02 Saturday Jan 2021
Posted in Green Shoal
Tags
Appalachia, Baptist Fry, Charles I. Stone, Charles Lucas, Christian Fry, Druzilla Fry, Emily Fry, genealogy, Green Shoal Creek, history, James Lawson, John Fry, Lincoln County, Logan County, surveyor, Virginia, West Virginia
19 Friday Jan 2018
Posted in Big Ugly Creek, Guyandotte River
Tags
Abbotts Branch, Appalachia, Baptist Fry, Big Ugly Creek, Charles Lucas, genealogy, Guyandotte River, Hamilton Fry, history, justice of the peace, Lincoln County, Logan County, W.I. Campbell, West Virginia, William Lucas, William Smith
Deed Book C, page 515, Logan County Clerk’s Office, Logan, WV. I descend from three siblings of Baptist Fry and also from Charles Lucas’ brother, William.
Deed Book C, page 516, Logan County Clerk’s Office, Logan, WV. Today, this property is located in Lincoln County, WV.
22 Monday Jun 2015
Posted in Cemeteries, Green Shoal
Tags
Albert Abbott, Angeline Fry, Appalachia, Baptist Fry, Belva Brumfield, Billy Ray Lambert, Bird Brumfield, Bobby Ray Abbott, Brian Scott Abbott, Cecil Lambert, cemeteries, Charles Lucas, Christopher Adkins, Cleo Lambert, Cleve Fry, David Ray Adkins, Delphia Bryant, Denny Hobert Abbott, Donna Lou Adkins, Druzilla Abbott, Edith Adkins, Edna Lambert, Eliza Fry, Elsie L. Mullins, Everett Lonnie Dean, Evona Abbott, genealogy, George E. Taylor, Georgia Brumfield, Goldie Adkins, Green Shoal, Harvey Fry, history, Ida Taylor, Jack Brumfield, Jackie G. Brumfield, Jackie Lee Easterling, John "Duke" Abbott, John D. Adkins, John E. Abbott, John Fry, Julia Ann Dean, Kathleen Ann Lambert, Kenneth Hatfield, Letilla Brumfield, Lincoln County, Lonnie Lambert, Lottie Brumfield, Lucinda Lucas, Luther W. Abbott, Maggie Brumfield, Michael E. Taylor, Michael George Brumfield, Michael Roy Fry, Ottie Fry, Randal S. Adkins, Rinda Fry, Samuel Adkins, Samuel D. Adkins, Sarabeth Shelton, Sarah A. Brumfield, Sarah Lee Easterling, Thelma Carter, U.S. South, Wallace Abbott, Wayne C. Brumfield, Wealthy Hatfield, West Virginia, Wetzel Brumfield, William Mullins, Wilson Abbott, Woodrow E. Abbott, Zola Fry
The John Fry Family Cemetery, which I revisited on 12 June 2015, is located at the mouth of Green Shoal Creek in Lincoln County, West Virginia.
