Person Page - 441

     Richard Williams was born circa 1829 at Essex Co., Virginia.² He married Alicia Catherine "Melissa" Drummond, daughter of Noah Silas Drummond and Catherine Scarburgh Drummond, on September 4, 1856 at Washington, D.C..^5,1,6 Richard Williams This Deed, made the 11th day of February 1858 between Richard Williams and Catharine E., his wife and John R. Johnston of the second part all of Alexandria County Virginia. Witnesseth, that the said Richad Williams and Catharine E., his wife for and in consideration of the sum of Two Hundred and Ninety 62/100 Dollars have given, granted, and bargained and sold to the said John R. Johnston all the following tract of land, bounded on the east by the said Johnston, North by Custis heirs, west by (?) and church lot and South by the Turnpike road containing 3 1/2 (or 8-1/2 ?) acres also my undivided one-fourth interest in a lot of land left by Basil Williams for church lot (which said bequest was set aside by the Hon. Judge Tyler) to him the said John R. Johnston, his heirs and assigns will forever warrant and defend the said lot of land.

Witness are hands and seals this 16th day of August 1859.
signed, sealed and delivered in presence of
Richard Williams (seal)
Alicia C. Williams (seal)

Alexandria County to wit:
We Wesley Carlin and Noah Drummond, Justices of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid in the State of Virginia do certify that Richard Williams who name is signed to the above writing, bearing date on the 11th day of February 1858 acknowleged the same before us in our County aforesaid. And we both certify Catharine E. wife to the said Richard. whose name is signed to the writing bearing date on the 11th day of February 1858, having been (__?) and examined privily and apart from her said husband, and having she said writing fully explained to her, acknowedge the same before us in our County aforesaid.

Given under our hands and seals this 16th day of August 1859.
Wesley Carlin, J.P. (seal)
Noah Drummond, J.P. (seal)

Clerk's Office Alexandria County Court, August 18th 1859.
This Deed was received in the Office and having been acknowledged before Justices, admitted to record.
Teste: B. W. Berry, Clerk on August 16, 1859 at Alexandria, Virginia.⁷ He died on January 6, 1893 at Lynchburg, Virginia.⁸

     Mary "Polly" Conner was born in 1806 at Montgomery Co., Virginia. She married Isaac Abner Boothe, son of Abner Boothe, on March 1, 1825 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^1,2 As of March 1, 1825,her married name was Boothe.

     Charles Thomas "Charlie" Conner was buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park, 3410 Coal Heritage Road, Bluefield, Mercer Co., West Virginia.^2,5,6 He was born on February 10, 1914 at McComas, Mercer Co., West Virginia.^1,2,4 He died on November 26, 1941 at McComas, Mercer Co., West Virginia, at age 27.^1,2,5,6 He Funeral services were conducted for Charles Thomas Conner who was killed by a fall of slate in the Pinnacle mine of the American Coal company on Wednesday evening. The men came out of the mine following the accident and the mine was idle Thursday as is the custom. He was a member of Local No. 6036 UMWA. The young man resided all his life in McComas in the section
known as Church Hollow. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Noah D. Conner. Besides his parents, five sisters and one brother survive, Mrs. Carolyn Mathena, Mrs. Alma King of McComas, Mrs. Lucille Clyne of Daytona Beach, Fla; Miss Ethel Conner, Christianburg, and Miss Elsie Conner of Charleston and William Conner of McComas. Burial was in Woodlawn with members of the Pinnacle union as active pallbearers. on November 30, 1941.⁶

