Obituary: Billy Boyd Wilson

Billy Boyd Wilson died on December 16, 2011 in Heidelberg, Germany. He was born March 4, 1934 to Billy Wagner Wilson and Elizabeth Boyd Wilson of Lebanon, Va. He was preceded in death by his parents, and an infant daughter, Donna Wilson.

He is survived by a daughter, Michelle Ligon, and two grandchildren, Sommer Barnes and Isaac Barnes, all of Boone, N.C., a sister, Nancy Cannon of Weston, Ct., two nephews, Mark Cannon of Weston, Ct. and Scott Cannon of Fairfield, Ct., one niece, Beth Cannon of Weston, a grand-niece, Leigh Cannon, and grand-nephew, Wils Cannon, both of Weston, as well as special friends, Joseph and Cydney Mulieri of Md., and Dwayne and Mona Viergutz of Heidelberg, Germany.

Bill graduated from Lebanon High School in 1952. After graduating from Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C., Bill attended the University of Arizona. He joined the U.S. Army where he entered Officers Candidate School. As a member of Special Forces and the 82nd Airborne Division of Fort Bragg, he served two tours in Vietnam.

While serving in the Special Forces, he was a member of the team that performed the now-historic parachute jump for President John F. Kennedy during the President's visit to the Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg on October 12, 1961. He was also stationed in Germany and attended the Army School of Language in Bavaria, speaking German fluently. In 1974, he retired in Germany with the rank of Major, having served for 20 years.

Bill was an avid horseman, enjoyed skiing, travel, and driving his Porsche. He was buried in Germany where he spent his retirement years. A marker will be placed in the Wagner-Wilson family cemetery near Lebanon, the burial place of Bill's ancestor, Reverend David Munsey (1773-1857).

Jonathan A. Boyd of Russell Co., VA, and Robert Boyd of Powell County, KY

The Boyd Rootsweb List recently had a discussion on Isaac Boyd, son of Robert Boyd (b. abt 1810, Patrick Co., VA) and Nancy (MNU, possibly White).

I have a little story about Robert "Bob" Boyd and his brother Jonathan A. Boyd (my ancestor), which I just received in a handed-down photo album. It's not a lot of information, and is an "oral tradition," but it is something interesting.

The story comes by way of my great-aunt Carrie Beulah Boyd, in a typed format, and is in her voice. She recited the story as she remembered it from the times her aunt Flora Boyd told it. "Aunt Flora" was the granddaughter of Jonathan A. Boyd. Robert Aaron Boyd b. 1844 (Russell Co., Va.) was Flora's father.

"This is the story that Aunt Flora told me: "Jonathan A. Boyd and Bob, his brother, came from Patrick County in the time of the Long Hunters. They first lived near the Uncle Ike [Isaac] Boyd place, the land joined the west side of Uncle Luke's - really Grandfather [Jonathan] Boyd's farm. Bob decided he wanted to move on across the mountains, probably by Indian trails, and he settled in Kentucky - what part, Aunt Flora didn't say. But I imagine it was the mountainous part which joined southwest Virginia. They [had come to Russell Co., Va.] as hunters and I suppose Bob wanted fresh hunting ground.

"Before Bob left, he and Jonathan A., our great grandfather, made a pact with each other. One year in the fall Bob would come to see Jonathan and the following year Jonathan would go to see Bob. And so they did for several years, traveling by horseback. Each took some food with him, but also did some hunting on the way.

"One fall as Jonathan was on his journey, one late afternoon, his horse became skittish and a woman wearing a brown checked apron walked across his path in front of the horse. He stopped and looked for her, but could not find her. The next day at dusk the same woman appeared again, and again he looked and could not find her. And, of course, it happened the third day (always that "3" in folk tales).

"As Jonathan returned to his home, one evening toward dusk, again his horse was skittish, but before he could see anything a panther jumped toward his horse and injured the horse, but Jonathan became a hero by killing the panther with his gun.

"Since he considered he had been warned enough, he decided he would never again go to Kentucky. (And he never did).

