Person:Reuben Full (1)

[from "A Pioneer History of Wirt County" by Tommie Sewell, in the Wirt County Journel, Vol 79 No 5, c. 1979] From Reuben Full's day book of 1839, still intact, we glean the following: Charged John Smith to deer skins and hams $ 34.00 Isaac Enoch five pairs deer hams at 62 1-2 per pair James Smith to deer skins and hams $ 22.00 Paid $1.50 for one night's lodging at mouth of Sand Creek Francis McGraw to Reuben Full one rifle gun. Cr. by one chain and six deerskins Borrowed $12.00 of Andrew Somerville Received of Henry Sheppard two bushels of salt $ 2.50 Paid $15.00 for passage to Wheeling A tax receipt for 1842 reads as follows: Received of Reuben Full 16 cents on his tax ticket 1842. March 25, 1842. W. M. Griffin Deputy for J. McKown, Sherrif Jackson county. Prior to the Civil War Reuben Full served as a justice of the peace for Wirt county and many of his papers in that capacity are kept intact. He also was a member of the Wirt county court and among his associate members were Aaron Ruble, George Lee, Isaac Enoch, A. Thomas, and Mr. Conrad. A military pass carried by Reuben during the Civil War reads as follows: Headquarters Dept. Western Virginia Wheeling, Virginia. December 28, 1861. All guards, line posts, and station will pass Reuben Full. Description Complexion, Fair; hair, grey; height feet, 6- in 5 1-4; age, 58; whiskers, grey. This pass being given with the understanding that if the party receiving it be found hereafter in arms against the Government of the United States or aiding and abetting its enemies, the penalty is death. (Signed) Joesph Daunt Maj. 1st Va. Cav. Provost Marshall The older children of Reuben and Elizabeth Full attended the backwoods schools at Crane Nest and Pisgah and these earlier subscription schools were taught by Lettricia Somerville, a sister to Mrs. Full. A copy of the contract between the teacher and the subscriber follows: Letticia Somerville proposes to open a school at Pisgah Meeting House, Wirt County, Virginia. Articles of the first part made and agreed upon between Lettricia Somerville, of the first part, and the subscribers, the second part, witnesseth that the said Letticia Somerville of the first part binds herself to teach a common English school, consisting of reading, writing and arithmetic to some extent for a term of sixty-five days at one dollar and fifty cents per scholar. I bind myself to keep good order in my school and pay good attention to the morale and conduct of my scholars while under my care and teach 7 hours in each day or make up all lost time. The subscribers of the second part bind themselves to furnish suitable books, writing benches, rtc., and pay the said Letticia Somerville at the end of the sixty-five days my pay according to the numbers of scholars subscribed, and board the said Letticia Somerville free of cost. Names of Subscribers No. of Scholars George W. Hoce 3 Jacob Buumgarner 2 A. Thomas 1 Sam Sheppard 1 J. Sheppard 1 David Somerville 1 W. M. Sheppard 3 John Anderson 3 Two other contracts of similar form with the same teacher bear the names of Reuben Full, George W. Dobson, Isaac Enoch, Francis McGraw, James Harris, Catherine Dobson, F. A. Sims, Brient Utter, Morgan N. Williams, and Jeremiah Ayers. The last named was the father of Jefferson and Buenos Ayers and the grandfather of "Jont" Ayers of Sandyville. These schools were taught during the "fifties" prior to the Civil War, and the teacher, Letticia Somerville, married George A. Winkler and for a time resided in Sandyville prior to moving to Council, Idaho, where two sons, James and Lewis Winkler now [1979] reside.