The Arnold Ray Baldwin Family
In 1988, The Centennial History of Hurricane, WV was published to commemorate the town’s 100th anniversary. In 1994, the Centennial Committee published a follow up book which included family histories which were not submitted in time for the 1988 Centennial History. This week’s selection is the 24th history from The Centennial History of Hurricane WV Continued — 1994.
SAMUEL, WILLIAM, & LIGHTBURN LEWIS FAMILY
Submitted by Theda Lewis Baldwin
I remember when we moved to Hurricane. It was the day before Thanksgiving, November 27, 1957. It was very cold and we had a blizzard that weekend. It was a big contrast to move from a large city to the quiet countryside; the sounds and smells were very different. We soon became accustomed to the change.
I was born and reared in Charleston, but my roots are in Putnam County. My dad, Lightburn Lewis, his dad, William Lewis, and his dad, Samuel Lewis, were born on Eighteen Mile Creek, just northeast of Liberty. My great-grandpa was buried in the Brown Family Cemetery on the creek.
My grandpa, William Lewis, enlisted in the army during the Civil War when he was sixteen years old.
His neighbor, George gave him two hundred dollars to take his place. He told many stories of the hardships they had to endure during the war. He lived with our family twenty-three years. William was married to Sara Florence Buckalew. They had six children. My dad, Lightburn, was one of them.
Lightburn married Marinda Hughes on September 26, 1900. They had six children: Cloda, James, Delphia, Mary & Theda. Two brothers died in infancy and were laid to rest beside of my grandparents at the Emma Chapel Cemetery. My parents also raised a granddaughter, Emmadean Bailey who lives in Hurricane with her husband, Marion Smithers, and son, Eddie, a second son, David, and two grandchildren.
My mother’s grandpa, James Hughes, was a Cavalryman during the Civil War. He married Marinda Stanley and they had ten children. David, my grandpa, was one of them. He often told us stories about his great, great, grandpa, Thomas Hughes, who was an Indian scout. David married Liza Pfostalwaite and they had four children. My Mother was one (Liza died when my mother was eight). They lived on the ridge behind Arbuckle close to Putnam County.
I married Arnold Ray Baldwin on December 7, 1940, in Kentucky. It was a very rainy day and we had to detour through Hurricane as Route 60 was under construction. I remember crossing over the railroad bridge on Main Street and buying gas at a station nearby. Arnold grew up in Sissonville and worked for Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Company for thirty-five years. He was in the Navy during World War II. We had four children: Zinda Lewis, Marinda Kay, Arnold Ray II and Timothy Dwight. They all graduated from Hurricane High School and all but Tim graduated from Business College. Tim was in the Navy four years.
Zinda married Charles (Chuck) Huff, lifelong resident of Hurricane, who graduated from Hurricane High, was in the Army for three years and attended West Virginia State College. He works for Battle Ridge Construction as a master mechanic over heavy equipment. Zinda worked twelve years for the State Library Commission and was Data Processing Supervisor. They have two sons, Charles II and Matthew. “Chuckie” graduated from Marshall University and works for RNC Vending and Matt attended West Virginia Tech and West Virginia State and is working for Battle Ridge.
Marinda married John Fallon II from Toms River, NJ. He graduated from Morris Harvey and West Virginia State and is a CPA. Marinda is working for the State Tax Department and has been there twenty-three years. They have a son, John III in high school.
Arnold II married Debra Bartos of Clarksburg. They are computer operators. He worked for Charleston National Bank for twelve years and is now working for G-Tech. Debbie worked ten years for the newspaper agency. They have two sons, David and Kevin, both in grade school.
Tim married Terry Selders of Charleston. They have a daughter, Jennifer, in grade school. They are LPNs. Tim has been working for Americare Health Care for twelve years, and Terry worked for the South Charleston Health Care since she finished her LPN training.
We all live in Hurricane and like it very much and are proud that our roots are in Putnam County. We have been married 52 years. It was raining the day we were married and the Lord is still showering us with blessings!
