George was born on the 4th of July, so he was, appropriately, named George Washington. George's mother died when he was ten years old. His father remarried within two years and his stepmother was not kind to him. Very early in his life he was forced to find his own food and earn his own way. At eighteen he left home and went to Ohio, where he graduated from college.
During his lifetime he was a school teacher and farmer, a glassblower in Pennsylvania, a steamship worker on the Ohio River, and a coal miner in West Virginia and Colorado.
George was about 22 years old when he married Samantha (Samanthy) Weaver in 1874. They had three children. Samantha died in 1881, the same year that John D., her youngest son, was born and died.
George was a refined and educated man who was a clean and well dressed. His brother, John D., married Cynthia Jarrell in 1879. Cynthia had a sister, Rosetta Jane. Cynthia's and Rosetta's mother always liked John D. Because his brother, George, was a school teacher (a highly respected position at this time). Rosetta's mother encouraged her to marry George. She took her mother's advice and, although she didn't love him, they were wed.on the 19th of December, 1885. George at this time Was 33 years old, and Rosetta was 17 years old. They had six children, plus George's two from his first marriage. These children were all born in West Virginia.
About 1896, George was working on a river boat on the Ohio River. A beam fell and hit him on the head. It made a deep depression in his skull which caused him painful headaches. He would wake up in the night screaming with pain and holding his head. He also started having what his family called "fits," during which George displayed great strength. He would break or bend or move anything in his path. One time he, bent an iron poker in half. Rosetta was sure he had lost his mind and she and the children were very frightened of him. Two of his children remember waking and taking shelter in a neighbor's house for several days. Nine year old May carried two year old Joe on her back as they fled through the cornfield during the night.
Rosetta decided George should be committed to a mental institution. She arranged for the sheriff to meet him down at the creek, rather than have him taken in front of the children. George, not knowing why Rosetta wanted him to go down to the creek, gave in to the coaxing of his young daughter, May, and took her up on the horse with him for the ride. When he saw three men and the sheriff waiting for him with the intent of taking him away, he put up such a fight it took three of the men to subdue him. May watched as during the fight her father's shirt was torn from his back and he was tied up with a rope and taken away.
After a few days at the mental institution, he was sent to a hospital because they felt his problem was physical rather than mental. At the hospital, he underwent surgery that lifted his crushed skull. Part of his skull was removed and it left an indentation large enough to lay a finger in. After the surgery he didn't suffer the severe headaches that caused him to scream in agony, but he did have very bad headaches the rest of his life.
George was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on February 9, 1887, the same day that his brothers, John D. and Lorenzo Dow, were baptized. They were the only Masseys to join the church. After George was hurt, he renounced the church. He claimed there was no correct church on the earth, but he had a great love for the Bible. He spent long hours of study trying to find a passage that would disprove the Book of Mormon.
During the time that George was having his spells (about ten years after the three Massey brothers and most of the Jarrells had joined the church) the missionary who had converted them, Phillip Harrison Hurst, was visiting the area and was staying at the house where Rosetta and the children had fled for shelter from George. Mr. Hurst told Rosetta she shouldn't have to be married to such a man.
Later, Mr. Hurst returned to Mexico and after discussing Rosetta's situation with his wife, he wrote to Rosetta urging her to leave George and to go with her children to Mexico where they could take refuge in his home. Rosetta didn't go because she couldn't scrape together enough money.
John D. and Cynthia received so much persecution in West Virginia that in 1889 they moved to Colorado, where they lived at Fox Creek. They kept writing to George and Rosetta, telling them to come on out to Colorado. Finally in 1900-1903, Rosetta, George and Rosetta's children boarded the train for their move to Manassa, Colorado. George worked in the sawmill at Fox Creek for 25 cents a day.
George hated the Mormons by the time they moved to Colorado and he didn't like taking charity from them. They all worked hard, parents and children alike, to keep from starving. In 1905, John D. and his family moved to Utah. They wrote back to Colorado and George and Rosetta, telling them of the many opportunities in Utah. George decided it wouldn't be worse than Colorado and so they moved to Dry Fork. In Dry Fork, George managed to obtain 40 acres of land that he farmed for several years. George hated Utah. He used to say, "Upon my word and honor this is an awful place. Fit only for coyotes and Indians."
He longed for West Virginia and its lush vegetation. Rosetta was away, settling Virgil, the youngest son, in at the University of Utah, when George poured out his frustrations to his son, Joe. Since it was no secret to any of their children that George and Rosetta didn't get along, although they were never mean to each other, Joe urged him to go ahead and go back to West Virginia. Sometime in the early 1920s he left. Some years later, he went back and stayed with Joe for about a year. The winter was very severe and George went back to West Virginia for good.
