Whaley Family History & Genealogy

Dave Whaley was born in 1892 in TN. He had Brothers Nathan, Jake, and John. They were in the Chucky TN, JohnSon City, Elizabethon, TN area. His first wife was Rachel Owens. They moved to Niagra Falls, NY for a while. ( he told children by his second wife stories of barrels over the falls and Vaudville) They came back to Va/TN. Rachel died, leaving him and three children James Whaley(deceased in the 1980's), Ola Whaley-(Dent), Mary Whaley(-Black-Martin); He married Hattie Booher around the depression era who had one daughter Mattie Booher( Reese)(now Deceased 1990) that she gave her mother and Step-father to raise to raise his three.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dave and Hattie began their family and lived on Nordike, VA and Smith Creek, Va( Which is near Greendale, Abingdon,VA in Washington Co. VA)Children of Dave and Hattie are from eldest to youngest:Elizabeth Whaley-Bordwine(deceased late 1980's)Virginia Whaley-Jones, Violet Whaley-Brewer, David Whaley ( now Deceased mid 1990's ),Stillborn Whaley Boy- a blue baby 1930's), Tommy Whaley(deceased 2005),Rebecca Whaley-Cyrus, Charles Whaley and Jo(Josephine) Whaley.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dave and Hattie were christian stock- Dave Claimed to be Lutheran or Brethren leaning. However, the family attended the Centenary Methodist Church in Smith Creek, VA. They were tobacco farmers in the days where it was much harder. In the time where a lot of large families had their kids seperated because of the effect the Great Depression had. This family may not have had much, but they kept the 12 kids together. I can remember my mom, Rebecca say at christmas they all got 1 toy and a santa sock with fruit. Where her mom hid it they never knew? But, Hattie was an Awesome Mother! Dave was strict. And maybe sometimes seemingly unfair to a couple of the older girls. One came home crying because her husband hit her. He told her to go back, she made her bed. This may sould horrible to us today, but alot of that generation like " The Ditchdigger's Daughters Father were harsh; it was a different time. We should not fault them. Dave was a straight laced man. He loved his brothers, but they were a little looser in values. Mom and the siblings loved Uncle Nathan. They weren't as close to Jake and John's.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was only age 7 when Grandpa Whaley died in 1971. But, I remember visiting them in Mendota, VA and Grandpa holding me. I remember when Grandpa stayed with us once, he'd play with me. I loved to hug him!