Submitted to the Pleasants County, WVGenWeb page by Lenore Radcliffe Yeager,(LYe4252299@aol.com). Dear Pleasants County Cousins, My Gr-Gr-Grandparents were Benjamin Franklin Seckman b: Nov 17, 1834 in Greene Co, Pa and Sarah Jane Coen b:1837 in Washington Co, Oh m: Aug 07, 1856 in Pleasants Co, WV. Benjamin and Sarah Jane had 9 children. 1. Caroline Seckman b: 1857 d: 1859 Pleasants County WV 2. Mary Florence Seckman b: July 16, 1859, Pleasants Co., WV (my Gr- Grandmother) 3. Colombus Daniel Seckman b: April 02, 1861, Pleasants Cod: Oct 18, 1865, McKim Cr 4. Selina B. Seckman b: 1864 Pleasants Co. 5. Stephan A. Seckman b: 1866 Pleasants Co. WV d:1938 Pleasants Co. 6. Kenner R. Seckman b: May 15, 1869, Pleasants Co. 7. Emmy J. Seckman b: Apr 15, l873 d: May 12, 1873 8. Martha E. Seckman b: Aug 1876 Pleasants Co. 9. Josephine L. Seckman b: June 27, 1880, Pleasants Co. My Gr-Grandmother, Mary Florence Seckman m: Sidney "Russell" Jones b: Nov 08, 1856 in Tyler Co WV. Their marriage took place on Nov 09, 1875 in Pleasants Co. Sidney "Russell" was the son of Simeon Simpson Jones and Elizabeth Lamp. Mary Florence and Sidney "Russell" had 5 children, all born in Pleasants Co., WV. 1. Elizabeth Jane Jones b: Nov 13, 1876 2. Benoni Jones b: Aug 09, 1878 3. Christopher Guy b: Aug 26 1880 4. Virginia "Lenna" b: Aug 25, 1887 (My Grandmother) 5. Emma Jackson b: April 18, 1890 Around 1900, Mary Florence and Sidney "Russell" Jones moved to Webster Co. WV with their five children. Sidney Russell had a fine Logging Camp which was located at Teacreek which empties into the headwaters of Williams River. Teacreek is high in the mountains of Pocahontas Co. just on the border of Webster Co. Today West Virginia Scenic Highway #150 crosses Williams River and there is a beautiful public facility called "Teacreek Recreation Area." Mary Florence Seckman Jones was a very enterprising lady. She owned and operated "The Cowen Hotel" in Cowen, WV, Webster County, for several years. Sidney "Russell" died in the Hotel on Nov 11, 1901, of a "Gathering in his head." Virginia "Lenna" Jones married Delbert Brown b: abt 1885 (My Grandparents) They had 3 children. Delbert was probably from Braxton Co. Son of John E. Brown (nothing found yet) 1. Elma Edith Brown b: July 23, 1906, Webster Co, WV d: Aug 19, 1968 Cowen, WV 2, Everett Earnie Brown b: Feb 1908 Webster Co. WV 3. Grace Inez Brown b: Aug 1910 Webster Co. WV D Nov 30, 1983 Cowen, WV Virginia "Lenna" died Aug 22, 1911 of Tuberculosis. Mary Florence Seckman Jones raised her three Grandchildren in Cowen, Webster Co. WV. Elma Edith Brown m: Claudius Radcliffe (from Lewis Co.) in 1928 Webster Co. They lived in Lewis County, WV, where they had 5 children. 1. Claud Langford b: 1928 2. Lenore Macel b: 1930 (me) 3. Mary Grace b: 1932 4. Emma Lea b: 1934 d: April 38 of Diphtheria 5, Clarence Wilson b: 1936 d: April 38 of Diphtheria Elma and Claud Radcliffe separated in the summer of 1937. Elma's family helped her move back to Webster County. We lived next door to my Gr- Grandmother Mary Florence Seckman Jones. She died when I was 14 years old on Nov 20, 1944 of a stroke. I have many memories of Mary Florence and the stories she told about her family. Her Pleasants County sisters, Martha "Mattie" Clovis and Josephine "Josie" Gorrell and their families used to visit us in the summer. I can also remember her brother Kenner Seckman visiting alone. His wife may have died. Emma Jackson Jones never married. She lived with her mother helping to raise and educate the 3 children of Virginia "Lenna" Jones Brown. Emma taught school for many years in Webster County. Elma Brown Radcliffe was a Webster County Teacher as was her sister, Grace Brown, teaching more than 40 years in Webster Co. Benjamin Franklin Seckman has an interesting obituary. This is the copy of a newspaper clipping written by Nathan Morgan - Moscow, Ohio. That may have