1884 Virginia Lynching

(My great grandpa is seated in the chair with two of his brothers beside him.)

I received the following email in answer to some questions of a 1884 lynching around Monterey, Virginia, in which my Great Grandfather John Robert Warwick may have been a part of the 1884 lynching mob in Monterey, Virginia of 1884. There was an older John Robert Warwick, which was an uncle to my great grandpa J.R. Warwick. (The email was dated 29 April 2011, from Michael Sellers)

This is an update of the 1884  lynching as it was sent to me.

"Hi, Linda, Just came across your message from March 20 seeking information about you great grandfather, John Robert Warwick, and the January 1884 lynching of E. D. Atcheson in Monterey, Highland County, VA.  I've done quite a bit of research regarding the lynch-murder of Atcheson.  I am a distant cousin of three of the men involved.  My research was more involved in what happened to and became of the men after they fled Highland County.  Another elder cousin of mine is a direct descendant of one of the men, while being related as a cousin to two others.  His research was extensive, which he then developed into a book.

"I regret to report that your great grandfather, John Robert Warwick, was not the lone man tried and acquitted by a Rockbridge County jury.  In fact, evidence and firsthand testimony shows that your great grandfather was not only an active participant but also nearly committed another murder during the lynch mob's removal of E. D. Atcheson from his jail cell.

"First, the lone man tried and acquitted of the charges by jury was John Anderson"J. A." Chestnut.  J. A. Chestnut was the only one of the 10 involved in Atcheson's murder to not flee Virginia.  Chestnut had been married for 11 years to Nancy Wiley and had 6 young children at the time of Atcheson's lynch-murder, plus his wife was 8 months pregnant with their 7th child.  I suspect that having 6 young children with the imminent arrival of a 7th were large reasons why he didn't flee.  Chestnut was born in Highland County and was well-known.  The trial was moved from Highland County to Rockbridge County in order for Chestnut's lawyer(s) to convene an impartial jury and to receive a fair trial.  

"I don't have the particulars of the trial itself, however, Chestnut was indeed acquitted of all charges.  After the trial, Chestnut returned to Highland County where he and his wife, Nancy, had at least two more children prior to 1890.  Chestnut and his wife separated shortly after 1910 and were divorced by 1920.  Upon the separation, Chestnut removed to the town of Cass in neighboring Pocahontas County, WV.  Chestnut died there on July 1, 1926, at the age of 77.  His body was returned to Mill Gap in Highland County where he was buried in Bird Cemetery.

"Second, in regards to your great grandfather, John Robert Warwick, he was positively identified by the jailer, Joseph Hiner, as being one of the 10 men who removed Atcheson from the jail and lynched him.  The following is somewhat of a paraphrase of Joseph Hiner's testimony when arrest warrants were issued for 9 of the 10 men involved in Atcheson's lynch-murder.  The 10th man has escaped anonymously into history as Hiner was unable to identify him:

"Just after midnight, in the early morning hours of Friday, January 4, 1884, 10 men broke into the Monterey jail, took E. D. Atcheson from his cell and lynched him from a tree on Trimble's Knob near Monterey. The jailer, Joseph Hiner, gave sworn testimony that 10 men, all smelling of liquor, approached and demanded the keys to the jail in order for Atcheson to be taken. Hiner refused, stating that he didn't have the keys, and the men abruptly left. A short time later the men again approached the jail but, this time, they were in possession of all the guns and weapons they could carry along with a rather large log that was to be used as a battering ram against the doors of the jail and Atcheson's cell itself. Hiner, however, stood in their way and, after a heated exchange in which one of the men, Robert Warwick, attempted to fire a rifle at Hiner himself, the men contented themselves with firing their weapons into the jail. Hiner further testified that many of the men were able to fire at Atcheson from close range, so close that Atcheson was able to knock the gun or rifle out of the hands of at least two of the men. Finally, the men were able to bust through the doors of the jail and into Atcheson's cell. Hiner stated that Atcheson was shot multiple times, at least four times from what he could see, and was barely breathing and nearly unconscious when the men dragged him out of the jail and into the snow. 

