Ancestry of Hazel Jane Eckard Fisher

Featured Links:
Pendleton County - West Virginia History OnView | WVU Libraries Search Results
Ronin's Road: A Brief History of Pendleton County and West Virginia

Sources:

Census of Pendleton County with Eckards 1810-1870

Note: Pendleton County, VA (WV), was formed from Rockingham County, VA, which was formed from Augusta County, VA.


Absalom Eckard

(also seen as Absalom Ekert on USGenWeb and Absolom Ekert in below marriage documentation as well as with nickname "Abs")
I have DNA matches sharing this couple as common ancestors. Bradley Gutshall Patterson and Curtis Marozzi.
Sarah "Sally" J. Lamb
 
Ephraim Simmons

He was a farmer according to the 1870 census cited below.

Ephraim may have fought for the Confederacy in the American Civil War as a private in either Heck's 25th VA Infantry, the 46th VA Militia or the 62nd Regiment, VA Mounted Infantry. Sarah Propst


(full picture)
 
William Lewis Smith


William L. Smith may have fought for the Confederacy (VA Infantry) in the American Civil War.

DNA Evidence: I share these ancestors with DNA matches. Sharon Wiegel, Ashley Sukes, Deandre Hedgespeth, Robert Irving Smith, Cheryl Jolley, Melissa Tausig and Lance Wonderley.

Mary-Anne Rexrode


 
Adam "Add" Waggy



(colorized, portrait close-up, photo close-up)

Their ancestries include more info


Adam Waggy Family picture

Picture of the couple (colorized)

Susan (Susannah) Kiser



(colorized version, photo close-up)

Barbara Jane Waggy Eye and Susannah (Kiser) Waggy

There are two records for Absalom Eckard (seen as Eckhard/Echard) fighting for the Confederacy in the Civil War: As a private in Co. K, 62nd Regiment, Virginia Mounted Infantry and as a sergeant in Co. A, 46th Virginia Regiment (Additional source: U.S. National Park Service, The Civil War in the East: 62nd VA and 46th VA). b. 18 April 1825
d. 16 February 1898
Will:
[page 1]
[page 2]
Find-A-Grave Memorial
m. 5 Oct. 1844 by George Schmucker, Pendleton County, VA/WV
marriage
document
, year further substantiated by USGenWeb
b. 22 July 1825
d. 10 or 20 March 1903 in dropsy
Find-A-Grave Memorial
  b. 5 September 1831
Baptized 31 October 1831
d. ?
m. 4 December 1854, Pendleton County, in what is now West Virginia
Register of Marriage
(source: West Virginia Division of Culture and History via FamilySearch)

1870 Census showing Ephraim, Sarah and daughter Phebe (Source: Ancestry)
b. 1822
d. ?
  b. 9 July 1825
d. 12 Sept. 1886
m. 7 December 1848, Pendleton Co., in what is now WV
Register of Marriage
(source: West Virginia Division of Culture and History via FamilySearch)

picture of the couple
b. 26 May 1825
d. 12 Dec. 1881
  b. 30 May 1831
(USGenWeb Births says 20 May 1831)
d. 24 Jan. 1906
Find-A-Grave Memorial

Adam Waggy and Reuben Eye Cemetery, Moyers Gap Road, Hoover Mountain, WV
m. 26 September 1850, Pendleton County, in what is now West Virginia
Register of Marriage
(source: West Virginia Division of Culture and History via FamilySearch)
USGenWeb gives the marriage date as 8 December 1850
b. 19 Jan. 1831
d. 23 Feb. 1907
obituary
larger version
Find-A-Grave Memorial

Tombstone

Close-up of tombstone at Eye & Cemetery on Moyers Gap Rd., west of Sugar Grove, WV.
1870 Census showing Adam and Susannah Waggy

I have DNA matches with whom I share Adam and Susanna (Kiser) Waggy as ancestors. Jenny Butler and Ashley Butler.

                1827 Finley Map of Virginia
(Source: Virginia Genealogy Network)
               
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Noah Webster Eckard was a school teacher who lived in Sugar Grove, WV.

