Got pictures? Please e-mail me. And while you're here,                                                                            please take a look at my unidentified photos page.


THE SMITHS OF ABRAHAM, W.VA.
AND RELATED FAMILIES
                                                                                                            Page one of two

George Washington Smith Jr., Emily Alice Vandall
and Emma Catherine Biars

George Washington Smith Jr. (30 June 1860, Meadow Creek, W.Va./06 April 6 1940, Raleigh County, W.Va.) was a son of George Sr. (12 Dec 1826/ 19 Jan 1862)  and Catherine (Kate) Bennett (November 1825, Greenbrier County, W.Va./07 Nov 1904 Raleigh County). George Sr. and Kate were married 13 April 1848, in Fayette County, W.Va. (Photo of Catherine shared by Cousin Susan.)

George Washington Smith Sr. - Find a Grave

Links to Raleigh County Landmarks photos:

Here is a photo taken by a great granddaughter during the Smith Sr. house renovation in 1974. The woman, on the left, and the man in the white shirt are Golda and Earl Smith, who were visiting the site.  Here is a Hinton Daily News ( Summers County , W.Va. ) article, Nov. 5, 1974 , written by their daughter Eva Smith:

Smith Descendents Repair
‘Oldest House In Abraham’
           Descendents of George Smith are restoring the house he built in Richmond District at least 120 years ago.
           Earl and Carl. Bennett, both of Beckley , are painting, leveling, underpinning and repairing the roof of the house where they spent part of their childhood.
           Earl Bennett said he believes the house is the oldest standing in Richmond District. It was put together with logs and pegs and inside the ceiling joists were made by a whip saw.
           George Smith, who the descendents think is the original builder, had several children including Marion Smith and George Washington Smith.
           Marion ’s daughter, Effie Smith Bennett, and her husband David also lived in the house. Their children included Earl and Carl, who now jointly own the house, Mrs. Ruth Pack and Mrs. Sona Pack, both of Nimitz, Mrs. Stella Adkins, Shady Spring, Dexter Plumley (of) Abraham, Noah, White Oak, Kyle of Delaware, John, Beckley, and Edward and Homer, Cleveland , Ohio .
           Mrs. Bennett, 83, is now a patient in Pinecrest Hospital .
           The house is in Abraham overlooking New River . The brothers plan to put siding on the ends of the house but leave the front and back logs exposed.
           The house has been empty for ten years since Mrs. Sona Pack, the fourth generation, lived there.
           Earl Bennett said that his main reason for restoring the old house is “for my grandchildren.”

Newspaper photo caption: RESTORATION OF OLD HOUSE – A house in Abraham which is reported to be over 120 years old is being renovated by descendents of the original builder, George Smith. Pictured here are Oather Todd, an Abraham resident who’s helping with repairs, Jessie Adkins, Beckley, who is also a Smith descendent, Earl Bennett, Beckley, part owner and great grandson of George Smith, his brother Noah, and Earl Smith, a grandson, both of White Oak. (See story on page one).  

George Jr. was a prominent member of the Abraham community in Richmond  District, Raleigh County. “He engaged in farming for a time, taught school, served as assessor and operated a store and served as postmaster and owned the Abraham post office (building)," according to family historian David A. Smith. "George Jr., Ervin and Marion Smith ran a large merchandise store called Smith Brothers at Abraham. George stocked everything anyone desired and people would ford New River or come across by ferry and walk three miles up the mountain from Meadow Creek to buy their wares. The family also operated a grist mill, saw mill. Nearby was the one-room Smith School. G. W. Smith Jr. was named deacon of New Salem Baptist Church on 21 Oct. 1886. G.W. Smith Jr. and Jackson Plumley paid the pastor for past services.”

"People came (from) far away to the store. He kept about anything people needed," wrote his daughter Eda Smith Ellison. Eda said George was the postmaster for 35 years until he turned it over to his daughter K. Golda Fox.

George married two beautiful women, Emily and Emma. He is buried next to his wives in the New Salem Missionary Baptist Church cemetery at Abraham. George W Smith - Find a Grave Emily V Smith - Find a Grave Emma Smith Runyon - Find a Grave

Emily

George and his first wife Emily Alice Vandall married on 18 Dec 1881 in Raleigh County. Emily was born 18 Oct 1864, in Fayette County, a daughter of Joseph Dan (Joel) Vandall (20 Jan 1824/February 1901) and Elizabeth “Betty” Fox (born March 1825). The family name has also been spelled Vandle. Emily died on 02 Jan. 1905, near Pear in Raleigh County. (Photo of George and Emily shared by Cousin Susan.) Links to Vandall information: The Vandal Family Homepage  Information on the site about Emily’s birth family

Photo: George and Emily with their children. Front, George holding son Charles Ota, “Oat,”  and Emily holding daughter Emily Mae, “May.”  Back row, left to right, Bessie, Glenville, Arthur, Wayne, Bertha, Oley and Ada.

