History of the Great Kanawha Valley, Vol II, Page 49-50 Joseph E. George, representative of a pioneer family of Mason county, W. Va., was born in Arbuckle district of that county, July 14, 1822. His paternal grandfather was Joseph George, born in Fauquier county, of Scotch descent. He married Lydia Shumate of the same county and lineage, the union resulting in the following children: William, Cumberland, Joseph, Whitson, Sallie and Ann. William George, the father of our subject, was born in March, 1789. He was a soldier of 1812 and immediately after the close of that war, in 1815, was united in marriage with Nancy Eastham, who was born in 1793. The marriage gave birth to the following children: Elizabeth, Andrew F. (deceased), Joseph E., Margaret E., Lewis (deceased), Lucy E., Nancy C., Lydia S. (deceased), Sallie B. (deceased), and Catherine S. The father, mother and the two eldest children removed into the Kanawba valley in 1820 and located in what is now Arbuckle district, just below Five Mile creek. There the parents lived until their deaths, that of the father occurring in 1871 and the mother in 1879. He was a minister of the gospel of the Missionary Baptist faith and was the first of that belief to settle in what is now Mason county. Through his ministry and individual efforts he was instrumental in founding the first Baptist church in which the first organized Baptist society in the county worshipped. This noteworthy event was consummated in 1821, the association being significantly named Teay's Valley, and still maintains an existence. Mr. George was their first pastor and preached for them during the course of many arduous and eventful years. He was also the founder and first pastor of the "Concord" Baptist church, and of another congregation in Arbuckle district, which still continues as a reminder of his many valuable deeds in the cause of religion. His oldest son, Andrew F. George, was a gallant confederate soldier during the war and lived in Mason county until 1884, when his death occurred. Joseph E. George, the only living son of the old pioneer minister and settler of Mason county, now owns and occupies the homestead of his parents and is one of the foremost farmers of the county. In 1868 he was married to Miss Sallie A. Henderson who was born in Mason county, November 7, 1828. Mr. George and wife rank among the leading families of their community and are highly respected by a wide circle of acquaintances.