At the age of 80, he built himself a little house on a hill at Blooming Rose. His home was surrounded by the beautiful pines and lush vegetation of his beloved state of West Virginia. George lived there until his death at the age of 87.
Uniting of the Masseys and the Jarrells
The Massey Family Association
------------
Born on Jul. 4, 1852 at Ohley, Kanawha County, West Virginia, a son of Lewis and Nancy Cooper Massey. He married Rosetta Jane Jarrell n December 19, 1885 at Boone County, West Virginia.
The following children were born to them: Claudia May Massey Barber, Murley Massey Jolley, Joseph Irvin Massey, Cecil Bruce Massey, Sebert Herbert Massey and Virgil H. Massey. Rosetta and George were later divorced.
He married Samantha Weaver on January 27, 1876 at Kanawha, West Virginia. They had the following children: Viola Frances Massey, Bertha Jane Massey and John D. Massey.
He died on April 26, 1939 at Bloomingrose, Boone County, West Virginia.
------------
Son of Lewis and Nancy Cooper Massey
Spouses:
1)Rosetta Jane Jarrell, 19 Dec 1885 (div)
2)Samantha Weaver, 27 Jan 1876
Children not listed below: Viola Massey Foster
During his lifetime he was a school teacher and farmer, a glassblower in Pennsylvania, a steamship worker on the Ohio River, and a coal miner in West Virginia and Colorado.
George was about 22 years old when he married Samantha (Samanthy) Weaver in 1874. They had three children. Samantha died in 1881, the same year that John D., her youngest son, was born and died.
George was a refined and educated man who was a clean and well dressed. His brother, John D., married Cynthia Jarrell in 1879. Cynthia had a sister, Rosetta Jane. Cynthia's and Rosetta's mother always liked John D. Because his brother, George, was a school teacher (a highly respected position at this time). Rosetta's mother encouraged her to marry George. She took her mother's advice and, although she didn't love him, they were wed.on the 19th of December, 1885. George at this time Was 33 years old, and Rosetta was 17 years old. They had six children, plus George's two from his first marriage. These children were all born in West Virginia.
About 1896, George was working on a river boat on the Ohio River. A beam fell and hit him on the head. It made a deep depression in his skull which caused him painful headaches. He would wake up in the night screaming with pain and holding his head. He also started having what his family called "fits," during which George displayed great strength. He would break or bend or move anything in his path. One time he, bent an iron poker in half. Rosetta was sure he had lost his mind and she and the children were very frightened of him. Two of his children remember waking and taking shelter in a neighbor's house for several days. Nine year old May carried two year old Joe on her back as they fled through the cornfield during the night.
Rosetta decided George should be committed to a mental institution. She arranged for the sheriff to meet him down at the creek, rather than have him taken in front of the children. George, not knowing why Rosetta wanted him to go down to the creek, gave in to the coaxing of his young daughter, May, and took her up on the horse with him for the ride. When he saw three men and the sheriff waiting for him with the intent of taking him away, he put up such a fight it took three of the men to subdue him. May watched as during the fight her father's shirt was torn from his back and he was tied up with a rope and taken away.
After a few days at the mental institution, he was sent to a hospital because they felt his problem was physical rather than mental. At the hospital, he underwent surgery that lifted his crushed skull. Part of his skull was removed and it left an indentation large enough to lay a finger in. After the surgery he didn't suffer the severe headaches that caused him to scream in agony, but he did have very bad headaches the rest of his life.
George was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on February 9, 1887, the same day that his brothers, John D. and Lorenzo Dow, were baptized. They were the only Masseys to join the church. After George was hurt, he renounced the church. He claimed there was no correct church on the earth, but he had a great love for the Bible. He spent long hours of study trying to find a passage that would disprove the Book of Mormon.
During the time that George was having his spells (about ten years after the three Massey brothers and most of the Jarrells had joined the church) the missionary who had converted them, Phillip Harrison Hurst, was visiting the area and was staying at the house where Rosetta and the children had fled for shelter from George. Mr. Hurst told Rosetta she shouldn't have to be married to such a man.
Later, Mr. Hurst returned to Mexico and after discussing Rosetta's situation with his wife, he wrote to Rosetta urging her to leave George and to go with her children to Mexico where they could take refuge in his home. Rosetta didn't go because she couldn't scrape together enough money.
John D. and Cynthia received so much persecution in West Virginia that in 1889 they moved to Colorado, where they lived at Fox Creek. They kept writing to George and Rosetta, telling them to come on out to Colorado. Finally in 1900-1903, Rosetta, George and Rosetta's children boarded the train for their move to Manassa, Colorado. George worked in the sawmill at Fox Creek for 25 cents a day.
