Clay Historical Society holds meeting

The last scheduled meeting of the Clay County Landmarks Commission and Historical Society for 2018 was held on Wednesday, December 12, in the Clay County Library. Present were Marlene Potasnik, Lenora Pettit, Jeanine Samples, Janet Markle Koch, Jannette Douglas, Sandra Claybrook, Jerry Stover, and Eloise Boggs.
President Jerry Stover called the meeting to order. The minutes of the November meeting were read and approved. Sandra gave the treasurer’s report.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
1. Jerry reported that he had received a query from Pauline Pauley, nee Hathaway, asking whether the Historical Society has records of the Hathaway family history. The volunteer crew will do the search and report to Jerry or to Pauline.
2. Two items of interest were called to our attention: (1) an article in the Calhoun County journal, Lines and Links, relating to some church history in the county, and (2) an article describing events leading up to and the massacre of the daughters of Henry Morris in 1792.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Extra copies of Paul Jones’ book have been mailed back to Paul as requested. The Society kept a few copies which are available for sale.
2. .Cemetery Book update? Rather than print a whole new updated book, the opinion seems to be that we should keep the 4th edition unchanged and add a supplement listing burials since 2011. This is not a final decision.
DISCUSSION AND COMMENT PERIOD
1. The comment was made that in the WV Archives (online) “Clay County has better information than any other county.”
2. A thirty-year topic of discussion, “Restoration of the Old Courthouse”- it will require “megabucks” which we don’t have. It seems we need outside help to find and deliver the funds needed, perhaps an ex-Clay Countian who is interested and can “pull strings.” We all feel that this building is worth saving, but time takes its toll.
3. In a recent newsletter of the CCHS class of 1951, Kent Sutton made the inquiry as to whether any CCHS alumni had reached the century mark. Come January 23, 2019, an alumna of the class of 1939 will reach that mark. She is Maxine Johnson Bersch Lovern, daughter of the late Seymour Johnson and Missouri Hamrick Johnson. Maxine resides with a son in Texas and is still active in revising and updating books she has written.
The meeting was adjourned.
The next meeting is set for Wednesday, March 6, 2019.