Rebecca Longwell

Rebecca Longwell, daughter of Robert Longwell and Martha Elizabeth Rebecca Ferrell, was born July 24, 1823 in Virginia, likely in Tyler County before West Virginia became a state. She was the oldest of at least eight children—John W., Joseph, Robert, Mary A., Thomas Benton, Nancy Jane, and Martha. Rebecca is my husband’s 2nd great grandmother with their nearest common relative being her son Robert.

In the spring of 1823, a marriage bond filed in Tyler County noted that “a marriage is suddenly intended to be had” between Robert Longwell and Martha Ferrell. The phrasing was standard for the clerk, though Martha was already expecting their first child. They married on June 1, 1823, and Rebecca was born later that summer. By 1824 and 1825, Robert appeared on the Tyler County personal property tax lists as one adult male over 16 with no taxable livestock or enslaved persons—evidence of a modest beginning for the young family.

Rebecca grew up as the oldest of eight children, likely helping her mother with the younger ones as the family established itself in early Tyler County. On December 8, 1831, the Longwell home burned, destroying her father’s War of 1812 discharge certificate and likely many of the family’s early possessions. The fire, noted years later in Robert’s pension papers, occurred during Rebecca’s childhood.

Around 1846, Rebecca married Henry F. M. Church, son of William Clark Church Sr. and Sally Cohen, likely in Monroe County, Ohio. A later census suggests a marriage year of 1850, but the birth of their first son in 1847 makes that entry almost certainly incorrect. Through Henry, Rebecca married into one of the oldest Church families in the region: Henry was a grandson of Henry “Old Hundred” Church and Hannah Kiene, early settlers along Fish Creek whose descendants formed the core of the Littleton‑area Church community.

Rebecca and Henry had six children: William Henry, Sarah, Robert, Martha, George, and one unidentified child. They spent their early married years in Monroe County. On October 9, 1850, they lived in Ohio Township with their children William (3) and Sarah (10 months), and Rebecca’s younger brother Joseph, who was mistakenly enumerated as “Joseph Church.” Henry farmed land valued at $500, and the agricultural schedule shows a productive operation for a man of 24: five improved acres, 145 in timber, livestock worth $137, and a harvest of 1,100 bushels of corn. Rebecca’s parents and siblings lived next door.

During the early 1850s, Henry purchased two 40‑acre tracts in Monroe County—one from David and Elizabeth Paden in 1850, and another from Jacob and Ann Bare in 1852. Neighboring deeds confirm his residence there, and in 1856 he sold the Bare tract, marking the end of his Monroe County landholdings. These records place Rebecca and Henry firmly in Monroe County through the mid‑1850s, just before their move to Wetzel County, Virginia (now West Virginia), where they settled among Henry’s Church relatives along Long Drain. Their son Robert was born in Littleton in November 1850, and Rebecca’s father died in Monroe County in 1852.

On December 30, 1857, Rebecca and Henry sold 114 acres on Long Drain to Hew Garner for $407, retaining a lien until the purchase money was paid. The tract bordered land belonging to Henry’s brother Samuel C. Church, showing the two brothers’ farms lay side‑by‑side. Rebecca and Henry were living in Wetzel County when their son George was born in October 1858.

By July 30, 1860, Rebecca and her family lived in Sardis, Ohio Township, Monroe County, Ohio. The census enumerator recorded four children—William, Robert, Martha, and George—meaning that Sarah, who appeared in the 1850 census, had likely died during the decade. Rebecca kept the house while Henry farmed, with his personal estate valued at $500. William, Robert, and Martha were all attending school. George, the youngest, was two years old.

On August 16, 1870, Rebecca and Henry lived in Burton, Wetzel County, in the home of Henry’s brother Samuel C. Church and his wife Sarah Elizabeth Anderson. Although Samuel was listed as head of household, Henry still owned $1,000 in real estate, showing he held land independently. Rebecca and George were unable to read and write; Robert could read but not write; Martha and George attended school. The neighborhood was a cluster of Church families living on adjoining tracts along Fish Creek.

In November 1871, Henry conveyed a 28‑acre tract on the north side of Fish Creek to their son William, an early transfer of Church family land that bordered the old line of Henry’s grandmother, Hannah Church. This transaction shows that Rebecca and Henry were already helping their children establish farms in the neighborhood where the extended Church family lived.

On September 3, 1874, Rebecca and Henry joined the other heirs of Henry’s grandmother, Hannah Church, in conveying their inherited interest in a 194‑acre tract to Philip Shough. Their signatures confirm Henry’s status as an heir and Rebecca’s presence in Wetzel County by this date. Because the 1874 acknowledgment was later found to be improperly certified, Rebecca and Henry re‑acknowledged and ratified the deed in May 1890.

Rebecca’s son Robert married Lucinda Murphy in 1876, daughter of John Murphy and Joanna Ullom, in Wetzel County, linking the Church and Murphy families of Long Drain and Fish Creek.

In 1878, Henry had to appear in court because a 55‑acre tract he owned in the Green District had fallen behind on taxes. He paid the overdue amounts to keep the land, a small glimpse into the financial pressures Rebecca and Henry faced while raising their family along Fish Creek.

On June 5, 1880, Rebecca and Henry lived in the Church District of Wetzel County in the household of their son William, his wife Narcissus, and their children. Rebecca and Narcissus managed the home while Henry and William farmed. Rebecca’s nephew Doliver (or Dallaven) Longwell lived with them as an adopted son. Rebecca and her son George were able to read and write; Henry could not.

Rebecca’s mother died of paralysis in Monroe County on October 3, 1880, at age 75.

In November 1890, Rebecca and Henry divided their Long Drain property among their sons. They conveyed 71 acres to William, stating it represented his full share of their estate. William immediately sold the tract to his brother George, and Rebecca and Henry added another 7¼ acres the next day. 

Rebecca appears in an 1893 deed as an attesting witness when her son Robert and daughter‑in‑law Lucinda sold a 47‑acre tract on Long Drain to S. A. Carney. The land, part of the Littleton area, had come to Lucinda from her parents, John and Joanna Murphy. Rebecca’s signature shows she was living in Wetzel County and present at a transaction linking both the Church and Murphy families.

In July 1894, Rebecca and Henry, living in Littleton, signed an oil and gas lease with the South Penn Oil Company covering their 170‑acre tract on Long Drain. The lease granted drilling rights, pipeline construction, and rental terms, with Rebecca and Henry receiving one‑eighth of all oil produced and $30 per year for each gas well marketed off the property. The lease provided Rebecca and Henry with a small but helpful source of income in their later years.

On June 14, 1900, Rebecca and Henry were living on a rented farm in the Clay District. Rebecca reported having had six children, with three still living. Two of the surviving children are known—Robert (d. 1932) and George (d. 1943). Their daughter Sarah had died between 1850 and 1860, and one additional child apparently died in infancy and never appeared in the census. That leaves William Henry and Martha as the two children whose death dates have not yet been located. The census recorded July 1823 as the birth month and year for both Rebecca and Henry—correct for Rebecca, but incorrect for Henry, who was born in October. Their son William lived next door.

