Richard was a farmer. Before Richard and Nannie were married Richard was hired by Nannie's first husband to harvest his crops while he was away serving in the Civil War. Then after his death, Richard and Nannie were married.

Nannie died around 1895 shortly after she and Richard were divorced on November 30, 1894 Richard remarried on December 15, 1897 to 38 year old Fannie McNeely. Richard died October 8, 1926 in a Virginia State Hospital in Staunton, Virginia. He was in the hospital for one month and eight days. He is buried in the hospital's cemetery.

2-Mary Louise Moore was born April 1, 1869. Her nickname was Mollie. She married George Booth. Mollie and George had one daughter, Doris Rosa Booth. (Doris Rosa was born June 6, 1896 and she died August 12, 1984) Mollie died of pneumonia on February 6, 1912. George Booth died December 1, 1936. Mollie and George have 3 grandchildren living in the Danville area.

3-Lettie Ann Moore was born November 11, 1872. She married James Henry Wiles on October 18, 1893. Henry and Lettie had 8 children. They were: Hattie Wiles, Sarah Wiles, Pearl Wiles, Hugh Wiles, Raleigh Wiles, Jim Wiles, Louise Wiles and Armistead Wiles. James Henry Wiles died April 27, 1921 from stomach Cancer and Lettie died November 27, 1926. They are both buried on their farm in Mountain Hill. Lettie and Henry have a lot of grandchildren living in the Danville area.

4-Major Raymond Moore was born December 31, 1874. He married (wife's name is unknown at this time) and his wife died when their children were very young. Major's occupation was a painter. Major lived on Wilson Street in Danville. He had 2 children. They were, Nell Moore and Charlie Johnson Moore. Major died April 9, 1930 at his home. He is buried at Highland Burial Park in Danville. Most of Major's grandchildren live in North Carolina.

5-Charles Moore was born 1876. No other information is known at this time.

6-Bettie Lee Moore was born 1879. No other information is known at this time.

Richard's mother, Louisa Weatherford Moore was the granddaughter of Minister John Weatherford. The following information was reported in The Religious Herald:

John Weatherford was born in Charlotte County, Virginia and entered the ministry in 1761. He was one of the earliest Baptist preachers in Virginia, where ever he went, crowds followed to hear him preach the Gospel. While preaching in Chesterfield, he was arrested by Col. Cary and thrown into prison. The state church was trying to silence him because of the large numbers being converted. He was in jail 5 months in 1773 but this did not stop him. As long as they let him he would preach at the door of the prison, when refused permission to do this, he preached through the grates of the windows. So great was the opposition that an effort was made to stop that also. In his enthusiasm, he put his hands and arms through the bars, and cruel men cut his hands with knives, these scars he carried the rest of his life.

In order to prevent people from hearing him, a brick wall from 10 to 12 feet high was built before the prison. The top was lined with broken glass set in mortar to prevent people from sitting on top of the wall to hear THE LORD. Weatherford found a way to overcome this. A handkerchief was to be raised on a pole above the wall as a signal that the people were ready to hear. Because he had a very strong voice he could preach to the crowd on the other side of the wall.

One account says that at one time 9 confessed Christ and were baptized at night, just before the dawn by a preacher from a neighboring town. While John Weatherford was in Chesterfield jail he heard about a lawyer who had distinguished himself as a friend of persecuted baptists. Securing a messenger, he sent 5 British pounds in gold, all the money he could raise with the request that this lawyer appear in his defense at the next term of court. The lawyer was Patrick Henry. After securing Weatherford's release, the famous statesman of America gave back the 5 pounds, wrapped in the same handkerchief, just as it was sent to him.

Although John Weatherford was released, he could not leave jail, because he was unable to pay the charges for food which had accumulated during his imprisonment. Finally he was allowed to leave because someone, whose name was concealed, paid the charges. He was free! Twenty years later he discovered that it was Patrick Henry who had paid the charges. Patrick Henry not only defended imprison- ed Baptist preachers, he was also influential in getting a law passed which permitted them to marry their members and to bury their dead. He was always the pride of Liberty. He needed only to be informed of oppression and he would step forward without hes-itation to bring relief.

"John Weatherford's grave, ½ mile west is the grave of Elder John Weatherford (1735 - 1833) baptist preacher for 70 years and early advocate of religious liberty. Jailed 5 months in Chesterfield County in 1773 for unlicensed preaching. His release was secured by Patrick Henry."

Southern Baptist Churches were extremely strict in their religious practices. They excommunicated members frequently for drunkenness, dishonesty, trading with Negroes, failure to attend church, swearing and shooting on the Sabbath and on one occasion, for wearing a red dress on the Sabbath. Frontier Baptist Meeting Houses encouraged purity and obedience, and pious individuals such as E.W. Roach, John Williams, John Weatherford, and Abner Clopton led this movement. They received support from men and women who found themselves more responsive to the evangelical rather than the conventional style of religion. Over the years, world- liness had crept into the lives of many people and the spiritual zeal of the Baptist leaders fulfilled the needs of the times.

