- William Lawson, Jr. & wife, Nancy J. Myers (15 KB)
My 2nd great grandparents and parents of my great grandfather, Jesse Archimotas Lawson whose photo is located at this site also.
- William Thomas Smith and wife, Lucinda Bargerhuff (25 KB)
My great grandparents on my mother's side.
- Portrait of Andrew Jackson Coger (47 KB)
Andrew Jackson Coger was born on September 8, 1834. On August 20, 1862, he was enlisted as a "Quarter Sergeant" in the army of the Confederate States of America by Captain G. W. Imboden, reporting for active duty on September 4, 1862. He was attached to Co. I, 1st Regiment, Virginia Partisan Rangers, and later Company G, 62nd Regiment, Virginia Mounted Infantry. Andrew Jackson Coger and brother James Coger were taken prisoner by Union forces on September 20, 1863 and held in the Atheneum Military Prison in Wheeling, West Virginia from September 20 to October 20, 1863. At the time of his capture, Jackson was recorded to be 29 years of age, five feet, eleven and one half inches tall, having dark complextion and hair, and blue eyes. He reported his occupation as that of a farmer. Andrew Jackson was my great grandfather. Photo provided by Steve Coger, Danville, AR.
- My First School - Shock, West Virginia (40 KB)
This was my first school. I started 1st grade here in 1945. It was a one room school with one teacher for eight grades. It had one wood stove for heat and outdoor toilets. I have many fond memories from this school.
- Marvin Blaire Wilson, 1987 (34 KB)
My self portrait.
- Rosedale, Gilmer/Braxton Counties, WV abt. 1910-12 (40 KB)
This photograph was taken during the prosperous years of oil field operation, stave mills and charcoal production. In the years to come, Rosedale would lose many of its people due to the lack of jobs as the oil and gas companies closed and moved away.
- Portrait of Tabitha Jane (Sands) Coger (44 KB)
Tabitha Jane was the wife of Andrew Jackson Coger and my great grandmother. Photo provided by Steve Coger, Danville, AR.
- Marvin Blaire Wilson, PT1, 1976 (60 KB)
Taken at Naval Air Station, Alameda, CA while stationed aboard the USS Enterprise.
- I.O.O.F. Lodge, Rosedale, West Virginia (91 KB)
This photograph appears to be a record of a very important day in the history of the Rosedale Chapter of International Order of Odd Fellows. If anyone knows anyone in this photograph or can tell me more about this Rosedale group, I would appreciate hearing from them.
- My parents on their wedding day. (356 KB)
This is my mother and father on their wedding day. Lilly May Lawson and Floris Berton (Birt) Wilson. My father used the name Birt or F. B. Wilson all his life. I never knew his full name until I started doing my family history research. My father and mother were married on the same day as my father's brother, Lewis. They were also married by the same minister, but none knew of the others marriage until they decided to tell each other that they had gotten married. They then discovered each others "secret".
- Historical Marker for Captain Jeremiah Smith (40 KB)
This roadside marker in Lost City, WV provides historical information on a famous battle Captain Jeremiah Smith fought with a band of 20 men in the spring of 1756 near Lost City in current Hardy County, WV. Captain Smith and his militia surprised a group of French and Indians and during fierce hand to hand combat, Captain Smith killed the French captain in command of the force. Searching the body, Capt. Smith found a message containing detailed instructions commanding the French Captain to meet a band of 50 Indians who were to assist him in blowing up Fort Frederick.
- Rosedale Middle School (18 KB)
This was the middle school in Rosedale I attended. I am not sure what year it was closed permanently.
- Portrait of Jesse Archimotas Lawson (47 KB)
In 1863 Jesse (my great grandfather), was a Private in Company H, 192nd Regiment, Lewis Co. West Virginia State Militia. Capt. Samuel Willson (my half grand uncle), was Commanding Officer of Co. F in the 192nd. In the future, Jesse's granddaughter Lilly Lawson (my future mother) would marry Samuel's half-nephew Floris Berton Wilson (my future father). Jesse is buried with his two wives. In 1997, a grave marker was erected over the graves of Jesse, Elizabeth, and Melissa.
- Laurel Run School, Gilmer County, about 1904-06 (74 KB)
This is the school my mother attended as a young child and teenager. She and her three sisters are identified and some others. If you know anyone in this photograph that has not been identified, I would appreciate it if you would contact me.
- Stave Storage Yard at Rosedale, WV (51 KB)
Staves from the local stave mill stored and ready for shipment from Rosedale. They were shipped out by railroad, but the tracks have long disappeared from there now.
