Due to the Thanksgiving holiday our regular meeting is one week earlier.
A GUEST SPEAKER has been scheduled for the
November 17th, 7:00 p.m. meeting of the Roane County Historical Society. Sara A. Prior, from State Historic Cemetery Preservation Office will be present for that meeting. We will meet downstairs at the Roane County Public Library. Please make every effort to attend.

The Roane County Historical Society met Thursday, October 27, 2011 for their regular monthly meeting with eleven members present: Brenda Whited, Peggy Starcher, Marvin Stemple, Jack and Jean Nida, Philip Miller, Rick Greathouse, Carol Board Westfall, Susan Tucker, Hazel Gandee and Linda Liss.
Rick Greathouse, President, called the meeting to order and led an opening prayer. Susan Tucker, Recording Secretary, read the minutes from the September meeting, which were approved as read. Carol Board-Westfall, Treasurer, reported all bills paid, leaving a working balance in the amount of $17,737.41
Books donated or purchased & added to historical society’s library:
1. Images of America – Lewis County
2. Jackson County Deaths, Letter F-M
3. Photographic History of Ritchie County
4. Snodgrass Family Ancestors/Descendants by Sondra Elmore Reger
Also a set of Comstock’s WV Heritage Encyclopedias was donated to the society.

Linda Liss, Membership and Corresponding Secretary reported 4 new members and the loss of one member, which brings total membership to 207. She has also contacted all members (14) who have not paid their 2011-12 dues. They will be removed from the roll if not paid by time of our next newsletter mailing. The RCHS extends its sincere sympathy to Carol Board-Westfall and family at the Oct. 19, 2011 death of her sister, Eleanor S. Hunt.

Inquiries:
1. Mr. Paul Morehouse is looking for descendants of the late Edward & Biddy [Nugent] Kelly whose granddaughter married Thomas Ferrell of Roane County. Contact: epm1812@neo.rr.com
2. Society member, Marvin Stemple, is looking for information about the Stemple/Looney/Chewning family of Calhoun and Roane Counties. Contact: mstemple@wvadventures.net

Board-Westfall reported a good turnout for the Annual Genealogy Fair in September. A couple new vendors were present and everyone seemed to have a good time. You may see fair-related photos posted elsewhere on this site.
She also reported that the October 13, 2011 unveiling of the Congressman Woodyard plaque was well attended and the family was very appreciative for the society’s project to honor their ancestor. The plaque was hung at the Roane County Court House.

Liss reported that she has contacted the Counselor at Roane County High School about the 2nd Annual Essay Scholarship, that it has been raised to $750. She is awaiting contact back from the school.

Greathouse is awaiting a mailing from the WV Archives & History Commission regarding the Feb 23, 2012 16th Annual History Day at the Legislature. The society nominated Mrs. Linda Cottrell Liss for the “History Hero” honor. Applications will be available Nov. 1 and must be completed and returned by December 31st.
He also announced an invitation to display history, cultural or society items during the February History Day at the Legislature. There is an application for and guidelines for the exhibits.

Because of the Thanksgiving holiday the next meeting of the RCHS will be one week earlier, November 17th, 7:00 p.m. at the Roane County Library. A speaker, Sara A. Prior, from State Historic Cemetery Preservation office has been scheduled for that meeting, so please make every effort to attend.

The Roane County Historical Society is excited to announce the dedication of the plaque commemorating the Congressional service of Harry Chapman Woodyard. The bronze plaque with Woodyard's likeness now hangs in the Roane County Courthouse.

With pomp and celebration the Woodyard plaque was dedicated on Thursday, October 13th, opening day of the 57th W.Va. Black Walnut Fesitval. The Noon unveiling was attended by festival goers, historical society members and some Woodyard descendants.

The inscription on the plaque reads:
A TRIBUTE TO HARRY CHAPMAN WOODYARD
Roane County's Only Representative in the United States Congress
Born in Spencer, Roane County, WV, the son of William C. Woodyard and Isabelle C. Chapmen, he was elected to a seat in the State Senate in 1898 at age 31. A Republican, he was first elected as the Fourth Congressional District (Roane, Wirt, Wood, Tyler, Putnam, Pleasants, Mason, Jackson and Cabell counties) representative in 1902. He then served four terms prior to 1910, and was returned to office in 1916 for three more terms. He then served one more term in the 69th Congress from March 1925 to march 1927.
Mr. Woodyard united in marriage with Emma J. Douglass, of Harrison County, in 1893, and they had three sons, William Jr., Edward Douglass and Henry Chapman.
In 1919 Mr. Woodyard entered the publishing field through purchase of the Spencer Times-Record, a weekly newspaper. His three sons assisted in the expansion of this business, establishing the first chain of weekly newspapers in West Virginia, known as Woodyard Publications, Inc.
Mr. Woodyard died on June 21, 1929, and is buried in the Spencer Mausoleum at Spencer Memorial Cemetery. Roane County Historical Society - 2011

We are indebted to Mrs. Carol Board-Westfall for spearheading this project and seeing it to its completion. We encourage you to stop by the courthouse in Spencer and see the plaque if you have not already done so.

