Ruth Ellen Turner Blackard
Sometimes the greatest treasures of family history are not found in courthouse records, faded census pages, or weathered cemetery stones. Instead, they are discovered in the handwritten memories of someone who lived through another era and took the time to record the experiences that shaped a lifetime.
Recently, Charlie Bowman shared with me a remarkable family treasure—a memoir written by Ruth Ellen Turner Blackard and recorded by her daughter, Ella Nora Blackard Reynolds, on April 7, 1939. Reading Ruth Ellen’s words is like opening a window into nineteenth-century America. Through her own recollections, she takes us from the final years of antebellum Virginia into the turmoil of the Civil War, through her childhood conversion to Christ, her marriage, the challenges of building a home, and eventually her move from what is now West Virginia to Patrick County, Virginia. More than anything else, her memoir is a testimony of gratitude—a life measured not by hardships, but by blessings.
Before allowing Ruth Ellen to tell her own remarkable story, it is helpful to become acquainted with the family from which she came and the family she would help establish.
Ruth Ellen Turner was born on April 7, 1858, at Mt. Ovis, Virginia (now West Virginia), to Jeffrey Goodwin Turner and Nancy Jane Mason, both originally of Franklin County, Virginia.
The 1850 United States Census records Jeffrey and Nancy living in Franklin County with their young family:
Robert Turner, age 9
Sarah A. Turner, age 7
Mary Turner, age 4
Samuel Turner, age 2
During the following decade, the Turner family moved west into Kanawha County, Virginia, an area that would become part of the new state of West Virginia in 1863. The 1860 United States Census shows the family continuing to grow with the births of:
Ona F. Turner, age 8
Martha Turner, age 6
Ruth Ellen Turner, age 2
By the time of the 1870 United States Census, the Turner household had welcomed three more children:
Eliza C. Turner, age 9
Elizabeth Turner, age 4
William J. Turner, age 3
Growing up in such a large family meant that Ruth Ellen learned responsibility early in life. As her older brothers and sisters married and established homes of their own, she willingly assumed greater responsibilities at home, helping her parents with daily chores and caring for her younger siblings. Those lessons of hard work and service would remain with her throughout her life.
As Ruth Ellen entered young womanhood, she met Jesse D. Blackard, the son of William Blackard and Susannah Melinda DeHart of Meadows of Dan.
The 1860 United States Census records Jesse living with his parents and siblings:
Willoughby Blackard, age 8
James Blackard, age 6
Gabriel S. Blackard, age 4
Lucinda Blackard, age 2
Lillian Blackard, two months old
Like so many Patrick County families, the Blackards experienced heartbreaking loss during the Civil War years.
On January 18, 1861, little Gabriel Blackard died from diphtheria.
Only a little more than a year later, Jesse’s father, William Blackard, enlisted in Company I, 24th Virginia Infantry on March 10, 1862, in Patrick County. His military service was tragically brief. William died in Banner Hospital in Richmond on April 27, 1862, at only thirty-five years of age. He was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Richmond. Military records show that his widow, Susannah Melinda Blackard, filed for his military benefits on July 14, 1862, later receiving $37.83. Left behind were five young children whose lives would forever be shaped by his sacrifice.
One of those children, Lucinda Blackard, would later marry John Floyd Shelor of Meadows of Dan.
Years later, Jesse Blackard became one of the respected citizens of Patrick County. In 1891, he was appointed Postmaster of Meadows of Dan, serving his community through one of its most important institutions. By the 1910 United States Census, he was employed as the foreman of a stave mill, where skilled craftsmen transformed oak timber into precisely cut wooden staves used in the manufacture of barrels.
Together, Jesse and Ruth Ellen built a home filled with love, faith, and hard work. They became the parents of four children:
William “Goodwin” Blackard (1875–1940), who managed the Stuart Chair Company and was an excellent craftsman. Goodwin married Callie Martha DeHart, the daughter of Green Washington DeHart and Louisa Ellen Ayers.
Ella Nora Blackard Reynolds (1877–1965), who married James Fay Reynolds, superintendent of Patrick County schools, for twenty-eight years. James Fay Reynolds was the son of Pleasant Calloway Reynolds and Temperance Louise Massey.
Elroy Avery Blackard (1885–1953), a traveling salesman. Elroy married Crystal Riddick from Suffolk, Virginia.
Hoy Orten Blackard (1889–1953), a skilled cobbler. Hoy married Callie Weaver, the daughter of Walter Greene Weaver and Delia Simpkins of Woolwine.
Now that we have a good foundation of Jesse and Ruth Ellen Turner Blackard’s family, we will hear from Ruth Ellen in her own words…..
