"Beingst" (?) its approaching Christmas, it would be appropriate for me to further revive your memories of old times in southern West Virginia with a few church stories. However, I have decided to let them wait for awhile so that I could wrap up tales about my school days. Meanwhile, collect your old church stories and be ready to join in on that subject later on. I look forward to your comments, good or bad. I never know which stories are allowed to pass through to the mailing list, so let me know if you receive them. We must not forget another important aspect of school life "back then," and that is what we did on our way to and from school. I enjoyed school as a child. That first year was filled with many marvelous discoveries and learning experiences outside as well as inside the classroom. My list of friends grew rapidly as I met other children at or near my age who were attending school at Matheny plus various people that lived along my route to school. Some of those people showed acts of kindness to me that I count as even more valuable to me today than they were then. Students usually walked and played together to and from school. Uncle Al Rollins (not my real uncle) had three boys, Jack, Jim and “Dare” (Darrell), who frequently joined our group of school children who regularly traversed Coon Branch from early September until late May. Dare was my age and he liked to fight. More accurately put, he liked to fight me. Once we had a huge fight and I got in a lucky punch that bloodied Dare’s nose. His older brothers joined the fray, whereupon Denise, who was several years older than I came in on my side. The dispute fizzled out quickly after that and the incident was all but forgotten. We all continued to be friends. Parents had mysterious ways of finding out things then that could measure up to any modern CIA communication device. My Mother and Daddy were ready for me when I got home. Seeking sympathy and thus avoid punishment, I told them that Dare Rollins attacked me and bloodied my nose. My flimsy attempt to parry blame might have worked were it not for my lack of an explanation for the bloodstains on my back left from Dares profusely bleeding nose when he had me down on the ground pounding me. Aunt Valley Stewart lived in a large two-story house farther down the “Branch” from us. Aunt Valley always kept a large drawer full of gingerbread cookies and was generous in distributing them to those of us who often lingered at her house on our way home from school. There was a huge black walnut tree above Aunt Valley’s house and another below. When the frost came and the walnuts fell, the road was covered from one side to the other with walnuts. These trees were significant landmarks and cause for my being late from school on many occasions. The logging trucks traveling the road helped to remove the outer, stain- producing hulls from the walnuts, but they didn’t complete the job. Cleanup was left for the school kids. The longer the unhulled walnuts lay on the ground, the softer and nastier they became but the easier it became to remove them. The walnut stain that we had on our hands would wear off eventually, but it was ground into our clothes forever. We made a game out of cracking walnuts with stones and seeing who could extract the biggest portion of the kernel without breaking it. Apple trees grew wild in many locations along the road to our school. Some were holdovers from earlier orchards and others were from suckers that had sprung up from ancient trees or seeds in those same old orchards. We knew every one of those trees and the type and quality of fruit it yielded. The walk home from school was one huge feast from one end to the other. Pawpaws started to ripen shortly after school began. They were a delicacy for youngsters of my day. We ate the ripe ones that had fallen to the ground and picked those that were nearly ripe from the trees and hid them from the other kids until they finished ripening. I know the location of only a few Pawpaw trees now; however, they flourished in southern West Virginia when I lived there. Close behind pawpaws in desirability were chinquapins. Those little miniature chestnut look-alikes grew in only a few select places even in the thirties. I am told that they have essentially disappeared from the area. My favorite place on Coon Branch, which was a tightly held secret, was high on a hill behind Uncle Lon Scott’s house. There were lots of wild persimmon trees along our route. Those wild fruit trees were very interesting; that’s the best thing I can say about them. Those persimmons bore no resemblance to the fruit by that name found in our modern supermarkets. Although all the persimmon trees looked alike, their fruit could be quite different. Some of the trees were characterized as being males and never produced any fruit. Persimmons don’t ripen until well after the first frost or into winter, and even then only youngsters with dead taste buds could tolerate some varieties. We knew of a few trees that yielded a small deep orange, wrinkled persimmon that was delicious, but the somewhat larger varieties were best used for slingshot ammunition. Never try to eat a persimmon before it is ripe. Only one is enough to produce a pucker such that your best friend might misunderstand you, and the feeling that the inside of your mouth is coated with sheetrock dust persists for several minutes. Other wild delicacies that renewed our hunter-gatherer instincts in season were hazel nuts (“hazenuts”) and hickory nuts. Like the chinquapins, you had to know where to look for hazenuts, but their whereabouts were well known to the young boys of my generation. Beech nuts were delicious, but were too small to justify the effort required to gather them. The same could be said for many of the large hickory nuts. It was worthwhile to only gather the nuts from the shell-bark hickory trees; the larger nuts from other varieties of hickory were too hard to crack. Besides we wanted to leave something for the gray squirrels. There were several large buckeye trees that were usually loaded with large attractive nuts. Two nuts were contained in a single outer shell and we were cautioned by old timers to not eat but one of the nuts because one of them was poison. I never was brave enough to try to figure out which was the poison nut and verify if there was any truth in the advice. Blackberries and mulberries were all gone by the time school started. We were cautioned not to eat the mulberries because they contained insect eggs; but we ate them anyway. The resulting sickness was due to gluttony, not insects.

