Introduction

It was an age of innocence and sometimes ignorance. I want to memorialize what a wonderful era it was in which to be a child and to grow old. It began as a chronological biography, but that was not the way life is lived. Stuff happens and rehappens, appears and disappears, changes and remains the same. Thus my memories and emotions became a haphazard collection of short sketches and stories. Early on the decision was made to mainly include the good "stuff."

Grandmother Jenny's Story

We begin this saga with my grandmother Jenny's story, the matriarch of the clan.

Jenny Cantrell was born October 29, 1858, in a farmhouse near Red Sulphur Springs. She is one-half of a set of twin daughters born to James and Elizabeth Ratliff. Mrs. Cantrell grew up on a farm in Mercer County near Littlesburg.

One year a young Charlestonian, James M. Cantrell came to Mercer County "to take an interest in the mines." They fell in love and at 16 years of age, Jenny Ratliff became his bride.