Skunk Oil

A Home Remedy

Flora (Heater) Maynard Pulfrey of Port Charlotte, Florida is the great-granddaughter of Lorenzo Dow Heater (1848-1923) and Emily (Cox) Heater (1854-1888). Although Flora grew up in Burnsville, her paternal grandparents lived on Route 2, Orlando in the Indian Fork area.

Flora sends us a story of yesteryear and a home remedy for colds and lung congestion.

by Flora (Heater) Pulfrey

Medicine – Skunk Oil

for Colds and Lung Congestion

Sometimes a farmer discovered a den of skunks on his farm. The skunks were dug out of their den and killed for their hides which were worth about $1.50 to $2.00 each.

When the skunks were skinned, some of the carcasses had the scent glands removed, after which, several skinned skunk carcasses were placed in a oven roaster and roasted until very well done. Some people ate the roasted skunk meat and other house wives discarded the roasted carcasses. During the roasting process the oil contained in the skunk fat melted and was collected in the bottom of the roaster pan. This skunk oil was then poured into a jar and could be kept indefinitely without any preservatives. When children had congestion in their lungs, mother spread the skunk oil all over the sick child’s chest and then usually covered it with a piece of cotton flannel. It was presumed that the skunk oil cured the congestion in the child’s lungs.

This was a very common and widespread medical treatment in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Flora tells us that the same skunk recipe for a lung congestion remedy was also used in South Dakota which is the home state of her husband. Flora thinks the skunk poultice remedy also aided in the prevention of the spreading of colds because the smell kept other potential victims out of range.

Above, left: Flora (Heater) Pulfrey]

Below, right: Clora Henline

Comment on Skunk Oil
Helen Jeffries remembers that when one of her children was heavily congested with a cold in the late 1940’s, her mother-in-law, Clora Henline, gave her a jar of skunk oil and instructed her to apply the skunk oil to her child’s chest and cover it with flannel. To demonstrate variations on the” skunk oil cure,” Helen also recalls that her friend Lura (Barnett) Williams was visiting her brother Bill Barnett in Orlando and arrived with a cold. Bill gave her a cup of “skunk oil tea” which he guaranteed would break up the congestion.

The Final Trip of Brooks Skinner

by David Parmer

Sadness reflects in the eyes of death
And speaks to him that does not hear;
For life has left his innocent frame
And seeks the guide awaiting near.
Can those who grieve, speak for him
And help him on his way?

Oris Brooks Skinner was born in the wintry January of 1903, the son of Robert Skinner and Permelia (Godfrey) Skinner. The second youngest of his siblings, “Brooks”, as he was known, was a delight to his family and all who knew him. The genuine sadness in the eyes of his mourners attest to the gravity of their loss. The few years allotted to him were spent on Rag Run on the farm of his parents. In early 1917 he suffered an infection in his leg as the result of a cut. His concerned parents took him to Baltimore for treatment but the infection could not be reversed and proved fatal. He died in January 1917 at the young and innocent age of fourteen.

The mourners at his casket from the left are his father Robert L. Skinner, the son of Perry Scott Skinner and Emily Jane (Posey) Skinner; Worthy “Tank” Skinner, the younger brother of Brooks; Permelia (Godfrey) Skinner, daughter of D. N. Godfrey and Mary Jane (Skinner) Godfrey, mother of the deceased; Vaden Skinner, brother; Ozzie Fox, son of Charles W. Fox and Permelia Godfrey, half brother of Brooks; Arthur Condy “Jack” Fox, brother of Ozzie and half brother of Brooks; Etta Brown, future wife of "Jack" Fox; Delmer Skinner, brother; Biddie Skinner (Stewart), sister; Ernie Skinner, brother; and Mary Stutler (Moran), daughter of Ovie "O,M." Stutler, friend of the family.
Brooks was buried in the Orlando Cemetery.

Left and right: Detail from the funeral photo: Brooke and his mother.

Fox and Hounds

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The hills in the background are the ridge dividing Posey Run and Three Lick Run. They run westward into Tulley Ridge and the “ Free State", a popular place to hunt. The occassion is the 35th birthday of Minerva Riffle, Georgia's mother. This photo by Cecil Thompson, Burnsville photographer, was taken in 1911.

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by David Parmer

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The Chase
The scent of the fox was in the air. The bonfire on the ridge was burning bright and the dogs were straining at their leashes and raring to joust with the crafty Reynard. The baying of the fox hounds filled the air and could be heard for miles in the cold, crisp air on the ridge dividing Posey Run and Three Lick which extended into Tulley Ridge and the “Free State,” a large tract of wilderness in the Rocky Fork area owned by the Koppers Company of Pittsburgh. Farmers from Grass Run, Dumpling Run and Rocky Fork paused from splitting wood, milking “Bossie,” or feeding their own dogs, as Bud Hamilton’s pack was loosed on the scent. The whole star-lit night was alive with the excitement of the sounds of the hunt.

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Bud Hamilton and his friends loved a sport that dated back to Europe, but had developed into a traditional American pastime in the century or so since George Washington and La Fayette were chasing the fox in Colonial America.

Bud Hamilton, Fox Chaser

Bud Hamilton, born in 1884, died in 1938 at the relatively young age of fifty-four, but in terms of the hunt, Bud was an octogenarian. A more dedicated chaser of the wily fox probably never existed on Oil Creek and his dedication to the sport was oft trumpeted by Uncle Zeke in his Buzzardtown News column. Readers of Uncle Zeke’s column throughout Lewis and Braxton County came to know that fox chasing and Bud Hamilton were one and the same terms.

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Right: an American Fox Hound.

For more on hunting and hounds see the entry about Coon Hunting by Tom Jeffries.

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Uncle Zeke on

Bud Hamilton and his Hounds

Newt Blake, aka Uncle Zeke, was a near neighbor of Bud Hamilton and a close friend. They both attended the United Brethren Church in Orlando. They were also long-time trustees, along with A. N. [Alfred Newton] Posey, of the Posey Run School, having been appointed by the Salt Lick District Board of Education. Uncle Zeke was also a very close and long-time friend to Bud’s grandfather-in-law, W. T. [William Taylor] Riffle of Posey Run. Probably most important of all, Bud’s propensity to collect hound dogs served as grist for Uncle Zeke’s grist mill, known as the Buzzardtown News. This part of the story of Bud Hamilton will focus on the musings of Uncle Zeke about Bud Hamilton and his night-howling hound dogs.

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November 12, 1918
“Some people say that every dog has its day. As dog days are now out, I wonder what the balance of Bud Hamilton’s dogs will do, as there were not enough dog days to go round all of them.”

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February 1, 1921
“Someone said there must not be anybody in Buzzardtown but O. P. [Oliver Paulser] McCord and Fred Lemley. Listen, Bruce Posey told George Riffle that Mart Posey told Roy Riffle that Rich Posey told Jack Riffle that Ezra Posey said that he heard John Posey tell Ellis Riffle to tell Taylor Riffle that Bud Posey told Marion Riffle that Sanford Posey wanted Lee Riffle to tell Oscar Posey that Jarrett Fox saw Rye Heater telling Tom Conley that Ernie Fox had overheard Joe Skinner tell Poke Sharp that P. N. [Patrick Newton= Uncle Zeke himself] Blake said that Fred Lemley told O. P. McCord that Red Beckner wanted Bud Hamilton to keep his infernal hounds at home.”

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May 24, 1921
“For a horse, dog, or fish story, see Bud Hamilton.”

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November 9, 1921
“Bud Hamilton attended the fox hunter’s reunion at Jane Lew last week. Bud is all “O.K.” when it comes to fox chasing. I imagine when he appeared on the scene everybody had to take a back seat. We feel proud that our town could send so able a representative. If anyone belonging to the fox hunter’s fraternity can tell a bigger one than our old friend Bud, just send him over this way and he can most assuredly smoke a White Owl at my expense.”

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June 5, 1924
“Poke Sharp had to go to the hospital to get a thorn taken out the heel of his scythe. George Riffle complains of a bad headache in his stomach. O. P. McCord is overworked hiving bees. Jess Cole has a severe pain in the knee of his pants, and Bud Hamilton is knocked out with a bad case of dog fever.”

Fox hunters' Reunion in Burnsville. Bud Hamilton is in the back, labled.

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June 19, 1924
“Bud Hamilton is at a loss to know what to name his baby, as he has all the best names taken up for his dogs.”

