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u
PIONEER SETTLERS
OF GRAYSON COUNTY
VIRGINIA
BY
B. F. NUCKOLLS
GALAX, VA.
1914
The Kihg Printing Company
le roi press
bristol, tennessee
/
Fsss.
Bebtcatton
HIS book is dedicated to the mem-
ory of my father and mother ^ Clark
Nuckolls and Rosa Bourne Hale
Nuckolls; and also to other kindred
and friends, many of whom have
gone before, and many who are on
their journey to the Mansions of Rest, ^ ff^e
have lived and labored and loved together,
and we hope to meet at last in the kingdom of
our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who
will finally gather all his faithful ones into
their Heavenly Home,
INTRODUCTION
It is with unfeigned pleasure that I write these lines
to introduce this modest volume to the reading public.
I have known the author and the people of whom he
writes for more than a half century. The author him-
self is of one of the old pioneer families who, by their
courage and stalwart virtues, made Southwestern Vir-
gmia the garden spot of the world— "The land of the
free, and the home of the brave." He was brought up
among them, and is by blood akin to hundreds of them.
He writes what he knows, and knows what he writes
is true. The book is a recital of facts with but little
embellishment— a garner for preserving for posterity,
a history of the brave doings of the men and women
of the generations gone by. This is clearly the author's
purpose in writing it, and as such it is worthy of the hearty
endorsement of the children of a noble ancestry. And
it will be read by this and coming generations, not only
in the happy homestead, the hills and valleys of South-
western Virginia, but in many other states, for the sons
of this hill country are spread far and wide over the
South and West. Many men and women in the far off
western plains will read with thrilling interest story
after story of the early days of their fathers and grand-
fathers who felled the forests and drove the wolves and
bears from their lurking dens, and built their log cabins
by the spring. The springs of laughing waters are still
there, but the log cabins of the pioneers are gone — and
beautiful homesteads, waving harvests and lowing herds
tell of the comfort and good cheer of the country. The
ramshackle school house, in which the children learned
their a b c's in the years long gone, are replaced with
academies and high schools of architectural taste and
viii Pioneer Settlers
adapted to educational purposes. And instead of the
log cabin or humble private home of the settlers in which
the "circuit-rider" used to conduct divine services, now
the "church-going-bell" in every neighborhood calls
the people to worship in elegant houses of worship.
This book tells the how of all this change, and the
worthy author merits the hearty thanks of all for putting
the story in permanent form for preservation. I cordi-
ally commend it to book lovers of the day.
Knoxville, Tenn. D. SULLINS.
October, 1913.
PREFACE
The times, opportunities, and surroundings have
changed so much since the early settlement of this country
that the people of the present generation do not realize
what were the labors, privations, cares, and anxieties
of their ancestors. They were such as try the nerve,
strength, and fortitude of mankind.
History proves to us beyond a doubt that our noble
ancestors, by strenuous labors and perseverance, changed
the face of this country, which they found wild and
uncultivated, and that we now enjoy the fruits of their
labor, while they "Rest from their labors, and their
works do follow them."
They cut down the forests, built their log cabins and
stables, cleared up the low-lands and swamps, cleaned
up the hills and mountain sides. Their cattle, sheep,
and hogs lived on the range, but had to be brought in
at night near the cabm to protect them from the ravenous
wolves and other wild animals that were plentiful then.
Bells were put on the cattle and sheep so that they
could be found when they strayed away. The rich weeds
and pea-vines and other vegetable growth afforded
feed for the stock, and hogs fed on the mast, and foraged
in the woodland. Pens were made, and the stock was
driven into them at night, and often large log fires had to
be built to keep the wolves away.
We are not attempting in this book to givs sketches
of all the families that have helped to make our section
of the country what it now is, but will give some items of
history and tradition that we think will be of interest
to many and that have not hitherto been recorded.
We hope that those who scan these pages will not read
with the eye of the critic but with appreciation of the
facts and items that have been gathered together.
INDEX
AsBURY, Bishop Francis 171
Anderson, Maj. James 67
Anderson, Orville, Clerk of Court 10
Bourne, William, first Clerk of Grayson 17
Bourne, Stephen G. 17
Blair, Thomas, Sr : 26
Blair, John.. 26
Blair, Lorenzo Dow 51
Bryan, Francis 163
Bryan, Joseph 131
Bryan, Lewis H 132
Bryan, Morgan 132
Canute, King of England 162
Canute, William 163
Canute, Col. Eli 163
Coltrane, Col. Ira B , 123
Cornett, Judge Geo. Washington 164
Cooley, Benjamin. -- 186
Carico, Rev. William 100
Cox, John, of revolutionary fame 167
Dow, Lorenzo 51
Dickey, Mathew 189
Dickey, John, Sr 188
Dickey, Dr. John R 184
Dickenson, Col. Martin 54
Dickenson, John 55
Davis, Col. Alexander M.._ 56
Early, John, Sr 205
Early, James 203
xii Pioneer Setlers
Early, John, Jr — 203
Felts, Creed N 51
Felts, Thomas, Detective 52
Fulton, Rev. Creed 160
Fulton, Samuel 160
Fulton, Judge Andrew 16
Garland, Landon Cabell, LL. D 143
Garland, Charles — . 142
Garland, Mary 142
Garland, David S - 144
Garland, Samuel 146
Garland, Hugh A. 146
Garland, Augustus H. - 146
Garland, Rev. James Powell, D. D 147
Garrison, Isaac 155
Garrison, David - 155
Goodykoontz, David 193
Goodykoontz, Rev. Alfred M. 197
GwYN, James 58
Hale, Lewis, ancestor from Kent, England 107
Hale, Edward, ancestor from Kent, England 104
Hale, Judge Garland 121
Hale, Col. Stephen, Sr. 114
Hale, Capt. Lewis, Jr - 112
Hale, Capt. Peyton N 113
Hale, Capt. Fielden Lewis 118
Hale, Maj. Peyton G 127
Hale, Eli C - 116
Hale, Hasten 73
Hale, Prof. W. Stephen 116
Hash, Jane 173
Hanks, Joshua .._ 16
Pioneer Settlers xiii
Hanks, "Nancy" 158
Hanks, Creed L 158
IsoM, David 118
Jones, Admiral John Paul 148
Jones, Churchill 153
Jones, Maj. Minitree 153
Jones, Maj. Spotswood 153
Jones, Maj. Churchill 153
Jones, Maj. Abner 156
Jones, William 155
Johnston, Capt. Robert 61
Johnston, James B _ 69
Johnston, Mary 61
Kyle, Judge William 52
Kenny, William 205
Kenny, Robert 205
Kenny, William, Jr _ 205
Kenny, John A 205
La Rowe, Louis 206
Lenoir, Gen. William..... 58
LUNDY, FiELDEN J., Clerk of Court 17
McCamant, Col. Samuel..._ 59
McCamant, Dr. Thomas Jefferson 60
McCamant, Thomas Jefferson, Jr 60
Moore, Col. Alfred 82
Moore, Spotswood J.._ 157
Moore, Churchill F 157
McMillan, Col. John 173
I
xiv Pioneer Settlers
Nuckolls, John, James, William, York, Eng 65
Nuckolls, Capt. Robert G... 72
Nuckolls, Charles 66
Nuckolls, Nathaniel 90
Nuckolls, Garland 71
Nuckolls, John, S. C., Killed by Tories, 1780 91
Nuckolls, Ezra 84
Nuckolls, Stephen Friel, Member of 46th Congress 86
Oglesby, William 89
Osborne, Enoch 171
Osborne, Solomon 171
Osborne, Zachariah.— 171
Pendleton, Edmond, "Jurist" 146
Perkins, Timothy 24
Perkins, Johnston 48
PuGH, Stephen 25
PuGH, John 116
Phipps, Benjamin 173
Phipps, Joseph 173
Phipps, Columbus 174
Phlegar, Judge Archer A. 199
Piper, Col. James 180
Reeves, George 176
Reeves, John 176
Swift, Col. Flower, Ancestor from England 98
Smith, Gen. Alexander, of "Stuarts," Eng 180
Scott, James, of Ireland 126
Sheffy, Rev. Robert Sawyers 70
Thomas, Jonathan 24
Pioneer Settlers xv
Thomas, Stephen B 24
Thomas, Dr. Fleming._ 175
Vaughn, Nathaniel 16
Vaughn, Rev. John 16
Vaughn, Rev. Thomas C 138
Ward, Ballard E. 73
Worrell, James 159
Worrell, Esaw, Sr 159
Worrell, Capt. John 160
Worrell, Churchill : 160
Waugh, Capt. John Blair 48
Young, Ezekiel._ 50
Young, Fielden 175
INDEX OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Benjamin Floyd Nuckolls Frontispiece
Dr. David Sullins vii
The Old Kitchen 1
The Old Nuckolls Homestead 9
Frances Bourne 17
MastinHale 21
Nuckolls Springs 25
The Hale Brick Residence. 33
Elizabeth Blair Waugh 37
Cliffside 41
Residence of Captain John B. Waugh 49
Elizabeth Thomas._ 53
Col. Samuel McCamant 57
Matilda Dickinson McCamant 65
Nuckolls Cemetery 69
Clark Nuckolls and Wife 73
Residence of B. F. Nuckolls 81
Ballard E. Ward and Wife 85
James Stuart Ward „ 87
William Swift Nuckolls 89
Susan B. Hale 93
Margaret Swift. 99
Martha Nuckolls 101
Hale Coat of Arms.._ 105
The Hale Monument 113
Eh C. Hale 117
Lucinda Hale... 121
Amanda J. Hale 125
Stephen Friel Nuckolls 129
Lucinda Bourne 133
Sophia P. Hale 135
Major Peyton G. Hale 137
Garland Coat of Arms 141
Landon C. Garland, LL. D. 145
The Garret Cemetery 147
Benjamin F. Nuckolls and Wife _ 195
Pioneer Settlers of Grayson
County J Virginia
CHAPTER I
The portion of Southwest Vu-ginia embraced in Gray-
son and Carroll counties, bounded by New River and
Wythe county on the North, and by the Blue Ridge
and state of North Carolina on the South, was first
known as Botetourt District, afterwards, as Washing-
ton and Montgomery Districts.
New River was first called Woods River and after-
wards changed to New River. A Mr. Woods discovered
the river, and set up claims on lands on the waters of
Crooked and Chestnut Creeks. Other boundaries were
secured by Buchanan. Some of the titles to land on which
the town of Galax is built run back to the old Buchanan
papers.
In 1720, Spottsylvania was formed from portions of
Essex, King William, and King and Queen counties,
and was named for Col. Alexander Spottswood, who was
one of the colonial governors of Virginia.
Orange was formed from Spottsylvania in 1734; Augusta
from Orange in 1738; Botetourt from Augusta in 1769;
Fincastle coimty was formed from Botetourt in 1772,
and covered far more than half of the present state of
West Virginia, all of the present state of Kentucky, and
all of what we now know as Southwest Virginia.
In 1776, the county of Fincastle was abolished, and
out of its territory three new counties were formed, to-wit:
Montgomery, Washington, and Kentucky.
Montgomery was formed from Fincastle in 1776;
Wythe from Montgomery in 1790; Grayson from Wythe
in 1792; Carroll county from Grayson in 1842.
When Wythe county was formed from Montgomery
m 1790 it included a large boundary reaching to the North
2 Pioneer Settlers
Carolina line on the South, and embracing what is now
known as Grayson and Carroll counties.
Evansham (afterwards changed to Wytheviile) was
selected as the place to hold courts and elections, and
all free holders were required to go there to vote.
The early settlers had selected land along New River
and its tributary creeks, as they were most productive,
and were rich with wild pea-vine and other vegetation
for the stock.
They did not like to have the county seat so far removed
from them, so they called for a county on the south
side. Flower Swift was one of the magistrates of the
Wythe court. He, with others, made an effort to get
a county cut off from Wythe, but was met with violent
opposition.
William Bourne was a candidate for the Legislature,
but was not elected on account of his known intention
to secure a new county. When the Legislature met,
Bourne was there as a lobby member, and succeeded in
carrying out his wishes. Mr. Grayson, of Montgomery
county, gave much help in securing the new county,
and in recognition of his services the county was named
for him — "Grayson".
The first court was held in William Bourne's bam on
Knob Fork of Elk Creek. Flower Swift, Minitree Jones,
and Nathaniel Frisbie were appointed magistrates.
The members of the first court were Flower Swift,
Enoch Osboume, Minitree Jones, Nathaniel Frisbie,
Philip Gaines, William Bourne, Nathaniel Pope, Matthew
Dickey, Lewis Hale, and Moses Foley. William Bourne
was appointed clerk of the court.
Records of the first court held in Grayson county, in
William Bourne's barn. May 21st, 1793, and partial
proceedings of some subsequent courts :
Grayson County, Va. 3
Be it remembered that on the 21st day of May, in the year of
our Lord, 1793, at the house of Willaim Bourne, in the County of
Grayson, a Commission of the Governor, Henry Lee, of the Common-
wealth of Virginia, for the County aforesaid, directed to Flower
Swift, Enoch Osbourne, Minitre Jones, Nathaniel Frisbie, Phillip
Gaines, William Bourne, Nathaniel Pope, Mathew Dickey, Lewis
Hale, and Moses Foley, Gent., bearing date the 10th day of Decem-
ber, 1792, was produced as being read, and thereupon Flower
Swift took the Oath of Allegiance to the Commonwealth, the Oath
to support the Constitution of the United States, the Oath of a
Justice of the Peace, and the Oath of a Justice of the County Court
in Chancery, which Oaths were administered to him by Minitree
Jones and Nathaniel Frisbie, and then the said Flower Swift
administered all the aforesaid Oaths to the aforesaid Enoch Os-
bourne, Minitre Jones, Nathaniel Frisbie, Phillip Gaines, William
Bourne, Nathaniel Pope, Mathew Dickey, and Lewis Hale, who
took the same.
A Commission from His Excellency, Henry Lee, Governor of
the Commonwealth, to Phillip Gaines to be Sheriff of the County
of Grayson to take effect from and after the 13 day of this instant,
was produced by the said Phillip Gaines and Read, and thereupon,
he, together with William Bobbitt and John Stone his Security,
and entered into and acknowledged their bond for the said Phillip
Gaines due performance of his Office, which is Ordered to be recorded
and Flower Swift and Enoch Osbourne administered to the said
Phillip Gaines the Oath of Allegiance to support the Common-
wealth of the United States, and also the Oath of Sheriff.
At a Court held for Grayson County the 27th day of May,
1793.
Present:
Flower Swift
Enoch Osbourne
Nathaniel Frisbie
Nathaniel Pope
Mathew Dickey
Lewis Hale
Gentlemen, Justices.
The Court proceeded to appoint a Clerk. Whereupon William
Bourne was chosen to that office, and thereupon, he together with
Thomas Blair, Jeremiah Stone, and John Stone, his Security,
entered into and acknowledged their bond according to law for the
4 Pioneer Settlers
said Bournes due performance of the duties of his said office, and
the said William Bourne thereupon took the Oath of Allegiance,
the Oath to support the Constitution of the United States, and
the Oath of the Clerk of a County Court.
Present:
MiNiTRE Jones,
Gent.
Phillip Gaines, Esq., is Nominated as Surveyor, and it is Ordered
that the same be certified to the president and professors of William
and Mary College.
Alexander Smyth, Gent., produced License Signed by Richard
Carey, Henry Taswell, and Edmond Winston, permitting him to
practice as an Attorney in the Inferior and Superior Courts within
this Commonwealth, and having taken the Oath prescribed by
law, is admitted to practice in the Courts.
The Court adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow.
Flower Swift.
At a Court continued and held for the County of Grayson on
the 22nd day of May, 1793.
Present:
MiNiTRE Jones,
Nathaniel Frisbie,
Mathew Dickey,
Lewis Hale,
Gent.
William Drope is admitted a Deputy Clerk to this Court, where-
upon he took the Oath prescribed by law.
Ordered, that for the purpose of appointing Commissioners to
value property taken by E, the County be divided into two Districts,
that part eastward of Meadow Creek and New River to form one
end, and the residue of the County the other.
William Bobbitt, Jacob Colyar, and George Martin are appointed
Commissioners to value property in the lower Eastern District;
and Enoch Osbourne, David Cox, Stephen Goast, in the upper or
Western District, and it is ordered that they be served with notice
to qualify according to Law.
Present,
Flower Swift,
Enoch Osbourne,
Nathaniel Pope,
Gent.
Grayson County, Va. 5
The Court proceeded to fix upon a place of holding Courts, and
fixed upon a place known by the name of Rose's Cabins, cr within
one mile thereof, and appointed the house wherein Court now sits
as the place of holding Courts until publick buildings shall be
erected.
Minitre Jones and Enoch Osbourne, Gent., entered their dissent
to the order fixing the permanent place of holding Courts.
Absent, Flower Swift, Gent.
Charles Nuckolls, Flower Swift and Phillip Gaines, Gent., in
Court agree that they will Convey to trustees for the use of the
Courts, 100 Acres of land at the seat of the public buildings, one-
half thereof to be laid out into Lets and Streets, and establish a
Town; the balance to be Common, Reserving three half-acre
Lotts at their choice after the Lotts were laid off.
-Minitre Jones and Mathew Dickey, Gent., are appointed Com-
missioners on behalf of the Courts to fix on the situation for the
publick Buildings within the District aforesaid, to receive from the
proprietors of the Lands there a conveyance there of, or an Obli-
gation for the Same, and to contract with an undertaker for the
erection of the necessary buildings according to plans to be by them
prepared, and finally to lay off a Town at the place; provided that
the auction of the buildings shall be let by auction to the lowest
bidder, on some Court day, on public notice.
Present,
Flower Swift,
Gent.
On motion of Phillip Gaines, Esq., David Vaughn is admitted
a Deputy Sheriff in the County, whereupon he took the Oath
prescribed by Law.
Alexander Smith is appointed Deputy Attorney for the Common-
wealth, in this Court, which is ordered to be Certified to; And it
is further ordered that he be allowed the Sum of Twenty pounds
in the levy the present year, as a compensation for his services for
one year from this time.
The Court also appoints Minitre Jones and Mathew Dickey to
hold elections for overseer of the poor, the election to be held at
the Forge on the 12th day of June next.
Ordered that Shadrack Greer and Tobias Phipps be recommended
as Justices of the Peace for this County.
The Court appoints the oflicers for the regiment of Malitia;
Ordered that Flower Swift be recommended as Leut. Col., Minitre
6 Pioneer Settlers
Jones, Major of the first Battalion, Avery Henick, Captain of Rifle
Company, first Battalion, John Wilson, Leut., William ChaflBn,
Ensign.
James Anderson, Captain of Rifle Company, Second Battalion,
William Vaughn, Lieut., and Geo. Levesy, Ensign.
There are 3 Companies for first Battalion, Three Captains,
Nathaniel Pope, John McCoy, John Pickerell.
Second Battalion, Three Captains, Jonathan Ward, Abner Jones,
George Howell.
Court adjourned until Court in Course.
Flower Swift,
Gent.
Court 10th of June, 1793:
A deed from Flower Swift and Mary his wife, to Mathew Dickey,
proven by Minitre Jones, and Redmond Cody.
Ordered that Revd. Moses Foley be admitted to solemnize the
rights of matrimony, agreeable to the rules of his church, so soon
as he shall enter into bond according to law.
Ordered, that a road be opened from Blair and Dickey's furnace
to the county line. From the Furnace to the ground where the
Courthouse is to be erected, thence to the Forge, thence to William
Jennings, Joseph Mill, Nathaniel Pope, James Cock, and William
Williams (Wagoner), views the grounds to County line.
Dennis Fielder, Rubin Cornute, and William Long, who were at
the last Court, appointed to view Different ways petitioned for
by the Inhabitants of Elk Creek, upon their Oaths do say there
may a waggon Road be made from Jeremiah Stones to Hale's
Meeting house, from thence to the Widow Roarch Cabin, from
thence to Richard Wrights, Sen., to Richard Wrights, Jun., and
that the Survey of the same keep it in Repair according to Law.
Ordered that John Nash be allowed for the killing one Old Wolfe
out of present County Levy.
Ordered that Joseph Fields be allowed for the killing one Old
Wolfe out of present County Levy.
At a Court Continued for the Examination of a Negro man
named Natt, the property of James Cox, on Suspicion of his Felon-
iously taking from Thomas Blair one Duck Blanket to the value
of fifteen Shillings.
The above named Natt was led to the Bar, and upon Examination,
denieth the Fact, Wherewith he stands charged, upon which several
Witnesses were Sworn and examined, and the prisoner heard in
his own Defence; On Consideration of which of the Circumstances
Grayson County, Va. 7
relating to the Crime, the Court are of Opinion that he is guilty
of the fact wherewith he stands charged, but the things being of
Small Value, and the prisoner praying Corporal punishment, it
is ordered that he Receive fifteen Lashes at the publick whippin
post of the County on his bare back, well laid on, and it is said to
the Sheriff that Execution thereof be immediately done.
Ordered that this Court adjourn until Court in Course.
Flower Swift.
A Suit on Bond given by Phillip Gainer.
Martin Dickenson Plf.
V
Daniel Sheffy Dft.
Upon a bond for the forthcoming of the property at the day of
Sale upon an Execution obtained from Court.
Robert Sayers proved two days attendance as on evidence in
the Suit Baker vs. English, and 16 miles traveling here, and the
same returning each Daj^ .
Baker vs. English Judy for ;^3. sl5. 6 and cost.
The Court proceeded to Lay the County Levy, and find the
Claims for and against the Same as follows, viz.:
To the Clerk's Publick Services the present year 25 Dol.
The Sheriff same 25 Dol.
To Clerks and Surveyor Book, &c, 50 Dol.
To Alexander Smith Att. Com 66.67.
To Creditors for Wolfe heads 50 D.
To Clerks for examining Com. Books 5 Dol.
To account for Delinquents 25.33 D.
Ordered that the Sheriff Collect the Levy and give Bond in the
Clerk's Office in ten Days.
The Court proceeded to fix the rates to be observed by Ordinary
keepers:
(You will see this Order on p. 35 in the old records of the first
Courts for Grayson County which belongs to the Clerk's Office at
Independence, Va. William Bourne, first Ordinary Keeper, at his
house. B. F. N.)
COURT RECORDS
(See page 35)
The Court proceeded to fix the rates to be Observed by Ordinary
keepers, viz.:
8 Pioneer Setters
£ s d
A breakfast with Coffee 0 13
Ditto Without Coffee 0 10
Dinner Warm, if good 0 16
Cold 0 13
Lodging Clean for 1 in bed 0 0 6
2 in bed 0 0 4
More than 2 in bed 0 0 0
Stableage pr night 0 0 6
Do pr 24 hours 0 0 9
Do. for less than 24 hours 0 0 6
Pasturage in Season pr night 0 0 6
Do. pr 24 hours 0 0 9
Corn pr. Gallon 0 0 8
Oats pr. Gallon 0 0 6
Wine Madera pr. quart..._ 0 8 0
Do. inferior 0 5 0
West India rum pr half-pint..._ 0 10
Cosbert Do per Do 0 0 6
Taffia Do pr. Do. 0 0 6
French brandy pr. Do 0 0 9
Peach Do. per Do 0 0 6
Gin pr. Do 0 0 8
Whiskey pr. Do 0 0 6
Good Cider pr. qt.._ 0 0 8
Good Beer pr. Do.._ 0 0 6
Small beer 0 0 4
At a Court held for the County of Grayson on the 24th Day of
June, l'}94.
Present:
Flower Swift,
Enoch Osbournb,
MiNiTRE Jones,
Mathew Dickey,
Lewis Hale,
Gentlemen Justices.
Ordered that Joshua Cox be allowed in the next County Levy
for the Killing of five Young Wolves."
"Ordered that this Court adjourn from the house of William
Bourne to the New Courthouse, Court in Course". Last Court.
Wm. B.'s House.
Flower Swift
Grayson County, Va. 9
First Court, N. C. House:
At a Court held for the County of Grayson on the 22nd day of
July, 1794.
Present:
Flower Swift,
Nathaniel Frisbib,
Nathaniel Pope,
Lewis Hale,
Gent, Justices.
Ordered that the Stock Mark of George Martin be Recorded a
half Crop off the Left ear, and a half penny out of the right ear,
viz.: the half Crop out of the upper side of the left and the half
penny out of the underside of the right.
A Deed from Mathew Dickey and Rebaca Dickey his wife to
Thomas Blair, proven by the Oath of Greenberry McKinzie, and
ordered to be Certified.
A Deed from Flower Swift, and Mary his wife, to Jessie Williams
was proven by the Oaths of William AUin, John Williams, and
Augustus Webber, three of the witnesses there to, and 0. R.
On the motion of George Ring and Richard Hale, a certificate
is granted for obtaining letters of administrations on the Estate
of Martin Ring, and Whereupon they entered into with William
Hale, Lewis Hale, Dudley Hale, and Jacob Spraker, their Securities,
and qualified according to law.
Ordered that John Fielder, Elisha Bedsaul, and Martin Dick-
enson be appointed to appraise the personal property and make
report there of to Court.
Ordered that Dudley Hale be appointed Overseer of the road in
place of Timothy Roark, and that he, with the usual hands, keep
the same in repair.
On motion of Robert Nuckolls, who, having produced the receipt
of the Clerk of this Court for the sum of Twelve Dollars and fifty
Cents, a license is granted him to keep an Ordinary at his house
in Greenville, One year from the first of May last. Whereupon he
entered into bond with Security accordingly.
A List of Insolvent Tythes for the year 1810 was produced in
Court and allowed by the Court, aud proved by the Oath of Abner
Jones.
A Commission from his Excellency, James Wood, Leutenant
Governor, in the absence of the Governor, appointing Abner Jones
10 Pioneer Settlers
and John Robertson Justice of the Peace for Grayson County in
Chancery.
This closes the copies from the first Book of Record
for the Courts of Grayson county. Said book begins with
the date of the 21st day of May, 1793, and closes with
the 31st of May, 1811.
First court held in new courthouse, on 22nd of July,
1794. Second courthouse built about 1838. County
divided, and Carroll cut off of east end of Grayson,
in 1842. (For record of First Court for Carroll, June,
1842, see F. L. Hale's obituary.) Independence was
chosen as the county seat of Grayson, in 1850 or 1851.
Orville Anderson was clerk. He moved to Independence,
and died there soon after moving.
The following, in reference to the laying of the comer-
stone of the M. E. Church at Fries, Virginia, is taken from
The Roanoke Times of November 27th 1902:
NOTABLE DAY FOR FRIES
"The gods have indeed been kind to our infant city
on this day of days in her history. The laying of the
corner-stone of any pioneer church of any settlement is
a vital event in the history of that place, and the people
of Grayson, Wythe, Carroll and other counties, have
beyond question shown their appreciation of this fact,
as demonstrated by their large outpouring today. The
occasion which gathered so many hundreds of noble
women and men within the corporation of Fries today
was the laying of the corner-stone of the M. E. Church,
South. The ceremonies were entirely in the hands of
the Masons and Odd Fellows and conducted in their
very impressive style, each and every ofiicer being in
good voice and all were men of high intelligence and fine
personal bearing. The Order of Rebekah, with its queenly
membership, was in good evidence, and under command
Grayson County, Va. 11
of its noble grand, Miss Donna Fielder. Marshals of
the day were Dr. Koontz and R. L. Dickenson.
"Lodges were represented from Wytheville, Crozier,
Ivanhoe, Hillsville, Old Town, Independence and Pulaski.
Dixie Lodge, of this city, has for its worshipful master.
Judge Padgett, of Grayson county court. The noble
grand of Fries Lodge of Odd Fellows is J. D. Baley.
"Deposited in the corner-stone is a list of Old Town
Lodge, No. 68, A. F. & A. M., names of charter members
and names of members at this time; a list of members of
Dixie Lodge, and time of organization; also a list of Fries
Lodge, No. 39, L 0. 0. F., with time of organization;
a list of Fries Sunday-school; an account of the massacre
of the Bartlett family and others by four runaway negroes
on the 11th of August, 1851; list of trustees of the chui'ch;
list of members of the church at this place; paper giving
time of organization of Washington Mills and names of
directors, copies of Holston Conference Annual, Methodist
Discipline, Holston Methodist, Grayson Gazette, Grayson
Journal, Virginia Odd Fellows, Christian Advocate,
Wytheville Dispatch and Roanoke Times.
"The church building has brick foundation and is to
be of wooden super-structure, with a seating capacity
of about 800. It will be completed by spring and will
have practically no debt hanging over it, due to the
liberality of Col. Fries and the public. The church will
be, as it now is, under the charge of Rev. T. C. Vaughan,
a man of christian zeal and noble personality.
"Rev. E. F. Kahle, presiding elder of this conference,
delivered the oration of the day. In clear, well niodulated
tones and classic style he portrayed the building of
Solomon's temple, injecting the thought that, after the
colossal work was done it fell short of the humblest
meeting house of this era. Since it never knew the Savior
of man. His masterful address received the closest
12 Pioneer Settlers
attention and will be treasured a long time by those
who heard him.
"Within a hundred feet of the church stands the public
school, which, when completed, will accommodate 500
children.
"These buildings are under the architectural guidance
of Capt. R. P. Henry, who has charge of the extensive
and difficult building of this city.
"After the ceremonies matters were handed over to
the tender care of a committee of ladies, who undertook,
with happy result, the feeding of the vast multitude,
serving a splendid dinner and supper.
" More anon from this strenuous little city. "
The first trial held in the new court-house in Independ-
ence was that of the four negroes who were engaged in
the fight of which an account is given below :
"An account of a fight or massacre that occurred
with the Bartlett family, John Clements, William B.
Hale and Currin C. Hale and four runaway negroes, on
the grounds now occupied by the Fries Company, which
fight or massacre took place on Monday morning, about
10 o'clock, August 11, 1851.
"Wilham Bartlett and Elizabeth Paschel, his wife,
moved to New River, Grayson county, Va., in 1834,
with their two sons and one daughter — Samuel Bartlett,
Alfred G. Bartlett and Matilda Bartlett, wife of Cyrus
Wilcox.
"William B. Hale moved to the adjoining far-m east on
the river, with his son, Currin C. Hale, about 1838.
"John Clements moved to the mill west of Wm. Bart-
lett's, on the river, about 1847.
"In the Year 1849 two men came into the county of
Grayson by the names of Bacon and Cook. These men
claimed to be Methodist preachers from Ohio. They
Grayson County, Va. 13
traveled over the county and preached. But it was soon
known that they were "aboUtionists" and that they
were interfering with the negroes, talking with and
advising them to run away and go to Ohio, and that they
would help them get through.
"On Sunday night of the 10th of August, 1851, four
negro men started for Ohio. Two of them, Simon and
Lewis, belonged to John Reeves, and the other two,
Jack and Henry, belonged to a man named Cox.
"These negroes got a canoe, armed themselves with
butcher knives and scythe blades, and started down the
river for Ohio. Their instruction from Bacon was to
travel down the river at night and lay by in the daytime,
and that he would meet them at the Kanawha Falls
and take them across to Ohio. They reached the falls
near the Clements' mills about daylight Monday morning,
August 11, 1851, tied up their canoe and went up into
a ravine in the woods and started a fire. The smoke was
discovered by John Clements, who went into the woods
and found the negroes in camp for the day.
"Mr. Clements sent Calvin Bobbitt for help to take
the negroes. Samuel Bartlett, Alfred G. Bartlett, Cyrus
Wilcox, William B. Hale, Cunin C. Hale and Leftrick
Hill came, with guns and a bulldog, and demanded their
surrender.
"At once two commenced the fight, the other two run-
ning for the river. Samuel Bartlett was struck with a
scythe blade and his head cut open. John Clements was
cut on the head. Alfred G. Bartlett was struck on the
head, cut on the wrist, and his thumb nearly cut off in
his efforts to keep off the blows.
"The fight was then between A. G. Bartlett, Cyrus
Wilcox and the two stout negroes. Wilcox seized one of
the negroes and threw him to the ground. Alfred shot
at the other, but failed to hit him, and the negro ran to
14 Pioneer Settlers
Wilcox and stuck the butcher knife through his neck,
just missing the jugular vein. Bartlett struck the negro
Simon across the back with his gun barrel, having broken
the breech of his gun in the fight.
"In this severe and desperate struggle Bartlett and
Wilcox so disabled these two negi'oes that they surrendered.
The other two v/ere pursued by W. B. and C. C. Hale.
Several shots were fired at them without effect. Currin
Hale struck at one with his gun barrel and bent it. Jack
threw a rock and struck William Hale on the neck. The
other did not attempt to fight, but ran into the river
and was caught by the bulldog.
"Thus the bloody struggle ended for the day. Sam'l
Bartlett lived about six hours. John Clements afterwards
died in Nebraska of his wounds. Cyrus Wilcox recovered ;
also Wm. Hale and Alfred Bartlett. Only two are now
living who were in this bloody and dangerous fight — ■
Alfred Bartlett and Currin Hale. Hale lives in Nebraska.
Bartlett remained at the old home until he sold to the
Fries M'f'g Co., and now lives near-by. He has by his
energy and enterprise reared a large and respectable
family, and amid his affliction and disabled condition
continues as one of Grayson county's best citizens.
"Two of the negroes left at the camp — Simon and Lewis
— revived, tied up their wounds and started again for
Ohio, but after several days were captured in Bland
county — one in a house stealing something to eat — the
other in a com field stealing com. The other two — Jack
and Henry — went back to their home. They were all
brought to Independence and tried in court. Hemy
was released, as he did not fight. Simon, Lewis and Jack
were condemned to hang, and were executed on Friday,
Nov. 1, 1851, at Independence, Grayson Co., Va.
"After this massacre the county was in a state of ex-
citement and men gathered from Old Town, Elk Creek,
Grayson County, Va. 15
Knob Fork and other places to search for the man Bacon,
who had caused the trouble and bloodshed, as he had
told these negroes to fight their way through. Bacon
was found at Amos Moore's, but before the men could
catch him he ran to Iron Mountain and got away. If
he had been caught he would doubtless have been hanged
at once. Cook had disappeared before this time.
"The foregoing facts are known to many of us, but
have not gone into history.
"We therefore desire these facts to be placed by the
hands of Alfred Bartlett in the corner-stone of the church,
to be laid at Fries on Nov. 21, 1902, as this M. E. Church,
South, is being built on the former Bartlett estate and
on the ground where Sam'l Bartlett lived at the time of
his being killed in the fight.
"Given under my hand, and by the assistance of Alfred
G. Bartlett, an eye witness and actor in this distressing
piece of history. Written on the 16th day of Nov., 1902.
"BEN FLOYD NUCKOLLS,
"Minister of M. E. Church, South."
Carroll county was named for Charles Carroll, of
Carrolton, Maryland, who was one of the signers of the
American Declaration of Independence. He survived
all the other signers by six years, and had been dead only
ten years when Carroll county was formed.
The following was copied from the record of Carroll's
first court:
First order: "Be it remembered that on the sixth day
of June 1842, a commission of the peace for the county
of Carroll from John M. Gregory, Lieutenant Governor
of the Commonwealth of Virginia, acting as Governor,
under the seal of the Commonwealth, directed to Joshua
Hanks, John Blair, Benjamin Cooley, John Cocke,
William Lindsey, John B. Mitchell, Hugh Currin,
16 Pioneer Settlers
William Raines, William C. Hall, and John Vaughn,
and bearing date March 29th, 1842.
''Whereupon, the several persons named above appeared
and took the several oaths required by law as Justices
of Carroll county, which said oaths were administered
to them by Thomas McCabe, a justice of the peace in
Floyd county."
The record then recites that these justices opened court
in the house of James Stafford, in Hillsville, Virginia.
Harold Mathews was appointed clerk pro. tem. of the
court. A. S. Fulton, Benjamin R. Floyd, Richard T.
Mathews, Archabald Stuart, Samuel McCamant, William
H. Cook, Madison T. Carter, and Joseph C. Spalding
were admitted as attorneys to practice law in the court.
William Lindsey was then elected clerk of the court,
and Harold Mathews qualified as his deputy. James L.
Mitchell was appointed county surveyor, and Robert
Kenny, coroner. Nathaniel W. Vaughn, Fianklin
Clements, Joshua Hanks, Jr., Jonathan R. Sumner,
Joshua G. Mabey, Thomas Dalton, Lacy Bobbitt, William
Lewis, and John Webb were appointed constables for
the county. The court remained in session for two days
and adjourned to meet again on the 30th of June (1842)
at the house of Parks Ashworth in Hillsville, Virginia.
■1^^
FRANCES BOURNE
Daughter of WilUam Bourne, Sr., and wife of Stephen Hale, Sr.
CHAPTER II
THE BOURNE FAMILY
From the account given of the formation and early
history of Grayson county, we learn that William Bourne
was a man of much force, and had a large share in devel-
oping the county.
Following is a copy of the family record of William
Bourne and Rosamond Jones, his wife, in the old Bourne
Bible, now the property of Mrs. Elizabeth D. Lundy,
widow of Fielden Johnston Lundy, and youngest daughter
of Stephen Bourne and wife, Patty Mays: "Stephen
Bourne (Grey) was the son of William Bourne and his
wife, Rosamond Jones. Rosa Jones, wife of William
Bourne, was a daughter of Minitree Jones, Sr., who
married Miss Spottswood. Rosa Jones had three brothers,
Minitree, Jr., Spottswood and Churchill, all of Revolu-
tionary fame."
BIRTHS AND DEATHS
William Bourne, born August 23, 1743.
Rosamond, his wife, bom Feburary 14th, 1750.
Rosamond, wife of William Bourn, Sr., died 16th
March, 1821, age 71 years.
William Bourn, Sr., died June 8th, 1836, aged 88 years.
Stephen Bourn, G., departed this life April the 29th,
1849, on Sunday, 12 minutes after 8 o'clock in the morning.
Patsy Bourn, his wife, departed this life, April the
29th, 1849, on Sunday, 35 minutes after 9 o'clock in the
morning. (Only 1 hour and 23 minutes after her husband.)
Children of William Bourn and his wife, Rosamond
Jones, were seven daughters and two sons, as follows:
18 Pioneer Settlers
First, Patience, November 18th, 1770. Married
Jonathan Thomas.
Second, Milly, March 7th, 1773. Married Jessie
McKinney.
Third, Charity, November 7th, 1775. Married John
Blah-.
First, Stephen, February 26th, 1779. Married Patsy
Mays.
Fourth, Mary, January 5th, 1782. Married Martin
Dickinson.
Fifth, Elizabeth, March 20th, 1785. Married Capt.
Lewis Hale.
Sixth, Frances, June, 5th 1788. Married Stephen
Hale, Sr.
Seventh, Celia, December 25th, 1790. Married Robert
Johnstone, Roaring River, Wilkes county, N. C.
Second, William, May 4th, 1794. Married Mary
Johnstone, Roaring River, Wilkes county, N. C*
The seven daughters and two sons lived to be old,
and brought up large families; also raised a number of
negroes.
The seven daughters were all widows, at the same time,
and by their energy and perseverance managed their
estates well. None of the family married the second time.
The following is copied from the Southwest Virginia
Enterprise of March, 1912:
"The following paper was read by Miss Bertha Nuckolls
of Galax at a meeting of the Women's Missionary Society
held in the Galax Methodist Church March 1st, 1912.
We clip from the Post-Herald:
"The first missionary woman of Grayson county was
Rosa Bourne. Rosa Jones was a descendant of James
Jones, brother of Admiral Paul Jones and lived on a
large grant of land near Fredericksburg, Virginia.
"About the year of 1765, Rosa Jones was married to
Grayson County, Va. 19
William Bourne in Hanover county, Virginia, near Rich-
mond. Soon after their marriage they left the old
colonial home and moved out into the wilderness of New-
River, which was then Botetourt and Washington district,
but now Grayson county.
"On their move they came as far as Fort Chiswell in
wagons, and from there they packed their baggage on
horses across Iron Mountain to Knob Fork, and settled
on the waters of New River, and commenced to open
up this country. At that time there were but eight
settlers in this part of the country.
" They built cabins and other temporary buildings and
cleared out the best portion of the land. Soon after they
came here, they discovered iron ore and in addition to
his other work, Wm. Bourne began to work the ore in a
crude way and finally developed the mineral. He built
forges, and also a furnace for moulding castings at the
fall of Peach Bottom Creek, near what is now Independ-
ence. There are marks where the old furnace stood.
There is now at this place an electric plan t and the elec-
tricity is used to run the mills and light the town of
Independence.
"When William Bourne and young wife started their
married life in the wilderness of S. W. Virginia, they pos-
sessed foresight and perseverance, and prepared the way
for progress and civilization, and did much to make this
wilderness blossom as the rose. Their descendants have
been and are yet found among the foremost men and
women of this country. By perseverance and energy
they opened the way for usefulness and prosperity for
the coming generations.
"Rosa Bourne was always kind to their negroes and
provided well for them. She was their doctor when sick,
their comfort in trouble, a Christian woman and would
say to the sick all around about her, 'You must pray
20 Pioneer Settlers
to the Lord for help, and I will pray for you and help you
all I can. ' She would go to all her friends and neighbors
and help them in time of need.
"They had two sons and seven daughters, all married
and settled in this country, reared large families, who
have been representatives both in church and state over
150 years past; in fact their generations have settled
this part of the country.
"Rosa Bourne was bom February 14th, 1750.
"William Bourne and wife lived and died on Knob
Fork and are buried where he built his first house. His
land estate was inherited by his youngest son, Wm.
Bourne, Jr., who, having brought up his family there,
sold 2700 acres to Dr. Gage. Since then his home has
been owned by some of his descendants, and is now held
by Prof. F. R. Comett, and son, Glenn, whose wife, Agnes
Phipps, daughter of Columbus Phipps, is a direct descend-
ant of Patience Bourne.
"Rosa Bourne died March 16th, 1821, age 71 years.
"William Bourne died June 8th, 1836, age 88 years.
