Robert Anderson
Robert Anderson was born in Grayson county, Virginia, February 1, 1831. Here he lived until he was about 18 years
old, when he went to Tennessee, and from there to this county in 1861. One of the first scenes he remembered of
seeing after reaching this country was the holding of court on a big flat rock at the forks of the two Sugar creeks.
He was first married to Nancy Testerman, of Ash county, North Carolina in 1848. After bearing seven children four
of whom are still living she died and was buried at Beaver Springs cemetery. He served in the quarter master’s
department one year under Gen. Price. Mr. Anderson has been appointed post master four different times and served
in all about twenty years, holding the position at Erie, Baladan, and Anderson. He established the latter office
in 1887, and the town incidentally bears his name. He was justice of the peace four years at Erie and Indian Springs.
By occupation he is a merchant and mechanic, having sold goods for upwards of twenty years, and has built 21 houses
in this county.
[Source: "History of McDonald County, Missouri, by Judge J. A.
Sturges, 1897 - Contributed by Linda Rodriguez]
Kemper Swanson Billings
US Navy BM1 Kemper Swanson Billings, Vietnam Veteran, Born July 16, 1938 in Grayson Co., Virginia, he became a Native of Burlington, NC. Died October 29, 1966 in Thua Thien, Vietnam
US Navy Boatswain's Mate First Class Kemper Swanson Billings was a casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Navy, BM1 Billings served our country until October 29th, 1966 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam. He was 28 years old and was married. It was reported that Kemper died from drowning. His body was recovered. BM1 Billings is on panel 11E, line 126 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. He served our country for 10 years.
The mouth of the Hue River is a treacherous place, particularly during the seasons with southeasterly winds. My personal log, dated 30 October 1966, tells of my being directed, in PCF-16, to proceed to the area off the Hue River, and to search for a crewman, BM1 Kemper S. Billings, that had been swept overboard from PCF-56, the night of 29 October, while traversing the river mouth. His unit was PFC-56, PCFDIV-102, TF 115, USNAVFORV.
Billings, Kemper S, Boatswain's Mate First Class, United States Navy drowned on October 29, 1966 while on patrol duty in South Vietnam aboard a patrol craft operating in the mouth of the Hue River. Boatswain Billings, age 28, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Cicero Billings of E. Davis St., Burlington. He was a native of Grayson County, Va. and was educated there before his family moved to Burlington in 1952. Boatswain Billings had served in the Navy for 11 years and had been stationed in Vietnam for the past 9 months. Prior to entering the service, he was employed with Old Dominion Box Company here. Boatswain Billings' body was recovered from the beach on October 31 after 2 days of searching following the time he was reported missing. In addition to his parents, he is survived by his wife, 1 son, and 1 daughter—all of Vallejo, California and by 4 brothers and 3 sisters.
He served with Task Force-115, PCF-56, PCF Division-102, U.S.Naval Forces Vietnam(USNAVFORV).
Some of his Medals included the Vietnam Service Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Service Medal, The National Defense Service Medal and The Good Conduct Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters.
Burial: Skyview Memorial Lawn,
Vallejo. Solano County, California, Plot: Good Shepherd, Lot # 286 B (source:
Reece, Jim & Reece Thomas;NC Vietnam KIA/MIA's gravesites)
Alexander L. Martin, M. D.
Although a
resident of Richmond since 1907 and of Virginia
ancestry, Dr. Martin's previous life was spent in Elk Creek, Grayson County, the latter county situated in the
southwestern part of the state, bordering North Carolina. There his father,
William Martin, was born, son of Riley Martin, a native of eastern
Virginia. Riley
Martin was born in 1795 moved to Elk Creek when young, and there died in 1875.
He married (first) a Miss Vaught, (second) Patsy Wright, who bore him four
children, one of whom, Joshua, is yet living at Rural Retreat, Virginia. The Martins came to
Virginia from
Ireland, while Dr. Martin's maternal ancestors, the Cornetts (originally
Connaught), came from Scotland.
William Martin,
son of Riley Martin, was born at Elk Creek, Virginia,
and died in Kentucky. He was a carpenter and builder, removing to
Kentucky several years after the war ended. He served in the Confederate army
for four years and bore his full share of the danger and privation of that
period. After the war he returned to Elk Creek, resumed his trade, and there
resided until his removal to Kentucky. He married, in 1866, Sarah, born at Elk
Creek, daughter of Alfred Cornett, also born there, on July 1, 1818. Alfred
Cornett married, in 1836, Elizabeth Russell, who died aged eighty-five years,
he living to the age of eighty-seven years. They had children: Kyre, deceased:
Sindy or Lucindy; Sarah; Rosa, deceased; Adeline, Orleans, Martha. Rebecca,
Armand, Fleming, Alice, and Reuben, deceased. Alfred Cornett was a farmer, and
his sons all served in the Confederate army. William and Sarah (Cornett)
Martin had two children, a son and a daughter: Betty, born April 29, 1867,
married John F. Parks, and resides at Flat Ridge, Grayson County, Virginia, and Alexander L.
Dr. Alexander L.
Martin, only son of William and Sarah (Cornett) Martin, was born at Elk Creek,
Grayson County, Virginia, April 24, 1869. He
obtained a good education in the Grayson county
schools, and Elk Creek Academy, then, having decided upon medicine as a
profession, entered the Medical College of Virginia,
and was there graduated M. D., April 2, 1895. on May 10, 1895, he passed
the required examination before the state board of medical examines and soon
afterward located at Elk Creek. He continued in successful practice there for
thirteen years, then removed to Richmond, where he began general practice, May
10, 1907, at No. 815 Fourth avenue, Highland Park. He has gained a secure
place in public esteem and is rated an honorable, skillful and reliable
physician, Dr. Martin is a member of the Masonic order, is an Odd Fellow,
belonging to lodge and encampment, a Modern Woodman, a member of the Junior
Order of United American Mechanics, and of the Order of Owls. In political
faith he is a Democrat, and in religious affiliation a Baptist.
Dr. Martin
married, at Elk Creek, May 22, 1895, Nettie J. Rhudy, born there November 5,
1872, daughter of William F. and Callie (Cornett) Rhudy, both of Elk Creek.
William F. Rhudy, a farmer and veteran of the Confederacy, died in 1912, aged
sixtynine years. His wife survives him. Children of of Alexander L. Martin and
his wife, Nettie J. (Rhudy) Martin: Alexander L. Jr., born July 9, 1903;
Birchie Fay, born November 24, 1906.
Miss Grace M.
Martin, daughter of George W. Martin, was born November 1, 1890, at Elk Creek,
Virginia, and was adopted by Dr. A. L. Martin in
1896. Worley S. Cornett, son of Fleming Cornett, was born at Elk Creek, Virginia, August 10, 1892, and was adopted by Dr. A. L.
Martin in 1900, and was educated at Richmond,
Virginia.
[Encyclopedia
of Virginia Biography, Under The Editorial Supervision of Lyon Gardiner Tyler,
1915 – Transcribed by AFOFG]
