Married Life, Juditha:

Melvrie and Juditha had thirteen children, seven boys and six girls. The boys were Walter Edward (b. July 23,1900), Alton Richard (b. November 25,1908), Oba Roe (b. October 24,1915), Cardell Allen (b. Septembers, 1919), Donald D. (b. April 27,1921), Hollie Darius (b. December 30,192d) and Hallie Eugene (b. March 30,1927).

The girls were Ida (b. August 29,1898), Hettie Mariah (b. October 25,1902), Edna Etta (b. October 14,1904), Iva Jane (b. September 18,1906), Jenny Maysel (b. April 10, 1910) and Alta H. (b. March 17,1917).

Aunt Alta said that Ida was the first granddaughter for Granddad Wash; so, he had the honor of naming her.

All the children married in time. Walter married Bertha Mullins and lived at Bentree, WV. Alton married Runia M. Workman. In 2004 at 96 years of age, Alton lives by his daughter Jean near Cowen, WV. Oba married Estella Marie Ramsey. Cardell married Silvia Rodgers and lived in Clay County before moving to Ohio. Donald married Olive Tinnel. Hollie married Marybelle Hamrick and lived near Maysel, WV., for many years before moving to Florida. Eugene married Bernice Brady (Day’s sister) and lived on Bell Creek near Dixie, WV.

As for the girls, Ida first married Onico O’Brien, and then after his death, she married Lonnie S. Paxton. Hettie married George W. Hayes. Edna married Clarence Lee Boggs and lived at Bloomingrose, WV., for many years. Iva married Joseph Dale Nutter. Maysel married Roy D. Litton and lived at Enoch, WV. for many years. Alta married Arthur Day Brady (Bernice’s brother) on March 16,19d1. They have also lived at Enoch for many years. (Alta said that her children and Eugene’s children were ‘"right” related.)

Around 1897, when Melvrie and Juditha were married. Uncle Hollie said they started housekeeping in the meadow across the creek from Bonetown Gap. This is just a short distance up Robinson Fork of Buffalo Creek in Clay County, WV. Buffalo Creek empties into Elk River just above the town of Clay at Dundon. Over the years, they lived at several locations on Robinson Fork and on Buffalo Creek

Here again, quoting from the History of Clay County mentioned before, “Melvrie had a nomadic tendency and lived at one time or another in almost every corner of Buffalo District.”

Although the place of birth listed for most of the children is Enoch, I suppose that post office must have served a wide area.

In 1908, Uncle Alton said he was born at Eakle which is at the mouth of Robinson Fork.

In 1910, Maysel’s place of birth is listed as Swandale. Aunt Alta said that the family actually lived in the “Old Granddaddy Place” along a road that pulled off Buffalo Creek just above the end of the railroad bridge below Eakle and crossed the mountain to Whetstone Creek.

There is a bit of mystery here since there were no children from 1910 until 1915.

In 1915, Oba was born at the “Old Granddaddy Place” below Eakle.

In 1917, Aunt Alta said that she was also born at the “Old Granddaddy Place.” After the family moved away following Oba’s birth, they moved back later.

Around 1918, the family lived on a farm at the head of the small branch just above Bonetown Gap on the left side of Robinson Fork which is Taylor Ridge. That was when Hettie married George Hayes.

In 1919, the family may have been living on Taylor Ridge when Cardell was born.

In 1921, They may still have been living on Taylor Ridge when Donald was born.

In 1924, Melvrie and Juditha were living on Taylor Ridge when Hollie was born, and in 1927, when Eugene was born.

Later, the family moved a little farther up Robinson Fork to the “bottom” just above Little Elm Branch.

Sometime after that, the family moved out of main Robinson Fork to the old Scott Place just below the ridge between Cow Run and Sugarcamp Run on the south side of Robinson Fork, more or less, across the road from the Mt. Ovis Church.

During the Depression, they moved to the farm out on the east end of that same ridge overlooking Robinson Fork at the mouth of Road Fork and Sugarcamp. (Maysel’s home for many years.)

Sometime during WWII, Grandpa and Grandma Workman lived on Line Creek in Nicholas County near Lockwood. Dad said that Grandma Juditha confided in him that she liked it in Line Creek better than anywhere because it was so quiet and peaceful.

Finally, also during WWII, they moved to the old Ramsey Homestead in the big cove on Cow Run at Enoch. Both Grandpa and Grandma lived out their lives there on that old pioneer farm which is thought to have been established by Abner Ramey around 1845.

Aunt Ida said that the old farm and log cabin had stood nearly two centuries. The old structure still stands in 2004.

Once, while I was visiting with Aunt Ida there at the old log cabin, she told me the family story about a band of renegade Indians on horseback who rode over the ridge and down through the cove to the cabin. She said one of the women folk was churning butter on the porch and watching over an infant nearby on a blanket in the yard.

Apparently, the Indians were desperate. One rode over to the porch and grabbed up the chum while another, without dismounting, leaned down to snatch up the blanket the baby was lying on. The woman was left mouth-agape, and the baby was sent rolling in the grass. The Indians then rode on down Cow Run never to be seen again.

The History of Clay County relates that “Juditha and Melvrie were well known for their generosity. ...They were also known for... feeding thirty or forty people for Sunday dinner...”

According to Uncle Hollie, Grandpa often sat on the porch of the old cabin where he had good “communication” with the road and hailed passers-by. He would call, “Come on in and have a bite, Juditha’s got plenty on the stove.”

I remember Grandpa’s favorite chair during the nineteen forties and fifties there on the big porch which ran all along the front of the house. It was a hand-made rocking chair covered with black-and-white cow hide. I was impressed as a child because the hair was still on the leather, or probably rawhide. It was warm to the touch and a little scratchy when I sat in it.

In the fall, there would be all sorts of food stuffs hanging on the porch, either overhead, or on the wall. There were dried ears of com hanging over nails with the shucks pulled back and tied together. Onions were hung the same way. Dried green beans were strung on a long cord and hung “loop-de-loop” over nails down the wall: they were called “leather breeches.”

I remember under the porch, too. It was there that I split kindling wood for the cook stove while visiting. There was a big “round” of a log to use for a splitting base and a hatchet. The hatchet would be sticking up with its tip in the log which was always amidst a big pile of wood chips. Grandma always needed kindling.

Grandpa and Grandma had a special sort of celebration for their birthdays each year. Grandpa’s birthday was on June 17 and Grandma’s was on June 24, so, they had their “party” on the weekend in between.