My Great-Granduncle, John Dewey Akers

This is a post about one of my great-granduncles, John Dewey Akers, who died with his wife and son in a horrific automobile accident in 1932. It was generated using RootsMagic v7.5.5 Narrative Report feature.

This is the only picture I have of Dewey, taken with the rest of his family
sometime around 1920. He's on the right side of the picture.

John Dewey Akers was born on May 30, 1898 in Vesta, Patrick County, VA.

He was listed as a member of Samuel Green Akers and Mary Henrietta "Etta" Terry's household in the census on June 13, 1900 at a farm in Smith River District, Patrick County, VA along with Fannie Edna Akers and Mary Evelina Akers. Dewey was their son, 2 years old and born in May 1898 in Virginia.

He was listed as a member of Samuel Green Akers and Mary Henrietta "Etta" Terry's household in the census on April 22, 1910 at a farm in Smith River Township, Patrick County, VA along with Dovie M. Akers, Fannie Edna Akers, and Velva May Akers. Dewey was 11 years old, born in Virginia, and was a laborer on the home farm. He was able to read and write, and had attended school since 1 September 1909.

John was listed as a member of Samuel Green Akers and Mary Henrietta "Etta" Terry's household in the census on February 6, 1920 at a farm in Stuart Town, Dan River Township, Patrick County, VA along with Dovie M. Akers and Velva May Akers. Dewey, who was listed as Isac [sic] D in this census, was 21 years old and had attended school since 1 September 1919. He had no occupation listed in the census.

He was a teacher at Jefferson High School in Roanoke (city), Virginia in 1929.

Dewey traveled from Newfoundland on the ship S. S. Roselind on April 26, 1932 and arrived in New York, NY on May 3, 1932. There was one other passenger: Lorraine M. Murphy of New York.

He died on August 16, 1932 at the age of 34 in Roanoke County, VA. Dewey and his wife, Mary, died in an accident when their car went over the bank on a public highway. He suffered a crushed right chest, with a fractured skull and cerebral hemorrhage. The informant on his death certificate was Mrs. J. S. Atkinson, who was his mother-in-law.

The accident was reported in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on August 17, 1932:

"Machine Goes Over Cliff, Man And Wife Die
Three-Year-Old Son Suffers Fractured Skull; Recovery Is Improbable
Baby Little Hurt
Roanoke Family in Accident on Bent Mountain
ROANOKE, VA., Aug 16 (AP)
A man and his wife were killed and their two children were injured, one so seriously he is not expected to live, when their car went over a cliff on the Bent Mountain Road about 10:30 or 11 o'clock this morning and smashed to pieces in Back Creek.

The dead are: Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Akers of Virginia Heights, Roanoke; John Stuart Akers, 3-year-old son, has a fractured skull and is not expected to live. His sister, Janet, 10 months old, is bruised, but will recover, physicians said.

The family has been here for several weeks on a vacation. Mr. Akers, who was an instructor in business administration at Jefferson High School for a number of years, has been working in New York for several months.

They had left home about 10 o'clock this morning in a coupe. The wreck was discovered at 11:45 and State officers, the county coroner and other officials were summoned.

Mr. Akers was killed instantly, Dr. G. A. L. Kolmer, county coroner said. Mrs. Akers and the two children were brought to Jefferson Hospital here, suffering from a fractured skull and other head injuries. Mrs. Akers died about 1:45.

Stuart Akers, the 3-year-old child, received a fractured skull while Janet, 10 months old baby, was bruised.

The woman and oldest child were unconscious when found.

The accident occurred about three-quarters of a mile up the mountain from the intersection of the Starkey and Bent Mountain roads. The automobile landed in the creek near a place called Green Hole.

Officers could not tell whether the accident was due to a break in the steering apparatus of the car or whether the driver, apparently Mr. Akers, let the car get too near the edge of the road, where it went over before he could stop."

Here's another article from the Roanoke Times newspaper (I believe) on 17 August 1932 that tells more about the wreck and their son's death:

"TRIPLE FUNERAL FOR VICTIMS OF BACK CREEK WRECK
Third Member of Akers Family, Boy, Dies Early Today

The third victim of the wreck which occurred yesterday afternoon on the Bent Mountain road about three miles from Roanoke, in which Mr. and Mrs. John D. Akers were killed, died this morning at 3:40 o'clock in Jefferson Hospital. He was John Stewart Akers [2] and 1-2 year old son of the young couple.