Cathy, I am hazy on the Appalachian Power team, but I think I may remember your father anyway. There were more than one Ralph Cook in Wyoming County when I was growing up so forgive me if I pick the wrong one. For some reason. I am remembering him working for the phone company, but after almost 60 years from Wyoming County, I'm not surprised at being wrong. Did you live in the Keyrock or Rockview area? Was your mother a Gunter? (I believe she had a brother named Harry, whom I didn't like very much because he was almost single-handedly responsible for Pineville's lording it over us in basketball about 1944.) Didn't Ralph also letter in basketball at Pineville about that same time? Don't grade me on this! I may be out in left field STAN On Dec 10, 2007, at 9:15 PM, [email protected] wrote: > > > If you recall the days of this league, then perhaps you also > remember Ralph > Cook who played for Appalachian Power. He was my father. John > remembered > games with that team, so perhaps you might as well. Cathy > > > > **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes > (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004) > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WVWYOMIN- > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

At the present, my scanner does not work properly. It scans photos into some oblivious place on my computer, never to be seen again. The printer also will not respond. I have just purchased the C5280 HP model in hopes that I could do the types of jobs that you requested, but thus far--it has been in vain. Software is all loaded and even shows that the printer is connected; however, nothing is functioning. We keep trying different things to get it all to work, so perhaps I will be able to do that at some point. John died in 1997 in a VA Hospital in Salem, Va. He had various disabling injuries from back in WWII when he served in the Navy--the Pacific fleet and the Atlantic fleet. He was in the hospital to have the bottom of his leg removed because the circulation was virtually not working. He did not want to do this. It seems that God answered his prayers because he died in the night two days before the surgery, apparently of a blood clot. If you recall the days of this league, then perhaps you also remember Ralph Cook who played for Appalachian Power. He was my father. John remembered games with that team, so perhaps you might as well. Cathy **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)

Thanks Cathy, You will never know what this means to me and to a couple of others back in Wyoming County who still remain and knew Johnny. Would I have to grovel to get a picture of Johnny; preferably one taken around 1947-1950. If you could find one, scan it and send it to me direct, I would be forever in your debt. STAN > John passed away in 1997. His widow Edith now lives here in SC > where her son > Ken and daughter Linda also live. The old homeplace in Brenton is > now for > sale. Edith rented it for quite some time after moving here, > thinking that she > might one day want to go back. We often talk about those days when > John > played softball. Even as his legs failed him, he still would use > that arm to > throw the ball for his lab. There are seven grandchildren and 11 > great > grandchildren. His oldest son Charlie lives in Memphis near his two > children. The > youngest son Mark lives in Indiana and works in Chicago. John was > from > Connecticut, met Edith at Newport News during the war, and came > back home with her to > Brenton to take care of her mother after the war. He did work for > Hope Gas > until he retired. Cathy > > > > **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes > (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004) > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WVWYOMIN- > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

Read the source of the Belcher Bible document. There is an address of Ms. Fuller you mifgt use Lee **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)

Need a picture of Rev. G.P. Goode on his horse in front of the Pineville Courthouse. Lee **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)

