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Armstead Harper was one of three brothers that came to this area from the Clinch River section of Russell County, Virginia. He was born in 1799 and died 26 Nov 1867 and was buried with his wife in Harper Cemetery. Armstead married Rachel Bishop, born 23 Jun 1801, and she died 27 Oct 1868. They settled on the Flat Fork of Poca River where many of the Harper family still reside. They are reported to have had the first child born in the Harper settlement about 1835 and that Armstead preached the first sermon at his home in Harper District in 1837. To this union was born eleven children including Henderson Harper on 03 June 1818. Armstead's brother, Asa, taught the first school in the district in 1839.
Henderson Harper married Grace M. Gandee, daughter of Uriah Gandee, and they settled on Coxs Fork, another branch of the Poca River near Flat Fork. He was considered to be one of the best hunters and the formidable champion of the rifle at the "shooting matches"which were target shootings at which the rewards to the best at each round consisted of turkey or deer, killed and brought in for the purpose and first paid for by the contestants by equal contribution. . He is said to have killed the last of the panthers of Pocatalico country. Henderson and Grace had one son, Armstead, and one daughter, Mary, before she died. He then married Debora Westfall and they had four children.
Photo submitted by Rev. Robert Cruikshank
Historical information from History of Roane County, WV 1774-1927, by William H. Bishop
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