William O. Skinner Went West

David Parmer shared this story in 2006:
William O. Skinner was was born in 1849 to Alexander & Phoebe (Conrad) Skinner1. He was, to the best of our research to date, the only one of their 14 children to leave central West Virgina. It was shortly after the Civil War that he joined his aunt and uncle, Matthias and Elizabeth (Conrad) Nail, in the migration to California. He lived in ElDorado, California (see map at left) for 20-some years. He married a California girl, Belle Nichols around 1880. They had three daughters and one son, Bertha Barto, Velma Etzenhouser, Arden O. Skinner and Ruth Price.


A blacksmith by trade, he was ordained a priest in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints2 in 1887 and ten years later he relocated to Independence, Missouri where the denomination is headquartered. Shortly after that he began making annual trips back to Orlando, where he began a congregation known as "Mission Number 1930." About 1930 the Orlando congregation had a church building near the mouth of Posey Run. The tiny congregation lasted into the early 1960s.

William O. Skinner died in Independence, Missouri in 1923 and was buried in the Mound
Grove Cemetery in Independence.

. . . . .

The following comes from Barbara Diane (Etzenhouser) Edwards:

William Otto Skinner (my maternal grandfather) married Belle Dynan Nichols in Sacramento City in 1880. She was only 16, having been born on August 13, 1863 in Amador, California (in the California gold country). She had been orphaned at about age 11 and along with several of her siblings had been placed in the Christian Women's Orphan Asylum in Sacramento. This orphanage is now called Sacramento Childrens Home. The home still has a card on the Dynan children, giving their names, ages at admission, ages at discharge and to whom discharged.

Left: wedding picture of William and Belle (Dynan Nichols) Skinner

A few years later, she was released to the care of and adoption by a Mrs. Nichols. Family lore is that she had to go to bars to buy buckets of beer for Mrs. Nichols. (A younger brother, Ben, was adopted by a family named Fertig.) I heard somewhere that she married William Skinner because he was religious and she thought he would be good to her. He was a blacksmith. Their first two children, Bertha and Arden, were born in Grizzly Flats, California. Bertha Mabel Skinner was born on November 25, 1882 and died in Independence, Missouri in December 1941. Arden O. Skinner was born on March 11, 1884 and died on March 17th, 1982 in Lombard, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Ruth Emma Skinner was born on May 9, 1888 in Roseville, California and died on May 6, 1972 in Independence, Missouri. The youngest child, Velma

Alverta Skinner, was born on March 6, 1899 in Independence, Missouri and died December 21, 1978 in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

My mother, Velma Skinner, married my father, Leonard Raymond Etzenhouser, in about 1926 or 1927. They had both grown up in Independence where William Skinner was a blacksmith. They were both raised in the Reorganized Latter Day Church. Mother worked as a legal secretary in Kansas City while Dad was attending Kansas City Dental College. I believe that William Skinner died July 31, 1923 in Independence. He had left Belle four houses so she was able to live comfortably. By the time she died in about 1941, she had had to sell all of her property. Through the years, members of the younger generation would borrow money from her. My Dad borrowed money from her in order to set up a dental practice in Smithville, now part of Kansas City. Missouri. However, the depression hit, and he was fortunate to be accepted into the United States Public Health Service in which he remained until his retirement. He was transferred frequently and we lived in all parts of the country.

. . . . .

additional information from David Parmer in June, 2012:

Matthias Nail, a Comment by David Parmer

In the late 1960’s or early 1970’s, I visited Margaret (Henline) Nixon who lived in Weston. Mrs. Nixon, who died in January 1981, was the daughter of Beham Henline and Samantha (Skinner) Conrad, the latter of whom was the daughter of Alexander Skinner and Phoebe (Conrad) Skinner of Orlando.

Mrs. Nixon had a number of old photographic images which had belonged to her mother, Samantha (Skinner) Henline, and presumably they had originally belonged to Phoebe Conrad Skinner, grandmother of Mrs. Nixon. Three of the photographic images were tin types, one of Alexander Skinner, one of Phoebe (Conrad) Skinner, and another of Matthias Nail.

Mrs. Nixon graciously allowed me to borrow the tin types for copying. About a dozen copies of each of the tin types were made, and then distributed by me to various descendants of Alexander and Phoebe Skinner. These photographs have been copied and re-copied many times over the years by the original recipients of the first copies and are now very familiar to Skinner genealogists.

The third tin type of Matthias Nail was an interesting image. I inquired of Mrs. Nixon about the relationship of Matthias Nail to the Skinner family. Mrs. Nixon advised me that Mr. Nail’s wife was the sister of Phoebe (Conrad) Skinner. She believed that the Nail family had lived in the Randolph County neighborhood and that shortly before the Civil War, Mr. Nail had contracted “gold fever” and set his sights on going to California in order to find the “cure.” The entire Nail family planned to make this trek across the wild West to California and reinforcements were needed because of the dangers which lay to the west. Mrs. Nixon advised me that according to family lore, Mr. Nail solicited volunteers from the family of his brother-in-law, Alexander Skinner, to join in the expedition. William Skinner, the youngest son of Alexander and Phoebe (Conrad) Skinner, and only around twelve years of age or so, also was struck by the “gold fever wanderlust” and begged his parents to go to the West with his aunt and uncle to California. Permission was granted and William Skinner joined the Nail wagon train for the journey.

Right: Matthias Nail

Mrs. Nixon also recalled that George Nail, a son of Matthias Nail, drowned in the Missouri River during the adventure.

As is well-known to Skinner family genealogists, the Nail Expedition was successful in reaching California. Whether a “cure” for the “gold fever” was found is unknown. The subsequent history of William Skinner is also well-known and needs no repeating in this comment.

On the back-side Matthias Nail tin type, the name of the photographer was stamped. The information given was “William Shew’s Photographic Est., San Francisco, California # 33925.” The address of the photographic studio was given as 115 Kearney Street.

Notes:
1. More about William's parents: Alexander Skinner's will & photo can be found in the April 19, '06 entry and the March 23, '06 entry about Phoebe (Conrad) Skinner contains her photo.
2. a denomination which is a cousin to the Mormans, the LDS. More information on the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, now know as The Community of Christ, can be found at http://cofchrist.org/history/intro.asp

The Reverend Christian Kuhl's Obituary

Obituary, Nov. 21, 1918
The Braxton Democrat

Transcribed by Lila Powers

Rev. Christian Kuhl, son of Henry and Catherine Kuhl, was born near Baltimore, Md., October 19, 1839, and departed this life at the home of his daughter, Mrs. C. N. Brooks, October 25, 1918, at 3:30 o’clock a.m. having been sick but nine and one-half days, of paralysis.

He was 79 years and 6 days of age at the time of his death, and his going was that of peace and ease. “The hoary head is a crown of glory if it be found in the way of righteousness.” Prov. 16: 31. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honor the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord.” Lev. 19: 32.

Left: Christian Kuhl

Right: Emsey Heater

He was united in marriage to Emsey E. Heater October 28, 1866. To this union were born six children, two boys and four girls. The youngest girl (Martha R.) preceded him to the Spirit Land January 5, 1879, at the age of six years. He leaves to mourn their loss a loving, devoted wife, five children, eight grandchildren, two brothers, one sister, two half sisters and one half brother, and many friends and acquaintances who have loved and revered him for many years. Their children are: Mrs. Cornelia N. Brooks, of Burnsville, W. Va.; Mrs. Addie Nicholson, of Hettie, W. Va.; Mrs. Rosa H. Benecke, of Titusville, Fla.; Luther J. Kuhl, of Frametown, W. Va.; and Robert F. Kuhl, of Clarksburg, W. Va.

He was a man of strong convictions and would stand up for what he thought was right, and would endure all kinds of hardships for its furtherance. He was true to the principles of his convictions. He was a Confederate soldier during the late civil war, having enlisted at Glenville, W. Va. In Company D, Thirty-first Regiment, Virginia Volunteers, under Captain John E. Mitchell, on May 31, 1861, and served the cause for which he fought faithfully, bravely and heroically. He was four times wounded, the last time seriously, on March 25, 1865, in the charge of Ft. Steadman, having been shot in the right shoulder. He was then captured and sent to Lincoln hospital in Washington City, and was there when Lee surrendered, and did not get home until June 1, 1865. He was distinguished in service, having been promoted to the rank of orderly sergeant for meritorious conduct. He was always at his post of duty, was never absent without leave, and was never punished for any offense during the entire war.

Brother Kuhl was converted to the religion of Jesus Christ when about 21 years of age and joined the M. F. Church, South, in 1866. He was a very active church worker. He was licensed to exhort in 1866, was licensed a local preacher in 1888; and was ordained a local deacon September 18, 1892, by Bishop J. C. Keener at Clarksburg, Va. He preached until November 16, 1901, eighty-one sermons. He always helped to support the Gospel and helped his pastors with their revivals. He administered the ordinance of baptism to quite a number of persons, both children and adults, and filled the place of class leader, Sunday-school superintendent, etc., and also married quite a number of couples.

Above, left: Emsey with daughter Cornelia

Above, right: Christian and Emsey (Heater) Kuhl

Below, left: Christian Kuhl’s Family
. . . Front row (L-R): Christian Kuhl, Emsey Ellen Heater Kuhl, Hezekiah Stout, and Rebecca Kuhl Stout.
. . . Second row (L-R): Luther J. Kuhl, Robert F. Kuhl, Rosa H. Kuhl, Lewis Brooks.
. . . Third row (L-R): Elisha A Nicholson, Laura Addie Kuhl Nicholson, Cornelia Kuhl Brooks.
Photo is from Dave Kuhl’s Collection.

He was a farmer by occupation, but had bookselling and colportage as side lines. He would raise his yearly crop, then he would go out and sell books of various kinds. He was colporteur for the American Tract Society and sold $1,116.86 worth of books and distributed $161.18 free. He also supplied many destitute families with cheap Bibles and Testaments from the American Bible Society.

Brother Kuhl was very earnest in his home religion. Shortly after he was married he and his faithful companion set up their family altar and continued it as long as they kept house to themselves. Night and morning would they have prayer, and they led all of their children to be professors of religion, and when the parents were away from home, the children would each take their turn conducting the family worship.

Brother Kuhl marked hymn No. 605 in his church hymnal, saying the words fit him, dated June 5, 1910:

We may say of him:

“Servant of God, well done!

Thy glorious warfare’s past;

The battle’s fought, the race is won,

And thou art crowned at last.”

“Nobly thy course is run,

Splendor is round it.

Bravely thy fight is won,

Victory crowned it.”

“In thy warfare of heaven,

Grown old and hoary,

Thou’rt like the summer sun

Shrouded in glory.”

“I cannot say, and will not say,

That he is dead; he is just away!

With a cheery smile, and a wave of the hand,

He has wandered into an unknown land.

Think of him faring on, as dear

In the love of there as the love of here.”

The above was taken from an obituary written and read at the funeral service of the deceased in the home of his daughter by his pastor, Rev. U. S. G. Allen.

We wish you to publish the above in the Braxton Democrat.

Mrs. Emsey E. Kuhl

A Farmer on Three Lick

by John Vincent Carney

“John Brice was a prince of a fellow and remained one of my favorite buddies for years and years. He was a young good looking, strong boned Irishman with a hearty laugh and a shiny gold tooth up front.”
. . . . -from the John Kilker Carney Manuscript Kilker—page 8

John Patrick Brice was born 24th Mar 1891 in Braxton Co. W.Va. He was the youngest of 13 children born to Irish immigrants John and Mary Ellen (McFadden) Brice who had been born in County Donegal.

John was orphaned at the age of 6 or 7. His parents both died from tuberculosis, his father at age 43 and his mother a year later at the age of 31. The two youngest of the couple’s children, John Patrick and his brother Michael Vincent remained in Orlando but the older eleven children went to New York to someone who knew the family. They were raised under the family name of Brislin and not Brice.

Right, above: John Patrick Brice
Left: brothers John Patrick, Michael Vincent, Charles and James

John's brother Michael Vincent was adopted by Michael and Margaret Gallagher while John Patrick found a home with James F. Carney. The 1900 census shows John Patrick living with the family of Ellen Carney, widow of Patrick Carney, with their son James F., 29 and single, listed as head of household. Later John P. Brice was living with James F. Carney and his wife Catherine Lorena (Moran) and their children.