"Once outside, the men bound his ankles and wrists and began dragging him through the snow towards Trimble's Knob. Hiner further stated that one of the men shouted at him that he [Hiner] could find Atcheson at a particular tree along the road in the morning. At daylight the following morning, Hiner followed the trail of blood in the snow left by Atcheson being shot and dragged and indeed found him hanging from a white oak tree on Trimble's Knob located on Spruce Street just south of Monterey.

"Based on Hiner's eyewitness testimony, murder warrants were sworn out against 9 of the 10 men. In swearing out the warrants, Hiner stated that he was able to positively identify 9 of the 10 men because the masks worn by each of them had fallen during the course of the night. By the time the men had finally broken into the jail and retrieved Atcheson, they were no longer trying to hide their faces. All of the men identified were from, by all accounts, "outstanding families in the area", and most all of them were related in some way whether as cousins or by marriage.

"The family of one of the men involved, Giles H. Gum, independently corroborated Hiner's testimony by stating that Robert Warwick had indeed leveled a rifle at the jailer, Joseph Hiner, at close range with his finger on the trigger and was about to fire when Gum knocked the rifle from his hands at the last moment.  

"There is some speculation that Warwick did indeed fire his rifle at Hiner but that Gum knocked the rifle away a split second prior and the bullet instead richocheted off the jailhouse rather than striking Hiner.

"Though positively identified by the jailer, Joseph Hiner, the reason and/or cause of Robert Warwick's involvement in Atcheson's lynch-murder is the hardest to figure.  Most of the other men involved lived in the area around Mill Gap in Highland County and were related as cousins or by marriage, however, Warwick doesn't seem to be related to any of them and was, according to the previous 1880 Census, living in Huntersville in Pocahontas County, WV, some 25 miles southwest of Mill Gap.  Robert Warwick was definitely there and was well-known to the jailer, Joseph Hiner,  But, why or how Robert Warwick came to be in the Mill Gap area and how or why he came to be involved in Atcheson's lynch-murder is still murky, at best.

"According to John Robert Warwick's obituary in the "Fairview Newspaper" of Woods County, OK, he was married to Signora Gwin on January 16, 1882, in Harper's Ferry, WV.  He later "came to Kansas and taught school at Coldwater, waiting for the opening of Oklahoma's Cherokee Strip for settlement.  He 'made the run' Sept. 16, 1893.  As he was accustomed to the water and wood in abundance on the wooded hills and plains of West Virginia, he looked first for wood and water when looking for a homestead. He staked a claim 7 miles south of Alva, on Eagle Chief, but learning by experience that more abundance lay in the level wheat lands--he sold his wood-and-water farm and bought level wheat land 5 miles south of Alva. Here he and his wife lived until 1929 when they moved to Alva. His wife preceded him in death three years, almost to the exact time of his death, dying in Nov., 1934. John R. was said to have had cancer of his jaw."

"According to what I have, his 2nd child, Robert Lee Warwick, was born in November 1887 in West Virginia.  John Robert Warwick likely made the move to Kansas in either 1888 or 1889 before then "making the run" into Oklahoma in 1893.  Third child, Wilbur, was then born in Alva, Woods County, OK, on Oct. 13, 1895.

"I'm sure that Robert, as most did, came out to OK in 1893 and likely staked out where he was going to "make his run" in preparation for the Sept. 16, 1893, run into OK for the land grab.  I don't know, however, exactly when he left WV for KS prior to making the run into OK.

"Hope the above helps answer some of your questions.  I'm curious if there have been any stories handed down regarding his involvement in Atcheson's murder, even if its just rumor.  I've spoken to a good many descendants of the men involved, and invariably they report stories of the families uprooting in the middle of a night, piling into wagons all they could carry and simply disappearing into the night fleeing from Virginia.  Warwick appears to have just simply returned to neighboring Pocahontas County, WV, before then heading on to KS some years later.  I'd be interested in any info you have that could fill in some of the blanks.

