A visit to Union 2013.   If you grew up in Union, West Virginia and you have not been able  to return to Monroe County recently, chances are you will enjoy a little tour of  Union and the area.  The pictures include points of interest from the  area, mountain views, historical houses and main street. At this time, the pictures will begin at the Second Creek area in Monroe County traveling on route 219 toward Union.  Most houses will be identified with owners from previous years. The historical information in this article was obtained from the Monroe County Historical Society and Museum and Julia Campbell Higginbotham. More pictures will be added soon.    Click on the pictures for a larger view.

 

 

The Spring Valley Farm is lacated in Monroe County. The farm was acquired by the Edgar Dickson Family in 1834 and has remained in the family.  The last owners were Bill and Page Dickson until his death and is presently owned by Page Dickson.  The farm is known for its varied and long lived architectural styles along with its long lived example of a farming enterprise in Monroe County.

 

The Richard Dickson House is located on Rt. 219, not far from the Second Creek bridge.  It is now occupied by Mike and Judy McDade.

 

 

 

The New Lebanon Church located on 219 in the Pickaway Area. Trees in front of the church have recently been removed.

 

The David Sizemore house was built by David Sizemore and located on the Charles Booth road just off 219 at Pickaway.  David is a graduate of UHS in 1961 and also a teacher at Monroe County Technical School.

 

The Boggs property is located in Pickaway.  At this location, in addition to their home,  Jerry also operates Boggs Trucking and Excavating business which has served Monroe County and beyond, for over forty years. (Jerry graduated in UHS class of 1961 and Glenda Dalton Boggs graduated in UHS class of 1965)

 

Traveling to the intersection in Pickaway.  Make a turn right to Sinks Grove.

 

The historic Rowan house, located in the Sinks Grove area has served three generations.  The Rowans, the Andersons, and now owned by Linda Carol Anderson Weiss.  This house was home to Ethel Rowan Anderson (UHS class of 1935) , mother to  Linda Carol Anderson (UHS class of 1963) and Delores Anderson (UHS class of 1970).

 

The Paul & Elaine Gilchrist Farm is located across from the intersection at Pickaway.  The house  is now owned by their grandson,  David and wife Liz Dalton Pritt .  (David and Liz are both graduates of Union High School Class of 1982)

 

This house is located in the Pickaway area and is home to  Sue Reed Krueger a graduated of UHS class of 1960.

 

The Lemons Farm is located in Pickaway on 219, turning right just beyond the Methodist Church. Once owned by Cary and Pearl Lemons and Shelby and Mayo Martin Lemons (UHS Class of 1939). They purchased the farm in 1952.  It was home to their children;  Linda Lemons (UHS Class of 1964) and Gary Lemons (Class of 1970).  It is now home to Gary and Betty Lemons, owners of the Korner Kafe in Union.

 

The Trinity United Methodist Church in Pickaway was built in 1887.

 

On 219, you can make a left turn past the Methodist Church and enter the Hillsdale Road.  The first house on the right was built by Gary Lemons (UHS Class of 1970). It is now the  home of his  mother,  Mayo Martin Lemons (UHS Class of 1939).

 

The Julian and Phyllis Shrader house is located in Pickaway.

 

The Ray and Leona Beckett Farm once operated as a Tourist Home in Pickaway is now owned by Dale and Carol Beckett.  Dale is a graduate of UHS in 1959.

 

The first owner of this house was Roscoe McNeer and later on Judge Charles William  Campbell became the owner  of this  house located in a beautiful part of Pickaway. Judge Campbell was raised in Red Sulphur Springs and married Jennie Ratliff in 1888. He was  brother to Robert E. J. Campbell the postmaster at Gates and school teacher at the Gates  School. He lived in Huntington and this house was his summer home.  Judge Campbell  was described as a distinguished attorney and judge, business man, former mayor and philanthropist.  After his retirement he moved back to his farm in Pickaway. Later the house was owned by the Marshall Talbott family for many years and was the home of daughter, Virginia Talbott Walkup (UHS Class of 1947) and son, Bill Talbott (UHS class of 1953).   The house is now owned by Don and Barbara McPeak Sibold , both graduates of UHS class of 1964.

