www.robertmackayclan.com

ROBERT McKAY CLANNEWSLETTER

Vol. 50 #1 Michael L. McKay, Editor,115 Morgan St., Winchester, VA 22601Phone (540) 667-1243 | mike@robertmackayclan.comKimberly A. Price, Co-Editor,66 E 7660 S, Midvale, UT 84047Phone (801) 567-1190 | stimpyinc@yahoo.comBetty I. Powers, Mailing,996 Ashby Station Rd., Front Royal, VA 22630Phone (540) 636-7356 | bippy603@yahoo.com

Circulation 332 30th April 2009Also serving Sowers, Kerfoot and other related families.

GREETINGS

Welcome to my fifth edition of The Robert Mackay Clan Newsletter. This Newsletter is made possible by the generous donations from its readers. Without you we wouldn’t have the funds needed to produce our family Newsletter. The expenses for the spring 2008 Newsletter totalled $444.80. Due to the increasing costs of postage we found it necessary to ask the readers to send a donation prior to receiving your copy of this year’s Newsletter. The Newsletter is printed in the Spring in order to get the information regarding the forthcoming Virginia McKay Reunion out in a timely fashion. Please consider sending a donation to help us cover the expenses for producing this Newsletter.

NEWSLETTER NOW ONLINE

For those of you interested, the Robert McKay Clan Newsletter now has an online edition through Yahoo! Groups. If you would like to receive the Newsletter as an electronic file please go to this URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/robertmackayclan/join You will need a Yahoo! ID in order to join and view the Newsletter online.

ANNUAL VIRGINIA McKAY REUNION(McKay-Sowers-Kerfoot)

You should have received a separate announcement about our annual Virginia Robert McKay Clan Reunion but as a reminder our annual gathering will be held on Sunday 28th June 2009 with lunch starting at 1:00 p.m. This year’s reunion will again be a covered dish picnic and will be held at the Lion’s Park Shelter # 5 in Front Royal, VA. If you have misplaced your notice about the picnic and need directions you can reach me at the contact information in the above right corner of this page.

COLLETT-McKAY PICNIC

The annual Collett-McKay Picnic held every year since 1866 is scheduled to be held on the family picnic grounds at the corner of Inwood and Gurneyville Roads in northwestern Clinton County, Ohio on Saturday 8th August 2009 beginning at 12 noon.

To get to the picnic grounds from I-71 take U.S. 68 South and turn right onto Gurneyville Road. Follow Gurneyville Road for about three miles. Picnic grounds are on the left at the corner of Inwood and Gurneyville Roads.

BETHEL MEMORIAL INC. MEETINGS

Meeting and Traditional Service The annual Bethel Memorial Incorporated Meeting and Traditional Service will be held on Sunday 23rd August 2009 at Bethel Church south of Millwood, VA beginning at 11:00 a.m. with a picnic under the oaks immediately following the service. The details have not yet been completed as to whom the guest speaker will be but will be posted on the Robert Mackay Clan website once they become known. Bethel has been the home church for many generations of our Sowers and Kerfoot families. To get to Bethel on U.S. 50 between the Shenandoah River and the U.S. 340 interchange at Waterloo turn onto State Route 622 (Red Gate Rd.). Follow 622 (Red Gate Rd.) for about a mile or so and turn left onto State Route 624 (Swift Shoals Rd.). Drive about a half mile or so and turn right onto Bethel Lane. Bethel Church is located on the top of the hill. The road encircles the building.

Christmas Carols and Lessons Service Additionally, Bethel’s annual Christmas Carols and Lessons Service will be held on Sunday 20th Dec 2009 beginning at 5:00 p.m. Our Christmas service has been well attended in the past. Due to the fact that there is no heat in the building attendees should be prepared to dress warmly. The service usually lasts about 30 minutes.

PAST REUNION NEWS

COLLETT-MCKAY PICNIC, THE SECOND SATURDAY IN AUGUST

By D. Howard Dostera Family Recorder

“Cousins by the Dozens”, that phrase describes this writer and many others who live in or near Chester Township, just northwest of Wilmington. A total of 175 persons signed the register at the 143rd annual Collett-McKay Picnic on August 12, 2008. It’s always the second Saturday in August, and you can find the four-acre family-owned site on August 8, 2009, at 5151 Gurneyville Road. Several cousins still live on the surrounding farms, part of the original 1,000 acres purchased by a northern Virginia Quaker, Moses McKay, in 1805 from Nathaniel Massey, a surveyor of the Virginia Military Land Grants. Two

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persons from Colorado found the 08 picnic after reading about it on the McKay Clan website. “Some people come to the Picnic, and some don’t. We do”, Esther Underwood Doster often said. She first attended the year before she and Dad married, and missed only once the rest of her 105-year life, which ended peacefully on October 23, 2008. She dressed, had breakfast, and told her friend, “I’m ready to die.” Thirty seconds later, she died. Mom and Dad also said, “We’ll go to Kingman High School and Wilmington College Alumni if we get the corn planted and the hay put up.” They always went. Mom had perfect attendance at both. Kathryn Luby’s McKay genealogy boards were again studied by many as parents showed their kids how they were related to one of the four McKay kids who married four Collett’s in the 1820’s. Kathryn continues to ask for new names to add to the boards. The youngest added at the 08 picnic was Hayden Jade Lawson, grand-daughter of John and Sherry Mothersole, who live on the farm across the road from the picnic site. Haines families lived next to both Moses and Abigail Shinn McKay at Cedarville, Virginia, and Daniel and Mary Haines Collett, who were twenty miles NE, near Charlestown, Virginia. The first Ohio Haines picnic was held sixteen years before the first Collett-McKay Picnic, in 1850, at Caesar Creek Friends Meeting House, where McKay’s first attended in Ohio, and where Collett’s are buried, two miles west of the Collett-McKay Picnic site. Out-of state persons attending included the following: China, Roger Magee, Shanghai; Colorado, Mary and Raymond Sell, Boulder; Florida, Debby Andrew Worthing and Rhea Worthing, Tampa, Nancy Collett Del Pian, Port Charlotte; Georgia, David and Paul Jackson, Marietta; Illinois, Chad, Karen, and Charles Fabian, Des Plaines; Robin Fabian, Woodstock; Katie and Bart Fabianowcz, Buffalo Grove; Allen, Carla, and Jason Inwood, Lebanon; Fred Maker, Bartlett; Iowa, Jim and Tricia Talmage Giesting, Glenwood; Kentucky, Kay and David Sell, Richmond; Michigan, Cindi, David, and Adam Doster, Novi; Montana, Jeweliann Billingsley, Shepherd; New York, Bernice and Brian Magee, Dryden; Nevada, Una Taylor Williams, Reno; North Carolina, Will Sloan; Tennessee, Brian Jacobson, Oak Ridge, and Marilyn Talmage, Nashville; Wisconsin, Ellen Magee, Madison; Virginia, Michael McKay, Winchester.

Photos from the picnic

Your editor with Howard Doster and Mary (Babb) Levo.

Your editor with some of the family of Chuck and Kate (Hackney) Luby. They host me during the picnic weekend.

Kate (Hackney) Luby’s 12 Tribes of Moses McKay descendants chart.

Picnic style gathering a success for 63rd annual Robert McKay Clan Reunion!!

For our first attempt at switching to a more informal picnic style gathering for our annual reunion I believe it was a success. There were 33 people present at this reunion and the large playground adjacent to the picnic shelter proved to be very enjoyable for the children present this year. It will be necessary to reserve this shelter very soon in order to secure it for next year's gathering. A basket luncheon was enjoyed by everyone present. There was a threat of rain later in the afternoon but we didn't experience it during the picnic. We did not hold a business meeting as we had done in the past as it doesn't seem necessary for what we do here. It is hoped that as news of our switch to a picnic gathering spreads we will see more people attend. Attending this year's gathering were: Michael and Kimberly McKay, Courtney, Mason, Madison, Matthew & Jason of Cumberland, MD; Shirley McKay of Berryville, VA; Kate & Chuck Luby of Wilmington, OH; Helen Burch & Greg Burch of Charles Town, WV; Fred and Joyce McKay of Winchester, VA;

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John McKay of Richmond, VA; Michael McKay of Winchester, VA; Jay Keller of Front Royal, VA; Maurice Bowen of Rockland, VA; Bill and Sue Mitchell of Warrenton, VA; Betty Powers of Rockland, VA; Sue Gardner Bogle of Winchester, VA; Jane Gardner of Alexandria, VA; Archie and Cathy McKay of Winchester, VA; Frances Anderson of Markham, VA; Phyllis Gardner of Middletown, VA; Anne McKay Jacobson of Chattanooga, TN; Andrea McKay Jacobson of Nashville, TN; Jeff and Heather McKay, Logan & Emileigh of Winchester, VA.

Photos from the picnic

Your editor’s nephew Logan McKay enjoying the playground.

Your editor’s niece Emiliegh McKay at the picnic shelter.

Some of the cousins posing for a picture at the picnic.

NEWS FROM CARDS AND LETTERS

Herb & Linda McKay (Golden) Brown: Dear Michael, I am so sorry to return yet another McKay Reunion card with our “Regrets.” The location and amenities appear to be perfect. I wish our calendar did not conflict! I have enclosed our check to cover McKay Newsletter expenses and I look forward to receiving the “family news.” I am sending a copy of our 2007 family Christmas letter. My records indicate I may not have sent you a copy? We returned from a home repair mission trip to Louisiana, prior to the Thanksgiving Holidays. Life was very hectic, as you can imagine! We continue a very active church life, along with co-Chairing the Holland’s United Methodist Church Missions Committee. We hope to return to Louisiana this fall to tackle another Hurricane Rita damaged home. We attempt to keep up with our daughter, Julie, and family, living nearby. We enjoyed visits from our son, Mark, and family, while they were enroute from Florida. They participate in the winter art festivals, returning to their Spring/Summer residence in Carlisle, PA. They begin the same cycle of art festivals in the North, commencing with the Memorial Day Weekend. It is an extremely hectic lifestyle! We will miss hugging all the cousins, but please give them our Best Regards and love. In His Grace, Linda and Herb Brown.Thanks for all you do to keep the spirit of the McKay Clan alive…We appreciate you! Cousin Linda

MERRY CHRISTMAS, 2007!“Every Christmas I read this reminder that came in the mail several years ago: If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior. He became like us, so we could become like him. Angels still sing and the star still beckons. He loves each one of us like there was only one of us to love. (When God Whispers Your Name…Max Lucado)When Herb and I accepted the role as Co-Chairpersons for the 2007 Missions Committee at Holland’s United Methodist Church, we knew we were preparing for a busy year ahead! We recently agreed to continue in this work area through 2008. The following, reflects a portion of the Mission Committee agenda:January 14-20, 2007: Participation on a Raleigh District Hurricane Katrina home repair mission to D’Iberville, Mississippi, brought us face to face with the personal side of the devastation. We drove for miles and miles along the Gulf Coast…only the storm damaged Live Oak trees bore signs of beachfront life.M.E.R.C.I. (Marion Edwards Recovery Center Initiative) is the site of a disaster response warehouse in Goldsboro, N.C. Our teams built a wheelchair ramp and packed over 60 flood buckets in addition to grounds improvement and cleaning. MERCI is in peril of closing due to lack of funds. I have worked throughout the year on one of three committees challenged with the goal of raising $100,000 each!!Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina: Our team sorted over 6,000 lbs. of food.Wake Interfaith Hospitality Network: Our church will host homeless families for dinner and overnight housing for one week – January and again in August, 2008.“Ministry Opportunities at Holland’s United Methodist Church” Publication: To be released Jan. 2008Appalachian Service Project – Topmost, KentuckyHabitat for Humanity: Fundraisers required to build home ($70,000) Spring, 2008Mission to Dulac, Louisiana – Nov. 10-18: Herb and I led a team of 20 Holland’s UMC members to repair homes damaged by Hurricane Rita – Site of Houma Indian Community.

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Working in one of the homes reminded us of “Extreme Home Makeover.” Whenever new furnishing were delivered, i.e., kitchen cabinets, range, hot water tank, etc., our family members would burst into tears! Our team members purchased beds for the children and Holland’s UMC sent a $300 Wal-Mart gift certificate.Mission Emphasis – Missionary Guest Speakers and Dulac Mission Team testimonies throughout each Sunday in January, 2008.Herb is enrolled in the DISCIPLE BIBLE STUDY II series and United Methodist Men. Linda sings Alto in the Chancel Choir; attends a weekly Bible study; United Methodist Women’s “First Journey Circle.”****************************************************OUR GRANDCHILDREN: Katelyn 9 yrs (Home School; Piano; Girl Scouts; Drama and Baptized!) Jeffrey 6 yrs. (Home School; Piano and “Star Wars!” Luke 4 yrs. (Mother’s Morning Out; John Deere; Disney’s “Cars;” Reading & Enrichment @ Home!) We are living proof of every gift shop “saying” associated with silly ole grandparents!The Soderlund Family spent their summer in Chicago, IL. Kevin, now associated with Hewlett-Packard, was assigned to a Walgreen’s project. Currently, he is working in San Antonio, Texas, with USAA Insurance. The Mark Brown Family participated in East Coast Art Festivals throughout the summer and fall, after returning from a successful winter Art Festival circuit in Florida. Mark won an art magazine’s “Rising Star in the Galaxy” award! Their website featuring his current work and schedule: www.markhbrownartist.com ****************************************************

FRIENDS: VISITS AND TRAVEL:“February Birthday Bash” – Gerri Thurston and Barbara Zimmerman – Winter Garden, Florida. One week of glorious laughter, movies, shopping, and a visit from Billy and Pat Price. (Thurston’s Timeshare) (Round Hill United Methodist Church Friends)Mark, Elizabeth and Luke visit us while traveling the I-95 to and from Florida. Other I-95 friends include Owen Compher and Rev. George and Cora Herndon.IRELAND TOUR, June 14-28, 2007: A lifelong dream come true…shared with Gerri, Ronny and Aaron Thurston. Ronny drove us all over kingdom come, and we couldn’t have gotten there without the navigational skills of Aaron…along with his 1,000 photo moments, now providing cherished memories! The Emerald Isle provides breathtaking experiences throughout every mile of that precious sod, and I have a new appreciation for my potato famine kinfolk!July brought us our Round Hill neighbors, Clinton, Maria and Anthony Frayne. They delivered a new growth “coral bell” from the original 34 yr. old plant left behind in the move. Herb’s grandmother gave us the plant when we were newlyweds! One week later, Don and Joy Anderegg joined us for the “cook’s tour” of the Raleigh/Wilmington, N.C. area. Each visit reminded me of the fun on Christmas morn!A weekend reunion with Mark, Elizabeth and Luke, to celebrate Herb’s August 4 th Birthday, took place at Natural Bridge, Virginia. Although the miles keep our visites limited, we thank God for each moment. Time spent with a 4 year old grandson is a beautiful gift! On our return trip to N.C., we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway, stopping at the Peaks of Otter.Aug. 23-27: Reunion with Jim & Hilda Dutrow and Billy & Pat Price in Statesboro, GA. Hilda’s marvelous cooking, in their elegant new home, along with a steady flow of conversation, made for a wonderful celebration of old friends from the Round Hill UMC. On our return trip, we detoured to Anderson, S.C., to visit Tom & Lee Mueller, (who was babysitting Terry & Sharyl Miller’s children in Augusta, GA.) After prayers over his impending knee replacement surgery; touring the improvements

on their farm; lunch, laughter and teasing, we took off for Raleigh.October 18-23: The Soderlunds and Browns flew to Shreveport, LA., to attend the wedding of my sister, Nancy’s granddaughter, Jennifer Estes to Jonathan Kennedy. Katelyn and her cousin, Jasmine Sipe, were adorable flower girls! I am thrilled to report of my sister’s continuing good health!!! We are so grateful to all who keep her in your prayers.****************************************************

GRATEFUL HEARTS:Friends who share their Spiritual Gift of Hospitality whenever we head “True North.”For the life of Glennis Thomas – Went to be with our Lord, August 7, 2007 – Amazing Christian woman who was first to greet us at Round Hill United Methodist Church and continued as our personal cheerleader!For the birth and life of Jacob Larsen – Grandson of Steve & Linda Sipe. (Jacob was born with his heart positioned backwards!)For my personal health issues and the prayer covering from so many…thank you!For each one of YOU, are treasured family and friends…

ANDFOR THE BIRTH, LIFE, AND ATONING DEATH OF

JESUS CHRIST, OUR PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOR!HERB AND LINDA BROWN