Vada Paris' Dust Bowl OkieLegacy

This is a photo of my mother, Vada Eileen (Paris) McGill in the 1930s. Ylova Jean Jaquith Mayes daughter and son-in-law sent the  following message with the photo attached to this NW Okie in 2010.  The photo was not dated, but Ylova was born in 1932. She looks like she is maybe 4-5 in the photo. So, the 1937-1938 time frame would be about right. 

The photo shows a young Vada Paris (left) in her flowery, Spring dress, hat and white sandal heels holding the hand of a young girl (Ylova Jean Jaquith) while standing in front of a passenger train in Woodward, Oklahoma. The Jaquith had brought Vada to Woodward from Seiling to catch the train to Alva, Oklahoma, where Vada was attending NSTC (Northwestern State Teachers College). We know that Vada was a sophomore at NSTC in Alva. We believe she attended in 1937 as a freshman.

Let us take you back to April 18, 1932 (as written down in Vada's 1938 diary as an anniversary) when a sixteen year-old-girl named Vada Eileen Paris came to live with the Ray and Eithel Jaquith family who lived in Seiling, Oklahoma. Also, it was during the Depression, Dust Bowl era. Besides the anniversary of when Vada went to live with Jaquith's in Seiling, Vada had made a notation in her diary May 25th for Ray and Eithel Jaquith anniversary, May 25, 1926.

While living with the Jaquith family, Vada graduated from Seiling High School with the Class of 1936 Seniors whose motto was "Hitch Your Wagon to a Star." For reasons unknown to this writer, Vada laid out a year or so before graduating high school during the Depression, Dust Bowl days. She should have graduated in 1934, but graduated in 1936, instead.

We know that Black Sunday was April 14, 1935 when the day was turned into night during the Dust Bowl era. About a month and a few weeks before that day, Northwest State Normal school's Castle on the Hill had burned down, March 1, 1935, in Alva, Oklahoma.

I have been told Aunt Geneva's story is her parents, Ernest Claude & Mary Barbara (Hurt) Paris, lived in a Sharecropper’s home. it  burned to the ground during the 1930s dust bowl days.  The girls were sent to different homes. Auntie Jim (aka Zella) was already married. Geneva had been going to school at Seiling but had to move in with Uncle Alvin in Alva, and Jaquith’s gave  Vada a home. We were told that most of the boys joined the service.

We have pieced together bits and pieces of Vada's life between 1932 thru 1937 before she attended college in Alva. We have been told that Vada's mother did not think Vada needed education after the eighth grade and should stay home and help take care of her younger siblings. We have also been told that Eithel Jaquith influenced Vada to graduate Seiling High School and continue her education at NSTC in Alva, Oklahoma.

Reading through Vada's diary, we know in 1938 she received a government grant to attend Northwestern State Teacher College (NSTC) where she was noted as a sophomore in the 1938 Ranger Yearbook. Vada also worked at Warrick's Shoe Store; did heavy housekeeping to make ends meet while attending NSTC. We believe Vada was a Freshman at NSTC (1937 Ranger Yearbook) in 1937.

Vada's older brother (Alvin Riley Paris) and his wife, Naomi (Warren) Paris, were living in Alva while Vada was attending Northwestern. Besides staying with her older brother, Vada did housekeeping for Naomi and Alvin while Naomi was expecting their first Child (Stan born February 25, 1938).

There were lots of entries in Vada's 1938 diary where she mentioned the enthusiasm of getting to go home to Seiling and seeing the Jaquith family (Ray & Eithel and their children: Kenneth and Ylova).

On one entry dated February 13, 1938, Sunday, Vada writes, "Saw Mrs. Jaquith. I'll tough it out where I am before borrowing money. Grand of her to offer to help." Times in the 1930s were tough on everyone back then.

Vada wrote about enjoying receiving letters from Eithel Jaquith. The Jaquith family was like a second family for this young woman, Vada Eileen Paris. Eithel being the one that encouraged Vada to continue her education and go to College at Alva, Oklahoma. 