"Their graves are marked with large tombstones made
by hand of soapstone. These tombstones and the in-
scriptions were the works of John Blair who married
Charity Bourne, daughter of William and Rosa Bourne. "
The following clipping was printed in a Marion paper
several years ago:
"Ballard E. Ward, Esq., who is the owner of one of
the largest and best farms in Grayson county, has an old
log bam upon his farm, in a good state of preservation,
in which the first county court of Grayson county was
held after the county was formed. The old bam is very
large and to cover it requires 36,000 shingles. On the same
farm there is a very old graveyard, which has been
abandoned for many years as a burying ground. On one
MASTIN HALE
Eldest Son of Stephen Hale, Sr., and wife, Frances Bourne, and the First of
Thirteen Children. He died in his ninety-eighth year
Grayson County, Va. 21
of the tombstones appears the following singular inscrip-
tion, which was done about 53 years ago:
Here Rosa Bourne's body laid
of whom in truth no harm was said.
Her Sovereign will was much obeyed
While here with us on Earth she Stayed
Because that her deportment made
through perfect love, all feel afraid.
the Man who wrote these lines to tell
of her character knew her well
He put these lines upon the Stone
To make it to the readers Known,
That they like her may do the same,
In order to obtain a name
And to perpetuate their fame.
Among the household goods of William Bourne was a
"Grandfather Clock," a sketch of which is given below:
THE OLD BOURNE CLOCK
This clock was brought to what is now Grayson county,
about the year 1770. This was the first clock that was
brought to this upper part of the New River Valley and
was the property of William Bourne and his wife, Rosa
Jones. After the death of William Bourne and his wife
(1836) it passed into the hands of Stephen Bourne, their
son; from him to his son, Martin Bourne; from him to
his son, Montgomery Bourne; from him to Benj. Floyd
Nuckolls, great grandson of William Bourne and wife,
and from him to Ruth Nuckolls Johnston, Cleveland,
Tenn. The clock is running and keeping correct time,
in this the year of 1913. It is all made of the best material,
and the case and works show the ingenuity and taste
of an honest workman.
The case of the clock is made of mahogany, and stands
eight feet, three inches from the floor to the tip of the
central brass knob on top of the clock. The trimmings are
22 Pioneer Settlers
of brass, and there are rows of different colored blocks
of wood inlaid around the case.
The wheels and pendulum are of brass, and the weights
are cast iron. It is an eight-day clock, and is wound with
a brass key.
There is no date on the clock but it was brought to
Grayson county about the year 1770. The following is
copied from a card that was tacked inside the case when
the clock arrived in Grayson.:
Common House Clocks, Table Spring Clocks. Time Pieces of
different Conftructions.
Made By
AARON WILLARD
Boston
Directions for fitting up the clock:
Firft, plumb up the cafe and hang on the pendulum and weights
obferving that the heavieft weight be put on the pulley marked
"S". Wind up the lines on the barrels, taking care that they run
regularly in the grooves, then put the pendulum in motion.
To make it go faster, screw the pendulum up; slower, screw down.
On the face of the clock is the following:
Warranted for
MR. BENJN. STETSON.
YARON WILLARD,
Boston.
The clock is now in the possession of Ruth Frances
Nuckolls Johnston, who was named "Frances" for her
great-grandmother, Frances Bourne.
She is the fifth generation from William Bourne and
she says this old clock, which must be one hundred and
fifty years old, is the best time-keeper in the house.
At the time William Bourne settled here, there were
no mills nearer than over the Blue Ridge in North Carolina,
at the foot of the mountain, then called "Over in the
Grayson County, Va. 23
Hollow." The grain to be ground for bread had to be
carried in sacks on horses. There was only a bridle path
across New River and the mountain — frequently on the
old Indian trails. Wm. Bourne would make these trips with
his negro men, each with a sack of grain to have ground
for bread (mostly corn.) At one time, on their return
from the mill, one man caught his sack of flour against
a limb near the path on the mountain, tore the sack,
and spilled some flour. From that circumstance, the place
was called Flour Gap. It still bears that name. It is
near the crossing of the Blue Ridge at Pipers Gap. For
years the Flour Gap was the only place for crossing the
Blue Ridge. The first road across that part of the Ridge
was at this place; trimmed out in a straight course up
and down the mountains.
These trips to the mill had to be made in the fall of
the year; and, at one time, when the men had gone,
there fell a deep snow, and kept them longer than usual,
and the family was without something to eat. Rosa
Bourne got up early one morning, called a negro woman,
and said to her, "We must hunt for something to eat."
They took the rifle gun and butcher knife, and started
out; and soon found a large deer, sleeping in the snow
under a fallen tree top. Rosa raised her gun and fired;
the deer jumped up, struck its head against a limb, and
broke its neck. She, with the negro woman, ran with the
butcher knife and cut the deer's throat, dragged him to
the house on the snow, and the family lived on venison
and hominy until the men returned with meal and flour.
In that day, all the clothing was made out of wool, cot-
ton and flax. Leather was tanned in a big trough, for shoes
and moccasins; nails, hinges, and all tools were made in
blacksmith shops. At one time, William Bourne, when he
was a member of the Legislature in Richmond, went down
in a wagon loaded with fur skins and sold them. A negro
24 Pioneer Settlers
woman and little girl were put on the block for sale;
he bought them, paid for them, and sent them back home
in the wagon. The woman's name was Granny Beck.
The girl's name was Aimy. I have heard Aimy say that
she and her mother were sent for one evening to go and
stay all night with a woman. Sometime after dark,
someone came to the door and called. This woman told
her to open the door; she did so, and two men came in
and caught her and her mother, tied cloths over their
mouths, carried them off and put them in a ship, and
brought them over the ocean. They came from Africa
and proved to be very valuable servants.
Granny Beck, after she came here, took charge of the
cattle and stock out on the range; salted and watched
after them. She could not count the number, but if one
of them were missing she could tell it. She would describe
its colour or its size, etc., and would hunt until she
found it.
Aimy was the house girl, waited on her master and
mistress as long as they lived, and was very much attached
to all the family.
William Bourne, in his last will stated that "Aimy has
been a faithful, good servant, and has raised for me 18
children. She is not to be sold or taken in, in the divide. ' '
With his children, she should be free to go where she
pleased. She came to Old Town (then Grayson C. H.),
and lived with Mrs. Mary Dickenson. Mis. Dickenson
owned "Mourning," one of the 18 children. After Mrs.
Dickenson's death, Aimy went to Elk Creek to my grand-
mother, Frances Hale, who owned "Winny", who was
also one of the 18 children. Aimy died there, and is
buried in the Hale family cemetery.
First daughter. Patience Bourne, married Johnathan
Thomas; First son, Stephen, married Rebecca Perkins,
daughter of Timothy Perkins and wife Miss Anderson.
NUCKOLLS SPRINGS
fLithiated !odo-bromo, Arsenic Water) Discovered by B. F. Nuckolls in 1886
Grayson County, Va. 26
Stephen lived on North Fork (now Creston), Ashe county,
N C. Second son, William Thomas, married Mary
Pugh; one son, Stephen lived on Wilson Creek, aftenvard
moved west. William Thomas and Mary Pugh had live
daughters:
Ann, married Mr. Reeves; Susan, married Enoch Cox;
Ludema married Alexander Phipps (See Phipps family);
Amelia married Andrew Young of Wilson; sons:
Dr S E. Young, Baywood, Va.; Dr. Robey Young, of
Florida; Floyd Young, of Wilson; one daughter married
Mr. Jones, of Ashe county, N. C. ^ t u 4-v,
Randolph and Johnathan were sons of Johnathan
Thomas and wife. Patience Bourne. Randolph first settled
on Bridle Creek, Va. Johnathan settled on Fox Creek, Va.,
married Miss Grabill. The daughters of Johnathan
Thomas and wife. Patience Bourne, were Mary, Ehzabeth,
Rosa. Mary married Robert Pugh, lived on Wilson;
had one daughter, Rosa, who marred Calvm Senter;
one daughter married Mr. Reeves. One son, Stephen
Pugh, who lived on Wilson.
Ehzabeth Thomas married Samuel Cox and lived on
Bridle Creek. (See Cox family.) Rosa B. mamed
Shadrach Greer; they lived on Wilson Creek, Va.,
Milly Bourne married Jessee McKinney, settled on
Arrat River, near Mt Airy, N. C. First son, William
McKinney, remained at the old home near Buffalo Shoals,
Arrat River, N. C.
Second son, Winston, married Miss Fulton; sons:
Jessie and Cleveland.
Third son, Willis, married Miss Mollie Hale, daughter
of Eli C. Hale and wife, Miss Frances Scott, of Elk Creek,
Va., no issue. One daughter, Miss Polly McKinney,
died single; one daughter, Ada, manned.
^^ Pioneer Settlers
BlaiS Irr' TT"^ ^'^ ^^^^' «^^ of Thomas
ScoSand "" ^"'""^- «^^ ^--^or. came from
John Blair and his family were quite prominent in thP
^velopment and improvement of this%ount.^ ^Mr'
Blair was for several years a Representative inThe V^r
ginia legislature. One of his old negro slavl! , 1h f
frequently, '^Old Massa .one to'^'Il^T :: tile
tak^n "[o'oTff: ^'' ''■'^'''^"" ^h^" the vote was
Tl n ^ f *^^ ''o^^ty of Carroll from Gravson
e^etL^^lerB^^^^^^ TT/'' ""' ^^^ county, aX^
eiectea over Blair. A slander suit was brought by John
Carl or Carroll, as he claimed to be, and John Bl^wrote
the following, which he called an "Epistle," and hTdt
printed as it appears below: *
The Epistle General-^of John Blair
TntxxT r>. ^^d^catory to David McComes, Esqr.
in my diocess, "I magnify" mfoffTee"; T^T'^^ Z'T"'"'
Esqr. intended for the benifit 7the oommunly. °'"' '"=°°"^'
In Greenville, in the street
When there we last did meet
How I progress'd in rhimes you enquir'd'
As 1 then was not well
And did not stand to tell
These many answers, what you then desired.
I rhym'd as I design'd
And still kept the same mind
Not to have Popery to rule our nation;
i thought we'd incur blame
If a Popish great name
Should be vaunted in our generation.
Grayson County, Va. 27
Charles Carrol was so great
With such lordly estate,
No title the United States carried
That was high enough styl'd.
To match with his grand child,
She was sent to England to get married.
She was handsome and young
And was high fam'd among
The celebrated belles of our nation;
But our democrat plan,
Afforded not a man
That was high enough styl'd for her station.
So she yielded her hand
To a Lord in England;
The Lord Marquis of Wellesly in splendor ;t
Third rank next to the King,
Such high honors would bring
That her heart she resolved to surrender.
He was ugly and old,
But high titles and gold
Does with Catholic cure all defection;
For so their practice tells.
Gold can save them from hell.
And for heaven insure their election.
Charles Carroll's brother John,
Was to England sent on.*
He went there for to get consecrated
Implicit faith to fit
He became Jesuit.
An order democrats always hated.
Carroll's were noble blood
That cross'd the briney flood,
When, in England King Charles rul'd the nation;
tSaid to be 65 years old.
*See Libera, Encyclopedia under title Carroll.
28 Pioneer Settlers
He money for to gain.
For to help conquer Spain,
Sold to Papists Maryland plantation, t
Some twelve hundred came o'er,
Under Lord Baltimore,
And a Catholic coloney planted
Without faith or hope,
But what came from the Pope.
In the land, by King Charles to them granted.
Of whom Carrolls came,
Rais'd in opulent fame.
Till the colonies form'd a new notion,
That a government free,
Uncontroll'd beyond sea.
They would have on this side of the ocean.
Charles Carroll for some cause,
Perhaps to gain applause.
In government, to advance his station;
Or permanently fix
All rule by Catholics,
In this our North American nation.
A declaration sign'd
Which shew'd he had a mind,
From the crown of Great Britain to sever;
But from everything shown.
Was it not for his own
Roman Catholic views for to favor?
John a vicar was made.
Which was the highest grade
That could be raised by Popish promotion;
With supreme sovereign sway.
In directing the way
Of Catholics this side of the ocean.
IThe early settlements of the colonies were called plantations.
Grayson County, Va. 29
The Pope and Cardinals,
So general history tells,
Claim rule over all in earth and heaven;
What real true democrat,
Has faith to believe that,
Such despotic rule Christ would have given?
When Christ himself has said,
There's no superior grade
No Rabbi to rule over another;
But Christ, master of all,
None else is great or small
But evry one equal a brother.*
Over bodey and soul.
They claim to have control
Assuming to themselves power given,
That for money in their hand.
They have sovereign command,
To consign souls to hell or to heaven.
Have we not cause to fear,
From the news far and near.
Of the Pope's power gaining assendance?
May it not as before.
So increase more and more.
Till it overwhelms all independence?
Do we not hear again
In France like unto Spain,
The freedom of conscience is prevented;
By that old popish plan,
Form'd to rule over man,
By the Devil, thro' priestcraft invented.!
•Mathew 23rd and 8th. . , . _, . . „ . d»*«-
tit is not my design to make individuos aspersions but as Chrwt callea feter
Satin, which is an adversary— the prince of hell, or the devil, when he used duisim-
ulation. Mathew 16 and 23 and as he must have been moved by the devil when ho
swore a lie. Mathew 26 and 72 and again when he dissembled and carried away the
people from uprightness and the truths of the gospel. Gal. 2 and Uth to 15th doM it
hot appear that if Peter was the church's foundation, when the devil carried him away
the church must have fallen at least without foundation for when ho carried away,
ho was not there, so he must have been gone.
30 Pioneer Settlers
If the ratio holds on
As for twelve months it's gone,
Of the increase of popish ascendance.
Here as in France and Spain,
Nothing free will remain
In a century, but on pope dependance.
Just listen from New York,
How the priest are at work.
And from Canada coming to aid them?
To serve their subtile turn,
All the Bibles they burn
The donations that charity made them?
That time fault reached a pope
Proved an end to their scope
Of infallible sovereign dictation,
And prov'd their scheme absurd
Of pretending Christ's word
Ordained such esseatial to salvation.
Else pope Gregory was right.
And pleasing in God's sight.
When hearing King Charles tolerated
Without any restraints
The destruction of Saints,
Till Protestants were exterminated.*
When the Prodestants blood,
Flow'd on the earth like a flood,
The Pope's joy burst out in acclamation;
And to show his joy more,
Caused his cannons to roar.
And held mass to invoke consecration.
Back to Attilla go,1[
General history will show
As pace for ten cent'ries and longer
The popes tyranic reign'd
Absolute, till restrained
By physical force that was stronger.
•Se« Buck's Theology under title "Persecution in France."
^AttiUa the first King crowned by the Pope.
Grayson County, Va. 31
How does rule absolute
With democracy suit?
Is it not a complete solecism
To say democracy
Can with tyrants agree
What I a democratic despotism 1
Now I cannot agree
Acquiescent to see
A man raised under popish direction,
Take such sway in our land,
As to boast, he can stand
To defy other men in election.
When report of his fame
From Lynchburg, whence he came.
Lacks much of what is good reputation,
So I think the best way
Whare he is let him stay
Least we partake of his degradation.
If Squire Lindsey swore true.
And captain Worrell too*
♦Capt. Jesse P. Worrell's deposition before commissioners appointed by Grayson
court was as follows:
Question by John Blair — what do you know of John Carroll, having a ticket of
your vote at the last Presidential election at Baskerville precinct'?
Ans. I wrote my name on a ticket, on the morning of the Presidential election,
and gave it to Col. Carrol, who remarked that he (Col. Carrol) would take the ticket
to the election, and see if it would not do, but observed that he did not think it would
be legal. Jesse P. Worrell.
William Lindsay, after being duly sworn deposeth and saith:
Question by John Blair — what do you know of John Carrol having a ticket of
Jessee P. Worrell vote at the last presidential election?
Answer. Col. Carrol asked me on the day of the Presidential election, previous to
the commencement of the election if a vote could be taken by a man sending his ticket,
and stated that Jessee Worrell had sent his to the election. I told him that the vote
could not be legally taken in that way. After the commencement of the election, I
heard Jessee P. Worrell's vote cried; how it came into the sheriff's hands I know not.
The vote was challenged, an eraced from the poll book. Question by same — was Col.
Carrol a commissioner to superintend the election at that place? Ans. He was.
William Lindsey.
Thomas Blair after being duly sworn deposeth and saith;
Question by John Blair — was you the sheriff that conducted the election at the
Baskerville precinct? Ans. I was. .
Question by the same — was Jesse P. Worrell's ticket handed to you and if so by
whom? Ans. It was handed to me, and my impression is that it was handed to me by
Col. Carrol; and I cried it and it was entered on the poll book; and I cried no vote but
what was handed to me by the Commissioners or voters; and after the vote was cried
and entered, it was objected to by Mitchell, eraced off the poll book.
Thomas Blair.
32 Pioneer Settlers
And Thomas Blairs oath with theirs be respected;
As commissioners took.
And wrote down in a book,
As by Grayson court record directed.
What of it can you make,
But his oath did he break.
When he swore he'd have all votes prevented;
Except legally brought
Yet illegal he thought
Was a vote he himself had presented?
What those three did dispose
Was the truth to disclose.
That at the presidential election
After kissing the book,
To swear none should be took.
But votes legal under his inspection?
Did John Carroll there present,
A ticket by him sent,
Illegal as he himself said he thought it;
Being doubtly apprised,
By his council advised,
Should evince that he could not have forgot it.
What John (called) Carrol tho't.
Can you think he forgot.
If leaving Captain Worrell's he thought it,
When he started to go
To Baskerville's, we know;
On the road he could hardly forget it.
If so when he got there.
Oath of office to swear,
He consulted Squire Lindsey about it;
Then what did he thare do
But swore what proved not true
Can reason be tortured to doubt it?
Grayson County, Va. 33
Illegal, then he brought
A ticket so he thought,
With him from Captain Worrell that morning;
Contrary v^e find both.
To sacredness of oath.
And contrary to Squire Lindseys warning.
Did he then violate
His oath unto the state?
Willfully and corrupt did he break it,
If such should appear plain.
Why trust his oath again?
What more then would prevent him to break it?
Then how would John Carrol stand;
In a civilized land,
Where truth and real honor is regarded?
Whose end to enjoy,
Disdained vice to employ.
Nor wonld have else but virtue rewarded.
Would it not be a shame
To evry voter's name.
If it was proved to a demonstration.
That the representative.
Made by the votes they give,
Maintained such — a **** reputation?
John Carl's fame to know.
Just back to Lynchburg go.
To men who are with him well acquainted
Go there when your're amind.
His character you'll find
In glowing colors well represented.
Go there when you think fit.
His character you'll get
As well as it can be given by men;
You need not further go
Than to Jacob Rumbough,
John R. D. Payne and David R. Lyman.
34 Pioneer Settlers
There's a lawyer named Brown,
Near the road you go down
To Lynchburg near Staunton you'll find him,
Who can tell you Carl's fame,
Ere he altered his name,
And the character he left behind him.
Thare's a man whom we know
Oft to Lynchburg doth go,
By the name of Andrew Jackson Durnal,
Who could tell if he would,
That Carl's fame there was good.
Or the reverse if was infernal.
Creed Nuckolls could relate,
What men generally state,
When hearing Grayson was represented
By a man of such fame
As follows John Carl's name.
By men of old best with him acquainted.
Friel Nuckolls, too as well
As Creed the same could tell.
From trav'ling to Lynchburg and thro' it,
His chance was just the same.
To hear of John Carl's fame.
From men who in former times well knew it.
Squire James Waugh you all know.
Has to Lynchburg to go.
To get goods to suit his ocupation:
He passing to and fro,
Did hear as much for to show
How John Carl's fame would suit Legislation.
On my rights to intrude,
By John Carrol I'm suad;
By him who is not found in our nation;
Just because that foresooth,
I did publish the truth,
That voters might have due information.
Grayson County, Va. 85
Can there be any ground,
Till a plaintiff is found,
For a verdict in any court given
Was the like ever known.
Or in all history shown
On record in court under Heaven?
What is life worth to me
To value property
If from freedom of speech I must lose it?
If my country says so,
n God's mame let it go;
For freedom of speech I'd rather choose it.
Though I yield in God's name,
It clears no one of shame;
For in his great day of retribution,
When he displays his might.
He will bring all things right
For in his plans he'll have no confusion.
Read for that freedom took,
For it in history look,
Of that country from which Carl migrated;
You'll see thousands of lives.
Children husbands and wives.
Lost for it in that history related.
Then why should I be slack,
And faintly fly the track,
That martyrdom had marked for example;
No! I will not give back.
But stand up to the rack
Though my country should my fodder trample.
I would have my rhimes seen
Ostensively to mean,
To keep our realm from popery prevaded;
That pure Democracy,
Might keep our concience free
From crouching under despots degraded.
36 Pioneer Settlers
In a canvass speech made,
John call'd Carrol has said,
As to God, and the people was prating.
That he'd wish for to be
Governed by popery,
For this was the purport of his saying.
Now who among you all,
Could so wish for to fall.
Under control of one man's dominion;
Who would doom you to hell
If you pleased him not well.
Can Demo's entertain such an opinion.
A despot for to find
Of most tyranic mind
Need we pass by the pope for to find him;
Who claims sovreign control
Over bodey and soul
Wheres the true democrat who'd thus mind him.
Before he'd hazzard all.
For to stand or to fall;
Would he not hazzard his blood and treasure;
Before it should be said,
He, himself would degrade
To crouch into such vassal-like measure.
On the hypothesis.
That CARROL god's mouth did kiss,
To swear he'd odject all votes not lawful;
Then poll a vote he brought.
As unlawful he thought
To good concience, does not it look awful?
While English language meant
To define represent.
As likeness of the thing represented:
And voters such to see
I'd like they'd show me
How votes such is from shame prevented?
(The Bible being God'a word 2nd Thessalonians, 2ad and 8th must It not proceed
from his mouth:
ELIZABETH BLAIR WAUGH
Daughter of John Blair and wife, Charity Bourne, and wife of James Waugh
Grayson County, Va. 87
If such vice we promote,
Are we not a scape goat,t
Bearing sins of him who represented us;
Now you can by your vote,
From that most grevious tote,
From that infamous shame may prevent us.
I set out with intent
The Popes power to prevent,
To that end I would spend and be spended.
My course looks dredful hard,
But I look for reward,
Perhaps not till all labors are ended,
I mean to do my best.
The Pope's power to arrest.
That free concience may be tolerated;
And pure Democracy
Make our whole country free,
With all despotic rules abrogated.
To sacrifice my all
Or obey virtues call,
I have set my determed resolution.
Determed not to draw back
Or to fly virtues track.
What ere the result in conclusion.
I'm resolved full intent,
For to spend and to be spent.
If circumstances should so require
Not to fly virtues track,
Nor dastardly look back.
If God helps me: not even through fire.
This rule I embraced young,
To view all things as dung.*
WieviticuB 16th and 20th.
*Pbilipians, 3rd and 8th.
38 Grayson County, Va.
Great Jefferson did see, '
God made man to be free,
And so pen'd in our constitution;
Inviolate I'm bent,
To keep that instrument;
And, so set my determ'd resolution.
First our grand bill of right.
In which my soul delights,
Formed by democratic resolution;
Afterwards was adjoin'd
And so fitley combin'd.
In our great glorified constitutbn.
So come woe, or come weal.
To that poll I'd appeal;
Not to violate it in a fraction.
So come peace or come war
Its my polar star.
And the magnet of my souls attraction.
As with tears in my eyes,
I solmnly advise
My country not to be represented,
By a man of such fame.
That might load us with shame,
By your votes you might keep such prevented.
When Carl, to our land came.
Did he record his name.
And his oath for his naturalization;
In Amelia county
May you that record see,
The first name gave himself in our nation.
Was not that still his name.
Till to Lynchburg he came
To fix it on his sign to shew it;
Over his door to tell,
He had goods there to sell.
That all wishing to purchase might know it.
Pioneer Settlers 89
That to prevent what duty should require;
To desert that rule now
Would be like the washed sow,
Returning to wallow in the mire.^
Far as with Christ I list,
That far bound to persist
To have honor and truth propigated,
I'll fall short as a saint
If from duty I'd faint.
In what Christ by example dictated.
So at hazzard I'll try,
With duty to comply;
Such as Christ by example assigned me;
Nor kick against the pricks —
God, in concience did fix;
Though my country in penalties bind me.
As God made man's soul free,
No distinction there to be. _ ^
As by God's word in Scryptures we find it,
Whoever would be great.
Or attain to that state.
Must serve all as Christ's word has enjomed it.
So real democrats pure.
Cannot despots endure.
Nor the dupes under popish dominion;
But as God made them free;
They're determ'd so to be.
This is Democrat, John Blair's opinion.
He'd have no man called great.
Either in Church or state—
'Till the people discover'd his merits;
And declare by their voice,
They had made them their choice,
Regarding his democratic spirit.
52nd Peter 2nd and 22nd.
Mathew 23d 8. 12 h verses.
40 Pioneer Settlers
Where writings of all kinds,
That name he still sign'd
Till it got into bad reputation;
When he thought the best way.
There no longer to stay,
He would change both his name and his station.
So to Grayson he came
When he changed his name,
And ere his character was detected;
By a rare circumstance t
It so happened by chance
That a delegate he got elected.
Was John Carl drunk or not.
When a drunkard he fought.
Who marked him in his right ear by biting;
Which is but an effect,
Temperance men might expect,
When two drunkards like dogs gets to fighting.
Perhaps God so design'd.
As Carl was hard to find.
By the mame that was first given to him;
That as he had mark'd Cain,
He'd mark Carl now again,
That when he changed his name all might know him.
Though an unpleasant task
The question I must ask.
Why William Parks, withdrew a petition;
Or at least documents
To maintain its contents,
That there existed more than suspicion.
That an oath Carl did take,
He did corruptly break
To defeat Harrison, in election;
My aim now is to see
Whether so it can be.
That Parks' object was for Carl's protection.
tMany candidates near the middle and the upper end of the county, and in the
extreme lower end prejudice and amulation prevailed.
Q H-
^ —
J 3
Grayson County, Va. 41
If the affirmative,
To my problems you give,
On reflection what will you make of it;
But had I such a mind,
As holily inclin'd
As one had Jeremiab the prophet.
I'd cry Ob! that my head
Were waters to be shed,
From my eyes in fountains of tears flowing;
That in spirit contrite,
I might weep day and night,
In grief from my people to be going.
That in the wilderness
I'd find a lodging place.
Of way-faring men with spirits greater,*
Than basley to decend
So accomplish their end,
To select and combine with a traitor.
Recolect as you go.
Observation will show,
Scarsce a word positive I have stated
But all hypothetic,
Or as problematic,
A proviso is still indicateu.
THE APPENDIX
I am now sued again,
To augment loss and pain.
•See Jeremiah, chap. 9th.
(Except relating to Popery against which I go might and main.
N. B. I was raised a Presbyterian and learned the shorter catechism the first
question is, Q. What is the chief end of man?
Ans. To glorify God, and enjoy him forever. Now I cannot see any better
way for me to glorify God than to subject all my means, mental, and pecuniary to
prevent his attributes, — -truth and candor, from being as it were trodden down, on
which to establish the glory of perfedy, fraud and falsehood.
JOHN BLAIR.
Wytheville December 8th 1846
42 Pioneer Settlers
It is not more than I had expected;
It is not less or more
Than I looked for before,
Our delegate was last time elected.
Hard through life I have wro't,
To procure what I have got,
It peirces to the 'marrow' to lose itt
If my country says so
In God's name let it go.
Rather than serve mamon I'd so choose it.*
If my treatis a'nt true,
Should not all concern'd sue.
If true, how will Carroll's voter's bear it;
If thej' cant bear truth's test
But, to hide it think best.
They can pull it down cut smear and tear it.
As some has done before,
They can still do so more,
From such might not the like be expected.
Admitting that they knew,
My treatis to be true
And still by their vote keep him elected.
If they cant bear the light,
That brings truth to their sight
Is it not as Christ once did make mention ;t
That darkness they have chose.
Least the light should disclose,
"Evil deeds" they had in their intention.
If such wretches be found,
To cast truth to the ground.
Phoenix like t'will rise resusitatedH
As, from ashes, again
tHebrews 4th and 12th.
•Mathew the 6th and 24th.
tJohn 3rd and 19th.
ilPhoenix is imagioned with the Arabians a bird to live 500 years, only one at a
time, then, build a nest of combustable which the sun kindles and burns it ; out of
the ashes of which a new phoenix survives, so, always keeps a phoenix.
Grayson County, Va. 43
It, new life will sustain.
Truth, must not be thus annihilated.
What has Grayson come to
Or might not Carroll do,
If a delegate they have elected;
Who too true for a joke,
His oath corruptly broke,
From them what might not then be expected.
As I was sued before,
Let me now be sued more,
All I have wrote; if I do not maintain it;
Then, 'so God do to me.'
'And more' and let it be
All I'm sued for, let them that sues gain it.
Why did our delegate,
Until August court wait
To indite me for a demonstration
Against granting him leave;
From the clerk to receive
Our documents just at his discretion.
Least, as he did before.
He might, still do so more
With forgeries, give then a wrong direction;
With deceit, and with fraud
Circulate them abroad;
Aiming by such to gain his election.
Where Paul, popery defines.
Wrought by satin with 'signs
Decievableness and lying wonder,'
By pontific control.
Over bodey and soul
Kept by popes sovereign dictation under.
To Thesolonians turn,
There this truth for to learn
Ist Kings 2nd and 23rd Ruth first and 17tb.
44 Pioneer Settlers
Second book, second chapter you'll find it,
How popes power is portrayed,
By 'wondors' as Paul said
By signs lying as satin design'd it;
Should this not satisfy,
Revelations then try,
Seventeenth, saint John corroborated;
Rome a figure, he made§
Of Babylon portray'd.
The spiritual whordom God hated.
As Luther once did say
I'm resolv'd the same way,
'Though devils, thick as tiles may beset me;'*
Like him lawfully called.
And like him sore enthrol'd
In dificulties my truths do get me
Is a sentance, or word
Of this false and absurd;
Or with truth and propriety clashes;
My clothes I will not rent,
But my heart, and repent t
As envelop'd in sac-cloth and ashes, t
Does it or not shew plain?
That I am sued again.
For countenance in our legislature;
For to make it appear
Like this treatis was near
Efusions of malignant nature.
For if members should view.
My treatis to be true.
Which one of nice feelings would abide him;
In social company.
And conversation free.
In good fellowship to sit beside him.
^Observe the 7 hills called mountains, on which Rome stood; and now partly
stands. Rome, was 50 miles round it; Babylon was 60. Worcester's Gazeteer.
♦Luthers commentarys page 10.
tJoel 2nd and 13th.
lEster 4 and 13.
Grayson County, Va. 45
Had we now the same way;
As in Josiah's day;
Of expressing our mortification;
Might we not our clothes tare§
Till our bodeys were bare,
When we behold our great degradation.
A papist may perplex
And by law suets sore vex
And with costs, and fatigue, sore oppress me;
Yet a promise I've got.
He also wrote the inscriptions for the tombstones of
William Bourne and his wife, Rosa Jones. They were
given on a preceding page.
John Blair and wife, Charity Bourne, lived at Blair's
Forge, near what is now Blair Depot, Carroll county, Va.
From this union there were three sons and six daughters:
First son, Thomas Blair, married Sally Patton; one
son, John Blair, was killed by a slide in a mill race on
Chestnut Creek; one daughter, Catherine, first married
James Leonard, second married John Roberts, son of
Thompson Roberts and wife, Seraphina Currin.
A. Sidney Blair, youngest son of John Blair and wife,
Charity Bourne, married Mildred James, sister to Emeline
James, who married L. D. Blair. Sidney Blair settled
first at the old Blair Forge, on Chestnut Creek; afterwards
bought the farm at Hale's Ferry from William B. Hale,
and since that time it has been known as Blair's Ferry
on New River, near Fries and Washington Cotton Mills.
To A. S. Blair and wife were bom three children; two died
in infancy. One daughter, Rosa B. was drowned in the
dam at the old Blair Forge. She, with her nurse, was
playing near the dam, and saw some flowers blooming near
the water, and in her effort to get the flowers, fell into
22nd Chronidea 34th and 27th a good king in Israel.
46 Pioneer Settlers
the water and was drowned before she could be recov-
ered. There is a memorial window in the Methodist
Church at Fries, put in by Mr. Blair and his wife, in
memory of themselves and their children. They were
both members of the Methodist Church, South.
There were six daughters bom to John Blair and his
wife, Charity Bourne: Polly, Rosa Bourne, Rebecca,
Celia, Elizabeth, and Lucinda.
Polly Blair lived to be quite old, never married; Rosa
B. married John Hale, son of William Hale and wife,
Lucy Stone, of Elk Creek. They lived on Rock Creek
and brought their farm up to a high state of cultivation.
To them were born thirteen sons: Alfred, Warner, James,
Lorenza D., Thomas B., William, Sidney, John, Stephen,
and the names of the others I cannot give; some died
young, but most of them lived to rear families in Grayson
county.
Rebecca Blair married William Stone. They settled
on Chestnut Creek, cleared up and made a nice farm on
part of the Blair lands. They had a large family: Sons,
Hamilton, George, William, Thomas, Lorenzo Dow,
John; daughters, Elizabeth, Jane, and Mary.
William Stone, with his wife and all his children,
sold out here and moved to Missouri.
Celia Blair married Maj. Minitree Jones, Jr.; she was
his second wife. They had one son and one daughter.
Thomas B. Jones, who lives at the old Jones homestead
at Mouth of Elk Creek on New River, is the son.
Charity B. Jones, the daughter, married Mr. Delp,
of Smyth county, Va. They had one son, Minitree Delp
who married first Miss Blanch Dickenson, daughter of
Col. John Dickenson. He settled on New River, after-
ward moved west.
Elizabeth Blair, fifth daughter of John Blair and Charity
Bourne, married James Waugh, from Pennsylvania.
Grayson County, Va. 47
To them were born three sons; first, William Peaden, who
married Miss Sallie L. Hale, daughter of Rev. Wiley D.
Hale and wife, Miss Martha Mitchell. To Wm. Waugh and
Sallie Hale were born one son, Emmett, who died young;
and five daughters: first, Lenora, died young; second,
Eugenia, also died young; Martha and Elizabeth (twins).
Martha married Edwin A. Wolfe; two daughters, Gladys,
Juanita; one son, Eugene. Elizabeth married Edward
Reeves, son of George Reeves and wife, Caroline Thomas,
of Jefferson, N. C. They lived in Jefferson a while, then
bought a farm near Washington City. Mr. and Mrs.
Reeves and Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe both own farms and live
near Washington City.
The third daughter of William P. Waugh, Laura,
married Dr. J. H. Dunkley. They live in Roanoke,
Va., and have had two children; one died in infancy,
the other died when a few years old. The parents put
a beautiful memorial window in memory of the child,
Ruth Waugh Dunkley, in the Southern Methodist
Church at Galax, Va.
After the death of William P. Waugh's first wife (the
mother of the above-named children), Mr. Waugh married
Lelia Burt Nuckolls, daughter of William Swift Nuckolls
and Susan B. Hale. From this union there was a son.
Swift, and a daughter, Susan B. After the death of
William Waugh, his widow sold the Waugh homestead
at Old Town, and moved to Galax, Va., where she and
her children now reside.
William P. Waugh went out as a Confederate soldier
in the first company from Grayson county — the "Dare
Devil Company" — with Peyton N. Hale as captain.
In the first battle of Manassas, Capt. Hale was killed,
leading his company in a charge. Several of his men were
killed and wounded. Among the number of wounded
was William P. Waugh. He was shot through the thigh,
48 Pioneer Settlers
and the minnie ball lodged in the wound. In gathering
up the wounded, he was found, but being so badly
wounded it was thought there was no chance for him to
live, so they left him for the night on the battle-field.
During the night there came a shower of rain and wet him,
and allayed his fever. He was found alive next morning
and taken to the hospital, and finally his wound healed,
and the bone grew together. Some time after he was
brought home he had the ball taken out of his thigh.
He was always lame, but lived for thirty years after the
close of the war. He died a member of the Southern
Methodist Church, and rests in peace.
Capt. John B. Waugh, second son of James Waugh
and wife, Elizabeth Blair, entered the Confederate army
later than his brother. He was elected captain in the
Sixty-first Regiment. His regiment was in the battle of
Missionary Ridge, Chattanooga, Tenn. He continued in
the war until the close and returned to Old Town, Va.,
and his father turned over his mercantile business to
him. He continued in business there until the town of
Galax commenced building, and he moved his stock of
goods there, where he has been the leading merchant.
The firm is now known as J. B. Waugh & Sons.
In 1877 he was married to Miss Jennie Perkins, daughter
of Johnson Perkins and wife, Catherine Johnson, of Helton,
N. C. From this union there were three sons: Charles
P., Dan Blair, Richard G. These sons are with him in
the mercantile business at Galax at the present time.
There was one daughter, Berta Carson, who was a
bright, beautiful girl. She was educated at Mary Baldwin,
Staunton, Va., and Hollins Institute. While at Hollins
she contracted a cold, which resulted in tuberculosis,
from which she suffered three years. And while her family
tried every available cure she never recovered, but died
in February, 1906, at the age of 22. She was buried in
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Grayson County, Va. 49
the cemetery at Old Town, Va. A beautiful tombstone
of Mt. Airy granite with marble slab marks her resting
place.
Her mother is devoted to her memory, and keeps fresh
flowers on her grave constantly.
When young she joined the Methodist Church at Old
Town and lived a devoted Christian life and she rests
in peace.
Her mother gave a communion set of sterling silver of
six pieces, to the Methodist Church of Galax, in mem-
ory of Berta. This communion set was presented
through the missionary society, of which Berta was a
member.
James Waugh, Jr., son of James Waugh, died young.
He was accidentally scalded with hot water, and died
from the effects of it.
James Waugh and wife, Elizabeth Blair, had three
daughters: First daughter, Flora, married Dr. William
R. Dufphey; they lived at Old Town, Va., had
two daughters and one son. First daughter, Ella,
married Dr. Benjamin S. Dobyns. They now own and
live at the Oglesby farm, between Old Town and Galax,
Va. They have one son, William ; two daughters : Alma and
Ruth. One daughter, Aileen, died young, and the parents
put a memorial window in the Methodist Church at Galax,
Va.
Josephine, second daughter of Dr. Dufphey, married
James Witherow. He is a druggist in Galax, Va., and
lives there. They have two sons, Fred and Eugene.
One daughter died young and the parents put a window
in the church in memory of her.
These three children, in whose memory the windows
were placed, are great-grand children of James Waugh.
Although young, these little children had been taught
to know and love the Christ who loves all children.
50 Pioneer Settlers
One little girl was particularly impressed with the picture
of Christ as "The Good Shepherd," and loved to be told
about him.
Knowing the rough places on life's road, and that fierce
storms^ often gather, "The Good Shepherd" gathered
these "lambs" in his arms and carried them through the
gates of Paradise, there to await the coming of their
loved ones.
Dr. Dufphey and wife, Flora Waugh, had one son,
James, that died young. He was a bright boy, and his
death was a sore affliction to the family.
The third daughter of James and Elizabeth Waugh was
Emma AmeKa Waugh; she died at Old Town, of diphtheria,
when about ten years old. Mary, the second daughter
of James Waugh and Elizabeth Blair, married Fields
McMillan Young, son of Ezekiel Young and his wife,
Evelina McMillan. They had two daughters:
First daughter, Virginia Young, died of typhoid fever
while attending school at SuUins College, Bristol, Tenn.
Second daughter, Mattie, lives with her parents at
Edgewater, on Wilson Creek, N. C.
One son, James, died young; is buried at Old Town, Va.
The youngest daughter of John Blair and wife, Charity
Bourne, was Lucinda Blair. She married Thomas Howard;
they had one son and one daughter. John B. Howard
married Miss Kyle, daughter of Madison Kyle of Wood-
lawn, Va.
Mary B. Howard married Samuel Kyle, son of Madison
Kyle. They had three sons and three daughters. Follow-
ing is an account of the death of one of their children:
"On Sunday the 20th, as she was returning from church
at Woodlawn, Miss Stella Kyle was thrown from her horse
and received injuries from which she died on Tuesday
following.
Grayson County, Va. 51
"She and her cousin, Miss Mamie Houseman, were
both mounted on a spirited saddle horse belonging to
Mr. L. A. Houseman. The horse became ungovernable
and Miss Houseman jumped off escaping almost unhurt
while Miss Kyle was thrown on her head fracturing her
skull and rendering her unconscious. She was carried
home and Drs. Tipton and Robinson, were immediately
summoned, but her life was despaired even at the first.
She never rallied or regained consciousness.
"She was thirteen years old and a daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Sam D. Kyle of Woodlawn. She was a bright
girl and a favorite among her schoolmates.
"She is survived by father, mother, three brothers and
two sisters.
" The remains were interred yesterday in the cemetery
at Woodlawn near the school and church she had always
attended." ,
Mrs. Lucinda Howard inherited from her fathers
estate, the old homestead at the Blair Forge, with an
interest in the Iron Ridge mineral land. This property
passed down to John B. and Mary B. Howard; they
sold it and bought good farms near Woodlawn, where
they now live.
Lorenzo Dow Blair married Miss Emeline James.
They have two sons and three daughters. Their son,
William, married Miss Martha Watson; their son, Lorenzo
Dow, has several daughters; they live near Galax, Va.
John Blair, son of Lorenzo Dow Blair, married Miss
Queenie Lynthecum. They had one son, Walter Blair,
who married Miss Laura E. Felts; issue: two sons. Ivy
Earl, John Harold; two daughters, Hazel Claudine
and Gladys Blair.
Walter Blair is cashier of the First National Bank of
Galax, Va., and lives in Galax. John Blair's daughter
married Leander Felts.
52 Pioneer Settlers
Lorenzo Dow Blair and wife had three daughters:
First, Elizabeth, married Rev. Phillip P. Kinzer. They
had one child, who died in infancy. Elizabeth died,
and Philip Kinzer married her younger sister, Emma
Blair. They have a son, Sidney Blair Kinzer, who married
Miss McKnight; they have two sons. S. B. Kinzer is
in the hardware business in Galax, Va.
The third daughter of Lorenzo Dow Blair married
William Houseman. They live at Blair, Va., near the
old Blair Forge, and have sons and daughters. Their
first son, Lorenzo Houseman, married a daughter of
Judge William Kyle; he is in the lumber business. The
second son, Walter Houseman, married Miss Farmer,
and went West.
