A grandfather Thomas Sherman Jessee was born about 1870 in Carterton, Russell County Virginia. His wife was Mary Quillen Dickenson. Their burial is in the Temple Hill Cemetery-nr. Castlewood, Russell County, Virginia. We've attended Jessee Family Reunions in Russell County and contacted numerous persons and societies without success. Any assistance will be appreciated. George Scarborough and Mary Jane Jessee Scarborough

I have been researching my Aaron Shell family who married Rhoda Ann Musick in Russell co, Va. and found that hisson Isaac had a son named Joseph Franklin Shell who married a Martha Adalis Jessee Mar 1 1882 in Russell co va She was the daughter of Thomas Jefferson Jessee and Sarah Browning. It looks as though they and their children migrated to KY. This probably doesn't help. There were, according to the census records of that county, many Jessee families there during that time in Va. If I can help further let me know Margaret Long Mabrey [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: George Scarborough <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Thursday, January 18, 2001 10:08 AM Subject: Thomas Sherman Jessee >A grandfather Thomas Sherman Jessee was born about 1870 in Carterton, >Russell >County Virginia. His wife was Mary Quillen Dickenson. Their burial is >in the Temple Hill Cemetery-nr. Castlewood, Russell County, Virginia. >We've attended Jessee Family Reunions in Russell County and >contacted numerous persons and societies without success. Any >assistance will be appreciated. George Scarborough and Mary Jane >Jessee Scarborough > > >==== SW_VA Mailing List ==== >#5 It is YOUR responsibility to know how to SUBSCRIBE & UNSUBSCRIBE. It is done >by computer. Put the word SUBSCRIBE in the body of the message with nothing >else. The address is [email protected] . or -d- for DIGEST mode. >All this is in the Welcome statement I ask you to save. -sysop > >============================== >Create a FREE family website at MyFamily.com! >http://www.myfamily.com/banner.asp?ID=RWLIST2 >

Hi Guys! I am NOT researching these surnames. However, Rasnick/nake is considered a common Melungeon surname. The Melungeons are very hard to find anything on and I have seen records of Vance marriages amongst them. It might be of import to know that your family was of Melungeon descent since SOME descendants MAY have some illnesses that are considered 'rare,' in the United States. You can read a little more abt these illnesses on my medical website noted below. There is also a connection on this page to an overview of just what a Melungeon is. I can send you more information if you'd like. This is FREE and via e-mail. Please e-mail me directly at [email protected] (note that there is NO 's' in this address) so we don't tie up the list. NancyS THE MELUNGEON HEALTH EDUCATION AND SUPPORT NETWORK: http://www.melungeonhealth.org Sparks Genealogy: http://SparksGenealogy.net Searching SPARKS, HAGER, JAYNE, RAMEY/REMY, COLLINS, MUSICK, WALKER, PORTER MAYO, CAREY/CARY NAPIER,QUEEN, PERDUE, KELLEY, LETT, BELCHER

I would like to thank Mary Lou for posting this and sending the file to me. These Canter boys seem to be my Blacksheep, and now I know one reason I have had such a brickwall on tracing some of my Canter names! The brickwalls want come down if all is not exposed. One should never start genealogy research if they fear they will find bad. I am proud of my Canter name and find them to be here since mid 1600 and they have fought in every war from then until now. Two blacksheep out of all those is not bad, but I bet as I continue on there may be more. Sure makes for an interesting family history. Strange to meet Mary in my search, her searching for Maude Wilson, the victim, and me searching for the ones who committed the crime. These list sure work and I thank all who have helped me with lookups.

Mary should send the court records to the Wallace Tradgedy Story. There are a lot of names on the records and it may have a name of someone's relative. I don't have enough computer sense to send the file, but I know she can as she was geneorus enough to send to me.