I was born at Mt. Ovis, Virginia, (now WV) April 7, 1858. The first I remember was the Civil War, when I was three years old. I remember many things about the war distinctly, and things that occurred during the four years of the terrible tragedy. I remember very well when my brother left our home to go to war, and I remember so well when the news came that he had been shot. I remember when the war was over, all the excitement left memories on my mind I shall never forget.
And I remember so well when I was quite small my sister taught me how to milk, she bragged on me so much, how well I did, I was delighted to help her. I thought everything had to be done up to date, and that is what I tried to do. Sometimes I would slip into the kitchen after the dishes were washed and put away by my older sister, to see if the chairs were all sitting straight and looking nice. It was a pleasure to be doing something to help along, especially for my father and mother.
When I went to school, I loved my classmates and teacher and always tried to hurry home to help my mother.
When I was about ten years old, there were serious thoughts that come to me—that if I should die—would I be saved? My dear father had given me a New Testament and I promised to read it. So, I would go to the kitchen alone on Sunday afternoon and read my Testament, and I soon found out there was something for me to do—what I could do for others. This thought worried me so much.
Sometimes at night I could not sleep, but one night I came downstairs to my mother’s room but did not want her to know what was troubling me. She asked if I was sick, I told her no, and she told me to go back to bed and go to sleep. I went back to bed, but did not sleep. I went on like this for some time. I would try to pray. I did not want anyone to know how I was feeling.
So, on Sunday we were all at church, and our Pastor was preaching he repeated the beautiful verse. “I can but perish, if I go, I am resolved to try, for if I stay away, I know I must forever die.” I will always love this verse.
I thought about this for a long time. I was then about eleven years old. I did not want to talk to anyone about it. So then at last Henry Hughart came to our church he preached there for some time. I was carried away with his sermon, after a while he was holding a revival, he talked to me, and it seemed I felt better.
So, one night at the meeting it just seemed I could do nothing more, so I tried to turn everything over to the Lord and just then I felt like another child. Don’t tell me God does not work on little children.
So, I am going to finish all of it while I am telling you. I could hardly wait for the church door to open, so I offered myself to the Lord and church. They ask to tell them how I felt so these are the very words I said—
“I feel that the Lord has pardoned my sins, and I hope to meet you all in heaven.”
One deacon said that is enough. So, they received me into the church. I was one more happy soul.
I have always wanted to live right. Ever since, I know I have done many things through all these years I should not have done and left undone many, many things I should have done, but as soon as I have time to think it over, I take it to the Lord in prayer and I know he is a forgiving Saviour.
When I was in West Virginia time before last, my dear sister was telling me different places she was going to take me. I said, take me to the church where I was converted. There was no church there, but the ground and the beautiful trees were there, and that was enough—it seemed that the Lord was there.
My younger sister joined the church a few days before I did, and we were baptized together in Mill Creek near our home. It was in January and ice was cut off the pond. I was about twelve and my sister was about ten. Just before this time my two older sisters had married, both on the same day. My brother had married also. I had to help my mother and father, all I could do to help was a pleasure. My father kept me with him when my mother could spare me. When I was going to school, I always tried to hurry home to help all I could—I loved my parents dearly and made every effort to help of a morning before I went to school.
My father kept a girl to help all the time he could, but could not get one all of the time. So we worked along the best we could. Sister Eliza had grown fast and was almost as large as I was. Lizzie and Jeffrey were big children—so we got along as best we could.
About this time I had a few beaus, but I cared nothing for them until the right one came along. Then I decided I wanted a home of my own as much as I loved my parents, I wanted to keep house myself. I had never disobeyed my parents before—it almost broke my heart. But I could not feel I was doing wrong—I loved my parents, brothers and sisters, but some way I loved your Pa better than anyone else, and I wanted a house of my own.
So, we were married on April 5, 1874. Your Pa at this time was working for Dr. Stanton, five miles from here. I had a sister living close to where he was working, so we decided to stay with them until we could get a house built. We were building on my father’s farm. We decided to stay there for ten years. They started to work on our house the first of Sept. Your Pa worked on for Dr. Stanton and stayed at my sister’s, but I went home, as I was crazy each day to know how they were getting along. Your Pa finally got off from Dr. Stanton and finished up the house himself. Had it ready to move into at Christmas time. I was the happiest I ever was in my life. So we stayed there and your Pa worked away most of the time, coming back on Saturday nights and leaving on Monday mornings.