William Houseman's first daughter, Elizabeth E.,
married Thomas L. Felts. He is partner in the Baldwin-
Felts Detective Agency, and is president of the First
National Bank of Galax, Va. They have one son, Gordon
Felts, and live at Blair, Va. Thomas Felts owns several
farms near Galax, Va., and is a public-spirited man,
and a great help to the community.
Sallie Houseman, second daughter of William Houseman,
married Mr. John James, of Yadkinville, N. C. They have
two sons, and live in Galax, Va. Mr. James is a success-
ful business man.
Eugenia, third daughter of William Houseman, married
Robert Eversole. They have one son, and live in Galax,
Va. Mr. Eversole is editor of the Galax Post-Herald.
Stephen Bourne married Patsy Mays, and lived on
Knob Fork near his father's home. He cleared land and
improved it until he had a valuable farm. They reared
a family of five children, and he and his wife died on the
same day, and were buried in the same grave on his farm.
Following are given the ages of Stephen Bourne's
children:
KLl/.ABKIH THOMAS
Daughter of Patience Bourne Thomas, and wife of Samuel Cos
(See Cox Family)
Grayson County, Va. 63
Elizabeth Bourne was born June the 24th, 1802. Mar-
ried James Dickey, Esq., son of Mathew Dickey and
Rebecca Wiley, his wife (see Dickey family).
Cynthia Bourne was born October 23, 1803; married
Mr. Pugh; moved to Missouri; has a family there.
Martin Bourne was born February 26th, 1806; married
Sarah Smith, of Smyth county, Va.
Matterson Bourne was born September 25th, 1808; died,
March 2nd, in the year of our Lord, 1826; age seventeen
years, five months, and seven d;'ys.
William Bourne, Jr., bom M ly 12th, 1810; married
Margaret Scott, of Smyth count y, Va. ; three daughters
and two sons.
Nancy Bourne, bom Sept. 17th, 1818; married Spencer
James, of Smyth county, Va.; three sons. Dr. Ezekiel,
Friel, and Stephen.
Martin Bourne and wife. Miss Sallie Smith, had one
son, Montgomery Bourne, who married Miss Olive Hale,
of Elk Creek, Va. ; they had sons and daughters.
His first daughter, Talitha B., first married Tivis Hale;
two daughters, Amelia and Sallie; the second time,
Talitha B. married Charles Hale; two daughters: Flora
and Ella Hale.
Jane B., the second daughter, married John P. Byi"d;
had sons and a daughter, Sallie, who married John Welch;
Uve at Summerfield, N. C.
Floranza B., third daughter, married Johnston Bourne;
moved to Texas.
Cynthia, the fourth daughter, married Joseph Phipps,
of Saddle Creek, Va.
The fifth daughter, Julia Ann Bourne, married Carson'
Andis, and lives at the old homestead; no issue.
The sixth daughter Amanda, married first, Lockett
Cooper; second time, Alexander McMillan.
54 Pioneer Settlers
William Bourne (3), son of Stephen Bourne, married
Margaret Scott, daughter of William Scott and wife,
Miss Elizabeth Porter. Two sons: Andrew, died in Con-
federate war, single; John A. Bourne married Mrs. Jane
Gose; no issue. Three daughters: Elizabeth, married
Rufus Perkins; one son. Rev. J. L. M. Perkins, of Holston
Conference. Matilda married Mr. Spraker; Cynthia
married John Foster. After the death of William Bourne,
his widow, Margaret Bourne, married David Gose.
Mary Bourne married Martin Dickenson and lived at
Grayson, C. H., now Old Town, Va. Their children
were: three sons, James, John and William; daughters:
Charlotte, Jestena, Jane, Rosamond B., Matilda and
Elizabeth Caroline.
James Dickenson married Miss Julia Thurmon; settled
on New River, afterward moved lo Mississippi. James
Dickenson was murdered in his home by Federal soldiers
during the war. Had one son, Martin, who died single;
three daughters: Sallie, Mary and Amelia. Sallie married
Hugh Gwin; Mary married Richard Gwin, and Amelia
married Thomas Gwin, all three sons of Richard Gwin,
Si., and wife. Miss Elizabeth Hunt, of Elkin, N. C.
Hugh Gwin was principal of a school in Mississippi;
died there; no issue. His wife, Sallie D., married the
second time, Hugh Wright; had one daughter, Julia Wright,
Richard Gwin, who married Mary Dickenson, lived at
Elki.1, N. C, one of the owners of the Elkin Cotton Mills..
They had two sons; Charles G., married Miss Bettie
Perkins, of Hilton N. C; they have three daughters;
one son, Ernest, died single; one daughter married Mr.
Chatam.
Thomas Gwin first lived at Elkin, one of the owners of
the Elkin Woolen Mills. Gwin and Chatam afterward
moved to Elk Creek, Grayson county, Va., and bought
the Col. Stephen and Capt. John M. Hale farm; built
Grayson County, Va. 65
a Roller Flour Mill, and improved the fann and buildings.
Thomas Gwin was representative in the legislature,
and was a member of the Convention that met in 1912
to amend the constitution of the state. In the latter
part of 1912, he sold his farm on Elk Creek, and moved
back to Elkin, N. C, where he now resides. Two daughters
were bom to Mr. and Mrs. Gwin; the first daughter,
Sallie, married Mr. Poindexter; they have one son, Gwin,
three daughters.
Col. John Dickenson, second son of Col. Martin Dick-
enson and wife, Mary Bourne, married Rosamond Hale,
daughter of William Hale and wife, Lucy Stone. They
had four sons and three daughters. First son. Dr. Martin
Dickenson, married Miss Mattie Phipps; they had four
sons and two daughters. The first daughter, Lelia B.,
married Judge Robert C. Jacl<son; issue: two or three
children. Lelia Jackson died, and Judge Jackson married
the second time, Marian Early, daughter of James Early,
Jr., of Hillsville, Va. They have children and live in
Roanoke, Va.
Second daughter, Rosa, (of Martin Dickenson and
Mattie Phipps) married Mr. Reeves of Wilkes county,
N. C; two sons Albert and Martin.
James Piper Dickenson married in North C'irolina
and moved to Oregon. Rush Floyd was helpless; died
young.
The youngest son, Alexander Martin, marred Minnie
Dickey, daughter of John M. Dickey; one son, McCamant
married Miss Wilson, Blue Springs Gap, Va.
John Dickenson's daughter, Elizabeth, married Dr.
Huffman; one son, Eddie Huffman. Married sec^ond time,
Mr. Lapop, of Charlottesville, Va.; two daughters.
The second daughter, Lucy Dickenson, married William
Edwards; daughters and one son.
I
6^ Pioneer Settlers
The third daughter, Mary Dickenson, married Col.
Alex. M. Davis; they had several children; Joseph died
single, others died young. Garnet Davis, the youngest
son, married Miss Mattie Dickey. He has four sons,
and lives at the Davis homestead. Independence, Va.
Col. John Dickenson married the second time. Miss
Margaret Ellen Andis; from this union, two sons and two
daughters; First son, Robert L. Dickenson, married Miss
Olive Ring; sons, Roy and one daughter.
Robert L. Dickenson is an enterprising, good citizen
and lives on the Garrison farm on New River.
John Dickenson, Jr., married Miss Sallie Ring; lives
at the Dickenson homestead. He is a good farmer and
useful man; has children.
The two daughters were, Sallie, who married C. H.
Edwards, supervisor for Grayson county; one son, Robert,
married Miss Collins; f(,ar daughters; a nice family.
The other daughter. Miss Blanche Dickenson, married
MiDitree Delp; had one son, Horace Delp; she died young;
her son went West.
Col. John Dickenson was a useful citizen of the county;
he o\ ned a large landed estate on New River, was in
public office, and in the mercantile business when there
were bi t few stores in the county. The firm of Dicken-
son and Nuckolls had stores at Old Town, Elk Creek,
and Bridle Creek. The goods were then hauled from
Lynchbu^rg on wagons. There were but two other stores
in the ci:)unty; they were at Grayson C. H. (now Old
Town). At that time, all the goods and groceries came
to Lynchburg on the canal, and were hauled out into
these western counties in six horse wagons.
William B. Dickenson, youngest son of Martin D.,
married A^Iiss Mary Edmondson of Glade Spring, Va.,
andf lived ttt Grayson C. H. with his mother who kept
hotel there for a number of years. They had four
COL. SAMUEL McCAMANT
Grayson County, Va. 57
daughters and two sons; three daughters and two sons
bom at Grayson C. H. He later moved to Glade Spring
Depot. One daughter born at Glade Spring. Eugenia,
the oldest daughter, married Robert Blair; Ellen manied
Ml. Thurman; Nannie and Mattie; Robert married Miss
Gardner; John, the youngest son of William Dickenson,
died suddenly at his home in Glade Spring, Va. The
family then all moved to California.
Elizabeth Caroline, the youngest daughter of Martin
D. and his wife, married Benjamin Martin, of Lee county,
Va. For some years they lived at Jonesville, Va. Mr.
Martin was educated at Emory and Henry College,
when Dr. Collins was president. When they were married.
Dr. Collins performed the ceremony. They were married
at the Dickenson Hotel, Grayson C. H. Mr. Martin had
three sons, Clarence, John, and Beverly. Beverly died
young at Old Town, and is buried there; they had one
daughter, Mary; the family moved from Lee county
to Texas.
Col. Martin Dickenson's mother was a Miss Bryson
of North Carolina. He died in 1833. His wife survived
him nearly thirty years, dying in September, 1860. For
these thirty years she managed the estate which
Col. Dickenson left, and did it successfully. She kept
the hotel open and made money.
Charlotte Dickenson married Col. Stephen Hale of
Elk Creek, Va. The follwing was written of her by an
admirer:
"Colonel Stephen Hale, of Elk Creek, married Miss
Charlotte Dickenson, a christian lady, who adorned the
family circle. She offered up public prayer and delivered
earnest exhortations. Col. Hale and wife and their family
were devoted members of the Methodist Church. If every
family lived as Col. Hale's this would be a happy world.
Col. Hale married the second time, Mrs. Lenora Gwin
58 Pioneer Settlers
Mitchell, who was first Miss Lenora Gwin. She was a
noble christian woman, gave peace and happiness in the
love of God to the home of these good people, where their
sun of ife sat beneath a cloudless sky to rise in the res-
urrection morning."
As the foregoing sketches give a number of the names
of the Gwin family, I will insert here a sketch of one of
the ancestors of the Gwin family. General William Lenoir.
He resided in Wilkes county, N. C. His life, char-
acter, and services have been recorded by an able and
familiar hand. The following is an extract from the
Raleigh Register, June 22nd, 1839, and recorded in
Wheeler's history of North Carolina: "This venerable
patriot and soldier died at his residence at Fort Defiance
in Wilkes county on Monday, May 6th 1839, aged 88
years.
"Gen. Lenoir was born in Brunswick county, Va.,
on the 20th of May, 1751, O. S.; descended from poor
but respectable French ancestry. When about eight
years old, his father removed to Tar river, near Tarboro,
N. C., where he resided until his death, which happened
shortly after. Gen. Lenoir received no other education
than such as his personal exertions permitted him to
acquire. When about twenty years of age, he married
Miss Ballard, a lady possessing those domestic and heroic
virtues which qualified her for sustaining the privations
and hardships of frontier life, which it was her destiny
afterward to encounter. In 1775, Gen. Lenoir moved
his family to the county of Wilkes.
I "James Gwyn married a daughter of Thomas Lenoir,
'p. 5 a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Gen William Lenoir
was a resident of Wilkes county, owned and cultivated
a large farm on the Yadkin River. He was a good citi-
zen, brought up a family whose piety and devotion to
Christianity will leave fruits to ripen in eternity. "
Grayson County, Va. 59
His younger son, Rufus Lenoir, married Miss Sallie
Gwyn of Elkin, N. C, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth
Gwyn.
Jestena Dickenson, daughter of Col. Martin Dicken-
son, married James Meek. They lived at the Stone house
in Washington county, Va., had two sons; first, Joseph
Meek married Miss Clark and settled in Burk's Garden,
Va. James also settled in Burk's Garden. They owned
a fine landed estate in the Garden. Their daughter,
Jane Meek, married Dr. William Hoge. Their family
is in Bland county, Va. , ,. ,
Mary Meek married Phillip Snapp, and lived near
the old homestead. Their son lives at Snapps Siding
on N. & W. R. R. , XT ^ w
Sophia Meek married Mr. Edmondson. He and his
wife died of yellow fever in Mississippi; two children;
the youngest daughter, Caroline, married Alex Golahom; ^a.a^<^^
lived near Saltville, Va.
Mrs. Jestena Meek married the second time, C^ol.
Strother, of Washington county. , ^r r^ +
Matilda Dickenson married Col. Samuel McCamant
from Pennsylvania. He was prominent as an attorney;
was a representative in state senate, and in all movements
for the good of this county. He lived at Grayson Old
Court House, reared and educated his family, and he
and his wife both died and are buried at Old Town,
in the Dickenson graveyard. They had seven sons and
three daughters. The sons: Alexander Smith, James
Martin, John D., William B., Samuel, Thomas Jefferson,
Emmett. The daughters: Charlotte Virginia, and two
daughters who died in infancy.
The daughter, Charlotte Virginia, was a lady of tine
intellect, culture, and refinement; also a fine christian
character. She married Rev. Charles M. Howard, an
Evangelist in the Presbyterian Church. She lived at the
60* Pioneer Settlers
old homestead; died without issue and is buried at Old
Town, Va.
Alexander S., John D., and William B. McCamant, all
married daughters of Thomas Gardner in Texas. James
Martin and Emmett also went to Texas and married
there. John D. had two daughters, Hattie and Lizzie.
They lived in Fort Worth.
Lizzie McCamant married Rev. Carter, who belongs
to the Texas Conference. He is a Methodist Minister
and was educated at Emory and Henry College, Va.
Samuel McCamant, Jr., married Miss Nancy Kitchen.
He died during the war; no children.
Thomas Jefferson McCamant married Miss Ellen
Hale, daughter of Maj. Peyton G. Hale and wife, Jane
Bourne, of Elk Creek, Va. They had five daughters:
Blanche, Lizzie, Clyde, Josephine, Mjrtle. Josephine
and Myrtle died young. Blanche married Clayton
Higgins; one son, McCamant Higgins. They own and
live at the McCamant homestead at Old Town, Va.
Lizzie McCamant married Fred Armfield; they have
two daughters. They live at the old Governor Franklin
homestead on Fish River, N. C.
Clyde McCamant married Marvin Vaughn, son of
Rev. Thomas C. Vaughan and wife, Lucy Hale. They
live at Spring Valley, Grayson county, Va.; have one
son, Thomas Jefferson.
Col. Samuel McCamant had one brother, Thomas
Jefferson McCamant, who studied medicine in Pennsyl-
vania and came to Grayson C. H., and lived with his
brother. The doctor never married; died about 1860,
and is buried in the Dickenson graveyard, Old Town, Va.
Miss Rosa B. Dickenson married Hugh Gwin, and they
live near Mt. Airy, N. C. They have four sons: First
son, Martin, married Miss McComas, and lived near Mt.
Airy, N. C. ; one son married Miss Johnston. John Gwin
Grayson County, Va. <61
married Miss Crockett and lived in Rich Valley. One
daughter, Mary, married Mr. Morgan; lives at Seven
Mile Ford.
Elizabeth Bourne married Capt. Lewis Hale, Jr.,
and lived on Elk Creek. (See Hale history, p. 104.)
They had four sons: Jackson, Washington, Rufus,
Capt. Peyton N. Hale; four daughters: Millie, Celia,
Elvira, Rosamond B. (See Capt. Lewis Hale, Jr.)
Frances Bourne married Stephen Hale, Sr., and settled
at the Hale homestead. Elk Creek. (See Hale history,
page 117.)
Names and number of their sons and daughters follow:
Eight sons: Mastin, Warner, William B., Martin,
Fielden Lewis, Chapman G., Clark, Eli C.
Five daughters: Lucinda, Rosa Bourne, Mary, Amanda
Jane, Sophia P. (See Stephen Hale, Sr.)
Celia Bourne married Robert Johnstone and settled
on Roaring River, Wilkes county, N. C. This Johnstone
of Revolutionary fame was in the battle of Kings Moun-
tain. There were sons and daughters of this family in
Wilkes county N. C, but I cannot give their names.
William Bourne, Jr., married Mary Johnstone, sister
to Robert Johnstone. He settled at the old Wm. Bourne
homestead, on Knob Fork, Va., and brought up his family
there. Their daughter, Rosa B., married Stephen M,
Hale, son of John Hale and Mary Hale, his wife. They
had sons and daughters. Their son, Alexander Hale,
married Miss Sallie Roberts, daughter of Thompson
Roberts and wife, Seraphina Currin; one son, Friel; one
daughter, Nannie; and one daughter, Malinda Hale,
married Stephen Whitman, son of David Whitman and
wife, Elizabeth Hale.
Stephen M. Hale and his wife, after living in Grayson
some time, moved with their family to Texas, from
Independence, Va.
62 Pioneer Settlers
Malinda Bourne married Robert Currin, son of Maj.
George Currin and his wife, Martha Swift. They had a
son, William B. Currin, and a daughter, Mary J. Currin;
all moved to Oregon.
Rachel Bourne man'ied James P. Waugh; they first
lived at Grayson C. H.; afterward moved to Jefferson,
Ashe county, N. C; died there; no issue.
Jane Bourne married Peyton G. Hale, son of Wi liam
Hale and wife, Lucy Stone. (See Ha-e history.) They
lived and died at the Wm. Hale homestead on Elk Creek,
Va.
Lucinda Bourne married Stephen Friel Nuckolls, son
of Ezra Nuckolls and wife, Lucinda Hale. They both
died in Salt Lake City, Utah. They had sons: William,
Paul, Rupert (See Nuckolls Family). Rupert Nuckolls
now lives in Butte, Montana; is cashier of the State
Savings Bank there.
Harvey Gordon Bourne married Miss Frances Nuckolls,
daughter of Ezra Nuckolls and wife, Lucinda Hale.
They have one daughter, Mary Bourne, and two sons,
William, and Houston Bourne.
Johnstone Bourne married Floranza Bourne, daughter
of Martin Bourne, of Knob Fork, Va. They live in Texas.
Following are the descendants of L. W. Bourne, the
third son, and eighth child of William Bourne, Jr., and
Mary Johnstone Bourne.
L. W. Bourne was born January 13th, 1832; married
Julia Fulton March 12th, 1857. From this union there
are five children, two girls, and three boys. Pinkie Bourne
was bom March 7th, 1859; Cleveland Bourne was born
August 18th, 1861; Robert Bourne was born September
26th, 1867; William Stephen Bourne was born October
28th, 1873; Chloe Bourne was born November 1st, 1877.
Pinkie A. Bourne was married to John H. Skinner,
December 5th, 1873. From this union are four boys and
Grayson County, Va. 63
two girls: Lute Skinner was married to Ella Com, Jan-
uary 10th, 1897. To this union are three girls and two
boys, Eunice, Verna, Ellie, John, and George. They live
at Nogal, New Mexico.
Conda Skinner, the second son, married Ethel Greer,
August 24th, 1904. From this union are one girl and one
boy, Brooksie and Christa, who live at Nogal, New Mexico.
Floy Skinner married May 15th, 1907, to Alice Zum-
walt; one girl is added to this union, Elsie Bly; live at
Nogal, New Mexico.
Roy Skinner, the fourth son, was married to Clara
Adams, March 12th, 1911; home, Carrizozo, New Mexico.
Alice Rosa Skinner, the first daughter, was married
to Ben B. Parker, May 3rd, 1891. To this union are three
boys and three girls; Carl Parker, aged eighteen years,
married Ethel Roth, September 4th, 1910. Live in Sacra-
mento, Cal. Rolla, Bryce, Pinkie, Hattie, and Ella live
in Carrizozo, New Mexico.
Effie Julia Skinner married Bowen Zumwalt, February
13th, 1898. To this union are four boys and one girl,
Clifton, Floy, Wayne, Murray, and Chloe.
Chloe Bourne, second daughter, and youngest child
of L. W. Bourne and Julia Bourne, married W. R. White,
February 28th, 1898; no issue.
Cleveland Bourne, eldest son, was married to Lula
Henley, October 10th, 1885. To this union are four girls,
Minnie, Midge, Julia, and Etta; four boys, William,
Thomas, Milton, and Lute. All yet under the parental
roof, at Tularosa, New Mexico.
Robert Bourne, second son, married Josephine Pfing-
sten, December 30th, 1891. To this union, one son,
Emmett. Robert Bourne is owner and manager of the
Telephone line, and living at Duran, New Mexico.
William Stephen Bourne, third and youngest son,
was married to Annie Zumwalt, January 27th, 1901.
64 Pioneer Settlers
To this union are two sons, Creed and Rex; home, Carri-
zozo. New Mexico.
L. W. Bourne, father, grandfather, and great-grand-
father, of this large family, is living with his eldest daughter
Mrs. John Skinner, Carrizozo, New Mexico.
Julia Fulton Bourne, wife of L. W. Bourne, died Sept-
tember 21st, 1908. Was buried, at Ever Green Cemetery,
Carrizozo, New Mexico.
William Bourne (3), youngest son of William Bourne (2),
and wife, Mary Johnstone, died single, at Independ-
ence, Grayson county, Va.; a fine young man, in the
prime of life.
Capt. Richmond G. Bourne, son of William Bourne
and wife, married Miss Mary Wagoner of Tennessee,
daughter of David Wagoner and wife. Miss Celia Perkins,
daughter of Timothy Perkins, of Grayson county.
Mary Ann Bourne, youngest daughter of William and
Mary Bourne, married Preston Reeves; one son, Rich-
mond G. Reeves, married Miss Hall, on Rock Creek, Va.
Capt. R. G. Bourne entered the war between the states
as an officer in the Grayson Cavalry Company, Dr. Wm.
H. Bramblett as Captain, in the 8th Regiment of the
Cavalry. After the first year. Dr. Bramblett resigned,
and Capt. Bourne took charge as captain, and was cap-
tain when the war closed. After his marriage, he lived
at the old Bourne homestead on Rock Creek, near Inde-
pendence, Va. He had two sons: William married Miss
Wiley; Charles married Miss Dickey. He also had two
daughters: Callie married George W. Simmerman of
Wythe county, Va. Addie married Mr. Barton, Inde-
pendence, Va. Capt. R. G. Bourne did much for his country
and was a useful citizen.
MATILDA DICKENSON McCAMANT
Daughter of Col. Martin Dickenson and wife, Mary Bourne, and wife of
Col. Samuel McCamant
CHAPTER III
THE NUCKOLLS FAMILY
The early history of our country tells us that the first
permanent English colony in America was established
on the coast of Virginia in 1607. Montgomery's English
history says, "A London joint stock company of mer-
chants and adventurers or speculators established the
first permanent English colony in America on the coast
of Virginia in 1607, at a place which they called James-
town in honor of the king. "
The tradition in the Nuckoll's family is that three
Nuckolls brothers came from York, England, in this
company of colonists. They were merchants, and their
names were John, James and William. From one of these
brothers, John Nuckolls of Louisa county, was descended.
John Nuckolls married Mary Garland about 1776. Mary
Garland was the daughter of Robert Garland (4) of
Louisa county. Robert (4) and Edward (4) were sons
of John Garland of Garland's Neck, and were the founders
of the Louisa branch of the Garland family (see chapter
on Gailand family). Mary Garland was a member of
the Episcopal Church, and her prayer book, which was
printed in MDCCLXI (1761), has been handed down to
her children and grandchildren until it is now in the
possession of the author of this book, who is her great-
grandson. In this prayer-book there is a record of the
time of births of Maiy Garland and John Nuckolls, and
the names and time of births of their nine sons and one
daughter. Following is a copy of the record:
"Mary Garland, born March 20th, 1755.
"John Nuckolls, born July 12th, 1755.
66 Pioneer Settlers
"The ages of children born to John Nuckolls and
wife, Mary Garland:
"1st. David Nuckolls, born October 26th, 1778.
"2nd. Rhodes Nuckolls, bom June 11th, 1780.
"3rd. Robert G. Nuckolls, born August 7th, 1782.
"4th. Peter Nuckolls, born June 18th, 1784.
"5th. Elisha Nuckolls, born September 4th, 1786.
^"6th. Nathaniel Nuckolls, born January 12th, 1789.
"7th. Samuel Nuckolls, born December 26th, 1790.
"One daughter. Patsy Nuckolls, born November
27th, 1792.
"8th. Asa Nuckolls, born February 11th, 1795.
"9th. Ezra Nuckolls, bom March 28th, 1798."
There is also a record given of the births of fifteen
negroes belonging to John Nuckolls, and twelve negroes
belonging to Mary Garland. Of this number, none were
sold out of the Nuckolls family, except two men who were
sold to men who owned the wives of these two negro men.
Several of the descendants of these negroes are now
living with and working for the descendants of John
Nuckolls and Mary Garland.
All the children of John Nuckolls and Mary Garland
were bom in Louisa county, Va.
In 1780, Charles Nuckolls moved to Southwest Vir-
ginia and entered one thousand acres of land on New
River and Cripple Creek, and others of the Nuckolls
family followed him. About the year of 1790, John
Nuckolls' family came from Louisa county and settled on
New River and Meadow Creek near Greenville or Gray-
son C. H. At the same time, Charles Nuckolls, who was
a cousin of John Nuckolls, moved from Cripple Creek
to Meadow Creek, near Greenville.
The land enteied by Charles Nuckolls on Cripple
Creek is now owned by John P. M. Simmerman and others.
Nathaniel Nuckolls, son of John Nuckolls, owned a part
Grayson County, Va. 67
of this land, lived there, brought up his family, and died
in Wythe county.
Charles Nuckolls married first a Miss Garland of East-
ern Virginia ; they hado nes on, Robert. His second wife
was Mary Black. From this union there were three sons:
John, who moved to Kentucky; James, who moved to
Missouri, and Charles, who died single; and five daughters,
Betty, Sally, Polly, Susan, and Nancy.
At that time this country was Washington and Mont-
gomery District. Wythe county was formed in 1790,
and in 1792 Grayson was formed from Wythe, taking
in the south side adjoining the State of North Carolina.
(See records of the first courts of Grayson county, 1793.)
Charles Garland, brother of Mary Garland Nuckolls,
came with his sister's family from Louisa county to
Grayson. He died single and is buried in the Nuckolls
cemetery in Grayson county. John Nuckolls and iiis
wife, Mary Garland, went back to Louisa county, died,
and are buried there. Of the nine sons of John Nuckolls,
seven of them settled in Grayson county. The daughter,
Patsy, or Martha, married Maj. James Anderson, of
Albemarle county, Va. They established a home and
reared a family in Grayson. Both are buried in the Ander-
son cemetery near Galax, Va. Descendants of Maj.
James Anderson live on the Anderson estate near Galax,
Va.
Rhodes, the second son of John Nuckolls and Mary
Garland, and Peter, the fourth son, moved from Giayson
to Kentucky; Elisha, fifth son, and Samuel, seventh
son, also moved to Tennessee and Kentucky. Asa, the
eighth son, died single, and is buried in the Nuckolls
cemetery. Nathaniel Nuckolls, sixth son of John Nuckolls
and Mary Garland, first married a Miss Garland of Louisa
county, Va.; issue, three sons: Lee, Garland, and Andrew;
and two daughters: Sena and Allie. The fiist son, Lee,
\
68 Pioneer Settlers
married Miss Lydia Painter. They lived near Ivanhoe,
Va., and had no children. They are buried near Ivanhoe.
The second son, Garland, moved to Missouri in 1830.
The third son, Andrew, married Celia Jones, daughter
of Maj. Abner Jones and wife, Hannah Fawbush, of
Grayson county; issue: two sons, Calvin and Kent,
and four daughters. Two of the daughters moved to
Nebraska and died there; the other two daughters
are living single. Calvin Nuckolls moved to Nebraska.
Kent Nuckolls had four daughters. The first daughter,
Cynthia, married James B. Johnson, lived and died in
Hillsville, Va. (See following obituary) :
"Mrs. Cynthia (Nuckolls) Johnson, widow of James
B. Johnson, died Monday, and was buried Tuesday
afternoon, age seventy-eight years.
"After a long, busy and useful life, she died as she lived,
honored, trusted and loved. She reared her own monu-
ments while she lived, in the hearts of all who knew her.
Life completed if work all done, and well done, consti-
tutes completion. Her Christian life was beautiful from
its beginning to its close, and through all vicissitudes
and sorrows that she met in the way, her faith in God
never wavered.
"None evei entered her home without a warm welcome,
nor left without feeling the warmth cf a genuine hospi-
tality, so characteristic of the people of her ancestry.
Disease did not destroy the charm of a kind, indulgent
disposition, nor old age diminish unselfish solicitude for
her friends and loved ones.
"The deceased was the mother of a large and gifted
family. Impressive funeral services were held at the
home after which all that was mortal of this grand old
mother in Israel was tenderly conveyed to our Silent
City, where by the side of a devoted husband she now
rests in peace." — Carroll Journal.
PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE NUCKOLLS CEMETERY
Grayson County, Va. 69
"Mrs. Johnson was a daughter of Andrew Nuckolls
and Celia Jones Nuckolls. Their ancestois were English,
and early settlers of Virginia. Nathaniel Nuckolls, father
of Andrew Nuckolls, was one of the pioneer settlers of
Wythe county. Maj. Abner Jones, father of Celia Jones
Nuckolls, was also a pioneer settler of Grays-on county.
These families have done much for the development of
this section.
"Mrs. Johnson was very much interested in all that
was for the interest of both church and state, loved her
friends and was kind to aH.
"The pall-bearers were her nearest relatives. Four
sons-in-law, Jam.es Early, Fulton Green, W. D. Tomp-
kins and James Cooley, of Kjioxville, Tenn., Judge Robert
Jackson, Bernard Early, Rev. B. F. Nuckolls, and Dr.
C. D. Nuckolls."
Mr. James Johnson was a succesFful merchant and
useful citizen. Four daughters, Viola, Henrietta, Eliza,
Dora, and one son. Heath, were born to James Johnson
and Cynthia Nuckolls. Viola, the eldest daughter, died
young; Henrietta married Maj. John Rawley; they lived
in Richmond, Va., and had two sons, Kent Nuckolls,
and Heath. Maj. Rawley died several years ago; the
sons are lawyers, and live with their mother in Richmond.
Eliza, third daughter, married James Early, a merchant;
they live in Hillsville, Va., and have several children.
The eldest daughter, Marion, married Judge Robert C.
Jackson and lives in Roanoke, Va. Eliza and James
Early have other children — one son, Bernard. The
fourth daughter of James and Cynthia Johnston, Dora,
married Fulton Green, son of Mr. Jack Green, who married
Miss Betsy Fulton, daughter of Judge Andrew Fulton.
They have three daughters, Clara, Blanche and Nancy,
one son, Ashby. One of the daughters manied Gordon
Hall.
70 Pioneer Settlers
Heath Johnston, only son of James Johnston and Cjm-
thia Nuckolls, married Miss Sallie Green, daughter of
Mr. Jack Green. They had one daughter, Alpha Heath,
single; one son, died young, and the father. Heath John-
ston, died soon after the death of his son.
Heath Johnston was an exemplary young man. He
had taken his father's place in business, and his death
was a loss and sorrow to the community, as well as to his
immediate family. His widow married a lawyer, W. D.
Tompkins. They live in Hillsville, and have children.
Sena, the first daughter of Nathaniel Nuckolls, man led
the first time, Daniel Sheffey; they had one son, Ezra
Nuckolls Sheffey, who was a druggist in Marion, Smythe
county, Va. He man'ied first a Miss Preston, second a
Miss Rhea; moved to Greenville, Tenn., and died there;
he has sons and daughters living in Greenville.
Mrs. Sena Nuckolls Sheffey married the second time,
Joshua Jackson. They had one son, Berton, who died
in the Confederate army. One daughter, Nannie, who
married Melville Fisher, of Cripple Creek, and they now
live in Tennessee.
Rev. Robert Sawyers Sheffey was a son of Daniel
Sheffey by his first wife. Miss White, of Abingdon, Va.
He was a local Methodist preacher of the Holston Con-
ference, a man who had some eccentricities of character,
but whose unbounded faith in God, and good works
among his fellow-men made him widely known through-
out Southwest Virginia. He was a man who had power
with God in prayer, and the writer knows of many strik-
ing and direct answers to his prayers.
In Robert Sheffey's time there was much illicit distil-
ling of whiskey in the mountains of Southwest Virginia
and he was the enemy of the traffic. At one time he
prayed for a certain distillery to be removed, and a water
spout burst just above it, and left not a trace of the plant.
Grayson County, Va. '71
He prayed for specific things, and God honored his faith
by giving him what he asked for. The wicked trembled
when he prayed for justice to be meted out to wrong-
doers, and many were brought to repentance through
the influence of his prayers. Mr. Sheffey first married
Miss Swecker, of Wythe county; they have children
living in Wythe county. His second wife was a Miss
Stafford, of Giles county; they have one son, Edward
Sheffey, who lives in Lynchburg, Va. He is a man of
fine character, and honors the God of his father. He is
superintendent of a very fine Sunday School, and a man
of large influence. . , xt i n
Allie, the second daughter of Nathaniel Nuckolls,
married Mr. Engledow, of Wythe county, Va. She,
with her husband and her brother. Garland Nuckolls,
moved to Missouri about 1830. She has a daughter,
Mrs. Allie J. Bone, living at Mineral Point, Missouri.
Nathaniel Nuckolls married the second time. Miss
Martha Toler, of Wythe county. They had two sons
and two daughters; first son, John Nuckolls, lived in
Wythe county; second son, Calvin Nuckolls, moved to
Tazewell county, Va. First daughter, Elizabeth Nuckolls,
married William Pope; they lived on Cripple Creek, Va.,
and reared a family there; second daughter, Nancy
Nuckolls, married Abner Thompson; they also lived on
Cripple Creek, Va.; no issue. The plantation on which
Nathaniel Nuckolls first settled is now owned by the
Catron family. Rev. S. S. Catron, of Holston Conference,
was brought up on this farm. The following clipping
from a Roanoke paper gives a sketch of Robert Rhodes
Nuckolls:
"Richmond, Aug. 11— Information was received here
today of the death of Robert R. Nuckolls, well known
throughout newspaper, printing and labor circles for more
72 Pioneer Settlers
than half a century. His death occurred yesterday after-
noon in Louisa county. He was 72 years of age.
"Major Nuckols, as he was called, was a type of the
Vh-ginia gentleman. He was born, however, in Alabama,
coming to Virginia at the close of the war, when his regi-
ment was disbanded in this state. He was in prison when
the war ended, but came to Hanover county. He was
connected with the old "Whig" and afterwards with
the "State." He traveled the state for the last named
paper, working in its circulation and advertising depart-
ments. He had experience in almost every branch of
the profession. He was editor-in-chief of the "Star,"
remaining with that paper until it suspended.
"Nuckols worked with the Richmond Journal until
health failed him. He married Miss Swift, of Louisa
coimty, after the war. His wife died four years ago.
Respected and esteemed throughout the state, where he
was widely known, his death is regarded as a loss to the
newspaper profession of the state."
Robert Garland Nuckolls was the third son of John
Nuckolls and wife, Mary Garland. He was born in
Louisa county. Yd., August 7th, 1782; he came to Grayson
county with other members of the family, and settled
on Meadow Creek, one mile from Grayson Old C. H.
He married Miss Margaret Swift, daughter of Col. Flower
Swift and wife, Mary Bedsaul (See Swift history). Soon
after his marriage, Capt. Robert G. Nuckolls opened
up an Ordinary, or Tavern, at Grayson Old C. H. (See
License for Ordinary in the proceedings of the Court).
To Robert G. Nuckolls and wife, Margaret Swift,
were bom eight sons and two daughters: first son. Creed
Nuckolls; second, Clarke S. Nuckolls; thu-d, James
Nuckolls; fourth, George; fifth, Nathaniel Nuckolls;
sixth, Thomas Nuckolls; seventh, Hugh Nuckolls; eighth,
Andrew Nuckolls. First daughter, Martha Nuckolls;
CLARK NUCKOLLS AND WIFE, ROSA BOURNE HALE
Grayson County, Va. 73
second daughter, Sena Nuckolls.
Creed Nuckolls married Elizabeth Hale, daughter of
Mastin Hale, Sr., and wife, Susan Perkins (see Hale
history); issue, three sons: Robert G. Nuckolls, married
Miss Lucinda Hale, daughter of Maj. Peyton G. Hale and
wife, Jane Bourne (see Bourne history); no issue. They
live on Elk Creek in the William Hale homestead. Lee
Nuckolls, (single) lives with his brothei , Robert Garland
Nuckolls. Charles Nuckolls married Mrs. Effie Wal-
ters; no issue; lives at Speedwell, Wythe county, Va.
Clarke S. Nuckolls mairied Rosa Bourne Hale, daughter
of Stephen Hale, Sr ., (son of Lewis Hale, Sr., and his wife,
Mary Burwell), and Frances Bourne, (daughter of William
Bourne, Sr., and v/ife, Rosa Jones.) Issue: eight daughters,
four sons. First daughter, Amali? Gwyn Nuckolls,
married Ballard E. Ward of Speedwell, Wythe county,
Va. (son of William Ward and wife, Mary Young). Issue:
seven sons and one daughter.
First son, Ellis William Clarke Ward, graduated at
Emory and Henry College and took course in Vander-
bilt University, Nashville, Tenn. He was licensed to
preach by the M. E. Church, South; married Miss Lelia
Sparks of Centre, Cherokee county, Ala.; was principal
of Elk Creek School, then moved to Centre, Alabama,
and commenced the practice of medicine. He died
with typhoid fever in Centre, Ala.; one child (died in
infancy) ; both buried at Garrett Cemetery, Ala.
Second son, Floyd Harvey Ward, married Miss Ella
Walsh (daughter of Dr. Walsh). First daughter, Mamie,
married Dr. Phipps, and lives at Bridle Creek, Va.;
second daughter, Laura Ward, married Richard Rowe,
Wythe County, Virginia; third daughter, Ethel Ward,
married Prof. Crockett Carr, Galax, Virginia.
First son, Ballard E. Ward, married and lives in
Pocahontas, Vh-ginia; fourth daughter, Floyd; fifth,
74 Pioneer Settlers
Ida; one son died young; one son, Clarence, single.
Floyd Harvey Ward and family moved to Illinois
from Knob Fork, Va.
Frances Laura Ward, only daughter of Ballard E. Ward,
married John C. Hale of Centre, Cherokee county, Ala.
Issue, one son and two daughters. The son, Ballard E.
Hale, died young. First daughter, Stella Hale, educated
at Centenaiy College, Cleveland, Tenn., single; second
daughter, Virginia, single, at Centenary College. They live
in Centre, Alabama. Mrs. Hale died in Centre, Ala-
bama, January 30th, 1914; is buried in the Garrett
cemetery. John C. Hale is son of Clarke Hale and wife,
Susan Garrett, of Garrett's Ferry, Ala. Clarke G. Hale
was son of Stephen Hale and wife, Frances Bourne,
of Elk Creek, Va. John Hale has been a merchant the
greater part of his life. He now employs his time looking
after the Garrett plantation, a large and productive
body of land, on the Coosa river near Centre, Ala.
James Stuart Ward (third son of Ballard E. Ward
and Amelia Gwyn Nuckolls), married Miss Alice Varney,
of Newfields, N. H.; one son, Varney Stuart Ward.
James Ward died in Roanoke, Virginia, September
17th, 1913. His son, Varney, is a student in the Phillips
Exeter Academy in Massachusetts.
Eli Hale, fourth son of Ballard Ward, died young,
and is buried at Speedwell Church, Wythe county.
Leonidas Hicks Ward, fifth son, married Ellen Hale
(daughter of Charles Hale and wife, Tabitha Bourne).
First son, Everett Hale; second, Gwyn; one daughter,
Ruth; third son, Leonidas; fourth, Basil. They live at
the Charles Hale homestead on Knob Fork.
Dr. Lilburn Ward, sixth son, married Nellie Mahood
of Culpepper, Va.; one son. They live in Pocahontas,
Va. Dr. Ward is practicing dentistry there.
Grayson County, Va. 75
Herbert Gwyn Ward, seventh son, first went to Centre,
Ala., and was in business with his brother-in-law, J. C.
Hale. From there he went to Pueblo, Col., and was
employed for a while by the Nuckolls Packing Co. He
went from there to California, and finally to Minneapolis,
Minn. He was drowned in Pike Lake, New Brighton,
July 15th, 1905.
Ballard E. Ward's first wife, Amelia Gwyn Ward,
died at Speedwell, Wythe county, Va., when her youngest
son, Herbert Gwyn Ward, was four weeks old. She is
buried at the Speedwell Methodist Church, Wythe
county, Va.
Ballard Ward married the second time, Sophia L.
Nuckolls, fourth daughter of Clarke Nuckolls and wife,
Rosa Bourne Hale. He sold his farm on Cripple Creek,
and bought the farm on Knob Fork in Grayson county,
where William Bourne and Rosa Jones, his wife, first
settled. At that place, a son, Ballard Ernest Ward, was
born to them, July 15th, 1877. He is the only child of
Ballard Ward and Sophia Nuckolls. When he was an
infant, his mother died, and is buried at the Nuckolls
cemetery near Old Town, Va. At the request of his mother,
Ballard Ernest Ward was taken by her brother, B. F.
Nuckolls (the writer of this history), and brought up
with his family. He was married to Miss Lucy B. Ander-
son, Ivy, Va., on June 10th, 1913. He is travelling auditor
for the Pocahontas Consolidated Collieries Co., and lives
in Pochontas, Va.
Ballard E. Ward married the third time, Mrs. Caroline
Frances Killinger of Marion, Va. He died in 1896, and
is buried in the cemetery at Ebenezer Church, Spring
Valley, near his home in Virginia. His third wife died
and is buried in Marion, Virginia; no issue.
Malinda Nuckolls, second daughter of Clarke Nuckolls,
died single.
76 Pioneer Settlers
Benjamin Floyd Nuckolls, first son of Clarke Nuckolls
and Rosa Bourne Hale, and writer of this history, was
bom October 20th, 1838, at the old Nuckolls homestead
near Grayson Old C. H. When quite young, he clerked
in his father's store at Grayson C. H., was educated at
the Jefferson Academy, Ashe county, N. C., licensed to
preach May 31st, 1861, and admitted to the Holston
Conference at Greenville, Tenn., October, 1861.