Obituary of Noah's brother Abraham Eckard

Teachers Institute 1885-1912
(pictures of Noah, Arthur and Jesse Eckard)


Pendleton County Teachers Institute, Franklin, WV, summer 1929 (back with note) NOTE: Arthur Eckard is the 4th from the left on the front row. The man in the center sitting in the front row is a young Johnny Dahmer. Second row, last man sitting on right end is Elmer Crummett. Jesse Eckard is holding the little boy, his eldest son Roscoe who was later killed in WWII and his wife is beside him, Virginia Snyder Eckard.
Noah Webster Eckard


(another picture
of Noah on
the far right
)
(zoom in on above picture)
In a deep voice, Noah used to sing, "When He cometh, when He cometh to make up His jewels, all His jewels, precious jewels, His loved and His own./Little children, little children, who love their Redeemer are the jewels, precious jewels, His loved and His own./Like the stars of the morning, His bright crown adorning, they shall shine in their beauty, bright gems for His crown" (source: slide 5 of Noah & Phebe Jane (Simmons) Eckard Family - Linda Custer and Judy Rader). He sang for his students. He & Phebe rest at Crummett's Run Brethren Church in Sugar Grove, WV.

Noah Eckard's siblings were as follows: Job Eckard (Rhuhama Gwin), Martha Jane Eckard Propst (Rolandus, Sr.), Jemima S. Eckard, Jeremiah Eckard, Lucinda J. Eckard Simmons (Job), Amanda, Jacob Eckard (Martha J Smith), Isaac Eckard (Mary Ann Margaret "Mollie" Will), Barbara Ann Eckard Simmons (William Pleasant), James P. Eckard (Barbara Wagoner) and Abraham Eckard (Vesta Simmons).

Home of Noah and Phebe Eckard

print

Noah's middle name? In his book on the Eckard family (as well as that of the Simmons family), Walter L. Eye erroneously has Noah's middle name as Washington. Noah's obituary (see below left) refers to him as "Noah Webster Eckard." He also had a son named Noah Webster Eckard who went by "Webb" or "Web." In reunion pictures, Web is also listed as Noah Webster Eckard, Jr., by genealogical researcher, and descendant of Noah and Phebe, Linda Custer. Further, Hazel Jane Eckard Fisher, granddaughter of Noah and Phebe and grandmother to James "Jamie" Arthur Johnson, along with her siblings, daughters, family and others, referred to her grandfather as Noah Webster Eckard. So, I have Noah Webster Eckard instead of Noah Washington Eckard.

Phebe Jane Simmons


(another picture)
(colorized version)

Note about apron
All children of Noah & Phebe

Noah W. Eckard Family Tree (image)
David R. Smith's siblings: Martin (b. 16 May 1871), Peter, William, Lucinda E., John M., George, Harvey (b. 23 April 1861), Mary E. (Marietta b. 18 August 1862), Phoebe J. and Hannah (Hanna b. 22 August 1867). (Source for birthdates: USGenWeb Births).

Pictures of David's brother Martin's family:
David R. Smith



(original picture)
Arthur Eckard built his house in Stony Run next to the house of David and Martha Waggy Smith (with Douglas, Eddie and Arlie - brothers of Lillie Lou Smith Eckard)

Information on the Waggy & Kiser Families including Martha Jane Waggy

Civil War Memories

Martha Jane Waggy's farm was on Stony Run. Land contract between Martha Jane (Waggy) Smith and her son-in-law Arthur Eckard


Martha lost 5 of 12 children. Family was almost wiped out by Typhoid Fever, which did claim her husband David Smith.

I have multiple DNA matches with whom I share David R. Smith and Martha Jane (Waggy) Smith as common ancestors. Kara Hayes, Paul Simmons, Gavin Graham and Tyler Shifflett.

