Luther Haymond Gibson

Luther Haymond Gibson was born in Strange Creek, Braxton County, West Virginia on 7 February 1864. His father was Morgan Gibson and his mother Elizabeth Jane Given. 

Luther was one of eleven children.  By the time he was 16 the family was living in Birch, Braxton County, West Virginia and Luther was attending school and working the farm with his father and brothers. 

He meets and falls in love with Mary Chestina Carden sending her letters proclaiming his unending friendship, he buys her books signing them with this same bold statement. This courtship goes on for some time until on 21 June 1894 they marry. 

Luther has the most beautiful penmanship and teaches at school in Braxton County. Luther also works on the family farm but by 1910 he has taken advantage of the opportunity to manage a store in the mining town of Henry, Clay County, West Virginia. He becomes the owner and works in the store until his death on 26 July 1937. 

Mary Chestina Carden - My Great Grandmother

Mary Chestina Carden was born on the 26 of June 1868 in Nicholas County, West Virginia. She is the only daughter of William Daniel Carden and his second wife Mary Francis Ayers. She was known as Chessie. She grew up and went to school in Summersville, Nicholas County, West Virginia. 

Chessie caught the eye of Luther Haymond Gibson and he pursued her with love letters, gifts of books and his undying adoration. They married on 21 June 1894. 

The couple move to Braxton County, West Virginia and their daughter Vera Chestina is born. In 1896 a son, Luther Vernon is born. Vida Francis another daughter (my Grandmother) is born and in 1899 John Virgil is born. 

The family has moved to the town of Henry, Clay County, West Virginia by 1910. This is where they will live for the rest of their lives. 

Chessie served as Worthy Matron at the Order of the Eastern Star, Francis Chapter Number 28 in Clay, West Virginia. She was a very active member in the Baptist Church.

In 1957 while visiting her daughter, Vera in Kansas City, Chessie passes away. 

Lodia Thomas Probert - k.i.a. - 337th Infantry Regiment

Lodia Thomas Probert is my Great Uncle, my Grandmother's brother. He was born in Lonaconing, Maryland on 22 October 1906. By the time he was 14 his family had moved to Baltimore. Lodia was going by the name Thomas in 1928 and in 1930 was employed as a Lithographer at a Printing Company. Lodia is working as a machinist at a Canning Company in 1940 and lives with his married sister, Elsie, my grandmother, in Baltimore.

On 15 May 1942 Lodia decides to enlist and become a part of the War effort. He is 5'6" tall, weighs 144 pounds, has hazel eyes, brown hair and is 35. He is given the rank of Private and assigned in the Army to the 3rd Battalion, 337th Infantry Regiment, 

               

85th Division, Company I.

                 Lodia Thomas Probert

On 21 May 1944 an order was given to capture the city of Terracina in Italy. The men of the 3rd were ordered to clear the eastern slope of Mt. Croce and once they achieved that they were to secure the area above the city of Terracina. On the 23rd of May during the securing of Terracina (this link is a description of the chain of events in Terracina on 23 May 1944) Lodia was killed in action. He was originally buried in Italy but in November 1948

 he was moved to the National Cemetery in Baltimore.  


At some point before he shipped out to Italy, Lodia married Evelyn M. Robe and nine months later she gave birth to Thomas Burdette Probert. 

Louis Jacob Ernst - 11th Indiana Wallace Zouaves

On the 9th of May 1913 Louis Jacob Ernst passes away, the cause of death is apoplexy caused by a cerebral Hemorrhage. He was 69 having been born on April 15 1844 in Cincinnati, Ohio the son of Jacob and Louisa Ernst. Louis is my 1st Cousin 4x removed. 

When Louis was 17 he dashed off to Indianapolis, Indiana to enlist in the 11th Indiana Zouaves or as they became known Wallace's Zouaves. They were infantry regiment on the Union side during the Civil War. They had a very distinct uniform and fighting form.  


This is a photo of Andrew Lynch. He was in the same Company as Louis. What Andrew is wearing is the uniform of the Wallace Zouaves.



 In the 1900 census, living in Cincinnati is Louis and a woman named Lizzie, she is from Kentucky. They are listed as married and she is listed as his wife. They claim to have been married 10 years. There are no children. In 1910 Louis is single and living in Newport, Campbell County, Kentucky at 528 3rd St. Remember the death of Louis? Well on the death certificate he is listed as single, living at 528 3rd St. in Newport, Campbell County, Kentucky. Guess who signed the certificate as the informant of information? Lizzie Huff who lives at 528 3rd St. Newport, Campbell County, Kentucky. The same address as Louis. 