1 June 1916, Washington Co VA: At a Circuit Court continued and held for Wash.Co. at the Court House thereof on Thursday the 1st day of June, 1916, the Honorable Preston W. Campbell, Judge, Presiding. On motion of J. W. Kestner it is ordered that he be and he is hereby assigned as guardian of GEORGE KESTNER and HOWARD KESTNER, infant children of J. W. and MATTIE KESTNER, and under the ages of 14 years. Thereupon the said J. W. KESTNER, who took the oath of a guardian prescribed by law, and together with United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, by H. E. POTTS and H. E. WIDENER, its attorneys in fact, his security, entered into and acknowledged a bond as such guardian of said GEORGE KESTNER and HOWARD KESTNER, infants as aforesaid, in the penalty of Five Hundred Dollars, ($500.00) conditioned according to law. On motion of W. J. GOFF, it is ordered that he be and he is hereby assigned as guardian of HOWARD GOFF, IDA GOFF, FRANCES GOFF and MARY GOFF, infant children of W. J. GOFF and WILLIE GOFF, and under the ages of 14 years. Thereupon the said W. J. GOFF, who took the oath of a guardian prescribed by law, and together with United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, by H. E.POTTS and H. E. WIDENER, its attorneys in fact, his security, entered into and acknowledged a bond as such guardian of said HOWARD GOFF, IDA GOFF, FRANCES GOFF and MARY GOFF, infants as aforesaid, in the penalty of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) conditioned according to law. J. E. LEGARD, who was on the 23d day of April, 1904, appointed by and qualified before the Circuit Court for Washington County as guardian for ROBERT ROLAND WRIGHT and CHARLES CLAYTON WRIGHT, infant children of J. M. WRIGHT, deceased, and under the ages of 14 years and executing bond as such guardian in the penalty of Eight Thousand Dollars, conditioned according to law with JOHN WRIGHT and C. K. WRIGHT as his securities; this day appeared in open Court pursuant to a rule issued against him and moved the Court to permit him to execute a new bond as such guardian relieving said JOHN WRIGHT and C. K. WRIGHT as his said securities on said bond from this date, which motion the Court grants. Thereupon the said J. E. LEGARD together with United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company, by H. E. POTTS and E. W. POTTS, its attys-in-fact, entered into and acknowledged a bond as such guardian of said ROBERT ROLAND WRIGHT and CHARLES CLAYTON WRIGHT, infants as aforesaid, in the penalty of Eight Thousand Dollars ($8,000.00), conditioned according to law. The Commonwealth vs FELIX SHAW, CASSIE SHAW, LEE SHAW, and CHARLES SHAW, Defendants: Indictment for Malicious burning a Stable. This day came as well the attorneys for the Commonwealth as the Attorneys for the prisoners, and the prisoners FELIX SHAW, CASSIE SHAW, LEE SHAW and CHARLIE SHAW, who stand jointly indicted for Malicious Burning a Stable, appeared in Court in obedience to their recognizance, and on motion of the attorney for the Commonwealth said prisoners were arraigned and upon their arraignment pleased not guilty and put themselves upon the country and the attorney for the Commonwealth did likewise; and thereupon the Sheriff of this county made return of the writ of venire facias issued by the Clerk of this Court for the trial of this case which showed that 16 persons had been summoned under said writ taken from a list drawn by the Clerk of this Court according to law, and said 16 persons were called and all appeared in open Court and were sworn and examined according to law and all were found to be free from exceptions and qualified in all respects to serve as jurors for the trial of this case and thereupon the said prisoners by their attorneys struck off 4 persons from said panel and the remaining 12 were selected to constitute the jury for their trial, to-wit: Geo.d W. Gobble, J. B. McReynolds, F. G. Clements, M. D. Goodson, Jr., Geo. H. Dishner, J. D. Litz, J. F. Mast, J. R. Hendricks, Jacob Lowe, Joseph Rhea, T. L. Keller and S. P. Legard, who were selected according to law and summoned under the writ of venire facias aforesaid and were further sworn the truth of and upon the premises to speak and having partly heard the evidence; but the trial of this case running to such a length that it could not be concluded on this day the jurors aforesaid were adjourned until tomorrow morning at nin o'clock. s/Preston W. Campbell

