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Eagles in WV

Replies: 31

Re: eagle family

Posted: 26 Nov 2014 2:03PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Eagle, Sheets, walters, Gray, Odell, Bennett
I am a great grandson of Signora Jenetta Eagle/Odell/Sheets/Walters/Gray through her daughter Beulah Videssa Sheets. Was just cruising the net and found your question for 2000. Perhaps I can shed some small light on the matter.

Signora's father was John Abraham Eagle (b. 4 Aug 1830; Augusta Co, Va; d. 28 May 1914, Mt. Hope, Fayette Co, WV) and her mother was Sarah Elizabeth Bennett (b. 1843, Lucas, Nicholas Co, WV; d. 1882 of TB). John Eagle was married three times and this was his 2d marriage.

Signora was married four times. Her first marriage was to a local man in Nicholas Co, WV. Cyrus Rupert Odell (b. 1858) and Signora were married in 1887. There is no record of what happened to that marriage, but it probably ended in divorce. There were apparently no children by this marriage

Signora next married James W. Sheets (b. UNK) . Here lies the ultimate question: did she actually marry James W. Sheets. Sheets was a Singer sewing machine salesman. She had two children by Sheets, Beulah Videssa Sheets (my grandmother) and John Sheets (who was called Uncle John Sheets). She was born in Mason Co, WV, near Point Pleasant. The record shows the father as “J. W. Sheets” and “Sewing machine agent”. It also shows his place of birth as: “Clarksburg, WV”. Beulah’s birth was also registered in Nicholas County. In that entry done by John Eagle, Signora’s father, it shows the place of birth as “Roane Co, WV” and the father as “James Sheets”. It’s odd that John Eagle did this, but who knows why? Maybe to protect the integrity of Signora.

James Sheets is an enigma. I and several of my cousins have been on his trail for years. There are several Sheets families in Clarksburg during that period and there are some possible leads but we don’t know for sure. There are several James W. Sheets in WV during the time in question. All fall within an appropriate age range so we can’t separate them. The big issue, of course, is that we have been unable to find any record of the marriage between James Sheets and Signora.

At this point, given all the facts known, we strongly suspect that Signora ran away with Sheets. She had two children close together and then went back home to live with her father. We have no idea why she did that. No one ever really talked about it in the family. Signora lived to a ripe old age and died in Jody, WV.

Signora next married Allen Walters (b. 1867) on 21 November 1888.

Signora next married Andrew W. Gray (b. 20 Aug 1859) on 4 July 1900.

I have photos of John and his 5 daughters as well as Signora later in life.
SubjectAuthorDate Posted
Rachel Hanna 25 Jan 2000 3:57AM GMT 
debbie hendrickson 7 Feb 2000 4:24PM GMT 
debbie 8 Feb 2000 6:38PM GMT 
Rachel Hanna 9 Feb 2000 3:43AM GMT 
debbie 9 Feb 2000 4:03PM GMT 
Rachel Hanna 10 Feb 2000 9:34AM GMT 
Robert Rogers 11 Feb 2000 10:39AM GMT 
IronEagle 15 Apr 2000 11:23PM GMT 
nancy 27 May 2000 12:50PM GMT 
JOHN WIDEMAN 26 Nov 2014 9:03PM GMT 
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