Janet Akers, age ten months, the sole survivor of the wreck, will recover, physicians said at the hospital today. Shielded in her mother's arms, she suffered only a few bruises as the car plunged down the 70-foot cliff, hurling its occupants on the many large boulders.

The father, J. D. Akers, was found face down in Back Creek at the foot of the cliff. He had been killed before striking the water, Dr. G. A. Kolmer, county coroner, said.

The child, whose skull was also fractured, died early this morning.

A triple funeral service will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the Raleigh Court Presbyterian church. The three bodies will be interred at Evergreen cemetery.

The family, staying at 803 Windsor Avenue, Virginia Heights, while here on a vacation from New York, had been riding on the new road. Reaching the point where construction is still in progress, they turned and started back to Roanoke. Filling station attendants said they saw the car going toward Roanoke a few minutes before the wreck was found. It was traveling between 25 and 30 miles an hour, they thought.

The car rounding the long, banked curve, plunged over the bank, on the right side of the road, stopping against a stump, part in and part out of the creek. No guard rails are on the road at this curve.

The wreckage was discovered about [1] o'clock by R. C. Gates, of the Starkey community, who notified Deputy Sheriff H. H. Spencer. W. E. Hunley, driver of a truck for the Carter Lumber Company, of Blue Ridge, and John [W]ebster, of Peters Creek, carried the dead and injured back up the cliff to the road, where they were placed in ambulances.

Officers checking over the wreckage found marks of a blow on the right front wheel and a ben radius rod. The car was a Ford cabriolet with rumble seat, and was not badly damaged. The top had been torn off, a trunk in the rear bent, and a wheel damaged. The windshield was slightly cracked, but not broken, and the car was able to return to Roanoke under its own power when wrecking crews succeeded in hauling it from the creek and back, a roundabout way, to the highway. Mr. Akers is survived by his parents, of Amelia; a sister of Fredericksburg, another sister of Roanoke, and his daughter.

His wife was, before marriage, Miss Mary Atkinson, and is survived by her mother, Mrs. Janet Atkinson, two brothers, William and Stuart, a sister Mrs. Hughes T. Angell, and daughter, Janet."

Part of Bent Mountain Road just SW of Roanoke with Back Creek paralleling the highway.
Did the Akers family crash somewhere along this stretch?

John was buried on August 18, 1932 at Evergreen Burial Park in Roanoke, Roanoke County, VA. Here's an account of the planned funeral services from the Roanoke Times newspaper on 18 August 1932.

"Mr. and Mrs. Akers and Son
Funeral services for Mr. and Mrs. John Dewey Akers and their son, John Stewart Akers, will be conducted in the Raleigh Court Presbyterian church at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon by the Rev. Z. V. Roberson. The Knights of Pythias will hold a service at the grave for Mr. Akers. Interment will be in Evergreen.

John Dewey Akers, 34 , is survived by his ten-months old daughter, Janet Terry; his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. S. G. Akers, Amelia, Va.; and four sisters, Mrs J. B. West, Amelia, Mrs. W. M. Clifton, Roanoke, Mrs. R. L. Reynolds, Fredericksburg and Mrs. L. W. Charles, Amelia.

Mrs. Mary Akers, 26, is survived by her little daughter, her mother, Mrs. James S. Atkinson; two brothers, William and Stewart Atkinson, and one sister, Mrs. Hughes T. Angell, all of Roanoke.

Little John Stewart Akers, two and a half years of age, leaves his infant sister, Janet Terry.

The bodies were taken yesterday to the home of William Atkinson at 555 Arlington Road, Raleigh Court.

Active pallbearers for Mr. Akers will be: S. A. Peck, P. M. Jackson, C. M. Vaughan, Dewey H. Marshall, A. D. Hurt and Clarence M. Mills. Honorary pallbearers will be: W. E. Parsons, Robert H. Angell, D. R. Hunt, C. S. McRae, L. R. Tucker, M. P. Buchanan, C. M. Seymour, M. F. Weaver, G. M. Broyles, Thomas E. Pasley, G. M. Hyle, and F. B. Wilson.

Pallbearers for Mrs. Akers will be: A. Frye Ayers, Roy Sanford, S. O. Goff, K. O. Barnett, Alfred Atkinson and K. S. Atkinson.

