About
I always joked that I was descended from Appalachian aristocracy. My mother is a Whitaker from Tazewell County, Virginia, the great-granddaughter of James Whitaker, Jr. He came from Smyth County in 1850 to purchase land that straddles Tazewell and McDowell County, West Virginia. It came to be known as Whitaker Ridge. The photo at the top is taken on Whitaker Ridge looking into McDowell County. It was wilderness when they settled, and it sill is. The family didn’t make their mark upon the land as much as the land made a mark upon them. This area has an interesting history involving the making of moonshine and family feuds, and the Whitakers gained a colorful reputation for being an ornery bunch. Life on the Ridge was hard. It took a great deal of effort to make a living, so they had to be tough and determined.
My father’s people, the Tates were from Russell County, Scotch Irish immigrants who moved into in Pennsylvania, slowly migrated down the Shenandoah Valley, and settled in Southwestern Virginia between the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars. Col. John Tate and his brother Robert built log cabins, block forts, one was even named Fort Tate, were active in local government, and served in the militia. There have been Tate ancestors and their descendants who have served in the military from Lord Dunmore’s War to today. My father was a career Marine, serving in World War II and the Korean War. Semper Fi!
I’m the one in the family who collects things – old photos, books, antiques, and more stuff than I even know I have. My intentions have been to share what I have gathered on family history, but it seems like the “hurrieder I go, the behinder I get” to use an old Amish expression. I figure if I can add things in short amounts, it will total up.
My Families:
- Whitaker, Christian, Pack, Beavers, Petts (Tazewell County, VA and McDowell County, WV)
- Chambers, Tate, Davenport, Owens, Payne (Washington and Russell Counties, VA)
- Johnson, Bryant (Buckingham County, VA)
- Hamman/Hammond (Botetourt and Tazewell Counties, VA)
My Husband’s Families
- Duke (Clarke and Wilcox Counties, AL).
- Russell (York, Co. ME)
- Cluverius, Seawell (Gloucester, King William and King & Queen Counties, VA)
- Walker, Temple, Hill, Fleet (King & Queen Co. VA)
- Hurst, Spiller, Hudnall (Northumberland Co. VA)
My family tree is full of nuts.
I enjoy this site, it is worth me coming back
Thank you Kelli. I’m new at this so I can use all the encouragement I can get!
I am researching Cluverius of Gloucester County, VA — Micham B., Sallie, children Charles, William, Fannie C. and particularly Rebecca. Found them in 1860 and 1870 census. Believe M. B. through his son, William, is connected to the Yorktown, VA Cluverius branch and through daughter,Fannie C., to the Eastern Shore, VA branch. Have you any information on the M. B. Cluverius line and how it connects to yours or goes forward to the present? Your Cluverius history is most interesting.
Hi, Janice,
My husband’s Cluverius family do come from Gloucester Co., although they moved to King William and ultimately to King and Queen Co. VA, settling at Little Plymouth. All the VA Cluverius HAVE to be related, but trying to sort out the various branches is difficult. It is harder for our side because of being related to Thomas Judson Cluverius. His trial and subsequent hanging for the murder of his cousin Lillian Madison, was the Scott Peterson and OJ Simpson trial of that era. As a result, the Cluverius relatives distanced themselves from the our side of the family, and claimed no relation.
I have run across M. B.’s name but have no information on him as I’ve trying to get our Cluverius line beyond Beverly William Cluverius, the father of the infamous Thomas and William Beverly Cluverius, my husband’s great grandfather. I plan to do a posting on my blog about how deep of secret it was in the family about Uncle Tom. If I don’t get around to it in a several months please remind me. In the meantime, if I run across any info on M.B. I will send it along.
Cheers,
Cheryl