Martha Jane Waggy



(original picture)

Another picture

Cora Belle Waggy, sister of Martha Jane Waggy Smith. She married Clarence Elmer Hart of Vevay, Indiana, and later moved to Ohio. She is buried in Forest Rose Cemetery in Lancaster, Ohio and had no family.

Nora Belle Waggy (b. 1872-d. 1944), sister of Martha Jane Waggy Smith. Nora was the 11th child and married Wilbur Colaw of Highland County, Virginia. Article: Wedding of Prof. W.D. Colaw and Nora Bell Waggy

A sister to Martha Jane Waggy Smith, either Barbara Jane-Waggy, Lilly Lou Waggy, Caroline "Carrie" Waggy, Eliza Waggy or Susan Birdie Waggy
(back of photo)
Related Facebook discussion. Note: Susan Birdie Waggy was born Jan 23, 1870, and died February 9, 1888.

Photos of Noah Webster Eckard's house taken 9/16/1991 by grandson Arthur "Ted" Theodore Eckard:
•  From riverside ( back)
•  From road near Jesse Eckard's house (back)
b. 1852
d. 26 May 1930

death cert.

grave & obituary

Estate: [1], [2], [3]
Find-A-Grave Memorial
m. 5 Sept. 1880, Pendleton County, West Virginia
Register of Marriage
(source: West Virginia Division of Culture and History via FamilySearch)
b. 31 May 1859
d.14 Dec. 1929

death cert.

grave & obituary
Find-A-Grave Memorial
Eckard Family Tree PowerPoint (2000)

Eckards in the military
(draft cards and military records, etc.)
b. 31 Oct. 1849
(source: USGenWeb Births though Eye (Propst book), p. 77 indicates a birth year of 1854)
d. 1901
Find-A-Grave Memorial
m. 28 February 1878, Pendleton Co., WV (source: USGenWeb)
Register of Marriage
(source: West Virginia Division of Culture and History via FamilySearch)
b. 7 Mar. 1856
Pendleton Co., VA (WV)
d. 26 Nov. 1921
Pendleton Co., WV
Find A Grave Memorial
   
                                 
Arthur Eckard was a school teacher in Sugar Grove for 40 years. He purchased land at Stony Run from his in-laws. John R. Waggy, one of Arthur Eckard's 7th/8th grade students, wrote that Arthur Eckard "was the only teacher that we called mister" (Waggy, p. 72).

Arthur Eckard's siblings (Children of Noah and Phebe above): (Lottie Eckard who married Abel Sinnett, Claude Eckard who married Linnie Mae Simmons, Noah Webster Eckard who married Melinda Louella Simmons, Priscilla Jane Eckard who married William A. Eckard, Gracie Eckard who married Charlie Snyder, Ephraim Pickney Eckard who married Erma lrene Jones, Sarah Equilla Eckard who was deceased at 7 yrs, Amanda Mae Eckard who married Pearlie Varner, Minnie Susan Eckard who married Granville Puffenbarger, Jesse Harvey Eckard who married Virginia Harris Snyder, Mary Myrtle Eckard who married Lester Wilfong, lsaac Eckard who married Lula Rankin, and Elsie Florence Eckard who married Berlin Simmons)
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Roster of Men in the Confederate Service compiled by H. M. Calhoun, Franklin, West Virginia, from the source History Of Pendleton County West Virginia by Oren F. Morton, Franklin, West Virginia. Published By The Author, 1910..

Pendleton County WWI Soldiers compiled by H. M. Calhoun and provided by Pendleton County Historical Society (Franklin, WV).

West Virginia map with counties (including neighboring states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Maryland and Virginia)

Pendleton County Land Patents

PENDLETON COUNTY, VA, (WV, USA) PARTIAL LISTING OF VARIOUS BIRTHS

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Lottie Eckard Sinnett, wife of Abel Sinnett and sister of Arthur Eckard

Arthur Eckard in middle of front row with gray cap; his brother Jesse Eckard is second from left on front row
(a cropped version)

Isaac Eckard, brother of Arthur Eckard

Jesse Eckard and Virginia Snyder Eckard with son Roscoe who was KIA in France in WWII, buried there and returned to Arlington 4 yrs later

Pink Eckard, brother of Arthur Eckard

William and Priscilla Jane Eckard, sister of Arthur Eckard. They were first cousins and married after the death of William's first

Picture of a lumber operation in Pendleton County in the early 1900s, which includes Arthur Eckard and his son Claude Cameron ("Cameron") Eckard

Picture of the Teachers Institute of Pendleton Co., 1912. Noah Eckard is one on the far right, front row (with the beard). Arthur Eckard appears to be on the 3rd row back, 4th from left.

