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Berkeley County Historical Society
Newsletter – March 2016
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Pvt. George H. Hayth
Co. C, 2nd Virginia Cavalry
A Story of Family Closure
- Special to BCHS by V. Susan Hudson,
Vice President, Lancaster County Chapter U.D.C. #1406
Family Background. The Hayths came from a
long lineage of American Patriots and were
descendants of the Lee and Heath families in
Northumberland County VA. These Heaths
had come to America and received large land
grants from the King of England. They were so
prominent in the community that the area was
referred to as Heathsville, which to this day is
still the county seat.
Family lore has it that the Revolutionary War
caused a split in the family between those
supporting England and those supporting the
American’s fight for independence. After the
war, some that fought on the American side
moved west and eventually located in
Botetourt County. Since, they did not want to
be associated with ‘those Heathsville loyalists’,
they changed the spelling of their name to
Hayth! Therefore these Hayths in Botetourt
County had a history of being fighters for
independence from all forms of aggression and
threats to their homeland.
Understanding this history of how these Hayths
fought for independence from England, it
comes as no surprise that when the South was
threatened by Northern aggression in the
1860’s, the Hayth men picked up arms and
enlisted.
By this time, George’s parents, Achilles and
Katherine Hayth of Botetourt County had 10
children – 6 girls and 4 boys. George was the
youngest son, all of which answered the call to
serve Virginia and the Confederate States of
America. He followed in the footsteps of two of
his older brothers, A. M. and E. P., and
enlisted in the Co C., 2nd Virginia Cavalry on 10
December 1862. It is well documented in
military service records and the Virginia Military
Regimental Histories Series that George was
wounded in Boonsboro Maryland on 8 July
1863. He was moved to Martinsburg WV
where he died 11 days later and was buried in
Green Hill Cemetery.
However, records found in the Botetourt
County Public Library, Fincastle VA amazingly
provided the actual location of where he was
buried:
“Along the right hand side of walk. On right
side of grave marked G. N. Bowling Co F.
Tennessee. On left side of a double grave
marked W. H. Speace 45 NC Cav. Robinson
Brigade.”
Since that time, from one generation to
another, the family has bemoaned the fact that
‘poor Georgie died over there in West Virginia
during the War without even a stone on his
grave’. Therefore as a ‘wanna-be’ genealogist
with an interest to bring closure to the family, it
was time to see if it was even possible to at
least get a marker in place. The story of how
this was made possible is an interesting one
filled with ‘dogged determination’, discoveries
of family stories and the help of strangers
passionate about honoring all that answered
the call to serve during that troubled time of our
history.
All Roads Led to Martinsburg WV. Armed
with this information, one of the first calls was
to the historic Green Hill Cemetery in
Martinsburg WV and Gary Gimbel, the ‘expert
on the Confederate’s war dead’ in the Berkeley
County WV area. The next call was to Julia
Gates, President of the Berkeley County
Chapter 264, UDC. By the end of those
conversations, everyone was ecstatic. Gimbel
got information and references about three
Confederates buried in Green Hill and Gates
would be able to see another patriot in the
Confederate lot at Green Hill Cemetery be
honored with a marker. Over the next twelve
months, it became clear that the right folks
were onboard in West Virginia to help with all
the required paperwork to make it a reality!
During this discovery process, some of the
interesting history about Green Hill Cemetery
should also be shared in order to better
understand its significance in the War Between
the States. The Virginia General Assembly
incorporated the cemetery in March 1854 and
in April of the same year 15 ¼ acres were
acquired for the new cemetery. The landscape
design evolved from sketches by Martinsburg
WV artist David Hunter Strother and were
based on a cemetery he had seen in Paris,
France.
When the War broke out, the access to the
railroad hub in Martinsburg WV made it and
Green Hill Cemetery the logical location for
medical camps, hospitals and ultimately a
burial place to handle the casualties resulting
from the fighting taking place on the
battlegrounds from the surrounding area.
Soon after the War Between the States ended,
it became obvious to the ladies of UDC in
Berkeley County that the government was not
making an effort to identify graves and return
Confederate soldiers to their families as they
were for the Union dead. Therefore these
women took it upon themselves to lead an
effort to record where all the Confederates
unknowns were buried. They assembled a list
and the location of 30 graves scattered
throughout the cemetery and decided the best
way to honor these men was to have these
Confederate remains removed and re-interred
to a central location. By 1897, the UDC’s work
was completed and “The Tomb of the
Confederate Unknowns” memorial lot was
established and two years later the
Confederated Monument was dedicated.
