Chapter XVI

THE SHILLINGBURGS

I became interested in the Shillingburg name and history, because my on my mother's side of the family was John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr. So y this genealogy will deal predominantly with his descendants and

I have spent many hours and even days, tracing the Shillingburg family tree . pertains to my relatives. I have learned much from researching family Bibles,

libraries, various archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of the Later Day Saints corresponding and talking with people who also have researched the

. I still have many questions for which I hope to find the answers

In researching the Shillingburg name, I have found it spelled many ways. The was found in the Library of Congress.

Mn'I'I''''~'''' History - Other Forms of Name: Shollenberger; Shelaberger; Shelebergar; Shelebarger, Shiliberger; Shelberger;

nm~'nhl~l"a,pl"; Shelleberry, Shillingburg; Shollenberry; Sheneberger. All but the last three, were listed in the US Census of 1790 as being in Ivania.

I believe the original spelling was Shellenberger. This is indeed a German When the first Shellenbergers came to America, it was under British Rule

1,,,n'lFO,.,olgnty. As the British Immigration Officers were registering the 'iln'~lnt,;: when they got off the ships that brought them to America, there was

confusion in recording their names. The German immigrants could not English and the British could not speak German and did not understand the

alphabet. This confusion resulted in many names recorded just like they Because of the language barrier when coming ashore, and even later on

business transactions tooke place, the Shellenberger name was spelled many . thus the name Shillingburg was initiated.

of the N arne: Shellenberg 'Anglicized from German to Shillingburg. "Schellen" meaning Bell, and

meaning mountain.

143

SOME SHELLENBERGER HISTORY

Stories from folklore claimed that the Shellenberger clan once owned a castle in Germany and were very wealthy people. Well this is true, except that the castle was in Liechtenstein which at that time was a country next to Germany. The following is some of its history.

The northern part of Liechtenstein belonged to the Lords of Schellenberg but was later divided. In 1434, the Barons of Brandis acquired the last part of this territory. Since that year, Liechtenstein's upper country, the county of Vaduz, and lower country the Lords of Schellenberg have been united. Schellenberg also became an immediate fief of the Empire.

The fifteenth century brought war on three occasions. At the beginning of the century there was the Appenzell War, as a consequence of which the people of the Lordship of Schellenberg destroyed the castles of Old and New Schellenberg. Later, however, one of these castles was rebuilt.

In the year 1699, Prince John Adam Andrew of Liechtenstein acquired the free Imperial Territory of Schellenberg and paid 115,000 florins. This included all the land and a castle.

A florin was one of various gold or silver coins used in different countries of Europe since the year 1252. Compared to today's dollar value, a florin is worth only about 14 cents.

MORE HISTORY

The following is some German History that may be pertinent to the Shillingburg genealogy. It was detailed in Asterreichische Burgen ,Vol. 7-8, pages 728-81 and pages 66-7 written by Otto Piperand translated from German by F. H. Heyer of Alexandria, Virginia. I also got information from the Schellenberg (Lobenstein) Book in the Library of Congress.

The Castle Lobenstein is also the name of the nearby located town. A family with that name resided there in 1238. Lobenstein belonged to the state in 1437 which was later, in 1493, given by King Waldistaus to Johann Von Schellenberg. This castle kept his name up to date with the exception to read Schellenberg. Margrave Von Ansbach-Brandenburg bought the castle in 1523, therefore the assumption that this family lived on Schellenberg before that time is untrue. The Ansbach family had their own castle in Jagerndorf.

After 1529 the castle was never lived in again and did not play a big part in the 30-year war. The result was that the ruins were used for other building materials. The owner was Prince Johann Von Schellenberg. Only small pieces from the castle itself are visible; the entrance is hardly discernible. It is assumed that the flat geographical exit was a driveway. _.

Southeast near Jagerndorf lies the "Burgberg Castle Mountain" with a church and guest house separating the mountain peaks, like a saddle. The view includes the ruins of Von Schellenberg of Lobenstein.

144

1: r

1

5

S

e S n \\

~

E V S­fr H

T

SE

Pi Pi tr

se fa liJ th laJ tel

The buildings, now covered with fir wood, show especially on the castle line a little indentation where the castle stood. The natural foundation had to be reinforced and the renovation shows a different geographical view.

THE SCHELLENBERG COAT OF ARMS

Schellenberg, also Freebaron Coat of Arms: Four times form black and, silver squarely parted: Shield four squares: and four form black and gold four times squarely separated and two and three silver with a red lion head neck.

MEANING Of NAME ECHO MOUNTAINEERS

The name "Echo Mountain" is derived from Schellenberg Mountain or hill, either the one in the Tyrolese or Salzburger Alps of Southern Bavaria; or from the Schellenberg Hill on the Danube, north of Augsburg, also in Bavaria. This last mentioned hill, near Donauwoerth, was the scene of the conflict July 2, 1704, in which the Bavarians and the French were defeated by the Imperialists under Marlborough and Louis of Baden.

One may surmise that the movement of the Shellenbergers westward in Europe from their original seat during the Middle Ages was from the Danube Valley, therefore, into Bavaria and into German Switzerland, then across to Geneva, Switzerland where some of the Shellenberger's were watchmakers. They traveled from there through the Palatinate and down the Rhine to emigrate to America from Holland.

THE PALATINATE

There was a region in West Germany called Palatinate which was formerly a separate state under the rule of Count Palatine. The 30-year war destroyed the Palatinate just as later, in1685, the Catholics, who had come into possession of the Palatinate, had undertaken systematically to exterminate all Protestants, including the Mennonites and Hugenots. The Quakers were receiving worse treatment.

These were the conditions of the Palatinate that William Penn and his agents found. The terrible circumstances combined with the vision of a new land of promise presented by William Penn and his associates are the factors that caused the great Palatinate emigration to America in the first half of the 1700's.

William Penn, 1644-1718, was an English Quaker who founded the first settlement in Pennsylvania. When he was founding the colony, he needed good farmers, mechanics, millers and homemakers to provide many of the necessities of life for the growing urban population. He sent recruiters and also went himself into the Rhine region of Germany, where they painted a rosy picture of life in the "new land." Thousands came and were soon known as the Pennsylvania "Dutch." This term came into being not because they came from Holland, but because their English

145

" , "

:

I I

, ! I !

speaking neighbors, who misunderstood their language, did not know that Deutsch meant German.

By 1682, Penn had given the Mennonites, who were chiefly from the lower Rhine, his first grant of land if they would settle before a specified time. Pastorius led the way and founded Germantown about 1682 in what is now Pennsylvania.

Queen Anne of England then tried her hand at promoting emigration, issuing a prospectus called the"Golden Book" that caused a flood of Palatinates in 1709 to pour into London. The English did their best to handle the surge of immigrants, shipping some to Ireland, others to New York, North Carolina and elsewhere.

At this time, the worst Swiss persecution occurred, leading to the flow into the Palatinate. Only a few small groups emigrated between 1711-17 until the great wave of 1717 when King George I gave special invitation to the Palatines to settle the land west of the Alleghenies. Glowing descriptions of this country were given by his agents.

SOME FOUNDERS OF SHELLENBERGER fAMILIES Based on List of Foreigners Imported "Ships'

The following entries of eight Shellenberger heads of families leaving Europe in the tumultuous period of the 1700's for America, are listed in the volume edited by W. H. Egle, devoted to these emigrant lists in the Pennsylvania Archives and published by the State of Pennsylvania.

A genealogy could doubtless be written on each of these names as the American founder of different branches of the Shellenberger family. Some of these names will be found in the paragraphs of the "Preceding Introductory History," showing their location in different counties and townships in accordance with tax lists or land warranty, deeds or the first US Census of 1790. Notably: Ulrick, Martin, Henry or Henrich and Johannes or John. Also Jacob and Peiter Shellenberg.

In this genealogy I am attempting to trace the bloodline back to my great­grand fa ther.

SHIPS LISTS

The date shown is when the ship was reported "Qualified" as the emigrants' ships came to Philadelphia.

1727, Sept. 30 Ober Ulrick Shillingberger in list of foreigners imported in the ship Molley; John Hodson, Master from Rotterdam last from Deal, England. Note: Ober is a title. Deal is the last port touched en route to America.

1727, Sept. 30 Hans Erick Shillingburg also in the ship Molley from Rotterdam.

146

-----

mae::E,. ""u:- -::.. us:.. ~ ~\~ -£An"-;;j~ --,;;' .:.

mcmrns Do "\l\"tQl!~! or :=n±il':tcr• ::: ~tt: -vi ~tt: carba 5mps' fiSG was apparently made for the purpose of showing the age of each man.

Inellarl "appears on the tax list in Bedminister Township of Bucks in 1785. See Page 24 of Introductory History as Henry

and Henry Shollenberger appear on the tax record of 1779 in Colebrook - -of Bucks County. See Page 25.

in list of foreigners imported in the ship Phoenix; John from Rotterdam last from Coews, England.

appears in the tax list for the county of Northumberland, which then _. Snyder and part of Juniata Counties, as paying tax in Washington

in 1786. See Page 36, Introductory History. See Pennsylvania Archives, , P320.

in list of foreigner!; imported in ship Queen of Denmark; G(:org(:

Captain from Rotterdam. Hans does not appear in the tax or other lists. See Pennsylvania Archives, 2, V17, P346.

Oct. 21 Johannes Shellenberger in list of foreigners imported in ship Friendship, Captain

- Charles Ross from Amsterdam.

1754, Oct. 26 Hans Schnellenberger marked sick in list of foreigners imported on the brigantine Marion and Sara/I; Thomas Brodrick, Captain from Amsterdam. Note: No further record of him in the Archives.

1732, Aug. 11 Peiter Schellenberg in list of foreigners imported in Ship Samuel

1735, May 29 Jacob Shellenberg in list of foreigners imported in ship Mercury; William Wilson, Captain. This ship was carrying 64 men, 51 women, 37 boys and 34 girls.

147

------~~- ---

THE CONTENTS Of SHIPS LISTS

Just as remarkable as the manner in which the lists came into existence is their contents. A careful analysis of the lists brings to light many interesting facts.

The order of of the British Immigration Council relating to the duty of the Ships Captains had three points. First, they were to make a list of all the people they imported. Secondly, they were to give their several occupations. Thirdly, they were to give the places from which the passengers had come. What a boon it would have been for genealogists if the captains had strictly complied with these orders! How much trouble and research they could have saved the present-day historians. However, none of the captains paid the slightest attnetion to the last two points of the Order of the British Council. Neither the occupation nor the places of domiciles in Europe were ever reported.

Not even the first point, the lists of the names of the people they imported, was interpreted alike by all the captains. Most of them thought that to give the names of the male adults was all that was required. Only twenty-five captains had given complete lists of all the men, women and children. Some captains gave a list of the men and women but omitted the children. Sixty-four captains atoned somewhat for the neglect in carrying out the orders by giving the ages of the passengers, an item that they had not been asked to give. Sometimes the captains gave the total number of freights, children being counted as half-freights. Looking at the captains' lists as a whole, we must say that there are all sorts and descriptions. Each one made a list of emigrants to suit himself, without any reference to the Order of the British Council. At first, when the signatures were made in the presence of the Provincial Council, the captains were required to attest to the correctness of the list by an affidavit. This custom prevailed from 1727-1740 or down the list to number 80. Subsequently, attestation by captains are no longer found on the lists.

The foregoing pages are just a brief history of the Shillingburg ancestry. Precise information is difficult to obtain. The consensus as to who was the first Shillingburg to come to America and propagate the blood line of ancestors, pertinent to John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr., is somewhat speculative. However, I have been fortunate to trace his ancestors back three generations with considerable accuracy. John Tyler Shillingburg Jr's father was Hugh Shillingburg and his ftaher was William H. Shillingburg.

The big question is who was William H. Shillingburg's father? Land and tax records indicate William resided in Pennsylvania as early as 1786, before moving to what was then Virginia.

From the old marriage records of Montgomery, Bucks and Philadelphia Counties, Pennsylvania, there are several Shellenbergs that could be William's father. These Shellenbergs and Shillingberg marriages were in the right time zone. Carl married 1774; Henry married 1771; Peiter married 1758. Ulrich married 1756 and Hans Erick Shillingberg married 1754. In addition, he could be Pieter Schellenberg who died in 1777 in Baltimore, Maryland. There was also Johannes Shellenberger who came to America in the ship Friendship on Oct. 21, 1754, who could have been William's father.

148

I have spent a lot of hours looking for William's father, and after much researching and carefully scrutinizing the known records, it is my tenacious judgment that Hans Erick Shillingberg was my fourth great-grandfather on my mother's side of the family. I believe he propagated the blood line of Shillingburgs whose records are known, such as William H., Hugh, John T. Sr., and John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr.

There are two basic facts that cause me to form that conclusion. First was the way the name Shillingberg was given to the British Immigration Officials. This more closely compares to the name Shilling1ll!rg, the spelling used by later descendants. Second, is the time frame that puts him in Pennsylvania the same area that William H. Shillingburg once lived. William was my third great-grandfather and his record is known.

Hans Erick Shillingberg was from the catastrophic area in Germany known as the Palatinate. Sometime in late spring of 1724, he boarded the Ship Malley at some port along the Rhine River. While sailling down the Rhine to Rotterdam, the ship was compelled to stop at 26 Custom Houses. At each stop the inspections were done only at the convenience of the Custom Officials. At Rotterdam the Custom Officials delayed the ship another two weeks before sailing to Deal, England. The ship Malley was docked there for another three weeks, taking on supplies, getting cleared by Customs and waiting for favorable weather. The voyage from Deal to Philadelphia took eight long tortuous weeks, arriving on September 30, 1727.

At a council held at the courthouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 3D, 1727, Hans Erick Shillingberg was included on the list presented to the Board. The roster detailed the names of seventy Palatines who, with their families making in all three hundred persons, were imported in the ship Malley. John Hodgeson, Master, from Rotterdam, but last from Deal, England, as by clearance from officers of the Customs there.

From the Minutes of the Provincial Council Printed in Colonial Records

1 It William H. and Margaret "Maggie" Shillingburg

Inasmuch as I cannot say definitely and categorically who William's father was, I'll give you what information I have on him. William, my third great grandfather, was of German descent and land records indicate he was in Pennsylvania as early as 1785. In 1794, he came to western Virginia, now part of West Virginia. He purchased sixteen acres of land on the side of New Creek Mountain. This area was close to Keyser. There he lived with his wife Margaret and nine children. His wife's maiden name was Murphy.

CHILDREN OF WILLIAM AND MARGARET SHILLINGBURG

2-1 Hugh Shillingburg b. 1793, d. 1878. First married: Rachel. Second married: Margaret Murphy. Third married: Rebecca Hull

149

" , "

\

:;1 . II' . 'I , "

'ji,::! I.'

" .;r " , , i:

I' , . :, : :' ,

:i ,

I'

Ii "

II

"

:1 .1

" " ,I

:'

, .

! I

1

~ I ' I

, I I'

I: Ii

, I

, I

I JJ: I

I !

.' I .' ,I' . I'

2-2 John Shillingburg b, 1795, d. 1880. Married: Mary Polly Dixion 2-3 William Shillingburg b. 1799. Married: Elizabeth "Betsy" Kitzmiller 2-4 Joseph Shillingburg b. 1800. Married: Mary Dixon Shillingburg, widow of

John 2-5 Mary Shillingburg b. 1804. Married: William Wyckoff 2-6 Sarah Shillingburg b. 1804. Married: Samuel Harvey 2-7 Jacob Shillingburg b. 1807. First married: Polly Sollars. Second married: Ann

Aronholt 2-8 James Shillingburg b. 1810, d. 1853. Never married. 2-9 Eliza Ann Shillingburg b. 1817. Married: J~hn Barnhouse

Sources of information: Moorefield, Pettersburg and Romney, West Virginia courthouse records and Cumberland, Maryland, courthouse records.

If the reader is interested, please feel free to call as I may have more information on the Shillingburg family tree later. Games Strosnider [540} 459-2018).

2'" Hugh Shillingburg b. 1793, d. 1878. He was my great-great-grandfather and the son of William and Margaret Shillingburg. He was the father of John Tyler Shillingburg, Sr., who came to Shenandoah County circa 1840 and made his home at Harrisville, Virginia. Hugh was born in Pennsylvania but spent his boyhood days in the vicinity of New Creek Mountain, not far from what is now Keyser, West Virginia. He fought in the War of 1812 and served with the 2nd Virginia Regiment Militia commanded by Captain Ephraim Dunn from Hampshire county. For this service he received a 600-acre land grant on Abrams Creek in 1840. In 1868 he purchased and operated Toll House Number 6 on the Northwestern Turnpike, Allegheny Mountain. He was married three times and the father of sixteen children.

First wife: Rachel

Children by Rachel: 3-1 Mary Ann Shillingburg b. 1814-1895. Married first: John Shields. Married

second: Hamilton Kitzmiller 3-2 John Tyler Shillingburg, Sr., b. March 12, 1817, d. April 14, 1895 3-3 Ellen Elenor Shillingburg b. 1821. Married: John Thomas Hull, moved to

Illinois

Second wife: Margaret

Children by Margaret: 3-4 George Washington Shillingburg, 1820-1895. Married first: Nancy Evans.

Married second: Caroline Burgess 3-5 Elizabeth Shillingburg. Married Solomon Bean 3-6 Amons Hugh Shillingburg b. 1827. Married: Ann ?, moved to Parkersburg,

West Virginia

Third wife: Rebecca Hull

150

Children by Rebecca: 3-7 Isaac Shillingburg, 1834-1916. Married: Sara V. Bosley 3-8 Catherine Shillingburg, 1873-1967. Never married 3-9 Archibald Shillingburg, 1837-1906. Married: Mary Elizabeth Stark, moved to

New Mexico 3-10 Nancy J. Shillingburg, 1838-1897. Married: George Carnell and Emanuel

Kitzmiller 3-11 Martha Shillingburg. Married: William Bosley 3-12 Andrew Jackson Shillingburg, 1843-1934. Married: Indiana Evans 3-13 Christopher Columbus Shillingburg b. 1844 3-14 Zachary Taylor Shillingburg b. 1845 3-15 Susan V. Shillingburg. Married: Thomas Carnell 3-16 Lucy Jane Shillingburg b. 1849

Note: Some of Hugh's War Records of 1812 are on the next pages. Also application for Bounty Land

Sources of Information: Courthouse in Hardy and Grant Counties, West Virginia; Allegany, Maryland census records and correspondences.

MISCELLANEOUS INfORMATION

Shillingburgs listed in "The History of Mt. Storm Community in Grant and Mineral Counties, West Virginia," by D. W. Idleman, 1927, published by the Agricultural Extension Division, Morgantown, West Virginia, Page 31 Shillingburg: Three Brothers: Hugh, William, Jacob.

William and Jacob are the most intimately connected with our history. William was born in 1799. Married: Elizabeth Kitzmiller, father of eight children.

Jacob Shillingburg, born. 1807. Married: Polly Sollars. Children: John William, Jane, Sarah, Joseph, Andrew died at 15 and Mary Ellen died at 12.

Jacob Shillingburg and his family remained most of their lives in the vicinity of Mt. Storm until the town of Gormania sprang up. John William and Joseph made their home there as the first inhabitants of the town which began to build up in the early eighties under the name of Elkins.

John William Shillingburg was born in 1830. Married: Sarah M.aman. Children: Mary L., Susan, Rebecca C. Ellen, Ghomas E., Jackson, Benjamin F., Sarah Virginia and Martha J. --=.

Jackson Shillingburg is buried in Wildeson Cemetery in Gormania. His widow, Bertha, married Benjamin F. White.

Civil War Veterans: Andrew Shillingburg, Isaac Shillingburg enlisted in the Federal Service at Fort Pendleton just west of Gormania.

World War I: Olin Shillingburg and Tony W. Shillingburg; James G. Shillingburg, born 1865 and descendant of William. Married; Millie Sollars. Children: King, Tony W. Samuel and Rhea. Tony was killed in World War I.

151

/

Joseph Shillingburg married Estella Kitzmiller. Buried in O. A. Hamlin Cemetery on a farm three miles west of Mt. Storm. Was the first general merchant and for many years Postmaster of Mt. Storm, 1876.

T. E. Shillingburg and Jackson Shillingburg were businessmen of early Gormania when the railroad entered the site.

Thomas E. Shillingburg, 1885, teacher. J. T. Shillingburg received two teachering certificates, August 1885 at Maysville.

Joseph Shillingburg helped establish the railroad station at Kitzmiller, Maryland, 1882.

The information above was taken from an old book belong to Mrs. George Harding near Mt. Storm, West Virginia.