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August 24, 1922
“Bud Hamilton’s dog house fell down the other night and killed all of his dogs except eleven.”

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October 19, 1922
“A few nights ago when Bud Hamilton was fox chasing, he acipurposely broke the ten commandments.”

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December 14, 1922
“Bud Hamilton says his profit on dogs last year amounted to just one hundred eighty dollars. Sic ‘em, Shep.
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February 1, 1923
“A good friend tells me that Bud Hamilton, who blows wells for the Philadelphia Gas Company, took shelter the other day under a flat rock near a well. The rock happened to be a deadfall that Jack Sam Posey set to catch skunks. Bud happened to touch the trigger in someway and down came the rock on Bud’s meat house. Fortunately, he was not badly hurt. It was a long time before Jack knew what kind of animal had been under his deadfall.”

March 15, 1923
“Our town is considerably on the boom this spring. Bill Henline has got out seven cross ties for Jack Posey; Oscar Posey and Lee Skinner have each built a house in their imagination; George Riffle has set two hens; P. N. Blake is dealing in cats; Bud Hamilton has five dogs; O. P. McCord owns two cows and a piece; Burr Skinner is improving on business transactions; and our old cow has mended up until she gives nearly a pint of milk; M. J. Riffle [Taylor Riffle's son Marion Johnson] has secured a quarter’s worth of Mail Pouch for the summer; A. N. Posey sold a peck of potatoes last week; Charley Riffle talks about going to church some day; Tom Brown saws a log a day in spite of all he can do; and Poke Sharp just keeps a-pokin’”

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April 5, 1923
“I notice that Flatwoods is calling for the state capitol. Now, look here Mr. Flatwoods, I think you are just a little off. Buzzardtown is the place for the capitol. Now listen! We have two branches of the B & O Railroad running through our town, a railroad junction, a watering station, two section foremen, one saw-mill, several gas well (besides a lot of other gas), one school building, a Mormon Temple, one local M. P. preacher, two class leaders, a host of church members, and a good lot of Christians. We have plenty of water, plenty of mud (in winter), plenty of sickness (when we’re not well), plenty of money and plenty of brains. We can furnish a good site by moving our little buzzard coop a few rods to the southeast; and if Bud Hamilton will agree to move his doghouse just a little bit the other way and Joe Skinner takes the hump out of his house, we will be ready to lay a foundation as soon as “tater plantin’” is over. Now, we think this is a fair, square bargain if there is anyone at the other end of it. Leastwise, it should be thought upon, scanned at, and talked about. On with the capitol.”

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Above, right: portrait of T. E. "Ed" Jeffries (1869-1943) of Burnsville, father of Opal and Coleman Jeffries of Orlando, with his hound.

Below, left: John Gibson poses with his hound.

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May 17, 1923
“Bud Hamilton has only four hounds and a half now. One is only half-hound.”

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June 7, 1923
“Bud Hamilton and J. F. [ John Fountain] Posey expect to get an airplane so the can fox chase in up-to-date style. Gosh, go to it, boys. Sic ‘em, Tige.”

July 5, 1923
“Dog days started at Bud Hamilton’s this year.” “Bud Hamilton’s car load of bark he ordered for his hounds arrived yesterday.”

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August 9, 1923
We recently heard Poke Sharp say that Bill Foster told him that Morgan Riffle said that John Posey told him that he overheard Ellis Riffle tell Newt Blake that it was a positive fact that Bill Henline heard Bud Hamilton tell Joe Skinner that Lee Riffle told Rye Heater that Wade Mick said he intended to get married right away, dog days or no dog days.”

September 13, 1923
“Bud Hamilton has agreed to help out on salary this year if the expounder will accept a hound pup as pay.”

November 1, 1923
“Bud Hamilton attended a dog reunion somewhere last week, or I think that is what they call it. You ‘mout’ ax Dr. Lohan.”

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January 24, 1924
“The people in our town are pretty well employed this winter. John Posey smokes his pipe; Bud Hamilton feeds his dogs; Gene Butler is trying to skate; George Riffle sings for the kids; Jack Posey reads the news; Poke Sharp gathers eggs; Wade Mick goes to W. T. [William Taylor] Riffle’s; A. N. Posey reads the Democrat; O. P. McCord tells whoppers; Jim Hyatt and P. N. Blake visit Orlando; Lee Riffle traps snow birds; Fred McCord pops corn; R. M. [Roy Mertie “Boss”] Riffle studies foolishness; Joe Skinner is taking lessons on hogology; Clem Crislip cusses rats; J. L. [Jarrett Lee] Fox reads the Bible; Uncle Zeke goes to church; and everyone else talks politics.”

January 24, 1924
“We have been informed that Stokes Heater of Burnsville and Bud Hamilton have been doing some ‘dorg’ swapping this past week.”

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February 28, 1924
“Since Bud Hamilton’s wife has been sick and Bud has been doin’ the cookin,’ his hounds have nearly starved to death. Well, I feel sorry for any hound that would have to eat Bud’s cookin.’”

February 28, 1924
“Bud Hamilton dreamed the other night that a dog was biting him. He kicked at it and broke three toes against the wall. Bud says he is going to sleep with his shoes on from now on.”

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February 14, 1924
“Bud Hamilton has been taking a few lessons in houndology the past week.”

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April 10, 1924
“Bud Hamilton is trying to learn one of his dogs to run an automobile. He says the darn fool won’t run anything else.”

April 10, 1924
“During the recent snow, Bud Hamilton gathered a coffee sack full of rabbit tracks to practice his hounds on during the summer.”

June 5, 1924
“A new boy arrived at the home of Bud Hamilton and wife one day last week. Bud says it’s a Democrat but he would swap it for a good fox hound.”

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November 20, 1924
“Bud Hamilton says the best time he ever had was at a dog camp meeting down in Harrison County recently. (‘Spect Bud did the preachin’)”
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February 25, 1925
“The biggest tear up we ever had in our town took place the other day when one of Bud Hamilton’s hounds tore up a pair of overalls.”

April 30, 1925
“Bud Hamilton has bought the Philadelphia gas office here and will move it and rebuild it at his home. He is going to get enough room for his dogs.”

August 27, 1925
“Bud Hamilton has about decided to swap his hounds for a Ford. He says he wants something that will run.”

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September 10, 1925
“The fox hunter’s picnic Saturday night on Sawyers Ridge was a grand success. About three hundred people – men, women, children and dogs, were present. Everybody seemed to enjoy themselves hugely, especially J. C. Dennison of Weston who managed to get on the outside of a gallon of ice cream besides several pieces of cake and pie. He was about to sail into the portion of food prepared for the hounds but was prevented by Lee Dorsey who assured him he could have all the ice cream and cake he wanted. John declared it was the grandest time of his life and he never enjoyed himself more. Well, all is well that ends well.”

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June 10, 1926
“Bud Hamilton contemplates getting a few more dogs when ‘dog days’ set in.”

June 17, 1926
“Red McCormick of Weston took the prize at the fox chaser’s lying contest last week with Bud Hamilton a close second.”

December 23, 1926
“Including Bud Hamilton’s dogs, our town has a population of more than one hundred inhabitants.”

December 30, 1926
“The wind blew so hard last Saturday night, it “blowed” one of Bud Hamilton’s dogs into Webster County; blowed the shoes off Emmett Atkinson; blowed Alva Barnett’s mule out of the barn through a knot hole; blowed the cracks out of Reuben Blake’s fence; and came mighty nigh blowing the truth out of Uncle Zeke.”

January 10, 1927
“We did not hold any municipal election this year owing to the fact that Bud Hamilton had most of the population of our town out fox chasing on that day, except “Tramp” and two other dogs.”

February 23, 1927
“Times are actually improving in our community: Bud Hamilton added another board to his dog house; A. N. Posey finished husking corn; R. M. Riffle repaired his foot log; George Riffle swapped his cow for a chew of Mail Pouch; Auzy Fox made three palings and got out a couple of posts; Reuben Blake has ordered a bushel of tobacco seed; Fred Riffle took from his incubator the other day a coffee sack full of young chickens and two gallons of strained honey; Tank [Lloyd] Henline, the noted knife trader, can be found at his post any day with a supply of knives, pieces of knives and knife handles; Reuben Blake curried his mule the other day for the first time this winter by dragging an iron toothed harrow over it; Billy Barnett is clearing a piece of ground that is so poor that two men couldn’t raise a disturbance on it with a gallon of moonshine whiskey; P. N. Blake is still working at his old job; Ray Fox has ordered another string for his fiddle, making two in all; and J. F. Posey’s pipe is so strong he has to chain it to the porch banister while he smokes.”

