Sunday, January 15, 2012

Narrows Giles County Virginia

I've been doing some online research in hopes of finding out more about the area my great grandmother Josie (Minter? Tilley?) Johnson Parks came from. She was supposedly born in Narrows, Giles County, Virginia. It is very close to the West Virginia border. Josie lived in McDowell County WV as a wife and mother, and died there as well.
So I started by seeing what info was online about Narrows. I was very excited to find that Giles County has a beautiful website! Very well laid out, gorgeous photos, and very useful information.

Here is a link to one source from the Giles County.org website: Narrows Virginia
The first settlers were in the vicinity in the 1770's.

This page of the Giles County VA site includes a google map of the area including Narrows VA.

And here is the resource page for Giles County Historical Society genealogy page which includes info on their research services and office hours, and family files and books.

I was EXCITED to find on their Family Files List the surname Tillie! There is no mention of the surname Minter. Could that be a stronger indication that Josie's maiden name might have indeed been Tilley? We shall see...