Tazewell County, Virginia, History: Taborville, Tazewell County, Virginia, 1901-1908, Chapter 2 Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Karen Eagle Moman arizonaeagle1502@qwest.net ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities, when written permission is obtained from the contributor, so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Taborville, Tazewell County, Virginia 1901-1908 By Karen EAGLE Moman Chapter 2 (Part A) Newspaper Articles TABORVILLE NEWS IN THE CLINCH VALLEY NEWS The first article found for Taborville was in the Friday, December 13, 1901 edition of the Clinch Valley News, and they continued regularly until 1905, with a few additional stories appearing in 1906 and 1908. Several columns for Lower Mud Fork mention the same set of people and the two communities probably overlapped. Almost all of the articles appear on the front page of the paper. The Clinch Valley News was only printed on Friday. 1901 13 December 1901 ITEMS FROM Taborville Mr. Editor:-As I have not seen anything from this place in your paper I will give you a few items. I will give a short description of our little town: It is about one half mile West of Falls Mills. We have about 60 or 70 inhabitants and they are principally Tabors and Belchers, all the very best of citizens, we only have one store, but it is a good strong wealthy community. So, it can furnish the entire town and surrounding country in goods at a low figure. Mr. H. J. Tabor is the head gentleman of this company. (2) The farmers have been bustling about for the last week to get the corn cribbed. Most every body is done. Mr. George Givens, of the Narrows, who was married a short time ago to Mrs. Fannie Colwell (sic) of this town, left here last week for the Narrows, where they will make their future home. (3) Mr. Phillip Kinzer was down last week looking for carpenters to finish his new house. (4) Mr. Samuel Belcher has moved into his new house. He says he is ready for the snow. (5) Tobe Belcher killed 15 rabbits one day last week, and he said it was a very bad day to hunt at that. (6) Mrs. Sallie Crockett, and her daughter, Mrs. Shelton sold their farm and moved to Bluefield. We regret to lose them from our town. Will Compton and Robert Belcher started to Clover Bottoms a few days ago, Snipe [sic] went through the same day, but Will stopped on the way. He says he is getting tired of the bachelor's life. E. A. Deaton and W. W. Saddler of Falls Mills were in town last Sunday as was little Charlie Saddler, visiting his grandmother Julina Tabor. (7) Mr. James Wagner is prospecting for coal on his land on Mudfork. The prospect is favorably so far. We hope to see Mudfork on a boom. (8) Mr. B. P. Compton went to Springville last Saturday to attend the funeral of G. A. Sink who died Saturday morning. (9) 1902 24 January 1902 Taborville Items Mr. And Mrs. James Tabor of Thompson Valley are visiting their mother and other friends at this place. (10) Mr. W. B. Tabor of Denver, N. D. returned to his old home at Falls Mills a few days ago on a visit. He speaks well of North Dakota. He will return in the spring. (11) Mr. B. W. Tabor, one of our [illegible] farmers, is preparing for a large corn crop this year. He says he has about fifty panels [sic] of brush fences to build before he is ready to start the plow. (12) Mr. Edward Carter, of Springville, passed through town last week on his return trip from Flat Top yards. He says there is a great deal of Grip in his neighborhood. Messers. H. J. Tabor and W. O. Hill are preparing to plant a large bean patch this spring. Henry says he has got about one half pint of seed all ready. Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Harry were visiting I. H. Harry last Sunday. Jim looked like he had eaten a square meal as he came up Mudfork Sunday evening. Mrs. H. E. Perdue, is quite sick at this writing. (13) Rev. Charles Butt of Big Branch, was over last Saturday on the rabbit farm hunting. (14) 7 March 1902 The Flood at Taborville Taborville, Va., March 4,. We had another big flood freshet the 28th of February, which did a great deal of damage to farms and along the water course. The water was higher than it was last June. There was a large amount of fencing swept away. The Thomas and Buckland Bridges on Mudfork were washed away. The Thomas bridge lodged on a bank about four or five hundred yards from where it was. The Buckland bridge has not been found. The last seen of it, it was going over the falls at Falls Mills. The branch railroad, which runs from the main line to the Italy stone quarries was covered with water. The wagon road, which leads from Falls Mills to Graham is passed traveling horseback on account of drifted rails, logs, brush, and washouts. Mr. Neel, of the Flat Top yards, had to come out of his house on account of the water. Two of Mr. Austin's mules, and fodder stacks were washed away from Flat Top yards. B. P. Compton says he is damaged more than anyone in the community. Little Charlie Caldwell has been very low with pneumonia but is getting better now. (15) Mrs. H. E. Perdue, who we mentioned some time ago as being very sick, is better at this writing. Watt Compton who has been working in West Virginia for some time, is home for awhile. (16) The wedding bells are ringing on Belcher street. The boys say they've got their horns and pans ready. (17) 4 April 1902 Taborville Items (Special Correspondence) Mr. Thomas Hill, one of our most popular farmers, was in West Virginia last week buying cattle. He reports cattle very scarce and high. (18) Messers. W. H. Neel and C. S. Mc Clanaham [sic], of Bluestone, were in town this week. (19) A. B. Bower has sold his property at Falls Mills to J. C. Fink. Mr. Bower will go into business at Pocahontas soon. Mr. C. W. Butt, of Big Branch, was over in the city last week. Mr. H. Bane Compton is building a new home on his father's farm. Wonder what that means? (20) 25 April 1902 Taborville Items Farmers are busy sowing oats and planting potatoes. Feed is quite scarce and the grass is growing slow so we are longing to see some pretty warm weather. Mr. C. E. Buckland who has been the Postmaster at Falls Mills for some time has excepted [sic] a position at Cooper, W. Va., and Dr. A. W. Tabor takes his place in the post office. The Dr. is a good Postmaster and all around good fellow any way you take him. (21) Mr. Frank Hill of Cooper, W. Va. is up visiting his brother W. G. Hill, as was also Mr. Charles Wise of Eckman, W. Va., visiting his wife and little ones. Rev. Mr. Jones pastor of the M. E. church is holding a protracted meeting at Falls Mills. He says religion is as scarce at Falls Mills as hen teeth and that is just about the truth. Will Compton is sowing a big lot of grass seed this spring. He says he thinks it will be a good season for grass this year. Mr. James Belcher of Mercer Co., W. Va., was on Mud Fork last week selling farm machinery. He sold our friend W. G. Hill a mower and hay rake. Mr. Crockett Sarver whose name was mentioned in the NEWS some time ago, as having his foot cut off by a freight train is very sick with side pleurisy, his leg is about healed up. (22) C. E. Compton of Flat Top Yards has been real sick for several days, but is some better at this writing. Mr. Will Compton one of our most popular young men of this place, and Miss Ida Belcher of Mercer Co., W. Va., was united in marriage last Wednesday at the home of the brides father Mr. James Belcher. On the following day they came to Taborville where they will make their future home. (23) Mr. And Mrs. T. G. Sutfen of Elkhorn was up last Sunday a week ago visiting their brother Charles Sutfen. Mr. Tabor Blecher says it will be pretty hard on him to pay tax on seven dogs, but he will just advance the price of rabbits ten cents, and soon make it back. Mr. J. C. Fink was visiting his son Hugh at Keystone last Sunday. (24) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Footnotes: (2) Henry J. Tabor, 1861-1930, son of Stephen Paris Tabor