Henry Hal McKay: 6-24-08 Mike, I could not make the Reunion this year. A check is enclosed as a donation for the Newsletter. Henry McKay Michael W. McKay: Mike, the picnic was wonderful. Thanks for all your efforts. Mike W. McKay Lois E. Wunderwald: At 92 years old – I’m a little slow on getting things done. Sure love getting the Newsletter. Lois Wunderwald Julie Brown Soderlund: Sorry, traveling again w/ Kevin. Might be in Toronto, Canada this summer. If we’re not there I’d come. Kevin and Julie Soderlund (Linda McKay Golden Brown’s daughter) will be celebrating 17 years of marriage in May ’08. Julie continues to homeschool Katelyn (10) and Jeffrey (7) and Kevin continues to travel. He hopes to find something local. He works for Hewlett Packard. They live in Raleigh, NC. Mary Ann Brown: May 15, 2008. Dear Michael, My son’s name is also Michael William Brown (55), so the name continues to run through the McKay family. Your plans for the annual McKay reunion in Front Royal look like fun, but I will not be able to attend. I do have fond memories of visiting that area as a child, and my Uncles’ home, Clarence and Aubrey McKay. I grew up in Washington, D.C. and now live just outside of Annapolis, Md. Enclosed is my check. Please include my name on your mailing list. I do enjoy reading the Newsletter. Mary Ann McKay Brown. July 10, 2008. Dear Mike, Many thanks for your April 2008 McKay Clan Newsletter. It is always fun to catch up on the Clan news, and many family activities. This one was special, and I enjoyed all the articles. Thank you too for including the death of my dear husband and best friend, Jerry R. Brown. I am enclosing a write-up that I did after his death on August 20, 2007, and the newspaper obituary. A celebration of his life was held at Kales Funeral Home, and a reception followed at the yacht club, and well over 100 people attended. His body was cremated, and a month later we four immediate family took his ashes aboard ‘The Mary Ann’ and we spread them in the Chesapeake Bay, near Thomas Point Light and Annapolis. I did notify my cousin, Wallace Shipp and our other relatives in Indiana and elsewhere, but they were not aware that he was not buried in Lakemont Cemetery, as my mother and father were,

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Leo and Mildred McKay. I remember attending the McKay Clan picnics in Virginia as a child, and we were often with the Shipps & my Aunt Daisy and their children. Jerry and I were both ‘only children,’ and I have only one son, and he has a son, so we are a very small family. I did send you a $25.00 check in May, but it hasn’t cleared as yet. Hope it got to the right place. Thanks so much. Mary Ann Brown. Shirley Slater: We have added 3 great-grandkids to our family. Carson Glenn 2002 / Nikolas Clement 2006 / Raegan Ruyle 2007. Also is enclosed a donation for Newsletter. Donald S. Clarke: I turned 62 last August. Took early social security. I got a part time job at Kohl’s in February. Still no transportation to get to the Reunion. Have fun. Enclosed check. February 18, 2009. Dear Michael, Enclosed is a check for $20.00 for the Robert McKay Clan newsletter. Sorry to take so long to get back to you. I have been tied up with work and other matters. I thought I would be able to E-mail Mr. Shearman and find out where he got his Robert McKay information to tell you, but I haven’t had the time I hope you are all doing fine and this helps. Your cousin, Don Clarke. Myra Wissinger: I am enjoying Sunnyside very much! Sorry I cannot come. Myra Wissinger. Wallace and Dorothy Shipp: Sat. June 14, 2008.Dear Mike, It looks like we cannot attend the McKay Reunion this year. We would like to very much. The distance, maybe 60 miles is too far for this year. We were surprised that you are having a picnic this year. We had the Ritchie picnic this year June 8th at our house. It was a very hot day so many persons stayed inside for the meal. The food was excellent. Only one group came all the way from Lichdale, Pa. We had a large crowd, many cars. Kelly had things for the children to do. There were many. We had three pools working. Dot did a lot of work before the picnic on her many flower & garden beds. Friday we finished putting up the pea fence in the big garden and went to town for more 24” fence. Today we put in posts for the KY Wonder beans. We measured the row and it is 74’ long. We laid out a roll of fence we were to use, but got rained out. It was so hot. Thank-you for your work with the McKay’s. We have several places here in Harrisonburg that would provide a good place for the reunion. Mrs. Rone’s buffet and The Wood Fire Grill buffett. Let us know if we can help. On May 9th I complete Carth rehab at the Rockingham Memorial Hospital. I started in Feb. In April I also went to physical therapy for my left knee. I am losing weight from all this. It was at last year’s reunion we met a guy married to one of the Stribling girls who encouraged us to go to Oahu for the January dedical of a memorial for Coast Guard persons killed in the Pacific during WWII. Donna, Dot Lynn went with us. The Coast Guard welcomed us at the airport and gave us special attention. It was a trip we will not forget and we want to go back again. Karen obtained from the computer back copies of your N/L, but not the current copy. We never charged for the N/L and relied on donations. This policy seemed to work. It is nice to know the reunion site in December 2008. We are having our granddaughter Kim Kohli from Fremont, Calif. Visit us the week before the reunion. We are not sure when she & son, Gene & Karen, Josh & Amanda may leave that weekend. It is raining today & we need it. Had to stop outside work. Keep up the good work. Sincerely, Wallace & Dot Shipp

John & Helen Kenner: Best wishes to our many times removed McKay inlaws? We are not closely related to the McKays, only through the Kenner marriage and he was an uncle to John (Kenner) many times removed, interesting, but not “vital”, rather a dead end bit of info. for us. Ralph & Patsy Shipp: Will e out west. Will look on the internet for information. Keep up the good work! Ralph. Vera Boyatt: Thanks for the notice. I probably will not be making the trip anymore. Best wishes for a great reunion. Thanks. Vera. Jessie Hutt: (no news) I will look at the website. Thanks. Hello Mike, I hope all is well with you. Jessie Phyllis Ray Gardner: Dear Michael, I will be there on Sunday 6/22/08. Frances’ daughter is getting married on 6/21/08. Sorry I have not been able to help this year. I will bring pictures etc. I’ll call you sometime this week. Frances & her sister Anne, & some other people plan to come after Sunday Bruch for stayover Relatives. See you then. God Bless, Cousin Phyllis Ray. Also Frances, Anne Stribling etc. & family probably coming. Mary Ellen McKay Gardner turned 88 years young in March 2008. Last of Hubert & Bessie McKay’s children. She may be coming depending on weather. Fran Anderson: Hi Mike! Please add 4 adults to the list. We plan to make it but please forgive us if we don’t. Our daughter, Carolanne McKay Anderson is marrying Joseph Prutusiack on Sat. June 21 and we are entertaining ‘out of towners’ for breakfast on the 22nd. Hopefully we’ll have enough energy to come to the reunion also. That’s the plan anyway! I love the idea of the park and hope we have a great turnout. See you soon. Frances and Dwight Anderson. Elaina Todd Franklin: Nell Rose Todd (McKay) passed away on Nov. 1, 2007. *Please remove from mailing list. Thank you. Gary L. Conradi: Hope to attend next year & bring some Connecticut relatives. Irene L. Townsend: Enclosed $10.00 for a newsletter. I enjoy them so much. I am enjoying good health, but no longer travel long distances. I’m sorry I’ve never visited the eastern seaboard. Have been to Europe twice, Africa & Canada, all states west of Miss. River and all of our southern boundary, all of the mid U.S. I am 82 yrs. My ancestor William Harrison (gr. gr. gr. gr. grandfather lived near Winchester for a time – had several sons in the Rev. War – moved to PA & his family went on to Ohio where his son was a judge – family went on to Michigan by 1837 & my great-grandfather on to Iowa by 1872. Gail McKay Wilson: So sorry I cannot be there. I really want to meet all my kin. Maybe next year! We now have 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren, all descendants of DeTroy McKay, whose father was Samuel McKay. Virginia Kerin: Airfare too much to attend – sorry – son Mike married Kathy Messenger May 2007 – my 4th grandchild Dae Oct 2008 to Patrick & Ali Kerin. Their second son Kohle is 4 years old. Gene Morlan: My wife, Betty J. Morlan, of 67 years, died Dec. 2, 2007, age 90. Buried Massanutten Cemetery, Woodstock, VA. Lydia Godfrey Donovan: Thanks for the invite – have a great time! Ruth Haines Hussey: Dec. 18, 2008. Dear Michael, I hope all of the Virginia McKay Clan are doing well! I have moved into a retirement complex in Wilmington, Ohio. I hope to continue to receive the McKay newsletter. My grandmother was Alice McKay Haines. Her father was Tilghman McKay, and his father was George W. McKay so I want to retain my

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McKay connections. I hope you’ll get to attend the 2009 Ohio McKay Collett Reunion. Best wishes! Ruth. Best Wishes to you for the New Year!! Ruth Hussey. Denise Slater Fenster: Michael, I thought I needed to send you mom's obit from the Grand Island NE newspaper, The Independent. We lost mom to cancer on Sept 4th. She always made sure she sent a donation for the clan newsletter.  I attended a Clan Reunion about 11-12+ years ago. My great aunt in Mesa AZ who is now 93 is also a descendant, Lois Wunderwald.  She is a sister to my grandmother Edna Donaldson. Aunt Lois was glad that I attended a reunion in my lifetime.  One day I hope to be able to attend again. When I get the family bible I will be able to email you with more info from my McKay side. This family bible has been handed down to the oldest girl in the family since Grandma McKay started it, I think I'm the 5th or 6th granddaughter.  It has been a long time since I've actually looked at the bible. I just happen to come across one of my newsletters from 2005.  I know mom received a newsletter last summer when she was in the hospital. Will email you again soon when I bring the bible to my house. Thank you for all your hard work on keeping the "clan" going!! Denise Slater Fenster Kym Heflybower: It was so nice getting to see you again. My dad had such a good time, he’s still talking about it. It was unfortunately that we couldn’t stay longer Saturday but it was a long day for him and he hadn’t packed enough medicine for the trip. Rachel and Gary hope to get down again to help put a fence around the Garrison cemetery that’s out in the cow pasture. I think I mentioned to you that Rachel thought there was a McKay buried there. When I get the pictures from her I’ll double check and let you know what we found out. I thought I had emailed you about my brother’s passing, I guess I didn’t. He (Tommy Heflybower) was born on 7/8/48 and passed away 3/5/05. Unfortunately, to this day we don’t know what really happened. He was being treated for an over active thyroid and his kidneys and liver shut down. He was in the hospital a little over a month and he rallied several times but there was nothing they could do. He is survived by wife, Sheila, daughters Nicole, wife of Jim Engle  and Anne. His daughter, Anne, gave birth to a little boy this past Feb. 28. Lucas Addison weighed 6lbs, 7 oz. Ryan is the proud dad. Unfortunately, I can’t remember his last name at the moment. I don’t think there are any other family updates. I’d like to make the family reunion but Ed’s dad is under going chemo so we are pretty tied up this year. Keep in touch, Kym Michael LeHew McKay: I have a few births to report that came my way. Austin Jacob ‘AJ’ Blacker was born at 6:05 p.m. Fri. 5 Dec 2008 to Dawn (Billingsley) & Scott Blacker. He weighed in at 8 lbs. 4 oz. and 21 inches. Dawn is the daughter of Kris (Becker) St. John and the granddaughter of Chuck & Kate (Hackney) Luby. She’s also the granddaughter of the late John Franklin Becker Jr. & is a great-granddaughter of the late Howard S. & Lucille (Morrow) Hackney. Benjamin James Schow was born on 19 Apr 2009 at 937 AM to Gary & Elizabeth (Luby) Schow weighing 7 lbs & 2 oz. Liz is the daughter of Chuck & Kate (Hackney) Luby. Liz is also the dau. of the late Pamela (Snodgrass) Luby. Addie Rose   Longenecker born to Tim and Kim (McKay) Longenecker on 30 Sep 2008 weighing 8 pounds and 21 inches. Kim is the dau. of Billy & Jennifer McKay & a granddaughter of the late Charles & Lucille (Fiddler) McKay.

NEWS ITEMS

FAIR USE - Doctrine of International Copyright Lawhttp://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html

* * * Breaking News * * * Our News year coverage officially ends before 1st May of each year but due to the sensitivity of this particular story I have included the articles published in one of the newspapers covering the story. For a complete listing of all articles and photos visit the Robert Mackay Clan website. The remaining articles concerning this event will appear in next year’s edition of the Newsletter.

Oldest structure in Warren County partially destroyed by fire

(From The Northern Virginia Daily dated Wednesday 3 June 2009.)

By Ben Orcutt -- borcutt@nvdaily.com FRONT ROYAL -- Warren County lost a significant piece of history early Sunday morning when the McKay House was partially destroyed by fire. Patrick Farris, executive director of the Warren Heritage Society, said Tuesday that the structure was built by Robert McKay Jr., possibly the first settler in Warren County, between 1731 and 1734. "It's not only the oldest surviving structure in Warren County, it's easily one of the very first structures ever built in what is now Warren County," Farris said. "It is one of a handful of structures that are of this age that survived or were ever built in the entire state of Virginia, west of the Blue Ridge. About 50 percent of the house has been destroyed." The stone portion of the house off U.S. 340-522 near Cedarville remains intact, while the portion built from chestnut logs was destroyed, Farris said.

"It's a tragic loss," Farris added. "This house is over 270 years old. If you think about it, it witnessed over a quarter millennium standing in the same spot, in the same knoll, in the same bend of Crooked Run. "I can tell you immediately in the short term I would very much like to see the structure stabilized and the town and county committed to maintaining it in a stabilized form initiating a preservation plan for it that would involve the heritage society." It's difficult to put a price on the loss, Farris said. "You could place a dollar amount on a restoration or a reconstruction, but I do not believe you could place a dollar amount on what has been lost," he said. "Again, the significance of

this site to local history is very important and there are descendants today, plenty of descendants of the McKays, still in the county and the area." Warren County Fire and Rescue Chief Richard E. Mabie said the fire was spotted by personnel from the North Warren

Flames destroy much of the 270-year-old McKay House in Warren County on Sunday morning. Photo courtesy of the Warren County Department of Fire and Rescue Services

Patrick Farris, executive director of the Warren Heritage Society, holds an early 1900s photo from the society's archives of the McKay House in Cedarville that was partially destroyed by fire this weekend. Rich Cooley/Daily

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Volunteer Fire Department at 12:28 a.m. on Sunday morning when someone saw "a column of smoke and a glow." It took about a half hour to find out where the fire was, Mabie said, adding that personnel had to walk back into the woods to find the house. "By then it had taken pretty much possession of whole second floor and roof," Mabie said. "Right now, the fire is still under investigation by the Warren County Fire and Rescue Department and the Warren County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the town of Front Royal Police Department," added Warren County Fire and Rescue Department Lt. Gerry Maiatico. Maiatico said authorities have not ruled out any possible cause, including arson. "We're still leaving it as an open investigation because the structure is actually unstable and unsafe for us to make an entry," he said. "We don't want to commit any personnel inside of the structure with the stability that it's in right now." Farris said the property was last occupied around 2004, just before it was purchased by the town and county. Maiatico said there has been a history of the house being vandalized since the purchase. One of the reasons for the joint venture is that the town owns the water rights to McKay Springs, which is located on the property. Supervisors Chairman Archie A. Fox and Mayor Eugene R. Tewalt said both governments will consider ways to preserve the remaining portion of the house. "We just need to look at the overall picture now," Fox said.

Officials agree to secure structure damaged by fire(From The Northern Virginia Daily

dated Wednesday 10 June 2009.)Town to foot half of costs to ensure no

one killed in McKay House blazeBy Ben Orcutt -- borcutt@nvdaily.com

FRONT ROYAL -- Town and county officials have agreed to secure the fire-damaged McKay House so that authorities can search the remains to determine if anyone was in the structure when it burned. Patrick Farris, executive director of the Warren Heritage Society, has said the house on Winchester Road near Reliance Road was built by Robert McKay Jr., possibly the first settler in Warren County, between 1731 and 1734 and was the oldest surviving structure in the county. More then 50 percent of the structure has been destroyed. Following Monday's Town Council meeting, the panel agreed to pay half of the estimated $20,000 to secure the structure with the county paying the other half. The property is jointly owned by the town and the county. "I think it's a very historic part of Warren County and we'd like to preserve it for the time being until we see if the historical society would be interested in restoring it or maybe some other individual," Board of Supervisors Chairman Archie A. Fox said Tuesday. "I think there's a technicality that would allow us to go forward with that small amount in an emergency situation." David Beahm, building official for Warren County, said Tuesday that Cline Construction Inc. of Front Royal has been contracted to secure the house and should begin the three-day process on Thursday. "The main portion that's going to be stabilized is going to be east wall," Beahm said. "What they will end up doing will be encasing that wall with C-Channel. It looks like a piece of steel with two legs on it. The chimney portion of it would be circled in two spots to try to maintain the integrity. The rest of it would have C-Channel in four different locations run vertically." Fire and Rescue Chief Richard E. Mabie said an animal bone was discovered at the site, but authorities have not been able to conduct a more thorough search because the structure is

unstable. "That's the one thing we really haven't been able to do is get in there and dig through the debris and rock and so forth," Mabie said. "We want to try to be thorough in the investigation, but we want to also make sure that it wasn't a vagrant or somebody that may have been staying in the house that actually set the fire and maybe perished in the fire. "That's one of the main things that we want to do, and we can't do that unless they stabilize what's left. It's too dangerous to send somebody in there." Since the May 31 blaze, recent storms have caused the majority of one of the two remaining chimneys to come down, Mabie said. "The only thing that I can emphasize is that right now it's dangerous," Mabie added. "The walls could still come down. Every time that we get a storm or something, it makes it even weaker. So this is kind of one of those deals that we're in quite a hurry to go ahead and get this thing braced up so we can finish our job and hopefully we'll get a couple of years of stability of what's left up there." Mabie has said the fire was spotted by personnel from the North Warren Volunteer Fire Department at 12:28 a.m. on May 31 when someone saw "a column of smoke and a glow." It took about a half hour to find out where the fire was, Mabie said, adding that personnel had to walk back into the woods to find the house. "By then it had taken pretty much possession of whole second floor and roof," Mabie has said. The blaze is under investigation by the Warren County Fire and Rescue Department and the Warren County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Front Royal Police Department, according to Warren County Fire and Rescue Department Lt. Gerry Maiatico. Maiatico has said authorities have not ruled out any possible cause, including arson.