Teachers Institute 1885-1912
(pictures of Noah, Arthur and Jesse Eckard)
Arthur Eckard
(Colorized close-up of Arthur)

(picture)

(another picture)

more pictures to the left

Arthur's school notes 1897-1898

Teaching Certificate dated October 11, 1909
Picture of Arthur & Lillie Lou Eckard with 3 of their children: Cameron, Beulah & Hazel (baby) (colorized version)
(Colorized close-up of Arthur)
(colorized close-up of Louie)

Noah's son Arthur Eckard received a military pensions envelope with contents regarding his aunt Lucinda Simmons [page 1][page 2] as well as regarding her husband Jobe Simmons (Job Simmons) [page 1][page 2] (his last will and testament: [page 1][page 2]). Arthur also played a role in the last will and testament of William A. Simmons [page 1][page 2].

Arthur Eckard and Lillie Lou Smith Eckard with children Arline Virginia Eckard and baby Thelma Ruth Eckard in autumn 1920 or early 1921 (Colorized version)
(enhanced, colorized close-up of Arthur)
enhanced, colorized close-up of Louie

Arthur & Louie in later years (1945) (back of photo with
note written by Hazel Eckard Fisher
)

Painting of Lillie Lou Smith Eckard and Arthur Eckard

Home of Arthur and Lillie Lou (According to Carolyn F. Johnson, their granddaughter, it was white and had a 2nd story porch in the past (Bill and Carolyn F. Johnson at the home in early to mid-1980s)
A more recent photo (Close-up)

Shed behind their house: photo 1, photo 2
Lillie Lou Smith
"Louie"


Picture of Lillie with her children Beulah and Cameron (enhanced, colorized, close-up of Louie)

Louie in June 1944
Louie in 1945, age 63, with quilts she made (back of photo)
Smith sisters (L to R): Virginia Crummett, Louie Eckard and Ola Eckard on June 6, 1946 (back of photo)
Louie Smith Eckard at the home of her daughter Thelma Meyerhoffer in Richmond, Virginia, one of the last photos of Louie

The 1950 Census (courtesy of Ancestry.com) shows her as "Lillian Lou," age 68, wife of Arthur Eckard, age 69, a Farmer, with sons Paul V. and Arthur T. (Vernon age 36 and Ted age 27, respectively) in the home. Picture of record.

Discussion that mentions Lillie Lou Smith Eckard's sister Virginia Smith Crummett Lillie Lou's siblings: Arlie (Arlie Cameron Smith), Berlin (Harvey Berlin Smith), Douglas (Jarred Douglas Smith), Viola and Virginia. There may have been another girl. Also a brother died, maybe drowned, can't remember his name; he wasn't old. It was likely Eddie (Charles Edwared Smith) since he is pictured here: The Smith brothers (Source: FamilySearch).
(higher resolution image thanks to Paula Mitchell from Pendleton Pals)

Clarence Mulkin Letter to Arthur and Lillie Lou Eckard: page 1, page 2

Lillie Lou Eckard, Spring 1946

Lillie Lou and Arthur in hats

Lillie Lou and Arthur in later years (enhanced, colorized)

Sugar Grove Normal School Teachers (Arthur 4th row, 3rd from left with mustache).

