George Washington Workman & Abigail McKinney, 1848-1922
Family history in this section was compiled by Phil Hayes.The original content of his treatise entitled A WORKMAN FAMILY HISTOROY: from Jans William to Melvrie is presented herein without alteration.
Birth:
In 1848, George Washington “Wash” Workman, my paternal 2nd great grandfather was born the fourth of the twelve children of Raymond Shanton Workman and Serilda Webb.
Shanton and Serilda were then living somewhere in the vicinity of Joe Branch, probably on Still Run, along the Guyandotte River in Logan County, Virginia. (Now the Slab Fork District of Wyoming County, WV.)
In all likelihood, Granddad Wash was named after his mother’s father, or her older brother George Washington, rather than the more obvious “Father of Our Country.” Serilda also had brothers named William and Zachariah. Benjamin, Shanton, and Joseph appear to have been named after the Workman’s–three for three.
He had seven younger brothers: Fielding (b. c 1850), Benjamin (b. 1852), Shanton (or Shelton) R. “Shent” (b. c 1855), Franklin (b. (?), William Henry (b. 1859), Zachariah (b. c 1862) and Joseph L. (b. c 1864).
Wash had four sisters, Mary Ann (b. c 1841), Sarah (b. c 1844), Oily “Polly” (b. c 1847) and Phoebe (b. 20 April 1853).
Childhood:
In 1850, when Wash was two years old–and, when Wyoming County was formed from Logan–he was still living near Joe Branch in the Slab Fork District of Wyoming County, VA.
In 1853, he was living with the family in Slab Fork District of Wyoming County, VA., when sister Phoebe was born.
In 1859, the family was still living in Slab Fork District when his brother William Henry was born.
The 1860 census shows the family still living in the Slab Fork District of Wyoming County when Wash was eleven years old.
In 1868, when he was 20, Wash married and apparently established a new household.
Description:
Granddad Wash is described in family tradition as being a big man with a large cyst on his nose. I found a picture of him in Aunt Alta Workman Brady’s collection of family photos.
Granddad, also according to tradition, spoke with a stammer, although it isn’t known to what degree. Apparently, it wasn’t much of a handicap, because family tradition further holds that he was an accomplished storyteller. He may also have been something of a prankster.
Education:
Although the extent of Wash’s education is unknown, he probably attended the one-room school on Micajah Ridge.
In a letter to Mrs. Patrice Seller, Assistant Superintendent of Twin Falls State Park, from David G. Webb, Jr., the following account is given: “...In the early 18d0s, maybe earlier, Richard Williamson... moved to Micajah Ridge where he taught school in a one-room school until his death in 1872... The wife of Richard Williamson was Mary Jane (Wiley) Williamson b 1791. She was a dau. of the famous Jenny Wiley of Kentucky history... In fact, Bearwallow Ridge is just 3 miles, or less from Micajah Ridge. This is how the Webb brothers, Edward and Zachariah met the Williamson sisters, Alifair ai at the Richard Williamson school...”
This account is pertinent because the Workmans lived near the Webbs, and I believe closer to Micajah Ridge than the Webbs, and Wash was about the same age as the Webb boys. It, therefore, seems more than likely that Wash went to school with the other children nearby.
Occupation:
In 1870, it is unknown what sort of work Granddad did while he lived at Cherry Point, NC.
In 1880, the census report lists Granddad Wash as a farmer.
In 1890, there is no census available.
In 1910, after Grandma Ibbe had passed away and he lived in the household with his daughter Ollie, he is listed as a laborer.
Uncle Alton Workman said that Granddad Wash trapped for pelts in later life while he lived in Clay County.
Marriage, Abigail:
On November 6,1868, George Washington Workman married Abigail “Abby” McKinney in Wyoming County, WV. He was 21 and she was 23. The event is recorded in the Wyoming County Marriage Register #2.
She was the daughter of Elias and Milly McKinney of Yancy (Co.), NC.
Abby (Ibbe in Clay County) may have been born in Kentucky around 1847 according to Sayre; however, the 1850 census lists her birth place as North Carolina –the same as her parents. The census lists her age in 1850 as 5. That would mean that she may have been born around 1845.
The McKinneys came from Yancy Co., NC. Present day Yancy County is located along the Tennessee border a few miles south of Johnson City, TN.
Based on the places of birth and ages of the children, the McKinneys must have moved to Wyoming County around 1848/49. In the 1870 census, the McKinneys lived in the Center Township of Wyoming County.
In M. K. Bowman’s book. Reference Book of Wyoming County, she lists 1845 and 1846 as the approximate dates of the first settlement of the area that is now Wyoming County.