Children of George Smith and Emily Vandall are:

  • Bertha Jane Smith, born 28 Dec 1882 in Raleigh County, W.Va.; died  18 July 1941, in Summers County, W.Va. She married Wade Erich Surbaugh 29 Nov 1905 in Raleigh County. The source of the marriage date is Marriage Records of Raleigh County West Virginia 1850-1910 compiled by Ronald Ray Turner. Death certificate. According to information found online, Wade was born 16 Dec 1880 and died on 25 Aug 1940 in Hinton, West Virginia.
         Photo: Wade Erich Surbaugh and his only son Harry, probably 1925-30. (Photo                        courtesy of Cousin Roger.)
  • Wayne Smith, born 24 Aug 1888 in Raleigh County; died 20 July 1913.  He married Parthena Davis 29 Aug 1910. Wayne's birth and death dates supplied by his half sister Eda Smith Ellison. She said Wayne died of a gunshot wound. Find a Grave: Wayne Smith
  • Arthur Jackson Smith, born 15 Oct. 15 1890, in Raleigh County; died 24 May 1956, in Hinton, Summers County, Hinton.  He married Rufina M. F. Plumley 30 Oct 1912. Mrs. Smith (b. 11 Mar 1895/d. 26 Sep 1936) was a daughter of Jackson Plumley and Minerva Richmond, according to "Our Families" by Larry G. Shuck, 1995, Gateway Press, Baltimore, Md., Page 125. Arthur J. Smith obituary. Death certificate. Find a Grave: Rufina Smith.
  • Ada Smith, born 18 Nov 1892, in Raleigh County; died 09 March 1970, in Huntington, W.Va.  She married Harry Martin.
  • Charles Ota (C.O., “Smitty”) Smith Sr., born 23 May 1897, in Raleigh County; died 13 Dec 1978, in Hinton Hospital. His half brother Everett spelled his name “Oat.” C.O. married Flora Lee Arthur 17 Aug 1915.
  • Emily Mae Smith, born  25 Jan 1900, in Raleigh County; died  15 March 1952, in Raleigh County. Everett spelled her name “May.”  She married William E. Hutchinson 12 July 1935.

Emma

George Jr.  married his second wife Emma Catherine Biars on 05 Aug 1908. Emma was born 20 July 1878, in Harrison Township, Gallia County, Ohio, to Gustava “Gus” Biars  and his wife Catharine "Kate" Kraus.  (Page down for more iinformation about the Biars family.)

Emma was "Mrs. Emma Thompson" at the time of her marriage to George Washington Smith Jr. (The source of the marriage date and that information is "Marriage Records of Raleigh County West Virginia 1850-1910" compiled by Ronald Ray Turner.) After George died, she married the Rev. Andrew (Andy) Runyon. Rev. Andrew Runyon obituary. Emma Biars died on 26 Aug 1967 in Raleigh County. Emma Biars obituary

Photos: George Washington Smith Jr. and his second wife Emma Catherine Biars and their family. George is in the center, seated, and Emma is to his left. Behind Emma is their son Earl George Smith and his wife Golda Mae Vest, holding Billy Lee Smith. If you can identify the others, please e-mail me. Smith children -- brothers Everett, Carl and Ernest Smith and two of their sister K. Golda Smith Fox's children, James and Dorothy Fox.

Children of George and Emma are:

  • K. Golda Smith, born 23 Sept 1909 in Raleigh County, died 11 June  2009 at 99 years old, the last surviving member of her birth family. She married Euell Emory Fox (14 June 1900/30 Aug 1968). Mrs. Fox was postmaster at the Abraham Post Office for many years and was the subject of several news articles.  Link to Register Herald, Beckley, W.Va., obituary, 13 June 2009.  Excerpt from obituary:

Kay Golda Smith Fox
Kay Golda Smith Fox, age 99, of Abraham, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, June 11, 2009, following a long illness. Born on Sept. 23, 1909, at Abraham, she was the daughter of the late George W. Smith and Emma Biars Smith. Mrs. Fox was a postmaster at Abraham for 42 years, having started at Abraham in 1938. She also operated a local grocery store at Abraham. She was a member of the New Salem Baptist Church at Abraham, since Aug. 13, 1933, where she served as church treasurer for 27 years. She was a member of the Association of Postmasters. For the last two years she had made her home at Greystone Inn at Daniels. Mrs. Fox was the last surviving family member of 15 children. She was preceded in death by her husband, Euell E. Fox, whom she married on Jan. 21, 1927; by a son, James E. Fox; a daughter, Dorothy Fox Plumley; brothers, Oley Smith, C.O. Smith, Glenville Smith, Arthur Smith, Earl Smith, Everett Smith, Ernest Smith and Carl Smith; sisters, Bessie Arthur, Bertha Surbaugh, Mae Huffman, Ada Smith, Pearl Gwinn, and Eda Ellison; grandsons, Roger and Dennis Plumley; and a son-in-law, Herman L. Nicholas Jr. ...Burial will be in the New Salem Baptist Church Cemetery at Abraham, Raleigh County, W.Va.