Volks, I received the following from Mary Lou, a member. She ask that I read it and determine if it was appropriate to post. It is a sad story of life that we are all too familiar with. I find it relevent to the List purpose as we deal with SW VA history because genealogy is family history. No one should take offence, the actions of others are no reflection on us. We all have the skeltons and black sheep. I have mine. It is a story of violence against a women so IF YOU ARE VERY SENSATIVE you may choose to not read it. The story is 85 years old and a story like such more recent would not be appropriate. -eddie CANTER Ref: The Bristol Herald Courier, Sunday, 25 Apr 1915 YOUNG MARRIED WOMAN OUTRAGED AND BRUTALLY MURDERED NEAR BRISTOL. Body of Mrs. Maud Wilson found Tied on Floor of Home. Shot with Shotgun under the Left Arm Stabbed Over Right Breast with Knife – Perpetrator of Double Crime Still at Large. Gagged, bound to a bed post and lying in a pool of her own blood, the body of Mrs. Maud Wilson, 22 years of age, was found by her father-in-law, Edward Wilson, at 5 o’clock p.m. yesterday in the bedroom of her home, three miles northeast of Bristol. On the Wallace pike. She had been shot under the left arm with a shotgun and had been stabbed over the right breast, after having been outraged, according to evidence of the crime. She had been dead from 18 to 24 hours. His double crime accomplished, her murderer escaped, and until an early hour this morning was still at large. The crimes are supposed to have been accomplished between the hours of 2 and 4 o’clock p.m. Friday. James Rufus Wilson, the husband of the dead woman, and her half-brother Gilbert Ingall, left the house at 2 o’clock Friday to break up some new land rented by Wilson on Smith’s creek, near his father’s home, 12 miles distant, and were not expected in return until Friday. Mrs. Wilson was supposed, on account of her fear of remaining alone at night, to go at 4 o’clock to the home of Mr. And Mrs. George Owen, neighbors, to spend the night, as was her custom. Not being accustomed to receiving notice of Mrs. Wilson’s coming to spend the night with them, the Owens did not, of course, feel any alarm at her absence. Body Found On his way with a friend, Turl Dickson, to Wallace, where he intended to attend a meeting of the IOOF today, Edward Wilson arrived at his son’s farm, rented of D. M. Kingsolver, of this city, a few minutes before 5 o’clock. Finding the barn and crib unlocked, the two men put up and fed their horses, before visiting the house. Wilson hallowed a greeting on approaching the house, but received no answer and he thought that his daughter-in-law had stepped out for a few minutes at a neighbor’s. Finding the kitchen door unlocked, he opened it and called her name and again upon receiving no reply, he wrote a note and tacked it over the door saying that he had gone to Wallace and would be back Sunday afternoon. With his friend Dickson, Wilson walked around the house, intending to walk to Wallace, when he saw that the windows and front door were open. Yielding to a sudden impulse, Wilson entered the dwelling and in the bed room to the right, he saw the body lying on the floor. The body lay on its right side, the left leg thrown over the right. The skirt had been torn off and was thrown across the woman’s breast. As Wilson approached closer he saw that both arms were tied before the body with strips of cloth and bound to the bed post. The head, turned toward the bed, was wrapped in a red waist, and the mouth was gagged with a red bandana handkerchief. Lifting the skirt from the body he saw the gaping hole under the left arm made by the shotgun and the wound of a knife over the right breast. The face was bloody and the body held in the cold rigidity of death, lay in a pool of blood. Authorities Notified. Horrified, Wilson hurried to the home of Dr. W. H. Teeter, a half mile away, to a telephone to notify Sheriff J. A. Miller, of Washington county, and the Bristol, Virginia, police. Chief of Police S. D. Keller, Policeman J. C. DeArmond and City Sergeant H. L. Baker left here at 7 o’clock. At the Wilson home everything was found as the elder Wilson had found them. While ‘Squire W. E. Phillips was summoning a coroner’s jury for the Inquest, the elder Wilson by telegraph endeavored to locate his son. He was reached by a messenger and did not arrive at his home until 10:30. When the news of the tragedy was broken to the young man, he was overcome with horror and grief. Shotgun Missing An examination of the house disclosed that a Winchester pump shotgun belonging to Wilson had disappeared. It had been loaded and hung over the fireplace in the room adjoining where the crimes were committed. A black shell, the only one of that color among several in the magazine chamber of the gun, was found on the ground under a window of the bed room. The handkerchief with which the woman had been gagged could not be identified, the woman’s husband saying that there were several of that kind in the house. The coroner’s jury announced no conclusions on the murder. The Wilson home is perhaps 100 yards away from the nearest house, and is on the Wallace pike. About 40 yards in front of the home extends the main line of the Norfolk and Western Railway. It would have been comparatively easy for the murderer to have caught a train as it slowed for the crossing near the Wilson home, and made his escape. Sheriff Miller will be assisted by the Bristol Va., police in the case. The tragedy is the first of its kind to occur in Virginia for several years and is said by the police to be one of the most atrocious ever committed in this section of the State. The Wilsons have been tenants on the Kingsolver farm for nearly two years. They had no children. The murdered woman was a daughter of the Rev. Anthony Ingall, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, North.” Tuesday, April 27, 1915, THE BRISTOL HERALD COURIER CANTER BROTHERS HELD FOR KILLING OF MRS. MAUD WILSON LUTHER CANT YIELDS TO MOTHER’S PLEADING AND ADMITS CRIME. Guilty of Another Outrage Last Fall Had Been at Home But Few Days – Jim Canter First Suspected – Taken to Roanoke. His brother, Jim Canter, 18 years old, already arrested, suspected of the murder of Mrs. Maud Wilson, after having outraged her, Luther Canter, 23 years old, evidently thinking that if he made a confession of the crime to two citizens of the neighborhood he could obtain the release of his young brother, for which his mother had been pleading, and that before the citizens could notify the authorities, he himself could make his escape, admitted to Sam P. and W. I, Legard of having killed the young woman between three and five o’clock last Friday afternoon. Upsetting Canter's idea that the authorities would have to be notified before he could be arrested, the Legard brothers took charge of him about three o’clock Sunday afternoon, and in an automobile the two Canters, both farm hands, were driven that night to Marion from where they were taken to Roanoke, where they will be held awaiting the empanelling of a special grand jury. JIM CANTER ARRESTED. Luther Canter had been in the neighborhood only a few days, having fled last September, when he was wanted by the police on the charge of having outraged a Mrs. Annie L. Slagle, on the Stewart farm not three-quarters of a mile from the scene of the Wilson tragedy. Mrs. Slagle died a few months ago of pneumonia. Although Canter’s presence in the neighborhood was known, his coming and going to