Workman family tradition says that Grandma Abigail (Ibbe) was Native American; however, she was not thought to be Cherokee. It is interesting to note here that the Trail of Tears started in 1838 just across the northern Georgia border at what is now the Red Clay State Historic Park, south of Cleveland, TN. It is only a few miles to the western tip of North Carolina. The US Army began rounding up the Indians in that area for removal to Oklahoma. Many Cherokees and members of their associated tribes adopted “English” dress and names and fled to western Virginia and on into the wilderness of what became West Virginia.
It is unknown at this time whether the McKinneys were related to any of the Native Americans who lived at the George Webb Farm on Still Rim.
In Wyoming County, Grandma Abigail is found in the records as Abigail, or Abby. After she moved to Clay County, her name takes an aberration in the records as Isabel and Ibbe. The difference apparently reflects the contrast in the vernacular of the two areas.
Married Life, Abigail:
Wash and Abby may have had seven children. There were four boys, Silas (b. 1871 at Cherry Pt,, NC), William (b.1873), Raymond L. (b. 1875 (tombstone b. 1872, ■ d 1957) and Nathan Melvrie (b. 1877–d. 1961). There may have been three girls, Olley (b. 1878), Millie ?(b. 1880) and Viola (b. 1886).
Their son Silas spoke with a stammer as Wash did.
It’s not clear whether Wash and Abby lived for any time after their marriage in Wyoming County before moving to Cherry Point, North Carolina.
In 1870, they are not listed in the Wyoming County census; so, that seems to imply that they had already moved to North Carolina by then.
In 1871, the family apparently lived in Cherry Point, NC., since that is when and where their first son, Silas, was born.
In March 1875, the death of their second son, William, is recorded in Braxton County, WV. Again, this seems to imply that they then lived in Braxton County. Additional credence is gained here because Wash’s mother Serilda then lived in Confluence (now Orlando) just across the Braxton County line in Lewis County.
In 1877, Nathan Melvrie was born. Grandpa Melvrie always said that he was born in Lewis County; however, despite his contention, the location remains a mini-mystery in the family because no record of his birth has been found to date.
In the absence of facts, some have felt that Grandpa might have been adopted.
It seems to me that Grandpa Melvrie was, indeed, Wash and Ibbe’s child and that he fell into the natural order of the family. First the births of all four boys were evenly spaced 2 years apart. Second,it appears that Wash and Abby left North Carolina sometime in the early-to-mid 1870s and returned to West Virginia where they went to live with, or nearby. Grandma Serilda at Orlando in Lewis County. Whether they technically lived in Lewis, or Braxton, is probably academic at this point. Orlando is almost exactly on the dividing line, so the county could easily have been confused. Third,they reported the death of William in Braxton County in 1875. Fourth. Grandma Serilda was a midwife; therefore, it’s entirely plausible that Ibbe could have gone to Grandma Serilda’s house in Lewis County to give birth, especially if she and Wash may have lived nearby in Braxton County.
That may have been true for more of the children, especially for William and Raymond, and possibly for Ollie, since their place, or places, of birth is as murky as Grandpa Melvrie’s, with one exception which is the fifth point –Melvrie said he was born in Lewis County.
I have based my opinion on the “Serilda Anecdotes” provided by Sayre in his book; on the census; and, on the Death Record information outlined above. An “additional qualifier” was offered by Aunt Alta Workman Brady who said that Granddad Wash had lived in Lewis County; although, she was unsure about the time period and exact location.
In 1878, on the 1st of March, according to Sayre, their daughter Ollie was born; however, she is not listed in the household in the 1880 census.
In 1880, the census lists Wash and Abby living in the Buffalo District of Clay County, WV. The census also lists a daughter Milley who was born in March of 1880.
This is a bit of mystery for me: Was there, indeed, a daughter Milley? Did she, perhaps, die young? Did the census taker write the name down wrong? Did Sayre get the birth year wrong for Ollie? Was Ollie and Milley actually the same person? I don’t know.
In 1890, the census was destroyed by a fire; so, we must assume that Wash and Ibbe remained in the Buffalo District.
In 1900, they were living in the Buffalo District according to the census report. Only Viola was still at home.
In 1909, Ibby passed away.
In 1910, Wash is listed in the census as a widower living with his son-in-law, Sidney Ramsey who was his daughter Ollie’s husband. All were living in the Buffalo District.
Around the early 1920’s, Granddad Wash also lived for some period of time with Melvrie and Juditha, according to Aunt Alta.
In 1922, Granddad Wash passed away.
Religion, Health:
Unknown.
Death:
Granddad Wash passed away in 1922. He was around 74.
He is buried in the Ramsey Cemetery at Enoch, Clay County, WV. He is in grave number 31.
Ibbe died in 1909 in Clay County and is also buried in the Ramsey Cemetery at Enoch. She is in grave number 27. She was around 64.