Henry died in Wetzel County on April 16, 1904 and was buried at Thomas Chapel Cemetery in Wetzel County. Rebecca shares a joint tombstone with him, though her death date was never engraved.

By April 27, 1910, Rebecca—now 86—lived with her son George and his large blended family in Clay District. Eleven people lived under one roof, with George farming to support the household. Clarence, George’s son by his first wife, attended a normal school. Rebecca’s paper trail goes cold after this census record.

Although Rebecca’s death date was never recorded, the records she left—census entries, deeds, and the stone she shares with Henry at Thomas Chapel—preserve her place in the Fish Creek and Long Drain community.

References

• Henry Church, U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850–1880.
• Martha Longwell, Monroe. Death Records 1867–1891, 1892–1908, image 103, FamilySearch.
• Personal Property Taxes, 1824, Tyler County, Virginia: Tyler. Personal Property Tax Records 1824, image 7, FamilySearch.
• Personal Property Taxes, 1825, Tyler County, Virginia: Tyler. Personal Property Tax Records 1825, image 7, FamilySearch.
• Personal visit to Thomas Chapel Cemetery, Wetzel County, West Virginia.
• Robert Church, Certificate of Death no. 15621, Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia, November 29, 1932.
• Robert Church, West Virginia, Deaths Index, 1853–1973.
• Robert Church, West Virginia, Marriages Index, 1785–1971.
• Robert Longwell, US, War of 1812 Pension Files, 1812–1815.
• U.S. Federal Census, Burton, Church District, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1870, 1900.
• U.S. Federal Census, Church District, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, Clay, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1910.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 106, Ohio Township, Monroe County, Ohio, 1850.
• U.S. Federal Census, Ohio Township, Monroe County, Ohio, 1850, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, Sardis, Ohio Township, Monroe County, Ohio, 1860.
• U.S. Federal Census, Tyler County, Virginia, 1840.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Birth Records 1854–1898, Marriage Records 1854–1899, Death Records 1854–1899, Probate Records 1847–1899, Wills 1847–1899, image 35, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Court Records 1879–1884, image 68, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1855–1865, image 337, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1870–1872, image 437, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1880–1882, image 410, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1890–1891, images 228–229, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1891, images 121–123, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1893–1894, image 361, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1893–1895, image 203, FamilySearch.

Henry Church: A British Regular in the American Revolution

I’ve been focusing on my Revolutionary War–era ancestors but didn’t want to ignore my husband’s. The only person we’re aware of serving was Henry Church, my husband’s fourth great grandfather. But he wasn’t a patriot—he was a Regular in the British Army.

Henry “Old Hundred” Church, born around 1750 in Suffolk, England, is remembered as one of Wetzel County’s most distinctive early settlers—a man whose remarkable age and colorful past left such an impression on his neighbors that the town of Hundred, West Virginia, carries his nickname.

Henry Church, Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, June 1859

Many accounts describe Henry as having served in the British forces during the Revolutionary War, though the details vary widely. One account holds that he served under Lord Cornwallis in the 63rd Light Infantry and was captured on a scouting mission somewhere between Richmond and Petersburg by troops under the Marquis de Lafayette, after which he was imprisoned near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, until the end of the war. Another late‑nineteenth‑century newspaper article offers a different version, reporting that Henry began the war as a British soldier but deserted and joined the American cause, later seeking seclusion in the hills of Virginia out of fear of arrest. Still others claim he once served in the personal guard of King George III and that he and a companion named John Taylor were among several young men sent to the colonies to serve under Cornwallis.

More recent research, however, provides a clearer picture. Our Taylor Clan (Thomas F. Taylor, MD, 2003) includes work by the authors and other family researchers who examined British muster rolls WO 12/7241 and WO 12/7242 at the Public Record Office in Kew, London. Their study—based on transcriptions and analysis by Sharon Wodtke and Gerry Edwards between 2001 and 2003—documents the British military service of John Taylor, the same man long remembered as Henry’s wartime companion. Those same muster rolls show that Henry Church served as a private in the 63rd Regiment of Foot (West Suffolk) during the American Revolution. He first appears on October 24, 1780, transferred into Captain Bent Ball’s company from an “Additional Company H,” likely arriving from England late in the war. The regiment’s muster lists place him in New York through 1780–1781, after which he disappears from active rolls. Although the 63rd did not fight at Yorktown, later notes suggest Henry may have been captured during a scouting mission in 1781. In the final administrative roll filed on July 4, 1783, he is recorded as having “deserted” on July 1, 1783—a notation historians believe was commonly used at the end of the war to clear the names of missing or captured soldiers, not necessarily evidence of literal desertion.

Although these stories differ in their specifics, they share a common theme: Henry’s wartime experiences—whatever their exact nature—became part of the local lore that surrounded him. According to these accounts, after his release from imprisonment he chose to remain in America, where he met and married Hannah Keine, a Pennsylvania Quaker born around 1755. By the early 1800s, Henry and Hannah had settled along Fish Creek in what would become Wetzel County, West Virginia, where they raised eight children.

According to family historian Ethel Briggs, life for Henry and Hannah remained lively long after the Revolutionary era. She wrote that the couple was widely respected for their honesty and hard work, and that Henry in particular was admired for his patriotic spirit. During the War of 1812, Briggs said Henry was drafted into American service and proudly set out with his rifle, prepared to fight against Britain despite his lingering loyalty to the crown. She noted that Henry had refused to take the oath of allegiance required of Englishmen after the Revolution, explaining that he had already sworn loyalty to King George. Only decades later, when he wished to sell part of his land, did he finally sign the oath, because it was legally necessary.

On April 6, 1858, Henry appeared before the Wetzel County Court to file his Declaration of Intention—the first legal step toward becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen. In this sworn statement, he renounced allegiance to the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and affirmed his “bona fide intention” to become a citizen of the United States. By then he was well over 100 years old—born around 1750, he would have been about 107 or 108 in 1858. 

Wetzel County Court April 6, 1858.

I Henry Church do declare on oath that it is my bona fide intention to become a citizen of the United States and to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to all and any foreign Prince Potentate State and Sovereignty whatever and particularly to the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland of whom I was a subject.

Henry Church

I Francis Cox clerk of the County Court of Wetzel County in the State of Virginia do certify that the above is a true copy of the original declaration of intention of Henry Church to become a citizen of the United States remaining of record in my office. In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of said Court this 6th day of April 1858.

Friend Cox, Clerk

Under the naturalization laws of the time, he would have needed to wait two years before returning to court to complete the process. He never reached that second step. Henry died on September 13, 1860, only a few months after he became eligible to file his final petition. Hannah had died just weeks earlier, on July 27, 1860, at about 105 years old.

In their final years, Henry and Hannah’s home became a familiar landmark to travelers along the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Passengers would crowd the windows hoping to glimpse the legendary old man who was said to have lived past a hundred years. His age became part of the local lore, and “Old Hundred” became both his nickname and, eventually, the name of the community that grew nearby.

