Greenleaf, John
Date 2008/11/16 16:35:37 | Topic: Family Histories
| GREENLEAF: John Greenleaf and his family settled on upper Mill Creek at what is now known
as Gay, in Jackson County, “in a very early day,’ ‘is all we can learn from his descendants.
Some entries in the county court order books spell or enter his name as “John Greenleaves.”
Hardesty’s History has it so in its paragraph on the History of Roane County; but conveyances
and other papers signed by him has it John Greenleaf. His grandson, Virgil Greenleaf, says he
never heard of it as “Greenleaves” or “Greanleaves.” The family tradition is that John
Greenleaf was born or spent the first years of his manhood on the upper waters of the Little
Kanawha. He was living on his farm on Mill Creek when the County of Roane was formed; his
family all grown up then, and had married for second wife, Catherine Cox, widow of Phillip D.
Cox—mentioned as pioneer merchant of Village of Reedy. See Ch. V, this work. To John
Greenleaf and , his first wife, were born and by them brought up on Mill Creek, the following
sons and daughters—written here in order of supposed births: George Riley, Elliott, Seymore,
John, Jr., Benjamin, Thornton, Ruhama “Ruie,” Caroline and Mary. Further about these sons and
daughters—Greenleafs: George Riley Greenleaf married Miss Harriett Raines, June 3, 1856.
She is a daughter of John Raines of Flat Fork. The newly-weds made their lifetime home on Flat
Fork. To George R. and Harriett (Raines) his wife, were born and by them reared the following
sons and daughters: Filmore, Mary M., John Franklin, Virgil H. These all married and reared
families most of them on Pocatalico. Virgil H. married Katie Ryan. September 13, 1891. She
was a daughter of Rev. Thomas P. Ryan and wife, of Trace Fork. Virgil H. and Katie have
reared three sons and six daughters. John Franklin Greenleaf, son of George R. Greenleaf and
Harriett (Raines), married as “Frank”—Miss Martha M. Hunt, February 10, 1884, his age 23,
her’s 16. He was chief of police of Spencer one time and lived here.
Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927 William H. Bishop, Esq. p 536
******************************************************************
Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Sandy Spradling
SSpradling@aol.com
November 28, 1999
******************************************************************
|
|