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We have learned that several families from Wayne County were recruited by the Reformed Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) and moved to Holden, Johnson County, Missouri. Just who were these families? The answer can be found in the 1910 census of Johnson Co., MO. Here is the listing: (1) Emily (Osner) Chadwick and her three children: Thomas, Linzy and Louera all born in WV. Son Grover C. had gone but returned to Wayne Co. to marry Maud Haynie and raised his family here. (2) Francis & Sophia (Osner) Smith and their daughter, Paulina. (3) Albert J. & Leoura (Smith) Thompson and their children, Henry P., Ora and Ona. Albert & Leora were married in Wayne Co 12/29/1894 (4) William R. & Maria (Osner) Odell and their children: Edith, Amy, Gomer, Gordon H., Hattie, Sophia, Herman A. and William R. the only one born in Missouri. (5) Adolph Chadwick s/o David & Emily (Osner) Chadwick and his wife, Bessie and two sons, David and Jesse. (6) Roscoe & Ida (Hampton) McCormick and their children: Eller, Eula V., Versie R., Oscar G., Reba and Roscoe Jr. the only one born in Missouri. (7) Strother & Rebecca (Frasher) Crabtree and children: Thompson S., Ethel A., Earl E., George F., Ella B., Roy A., Myrtle W. and Harold H. the only one born in Missouri. They were married in Wayne Co. 7/1/1891. (8) Wilburn & Jennie (McCormick) Thompson and their children: Hazel, Florence, Clara G. and Edith all born in WV. (9) Theresa (Osner) Hamilton and children, Elinor, Fred, Margaret E. (10) Bernard P. & Chloea C. (Booth) Thompson and daughters: Elizabeth and Nancy Maude (Thompson) Ketchum and grandson Bennie Ketchum. And by 1920 several more families are there: (12) Robert & Fannie P. Dillon, (13) Georgia (Ferguson) Dillon m 10/14/1885 R. L. Dillon. She was the daughter of Samuel & Luvisia (Ratcliff) Ferguson and he the s/o Ballard & Elizabeth Dillon. (14) Freelin & Olive Hampton and their children Bernice and Janice. (15) Ella (Osner) McGee and son French. (16) Samuel B. & Virginia Thompson and children: Hazel, Earl and Luther. (17) William & Nellie (Osburn) Lycan who married in Wayne Co 2/13/1885 and children: Basil, John and Jay. (18) John H. & Eliza Bartram with daughter Thelma J. (19) Dr. Emory & Elizabeth (Matthews) Thompson and children: Corbet, Edgar, and John. This couple married 2/4/1891 in Wayne Co. Emory is the son of Laban Thompson and had practiced medicine in Wayne County before moving to Missouri. There are other women in the county born in WV that are married to gentlemen from Missouri. The maiden name is not known. And other families that report WV as birth place that I do not recognize as being from Wayne County. While others such as the Milton Alexander & Martha Jane (Thompson) Ferguson and the Laban Thompson families are living in adjoining counties. An interesting story can be told regarding Nancy Maude (Thompson) Ketchum d/o Bernard P. & Chloea (Booth) Thompson. She and Menis Ketchum were married in Wayne County in about 1904. And later little Bennie (named Bernard for his father) was born. Maude and Menis were living with his parents in Wayne when the baby was born. When the child was about 3 weeks old, Maud received a visit from her mother who insisted that she and the baby would leave with the Thompson family for Missouri. Maud protested, but the mother insisted that she would go straight to hell if she did not belong to the RLDS church. Maud then informed her husband and in-laws of her decision to leave. Nothing could persuade her to stay. Not until the boy was past the age of 21 did she reveal who his father was and where he lived. Bennie made the trip back to Wayne, walked into a business in Wayne and ask if anyone knew Menis Ketchum. The barber replied "if I did not know better, I would say you are his son." At which time Bennie replied "I am." Before her death in the 1990's, my husband and I visited with Metta Anderson d/o Louisa (Osner) Anderson in her home in Holden, MO. When ask if she knew Dr. Emory Thompson, Metta replied "he delivered me." She also mentioned that his daughter was a good friend of hers and related the fact that this friend was very ill. When death came, Metta mailed me a copy of her friend's obituary. Metta and her mother maintained a history of the Osner family, and gave copies to many family members. In the late 1960's several members of my family made two trips to Holden, MO to visit Metta, her mother Louise (Osner) Anderson, Lou (Chadwick) Baker and other family members in Lee Summit and Independence, MO. Getting the car ready for the return trip home, a filling station attendant noticed the license plate on my car and said he had relatives in West Virginia. When ask what county, he replied Wayne. When ask for names of those relatives, the only one I can remember at this time was Opal Ward. She was his cousin. Opal Ward had been my teacher at Wayne High School. While in Holden, MO a trip to the Fairmont Cemetery was made. The names of many who were born in Wayne County was visible on tombstones. Many were recorded, but rain appeared and my husband was anxious to leave stating "we will return". Metta Anderson, the last family member living in Holden died a few years later and we have not returned. Hope you are enjoying these articles. Please write with a request, story or just let me know you are reading -- 562 N. Inwood Drive, Huntington, WV 25701. |