the home of his parents, on the Legard farm, which adjoins the Wilson place, was kept secret, and very few people in that neighborhood had seen him. On the suspicion engendered by the character the Canter boys bore in that neighborhood and on account of Jim Canter having boasted of being a ‘friend’ of Mrs. Wilson, it was believed that one of them had committed the crime and Jim Canter was summoned as a witness at 1 o’clock Sunday afternoon. He denied any knowledge of the crime, but statements he made concerning his movements were contradictory. A search of the barn on the Canter place revealed a pair of bloodstained overalls which he identified as his own, but could not explain how the bloodstains came on them. In a pocket was found a bloodstained handkerchief similar to the red bandana with which Mrs. Wilson had been gagged. Convinced that Jim Canter either committed the crime or was shielding his brother, he was locked up and Sam P. and W. J. Legard were sent to the Canter home to find the gun with which Mrs. Wilson had been shot and which had been stolen from the Wilson home. In a fence corner, 200 yards from the Canter home, a search in a heap of freshly raked leaves revealed the shotgun. MOTHER PLEADS FOR JIM In the meanwhile, Mrs. John Canter, the mother of the suspected men hearing of Jim’s arrest, had gone to neighbors and pathetically proclaimed the boy’s innocence. Believing all the time that Luther had committed the crime, neighbors advised Mrs. Canter to persuade Luther to confess when he came home and that if he exonerated him the latter would be freed. She knew it was later learned that Luther had committed the crime, because she had asked him what had happened when he came home blood stained Friday night and he told her. Buffeted between her desire to shield Luther and her dread of seeing Jim suffer for a crime she knew he did not commit, the mother was torn with grief, but her love for the youngest son prevailed and she begged Luther to confess. The man who had outraged one woman and had wantonly murdered another yielded to his mother’s pleadings and when Sam Legard and W. J. Legard approached the Canter home after finding the shotgun in the fence corner, they were met by Mrs. Canter who told them to go to Luther and he would make a full confession for Jim’s release. ADMITS GUILT Luther Canter met the Legard brothers in the yard in front of the house. He readily admitted his guilt and showed the Legards where he had hidden the gun. Asked to go to the Legard house to sign a statement, Canter refused. He wanted to make it at home so that Him could be released at once. He showed by his conversation that he did not want Sheriff Miller or any deputies to have a chance to reach him, evidently not thinking that the Legards could arrest him or that they would attempt to do so. When he refused to go away from home, Sam Legard grasped him by the hand and W. J. Legard by the other and took him to the home of Dr. W. H. Teeter. His arrest was kept quiet until just after nightfall when an automobile was secured by Sheriff Miller to take the two men to Abingdon. It was intended to catch train 12 at Abingdon, but the message ordering the train to stop there was delayed and the trip to Marion was made by auto at midnight. MOB VIOLENCE THREATENED All along the pike from Bristol to Wallace and a few miles beyond there was talk of more than a hundred men planning to form to avenge the killing of Mrs. Wilson. It is said that the proposed mob gave up the plan about 1 o’clock, when it was learned that the Canters had been taken away from Abingdon. LUTHER CANTER MAKES CONFESSION OF KILLING Called, He Says, on Friendly Visit When Woman Infuriated Him. (Special to the Herald Courier) Roanoke, Va., April 26. According to a confession made in his cell in the Roanoke jail today, Luther Canter, 23 years old, a Washington county farmer, killed Mrs. Maude Wilson, 22 years old, the wife of a farmer living in Canter’s neighborhood, in her home on the Bristol-Abingdon turnpole three miles north of Bristol, Friday afternoon between 3 and 5 o’clock. Canter used a repeater shotgun which he had found over a doorway in the Wilson home, and fired one charge in the woman’s side just under one of the arms. Canter, In making his confession, No Criminal Intentions. Canter, in making his confession, said he had no criminal intentions against Mrs. Wilson, and killed her in a fit of temper because she screamed out words significant of his having wrong motives, which he thought might get him into trouble. He intended to rush away, after committing the crime, he said, but was deterred when he learned that James Cant, an 18 year old brother, had been arrested for the killing, which turn of events prompted him to give himself up. DESCRIBES KILLING To a reporter Canter, late this afternoon in a cool, unaffected manner, recited how he killed Mrs. Wilson. ‘Before Friday,’ he said, ‘I had not been to the Wilson home for about a year. I had been to Knoxville to see an uncle. I had been helping my uncle at his coal yard. Before that I traveled – in North Caroline – and Tennessee, and spent a little while in Johnson City. When I came back, I thought I would go over to the Wilsons and see them. I used to work for Mr. Wilson off and on and had gone to see Mrs. Wilson two or three times. ‘I went to the Wilson home between 3 and 5 o’clock. When I got to the door and made my presence known, Mrs. Wilson did not appear to be alarmed. She greeted me and asked me where I had been so long.’ At this moment, Canter was interrupted by the reporter. ‘Did you care anything for the woman?’ he was asked. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘I liked her.’ ‘Did you love her?’ ‘I reckon I did,’ he replied. ‘Yes, I liked her right well.’ Reverting to the scene that followed his arrival at the Wilson home he said after he had gotten in what was considered the family sitting room, Mrs. Wilson suddenly screamed out words significant of wrong motive on his part. This made him violently angry, he said. ‘When I went to see her,’ he said, ‘I didn’t intend to bother her, I just went to see her because I had been away and wanted to be friendly. When she screamed out these words I got into such a temper that I grabbed her around the body and told her to shut up. She would not do it, so I threw her to the floor and tied the thing around her mouth to keep her from crying out. After I had done this I was still in a violent temper. I was practically desperate when I saw Mr. Wilson’s gun hanging over the door. I stood off I recon about eight feet and fired one shot in her side, and then I left.’ MOB VIOLENCE THREATENED All along the pike from Bristol to Wallace and a few miles beyond there was talk of more than a hundred men planning to form to avenge the killing of Mrs. Wilson. It is said that the proposed mob gave up the plan about 1 o’clock, when it was learned that the Canters had been taken away from Abingdon. Dr. W. H. Teeter, who examined Mrs. Wilson’s body last Saturday, said yesterday that the wound over the right breast of the woman was not stabbed there, but was made when the shot were being picked out of the wound. The funeral services over the body of Mrs. Wilson were performed Sunday and the body was taken to Smith creek for burial in the family burying ground. Mrs. Wilson was the wife of James H. Wilson and her body was found last Saturday afternoon by her father-in-law Edward Wilson. Her husband had gone to clear some land 12 miles away the day before.”

