WV-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 45 Today's Topics: #1 HISTORY:The First Baptist Church o [PTyler107@aol.com] #2 BIO:Henry Byas, Grant District, Ca [PTyler107@aol.com] #3 BIO: James Monroe Barcus, Grant Di [PTyler107@aol.com] #4 BIO: Andrew Lee Beckett, Grant Dis [PTyler107@aol.com] #5 BIO:Emsley Wilson Beckett, Grant D [PTyler107@aol.com] #7 BIO: Williams, Morgan-Anthony's Cr [Sharon McNeeley Subject: HISTORY:The First Baptist Church of Cabell County Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia, supplement Vol# 6, Hardesty's published by Jim Comstock, Richwood, WV 1974 The First Baptist Church. Everywhere in the settlement of the western wilderness the Baptist missionary has been seen by the side of the Methodist evangelist, and so it was in the territory now embraced within the present limits of Cabell. Their first organization was perfected in 1807, and was known as the Mud River Baptist Church. Its founder was the celebrated John Lee, one of the earliest Baptist ministers west of the Alleghenies. He was born and grew to manhood in the southern part of Virginia, and near the close of the last century, like many others, he crossed the mountains and sought a home in the then "Far West." Mr. Lee, before leaving the scenes of his childhood, had become a member of the Baptist Church, and soon after he felt it to be his duty to call others to repentance. He located in Teays Valley, and soon after began to proclaim the glad tidings to those around him. At the time he began preaching he was very illiterate, but by persevering industry he not only learned to read, but became well acquainted with the scriptures. He was remarkably successful in the ministry, and in him was verified the scriptural declaration that "God hath chosen the weak to confound the mighty." By the year 1806, he had organized the Teays Valley Baptist Church, which in that year was admitted into the Greenbrier Association with a membership of fifty-two. Mr.Lee extended his field of labor and continued to gather in the sheaves. At the meeting of the association in the year 1808, the Mud River Church, organized entirely by his own labor, was admitted into the body with thirty-two members. When we remember the sparsely settled condition of the country at that time, we are astonished at the success that crowned the labors of this extraordinary man, and at once recognize him one ordained of God to proclaim the gospel of His Son to the inhabitants of the wilderness. After a number of years' residence in the valley, Mr. Lee left the two monuments -- the Teays Valley and Mud River Churches, raised by himself -- behind him, and removed beyond the Ohio River, where he continued to declare the glad tidings of "Peace on earth and good will to men." He died many years ago, beloved and respected by all who were acquainted with his noble character and consecrated labors. ______________________________X-Message: #2 Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 23:52:54 EST From: PTyler107@aol.com To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: Subject: BIO:Henry Byas, Grant District, Cabell County, WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia, supplement Vol# 6, Hardesty's published by Jim Comstock, Richwood, WV 1974 Henry Byas - is a native of Amherst County, Virginia, born on Christmas Day, 1827. In Amhesrt County, April 25, 1846, he was united in marriage with Cassandra Vest, who was born in Amherst County, July 4, 1830. Eleven children are the fruit of their union: Mary Elizabeth, born June 25, 1847, married William Woodward; James Benjamin, born May 16, 1849, married G. A. Wallace; Henry Clay, born February 14, 1851, married M. A. Shamblin; Linzy Franklin, born August 15, 1853, married Alzadia Peyton; Sarah Catherine, born March 23, 1855, married William Byas; Emmeline Francis born January 25, 1857, married T. W. Fisher; Mazann born April 2, 1859, married John Woodward; Jiny Jenkins born April 22, 1861, married Frank Byas; Caroline P. born April 22, 1863; William Ludwell, July 18, 1865; Joel Hardy, April 17, 1873. Joel and Elizabeth (Harrison) Byas, the parents of Henry Byas, died in Amherst County, Virginia and his wife's parents died in that county also. She was a daughter of William and Mary (Byas) Vest. Henry Byas was conscripted into the Confederate Army, and served for three years under "Stonewall" Jackson. he passed through nearly all the battles of that famous