The Passage of Time

Pioneer life and local history have been a passion for Robert and Anna Campbell, lifelong residents of Nicholas County, West Virginia. They were amazed at how Irish, English, and Scottish ancestors survived in the mountains for generations. Robert was known as a storyteller. Family and friends would sit on the porch or in the living room for hours and listen to his detailed accounts of family and life in the central West Virginia mountains. One of Robert's favorite stories was telling how his grandfather Campbell built a dynamo to produce electricity for the family's mill on Muddlety Creek and was instrumental in getting electricity to the town of Summersville. Anna loves history and writing. She enjoys talking and corresponding with others to learn more about ancestors and families who settled in the area. The Campbells were approached by the owner of The Nicholas Chronicle to write stories for a weekly newspaper column, The Passage of Time, published from 2008-2012. They received positive response to the stories and had several requests that the stories be published in a book. Robert passed away in 2015, but the stories that he and Anna cherished and shared with others will continue to live on. The stories with pictures portray the culture, character, creativity, Christian values, and the caring people that made Nicholas County, West Virginia a unique place to live for generations. Some of the families in the stories include: Starbuck, Campbell, Reynolds, Murphy, Gregory, Breckinridge, Alderson, Brown, Cavendish, Harlow, McClung, Tyree, Bays, Duffy, Bryant, Baker, Hill, Sebert, Whitman, Beirne, Dorsey, Cummings, and Grose. The stories loosely trace the roots of Nicholas County residents from the 1600's to 2012. Events such as World War II and how it impacted the people of Nicholas County are featured in several stories. Businesses such as Campbell Electric Company, Walker Brothers (brick and pottery), Peters Creek Coal Company, and Ely-Thomas Lumber Company are featured in the stories. Other stories focus on community establishments such as schools, churches, cemeteries, and notable buildings. Pioneer life stories on aprons; quilts and coverlets; wash day in Appalachia; crocks, churns, and stone jars; handwritten letters and cards; home deliveries; and children's games provide insights into earlier times. Robert and Anna Campbell turned their appreciation of those who preceded them into a gift for the people of Nicholas County and beyond. The stories are the threads that bind the past to the present to create a tapestry that provides context for the future.