Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Goin' Home

Growing up in the mountains of southwest Virginia, I was forced by my daddy to listen to country music. Well, I suppose he didn’t force me. I could ‘a gone outside to play, but when he was home, I ‘spect I hung out with him a lot. He was gone so much workin’ on the railroad, and when he wasn’t gone workin’ on the railroad, he was gone drinkin’. But when he was around, he listened to country music on the only television station that we could pick up, way out there on 460. Now his music was not like what you see on the Country Music Award Show today. Daddy’s favorite was pure heart-breakin’ back woods mountain music. He would watch the Porter Wagoner Show when Porter had all the bling of a modern day rapper. Standing on the Grand Ole Opry stage, Porter showed off his glitterery wagon-wheel covered jacket and sang along side the big-haired blonde, Dolly Pardon. They sang that ole “cryin’ in yer beer” type music until it would make my tender ears bleed in agony. Whispering Bill Anderson, Little Jimmy Dickens, and the local guy, Cecil Surrett were talented men to my daddy. There was even a band of young fellows that my brother sarcastically referred to as SALVATION. I think that was because they always sang that salvation song and whined the notes right through their nose. My daddy loved those twangy songs.


With all that said, you understand that I have very little use for my dad’s country music. Strangely enough, when I hear those familiar instruments of mountain music, I long to go back. Back to Virginia. Back to a time when I didn’t know anything but that. I am transported to places where people put a smile on my face and warm fuzzies in my heart. I am drawn to the mountains where I was born and raised. Mom always said that I ‘got above my raisin’ and maybe I did in some ways. But I am always proud of where I came from. That is what makes me who I am.


In my continued search for family history, I’m starting another journey tomorrow, back to the mountains. Excitement is building as I anticipate visiting Mom, driving around those winding creek bed roads and meeting more cousins that I never knew before. As we chat about our ancestors and visit even more cemeteries, I feel a closer bond to my parents and grandparents and even the valley underneath East River Mountain where I was born.


I’ll try to post along the way, so watch for more pictures, adventures and family ties, and pray that I find some snake boots somewhere to protect myself from those slithering rattlesnakes as they lay sunnin'. Hopefully they won’t mind if I interrupt their solitude, just for a moment.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

OOPS! Happy Belated Birthday

40 Years Ago
Yesterday
April 27, 1969

Happy Birthday Kurt, my nephew in-law. I think it's been awhile since I received a picture. Smile, Click and send me a new one:)





------------------------------
199 Years Ago Today
April 28, 1810

So many years ago in Rockbridge County, VA, my 1st cousin, 5x removed was born to Jacob and Nancy Ann (Dougherty) Leece. Sallie married Johnny Powers before 1833 and they had twelve children.

  1. Nancy Jane Powers
  2. Elizabeth Powers
  3. Calvin Morgan Powers
  4. Francis Marion Powers
  5. James Harvey Powers
  6. William Patton Powers
  7. Charles Carter Powers
  8. Margaret "Peg" Powers
  9. Thomas Jefferson Powers
  10. Mary Powers
  11. Henry Powers
  12. Louvisa Powers (married John Henry Jessee on my mother's side of the family)

Sunday, April 26, 2009

On This Day in 1893

116 Years Ago Today
April 26, 1893

Perlina Belle Gregory (b. 1871), my 1st cousin, 3x removed, married Thomas L. Shufflebarger in Bland County, VA. Perlina was one of ten children born to Thompson Edward Gregory and Martha J. Steele. Thomas was the son of Newton and Ann Shufflebarger.

Perlina and Thom had six children.

  1. Curtis L. Shufflebarger (known by many as a Tazewell County banker)
  2. Gladys B. Shufflebarger
  3. Clyde W. Shufflebarger
  4. Edith M. Shufflebarger
  5. Forrest Gregory Shufflebarger
  6. Thomas Garnett Shufflebarger

Saturday, April 25, 2009

On This Day in 1869

140 Years Ago Today
April 25, 1869 - James Bourne Yost


James married my 1st cousin, 3x removed, Sarah Elizabeth Gregory. She was a twin and one of twelve children born to Franklin Clemons and Shelma Statira (Shawver) Gregory in Clear Fork, Tazewell County, VA. See March postings for siblings.

