So. Broad St., Hellam, PA 17406 about Elmore Smith Whitaker who was born in 1844 and his 2nd wife Martha Rebecca Hurt. They were the parents of Forest Rose Mae Whitaker who married Jake Wireman.
Smith was first married to Nancy Howard, the dau of Samuel Howard and Delana Jones. We have his second wife listed as a Mary Risner which is erroneous. Those of you who have volume 5 of the Legends in Blue and Gray Civil War book need to use some "white-out" on page 1823. This Mary Risner did marry a Smith Whitaker but he was the son of Morgan Whitaker and Susan Hale.
Martha Rebecca Hurt b. 1869 first married Eli Allen. She was the dau of Creed F. Hurt b. 1837 and married in 1861 to Sarah Williamson b. 1842, dau of Harmon Williamson, Jr. b. 1816. Harmon Jr. m. in 1830 to Ann Bevins b. 1817, dau of Thomas Bevins. Harmon was the son of John Williamson, all found in Pike Co. KY.
Creed Hurt was the son of Absolem Hurt b. 1813 Washington Co. VA and m. 2nd to Elizabeth Bevins b. 1815, dau of John Bevins. He m. 1. to Ann Samples in 1823, the dau of William Samples and Nancy Wilson. Absolem was the son of Garland Hurt and Marteshia Thurston.
Elmore Smith Whitaker was the son of Johnson Whitaker b. 1792 and Susanna Howard/Arnett, a dau of Celia Howard.

Todd's Column - 14 Jan 1999

Burial - [place: Daysboro, Wolfe Co, KY at Wilson Farm]