George hated the Mormons by the time they moved to Colorado and he didn't like taking charity from them. They all worked hard, parents and children alike, to keep from starving. In 1905, John D. and his family moved to Utah. They wrote back to Colorado and George and Rosetta, telling them of the many opportunities in Utah. George decided it wouldn't be worse than Colorado and so they moved to Dry Fork. In Dry Fork, George managed to obtain 40 acres of land that he farmed for several years. George hated Utah. He used to say, "Upon my word and honor this is an awful place. Fit only for coyotes and Indians."
He longed for West Virginia and its lush vegetation. Rosetta was away, settling Virgil, the youngest son, in at the University of Utah, when George poured out his frustrations to his son, Joe. Since it was no secret to any of their children that George and Rosetta didn't get along, although they were never mean to each other, Joe urged him to go ahead and go back to West Virginia. Sometime in the early 1920s he left. Some years later, he went back and stayed with Joe for about a year. The winter was very severe and George went back to West Virginia for good.
At the age of 80, he built himself a little house on a hill at Blooming Rose. His home was surrounded by the beautiful pines and lush vegetation of his beloved state of West Virginia. George lived there until his death at the age of 87.
Uniting of the Masseys and the Jarrells
The Massey Family Association
------------
Born on Jul. 4, 1852 at Ohley, Kanawha County, West Virginia, a son of Lewis and Nancy Cooper Massey. He married Rosetta Jane Jarrell n December 19, 1885 at Boone County, West Virginia.
The following children were born to them: Claudia May Massey Barber, Murley Massey Jolley, Joseph Irvin Massey, Cecil Bruce Massey, Sebert Herbert Massey and Virgil H. Massey. Rosetta and George were later divorced.
He married Samantha Weaver on January 27, 1876 at Kanawha, West Virginia. They had the following children: Viola Frances Massey, Bertha Jane Massey and John D. Massey.
He died on April 26, 1939 at Bloomingrose, Boone County, West Virginia.
------------
Son of Lewis and Nancy Cooper Massey
Spouses:
1)Rosetta Jane Jarrell, 19 Dec 1885 (div)
2)Samantha Weaver, 27 Jan 1876
Children not listed below: Viola Massey Foster
George was born on the 4th of July, so he was, appropriately, named George Washington. George's mother died when he was ten years old. His father remarried within two years and his stepmother was not kind to him. Very early in his life he was forced to find his own food and earn his own way. At eighteen he left home and went to Ohio, where he graduated from college.
During his lifetime he was a school teacher and farmer, a glassblower in Pennsylvania, a steamship worker on the Ohio River, and a coal miner in West Virginia and Colorado.
George was about 22 years old when he married Samantha (Samanthy) Weaver in 1874. They had three children. Samantha died in 1881, the same year that John D., her youngest son, was born and died.
George was a refined and educated man who was a clean and well dressed. His brother, John D., married Cynthia Jarrell in 1879. Cynthia had a sister, Rosetta Jane. Cynthia's and Rosetta's mother always liked John D. Because his brother, George, was a school teacher (a highly respected position at this time). Rosetta's mother encouraged her to marry George. She took her mother's advice and, although she didn't love him, they were wed.on the 19th of December, 1885. George at this time Was 33 years old, and Rosetta was 17 years old. They had six children, plus George's two from his first marriage. These children were all born in West Virginia.
About 1896, George was working on a river boat on the Ohio River. A beam fell and hit him on the head. It made a deep depression in his skull which caused him painful headaches. He would wake up in the night screaming with pain and holding his head. He also started having what his family called "fits," during which George displayed great strength. He would break or bend or move anything in his path. One time he, bent an iron poker in half. Rosetta was sure he had lost his mind and she and the children were very frightened of him. Two of his children remember waking and taking shelter in a neighbor's house for several days. Nine year old May carried two year old Joe on her back as they fled through the cornfield during the night.
Rosetta decided George should be committed to a mental institution. She arranged for the sheriff to meet him down at the creek, rather than have him taken in front of the children. George, not knowing why Rosetta wanted him to go down to the creek, gave in to the coaxing of his young daughter, May, and took her up on the horse with him for the ride. When he saw three men and the sheriff waiting for him with the intent of taking him away, he put up such a fight it took three of the men to subdue him. May watched as during the fight her father's shirt was torn from his back and he was tied up with a rope and taken away.
