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JAMES ACIE STRAIGHT

James Acie Straight, son of Jacob K. and Permelia Shuman Straight, was born
8 April 1830 in Monongalia County, WV. In 1850 James A., age 20, lived in
Monongalia County with his parents, Jacob K. age 63, and Permelia age 55, and
along with his brother Henry N., age 17, and younger sister Mary E. age 12.
On Oct. 20, 1851 he married in Monongalia County to Sarah Jane Neely who was
born Feb. 1833, daughter of John Neely and Phebe Scott. On James L. Straight's
death certificate, her name as his mother is listed McNeilly.
When the estate of his father, Jacob K., was sold on 1 Sept. 1853, James A.
purchased a hogshead (barrel) and an old bedstead for 44 cents.
In November 1858 James A., a resident of Monongalia County, sold his share of
his father's 80 acres on Big Indian Creek to his brother Henry.
James A. was a farmer on what is now known as the Inchcape Rock, Glovers Gap,
Marion County in the 1860 census, with $150 in real estate and $158 in
personal property. That year James and Sarah were recorded in the census with
four children: Diana age 7, Fieldon age 5, both in school, two children at
home, Rosena age 3, and Annara age 1.
Sometime after 1860, they moved to Wetzel County where James's older brother
Gabriel Straight resided, possibly to work in the timber trade there.
But they soon moved back to Monongalia County. James L., one of their sons,
was born in Monongalia County, Batelle District, (Morgantown post office) on 2
Feb. 1870, and that is where the family lived when the census was taken in
1870. Listed were:
James Straight -- age 40
Sarah -- age 36
Fielding -- age 16
Rosana -- age 13
Annarah -- age 11
Permelia J. -- age 5
Lucinda -- age 2
James L. -- age 7 months.
Diana who would have been age 17 was not listed. Blondena Hartshorn Sutton, a
great-granddaughter of James A. Straight, said she heard James A. had a
daughter who died young.
Again they moved, this time to Roane County, Reedy District, Spring Creek
area, about 1879. James's son Fieldon had already married in Monongalia County
and did not move with them.
On 17 June 1880, James A. and his family are listed on the census of Roane
County, Reedy :
J. A. Straight -- age 50, farmer
Sarah -- age 47
Annara -- (called Nade) age 19
Permelia Jane -- age 15
Lucinda G. -- (called Ella) age 12
James L. -- age10
William -- age 5
Elizabeth Ward -- age 17, adopted.
Living as their neighbor in 1880 was their widowed daughter, Rosena Roberts,
age 22, with her three children, Cora F. Roberts age 6; Mary A. Roberts age 4;
and William C. Roberts, age 1.
Also listed as neighbors in 1880 was the family of Hiram Stirret (born 1840 in
VA) and Nancy Stirret (born 1845 in VA) with their children: William age 18,
Johnathan age 16, Lewis age 13, Ida age 9, Lee age 4. Lewis Stirret and
Lucinda Ella Straight married April 20, 1890 in Roane County.
In 1900 James A. and Sarah were listed in the census living with their son
James Leamon Straight and his family. James A,. now age 70, and Sarah, now age
67, had been married 49 years, had 9 children, 7 of which were still living in
1900. According to a great granddaughter Blondena Sutton, there was a son
Milford and a daughter who died young, possibly the Diana listed on the 1860
census.
Sarah died 1902. James died in 1906. Both are buried in Fairview Cemetery in
Roane County, along with their son William E. Straight and his wife Virginia
Alice Ashley Straight.
* James A. Straight had an older brother, Uriah Straight, who married Diana
Hayes and moved to Iowa before James A. was ever born. But evidently, the
family kept in touch. Uriah had a son, Francis Marion Straight who served in
the Union army in the Civil War, in the 23rd Missouri Infantry, Co. E.
In 1938 there was a reunion of Civil War veterans at Gettysburg and Francis
Marion Straight was one of the veterans who attended. They were all asked to
fill out a questionaire, and one of the questions was, "What act of
kindness stands out above all rendered you by someone else?"
Francis Marion Straight answered, "When I was completely broke and out of
money I was given $10 by an uncle Jim Straight, who was generous and kind to
those in need."
That Jim Straight was our James A. Straight.