March 3, 1927
“I hope Dr. Miller will keep his wampus cat in the vicinity of Flatwoods. If Bud Hamilton or Hob Henline get a squint at it, it’s a dead cat.”

May 12, 1927
“Bud Hamilton has a hound that actually steals chickens.”

May 19, 1927
“Bud Hamilton’s famous fox hound proved to be a real chicken dog.”

May 19, 1927
“Following are the proceedings of our last court held here: John Posey was given three days for smoking a strong pipe and stifling the neighbors. Newt McQuain was fined for overdoing the speed limit in a civil conversation. Bud Hamilton was sentenced to five days in the dog house for telling the truth (everyone knew Bud didn’t mean to tell it), and Reuben Blake got a life sentence for being so ugly.”

June 30, 1927
“Our town is well supplied with telephones, vitographs, graphophones, radiophones, and fox hounds.”

June 30, 1927
“I think people shouldn’t allow more than six or seven of their dogs to bark at one time, at least when a person is wrapped up in the arms of Morpheus.”

October 27, 1928
“Bud Hamilton attended the fox chaser’s reunion in Pennsboro last week.”

January 12, 1928
“Following are names and occupations of some of our townsmen: Newton McQuain, narrator; Homer Skinner, hunter and trapper; Lee Booth, B & O pumper; Joe Skinner, track foreman; Bud Hamilton, fox chaser; Emma Leixner, barber; Ray Fox, fiddler; Bill Beckner, fisherman; Fred Riffle, poultryman; Oras Stutler, driller; Martin Fox, telephone operator; and John Posey and Tom Conley, smokers.”

February 16, 1928
“There hasn’t no one been anywhere since our last letter ‘cepting Bud Hamilton. He took Trip, Trim, Towser, Trixie and Tramp, Fife , Fiddle, Flute and Drum and went fox chasin’ but I ain’t goin’ to say anything ‘bout it.”

October 4, 1928
“I had forgotten my biscuits in the stove and they were burned black as Cudge. I had forgotten to put salt or soda in them – in fact – they weren’t hardly fit for Bud Hamilton’s hounds.”

May 16, 1929
“Billy the Newspacker just came in after searching for news and this is what the little scamp reported. John Posey has purchased a new set of springs for his lettuce bed. And just as soon as the sap raised a little more Bud Hamilton was going to peel the bark form his dogs. And that George Riffle was going to make wine out of his hogs by removing the “s” from swine. And Ray Fox’s fiddle has four keys and “nary” lock. And Tom Conley put wooden legs to his pipe so it could walk. That Mrs. E. L. Fox [ne. Carrie Posey] had threshed a bushel of butter at one churnin’. And then the little imp asked who reformed the reform school. Billy always did remind me of his granddaddy.”

June 6, 1929
“Bud Hamilton is as mad as he can be. He says two hungry women of Orlando stopped at his house one day last week and ate all the bread he had prepared for his dogs. No wonder he’s mad.”

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June 13, 1929
“It is claimed that while Jack Sam was plowing corn in our town one day last week, Bud Hamilton’s dogs bayed him thinking he was a groundhog.”

October 3, 1929
“Bud Hamilton is erecting a building which is to serve as a dwelling, a barn, a kennel and a garage. Winter Freeman is doing the carpentry work.”

October 24, 1929
“Bud Hamilton attended a fox chaser’s reunion at Grantsville the first of the week.”

June 26, 1930
“Bud Hamilton says something happened to all his dogs; and now he hasn’t a blessed dog to his back.”

The citations listed above are a sampling of Bud Hamilton’s hunting or hound collecting activities. It seems that Bud spent many a devoted hour to the sport he loved.

Fox Hunting Companions

Sharing a love to hunt is invaluable to a hunter. Hunters not only enjoy the companionship with their dogs on the hunt, but also the fraternity of other hunters who likewise enjoy the brisk night air and racing across the tops of ridges under starry skies, chasing a fox, with nothing but the sounds of baying hounds in the air. Bud’s brother-in-law, Grafton Riffle, was Bud’s frequent companion in the quest to corner old Reynard. Ray “Jiggs” Fox reported to Uncle Zeke that Grafton goes fox chasing “about four nights of every week.” Hob [George Oliver] and Dock [Oscar] Henline were also devotees of the hunt who chased the fox with Bud. A bemused Uncle Zeke once reported that Hob Henline’s hounds chased Alva Barnett’s mule one night for many miles, thinking it was a fox. Newt McQuain, a Posey Run resident until he moved to Flesher’s Run, and Homer Skinner, at least until he moved to the Carney farm at the head of Clover Fork, were frequent hunting companions and accompanied Bud on the night treks in search of old bushy tail. Bill Finley, a section foreman for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, who lived at Gem, frequently accompanied Bud on the hunt. All hunters were fair game for Uncle Zeke, and Bud’s hunting companion was no exception. Uncle Zeke remarked that “Bill Finley ….has the most intelligent dog in many states. When Bill goes out with his mountain rifle, the dog will hunt nothing but squirrels. When he takes out his shotgun, the dog hunts nothing but rabbits. When he reaches for his fishing pole, that dog runs out behind the barn and begins to dig bait. We don’t vouch for the truthfulness of the above item.” Posey Run resident H. C. Snyder, a Philadelphia Company employee, was an early fox chasing companion of Bud until he moved out west to greener pastures. Cornering an unexpected prey one night while fox chasing, Bud Hamilton, H. C. Snyder and Grafton Riffle, were identified to Uncle Zeke’s newspaper readership as new entrants into the “skunk business.”

There were other nimrods besides Bud Hamilton around Orlando who made life difficult for the foxes of Oil Creek. In his March 13, 1924 column Uncle Zeke said that “It is rumored that Jack Skinner’s hounds run Ad. Riffle three miles the other night thinking he was a possum.” In his column of two weeks earlier, Uncle Zeke reported that “Dave Bragg of Clarksburg is visiting our town. Dave was formerly a resident of this vicinity and was a terror of the possum and raccoon, and even the fox had to give leg-bail when Dave when old “Lead” started on the warpath.”

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Comment by Donna Gloff

Who are all these folks Uncle Zeke mentions? With the help of David Parmer I tried to identify them. We got most of them:

Ad. Riffle Unknown.

George Riffle There were several, probably the son of Jacob I. by his second wife, who married Bessie Fox. George and Bessie lived on Posey Run or nearby and were neighbors of Uncle Zeke.

Charlie Riffle There were several, probably the son of Steward L and Abbie Blake Riffle, m. Donie Blake, father of Josie Beckner and Brownie Riffle, among others.

Lee Riffle unsure

Ellis Riffle b. 1892, son of Charles & Donie (Blake) Riffle

Fred Riffle, b. 1907, s/o Roy Mertie & Idena Riffle. “poultryman”

R. M. [Roy Mertie “Boss”] Riffle 1881-1956, s/o John Scott & Mary Ann (Skinner) Riffle

W. T. [William Taylor] Riffle 1846-1934, m. Margaret Posey

Morgan Riffle John Morgan Riffle, b. 1868 to Charles & Sarah Wine Riffle

Jack/Jack Sam Posey, lived on Three Lick and was connected I believe by marriage to

Arch Riffle, the groundhog hunter. Jack Sam was also frequently mentioned by Uncle Zeke as a groundhog hunter.

John Posey John Fountain Posey, aka J. F. Posey, a near neighbor of Uncle Zeke.

Jack Skinner unknown

A. N. Posey Andrew Newton, 1855-1935, s/o Alfred & Christine Posey

Joe Skinner 1868-1942 m. Effie Mae Riffle

Homer Skinner, 1883-1923, m. Bessie Riffle

Auzy Fox, Ozzie Fox. Ozzie died in 1936 at age 57. Ozzie married Martha Henline.
Martin Fox, telephone operator, son of Jarrett and Carrie (Posey) Fox. Martin's sister Della married Jesse Cole

J. L. [Jarrett Lee] Fox 1871-1945, m. Sarah McCord

Ray Fox, 1901-1962, fiddler: Clarence Ray Fox married Lillie Gay Keller.

O. P. McCord 1858-1926 Oliver Paulser McCord m. Della Bird Hyer

Fred McCord 1907-1944, s/o O P & Della McCord

Lee Dorsey worked for the Burnsville Wholesale Grocery in Burnsville as an accountant from around 1915 to around 1936 or so when he moved to Huntington.