Flower bearers will be: Mrs. S. W. Peck, Mrs. P. M. Jackson, Miss Evaline Martin, Miss Elsie Dyer, Miss Clara Black, Mrs. H. L. Gardner, Miss Helen Atkinson, Mrs. J. W. Cook, Mrs. Sam Webb, Mrs. Reba Dent, Mrs. S. F. Caldwell, Mrs. W. B. Koontz, Miss Julia McNeil, Miss Rebecca Rogers, Miss Leona Rogers, Mrs. Herbert West, Miss Selma Hayes, Mrs. Harold Pearn, Mrs. C. R. Hughes, Mrs. G. M. Hyle, Mrs. E. L. Davis and Mrs. Eugene Shaw.

Pallbearers for John Stewart Akers will be: William Pearson, James Robertson, Terry Akers and Arthur Angell."

John Dewey Akers and Mary Atkinson were married about 1926.

They lived at 35 Day Avenue SW in Roanoke (city), Virginia in 1929. Dewey was a teacher at Jefferson High School.

They appeared in the census on April 4, 1930 at 803 Windsor Avenue in Roanoke, VA. John and Mary were living with Mary's mother, Janet, who was widowed at the time, in a house that Janet owned worth $8700. They had a radio set. John and Mary had been married about 4 years, and he was a public school teacher. He was also a World War I veteran. Mary's maternal grandfather was from Scotland, and her maternal grandmother was from Nova Scotia.

Mary Atkinson, daughter of Janet (Atkinson), was born on June 1, 1906 in Henry County, WV.

She died from a fractured skull suffered in an automobile accident on August 16, 1932 at the age of 26 in Roanoke, Roanoke County, VA. She was unconscious when brought to the hospital, but died early in the afternoon.

She was also buried with John Dewey Akers on August 18, 1932 at Evergreen Burial Park in Roanoke, Roanoke County, VA.

John Dewey Akers and Mary Atkinson had the following children:

                          John Stewart Akers was born on January 30, 1930 in Roanoke, VA.
                          He was listed as a member of John Dewey Akers and Mary Atkinson's household in the census on April 4, 1930 at 803 Windsor Avenue in Roanoke, VA along with Janet Atkinson and James S. Atkinson. John was 2 months old at the time of the census.

                          He lived in 803 Windsor Ave until August 17, 1932.

                          John died on August 17, 1932 at the age of 2 at Jefferson Hospital in Roanoke, Roanoke, VA, ,. Cause of Death: Cerebral trauma as result of fracture of skull. Death due to accident on August 16, 1932 in Roanoke County, VA. Automobile went over an embankment. Time of death was 3:40 AM. The accident also killed his mother and father. His sister, Janet, was slightly injured.

                          He was also buried with John Dewey Akers on August 18, 1932 at Evergreen Burial Park in Roanoke, Roanoke County, VA.

                          Janet Terry Akers, born October 7, 1931, Roanoke, VA; married Robert Anderson Craighead, November 28, 1952, Roanoke, VA; died July 15, 2007.

My Great-Grandparents, John Beamer West and Mary Evelina Akers

This is a post about my great-grandparents, John Beamer West and Mary Evelina Akers. It was generated using RootsMagic v7.5.5 Narrative Report feature.

John Beamer West

John Beamer "J. B." West was born on December 21, 1881 in Vesta, Patrick County, VA. I've found several dates for John's birth year. On his World War I draft registration, he said  that he was born on December 21, 1880. His obituary from 1953 said he was 76 years old, which would have meant he was born in 1877. And the 1910 census, where he was listed as 27 years old, meant he was born in 1883. The closest census to his birth, 1900, had his birth month and year as Dec 1881, which I believe is correct. Also, his Social Security claim in 1952 had his birth date as 21 December 1881.

He was listed as a member of Wilson J. West and Susan Ann Massey's household in the census on June 7, 1900 in Smith River Township, Patrick County, VA. He was listed as their son, and his birth date as December 1881. He was single, born in Virginia (as were his parents), and had the occupation of a farm laborer. He was unemployed for 3 months, had attended school for 4 months, and indicated he could read, write and speak English.