On the 6th of November, 1865, he married Miss Mary
Fletcher Goodykoontz, daughter of David Goodykoontz
and wife. Ruth Harter of Floyd county, Va. (See Goody-
koontz history.)
From this union there were four children: First son,
William David, bom in Concord, Tenn., March 16th,
1868, died near Athens, Tenn., and is buried in the
cemetery at Wesleyana Church, by the side of the grave
of Rev. Carroll Long.
First daughter, Rosamond Ellen, was born near Athens,
Tenn., Oct. 20th, 1869, educated in Wytheville, Va.,
and at Martha Washington College, Abingdon, Va.;
mai ried B. G. Witherow, Sept., 1896. They have two sons,
Charles, and Benjamin, and live near Galax, Va .
Second daughter, Ruth Frances, was born in the old
Goodykoontz home near Floyd C. H., Va., March 5th,
1872, educated in Wytheville, Va., and at Martha Washing-
ton College, Abingdon, Va.; married J. E. Johnston of
Cleveland, Tenn. They have one daughter, Mary Ruth
and live in Cleveland, Tennessee. Their daughter, Mary
Ruth, was married on January 7th, 1914, to Dr. Carl
Thomas Speck. They reside in Cleveland.
Second son, Isaac Clarke, was bom at Independence,
Va., Nov. 11th, 1873; died near Old Town, Va., Oct.
10th, 1875, and is buried in the Nuckolls cemetery.
Sarah Frances Nuckolls, third daughter of Clarke S.
Nuckolls and wife, Rosa Boimie Hale, married Dr. Brutus
Grayson County, Va. 77
Fleming Cooper and settled at Old Town, Va. Issue:
six daughters and one son. First, Emma Cooper, married
Stephen Mason Hale, son of Rev. Wiley Dickenson Hale
and wife, Martha Gwin Mitchell. They have six sons and
five daughters; first son, Willie Hale, married Minnie
Burke; second son, Cleveland Hale, single; third son,
James Hale, single; fourth son, Scott Hale, single; fifth,
twins, died infants.
First daughter, Clara Hale, married Oscar Oakley,
of Mt. Airy, N. C; second daughter, Blanche Hale, mar-
ried Mr. Banner, Mt. Airy; third, Forrest Hale, single;
fourth, Lillie Hale, single; fifth, Alice Hale, single.
Stephen M. Hale and family all live in Mt. Airy, N. C.
He and his sons are successful merchants.
Eddie Forest Cooper, second daughter of Dr. B. F.
Cooper and wife, Sarah Frances Nuckolls, married James
Lafayette Warrick, son of John Wesley Warrick and wife,
Ellen Carson. They have three sons and two daughters.
First son, Thomas; second, Claude S., third, Paul. First
daughter, Bertie, married Mr. Charles Vance, Kingsport,
Tenn.; one daughter, Ethel Louisa; second daughter,
Ethel, single. All now living at Kingsport, Tenn. Lula,
second daughter of Dr. B. F. Cooper and wife, Sarah F.
Nuckolls, married James Wiley Dobyns, son of Ben
W. Dobyns and wife, Charlotte Hale. They have two
sons: first, Benjamin E., second, Stephen Brutus Fleming.
All now living at Kingsport, Tenn. Benjamin married
Miss Huffard, of Wythe county, Va.
The only son of Dr. B. F. Cooper and wife, S. F. Nuck-
olls, Johnnie, died young at Old Town, Va.
Fourth daughter of Dr. B. F. Cooper and wife, S.
F. Nuckolls, married Alexander Chapman Anderson,
son of Friel Nuckolls Anderson and wife, Elizabeth
Roberts. They have five daughters and two sons: first
daughter, Ruby Elizabeth, died young; second daughter,
78 Pioneer Settlers
Catharine; third, Lula; fourth, Virginia; fifth daughter,
Paulina; first son, Edward; second, Daniel.
Fifth daughter of Dr. B. F. Cooper and wife, S. F.
Cooper, Lillie Rosa, married Charles Anderson, son of
Friel Nuckolls Anderson and wife, Elizabeth Roberts;
one daughter, Garnett, died young; one son. Grey.
They live in Galax, Va.
Nannie Cooper, sixth and youngest daughter of Dr.
B. F. Cooper and wife, Sarah F. Nuckolls, single.
Dr. Brutus Fleming Cooper was born in Wythe county,
Va.> read medicine under his brother, Dr. John Cooper,
and Dr. Bert Saunders, near Leadmines, Wythe county,
Va. Commenced the practice of Medicine at Old Town,
Va., 1855.
Sarah Cooper died at the old homestead, Old Town,
August 31st, 1909. Dr. Cooper died at Kingsport,
Tenn., 1910. Both are buried in the old Nuckolls
Cemetery.
William Swift Nuckolls, second son of Clarke S. Nuck-
olls and his wife, Rosa Bourne Hale, joined the 8th
Virginia Cavalry Co. in 1861. His captain was Dr. Wm.
Bamblett. Wm. Swift Nuckolls was wounded in Maryland
in 1864. He partially recovered from his wounds, and
in 1868 was married the first time to Miss Susan B. Hale,
daughter of Martin Hale and wife, Jestena Hale, of Lees-
burg, Cherokee county, Alabama. (See sketch of Hale
family.)
From this union, one daughter, Lelia B. Nuckolls,
who married William P. Waugh. She was his second wife,
and to them were born one son, Swift, and one daughter,
Susan. Swift Waugh is being educated at the Virginia
Polytechnic Institute at Blacksburg, Va., and Susan is
in school at Martha Washington College, Abingdon, Va.
William Swift Nuckolls married the second time
Miss Fannie M. Kinzer, daughter of Michael Kinzer
Grayson County, Va. 79
and wife, Annie Tunner, of Hillsville, Va.; issue: three
daughters, Annie, Susan Viola, Amelia Clyde; two sons,
John Michael, Alexander Heath.
Annie married Kemper Hampton, son of Litrell
Hampton and wife, Nancy Blevins. They live at Round
Meadows, Grayson county, Va., and have three sons,
Bernard, Raleigh and Litrell, and two daughters, Selma
Frances and Nancy Vera.
Susan Viola Nuckolls married Edwin Dodd of Tazewell
county, Va. They live in Galax, Va., and have three
sons, Edwin Nuckolls, John, Robert; one daughter,
Ruth Nuckolls. Mr. Dodd is manager of the Galax
Furniture Factory.
Amelia Clyde Nuckolls married Rudolph Couch; they
live in Galax, and have two daughters, Hazel and Ruby.
John Michael Nuckolls married Eliza Hankley of
Rural Retreat, Va. They have one daughter, Louise,
and one son, Francis. They live in Galax, Va.
Alexander Heath Nuckolls married Ella Lundy, daughter
of William Lundy; they have one daughter. Alpha Heath,
and live with their mother, Mrs. Fannie Nuckolls, on a
part of the old Nuckolls homestead, near Old Town, Va.
William Swift Nuckolls died in February, 1887, and
is buried in the Nuckolls Cemetery.
Mary A. Nuckolls, fifth daughter of Claike Nuckolls
and Rosa Bourne Hale, married Churchill Fawbush
Moore, son of Isaac Moore and wife, Euphemia Jones,
who was the daughter of Maj. Abner Jones and wife,
Hannah Fawbush. They have five daughteis and three
sons:
First daughter, Celia Fawbush, died single; second
daughter, Amelia Nuckolls married a Mr. Miller, and lives
in Winston, N. C; third daughter, Rosa Bourne, married
Fred Lawson, they live in Ivanhoe, Va., and have
one son, Fred Moore; fourth daughter, Leona Nuckolls,
80 Pioneer Settlers
single; fifth daughter, Lura, single. Fh-st son, William,
died single; second son, Glen, died single; third son,
Arthur Neal, married Cora Moore, daughter of Orville
Moore.
Dorthula Gertrude Nuckolls, sixth daughter of Clarke
Nuckolls, married first, Robert Rodgers, of Wytheville,
Va. He died in Roanoke, Va. ; no issue. She married the
second time, Albert G. Umberger, Wytheville, Va.; he
died, no issue. Mrs. Umberger now lives in Galax, Va.
Margaret A. Nuckolls, seventh daughter of Clarke
Nuckolls, married John A. Ward, son of Lilbum Ward,
and wife, Annie Groseclose. They live on Cripple Creek,
Va., and have three sons, James Brown, Charles and
Robert N. Kent, and seven daughters, Annie, Ella,
Rosa Bourne, Susan, Lena, Stella H., and Ruth Nuckolls.
James Brown, single, lives in Kingsport, Tenn. ; Charles,
single. Cripple Creek, Va.; Robert N. Kent, Pocahontas,
Va.
Annie married Eugene Kyle; they live on Cripple
Creek, Va.; three sons: Ward, Glasgow, James; one
daughter, Elma. Ella Ward married Charles Dobyns,
son of Samuel Green Dobyns, and wife, Ruth Lawson,
of Patrick county, Va. ; no children. They live at Speed-
well, Va.
Rosa Ward married Rev. Keller Yonce Umberger, a
Lutheran Minister. They live in Bluefield, West Va.;
one son, Kenneth.
Thomas Fielden Nuckolls, third son of Clark Nuckolls,
died of diphtheria in 1862 ;isburied in the Nuckolls cemetery.
Stephen Nathaniel Nuckolls, fourth son of Clarke
Nuckolls, married Leona Mitchell Cornett, daughter of
Capt. William Cornett and wife, Linnie Mitchell, who
was the daughter of William M. Mitchell and wife,
Sophia P. Hale. They have four sons, William Swift,
Clarke Hale, Benjamin Winton, Earl Garland, and six
V. ;-
^ >*■
J -
C C
^ I
y 2
z o
<= £
a xi
Grayson County, Va. 81
daughters, Maud Forrest, Linnie, Bertha, Pauline, Gay,
and Dawn.
Maud Forrest married Dr. Asbury Glen Pless, of
Waynesville, N. C. They had two children; one son,
Asbury Glenn; one daughter, Maud Forrest.
Mrs. Pless died soon after the birth of her second
child, and the child died soon afterwards; both are
buried in the Nuckolls cemetery. Dr. Pless married the
second time, Miss Shelton, of Richmond, Va. They live
in Galax, Va. Linnie is single, lives in Galax. Bertha is
single. Pauline died young, is buried in the Nuckolls
cemetery. William Swift lives in Wyoming. Ben Win-
ton, Clarke Hale, Earl Garland, Fay and Daron live at
home.
Elizabeth B. Nuckolls, youngest child of Clarke Nuck-
olls, married Geo. W. Todd. They live in Galax, Va.,
and have three sons, Lance, Emmon, and George W.
Clarke, and three daughters, Rosa B., Ila, and Mebus.
They are all living in Galax, Va. Rosa is being educated
at Martha Washington College, Abingdon, Va.
Martha Nuckolls, first daughter of Robert G. Nuckolls
and wife, married John Brown, Jr., oldest son of John
Brown, St., and his wife, Martha Wood, who came from
Yorkshire, England. John Brown, Jr., was bom in York-
shire in 1801. To John Brown, Jr., and wife, Martha
Nuckolls, were bom three sons, and two daughters.
First son, Creed, died single; second son, George, died
single; third son, Nathaniel, living, single; first daughter,
Sena, married Francis Bryan, no issue; second daughter,
Amelia, married Joseph Duphey; lives now at Battle
Creek, Nebraska; one daughter, Isabella, single; one son
John B., educated in Nebraska, and at Blacksburg, Va.
Sena, second daughter of Robert G. Nuckolls and wife
died single; is buried in Nuckolls cemetery.
The Brown family came from Yorkshire, England,
82 Pioneer Settlers
before or about the time of the formation of Grayson
county, and bought and entered lands on Meadow
Creek, and have held the estate in the family until the
present generation. The Browns, like all other pioneer
settlers, began in woods. It is said, the first tree was cut
down by the Old Man Brown who had never seen a tree
cut. He pulled off his coat and silk hat, and commenced
to cut all around the tree; at last it fell on his silk hat
and coat, and mashed them; but he worked on. He cut
a forked limb, and scratched up his ground, planted
com, and raised a crop; and there has been plenty raised
on the farm ever since, and now the old homestead is
the most valuable farm on Meadow Creek. It is now
owned by Mrs. Mary Osborne and her children. She is
a daughter of Jane Brown, who married Hiram Williams.
Jane Brown was the youngest daughter of John Brown, Sr.,
and Martha Wood, of England. Mrs. Mary Osborne is
the wife of Emmett Osborne, a son of Floyd Osborne and
his wife, Rosa B. Hale. Mrs. Mary Osborne has four
daughters, Annie, Bettie, Callie, and Hattie, and two sons,
Ellis, and Dean Floyd. Their father, Emmett P. Osborne,
died at a Roanoke, Va., hospital, of appendicitis in 1911.
He was a good man and is greatly missed by all.
The second wife of Col. Alfred Moore was Mrs. Susan
Nuckolls Wellington, of Eastern Virginia. Her mother was
a Swift. Her son, Mr. Wellington, lives in Richmond, Va.
Nathaniel Nuckolls, son of Robert G. Nuckolls and
wife, Margaret Swift, moved to Missouri in 1845, manied
Sarah Ann Finn; from there he crossed the plains, and
was a miner in California; found gold, came back to Mis-
souri and moved his family in wagons to California,
and settled there. One of his sons, Clarke, was born on
top of the Rocky Mountains, on the journey to Cali-
fornia. There were sixteen children bom to them, and
all settled in California.
Grayson County, Va. 83
Andrew Nuckolls, James Nuckolls, George Nuckolls,
and Hugh Nuckolls, sons of Robert G. Nuckolls and wife,
Margaret Swift, died single, and aie buried in the Nuckolls
cemetery.
Thomas Nuckolls, son of Robert G. Nuckolls and wife,
Margaret Swift, married Charlotte Jestina Stone, daughter
of John Stone and wife, Sarah Leonard; issue: six sons,
and two daughters: First son, Hugh, married Ellen
Wright ; first daughter, Amelia, married Thomas N. Meyers ;
two sons; Flora W., single; one son, Robert G. Nuck-
olls, married Miss Bryant, three children.
Second son of Thomas Nuckolls, Nathaniel, married
Miss Wall, of Hillsville, Va. They live in Ketchakan,
Alaska; two children. He is engaged in mining and
shipping. He has traveled all over the west.
Second son, Ellis V. Nuckolls, married Bessie N.
Williams; children died. Ellis and his wife are Readers
of the Christian Science Church, in El Paso, Texas.
Fourth son, Chester B. Nuckolls, M. D. He graduated
in medicine and first practiced in Fluvana county, Virginia
He is now located at Hillsville, Va. ; has a drug store and
also a large practice. He married Miss Carrie Reeves,
daughter of Andrew Reeves and wife, Miss Alexander,
formerly of Alleghany county, N. C, but now living in
Texas. They have one son, Chester Reeves Nuckolls.
Fifth son, Henry C. Nuckolls, married Frances Cooley,
of Carroll county, Va.; one daughter, Jessie, died young;
two sons now Jiving in Oklahoma. First, Ellis; second,
Ben. His wife died in Oklahoma, is buried at Gambetta,
Va.
Sixth son, Elbert L. Nuckolls, married Bertie Thornton,
of Hillsville, Va.; one daughter, Jessie; one son, died In
infancy; one daughter, small. Elbert is a lawyer in Fay-
etteville, W. Va. He is successful in his practice, and also
in his business enterprises.
84 Pioneer Settlers
Two daughters of Thomas Nuckolls and wife: first
daughter, Sarah Margaret, died young; Bertie married
Robert Wade, of Halifax county, Va. ; now living in Okla-
homa.
Thomas Nuckolls was a useful citizen and lived a suc-
cessful life. A marble shaft marks his resting place near
the railroad at Gambetta, Va. His wife died at the home
of her daughter, Bertie Wade, in Oklahoma, February,
1912, and is buried with her husband at Gambetta, Car-
roll county, Va.
Ezra Nuckolls, ninth son of John Nuckolls and wife,
Mary Garland, came to Grayson county with his brothers,
sister, and uncle, Charles Garland, and married Lucinda
Hale, oldest daughter of Stephen Hale and wife, Frances
Bourne. From this union there were seven sons and six
daughters; the oldest son, Stephen Friel, was bom in
Grayson county, near Grayson C. H., August 16th, 1825;
died February 14th, 1879, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He
married Lucinda Bourne in Grayson County, Va.,
daughter of William Bourne, Jr., and wife, Mary John-
stone. Four sons of Friel Nuckolls and Lucinda Bourne:
William B. and Bruce are mining in Montana; Paul died
nineteen years ago ; Rupert B. Nuckolls lives in Butte, Mon-
tana. He has been connected with the State Savings
Bank for over seventeen years; he is now cashier of this
bank. He is married, and has two daughters, Frances
and Virginia; one son, Stephen Friel. After the death of
his father, Stephen Friel Nuckolls, Rupert B. was sent to
Virginia by the Executor of his father's estate, (Dr
Fowler, formerly of Bristol, Tenn.) to Roanoke College,
at Salem, Va. He afterward returned west and has made
a success in business.
The second son of Ezra Nuckolls was Heath, who re-
mained with the family in Virginia until 1853. At that
time, the family that remained here moved to Missouri
BALLARD E. WARD AND WIFE, SOPHIA L. NUCKOLLS
Daughter of Clark Nuckolls and wife, Rosa Bourne Hale
Grayson County, Va. 85
and settled at Rock Port. Ezra Nuckolls died there;
also his wife died there soon after he died; both buried
at Rock Port, Mo.
Heath Nuckolls married Miss Hawk, settled in Nebraska
City. He died there and is buried in Nebraska City.
His wife and daughter live there.
Columbus Nuckolls also lived in Nebraska City; he
married, died, and is buried there; he has a wife and
children living there.
Lafayette Nuckolls married in Missouri, afterward
moved to Texas; died, and left a family. Houston Nuck-
olls married in Missouri; he also lived in Nebraska
City, and died there.
Emmett, the youngest son of Ezra Nuckolls, married
first in Missouri, married second time, his cousin, Miss
Ellen Anderson, daughter of Robert Garland Anderson,
who had also moved to Missouri from Grayson coimty,
Va. Emmett finally settled in Pueblo, Colorado, estab-
lished The Nuckolls Packing House in Pueblo. He mar-
ried the third time in Pueblo and died there, October
12th, 1910.
ANNOUNCEMENT
"It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death
in this city on Wednesday, October the twelfth, nineteen
hxmdred and ten, of our President, Emmett Nuckolls,
after a brief illness following an injury received while
attending to his regular duties at our plant.
"The Nuckolls Packing Co.,
"October 18th, 1910. Pueblo, Colo."
His last wife still lives in Pueblo, Col. He also has two
sons in charge of The Nuckolls Packing Co. there. Of this
Company, E. Nuckolls is president; J. M. Nuckolls,
vice-president; G. Harvey Nuckolls, treasurer, and
W. F. Nelson, Secretary.
86 Pioneer Settlers
Stephen Friel Nuckolls left Grayson Court House and
went to Missouri about the year 1848; he came back to
Grayson and married, returned to Missouri when
Nebraska was a territory. When Nebraska City was
located, he planned and laid off the City and was prom-
inent in securing the change of Nebraska from a terri-
tory into a state. He lived there for some time. One of
the counties in Nebraska is named for him, "Nuckolls
county." He was successful in business, made money,
and was liberal in every way with his money. When his
father, Ezra Nuckolls, moved from Virginia to Missouri,
he took with him quite a number of negroes. They
moved through in wagons. These negroes were kept at
Rock Port, Mo., and at that time John Brown and his
Company were on their raids. They carried away two
young negro women, "Celia" and "Eliza," that belonged
to the family; they took them into Illinois; Stephen Friel
Nuckolls followed them, found them in Illinois, and made
an effort to take them back. He was arrested and put
in prison, and the negro women were taken to Canada.
Officers came into the prison to take Friel Nuckolls out
to hang him; he placed himself in one corner of the room,
drew his revolver, and said to them, " The first man that
opens that door, I will shoot him down."
They did not go in, but he had to pay twenty-two
thousand dollars to get out of the jail. He was in sympa-
thy with the South, and when the war broke out, he
thought best for him to leave the Western country.
He moved, with his family, to Jersey City, New Jersey,
and remained there until the close of the war. While he
was there, he sent money to the soldiers, and helped many
of them who had been captured and were in the Northern
prisons. Soon after the surrender he returned to Nebraska,
with but little means, but began again to accumulate
money. He then moved to Wyoming Territory, and was
JAMES SlUART WARD
Son of Ballard E. Ward and wife, Amelia G. Nuckolls
Grayson County, Va. 87
elected from there as a member of the 46th Congress
and served this term in Washington as a useful member.
After his return from Congress he moved to Salt Lake
City, Utah. At that time there was an effort to move the
"Mormons" from Salt Lake, and his object in going there
was that in the event they were moved, their property
would sell at a low price, and he could make profitable
investments. After being well situated there, he con-
cluded to remain, as he had investments in mining and
other interests by which he was gathering large profits.
In the year 1875, I wrote him and asked for some help
in building a Methodist Church at what was Grayson
C. H., but at that time, the Courts being moved, the
post office was Nuckollsville. As this was the old place
of business for the Nuckolls family, I thought he would
be glad to help us build the Church and would perhaps
send me $100. I soon received a letter in which he stated
if I would promise to raise $1,000, he would send to me
$1,000. I wrote him I would accept his offer. He promptly
sent the $1,000 in New York exchange checks, stating he
wanted us to put up a good building. We finished the
building and had it dedicated by Dr. David Sullins in
1876. This Church has been a great blessing to us.
Stephen Friel Nuckolls accumulated a large estate
and was a man of wide influence. His wife died in Salt
Lake City, and he died soon thereafter, February 14th,
1879.
There were bom to Ezra Nuckolls and wife, Lucinda
Hale, six daughters; all born in Grayson county, Va.
Polly, the oldest daughter, married Rice Schooler; he
was from Eastern Virginia. He and his wife settled near
Grayson C. H., afterward moved to Missouri and settled
at Rock Port. Their children were bom in Grayson
county, Va.
88 Pioneer Settlers
Frances, their oldest daughter, married after they
moved to Missouri. She married a kinsman, and came
back to Roanoke, Va.
Ellis, the oldest son, lives at Rock Port, Mo. ; Kent,
second son, married in Missouri a Miss Bradley, formerly
from Abingdon, Va.; has a family of children in Rock
Port. Houston, another son, lives at Rock Port. They
have a stock farm in Missouri.
The second daughter of Ezra Nuckolls and wife was
Frances H., who married Harvey Gordon-Bourne, son of
William Bourne, Jr., and wife, Mary Johnston. Harvey
G. and his wife first settled on Little River, in Grayson
county, Va.; afterwards, moved to Missouri; both died
out west; they had one daughter, Mary Bourne, one son,
Houston Gordon. Houston Gordon has one daughter,
Mrs. Pearl Bourne Dameron; her husband is a lawyer, the
county attorney and council for the A. T. & S. F. R. R.;
they live at La Junto, Otero county, Colorado. They have
two sons, seventeen and fifteen years old, and one daughter
seven years old.
Rosamond B. Nuckolls, the third daughter of Ezra
Nuckolls, went to Missouri with her brother, S. F. Nuck-
olls, and married out there a Mr. Bourchees. They
lived at Hamburg, Iowa; both died there; have sons and
daughters.
Sena, fourth daughter, married Mr. Martin; lived and
died at Colorado Springs, Colorado; have children there.
Elizabeth, fifth daughter, married Thomas E. Metcalf,
a lawyer; lives at Long Beach, California. Mr. Metcalf
died recently. They have two sons, both lawyers, who
live at Long Beach, Cal. Elizabeth Metcalf is the only
one of the children of Ezra Nuckolls and wife, Lucinda
Hale, who is now living.
Ezra Nuckolls and his brothers were of much help in
the formation of the county of Grayson. They had been
WILLIAM SWIFT NUCKOLLS
Grayson County, Va. 89
well educated and had good family training in Eastern
Virginia. The men and women were tall in stature, a
number of them seven feet in height and well proportioned.
Several of them inherited from their Colonial ancestry
at Jamestown, a liking for the mercantile business, and
with some of the present generation it is still kept up.
Ezra Nuckolls was for a term sheriff of Grayson county.
He, with Creed and Clarke Nuckolls, sons of Robert G.
Nuckolls, formed a partnership with William Oglesby,
and went into the goods business at Grayson C. H., Va.
They were the first merchants at the place and had
branch houses at Elk Creek and Bridle Creek and continued
in business until after the close of the war of 1861-1865. The
style of the firm was then changed to Nuckolls and Dick-
enson. Another firm at Grayson C. H. was Nuckolls
and Jennings. James Waugh began the mercantile
business at Grayson C. H. before the war. After the
war, his sons, William P. and John B. Waugh continued
the business. William P. Waugh was in the mercantile
business at the time of his death at Old Town, Va., in 1896.
His brother, John B. Waugh, continued in business at
Old Town until the North Carolina Extension of the
N. & W. R. R. was built to Galax. He then transferred
his business to Galax, built a handsome home there and
resides there now with his family.
When the county of Grayson was divided and Carroll
county formed from the east end, the courts were moved
sixteen miles west, to Independence, Va. The firm of
Nuckolls & Jennings, of Old Grayson C. H., opened a
branch house at Independence. Ezra Nuckolls built
the first store house, and also the first hotel at Indepen-
dence, and continued in business until he sold out and moved
to Missouri, about 1853. Robert G. Nuckolls built and
opened the first hotel, or ordinary, at Grayson Old C. H.
William Bourne built the first clerk's office and was the
90 Pioneer Settlers
first clerk of the courts held first at his house, and later
at the court house. The ofiice is still standing in good
repair after over one hundred years' service. It is a good
oil brick with dressed stone foundation and is now used
as post office and supervisor's office. This building still
belongs to the County of Grayson.
NATHANIEL NUCKOLLS
The subjects of the following sketches are not resi-
dents of Virginia, but as they are descended from the
Jamestown Nuckolls family, and the history is inter-
esting, we insert it:
Nathaniel Nuckolls, of Muscogee county, Ga., was the
fifth child of Thomas and Ann Nuckolls, and was born in
Louisa county, Va. One of the brothers, who were mer-
chants in Jamestown, had married a Miss Duke in England.
Her father was a prominent physician, came to America
with his son-in-law, and practiced medicine extensively
in Virginia. Dr. Duke had a large family, and the Dukes
have for many years been prominent in Virginia and North
Carolina. From this Nuckolls brother, who married Miss
Duke, Nathaniel Nuckolls was descended. Thomas and
Ann Nuckolls had six sons and four daughters; the sons
were Duke, Stephen, Alexander, Samuel, Nathaniel,
and George Bias. Duke, Stephen, Alexander, and Samuel
were farmers; George Bias was a lawyer; Nathaniel was
a mechanic. Two of his sisters were named Mary (Polly)
and Lucinda ; names of the other two not given. Nathaniel
owned an interest in a gold mine in North Georgia,
then bought a farm in Alabama, and taught some of his
negro men to work at the mechanics trade, and he studied
architecture, and planned and built many houses. He
was a merchant for a while in Columbus, Ga., and planned
and had built for himself there a handsome residence,
where he lived for twenty years before his death on
Grayson County, Va. 91
September 17th, 1868. His wife died in June of the same
year. They left three sons, Thomas J., Nathaniel A., and
James T., and seven daughters, Elizabeth A. Ware,
Louisiana A. Hawkins, Mary V. Kyle, Cornelia L.
Richardson, Laura C. Freeman, Adella L. Nowlin. The
will of Nathaniel Nuckolls was recorded in Muscogee
county, Ga., October 5th, 1868, and copied on the records
of Cherokee county, Ala. (at Centre, Ala.), in 1911.
In his will he gives to each of his three sons, farms valued
at six thousand dollars each, and to each of his seven
daughters, farms valued at six thousand dollars each,
and directs that all of his other property be equally dis-
tributed among his children. The will states that the
farm given to Mrs. Freeman was deeded to her by Martin
Hale, and A. H. Mackey, administrators.
Of the ten children of Nathaniel Nuckolls, there are
now only two living — Mrs. Laura A. Freeman, who lives
with her son, Thomas N., on her farm near Centre, Ala.,
and Mrs. Adella L. Nowlin, who lives in Gadsden, Ala.
There are a good many descendants, however, living in
Alabama, and in different parts of the country.
JOHN NUCKOLLS OF SOUTH CAROLINA
About the years 1765-75, John Nuckolls moved from
Virginia to South Carolina, settling near Spartanburg.
He was probably a great-uncle of Nathaniel Nuckolls,
as William T. Nuckolls (his grandson), was a cousin of
Nathaniel Nuckolls. Mrs. C. F. Marsh, of Morristown,
Tenn., is a descendant of John Nuckolls, and gave the
author the following information: "John Nuckolls is
buried at Whig Hill, S. C; following is the inscription
on his tombstone.*
"'In memory of John Nuckolls, Sr., who was murdered
by the Tories for his devotion to liberty, on the 11th day
of December, 1780, in the 49th year of his age. '
('
92 Pioneer Settlers
'"Rest, noble patriot,
'"Rest in peace
'"The prize you sought
'"Your country won.'"
The Revolutionary records of South Carolina were
many of them destroyed when Columbia was burned,
but one record tells where John Nuckolls was a commis-
sioner of election in 1776. Mrs. Marsh also sent the fol-
lowing copy from the Carolina Spartan:
NUCKOLLS AND DAWKINS
Two Famous Families— Whig Hill — Tory Raids-
Revolutionary Scenes
" In a recent issue of the Carolina Spartan there appears
some very interesting local history under the title of
Nuckolls and Dawkins. Hoping that it will be of interest
to our subscribers, especially the older residents of the
country, we publish the piece entire.
"Now and then a question, or a suggestion, sets the
train of thought or investigation in motion that keeps
moving and widening as it moves. A few days ago a
lawyer of the city asked for some information about
Elijah Dawkins, who died in Union county in 1834.
A lawyer from another State wanted some information
about the Dawkins estate. The necessary information
was furnished but the investigation did not cease.
"A sketch of General Dawkins and his family would
prove most interesting at this time. Elijah Dawkins
married Nancy Nuckolls. It must have been between
1793 and 1800. They had eight children, whose names
we cannot give in order of birth. They were Elijah,
Joshua P., Thomas N., Benjamin F., James B., Susan,
Nancy and Elizabeth. All of these married except
Elijah. Joshua P. married a Miss Davidson. Both of
SUSAN B. HALE
Daughter of Martin Hale, and wife of William Swift Nuckolls
^f'-'' Grayson County, Va. 93
them are dead, but their two children, Benjamin and Mrs.
Nannie Trench are living in Florida. We believe these are
the only survivors of this large family. Judge Thomas N.
Dawkins married Miss Mary Polton, who is hvmg m
Union S. C. Benjamin F. Dawkins married Miss Llize
Cleveland, of Greenville. These died without children.
James B. Dawkins married Miss Carrie Taylor and moved
to Florida. He is dead, but his wife is living at Gaines-
ville Susan married Wm. T. Nuckolls, both of whom
died years ago without children. Nancy married Gen.
James Rogers. She was the tall woman that Major James
E. Henry did not wish to be seen walking with in Wash-
ington. , ,, ,
"Gen. Rogers and Mr. Nuckolls were both members
of Congress.
"Mrs. Rogers had one son, Dawkins, a young man of
fine progress, who was killed early in the war. Elizabeth
married Abner Benson. He was also a Congressman.
She had twins, both of which died young and she soon
followed. What became of Abner Benson is unknown to
the writer of this sketch. About 1830 it was said that
Mrs. Elizabeth Benson and Mrs. Clarissa Henry were
two of the handsomest women in the up-country. They
were noted for their striking appearance and gracious
manners. , ^ ,
"This leads us back to the Nuckolls family. John
Nuckolls married Agatha Ballock in Virginia, perhaps m
Dinwiddle county. The Nuckolls family came over from
England and settled in Virgmia. Their history runs back
to 1452, when the "War of the Roses" began. They were
adherents to the house of York, the emblem of which was
the white rose. When the original Nuckolls emigrated
to America, he brought a bush of that rose with him.
Each member of the family kept a bush of this famous
rose When John Nuckolls and his wife Agatha, came to
94 Pioneer Settlers
South Carolina, they brought the rose with them and
planted it at Whig Hill, near Grindall Shoals. From that
plant their decendants got cuttings or roots, and several
members of the family had the white rose until 1860,
when sentiment was knocked out of the hearts of many
of our people. If the rose of York is now living, it is at
the residence of John D. Jeffries, who owns the W. T.
Nuckolls homestead. "Aunt Nancy" Dawkins had the
rose until the time of her death, about 1861 or 1862,
and T. D. Littlejohn now owns the famous homestead.
"About 1765 to 1775, John Nuckolls and his wife, with
some of their older children, came to this state. They
set Lied between Thickety and Pacolet, at the place after-
wards known as Whig Hill. There they were living when
the war came on. They had accumulated considerable
property and owned some negroes. Mr. Nuckolls went
into the war at the beginning. Owing to the nature of
the service in upper Carolina the patriotic soldiers could
often get to their homes and remain a few days, or a few
weeks. When the necessity arose they would rally at
some appointed place and enter the field again. It was
perhaps in the fall or early winter of 1780, just before the
battle of King's Mountain, that John Nuckolls visited
his home at Whig Hill. The meal tub was nearly empty.
He went with his son John, a mere lad, over to a mill on
Broad river, about fifteen or eighteen miles from home.
This mill was perhaps at the Sam Jeffries mill above
Smith's Ford. The distance being so great, Mr. Nuck-
olls had to remain all night. It is said that millers in
those days provided a room in the mill house, or in their
dwelling for customers thus detained. Nuckolls was well
known and recognized as an uncompromising rebel.
On his way to the mill tradition says that a man by the
name of M. Keown saw him. Learning that he was going
to stay all night, he mustered up a crowd of tories in the
Grayson County, Va. 95
neighborhood, getting some of them from the York side
of the river, and went to the mill and awoke Nuckolls
and killed him. When they aroused him they said:
'We've come for you.' He knew what they meant.
He asked permission to wake his son so that he could give
some messages for his people at home. They refused and
said that if he awoke his son they would kill him also.
They then took Nuckolls out a short distance from the
mill and prepared to shoot him. He asked permission to
pray five minutes. This was granted. He prayed aloud.
After he had uttered a few petitions, one of them said:
' If he continues praying that way much longer, we will
not be able to kill him.' Some one then fired a ball
through his head. He was thrown into a ditch or gully
and some rock and brush thrown over the body. Some-
time after that Mrs. Nuckolls had the bones gathered up
and buried at Whig Hill. The tombstone, which is stand-
mg, has this inscription, 'Killed by Tories'. Mrs.
Nuckolls, about 1782 to 1785, married Joshua Petty.
He was as much loved by the children as if he had been
their father. He managed the farm so as to increase the
property and gave the daughteis the best education
possible. He never had any children of his own. The
Nuckolls children were Nancy, who married Elijah
Dawkins; Susan, who married Charles Littlejohn; Frankie,
who married a Goudelock. John Nuckolls was the boy
who was at the mill when his father was killed by Tories.
He married a Miss Tompson, daughter of gentleman
Bill Tompson, and had two children, William T. and
Melissa. William married his cousin Susan Dawkins,
and Melissa married Major William Norris.
" If one wished to follow out the different branches of
this family tree he would get somewhat confused. The
Goudelocks, the Morgans, the Littlejohns and one branch
of the Jeffries family would come in for consideration.
96 Pioneer Settlers
"As we have said before, W. T. Nuckolls and his wife,
Susan Dawkins, had no children. His sister, Mrs. Norris,
had four or five children, only two of whom are living.
John D. Norris is in Texas and Miss Julia Norris is living
with her nephews, children of her sister, who married
Major Frank Anderson, of this county. Their home is
at Bethpage, Tenn. Of the descendants of Gen. Elijah
Dawkins, only two are living. They have been mentioned
before in the sketch, and their home is at Gainesville,
Fla. Major S. M. Dawkins and his sister, Miss Ophelia,
now living in Spartanburg, are descended from a brother
of Gen. Elijah Dawkins. Their grandmother was Frankie
Nuckolls, daughter of the original John Nuckolls. They
were perhaps the only persons in this state bearing the
name of Dawkins, except the two children of Major
Morgan Dawkins.
"Several times the Tories made raids on Whig Hill.
One band of them had their headquarters at Anderson,
or Thickety Fort, which stood on the north side of Goucher
Creek, about two and a half miles from its junction with
Thickety. Col. Patrick Moore, a stalwart Irishman,
six feet seven inches tall, was the Loyalist who had com-
mand of the fort. There was another band of Tories down
on the Enoree, that played havoc with the property of
the patriots. The famous raid made on Whig Hill was,
in the winter of 1780, a short time before the battle of
Cowpens. They made a clean sweep of everything in
the house. Mrs. Nuckolls had been well brought up and
educated, and she had many pieces of artistic needle
work in her house. Everything was taken, and the only
bed for the youngest child was a sheep skin used as a
saddle blanket. After these raids John Nuckolls and one
of his sisters would mount horses and go out and search
for their stolen property. At one time they went as far
as Lynch's Creek and brought back some stolen negroes.
Grayson County, Va. 97
They also went over into Laurens county and found some
of their stock which they would drive- home. In one of
the searches they entered a house and saw some of the
fine work of their mother's hanging in the room. Such
were the scenes through which the patriots and their
families had to pass during the revolution of 1776.
"This is a very imperfect sketch, dealing only with a
few historical facts. Long ago they could have been res-
cued from oblivion by the pen of a ready writer. But they
are passing away and will soon not be remembered by
any one. The material for the colonial and early history
of upper Carolina is very meagre. We hope by writing
this sketch that some one will be induced to continue the
subject. We hope there are persons living who will be
able to give interesting sketches of Wm. T. Nuckolls and
his wife ; Gen. James Rogers and his wife, and Aunt Nancy
Dawkins. The intelligent readers of the Spartan would
take special interest in reading about the people who
helped to make our early history."
In the preceding sketch reference was made to the
"War of the Roses," stating that the Nuckolls family in
England were adherents of the Duke of York, whose
emblem was the white rose, and that the white rose was
brought to America by the Nuckolls emigrants, and that
John Nuckoll 's family took roots of the rose to South
Carolina with them, and planted them at Whig Hill.
John Nuckolls, the ancestor of the author of this history,
also brought the rose from Louisa county, Va., about the
year 1790, and planted it in Grayson county, and it is
still growing on the old Nuckolls home place near Old
Town, Va.
CHAPTER IV
THE FLOWER SWIFT FAMILY
The Swift family were Colonial Settlers in America,
and are now found in all parts of these United States.
Flower Swift was one of the pioneer settlers of the New
River Valley. He came here from North Carolina,
secured quite a boundary of land on the river, near the
place first selected to build the Court House for Grayson
county. Flower Swift and Charles Nuckolls donated
one hundred acres of land for the purpose of building
the first court house and public buildings for the county,
reserving to themselves three choice one-half acre lots,
after laying off the lots for the public buildings and the
streets. The town was first named Greenville; the post
office, Grayson C. H. After the courts were moved, and
Carroll county formed, the post office was changed to
Nuckollsville. There was already a post office in Scott
county, Va., Nickelsville, and the names being so near
alike gave trouble with the mail, so the legislature made
another change to Old Town, which name remains at
the present time.
Flower Swift was a magistrate in Wythe county.
He and William Bourne, Lewis Hale and Minitree Jones
were instrumental in getting the territory of Grayson
county cut off from Wythe county, two years after its
formation.
The following is copied from "Proceedings of First
Court at William Bourne's house":
"Under a commission from Henry Lee, Governor of
the Commonwealth, directed to Flower Swift and others,
bearing date of the 10th day of December, 1792, being
MARGARET SWIFT
Daughter of Flower Swift, and wife of Capt. Robert Nuckolls
Grayson County, Va. 99
read, and thereupon, Flower Swift took the oath of
Allegiance to the Commonwealth, the oath to support
the Constitution of the United States, the oath of a
justice of the county court in chancery, which oath was
administered to him by Minitree Jones and Nathaniel
Frisbie. Then the said Flower Swift administered all
the aforesaid oaths to the others." (See proceedings
of the first court at William Bourne's House.)
Flower Swift was the leading justice of the courts, as
the readers will see from the first chapter in this book,
copied from the first book of records of the first court for
Grayson county.
He had been living here for some time, as stated before.
He came here from North Carolina, secured lands on the
east side of New River, and paid for same by the sale of
a lady's side saddle. There was also a boundary of land
on the west and north side of New River, bought with
a flintlock rifle gun.
Flower Swift married Mary Bedsaul. They opened up
a field near the bank of the river, one mile west of where
Old Town now is, and built a cabin with board roof,
weighted on with logs and with puncheon floor. He also
built a blacksmith shop, and set out some peach and apple
trees. He reared a large family; after his family had
grown up, he and his wife and part of his family moved
farther west, as the western country was opened up.
The family records were taken off with the family, and
we cannot give the names of all the sons and daughters.
We have the names of four sons, Thomas, John, William,
and Elisha; these sons all moved west. There were three
daughters who married here: First, Miss Jestena Swift,
married a Mr Jones. They moved to North
Carolina. Alfred Swift married Miss Julia Jones,
daughter of Minitree Jones.
100 Pioneer Settlers
The second daughter, Margaret Swift, married Capt.
Robert G. Nuckolls. They opened up the first hotel, or
"ordinary" (as it was then called) at the new court house.
On the first court records we find the following: "On
motion of Robert Nuckolls, who, having produced the
receipt of the Clerk of this Court for the sum of Twelve
Dollars and Fifty Cents, a license is granted him to keep
an Ordinary at his house in Greenville, one year from the
first of May last, whereupon he entered into bond, with
security accordingly. "
Before this, sometime, John Nuckolls and Mary
Garland, his wife, Charles Garland, Asa Nuckolls,
Ezra Nuckolls, and Martha Nuckolls came to this county
from Louisa county, Virginia. John Nuckolls and Mary
Garland returned to Louisa county, and died there;
the others remained, and bought a boundary of land of
about 400 acres, and built on Meadow Creek, one mile
from Greenville. This land is still in the Nuckolls family.