SHILLINGBURG GENEALOGY FROM THE BIBLE OF BEALL SHILLINGBURG, MT. STORM, WEST VIRGINIA ~

1* Hannah Shillingburg b. 8-12-1821. Married: William Streets on 10-17-1844

Children: 2-1 Charles Cunningham Streets, b. 9-23-1845, d. 10-1-1845 2-2 John Green Streets, b. 12-4-1886 2- Rebecca Shillingburg, b. 1-12-1823, d. March, 1868. No children. 2- Isabella Shillingburg, b. 10-28-1825. Married: Enos Boston Cooper on 12-15-1853

Children: 3-1 William Howard Cooper, b. 10-20-1854 3-2 Jacob Wellington Cooper, b. 7-1-1856

2-4 Ann Amelia Shillingburg, b. 5-24-1826. Married: Nathaniel Kitsmiller, b. 2-10-1852

Children: 3-1 Striet Lingham Kitsmiller, b. 12-6-1852

2-5 Lydia Shillingburg, b. 5-15-1828, d. 4-8-1833 2-6 Elizabeth S. Shillingburg, b. 5-12-1830, d. 5-3-1832 2-7 Lewis Dryden Shillingburg, b. 11-14-1832. Married: Lydia Mumaw, h. 7-26-1839,

d.9-27-1860

Children: 3-1 Edward Sions Shillingburg, b. 1-10-1882, d. 8-7-1934. Married: Mary Alverta

Blackburn on 8-11-1887, b. 3-10-1865 2-1 Grover Cleveland Shillingburg, b. 5-19-1889, d. 4-9-1951. Married First: Edith

M. Taylor, b. 3-11-1914

Children: 3-1 Jane Shillingburg

152

3-2 Mary Shillingburg

Married second: Beulah Zerk

Children: 3-3 Joyce Shillingburg, b. 7-4-1940, d. 2-19-1963 2 Olin Lee Shillingburg, b. 8-29-1891. Killed in World War I, 10-14-1918 3 Little Sister Shillingburg, b. 7-15-1894, d. 8-15-1894 4 Lidah Ann Frances Shillingburg, b. 5-12-1896. Married: Elmer Hanlin on 7-10-

1915

Children: a. John Hanlin b. Glida Hanlin c. Audrey Hanlin d. Oliver Hanlin e. Mildred Hanlin

5. Russell Bryon Shillingburg, b. 10-19-1898, d. 4-7-1944

Children: a. Glen Shillingburg b. Russell Shillingburg, Jr. c. Janet Shillingburg d. Phyllis Shillingburg e. Franklin Shillingburg f. Odessa Shillingburg g. William Shillingburg

6. Bertha Mildred Shillingburg, b. 6-15-1903. Married to William King. No children.

7. Beall Davis Shillingburg, b. 5-8-1905. Married to Twila Dorothy Hanlin. No children.

8. Sara Frances Shillingburg, b. 10-13- 1863. Married Ephraim G. Blackburn on 7-12-1883.

9. James Gibson Shillingburg, b. 9-16-1865.

Children: i· a. Ella Rea Shillingburg I b. May Shillingburg, married: Lester Parks

c. Agnes Tobitha Shillingburg, b. 6-21-1871

153

"I

.~

10. Streit Cunningham Shillingburg, b. 3-30-1840 S. D. Shillingburg, d. 3-23-1885

The following listing of miscellaneous information pertinent to the Shillingburgs may be interesting to someone.

SHILLINGBURG GENEALOGY fROM THE BIBLE Of MARVIN SHILLINGBURG OF TOMS BROOK, VIRGINIA

Place of Birth

Abraham Shillingburg, b. 12-19-1843, d. 12-17-1924 Maurertown, VA

Eliza Catherine Shillingburg, b. 4-7-1844, d. 11-12-1922 Maurertown, VA

Albertie Shillingburg, b. 3-10-1870

Franklin Shillingburg, b. 8-14-1872, d. 4-20-1950

William Shillingburg, b. 6-7-1875, d. 12-9-1945

Mary E. Shillingburg, b. 8-18-1877, d. 7-4-50

Oscar A. Shillingburg, b. 4-20-1880, d. 8-17-1950

Floyd Franklin Shillingburg, b. 3-22-1895

Cecil Samuel Shillingburg, b. 4-13-1897

Austin Abraham Shillingburg, b. 1-19-1899

Marvin. W. Shillingburg, b. 5-24-1908

Anna E. Shillingburg, b. 9-1-1919

Frank Wilson Shillingburg, b. 1-27-1934

Doris Elizabeth Shillingburg, b. 2-20-1938

Teddie Lee Shillingburg, b. 3-15-194?

Dorothy Shillingburg, b. 4-2-1944

154

Mt. Olive, VA

Mt. Olive, V A

Mt. Olive, VA

Mt. Olive, VA

Mt. Olive, VA

Mt. Olive, VA

Mt. Olive, V A

Maurertown, VA

Mt. Olive, V A

Mt. Olive, VA

Mt. Olive, VA

Mt. Olive, VA

Woodstock, VA

Place of Birth

Woodstock, VA

Roland Lee Shillingburg, b. 10-24-1942

Peggy Ann Shillingburg, h. 7-22-1948

Augustus L. Yates, h. 9-14-1865, d. 2-16-1892

Gracie M. Yates, b. 9-29-1890. Married: 11-15-1919

155

Woodstock, VA

Woodstock, VA

Frederick County, VA

Mt. Olive, VA

Ruins of the Schellenburg Castle in Liechtenstein

Will of Hugh Shillingburg (page 1), 1855

,-'

L __ ~~ __ ----lFrrI~LJ~~'~S~[~HC~l~os~t~O.~----------------JL I~-----------------~ IYILt OtSIGII",1011 III SlAnCII'A +1 ' - ,"\1,/·--/ .-- - 't'_·v,':ICt)(r. - . ~' '-. H I L , I IV (" -' ,t;; I' .

p~ .' -' ( J" )"A (Y)I\ .... n l ') D", ~XE _, " _ . ~. :J -. L - .,) t.. Vi· -- '..I r. (:.-t I ,.-. ". : ~, CASUICR ) n '!.---

Appcnl"s on

Company Pay Roll f~ ://

f~.!kfi:..1.-.!.ii.)!UCU_ ... :t..L ... , 1812- •

Holllllltccl dta:(:.~~??::.f-.... , 181 •

COllllllenccment of sOr\'iee }£4'£':~ 181 ur of this senlemcnt,

]~xl'irillioll of service or t~ . .,(/., 181 of thill scttlement, j

Term of Ilcr\·ice chargcel .... g.lIIullths, ....... c1l\ys.

}'IIY lie;' .month, ................ ~ .. dollnr9,~:cec"ls. AIl\~lllll ofp:lY, ....... L.! .... ll.)Jlnrs,.!...I.ccllt9.

Ucmnr\ts:, ........................... -....................... .

...... .: .......... -............................................................ " ......... .

.. -........ : ................................. -... -........................................................... ~ ........ .

=====::::;:::==="=:===-:-=--=..;-':':::-':'-==

.u.:2.~-::.::~ (672)

GSA FOAN 6751 IAEY. 3·HI

d

" . I 2 I Vo. • . .:.-.l. ~_ ____ __ IE .... a.·.1 .M.!!it.i n. _ .. - ,-.- , ,/' /'. "/1 3(';"

, / '/ -- / / • ~l... t: (t:J.: L. .,..< (.J.t. L.i"i...t..J!' -'~ . .;?: t.'t k'~f!.t J

. " d- / / AI'I'tY.'mJ with the 1':1111. of ._ •• i .• £l·k.-.. .. :: .... 0111\

Muster ion L~ of COIllJIIIIIY of Infillltl'Y co",nlnnd~d by Cnl'~'

]~JI"ruinl Dllnn, from lInrn}lslllTO Count) , 2 J{('g't Virgillia Militia,

to, ("0\7 ... r or 1010,1

: If"." .... _ ....... _ •. _ ............................ _ ............................ ] 81 2 .. //,~ .. "'/'c, /.. c..

ltolll\lItc(t:.( ..... :·r.~·s .. ': .. :.'-£~ ........... -- ..... --..

................................. .. p-.............. , 181 •

ClI/ulf\cllccment of J1ay~~ .. U, J 8,1 .: •

P"csent or UbSCIIU . .•• dj-.~~~v..t:-:/.~.--:;_ .... /

ltcmnrll8 ! ............................ _ .......... __ ............ .

."'''' ............... -.................. ~ .................... _.\,o ......................... _ •••

. ................ -.- ....... -.. -................... -.................................. .

j. .. .......... - ................ -...................... -- ................ __ .................. .. t'

-~

.......................... -~ ............... " ............................................................ -

War records of Hugh Shillingburg, 1812

Chapter XVII

JOHN TYLER SHILLINGBURG, SR.

1" John Tyler Shillingburg, Sr., b. March 12, 1817, d. April 14, 1895. He was my great-grandfather on my mother's paternal side of her family. He was born in Hardy County, Virginia, the son of Hugh and Rachel Shillingburg. Hardy County is now West Virginia, having separated from Virginia on June 20, 1863. John moved to Shenandoah County, Virginia, about 1840 and settled at Harrisville. His occupation was a shoemaker and he also did some farming. he married Rebecca Fisher (b. 1817, and d. March 5, 1864, from typhoid fever.) When the 1850 census was taken they were living at Harrisville, Virginia. John was 34, Rebecca 33, and it listed the following children: Henry, age 8; Abraham, 6; Ellen, 4; and Mary, 1. Children born later were Titus Jerome b. 1852 and Samuel David born 1854. Mary, daughter of John and Rebecca, was born in 1849 and died from typhoid fever. It is thought that Mary and her mother Rebecca are buried in some private cemetery in the Harrisville area.

The earlier families of Shillingburgs were rather large. So were the descendants of John and Rebecca. He had two children by his second wife, Elza, and she had a son when she married John. All of these Shillingburgs now form a great tangled web which some of us vastly enjoy trying to sort out. To keep families in order, try following the numbering system described near the front of this book.

CHILDREN OF JOHN AND REBECCA SHILLINGBURG

2-1 Henry H. Shillingburg b. Dec. 24, 1842, d. Sept. 20, 1903. Married: Dec. 10, 1876, to Elizabeth Reedy. The groom was 33 and an engineer. The bride was 33, daughter of Jacob Reedy.

3-1 Archie Shillingburg b. ? 1880, d. ? Married first: Armanell Lamberson b. 1883 d. 1907 by the Rev. H. R. Mowry. The bride was 23, single, the daughter of George and Rebecca Lamberson. Archie's second marriage on Oct. 25, 1908, in Shenandoah County to Flora M. Pierce by the Rev. George Copp. The groom was 2B, widowed, son of Henry and Elizabeth Shillingburg. The bride was 20, single, born in Culpeper County, Virginia, and residing in Shenandoah County.

157

2-2 Abraham Shillingburg b. Dec. 9, 1843, at Maurertown, Virginia, d. Dec. 17, 1924, while visiting his granddaughter, Grace Yates Coffman, in Brunswick, Maryland. Married Catherine Virts on Nov. 5, 1868 at Mt. Olive, Virginia. The groom was 23, single, a carpenter, son of John and Rebecca Shillingburg. The bride was 22, single, born in and residing in Shenandoah County and daughter of Elizabeth and Isaac Virts. Catherine was born in 1844, died Nov. 12,1922. During the Civil War Abraham enlisted as a Private in the 10th Virginia Regiment Co. F on March 6, 1862, at Woodstock, Virginia.

The following are some of his military records:

The 10th Regiment Virginia Infantry was accepted into the service of the Confederate States July I, 1861, with ten companies, A to K, which had previously been enlisted for twelve months. First Company C was disbanded April 18, 1862, and some of the men assigned to Company F.

A new Company which had been organized April 10, 1862, for two years, was added to the regiment April 23, 1862, as a second Company C. Another new Company which had been organized Aug. 12, 1861, for one year was assigned as Company L.

According to Abraham's Civil War record, he was captured by the Union Army on May 12, 1864, at the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse. The Federal charged Lee's prepared line in wave after wave in one of the costliest battles of the war. The "Bloody Angle," as it was called, claimed 6,000 Union and 5,000 Confederate casualties in killed and wounded alone. Another 4,000 Confederates were captured. The loss was far greater for the South because of the attrition. These confederates could not be replaced easily, while the North had seemingly endless manpower captured. His name appears on a register of prisoners of war at Fort Delaware, Delaware, having been received there from Delaplane, Virginia, May 20, 1864. At one time he was held prisoner aboard ship in the Delaware Bay.

In the book, "The 10th Virginia Infantry" it gives the following statistics. Abraham Shillingburg, b. Dec. 19, 1843, resident of Shenandoah County, light complexion, dark hair, hazel eyes,S ft. 9 inches tall. Entered service March 6, 1862, Woodstock, Virginia as a Pvt. Co. F. Wounded Aug. 28, 1862, at Manassas, Virginia. Detailed clerk Feb. 7, 1863. Prisoner of War May 12, 1864, at Spotsylvania Courthouse. Oath of Allegiance June IS, 1865. Buried at St. Johns United Church of Christ Cemetery at Harrisville, Virginia.

CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM AND CATHERINE SHILLINGBURG

3-1 Albertie Shillingburg b. March 10, 1870, at Mt. Olive, Virginia. Married first: Augustus L. Yates b. Sept. 14, 1865, in Frederick County, Virginia, d. Feb. 16, 1892. Married second to Boethler Wyndham

158

4-1 Gracie M. Yates b. Sept. 19, 1890, at Mt. Olive, Virginia. Reared by her grandfather, Abraham Shillingburg, following her father's death. Married Frank Coffman on Nov. 15, 1919.

3-2 Franklin Shillingburg b. Aug. 14, 1872, at Mt. Olive, Virginia, d. April 20, 1950. Married Anna Elizabeth Hottle b. 1863, d. 1961. They are buried at Harrisville, Virginia.

4-1 Floyd Franklin Shillingburg b. March 22, 1895, d. July 18, 1975, at Mt. Olive. Lived at Suitland, Maryland. Married: Bessie Coffman b. Aug. 21, 1896, d. May 5,1972

5-1 Ann Elizabeth Shillingburg b. Sept. I, 1919, at Mt. Olive, Virginia. Married Raymond Heironimus. Live at Suitland, Maryland.

6-1 Deborah Rae Heironimus b. Apr. 24, 1950, in Washington, DC. Graduated June 4, 1972, Towson State College, Baltimore, Maryland.

6-2 Karen Ann Heironimus b. Feb. 17, 19156

5-2 Lucille Irene Shillingburg b. July 20, 1922, at Mt. Olive, Virginia. Married Robert Crickard. Live in Washington, DC.

6-1 Robin Gay Crickard b. Nov. 12, 1951 6-2 Tracy Ann Crickard b. March 5, 1956

4-2 Cecil Samuel Shillingburg b. April 13, 1897, at Mt. Olive, Virginia, d. Oct. 12, 1979. Married first: Mable Rothwill. Married second: ? Married third: Evelyn?

4-3 Austin Abraham Shillingburg b. Jan. 19, 1899, at Maurertown, Virginia, d. Nov. 3, 1972. Married first: Margie 1. Miller, b. Dec. 22, 1900, d. March 19, 1960. Married second: Myrtle Whetzel.

5-1 Frank Wilson Shillingburg b. Jan. 27, 1934. Married Peggy Hollar b. Oct. 26, 1937, on March 14, 1958.

Children: 6-1 Dennis Alan Shillingburg b. July 3, 1961. Married: Stephanie Elaine George b.

Sept. 26, 1961, on Sept. 26, 1992

Children adopted: 7-1 Nancy Elaine Shillingburg, b. Nov. 8, 1984 7-2 Kevin Wayne Shillingburg b. Feb. 6, 1986

6-2 Frank Wilson Shillingburg, Jr., Sept. 27 1964. Married: Lisa Suzanne Feather b. Jan. 17, 1966, on July I, 1994

6-3 Dean Austin Shillingburg b. Nov. 23, 1965. Married on Nov. 23, 1990, to Robin Gail Neal b. Feb. 20, 1954

159

5-2 Doris Elizabeth Shillingburg b. Feb. 20, 1938. r-.'farried on Dec. 2], 1967, to Kindred Magette b. July 22, 1938

6-1 Elizabeth "Betsy" Louise Magette b. May 22, 1972 6-2 Robert Kindred Magette b. Sept. 7, 1974

5-3 Ted Lee ShiHingburg b. March IS, 1940. Married Patricia Sheets b. July 19, 1944

6-1 Ted Lee Shillingburg, Jr., b. Sept. 13, 1959 6-2 Tina Lorraine Shillingburg b. July 2, 1962. Married Harry Clark De\'ers b. l\:lav

18, 1954 .

7-1 Cayla Nichole Devers b. Oct. 14, 1988, d. Oct. 17, 1988 7-2 Shanna Lorraine Devers b. March 13, 1991

6-3 Terry Laine Shillingburg b. July 25, 1965. Married Dona Gene Michael b. Feb. 15, 1964

7-1 Terry Lee Shillingburg b. June 26, 1990

5-4 Dorothy Shillingburg b. April 2, 1944. First married: Benjamin Crisman b. No\·. 26, 1943

6-1 Cythia Crisman b. April 14, 1964. Married second to Paul B. Racey b. Dec. 27, 1946, on Jan. 17, 1975

5-5 Faye Irene Shillingburg b. and d. in 1945. Buried in Harrisville Cemetery.

4-4 Marvin William Shillingburg b. May 24, 1908, at Mt. Olive, Virginia, d. Nov. 11, 1985. Married Mable Helen Peer b. Jan. 22, 1912, d. Jan. 12, 1981, on April 20, 1940, by the Rev. J. A. Keisler, Jr. The groom was 31, single, the son of Franklin and Anna Elizabeth Shillingburg. The bride was 28, single, the daughter of David H. and Minnie Myers Peer. Marvin drove a Shenandoah County school bus for many years.

Children: 5-1 Infant born and died 1941. Buried at Harrisville 5-2 Ronald Lee Shillingburg, b. Oct. 24, 1942. Married Aug. 26, 1960, to Comorah

Mae Pierce b. July 9, 1943

6-1 Ronald Lee Shillingburg, Jr., b. Sept. 23, 1964. Married Rita Lynn Fadeley b. March 15, 1968, on May 7, 1988

7-1 Thomas Jonathan Shillingburg b. May 11, 1990 7-2 Kaylynn Lee Shillingburg h. June 6, 1993

160

4

2

2

2

6-2 Tamela Elizabeth Shillingburg b. Aug. 12, 1967

7-1 Terri Danielle Shillingburg b. Oct. 29, 1984. Tamela married Scott Carl Knuth on Sept. 14, 1996

5-3 Peggy Ann Shillingburg b. July 22, 1948. Married first: Jerry Helsley. One daughter

6-1 Dawn Elaine Helsley b. Sept. 14, 1968. Married Sept. 17, 1988, to Robert Keene b. Dec. 26, 1964

7-1 Kelsy Hope Keene b. Aug. 26, 1993 7-2 Kaitlyn Grace Keene b. Nov. 2, 1995.

Peggy Ann's second husband is Pastor James Baseler b. Oct. 21, 1946

3-3 William Shillingburg b. June 7, 1875, at Mt. Olive, Virginia, d. Dec. 9, 1945. Married May Weagley

4-1 Kathryn Shillingburg married Mr. Swindell

3-4 Mary Emma Shillingburg b. Aug. 18, 1877, at Mt. Olive, Virginia, d. July 4, 1950. Married Hugh Daffer

4-1 Aubrey Daffer 4-2 Robert Daffer, married, two children 4-3 Elaine Daffer, married Mr. McCormick 4-4 Virginia Daffer, married Mr. Gere 4-5 Louise Daffer, married Mr. Green

3-5 Oscar A. Shillingburg b. April 20, 1880, at Mt. Olive, Virginia, d. Aug. 17, 1956. Married Kate West

4-1 Ralph Shillingburg, Jr. Lives in Madison, Wisconsin, works for paint company

2-3 Ellen Shillingburg b. 1856, d. ?, daughter of John and Rebecca Fisher Shillingburg. Married Adolph Brill b. Dec. 19, 1851, d. Aug. 10, 1925. Married on Feb. 6, 1873. The groom was 21, single, farmer, son of Purnell and Mary Brill. The bride was 23.

2-4 Mary Shillingburg b. 1849, d. 1861, from typhoid fever. Her mother, Rebecca Shillingburg, also died from typhoid fever on March 5, 1864.

2-5 Titus Jerome Shillingburg b. Feb. 20, 1852, at Harrisville, Virginia, d. July 3, 1932, at Bridville, Tarrant County, Texas. On Sept. 16, 1875, he married Annie Dosha Keller in Shenandoah County, Virginia, b. March 4, 1856, d. Dec. 7, 1920. The groom was 23, son of John Tyler and Rebecca Fisher Shillingburg.