Vada's OkieLegacy 1930s Story

David M Wagner's Journey (10 October , 1943-10 May 2025)

The extraordinary legacy of David Matthew Wagner began 81 years, 7 months ago, in Orange, New Jersey, on October 10, 1943, as the third child of Anita Gretchen Williams (35) and Louis Alwin Wagner (David Matthew Wagner's earthly journey came to a close on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 01:01 pm, at St. Anthony Pavilion Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His body was cremated and a memorial celebration of life will be scheduled for a Wagner family reunion at a later date. He was blessed with an older sister, Joan Elizabeth (Wagner) Hodgden (1928-1986), and brother, Louis Charles Wagner (1930). David met the love of his life, Linda K. Mcgill, in the Spring of 1968 at NSC (NWOSU) in Alva, Oklahoma. Their hearts intertwined, and they married in the Summer of 1969. Their family flourished with the birth of Michael in the Fall of 1970 and Robert in the Spring of 1973. David's spirit now soars with the eagles, watching over his beloved wife, Linda, two sons, Michael and Robert, numerous Wagner and Hodgden nieces, nephews, and his older brother Lou (Louis) Charles Wagner and Lou's wife Kay and family. David was my guiding light. I didn't realize how much I drew inspiration from him. We shared 56 glorious years of marriage. David embodied the selfless spirit of family care, a shining example to us all. In 1962, David triumphantly graduated from high school in Merced, California with honors, a math award and scholarship that catapulted him to university in San Jose for a year. Afterwards he moved to Alva, Oklahoma, enrolled at NWOSU; joined Alva's National Guard; and worked for his brother-in-law pumping wells. David graduated from NWOSU with a BS degree in chemistry and mathematics, laying the foundation for a lifetime of achievements. David was a great man of many talents throughout his life. He was employed for a time by Kerr-McGee Research & Engineering in Edmond, Oklahoma, where he made a lasting impact. David and his young family moved to his next employment with Exxon Research & Engineering in Baytown, Texas, in Exxon's coal liquidation department, a bold new chapter. David did a stint preparing tax returns in Alva, Oklahoma, helping countless individuals. When American Online (AOL) moved to OKC, Oklahoma, David worked as a tech, guiding AOL members through tech issues with patience and kindness. In the early 2000s David & Linda moved to SW Colorado, working for another tech call service, spreading hope and help. Before he retired in the Colorado rocky mountains north of Durango, at Vallecito Lake, David left an indelible mark. It was in 2022 that David and Linda moved back to NW Oklahoma, Alva, a triumphant return. We will deeply miss this extraordinary husband, father, brother, uncle, a beacon of hope in our lives. Plant a tree in his memory.

Wds County High School

Woods County High School,  Helena, Okla.


The Woods County High School was established at Helena Nov. 8, 1904 by territorial election held in Woods County, Oklahoma Territory on that date.  (M) Woods County, Oklahoma Territory then consisted of what is now Major, Woods and Alfalfa Counties. 

The actual work on the building began Mar. 1, 1905. The total cost of the buildings was $40,000.00 and it was completed and accepted in April 1906. This building was located where the administration building of the Boys Training school is now located in the west part of town. It had 27 rooms with an auditorium that seated over 800 people.

The school opened Sept. 18, 1905 and was held in the various churches of Helena until the building was completed. There were seven members on the faculty. Charles Eckes was the first graduate in 1906. There were 104 enrolled the first year. The board of trustees consisted of seven members who were from the various towns in the county and were appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. The school was operated as Woods County High School until the county was divided at Statehood in 1907 as it is now. Major County took the bridges on the Cimarron River, Woods County took the court house at Alva and Alfalfa County took the high school at Helena. The school was operated one year 1908-09 as the Alfalfa County High School.