general, unharmed, and surrendered at Brandy Station. His brother William, a half-brother Palatine, and two nephews, besides many other more distant relatives, fell fighting for the Lost cause in that war. Henry Byas is living in Grant District, his farm consisting of 159 acres, 40 acres in a high state of cultivation, well watered, with good buildings, and good orchard. His uncleared land is excellently timbered, with fine building stone and some iron ore. His post office address is Milton, Cabell County, West Virginia. ______________________________X-Message: #3 Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 23:53:25 EST From: PTyler107@aol.com To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <7b.1c8ee5d.25eb5945@aol.com> Subject: BIO: James Monroe Barcus, Grant District, Cabell County, WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia, supplement Vol# 6, Hardesty's published by Jim Comstock, Richwood, WV 1974 James Monroe Barcus - son of John and Elizabeth (Walker) Barcus, was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, March 27, 1833. His mother died in Ohio, and his father in West Virginia. In Washington County, Ohio July 1, 1855, James M. Barcus was united in marriage with Roena, daughter of James and Susan (Bellows) Tharp. She was born in Washington County, Ohio, May 15, 1837, and their children were born: Nancy, April 11,1856, died January 11, 1862; Georgia Anna, February 15, 1858, married M. F. Jordan; Henrietta, July 9, 1831, married Thomas R. Harrison; Parmelia, July 19, 1863, married T. A. Swan; Albert M., March 26, 1866; Lewis W.,January 5, 1868; Clina E., February 1, 1872; Minnie S., November 3, 1876. Georgia A., daughter of Mr. Barcus, lives in Grant District, Cabell County: Permelia lives in Meigs County, Ohio. He has lost seven children: Nancy whose birth and death record has been given; Henry T., born July 9, 1861, died May 17, 1862; Eunice M.,born July 11, 1874, died August 11, 1876; Ivan M., born August 15, 1881, died October 21, 1882, and three stillborn. James M. Barcus enlisted for 100 days service in Company H, 148th Ohio Infantry, served five months and received honorable discharge. Since 1882 James M. Barcus has lived in Grant District; occupation engineer and head sawyer; post office address, Milton, Cabell County, West Virginia. ______________________________X-Message: #4 Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 23:53:55 EST From: PTyler107@aol.com To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: Subject: BIO: Andrew Lee Beckett, Grant District, Cabell County Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia, supplement Vol# 6, Hardesty's published by Jim Comstock, Richwood, WV 1974 Andrew Lee Beckett - born in Cabell County, July 25, 1824, and Emily Samuels Hatfield, born in this county September 2, 1824, were united in marriage on the 24th of June, 1850. Their children were two sons: Lewis Henry, born August 13, 1851, married Latha Virginia Boffe, August 15, 1875; and Oliver Francis born October 1, 1861. The wife of Mr. Beckett was a daughter of Adam and Mary (Williams) Hatfield, and she died in this county, at her husbands farm in Grant District, January 3, 1883. She was a faithful wife and loving mother, at strict exemplary member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was loved in life and mourned in death. Andrew L. Beckett is a son of James and Hannah Lee Beckett. His father was born in Montgomery County, Virginia, September 18, 1772, and died January 20, 1868. His mother was born in Patrick County, Virginia, September 20, 1788 and died December 16, 1862. James Beckett settled in what is now Grant District in 1810, and was a prominent pioneer. The father of Hannah (Lee) Beckett served under General Anthony Wayne in fighting the Indians in the Kanawha Valley, and was a son of Lightfoot Lee. Mr. Beckett has a farm of 115 acres on Fudges Creek, the land under cultivation fertile and well improved, the remainder having fine building stone, some iron ore, and stone coal in abundance. He was a commissioned by Gen.Wise captain in the 120th Virginia militia, and served three years. Since the inauguration of the free school system he has been constantly a school officer. In 1866 he was elected justice of the peace in Grant District, and has served six years, and has filled the office of registrar in the same district four years. For fourteen years he has been postmaster at Fudges Creek, Cabell County, West