R274
Husband: Norval Brown Wood (Fig. R274a)
Father: Andrew Jackson Wood [R271]
Mother: Selina (Ware) Wood [R271]
Born: 12/18/1893
Died: 5/6/1981. Buried in the Mingo W.Va. Cemetery.
Wife: Viva (Kisamore) Wood (Fig. R274a)
Born: 2/10/1898
Died: 12/4/1968
Married: 8/3/1916
Children:
Clarence Wood, b. 2/16/1917. M. 1st LaVera Mae Shreve (1/7/1918-
12/9/1940), ch. Terry Shannon (b. 7/15/1938) and Roger Shane (b.
9/29/1940). M. 2nd Olieva Petts Fuel Furr (11/19/1918-2/16/1981), s.
Roy Archie (d. 1968); step-ch. Betty Carol Furr Jones, Benny Furr,
Ethel Lee Furr. M. 3rd Della B. Beale
Hubert Wood, b. 6/27/1919. M. 12/24/1941 to Addie Canfield (b.
1/7/1923). Ch. Richard Clyde (b. 11/26/1942), Ronald Kelly (b.
1/7/1945), Norval Lee (b. 12/19/1946), Sandra Rae (Wood) Daugherty
(b. 12/1948)
Alfred Raine Wood, b. 12/29/1921. Unmarried
Clark Kelly Wood, b. 12/5/1923. M. 7/10/1954 to Helen S. Lamm (b.
10/6/1930)
Bertha Lee Wood, b. 1/17/1927. M. 9/3/1950 to Maurice Allman (b.
2/12/1922). Ch. Pamela Reta (b. 3/10/1953, m. Robert Hugh
Corathers, ch. Laura Elaine and Jennifer Suzanne), Elaine Carol (b.
4/11/1956, m. Larry Howard Smith, ch. Julia Rea and Grayson
Howard)
Mamie Mae Wood, 12/4/1928-4/22/1932, buried in the Mingo W.Va.
Cemetery
Virginia Sarah Wood, b. 2/3/1938. M. 12/7/1936 to Keith Lester
Conrad. Ch. Debra Vonne (Conrad) Johnson, Glen Lee, Jeffery Keith,
and Jeanette Gay (Conrad) Fincher
Bertha Allman [S096] paints the following picture of her parents, brothers and sisters. “Norval was born in the Mingo area in southern Randolph County. He was known as N.B., and this is how you would find his signature. He worked as a logger at Norton or Evenwood, W.Va. with his brothers Houston and Bruce. Norval and Houston did the cutting of timber, mostly hemlock, and Bruce drove the team. In the winter they pealed the bark from the trees, and in the summer they cut the logs. They were noted for cutting and hauling more timber than the other crews. Each crew contained eight men. Norval hated the ‘gray backs’ in the lumber camps.
“Norval met Viva (Kisamore) at the lumber camp and they fell in love and were married. Viva was from Job, W.Va. and was one of the cooks at the camp. Norval worked for a short time in the coal mines, but he said that was not for him. He said he didn’t like to work in cramped quarters and in the water.
“In December of 1923 Norval and Viva moved to the farm that was owned by the W.Va. Pulp and Paper Company, on the headwaters of the Tygarts Valley River. Norval managed the farm for over forty-two years. The farm had over 3,000 acres, and hereford cows and mixed breed sheep were raised. Clarence, Hubert, and Alfred were small boys and Kelly was only a few weeks old, when Norval and Viva moved to the farm. Bertha, Mamie and Virginia were born in the farm house. (The house was built by an English family of Coffs [?] and had an attached, fancy out door toilet). The farm was later sold to the Mower Lumber Company, then later to Bill Hylton.
“‘Are you your brother’s keeper?’, with the answer of ‘YES’, could be used to describe Norval and Viva. Norval and Bruce had bought a small farm and house at Mingo for their father and mother, Andrew and Selina Wood. After Selina died, Norval bought Bruce’s share and owned the farm till his death. Norval added acreage to the home place and had two rental houses. The old house was torn down and a new house was built for Norval by his brother, Houston, who was a carpenter. The house was rented for several years, by Houston and his family. Norval and his family did not move down till in the late 60’s. Norval and Viva at that time would move down in the fall for Virginia and Terry to go to school and in the summer would move back to the farm. Viva and Norval reared their grandson, Terry. Terry’s mother died when Terry was three. Terry and his Aunt Virginia were almost the same age.
“Norval and Viva’s home was always a home for all the relatives. In the summer there was always company. Viva was a great lady, and everyone was welcome. Norval’s Dad, Andy lived with them until his death. Viva’s Dad would come and stay for months with the family.
“Norval was a ‘natural born’ manager. He was an animal husbandman, a veterinary, a blacksmith, carpenter, mechanic, engineer, agronomist, forester, gardener with Viva, father, and husband. He supported the church and schools and wanted his children to get their education. On rainy days he repaired machinery to be ready on sunny days.