"For a few years, Bob came to see Jonathan in Virginia and then he, too, stopped his visits.

"Years later some of the Virginia Boyds went to Kentucky, found the land mark on an old crib in front of the house - the initials of Jonathan and Bob.

"The story was told to Aunt Flora by Uncle Ed, a cousin of theirs and Aunt Lucy's first husband, whom I remember as a great yarn teller and singer for children. Later, when I was grown, I learned he was also a professional gambler."

[As told by Beulah Boyd]

Elizabeth Boyd and Henry Peck family group

V2 Elizabeth Boyd, b. abt 1804 (Patrick Co., VA), d. aft 1 Jun 1880 (Menifee Co., KY), buried, probably in Menifee, m. bef 1831 (Russell Co., VA), Henry Peck, son of George and Catherine (nee Wysor) Peck, b abt 1801 (Montgomery Co., VA), d. abt 1860 (Russell Co., VA), buried probably Russell Co.

Had issue:

W1 John A. Peck, b. abt 1832 (Russell Co., VA), d. ?? (place?), m. 18 Mar 1852 (Russell Co., VA) Rachel Short, dau of John and Hannah (nee Dawson) Short, b. abt 1829 (Grayson Co., VA), d. ?? (place?).

W2 Rosanna Peck, b. abt 1835 (Russell Co., VA), d. ?? (place?), m. unknown.

W3 Joseph “Joe” Peck, b. abt Aug 1838 (Russell Co., VA), d. aft 1900 (Menifee Co., KY), m. abt 1867 (Wolfe Co., KY) Leah Cochram, dau of unknown and unknown Cochram, b. abt 1841 (Franklin Co., VA), d. aft 1900 (Menifee Co., KY).

W4 Nancy “Nannie” Peck, b. abt Jan 1842 (Pike Co., KY), d. aft 1910 (Pomeroyton, Menifee Co., KY), m. abt 1876 (Menifee Co., KY) James C. Spencer, son of unknown and unknown Spencer, b. abt 1830 (Kentucky), d. bef 1910 (Menifee Co., KY).

W5 Susannah Peck, b. abt 1844 (Russell Co., VA), d. abt 1926 (Oklahoma), m. 24 Nov 1865 (Wolfe Co., KY) Allen Spencer, son of Alexander and Emilia (nee Lovell) Spencer, b. abt 1848 (Kentucky), d. 1896 (Texas).

W6 James Peck, b. 19 Dec 1847 (Russell Co., VA), d. 19 Feb 1923 (Pomeroyton, Menifee Co., KY), m. abt 1871 (Menifee Co., KY) Mary Elizabeth Brown, dau of unknown and unknown Brown, b. 6 Nov 1851 (Smyth Co., VA), d. 17 Jun 1915 (Pomeroyton, Menifee Co., KY).

W7 Charles Peck, b. abt 1849 (Russell Co., VA), d. 22 Oct 1913 (place?), m. abt 1872 (probably Wolfe Co., KY) Perlina Caroline “Lena” Handy, dau of Thomas and Sarah Paulina (nee ?) Handy, b. 3 May 1848 (county? Virginia), d. 18 Oct 1913 (county? Kentucky).

Descendants of Francis A Browning and Elizabeth Vermillion

Descendants of Francis A Browning and Elizabeth Vermillion

Francis Browning was born in Culpepper County, Virginia, abt 1753. When he was 17 years old, a map was drawn of the young commonwealth. See Culpepper as No. 13. Within that uncharted bit in the southwest corner of No. 5 is where he wound up settling (the year unknown to me at this time). That river in the uncharted bit would be the ancient New River, uniquely flowing north from its infantile beginnings as the North Fork New River and South Fork New River in Watauga County, NC.



New River, once it reaches West Virginia:

The Ball Family

Someone asked me for my Ball lineage, so I typed it up. It took a while to do, so I want to post it. Here it is.

Note: My Ball line had been thought to be related to George Washington's Ball line. George Washington's mother was Mary Ball. Mary's father was Joseph Ball, and his parents were William and Hannah (nee Atherold) Ball.

