1up: An Extreme Expression Experience: Beckett History: featuring geneology research including family tree chart, history, family anecdotes and heraldry

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Just when the Hanes, Haines or Haynes family (being spelled differently in different localities and by members of the same family), came to America is not known but some time near the middle of the 18th century, some of them migrated from England, settling in her colonies of Virginia and North Carolina. Later, one of their descendants, our great great grandfather, John Haines from those in Virginia, migrated westward and settled in Tyler County, VA (now West Virginia) on Pursley Creek near the town of Middlebourn, the county seat. I do not know when he settled here but it was near the year of 1785.

From his last will and testament--a copy of which I have--I know his name was John Haines (note the spelling); his wife's name was Mary Haines, her maiden name not known, and that he had seven sons, viz.: John, David, Joseph, Nathan (our great grandfather), Peter, Jacob and Abraham, and four daughters, viz.: Betsey, Susan, Polly, and Sally, and at the time of his death, July 28, 1815, he owned a 500 acre farm on Pursley Creek, Tyler County, VA, and personal property appraised at that time to the value of $390.15.

I have no knowledge as to what became of the widow and children of our great great grandfather Haines, except the son, Nathan, our great grandfather Hanes (note spelling). He was born in 1795 and on December 18, 1823 was married to Priscilla Nixon, she was born in 1793. to this union three children were born, two sons: Calvin, our grandfather, and Stark, and one daughter, Emsey.

Our great grandfather Hanes had his first home near Middlebourn, Tyler County, WV. Later he moved to Doddridge County, WV. He was a brick maker and layer by trade. In 1840 at the age of 45 years, he died at and was buried at Clarksburg, WV. Great grandmother Hanes died in 1882 at the age of 89 years. Place of death and burial not known.

Unfortunately, some years ago, the complete record of our grandfather Hanes' family, as he had recorded it with births, marriages, deaths, etc., was accidentally destroyed, therefore some of the dates given may be approximate.

Calvin Hanes, our maternal grandfather, was born in the year of 1825 near Middlebourn, Tyler County, WV. When he was 15 years old, his father died leaving him as head of his father's house at a rather tender age. However, by that time his father had taught him much in the art of making and laying bricks, also carpentry, while his mother, a strong intelligent woman, imparted to him much of his knowledge relative to farming and operating a household. Apparently his education, even in these meager times, had not been neglected for by the time he is a fully matured man, we find him teaching in the little rural schools of western Virginia.

On or about 1850, he and one Alfred Conway surveyed and purchased a tract of 1,000 acres of unallocated state land located in the southern tip of Tyler County, WV, the last remaining tract of state land in this part of Virginia. Shortly thereafter they dissolved their partnership, grandfather taking for his share that 250 acres lying on both sides of the head waters of Short Run, a small stream tributary to Arnold's Creek, and situated about two miles west of the small settlement of what was then called Lick Skillet, now known as Deep Valley, WV. Here he built a small log cabin and on September 14th, 1852 was married to Miss Edith M. Wilson, our maternal grandmother, and this cabin became home on a 250 acre farm as virgin as the day white man first saw it.


	Within a few years, with his skill as a carpenter, the abundance of fine hardwood timber and the coming of a saw mill, he was able to build a large frame house all painted white, surrounded with a spacious lawn and enclosed by a white picket fence, the envy of all other residents for miles around. How well do I remember this comfortable and pleasant old home and the good times while visiting at grandfather's house.

	To this union were born seven children, three sons: Horatio Wilson, Sebastian Cabot, and John Nixon; and four daughters: Adeline, Helen, Dorcas (our mother, pictured at right, 21 years old) and Eliza Angeline. Here on this original homestead grandfather and grandmother Hanes lived to the end of their days, rearing all of their children to manhood and womanhood. All their children had families and all lived and died within a radius of 150 miles of their birthplace, except Horatio (called "Rash" for short) and John who moved to Colorado many years ago. John is the only surviving member of their family at this date, now 84 years of age and is of sound mind and body. He is a minster of the gospel and now, at his age, still active with a parish at Ouray, Colorado.

	Grandfather Hanes died March 31, 1898, aged 73 years and grandmother followed him seven years later, April 9, 1905, aged 72 years, 9 months and 7 days. Both are buried at Oak Grove Church Cemetery, their home church, located 1 1/2 miles southeast of the old homestead on the divide between the head waters of Mud Lick and Buck Runs (or creeks). The maiden name of our grandmother Hanes was Edith M. Wilson, of Scotch-Irish descent, the daughter of John M. Wilson and Charlotte M. (Dotson) Wilson. I do not have much information on this family but am told that our great grandfather Wilson was 71 years old when he died and that our great grandmother Wilson was 84 years old when she died, and that they had nine children, three sons: Jasper, Blackburn and John; and six girls: Edith M. (our grandmother), Eliza, Angeline, Frances, Henrietta, and Charlotte and that the sons Jasper and Blackburn were Union soldiers during the Civil war. At the time of grandmother's marriage in 1852, her family had been living within 25 miles of her husband's birthplace for many years. Since the name Wilson is so commonly found and since they came to America from Scotland and Northern Ireland in many different periods and settled in every British colony, it would be difficult, indeed, to determine our grandmother's ancient ancestry, but in any event, even though our blood may be Norman-Anglo-Saxon in most part, we have some Celtic Scotch from our maternal side of the house.