161

The bride was 19, daughter of William Martin and Lydia Wiseman Keller. Both are buried at Lamesa, Texas.

Children and grandchildren: 3-1 Hattie May Shillingburg b. July 5, 1876 3-2 Ada Belle Shillingburg b. Jan. 27, 1878, at Birdville, Texas, d. July 10, 1949, at

Lamesa, Texas. Married Joseph Strawn b. Oct. 27, 1878, in Georgia, d. Nov. 6, 1952

4-1 Fitzhugh Lee Strawn b. Feb. 16, 1898, d. July 27, 1898 4-2 Anna Bell Strawn b. March 9, 1999. Married Perry L. Bradford b. July 6, 1898.

Live at Big Spring, Texas. 4-3 Emma Gladys Strawn b. Jan. 18, 1901. Married John Childers b. Jan. 14, 1901, d.

March 1973 4-4 Myrtle Eveline Strawn b. Jan. 2, 1904. Married Jack Barrow b. Sept. 28, 1900, d.

June, 3, 1959 4-5 Herbert Clinton Strawn b. Oct. 26, 1905. Married Myrtle Irene Winter b. Nov.

7, 1909, d. July 31, 1969 4-6 Faye Ellen Strawn b. Sept. 20, 1908. Married Arch Pool Johnson b. Oct. 2, 1903,

d. April 26, 1968. Lived at Odessa, Texas. 4-7 Joseph M. Strawn b. April 19, 1911, d. Feb. 27, 1913 4-8 Leonard Jerome Strawn b. Feb. 14, 1913, d. Aug. 13, 1924 4-9 Dora Lillian Strawn b. Jan. 16, 1917. Married Olen W; Yandell b. Nov. 19, 1915

3-3 Franklin Clifton Shillingburg, son of Titus b. Oct. 9, 1880, d. Jan. 25, 1942. Married Johnnie Zora Trice b. May 23, 1880, d. Jan. 25, 1942

4-1 Ora Louise Shillingburg b. Aug. ? Married Jan. 3, 1924, to Joseph Henry Smith b. July 23, 1902, d. Feb. 17, 1970. Lived at Puducah, Texas.

4-2 Paul Clifton Shillingburg b. Oct. 20, 1905, d. Aug. 1980. Married June 15, 1930, to DeAlva Barbee b. Dec. 26, 1907

4-3 Edna Lee Shillingburg b. Dec. 6, 1907. Married Dec. 25, 1925, to Hermon Carr b. Aug. 25, 1901. Lived at Breckenridge, Texas.

4-4 Johnnie Eslie Shillingburg b. Sept. 10, 1910, d. July 1985. Married May 3, 1934, to Lucy Elizabeth Armstrong b. Oct. 14, 1914

4-5 Franklin Clifton Shillingburg, Jr., b. May 2, 1913. Married June 2, 1935, to Dorris Cowan b. Nov. 20, 1914

3-4 Hubert Clinton Shillingburg, son of Titus b. Oct. 9, 1880, at Birdville, Tarrant County, Texas, d. Jan. 21, 1936, at Ft. Worth, Texas. Married Nov. 24, 1900. First marriage: Hattie C. Schumate b. April 5, 1880, d. Sept. 16, 1906. Second marriage: May 1, 1924 to Minnie Wolfe

4-1 Hubert Curtis Shillingburg b. Feb. 28, 1902, at Indian Gap, Texas. Married May 24, 1925, to Alma Frances Rippy b. Aug. 3, 1906

162

3-5 John William Shillingburg, son of Titus b. Jan. 24, 1883, at Harrisville, Virginia. Married June 30, 1909, at Ft. Worth, Texas, to Ouita Rogers Pate b. Aug. 20, 1891, d. Feb. 16, 1976

4-1 Doris Pat Shillingburg b. Sept. 28, 1910 4-2 Mary Louise Shillingburg b. Dec. 22, 1916. Married April 16, 1939, to Donald

Cowan b. May 26, 1915

3-6 Infant of Titus and Dosha Keller Shillingburg 3-7 Agnes Lee Shillingburg b. May 23, 1886, at Harrisville, Virginia. Married

March 27, 1904, at Bunyan, Texas, to Floyd David Bostick b. Oct. 3, 1881, d. June 14, 1960

3-8 Otis Keller Shillingburg b. Sept. 28, 1888 at Mt. Olive, Virginia. Son of Titus and Dosha Keller Shillingburg d. Nov. 6, 1962. Buried at Lamesa, Texas. Married. Nov. IS, 1908, at Dublin, Texas, to Linnie Morton b. July 22, 1890

4-1 Ernest Doyle Shillingburg b. Oct. 19, 1909, d. Apri11986. First married: Mae Paterson b. June 6, 1907, d. June 15, 1971. Married second: Feb. 1977 to Georgie Ratliff

4-2 Pearlie Lee Shillingburg b. Nov. 24, 1911. Married May 21, 1938, to Veron Bryant d. April 25, 1943. Married second to Guy McGill

4-3 Olena Morton Shillingburg b. May 21, 1914. Married Jan. 29, 1949, to Pink Lloyd Bingham b. Jan. 28, 1906

4-4 Annie Oleta Shillingburg b. May 21, 1914. Married Dec. 12, 1936, to Joseph Adkins b. Dec. 12, 1912

4-5 Ella Marie Shillingburg b. Sept. 5, 1917. Married Aug. 14, 1942, to Buchanan b. Aug. 14, 1918

4-6 Laurance Edward Shillingburg b. Jan. 1, 1926. Married Virginia Alexander. He was a pharmacist in Bowie, Texas.

4-7 John Early Shillingburg b. March 29, 1928. Married June 19, 1951, to Nancy Hollingsworth. John was a Colonel in U.S. Army

3-9 Titus Jerome Shillingburg, Jr., b. Dec. 18, 1891, at Iredell, Texas, d. Dec. 31, 1953, at Dublin, Texas, son of Titus, Sr., and Annie Dosha Shillingburg

4-1 Little Aleen Shillingburg b. Aug. 6, 1914, Bunyan, Texas. Married Oct. 22, 1937, to Jason Logan tlCy" Richmond b. Oct. 5, 1913. Little Aleen d. Aug. 7, 1973, from cancer.

4-2 Wilson Audrey Shillingburg b. Sept. 29, 1941, at Dublin, Texas. Married June 30, 1961, to George Pritchard Smith b. Sept. 20, 1939. He is a doctor of Psychology

3-10 Annie May Shillingburg, daughter of Titus, Sr., and Annie Dosha Keller Shillingburg

163

3-11 Ernest Clay Shillingburg, b. Oct. 11, 1885, at Iredell, Texas. Married Jan. 11, 1920, to myrtle Dee Williams b. June 22, 1895. Son of Titus and Annie Shillingburg

4-1 Ernest Clayton Shillingburg b. Oct. 9, 1921. he was in Army 7th Armored Division in WWII. Married Bertha Mae Burnell on June 8, 1946

3-12 Clara Ellen Shillingburg b. Feb. 28, 1900, d. July 25, 1975, daughter of Titus, Sr., and Annie Dosha Keller Shillingburg. Married to Olen O. Chiddix

4-1 Cecil Jerome Chiddix b. March 8, 1924, d. March 9, 1924 4-2 Oliver Newell Chiddix b. June 28, 1925, at Lamesa, Texas. Married April 4,

1944, to Norm Lee Autry 4-3 Delmer Weldon Chiddix b. Sept. 6, 1928, d. Oct. 18, 1932, at Roosevelt,

Oklahoma 4-4 Wanda LaRue Chiddix b. Jan. 30, 1929. Married first: Carl Scarberry on July 26,

1945, at Veron, Texas. Married second: Leonard Joseph Tokish, July 6, 1963, at Agana, Guam

4-5 John William Chiddix b. June 17, 1939. Married Aug. 22, 1971, to Mary Vukich

2-6 Samuel David Shillingburg b. Nov. 29, 1854, at Maurertown, Virginia. He was a son of Rebecca Fisher Shillingburg and John Tyler Shillingburg, Sr. He died at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Dayton, Ohio, April 20, 1900. he was a blacksmith by trade. Married first to Molly Lamar on Dec. 2, 1875, in Virginia. She died Nov. 1, 1876, leaving an infant son.

3-1 William Shillingburg b. 1876, adopted by old friends and neighbors from Virginia, named Reedy, who moved to Eaton, Ohio. He married Hattie? and lived At Eaton. He died 1926 or 1927. Hattie died about 1967.

4-2 Margaret Reedy married Mr. Lee?

2-6 Samuel Shillingburg came to Preble County, Ohio, on Nov. 20, 1879. He married second Eliza Jane Sellars b. March 22, 1856, in Preble County, daughter of David and Isabella Shields Sellars. He was a farmer and they lived on what is now known as Banta Road near Lewisburg, Ohio. Jane died Oct. 16, 1920, at her home; funeral service was at Twin Creek Chapel Church in Preble County. They are buried at Old Baptist Cemetery in Preble County near West Manchester, east of Route 127. The cemetery is on short road which runs off Swishers Mill Road, not far from the farm on which they spent their married years. Formerly the Baptist Church in which Samuel's funeral was held stood in this cemetery, but after a windstorm damaged the building, it was torn down. This was the church they attended. Obituary states that at the age of 17, Samuel joined the Lutheran Church in Virginia.

164

Daughter of Samuel: 3-2 Ora Anderson Shillingburg b.Aug. 20, 1880, in Preble Co., Ohio, d. Greenville

Hospital Nov. 4, 1957. He had lived at his farm half mile west of Gordon, Darke County, Ohio, since 1923. On March 3, 1915, at Greenville Methodist parsonage by Dr. Merrick E. Ketcham, he married Dulcena Gorden Davis b. April 2, 18BO.

4-1 Kathleen Shillingburg b. Feb. 2, 1916, Preble

3-3 Myrtle Shillingburg b. Aug. 22, IBB3, d. July 12, 1956, daughter of Samuel and Eliza Jane Shillingburg. Married Tebe Beard b. Nov. 2B, IBB4, d. Nov. B, 194B. They lived on their farm near Eldorado, Ohio. They are buried at New Madison, Ohio. (Don't know why their son has a different last name.)

4-1 Kenneth Fowble b. April 15, 1919. Married first to Martha Stevens b. Feb. 16, 1919, d. May B, 1972. Married second to Blanche Jacklin

3-4 Warren Clifford Shillingburg b. Aug. 11, 1BBB, d. Jan. 4, 1961. Married 190B to Ina Steele b.Aug. 6, 1B93, d. Feb. 24, 1974

:. 4-1 Leon Shillingburg b. 1909, d. 1912 4-2 Ester Shillingburg b. Oct. 29, 1910. Married Arthur Todd

<. 4-3 Dale Shillingburg b. Aug. 12, 1913. Married Frances Mahon b. 1916 Carl Shillingburg b. June IB, 1920

" "

. I' I',

4-4 4-5 4-6 4-7

Dean Shillingburg b. Sept. 16, 1923. Married Lydia Crouse Betty Shillingburg b. Oct. 1931. Married Jack Cobb Bobby G. Shillingburg b. Oct. 19,1931

John Tyler Shillingburg, Sr., 1B17-1B95. Second wife was Elza Reedy b. March 5, 1B42, d. Nov. 21, 1921. They were married Sept. 19, 1B65, by the Rev. George Shaver. The groom was 47, widowed. The bride was single and daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Reedy. She had one son, Samuel Jackson Reedy, b. March 20, 1863, out of wedlock. He grew up and married Cora Alice Walker b. Apri115, 1851, on January 22, 1891

Samuel and Cora Alice's Children: 2-1 Clarence Reedy b. Sept. 20, 1891, d. March 18, 1979. Married: Martha Ryman on

Feb. 28, 1914 l, 2-2 Lula Reedy b. July 4, 1B93, d. May 25, 1955

"

2-3 Harry Franklin Reedy b. June 9, 1899, d. Sept. 4, 1976. Married first: Florence Hoover b. Nov.' 24, 1897, d. Dec. 1, 1931. Married second: Lelia Shipp b. Aug. 25, 1901, d. Dec. 27, 19B4

CHILDREN OF JOHN AND ELZA

2-1 John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr., b. Nov. 11, 1866, d. Jan. 24, 193B. Married Sarah Catherine Clem b. Oct. 11, IB63, d. Nov. 3, 1942. They are buried in the

165

t,

-" ~j

I _ ~

p

I

I I'

i

Mcinturff Cemetery near Seven Fountains in Fort Valley, Virginia. Their children and grandchildren will be listed later.

2-2 Sarah Martha "Mattie" Shillingburg b. March 16, 1873, d. June 27, 1953. On Oct. 23, 1889, married William H. Sine b. Oct. 1865, d. Jan. 28, 1928, by the Rev. A. C. Snyder. The bride was the daughter of John and Elza Shillingburg and the groom was the son of Romanus and Mary Sine.

Quick Look at Family Ancestors

Proseniture

William H. Shillingburg

Hugh Shillingburg

John T. Shillingburg, Sr.

Abraham Shillingburg

Franklin Shillingburg

Marvin W. Shillingburg

Ronald L. Shillingburg, Sr.

Ronald L. Shillingburg, Jr.

Thomas J. Shillingburg

Father

Hans Erick Shillingburg

William H. Shillingburg 1764-1830

Hugh Shillingburg 1793-1878

John T. Shillingburg, Sr. 1817-1895

Abraham Shillingburg 1843-1924

Franklin Shillingburg 1872-1950

Marvin W. Shillingburg 1908-1985

Ronald L. Shillingburg, Sr. 1942-

Ronald L. Shillingburg, Jr. 1964-

Thomas J. Shillingburg 1990

10 generations of male Shillingburgs

Note: The author's grandfather, John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr. (1866-1938) was a half brother to Abraham Shillingburg (1843-1924) who was the great-grandfather to Mrs. Peggy Baseler and Ronald Lee Shillingburg, Sr.

166

Partial Descendants of John Tyler Shillingburg, Sr.

John Tyler lind Elza Reedy Shillingburg (My maternal great-grandparents)

Abrahalll Shillingburg. He was a half brother to Johll Tyler Shillingburg, Jr.

Titus, Jerome, and Annie Dosha Keller Shillingburg & Family. Half broLher to John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr.

Samuel Jackson Reedy Half brother to John Tyler Shillingburg

by marriage Cora Alice Walker Reedy

e III ..c III ~ .0 -c

~

~ s ~ ;;;: ~

;~ ..

'" L:.I _z 0.-< oae uw ot-t-w ,0 > Xc,) o.z ae-

• 0 ~ II. W «U Wz 00 «U 0

I

:

.., 03' CO ....

-c: .~ 0 c: ~ Q. .. II .. ~

CI .. ~ :. II .. II CI

'" -

Civil War records of Abraham Shillingburg, 1862 and 1864

'--_ ... _.-.----'-------------------, / COc. .... ~.,.d .. r_to.1

Itetll.rk.:. __ : •• __ ._~. __ ._. _____ .... _

. __ .... _-.•. _-_._--_._--..... _-------._ .. _----_ .. _-_ .... ---------.. _----------------------.. _-------------

~ ,1 10 ,·1 Va..

7;-d'~ ;-.'- '.-.. ~~: .. :.:~.di.7t;£:;::t:~:;. Appean 011 . , •. , "

Company Muster Roll of die u'l.,,"imLion DIImetl Ilbove, ...•

rua~~.!!.!~.~~.:.-:!.l. 1861/, ==~L~~(J-,. s / .~ .~~:.:~.~ . ./. .... :--. '" z. :', ..... ~-.,C-.

'1 wilDen .: ...... ~~ .•• ___ ............ .

Period .~ .•.• 9 .. ~._: ............... _ .. ___ ... ___ L;,.<rtpaJd: «J. .-. - ;z-n., ... \V!I."m .... ~£?~.,.. '.-u;t;, _ .. _ ....... 'I' I' ~ /. .. \Y Illl tllU~ ...... ;!../£ l..... ......... ,1BsLI .

;-"'~~~.~£.-.: .. -­l~rk!l~~·/~::~:4· ... _ ....... ~Y'.L.?'(J..~.! ....... ~ ......... -----... --.--.. --------------_ .. _-----------------_ .. _----------

(Co:n.l'oc:lora.to ••

Nzame Ilppan IllS sig~ to an

Oath ot Allegiance

10,e;.

to the UDiled States, subscribed to at Fort Delawzare, Del.

_._._-----... _-_ .. _----.. __ ... _ .... ---------------_ ... _-_.-..

'7':t2t.~~~...c~ ... !k.£-./2.,., ..-~_ tr-? ~ ~.~ .. c.r....~f<".~r.;.~~ •• ':".--.: ....... .

a .. _rd~.-.-............ .

", , ,

I"

"

Chapter XVIII

JOHN TYLER SHILLINGBURG, JR.

My grandfather on my mother's side of the family was John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr., born November 11, 1866, died January 24, 1938. His father was John Tyler Shillingburg, Sr., and his mother was Elza Reedy Shillingburg. Their home was at Harrisville, Virginia. His father was a shoemaker and did some farming. When grandfather was a young boy I money and jobs were scarce. Making a living was difficult. He heard about the manganese mines in Powells Fort Valley and that workers were needed. He borrowed his daddy's horse and rode across the mountain. He got a job working underground in the Mine Run Manganese Mines for 12-1/2 cents per hour. Although there were many people needing jobs, many were reluctant to work underground in the mines. The work was unhealthy and dangerous. The only light to work by was a small carbide lamp strapped on the front of the head. The manganese was hard to dig with a pick and shpvel. Sometimes it was necessary to blast the are loose. This was done by drilling a hole and filling it with black powder. Dynamite was not available back then. Detonation of the black powder was done by using a long slow burning fuse. After the explosion the mine shaft was full of dust, smoke and nauseating fumes.

Several years before granddaddy went to work in these mines, a Mr. William Boyer had built a cold blast, charcoal pig iron furnace on the Mine Run Company property in 1872. It had the capacity of three tons a day that sold for $48 to $60 per ton. The money panic in 1873-74 demoralized the steel market and the furnace was closed. However, the mining operation continued for many years. There were two iron are mines on this property. One had a vertical shaft of 200 feet with some horizontal shafts extending one half mile back under the mountain. Water in some shafts was also a problem and necessitated pumping continually with steam driven pumps.

These mines contained some of the best manganese in the world and have been worked occasionally for over 100 years. The most extensive operation was during World War I, when they were worked by the National Carbon Company for the U. S. Government. Many thousand tons of high grade manganese have been taken from these mines. They are still very rich in are. The rich minerals of Fort Valley have been kept out of industry largely by lack of railroad facilities.

On July 23, 1886, Granddaddy Shillingburg married Sarah Catherine Clem, b. Oct. 11, 1863, d. Nov. 3, 1942. After they were married they moved into an old house that was built before the Civil War. The house belonged to James A. Coverstone. On February, 1893, Granddaddy bought this house and ten and three-fourths acres of land from James A. Coverstone after renting for seven years. The house in Powells Fort Valley was about one-half mile in an easterly direction from Pelton Post Office

167

and about one hundred yards west of the cross roads referred to as Fingerboards. The name Fingerboards came into being from the signpost with several road signs pointing and indicating the mileage to various places; they resembled fingers. This house is still standing and faces Route 678. The deed to this house can be seen in the Clerk's Office of the Shenandoah County Courthouse in Woodstock, Virginia, Deed book 43, page 316. The six room house was built around 1860 on a gradual sloping hill, as were the out buildings. Approximately twenty yards on the north side of the house, the land dropped at an acute angle to a small stream about seventy-five feet below. The land on the south side of the house was a hill that extended about one hundred yards to the top. It was on this hill that some small crops were grown. On the west side of the house was a fine vegetable garden. There was plenty of work that granddaddy had to do around this small farm. Basically, my grandparents were self sufficient and grew just about everything that they ate. In addition to raising vegetables, granddad raised hogs and chickens. There was also plenty of game in the woods and fish in the creek to supplement their food supply. The only commodities that granddaddy bought at the store were sugar, salt, pepper and Brown's Mule chewing tobacco. He loved his chewing tobacco. A plug of Brown's Mule sold for five cents. I still remember when I was a small boy seeing granddaddy using his sharp pocket knife to cut a chew off the plug he carried in his pocket.

Sometime about 1905, he quit working in the manganese mines and went to work carrying the mail from Pelton Post Office to Waterlick Post Office. There he would meet the Southern train, pick up the mail and deliver through the Fort back to Pelton Post Office. When he was sick or busy, his children would carry the mail for him, including my mother who was a young girl at that time.