Capt. Robert G. Nuckolls and Margaret Swift were
married in 1805. Court record by William Carrico, Sr.,
a Methodist minister, who was also an early settler here,
on west side of New River. Rev. Carrico came to the
house of Col. Swift to perform the ceremony. He found
Col. Swift busy working in his blacksmith shop. Mr.
Carrico went into the shop and asked if he had any objec-
tion to the marriage. He said, "No, but Bob Nuckolls
will carry off my best spinner. " She was a good spinner;
she spun wool and flax until her old days and died at the
age of ninety-one, honored and respected by all.
There were born to them two daughters and eight sons:
Creed, Clarke, James, George, Nathaniel, Thomas,
Hugh, Andrew; two daughters, Martha, Sena. (See
Nuckolls History, page 65.)
The third daughter, Martha Swift, married Maj.
George Currin of Montgomery county, Va. They were
MARTHA NUCKOLLS
Daughter of Robert Nuckolls and wife, Margaret Swift, and wife of John
Brown, Sr.
Grayson County, Va. 101
married at the same place, one mile from Greenville, on
the river.
Maj. Currin and Martha Swift, his wife, bought six
hundred acres of land on Chestnut Creek, of the Buch-
anan Survey; they built, settled, and brought up their
family there. Maj. George Currin died, and is buried
on his old home place. He and his wife were worthy,
useful citizens, and reared a nice family of sons and
daughters; his wife, in her old age, moved to Missouri,
died there, and is buried on Red River, Mo.
Maj. Currin was a man well educated, and was a rep-
resentative in the Virginia Legislature and State Senate,
for several years. He owned the lands on which the town
of Galax is built. His grandsons also owti farms on the
old tract of land, and his grandson, Thomas F. Roberts,
owns the old homestead. There is a Memorial window
in the Methodist Church in Galax in memory of Maj. Geo.
Currin, Martha Swift, Capt. Robert G. Nuckolls, Margaret
Swift, Thompson Roberts, Clarke S. Nuckolls, Surphina
S. Currin, Rosa B. Hale. This is a triple art glass window,
on the front to Centre street, put in by the descendants
of Maj. George Currin and wife, Martha Swift, and Capt.
Robert G. Nuckolls and wife, Margaret Swift. The
author of this history, B. F. Nuckolls, had put into the
brick wall under this window, a walnut chest, in which
we expect to deposit family history to be read by future
generations.
Of Maj. George Currin and wife, Martha Swift, there
were four sons, and three daughters: first, Robert, married
. Malinda Bourne, daughter of William Bourne, Jr., and
wife, Mary Johnstone; their son, William, married; their
daughter, Mary, married Mr. Smoot; all went to Oregon.
Second son, John, married Miss Swift in Missouri; they
now live in Oregon, and have children there.
Third son, William, married.
102 Pioneer Settlers
Fourth son, Hugh, married Miss Young, Oregon;
one son, George, married, and owns large ranches and stock
farms in Hepner, Oregon. He is a useful, good man, and
has been successful in every respect. He sent a check
for $25.00 for the memorial window in the Southern
Methodist Church at Galax.
Fiis. daughter, Ann Currin, married Joseph Fields of
Bridle Creek, Grayson county; settled there first, after-
wards moved west. They sold their land on Bridle Creek
to Joseph Bryant and wife, Sarah Hale. They had two
sons: first, Hugh Fields; second, William.
Second daughter, Catherine Currin, married Martin
Cooley, son of Benj. Cooley, Sr., and wife. Miss Jane
Dickey.
Third daughter, Surphina Currin, married Thompson
Roberts, from near Mt. Airy, Surry county, N. C. They
bought out the interests of others in the Maj. Currin
farm, and settled there, and reared their family. They
died and are buried with Maj. Currin in the family
grave yard, in Galax, Va. In this family there were
seven sons and five daughters:
First son, Currin Roberts, married Frances Bartlett;
they have sons and daughters.
Second son, John, married Mrs. Catherine Leonard;
she was the daughter of Thomas Blair, Jr. ; they have
one son, Sidney.
First daughter, Sallie Roberts, married Alexander Hale,
son of Stephen M. Hale and wife, Rosa Bourne, who was
daughter of William Bourne, Jr., and wife, Mary John-
stone; they have one daughter, Rosa; one son; they live
m Texas.
Second daughter, Martha Roberts, died when a young
lady with diphtheria in the year 1862. Also three sisters,
fourth, Lucy, fifth, Catherine, sixth, Margaret S., all
Grayson County, Va. 103
died with diphtheria near same time. Their father died
soon after them.
Seventh son, Thomas Floyd, man-ied Florence Cox,
daughter of Thos. Cox and Nancy Roberts, his wife;
their first son, Charles, died young; second son, Dan;
third son, Fred; fourth son, Frank Currin; first daughter,
May.
Third daughter, Elizabeth, married Friel Nuckolls
Anderson; their first son, Charles, married Lillie Rosa
Cooper, daughter of Dr. B. F. Cooper and wife, Sarah
Frances Nuckolls. Their first daughter, Gamett, died
young; first son. Grey, still living. Second son of Friel
Anderson and Elizabeth Roberts, Alex Chapman, married
May Cooper, daughter of Dr. B. F. Cooper and Sarah
Frances Nuckolls; their first daughter, Rhuby, died young;
second, Catherine; third, Lula; fourth, Virginia; first
son, Ned; second, Dan; fifth daughter, Pauline.
Third son, Hugh, married Alverda Burrus; no children.
Fourth son, Logan, married first Evaline Trimble; they
have one daughter, Lola, who married Isaac Pope; they have
sons; second, married. Fifth son, William, married
Martha Jones. Sixth son, James, married first, Elizabeth
Hale, daughter of Warner Hale and Mary Cox; they had
one son, Clyde, who married Miss Ballard; one daughter,
Ollie. First daughter, Olive, in Oregon. James married
second time. Miss Blair, of Wythe county; one son, small.
CHAPTER V.
HALE HISTORY
For the beginning of this history, I will copy from
**History of Middle New River Settlements, and Con-
tiguous Territory," by David E. Johnston.
The Hales of the New River Valley
"This family is of English origin, decendants of the
Hale's of Kent. The first American emigrants of the name,
coming in 1632, bore the coat of arms of the Kentish Hales.
The traditional story in the family of these New River
Hales is that the family was quite numerous in Massa-
chusets and Connecticut, and that sometime prior to the
beginning of our war for independence there were in one
family of their name, seven brothers, all of whom joined
the American army. A great part of them served through
the war, imder General Washington, in and around
Boston, in the Jerseys, and in Pennsylvania; that one of
the brothers that had a family drifted south to Virginia,
•ome years prior to the beginning of the Revolution,
located in what now is Franklin county, Virginia; that
this settler had a son, Edward, who served in the Ameri-
can army in the early period of the revolution, and later,
in 1779, came across the Alleghenies into the New River
valley, and later married a Miss Patsy Perdue, and settled
on Wolf Creek.
''Edward Hale was bom about 1756, was a man of
rather small stature, fair complexion, was a man of
information and intelligence, and became a prominent
figure on the border in this day, engaging in the Indian
wars, fights, and skirmishes.
THE HALE COAT OF ARMS
Grayson County, Va. 105
"He was in the party under Capt. Mathew Farley that
followed the Indians in the summer of 1783, after their
attack on Mitchell Claig's family, on the Bluestone, at
Clover Bottom; and was in the skirmish had with a part
of these Indians on Pond Fork of Little Coal River, in
which he killed an Indian at the first fire. From the back
of this Indian, killed by Edward Hale, William Wiley,
who was in the party of pursuers, took a strip of the
Indian's hide, which he gave to Hale, and it was used by
him and a number of his family for many years as a
razor strap.
*' Edward Hale marched with Captain Shannon's
Company to North Carolina in February, 1781, and was
in the engagement at Wetzell's mills on the 6th of March,
and at Guilford court house on the 15th day of the same
month, 1785. Edward Hale married Miss Patsy Perdue,
a daughter of Uriah Perdue, then recently removed from
what is now Franklin county, Virginia.
"Mrs. Hale was a sister of the w fe of the Elder, Joseph
Hare.
"The names of the children of Edward Hale and his
wife are as follows: viz., Thomas, Isaiah, Chailes, Jessie,
Isaac, Daniel, Elias, and William; and the daughters,
Mary and Phoebe. "
From the early days down to the present time, the
Hale name has been prominent in the affairs of the country.
We are all familiar with the story of the heroic martyr,
Nathan Hale, the spy of the Revolutionary days, whose
monument stands in City Hall Park, New York. Edward
Everett Hale's writings are well known and he was for
many years the honored and loved chaplain of the United
States Senate, to whose halls in later years Massachusetts
sent Senator Hale as her representative.
In the preceding pages we state the coming of the Hale
family to America, as a Colonial family, from Kent,
106 Pioneer Settlers
England, in the year 1632, and that they bore the coat
of arms of the Kentish Hales.
We also stated that one of the brothers drifted south to
Virginia, some years prior to the beginning of the revo-
lution, and located in what is now Franklin county, Va.
Lewis Hale was from this branch of the Hale family,
and married Mary Burwell, who was a descendant from
the Burwells of Jamestown, Va. The Burwells were
early settlers at Jamestown, and official members of the
First Episcopal Church at Jamestown, Va.
Soon after his marriage, Lewis Hale and his family
moved from what is now Franklin county, Va., to the
upper part of the New River Valley, and settled on Elk
Creek, Va.
"At the time he started from Franklin, he and his
brother-in-law, John Walden, expected to settle in Ken-
tucky. After they came to the New River valley, they
learned that the Indians were very troublesome in Ten-
nessee, and John Walden (as he had no family) decided
to go on horse back, look out a place for them to settle,
and return.
He took with him some money, disguised himself as
a poor traveller and started on his way, but was killed
by the Indians, and robbed of his money. Tradition says
he was killed and robbed on Walden's Ridge, Tenn.,
and that this circumstance gave rise to the name,
"Walden's Ridge."
When Lewis Hale learned the fate of John Walden, he
and his family decided to remain in the Valley of Elk
Creek. He reared a family of six sons and two daughters,
settled them all in good homes, in the valley near him,
and for years Elk Creek was known as the Hale Settle-
ment. The first church was built by Lewis Hale and
called the " Hale Meeting-house. " When Grayson county
was formed in 1792, Lewis Hale was one of the first
Grayson County, Va. 107
Magistrates of the court, appointed by Henry Lee,
Governor of Virginia.
The following was written by Judge D. W. Bolen, of
Hillsville, Va.:
LEWIS HALE
"The tradition that Lewis Hale was a soldier in the war
of the Revolution seems to be well authenticated. I have
heard Capt. F. L. Hale say so, and have heard the same
thing from various other sources. It is my recollection
that Capt. Hale said that his grandfather served under
Col. Wm. Campbell. Once when discussing the monu-
ment of Gen. Campbell, which is at his grave near Seven
Mile Ford, and in sight of the railroad, and which had
been pointed out to me from the train, Capt. Hale seemed
to know much more about the history of Campbell and
his men than I did at that time. It was in this connection
that he mentioned that his grandfather had been a soldier
and I am nearly sure that he said that he served with
Campbell. I find, however, that he was not a member of
Campbell's regiment proper. Campbell was colonel
commandant for Washington county, while Walter
Crockett was colonel commandant for Montgomery
county. Lewis Hale evidently belonged to Crockett's com-
mand. A few of Crockett's men served with Campbell at
the battle of King's Mountain, October 7th, 1780, and a
large part, if not the whole of Crockett's command, served
under Campbell in the battle of GuiKord Court House,
March 15th, 1781. At Guilford, Col. Campbell had a very
bitter quarrel with Col. Henry Lee (Light Horse Harry)
about certain maneuvers on the battle field, and after the
battle was over Campbell resigned his commission as col-
onel, and a few weeks later, Governor Jefferson made him a
general, and sent him to command in the east with Lafay-
ette, and a little later he died of pneumonia. Outside of
108 Pioneer Settlers
King's Mountain and Guilford, Campbell's military-
career was in suppressing Indian raids and local bands of
Toiies. Lewis Hale was in Crockett's territory (Mont-
gomery county). To my mind the conclusion is almost
irresistible that Lewis Hale, as a member of Crockett's
command, was attached to Campbell's command, and
participated in one or perhaps both of the above named
battles."
Lewis Hale cleared up land, built houses, and accmnu-
lated property, and was a useful citizen of this once
wilderness country. He died July 2nd, 1802, and is
buried near his home, which was left to his youngest son,
Stephen Hale, and from him, to his youngest son, Eli C.
Hale, and now is held by Eli Scott Hale, youngest son of
Eli C. Hale.
Lewis Hale was called out in the militia and was in the
battle of King's Mountain. His six sons were in the war
of 1812, at Norfolk, Va. His third son, Dudley Hale, died
while in camp at Norfolk, Va.
Lewis Hale's grave was left unmarked, and in 1902
some of his descendants decided they would not any longer
leave it so. They framed the following appeal and sent
out to the descendants of Lewis Hale.
''AN APPEAL.
' * You are a descendant of Lewis Hale, who settled on
Elk Creek, in Grayson county, Va., and was buried there,
July 2nd, 1802. His grave is in the cemetery on thefaim
now owned by Eli C. Hale and has never been marked.
We have decided to erect a monument at his grave, with
his name, that of his wife, Mary Burwell Hale — and
their six sons and two daughters. We appeal to you for
One Dollar, more or less, to help pay for the monument
Grayson County, Va. 109
and thus perpetuate the family history. You are also
cordially invited to be present on July 2nd, 1902, — 'the one
hundredth anniversary of his burial — at which time we
want to put up the monument. You are requested to
make remittance to the member of the committee by
whom this is sent.
"COMMITTEE
"Rev. B. F. Nuckolls,
"Prof. W. Stephen Hale,
*'E. Scott Hale,
"John McLean,
"Dr. Sam Mitchell,
"Robert G. Nuckolls."
There was a ready response and on July 2nd, 1902, a
monument was unveiled at the grave of Lewis Hale,
bearing on it the names of Lewis Hale and his wife,
Mary Burwell Hale, and the names of their six sons and
two daughters.
The following account of the unveiling was written
and published in the Southwest Virginia Enterprise by
John A. Whitman, great-great-grandson of Lewis Hale.
Mr. Whitman is editor and publisher of the Southwest
Virginia Enterprise.
THE LEWIS HALE MONUMENT UNVEILED
"Wednesday, July the second, between two and three
thousand people assembled on Elk Creek, Grayson
county, Virginia, to witness the unveiling of a monument
erected to the memory of Lewis Hale and wife, who died
in eighteen hundred and two. The procession formed in a
grove near the residence of Mr. W. S. Hale and in charge
of Marshals E. Scott Hale, Leon Dickenson, Thomas
Comett and Charles Hale marched to the cemetery.
'Coronation,' led by Mr. F. A. Comett, was sung.
110 . Pioneer Settlers
Then Mr. W. S. Hale thrilled his hearers with an eloquent
address containing a fund of interesting information and
entertaining facts concerning his pioneer ancestry. The
unveiling proper then followed, eight great-great-grand-
children of Lewis Hale taking part in the ceremony — ■
Allie Rose Bryant, Sue Waugh, Ethel McLean, Agnes
May Hale, Gwyn Ward, Hale Lundy, Leon Hale and
William Scott Hale. A photographer was on the ground
with his camera and got a good view of the monument
and those of the near relatives who surrounded it at the
time. The crowd then repaired to a nearby grove where
the exercises were concluded. Several selections were
rendered in choruses and a sloo "One Sweetly Solemn
Thought" was effectively sung by Mrs. Ruth Nuckolls
Johnston, of Cleveland, Tennessee. The memorial
sermon was ably preached by Rev. B. F. Nuckolls, of Old
Town. His text was Acts, thirteenth chapter and thirty-
sixth verse, "For David after he had served his own
generation, by the will of God fell on sleep and was laid
unto his fathers and saw corruption. " During the inter-
mission which followed a sumptuous lunch was partaken
of and the hospitality of Grayson county fully p oven
by the keen appreciation with which each man solaced his
inner self. The reading of the names of the contributors
to the monument next won the attention of the listening
throng.
"Mr. A. M. Dickenson, formerly of Grayson but now of
Marion, discussed *A Hundred Years of Progress,'
citing the advance made since 1802, when the remains
of Lewis Hale were consigned to the grave. A song and
the benediction concluded the exercises, but the day will
live long with those who were present, and will pass into
the annals of Grayson county as complete and not to
be forgotten.
"A few facts regarding Lewis Hale may be interesting
Grayson County, Va. Ill
to the reader. The exact date of his birth is not known,
but it was thought he must have been sixty or sixty-five
at his death in 1802. In about the year, 1760 Lewis Hale
and wife started from what is now Franklin county,
Vu-ginia, to Kentucky, but owing to the hostility of
Indians they stopped over in Grayson county. They
were so attracted by the country and climate that they
decided to make it a permanent home. At that time there
were but seven families living on Elk Creek; and what is
now a beautiful valley dotted with handsome houses,
churches and academies, and where progress and pros-
perity are so evident, was then an almost untenanted
and trackless forest. Here Lewis Hale reared six sons
and two daughters, and from these descended men who
have been prominent in war, church and state, others
playing important parts in the country's history. A
great many have emigrated to other states and taken
foremost places among the people of the country. A
large portion of Grayson county's people are their descend-
ants and are noted for sturdiness, uprightness and general
worth. The projectors of the plans to thus honor and keep
green the memory of these pioneer settlers are to be very
much complimented on their success and commended
for the spirit of commemoration of the departed to
whom they and the country at large owe so much."
LEWIS HALE AND DESCENDANTS
To Lewis Hale and wife, Mary Burwell, were bom six
sons, and two daughters:
Their first son, Richard, married Elizabeth Stone.
Second son, William, born March 20th, 1771, married
Lucy Stone, sister to the above Elizabeth Stone.
Elizabeth and Lucy Stone were daughters of Jeremiah
and Susanna Stone.
Third son, Dudley, married Mary Burroughs.
112 Pioneer Settlers
Fourth son, Francis, married Elizabeth Burroughs,
sister to Mary Burroughs.
Fifth son, Lewis (2), married Elizabeth Bourne.
Sixth son, Stephen, married Frances Bourne, sister to
Elizabeth Bourne.
Elizabeth and Frances Bourne were daughters of
William and Rosa Jones Bourne.
Two daughters: First, Elizabeth, married first, Thomas
Burroughs, had children; Elizabeth married second time,
they had children. One daughter married Hamilton;
one son. Rev. Hale Snow Hamilton, of Holston Confer-
ence.
Second daughter, Mary, married first, John Hale; had
two sons, James, who died young, and Stephen M., who
married Rosa Bourne, daughter of William Bourne, Jr.;
they had a large family; moved to Texas. Mary married
second time, James Atkins; no children.
Richard Hale's children: First, Lewis, Jr., married
Celia White and moved to Tennessee; their first son,
William, married Miss Russell in Tennessee, Bradley
county, near Cleveland, Tennessee.
First daughter, Charlotte, died young.
Second daughter, Talitha, married a Mr. Garden; they
had one son. Rev. Wm. C. Carden, of the Holston Con-
ference; one daughter, Sarah Carden.
Third daughter of Lewis Hale, Jr., was Lucinda, born
on Elk Creek, Va., August 14th, 1818; married John
Wesley Stanton and settled in Georgia, in Murray, now
Whitfield county. They had nine children; William
Lewis, Celia Elizabeth, Peyton Lisby, Elbert Miller, Chap-
ell Quillian, Sarah Jane, McClure Hale, Mathew Whit-
field, and Mary Irene. All living except McCure Hale,
who was drowned in 1896.
Second son of Richard Hale, Rev. Jeremiah Hale,
married Susan White, lived on Elk Creek; first son,
St
^ 3
I ;5
Grayson County, Va. 113
Tivis, married Telitha Bourne; they had two daughters;
first Amelia, married Stephen Clarke; they now live in
Wjrthe county. Sallie married Stephen Cornett ; they have
children and live on Elk Creek. Second son, John S.
Hale, married Susan Troy; lived on Rock Creek.
Third, Oscar, died in the army, 1863; single.
First daughter, Lucinda Hale, married Mr. Byrd.
Second daughter, Jane, married Stephen Clarke; they
had two sons, Walter and Oscar; they lived at Inde-
pendence and Wytheville, then moved to Elizabethton,
Tenn.
Sena, daughter of Richard Hale, married Col. Eli
Cornett; lived on Elk Creek, near Summerfield.
Their first daughter, Matilda, married James Hale,
son of John Hale and wife, Rosa Blair; they had one
daughter, Rosa, who married John Roberts; they live in
Missouri.
Second daughter, Elizabeth Cornett, first married
Samuel Carson; they had one son, Adolphus, who married
Ella Scott, and moved to Missouri. Elizabeth, second
time, married James Warrick; they had several children.
Third daughter, Amanda Cornett, first married Capt.
Peyton N. Hale, son of Lewis Hale, Jr., and Elizabeth
Bourne; he was killed in first Manassas battle, leading
his Company; they had one son,Emmett,who died young;
one daughter, Bettie, who married Basil Home, Smythe
county; they have two sons, William and Basil.
William Hale was the second son of Lewis Hale and
Mary Burwell. Their first son, John Hale, married
Rosa Blair, daughter of John Blair and Charity Bourne.
They had thirteen sons:
First, Alfred, married Elizabeth Jones, daughter of
Maj. Minitree Jones, Jr., and wife, Nancy Golden; they
reared a large family on Rock Creek.
Second son, Warner, married Mary Cox, daughter
114 Pioneer Settlers
of David Cox and wife, Jane Doughton, had a large
family in the west.
Third, James, married Matilda Comett; moved to
Missouri.
Three of these brothers, Lorenzo Dow, John B., and
Alonzo Sidney, all married daughters of David Isom and
wife, Sarah Choate. Thomas married Elvira Cornett;
he also moved to Missouri.
Second son of William Hale, Col. Stephen Hale, married
first Miss Charlotte Dickenson, daughter of Martin
Dickenson and wife, Mary Bourne, of Grayson Court
House, Va.
Their first son. Rev. Wiley Dickenson Hale, married
Miss Martha Mitchell; their first daughter, Charlotte,
married Ben W. Dobyns; one son, James Wiley Dobyns,
married Lula Cooper, daughter of Dr. B. F. Cooper and
wife, Sarah Frances Nuckolls; they have two sons: first,
Ben; second, Brutus Fleming. Second daughter, Vir-
ginia Hale, died single; third daughter, Sallie B. Hale,
married William P. Waugh. Their fu"st daughter, Eugenia,
died; second, Lenora, died; third and fourth, twins,
Elizabeth B. and Martha M.; Elizabeth married Edward
Reeves, son of George Reeves and wife, Caroline Thomas.
Martha M. married A. Edwin Wolfe; their first daughter
Juanita; second, Gladys; one son, Eugene; fifth daugh er,
Laura Waugh, married Di. Dunkley. He is connected
with the Shenandoah Hospital, Roanoke, Virginia.
Fourth daughter, Caroline Hale, married William
Scott; they live in Texas, and have children.
Fifth daughter, Emma Hale, married Fi-ank Williams;
their first daughter, Leona, married Mr. Scott; they have
two children; second daughter, Sallie, married Dr
Reed; third daughter, Mary, married
Sixth daughter, Alice Hale, married Ellis Lundy, of
Independence, Va., son of F. J. Lundy and wife, Eliza-
Grayson County, VA. 115
beth Dickey; their first daughter married Mr. Rhudy;
second daughter married Thomas Comett; third daughter
married Walter Busic.
First son, Clarence, married Minnie Sutherland,
daughter of Capt. William Sutherland, of Hillsville, Va.
They live at Mt. Airy, N. C; he is a clothing merchant;
they have two sons.
Second son. Fie] den Hale, married Rosa Busic; first
son of Rev. Wiley D. Hale, James, died in Cc nfederate
army, single.
Second son, Stephen Mason, married Emma Cooper,
daughter of Dr. B. F. Cooper and wife, Sarah Frances
Nuckolls. Their first son, William, married Minnie
Burke; second son, Cleveland, single; third son, James,
single; fourth son, Scott, single.
First daughter, Clara Hale, married Edgar Oakley;
second daughter. Banner; third daughter, Lillie; fourth
daughter. Forest; all the family live in Mt. Airy, N. C.
Second son of Col. Stephen Hale and wife Charlotte
Dickenson, Reese, married Celia Perkins, daughter of
Levi Perkins and wife, Milly Hale; they have a son and
daughters in Texas.
Third son. Creed Hale, died single; was killed in First
Manassas battle.
Fourth son, Capt. John M. Hale, died single, at Staunton,
Va.
First daughter of Col. Stephen Hale, Theresa, married
Rev. Russell Rogers; lived in Washington county, Va.
Their first daughter, Charlotte, married Mr. Neal;
second, Mary; first son, Charles; second son, John.
Col. Stephen Hale married the second time, Mrs.
Leonora Gwyn Mitchell, of Mitchells River, N. C; they
had one daughter, Caroline, who died single, a grown
young lady. One son, James Gwyn, died single, a grown
young man.
116 Pioneer Settlers
Eli C. Hale, youngest son of Stephen Hale and wife,
married, first, Miss Frances Scott, daughter of William
Scott and wife, Elizabeth Porter; four sons: first, William
Stephen, a graduate of Emory and Henry College. He
studied law, was a representative in the legislature,
superintendent of public schools; also a teacher. He
man-ied Miss Mary Booher of Tennessee; two daughters:
first, Gussie, married Vivian Hale; one son, William
Scott, died young; another died in infancy; one daughter,
Mamie, single.
Second son, Robert Clarke, married Mary McLean;
one daughter, Gussie, married Jelane Rhudy, Elk Creek,Va,
Third son, Maurice, married Kate Perkins; two children;
they live at Blue Springs, Va.
Fourth son, Eli Scott, lives at the old Hale homestead.
He married Miss Eva Hale, daughter of Norman Hale
and wife. Miss Lillie Thorntom of Hillsville (daughter
of William Thorntom and wife, Martha Johnston). They
have one daughter, Rachel Holmes; one son.
Eli C. Hale married second time, Mrs Lillie Hale,
widow of Attorney Normon Hale, Hillsville, Va.; from this
union, three children. Two died in infancy; third, Agnes
Hale, in E. C. T. School, Elk Creek, Va.
There were seven daughters of Eli Hale's first family:
Fu-st, Laura, married Dr. Emmett Vaughn; they live in
Lynchburg, Va.; one daughter. Alma; two more children.
The second daughter, Emma, married Mr. Bamett;
lives in Lynchburg, Va; first daughter, Bessie; also one
son and another daughter.
Third daughter, Mary Hale married Willis McKinney
of Mt. Airy, N. C; no issue.
Fourth daughter, Callie Hale married Rev. John Pugh;
one daughter, Frances; one died young; other children;
they live near Grant, Va.
Fifth daughter, Susan Hale, married George Lambert,
ELI C. HALE
Thirl eanth ol the Family of Stephen Hale and wife, Frances Bourne
Grayson County, Va. 117
Rural Retreat, Va.; two children.
Sixth daughter, Alvirda Hale, married Mr. Booher;
they have childien. Seventh daughter, Chatham Hale,
married Mr. Booher; they have children. Alvirda and
Chatham Booher live near Bristol, Tenn.
Sophia P. Hale and Dr. W. M. Mitchell had five
daughters and one son.
First daughter, Malinda M., manied Capt. William
Comett; their daughter married Stephen Nathaniel
Nuckolls; one son, married in Missouri; children there.
Second daughter, Frances, married Rufus Thomas;
no issue.
Third daughter, Mary, married Ephriam Gentry; sons
and daughters; New River, Va.
Fourth daughter, Sena, married Dodge L. Phipps,
Long's Gap, Va.; two sons, two daughters.
Fifth daughter, Virginia, married Newton Cox; one
daughter, married.
Only son, Samuel Hale Mitchell, M. D., lives at the
Mitchell homestead, Elk Creek, Virginia. He married
Bessie Comett, daughter of Monroe Cornett and wife,
Jane McCarter; children: one son, died in infancy; first
daughter, Katie May, teacher in Martha Washington
College, Abingdon, Virginia. Second daughter, single.
Stephen Hale, Sr., sixth son of Lewis Hale, Sr., married
Frances Boiirne, daughter of William Bourne, Sr., and
his wife, Rosa Jones; children: eight sons; first, Mastin,
married Susan Perkins.
Second son, William B., married Matilda Jones.
Third son, Martin, married Jestin Hale, daughter of
Dudley Hale and wife, Mary Burroughs.
Fourth son, Warner, who died young.
Fifth son, Fielden Lewis, married Evalina Anderson,
daughter of Maj. James Anderson and wife, Martha G
Nuckolls.
118 Pioneer Settlers
Sixth son, Clarke, married Susan Garrett of Centre,
Cherokee county, Ala.
Seventh son, Chapman G., married Margaret Isom,
daughter of David Isom and wife, Sarah Choate.
Eighth son, Eli C, married Frances Scott, daughter of
William Scott and wife, Elizabeth Porter, who was a
daughter of Andrew Porter and wife. Miss Cleaves.
OBITUARY OF CAPT. FIELDEN LEWIS HALE
"'Captain Hale is dead!' 'Yes, he is dead!' Often
and tenderly these words have passed from lip to lip
among the people of Carroll county since the news of
the death of Captain Fielden L. Hale, of Florida, reached
here a few days ago.
' 'Capt. Hale was bom on Elk Creek in Grayson county,
Va., on the 9th day of September 1814, and died at his
home in Seville, Florida, November the 5th, 1894,
aged 80 years, 1 month and 26 days. His grandfather,
Lewis Hale, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution,
and from data in our possession it seems nearly certain
that he fought in the battle of King's Mountain under
Gen. Wm. Campbell. His father, Stephen Hale, was a
soldier in the war of 1812. Capt. Hale himself enlisted
in the Confederate army and served as captain of a com-
pany of volunteers.
"The prime of his manhood was spent in Hillsville.
It was here that he had his largest and widest experience.
He was here in business as a merchant when ;he county
was formed.
"His store house then stood where D. A. L. Worrell's
residence now stands. His name appears frequently
among the records of the first court ever held in the county,
which was the June term, 1842. B. F. Cooley was then
appointed Sheriff and F. L. Hale became his suiety; at
the same term F. L. Hale, John B. Mitchell, and I. B.
Grayson County, Va. 119
Coltrane, were appointed to superintend the building of
the courthouse. On the 1st day of September, 1842,
F. L. Hale was commissioned by the governor a justice
of the peace and member of the county court for Carroll
county. He held this office for several years. At the
June term, 1849, he was appointed county clerk to fill a
vacancy and held the office for the unexpired term.
In 1858 he was elected c'erk and held the office a full
term. The records of his official life everywhere bear the
impress of duty well performed. January, 1861, was ush-
ered in amid such clouds of war as this country never saw
before. The Legislature of Virginia on the 19th of that
month passed the famous resolution for a peace conference,
all the cotton states having just seceded from the Union.
The same Legislature called a convent'on of the people
to decide upon the course Virginia should pursue towards
the Union. An election of delegates to this convention
was held on the 4th of February, and F. L. Hale was
elected as the delegate from Carroll.
"The convention assembled at once and Mr. Hale, with
a majority of its members, was opposed to unconditional
secession. The convention did but little the first sixty
days of its session. But the time arrived when it was plain
that the peace conference would accomplish nothing.
On the 15th of April, President Lincoln issued his proc-
lamation for seventy-five thousand troops, of which
Virginia was called on to furnish her proper quota, to
suppress the action of the seceding states. This proc-
lamation was accepted by the south as a declaration of
war, and three days later the Virginia convention passed
the ordinance of secession, and cast her lot with that of
her sister states of the South. Capt. Hale voted for and
signed this ordinance. His familiar signature to that
document may be seen hanging upon the walls of the
State Library in Richmond. As an evidence of his sin-
120 Pioneer Settlers
cerity and patriotism in this critical measure, Mr. Hale
returned home and though past the military age entered
the army and fought for the cause. He staked his for-
tunes upon the success of the Southern Confederacy and
,lost. Capt. Hale's record as a private citizen is an inter-
esting exemplary one. The statutes upon the subject of
forfeited delinquent lands from 1832 to 1850 were in much
confusion. The Ruston grant of 242,000 acres covered
all the land in Carroll county north of the Blue Ridge,
except a small corner in the southwest corner of the coimty.
This survey in 1839 was declared forfeited for failure to
enter it on the land books for the purpose of taxation.
It was exposed to sale and purchased by D. Graham,
Robert Rapert, F. Allison. As the statute declared the
land forfeited, the people believed it was open for re-
entry and survey, and numerous indeed were the small
grants that were then obtained for lands inside of the Rus-
ton grant. Capt. Hale procured between 50,000 and
100,000 acres of land inside the Ruston grant. He sold
these lands in small tracts and people settled upon them
in nearly every section of the county. The years rolled
along and finally the supreme court decided the Ruston
title to be good. This decision created a panic among
Hale's purchasers. There were hundreds of them. They
had erected homes, laid out plantations, and made large
and costly improvements.
*'It seemed to them that all was lost. Capt. Hale,
though then in failing circumstances resulting from the
war, effected a purchase of such portions of the Ruston
title as completely protected every person who had
purchased from him.
"This was no doubt a very trying period for Capt.
Hale. It incurred a responsibility that a man of doubt-
ful integrity would have shirked.
' On one of his last visits to Carroll he referred to it
LUCINDA HALE
Daughter of Stephen Hale and wife, Frances Bourne, and wife of
Ezra Nuckolls
Grayson County, Va, 121
and a gleam of honest delight came over his face as he
remarked in the presence of the writer that he had never
sold a tract of land to a man who lost it.
"At the age of 26 Capt. Hale was happily married to
Miss Evelina Anderson. She bore him four sons and one
daughter. The daughter died in this town many years
ago. She is still remembered by some of our people as
a beautiful child; the joy and constant companion of
her father; but just as prattling childhood was merging
into womanhood her sweet spirit like a bird of spring
returned to the bright land whence it came. The wife
died in 1855. The sons all grew to manhood and all
but Stephen, preceded their father to the grave. In 1859
Capt. Hale was married to Mrs. Elizabeth S. Burt, of
Alabama, a lady of the most excellent and estimable
qualities. For thirty-five years she bore him sweet com-
panionship and with loving hands and loving heart
sweetened his cares and soothed his sorrows.
*'The hearts of the people of old Carroll go out for her
in tender sympathy in her sad bereavement. As husband
and parent no soul was more tender and loving than
Capt. Hale. His love for her, and his attentions to his
wife and children and grandchildren was proverbial and
poetical. Amid the severest calamities and afflictions his
face was a ray of light in his home. As a neighbor and
friend he was faithful and constant to the end.
"Reverses of fortune, death of his sons, calamities
that would have driven other men to madness and death,
never soured his nature or caused him to murmur. Envy,
jealousy and malice had no place in his soul. He was kind
and generous to every creature he met with in this
world. He made firm and lasting friendships with people
in every rank and grade of society and appreciated the
friendship of the humblest creature in our world.
122 Pioneer Settlers
"His intellectual qualities were of a high order. He
seemed to know, to comprehend and recollect every-
thing. On his last visit to Carroll he could describe the
corners and lines of lands he once owned, but which he
had not seen for thirty years, with such accuracy that
there was no trouble to go on the ground and indentify
them.
"For about 12 years before his death he had made his
home in Florida, but usually visited Carroll once a year.
His return in the spring or early summer was looked for
with delight by our people. He would usually get here by
the June term of our court and it was often touching to
witness the greetings he would receive from the people
on the streets, especially from old soldiers, and from the
plain country people that knew him and loved him so
long. The time for his departure came and he knew it
and felt it. The flowers of youth, and the strength of his
manhood were gone; old age came and lingered, but its
furrows on his face and its weight upon his head never
dimmed or marred the beauty of his character. To look
upon his snowy locks and tottering steps was to increase
our love. He was a ripe shock and ready for the Master's
garner. His peace with God had long been made.
" His faith and trust in the mercies and goodness of the
everlasting Father grew and multiplied as his years
accumulated; and when the summons came, with the
radiance of immortality on his face and eternal life in
sight, he went forth like one: 'Who wraps the drapery
of his couch about him, and lies down to pleasant dreams."'
The five daughters of Stephen Hale and wife were:
First, Lucinda, mairied Ezra Nuckolls, son of John
Nuckolls and wife, Mary Garland, of Louisa county, Va.
Second, Rosa B., married Clarke S. Nuckolls, son of
Robert Garland Nuckolls and wife, Margaiet Swift.
(See Nuckolls family.)
Grayson County, Va. 123
Third, Mary, who died young.
Fourth, Amanda J., married Col. Ira B. Coltrane.
(See Obituary of Col. I. B. Coltiane.)
Fifth, Sophia P., married Dr. William Marshall Mitchell,
son of Dr. Zachariah Mitchell and his wife, Elizabeth
Newland, of Blue Springs, Smyth county, Va.
COL. IRA B. COLTRANE
"A familiar form passed from mortal view when on
the 13th day of May, 1894, at his home two miles west of
Hillsville, Col. Ira B. Coltrane peacefully breathed his
last, having attained the good old age of 78 years, 11
months and 15 days. Col. Coltrane's life was spent in
our midst. He leaves behind him more monuments to
his usefulness than perhaps any man that has lived in
our section. When a boy fourteen years old he drove a
team across the Blue Ridge at the Good Spur. On his
return, in company with several wagons, when the foot of
Good Spur was reached, all teams were hitched to the front
wagon, and by hard pulling and tugging it was taken
to the top of the mountain. The teams were all taken
back to the foot and hitched to another wagon and it
was taken up to the top as the first one was. This thng
was repeated until every wagon landed safely on the
mountain top. While this thing was going on the young
teamster looked into the deep gorge just east of Good
Spur, where Paul's Creek goes rippling down the mountain,
and in his mind located a place for a better road. Years
afterward when Virginia had embarked upon the policy
of internal improvements, Col. Coltrane was a member of
the General Assembly and procured an appropriation to
open the Fancy Gap turnpike across the mountain along
the very line his boyish eyes had mapped out. He then
came home and by genius and skill located and opened the
road across the moimtain, which is one of the very best,
124 PoiNEER Settlers
if not the best, crossing of the Blue Ridge to be found in
Virginia. This crossing will never be changed, neither
its location nor its grade can be improved. It will remain
there as a convenience and a blessing to the people of
Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina for ages
after the face of its projector and constructor has faded
from human memory.
*'The bridge across little Reed Island Creek, two miles
north of Hillsville, is a model of perfection. It was pro-
nounced by the Chief Engineer of the N. & W. R. R. Co.
to be as good a wooden bridge as can be built with human
hands. This bridge was built by Col. Coltrane and will
long stand as a monument to his memory. The court
house at Hillsville is a model of beauty and symmetry.
It is universally pronounced to be one of the soundest,
most durable, as well as convenient, structures that can
be reared. Col. Coltrane was its builder and its architect.
Long before it was finished Col. Coltrane saw hat he
would lose money on his contract; but he went on to
completion without one inferior piece of material or one
inferior piece of workmanship going into it. The stone
wall and the stone steps in front of the court house and
some of the cut stone in the building were not in his
contract, but he was unwilling to turn off anything but
a good job and so he did this work and received no pay
for it. It would be next to impossible to tell how often
Col. Coltrane has been appointed to draw plans for build-
ings, to assess damages, to receive work that was being
done for the county and to perform other duties of that
kind, but just as often as he was appointed he performed
his duties faithfully and well. He drew the plan for the
first court house and jail ever built in our county. He
was Colonel of Militia, and had served in both branches
of the legislature. But of all the monuments he has erected
the grandest one is his character for truth and honesty.
AMANDA J. HALE
Daughter of Stephen Hale, St., and wife, Frances Bourne, and wife of
Col. Ira B. Coltrane
Grayson County, Va. 125
If there was ever a track of falsehood, flattery, deceit, or
corruption in his composition it had been carefully rooted
out. His manner sometimes seemed rough, and his words
sometimes sounded harsh but they were utterances of the
plain, unvarnished truth, nevertheless, without affixes,
prefixes or adjectives.
"In his legislative life his name was a terror to all
lobbyists. He would snap their heads off with as much
composure as he would snap the idler who came around
him to meddle with his business or his work. A person fond
of feeding on flattery could never have enjoyed Col.
Coltrane as a companion or associate. On the other
hand a person contented with fair dealing, with firm and
unyielding friendship unmixed with falsehood or deceit,
would love him for his sterling qualities. Beneath his
stem exterior there beat a kind and loving heart. Col.
Coltrane was married to Amanda Hale of Giayson county,
on the 9th of June, 1844. She and seven of the children
bom to their union preceded him to the grave. Mrs.
E. L. Williams is the only child that survives to mourn
his death. During the long, long months of his illness
she sat at his side and administered to his wants as only
faithful woman can do. Several small grandchildren
by a deceased daughter, Mrs. G. T. Burroughs, and the
children of Mrs. Williams, are his descendants. May the
spirit and the mantle of the honest and upright grand-
father rest upon them. For some time before his death
Col. Coltrane knew that his days were numbered, and
that he was lingering at death's door; but he was not
afraid. He had not overlooked the subject of religion.
He had read and studied the bible; he had examined the
creeds and tenets of faith of the prevailing denominations
in this section of thecountry; but he never joined any church.
He looked upon his own judgment and the promptings
of his own conscience as his safest guide to a correct
126 Pioneer Settlers
understanding of his duties towards God and towards
man; and these he faithfully followed. He stated in his
last sickness that he had yielded himself into the hands of
God and trusted Him to do whatever was right. We know
that he went into the presence of his Maker with no lie on his
lips and no hypocrisy on his soul. He had lived long and
no doubt met upon the other bank of the mysterious
river thousands whom he had known in this life; but it
is safe to say he met no one there upon whom he had com-
mitted a fraud, or to whom he had in this life done inten-
tional wrong. One of the largest crowds that ever assembled
at our village cemetery gathered around his open coffin
to take a last sad look at the face they had known so
long and so well and then with loving hands the casket
was interred close by his wife and children and among
the relatives that for generations have been buried there.
*'Were a star quenched on high,
For ages would it light
Still travelling downward from the sky
Shine on our mortal sight;
So when a good man dies
For years beyond our ken
The light he leaves behind him lies
Upon the paths of men." B.