ADKINS SECTION
Row 1
Randal S. Adkins (11 July 1953-04 July 2014); s/o Samuel and Edith (Gore) Adkins
David Ray Adkins (20 August 1937-05 May 1973); s/o Samuel and Edith (Gore) Adkins
Edith Gore Adkins (31 October 1912-10 April 1975); d/o M. French and Weltha (Kirk) Gore; m. Samuel Adkins
Samuel Adkins (18 March 1914-20 March 1976); s/o Pleasant B. “Fed” and Marinda S. (Davis) Adkins
Samuel D. Adkins (24 October 1960-30 June 1984); s/o David R. and Donna L. (Adkins) Adkins
Donna Lou Adkins (17 December 1941-23 December 2005); d/o Ernest C. and Bessie (McNeely) Adkins; m. Samuel D. Adkins
Rodney David Adkins (15 November 1965-still alive); s/o David R. and Donna L. (Adkins) Adkins
Row 2
John D. Adkins (18 June 1916-01 May 1980); s/o Pleasant B. “Fed” and Marinda S. (Davis) Adkins; nicknamed “Red John;” S2 US NAVY WWII
Goldie Adkins (21 September 1918-04 February 1992); d/o Joseph and Georgia (Gartin) Brumfield; m. John D. Adkins
Row 3
Georgia Brumfield (1900-1984); d/o James A. and Chloe A. (Fry) Gartin; m. Joseph “Joe” Brumfield
BRUMFIELD SECTION
Row 1
Wayne C. Brumfield (1901-1976); s/o James S. and Letilla (Dial) Brumfield
Maggie A. Brumfield (1917-1996); d/o Richard A. and Sarah A. (Wiley) Adkins; m. Wayne C. Brumfield
(gap)
Jack Brumfield (23 June 1918-23 March 1990); s/o James S. and Letilla (Dial) Brumfield
Belva Brumfield (11 June 1922-16 March 1984); m. Jack Brumfield
A bench placed on Jack and Belva’s graves reads: Jackie G. Brumfield (17 August 1950-25 December 2011); d/o Jack and Belva (Simpkins) Brumfield
Row 2
Christopher Lee Adkins (23 March 1983-24 August 2000)
Row 3
George E. Taylor (19 May 1919-03 May 1975)
Ida P. Taylor (14 December 1914-2007); d/o James S. and Letilla (Dial) Brumfield; m. George E. Taylor
Sarabeth Shelton (19 April 1989-17 November 1993); d/o Robert and Jackie (Easterling) Shelton
Jackie Lee Easterling (16 April 1941-still alive)
Sarah Lee Easterling (11 May 1942-29 March 2005); d/o George E. and Ida P. (Brumfield) Taylor; m. Jackie Lee Easterling
Row 4
Michael E. Taylor (25 February 1949-16 January 2008); s/o George and Ida (Brumfield) Taylor; nicknamed “Mickey”
LAMBERT SECTION
Row 1
Lonnie Lambert (14 March 1901-22 July 1995); s/o Samuel and Georgia E. (Lucas) Lambert
Edna Mae Lambert (30 September 1905-19 November 1980); d/o James S. and Letilla (Dial) Brumfield; m. Lonnie Lambert
Row 2
Cecil Lambert, Jr. (27 September 1925-2014); s/o Lonnie and Edna (Brumfield) Lambert
Kathleen Ann Lambert (01 October 1926-19 February 2010)
Billy Ray Lambert (06 February 1950-16 August 1950)
Row 3
Everett Lonnie Dean (08 May 1950-29 January 1951)
FRY SECTION
Row 1
Zola Frye (07 May 1919-09 September 1964); d/o Clarence and Angaline (Mullins) Fry
Thelma P. Carter (1918-1967); d/o Clarence and Angaline (Mullins) Fry; m. Hassell Carter
Row 2
unmarked grave with rock headstone and little square footstone
C.L. Fry (Clarence Fry); born November 1886; s/o Daniel C. “Tucker” and Rachel (Lucas) Fry; died 2 March 1948
Angie Fry (Angaline Fry); born 16 December 1896; d/o Emery and Stella (Abbott) Mullins; m. Clarence Fry; died 14 September 1947
Elsie L. Mullins (16 December 1911-08 November 1959); d/o Clarence and Angaline (Mullins) Fry; m. William Mullins
William Mullins, Sr. (12 August 1894-04 February 1975)
ABBOTT SECTION
Row 1
Ottie Fry (1909-1987); s/o G. Cleveland and Betty (Fry) Fry
Row 2
Bobby Ray Abbott (02 April 1969-16 June 2001)
Brian Scott Abbott (04 October 1971-21 March 2011)
Row 3
Woodrow E. Abbott (1914-1977); PVT US ARMY WWII
Wallace Abbott (22 January 1930-30 March 1987); s/o John E. “Cricket” and S. Evona (Fry) Abbott; SP 4 US ARMY KOREA VIETNAM
Denny Hobert Abbott (15 February 1928-22 June 1996); s/o John E. “Cricket” and S. Evona (Fry) Abbott; PFC US ARMY
Row 4