Pfc. Roger McKay stationed in Kuwait(From The Wilmington News Journal

dated Friday 9 May 2008.) Pfc. Roger McKay of Wilmington is stationed in Kuwait. He is a machine gunner a the supply convoy, traveling through Iraq. His parents are Thomas and Debbie McKay. His grandparents are Ann and Donald Namack of Wilmington. McKay’s address is PFC. McKay, Roger T., A/1-148th IN, Camp Arifjan, APO AE 09366. Birthday card shower to be held

(From The Wilmington News Journal dated Monday 9 Jun 2008.) Roger McKay will celebrate his 21st birthday on July 1 in Kuwait/Iraq. Friends can send cards to him at PFC McKay Roger T., A/1-148th IN, Camp Arifjan, APO AF 09366.

Chester Township receives new squad vehicle(From The Wilmington News Journal

dated Sunday 24 August 2008.) The Chester Township Volunteer Fire Department has received delivery of a new squad vehicle. In the photo, George Arledge, a trustee for the department, is shown presenting the keys to Assistant Fire Chief Rich Erbaugh.

Shown from the left are trustees Steve Collett, Rusty Rich and 7

Arledge; Erbaugh; fire engineer John Becker; and EMT Todd Norton. The new squad was purchased with funds from the fire and EMS levy.

Carry A. Nation souvenir hatchet(From The Winchester Star dated Wednesday 11 Jun 2008.)

In the April 23 edition of “Out of the Past,” it was noted that Carry A. Nation — the famed hatchet-wielding saloon smasher — paid a visit to Winchester in April 1908. During her tour of the city, she handed out souvenir hatchets made of pearl and gold with rhinestone centers. We had a feeling that one of our readers would have such a pin, and one did. Sandy Jones of Winchester was given the unique heirloom by her father-in-law, Benny Jones Sr. The pin originally belonged to his cousin, Etta Robinson. It’s not known how Robinson acquired the pin. Nation typically sold the pins to advertise the temperance movement and pay her travel expenses. Blair D. Tarr, museum curator for the Kansas State Historical Society, said in a recent email to The Winchester Star that the pins sell for $25 to $75 on eBay. Many Kansas saloons were on the receiving end of Nation’s hatchet. (Rick Foster)

A Millwood landmark(From The Winchester Star dated Wednesday 28 May 2008.)

By Val Van MeterThe Winchester Star

MILLWOOD — In the 1950s, it was called "Locke’s Modern Country Store." Today, it’s called simply Locke’s Store, but this historic village’s food purveyor stays cutting edge with its commitment to the the "green" eating revolution in the Shenandoah Valley. "I feel more like a custodian, than an owner," said Juliet Mackay-Smith, looking around a building that dates to the 1930s and a mercantile tradition that goes back more than 200 years. During May, Mackay-Smith is celebrating her sixth anniversary of becoming the landmark’s owner. In the early 19th century, the site housed Clark’s, a general store. The store was later purchased by J. W. Sprint, featuring "dry goods and groceries." In 1880, William H. Cox took over the store from Sprint. John Locke became associated with it in about 1920. The original building was burned in 1935, but quickly rebuilt. The Cunningham brothers, who began working in the store as teenagers, bought the store in the 1950s and owned it until 2003. It’s hard to put a label on Locke’s Store today. The focus is on food, said store manager Peggy Simon. Simon, who has been employed at Locke’s for the past five years, has a background in natural foods, both growing them and selling them. Her job is to find the local produce and products Locke’s

offers. "We see our mission as supporting and promoting local and sustainable food production," Mackay-Smith said. That’s why Locke’s sells local meats and chicken, along with local dairy products, honey, and fresh produce. "We’re here to raise awareness," Mackay-Smith explained. You can pick up chocolate candies, made in the area, and lavender herbs, grown in the Valley. "We support Virginia wines. We have some excellent ones now."

One reason Locke’s has its eyes on local produce grows from Mackay-Smith’s former business, catering. When she first looked at purchasing the store, it was as a background for her catering business, and, for several years, Mackay-Smith kept both going. "I just like to make

really good food," she explained. But as the store has expanded its offerings and business has increased, she’s had to cut back on the catering. She’ll still do platters and sandwiches for events from the store, Mackay-Smith said. But no one has to forego that good cooking. Just drive through Millwood early in the morning to smell the aromas of some good stuff on the stove. Then walk through the door to see a wide variety of savory dishes, from comfort foods like potato salad and baked macaroni and cheese to exotic items, such as asparagus and smoked salmon quiche.

Her homemade soups can be found refrigerated in quart containers, ready to reheat for dinner. And the choice of desserts will ruin a diet. Her store offers good food, Mackay-Smith can say, but it does more than that. Nutritious foods promote health, as she points out in the

newsletter she offers to customers, but making a choice to eat ‘locally" also has a positive impact on the local agricultural economy. In turn, supporting farmers who try to "grow green," keeps nutritious food available and helps sustain the environment, keeping the neighborhood a healthy place to live. Making the choice to support "sustainable" agriculture takes an effort, she acknowledged. "We are here to help." Locke’s Store does that by buying as much local produce and food products as possible. Mackay-Smith is also going "green" in her packaging. "We’re phasing out all our plastic," she said. Locke’s is starting to use containers made of sugar and corn-based products, which are biodegradable, and switching to recycled paper packaging. "I’m averse to waste. It drives me nuts," she said. When deciding how to package the food, the staff usually asks customers how soon they intend to eat their food purchases and how far they have to travel. That’s if they don’t decide to just dine al fresco on the porch picnic table.

Peggy Simon, manager of Locke’s Store in Millwood, cuts and wraps up cake slices. The store offers a selection of fresh-brewed coffee, wines, desserts, soups, and salads.(Scott Mason)

The building that houses Locke’s Store dates from the 1930s, but a store has stood on the site for more than 200 years.

Juliet Mackay-Smith is celebrating her sixth anniversary as the owner of Locke’s Store in Millwood. (Scott Mason)

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Although Millwood may be slightly off the beaten path, Mackay-Smith said she is drawing customers from a wide area, including The Plains, Winchester, and Shepherdstown, W.Va. "We have a following," she noted. The newsletter lets customers know about special events going on. There are usually wine or beer tastings on Fridays and Saturdays. Her suppliers also take advantage of the store to show off their products. Northern Lights had an afternoon seafood tasting one Saturday in May and Blue Ridge Meats sponsored a cookout. There are also book signing evenings, with Mackay-Smith’s hors d’oeuvres on offer, and musical evenings may be coming up this summer. There will also be a sixth anniversary "Grill Fest" from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday to celebrate Mackay-Smith’s first six years as a Millwood merchant. Most of the building’s owners through 200 years have stayed in business for decades. Does Mackay-Smith play to follow their example? "The store wants to be here, doing what it’s doing," she said. "It has a will of its own."

— Contact Val Van Meter atvvanmeter@winchesterstar.com

Audrey McKay born May 6(From The Wilmington News Journal

dated Monday 9 Jun 2008.) Kathleen Kay Fahrer and Albert Spencer Namack McKay announced the birth of a daughter, Audrey Kay Fahrer McKay. The infant was born at 4:02 p.m. May 6. She weighed six pounds, nine ounces and measured 20 inches long. Her maternal grandparents are Cliff and Scharlotte Fahrer of Wilmington. Her paternal grandparents are Thomas and

Debbie McKay of Wilmington. Her great-grandparents are Donald and Ann Namack of Wilmington.

Quaker Heritage Center exhibit opens summer run in Washington, D.C.

(From The Wilmingon News Journal dated Tuesday 3 Jun 2008.)

The Meriam R. Hare Quaker Heritage Center at Wilmington College is taking the show on the road. Curator Ruth Dobyns left Monday (June 2) for the nation’s capital with the panels of a QHC Gallery exhibit called “‘To Friends Beyond the Sea That Have Blacks and Indian Slaves’: Friends’ Responses to Slavery.” It will be featured through early fall at the Friends Committee on National Legislation headquarters in Washington, D.C. Dobyns explained that Joe Volk, executive director of FCNL and a member of the college’s Board of Trustees, was so impressed when he viewed the exhibit last year at the Quaker Heritage Center that he requested it for several months at FCNL. She said loaning exhibits is part of the center’s outreach mission as it presents Friends’ history and philosophy on the local, national and global levels.

“This is one of the big picture things we talked about as possibilities when we planned our programming goals in 2003,” she said, noting she’s had several inquiries about loaning to Quaker entities this winter’s exhibit titled “Beyond Birmingham: Friends and the Civil Rights Movement.” The Quaker Heritage Center’s current exhibit, “Quaker Women in Ministry, Then and Now,” will run through June 27. Normal gallery hours are weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by special appointment.

Preservationists study Greenway Court plan(From The Winchester Star dated Tuesday 1 July 2008.)

Groups consider joint effort for fundingBy Laura Oleniacz

The Winchester Star Berryville — Clarke County officials are asking regional preservation groups to combine efforts and seek funding help for the rehabilitation of Greenway Court — the 18th century home of Lord Fairfax. Historical society representatives from Winchester and Clarke, Frederick and Warren counties met Monday to discuss establishing a local chapter of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. The 119-year-old Richmond-based preservation organization’s first major preservation activity was the Jamestown settlement. The nonprofit group’s local chapters are usually connected to individal historical properties, said APVA Executive Director Elizabeth S. Kostelny, so the establishment of a local chapter of regional preservation groups may be a new organization model for APVA. The meeting organizers proposed the rehabilitation of Greenway Court and an archaeological study of the home — the residence of Thomas, Sixth Lord Fairfax, Baron of Cameron — as the initial coordinating activity for a fledgling local chapter. “Today is Greenway Court; tomorrow there is another property,” said Clarke County Planning Administrator Charles Johnston. The Greenway Court property, near White Post, is privately owned, but the Clarke County Conservation Easement Authority purchased an easement on the property in 2003 that is jointly held by the authority and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. The agreement allows county officials to conduct archaeological, stabilization and rehabilitation studies and to perform work on the property’s three remaining structures, as well as the site of Fairfax’s home, which was demolished in the 1830s. “So the county has the ability to go after funds for these buildings even though they are privately owned,” Maral S. Kalbian, a Berryville-based architectural historian, said at the meeting. The total project would cost more than $400,000, Johnston said. The county has applied for a Save America’s Treasures matching grant to pay for half of that cost (about $200,000), and it has a $47,500 grant from the General Assembly that would provide a start toward matching the $200,000 grant. Clarke officials hope the APVA would focus on obtaining grant and private funds for the remaining matching cost, according to the SAT grant application. “Why hasn’t this been done before? That’s the question I’ve always asked before,” said Linda Ross, vice president of the French and Indian War Foundation in Winchester, referring to Greenway Court’s rehabilitation. The group set a meeting for 5:30 p.m. July 21 at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester to discuss the establishment of the local chapter.

— Contact Laura Oleniacz atloleniacz@winchesterstar.com

Ruth and Les Dobyns load panels Monday from the Quaker Heritage Center exhibit that is being installed at Friends Committee on National Legislation headquarters in Washington. (Contributed Photo)

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Historic Landmark was headquarters for vast holdings of Lord Fairfax

(From The Winchester Star dated Tuesday 1 July 2008.)By Laura Oleniacz The Winchester Star

Berryville — Greenway Court is one of two National Historic Landmarks in Clarke County. It was the home of Thomas, Sixth Lord Fairfax, Baron of Cameron — the 18th century proprietor of the 5 million-acre Northern Neck Proprietary between the Potomac and the Rappahannock rivers. Just 3 percent of the properties in the National Register of Historic Places are designated as National Historic Landmarks — sites important to the national story and that help to illustrate American heritage, according to the Web site http://www.nps.gov/history/nhl. Clarke’s other National Historic Landmark is Saratoga, said Clarke County Planning Administrator Charles Johnston. It is a limestone Georgian mansion near Boyce whose construction began in 1779 for Revolutionary War hero Gen. Daniel Morgan.

Greenway Court was a center of colonial business and social activity as the seat of the Northern Neck Proprietary, according to Maral S. Kalbian, a Berryville-based architectural historian. Fairfax made Greenway Court his home around 1750 and the estate became the center of Fairfax’s operation when his land office was built there in 1761. From the site, Fairfax provided land grants to incoming settlers, collected rent, and surveyed the land. “[Fairfax] is a very prominent figure in the history of the settlement of the region,” Kalbian said. He was born in 1693 at Leeds Castle in England and had inherited the proprietary from his ancestors, said Mary Morris, archivist at the Clarke County Historical Association. Part of his significance as a historical figure is that Fairfax mentored one of the most important figures in American history, according to Kalbian. Fairfax met 16-year-old George Washington at Belvoir, south of Alexandria, where Fairfax first settled in 1747. He was impressed by Washington’s energy and talents, and employed him later to survey his land holdings. Washington became a frequent visitor at Greenway Court, where he learned how to conduct business and politics, Kalbian said. “This time that Washington spent as a lanky 16-year-old in the [Shenandoah] Valley surveying was really first job that he had,” Morris said, adding that Washington acquired land grants in the area that is now Jefferson County, W.Va., and spent time establishing contacts in the region. “In essence, this was his university; his university of life,” Morris said. Fairfax was known for his hospitality, his interest in fox-hunting, and for entertaining significant people crossing the Blue Ridge Mountains, according to Kalbian. Fairfax died at Greenway Court Dec. 9, 1781, according to a Virginia Conservation Commission historic marker. Three structures remain at the Greenway Court site, including Fairfax’s land office building, according to the county’s application for a Save the America’s grant. The money would fund a $400,000 site rehabilitation and archaeological investigation project. The site also has a powder house that may have been used as a meat house or as a defense building, and a carriage house, the most modern of the three buildings. The buildings have been vacant for the past 25 years, and are in an advanced state of deterioration, according to the grant application documents.

The site of Fairfax’s home, a stone and log structure demolished in the 1830s, is considered to have archaeological significance, but it has not been professionally evaluated.

— Contact Laura Oleniacz atloleniacz@winchesterstar.com

Gideon Jacob Hackney(From The Wilmington News Journal

dated Saturday 23 August 2008.) Mark D. and Sarah J. Hackney of Wilmington are pleased to announce the birth of a son, Gideon Jacob Hackney, on Aug. 18, 2008. He weighed 8 pounds 11 ounces and measured 21.5 inches. Gideon is welcomed home by Abel Dean Hackney, 3 1/2, and Nathan Seth Hackney, 1 1/2. Maternal grandparents are Kenneth and Brenda Rogers of Huber Heights. Paternal grandparents are David and Pat Hackney of Wilmington. Great grandmothers are Mary B. Hackney of Quaker Heights in Waynesville and Mary L. McClelland of Xenia.

6 generations and 100 years(From The Winchester Star dated Wednesday 16 July 2008.)Marker-Miller family earns Century Farm designation

By Charlotte J. Eller Special to The Winchester Star

Winchester — More than 50 years ago, a young Frederick County farmer, accompanied by his little son, often drove through the fields of the family’s farm on Cedar Creek Grade, checking on the peach crop. “I loved it,” said John R. Marker Jr., 61, about those rides with his dad, J. Ralph Marker Sr. “I loved to be going with him out on the farm. Marker, who was 6 years old when his father died

unexpectedly in 1953, followed his family into farming, a vocation born out of his love for the land and his family’s heritage. For 100 consecutive years, the Markers, six generations strong, have farmed that land. The farm has reached the century mark, and Virginia recognizes the milestone of continuous operation by one family through its Century Farm Program. Established by the General Assembly in 2007, the program honors the farms and their owners. Thus far, 1,028 farms have been recognized. Ten of them are in Frederick County. The Marker-Miller family will host a party from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday to celebrate the farm’s 100th birthday — with a cake-cutting ceremony at 2 p.m. and live music from 1 until 3 p.m. The farm was acquired by John Marker Jr.’s great-grandfather, Amos E. Marker, July 11, 1908, from the estate of John H. Buncutter. After Amos Marker died, Marker Jr.’s grandfather, John D. Marker, and then his father, J. Ralph Marker Sr., tilled the soil. When J. Ralph Marker Sr. died, his sister Fay Marker Miller and his wife Ada Marker (later Ruble) operated the farm. Now John and his wife Carolyn, with their two children, John R. Marker III (known as “J.R.”), 37, and Heather Marker McKay, 32, carry on the family farming heritage.

