Hurley Family

The Hurley's (O'Murthuile) area a noted family of Desmond (Southern Cork) Ireland. Several members of the Hurley Family have distinguished themselves in Irish History as soldiers and political leaders.

Two are prayed to as martyrs. David Hurley, Dean of Emily, was arrested for his defense of his faith and refusal to recognize Elizabeth as Head of the Church. He died in prison in 1578; as a result of his hardships.

Dermot Hurley, (1519-1584), Archbishop of Cashel, was seized and imprisoned in Dublin Castle. To force his admission of Elizabeth as Supremacy his feet were encased in iron boots and burnt. His dauntless spirit could not be broken and finally he has hanged on St. Stephens Green in Dublin in 1584.

From the book: "Martyred Archbishop of Cashel - Dr. Dermot O'Hurley (1519-1584) by Seosamh O'Murthiule, 1935.

The Hurley Family descends from Samuel Robert and Sarah "Sally" Hurley who came to America in 1800. They were married in Rowan County, North Carolina on October 7, 1803.

In the 1860 Buchanan County US Federal Census, Sarah was living in the household of Henry and Sarah (Hurley) Elswick. Samuel was not found in the 1850 census, nor the 1860 census.

George and Mary Katherine Spears Smith

George and Mary Katherine Spears Smith lived on Lester's Fork at Hurley. George was the son of Louis Hardin Smith and Sarah Davis. Mary Katherine (Kate) Spears was born in Tennessee. George and Kate had seven children: Ocie, Lora, Ollie, Eckol, Ervin, Clarence, and Stuart.

Katherine Justus Baker

Katherine Justus Baker was the daughter of Wiley and Sarah Ann May Justus. She married Frelin Hisen Baker.

First Store in Hurley

Justus - Hurley - Baugh Children

Top row left: Danny (Boone) Justus, Darrell Hurley, Ronnie Justus
Second row left: Shirley Baugh, Tippy Hurley, Sharon Justus
Bottom row left: Gena Elaine Justus, Wendy Justus, Sandy Justus
Picture from Wendy Justus

Buchanan County, VA Land Tax 1859 C-H

Transcribed from film #0029900 by Jack Hockett (un-proofed draft)

Cox, Benjamin (KY) 55 acres on Knox Creek
Coleman, Cartier (KY) 25 acres on Paw Paw Fork Knox
Coleman, Richard C. 138 acres on Lester's Fork of Knox
Coleman, Richard C. 20 acres on Lester's camp fork
Coleman, Richard C. 105 acres on the head of Knox
Coleman, Richard C. 111 acres on Lester's Fork of Knox
Coleman, Richard C. 500 acres Elkins Branch & dividing Lester's Fork Knox
Coleman, William 70 acres on Paw Paw Fork Knox
Dotson, William R. 28; 5 acres on the Paw Paw Fork Knox
Davis, James 27 acres on Knox Creek
Davis, James 90 acres on Waters of Knox
Elswick, Harvey 48 acres on Knox Creek
Estep, Uriah 114; 150 acres on the Paw Paw fork Knox
Estep, William 137 acres on the Lester's Fork of Knox
Estep, Shaderach 18, 60, 30, 50 acres on the Paw Paw Fork Knox
Estep, Shaderach 6, 18 acres on the Paw Paw Fork Knox
Estep, Shaderach 23 acres on the Lick Branch Knox
Estep, Shaderach 38 acres on the Paw Paw Fork Knox
Estep, Shaderach 50, 64, 50, 3 acres on the Paw Paw Fork Knox
Frances, William (KY) 29 acres on Knox Laurel Creek
Gillespie, Wm. M. & J.W.M. Witten (Tazewell Co.) 70 acres "Knox Tract" on the dividing ridge

Buchanan County, VA Land Tax 1859 A-C

Buchanan County, Virginia Land Tax Lists 1859 A-C
Transcribed from film #0029900 by Jack Hockett (un-proofed draft)
"Buchanan County Times Past" Issue # 4, Summer 2000.