My father was one of James F. and Lorena (Moran) Carney’s children. His name was, like myself, John V. Carney (1908-1981). John P. Brice was a big help to this Carney family; he was somewhat older than the children of James F. and Lorena.

Michael V. Brice’s records indicate that he was a railroad engineer at the time he married and his death record stated his occupation as “plumber.” As far as we know, John remained in farming.

John P. Brice was drafted to serve in the First World War on June 5th 1917 at the age of 27. Lee Paul Moran, son of Orlando mortician and businessman Mike Moran, recalls seeing John in military uniform in a photo which was displayed in the Brice living room on Three Lick. John was proud of his military service and was a member of the American Legion until his death.

In 1920 at the age of 30 John married another child of Irish immigrants, 33 year old milliner (maker of ladies’ hats) Celia Tully. Celia was the daughter of John and Margaret (McNeal) Tully. Celia was also the great aunt of Mike Moran, Orlando mortician and businessman.

Left: the marriage certificate of John and Celia (Tully) Brice.
Right: Examples of fashionable hats in 1920.
Click on these graphics to enlarge them.

I can remember my dad taking us back to see John and Ceclia Brice on their farm. John Brice tried to show me how to milk a cow, what an experience for city boy of only 10 years old or so from Clarksburg.

John Patrick Brice died on Christmas Eve, 1972 in Weston.

. . . . .

Note1:
Children of John and Mary Ellen (McFadden) Brice
1. James Brislin
2. Margaret Brislin
3. Patrick Brislin born in 1861 in Pennsylvania
4. Hannah Brislin born in 1864 in Pennsylvania
5. Mary Brislin born in 1867 in Pennsylvania
6. Katie Brislin born in 1868 in Pennsylvania
7. Charles Brislin born in 1872 in Pennsylvania
8. Nellie Brislin born in 1874 in Pennsylvania
9. Michael Brislin born in 1876 in Pennsylvania
10. Annie Brislin born in 1879 in Pennsylvania
11. Thomas Brislin born in 1880 in Pennsylvania
12. Michael Vincent Brice born in 1887 in Braxton Co. W.Va. and died 1962 in Richwood, W.Va.
13. John Patrick Brice born in 1891 in Braxton Co. W.Va. and died 1972 in Weston , Lewis Co.W.Va

. . . . .

Comment by Bob Pumphrey
The story about John Brice brought back memories of yesteryear and my efforts to obtain my driver’s license. Growing up on Three Lick in a family without an automobile did not afford me many opportunities to practice the “black arts” of parking between parallel lines, signaling left turns, and following the directions of a fearsome state policeman. Needless to say, my fantasies of operating a motorized vehicle were far above my skills to do so, especially for a country boy trying to navigate the busy streets of Weston. My first three efforts to obtain my driver’s license were attempted in an old ¾ ton cattle truck, complete with cattle racks, which belonged to Jimmy Feeney. Somehow, the old cattle truck, which I think was an old 1949 Chevrolet, had been disoriented by all of the old stubborn cattle which Jimmy Feeney had hauled to market. The truck just wouldn’t do what I wanted it to do and bucked me at every turn. The state policeman, I’m sure, enjoyed a good laugh as he related to the other state policemen, the tale of the country bumpkin who was trying to tame an old cattle truck. Giving up after my third failure with Jimmy Feeney’s cattle truck, I somehow was able to convince John Brice to let me try again, this time in his smaller compact 1950 Ford automobile. John was reluctant to let me try my fourth effort in his relatively new Ford, probably because he had heard from Jimmy Feeney that I had already failed the test three times. But kind John gave in and with much trepidation took me to Weston to the State Police station to try again. Before the test, I noticed John speaking privately with the state police examiner, and pointing in my direction. I couldn’t tell whether the state policeman was laughing or not, which was probably a good thing, because I was nervous enough the way it was. At any rate, my fourth effort was a charm and I finally passed my driver’s test in 1952. Looking back, I always wondered whether John Brice told the state policeman to be lenient with me on the driver’s test, because I was persistent and would harass both John and the state policeman forever more unless I passed. It was a relief for all three of us that I finally passed my driver’s test, and many thanks to John Brice.

. . . . .

Comment by Tom Jeffries
I read the interesting story about John Brice by John Carney. The Comment by Bob Pumphrey to the John Brice story also attracted my attention, particularly the mention of John Brice’s automobile. Although I was quite young at the time, I always had a great interest in automobiles around the Orlando area and remember Mr. Brice’s Ford very well. I believe his automobile was a black 1951 Ford Coupe. The Coupe was distinguished from the Tudor Sedan by having a single small rear side window, as opposed to the longer roll down window and wing window on the Tudor. The names “Coupe” and “Tudor” were marketing names used by the Ford Motor Company. The 1951 Ford Coupe was very similar to the 1949 and 1950 model, but had double “bullets” made in the grill. I thought that was so cool when I was young. I still like the 1951 models better than the others of similar look.

Mr. Brice kept his Ford in a garage across from his house and drove it sparingly, except to town and to church in Orlando. I remember him hauling his push lawn mower to St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Orlando to mow the lawn. Mr. Brice kept his car very clean and I considered it as one of the most beautiful and well kept cars in Orlando. I don’t know whatever became of the car after the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Brice, but I always hoped that the person who got the car took good care of it. It was a beautiful car.

Comment by Bob Skinner (son of Glen and Virginia (McCoy) Skinner)
You are correct about John Brice's car. He and Celia were our neighbors on Grass Run when I was a small boy. Mom and Dad used to play cards with them on Saturday nights. Before the '51 he had a Model A that I barely remember. He kept it in the barn below the house that Martin Posey ended up buying when we were in school at Walnut Grove. That is where Goldie and Raymond Posey lived. I think Sonny Wymer and Dosie Posey live there now. At least they did last time I was back there with Mom for her 75th high school reunion. I think that was in '99. Our old house and all the buildings had been torn down. It was so sad Mom would not get out of the car

An interesting side note is that my Aunt Audrey (uncle Junior McCoy-Mom's brother) and John Brice had a fender bender not far from the house where the Brice's moved. I think it was Aunt Audrey's fault if I remember correctly. She had a lead foot. Now the funny part. Aunt Audrey was pregnant at the time, and unbeknown to her that Mrs Brice's name was Celia, she named the baby girl in her tummy Celia. That has always been a laugh in our family.

Thomas Quirk Remembered part 2

Jim Mullooly, cousin to many of Orlando's Irish, has done extensive research on Fr. Thomas Aquinas Quirk. This is the second of two articles in The Catholic Spirit published by the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in 2002.
Part 1 of this review of Thomas Quirk’s life discussed his early years in southern Ireland, his service in the Union Army during the Civil War, his studies for the clergy in Paris and his return to America to serve as a missionary.

After studying in Paris, he came to the Diocese of Wheeling and Charleston, to serve under Bishop Richard Whalen. Here he finished his studies for ordination and taught at St. Vincent Seminary. After that he was assigned to serve as a priest in the rural areas from Parkersburg.

by Jim Mullooly

It was on September 12, 1872 that Bishop Richard Whalen, having tested the young Father Thomas Quirk in the outback of Parkersburg, assigned him to a more remote frontier. Here he built two churches and literally built up the Catholic Church where only a handful of Catholics existed. Centered at Guyandotte and the newly established city of Huntington, Thomas Quirk was the bishop’s man to lay the foundation in all respects. This included opening a school with himself as sole teacher for several years. The school drew many Protestants. The few Catholic schools in the diocese at the time were of quality and were often the only educational institution available. In Father Quirk’s case, his particular skills could meet the needs of advance students aspiring to further college training.

Right above: Ordination portrait of Father Thomas Quirk.
Right: Msgr. Thomas Quirk and Bishop Swint
View these photos and many other items clearly at the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston website

He made his home with a prominent Catholic family, the Carrolls, and turned a cornfield into a substantial frame church and attached school at 20th Street and Seventh Avenue, after saying mass for a few months in a shanty near the C & O roundhouse.

Labors In the Vineyard

The opening of the state to industry and settlement had several disadvantages. In the decades after the Civil War, work building the railroads, harvesting lumber and coal and later gas and oil, brought in droves of settlers, many of them Catholic immigrants. There were countless industrial accidents associated with harsh employment conditions and a cheaper labor pool. Also the railroads, the river pack boats, in particular, brought outside contagions such as small pox, yellow fever, typhoid. The diocese at that time excluded the eastern panhandle of West Virginia but extended down to include the southwestern corner of Virginia. Father Quirk held faculties, at their request, for three dioceses, that of Kentucky, Ohio and his own. Constantly called to travel up the Tug, down the Sandy up to Point Pleasant and crossing the Ohio in a skiff to reach the outback of Gallipolis, he anointed people dying of those illnesses and injuries. Once he donned a rubber suit given by the attending physician to minister to the dying victim of yellow fever. “I had a chance to see the ‘black bile’ associated with that disease” he reported in his Diocesan History. It was during these years, riding up and down the steep hills of the region that the largely Protestant community, comparing him to the circuit riding preachers of the previous generation, titled him the “Little Padre of the Hills.”

Huntington was prone to flooding and he noted a section that the cyclical floods never touched. He undertook to build a newer, more substantial church there (1883) and out of his own pocket place the necessary down payments and contracts. The new bishop, John J. Kain, transferred him shortly thereafter to the Sandfork area of central West Virginia. He was responsible for three missionsof St Patrick's Church in Weston, St. Bernard’s on Loveberry Ridge, St Bridget's on Goosepen Road and St. Michael's in the Confluence/Orlando area. At first Father Quirk was not pleased.

Appeals to the Archbishop

Father Quirk appealed his assignment to the then archbishop of Baltimore arguing that it was a demotion, rather than a promotion, and that he was personally responsible for a period of the finances of the new church he had built in Huntington. There was ill-feelings between the bishop and Father Quirk, probably due to the fact that Bishop Kain identified him as the probable leader for a petition drive to replace Bishop Whalen with a local priest of the Wheeling Diocese, rather than an outsider, so that Whalen’s policies could continue uninterrupted. There was a sense of the bishop taking this personally and “retaliating” against the six signatories of the “Round Robin” petition (wherein the signatures encircled the text and no one signed first.) At the very least there was a clash of philosophy if not personality. This was only the first of several causes requiring the archbishop’s mediation between Father Quirk and Bishop Kain. His reluctance to move was also due to his connections in the area, particularly to several orphans he had taken under his wing.

Right, above: Bishop Whalen
Right, below: Bishop Kain

However, always faithful to the virtue of obedience, especially relating to the church, her moved to the Sandfork area, arriving on September 12, 1884, with orphans and students in tow. Had the 1890 U.S. Census not been destroyed by fire, we would have been able to recover the names of these children. He stayed with Thomas White on Loveberry Hill until a proper rectory could be built next to St. Bernard’s. Over the years he would seek permission to absent himself a few days to return to Huntington to visit with his erstwhile congregants and the Carroll family.

A Family Man

His interest in orphans would continue over time, placing many from St. John’s Children’s Home (then “Orphanage”) of Wheeling with families in his parish. We often note his sending extra money that he came by, for the support of these Wheeling orphans. He always requested the strictest anonymity when doing so. Some orphans he would reserve for himself, i.e. Henry Gill, Vincent Felton, Joe Ahern, Julia Benton and others unknown to us. He raised all of these mentioned, providing whatever secondary schooling was needed such as sending Julia to DeSales Heights on Parkersburg. Henry Gill married neighbor William McCudden’s daughter and moved to Pittsburgh. However his wife Ellen died suddenly on a visit home in 1911. Vincent Felton eventually moved to New Jersey and would return in later years with his wife to pass time with Father Quirk. Julia married Thomas V. Craft and raised a family in Weston. Father Quirk could be seen riding into Weston along Camden Avenue to have Sunday dinner with Julia, her husband and children. He would always bring a sack of candy.

