Monday, December 25, 2006

John Wesley United Methodist Church - Lewisburg, Greenbrier County


In early 2000 a cousin from Lewisburg sent me an old program from this church which listed the Pastors of John Wesley United Methodist Church in Lewisburg, West Virginia:

Rev. John Barnett (he officiated at marriages around 1875 - 1891)
Rev. E.A. Bolling (born in 1860)
Rev. J.L. Brown (he officiated at marriages around 1894-1895 - see previous post)
Rev. Michael Casongo
Rev. Henry K. James
Rev/ David E. Jasper
Rev. Abraham Jenkins
Rev. Moses Lake
Rev. J.W. Langford
Rev. R.P. Lawson
Rev. Julius C. Love
Rev. William Moorman (he officiated at marriages around 1891-92 - see 1/3/07 post)
Rev. Julius Williams
Rev. Roscoe Williams
(more names to be added)

Rev. J.L. Brown

Rev. J.L. Brown officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1894 -
Isaac Tucker Armstead & Bell Roles, 7/31/1894

1895 -
John Howard & Maggid Barrett, 1/3/1895

Rev. H.A. Brown

Rev. H.A. Brown officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1897 -
John H. Cash & Lavenia Toler, 12/25/1897

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Rev. John H. Simpson

Rev. John H. Simpson officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1881 -
Robert Ellis & Francis Charlton, 3/14/1881
Cephalus "Fall" Moore & Sally Dunsmore, 7/3/1881

1883 -
William Moor & Bettie Nickell, 1/11/1883

1885 -
William Hubbard & Sallie Gilbreath, 12/29/1885
Lewis Nickell & Lucy Jane Dunsmore, 12/30/1885

1888 -
William Henry Brown & Relda Dunsmore, 10/10/1888

1889 -
Smith Albert Freeman & Mossie Peck

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Rev. R.H. Mason

Rev. R.H. Mason officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1880 -

Isaac Tucker Armstead & Ellen Bailey, 3/15/1880

Friday, December 22, 2006

Rev. T.R. Morris

Rev. T.R. Morris officiated at the following (Black) SC Marriages:

1896 - George Carter & Minnie Murrell, 9/30/1896

Monday, December 04, 2006

Anderson Jones

Anderson Jones is a notable Greenbrier County resident as he was involved in the only case in which "a ghost" helped to send a man to jail for murder.

Anderson was the son of one of the aforementioned "Martha Jones" (see previous post)
& Reuben Jones. He was the brother of Reuben Jones.
He may be the William A. Jones who appears on the 1880 Census, Greenbrier County (GC), Lewisburg District (LD), BM, 3, with Reuben Jones.
(although he appears in later censuses as being about two years younger - but then in 1930 he gives an age which squares with this entry).
He appears on the 1900 Census, Greenbrier County (GC), Williamsburg District (WD) as a Black male, age 20, b. 1879, son of Martha, brother of Reuben.
He appears on the 1910 Census, GC, LD, BM, 31, b. 1879, single, servant.
He appears on the 1930 Census, GC, LD, BM, 55, b. ?1875, servant in a private family, son of Martha Jones.
He appears in the book THE GREENBRIER GHOST AND OTHER STRANGE STORIES by Dennis Deitz, on pages 12, 15, & 16. Mr. Deitz indicates that Anderson was a witness to the events following the death of Zona Heaster Shue (1896) (It appears that in testimony Anderson thought he was about 11 years old where the censuses would put him at 17-20 years old)
He appears on a WORLD WAR I DRAFT REGISTRATION CARD at age 40 & indicates that he was born 8/1888, that he was a laborer at Ronceverte & that his nearest relative was his mother, Martha Jones of Lewisburg. The card also indicates that he was medium height & stout build with brown eyes & black hair.
He appears on WV DEATH CERTIFICATE # 8537 which indicates that he died on 6/17/1953 at Lewisburg & that he was a single black male, the son of Reuben & Martha Robinson Jones. At the time of his death he was thought to be about 76 years old. He is buried at the Clintonville Cemetery.

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Martha Jones

There may have been as many as 7 -12 women named Martha Jones in Greenbrier, Monroe, Summers, Fayette and Pocahontas Counties.

(1) Martha Jones who was the first wife of Peter Jones
She appears on the 1870 Census in Monroe County (MC), Second Creek (2nd Creek), as a Black Female, age 40, keeping house, with Peter Jones.

(2) Martha Ann Payne Haynes Jones who was the second wife of Peter Jones (who she married in 1885)
Her first husband was Solomon Haynes & she & Solomon had been the neighbors of Peter & his first wife, Martha. In the compilation "Black Residents of Greenbrier ..." by C. Haynes she is listed under Martha Ann Payne Haynes. She & Solomon Haynes married in Fayette County shortly after emancipation, on July 4, 1865. At that time she had five children (Socrates, Albert, Elizabeth, Dudley, & Catherine). She & Solomon would later have James & Percy/Purcy. During slavery she was Martha Payne & one of her children (Albert) would always retain the surname Payne even while his other siblings became known as Haynes.

(3) Martha/Catherine Robinson Jones who was the wife of Reuben Jones & the mother of Anderson Jones

1870 Census where she appears in GC, Big Levels District as a 20 y.o., Black Female, b. in Va., keeping house, with Reuben Jones
1880 Census where she apepars in GC, Lewisburg, as a 35 y.o., Black Female, b. in Va., wife of Reuben Jones (33) & the mother of Mary E. (9), Margaret A. (7), & William A. (3).
1900 Census where she appears in GC, Williamsburg District, unknown age & date of birth, widowed, b. in Virginia, had 8 children, 3 still living. (check this, the 8 could be due to poor penmanship or a blurry/hard to decipher document)
1910 Census where she appears in GC, Lewisburg, as a 54 y.o., b. ? 1856, widowed, had one child, one still living, servant/cook for the James M. Rader Family, with Ricky (14). (Note that William A. is probably Anderson)
1930 Census where she appears in GC, LD, BF, 74, with Anderson (55)
Mentioned in THE GREENBRIER GHOST AND OTHER STRANGE STORIES by Dennis Deitz, onpages 12 & 15, "Aunt Martha Jones", mother of Anderson Jones.
Shuck's Greenbrier County Birth Records, page 172
Shuck's Greenbrier County Death Records, page 145
WV Death Certificate # 4117, as the mother of the decedent, Mary Ellen Lewis, who died in Summers County in 1953.

(4) Martha Jones who married Samuel Robinson

(5) Martha Jones who was the wife of Charles Jones
On WV Death Certificate # 16059 she appears as the wife of the decedent, Charles Jones who died in GC in 1944

(6) Martha Jones who was the wife of Irving Jones
She appears on the 1880 Census in Fayette, Mountain Cove as a 16 year old married to Irving Jones.

(7) Martha Jones who was the mother of Jefferson Christian & who was the mother in law of Emma Haynes
Her son, Jefferson Christian, married Emma Haynes on 7/4/1882

(8) Then, there were another 6 Martha Jones who can not yet be positively identified as being the same person as one of the above.

--- Martha Jones who appears in the article "Lewisburg's Dr. Graybill", Journal of the Greenbrier Historical Society, Volume 7, #2, 2000, p. 17
--- Martha Jones who appears on the 1920 Census in Greenbrier County (GC), Lewisburg District (LD) as a Black female, age 70, widowed, servant for Conrad Skaggs
--- Martha Jones who is listed in the Greenbrier Cemetery Book for the LD, & who died on Jan/11/197X.
--- Martha Jones who was the mother of William Gibson Jones who married Mary Preston on 8/29/1893 in Summers County
--- Martha Jones who appears as the mother of the decedent, Martha M. Cousins on WV Death Certificate #11665
--- Martha Jones who appeared on the 1910 Census in Fayette County, Sewell Mountain as a Black Female, age 32, born in Va, servant, divorced (& who does not appear to have any children).

Monday, November 27, 2006

Rev. (? first name) Brooks

Rev. (? first name) Brooks officiated at the following (Black) Greenbrier County marriages:

1951 -
Edna Mae Parks & Charles Junior Lee, 8/20/1951

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Rev. Thomas Brooks

Rev. Thomas Brooks officiated at the following (Black) Greenbrier County marriages:

1926 -
Andrew Miller & Mary Frances Seams

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Rev. Bosley Boyce

Rev. Bosley Boyce officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1883
Edward Lewis & Alice Pack, 5/11/1883
Alexander Hughes & Carrie Barnett, 12/27/1883
Samuel Morris & Amanda Hoke, 12/31/1883

(I'm not sure of Rev. Boyce's racial designation)
(On 2/9/1887 he married Johana Dickenson in Upshur, WV)

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Journal of the Greenbrier Historical Society, Vol 8, # 2, 2006

This issue of the Journal of the GHS contains an article by Mr. Layton in which he summarizes certain old courthouse documents including documents regarding free persons of color and enslaved individuals who lived in Greenbrier County. The journal is available through the GHS at Lewisburg, W.V. He indicates that he will summarize more courthouse documents in the next issue of the journal.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Rev. Charles Lewis (Black minister)

Rev. Charles Lewis officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1882 -
Charles Paxton Bradley & Georgia Williams, 5/24/1882

Note that Rev. Charles Lewis was the husband of Mary E. Lewis. He can be found on the 1900 Census, Greenbrier County, Fort Spring District where he is listed as a Black male, age 55, born May 1845 at Virginia. He was a Clergyman & had been married for 24 years to Mary E. (age 44). Also in the household were Willie (14), Lillie L. (11), Malan M. (9), Roland O. (7) & Cornelious R. (5)

There was another Rev. Charles Lewis in Summers County. He appears on the 1880 Census for Summers County at the Pipe Stem District, Black Male, 58, preacher of the gospel, with his wife, Ann (35).

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Rev. Floyd Meadows

Rev. Floyd Meadows officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:
1876 -
Meshack Pack & Tessia (Letitia) Landcraft, 9/3/1876

Rev. J.J. Meadon

Rev. J.J. Meadon officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:
1894 -
Mat R. Price & Ella Cheatwood, 1/13/1894

Rev. F.A./J.A. Meade

Rev. F.A./J.A. Meade officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:
1895 -
Phil Williams & Aggie Preston, 4/2/1895
Willie W. Davis & Ellen Tinsley, 5/24/1895
1897 -
James Doran & Bettie Fletcher, 10/5/1897
J.E. Rhodes & Ida Wheeler, 10/6/1897
1901 -
P. Mann & Harriet Jackson, 8/29/1901

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Rev. J.D. Noll

Rev. J.D. Noll officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1874 -
Charles Crump & Mary Johnson, 12/9/1874
William Banks & Gracey Jefferson, 12/9/1874

He officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:
1874 -
John Woodson & Cynthia A. Pack, 5/1874

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Rev. William N. Nickell

Rev. William N. Nickell officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1875 -
James Nickell & Eliza Susan Dunsmore, 12/29/1875
Samuel Kilbreath & Dora Nickell, 12/30/1875
1876
George Williams & Maggie Dunsmore, 12/21/1876

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Rev. B.P. Pennington

Rev. B.P. Pennington officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1905 -
William White & Alice Spotts, 7/30/1905

