A to Z Supermarket at its current location on Main Street

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 47th history from The Centennial History of Hurricane WV Continued — 1994.

WILLIAM & MARGARET McCOMB THOMPSON
Submitted by Anna Lou Bledsoe

My great grandmother, Margaret McComb was fourteen years old when she came from Ireland and my great grandfather, William Thompson came from Scotland. They met in New York and settled in Chillicothe, Ohio, before coming to Hurricane, driving a team of oxen with their family and belongings.

Their children were William, Nellie, Robb, Lib, John, Mary, and my grandfather, Ed Thompson.

We don’t know a lot about my maternal great­ grandparents. Great grandfather was Emsey Beckett of Milton. He had two families with a total of twenty-two children. The ones we know were: Matilda, Sally, Gertie, Allen, Tom and Ezra and my grandmother, Ora Josephine Beckett.

My maternal grandparents, Ed and Ora Thompson, had five children: Helen married to Lawrence Billups, Hazel married to Emory Leadmon, Arnold married to Alma Burger, Mary married to Ancil Young and my mother, Janet, married to Denver Hodges.

My paternal great-grandfather, Peter Hodges was married to Jane Ann Erwin. Their children were: Lawrence Hodges, Corrie Erwin, Alma Billups, Effee Foster, Louella Tallman, Elvin Hodges and my grandfather, Everette Hodges.

My great-grandfather, Ahaz Erwin was married to Mina Erwin. Their children were: Stella Hanshaw, Della Gibson and my grandmother, Ethel Hodges.

Everette and Ethel Hodges had two sons, Herman married to Hazel Bailess and my father, Denver married to Janet Thompson.

Mom was raised on Peach Ridge and daddy was raised on Hurricane Creek. Both of their mothers died when they were very young.

Their children are:

David married to Joyce Smith, Timothy died at nine months of age, Ronnie married to Maxine Quentrill, John married to Kim Hutchinson and me, Anna Lou, married to Jarrell Bledsoe.

David and Joyce have three sons, Bob, Chuck and Dan.

Ronnie and Maxine have two children, Brian and Robin.

John and Kim have two sons, Jason and Adam.

Anna Lou and Jarrell have three children, Lorrie married to John Mottesheard with three children: Josh, Lauren, and Johnny; Bret and Vicky.

Denver traveled and worked all over the United States before he and mom settled on his family farm on Hurricane Creek.

He farmed, and worked at Carbide before opening a Purina Checkerboard Feed Store on Main Street (Motor Car Supply Building) in the late 1940’s. He then worked for a lumber company before opening the A to Z Supermarket on Second Street (H&R Block location) in March of 1950. The store was moved to the present site on Main Street in 1956.

That building was destroyed by fire in December of 1963 and was rebuilt and opened in the Spring of 1964 and has been enlarged over the years.

David and Ronnie manage the store and I work there. John owns the Teays Valley Skatearena and teaches at WV State College.