“Feed My Sheep”

Father Quirk saw himself as a spiritual “caterer” breaking the bread of life in the wilderness for those who had none. Assigned to Sandfork area by the hand of Providence, he refused all opportunities to leave, to “advancement.” This was his true portion, his calling, feeding this particular community, being the hand of Christ in this wilderness. His habit of daily prayer, fasting often, frequent recognition for his need for redemption, his mindful service to all who sought him out, prepared him for the healing work associated with him. Those still alive today who knew him characterize him above all as a healer, a true mediator for God’s grace and healing love. There are continuing reports of breast cancer, skin diseases, goiters in his lifetime and speedy recovery from difficult medical procedures and other healings after his death. His powerful gentleness and convinced faith mediated local disputes and matters of conscience, even applying the unguent of God’s love to community traumas originating in economic, industrial and political assaults.

Right: Bishop Donohue

Bishop Donohue, successor to Bishop Kain, especially relied upon his keen insight and diagnostic ability, his sensitivity and compassion when he would send him out to minister to what we would deem today impaired clergy. His ministry there was full of support and encouragement for his fellow presbyters, but painfully direct when indicated. He was a man of strong opinions, often right, but escaping the mire of self-righteousness and ultimately taking his stand in Pascal’s dictum, “The heart has its reason that Reason knows not.” For years he was a member of the bishop’s Priests Council whose function was continuing evaluation of newly ordained clergy, in areas of theology and pastoral response. This earned him the respect of emerging clergy over the years. At the diocesan retreats the clergy would gather round him like chicks to a mother hen, feeding on every word.

Day to Day

An observer, climbing up Loveberry Hill “on a genial spring day”, as Father Quirk would term it, and in memory’s eternal present, in the late afternoon would quickly note the distinction of a farmer banging on an old tin bucket to gather various critters for feeding. On closer inspection, even in work clothes, he wears the white linen choker of his vocation. Neighbors in need, not members of the congregation, might have just left the rectory with sugar, flour, some money and a blessing from him. Earlier still, he may have gone over to the nearby schoolhouse to visit with and encourage the students. Some would stop by later for some milk and cookies, legendary treats of the long time housekeeper, Annie Doonan. They would have no doubt interrupted her baking of the upcoming Sunday’s hosts in a large double-sided iron held over the wood-fired stove. Later in the evening there would be visitors, friends, congregants gathering on the front porch discussing with Father Quirk the local news and the current events of that time gleaned from, perhaps, the Cincinnati Intelligencer, a gift subscription from his brother Patrick.
Nearby, hear the first cry of the ever-returning whippoorwill.

Jim Mullooly had the privilege of portraying Father Quirk as a living history character. Each year on the Sunday afternoon closest to September 12, there is a liturgy celebrating Father Quirk’s life at St Bernard’s with 60-80 persons in attendance.

Father Thomas Quirk Remembered, part 1

Jim Mullooly, cousin to many of Orlando's Irish, has done extensive research on Fr. Thomas Aquinas Quirk. Jim even portrays Fr. Quirk in Living History enactments. The following story is taken from an article he wrote in 2004 for The Catholic Spirit, a publication of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston.
This is the first of two articles in The Catholic Spirit published by the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in 2002.

by Jim Mullooly

In deepest night, in that final hour when myriads of stars in the Milky Way manifest God’s promise to Abraham’s spiritual progeny now and forever, a nineteen year old stood watch somewhere in the great Valley of Virginia, scene of recent Civil War skirmishes, battles, indeed slaughters. He fingered a windfall apple in his pocket. It was too soon to release its crisp goodness, a certain clue in the stillness of the night to those abroad to his presence on the outskirts of camp. Nonetheless, he anticipated the dawn and his relief.

Right: Thomas Aquinas Quirk's 1870 ordination portrait.
Left: Fr. Thomas Quirk and is horse Barney
Left, below: Detail from photo of Fr. Quirk with his horse Barney.

Lewis County’s last resident living Civil War veteran (Union) died peacefully at 2:45 P.M. September 12, 1937, fifty-three years to the day of his arrival in central West Virginia. He was surrounded by his brother Patrick, nephews Tom and Howard, loving friends, neighbors and parishioners. The Right Reverend Monsignor Thomas Aquinas Quirk (pronounced "Kerk") was 93 and the onset of pneumonia following a severe fall on the day of his last Mass, one week previous, was simply too much for him to bear. He had been a priest in the diocese West Virginia for 67 years, actively so until his final illness,

He was a soldier, scholar, priest, editor, educator, practical farmer, oil boom enthusiast, historian for the diocese, seer-like prognosticator. Often associated with the Barry Fitzgerald-like posed photo in 1934, with his horse Barney, the man behind the image is more extraordinary still. As we view the reality of a lifetime, he is beyond ordinary measurements of greatness.

Beginnings

Thomas Quirk was born in the famine years in Ireland on his father’s 95-acre farm in the townland of Ballyhimock. Thomas Quirk’s story of emigration to the New World, joining the Union Army’s 69th New York Volunteer Infantry Company A, (“Irish Brigade”), experience of skirmish and horror of battle with it, especially in the Army of the Potomac in the “Great Valley of Virginia,” acquisition of citizenship as just recompense for service, was ultimately that of thousands of young Irish men of the period. These men, some with families, discovered a new world of opportunity, pride of ownership and other perhaps less tangible measures of success, but all contributing to America’s growth following divisive civil conflict. For the Irish in particular, there was immense opportunity, particularly in rural America, to develop talents of animal husbandry, prosperous crop cultivation, participation in trade and market economy, which were impossible to express under the British regime in Ireland.

Right, above: Thomas Quirk's family home in Ireland

Right: Ballyhimock

These two photos and more can be found at the website of the Diocese of Wheeling and Charleston.

Many of the Irish Brigade members acquiring the arts of war returned to Ireland to participate in the unsuccessful Fenian Rising in 1867. It was his own brother, Patrick, who reported the story of Father Quirk returning to Ireland after the American Civil War, “springing” a Fenian prisoner from jail, forever making him persona non gratis in his homeland.

Thomas Quirk alluded to a few skirmishes for his part of the war as a lowly adjutant, but never spoke about his battle experience. However, in his history of the Wheeling Diocese, completed in 1925 and serialized in the West Virginia edition of the (Pittsburg) Catholic Reporter, in describing the fear and familiarity of imminent death American soldiers in World War I battlefields lived with, one vividly senses that he was drawing from his own experience as a soldier. He describes “… that anguish of soul, that biting apprehension of death, the tremors that will visit the bravest heart during the lone night watches—the most priceless jewels of a soldier’s experience.”

Left: Tools of the trade- Fr. Quirk's chalice and paten.

The mournful cry of the whippoorwill at early light on the carnage fields of the war gave voice, for many, to their grieving, but the devoted male bird is noted for nurturing its young and infusing new life. All his life Thomas Quirk would attend to the first cry of the whippoorwill, not only as a predictor of weather, but, perhaps, as a symbol of his transforming war experiences, calling him to the priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church as well as continuing renewal of his commitment to compassionate service for those living out the victories and defeats of that war throughout the new state of West Virginia.

Education

Thus it was, upon his discharge from the war, he went to France to study for the priesthood at the Irish College and St. Sulpice Seminary- Alma mater of many Roman Catholic priests of the Irish Diaspora. This Seminary at Issy in the Parisian suburbs specialized in training of priest for the mission fields in piety, learning and physical exercise.

Left: The Irish College in Paris
Right: St Sulpice in the suburbs of Paris.

He took classes for his own interest at the nearby Sorbonne in medicine and law. The Sulpicians trained their missionaries to be as self-sufficient as possible in frontier regions, endowing them with many practical tools that would be needed where various institutions as yet did not exist or were very remote. At the seminary itself, he was particularly interested in mathematics and physics, completing extra summer studies in these fields. He studied also with some of the finest theologians and philosophers in Europe, then on the faculty of the seminary. His earlier education was of the “prep school” variety where he honed his Latin, Greek, and probably also modern European languages such as French and German. (He would readily quote Schiller in German in a letter to Bishop Donahue, considerately translating for the good Bishop.)

To this day you will find wills and other documents drawn up and witnessed by Thomas Quirk for his parishioners. He wrote impeccable deeds and wills. Protestants and Catholics alike sought him out for medical, legal and pending business decisions. At the time he was in France medically the French were on the frontier of the body/mind nexus. (Freud studied in Paris before developing his science of the mind) Many healings have been attributed to Father Quirk’s recommendations over the years. He kept on hand a variety of European homeopathic medicines as well as various herbal remedies. He was out vaccinating people against smallpox in the state’s last great scare at the turn of the last century.

Answering the appeal for seminarians from Bishop Whelan, newly appointed first Bishop of West Virginia, Thomas Quirk responded shortly before his completion at St. Sulpice. The plan was to complete any needed education at St, Vincent’s, the diocesan Seminary in Wheeling and be part of the next ordination class. He arrived in Wheeling in September of 1869.

A Young Priest

Father Quirk celebrated his first mass in the old cathedral Wheeling on September 1, 1870. He remained in Wheeling with other priests to minister to the Greater Cathedral parish. The following spring, May of 1871, along with Father Anthony Schleicher, he was assigned to St Francis Xavier Parish in Parkersburg and it outlaying missions in Wood, Jackson, Wirt and Calhoun counties.
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Right: Fr, Quirk in the doorway, 1905-1913

German and Irish immigrants had completed work on the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike (routes 33 and 47 today). The workers settled on lands along the road and required the Church’s ministrations. As a young curate (priest) he was mentored by one of the great priests of the diocese, Father Henry Parke. At some point Father Parke departed for France on the bishop’s work and left the actual running of the parish to the young assistants, who eliminated debt and collected parish dues with consistency.

During this time Father Quirk was the actual editor and chief contributor of West Virginia’s first diocesan newspaper, the Catholic Messenger. This newspaper was started by Father Parke and nominally edited by Wood County businessman Henry O’Brien. Its stated mission was “to counter anti-Catholic bigotry and positively promote the views of the universal church in the United States.”

An Educator

Father Quirk was always an active and enthusiastic educator, beginning with St Vincent’s Seminary, continuing such when he was in Huntington, where he established a school and was the only teacher. At Loveberry near Sand Fork he established a second school. He published articles and debates in the Catholic Messenger which were picked up by the Catholic Press throughout the country, earned him the praise of the Catholic polemicist Orestes A. Brownson as the “brightest young priest in America” in the 1870s. Years later, writing in his history of the Diocese of Wheeling his concerns are strangely contemporary:
“The present penchant for luxurious, palatial schoolhouses, guiding and prompting both the state and parochial boards of education, is but the reprehensible mania for universal extravagance, common in our current hour and must die out. The systems of education, not the houses, are most in need of improvement and advance. Educational fads and follies have fairly drowned out the young idea. It shoots no more for it is kiln-dried in the pod.” (1924)

Left: The school at Loveberry Hill

Further research confirms Father Quirk’s natural affinity for education. A late life portrait of Blessed Edmund Rice, lay founder of the Irish Christian Brothers, a teaching order, by common consent of those still living who remember him, bears an uncanny resemblance to our Father Quirk in later years. Catherine Rice, Father Quirk’s mother, was second cousin to the well-known educator and nurturer of orphans. It is also to be noted that Lord Monteagle (a Spring-Rice) one of the “good” landlords of the 1846 potato famine, was some family connection. Two separate reports indicate Thomas Quirk was twice offered the lordship of Monteagle, but declined because of his Catholicism among other reasons. This title, in later tines, was passed every few years to cousins collateral due to lack of direct heir. This Lord Monteagle was British Chancellor of the Exchequer in the late 1830s and one speculates that Father Quirk’s educational opportunities in the British school system (where he was a cadet in the sense of our ROTC) was promoted by the Rice connections. Several older priests in the diocese remarked upon his peculiar Latin pronunciation. Could he have the legacy of the British Public Schools Latin with its closer to the original Latin pronunciation rather than the more modern Italianate mode of speech?

Sand Fork and Oil Creek

At the age of 39 Father Thomas Quirk came to central West Virginia. He moved into the rectory Loveberry Hill, in the Sand Fork watershed, and he served three churches: St Bernard located there, St. Bridgit, located on Goosepen Road and St. Michael, first located south of Clover Fork toward Knawls Creek and later in Confluence/Orlando.