Behind the legend is a simpler truth found in the muster rolls at Kew: Henry Church was one of thousands of British Regulars who crossed the Atlantic during the Revolutionary War, served far from home, and chose not to return when it ended. He lived nearly 110 years—long enough for stories to grow around him—but the records that survive still point back to those few lines in the books of the 63rd Regiment of Foot. That brief service shaped the course of his life, carrying him from Suffolk to the American frontier and, eventually, to the hills of northern West Virginia, where the town of Hundred still remembers the man they called “Old Hundred.”

References

• Briggs, Ethel L., Ohio Valley Richmonds: Their Kith and Kin, The Early Settling of Wetzel County, pp. 226–227, 1976.
• Comstock, Jim, Hardesty’s West Virginia Counties: Doddridge, Marion, Upshur, Wetzel, Richmond, West Virginia, 1973, West Virginia. Biographies, History Records, images 229–230, FamilySearch.
• Death of a Centennarian: Mrs. Hannah Church, Richmond Dispatch, Richmond, Virginia, July 31, 1860.
• Death of a Patriarch: Henry Church, Richmond Dispatch, Richmond, Virginia, October 1, 1860.
• Declaration of Intention of Henry Church (April 6, 1858), Wetzel County, West Virginia, Court Orders 1854–1861, 1846–1854, 1862–1872, image 346, FamilySearch; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSVD-RN2?view=fullText&keywords=Church%2CDaniel%2CUnited%20States%2CWetzel&lang=en&groupId=.
• Here’s How the West Virginia Town of “Hundred” Got Its Unique Name, West Virginia Explorer Webzine; https://wvexplorer.com/2024/01/22/old-hundred-west-virginia-henry-church-wetzel-county/. 
• Remarkable Family: The Founder of Hundred, in Wetzel County and His History, The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, Wheeling, West Virginia, November 23, 1895.
• Taylor MD, Thomas F., Our Taylor Clan, War of the Revolution: British Emphasis on the 63rd Light Brigade/Regiment of Foot, 2003, United States, Genealogies, History Records, Periodicals, Indigenous People Records, Oklahoma. Indigenous People Records, images 24–25, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1845–1855, images 140, 180, and 432, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1855–1865, image 52, FamilySearch.

Esther Marie Davis

Esther Marie Davis, daughter of John Grant Davis and Jennie F. Church, was born on August 13, 1913, likely in Clarksburg, Harrison County, West Virginia. John and Jennie had four children: Chester Leo Davis, Lavester Otto “Vester” or “Speck” Davis, Esther Marie Davis, and an unnamed daughter.

Esther is my husband’s 1st cousin 1x removed. Their nearest common ancestors are Robert Church and Lucinda Murphy—Esther’s grandparents and my husband’s great-grandparents.

8/19/2026 update: photo of Esther shared by Jan Davis.

Esther on the right

In 1911, the Davis family lived in Clarksburg, where Lavester was born. By August 2, 1915, they had moved to Smithfield in Wetzel County, where five-year-old Chester died of diphtheria. A daughter was born in Smithfield on August 18, 1917. The Wetzel County General Index and Register of Births lists a female child born alive to John G. and Jennie Davis, identified only by the surname “Davis.” She apparently did not survive.

By September 1918, the family was living in Littleton, Wetzel County, when John registered for the World War I draft. He worked as a driller for the South Penn Oil Company in Mannington, Marion County. He was described as medium height and slender, with grey eyes and brown hair.

In November 1919, John had Jennie institutionalized at Weston State Hospital in Weston, Lewis County, West Virginia, for reasons unknown to the family. She remained there for the rest of her life, leaving Esther without her mother’s care. By December, John and the children had relocated to Hood County, Texas, where he enlisted Sarah Isabelle “Belle” (Black) Mitchell to raise Esther and Lavester. Initially, I was unsure of Belle’s connection to the family, but I have since confirmed she was the wife of Charles Marion Mitchell. More on her family ties will follow.

On January 14, 1920, Esther and Lavester were living with Belle in Justice Precinct 6 of Hood County. Both were listed as adopted daughters (an error in Lavester’s case), recorded as “Vesta” (8) and “Esta” (6). Belle, age 63, owned her home and worked as a washwoman. She was literate and shared the household with Uria C. Hidd (or Kidd), his wife Anna E., stepson William M. Davis, and mother-in-law Ellen Johnson.

At some point, John moved to Ranger in Eastland County. The Granbury News reported in July 1928 that Esther and “Vester” were visited by their father. Granbury is about 90 miles from Ranger.

In February 1930, Esther and Belle traveled to Dallas to visit relatives. By April 10, 1930, Esther and Lavester were still living with Belle (enumerated as Sara Mitchell), now a 74-year-old widow, in Hood County. The census listed Esther as 16 and Lavester as 17. Esther was not attending school and was unable to read or write; Lavester was in school and literate. No one in the household was employed. Belle’s home appeared on the census sheet just after the household of William “Will” N. Mitchell, Belle’s son, whose family included Thail Mitchell—later Lavester’s wife. Thail essentially grew up alongside Esther and Lavester.

Esther was 17 or 18 when she was institutionalized at Abilene State Hospital in Taylor County, Texas, a facility originally founded to treat epileptic patients. The Abilene State Hospital was later renamed the Abilene State School. According to the Granbury News on April 17, 1930, “Vester and Ester left Thursday to go to Abilene where they will be near their father.” While her exact admission date is unknown, it likely occurred shortly after their arrival. The hospital, later renamed Abilene State School, operated as an epileptic colony until the late 1940s.

In October 1930, John and Lavester returned to Granbury to visit Belle, who then accompanied them to Abilene to see Esther. Ranger is about 55 miles east of Abilene and 90 miles west of Granbury.

With Esther institutionalized and Lavester now an adult, Belle moved in with her son Will in Thorp Spring in July 1935. She died there on April 5, 1936.

The 1940 census showed Esther, age 27, still a patient at Abilene State Hospital. A sidebar noted that the 40 women listed were all inmates of the hospital for epileptics. Esther had never attended school and had worked three hours the previous week.

On October 23, 1944, Lavester married Era “Thail” (Mitchell) Long in Fort Worth, Johnson County. Their father John lived with them for much of their second year of marriage before eventually relocating to California.

Esther remained a patient at the hospital as of April 22, 1950. She was 37 and had never married. In 1957, the facility was renamed Abilene State School and transitioned into a residential center for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Jennie (Church) Davis, Esther’s mother, died from a cerebral hemorrhage and arteriosclerosis at Weston State Hospital on February 26, 1963, following more than four decades of institutionalization. It is likely that Esther never saw her mother again after Jennie’s commitment in 1919—a separation that spanned nearly Esther’s entire life. Jennie was laid to rest at Thomas Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery in Littleton, West Virginia.

Around 1965, Thail was notified that Esther was her responsibility, as she was her only living relative. In a 1966 letter to Esther’s uncle Ralph Murphy, Thail explained that John had informed the hospital before becoming too ill to continue caring for Esther. He believed Thail would love Esther enough to ensure her well-being—a commitment she and her father had upheld for most of Esther’s life. Thail wrote that her father treated Esther as one of his own children.

Esther became seriously ill in March 1969 and was visited by her sister-in-law Thail in Abilene. 