Friday, October 27, 2006

Rev. W.F. Patterson - Minister of the Gospel M.E. Church

Rev. W.F. Patterson officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1888 -
James W. Hill & Susan Brown, 12/26/1888
1890 -
Andrew Mann & Mary Emma White, 10/4/1890
&
He officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:
1886 -
George Haynes & Louisa Shinall, 4/22/1886
James Jackson & Lizzie Marshall, 5/23/1886
Charles Kimbro & Ann Johnson, 5/?28/1886
Joseph M. Marshall & Robinett Wright, 7/2/1886
Moses Hunter & Mary Phillips, 11/20/1886
Charles W. Haynes & Sallie Johnson, 12/29/1886
1887 -
Jacob Wright & Fannie Cosby, 12/1/1887
Henderson Kent & Lora Wesley, 12/1887
1888 -
Houston Nickell & Mary E. Brown, 2/16/1888
Toge Loggins & Rose Johnson, 7/?20/1888
Benjamin W. Pride & Charlotte Brown, 8/25/1888
John H. Morris & Bettie Llewelyn, 10/5/1888
George Woodley & Minerva J. Harris, 10/25/1888
1889
Henry R. Ross & Eliza J. Herskins, 4/10/1889
William L. Anderson & Martha Clark, 6/10/1889
1890
William A. Smith & Amanda J. Fortner, April or May
Robert Daniel & Ida Pack, 12/25/1890
1891
John Thomas & Cynthia McGee, Jan/8/1891
Andrew W. Williams & Lelia Ross, 2/26/1891
John H. Johnson & Priscilla Trice, 4/31/1891
Allen Muse & Amanda L. Peyton, 12/24/1891

Friday, October 20, 2006

Rev. Matthew Lyle Lacy (Caucasian minister officiated at Black Marriages)

Rev. Matthew Lyle Lacy officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1889 -
Albert Payne & Ida Bell Dunsmore, 10/15/1889
1892 -
John Lewis Dunsmore & Lydia Erskine

Note: In the Journal of the Greenbrier Historical Society, Volume 7, # 6, 2004, page 64 in an article relative to the HISTORICAL SKETCH OF MAXWELLTON it states that Lee Military Academy "was bought by the citizens of Lewisburg and given to the Greenbrier Presbytery and the school was run by Rev. M.L. Lacy, DD until it was taken over by the Col. H.B. Moore ..." .
Because of the above information I believe that Rev. Lacy was Caucasian.

Note also that the Albert Payne above was the son of Martha Ann Payne Haynes Jones & the stepson of Solomon (Saul/Sam) Haynes & Peter Jones.

On 11/27/06, a comment was received by this writer relative to this entry & the writer of the comment advised that "M.L. Lacy" was Rev. Matthew Lyle Lacy & offered these important facts: "Rev. Matthew Lyle Lacy.... (was) co-pastor of the Presbyterian church ... (1869) ... until 1882 ... & "from 1887 until 1902 he was pastor of two churches in Monroe County, the Union Presbyterian Church and Mt. Pleasant Church at Sinks Grove". This comment is very much appreciated for many reasons including the fact that it places the minister in the exact community where the bride and groom Albert & Ida Payne lived (at Sinks Grove).

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Rev. Grandison

Rev. Grandison officiated at the following (Black) Greenbrier County marriages:

1951 -
James Homer Early & Henrietta Lee Williams

Rev. L. Baxter Goodall

Rev. L. Baxter Goodall was a Baptist minister at Alderson, Greenbrier County. He was a minister at the Second Baptist Church in Summers County.
He was the officiant at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1902 -
Sachel McKeener & Mary Smith, 12/6/1902 (note - this may actually have been a Summers County marriage)
1904 - Erastus S. Pack & Annetta Frances Trice, 11/15/1904
He was the officiant at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:
1903 -
Lacy Robinson & Maggie Wingfield
1904 -
George W. Scott & Ros B. Qualls, 2/7/1904
1905 -
James Morris & Fannie Taylor, 11/2/1905

Rev. A.C. Gearhart

Rev. A.C. Gearhart officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

? year -
Cary Lewis & Lucy Green

Rev. Henry C. Gregory

Rev. Henry C. Gregory officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:
1901 -
A.L. Lipscomb & F.J. Watson, 6/6/1901
1902 -
Joseph Mosley & Effie Allen, 8/10/1902

Rev. Robert Gray

Rev. Robert Gray officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1917 -
William L. Smith & Faust Nickell, 6/20/1917

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Landcraft

In an earlier post I indicated that I "intermingle" names when two names sound alike or when indiviudals are listed under two different spellings of a name. One such name is Landcraft, which I originally read as Sandcraft because of enumerator penmanship.
One of the early Landcraft's was "Noris/Morris Landcraft" who appears on the 1870 Census in Greenbrier County (GC), Blue Sulphur Township (BST), as a mulatto male, age 38, farm hand, born in Virginia, with Charles (17), Victory (15), Stuart (12), Ennis (10), & (an 8 year old named Elizabeth who is listed as a white female - but there is a question mark next to the racial designation). In 1900, (Noris) appears again in GC, BST as a Black male, age 68, born January, 1832, a farmer, widowed, with his sons, Willie (17), Hotry (15), John N. (12), his daughter, Helen L. (10) & with a servant/housekeeper named Mary A. Johnson (45). Mary's children are also in the household and they are Laura & Lucy. Another person in the household is a boarder, Morris Thompson. In 1910, (Moris Landcraft) appears in GC, BST, as a black male, age 76, farmer, widowed, with Boatswain S. (25) (*note: Boatswain is Hotry), John (23), & Ellen A. (21). Moris/Noris Landcraft can also be found in African American Records by Mary Frances Bodemuller, Larry Shuck's Greenbrier County Death Records, page 157, & Shuck's Greenbrier County Birth Records, pages 187 & 221.
Other Landcraft entries in BLACK RESIDENTS OF GREENBRIER, MONROE, POCAHONTAS & SUMMERS COUNTIES, WEST VIRGINIA by C. Haynes are:
Amminta (1870 Census), C. (1920 Census), Calloway (husband of Emily Pack), Coney (1920 Census), Craig (1920 Census), D. Thompson (Shuck's Marriage Records), Dorinda (See Lucinda Landcraft), Eliza (1880 Census), Ementha (1930 Census & graduate of Bolling High School 1936), Emma (1920 Census), Henderson (1870 Census), James E. (1920 Census), John (in addition to the above listings with Noris/Morris, John can be found in AA Records by Bodemuller & Shuck's Birth Records), Kenneth (1910 Census), L. (Shuck's Birth Records), Letitia (See Letitia "Tessia" Landcraft Pack, wife of Meshack Pack), Lurinda/Larinda/Thennda Thompson Landcraft (Wife of Noris/Moris, died 8/17/1889 - GC Register of Deaths, also see AA Records by Bodemuller & Shuck's birth records), M. (Shuck's birth records), Mary (See Mary Landcraft Pack, wife of Harris Pack), Mollie (1920 Census), Neteria (See Neteria Allen), Oran (1880 Census with his wife Eliza), Pidgie (1910 Census), Samuel (1870 & 1880 Census), Sarah Eddie Swope Lancraft (Wife of William H. Landcraft who she married in 1905 in Monroe County (MC), 1910 Census), Stuart (1870 Census), Theodore (1920 Census), Tina (1920 Census), Vater (AA Records & Shuck's Birth Records), Victory (1870 Census), Walter (1920 Census), William H. (Husband of Sarah, 1905 marriage in MC, 1920 Census).

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Rev. W.H. Wiley/Rev. Wyley

Rev. W.H. Wiley officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1879 -
John H. Bailey & Laurena Erskine, 6/4/1879 at Union

and he officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1882 -
John H. Wood & Julia Clay, 11/22/1882
1884 -
Archibald Briggs & Mary Kelly, Jan/22/1884

& another Rev. Wyley officiated at the following (Black) Greenbrier County marriages:

1952 - Albert Leroy Harris & Ethel Lewrella Carpenter

Rev. I.W. Wightman

Rev. I.W. Wightman officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1885 -
James M. Callaway & Alice L. Robinson, 10/20/1885

1886 -
Charles P. Wagoner & Emma Franklin, 6/7/1886

Rev. Wheeler

Rev. Wheeler officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1878 -
Charles Kenney & Elizabeth Brown, 12/28/1878

Rev. W.N. Wagner

Rev. W.N. Wagner officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1883 -
Willis Richard Hopkins & Sarah Lybrook, 7/12/1883

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Rev. William R. Williams

Rev. William R. Williams officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1875 -
Andrew Hill & Malinda (?Bird)

Rev. S.E. Williams

Rev. S.E. Williams officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1899 -
Napoleon B. Gardner & Flora M. Chapman, 10/24/1899
Charles I. Parker & Rosa Lee Pack, 10/25/1899

&

he officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1896 -
Thomas Nelson & Minnie Branham, 11/19/1896
1897 -
Willaim Meadley, Jr. & Katie Lee, 3/3/1897
Thomas Nelson & Lucy Mitchell, 3/17/1897
John L. Abbett & Clara Peters Nelson, 3/24/1897

Rev. H.W. Williams

Rev. H.W. Williams officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1893 -
David W. Callaway & Salina F. Peters, 12/5/1893

1894 -
Charles W. Harris & Ella Crockett, 1/3/1894

Note that Rev. H.W. Williams was the father of Avie Williams who married Lou Nelson in Summers County on 6/10/1893.

Rev. James Sweeney

Rev. James Sweeney officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1888 -
William R. Edwards & Gracie E. Thompson, 3/21/1888
1894 -
John D. Jones & Hannah Bradley, 5/31/1894

Rev. D. Stratton (Black minister)

Rev. D. Stratton officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1888 - Maurice Compton & Lydia Thompson, 9/6/1888

Note that "Mr. Stratton" can be found on the 1880 Census for Putnam County in Buffalo as a Black male, Preacher, age 40, b. in Va., with Louisa Payne (54)

Rev. George N. Spencer

Rev. George N. Spencer officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1900 -
John Williams & Callie Lee, 5/3/1900
W.J. Conner & Rose L. Manns, 9/1900

Rev. William L. Smith

Rev. William L. Smith officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1899 -
Frank Pack & Edna Stith, 2/9/1899

Rev. William L. Smith was the Pastor of the Greenville Circuit Baptist Conference.

Rev. George W. Smith

Rev. George Smith officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1892 -
Napoleon Johnson & Mattie Winston at Meadow Creek, 9/24/1892

Stuart, Stewart, Steward, Stuard, & Sterit

In my compilation I "intermingle" names. This means that, for instance, I put all names that sound alike together as opposed to listing folks under the individual & diverse spellings.
I make a notation following an entry of how the name was spelled in the document cited (if there are different spelling patterns).
There are many names that call for this treatment in the studied area. Some are Brackenridge/Breckenridge, Smith/Smythe, Haynes/Hanes/Hains/Heyns/Hayns, Strother/Strothers, Boone/Boon, Swope/Swopes, Gillbreath/Killbreath, Littleton/Lyttleton, Payne/Pain/Pane, and Sweeney/Swinney/Swiney/Swiney, Straughter/Strawder .
Since I'm not a "genealogist" and have merely been collecting and transcribing the names of folks, in a small geographical area, for over a decade, I don't follow anyone else's rules. I have tried to make my compilation user friendly. I've tried to compile information in a manner in which I would have wanted to find the information or in a manner in which I would have thought would have been helpful. Finding family members can be difficult and I wanted to discard any rules in favor of helping the searcher to be successful.
I've noticed that folks names can vary (in terms of spelling) from document to document. My family, for instance, shows up as Hughes/Hues/Huse in different documents.
To complicate matters, in the area that I study, folks are often known by their middle names or their nicknames. (This often happens when they are named after a family member who lives in the same househhold - So the grandmother is Martha & the granddaughter is Mattie, for instance. Or Christopher Columbus will be the patriarch & the offspring are Columbus or "C.C.") I list each individual with their proper names but I make a notation at their "known" names which refers the user to the proper name.
As for the Stewarts:
There were Stuarts who enslaved individuals in Greenbrier County. Lewis Stuart, son of Col. John Stuart & Elizabeth Stuart enslaved individuals. See the book GREENBRIER COUNTY PIONEERS. My ancestors (following emancipation) worked as domestic servants for a Stuart who married Lt. Gov. Samuel Price. They may have been formerly enslaved by Stuarts but this connection has yet to be made.
Most of the Stewarts in my compilation lived in Greenbrier or Pocahontas counties.
See the magazine GOLDENSEAL, Vol 22, #4, Winter, 1996, which is published by the WV Division of Culture and History and which contains an article entitled "Getting Along Together - Black Life in Pocahontas County", by Maureen Crockett which talks about the Stewarts in PC.
The Stewart spelling is "all over the place" in the WV records so it is important to check all possibilities.
For Stewart also see:
African American Records by Mary Frances Bodemuller (available from the Greenbrier Historical Society in Lewisburg, WV)
Larry Shuck's Records (available from the GHS)
Helen Stinson's court records (book out of print but available at the GHS)
WV Death Certificates (see WV Division of Culture and History death certificate cite - d.c.'s on line from 1914 -1955)
Greenbrier County Cemetery Books
Marsh's 1880 WV Census Records
http://www.greenbrierhistorical.org/1811.html - Will of Elizabeth Stuart (divesting Maria)
BLACK RESIDENTS OF GREENBRIER, MONROE, POCAHONTAS & SUMMERS COUNTIES, WEST VIRGINIA by Haynes (newer editions available at the GHS & the WV Division of Culture and History) (older editions available at the Amistad Research Center & WV State University at Institute)