Virginia, and is still the incumbent. ______________________________X-Message: #5 Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 23:54:26 EST From: PTyler107@aol.com To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: Subject: BIO:Emsley Wilson Beckett, Grant District, Cabell County Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia, supplement Vol# 6, Hardesty's published by Jim Comstock, Richwood, WV 1974 Emsley Wilson Beckett - is a son of Moses Beckett who in 1805 settled in what is now Grant District, Cabell County, and helped to rear the first cabins, fell the first trees, and bring this now fertile country into cultivation, sharing with those who ate their bread without having mills to grind the grain. Moses Beckett married Rebecca S. Wilson, and their son Emsley W. was born in Cabell County, August 28, 1832. In this county, September 26, 1854, he married Mary S. Roberts, and their children were fourteen: John H., born August 25, 1855, married Eliza N. Kilgore; Louisa Matilda E., born December 6, 1856, married John Hanley; Rebecca F., May 7, 1860, married Hollis Braley; James A. M., September 16, 1858, died August 1860; Lois A., April 1, 1862, died December 19, 1863; George M., March 7, 1864; Adaline, January 27, 1866; Mary F., February 19, 1868; Gertrude F., March 2, 1870; Margaret, October 24, 1871, died January 22, 1874; Thomas, October 14, 1873; Allen, July 15, 1875; Ezra W., January 7, 1878; Josephine O., April 28, 1881. Alex D. and Susan (Wells) Roberts were the parents of Mrs. Beckett, who was born in Cabell County, February 14, 1839. Mr. Beckett has been school trustee and road surveyor, and is now member of the board of education of Grant District. He was a deacon in the Baptist Church at Union, and clerk of the church at Zoah. He resides on his farm of 115 acres, having 50 acres under cultivation, the rest heavily timbered, with limestone and iron ore indicated. He is a shoemaker as well as farmer, and has his post office address at Milton, Cabell County, West Virginia. ______________________________X-Message: #7 Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2000 11:37:00 -0800 From: Sharon McNeeley To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <38BACE5C.FFC0B2BB@dhol.org> Subject: BIO: Williams, Morgan-Anthony's Creek District-Greenbrier County Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by bl-14.rootsweb.com id NAA16146 Hardesty’s West Virginia Counties Volume 6 - Page 223 Jim Comstock - Richwood WV 1973 Morgan Williams - is a son of early and prominent settlers of Greenbrier County, Hensen and Sarah (Westlick) Williams. They were in life loved and respected by all who knew them, and their son is universally respected, no man standing higher in the county. He was born near Frankford, June 18, 1818 and his wedded life there began, on the 7th of October, 1841. She who has shared more than forty years of wedded life with him was Jane Hannah, born near Frankford, October 14, 1813. She was a daughter of Joseph and Polly (Blair) Hannah, now many years dead. In the civil war, Mr. Williams lost one brother-in-law, and several distant relatives, killed in the Confederate service. The farm for many years owned by Morgan Williams, and who cultivation he still superintends, is well situated on Little creek, in Anthonys Creek district, three miles from Alvon, eleven from Frankford, twenty from Lewisburg, and twelve from White Sulphur Springs. His postoffice address is Alvon, Greenbrier county, West Virginia. ______________________________X-Message: #8 Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2000 11:36:53 -0800 From: Sharon McNeeley To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <38BACE55.DFADB38C@dhol.org> Subject: BIO: Friend, Harding Rugless-Otter District-Braxton County Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by bl-14.rootsweb.com id NAA16146 Hardesty West Virginia Counties Volume 3 - Page 125 Jim Comstock - Richwood WV 1973 Harding Rugless Friend - was a son of Jonathan Caldwell and Eliza Jane (Rugless) Friend, and their record is partly given in the sketch following this one. His mother is still living with him hale and hearty and with good memory at the age of four score and five years. She married Johnathan C. Friend December 15, 1822 and they came to what is now Braxton county May 24, 1823. Their children were: Mary Jane, born October 4, 1823, died March 16, 1849; Priscilla Sophia, July 8, 