Everything’s Done…Only to Discover More.
After a year of researching and filing all the
required paperwork with Martinsburg area
organizations
and
the
Veteran’s
Administration, the application for the
Confederate marker was approved and the
date for the ceremony in Green Hill Cemetery
was set. After 152 years, there would finally be
a ceremony on 25 July 2015 to dedicate a
memorial marker and the Southern Iron Cross
at historic Green Hill Cemetery in Martinsburg
WV for a Botetourt County Confederate patriot,
Pvt. George H. Hayth, Co. C, 2nd Virginia
Cavalry.
But the adventure was not over!
Two weeks before the ceremony, additional
information was discovered because of a
chance visit and discussion with George
‘Buddy’ and R.G. Hayth in Botetourt County.
Five days before the ceremony a large
envelope arrived from Buddy Hayth with copies
of a letter that was sent home to inform the
family of George’s critical condition, an article
that had been put in the local paper about
George’s death and some pictures of his pistol
and a small battle flag.
From a letter written by Bernard Pitzer, Co C,
2nd VA Cavalry, on July 13, 1863:
“At the request of A.M. Hayth (George’s
brother), I seat myself to write you a few lines
nd
informing you that Geo Hayth of Co C, 2 VA
Calvary was dangerously wounded a few
days ago near Hagerstown Md. and is now
lying in a critical condition in the Presbyterian
Church at Martinsburg. The request that you
will send for him at once although I doubt
weather he will be able to travel for some
time if at all. ‘A.M.’ is staying with him. He told
me that he did not think George would
recover, but it is his burial desire to be sent
for, and you can exercise your own judgment
in the matter. He would have to be made very
comfortable to travel and you would have to
have a spring vehicle with a bed in it.”
President of the Virginia Division, Suzanne
Silek was in attendance.
This letter’s envelope was postmarked on July
15, 1863 in Winchester VA. George died on
July 17th, likely before the letter arrived at
home.
Additionally, UDC members from the Warren
Rifles Chapter 934, Front Royal VA, the
Berkeley County Chapter 264 in Martinsburg
and the Shepherdstown Chapter 128, in
Shepherdstown WV were present.
It is believed that George’s brothers, A.M. and
E. P., found an old barn door they used to
make his coffin and they buried him.
Additionally, it had to be their eyewitness
account that provided the exact location of his
grave and the names of those buried on either
side of where he was laid to rest which is
documented in the journals at the Botetourt
County VA public library.
Excerpts from the local Botetourt County
newspaper printed after his death:
….“He was called “Georgie” or “Fludie” and
had one of the brightest of intellects and no
task was too difficult for him, and he had a
grand voice which he delighted to raise in
song, and he was the idol of his mother’s
heart, as well as of the neighborhood. But
when his country needed him he could not
stay. “Mother let me go” was his daily plea.
Finally she consented and he mounted his
horse ‘Charley’ and rode away never to
return. He lies buried in Martinsburg. I have
his picture beside me, a slight boyish figure,
with pistol and sabre and cavalryman’s
uniform, and I ask myself if he and scores of
others of old Botetourt’s sons died in vain or
shall their names be unhonored or unsung?
Not so! Let their names be inscribed upon a
monument more durable than brass and
Botetourt’s
sons
and
daughter
for
generations to come be taught to honor
them.”
A Ceremony Was Held. On a beautiful
Saturday morning in July, over 40 gathered to
honor and remember Pvt. George Hayth by
dedicating his bronze marker. The ceremony
was hosted by great, great niece Susan
Hudson, Lancaster County Chapter 1406 in
Kilmarnock VA. Other family supporting the
ceremony were great niece, Sarah Stinnett,
Pres Davis Chapter 1297, Richmond VA and
great niece, Harriett Francis, Fincastle Chapter
797, Fincastle VA. Additionally, five UDC
Chapters from Virginia and West Virginia were
represented. Past President General and Past
Sons of Confederate Veterans Division
Officers present were WV Division President,
Paul Williams and WV Division Treasurer,
Randy Taylor. SCV and reenactment camps
supporting the ceremony were compatriots
from the Berkeley Border Guards Camp 199 in
Martinsburg WV, the Battle of Sharpsburg
Camp 1582 in Sharpsburg WV, the 5th VA
Infantry in Berkley Springs WV, the 38th VA
Artillery and the Turner Ashby Camp 1567, in
Winchester, VA.
