HISTORY of the CURREY FAMILY of WEST VIRGINIA By REV. TRUMAN B. LAWLER, Historian of the Currey Reunion Dedication lo all Curreys of our families and especially to the members of the Currey Reunion, in memory of those who have gone before, and for the encouragement and inspiration of those who are now living, to the end that the living may hold sacred the family name and by noble deeds and uprightness of character and life make the name honored and respected every­ where. To these ends this history is dedicated. TRUMAN BARTON LAWLER. THE AUTHOR TRUMAN BARTON LAWLER January 16, 1875 - May 29, 1950. Rev. Truman B. Lawler, son of Angeline Currey Lawler and Mor­ timer J. Lawler, was elected historian of the Currey family in 1916 and held the position until his death. During these years he was ever alert for material relating to the family or pictures of members of the family. It was his earnest endeavor to have each member of the family repre­ sented by a picture and a history. It was also his intention to use every picture sent to him. It is to be regretted that some pictures furnished are not in this book, because they were not of a quality that could be reproduced by the printer. A history of Rev. Lawler's family appears later in this book. He was graduated from Fairmont Normal School in 1900, attended West Vir­ ginia University and Crozer Seminary. He was known throughout his ministry as a "church builder" and built churches during his pastorate at St. Albans, Shinnston, Barrackville and Lumberport. The church was remodeled during his stay at Fairview. Funds were raised to build a new church at Northfork while he was there, but the war interfered. It was his happy privilege to preach the first sermon in Northfork's new church on Easter Sunday of this year. His first pastorate was at the Palatine Baptist Church in Fairmont, now known as the Baptist Temple. Rev. Lawler was loyal to his God, his country, and his family. A minister friend of his who conducted his funeral appropriately used the text: "A prince and a great man has this day fallen in Israel." HEBER H. CURREY, President of the Currey Reunion. June 22, 1950. 3 4 Thaddeus Currey Enoch C. Currey First President Second President Presidents of the Currey Reunion Ralph Currey Heber H. Currey Third President Present President The Currey Reunion This picture was taken at Goodhope, Harrison County, West Virgin ia, at the home of Thaddeus Currey the second year of the Reunion. VALEDICTORY The Currey Reunion was organized July 4, 1916. From that date I have been the historian of the Currey Family. I was elected by the unanimous vote of those then present. The term of office was not named and there has been no election of historian since 1916, and I have served the reunion to the best of my ability these thirty-two years. You have been very helpful to me in preparing this history. While it demanded much time and effort to prepare this history, it has been a pleasant task. It has been a renewing of acquaintances of many friends of other days that I had not seen for a long time. I received scores of letters from members of the families composing this re­ union. All seemed anxious to assist me in this work. These letters have greatly touched me. The added notes at. the close of the letters have been greatly appreciated. One says, "I would like to see you again." Another says, "I would like to hear you preach again." An­ other says, "I wish you could visit us again some time." Still another says, "We have never forgotten you. We often talk about you." We wish for you and your family good health and the best of everything." These are only a few of the many kind expressions that have come from friends worth having. There has been an element of sadness in connection with this task. It has been my painful duty, as your historian, to record the deaths in your families. Many have gone into the Great Beyond. Many, many times I have written the dates of births and the dates of deaths. Many times, in preparing this history, I have been reminded of the fact that "It is appointed unto men once to die." But we believe in another life that is far better than this, where death never comes and where we shall never say good-bye. I pray to our Heavenly Father to send the Comforter to all whose loved ones have gone on, and may He sanctify their sorrow and finally bring them to the Heavenly home to join that Reunion of all who love God. I am very thankful that my life has been spared to complete this history. I am now in my seventy-fifth year. Seventy-five years is a long time. I have personally known many about whom I have written. Some have gone to school with me and some have gone to school to me when I was a school teacher. Many have been in my congregations during my forty-two years in the Christian ministry. I have married many couples and baptized hundreds of people and often I have stood by the open graves and endeavored to speak words of comfort. I realize that the sands of time for me are about run out. I now say farewell to you all. We may never see each other again in this world. I hope and pray that we may all meet again in Heaven. I commend you to the grace of God who is able to keep that which we have com­ mitted to Him. I bid you all good-bye, which means, God be with you. TRUMAN BARTON LAWLER. 7 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS HISTORICAL SOURCES For thirty years I have been gathering material for this history. Most of the members of this family I have known personally. I have at­ tended twenty-eight sessions of the Currey Reunion. Two years during World War II the reunion did not meet on account of the difficulty of travel. This long acquaintance with the family has been very helpful to me in writing this history. I have written many letters to members of the family for information. The response has been wonderful. This I ap­ preciate greatly. Aside from my own knowledge of the family, I have received a great deal of information from others. The principal source of information has been family records. I think I have the records of most of the members of the family. I have tried to name all the Curreys in this history, but I am sure in this I have failed. But I have named most of the heads of families. Some who were members of this family changed their names when they married. We have tried to give their present names, and the per­ sons married into the family have been adopted into the family. They belong to the Currey Reunion and many of their pictures are given in this history. Many of the pictures used in this history are my own that I have been accumulating through the years. A considerable number have been loaned to me by members of the family for this history. I had access to an English library through the courtesy of a Scotch­ man who was educated in England. This library had much to say about the Curries, Curreys, and Currys. I am indebted to this friend for the library and much of the history of the origin of the family and their contribution to society. I wish to acknowledge the contributions of the following members of the family: President Heber H. Currey who typed most of this history for me and made other contributions. Mrs. A. A. Bailey who gave history and pictures. Lemon Currey, history and pictures. Gordon B. Currey, history and pictures. Guy Currey — Sam Currey's war record. A. J. Currey, picture and history. Mrs. Lawrence DeMossl Carl L. Currey, father's history and life of Dr. William Columbus Currey. Dawn Smith, history. Delbert Currey, family history. Everett Earl Currey. Clarence Currey. Mina Currey, history and pictures. Braxie Sergent, Madge Gabbert, Opal Shaffer, Mrs. Elva Summers, Ruth Layman — Leonard Currey's family. 8 Many others made contributions. There are so many of them that I cannot mention them all here, but I desire to thank all who in any way assisted in this work. I wish to express my appreciation of the financial support given me in this work. Without this support this history could not have been published. The expense of printing has been paid out of subscriptions for the history. I hope and pray that it may prove a good investment and an inspiration to a great multitude of people. COPY OF CHARTER OF CURREY CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION. State of West Virginia Certificate of Incorporation I, Houston G. Young, Secretary of State of the State of West Virginia, do hereby certify that an agreement duly acknowledged and accompa­ nied by the proper affidavits, has been this day delivered to me, which agreement is in the words and figures following: I. The undersigned agree to become a corporation by the name of The Currey Cemetery and Memorial Association. II. The principal place of business of said corporation shall be located at No. 327 Adams street, in the city of Fairmont, in the county of Marion, and the State of West Virginia. III. The object and purpose for which this corporation is formed are as follows: The principal purpose of this association shall be to keep in good condition all cemeteries and burying places, where members of the Currey family and their connections are buried or shall be buried, to own land for such purposes, to erect monuments, or publish memorials in the way of Family History.