 

This house was owned by Edwin and Eloise Allen  Sibold, both graduates of UHS.   Edwin became a teacher at Union High School and also operated the family farm. This was home to their three children,  Don-class of 1965, Patricia-class of 1967 and Jo Allen-class of 1971. The house is still owned by the family.

 

Jim and Maxine Beckett house located in Pickaway was part of the Beckett farm.  Jim and Maxine Christie Beckett  both were graduates of Union High School.  This house was the home of Dale Beckett (UHS class of 1959, Lloyd Beckett class of 1963 and Nancy Beckett class of 1966).  The house is now  owned by daughter Nancy Beckett Webb.

 

This house was built for Charles and Minnie Keadle.  Charles was Superintendent of Schools in Monroe County from 1905 -1909. After their death the Keadle farm became part of the Beckett farm and owned by Lloyd Beckett.

 

Marion and Betty Burns Bradley house in Pickaway.  Marion and Betty both are graduates of UHS class of  1956.

 

The Shrader house was built in the 1800′s by John Shrader.  The house is now owned by Hazel Shrader granddaughter of John Shrader.  Hazel is a graduate of Union High School in 1939.

 

The Rankin and Ruth Bostic house is located on 219 just outside of Union. Rankin was a graduate of UHS in 1934 and Ruth was a teacher at UHS.  The house is still owned by their family.

 

This was the original farm of  John Hoylman and home to their grandson, John Rowan, a graduate of Union High School in 1956.  Charles and Ann Parker bought the property later on  and tore down the original house and built the present house.  Charles and Ann are both graduates of Union High School in 1956.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Monroe County Confederate Monument erected in  1901 is located  on the right as you enter Union.  The Monument Field was used as camp sites during the occupation of Union during the Civil War by Federal forces .

 

 

The Hugh Caperton House locate on the left entering the town of Union.

 

“Elmwood” built in 1835 , a large brick Jeffersonian Classical Revival house built for Hugh Caperton.  Hugh’s son Allen T. Caperton, served in the Confederate Senate and later in the US Senate.  Elmwood and the brick barn to the rear are listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places. Since then, the house has been owned by Grover Mitchell and also home to his son Buddy Mitchell who graduated with the UHS class of 1949. The house is now owned by Chris and Anita Zollek.  They are renovating the house to become a bed and breakfast with a restaurant.

 

 

 

 

The Union Presbyterian Church was built in 1922.  A brick Greek Revival building with Gothic features and stained glass windows.  The Union Presbyterian Church congregation dates back to August 1783.  Its first church building was a log structure called the Good Hope Meeting House located on the Willow Bend Road.

 

The James McNeer House  was built in 1998, a Neoclassical Victorian house built by John Campbell.  Former owners of the house was Dr. Floyd Johnson and his family and next was Russell and Violet Hinkle. This house was home to Ralph Hinkle (UHS class of 1963) and Kathy Hinkle (Class of 1972).  It now houses the Jonathan Rice Accounting Office.

 

The Houston-Johnston house was built in 1846.  A brick Greek Revival house.  The home of the Rev. S. R. Houston, who was pastor of the Union Presbyterian Church from 1842 to 1886.   Later on it was the home of Albert Sidney and Izzie Johnston and their family.  Sidney Johnston was owner/editor of The Monroe Watchman in the later 19th and early 20th centuries.

 

 

 

 

The Colonel Nathaniel Hardin Roberts House.  Colonel Roberts built this house in 1867 located on N. Main Street.  Colonel Roberts was married to Mary Jane Campbell, daughter of Andrew Campbell. Years later this house was  owned by Judge Robert Irons, graduate of  UHS  class of 1973  and it now houses an Insurance Office.

 

Entering Union  you will see the Masonic Hall or Old Temperance Hall built in 1849.  The frame structure was built as the Temperance Hall and served as Union’s first public school just after the Civil War. It is the oldest Masonic hall in  West Virginia.  The red brick building houses the Broyles Funeral Home.