Children of James Acie and Sarah Neely Straight:
(1) DIANA STRAIGHT, born 1853, listed in census in 1860, but nowhere else.
(2) FIELDON A. STRAIGHT, born April 1856; died 1942; married Mary J. Camp
(born 1855). When his parents moved to Roane County, Fieldon remained in
Monangalia County, where he appears on the 1880 census withe his wife Mary. In
the 1910 census they were listed in Monongalia County, Batelle District. In
1920 Fieldon and his wife were still in Monongalia County and their son Bill
lived at home with them. Children:
Willie (Bill) Straight, born July 1880, he married Lillie Graff. Children:
--- 1. Margie Straight, born 1921, married (1) Berle Rose;(2) Michael Velic.
--- 2. William Gail Straight, born 1924; married Mary Maxine Bartung.
--- 3. Addie Mae Straight, born 1925, married Wilford McVicker.
--- 4. Thomas Edgar Straight, born 1928; married Martha Belle Kernen.
--- 5. Nora Madge Straight, born 1929; married Gerald Dale Hostetler.
Addie Straight, (daughter), born Nov. 1881.
Charlie Straight, born July 1883, married Dessie Santee. Children:
--- 1. Samuel Edwin Straight, born 1911.
--- 2. Clara Ortolla Straight, born 1914.
--- 3. Charles Fielding Straight, born 1916.
--- 4. Roy Encil Straight, born 1918.
--- 5. William Dewie Straight, born 1921.
--- 6. Betty Valgene Straight, born 1933
--- 7. Ruth Louise Straight, born 1933.
James F. Straight, born Aug. 1885. He married Clara Alice Santee. Children:
--- 1. Juanita Straight, b. 1916; d. 1982; married Henry Shriver.
--- 2. Jimmie Francis Straight, born 1929, died 1989, married Betty Lou
Tennant.
Jessie (son) born Feb. 1891.
(3) ROSENA STRAIGHT, born 17 April 1857; married (1) ? Roberts, (2) ? Cain (3)
Andy Hall. In 1880 she lived on the farm next to her parents with her three
children:
--- Cora F. Roberts, born 1874.
--- Mary A. Roberts, born 1876.
--- Wm. C. Roberts, born 1880.
(4) ANNARA (NADE) STRAIGHT, born 1861 in Wetzel County; married 13 March 1888
in Roane County to Theodore Roberts.
(5) PERMELIA JANE STRAIGHT, born about 1865 in Marion County. She married 1
May 1884 in Roane County to John H. Blosser (born ca 1858). He was the son of
Robert and Susan Murray Blosser. John and Permelia lived in Reedy where John
was partners with S. B. Seaman, Jr. operating the first steam flour mill at
Reedy.
One known child:
--- Peter Blosser.
(6) LUCINDA G. (ELLA) STRAIGHT, born 1868 (Wetzel County?) married on April
1890 to Lewis Stirret who grew up on a neighboring farm in Reedy.
(7) JAMES LEAMAN STRAIGHT,
born 2 Feb 1870; Monongalia County, Batelle Dist., died 31 Jan 1926 in Akron
OH. He married (1) 28 April 1889 to Annie Letitia Gough (2) Ida Mandy
Greathouse.
* [This family is continued at bottom of page]
(8) WILLIAM E STRAIGHT, born 1875; married 10 Sept 1894 to Virginia (Tiny)
Alice Ashley in Roane County. In the 1910 census he lived in Roane County; in
1920 he had moved to Wirt County. He and Tiny are both buried in Fairview
Cemetery, Roane County, WV. Children:
--- Ira B. Straight, born 1895.
--- Robert Straight, born 1898.
--- Ocil (Ochel?) Straight, (daughter) born 1901.
--- Raymond Straight, born 1904.
--- Burton T. Straight, born abt 1905, in 1920 he lived in Roane County,
with Hollie T. Fox, and was listed as brother in law.
--- Opal Straight, born 1909.
--- Genevive Straight, born 1912.
--- Hazel Straight, born 1915.
(9) MILFORD STRAIGHT, died young.
(10) ELIZABETH WARD, born 1863, adopted.