1825; Matilda Ann, March 5, 1827; Harding Rugless, subject of this sketch, June 17, 1829; Catharine Adelaide, March 11, 18321; Margaret Minerva, May 12, 1832 - the living daughters all now residents in Braxton county, this State, except Priscilla, who lives in Greenbrier county, and Jonathan Caldwell, whose records is given below. Her grandfather, James Rugless, came from England to Baltimore county, Maryland, and married Mary Winfield, whose parents came from Ireland. He moved to Cheat river when it was all wilderness, and was drowned in that river, while returning from Baltimore with a load of goods. James Rugless, his son, married Elizabeth, daughter of Saville and Elizabeth (Ramsey) Harding, who was born in Maryland. They were married in that State, and accompanied her parents, in 1796, to Maysville, Kentucky, where Eliza Jane, mother of Harding R Friend, was born December 4, 1798. Harding Rugless Friend married Mary Skidmore, February 6, 1868, at her father’s residence on Little Birch, Braxton county. She was a daughter of Allen and Sarah (Shaver) Skidmore, her father is still a resident in this county. She was born January 20, 1848, and died March 25, 1870. She left one daughter, Lilly Jane, born November 5, 1868, now living with her father. Mr. Friend was clerk and bookkeeper in a store at Sutton for over three years, beginning March 1, 1858. After the breaking out of the civil war he engaged in lumbering until he was married, and then for five years he resided in Sutton, keeping books, farming, lumbering, and carpentering. October 27, 1873, he removed to his present location on Raccoon creek, where he cultivates a farm of 60 acres. His postoffice address is Braxton C.H. Braxton county, West Virginia. ______________________________X-Message: #9 Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2000 11:37:12 -0800 From: Sharon McNeeley To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <38BACE68.862B8A8A@dhol.org> Subject: BIO: Friend, Rev. Jonathan Caldwell-Otter District-Braxton County Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by bl-14.rootsweb.com id NAA16146 Hardesty West Virginia Counties Volume 3 - Page 125 Jim Comstock - Richwood WV 1973 Rev. Jonathan Caldwell Friend - was born on Sugar creek, Otter district, Braxton county, June 5, 1833, a son of Jonathan Caldwell Friend and Eliza Jane (Rugless) Friend. Elizabeth Sutton Davis was born near Sutton, Elk river, Holly district, Braxton county, March 20, 1832, a daughter of Nathaniel Callender Davis and Barbara Ann (Wayne) Davis. In this county, November 19, 1857, were spoken the words joining the lives of Jonathan C. Friend and Elizabeth S. Davis, and to them were born six children: Miles Mounterville, June 15, 1859, lives in Birch district, this county; George Washington, July 6, 1860 died August 12, 1861; Jonathan McDonald, May 27, 1862; Margaret Ann, March 31, 1865; Mary Leanna, August 18, 1868; Roxy Norris, April 20, 1870 – these four at home. Miles M. married Eliza J Carr, in February, 1881. Jacob Friend, grandfather of Rev. Jonathan C. Friend was born near Franklin, Pendleton county, (then) Virginia, and his wife was of the same county. His son Jonathan C. went from Pendleton county to Greenup county, where he married, and he came from there to Braxton county, where he died February 28, 1856; his widow still lives in Otter district. He, with the father of his son’s wife, and some other gentlemen, started for Norfolk to serve in the 1812 war, but peace was declared before they reached there. Michael Rugless, uncle of the subject of this sketch, served with honor through that war. Mrs. Friend’s father was born in Arkansas, and was brought to Randolph county in childhood and there raised. He married in Braxton county, and died here May 9, 1857. His wife died in this county. Rev. Jonathan C. Friend has a farm of 175 acres, 40 improved, in Otter district, where he raises grain and stock, and has two fine orchards. The rest of his farm is covered with oak, poplar and walnut, and he sends it down the Elk to Charleston, engaging considerably in lumbering. He was licensed as a local preacher about 1870, and served as such for about three years, when he was ordained by the Annual Conference at Pruntytown, Taylor county, a minister of the Methodist Protestant Church. His first circuit was in Nicholas county, his next in Braxton, where he is now located, with postoffice address at Little Otter, Braxton county, West Virginia.