DRODDY: Pioneer of Walton.
Charles Droddy was the first of this name here. His descendants, though several of them grandsons now past middle age, remember all too little of the family history. It is known, however, that the father of Charles Droddy with a wife and several children were settlers on the Red River in Texas; that Charles served as a soldier in the War of 1812, and with Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans, 1814, however, he must have been a mere boy, yet he drew a United States pension as a veteran of that war, down to time of his death, 1865.
Charles Droddy was a "trader" of the kind who came up the rivers and bought hides, pelts, furs, venison and bearmeats for the New Orleans market; though we have no definite information as to what errand dropped him into this Pocatalico wilds about the year 1825, the facts are he married here, Miss Sarah Gandee, daughter of Uriah and Mercy Massie (Hughes) Gandee, about the year 1826; acquired a large tract of land on which is now the town of Walton. Made a large and attractive pioneer farm and he and Sarah, his wife, spent their long and industrious married life and reared here their family of four sons and three daughters. Their names: Calvin C., George W., Charles Allman, Christopher C., and Floyd E., Malinda, Mary "Polly," and Melissa.
Further of these sons and daughters:
George W. Droddy, son of Charles and Sarah (Gandee), his wife, enlisted as a soldier and served in the Federal armies of the Civil War. He married Martha (Mat), a daughter of John M. Jones, of Cotton Tree Creek. After the war they made their home at Walton, and reared two sons. Their names: Augustus and "Buzz." Augustus, at the age of 24, married Rosie Tanner (Widow Goff), March 31, 1892.
Christopher C. Droddy, son of Charles and Sarah, his wife, was born October 29, 1830, married on Rock Creek, July 3, 1854, Belinda C. Walker, born in Monroe County, W. Va., daughter of Daniel and Catherine (Myers) Walker, natives of Botetourt County, Virginia, who settled on Rock Creek of lower Pocatalico in 1854. Christopher C. enlisted and served as a Union soldier in the War of the Rebellion. The home farm of Christopher was made opposite the mouth of McKnows Creek, where he and his wife reared their family of five sons and four daughters. Their names, dates of respective births, and marriages--so far as we know--are as follows:
Daniel Miller, 1855, married Margaret Shaver, October 27, 1876. Sarah S. born 1857, married Frank Ferrell. Catherine F., 1859, married George S. Harper, of lower Poca, December 30, 1882. Charles M., 1861, married Mary Ann Harper, December 20, 1884, his age 23, hers 20. George Christopher, born 1864, married Mary C. Jones (then Widow Hensley), daughter of Isaac Jones, of Walton. Leanna J., born July 20, 1866, married Okey H. Boggs. of Wirt County, on June 17, 1886, her age 19, his age 22. Mary E., born 1868, married Charles W. Harper. They, Chas. W. Harper and Mary E., have six children. Ota F., married a Miss Gibson, of Kanawha County. Thomas B., born May 22, 1875, married Martha Hunt, April 17, 1898, his age 22, hers 18. Cornelia E., born March 23, 1877, married Thomas R. Raines, of Flat Fork, May 8, 1898, her age 20, his age 20.
Calvin C. Droddy, son of Charles and Sarah (Gandee) married Miss Mary C. Counts, of Poca, October 19, 1874.
Floyd E. Droddy, son of Charles and Sarah (Gandee) was born October 8, 1850, married July 26, 1875, Miss Mary C. Harless, born in Montgomery County, Virginia, January 13, 1855, daughter of Ballard and Mary (Snyder) Harless. Floyd E. and Mary C., his wife, made their lifes home near Walton, where to them were born and by them reared the following children: Eva, July 16, 1876; Sarah J., January 16, 1879; Pruella, October 21, 1881. In his biograph in Hardesty's History--1882==Floyd F. says "he has in his possession a pewter tea pot one hundred years old that was the property of Jesse Hughes, the renowned Indian hunter," his wife's grandfather.
Melinda, daughter of Charles and Sarah (Gandee) Droddy, married Elias Summerfield, son of the pioneer family of Summerfields, of Pocatalico. And "Polly" Droddy, her sister, married Jacob Summerfield. the brother of Elias, above named. We have no information concerning Melissa Droddy, last of the first family of Droddys.
A Walter O. Droddy married a Miss Allie B. Lowe, September 17, 1893, his age 22, her age 18; this from the county marriage records. but we do not have their family connections.
Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927 William H. Bishop, Esq. p 510-512
Submitter: Sandy Spradling, November 28, 1999