I had the same feeling when I (a total newbie to genealogy) came upon a letter submitted to Rootsweb from the Clinch Valley News in 1911. Ancestors of mine not only shot and killed each other, they shot and killed another man (in fact, shot him right off his mule)! Another ancestor from my clan was shot over a land dispute, and yet another killed a Tazewell Co sheriff in the 1800's. I know from growing up, some of the tales my dad and my uncles used to tell about the Lester's, but man, this came back like a blast of cold water to the face! My family tells the story also, about how my grandpa Lester was run out of Virginia due to all the carrying on he did with other men's women/wives, and the many children unknown (and known) to the family that were deposited over Lester's Cove, Swords Creek and general areas. I was also told (but can't find info) that my grandpa Lester stabbed a man to death when he was working on the railroad in Va. at one time. These were stories my mom has told me, while she listened to the Lester men talk about the family. She said the Lester men were very handsome, and were attracted to other women, as were the women to them. Of course, one wonders how much of this is truth, and what is lore? Coming from my dad's lips, and the mouths of his brothers, I might think there's some truth in it, or at least truth as it was told to them. All in all, it made me say "Yikes", and my husband said "man, what a bunch of gangsters!" So, you're right, if you don't want to know, don't ask, or look! Sue (LESTER) Patterson mailto:[email protected] mailto:[email protected] Searching for: LESTER, SMITH, JESSEE, SHREVE/SHRIEVES TAZEWELL/RUSSELL CO. VA. LATE 1700'S TO PRESENT -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] I would like to thank Mary Lou for posting this and sending the file to me. These Canter boys seem to be my Blacksheep, One should never start genealogy research if they fear they will find bad. Sure makes for an interesting family history.