He bought land for $700 in Patrick County, VA on May 18, 1904. This was between several members of the family and the sale helped pay off some of the debts of his father, Wilson West, after his death. The deed was made between A. E. West and Onie West, his wife; S. W. West and Ruth West, his wife; Nancy J. Dalton; Sarah W. Knowles and C. R. Knowles, her husband; Mary S. Boyd and Thomas C. Boyd, her husband, all of the county of Patrick and State of Virginia, and Alaminta Ruth Boyd and Posie Boyd, her husband, of Fayette County of the State of West Virginia, parties of the first part and E. P. West and John B. West of Patrick County parties of the second part who were to pay the sum of $700 dollars to be equally divided among the parties of the first part, who conveyed their entire interest in a tract of land owned by W. J. West (deceased) containing 133 acres and bounded by Bowlings corner, Dan River, C. W. West, A. E. West, C. Edens' spring branch. E. P. West and John B. West were to assume and pay all debts against the estate of W. J. West deceased for which they were to have the proceeds of the sale of personal property in the hand of the administrator. The administrator was R. J. Woolwine. (DB 33 p.397)

In 1909, John was raised a Mason in the Mountain Home Lodge #263. His brother, Spencer W. West, was raised in the same year at that lodge.

J. B. bought land along the Dan River for $250 in Patrick County, VA in 1914. Susan A. West (John's mother) conveyed to John B. West for $250 her entire dower rights and any other rights that she had in the old home tract of land on Dan River. It was the same land the heirs of W. J. West (John's father), deceased, deeded to J. B. West and E. P. West. (Patrick County, Virginia Unrecorded Documents, B & B Books, 1998 p.14)

He registered for the WWI draft on September 12, 1918 in Amelia Court House, Amelia County, VA. From the draft registration, he signed his name as John Beamer West and his address as Amelia, Amelia County, VA. His age was 37; birth date was December 21, 1880 (this is a year earlier than I believe it really was). His nearest relative was his wife, Mary E. West, at the same address. He was described as medium height and medium build, with brown eyes and black hair. He had no obvious physical deformities that would keep him from getting drafted.

He was the Headmaster at Powhatan Academy in Amelia County, VA before 1920. I'm not sure if this was the name of the school or not. My Dad thinks the reason J. B. left Patrick County and moved to Amelia County, Virginia was to be headmaster at an academy there called Powhatan Academy. This would have been prior to 1920 since John and Mary were in Amelia County for the 1920 census.

On June 30, 1920 John demitted from the Masonic Mountain Home Lodge #263  in Patrick County, Virginia. I have a copy of his affiliation decree, which states:
"Free and Accepted Masons
To All Whom it May Concern, Greeting:
Hall of Mt. [Mountain] Home, Lodge, No. 263
Acknowledging the Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of the state of Virginia
This is to certify that Brother John B. West whose name appears in the margin of this Demit is a MASTER MASON, and was a member of the Lodge, in good standing, and clear of the books, and as such we do cordially commend him to the fraternal regard of all true Free and Accepted Masons, wherever dispersed around the globe.
In Testimony Whereof, we have caused this Demit to be signed by the W. Master, and the Seal of the Lodge to be attached, this 26 day of March, 1920 A.D."

Amelia Lodge #101 contacted me and said John demitted (officially left) the Mountain Home Lodge #263 on June 30, 1920 and joined the Amelia Lodge later in 1920. As far as I know, he remained a Mason the rest of his life.

J. B. was Supervisor for the Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries from about 1939 to 1952. Sometime in the late 1920's, John went to work for the Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries in Richmond, VA. By 1939, he was appointed by the Governor of Virginia as Supervising Warden for the Amelia County and the Tidewater section of Virginia. My Dad can remember his grandfather taking him to the Governor's office when my Dad was a little boy, and the Governor letting him sit in his chair at his desk. J.B. held the job of supervising warden during other Governors' tenures until retiring in 1952. My Dad has a silver service that was given to his grandfather on his retirement from the Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries.

J. B. receiving the silver service, 1952. L-R: Edwin Lederhos, Monnie West, Elva Campbell,
Bill Campbell, John B. West, Mary E. West, Floyd Campbell, Terry West and Kay Lederhos

During his tenure as a supervising warden for that district, John was involved in an incident concerning turkey eggs. As reported in the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper on November 5, 1939, a farmer in Chesterfield County claimed to have found a wild turkey nest with 10 eggs in it. The local warden for the county found out about the nest, and confessed later to the farmer that he took the eggs and sent them to the state hatchery at Camp Lee. According to the farmer, this was done without his knowledge or consent. John, as the supervising warden for the area that included Chesterfield County, was assigned to "ascertain and verify all the facts from the Chesterfield end, for, although the matter is now centered wholly in one county, it might well involve a policy of state-wide significance". I don't know how this turned out - if the farmer received "replacement turkeys" for the eggs that were taken, or settled in some other manner.