She passed away on October 7, 1973, at the Abilene State School, where she had lived for 43 years. Her death was attributed to bronchopneumonia caused by aspiration of vomit, a complication of a congenital brain disorder—the exact nature of which was never identified. Before entering the institution, Esther had lived in Granbury, Hood County. She was buried on October 9 in Colony Cemetery on the school grounds, following a service led by Rev. Don Cauble, the school chaplain. Esther was survived by her brother Lavester and several nieces and nephews. She was 60 years old and had never married. Her mother’s name was listed as “Unknown” on her death certificate. Like her mother Jennie, who spent over four decades at Weston State Hospital, Esther lived most of her life within the walls of an institution.

Photo by HuntCoTx, Find A Grave member 46918649

Esther’s life was shaped by early separation from her mother, years of institutional care, and the absence of meaningful support from her father. She spent more than four decades at the Abilene State School, largely isolated from her family. Her passing in 1973 marked the close of a long and often solitary journey—one that unfolded quietly, far from the attention of those who might have offered comfort. Though much of her life was lived in silence, Esther’s story deserves to be remembered.

References

• Abilene State School: History and Services for the Intellectually Disabled, Texas State Historical Association, Handbook of Texas Online; https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/abilene-state-school. 
• Abilene State School; https://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Abilene_State_School. 
• Chester Leo Davis, General Index and Register of Deaths—Wetzel County, West Virginia.
• Esther M. Davis Services Tuesday, Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas, October 8, 1973.
• Esther Marie Davis, State of Texas, Certificate of Death 80995, Taylor County, 1973.
• Jennie F. Davis, Register of Deaths—Lewis County, W. Va., 1963.
• John Grant Davis, U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007.
• John Grant Davis, United States, Military Records 1917–1918, FamilySearch.
• Lavester Otto Davis, U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947.
• Letter from Era Thail (Mitchell) Long Davis to Ralph Junior Murphy, October 26, 1966.
• Obituaries, L. O. "Speck" Davis, Hood County News, Granbury, Texas, November 25, 1984.
• Personal memories of Murphy family members.
• September 4, 1944 letter to L. S. Hall of New Martinsville, West Virginia from Thail Long of Thorp Springs, Texas. 
• Thorp Spring News, Hood County News-Tablet, Granbury, Texas, March 6, 1969, July 20, 1928, and April 10, 1930.
• Thorp Spring, The Granbury News, Granbury, Hood County, Texas, February 21, 1930, April 17, 1930, October 30, 1930, and July 19, 1935.
• U.S. Federal Census, Abilene State Hospital, Abilene, Taylor County, Texas, 1940, 1950.
• U.S. Federal Census, Justice Precinct 6, Hood County, Texas, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Precinct 6, Hood County, Texas, 1930. 

Essie Lee Murphy

Essie Lee Murphy, daughter of Martin William Murphy and Sarah Elizabeth Anderson, was born in Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia, in July 1889. Although no official birth record has been located, her Find a Grave memorial lists her birthdate as July 3. Essie was the 4th of 11 children, born into a large family: Cora Belle Murphy, Edward “Ed” Francis Murphy, Charles Homer Murphy, Essie Lee Murphy, William “Willie” H. Murphy, Ella Mae Murphy, Arliff Barow Murphy, Tabitha M. Murphy, Cecil Pearl Murphy, Addie Opal Murphy, and Olive Ruby Murphy.

Essie is my husband’s great-aunt. Their closest shared ancestors are her parents—my husband’s great-grandparents.

In 1898, when Essie was just nine years old, her younger sister Tabitha passed away. She was laid to rest at Anderson Bethel Cemetery in Littleton.

By June 23, 1900, the Murphy family was living in a rented home in the Clay District of Wetzel County. Martin and Sarah had been married for 16 years, and Sarah had given birth to nine children, eight of whom were still living. Martin worked as a teamster, likely driving a team of horses, mules, or oxen to haul timber, coal, farm goods, or supplies between towns—a demanding and essential job in rural West Virginia.

Essie, her parents, and brother Charles were literate, while her older brothers Edward (16) and William (11) were not. The youngest child in the household, Cecil, was just two years old. The family was surrounded by relatives: her grandparents Lewis and Mariah (Eckelberry) Anderson, aunts Dora and Emma, and cousin Earl Bissett (Dora’s son) lived three doors down. Her uncle Henry Anderson, his wife, and four children lived two doors away, next to her grandparents.

On September 23, 1907, Essie married Frank Oscar Grimm, son of Eldoras “Oscar” Grimm and Sarah “Armenia” Gossett, in a ceremony officiated by Rev. D. H. Reid, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church in New Martinsville. Essie was 21; Frank, 24. He was born in Marshall County, West Virginia.

Soon after their wedding, Essie and Frank moved to Warwood, in Ohio County, where they welcomed three children:

• Harry Lee Grimm (1908)
• Elsie Mae Grimm (1910)
• Ruth Louise Grimm (1912)

By April 25, 1910, the family was renting a home in the Richland District of Ohio County. The census recorded two years of marriage and one living child. At the time, Essie was just 10 days away from giving birth to their second child, Elsie. Frank worked as a house carpenter, and a 27-year-old divorced woman named Flora McGill lived with them, employed as a servant. Flora had four children, all living. Essie, Frank, and Flora were all literate.

Tragically, Essie passed away on May 25, 1915, at the age of 27, in Warwood, following a battle with septic endometritis—a severe infection of the uterine lining. Her children—Harry (6), Elsie (5), and Ruth (2)—were left motherless at a tender age. Her burial location remains unknown.

Around 1920, Essie’s husband Frank remarried—this time to her sister, Cecil Pearl Murphy.

References

• Essie Lee Grim, Ohio County, West Virginia, Death Index, West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture & History, Vital Records (Interactive), 1915; https://dach-image-proxy.digital-relativity.workers.dev/?film=857524&frame=00307. 
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143800652/essa_lee-grimm: accessed August 18, 2025), memorial page for Essa Lee “Essie” Murphy Grimm (3 Jul 1887–25 May 1915), Find a Grave Memorial ID 143800652; Burial Details Unknown; maintained by: Find a Grave.
• Ohio County, West Virginia, Birth Records 1889–1914, images 410, 456, and 562, FamilySearch.
• Personal visit to Anderson Bethel Cemetery, Littleton, West Virginia.
• U.S. Federal Census, Clay, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1900.
• U.S. Federal Census, Richland, Ohio County, West Virginia, 1910. 
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Marriage Records 1904–1908, image 499, FamilySearch. 

John Murphy

John Murphy was born on March 20, 1820, in Virginia to William Murphy and Nancy White. He was one of at least six children, including siblings Mary Ann Murphy, Ezekiel G. Murphy, William Murphy Jr., Grafton Murphy, and Michael Murphy. John is my husband’s 2nd great-grandfather, with his daughter, Lucinda, their closest common ancestor. Lucinda is my husband’s great-grandmother.