John R. Marker Jr. and his wife Caroline pick apricots at Marker-Miller Orchards and Farm Market. The farm will mark its 100th birthday on Saturday, and the family is throwing a party to celebrate.(Photo by Ginger Perry)

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McKay and her husband Jeff McKay, 35, have two children — son Logan, 4, and daughter Emileigh, nearly 2. They live in a home they built on the farm five years ago. “Jeff grew up in town, but I think he likes the country now,” she said. “He fell right into it.” McKay, who has a master’s degree in physical therapy, works three days a week at Winchester Medical Center. The rest of the week, she works at the farm market. Jeff McKay is an information specialist at Valley Farm Credit. J.R. Marker III and his wife Mitzi, 34, live in Mechanicsville, where they run Sandy’s Plants Inc., a 30-acre nursery of rare and unusual perennials in Mitzi’s family. The couple have a son, Aaron, 6, and a daughter, McKenzie, 3. They keep an active interest in the farm in Frederick County. The Marker family grows peaches, apples, and other fruits and vegetables on the nearly 900-acre farm at 3035 Cedar Creek Grade southwest of Winchester. About eight years ago, they opened a farm market and bakery there. When the market opened, the family decided to end its beef cattle operation. Recalling his father’s love of farming, John Marker recently discussed some of J. Ralph Marker Sr.’s accomplishments and his interest in trying new agricultural methods. “He was enthusiastic about farming. He was interested in trends, doing new things. They had been in orchards and had cattle, but he was trying to improve the cow herd. “In 1953, he was going to grass silage [fermented fodder], feeding alfalfa, and going to chop it for silage. He chopped it early [that year], but he was dead before it was fed.” His father was 36 years old when he died of a heart attack while baling hay for a neighbor. “Even though I was young, I guess I understood [his dad’s farming interests]. And as I grew up, a lot of his friends made really nice comments about him,” John Marker said. In an “almost unheard-of” decision for women in the 1950s, Fay Marker Miller, whose husband died in World War II, and Ada Marker pitched in to keep the farm going when their brother and husband died. Life wasn’t easy for the women farmers, but they made numerous improvements and did a good job in running the operation, John Marker said. The two women, now deceased, were very different. “Mom was more laid-back and my aunt was more assertive. And I admire them tremendously,” he said. “They made a conscious effort to keep the farm. And I believe this was their concept all along, that they wanted to keep the farm for me,” he added. Over the years, John Marker worked on the farm after school and in the summer. He graduated in 1969 from Virginia Tech with an agriculture degree, specializing in animal science. Nevertheless, he said, his family never pressured him to stay on the farm. His decision to be a farmer was his own. That’s the same policy Carolyn and John follow with their children, even though both were active on the farm growing up and were leaders in the Future Farmers of America.

Carolyn Lee Marker, who grew up on a small farm in Hampshire County, W.Va., worked at Winchester Medical Center. She rented a room in a house across from the home of Fay Marker Miller, who often would ask Carolyn over for pie or a meal. Carolyn met her future husband’s family there. “I met his parents before I met him. I always had sworn I would never marry a farmer,” she said recently. “But I have learned never to say never.” She remembers Fay Marker Miller and Ada Marker Ruble lovingly. The latter was especially dear to her. “I could have looked the world over and never have found a mother-in-law as wonderful as she was,” Carolyn said. Looking to the future, John and Carolyn Marker hope to continue their farm-related work in the best way they can. “It’s a hard business,” Carolyn said. “But we’re going to be here for a while,” her husband added. “We have 300 acres in apples. And we’ll be planting new apple trees this year and next. We want to try some new varieties.” Their children J.R. and Heather also have happy thoughts about growing up on the family farm and are filled with hope about their roles in its future. Both confirmed that their parents have encouraged them to pursue their own dreams and not to feel compelled to stay on the farm. But they both love the farm and want to keep it alive and operating. “I love it here,” McKay said. “I don’t miss city life at all. I’d like to save it as long as I can.” When she attended Radford University, she realized “I missed being able to go out on your own land. When I went to college, I felt so confined.” Her son Logan, who is part of the family’s sixth generation, goes with his mother to the farm market. “He loves the farm,” she said. “He’s so excited on the mornings that we go.” But McKay, whose primary interest is the market, realizes that without J.R., “I’d have two sets of pretty big shoes to fill to run the entire farm. Mom and Dad work well together.” If McKay took over part of the farm, she also would like for her husband to continue working at his job, she said. “This is not a weekly paycheck,” she said of the farm. “But I am committed to a rural life,” said McKay, adding that her husband agrees with her. “The bonds of working together as a family are especially” important to them, she said. J.R. agrees with his sister. He and his wife have “talked this decision over ever since we were dating,” he said. “We talked about going first to be with her parents and then to move back to the farm. But we haven’t set a date [to move] yet.” “Sometimes I feel like I’m not pulling my share [with the farm], said J.R., who graduated from Virginia Tech with an agricultural degree. But his father keeps reminding him that “you’re in a successful farming operation” in Mechanicsville, he said. Deciding to make that move “will be tough,” J.R. said. “It will be even tougher when the time comes to go. We’ll have to find something to add to the mix. But I do see us coming back” to the home farm in Frederick County. “I loved growing up on the farm,” J.R. added. “I’d like to see my kids and grandkids have that experience also.” He said he feels lucky to be part of a 100-year farming tradition. “To have had that in the family and to have had it in the family so long, it’s really something special.”

Marker-Miller Orchards celebrates 100 yearsJohn Marker rides through an apple orchard with his grandson Logan McKay, 4, at Marker-Miller Orchards and Farm Market -- on Cedar Creek Grade southwest of Winchester. The Marker-Miller family will host a party -- from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday -- to celebrate the farm's 100th birthday; a cake-cutting ceremony is planned for 2 p.m., with live music from 1 until 3 p.m.(Photo by Ginger Perry)The above photo and description appeared on Friday 18 July 2008.

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Marker-Miller Orchards: 100 years and still growing(From The Winchester Star dated Monday 21 July 2008.)

By Robert Igoe The Winchester Star

Winchester — A store, a tradition, and a continuing dream celebrated a century on Saturday. Marker-Miller Orchards at 3035 Cedar Creek Grade celebrated its 100th anniversary as a family farm with a day-long event that owner John R. Marker Jr. said was about more than just the success of a business. “It’s a milestone in the history of our family,” he said. “We’re pleased to have been farming here for 100 years. We’ve been living here for longer than that, but that’s how long we’ve been farming. There’s three generations of our family here today, and I think it means a little something different to each one.” The farm is now one of 10 farms in Frederick County that have been recognized as a Century Farm by the state of Virginia. A total of 1,028 farms throughout the commonwealth have earned the designation since it was created in 2007. Frederick’s other Century Farms are Barleyfield, East Ridge Farm, Evergreen Farm, McCann Farm, Mountain View Farm, Rolling Hills Farm, Shen-Val Farm, Valley View Farm, and Woodbine Farms Inc. At the Marker-Miller Orchards, Saturday’s celebration included performances by the band Catch-22, plenty of food, children’s activities, birthday cake, and samples of pastries and fruit available for purchase at its on-site farm market. But even amidst the excitement, Marker said he knows all too well of the challenges that face family farms in the 21st century. “You’re always facing imports, what China can produce,” he said. “If you want to buy local, it’s the local farmers that produce local food. We can’t produce that all year, and people are used to that. But we have people looking for apples right now. We have some apples, but many of our most popular varieties won’t be available for a while. “But there are challenges with labor, challenges with the federal government, there are always challenges. I haven’t even mentioned the problems with Mother Nature. We work with her however we can. But it’s some of the other obstacles we deal with that we can’t control that we need help with,” Marker said. “We hope that there’s still a place for agriculture in Frederick County. We’re having a discussion with our Board of Supervisors right now about if there is a future for agriculture in Frederick County,” he said. Supervisor Gary Lofton said agriculture does and must always have a place in Frederick County. “To me, this is a great event, and it symbolizes a proud heritage of agriculture that we have in the county,” Lofton said on Saturday. “It does my heart good to see someone who has carried on that tradition for such a long time. I hope we can see another 100 years out of it.” Marker-Miller Orchards was founded by Marker’s great-grandfather, Amos E. Marker, who acquired the 900-acre farm from the estate of John H. Buncutter on July 11, 1908. The farm has passed through four generations of the Marker family, eventually reaching John Marker Jr., who now operates it with his wife, Carolyn, and two children. Eight years ago, Marker opened the farm market, which sells produce, baked goods, meats, and other agricultural products.

The market also boasts a pick-your-own option for apples and peaches. In the autumn, the market hosts a fall festival that offers hayrides and other family events. Dolores Hayes of Winchester is thankful for farm markets like the one at Marker-Miller Orchards. “I think they’re great,” she said. “Not everyone has the room or the time for a garden at their homes. So with these markets, you can go somewhere and get food like this that’s already prepared, and you can get it better than at the big supermarkets. I always buy tomatoes here, because I don't like tomatoes out of season.” http://www.markermillerorchards.com

Underground Railroad topic of Genealogy Society program

(From The Wilmington News Journal dated Monday 11 August 2008.)

Ruth Dobyns, director of the Quaker Heritage Center at Wilmington College, was the speaker for the May meeting of the Clinton County Genealogy Society (CCGS). She explained to the 37 members and guests present that the Underground Railroad has been researched for years and there is still lots to uncover. The next conference will be held April 17 through April 19, 2009. The topic will be “House Divided: Quakers, Lincoln and the Civil War,” from 1860 to 1865. Mrs. Dobyns covered a lot of history which included oral traditions, family history, slave narrations, archaeology and landscape studies and the traditional written documents. There was not a lot written about the Underground Railroad as it was illegal but sometimes you run across a journal or diary which tells — usually in code — how the people helped the slaves with schools, buying land, jobs, laws, publications and public meetings. Ohio was high traffic area for slaves due to the 1787 Northwest Ordinance which stated slavery was outlawed in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan. Mrs. Dobyns touched on how the Quakers helped to get the slaves to freedom, help them register and pay to live in Ohio, get their certificate of freedom and even pay necessary bonds. A black man was never considered a U.S. citizen even if he was free. Families in the Clinton County area who helped with the railroad were the McMillan, Linton, Haines, McKay, Wall, Allen, Harvey, Osborn, Brooke and Whinery. Chester Friends Meeting House was very active and has the remains of slaves who died enroute buried in their cemetery. Other active meeting houses were in Lynchburg, Martinsville, New Vienna, Sewells Place, Woodmansee, Oakland, Port William, Springboro, Waynesville, Foster and Jamestown to name a few. The minutes were read and approved. The treasurer’s report was given, approved and accepted. President McMullen read a thank you from the Ohio Genealogy Society for the donation and hard work. Also a flyer is available for the Ohio Historical Preservation Awards program for anyone interested and information for the Warren County Genealogy Society’s Summer 2008 program, which began June 4. A reminder was given on the July 28 carry-in picnic and meeting at Denver Park. Antiques were brought for appraisal. The June 23 meeting was held at the Eli Hadley farm at 1133 Lebanon Road and was a tour and history lesson. The Internet for the library is still in the works according to Susan Henry. Stan Blum asked everyone to review the cemetery records to be sure the information is correct. Let him know of any changes and/or additions as quickly as possible so he can work on the updates. Ann McMains is ill and is now unable to continue with the

Happy birthday to us: Marker-Miller Orchards owner John R. Marker Jr. cuts a slice of birthday cake on Saturday as his Cedar Creek Grade farm celebrates its 100th anniversary.(Photo by Jeff Taylor)

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newsletter. President McMullan asked for volunteers to help with the next quarterly issue.

Program focus is colonial roads(From The Winchester Star dated Thursday 21 August 2008.)

By Val Van Meter The Winchester Star

Millwood — “You can read the language of roads, just like a book,” said Matthew Mackay-Smith. He will offer an introduction to that language as the speaker for the annual meeting and service at Old Bethel in the southeastern corner of Clarke County at 11 a.m. Sunday. The Rev. Anne Manson of Cunningham Chapel Parish will lead the service, with James Laster as organist. Noted dulcimer player

Madeline MacNeil will also offer musical selections. Mackay-Smith has been working with the Clarke County Historical Association and the county government to locate early roads from the colonial era that can still be seen in the county. “Early roads are historical documents, in a sense,” he said. The early tracks give evidence of the views and vision of the founders of our nation, he added — such as the Washingtons and the Randolphs, along with early landholders such as Thomas Lord Fairfax, and frontiersmen including the Ashbys. Mackay-Smith, a retired veterinarian, has spotted the remnants of many colonial roads while riding horseback across the Clarke countryside. “We’ve located about 40 miles” of them, he said. He will have handouts, including a map, and photos of several of the early roadways “in various guises.” Once the first explorers found their way into the Shenandoah Valley, up a “grassy carpet to Ashby Gap and down a series of buffalo grazing grounds on the mountain side,” they paved the way for the Tidewater gentry to move in. “The gentry had to ride,” Mackay-Smith said. “They couldn’t go anywhere on foot. It was a denial of their standing.” The Valley then was about 30 percent prairie and the rest mature hardwood forest. “Roads evolve and move,” Mackay-Smith said, and that is why some pieces of colonial roads haven’t been buried under modern macadam. Once property began to be surveyed, roads either skirted property lines, or became them. Mackay-Smith noted that Woodley, a property touching U.S. 340 south of Berryville, was originally built on a colonial highway. Now it is a house on a knoll, seen in the distance from passing cars. Its neighbor Llewellyn was “built directly on the road,” he added, but the road then was abandoned for a different track to the west. In fact, he said, Old Bethel itself, a former Quaker meeting house and Baptist church, was constructed over the first road built in the Valley. “If people want to get closer to the colonial road project, they can sit on the floor,” he noted. The old meeting house, now a trust for the people of Clarke County, is cared for by a board of trustees. President Ian Williams said several restoration projects continue at the site, where the board holds two events each year — the annual meeting and service and a traditional Christmas candlelight service, scheduled for Dec. 21 this year.

Sunday’s meeting closes with a covered-dish picnic under the old oak trees on the grounds. Visitors should bring a dish to share and a lawn chair. Tax-deductible donations will be accepted for the renovations at Old Bethel.

Lauren McKay marries Justin Cummings(From The Winchester Star dated Saturday 11 Oct 2008.)

McKay-Cummings Lauren Meredith McKay of Berryville and Justin Blaine Cummings of Hampton Falls, N.H., were married July 12, 2008, at Historic Long Branch in Millwood, by the Rev. Julie Price. The bride is the daughter of Gary and Judy McKay of

Berryville. The groom is the son of John and Mary Cummings of Hampton Falls. The bride was escorted to the altar by her father. She wore a strapless, silk, duchess ball gown, with floral sprays complementing a graduated, chandelier of diamond-crystal embroidery. The matrons of honor were Chandra Wells of Roanoke and Terra Euster of Miami Fla., sisters of the bride. The bridesmaids were Kelly Creswell of Alexandria, Lindsay Potts of Round Hill, and Heather Geddings of Roanoke, cousin of the bride. The flower girl was Meredith Wells, niece of the bride. The best man was Andrew Cummings of Hampton Falls, brother of the groom. Groomsmen were Jameson Pinette of North Hampton, Jeff Overton and Dan Hagen, both of Hampton. Ushers were Howard Euster of Miami Fla., brother-in-law of the bride, and Paul Geddings of Roanoke, cousin of the bride. The ring bearers were Bradley and Brett Euster of Miami, and Brayden Wells of Roanoke, nephews of the bride. A reception was held at the Shenandoah Valley Golf and Country Club in Front Royal. Prenuptial entertainment included an engagement celebration at the groom’s parents’ home in Hampton Falls; a bridal shower hosted by Marty and Lindsay Potts and Jessica Venema at the Potts Farm in Purcellville; a bachelor party hosted by the best man and the groomsmen; a bachelor golf outing hosted by Gary McKay, father of the bride; a bridal luncheon and a shower at Battletown Inn in Berryville, and a rehearsal dinner hosted by the groom’s parents at White Hall Manor in Purcellville. The bride is a 2005 graduate of James Madison University and is a news producer for News Channel 8. The groom is a 2007 graduate of James Madison University and is a sales representative for R.R. Donnelly. Following a wedding trip to Maui and Kuai, Hawaii, the couple resides in Fairfax.

