Oh! Those West Virginia Hills how Majestic and How Grand

Upon arriving in America they each bought one thousand acres of land, for one dollar an acre. Abraham Guthrie bought one thousand acres along the middle Atlantic sea shore twenty five miles north of the fork in two great rivers. This brother married and had one daughter named Sarah, later it was learned Abraham and his wife were killed and until recently no one knew what became of his daughter.

Not knowing of any heirs , the government resold the land. Jacob and James Guthrie went west to the great Ohio river, Jacob crossed the river and was never heard from again.

James Guthrie bought one thousand acres in what is now Preston County West Virginia. This land is still owned in part by the Guthrie clan.

My grandfather , who lived on part of this land, was a big man, he had a long black beard, brown eyes, was bald headed, and bow-legged; he always wore gum boots and smelled of cow manure. Being very religious he was a deacon in the Church of the Brethren. Besides farming, he was county commissioner. My grandfather was married to Nancy Nicola, (my grandmother) and they had twelve children. He died three years before I was born, all I know about him is what was told to me.

I don’t remember much about my grandmother Nancy Nicola Guthrie, except that she was a big woman, with big bosoms, thin hair that she pulled back tight against her head. I remember her being sick in bed and of her funeral, the horse and buggies lined up at her house, of Aunt Minnie running around the crowded kitchen with a small chamber pot in her hand, trying to find her son Clarence so he could go before they left for the church.

My Grandpop and Grandmaws first baby died. So my father was the oldest living, his name James Guthrie born February 2, 1879 and died April 29, 1965 at the age of 86. I’ll tell you about my father later.

Next was aunt Susan Guthrie Faulkner born January 1880, there was only eleven months between her and my dad. Aunt Susie was a school teacher, she was married to Marcellis Faulkner, who was lazy, the only thing I ever see him do was the usher at the church on Sunday, they lived about a half mile from my dad, on the small farm of 52 acres that grandpop Guthrie gave Aunt Susie when he died.

Then was aunt Stella Guthrie Moyers, she was a school teacher also, she was married to Charles Moyer a farmer, he had a big farm and worked hard, he was tight fisted with money, the only time they eat an egg was on easter, they only eat wild meat and vegetables raised on the farm, they never spent any money on groceries, there donation to the church was keeping it clean. Aunt Stella had four children Beatrice, Alma, Pauline, and Charles. Beatrice was the same age as me, and I never liked her, she always made better grades than I did, (her mother was a school teacher, she had lots of help). Aunt Susie always bought her clothes, everytime she got something new she would say ¨look what aunt Susie bought me, she likes me better than you.” For that Beatrice usually got a bloody nose and a black eye from me. Aunt Stella sent all her children to college in Virginia.

Then there was Uncle Norton Guthrie, he was six feet four inches tall and skinny, he and my dad bought a three hundred acre farm before they were married, but Uncle Norton didnt like to work so he sold his half of the farm, Uncle Norton married my mother’s sister Mary Elizabeth Maust, we called her aunt Lizzie.

Aunt Lizzie was a worker, she always had a big garden, and kept a huge flock of chickens. Uncle Norton worked for Uncle Ray enough to get grain to feed the chickens, they sold enough eggs to support them both. They didn’t have much, just the bare necessities, they walked everywhere they went. They never had any children.

Then was Della Guthrie, I don’t know anything about her except she died when she was very young.

Uncle Troy Guthrie was next, he farmed his part of the farm that Grandpop Guthrie gave him, he married Eula Shafer and together they managed to scratch a living out of the farm. They never had any children, but aunt Eula fooled around with a neighbor and had four kids, the first one died, then there was Thelma, Dwight, and Alice. Uncle Troy was a big hearted man, he forgave Aunt Eula and raised them kids as his own.

Next was Aunt Hadia Guthrie Harshbarger, she was also a school teacher; but she got pregnant and had to marry Joe Harshbarger. Joe didn’t want to marry Aunt Hattie but Grandpop Guthrie made him.

Joe and Aunt Hadia never got along, he always said Homer (the baby) didnt belong to him. They say he beat her something awful. Joe and Aunt Hadia had three other kids Emma, Jerimiah, and David. Aunt Hadia died at the age of twenty eight leaving four small children. Joe Harshbarger raised Jerry and David his small sons, but Homer and Emma were shifted around the family, Homer was killed when he was twenty five, he was cutting timber.

Grandpop Guthrie never forgave Aunt Hadia for getting pregnant, she died without ever seeing him again after she got married.

Uncle Lloyd Guthrie was next, he was a good man, and a hard worker; he was in World War one, , he was a carpenter building expensive houses. Uncle Lloyd inherited the home place from Grandpop Guthrie, I don’t know why this was, as Grandpops house was worth a lot more than the 52 acres of land the rest received. Grandpops house was huge, it had seven bedrooms, two kitchens,one for preparing meals, the other for preparing food for storage, it had a bathroom with hot and cold water, a coal furnace that heated the whole house, plus the water. There was a big deep spring up the hill above the house that supplied the water for the house, the water was piped into the house in big pipes. There was a big outhose that set across a small creek just below the house, this outhose had six holes of different sizes, there was never very much water in the small creek, so when someone had to go to the outhouse the chickens would help themselves to whatever came from above. Us grandchildren had to use this outhouse, because Aunt Minnie didn’t want us tracking dirt into the house. Aunt Minnie was Uncle Lloyds wife, they had one son Clarence Guthrie. My sister Ruth worked for Aunt Minnie helping her keep the big house clean. We would go there to visit her.