Dennis Partridge - Virginia Genealogy

Biography of Frederick J. Kimball

Frederick J. Kimball, born in 1844 in Philadelphia, was instrumental in the development of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad and the Norfolk and Western Railroad. Starting as a rodman with the Pennsylvania Railroad, he gained extensive experience in railway engineering and management. In 1878, Kimball revitalized the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, completing it by 1882. As president of the Norfolk and Western, he expanded the rail lines into the rich coal fields of southwest Virginia, notably discovering the Pocahontas coal seam. Kimball pushed for a westward extension, culminating in a line to the Ohio River by 1892. He served as president until his death in 1903, leaving a lasting legacy in the rail industry.

Biography of General William Mahone

General William Mahone, born December 1, 1826, near Courtland, Virginia, was a Confederate general, railroad builder, and politician. He attended Virginia Military Institute and began his engineering career with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. Mahone’s notable engineering feat was constructing the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad through the Dismal Swamp, completed in 1858. During the Civil War, he rose to major general after leading a key counterattack at the Battle of the Crater. Post-war, Mahone led the consolidation and rebuilding of Virginia’s railroads, forming the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad. He served as a U.S. Senator from 1879 to 1885 and died on October 8, 1895.

Biography of William Jackson Jenks

William Jackson Jenks, born March 21, 1870, in Wake County, North Carolina, is a prominent figure in the Norfolk and Western Railway Company, where he currently serves as chairman of the board of directors. Jenks began his career with the company in 1886 as a telegraph operator, advancing through various roles including train dispatcher, superintendent, and general manager. He served as vice-president in charge of operation from 1924 to 1936, then as president for a decade before becoming chairman in 1946. Jenks is also a director of several other companies and organizations and is a member of various clubs and societies in Roanoke, Virginia. He married Sallie C. Baldwin in 1891, and they have one daughter, Virginia Kyle Woods.

Biography of John W. Wayland, Ph.D.

John W. Wayland, born December 8, 1872, in Shenandoah County, Virginia, was a notable Southern educator and author. A member of Madison College’s original faculty, he devoted over 20 years to teaching history. Post-1931, Wayland focused on research and writing, publishing around 30 books on American history. His works include “The German Element of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia” (1907) and “Historic Homes of Northern Virginia” (1937). Wayland held a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from Bridgewater College. He married Mattie V. Fry in 1898, and they had two sons.

Floyd County High School Yearbooks – Floyd, Virginia

The Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library Collection has digitized numerous yearbooks of Floyd County High School in Floyd, Virginia. These yearbook images they have placed online for everyone at Internet Archive. To facilitate your access, we have provided links to the individual yearbooks below, by year published, oldest to newest. All 14 of these yearbooks, can be read, and/or downloaded from the following links for free!

Richard Baker and Abigail Beverly of Wise Co., VA

Richard Baker II was born on July 25, 1797 in Washington Co., TN and died August 25, 1871 in Wise Co., VA. He was the son of Richard Baker I and Mary “Polly” Mullins. Richard Baker II married Abigail Beverly. Abigail was born about 1805 in Wythe Co., VA and died 1862 in Wise Co., VA. Abigail was the daughter of Elijah Beverly, Sr. and Mary “Polly” Freeman. Richard and Abigail settled in Russell Co. (now Wise, Co.), VA on Guest’s River between Tacoma and Ramsey near Norton, VA. They later moved to the Bold Camp section of Wise Co., VA near Pound, VA. Richard and Abigail are buried in the Jim Baker Cemetery, Wise Co., VA. They had 12 children of which 11 lived to adulthood.

Biography of James Noah Hillman

This article profiles James Noah Hillman, who was born on November 6, 1883, in Coeburn, Virginia. He pursued his education through the public schools of Wise County and obtained A.B. and A.M. degrees from William and Mary College. His career was marked by a dedicated tenure as a school teacher, eventually rising to become the Division Superintendent of Wise County Schools. A descendant of an early English family that settled in Virginia in the 1600s, Hillman carried forward a legacy of steadfast service and civic engagement. An active Methodist and prominent member of several fraternal organizations, he was married to Ethel Lee Powell and had two children. Hillman’s life exemplified a commitment to educational excellence and community leadership.

Biography of Nancy Susanna Hillman

This article profiles Mrs. Nancy Susanna Hillman, born on July 12, 1865, in Flatwoods, Wise County, Virginia. She received her education in local private schools and married Benjamin Franklin Hillman at the age of seventeen. The daughter of Francis Bonham Greear and a member of the Methodist Protestant Church, Mrs. Hillman descends from a blend of English and Scotch-Irish ancestry, evident in her familial heritage that includes the Bonhams, Stallards, and Greears. These lineages are associated with notable historical contributions and familial coats of arms from the British Isles. Mrs. Hillman’s life in Coeburn, Virginia, reflects her deep roots in this rich heritage, marked by her faith and the raising of five children, including Prof. James Noah Hillman, a prominent educator in Wise County.

Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Collection of Yearbooks

1936 The Circle Yearbook - Lovingston High School

The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library has digitized numerous yearbooks of Lovingston and Nelson County High School in Lovingston, Virginia. These yearbook images they have placed online for everyone at Internet Archive. To facilitate your access, we have provided links to the individual yearbooks below, by year published, oldest to newest. All 51 of these yearbooks, can be read, and/or downloaded from the following links for free!

Virginia Worm Fence

A “Virginia worm fence,” also known as a zigzag fence, snake fence, worm fence, or split rail fence, is a type of fence that was widely used in the American frontier and rural areas, including Virginia, from the colonial period through the 19th century. It’s characterized by its zigzag pattern, which arises from the way the fence rails are stacked at an angle, without the need for posts to be dug into the ground. This construction method made it highly adaptable to various terrains and easy to build with the materials available on hand, typically split logs from trees like … Read more