The Roane County Historical Society, Inc. met at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 23, 2014 at the Roane County Library for their regular monthly meeting. The meeting was called to order by President, Rick Greathouse, an opening prayer was led by Carol Board-Westfall and the pledge to the flag was recited by all.
Minutes from the September 2014 meeting were read by the Recording Secretary, Susan Tucker and approved as read.
Treasurer, Carol Board-Westfall, reported all bills were paid, leaving a balance of $13,883.09. The main expenditure was new shelving additions for the society’s genealogy library.
Corresponding & Membership Secretary, Linda Cottrell Liss, reported that cards had been sent where needed and that the membership now stands at 207. That total includes five new members received during the recent genealogy fair.
We note that the Fall – Vol. 22, Issue One of “The Journal” newsletter of the Society is delayed due a recent surgery and recuperation of our Editor Carol Cronin. The newsletter will be completed and mailed to you soon.
Other Reports & Business:
Carol reported that the 20th Annual Roane County Genealogy Fair on September 27th was well-attended, that everything went smoothly, fair-goers enjoyed the fellowship and maybe found new family connections, and new members were received. Next year’s 21st Annual Roane County Genealogy is scheduled for Saturday, September 26th. Put that on your calendar now!
Interviews for the “Journey into the Wild and Wonderful” county documentary videos are scheduled for October and November. Mr. Wayne Worth of Clarksburg, West Virginia is making documentary history CD’s of each county in West Virginia. When the project is completed those recordings will be made available and donated to each 8th Grade teacher for use in their West Virginia History studies. Roane County’s first interview was with Roane County historian, Mr. Denver Gandee. Other interviews are scheduled with persons knowledgeable of specific areas of Roane County history.
The Roane County Historical Society is happy to announce that it will continue to present a $1,000 scholarship to a deserving Senior student at Roane County High School. The application and guidelines for the 5th Annual Essay Scholarship will be available soon with the school’s guidance counselor.
Lastly, the Society has voted to make their genealogy library located on the lower level of the Roane County Library open during the Roane County Farmer’s Market Winter Hours days. Schedule: 2nd Fri of November, 2 & 3rd Fri. of December 2014 and 2nd Fri. of Jan., Feb. Mar. & Apr. 2015. The Winter Farmer’s Market will also be held on the lower level of the library.
Mark your calendars, the November meeting of the Roane County Historical Society will be held one week earlier due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. Thursday, November 20th will be an important meeting since society business is winding up for the year. Members are urged to attend and as always guests are welcome.
For inquiries about society activities you may contact Linda Cottrell Liss at WVRoots@aol.com

Just a few lines to remind members and other interested persons that the next meeting of the Roane County Historical Society will be held on Thursday, October 23rd at 7 p.m. at the Roane County Library in Spencer. Members are urged to attend and guests are always welcome.

We are excited to announce that Roane County will be video film documented in Wayne Worth's "Journey Into the Wild & Wonderful" county film series. He is film documenting each West Virginia county to be used in 8th Grade West Virginia classrooms. An interview with county historian, Mr. Denver Gandee, has already been done & other interviews are scheduled to cover different aspects of Roane County history.

On another item of business: The Society voted unanimously to continue the Annual Essay Scholarship in the amount of $1,000. Roane County High School Seniors are invited to write an essay telling their family history. Guidelines and applications will be available soon with school guidance counselors.

For further information about Society activities you may contact Linda Liss at WVRoots@aol.com

SPENCER STATE HOSPITAL [1893-1989] I am working on an album project which will contain any information, photos, [census records from 1900-1940], and interesting stories remembered by former employees & towns-people about Spencer State Hospital, Roane Co., WV. The project started for me a few months ago when someone inquired about a relative who had been a patient there. I now have compiled records of thousands [and still counting] of persons who were patients there; some were there most of their lives, some just a few days, many died there. When complete, a copy will be donated to the Roane County Historical Society's library located in Spencer, If you have questions or stories, memorabilia, especially old photos to share please contact me at WVRoots@aol.com Thanks so much, Linda Cottrell Liss

