Pringle Casto Cemetery

On a pretty spring day, we visited 3 cemeteries near Ripley WV where we viewed grave sites of Bob's 7 grandparents. This family plot was on a hill overlooking the Fairplain exit of 77 where we parked by a road we didn't want to navigate and walked. 

 

James Casto is Bob's 3rd great-grandfather. He served in the War of 1812 when he was 29 years old. In 1817, James married Sidney Kessel. They had 12 children. James died in 1866, having lived a long life of 80 years. There is no marker for Sidney though records say she is buried here too. Sidney was 18 years younger and died in 1883.

2021 

Sunset Memorial

 

Bob's paternal grandfather, Augustus "A.B." and A.B.'s mother Victoria are buried here. The map indicates the lots where he and his mother are buried. Victoria Mease Gay, A.B.'s mother, married Harvey Hanson after A.B.'s father, George, died. Victoria is buried with her second husband. No one knows why she was called "Queen Victoria" though the 1880 census lists a white servant in her house.

Victoria's sister Octavia and Harvey's brother Charles (pictured) had been married for 30 years when Victoria and Harvey married.  

A.B.'s father George W. Gay was born in 1844 and died in 1899. George was the first husband of Victoria Mease. He was a miner. George married Victoria Mease on December 29, 1869. He is buried at Littlepage Cemetery (now overgrown) in West Charleston.

 

Augustus

 

 

Bob's paternal grandfather, Augustus, was a lifelong resident of Kanawha County and owner of a Charleston trucking company. In his younger days, A.B. was a chauffeur for John Ringling of Ringling Brothers Fame in Florida. Bob's mother Maxine worked at Montgomery Wards in Charleston when she met her future father-in-law delivering furniture. A.B. is buried at Sunset Memorial Park in South Charleston.

Spring Hill

The 2nd of Bob's ancestry graves we visited during our Charleston (WV) trip was Spring Hill. Bob's paternal grandmother "Biddie", her parents and several siblings are buried there. That's Biddie on the left in the B&W photo. Bob tells the story of going there as a kid on Memorial Day with the lawn mower, then sitting around the site to remember the loved ones. I guess that's what we were doing (without the lawn mower). Biddie died in 1944 while Bob's Dad was in the service. He did get to attend the funeral.
 

Biddie, her Mom and Dad-Perry & Mary Given, Biddie's younger brother Hubert, older sister Mahalia and younger sister Nettie are buried here.

2021

Savor 68

 I savored every minute of my birthday trip to Charleston, taking all of my cards with me and reading the on-line wishes there. We visited Bobs' great ancestors graves, went through old neighborhoods and shopped for model train and paper supplies. And no (thanks to Spring Hill Bakery) I did not make my own cake:) These lovely flowers were waiting for me when I got home.

Past Lives

The first of 4 ancestry cemeteries we visited on our Charleston (WV) getaway is near the Yeager airport. Atha Mease is Bob's 2nd paternal great grandfather. He was captured during a civil war battle after attacking Custer's group in Virginia. A simple internet search led me to directions and contact info to the caretaker-who's great grandmother was Bob's great grandmother's sister. Oh what fun!

2021
 

Our Story

 

Bob's mother is a Maddox and his 4th great-grandfather is Mathew Maddox, a Revolutionary War soldier. Turns out we've been to the SC Battlefield where Mathew was wounded. The Maddox Cemetery is in Blennerhasset. Calling the number on the internet sign, Bob talked to a trustee who apparently is Bob's cousin! A few phone calls later, we're parked in the drive way of his friend who took us into the woods to the graveyard. Family history is exciting!

January 2021

Pictures are Bob's mother, Bob's grandfather and Bob's great grandmother (all Maddox).

These are pages I made in the early part of the century (before blogging) when we visited the cemeteries where some of the later Maddox relatives are buried:

 

Emma Chapel Cemetery

(between Liberty and Paradise, WV)

 

 

Grasslick Cemetery

(Jackson County, WV)