Over the years Father Quirk was assisted in his three church assignment by a number of priests, including Father Mueller, Father Swint, Father Mark Krause and Father James Tierney.

Right above the interior of St Bridgit

Left above: St Bernard with the rectory where Fr. Quirk lived behind it.
Left: Fr. Quirk with his assistant Mark Krause.

Right: St Michael at Knawl Creek
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From the Ordo

The Ordo is the liturgical calendar used by priests. It provides each day’s scripture readings plus other information such as feast days to be celebrated and instructions for the priests. We are fortunate to have in the diocesan archives in Wheeling Father Quirk’s ordo and daily instructions for masses and other services for 1898, 1900,1903 and 1905. Father Quirk often used the alternately blank pages in these as a diary. Sometimes he would write out daily happenings and thoughts in more expansive form on blank paper regular foolscap. In these more expansive diaries his sensitivity to the weather, raising and nurturing his own sheep, his extraordinary agricultural gifts from eons of descent from farming people in Ireland, was a certain connection with the people of his congregations and in those communities. In many ways he was deeply one with them.

In these diaries Father Quirk would jot down events ( Boer War, presidential campaigns) weather, sick calls and Mass attendance at the three churches in his care “The wine froze in the chalice this morning.” (1903) he wrote when a particular cold spell affected the dilapidated Civil War era structure full of wind and cold. He related on March 28, 1900, “My bees were actively at work on the peach trees that are just now in full bloom. In the evening it rained heavy showers. As I write 11 p.m, it is raining still and threatens to rain through the night. 72 degrees without a fire. If it does not turn cool there will be an abundance of peaches. The grass is growing fast and the wheat looks very well.”

He prayed to St. Anthony the Finder (Padua) to bring success to the oil well drilled in the Loveberry Ridge property in the late summer, early fall of 1900. His hope was to acquire profit, along with everyone else, in West Virginia at that time to build a new, solid church. The well was a dry hole for oil but one week later. One mile down the hill, the great Copley well No. 1 brought in the greatest gusher of that age. Indirectly the Irish and German owners of the oil lands of that well and others contributed to the construction of the present St Bernard’s Church in 1910.

A New Year

It was toward midnight New Years Eve, 1900, watching for the year 19-1, that he left us these thoughts, some of which he would expand into a formal lecture and eventually an article published in church journals. These musings jotted in the end pages of the 1900 ordo speak to us this very day.

“Monday 31st misty and very sloppy- 70 degrees. It grew windy but not cold toward evening. Mud is deep now. It is clouded and warm as I write- almost 12 a.m. And now the old year is gone and the old 19th century is ended.- goodbye! goodbye! A new year and a new age opens. I name this XXth century the century of magnificent promise. My natal century was rich in many things. But boasted much beyond its performance. It brought back popular liberty and with that, as ever a rejuvenesence of Catholicism. The century just opened must witness many, many revolutions- the greatest of these a social revolution, now a great desideratum. Courage you XXth century men! We have prepared the arena for you and when we are sleeping in the cold clay all alone and all forgotten, your battle will be raging and your shouts of victory ringing joyously.
Welcome, 1901 A.D. –Thomas Quirk.”

Lee W. Blake's Monograph

Lee W. Blake (pictured tto the right), son of John Jackson Blake and Ella Mae (Foster) Blake. His monograph, which follows, is an important source of cultural and genealogical information for Orlando. It was taken as is from the internet several years ago. The transcriber is unknown. -ed

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This document has been copied exactly as written as much as possible

Blakes and Riffles

Going Back To The Seventh Generation

by Lee W. Blake

July 1953 Weston, West Virginia

This booklet is back to the seventh genration and to the present genration of today. there is no more of the forth generation of three marriages. thay only went to the forth genration. thay are reckorded in this booklet. see if you can find them. the date of the first was 1804 first marriage genoration seckond in 1824, as near as I can get date there ten childern borned, three of thes childern married in to one famiey. the 6 sons and 4 daughters was borned the seckond marriage. 4 sons and 4 daughters third marrieg. 4 daughters borned. ten sons and 12 daughters 22 childern in the three famileys that were double first cousins, all very helthy from 1844 two 1854. Five of thes sons married five of thes daughters. first marriage there was nine childern borned. the seckond marriage there was sixteen childern borned. none ever married. two daughters living. family name gone. third marriage eliven childern borned, none ever married. parents all children are dead. familey name gone at the forth genration. the forth marriage eight children borned, four married. eight childern borned, four of married, two of them have large famileys. the first marriage there was six childern married. the fifth marriage six children borned. one hunderd and six all grand childern living to day to the seventh genration. I ll give one marriage of first cousins. marring six children, borned only one daughter. married parents and all childer dead. family name gone. the forth genration at a familey Reunion of the Blakes august 2/ 1953, two more childern to ad to a marriage. nine other marriges of the first 22 that did not marry a Relation. i have a Reckord on one Familey. the others are scattered in differnt states. i can only give a complete Reckord on one there is Eight of the three first marriages i do not have the information on thir famileys. i will give the one i have the reckord on complet this marriage of 1883. there was nine childern borned. Eight of these married and have thirtynine childern, living to day twenty seven are married and have sixty nine childern living to day. one is a great great grand child of this marriage of 1883 the seventh genration from 1804 there is 116 living to day, august the 3/1953. all the marriages i have given was in Braxton and lewis county the reckodrs will show. i have knowen menny Catholic nothing like this ever taken place in enny of thir famileys i could give simler cases that has happened. it is going on to some extent here in lewis not so meny know it but it is still going on. i think all should be a ginst this practis this has cost Braxton and lewis, co, quite a bit.

what I have discribed of this relation last thrugh life you meet them you know there something the matter never but five have had the ability to take care of them selvs no one knowes how bad this has bin only the ones that has lived threw this i hate to here a remark made about some having no sence and here some why dont you no the relation of thir parents the Blake famileys is not the only famileys that have practis this I could show just as bad in other famileys where this has bin practis I am not trying to cast a shadow on eny one i am just telling what has happend in case of doubt you can investagate the geral publick dosent know so much about this and some dosent like to here this and say why do you tell this the only way i know to brake this up is to let the pulick know it and see the results of what has bin i think the Blakes and Riffles are a avrige people and are taking thir place with others i have twenty four grand childern I never want to see eny thing like this happen to them or eny one there is meny that knows all about what i have related the older people why not let the younger know it has never proved good for eny as i have knowen all the Blakes in this bookle but five that was dead before my time i have knowen two to get hurt by saying thay would whip them selves a little Blake one layed in bed for a week or more and he did not whip a blake the other was nocked uut for a hour or two all because of remarks about the Blake familey there is meny to day in other states when i first rember there was no Blakes that had a education that i knew or a Riffle you can find them in schools in difrent countys and thay have made good think in genral thay try to tend to thir own bisness you will find thay have thir falts along with others none are perfick thay have come a long ways sence i can rember let us all try to improve our ways we would be better of if we Did

Here are the disease i rember so well from 1890 to the present Typhord fever 22 cases 6 deths six cases of Diphtheria four death three famileys of twenty childern all had scarlet fever some was very bad one death in the twenty cases four famileys chicken pocks no deaths wasent very bad I remember two famileys seven childern Each all had what they called the black french measels this was bad no one died there has bin menny cases of mumps no one died The worst scars I rember was small pocks in 1898 Olvia. Sttutler of shady brook, and James Skinner, both of orlando, W.V.A. I think it was still called Confluence, at that time Stuttler and Skinner, was workin at cowen or camden on gauley stuttler got the small pocks tha y run of and got on train so they locked them in and run them to flat woods and left them locked uo tell the sherif and members of borad of helth could get there from sutton stuttler had broken a window was out when thay got there all was afraid get close to them thes officers come armed with shot guns stuttler was very sick laying in the snow he had to do what thay told him when he under stand thay was trying to help them thay put in a old house above the orlando cemetery and kept them about all winter Skinner never taken the small pocks that was the reason thay were kept in so long I knew two other famileys had small pocks no one died in this comunity clover fork creek is the line betwen Braxton,and lewi and thay had gards to keep you from one county to the other it hard to get to the store or grist mill the first few days was the worst Thay locked the mail train to the rail at Burnsville. finly let it thrugh I have knowen of three cases of Polo one death this all happend in a radis twenty mile square a long the lin betwen braxton and lewis county not more then ten mile deap in Either County All thes diseas I do not think have cost state and countys as much as this marriage of this cloce relation ship most of thes diseas only lasts three to five weeks you die or get well

havent writen this ofend eny one just trying to tell what has happend as i rember so well i do not have education to tell this as it should be told i hope you can under stand what i have tryed to tell the Blakes some were very superstisous belived in witchery and gosts i do not know eny to day that belives in eather. I will say to all that can look back fifty to sixty five years ago and think of all we have to be thankful for all that has taken place in that time i dont think there is eny one that can Emagin what will take place in the next fifty years this has all bin for our benfit we should be very thankful for it has made better living for us all i have meny mistake in spelling but i hope you can under stand what i am trying to tell there is some that say you should tell this it is not the Blakes alone that had practis this relation if you look around i have went thrugh this booklet very carful and found that some was no more at the forth genration while some has went to the seventh genration i have knowen all of thes names in this bookle but five who was before my time i got this information from the parties names in this booklet who are living to day i am just tryin to show what has happend to this relation .......................................................................................................................... The demand for truth is greater then the suply so it come high .......................................................................................................................... There is a over suply of untruth this makes it very cheap

In the following pages I have outlined some history of the Blake family. I remember much of it - and have received much more from others. This history dates back more than 130 years. In the beginning, six Blakes with no record of the parents. Some data on four sons and a daughter, coming from Greenbrier county and settling on Clover Fork north of Orlando. One was probably Andrew, who owned 500 acres of land at the site of Orlando in Lewis and Braxton counties. My great grandfather, Johnny B. Blake owned 320 acres adjoining the first brother---all in Braxton county. The next brother was probably George Blake who owned quite a bit of land up on Clover Fork. He married Nancy Heater; no children. He was either killed early in the Civil War or died about that time. The land was divided among the widow, Martha Blake and Elick Blake---a nephew and neice.Huey Blake owned a large tract of land on Chop Fork in Braxton County. Johnny B. Blake was born in 1804 and died in 1886. He married Abby Chrismore who was born in 1797 and died in 1895. To this union were born ten children. I will outline below the names as I know them or have been informed - on the families and families in which the Blakes married for the past 130 years. Johnny B. and Abby Blake, first son John was killed late in the Civil War; second son, Stuart J. Blake; third son, Anthony; fourth son, Ballard; first daughter, Elsie, Mary and Margaret. No information on other members of the original family. The first son, John Blake wed Elizabeth Riffle. Born to this union eight children, two sons and six daughters: Albert and Chester; Lydia, Elizabeth, Abby, Kathryn, Susan and Elsie. John and Elizabeth Blake: first son, Albert was married to Savina Posey and they had ten children, six sons and four daughters. Sons---Jenkins, George, Burl, Porter, Edward, and Dick or Richard. The daughters---Alice, Laura, Minnie and Ola. The first Son of Albert, Jenkins, married Lillie Taylor and had one son, Furman Blake. The second son, George Blake was wed to Zura Malcolm. The third son, Burl, married Mae Cottrill and to this family were born three sons and four daughters: Harry, James, and Harold (in Army); Juanita, Luma (deceaed), Mildred, Harry married Mary Conley and they have one son and two daughters: Junior, Mary and Sally.