Luther W. Abbott (09 February 1917-02 March 1963); s/o John E. “Cricket” and S. Evona (Fry) Abbott; WV PFC CO E 16 INF WWII P4
John E. Abbott (1892-1966); s/o John H. and Caroline (Fry) Abbott
Evona Abbott (1892-1983); d/o Daniel C. “Tucker” and Rachel (Lucas) Fry; m. John E. Abbott
Row 5
John “Duke” Abbott, Jr. (08 August 1924-03 July 1992); s/o John E. and S. Evona (Fry) Abbott
(gap)
Michael Roy Fry (19 February 1944-20 February 1944); s/o Curtis and Birdie (Bryant) Fry
Row 6
tall rectangular rock headstone and rock footstone
Delphia Adams Bryant (the date of August 22 and an illegible year appears on a small cinderblock); m. Marshall “Bud” Bryant/Mullins
(gap)
perhaps another grave marked by a flat rock that has fallen over
MIDSECTION
Row 1
Wealthy Hatfield (01 May 1904-27 December 1928); d/o Samuel and Georgia E. (Lucas) Lambert; m. Bruce Hatfield
Kenneth Hatfield (05 October 1924-10 October 1925); s/o Bruce and Wealthy (Lambert) Hatfield
unmarked grave with rock headstone and footstone
unmarked grave with rock headstone and footstone
broken baby headstone with rock footstone
Row 2
Katie A. Hunter (died 11 August 1895, aged 13 years, 11 months, 27 days); d/o John E. and Parlee (Ferrell) Hunter
unmarked grave with rock footstone
unmarked grave with rock headstone
UPPER SECTION
Row 1
Rinda Fry (26 January 1826-29 July 1887); d/o Reuben and Clarissa (Perry) Steele; m1. James Davis; m2. ___ Walker; m3. Baptist “Nab” Fry
Baptist Fry (26 November 1824-15 June 1881); s/o John and Catherine (Snodgrass) Fry
(large gap)
Michael George Brumfield (29 January 1948-01 February 1948); s/o Wayne C. and Maggie (Adkins) Brumfield
unmarked grave with rock headstone and footstone (baby)
Cleo Lambert (born and died 18 August 1924); Lonnie C. and Edna (Brumfield) Lambert
Lottie Brumfield (1904-1907); d/o James S. and Letilla (Dial) Brumfield
Bird Brumfield (1850-1905); s/o William R. and Mary A. (Elkins) Brumfield
Sarah A. Brumfield (1853-1932); d/o Charles and Lucinda (Fry) Lucas; m1. William Bird Brumfield; m2. Josephus Irvin Workman
unmarked grave with rock headstone (fallen over) and footstone
Letilla Brumfield (1881-1947); d/o Elisha and Catherine (Fry) Dial; m. James S. Brumfield
Row 2
unmarked grave with small footstone
Julia Ann Dean (born and died 13 June 1948)
Row 3
unmarked grave with rock footstone above Albert Abbott grave
unmarked grave above Lucinda Lucas grave — small rock headstone and footstone
“K.L.” — square rock headstone and footstone above Charles Lucas grave
unmarked grave with sharp rock headstone and footstone above Eliza Fry grave
(large gap)
W.W.A. (29? May 1917-10? June 1917)
Wetzel Brumfield (1910-1932); s/o James S. and Letilla (Dial) Brumfield
unmarked grave with rock headstone and footstone
H.C. Fry painted on a rock (possibly Harvey Fry, son of Baptist Fry)
Row 4
John Fry (10 March 1794-20 October 1883); s/o George and Keziah (Adkins) Fry; PVT CAPT SHIELD CO 7 VA MILITIA WAR OF 1812
“Wilson Abbott, died M.11.92” carved on rock
Albert Abbott (no dates); born 11 July 1824; s/o John A. and Elizabeth (Scott) Abbott; CAPTAIN CARTER’S CO. 129 VA MIL CSA; died before 1900
Druzilla Fry Abbott (11 January 1826-27 September 1889); d/o John and Catherine (Snodgrass) Fry; m. Albert Abbott
L.L. (Lucinda Lucas); born 27 September 1819; d/o John and Catherine (Snodgrass) Fry; m. Charles Lucas; died before 1900
Charles Lucas (2 September 1818-24 November 1904); s/o John and Mary (Fry) Lucas
E.F. (Eliza Virginia Fry); born November 1865; d/o Charles and Lucinda (Fry) Lucas; m. George F. Fry; died c.1902
NOTE 1: Some John Fry descendants are POSITIVE that John Fry died and was buried on Fourteen Mile Creek in Lincoln County. His tombstone was placed at Green Shoal in the 1990s based on a WPA cemetery map.