ADA SMITH - "BRICKTOP"

Ada Smith, known as the entertainer "Bricktop" was born on 8/14/1894 in Alderson, Greenbrier County, West Virginia.
I have been told that the Greenbrier Historical Society in Lewisburg, W.V. has a lot of information about "Bricktop".
See:
BRICKTOP by Bricktop with James Hoskins, Altheneum Press
http://www.wvculture.org/istory/notewv/bricktop
See Moore-Boone Family History by B. Dickerson Murapas

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Rev. John Edmonds

Rev. John Edmonds officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1890 -
William Chapman & Emma Ramsey at Union, 11/11/1890

Monday, October 02, 2006

Rev. J. Lattimer Kibler

Rev. J. Lattimer Kibler officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1882 -
George Lewis Clear & Katie Brown, 5/16/1882
John Henry Jefferson & Louisa Simpson, 7/17/1882

Rev. Lewis Kincaid

Rev. Lewis Kincaid officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1879 -
John Willard & Christina Thompson, 9/25/1879
1883 -
Edward Wilson & Shady Pack, 3/18/1883

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Rev. D.C. Hunter

Rev. D.C. Hunter officiated at the following (Black) Summers county marriages:
1896 -
William M. Coleman & Charlotte Davidson, 4/29/1896
1899 -
James Moore & Anna Ellis Biggins, 5/13/1899

Rev. A.C. Hubbard

Rev. A.C. Hubbard officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:
1874 -
Joseph Branham & Milley Lee, Jan/14/1874
1875 -
Henry Thomas & Adaline Henderson, 12/23/1875
James H. Smithers & Rachel Ellison, 12/1/1875
1882 -
Sylvester Terrell & Almina Lee, 2/16/1882
1887 -
Frank Gore & Cora Mitchell, Jan/10/1887
1888 -
George Pack & Mary Lee, 4/5/1888
1894 -
John R. Gore & Amanda Jones, 9/21/1894
1895 -
Everett W. Spangler & Virginia H. Keatley, 11/16/1895
Alexander Kelly & Lydia Lewis, 12/24/1895

Rev. A. Hogsett (Caucasian officiant at Black marriages)

Rev. A. Hogsett officated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:
1893 -
Ed McCormich & Maggie Mitchell, 4/26/1893
Sylvester Terrell & Lizzie Henderson, 12/18/1893
1894 -
Satchel/Satabel Kelly & Emma Shinalt
1895 -
John W. Essex, Jr. & Hallie R. Wesley, Jan/9/1895

* I have not been able to find Rev. A. Hogsett on the census for Summers County. I assume he was Caucasian, however, as there were no Black Hogsetts on the two censuses that I reviewed. Also, there are no Black Hogsett entries in my compilation.

Rev. Charles Hodges

Rev. Charles Hodges officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1896 -
Edward Smith Seams & Hester Angeline Peck, 11/25/1896
David Cousins & Laura Robinson, 4/14/1896
1897 -
Albert Mann & Sarah Taylor, 10/3/1897
1898 -
Samuel Skipper Ragland & Harriet Whitlock, Jan. 12, 1898

Rev. A.J. Cummins

Rev. A.J. Cummins officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County weddings:

1874 -
Jordan Smith & Malinda Hargrow, 3/23/1874
Andrew Newsum & Mary Hargrow, 12/4/1874
1875 -
John W. Pack & Hester Musum, 11/19/1875

Rev. J.A. Cowgill

Rev. J.A. Cowgill officiated at the following (Black) SC Marriages:

1878 -
William ?Birchett & Laura F. Johnston

Rev. H.C. Conner

Rev. H.C. Conner officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1901 -
Rush Simpson & Cora Williams, 12/11/1901
Charles Crockett & Minnie Bush, 12/26/1901
Otis A. Bailey & Nannie E. Mitchell, 10/23/1901
1902 -
M.A. Pack & Sarah Payton, 7/30/1902
Charles W. Simpson & Emma Peyton, 11/26/1901
1903 -
Ferdinand Gore & Alice Kent, 3/16/1903

Rev. H.S. Coe

Rev. H.S. Coe officiated at the following (Black) SC Marriages:

1878 -
William Rollins & Malinda Black, 5/23/1878
Robert Thomas & ?A. Brooks, 7/27/1878
Charles F. Ward & Jennie Love, 9/10/1878

Saturday, September 30, 2006

Rev. J.W. Keith

Rev. J.W. Keith was the informant for the 12/25/1889 marriage of Peter Lewis Morton & Annie Johnon in Monroe County in 1889.

Rev. M.H. Bittinger

Rev. M.H. Bittinger officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1887 -
Jacob Miller and Delilah Black, 9/6/1887

Rev. Abraham Beaks

Rev. Abraham Beaks officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:
1903 -
Walter Rose & Lillie Haynes, 9/23/1903

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Rev. John A. Anderson

Rev. John A. Anderson officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriage:

1882 -
George W. Davis & Annie Nickell

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Rev. E.P. Jeffries

Rev. E.P. Jeffries officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriage:

1899 -
Charles Henry Clay Hoover & Lula Bell Pack, 6/13/1899

At this point in time, I'm not sure if Rev. Jeffries was Caucasian or Black.

Rev. Joseph W. Jackson

Rev. Joseph W. Jackson officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1900 -
Eugene Leonard Conner & Eliza Baker, Jan/10/1900

Rev. William Jackson

Rev. William Jackson officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1895 -
James David Triplet & Martha Etta Bailey at Gap Mills, 6/26/1895
1898 -
George W. Triplett & Alice Johnson, 6/5/1898
1899 -
Christopher Columbus Banks & Julia Ann Gross at Gap Mills, 12/27/1899
1900 -
Eugene "Leonard" Conner & Eliza Baker, Jan/9/1900
1912-
Horace Brown & Gussie Johnson, 2/3/1912

Rev. Jackson was a Minister of the Gospel. (At this time, it is not clear if he was Caucasian or Black)

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Lynching - Lewisburg, Greenbrier County

One of southeastern West Virginia's darkest nights was on November 22, 1931 when two men, Tom Jackson & George Banks were forcibly removed from the Lewisburg jail and lynched.
For more information on this event see:
-- The Negro Citizen of West Virginia by Thomas E. Posey, pages 78-80
-- The Greenbrier Independent, 12/11/1931
-- The Greenbrier Independent, 12/18/1931
-- The Greenbrier Independent, 12/25/1931
-- The Greenbrier Independent, Jan/8/1932
WV Death Certificate # 16202 - for Tom Jackson
WV Death Certificate # 16203 - for George Banks
(Relatives of Jackson were: his widow, Margaret Jackson; his sister, Lucinda Upshaw of Washington, D.C.: his brothers, Mertie Jackson & Fred Jackson; & his mother, Lucy Jackson of Trevilion, Virginia)
(Relatives of Banks were: his sisters, Thelma Mullins of Leslie & Helen Banks Terry of Detroit; his brothers, Homer, Curtis, Woodrow & Harold)

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Rev. R.J. Perkins (Black Minister)

Rev. R.J. Perkins officiated at the following (Black) Summers County Marriages:
1887 -
Simon Collins & Rosa Clark, 7/12/1887
1889 -
John C. Adams & Rosa L. Bird, 12/20/1889
1890 -
Richard Hogans & Laura Lee, 5/25/1890
1891 -
Huston N. Nickell & Sarah J. Lewis, 11/19/1891
1892 -
Archy Briggs & Lucy Peters, Jan/27/1892
David Jones & Artie Law, 7/27/1892
Joseph R. Dickinson & Lula Loggin, 12/25/1892
1893 -
Thomas Nelson & Clara Peters, 7/27/1893
William M. Morris & Mary A.A. Smith, 10/23/1893
1894 -
John William Ross & Martha Peyton, 5/24/1894
Robert H. Trent & Mattie A. Payne, 12/26/1894
1895 -
Blicher Fipps & Martha Easter, 7/26/1895
John Stith & Mary Waddy, 8/25/1895
Thomas Mims & Mattie Graham, 10/26/1895
Charles Johnson & Izetta Young, 12/22/1895
1896 -
Charles J. Jones & Virginia Lee Pack, 6/29/1896
Luther Payne & Mary Jackson, 8/2/1896
1897 -
Jack Daniel & Jane Gardner, 5/1/1897
1898 -
Oliver B. Lee & Lula Blake, Jan/26/1898
John Williams & Artie M. Law, 3/13/1898
1899 -
Rucker Simpson & Ida Swinney, 5/11/1899
Wilbert Steel & Lelia Strange
1900 -
George Miller & Nannie E.B. Smith, 6/1900
1901 -
Benjamin Teal & Arminthia Hill, 10/14/1901

He officiated at the following (Black) marriages in Monroe County:
1893 -
W. Anderson Wells & Ada Randolph, 5/17/1893

For more information on Rev. Perkins see
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/wv/fayette/schools/colored.txt
which is relative to the "History of Education in WV 1904 - Colored Schools in Fayette
See the article about Second Baptist Church by Marion Gore & Edna G. Price, p. 199 in the book (?History of Summers County) where they indicate that Rev. Perkins was the 3rd Pastor of the Second Baptist Church in Hinton, Summers County.

Rev. J.C. Killion

Rev. J.C. Killion was the officiant at the following (Black) marriages:

1901 -
Henderson Everett Freeman & Cora Luvenia Swope

Note: Rev. Killion was the Pastor of the Green Pines Baptist Church

Rev. C.P. Kelley

Rev. C.P. Kelley was the officiant at the following (Black) Summers County Marriages:
1881 -
Oscar Clay & Alice Jarrett, 2/10/1881
James Kelly & Kata Bank, 11/5/1881

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Rev. Edward P. Jackson

Rev. Edward P. Jackson officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1886 -
Marshall Lewis & Lucy Kinny, 2/7/1886
1887 -
William Johnson & Emma Josephine Howard, 5/27/1887
William Coleman & Mary Smith, 12/25/1887
Sterling Price Renick & Josephine Walden, 12/29/1887
1888 -
Jesse Smith & Ellen Pack, 10/10/1888
1889 -
Henry Roles Clear & Mary Jane Brown, 3/14/1889
Benjamin F. Anderson & Annie Gray Twist, 12/5/1889
1891 -
Henry Franklin Miner & Octava Crawford, 4/30/1891

Rev. Edward P. Jackson appears on the 1880 Census for Greenbrier County, Fort Spring District, as a Black Male, 24, Minister, other relationship to John Scott (30).

