Rev. ?Leftridas/Leftridge

Husband of Sarah E.

He appears on the 1900 Census in Greenbrier County, Blue Sulphur Township, Black male, born 4/1877, Preacher, married for two years to Sarah E., with his children, Sterlen R. (7) & Mary (infant).

Rev. Lamber

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

1951 -
Flora Essex & Frank Allen, 12/13/1951

Rev. George T. Lyle

Rev. George T. Lyle officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1899 -
Virgil Brown & Harriet H. Smith, 4/5/1899

Rev. L.L. Loyd

Rev. L.L. Loyd officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1903 -
N.W. Keen & Maggie Coles

Rev. William Linton

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

1877 -
George Preston & Sallie Daniel, 3/22/1877

Rev. P.H. Lilly

Rev. P.H. Lilly officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1891 -
James Carter & Malinda Angers, 10/29/1891

Littleton

As I indicated in an earlier post, I began to collect the names of other WV residents (mainly in 4 southern counties of WV) after I'd hit a brick wall as it related to the research of my own family. Often, while researching the families of others, I have stumbled onto someone in my own family. That happened again today.

I was looking for Littleton's who had died in WV (by searching the WV Division of Culture and History Vital Records site). I plugged in the name Littleton (for all counties and all years) and one of my earliest traceable ancestors popped up as the first name on the list and in a county that I have never researched.

Mariah Littleton died in Harrison County, Clarksburg, in 1893 at age 100 years and 2 months. She was born in Greenbrier County, she was a housewife, her parents were unknown, her son (as listed on the death information) was Byrd Littleton. There is no WV DC # as her death is listed on a spreadsheet.

Maria was the wife of Cook Littleton (who appears to have been enslaved by the Kincaid family of the Williamsburg District of GC - near Pocahontas). She appears on the 1870 Census in Lewisburg as a Black Female, age 70 and the mother of John Littleton. She was "keeping house".

She was the mother of Mary Ann Littleton Hughes, John Littleton, Byrd Littleton and James Littleton. She was the grandmother of Eliza Ann Littleton. An entry in the Greenbrier County Death Book (1891) indicates that Mary Ann Littleton Hughes was the informant for her brother John's death and that Mary Ann indicated that John's parents were Mary & Cook Littleton.

Mariah's children seem to have remained in Greenbrier County with the exception of Byrd Littleton who moved to Clarksburg, Harrison County (and she joined him there before her death).

Mariah's son, James Littleton (1840 - 1915) remained in GC. When he was 54 y.o. (8/1/1894) he married Nancy "Nannie" W. Perkins Morrison Littleton.
References to James Littleton can be found at:
Greenbrier County Cemetery Book
Larry Shuck's Greenbrier County Marriage Records
Greenbrier County Historical Society Marriage Bonds (the marriage of Eliza A. Littleton)
Greenbrier County Index to Deaths

Mariah's son John Littleton (1841 - 1891) remained in GC. He never married. He worked for the sisters of Lt. Gov. of Confederate Va, Samuel Price & he appears with them on the 1870 Census as a 25 year old (Big Levels District). He is mentioned a number of times in the GC Deed Book. In the 1880 Census he is a 35 y.o. Black farmer, with his mother, Maria (70) & his niece Elvira (22) his cousin Dora (14), his nephew Roy (2) and with his sister Mary Ann Hughes (52). He is buried in the Williamsburg District of GC.

Mariah's daughter Mary Ann Littleton Hughes was discussed in a previous post. She was the domestic servant for Lt. Gov. Samuel Price. She shares a tombstone with her brother James & the stone says that she lived for 112 years.

Mariah's son Byrd Littleton was a grocer in Clarksburg, Harrison County. He appears on the 1900 Census. He died on 8/15/1900. His wife was Maria Webb Littleton (she died 2/2/1923). On the 1900 census, Byrd is listed with the following children: Jennie (18, a school teacher), Hugh (24, a waiter in a hotel), May (22) & Florence (19). Another son, Roy H. died in 1898 of consumption. Information about Hugh can be found in draft records. The other siblings show up in various censuses and appear to have lived together for many years. One sister married a Thomas.