James Scott was from Ireland, and married Rachel
Holmes. She was of the nobility of Scotland, and theie
was so much opposition and displeasure with her family
that James Scott and his wife emigrated to America, and
settled in Rye Valley, near Blue Springs, Va. Their son,
James, married Margaret Porter; one son. Rev. Andrew
Scott.
Their son, William, married Elizabeth Porter. Eliza-
beth and Margaret were daughters of Andrew Porter
and wife, Miss Gleaves, who was a sister of Maj. James
Grayson County, Va. 127
Gleaves, of what is now Wythe county, Va. The descend-
ants of William Scott and family are given on preceding
pages.
Capt. Lewis Hale, fifth son of Lewis Hale, Sr., married
Elizabeth Bourne, daughter of William Bourne and wife,
Rosa Jones; they had four sons: First, Jackson, mairied
Catherine Isom; second, Washington, married Nancy
Hale, daughter of Francis Hale; third, Rufus, married
Nancy Hale, daughter of Dudley Hale; fourth, Capt.
Peyton N., married Amanda Cornett, daughter of Col.
Eli Cornett and wife, Sena Hale.
Four daughters: first, Milly, married Levi Perkins.
Second, Celia, married Mr. Rutherford.
Third, Elvira, married Mr. Davenport.
Fourth, Rosa B., married Charles Daugherty; one son,
Lindsey; others in Texas.
Maj. Peyton G. Hale was prominent in the affairs in
both Church and State ; was a member of the Senate in 1882
when the question of the state debt was discussed, and the
question of Funding and Readjusting was coming before
the Senate for a vote. Hale and three other membeis
left the house, and were known as the "Big Four."
They were Maj. Peyton G. Hale, Judge Lybrook, Mr.
Williams and Mr. Newberry. They refused to follow
Mahone into the Republican party; did not like Mahone's
methods of conducting the affairs of the State.
DEATH OF MAJOR HALE
*' Information has been received here of the death, at
his home in Grayson county, yesterday, of Major Peyton G.
Hale, one of the immortal' big four' who fought Mahone's
methods in the Legislature, and did much towards clinch-
ing the nails in his political coffin.
"Major Hale was what Albert Pike would call *a
Virginia gentleman of the olden time.' Honest, brave,
128 Pioneer Settlers
patriotic, and true to every trust or responsibility, he
was a typical Virginian, and his death will be mourned
by all who knew him for his worth."
William Hale and wife had four daughters: first, Susan,
married Morgan Bryant, a Methodist minister. Their
first son, Shadrack, was also a Methodist Minister; he
married Sallie Bryant, his cousin; they have sons and
daughters.
Second son, Gideon, died single.
First daughter, Lucy, married Henderson Cheek;
they have sons and daughters.
Second daughter, Sarah, married Archibald Edwaids.
Their first son, William Edwards, man led Lucy Dicken-
son. One daughter married John Murphy. Second,
Morgan, married; Wythe county; one daughter married
Prof. Gentry; one daughter, Rosa Bryant, married
Columbus Fulton, Independence, Va.; one daughter
married J. H. Rhudy, lawyer (see children); second
daughter married Mr. Couch.
Elizabeth, second daughter of William Hale, married
David Whitman, W3rthe county, Va.; they had two
daughters: first, Caroline, married George W. Gentry,
and moved to Texas; second, Nancy, married Peter
Gallagher; they had three sons, Emmett, Patrick, Marvin,
and three daughters, Mary, Elizabeth, Nannie. Peter
Gallagher's wife, Nancy, died while they lived in Wythe-
ville, Va. He was appointed under President Cleveland,
and went to Pocatello, Idaho. Emmett is married and
lives in the West; Patrick died in the West; Marvin is
married, and lives in the West; Mary married and lives
in Pocatello, Idaho; they have children; Elizabeth
manied Mr. Green and lives in Pocatello, Idaho; they
have children. Nannie married, and died in California.
One son, Stephen Whitman, married Linnie Hale,
daughter of Stephen M. Hale and wife, Rosa Bourne;
STEPHEN FRIEL NUCKOLLS
Grayson County, Va. 129
they live in Texas. Clarke married and moved to Texas.
David, Jr., married Malvina Porter, daughter of Stephen
Porter and wife, Margaret McNutt, Cripple Creek, Va.
Mrs. Whitman died in 1882 at the family homestead,
and is buried on Cripple Creek. After her death, the
family moved to Wilmore, Ky. Their first daughter,
Gertrude, married in Kentucky; second daughter,
Margaret, married Dr. Haller; they live in Pocahontas,
Va., and have children. Third daughter, Jennie, married
Mr. A. H. Jordan, a druggist, in Pulaski, Va. ; they have
two children, Margaret and Elizabeth.
Fourth daughter, Blanche, married Mr. Galloway,
cashier of the Bank in Pocahontas, Va. Fifth daughter,
Lillie, is a teacher, single. Sixth daughter, Nannie, is a
teacher, single.
William Whitman married Miss Sloan, Pulaski, Va.
They have a large family of children, and live near Pulaski,
Va.
Clay Whitm.an mairied Caroline Kegley; first son,
John A. Whitman, married Miss Carrie Heuser and is
editor of the Southwest Virginia Enterprise, Wythe-
ville, Va.
William H. married Miss Cleaves; lives in Loudon
county, Va.
Sidney married Rosamond Vaughn, daughter of Rev.
T. C. Vaughn and wife, Lucy Hale.
Fifth, George, died single.
Nancy, third daughter of Wm. Hale, married David
Gose, Cripple Creek, Va., one son, William, married Susan
Umberger; one son, John, is mayor of Bristol, Tenn;
one daughter.
First daughter, Rosa, married Lewis Perkins, moved to
Texas; Matilda, first married Riley Moore; second time,
married Leonard Sutherland, Elk Creek, Virginia; the
fourth daughter of William Hale and wife, Rosa, married
130 Pioneer Settlers
John Dickenson; they lived on New River; had sons
and daughters. (See Martin Dickenson family history.)
Dudley Hale, third son of Lewis Hale, Sr., married
Mary Burroughs; he was a soldier, and with his five
brothers, went to Norfolk, Va., in the war of 1812. Capt.
Lewis Hale, his brother, was in charge of the company.
Dudley Hale died while they were in Norfolk. His wife
died in a short time after her husband; his brothers took
their children and reared them. There were five sons and
five daughters; Preston, Franklin, and James, moved to
Cherokee county, Alabama. Burroughs married Miss
Sutherland and settled on Elk Creek; their first son, Alex-
ander, first married a Miss Catron. Second wife. Miss
Lucinda Wheeler, of Knob Fork. Second son. Eh, mar-
ried Miss Hampton; one daughter married Hackler.
Burroughs Hale's second wife was Miss Clara Houk; two
daughters by second wife: first daughter married Haw-
kins; second, Amanda, married Jacob Thomas, of Elk
Creek; one son, Jo, man ied Bourne; one daughter, mar-
red; Cora, first daughter, married Elbert Ring.
Lewis B. Hale, son of Burroughs Hale, married Margaret
Huddle of Wythe county, Va.; their first son, Lef trick,
married Miss Hale; Gideon married Jestina Bryant;
Peyton died single; John married Miss Bryant; Mastin,
Jr., married Caroline Hale; Lewis, Jr., married Miss
James, of Wji:he county, Va.
First daughter, Keziah, mairied Ephriam Bourne;
their first daughter, Linnie, married Mr. Vaughn; Rosa
married James Rhudy; third married Vaught; fourth
daughter married John McLean; first son, James, in
Missouri; second daughter, Jane, died single; third,
Olive, married Montgomery Bourne; fourth, Sallie,
James Yontz.
The five daughters of Dudley Hale: first, Mary,
Grayson County, Va. 131
married James Brewer; moved to Georgia; have sons and
daughtei-s.
Second, Sarah, married Joseph Bryant, Bridle Creek.
Their first son, Stephen, married Mazie Phipps, daughter
of Joseph Phipps and wife, Nancy McMillan; their first
daughter, Jennie, married Crockett Mallory; second
daughter married, first, John Hale; one son, Wallace
Graham. Third daughter man led Dan Busic, treasurer
of Grayson county.
Second son, William Bryan c, married Emmeline,
daughter of Isom Cox; they have one daughter, who
married John M. Parsons, lawyer and state senator of
Grayson county, Va.
One daughter, married Burt Bagwell.
One daughter, married Charles Cox, son of Harden
Cox, of Potato Creek, Va.
The three daughters of Joseph Bryant and wife Sarah
Hale:
First, Rosa, first married Noah Weaver; lived at
Weaver's Ford, New River; second, married Mr. Dixon.
Second, Olive, first married Ed Greer, Grassy Creek,
N. C; second time roanied Mr. Pierce.
Thud daughter, Jestin, first married Gideon Hale,
Elk Creek; second, married James Greer, Grassy Creek,
North Carolina.
Fourth daughter of Stephen Bryant married Dan
Busic; their first daughter married Emmett Cox; lives
at Peach Bottom, Virginia; second, Rosa, married
Fitzhugh Lundy, Independence; one son, Busic, married
Lundy, daughter of Ellis Lundy and wife, Alice Hale,
Independence, Va.
One son of Stephen Bryant and Mazie Phipps Kenerly,
married Etta Phipps, daughter of Joseph Phipps and
wife, Cynthia Bourne. First daughter married Dr.
Robinson; lives at Woodlawn, Carroll county, Va.;
132 Pioneer Settlers
second, married R. S. Fulton, second son of Joseph
Bryant; Aaron, died when a young man, in Mississippi.
Third son, Lewis Hale, married Drucy Phipps; their first
son, Joseph, married Miss Graham. Second son, John,
married Lesbia Phipps, daughter of Columbus Phipps
and Nannie Cox. They have children, and live in Texas.
Third son, Alexander, married Bena Cox, daughter of
Isom Cox and wife, Jensey Phipps.
Fourth son, I. B. Bryant, manied Miss Reeves; one
son, Lewis Preston. L B. Bryant is Grayson county
court clerk.
First daughtei- of Lewis H. Bryant married James
Perkins, lawyer; second daughter married James R.
Hale; live in Oregon. One son, Jo, married Miss Graham,
N. C. One son, Robert, married Con Phipps, daughter
of Joseph Phipps and Cynthia Bourne, Bridle Creek, Va.
Second daughter married Mr. Spicer. Third daughter,
Phoebe, Married Mr. Thompson, North Carolina. .
This family of Bryants is related to William Jennings
Bryan, "The Commoner." Francis Bryan, the father of
Morgan Bryan, was a brother of William J. Bryan's
great-grandfather. Francis Bryan and his sister, Eliza-
beth, came to Southwest Virginia; first stopped at "Fort
Chiswell," afterward went across to what is now Grayson
county, Va. Elizabeth mairied John Sutherland; Francis
married Phoebe Woodruff. (See Bryan History by Mrs.
W. J. Bryan.)
Third daughter of Joseph Bryant married second time,
Jones Greer, Grassy Creek, North Carolina; son and
daughters.
Third daughter of Dudley Hale, Jestin, married Martin
Hale and settled in Leesburg, Cherokee county, Ala.
(See history of Stephen Hale, Sr., and Frances Bourne's
descendants.)
Fourth daughter married Rufus Hale (see history of
LUCINDA BOURNE
Daughter of William Bourne, Jr., and wife, Mary Johnston, and wife of
Stephen Friel Nuckolls
Grayson County, Va. 133
Lewis Hale and Elizabeth Bourne's descendants). They
also settled in Cherokee county, Ala.
Fifth daughter, Olive, married Levi Comett (see
Canute), and they lived and died on Elk Creek, where
Dudley Hale first settled; their first son, Franklin, mar-
ried first. Miss Austin; they had sons and daughters.
Second time, married Miss Daniel; they had sons and
daughters; lived at Summerfield, Elk Creek.
Nancy, daughter of Dudley Hale, married Rufus Hale,
son of Capt. Lewis Hale; lives in Cherokee county,
Alabama; has children.
Francis Hale married Elizabeth Burroughs; they had
two daughters; fu-st daughter, Nancy, married Washing-
ton Hale, son of Capt. Lewis Hale and wife, Elizabeth
Bourne. They moved to Cherokee county, Ala.; they
had one daughter, Jane, who married Mr. Stiff, an editor
in Center, Ala. Mr. and Mrs. Stiff have a son, Washing-
ton Stiff, who lives in Center, Alabama. He married
Miss Martha Senter. Washington Stiff is editor of The
Harmonizer, Center, Alabama. Second daughter of
Francis Hale married Mr. Massensmith. Francis Hale
had five sons: first, Thomas, married Sallie Sutherland;
second. Wicks, married Miss Delp; third, Fontaine,
married Miss Martin; fourth, Dudley, married Miss
Wright; fifth, Frank, Jr., married Betsy Huddle, of
Wythe county, Virginia; their first son, Lee, killed in the
Confederate war; second, Lindsey; third, Nicholas,
married Hale; have children.
First daughter, Amanda, married Churchill Boyer;
their first son, Watson, married Ellen Boyer; second son,
Samuel, is a practicing physician; first daughter, Bettie,
married Mr. Herrington; second Luzana, married Mr.
Schuler; they have one daughter, married Mr. Neff,
Rural Retreat, Va.
134 Pioneer Settlers
Lewis Hale (2) married Miss Gantrell of Tennessee;
they have two sons, Granville, and William, who went
to Texas and married; and two daughters, first, Martha,
married William R. Dickey, Independence, Va. They have
one son, James, who married Miss Taylor, Mt. Airy,
N. C; they have two daughters; first, married Charlie
Bourne, son of Capt. R.G. Bourne; second, liiarried Thos.
Dobyns, of Patrick county, Va. Then- first daughter,
Mary, married John Wiley; went west; have children.
Second daughter, Cynthia Dickey, married William Warren
of Noith Carolina; they have one daughter, who mar-
ried Rev. Terry Fulton.
Second daughter of Lewis Hale, Ellen, married James
Ballard; first son, William, married first in California;
married second time. Miss Emma Ballard, of Old Town,
Virginia; they have one son, James Ballard; have one
daughter. Bell, who married Winfield Perkins, Hilton,
North Carolina, son of W. Perkins and wife. Bell Ballard;
one son, Edwin, married Zollie Bryant, Bridle Creek,
Virginia.
Third son of William Hale, William J., married Sarah
Porter, of Cripple Creek, Wythe county, Va. One son,
Stephen Porter Hale, the only child, was a cripple from a
boy. Following is a copy of a letter written by him to
the author:
"I, Stephen P. Hale, son of William and Sarah Hale,
was born Nov. 1st., 1825, and married to Elmira Gantrell,
Jan. 1st, 1856. From this union, were four children, to- wit :
Sarah Alice, Nov. 25th, 1856; William, Dec. 17th, 1858;
Mary Elmira, Jan. 25th, 1861; Stephen Porter, bom
Feb. 13th, 1863, and died, Sept. 5th, 1863. My wife,
Elmira G. Hale, departed this life on April 1st, 1863,
and on Oct. 2nd, I was married to Miss Cornelia V.
Yearwood, of McMinn coimty, Tenn., who died June
9th, without issue; and on April 7th, 1870, I was again
SOPHIA P. HALE
Daughter of Stephen Hale, Sr., and wife, Frances Bourne, and wife of
Dr. William M. Mitchell
Grayson County, Va. 135
married to Mrs. Susan A. Palmore, formerly Miss Susan
A. Price, of Cumberland county, Va. From this union
have been bom five children, to-wit: Lillie Hale, May
6th, 1872; Charles P. Hale, May 7th, 1874; Stephen P.
Hale, Oct. 10th, 1876; Susan Albina Hale, bom Feb.
7th, 1879, and died Oct. 22nd, 1880. Thomas Newton
Hale was born, April 21st, 1881.
"My oldest daughter, Sarah, spent about seven years
in Mexico as a missionary in the service of the foreign
missionary board of the Baptist Church, but her health
failing, she returned home to recuperate, and is now at
Carson and Newman College at Jefferson City, Tenn.,
teaching a class in Spanish. She expects to go back Lo
Mexico when her health will permit.
"Thomas N., the youngest, is still with us and has
charge of the farm. All the others are married and settled
on farms in the county. Lillie is the wife of George G.
Florida; is the mother of five living children. Mary
Elmh-a is the wife of Dr. W. N. Bicknell, and the mother
of six living children; William is living at the place where
I lived when you were at our home. These seventeen are
all the living grandchildren I have.
"My three oldest children are members of the Baptist
Church. The four youngest, of the Presbyterian Church.
My wife and myself belong to the Presbyterian Church.
"You request that I state what has been my profession
or vocation through life.
"About twenty-two years— from 1843 to 1865—1 spent
in teaching school; twelve years as Clerk and Master of
the Court of Monroe county, from 1865 to 1877; about ten
years in pretending to practice law. The balance of my
time and attention has been devoted to looking after my
farming and other interests.
"For the last few years, I have been mostly confined
to my rolling chair, though I am still able to ride little a
136 Pioneer Settlers
in the saddle or buggy. I was born in McMinn county,
Tenn., and most of my life, my home has been in the
two counties, McMinn and Monroe."
Following is a copy of part of a letter from Miss Sarah
A. Hale, written to the author from Jerusalem, Pales-
tine, Dec. 6th, 1906:
"I returned to Mission Field, Mexico, after my father's
death, but my eyes, after one and a half years work,
became so weak that I decided to come abroad for a
year or cwo.
"I sailed last March from Galveston, Texas; spent two
days in Bremen, a few hours in Hanover, two days in
Berlin, and two days in Dresden, sight-seeing, contin-
ually; then on to Vienna, where I spent one night, then
through Servia, Bulgaria, and ancient Macedonia, through
the historic City of Phillippi to Constantinople. There I
spent a week, then came down the Mediterranean to
Athens, Greece, in a steamer crowded with Greeks going
to the Olympic Games. I stopped a few hours at Athens,
then went on same steamer to Alexandria, Egypt, from
there to Jaffa and to Jerusalem, arriving here last April.
I soon determined to spend a year here, to know the
country in all seasons.
"I made the overland journey to Nazareth and the
sea of Galilee last spring, seeing Jacob's well, the ruins
of Samaria, on the way; then visited Damascus and
Baalbec, going and returning byway of Hafiaand Beyroot.
"It was after my return to Jerusalem that I learned
that Mr. P. L. Stanton and I have the same great-grand-
father, Lewis Hale. It was a great pleasure for me to
meet a relative in this land, so far from home. He has
traveled a great deal in America, Europe, and the East.
He is a voluminous writer and a fine conversationalist.
"His piety and sound judgment have enabled him to
accomplish good during bis sojourn in this city, and he
MAJOR PEYTON G. HALE
Son of William Hale and wife, Lucy Stone. He was one of the "Big Four"
Grayson County, Va. 137
has won for himself the confidence and esteem of all he
meets."
Following is a copy of a letter the author received from
Peyton L. Stanton, who was then living in Jerusalem,
Palestine, November 27th, 1906.
*'I graduated at Emory and Henry College, in the
class of 1876. In 1875 I was licensed to preach there in
Washington county, Emory Circuit; was received on
trial in the North Georgia Conference in 1877, ordained
Deacon in 1879, and Elder in 1881. I wastransfenedto
Denver Conference in 1882, and spent ten years in New
Mexico and Colorado; then transferred to Calif on ia, and
two years later went back to North Georgia Conference,
of which I was a member until two years ago, when I
was located at my own request.
"On the 25th of this month, November, four years ago,
I left New York for the East. I was first in Egypt for
about three months, and then came over land from there
in March. Jerusalem has been my headquarters since
March 11th, 1903. I came here for some special study
in connection with the land, the Book, and the people;
I do not know when I will finish my work."
Charles Hale was the fourth son of William Hale and
wife, Lucy Stone. Charles Hale married first, Jane Suther-
land of Elk Creek; firsUon^Fblden, married Tibitha Tom-
blin; they have one^sonT James, who married a Bryant;
one daughter, Mary, who married Mr. Gaither, of
North Carolina.
Second son. Creed Hale, went to Texas; married there,
and has children.
Third son, Johnston, married, first time, Caroline Os-
bourne. Bridle Creek; one daughter who married William
Hampton and moved to Oregon ; one son went west. Johns-
ton married second time; has children. First daughter,
Elvira Hale married Geo. W. McGuu-e, teacher, from
138 Pioneer Settlers
North Carolina; they moved to Missouri; have children.
Second daughter, Rosa Hale, married Orville Moore,
son of Isaac Moore and wife, Euphamia Jones; both
died; no children. Fourth, Elizabeth Hale, married Alfred
Mallory; sons and daughters.
Third daughter, Sarah Hale, married Harvey Vaughan,
of Knob Fork. They have sons and daughters.
Charles Hale's second wife was Rosa Comer, daughter
of Harvey Comer and wife, Elizabeth Bourne; their first
son, Reese, married Theresa Comett, of Elk Creek;
three sons, Charles, a Methodist minister; second, died;
third, June, married a Reeves,
Second son, Elbert Hale, married Nannie McLean,
daughter of John M. McLean and wife; they have three
daughters who live in Missouri.
Lucy, first daughter of Charles Hale and Rosa Comer,
married Rev. Thomas C. Vaughn, Spring Valley; their first
son, Marvin, married Clyde McCamant, daughter of
T. J. McCamant and wife, Ellen Hale; second son, John
Vaughn, married Miss Rhudy; first daughter married
Jack Porter; second daughter married Phillip Herington,
lawyer, of Independence, Va.; they have one son, Thomas;
third, Rosa Vaughn, married Sidney P. Whitman, of
Wythe county, Va.
Second daughter, Charlotte Hale, married George Delp,
of Elk Creek; one daughter, married Roscoe Pbipps,
Elk Creek, Va.
Charles Hale's third wife, Mrs. Tabitha Bourne Hale,
widow of Tivis Hale, had two daughters; Flora, who
married Martin Comett, Elk Creek; one daughter, mar-
ried; second daughter married Leonidas Ward, son of
Ballard E. Ward and Amelia G. Nuckolls; sons:Everett,
Gwyn, Leonidas; daughter, Ruth; one son, Basil.
Montgomery Hale married Sarah Ann Anders, of
Washington county, Va.; they had one son, Leonidas, who
Grayson County, Va. 139
died young; one daughter, Margaret Ellen, married
William J. Comett,of Elk Creek. They have one son,
Leonidas, who married Minnie Kiesling, Wythe county,
Va., daughter of Emory Kiesling.
Mrs. Amanda Hale married the second time, John M.
McLean, of Guilford county. North Carolina; had four
daughters and one son. Fu^t daughter, Mary, married
Robert Clarke Hale, son of Eli C. Hale; one daughter,
Gussie, married Jelane Rhudy.
Second daughter, Nannie, married Elbert Hale, son of
Charles Hale, of Knob Fork; they have two children;
live in Missouri.
Third, Sena, married Charles Bryant, son of Joseph
Bryant, Bridle Creek, Va.; first daughter Zollie, married
Ed Perkins, Hilton, N. C; Ada, Sena, Rosa, single.
Fourth daughter, Sallie, married Edgar Phipps; lives
on Bridle Creek.
One son, John M., (2) married Miss Young; they have
three children; live at Fries; he is cashier of Fries Bank
The first son of Col. Eli Comett married Miss Ellen
Scott, of Smyth county, Virginia; they have children
and live in Missouri.
Second son of Col. Eli Comett, Winton, went to Mis-
souri. He is a merchant and banker; yet single. Winton
accumulated a considerable amount of money, lived a
quiet, industrious life. His health failed, and he is now
in Grayson county; has retired from business and is
spending his time with his relatives.
Maj. Peyton G. Hale, youngest son of William Hale,
married Jane Bourne, daughter of William Bourne, Jr.,
and wife, Mary Johnstone: one son, William, died single
in Oregon; first daughter, Nannie, married Fielden Hale,
son of Warner Hale and wife, Mary Cox. In the *'Foot,
prints on the Sands of Time," I find this sentence, "Esq.
David Cox, married Miss Jane Doughton, a patient, quiet.
140 Pioneer Settlers
good Christian, and faithful, good and affectionate wife,
Hon. Fielden J. Hale, state Senator from Madison.
Nebraska, is their grandson. ' ' They have one daughter.
Miss Lee.
Second daughter of Maj. P. G. Hale, Mary Ann,
married Emory Kirby; they have two sons. Judge Robert
Lee, and William Hale. Judge Kirby married Mary
Boyer, of Elk Creek.
Third daughter, Lucy, married William Perkins, of
Hilton, N. C, they have two daughters; first, Catharine,
married Maurice Hale, son of Eli Hale; live at Blue
Springs, Va., and have two children; second daughter,
Gertrude Perkins, single; two sons, James.
The fourth daughter of Peyton G. Hale, Ellen, married
Thomas J. McCamant; they had five daughters; first
daughter, Blanche, married Clayton Higgins; they have
one son, McCamant, and live in the old McCamant
homestead in Old Town, Va. Second daughter, Lizzie,
married Mr. Fred Armfield of Fish River, N.C.; they have
two daughters and live in North Carolina on what was
the old Gov. Franklin farm. Third daughter, Clyde,
married Marvin Vaughn, son of Rev. T. C. Vaughn.
They live at Spring Valley, Va. Fourth and fifth daughters
Josie Hale, and Myrtle Lee, died young. The fifth
daughter of Pejrton G. Hale, Lucinda, married Robert
Garland Nuckolls; they live at the old William Hale
homestead on Elk Creek; no children.
Garland
THE GARLAND COAT OF ARMS
CHAPTER VI
THE GARLAND FAMILY
(Copied from the genealogical column of The Times-
Dispatch, Richmond, Va.)
** There were in England three Garland families en-
titled to bear a coat of arms: one in York, one in Lincoln-
shire, and one in Sussex.
Family tradition says that the Sussex branch moved
into Wales. Their common ancestor was a warden of
the cinque ports, and as such was a lord entitled to a
seat in Parliament, had entire jurisdiction, civil, military
and naval, over the five ports, and lived in Dover Castle.
The history of this distinguished family in America
dates far back to Colonial times, beginning about the
year 1650. Their descendants have wrought well, filling
positions of honor and trust in the history of both church
and state. They have intermarried with the chief families
of the Commonwealth.
The Garlands were in New Kent county in the seven-
teenth century. The recoids of New Kent county are
mostly destroyed, but there is one parish register preserved
and in it is a record of Edward, son of Edward Garland,
born May 20th, 1700. This baby, Edward, was the father
of John Garland (5), who lived at Garland's Neck, Han-
over county, Va. His children were, in the order of their
birth, as follows: Thomas (4), who inherited the Neck by
the law of primogeniture, and founded the Goochland
branch of the family.
Edward (4), Robert (4) (founder of the Louisa branch),
James (4), John (4), Lucy (4), and Peter (4).
142 Pioneer Settlers
The third son (Robert) of John Garland (5) was the
progenitor of men who did much in their day and gener-
ation. James (4) (1722-1812) married Mary Rice, of
Hanover county, whose mother was a Howlett, and soon
thereafter, moved to Albemarle. He was acting magis-
trate of Albemarle county, Va., in 1753, was associated
with Gov. Nelson, and accumulated a fortune.
. Nathaniel (5) was born in 1750; manied a Miss Rhodes.
' John (5) (born 1751) died of camp fever in the Revo-
lutionary war.
James (5) (born 1753) married Annie Winfield, whose
mother was a Hudson. He commanded the company
detailed to guard the surrendered troops of Burgoyne.
When officer of the day at Charlottesville he was shot
by the sentry at night as he did not give the pass word.
He had fom- children: Hudson (6), Henrietta (6), Spotts-
wood (6), and James (6).
Mary Garland was born March 20th, 1755, and married
John Nuckolls, 1777. To them were born nine sons and
one daughter. Mary Garland was a member of the
Episcopal Church, and in her prayer-book (printed in
MDCCLXI) are recorded the births of her children.
(See Nuckolls chapter.)
Charles Garland, a brother of Mary Garland, who
married John Nuckolls, died single, and is buried in the
Nuckolls cemetery in Grayson county, Va. Charles and
Mary Garland were of the Louisa branch of the Garland
family, and were bom in Louisa county, Va. In the latter
years of their life, John Nuckolls and Mary Garland went
back to Louisa county, died, and are buried there.
Charles Garland was a Baptist minister. There is a
story that he got upon a barrel one day to preach,
and in the course of his remarks, he said that the faith of
the Baptists was on a firm foundation, that they would
never fall; he stamped his foot to emphasize the remark
Grayson County, Va. 143
and the head of the barrel fell through, and he fell with
it. This circumstance, of course, broke up the meeting,
but he no doubt continued to preach about the firm
foundation of the Baptist faith. He was a good man,
died with consumption about 1830, near Grayson C. H.,
Va.
Hudson (6) Garland was father of Hudson (7), and
also of General John (7) Garland, whose daughter married
General Longstreet, and of Spottswood (7) Garland.
Hudson (6) Gai'land represented Amherst county in
the House of Delegates, was captain in the war of 1812,
and an intimate friend of Andrew Jackson, who presented
him with a cane made of a fragment of the Constitution,
and, what was more valuable, a lucrative office which
he held until Tyler's administration.
Spottswood Garland (6) married Lucinda, daughter of
Colonel Hugh Rose and Caroline Jordon, and had Hugh
A., who married Anna Powell Burwell; Caroline, who
married Maurice H. Garland; Landon Cabell, who married
Louisa F. Garland.
Landon C. Garland, LL.D., was president of Randolph -
Macon College, president of University of Alabama
and chancellor of Vanderbilt University, for a quarter
of a century. His sister, Caroline, married Mauiice H.
Garland, whose son was General Samuel Garland, of
Confederate war fame. Hugh A. Garland was author
of the life of John Randolph of Roanoke.
Mrs. Rose Garland Lewis, daughter of the late Chan-
cellor Landon C. Garland, of Vanderbilt University, died
at her home in Birmingham, Alabama, October 29th,
1913, aged seventy-four years. Her husband, Dr. Bur-
well B. Lewis, was at the time of his death, some years
ago. President of the University of Alabama. Mrs. Lewis
was a devout Christian and faithful member of our church.
144 Pioneer Settlers
Many who knew and loved her sorrow because of
her death.
There were twelve children bom to Samuel Meredith
Garland and wife, Mildred Jordan Powell. The daughter,
Mildred Irvin, married Col. John T. Ellis. Martha
Henry married Col. Thomas Whitehead. First son,
Rev. James Powell, married Lucy Braxton, of Fredericks-
burg, Va., a great grand-daughter of Carter Braxton,
signer of the Declaration of Independence. Narcissa E.
married Mr. Dillard, of Lynchburg, Va. Lucy Lee married
Mr. Richardson, of New Kent county, Va. Ella Rose
married Henry Wills; Jane Meredith married Willis
Wills; Sally died in infancy; David Shepherd died single;
Walter died in childhood; Paulus Powell married Lucy
Ellis.
Issue of the marriage of David Shepherd Garland to
Jane Henry Meredith: Jane Meredith, who married
Dr. Jno. P. Cobbs and moved to Indiana in 1840; Anne
Shepherd, who married Dr. Gustavus A. Rose and moved
to Indiana in 1840; Sally Armistead, who married Captain
William Waller; Samuel Meredith, who married Mildred
Jordon Powell; Mary Rice, who married Edward A.
Cabell; William Henry, who married Frances Eubank;
Patrick Henry, who married Miss Floyd; Eliza Virginia,
who married George K. Cabell; Louisa Frances, who
married Dr. Landon C. Garland; Caroline died single;
Martha Henry died single. It is worth while to note
that the average age of these eleven children was seventy
years, while a majority, or six of them, lived to be eighty
or over.
David S. Garland was a man of ability and prominence.
He represented his state in Congress during Madison's
administration, represented his county (Amherst) in the
.ip^Pir ' ■ ''^'t^.
iM?
LANDON CABELL GARLAND. LL. D.
Son of Spottswood Garland and wife, Lucinda, Daughter of Col. Hugh Rose
(Members of the Nuckolls family say that this picture of Landon C. Garland is an
exact likeness of the author's grandfather, Robert Garland Nuckolls)
Grayson County, Va. 145
Legislature with distinction, for twenty-nine years; was
a man of great public spirit and enterprise, and by his
industry and great business capacity amassed a large
fortune.
His mansion, built for and owned by him, is now stand-
ing in a fair state of preservation in the village of New
Glasgow, about five miles from Amherst court house.
In proximity to and in sight of the old Garland home,
stands "Winton," the home of Colonel Samuel Meredith,
whose daughter David S. Garland married.
Col. Meredith was born in Hanover county, Va., in
1732, and was captain in Colonel Byrd's Regiment, 1758,
and for his services was granted to him July 11th, 1774,
2,000 acres of land in Kentucky. In 1775 he was captain
of an independent company from Hanover county, which
on May 2nd he resigned in favor of his brother-in-law,
Patrick Henry, and accepted a lieutenancy in the com-
pany.
He was a member of the Convention of May, 1776,
and in 1778 he subscribed ;^500 to old Washington-
Henry College in Hanover Town, and for several years
was president of the board of trustees of the college.
Rice (2) Garland was a distinguished member of Con-
gress from Virginia, and afterwards Judge of the supreme
court of Louisiana.
Robert, bom in 1768, and Clifton, in 1769, concluded
the children of James Garland and his wife, Mary Rice.
William Garland, bom 1746, married Ann Shepherd of
Amherst county; issue: David Shepherd; James, died
single; Frances, married Mr. Pendleton; Mary, married
Mr. Camden.
David Shepherd Garland, bom 1769, married Jane
Henry Meredith on March 4th, 1795, the daughter of
Colonel Samuel Meredith and Jane Henry, his wife, who
was a sister of Patrick Henry, the great orator and patriot .
146 Pioneer Settlers
In the family graveyard at Winton are buried Jane
Henry Meredith and her husband, Hon. David S. Garland,
and four other members of the Henry family.
Samuel Meredith Garland, bom November 15th, 1802,
married Mildred Jordan Powell, July 8th, 1830. He was
by profession a lawyer. When quite yoimg he represented
Amherst in the Legislature, was a member of the Reform
Convention of 1850-51, and of the Secession Convention
of 1861. He advocated the sovereignty of the States,
and voted for the Ordinance of Secession. In his later
years he was clerk of the Amherst court. He was imi-
versally beloved ; was a lay reader in the Episcopal Church.
He died in 1880, and is buried at Kenmore, Va.
We cannot close this incomplete sketch of the Garlands
without some reference to Hon. Hugh A. Garland and
Hon. Augustus H. Garland.
Hugh A. Garland was a brother of Dr. Landon C.
Garland; was a member of the Virginia Legislature,
clerk of the United States House of Representatives,
a man of vast and varied learning and a writer of dis-
tinction; author of the life of John Randolph.
Augustus H. Garland was a scion of the Lunenburg
branch, was a lawyer of national reputation, Governor
of Arkansas, United States Senator, and attorney general
in Cleveland's Cabinet.
Garland Connection With the Pendletons and
THE Cabells
Lettie B. Pendleton married Hudson Martin Gailand;
she was the daughter of Micajah Pendleton and Mary
^^^ w^'V tu^/»H Cabell Horsley. Micajah Pendleton was a son of Philip
l^ftK'' ^ ^ Pendleton, and nephew of the famous jurist, Edmond
^^^' Pendleton.
' Phillip Pendleton had fifteen children, and Micajah
(so tradition has it) addressed Mary Horsley seventeen
i
^1- 'i-r.,.
I
1
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t -
i
iM
J
^i-ii
Ll «
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'i
THE GARRETT CEMETERY
On the Banks of Coosa River, Near Centre, Alabama
Grayson County, Va. 147
times before she would consent to marry him. Mary
Horsley was the daughter of William Horsley, who was
the son of William Horsley and Mary Cabell, only daughter
of Dr. William Cabell and his wife, Elizabeth Burkes
Cabell. Bessie Powell married Rev. R. F. Wilson, D.D.
Rev. James Powell Garland, D.D., gi-aduated at Emory
and Henry College, June 10th, 1857, and joined the
Virginia Methodist Conference in 1858, and was forty-
seven years in the active ministry of this church, holding
positions of honor and trust in that body. His long and
useful life came to a close January 13th, 1906.
CHAPTER VII
THE JONES FAMILY
(The author is indebted to The Richmond Times
Despatch and The Toledo Blade for a good deal of the
following infoimation in regard to the Jones family.
The Despatch says: "James Jones is presumed to have
been the first settler in Spottsylvania county, Va., and
the question might be raised if he could have been
the brother of Admiral Paul Jones, who visited him in
1750, and after his brother's death, 1773, is said to have
taken charge of his estate near Fredericksburg."
The first name of Paul Jones' brother is not given, and
indeed the name of Jones was assumed by Paul in 1773;
yet we may presume that the Jones family of Spotts-
sylvania were some of his Scotch family, who had pre-
ceded him to Virginia, and that this James Jones was the
immigrant." Paul Jones' father's name was John Paul
and James Jones may have assumed the patronymic
of Jones as his brother Paul did. This custom which is
of classical authority has long been prevalent in Wales,
and in various other countries, although it is not practiced
in that part of the island in which John Paul Jones was
bom.
The life of Paul Jones has given rise to much romance.
Cooper, Dumas and Allan Cunningham have celebrated
him in their novels; and scarcely less fictitious are some
of his so-called biographies.
Every school boy is familiar with John Paul Jones as
the founder of the American Navy, and the hero of many
naval engagements. His is a most interesting character,
Grayson County, Va. 149
and the following short sketch of his life is inserted, as
it will no doubt be of interest to the readers of this book.
John Paul Jones (1747-1792) was bom July 6th, 1747,
on the estate of Arbigland, in the parish of Kirkbean, and
the stewartry of Kirkcudbright, Scotland, where his
father, John Paul, was a gardener. At twelve, he went to
sea as apprentice to a merchant of Whitehaven, in whose
ships he visited America several times. He became a
skilful sailor, and was for some time mate of a slaver
in the West Indies. On his way back to England, after
leaving the slave trade in disgust, the captain and mate
of the ship in which he was, both died; and the skilful
manner in which he brought the ship safely into port
induced the owners to appoint him captain. In 1771, or
thereabouts, he added the name of Jones to John Paul.
There is a tradition that he and an old man by the
name of William Jones, of South Carolina, had become
fast friends. William Jones was a planter and owned a
large estate. He wished to leave his estate to John Paul,
and the latter added the name Jones to his name in order
that he might inherit the estate and because William
Jones wished him to assume the name of Jones. It is
more than probable, however, that both John Paul
and his brother James assumed the name Jones, as has
been before explained in this chapter, because their
father's name was John and they followed the established
custom of assuming the patronymic.
In 1773, Paul Jones inherited the estate of his brother,
James Jones, in Spottsylvania county, and settled on it.
When the American war of Independence broke out
two years later, Paul Jones took up arms for the colonies,
and accepted a command in the navy of the new republic.
His engagement with the English ship, "Serapis,"
which, after a long and bloody battle, he compelled to
strike, raised his fame to its acme. Later, he became a
150 Pioneer Settlers
Rear Admiral in the Russian Navy during the reign of
Empress Catharine, but the jealousy and rivalry of the
Russian commanders brought about his recall in less than
eight months. He retired to Paris, where he died in 1792,
at the age of forty-five years, and was laid in an unmarked
grave, only discovered a few years ago.
He writhed under the suspicion of being an "ad-
venturer;" once and again he eagerly repels the charge.
His character is illustrated by an incident told of his
conduct in one of the hottest fights of the Revolution
when he heard one of his ofl&cers cursing, — "Do not swear,
Mr. Stacy," he said, "in another moment we may be in
eternity; but let us do our duty." When called upon by
the commander of the British frigate Serapis to surrender
the battered American ship, Bonhomme Richard, he
said, "Surrender? I have not yet begun to fight."
When General Horace Porter, of New York, was United
States Ambassador to France, he found the remains of
Commodore Jones in an abandoned cemetery in Paris.
Through General Porter's efforts, the remains were
brought to the United States in 1908, and they now rest
in a vault in the chapel of the United States Naval Acad-
emy at Annapolis, Md.
JOHN PAUL JONES' STATUE UNVEILED
"Washington, D. C, April 17, 1912— With impressive
military and civic exercises the magnificent memorial
to John Paul Jones, the naval hero of the American Revo-
lution, was dedicated in this city today. Congress appro-
priated $50,000 for the memorial, which occupies a con-
spicuous site at the main entrance to Potomac Park.
"The President of the United States and members of
the Cabinet, the diplomatic corps, justices of the Supreme
Court of the United States, distinguished officers of the
navy and the army, senators, representatives in congress
Grayson County, Va. 151
and many others prominent in ofl5cial life, as well as a
large concourse of citizens, were present. Thousands of
blue jackets of the navy, United States marines, soldiers
of the regular army and of the National Guard and dele-
gations representing patriotic and other civic organizations
were assembled in parade as a tribute to the famous
naval hero.
"The memorial, the work of Paul H. Niehaus, the
New York sculptor, was admired by everyone who saw it.
In many respects it differs from other similar memorials
erected in the national capital. It consists of a marble
pylon of classic design as the back-ground for a colossal
bronze figure of the intrepid naval commander of the
early days of the republic. The pylon is a massive rec-
tangular tower about fifteen feet in height. It occupies
the center of an ornamental fountain, the water for which
will come from the bronze heads of dolphins at each end
of the pylon. On the back of the shaft is a large panel
containing a bas relief representation of Commodore Jones
raising the American flag on the historic ship Bonhomme
Richard.
"The Jones statue stands at the base of the monument
in front of the pedestal. It is of heroic proportions,
being about ten feet high. The great naval commander
is shown in full uniform, with an expression and pose
suggestive of his indomitable will and unconquerable
spirit. Apparently he is watching a naval engagement.
His right hand is clenched and his left hand clutches
his sword.
" In the die imder the statue is inscribed :
"1747 First 1792.
To compel foreign men of war to strike colors
to the Stars and Stripes.
"There are two inscriptions on the rear of the pylon.
The first of these is on the stone forming the cap of the
152 Pioneer Settlers
shaft. It embodies the language popularly attributed to
Commodore Jones when called upon by the commander
of the British frigate, Serapis, to surrender the battered
American ship, Bonhomme Richard. The inscription is
as follows:
" — Surrender? —
"I have not yet begun to fight.