 

The old Baptist Church built in 1845 is a brick Jeffersonian Greek Revival structure.  A very finished interior with  some fine woodwork and original lighting fixtures.  The black Baptist congregation of Union, organized by the Rev Charles Campbell, acquired this handsome church in 1972.  The old Baptist Church shares the same architectural tradition as Elmwood and the Sweet Springs Hotel.  It is now the property of the Monroe County Historical Society and Museum.

 

The Rowan House was built in 1850.  A large frame Greek Revival house with a handsome one-story portico with true ionic columns. Designed by the important Virginia Architect, Henry Exhall.  The house was built by Andrew Beirne and he never occupied the house but sold it to George Hutchinson in 1852.  Mr. Hutchinson sold the property to John Rowan in 1871.  It was the boyhood home of Col. Andrew S. Rowan (a Monroe County War Hero). In 1938 the Rowan heirs sold the  house to L. L. Spangler.  Later on, it became the home of the Sequard “Doc” Roles family.  His son, Joe Roles graduated with the UHS class of 1951.  It is now the home of the Lighthouse Church of God Youth Center.

The Frances Dunlap House was built in 1845.  A frame Greek Revival house with some later additions.  The house once served as the Pence Tourist Home.

 

The Pyles House was owned by Sebert and Mabel Pyles. Sebert Pyles was a barber in Union.  Their son was Billy Joe Pyles, a graduate of UHS 1951. The house is now owned by Kellen Burdett, UHS class of 1953.

 

 

The Edwin Brown House  was built in 1846.  An original one-story Greek Revival house was enlarged in the early 20th century.  Designed by the important Virginia Architect, Henry Exhall.  Edwin Brown was a mid-19th century merchant.  The house is now owned by Ruth Riner.

 

This building is a Greek Revival structure with Italianate features.  Built in 1870 as the Spessard Grocery Store and housed the Sallie Miles Library in the early 20th century.  This building has been the location for The Monroe Watchman since  1905.

 

The Robert Crebs House was built in 1868.  A Greek revival house with the addition of early 20th century features.  Robert Crebs was Monroe County’s attorney just after the Civil War.  His sister, Ella, was one of the first public school teachers in Union.  This house was later owned by Pete and Grace Peterson and  home to Martha “Marty” Peterson Windon, UHS graduate of 1959.

 

A view of main street.  The white building on the right with a quilt showing on the wall, is the law office of John Bryan .  The next store is Kittle’s Hardware Store, once owned by Russell and Gaye Kittle (teacher at Union Elementary School). The next owners were Vernon Kittle, their son and a graduate of UHS  and Carol Ellison Kittle, graduate of UHS in 1950. The store is now owned and operated by their son,  Bill Kittle, UHS class of 1976.

 

 

 

 

 

The Monroe County Court House and Jail was  built in 1881. It  replaced an earlier 1819 brick structure.  The first court house was of  log construction. This large handsome Romanesque structure still has its original shutters.  It contains records of over two centuries.  Most likely designed by the important West Virginia Architect, C.C. Kemble.

 

 

The first store was the location of the old Union Post Office, the second store is the House of Fabric.

 

The storefront shown here is the House of Fabric owned and operated by Jewel Clark.

 

The storefront shown here is the Monroe Insurance Office operated by William “Bill” Guy, UHS class of 1974.

 

The storefront shown  here is the home of the Monroe Department Store built in 1905.  A large three story brick building with cast iron cornice.  This building housed the Monroe Department Store until 1996.   It now houses the Korner Kafe, voted the best place to eat in Union.

 

 

This building to the left with the blue canopy was built by Andy Irons. To the left side of this building was the C J Casdorph Grocery Store and to the right was the Irons 5 & 10 Store. Later this building was purchased by Marion Shiflet and was made into a showroom for the Ford Garage.  It is now the Insurance office of Bill Shiflet.  The two-story brick building on the right at one time housed the office of Dr. Richardson in the upper level, and the lower level was occupied years ago by a restaurant operated by Zelma Bobbitt Riner and Marion Shiflet’s Nationwide Insurance office. At this time the right side is occupied by Bradley’s Real Estate office and the Monroe Liquor Store.

