25 Jan 1923 – Randolph Enterprise [White]

History of the Early Settlers
Of Dry Fork, Rich Mountain and Shavers Mountain By E.C. Wyatt, Randolph Enterprise, Elkins, WV, 1922-1923

Thomas White lived on Allegheny Mountain east of Job. He was a farmer and hunter. I never learned how old he was or what year he died. He was often called “Allegheny Tom”. His wife was a sister of the wives of Soldier Tom, Thomas Summerfield and John Wyatt.

His sons were Archibald and Allen. Arch as we always knew him, married Emily, the eldest daughter of John Wyatt of Middle Mountain, and lived on the old home place. He was married three times, was a horse jockey and farmer. He used to be a correspondent for the Randolph Enterprise while it was printed at Beverly. I got a lot of information from him about the early settlers as he seemed to be more interested about our forefathers.

In completing my history I will give a list of the names of all who aided me in collecting this history.

Arch Whites sons are Felix, Sylvester, John T., Edmund, Jesse, Howard and Earle.

He died at the home of his son John T. on Middle Mountain in September 1912 at the age of 88 years.

He was a large rawboned man and wore a full beard ever since I knew him.
All three of his wives preceded him to the grave. He is buried at the graveyard on the home place.

I will write about his sons next and trace their genealogies down as far as I can and then take up the genealogy of his brother Allen.

Felix White was a large man. He worked on public works and was section foreman on the Dry Fork Railroad. I never learned much about him. He lived near Horton when he died.

Sylvester White lived at Laneville and worked in the lumber woods. He died about 12 years ago, near 51 years of age. He was an averaged sized man and did not have good health.

His sons were Arch, Walter, Elmer and Julius. Arch lives some where along the Western Maryland and I don’t know where Walter is. We used to call him “Settler” as there was another Walter White.

Julius and Elmer were in the World War and are taking a vocational training.

John T. White lives at Bowden on Sylvanus Vandevenders farm. He is a farmer and works on public works, enjoys hunting and shooting matches.

Edmund lived on Middle Mountain until his wife died. He lost one son, Dayton, in the World War. Edmund died in the City Hospital in Elkins about two years ago.

His children were Dayton, Elmer and Flossie. Dayton went over the top several times before he got killed. Elmer is with the marines at Hampton Roads. Flossie is married to Elmer Cunningham, son of John Cunningham, one of the Rich Mountain settlers.

Jesse is single and makes his home with John T. and works on public works.
Howard lives at Clarksburg, works on public works and I have lost trace of Earle.

(Continued next week) [End of article]

Transcribed by Cathy Thompson