and Eleanor Havens. Henry married Mary Arminta Wagner, daughter of Rev. Adam Edward Wagner and Juliana Elinor Tabor, daughter of Francis Tabor and Mary Shrader. (3)George W. Givens was married to Frances Geneva 'Fannie' (Compton) Caldwell. Frances was the daughter of Ballard Preston Compton and Delilah Harless. Frances was married three time: G. Sidney Caldwell-children; Charles and Sara B. Caldwell; George W. Givens-children; Ballard J., Annie Marie, Robert Garland and Edna Virginia Givens who married William Colden (sic) Warburton whose grandfather, of the same name, was born in Lancaster, England in 1861. The grandfather married Nancy Rebecca Tabor who was a daughter of Albert/Elbert A. Tabor, Sr (killed in the Civil War) and Matilda D. Payne who, after Albert Tabor's death, married William Scott. This was the same William Scott who had a daughter, Sarah Ann/Adeline 'Suzy' Scott, who married Henry Jefferson Tabor the son of Richard Adam Tabor and Mildred Permelia Shrader. Henry Jefferson 'Jeff' Tabor died will serving in the Civil War. James J. Buckland whose first married on 19 December 1894 to Sarah Elizabeth 'Sallie' Murrell, b. 1877. Frances (Compton) (Caldwell) Givens married James J. Buckland on the 17 February 1921 at Falls Mills, Tazewell County, Virginia. No children of this union that I have found. (4) Phillip, one of two Kinzer brothers who married daughters of Richard Adam Tabor and Mildred Permelia "Milly" Shrader. Phillip married Margaret Lavenia Tabor and John Broce Kinzer married Clarrisa Jennette Tabor. John Broce Kinzer and Phillip Kinzer were sons of Michael F. Kinzer and Annis' Anne' Broce who was a daughter of John and Elizabeth Broce. (5) There were two Samuel Belchers of the same age in the vicinity so I do not know which one is being referred to in this item. (6) I know from the other articles that this is Tobias Albert Belcher, son of Isom Green Belcher and Mary Catherine Deaton. Tobe Belcher married Bell Dora/Beldora French, daughter of Charles Campbell French and Nancy Abigail Pauley. Isom Green Belcher, son of Moses J. Belcher and Nancy Elizabeth Jane Tabor. (7) E. A. Deaton, Edward A. Deaton, son of Rev. Fabius Levi Deaton and Sarah Regina Shrader Deaton. W. W. Saddler, William W. Saddler, son of Henry C. Saddler and the first of his four wives, Chloe Farley. William W. Saddler married Chloe Ardelia Tabor, daughter of Andrew Jackson Tabor (killed in Civil War) and Juline Belcher Tabor. Charlie Saddler was Charles M. Saddler, son of William and Chloe Ardelia Tabor Saddler and Charlie Saddler married Margaret "Maggie" Tabor, daughter of James Britton Tabor and Carmine/Connie A. Hawley. (8) James Henry Wagner, son of Rev. Adam Edward Wagner and Juliana Elinor Tabor. James H. Wagner married Cassie Ellen Belcher, daughter of Isom Green and Mary Catherine Deaton Belcher. (9) Ballard Preston Compton, son of Cornelius and Rebecca Patterson Compton. Ballard married Delilah Harless, daughter of David Jackson Harless and May Jane Wise. (10) I do not know which James Tabor lived at Thompson Valley, Virginia. In this window of time there were seven James Tabor's living in this area of Virginia-several more but not old enough to be married. My guess would be that it was James Wingo Tabor, son of Samuel Flummer Tabor and Charlotte Osburn,. I know Samuel Flummer Tabor lived in the Falls Mills, VA., area. Samuel Flummer Tabor died in 1909. However, I do not show a wife for James Wingo Tabor. The other strong possibility would be James Brittan Tabor, son of William J. Tabor and Elizabeth Crockett. This William J. Tabor was the son of Francis Tabor and Mary Shrader James Brittan Tabor married Carmine/Connie A. Hawley, daughter of James Hawley and Martha A. Tabor. Marhta A., daughter of Andrew Jackson Tabor (killed in Civil War at Moorefield, August 7, 1864) and Juliana Belcher. (11) William Blake Tabor, usually known as Blake, son of William Coruch Tabor, known as Crouch Tabor who was a son of Andrew Jackson Tabor who was