Study: TV May Do No Harm to Babies This is the title of an NBC video that featured Jodi McKay and daughter Wyatt. This is your editor’s sister-in-law and niece. If you look closely you can see my nephew Quincy running around and hear his voice briefly at the end of the video.Here’s the link:http://www.nbcwashington.com/health/tips_info/Study__TV_May_Do_No_Harm_to_Babies_All__National_.html

Matthew Mackay-Smith has documented colonial-era roads near Millwood and will present his findings Sunday at the annual meeting and service at Old Bethel in the southeastern corner of Clarke County.(Photo by Scott Mason)

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Colletts visit memorial(From The Wilmington News Journal dated Saturday 22 November 2008.)

The number of people at the dedication made it impossible for Mom and Dad to attend so we visited the memorial on Tuesday evening. The picture shows Chuck and Becky Collett of Wilmington at the memorial. Dad flew in gliders and C-47s in both England and later France during WWII. His comments? Its much better than I expected. Thanks to all who made it possible.

Clarke preservationists discuss the future of Clermont Farm

(From The Winchester Star dated Wednesday 26 Nov 2008.)By Laura Oleniacz The Winchester Star

Berryville -- The paint is chipping, the foundation is undermined in several places, and the black wooden roof shingles are tinged with green moss. These are issues typical for a building more than 200 years old, said Robert W. Stieg Jr., who wants a bright future for the gray structure whose architecture dates to the 18th century. Stieg met with the Clarke County Historic Preservation Commission Tuesday to discuss the outlook for Clermont Farm. The commission held its regular meeting in the main house of the 361-acre estate near Berryville. How should the local community, Clarke County and Berryville, how should local communities be solicited for how this land could be used? Stieg asked the commission. Clermont, whose land was surveyed by George Washington and which faces the Blue Ridge Mountains, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. The farm was donated by Elizabeth Rust Williams to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources so that it would continue as a working farm, its buildings would be preserved, and it would benefit the public. The property is managed by The Clermont Trust. The main house was built in portions, with sections constructed around 1760, 1845, and 1970, according to meeting documents. The farm also has several surviving outbuildings, including a slave cabin, as well as the Snickers Graveyard cemetery. Clermont Farm has been closed for five years for studies and for the planning of its future. What are people interested in these days? Stieg asked the commission. He provided a list of historic properties in the region, such as the Glen Burnie Historic House and Gardens in Winchester, for ideas on how historic structures can become public attractions. Stieg, the part-time administrator of The Clermont Trust, said the trustees are thinking about the farms future in three phases. The first step was a resource inventory to show what the farm has to offer. Stieg said Berryville-based architectural historian Maral Kalbian was selected in December 2007 to conduct a historic structures report, which was completed in July.

Now, the trust is considering the start of the second phase, Stieg said, which is to identify critical problems of the buildings.

The last step would involve determining how the property should be used, which is the question Stieg brought before the preservation commission. Reading from a list of alternatives to consider for the farms future, he suggested expanding its agricultural use as one alternative. Clermont is a beef and lamb farm, but it could be expanded to

include heritage animals or crops, as well as a production facility for wine or distilled spirits. Stieg also said Clermont could be used in education initiatives focusing on building preservation or architectural history, or as a model for sustainable agricultural production. Historic Preservation Commission member Marty Hiatt suggested speaking with local construction trade teachers about the educational possibilities. Wed like to get a variety of input over the next six months from a variety of means, Stieg said. He also noted the possibility of organizing a community meeting to discuss what they think the property could be used for that could benefit the community, he said. Kalbian suggested a phone survey, and others recommended a newspaper advertisement to call for ideas. County Planning Director Charles Johnston said Stieg should bring his presentation to the county Planning Commission at its meeting next week. The commissions regular meeting will be held Dec. 5, following a briefing meeting Tuesday. Also at the Historic Preservation Commission meeting, the group reviewed several letters sent to help support the countys application for a grant to preserve Greenway Court, the home of Thomas, Sixth Lord Fairfax. The county government has applied for a Save Americas Treasures grant, and is hoping for political support to help with the application. Letters were sent to Virginia Sens. John W. Warner and Jim Webb, and 10th District Rep. Frank R. Wolf. *** Attending the meeting at Clermont Farm were Hiatt, Chairman John Bieschke, Tom Gilpin, H. Baker, and Cliff Nelson. Page Carter and Mia Franklin were absent.

-- Contact Laura Oleniacz at loleniacz@winchesterstar.com

House yields reminders of days gone by(From The Winchester Star dated Monday 19 January 2009.)

By Drew Houff The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER -- Shane Henry continues to find reminders of his grandfather, the late J.W. "Corky" McKay. Henry, 35, was working with colleague Jimmy Thomas on Henry's home earlier this week when they found a time capsule created by McKay in 1979. The home, previously owned by McKay, is located at 124 Broad Ave. in Frederick County -- about four miles east of Winchester.

Chuck and Becky Collett

Robert W. Stieg Jr., the part-time administrator of The Clermont Trust, stands at the rear of the main house on Clarke Countys Clermont Farm. The back of the 18th century dwelling was its front until the 1870s, he said. Photo by Rick Foster)

This twisted wisteria vine behind the Clermont Farms main house is also shown in photos dating back to the 1880s. (Photo by Rick Foster)

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The time capsule discovered in a kitchen wall included some 1979 editions of the Winchester Evening Star and the contract for the sale of the home for $9,500 including a down payment of $200. "My grandfather had passed away, and I had purchased it from some family," Henry said of being able to buy it from McKay's daughters, Henry's mom and his aunt. Henry bought the home in July 2006 for $75,000. Since the purchase, he has found antiques and other items stored in odd crevices within the house.

Thomas' discovery of the time capsule -- the items were wrapped in an old grocery bag -- reminded Henry that his grandfather originally had gotten into the business of creating time capsules more than 40 years ago, when he made one for Bill and Bill's Garage, where he had worked as a mechanic. "I knew he had done the one for Bill and Bill's Garage -- we had always known that -- but I never knew I was going to find this one when we were remodeling the kitchen," Henry said. McKay, who would have been in his 60s when he placed the time capsule in the wall, was a big influence in Henry's life. He served as a role model, prompting Henry to name his chimney-sweep business McKay Chimney Specialists. "My grandfather and I were really close, and it brings back a lot of memories in the kitchen because for a while, I lived with my grandfather when I was younger," Henry said. "Every morning, he would get me up, fix me breakfast, and send me off to work. We would sit at the kitchen table, where he told me stories about how he sold moonshine during Prohibition [from 1920 to 1933, when alcohol was illegal] and that he was a World War II veteran." "He and I just became really close, and for years, he would sit right there, have his coffee pot, drink a couple cups of coffee, and eat a grapefruit for breakfast, and it was right under the time capsule." Thomas, who works for Henry at McKay Chimney Specialists, is the one who looked in the wall and found the items. "I'm always curious," Thomas said. "I'm finding stuff all the time in these old houses. I've been remodeling houses where I live, too, and I've run into old stuff like mattresses and just weird stuff." Henry replaced his grandfather's time capsule with one of his own, including recent issues of The Winchester Star, a copy of a parking ticket he received in Winchester, a heating bill, and pictures of him and some friends. He also included a letter to whomever finds the time capsule, along with a bit of family history to better explain how the home off Senseny Road came to create a time-capsule tradition.

-- Contact Drew Houff at dhouff@winchesterstar.com

Old Bethel service: ‘This is the real thing’(From The Winchester Star dated Thursday 18 December 2008.)

By Val Van Meter The Winchester Star

Winchester -- Local vocalist Jordan Markwood will be featured at the traditional Lessons and Carols Candlelight Service, scheduled for 5 p.m. Sunday at the Old Bethel Church

in Clarke County. "This is the real thing," said organizer Ian Williams, president of the Board of Trustees for the church one of the oldest religious structures west of the Blue Ridge and once a Quaker meeting house. If visitors could journey back in time 150 years, Williams said, they would see the same type of Christmas service in the church: no heat and no electricity. Local lectors will read the Christmas story from the Bible, he said. They include Ilona Benham, Peter Cook, Tom Gilpin, and Mary Maguire. The Sixth Dimension Handbell Ensemble will also perform. Markwood, 25, is a native of Winchester, said Carly Bauserman, Williams administrative assistant, who contacted him about performing. "He grew up singing with the First United Methodist Church." He is the choir director at the Stone Hill Middle School in Loudoun County and Worship Arts coordinator at Round Hill United Methodist Church. Markwood also sings with the Arts Academy Chorale of Shenandoah University, where he leads the tenor section.

More information The public is invited to attend the service in the church on Old Bethel Lane, off Swift Shoals Road south of U.S. 50 in Clarke County. For more information, contact Ian Williams at 540-667-1266.

Church built in 1833 hosts an old-fashioned Christmas(From The Winchester Star dated Monday 22 December 2008.)

By Stephanie M. Mangino The Winchester Star

Millwood -- Condensation began to form on the windowpanes at Old Bethel Church as candles surrounded by evergreen branches glowed on the sills. Candles also lit each speaker who read Bible verses, including the story of Jesus birth, on the Sunday before the Christian world marks Christmas.The annual holiday service held Sunday evening at the Millwood church harkened back to an earlier era, one in which people worshipped without the benefit of electric lights or piped-in heat.

According to Ian Williams, president of the churchs Board of Trustees, almost 300 people gathered Sunday to celebrate the holiday in the 1833 church, which began life as a Baptist church built on land that once hosted a Quaker meeting. They turned out on a chilly night, even though the church boasts no modern amenities. We have this enormous crowd every year, said the Rev.

Anne Manson, rector of Cunningham Chapel Parish in Millwood. The Episcopal parish has one active church, Christ Episcopal Church in Millwood, and also oversees Old Bethel, which is used only for special occasions, she said. The annual Christmas service has gained about 30 attendees every year for the past 10 years, Williams said, noting that one recent year saw repairs being performed at Old Bethel, so the

Frederick County homeowner Shane Henry (left) and Jimmy Thomas of Kingwood, W.Va., hold a 1979 edition of the Winchester Evening Star that they found in a time capsule stashed in a kitchen wall at the home once owned by Henry's grandfather, J.W. "Corky" McKay. (Photo by Jeff Taylor)

Despite Sunday's chill, about 300 turned out at Old Bethel Church in Millwood. (Photo by Rick Foster)

During Sunday evening's Christmas service at Old Bethel Church in Millwood, Peter Cook read from the Old Testament. (Photos by Rick Foster)

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service was held at the Christ Episcopal Church. Mike Stryker, 48, of Winchester, said he and his family wife Sally, 50; daughter Julie, 17; and son Chris, 19 have come to the service for several years. They love watching the sun set and evening fall as the candlelight service progresses, he said. Its also good to sing the great Christmas carols, Stryker said. The congregation on Sunday sang carols including O Come, All Ye Faithful, O Little Town of Bethlehem, The First Noel, Silent Night, Holy Night, and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. Solo honors on O Holy Night went to Jordan Markwood, whose single voice reverberated throughout the church. Tinkling tones also rang out in carols such as Do You Hear What I Hear? and Angels We Have Heard on High, courtesy of The 6th Dimension Handbell Ensemble. Candles cast a warm glow in the church during Silent Night, then Thomas Gilpin of Clarke County read the story of the three wise men who delivered gifts to the infant Jesus. Toward the end of the service, Williams offered a benediction that, among other things, asked the Lord for peace, both for this night and forevermore. Carole Judy, 43, of Winchester, said she has attended the Old Bethel Christmas service for several years. Its enjoyable, she said. Its beautiful. It certainly doesnt look any prettier than it does tonight, Williams added. As people left the church and stepped into the night, some used flashlights to find their way across the otherwise unlit grounds. Others hugged friends, chatted, and headed back to their cars, ready to celebrate a 21st-century Christmas after taking a short trip back in time.

-- Contact Stephanie M. Mangino at smangino@winchesterstar.com

In Shenandoah Chapel, Carols Reign Our annual Christmas Carols and Lessons Service was also featured on The National Public Radio Programme ‘All Things Considered’. This was produced by Noah Adams and aired on Wednesday 24 Dec 2008. An archived web version of the broadcast can be reached by visiting this URL:http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98694338

First bank teller(Part of a larger news story called The Firsts - Recognizing our areas African-American pioneers published in The Winchester

Star dated Saturday 7 February 2009.) Sharon Harris, 65, was a fixture with F&M Bank, now BB&T Bank, serving in a variety of capacities at a number of branches in her 38 years and four months with the organizations. She said she was hired as a bookkeeper in 1968 at the main F&M branch on Cameron Street. Four to five years later, she became a teller, and to her knowledge the first African-American in the area to have the position. Harris recalled one man would not come to her window because of her color. But she didnt mind too much: I didnt want to wait on him either.

Other patrons, however, hold a special place. Harris said Winston McKay of Grocers Wholesale was her first commercial customer and was sent from heaven. McKay, who was white, was very kind and the type of customer a person gets once in a lifetime, she said. Harris still receives Christmas cards from McKays former head bookkeeper. Over the years, customers invited her to baby showers and weddings, and she attended funerals, too, she said. And even today, more than two years after her 2006 retirement, Harris said people will stop her and say, Youre the lady from the bank. She loved her time in banking, and her positions which also included branch management made her family proud, too, she said. It was really a blessing for me.

Preservationist group tours Greenway Court(From The Winchester Star dated Wednesday 4 March 2009.)

By Laura Oleniacz The Winchester Star

White Post -- Pete Engel had tried to catch glimpses of Greenway Court from the road while on a bike or in a car. But he had never seen the historic site in the nine years he has lived in the area. That changed on Sunday. Engel and about 35 other people involved in a local historic preservation organization journeyed to the 18th-century home of Thomas, Sixth Lord Fairfax, Baron of Cameron to discuss funding the rehabilitation of the surviving three buildings on the private property in White Post. The preservation group -- the Northern Shenandoah Valley Branch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities -- is trying to raise matching funds for a $47,500 state grant for Greenway Courts rehabilitation. Bob Stieg, president of the group, said the wood in the surviving smokehouse should be preserved and a large crack in the land office wall should be repaired, among other concerns. "I mean, this is wood going back to the mid-18th century, and of course it has suffered a lot from bugs and other attacks," he said. But the local chapter must raise $47,500 for Greenway Court's renovation by June 30 or it will lose the state grant. The group has received a $10,000 pledge from an anonymous donor and plans to meet with private individuals to raise more money, Stieg said. "We encouraged everyone to spread the word that this sum needed to be raised by early summer, and that it was absolutely critical ... because [the buildings are] developing some serious problems," he said of Sunday's meeting. Greenway Court is the historic home of Lord Fairfax, the proprietor in the late 18th century of the 5 million-acre Northern Neck Proprietary that stretched between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers. The site is one of Clarke County's two National Historic Landmarks. Fairfax doled out tracts of land from his office at Greenway Court. The land office survives along with two other buildings the smokehouse and a carriage house. The site is on private property and is closed to the public. The Clarke County Easement Authority and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources co-hold an easement on the property and allow officials to perform work on the buildings and conduct archaeological investigations. County officials hope to conduct future studies on the site of Fairfaxs home. "The house itself is now gone, but its archaeological foundations are still very much there," Stieg said.

Sunday's tour gave the local preservationists a unique

Susan Davis (center) and other members of The 6th Dimension Handbell Ensemble were dressed for the chill as they performed before and during Sunday evening's service at Old Bethel Church.

Sharon HarrisFirst bank teller

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opportunity to venture onto the property and see the structures. Berryville resident and architect H. Allen Kitselman, who is also a Town Council member, participated in the tour. He said he had never been to the site. "Its really a national treasure." Engel, a White Post resident and treasurer of the local Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities branch, said all three buildings at the site need rehabilitation. "They're deteriorating right now, and they need some help," he said, noting that the structures are of great historical importance, especially the land office. "This is where Lord Fairfax issued his land grants. This was where he did business. People would apply for pieces of land grants, and this is where papers were drawn up and signed," Engel said. "Its a very important historic thing for colonial America."

Contact Laura Oleniacz at loleniacz@winchesterstar.com

Ellis to be featured at Reel Stuff Film Festival of Aviation

(From The Wilmington News Journal dated Wednesday 11 March 2009. He is the son of John Leonard Ellis &

Jeanette Wilson and grandson of Adella Collett McKay and Horace Ellis.)