Hi Lee, Thank you for posting this. Yes, John & Cinthia were married 12 Mar 1870. Marriage Register 1, pg 82 DATE 12 Mar 1870 NAME OF GROOM John Belcher AGE 25 P/O/B Tazewell Co, WV (VA) NAME OF PARENTS William & Polly Belcher NAME OF BRIDE Sintha Lambert AGE 20 P/O/B Tazewell Co, VA NAME OF PARENTS Samuel & Rebecca Lambert Miscellaneous Marriages of McDowell Co, WV Laura McKinney; [email protected] By 1880, they had 4 children. National Archives Film T9-1407, Elkhorn, McDowell Co, WV, pg 325c Jno T BELCHER 36 Farmer VA VA VA Centha BELCHER 30 Keeping House William T BELCHER 9 WV VA VA Paris BELCHER 7 Pegga Jane BELCHER 5 Laura Ann BELCHER 2 Cynthia's mother Rebecca is the sister of my 3rd great grandfather Gordon LAMBERT, Debra [email protected] wrote: Belcher Family Bible - Tazewell County, Virginia, McDowell County, West Virginia submitted by Jeannie Marriages John T. Belcher and Cintha Lambert was married March 12th 1880 (note: I think this should be 1870, the 8 looks like it was written over another number) by George J. Sizemore at the mouth of (Davis?) Branch on Elkhorn in McDowell Co WV Cintha Belcher deceased April Friday 24 1891 born Jan 2 1852 --- avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean. Virus Database (VPS): 071210-0, 12/10/2007 Tested on: 12/10/2007 6:52:36 PM avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2007 ALWIL Software. http://www.avast.com

Belcher Family Bible - Tazewell County, Virginia, McDowell County, West Virginia submitted by Jeannie Births William T. Belcher was born March 7th 1871. Paris Belcher was born February the 12th 1885. Maggie J. Belcher was born September 1-1875. Laura D. Belcher was born May 18-1877. John L. Belcher was born November 3-1880. Levi Belcher was born July 30 1884. Arminty Belcher was born Dec the 15 1886. Marriages John T. Belcher and Cintha Lambert was married March 12th 1880 (note: I think this should be 1870, the 8 looks like it was written over another number) by George J. Sizemore at the mouth of (Davis?) Branch on Elkhorn in McDowell County West Va. Cintha Belcher deceased April Friday 24-1891 - was born Jan 2-1852. John T. Belcher & Winnie Mullins was married June 25th 1891 by A. M. Lane at Belcher WVa. J. T. Belcher was born May 2-1844. Winnie Belcher was born January 5-1860. Deaths Manda J. Belcher was born May 16-1889 and deceased Feb 16th at 7 oclock PM 1898. Delilah A. Belcher was born April 8 1892. (J. L.?) Belcher deceased April 24th at one PM 1904. Eliza May Belcher was born March the 8th 1894. Wirt Belcher was born April the 24-1896. (Mary?) Belcher was born October (6?) 1898. (Job?) Belcher was born Sept 20 1901. Submitted by Jeannie Watts [email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected]) As published in the upcoming book "Belcher Pride, An Early Virginia Family" see website for more info: _www.trellis.net/users/madamx_ (http://www.trellis.net/users/madamx) Transcribed by photocopies of the original, sent to me by Vicki Fuller [email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected]) . Thanks, cuz'n Vicki! **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)

Another Christmas I remember. Seems I was in grade 3 when the teacher asked if anyone could get a tree for the Class Room. One of the lads replied he could and the teacher selected me to assist. She let us out early and away we went entering the mountain near Thornton's Gap. We had no ax or anything to cut the tree and I thought nothing of it. We wandered the mountains and were totally lost and still no tree. Late in the evening we heard someone cutting wood and headed in that direction. We found ourselves in Kayro Holler and parted company. When I arrived home about dark I got the spanking of my life. Seems the lad who I was with lived in Kayro Holler and he got the same I'm told. The teacher was admonished by parents and the Principal. Wish I could recall the lads' name. Lee **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)

