Whites Addition, Logan County, WV

Whites Addition

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Eli and Viola White, Whites Addition, Logan County, WV
Eli (1851-1931) and Viola (1857-1934) White and probably their granddaughter at Whites Addition. Photo courtesy of Keith Davis. Used with permission.

White Addition is named after the Elijah (Eli) White family who had a farm there. He and many family members are buried at the family cemetery on the hillside.  The cherry trees whereby Cherry Tree got its name were probably planted by Eli.  Until the early 1950s, there were cherry trees at the lower end of Whites Addition across the creek from Cherry Tree which may have been part of Eli’s Cherry Tree grove.

Although the quality of the photo below is very poor, one can see how the lower end of Whites Addition in Logan County, WV appeared in the early 1950s.  This view is from the Cherry Tree side of Island Creek.  The photo was taken while standing on the swinging bridge that crossed Island Creek.  I suspect that the reason it is so blurred is because the swinging bridge was shaking.  Many of the houses on the hillside are still there. The three houses on the lower right were owned by my grandfather, George Thompson.  George Thompson was actually from Bulgaria but chose to use an Americanized name.  He worked as a miner for the Mount Gay Coal Mine.  On a coal miner’s salary, he managed to build these three houses and was building a fourth at the time of his death in 1957 of lung cancer.   However, only the house on the lower right is still there.  The two houses on the left were destroyed by fire in 1963.  The building behind the house on the right was a chicken house. There was also a smokehouse located on the property. In the early 1950s, the three houses and the property associated with them were referred to as the “Thompson Farm”.
Whites Addition
Many of the kids growing up in Whites Addition would climb the mountain to visit Big Rocks.  The photos of Big Rocks are here for those of us that did.  Very little at Whites Addition or Cherry Tree are as we remember but Big Rocks hasn’t changed.

If you have any old photos or memories of Whites Addition you’d like to share with us, please do so.  My email address is loganwv.us@gmail.com.

 Whites Addition Photo Gallery

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17 thoughts on “Whites Addition”

  1. Roger Adkins

    I viewed the photo of the Of the Military man in it, I can say he looks just like my Uncle Hassel Adkins. His name was Chilton H. Adkins he was the son of Rev. Spencer “Red” And Celie Adkins that at one time lived in Whites Addition, and Mona Hill, and later moved to Cherry Tree until and was there until the Flood of 1963, they owned the Boarding house beside the old RC bottling Company in Cherry Tree, they sold out and moved to Columbus Ohio, and lived there until they passed, Grandpa in the early 70s and Grandma in early 80s, I wish I had a copy of the photo to send my cousin Darrell so he could see it and maybe confirm my thoughts.

    Reply
  3. Johnny Walker

    Jim Salyers, I remember you. You were a strong young man used to hard work. I recall your pleasant personality and smile. I hope all is well with you and your family. God bless.

    Johnny Walker

    Reply
    1. Jim Salyers

      Thanks for getting back to me Johnny.
      My family is well, wish the same for you and yours.
      If you are interested in discussing the past, please e-mail me at “jhsalyers@cox.net”

      Jim Salyers

      Reply
  4. Eugene Burress

    Thank you for all those pictures and that trip down memory lane.
    I never thought I’d ever see Big Rocks again. Thank you so much.
    I lived in White’s Addition for most of the 1960’s. We lived just up the road from the Thompson house, about a half mile in that first street against the hill.
    I grew up with and remember Randy and Sandra.
    I live in Texas now.

    Reply
    1. Mel Sheppard

      Eugene Burress, that’s a blast from the past. I lived up the huge hill. Our house was the third to be lost in the 1963 fire.

      Reply
  5. Herb Harvey

    Lived in Whites Addn. from about 1953-1963. Moved there from Dog Patch into the house closest to the swinging bridge. Woody and Pauline moved in when we relocated to brown brick siding house that is at the foot of the hill below Poppy Damron’s. I seem to remember a roller skating rink in Cherry Tree not far from the bridge. I remember Larry, Randy and Sandra Thompson.