J. B. with two bird hunting dogs, 1940s

He appeared in the census as the head of the household on April 1, 1940 in Giles Magisterial District, Amelia County, VA along with Mary Evelina Akers. John (58 years old) and Mary (54 years old) lived on a farm worth $3000. He had 2 years of college, and she had an 8th grade education. In 1935, they had lived in the same house. His occupation was Supervisor for the State Game Department, for which he worked 45 hours the week before April 1, 1940, and worked 50 weeks in 1939 at a salary of $2400. He did receive income greater than $50 from other sources (probably the farm).

There was a black family, the Featherstones, living on the farm as sharecroppers. My Dad remembers playing with the Featherstone children when he lived there in the early and mid-1930's.

He registered for the World War II draft on April 25, 1942 in Amelia County, VA. This was called the "Old Man's Draft" for World War II. On the draft registration, his place of residence and mailing address was Star Route, Amelia Court House, VA and his telephone exchange was 56. He gave his age as 60, his date of birth as 21 December 1881 and his place of birth as Patrick County, VA. He listed Mrs. J. B. West of Amelia Court House, VA as the "person who will always know your address". His employer was the Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries located in Richmond, VA. His place of employment was Amelia County and Tidewater Section of Virginia. He was described as 5' 8", 202 lbs., with brown eyes, gray hair, a ruddy complexion, and no obvious physical characteristics that would aid in identification.

Social Security Applications and Claims Index: He showed up the index on 7 August 1952, which must have been soon after his retirement. His birth date is listed as 21 Dec 1881, and his birth place is listed as Vesta, Virginia. Vesta is an unincorporated community in Patrick County, Virginia located on U.S. Route 58 7.5 miles northwest of Stuart. This was probably a claim so he could start collecting Social Security benefits.

J. B. died on September 12, 1953 at the age of 71 at Westbrook Sanitorium in Richmond, VA. From his death certificate, John had been at the Westbrook Sanatorium for 4 months and 28 days before he passed. His usual residence was listed as Amelia Courthouse, Amelia County, VA. His date of birth was listed as Dec 21, 1881. He was 71 years old, and his usual occupation was  Supervisor of Game Wardens. He was born in Patrick County, VA to Wilson West and Susan Massey, and was survived by his wife, Mary E Acres, who was also the informant on his death certificate. (I don't know why for spouse her name was listed as "Acres" instead of "West", and why for her maiden name she would misspell "Akers".)

John's cause of death was cardio renal disease  due to hypertension and nephritis, with significant contributing conditions of psychosis and cerebral arteriosclerosis. He was attended from 4-18-53 until 9-12-53 by the doctor, J. R. Saunders, MD of Richmond, VA, who last saw him alive on 9-12-53. Death occurred at 1 pm on that date.

His burial was scheduled for 9-14-53 at  the Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Amelia County, VA. The funeral director was Jos. W. Bliley, Co., Inc., Richmond, VA.

His obituary appeared on September 13, 1953 in the in Amelia County, VA. From his obituary: "Amelia, Sept. 12 - John Beamer West, 76-year old retired supervisor for the Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries, died Saturday in a Richmond hospital. Mr. West had been an employee of the commission for 24 years (note: my Dad thinks he held this job for 25 years) before retiring in 1952. He was a member of Amelia Baptist Church and Amelia Lodge No. 101, AF & AM. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mary Akers West; two sons, Akers Martin West of Roanoke, and John Terry West of Richmond; two daughters, Mrs. T. F. Campbell of Hampton, and Mrs. E. C. Lederhos of Richmond; one brother, William A. West of Patrick County; two sisters, Mrs. Jerry Wood, and Mrs. T. F. Boyd, both of Meadows of Dan, and two grandchildren. A funeral service will be held at the grave at 2:30 PM Monday at Presbyterian Cemetery here."

He was buried on September 14, 1953 at Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Amelia Court House, Amelia County, VA.

J. B. West had a memorial in the Virginia Wildlife magazine. This magazine was a regular publication of the Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries. I used to enjoy reading back issues of the magazine when visiting my grandparents. The memorial was in the November 1953 edition of the magazine: "Mr. West had served long and well as a servant of the people and furtherance of the cause of conservation in Virginia. Although he is gone, his work and memory will live on to guide those of us who are carrying on the responsibilities of conservation work in the state."