My John Ball of Stafford County, VA, was thought to be the son of Richard Ball, who was the brother of Joseph, making John and George's mother, Mary, first cousins.

It is true that John Ball of Stafford and George Washington were neighbors in what is now Arlington, VA. George called John Ball's son, Moses, "cousin."

Moses Ball mentioned in his will (dated 1786), land to be granted to his son John, "to my son John, 25 acres of land beginning on the south side of Four Mile Run, at the White Oak, corner of Genl. Washington, thence with Washington line to Alexanders line and thence with Alexanders line, and the meanders of Long Branch westwardly until the quantity of 25 acres is made." Moses also mentioned in his will, "my executors to pay as soon as possible to his excellency, Gen. Washington, the sum of ten pounds with interest, a sum I borrowed from him."

Read more here: http://www.commuterpage.com/walk/go/gwforest.html

So...while Y-DNA tests have disproved the connection between John Ball of Stafford County, VA, and Mary Ball's grandfather, we still feel there may be a familial connection there. We do not know what the connection is. Perhaps they were very distant cousins.

~~~~~~

Robert Aaron Boyd was my great-great grandfather.

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Robert Aaron Boyd, son of Jonathan and Mary "Polly" (nee Burnett) Boyd http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~varussel/photos/jonboyd.html, b. 4 Oct 1844 Russell Co., VA, d. 7 Feb 1914 Swords Creek, Russell Co., VA, buried Ball/Boyd Cemetery, Honaker, Russell Co., VA,

m. 20 Jan 1866 (Russell Co., VA) Polly Angeline Ball, dau of William Lee and Sydney Jane (nee Fletcher) Ball, b. 27 Dec 1847 Russell Co., VA, d. 30 Apr 1923 Honaker, Russell Co., VA, buried Ball/Boyd Cemetery, Honaker, Russell Co., VA. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~varussel/photos/rabfam.html

William Lee Ball, son of John T. and Mary "Polly" (nee Ball) Ball, b. 20 Dec 1820 , VA, d. 16 Aug 1901 Russell Co., VA, buried Ball/Boyd Cemetery, Honaker, Russell Co., VA,

m. 14 Jan 1847 (Russell Co., VA) Sydney Jane Fletcher, dau of James and Celia (nee Thompson) Fletcher, b. 21 Oct 1822 Russell Co., VA, d. 27 Feb 1863 Russell Co., VA, buried Ball/Boyd Cemetery, Honaker, Russell Co., VA.

John Tunnell Ball, son of George and Elizabeth (nee Tunnell) Ball, b. 10 Jun 1779, Fairfax or Alexandria Co., VA, d. 27 Jul 1863, New Garden, Russell Co., VA, buried John Ball Cemetery, Gardner, Russell Co., VA,

m. abt ca 1805 (probably at her family home, Beech Creek, Hawkins Co., TN) Mary "Polly" Ball, dau of Moses and Mary Ann (nee Hardin) Ball, b. 4 May 1788 Fairfax Co., Virginia, d. 11 Feb 1856 New Garden, Russell Co., VA, buried probably John Ball Cemetery.

George Ball, son of Moses and Ann (nee Brashears) Ball, b. 1752 Fairfax Co., VA, d. 24 Dec 1825 Russell Co., VA, buried probably New Garden, Russell Co., VA,

m. abt 1777 (Fairfax Co.?) Elizabeth Tunnell, dau of William and Ann (nee Howard) Tunnell, b. ca 1744 Virginia, d. ?? (probably New Garden, Russell Co., VA), buried probably New Garden.

Moses Ball, son of John and Winifred (nee Williams) Ball, b. 2 May 1717 Stafford Co., VA, d. 1792 Fairfax Co., VA, buried probably Fairfax Co.,

m. 23 Jun 1745 (place ??) Nancy Ann Brashears, dau of Robert and Charity (nee Dowell) Brashears, b. 26 Sep 1729 (Prince George's Co., MD), d. 30 Nov 1816 (Fairfax Co., VA), buried probably Fairfax Co.