Numerous wreaths and tributes were placed at
George’s marker. Knowing it was George’s
deathbed wish to return home to Virginia to be
buried, the family did the next best thing in the
way of a tribute by placing Botetourt County
Virginia soil by his marker.
The ceremony also acknowledged all
Confederates patriots that answered the call to
serve when the Southern Iron Cross was
dedicated to, not just George but, all those laid
to rest at the Confederate Memorial in Green
Hill Cemetery. We paused to recognize their
courage, their dedication to family and their
selflessness. And in doing so, we demonstrate
how very proud we are of our Southern
Heritage. As they fought and died together, all
of the Confederate patriots buried at Green Hill
Cemetery are rightfully now Georgie’s family
and, as such, they will be remembered and
honored by descendants of the extended
Hayth family.
A gun and mortar salute followed. Georgie, you
now have your marker. Rest in peace.
In closing, it is interesting to note that not all
the soldiers at the Tomb of the Confederate
Unknowns in Green Hill Cemetery were
necessarily ‘unknown’. With the dedication of
Georgie’s marker on July 25, 2015, a total of
four soldiers have had a bronze marker placed
to honor their service at this location. They are
Matthew J. Poague and James Thompson
both of Co. A, 14th VA Cavalry and Capt. John
Montgomery VanDyke, Co. A, 59th TN Mounted
Infantry. The quest is still underway to locate
family of the other two men who had been
buried on either side of Pvt. Hayth at Green Hill
Cemetery. If anyone has information on either
G. N. Bowling Co F. Tennessee or W. H.
Speace 45 NC Cav. Robinson Brigade, please
contact the Berkeley County Historical Society
in Martinsburg WV.
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2016 BCHS dues are due. Please pay your
membership dues for 2016. Information is
available on the next-to-last page of this
newsletter.
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Our Doughboy Memorial
- Special to BCHS by Todd Cimino-Johnson
In the 300 block of West King Street, beside
the old Federal Building, sits a statue on top of
a memorial to those who fought in the Great
War. For 90 years this statue and memorial
has been a reminder of the men and women,
female nurses being listed on the plaque as
well, who went to Europe and fought against
the German war machine. The doughboy was
an informal term used to describe American
military men who went to Europe. The exact
origins of doughboy are not known but many
theories do exist.
America entered World War I on April 6, 1917
after three years of neutrality and the war
would end on November 11, 1918. In that time
1,039 men were called from Berkeley County
to serve for the United States in Europe. Fortyone soldiers would lose their lives and many
returned wounded. The citizens of the county
were very proud of the service these men and
women had sacrificed for their country. Not
long after the war, in 1920, a committee was
put together to commemorate their service and
sacrifice. With the war still fresh in their minds
and the roaring 20’s beginning, a war memorial
committee was brought together.
The Berkeley County Memorial Association,
which was formed by women from the
American Legion Auxiliary, Berkeley Post 14,
was formed in 1920 and began fundraising and
sponsorship for a monument. Mrs. Connie
McKown Bitner and Mrs. Annabel P. Morrison
led the charge on the fundraising. They were
the Auxiliaries first President and Secretary,
respectfully. Funds for the monument came
from schools, churches, individuals and a
Poppy Day sale. The final payment for the
monument was completed in June 1926 after a
couple of years as the Martinsburg Evening
Journal put it “arduous labor”. With the help of
local Sunday schools of the City of Martinsburg
the final payment was made with the help of
the First Baptist Church, Central Church M.E.,
Episcopal, Lutheran, M.E. South and the Christ
Reformed church. The total raised that day
was $95. $150 came from the Poppy Day sale
in the prior month. There was not enough
money to purchase any property for the
monument and the Martinsburg City Council at
the time refused to allow it to be placed in the
town square. On June 15, 1925 the Berkeley
County War Memorial Association asked 100
county citizens to contribute $5 each to wipe
out the debt of the war memorial. That same
$5 in 1925 would be the equivalent of asking
for $68 in 2015.