Is there any more information about this Belcher Family Bible? I tried the web link and couldn't connect to it. I am descended from John Belcher who was married to Elizabeth Hunt. His son Abraham Belcher who married 1) Malinda Jane Russell and 2) Sydney (Siddy) Blakely. Do you have any information on this Belcher family? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Joyce Parker [email protected] [email protected] wrote: Belcher Family Bible - Tazewell County, Virginia, McDowell County, West Virginia submitted by Jeannie Births William T. Belcher was born March 7th 1871. Paris Belcher was born February the 12th 1885. Maggie J. Belcher was born September 1-1875. Laura D. Belcher was born May 18-1877. John L. Belcher was born November 3-1880. Levi Belcher was born July 30 1884. Arminty Belcher was born Dec the 15 1886. Marriages John T. Belcher and Cintha Lambert was married March 12th 1880 (note: I think this should be 1870, the 8 looks like it was written over another number) by George J. Sizemore at the mouth of (Davis?) Branch on Elkhorn in McDowell County West Va. Cintha Belcher deceased April Friday 24-1891 - was born Jan 2-1852. John T. Belcher & Winnie Mullins was married June 25th 1891 by A. M. Lane at Belcher WVa. J. T. Belcher was born May 2-1844. Winnie Belcher was born January 5-1860. Deaths Manda J. Belcher was born May 16-1889 and deceased Feb 16th at 7 oclock PM 1898. Delilah A. Belcher was born April 8 1892. (J. L.?) Belcher deceased April 24th at one PM 1904. Eliza May Belcher was born March the 8th 1894. Wirt Belcher was born April the 24-1896. (Mary?) Belcher was born October (6?) 1898. (Job?) Belcher was born Sept 20 1901. Submitted by Jeannie Watts [email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected]) As published in the upcoming book "Belcher Pride, An Early Virginia Family" see website for more info: _www.trellis.net/users/madamx_ (http://www.trellis.net/users/madamx) Transcribed by photocopies of the original, sent to me by Vicki Fuller [email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected]) . Thanks, cuz'n Vicki! **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004) ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message --------------------------------- Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

John passed away in 1997. His widow Edith now lives here in SC where her son Ken and daughter Linda also live. The old homeplace in Brenton is now for sale. Edith rented it for quite some time after moving here, thinking that she might one day want to go back. We often talk about those days when John played softball. Even as his legs failed him, he still would use that arm to throw the ball for his lab. There are seven grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. His oldest son Charlie lives in Memphis near his two children. The youngest son Mark lives in Indiana and works in Chicago. John was from Connecticut, met Edith at Newport News during the war, and came back home with her to Brenton to take care of her mother after the war. He did work for Hope Gas until he retired. Cathy **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)

Stan, there was not a Don Pauley in the Pauley clan of Mullens. My father and several uncles played football for Mullens over the years, but I do not think any of them played basketball. My father and grandfather's business, "Pauley Plumbing & Heating," was based in Mullens, but did work all over the county and points beyond. I know all about the rivalry between Mullens and Oceana. We generally got our hats handed to us when we played you guys. Oceana and Beckley - two schools we always had trouble with in any sport. I attended Mullens High School without knowing at the time that some my Cook(e) relatives settled in what is now Oceana. My four great grandfather, William Cooke, is said to have laid out the streets of that fair city. I greatly enjoy the stories of "the good ol' days" you guys post on the Wyoming County site. I even copy some of them to share with my sister. Ron Pauley **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)

Cathy, Is that all you have to say about this great guy? I had some information supplied to me by a member of his family _ perhaps it was you_ but somewhere along the line it seems to have been erased from my files. One thing I think I recall correctly is that he continued to pitch softball long after the old Wyoming County league was history. By the way, are there any others out there who remember the old Wyoming County softball league? Thanks for responding, STAN On Dec 9, 2007, at 11:22 AM, [email protected] wrote: > Yes, he was my father-in-law. I married his second son Ken. > > > > **************************************Check out AOL's list of > 2007's hottest > products. > (http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007? > NCID=aoltop00030000000001) > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WVWYOMIN- > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