Rev. John Barnett (Black Minister)

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

1891 -
Granvill Hill & Mittie Spotts, 9/15/1891

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

1875 -
Patrick Washington & Lucretia Gore, 11/18/1875
1891 -
Matthew Ranson & Sarah Watkins (after May 1891)

Rev. Barnett was a Pastor at the John Wesley United Methodist Church in Lewisburg, Greenbrier County

Rev. F. Barkins

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

1892 -
John Lewis Dunsmore & Lydia Erskine, 2/18/1892

Rev. H.D. Bishop

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

1880 -
William R. Sweeney & Anna Huffman, 11/11/1880

Rev. W.H. Berry

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

1893 - Calvin Fortner & Mary Shanklin, 10/9/1893

Rev. L.A. McLean/L.A.M. Lean

Rev. L.A. McLean (or his name could be L.A. M. Lean officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1882 -
Henry Good & Harriet Harmon, 12/24/1882

Rev. H.M. McLaughlin /Laughlin

Rev. H.M. McLaughlin /Laughlin officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1898 -
Thomas Tyler & Malinda Smith, 1/11/1898 at the Colored Baptist Church at Alderson
(on this entry his name appeared to be McLaughlin)

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

1900 -
am Taylor & Bettie Wilson, 4/27/1900
(on this entry his name appeared to be Laughlin)

There were McLaughlin families in the area. I don't have any Laughlin families so I am guessing that his name is McLaughlin.

Rev. Frederick F. Sawyer (Black Minister)

Rev. Frederick F. Sawyer officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1879 - Thomas Christmas & Mittie Edgar, 10/2/1879

He was the husband of Hester Sawyer.
He appeared on the 1880 Census in Monroe County at Union as a Black Male, age 39, preacher, with his wife Hester (age 54) and with Thomas W. Boothe (age 45). (enumerated as Frederic Sawyers in this census).
He was the "preacher in charge of the Methodist Church" at which he performed the Christmas-Edgar marriage.

Rev. Irving Hosea Carpenter (Black Minister)

Rev. Irving Hosea Carpenter officiated at the following (Black) Greenbrier County marriages:

1918 -
Griffin Davis Johnson and Dorothy Perkins, 5/29/1918

He can be found on a WORLD WAR I DRAFT REGISTRATION CARD where he is shown as Irvin Hosea Carpenter, born 7/4/1879. He lived at Ronceverte, Greenbrier County. He was a Minister at the M.E. Church at Ronceverte. His nearest relative was Annie Wray Carpenter of Ronceverte. He was medium height and build.

Rev. Charles Williams/Rev. Charles (Creigh) (Black Minister)

See A COMPREHENSIVE NAME INDEX FOR THE AMERICAN SLAVE compiled b Howard E. Potts, p. 76. Mr. Potts indicates that this man (Rev. Charles Willaims) had been enslaved by Mrs. Frances Cree in Greenbrier County, W.V. This would be Mrs. Frances Creigh (Creigh was/is pronounced "Cree").

The Creigh surname (for Black individuals) does not appear to have survived after emancipation. Individuals who were enslaved by the Creigh family may have once been enslaved by the Withrow family as Dr. Creigh's first wife, Mary James Withrow, enslaved a number of individuals.

For information about enslaved Creigh's see African American Records by Mary Frances Bodemuller and Shuck's Greenbrier County Death & Birth Records.
Also see Greigh.

Other individuals enslaved by the Creigh family were:
Betty (Creigh) - See Journal of the Greenbrier Historical Society, Vol. 7, #4, 2002, pages 25 & 35.
Lucinda (Creigh) - (same Journal of the GHS article)
Martha (Creigh) - (same Journal of the GHS article)
Sally/Aunt Sally (Creigh) - (same Journal of the GHS article) & History of Greenbrier County by Otis K. Rice, p. 295, & Greenbrier County Pioneers, p. 325. This writer believes that following emancipation "Aunt Sally" became Sallie Woods. See Black Residents of Greenbrier, Monroe, Pocahontas, & Summers Counties by C. Haynes (available at the Greenbrier Historical Society at Lewisburg, WV, and the W.V. Division of Culture and History in Charleston, W.V.)