Rev. Samuel R. Houston (Caucasian officiated at Black marriages)

Rev. Samuel R. Houston was a Caucasian Presbyterian Minister. He officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1874 -
Franklin Cousins & Jennie Kilbreath, 11/5/1874
Calvin Curry & Jennie Barber, 12/3/1874
William Peter Dunsmore & Barbara Curry, 12/17/1874
1880 -
George "Washington" Moore & Martha Jackson, 3/25/1880
1881 -
George Washington Haynes* & Elizabeth Haynes **, 4/28/1881
Dudley Y. Haynes ** & Harriet Honaker

* See previous post re: George Washington Haynes
** See previous posts re: Elizabeth Payne Haynes & Dudley Payne Haynes (Why Being a Haynes ...)

Note: For more information regarding Rev. Houston (and for his picture) see History of Monroe County.

Rev. Jefferson Gillmore

Rev. Jefferson Gillmore officated at the following Monroe County Marriage*:
1875 -
John Keltser & Fanny Shelton

*He signed his name with an X

Quick Index for June, July, Aug & Sept 2006

QUICK INDEX FOR JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, & SEPTEMBER 2006 -

June -
20th - Blogger's Note - "About ten years ago I started to look for the identity of my grandparents in Greenbrier County." (Explanation for blog)
21st - Early WV Census Records; Resources; Mildred Carter Bess
22nd - Franklin Winfield Page, Nancy Gardner, Sarah Freeman, Julia Truss, Perkins Family, Harriet Olive Kelly Miller Williams, James & Malinda Freeman; Richard "Dick" Pointer; Resources/Tips (including "Black Residents of Greenbrier, Monroe, Pocahontas, & Summers Counties, WV - Notes of Carol L. Haynes", by Carol L. Haynes); Charles Anderson (Free Inhabitant); Housekeeping (Matthews, Anne Sidney Jackson Matthews Wade; Housekeeping (Resources)
23rd - Resources; Dora Littleton, Eliza Ann Littleton (Ellis) Davis, Mary Ann Littleton Hughes, James Littleton, Abram Ellis, John "Jack" Davis, Mary Ellis, Luther Ellis
24th - Annie Matthews Perkins, Samuel "Oscar" Johnson
25th - George Washington Haynes
27th - Why Being a Haynes Can Mean You Are a Payne; Spotts; Albert Payne, Martha Ann Payne Haynes Jones; Socrates Payne Haynes, Elizabeth Payne Haynes, Dudley Y. Payne Haynes, Charlotte Payne Haynes, James Haynes, Purcey/Percy Haynes, Solomon Haynes, Peter Jones, William Henry Brown, Relda Dunsmore; Richard "Dick" Pointer, Jonathan Pointer; Phyllis Preston Jarrett; Community Based Genealogical Projects
28th - Resources
29th - "Aunt Sally" (Creigh)/Sallie Woods; Resources; Jenny & Barsheba Ellison, Thomas Payne, Rev. Christopher Harrison Payne

July -
1st - Bishop Matthew W. Clair
2nd - Greenbrier Historical Society Marriage Bonds; "The Darkies" (a Nickell Family compilation); Samuel Moore, Emily Peck Patton Moore, John Moore, Dora Nickell, Samuel Killbreath
5th - 45th United States Colored Troops
6th - Annie Matthews Perkins, Josephine Cooley Jackson, Charles Walter Jackson, Tearance B. Jackson, Howard Cooley, Rose Emma Johnson Cooley, Juanita Jackson
12th - "Bricktop"; John Henry; James Presly Ball, Thomas Corbin Woodson, Frank W. Page & "Traveller"
16th - John Henry (famous worker who was engaged in a contest with a steam drill); Mary Ann Littleton Hughes
24th - James P.D. Gardner
30th - James Presly Ball

August -
1st - Marriages by Rev. Martin Bibb (Summers County)
3rd - Marriages by Rev. J. Ford Baggs; Marriages by Rev. P.B. Baber (Monroe County)
6th - Marriages by Rev. Charles L. Campbell (Monroe County)
9th - Marriages by Rev. Rufus Pack
12th - Resource - Note on NEW RIVER HERITAGE by William Sanders - a book about Summers County
21st - Marriages by Rev. Stewart Aiken Lewis (Monroe County marriages); Note on Agnes M. Lewis; Marriages by Rev. H.R. Laird
31st - Byrd Prillerman

September -
2nd - Marriages by Rev. Elijah P. Fleshman (Monroe County)
3rd - Marriages by Rev. Thomas W. Boothe
5th - Marriages by Rev. Elijah A. Ayers (Monroe County)
6th - Marriages by Rev. Christopher Columbus Logan (Greenbrier County)
7th - Marriages by Rev. J.P. Campbell (Monroe County & Summers County)
8th - Marriages by Rev. A.J. Thompson (Summers County)
9th - Marriages by Rev. J.E. Thorne (Monroe County); Note on Martha Thorne; Marriages by Rev. Jefferson Gillmore (Monroe County); Marriages by Rev. Samuel R. Houston (Monroe County); Marriages by Rev. Edward P. Jackson (Monroe County)
13th - Rev. R.J. Perkins; Rev. J.C. Killion, Rev. C.P. Kelley
16th - Lynching - Lewisburg, Greenbrier County
17th - Rev. E.P. Jeffries, Rev. Joseph Jackson, Rev. William Jackson
26th - Rev. John A. Anderson
30th - Rev. J.W. Keith, Rev. M.H. Bittinger, Rev. Abraham Beaks

Rev. J.E. Thorne

Rev. J.E. Thorne* was a "Minister of the Gospel" and the officiant at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1903 -
William Harrison Pack & Burkey Elizabeth Pack, 5/31/1903
1904 -
C.W. wilson & Florence Symns, 7/20/1904

*Not sure if he was Caucasian or Black

Note that the only other "Thorne" entry that I have in my Notes (Black Residents of Greenbrier, Monroe, Pocahontas, & Summers Counties by Carol Haynes) is
Martha Thorne who appears on the 1900 Census, Greenbrier County, Falling Springs District, Black Female, age 40, servant, born in Virginia & on the 1900 Census, GC, FlngSD, BF, 50, single, Cook, b. in Va., & on the 1930 Census, GC, FlngSD, BF, 61, servant, b. in Va.

Friday, September 08, 2006

Rev. A.J. Thompson

Rev. A.J. Thompson* officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1885 -
John Henry Gore & Mary Hale, 9/19/1885
Henry Woodson & Sally Hargrove, 10/20/1885
1886 -
William Harmon & Emily Davidson, 6/10/1886
George Davidson & Minerva Anderson, 6/10/1886
1892 -
Thomas Mann & Elisabeth Walker, 6/30/1892

*Not sure if he is Black or Caucasian

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Rev. J.P. Campbell

Rev. J.P. Campbell (probably Caucasian b/c he officiated over Caucasian & Black weddings) officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1878 -
Charles Branch & Mary "Jane" Curry, 7/7/1878
1882 -
John Kelly & Arzetta Symns, 8/1/1882

and he officiated at the following (Black) Summers County Marriages:

1898 -
William Lewis & Mary A. Davidson, 9/1/1898
1899 -
J.E. Moss & Evangeline M. Lomax, 8/5/1899
1900 -
Robert Pleasants & M.J. Smith, 7/3/1900
George Claybourn & Anna (Williams) Kelly, 7/3/1900
Henry Hayden & Ella Goodwine, 7/26/1900
1901 -
Anderson Medley & Fannie Smith, 9/1901
John ?Mangnum & Alice Moseby, Jan, 20/1901
J.D. Price & Lelia Braxton, 2/28/1901
Andrew Banks & Eva Nelson, 5/19/1901
James R. L. Diggs, & Alberta M. Pack, 6/8/1901
Carter Saunders & Clara Givens, 6/5/1901
Lewis Anderson & Ella Nelson, 6/20/1901
Charles Smith & Mattie Moore, 7/1901
William Tinsley & Martha Pleasant, 9/2/1901
E.G. Pack & Mary B. Pack, 9/25/1901
Charlie Jones & Eliza Jackson, 9/30/1901
W.E. Smith & Elizabeth Johnston, 11/2/1901
Joseph Scott & Sarah Ware, November or December, 1901
1902 -
Harry Loggins & Anna Coles, 1/13/1902
W.H. Pack & Mattie Jackson, 3/1902
Wheeler Stovall & Eunice Rotan, 4/10/1902
Henry Clair, Jr. & Annette E. Perkins
James R. Smith & Martha Hale, 8/4/1902
Dan Brown & Martha Johnson, 8/11/1902
D.J. Faulkner & Emma Martin, 10/1902
Richard Toney & Mary J. Jackson, 12/22/1902
1903 -
R. (?Reabus) Bazley & Rosie Bush, 11/1903
W. ? Holdran & Mullie Barrett, 12/1903
1904 -
Harry Jones & Anna Hill Gaines/Goines, 2/2/1904
W.W. Woods & Julia Lewis, 2/22/1904
1905 -
Lewis Williams & Mary Burk, 10/19/1905

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Rev. Christopher Columbus Logan (Black minister)

Rev. Christopher Columbus Logan (Sr.) officiated at the following (Black) Greenbrier County marriages:
1950 -
William Mark Bryson & Doretta Logan Clark
Cassie Eliza Faye Brown & Christopher Columbus Logan, Jr.
1952 -
Laura Jean Strawbridge & James Lewis Johnson, 9/26/1952
Jack Johnson Williams & Carrie Elizabeth Walker

Also see the Journal of the Greenbrier Historical Society, Vol 7, # 5, p. 88, 2003 - "Rome Baptist Church"

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Rev. Elijah Ayers

Rev. Elijah Ayers was the husband of Marcie J. Young Ayers. He was the Pastor of the John Wesley United Methodist Church - Lewisburg, Greenbrier County. He officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County Marriages:
1885 -
William Thomas Smalls & Ollie Green, 10/28/1885
1886 -
Benjamin Tolliver & Mariah A. Triplett at Gap Mills, 12/30/1886
Joseph Lewis & Mary Springfield White at Sinks Grove, 12/30/1886

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Rev. Thomas W. Boothe

Rev. Thomas W. Boothe officiated at the folllowing marriages:

1881 -
John A. Parker & Susan Thomas - 3/10/1881

He can be found on the 1880 Census, Monroe County at Union as a Black Male, age 45, with Nancy Chambers (MuF 30)

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Rev. Elijah P. Fleshman

Rev. Elijah P. Fleshman was a Caucasian male who appears in the 1880 Census for Monroe County, Red Sulphur Springs District as a farmer. He officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County Marriages:
1878 -
John Easter & Clementine Dickason - 1/17/1878
1881 -
William Moore & Alice Jane Swopes - 3/6/1881
1884 -
Cyrus Hopkins & Georgia "Ellen" Carter - 2/18/1884
1885 -
Hugh Swope & Mary Ann Law - 3/10/1885
Shadrack Dickason & Katie A. Graty - 3/19/1885
1886 -
Edward Swope & Rosie L. Syms, 10/12/1886
1889 -
William Chapman & Skippie L. Dickson - 4/4/1889

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Byrd Prillerman

PROFILE -
BYRD PRILLERMAN -
Byrd Prillerman was the son of John Franklyn Prillerman & Charlotte Prillerman. He was the husband of Mattie Eugenia Brown. He was born on 10/19/1859 in Shady Grove Va. (Franklin). He can be found on the 1880 Census in Kanawha County, Poca, as a 21 year old mulatto man, single, b. in 1859, School Teacher. Brother of Harvey Prilliman. (Bird) He can be found on the 1910 Census in Kanawha, Union, as a Black male, 50, b. about 1860 in Virginia.
He became the President of W.V. Colored Institute (WV State). He was a friend of Amanda (the sister of Booker T. Washington & references to him can be found in the BTW papers) & his name appears in her obituary.
For more information on Byrd Prillerman see:
http://digilib.nypl.org/dynaweb/digs/wwm9712/@Generic_BookTextView/3796:pt+27
http://www.wvculture.org/histor/histamne/prillerm.html
http://www.wvculture.org/history/histamne/fergusod/html
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~maudenna/f519.htm
www.prillamanfamily.com/ancestorsaa.html
http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvraleigh/black/br.htm
http://genforum.genealogy.com/prillaman
Celebrating Our Roots - Origins of Black Families in West Virginia - by Elsie Mae Davis (McKnight's Inc., 102 Willow Drive, Dunbar, WV 25064) (& a copy is maintained by the WV Division of Culture & History at Charleston)
History of WV State College 1891 - 1965 by John C. Harlan
http://www.wvculture.org/history/education/wvstatecollege01.html
West Virginia Death Certificate 6094 - which states that he died on 4/25/1929 at 69y5m6d at Kanawha, BM, Wd, husband of Mrs. Mattie E. Brown Prillerman, b. 10/19/1959 at Shady Grove, Va. Occupation - Director of Religious Education/President Emeritus WV (State). Son of Franklyn Prillerman & Charlotte Prillerman. Buried at Fran Cemetery on 4/28/1929.

