4- John F WOLFORD 1869–1954

img_1728   John F WOLFORD

  • Father- Calvin Wolford (1834-1919)
  • Mother- Eliza Pritchard (1840-1913)
  • Born-27 JUL 1869 • Gallia, Ohio, United States
  • Died-26 FEB 1954 • Cabell, West Virginia, United States
  • Married-12 Jul 1899 • Mason, West Virginia, USA
  • Spouse-Nora Bell POWELL 1882-1934

John Wolford and Nora Bell Power’s children:

  1. LAWRENCE HENRY WOLFORD 1904-1960
  2. BERLIN THEODORE HANK WOLFORD 1905-1950
  3. Harley F Wolford 1907-1923
  4. SYLVIA C WOLFORD 1909-1991
  5. CARLES WOLFORD 1914-1985
  6. HELEN L WOLFORD 1925-2011

Calvin and Eliza had their fourth child, John Wolford, on 27 July 1869, while still living in Ohio, Gallia, Ohio, USA, four years after Calvin got home from the war.  By the time he was ten, John is helping out on the family farm at Hannan, Mason, West Virginia. At age 19 he married Nora Bell Powell on 12 July 1899.  Nora was one of seven children raised by another Mason county farm family headed by William Powell and Mary Meadows.

Within a few months, they take off for Springfield, Ross, Ohio, a solid 150 miles away from home, where John gets a job as a teamster (driving an animal team). By the time the census rolls around, John’s parents, Calvin and Eliza, are also living with them.  John and Nora stay in Springfield long enough to have Lawrence in 1904, but by 1905, they have B.T. “Hank” Wolford in Fayetteville, Fayette, West Virginia.  Calvin and Eliza stay in Springfield, Ohio a few more years.

Harley is born in Fayetteville, but Sylvia is born in Ohio.  In 1910, they remain living in Fayetteville, and four years later Carles is born.  John buys a farm in Buffalo, Putnam, West Virginia and the whole family is living on the farm by 1920.  Harley contracts empyema (life threatening lung infection) and dies in 1923.  Two years later, the baby, Helen is born in 1925 when John is 56 and Nora is 43 years old.

The stock market crash of 1929 began a period of severe hardship for many Americans, and John and Nora were no exception.  They lose the farm shortly after that, and end up moving into town at Huntington, Cabel, West Virginia in 1930.  John is working timber, and lucky to have a job in 1930.  Lawrence has moved out to seek his fortune, and Sylvia marries Earl Ferrell a year later in 1931. Nora, John’s wife of 35 years passes away in 1934, then a year later Carles moves out, but stays in Huntington for the rest of his life.

Sylvia and her husband Earl take in her father John and her little sister Helen, who is starting high school in Huntington.  I’m not sure how long they lived with Sylvia, but John eventually moved back out on his own, a few blocks away from where Sylvia and Earl lived.  He died at home of an apparent heart attack at the age of 84 on 26 February 1954, 20 years after Nora had passed.  He never remarried.

Timeline:

27 Jul 1869- Birth-

1870- US Federal Census, page 12, Ohio Township, Gallia county, Ohio, Mercerville post office. 3 Aug 1870.

  • Line 27, dwelling 92, family 92, Calvin Wolford, 37, Male, white, farm laborer, born Ohio, can’t read, can’t write.
  • 28, Eliza, 30, F, W, keeping house, Ohio.
  • 29, William, 9, M, W, Ohio.
  • 30, Florence, 7, F, W, Ohio
  • 31, James W, 4, M, W, Ohio
  • 32, John F, 1, M, W, Ohio

1880- US Federal Census, page 41, Supervisor district 2, Enumeration district 95, Hannan District, Mason, West Virginia, 22 June 1880. Dwelling 362, family 364.

  • Line 29, Calvin Wolford, White, Male, 52, married, Farming, born Ohio, father Ohio, mother Ohio.
  • 30, Eliza, W, F, 40, Wife, married, keeping house, B Ohio, F Ohio, M Ohio.
  • 31, William, W, M, 19, son, single, farming, can’t read, can’t write, B Ohio, F Ohio, M Ohio.
  • 32, Florence, W, F, 17, daughter, single, at home, can’t read, can’t write, B Ohio, F Ohio, M Ohio.
  • 33, James, W, M, 14, son, single, farming, attended school, can’t read, can’t write, B Ohio, F Ohio, M Ohio.
  • 34, John, W, M, 11, son, single, farming, attended school, B Ohio, F Ohio, M Ohio.
  • 35, David, W, M, 8, son, single, attended school, B Ohio, F Ohio, M Ohio.
  • 36, Benjamin, W, M, 1, grandson, single, B WV, F Ohio, M WV. 