Charles Winter Freeman b. 1922, moved his family to the Clarksburg area in the mid 1930's or so. They lived in the Posey Run area. Winter was the son of Charles Freeman and Maude (Mick) Freeman, the daughter of Hudson Mick and Elizabeth Heath Mick.

Stokes Heater unknown.
Jim Hyatt Jim Hyatt worked for the Philadelphia Gas Company but went out west in the 1920's I believe.

Emma Leixner, barber; Emma was a Posey who married a Leixner who possibly from Connecticut. She returned to the Orlando area not long after she was married.

Dr. Lohan was a veterinarian who lived at Burnsville in the 1910's, 1920's and 1930's. His wife ran the former Horner Hotel which went under during the Depression. From Burnsville they moved to Glenville and first operated a restaurant and later a hotel and restaurant.

Gene Butler b. 1905 s/o Thomas Butler who was murdered in lumber camp, & Gertrude E. Skinner

Poke Sharp b.1845 James Polk Sharp, s/o James Sharp & Catherine Heater

Wade Mick 1876-1939, owned Orlando’s grist mill

P. N. Blake 1867-1951 Patrick Newton Blake= Uncle Zeke

Lee Booth, b. 1888, m.Eda Skidmore. B & O pumper;

Clem Crislip 1887- 1958 Joe & Effie Skinner’s daughter Opal

Dave Bragg , b. abt 1850, son of Jesse & Ida Bragg, m. Sarah Almorine Posey.

Bill Beckner, fisherman; b. 1892, m. Jossie Riffle, worked for B&O.

Oras Stutler, driller for Hope Gas Co.; 1896-1968, m. Edith Skinner

Fred Lemley probably Alfred 1877-1952, s/o George & Rachel,

Bill Foster, s/o Brandon & Amanda (Riffle) Foster

Emmett Atkinson b, 1874, s/o Lucy Riffle & Stephen Atkinson

Newt McQuain, George Newton McQuain, 1859-1948, m. Ida Eckle

Tom Brown probably s/o Isaac Newton & Elzara Brown

Tom Conley, could be 1878-1963 s/o Amanda Wine or , b. 1886, s/o Mary Ellen Dempsey

Orlando School Carnival, 1937

Orlando's elementary school sat on Flint Knob, the hill at the confluence of Oil Creek and Clover Fork. Near-by elementary schools which defined other communities were on Three Lick, Posey Run and Clover Fork at Meadow Run. This photo was taken looking southwest from the Orlando Cemetery, up behind Bill Barnett's place, in the 1960s.

by David Parmer

A School Carnival in December, 1937

The citizens of Orlando took a great interest in the success of their community's school. The Orlando Parent-Teachers organization worked hard to raise money for the improvement of class room activities and to bring the community into the classroom. This small offering will relate one such activity.

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Importantly, there were many community minded residents of Orlando who recognized the value of education which many of these residents were unable to access during their own youthful days. That year Orlando residents were proud of the fact that one of their own, Herald Barnett, son of Alva and Jessie Gay (Marple) Barnett was the top scholar in the sophomore class at Burnsville High School. The raising of funds for the school took priority for the residents of Orlando so that the children of Orlando could gain the advantages that an education can bring.

With 84 children to teach, the "one room schoolhouse" in Orlando had three rooms. During the school year 1937-1938, the Orlando School teachers were Ralph Queen, principal and teacher of the upper grades, Ruby Thompson, soon to become Ruby Barrett, teacher of the fourth through sixth grades, and Beulah McPherson, teacher of the primary grades.

Left: Teachers in the three classrooms: Ralph Queen, Beulah McPherson, Ruby Thompson

To raise funds, the teachers, parents and residents of Orlando hosted a school carnival to raise funds for the school on December 4, 1937. Thanks to Jesse Bragg, who had taken over the duties of reporting Orlando news in the Braxton Democrat, we have the following information about the fair.

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Three Beauty Contests

Over two hundred people attended the school carnival on this cold wintry night. The organizers didn’t forget an angle. Capitalizing on the popularity of Shirley Temple, the child actress, a “Shirley Temple Look-Alike” contest was held and the winner was little Miss Betty Barnett, daughter of Bill and Marie Barnett. The prize for the winner was a Shirley Temple doll, furnished by Orlando merchant Charley Knight.

Kathryn Riffle, daughter of Joe and "Pet" Riffle was adjudged to be the “best looking girl in the younger set.”

Two of the three beauty contest winners

Right: Betty Barnett b. 1932

Left: Mary Margaret Francis b.1925

After the preliminary beauty events, the carnival organizers saved the biggest and best for last: the Beauty Queen for the Orlando School. By secret ballot, the students of the Orlando School voted on the prettiest girl in the entire school and it was easy to agree with their decision. Miss Mary Margaret Francis, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Perry Francis, was crowned Miss Beauty Queen of the Orlando School.

The Master Fiddler Contest

Orlando was well known throughout the area as the hot-bed of fiddlers. To capitalize on the availability of fiddlers, the judges heard a little string music from Mike Moran, Marion Blake, Edward Blake and John Gallagher. After the ears stopped ringing and the smoke from the fiddle strings abated, the judges decided that Edward Blake was the king of fiddlers.

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Edward Blake won a fiddling contest against the likes of Mike Moran, John Gallagher and his brother Marion Blake? Edward was known as a fine guitar player, but he is not remembered as a fiddler. When asked recently about his Uncle Edward's contest-winning fiddle playing, Marion's son Wayne Blake was quite surprised and said that he didn’t know that his uncle Edward could play the fiddle. Wayne did say that his uncle Edward was a good guitar player but for the life of him, he couldn’t recall him playing the fiddle.

Opal (Blake) Hall, when told of the outcome of the fiddle contest and the names of the contestants in the contest, laughed confidently. She agreed with her brother Wayne that any of the other contestants could outplay her Uncle Edward on the fiddle by a country mile. However, Opal revealed the secret of the winning ticket. It seems that Edward, to make up for his lack of expertise, would clown around while he was playing, making exaggerated sweeps with the bow, make faces and comedic pauses which no doubt entertained the audience and provided some hilarity to the contest. Considering the outstanding competition, Edward, no doubt, was proud of this accomplishment.

The Hog Calling Contest

Ethel (Skinner) Blake (her husband was the fiddler Marion Blake) won the hog-calling contest hands-down. There were probably many loose boards discovered on the hog-pens on Flint Knob the next morning.

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Left: an early photo of Ethel (Skinner) Blake, b. 1895

Right: Jesse (Riffle) Bragg, b. 1912

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The Husband Calling Contest

Uncle Zeke was fond of reciting that many a suitor told the girl of his dreams that he was not good enough for her, and after they were married, lived the rest of his married life proving it. Faced with such circumstances, Orlando wives had to develop a “no-nonsense” approach to husband-taming which required an exceptional set of lungs. There were many contestants in this category, among those vying for this exceptional honor were Mrs. Polar [Vada] Henline, Mrs. Dave [Macel] Bennett, Mrs. Wick Moran, Mrs. Marion [Ethel] Blake, Mrs. Ralph Queen, Mrs. P. J. [Jessie] Bragg, Mrs. Ruby Toms, and Mrs. Mike [Margurite] Moran.

There isn’t any question that Pres Bragg, the Orlando Route 2 mail carrier, knew the winner had to be his wife Jessie, and the voting of the judges confirmed this preordained fact by a landslide.

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A Beacon on the Hill

The system of one room school houses that served rural America is just a memory in today's centralized public school system. It is important to understand that the one room school house is not the quaint, outdated institution that it seems to be in this era of consolidated schools. Rather, this alternative model of education, with its own strengths and challenges, can be easily argued beside the consolidated system and the home schooling system. Some of the several advantages are close support for and from families, the foundation it builds for a close-knit community.

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Many students passed through the front door of the Orlando School. The parents and residents of Orlando always felt welcome and enthusiastically participated in school functions and activities in the school house on the hill and most importantly the students who attended the school of the hill left with a sense of pride and accomplishment, in themselves and in their school.

