Person Page - 106

Father: Robert Church
Mother: Lucinda Murphy

Birth date: 11 March 1891
Birth place: Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia.³

The U.S. officially entered World War II on 8 December 1941 following an attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. All men ages 18 to 64 and not already in the military were required to register for the draft during one of six registration periods. The Fourth Registration, often referred to as the "Old Man's Registration," was conducted on 27 April 1942 to register men who were between 45 and 64 years old. At age 51, Charles registered at New Martinsville, Wetzel County, West Virginia, and was described as follows: 5' 10", 175 lbs., blue eyes, brown hair, light complexion.⁴ He was unemployed at the time and was living at Littleton, West Virginia.⁴

Father: Robert Church
Mother: Lucinda Murphy

Birth date: March 1893
Birth place: West Virginia.¹

Father: Robert Church
Mother: Lucinda Murphy

Birth date: February 1895
Birth place: West Virginia.¹

Father: Robert Church
Mother: Lucinda Murphy

Birth date: November 1898
Birth place: West Virginia.¹

Father: Robert Church
Mother: Lucinda Murphy

Birth date: about 1900
Birth place: West Virginia.¹

Father: not yet identified
Mother: not yet identified

Birth date: about 1801
Birth place: Pennsylvania.¹

His second marriage was to Susan "Susie" Bland, daughter of David Bland and Elizabeth Church.¹

Father: John G. Davis
Mother: Jennie F. Church

Birth date: about October 1909 (based on age of 6 months in the 1910 U.S. census)
Birth place: West Virginia.²

Chester died from diptheria on 2 August 1915 at Smithfield, Wetzel County, West Virginia.¹

Father: John G. Davis
Mother: Jennie F. Church

Birth date: 13 August 1913
Birth place: West Virginia.^1,2,3

In the 1930 U.S. Census, Esther was recorded as a 16 year old who did not attend school and could neither read nor write.¹ Ten years later, the 1940 U.S. Census agrees that she had completed 0 years of schooling.⁴

Esther's death certificate gives her usual residence as Rt. 1, Box 255, Granbury, Hood County, Texas. As it also indicates she had been hospitalized for 43 years, that may have been her address before being admitted.³

At age 60, Esther died on 7 October 1973 in Abilene State Hospital, Abilene, Taylor County, Texas. The cause of death was "bronchopneumonia due to aspiration of emesis due to encephalopathy, congenital, cause unknown." In other words, she died from pneumonia that resulted from having inhaled vomit into her lungs/airways. Encephalopathy is a general term referring to brain disease, damage, or malfunction. Apparently Esther had suffered with some kind of brain disorder from birth that kept her out of school and eventually led to her being admitted into the institution.³ Interred in the Abilene State School Cemetery, Abilene, Taylor County, Texas, her name appears on the gravestone as "Esther Marie Davis." An additional inscription reads, "1913 - 1973."²

The history of the institution in which Esther died began in 1897 when the Texas Governor appointed a commission to select a location for an epileptic colony. The Texas Legislature authorized it in 1899, and finally appropriated money in 1901 for construction at Abilene. Abilene donated 640 acres of land for the State Epileptic Colony which was to be a self-sufficient enterprise - 40 acres were set aside for the buildings and the other 600 acres were farmed (crops and pasture). The first patients were accepted in 1904.

The name was changed to Abilene State Hospital in 1925 even though they continued to only treat epileptics. Yet another name change was made in 1957 to Abilene State School to signify, "the new functions of the institution as a residential center for the intellectually disabled citizens of Texas." Today (2017) it is known as the Abilene State Supported Living Center, an assisted living facility.^5,6

Father: not yet identified
Mother: not yet identified

Birth date: about 1856
Birth place: Arkansas.¹

Sara's middle initial on the 1930 U.S. Census is commonly transcribed as being an "S" yet it doesn't look like any other "S" handwritten by the enumerator.¹

Father: Isaac Newton Hubbs
Mother: Mary Ritchie

Birth date: 27 May 1888
Birth place: Marshall County, West Virginia.¹

Father: Elias R. Harris
Mother: Rachel Emma Teagarden

Birth date: about 1879
Birth place: West Virginia.¹

Father: William McGary
Mother: Sarah Coulson

Birth date: about 1822
Birth place: Pennsylvania.³

Father: William McGary
Mother: Sarah Coulson

Birth date: about 1816
Birth place: Virginia.^2,3

Mary married Daniel A. Closser.³

Father: William McGary
Mother: Sarah Coulson

Birth date: unknown
Birth place: unknown.¹

Father: not yet identified
Mother: not yet identified

Birth date: about 1813
Birth place: Washington County, Pennsylvania.^3,2,1

Daniel married Mary Ann McGary, daughter of William McGary and Sarah Coulson.²

Father: Daniel A. Closser
Mother: Mary Ann McGary

Birth date: 30 June 1842
Birth place: Amwell Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania.^1,2

At age 84, Rebecca died on 15 March 1927 at Washington, Washington County, Pennsylvania.¹ Her body was interred 17 March 1927 at Washington Cemetery in that same city.¹

Father: Daniel A. Closser
Mother: Mary Ann McGary

Birth date: 13 July 1844
Birth place: Washington County, Pennsylvania.¹

At age 77, Sarah died on 30 August 1921 at Washington, Washington County, Pennsylvania.¹ Her body was interred 31 August 1921 at Washington Cemetery in that same city.¹

Father: Daniel A. Closser
Mother: Mary Ann McGary

Birth date: about 1846
Birth place: Pennsylvania.¹

Father: not yet identified
Mother: not yet identified

Birth date: about 1856
Birth place: Monongalia County, Virginia.¹

Silas married Caroline Virginia "Callie" Harris, daughter of John M. Harris and Emily Dobbs, on 7 October 1883 in Marshall County, West Virginia.¹

Father: not yet identified
Mother: not yet identified

Birth date: unknown
Birth place: Illinois.²

It is likely, but not yet confirmed, that John and Mary Dittmeier were married.¹

Father: not yet identified
Mother: not yet identified

Birth date: unknown
Birth place: Germany.²

It is likely, but not yet confirmed, that Mary and John Ganz were married.¹

Parents: Colbert (or Calbert) and Catherine Pelley

Birth date: September 1847
Birth place: Marshall County, Virginia.^2,1

Benjamin married Mary Emily Richmond on 19 September 1869 at Moundsville, Marshall County, West Virginia. B. (?), a minister of the gospel, certified that he united them in marriage.¹

Parents: John and Nancy Richmond

Birth date: April 1846
Birth place: Marshall County, Virginia.^2,1

Mary married Benjamin Franklin Pelley on 19 September 1869 at Moundsville, Marshall County, West Virginia. B. (?), a minister of the gospel, certified that he united them in marriage.¹

Father: not yet identified.
Mother: not yet identified.

Birth date: not yet determined
Birth place: not yet determined.

Bert married Ida Belle Worster on 5 May 1889 in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Rev. J. D. Jones certified that he legally joined the couple in marriage.¹