Ron, My memory often plays tricks on me, but I seem to recall a Don Pauley who played basketball back in WV. I'm not sure if it was Mullins or not. One thing I am clear on though is the intense rivalry between my school, Oceana, and Mullins. Stan On Dec 1, 2007, at 3:28 PM, [email protected] wrote: > Am I the only one who tried padding the back pockets with multiple > handkerchiefs to lessen the sting of a teacher's paddle? > > Mullens High School had a couple of prolific swingers of the > paddle. One > teacher in particular swung the paddle with such force that there > was a very > real concern among the kids that a student would be injured by > him. He was a > former college wrestler, part-time race car driver, and was > heavily muscled. > > By the way, the padding of the back pockets did not work with > Teacher/Coach > Caldwell at Mullens High. He made me empty my pockets and promptly > lifted my > heels off the floor as he applied his "one swing will do it" > philosophy. > -Ron Pauley > ______________________________________________________________________ > ________ > ________ > > > > **************************************Check out AOL's list of > 2007's hottest > products. > (http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007? > NCID=aoltop00030000000001) > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WVWYOMIN- > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

CATHY IT SEEMS THAT IT WOULD BE A MAJOR TASK TO SCANN ALL THE FOWC ISSUES BY SALLY WILLIAMS. I BELIEVE THE LIBRARY IN PINEVILLE HAS ALL HER ISSUES, AND IF NOT, SOMEONE SHOULD LET ME KNOW AND I WILL MAKE COPIES FROM MY SETS. I KNOW SHE DOES NOT HAVE HER ISSUES IN SOFTWARE, ONLY DATA SHE COLLECTED FOR HER RESEARCH. NO, I DIDN'T RECEIVE YOUR UPDATED MAIL. WILL CALL SALLY TODAY TO DISCUSS METHODS TO SCAN FOWC. HAVEN'T SPOKEN WITH HER ON RECENT MRI TESTS, WILL DO SO AND REPORT. LEE **************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest products. (http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001)

Oh, I meant to add that it does my heart "good" to know that someone remembered what I wrote. I do like writing about those days gone by. I teach memoir writing to my students at North Greenville University and always try to remind them that they never know exactly who will enjoy the work that they share. The important thing is the writing and sharing. Cathy **************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest products. (http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001)

I sent a new memoir to the listserve; however, I didn't receive a copy of it, so I wondered if others did. Cathy Sepko **************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest products. (http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001)

It would be wonderful if the past records could be scanned into a website linked to the Wyoming County site. I don't have any of her originals except for a few entries that I copied when I would be in Pineville visiting family. I would always try to get to the library for a couple of hours when I was there. Cathy **************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest products. (http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001)

Yes, he was my father-in-law. I married his second son Ken. **************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest products. (http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001)

Stanley, I just love this story...it's really sweet. Although I'm not familiar with areas you speak of, please keep 'em coming. My great grandmother raised me from birth and she would tell me stories of when she was growing up. She was born at Garwood and spent a lot of time in Covel and Basin. A lot of her stories I can't fully remember because at the time I really wasn't interested. I do regret not listening better now as an adult. I miss her stories (she died in '89) and thoroughly enjoy reading the ones on here. Willa Davidson STANLEY BROWNING <[email protected]> wrote: Sometimes our most precious memories are about the simple things. To me, Christmas is about experiences, not stuff. Christmas 1934 was the first Christmas that I can remember. I knew Christmas was special because Mother considered it special. My mother seemed to be an unhappy person by nature. She had very little to be happy about other than her children. As Christmastime approached she became even more melancholy. In retrospect, I can imagine what must have been going through her mind as she tried to think of ways to make us especially happy on Christmas. Pine trees were not common to the area where we lived, but one day as we were walking near our home at the mouth of Turkey Creek, Mother spotted a live holly tree growing on the riverbank nearby. It was about five feet tall, perfectly shaped and loaded with bright red berries. We dug it up, put it in an old water bucket and took it home with us. Mother did not possess any tree ornaments or ribbons, which was just as well because further decoration of the tree would have been redundant. There were no festivities or gift exchanges that Christmas, but everyone loved and admired our tree. We children were happy and Mother was happy. Even without presents under its branches, that little holly tree remains in my memory as the prettiest Christmas tree I have ever seen. It stood in the front room of our house long after Christmas was forgotten. Enjoy the season, but remember the reason, STAN ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message