James Blake, married, no information. The first daughter, Juanita, married Raymond Wooddell, four children; Mildred married Roy Ramsburg, two daughters. Porter Blake, fourth son, married Mona Brown; Edward married in New Jersey; sixth son, Richard, wed Civilla Workman, daughter and two sons. Albert and Savina Blake: first daughter, Alice married to George King; second daughter Lura, deceased; third, Minnie, married Edward Heath; and fourth, Ola, married Floyd Markley and lives in Parkersburg. John and Elizabeth Blake: second son, Chester married Mary Underwood, three sons and two daughters: Cecil, Clyde, Thomas, Myrtle and Eva. Clyde married Annie Droppleman, no children; Cecil wed Addie Savage; Thomas married Ona McCoy, two sons and a daughter; Chester and Clifford---no data on the daughter. Myrtle Blake wed Ray Norman; Eva married John Sandy. John and Elizabeth Blake: first daughter, Lydia married James Foster and they were the parents of four sons and three daughters: William B., Albert, George and Frank, and Lumie, Minnie and Annie. William married Eva Bennett and they had six sons and four daughters: Annie, Thelma, Nellie, Guy, Fred, Ralph, Brooks, Bennett and Woodrow. Albert Foster wed Matilda Alkire; George wed Dora Thornhill, two sons; Frank married a Smith. The three daughters named are married and live in Akron, Ohio.

John and Elizabeth Blake: second daughter, Abby married Stuart L. Riffle, five sons and three daughters: Charles, Robert, Allen, John (deceased) and Clyde, sons and Amanda, Minnie and Bessie, daughters. The first son, Charles Riffle, wed Dona Blake---Ellis, Dana, Clarence and Jack, sons, and Joyce, Della, and Rena, daughters. Ellis married Nellie Mick and lives at Flemington; two other sons are married; Joyce married Red Beckner, two sons and two daughters; Della Riffle wed Tucker Wymer, three daughters and a son --- Janestine, Wanda, Susie. Abby and Stuart L. Riffle: second son, Robert, married Lillie Taylor, two sons, Ralph and Oliver (deceased). Third son, Allen married Nellie Groff; fourth son, John, deceased; fifth son Clyde single, lives at Burnsville; first daughter, Amanda married Ervin Conrad, five sons and two daughters---all blind but one daughter, Exie. Second daughter, Minnie, married Ersie Henline, two sons and three daughters, Ruth Jessie, data incomplete. Third daughter, Bessie Riffle married William McPherson, some children---they live in New York. John and Elizabeth Blake: third daughter, Elizabeth married Thomas Posey, three daughters, Mary, Martha and Ora and three sons, Charles, William and Alderson. No data on the children except Mary. She married Sam Ocheltree and they had three daughters. Dessie married Ernest Ocheltree; second daughter, Lulu married Clarence Blake and lives in Akron; Lillie is married. A son, Lydle Ocheltree was killed in action in World War II. Fourth daughter, Kathryn Blake married Sell Taylor. Four daughters and a son were born to this union: Luma, Mollie, Lily, Dora---nothing on son. Luma married William Riffle; Lillie Taylor marred Robert Riffle; Dora Taylor married Roy Riffle, two sons and five daughters---Roy, Zella, Mishie, Irene, Madeline and Katherine. All are married.

Fifth daughter, Elsie Blake married Rand Wooddell, a son, Ray; the sixth daughter, Susan Blake married Jack Riffle, three sons, Lloyd, George, Ellis. Lloyd married Alice Blake; George and Ellis both married. Johnny B. and Abby Blake: second son Stuart J. Blake married Lucinda Posey, a family of ten children in the union, six sons and four daughter---William L., Ballard, John Jackson, Stuart S., Joseph and Andrew, Mary, Savina, Sarah, and Lucy Blake. William L. Blake married Janie Blake, nine children, eight sons and a daughter---Charles, Burley, Robert, Harry, John, Walter, Wesley, Floyd, Charles (latter two deceased), and Esta. (changes to type) Sturt .J. Blake. & Lucindy Posey Blake 3 son John Jackson Blake. Ella Mae.Foster Blake Comenced on third page only giv to 4 sons familey fifth son Ruffus C.Blake married Cora Nay. of Sand Run, Wva June 30,.1923. Ruffus Decesed in 1945 born to thie union a son Lewi. a daughter Jene Lewis Blake married Jene Lewis of Adrion W.V.A. Jene Blake Married James Mcdowell of Statesville north Corlinia born to this onion two sons Wayn & Roger Mcdowell Ruffus. C and Cora Blake all live at 2137. 657. Fern Arlinton. V.A sixth son Stokes Blake married Lotta Riffle born to this union four sons Stanton & Ray & Jimmy & daugh Mary havent other names Stanton Blake served in world war two ..........................................................................................................................
6 son William. Ray. Blake marrie Zada. Willims a daughter of Sam and Roda Williams of Walkersville. W.V.A. born to two daughters Vera & Pauline both married nothing on familey Paulin. Lives in Baltimore. MD Vera Live in Weston. W.V.A. Eilliam Ray. and Zada Live in. Buckhanen
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John. Jackson. and Ella. Mae first daughter Myrtle. Elizebeth. Blake married Francis Marin Davisson. Borned to this union 12 Children Parents and two childern are deceased first son Hazel H. Davisson married born to this union three childern Margret & Harvy & Luciel. ..........................................................................................................................
Seckond son Melrose Davisson. married bored to this union a son William. Davisson. allon Melrose ..........................................................................................................................
third son Leroy.Davisson Married no childern ..........................................................................................................................
4 son Fred. K. Davisson single at home ..........................................................................................................................
5 son Paul. Davisson. married born to this union three childer Conney & Mamie & Nancy. ..........................................................................................................................
6.son Sherman. F. Davisson married bornd to this union A daughter Helen. Mere Davisson
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first daugh lives at Glenville. W.V.A
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2 daugh Paulin. Virgina Davisson . married Franklin. Burkhamer bornd to this union six childern Robert & Madline & Franklin JR. & Rasles. Garldin Bonney. allon Pauline and Franklin live on Bord St Weston. W.V.A.
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3 daugh Viola. Davisson married Raymon Riffle born to this union six childern sons Donld & Maion & Thomas & Truman Daug Opal & Jane Live at Orlando. W.V.A ..........................................................................................................................


John. Jackson and Ella Mae. Foster Blake seckond daughter Nora Blake married Roy. Hall borned to this union four sons and two daughters first son Hillery & Larance & Dellis & Bud. Hall daughter Edna & Mary. Edna. married Otto. Scott. no childern to this union seckond son Larnce. Hall. married Polin. Fox. borned to this union four childern live in Ohio the rest of the familey live R# 2. Roanoke. W.V.A all ..........................................................................................................................
John. Jackson and Ella .Mae. Foster Blake there is on hunderd forty three living to day counting inlaws from this marriage of 1883 fifth genration or the seventh from 1797 1804
.......................................................................................................................... seven other marriages in same familet and two repeat marriages nine in all there is not one hunderd and fifty libing to day you can find them in This Booklet this relation is not good for eny one less discurge this Practis to all (changes to print) Charles A. Blake married Daisy Heater, a daughter, Ruby who married Thomas Riffle. They had four children, Rosemary wed Paul Crutchfield, one child. Second son, Burley Blake married Dora Fox, several children. Third son, Robert, married Verney Townsend; fifth son, John, married Verna Riffle, no children: (John deceased); Walter is State Hospital; Wesley Blake at Flemington; daughter Esta Blake married Eli Riffle, sons Hoy, Raymond, Rodney, William and daughters Lottie, Eva, Naoma and Hazel. Raymond Riffle married Viola Davis; William Riffle married Ethel Doyle, twin daughters; Rodney Riffle married Virginia Taylor, one child; no data on Roy Riffle;

Eva Riffle married Icen Taylor, large family of children, names not available; third daughter married Will Boggess, several children; forth daughter, Nevie married; fifth daughter, Hazel, married Dwight Skinner, three children, name of oldest, Bernice. First daughter, Lottie Riffle married Stokes Blake, four children, Stanton served in World War II. Ray Blake, all children at home. Stuart J. and Lucinda Blake: second son Ballard, married Amanda Blake, sixteen children, all deceased but two daughters, oldest Rosie, and Nora Blake, not married. Stuart J. and Lucinda Blake: third son, John Jackson Blake, born in 1860 and died in 1940, married Ella Mae Foster. She was born in 1865, died in 1935. To this union, seven sons and two daughters: Lee W. Blake, Ezra, deceased, Alva, Vincent A., Rufus, Ray, Stokes, sons, and Lizzie and Nora, daughters. Lee W. Blake married Civilla Susan Riffle, October2 1906. Born to this union, four sons and three daughters---Gilbert L., Edward R., Vaden S., and Delis W. Blake, sons, and Pearl, Mae, and Phyllis, daughters. Gilbert L Blake married Wonda McCauley, three sons and a daughter---Francis L., David, Mike, and Carol. Edward R. Blake married Elizabeth McDonald, a son and daughter, William and Margie; Vaden S. Blake married Ruth Tinney, four sons and two daughters---Junior L., Opha, John B., Jean and Leota. Delis W. Blake married Mildred Wallace, born to this union three sons---Robert, Reggie, and Rodney, They reside in Miami, Fla. Pearl Blake married Edward Skinner, three daughters and two sons---Shelby and Shirley, twins, and Judy, Edwin and Darrell. Mae Blake married John Harkins, one son, Patrick; Phyllis Blake married John Zimmerman, two sons and a daughter---Johnny, Steve, and Sue, live in Brentwood, MD. John Jackson and Ella Blake: third son, Alva B. married Gertrude Dennison, three daughters, Mildred, Christine and Goldie. Mildred married Lee Conley, son and daughter, John and Mary. Christine married Olen Morrison, three daughters; Goldie married Bud Starrett, three children.

Vincent A. Blake married Clare Posey, two sons and three daughters; Arden Blake married Mary Gillespie, one son; Virgil Blake married Minnie Dye, two sons and two daughters---Mike, Donald, Carol and a sister; first daughter, Reva Blake married Shirley Myers, two sons and a daughter---Jerry and Jacie Myers and sister. Ina blake wed James Skinner, a son; Jean Blake married Harold Sands. Fourth son of Sturart S. Blake: Stuart, married Janie Posey, six sons and two daughters---Emory, Marion, Orvil, Oley, Amos, Edward, Bessie and Mamie. Emory died in Detroit in 1930; Marion married Charlotte Ethel Skinner, 14 children of whom 12 are living---Francis, Marion, Edward, Edna, Wayne, Katherine, Opal, Nina, Elija, Goldie, Fay, Patrick, Charles. The first son, Francis, married Betty Henline Fox, no children; Edward Scott married Ruth Riffle, son Leo; third son Wayne, married Joan Skinner, no children; Lijah, single, in US Nave; Patrick, single, at home; Fay, resides on Weston Route 4; Charles Duane, at home; Edna married John Ware, no children; Katerine married Arno Gould, three daughters---Helen Sue, Evelyn Joyce, and Alma Kay. The third daughter, Alma Kay, married A. M. W. Hall, two children, Marcella and Arcellus Ralph; Nina, fourth daughter married Foster Hardman, no children; Goldie, single. Orvil J. Blake, third son of Stuart S. and Janie Blake, married Ertha Bennett, some of the children are Richard, Frank, Homer, Cledith, Hazel, Audra, Madelyn---don't have all their names. Oley Blake, fourth son on Stuart and Jane Blake resides on Weston Rout 2; fifth son Amos, married Ethel Dennison, no children; sixth son lives with his sister, Mamie, at Orlando; the second daughter married Joseph Riffle and lives near Frenchton.

