The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-25
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your paper Thank you for kindness
Respectfully,
MRS. III. w. NAYLOR. 3

- - nihNhS.-'s Z
Respectfully,
MRS II. W. NAYLoR.
Chatham, Va, November 5, 1911.
Editor of Genealogical Column, Times
Dispatch. Richmond. Va:
VIII you kindly publish something
of the Womack family. OF Prince Ed
ward county. Va? Ny Sr.at-Sreat-
grandfather. William Womack was
born in 1886 and was living III Prince
Edward when he died. He married
Mary Allen. Their son. Allen Womack,
came TO rittsylvania county and mar
ried. lie is my great grandfather.
am a subscriber to The Tlmcs-Dis- :
patch and would be graf fnl for any
information about the family.
Respectfully.
Mrs. c. /. CARTER.
Any Information along this Inc will
be pubiished.-Ed.
Editor of the Genealogy Column:
For quite 81 while 1 have been doing
research work along genealogical lines.
seeking to establish the history of our
| forefathers and trace our lineage. AS
is usually tho case when doing this
kind of work, wo encounter many OBJ
stacles. lust at present l am having
some trouble in strengthening out tha
Virginia record of my ancestors, and ~
occurred to mo that possibly you migh1
NC Noic W pul On lHc zig Mt lrdClk
and lend me little assistance. Oe
| course. am quite cogni1ant OF the facu
that the work of n State historian
deals moro particularly with the gem
ernl record of public men. rather than
any specific individuals history or
deeds However thought that perhaps
in accommodating your data 1t might be
possible that you referred to certain
| publications and writing, which. If T.
could secure, might give mo valuable
aid
In order that YOU may know just q.
little bit of my history and just what
ii Is | desire, I give below an account
of the Virginia branch of our people:
Somewhere between tho years 1870
and HE there cmlgrated to Virginia.
three Clay brothers, named John,
James and William Clay James Clay
! married Mics Margaret Muse and re-
sided in Chesterfield county. These
| two are my great great grandparents.
Shortly after Margaret Muse married
James Clay, she was converted under
the preaching of Rev. Jeremiah Walk
or, a rather noted Virginia evangelist
OF tho Baptist faith, and was baptized
by night in the James River. Rev.
Walker WAS Imprisoned in the Rich
mond Jail, and my grandmother, with
eleven others. went there aud heard
him preucl, through tho prison bars.
Tho authorities secured their names aud.
summoned them to appear before tho
/ magistrate and be tried for the cause
| OF their faith. The Immortal Patrick
| Henry pleaded their cause, but his clo-
qucncc was OF no avail and the SON
tence Of "atripes upon hare shoulders
was passed on each one. When my
! Erandmother's turn cnmo, gentleman,
who strikingly rescinblcd Patrick
! Henry. and the tradition of our family
| says 1t was he hurried through the
- fit. ct,i, III.
! way to the magistrates stand, paid my
grandmothers fine, and then was lost
| sight OF In the crowd. The search to
| find the gallant gentleman was futile.
| and never did he receive tho heartfelt
thanks my grandmother cndeavored to
express to him In words. This perse-
cution OF Virginia Baptists was the d.
rect cause that prompted the world
| renowned speech In Defense Of the
Parsons Cause which was delivered
by Patrick Henry at the Hanover
Courthouse, in 1863.
| My great -grcat-grandparents resid-
| cd MT Chesterfield for some time after
father Clny's death Ills body was
buried In the Clay burying ground5
somewhere between Chesterfield and
Richmnnd-the exact location L have
been unable to ascertain. After his
death, grandmother moved to Lea
|
the present city Of KnoXvllle), whero
two OF her daughters married two Len
brothers. named Znchariah Lea and
David Lea. This family OF Leas moved
to Tennessee from LcasburE, North
Carolina. Grandmother Margaret Mus.
Clay and her family lived at Lea'S
SPRINGS until the year 1906. when they
came down the Mississippi River IL
Natchcz. Miss. thence 70 Amite county.
about twenty miles from my present
residence Ny grandmother. Margaret
Mise ..Can:a..'ysaS born III 1881. anu lived
to be almost 100 years cid. Her body
now rests in our Lea burying ground.
in the adjoining county.
You will please pardon this lengthy
discussion OF family AFFAIRS. II is con-
trary to my usual custom to speak 80
Familiarity with an utter stranger OF
those things that lie closest to ones
heart. but | felt that 1t would be nee
essnrv that you know just little Bit
Of our history II you gave me amy
help aions that line. / take a keen
interest in the story OF our country.
particularly those States wherein my
ANCESTORS lived and wrought.
II you can give mo any assistance,
references to any books or pubiicn-
tons, or addresses of old residents ot
Richmond or Chesterfield, shall in-
deed appreciate H.
Thanking you in advance FOR any-
rning you may he able TO do for me.
am.
sincerely.
(MiSs) FRANCES POWELL. OTKEN.
McComb. Miss.
Any solution OF this question Viii
be published with pleasura.
Dodd Data tby ncaucsD.
Broosncni Va. October "a. 1911.