NOTE 2: I know of other persons buried in this cemetery but cannot identify their exact location. There are also some family members who I suppose to be buried here but have no proof.
20 Saturday Jun 2015
Posted in Big Harts Creek, Big Ugly Creek, Fourteen, Green Shoal, Harts, Little Harts Creek, Queens Ridge, Sand Creek
Tags
A.F. McKendree, Abbotts Branch, Abijah Workman, Abner Vance, Admiral S. Fry, Albert Abbott, Alexander Tomblin, Allen Adkins, Allen Butcher, Anderson Barker, Andrew Dial, Andrew Elkins, Anthony Lawson, Archibald Elkins, Arnold Perry, Baptist Fry, Barnabus Carter, Big Ugly Creek, Burbus C. Toney, Cabell County, Charles Adkins, Charles F. Dingess, Charles J. Stone, Charles Lattin, Charles Spurlock, Charleston, Christian T. Fry, Crispin S. Stone, Cultural Center, Dicy Adams, Douglas Branch, Edmund Toney, Elias Adkins, Elijah A. Gartin, Evermont Ward, Fourteen Mile Creek, Francis Browning, Garland Conley, genealogy, George Hager, George Perry, Grandison B. Moore, Green Shoal, Hamilton Fry, Harts Creek, Harvey Elkins, Harvey S. Dingess, Harvey Smith, Henderson Dingess, Henry Adkins, Henry Conley, history, Ira Lucas, Isaac Adkins, Isaac Fry, Isaac Samuels, Isaiah Adkins, Jacob Stollings, Jake Adkins, James Browning, James Butcher, James Justice, James Smith, James Toney, James Wilson, Jeremiah Farmer, Joel Elkins, John Dalton, John Dempsey, John Fry, John Gore, John H. Brumfield, John Rowe, John W. Sartin, John Washington Adams, John Workman, Joseph Adams, Joseph Fry, Joseph Gore, Josephus Workman, Joshua Butcher, Kiahs Creek, Levi Collins, Lewis Adkins, Lilly's Branch, Limestone Creek, Little Harts Creek, Logan County, Lorenzo D. Hill, Low Gap Branch, Mathias Elkins, Meekin Vance, Melville Childers, Moses Brown, Moses Harrison, Moses Workman, Noah Hainer, Obediah Merritt, Obediah Workman, Paris Vance, Patton Thompson, Peter Dingess, Peter Mullins, Polly Vance, Price Lucas, Ralph Lucas, Reese W. Elkins, Richard Elkins, Richard Vance, Robert Elkins, Robert Hensley, Robert Lilly, Royal Childers, Sally McComas, Samuel Damron, Samuel Ferrell, Samuel Lambert, Samuel Parsons, Samuel Short, Samuel Vannatter, Sand Creek, Sims Index to Land Grants, Spencer A. Mullins, Squire Toney, Stephen Lambert, Thomas A. Childers, Thomas Dunn English, Thomas P. Spears, Wesley Vance, West Virginia, West Virginia State Archives, William Brown, William Buffington, William Dalton, William Hainer, William Johnson, William P. Blankenship, William Smith, William Straton, William T. Nichols, William Thompson, William Vance, William Wirt Brumfield
Persons receiving land grants between 1812 and 1860, including acreage totals, for the following streams located in Logan and Cabell counties, (West) Virginia: Big Harts Creek, Big Ugly Creek, Fourteen Mile Creek, Little Harts Creek, Sand Creek, Kiah’s Creek, Green Shoal, Brown’s (Abbott’s) Branch, Douglas Branch, Low Gap Branch, Lilly’s Branch, and Limestone (partial). This list does not necessarily reflect ALL of the person’s landholdings; only land in the Harts Creek community are noted. Also, some persons are duplicated due to receiving grants individually or jointly. Known nonresident landowners are denoted by a (*). My ancestors are placed in bold font. Note: This is a work in progress.