Monday, August 21, 2006

Rev. Stewart Aiken Lewis

Rev. Stewart Aiken Lewis appears on the 1880 Census for Greenbrier County (GC) at the Fort Spring District as a 22 year old, b. in Virginia, teacher, & brother in law of Peyton Lewis. On this census his name appears as "Stuart Akins Lewis".
Rev. Lewis officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages (where he usually signed his name "S.A.Lewis" or "S.J.A. Lewis"):
1880 -
Samuel Young & Ellen Burks at Red Sulphur Springs, 9/23/1880
1883 -
Allen Roles & Jennie Allen at Gap Mills, 2/4/1883
Floyd Smith Walker & Winnie Peyton, 4/18/1883
Thomas Triplet & Francis Bailey, 1/17/1883
John Porter & Charlott Crump, 12/25/1883
1884 -
William Henry Bailey Martha Triplett, 2/5/1884

In 1920, GC, FtSD, there was an entry for a man surnamed Lewis. His first name was hard to read but appeared to end with the letters "art". He was a Black male, 52 years old. I believe this was also Reverend Lewis.
Rev. Lewis was the informant for the death of Agnes M. Lewis (Greenbrier County, 1921, WV Death Certificate # 245)
In Dr. Montgomery's papers (housed at the Greenbrier Historical Society) he notes that Rev. Lewis was a Preacher. Also see The Negro Historical Sketch of Lewisburg, WV by M.J. Cabell - Through the Looking Glass - in the Journal of the GHS, Vol VII, No. 5, 2003, p. 92 (Aiken Lewis)

Agnes M. Lewis was the daughter of Charles Lewis & Martha Crawford Lewis. She died on 4/27/1921 at 68 years old at GC. The informant (for her death certificate) was "Stewart Aiken Lewis of Baltimore, Maryland". She is buried at the Lewisburg Cemetery.

Rev. H.R. Laird

Caucasian minister, Rev. H.R. Laird officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1878 -
Thomas Lee & Lucy L. Johnson, 11/7/1878
1882 -
Robert J. Taylor & Anna Yancy, 12/21/1882
1883 -
Marshall Trice & Mary Ludington, 4/3/1883

(Note that in the 1880 census, Henry L. Laird appears in Monroe County, Wolf Creek as a White Male Clergyman, age 38, b. in Va., with his wife, Sarah (WF-35, keeping house) & his children John H. (7) Lilla P. (5), and Henry R. (3)).

Saturday, August 12, 2006

RESOURCE for Mercer County -
A genealogy buddy loaned me four volumes of a wonderful book - A NEW RIVER HERITAGE by William Sanders, McClain Printing Co, Parsons, WV 1991 relative to Mercer County. Some surnames (Black) mentioned are: Harris, Goins, Gray, Murphy, Davidson, Medley, Pace, Gore, Adams, Hye, Terrell, Saunders, Rucker, Stevens, Walker & Jones.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Rev. Rufus Pack (Caucasian officiated at Black marriages)

There were a number of instances where Caucasian clergymen officiated over the weddings of Black residents. For instance, Reverend Rufus Pack officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:
1874 -
XXX Nickell * & Phoebe Mastin; Lewis Eddleton & Julia Jane Johnston;
1875 -
John Smith & Nancy J. Fortner, 7/?/1875; William Henry Smith & Nancy Ann Stafford, 7/17/1875; Lewis P. Fortner & Isabell Smith, 12/5/1875
1881 -
Overton Walker & Louisa ? Mikens, 8/13/1881; Satchel/Satabel Kelly & Phillis Williams.
* (XXX = I was unable to understand the writing on the marriage register)
--- Also see PACK SLAVES by Dr. Vallentine, p. 3

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Rev. Charles L. Campbell (Black minister)

Reverend Charles L. Campbell was born around 1840 in WV. In the book, HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, on page 190, the author tells us that Reverend Campbell was born a slave near Pickaway on the plantation of Robert Campbell. He worked in Ohio but returned to Union (Monroe County, W.V.) and became active in the "improvement of his people". He taught for several years. He was ordained an elder by a board of white preachers. In 1870 he organized the colored Baptist congregation at Union where he was the pastor for several years. He died in 1912 at the age of 72. At the time of his death he was the oldest minister in the Valley Baptist Association (colored).
My own research reveals the following:
He can be found in the 1910 Census, Monroe County, as a Black Male, b. ?1839 (he is listed as Rev. C.L. Campbell).
He officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County Marriages:
1875 -
Washington Sanders & Harriet M. Banks, 5/12/1875; Albert Erskine & Ann Burton, 6/10/1875; Madison "Mack" Jordan & Sarah C. Goodwine, 12/28/1875; Willis Smalls & Harriet Brown, 12/30/1875
1876 -
Isaiah Cornelious Bailey & Alice Williams, 4/12/1876; William Erskine & Clara Brown, 10/17/1876
1877 -
Christopher Chambers & Mary Ellen Edgar, 7/25/1877 at the Baptist Church of Union, WV.; Elias Triplett & Harriet Whitlock, 7/26/1877; Phillip Roy & Luvenia Gibson, 10/17/1877 at the Baptist Church at Union
1878-
Alexander Wardy & Mary Ellen Branch, 2/12/1878, at his house in Union
1879 -
John H. Bailey & Laurena Erskine, 6/4/1879; Lee Bartley & Lucinda Banks, 12/15/1879; Robert Daniel Riddle & Mattie Ellen Williams, 12/31/1879, at the Lewis place in Gap Mills
1880 -
Charles Edward Seagans & Francis Evaline Banks, 12/28/1880
1881 -
George Lewis & Isabell Anderson, 5/26/1881; Clark G. Campbell & Martha Jane Forts, 11/17/1881
1882 -
John Henry Randolph & Sarah Nelson Smalls, 5/3/1882; Socrates Haynes & Ella French, 12/21/1882; Beauregard Smalls & Lucy Emma Erskine, 12/28/1882; Alexander Baldwin & Grace Triplett, 12/28/1882
1883 -
Guy R. Dickason & Mary Fannie A. Ross, 12/15/1883; Elijah Dunlap & Maria Jane Ross, 12/26/1883; Wesley W. Ross & Mary S.C. Banks, 12/27/1883
1884 -
Robert Allen French & Sally Johnson, 9/24/1884; Achilles Johnson & Mary Alice French, 10/22/1884
1889 -
Harvey Baker & Eliza Lewis, 1/4/1889; William Burness & Susan Rella Hamilton
1891 -
William Lee & Ora Williams
1892 -
William Henry Twist & Nannie Kent, 1/6/1892 at the Baptist Church of Union
1894 -
Charles William Bane & Lizzie Newsum
1897 -
John Black & Lucy J. Edmonds, 10/27/1897
1898 -
Charles Henry French & Emma Jane Chambers, 12/26/1898
1899 -
Edward Newton Spotts & Alice Francis Hamilton, 2/22/1899; Daniel Webster Armstead & Louisa Pearis, 12/26/1899
1903 -
William Rucker & Julia Carter, 10/22/1903
1905 -
Rosa May Campbell & William T. Jamison 9/26/1903

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Rev. J. Ford Baggs

Rev. J. Ford Baggs officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County (MC) Marriages:
1892 -
Lucian Gordon Dixon & Alice Cosby - 9/8/1892; Charles H. Harris & Annie C. Hale - 10/20/1892
1893 -
John Richardson & Carrie Williams - 9/21/1893 at the Baptist Church in Alderson

Rev. P.B. Baber

MARRIAGES:
Rev. P.B. Baber officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County Marriages:
1874-
Charles Robert Whiting & Rachel Chapman - 11/12/1874
1875 -
William King & Elizabeth Roles - Jan 23, 1875; Goin Shovler & Mary J. Burk - 9/9/1875
1876 -
Caroline Johnson & Lewis Johnson - 2/18/1876; William Pack & Mary Smith - 12/21/1876
1899 -
John Campbell & Flora St. Clair - 2/9/1899; George Goen Shoveler & Caroline Bishop - 6/14/1899

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Rev. Martin Bibb

MARRIAGES:
Reverend Martin Bibb was a Caucasian minister who appears on the 1880 census in Summers County as a white male, age 55. He officiated at the following (Black/African American) Summers County marriages:
1878 -
William Green & Lucy Payne, 12/23/1878; Albert M. Miles & Angeline Harris, 12/23/1878
1879 -
George W. Hunt & Clara Fortner, 9/29/1879; Ruben J. Mickens & Lizzie Derico, 12/22/1879
1880 -
Lawrence Harman & Rhoda Allen, 9/8/1880
1881 -
Monroe E. Wilson & Emma Bailey, 8/27/1881; Benjamin Harris & Maggie Preston, 9/13/1881;
Samuel Anderson & Lizzie Bird, 10/8/1881
1882 -
Thomas Ervin & Annie Vaughan, 3/27/1882; Albert Harmon & Charlotte Derico, 2/1/1882
1883 -
Richard Wingfield & Margaret Hunter, 6/20/1883; Dennis Pettiford & Mattie Christmas, 7/29/1883
1884 -
William T. Woods & Nannie Clay, 3/20/1884; Patrick Pryor & Anna Scott, 7/7/1884
1885 -
Allen Matthews & Nettie J. Nalley, Jan. 27, 1885; Primus Cheatwood & Ella Brooks, 2/14/1885
1887 -
Joseph N. Robinson & Emma Simpson, 4/25/1887
1888 -
Lewis Rhodes & Minta Pack, 3/22/1888; William J. Johnston & Maggie A. Waller, 8/16/1888