Joseph blake married Martha Posey, two sons, Ova and Terry Blake, and four daughters---Lona, married; Violet, married James Townsend, several children, including Hubert. Third daughter, Nellie Blake married Calvin Riffle, two daughters and two sons; the fourth daughter Ella, at home. Sixth son of Stuart and Lucinda Posey Blake, Andrew Adam Blake, married Vestie Clark; Clarence, the first son married Lula Ocheltree reside in Ohio, no children; Lloyd Blake, the second son, married Ruth Skinner, Amick and Lela born to this union. Gaylord Blake married, lives in Ohio; Doyle Blake, married, one child; fifth son, Delmer, married. Mabel Blake, first daughter, married an Ocheltree; second daughter, Jeanette, married a Smith; third daughter, Agnes Blake married Red Belt, several children; fourth daughter married. John Blake, third son of Anthony, married Ella Thompson, no children; fourth son, Sam, married Matilda Butcher, a son, Perry, and two daughters, Ada and Genevieve Blake. Janie, the first daughter married William Blake, history previoulsy given; Amanda married Ballard, previously noted; and third daughter, Mollie, married Jackson Skinner, two sons, Oak and Ezra. Oak married Floda McCauley, three sons---Sam, Winford and one other; Ezra married Lettie Blake, two sons and a daughter; Maggie Blake never married. Fourth son of Johnny B. and Abby Chrismore Blake, Ballard, married Mary Jane Riffle, three sons---William Henry, John Jackson, and Bennie, and two daughters, Mary Ann and Alice. William Henry Blake married Mintie Williams, celebrated his 86th birthday in 1952. Born to this union: Sarah Jane Blake married Homer Allen; Georgia Blake wed French Conrad; James Blake married Mary Duncan; Reta Blake married Ezra Skinner; Richard Blake wed Irene Wooddell; Willard Blake married Mabel West, all living. William Henry Blake has 42 grand children, 48 great grand children. Their names are not avialable. John Jackson, second son was born February 14, 1872, died November 14, 1945. He married Biddie Jane Bragg, who was born on April 9th, 1878, died February 13, 1941. Born to this union, seven sons and eight daughters---Lloyd James, Wilbert, William, Pearl, Hobert Lee, John Ruben, Basil Henry Jackson. Lloyd James married Lola Robinson, four sons and a daughter, Ralph Junior, Paul Wesley, Vaughn, and Mattheny Blake, Marguerite Blake. Lora Wilbert Blake married Anna Pullman, eight children, Ruth, Opal, Eugene, Matoska, William Jackson, Clarence. William Pearl Blake married Litho Givens, two daughters, Lela Mae and Juanita. Hobert Lee married Beulah Riffle, five children, Harvey Lee, Earl Shea, Carl Ray, Eulah Anna, and Marjory. John Ruben Blake married Bertha Wade, three children, Grover, Lora Gordon, Lillian; second marriage to Bell Nicholson, two children, Woodson and Leva Mae Blake. Lula married Frank Dean, six children, Hermit E., Zilma, Law First daughter of Stuart J. and Lucinda Blake, Mary, was wed to Marcellus Blake, five daughters and a son, John. Bell, a daughter; Minnie, second, married Arch Riffle, two sons, Leo and Junior; daughter Charlotte Riffle married Bill Mullen; second daughter, Mary wed George Heater, no children; Sylvia married George Posey, two children; fourth daughter, Addie Riffle; fifth, Dorothy, no data. Second daughter, Stuart and Lucinda Blake, Sarah married Franklin B. Riffle, three sons and two daughters---Herman, Ezram, Moses, Dora and Vernie Riffle. Third son of Johnny B. and Abby Chrismore Blake, Anthony, married Rebecca Posey, sons---William J., James, John, and daughters Janie, Amanda, and Mollie. First son, William, married Sovina Blake, eleven children, have a record of but three---Roy, Bert, and Docia. James Blake, second son wed Rebecca Bull, two sons, Darius and Vincent, daughter, Tressie, Darius married daughter of Roy Williams and is in Ohio, as is the other son. Tressie married Howard Wymer. John Blake, third son of Anthony, married Ella Thompson, no children; fourth son,rence, Betty, Vance, Mino Dean.

Second daughter Myrtle married Issac Hosey, three children, Geraldine, Arline and Ernest Dewayne Dean. Third daughter, married Vaughn Cutlip, nine children---Vivain, Ruth, Vaughn, Fred, Earl Kendall, Lelah Mae, Jackie, Harry Dale, Iris Kay, Oris Cutlip. Bertie Blake Married Clyde Bosley, born to this union Azalea, Shea, and James Irvin. Basil Blake married Freda Steele, four children---Mabel, Johnny, Homer and Harold Gene Blake. Sarah Blake married James H. Singleton, a son Reetis Jackson Singleton, a daughter, Sue Carol. Lona Blake married Ernest Conrad, 2 children, Clarence Jarvis and Rena Gray; Macel Blake married Clarence Overall, six children, names of two are Dorothy and William. Youngest son not married. Daughters of John and Abbie Crismore Blake: Eliza Blake married Jacob I. Riffle, seven sons, three daughters. First son W. T. Riffle, known as Taylor, served the last year of the Civil War; second son Stuart L. Riffle married Abby Blake, history given in the foregoing; Henry Riffle, third son, fourth son Benjamin F. Riffle who married Sarah Blake, previously given; the fifth son, John Scott Riffle; sixth son, T. A. Riffle; and seventh son, Adam. First daughter, Elsie; second, Louisa; third daughter Samantha J. Riffle. W. T. or Taylor married a Posey, a son. Marion J. Riffle wed Cora Reynolds, three sons, Layton, Alva and Gilbert; daughters, Ora, Pearl, and Hettie. Layton married Bertha Mick, three daughters, Freda, Betty and Doris; two sons, Ronald and Buddy. Freda married John Vankirk, a daughter, Diana; Ronald married Jacqueline West. Betty, Doris and Buddy at home. Second son of Marion and Cora, Gilbert Riggle married Virgie Barrett, no children; third son, Alva married and lives in Baltimore. First daughter, Ora married Scott Legg, born to union, Grace, Bessie, Lawrence, Stanley; second daughter, Pearl married Bill Edgell, three sons, George, Ted and Junior; third daughter, married Homer Skinner, no children. W. T. or Taylor riffle, one daughter Minerva Riffle married Wade Mick, no children.

Jacob I. and Elsie, second son of Stuart L. Riffle, history given. Third son, John Scott Riffle married Mary Ann Skinner, a daughter of Granville Skinner. Born to this union, Effie, Ora, Anna, Hallie, Mamie, three sons, Joseph E., R. M. or Bos., Effie, Ora, first daughter, wed Joe Skinner, three sons, Obie, Rupert and Scott Skinner. Obie Skinner married Lulu Blake, no children; Scott Skinner married Mary Wines, four sons, Joe, Bob, Don, and Peck. Effie, first daughter, married Robert Ayard; Opal married Clem Crislip, children, Maxine and Tenna. Second daughter of John Scott and Mary; Ora, Riffle married Andrew Heater, two sons Jack and Ray Heater, and two daughters, May and Sybil Heater. May married Buster Parmer and Sybil Married Simon Cole. Third daughter, Anna Riffle married a Stutler. Born to this union were Oris Stutler who married Edith Skinner, four daughters one son. Bill, Virginia, Mary and Juanita. Mary Stutler married Leo Moran, a daughter; John married Juanita Price, no children, third son Everett married Ruth Henline, two daughtes, Betty and Carol Ann; fourth son Frank married Evelyn Gay, children Frank, Marylin, Arnett and Paul. Fourth daughter of John Scott and Mary Ann: Hallie Riffle married Sheridan Nicholson, children, Steele Paul, Bruce, James and Vera. Fifth daughter, Mamie married Roy Lester, children Roy, Carl, Robert, Dona, Belle, Mildred and Mary Ann. John Scott and Mary Ann: first son Joseph E. married Bettie A. Skinner, daughter of Frank and Lucy Posey Skinner; their daughters Grace, Margaret, Jessie and Katerine Grace married George Reynolds, two daughters, Betty, Bernice; Margaret married Cecil Fleming, two sons and two daughters---Joseph, Isaac, Pearl and Canna; third daughter Jessie married Pressley J. Bragg, children Margaret, Joseph, John; fourth daughter, Catherine married Cecil Skinner, Betty Jane and Linda Kay children.

Oldest son Dwight, served in World War II, died two years after the war, at home. Second son, Brannon, married Thelma Nestor, children, Betty Jane, Donald Lee, deceased, Robert, Sheldon, Geraldine, Jerry and Brenda Joyce. Fourth son Eugene married Deltha Mick, three children, Dwight, Eugene and Sherry. Fifth son. Claude married Christine Gay, two children, Claudia, Jimmy; Sixth son, Jack married Mariana Finster, a daughter, Beverly Jo. Five brothers, Dwight, Glenn, Eugene, Claude and Jack all served in World War II Second son of John Scott and Mary Ann Riffle, known to many as "Boss" married Dennie Skinner, two sons, Fred at home and other son died young. Third and youngest son, Everett Riffle married Tina Scarff, two sons---Lynn Riffle, who married Mildred Posey, a son Tomas, daughter; Virgil Riffle married Edna Posey, a daughter of Lloyd and Maggie Posey, a son. Jacob I and Elsie Blake Riffle; Seventh son Adam, who died in 1951 at the age of 85, married, one son, Jacob Riffle. First daughter of Jacob and Elsie Blake Riffle, Jane married Alonzo Mitchell, six sons and two daughters. Son John married Minnie Henline, no children; William, Art and Cassie Mitchell, all deceased. Ossie married Minnie Godfrey, daughter Ruby; fifth son, Okey Mitchell married Pearl Snodgrass, two sons and two daughters, one son named Garland, others unknown; sixth son, Homer Mitchell, married Lula Henline, two sons. Nelson Mitchell married Francis Hamrick, sons Bobby and Stanley who married Louise Heater, a son. First daughter of Samantha Jane and Alonzo Mitchell, Ollie married John Groves, a daughter, Jacie. John was killed in a sawmill accident in 1896. Second daughter, Minnie M. Mitchell, married J. O. Ruble, five sons, Fred, Jim, Ray, Edward, and Victor, in Army since World War II. First daughter Gay, married a Goff, 12 children; second daughter, Victoria, at home; third, Mary, wed Chester Bruce, two sons. Second daughter of Jacob and Elsie Riffle, Louisa Riffle married James Pumphrey, one son William.

Jacob I. Riffle, second married to Matilda Riffle, a daughter of Jefferson and Elizabeth Heater Riffle: four sons and three daughters---Eli, Arch, Oscar, George, Tillie, Jennie and Ollie. Several of these are given in the foregoing or elsewhere in this history. Fourth son, George married Bessie Fox, several children. Hubert, Edward, Carry, Winnie, Ruth. First daughter, Tillie married Worthy Radcliff, no children; Jennie married Newton Riffle, children, Boss, Jiggs, Mamie, and Edna Riffle. Third daughter, Ollie Riffle, deceased. Johnny B. and Abby Crismore Blake: Second daughter, Margaret married a Donaldson. Born to this union 14 children, 12 living. One son was Alfred and a grandson, Charles. A grandson of Johnny B. and Abby Blake, know as little Stuart married Mollie Riffle. Children known are John, James, Lulu and Alice. John married Mary Atchison, several chidren, Matthew, Edward, Richard. Two sons married. Mabel married James Posey; Susie married Charles Hawkins. Johnny B. and Abby had two more daughters but have no information on them and can't trace the families. Johnny B. Blake had three brothers and on or two sisters. The brother may have been George who married Nancy Heater and who died or was killed first part of the Civil War. Calvin Skinner married Nancy after the war. Another brother may have been Anthony or Andrew Blake. No trace of this family. A sister---haven't her name---married a Matthews. A daughter, Francis, who married a Duval; a daughter or two and a son, Leet Duval; a daughter married Jackson Skinner. Children of this union---Gid C. Skinner, Delbert, Lloyd, Edmond, of Clarksburg, Earl of Weston, daughters Ama, Clara of Orlando, Lela of Elkins.

This Blake family came from Greenbrier county in the early 1800's. Johnny B. Blake was killed in the Civil War, married and the father of two sons and six daughters. Huey Blake, brother of Johnny B. Blake, grand children don't know whom he married. Four sons and four daughters, Joseph, Aleck, John, William Blake, Louise, Milly, Cindy and Martha. The first son, Joseph, no record of whom he married. He had a son, John and a daughter, Mary. He married a second time to Elizabeth Jane Sands, four sons and three daughters. Patrick Newlon Blake married Lorena Godfrey, daughter of David Newton and Mary Jane Skinner, a daughter and two sons. Carry Blake married Walter Sharp, no children; Ray Blake wed Jennita Posey, two sons and a daughter---Francis, Robert and Pauline. Francis married Conchita Alveres, two children, Martha Louise and David Blake. Pauline married Lester Carnes, two children, Shirley and Betty Lou Carnes. Ray Blake, second son Robert wed Wilma Conley, three children, Carrie Lynn, Brenda Paige and Stephen Randle. Second son of Patrick Newton and Lorina Blake, Pete Blake, married Fannie Riffle, eight children, Edward, Bernard, Glenn, Wilma, Emogene, Denzil, Billie and Pettie J. Blake, and an adopted daughter, Marie. Patrick Newton Blake was well known. He wrote for the Independent at Weston and for the Braxton papers and died in 1951.