Anthony Lawson*, 6502 acres
Anthony Lawson et al*, 3400 acres
Charles Lattin et al, 2667 acres
John H. Brumfield et al, 2328 acres
Spencer A. Mullins, 2145 acres
John Dempsey et al*, 2090 acres
Isaiah Adkins, 2058 acres
Evermont Ward*, 1800 acres
William Johnson, 1794 acres
Elijah A. Garten, 1620 acres
Charles J. Stone, 1610 acres
Hamilton Fry, 1488 acres
William Johnson et al, 1435 acres
Burbus C. Toney, 1332 acres
William Straton et al*, 1319 acres
Thomas Dunn English*, 1085 acres
Thomas A. Childers et al*, 1050 acres
Samuel Damron et al, 1043 acres
Joshua Butcher, 808 acres
William Straton*, 791 acres
Elijah A. Garten et al, 770 acres
Isaac Adkins, 720 acres
Moses Harrison et al, 700 acres
Abner Vance, Jr., 642 acres
George Hager et al, 600 acres
Isaac Adkins, Jr., 595 acres
Samuel Short et al*, 561 acres
Elias Adkins, 560 acres
George Hager, 520 acres
Crispin S. Stone et al, 485 acres
John H. Brumfield, 480 acres
Moses Brown, 412 acres
Peter Mullins, 408 acres
Robert Lilly, 393 acres
Joseph and Dicy Adams, 384 acres
Charles Lattin, 378 acres
Albert Abbot, 370 acres
Christian T. Fry, 367 acres
Lorenzo D. Hill, 340 acres
Lewis Adkins et al, 325 acres
Enos “Jake” Adkins, 320 acres
Richard Elkins, 311 acres
Obadiah Merret*, 310 acres
Squire Toney, 307 acres
Isaac Samuels et al*, 300 acres
William T. Nicholls et al*, 296 acres
Samuel Lambert, 269 acres
Richard Elkin, Jr. et al, 260 acres
Anderson Barker, Jr. et al, 250 acres
Noah and William Haner et al, 250 acres
William Smith et al, 250 acres
Harvey S. Dingess, 242 acres
Abijah Workman, 239 acres
Samuel Ferrell, 238 acres
Noah Haner et al, 235 acres
Charles F. Dingess & Peter Dingess, Jr., 233 acres
Henderson Dingess, 233 acres
Richard Elkins et al, 230 acres
James Justice*, 220 acres
John Fry, 204 acres
Elias and Allen Adkins et al, 200 acres
James Smith and Harvey Smith, 200 acres
James Toney et al, 200 acres
James Browning, 190 acres
William Buffington et al*, 190 acres
Charles Lucas, 190 acres
James Wilson et al*, 190 acres
James Butcher, 185 acres
Jacob Stollings, 185 acres
A.F. McKendree et al*, 185 acres
Grandison B. Moore, 180 acres
Peter Dingess, 170 acres
Joseph Fry, 162 acres
Robert Elkin, 160 acres
Admiral S. Fry, 157 acres
Robert Hensley, 154 acres
Richard Vance, 153 acres
Levi Collins, 150 acres
Harvey Elkins, 148 acres
James Smith, 148 acres
Reese W. Elkins, 125 acres
John Fry, Jr., 125 acres
Price Lucas, 125 acres
Ralph Lucas, 125 acres
William Dalton, 123 acres
Andrew Dial, 120 acres
Lewis Adkins, 116 acres
Patton Thompson, Jr., 112 acres
John W. Adams, Jr., 110 acres
Charles Adkins, 110 acres
Obediah Workman, 106 acres
Stephen Lambert, 105 acres
John Goare, 104 acres
Moses Workman and John Workman, 100 acres
James Toney, 95 acres
Francis Browning, 94 acres
Alexander Tombolin, 94 acres
Allen Butcher, 93 acres
Ira Lucas, 93 acres
William P. Blankenship, 92 acres
David Robison, 92 acres
Joseph Gore, 90 acres