It took a few years for the memorial to find a
permanent home and funding. What began on
April 2, 1920 when the American Legion
Auxiliary agreed to erect the soldier memorial
in the Public Square as reported by the
Martinsburg Evening Journal, took almost 6
years and $7,000 (equivalent to almost
$100,000 in 2015) to make their dream a
reality. The federal government allowed a plot
of land next to the post office to be used for the
memorial as a goodwill gesture. On October
10th 1924 a contract was signed for the
memorial to be built in its present location with
contractor R.R. Feller of Martinsburg. Once the
weather broke in spring the Memorial was
placed with its base at its current location and
boxed up to be unveiled on Memorial Day. Two
months before the unveiling the City Council
for one reason or another had changed their
minds and asked the association to consider
moving it to the public square. They wanted to
put it on either side of the bandstand and place
a decommissioned cannon from the war on the
other. It is unknown why the ladies decided to
keep with the post office plan. On Monday,
May 30th, 1925-Memorial Day, the statue and
memorial were unveiled on what was
considered the Post Office Lawn.
The
Berger
Granite
Company
of
Chambersburg, PA made the granite base. On
February 2, 1925 the bronze doughboy statue
arrived in the city from Hirsch Bronze works of
Cleveland Ohio. The base includes 4 plaques
the list the names of men and women who
served in World War I from Berkeley County.
The statue weighs 1,700 pounds. The base is
7 ½ feet high and the statue is 6 ½ feet high
making the total height 14 feet tall from base to
top. The statue was designed and cast by
sculptor Walter A. Sinz of Cleveland, Ohio. He
also created two others, located in Ironwood,
Michigan and Curwensville, Pennsylvania, both
are still standing today. Similar sculptors to
Berkeley County’s doughboy are E.M.
Viquesney and John Paulding. All of these
statues have the same feel and look of the
doughboy but are designed differently. The
ones created by Sinz all have their left hand
out and a rifle in the right hand. The statue is
defined enough to gather a realism of what the
soldiers looked like in this time period. From
the round hat, to gas mask and rifle one can
get a good impression how a doughboy looked
in 1917. His outstretched hand and running
pose help to paint a story of a young man sent
to Europe to fight a war he knew little about.
The location of the monument has been in
disagreement from the time it was proposed
until even today. The original intent was to
place it in the public square of King and Queen
Street where it would be visible to everyone.
With the City Council not allowing this to
happen the next best alternative was sought
and found near the then Post Office. When
another post office was built across the street a
few decades later there was uproar of where
the statue would be moved. Senator Harley
Staggers was notified that unless the statue
was moved, it would be sold for surplus by the
Federal Government. The National American
Legion was contacted and started a campaign
to find a new home. When a quote for $3,000
came in to move it to War Memorial Park this
was not seen as a viable option. Mrs. Mary
Riordan was put in charge of what to do with
the statue at the local level by the National
American Legion. Ethel Bovey reported in a
1974 Martinsburg Journal article that the officer
in charge of the building, by this time the
Federal Aviation Administration had taken over
the building, stated that the statue could stay
as long as they have possession of the
building as it was an asset to the building and
city. When the City of Martinsburg re-did the
town square in 2012 there were calls for the
statue to be displayed proudly in the square
where the Adam Stephen monument was to be
placed. As of this writing, the pedestal stands
empty and the doughboy has not moved in 90
years.
Today, the doughboy statue still stands on
West King Street as it did 90 years ago. There
is much work that needs to be done to clean
and restore the statue to its original grandeur.
Unless someone is looking for it specifically,
the statue is out of view and only really
enjoyed twice a year; Veterans Day and
Memorial Day, and only by some. As of today,
it is unclear who owns the land and who should
be taking care of the statue. The Berkeley Arts
Council took possession of the old post office
about a decade ago and in certain budget
requests to the County has asked for funds to
restore it.
A special thanks to Todd Funkhouser and
Howard Butts of the Berkeley County Historical
Society and Keith Hammersla of the
Martinsburg Public Library for information and
guidance in the research of this article. If you
have more information on the statue I would
love to hear from you at [email protected].
speakers are being scheduled. Details for
other events are on the events calendar at the
end of this newsletter.
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New BCHS Publication
The first BCHS publication since 2009 will
soon be hot off the press! “Stories in Stone,
Volume 1” is a collection of some of the best
and most interesting stories from our cemetery
tours of the past few years.