NEWS JOURNAL STAFF REPORT Wilmington native John R. Ellis will be one of the filmmakers featured beginning Thursday at the National Aviation Hall of Fame's second Reel Stuff Film Festival of Aviation in Dayton. "I'm excited to have been asked by the National Aviation Hall of Fame to participate," the filmmaker, writer and artist said. Ellis' credentials span the world of TV, movies and comic books. Just a few highlights are his work for MTV, Showtime, HBO, Cinemax, NBC, ABC and PBS. Ellis is currently in charge of the restoration of the "lost" 1950s NBC prime-time adventure series "Steve Canyon" which is coming to DVD and video. Steve Canyon was the creation of famed cartoonist and Daytonian Milton Caniff and Ellis will represent the Caniff estate Thursday night at a special Opening Night of the Stars Reception at the Engineers Club of Dayton. The "Operation Intercept" Canyon episode will be featured at the reception, which will welcome the National Aviation Hall of Fames producers, writers, directors and other special presenters and guests of the four-day festival. Ellis was born in Wilmington on March 2, 1955, at Clinton Memorial Hospital. Ellis still considers himself a Buckeye. The youngest of two sons and two daughters (by a 12-year margin). He grew up on a small farm outside of town until about 1960 when he moved to the Lakewood area. He spent his early school years here, until about the age of 11 when his family moved to Florida. He has fond memories of Wilmington, including some of the Morand family. He said one of his best friends was Mike Morand. He also recalled coming into downtown Wilmington to buy comic books or go to the movies, often pulling a wagon to collect bottles and trade them in for more comic book money. "Those were good days. I had a lot of fun," he recalled. Ellis remembers being encouraged by his family to be an artist and that encouragement set him on a lifelong creative path. He also was interested in planes and flight at an early age. His

love of planes, rockets and military got him hooked on building models at an early age. He and his parents moved to West Palm Beach, Fla., in 1966. Growing up on a staple of comic books, science fiction and adventure novels, movies and TV shows, he applied these interests to art and photography through his teens. He drew his own comics, took and developed pictures (many for his high school yearbook), and shot his own effects-laden amateur films. In his late teens, he attended a two-year commercial art school (North Tech), learning from the master graphic artist Helen Drake. Also during this time, he was tutored by famed comic book artist C.C. Beck, (creator of "Capt. Marvel" in 1939). During the mid '70s, he attended Palm Beach Community College, where he continued to study design, as well as philosophy, psychology and writing (under the tutelage of author David Stern, author/creator of the "Francis the Talking Mule" novel and movies). During this time, Ellis paid his tuition by doing freelance graphics, drawing Spanish language comic books, and by publishing limited edition posters and magazines aimed at the comics and science fiction collectors. He was well known in the science fiction community as an entrepreneur and promoter, who put on over 40 comic and science fiction media festivals and conventions all over the U.S. between 1971 and 1981, including some of the earliest Star Trek conventions ever held. In the nine months prior to the release of "Star Wars" in 1977, Ellis acted as a special promotional rep for the then-unknown film and helped to build a "certain level of anticipation" among sci-fi fans by his appearances showing clips and exclusive materials at many media conventions. In early 1976, after working briefly as an art assistant on several Marvel Comics, he decided to relocate to the Washington, D.C., area where he worked as a freelance artist and writer. For several years, he wrote for various magazines and newspapers and created art for numerous clients. These include a number of medical books and many covers and interiors for Science News magazine. He also did animation for several government films, and finally in 1979 was hired to work in the camera department on the "I Go Pogo" clay animation feature film which was produced in Arlington, Va. After a year on Pogo, he worked at a commercial animation house as an animator and director. After a year there, he went to work with several of the Pogo alumni who formed a company that specialized in clay animation and special effects commercials for the like of MTV, SHOWTIME, HBO, CINEMAX, NBC, ABC, PBS and many others. He designed and built miniatures, drew storyboards, and was an animator and producer there. Ellis married and began a family in 1984, and when Broadcast Arts moved to NYC in 1985, John went to work with CVC alumni Dan Taylor at his new Taylor Made Images (TMI) animation company. TMI did a both 2D and 3D effects for a wide variety of clients. While there, he wore many hats, producing, directing, designing, editing, building sets and miniatures, and animating, as well as being an account exec for commercials and feature films. During and since the TMI years, Ellis began producing feature length live-action movies. He also was photographer for the special effects unit for Tom Hanks' and HBO's NASA miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon," which aired in April 1998. After a stint designing and building a number of spacesuits and props for the big budget Fox movie "Supernova," he worked for SMG Effects designing and building props and sets for a variety of commercials and rock videos. In mid-1998, he became head of all visual effects for Full Moon Pictures, and supervised and created the CGI effects for over two dozen feature films for the studio for a year and a half. In late 1999, he moved over to Unified Film Organization (UFO) and was the visual effects coordinator for over half a

John Ellis setting up a miniature helicopter for a special effects shot for the movie Invader in 1993. The film was one of 80 feature films that he has been involved with. (Contributed photo)

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dozen theatrical features, and created both CGI and miniature effects for a variety of interesting projects. Going freelance in late 2000, he has since created hundreds of effects shots out of his home studio (LSFX) for numerous feature films and a recent TV series, "William Shatner's Fright Nite," for the Sci-Fi Channel as well. As a consultant and private contractor, he also spends time doing digital cleanup and restoration films, including "8 Mile," "Frida," "The Day After Tomorrow," "25th Hour," "The Cat in the Hat" and others. Ellis is about to start work on his 80th feature film. All in all, John Ellis has contributed in major respects to well over five dozen feature films and an equal number of national and international commercials/shorts/promos within his career in the entertainment industry. Although his career has taken him to many places, he remembers his Wilmington roots. "Wilmington was such a big part of my life. I miss it a lot," he said. To learn more about the Steve Canyon project, go to: www.stevecanyondvd.blogspot.com.

WHS Students of the Month named(From The Wilmington News Journal dated Thursday 18 December 2008.)

Eleven students at Wilmington High School were nominated as Students of the Month. Each department selected a student based on leadership and academic achievements. Students receiving this distinction are, left to right, Ashleigh Taylor, Victoria Ortiz, Tiffany McCann, Deidre Sagraves, Chad Mckay, Jake Harmon, Isaac Collett and Kevin Phelps. Not pictured are Cody Hart, David Duquette and Lauren Showen.Contributed photo

Join a CSA and eat fresh daily(From The Winchester Star dated Wednesday 18 March 2009.)

Local groups offer frugal food optionsBy Stephanie M. Mangino

The Winchester Star Winchester -- Love farm-fresh produce?Hate gardening, have a black thumb, or just no space to grow your fruits and veggies? Enjoy the idea of supporting local farmers? Then Community Supported Agriculture might be for you. A CSA farm sells shares to customers early in the year in order to pay for the seed and materials necessary for the growing season. In return, the share buyer receives a bounty of produce

once a week during the late spring, summer, and even early fall. Several CSAs serve the Winchester area, and most, while they do not have organic certifications, use organic farming methods. Although a CSA requires an initial investment, it can be a frugal option for buyers. They will have a set price for their vegetables and will not be subject to price fluctuations that occur through retailers, according to Kevin Rooney of the Cleaner Greener Foundation CSA. Also, the food is fresh -- not picked before ripeness and shipped to a store, he said. In terms of quality, "You just cant

compare it." And buying from a CSA helps to keep farming alive. Rooney said that by purchasing CSA shares, you can "create your own local stimulus package by supporting your local farmers." Local CSAs Cleaner Greener America CSA. This multiple-farm CSA had 100 shares at the beginning of the year, and about 80 are still available. Share buyers will receive a box of produce each week from June through the third week of October. A full share costs $572, while a half share is $330. A full share box, which measures about 9 by 12 by 14 inches, should feed a family, while a half share would be good for a couple and small child, Rooney said. The farm also expects to have broiler chickens for sale, as well as eggs, with hopes of 75 chickens and 60 dozen eggs being available weekly by June. The chickens and eggs will be sold separately from the CSA shares, he said. Share pickups will be available at farm locations at 1727 Laurel Grove Road and Agape Christian Church at 199 Agape Way in Stephens City, and Hedgebrook Farm at 688 Shady Elm Road, which is working with the foundation to provide a CSA program at the farm. Other local delivery locations are available. Call 866-238-0337, or 540-678-1246, or visit www.cleanergreeneramericafoundation.org. Hedgebrook Farm, a certified grade A dairy at 688 Shady Elm Road, also offers a cow boarding program, in which a customer buys part of the cow and receives the product from the cow (raw milk). The farm takes care of the cow, too. A one-time fee of $80 is assessed and the customer is charged $84 every three months for one gallon a week. The farms Jersey cows produce high-quality, high-butterfat, high-protein milk, farmer Kitty Hockman-Nicholas said. Contact the farm at 540-869-4100 or visit www.hedgebrook.com. At Lei-Kei Farm in Clear Brook, farmer Matthew Burch said the CSA started the year with about 90 shares and has around 20 still available. The CSA offers only full shares for $500, which will provide buyers with produce for each of 18 weeks from the third week of May until the end of September. Lei-Kei provides home delivery in the Winchester and Front Royal areas, he said. Call 540-539-1124 or visit www.lei-keifarm.com. Smallwoods Veggieporium of Berryville offers a full share for $400. About 50 shares are available, said farm representative Mike Burner. A share buys food for 16 weeks, starting in mid-May. The season will continue longer, if possible, he said. A share will easily feed a family of four, Burner added. Pickup will be available at the farm at 11 Lindey Lane in Berryville and a still-to-be-determined location in Winchester. Contact Burner at 540-664-7524 or his partner Suzanne Smallwood at 540-327-7144.

Matthew Burch waters his watermelon and bok choy plants grown from seeds at his Lei-Kei Farm in Clear Brook last year. His farm specializes in Community Supported Agriculture. He started this year with about 90 shares and has about 20 still available. (Photo by Jeff Taylor)

ABOVE: Farmer Matthew Burch displays some of his organically grown snow peas last year on his Lei-Kei Farm in Clear Brook.

BELOW: Burch specializes in community supported agriculture and last year delivered his organically grown harvest to some 60 clients. (Photos by Jeff Taylor)

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Shallowbrook Farm in Boyce offers full and half shares for $600 and $400, respectively, for the 20-week season, which will begin in the last week of May or first week of June. Pickup will be available at the 773 Old Winchester Road farm, and other Winchester-area pickup locations will be designated when share sales are complete. Shareholders will also be able to separately purchase oriental lilies, farm-raised beef, and brown eggs. For more information, contact Susan or Eric Keene at 540-837-2381 or visit www.shallowbrookfarmfresh.com. Echo Ridge Farm near Middletown has eight to 10 shares available for its CSA program. Echo Ridge, at 620 Chapel Road, will provide produce for 16 weeks from June through October. Farmer Amanda Rezba said the cost is $500 for people who pick up at the farm and $550 for those who pick up in Winchester. Weekly shares are equal to one-half to one full paper grocery bag of produce, and can feed two adults or a small family, according to the farms Web site. The farm also works with another local grower to offer a separate, 10-week share of fruit. For more information, contact Rezba at 540-327-6824 or visit www.echoridgefarm.org. The Haskins Family Farm, of Middletown, is a bit different. Its shares are sold for a calendar year, and customers receive meat, rather than produce. The farm hopes to sell 10 shares this year -- a regular share, which provides a buyer with one chicken and five pounds of pork each month, or an alternative share, two chickens each month. A regular share is $567 in one yearly payment or $297 in two payments, Bob Haskins said. The two-chicken option costs $356, or $188 in two payments. The farms CSA members also get first crack at the farms other products, which include cherries, pears, apples, and eggs. CSA members can pick up their meats at the 370 Buffalo Marsh Road farm, or at one of the farmers markets the family frequents. Contact Bob or Mary Haskins at 540-869-3795. Food film series, workshop If you want to view food, as well as eat it, "The Future of Food" film series might be for you. The series, to be presented at 4 p.m. April 26 and May 24 in Henkel Hall at Shenandoah University, will feature the films the "Future of Food," "King Korn," and "How to Save the World." Admission is free and is sponsored by For the Greater Good Inc. Donations are accepted. Representatives from local CSAs are scheduled to be on hand to talk about locally produced food. Contact Robert Hughes at 540-665-8989 or goinggreen4339@gmail.com. A Sustainable Gardening Workshop will be offered from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 28, at the log building near Agape Christian Church at 199 Agape Way, through Ecology Action and the Cleaner Greener America Foundation. The free workshop will include seminars on sustainability, water, and weather; soil, compost, and compost crops; diet and grains; seed selection and propagation; and the year-round garden. To register, contact Jeannette McClellan at 540-678-1246 or send e-mail to mcclellan117@yahoo.com.

- Contact Stephanie M. Mangino at smangino@winchesterstar.com

OBITUARIES

Eva P. Pulse(From The Winchester Star dated Friday 7 Mar 2008.)

Eva Sowers Pulse, 89, of Bunker Hill, W.Va., died Wednesday, March 5, 2008, at Shenandoah Health Village Center. Mrs. Pulse was born Oct. 19, 1918, in Front Royal, the daughter of George and Inga Dahl Sowers. Her first husband, Elmer Tussing, and her second husband, William “Billy” Pulse, are deceased. Surviving are a sister, Freda Kines of Winchester; three stepsons, William Eugene Pulse, Douglas Wayne Pulse, and Charles Edward Pulse; and a number of stepgrandchildren. Four brothers, Hunter Sowers, James Sowers, Hilton Sowers, and Marion Sowers; and three sisters, Viola Welch, Lucille Kenney, and Daisy Edwards, are deceased. A funeral will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Brown Funeral Home, South Berkeley Chapel, Inwood, W.Va., with Chaplain Doug Knupp officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant View Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Panhandle, 122 Waverly Court, Martinsburg, W.Va. 25403.

BETTIE LOU OLIVER SIMMONS Bettie Lou Oliver Simmons was born March 31, 1925 in Wellington, MO. Bettie was the second daughter of Walter Webb Oliver and Mary Elizabeth (Bookasta) Oliver. Bettie and George T. (Tom) Simmons were married July 3, 1954 in Kansas City, MO. They lived in Kansas City, Cape Girardeau, Caruthersville, and Cameron, before moving to Warrensburg, MO in 1970. Bettie attended Wellington schools and graduated from Wellington High School. After graduation, Bettie worked at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant and Western Union Telegraph Company before raising her family. She later worked as a secretary for the Cameron School District, Frontier Realty in Warrensburg, MO and Central Missouri State University where she was secretary to the Dean of the School of Business. She retired from CMSU in 1990. Bettie was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Warrensburg. Bettie was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, Mary Ellen Gardner and Joan Conner, both of Texas, and one grandson, Ryan Simmons. Survivors include her husband Tom, son Mark and his wife Annette Simmons of Higginsville, MO, four grandchildren: Kyle Simmons and his wife Stacie of Raytown, MO, Kimberly Simmons of Miami, FL, and Rachel and Ross Simmons of Higginsville, MO and several nieces and nephews. Bettie descended from: John Kerfoot; Sarah J. (Kerfoot) Bonham; Mary J. (Bonham) Oliver; Walter B. Oliver and Walter Webb Oliver.

Lottie Ilee Keiter 1920 - 2008

Lottie Ilee Keiter, age 88, of Winchester, Virginia, died Friday, June 20, 2008 at a local assisted living facility. Mrs. Keiter was born in 1920, the daughter of the late Charles E. and Frenchie C. Mowrey. She was a homemaker and a member of Market Street United Methodist Church. Her husband, Edwin Linwood Keiter, whom she married on December 16, 1939 in Winchester, died in 2000.

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Surviving are two daughters, Joyce K. McKay of Winchester, and Carole K. Ward of Salado, Texas; four grandchildren; eleven great grandchildren, and two sisters, Rebecca M. Bly of Strasburg, Virginia and Ina C. Bowers of Middletown, Virginia. She was preceded in death by two sisters and five brothers. A funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel, with Reverend Jean McDonald-Walker officiating. Interment will be in Mount Hebron Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Richard Ward, Richard Ward II, Frederick McKay, Edward McKay, John McKay and Keith Venable. The family will receive friends at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel on Tuesday evening from 7:00 - 9:00 P.M.. Memorial contributions may be made to Market St. United Methodist Church, 131 S. Cameron St., Winchester, VA 22601, or Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 W. Cork St., Suite 405, Winchester, VA 22601.

Margaret C. Heck (From the St. Charles Journal (Missouri) dated Saturday 7 June 2008.) Margaret C. Heck, 74, of St. Charles died May 28, 2008, at SSM St. Joseph Health Center. She was born Jan. 18, 1934, to Charles and Emma V. Hausenfluck in Boyce, Va. Mrs. Heck was a homemaker. She is survived by one son, Stephen of Grover; one daughter, Jacque Oldham of Fishers, Ind.; two sisters, Peggy Smallwood and Brenda Runner, both of Boyce, Va.; one brother, Charles Hausenfluck of Boyce, Va.; and five grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard E. Heck; her parents; and three brothers, Kenneth, Cecil and Billy Hausenfluck. Graveside services were private. Memorials may be to the Arthritis Foundation c/o Baue Funeral and Memorial Center, 3950 W. Clay St., St. Charles, MO 63301.

Jerry Brown(From 'The Capital' dated Wednesday 22 August 2007.)

"Count your life by Smiles, not tears.Count your age by Friends, not years."

Jerry Russell Brown, 76, a 35-year resident of Gingerville Estates in Edgewater and previously of New Carrollton, died of pulmonary fibrosis Aug. 20 at Anne Arundel Medical Center after a 10-year illness.

