Welcome to the May Issue of the Belcher Blues Newsletter. This newsletter is chunked full with bits of extra information.
In this issue Maryland and Missouri is the focus
We have added some English parish records, Berkshire County this issue: These are not all the records in these counties only the ones we have access to that are before 1700. A new English County or counties will be added each month.
Several requests on information on Melungeons of early America have surfaced. A short page on this area of research, is added with links for further information.
As research is done, other state records are found, and some new ones are sent through e-mail and snail mail. New ones are added to genealogy.com and ancestry.com constantly so this month some new marriage records for West Virginia are listed, Belcher and several other surnames. Access to these databases is for a limited time so if you want another name searched send an email stating name, date, county, and surname if known.
Next months issue will be research on, Georgia, and South Carolina.
Gayl Ramey Wells
Greg Belcher
Note from Gayl: a distant cousin has sent my great great grandfather and mothers wills and I greatly appreciate Nancy Bishop for sending these. Follow this link to see the transcript of James Davidson Belcher and Nancy Bishops Wills.
James Davidson Belcher daughter Evaline Belcher and some of her descendants Photos.
Bob Burns is much appreciated for sending these photos.
Photos of Mary A. Polley Belchers Tombstone and 3 of her Children
First wife of George Washington Belcher
Note: This takes a few seconds to load
This census is in PDF format: there are 36 pages if you print it out.
if you dont have a PDF viewer on your computer click here to get a free one.
It automatically downloads PDF to your computer, so dont click if you dont want it.
widely recommended to get one many websites you go to use PDF documents. PDF Viewer
Often files are found that say born Kentucky 1740 or West Va 1800 etc. These are talking about the area that is now. This map will give you an idea of our early states. It is a 1750 map of the Early United States. As you can see Kentucky hadnt been formed at 1750 and wasn't til 1792. West Virginia officially after 1850. Map Early USA
This next map is the area of Elkhorn City Kentucky.
The small squares with crosses are graveyards. Elkhorn City Area of Pike County Kentucky
This whole map of Pike County Ky is too large to put on a page but if you would like to have it, email me(Gayl) and I will attach it to an email
a recent obit: although it is not directly a Belcher, Pike County Kentucky
Steve Darnell's wife Wada Mae Chaney is the grandaughter of Allie Saphronia Belcher
Steve Darnell
He was a coal miner.
He is survived by his wife, Wada Mae Chaney Darnell; two sons, Steven Brock Darnell and Britt Darnell, both of Ferrells Creek; three brothers, David Darnell of Alabama, Cecil Darnell and Mike Darnell, both of Feds Creek; one sister, Henrietta Darnell of La Porte, Ind.; and two grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, in the Bailey Funeral Home Chapel with Roy Thompson Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in the Chaney Family Cemetery, Abner Fork of Ferrells Creek. Arrangements are under direction of Bailey Funeral Home of Elkhorn City.
Genealogy Forum
Looking for a Eliza Belcher born possibly between 1830-1850 who married a Geo. Berge.
Lived somewhere around McDonald Co. MO. Possibly Southwest City MO or even Siloam Springs Ark
dau Elizabeth Berge b 1869 m John Jefferson Fields d 1920 in Collinsville OK.
This is all the info I have on her. Hoping there might be a chance you could help me out. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
M Gerdes E-Mail
My name is Jeffrey S. Belcher.
I am interested in any information you have on Belchers from Pike Co., Ky. All I know is that my father, Hassel Belcher Jr. was born in Ky and resided in Mouthcard, Ky. I''ve heard him talk about Rock Lick, KY also. My grandfather's name was Kenis Hassel Belcher (born 8 October 1915) and he married Edna G. Hackney. He was killed in November 1969 in Michigan. My grandfather and grandmother moved from KY to Honaker, VA (Russell Co.) during the 1960's I believe. All I know of my great grandfather was that he was a constable and was shot during an election (so my father says). I am just starting to try to find out information about my ancestry and would appreciate any tips. I am also interested in the origins of the Belcher name.I grew up in Russell County, VA and hope to visit the town of Belcher, KY on my next trip home.