- end -
JAMES L. STRAIGHT
James Leamon Straight, son of James A. and Sarah Jane (Sally) Neely (McNeilly),
was born 2 Feb. 1970 in Marion County, WV. The 1900 census lists his birth
date
of April 1869. His family moved when he was a child to Wetzel County, and
later, about 1879 to Spring Creek, Reedy Dist., Roane Cunty.
He married on 28 April 1889 in Roane County, (at the home of the bride) to
Annie Gough (Anna Letitia) who was born 21 Sept 1869, daughter of Albert L.
Gough and Nancy Elizabeth Board. Annie's brother Charles Gough married Susan
Blosser, sister to John Blosser who married James L.'s sister Permelia Jane
Straight.
James and Annie had two children before her death from TB 11 Sept. 1892: Acie
Clarence and John Elzie.
James L. married again on 21 Sept. 1893 at the home of his father to Ida Mandy
Greathouse, born 5 April 1870, daughter of George Greathouse and Sarah
Slaughter. James L. and Ida Mandy had 9 children of their own, and Ida raised
the other two boys as her own. When she died in Akron, OH on 18 April 1945,
Acie Clarence buried her in his family plot with the inscription
"MOTHER" on her marker.
In the 1900 census James L. lived in Reedy Dist. on his parents' farm with his
wife, Ida Mandy, five children, James A. and Sarah Straight (parents) and R.
L. Greathouse, Ida's brother.
Living close by in 1900 was James L.'s twice widowed sister, Rosena Roberts
Cain with her sons, Oscar Cain, age 19; Joseph Cain, age 15; W. C. Roberts,
age 21, from her former marriage; and Will Jenkins, a boarder, age 25.
James L.'s mother died 1902 and his father died 1906. James L. sold the farm
in 1907 and moved to Walton. The farm they lived on in 1910 in Spring Creek,
Roane County, was rented and he worked for someone else. Acie Clarence (called
Clarence) was 20 years old, and was a teamster in the oil fields. Elzie was
18, working at odd jobs, the other children were either at school or working
as farm laborers.
In 1917 James L. moved his family to Belleville, Harris District., Wood
County. 1920 census: Wood County, WV:
James L. Straight -- age 49, farmer
Ida -- age 49, wife
George Doyle -- age 19
Sallie J. -- age 19
Cora A. -- age 14
Charles C. --age 11
Sidney -- age 9
French P. -- age 7
William E. -- age 4 1/2, (son of John Elzie)
Relatives lived all arouund them. Next to James L. Straight was a Buffington
family, and next to them were the George F. and Sarah M. Boord. Sarah
Hartshorn Boord was the sister of James S. Hartshorn.
The next neighbor was Clyde and Ollie Swain. Ollie was the daughter of George
F. Boord, and was James S. Hartshorn's niece.
On the other side of James L. Straight lived James S. Hartshorn age 53,
farmer, Lila V. age 52, Jacob M. age 30, farm laborer (later married Sally J.
Straight, above), Oda, age 28 housekeeper for private family, working for
wages; Gertie, age 25; Edna, age 22, Opal age 19; Leona, age 15; Herbert,
grandson, age 2 1/2.
Living next to James L. Straight was Acie Clarence Straight and Roxie, (James
S. Hartshorn's oldest daughter), and their son, James O. Straight, age 3 1/2.
James L. moved next to Akron, OH where some of the Straights had already gone
to work in the rubber shops. James L. lived on Barnes Rd. in the town of
Tallmadge, Summit County, OH, when he died of TB in 1926. He was buried in
Mount Peace Cemetery in Akron. Ida Mandy Greathouse Straight was buried in
Greenlawn near the Eagles monument near Acie Clarence and Roxie.
Children of James L. Straight and Anna Letitia Gough:
(1) ACIE CLARENCE STRAIGHT (Clarence) was born 27 October 1889 Spring Creek,
Reedy Dist., Roane County, WV, and died 26 February 1966 in Akron, OH. About
1907 Clarence moved with his parents to Walton in Roane County where he went
to work in the oil fields as a teamster. He married 10 Sept. 1910 Roxie Mae
Hartshorn, daughter of James Hartshorn and Susan Williams.
By 1916 Clarence and Roxie had moved to Belleville, Wood County, WV where
their only child, James Otis, was born 12 March 1916. About 1929 they followed
Clarence's father to Akron, OH where work in the rubber shops was plentiful.