Other entries about one room schools:

. . . May '06 Riffle Run Elementary School

. . . Apr '07 The Posey Run School

. . . May '07 Miss Mick of Posey Run School

. . . Sep '07 1946/47: Orlando School's grades 6, 7, 8

. . . Oct '07 Mrs. Tulley and the Three Lick School

. . . Feb '08 The School Which Nearly Flew

. . . Feb '08 Teachers & Students at Pine Run
. . . Aug '08 A Clover Fork School Report

. . . Sep '08 Some of Nellie Godfrey's Childhood Memories
. . . Oct '08 A Halloween that Changed Orlando

. . . . .

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Comment by Goldie Rogers
Opal had told me about the hog calling contest and mom winning it. I was too young to remember it, but if mom and dad were there, I would have been unless an older sister stayed with us. My brother Pat (deceased) was born in '34 and Faye in '36, so we may have stayed home. My teachers were Freda Mick and June Amos (Denver Barnett married her sister Rose). Mom taught me how to read, my ABC's, count to 100 before I ever started school. She also taught Dad how to read and write since he only went to school 3 days and didn't like it.

Comment by David Parmer
While discussing the 1937 Orlando School Carnival with Wayne Blake, I advised Wayne that his uncle Edward Blake won the fiddle contest held during the carnival. Wayne was quite surprised and said that he didn’t know that his uncle Edward could play the fiddle. Wayne did acknowledge that his uncle Edward was a good guitar player but for the life of him, he couldn’t recall him playing the fiddle.

To investigate this matter a little further, I spoke with Opal Hall, a daughter of Marion Blake and a niece of Edward Blake and told her of the outcome of the fiddle contest and the names of the contestants in the contest. Opal laughed confidently and told me that any of the other contestants could outplay her Uncle Edward on the fiddle by a country mile. However, Opal revealed the secret of the winning ticket. It seems that Edward, to make up for his lack of expertise, would clown around while he was playing, making exaggerated sweeps with the bow, make faces and comedic pauses which no doubt entertained the audience and provided some hilarity to the contest.

Comment by Donna Gloff
Mary Margaret Francis and her sister Betty were raised by their aunts Mary and Jo Dolan after their mother died in 1939. They lived at the family's Dolan Hotel downtown Orlando. The portrait above of Mary Margaret Francis is detail from the photo to the left of Mary Margaret as May Queen at St Patrick's, the Roman Catholic High School in Weston.


Comment by Donna Gloff
Several styles Shirley Temple dolls were sold in the late 1930s. To the left is one from 1937.

Let's Play Ball!

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There was a time when the Oil Creek valley was rife with skillful baseball players who played the game to win. Uncle Zeke reported the scores of games played by the Orlando nine. During the 1930’s, Orlando's fine baseball teams prevailed by double digit scores over teams from larger towns such as Burnsville, Gassaway, and towns in between.

As long as the trains were running with reasonable fares, travel by teams from out of the area to Orlando to play ball was fairly easy and convenient. In 1941, when the trains ceased stopping at Orlando and the roads around Orlando were in too poor condition to be relied upon, baseball moved elsewhere. Orlando's young men continued to play at Falls Mills, Burnsville, Hyre's Run.

by David Parmer

The heat of the day was over. Chores were done or forgotten. Plenty of daylight was left as a gaggle of boys took the field and began tossing a ball back and forth while another boy hit grounders to infielders who snapped up the horsehide ball and threw with precision to the first baseman across the diamond. A few people began assembling along the baselines from home base to first base and to third base and watched intently as a son, a nephew, or a brother demonstrated his skill with the baseball. The players in the field were keenly aware that they were being watched, hopefully by a favorite girl friend or a want-to-be girlfriend. Cigarettes and chews of tobacco filled the lips or jaws of many of the onlookers and some of the ball players. Women sat on the porch of the house in left field, shaded from the afternoon sun, mildly interested in the goings-on in the newly mowed hayfield. From atop the hill, above the railroad tracks, some small children stood on the bluff observing the movements of the young boys on the field below. The crack of the bat as the ball was struck reverberated in the narrow valley and punctuated the air around the children watching the preliminary practice before the game was to start. Earlier that day, the lithe young boys now demonstrating their skills with the ball had been milking cows, putting up haystacks, or hoeing corn. While the former activities were hard work, the present game was fun. It was an evening to enjoy. A tall lanky older man in dark trousers and a long sleeved white shirt moved quietly behind home base in the orderly confusion and in a loud baritone and easily heard voice yelled, “Let’ play ball.”

Baseball Was the Rage

In the 1920’s, Babe Ruth became a household legend as he took his awkward stroll around the bases after a prodigious home run. Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Tris Speaker, Christy Mathewson, Rogers Hornsby, the Waner brothers, Hank Greenberg, Mickey Cochran and Grover Cleveland Alexander - all became names which easily slipped off the lips of young men and boys who aspired to follow in their footsteps on the diamond, perhaps in the major leagues.

In the early 1900’s, cigarette companies promoted the sales of cigarettes by including baseball cards in the packages of cigarettes. These promotional items were sold in every country store in the country, including the Orlando general stores. Many Orlando boys took seriously the collecting of baseball cards, and of course, picked up the tobacco habit along with the prized baseball cards.

Orlando youth also took the game of baseball seriously and the Oil Creek valley seemed rife with skillful baseball players who played the game to win. Uncle Zeke gave some attention to the exploits of the Orlando boys in his Buzzardtown news columns. In his August 22, 1935 column of the Buzzardtown News, Uncle Zeke commented on the Orlando baseball nine:

'The Orlando “Wonders” baseball team motored to Cogar Sunday afternoon where they met the Cogar Giants on their baseball diamond. The game was well played with the Orlando “Wonders” winning 33-0. Some game, eh? John Ratliff, manager of the Cogar Giants, still says he has the best team in Braxton County. Any one wishing a game with the “Wonders,” write to Virgil Riffle, manager, Orlando.'
[Virgil Riffle, manager of the Orlando team, was the son of Ebert Riffle and Tina (Scarff) Riffle. He married Edna Posey, daughter of Lloyd Posey and Mary Clark Posey.]

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Even though the straight-laced Uncle Zeke seemed somewhat dubious about ball-playing on the Sabbath, it is clear that the sport of ball-playing kept boys out of serious trouble and perhaps therefore had some redeeming qualities. Uncle Zeke dutifully reported the scores of games played by the Orlando nine. Touting a game played on a Sunday was easier for him during the 1930’s, especially since Orlando had such fine baseball teams and prevailed by double digit scores over teams from larger towns such as Burnsville, Gassaway, and other towns in between.

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Playing Fields

As an unincorporated town, Orlando had no municipally supported baseball fields. Instead, local farmers or landowners opened up their fields, usually after the first cutting of grass. In the days when most Orlando residents were still farming the land for a living, it was a substantial sacrifice to dedicate good farmable flat land for the purpose of recreation rather than the production of food. Dale Barnett reports that one playing field used by Orlando youth to play hardball was on the “Kelly” farm, one of the first farms on Clover Fork, just above Orlando. Uncle Zeke mentioned in his brief acknowledgement of the Sunday games that a field was frequently used located on Road Run, west of Orlando. Dale Barnett fixed the location of this field as between the farms of Linzy Strader and Mary McNemar. Ivy (Strader) Gibson recalls the field to have been on the land of her father, Linzy Strader. Cecil Mick recalls his father, Beauford Mick, talking about a baseball field at Kemper, just north of Orlando at the mouth of Bennett Hollow. A field beside St. Michael’s Catholic Church also served well into the 1960’s as a playing field for baseball and softball.

As long as the trains were running with reasonable fares, travel by teams from out of the area to Orlando to play ball on the local fields was fairly easy and convenient. However, the trains ceased stopping at Orlando in 1941 and the generally poor condition of the roads caused baseball to move elsewhere. .

Falls Mill

What person in central West Virginia during the mid twentieth century did not know of the allure of Falls Mill for the sport of ball playing and swimming? This small town on the Little Kanawha River had long been a recreational mecca, and on weekends in the 1930s, with the completion of the paving of U. S. Route 19 and the availability of the cheap automobile, it became a haven for the young men of baseball clubs to play their games, while their families swam in the Little Kanawha and explored the falls. Many Orlando residents became quite familiar with the Falls Mill baseball diamond. According to “Chick” Mick, the Falls Mill recreation area was owned by Mr. Marsh of Weston, a Pure Oil distributor. The baseball field included bleachers which cost ten and twenty five cents for a seat. The swimming area included dressing rooms for men and women. Mr. Marsh also owned the service station and beer tavern located on Route 19 adjacent to the ball field and sponsored the Falls Mill team which was a member of the Central West Virginia Baseball League which played at Falls Mill into the mid 1950’s. The Falls Mill baseball team was comprised of players from throughout the area, including boys from Orlando.