Rev. Daniel Collins (Black Minister)

Rev. Daniel Collins appears in the 1870 Census for Greenbrier County, Lewisburg District as a Black Male, age 34, Clergyman, M.E., born in Maryland, with Abigail & with Fay Sinkwood. He can also be found in Shuck's Greenbrier County Marriage Records, page 90, & the History of Greenbrier County, page 321 - "Black speakers included ... Daniel Collins ..."

Rev. R.H. Clark

Rev. R.H. Clark officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1903 -
James W. Huffman & ?XXX Gray, 4/1903

Rev. G.W. Clark

Rev. G.W. Clark officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1875 -
Andrew Jackson Collins & Mary Ann Lee, 12/28/1875
1880 -
Albert Campbell & Rella Jackson Sears, 4/6/1880

Rev. William M. Perkins (Black Minister)

For information regarding Rev. William M. Perkins see SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH by Marion Gore & Edna G. Price, where it indicates that he was the 8th Pastor of Second Baptist Church in Summers County, W.V. and that he served for three years.

Rev. J.W. Bownell

Rev. J.W. Bownell officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1877 - James W. Davison & Angeline Gore, 4/19/1877

(I'm not sure of Rev. Bownell's racial designation)

Rev. W.L. Booze

Rev. W.L. Booze officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:

1897 - Sidney Perkins & Balm Lewis, 9/18/1897

(I'm not sure of Rev. Booze's racial designation)

Rev. William Madison Boggs (Black Minister)

Information regarding Reverend William Madison Boggs can be found at:
Goldenseal Magazine, Vol. 22, # 4, Winter, p. 196 (this magazine is published by the W.V. Division of Culture and History) - the article is entitled Getting Along Together - Black Life in Pocahontas County by Maureen Crockett

Rev. Sanford Boggs (Black Minister)

Reverend Sanford Boggs was the husband of Lutica Boggs & the son of William M. Boggs
Information regarding Reverend Sanford Boggs may be found at:
African-American Residents of Pocahontas County by William O. Lindsay;
1910 Census, Pocahontas County, Edray, Mulatto Male, infant, son of William M. Boggs;
Goldenseal Magazine, Vol 22, #4, Winter, p. 196, (this magazine is published by the W.V. Division of Culture and History) - the article is entitled Getting Along Together - Black Life in Pocahontas County by Maureen Crockett (article contains a photo)

Rev. Carl Edward Boggs (Black Minister)

Information regarding Reverend Carl Edward Boggs can be found at:

AA Residents of Pocahontas County by William O. Lindsay
Goldenseal Magazine, Vol. 22, # 4, Winter, p. 196 (magazine published by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History) - the article is entitled "Getting Along Together - Black Life in Pocahontas County by Maureen Crockett".

Josephine Bealle Wilson Bruce

I'm almost finishing reading the book "The Senator and the Socialite" by Lawrence Otis Graham.
On page 299 Mr. Graham indicates that (the Senator's widow) Josephine Bruce died in West Virginia.
Of course, I had to check into this. My research revealed a death certificate for
Josephine Bealle Bruce who died in McDowell County.
West Virginia Death Certificate # 2521 indicates that she died on 2/15/1923 in Kimball. She is listed as a Black Female, Widowed, born 10/29/1853 in Philadelphia, Pa. She died at age 69years3months16days. She was the daughter of Joseph Willson (born in Georgia) & Elizabeth Harnett (born in Georgia). The cause of death was hypertension & decompensation. The informant for her death was Clara B. Bruce of Kimball, W.V.
She was living in W.V. as her son was a high school principal in the area (see "The Senator and the Socialite")
I highly recommend the book.
(West Virginia death certificates can be found on the West Virginia Division of Culture and History website)

Rev. William Moorman (Black Minister)

Rev. William Moorman officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:
1892 -
James Davis & Rosa Eggleston, 7/28/1892
&
he officiated at the following (Black) Summers County marriages:
1891 -
Henry Miller & Arvella Stuart, 11/4/1891

He was a Pastor at the John Wesley United Methodist Church in GC.
He is listed in Shuck's Greenbrier County Birth Records at page 400

Rev. Thomas Brooks

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

1926 -

Andrew Miller & Mary Frances Seams

Rev. S.H. Brown

Rev. S.H. Brown officiated at the following (Black) Monroe County marriages:

1889 -

George Carter & Emilene Long, 12/24/1889 at Gap Mills