Sunday, July 30, 2006

James Presly Ball

Profile:
James Presly Ball
I only have one individual listed in my compilation with the surname "Ball". He is James Presly Ball and he appears to have spent enough time in Lewisburg to register as a free man (in 1847). The Registry of Free People of Color 1846 - 1964, index by James Talbert of the Greenbrier Historical Society, 12/31/2001 (Appalachian Springs Newsletter of the GHS, 6/2002) contains an 1847 entry (entry # 12) dated 12/27/1847 for James Presly Ball, 22 years of age, the son of William & Susan Bell, free person of color.
James Presly Ball became a photographer of some importance in the Cincinnati area.
Information on James Presly Ball can be found at:
http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/1840/James_Presley_Ball_pioneered_ Black_photography
http://www.aapguild.org/ball_jp_andson.htm
http://www.soulofamerica.com/cityfldrl/cincinnati13.html
http://www.middletownjournal.com/featr/newsfd/auto/feed/features/2004/06/17/
10874493 - "becoming the Richard Avedon of the 1880's"
Appalachian Springs, Vol 10, # 3, 2004 (which refers the reader to www.aaregistry.com )

Monday, July 24, 2006

James P.D. Gardner

Profile:
James P.D. Gardner -
James P.D. Gardner was co-counsel (with Dr. Rucker) in the SHUE murder case. (See Greenbrier Ghosts and Other Strange Stories by Dennis Deitz). In Dr. Montgomery's papers he indicates that James P.D. Gardner was the "first negro to practice law in Greenbrier & Mercer counties". He was the husband of (1) Eliza Myles Gardner & (2) Alice Walley Gardner. He was the son of Fannie Perkins & Stephen Gardner. He was born in 1867 & can be found on the 1880 Greenbrier County census (Lewisburg District) as a mulatto male, age 13.
More information on James P.D. Gardner can be found at:
-- Perkins Family History
-- The Negro Historical Sketch of Lewisburg, West Virginia by M.J. Cabell - Through the Looking Glass (in the Journal of the Greenbrier Historical Society, Volume VII, No. 5, 2003, p. 91)
-- Mercer County History, 1984 by the Mercer County Historical Society, P.O. Box 5012, Princeton, W.V., 24740
-- Historic Cemeteries of Lewisburg (a brochure published by the Lewisburg Visitors Center)
-- Will of Stephen Gardner

Sunday, July 16, 2006

JOHN HENRY

Profile: John Henry
In the 7/12/06 post I metioned that one of the most famous workers in U.S. History may have hailed from southeastern W.V. In a NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC article (July 1972), Mountain Days, Mountain Voices by Bryan Hodgson, p. 126, he describes John Henry as a "legendary Black man" who "died" ... "while outworking a steam drill" ... near Talcott in the early 187o's". (Talcott is in Summers County)
A Caucasian Haynes family genealogist told me that certain members of his family believe that John Henry may have been enslaved by Robert Shanklin (and he directed me to the Will of Robert Shanklin). ( I think this would be a good subject for the progam "History Detectives").
Also see,
TALCOTT RESIDENTS BELIEVE LEGEND OF JOHN HENRY, Raleigh Register, 7/6/1978 &
http://arts.endow.gov/artforms/Media/Ginna.html &
http://www.wvculture.org/history/notewv/henry.html

Mary Ann Littleton Hughes

Profile: Mary Ann Littleton Hughes
In the previous post I mentioned that a resident of Greenbrier County (GC) had been a domestic servant for the Lieutenant Governor of Confederate Virginia.
Mary Ann Littleton Hughes was the daughter of Cook & Maria Littleton. She appears to have been the sister of James H. Littleton & John Littleton. She was the aunt of Eliza Ann Littleton (Ellis) Davis & she was the mother of Maria Hughes Pryor (who was the wife of Haskins Pryor). She was the mother or grandmother of Elvira Hughes.
Mary Ann Hughes can be found in the 1870 GC census where she is listed as a domestic servant for Samuel Price.
Samuel Price had been the Lieutenant Governor of Confederate Virginia. He was a lawyer and an elected official in WV serving on a number of Constitutional Conventions including the secession convention. He was appointed to the U.S. Senate to fill a vacancy which occurred when Sen. Allen Caperton died (& he served in this capacity from 8/1876 - 1/1877)
In 1880, Mary Ann is working for Samuel Price's sisters, Priscilla & Mary A. Price. (She is enumerated twice in 1880, once at her workplace & once with her brother, John Littleton) At least two other relatives of Mary Ann Hughes worked for the Price Family (John Littleton & Mary Lucinda Page Kelly - MLPK worked for Margaret & Jane Price).
Mary Ann Hughes can be found in the 1900 & 1910 GC Census records. She died on 5/19/1911 and is buried at the Old Colored Cemetery at Lewisburg. She shares a marker with her brother, James H. Littleton (although the marker says "Litton"). The marker indicates that Mary Ann was 112 years old at the time of her death. I think she was, more likely, 83 -91 years old when she died. In the 1900 & 1910 census information she is shown as widowed but I have not been able to find a husband either through my own research or through the research of a paid genealogist. A photo of the grave marker for Mary Ann Littleton Hughes can be found in BLACK RESIDENTS OF GREENBRIER, MONROE, POCAHONTAS & SUMMERS COUNTIES, WEST VIRGINIA by C. Haynes (copies of which are housed at the Greenbrier Historical Society in Lewisburg, the WV Division of Culture and History at Charleston, the WV State University Library at Institute & the Amistad Research Center in New Orleans - with the GHS having the most recent edition).
Mary Ann Littleton Hughes appears to have been the aunt of my great grandmother, Mary Alice Spriggs Kelly Knight McVey & she raised this ggrandmother.
I have been unable to locate or speak with a Price descendant. It would be interesting to know if Samuel Price kept a diary and, perhaps, made reference to his domestic servants. Comments made by him are included in the proceedings of the various constitutional conventions and these comments & his positions on various issues give some idea of what he may have been like as a man.
Though Samuel Price had a house in town (in Lewisburg) he also had a farm about 5 miles outside of town.
I often wonder about the conversations that Mary Ann would have overheard in the Price household. It is a shame that there are no written recollections/diaries by people like Mary Ann Littleton Hughes.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

It is clear to me that the Black residents of southeastern West Virginia were intricately involved in the politics and daily life of the area. One man (who I've previously mentioned) broke the horse that a Confederate General would later ride. One woman (my great aunt) was a domestic servant for the Lieutenant Governor of Confederate Virginia. Another man was the first Black elected official in WV. Still another was co-counsel in the only case (the Shue case) in which a ghost helped to convict a man of murder. The famous entertainer "Bricktop" was from Greenbrier County. The area claims the most famous worker in U.S. history, "John Henry". The esteemed photographer, James Presley Ball registered in Lewisburg as a free person of color in 1847. The disputed child of President Thomas Jefferson (who was the oldest child of Sally Hemings and known as Thomas Corbin Woodson) lived in the area for a while.

I have previously written about Frank W. Page who broke the horse "Traveller". In future posts I will write about the other folks mentioned above.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Annie Matthew Perkins (more information)

JACKSON/PERKINS
In the previous profile regarding Annie Matthews Perkins, I indicated that she and three friends were killed in a car accident in Fayette County on 10/28/1928. Today, I searched the WV Death Certificates on line (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_select.aspx) & learned the identity of the three friends. They were Josephine Cooley Jackson (about 35 y.o.) (WV DC # 12683) and her sons Charles Walter Jackson (17) (WVDC # 12682) & Tearance B. Jackson (14) (WV DC # 12684). Earlier today an aunt supplied me with the surname "Jackson" but putting it into the WV DC site revealed only the two boys. I knew there was a fourth person in the car so I attempted a new search and put a single asterisk in the space for last name. I then selected Fayette County, the year 1928, & the tag for "exact date". This search yielded every death in Fayette in 1928. I then scrolled down to find everyone who died on 10/28/1928 & found Josephine Cooley Jackson.
Josephine Cooley Jackson was the wife of Tarance Jackson. She was the daughter of Howard Cooley & Rose "Emma" Johnson Cooley. She was also the mother of Juanita Jackson.

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

45th United States Colored Troops -
See http://www.wvculture.org/HiStory/1103news.pdf (or click on html if necessary).
The WV Division of Culture and History indicates that the "45th" was "primarily credited to ... Pennsylvania" but that "two companies were credited to ... West Virginia". Further, they indicate that "most ... medals earned ... remain unclaimed". They say that medals may remain unclaimed because many members of the Unit were not from W.V. See http://www.wvculture.org/history/medals.html & http://www.lindapages.com/45/cw-45us.htm

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Marriage Bonds at the Greenbrier Historical Society - Lewisburg, West Virginia

HOUSEKEEPING:

Marriage Bonds from the GHS range in price from $4 - $10 (I had indicated that they were $4).
A copying machine copy of a marriage bond is available to members for $4 and $6 for non-members of the Greenbrier Historical Society. A computer generated/color copy is $6 for members and $10 for non-members.
"The Darkies" is a section in a Nickell family compilation held by the GHS. This section amounts to two or three typewritten pages the subject of which is the Moore family of Brushy Ridge, Greenbrier County. It appears that some individuals enslaved by the Nickell family (of Nickell's Mill) changed their surname to Moore post-emancipation. Most notably, Samuel Moore (Uncle Sam/Big Sam) changed his name. Sam was married to Emily Peck Patton Moore. He was the brother of John Moore (per History of Brushy Ridge). He appears in th 1870 & 1880 census records. The wedding of Dora Nickell & Samuel Kilbreath took place at his home in 1875. The wedding of George Washington Moore and Martha Jackson took place at his home in 1880. In "the Darkies" it states that Sam "was for all of his life with Dr. Matt Nickell ... " & that he was "one of the best drivers in that part of the country". There is a family historian for this family.

For more information on Sam Moore see:
--Dr. Montgomery's papers at the GHS
--History of Brushy Ridge
--WV Death Certificate # 10222 (death of his daughter Dora Manuel)
--Black Residents of GC, MC, ...

Saturday, July 01, 2006

Bishop Matthew W. Clair, Sr. & Fannie Mead Walker Clair


Profile:
Bishop Matthew W. Clair, Sr.

This writer discovered a red booklet on the shelves of the General Lewis Inn in Lewisburg, GC, WV in 2002. The booklet was called BISHOP MATTHEW W. CLAIR, A BIOGRAPHY by Dr. Margaret B. Ballard. I alerted the owner that the booklet (which was on shelves with old books and magazines) probably had some historical value. She was kind enough to allow me to take the booklet to the GHS where they made a copy for their files. When I returned the booklet to the Inn they said they would keep it in a safe & secure location.

Matthew W. Clair was the son of Anthony Clair & Ollie Green. He was the grandson of Peter James Clair, Sr. & Clorie Clair. He was born at Union, Monroe County (MC) in 1865.

The booklet mentioned some of the following things about Matthew W. Clair:

The Clair Chapel in Omaha, NE is named after him; he was the husband of Fannie Meade Walker of Baltimore who he married in 1889; he had five children with Fannie; his second wife was Eva F. Wilson & he married her in 1926 and they had no children together; there is confusion as to whether his middle name is Walker or Wesley; he attended Howard University and Boston University School of Theology; he died in Washington, D.C. though an historic marker in MC indicates that he died in Covington, KY; his grandparents came to MC from Richmond, Va. before the Civil War & they probably lived on the plantation of Henry Alexander (which property was later inherited by Alexander's daughter & her husband, William Gaston Caperton).

Bishop Matthew W. Clair may be the "Matison Clair" who can be found on the 1880 Census at MC, Union, Black Male, son of Ollie Green (40).