After a few days at the mental institution, he was sent to a hospital because they felt his problem was physical rather than mental. At the hospital, he underwent surgery that lifted his crushed skull. Part of his skull was removed and it left an indentation large enough to lay a finger in. After the surgery he didn't suffer the severe headaches that caused him to scream in agony, but he did have very bad headaches the rest of his life.
George was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on February 9, 1887, the same day that his brothers, John D. and Lorenzo Dow, were baptized. They were the only Masseys to join the church. After George was hurt, he renounced the church. He claimed there was no correct church on the earth, but he had a great love for the Bible. He spent long hours of study trying to find a passage that would disprove the Book of Mormon.
During the time that George was having his spells (about ten years after the three Massey brothers and most of the Jarrells had joined the church) the missionary who had converted them, Phillip Harrison Hurst, was visiting the area and was staying at the house where Rosetta and the children had fled for shelter from George. Mr. Hurst told Rosetta she shouldn't have to be married to such a man.
Later, Mr. Hurst returned to Mexico and after discussing Rosetta's situation with his wife, he wrote to Rosetta urging her to leave George and to go with her children to Mexico where they could take refuge in his home. Rosetta didn't go because she couldn't scrape together enough money.
John D. and Cynthia received so much persecution in West Virginia that in 1889 they moved to Colorado, where they lived at Fox Creek. They kept writing to George and Rosetta, telling them to come on out to Colorado. Finally in 1900-1903, Rosetta, George and Rosetta's children boarded the train for their move to Manassa, Colorado. George worked in the sawmill at Fox Creek for 25 cents a day.
George hated the Mormons by the time they moved to Colorado and he didn't like taking charity from them. They all worked hard, parents and children alike, to keep from starving. In 1905, John D. and his family moved to Utah. They wrote back to Colorado and George and Rosetta, telling them of the many opportunities in Utah. George decided it wouldn't be worse than Colorado and so they moved to Dry Fork. In Dry Fork, George managed to obtain 40 acres of land that he farmed for several years. George hated Utah. He used to say, "Upon my word and honor this is an awful place. Fit only for coyotes and Indians."
He longed for West Virginia and its lush vegetation. Rosetta was away, settling Virgil, the youngest son, in at the University of Utah, when George poured out his frustrations to his son, Joe. Since it was no secret to any of their children that George and Rosetta didn't get along, although they were never mean to each other, Joe urged him to go ahead and go back to West Virginia. Sometime in the early 1920s he left. Some years later, he went back and stayed with Joe for about a year. The winter was very severe and George went back to West Virginia for good.
At the age of 80, he built himself a little house on a hill at Blooming Rose. His home was surrounded by the beautiful pines and lush vegetation of his beloved state of West Virginia. George lived there until his death at the age of 87.
Uniting of the Masseys and the Jarrells
The Massey Family Association
------------
Born on Jul. 4, 1852 at Ohley, Kanawha County, West Virginia, a son of Lewis and Nancy Cooper Massey. He married Rosetta Jane Jarrell n December 19, 1885 at Boone County, West Virginia.
The following children were born to them: Claudia May Massey Barber, Murley Massey Jolley, Joseph Irvin Massey, Cecil Bruce Massey, Sebert Herbert Massey and Virgil H. Massey. Rosetta and George were later divorced.
He married Samantha Weaver on January 27, 1876 at Kanawha, West Virginia. They had the following children: Viola Frances Massey, Bertha Jane Massey and John D. Massey.
He died on April 26, 1939 at Bloomingrose, Boone County, West Virginia.
------------
Son of Lewis and Nancy Cooper Massey
Spouses:
1)Rosetta Jane Jarrell, 19 Dec 1885 (div)
2)Samantha Weaver, 27 Jan 1876
Children not listed below: Viola Massey Foster
During his lifetime he was a school teacher and farmer, a glassblower in Pennsylvania, a steamship worker on the Ohio River, and a coal miner in West Virginia and Colorado.
George was about 22 years old when he married Samantha (Samanthy) Weaver in 1874. They had three children. Samantha died in 1881, the same year that John D., her youngest son, was born and died.
George was a refined and educated man who was a clean and well dressed. His brother, John D., married Cynthia Jarrell in 1879. Cynthia had a sister, Rosetta Jane. Cynthia's and Rosetta's mother always liked John D. Because his brother, George, was a school teacher (a highly respected position at this time). Rosetta's mother encouraged her to marry George. She took her mother's advice and, although she didn't love him, they were wed.on the 19th of December, 1885. George at this time Was 33 years old, and Rosetta was 17 years old. They had six children, plus George's two from his first marriage. These children were all born in West Virginia.