     Melvin Earl Matthews Sr. was buried at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, 5737 Airport Road NW, Roanoke, Virginia.^1,5 His Social Security Number was 228-30-8037.⁶ He was born on August 5, 1928 at Roanoke, Virginia.^6,1,3 He married Joyce Nadine Furrow, daughter of Albert Carl Furrow and Sophronia Elizabeth Feazelle, on April 17, 1948 at Roanoke, Virginia.^7,8,4 Melvin Earl Matthews Sr. died on July 5, 1999 at Roanoke, Virginia, at age 70.^6,1,2 He MATTHEWS, Melvin Earl Sr., 70, of Roanoke, died Monday, July 5, 1999. He was born August 5, 1928 in Roanoke and was preceded in death by his parents, John W. and Lula Saul Matthews; a sister, Mary M. Overfelt. He was retired from the City of Roanoke Refuse Department after 31 years of service. He is survived by his wife, Joyce F. Matthews; son, Melvin E. Matthews, Jr. of Roanoke; a nephew, Augustine G. Overfelt, Jr. and wife Pat, Granite City, Ill. Graveside funeral services will be held at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. on July 8, 1999.¹

     Betty Jane Campbell Betty Jane Furrow, January 24, 1935 - March 13, 2024. Betty Jane Furrow, age 89 of Rocky Mount died Wednesday, March 13, 2024.⁴ She was born on January 24, 1935 at Franklin Co., Virginia.^3,4 She married Roy Hampton Furrow, son of Albert Carl Furrow and Sophronia Elizabeth Feazelle, on May 5, 1950 at Rocky Mount, Franklin Co., Virginia.^1,2,3 As of May 5, 1950,her married name was Furrow.³ Betty Jane Campbell died on March 13, 2024 at Virginia at age 89.⁴

     David Anthony Furrow David Anthony Furrow, Jan 13, 1953 - May 13, 2025. David Anthony Furrow passed away on May 13, 2025. He was seventy-two. After graduating from Franklin County High School in 1971, David furthered his education at the University of Virginia, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree (1975), a Master of Business Administration from the Darden School of Business (1977) and a Juris Doctorate Degree from the Law School (1979). At the time of David's passing, out of approximately 15,000 living Darden-school alumni, only 66 earned a Bachelor's degree, Law degree and a Master's in Business Degree from UVA, according to their records. David was, rightfully so, proud of this accomplishment, which he occasionally verbalized as having "not one, not two, but three degrees from The University." As a licensed Attorney and Counsellor at Law, David served Franklin County and surrounding areas compassionately and vigorously. His advice was often sophisticated, but never complicated, as he spoke directly and bluntly. If you were turned away, it was likely for one reason: David did not want to take your money for what he knew would amount to being a worthless pursuit. Given his range of legal talent, David's expertise was called upon in a wide variety of practice areas. For instance, David served as defense counsel on over twenty cases where the death penalty was at stake. In a completely different area of law, estate administration, David was appointed by the Circuit Court to serve as the Commissioner of Accounts for Franklin County, a position he held for roughly twenty years. Despite these and many other commitments, David devoted substantial time serving those who were less fortunate economically, which resulted in special recognition from the Virginia State Bar in 2010, when he received an award for his commitment to pro bono and court-appointed legal services. In 2022, the Virginia General Assembly elected David to serve as a Judge with the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court serving Franklin County, Pittsylvania County and Danville. Putting into play his view that age was never a limitation, it is likely that, at age 69, David was the oldest attorney to start their first term as a Virginia state-court judge. David's legal legacy will be felt for decades, as he selflessly tutored many area lawyers, and offered advice to people from all walks of life. David will be sadly missed.⁴ He and Joyce Ann Ramsey were divorced.³ David Anthony Furrow was born on January 13, 1953 at Franklin Co., Virginia.^1,2,3,4 He married Joyce Ann Ramsey on August 16, 1974 at Franklin Co., Virginia.³ David Anthony Furrow married Paula Carol Akers, daughter of Earl Roy Akers and Helen Faye Carter, on August 19, 1994 at Franklin Co., Virginia.³ David Anthony Furrow died on May 13, 2025 at Virginia at age 72.⁴

     Her Social Security Number was 234-32-5187.⁹ Ethel Vera Conner was buried at Park Cemetery, Bridgeport, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.⁴ She was born on February 12, 1915 at McComas, Mercer Co., West Virginia.^1,9,4,2 She married Wayne Alvin Conner, son of George Washington Conner and Victoria Isabel Hale, on May 2, 1944 at Princeton, Mercer Co., West Virginia.^1,3,10 Ethel Vera Conner and Wayne Alvin Conner were divorced on December 3, 1970 at Fairfield Co., Connecticut.¹¹ Ethel Vera Conner died on November 25, 1977 at Stratford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, at age 62.^1,4,12