The Roane County Historical Society met on Thursday, August 28th at the Roane County Library, with sixteen members and one guest present. Rick Greathouse, President, called the meeting to order at 7 p.m., opening prayer was led by Linda Liss and the pledge to the flag was recited by all.
The evening’s special guest was Mr. Wayne Worth of Clarksburg, WV, a Documentary filmmaker as a hobby and a Marion Co., WV Social Worker by trade. Mr. Worth is in the process of film documenting the history of all WV counties as part of his “Journey into the Wild & Wonderful” film series. He started this adventure in 2012 and has documented 42 counties so far. When complete he will make the CD videos available to the different counties and give copies to the different county school systems as part of their 8th Grade WV History classes. Wayne showed a sample video [Jackson County] which was very good and informative about that county.
After discussion on who would be interviewed for the film, it was decided that Mr. Worth would make an outline of specific interview subjects, & present that to our President, Rick Greathouse, & for him to make the arrangements with those to be interviewed. Suggested persons to be interviewed were: Mr. Denver Gandee, Carol Cronin, Jack Nida and others.
NOTE: Rick made arrangements for Mr. Worth to interview Mr. Gandee on Saturday, September 6, 2014. The interview went well and additional interviews will be scheduled in the near future.

Break: Refreshments were served.

Business:
No minutes from the July meeting available.
Treasurers Report, Carol Board Westfall: Account balance $13,263.87 [Copy with minutes]
Carol reported that the annual audit of the Treasurer’s Books was done and were found to be in good order.
No new book purchases.
Membership Report: Steady at 201. [Copy with minutes]. Linda reported that many members have not paid their 2014-15 dues. Cards &/or emails have been sent as a reminder.
Linda reported that she has sent one get well card since last meeting.
Old Business:
Melissa Swisher & Carol Board-Westfall reported that things are coming together for our 20th Annual Genealogy Fair for Saturday, September 27, 2014 at the Heritage Park Community Building: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Vendors are making reservations & the usual kitchen crew will have breakfast & lunch items for sale.
It was suggested that some of the duplicate “Camp donation” books be given as door prizes.
Volunteers are needed to help set-up, work the fair and clean-up afterwards.

New Business:
Carol Board Westfall reported that the current HP printer in the society’s library uses a lot of black ink and needs the color cartridges to be in place to print Black. It is suggested that a new laser printer be purchased. Motion was made by Carol and seconded to purchase a laser printer for our library. Motion carried unanimously.

Other business to be brought to September meeting.
Annual Essay Scholarship
Nomination [if any] for “History Hero” Forms need to be completed & submitted by Dec. 31, 2014.

Meeting adjourned.

Those present were: Rick Greathouse, Melissa Swisher, Brenda Whited, Peggy L. Starcher, Bobby Skinner, Carol Cronin, Jean and Jack Nida, Johann Nutter, Paul Hughes, Reva Paxton, Carl Paxton, Carol Board-Westfall, Linda Liss, Bernard & Patty Wyatt and our guest speaker, Wayne Worth.

-IN REMEMBRANCE-
In recent weeks I have been trying to identify as many as possible those folk who passed through the wards of Spencer State Hospital, Roane Co., WV. Many of the patients spent years, most of their lives there in conditions we cannot imagine today. Thusfar hospital and death certificate records provide names for 391 of those persons who died at the "Second Hospital for the Insane" and were buried in the hospital's cemeteries. There are still hundreds of residents unaccounted for. By the end of 1941 records show that 9,165 persons had been a patient there; some for a few days, others for many years.
The hospital opened in 1893 when it received the first 54 patients ; it closed in June 1989.
The 1900 Census enumerated 426 patients.
The 1910 Census enumerated 495 inmates. {Term used in census]
The 1920 Census listed 635 inmates.
The 1930 Census listed 787 inmates.
and the 1940 Census listed 937 inmates.
Beginning in about 1922 there were hundred's more men & women who died there, not claimed by family, whose bodies were donated to science at the WV University, Med School, Morgantown, WV.
In an attempt to honor and remember all those who died at the Spencer State Hospital, I am posting death records to the Find-a-Grave Memorial website.
Special thanks to Judy Hildreth who compiled records for the Roane County Historical Society's Cemetery Book IV, and to Melissa Swisher, RCHS member, for beginning the posts to Find-a-Grave.
The institution owned burial ground was recorded in 1940 as having 7 marked graves and 750+ unmarked. Those seven were: Mary Dagostin, Elizabeth Ewing, R. P. Hanson, Amelia Huber, Medora J. Kendall, Antonio Petiti and William S. Riley.
When the hospital closed in 1989 their records and some of the patients became part of the Lakin Hospital in Mason Co., WV.
Linda Cottrell Liss, Member, Roane County Historical Society, Inc.