Above rt: baseball players at Falls Mill ca. 1936. Individuals are unidentified.

Above, left: An example of the inviting water of the Little Kanawha at Falls Mill. Photo from the early 1960s.

To the left and below right are two photos of the Falls Mill Baseball Team from the 1930s.

Left: Back Row: Mr. Marsh, Unknown, Claud Mick, Jack Graff. Middle Row: Si McQuain, Big John Blake, Unknown, Unknown. Front Row: Sam Stalnaker, John Graff, Ike Garrett, Bill Garrett.

Right: Claude Mick is in the back row on the left. John Graff is front left and Jake Graff is the third from the left in the back row.

John and Jake Claud Mick was Orlando born and raised, Jack and John Graff lived on Orlando's Rt 1, the rural route in the Flesher Run area. .

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Claude Mick

Claude Mick, the Orlando postmaster, was an inveterate baseball player. A skillful fielding first baseman and pitcher, Claude donned the uniform of Falls Mill baseball team during the mid 1930’s. According to his son Chick Claude played the hardball game until he was around thirty-nine years of age, at which time he gave it up. Chick reports, however, that his father briefly played one last game when he was in his early fifties but realized that he was well past his prime and hung up his spikes for good.

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Geral “Popeye” Puffenbarker

A familiar sight in Burnsville around noon on a summer Saturday or Sunday was Geral “Popeye” Puffenbarker driving a cattle truck with high railings loaded with Orlando boys on their way to play baseball at Falls Mill. “Popeye” always made an obligatory stop in Burnsville to enlist the local boys to fill out the rest of the Orlando team or to find enough players to complete the roster of the opposing team in case it was short of players. A left-handed pitcher, “Popeye” frequently had control problems with his pitches, which made batters somewhat nervous to dig in at the plate. Perhaps his habit of throwing his first pitch as hard as he could and as wildly as he could, was merely a message to the hitter to not become comfortable at the plate, to decrease the batter’s confidence and increase his fear of being hit by a hard-pitched ball.

John Allman, grandson of Gaver Allman, the long-time Orlando telegrapher and depot agent, who played on the Orlando team in the early 1950’s, recalls vividly “Popeye’s” attributes as a pitcher as well as his volatility. John recalls one game when a teammate committed an error at a crucial moment which upset “Popeye” to the extent that he walked off the field in disgust. An aging Claud Mick had to complete pitching the inning. John reported that Claud’s arm was sore for two weeks following the relief pitching stint.

Doris (Riffle) Snyder recalls that “Popeye” was notorious for losing his grip on the baseball bat during his vicious swings at the ball. Doris was sitting under a tree near home plate, watching a game in the late 1940’s at Orlando, with “Popeye” at the plate. “Popeye” took his usual trademark swing at a ball and lost his grip on the bat, which went flying, striking the tree just above Doris’ head. Doris remembers that the bat skinned the bark off the tree behind her.

Left: Doris Riffle.

John Gibson IV recalls that his father told him that “Popeye” drew the attention of a major league scout. With the scout present at a Saturday game, “Popeye” pitched an excellent game and a contract signing was nigh. Ill-advisedly, “Popeye” also decided to pitch on the following day. Again with the scout present, “Popeye’s” arm could not stand the strain and that day he suffered an arm injury which short-circuited “Popeye’s” dream of pitching in the big leagues.

The ruddy complexioned “Popeye” was a real lover of the game of baseball and is first mentioned of all Orlando area players by those interviewed by this writer for this story. “Popeye,” a resident of Three Lick died in 1993 at the age of 62.

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Johnny “Kiner”Allman

Ralph Kiner was a Pittsburgh legend in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. A slugging home run king, Kiner delighted Pittsburgh fans with his long home runs to left field at Forbes Field. John Allman, grandson of Orlando’s well-known Gaver and Misha (Mills) Allman, grew up in his early years in Orlando and lived with his grandparents but moved to Pittsburgh with his mother and stepfather in the mid 1940’s. John looked forward to visiting his grandparents in the summers and delighted in playing baseball. His Pittsburgh connection led locals, especially the girls, to refer to him as “Kiner.” The first two sports fans of the female gender interviewed by this writer for this story both referred to John as “Kiner,” a nickname long-remembered. John was a catcher for teams of an Orlando flavor, whether they were playing as a strictly Orlando team or as a Falls Mill team.

John recalls that his grandfather loved to watch him play. When the teams played in the field beside the Catholic Church, Gaver watched the game from his car on top of the hill overlooking the ball field and didn’t visit the field itself. John recalls on one occasion when he was playing a game at Falls Mill, his grandfather was watching the game along the third base line. During the game, John hit a “Kiner-like” home run to center field which landed on the swimming raft anchored in the middle of the Little Kanawha River. As the ball left the park and his grandson rounded the bases, Gaver, as the result of a congratulatory pat on the back from another fan, swallowed a sizable portion of the chewing tobacco which he usually kept in his jaw.

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Fred Riffle

A traveler through the Posey Run area in the mid 1950’s usually saw him sitting on the front porch of his small house which hugged the Orlando Road, watching traffic go by. In his middle age and later years, you would never have suspected that in his youth he was an outstanding ballplayer. The son of R. M. “Boss” and Idena (Skinner) Riffle, Fred Riffle was born in 1908. As Fred came of age, Babe Ruth, the ‘Sultan of Swat,’ was swinging for the fences and becoming a childhood hero to American youth. The 1920’s were a glory age for baseball, and Fred became actively engaged in the game. A number of people from Orlando interviewed for this story mentioned the name of Fred Riffle as a person of interest in the lore of baseball in Orlando. A left-handed pitcher, Fred supposedly had a fantastic curve ball which, according to Bill Beckner, was wicked enough that major league scouts became interested in the Orlando boy. Fred, reportedly, referred to his curve ball as the “old hog snoot” and later in life when he was a mere observer rather than a participant in the game, Fred would urge the Orlando pitcher to throw the batter the “old hog snoot.” In his pitching days, “Chick” Mick recalls that Fred’s nickname on the ball diamond was “Chevalay,” presumably because in his youth he owned an automobile of that pronunciation.

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Lambert Beckner

Bill Beckner also recalls from family tradition that his father Lambert Beckner was a notable catcher for Orlando teams during the early and mid 1930’s. Red Beckner, Lambert’s father, and Bill’s grandfather, however, had strong convictions about the playing of ball on Sundays, as did Uncle Zeke, Red’s fellow United Brethren congregant. Bill recalls that his grandfather would not permit Bill and his brother Neil to play ball on Sundays, although it was acceptable for them to act as umpires. Bill seemed to grasp the distinction his grandfather made in ruling out the one, but ruling in the other.

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Charlie Mick

In the middle of the 20th century, the name of Charlie Mick was often mentioned as a sportsman of the diamond. Although Charlie’s expertise was more connected with the game of fast-pitch softball, he nonetheless deserves mention as a notable figure in the game. Charlie’s brother, Cecil Mick, himself an excellent hurler in fast-pitch softball, was tutored in the game by his older brother. Cecil remembers that although he mastered the inside and outside curve balls which rose as they sped toward the plate, he could never duplicate his older brother’s effective “drop” pitch. Cecil recalled that his older brother’s pitching career was cut short when he suffered a serious knee injury during a collision in the quest for a pop-up during a game at Weston State Hospital. After the injury, Charlie served more as a manager rather than a player. Cecil also had his pitching cut short by a disabling case of bursitis which affected his pitching arm. Cecil remembers a Weston State Hospital team comprised of several Orlando boys which in 1963 finished in second place in a state softball tournament at Anmoore. In this game, Cecil recalls that he hit a grand slam home run, but his team came up one run short of being the tournament

winner.
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Leonard "Lindy" Keith

Another Oil Creek ball player from the Peterson area, mentioned both by Cecil Mick and John Allman as a dandy baseball player, was Leonard Keith, son-in-law of John Wooddell and Daisy (Bennett) Wooddell of Clover Fork. According to Allman, Keith was an excellent pitcher. Leonard’s son, Larry, tells of his father participating in a fast-pitch softball league in Aiken, South Carolina and that he used to catch practice pitches for his father. Despite the extra padding his father put in the catcher’s mitt, Larry can still feel the burn of the pitches to this day.