     Eldridge Mullens Kingrea was buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park, 3410 Coal Heritage Road, Bluefield, Mercer Co., West Virginia.^6,7,8 His Social Security Number was 233-07-7031.⁶ He was born on December 19, 1892 at Floyd Co., Virginia.^3,4,9,5,6,8 He married Lucy Jane Conner, daughter of John Hiram Walters Conner and Sarah Rosabell/Rosabelle "Sally" Iddings, on April 18, 1917 at Floyd Co., Virginia.^3,11,2,9,7,8 Eldridge Mullens Kingrea died on April 12, 1962 at Bluefield, Mercer Co., West Virginia, at age 69.^6,8 He Funeral services for Eldridge M. Kingrea, 69, Route 3, Bluefield, Va., will be conducted Sunday. Pallbearers: W. D. Lambert, Bob Johnson, Curtis Neal, Howard Bowman, Charles Goode, and Paul Jessup. A native of Floyd County, Va., he died Thursday in a Bluefield hospital. He was a son of the late William W. and Octavia B. Brown Kingrea. He was a member of the Church of God and United Mine Workers of America, Local 595. Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Lucy Jane Conner Kingrea; two sons, John Kingrea of Washington, D. C., and Ronnie Kingrea of Pikeville, Ky., three daughters, Mrs. Eva Ramsey of Pikeville, Mrs. Stella Blevins of Venice, Cal., and Dana Kingrea at the home; one sister, Mrs. D. H. Conner of Princeton; and eight grandchildren. on April 13, 1962.⁷

     Eugene Harold "Gene" Thacker Sr. was buried at Parklawn Memorial Park, 2551 North Armistead Avenue, Hampton, Virginia.^7,6 His Social Security Number was 224-34-3657.⁸ He was born on September 7, 1931 at Roanoke, Virginia.^8,3,4,9,6 He married Agnes Bernice Furrow, daughter of Albert Carl Furrow and Sophronia Elizabeth Feazelle, on April 7, 1951 at Lancaster, Lancaster Co., South Carolina.^1,10 Eugene Harold "Gene" Thacker Sr. died on September 4, 1997 at Hampton, Virginia, at age 65.^8,5,9,6 He Eugene Harold Thacker Sr., 65, died Thursday, Sept. 4, 1997, at Sentara Hampton General Hospital. A native of Roanoke, he was a resident of Hampton for 28 years. Mr. Thacker retired from the U.S. Navy after 20 years of service as senior chief petty officer. He was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. He received numerous medals including the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V" during the Vietnam conflict. He retired as chief of the engineering resource management division and engineering and housing at Fort Monroe. He was a civil service employee and received the Civilian Army Achievement Award. He retired in 1990 after 21 years of service. Mr. Thacker was a member of Ivy Memorial Baptist Church. He was a member of the board of directors at the Fort Monroe Credit Union and was a member of the Supervisors Committee at Fort Monroe Credit Union and the Naval Fleet Reserve Association. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jarman Frank and Lula Dent Thacker; sister, Neville Jenkins; brothers, Rupert Thacker, Caruso Thacker, Kublik "Ku" Thacker and Walter "Dee" Thacker. He is survived by his wife, Agnes Thacker; son and daughter-in-law, Eugene and Jean Thacker; two daughters and sons-in-law, Lynda and Jon Ratliff and Sherl and Curt Hines; seven grandchildren, Michael Thacker, Kevin Thacker, Chris Harsch, Tim Harsch, Adam Kovalevsky, Ryan Ratliff and Melissa Manning; four brothers, Frank Thacker, Bill Thacker, Elbyrne Thacker and Steve Thacker; and two sisters, Evoy Oates and Eugenia Wright. Burial will be in Parklawn Memorial Park. on September 5, 1997.⁶