    Reply
    1. Frank Thompson

      Herb, nice hearing from you. I remember your parents, Harold and Eloise. Our families go way back. When I was really small, your parents lived upstairs. We also lived just behind your family when you lived in the house with the brown-brick siding. The house we lived in also had the same brown-brick siding. I also remember the skating ring. The skating ring was in a big circus tent if I remember correctly. My parents were Brady and Betty Thompson. My mother was good friends with your mother. My mother died in 1989 and my dad in 2003.

      Reply
      1. Herb Harvey

        I remember all of you guys, too.
        We moved from Whites Addn. to McConnell in July 1963.
        Dad died October 1975..Mom is still living. She lives near me in Fayette County. Brother John re-located to Fayette County a few years ago..Little brother, Mike, lives at 5&6 Holden.

        Told Mom about the pictures posted here…she still remembers everyone. I’ll try to get her a copy of some pics, somehow. Keep in touch….Herb RV

        Reply
        1. Johnny Walker

          Herb, I’m sure you don’t remember me, but my family, Ruth and Clyde Musick, lived behind Harold and Eloise during the mid-fifties and early sixties. I graduated from high school while living there. Your parents were two great people. If your mother is still living, give her my regards. God bless.

          Reply
          1. Herb Harvey

            I remember your family well. Clyde was a policeman. Brenda and Sharon (Tootie) were also classmates at Mt. Gay Grade School.
            Frank Thompson’s family moved into the house you used to live in.

          2. Jim Salyers

            Johnny, I am quite sure you do not remember me, I was reading the comments about Whites Addition and your name brought up some memories from the past. I lived up on top of the hill above the Damrons we were the last house on the hill. as I recall you played baseball. I ran away from home in 1956 after 9th grade so all my memories are before then.

  6. Frank Thompson

    Hi Dodie, that’s very interesting. To my knowledge no one ever did a deed search on the property of George Thompson at White’s Addition. BTW, George Thompson adopted my mother. My grandfather, John Petroff and George were both from Bulgaria and apparently became good friends when they lived at Mona Hill. They are buried side by side at Chauncey.

    I can remember my first grade teacher at Cherry Tree asking me the the name of my grandfather and I said George Thompson. She then asked me what was the name of my mother’s father and I said George Thompson again. She looked a little shocked and confused and said that I must be mistaking. She knew that we lived directly across the creek and she knew George Thompson live there, too. I can remember telling my mother about it and she thought it was very amusing. One afternoon my teacher visited my mother and I’ve always wondered if that wasn’t the real purpose of her visit.

    thompsof@yahoo.com

    Reply
  7. Dodie (Smith) Browning

    Frank, Here are a couple of deed abstracts that make me believe that Henry Farley once owned what became White’s Addition and Ellis Addition. What do you think?????

    25 April 1810
    Indenture from Henry Farley and wife Sally, 300 acres on Guyandotte River to James White. (Cabell County Deed Bk I, p.43)
    (Note: This is probably where White’s Addition is currently located. Which is close to Cherry Tree).

    20 August 1814
    Indenture Henry Farley & wife Sarah to Evan Ellis, 60 acres on Guyandotte, patented to William Ward, joining White’s land. Witnesses: Ezekiel Smith, David McNeley (sic), John Dingess and William Dingess. The deed mentioned that this was where Patton Thompson, deceased, had lived. (Cabell County Deed Bk I, p.423) (Evan Ellis’s land and his farm were on Island Creek.)

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  8. Dodie (Smith) Browning

    Frank, Do you know if anyone has done a “Title Search” to the property you mentioned as the “Thompson Farm”? It is said (beginng with Henry Clay Ragland) that our ancestor, Henry Farly lived at Peach Creek and that Peach Creek was named for his Peach Orchard. In tracing his land grants, I am more inclined to think he did not live at Peach Creek, but MAYBE Cherry Tree? My ancestor and yours, Patton THOMPSON (who was married to Judy Farley, Henry’s daughter) seems to have lived around the area of White’s Addition, or more specifically Ellis Addition. In August 1814, Henry Farley sold the land where Patton Thompson and Judy had lived, to Evan Ellis. Evan Ellis lived somewhere around the area of present day Cherry Tree.
    Best Regards,
    Dodie (Smith) Browning

    Reply

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