Blankenship, Rolley of C. 25 acres on Knox Creek
Blankenship, Daniel 44 acres on Knox Creek
Blankenship, Daniel 10 acres on Knox Creek
Blankenship, Daniel 80 acres on Knox Creek
Blankenship, Daniel 27 acres on the waters of Knox
Blankenship, Daniel 131 acres on the waters of Knox
Blankenship, Daniel 54 acres on the waters of Knox
Blankenship, Hezekiah 187 acres on the waters of Knox
Blankenship, Hezekiah 76 acres on the waters of Knox
Blankenship, Hezekiah 38 acres on the waters of Knox
Blankenship, William (KY) 40 acres on Knox Creek
Blankenship, William (KY) 23 acres on Knox Creek
Blankenship, William (KY) 11 acres on the Staggerweed Hollar
Blankenship, Raleigh of C. 24 acres on the Straight Forks of Blackey Fork of Knox Creek
Baker, Andrew 70 acres on Lester Fork of Knox Creek
Blankenship, Hezekiah 76 acres on the waters of Knox
Callins (Collins ?), John 22 acres on Guesses Fork of Knox
Callins (Collins ?), John 10 acres on Guesses Fork of Knox
Callins (Collins ?), John 12 acres on Guesses Fork of Knox
Collins, Edward (McDowell Co) 310 acres on Knox Waters
Coleman, Cartier (KY) 25 acres on Paw Paw Fork Knox
Cox, Benjamin 55 acres on Knox Creek

Myrtle Coleman Estep

Smith's of Lester's Fork at Hurley, VA

This picture was taken the summer of 1936 showing cousins on Lester's Fork at Hurley. On the left is Bill Smith, center is Bill's brother, Harold C. Smith and on the right is a cousin to Bill and Harold, Willie Smith. Harold and Bill are sons of James P. Smith who was the son of Harrison and Sarah Smith.

D. A. Justus Elementary School

Buchanan County, VA Land Tax 1859 J-Z

"Buchanan County Times Past"
Issue # 6, Summer 2001
Transcribed from film #0029900 by Jack Hockett (un-proofed draft)

Justus, Hiram (McDowell Co.) 60 acres on Guesses Fork of Knox
Justus, Simeon 80 acres on Right Hand Fork of Guesses Fork
Justus, Joabb Jr. (Nicholas Co.) 6 acres on Guesses Fork
Justus, Sobbury 30 acres on Right Hand Fork of Guesses Fork
Looney, Joseph (of John) 240 acres of Lester's Fork Knox NE10
Narman (Norman), William (KY) 30 acres on the Paw Paw Fork of Knox
Narman (Norman), William (KY) 26 acres on the Paw Paw Fork of Knox
Pickett, William 55 acres on the Guesses Fork of Knox
Robnett, Nathan, Sr. 25 acres on Camp Creek of Knox
Smyth, Samuel M. 79 acres on Knox Creek
Smyth, Samuel M. 100 acres on Knox Creek
Smyth, Samuel M. 13 acres on Lester's Fork Of Knox
Smyth, Samuel M. 110 acres on Pounding Mill Branch
Smyth, Samuel M. 120 acres on Guesses Fork of Knox
Smyth, Samuel M. 60 acres on Guesses Fork of Knox
Smyth, Samuel M. 25 acres on Guesses Fork of Knox
Stacy, William Sr. 45 acres on Knox Creek
Stacy, William Sr. 74 acres on the divides between Prather and Knox

Children of Simeon and Keziah Justice

Children of Simeon and Keziah Justice

By Ed Talbott, III

From: Buchanan County Times Past, Issue # 5, Winter 2000, Pages 18-20.

Note: (From Mr. Talbott) For the nine children on Simeon and Keziah, I will use the spelling of Justus as it is about 1860-1870 that this spelling begins to take precedence in the Guesses Fork area).

Note: Permission was given by Ed Talbott, III for this information to be posted in this blog. We appreciate Mr. Talbott sharing this information with the public. A copy of Buchanan County Times Past is at the Buchanan County Public Library in Grundy, VA.

Polly Jane Justus was born about 1808 in Floyd County, Kentucky. She married Samuel M. Smith and they raised eight children in the Hurley area. Samuel owned huge tracts of land on Knox Creek and Lester’s Fork in the early 1800’s. Late in life they moved to Todd County, Minnesota and are buried there.

Saulsbury Justus was born in 1811 in Floyd County, Kentucky. He married Amy “Anna” Sturgill in Kentucky. She was the daughter of John Sturgill, Jr. and Amy Hall. Saul and Anna raised a large family of 11 children on the right hand fork of Guesses Fork. At least two of their sons served for the Confederacy in the Civil War. Saul and Anna are buried at the Old Justus cemetery on a point above the mouth of House Branch on Guesses Fork.

Joab Justus was born about 1812 in Floyd County, Kentucky. He married Mary “Molly” Wolford about 1839 on Knox Creek and they had three children. Molly was the daughter of John Wolford, Sr. and Mary “Polly” Charles. Joab later married Sally Cline and they had five children. The final resting place of Joab is unknown at this time.