- Laurel Run School, Gilmer County, 1909 (56 KB)
If you know anyone in this photograph, I would appreciate it if you would contact me with the name of the person.
- Derricks Are Numerous in Early Rosedale, WV. (55 KB)
This photograph will give you an idea of how prosperous Rosedale was in the early 1900's. Men came from afar to work on the oil and gas wells as well as the stave mills and lampblack factorys.
- Catherine Bibb, wife of Captain William Smith (112 KB)
This photograph was in a book purchased from Mr. Noah Bradley of Powatan, Virginia. Mr. Bradley has published a thorough and informative book on the Smith family as descended from George Smith, the brother of Captain John Smith.
This view is different from what I currently have on my homepage. I am reviewing the book at the present, and possibly will change my family information in the near future.
(18 March 2004) I have received a copy of a book written by Jason Henry Smith, a descendant of William Thomas Smith of Wheeler Fork of Big Skin Creek in Lewis Co., WV that verifies the family connection to William Sharp Smith and on back to Christopher Smith of England. After reading this book, I cannot agree with Mr. Bradley's assumption that we descend from Capt. John Smith's brother, George. The book confirms our research of the Smith line was the correct one and that we do not descend from George Smith, brother of Capt. John Smith.
- William Henry Wilson, my grandfather. (27 KB)
William Henry Wilson, 1861-1935.
- Indian Face on Wall of Fetty Cave (60 KB)
This is a photograph of a profile of an Indian. I would guess that it was the chief of a local tribe of Indians who lived near the Fetty Cave. As a young boy growing up in Gilmer County, I made several trips to this cave. It was huge and seemed so very large when I was young. After I married, I took my children there to see it as I remembered it from my childhood. It had changed. People had marked their names or initials with all colors of paint onto the walls of the cave. To my further disappointment, I discovered that someone had completely destroyed the Indian face. It had been turned into a pile of stone at the base of the wall it had once been carved into. Words cannot describe the disgust I felt for the person or persons who did this terrible deed. Years of history were destroyed, never to be seen by a human being again.
- International Order of Redmen (106 KB)
If you know anyone in this photograph, please contact me.
- The Wilson Family Home - 1961 (148 KB)
This is the house I was born and raised in. After my parents died, the farm was sold and the house was changed from that I knew as a child.
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- Diary of Della (Lawson) Mace, Book 1 (154 KB)
Della (Lawson) Mace was my Aunt. You will learn many things about her, as you read the words she wrote almost one hundred years ago. I have to believe she was willing to invest the time and effort in recording her thoughts because she wanted them read by others at some point in time. Aunt Della became a teacher at a very early age. Although she is gone, she can still teach through these diaries that describe what life was like in the early 1900's in the small, but growing town of Rosedale, Braxton/Gilmer, (the county line goes through the middle of town) West Virginia. You will learn of what life was like in the younger years of our country. Simple things like a car ride, were to the people then, a very special time and joy. These diaries were transcribed from each original diary by June (Reeder ) Wilson and her daughter, Carol. They sent me printed copies which I then scanned and converted into Word files, maintaining the original text composition. We hope you enjoy reading them.
- Deed of Captain Jeremiah Smith to his sons. (21 KB)
This is a copy of Captain Jeremiah Smith's land deed to his sons. The deed was written in a very small hand writing making it hard to clearly interpret some individual words. Every attempt was made to record this deed as accurately and as close to the original format as possible. In places where a word could not be defined or not clearly understood a (?) is inserted beside or in place of the word. I descend from Captain Jeremiah's son, Andrew.
- Diary of Della (Lawson) Mace, Book 10 (214 KB)
This diary begins January 2nd, 1925 and ends December 31st, 1925.
- Diary of Della (Lawson) Mace, Book 2 (216 KB)
This diary begins January 1st, 1918 and ends June 10th, 1918.
- The Will of Captain Jeremiah Smith (16 KB)
"In the name of God Amen! I Jeremiah Smith of Frederick County and Commonwealth of Virginia being aged and infirm but of perfect memory and senses and calling to mind the uncertainty of Human Life have determined to make this my last Will and Testament in the manner following: In the first place I recommend my soul to God who gave it and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent Christain like manner at the direction of my Executor."
- Estate Settlement of Jacob Edward Lawson (109 KB)
This estate settlement document is a record of some credits and debts owned by my grandfather Jacob "Jake" Lawson when he was a store owner in Rosedale, West Virginia. It contains several names of residents in and around the Rosedale area in the early 1900's.
- Diary of Della (Lawson) Mace, Book 3 (259 KB)
This diary begins June 11th, 1918 and ends March 28th, 1919.