been a Parkersburg Newspaper. Pleasants may not have had their own in 1904. OBITUARY "Friend after friend departs; who has not lost a friend?" Honorable Benjamin Franklin Seckman, the subject of this sketch, was born in Green County, Pa, November 17, 1834. He departed this life March 4, 1904, age sixty-nineyears, three months and seventeen days. He united with the Baptist Church some fifty years ago, and was baptized by Rev. Alves. He was chosen as one of the Deacons of the Zoar Church, of which he was a worthy and faithful member until a short while ago, when he moved to Pleasants County, West Virginia, changing his membership to Willow Island Church. Here he retained it until he was called home. He bore his intense suffering with fortitude, and was conscious until the end. His funeral was conducted on March 6th by Rev. H. Cofer, after which he was interred in the Willow Island Cemetery in the presence of a large concourse of heart broken and sympathetic friends. In his demise we lose the influence of a conscientious Christian. He was a man of settled Bible convictions and was a Baptist from principle, being guided by "Thus saith the Lord." He had been elected to a position of trust, having served for six years as a member of the County Court. The saloon element could not use him as a handkerchief with which to wipe out their sins. He leaves to mourn his absence, his wife, the companion of his life, and six children. He declared himself sensible of the fact that he must go, and that he was reconciled to God's will and ready to go hence. With the bereaved family, his neighbors and friends in general expressed their grief and sorrow at his departure. He will be missed by all, but by his devoted wife more than others, for she is now alone, as the children are all in homes of their own. But she is not forsaken or forgotten by them. May God help them to aid their mother in her grief. We are sure that His Eye will be over each, and His Ears open to the widow's cries. O' may the God of the father be the Gof of the children. May all remember that he awaits their coming in the "Home of the Soul." I will further say that he was everybody's devoted friend, a valuable friend to the sick and afflicted, the poor and needy, the widows and orphans; ever ready and willing to donate liberally toward building churches and keeping up the good cause. He manifested an interest in all denominations and was not prejudiced toward his own church, but he believed in doing good for evil. The writer is not personally acquainted with the family, but one daughter, Mrs. Gorrel (Josephine..Josie) lives on the old home place, another daughter, Mrs. Clovis lives at Pennsboro, and one daughter, Mrs. Mary Florence Jones lives at Cowen, Webster County, WV. The later is keeping hotel at Cowen and doing a thriving business. She is a hustler in all business faculties and has friends by the score who manifest an endless interest in her future welfare and happiness, and by their patronage and aid I trust she will make her mark in the world. The writer desires to tender his heartfelt sympathy to wife, children and friends in their sad bereavement, and I hope they may all meet in heaven, where parting will be no more. A precious one from us is gone, A voice we loved is still; A place is vacant in our home, Which never can be filled. The wife, children and friends desire to express their heartfelt thanks to the good people who so kindly assisted them in the sickness and death of their beloved husband and father, and if they are not amply rewarded on earth, we trust they will be in heaven. Respectfully submitted, Lenore Radcliffe Yeager (Gr-Gr-Granddaughter) Here are a few of my Pleasants County Surnames: SECKMAN, COEN, CUSTER, GERRARD, JONES, LAMP, GORRELL, CLOVIS, SATTERFIELD to name a few. Hope some of you will connect to my Pleasants County beginnings. Lenore Radcliffe Yeager