 

The George Lewis House built in 1920.  A vernacular 20th century house. Under the present house is the foundation and cellar of the 1800 Hall Tavern. The house is now owned by Wes and Susan Baker Sheraton and has been renovated into Hall Tavern once again.  Susan is a graduated of (UHS class of 1988).

 

 

The Hugh Caperton Law Office  built in 1820.  An early Classical Revival in style.  The building contains some fine woodwork that could be attributed to Conrad Burgess.  The structure housed the Bank of Union in 1872.  This building now houses the Monroe County Historical Society and Museum.  The log house next door is the Clark-Wiseman House 1810. This early log house originally stood on a lot on South Street and  was moved and reconstructed on the new location next to the Historical Society  by the town of Union and the Monroe County Historical Society in 1999 and exhibits the more sophisticated structure of a town house of this period. John Wiseman was a blacksmith, gunsmith and a silversmith. The log house behind the Clark-Wiseman log house is known as the Owen Neel House built in 1790.  This log house shows the transition from pioneer one-room cabin to a comfortable farm house of the 19th century.  Moved from the headwaters of Second Creek near Gap Mills to the town of Union in 2005.

 

The Union United Methodist Church was built in 1889.  A Greek Revival in style with Gothic features and stained glass windows. The congregation stems from that of the Historic Rehoboth Church built in 1786.

 

The Herbie Johnson house was built in 1913, a vernacular Victorian house built by John Campbell.  This house is now owned by Theresa Miller Dumas.

 

The General Augustus Chapman House was built in 1803,  a large frame vernacular house.  Augustus Chapman served Monroe County many times in the Virginia Assembly and the state of Virginia in the 28th  US Congress.  During the Civil War in the campaigns of 1861 in the Kanawha Valley, he served as a Brig. General of the Virginia Militia in the Confederate Army.   This house has also been the home of the Dr. James Roles Family  and it now houses the Monroe Community House.

 

The N. K. Lynch house was built in 1904 by John Campbell. It replaced the original Lynch home which was burned.  It took two years to rebuild.  Mr. Lynch became the owner of  the first automobile purchased in the town of Union by Will Lynch and later sold to N. K. Lynch. Mr. Lynch was the father of Virginia Lynch Gwynn and Elwyn Lynch. He was grandfather to Jean Gwynn (UHS Class of 1951) and  Nancy Lynch(Class of 1961). This house is now owned by the Methodist Church  and serves as office to the United Methodist Church and the Jeffrey Pritt Law Office. (Jeff graduated at UHS class of 1974).

 

The  Frazier House was home to James and Joanne Frazier and their daughters Donna Jo (UHS class of 1964) and Cheryl (UHS class of 1970). James  was Principal of the Gap Mills School and also served as Superintendent of Schools in Monroe County.

 

The Dransfield House was home to George Dransfield, Superintendent of Monroe County Schools and Principal at Union High School.  Marguerite graduated from UHS Class of 1935 and became the Music teacher at Union Elementary School and their son Larry graduated with the UHS Class of 1961. The house is now owned by Don Dransfield, UHS class 1978 and his wife Pam Furrow Dransfield, UHS class of 1980.

 

The Roles House was home to Forrest Roles, an Attorney in Union  and Agnes Campbell Roles who graduated from UHS  and became a teacher at Union High School.   They are parents of Forrest and Margaret Roles.

 

The Presbyterian Church parsonage in Union was built in 1845. It was best known as the mid-twentieth century home of Dr. Robert and Lucy Gray . They lived in this house many years while he served as pastor of the Union Presbyterian Church.  The house is now owned by the Richard Meeks Family.

 

This  house on S. Main Street  was owned by John and  Eva Peters.  Eva was principal of Union Elementary School.  They  had two daughters, Betty graduated in UHS class of 1947 and Dorothy graduated in UHS class of 1950. The next owner of the house was Harmon Falls.

 

This is the Frank Jarvis house at the end of S. Main Street.  This was the home of Colonel Jarvis, UHS class of 1954 and Carnie Jarvis, who attended UHS. The next owners of the house was Rev. David and Hazel  Craft.  Their son Donald graduated from UHS in 1954.

