Adalade Gilkerson Sansom 1859-1940

Let me tell you a little about Adalade Gilkerson, a wonderful lady in my family tree. Adalade is my G-G-Grandmother.

She was born on 17 Sep 1859 in Wayne County Virginia (later West Virginia), to Ira and Sarah (Price) Gilkerson. She married Green Sansom on 2 Apr 1874 when she was 14 yrs old by the records, although she stated on a later census record that she was 17 at the time of her marriage. Census records show that she was the mother of 17 children, 11 of whom survived until adulthood.

Adalade and Green lived in Wayne County WV. One correspondence note I have says that Green was previously married to someone with the surname or Clark, but I have no further records of her beyond that.

Adalade died on 7 Nov 1940 in Lavalette, Wayne County, West Virginia and was buried there in the Adkins Cemetery.

Clyde Parks - West Virginia - 1911 to 1938

Clyde Parks was one of my Mom's uncles, and a very nice man according to her. He had blue eyes, curly blonde hair, and looked very much like his sister Bessie (my Grandma). He was killed at age 25 in a mine accident, as he was "a mine car dropper, [and] was crushed to death beneath the wheels of four rail cars" according to a
Charleston Daily Mail Article. At that time he was living with his sister Thelma and her husband and kids. My mom also lived with them at the time.
According to Louise Ball, another of Clyde's sisters, he is buried at the Hatfield Cemetery in Sarah Ann West Virginia. His death certificate also shows him as buried there. I looked for a grave marker for him when I made a trip there in July 1998, but couldn't find his grave. Probably another case of no money for a marker, the same as with my grandfather Henry Simpson.

George Walton - Signer of the Declaration of Independence

Every family tree seems to contain a few illustrious members in addition to the assortment of colorful characters that populate the twigs as well. My Walton family includes one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, George Walton. Here is how I am related:

My great great great Grandfather was Augustus George Walton, b. 8 Jun 1782 in Georgia. His Dad was Robert Walton, son of George Walton and Martha Hughes. George's brother was Robert Walton who married Mary Sarah Hughes (sister of Martha). George was the uncle to Robert and Mary Sarah Walton's son, George "The Signer" Walton. In fact, they raised George "The Signer" when his father Robert passed away around 1750.

So... George "The Signer" Walton is uncle to my ancestor, August George Walton!

You can read more about George on Wikipedia here: George Walton on Wiki
AND, I just found out that he is interred in the Signer's Monument in Augusta Georgia, very near where my son will son be stationed in the Army at Fort Gordon. A visit to George "The Signer's" resting place is definitely on our trip list for next year.