Alleghany Historical-Genealogical Society, Inc.

P.O. BOX 817, Sparta, N.C. 28675

President: Wilma R. Foster			
Vice President: Peal Reeves
Secretary-Treasurer: Lou Reid Landreth

Vol. 5, No. 2		 	             June 1983	 		BULLETIN NO. 15

From the President:

	With the first of June being our deadlines for renewing memberships, we find that even with new members, we only number 134.  We need to increase our membership, both to reach more people with our activities and to increase our revenue.

	Lets all try to recruit new members this year!

	We have hesitated to raise our membership fee because of the possibility that it would discourage some members.  Therefore, those who can do so are encouraged to use one of the higher categories of enrollment or to make additional contributions—tax deductible, of course.

	President Wilma Foster reports that the June meeting of the Society was a huge success.  Those attending went to the Museum in Galax, Virginia.  Mr. Pless took us on a guided tour which was most interesting.  We also gathered some ideas for our own museum.

	Speaking of museums, our Museum Committee is continuing to work toward obtaining the Floyd Crouse house for our location.  Progress is slow, therefore, we have nothing new to report in this connection at this time.

	We solicit articles for the Bulletin.  In addition to the Genealogy Inquiries, which is becoming a popular item, we would be interested in other items of a historical-genealogical nature.  

	Bringing you  up-to-date on the progress of the ALLEGHANY COUNTY HERITAGE, we have just completed “proofing” the Family History Section.  We will begin the same task for the Community Section before the end of the month.  The Publisher still tell sus that we can expect publication around September.

	We’re still taking orders for the book at the pre-publication price of $30.00, plus tax and postage if applicable.  Probably before the next Bulletin is distributed, the price will be $35.00.  So encourage your friends to order early!

	Another example of the family history sketches that will be in the HERITAGE book is included in this Bulletin.

INQUIRIES:

	Lorene Sturgill, Piney Creek, N.C., is planning to publish her book on the descendants of Hoppers, Moxley and Tolliver.  The deadline for receiving information is the end of this year.  Readers who are submitting information, please do so as soon as possible.

	In this connection, Mrs. Sturgill has the following requests:

1.	Need to correspond with anyone having any information on William Whitehead, born about 1847, married Cynthia Edwards.  He was the son of Daniel and Sarah Crouse Whitehead and he may have gone out West.

2.	Need information on James or Jim Pierce Whitehead, born August 8, 1884, son of John and Sarah Caudill Whitehead, married Christina Caudill on June 2, 1909.  Probably went West.

3.	Need information on descendants of Mary (Polly) Joines who married Richard Baugus.  

4.	Need data on Susanna Wagoner, daughter of Sarah Hoppers and Henry Wagoner, married Edward Morris.  It is believed that she went West.

Mrs. Helen Cheek Lowder, Concord, N.C., would cherish information on the four Cheek brothers that came to American from Scotland.  Only one brother stayed in North Carolina.  One settled in Georgia, one in South Carolina and one in Virginia and later moved to Indiana.  Can anyone supply the year they came over or any names? 

	Mrs. Kathy Johnson, Littleton, Colorado, wants to know if anyone can give her the origin of the Triplett surname.  Where did they come from? Any possibility of the name ever being spelled TRIGLETH?

INQUIRIES:

	WANTED—Information on James Mulkey and William Mukley, pioneer settlers in Alleghany County.  Also on John Mulkey, who was born in North Carolina in 1766, married Polly Lewis, and died in Missouri in 1850.  Any Mulkey data will be helpful.  Will exchange notes.  Robert J. Osborne, Creston, N.C.

	Michele C. McNabb, Urbana, Illinois, has the following requests:

1.	Would like to have the birth and death dates or any other information available on Delilah ALEXANDER, who is listed in the Ashe County census of 1850 as being 74 years of age (#255).  Believe she was Delilah SPURLIN, whose name was on some deeds to and from William Spurlin (#257) until 1834.  A similar deed dated 1859 carried the name Delilah Alexander. What was her relationship to the SPURLIN family?  Is she on the 1860 Alleghany County census?

2.	My ggg-grandfather, Isaac McNABB, is listed in the 1830 Ashe County Census, along with a wife and two daughters under five.  He was born in Carter Co., TN, about 1800; by 1840 he had moved on into Smythe Co., VA.  His wife’s given name is Elizabeth, but I haven’t been successful in finding out her last name.  An older family member once state that it may have been BALCKBURN.  Elizabeth was born in NC about 1803.  She and Isaac would have been married probably 1826-7, most likely in Ashe County, since they were living there in 1830.  I wuo9ld like to correspond with someone familiar with the Blackburn family or anyone having information on the McNabbs.

