In Memoriam

George Layfield and Sarah Elizabeth McNemar were married October 9, 1864, in Harrison County, West Virginia.

They became the parents of children:

1. Mary Elizabeth Layfield: born Jul 27,1866 - died Feb 11,1899. Married John Rexroad Jan 5, 1885. Both Layfield Cemetery.

2. Thomas Layfield: born Sep 12, 1867 - died Mar 22, 1919 Richie Co, WV.

3. Grant Layfield: born May 7, 1868, Ritchie Co, WV - died Feb 1946 Ritchie Co, WV. Layfield Cemetery.

4. Elizabeth A. Layfield: born Jan 20,1870. Married John M. Ayers Aug 24 1910, Ritchie Co, WV. Burial unknown.

5. Martha J. Layfield: born Sep 28,1871 - died Feb 7, 1884. 12 years of age. Layfield Cemetery.

6. Noah Layfield: born Jul 22, 1873 - died Feb 7 1960, Harrison, Ritchie County, West Virginia. Layfield Cemetery.

7. John Robert Layfield: born Aug 1, 1874, Ritchie Co, WV - died May 21, 1953 Parkersburg, Wood County, West Virginia. Married Ida Nora Morton. Both Fairview Cemetery, Cairo, Ritchie Co, West Virginia.

8. William Henry Layfield: born Jul 19, 1875, Ritchie Co, WV - died Dec 9, 1959 Parkersburg, Wood Co, WV.. Married Nora A. Crowley. Nora A. Crowleyy: born 1907 - died 2005 Parkersburg, Wood Co, West Virgina. Both Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Wood County, WV.

9. George Abby Layfield: Sarah Elizabeth, who was expecting their baby when George died, named him George in honor of her husband, his father, upon birth Feb 28, 1879.

George Layfield and his brother John J. Layfield Jr., and their father, John J. Layfield Sr., who was 58 years of age, volunteered during the Civil War to serve in the US Army and were all three in Co D, 6th Regiment WV INf Volunteers. George Layfield Was a Private. John Layfield Sr. was a Private. John Layfield Jr's rank in was a Corporal, Company D, 6th Regiment WV Infantry Volunteers 20 May 1861 - 27 August 1865, 4 years 7 days PO - Cokeleys. Rank out: Private.

George and John Layfied Jr.'s eldest sister Mary Elizabeth Layfield was married to Uriah D. Shrader. Uriah Shrader served with the brothers & their father in as Cpl, Co D, 6th Regiment, WV Infantry Volunteers. Uriah Shrader and his wife Mary Elizabeth (Layfield) Shrader are buried in Layfields Cemetery.

George's brother James Layfield also served in the Union Army: Pvt, Company K, 10th Infantry Regiment West Virginia Volunteers. James Layfield died 11 April, 1865, barely 5 days after the final horrific battle of the Civil War was fought near at Sailor's Creek 6 April, 1865. Three days later General Robert E. Lee surrendered. James Layfield, age 32, left a grieving widow, Elizabeth, and their six children: Charles, Peter, Jacob, Samuel, Joseph and William I.

Parents John Jackson Layfield Sr. and Elizabeth Moats Layfield were living with George, Sarah Elizabeth, and their children when the 1870 Census was taken. John Jackson Layfield Sr. died March 5, 1877.

George Layfield's time with Sarah Elizabeth and their children as a family together was short, and he passed from this life on July 30, 1878 at 36 years, 8 months and 27 days, sixteen months after his Father died. Sarah Elizabeth Layfield and George's Mother who was 77 at the time of the 1880 Census continued to live together and share their lives as family as Sarah Elizabeth reared her children. George and Sarah Elizabeth's daughter Martha Jane died at age 12 in 1884. Sarah Elizabeth raised their sons the best she could with meager means and they grew up to become fine young men. Sarah never remarried and died at age 60.

Note: George Layfield's date of birth was from the Ritchie County birth records. By calculation of age on tombstone the birth date would have been 3 Nov 1841: using date from birth records. George is said to have died from Typhoid Fever, Elm Run, Ritchie County, West Virginia. He was laid to rest in the family cemetery, Layfield Cemetery.