1890-

12 Jul 1899- Mason County Marriage Register, 1899, page 576.

  • License; John Wolford and Nora Powell, 12 July 1899. P.R.B. Smith, Clerk
  • Clerk’s Certificate; J.P.B.R. Smith, Clerk of the County court of Mason County, State of West Virginia.
    • The full name of the parties are as follows; John Wolford, Nora Powell.
    • He is 30, she is 21.
    • He was born in Gallia, Ohio.
    • She was born in Mason, WV.
    • His residence is Mason, WV.
    • Her residence is Mason, WV.
    • Informant is John Wolford of Mason, WV.
    • Dated 12 July 1899.
  • Minister’s Return or Endorsement
    • JW Griffiths, Minister of the M.E. Church
    • United in Marriage on 12 July 1899
  • West Virginia, Marriages Index, 1785-1971, Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.Publisher, 2011, Provo, UT, USA
  • West Virginia, Compiled Marriage Records, 1863-1900, Ancestry.com, Dodd, Jordan, comp.. West Virginia Marriage Records, 1863-1900. , Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000, Provo, UT, USA

1900- US Federal Census, Sheet 4, Sup. Dist. 10, Enum Dist. 100, Springfield township, Ross county, Ohio, 6 June 1900.Dwelling75, family 76.

  • Line 89, John Wolford, head, White, Male, Born July 1869, aged 30, Married, Years married 1, B Ohio, F Ohio, M Ohio, occ. teamster, 0 months unemployed, can read, can write, can speak English, rents house.
  • 90, Nora, Wife, W, F, May 1882, 18, M, 1 yr, no births, no children, B WV, F WV, M WV, can read, write, speak English.
  • 91, Calvin Wolford, father, W, M, Sep. 1834, 65, M x 41 yr., B OH, F OH, M OH, day laborer, unemployed x 2 months, can read, can’t write, speaks English.
  • 92, Eliza, mother, W, F, Dec. 1840, 59, M x 41 yr., 5 births, 4 living children, B OH, F OH, M OH, can read, write, speak English.

1904-  LAWRENCE HENRY WOLFORD 1904-1960

1905- BERLIN THEODORE HANK WOLFORD 1905-1950

1907- Harley F Wolford 1907-1923

1909- SYLVIA C WOLFORD 1909-1991

1910 US Federal Census- Year: 1910; Census Place: Fayetteville, Fayette, West Virginia; Roll: T624_1679; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 0010; FHL microfilm: 1375692

  • L 71, 37, Wolford, John, Head, Male, White, 39, 1871, Married, Ohio, Ohio, Ohio,
  • L 72, 37, Wolford, Nora, Wife, Female, White, 27, 1883, Married, West Virginia, West Virginia, West Virginia,
  • L 73, 37, Wolford, Lawrence H C, Son, Male, White, 7, 1903, Single, Ohio, Ohio, West Virginia,
  • L 74, 37, Wolford, Theodore B, Son, Male, White, 5, 1905, Single, West Virginia, Ohio, West Virginia,
  • L 75, 37, Wolford, Harley F, Son, Male, White, 3, 1907, Single, West Virginia, Ohio, West Virginia,
  • L 76, 37, Wolford, Slyvia C, Daughter, Female, White, 1, 1909, Single, Ohio, Ohio, West Virginia,
  • L 77, 37, Treadway, James B, Boarder, Male, White, 40, 1870, Divorced, West Virginia, West Virginia, West Virginia

1914- CARLES WOLFORD 1914-1985

1920 United States Federal Census, Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Year: 1920; Census Place: Buffalo, Putnam, West Virginia; Roll: T625_1965; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 102; Image: 995