For more information about Bishop Matthew W. Clair see:
-- Monroe County Deed Book
-- Will of Peter James Clair - Monroe County Will Book 12, p. 504
-- Journal of the GHS, Vol 7, #5, 2003
-- http://www.wvastate.wv.us/callwva/spec.aspx?pgid=83
-- Black Residents of GC ... (see below)
-- Historical marker on State Route 3 in his honor (one of the first two Negroes in Methodism to achieve the office of Bishop)

Thursday, June 29, 2006

"Aunt Sally" Creigh/Sallie Woods

Profile:
"Aunt Sally" (Creigh) /Sallie Woods

(Note: In my work I put surnames in () when it is a "slave surname")
(Note: It is my understanding that Creigh is pronounced "Cree")

It is difficult to find a person who was formerly enslaved & it is even more difficult to find them when they change their "slave surname" post-emancipation. However, I think I may have made a match as it relates to "Aunt Sally".
In the HISTORY OF GREENBRIER COUNTY by Otis K. Rice (on page 295) he indicates that "Aunt Sally, an elderly Negro woman, handed her master (David S. Creigh) an axe, with which Creigh dispatched the marauder".
In the Journal of the GHS, Vol. 7, #4, 2002, p. 38 relative to the notes of Dr. Creigh, the doctor makes the notation that he "went down to Davy's to see a Black woman, Sally" (Davy is the doctor's brother, David "Davy" Creigh).
In the book GREENBRIER COUNTY PIONEERS AND THEIR HOMES by Ruth Dayton Woods, West Virginia Publishing Company, Charleston, WV on page 325 she states that "a Negro woman, old "Aunt Sallie" having secured an axe ..." & at page 328 "The colored woman, Sallie went for an axe".

I believe that post-emancipation "Aunt Sallie" became Sallie Woods.

In the 1870 Census for GC, Fort Spring District (FtSD), there is a 75 year old Black female named Sallie Woods, b. in Va, who is working as a domestic servant in the home of Emily Creigh. In the 1880 Census, Sallie Woods is 81 years old. She is a domestic servant for Alex W. Arbuckle (a Caucasian male farmer).
RESOURCES:
For photographs of WV Residents see: CELEBRATING LIVES: A GLIMPSE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN WV at http://www.wvculture.org/history/bhm8.html
My favorite photo is photo #89. When I first saw this photo, none of the ladies were identified. Now, they are all identified.

See DEATHS AT THE WV COLORED TUBERCULOSIS SANITARIUM AT DENMAR at
http://www.wvculture.org/history/journal/wvh/wvh56-6.html

See AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN WV at http://www.wvculture.org/arts/ethnic/african.html

See BIOGRAPHIES OF BLACK WEST VIRGINIANS at
http://www.wvculture.org/history/blackbio.html

See A TIMELINE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN'S IN WEST VIRGINIA
http://www.wvculture.org/history/timeline.html
The Monroe County Clerk maintains a WILL BOOK. By reviewing Will Books you can obtain the names of persons who were enslaved by the subject of the will at the time of the will. I have yet to find a Will for a Free Inhabitant in this area but I imagine that it might be possible. Fortunately, in GC, there is a researcher, Mary Frances Bodemuller who went through all of the GC court records looking for names of enslaved individuals and Free Black residents. She compiled this informaton in a book entitled African American Records & this booklet can be obtained from the GHS. I understand that the MC Clerk's office in Union is small and that research there may be difficult due to inadequate places to sit etc. (I've not been there). However, maybe some day someone will have the time to review all of the MC Will Books and publish/share their work.
The Will of James Ellison is contained in MC Will Book, # 3, p. 411. In his will he gives his wife, Elizabeth, his entire estate but he leaves instructions that after his death .. "To my two servant girls, Jenny & Barsheba and posterity, to them I give their freedom together with the use and sole control of the dwelling house I now live in including two acres of land".
Jenny & Barsheba were the daughters of Frances L./Fanny Ellison. Fanny Ellison was a Free Inhabitant of Monroe County in the 1850 and 1860 census records. She appears in the 1870 and 1880 census records.
Barsheba married Thomas Payne and she was the mother of Rev. C.H. Payne (and he appears with her at two years old as a free inhabitant in 1850 - although some reports say he was formerly a "slave"). Rev. C.H. Payne was elected to the WV legislature in 1896 (Fayette County).
See http://www.wvculture.org/history/payne.html

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

RESOURCES:
The Goldenseal Magazine is published by the WV Division of Culture and History. Two articles of interest are:
"Getting Along Together - Black Life in Pocahontas County" - Vol 22, #4, Winter 1996 by Maureen Crockett &
"Miss Ruby Never Quit" - Vol 22, #4, Winter 1996 by Virginia Steele

There is a reference to slavery & Greenbrier County (GC) in Put in Master's Pocket: Interstate Slave Trading and the Black Appalachian Diaspora by Wilma A. Dunaway in the book APPALACHIANS AND RACE: THE MOUNTAIN SOUTH FROM SLAVERY TO SEGREGATION edited by John Inscoe, University Press of Kentucky, 2000 and this can be found at http://members.aol.com/wadunaway/slavery.htm - "Over a five year period in the 1830's, Samuel Hall spotted twelve to fifteen such coffles, averaging forty slaves each, passing along the road near his home in Greenbrier County"

THE NEGRO CITIZEN OF WEST VIRGINIA by Thomas E. Posey, p. 78 "West Virginia, since its formation has had only six lynchings, three of these have been of colored persons and three of white persons".

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

WHY BEING A HAYNES CAN MEAN YOU ARE A PAYNE
In 1990 the Spotts-Payne Family held their 11th Reunion in Lewisburg, WV. The patriarch of the Payne family was Albert Payne. His wife was Ida Bell Dunsmore Payne.
Albert Payne was the son of Martha Ann Payne Haynes Jones. He was the brother of Socrates Haynes, Elizabeth Haynes, Dudley Y. Haynes, Charlotte Haynes, James Haynes & Purcey Haynes. He was the stepson of Solomon Haynes and Peter Jones.
Prior to emancipation, Albert's mother, Martha Ann was a "Payne". She may have been enslaved and carried the slave name Payne or she may have been a free inhabitant with the surname Payne. (Henry N. Payne was a free inhabitant in Monroe County as early as 1840). At any rate, Martha's first five children (Socrates, Albert, Elizabeth, Dudley & Charlotte) initially carried the surname Payne. After emancipation, Martha married Solomon Haynes on July 4, 1865 in Kanawha County. All of her children changed their surnames to Haynes and were recorded in that name in the 1870 census. Martha & Solomon had at least two more children (James & Purcey) who appear to have been the biological children of Solomon Haynes. By 1880, Albert appears in both the Haynes and the Payne surname. In the 1880 census he appears as Albert Haynes. In 1881 he signs as a witness for his sister's, Elizabeth's, marriage as Albert Payne but the city officials list him as Albert Haynes. When William Henry Brown & Relda Dunsmore marry at his house in 1888 he appears as Albert Payne. Thereafter, he consistently appears as Payne.
We will never know why Albert was the only one of Martha's children to keep the Payne surname and to not adopt the name of his stepfather.
To complicate matters, Albert's sister, Elizabeth, married a Haynes & became Elizabeth Jane Payne Haynes Haynes.
So, all of the descendants of Socrates, Albert, Dudley, Elizabeth, Charlotte, James, and Purcey are the descendants of Martha Ann Payne (of Fayette/Kanawha/Monroe Counties).
In at least one document Albert was referred to as "Albert Payne of Nickell's Mill" & this is in line with Eva Peter's assertion that Elizabeth (Albert's sister) was the seamstress for the Nickell family.
Albert Payne died on 5/17/1925 at 67 years of age at the McKendree Hospital in Fayette, WV. (His niece's granddaughter (Sandra Belton) would later write a children's book entitled "McKendree")
For the first five of Martha's children, then, they may have not been the biological children of a Haynes but only surnamed Haynes due to adopting the name of a stepfather. My greatgrandmother, however, did later marry a Haynes and I am, therefore, biologically a Haynes on at least one side. On the other side I am probably, truly, a Payne.
This genealogical discovery meant a lot to me as when I was a child my father would often tell me "You know, you really are a pain!". He said this, of course, because I was a difficult child. He had no idea that he was engaging in a double entendre/double meaning and I wouldn't know this either until I started looking into my past.
I didn't attend the Spotts-Payne Family Reunion but some other Haynes may have attended not knowing that they were also Paynes.
For more information on Albert Payne see:
--1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 census records
--WV Daily News, Lewisburg, WV, Thursday, 8/2/1990, 11th Spotts-Payne Reunion Held at Local Inn .
--Numerous marriages for which he was a witness/informant (Black Residents of GC ...)
--History of Brushy Ridge (Colored)
--Dr. Montgomery's papers at the GHS
--Journal of the GHS, Vol 7 #6
--Shuck's GC Birth Records
--MC Cemeteries - Neff Orchard Road (Black)
--African American Records by Bodemuller
--WV Death Certificates # 5862, 14063, 7985, 14063, 5862
HOUSEKEEPING:

A GHS representative has supplied me with information relative to Dick Pointer & his son Jonathan Pointer. (see June 22, 2006 post re: Dick Pointer) The Laidley book is "History of Charleston & Kanawha Counties and Representative Citizens" by William S. Laidley. Both Dick Pointer and his son are mentioned in this book. Another book which I didn't know anything about before being given a "heads up" by the GHS is "In the Wigwams of the Wyandots - the Story of Jonathan Pointer" by Myrtle Felkner. Once I received the information about Jonathan Pointer and the Wyandots I googled both subjects and came up with some good information about both.

The Jarret family genealogist/researcher is Phyllis Preston Jarrett & an article about her appeared in the Charleston Daily Mail on 2/25/1998. (see June 22 post re Anne Sidney Jackson Matthews Wade)
Community Based Genealogical Projects
I have three genealogical research projects. One is a family history which includes detailed information on each member of my family and which also includes information about the people who held them in slavery & their families (Haynes, Kincaid slaveholders). The second project is an abbreviated family history. This project contains a chronological history of the family (and some collaterals). The third project is a "community based" research project which endeavors to list every black/mulatto/native american person that ever lived in Greenbrier, Monroe, Pocahontas, & Summers Counties. Often, if I find someone from another county in an obscure source I also list them, and I list anyone who has an unusual name which is also found in one of my counties (i.e. Spriggs). If I should live long enough I will begin to compile information on other counties (Raleigh next).
I would have to say that the community based project is my favorite research project. For one thing, it is inclusive of my family history project. While listing names of the areas citizens from various sources I am constantly finding family members who I never would have found if I had purely done a family search. This is because the individuals may have married again and have a new name, or were erroneously listed under another name, or are listed with a nickname or with only abbreviations for a first name. (My grandfather was listed in one census with his first name (Mansfield) as his surname and I found him only b/c I was compiling information for the entire community).
The community based project has led me to be interested in what life was like for Black folks from the area from the time of settlement. (My ancestors - on one side - appear to be early residents of Lewisburg) There is no book that I know of that describes life in these counties from a Black person's point of view. Since nothing exists that I know of I am constantly on the search for snippets of information from other sources.
I now "mine" every book I can get my hands on about the area. I've found that there will be a few references about the Black citizens of the area in almost every book.
Information about this part of WV and its citizens can be found in unusual places. For instance, the July 1972 issue of the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE contained an issue entitled "Mountain Days, Mountain Voices" by Bryan Hodgson. The article contains a photo of a Black male who is standing in front of "C.D. Hanger Jeweler". The man is not identified by name but his picture is accompanied by the following statement:
"Emblems of patriotism brighten a shop front in Alderson where a citizen savors a moment of quiet after the 4th of July parade. During the days of the underground railroad, freedom bound slaves passed through the mountains of southern Appalachia aided by sympathizers who in 1863 helped make WV a separate state".

I will take the magazine to WV on my next trip to see if anyone can identify the gentleman by name.

Tip: If I were to do a community based project for a larger city/area I would take one enumeration district only. I would start with 1880 and then go backward and forward. I would then start "mining" other sources for information on the listed residents. Obviously, this project is easier when you are looking for a group of folks that only make up a very small part of the community.