So who was the Lizzie who they claimed was his wife. Who was the Lizzie who lived in his home when he died.

Lillian - Backbone of Newsam Bros. Coal Company

Lillian Augustus  Comstock worked her entire life at Newsam Brothers Coal Company in Peoria, Illinois. She held several positions within the Company mainly as their Book Keeper, Cashier and Treasurer. 

Her father David Augustus Comstock was also a Book Keeper from 1865 after the Civil War to 1874 in Leavenworth, Kansas. 

Lillian was born in Leavenworth, Kansas on 29 December 1870. After her father died when she was just 4 her mother, Anna Lee Gosling moved them to Quincy, Illinois into the home of her widowed Mother. In 1894 Lillian is living in Peoria and working as a Book Keeper. 

From 1894 - 1910 Newsam Brothers operated  coal mines named Newsam No. 2 Coal Mine and New Star No. 2 Coal Mine. In 1895 New Star No. 2 mine was a shaft mine 175 feet deep with a coal vein of 4 feet 4 inches. In 1896 Newsam Brothers Coal Company leases Star Mine from The Consolidated Coal Company of St. Louis. Through the years the Newsam Brothers operate coal mines around Peoria County Illinois.  

Exactly 58 years to the day after her birth on 29 December 1928 Lillian dies. 

Beulah and The Case of the Barking Collies

On Wednesday 24 November 1915, Mary Ellen Yates the wife of John Wesley Lockhart gave birth to Beulah Pauline Lockhart in Wirt County, West Virginia. At this same time Pristina, a capital city in Kosovo fell to Bulgarian Forces. No, none of this is related. Just a world timeline stamp. 

In August of 1938 Beulah married Travis Ignatius Clarence Parsons II. She was 22, he was 37 and she was his second marriage. He brought a daughter named Nancy to the new family and together Beulah and Travis had 4 more children. They lived in Charleston, West Virginia for several years and later settled in Glen Morgan, Raleigh County, West Virginia. 

In the late 1950's Beulah and Travis started breeding Collies on their 17 acre farm. Travis was a having health problems and this was a project he could do at home to help supplement his income. It was in late October of 1959 that a neighbor complained the dogs barking gave her hives and sued Beulah and Travis. 17 November 1959 the trial was under way and made the front page of the local paper just below the fold, "Barking Collies Jury Impaneled". The entire jury was loaded on a bus and escorted to Glen Morgan to view the Collie farm before the trial started. The Plaintiff made a homemade recording of the barking which Beulah's attorney immediately had thrown out as it was not a documented professional certified recording and therefore could have been tampered with. Beulah's attorney had 17 witnesses lined up to testify regarding the noise levels alone. The plaintiff's attorney claims she has to be heavily sedated in order to sleep. On day 3 of the trial the Plaintiff leaves the courthouse before the trial resumes claiming she is too ill from the barking dogs. However it is brought up in court that she had been involved in a "scuffle" in the courthouse corridor with the daughter of a witness for the defense. Not to mention that the Plaintiff's daughter admitted publicly at the courthouse that her Mother had a "nervous" condition that was pre-existing. The jury decides for Beulah and on the afternoon of 19 November 1959 court is over. Let's ring the outside dinner bell over at the Plaintiff's home and get those dogs to barking!

In October 1961 Beulah's husband,  Travis dies. She marries again in 1962 to a man named Lawson Henry Reed and in May 1973 Beulah's divorce is final as she resumes her name as Beulah Lockhart Parsons.
At the age of 88 in June of 2002 Beulah passes. 

Morgan Given - Ghost of Birch

In the ever fascinating world of Ghosts of my Clans I decided to switch it up and my eyes fell upon the name Morgan. I am today going to hunt the Ghost Morgan Given. He is a 1st cousin 4x removed. We share a Very Great Grandfather William Given. 

Morgan one of 13 children was born 1848 in Virginia and is the son of James Given and Ruth his wife. At the age of 2 he is living with his family in the area of Braxton, Virginia. In 1860 Morgan is 12, still living in Braxton and attends school. In 1867 Morgan's mother dies and in 1870 there are still 6 children in the home the youngest is only 5. Morgan helps his father maintain and run the farm. 

In December of 1872 Morgan marries Melsena Friend in Clay County, West Virginia. In 1873 Morgan's first child is born. He lives only 8 months. 1880 we find Morgan in Birch, Braxton County, West Virginia farming with his wife and 2 young sons. 

Morgan is still living in Birch by 1900 and working his farm with his 4 sons. 

In June of 1907 Morgan passes.