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Stories in Stone continue for 2016
Saturday April 23 at 1 p.m., the Berkeley
County Historical Society will present the first
of this year’s “Stories in Stone” at Old
Norbourne Cemetery on West South Street in
Martinsburg.
Old Norbourne dates to the
1770’s and is the final resting place of many of
Martinsburg and Berkeley County’s most
prominent citizens during the 1800’s.
An
admiral, a U.S. Senator, at least two U.S.
Congressmen, prominent doctors, lawyers,
and businessmen, and some of the belles of
Martinsburg are buried there.
Old Norbourne Cemetery is an example of how
your support of the Berkeley County Historical
Society makes a difference. Through matching
grants and private contributions many of the
damaged and vandalized tombstones have
been repaired. As this newsletter goes to
press in the last week of March, the restoration
work continues, so there is still more to come!
Come see the progress and hear stories of
some of the people buried here as well as a
history of the cemetery itself. Bring a lawn
chair and come listen to our storytellers spin
their tales of local history.
There is no
admission fee, but donations are gladly
accepted.
Saturday May 21, the tour will stop at Greenhill
Cemetery and on Saturday June 18, we’ll be at
Gerrardstown Presbyterian Cemetery with
more to come later in the summer. We will
also, on June 18, conclude the day’s events
with our 2nd annual West Virginia Day
observance at the Morgan Cabin in Bunker
Hill. Dinner and speakers are on the program
with specifics available closer to the date as
This is a great opportunity for you to read
some of the tales of those buried in Berkeley
County’s cemeteries and to become familiar
with some of our newer volunteers. We take
great pride in our newest storytellers who help
bring Berkeley County’s past alive.
“Stories in Stone, Volume 1” is the first in a
series of publications featuring stories from the
cemetery tours.
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A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
by Nancy Crouse
I ran across an interesting story awhile back
about someone who spent some time during
the Civil War around Bunker Hill that peaked
my interest. I wanted to know more about this
individual so I did some research and found
out some interesting facts about sketch artists
and the part they played during the civil war.
The gentleman involved was James E. Taylor,
War Artist or referred to by the troops as a
“Special”. During Civil War times there were
very limited forms of communication to the
general public as to the progress of the war.
The general public at home was clamoring for
news as many had relatives fighting and the
only communication they had were letters and
those were sporadically delivered. Many were
concerned as to where the fighting was and
the possible affect on their families and homes.
Today we know in an instant about current
events and have numerous ways to receive
information. The general public at that time
were either informed by local gossip, by the
local newspaper, or by one of the two weeklies
printed at the time. Harper’s Weekly or Frank
Leslie’s
Illustrated
Newspaper.
These
legendary publications offered illustrated
stories of the war, its victories and defeats to
the average citizen.
As photographs were not yet readily available
to most people, editors of these news venues
chose illustrators to enhance their accounts of
the war with sketches of significant events.
These artists were called “specials” and
contracted to sell their work to the newsletters.
Most were not enlisted in the armies and
remained neutral although there were some
who fought and did sketches of camp life and
daily activities as well as battles.
Most were responsible for their own horses,
gear and transportation to and from the camps
or battle sites. Some were taken in readily by
troops wanting their story told. James E. Taylor
was assigned General Philip Sheridan during
the time he spent in the Shenandoah Valley.
In early October of 1864 he accompanied the
supply train as it left Martinsburg on its way to
the front. Along about noon he decided that
hard tack and bacon was not what he wanted
for his lunch and knew of a lady who produced
the most wondrous pumpkin pies on the Valley
Pike (Route 11) between Bunker Hill and
Bucklestown. He persuaded a few of the
cavalrymen accompanying him to go with him
and they and proceeded ahead to the home of
Mrs. David Stewart to procure their pumpkin
pie before the train caught up with them. While
Mr. Taylor stood on the porch bargaining with
the lady for a pie he noticed approaching
horsemen and realized they were wearing gray
uniforms. He immediately jumped on his horse
dropping the pie and with his companions
following
suit,
narrowly
escaped
the
approaching Rebels who were members of
Mosby’s Rangers.
Some “specials” were not as lucky. Some were
wounded, arrested, sent to prison camps and
one was killed while illustrating the battles.
Most were unarmed and easy targets. They
took a neutral stand while traveling with the
troops, sometimes one side and then the other.