Link to Raleigh County Landmarks photo of the Abraham Post office.

Fox family photo -- Rosa Fox (wife of Rancelor) and children: Left to right, Lennie Miller and husband Hershey “H.J.” Fox, Bronzie Fox, Rosa Fox, Omer Bennett and wife Inez Fox, Euell Fox holding son James E., and wife K. Golda Smith Fox. Children, left to right: Sara Frances Fox (wife of James E. Christian - wedding article) and brother H.J. Fox Jr., and Dorothy Fox (wife of Garland Plumley) daughter of Golda and Euell.

  • Eda Flora “Edie” Smith, born 11 Feb 1912, Abraham; died 30 June 2003, Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospital, Raleigh County. Married Horace Benton Ellison (October 1909, Pluto, Raleigh County/17 March 1956, Pinch Creek Road, Pluto). According to her obituary, “Mrs. Ellison was a homemaker and a former assistant at the Abraham Post Office. She enjoyed quilting and listening to religious broadcasts on the radio. She was of the Baptist faith.” She was buried in Meador Cemetery, Pluto.
  • Earl George Smith, born 21 March 1914; died 07 April 1986. Married Golda Mae Vest 26 Dec 1934. Golda, a teacher, was a daughter of Leonard Vest and his wife Emma Stella Gadd. (See Vest/Cochran page.) Earl built their first home at Abraham. They later lived at Jumping Branch in Summers County then bought the Vest farm on White Oak Mountain in Raleigh County from Mrs. Smith's parents. The elder couple built a new house nearby on the property. For years the Vest/Smith home ("the yellow house") was a way station for travelers crossing the mountain and there are many stories about people who took shelter there. Mr. Smith spent most of his working life as a coal miner and died from black lung. He was a member of the United Mine Workers of America. Mrs. Smith, a graduate of Concord College, Athens, W.Va., taught in Summers and Raleigh counties. They were members of the New Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Abraham,  and later switched membership to the newly formed White Oak Missionary Baptist Church, White Oak, W.Va.,  where Earl was a deacon. The couple and two of their four children, Billy and Bobby, who died in childhood, are buried in Smith Cemetery on their White Oak Mountain farm. (See Smith Cemetery pictures on the home page.) They were honest, hardworking Christian people. Earl died first and Golda never stopped missing him until the day she died.
  • Carl Eugene Smith, born 17 Sept 1916, Abraham; died 31 July 1995, Beckley, W.Va. Married Bessie Kincaid 24 Jan 1947. According to Carl's obituary in the Beckley newspaper, he "was a disabled World War II U.S. Army veteran, having received the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. He was a lifelong member of the DAV Chapter No. 18 and was of the Baptist faith." Entombment was in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens Mausoleum of Faith, Beckley.
  • Everett Abraham Smith, born 01 March 1918, Abraham; died 05 March 2003, at Montgomery Elderly Care, W.Va. Married Iva Violet McDaniel. According to his obituary, “Mr. Smith was a member and former trustee of Chelyan United Methodist Church. He had also worked tirelessly after his retirement on the clean-up and upkeep of the Slaughter's Creek Cemetery. He was a retired foreman for Valley Camp Coal Co.” He was buried in Kanawha Valley Memorial Gardens, Glasgow, W.Va.
  • Ernest Sidney Smith, born 01 Dec 1919; died 27 March 1978. He was a retired coal miner and a veteran of World War II. Married Macie Mildred Meadows 15 March 1941. Macie (10 June 1923, at Pluto, W.Va./ 26 Aug 2005, Shady Spring, Raleigh County, W.Va.) was the daughter of the late H. Sanford Meadows and Stella Ward Meadows. According to her obituary, “ ‘Nanny’ was a retired LPN, and enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Other hobbies included bird watching, gardening, nature, and traveling. She was of the Baptist faith." Mr. and Mrs. Smith were buried in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Ernest Sidney Smith obituary  

The Biars Family of Gallipolis, Ohio

Gustava "Gus" Biars was born 08 Mar 1850 in what is now Germany and immigrated to the United States in 1869, according to the 1910 federal census. (Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Clay, Gallia, Ohio; Roll: T624_1184; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 28; Image: 641.)  His obituary said he was born in Holland and his death certificate says "Holland Germany." Also known as Gus. Alternative spellings of his name include: Gustaphe Beiar, Gustav Bear, Gustif Biar, Gustas Biar. Information on Ancestry.com has his name as Gustavu.