They used an old one horse buckboard to make this 32 mile round trip, five days a week. This mail run was very cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Not only was this mail trip tough on the mailman or woman, but difficult for the horse. Granddaddy told me that sometimes when the deep snow had a crust on top, the horse's hooves would bleed. I am sure that the remuneration was small for this job.

Granddaddy and Grandmother had eleven children. The names, birth and death dates are listed in the writings about grandmother, Sarah Catherine Clem.

I remember one summer when I was a small boy visiting Granddaddy and Grandma, the stove wood got low. He hooked up "Old Dick," his horse, to a wagon and we went over to Boyers Woods to cut firewood. This turned out to be a very exciting event. As we were going through the woods, a big wild cat jumped down out of a tree in front of us and, fortunately for us, ran away. Nevertheless, it frightened us and terrified the horse. The animal reared on his hind legs then took to running out of control, pulling the wagon, down through the woods. When granddaddy finally got the horse under control, his hands were shaking. Well, he cut down several trees with his ax and had the wood stacked high on the wagon and we started home. We were perched up on top of the load of wood. He had the reins and was driving. I was on the back to operate the brake. The old timers didn't call it a brake, but a check. As we approached a very steep hill, Granddaddy said in a loud voice, "Draw the check, Junior!" Instantly I drew the check lever, then a loud snap. The chain from the check lever to the blocks that locked the wheels had broken. We had already started down the hill and it was too late to tum back. Granddaddy pulled

168

'<, ,'-I

the reins and the horse tried to hold the heavy loaded wagon back. The weight was too much and was pushing the animal down the hill at a rapid rate of speed. Granddaddy, seeing that the horse was in trouble, gave him full reins. The horse then broke into a gallop and down through the woods we went, bouncing around on top of the wood, trying not to faU off. Lucky for us the horse ran in a straight line and the wagon didn't turn over. If it had turned over, the logs would probably have killed us. When the horse and wagon stopped at the bottom, Granddaddy examined the check and said he didn't know that the chain links were worn out. After some temporary repairs, the trip home was uneventful.

Granddaddy wasn't a large man, not over five feet six inches tall and weighed about 150 pounds. One thing that made him appear shorter, especially when he got older, was a hump back. He said it was the result of bending over so much while working in the manganese mines. Others said it was because he spent so much time sitting in the slouched position when carrying the mail.

Granddaddy was a jovial individual, good-hearted and full of fun. He was indeed a pleasure to be around.

As I have stated previously, Granddaddy was a hard working man and raised plenty of vegetables. Besides canning and drying, he had a rather unique method of storing cabbage, turnips, sweet potatoes and radishes for the long winter months. He would dig a hole in the ground and line it with a heavy layer of straw. He would careful1y place the vegetables among the straw and cover with another layer. He would then cover the vegetables with approximately two feet of soil. This process would hermetically seal the vegetables and they would keep all winter. The cool ground and the airtight seal was just like a refrigeration system.

When I would visit my grandparents on warm summer evenings, we would sit on the porch. Granddaddy told some very interesting stories about various things that happened when he was a young man.

He said that when he was young, he had some friends whose father was a casket maker. Occasionally he spent the night with them because they lived a considerable distance from his home. Sometimes during the night the sound of sawing and hammering could be heard coming from the casket shop. The boy's father said this was a token and an indication that someone had died. Invariably the next morning he would get an order to build a casket for someone that died during the night. I know this has the remnants of a ghost story, but I heard granddaddy tell this story many times. What gives the story credibility is that he never deviated from one detail, every time he told the story.

I don't know much about Granddaddy Shillingburg's religious views or his church affiliation, but the church record of the Trinity Brethren of Cross Roads lists him being baptized in 1898.

Granddaddy Shillingburg's half brother, Samuel Reedy, came to visit one time when I was spending a week with him. The two talked for a while and decided to go fishing. They took me with them down along Passage Creek across from the Edward Coverstone farm. We were catching some small sun perch occasionally but nothing big enough to keep. All of a sudden I got a very vigorous bite. The float went under and my pole bent so much I thought it would break. I pulled hard but this fish didn't want to come out of the water. After several minutes of struggling, I

169

managed to get this big fish out on the side of the creek. Just then my line broke before I could grab the fish, he flopped back into the water. Granddaddy said that the biggest fish he had ever seen in the creek. Samuel Reedy said, "The fish was a carp; I estimate it weighed 10 pounds or more!" Weill was really disappointed but granddaddy said, "Come on, let's go down to Boyer's Dam where there are some big' fish in that deep water." ,

We walked about three miles to this deep, backed up dam water and fished ::' the rest of the day. We didn't get any big ones, but we did catch enough fish for supper. This was the only time I ever saw Samuel Reedy. I was ten years old at that, time. The Old Boyer Dam has washed out many years ago.

While cutting wood one cold winter day sometime around 1937, Granddaddy's right ear was accidentally frost-bitten; it swelled and cracked open. This lesion wouldn't heal and subsequently turned into cancer which rapidly to his head and was the cause of his death. Granddaddy died at home on night, January 24, 1938. The following morning the news of his death hadn't real:J1fd my family in Strasburg, because we didn't have a telephone. While getting ready school, I had a premonition of Granddaddy's death. I said to my sister Sarah, "Granddaddy died last night!" "You're crazy!" was her reply. "He really did!" 1 reiterated.

Strange as it seems, something just told me of granddaddy's passing away. Sure enough when I went to school that morning, a classmate, Jack Coverstone, who lived in Fort Valley, confirmed my prediction.

The undertaker didn't take his body to the funeral parlor, but did embalm him at home and placed him in a casket. The funeral service was held at the place on Thursday morning, January 27, 1938, at 10:00 a.m. The service was conducted by the Reverend B. Andes. The singing was done by a quartet consistinS. of Ernest Boyer, Samuel Boyer, John D. Clem and Roy Rinker. They sang two "In the Land Where We'll Never Grow Old" and "Safe in the Arms of Jesus." was a very long funeral procession to the grave site in the McInturff Cemetery Seven Fountains, Virginia. It was a very cold windy day and with the cemetery top of a hill, the wind was extra strong. Because of the unpleasant cold weather, a terse grave side service was held.

Although this was a sad event, one hilarious thing happened. Some young, boy about 18 was there and was wearing an old slouch hat with a broad brim. The ' poor boy had unusually large ears, and with the hat pulled down to prevent the wind from blowing it off, his ears stuck out and down like those of a big dog. My sister Sarah, her cousin, Mildred Shillingburg, and Aunt Stella Shillingburg this was hilarious, but when he looked at them and smiled, exposing his missing .• front teeth, this was too much. Only by holding scarves over their mouths and the wind whistling through the pine trees, they were able to conceal their . uncontrollable laughter.

Especially at funerals in rural areas, people would stand around and talk at the conclusion of the grave side rites. Not this time, everyone hurried to their to get warm.

170

Many people came back to the home after the service for fellowship and an abundant variety of delicious food. The relatives, neighbors and friends had brought enough food for a small army. I really took on a feed.

I almost forgot something I think worth mentioning. One winter, Granddaddy cracked 200 pounds of walnut kernels by using only a hammer and a rock. Funks Store paid him 25 cents a pound for them. Now they sell for seven dollars a pound.

I will expound on each of his children individually.

171

I , 1 ( I

'I

'.' 'I

= ,- ~

r

~ ~~

.,~.: ... ....

'~f

I Lcit to right) :Vly grandiathcr, (ohn T~'ler Shillingburg, .1r .. age 26; my great mCl\Nnal grimdmothcr. SophiCl Clem, age 65;

my grandmother. Sarah Catherine "Clem" Shillingburg, age 27. Children (Jeft to right I l\·lallde Ll'£' Shillingburg; my mother-ta-be,

Vcr gil' .-\licl' Shillingburg and Joseph Arthur Shillingburg

(Left to right) James Arthur Strosnider. Sr.; Sarah Catherine Shillingburg; John T~'Jer Shillingburg. Jr.; Vergie Alice Strosnider. These are my parents

and grandparents. May 1937.

Some of the Shillingburgs in America since September 30,1727

Chapter XIX

1* SARAH CATHERINE CLEM SHILLINGBURG

Sarah Catherine Clem Shillingburg was born in Powells Fort Valley, Virginin, on October 11, 1863, and died on November 3,1942. She was the daughter of Emanuel and Sophia McInturff Clem, and my maternal grandmother. She had three brothers, Benjamin F. t Joseph, and Samuel Clem. Also three sis ters: Lydia, Mary F. and Lucy Bell Clem . Samuel and Lucy Bell were the only siblings of Sarah Catherine to live a long life. The others died young. Benjamin and Lydia died from cholera and Joseph and Mary F. died of typhoid fever.

Her mother and father were of German descendants. Grandmother sa id that when she was a small gi rl, German was spoken in her home, but as time passed, they learned to speak English. Many years late r when she 'vas getting old, \\lith a little coax ing, she could be persuaded to spea k some sentences in Germ<ln.

On July 23, 1886, she married John Tyler Sh illingburg, Jr. They met when he was working at the m<lnganese mines in Powells Fort Valley. The ciim<lte and the mountain a ir must have agreed with them, because they had e leven children.

T HE CHILDREN OF SARAH CATHERINE AND JOHN TYLER SHILLINGBURG, JR. (IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)

2-1 2-2 2-3 2-4 2-5 2-6 2-7 2-8 2-9 2-10 2-11

Maude Lee Sh illingburg Dinges b. July 10, 1887, d. Dec. 14, 1966 Vergie Alice Shillingburg Strosnider b. May 3, 1889, d. Dec. 16, 1975 Joseph Arthur Shi llingburg b. jan . 8, 1891. d. June 2,1892 Clarence Austin Sh illingbu rg D. March 9,1893, d. July 11. 1953 Brucie Catherine Shillingburg McWilliams b . Jan. 9, 1895, d. Apri l ]2, 1989 Mary Susan Shillingburg b. June 12, 1896, d. June 16, 1897 Charles Franklin Shillingburg b. Sept. 10, 1898, d. March 5, 1989 Samuel Johnson Sh illingburg b. June 21, ]900, d. Dec. 13, 1954 Della May Shillingburg Miller b. Oct. 18, 1902, d. March 8, 1991 Otis Henry Shillingburg b. Jan. 16, 1905, d. July 12, 1988 Lester Laman Shillingburg b. Apri l 17, 1909, d. June 14, 1976

\Vith a falTlily of this size, 1 am sli re Gr<lndma had <I very difficult and arduous life. When Grandma was only 57 years old, she had a s troke that affected the left side of her body. She never regained full use of her arm or leg. However, it was remarkable how well she did the cooking and housework with the handicap . She never complained about the detrimental affects of the s troke.

173

When I was a youngster, during the summer months I used to spend a week or two with Grandmother. Many things I remember about those pleasant visits, but the most vivid memories are her apple schnitz (pronounced snit) pies and the variety of food she always had for breakfast. Hotcakes were made six at a time on a large cast iron griddle. Served with them often was ham, bacon, fried apples, hash brown potatoes, sometimes a big plate of fish, butter, apple butter and several flavors of jellies and preserves. Pies and homemade bread were also on the table.

Grandmother had one strict rule: when she called you to eat, you had better get to the table. I was usually waiting and she seldom had to call me.

The cellar was where Grandmother stored some of her pies and occasionally I got hungry between meals. When no one was looking, I would sneak into the cellar and get a piece or two of pie. When she brought up the pies at meal time, she would say, "1 believe a mouse ate some of this pie," and look at me and grinned.

My favorite pie was the one she made from dried apple schnitz. It has been almost sixty years since I've had any schnitz pie, but I have never forgotten how good it tasted.

There was one thing that prevented me from sneaking down into the cellar sometimes. That was an ugly looking lizard with blue and yellow/stripes, about 12 inches long, that enjoyed sunning itself on the steps going down to the cellar. In all my years of climbing mountains and going through the forest, this is the only lizard of this type I've seen. Grandmother's pies were safe when this creature was guarding the door.

Fish were plentiful in the nearby Passage Creek. Not only were they plentiful, but a wide variety of species, such as bass, sun perch, goggle-eyes, suckers, trout, carp and eels.

My Uncle Lester and Uncle Otis, who still lived at home, went hunting and fishing frequently. Back in those days the game was abundant in the creek and forest. I remember one time Grandmother had a big eel for breakfast. The vertebrae of the eel resembled that of a snake, but the meat was delicious. Squirrel and rabbit meat was often on the table. These people were poor, but they had plenty to eat.

When I use the term poor, I am referring only to money, because their tranquil, calm and serene lifestyle would be the envy of many millionaires.

One summer when I was a kid about nine years old, I was visiting Grandmother. I was walking down to the creek, when in the road about 10 feet in front of me was a big snake. I couldn't see its head or the end of its tail, but the snake stretched all the way across the road. I ran as fast as possible back the house for a hoe to use as a weapon to kill the snake or at least try. Grabbing a hoe that was leaning against the garden fence, I started to run back to the creature. Grandmother yelled, "Junior, where are you going with my hoe?" "0h, Grandma, down on the creek road there is a snake so big it stretches all the way across the road," I exclaimed in a very excited voice. Showing no concern at all about the possibility of a kid doing combat with a large snake, she said, "You better not break my hoe handle!"

Fortunately for me, I guess, when I returned with the hoe, the big snake was gone. Later I measured across the road and figured the snake would have been at least 13 or 14 feet long. I don't know what species it was, but was big!

174

Grandma kept a few chickens but didn't eat many of the eggs. When she needed some sugar, coal oil, salt, pepper or some chewing tobacco for Granddaddy, she would take a basket of eggs to Boyers Store and trade them for the before mentioned commodities.

Boyers Store was two miles away. In spite of the crippled left arm and leg that was caused by a stroke, she would limp along carrying a basket of eggs in her good hand. After talking awhile with the people at the store, she would walk back home with the items she had traded for.

When Grandma was about seventy-two years old and while a preacher from one of the churches in Fort Valley was visiting her home, it was discovered that she was never baptized. The preacher thought she should be and made arrangements for the following Sunday for this rite or sacrament to be bestowed upon her.

Several days prior to the baptismal services the weather was rainy and unusually cool for July. Clouds and fog hung low over the surrounding mountains creating a gloomy, dreary and dismal environment around Grandma's home. This was the second week I had spent with her and didn't like being confined to the house. Usually I would run unrestricted over the hills and through the woods.

The morning of the service the sun was shining occasionally, peeping through cumulus clouds but still somewhat cool with a breeze blowing. About 1 :00 p.m. an old rattle trap car pulled up at Grandma's place, with the preacher driving and several of his parishioners accompanying him. Grandma rode to the creek with this group but the rest of us walked the half mile to the chosen ceremonial spot. It was beside the concrete bridge that crosses Passage Creek near Fingerboards in about five feet of water with some relatives, plus a conglomeration of people watching that Grandma was submerged three times.

Each time she was submerged, her long gray hair floated freely in the cold creek water. Each time she was raised to the surface, I could see panic in her eyes and a distressed look on her face. She was very cold. You see, she was afraid of water and this was her first time to be completely under.

No, she dipn't have a swim suit on and the long cotton dress trapped some air which created a problem for the preacher. On the first dip the long dress she had on started to float above her head, and the preacher quickly took appropriate action.

After a long prayer ending this ritual, she was wrapped in a blanket and rushed home for dry clothes. I don't remember the exact year, but I believe it was around July, 1935.

The house that Grandma and Granddaddy lived in was built around 1860. The furniture and cooking utensils were also old. Instead of aluminum, stainless steel cooper, or Teflon coated cookware, cast iron pots, skillets and griddles were used. Some of these utensils once belonged to her mother and one small iron pot belonged to her grandparents, Jacob and Barbara Ann Murdock Clem. The pot has been handed down through the family and is now in the possession of my daughter, Rita Strosnider.

Jacob and Barbara Clem would be the great-great-great-grandparents of Rita. Jacob was born March 11, 1781, and died May 1, 1853. Barbara was born March 9, 1783, and died April 12, 1872

175

In Grandma Shillingburg's house an old clock sat on a shelf. It struck on the hour, quarter hour and half hour. In spite of its age it still kept good time. Well, maybe not the precise time, but accurate enough to eat meals by.

Among Grandma's household furnishings was a large old spinning wheel that was used by her mother and grandmother to draw out and twist cotton, flax and wool to make thread and yarn. The thread was used in sewing and the yarn was knitted into articles of clothing. There was also an old homemade 100m which she used to weave rag carpet and rugs. The loom was built by her father many years before.

Rag carpet covered the floor throughout the house. Although she didn't have a vacuum cleaner, the house was always neat and impeccably clean.

Electricity did not exist in Powells Fort Valley back then and coal oil lamps were used for lighting.

Another thing that I remember vividly was the vocabulary and speech terminology used by Grandma and other people who lived in that area. Many of these words and their pronunciations can still be heard at places in t~e Shenandoah Valley. The valley was settled by people of German and Dutch ancestry, with migrations of Scotch, English and Irish. Some of the words or their American equivalent, mixed into modem language give it a special flavor. Other words of the good King's English were changed by local tongues into almost unrecognizable forms. This added to the fun of listening to old timers talk. The older people had a language of their own.

They raised "taters," "maters" and "cukes." They "took sick" or "took a liking to a person." Their children were "kids," "young-ens," "tots," "chaps" and "brats," "little apes," "snot-noses" or "little hellions." Rowdy youths didn't have "the fetching up," "not worth the devil's fetching" or "not worth their salt." Their property was "stuff," a bundle was a "passel," a calf was "hommey," horses were "critters," best clothes were "glad rags," an hour was "a while" and food was "vittles." Cottage cheese was "smearcase" and they had "poor man's gravy" and "hutcel pies."

In the area where Grandma lived the natives when referring to a married couple gave the woman's name first. For example, Ida and Edward Coverstone was Ida Ed. Ida and Madison Coverstone was Ida Madison. Of course, this was to differentiate between the two, but it was amusing to me. Also many of the words and pronunciations she used I have not forgotten. Please do not think that I am making fun of Grandma. She may not have spoken the King's English, but she was able to communicate clearly. I am sure that many of her words and expressions were a carryover from the German language she spoke in her early childhood.

"Darson" "Eeen" "Retch" "Holler" "Crick" "Press" "Tol'bIe"

I dare not do that In To reach Hollow Creek When referring to a cupboard or closet Tolerable

176

"Prize" "Back-door trots" "Yo" "Layoff" "Do-less" "On'ry" "Spell"

"Summers" "Turn"

"Cattywampus" "Thunderjar" "Up air" "Uppards" "Tad" "Poke" "Kittle" "A body never knows" "Lawize" "Land sakes"

To pry the top off Diarrhea Ewe or female sheep Put off or delay Laziness Stubborn or contrary A period such as a wet or dry time or an

unidentified illness Somewhere Such as when referring to "I did some work

today" Crooked Chamber pot Up there Upwards A little bit or just a pinch Bag or sack Kettle One never knows Slang for various expressions Exclamation of surprise

Back then the majority of people living in Powells Fort Valley believed in witches, signs, spooks, ghosts, haunts and tokens. Judging from some of the stories that Grandma told, she was no exception.

The following story that my Grandma once told is interesting and does have some cogency about it:

Right after the Civil War an old widow was desperate for a place to live. Finally she found a house to live in. It was an old dilapidated and shabby stone house. Because of its deplorable condition and its reputation of being haunted, no one had lived in this house for many years. Stories circulated around that an old miser once lived there. Not only was he a tightwad but also a mean person. The old man didn't believe in banks and kept a sizable fortune hidden somewhere in the walls of the house. The old miser eventually died without revealing the location of his fortune. After his death, strange lights were seen around the house at night. The opinion was that this old miser had come back from the dead looking for his money.

In spite of the stories and rumors about this house, she moved in. Not only was she a brave woman, but she also didn't believe the irrational, suspicious and paranoid stories.

The first two nights that she spent in the house, everything seemed ordinary and normal. However, the third night for some reason she awoke and the old clock was striking 12:00 midnight. While she was lying in bed trying to go back to sleep, she heard a man's voice counting money downstairs. She listened very carefully. When he got to five thousand, she yelled in a loud voice. She said, "If you have so damn much money, why don't you give me some?"

Momentarily there was silence. Suddenly, there was a tremendous noise at the foot of her bed! It sounded like someone had thrown a long large chain on the

177

j ;l I

:):: 'j I ::11 :1.

1'1,

floor. She got up and lit the coal oil lamp. She couldn't see anything unusual in the room or on the floor. Even though this was a very frightening experience, she composed herself and went back to bed. She slept the remaining part of the night.

She lived in this old house for many years without hearing anything strange or unusual again.