When I decided to write about John, I uncovered a wealth of information. Every time I explore our Murphy lineage, I look for connections between our two Murphy branches. One branch traces back to Samuel C. Murphy, born in 1825 in Monongalia County, Virginia, while the other follows John and his daughter Lucinda, who married Robert Church. Although I have not identified the exact county in Virginia where John was born, I know he lived in Monongalia County at one point. This places both Samuel and John, who are close in age, in the same area. They might belong to separate Murphy families, but my goal is to determine their connection.

I spent a week searching through county records, but still could not connect these Murphy branches. However, it was not a wasted effort. Two years ago, I blogged about my speculations regarding John’s father, William, and his children. During my search, I found a deed related to the heirs of Grafton White. Although I was not familiar with his name, the deed included many names I recognized. The deed aimed to divide and distribute Grafton White Sr.’s real estate among his heirs and descendants. Some of those heirs were the children of the late Nancy (White) Murphy: John, Mary, Ezekiel, William, Grafton, and Michael. Nancy was Grafton’s daughter and John’s mother. This deed, which specifically named John and his wife Joanna, provided the name of John’s mother, which I did not have before, and it took that line back two generations. 

In October 1836, John’s father, William, owned 170 acres of land in Dunkard Creek in Monongalia, Virginia. A survey book for that county records William and several other Murphy men as head of household, but not John. At 16 years old, John was likely still living with his father.

John married Joanna Ullom, though the exact date is unknown. Joanna’s father was Elijah Ullom, but her mother’s identity is also unknown. They had three confirmed children: Louisa Murphy, Lucinda Murphy, and Mary Ann Murphy. It is possible they also had two additional children, William H. Murphy and Milley J. Murphy, who appear in only one record, which I will discuss below.

On October 10, 1850, John (aged 27) and Joanna (aged 21) lived with John’s father, William (head of household, aged 60) in District 37 of Monongalia County, Virginia. John’s 19-year-old brother, Ezekiel, also resided with them. Additionally, 15-year-old Catherine Pethtel, born in Ohio, lived in the household. While Catherine’s exact relationship to John is unclear, it is possible she is connected to John’s sister, Mary, who married Robert Pethtel. John, his father, and Ezekiel were all farmers. Neither John nor Joanna could read or write, while Catherine was attending school. William’s real estate was valued at $2,000. 

Nancy’s father and John’s grandfather, Grafton White Sr., died by suicide in Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1829. A coroner’s inquest determined that he hanged himself in a barn using a rope, driven by a disturbed state of mind. In September 1853, his 170-acres estate in Monongalia County was divided among his children and their descendants. As the child of Nancy (White) Murphy, who had apparently passed away (date unknown), John inherited a portion of his grandfather’s estate. To increase his share, John purchased the interest of his sister Mary and her husband, Robert Pethtel, for $110, with $10 paid upfront and the remaining amount to be paid later. Unfortunately, the deed did not specify how many acres John and Joanna now owned.

John’s brother, Grafton Murphy, apparently died in Monongalia County about 1856. I was able to find estate records in my search, but not death records for Grafton.

In December 1856, John and Joanna transferred 100 acres of land on the waters of Fish Creek in Wetzel County, Virginia, to John Hostetter for $1,150, with $300 paid upfront and the remainder to be paid annually. In March 1857, Samuel Sharpreck and his wife sold 100 acres of land on Fish Creek to John for $700. 

By July 6, 1860, the Murphy family had relocated to a home in Knob Fork, Wetzel County. John continued his work as a farmer, with real estate valued at $800 and a personal estate worth $150. The 1860 census listed John’s birthplace as Pennsylvania, a change from the 1850 census, which recorded it as Virginia. Neither John nor Joanna could read or write. This census is the only record that mentions the children William H. Murphy and Milley J. Murphy. Typically, a couple’s children are listed directly under them in the census. In this instance, the enumerator recorded them differently, with William and Milley listed after daughters Louisa and Lucinda.

It remains unclear whether William and Milley are John and Joanna’s children. Despite searching for them under various sets of Murphy parents, I have found no records of their existence beyond the 1860 census. My search in death records also yielded no results. If anyone has insights into this family, I would love to hear from you.

Joanna’s father, Elijah (74), and Martha (18, likely Joanna’s sister), along with a 27-year-old domestic named Lucinda Davis, also resided in the home. Lucinda may have connections to the White family, as Nancy (White) Murphy’s brother, Grafton White Jr., had a daughter named Margaret who married Joshua M. Davis. However, I have not confirmed this connection.

The world turned upside down in 1861 with the start of the United States Civil War. I find no evidence that John served during the war. There was a John Murphy who served from Wetzel County; however, records later show his wife was named Rachel, not Joanna. In 1863, western Virginia split to form West Virginia due to their opposition to secession and differing economic interests.

On August 4, 1870, the Murphy family continued living in Knob Fork, recorded as the Center Township of Wetzel County in the newly-formed state of West Virginia. As in 1850, John was listed with Virginia as his birthplace. Joanna was born in Pennsylvania, so it is possible the enumerator mistakenly recorded her birthplace for John’s in the 1850 census. Over the past decade, John’s real estate value had grown significantly, now valued at $2,000, with his personal estate valued at $250. Both John and Joanna had learned to read and write. Three daughters—Louisa, Lucinda, and Mary—were living in the home, with Lucinda and Mary attending school. A 20-year-old male named William Davis also resided with them, working as a farm laborer. William might have been a descendant of Grafton White Jr., the brother of Nancy (White) Murphy.

John’s daughter, Louisa, married Samuel S. Carney at John’s home on Christmas Eve, 1871. Louisa was 18 years old, and Samuel was 23.

In December 1872, John and Joanna sold a tract of land in Wetzel County to Jacob Brookover and Wesley Degarmore for $2,970. The payment included $800 in cash, with the remaining balance due with interest. They agreed that Brookover would pay two-thirds of the purchase price and receive two-thirds of the land, while Degarmore would pay one-third and receive one-third of the land. John also sold 40 acres in Wetzel County to G. W. Fox for $400.

In March 1876, five years after their daughter Louisa married Samuel Carney, John and Joanna sold 35 acres of land on Long Drain in Fish Creek, Wetzel County, to Samuel for $500. This land was considered a dowry and was described in the deed as Louisa’s share of John’s estate.

Once again, family gathered at John’s home to celebrate the marriage of his daughter, Lucinda, to Robert Church on April 2, 1876. Lucinda was 18 years old and Robert was 23.

By 1878, John owned 246 acres of land in Long Drain. The property, located 25 miles northeast of the Wetzel County courthouse, was valued at $6 per acre, amounting to a total value of $1,476. 

On June 4, 1880, John, Joanna, and their daughter Mary were residing in the Church District of Wetzel County. John continued his work as a farmer while Joanna managed the household. Mary, who was now 17 years old, was not attending school.

In February 1883, John’s maternal uncle, Michael White, passed away. In his will, Michael left a portion of his estate to the “Freedman’s Aid Society,” but for reasons unknown, the court declared this part of the will invalid. Consequently, this portion of the estate was distributed according to intestate succession laws. The court appointed someone to identify the rightful heirs and determine their shares of the estate. The heirs were identified as Michael’s siblings: William White, Grafton White Jr., Nancy Murphy, Hannah Butters, and Rebecca Gidley. Since all of them were deceased, their children, Michael’s nieces and nephews, inherited their shares. Nancy Murphy’s children, including John, who was living in Burton, Wetzel County at the time, were listed in the report and received one-fifth of that portion of the estate. John’s share amounted to 1/25th of the estate.