He married Catharine "Kate" Kraus 24 Aug 1871 in Gallia County, Ohio. Their names were recorded as Gustaphe Beiar and Katharine Krouse. Mrs. Biars' name is spelled Kathern on a death record and Kate in her obituary. Mrs. Biars was born in 1848 in Baden, Germany, and immigrated to the United States in 1870, according to the 1920 federal census. (Source Citation: Year: 1920; Census Place: Clay, Gallia, Ohio; Roll: T625_1385; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 46; Image: 68. Year of immigration: 1870.)

Mr. and Mrs. Biars were farmers.

On 17 Oct 1916, Mr. Biars, who had been ill, took his own life at his Clipper Mill home in Ohio. "His lifeless body was found at 10 o'clock when his wife and son returned from a trip to Gallipolis. Poor health is thought to have caused the suicide, Mr. Biars having suffered two strokes of paralysis recently." His granddaughter Eda Smith Ellison said he managed to hang himself from the headboard of his bed.

Mrs. Biars died 22 Jun 1932 in her home. (Source of death date: Kathern Biars, Ancestry.com and Ohio Department of Health.) Her obit in the Gallipolis Daily Tribune said, “As a peddler of produce, driving a team of old horses, she was a familiar figure on the streets of Gallipolis for many years.” The couple had six children:

  • John Phillip A.  Biars*, born 03 Feb 1875, Harrison County, Ohio, died Scioto County, Ohio, in the Great Influenza Epidemic, around 1918-19. He is buried in the Milldale Cemetery, New Boston, Scioto County. He married Catherine Middleton (27 Aug 1887 Greenup County, Ky./18 Aug 1931, Bonser Run, Sciotoville, Ohio), daughter of James Middleton and wife Eliza Sparks, 16 Oct 1905 in Scioto County. Alternative spelling of Mrs. Biars name – Sarah Cathryn Middleton. Additional spouse: John Edward Rice. Seven children of John and Catherine were: Nora Marie Biars (30 Sept 1911/13 April 1980). Married Earnest Frederick Morrison in Greenup, Ky., 11 April 1933. Buried in Floral Hills, Scioto County, Ohio. Fanny Biars (Abt. 1906). Married Wesley H. Purtee. John H. Biars (19 Jan 1909/30 July 1972). Buried in Pine Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Wheelersburg, Scioto. Pearl Biars - died as a child, no dates. Lisa Biars - no information. Marion Jane Biars (30 Nov 1915/30 June 1916). Buried School Land Hollow, Milldale Cemetery, Scioto County, Ohio. Opal Biars (12 June 1917/04 Nov 1918) Milldale Cemetery, New Boston, Scioto County, Ohio.
    Photos:      John Biars and his wife Catherine Middleton. John and Catherine Biars family. Fanny, Jack and Nora Biars.
  • Emma Catherine Biars, born 20 Jul 1878, Harrison County, died 26 Aug 1967, Summers County, W.Va. Emma married George Washington Smith Jr. of Abraham, Raleigh County, W.Va., and had seven children. She is buried in the New Salem Baptist Church Cemetery in Abraham. (See list of children and more information above.)
  • Henry Biars, born 16 Aug 1877, Harrison County, death date unknown. Henry drowned in the Ohio River at the age of 12, according to his niece Eda Smith Ellison. His body was never found. In a 1992 letter, James B. Warren, Augustus Biars’ son-in-law, said Henry drowned at age 19. Nina Vest Bennett, Emma Biars Smith's neighbor in  Abraham, wrote "...Mrs. Smith told me that she had one brother who was drowned, they never found him because he went down in quick sand."
  • Augustus Biars, born 10 Aug 1883, Ohio, died Oct 1971 in Hinton, Summers County, W.Va. He and wife Myrtle Bragg had five children. Augustus Biars obituary
  • Frederick Biars, born 15 Aug 1884, Gallia County, died Nov 1979, Gallia County, Ohio. He married Ella Siders and Anna White.
  • Christopher William Biars, born 18 Nov 1880, Gallia County, died 13 Jun 1973 Holzer Medical Center, Gallipolis, Ohio. Christopher and wife Edith Mae Kingery together had five children.

Photos: Gustava Biars and Kate Kraus (Emma's parents) and sons, left to right, Chris, John Philip A., Augustus and, seated between his parents, Fred.

Tombstones in Mina Cemetery, Gallipolis: Gustava and Catharine. Frederick Biars. John and Margaret Kraus.

* Information and photos of John and his family and the Mina Cemetery tombstones shared by Cousin Randy and his wife Kim.

Go to Smith/Biars Page two

Return to West Virginia Memories home page