Sugar Grove Normal School about 1910 with Arthur on the far left of the front row (back of photo)

Probably the Sugar Grove Normal School with Arthur Eckard 4th from left on the back row

Picture with students (source)

Picture: Arthur Eckard (center back row), Harry Snyder(far right back row), and Claude Eckard (far left front row)

Teachers, back row Left to Right: Denver Bennett, Fred Simmons and Isaac Bennett; sitting: Flick Warner, Harry Snyder and Arthur Eckard (back of photo)

Receipt for Israel Hoover estate to Daniel F. Smith, Sarah E. Grogg, Christena Hamilton and George Israel Smith, received of Arthur Eckard 28 June 1920

Arthur Eckard, certified Local Registrar of Vital Statistics 18 July 1925

U.S. Department of Agriculture envelope dated 1951 to Arthur Eckard Valentine from Hazel Jane Eckard Fisher to her father Arthur Eckard: 1, 2

Eckard Reunion pictures (some include Arthur)
b. 6 Nov. 1880
(named for King Arthur)
d. 14 June 1956, Sugar Grove, WV
tombstone
Find-A-Grave Memorial
m. 25 May 1904
Register of Marriage, line 39 (source: West Virginia Division of Culture and History via FamilySearch), verifies 1904 (though in Arthur's Bible a 3 is written over the 4)
by the Reverend A. A. Hahn in Sugar Grove, Pendleton Co., WV.
Lillie Lou was baptized and united with
Crummett's Run Church of the Brethren in 1904.
Arthur and Lillie are buried at the Sugar Grove Cemetry (WV).

Genealogical Entries from Arthur Eckard's Bible

The Eckard Family: page 1 | page 2
(Related letter to Carolyn Fisher Johnson RE: Boggs descendants: page 1 | page 2)

Arthur, Lillie and sons Vernon (Paul V.) and Ted (Arthur T.) in the 1950 Census

2012 picture of Arthur and Louie Eckard's chicken house. Granddaughter Carolyn Fisher Johnson says in 2023, "Remember gathering eggs with grandma."

2012 picture of Arthur and Louie Eckard's cellar. Granddaughter Carolyn Fisher Johnson says in 2023, "[R]emember seeing canned goods there and potatoes in bins. It fascinacted me when I was a child."

b. 28 Oct. 1881 in Doe Hill, Highland Co., VA.


Letter from Warren Berlin Crummett (nephew) to Carolyn Fisher Johnson (granddaughter) with copy of a November 15, 1945, letter from his mother Virginia Maude Smith Crummett (sister) to him regarding the fall of Lillie Lou Smith Eckard, which preceded her decline:
page 1 | page 2 | page 3
d. 10 Feb. 1951 in Stony Run, WV.
(In Memoriam)
(obituary)
(death certificate)
tombstone
Find-A-Grave Memorial
Picture of Paul Smith: Paul was the son of Mary Crummett and Arlie Smith, the brother of Lillie Lou "Louie" Smith Eckard. Paul went missing in action (MIA) in WWII on a bomber as I noted per my mother Carolyn F. Johnson when I found the picture and asked her about it.
~ James "Jamie" Arthur Johnson

John Crummett wrote Aunt Mary never got over Paul's missing in action and as a parent I can understand this. The picture posted above sat in her house until the day she passed. I have a christmas card that my parents (Daddy/Archie was Aunt Mary's brother.) sent to Paul in December of 1943....on the back of the envelope are stamped the words..... "Return to Sender. Missing in Action."

Picture of Paul as a toddler with his baby brother David, sons of Arlie and Mary (Crummett) Smith (back of photo)

Paul Smith ca. 1940, cousin to Hazel Jane Eckard Fisher (back of photo)

A Shanholtz relative reported Paul Smith was an uncle's mother's oldest brother: 1st Lt. Paul Smith flew a P38 fighter plane in the South Pacific during WWII. He was shot down once and crash landed in the Philippines where he was patched up and issued another plane. On Nov. 8, 1943, while on a mission, he never returned. He was listed MIA for a short while and then KIA, but neither he nor his plane was never found. They believe he went down in the ocean. Full Paul Smith biography by Tom Shanholtz: PDF version or if preferred DOCX version. Another bio.