--------------------------
Happy Birthday David Ross

Monday, April 20, 2009

On This Day in 1840

169 Years Ago Today
April 20, 1840 - June 5, 1866

My great granduncle, Hugh A. Buckland, was one of eleven children born to Jacob W. and Martha W. "Patsy" (Compton) Buckland.
  1. Nancy J. Buckland
  2. William Jasper Buckland
  3. Hugh A. Buckland
  4. John R. Buckland
  5. Margaret Buckland
  6. Amanda E. Buckland
  7. Jacob Alexander Buckland (my great grandfather)
  8. Egan O. Buckland
  9. Rebeckah Elizabeth Buckland
  10. Leander G. Buckland
  11. Louisa Buckland

    Hugh Buckland married Josephine Harless on October 2, 1861. Uncle Hugh, his wife Josephine and brother Leander died in a house fire 6/5/1866.

    Confederate Civil War records state;
    Hugh enlisted July 2, 1861, Wytheville, Virginia, with Company C, 50th Virginia Regiment as a Private. In May 1863, he got a receipt for clothing while he was in 1st Division Hospital, Camp Winder, Richmond, Virginia. Height 5'8" Age 23 Complexion Fair; Eyes Hazel; Hair dark. On September 27, 1864, he got a receipt for clothing while he was in General Hospital, Montgomery Springs, Virginia. He was given a Parole of Honor, June 22, 1865, Charleston, W.Va. for Confederate veterans wounded in battle.


Friday, April 17, 2009

On This Day in 1810

199 Years Ago Today
April 17, 1810

In Rockbridge County, VA, my 4th great granduncle, William Houston Letcher married Elizabeth Davidson. They lived and reared four (?) children in the Lexington area. William corresponded regularly with his 1st cousin, General Sam Houston, and I am guessing that is for whom one of his sons is named.


  1. Governor John Letcher
  2. Mary B. Letcher
  3. William M. Letcher
  4. Samuel Houston Letcher

William was one of nine children born to John Letcher and Mary Davidson Houston. See post on April 9th for siblings.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

A Teapot for a Tea Party

Tea anyone?

April 15th seems a most appropriate day to share a beautiful Cartwright Bros. treasure. The antique blue and white teapot with it's crazed finish reflects the years of use by Eliza Greever (Gregory) Davidson, my great grandmother 1857-1922. She grew up in Clear Fork, Tazewell County, VA and married Erastus Granger Davidson. I just imagine that she made tea for her family and guests, serving it in this very piece. These things take me back to a time I never knew; does that make sense?
Remember your history class and the famed Boston Tea Party?

On December 16th, 1773 American colonists dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to protest an oppressive tax. This act was one of those leading up to the American Revolution in which many of our ancestors fought.
April 15, 2009
With all respect, please realize that our forefathers gave too much for our freedom for us to roll over, play dead and give it all away without a whimper. Oh you daughters and sons, let your voice be heard today in peaceful objection.

The theme of the tea party today, is “Rally Against Generational Debt”; we are calling for tax reform on all levels of government, and we will especially be protesting locally the stimulus and bailouts at the federal level. Protecting the financial future is the least we can do for future generations?

On This Day in 1929


80 Years Ago Today
April 15, 1929 - April 15, 1929

A baby Gregory was born and died in the arms of parents George William and Roxie Hazel (Stowers) Gregory in Bluefield, WV and buried in Bland County, VA. The poem is from a scrapbook belonging to my grandmother, Mary Jane (Davidson) Buckland. Maybe these words brought comfort to her as her cousin Wm lost his child. You see, she remembered losing her own infant twin daughters some nineteen years earlier. Infant death was so common prior to the 21st century. I suppose that the words of THE LITTLE GRAVE only scratch the surface of the pain they were forced to endured.