Hi Listers: I am having no end of trouble finding information about my g-grandparents, ALEX and MARIAH WILSON VANCE. Their daughter EMILY GLADOLA VANCE (b: April 1905 - d: Nov 1966) married THOMAS JEFFERSON RASNAKE - Emily and Thomas were my grandparents. Family lore says MARIAH, along with 7 of her children died in the influenza epidemic of 1917-1919, but there is some confusion regarding dates, etc... Do any of these folks sound familiar? ANY kind of lead would be greatly appreciated! Have a Great Day!, Patricia Rasnake Gorman

Renae, My wifes 2nd GGmother was a Loucinda Catherine Ramey born 11 January 1856, married I believe to John M. Blanton. Her father name was Daniel Ramey, he was married to Dicy Catherine Hall. Any infor would be appreciated. Regards, C. D. "Skip" Whitlam

According to the TAZEWELL COUNTY HERITAGE VOL I: Henry Harman, Sr. was the son of Heinrich Adam and Louisa Katrina Harman. Family tradition has it he was born on the Isle of Man in 1726 while his family were on the way to America from Germany. They arrived in America in 1726 or 1727 and lived in PA a few years before moving to the Valley of VA and then on to SWVA about 1746. He has been described as being of the better class. He wore knee britches with silver buckles at the knees. Physically he was very tall, of massive frame, and very strongly built. The Indians called him "Old Skydusty" which means great warrior. In 1758 or 59 he married Anna (Nancy) Wilburn of Rowna County, NC. They had nine children: Daniel Conrad, Henry, Jr., Johann Adam, George, Mathias, Hezekiah, Elias, Rhoda, and Louisa. In 1771 he was Captain of a company of Regulators. In 1774 he was appointed a member of the committee of safety for Rowna County. He was one of two commissioners to meet with the Wythe County Commissioners to lrlun the dividing lines between the two counties in 1800. He was also foreman of the third jury empowered in Tazewell County. He died in 1822 at his home in Hollybrook in present Bland County and is buried there on what was his farm at that time. His grave is marked with a stone erected by the DAR. His will was probated in Tazewell County and is also recorded in Giles County. This was submitted by Vaugn Cassell Wythville VA. There is a picture of the tombstone - the incsription says: Henry Harman, Sr. Virginia PVT Capt. A. Osborne's Regt. Revolutionary War 1726 1822.

