Patrick County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Biographies.....Martin, Ron March 26, 1886 - September 29, 1964
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ron Martin cindyandron@bellsouth.net July 3, 2024, 2:04 am

Author: Ron Martin

    Harry Garland “Garley” McAlexander was born on March 26, 1886, the first 
child born to Asa Monroe McAlexander and Elizabeth Ann “Bettie” Nolen of the 
Endicott community of Franklin County.

  Much like all kids born during this era, he attended school and worked on the 
family farm in Endicott.

  On February 7, 1908, at the age of 21, he married 16 year old Sallie Lou 
Bowling,  the daughter of George William Bowling and Amanda Frances “Mandy” 
Griffith Bowling also of Endicott.
  
  They began their life together near their parents’ home in Franklin County and 
their first child, Elzie Sherman was born just over a year later on February 15, 
1909.    Two years later on June 6, 1911, their first daughter, Myrtie Lou was 
born.   On March 10, 1914, Cordia A. came into the world and four years later on 
January 17, 1918, Cora Emma was born.

  Sometime in the next couple of years, Garley and his wife Sallie as well as 
their family moved to Dodson, Virginia, a very remote area of Patrick County, 
Virginia as evidenced by the 1920 census.   They resided in a beautiful two-
story home in which the frame of the home is still standing in 2024 as the 
construction was very good.   The house is about a mile into the forest off 
Heidelbach School Road. 
  They continued to increase the size of their family as Leon Harry McAlexander 
was born on September 10, 1927.    The final addition to their family was born 
on August 12, 1931, when Ray Elwood McAlexander. 
 
  Just prior to the birth of Ray, his brother Osborn was murdered in the same 
small community they resided which was Dodson.   The killer was never brought to 
justice.

  On November 23, 1936, his daughter Myrtie Lou McAlexander Setliff passed away 
due to heart trouble or high blood pressure.   Her funeral along with the 
funeral of her daughter Marie who died two years prior at the age of three was 
held on November 25, 1936, at the home of her parents in Dodson.   The Elder 
James Goode Lane Hash preached at the funeral.  She was buried in the Elzie 
McAlexander Cemetery which is nearby.

  Sometime before 1940, Sallie’s mother Amanda as well as her sister Emma moved 
into their huge home in Dodson.     Both resided with Garley and Sallie until 
their deaths and both are buried in the Elzie McAlexander Cemetery. 
 
  On March 4, 1945, Garley was faced with a very dangerous situation.   The 
night before he was playing with his kids and every time one of them hit their 
father, Amos Woody Nolen would laugh.   Nolen was living with the family as he 
had just gotten out of prison for the murder of his mother.   Garley told him to 
basically sit down and be quiet.   Evidently, he got mad and left.   However, he 
returned at around 8 AM, the following morning and walked into the bedroom of 
Garley and his wife Sallie.   He began to unload his firearm into Garley as his 
wife escaped from the bed.   Nolen proceeded to leave the house and got about 
200 yards when another blast from his gun was heard.   He was found dead.   
Garley was hospitalized in serious condition but survived his wounds.

  Also during these years, Garley was manufacturing distilled beverages which 
was very common in the very remote area in which they resided.   He was arrested 
in both 1947 and 1951 for the manufacturing of illegal whiskey. 
 
 The family continued to reside in Dodson, but many people began leaving the 
area during this decade.  Many families in that small community like Garley made 
their living via the manufacturing of illegal spirits and as the coal mines in 
West Virginia flourished as well as the textile mills in the Eden community, 
people began migrating to more profitable jobs outside of the area to support 
their families.

  Garley passed away on September 29, 1964 in a hospital in Martinsville.  The 
funeral was held at Long Branch Primitive Baptist Church with burial in the 
McAlexander Family Cemetery.


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