You need not dig it very wide,
Nor dig it very deep,
The little grave in which to hide
My baby - gone to sleep.

But dig it where the sun will shine
Upon it all the day,
And birds and blossoms all combine
To drive the gloom away.

Choose some fairspot, where in the spring
The grass will soonest grow;
And where the robins first will sing,
And daisy blossoms blow.

And take some violets from the brook,
And plant them at her head;
Her eyes had just their dewy look -
Our violet is dead.

How slow the days will come and go,
Now baby's gone away;
But God will love her best, I know,
Although I weep to-day.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

On This Day in 1918

Happy 91st Birthday
Uncle Robert
OOps! Happy belated bday. April 4th, not 14th 1918


Back in the day

with mother Mary Jane (Davidson) Buckland
brother LW, Jr. "Buddy"
sister Frankie
Robert

with siblings at a party
Charles Nye
Walter Edward, Sr
Bertha Ward
Larkin Watson, Jr.
Robert Cecil, Sr.



what the boys in the mountains do
Robert kneeling in front
Buddy standing left
Cecil standing back right
the others are family friends

Bertha, Frankie, Robert (in chair), Buddy

Monday, April 13, 2009

Happy Birthday


Peter Charles Muller

Once a year I get the chance
To wish you birthday cheer.
It pleases me no end to say,
I wish you another great year.

So happy birthday to you Peter,
From the bottom of my heart.
And may your good times multiply,
Till they’re flying off the chart!
By Karl Fuchs
-----------------------------


On This Day in 1878
131 Years Ago Today
April 13, 1878 - March 8, 1899

Minnie B. "Ninia" Gregory, my 1st cousin, 3x removed, was one of twelve children born to Franklin Clemons and Shelma Statira (Shawver) Gregory.

  1. John C. Gregory
  2. Louisa Victoria Gregory
  3. Mary Claughton Gregory
  4. William Benton Gregory
  5. James M. Gregory
  6. Charles Edward Gregory
  7. Statiza Virginia Gregory (twin)
  8. Sarah Elizabeth Gregory (twin)
  9. George W. Gregory
  10. Minnie B. "Ninia" Gregory
  11. Baby Gregory
  12. Lewis F. Gregory

Below is part of the obituary for Minnie. An old discolored clipping was discovered in the scrapbook kept by Mary Jane (Davidson) Buckland. Such treasured memories are wonderful resources filling in gaps for dates, names, cemeteries, etc. Sometimes the glued and tattered papers are our only recorded proof.

Hopefully, in a few weeks, I will visit the cemetery in Clearfork where Minnie is buried. The Daniel Gregory Cemetery was visited and copied April 21, 1975 by Betty Hollowell, accompanied by Claire Fox, as told in the book Some Old Cemeteries in Tazewell County. According to the book, the cemetery is "located on Rt. 61, Clear Fork, opposite Chestnut Grove Christian Church at Shawvers Mill. There were some unmarked graves".

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Happy Easter

"He is not here, for He has risen,
just as He said" Matthew 28:6a


What an appropriate day to share this picture of Jesus. It belonged to my precious Grandma Davis, and I am so pleased to have it. Many of our Appalachian ancestors hung similar pictures in their homes displaying a true affection for their Savior; unfortunately, not so much anymore.