 

The first owners of the Gwynn/Bostic house, located on the end of S. Main Street,  was Howard and Virginia Lynch Gwynn.  They had a son “Sonny” Gwynn, class of 1947 and Jean Gwynn Miller, a graduate of UHS in 1951.The next owners of the house was Joe and Uvon Bostic . They had two  daughters;  Patty, UHS Class of 1960 and Camella, UHS Class of 1961.   The house is now owned by Richard and Kitty Ellard.

 

This log house owned by Charlie and Viola Lewis is located on South Street. It is thought to have been a tavern in early days and the road to Gap Mills went around behind the tavern and up a lane on the Davidson Farm.  This road came across the knoll toward the John L.Trail house and continued to Gap Mills.  Charlie and Viola’s daughter Marilyn graduated from UHS in 1971.

 

The Giles House, a log structure  was moved from Giles County, Virginia where it served as an early Methodist Church.  It was moved and reconstructed in 2006  by Bob Allen, UHS class of 1959.

 

The Coulter-Keadle House 1810.  The Coulter family were wheelwrights, probably made wagons and carriages.  Andrew Keadle was a prominent Union cabinetmaker just prior to the Civil War.  It now houses the Law Office of Bob Allen.

 

Glen and Jan Bryan are the owners of  this beautiful corner lot in Union. They moved the log house to this location.

 

The Jackson Early House 1846.  Small brick Greek Revival house built for Jackson Early, a mid-19th century merchant.

 

The Higginbotham House. The brick portion on the left side of this house was the first Methodist Church built in 1831, and was acquired later by the Union College and expanded to provide living quarters and dining facilities for its students.  It was later used by the West Virginia Female Seminary and the Johnson Female College.  The building at that time consisted of 24 rooms.  It was acquired by the Davidson Family in 1892. It  has stayed in the Davidson family to this day and is now owned by James and Julia Davidson Campbell Higginbotham.  This house was the childhood home to Jane and Isabel Davidson, Helen and Gladys Raines, Rutter and Jody Boyd, Mary Ann and Julia Campbell and Robert and Andrew Higginbotham…all but Andrew graduated from Union High School.

The old Union Academy built in 1920.  Early Classical Revival in style with later Neoclassical features.  Union Academy, a private boy’s school operated by the Union Presbyterian Church, grew until it became Union College in 1860 operated by the Greenbrier Presbytery.  After 1872 the building was part of the West Virginia Female Seminary and later the Johnson Female College.  The house is now owned by Bill and Linda Burns.

 

The Doug and Nellie Thomas House built in 1854. The  board and batten house encloses a small earlier log house. The house is now owned by Glenn and Jan Bryan.

 

The Herbert Jr and Mabel Sarver House.   Mabel, a teacher at  Union High School and their three daughters are graduates of UHS.  Peggy graduated in the class of 1970,  Jo Anne graduated in 1975 and Cathy graduated in 1978.

 

The Major John Wallace house was built in 1854.  John Wallace operated a business school in the pre-Civil War years.

 

Ann Edgar Randolph, a teacher in the old Union Academy was the owner of this house.  After the Civil War she became a missionary of the Union Presbyterian Church and served in China for 17 years.  In 1889 she went to Japan where she founded a Presbyterian girls’ school which today has become a University.  Her brother was Colonel George Edgar who took part in the Battles of Lewisburg and Tuckwiller’s Hill.

 

This small Greek Rrevival house with Italianate features was built for Eliza Echols, the mother of General John Echols.   This house served as the All Saints’ Rectory in 1857.  The house is now owned by Robert and Janet Echols Tuckwiller (UHS class of 1973).

 

The Union Academy  was the second Union Academy in the town of Union and served as a school for both boys and girls preparing them for college and was also used as Union High School. It  opened in 1903 and closed in 1910 when the first Union High School was built. This house with its  beautiful landscaping  is now owned by John Bryan, Lawyer in the town of Union.