Becky, I apologize, I read a "reply" to your message, and gave you information on Harmons.. Then I realized you were looking for information on the DAVIS families of Wythe co. Va.. Also note, the Harmons may have been involved in mining COAL in Tazewell co. Va., not COKE! My mistake... About the Davis families: There was a tract of land in Wythe county called Davis' Fancy which was claimed very early, before 1800.. The Davis owner sold or gave a lot of this land to his sons.. I don't have access to the records but you will find them in Fincastle, Montgomery or Wythe co. land deeds and patents etc.. If you can get a copy of Lewis P. Summers Annals of S.W. Va.. you will probably find them in it... There were several Davises who settled in Washington co., Va. very early 1775 to 1800.. They lived near the Harrold, Harrelds etc.. G. Lee Hearl Authentic Appalachian Storyteller Abingdon, VA.

Becky, You will find that some of the Harmons of Tazewell co., Va. came from Floyd co., Va. Also, there was a Harmon family who settled very early near Burkes Garden.. I don't have the names, but there are records of them in some histories of Southwest Va.. They were very early settlers in this area of Va... Yours having been in NC suggests that they were possibly related to those in Floyd and Carroll co., Va.., not far from the NC line.. There was much mining in those areas very early and they may have been involved in mining there as well as cola mining in Tazewell co., Va... Suggestions you might consider.. G. Lee Hearl Authentic Appalachian Storyteller Abingdon, VA.

Becky Not sure if this helps, but I wonder if the Henry Harmon is the one known as "Skygusta", son of Heinrich Adam and Louisa Katerina Hermann. His wife was Nancy Wilburn. (Hard to keep track of all those Harmans.) Henry is said to have lived in NC and died in Tazewell County, VA in 1822. Phil Rebecca Sowers wrote: > > >From Wythe Co Deed Book 10, pg 481: > "This indenture made this eighteenth day of November eighteen hundred twenty-six between James Davis, Hiram Davis, Isaac Davis, Abraham Davis, Archibald Davis heirs of William Davis deed of the one part and John Lambert of the county of Tazewell and the state of Virginia of the other part". > I am looking for any possible descendents of the above Davises. William Davis's wife was Priscilla unknown. Earliest deed for William is May 4,1790 where he bought land "containing two hundred acres and joining the land the said Davis now lives" from Henry Harmon and wife Nancy on Walker's Creek, Wythe Co. > Any and all information is appreciated. > Becky > > ==== SW_VA Mailing List ==== > #6 HELP is available from the sysop/owner anytime at: > [email protected] > > ============================== > Search more than 150 million free records at RootsWeb! > http://searches.rootsweb.com/

From Wythe Co Deed Book 10, pg 481: "This indenture made this eighteenth day of November eighteen hundred twenty-six between James Davis, Hiram Davis, Isaac Davis, Abraham Davis, Archibald Davis heirs of William Davis deed of the one part and John Lambert of the county of Tazewell and the state of Virginia of the other part". I am looking for any possible descendents of the above Davises. William Davis's wife was Priscilla unknown. Earliest deed for William is May 4,1790 where he bought land "containing two hundred acres and joining the land the said Davis now lives" from Henry Harmon and wife Nancy on Walker's Creek, Wythe Co. Any and all information is appreciated. Becky

