Ison-Boggs2a

Susannah "Moonglow" Hurst Hamilton my ggggrandmother was a full blooded Cherokee (of which I am very proud). According to the stories I have read of her she met my ggggrandfather, Benjamin Hamilton and his friend Chandler when he was captured by the Cherokees. Moonglow was told she was to feed and take care of them. They were to be sent through the gauntlet and then burned at the stake. Evidently Moonglow became smitten with Benjamin because she helped them escape. He married her and they had ten children. Moonglow's name was changed to Susannah Hurst and they resided in the town of Moon in Morgan County. Moonglow and Richard's grave are in Moon, behind the Moon Post office.

Benjamin Hamilton was a Revolutionary war hero. He served with the Rangers during the war from 1780-1782. He also served as a spy for the Americans. They dedicated a monument to him in Moon on October 22, 1995. It was dedicated by the DAR and Sons of the American Revolution.

My gg Grandfather James "Goins" Boggs and Great-G-G Uncles Nelson, John and Hugh fought in the Civil War for the North. James, John, and Nelson were attached to the 14th Kentucky regiment. It was written by Colonel Garfield, (who would later go on to be President Garfield), that the 14th Kentucky Regiment was composed of excellent material, but they were in wretched state of discipline. ...That they could be considered little better than a well disposed union loving mob, which if their scattered segments could be gathered up may be developed into a very servicable regiment.

At the "Battle of Middle Creek", led by Col. Garfield, SGT. Nelson Boggs was shot in the head by the enemy while leading the charge. His comrades place his body in a tree to keep it from being trampled during the offensive. When the battle was over and our forces had won, it came time to bury the dead. When they started to place Nelson's body in a grave beside the Confederates, my Grandfather James Boggs protested. His brother was not going to be put to rest with Confederate Soldiers.

The body was taken to Prestonburg where it was viewed by Col. Grant. The body was then taken to our family graveyard for burial. Nelson was only 17 years old at the time. His story was presented as a play at Prestonburg during their Centennial Celebration.

"Pet" Boggs was the granddaughter of Hugh Boggs and sister to my great grandmother, Bell "Boggs" Ison. Pet in her later years use to love to tell stories, sometimes so much that we weren't sure which were fiction and which were facts. My father loved to retell the stories she told him. One story was more interesting than most.

Pet was born in 1860. She said as a young child she remembers, a group of men coming through the "holler". They stopped and asked her for directions. She preceded to tell them and then she told the leader that she thought he had the most beautiful horse she'd ever seen. He asked her if she'd like a ride on it and she said yes. So he lead her around on the horse for quite a while. She was in the height of her glory. Right before they started on their way to their destination, Aunt Pet asked him what his name was. He said, "Why Missy, it's Jesse James."

Now nobody believed her story, what would Jesse James be doing in Blaine, Kentucky of all places. Everybody knew he was from out Missouri way. So everytime she told the story the family would kind of roll their eyes thinking it was a tall tale.

Years later they would find out that Jesse and Frank James and their gang robbed the bank at Huntington, WV. They stopped laughing then. It has also come to my attention that a Boggs was a member of the gang.

CHEROKEE HISTORY OF THE ISON FAMILY

REVOLUTIONARY WAR HERO

CIVIL WAR

OUR FAMILY'S WILD WEST STORY

My Grandmother, Maude Ratliff was a little thing, but she worked hard at her at a boarding house as a child. She told me she fetched water, made beds, did all the duties of a maid, even as a child.

My Grandfather Cecil Ison came home from the war and he stopped in Virginia to visit the family being a family friend. He told me of how he was walking down the road and saw this this little bitty thing carrying these big buckets of water, he offered to help her with them. She was flabbergasted and she said he was the most handsome man she had ever seen in his uniform. She couldn't believe he was talking to her.

My Grandmother instantly fell in love, but not my Grandfather. He was staying at the boarding house owned by Maude's family and he was interested in a beautiful blond that was staying there at the time. Every night he'd play his guitar and sing to her, trying to get the pretty blond to return his attentions. It broke my Grandmother's heart.

My Grandmother finally had a fit of jealousy one night and my Grandfather started looking at her a little differently. They married in 1919, had nine children and as far as I could tell they lived a very happy life.

WORLD WAR I LOVE STORY

Canzady Chambers has fascinated me since I was a child and I lived for a while with my grandmother, Maude. She was married three times and was concidered very beautiful. Her mother Sarah Davis was full blood Native American. She married John L. Chambers in Vir-
ginia and had three children by him, Canzady, John Jr. and Willie Chambers. I haven't learned a great deal beyond this, but it will be fun to find out more.

HUGH "HUGHIE" BOGGS

Hugh Boggs was founder of the Boggs clan in Lawrence Co., Kentucky. In 1801 he opened a large farm on Caines Creek, near Blaine. He built a steam saw, grain mill and carding machine. He was very progressive and prosperous. He was also quite a poet.

ISON-BOGGS FAMILY HISTORY