"The second inscription is just below the bas relief
representing Commodore Jones raising the United
States flag for the first time on an American warship.
It reads:
"In Life he honored the Flag
"In death the Flag shall honor Him.
"Secretary of the Navy, Meyer, presided at the dedi-
cation exercises and the memorial was unveiled by Admiral
Dewey. President Taft addressed the assemblage and
pronounced a splendid tribute to the valor and genius
of the sailor and patriot and told of his daring deeds on
the high seas. The exercises concluded with the oration
of the day delivered by General Horace Porter, of New
York, who, while United States ambassador to France,
found the remains of Commodore Jones in an abandoned
cemetery in Paris and had them brought to their present
resting place in a vault of the chapel at the United States
Naval Academy at Annapolis.
"The United States Marine Band furnished the musical
features of the dedication program. At the conclusion
of the exercises a vessel of the navy stationed in the
Potomac opposite the statue fired a regulation salute. "
The following names are given by the Times-Despatch
as being, many of them, sons and grandsons of James
Jones and their descendants:
Bartholomew, Bathurst, Churchill, etc.
From Churchill we trace the Jones family that came
Grayson County, Va. 153
as pioneer settlers to what is now Grayson county, Vir-
ginia.
Churchill Jones married a Miss Minitree; issue : Minitree
Jones who married a Miss Spottswood; issue: Rosamond
Jones, Minitree Jones (2) and Spottswood Jones, and
Churchill Jones (2) all of Revolutionary fame. A number
of this J: nes family moved into this Southwestern part
of Virginia, and settled in the forests on the waters of
New River and its tributaries.
William Bourne married Rosamond Jones, daughter
of Minitree Jones and wife. Miss Spottswood, in Hanover
county, Virginia. They emigrated to Southwestern
Virginia, coming as far as Fort Chiswell in wagons.
From Fort Chiswell, they packed their household goods
across the Iron Mountains on horses, and settled on Knob
Fork of Elk Creek, not far from where Elk Creek empties
into New River. (See Bourne chapter.)
(We insert the following clipping: "Announce wedding
eleven years after," taken from the Washington Herald,
as interesting in this connection.)
"After keeping the news of their nuptial secret for more
than eleven years, announcement was made yesterday
of the marriage on August 1st, 1901, of George C. Lafferty,
official reporter at the House of Representatives, and a
prominent local clubman, and Miss Rosamond E. Jones, of
816 Fifteenth street, N. W., daughter of the late Chrechill
Jones, of Westmoreland county, Virginia.
"Although the first formal announcement of the
marriage was not made until yesterday, many of the close
friends of the couple knew of the affair. For eleven years
Mr. Lafferty and his wife lived separately and tried to
keep the fact of their marriage a secret. The husband
called daily at the Fifteenth street residence to see "Miss
Jones, " and spent much of his time there, but neighbors
154 Pioneer Settlers
were of the opinion that he was merely the fiance and
not the husband of the young woman.
IN ATLANTIC CITY
"Mr. and Mis. Lafferty are now at Atlantic City, N. J.,
supposedly on their long delayed honeymoon. Why the
marriage should have been kept a secret for so many
years, and why the couple should have undergone such
long separation, although man and wife, is a mystery
which will probably be solved only by a statement from
Mr. and Mrs. Lafferty. Friends of the couple said last
night that they were unable to tell the cause of the secrecy.
"Mr. Lafferty is in the neighborhood of fifty-five years
old. His bride is considerably younger, it is said. Mr.
Lafferty comes from an old Virginia family. His home
was originally in Richmond, and his father. Dr. Lafferty,
was well known as a newspaper man of ability. For a
time the son was employed as a stenographic reporter
for the Virginia legislature at Richmond.
"His father finally succeeded in obtaining for him a
position in congress, and about twenty-five years ago
he came to Washington as official reporter of debates in
the house. He has held the position ever since. About
twenty years ago he was married, but his wife died.
According to the announcement made yesterday, he mar-
ried Miss Jones in New Jersey, August 1st, 1901.
were CHILDHOOD CHUMS
"He had known Mrs. Lafferty from childhood in Vir-
ginia. She was the daughter of the late Churchill Jones,
who was well known in Westmoreland coimty. At the
time of the marriage it is said that Miss Jones was living
here.
"Mr. Lafferty is a prominent Washinglon clubman.
He is a member of the Metropolitan Club and makes his
Grayson County, VA. 155
residence there. For the last five or six years Miss
Jones has been living in apartments at 816 Fifteenth
street. Mr. Lafferty was frequently seen at the apart-
ments, although he did not live there."
William Jones came from Eastern Virginia, and settled
on New River below the mouths of Elk and Meadow
creeks, at a place where there was an island in the river.
A road was made passing Jones' place, and a ford was
made through the river, crossing the island. This was
named "Jones' Ford," and was two miles from where the
town of Greenville and Grayson Old Court House was
located when the county of Grayson was formed in 1792.
William Jones' daughter married Isaac Garrison.
From this union there was one son, David, who married
Sally Bourne, daughter of Stephen Bourne who had also
moved from near Richmond and settled on Knob Foik.
Isaac Garrison had one daughter who married Benjamin
Shoupe. They lived on Elk Creek and have children.
Elizabeth B., daughter of David Garrison and Sally
Bourne, married Hastings Fulton, son of Samuel Fulton
and wife, Martha Powell Jones. After the death of Wil-
liam Jones, Isaac Garrison and wife lived at the old
homestead, and the name of the Ford was changed to
"Garrison's Ford."
Afterwards, the land passed to David Garrison, and for
two generations this was known as "Garrison's Ford" —
for yeais the only ford on the river for crossing with
wagons.
After the death of David Garrison, the land passed to
Hastmgs and Elizabeth Fulton's heirs, but was soon sold
to Robert L. Dickenson. The ford is still used, but a
ferry-boat is operated at the same place.
Hastings Fulton and wife settled at the old Wm.
Bourne Furnace, "Point Hope," at the falls of Peach
Bottom creek. They had one son and three daughters.
156 . Pioneer Settlers
The son, Columbus, married Rosamond D. Edwards,
granddaughter of Morgan Bryant and wife, Susan Hale,
daughter of William Hale and wife, Lucy Stone, of Elk
Creek. The son, Columbus, and wife live near the old
"Point Hope" Furnace (now the site of an electric plant).
They have one son, Robert S., who married Miss Bryant
of Saddle Creek, a great grand-daughter of Joseph Bryant
and wife, Sarah Hale. One daughter married Hicks
Rhudy, attorney at Independence, Va., and one daughter
married a Mr. Couch.
Major Minitree Jones married Miss Martha Powell
in Eastern Virginia. Their son. Major Abner Jones, also
married Miss Hannah Fawbush of Eastern Virginia.
Maj. Minitree Jones and family moved out and settled
on New River, near the mouth of Elk Creek.
His home place is now owned by John Dickenson, Jr.
Maj. Minitree Jones was one of the pioneer settlers,
aided in forming Grayson county in 1792, and was named
as a magistrate in the commission given by Henry Lee,
Governor of Virginia to organize the first court for Gray-
son county. The oath of office as a magistrate was admin-
istered to him by Flower Swift. (See "Proceedings of
first court. ")
Minitree Jones, Jr., and wife, Martha Powell, had a
son, Powell Jones, who settled in Georgia. Powell Jone's
son, Samuel Jones, was the father of the well known
evangelist, Samuel Powell Jones, of Cartersville, Ga.
Sam P. Jones was well known all over the United States
as a preacher and lecturer.
Maj. Abner Jones who was sheriff of Grayson county
in its early formation was a son of Minitree Jones, Jr.
Abner Jones lived on Steven's creek. He was appointed
county surveyor, and held office in Grayson county for
a number of years.
Grayson County, Va. 157
Abner Jones and Hannah Fawbush, his wife, had two
sons, Spottswood and Churchill, and seven daughters.
First daughter, Charlotte, married David Atkins and lived
on Steven's Creek. One son, Greenberry Atkins, died
single. One daughter, Elvira Atkins, first married a
Hackler; two daughters of this union; one married a
Mr. Neel, of Bland county, Va. Elvira married second
time, Fletcher Boiles, of North Carolina. They have
children; live on Stevens Creek, Va.
Euphemia, second daughter of Abner Jones and
Hannah Fawbush, married Isaac Moore, and lived near
the old homestead. To them were born three sons,
Spottswood D., Orville, and Churchill Fawbush. Spotts-
wood married Miss Matilda Bayless of Tennessee; issue,
two sons, one daughter.
Orville Moore married Rosamond Hale, daughter of
Charles Hale and wife, Jane Sutherland, of Knob Fork.
No issue from this imion. Churchill Fawbush Moore
married Mary A. Nuckolls, daughter of Clarke Nuckolls
and wife, Rosamond B. Hale; issue, three sons, William,
Arthur N. ; William died when he was about twenty-five
years old. Arthur married Miss Moore, daughter of
Orville Moore, and lives at the old homestead with his
father and mother.
Five daughters were born to Churchill and Mary
Moore; Celia died single; Amelia married Mr. Miller,
and lives in Winston, N. C; Rosamond B. married Mr.
Lawson; they live in Ivanhoe, Va., and have one son;
Lura, single; Leona, single.
To Isaac Moore and wife were bom two daughters.
First daughter, Matilda, married Joseph Comett;
they had three daughters, and two sons. First daughter,
married John Cooper, of Dobson, N. C. Second daughter,
married Harvey Atkins; Third daughter, married.
158 Pioneer Settlers
First son, Heath Comett, married a Miss Tomlinson
and moved to Illinois.
Second son, Orville, married Miss Bartlett, and moved
West.
Isaac Moore's second daughter Minerva, married
Creed L. Hanks. They live at Piper's Gap, Va. One son,
Emmett Hanks, married Miss Lula Todd of Galax, Va.;
issue, one son, died in infancy; one daughter.
Emmett died in 1909.
Flora, daughter of Creed Hanks and Minerva Moore,
married Stephen Wilkinson, son of John Wilkinson and
wife, Elizabeth Anderson, of Hillsville, Va.
Stephen Wilkinson and wife, Flora Hanks, have one son
and one daughter, Robert and Retta. They live in
Galax, Va.
Stephen Wilkinson is manager of the Galax Furniture
Factory, and interested in the various enterprises of
the town.
Nancy Hanks was bom and brought up near Flour Gap,
(now Piper's Gap) Va., on Blue Ridge, then Grayson
county. When a young woman she went to Kentucky,
manied Mr. Thomas Lincoln, and was the mother of
Abraham Lincoln.
Nancy Hanks was of the same family as Creed L.
Hanks. She was a woman of fine physical organization,
and of great force of character, and possessed of shrewd
practical common sense, combined with deep religious
feeling and great gentleness of manner. She taught
Abraham Lincoln to read and write, and although but
nine years of age when his mother died, Lincoln had
received the lasting impress of her power for good in his
deepest life. Three favorite maxims she had thoroughly
instilled into his mind — never to swear, never to touch
liquor, and never to lie. These three things he never did.
Grayson County, Va. 159
He said when President, "All that I am or hope to be,
I owe to my sainted mother."
Celia, third daughter of Abner Jones and wife, married
Andrew Nuckolls, of Wythe county, Vu-ginia, son of
Nathaniel Nuckolls, bom in Louisa county, Virginia,
January 3rd, 1739.
From this imion there were three sons and four daughters.
One daughter, Cynthia, married James Johnston and
lived m Hillsville, Va. (See Nuckolls chapter.)
Olive, daughter of Maj. Abner Jones, married John
Worrell about the year 1820. The history of the Worrell
family dates back as far as 1066, when Sir Herbert Worrell
lost two sons at Hastings and was presented with two
coats of arms in recognition of their merit. The Worrell's
came to this country during its early settlement and
became prominent factors in its development. Records
in Philadelphia show that Richard and John Worrell
were deeded lands, where Philadelphia now stands, by
William Penn.
Richard and John had a brother named James, who
settled in what is now Carroll county, Va. (then Mont-
gomery), about the year 1780. This James was the father
of Esau,Sr., who was the father of a large family, of which
was Captain John Worrell, who married Miss Olive Jones
about the year 1820.
In 1910, Malcolm Lee Worrell was appointed to the
U. S. Naval Academy by Congressman C. B. Slemp,
and the following article appeared in the Tazewell Re-
publican:
"Following his appointment to the Naval Academy,
Malcolm Lee Worrell, of Pulaski, has just passed all
entrance requirements, and now wears the brand of
Uncle Sam in a midshipman's uniform.
"Young Worrell's ancestry dates back to James Jones,
a brother of Admiral Paul Jones, the founder of the
160 PoiNEER Settlers
United States navy. In 1773, Paul Jones took charge of
his brother James's landed estate near Fredericksburg, Va.
James Jones' wife was a Churchill. They had a son
named Churchill, who married a Miss Minitree. From this
union we have Minitree Jones, who married a Miss
Spottswood. From this union we have Rosamond Jones,
Minitree Jones, Jr., Churchill Jones, Jr., and Spottswood
Jones, all of Revolutionary fame. Maj. Minitree Jones
married Miss Martha Powell, a highly educated lady,
and from this union we have Abner Jones and Martha
Powell Jones. Martha married Samuel Fulton, and their
son. Creed Fulton was an eminent teacher and evangelist,
and founded Emory and Henry College.
"Abner Jones married Miss Hannah Fawbush. From
this union were two sons, Churchill and Spottswood,
and six daughters.
"One daughter, Olive, married Captain John Worrell
about the year 1820. From this union we have Churchill
Fawbush Worrell, Maj. C. Columbus Worrell, Carinne,
and Minerva E. Worrell. Carinne died single; Minerva
married Harbert Kenney. Churchill Worrell married
Mary Ann Ballard. From this union, one son. Dexter,
A. L., who married Rose E. Lyons; their third son, Mal-
colm Lee, is the young midshipman of this sketch.
"It was Isaac Worrell, Sr., who delivered the address
of welcome to Gen. Lafayette and the veterans of the
Revolution at their Reunion in Philadelphia in 1824.
Isaac Worrell, Jr., son of Isaac, Sr., was commissioned
brigadier general in the British war of 1812.
"Malcolm Lee Worrell was bom in Hillsville, Carroll
county, Va. He was educated at Roanoke College,
Salem, Va., and V. P. I., Blacksburgh, Va. Previous
to his present appointment, he was in the employ of the
Norfolk and Western R. R. at Bluefield, W. Va."
Maj. C. Columbus Worrell, son of Capt. John Worrell
Grayson County, Va. 161
and Olive Jones, is a worthy and useful citizen of Carroll
county. He mairied first, Miss Latitia Ward; from this
union, three sons, two daughters. His second wife was
America V. Watson; from this union, four sons, one
daughter. His third wife was Mrs. Rosa Beamer, nee
Cox.
Minerva E. Worrell, daughter of Capt. John Worrell
and wife, Olive Jones, married Harbert Kenney of Crooked
Creek, Carroll county, Va. From this union, one daughter
married Thomas Jones and lives near Woodlawn, Carroll
county, Va. They have one son, Elmer Jones.
One son of Minerva Worrell and Harbert Kenney,
married and lives near Woodlawn, Va.
Jessee P. Worrell, brother of Capt. John Worrell,
married Rebecca Cooley, daughter of Benjamin Cooley
and wife, Jane Dickey. He lived a while on Little Reed
Island, but later moved to Missouri.
Esau, Jr., and Amos Worrell, brothers, lived on Little
Reed Island, and reraed families. Two sisters, Nancy
and Sallie. Nancy married Joel Franklin; lived near
Hillsville; one daughter, Tima Franklin, married Mr.
Staples. Two sons, Esau and Powatan Franklin live near
Hillsville, Va.
Sally Worrell married Mr. Paul; kept hotel in Hillsville;
married second time, James Crockett. They had no
children.
CHAPTER VIII
THE CORNETT FAMILY
Up to about the year 1871, the Comett family of
Grayson spelled their name Canute; in all their business
transactions it was written Canute, and some of the older
people still spell it and pronounce it that way. The family
tradition is that they are descended from King Canute of
England. The following is copied from Montgomery's
English history:
Canute (1017-1035) Seveyn the Dane, conquered
England (1013). "All the people,*' says the Chronicle,
*' 'held him for full king.' " He was succeeded by his
son, Canute, (1017). He was from beyond the seas,
but could hardly be called a foreigner, since he spoke a
language and set up a government differing but little
from that of the English.
After his first harsh measures were over, he sought
the friendship of both Church and people. He gave the
coxmtry peace. He rebuked the flattering of courtiers by
showing them that the in-rolling tide is no respecter of per-
sons; he endeavored to rule justly, and his liking for the
monks found expression in his song:
"Merrily sang the Monks of Ely,
As Canute the King was passing by."
CANUTE'S PLAN; THE FOUR EARLDOMS.
Canute's plan was to establish a great Northern empire,
embracing Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and England.
To facilitate the government of so large a realm, he
divided England into four districts: Wessex, Mercia,
Grayson County, Va. 163
East Angelo, and Northumbria, which, with their depend-
encies, embraced the entire country.
Each of these districts was ruled by an Earl invested
with almost royal power. For a time the arrangement
worked well, but eventually discord sprang up between
the rulers. Their individual ambitions and their efforts
to obtain supreme authority imperiled the unity of the
country.
William Canute, Sr., was an early settler on Elk creek,
now Grayson county, Virginia, and is said to be a descend-
ant of King Canute, of England.
He married Jennie Sutherland, a daughter of John
Sutherland, Sr., and wife, Elizabeth Bryan.
In the history of the Bryan family, written by the wife
of William Jennings Bryan, she states, "The great grand-
father of William Jennings Bryan bad a brother, Francis
Bryan, and a sister, Elizabeth Bryan, that moved west
from Eastern Virginia, and the family has lost trace of
them."
In the early settlement of Southwest Virginia, Francis
Bryan and his sister, Elizabeth Bryan, came to Fort
Chiswell and the Lead Mines; from there they crossed
the Iron Moimtain and settled on Elk Creek. Elizabeth
Bryan married John Sutherland, Sr., and brought up a
family of sons and daughters. Francis Bryan married
Phoebe Woodruff, and moved from Elk Creek to Ashe
county. North Carolina.
John Sutherland's family were originally from Scot-
land.
William Canute, Sr., and wife, Jennie Sutherland, had
a large family; all settled on Elk Creek.
Their first son, Col. Eli Canute, married Sena Hale,
daughter of Richard Hale and wife, Elizabeth Stone.
They have two sons: first, Capt. William Comett; sec-
ond, Wiley Winston Comett. They also had six daugh-
164 Pioneer Settlers
ters: Matilda, Elizabeth, Amanda, Elvira, Theresa, and
Jennie.
The second son, Levi Cornect, married Olive Hale,
daughter of Dudley Hale and wife, Mary Burroughs.
They had seven sons: first son, Francis Cornet t, married
first. Miss Austin, of Elk Creek, Virginia; had sons and
daughters; his second marriage was to Miss Jane Dan-
iels, of Elk Creek; they also had sons and daughters.
The second son of Levi Comett and wife, Olive Hale,
George W. Cornett, married first. Miss Herbert; they
had one son, Thomas. He married the second time,
Miss Sarah Gentry, daughter of Col. Allen Gentry and
wife, Rebecca Reeves. Judge Cornett is a lawyer, rep-
resented Grayson county in the Legislature, and was
judge of the county court. He has been a useful and
worthy citizen of Grayson county for many years.
He has four daughters and one son, by his second wife.
His son, Munsey, is a lawyer; married and has children.
First daughter. Myrtle, married Rev. Kelly Boyer, member
of the Western North Carolina Conference.
Second daughter, Rebecca, married first, Mr. — ,
of Richmond, Virginia.
The second time married Frank Sanders, son of John
L. Sanders, Chilhowie, Virginia.
Third daughter, married Prof. Morgan Cheek, Prin-
cipal of Elk Creek High School.
Third son of Levi Cornett, William, first married Callie
Delp; had one daughter, who married a Mr. Copenhaver,
of Smyth county, Virginia. William second time, mar-
ried Miss Fisher Asbury, Wythe county. One son,
Thomas, married Miss Lundy, daughter of Ellis Lundy
and wife, Alice Hale.
Fourth, Zach. M., married Gazilda Cecil, of Pulaski
county, Va. and lives there; has children.
Fifth, Miles Foy, was a noble young man; died single.
Grayson County, Va. 165
Sixth, Lewis K., married Nannie Warrick; he was
representative in Legislature of Virginia from Grayson
county the second time; has two children.
Friel, the youngest son, who lives at the old homestead,
is a worthy citizen; he married Miss Hester Ring; one
son, Romulus Ring; four daughters; first, Isabella, mar-
ried Col. William Mitchell; two daughters; Martha mar-
ried John Cecil, of Pulaski county; moved to Texas;
have children. Nancy married Mr. Steffy, Wythe county,
Virginia.
Second, Nancy, married Lewis Perkins; no children.
Third, Elvira, married James Cornett; live on Elk
Creek; have children.
Fourth, Theresa, married Carson Andis; one daughter,
married Robert Carson; one married Noel Tomlin, Jr.
The third son of William Canute and wife, Jennie
Sutherland, was Francis Cornett, Sr. He married Miss
Catherine Fulton, daughter of Samuel Fulton and wife,
Miss Martha Powell-Jones. (See Fulton and Jones
families.)
There were three sons: First, Samuel Monroe Cornett,
married Jane McCarty, of Elk Creek. Prof. Fielden R.
Cornett married Malissa Copenhaver, of Smyth county,
Virginia.
The third son of Francis Cornett and wife was Peyton
H. Cornett, who married AmeUa Cox, daughter of Enoch
Cox and wife, Susan Thomas, of Bridle Creek, Virginia.
There are also two daughters of Francis Cornett and
wife: the first, Amanda, married Van Buren McCarta;
the second, Martha Powell, died single.
The fourth son. Col. Alexander Cornett married
Jemima Rhudy. Their sons: Friel N., James P., William
J., Stephen H., and Eli C; daughters: Martha, Elizabeth,
Theresa, Charlotte, and Nancy.
166 Pioneer Settlers
William Cornett, Sr., and wife, had three daughters:
First, Charlotte D., married William Rhudy; had a
family of sons and daughters.
Lucy H. married Andrew Porter; they had sons and
daughters; lived on Elk Creek.
The third daughter of William Cornett and wife was
Margaret. She married Rev. Abraham Elliott, a local
Methodist preacher. Mr. Elliott and his wife first set-
tled on Meadow Creek, near Grayson C. H.; afterward
moved to Elk Creek to the Cornett mills; from there to
Independence, Virginia. For some time they kept Hotel
Elliott at Independence. Mr. Elliott was a tinner by
trade; was a useful, industrious, good man; he and his
wife both died and are buried at Independence. They
brought up a family of sons and daughters; all settled
in and around the town of Independence. Their youngest
daughter, Margaret, married William Wright, editor of
the "Grayson Journal." Mr. Wright has been editor
of this paper for over forty years at Independence, Vir-
ginia.
William Cornett, Sr., was an energetic, enterprising
citizen, and brought up and trained his family for useful,
industrious citizens of their country.
Elk Creek is a bold, swift mountain stream, flowing
through a beautiful valley, and emptjdng into New River,
furnishing fine water power.
William Cornett, in the early days, built a mill for
grinding grain, also a saw mill, and a carding machine for
carding wool. These mills were on the banks of Elk
Creek, and were used by the settlers for many miles
around.
CHAPTER IX
THE COX, OSBORNE, PHIPPS, HASH, AND
REEVES FAMILIES
In the time of the early settlement of this country, there
were, of course, few families, and they so inter-married
one into the other that it is hard to write of them separ-
ately, so I will, in this chapter, give these families together.
About the year, 1740, David Cox and John Cox, two
brothers, came from Scotland to Virginia. They both
located in what is now Grayson county, on New River,
about ten miles west of Grayson Old Court House.
John Cox was captain of the Home Guard, or Regu-
lators, during the Revolutionary war. He built a fort
on a ridge at the mouth of Peach Bottom Creek, over-
looking New River; supplies for the Fort were packed
on horses from the Lead Mines in Wythe county.
It is said that there is yet a tree marked at a point
on New River, near the mouth of Meadow Creek, show-
ing the Old Trail from the Fort to the Lead Mines.
This is on the farm of John Austin, who is a descendant
of John Cox. After the Revolutionary war, Capt. John
Cox moved up the river to the mouth of Cranberry Creek,
on the South Fork of New River, opened up a large farm
there, and is buried there in the family graveyard. Most
of his family settled in Ashe county, N. C; he had two
sons, James and Joshua, and five daughters.
David Cox, brother of Captain John Cox, moved his
family and located on the river near where his brother
jfirst settled, near what is now Cox's Ford, ten miles west
of Grayson Old C. H. David Cox's wife was a Miss
McGowan; they had eleven sons and three daughters.
168 Pioneer Settlers
One of these sons, Samuel, known as Sheriff Sam Cox,
married Rebecca Osborne, and reared a large family
on the New River farm. Two of his daughters married
brothers, John Blevins and Samuel Blevins, Three of his
sons married sisters, Alexander married Miss Polly Osbom;
Calloway married Miss Nancy Osborn; Samuel, Jr., mar-
ried Miss Phoeba Osbom, and lives at the old homestead
where Samuel Cox, Sr., lived. They, and their families,
live in the same neighborhood, near the mouth of Little
River; they are true types of their patriotic ancestors.
Another son of David Cox and wife. Miss McGowan,
Joshua Cox, married Miss Ruth Osborne, and settled on
Bridle Creek, in a rich and fertile valley, which industry
and enterprise have developed into fine farming lands.
Joshua Cox was a good citizen, and did much towards
advancing the best interest of his neighborhood. They
reared five sons, John, David, Harden, Samuel, and Isom;
also three daughters, Hannah, Jennie, and Margaret.
John Cox married Miss Nellie Ward ; Esquire David mar-
ried Miss Jane Doughton, and lived on New River;
his daughter, Mary, married Warner Hale. Harden Cox
married Miss Nancy Reeves, a zealous Christian, and
active worker in the Methodist Church.
Harden Cox served his country as a justice of the peace
for many years, and was assessor when Grayson and Car-
roll were all one county; their eldest son fell in the Con-
federate Army, a brave soldier.
Esquire Elbert Sevier Cox lived near the old homestead;
he first married Rebecca Hale, daughter of Mastin Hale
and wife, Susan Perkins, of Elk Creek; his second wife
was Miss Jane Hampton, daughter of Alexander Hamp-
ton and wife, Jestena Fulton, who was daughter of Samuel
Fulton, Sr., and wife, Martha Powell- Jones.
Joshua McGowan Cox and family ived at the old
family residence, near Independence. Enoch Cox, another
Grayson County, Va. 169
brother, married Miss Susan Thomas, an amiable, good
woman; their daughter, Molhe, married Zachariah
Osborne, Jr.
Samuel Cox married Miss Elizabeth Thomas, daughter
of Jonathan Thomas and wife. Patience Bourne; they
lived on Bridle Creek; he and his amiable Christian wife
reared an intelligent and worthy family.
Capt. Meville B. Cox, their son, a prominent citizen,
contributed much for the improvement of society and
his country. His wife was Miss Martha P. Fulton, a
lady of cultivated intellect and refinement. Capt.
M. B. Cox and wife, were both members of the Methodist
Church, South, having been brought up in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord. Their example in the family
circle will live when they are gone from this life. Their
sons and daughters are following the example of their
parents.
Emeline, daughter of Samuel Cox and Elizabeth
Thomas, married Harden Cox, Jr., and lived on Potato
Creek. They were active and exemplary members of the
Methodist Church, built an elegant home, and have done
much for the community and county in which they live.
Their son, Charles, and wife, live with their mother, in
their happy home of beauty and comfort, the fruit of
their labor.
Caroline, another daughter of Samuel Cox and wife,
married Mr. Bridges; they had one daughter. Miss Vir-
ginia Bridges, who married Verda Hampton; they have
one son, Samuel Cox Hampton. Mrs. Hampton died
young, but she had accomplished her work, and died in
the triumph of the Christian's hope; she leaves an influence
that will live while she sleeps. Her mother lives with
Mr. Hampton and his little son, Samuel C, and will
train the little boy for usefulness in this life.
170 Pioneer Settlers
The youngest son of Samuel Cox, and wife,
McGowan, died suddenly at the old homestead when a
young man. His death was a shock to the family, but he
rests in peace. Thomas Cox married Miss Ransom of
Washington county, Va. ; he was sheriff of Grayson county;
he and his wife were Christians, and brought up a nice
family of sons and daughters, who reflect honor on their
parents.
Dr. Everett Cox was a practicing physician; also a
Methodist preacher. He married Miss Scott, daughter
of Rev. Andrew Scott, of Rye Valley, Smyth county, Va.
They have two daughters.
Miss Jinsey Cox, daughter of Samuel Cox and wife,
married Mr. Bartley, of Eastern Virginia; they have one
daughter, Bessie, who married Dr. Halsey, of Wilson.
Margaret married Enoch Reeves, of Grayson; they had
sons and daughters. Ruth married John Calloway and
they lived on New River; had one son.
Isom Cox married Miss Jincy Phipps, daughter of
Joseph Phipps and wife. Miss Nancy McMillan; Mrs.
Cox was an intelligent, energetic lady, and a blessing to
her family. They were among Grayson's best citizens,
and largest farmers. Isom Cox owned the land where
Bridle Creek Academy and Methodist Church are located.
He did much for church and state; was ever ready to
assist in any laudable enterprise for the good of society.
He and his faithful wife were members of the Methodist
Church, South. Their example is a priceless heritage
to their children, and the children have honored their
parents by following their example.
Third daughter, Ruth, married Thomas Worth, son
of David Worth and wife, Elizabeth Thomas.
Third daughter, Bena, married Alexander P. Bryant,
son of Lewis Hale Bryant and wife. Miss Drucy Phipps.
Their two sons, Haywood and Joseph, fell in the Con-
Grayson County, Va. 171
federate Army. Nobler young men and better soldiers
never honored an army or country. Joseph married Miss
Emma Phipps, daughter of Alexander Phipps and wife,
Ludema Thomas; no issue.
There were five daughters of Isom Cox and his wife.
Emeline married William H. Bryant, son of Joseph
Bryant and wife, Sarah Hale. They brought up a nice
family. Nannie married Columbus Phipps, of Bridle
Creek, Va. (See Phipps family.) Elizabeth married
Preston Reeves; lives on New River.
THE OSBORNE FAMILY
Esquire Enoch Osborne settled on New River, near
Bridle Creek; this for many years was known as the
Osborne settlement. Enoch Osborne had three brothers,
Solomon, Ephriam, and Johnathan, who came to this
country with their families about the same time, and
settled on New River, near together.
A fort was built on the farm now occupied by Joshua
Osborne and son, John, at Ancella Post Office. Indian
depredations were common on the border settlements,
and preparations for protection and defence were necessary.
It was fortunate for society that the first settlers were
people of moral worth and piety.
Enoch Osborne's wife was a Miss Hash. He and his
wife were Christians, and aided very much in planting
the standard of Christian civilization over the land that
was so recently inhabited by savages.
Their home was a resting place for the wayworn trav-
eling preachers. The venerable Bishop Asbury called
with them, rested, and took refreshments, as he was
making his ministerial tours through this newly settled
country, preaching the gospel.
It was at the old Fort where Esquire Enoch Osborne, Sr.,
first located a home.
172 Pioneer Settlers
An incident occurred with the Osborne brothers, in
their newly occupied territory, that tells of the dangers
and exposures to which pioneer settlers were subjected.
Enoch Osborne and brothers, Solomon and Ephriam,
went into what is now Watauga, N. C, on a hunting
trip, deer being plentiful in that section. Getting wet by
a shower of rain, and wet bushes, they struck up camp
in the evening, and lay down to sleep and rest, hanging
up their clothes by the camp fire to dry. The Indians
surprised them by shooting into the camp and killing
Solomon Osborne; an Indian chased Enoch some distance,
and lost him in the dark. Ephriam, after fleeing from
camp carefully crept back in the dark to his horse that
was fastened with a hickory bark halter to a tree, loosed
him and rode home. Enoch returned home without shoes,
and in his night clothing. These facts are gathered from
Mrs. Mary McMullen, wife of Hon. Lafayette McMullen,
member of Congress, from Scott county, Va., for several
sessions. Mrs. McMullen, before her marriage, was Miss
Mary Woods, granddaughter of Solomon Osborne, who
was murdered in the camp by the Indians.
Up to the present day, the Osborne family have lived
in Grayson county; some have moved to the West,
while quite a number have remained as worthy, indus-
trious citizens of their native county.
Solomon Osborne, Jr., married Hannah Cox, lived at
the old fort on New River, and on the same farm his
son Joshua now lives; others of this family live in the
same community.
Zachariah Osborne married Miss Jincey Burton, a
lady of deep piety, a faithful wife and affectionate mother.
Zachariah Osborne and wife brought up a large family
on the river near the fort; three daughters, Mary, Nancy,
and Phoebe, married three brothers, Alexander, Galloway,
and Samuel Cox, Jr. Mahala married Joshua Cox;
Grayson County, Va. 173
Biddie married David Cox; one married Daniel Boyer;
Caroline married Johnston Hale. Margaret married
John Phipps, of Saddle Creek.
Their son, Enoch Osborne, married Miss Cox; Allen
married; Floyd married Miss Rosa Hale, daughter of
Warner Hale and wife. Miss Mary Cox; Preston married
Miss Isabelle Cox; Zachariah, Jr., married Miss MoUie
Cox; both the above Isabelle and Mollie were daughters
of Enoch Cox and wife. Miss Susan Thomas.
Floyd Osborne and Preston Osborne both settled on
Meadow Creek, near Old Town, and have brought
up their families there. Emmett P. Osborne, son of
Floyd Osborne, married Miss Mary Williams, daughter
of Hyram Williams and Miss Jane Brown. He lived on
the old Brown farm on Meadow Creek; died at the
Jefferson Hospital, Roanoke, Va., from an operation
for appendicitis; he leaves a wife and six children.
Thomas H. Osborne, youngest son of Floyd Osborne,
lives at the old homestead on Meadow Creek.
John H., another son, lives on Rock Creek, Va.
THE PHIPPS FAMILY
Benjamin Phipps came from Rowan county, N. C;
settled on Bridle Creek; his brother, Isaiah, and the
Hash family, came also about the same time. Benjamin
Phipps married Miss Jane Hash, an excellent, good woman;
she lived to be nearly one hundred years old; lived to
see her children and grandchildren to the fourth gener-
ation.
Their son, Captain Joseph Phipps, married Miss Nancy
McMillan, daughter of John McMillan, a native of
Scotland, and a man of letters. He came to Ashe county
and settled on Elk Creek. He brought his excellent
wife with him from Scotland. He was an extensive
farmer and good citizen, and was first clerk of Ashe
174 Pioneer Setttlers
county. His family had the industry and watchfulness
in business affairs peculiar to their nationality.
Captain Joseph Phipps and wife settled on Saddle
Creek, Va., and he was one of Grayson county's best
farmers, — a man of great energy, and a successful manager
of business. He acquired a handsome amount of property,
and reared a worthy family. He and his excellent wife
went down to their graves, honored, loved and respected.
They had three sons, John, Alexander, and Joseph
Phipps, Jr. John Phipps married Miss Margaret Osborne
and settled on Saddle Creek; they reared a nice family.
Alexander Phipps married Miss Ludema Thomas,
daughter of William Thomas, and settled at the old
Field's place. Bridle Creek; they have two sons, Colum-
bus and Stephen Phipps; they live on Bridle Creek.
Columbus Phipps married Miss Nannie Cox, daughter
of Isom and Jincey Cox. Mr. Phipps has used more
than ordinary energy in all that pertains to temporal,
business and religious duties. His faithful services as
the superintendent of the Sunday School have done much
to advance the number of its members and interest. The
home of Mr. Phipps and excellent family shows what
industry and economy can do. He has a fine farm,
improved stock, and stately dwellings. He and his son
are also doing a good business in the mercantile line,
selling dry goods. His youngest daughter, Rosa, mar-
ried Rev. French Wampler of the Holston Conference,
now at Fountain City, Tennessee.
Stephen Phipps married Miss Mattie McMillan;
has a nice home near the old homestead, and has a nice
family.
Alexander Phipps and wife had three daughters;
first, Rosamond, married Mathew Dickey, Jr.; second,
Martha married Dr. Martin Dickenson; lived at Inde-
pendence, Va.
Grayson County, Va. 176
Emma married Joseph Cox, son of Isom Cox and wife.
He died in the army and his wife died soon after he did;
no issue.
Joseph Phipps, Jr., married Miss Cynthia Bourne,
daughter of Stephen Bourne, of Knob Fork; they had
two sons: Dr. John Phipps, who married Miss Cora Miller,
daughter of Rev. Charles K. Miller and wife, Miss Mattie
Young. They lived at Rural Retreat, Va.
Second son. Con Phipps, lives at the old homestead,
which his father inherited from his father, Captain
Benjamin Phipps, on Saddle Creek.
There were two daughters, first Etta, married Ken
Bryant; lives on Saddle Creek; their daughter married
Dr. Robinson; they live at Woodlawn, Va.; one daughter
married Robert C. Fulton.
One daughter of Joseph Phipps and wife married Mr.
Miller, of Rural Retreat.
Capt. Joseph Phipps had seven daughters. Rena
married Fielding Young; Jincey married Isom Cox;
Emily married Dr. Fleming Thomas; Mazy married
Stephen H. Bryant; Jane married Stephen M. Dickey;
Dnicey married Louis Hale Bryant, and Nancy married
John M. Dickey. This family of Capt. Joseph Phipps
has been a great benefit in the settlement and improve-
ment of Grayson county.
When we look around over this country and see the
highly cultivated and well-stocked farms with splendid
buildings; when we count the prosperous towns and villages,
with their schools and churches and good government,
and then contrast the present conditions with those of
the early days, when there were only a few white settlers
in a wild Indian country, with just a few forts and block
houses for defense, we appreciate all the more the courage
and bravery and industry of our ancestors, and the
176 Pioneer Settlers
heritage of peace and the comforts of life which are
ours as the result of their labors and their economy.
The Reeves family were also pioneer settlers, and as
they are so blended with the Cox, Osborne, Phipps and
Hash families, we will give a short sketch of them in
this chapter.
George Reeves and family came from Drewry's Bluff,
below Richmond, Va., and settled on New River, about
six miles from Independence. He, like all the other
pioneers, used good judgment in selecting the situation
for his home, and lived there until the close of his life,
and his home, like many others has remained in the hands
of his posterity.
The sons of George Reeves, and wife are Jesse, William,
George, and John. Their daughters, Anna, Charity,
Mary, and Susan. Jesse married Miss Terrill, moved up
the river to mouth of Peak Creek; William married Miss
Terrill; George married Miss Jane Osborne, a woman
of high order of talent, kind, industrious, and pious.
He moved up the river, and lived where Esquire Charles
Doughton lived. He was an energetic business man,
and while serving his county as an officer, he was shot
and mortally wounded. He left a widow and seven
children: Jesse, Enoch, George, Mary, Nancy, Rebecca,
and Cynthia.
John Reeves married Miss Phoebe Osborne, of whom
it may be said she was a true type of womanhood in all
that was good and lovely. John Reeves and family
occupied the old homestead; their son, Osborne Reeves,
married Rebecca Osborne, of whom it may be well said
she was truly a helpmeet. Mr. Reeves was an elder in
the Protestant Methodist Church. His son, John Reeves,
Jr., fell in the Confederate army. The testament in his
left vest pocket was cut through with the bullet that
Grayson County, Va. 177
took his life. Osborne Reeves and family moved to
Georgia.
Col. George W. Reeves married Miss Caroline Thomas,
daughter of Esquire Stephen Thomas and wife, Miss
Rebecca Perkins. Col. George W. Reeves lived near
Jefferson, Ashe county, N. C.
Jesse A. Reeves married his cousin, Charity Reeves.
John Reeves, Jr., the youngest son of John Reeves, Sr.,
married Miss Mary Reeves, an amiable lady, and resided
at the old homestead. They had the honor, and pleasing
task of taking care of their parents in the evening of life.
Mr. Reeves died when comparatively a young man.
His body, with his father, John Reeves, Sr., and his sainted
wife and mother, rests in the family graveyard, awaiting
the trumpet to call them in the resurrection morning.
Preston Reeves, son of John, Jr., and widow, Mary
Reeves, married Miss Elizabeth Cox, daughter of Isom
and Jincey Cox of Bridle Creek. Mr. Reeves and wife
by prudence and economy have provided well for the
home comforts of life, following the example of their
noble and praiseworthy ancestors.
The daughters of John Reeves, Sr., were Lucy, who
married Esquire James Gambill; Miss Mahala, who
married Rev. Samuel Plummer; Miss Polly Reeves, who
married Marshall Calloway.
Enoch Reeves, son of George Reeves and wife, Miss
Jane Osborne, was a Primitive Baptist preacher, reared
a nice family; his sister, Nancy Reeves, married Esquire
Harden Cox; another sister, Rebecca Reeves, married
Colonel Allen Gentry. He and his wife were devoted
members of the Methodist Church, South. Their son,
Capt. George W. Gentry, married Miss Caroline Whitman;
their daughter, Cynthia, married Capt. James H. Parks;
another daughter, Sarah, married Judge George W.
Comett, of Elk Creek, Grayson county, Va.; the third
178 Pioneer Settlers
daughter, Martha, married Rev. Joseph B. Doughton;
the fourth. Miss Ellen, married William Hardin. Dr.
L. C. Gentry married Miss May Hamilton; Reed Gentry
married Miss Ludema Thomas, daughter of Dr. Flem-
ing Thomas and wife, Miss Emily Phipps. Reed Gentry
had one daughter. Miss Reed Gentry, who married Judge
James Padgett, of Independence, Va.
The Hash family came from Rowan county, N. C.,
about the same time that Enoch Osborne, Benjamin and
Isaiah Phipps came and settled on New River. Enoch
Osborne married a Miss Hash; Benjamin Phipps married
Miss Jane Hash. (Their decendants are given with the
Osborne and Phipps families.)
There are quite a number of citizens of this Hash
family living in the west end of Grayson county, and
they were men and women of prominence in the early
settlement of the county, but time and space forbid us
tracing this and many other families.