Following the tradition of her sisters, John’s youngest daughter, Mary, chose her father’s home for her wedding. On December 10, 1883, she married George Washington Sole. Mary was 22 years old, and George was 23.

In November 1885, John and Joanna purchased a 47-acre tract of land situated on the waters of Long Drain, within the Clay District of Wetzel County. They purchased this land from Mary and Jeremiah Stottlemire for a total of $175, with an initial payment of $75 upfront. The remaining balance of $100 was to be paid in two equal annual installments over the next two years, with interest accruing from November 11, 1885. The land was adjacent to the properties of Henry Sole and others.

In October 1887, likely due to eminent domain, the Wetzel County Court ordered the opening and maintenance of a new road starting southwest of John’s house on Long Drain in the Church District, passing through his and Samuel Carney’s lands for public use. The court ordered them to appear and show cause why the road should not be opened for public travel.

In 1888, likely anticipating the end of his life and wanting to ensure his affairs were in order, John began transferring property to his three daughters: Louisa, Lucinda, and Mary.

In January 1888, John and Joanna transferred 54 ¼ acres of land on Long Drain in the Church District, excluding one acre where their house stood, to their daughter Louisa Carney and her children; and 22 acres to their daughter Mary Ann Sole and her children. Each tract was valued at $1,000. In return, Louisa and her husband Samuel, as well as Mary and her husband George, agreed to provide John and Joanna with a comfortable living, including food, clothing, medical care, and funeral expenses, for the rest of their lives. John was also allowed to keep one horse and one cow on the land. 

In 1889, a tax assessment for the Church District of Wetzel County detailed John’s ownership of three parcels of land in Long Drain. The first parcel was six acres, located 25 miles east of the Wetzel County courthouse, valued at $8 per acre, with buildings worth $48. The second parcel comprised 47 acres, situated 30 miles east of the courthouse, valued at $4 per acre, with buildings worth $197. The third parcel included 2.75 acres, located 25 miles east of the courthouse, valued at $8 per acre, with buildings worth $22.

The taxes owed on these properties were calculated for various purposes: state, free school, county levy, district levy for roads, teaching, and building. The assessment provided a detailed account of the taxes owed for each parcel, offering a comprehensive record of John’s land holdings and the associated tax liabilities. 

In February 1890, John and Joanna sold a 47-acre tract of land on the waters of Long Drain in the Clay District of Wetzel County to their daughter Lucinda and her husband Robert Church for $200. This was the same land they had purchased from Mary and Jeremiah Stottlemire in November 1885.

Robert and Lucinda (Murphy) Church

In March 1891, John and Joanna leased 18 acres of land in the Church District of Wetzel County to the South Penn Oil Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for $1. The five-year lease permitted South Penn Oil to operate for oil and gas extraction, lay pipelines, and build necessary structures. Specifically, the company agreed to deliver one-eighth of all oil produced to John and Joanna at no cost and to pay $200 annually for each gas well drilled on the premises if the gas was marketed and used off the property. The company also committed to minimizing interference with the cultivated portions of the farm, burying gas lines two feet below the surface, and compensating John and Joanna for any crop damage. The company pledged to complete one well within 10 months or pay an annual rental of $18 until completion, retaining the right to surrender the lease at any time, thereby ceasing all payments and obligations under the lease terms.

In April 1891, John and Joanna sold 9 ¼ acres of land on the waters of Long Drain, a branch of Fish Creek, in the Church District of Wetzel County, to George W. Sole (Mary’s husband) for $115. This land bordered property already owned by Mary. Interestingly, the deed noted that one white oak tree on the land was reserved and not part of the sale.

In February 1893, John’s daughter Lucinda and her husband Robert Church sold their 47-acre tract of land in the Clay District of West Virginia to S. A. Carney. They had purchased this land from John and Joanna for $200 in February 1890 and sold it for $1,060, making a substantial profit of $860.

On March 24, 1893, John and Joanna sold a one-acre tract of land to Lucinda and her family for $1. This land, located on the waters of Long Drain in the Church District of Wetzel County, included the house where John and Joanna lived. It bordered the property of Louisa and Samuel next door and was originally part of the larger piece of land sold to Louisa in January 1888.

Two weeks later, on April 8, John passed away in Wetzel County at the age of 73, likely in his home. His family laid him to rest at Shriver Cemetery in Wetzel County.

 

John and Joanna's stone at Shriver Cemetery

Entrance to Shriver Cemetery

In April 1894, Lucinda and Robert Church sold the one-acre tract of land they had purchased from John and Joanna in March 1893 to Samuel Carney for $150. The deed specifically described the land as starting at a stone in the county road and running south, passing between the house occupied by Samuel and the house John lived in before his death, ending at a stake in the field. This tract of land was originally part of the 54 ¼ acres that John and Joanna sold to Louisa and Samuel in 1888.

Note: During my research, I found many deed and land records for John Murphy. I made every effort to distinguish between several men with the same name to determine whether he was the actual subject of this sketch. This was often easier when his wife, Joanna, was listed. I also tried to use his location (i.e., Fish Creek) as a deciding factor. However, I feel certain this does not include all records for John.

References

• Grafton White, Monongalia County, Virginia, Guardianship Records 1822–1830, Land Records 1822–1830, Military Records 1822–1830, Probate Records 1822–1830, Public Records 1822–1830, School Records 1822–1830, Tax Records 1822–1830, Government Records 1822–1830, Court Records 1822–1830, Citizenship Records 1822–1830, images 216–217, FamilySearch.
• John Murphy, Monongalia County, Court Records 1873–1888, images 441–443, FamilySearch.
• John Murphy, Monongalia County, Virginia, Deed Books 1850–1854, images 309–310, 343, FamilySearch.
• Personal visit to Shriver Cemetery, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 2010.
• U.S. Federal Census, Church District, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 37, Monongalia County, Virginia, 1850.
• U.S. Federal Census, Knob Fork, Center District, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1870.
• U.S. Federal Census, Knob Fork, Wetzel County, Virginia, 1860.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Court Records 1886–1892, images 158–160, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1855–1865, images 150, 168, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1872–1877, images 439, 442, and 635, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1885–1887, image 124, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1888–1889, images 61–63, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1890–1891, image 331, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1891, images 346–347, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1893–1895, images 203, 248–249, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Land Records 1872–1878, image 503, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Land Records 1885–1890, image 446, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Marriage Records 1854–1886, image 245, FamilySearch.
• Wetzel County, West Virginia, Marriage Records 1882–1888, image 65, FamilySearch.
• William Murphy, General Index to Surveyors Books, 1781–1859, Monongalia, Virginia: Monongalia. Land Records 1781–1859, image 61, FamilySearch. 