Grandma used to make homemade soap. She would save all the excess old grease and animal fat used in frying and cooking. She also made the lye used in making the soap. Ashes from the wood stove were saved in a special container. Water was poured over the ashes. This mixture was allowed to rest for a certain length of time, thus turning into a strong lye. The old grease and lye were then cooked together in a big cast iron kettle until the two ingredients mixed together and melted. The fire was then pulled away from under the kettle and the mixture allowed to cool. It was then cut out in bars and you had soap that would clean anything. It was an excellent laundry soap, but I wouldn't recommend using it as a complexion face soap.

OLD TIME MEDICINE

Back in those days medicine and medical help in that rural area were not readily available. Many of the people had their own cures and remedies for various sicknesses and health problems. Some of these old treatments and medicines were effective and others bordered on witchcraft. Nevertheless, many of these old practices had deep psychological and therapeutic effects on the patient.

Somehow I still remember Grandmother talking about some of these cures. For instance, to stop bleeding, read Ezekiel, Chapter 16, verse 6. Grandmother told me this when I was very young. She also told me that I was to never, never reveal this passage of the Bible to a man, but that I could tell a woman. Why not tell a man? I haven't any idea. I've never tried this or know of anyone who has. However, some stories that have been told to me do give this reading some credence.

A friend told me that he came across a bad accident on Route 7 just out of Winchester, Virginia. He and a woman in a car back of him stopped to see if they could render any assistance. One man in the wreck had been thrown out and was in a ditch with blood gushing from a deep cut on his head and pouring from a compound fracture of his right arm. My friend said that this woman went up to her car. She produced a Bible and read a verse. He didn't know what it was, but the bleeding stopped immediately from both wounds. Medical help soon arrived to transport the man to the hospital.

For those of you who do not have a Bible, the following is a direct quote from Ezekiel, Chapter 16, verse 6:

II And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in the blood. Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou was in thy blood, Live."

178

Other methods to stop bleeding were to place a spider web across the wound. Another was to apply lamp black directly to the wound. If the cut is small, a wet cigarette paper was applied.

For a cold or pneumonia, a tea was made from powdered ginger, honey and whiskey, kerosene; lemon and sugar were also mixed and drank as a remedy. An onion poultice was made by frying onions. While still warm the onions were enclosed in a doth and placed on the chest. If more potency was desired, mustard was also used, either separately or added with the onions. If this poultice was left on too long, it would blister the skin. Even some of the modern doctors sanction and give recognition to the validity and potency of the old time onion or mustard poultice.

Some of the old people back in Grandmother's era would tie a little bag containing asafetida around their necks during the winter months to keep from getting colds or sore throats. This is a gum resin with a strong garlic-like odor. I don't know if it kept colds away, but I bet it kept other people at a distance.

For constipation, castor oil or Epsom salts were used. Warm castor oil or sweet oil was poured into the ear to cure an earache. Also

several drops of warm sewing machine oil were used or a spoonful of warm urine poured into the ear.

Ginger tea or blackberry juice was used as a remedy for diarrhea. A remedy used to cure warts was a horse hair tied around the wart. Another

method used was to rub the wart with the skin of a chicken gizzard, then hide the skin under a rock. A neighbor's dish rag would be stolen, wiped across the wart and buried in the woods. Sometimes they would wet their finger and make a cross on the wart, or rub the wart with a rock and put the rock in a box. Whoever opened the box would get the wart.

A nickel placed directly under the nose between the upper lip and the gum, .. pressed tightly, was used to cure a nosebleed. Other methods used included lying

down and putting a dime on the heart, hanging a pot hook from the neck or sniffing snuff.

Remedies for rheumatism included rubbing wildcat oil on the skin or cooking garlic in your food to ease the pain. A mixture of pokeberry wine and whiskey was also used.

Wild peppermint tea was used for stomach trouble. Also drinking the juice left over from cooking kraut, blackberry juice or wine was recommended.

A remedy used for tonsillitis was gargling with a tea made from chestnut leaves. In addition, gargling with salt water was recommended. Sometimes the tonsils would be burned out, then painted several times a day for several months with iodine and turpentine.

Drinking horse milk was suggested as a remedy for whooping cough. ,: Chestnut leaves boiled in water, drained, with honey added, were also used.

Apple butter was applied to bums. Other remedies included covering the burned area with axle grease, lard and flour, cow's butter or linseed oil.

Remedies for an itch included sulfa and lard or gunpowder and lard. A piece of salty fat meat tied to the bruise or a splinter in the hand or foot was

used to draw out inflammation. A poultice of clay will do the same thing.

179

Turpentine or kerosene mixed with sugar, then applied to the affected area, will kill infection.

Buttermilk and lemon juice mixed together were used to remove freckles. Other remedies included the application of stump water, or rising early on the first day of May to rub the freckles with the morning dew.

Methods used to ease the pain of bee stings or chigger bites included rubbing chewed snuff or tobacco over the bites, applying a mixture of soda and water or using castor oil on a sting. Ragweed was chewed or mashed and put on a sting to deaden pain or reduce swelling. Red clay was also used to relieve discomfort.

Poison ivy relief included using a mixture of buttermilk or vinegar and salt. The inside surface of a banana was rubbed on the infection. In addition, a remedy of slicing a green tomato and squeezing the juice over the effected area was used.

Goiter is a disease of the thyroid gland that often causes a large swelling in the neck usually caused by a diet with too little iodine. When my mother was a youngster at home, she was plagued with this disease. Her mother recommended the following ritual to alleviate and to make the condition more tolerable:

In the up going of the moon, go outside. While looking at the moon, rub the neck and say, "What I look at will increase and what I rub will decrease."

Well, this ritual didn't work because years later she was operated on at Harrisonburg Memorial Hospital for goiter.

Remedies for cough included drinking a heated mixture of one teaspoon of whiskey and a pinch of sugar or eating rock candy with tea. Ground ginger and a little sugar put on the tongue at bedtime will burn the throat and most of the time will stop the coughing.

An asafetida bag was tied around a baby's neck with colic. Other remedies included one pinch of soda in a spoonful of water or mixing cat nip tea in the baby's milk.

A mixture of honey, vinegar and moonshine was used for arthritis. These are only a few of the medical practices used in Grandmother's day. The

scarcity, until very recently, of medical facilities and medicines in the remote rural areas of this country has been so well documented that it needs little repetition here. Nevertheless, despite the lack of medicines and facilities, people did get sick and often needed help. The fact that help wasn't there did not eliminate the need. And so, as with everything else, they were forced to make do with what they had on hand.

Some of these remedies undoubtedly worked; some of them probably were useless; some of them I advise you to experiment only with extreme care. A few of these remedies, such as taking large quantities of whiskey for snake bites, perhaps were even fatal.

PLANTING BY THE SIGNS

Grandmother and Grandfather would never plant anything in the garden until they checked the almanac to see if the sign was right for planting. My father did the same and many people still today observe this practice.

180

What is meant by the signs? How did this practice of planting crops only at certain times originate? Ancient astronomers discovered that a number of bright constellations of stars that they had studied and named were evenly spaced along the yearly path of the sun in a belt about eighteen degrees wide. This belt also included the paths of the planets and the monthly path of the moon.

This belt was subsequently divided into twelve parts, each of thirty degrees in length called "signs." Each of the signs contained a constellation of stars, and each sign thus received its name from the name of the constellation it contained. Since all the signs except Libra were named after living things, the belt was named the Zodiac, or zone of animals.

As the early wise men believe that there was an intimate relationship between the celestial bodies and mankind, the twelve signs soon became identified with various parts of the human body. Charts which illustrate this relationship have been noted as far back in history as B.C. 1300.

Astrologers all over the world lost no time in seizing the zodiac as a guide for their predictions. With its use, they and their followers constructed everything from horoscopes to guides for fishing days. One of their constructions which received serious and devoted attention from thousands of families was a set of rules for planting. Although the practice seems to be declining in popularity now, there are still many accurate sources of information to be found. My folks always referred to the Hagerstown Almanac for the best planting dates.

HOW IT WORKS

Every day of the month is dominated by one of the twelve signs of the zodiac. Each of the twelve appears at least once a month, and then for a period of either two or three days. All good planting calendars label each day with the sign that rules over it, depending on which constellation is foremost in the sky at the time, the part of the body and the planet associated with the sign and the element it is most closely akin to. The signs are: 1. Aries, 2. Taurus, 3. Gemini, 4. Cancer,S. Leo, 6. Virgo, 7. Libra, 8. Scorpio, 9. Sagittarius, 10. Capricorn, 11. Aquarius, 12. Pisces. Each of these signs is known as being either masculine, feminine, airy, dry, barren, fiery, earthly moist, watery, fruitful or very fruitful. In general, any activity that requires a dry atmosphere, such as painting, should be done in one of the dry signs; and an activity requiring moisture, such as planting, should be done on one of the most or fruitful signs.

The best time of all, of course, to conduct any activity is when a day falls on both an ideal sign and a good phase of the moon.

Over the years, a more specific set of rules has grown up around the Zodiac which governs such activities as planting and harvesting. The rules take into account both the sign governing the day and the phase of the moon or that particular day. At the beginning of the planting season, for example, the farmer consults his calendar, picks out one of the fourteen favorable days that occur every month, and plants only on of these fourteen fruitful days. Should he miss and plant

181

t : "C. ~.

his crops on one of the unfruitful days, his crops will not produce to their fullest, so say the believers. Some farmers believe that just a few hours can make a difference.

According to many people, the best time to plant is in the fruitful signs of Scorpio, Pisces, Taurus, or Cancer (when the signs are in the loins, feet, neck or breasts). Plow, till and cultivate in Aries. Never plant anything in one of the barren signs. They are good only for trimming. Always set plants out in a water or earth sign. Never plant on Sunday as this is a barren day. Com planted in Leo will have a hard round stalk and small ears.

Crops planted in Taurus and Cancer will stand a drought. Plant beans when the signs are in the Arms. Plant all things which yield above the ground during the increase or growing of the moon, and all things which yield below the ground when the moon is decreasing or darkening.

Grandmother said if potatoes are planted on the last quarter of the moon, they grew more potatoes and less vines, but if planted in the first quarter of the moon, they grew more vines and less potatoes. Also don't plant cucumbers or tomato'es in the light of the moon as the plant will bloom itself to death and the blooms fall off.

Almost all of the old people believed in signs, not only for planting, but for butchering hogs, castrating hogs, making hay, cutting brush, cutting timber and even digging post holes.

The modern day agriculturist or agronomist plants in the ground and not in the signs. They haven't the belief or the time to spend looking up the best time to plant.

WEATHER SIGNS

When I was a youngster, each summer I would spend some time visiting my Grandparents, John and Sarah Catherine Shillingburg, in Powells Fort Valley. In the evenings after supper when all the chores were done, everybody would sit out on the porch. Well, this really wasn't a porch, it was more of a platform because it didn't have an overhead roof. Grandpap would sit and chew his Brown's Mule tobacco and Grandma would do some mending or sewing.

Often the weather was the main topic of conversation. I would listen very attentively as these old folks expounded on how to predict what the weather was going to be when winter came.

Forecasting the Winter by Animals

They said the winter will be bad if:

1. Squirrels began gathering nuts early, middle or late September 2. Squirrels' tails grow bushier 3. Fur on animals such as horses, sheep, mules, cows, and dogs is

thicker than usual 4. Cows gather together 5. Hoot owls call late in the fall

182

6. Screech ow Is sound like women crying 7. Birds huddle on the ground B. Squirrels build nests low in trees 9. Muskrat houses are built big

Forecasting Winter by Insects

It will be a bad winter if:

1. An ant builds its hill high 2. Hornets and yellow jackets build their nests heavier and closer to

the ground than usual 3. There are a lot of spiders and black bugs about in the fall 4. Crickets are in the chimney

The woolly worm tells of a bad winter if:

1. There are a lot of them crawling about 2. He has a heavy coat and the black band on his back is wide 3. If he's brown at both ends and orange in the middle, the winter will

be mild

When butterflies migrate early, winter will be early.

Forecasting the Winter by Plants

It will be a bad winter if:

1. Blackberry blooms are especially heavy 2. Carrots grow deeper 3. Grapes and apples mature early 4. Sweet potatoes have a tougher skin 5. Onions grow more layers 6. Trees are laden with green leaves late in the fall 7. Hickory nuts have a heavy shell 8. Bark on trees is thicker

Forecasting Winter by Weather

1. Two frosts and lots of rain mean cold weather is near. 2. A late frost means a bad winter. 3. Lots of thunder in late fall means a bad winter. 4. A long hot summer means a long cold winter. 5. The hotter the summer, the colder the winter.

183

, " , 'I I

i

'" ) ,

,I . ~ . , I·

!

Forecasting Winter by the Moon

The number of days old the moon is at the first snow tells how many snows there will be that winter.

Forecasting Weather

It will rain:

1. Within three days if the horns of the moon point down 2. If cows are lying down in the pasture 3. If there is a ring around the moon, count the stars in the ring and it

will rain within that many days. 4. If the sun sets with clouds 5. If birds fly low 6. If it rains on Easter Sunday, it will rain every Sunday for seven

weeks 7. If smoke goes to the ground 8. If it hasn't rained in along time and starts before 7:00 a.m. rain will

quit before 11 a.m.

GENERAL CONVERSATION

Back when I spent time with my Grandparents, John and Sarah Catherine Shillingburg, they didn't have any radio, television or phonograph. They also didn't get any daily newspaper or any magazines. Being devoid of these news sources and unaware of the happenings over the rest of the country, their conversations were mostly pertinent to that rural area, such as who was sick, who died, from what, how crops and gardens were growing, the weather, who was related and how, who married who, and what work they had planned.

Sometimes these fine old folks would reminisce and recall some facet or phase of their youthful years. This was always interesting to me, especially when Grandma talked about speaking the Dutch language when she was a youngster. Now I know that since my Grandma's maiden name was Clem, it indicated that when she said she spoke Dutch, she was actually saying "Deutsch" which meant German. Her ancestors were from Germany as indicated in this book on Clem history.

Grandpa once said his Grandfather, Hugh Shillingburg was in the war of 1812. In my research of the Shillingburg history, I found this to be true. I was successful in acquiring some of his 1812 war record. This record and a brief biography of his life are found elsewhere in this book.

Other topics that Grandma and Grandpa conversed about were snake and animal tales. Why do I refer to some of these as tales or yams? Because I've learned

184

l:

, , -

that many of the narrations told to me when I was a kid were imaginary folklore that originated many years before my grandparents' time.

It is difficult to say what variety of mountain wildlife holds the place of honor in fireside conversation. The more challenging game animals like deer certainly rank high. Of course, there are the more dangerous ones like panthers, wildcats and bears with which nearly every hunter has had his moments of terror. Few living things, however, occupy the place of respect and awe that snakes receive. Time after time, I have been amazed at the quality and variety of tales evoked by the mere mention of snakes.

There was that snake, for example, that hours after its head had been cut off, bit a dog; then there was the snake that stuck its feet out when it was held close to a fire; and the milk snake that would come to the barn each night and milk the cow; and the rattlesnake that was frozen stiff as a stick and was taken inside where it soon thawed out and began to rattle. There are those that swell up inside their holes for protection and get wedged in so tightly that you couldn't pull them out with a horse. There are snakes that won't bite during dog days and there was a snake that bit a woman in the throat while she leaned over picking beans. They found her dead in the garden, one hand clutched so tightly around snake's neck that it, too, was dead.

There was once a frail girl who was given milk and bread every day in an attempt to strengthen her. She went off behind the barn each time to eat it. She was once followed by a man, who to his horror, found her sharing her meal with a snake that would stick its head from a hole in the barn's foundation. He killed the snake, and not long after, the girl also was found dead.

I was also told that hogs will kill and eat snakes. Deer will also kill rattlesnakes and a black snake will kill a copperhead. King snakes will swallow a copperhead whole. Now, I've been told some wild and unbelievable snake stories, but the following two top them all.

Grandpap said that one time when he was a young boy, he and a friend were picking huckleberries in a rather remote area of the mountain. He had taken Old Spot, his favorite dog, along with him. While they were picking berries, Old Spot was roaming over the surrounding area rather aimlessly and gallivanting occasionally after a sqUirrel or chipmunk. Suddenly Old Spot began to bark abruptly in a very loud and strange tone. This particular manner that he was barking seemed to be different than his usual bark. However, in spite of his strange barking they continued to pick huckleberries.

The next sound they heard was a horrifying bellowing that sounded like an angry bad tempered bull. The boys' first inclination was to run, but since they had never seen any cattle that high up on the mountain, they decided to investigate. Very cautiously they approached the area that Old Spot was violently and intensely barking. Peeping out from behind small pine trees, they saw their dog barking at what the first thought was a small log. They moved a little closer and saw the log move. It was then they realized that this was a very large snake and the bellowing sound was being made by this unusually oversized reptile.

The boys called their dog and hastily vacated that section of the mountain and never went there again after huckleberries.

185

I

I:

Since that time I've read a lot about different species of snakes. I have also heard "old timers" tell similar tales. It is my opinion that instead of a "Bull Snake Story," it should be classified as just a bull story.

Another snake story that "old timers" often told was about the very poisonous hoop snake. It was said they looked like a black racer except they had a spike on the end of their tail. They were bigger than a rattlesnake, but when angry they would roll up like a hoop with the end of their tail in their mouth and roll down the hill after anything that bothered them. Folklore stories claim that one time a hoop snake was chasing a man, and as the snake struck at him, with the poisonous spike in its tail, he missed the man and hit a locust tree. It was said that the tree was wilted before twelve o'clock and was completely dead the next day.

How did these fabricated stories start and by whom? One old man told me that his grandfather told him that an old Indian told similar stories, so who knows? Some of these stories were told so often by storytellers that they believed the stories themselves.

After Grandpap Shillingburg died in 1938, Grandma continued to live at the old homeplace for about two years. Uncle Lester stayed with her until he got married around 1940. After Lester left, it was impossible for her to live alone, especially because of her age and health. She then moved to Saumsville and lived with her daughter, Maude Dinges. Her health continued to fail and she died November 3, 1942. I had just left for the Navy a few days before and was at Great Lakes Naval Training Base in Illinois. I wasn't able to get home for her funeral.

186

l

Chapter XX

MAUDE LEE SHILLINGBURG DINGES

The Children and Grandchildren of Sarah Catherine and John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr.

As I write about the children of Sarah Catherine and John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr., who were my aunts and uncles, I will try to think back into the days of yore and narrate how I remember each one of them when I was young. Years later as I became busy raising a family and working, I did not see my aunts and uncles very often. Now I regret this very much especially since I am getting older and can appreciate the value of special relatives. Unfortunately, all of these good people are dead and there are many questions I would like to ask them. However, that is impossible.

Maude Lee Shillingburg, the first child of Sarah Catherine and John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr., was born July la, 1887. The following is a report of her marriage as it appears in the records at the Shenandoah Courthouse in Woodstock, Virginia.

"William Noah Dinges to Maude Lee Shillingburg on Oct. 20, 1907, by J. H. Lutz, married in Shenandoah County, Virginia. The groom was 21, single, a laborer, born in and residing in Shenandoah County and the son of Moses and Eliza Dinges. The bride was 20, single, born in and residing in Shenandoah County and the daughter of John T. and Catherine Shillingburg. Consent by bride's father over the telephone."

William N. Dinges was born May 26, 1886, died March 3, 1957. His wife, Maude Lee Dinges was born July 10, 1887, and died Dec. 14, 1966. Both are buried in the Smith family cemetery near Carmel, Fort Valley, Shenandoah County, on Route 803, .7 miles west of Route 678.

When she was seven years old her daddy had trouble persuading her to start going to school. After trying several methods, he bought a little porcelain drinking cup. With this incentive she went to Slate Hill School to the equivalent of the third grade. The school was only about a mile from her home.

This little cup was very special to Aunt Maude, and she kept and cherished it all her life. Just a short time before she died she gave this heirloom to my sister Elsie Scott, who values it highly.

When Aunt Maude and Uncle William lived at Saumsville, Virginia, I used to visit them frequently. There are two outstanding traits I remember about her.

187

";i . 1 '

I . \' .

,[ , I

I

j,

.j I

One was that she had a tenacious memory, especially for people's names and who they were related to. This knack of knowing the family trees of people must have been a gift. It was uncanny how much she knew about different people here in the Shenandoah Valley.

Another admirable characteristic was her good-heartedness. When I would visit her she always wanted to give something to me.

