AND
OTHER FINE PEOPLE
It is the line of Yankee John's son Joel that I was most concerned, as that is the way I came down. As the tree branched off, this way and that way, I learned a little about those branches. My direct line however, is the one I followed most closely.
My Fathers name was Miles William Church, His father was Joel Wilson Church, His Father was George Church Sr. His father was Joel Church Sr. Then of course was Yankee John himself.
Some folks take this line back even farther. Into England. I dont think that they have documented proof back past Yankee John. If there is documentation out there of that kind, I have not been able to find it. I have found on the web. where people take their line back farther, but they dont offer any documentation. If they have any I wish they would share it with me.
Perhaps we did come from some kind of "Blue Bloods" I dont know, and it really makes no difference, except that I would like to know about my ancesters , whoever they are.
The branch of the tree that I grew on was not one of great ambitions. Joel Church Senior was an adventurer, a trapper, one who could be described as fiddle footed, although he kept a wife and children a home to live in, and supported them at least well enough to get by, he also spent some time with the Indians. It was reported that he would go off hunting and be gone for months sometimes, and say he had been with the Indians.
His father, and some of his brothers owned farms, that could easley be described as plantations, as they owned slaves, farm animals, and grew cash crops. I suppose that they were men to be reckoned with .
I dont know why Joel left the arms of the familey and decited to make it on his own without their help. I think perhape it was that mountaineer blood that society has been trying to figure out for so long now, that made him do it. They've spent a great deal of effort trying to figure out why anyone would choose to live in Applatchia. I believe that its the same blood that brought Joel to these mountains, that caused the rest of us to stay. That is to say,, those of us who have stayed, many have left.
. I live near Iaeger Wv. in McDowell County. Joel setteled at Pilgrams Knob Va, just across Bradshaw mountain in what has become Buchanan County. Where I live is about thirty miles from Pilgrams Knob.
Iv hunted in the same woods that Joel hunted in, and Iv dug the Gensang Root. Iv drank the moonshine, although Iv never made any of it. Iv never lived with any Indians, except my own realitives, There is Indian blood in me from both sides of my familey. and I go a little wild some times : ) I have a little Melungeon blood also, I think.
I have worked the coal mines for several years, and I taught Mine Maintainance at a Vocational School for a couple years.
I play several stringed musical instruments, and sing with a local gospel group.
I am pretty much retaired at this time. I am sixty four years old in 2004.
I am putting links below to information that I have, and to some stories that I have written about some of these folk. Feel free to browse around.
LINKS ARE BELOW