Notes from Shelby Cochran about the West family: In the 1920-1930 Censuses he was a general farmer living in Giles District, Amelia County, Virginia. He later worked as a supervisor in the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries. John and Mary Evelina Akers were buried at the Presbyterian Church in Amelia, Virginia. Their children were: Akers M. West; Mary E. West; John West; Kathleen Virginia West. [Shelby Cochran is another family historian who lives in Patrick County, Virginia and has also been researching the West family history. A lot of the land record information for Patrick County, Virginia is from Shelby. Most of the information she found regarding J.B., Mary and their children confirmed what I found.]

More recollections from my Dad: my Dad lived with his grandparents (John and Mary) while his father, Floyd Campbell, recuperated from having his leg amputated below the knee. My Dad says that J.B. had a 2000-acre dairy farm, located near Amelia Court House, Amelia County, VA. When he died it was sold to Virginia Polytechnic Institute to use as an experimental farm. I visited the farm in 1988 and took some video. I don't know how I found it, it was at the end of a long driveway but I recognized some of the outbuildings from pictures taken of the farm. My Dad visited it in 2001.

The farmhouse in Amelia County, VA, 1940s

His grandfather was very active in political affairs. One family story is that he used to "help" people vote by giving them rides to the voting precincts, as long as they voted the Democratic ticket. Another story my Dad tells is that often J.B. would often telephone his wife late in the day from the office in Richmond and tell her he was bringing guests out to the farm for dinner. She would then have to scramble to fix a large meal by preparing more fried chicken and vegetables.

Toward the end of his life, J.B.'s vision was deteriorating according to my Dad. One time, he was driving home and couldn't see the driveway and drove off the road.

J.B. actually had a boat named after him for his service in the Commission, and my Dad researched what happened to the boat. He found a picture of it, but the boat has since been destroyed.

I also have a copy of J.B.'s property for probate court, meticulously written by his daughter Elva (my grandmother) at the time of his death.

Research note for John Beamer "J. B." West: I don't know where John's middle name "Beamer" came from. I have not been able to find any Beamer's listed in the censuses for Patrick County, VA.

John B. and Mary West, 1940s

John Beamer "J. B." West and Mary Evelina Akers were married on December 25, 1902 in Patrick County, VA. My Dad has a colorized photograph of John B. West and Mary E. Akers taken on their wedding day.

They appeared in the census in 1910 in Smith River Township, Patrick County, VA. John (27 years old, married for 7 years, born in VA) and his wife Mary E. (24 years old, married for 7 years, had 3 children with 3 children still living, born in VA) are living with their children on a farm: Akers M. (6 years old, born in VA), Mary E. (2 years old, born in VA), and John T. (4 months old, born in VA).

They appeared in the census on January 27, 1920 in Giles Magisterial District, Amelia County, VA. His age was 39 and was listed as the head of household. Living with him were his wife, Mary E. (34); son, Akers M. (15); daughter, Mary E. (12), my grandmother; son, John T. (10); and daughter, Virginia C. (4). His and Mary's birthplace was Virginia, as was also indicated for their parents. His occupation was listed as a general farmer, and he owned his farm. Her occupation was listed as a housekeeper, and they both indicated they could read and write.

J. B. and Mary appeared in the census on April 16, 1930 in Giles Magisterial District, Amelia County, VA. His age was 48 and he was listed as the head of household. Living with him were his wife, Mary E. (45); son, Akers M. (26, single); son, John T. (20, single); and daughter, Virginia C. (14). His age at his marriage was 21, and Mary's age was 17. His occupation was listed as a general farmer, he owned his farm, and both he and Mary were able to read and write. They also had a radio set. John indicated he was actually at work (not unemployed) and not a military veteran.

Mary E. West, 1940s

Mary Evelina Akers, daughter of Samuel Green Akers and Mary Henrietta Terry, was born on December 20, 1885 in Patrick County, VA.

She was listed as a member of Samuel Green Akers and Mary Henrietta "Etta" Terry's household in the census on June 13, 1900 at a farm in Smith River District, Patrick County, VA along with Fannie Edna Akers and John Dewey Akers. Mary, my great-grandmother and their oldest daughter, was 14 years old and born in Virginia. She had attended school for four months during 1900 and could read and write.