Pretty soon after we moved to our new house, brother Sam built the house on the hill above us and lived there some time then moved to Mill Creek. Jim and Lizzie were married and lived at Evans Fork—They then moved to the house on the hill that Sam had built, and stayed there as long as we stayed in WV. We had a good time together—I helped Lizzie do her work, she would help me, and then we would both help mother. We were together so much, and I don’t think we ever had a hard thought of each other. I had two children and she had one. Your Pa was still working away from home—I worked all week looking forward to Saturday and Sunday. I did not do much on Saturday except clean and get everything ready for Sunday. On Saturday evenings I would prepare supper early and get all my work done, and then I would say to you and Goodwin,
“Now you can go to Grandmas, I am going to meet your Pa.”
So, you would soon be out of sight—then I would hitch up my little mule and start off at a pace to meet your Pa. I was as happy as Mrs. Roosevelt, then we would both get on the mule and would soon be home. Happy days them were. Sometime your Pa would catch up with his work and be home for a few days. Then we would hitch up our little mule to our one-horse wagon and load up our potatoes, butter, chickens, eggs, tomatoes, and brans—drive to Campbells Creek Coal Co., sell our produce, buy lots of things then drive back home again. Those were happy days.
And on our meeting day we would take you and Goodwin and strike out for the church. We worked hard and got along fine—I looked after things at home while your Pa was away.
Just about this time our ten years was up. Tom Blackard and Milt Dehart came to our house from Kentucky. Milt stayed a few days and left for Virginia. Before we moved here, your Pa came here on a visit, while Tom was there with us. He stayed about two months and while he was here, he made plans for us to move. When he came home, he began to sell our things, I did not like the idea very much for he had been interested in a beautiful place at the mouth of Blue Creek, which if he had bought, would have been a fortune to us – a few years later oil was discovered there and the place was sold for thousands of dollars. But it might have been for the best, for some time I think it is better to be poor than rich.
Anyway, your Pa came home about the first of Feb. and by the last of May we were ready to move here – we sold out cows, hogs, sheep, furniture and everything we had except our bed clothes, dishes, and few little things, so we were ready to go.
Den Robertson came with his wagon and took us to brother Sams on Mill Creek, where we spent the night with them and until the next afternoon. Then we went to Charleston and spent the night with Mrs. Woodrum, a very dear friend – who at one time lived on Blue Creek near us, and her daughter had stayed with us when you were born. After spending the night with this friend, we took the train for Virginia and got to Christiansburg about sunset. Uncle Tom Dehart met us with his wagon, he loaded us on, struck a trot, and I don’t think he stopped until we got to Union Mills, where we spent the night. We fixed a little supper as we had a lot of provisions with us and Uncle Tom had a big box, and a lot of good coffee, before they called us.
So, we loaded up, struck another trot, we traveled all day, with the exception of about an hour at noon. We got to Uncle Toms in Meadows of Dan about dark. We had a lovely reception waiting for us, and a good supper. We rested the next day then went to Willoughby’s and had a nice day with them, also spent the night. The next day being Sunday and Concord Church day, we all went to preaching. After preaching we went home with John Floyd Shelor, spent the night with them, coming back to Uncle Toms, we began to make plans for some place to stay until we could build. We decided to fix up this little house at the mill. So, we repaired the house and stayed there about a year.
Then we went to Mrs. Spanglers place and kept the post office until we got the house built down by the mill. Avery was born there on October 28, 1885.
When I left WV, I got my church letter from Evans Fork Church. I had been a member of this church ever since I professed a hope in Christ, the church was first called Mount Evans, but after changing it to another place they called it Ryans Fork. I enjoyed the church so much; my father, mother, brothers, and sisters belong here, and I did not like giving it up.
But pretty soon after my arrival I put my letter in the Meadows of Dan church and from Meadows of Dan I came to the Stuart Baptist Church, and enjoyed it very much.
However, I have had my sorrows since I came to VA. My father died in about two years, and pretty soon my mother died. And since then, I have lost five brothers and sisters, only one brother is living, out of eleven children—one little sister died in infancy and another 1872. So, this makes up the family.
Up until I lost my dear companion, I had pleasures, a good home, a kind affectionate husband, four children that have been near and dear to me, many friends, a good church to go to, so when we count our blessings, they over balance our sorrows.
Nearly a century after those words were written, Ruth Ellen Turner Blackard still reminds us that a life well lived is measured not by the hardships we endure, but by the blessings we choose to remember. Her memoir is more than the story of one remarkable woman—it is a gift to her family and to all who cherish the history of Patrick County.
Thank you to Charlie Bowman for sharing this special memoir and Danny Compton for the photograph. Woody may be reached at rockcastlecreek1@gmail.com, or 276-692-9626.
