... starts with the Thomas Family - Edward G Thomas.

Edward G Thomas and wife Sarah A Lucas 

Page 3 of the Thomas Family binder is the FGS of Edward Gilmer Thomas, son of Archelaus and Rachel A Walker Baber. Edward was born 10 Apr 1826 and died on 8 Nov 1898 aged 72 years (link to the death registry record). He married Sarah Amanda Lucas on 19 Feb 1852. Sarah was born 28 Jan 1833 and died on 30 Apr 1909. Letha has no father listed for her, her mother is listed simply as "Betty" (see the Bible post for the source of birth, death, marriage and Sarah's mother's name). Their graves are in the Ben McClung Cemtery in Rupert, WV, I took the photos below on a trip there in July 2011. I have not come across the death record or certificate for Sarah. I have provided links where possible in my attempts to make this research as complete as possible. Letha notes her sources on this page as "Mary McNamee's scrapbook; Family Records; and Stones at Cemetery"

Children of Edward G and Sarah A Lucas Thomas:

1. William Alexander, b 5 Dec 1852 d 30 Jan 1934 age 82, married Emma Puckett 10 Oct 1878, Letha notes they had 5 children. According to his death certificate, he was married to an Ida Smith at the time of his death, he is buried at Upton Cemetery
2. Elizabeth "Lizzy" Margaret, b 22 June 1854 d 8 Feb 1934 age 80, married J W Ralston 16 Sep 1875, 1 son J H "Henry" Ralston.
3. James Franklin, b 9 Mar 1856 d 30 Dec 1934 age 78 (or Nov 1924 written in pencil), married Minerva Catherine "Kate" Woolwine 8 Jul 1883, burial for James Franklin Thomas simply says Dillwyn, VA. 11 or more children.  
4. Rachel Jane "Jennie", b 20 Jun 1858 d 8 Feb 1937 age 76 (or 8 Feb 1934 in pencil), married L A "Russ" Martin 14 Jan 1880, they had no children, lived in Alderson and adopted a daughter named Georgia Barr. 1934 is correct, here is her death cetificate, burial simply listed as Alderson.
5. Sarah Amanda "Mandy", b 24 Nov 1860 d 1 Mar 1939 age 79, buried at Little Sewell Church Cemetery, Rainelle, Greenbrier, WV, married to Edward Preston Sanford 20 Jan 1886. One child: Marrie. Death Certificate indicates Sewell Valley Cemetery as place of burial. 
6. Edward Daniel "Ed", b 11 May 1863 d 4 Sep 1957 age 94, burial listed as Sims Cemetery on Loops Rd, Fayette County, WV, married to Eliza Sims on 3 Jan 1895, 2 daughters Mary and Nellie. Death Certificate 
7. Joseph Andrew "Joe Andy", b 19 Feb 1866 d 6 Dec 1938 age 72 at Danese, WV, married to Mary Ellen Callison on 5 Mar 1900 at Greenbrier County, WV. The marriage record here indicates March 7th.  Both are buried together at Ben McClung Cemetery in Rupert. 7 children, 1 died as a baby. Joseph's death certificate can be viewed here. 
8. Martha Alice, b 11 May 1868 d Nov 1935 age 67, never married. I have not come across any death certificate for her yet.
9. Adam Henry, b 14 Sep 1870 d 13 Feb 1926, married to Ida Hinkle Had 6 children lists Haven (died age 32), Rubena, and Carrie. Adam's death certificate is here, he is buried at Oak Hill. 
10. Lucy Ellen, b 7 Feb 1873 d 17 Jul 1963, married Rev. Abraham Michael Frantz on 9 May 1939 at the age of 66, no children.
11. May Emma, b 3 Jun 1877 in Rupert, WV d 30 Mar 1953 age 76, married to Charles Wallace Crotty on 14 Aug 1901 (strangely enough by the same Rev A M Frantz who would marry her sister Lucy in 1939). 
12. Angeline, b in VA d before 1877 at age 14... 

There is a note from Letha that "6 other children died?"... and that Edward and Sarah "Lived at Woodbridge, Goshen, Rockbridge Co., VA. Came to Greenbrier Co, W.Va Apr 1877." 

Does anyone know anything about Edward and Sarah and their children? Anything to add to the bare bones I've posted here? What were these people like? I'll leave you with the only other photos I have of Ed and Sarah.

This is Joe Andy Thomas and his family, I believe the older woman to be Sarah A Lucas Thomas, and based on the baby's age, this photo was done around 1906 (baby James Elzie Thomas b Sep 1905).

Anyone know who owns this today? The photo appears to have been printed in 1970, but could it be a reprint?

... starts with the Thomas Family - John Walker Thomas

Page 2 of Letha's binder is the Family Group Sheet of John Walker Thomas, son of Archelaus Thomas and Rachel Ann Walker Baber. John is listed as being born 30 Jan 1827 in VA. His death is recorded as 17 Jan 1892, he was nearly 65.