The Connell State School of Agriculture was located at Helena in 1910 and the State of Oklahoma took over the building and grounds. They added a dormitory, shop building, dairy barn, horse barn and a number of other buildings. This was one of the secondary agriculture schools which served NW Oklahoma and grew to where there were over 200 students. In 1917 Gov. Williams vetoed the appropriation for the Connell State School of Agriculture and converted this to the West Oklahoma Orphans Home. However, the State of Oklahoma could not use the school building or grounds on which it was located for an orphans home because the former deed contained a clause which provided that it had to be used for school purposes or it reverted back to the three original owners who gave the grounds for the original old Woods County High School. The State of Oklahoma, then gave the building and grounds on which it was located to the Town of Helena to be used as their school building. The State used the old dormitory to house the orphans as it was located off the school grounds. Helena used the school building to house their grade and high school students from 1918 to 1923. The orphans had grown to over 150 and they did not have room for them in the old dormitory and they had to have more room.

The State of Oklahoma agreed then to pay the Town of Helena $50,000.00 for the building and grounds provided they could give them a good title. The $50,000.00 would build a new school building for Helena on a site which they had in the north part of town. Helena then got busy and located the three men who gave the original deed to the Woods County High School with the reverting clause in it (back to them when it was not used for school purposes). These men agreed to give a deed conveying all of their interest for a consideration of $10,000. Helena then got busy and voted $10,000 bonds and paid them and secured a deed from them conveying a clear title. Helena then built a new building and moved their school to the north part of town.

The orphans home moved from the old wooden dormitory to the brick building which was built as the Woods County High School. When the orphans moved into the new brick building there was nearly 200 of them. All of these ate, slept and went to school in this one building for the first year until they could build dormitories. The boys slept on the upper floor, the girls on the second floor, the first floor was used for school and administrative purposes and the basement was used for the kitchen, dining room and laundry.

There was a real houseful of them. As other dormitories, a dining hall, and a school building were added the orphans home grew to over 300. The old Woods Co. High School building was torn down in 1938 and replaced by a smaller building used as the administration building. The orphans home remained at Helena until around 1941 or 1942 when it was moved to Pryor, Oklahoma.

The State Training School for Boys was then located at Helena and took over the building and grounds. It has remained at Helena since that time except a few years when it moved to Stringtown and then was moved back to Helena.

information from 'Our Alfalfa County Heritage,' pg. 493-494. 

Woods County High School

Alfalfa County High School, also known as Woods County High School, is situated in Helena, Oklahoma. Following the division of M County, Alfalfa County acquired this building, whereas Woods County obtained the Courthouse and Major County received the bridge over the Cimarron. 

Upon Oklahoma's statehood in 1907, 'M' County was divided, and each resulting county selected its name and determined its school district numbers. Major County retained the original district numbers, while Alfalfa County renumbered its schools, commencing in the northeast corner with number one and concluding with 103. Woods County's school numbering system is a combination of retained and modified numbers, as most schools inherited from 'N' County required renumbering. Only the 'M' schools maintained their original numbers.

Additional information on Major County schools can be found in Gloss Mountain County, a history of Major County; Woods County schools in Pioneer Footprints across Woods County; and Alfalfa County schools in Alfalfa County Heritage.

3 May 2017 Alva, OK

Northwestern State Normal (NSN)

Castle On The Hill (burned to a shell of itself March, 1935). This is an old photo of Northwestern State Normal School, in Alva, Oklahoma, a friend, Lovina Clark (dec'd), gave it to me awhile back (20+ years ago). It is a long panorama photo that I scanned as two photos because at the time my scanner was a small screen machine.

If you look closely you shall notice the Lincoln statue, water tower, chimney in the open area between the two buildings.  This is the area where Herod Hall was eventually built. As you might notice this was taken before Herold Hall (administration building) was built between these two NSN buildings (Castle & Old Science Hall). Sometime later date the Science hall lwas moved to the eastside of the campus into Carter Hall. The old science hall has become many offices throughout its history, such as the music department when I went to NSC in the 1970s. Today it is goes by "Ryerson hall."< as it looks down 7th Street.

  A Silent message thru the ages 

  Is delivered to the races passing by,

  And the wisdom of the sages

  Flashes futily from the sturdy eye,

  Watching Life's laughter, song and tears 

  Thru the eager march of onward years; 

  With quiet, unperturbed, mobile face

  Inspires us to live with equal grace.