Additional Eckard photos:



Other Eckard Pictures

Postcard from Arthur Eckard to his wife Lillie Lou Smith Eckard
(back of postcard)

Arthur Eckard and Louie Smith Eckard are buried in Sugar Grove, WV, and their children, Cameron, Vernon, Ted, Thelma Meyerhoeffer, Arline Waggy are buried there. Their daughter Beulah Boggs is buried in Franklin, WV, and their daughter Hazel Fisher is buried in Harrisonburg, VA.

Lillie Lou Smith Eckard's siblings and family:

Lillie Lou's siblings: Susan Birdie (1878-1894), Jarred Douglas (Dec. 29, 1879-June 14, 1958), Jemimah Jane (1883-1884), William Boyd, Arlie Cameron (1886-1960), Samuel Floyd (1888-1890), Adam Boyd (1888-1890), Charles Edward (1891-1921), Maggie Viola (Ola) (Jun3 21, 1893-Oct. 25, 1980), Harvey Berlin (1898-Aug. 10, 1972), Virginia Maude (June 19, 1900-September 30, 1988) (Source: A History of the Descendants of John Michael Propst of Pendleton County, Va. (W. Va.) by Walter L. Eye, p. 77)

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Hazel Jane Eckard grew up near Sugar Grove, WV, and went to Washington, DC, with her sister Beulah in 1925. In 1926, she went to school in Bridgewater, VA, and finished school in 1931. She met Otto Woodrow Fisher when working in Harrisonburg, VA, as a waitress. He kept showing up and asking her out and she kept saying, "No." However, eventually, she said she would go out with him once if he left her alone. And the rest is history. She worked in Cumberland, MD, before marrying Otto W. Fisher. She remembers as a child how some of the Eckards spoke Dutch-German.

PHOTOS RELATED TO HAZEL JANE ECKARD FISHER:

Stony Run School
Hazel in younger days
Hazel Jane Eckard
(picture)

(picture with granddaughter-in-law Louise Johnson and great-granddaughter Leona Johnson)

"So many memories. I remember when she taught me how to tie my shoe. I remember songs she sang to me. I remember her chocolate chip cookies, her cakes and her home cooking. I remember watermelon in her backyard. I remember her smile, her gentleness, her faith." (Jamie Johnson post on Facebook remembering his grandmother)
Hazel and Otto as a younger couple

Otto carrying an object at Spotswood Bank

Hazel and Otto in a sweet moment (enhanced/colorized)

Otto Woodrow Fisher and Hazel Jane Eckard Fisher

Otto Woodrow Fisher and Hazel Jane Eckard Fisher

Otto Woodrow Fisher and Hazel Jane Eckard Fisher in their living room at 625 North Willow St., Harrisonburg, VA

50th anniversary portrait (article)

With grandchildren at their 50th anniversary
(back of photo)

With Hazel's siblings at their 50th anniversary
(back of photo with siblings' names)

Happy Hazel

Additional pictures of Otto and Hazel

Their house in Harrisonburg, VA

Otto and Hazel Fisher on couch

Otto Woodrow Fisher

(picture)

1970 letter from Otto Woodrow Fisher (better known as "Bow-Wow") to his daughter Carolyn Fisher Johnson mentioning son-in-law Bill Johnson, grandsons Neil and Billy Johnson and step-granddaughter Elizabeth Johnson

"Hi Carolyn, I remember your Dad (Otto Woodrow Fisher) very well. He and your Mom were wonderful neighbors. I remember that your Dad got me my doll one year for Christmas. That was during the war when my Mom told me after Christmas how hard it was to get a doll. Your Dad was working as a salesman for either Goodrich or Goodyear, I believe. She said he made sure that I had one for Christmas. I'm sure there were other times that he helped us out."
~ Shirley Stover Miller (Facebook Post)

b. 24 Sept. 1911
d. 3 July 2008
Remembering Hazel
In memory
(Remembrance Booklet Source Images)
Find-A-Grave Memorial
m. 6 April 1936, Riverton, WV, by Rev. Earl Clayton Bateman, Sr.
Register of Marriage
(source: West Virginia Division of Culture and History via FamilySearch)
50th Anniversary Album
b. 6 Feb. 1914
d. 21 Feb. 1992
(Obituary)
Find-A-Grave Memorial
 
Hazel Jane Eckard Fisher and Siblings

Hazel J. Eckard Fisher in later years
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descendants



Note about eye color in enhanced, colorized images on this page.