PUBLICATIONS:

	“LEST WE FORGET OUR SIMPSON & BILLINGSLYE, MARTIN & EDWRDS, THEIR ALLIED FAMILIES” by Mrs. Ulys Jackson, Harrison, Arkansas.  Book contains 344 pages, indexed, pictures, bibliography, Archives and Court House records, wills, estate settlements, Bible records, newspaper clippings and narrative reports from family members.  Cost: $25.00 per copy.

	Soft cover volume of the 1860 Cumberland County Abstract Census. Cost is $20.00.  Contact Doris Anderson Askea, Kernersville, N.C.

	OLD TRINITY CEMETERY—AN INDEX 1797-1982.  Complied by Dorothy Shields Gregory and Martha Hall Holloman.  Cost $15.00 per copy.  Make checks payable to Trinity Church Sesquicentennial Fund and mail to: Trinity Church Scotland Neck, N.C.

WOODIE, CONSTANT V. AND LEONA OSBORNE

(A family history from the ALLEGHANY COUNTY HERITAGE)

	Constant Valentine Woodie was the oldest son of Simeon and Lucy Shepherd Woodie.  Constant, known as Conce, was born May 25, 1878 and died November 1, 1965.  In 1898, Conce married Leona Osborne.  They had three children: Lawton, Dale and Ephraim.  The children attended Scottville School and graduated from Piney Creek High School.

	Conce and Leona set up housekeeping in a log cabin located on Scott’s Branch near Scottsville.  All their children and one grandson, Russell Woodie, were born in the log cabin. The family lived in the log cabin until 1930, when Conce built a new home on the farm.

	Conce was a large man possessing the physical strength of his Shepherd ancestors.  He was a farmer in the best sense of the word, loving and improving the farm with methods far in advance of his time—turning red raw gulleys into fine meadows and pastures.  He served as an area reporter for North Carolina State Agricultural Review for many years.  He was a horse and cow doctor practicing his skill in neighboring communities.  He was a skilled woodworker, making beautiful furniture for his home.  He was an excellent maker of coffins.  He made his father’s coffin.  The weather was bad on the day of the funeral so he hitched his team to a wagon and drove his father’s remains to MT. Carmel Cemetery.

	Leona Osborne Woodie, born April 25, 1871, died March 3, 1959, was the daughter of Ephraim and America Bare Osborne.  She was the great-granddaughter of Elias Osborne and Sally Sizemore (daughter of Ned Sizemore, a Cherokee Indian).  Leona was a happy person, secure in making a good life for her husband and their three sons.  She is remembered by her children and grandchildren for the good foods she served—the best chicken gravy ever made the sonker pies rich with cream.  From April through September Leona daily baked sourdough light bread.  No better has ever been baked! Her cellar and pantry overflowed with canned, dried, and preserved foods.

	Money was scarce, but like most housewives of this section, Leona knew how to stretch a dollar.  Hucksters called regularly at the homes to buy butter, eggs, and other produce.  At Scottville, A.C. Dancy ran a large store where produce was bought.  Money earned by the women from their produce was used to buy staples such as sugar, coffee, rice and soda.

	Like her neighbors Leona raised turkeys.  This was not a side crop, but was considered one of the major crops of every farm.  It involved all members of the family and was a year-round crop.  The money from the sale of Turkeys was used to pay taxes and other expenses of the family.  One year Leona’s turkeys yielded more money than the cattle on the farm.  Cattle prices were low, but turkey prices were good.

	Leona and her three sisters Cansada Bare, Susie Farrington, and Rosina Woodie, under the supervision of their mother America Bare Osborne spun and wove many beautiful blankets and coverlets.  Three coverlets made by Leona are owed and cherished by her descendants.

	Leona liked people and was happy to have visitors.  At her table there was always enough food for a passing neighbor, preacher, or a relative.  It was fellowship at its best.  Conce enjoyed this, too.  Although Conce was a man of few words, he was proud of his farm and home, his wife and the children.

	Leona was a quiet, still woman, with a deep sense of humor that often caused her to laugh until the tears poured.  She was “a perfect woman, nobly planned to warn, to comfort and command.”

----Helon P. Woodie