Second son of Joseph and Elizabeth Blake, Joseph Blake, married, four children, no data. Third son, Francis M. Blake married Ollie Skinner, daughter of Frank and Lucy Skinner. Three daughters and a son. Lula Blake married Obie Skinner, long deceased, no children. The second daughter, Lilly Blake, third, Maysell, both married, no information on either. Four children, haven't their names---only Francis who lives in Charleston. Third son of Joseph and Elizabeth, Charles V. Blake, married Ollie Scarff, two sons, Wade and Walter and a daughter, Charlotte. Wade married Genevieve Henline, some children, no data. Walter married, no information. Charlotte married Amos Henline. Joseph and Elizabeth first daughter: Margaet married Joseph Scarff, six children, Ethel, Ovie, Myrtle, Elsie, Joseph, Lorine. Ethel married Lee Morrison, a daughter, Myrtle, deceased, and two sons, Ivan and Edward. Ivan married Nellie Godfrey; he is now deceased. Edward married Ruth Peck of Burnsville. Myrtle Scarff married Clyde Snyder. Joseph and Elizabeth's second daughter, Alice Blake married John Marshall Scarff, nine children: Clarence, Tina, Iva, Necie, Dorothy, Thomas, Herbert, Virgil and Walter. Clarence wed Lettie Davis, three daughters, Pauline, Grace and Mary Alice. Mary Alice married Doyle Skinner, no children; Grace is single, no data on Pauline. Tina, family given in marriage to Ebert Riffle. Iva married Edward Oldaker of Burnsville; Necie, no data; Dorothy married Ebert Posey, several children. Thomas, Herbert, Virgil and Walter all married. Virgil married Ruby Smith, several children.

Joseph and Elizabeth, third daughter; Belle married Danny Murphy, eight children, know only these: William, Patrick, Cecil, Arden, Lanta, Ina and Josephine. Huey Blakes' second son, Aleck married Corinne Ocheltree, four daughters, little known but their names. Ellen married Jack White; Maggie married Tucker Bragg, Rebecca married, Elsie married Asbury Losh, son Alonzo. Huey Blake's third son, John, married Elsie Ocheltree, sic daughters and a son; lived on Kanawha River a few miles above Burnsville. Mary Elsie died at the age of 91 last year. She married William Groff, these children: Docie married James Vankirk. Their first daughter Rose Vankirk wed Pearl Wines; Reatha wed Emmett Conrad; Henry married Charlene Mick; Helen at home; John married Freda Riffle; Nellie Groff married Allen Riffle. First son Mack married Nona Pritchard; Rosie wed Lee Holcomb; Rucks married Virgina Ocheltree; Mary Riffle wed Charles Oswald. Ettie Groff married Oscar Riffle, born to this union: Thomas, deceased, George, Wayne, Myrtle, Nina, Ivy, Ruby, and Fanny. Myrtle married Patrick Barnett; Nina married Arnold Posey, four children. Iva Riffle married Warren McCauley, two sons, Maynard and Barney, four daughters, Delfie, Rosie Lee, Bonnie and Peggy. Fourth daughter married Clarence Posey, a son. Fifth daughter, Fanny Riffle, married a Robinson. Lizzie Groff, fourth daughter of Mary Ellen and William Groff married Cecil Bee; a daughter, Freeda married Hayward Fox, two children.

John and Elsie Blake, second daughter, Margaret married Thomas Groff, the following children: Rosa Belle, deceased; second daughter maried Mack Ratliff; born to this union: Elsie, Nina who married Reva Conrad; Samuel Ratliff married Mary Ellen; Holden Ratliff in US; Jean, Weeda, James and Patty all deceased. Margaret and Thomas, second daughter, Lena married William C. Skinner, children Raymond and Forest Skinner, sons; Pauline and June, daughters. Raymond married Sylvia Posey. Forest wed Edith Reed. Pauline married Johnny Getz; June married Bill Clayborn. Lilly Groff married Bill Straight; their children---Margorie married Mike Zellic; Gail Straight wed Maxine; Max Straight wed Madge Williams; John Groff married Lucella Kellar; Ella Groff at home. John and Eliza Blake, third daughter: Sarah, married Ace Conrad, Roy, Charles, Gracie, Jack and Moses. Fourth daughter, Rosie married Morgan Riffle, children: Lena, Belcie, Glodie, Mattie, Clyde, Erroll, Ralph and Fred. Fifth daughter Allie married Ben Ratliff. First daughter of Huey Blake; Back in the early years John Townsend was united in marriage with Louisa Jane Blake. Six children, four sons and two daughters, Perry, Albert, Tom, John Jr., Mary Jane and Margaret. His second wife was Venda Meadley, one son and two daughters; George, Rosa and Diana, all deceased. John Jr., first marriage was to Margaret Mealey, son Darius; second marriage to Georgia Wilson, son and two daughters, Creed, Mildred and Belle. Albert married Virginia Barnett, three sons and three daughters, Cyrus, James, Willis, Vernie, Susan, and Mamie. Willis married Maude Teter, children: Nellie, Macel and Madeline; Susan married David Riffle, Vernie wed Harry Blake, and son and a daughter; James married Viola Blake, three children; Mamie marred Henry Ables, four children; Cyrus, deceased; Tom married Melissa Westfall.

Mary Jane Townsend married on April 4, 1889 to James A. Barnett, son of Pleasant and Betty Elizabeth Hitt Barnett. They were originally form England and came to Culpepper and Albemarle, VA. Six children, Ella Mae, Charles, Alva, Willa, Allie Belle and Laura Gay. Ella Mae Barnett married Tony Mick on March 16, 1916---two children, Alice Gay and Grover Lee. Alice Gay married Raymond McCoy, three daughters, Marie, Rena and Dorothy. Her second marriage was to D. D. Delaney of New London, Conn. Grover married Callie Rube of Tennessee, two children; Charles Barnett married on Dec. 14, 1919 to Gay Myers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Will Myers of Walkersville: three children: Delmer Eloise of Weston and Emma May who married Calvin Carper, now in Ohio. Alva J. Barnett married Jessie Gay Marple, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln Marple of Green Hill, two sons, Denver and Harold. Denver married Rose Amos of Burnsville and they have two sons and a daughter: Denver Ross Jr., Robert Harold and Linda Rose Barnett. Harold Barnett married Eleanor Whiteman of Clarksburg. Willie Barnett married Marie Parmer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. N. P. Parmer of Orlando, two sons and a daughter, Dale Leon, Billy Martin and Betty Jean. Dale Leon married Maxine Allman of Weston; Betty Jean wed Charles Mick of Orlando, a daughter Connie Lee and Billy Martin deceased; Lura Gay Barnett married Arthur O. Williams, son of Mrs. Sanford Williams of Walkersville on May 30, 1947; Allie Belle, died on December 20, 1944; Mary Jane Barnett died Sept. 13, 1947; and James A. died July 30, 1924. Rosa Townsend married John Alkire, both now deceased; children: Roy, Charles, Henry, Iza, Belle, Gay, Martha and Donna. Iza, Gay, Belle and Henry are deceased.

Sarah Ann Myers Harold celebrated her 90th birthday on July 19th. She is the third daughter of Huey Blake. Millie A. Blake was born April 19, 1840, married Samuel B. Myers Sept. 11, 1860. he died April 13, 1871, at the age of 30. Children, Sarah Ann Myers, married, deceased; children, Stella Law, Weston; May Spaur, Walkersville; Iza Harold, deceased; Lee Harold, Weston; Guy Harold, Altoona, PA.; and Roy Harold deceased. There are seven grandchildren, two great grandchildren, Belle Myers, one son, Leslie Myers; Allie Myers, deceased, married Will Fleming, children, Alula Fleming Knawl's Creek; Harry Fleming, Charleston; Zona Mick, Detroit; Cora Myers married Marsh Myers, now deceased, their children, Troy Myers of Weston; Minnie Cunningham of Knawl's Creek. First son of Cora Myers, Edwin born September 18, 1888, died November 7, 1918, four days before the Armistice in France. H. Tom Myers now deceased, married Ida Galford, also deceased, child, Grey Messenger, Macon, GA. Huey Blake, second daughter, Martha was born May 20, 1836. She married Pete Heater, a son and a daughter, Bennie Heater. Emsey born in 1855 died December 12, 1921. Pete Heater was killed duing the Civil War. Martha later married William Ocheltree, no children. Cindy Blake, fourth daughter married John Ocheltree, several children. Sam married Mary Posey; Phillip married Lucy Williams; Tom married Artie Murphy, some children. Only son of John and Ellie Blake, the information on Lockard Blake is he married a Wines who was nicknamed "Cute", several children. Blanche Blake who married Frank Riffle; Rissue Blake; Bud Blake married Bertha Singleton; Bobby Blake married Lou Singleton; Alice Blake wed Homer Lipps; Bessie married George Taylor; Belle Blake married Ballard Bleigh, several children: Blanche who married Earl Burkhammer; Rhoda, Mattie, Virginia, Elsie Lee, Thomas, Samuel, Clare, and Cleveland Bleigh. Three of theses sons served in World War II. Jeferson and Elizabeth: second daughter, Amanda married Nimrod Foster, to this union was born four sons and two daughters; first son, Thomas, married, no children; second son, Tucker C. Foster married Dora Cosner, two sons and four daughters, Raymond, deceased; Rondall Foster married; Mabel, Mildred, Lean and Maxine Foster all married. Homer Foster married Ocie Bennett, born to this union Randall Foster, Russell Foster, Carl Foster, Brannon Foster, Nellie and Garnet Foster, all married but no other information. Fourth son, Burton Foster married, some children; first daughter, Ida Foster marrieed William Smith, a daughter, Opal. Second daughter, Winnie Foster married Ersie B. Posey, four daughters and two sons. Vera Posey married Glenn Jeffries a son Jerry. Opal Posey, single; Lucille, single; Virginia Posey wed Paul Brown, a daughter, Patricia Ann. First son, Edward, second, Elwood, and third son Kenneth all single and all served in the Korean War. Matilda riffle married Jacob Riffle, history given. Fourth daughter of Jefferson and Elizabeth; Nancy Riffle married Cyrus Mitchell, three sons and three daughters: Minter Robert, Charles: Minter, married, no data. Minter is Methodist minister, stationed at Weston for a time, built the Memorial Methodist Church, now lives at St. Mary's. Robert Mitchell, deceased, married Necie Skinner, two sons, Luther and Benjamin Mitchell; Daughter Evelyn married Pete Wymer, one child. Third son of Nancy, Cyrus Charles Mitchell; Betty Mitchell, married; Annie Mithcell, married; third daughter, Katherine married a Simmers.

Jeferson and Elizabeth: second daughter, Amanda married Nimrod Foster, to this union was born four sons and two daughters; first son, Thomas, married, no children; second son, Tucker C. Foster married Dora Cosner, two sons and four daughters, Raymond, deceased; Rondall Foster married; Mabel, Mildred, Lean and Maxine Foster all married. Homer Foster married Ocie Bennett, born to this union Randall Foster, Russell Foster, Carl Foster, Brannon Foster, Nellie and Garnet Foster, all married but no other information. Fourth son, Burton Foster married, some children; first daughter, Ida Foster marrieed William Smith, a daughter, Opal. Second daughter, Winnie Foster married Ersie B. Posey, four daughters and two sons. Vera Posey married Glenn Jeffries a son Jerry. Opal Posey, single; Lucille, single; Virginia Posey wed Paul Brown, a daughter, Patricia Ann. First son, Edward, second, Elwood, and third son Kenneth all single and all served in the Korean War. Matilda riffle married Jacob Riffle, history given. Fourth daughter of Jefferson and Elizabeth; Nancy Riffle married Cyrus Mitchell, three sons and three daughters: Minter Robert, Charles: Minter, married, no data. Minter is Methodist minister, stationed at Weston for a time, built the Memorial Methodist Church, now lives at St. Mary's. Robert Mitchell, deceased, married Necie Skinner, two sons, Luther and Benjamin Mitchell; Daughter Evelyn married Pete Wymer, one child. Third son of Nancy, Cyrus Charles Mitchell; Betty Mitchell, married; Annie Mithcell, married; third daughter, Katherine married a Simmers.