 

This house was built in 1846, and later purchased by General John Echols who was a Brig. General in the Confederate Army.  The style of this house is a brick Greek Revival house with Italianate features.  The house was once owned by A. W. Boone, owner of the first Ford Agency in Union and was also Mayor of the town of Union.  The house was left to his daughters Louise Boone Massey, a teacher at Union High School and Eunice Boone Dillon Smithson, a teacher in Monroe County Schools.  Eunice’s three daughters, Mary Lou Dillon (1950), Peggy Dillon Flouer (1955) and Julia Dillon Kanatzar (1961)  were all graduates of Union High School.  The house is now owned by James Banks, retired medical doctor and author of several books.

 

The John McCreery House was built in 1846, a vernacular style with some fine interior woodwork.  The house in now owned by Bob Pomphrey, graduate of UHS in 1968.

 

The John and Lucille Judy house was built in 1922, a fine example of a Craftsman Style house.  The house features porches of both the traditional and the informal Craftsman styles.  The Craftsman style became very popular in the early 20th Century Union. Their son Eddie Judy graduated UHS class of 1958 and their daughter Margaret Sue Judy Sams graduated UHS class of 1959.

 

The All Saints’ Episcopal  Church was erected in 1872.  The style was Gothic Revival with an original unwired kerosene chandelier, sconces and stained glass windows.  The All Saints’ Episcopal Church is the first organized Episcopal congregation in the Monroe-Greenbrier area.

 

The Compton House built in 1900 is a vernacular Victorian house.  It is located  on Route 3, as you leave the town of Union.

 

 

The Hancock House located on Rt 3 was built for Dr. and Mrs. H. H. Hancock. The house is now owned by  Henry and Patty Leach Hancock.   Patty Leach Hancock is  a graduate of Union High School class of 1958.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Union Presbyterian Manse is located across the street from the Union Presbyterian Church.

 

 

The John L. Trail Farm is located on Rt. 3  leaving Union and going toward Keenan/Gap Mills. It was purchased by John and Permilla Trail from W. McDonald Johnston in 1916.  It is now owned by Brian Wickline, UHS class of 1991, and son of Bill and Judy Dunbar Wickline (both UHS graduates in 1960) . Brian is married to Leslie Allen, daughter of Bob and Andi Allen. The trees in the front yard are estimated to be over 300 years old.

 

 

 

Traveling Rt. 3  and turning left to Keenan.

 

Located in the Keenan area is the George and Marguerite Flouer house. The historic house was the home of Jack Flouer (UHS class of 1956) and Joan Flouer Flynn (Class of 1963).  It is now owned by the Yates family.

 

The Darrell and Libby Cruise Echols is located in the Keenan area.  Darrell is a graduate of Union High School class of 1954 and Libby is a graduate of Union High School class of 1955.

 

Sam and Darlene Echols Cathcart house is located in the Keenan area. Darlene is a graduate of Union High School class of 1963.

 

 

Odell and Velma Wilson Bostic house located in the Keenan/Hillsdale area.  Odell is a graduate of UHS class of 1958 and Velma is a graduate of UHS class of 1960.

 

The Lynch Farm owned by Thurman and Bess Lynch Hoke locate on the Pete Lynch Road in the Hollywood area.  This house was the home of Marvin (UHS 1945), Margaret (UHS 1948), and Delma  (UHS 1954).

 

The Bernie and Goldie Elmore house is located off the Pete Lynch Road in the Hollywood area.   Their children; Venecia (UHS graduate of 1953), Josephine (UHS Class of 1956), Linda (UHS class of 1961), John (UHS class of 1963).

 

The second Hollywood Tabernacle was built in 1956.  Serves Monroe County as a place for summer worship and revivals.

 

The Dunbar House was built in the late 1800′s and located at Dorr.  The farm is the property of Buford and Ada Carter (UHS 1929) Dunbar.  Their children;  Dorothy (UHS 1953), Shirley (UHS 1955), Donald (UHS 1956), Richard (UHS 1958), Carl (UHS 1960) and Smokey (UHS 1964).   Their grandchildren; Teresa (UHS 1982) and Jeff (UHS 1986). The property continues to be owned by the Dunbar Family.