Archibald Elkins, 87 ½ acres
Anderson Barker et al, 85 acres
Isaac Fry et al, 85 acres
Paris Vance, 84 acres
William Brumfield, 75 acres
Henry Conley, 75 acres
Squire Toney et al, 75 acres
Andrew Dial et al, 73 acres
Burbus C. Toney et al, 73 acres
Henry Adkins, 70 acres
Isaiah and Charles Adkins, 70 acres
John W. Sartin, 70 acres
Barnabus Carter, 65 acres
Mathias Elkin, 63 acres
Patton Thompson, 62 acres
Samuel Parsons*, 60 acres
Harvey and Andrew Elkin, 55 acres
Meken Vance, 55 acres
Joel Elkins, 50 acres
Jeremiah Farmer, 50 acres
Baptist Fry, 50 acres
William Smith, 50 acres
Thomas P. Spears, 50 acres
Charles Spurlock, 50 acres
Samuel Vannatter et al, 50 acres
Edmund Toney, 46 acres
Sally McComas et al heirs, 45 acres
George Perry, 44 acres
Arnold Perry, Jr., 40 acres
William Thompson, 40 acres
John Workman, 40 acres
Josephus Workman, 40 acres
John Rowe, 38 acres
Melville Childers et al*, 37 acres
John Dalton, 34 acres
Polly Vance and William Vance (son), 33 acres
Garland Conley, Jr., 32 acres
Moses Workman, 26 acres
William Brown, 25 acres
Royal Childers*, 25 acres
Wesley Vance, 25 acres
Richard Vance, Jr., 13 acres
Source: Sims Index to Land Grants in West Virginia (Charleston, WV: State of West Virginia, 1952). Thanks to the West Virginia State Archives at the Cultural Center in Charleston, West Virginia, for use of the book.
28 Thursday Nov 2013
Posted in Ed Haley
Tags
Al Brumfield, Andy Thompson, Baptist Fry, Bill Brumfield, Dick Thompson, Ed Haley, George Fry, Green Shoal, history, logging, Millard Adams, Tucker Fry, writing
Brandon kept me up to date on his research by writing me incredibly detailed letters. I was becoming a fan of his writing style. In one letter, he identified the “murder house” where Green McCoy and Milt Haley were killed at Green Shoal.
“As you might recall, when we were trying to locate the George Fry home at Green Shoal, old-timers kept mentioning the homes of Tucker Fry and Baptist Fry as well. To avoid any confusion, I want to clarify so that you might keep the three names and the two houses straight. Baptist Fry was an uncle to George Fry. (His wife, Marinda, was the mother of Ben Walker, who helped bury Haley and McCoy.) Baptist’s home stood against the mountain at Fry across Route 10 where a maroon and white house stands today. When he died in 1881, it passed into the hands of his son Tucker Fry, who lived there with his wife and two children in 1889. The George Fry home — the one where Milt and Green were killed by most accounts — stood across present-day Route 10 and just upriver where Lonnie Lambert’s house is today.”
In another package, Brandon sent this scrap of information from the Doris Miller Papers at the Morrow Library in Huntington, West Virginia. “Al Brumfield — Harts,” it read. “Hollena. Logging people. — tied up logs. Kept overnight. Washed and ironed clothes. They went out and broke off tops of winter onions as they went thru garden to creek.”