Clarence and Roxie bought a house on Leeser Ave next door to Robert and Nora
Morrison. The Morrisons were a family from Pennsylvania who were raising their
granddaughter Nora Arlene Raynes, daughter of John Clark Raynes and Lula
Morrison. Clarence's son, Otis, married Nora Raynes in 1936.
Clarence was a security guard for the Palmer Match Company (later the Ohio
Match Co.) which during World War II was converted to an ammunition plant. He
was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
On 28 Oct.1958 Roxie died of a heart attack. Clarence died 26 Feb. 1966, also
of a heart attack. He died on his way to get a haircut and was found by Donald
George, a friend of the family, sitting in the driveway of his home, slumped
over the steering wheel of his car, the engine still running.
Clarence's funeral was officiated by Bruce Cummons, husband of Wanda Straight
Cummons, the daughter of Clarence's brother, Elzie. Clarence and Roxie are
buried together near the Eagles monument in Greenlawn Cemetery in Akron.
Obituary: Mrs. Roxie M. Straight, 71, of 1255 Leeser Ave. died (28 Oct. 1958)
today after an illness of about three years. She was a native of West County,
WV. (Note, this should be Wirt County. DS) She came to Akron from Reedy, WV
about 30 years ago. Mrs. Straight leaves her husband, Clarence, a son, James
O. of Cuyahoga Falls; her step-mother, Mrs. Lela Hartshorn of Cuyahoga Falls;
three sisters, Gertrude Hartshorn of Akron, Mrs. Carl H. Stephens of
Parkersburg, WV, and Mrs W. V. Amos of Belleville, WV, a brother Jacob
Hartshorn of Belleville, two grandchildren and two great grandchildren. The
Rev. Bruce Cummins will conduct services at 1 pm Thursday in the Prentice
Co.'s Funeral Home, 1154 Kenmore Blvd. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery.
The funeral home will be open to callers after 7:30 tonight.
--- Child of Clarence Straight and Roxie Hartshorn:
James Otis Straight, ( Otis) was born 12 March 1916, in Belleville, WV. He
married Nora Arlene Raynes, 31 July 1936, in Akron, OH. Otis and Nora had two
children:
Notes from Otis's army record: 5' 6", 130 lbs. blue eyes, blonde hair.
Last job (before joining the army) chief clerk for Cook Coffee Co., Sharp
Shooter medal on M1 rifle. Good Conduct medal. European American Eastern
Theater in World War II.
Otis and Nora were divorced, and she married John Waguespack in New Orleans.
Nora Arlene Raynes Straight Waguespack is buried in St. Bernard Memorial
Gardens, Chalmette, LA.
Otis married Nellie Burkhart Thomas on 27 October 1951 in Akron, OH. Nellie
had three children from her previous marriage, Deanna, Bonnie, and David
Thomas.
James Otis Straight, Sr. died 26 June 1986 and is buried in Greenlawn
Cemetery, Akron, OH. Letter from Loraine Hartshorn: "Jim's dad (Otis)
and Nellie were real close to us, and we really do miss him. He made me some
cabinets that I am real proud to have. He sure liked to read. We saw him in
May before he died in June. They were at our house for a cook out."
(2) JOHN ELZIE STRAIGHT (Elzie) was born 10 July 1891 in Reedy, Roane
County, WV. He married Effie Harless: they were divorced in the 1920s. Effie
changed her name to Dorothy Hall and later married a Mr. Bittikofer. Effie
died in Florida 14 Nov. 1988 and was buried in Vista Memory Garden, Miami,
FL. Elzie and Effie had one son:
- William Elmer (Bill) Straight, born 4 Feb 1915 in Roane County; died 12
July 1983 in Cambridge OH; buried in All Saints Cemetery, Northfield, OH.
He married Catherine M. Raimer (Katie), born 23 June 1921 in Maple Hts.,
Cuyhoga County, OH, daughter of Raymond Raimer and Mary Rose Vos. Bill and
Katie adopted one daughter:
John Elzie married (2 ) Rhoda Ringer. They had one daughter: Wanda
Straight,b. 19 November 1929; who married Pastor Bruce D. Cummons, DD (born
Aug. 1924) pastor of Massilon Baptist Temple, Massilon, OH. Children:
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