John Ball, son of (James?) and (??), b. 1660-1677 prob. Stafford Co., VA, d. 1722 Stafford Co., VA, m. (1) (Sinah?), m. (2) abt 1710 (place?), Winifred Williams, dau of William and Ann (nee Harrison?) Williams, b. abt 1690 Charles Co., MD, d. 1751/52 Fairfax Co., VA.

Rosanna Boyd's daughter, Caroline

Rosanna was the youngest child of Joseph and Nancy (Aaron) Boyd. Rosanna never married, but had one child, Caroline.

W1 Caroline Boyd, b. 31 Dec 1837 (Russell Co., VA), d. 27 Apr 1925 (Campton, Wolfe Co., KY), bu 27 Apr 1925, Miller Cemetery, Campton, m. 8 Jul 1858 (Russell Co., VA), David Crockett Miller, son of Michael and Mary Strough, b. abt 1840 (Russell Co., VA), d. bef 1925 (Campton, Wolfe Co., KY), bu probably Campton.

Had issue:

X1 Louisa C. Miller, b. abt 1859 (Morgan, Kentucky, USA)

X2 Joseph B. Miller, b. abt 1861 (Morgan, Kentucky, USA)

X3 Mary E. Miller, b. abt 1863 (Kentucky, USA)

X4 William S. Miller b. abt 1863 (Kentucky, USA)

X5 John E. Miller, b. abt 1866 (Kentucky, USA)

X6 Celia E. Miller, b. abt 1867 (Kentucky, USA)

X7 Fanny B. Miller, b. abt 1868 (Kentucky, USA)

X8 Francis C. Miller, b. abt 1870 (Kentucky, USA)

X9 Robert E. Miller, b. abt 1871 (Kentucky, USA)

X10 Infant Miller, b. abt 1873 (Kentucky, USA)

X11 David Crockett Miller Jr., b. abt 1874 (Kentucky, USA)

X12 Sarah L. Miller, b. abt 1876 (Kentucky, USA)

X13 Isaac S. Miller, b. abt 1877 (Kentucky, USA)

X14 Serelda J. Miller, b. abt Aug 1879 (Kentucky, USA)

One man, two families

One may notice in yesterday's post of the Jonathan Boyd family group, that Nancy married the son of Simeon Hunt and Polly Samples, Simeon Jackson Samples...wait a minute..."Samples?" That's right, Simeon Hunt and Polly were not married when Simeon was born, at least not by law.

Furthermore, one may notice that Nancy's sister, Celia, married another son of Simeon Hunt...and Delilah Samples Hunt (Polly's sister). His name was James Basil Hunt. His parents were legally married.

For many years, Polly Samples lived next to her sister and her husband, Simeon Hunt, raising children with him/them. That's right! Must've been quite the scandal in those days. Apparently, Delilah supported this "activity," or I'm sure she would have run Polly off. You can find further evidence in their father's will that both ladies were in agreement for this unique lifestyle. Their father, William Samples, mentioned in his will that both Delilah and Polly had "disobliged" him "so much" that he did not think he would give them any more than he already had. After Delilah's death, their mother, Nancy Wilson Samples, in her will, gave much to Polly citing William's withholding as justification for her generosity.

Also, after Delilah's death, Simeon and Polly traveled all the way to Utah to have their marriage blessed by the Mormon Church. They did return, and lived out the rest of their lives in Russell County, Virginia. At some point, not sure whether it was before or after they went to Utah, they were charged with "lewdness" according to the Russell County court records. This was in reference to the timing of their marriage, apparently, because once they proved they had not married until after Delilah's death, the case was dismissed.

Simeon Hunt was a captain of the Russell County infantry during the Civil War. He was a blacksmith and a farmer, a very tall and respected man in the community.

About the time Nancy Boyd and her husband Simeon Jackson Samples moved to Estill Co., KY, Simeon changed his name to Andrew Jackson Samples.