Sunday, June 25, 2006

George Washington Haynes


This is a photo of my great-grandfather, George Washington Haynes

Profile:
George Washington Haynes -
The Sinks Grove Colored Cemetery (also known as the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery & the Neff Orchard Road Cemetery) is located in the Second Creek area of Monroe County, WV. My grandfather, William "Hubert Henry" Haynes is buried there as well as his father, George Washington Haynes. I had been told by a genealogist who I had hired that, although records indicated that George was buried at this cemetery, he had no gravestone.
On a visit to WV, two of my aunts and I made our way over to the cemetery which is located on Neff Orchard Road. As expected, I found my grandfather's (Hubert's) grave. Next to his marker my aunt saw the corner of a stone jutting out from under a bush. I picked up a stick and (with some difficulty) moved the rigid leaves of the bush. I saw a few letters of the first name and the entire last name. I realized that we had found my greatgrandfather's grave. It was a low rough boulder with one smooth side on which his name was engraved. It was a headstone that I felt was fitting for a former carpenter and stonemason.
I'm glad that I visited the cemetery to recheck the information that I had received. While my paid genealogist had actually made the effort to visit the cemetery she had not located the stone. It was, actually, very easy to miss. Folks more spiritual than I might say that on my visit my greatgrandfather wanted to be seen.
George Washington Haynes was born in March 1860 at Brushy Ridge, GC to Mansfield and Eliza Haynes. He was the husband of Elizabeth "Lizzie" Payne Haynes Haynes (Lewis). He was the father of 14 children: Mattie, Albert, Gilbert, Hallie, Nola, Cora May, Ethel, Daines, Edna, William "Hubert Henry", the twins Kenneth & Keith, Cleo, & Mary "Berniece".
On the 1880 Census he can be found in GC at age 20, working as a stonemason. The following year, he married Lizzie on 4/28/1881. The wedding was officiated by (the Caucasian Presbyterian) Rev. Samuel Houston at the home of Martha Ann Payne Haynes, the bride's mother. Martha gave permission for the marriage and Lizzie's brother, Albert Payne (aka Albert Haynes) was a witness. George can be found on the 1900 & 1910 census records. He is mentioned in the article HISTORY OF BRUSHY RIDGE (see below) where it says "G.W. Haynes who married Elizabeth Haynes bought a home in South Brushy Ridge about 1884. he was a good (stone) mason working at his trade far and near. They toiled and struggled, built up a nice home and reared a large family".
George was born into slavery and he was probably owned by the Joseph/Henry/George W. Haynes family of Wolf Creek. (Note: Although the book History of MC indicates that William Haynes chastised the enslaved couple who later committed suicide, the Second Creek study (see below) indicates that the slave holder was Joseph Haynes)
George's granddaughter, Eva O. Johnson Peters, stated in an interview with this writier that she always thought of her grandfather as "the Dutchman" as he had straight hair, a fair complexion, & a handlebar mustache. I actually have a picture of my greatgrandfather & in this picture he has what I would call a medium complexion, a handlebar mustache, and the most amazing eyes.
Although he was a stonemason and farmer, his granddaughter, Eva, remembers his carpentry skills. She says that she remembers an outhouse that he built which was "a masterpiece". It had five seats, two high, three low, so that different ages "could go out together". She maintains that the seat tops had hinges so that everything was covered. In the same interview Eva indicated that her grandfather was a big tease. He would, for instance, pretend to be a bear outside of the window.
An earlier interview with Eva, on 7/31/2002, was an attestation to George's abilities as a farmer as Eva indicates that George and Lizzie grew every kind of apple on their land that you can possibly imagine. Eva was first introduced to asparagus at her grandparents house as they had an asparagus patch. They owned a wagon and despite the fact that they had 14 children they had enough produce to be able to take it to Ronceverte to the grocers and sell it. George's wife, Lizzie, was a seamstress at Nickell's Mill & Eva states that she "made everything that the little girls wore except their shoes".
In a 12/6/2002 interview with Eva, (who at the time was 96 years old & living in Wheeling, WV) she indicated that her Granny Lizzie had a (piano or organ) which was close to the front door. There were alot of instruments in the household, mostly banjos and guitars. On summer nights the parents and children would go out on the porch and play all of the songs they knew. They had no formal musical training & played music by ear. Eva indicates that the 14 children were of all colors and all kinds of hair. The twins didn't look alike. They didn't even look like they were brothers.
George Washington Haynes died in 1914. He had been walking on a train trestle when a train approached. He was not able to get to the end in time and was either crushed or thrown into the river.
More information about George Washington Haynes can be found at:
-- Greenbrier County Deed Book (? Vol 61)
-- WV Death Certificate # 8903 (as the father of the decedent, Kenneth A. Haynes - Raleigh 1937)
-- the booklet MC CEMETERIES - NEFF ORCHARD ROAD (BLACK)
-- MC Death Book
-- Marriage Certificate, permission slip, & witness slip can be found in Black Residents of GC ... (see below)

More information about the area can be found in the Second Creek Study which is a study for folks attempting to make the Second Creek area an historical district. Included in this historical district would be the Sinks Grove Colored Cemetery which is the final resting place of a number of individuals who were formerly enslaved.

An idea for future research for this type of situation would be to obtain the death certificate. Also a search should be made to see if there are any newspapers describing George's accidental death.

One family has continuously maintained this Cemetery with some monetary contributions from other families & local churches.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Annie Matthews Perkins


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Annie Matthews Perkins
There is a headstone at the Old Colored Cemetery in Lewisburg that has a photograph of the decedent affixed to the face of the stone. Placing a photograph on headstones appears to be a very common practice in some areas of Louisiana. For instance, there is a Black cemetery in Eunice, Louisiana where almost every headstone bears a picture. It really adds something, for me, when I see the images of the deceased and can attach a face to a name.
A couple of years ago a mentally ill woman from the New Orleans area was discovered in the possession of a great many of these headstone photographs. The local authorities confiscated her treasure and had to secure a large room in order to put the photos on display so that families could come and reclaim them. Hopefully many of these objects were placed back onto graves where they belonged.
I've only seen one photo on a headstone in WV and it is affixed to the grave of Annie Matthews Perkins. The photo reveals a pretty young girl whose complexion is very fair and who has dark hair and dark eyes.
Annie Matthews Perkins was the daughter of William M. & Adonia Avery Perkins. Her death certificate (WV DC # 12685) reveals that she died on 10/28/1928 in Fayette County when she was 19 years old. The certificate indicates that her usual residence was Lewisburg and that her death occurred when a C & O Railroad train struck the car in which she was riding at the Montgomery crossing (in Fayette). In a phone conversation/interview with my aunt (who is now about 84 years old) she indicated that Annie was traveling with three friends to visit another friend who was away at school & that they were struck by a train and they were all killed. The accident occurred at a time when my aunt would have been 6 or 7 years old. She remembers seeing the four caskets and says that it was all very sad. Accompanying the photograph is an inscription which reads "Rock of Ages".
Annie Matthews Perkins is a member of the Perkins clan, as was the aforementioned Annie Sidney Jackson Matthews. I'm not sure how they are connected/related. The Perkins family genealogist is a Mrs. Jarrett and her contact information can be obtained from the WV Division of Culture and History (where she has placed her work on exhibit). An article appeared in the Charleston paper some years ago about Ms. Jarrett and her work.
As to the value of visiting cemeteries, my trip to the Old Colored Cemetery resulted in a treasured photo.
More information about Annie Matthews Perkins can be found:
-- in a later post on this blog
-- at The Perkins Family History which contains the photo (see below)
-- in Black Residents of GC ... which contains a photo of the headstone (see below)
-- by contacting the WV Division of Culture and History regarding the work of Ms. Jarrett

Samuel "Oscar" Johnson

This is a photo of Samuel "Oscar" Johnson, his wife, Ethel Celina Haynes Johnson, and their daughter Eva Otelia Johnson Peters.


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Samuel "Oscar" Johnson
One of my favorite tasks (when I visit WV) is to visit the historic Black cemeteries. I take photos of the headstones & I include the photos in my work. I've had a few strange looks while taking the photos to be recopied at the local Office Depot. It does seem strange to find myself trampling through cemeteries, looking out for snakes, and snapping photos of graves. However, I've had at least one incident occur which made me realize that this aspect (the "gravestone aspect") of recording our history is very important. The incident was that on my first visit "Oscar"'s stone was standing (though leaning), the next time it was cracked on the ground, the next time is was covered by leaves and I had to use the tip of my shoe to unearth it, and the next time it was gone (buried too deep for me to get to it). (In 2010 I learned from a descendant that it is back up).
One drawback to exploring through old cemeteries is that I'm a city dweller and not sure about the habits of snakes. A friend of mine recently gave me a pair of Chippewa snake boots and that will, undoubtably, help when I go for my next visit.
Another drawback of spending do much time in cemeteries is that my family in WV would like to see more of me and, it is true, I should spend more time with my "alive" relatives. I had been in Lewisburg for about four days on my second visit there in 2002 when I finally saw my cousin Dottie. I hadn't seen her even though Lewisburg is a very small town. She confronted me with this fact by saying "I told Ma that I was going to have to go and lie down in the cemetery because that would probably be the only way I'd ever get to see you!!". She was half correct.

On the visit in 2002 I took a photo of the gravesite of "Oscar" Johnson. He is buried at the Old Colored Cemetery and his grave is on the corner which is furthest away from Carnegie Hall & a little back from the angle of the intersection. (I edited the above on 1/11/2011 but this is what I had originally written: "My 2002 photo depicted a headstone which is precariously leaning backwards but still quite a bit off of the ground. By 2005, the stone was laying on the ground, broken in two pieces, and covered with grass clippings and soil. I didn't have a camera on this trip (as I had made my way to WV while running from a major storm) nor did I have a trowel or anything to scrape the debris away from the grave. I tried to remove as much debris as I could with the tip of my shoe. I imagine that it will be only a matter of years before the pieces of stone are completely buried underground. Perhaps someone will get some money together for a cemetery reclamation program. I have a picture though, and it has been donated to the various WV archives (and can be found in Black Residents of GC ...)" end of old quote).

Samuel "Oscar" Johnson was the son of Emma Braddock Johnson Cooley. He was the half brother of Myrtle, Henry, Herbert, & Marion Cooley and Ada Virginia Cooley Ellis. He was the husband of Ethel Celina Haynes (who he married in 1906 when he was 21 and she was 19). He was the father of Eva & Lillian Johnson. His daughter Eva indicated (in an 8/7/2002 interview) that her father was a coal miner & she assumed that he died of the Black Lung. Samuel "Oscar" Johnson is reputed to be a descendant of General Edward Braddock (British Commander in the French & Indian War who commanded both George Washington & Daniel Boone). (Note: There was a Black Samuel Johnson from Greenbrier County who was an aide to George Washington & this Samuel Johnson could have been an ancestor of Samuel Oscar Johnson but I have yet to establish the connection).
Information on Samuel "Oscar" Johnson can be found:
-- in the Intelligencer, which is the newspaper for Wheeling, WV, see 12/20/2003 for the obituary of his daughter Eva Othelia Peters.
-- in Black Residents of GC ... (with a photo of Samuel, his wife Ethel, and his daughter Eva)
--death certificate which can be obtained from the WV Division of Culture and History (this dc is not on the website since their dc's for GC start in 1914 & he died in 1910).

Another plus in cemetery searches is finding the inscriptions on the graves. "She was too lovely, too fair to live in this life ...."
Grave placements can raise or answer questions. For instance, the aforementioned (see previous post) aunt and uncle of Eliza Ann Littleton Davis share the same headstone. My impression is that they were brother and sister. Their being buried together, however, begs the question of whether they were actually husband and wife.