Born June 10, 1931, in Fairmount, Ind., and a 1949 graduate of Fairmount High School, Mr. Brown attended Indiana University in Bloomington in 1949 and 1950. He joined the Navy in 1951 during the Korean War, receiving training in Pensacola, Fla., and Patuxent Naval Air Station, where he met his wife, Mary Ann Brown, of Washington, D.C. They were married on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, 1953. After their son was born at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Mr. Brown was transferred to the carrier USS Coral Sea as an aviation machinist technician, and his wife to the Mediterranean. He was honorably discharged in 1955 and returned to the Washington area. His first civilian job was at a Chevrolet dealership owned by the Rogers family. When Bill Rogers established the Rogers Chevrolet dealership in Bowie a few years later, Mr. Brown joined him, working mostly in sales. He was named a corporate officer and general manager before retiring in 2001. He was a commodore of the West River Yacht Club for 30 years. He was also a member for seven years of the Early

Pattern Glass Society. He collected and was a dealer in antique glass. In addition to his wife of 54 years, he is survived by one son, Michael W. Brown of Edgewater; his mother, Mildred Compton Brown of Marion, Ind.; and one grandson. He was the son of the late Russell Brown. A life celebration will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater. The family's online guestbook is at http://www.kalasfuneralhomes.com.

Jerry R. Brown Born in Fairmount, Indiana on June 10, 1931 to Mildred P. Compton and Russell Brown. He graduated from Fairmount High School in 1949 and attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana until 1951. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1951 during the Korean War. He took training in Pensacola, Florida and was stationed at Patuxent Naval Air Force Base, where he met his wife, Mary Ann McKay, of Washington, D.C. They were married on Valentines Day, February 14, 1953. After his son was born at Bethesda Naval Hospital on December 9, 1953, he was transferred aboard the Naval Carrier "Coral Sea", stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, and the ship was sent to the Mediterranean Sea during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1955, and returned to the Washington area where he has resided ever since. His first job was at Barry Pate Chevrolet, owned by the Rogers family, then worked for a few years at their Addison Chevrolet dealership until the riots in the late 50's. He and Bill Rogers became acquainted and worked well with each other, and when Bill moved out of the city to establish Rogers Chevrolet in Bowie, Maryland, Jerry went with him. He remained there for 45 years, working mostly in the sales department, and was a corporate officer and General Manager until he retired in 2001. Over the years, he and Mary Ann traveled all over the world, enjoying many trips to interesting places in Europe and elsewhere. He also enjoyed several ship cruises and trips to the Caribbean with his son, Michael Brown and daughter-in-law, Pat, in recent years. He moved from his home in New Carrollton, Md., after 15 years, and made his home in 1972 in Gingerville Estates near Annapolis, Maryland. His main outside interest then became boating, and he joined the West River Yacht Club in 1975. He and Mary Ann enjoyed many cruising weekends on the Chesapeake Bay and beyond with the Club members, and the yearly cruises south on the Intracoastal Waterway to Beaufort and Southport, N.C., where "The Mary Ann" was docked for the winter. He remained an avid boater until his death. He was a Past Commodore of West River Yacht Club, and a member of the Early American Pattern Glass Society, and was an antique dealer and collector of pattern glass. In addition to his wife of 54 years, he leaves a son, Michael William Brown of Edgewater, Maryland, a grandson, Matthew Russell Brown, 24, and his mother, Mildred Compton Brown, of Marion, Indiana. He died of pulmonary fibrosis and pneumonia on August 20, 2007 at Anne Arundel Medical Center after a lengthy illness. He was 76 years old.

Samuel Davis Sr.(From The Northern Virginia Daily dated Saturday 16 August 2008.)

Samuel Lester Davis Sr., 84, of Stephens City died Thursday at Lynn Care Center in Front Royal. The funeral will be conducted Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Maddox Funeral Home in Front Royal by Pastor Larry Andrews. Burial, with military honors by Strasburg American Legion Post 77, will be in Riverview Cemetery in Strasburg. Mr. Davis was born Dec. 9, 1923, in Strasburg, son of the late Samuel Washington and Zona Alice Entsminger Davis. He

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was an Army veteran and retired from Ford Motor Co. in Upsilanti, Mich., after 28 years. He was a member of Faith Baptist Church in Front Royal, Strasburg American Legion and the National Rifle Association. He was the husband of the late Peggy Louise Clatterbuck Davis. Surviving are a son, Samuel Lester Davis Jr. of Stephens City; a stepson, Steven Long of Front Royal; two brothers, Alby Davis of Michigan and Charles Davis of Idaho; three grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. Pallbearers will be Charles Clatterbuck, Guy Clatterbuck Jr., Matthew Clatterbuck, Timothy Clatterbuck, Ronnie Andrews and Samuel Long. Honorary pallbearers will be Clifton Wilson, Jason Haynes, John Andrews, Pete Kennedy and Brian Rogers. The family will receive friends Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 2654 Valley Ave., Suite B, Winchester 22601; or Faith Baptist Church, 15 Faith Way, Front Royal 22630.

Mary A. Hackney(From The Wilmington News Journal

dated Monday 28 July 2008.) Mary A. Hackney, 94, of Wilmington, died Friday morning (July 25, 2008) at Cape May Retirement Village in Wilmington. She was preceded in death by her husband, Oscar, who died Nov. 27, 1980. Mrs. Hackney was born Monday, Dec. 22, 1913, in Wilmington, daughter of the late John R. and Lucy Stackhouse Davis. She was a lifetime resident of Wilmington. A wife, mother and

homemaker her entire life, she resided on Prairie Road on a three-generation farm. Mary and her husband raised four children and farmed their entire lives. She was a longtime 4-H adviser, helping many local girls to learn to cook and sew. She belonged to the Modern Mothers Club, Wilmington Women’s Republican Club and First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She was active with the Clinton County Senior Citizen Center and a member of the Shady Ladies and Sunshine Boys senior band. She also was involved in many county activities with her husband. She is survived by two sons, Roger A. (Becky) Hackney of Lapeer, Mich., and John M. (Colleen) Hackney of Burton, Mich.; two daughters, Barbara D. (Emmett) Riggs of Painesville and Nancy L. (Jerry) Robinson of Wilmington; 12 grandchildren, Elizabeth (Thom) Bolen, Peggy (Tom) Hanley, Roger Hackney Jr., Susan (Peter) Neumeyer, Rhonda (Mark) Hervey, Deron (Megan) Hackney, Cheryl (Tim) Russell, Natalie Riggs, Anna (Paul) Moorehead, Micheal (Kelly) Riggs, Randy (Cora) Robinson and Joe (Gail) Robinson; four stepgrandchildren, Caroline (Anthony) D’Andrea and Beth, Ashley and Emily Kovacks; 19 great-grandchildren; and four stepgreat-grandchildren. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a grandson, Jesse D. Robinson; and five sisters, Thelma Lukens, Doris Davis, Helen Carson, Lois Howe and Jean Hendrickson. Funeral Services will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday at FISHER-EDGINGTON FUNERAL HOME, 97 W. Locust St. at North Mulberry Street, Wilmington, the Rev. Jane Stout officiating, with burial in Sugar Grove Cemetery, Wilmington. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Community Care Hospice, P.O. Box 123, Wilmington, 45177 or We Care Home Care, 214 Kenyon Drive, Wilmington, 45177. For more information and to

access the funeral home’s online register book, visit http://www.edgingtonfuneralhomes.com.

Lawrence G. Lehew(From The Winchester Star dated Thurdsay 31 July 2008.)

Lawrence Gene Lehew, 55, of Winchester died Tuesday, July 29, 2008, at his home. He was born Oct. 20, 1952, in West Virginia, the son of Dorothy and Harry Lehew. Mr. Lehew was an employee of D.L. Morgan Inc. in Inwood, W.Va., and had served in the Army. He attended Grace Brethren Church. He married Shannon Mahala Lehew on Oct. 21, 2000 in Front Royal. Surviving with his wife and mother, of Millers Creek, N.C., are three daughters, Shannon Denise Lehew of Boston, and Angel Lynne Parker and Rebekah Dawn Abrell, both of Winchester; three sons, Sean Michael Lehew and Joshua Daniel Parker, both of Winchester, and Michael Paul Prater of Front Royal; five sisters, Laura Thompson, Rosie Minton, and Audrey Meadows, all of Millers Creek, Nancy Faye Prevette of North Wilkesboro, N.C., and Theresa Lilly of Chesapeake; three brothers, Clinton Russell Lehew of Winchester, Rex Allen Lehew of South Carolina, and Jeffrey Lehew of North Carolina; and 15 grandchildren. A funeral will take place at 11 a.m. Friday in the funeral home chapel, with pastor Mike Woods officiating. Burial will follow at Shenandoah Memorial Park in Winchester. The pallbearers will be Sean Lehew, Michael Prater, Joshua Parker, James Russell Lehew, Lonnie Abrell Jr., Jeremy Woodall, Darin Prater, and Derrick Lehew. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Turner-Robertshaw Funeral Home of Front Royal is in charge of the arrangements. Memorials may be made to the Lawrence Gene Lehew Fund, c/o Patricia Lehew or Sharon Lehew, 2500 Valley Ave., Winchester, Va. 22601.

Esther Ruth Underwood Doster(From The Wilmington News Journal dated Thursday 23 October 2008 at 11:02:00 PM)

Esther Ruth Underwood Doster, 105, of Quaker Friendly Center, 290 Prairie Ave., Apt. 208, Wilmington, died 8:20 a.m. Thursday (Oct. 23, 2008) in the emergency room at Clinton Memorial Hospital, Wilmington. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Sexton Doster. They were married June 18,

1930. Mrs. Doster was born March 29, 1903, on her father’s farm on Brimstone Road, Chester Township, Clinton County, daughter of Daniel Bailey Underwood and Wilhelmina Hahn Doster. She taught school in four counties, from a one-room schoolhouse to most recently teaching in the Clinton-Massie School District until her retirement. She grew as a member of the Miami Quaker Meeting and later a member of Jonah’s Run Baptist Church. She was a member of the Tau Theta Chi Sorority, Progress Club, Daughters of the American Colonists, Harveysburg Book Review, Women’s Christian Temperance Union, Anti-Can’t Society and Ohio State Retired Teachers Association. She received her teaching certificate from Wilmington College and also received and held a life teaching certificate. She is survived by three sons, Dr. D. Howard (Barbara) Doster of Waynesville, Dr. W. Robert (Mary Lou) Doster of Buckeye, Ariz., and John Underwood (Carol) Doster of Waynesville; a daughter, Jane (Doug) Strecker of Medical Lake,

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Wash.; 12 grandchildren, David (Cindi) Doster, Daniel (Melody) Doster, Susan Doster, Anne (Travis) Doster Glaze, Karen (Shawn) Dunivant, Diane Doster, William C. (Tammy) Doster, Stephen Doster, Debra (Richard) Hovey, Alison (Stephen) Crombie, Amy Doster and Amanda Doster; 20 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by three sisters, Sara Braddock, Ada Grace Braddock and Ruby Dale Wilde. Graveside services will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday at Miami Cemetery, Corwin, and memorial services will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday at Jonah’s Run Baptist Church, 9614 SR 73, Waynesville, Pastor Roger Hilbert officiating. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at REYNOLDS-SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 327 N. South St., Wilmington. Memorial contributions may be made to Quaker Friendly Center, 290 Prairie Ave., Wilmington, 45177; Jonah’s Run Baptist Church, 9614 SR 73, Waynesville, 45068; or Waynesville Friends, in care of Quaker Heights Care Community, 514 W. High St., Waynesville, 45068. For more information or to sign the funeral home’s online registry of condolences, visit http://www.smithandsonfuneralhomes.com.

From Howard Doster: She was still teaching me last night, but for the first time in 16 years, I didn't call Mom tonight. What great experiences we shared! This morning, she told her care-giver she was ready to die; and she did, peacefully, with not an ache or pain, just as she lived on the Warren-Clinton County line for most of these last 105 years. Next spring, for the first time in 89 years, Esther will be missed at her Kingman high school alumni; and for the first time in 84 years, her Wilmington College alumni; and for the first time in 80 years, her husband's Collett-McKay family picnic. She said, "Some persons attend these things; some don't. Doster's do, as soon as the corn is planted and the hay is put up."

Esther Underwood Doster Memorial Service will be held 2 pm Tuesday, October 28,2008 at Jonah's Run Baptist Church, 9614 SR 73-W,Wilmington, Ohio,45177,2 miles west of I-71 exit 45. Current pastors-Roger Hilbert and Jay Williams, plus former pastors-Steven Fitz, Fred McNight, Dan Doster(her grandson), Charles Ellison(her first friend's son), and perhaps Jim Schultz will come from four states to share in the celebration. Born March 29, 1903, on her father's adjacent-to-the-now-25-member 170-year old husband's family church(where she was still teaching SS on her 92nd birthday, and where she prepared communion for 57 years) farm, she married William Doster, a tenant neighbor's son, and they lived out their lives within a two-mile area. Their's was the first marriage between two mostly Quaker families who moved into this Northwest Territory area from Virginia and Pennsylvinia,to get away from slavery,just after 1800. Esther learned and then taught that the Ordinance of 1787 which provided for trial by jury, no slavery, and provision for public schools was perhaps more significant than our US Constitution. Starting with her "Anti-Can't Society" in her one-room school 4th grade, Esther and her husband co-founded many local community, farm, and church groups. When asked recently how they decided to do things off the farm, she answered,"We asked two questions, is it significant? and, can we do it?" If "yes", they did it. Teaching first in a one-room school in 1922, Esther earned a Life Teaching Certificate while teaching in schools in four nearby counties. When she retired just after helping to pay off their farm mortgage, her son, Howard, was teaching at Purdue; son,Robert, was a veternarian in Arizona; son,John, was a Voag

teacher;and daughter, Jane, was employed on an air base in Washington. Esther stopped teaching for awhile when she married in 1930 because only men could teach after marriage, so as to spread the scarce teacher money to more families. While her children were in school, and her husband was local school board president, Esther taught a monthly temperance class, "The Loyal Temperance Legion" (LTL) to middle school classes. While touring Russian Agricultural Research Stations with Purdue colleagues in 1991, a few days after the coups, Howard recited the LTL motto-"Not too much of anything, and some things none at all," to the first communist research director who chided him for not drinking vodka. Though the vodka ritual was repeated at eight other stations, no one chided Howard again. As evidence of how her influence continues to spread, descendants now living in 14 states will receive this email and many will likely come back to her Brimstone Road home. Likely, we'll again sit on the porch where she was married in the house where she and her father were born,and look out over the valley to the church on the east and her family's land in between. We'll note the road where her future husband drove his horse-drawn school wagon to pick up Esther and her younger sisters. Someone will point out "Pleasant View Farm" to the southwest, and remember the girls said their neighbors named their farm because they looked down on them. Likely, someone will repeat what they've heard Esther say while sitting there so many times at family reunions, "This is the one spot in the world where everything is in its right place." Rememberance gifts may be made to Quaker Friendly Center in Wilmington, her home for the last 12 years; Miami Quaker Meeting in Waynesville, her father's family Meeting; and Jonah's Run Baptist Church, which she joined after two of her sons. Howard Doster 765 412 1495

Clara D. Aylestock(From The Winchester Star dated Thursday6 November 2008.)

Clara Doone Thompson Aylestock, 78, of Berryville, Virginia, died on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 at her residence. Mrs. Aylestock was born June 1, 1930 in Staunton, Virginia, the daughter of Hall Thompson, Sr. and Ora May McKay Thompson. She was a homemaker. She was a member of Bethlehem Baptist Church. She married Harold Joe Aylestock on October 21, 1950. Surviving with her husband are a daughter, Diana Aylestock of Front Royal, VA; two sons, Douglas and his wife, Lois Aylestock of Berryville, VA and Dan Aylestock of Springfield, VA; three sisters, Arlene Conaway of Martinsburg, WV, Shirley Wise of Ohio and Thelma Parker of Springfield, VA; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A brother, Hall Thompson, Jr. preceded her in death. The family will receive friends 1-2 p.m. Saturday, November 8, 2008 at Sago Baptist Church in Buckhannon, WV. A funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. with Rev. Mike Aylestock and Rev. Wease Day officiating. Burial will be in Heavners Grove Cemetery in Buckhannon, WV. Pallbearers will be Dan Aylestock, Jr., Larry Aylestock, David Bourne, Bernard Aylestock, Kenny Bourne, Thomas Beck, and Dillon Aylestock. The family will receive friends 7-9 p.m. Thursday evening at the Enders & Shirley Funeral Home in Berryville, VA. (Not sure if she is a descendant of Robert Mackay Sr. or not at this time.)

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James Joseph “Jim” Keiter(From The Wilmington News Journal

dated Monday 17 Nov 2008.) James Joseph “Jim” Keiter, 47, of Wilmington, went to be with his Lord and Savior at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 5, 2008. Services were scheduled to be held 10:30 a.m. Nov. 10 at the Wilmington Assembly of God, 609W. Locust St.,Wilmington, with burial in the McKay Family Cemetery, New Burlington Road, Clinton County.

Visitation was scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 9 at the church. Arrangements were under the direction of REYNOLDS-SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 327 N. South St., Wilmington.