Brandon also visited Dick Thompson at Thompson Branch of Harts Creek. Dick was a first cousin to Lawrence Kirk and a grandson to Bill Brumfield. He killed a man back in the early ’30s and served time in the state penitentiary. Dick welcomed Brandon into his home, which, incidentally was just down the hill from the site of the 1889 ambush of Al Brumfield.
Every six months or so, Dick said, Ed Haley and his family came to Harts by train. Not long after they arrived in Harts, somebody would haul them up the creek where they stayed all over. Everyone knew Ed, Dick said, and he “had some of the finest boys you ever seen.” He stayed with Dick’s father Andy Thompson and his grandfather Brumfield, two local moonshiners in the Cole Branch area of Harts Creek. (This was an interesting revelation, of course, because it meant that Ed, son of Milt Haley, visited with Bill, son of Paris Brumfield.)
Dick said Ed “could play anything on that fiddle” but he only remembered “Old Dan Tucker”. Ed used to tell a story about how he’d never stay at Old Dan Tucker’s again because he had to sleep in a feather bed that threw him to the floor. Dick said Ed played a lot in taverns with Bernie Adams, an excellent guitar player. Sometimes they made up to one hundred dollars a night. Ed played periodically in Dick’s tavern on Harts Creek. One night, around 1936-37, Dick closed up and took several men (including Ed) to a tavern in the head of nearby Crawley Creek. A little later, Ed got into it with Millard Adams and hit him over the head with his fiddle. (Another variation of the “fiddle over the head story…” Sol Bumgarner had told me that Ed did that to a Stollings, while Dave Brumfield implied that it happened around 1945, not in the late ’30s. Maybe Ed was just fond of using his fiddle as a weapon in fights.)
21 Wednesday Aug 2013
Posted in Ed Haley
Tags
Abner Vance, Baptist Fry, Ben Walker, Ferrellsburg, George Fry, Hezekiah "Carr" Adkins, history, Jake Adkins, Lincoln County, Low Gap, West Virginia, writing, Yantus Walker
Benjamin Wade Walker, the man who organized the Milt Haley burial party, was born in June of 1851 in southwest Virginia. He came to Harts when he was very young with his mother Marinda (Steele) Davis and a few siblings. The family settled near Green Shoal where Marinda soon married Baptist T. Fry. Baptist was the uncle of George Fry — at whose home the Haley-McCoy murders took place — as well as his closest neighbor in 1889. Walker, then, was a step-first cousin (and former neighbor) to George Fry, perhaps explaining why he was inclined to remove Milt Haley and Green McCoy’s battered corpses from his yard and bury them.
Around 1877, Walker married Juliantes Adkins, a daughter of Enos “Jake” and Leticia McKibbon (Toney) Adkins, large landowners at Douglas Branch. Julia was also a first cousin to Al Brumfield. Mr. and Mrs. Walker settled on Walker’s Branch at Low Gap near West Fork. About 1883, Hezekiah “Carr” Adkins sold them this property, 25 acres on Guyan River originally part of a 260-acre 1855 survey for Abner Vance. The Walkers raised nine daughters and a grandson.
In 1889, following Milt and Green’s murder, Walker risked harm by organizing a burial party for them. He reportedly buried the men on his property. A year later, in 1890, he was ordained a minister in the United Baptist Church. In 1898, he was a founding member of the Low Gap United Baptist Church, which met for over forty years in a school building that still stands near the site of the old Walker homestead. He was president of the district board of education in 1902, 1911, 1912, and 1914. He died in December 1917.
“Rev. B.W. Walker, one of the best known citizens of the county, died at his home at Ferrellsburg, on last Wednesday, after a lingering illness of dropsy,” according to a front page story in the Lincoln Republican dated Thursday, January 3, 1918. “Rev. Walker was a great worker in the Master’s vineyard and had been a consistent Christian for years. He is survived by his wife and eight daughters. Burial services were conducted at the Low Gap cemetery.”
At the funeral, Walker’s beard was full of snow.
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