On This Day in 1822

187 Years Ago Today
April 12, 1822 - August 29, 1888




My 2nd great grandmother, Nancy Moore Runyan/Runion, was born to Joseph and Nancy (Jacobs) Runyan. She is buried at the Harry Cemetery, Falls Mills, VA along with her husband, James Harrison Tabor whom she married December 2, 1840. I am very thankful to Judy Llamas for identifying this couple from a picture that hung on the wall at the L.W. Buckland, SR house in Falls Mills. Nancy and James had eight children:
  1. Emily Emma Tabor (m. Wm Jasper Buckland)
  2. Sarah Jane Tabor (m. Jacob Alexander Buckland, my g-grandparents)
  3. Samuel G. Tabor
  4. George C. Tabor
  5. William B. Tabor
  6. Joseph Wade Tabor
  7. James Robert Tabor
  8. Meldora Tabor

--------------------------------------
131 Years Ago Today
April 12, 1878

My grand aunt, Cora Belle Buckland, was one of six children born to Jacob Alexander and Sarah Jane (Tabor) Buckland in Falls Mills, VA. See posts in January for siblings. Cora Belle married A.D. Fields and had one child that I know of, Nora Georgie Fields. If you know of more, please email sherrykelly@comcast.net

Friday, April 10, 2009

On This Day in 1909

100 Years Ago Today
April 10, 1909

Anna May Nash, my 3rd cousin, 1x removed, was one of four children born in Tazewell County, VA to Thomas Edward and Ora Lee (Neel) Nash.

  1. Claude Witten Nash
  2. Nancy Ernestine Nash
  3. Anna May Nash
  4. Thomas Edward Nash, Jr.

Anna was the 4th great granddaughter of James Moore of the Abbs Valley Indian Massacre. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~varussel/indian/61.html


James Moore - Shawnee Indian Massacre - Abbs Valley, VA

Thursday, April 9, 2009

On this Day in 1781

228 Years Ago Today
April 9, 1781 - July 20, 1863

My 4th great granduncle, William Houston Letcher was one of nine children born to John and Mary Davidson (Houston) Letcher.

  1. Hannah Letcher (my 4th great grandmother)
  2. James Letcher
  3. Stephen Giles Letcher
  4. William Houston Letcher (1st cousin to Gen. Sam Houston)
  5. Captain John Letcher, Jr.
  6. Isaac Anderson Letcher
  7. Mary Polly Letcher
  8. Sarah Sallie Letcher
  9. Ann Letcher

William married Elizabeth Davidson on April 17, 1781 in Rockbridge County, VA. They had four children.

  1. Governor John Letcher
  2. Mary B. Letcher
  3. William M. Letcher
  4. Samuel Houston Letcher

William was 1st cousin to General Sam Houston.

According to http://www.raabcollection.com/manuscript/Sam-Houston-Autograph-1234.aspx Sam Houston Autograph Letter Signed, 3 pages, Washington, April 8, 1824, to his cousin William Houston Letcher, assessing the prospects for the election, and accurately predicting that either Jackson or John Quincy Adams would emerge victorious.




...You are excusable for not answering my letter sooner but I certainly did expect an answer before this time. I am very happy to hear of the welfare of cousin Betsy and the little ones, and have a request that you will give my love to her, with all my relations. You wish to learn who will be the next President. On this subject, we can only speak from conjecture. My own opinion is that General Jackson will be the man!?If not him, Mr. Adams. Mr. Crawford is surely down! You say my horse is doing well. I wish you would see Mr. West and if he will give $150 let him have him, as my intention at this time is to go north and return by the Canada Lakes to the west. My wound is worse than it has been for eight years and on that account I wish to travel north. The moment you get this letter, I wish you would see Mr. West, for if he does not want him (my horse), I will send him to Tennessee in the course of a few days by a friend on his way to Nashville. My horse cost me two hundred & thrity dollars, and I will not lose more than $80 on him. He is a most excellent animal.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

After all the rain...