John was married to a Nancy Miller, born 7 May 1835, died 13 Sep 1894. There is no marriage date for them listed, but a note from Letha says that "All children born at Meadow Bluff" in Greenbrier County. I did find their marriage info here on the WV Culture website, (which if you do any WV research, is PRICELESS), they applied for a marriage license on 19 Dec 1855, and were married on 20 Dec 1855 in Greenbrier County by a J.P. Etchison. John's parents are correctly listed as Arch & Rachel, Nancy's parents are Wm & Jane Miller. Nancy was 20 years old and born in Greenbrier County.

In the Information Obtained From section Letha has noted again the "Old Diary of Mary Jane Thomas Fitzgerald, shared by her daughter Susie Fitzgerald Oak Hill, WV" Mary Jane is a daughter of John Walker Thomas and Nancy Miller. Several of the following children have a notation of "(Ollie)" next to them, Ollie being a child of John Floyd Thomas and Flora Belle Callison, grandchild of John Walker Thomas and Nancy Miller.

The children of John Walker Thomas and Nancy Miller:

1. Martha Estaline (Infant), b 21 Mar 1857 or 8 Apr 1857 (Ollie) d 30 Aug 1857
2. Wm Alexander M. (Infant), b 21 Apr 1858 or 21 Mar 1858 (Ollie) d 8 Aug 1858
3. Mary Jane Brown, b 23 Apr 1859 d 11 Oct 1938, married Geo. W. Fitzgerald, children listed: Robert Lee, Susie, Bessie. "See back" notation: "Mary Jane md Geo. W. Fitzgerald, b 13 Mar 1834; Robert Lee b 11 Sep 1897 at Springdale (WV) d 9 Jul 192, md Barbara Williams, d 1 Jun 1956, 6 girls; Susie b 5 Jan 1898 Meadow Bluff, d 14 Nov 1994 Oak Hill (WV); Bessie b 4 Oct 1901 d 29 May 1990 Oak Hill."
4. Elizabeth Nettie, b 8 Mar 1861 d Feb 1906, married Jake Milner, children: Charles and Howard.
5. Fannie Ann, b 13 Apr 1863 d 9 Feb 1874 at 11 years old.
6. John Floyd, b 27 Jun 1865d 1 Jan 1944 in Seoul Chapel, married Flora Belle Callison 12 mar 1896 in Greenbrier County, WV, children: Ollie, Ray, and Russ.
7. Lydia Alice, b 28 Apr 1868 d 31 Dec 1894 at age 26.
8. Robert Lee, b 19 Apr 1869 d 1 Dec 1921, never married.
9. Augustus "Gus" Samuel, b 25 Sep 1871 d 30 Apr 1950, married to Lula Deene. children: Myrtle, Lacy, Baby Boy; "see back" notation: Gus' daughter Myrtle married Lacy Moody, Myrtle died of a stroke Dec 1988; Gus' son Lacy md Ava ___, had a son Lacy Jr.
10. Edward Smith, b 5 Jul 1874 or 1 Jul 1874 (Ollie) d 28 Feb 1936, married Sarah Bell Evans 10 Apr 1910 in Kingwood, WV, children: Frank, Fred, Helen Rae, Olive.
11.  Lulie Mackie, b 10 Jun 1877 d 22 Aug 1964, married Walter Cae Hamilton (d 21 Jun 1941), no children.
12. Joseph Lemon "Joe", b 23 Jan 1880 d 29 Nov 1937, married to Myrtle Steven (?) who died 26 Apr 1952.

Also on the back of this group sheet is the following entry recorded by Letha:

John Walker Thomas died when his wagon was crowded to the edge of (the) road. He had some barrels of salt he'd gotten at Sandstone for someone where he lived. When the wagon tilted the barrels slid to the side and took the wagon and horses and all over the cliff above a creek. I saw the place where it happened. The road is very narrow and a team of oxens tried to pass him, he should have gotten off but didn't. They carried him to a house across the creek, a family of Hollands lived there. (As written by Susie Fitzgerald, granddaughter)

Are you connected to this family? Do you know who currently has Mary Jane's "Old Diary" (I'd love to see it!). Do you have any pictures of this family? Contact me!

... is in the names.

Now that things are getting started on this project, I realise that a post dedicated to the major surnames Letha researched might be helpful.

So, here goes, in alphabetical order, from the binders and folders she left behind. Of course, within these many other surnames will be present.

Baber 

Bowyer

Callison 

Claypool  / Claypoole 

Fleshman 

Gwinn 

Hull

Legg

McClung 

Osborn  / Osborne 

Ramsey 

Shuck 

Thomas

Areas of interest to Letha (binders, folders, books, etc):

Fayette County, WV

 - Meadow Bridge, Danese, and Rainelle in particular 

Nicholas County, WV 

- Panther Mtn 

Summers County, WV