TEST

Do not click REPLY to reply. See address below. ------- Forwarded message follows ------- Date sent: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 15:16:39 -0800 From: [email protected] Subject: RE: Request for wills, lifestyles, etc. To: [email protected] Eddie and All, My current interest has to do with the CCC programs. My dad supervised the building of quite a few buildings during the 1930s, early 40s. Many of those buildings are still in existence. Most of his work was probably in KY---courthouses, schools, parks, in places such as Campton, Cumberland Falls, Stanton, Manchester, Clay City, Grey, Rockcastle County, etc. These just happen to be the places I know about. I'm sure he worked in other states. I understand the Federal Government went around to each of the CCC locations and presented certificates and took photographs of the people who did the building. Does anyone happen to have access to any of these photographs. The only picture I have shows the men with their certificates during the building of Dry Land Bridge and Dupont Lodge at Cumberland Falls State Park. Many of these buildings have been replaced with modern structures, but if you've ever seen any of the buildings, you will find they were very well built, mostly of sandstone. I recently visited Campton Elementary School and it is just as it was in 1942, and is still in use. The history behind the CCC program is very interesting and should be passed on to our descendants. ------- End of forwarded message -------

I am trying to trace my Vicars/Vickers ancestors. Robert Vicars was in Lee/Washington/Russell county (all the same county, just separated later) in late 1700's. His son John married Marinda Alvis and had several children. John disappeared around 1830 and left the kids orphaned. The older children travelled to Tennessee and may have helped take care of the younger ones. Nancy Vicars, who never married had two children, one of which was my gr grandfather William Patton. The oder child was named Marinda or Miranda and was listed in a census on Scott County when she was 14. She supposedly was born 1846 when Nancy was 16. If anyone can offer any help with census from any of the counties you're sponsoring I would appreciate it. Thank you Denise V. Lane

Eddie, This is a tremendous idea; I don't have many wills but have lots of Deeds from Wythe Co. Sometimes, deeds contain as much info as wills. Researching: DAVIS, PARSELL, HALSEY, COX, ROBERTS, PATTERSON, FARMER Becky ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, January 15, 2001 5:01 AM Subject: SW_VA-D Digest V01 #9

My mother-in-law, Dorothy Louise Ritchie, is from this area. She lived up on Sandy Ridge near Banner. I am working on: RITCHIE - she is descendant from Long John Ritchie. They were the Ritchies who settled on Crane's Nest after leaving Kentucky. Her father was Charles Benton Ritchie, who died when a truck he was riding in rode off the mountain road leading down to Banner. JONES - her grandfather - Sam Jones - was a minister and enforcer for the mining companies in Russell, Scott and Wise Counties. He is said to have worn his guns to his church. Sam's daughter Gracie married Charles Ritchie. RINGLEY - her great-grandfather was Sherwood Barker Ringley - said to be an Indian and one of the local moonshiners. He and several members of the family are buried up on Sandy Ridge. Sherwood's daughter, Margaret Ellen married David Moscow Ritchie. BOND - one of my brick walls, even though there are lots of Bonds in the Scott/Wise County area. Her great-grandmother was Bessie Bond who married Jake Jones, father of Sam. Bessie and Jake are said to be buried in Coeburn. Is she part of the Bond family that is buried in Bondtown on the northside of Coeburn? DOTSON - from over in Grayson and Carroll Counties. Have this line traced back to Elijah H. Dotson who was married three times. Believe his father to be Jackson Dodson of Pittsylvania County, but cannot prove this. Elijah's granddaughter, Leona Frances Dotson married Sam Jones. BEDSAUL - Sarah Bedsaul married Joseph Dotson. Both are buried in Carroll County. Have the Bedsaul line back to Elisha, born about 1730 in New Jersey. This line probably ties into the Bedsole family somewhere back in history. DINGUS - Martha Dingus married Sherwood Ringley. Have the Dingus/Dinges line back to Gerhard Dinges born in Germany about 1764. CARRICO - Delilah Carrico married John Bedsaul in Grayson County. Some interesting theories about where this family originated - Portugal maybe? Other surnames include: HILLMAN, HUTCHINSON, GREEN, EDWARDS, NORCROSS, ADDINGTON, CROMWELL, COX. Cheers from the Eastern Shores of the Chesapeake Bay, Mike & Betsy