Popeye, a cherished Murphy family pet

Our pets hold a cherished place in our hearts—they become true family members. In this post, allow me to introduce you to Popeye, the furry companion who held a special place in the heart of Charles Homer Murphy, a resident of Littleton in Wetzel County, West Virginia during the 1940s. Charles, the husband of Dessie (Church) Murphy, was my husband’s grandfather. Together they raised five children: Ralph (born in 1919), Evelyn (born in 1920), Raymond (born in 1922), Glenn (born in 1924), and Earl (born in 1928). 

Life in Littleton during the 1940s posed significant challenges for the Murphy family, beginning with the heartbreaking loss of Dessie in November 1940. At the time, all five children still lived at home, however, marriage and military service would lead several to soon depart. Life was likely lonely for Charles. To alleviate his loneliness, Charles’ son Glenn gave him a very thoughtful gift—a dog they named Popeye.

Charles and Popeye

When their mother passed away, Earl was a young boy of 12 years old, while Glenn was 16. In the photo below, we see Charles perched on a hill (possibly by Dessie's grave), with Earl seated in front of him. Glenn and Popeye are beside them. Although I cannot determine the exact age of the boys in this photo, they seem to be very close to 12 and 16 years old. Popeye himself appears fairly young.

Charles, Earl, Glenn, and Popeye

Popeye enjoyed ample space for running and play, as evident in the Murphy family home photo below. Their residence was situated near Fish Creek, nestled alongside the railroad tracks in Littleton.

Murphy family home, Littleton, West Virginia

As Charles aged, he found himself spending more time in bed due to declining health. During these difficult days, Popeye was always by his side. Popeye was allowed to curl up and sleep in the bed with Charles, providing comfort and companionship.

Charles and Popeye

Earl in front holding Popeye; Glenn, Ralph and Raymond standing behind Earl

Earl and Popeye with the railroad tracks in the background

Charles and Popeye

Popeye met an untimely death after being struck by a truck and Charles passed away in 1949. The order of their deaths are a mystery to us, as is the specific breed of Popeye. My husband suggested he might have some beagle lineage. Regardless of his breed, Popeye was dearly cherished. 

Three Church Deaths in 1895

Sometimes when researching, I find something that makes me sad. That was the case when I found the death of three family members in just under eight months—Lucinda C. Jackson Church, Josiah T. Church, and Clara R. Church. Lulie is the wife of my husband’s 2nd great-uncle, George Church. Their children would be his 1st cousins 2x removed.

Lucinda “Lulie” C. Jackson, daughter of Garrison P. Jackson and Elizabeth “Eliza” J. Lieutz, was born in Wetzel County, West Virginia on October 3, 1869. When Lulie was 17, she married George Church, son of Henry Church and Rebecca Longwell, in Wetzel County on October 31, 1886. After obtaining consent from Lulie’s father, the marriage took place at his home in a ceremony performed by W. H. Shaw, a minister of the M. E. Church. 

Church-Jackson marriage license/certificate/endorsement (click to enlarge)

Lulie and George welcomed four children between 1887 and 1894—Clyde Porter Church (1887), Clarence Benjamin Church (1891), Josiah T. Church (1892), and Clara R. Church (1894). My best guess is that Clara’s middle name is Rebecca, after her paternal grandmother.

Josiah and Clara both contracted scarlet fever and died, likely at home in Long Drain, in early 1895. Josiah’s death occurred on January 6, Clara’s on February 3. The Wetzel County register of deaths recorded Josiah’s age as 2 years, 11 months, 18 days; Clara was 1 year, 2 months, 15 days. 

Probably still grieving the death of her two children, Lulie contracted consumption (tuberculosis) that summer and died in Long Drain, Wetzel County, West Virginia on August 16, 1895, in what would have been a slow and painful death. Her husband George Church was the informant on all three death registers.

Register of Deaths, Wetzel County, West Virginia - page 1 (click to enlarge)

Register of Deaths, Wetzel County, West Virginia - page 2 (click to enlarge)

Lulie, Josiah, and Clara were all buried at Low Gap Cemetery in Knob Fork, Wetzel County, West Virginia. Lulie’s tombstone reads:

LULY C. CHURCH
WIFE OF GEORGE CHURCH
BORN OCT. 3, 1869.
DIED AUG. 16, 1895.
AGE 25 Ys, 10 Ms, & 13 Ds.

Kind friends before, as you pass by,
as you are now, so once was I.
As I am now, so you must be,
prepare therefore to follow me.

The first three words of her epitaph are hard to read so what I’ve transcribed may be wrong, but it’s close. Josiah’s tombstone is also hard to read but I believe the words are:

JOSHIA T., SON OF GEO. & LULY CHURCH
BORN JAN. 24, 1892
DIED JAN. 6, 1895
AGE 2 Ys, 11 Ms, 18 Ds.

 

Clara’s tombstone reads:

CLARA R.
DAUG OF GEO & LULY CHURCH
BORN NOV. 20 1894
DIED FEB. 3, 1895
AGE 1 Ys, 2 Ms, & 15 Ds. 

Tombstone photos used with permission of K. Alan Lewis, Find A Grave Member ID 46967048.

I discovered a discrepancy in the dates for Clara. If the death date on her tombstone and her age on the West Virginia Death Register (and tombstone) are correct (1 year, 2 months, 15 days), her birth would have taken place in November 1893, not 1894. Had she been born in 1894, she would have only been 2 months old when she died. Unfortunately, the West Virginia Birth Register does not contain a birth record for Clara.

References

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/59679082/lucinda-c-church: accessed 01 March 2023), memorial page for Lucinda C. Jackson Church (3 Oct 1869–16 Aug 1895), Find a Grave Memorial ID 59679082, citing Low Gap Cemetery, Knob Fork, Wetzel County, West Virginia, USA; maintained by KAL (contributor 46967048).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/59678870/josiah-t-church: accessed 01 March 2023), memorial page for Josiah T. Church (24 Jan 1892–6 Jan 1895), Find a Grave Memorial ID 59678870, citing Low Gap Cemetery, Knob Fork, Wetzel County, West Virginia, USA; maintained by KAL (contributor 46967048).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/59678800/clara-r-church: accessed 01 March 2023), memorial page for Clara R. Church (20 Nov 1894–3 Feb 1895), Find a Grave Memorial ID 59678800, citing Low Gap Cemetery, Knob Fork, Wetzel County, West Virginia, USA; maintained by KAL (contributor 46967048).
• George Church and Lula C. Jackson Marriage License/Certificate, Wetzel County, West Virginia, October 31, 1886.
• George Church Certificate of Death 6721, West Virginia State Department of Health, May 31, 1943.
• L. C. Jackson, General Index and Register of Births—Wetzel County, W.Va.
• Painter, Sally, What Does Dying of Consumption Mean?, Love to Know, August 3, 2020; https://dying.lovetoknow.com/death-cultures-around-world/what-does-dying-consumption-mean. 
• Register of Deaths Within the District of I.D. Morgan, Assessor, for the County of Wetzel in the Year Ending 31st December 1895.
• U.S. Federal Census, Center, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1880. 