About 1896, George was working on a river boat on the Ohio River. A beam fell and hit him on the head. It made a deep depression in his skull which caused him painful headaches. He would wake up in the night screaming with pain and holding his head. He also started having what his family called "fits," during which George displayed great strength. He would break or bend or move anything in his path. One time he, bent an iron poker in half. Rosetta was sure he had lost his mind and she and the children were very frightened of him. Two of his children remember waking and taking shelter in a neighbor's house for several days. Nine year old May carried two year old Joe on her back as they fled through the cornfield during the night.
Rosetta decided George should be committed to a mental institution. She arranged for the sheriff to meet him down at the creek, rather than have him taken in front of the children. George, not knowing why Rosetta wanted him to go down to the creek, gave in to the coaxing of his young daughter, May, and took her up on the horse with him for the ride. When he saw three men and the sheriff waiting for him with the intent of taking him away, he put up such a fight it took three of the men to subdue him. May watched as during the fight her father's shirt was torn from his back and he was tied up with a rope and taken away.
After a few days at the mental institution, he was sent to a hospital because they felt his problem was physical rather than mental. At the hospital, he underwent surgery that lifted his crushed skull. Part of his skull was removed and it left an indentation large enough to lay a finger in. After the surgery he didn't suffer the severe headaches that caused him to scream in agony, but he did have very bad headaches the rest of his life.
George was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on February 9, 1887, the same day that his brothers, John D. and Lorenzo Dow, were baptized. They were the only Masseys to join the church. After George was hurt, he renounced the church. He claimed there was no correct church on the earth, but he had a great love for the Bible. He spent long hours of study trying to find a passage that would disprove the Book of Mormon.
During the time that George was having his spells (about ten years after the three Massey brothers and most of the Jarrells had joined the church) the missionary who had converted them, Phillip Harrison Hurst, was visiting the area and was staying at the house where Rosetta and the children had fled for shelter from George. Mr. Hurst told Rosetta she shouldn't have to be married to such a man.
Later, Mr. Hurst returned to Mexico and after discussing Rosetta's situation with his wife, he wrote to Rosetta urging her to leave George and to go with her children to Mexico where they could take refuge in his home. Rosetta didn't go because she couldn't scrape together enough money.
John D. and Cynthia received so much persecution in West Virginia that in 1889 they moved to Colorado, where they lived at Fox Creek. They kept writing to George and Rosetta, telling them to come on out to Colorado. Finally in 1900-1903, Rosetta, George and Rosetta's children boarded the train for their move to Manassa, Colorado. George worked in the sawmill at Fox Creek for 25 cents a day.
George hated the Mormons by the time they moved to Colorado and he didn't like taking charity from them. They all worked hard, parents and children alike, to keep from starving. In 1905, John D. and his family moved to Utah. They wrote back to Colorado and George and Rosetta, telling them of the many opportunities in Utah. George decided it wouldn't be worse than Colorado and so they moved to Dry Fork. In Dry Fork, George managed to obtain 40 acres of land that he farmed for several years. George hated Utah. He used to say, "Upon my word and honor this is an awful place. Fit only for coyotes and Indians."
He longed for West Virginia and its lush vegetation. Rosetta was away, settling Virgil, the youngest son, in at the University of Utah, when George poured out his frustrations to his son, Joe. Since it was no secret to any of their children that George and Rosetta didn't get along, although they were never mean to each other, Joe urged him to go ahead and go back to West Virginia. Sometime in the early 1920s he left. Some years later, he went back and stayed with Joe for about a year. The winter was very severe and George went back to West Virginia for good.
At the age of 80, he built himself a little house on a hill at Blooming Rose. His home was surrounded by the beautiful pines and lush vegetation of his beloved state of West Virginia. George lived there until his death at the age of 87.
Uniting of the Masseys and the Jarrells
The Massey Family Association
------------
Born on Jul. 4, 1852 at Ohley, Kanawha County, West Virginia, a son of Lewis and Nancy Cooper Massey. He married Rosetta Jane Jarrell n December 19, 1885 at Boone County, West Virginia.
The following children were born to them: Claudia May Massey Barber, Murley Massey Jolley, Joseph Irvin Massey, Cecil Bruce Massey, Sebert Herbert Massey and Virgil H. Massey. Rosetta and George were later divorced.
He married Samantha Weaver on January 27, 1876 at Kanawha, West Virginia. They had the following children: Viola Frances Massey, Bertha Jane Massey and John D. Massey.
He died on April 26, 1939 at Bloomingrose, Boone County, West Virginia.
------------
Son of Lewis and Nancy Cooper Massey
Spouses:
1)Rosetta Jane Jarrell, 19 Dec 1885 (div)
2)Samantha Weaver, 27 Jan 1876
Children not listed below: Viola Massey Foster
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