Taylor once sat in a tree and sketched some
southern soldiers while they took pot shots at
him after he explained his mission was to only
glorify them to the public they gladly stood still
to have their pictures drawn.
Sketch artists had deadlines and it was their
responsibility to see their sketches made it to
the publishers. Sometimes sketches were used
other times not. Their delivery was called a
“special delivery” by the newsletters. Taylor
was banished from one general’s camp for
illustrating his men, apparently too graphically,
while they were retreating in a defeat. He was
subsequently forbidden to enter the camp
again. Taylor was there during the battle of
Antietam and some of his sketches were so
graphic the editors toned them down. They
said the reality was too much for the people at
home to see.
James E. Taylor was born in Cincinnati in
1839, graduated from Norte Dame University
at the age of 16. He did serve in the Union
Army from 1861-1863 and after he left the
service became a “special” artist. Sixty-one of
his drawings were published in Frank Leslies
Illustrated Newspaper. After the war, Taylor
went out west to become one of most wellknown illustrators of western culture. He died
in New York City in 1901, one of the renowned
illustrators of his time.
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Curator’s Corner
by Carol Appenzellar, BCHS Curator
EXHIBITS – There are three new exhibits in
the Belle Boyd House Museum. One is a
display of some of the artifacts found in the
cellar stairway under the Ball Room of the
house and the second is a new clothing
exhibit. The third exhibit is on the Jewish
community in Martinsburg.
They highlight
some of the society’s treasures and unique
history.
The Jewish Community Exhibit is in the former
Hack Wilson Room. The new exhibit displays
various artifacts from the Beth Jacob
Synagogue and businesses in Martinsburg.
Never numerous, the Jewish citizens
supported local civic and social life on a scale
that far exceeded their proportion of the local
population. During the early and mid-20th
century, many of the businesses on Queen
Street were owned and operated by these
Jewish families.
The society’s archeologist conducted an
archeological dig in the cellar of the Belle Boyd
House in hopes of finding more information on
the house and the people who lived in it. So
far a composite midden or trash pile has been
found in the stairwell to the cellar. Artifacts
ranging from 1840 to 1960 are on display in
the Belle Boyd Room at the house. Benjamin
R. Boyd built the house in 1853, so artifacts
dating prior to 1860 might very well be
evidence of items used by Belle and her family.
In addition, an 1853-1857 floor plan of the
house, prepared by our preservation architect,
is displayed with a chronology of the
renovation phases of the house through the
years after the Boyd’s moved out in 1857.
Information on the Boyd family and servants is
also part of the exhibit.
The new clothing exhibit, replacing the
Victorian exhibit, showcases some treasures
identified last summer by a textile consultant
that the society brought in through a grant from
the Costume Society of America. Among the
items identified were several beautiful
examples of clothing that may have been
made for a bridal trousseau. The exhibit
explains what a trousseau is and how, in days
gone by, young ladies collected clothing and
household linens in a hope chest, as they
prepared for marriage and a home.
COLLECTIONS – We recently received a
grant of $2,500 from the Two Rivers Giving
Circle (Eastern West Virginia Community
Foundation). Some of this will be used to
purchase archival supplies and equipment for
the ongoing preservation and housing of the
society’s collections.
In January we started inventorying the local
history files and other collections in the
Archives Building.
The inventory of the
museum collection that was started last year
continues.
As objects are removed from
exhibit they are inventoried and stored in the
Storage Building. This is a slow process
because some volunteers are working on
multiple projects. Needless to say, we need
more volunteers who are interested in helping
with the museum inventory and/or transferring
catalog information into the computer.
We are grateful for our talented and
enthusiastic group of volunteers because they
do the work of preserving Berkeley County
history, heritage and culture for the future.
Please consider joining us in our work.
_________________________________________
BCHS Needs the Following…
1. Three office chairs in good condition for
use by staff
2. Paper cutter
3. Portable humidifier
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Letter From the President
This was to be the final newsletter of 2015. I
would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all
the folks who made this past year one of the
best years since I assumed the helm 5 years
ago. Not an organization to rest on its laurels,
we are already executing plans to take us well
into 2017 with project-based research and
other various projects. The volunteers that
surround me on a weekly basis have created
an organization like no other I have found in
my travels. Being a historical society means
that we are required to be mindful of what our
organization has had to endure both positive
and negative to find dry land so that we don't
fall in the water again. Our board exemplified
tough decision making time and time again to
ensure that we were able to weather great
challenges. As a result of having talented
volunteers and resilient board members, I
would like to mention some of our
achievements evidenced by 2015.