CHAPTER X
The first attorney for the court of Grayson county,
Vh^nia, was Alexander Smyth. I will give a copy from
the first records of the Courts of Grayson.
"Alexander Smith, gent., produced license signed by
Richard Carey, Henry Tazewell and Edmond Winston,
permitting him to practice as an attorney in the inferior
and superior courts within this commonwealth and hav-
ing taken the oath prescribed by law is admitted to
practice in the courts."
Another Copy
"Alexander Smith is appointed Deputy Attorney for
the Commonwealth in this Court which is ordered to be
certified to and it is further ordered that he be allowed
the sum of twenty pounds in the levy the present year as
a compensation for his services for one year from this
time."
A Copy From the Obituary of Mrs. J. M. McTebr.
"Mrs. McTeer was first Miss Frances Stuart Smyth,
daughter of Greneral Alexander Smyth (for whom Smyth
county, Virginia, was named), an officer of the war of
1812 and a member of Congress from 1817 to 1825 and
1827 to 1830. General Smyth was the mover in organizing
the county of Wythe and was the first representative in
the Legislature from Wythe county, Va.
General Smyth was son of Rev. James Smyth, clergy-
man of the Episcopal Church, who was sent by the author-
ities of England to take charge of Botetourt Parish, which
embraced all the country lying west of the Blue Ridge.
180 Pioneer Settlers
Rev. James Smyth's mother was Frances Stuart and
her husband was of the nobility of the house of the Stuarts,
and held quite a large landed estate in the north of Ireland.
General Smyth was bom on the Island of Rathlin twelve
miles from the north coast of Ireland and brought to
this country when only five years of age. Young Smyth,
at the proper age, obtained license to practice law and soon
rose to distinction at the bar. He was located at Fincastle
and attended the courts at Abingdon, Va.
There were no railroads then and traveling was done
on horseback and stage. It was on one of these trips
to attend Court in Abingdon that the young lawyer
stopped at a cabin three miles below Wy theville to warm,
it being a cold and most disagreeable day.
His temporal wants were attended to by the bright,
rosy cheeked, beautiful daughter of the mountaineer with
such queenly grace and modest manner that the young
lawyer was entrapped by her.
After this he made Mr. Pinkley's house a convenient
stopping place and in due course of time the young lawyer,
Smyth, married Miss Nancy Pinkley and their marriage
license was the first to be recorded in Wythe coimty
court, 1791.
General Smyth after his marriage settled on Cripple
Creek, in Wythe county, Va., on the Mountain Park farm,
and his daughter. Miss Frances Stuart Smyth, was bom
there December 2nd, 1806. She was married to Col. James
H. Piper, of Culpeper coimty, Va., the 9th day of Febru-
ary, 1824.
Col. Piper and wife settled on Cripple Creek on a part
of the Mountain Park farm at Speedwell Furnace. He
for years represented his district in the Senate ; also was
a man of sterling worth; did much for the development
of his country, especially Wythe and Grayson counties.
He was a civil engineer, finely educated; was called to
Grayson County, Va. 181
locate roads across our mountains; located the road across
Blue Ridge at Piper's Gap, leading from Grayson C. H.
to Mount Airy, N. C. He was on the location of the
Wytheville and Raliegh turnpike through Wythe
and Grayson, when he was taken sick and died at the
Grayson Sulphur Springs on the 8th day of September,
1854.
On the second day of March, 1857, Mrs. Rper was
married to Rev. John M. McTeer, of the Holston Con-
ference. Mrs. Piper joined the Methodist Church at
Asbury Camp Ground, CrippleCreek,Va., 1840. When she
joined the church she consecrated all to the Lord and for
forty-two years was a devoted, exemplary Christian.
Her house was opened for preaching and in the parlor
at Speedwell regular services were held, until the church
was built on the Ward farm, at Speedwell. Col. Piper
is buried at the Speedwell Church.
There was no issue, but Mrs. McTeer brought up from
childhood, three boys. Piper Catlett, son of Rev. Thos.
K. Catlett, and Canari D., and James Piper McTeer,
sons of Rev. J. M. McTeer. These are sons of McTeer 's
first wife. Miss Kelly. This daughter of General Smyth
did much for the welfare of her country and for the
church in all the adjoining counties.
Gen. Smith had another daughter, Miss Malvina Smith,
who married Mathews. They also settled on the
Moimtain Park farm. Cripple Creek, and raised a large
and very interesting family of sons and daughters, who
did much for Wythe, Smyth and Grayson counties.
One daughter. Miss Nancy Mathews, married Benjamin
Rush Floyd. Another daughter, Miss Dorthula Mathews,
married Dr. James Robertson, of Culpeper county, Va.
They settled at Grayson C.H.and lived there a number
of years. Dr. James E. Robertson was a nephew of
Col. James H. Piper.
182 Pioneer Settlers
One son, Richard Mathews, was an attorney, lived at
Grayson C. H., and practiced law in Grayson; also Carroll
county, after Carroll county was cut off from Grayson.
One son, Alexander Mathews, married Miss Pierce,
of the Lead Mines. He settled on Cripple Creek and
raised and introduced thoroughbred stock cattle into
Southwest Virginia. Did much for Wythe and Grayson
counties in improving the grazing stock of short-horn
cattle.
While General Alexander Smyth lived in Wythe county
he did much for the county of Grayson, aided very much
in establishing in the county her laws and her office
holders in its early formation, and the citizens of Grayson
were devoted to his memory.
Also Col. Samuel McCamant, to whom we refer in these
sketches, was a lawyer and life-long friend of Gen. Smyth.
McCamant did much for Grayson and Wythe coimties.
He lived and died in Grayson, a worthy man.
CHAPTER XI
THE DICKEY FAMILY
Mathew Dickey came over from North Carolina in
the early days, and settled on Peach Bottom Creek, in
what is now Grayson county.
He was one of the magistrates of the first court of
Grayson county, held at the house of William Bourne,
May 21st, 1793 (see copy of court record. He and
William Bourne were both interested in the old Point
Hope Furnace at the falls of Peach Bottom Creek. (See
Bourne history.)
Mathew Dickey lived on the west side of the creek,
and William Bourne on the east side.
Mathew Dickey married Miss Rebecca Wiley, and a
number of his descendants are still living in Grayson
and other portions of the country — useful and prominent
citizens.
His son, James Dickey, Esq., married Elizabeth Bourne,
daughter of Stephen Bourne, son of William Bourne and
wife, Rosamond Jones. (See Bourne family.)
There were eleven children of this family, six sons and
five daughters. William R. married Martha Hale,
daughter of Lewis Hale; their son, James, married Miss
Taylor, of Mt. Airy. N. C, whose first daughter married
Charlie Bourne; second daughter married Thomas
Dobyns.
James' second wife was Miss Vaughn, daughter of Col.
Wiley Vaughn, of Independence, Va. ; no issue. William
Dickey's first daughter, Mary, married John Wiley;
second daughter, Cynthia D., married William Warren;
issue: one daughter, married Rev. Terry Fulton.
184 Pioneer Settlers
Stephen Dickey married Miss Jane Phipps, daughter
of Benjamin Phipps and wife, Nancy McMillan. Stephen
Dickey was a Baptist minister, and a major. He and his
wife were very useful citizens. They built a comfortable
home on Peach Bottom Creek near Independence, Va.,
and reared a family of three sons. Dr. John R. Dickey,
and Dr. James Alexander Dickey, both live in Bristol,
Tenn. They are successful business men and men of
influence, both in church and state.
Friel Dickey, the youngest son of Stephen Dickey,
married Miss Nannie Comett, daughter of Col. Alexander
Cornett and wife, Mina Rhudy. They had two daughters,
Rosa and Eunice. Friel Dickey and his wife lived on
Peach Bottom Creek, near Independence, Virginia. Both
died young.
Matterson Dickey married a Miss Wiley of North
Carolina. They moved to Texas, and some of their
children live in Texas. One daughter married J. Hurst
Dickey of Marion, Va.
Mathew Dickey, Jr., married Miss Rosamond Phipps,
daughter of Alexander Phipps and wife, Lucinda Thomas;
issue: two sons and two daughters. Alexander Phipps
was quite successful in business, but died in Florida while
still a young man. He never married.
John Mc, youngest child, lives at the old homestead
on Peach Bottom Creek. He is a successful farmer and
stock raiser; still single.
The first daughter. Miss Allie, married Mr. W. T.
Berry, of Lynchburg, Va. They live in Lynchburg, and
have one daughter, Rosamond; one son, Steele.
The second daughter, Martha, married Gamett Davis,
only son of Col. Alexander M. Davis and wife, Mary
Dickenson. Gamett Davis inherited his father's home
place in Independence, Va., and lives there. His wife,
Martha, died in 1910, leaving a family of four sons.
Grayson County, Va. (I 185 I -n^-y
John M. Dickey married Nancy Phipps, daughter of *^^^^^^^yL
Joseph Phipps, Sr., and wife, Nancy McMillan; issue: ^ dj-^^J
four daughters. First daughter, Minnie, married Alex- ^n "TT W
ander M. Dickenson, attorney at law at Marion, Va., ' ^
youngest son of John Dickenson and wife, Rosamond .^ *
Hale. Second daughter married Mr. Porterfield, of ^/-"^-'V^ *-^^, ^
Washington county, Va. Third daughter married "'U- Va^Wv
Joseph Delp, of Elk Creek, Va. Fourth daughter married ^2i^ i
Mr. Lincoln, of Marion, Va. y~ ^ { ^-m<^*
Ellis Leftwich Dickey married Miss Dillard, of Eastern i^ \wj^.v«
Virginia; issue: one son, Albert, one daughter. For a *^ ^
number of years, the office of county clerk was held by
the Dickey family, at Independence, Va., and Ellis ^.^ (^ ^^^
Dickey was, for several years, deputy clerk. . -#-*—
Jane, the first daughter of James Dickey and wife, ^i^-^^*^
married Samuel Thompson, of Alleghany county. North pi^ '^* /
Carolina. /)^I^ fi
The second daughter, Cynthia, died single. V- ( /Xs^iM^.v....
Third daughter, Nannie, married Stuart Mathews "Yvw<'*>-'^
from Wythe county, Va. They moved to Texas; issue: j.
two sons. Stuart Mathews was a grandson of General "^v^.-.^P^^mJ
Alexander Smyth. ^
The fourth daughter, Martha, married Lee Fredericking fSA^*"'*'^ '
(a German) and lived at Independence, Va.; issue: two ''^0*,...^%^ *'
sons, one daughter. They afterward moved to Hinton, .-"^-''^^nr i
W. Va.
The fifth daughter, Elizabeth, married Fielden J.
Lundy, son of George Lundy and wife, Miss Thomas; S'fw
issue: two sons, one daughter.
First son, Ellis L. Lundy, man-ied Alice Hale, daughter
of Rev. Wiley D. Hale and wife, Martha Mitchell; issue:
two sons, four daughters. First son of Ellis Lundy,
Clarence, married Maud Sutherland, daughter of Capt.
Wm. M. Sutherland, of Hillsville, Va. ; is a clothing mer-
t/yi^
186 Pioneer Settlers
chant at Mt. Airy, N. C; issue: three children. Second
son, Fielden Hale, married Miss Busic.
Second son of Fielden J. Lundy and wife, Fitzhugh
Lee, married Rosa Busic. They live at the Lundy home-
stead in Independence, Va.
One daughter of Fielden J. Lundy and wife, Leona,
manied Dr. Koontz, a prominent physician. They live
in Independence, Va. Fielden J. Lundy was county
court clerk for nearly forty years. He was faithful and
competent and knew more of the business of the courts
than any other man. He was well known and honored
by all. He lived a Christian life, and died in the triumph
of a Christian faith, and the hope of an eternal life in
heaven. (See Lundy history.)
Mathew Dickey, Sr., and wife, Rebecca Wiley, had a
daughter that married Benjamin Cooley, Esq. Dr. Aras
B. Cox, author of "Footprints on the Sands of Time,"
says, "No modern Tubal Cain could have excelled him
as an artificer in his superior skill in working metals.
He made some of the finest clocks in the United States.
One of these clocks was purchased by John McMillan,
of Alleghany county, N. C, and it not only kept the
usual order of time, but the days of the week and the
month, and the changes of the moon. Esquire Cooley
was a useful and honored citizen, and had an intelligent
and highly respected family."
Benjamin Cooley, Esq,, was among the early settlers
of that part of Grayson that is now Carroll county. He
lived on Coal Creek.
There were but few clocks or time pieces in the country
at that time. The twelve o'clock mark for the sunshine
in the open door on the floor, was the only way many of
the pioneers could tell the time of day. Esq. Cooley
decided that he would go to Salem, N. C, and get the
Moravians to teach him how to make clocks. Upon
Grayson County, Va. 187
arriving there he found that they demanded what he
thought a big price to teach him, and he swore that he
would not pay the price, but would learn to make clocks
by himself.
William Bourne, living on Knob Fork, owned a fine
Grandfather Clock. The works were brass, and in addi-
tion to the time of day, the changes of the moon were
shown. It was the first clock ever brought into Grayson
county. After Mr. Cooley returned from North Carolina,
he went to see Mr. Bourne and asked him if he might take
the pattern of his clock. Mr. Bourne consented, and
Mr. Cooley took the clock to pieces and made patterns
of all the running works. From these patterns he made
clocks and sold them all over the country. The old Bourne
clock is still running, and is owned now by Mrs. Ruth
Nuckolls Johnston, of Cleveland, Tenn.
She is the sixth generation from William Bourne
and Rosamond Jones. Mrs. Johnston has other time-
pieces, but she says the old Grandfather Clock keeps
the best time of them all.
The case of the clock is rosewood veneer, with inlaid
blocks of different kinds of wood, and brass trimmings.
It is an eight-day clock with heavy iron weights, and is
wound up with a key.
Benjamin Cooley and his wife, Jane Dickey, had two
sons; first son, Martin Cooley, married Catherine Currin,
daughter of Maj. George Currin and wife, Martha Swift.
They had two sons; moved to Oregon. Second son,
James Cooley, married Caroline Higgins, daughter of
Thomas Higgins and wife, Mary Edwards. Their first
daughter married Robert Jones, and lives in Galax, Va.
One daughter, Fannie, married Henry C. Nuckolls;
died at Quinton, Oklahoma, 1911.
One son, Frank, single; one son, Rufus, a minister in
188 Pioneer Settlers
the Christian Church; two sons, teachers; one son, George,
teacher and farmer.
Rebecca Cooley married Jesse P. Worrell. They
moved to Texas, and have sons and daughters. Amanda
Cooley married Logan Roberts of Mt. Airy, N. C; died
without issue.
Julia Ann Cooley married Mr. Price; was for a number
of years a teacher; no issue.
Benjamin Cooley had a brother who married Mary
Hanks, and lived on Coal Creek near Benjamin Cooley's.
This brother had a large family of children. One daughter,
Matilda, married John Carico, son of Rev. William
Carico. They established a home near Providence
Camp Ground, and reared a large family of sons and
daughters, who made useful citizens.
One daughter married Peter Beamer; lived near
Fancy Gap, Va. Andrew Cooley, a son.
Harden Cooley, a Methodist minister. Andrew and
Harden lived in Knoxville, Tenn.
James Cooley, son of Andrew Cooley, married Laura
Johnston, daughter of James B. Johnston, of Hillsville,
Virginia.
Benjamin Cooley, Jr., lived and died at the old home.
All of these were useful men, had nice families, most of
them members of the Methodist Church, and died in
the Christian faith, and their posterity show to the
world the benefits accruing from good ancestry and
parental training.
A COPY FROM LINEAGE BOOK
"National Society of the Daughters of the Amer-
ican Revolution
"John Dickey commanded a company of Carolina
Militia at Ramsour's Mills. His widow applied for pen-
Grayson County, Va. 189
sion, 1844, in Rowan county, and it was allowed for 17
months actual service in North Carolina line."
Mathew Dickey, Sr., married Rebecca Wiley, in North
Carolina; moved to Grayson county, Virginia; died in
Grayson county, Virginia. Date on tombstone — "Died
June 15, 1827, age 75 years."
CHAPTER XII
THE GOODYKOONTZ FAMILY
The following is copied from a manual compiled and
pen-written by Jasper Goodykoontz; published by
Jasper Goodykoontz, Atlanta, Indiana, 1908.
Descendants of David Goodykoontz
"Sometime before the Revolutionary War, about
1765, David Goodykoontz (formerly spelled Gutekunst)
and a brother emigrated from Wurtemburg, Germany,
to the United States, settling in the vicinity of Chambers-
burg, Pa. David subsequently removed to Virginia
and settled near the present town of Floyd, which is
the county seat of Floyd county, and his brother went
farther southward, but was never afterward heard from.
David was bom in Germany about 1740, and died near
Floyd, Va., about 1815. About 1768 he married Mar-
garet , who died in March, 1819, and was buried
in the home cemetery four miles from Floyd.
The following are their children: First, Mary M.
Goodykoontz (1769-1860), who married George Phlegar
(1762-1839) about 1789.
Second, Polly Goodykoontz (1771-1867), who married
William Gilham (1775-1831).
Third, George Goodykoontz (April 23, 1773-September
13, 1824), P. O., Floyd, Va., who married Mariam Beaver,
September 4, 1800.
Fourth, Margaret Goodykoontz (January 25, 1775-
September 8, 1851), P. O., Floyd, Va., who married
Abram Phlegar (1776-1865), December 12, 1797.
Grayson County, Va. 191
Fifth, Elizabeth Goodykoontz (1776-October 6, 1858),
P. 0., Floyd, Va. ; never married.
Sixth, Jacob Goodykoontz (1780-1818), who married
Beaver.
Seventh, Eva Goodykoontz, (1786-1867), P. 0.,
Floyd, Va., who never married.
Eighth, Daniel Goodykoontz, (1784-September 16,
1843), P. 0., Anderson, Indiana, who married
Beaver.
Another authority (a great-grandson of David Goody-
koontz), said that David Goodykoontz had nine daughters,
that three of the daughters married Phlegars, and one
married a Mr. Stipes. He also said that the brother
who went southward went to New Orleans, and that
David Goodykoontz is buried at Chambersburg, Pa.,
but his wife, Margaret, is buried at the old Lutheran
Church, near Floyd C. H. There are Goodykoontz's at
Rocky Hollow, S. C.
The three brothers, George, Daniel and Jacob, bought
a large tract of land near Floyd, Va. George's portion
of the tract was one thousand acres.
The Goodykoontz home (five miles from Floyd C. H.,
on the West Fork of Little River) was originally an old
Indian block house, built between 1775 and 1790. The
remodeled house, as it now stands, was built in 1854.
David and Isaac Goodykoontz, sons of George Goody-
koontz and Mariam Beaver, inherited the home place,
and lived there together for sixty-six years. After David's
death (in 1871) Isaac, who was a bachelor, continued to
live at the home place. He afterwards married Mrs.
Amanda Cecil, and lived until 1884. The estate then
passed into the hands of William Goodykoontz, third
son of David, who lived there until about 1900. William
sold the estate and removed to Roanoke, Va., so the
estate has passed out of the hands of the Goodykoontz
192 Pioneer Settlers
family, after having been owned by them for over one
himdred years.
David and Isaac Goodykoontz were equal partners
in business — fanning and buying and selling cattle,
and Isaac was a member of the State Senate of Virginia.
They are both buried in the family burying-ground near
the old home.
David Goodykoontz gave two sons, George and William,
to the Confederate army. Both were desperately wounded,
but recovered and lived many years after the close of
the war, and reared large and useful families.
During the war, the Goodykoontz family suffered much
from the demands of the soldiers, but more from that
imprincipled band that infested all neighborhoods —
the Bushwhackers.
There was a large bam near the house, the first story of
which was of stone. The Bushwhackers burned this bam.
At the time of the burning, there were thirteen horses
in the bam, wagons, farming tools, grain, hay, etc. Every-
thing was lost.
The marauders came another night, and attempted
to rob and bum the dwelling-house. Two or three old
gims had been left in the house, and after a number of
shots had been fired into the house, the family fired
from the inside and wounded one of the men of the party.
After this, they left without doing any further damage.
The children of George Goodykoontz and Mariam
Beaver are as follows: first, Catherine; second, Rebecca;
third, David ; fourth, Archibald ; fifth, Isaac ; sixth, George ;
seventh, Alfred M.; eighth, Rachel; ninth, Nancy; tenth,
Adeline; eleventh, Washington; twelfth, Polly.
Catherine married Moseby Le Seuer; P. 0., Camp
Creek, Va., children: first, Martel, married Sarah Phlegar;
P. 0., Camp Creek, Va.; children: Elbert J. Le Seuer,
Belle Fontaine, South Dakota. Alice Le Seuer married
Grayson County, Va. 193
Mr. Hawety, P. O., Camp Creek, Va. Flora Le Seuer,
married Mr. Van Fleet, Neasho, Mo. Second, James
W., married Nancy C. Yearout, P. 0., Floyd, Va.;
children: first, Ellen (Le Seuer) Turner, River, Va.;
second, Eliza A. (Le Seuer) Sowers, Floyd, Va.; third,
Charles W. Le Seuer, Johnson City, Tenn.; fourth,
John R. Le Seuer, Wallace, Va.; fifth, Catherine C.
(Le Seuer) Shell, Elizabethton, Tenn.; sixth, Jennie V.
(Le Seuer) West, National Soldier's Home, Tenn.;
seventh, Thomas Le Seuer, River, Va.; eighth, Crockett
Le Seuer, Bristol, Tenn.; ninth, Foster Le Seuer,
Bristol, Tenn.; tenth, Lucy C. (Le Seuer) Weaver,
Elizabethton, Tenn.; eleventh, Richard Le Seuer, Bristol,
Tenn.; twelfth, Mary Le Seuer (died in infancy);
thhteenth, Edwin F. Le Seuer (died in infancy).
Rebecca Goodykoontz married James Le Seuer,
P. 0., Alumine, Va.; children: George W., Mary F.
(Le Seuer) Spillsman, Elizabeth, Catharine, and Dollie.
David Goodykoontz (December 8, 1805— March
15, 1871) married Ruth Harter, (November 8, 1830). They
lived at the old Goodykoontz homestead, and their
children are as follows:
First, Henry M.; second, Mary Fletcher; third, Eliza-
beth; fourth, Julia; fifth, George W.; sixth, William;
seventh, Alfred; eighth, Adeline; ninth, Nancy Rosetta;
tenth, Ellen; eleventh, David; twelfth, Millard.
Henry M. Goodykoontz married Amanda Wade,
P. 0., Santoo, Va.; children: First, Winton Goodykoontz,
San Antonio, Texas; second, Lou Ella Goodykoontz,
Sweet Springs, W. Va.; third, Webster Goodykoontz,
Sweet Springs, W. Va.; fourth, Edward Goodykoontz,
Sandy Bluff, W. Va.; fifth, Flora Goodykoontz, Sweet
Springs, W. Va.; sixth, Ida H. (Goodykoontz) Allison,
Allisonia, Va.
194 Pioneer Settlers
Mary Fletcher Goodykoontz married Rev. B. F.
Nuckolls, of Holston Conference, M. E. Church, South
(author of this book), November 6,1865; P. O., Galax,
Va.; children: first, Willie David; second, Rosa Ellen;
third, Ruth Frances; fourth, Isaac Clark. (See Nuckolls
history for further data.) Mary Fletcher Goodykoontz
Nuckolls died at Galax, Va., November 21, 1910. Eliza-
beth Goodykoontz died young of scarlet fever.
Julia Goodykoontz married Rev. B. W. S. Bishop,
of Holston Conference, M. E. Church, South. They
owned a home at Emory, Va.; children: first, Charles
McTyiere Bishop; second, Lucy; third, Mattie; fourth,
David Horace Bishop.
Charles McTyiere Bishop graduated at Emory and
Henry College, joined the Holston Conference, married
Miss Phoebe Eleanor Jones of Asheville, N. C, and
transferred to the Missouri Conference in 1888. In 1911,
he was elected president of the Southwestern University
at Georgetown, Texas., and resides there with his family.
He is an able man and an eloquent preacher; is a member
of the Commission on the Federation of the Methodist
Churches of America.
His children are as follows: First, Phoebe Eleanor;
second, Mary Martha; third, Charles (died young);
fourth, Roseboddie; fifth, Hendrix.
Lucy Bishop died when she was about twenty-two years
old. Mattie Bishop married Mr. John Price, son of
Dr. R. N. Price, of Holston Conference. Mr. Price died
in 1903, leaving three sons, Charles, John, David. The
three sons reside with their mother at Welch, W. Va.
David Horace Bishop was educated at Emory and He' ry
College and Vanderbilt University. He now occupies
the chair of English in the University of Mississippi. He
married Miss Mary Hartwell Somerville, of Oxford,
Mississippi.
Benjamin Floyd Nuckolls and wife, Mary Fletcher (Joodykoontz,
and Eldest Son, William David Nuckolls
Grayson County, Va. 195
Julia Goodykoontz Bishop died at Emory, Va., in
1882. B. W. S. Bishop married the second time, Mrs.
Mary Dickey; no children; Mr. Bishop died at Taze-
well, Va., in 1894; Mrs. Bishop (2) died at Glade Springs,
Virginia, in 1911. George W. Goodykoontz married
Mary Williamson, P. 0., East Radford, Virginia. He
was a soldier in the Confederafe army, and was badly
wounded.
Their children were: First, Nancy; second, William;
thu-d, Alfred; fourth, John; fifth, Ida; sixth, Charles;
seventh, Lena; eighth, Harry. Nancy married; lives
at .
William married Miss Pope of Mason City, Iowa;
one child, Ruth Evelyn. William held responsible
positions as train-despatcher; he was only thirty-five
years of age when he died at Mason City, Iowa. His wife
and child reside there.
Alfred married Miss Sadie Bosang of Pulaski, Va.
They live in East Radford, Va., and have children.
Alfred holds a responsible position with the N. & W. R. R.
John married Miss Williams, of Roanoke,Va. They live
in Roanoke and have children. John is one of the Division
Superintendents of the N. & W. R. R.
Ida married Charies Caldwell, of East Radford, Va.
They live in East Radford and have children.
Charles married Miss Rhea, of Bristol, Tenn. They
live in Bluefield, W. Va.; have one child. Charles is a
druggist.
Lena married. They live in East Radford, Va., and
have children. .• u ^.v,
Harry (single) is in the drug business with his brother,
Charles, in Bluefield.
William (1862-1910) was a Confederate soldier. He
was badly wounded, and carried a minnie ball in his
arm till the day of his death. He married Lucy Wool-
196 Pioneer Settlers
wine. They lived at the old Goodykoontz homestead
until about 1900, when they sold it and moved to Roanoke,
Va. They have seven children: first, Horace Wells;
second, Arthur Emmett; third, Oscar Wilmer; fourth,
Oakey B.; fifth, Robert S.; sixth, a daughter, Willie C;
seventh, a daughter, Lake E., married Mr. Samuel
Fishbume Woody.
Horace Wells married Miss Hooper, of New Orleans,
Louisiana; he is a successful lawyer, and lives in Wil-
liamson, West Virginia. Arthur Emmett, single, lives
with his mother on the home place. Oscar Wilmer is
married and lives in Chicago. They have children.
Oakey B. is married; lives in Roanoke, Virginia. Robert
L, single, lives in Roanoke, Virginia.
Willie C, single; lives at the home place with her
mother. Lake E. married Mr. Samuel Fishbume Woody,
and lives in Roanoke, Virginia. William Goodykoontz
died in 1910, at his home near Roanoke, Virginia.
Alfred (1844-1872) married Ellen Cecil in 1870; one
son, John, bom April, 1871, died in 1897; never married.
David (3), son of David (2), (1853-1853).
Millard F., bom 1855, married first, Mary Howery,
second, Lizzie McCauley; P. 0., Graham, Va.; children:
Julia May, married J. D. Williams, P. 0., Roanoke, Va.;
Mattie Myrtle, married W. D. Bower, P. 0., Camp Creek,
Va.; Minnie Ruth, married M. L. Snead, P. O., Carloover,
Bath county, Va.; Glen P., P. 0., 1016 Kmdle Avenue,
Portsmouth, 0.; Second marriage children: Clarence
F., Robert E., Harry L., Roy F., Nannie A., William D.,
Bernard Ellis.
Elizabeth Goodykoontz (1834-1842), Adeline J. (1846-
1855). Nancy Rosetta (1851-1856).
Ellen Goodykoontz, youngest daughter, married S.
Zechariah Cecil. They live near Newbem, Va., and have
five children : Samuel, Linnie, Ruth, Mary, Estell. Samuel
Grayson County, Va. 197
is married and lives in Newbern, Va.; has children.
Linnie, single, lives at home. Ruth married Isaac Walton
McClure; they live in Texas, and have three sons and four
daughters. Mary married Mr. E. H. Southern; they have
two children; live in Pulaski, Va. Estell, single.
Washington Goodykoontz (1882-1895), P. 0., Floyd,
Va. ; was never married; was in Confederate army.
George Goodykoontz (2), (January 30, 1812-April,
1888) married Sarah Williamson., P. O., Caledonia, Mo.
His children: Redmond, Letitia, Clark, Mary (January
9, 1855) married Mr. Bland, P. O., St. Louis, Mo. Thomas
(18 ), P. 0., Caledonia, Mo.
Rev. Alfred M. Goodykoontz was a member of Holston
Conference (November 3, 1813-November 15, 1857).
He married Mary A. Kirkpatrick, October 8, 1846,
P. 0., Ross, Tenn. He died in Abingdon, Va., while
preaching the gospel. One daughter, Margaret Emma,
(single) P. 0., Prosise, Tenn. One son, George E.
(April 7, 1854), married Sarah J. Loving, March 26,
1878, P. 0., Prosise, Tenn. Children: Minnie Andrews,
Charles Franklin, Edgar Marion, William Loving, Thomas
K. Beaver, James Richard, Joseph Wiley, Mary Margaret
(October 14, 1894.)
Rachel Goodykoontz (October 14, 1815) was drowned
June 17, 1818.
Nancy (July 27, 1817-September 9, 1842) married
Pascal Baber who died September 23,1842; first daughter,
Arabella Baber (October 27, 1837-March 20, 1883.),
married William Hall, August 9, 1870; children: Washing-
ton C. Hall, October 3, 1872; Mae Adda (January 3, 1874),
married Crockett Le Seuer, Bristol, Tenn.; Nannie
Luther (September 26, 1876-March 10, 1883), William
Rush Hall (March 8, 1878-July 23, 1905).
One son, John W. Baber (April 5, 1840-August 6,
1861), was in Confederate army.
198 Pioneer Settlers
Second daughter, Clementine Baber (July 15, 1842),
P. O., Floyd, Va.; never married.
Adeline Goodykoontz (December 24, 1820) married
Johnathan Hall; no children, Riner, Va.
Polly Goodykoontz (March 13, 1824), died when a
little girl.
GOODYKOONTZ— PHLEGAR FAMILY
Two of the daughters of David Goodykoontz, Sr.,
married Phlegars.
Mary M. Goodykoontz (1769-1832) married in 1789,
George Phlegar (1762-1834). Their son, Benjamin
Phlegar, married first, Mary , second, Sarah
. They lived at Floyd, Va., and had a large
family. Their son, George, was a Confederate soldier,
and was killed in the battle of Gettysburg; Andrew was
a bachelor; Ellen married David Willis, Floyd, Va.;
Mary married Judge Merritt; Adeline, maid; Thomas,
bachelor; Abram, bachelor; Henrietta married Rev.
George W. Summers, of Holston Conference; John N.;
Nancy married Mr. Smith; Lillie, maid; Dora married
Mr. Irving Rooney, New York; Estella married Dr.
Smith, Radford, Va.; Benjamin; Jesse M.; WiUiam
married Miss Smith; Mattie married Mr. Brown.
Rev. G. W. Summers and wife, Henrietta Phlegar,
had six daughters: first, Pearl, married Mr. Thompson
Asbury; they live in Glade Spring, Va.; no children.
Second, Bane, married Mr. Paul Dulaney of Bristol, Tenn.;
they live in Washington City; have two children, Ben-
jamin Bane and Paul Summers. Third, Mary, married
Mr. George Penn, Jr., of Abingdon, Virginia. They live
in Abingdon; have one daughter. Fourth, Dora, single,
Washington, D. C. Fifth, Lois, single, Bristol, Ten-
nessee. Sixth, Bessie, single, Bristol, Tennessee.
Grayson County, Va. 199
Mrs. Henrietta Summers died while the family lived
in Cleveland, Tenn., and is buried in the Cleveland
cemetery. Dr. Summers is a professor in Sullins College,
Bristol, Tenn.
Grandchildren of Mary M. Goodykoontz and George
Phlegar:
Elizabeth Phlegar (1790-1850) never married.
Lydia (1792-18) married.
Joseph (1794-18,) married.
Great grandchildren:
Isaac Phlegar, Calvin, John, Margaret, Eliza, married
Mr. Simmons; Sarah, married Martel Le Seuer; Jacob,
David, and Joseph.
Margaret (1775-1851), third daughter of David Goody-
koontz, married Abram Phlegar, December 12, 1797,
P. 0., Floyd, Va. Their son, Eli Phlegar, was born in
1808; died in 1864; P. 0., Floyd, Va.
Following is a sketch of Eli Phlegar's son, Judge Archer
A. Phlegar:
DEATH COMES TO JUDGE PHLEGAR
Distinguished Jurist Succumbs to Bright 's Disease
After Brief Illness.
Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia, December twenty-second —
Judge Archer A. Phlegar, distinguished Virginia lawyer
and jurist, died at his home here at ten forty-five o'clock
Simday morning. He had been ill but one week, death
resulting from acute Bright's disease, following an attack
of grip.
It was Judge Phlegar's oft-expressed wish that he might
die "in harness," and this wish was virtually fulfilled,
for he had just concluded the argument in an important
civil suit in the corporation court here, when he became
ill and had to hasten to his home.
200 Pioneer Settlers
Judge Phlegar's rather sudden death removes one of
the most distinguished lawyers and jurists, not alone of
his own State, but of the entire South. He was an author-
ity upon all important questions of law, and during
many years of active work he made for himself a repu-
tation which only high merit could possibly have attained.
He was never placed in any position of trust or respon-
sibility during his long career as a lawyer and jurist
that he did not meet the demands of the occasion with
masterly ability, and his success was emphasized by the
extensive clientage which he had represented for so many
years. In recent years he had been at the head of the
law firm of Phlegar, Powell, Price and Shelton, of this
city, which firm had an important clientage extending
over portions of Virginia, Tennessee, and West Virginia,
and embracing clients among important financial and cor-
porate interests in New York City and other financial
and commercial centers.
Judge Phlegar continued in his activities with his
wonted vigor until seized with his fatal illness a week ago,
and up to that time no man in Virginia had been more
zealous in the attention to important duties.
During the last fifteen years, Judge Phlegar had not
only represented various important corporations in the
capacity of legal advisor, but aside from his service in
this capacity to the Norfolk and Western Railway Com-
pany, the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio Railway Com-
pany, and kindred corporations, he had served as receiver
for the Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company, which
has a capital stock of ten million dollars, and after having
by his wise business methods, brought its company out
of a state of financial embarrassment by adding largely
to its earnings, he was made general counsel for the com-
pany. This compliment to his energy and ability had
not been long thrust upon him until he received the
Grayson County, Va. 201
appointment at the hands of Governor Hoge Tyler to a
position on the State Supreme Court bench. He was named
to fill out the unexpired term of the late Judge Riley.
His desire to serve his state was such that he immediately
resigned as general counsel for the Virginia Iron, Coal
and Coke Company, thus surrendering a handsome
income that he might be of direct service to the people
of his State.
Judge Phlegar was a son of Eli and Ann C. Phlegar.
He was bom at Christiansburg, in Montgomery county,
Virginia, February twenty-second, eighteen and forty-five
and was therefore, in his sixty-eighth year. His early
education was received at the Montgomery Male Acad-
emy, at Christiansburg. He later took the course at
Washington and Lee University.
He left the University to enter the Confederate Army.
He served as a soldier in the Fifty-fourth Virginia regi-
ment of which his uncle, Robert C. Trigg, was colonel.
At the close of the civil war he studied law under the late
Judge Waller R. Staples, of Christiansburg. He was
admitted to the bar at Christiansburg in eighteen and
sixty-nine. He rapidly attained to eminence in his pro-
fession. One of the first positions held by him after being
admitted to the bar was that of commonwealth's attorney
for Montgomery county. He served as a member of the
Virginia State Senate in eighteen and eighty-one. He
was again elected to that body in nineteen and three,
and between that year and nineteen and five had a con-
spicuous hand in shaping the legislation necessary to
make the code of Virginia conform to the new State
constitution.
Judge Phlegar was tendered an appointment on the
corporation commission of Virginia by Governor Mon-
tague, but declined this honor.
202 Pioneer Settlers
Judge Phlegar's death is not only a distinct loss to the
profession which he honored through so many years of
successful practice, but to the State and community,
and to the Presbyterian Church, of which he had been
an humble and consecrated member since he was a young
man. He was the teacher of the men's Bible class of this
city, and that class met this Simday afternoon to do
honor to his memory.
He took special pride in Sunday school work, and as
an instructor on Bible topics, was distinguished for his
aptness and ability.
At the time of his death, Judge Phlegar was general
counsel for the Virginia and Southwestern Railway
Company, having succeeded Judge Joseph L. Kelly
in that position upon the promotion of the latter to the
corporation court judgeship in October, nineteen and
ten. He had also served as first vice-president and a
director in the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio Railway
Company, but resigned those positions some time ago.
He was president of the Bank of Christiansburg, a position
which he had held for fifteen years. He was always deeply
concerned in the welfare of Christiansburg and its insti-
tutions, and although long a resident of Bristol he had
never changed his place of legal residence from Christians-
burg, nor had he transferred his church membership
from there.
Judge Phlegar was especially noted for his philan-
thropic work. He was one of the trustees of the Thronwell
orphanage at Clinton, South Carolina, and for years had
contributed to the expense of that institution. It was
a rule of his life to contribute ten per cent of his earnings
to charity, and from year to year he wrote numerous
checks at this season of the year in conformity with his
plan of giving. He had given many thousands of dollars
for charity, and in so doing he was always unpretentious,
Grayson County, Va. 203
preferring that nothing be said concerning his giving.
The poor of this and other communities will miss his
annual contributions to them at this season, as it was his
custom to mail these checks on the first of each year.
Judge Phlegar is survived by his widow, who, prior
to her marriage, was Miss Susan Shanks, of Salem, and
by the following children : David S. Phlegar, of Norfolk,
Virginia; Mrs. E. B. Crosley, Philadelphia; Miss Mary
Phlegar, of Bristol, and Hunter Phlegar, of Christians-
burg.
All members of the family were at his bedside when
the end came, it having become apparent late Saturday
that he had small chance to recover.
The funeral party will leave Bristol for Christiansburg
Monday evening, and the burial will take place there
Tuesday afternoon. The funeral service will be con-
ducted from the Presbyterian church of Christiansburg
at two o'clock Tuesday afternoon, at which time it is
expected that many prominent persons from over the
State will be in attendance. The Bristol bar, of which
Judge Phlegar had been a distinguished member for a
number of years, will be largely represented at the funeral.
Numerous messages were sent from here Sunday to
notify friends and relatives throughout the State of the
death of Judge Phlegar.
The news of the death spread rapidly among the people
in the churches of the city, thousands having assembled
for the worship of the morning service just at the hour
when death had claimed the beloved lawyer and citizen,
whos^e noble Christian life and high ideals had impressed
the people of this community of his great worth. The
funeral party left Bristol this evening and occupied a
private car of the Virginia and Southwestern Railway.
Ofl5cials of the railway and members of the Bristol bar
accompanied the body to Christiansburg.
204 Pioneer Settlers
One daughter of Eli Phlegar, Ellen (born 1848), married
Mr. Johnston; their first daughter, Anna Johnston (born
in 1868), married Mr. Campbell; second daughter, Susan
(1870) married Mr. Price; their sons were Richard, Lennie
Archer P. (1876).
CHAPTER XIII
THE KENNEY FAMILY
William Kenney and wife, Miss Dunn, were early-
settlers in this country. They came from Frederick
county, Va., and settled in the Valley of Crooked Creek,
now Carroll county, Va. His sons were Robert, Hance,
and William. Robert married Miss Mallory; her mother
was Rosa Bourne, daughter of Stephen Bourne. William
manned Fidelia Wells, of Wilson, Va. Their son, John
A. Kenney, still owns part of the old homestead. There
were three daughters: Eliza Kenney married Dr. James
Worrell; Eleanor married Robert N. Anderson, and Jane
married James Early. Amos Ballard, of Grayson Old C.H.,
married Jane Kenney, sister of William Kenney, Sr.
John Early was also an early settler of English ancestry.
He married Miss Rhoda Stevens, of Reed Island, Va.;
lived near what is now Hillsville. Their sons were James,
John, Peter. James married Jane Kenney; Peter married
Jane Worrell ; John married Ann Johnston, sister to Mrs.
Martha Johnston Thornton, wife of William Thornton,
who for many years has kept the hotel, "Texas House,"
Hillsville, Va. Mrs. Rhoda Stevens Early married sec-
ond time. Dr. Straw, of Wythe county, but is buried at
Hillsville, Va.
Dr. Joshua Stoneman, a Quaker from Pennsylvania,
was for a long time the only doctor in this country.
He was a very prominent and useful citizen and had one
son, Mark D. Stoneman. Dr. Stoneman moved to
Illinois. His daughters were well posted in vegetable
medicines, and very useful and attentive in sickness.
206 Pioneer Settlers
One of Dr. Stoneman's daughters, Elizabeth, had her
horse and saddle bags always ready, and travelled all
over this country at night, or in daytime, whenever called.
Another daughter, Mary who married Louis LaRowe,
would go to attend the sick whenever called for.
There are a number of the Stoneman descendants here,
and we find them solid and firm. They are as the name
indicates, "Stone Men."
There are other families worthy a place in history of
this upper New River Valley, but time and space forbid
the record. I hope some one in the future will write up
this country and its people better than I have been able
to do. At any rate the history has been known, and will
continue to be written on memories pages, and is known
and will be known to the great God of the universe, unto
whom we all shall render up the final account, for the
manner and use we have made of the time, opportunities,
and talents given to us.
IV'P'Ji. .'
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