- Declaration of Service of Captain William Smith (10 KB)
Captain William Smith, my 5th great grandfather, was directed by Thomas Jefferson to gather competent gunsmiths and supervise their employment and work in repairing the guns of the Revolutionary Army. The letter from Jefferson was lost, and later in life, William applied for a pension. This is his declaration of service to his country during the Revolutionary War.
- Diary of Della (Lawson) Mace, Book 11 (162 KB)
This diary begins February 5th, 1926 and ends 28 June, 1928.
- Daniel Binnegar Lawson and Andersonville Prison (131 KB)
Daniel Lawson was a Union Soldier who was captured by the Confederates. He was imprisoned in the infamous Andersonville Prison in Georgia. He spent five months there until he was given the opportunity to join the Confederate Army. He accepted the request for him to join, donned a Confederate uniform, and on the first venture into the countryside, escaped. After a period of days of hiding and avoiding the enemy, he was able to rejoin his Union troops. This article provides an insight into the cruel and primitive conditions the Union soldiers had to endure in Andersonville Prison in order to stay alive and survive imprisonment. Daniel was my great granduncle.
- Land deed from George Smith to Samuel Binnegar (12 KB)
This is a deed of land from George Smith, son of Captain Jeremiah Smith to Samuel Binnegar (Binegar) who married Judith Smith, daughter of Andrew Smith, who was a son of Jeremiah and a brother to George.
- Historical Account of The Smith Family (271 KB)
This is a book written about the William Thomas Smith family of Wheeler Fork or Skin Creek, Lewis County, West Virginia. It was written by Jason Smith, a direct descendant and a school teacher in Lewis County at the time he authored the book. The information in his book helped to conclude that William Sharp Smith was the father of William Thomas.
- Diary of Della (Lawson) Mace, Book 4 (161 KB)
This diary starts March 19th, 1919 and ends September 28th, 1919.
- Thomas Jefferson letter to Capt. William Smith (7 KB)
This is a copy of the letter from Thomas Jefferson to Captain William Smith requesting Capt. Smith to engage "eight good gun smiths and one good Black Smith (a white man)to come immediately to work with Wm. Anderson in the repair of arms." This letter is referred to in the Declaration of Service of Captain William Smith in the family file of Christopher Smith on this home page.
- Diary of Della (Lawson) Mace, Book 5 (192 KB)
This diary begins the 29th of September, 1919 and ends June 30th, 1920.
- Deed from Judith (Smith) Binegar to George Smith (16 KB)
"THIS INDENTURE made the twenty second day of October in the year Eighteen hundred and seventeen between Samuel Benneger & Judith his wife William Begle and Catherin his wife heirs and devisees of Andrew Smith deceasd all of Harrison County & State of Virginia of the one part and George Smith of the County of Frederick & State aforesaid of the other part." .....This is the beginning text of a deed of land in the Back Creek Valley, in old Frederick County, VA from Samuel and his wife, Judith (Smith) Binegar, daughter of Andrew Smith, and grand-daughter of Captain Jeremiah Smith, to her uncle, George Smith.
- Diary of Della (Lawson) Mace, Book 6 (171 KB)
This diary begins July 1st, 1920 and ends March 20th, 1921.
- The Biography of Aristotle Smith (58 KB)
Aristotle is descended from Captain Jeremiah Smith of Back Creek Valley, Frederick Co., VA This file describes Aristotle's life as a young man and was transcribed directly from a copy of his original notebook in the possession of Mrs. Lockie Marple of Buckhannon, WV.
- Diary of Della (Lawson) Mace, Book 7 (185 KB)
This diary begins March 21st, 1921 and ends January 9th, 1922.
- King's Land Grant to Jacob Koger (5 KB)
On April 24, 1753, the Governor of Virginia granted to Jacob Koger 930 acres of land at the Hawksbill of the Shenandoah River in the County of Augusta. This land grant is on file at the land office in Richmond, Virginia
- Diary of Della (Lawson) Mace, Book 8 (252 KB)
This diary begins January 10th, 1922 and ends March 15th, 1923.
- A Comprehensive History of Claus Koger of Germany (1005 KB)
Authored by Steve and Sarah Coger, this is a wonderful compilation of Koger/Cogar/Coger family history starting in 1572 in the Village of Weil am Rhine in South Western Germany. Any descendant of this man will find it exciting and informative. It is presented here with the gracious permission of Steve Coger of Danville, AR.
- Diary of Della (Lawson) Mace, Book 9 (400 KB)
This diary begins March 16th, 1923 and ends January 1st, 1925.
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