Our museum has been rejuvenated by new
displays, original content and a growing
interest in our diverse history as Berkeley
County. The museum was static 5 years ago
and closed for a majority of the year due to
fiscal constraints. Today, our museum is open
7 days a week and draws visitors from across
the country for a variety of reasons thanks to
our partnership with the Convention and
Visitors Bureau. Displays are rotated on a
yearly basis thanks to a deep pool of content
coupled with a deeply talented group of
volunteers. Come see what we have been
doing.
The Storage Facility is continuing to develop
as we have secured several grants to assist
our organization in the proper care and
maintenance of our collections. The reputation
of this facility is growing as evidenced by the
quality and quantity of artifact donations we
receive on nearly a weekly basis. These
donations are essential to both our research
and museum displays in the dissemination of
Berkeley County History.
Our Research Center has become a hub of
activity due to the tireless efforts of our
researchers. A transformation has occurred
over the past few years in that we are utilizing
the facility to drive the organization rather than
serve, primarily, as a destination for
genealogists. Genealogists are amazed at the
vast collection of information and the
knowledgeable folks that greet them. Topics of
all varieties are continually researched, passed
along and gathered so that the organization
can continue to satisfy the mission created
over 50 years ago. Just wait until you see what
we have been doing. The Research Center is
the essence of teamwork.
Leading a membership organization staffed by
all volunteers has been the most challenging
and simultaneously rewarding experience of
my life. Having a membership that spans the
country means I will probably never meet most
of you to either shake your hand or give you a
hug as being the reason this organization has
survived where many others have contracted
or succumbed to the times. This newsletter is
our only way of demonstrating and
communicating the progress many of you have
faithfully supported.
Recently, I was the
recipient of a much-needed act of kindness
and I told the gentleman that I was at a loss for
words to communicate my gratitude. He said
“Thank You will do just fine.” On behalf of
Berkeley County, Thank You. As always, I
hope this letter finds you well and making
history.
Todd Funkhouser, President
_________________________________________
2016 BCHS dues are due. Please pay your
membership dues for 2016.
More
information is available below.
_________________________________________
To receive your newsletter via email,
contact us at [email protected].
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Membership Application Membership in the Berkeley County Historical Society is open to all who have an interest in
the history of Berkeley County, West Virginia, its preservation and perpetuation. Dues are payable on
January 1 of each year. Membership Levels and Associated Dues:
____ Regular Individual $20.00 ____ Patron* $100.00
*a Patron Member is a financial supporter of BCHS for one year
____ Senior Individual $15.00
____ Life Individual $400.00
____ Family $35.00 Please check your desired membership level and complete the information below.
Name: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Email Address: ______________________________________________________
May We Send Your Newsletter via Email? _____(yes) _____(no)
Telephone: __________________________________________
Able to Volunteer? Please indicate below if you have interests/capabilities in any of these areas:
____ Civil War History
____ Genealogy
____ Entertainment
____ Web Work
____ Facilities
____ Financial Management
____ Research
____ Curating
____ Computer Technology
____ Publications
____ Grant Writing ____ Advertising
Return this form with your payment to:
The Berkeley County Historical Society
P.O. Box 1624
Martinsburg, WV 25402-1624
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Berkeley County Historical Society
P.O. Box 1624, Martinsburg, WV 25402
Dates to Remember
Saturday April 23, 1 p.m. – Stories in Stone, Old Norbourne Cemetery, South
Street, Martinsburg (Rain date April 30)
Saturday May 14, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Heritage Day
Saturday May 21, 1 p.m. – Stories in Stone, Greenhill Cemetery, Martinsburg (Rain
date June 4)
Saturday June 18, 2 p.m. – Stories in Stone, Gerrardstown Presbyterian Cemetery,
Gerrardstown
Saturday June 18, 5 p.m. – West Virginia Day Celebration, Morgan Cabin, Bunker
Hill
Saturday July 23 – BCHS Annual Picnic, time and location to be announced
Berkeley County Historical Society: 304-267-4713 / [email protected]