Sugar Grove, WV
Sugar Grove, WV, circa 2009

The Heart of Home, Sugar Grove, WV, as taken from Reddish Knob on April 2, 2016, by Teena Bowers Photography, used with permission

Photos Sugar Grove, WV, and surrounding area
taken by Arthur "Ted" Theodore Eckard on 16 September 1991

"When I was a child, I thought that sparkling green church in Sugar Grove was beautiful. I remember going into the store. Mama had eye surgery when I was a child. Cameron took my sister and me there, and Granddaddy, Arthur Eckard was there. I remember that I was embarrassed because Mama didn't want her parents to know that we were there. She didn't want to worry her parents."
~ Carolyn Fisher Johnson, daughter of the late Hazel Eckard Fisher, reminiscing about Sugar Grove during her childhood.


History of Sugar Grove, WVNaomi Mitchell, a native of Sugar Grove, WV, presented on 27 July 2001 a handwritten 19-page article she had authored about the history of the Sugar Grove, WV, area. According to Mitchell, Shawnee Indian tribes occupied the bottom lands in Sugar Grove around 1725. Evidence of an Indian village was found near Benny Mitchell's home in Stoney Run and an Indian mound lies in a field near the former Philip Wilfong land. Early settlers to the area were George Michael Wilfon in 1766, George Puffenbarger III, around 1774, and the Pickle family in 1775. Later families were the Simmons, Smiths, Eckards, Varners and Moats. The Hoover family was the first to settle in Sugar Grove.

From Mitchell it was learned that Sugar Grove got its name because of a large grove of sugar maple trees in the field between the J.P. Kiser store and the Homan house. By 1900, Sugar Grove consisted of two stores, a church, post office, blacksmith, mill, resident doctor and six houses. Within one hundred years, only four more houses were added. (Source: Pendleton Pals Facebook Group)

According to Waggy, Sugar Grove "got its name from the many large maple sugar trees that were growing in that area" (Waggy, p. 10).



Approaching Sugar Grove, WV

Sparkling, green church

In an October 29, 2020, Facebook thread, Carolyn Fisher Johnson recalls the the sparkling, green church at Sugar Grove, WV: "My mother's home was on Stony Run in Sugar Grove. My earliest memories were going to my grandparents, and going by that beautiful church. Loved that green, sparkling church. Jamie Johnson, I always loved this church."

