CARPER:

Nicholas Carper and Sarah (Nida) Carper were the first of this family who came to this country; arrived here in the year 1858, both descendants of old colonial families of Virginia; they appear to have began wedded life in Giles County, in which county their eight sons and two daughters were born, all of whom came with them to Roane County.

Nicholas soon purchased a tract of three hundred and ten acres of land lying on Shaver Fork, which Beverly J. Taylor conveyed to him in fee simple by deed, dated 28th July, 1868. Over their heads and all about them, a heavy forest "its mighty branches tossed"; an ideal place for such a family of boys: Alkanab, the eldest, then a lad of ten years. The dominating impulses of this parental pair of pioneers were to make a best home and contribute to making a most moral neighborhood, the latter to be accomplished by support of the Baptist Church, both lived to see full fruition of their hopes.

The names of these children of Nicholas and Sarah mentioned are Alkanab W., Clifton H., Calahan C., Miles M., Shelton V., ChaHes W., James Ballard, Harvey R., Almira and Martha.

Alkanah W. Carper was born October 15, 1839; on Novemher 22, 1865, he married Mary J., daughter of John and Frances (Cochran) Smith ,a pioneer preacher, having come here from Nicholas County, western Virginia, in which county Mary J. was born (see Smith); of this marriage three daughters and four sons were born, all in Roane County, Sarah F., September 22, 1866 ;Orpha M., October 30, 1868; John N., June 24, 1871; Stella A., August 25, 1873; Joseph N., August 8, 1875; William I., May 3, 1873; James G., August 30, 1880. Alkanah W., familiarly called "Kane,' 'served with the Union soldiers three years of the Civil War, Company B, 9th W. Va. Infantry.

The foregoing names of children is copied from Hardesty's History, and its correctness must be doubted as to names of children. A marriage record in county clerk's office has this: "Nelson J. Carper to Ocie Osborne, March 30, 1904; his age 27, her age 22."

Clifton H. Carper, son of Nicholas and Sarah (Nida) Carper, was born in Giles County, Virginia, year 1843. In Roane County, December 9, 1867, he married Prussia, daughter of Mordicai and Margaret (Greathouse) Stackhouse, who came here from Jackson County, western Virginia; of this marriage were born three sons and three daughters: Woodville G., July 7, 1869; Shelton R., January 4, 1871, died in youth; George A., April 3, 1873; Mary G., February 12, 1876; Prussia E., June 22, 1878, and LiHie 0., June 24, 1881. Clifton H. Carper was a Union soldier, Co. B., 9th W. Va. Infantry; taken prisoner at Cloyd Mountain, escaped soon and joined his company; his hardships of this is the thrilling episode of his life.

Miles M. Carper, son of Nicholas and Sarah (Nida) Carper, born December 14, 1846; married Jane D., daughter of William and Priscilla (Samples) Paxton, in Clay County, December 28, 1871. To this union were born five sons and one daughter: Walter V., January 6, 1873; James M., June 2, 1875; Christopher C., April 2, 1877; Wm. H., died in infancy; Freddie, born June 9, 1881, and the daughter, Lillie B., September 17,1883.

Sbelton V. Carper, son of Nicholas and Sarah his wife, was born Jan. 8, 1851; in Roane County, June 17, 1877, he married Susan J., daughter of Dusossoway and Mary A. (Patton) Ledsom, in this district. Their children are Ocia B., born Oct.13, 1878; Rama D., Dec. 13,1880, and Oka P., April 18, 1882. Sallie married Josiah King; Pruda married Ceo. W. King; Robert F. married Lizzie Hively and Roy married Bertha Nida; both these sons live on the old home farm.

Shelton V. Carper was above the average of citizens in common sense; was elected and served one term as Delegate for Roane County in the State Legislature, twenty-ninth session, 1909.

Calahan C. Carper ("Cal"), son of Nicholas and Sarah (Nida) Carper, was born in Giles County, Virginia~ne of the older sons of the family-and came to Big Sandy, now Geary District, with the family; for wife he married Rachel C. Taylor, daughter of "Henty" Taylor. March 29, 1869--name of wife and date of marriage taken from the county marriage records.

Of this marriage we can name the following four sons and four daughters:

Charles, Ephraim, Waitman, George, Cynthia, Dora, Mollie and Stella. Further:

We do not have the names of wives of Charles and Ephraim Carper of above family.

George married a daughter of William Knight.

Waitman married Charity Drake, daughter of Newton Drake of the Drake family of Geary District.

Mollie became the wife of Jackson Knight, son of Wifliam P. Knight, of Left Hand of Sandy.

Stella married George W. McCrosky, son of William C. MeCrosky of Big Sandy of Geary District.

James Ballard Carper was born in Giles County, Virginia, August 13, 1855, son of the Nicholas and Sarah (Nida) Carper, first of the Carpers in Roane; came to this county with his parents in 1858; married in Roane County Rebecca, daughter of Alexander Justice and his wife of a Russel County, Virginia, family of the name Justice.

Harvey R. Carper, born in Giles County, Virginia, year 1857, son of Nicholas and Sarah Carper, first of the name in Sandy country, married Savanah Cook, born in Roane County, April 11, 1873, daughter of Barnabas S. and Sarah J. (Truman) Cook, at the home of B. S. Cook, her father, at mouth of Left Hand, August 15, 1888. Of this wedded life of Harvey R. and Savannah were horn the following named sons and daughters: Otis Gay, 1889; Clara Ethel, 1891; Molta Ray, 1895; Anna and Amma, twins, 1900; Romie Carl, 1902; Hazel died in infancy, and John Edward, born in 1912.

Soon after marriage, Harvey R. and Savannah made their home on a farm adjoining the B. S. Cook farm, and have lived there ever since, and their children were born there.

We find no record of the Almira, daughter of Nicholas and Sarah Carper. But we find in marriage record that a Martha E. Carper married James H. Goad, September 14, 1868. Marriage records of that date do not show births, age or parentage of the parties to the wedding.


Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927 William H. Bishop, Esq. p 471-472
Submitter: Sandy Spradling, November 28, 1999