The Roane County Historical Society, Inc. met on Thursday, September 22, 2011 with twenty-four members and guests present. Rick Greathouse, President, called the meeting to order and welcomed those present. Johanna Nutter led the opening prayer and the Pledge to the American Flag was recited.

Susan Tucker, Recording Secretary read the minutes from the August meeting & they were approved as read.
Carol Board-Westfall, Treasurer, reported an accounting of receipts and disbursements showing a balance of $17,335.16 The disbursements included payment of the Harry C. Woodyard plaque and the purchase of several Wes Cochran publications. A report copy was filed with the meeting minutes.

Linda Liss, Membership & Corresponding Secretary, reported membership stands at 204, which includes two new members. She has responded to inquiries where needed and has contacted members whose dues have not been paid.

A report was given by Johanna Nutter, 2011 Genealogical Fair chairperson. Vendors are signing up and everything is coming together nicely for the 17th Annual Fair sponsored by the R.C.H.S. scheduled for Sat., September 24th.

The R.C.H.S. voted to increase the Annual Essay Scholarship from $500 to $750. In an attempt to get young persons interested in their family history and genealogy, the society is offering a $750 scholarship to a Roane County High School senior. The applicants are asked to write an essay on their family history and experiences. The scholarship will be awarded at the school’s 2012 Spring awards ceremony.

Carol Board-Westfall reported that all of the plaques for the Roane County historic churches and the Goad house near Walton have been installed. An album will be available in the society’s library with photos as the plaques were being installed. Special thanks to Carol for spearheading this project and also to those helping her with the installation.

The dedication of the plaque commemorating the service of U.S. Senator Harry C. Woodyard as the county’s only U.S. Senator, is scheduled for Thursday, October 13th at noon at the Roane County Courthouse during Black Walnut Festival activities. Woodyard descendants are expected to attend and a reception, hosted by the R.C.H.S., will be held after the unveiling. (You may check our FaceBook page, Roane County Historical Society, Inc. to see a photo of the plaque.)

The society will be considering a nomination for the annual “History Hero” presentation. Nominations must be in before the end of 2011. The society has had three members honored as History Hero in the past: Mrs. Carol Board-Westfall, Mr. Jack Nida and Mrs. Carol Cronin.

Denver R. Gandee, R. C. H. S. member and county historian, is looking for information regarding the founding of the Methodist Church in the Roane County area. He is a scheduled Veteran’s Day speaker at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Spencer, WV on Sunday, November 6, 2011.

The meeting adjourned with refreshments being served to: Tucker, Susie Wyatt, Nutter, Liss, Board-Westfall, Greathouse, Jim Heim, Brenda Whited, Carol Cronin, Hazel Cottrell Gandee, Marvin D. Stemple, Phyllis Counts, Jerry R. Morgan, Melissa Swisher, Betty Moore, Anthony Hofstad, Denver Gandee, Robert Green, Phillip J. Miller, Ellen Platt, Reva Paxton, Peggy Starcher, Jack and Jean Nida.

The next meeting of the R.C.H.S. is scheduled for Thursday, October 27th at the Roane Co. Library, lower level at 7:00 p.m. Members are urged to attend and guests are welcomed. You may contact Linda Liss at WVRoots@aol.com if you have questions about membership or R.C.H.S. activities.

The Roane County Historical Society, Inc., sponsored the 17th Annual Roane County Genealogical Fair on Saturday, September 24, 2011 at the Heritage Center Community Building in Spencer, 9 am. – 3 p.m.

The fair was deemed a success with registrars signing in over 150 guests. The vendors and others having display tables reported a good day with a steady flow of genealogists searching for clues to their family history in books and other source materials.

As always, the American Legion Auxiliary delighted fair-goer’s taste buds with their baked goods, hotdogs, bbq’s, coffee and cold beverages.

Johanna Nutter, Fair Chairperson, drew numbers for the hourly door prizes. Mr. & Mrs. Randall L. Fields of Poinciana, FL traveled the farthest to attend. They received the R. C. H. S. totebag. Karen Boles of St. Albans, WV won the raffle for the 5-volume set of books: "Cemeteries of Roane County, WV". Many R.C.H.S. t-shirts & other nice items were also awarded as hourly drawing prizes.

Linda Liss, Membership Secretary, reports that three renewals and one new society membership was received during the fair. In addition one 1-year membership was given as a prize and one historical society signed up for a newsletter exchange.

We extend our thanks to all those who helped in any way to make this year’s fair a success, especially those who handled advertising, those who helped set up & then clean up after the fair. Also, special thanks to Mr. David Griffith, society member, for his collection of 2011 fair photos posted to this site.

The 18th Annual Roane County Genealogical Fair is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, September 22, 2012.