Thank you,
Jeffrey Shane Belcher
Columbia, SC E-Mail
Hi, Great web site !
I just wanted to know where your French Surname cousins were. ,br>I'm surprised that no one is working on them at least at this web site. If there is someone working on frenchs, would you please email me ? Thanks, Marian Murphy
descendent of John French/Obediance Clay/Phoebe Belcher/Mitchell Clay who married into Buchanan, Smith.
Marian Murphy E-Mail
Just discovered your web site this evening.
How very interesting. I've
been searching for years for my gr. gr. grandmother Eliza Belcher who
married a George Burge/Berge.
Their daughter Eliza Isobinda Burge was born in 1869 in Missouri. Do any of
these names ring any bells?
Thanks. Valerie Austin E-Mail
Hi,
My Maiden name is Belcher
Floyd George Belcher was my father
He passed away in Februrary of 2001
Julia Ann Lane
Manassas, Virginia E-Mail
I am the g-g grandson of Anderson A Belcher of Mercer Co. Va. now W.Va
I am having great problems connecting him to the right Henry Belcher.
This is a great web site I enjoy it very much.
thanks
Robert Surface
Lindside Wva E-Mail
I am the granddaughter of Frank Belcher, born Jan 6, 1880, Ionia County, Michigan.
His parents were Uriah M Belcher and Melissa Jane Myers, they were married June 6, 1867 in Eaton County, Michigan. This all the information any of us have of this family and my sister has looked for years for more. Happened to this sight by searching the internet, and have at least glanced through all of the back issues, did not realise there were so many Belchers out there, as it not a very common name around here. Also noticed that there does not seem to be any mention of The Belcher name from the State of Michigan and wondered if there were other Belchers from Michigan looking for a connection and if maybe I missed something in your issues. Fasinating reading.
Thelma Applegate
Grand Rapids, Michigan E-Mail
Both my parents were born in Franklin County, Va.
They moved to Roanoke about 1920. My father was the oldest of 12 children. His name was Irvin Swanson Belcher. He married Myrtle Lee Eanes.
I was born in Roanoke, Va. in 1929.
Vivian Belcher Deckert E-Mail
Great site, and wonderful information.
I am a descendant of James Stephen Ramey, son of Daniel, the branch which moved from Virginia to Pettis County Missouri
Joseph Rooney E-Mail
My maternal grandfather was Harry Belcher, born in Devon, England. The family story is that he was a descendant of Jem Belcher, a famous English prize fighter of the early 19th Century, and the family connections go back to Sheffield, England. Have no idea if there's any connection with the USA - but you never know. The Belcher chain and the Belcher knot are supposed to have been popularised by Jem. Good luck with your searches!
Jackie Pooley
Suffolk England E-Mail
I am doing Belcher genealogy and found this site. Thank you. I will bookmark it and be back often. I am looking for a cousin ancestor, Charlie Belcher. He supposedly rode with the James Gang.
Becky Barben
Myrtle Beach, SC.
Note:
Another Note on the Loretta Lynn and Patty Loveless connections:
I purchased Patty Ramey (Loveless)'s CD Mountain Soul. In the printed information inside she has a picture of her Elkhorn City "homestead" and pictures of her parents and grandparents. Her parents were John and Naomie Ramey; John's parents were Lou and Molly Ramey. Could someone complete the line up from Lou and Molly Ramey and post it? Gayl - thanks for posting the Loretta Lynn genealogy line. I have been told that there are two William Rameys who started early E. Ky. Ramey lines - our Pike Co. William Ramey and another from around Johnson or Floyd I think. I assume that if you go far enough back both are related. Which William Ramey does Loretta Lynn descend from? I am enjoying reading the family history information.
Kay
In response to the William Ramey line of Floyd County Kentucky, most of that line kept the Remy spelling of the name he descended earlier than our William of Pike
However there are several William Rameys around that time frame. We will have to do some research on these branches and see what falls out of the tree.
Loretta's mother was Clara Ramey born 1912 and father was Melvin (Ted) Webb.
Clara's parents were Nathaniel and Sarah and then I think Nathaniel's parents were Charles Ramey and Rebecca Salyer and Charles' parents were William Ramey and Nellie Morton