She was listed in the household of John Beamer "J. B." West in the census on April 1, 1940 in Giles Magisterial District, Amelia County, VA. She was listed as his wife, 54 years old, born in Virginia, and had an 8th grade education. She and John B. had lived in the same house in 1935. She worked in the home, and had no income in 1939.

Mary lived at 804 East 56th in Richmond, VA from 1954 to 1959. She moved here shortly after her husband, John B. West, died. In the city directory, she is listed as the widow of John B. West.

Social Security Applications and Claims Index: She showed up in the Index twice. The first entry is from March 1964 and is for her Social Security Number with her name listed as Mary Akers West, birthdate 20 Dec 1885, birthplace Patrick County, Virginia, father Samuel G. Akers and mother Henrietta M Terry. The second entry is for her son John Terry West's death record from 1993 where she is listed as his mother.

She died on October 28, 1967 at the age of 81 at Plyer's Nursing Home in Richmond, VA. According to her death certificate, Mary died on October 28, 1967 at Plyer's Nursing Home, 1513 Grove Avenue, Richmond, VA. She was 81 years old. Her usual residence was 5700 Boynton Place, Richmond, Chesterfield County, VA. The death certificate stated she was born on December 20, 1885 in Patrick County, VA to Samuel G. Akers and Henrietta Terry. She was widowed, and her spouse's name was John B. West. Her usual occupation was housewife. The informant on the death certificate was her son, J. Terry West.

The cause of death was pyelonephritis, which is an inflammation of the kidney due to a bacterial infection, with other significant conditions including cerebral arteriosclerosis and arteriosclerosis heart disease. She was attended by her doctor, John D. Call of Richmond, VA from 1-10-67 until 10-28-67, and death occurred at 5:15 pm.

Burial was planned for the Presbyterian Cemetery in Amelia County, VA. The funeral director was Joseph W. Bliley, Co., Inc., of Richmond, VA.

She lived at 5700 Boynton Place in Richmond, VA at the time of her death on October 28, 1967.

Mary's obituary appeared after October 28, 1967 in the in Richmond, VA. The text of her obituary: "Died at a local hospital, Saturday, Oct. 28, 1967, Mrs. Mary Akers West, of 5700 Boynton Place, widow of the late John B. West, who was with Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries. She is survived by two sons, Akers M. West, of Fincastle, Va. and J. Terry West, of Richmond; two daughters, Mrs. T. F. Campbell of Denbeigh, Va,; Mrs. E. C. Lederhos, of Richmond; two sisters, Mrs. Edna A. Clifford, of Portsmouth, OH; Mrs. Dovie A. Reynolds, of Radford, VA; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Remains rest at Joseph W. Bliley Funeral Home, Third and Marshall, where the funeral will be held Monday at 12:00 noon. Interment in Presbyterian Cemetery, Amelia Court House, Va., at 1:45 P. M."

She was buried at Presbyterian Cemetery in Amelia Court House, Amelia County, VA. She is in the same plot as her late husband, John B. West.

 Mary was known as "Granny" to my brothers and me. I can remember visiting her in Richmond, going to her 80th birthday party in Richmond, and going to her funeral.

At Granny's 80th birthday party, Dec 1965. Standing L-R: Akers West, Janet Campbell, Betty Ann West, Elva Campbell, Edwin Lederhaus, Terry West, Kathleen Lederhaus, Kevin Campbell, Betty West, Floyd Campbell, Steve Campbell, and Bill Campbell. Seated L-R: Mary West, Tom Campbell, and Monnie West.

John Beamer West and Mary Evelina Akers had the following children:

          2          i.  Akers Martin West, born February 9, 1904, Virginia; married Anne Elizabeth Richardson, before 1936; died February 22, 1972, Roanoke, VA.

          3         ii.  Mary Elva "Elva" West, born August 27, 1907, Patrick County, VA; married Thomas Floyd Campbell, June 11, 1929, Richmond, VA; died May 25, 1988, Newport News, VA.

          4        iii.  John Terry West, born December 6, 1909, Virginia; married Margaret Williams, after 1940; died October 29, 1993, Midlothian, Chesterfield County, VA.

          5        iv.  Kathleen Virginia West, born September 12, 1915, Stuart, Virginia; married Edwin Charles Lederhos, August 19, 1942, Amelia County, VA; died August 24, 1982, Richmond, VA.