John Weatherford, instrumental in bringing the "Great Awakening" to southside Virginia, was the first notable Baptist minister in the County. He and his family lived in the upper Cub Creek section of Charlotte County. Both parents were Presbyterian and his father, Major Weatherford, was an elder in that church. John found that the preaching of Elder Samuel Harris agreed with his own religious convictions so he left his parents' religion and joined the Baptists. Weatherford was baptized before the age of 20 and by 1761 was preaching not only in Charlotte, but throughout the entire southern part of the state. Just as most early Baptist ministers in Virginia, Weatherford was repeatedly persecuted by Episcopal authorities who were much disturbed by the magnitude of people leaving the Established Church. Weatherford's main interest was evangelism and not until 1782 was he licensed to celebrate the rites of marriage in the Baptist Churches of the county. Around the turn of the century, he was pastor of Cub Creek Baptist Church in Charlotte County, Lower Fallings Church in Campbell County and Rocks Baptist Church. John Weatherford was listed on the 1810 personal property list for Charlotte County, but never after that. He lived on a farm in Pittsylvania County until he went to live with his son, Charles A. Weatherford in 1829. He died on February 23, 1833 and was one of the last survivors of the imprisoned Virginia Baptist ministers. Several memorials have been erected to his memory, but the largest is Weatherford Memorial Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia.

Burwell Vaden was born September 2, 1733 at Bristol Parish, Henrico County, Virginia. He died at Pittsylvania County, Virginia about 1824. In 1758, he married Sarah Wilson. Sarah Wilson Vaden died February 24, 1824. Her obituary appeared in the Richmond Enquirer. It reads:

" Died - In the bounty of Pittsylvania County, on the 6th instant, Mrs. Sarah Wilson Vaden, consort of Mr. Burwell Vaden, in the 92nd year of her age; leaving behind to lament her loss, besides a numerous family of descendants, a husband in his 92nd year, with whom she had lived 66 years, during which time neither had been known to have planted a thorn in the bosom of the other. They have thrived in an humble sphere, giving offense to none, and appeared happy and content in whatever situation they were placed. For a year past, Mr. Vaden has not been able to walk or stand alone; in the last weeks of his wife's afflict- ion he has sat by her bed, as if he were waiting to witness the scene which summoned her from him, and seemed to comfort himself in the hope, that as she was about to leave him, he should in a very little time meet her again to part no more. For two years Mrs. Vaden had been deprived of sight and she expired without a groan or a struggle."

Burwell Vaden's father was Henry Vaden II. His grandfather was Henry Vaden I who came from England where he received a land patent from the King.

Burwell Vaden assisted in establishing American Independence by serving as a Patriot. He served as a member of the Grand Jury of Inquest.

A high ridge of White Oak Mountain, with Banister River flowing on one side and Sweeting's Fork of Sandy Creek on the other, was surprisingly, the first family seat of the Vadens in Pittsylvania County. They have since become indelibly associated with Gretna and its environs as each generation of the family played its key role in the affairs of its day. The Hon. Robert Carrington Vaden served this district for 20 years (1933 - 1953) in the Senate of Virginia, being president pro tempore of that body.

The founding father of the Vadens in Pittsylvania was Burwell Vaden, who came here from Henrico County where his grandfather, Henry Vaden, held crown grants in 1725 from George II. Burwell chose the loveliest spot of all his 756 acres, which he owned prior to 1792, to build his house, which later burned. The kitchen is standing with a steep, sloping William- sburg-type roof and two broad rock chimneys on one side (one of which has recently been removed). The house has three rooms on the first floor with a quaint corner stairway leading to two rooms above. Several log dependencies and a chimney are nearby.

This remarkable man, who came west from the snug security of Henrico to this young man's country when he was already middle-aged, took the oath of allegiance in 1777 in Capt. Reuben Payne's Company (Pittsylvania County Muster Roll). In 1781, he served on a Grand Jury of Inquest, indicating his stature as a citizen. In the census of 1790, he is listed as having nine dependents and one dwelling. In 1792, he deeded 292 acres on Sweeting's Fork to Echols and in 1814, when he was 81 years old, he deeded land to his son, Wilson Vaden. Nearby in the family grave yard was the six-foot high stone marker of Wilson Vaden, who died in 1844. The store has been moved to Chatham Cemetery.

This property is presently owned by W. N. Terry of Spring Garden.

Unlike today, divorce during this period of time was very uncommon. From this document we find that Richard is suing Mary J. (Nannie) for divorce. Claiming that she willfully deserted or abandoned him more than five years before.

Their divorce was dated November 30, 1894. Mary J. (Nannie) died sometime in 1895. Richard remarried December 15, 1897.

The divorce decree reads:

November 30, 1894 Richard E. Moore Plaintiff against Mary J. Moore Defendant

This cause which has been regularly matured at rules and set for hearing came on to be heard on the bill the depositions and arguments of counsel. Upon consideration whereof the Court being of opinion that the defendant willfully deserted or abandoned the plaintiff more than five years before the institution of this suit doth adjudge, order and decree that the marriage heretofore solemnized between the plaintiff and defendant be dissolved and said parties divorced and discharged from the bonds of matrimony. Signed by James H. Edwards.

***************************************************************************** Chris Wiles, grandson of Melvin and Helen Wiles is a member of the Danville Police Force. Chris also serves in the National Guard. He was sent along with other National Guard Troops to Bosnia. He has been there since February 1997.

I had no idea that they even did that back in the 1920's. I am sure Pearl had no idea that 71 years later this heartfelt message would reappear. It reads:

December 27, 1926

Remarks: The unusual nature of this disease is — the sicker the patient gets, the more he enjoys it!

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