I remember Aunt Maude telling about the house they moved in when they first were married. It was located in Powells Fort Valley on the Boyer property. It was situated in the middle of a big field, about a mile off the main road. This old house had the reputation of being haunted. The house, in spite of being old, was in good condition. However, because of the strange noises and happenings, no one would live there. Some of the tenants would move out in the middle of their first night there. Uncle William and Aunt Maude were young, brave and did not believe in ghost stories. They soon changed their minds. Sometimes they could hear people talking upstairs, strange noises in empty rooms, footsteps on the porch and the door would open and no one came in. Also if they went outside for just a few minutes, when they returned, articles and furniture would be moved, sometimes to another room. But what really shook them up, frightened and terrorized them the most was when the blankets were pulled off the bed while Aunt Maude and Uncle William were in it. After this strange phenomenon occurred three times, they hastily moved out. The night before they moved, Uncle Clarence Shillingburg and Aunt Stella were visiting and something pulled the blankets off of them also. There was definitely something unusual, strange, mysterious and weird about this house. What gives this story credence is that these abnormal happenings were substantiated by too many reliable people.

Thirty years later Uncle Clarence Shillingburg, Dad, my cousin Kenneth Shillingburg and I went to Fort Valley to pick dewberries. On the way Uncle Clarence again told us the story about being scared stiff when something pulled the blankets off while staying the night with Aunt Maude.

Uncle Clarence thought maybe we could find some dewberries in the fields adjacent to this old unusual haunted house. The only way we could get in that area was to walk because what was once a road was now covered with trees and brush. It was plain to see that the old house had been abandoned and deserted for many years. However, the field hext to the house was black with big juicy dewberries. In a short time the baskets were full.

Like most boys of my age, I was very curious and wanted to see inside of this haunted house. I approached the house with considerable reservation, remembering the fascinating ghost stories. Everything was extremely quiet and just the looks of this old house gave me an eerie feeling and superstitious fear. Nevertheless, curiosity prevailed and I walked up on the low, run-down porch. The door was slightly ajar, although it was dragging the floor. I pushed it open. There in from of me was an old table and two chairs. Then I had a question. Was this furniture left behind by some tenant who vacated so fast and left everything?

Two things caused me to leave this unoccupied house fast. I heard some noise coming from the cellar which could have been a groundhog. Also looking

188

over along the wall of the room, I spotted a big black snake. To say I made a rapid exit would be putting it mildly.

What caused this old house to acquire a reputation of being haunted? One story was that some old woman lived there alone who was stingy and mean. Gossip spread around that she had plenty of money and kept it hidden somewhere in the house. Thieves attempted to rob her. When she wouldn't reveal where the money was hidden, they killed and mutilated her body. I guess we'll never know for sure.

William Dinges was a well driller and worked some for the Virginia State Highway Department. He was a very heavy cigarette smoker with nicotine stained fingers. He paid for this smoking pleasure as he died of emphysema at the age of seventy-one after being sick for a number of years.

Aunt Maude died because of a stomach problem, probably cancer, in Bamberger Nursing Home. She was seventy-nine when she died. They never had children.

NEWS FROM EDITH 1910-11

There is a section in the southern end of Powells Fort Valley called Edith. it was in that area that my Aunt Maude and Uncle William Dinges lived back in 1910-11. Like many small communities at that time, it was customary for some native to gather news and social happenings to send these items to the newspapers for publication. According to one Fort Valley historian, along about 1910-11 there were two news reporters in that area. One wrote for the Shenandoah Valley Herald and one wrote for the Edinburg Sentinel. Their trade names were "June Bug" and "Pud."

"June Bug" wrote for the Edinburg Sentinel. The following articles that appeared in that newspaper were probably written by her. These articles are interesting to me because there is news about my aunts and uncles. The spelling and wording are exactly the way the reporter wrote them:

Edith, January 13, 1910 "Mrs. W. N. Dinges spent a few days last week at her home near Dilbeck. Her father, J. T. Shillingburg, brought her home Thursday evening and enjoyed a stay with her till Saturday."

Edith, January 24, 1910 "Miss Brucie Shillingburg of Dilbeck is with her sister Mrs. W. N. Dinges and is likely to stay awhile. We hope she will."

News from Edith Fort ValJey March 3, 1910 "Miss Brucie Shillingburg returned to her home near Dilbeck Monday after a visit of 3 or 4 weeks with her sister Mrs. W. N. Dinges. Her many friends here regretted to see her leave, especially the young men. Charles Heischman quite a worthy young man accompanied her Saturday night after the entertainment, and stayed with her awhile, and some fellow took a bad plan to make friends and acted as eavesdropper. Miss Brucie being very plunky, went outside of the door only to see him run and tumble over the watering troughs in the dark. She said

189

t

! I !

i i I I· . I I

; I

she very nearly recognized him. The same low game was played several evenings. Her brother Clarence who came Sunday on a visit took her along with him home Monday."

May 26, 1910 "Sammie Shillingburg of Dilbeck is staying with his sister Mrs. W. N. Dinges. he is likely to spend this summer with her."

Edith June 9, 1910 "John T. Shillingburg and son Charles of Dilbeck spent a few days the first day of the week with his daughter Mrs. W. N. Dings, returning home Tuesday with a quantity of fine cherries."

Edith June 23, 1910 "William Noah Dinges accidentally let his ax fall on his foot Saturday, causing a right bad cut on the instep, but he still navigates slowly and his foot is improving."

Edith July 14, 1910 "Ring the good and faithful dog of W. N. Dinges was bitten by a big rattlesnake one day last week and died in a few hours. The snake was a very large one, but only had seven rattles. It was killed. This shows again the danger of these poisonous animals."

Edith August 25, 1910 "Mrs. W. N. Dinges has been rather on the sick list ever since her trip to Strasburg and Fisher's Hill. Dr. Irvin was called once. Her mother Mrs. J. T. Shillingburg of Dilbeck was to see her Sunday."

Edith September 22, 1910 "Miss Brucie Shillingburg of Dilbeck is spending a week or two with her sister Mrs. W. N. Dinges."

News from Edith October, 1910 "Mrs. Sophia Clem of Dilbeck is now staying with her granddaughter Mrs. W. N. Dinges. She is the widow of the late Emanuel Clem and is blind. Her health is good and she passes away her time hulling beans. Grandma says Maude is so good to her that she is likely to stay with her this winter. Friday October 7 she will celebrate her 83 birthday and will be treated to a find dinner."

Edith October 20, 1910 "w. N. Dinges is tearing down his old barn and will at once build a new one on a new site." "Brucie Shillingburg of Dilbeck is staying with Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Golliday at St. Davids."

190

·',.

. '~'." =. , '-.-. ¥ ~ -'. H'" "' ... ",~," ",;, ~/'"'i7: . , ,". j • . -'" "". "',,-'R1~' "_" "" ~;". ,'>, •• "-',_ "t"' ;,_~.~, :;,1 "'" '~_!, ),. ',," ,,< l' ,,- • ,'." ',",,,1,,, '_" ': _'''" • .. ;;f~ ~

• ., ~ ~ y ~... - ~ 1" - ~ ~. ~ (' .. ~ ,..,... - ~. ~ 1 - I -..- - ~ ~ • - ~ Ir,' ~~ ~ ... I ... I ,

\Villiam Noah Dinges (1886-1957) Maude Lee Dinges (1887-1966)

Maude Dinges birthday, July 10,1927 1-2 Franklin and William Shillingburg; 3-4 Helen and Reba McWilliams; 6 Elsie Strosnider, 7-

8 Mildred and Kenneth Shillingburg; 9 Sarah Strosnider,; 10 Douglas McWilliams; 11-12-13 James A Jr., James A. Sr. and Vergie Strosnider; 14-15 Sarah C. and John Shillingburg; 16 Maud,­

Dinges; 17-18 Minnie and Stella Shillingburg; 19-20 Eliza and Samuel Shillingburg; 21 Jack Byrd; 22 Virginia Hockman; 23 Ima Byrd; 24 Clarence Shillingburg; 25 Thomas Long; 26 Charle!­Shillingburg; 28 Mr. Rollar; 29 William Dinges; 30-31 Della and Frank Miller; 32 Mary Hollar.

33 & 35 Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Mcinturff; 34 Virginia Strosnider; 36 and 38 Otis and Lester Shillingburg; 37 Elizabeth Strosnider; 39-40 Otis & Brucie McWilliams

Chapter XXI

JOSEPH ARTHUR SHILLINGBURG

Joseph Arthur was the third child of John Tyler and Sarah Catherine Shillingburg. Born January 8, 1891, he died June, 1892, of cholera infantum. Buried in McInturff Cemetery near Seven Fountains, Virginia.

193

Chapter XXII

CLARENCE AUSTIN SHILLINGBURG

1'" Clarence Austin Shillingburg He was the fourth child of Sarah Catherine and John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr. Clarence was born in Powells Fort Valley March 9, 1893, d. July 1 L 1953, from cancer. Married Stella May Supinger b. April 23, 1899, d. Jan. 21, 1978

2-1 Kenneth Austin Shillingburg b. Sept. 22, 1917. With U. S. Army in Germany during WWII. Married Leah Thelma Hoover b. Oct. 26, 1920, d. Feb. 23,1958, in automobile accident. Norma Jene Sheetz b. July 28, 1941

3-1 Kenneth Austin Shillingburg, Jr., b. Oct. 4, 1940. Married Stephanie Tisinger

2-3 Mildred Marie Shillingburg b. Sept. 28, 1921. Married March 11, 1939, to Joseph Marcus Mitchel b. March 11, 1916, d. Aug. 8, 1994, heart attack

3-1 Marieta Kay Mitchel b. Jan. 20, 1942, d. April 7, 1989. Married: Ray Wentz, Jr. 3-2 Debra Sue "Mitchel" Healy b. July 17, 1954

UNCLE CLARENCE AND AUNT STELLA SHILLINGBURG

These fine people used to visit in my own home frequently when I was a youngster. We always enjoyed their visit, because each of them was very pleasant, good humored and enjoyable. When Mom knew they were coming, she generally made a big freezer of ice cream. Sometimes she made chocolate and sometimes vanilla. Uncle Clarence liked either flavor.

For the most of his life, Clarence was a farmer and worked various farms in Shenandoah County. He also worked some for the Virginia Department of Highways, and at one time, ran a barber shop in the evenings at his home when he lived at Toms Brook, Virginia.

When he was a· young boy his daddy carried the mail from Palton Post Office in Fort Valley to Waterlick every day. There he would meet the 12 o'clock train that came up from Washington, DC, pick up the mail and deliver it on his return trip back home. The round trip was 32 miles.

Some days when his daddy was sick or busy, Uncle Clarence carried the mail for him. This was a long trip every day for an open one horse buckboard carriage, cold in the winter and hot in the summer, plus rain or shine.

195

SCHOOL DAYS

Uncle Clarence went to Slate Hill School that was only one mile from his home. Back then this school was referred to as Public School No.9 in Johnson District.

I became interested in Slate Hill School for several reasons, the main one being that my mother started there back in 1896. I was also interested in the school records of her brothers and sisters who attended this school. I especially enjoyed talking recently to Mr. Ernest Boyer, who is 92 years old and was a classmate of several of the Shillingburg family back around 1910, especially Charles and Samuel.

I went to the Shenandoah County School Board Office and got permission to look at old school records of Johnson District. School records of yearly teachers reports weren't kept until 1908-1909.

After looking through many old age-worn records, I found what was then called Public School No.9, which was Slate Hill. This gave me a tremendous thrill and I quickly scanned the list of students for Shillingburgs.

This record was for the school year of 1908-1909 and it listed Clarence, age 16; Charles, 10; and Samuel, 7.

For some reason Clarence was only on the roll that year for 77 days and of those he missed 16 days. His brother Charles and Samuel were on the roll for 119 days and both missed 18 days. There were listed as living one mile from school. The teacher was Frank Plauger.

The next year 1909-1910, there were five Shillingburgs in Slate Hill School: Clarence, age 17; Charles F, 11; Samuel J, 9; Brucie, 15; and Della M. , 7.

The year 1910-1911, there were four Shillingburgs in Slate Hill School: Clarence, age 18; Charles F., 12; Samuel J, 10; and Brucie, 16.

Clarence was good in arithmetic, Charles good at reading, Samuel good at reading and Brucie was good in spelling. This was the last year that Clarence and Brucie attended this school. He would have been in equivalent to the 6th grade and Brucie the 5th if they had gone back the next year. The teacher was Frank Plauger.

When looking over these old school records, I was surprised at the curriculum offered for this small school: spelling, reading, arithmetic, grammar, writing, geography and history.

In my opinion, there was very little emphasis put on education by most families in that rural area back then and very little incentive instilled by the parents for their children to attend school. This was obvious by noting the inconsistencies of ages when starting school and their irregular attendance record.

Back then there weren't any laws forcing children to start school at a certain age. The compulsory Education Act, passed March 27, 1918, in Virginia, stipulated a child must attend school from 6-15 years old. This was a fine law and put an end to the unconcerned attitude that many people had about school.

Nevertheless, in many rural areas the attendance varied depending on what work needed to be done at home. However, when they did attend these country schools, the children did receive quality education.

When I started researching the records of Slate Hill School, I wanted to find my mother's records, but she and her sister Maude went there before records were

196

kept. Another fact worth mentioning is that the majority of the teachers in those country schools back then had never gone to college. They could teach if they were certified by the State of Virginia. Usually graduating from high school was the only requirement. There were a few teachers back then who had never attended high school.

UNORTHODOX MEDICAL TREATMENT

Some of the medical remedies that the old doctors prescribed years ago were unusual, questionable, and sometimes harsh. Yet sometimes these methods were effective. Such was the case when Uncle Clarence was a young man.

One cold winter he was inflicted with a severe case of rheumatism. With this ailment he had a fever, pain and inflammation and swelling of the joints. Back then the etiology of this disease was unknown and the prognosis was poor.

So what did the doctor prescribe for him? The prescription was to take daily baths in the cold creek water that flowed nearby. Although this treatment was bone chilling, the rheumatism got better.

A SMART HORSE

On one of Clarence's trips from Fort Valley to visit his sister Vergie Strosnider, my mother, he met Stella May Supinger. Her home was in the vicinity of Clary about three miles west of Strasburg.

Clarence began courting her and would drive a horse and buggy from Fort Valley to visit her frequently. The trip was 20 miles one way. Sometimes it was in the morning hours before he started home.

This was a long trip with a horse and buggy. By the time he reached Waterlick he was sleepy. He would then tie the reins to the buggy's whip post and go to sleep.

Old Grace, the horse's name, knew the way horne. Usually Uncle Clarence never woke up until they were home at the barn and the sun was coming up. This must have been a very smart horse, because to get home it was necessary to ford the creek several times.

On Tuesday evening, October 24, 1916, at 5 p.m. Clarence married Stella may Supinger in Hagerstown, Maryland.

I presume they rode the train there.

A FRIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE

Shortly after Clarence and Stella got married, they went to visit his sister and brother-in-law, Maude and William Dinges. They lived in an old house about one mile off the main road out in the center of a big field. This house had the reputation of being haunted because of strange happenings and unusual noises heard, not only at night, but during the day. Sometimes new occupants of this house would become so frightened they moved out in the middle of the night due to strange noises and terrifying occurrences.

197

The four of them were enjoying themselves with pleasant conversation and not watching the time. It was getting late in the evening, and Aunt Maude insisted they stay all night. After some persuading they decided to stay.

Now, Clarence and Stella had heard the ghost stories about this house and were somewhat ambivalent as to their validity. After dark the old coal oil lamps were lighted, and after an evening of enjoyable conversation, without anything unusual happening they went to bed. Although it was only in late October, the night was rather cool, and the big quilted covers felt good. Clarence and Stella were all warm and cozy, almost asleep, when suddenly the big quilted cover was very abruptly pulled off of them! This scared them so much they didn't sleep any the remainder of the night.

They went home early the next morning, and Aunt Maude and Uncle William moved out shortly after that because the covers were pulled off of them several times.

There was definitely something strange and mystical about this old house. These strange noises and happenings were experienced by too many level-headed people to be just a figment of someone's imagination or a hoax.

MURDER AND SAUERKRAUT

A short time after Uncle Clarence and Aunt Stella got married, they lived in an old house in Fort Valley near the Nacion Funk property. This house had the reputation of being haunted. The legend was that one time, a woman was cooking sauerkraut when a stranger came in and attempted to molest her. She tried to escape by opening the stair door and run upstairs. The villain caught her on the steps and murdered her.

After that, every time anyone cooked sauerkraut in that house, the latch on the door to the stairs would raise and the door opened.

When I heard this story, I laughed and said, "I have the same problem at my house when sauerkraut is cooking; except it is an outside door, with some help from me. "

Aunt Stella worked for the Shenandoah County School system as a cook in the Toms Brook Elementary School. She began the job the fall of 1949 and worked until the spring of 1970--21 years. She was a very skilled and proficient cook, with an extraordinary pleasing personality and a pleasure to work with. She liked her job; she liked the people she worked with. The children liked her and she liked them.

Unfortunately, she had to quit the job as cook in the cafeteria because of arthritis. This was very demoralizing to her.

Aunt Stella died of a stroke and Uncle Clarence died of cancer. They are buried in the Toms Brook Cemetery, Toms Brook, Virginia.

198

Chapter XXIII

BRUCIE CATHERINE SHILLINGBURG MCWILLIAMS

1* Brucie Catherine Shillingburg McWilliams was the fifth child of John Tyler and Sarah Catherine Shillingburg, born on January 9, 1895, died April 12, 1989.

The following is a report of her marriage as it appears in the records at the Shenandoah County Courthouse in Woodstock, Virginia:

"Otis Carl McWilliams to Brucie Catherine Shillingburg on Oct. 29, 1913, by James H. Haley married at Strasburg in Shenandoah County. The groom was 21, single, a cooper, born in and residing in Shenandoah County and the son of James L. and Laura A. McWilliams. The bride was 19, Single, born in and residing in Shenandoah County and daughter of John Tyler and Sarah Catherine Shillingburg. The bride's father was present."

Otis Carl McWilliams was born March 14, 1894, died December 14, 1954. They had three children:

2-1 Reba Catherine McWilliams b. Nov. I, 1915. Married: Roy Oliver Lutz b. May 24, 1914, d. Aug. 16, 1983

Four children: 3-1 Betty Lutz b. Feb. 1933 3-2 Harold Lee Lutz b. Feb. 7, 1935 3-3 Howard Johnson Lutz b. April 11, 1937 3-4 Mary Catherine Lutz b. March 19, 1943

2-2 Helen Virginia McWilliams b. Sept. 18, 1917. married: June 3D, 1934, to Ray Alvin Cooley, b. 1917

Two children: 3-1 Richard Eugene Cooley b. Jan. 11, 1935. Married: Emma Belle Lambert b. Dec.

6, 1935

Children: 4-1 Deborah Elaine Cooley Fadeley b. Nov. 12, 1957 4-2 Patti Ann Cooley Stickley h. Dec. 11, 1958

199

4-3 Jerry Daniel Cooley, deceased at birth, Feb. 17, 1960 4-4 Richard E. Cooley, Jr., b. March 18, 1961 4-5 Denise Diane Cooley Derflinger b. Oct. 22, 1962

3-2 Larry Douglas Cooley b. June 6, 1936

2-3 Charles Douglas McWilliams b. May 18, 1919. Married: Catherine Henry

My Aunt Brucie Shillingburg McWilliams and her husband Otis McWilliams used to visit in our home often when I was a youngster. She was always neat, nicely dressed and had a distinctive classic look. She was an immaculate, impeccable housekeeper. Her house was always spotless. She was also a very fine cook and baker. I remember one time when I was about ten years old when Aunt Brucie and Uncle Otis, who lived west of Toms Brook on the Creek Road, had a big birthday dinner for someone. I don't remember who the party was in honor of, but I haven't forgotten the big four layer yellow cake with thick caramel icing. I had two pieces and wanted the third, but my mom told me that other people wanted cake also.

Some of the other foods on the table were a big turkey, gravy, dressings, mashed potatoes, creamed lima beans, green beans, homemade bread, chocolate pie, coconut and apple pies. In spite of the fact that this was over sixty-one years ago, I still remember all this food and the delicious caramel cake that Aunt Brucie had made for the occasion.

Aunt Brucie had a pleasant and pleasing personality and was enjoyable to talk with. She was a hard working woman. Uncle Otis worked on well drilling machines and was away from home often. This inflicted extra work on her such as garden and yard work.

After Uncle Otis died, she worked in Washington, DC, for a few years.

AUNT BRUCIE'S SCHOOL DAYS

When Aunt Brucie was a young girl she went to Slate High School in Fort Valley. This was a one room school. One teacher taught all grades or their equivalent. The school at one time had forty pupils with ages ranging from six to twenty-one years of age. There weren't any specific grades, but the student's work was customized to their ability and equivalent to such a grade or level. However, the grade levels were first through seventh.