Elizabeth Riffle married Sanford Posey, three sons and three daughters. Marshal Posey married Ida Plymall, several children; Ezra Posey married Bertie Butler, several children; Patrick, Allie and Rosa Posey, all married. Third daughter, Carrie Posey married Ernie fox, a son Dallas; Kathryn Fox, single. Elsie Riffle married John Foster, three sons, Nimrod and Vayden, both deceased, and Cecil, who married Clara Riffle; Mae, single; Floda and Ethel, both married. Seventh daughter, Lucy Riffle, married Hezikiah Fox, a son and a daughter, Benjamin and Lora Fox. Eighth daughter, Annie married; ninth daughter, Lilly Riffle married Albert Sponaugle, a son, Wayne is married; Ocie, single; Opal married Oley Collins, three sons and three daughters, names of two only---Evelyn and Ruth Collins. Of the nine daughters and two sons all are deceased except the last daughter, who was 79 last Feb 27, (1953) Jefferson and Elizabeth Riffle---first son, Benjamin married Sarah Posey, a son William, who married Columbia Taylor; Martin Riffle married Samantha Jane Mitchell, four sons, William, John E., Charles and George. Charles and George are deceased. Four daughters, Bertha, Eliza, Civilla S. and Eva Riffle. William B. Riffle married Daisy Todd, three sons and two daughters; Carl, Clyde, Earl, Donna and Lucille. All three sons are at home at Tioga; First daughter, Donna married William Cisna, Baltimore; a daughter. Lucille married William Handschumaker, a daughter, at Charleston. Bertha Riffle married Bingham Taylor, two sons, Cecil who married Dona Heater, Flemington, several children; Ison Taylor married Eva Riffle, Flemington.

A brother of Jefferson Riffle, part of the Charles Riffle family married Bessie Blake. Born to this union a daughter who lives at Wild Cat; a daughter, Dude, married Isaac Posey, three sons and two daughters: William, Joseph, Frank, Florence and Carrie Posey. William married Nora Clark, two sons and two daughters; Clarence married Ruby Riffle; Arnold Posey married Nina Riffle, data on both previously given. First daughter, Phoebe Posey marrieed George Riffle---history given; second daughter married Newton Skinner, several children; Isaac and Dude, first daughter, Florence married John Sandy; second daughter Carrie deceased; Joseph Posey lives in Clarksburg. Benjamin Riffle Married Sarah Jane Posey, A son william Riffle married Columbia Taylor; Martin Riffle married Samantha Jane Mitchell, four sons and four daughters: William B. Riffle lives at Tioga; John R. Riffle at Crowford; Charles Riffle, deceased; George Riffle, deceased; Bertha Riffle, deceased. She married Benjamin Taylor, two sons, Cecil who wed Dona Heater and Ison who married Eva Riffle. William B. Riffle married Daisy Todd, three sons, Carl, Clyde and Earl, and two daughters, Donna and Lucille.

The second son of Martin and Samantha Jane Riffle, John E. Riffle, married Mary Clarks in 1906, eight sons and three daughters; Nelle, Madge, Mildred, Brooks, Rex, Onward, John, Neil, Warren, Melvin and Hollis Riffle. Nelle married S. L. White, born to this union Kellus, Kullus, Donald Lee, Roberta Jean and Carol Ann White. Brooks Riffle married Pearl Wymer, a son and two daughters, Robert, Shirley and Jean. Madge Riffle married Casey Hawkins, four daughters and a son: Laverne, Louise, Virginia, Charline and Robert Linn. Rex Rifffle married Irene Speicher, a daughter Mary Camilla; Onward Riffle married Edith Greenlief; Neil Riffle married Margaret Llewellen; John V. Riffle married Mabel Edwards, a daughter Sonya and a son Donald Edward. Warren Riffle marreid Nancy Lovejoy, a son, Warren Harold Riffle. Melvin Riffle married Margaret Holland, a daughter and two sons: Sandra Sue, Melvin Lee and William John. Mildred Riffle married Ralph McCoy, children Patricia, Diane, Sharon Sue, Hollie Riffle is single, at home. Nellie Riffle White's children. Donald Lee married Anna Lee Mollohan, a daughter, Sharon. Roberta Jane married Frank Gay, two sons: Frank Junior and William Gay; Madge's daughter, Laverne Hawkins married Junior Corathers; Louise Hawkins married Robert Martin, a son, Robert Paul Martin. Second daughter of Martin and Samantha Jane Riffle, Lizzie Riffle, at home; third daughter, Civilla Susan Riffle married Lee W. Blake. Eva Riffle, deceased. (changes to type)

Jacob.I.Riffle.and.Elise.Blake.Riffle 6 son Thursa.Anthny.knowen by menny as T. A. Riffle. who married.Lucy.Skinner a daughter of granvil.Skinner.borned to this union two daughters and three sons first daughter Dessie.seckond daughter Tiney.First son Ersie.seckond.Cllie.V.Riffle third .W.R.orWilliam.Rosco.Riffle first daughter Dessie married Ura.Mcfee borned to this union three daughters and two sons daughters Lucy Lulu Alberta sons Warren. and Edward Alberta Married Ray Ruble borned to this union two childern all information I have on Dessie familey...Tiney seckond daughter married Thomas.W.Wymer thay have a daughter Hellen she married Doil Groves thay a child all on Tiney Familey. ....................................................................................................................... T.A.and Lucy first son Ersie.Riffle. Ethel.Tuliver.borned to this union a son Evert.and two daughters Nine. and Elcie Evert.married Jewell.Bligh a daughter of J.O.Bligh.borned to this union three sons Paul.and Jimmy.and Charles.and a Daughter Doris all on Evert.and Jewells .. Familey .......................................................... Erseie.and Ethel.first daughter Nine married Glenn.Butcher borned to this union three childern Barba.Jene and Jerry.and.Sue. all on nine familey ...................................................................................................................... Ersie.and Ethel.seckond daughter Elsie.married Joseph.Lewis all I have on Elsie .............................................................................................................. T.A.and .Lucy seckond son Cllie V. Riffle was in world war one in germeny was killed in battle october the 24. 1918 ...................................................................................................................... T.A.Riffle.and.Lucy.Skinner.Riffle.third sonWilliam.Rosco.Riffle married Bessie Skinner born to this union four sons a daughter sons Arnold.Arnet Gaylord and Raymond a daughter Anna Besie dedesed
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William Rosco Riffle seckond marriage no information all the Jacob I. Riffle And Elise.Blake.Riffle.thre is meny of the sixth genration and several of the seventh only three of the third genration living to day I will give the names and berth date that are great grand parents and great.great.great. to menny living to day you will find names on the front page of this booklet
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Johney.B.Blake.was borned in 1804 Abby Crismore.was.borned in 1797 Thay have menny desendents to day of the seventh genration all the Riffle Famileys formely Lewis county Orlando.W.V.A. ...........................................................................................................................
T.A Riffle and Lucy .famileys most live in Parkersburg, W.V.A. I said i would tell about four other famileys that are not Blakes that has practised this relation and it has bin just as bad as any thing i have ever noted being borned mently sick or blind or deformed or no helth thay cant help this meny has died in state hospital thay did have the ability to take care of them selves meny has died there the geral publick dosent know about this relation ship meny are embarsed by people asking the matter with thes childern or what the matter with him or her i have talked to some that did not know the relation of thir parents
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there is meny grand childern to day that do no know the relation of thir grandparents thay have taken thir place in publick as thay should this relation ship is not quite sa bad as it was forty years ago parents have fought aginst this i can rember back more then sixty years as my own famile was mixed up in this so much it made me note all other parties that practised this relation ship i do think it is good for anyn case of doubt of any thin i have told the reckors in Braxton,lewis Countys will show ...........................................................................................................................
I have twenty four grand childern two are married i never want to see this happen to any familey as i have noted the results in all cases of this relation I have knowen about havent told the names of thes parties i have told about most of thir names are in this Booklet i did not know this practis was this bad tell i went to geathring this information and found meny that have practised this relation i think we should eduicate our childern better practis then this relation ship as I rember back to 1896 the Blakes was hard woking in wood thay made all thir own furnituere and for the publick in genral made looms spining wheels raised flax made about allo thir own clothing of this and wool a corn planter was more to see then a new mocel car is to day and people go for miles to see a moing machin there was not much cleard land then mostly bottom land this was along the line of Braxton and lewis county very little stock kept by farmers at that time as was very few had land cleard to keep stock most all had a cow or two thay let them run out to the comons as thay called it them no rail road in ether Braxton or lewis at that time may have bin a nar gage rail road from clarksburg to weston, all merchants had to have thir goods halled from clarksburg or weston. there was plenty of road houses from one county seat to other county seat to take care of men and teams at that time then the rail road came threw lewis and braxton countys some where in the early eighteen ninetys this give a lot employment to the people in meny ways the next was the C&P.rail road this brought more employment to all in coal and timber this made better living for all

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333 There is meny living to day that rember when we had no victrola or raido or car tha was all writen about long before we had them in genral use thay have brought better living to all there is meny of us that are not thankful for this and think this just happend it has happend for all there was a will put forth and a efort to bring all this I wonder what the next fifty years will Bring us i can not emagin as meny things brought to us for our comfort in the next fifty years I dont think ther is eny one that can emagin the changes that will take place in the next fifty years let us hope thay will be as great as the past fifty years I belive thay will if we would all try to impruve as our convinces has it would be a much better world to live in and we could make it that way if we try i have no eduication to tell what i would like to tell as i never learned to write my name in school may have went as much as six months all to geather if you wasent able to buy books and dress for the cold weather there was no way provided as of to day i knew two other famileys in the same conditon as our familey so thir education was very limited like ours i liked to had a free school education i have learned a little just by reading and listning to others i was always dertermend all my childern should have a free school education which thay all did three went to high school one went glenville state teachers school the others had a chance to go to high school but did not take it so thay have all bin albe to take care of them selves
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and I have not told this to reflect on any one as there is meny that knows this but did not know how bad this had bin tell you would find the persentage that has survived ,


what i dident know that i told i got from thes parties who name is in the Booklet the blakes some of them was very superstious belived in wiches and gosts i think this is the stronger mind pring on the weaker mind i learned this thrugh life, ........................................................................................................................
always try to be satfide with what you have,if you want better things then you have you can have them if you will make a efort to have them do not try to have things you are not able to have, some one elce may hafto pay for this,if you you always live up to your word you will be all right
...................................................................................................................... Somithing to rember The suply of untruth is greate then the demand this makes it very cheap, ......................................................................................................................
The demand for truth is greater then the suply this makes it come high. ......................................................................................................................
one fault mended is worth two falts made
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if we thought more about others then we do of our selvs we would have more frids
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There is so much bad in the best of us and so much good in the worst of us that it dosent behove any of us to speak ill of the rest of us
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it has bin more then six years sence i bin able to work i can do nothing and i am geathring this information and writing this to help pass the time i have found meny things i did not know
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I would like to see a movie made of what i have related of this relation ship and let the public see what the results of this relation has bin meny do not know the relation of thir parents i have found in talking to them you here so meny remarks made about them that are not right something the matter with them thay cant help this, in all this relation i have knowen about there has always bin something wrong withpart of the familey i have seen only one normal in familey of six one normal in familey of eleven three norma in a familey of sixteen childern i could go on and name meny more this mental sickness lasts thrugh life let us all discurge this practis i bleive this has cost the state and countys more then eny thing i know it is a cost to all (changes to hand written)] Vayden S Blake third son of Lee W. Blake Civilla Riffle Blake his children. Betty Jo married Darell Crites 2 daughters Brenda & Myra K Junior Lee married Georgie Steele 3 boys Gary Vaden Lee & Dennis Stanley O. Married Janie Church 2 sons Allen & Steve. Jean married Cecil Hornbeck one daughter Careen. Leota married John married Faye Barron