It has rained catz and dogz this week in Florida. Now I know we needed the water desperately, so I have tried to remain patient; but it is ever so difficult when dark clouds and gloomy days never seem to let go. Sophie and I sit in the office; I in my chair and Sophie at her post by the window. Ever diligent at her duties to watch for squirrels, our spoiled-rotten dog stays right by my side while I dig for more ancestors. And dig I do. When I start burrowing in my messy nest and the computer captures my days, I am transported to another time. Discovering relatives who served in the Civil or Revolutionary Wars, I try to imagine how their life must have been, living among fierce Indians and fighting for their lives and those of their chidren.
Nevertheless, reality slips back in as the sun shines brightly on the pond, and I am certain of how truly blessed I am. The Sunshine State legitimizes it's name by giving me a view that is nothing short of spectacular. The trees, the water, the Canadian geese, wood ducks, red headed woodpeckers, squirrels, foxes, even coyote....all here for me to enjoy.


This is my day, filled with wonder and adventure, right from the vantage point of my computer. Thank you Lord, I am indeed grateful for the blessings and ...the sunshining once again.



Friday, April 3, 2009

On This Day in 1828

181 Years Ago Today
April 3, 1828 - July 20, 1880

Mary Clay Gregory, my 3rd cousin 4x removed, was one of fifteen children born in Pittsylvania County, VA to John Keatts and Elizabeth Holland (Corder) Gregory.


  1. Daniel Parham Gregory
  2. Lewis Corder Gregory
  3. William Lowery Gregory
  4. Perlina Ledford Gregory
  5. John Henry Gregory
  6. Permelia Clement Gregory
  7. Martha Tucker Gregory
  8. Mary Clay Gregory
  9. Richard Shadrack Gregory
  10. Nancy Reeves Gregory
  11. Elizabeth Holland Gregory
  12. Franklin Clemons Gregory
  13. James Madison Gregory
  14. Thompson Edward Gregory
  15. Doctor Clauton Gregory

Mary Clay married John Drew Peery on July 29, 1894 in Tazewell County, VA and they had seven children. The couple is buried in the Whitley-Peery Cemetery on Riverside Drive in N. Tazewell, VA.


  1. David Preston Peery
  2. Charles Henry Peery
  3. George Peery
  4. Ella Martelia Peery
  5. Mary Elizabeth Peery
  6. Louisa Alice Peery
  7. Mary Elizabeth "Molly" Peery

----------------------------------------------------
115 Years Ago Today
April 3, 1894 - September 23, 1894

Adam Stephen Tabor, my 2nd cousin, 2x removed, was born to Henry J. and Mary Arminta (Wagner) Tabor.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

The Story Tellers


We are the chosen. My feelings are, in each family, there is one who seems called to find the ancestors. To put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that somehow they know and approve. To me, doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts but, instead, breathing life into all those who have gone before. We are the storytellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called, as it were, by our genes. Those who have gone before cry out to us: Tell our story. So, we do.

In finding them, we somehow find ourselves.
How many graves have I stood before now and cried? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors, you have a wonderful family, you would be proud of us? How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there for me? I cannot say.

It goes beyond documenting facts. It goes to whom I am and why do I do the things I do? It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference and saying, I can't let this happen. The bones here are bones of my bone and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing something about it.

It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in or giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family.

It goes to deep pride that they fought to make and keep us a Nation. It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us, that we might be born who we are, that we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are they and they are us. So, as a scribe called, I tell a story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take their place in the long line of family storytellers.

That is why I do my family genealogy, and that is what calls those young and old to step up and put flesh on the bones. (Author Unknown but shared by a relative and fellow family history lover).

--------------------------
82 Years Ago Today
April 2, 1927
Otha C. Gregory, my 2nd cousin, 2x removed, married Gertrude Fox. Otha was one of six children born to John Barnes and Louise (Stowers)Gregory.
  1. Aubrey Barnes Gregory
  2. John Gregory
  3. Truby Roscoe Gregory
  4. Woodrow Gregory
  5. Frances Gregory
  6. Otha C. Gregory

John Barnes Gregory, Richard Shadrack Gregory, John Keatts Gregory, William Gregory, John Gregory, Thomas Gregory III, Thomas Gregory II, Thomas Gregory (England), Richard Gregory (England)