The basic subjects taught were spelling, arithmetic, reading, and writing. As the student progressed, geography and history were included. I am told that Aunt Brucie did work up to the equivalent of the fifth grade.

More is said about the Slate Hill School in my writings about her brother ,"', Samuel Johnson Shillingburg. ',~

When Aunt Brucie's son, Charles Douglas, married Catherine Henry, he an4~;'!, his wife isolated themselves from his family. He and his wife lived in McLean and·,:~ did not visit his mother for thirty-five years. :~;:

,,:~;?~ 200

One day she heard a knock on the door. She opened the door and there stood a man she didn't know. It was her son, Charles Douglas. After a glorious reunion he gave a flimsy excuse that his wife was a very domineering woman and would not allow him to visit her.

He still lives somewhere in Northern Virginia and continues to prefer to live estranged from his sisters and relatives. He will not disclose his address or phone number to them. He did attend his mother's funeral a few years ago. However, I do not know how the news of her death reached him.

Aunt Brucie died at the age of ninety-four and is buried in Sunset View Cemetery in Woodstock, Virginia.

Uncle Otis McWilliams was a humorous individual and laughed a lot. he always seemed happy and in a good mood when he visited us. He played the organ by ear and was really good. I will expound more about his music playing in the· coverage of Aunt Minnie Shillingburg. Uncle Otis died of cancer and is buried in the Toms Brook Cemetery I Toms Brook, Virginia.

201

Chapter XXIV

MARY SUSAN SHILLINGBURG Mary Susan b. June 12, 1896, d. June 12, 1898, of cholera infantum. She was the

sixth child of John Tyler and Sarah Catherine Shillingburg. Buried in McInturff Cemetery near Seven Fountains, Virginia, in Powells Fort Valley.

203

Chapter XX V " .. ;.

':. CHARLES FRANKLIN SHILLINGBURG

Charles Franklin was the seventh child of my grandparents born Sept. 10, died March 5, 1989. He married Minnie Alice Taylor, born Oct. I, 1888, died July

. Charles and Minnie did not have children. However, they adopted a IIII .... ' ..... ' ... J<,. ter of Minnie's, June Kuceda. June married Gervais Joseph Sewell, Sr.

had one son, Gervais Joseph Sewell, Jr. Uncle Charles' second marriage was to Ruth McFarland of Herndon, Virginia. I remember Uncle Charles Shillingburg and his wife, Aunt Minnie, very

IIIfltin".It,. They were a good looking couple and always wore the best of clothes and a new shining car that looked like it was just out of the dealer's showroom. One time they came to visit us, around 1930, driving a new car. I don't

-.~-.. the maker's name, but instead of roll-up window glass, it had side Uncle Charlie insisted that we go for a ride. He drove south on the Valley

Route 11, toward Woodstock. It was in the summertime and we ran into a big IUlWrtdelrstolrm. By the time we got the side curtains snapped on, the driving rain had aua,",nr,,,, wet. The side curtains were made with see-through isinglass and heavy

Sometimes when they would visit us, generally on Sunday, Uncle Otis ...... 10 .... would also be there. At that time we had an old pump organ in first shape in the parlor. Uncle Otis could really play this organ. Although he had taken any music lessons, he played by ear and was an excellent musician. Minnie liked to sing and so did my dad. Everyone would crowd into the to sing hymns and other popular music of that time. Uncle Otis McWilliams and Aunt Minnie were brother and sister.

, Uncle Charlie worked for the Virginia Department of Highways as shop !MWl",,!lln and mechanic. He was always pleasant and interesting to talk with.

Many years ago while working for Stewart Perry Company of Winchester, w'UJ~ma, he broke his right leg. I remember visiting him in the Winchester

Hospital. I was very young, but I can still see his leg strapped up in [V8c:nOln. The doctors must not have set the bones correctly, because afterwards he

walked with a slight limp. He liked to smoke cigars down short and then chew them. Aunt Minnie was a vivacious, cheerful person, always full of fun and

i frequently. ~'--. Uncle Charles was ninety-one years old when he died. Aunt Minnie was ~ghty-one. They are buried in Toms Brook Cemetery, Toms Brook, Virginia. b

~ ,

205 '" ~:;

'1L1:t ; t .'~I ...

Chapter XXVI

SAMUEL JOHNSON SHILLINGBURG

He was the eighth child of John Tyler and Sarah Catherine Shillingburg. Samuel was born June 21, 1900, and died December 13, 1954. He married Eliza Ellen Booth born Sept. 25, 1903, died May 28, 1990. Her parents were Benjamin Franklin Booth born March 28, 1873, died July 22, 1945, and Armitta Catherine Ritenour Booth, born Dec. 1873, died Sept. 8, 1944.

Children: 2-1 Samuel Franklin Shillingburg b. July 24, 1924, d. July 22, 1932. Cause of death:

brain tumor. Buried in Mt. Hebron Cemetery at Winchester, Virginia. 2-2 William Robert Shillingburg b. Dec. 28, 1925, d. Oct. 30, 1959. Cause of death:

cancer. Buried in Rosedale Cemetery in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Wife's name was Pearl Custer b. Sept. 17, 1925

2-3 Orval Richard Shillingburg b. Oct. 3, 1927. Married on Aug. 18, 1948, to Eva Marie Barnes b. Sept. 3, 1929. Divorced.

One son: 3-1 Richard Wayne Shillingburg b. Aug. 13, 1959. Married: Debra Kay Lynch on

June 21, 1981, and they had a daughter. Divorced.

4-1 Samantha Marie b. Oct. 23, 1987.

2-4 Giles Frederick Shillingburg b. Aug. 20, 1929. Married: July 14, 1951, to Janet "" Louise Weddle b. Jan. 29, 1933. No children . . \ 2-5 Jack Allen Shillingburg b. Nov. 14, 1931. Married: Sept. I, 1951, to Delores

Lorraine McCollan b. Jan. 21, 1932

Children: 3-1 Allen Wayne Shillingburg b. Aug. 7, 1952. Married: Lucy Norman. Divorced.

One daughter, Christie Lynn, b. March 22, 1976. 3-2 Barbara Jean Shillingburg b. Oct. 29, 1954. Married: March 19, 1976, to Michael

Gentry b. July 11, 1952

Two children: 4-1 Michael James Gentry, Jr., b. April 9, 1978 4-2 Sabrina Lorraine Gentry b. July 21, 1981

207

3-3 Jack Howard Shillingburg b. July 4, 1956. Married: March 19, 1976, to Robin Jo Keller. Divorced. One daughter, Ashley B. b. Nov. 30, 1982

3-4 Donna Sue Shillingburg b. Sept. 12, 1958 3-5 Janet Louise Shillingburg b. Oct. 6, 1962

2-6 Colleen Faye Shillingburg b. Jan. 29, 1930 2-7 Juanita Hope Shillingburg b. July 6, 1933, d. April 2, 1982. Buried in Cedar

Lawn Cemetery, Hagerstown, Maryland. Cause of death: cancer. Married: Willard Wilson Dicus b. Oct. 13, 1918, deceased.

Children: 3-1 Diana Lynn Dicus b. April 19, 1953. Married: Sept. 10, 1972, to Philip Wesley

Crawford, Sr., b. Oct. 17, 1952

Children: 4-1 Philip Wesley Crawford, Jr., b. Mar. 6, 1972. Married: Feb. 8, 1981, to Charlene

Jean b. Dec. 16, 1971. One daughter: Shalene Delise Crawford b. Nov. 20, 1991 4-2 Corey Lynn Crawford b. Nov. 2, 1974

3-2 Linda Lou Dicus b. Oct. 7, 1949. Married: Aug. 12, 1969, to Douglas Guy Timmons, I, b. Nov. 14, 1945. One son: Douglas Guy Timmons, II, b. March 17, 1970

2-8 John David Shillingburg b. Jan. 5, 1935, d. July 14, 1981. Cause of death: heart attack. Buried in Cedar Lawn Cemetery, Hagerstown, Maryland. Married: Aug. 12, 1960, to Barbara Jean Forbes b. Aug. 13, 1935

Children: 3-1 John David Shillingburg, Jr., b. April, 30, 1963. Married: Yun He-Lee b. Nov. 1,

1963 3-2 Dana Francine Shillingburg b. Nov. 11, 1960. Married: Randy Lynn Ward on

Oct. 6, 1983. One daughter:

4-1 Amber Lynn b. Dec. 18, 1990

3-3 Susan Grace Shillingburg b. Aug. 10, 1967. Married: Scott Eric Fraley. Divorced. One son:

4-1 Dustin Lee b. Feb. 16, 1987. Second marriage: Scott Hershbergerin, August 1983

2-9 Donald Lee Shillingburg b. Aug. 4, 1936. Married: Dec. 28, 1959, to Naomi Louise Irving b. March 8, 1937. One son:

3-1 Michael Lee Shillingburg b. May 21, 1962

208

Addendum to the family of Jack Allen Shillingburg

3-4 Donna Sue Shillingburg b. Sept. 12, 1958. Married: Dec. 24, 1979, to Gregory Wayne Forsythe b. June 7, 1960

Two children by Gregory: 4-1 Gregory Wayne Forsythe, Jr. b. June I, 1981 4-2 Scott Allen Forsythe b. Oct. I, 1983

Donna's second marriage: Richard Allan Nye on July 16, 1994. Richard was born Sept. 28, 1947. He has two sons by a first marriage:

Patrick David Nye b. May 28, 1970 Jamey Allan Nye b. July 29, 1973

,I 'I '!

i1 I

.' I'

"

2-10 James Douglas Shillingburg, Sr., b. Feb. 9, 1939. Married: June 27, 1958, to Garnetta Gay Grimes b. March 5, 1939

Children: 3-1 Bridgett Garnet Shillingburg b. Jan. 24, 1962. Married: Oct. 25, 1981, to Franklin

Delano Gavin b. Oct. II, 1960.

Two daughters: 4-1 Lacey Darnel b. Jan. 31, 1985 4-2 India Ciecira b. Oct. 10, 1987

3-2 James Douglas Shillingburg, II, b. Sept. 26, 1959. Married: Sept. 19, 1982, to Lori Rhodes. One son:

4-1 James Tyler Shillingburg b. March 9, 1985

2-11 Ruth Ann Shillingburg b. April 16, 1940, single 2-12 Nancy Priscilla Shillingburg b. Jan. 14, 1944. Married: Aug. 2, 1964, to David

Lee Brown b. Dec. 21, 1937. One daughter:

3-1 Michelle Diana b. March 7, 1965. Married: Vick Ditto, divorced. Married .,' second: Lonnie Snow, divorced. Married third: Nov. 5, 1991, to Robert

Gordon Leatherman, Jr., b. Nov. 16, 1964. One daughter by Lonnie:

4-1 Stephanie Nichole b. Jan. 8, 1983

2-13 Patricia Irene Shillingburg b. Aug. 13, 1945. Married: July 21, 1962, to Barry Robert Domer b. Aug. 19, 1945.

Children: 3-1 Lisa Marie Domer b. Aug. 9, 1969 3-2 Darin Eugene Domer b. March 8, 1965. Married: Pamelce Iseminger b. May 16,

1963. Married on Sept. 1, 1990

Children: 4-1 Sarah Jane b. Dec. 21, 1992. Delivered by her father, Darin.

Pame1ce had two children by a previous marriage to Mark Isemenger:

Brandon Joel b. Aug. 17, 1984 Bradley Michael b. July 19, 1982

SAMUEL JOHNSON SHILLINGBURG

When Samuel was a young boy growing up in Powells Fort Valley, his daddy, John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr., kept him busy doing work around the small farm.

209

I ., "

I I '.

-,

Il ! j~ If 'I , " "

I

Occasionally, time permitting, he helped Edward Coverstone who owned a farm about one half mile across the creek from Samuel's home. At that time the Coverstone farm was one of the largest in Fort Valley. In addition to raising cattle, the farm also grew many acres of corn and wheat.

Farm work back then was very hard work. The day usually was from sun up to sun down. The pay for men was $1.00 per day and for boys, $.50 to $.75, depending on the age of the boy. The only time dinner was given to the extra hire help was during thrashing time.

Mr. Edward Coverstone's wife's name was Ida. I remember her. She was a big woman near twice the size of her husband. She was a very conservative and parsimonious person. One of the men helping to thrash one summer said the only thing on the table to eat at dinner time was potato soup and that didn't have any potatoes in it. The general opinion of the people who lived around that section was that the Coverstones had money.

SAMUEL'S SCHOOL DAYS

This morning as I write about the school days of Uncle Samuel Shillingburg, I can do so with confidence, because only thirty minutes ago I talked with an old man who went to school with him. Mr. Ernest Boyer, who is in the Pine Meadow Adult Home in Woodstock, Virginia, is ninety-two years old at this writing. He is blind, but his mind is very sharp and is a storehouse of information. Not only did he remember going to school with Samuel, but also with my Uncle Charlie and my Aunt Della Shillingburg.

The school was Slate Hill and was built in 1880. This was only about one mile from the Shillingburg homeplace. It was a one room structure with a large wood burning stove positioned in the middle. The name of the stove was Long Wood and the firebox would burn big pieces of wood twenty-four inches long. Sometimes on cold winter nights, the fire went out and the next morning the school was very cold. Even with heavy firing, it took a long time to heat up.

When Mr. Boyer and Uncle Samuel went to school, there weren't specific grades, but the student's work was customized and equivalent to such a grade or level. At one time the enrollment was forty students with ages six to twenty-one years of age. The teacher's salary was $10 per month and length of the school year dependent on the amount of money available in the Shenandoah County Treasury.

The discipline was very strict and liberal applications of the hickory switch kept the students in line.

One time the teacher, Mr. Tamkin, caught Uncle Samuel taking a bite from an apple. Eating was against the rules while class was in session. The teacher seized him and attempted to hit the back of Samuel's hands with a ruler. He grabbed the ruler and jerked it out of the teacher's hand inflicting a deep cut on the professor's palm. Unfortunately, Samuel was expelled and he never went back. He was about the equivalent of the fifth grade when this happened.

The basic curriculum in this little rural school was arithmetic, reading, spelling, writing and English. Later on some other subjects were included. These

210

'I-

i (

,. .'

'{

. ~ ,

basic subjects were adequate for the majority of the students. Also these basic subjects were vigorously and intensely taught. With the standards of living and the lifestyles of that era, people got by with this modest education. Nevertheless, the teaching they did receive was quality education.

Instruction at the old Slate Hill School started promptly at 9:00 a.m. The students were required to be in their desks at that time. Some of the desks were single and some were double.

From 12:00 noon until 1:00 p.m. was lunch time. Dismissal was 4:00 p.m. Of course luxuries such as a cafeteria did not exist. The children carried their lunches. What did they carry? Some children brought corn cakes with jelly or preserves between them, and occasionally, a piece of chicken or rabbit.

The drinking water was from an old well. The toilet facilities were two out houses, sometimes called Johnny houses, one for the boys, one for the girls.

After talking with Mr. Boyer for a while, he reiterated about the strict discipline in this school. He said the old rhyme, "Reading, writing and arithmetic, taught by the tune of the hickory stick," was applicable for Slate Hill School.

He also told me this amusing story. It was customary for students to read aloud during reading class. One rather large boy, who wasn't too sharp, was trying to read and was unable to pronounce many words. The teacher patiently helped him until the boy came to the word "pessimist." Six times the teacher told him the word and six times the boy replied that he couldn't say the word. This was too much for the teacher's patience. He grabbed a big switch and hit the boy six times across his back. The boy then shouted out loud and clear, "pessimist"!

After talking with Mr. Boyer, it was fascinating to find out more about the old Slate Hill School and my relatives that went there.

I went to the Shenandoah County School Board Office and obtained permission to search through the old school records. I was hopeful that I could find the records of my mother, but she and Aunt Maude attended school there before records were kept. However, I did find the records of my uncles: Clarence, Charles, Samuel and Lester Shillingburg and those of Aunt Della and Brucie Shillingburg.

The records started the school year 1908-1909. At that time Uncle Clarence was sixteen years old. Charles was ten and Samuel, seven. The teacher was Mr. Frank Plauger. Clarence missed sixteen days and Charles and Samuel each missed eighteen days that year. The subjects taught at Slate Hill School in 1908 and 1909 were spelling, reading, arithmetic, grammar, writing, geography and history.

Samuel was age seven at that time and in the first grade. I followed his schooling until the school year of 1914-1915. He was fourteen and excelled in arithmetic. The teacher was C. H. Munch. This was his last year in school. If he had gone back, he would have been in the equivalent of the sixth grade group.

In the teacher's report for that year, it gave some general statistics about the building. Material: wood; amount spent on improvements that year: nothing; built 1880; cost: $250; the size of lot the building was built on was 20 x 20 rods. Condition of floor: not good. Condition of stove: poor. Outside needs painting.

When I was a youngster at home, Uncle Samuel and Aunt Eliza came to visit often. They were very friendly and likable people. Both were interesting

211

conversationalists and we always enjoyed them and their family when they came to visit.

Samuel was a good looking man and was always neatly dressed. The same can be said about his family as he was a good provider.

Another one of his outstanding attributes was his ability to discipline his children by only pointing his finger. These were the best behaved children I have ever seen and this opinion is shared by other relatives and individuals who knew them.

At one time Samuel and his family lived in Winchester, Virginia, and he was employed by the Stewart Perry Company.

Then they moved to Hagerstown, Maryland, and he went to work with the Western Maryland Railroad Company. It was while working for this company that he was knocked off a boxcar and received some serious injuries. He was a long time recovering from this accident.

Somehow the number thirteen was a predominant factor in Samuel's life. The folloWing is a list of happenings that occurred to Uncle Samuel on the 13th:

1. The accident he had while working on the railroad occurred on a 13th ..

2. He had thirteen children. 3. The 13th child was born on the 13th, Patricia Irene. 4. While he, Aunt Eliza, and their daughter-in-law, Pearl, were out for

a drive, someone threw a beer bottle through the car window, shattering glass over them. This incident happened on a 13th.

5. Samuel died on the 13th. 6. Died at 2:13 a.m.

SAMUEL FRANKLIN SHILLINGBURG

A very sad and tragic event happened to Uncle Samuel and Aunt Eliza's first born child, Samuel Franklin. When the boy was eight years old he became very sick. They were living in Winchester at that time, and the doctors there could not find a diagnosis. He was taken to the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville. After extensive examinations, theories and speculation, the doctors concluded the boy had a brain tumor. The medical treatments and procedures back then were grossly inadequate. The boy died.

After his death the medical staff of the University insisted on performing an autopsy. The boy's parents adamantly opposed any cutting or testing of the boy's body. The medical staff argued and pleaded that maybe the autopsy would reveal some information that could save someone else's life, but Uncle Samuel was unyielding in his decision.

The boy's body was wrapped in a sheet and his parents brought the body back to the undertakers in Winchester for burial.

The doctors at the University were very precise in finding out when and where the funeral would be held. In their grief, Samuel and Eliza revealed all the pertinent information of the funeral.

212

...-". -~~.

Weeks later Uncle Samuel was thinking about how interested the doctors at the University were about Franklin's funeral. He wondered if they could have wanted this information to steal his body.

His curiosity finally got the best of him. He took a six foot steel rod and stuck it down through the loose dirt over Franklin's grave. Several probes were made penetrating the earth down where the casket was supposed to be buried. However, nothing was hit, indicating that the grave was empty.

Uncle Samuel and Aunt Eliza gave a lot of thought about having the grave exhumed, but decided not to do so, because it would have been impossible to prove who removed Franklin's body.

Uncle Samuel was only fifty-four years, five months and twenty-two days old when he died. He is buried in Mt. Hebron Cemetery in Winchester, Virginia.

ELIZA ELLEN BOOTH SHILLINGBURG

Aunt Eliza, Uncle Samuel's wife, was a daughter of William Benjamin Franklin Booth. She had five sisters and two brothers. They were: Iris, Lilly, Beatrice, Thelma, Catherine, Frank and Dave.

Their home was on Capon Road about a half mile from the corporate limits of Strasburg, Virginia. Her father was a carpenter and was versatile in some other building trades. Her brother Frank was a railroad man. Brother Dave was also a carpenter, having learned the trade from his father. Catherine was a nurse and the other sisters were housewives.

The entire family belonged to the Strasburg Christian Church, Strasburg, Virginia.

In spite of her large family of thirteen children, she always seemed to be relaxed and maintained a serene tranquil state of mind.

After her children were married and left home, it gave her great pleasure to have them come,home for Sunday dinner.

She once told me that occasionally her children would take her out to some restaurant. She always enjoyed someone else's cooking.

Aunt Eliza was eighty-seven when she died of several health problems. She is buried in Mt. Hebron Cemetery beside Uncle Samuel in Winchester, Virginia.