Mary Eva Bingamon Hackney(From The Wilmington News Journal

dated Monday 18 Oct 2006.) Mary Eva Bingamon Hackney, 93, of Wilmington, died Friday evening (Nov. 14, 2008) at Quaker Heights Assisted Living, Waynesville. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Bond Hackney. They were married Oct. 7, 1943. Mrs. Hackney was born Nov. 1, 1915, on Charlton Mill Road in Greene County, daughter of the late Charles S.

and Eva Snyder Coy Bingamon. She graduated in 1933 from Silvercreek Township School and attended Cedarville College. Her first teaching position was at the Old Town Run School in Greene County. She also taught at Mt. Pleasant School in Clinton County and Trotwood Elementary in Montgomery County. After their marriage, she and her husband moved to Chester Township, Clinton County, where she lived until 2005. After rearing a family, she returned to teaching at various schools, which included Kingman and Harveysburg in the Clinton-Massie school system. In 2006, she was recognized as one of the Outstanding Women of Clinton County because of her volunteer efforts at the Freedom School in Hillsboro. It was there she volunteered one day a week, tutoring children who were withdrawn from school by their parents in protest of segregation. She was a member of the Jamestown Friends Meeting, later moving her membership to Chester Friends Meeting, where she remained a life member. At Chester Friends Meeting, she served as Sunday School teacher and monthly meeting recording clerk. She also served on various committees and boards of the Wilmington Yearly Meeting. She was a donor-member of the Christian Childrens Fund for more than 40 years and a member of the Farmers Union. Additionally, she was a member of Chester Grange, where she served as lecturer for many years and was responsible for the booth displays at the Clinton County Fair. Her family and her church were her greatest joys. She attended the extracurricular activities of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She supported many Clinton-Massie Falcon and Wilmington Hurricane sporting events, dramas and musical programs. She is survived by two sons, James (Lois) Hackney of Wilmington and David (Pat) Hackney of Wilmington; a daughter, Rebecca (Arthur) Godfrey of Wilmington; nine grandchildren, Rhonda (Ken) Owings of San Diego, Calif., Emma (William Morris) Godfrey of Cincinnati, Lydia (Mike) Donovan of Lebanon, Renee (Donald) Quallen of Wilmington,

Suzanne Addison of Wilmington, Robert Hackney of Wilmington, Mark (Sarah) Hackney of Wilmington, Kent Hackney of Wilmington and James David Godfrey of Greensboro, N.C.; 10 great-grandchildren, Loren Quallen, Sarah Quallen, Emily Quallen, Matt Addison, Vanessa Addison, Zachary Owings, Danielle Owings, Abel Hackney, Nathan Hackney and Gideon Hackney; and a sister-in-law, Bonnie Bingamon of Xenia. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by four brothers and three sisters-in-law, Chad and Mary Coy, Ross and Blanche Coy, Mark and Venda Bingamon and Donald Bingamon. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Chester Friends Meeting, 3451 Gurneyville Road, Wilmington, Mike McCormick, Nancy McCormick and Jim Ellis officiating, with burial in New Burlington Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Chester Friends Meeting, in care of Billie Baker, 378 Darbyshire Drive, Wilmington, 45177, or the Jamestown Friends Meeting, in care of Russell Cline, 5649 N. Jeffersonville Road, Jamestown, 45335. Arrangements are under the direction of REYNOLDS-SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 327 N. South St., Wilmington. For more information or to sign the funeral homes registry of condolences, http://www.smithandsonfuneralhomes.com. MARY HACKNEY -- Burial was Wednesday in New Burlington Cemetery for Mary Eva Bingamon Hackney. Mike McCormick, Nancy McCormick and Jim Ellis officiated. Pallbearers were William Morris, James Godfrey, Mike Donovan, Robert Hackney, Mark Hackney, Kent Hackney and Donald Quallen. Arrangements were under the direction of REYNOLDS-SMITH FUNERAL HOME, Wilmington.

Arthur Robert "Art" Godfrey(From The Wilmington News Journal

dated Tuesday 9 December 2008.) Arthur "Art" Robert Godfrey, 61, of Wilmington, died 4:02 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 6, 2008) at Clinton Memorial Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca Hackney Godfrey. They were married June 10, 1973. Mr. Godfrey was born Aug. 18, 1947, in Philadelphia, Pa., son of the late Charles Wesley and Helen Desher Godfrey. He graduated from John Bartram High School in Philadelphia and

attended Friends University in Wichita, Kan. He currently was employed by Mike Shaw Construction. He was a former employee of McKee Addison, Airborne Express and R&L. He was a member of the Chester Friends Meeting, where he assisted with numerous activities, including youth camp and the Wilmington Yearly Meeting youth activities. In addition to his wife, he is survived by three children, Lydia Katherine Godfrey (Michael) Donovan of Lebanon, Emma Manndalynn Godfrey (William) Morris of Norwood and James David Godfrey (special friend Thea Marie Peters) of Greensboro, N.C.; a brother, Charles Wesley Godfrey; two sisters, Judy Godfrey and Barbara Shipferling; many dearly loved nieces and nephews; and several beloved great-nieces and great-nephews. Graveside services will be held 1 p.m. Saturday at Chester Friends Cemetery, 3463 Gurneyville Road, Wilmington. A celebration of his life through a meeting for worship will immediately follow the graveside service and be held at Chester Friends Meeting, 3463 Gurneyville Road, Wilmington, Mike and Nancy McCormick officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to the Chester Friends Meeting, in care of Billie Baker,

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378 Darbyshire Drive, Wilmington, 45177. Arrangements are under the direction of REYNOLDS-SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 327 N. South St., Wilmington. For more information or to sign the funeral homes online registry of condolences, visit http://www.smithandsonfuneralhomes.com. Arthur Robert 'Art' Godfrey -- Burial was Saturday in Chester Friends Cemetery for Arthur Robert "Art" Godfrey. Mike and Nancy McCormick officiated. Pallbearers were James Godfrey, Clint A. Hackney, Brett Curry, William Morris, Mike Donovan, John Becker and Brad Lakes. Arrangements were under the direction of REYNOLDS-SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 327 N. South St., Wilmington.

Memorial website created A memorial website was created by daughter Lydia (Godfrey) Donovan for Arthur Godfrey. You can visit it by going to this URL: http://arthur-godfrey.last-memories.com/.

Stewart Steer Yeakley Sr. 1913 – 2009

(From The Omps Funeral Home) Stewart Steer Yeakley, Sr., 95, of Frederick County, Virginia, died Wednesday, January 14, 2009, in his home. Mr. Yeakley was born in 1913, in Gainesboro, Virginia, the son of the late Holmes E. and Lois Yeakley. After high school he worked with his father on the family farm and orchard which consisted of raising cattle, horses, peaches and apples. He also delivered R.C. Cola and NeHi products for Royal Crown Cola in Winchester. In 1949 he began his own trucking business until 1957 when he started driving for Novick Transfer in Winchester. He retired from Hemingway Transport in January of 1975. After his retirement from trucking he provided horse and carriage rides during the Christmas Holidays in downtown Winchester. Mr. Yeakley was a lifelong member and trustee of Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Winchester, Virginia. He was also a member of Virginia Farm Bureau, Winchester Eagles Aerie 824, Winchester Moose Lodge #1283 and the Legion of the Moose. Mr. Yeakley was a member of Pine Knots Senior Group, Jolly Crowd, Shenandoah Valley Steam Engine Association as well as Teamsters Retirees Association and Novick-Hemingway Retirees. He was a former member of the Winchester Elks Lodge BPOE #867 and the U.C.T. His wife, Sarah Elizabeth "Libby" Crisman Yeakley, whom he married on November 23, 1935, in Winchester, Virginia, preceded him in death on August 24, 1975. Surviving are his daughters, Sara Smith and her husband, Robert, of Winchester, Mary Ann Pullen of Winchester, Virginia; daughter-in Law, Shelby D. Yeakley of Springfield, Virginia; four grandchildren, Celeste Y. Crim of Winchester, Leslie E. Yeakley of Springfield, R. Scott Smith, Adrian S. Pullen and his wife Crystal all of Winchester, Virginia; two great grandchildren, Yeakley and Bodie Pullen; sister, Mary L. Good and her husband John P. Sr.; several nieces and nephews and his companion, Allie Kipps of Winchester, Virginia. His son, Stewart S. Yeakley, Jr. and his brother, Harry S. Yeakley preceded him in death. A funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 AM on Monday, at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel, with Pastor Rhodes Woolly and Pastor Scott Maxwell officiating. Interment will be in Mount Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, Virginia. Pallbearers will be Jack Williams, Gary Nichols, Pressley Pullen, Jr., Scott Shingleton, Doug Robinson, Steve Stotler, John Good, Jr., John Taylor and Bill Sirk. Honorary Pallbearers will be Members of Novick - Hemingway Retirees. The family will receive friends on Sunday afternoon, from 2:00 - 5:00 PM, at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Mission Expansion Fund, 2077 N. Frederick

Pike, Winchester, VA 22603 or Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 West Cork Street, Suite 405, Winchester, Virginia, 22601.

Carlton F. "Corky" Dyke 1915 – 2009

(From The Omps Funeral Home) Carlton Franklin "Corky" Dyke, 93, of Frederick County, Virginia, died Friday, February 20, 2009, at the Edmonds Home.

Mr. Dyke was born in 1915, the son of the late Doctor Franklin and Carrie S. Dyke. He was a self-employed farmer, an avid horse lover, and also worked over thirty years at the Farmers Livestock Exchange, Frederick County, Virginia. He participated in many parades in the area, including the Apple Blossom Parade, providing horse and carriage rides. His wife, Ollie Marie Brown Dyke, whom he married on February 12, 1937 in Frederick County, Virginia, preceded him in death on August 31, 1994. Surviving are his daughter and son-in-law, Gwen and Henry Russell of Clear Brook, Virginia; son and daughter-in-law, C. Scott and Sue Dyke of Winchester, Virginia; six grandchildren, Kirk G. Russell, Gail D. Russell, Jessica Capitani, Anna McKenna, Elizabeth Dyke and Carrie McGowan; and five great grandchildren, Ryan Russell, Rachel Russell, Elke Doby, Kensington McKenna and Caden Capitani. He was preceded in death by four sisters, Beatrice Wisecarver, Lois Russell, Bertha Russell Moulden, Stella Shiley and one brother, Herman J. Dyke. A funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel with Reverend Suzanne Vance officiating. Interment will be in Mount Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, Virginia. Pallbearers will be Robert Belford, Bobby Kaval, David Miller, Billy Staples, Sterling Shockley, Lynn Anderson, Douglas Robinson, Gary Luttrell, Linda Hepner and Mary Ann Pullen. The family will receive friends on Monday evening from 6:00 8:00 PM at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to White Hall United Methodist Church, 3270 Apple Pie Ridge Road, Winchester, Virginia 22603 or Old Stone Church, c/o Pat Swisher, 111 Montague Avenue, Winchester, Virginia 22601 or Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 W. Cork Street, Suite 405, Winchester, Virginia 22601.

Marshall Randolph Gore, Jr.(From The Washington Post dated Wednesday 15 April 2009.)

On April 12, 2009 of Annandale, VA. Husband of Nelson Gore, father of Bob Gore (Sharan), Glen Allen, VA and Beth Harris (Ron), Manassas, VA; brother of William Gore, Rome, GA; grandfather of Jennifer and Caroline Gore. The family will receive friends on Thursday, April 14 from 10 a.m. until time of memorial services at 11 a.m. at Sydenstricker United Methodist Church, 8505 Hooes Rd., Springfield, VA. Interment private. Family requests contributions be made to the Alzheimers Foundation. Arrangements by ROYSTON FUNERAL HOME.

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OUT OF THE PAST

The photos below show a couple of scenes from the 1990 Collett-McKay Picnic when your editor was a little younger and had more hair. This was the 1st Collett-McKay Picnic I attended and I arrived there by way of a charter bus. Things have changed quite a bit since then as I make an annual trip to the picnic usually by rental car. I enjoy coming to this event very much and look forward to it every year.

Your editor with Cousins Mary (Babb) Levo & Ruth (Haines) Hussey at the 1990 Collett-McKay Picnic.

Your editor at the 1990 Collett-McKay Picnic.

Below is a photo believed to be from the 1885 Collett-McKay Picnic. Copies of this photo were distributed at the 2008 picnic by Bill & Janice McClain who were attending this year. A larger view of this photo can be seen by visiting the Robert Mackay Clan website.

Photo from the 1885 Collett-McKay Picnic.Courtesy of Bill & Janice McClain.

Robert Mackay Clan Website will be moving!! This is also a note to let readers know that The Robert Mackay Clan website which has been housed at Geocities will be moving to a new server possibly by October of 2009. This is due to Yahoo!’s decision to close the Geocities webhosting service in favour of their Yahoo! small business hosting services. The domain name for our website will remain the same at www.robertmackayclan.com but if you have any direct links to the pages on the pages within the website that have a geocities URL you will have to update them. Most likely the pages will simply subdivide off of the domain name which will make locating them much simpler than the old Geocities links. The Message Board links will not be affected by this move since they are housed on a separate server, nor will my Maverick’s Corner website be affected.

SEND US YOUR NEWSYour donations help to support our Newsletter. Please submit any news you may have to help add to the next issue. This Newsletter covers happenings in the entire Robert Mackay family from Virginia to Ohio and beyond. If you would like to donate to help with our expenses please send a cheque to: The Robert Mackay Clan % Michael L. McKay 115 Morgan St. Winchester, VA 22601-3829

NEXT ISSUE

Spring 2010

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Greetings …………………………………………………… 1

Newsletter Now Online ……………………....................... 1

Annual Virginia McKay Reunion ……………………… 1 (McKay-Sowers-Kerfoot)

Collett-McKay Picnic …………………………………….. 1

Bethel Memorial Inc. Meetings ………………………… 1

Past Reunion News ………………………....................... 1-3 143rd Collett-McKay Picnic 63rd Annual Robert McKay Clan Reunion (McKay-Sowers-Kerfoot)

News from Cards and Letters …………....................... 3-6

News Items ………………...………………………...….. 6-19 Oldest structure in Warren County …………………….. 6-7 partially destroyed by fire *(Breaking News)* Officials agree to secure structure damaged by fire ……..... 7 *(Breaking News)* Pfc. Roger McKay stationed in Kuwait …………………... 7 Chester Township receives new squad vehicle …………. 7-8 Carry A. Nation souvenir hatchet ………………………… 8 A Millwood landmark …………………………………... 8-9 Audrey McKay born May 6 ……………………………… 9 Quaker Heritage Center exhibit opens …………………… 9 summer run in Washington, D.C. Preservationists study Greenway Court plan …………….. 9 Historic Landmark was headquarters …………………… 10 for vast holdings of Lord Fairfax Gideon Jacob Hackney ………………………………….. 10 6 generations and 100 years …………………………. 10-11 Marker-Miller Orchards: 100 years and still growing ….. 12 Underground Railroad topic …………………………. 12-13 of Genealogy Society program Program focus is colonial roads …………………………. 13 Lauren McKay marries Justin Cummings ………………. 13 Study: TV May Do No Harm to Babies ………………… 13 Colletts visit memorial …………………………………... 14 Clarke preservationists discuss ………………………….. 14 the future of Clermont Farm House yields reminders of days gone by …………….. 14-15 Old Bethel service: ‘This is the real thing’ ………………. 15 Church built in 1833 hosts an old-fashioned Christmas 15-16 In Shenandoah Chapel, Carols Reign ……………………. 16 First bank teller …………………………………………... 16 Preservationist group tours Greenway Court ………… 16-17 Ellis to be featured at Reel Stuff ……………………... 17-18 Film Festival of Aviation WHS Students of the Month named ……………………... 18 Join a CSA and eat fresh daily ……………………….. 18-19

Obituaries ………………………………………………. 9-24 Eva P. Pulse …………………………………………….... 19 Bettie Lou Oliver Simmons ……………………………… 19 Lottie Ilee Keiter ……………………………………… 19-20 Margaret C. Heck ……………………………………….... 20 Jerry Brown …………………………………………….... 20

Samuel Davis Sr. ……………………………………... 20-21 Mary A. Hackney ………………………………………... 21 Lawrence G. Lehew ……………………………………… 21 Esther Ruth Underwood Doster ………………………. 21-22 Clara D. Aylestock ……………………………………….. 22 James Joseph “Jim” Keiter ……………………………….. 23 Mary Eva Bingamon Hackney …………………………… 23 Arthur Robert "Art" Godfrey …………………………. 23-24 Stewart Steer Yeakley Sr. ………………………………... 24 Carlton F. "Corky" Dyke ………………………………… 24 Marshall Randolph Gore, Jr. …………………………….. 24

Out of the Past ……………………….…..……………….. 25 Photos from the 1990 Collett-McKay Picnic ………….. 25 Photo from the 1885 Collett-McKay Picnic ……………... 25 *Announcement* Robert Mackay Clan …………………. 25 website moving

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