Lucinda Justus was born about 1813 in Floyd County, Kentucky. She married William “Billy” Hall and they had a family in the Knox Creek area. I have little information on this Hall family. Lucinda’s daughter, Rachel Hall married Joshua Justus. Joshua served in the Civil War and is buried on a point above the railroad at the mouth of Guesses Fork.

Annia Justus was born about 1816 in Floyd County, KY. She married Edward J. “Ned” Collins on June 26, 1834 in the Pike County, KY. Ned was the son of Meredith Collins (a Revolutionary War veteran) and Margaret Holloway. Annia and Ned raised a large family of nine children on the Tug River. Ned passed away in 1879 at War Eagle in Mingo County, WV. Anna moved back to Guesses Fork for her golden years. She died on October 10, 1891 at the age of 75. She is buried in the Old Justus Cemetery at House Branch on Guesses Fork.

King Hiram Justus was born about 1820 in Floyd County, KY. He married Margaret “Peggy” Jackson in Floyd County, KY. Her parents are unknown at this time. King Hiram served as Captain of the Hurley men who served in Company H, 10^th Kentucky Cavalry, CSA during the Civil War. King Hiram and Peggy raised a family of ten children on the left hand fork of Guesses Fork. King Hiram’s log cabin stood until about 1920 and a picture of it was published in the Virginia Mountaineer. King Hiram Justus is buried in the Justus Cemetery on the left hand fork of Guesses Fork under an unmarked fieldstone. A new military stone will be ordered for this Confederate officer as soon as an approximate death date can be determined.

James Raleigh Justus was born on August 1, 1828 in KY. He married Elizabeth “Betsy” Davis on February 17, 1851 in what is now Buchanan County, VA. James and Betsy raised seven children in the Hurley area. During the Civil War, he served under his brother in Company H, 10^th KY Cavalry, CSA. On August 6, 1863, James was shot and killed in his own yard by Unionist “bushwhackers.” He is buried in the Old Justus Cemetery at House Branch on Guesses Fork.

William Whiley Justus was born May 6, 1830 in Floyd County, KY. His first wife was Margaret “Peggy” Blankenship. They were married on August 16, 1849 in what is now Buchanan County, VA. Peggy must have passed away shortly after their first son was born. William remarried Louisa “Eliza” Blankenship on August 15, 1858 in Buchanan County, VA. Eliza was the daughter of Hezekiah Blankenship and Rachel Sanders. They raised a large family of eleven children on Guesses Fork. William Whiley also served during the Civil War in company H, 10^th KY Cavalry, CSA. Eliza passed away on April 16, 1906 and Whiley on February 9, 1908. They are buried under two homemade markers in a well-cared for cemetery on Lick Branch in the right hand fork of Guesses Fork.

Rhoda Justus was the youngest of the family and she married Muncy Monk Lane. I know very little about this family and would like any additional information that someone would like to send me. If you have any additional information to send or any corrections to make please leave a comment on this blog.

The Early Justus Family of Buchanan County

The Early Justus Family of Buchanan County

By Ed Talbott, III

From: Buchanan County Times Past, Issue # 5, Winter 2000, Pages 18-20.

Note: Permission was given by Ed Talbott, III for this information to be posted in this blog. We appreciate Mr. Talbott sharing this information with the public. A copy of Buchanan County Times Past is at the Buchanan County Public Library in Grundy, VA.

Simeon “Simmy” Justice, Jr. was born about 1777 and was the son of Simeon Justice, Sr. and married Elizabeth Turley. Simeon married Keziah Salisbury about 1807 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. Keziah went by the nicknames of “Prisa” and “Kizzie” at various times in her life. She was the daughter of Richard Salisbury and Polly Milton of Pittsylvania Count, VA. Richard Salisbury had served during the American Revolution.

Sometime before 1810, Simeon and Keziah moved to Beaver Creek in Floyd County, Kentucky and started a family. About 1836 the entire Justice family moved to Guesses Fork in Buchanan County, VA. Simeon and several of his sons received large land grants in Guesses Fork and across the ridge on Panther Creek in McDowell County, WV. Simeon possibly died prior to 1850 and Keziah died on November 23, 1855. They are probably buried in the Old Justus family cemetery on the right hand fork of Guesses Fork as three of their children are also buried there. Time as long since worn away and most of the markings on the fieldstones there are gone.

There has been some speculation that Guesses Fork could have originally been called Justice’s Fork. Ed believes that the name was originally Gist’s Fork for the explorer Christopher Gist who probably traveled through Buchanan County in 1750. Knox Creek was well populated prior to the 1836 arrival of the Justice family and the large hollow of Guesses Fork almost certainly would have been named prior to that.

The Next Blog will include their children.