213

11 ,:1 !

I' .J 11 ,

Quick Look at Family Ancestors

Progeniture

William H. Shillingburg

Hugh Shillingburg

John Tyler Shillingburg, Sr.

John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr.

Samuel Johnson Shillingburg

Jack Allen Shillingburg

Allen Wayne Shillingburg

Father

Hans Erick Shillingburg 1705-1765

William H. Shillingburg 1740-1805

Hugh Shillingburg 1793-1878

John Tyler Shillingburg, Sr. 1817-1895

John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr. 1866-1938

Samuel Johnson Shillingburg 1900-1954

Jack Allen Shillingburg 1931

Eight generations of Shillingburgs

214

TIll' family of Samuel and Eli/.a Shillingburg, 194H Back I'O\\', ~tanding: William, Ciles, juanita, jilek, Orvilk

Middle row: Williams wiic, Pcarl; Samuel; Eliza, Eva Orville's wife j;ront row, silting: john; lames; Nancy, Patricia, Ruth, Donald

Some descendants of Sarah Catherine and John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr. Standing in front: Patricia Shillingburg, Linda Timmons

Second row left to right: Maude Dinges, Stella Shillingburg, Vergie Strosnider, Ruth Shillingburg, Eva Marie Shillingburg, Eliza Shillingburg, Nancy Shillingburg

Back row: Marcelenc Strosnider, James Strosnider, Richard Shillingburg

Chapter XXVII

DELLA MAY SHILLINGBURG MILLER

Della May Shillingburg, born October 18, 1902, was the ninth child of Sarah Catherine and John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr. She died March 8, 1991. Married: Franklin C. Miller, born May 25, 1893, died December 6, 1978. No children.

For many years Aunt Della and Uncle Franklin lived in a big white house on a hill near the Capon Road Depot. He had been gassed in World War I and lived mostly on a disability pension, but also raised chickens. Franklin was a quiet and introverted type of person and did not like visitors. There were times if he saw visitors approaching, he would run and hide. Aunt Della would say, "Frank was here a few minutes ago; he may have gone squirrel hunting." The woods were back of this house and made it easy for 130 lb. man to conceal himself.

One time when I was nine years old, Uncle Franklin told me that when I was twelve he was going to give me one of his twenty-two caliber rifles. However, I never did get it. I guess he was too busy squirrel hunting and needed all of his guns.

Sometimes Uncle Frank was very fluent with his speech, especially if had a drink.

Aunt Della liked to go shopping in Strasburg frequently. Instead of walking the two miles to town, she would take the Baltimore and Ohio diesel electric train at Capon Road Depot and ride to the depot in Strasburg. Back then, this train, which had usually three cars, one baggage and two passenger cars, came up from Maryland every day at 12: 00 Noon. After a brief stop at Capon Road Depot, it proceeded to Strasburg Junction where it switched over to the Southern Railroad and backed into Strasburg Depot for only a short time. To get home, Aunt Della had to walk and carry the articles she had purchased. I don't know why they never bought a car. Later on they bought a house in Strasburg and sold their home at Capon Road.

Along about this time Uncle Franklin's health began to fail. When he was gassed during World War I, it was the deadly phosgene gas that did irreparable damage to his respiratory system and put additional stress on his heart, which eventually failed him.

In 1959 the new Strasburg High School opened and Aunt Della got a job as part-time maid. She worked there for two years and then took a job as cook at the Strasburg Elementary School Cafeteria. She also worked some at the Sandy Hook Primary School as a cook until she retired. She was a hard working woman and had a pleasant disposition.

One time when 1 was visiting her, she gave me an 1856 Gunns Domestic Medical Handbook. This book once belonged to her grandfather, who was my great­grandfather, Emanuel Clem. This old medical book has 950 pages of some very interesting reading. Only a very small percentage of the medical practices back then

215

correlate with today's methods. I am sure in another 138 years today's methods will be just as obsolete.

Uncle Franklin Miller died of a heart problem on December 6, 1978, and is buried in Riverview Cemetery at Strasburg, Virginia. Aunt Della died of a stroke and pneumonia on March 8, 1991, and is buried next to Uncle Franklin.

216

Chapter XXVIII

OTIS HENRY SHILLINGBURG

1" Otis Henry Shillingburg was the tenth child of my grandparents, Sarah Catherine and John Tyler Shillingburg. He was born January 16, 1905, died July 12, 1988. On June 17, 1935, he married Hilda Mae Hoffman, born June 6, 1914. Her father was George A. Hoffman. Her mother was Rosa Mae Combs. They were married by the Reverend Harry A. Sheets.

One child: 2-1 Reba Frances Shillingburg b. Aug. 14, 1936. Married: Kenneth Elwood Wright

b. Sept. 4, 1930, d. June 29, 1995

One child: 3-1 Robin Ann Wright b. Oct. 21, 1971

Uncle Otis Henry Shillingburg was the mail carrier in Powells Fort Valley for many years. His father also had this job numerous years earlier. The job entailed picking up the mail at Pelton Post Office and taking it and the mail along the route to Waterlick Post Office. There he would pick up the mail that had come from Strasburg that morning. He would wait for the train that came from Washington, DC, at 12:00 noon. After the mail was sorted, which didn't take long at the Waterlick Post Office, he returned back through Fort Valley delivering mail along the way. The round trip carrying the mail was about 32 miles.

This trip Uncle Otis made every day enabled my mother and us kids to visit Sarah Catherine and John Shillingburg, her parents and my grandparents. During the summer months we would ride the 8 o'clock train from Strasburg to Waterlick. There we would meet Uncle Otis and ride with him on his return trip back through the Fort Valley to our grandparents home. Their house was close to the cross roads called Fingerboards. We usually stayed a week and then rode out to Waterlick with Otis. At Waterlick we would catch the 12 o'clock train that came up from Washington, DC, back to Strasburg. This was a hig event to me as I always enjoyed visiting my grandparents.

The road up through Fort Valley back then was a narrow, extremely dusty dirt trail. Occasionally we would meet a car going the opposite way. The dust was so thick it was necessary to slow up to see the road.

At that time, Uncle Otis had a 1932 one-seated Chevrolet roadster with an open rumble seat in the back. I liked riding in this open back seat in spite of the dust and bugs.

217

Uncle Otis was a very good car mechanic, which was good because his old car necessitated lots of repairs to make the mail run each day, over the washboard and pothole dirt road. He quit carrying the mail for awhile and worked as a mechanic in a garage in Ellicott City, Maryland.

Uncle Otis was quiet, easy going and had a good disposition. I only saw him get angry one time. While visiting my grandparents one summer, Otis was trying to get his pocket watch to run without any success. After working with this time piece for about one hour, he stood up quickly and slammed it down on the floor with such force that parts of the watch flew like an exploding bomb. Grandma said, "Well, I bet it won't run now," and laughed.

Otis liked to squirrel hunt and his favorite gun was a 22 caliber pump rifle that held 16 in the magazine. He was a good marksman and always returned from hunting with many squirrels.

Although he seemed healthy, I believe he was plagued with a sinus problem. Every time he came to visit, Mom would say, "How have you been Otis?" His reply was always, III've been having a little head cold."

When he was a youngster he went to school at Slate Hill. This one room school was about one mile from his home. This was the same school that all his sisters and brothers attended. The school opened the fall of 1880 and closed the spring of 1940. According to school records, Uncle Otis was a good student and excelled in arithmetic and spelling. Although he went to the equivalent of the fourth grade, he was far above the average. There were the equivalent of grades one through seven and one teacher taught them all. The amount of work given students was adjusted to the students learning abilities. Sometimes a student would be capable of learning and doing work at a higher level. This was the case of Uncle Otis. I believe there was some merit in the teaching methods back then as many of the students of these country schools went on to succeed in many professions.

When Uncle Otis and Aunt Hilda lived in Fort Valley, they belonged to the Trinity Brethren Church. He was baptized September 2, 1932. Aunt Hilda was baptized August 15, 1930, by the Reverend John Dodson.

They lived in Fort Valley until December 28, 1963. At that time they moved to Toms Brook, Virginia, and bought a house at 3395 Hillcrest Drive.

Uncle Otis Henry Shillingburg was 83 when he died and is buried in the Sunset View Cemetery in Woodstock, Virginia.

218

Chapter XXIX

LESTER LAMAN SHILLINGBURG

Lester Laman Shillingburg was the eleventh child of Sarah Catherine and John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr.

1" Lester Laman Shillingburg b. April 17, 1909, d. June 13, 1976. First wife: Isabell Frances "Lichliter" Shillingburg b. March 18, 1912, d. Dec. 28, 1970

Three children by Isabell: 2-1 James Tyler Shillingburg b. April 16, 1949. Married: Joyce Ann Gruber b. Feb.

14, 1949

Children: 3-1 Joe Harold Shillingburg b. Nov. 2, 1968 3-2 Thomas Edward Shillingburg b. Feb. 16, 1970. Married: Dawn Rinker 3-3 Sherry Ellen Shillingburg b. Jan. 13, 1972 3-4 James Tyler Shillingburg b. March I, 1975. Married: Jenifer Mowery 3-5 Tammy Ann Shillingburg b. July 23, 1978 3-6 Wayne Allen Shillingburg b. Dec. 28, 1980 3-7 Daniel Wade Shillingburg b. Jan. 13, 1988

2-2 Ronald Edward Shillingburg b. Oct. 14, 1947 2-3 Connie Lou Shillingburg b. Oct. 14, 1947. Married: Otto Lee Fuller b. Sept. 28,

1930 on Jan. 25, 1969

3-1 Randall Allen Fuller b. Feb. 9, 1970, d. Nov. 7, 1987, in automobile accident

Lester Laman Shillingburg's second wife: Carol Jo Shank b. July 25, 1941. Married on Jan. 9, 1974

One child: 2-4 Mary Jo Shillingburg b. Feb. 4, 1975

When I was a young kid of nine or ten years old, I visited my grandparents every summer for a week or two. Uncle Lester was still at home then and would take me fishing just about every day weather permitting. He knew the good spots in Passage Creek which flowed nearby. At that time fish were plentiful, and we always caught a big stringer of big yellow-belly perch, bass, goggle eyes, suckers and--once in a while-a big eel.

219

j ;i' ::;. li~l~t~ . .~~(

~'" . , , ,~ .' .:-,. , .. ~. .'.:

" ! ,11::/1

; <:,:<~:'.; ~.;'~:;:

, ;:1;. i ;<n., •. ~

~ '0T"\! .. ,

:'~:1~~ '. ,'I~ i .... 'U·,tr.;'. /'

:'.'~f

; '~1t~? j (~<

!! , :, ~ •. 1

!,~i1 I ,., .. ,.:'~I L :: ••• ~

·\1 .• ·.', , ~.... .

\

I ,I I

. .. - .. ';

.- ;~ . ., .

i : I

I remember one time we went fishing at Nadon Funks dam. Uncle Lester took along a small hatchet and cut the brush away along the bank for a new spot to fish. The water was very deep and each of us caught 35 large sun perch and one big eel. When we got home and Grandma saw the two big stringers of fish, she said, "You boys must have caught all the fish in the creek." Uncle Lester said, "We could have caught more but the thunderstorm drove us home."

After the rain was over, we had a job cleaning fish and had a big pan full of meat. The big eel reminded me of a snake. Lester took it out to the smokehouse, nailed it to the side of the wall and removed the skin. The next morning for breakfast Grandma fried fish and eel. The meat of the eel was delicious, but the vertebrae was just like a snake.

Another vivid memory I have of Uncle Lester, while visiting my grandparents back when I was a kid, was his ability to play an accordion. Somebody in Fort Valley gave him this musical instrument and he taught himself to play. It was remarkable how well he could play. On summer evenings he would sit out on the porch and play hymns and other popular songs. Back then in the evenings everything was very quiet and only occasionally the stillness would be broken by a passing car, or maybe a distant whippoorwill. The music of the accordion could be heard for miles. Edward Coverstone lived a mile away and would sit on his porch and listen to Lester playing. Yes, Uncle Lester possessed an extraordinary natural talent to be able to play this difficult instrument, especially without not even one music lesson. I often wonder how far he could have gone in the music business if he had been in a different environment. It is a shame that this outstanding talent was wasted. He also taught himself to play the harmonica and could make good music with it.

Uncle Lester also was mechanically inclined and worked on cars and trucks. I remember one time he bought a model T Ford for $15 and pulled it home with a horse. Within two days, he had this old car running like new. He took me for a ride up to Cross Roads, stopped at the store and he bought me a bottle of pop. That was a big treat for me because back then I seldom got a soft drink. Well, on the way back to Grandma's house, we had a flat tire. Lucky for us Lester had a spare tire and a hand pump. While he was changing tires, some tobacco chewing native came by and stopped and said, "Need any help, Les?" "No, just about got it," was Lester's answer. Then this man said, "I believe those tires are just about worn out." "Yes, I know, but the inner tubes are good," Lester said. "How do you know that?" the man replied. Lester said, "Because I can see them." Then both men had a hardy laugh.

Uncle Lester started smoking cigarettes at an early age. He would roll his cigarettes using tobacco from a bag. I believe it was called Bull Durham and later on he used Half and Half and Prince Albert. It is my opinion that this smoking is what caused his trouble later in life. I always enjoyed being around Uncle Lester when I was a kid because he was easy going and had a very pleasant disposition.

At one time he worked at a saw mill and that was hard work. I think the saw mill belonged to Nacion Funk who also ran a grocery store in Powells Fort Valley.

I remember one time when I was about nine or ten years old, my mom, my sister Sarah and I were Visiting Grandma and Grandpap in Fort Valley. Lester was

220

at home and wasn't married yet. He said he was going squirrel hunting and some begging, he finally consented to take me along.

We didn't have to go far; just across the road and we were in the woods. Lester shot several squirrels using an old 12 gauge shotgun. I said, "Uncle Lester, let me shoot the next one." He said, "Have you ever shot

before?" When I said, "No," he laughed and said O.K. He loaded the old gun and handed it to me. With the stealthiness of an

~1I"tilil'n we went sneaking through the woods. Now this was a very special event to hunting with my Uncle Lester, and I envisioned shooting some squirrels.

, Lester said in a low tone of voice, "Listen." I froze in my tracks and cast an 'f.H'Ant;uA ear toward the direction of what sounded like squirrels barking.

Peeping through the brush not more than 40 yards perched out on a big tree was the biggest squirrel that I had ever seen. In haste I raised the shotgun and . Having never fired a 12 gauge shotgun, I wasn't prepared for the recoil.

of standing with one leg back of the other one, I was standing with both legs by side. The gun kicked me so hard I had to take a step backward, and when I a vine caught my foot and I fell flat on my back.

Well, Uncle Lester just rolled with laughter. When he had calmed down laughing he said, "1 forgot to tell you the gun kicked like a mule." He said that

the funniest thing he had ever seen. After scrambling to get up, I went looking for the squirrel. Since the gun

nlCl'IOC}ced me down, I didn't see it fall, but there on the ground under the big tree was dead squirrel. Uncle Lester said it was a fox squirrel and it was a big one.

Lester said, "Junior, do you want to shoot that gun again?" Now I was just :i:lealmWtg to curse. and I replied with a firm and positive answer, "Hell, no!"

When we returned from hunting, Lester told Grandpap about our hunting He said, laughing at the same time, "Pap, old 'Betsy' -- that was what he called

shotgun -- knocked Junior down today." Then both of them had a very robust For a long time after, every time I saw Uncle Lester, he would laugh and say, , do you want to shoot old Betsy again?"

When Uncle Lester was seven years old, he started going to school. The was Slate Hill and referred to in school records as Public School No.9. Later it No.7. The teacher was Bessie Strosnider and the year was 1916. His brother

, , who was 11, was going to the same school. This educational institution was ,:.only one mile from his home. Slate Hill was the same school my mother attended

1897 until 1900. It was while looking for her school record that I observed the ...... 11''',. .. records of Lester's sisters and brothers. In all subjects that the school's :''''''''''1''' lum offered, which was spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar,

and history, Uncle Lester had the best scholastic record of any of his 'JlIlCltArc or brothers. His last year that I could find, his record was the spring of 1923,

he was in the equivalent to the 6th grade. He may have gone the school year of

221

':.r"~.~ ,.::~'.:

! !

" I -i ;.~ . .. ~.

1'" "'

I j "0' :", :

I . : " ' ~ '. . .:

.' . : . </.~~~~I

i,

i'

I ' '

1923-1924, but somehow the record of Slate Hill for that year was missing. The last year of his records, E. H. Munch was the teacher.

When Lester was a young man, he weighed around 175 pounds, had green eyes and was 5 feet 11 inches tall. He was interesting to talk with, yet he wasn't a loquacious person.

When Lester was 14 years old, he became very sick and the diagnosis appendicitis. He was operated on in Winchester Memorial Hospital. Back then this was considered a major operation. He was in the hospital, bedfast, for 20 days. At the end of those 20 days, he was brought to his sister's house, Vergie Strosnider, in Strasburg, because he wasn't able to make it home to Fort Valley. At his sister's house he spent another 30 days upstairs in bed with her taking care of him. Now days it's in and out surgery and up walking around the same day.

Uncle Lester had a lot of bad luck in his life. While operating a large dump truck at the Robinson Rock Quarry at Strasburg, he had a serious accident. He was in the process of dumping a load of dirt, when the brakes failed, sending the loaded truck and him down a high embankment. He received severe head injuries and was hospitalized for a considerable length of time. His recuperation when home from the hospital was slow.

On July 26, 1956, a very tragic accident happened to his seven year old son James. Lester was mowing a field next to his house with a tractor driven sickle bar mower, and his children were playing ball in the yard. A ball was hit and rolled into the field that Lester was mowing. James went running after the ball and ran in front of the sickle bar mower. His dad was unable to stop and James' right leg was cut off just below the knee. Only a rapid trip to Shenandoah County Hospital in Woodstock saved his life, as he was losing a lot of blood and was in shock. Two weeks after he was home from the hospital, hobbling around on crutches, he fell down the steps and broke his right wrist.

Then a week later on August 13, 1956, James' brother, Ronald, while playing in the yard, was bitten by a copperhead snake. He was rushed to Shenandoah County Hospital and given anti-snake bite serum and he recovered in a few weeks.

The following month Uncle Lester was chopping wood and accidentally cut his right foot with a double bit ax. The cut was deep and he was incapacitated for a month. Bad luck struck again a month later. Again, he was chopping wood and cut his left foot. This disabled him for several weeks.

Lester and his first wife, Isabell, belonged to the Trinity Brethren Church in Forty Valley. According to the church records, he was baptized. The date that he was baptized is not recorded. His daughter, Connie, was baptized in the same faith in 1961 by the Rev. Paul Dick.

Lester's father, John Tyler Shillingburg, Jr., was baptized in the same church in 1898. His brother, Otis Shillingburg, was baptized Sept. 2, 1932, and Hilda, Otis' wife, in Aug. 1930, by the Rev. John Dodson in the same church.

Sometime around 1968 Lester's wife, Isabell, began to have health problems. As time passed, her condition grew worse and she died Dec. 28, 1970. The day of her funeral a heavy snow started falling two hours before the service. The accumulation of snow rapidly built up to several inches and the roads became extremely slippery. The service was held at the Trinity Brethren Church in Powells Fort Valley. By the

222

'" ,

I' .. "

.::

"

, '­

, "

time the service was over, the roads were almost too icy to travel. The preacher announced that because of the adverse weather conditions, only the hearse with chains on would try getting to the McInturff Cemetery. This cemetery is located on a hill near Seven Fountains about two miles from the Brethren Church. This was a rather large funeral and everybody had a difficult time getting home because of the hazardous road conditions.

On January 9, 1974, he married his second wife. She was Carol Jo Shank of Front Royal, Virginia. Thirteen months later, on February 4, 1975, Carol Jo gave birth to a daughter and was named Mary Jo Shillingburg.

He and his new family were very happy, but unfortunately bad luck beset him again. His health began to fail, and it was discovered that he had cancer in the lungs. The following months his condition deteriorated and he died on June 13, 1976.

His funeral was held at Robertshaw Funeral Home Chapel in Front Royal, Virginia, on Wednesday, June 16, 1976, at 2:00 p.m. The pallbearers were Marvin Stokes, Russell Henry, Buck Ellinger, Floyd Fogle, Donnie Breeden and James Clatterbuck. The clergymen were Rev. Irving R. Johnson and Rev. Paul Dick. Interment was beside his first wife, Isabell, in McInturff Cemetery near Seven Fountains, Virginia.

Lester Shillingburg was a hard working, soft spoken good hearted man. It is regrettable that such a fine man was plagued and needled with such bad luck and adversities in his lifetime.

223