Robert Church

Robert Church, son of Henry Church and Rebecca Longwell, was born on November 16, 1850 in Monroe County, Ohio or Wetzel County, Virginia (West Virginia became a state in 1863). Records are inconsistent as to where Robert was born. Some record his birth taking place in Ohio, while others in Virginia/West Virginia, and one specifically in Wetzel County. I’ll note what the paper trail shows as I write this sketch so you can see for yourself.

Robert was one of at least eight children—Joseph Church, William Henry Church, Daniel Church, Robert Church, Samuel Church, Sarah Church, Martha Church, and George Church. He also had an adopted brother named Dallaven Longwell. Robert is my husband’s great grandfather with their nearest common relative being Dessie Church, Robert’s daughter and my husband’s grandmother.

One month before Robert’s birth (October 9, 1850), the census enumerator found his parents living in the Ohio Township of Monroe County in the state of Ohio. His mother Rebecca would have been nearing the end of her pregnancy that day. There were three children living in the home at the time—Joseph (age 13), William (age 3), and Sarah (age 10 months). The Robert Longwell family lived next door. I believe this is Rebecca’s family but more research needs to be done to confirm this. 

On July 30, 1860, Robert’s family lived in the Sardis community within the Ohio Township of Monroe County, Ohio. In this record, Robert’s birthplace was recorded as Ohio. Robert’s father was a farmer with a personal estate valued at $500. Three of the four children were attending school—William, Robert, and Martha. 

Sometime after the 1860 census was taken, Robert’s family moved to West Virginia. When the census enumerator visited their home on August 16, 1870, they were living in the same home as Robert’s uncle Samuel Church and his wife Sarah in the Burton community of the Church Township of Wetzel County. Robert’s birthplace was recorded as Virginia by the enumerator. Robert’s father worked as a farmer. He had real estate valued at $1000 and a personal estate of $400. Coincidentally, his uncle Samuel had real estate valued at $1000. I’m not sure what that means. Were they co-owners of the house or was there another house somewhere? Samuel had a personal estate of $200. At age 17, Robert could read but not write. Neither his mother Rebecca or aunt Sarah could read or write. Martha and George were the only two in the home attending school. There was a three-year-old boy named Josiah recorded underneath Samuel (age 54) and Sarah (56). I’m not sure who Josiah’s parents were at this point in my research. Samuel was 54 and Sarah 56 so would they have a three-year-old at this stage in life? Or did he belong to someone else? This household wasn’t the only Church family in the neighborhood. A young couple named Henry and Margaret Church, ages 24 and 18 respectively, lived next door. The Richard and Eliza Church family lived next door to them. More research needs to be done here as well to determine how these people fit in.

Robert obtained a license to marry Lucinda Murphy, daughter of John Murphy and Joanna Ullom, on March 29, 1876 in Wetzel County. They were married on April 2 by G. W. Parriott at the home of Lucinda’s parents. Robert was 23 and Lucinda 18. The clerk recorded both Robert and Lucinda’s place of birth as Wetzel County, Virginia, where they both lived at the time. Thirteen children were born to this union—George Church, Samuel C. Church, James Benton Church, Jennie F. Church, Anna B. Church, Dessie Church, Charles Cleveland Church, Martha Church, William Henry Church, Donald Roy Church, Presley Church, and two unknown infants.

Robert and Lucinda's marriage license (ca. 1876, click to enlarge)

The newlyweds were quick to start their family and already had a three-year-old when the census was taken on June 5, 1880. Robert, Lucinda, and their son George lived in the Church District of Wetzel County. Robert worked as a farmer while Lucinda kept house. In this record, Robert’s birthplace was recorded as Ohio. They lived next door to Robert’s parents, Henry and Rebecca Church, along with brother George, and adopted brother Dallaven Longwell. Robert’s brother William and his family lived on the other side of his parents. Robert and Lucinda lived in Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia in 1889 when daughter Dessie was born.

Robert and Lucinda (Murphy) Church

On June 9, 1900, Robert and his family still lived in the Church District of Wetzel County. Robert owned the home, classified as a farm. This record shows his birthplace as West Virginia. Robert and Lucinda had been married for 22 years. During that time, Lucinda had given birth to 11 children, 10 of which were living and nine in the home that day. Robert worked as a farmer, with three of the boys—Samuel, James, and Charles—working as farm laborers. With the exception of the younger children—Martha, Henry, and (Donald) Roy—all could read and write. Robert’s father died in Wetzel County on April 16, 1904. He was buried at Thomas Chapel Cemetery in Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia.

On April 28, 1910, Robert and his family lived in the Clay District of Wetzel County. Robert, now 58 years old, owned the general farm he worked and lived on. Lucinda was shown as having had 13 children, 10 of which were living, however only one new child shows up on the record, Presley (age 10). Dessie worked as a servant for a private family. Henry worked as a farm laborer on the home farm. In this record, Robert’s birthplace was recorded as West Virginia. I have yet to determine when Robert’s mother died. 

On January 14, 1920, Robert, Lucinda, Donald (age 20), Presley (age 18), and Charles (age 27) lived in the Clay District of Wetzel County. He was a farmer on a general farm. Robert’s birthplace was recorded as West Virginia. His daughter Dessie rented the home next door where she lived with her husband Charles H. (Homer) Murphy and son Ralph. 

On April 2, 1930, the Church home was the first one the census enumerator visited in the Clay District of Wetzel County. Long gone were the sounds of children with only Robert, Lucinda, and their 30-year-old son Charles (enumerated as Charley) living in the home. Robert owned the home, valued at $1200 and classified as a farm. When Robert obtained their marriage license in 1876, his age was recorded as 23. In this census record, it was 27. Robert’s birthplace was recorded as Ohio. Robert, Lucinda, and Charles were all able to read and write. 

Robert, Lucinda, and grandson Earl Murphy (ca. 1930)

In November 1932, Robert (age 82) became ill from an unknown (to me) illness and died at home from complicaitons on the 29th. His obituary, published in the Wetzel Democrat on December 8, noted that he “… was a lifelong resident of this community …” and that he was “… born near this city … .” Robert was buried at Thomas Chapel Cemetery following a service performed by the Rev. Elsmon held at the Thomas Chapel United Methodist Church. 

When Robert’s daughter Dessie died in November 1940, the informant, her brother Presley, listed their father’s birthplace as Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia. As mentioned at the beginning of this sketch, you can see how the paper trail documenting Robert’s birthplace is confusing. If I had to bet on it, I would say he was born in Monroe County, Ohio since that’s where his parents lived one month before his birth. But, of course, I can’t confirm that at this time. 

Robert was a descendent of Henry “Old Hundred” Church for whom the town of Hundred was named.

References

• Dessie Murphy, Certificate of Death no. 15476, West Virginia State Department of Health.
• Marriage License, Robert Church and Lucinda Murphy, March 29, 1876.
• Personal visit to Thomas Chapel Cemetery, Littleton, West Virginia.
• Robert Church obituary, Wetzel Democrat, December 8, 1932.
• Robert Church, West Virginia, Deaths Index, 1853–1973.
• U.S. Federal Census, Church District, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1870, 1880, 1900.
• U.S. Federal Census, Clay District, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1910, 1920, 1930.
• U.S. Federal Census, Ohio, Monroe County, Ohio, 1850, 1860.