“Norval was an intelligent man with a keen mind and a good sense of humor and could tell funny stories. He was very hardy. He could work all day on the farm then after the evening meal go coon hunting with friends and relatives till midnight, and be fresh and ready for the next day’s work after a big breakfast prepared by Viva.
“Over the years he replaced at least ten bridges which crossed the raging Tygart River near Mingo. The river washed out stream banks and large tree roots like a powerful piece of machinery. One evening in the seventies, Norval told Maurice [Allman] later, the ‘wall of water’ tore out a fine bridge anchored to two large sycamore trees as easy as removing a band-aid from your hand.
“Norval lived by himself after Viva’s death in 1968. His son, Alfred, worked for Southern States and came home each week-end. Bertha lived in Weston, then moved to Philippi, so was not too far from her father. Clarence lived in Mingo, and worked with his father, later managing the farm upon Norval’s retirement.
“Viva was active in the Presbyterian Church. She loved her Sunday School Class of small ones. Viva was a gracious host, wife, cook, mother, gardener, and was loved by all who had the good fortune of knowing her. She always found ways to keep busy, in the summer she loved to can and fill the cellar with jars of vegetables and fruit. In the winter Viva liked to make and piece quilts.
“Clarence Clyde Epison Wood married LaVera M. Shreve and they had two sons. LaVera died in 1940 from a heart condition which developed after having rheumatic fever. Clarence worked for the Western Maryland railroad at Slaty Fork. Later they moved to Mingo and a home was built for him and LaVera on the home place owned by his father.
“After LaVera’s death Clarence married Olieva Furr, known as Pat. Pat had 3 children who lived with them; Clarence and Pat had one son, Roy Archie. Clarence was now employed and working on the farm with his father. Roy died in 1968 at a early age. Pat died in 1981. Clarence then married Della Beale, and they live at Mingo. He is now retired, but keeps busy with his sheep and farm, across US 219 from the home place.
“Hubert Richard Wood graduated from Tygarts Valley High school then went to work for Uncle Joe Wood in Virginia as a carpenter. He met and married Addie Canfield and they had four children. They are all married and Hubert and Addie have eight grandchildren.
“Hubert moved to Three Churches, WV when the boys were in their teens. Hubert worked in the Romney area for several years doing carpentry until his retirement. He farms and helps the children with their ‘remodeling projects,’ also the neighbors and friends. He is semi-retired from farming but he and Addie keep busy. In the evening you will find Addie with her crochet needle. Hubert says she can almost sleep and crochet at the same time. He and Addie still live in their home in Three Churches with the children close by.
“Alfred Raine Wood moved to Virginia soon after he graduated from high school. He was the brother with asthma and could not work in the hay fields as his brothers had. He was never married. He went to work for Southern States in Virginia, later moving to Clarksburg, WV. From Clarksburg he transferred to Grantville, Md., and retired in 1982. At the time of his illness he lived on the home place, kept it neat, feeding the humming birds in the summer, and other birds in the winter, also kept the church yard mowed in the summer. He was an elder in the Presbyterian Church. He was a chauffeur for his cousins. On February 4, 1992 he had a stroke, later another one with complete paralysis on the right side. He is now a resident of Rosewood Health and Rehabilitation Center, at Grafton, W.Va.
“Clark Kelly Wood moved to Ohio after graduation. He worked in a garage with his Uncle and a good friend for several years. Later he worked for a cooling and heating company. He married Helen S. Lamm. They have no children but still live in Ohio after his retirement. He and Helen just recently purchased a new home in Barberton, Ohio.
“Bertha Lee Wood (Figs. R351d, R374a) graduated from Tygarts Valley High school in 1945, and went on to business school. She married Maurice L. Allman of Clarksburg, W.Va. in 1950 and they started housekeeping in Glenville, W.Va. Maurice worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a Soil Conservationist. They have two daughters and four grandchildren. In 1958 they moved to Weston W.Va., then in 1971 to Philippi W.Va. where they still maintain their home, located along U.S. 250 between Philippi and Belington.
“Bertha worked for the Lewis County Board of Education six years, then worked for the Barbour County Board of Education for 23 years as a secretary in the school systems. She retired in 1993. She is becoming more and more involved with genealogy and crafts.
“Mamie Mae Wood died at the age of 4 from leukemia.
“Virginia Sarah Wood married Keith Conrad from Valley Head when she was a senior in high school. They have four children. All are married, giving Virginia eight grandchildren and five step-grandchildren. Busy household. Virginia and Keith lived in Tamaqua, Pa. for several years, then Keith transferred to Baton Rouge, La. They now live at Lake Charles, La. Keith is a chemical engineer. Their children live in Louisiana, so they get to enjoy their grandchildren.”