Left: Lindy Keith is to the right. Ross Gay, Blaine's brother, is on the left and Mary Stutler (daughter of Oras and Edith (Skinner) Stutler) is in the center.

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Blaine Gay

Orlando store owner Charlie Knight’s grandson, Blaine Gay, was an outstanding left-handed pitcher with a blazing fastball and baffling curve, according to John Allman. Although Blaine pitched for Orlando teams, he is most remembered as pitching for the Gilmer/Hyre’s Run team sponsored by R. A. Darnall, a businessman of Gilmer Station. This highly successful team was a member of the Central West Virginia Baseball League and played their home ball games at the baseball diamond at Hyre’s Run. The Gilmer/Hyre’s Run team’s manager, Virgil Knight, was a long-time postmaster in Burnsville and was also managed by Harry Love. Blaine’s daughter Betty Daffron remembers when she was seven or eight years of age going to Sutton and Falls Mill to watch her dad play ball. When her dad went to Ohio for employment, he continued to play baseball in a semi-pro league in the Akron, Ohio area. During the war years, Blaine had received a deferment from the military draft because he had employment as a railroad engineer for Republic Steel which was deemed essential for the war effort. As a result of his outstanding play in the semi-pro league while he was employed by Republic Steel, he was offered a contract by the Chicago Cubs. However, because of his employment deferment from the military draft, Blaine was unable to accept the offer of Cubs.

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Blaine’s son John Gray recalls that his father established strike out records while playing for the semi-pro Akron team which probably was the basis for the Cubs’ contract offer.

Blaine ’s sister-in-law, Wanda Gay of Roanoke, recalls that a photograph of Blaine in baseball uniform hung in the living room of Blaine’s Ohio home. Wanda also recalls having seen a certificate in Blaine’s possession concerning his baseball tenure. A nephew of Blaine Gay, Bill Freeman, was also an excellent ball player, as was Blaine’s brother-in-law, Vaden Grove, according to Cecil Mick.

above left: Dad Blaine with Betty and John.

right: without Blaine, the Gilmer/Hyre’s Run Baseball Team on Virgil Knight’s Farm at Hyre’s Run.
Back Row: Kenneth Sumpter, Junior Snyder, Junior Kuhl, Kit Carson, Coy Parson, Pudge Snyder.
Front Row: Wilmer Anderson, Herbert Young, Russell Losh, Ray Parsons, Junior Love, Buck Pritt.
Manager, kneeling: Harry Love.

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Arthur "Jeff" Riffle

Cecil Mick remembers that his father, Beauford Mick, often mentioned the name of Arthur Riffle of Riffle Run as an outstanding Orlando ball player. Arthur’s sister, Lovie Bush, recalls that her brother, who answered to the nickname of “Jeff,” would walk to Orlando from Riffle Run to play ball. Lovie remembers that her brother also played for the Falls Mill team with his neighbors, John and Jake Graff, who were also excellent ball players. Cecil’s father mentioned that Arthur frequently would play at the ball field located at Kemper. Cleve Conrad, another fine ball player according to Cecil Mick, would often accompany Arthur for the weekend games.

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The Grove Brothers

The American Baseball League had Lefty Grove, but Orlando had three Grove brothers, who, according to Cecil Mick, were outstanding ball players based on the stories told by Cecil’s father, Beauford Mick. Vaden, John and Dana Grove lived on Oil Creek about a mile and a half above the mouth of Three Lick near the present home of Garrett Ramsey. All three brothers were highly successful ball players on Orlando teams. The brothers were sons of George and Daisy Grove. George was a cousin of Hayward Grove, a long-time storekeeper, whose general store was located near the mouth of Bear Run and Red Lick. Vaden Grove married Cora Gay, daughter of John and Dessie Gay. Vaden is presently ninety-eight years of age and resides in Florida.

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Charlie Tulley

Dale Barnett remembers that Charlie Tulley, son of Sandy Tulley of Tulley Ridge, was an excellent baseball player in his day. Charlie was a bachelor for many years until his late in life marriage to Ernestine Hyre, and often had time for a little baseball. From all reports, he excelled in the sport.

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Ronald Riffle

Ronald Riffle was the son of Layton and Bertha (Mick) Riffle who lived just below the Orlando Cemetery. Ronnie was a friend and contemporary of the Gibson brothers and never missed an opportunity to play hardball. Ronnie was a slick fielding infielder for the Orlando teams of the late 1940’s and early 1950’s.

Jack Riffle

A son of Joe and Betty (Skinner) Riffle, Jack Riffle grew up in an athletic and sporting family. Dale Barnett remembers Jack as an excellent infielder and pitcher for various Orlando teams. Jack, along with Charlie Mick, was often an arranger of ball games between Orlando nines and Burnsville teams in the early 1960’s.

Warren McCauley

Warren McCauley grew up on McCauley Run, the son of William and Lucy (Hinkle) McCauley. Born in 1912, Warren experienced the early excitement of major league baseball as a young boy and was bitten by the baseball bug early in life. Gene Brown, Warren’s cousin, is eighty-four years old and lives on McCauley Run and was a neighbor of Warren as he grew up. Gene recalls that Warren played baseball at Falls Mill on early teams, but believes that Warren’s first love was fox-chasing, instead of baseball. Warren was killed in a work-related accident on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1947.

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.French Conrad

The head of Riffle Run is just over the hill from the lower reaches of Clover Fork. In the early part of the 20th century, Riffle Run residents came over the hill to shop at the Orlando stores. Many Riffle Run boys also came to Orlando to play baseball. One of premier sluggers who played ball in Orlando was French Conrad of Riffle Run who played on some of the earliest Orlando teams. French was born in 1885 and was in his early 30’s when he married Rachel Blake in 1917. By that time he had already earned a reputation of a slugger who could knock the ball out of the park. Dale Barnett remembers stories from his youth about the long home runs which were hit by French for the early Orlando teams. Surprisingly, French’s sole surviving child, Pauline Richardson, and his grandchildren were unaware of their grandfather’s participation in the game, but were aware that he loved to watch the game.

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Johnny & Bobby Gibson

John Gibson III and his younger brother Robert were just two years apart in age and both were athletically gifted. As they were growing up in Orlando, the sons of John Gibson Jr. and Lona Gay Gibson looked forward to the hot days of summer and games of baseball. The elder brother graduated from Burnsville High School in 1950 and the younger graduated in 1952. Inseparable as boys growing up in Orlando, with a love of baseball, after graduating from high school and going to Akron to work Johnny and Bobby looked forward to driving eight hours from their homes in Ohio back to Orlando on Friday evenings so they could play baseball on Saturday and Sunday at Falls Mill.
John Gibson IV recalls many stories that his dad told about the ball games during the hot days of summer. Bob Gibson, the story goes, was a very good pitcher and a very good hitter but ran with feet of lead. John on the other hand was a very fast runner. In a game at Falls Mill, Bob was on third base with his brother John at the bat. John hit a long fly ball. Perhaps it was inattentiveness by Bob or an abundance of caution about the long fly ball and the fear of being doubled up if the ball were caught, Bob crossed home plate with his brother only a step behind. John attributed the closeness of the runners to Bob’s “lead feet” while Bob attributed it to “prudent base running.”

left above: John III, Jimmy and Bob Gibson downtown Orlando.
left below: John Gibson III

right below: Bob Gibson.

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Madeline Brown, widow of Sol Brown, formerly of Flesher Run, recalls that her husband was a player-manager for the Falls Mill team. In the early 1950’s Falls Mill was playing a team from Weston which had a player who had been a former major-leaguer. The game coursed along with Weston up by one run 1-0. In the top of the last inning, Falls Mill tied up the game when Sol Brown drove in Sam Stalnaker from first base. In the bottom of the inning, a Weston batter got on base. The runner then went to third base on a hit despite a ground rule which only permitted the runner on first to go to second base. The runner on third base refused to retreat to second base. In the course of the discussion, or argument, and without a time-out having been called, Madeline recalls that Bobby Gibson, the Falls Mills third baseman, tagged the errant runner with the ball who was promptly called out by the umpire. Madeline remembers that the Weston team packed its bags and went back to Weston without finishing the game.