  [taken from The Ranger 1926 yearbook] 

Good Morning, America, Nov 6, 2020!

     Good Morning, America, Nov 6, 2020! My eyes are watery with tears of hope, joy, and an optimistic feeling. I've decided awhile back this elderly woman would never fall for the fear tactics of Trump's political party. 

     I refuse to be a pessimist. I am a moderate Democrat. I have believed in Biden since he announced his decision to run for president. 

     I have so much praise for Georgia's on ground organizers, John Lewis, Stacey Abraham and all the poll workers across America working tirelessly to show us all that America's Democratic process works.

    We just need to be patience, calm as it counts and processes the ballots. 

     My eyes are filled with hope, patience, calm and  optimistic feelings of #BuildingBackBetter our America Democracy.

     My wish and hope is that my sister Dorthy McGill's (1943-2018) soul is seeing the justice unfolding for Trump's downfall and removal.

     Let us all come together over time to Make America Care Again and Unify the country and our allies around the world.

Break the Cycle Or Be Condemn To Repeat It

I know what is like to live in a dysfunctional family. If you do not break the cycle of dysfunction, you will be condemn to repeat it. I decided a long time ago that the way my older and younger sisters treated each other to get what they wanted was not my cup of tea. I broke from that cycle during the probate from hell. My older sister believed in "all for one. None for all others." My youngest sister always played the victim to get love and attention. My sister Dorthy believed in speaking out, standing up for the injustices. My sister Dorthy was more like a parent-figure to me than my own parents. Thank you Dorthy (1943-2018) for being there for me.

Benjamin Franklin Connection

Back in May, 2011, I ran across a ancestry connection to the infamous Benjamin Franklin ( Not a direct relationship). The Benjamin Franklin connection appears on my father's side of the family with  the Craighead, Holmes (Homes) and McGill

Let me see if I can get this ancestral connection straight. As I said in an earlier newsletter in 2011, "I found a link to Benjamin Franklin." It turns out that Benjamin Franklin was a brother-n-law of the 1st cousin 3x removed of husband of our 2nd Great Grand Aunt, Nancy McGill, daughter of Wm Nathan McGill, Jr.

Are you totally confused yet? Let me see if I can confuse you more and fill in some more names.

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) had an older sister, Mary Franklin (1694-1731), who married Robert Holmes (Homes), the second husband of Mary Franklin

Robert Homes was the son of Katherine Craighead, who was the daughter of Rev. Robert Craighead, who was the son of Rev. Thomas Craighead, who had a son, Rev. Alexander Holmes Craighead, who had a son, Capt. Robert Craighead, who was the paternal grandfather of Samuel Geddes Craighead, husband of my 2nd Great Grand Aunt, Nancy McGill.

Capt. Robert Craighead, who had a son Wm Craighead, who had a son Samuel Geddes Craighead.

Nancy A. McGill's father was Wm Nathan McGill, Jr, who was also the father to David Milton McGill, who had a son, Wm Pearson McGill, who was our Great Grandfather.
 W. P. McGill connects our grandfather, Wm Jacob McGill, who married Constance Estella Warwick. Their sons were Gene and Robert McGill. Gene McGill married Vada Paris and had four daughters, Connie Jean, Dorthy Eileen, Linda Kay and Amber Ann.

NOW! Do I have you totally confused?

This my short version of the Benjamin Franklin connection. Benjamin seems to me to be an in-law of more in-laws and cousins 3 times removed of our 2nd great grand aunt, Nancy A. McGill, and our 2nd great grand uncle, Samuel Geddes Craighead!

So . . . Is Benjamin Franklin related? There is not a direct relationship with the infamous genius known as Benjamin Franklin.

OH! What the heck!  Let's just say some interesting people crossed my McGill ancestors paths.

There were some Craighead's that married into our Warwick ancestors, also! If I can connect the Luttrell ancestors to the McGill's, then there were some Lord's, Sir's and possibly royals in that line!

You can find all sorts of funny family ties if you look long and hard enough, huh?