        Absalom  Sarah  Ephraim   Sarah   William  Mary-Anne  Adam   Susan (Susanna) 
        Eckard + J.     Simmons + Propst      L. + Rexrode    Waggy  Kiser
        (1825- | Lamb   b. 1831 |b. 1822   Smith |               m. Dec. 1 or 8, 1850
        1898)  | (1825-         |         +------+------+  +-------+-----+
Absalom        |  1903)         |         |b. 9  |b. 5  |  |b. 30  |b. 19| Picture of Adam
Eckard         |                |         |March |March |  |May    |Jan. |
Marriage       |                |         |1825  |1825  |  |1831   |1831 | Picture of Susan
Document       |                |         |d. 2  |d. 12 |  |d. 24  |d. 23|
               |                |         |Sept. |Dec.  |  |Jan.   |Feb. |
               +-+              |         |1886  |1881  |  |1906   |1907 |
                 |              |         +------+------+  +-------+-----+
Death            |              |                |                 |
Certificates:    |              |                |                 |
Noah             |              |                |                 |
Phebe            |              |           +----+  +--------------+
                 |              |           |       |
 Pictures of     Noah       Phebe        David   Martha  CLICK HERE       Picture of Martha Waggy Smith
 Noah, Phebe,    Webster  + Jane         R.      Jane    FOR INFORMATION 
 & grave.        Eckard   | Simmons      Smith + Waggy   ON THE WAGGY 
            1852-5/26/1930| b. May     d. 1901 |         FAMILY INCLUDING
                          |    31,   (Typhoid) |         MARTHA JANE WAGGY.
 Noah Webster Eckard      |   1859    picture  | m. 1878-1879
 was a school teacher who | d. Dec.  +-------+-+------+ Martha lost 5 of 12
 lived in Sugar Grove,    | 14, 1929 |b. 31  |b. 7 Mar| children. Family was 
 West Virginia.           |          |Oct.   |1856    | almost wiped out  
                          |          |1849   |d. 26   | by Typhoid Fever.
                          |          |d. 1901|Nov 1921|   
 In a deep voice, he      |          +-------+--------+ Click Here
 used to sing "When He    |                  |          for Civil
 cometh, when He cometh   |                  |          War memories.
 to make up his jewels,   |              +---+          
 all His jewels, precious |              |              Martha Jane Waggy's
 jewels, His loved and    |              |              farm was on Stony
 His own./Little children,|              |              Run.
 little children, who love|              |
 their Redeemer are the   |              |
 jewels, precious jewels, |              |
 His loved and His own./  |              |
 Like the stars of the    |              |
 morning, His bright      |              |
 crown adorning, they     |              |   Picture of the Teachers Institute Pendleton Co,
 shall shine in their     |              |   1912. Noah Eckard is one on the far right,
 beauty, bright gems for  |              |   front row (with the beard). Arthur Eckard
 His crown." He sang for  |              |   may possibly be on the 3rd row back, 
 his students. He & Phebe |              |   4th from left.
 rest at Crummett's Run   |              | 
 Brethren Church in Sugar |              |
 Grove, WV. He married    |              |   Other Eckard Pictures
 Phebe Jane Simmons on	  |              |
 September 5, 1880.       |              |
                          |              |
Arthur Eckard picture     Arthur      Lillie
                          Eckard   +  Lou 
              b. November 6, 1880  |  Smith
              d. June 14, 1956     |  b. October 28, 1881,		Eckard Reunion pictures (includes Arthur)
     (Arthur was a school teacher  |     in Highland County, VA		
     in Sugar Grove, WV, 40 yrs.   |  d. February 10, 1951,
     Named for the legendary King  |     in Stony Run, WV
     Arthur)                       |  Arthur and Lillie are
     He purchased land at Stony    |  buried at the 
     Run from the Smiths (his      |  Sugar Grove Cemetery (WV).
     in-laws).                     |  
     Arthur and Lillie Lou were    |
     married May 25, 1903 by       |
     the Reverend A. A. Hahn.      |  Genealogical Entries from Arthur Eckard's Bible
     Picture with students         |       Picture of Arthur & Lillie Lou Eckard
     (Source site for picture)     |       with 3 of their children Cameron, Beulah, & Hazel (baby)
                                   |
                                Hazel
 Hazel Jane Eckard grew up      Jane       Otto
 near Sugar Grove, WV, and      Eckard  +  Woodrow
 went to Washington, DC, with              Fisher
 her sister Beulah in 1925.
 In 1926, she went to school          m. April 6, 1936, 
 in Bridgewater, Virginia, and        in Riverton, West Virginia.
 finished school in 1931. She
 met Otto Woodrow Fisher when         Stoney Run school picture with Hazel
 working in Harrisonburg,
 Virginia. She worked in			A picture of Hazel with 2 of her sisters at an Eckard Reunion - 
 Cumberland, Maryland, before			(Left to Right): Arline Virginia Eckard (who married James 
 marrying Otto W. Fisher.			Ralph Waggy), Hazel in the middle, and Beulah (who married
 She remembers as a child how			Charles Boggs, Sr.)
 some of the Eckards spoke Dutch-German.

Remembering Hazel (9/24/1911-7/3/2008)