In another game at Falls Mill, Bobby Gibson was pitching against a team of All Stars and his brother John was catching. A batter, supposedly a player from West Virginia University, was crowding the plate and leaning over into the strike zone. John warned the batter to move off the plate but the warning was not only disregarded, but also the batter made a derogatory remark about the pitcher being a “hayseed.” Promptly, Bob plunked the batter in the ribs with a fast ball. Much to the batter’s chagrin, the pitch was called a strike by the umpire who noted that the batter was leaning into the strike zone. After a short rhubarb, the batter resumed the bat but stood much farther back in the batter’s box. Bob’s next two pitches skinned the outside corner of the plate and the batter was out on three pitches. The same batter also struck out his next two times at bat. So much for the all star and the hayseed!

John IV also recalls his father telling him about his uncle Bob hitting two balls across the Little Kanawha for home runs in a game, during which “Popeye” Puffenbarker also decked a ball into the woods on the other side of the river. These home runs conservatively would have traveled at least four hundred feet.

Later, Bob Gibson played semi-pro baseball in Akron along with Blaine Gay, another Orlando boy who was employed in Warren, Ohio. Although Blaine was a little older than Bob, he was still a very effective left handed pitcher. It was during his stint with the Akron semi-pro team that Bob was approached by a major league scout with the proposition of a contract as a pitcher. Bob however wanted to play third base rather than pitch. The scout insisted that his major league club was only interested in him as a pitcher. The indecision was resolved by Uncle Sam who sent a draft notice to Bob, and the choice was thereby settled.

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The Ninth Inning Wrap-Up

The crack of the bat on Saturdays and Sundays is not heard in Orlando anymore. Nor do the words, “Let’s play ball,” echo across the narrow Orlando valley. The Corps of Engineers has so screwed up the former beckoning baseball field at Falls Mill to the point that leaves will drop on what is left of the playing field, but no foul balls or pop-ups will fall there. The Falls Mill baseball field, once user friendly, now seems an alien place, unfit for recreation and unwelcoming to the few boys left with bat and ball in hand and a desire to play nine innings.

The olden days in Orlando were the glory years of baseball. We're fortunate to have the stories of “Popeye”, the Gibson boys, “Kiner” Allman, Blaine Gay and his brother-in-law Vaden Grove, Charlie and Cecil Mick, and all the other young men and boys who learned to play the game on Saturday and Sunday afternoons on the hayfields of the Oil Creek valley or the sand and red clay of Falls Mill. They are a part of history, and particularly a part of our history.

Note: The entry Fish Stories tells other stories of some of the Orlando boys mentioned in this entry.

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Comments
Comment 1 by David Parmer
In the Riffleton News reported in the Burnsville Kanawha Banner on June 21, 1911, it was noted that Charlie Moran incurred a broken jaw in a Saturday baseball game at Orlando and was taken to a Clarksburg hospital for treatment.

Writer’s Note: “Riffleton” was the name for the community in the area of Riffle’s Run which is just over the hill from Orlando. This community also was known as “Stop.”

Comment 2 Jim Kuhl
I grew up near Gilmer. Most of the local men used to belong to the Gilmer baseball team of that era. My father, Earl Kuhl, and his brothers Junior and Willard, all played for the Gilmer team. My uncles, the Snyder brothers, and the two Love brothers also played for the Gilmer team. Most of the games were played at Falls Mill so that all the families could swim and picnic each Sunday. Dad would haul all of us to the game in the back of his coal truck which I also used to drive to Burnsville to see the Saturday night movie.
My uncle Jack Snyder married Doris Riffle of Orlando. My uncle Jack and I used to hunt on the hill behind Doris ’ home.

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Note: Jim is a cousin to lots of Oil Creek folks: all the Coles in the Oil Creek area as his 2g grandfather was Conrad Kuhl, uncle of Henry Harrison Cole who settled on Threelick, the Godfreys, including Stone Soup contributor Pat Rechart, "Uncle Zeke's" wife Lorena Godfrey and the Buzzardtown Tonguetwisters Olive, Charles and James Henline, and even Dick Skinner. who owned the Orlando restaurant. -dwg

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comment 3 by John Allman
I remember when I was around eleven or twelve years old, attending a baseball game at Hyres Run during the 1940’s. The pitcher for the Hyres Run team was Blaine Gay from Orlando. Blaine had a tremendous fast ball and could really “bring it” to the plate.

I recall during the game that the other team had a runner on first base. The catcher for the Hyres Run team was Web Goodwin. Web was a very big man and was an outstanding catcher. As Blaine was in his delivery to the plate, Web noticed the base runner starting toward second base on an attempted steal. Web prematurely whipped off his catcher’s mask as Blaine ’s fast ball was coming toward the plate. The batter swung at the pitch and ticked the ball, changing the course of the ball from Web’s mitt to Web’s forehead. The ball struck with a dreadful sound. Web was knocked unconscious and had blood running from his eyes and ears. Web suffered a concussion but recovered from the rendezvous with Blaine ’s fastball.

After World War II, I spoke with Blaine who I knew had earlier been offered a major league contract with one of the Chicago teams. He advised me that because his employment at that time was vital to the war effort he could not accept the major league contract. After the war, Blaine was advised by major league scouts that he was then too old to begin a baseball career. .

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comment 4 by Leonard Keith
My father, Leonard “Lindy” Keith, was an avid baseball player in his youth in Orlando. As a young man before World War II, he played for local teams, and, as did many young men from Orlando, donned the uniform of the Falls Mills team. After service in World War II, my father, who worked as an assistant station master for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in Burnsville, continued playing baseball for the Falls Mill team from around 1946 until 1949.

When I was around eight years old in 1949, my father pitched his last baseball game for the Falls Mill team. During this game, at which I was present, my father suffered an arm injury which ended his pitching days. After this game he was no longer able to throw a baseball overhand.

My family moved to South Carolina in 1950. Although unable to throw overhand, my father took up fast pitch softball and was a very successful pitcher in fast pitch softball leagues in South Carolina. I would frequently serve as catcher for my father during his pitching practice but he threw so hard it was difficult for me to serve as an efficient battery mate.

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comment 5 by David Parmer
Bert Hamric, a native of Sand Fork and former resident of Burnsville, was a major leaguer and played as an outfielder for the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers and the 1958 Baltimore Orioles. He began his minor league career in 1949 and played for various farm teams of the Brooklyn Dodgers. While awaiting his chance to play baseball professionally, Bert often played at Falls Mill. Bert’s father, Odbert Hamric, was also a noted baseball player and played on semi-professional teams in the Akron area. According to Bert’s brother, Fay, during a pre-game practice session at Falls Mill, Bert told his father that he bet that he could hit a ball further than his dad. Bert then hit a long fly ball into the falls of the Little Kanawha River. His father then promptly hit a longer fly ball over the falls.

In the spring of 1955, Bert broke his right hand during spring training with the Brooklyn Dodgers and lived briefly in Burnsville while he convalesced. Bert was ambidextrous and could throw the baseball with his left hand as well as his right. On several occasions I played catch with Bert who threw the baseball very effectively with his left hand.

comment 6 by Betty (Cart) Densmore
My father, Charles Foster Cart, was born in Strange Creek to Fleet Cart and Susan (Moore) Cart and graduated from high school in Huntington, West Virginia.

He came to Orlando in about 1925 as a telegraph operator and agent for the B & O Railroad. He later held the same position with the railroad at Burnsville. He met my mother Hazel Wooddell at a church social where the men bid on the women’s picnic baskets. My father was the successful bidder on my mother’s basket. They were married and had four children, Mary (Cart) Barcus, Betty (Cart) Densmore, Sue Ann Cart Tighe and Charles Foster Cart, Jr.

My father loved baseball and all other sports but baseball was his favorite. He took my brother to some games in Pittsburgh when we lived in Grafton. He bought the two older girls miniature baseball bats from the Louisville Sluggers baseball bat company. I still have mine.

He played center field and was a switch hitter.

One of my neighbors in Florida is Mary Marguerite (Moran) Bush, daughter of John and Myrtle Moran of Burnsville. Her grandfather was Patrick Moran of Orlando. Mary Marguerite’s first grade teacher at Burnsville was my aunt Madeline Cart who was my dad’s sister.

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Comment 7 by Herbert Posey
My father, Lloyd Posey, owned a farm on Clover Fork with a ten acre bottom, complete with a baseball field. My three older brothers, Bob, Paul and Dee Posey, were dedicated baseball players. Bob was a pitcher and Dee played first base and was a catcher. A lot of baseball was played during the 1930’s on this field. My brothers also played quite a lot of baseball at Falls Mill. Baseball was a favorite pastime of the boys in the neighborhood.