killed in the Civil War serving in the Confederate Army. The mother of William Blake Tabor was the first wife of William Crouch Tabor, Sarah V. Butt, 1858-1893 who was the daughter of William Harrison Butt and Lucelia Elizabeth Harris., After the death of Sarah (Butt) Tabor William Crouch Tabor married Sarah Jane Mullin and this family lived in North Dakota for awhile, at least. (12) I believe this to have been Ballard W. Tabor, son of Stephen Paris Tabor and Eleanor Havens. Ballard married Florence Virginia Wagner, daughter of Rev. Adam Edward Wagner and Juliana Elinor Tabor. (13) I keep running into this family but I can not figure out who they are in relation to the local families of Perdues and Tabors. (14) I believe this to be Charles Westley Butt, son of William Harrison Butt and Lucelia Elizabeth Harris. Some of their children were: William, Bentley Ransom-known as Bentley, Cliffton Dale 'Cliff' married first Emma Sewell of Kentucky and after her young death Cliff married Eliza J. Brewster. Ora Alice, Grover C., Michael "Mike," Louise M. and Mable Susan Butt. I had never seen this Charles W. Butt called a Rev. Butt before this article. (15) I believe to have been the son of G. Sidney Caldwell who died before the 1900 U.S. census for Tazewell County, Virginia was read, and Frances Geneva Compton, who was a daughter of Ballard Preston Compton and Delilah Harless. Frances Compton married three times. (16) Samuel Watson 'Watt/Wot' Compton, son of Hiram Alonzo Compton and Nancy Jane Belcher who was a daughter of Moses J. Belcher and Nancy Elizabeth Jane Tabor. Wat married Mariah Laura Belcher, daughter of Robert H. Belcher and Aurelia E. Compton, who in turn was the daughter of Cornelius Compton and Rebecca Jane Patterson. (17) This is a reference to the practice of "Belling." When a couple got married the family and neighbors would get anything they could find that would make a noise. All would go to the residence of the newlyweds and "Bell" them with a variety of noise/music. It was the custom when I was young (1940-1950's) for the newlywed couple to then invite us (the "Bellers") into their home for ice cream or another type of dessert or to take us to a local store and buy us all an ice cream. This practice would drive all the neighborhood dogs to distraction. Poor little critters….they did not get any ice cream unless someone dropped their share. I remember this still being practiced when I lived in the area. (18) A Thomas Hill, of this area, was the son of Wiley G. Hill and Nancy B. Perdue. Nancy Perdue, daughter of Silas Henry Perdue and Nancy Jane Powell. (19) Several W. Neels lived in Tazewell County, Virginia in this era/area but Mrs. C. S. McClanahan was Dora M. Tabor McClanahan, wife of Charles S. McClanahan. Dora M. Tabor, daughter of Russell B. Tabor and Elizabeth Compton. In 1900 US census for Tazewell County, Virginia a Howard Neel family and a Cyrus B. Neel family lived on the properties near Dora M. Tabor McClanahan. Perhaps Howard was W. H Neel? (20) Henry Bane Compton, known as Bane Compton, son of Ballard Preston Compton and Deliah Harless. Bane Compton married Sue Blanch Hale. (21) Charles Edward Buckland, Sr., son of William Jasper Buckland and Emily 'Emma' Tabor who was a daughter of James Harrison Tabor and Nancy Moore Runion (22) Crockett Hezikiah Sarver, son of John and Martha Susan Sarver. This family of Sarver's was apparently kin to John Henry Sarver and his wife, Maude Irene Neal, who lived in the area. John and Maude (Neal) Sarver had a son born in January of 1916 that they named Crockett Frazier Sarver. (23) William L. Compton, son of Hiram Alonzo Compton and Nancy Jane Belcher. Ida T. Belcher, born about December 1879, to James E. Belcher and Amanda C. French. James E. Belcher, son of Moses J. Belcher and Nancy Elizabeth Jane Tabor. Amanda C. French, daughter of Andrew P. L. French and Rebecca Day. (24) James C. Fink married Cynthia M. Dudley who was a daughter of Hugh D. Dudley and Mary Jane Shuffleberger.