  • Farm, 5, Wolford, John, Head, Mortgaged, Male, White, 49, 1871, Married, , , Ohio, Ohio, Ohio, Yes, farmer, own farm, Own Account
  • , 5, Wolford, Aora, Wife, , Female, White, 37, 1883, Married, , , West Virginia, West Virginia, West Virginia, Yes, , ,
  • , 5, Wolford, Lawrence, Son, , Male, White, 16, 1904, Single, , No, Ohio, Ohio, West Virginia, Yes, , ,
  • , 5, Wolford, Berlin, Son, , Male, White, 14, 1906, Single, , Yes, West Virginia, Ohio, West Virginia, Yes, , ,
  • , 5, Wolford, Harley, Son, , Male, White, 12, 1908, Single, , Yes, West Virginia, Ohio, West Virginia, Yes, , ,
  • , 5, Wolford, Sylvia, Daughter, , Female, White, 10, 1910, Single, , Yes, Ohio, Ohio, West Virginia, Yes, , ,
  • , 5, Wolford, Carlis, Son, , Male, White, 4, 1916, Single, , No, West Virginia, Ohio, West Virginia, Yes, , ,

1925- HELEN L WOLFORD 1925-2011

1930 United States Federal Census, Year: 1930; Census Place: Huntington, Cabell, West Virginia; Roll: 2529; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 38; Image: 959.0; FHL microfilm: 2342263

  • 1, Thirty-first Street, 523, 122, 124, Wolford, John W, Head, Rented, 25, No, No, Male, White, 56, 1874, Married, 26, No, Yes, Ohio, United States, Ohio, , , , Yes, Laborer, Timber, Wage or salary worker, Yes, ,
  • 2, Thirty-first Street, 523, 122, 124, Wolford, Nora B, Wife, , , , , Female, White, 45, 1885, Married, 18, No, Yes, West Virginia, West Virginia, West Virginia, , , , Yes, , , , , ,
  • 3, Thirty-first Street, 523, 122, 124, Wolford, Sylvia, Daughter, , , , , Female, White, 20, 1910, Single, , No, Yes, Ohio, Ohio, West Virginia, , , , Yes, Taping, Underwear Factory, Wage or salary worker, Yes, ,
  • 4, Thirty-first Street, 523, 122, 124, Wolford, E Carlos, Son, , , , , Male, White, 15, 1915, Single, , Yes, Yes, West Virginia, Ohio, West Virginia, , , , Yes, Automobile Appa Repair Mechanic, GARAGE, Unpaid worker, member of the family, Yes, ,
  • 5, Thirty-first Street, 523, 122, 124, Wolford, Helen L, Daughter, , , , , Female, White, 4, 1926, Single, , No, , West Virginia, Ohio, West Virginia, , , , , , , , , ,

May 1937- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007,

  • Name:, Mrs John Wolford
  • SSN:, 234164288
  • Gender:, Male
  • Race:, White
  • Birth Date:, 27 Jul 1869
  • Birth Place:, Ross CO, Ohio
  • Father:, Calvin Wolford
  • Mother:, Liza Prichard
  • Type of Claim:, Original SSN.
  • Notes:, May 1937: Name listed as JOHN WOLFORD

1940 United States Federal Census, Year: 1940; Census Place: Huntington, Cabell, West Virginia; Roll: T627_4399; Page: 14B; Enumeration District: 6-62

  • 76, 7012, , Rented, 200, , Ferrell, Earl, Head, Male, White, 39, 1901, Married, No, Elementary school, 8th grade, West Virginia, , Same Place, , , No, No, Yes, No, No, No, 32, 20, , WPA, Wage or salary worker in Government work, , 2, 32, 550, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
  • 77, 7012, , , , , Ferrell, Sylvia, Wife, Female, White, 31, 1909, Married, No, Elementary school, 8th grade, Ohio, , Same Place, , , , No, No, No, No, Home Housework, , , , , , , 5, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
  • 78, 7012, , , , , Walford, Helen, Sister-in-law, Female, White, 14, 1926, Single, Yes, High School, 1st year, West Virginia, , Same Place, , , , No, No, No, No, School, , , , , , , 6, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
  • 79, 7012, , , , , Walford, John, Brother-in-law, Male, White, 69, 1871, Widowed, No, Elementary school, 6th grade, Illinois, , Same Place, , , , No, No, No, No, Unable to Work, , , , , , , 7, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

1950-

26 FEB 1954-Certificate of Death 1378, WV State Dept. of Health- Div. of Vital Stats.,

  • Name John Wolford,
  • Death 2/26/54, 11:01 a.m.
  • 332 ½ 35th Street, Huntington, Cabell, West Virginia.
  • Male, White, Widowed
  • Date of Birth, 7/27/1869, 84 years, 7 months
  • Retired Farmer
  • Father Calvin Wolford, Mother Eliza Pritchard
  • Not a veteran, Informant Lawrence Wolford
  • COD, Probable coronary occlusion
  • Burial, Pete Meadows, Received 3/3/54