Join us in celebrating the heritage of West Virginia

To The Daily Sun,

If your original zip code began with a 24, 25 or 26 within the confines of the 55 counties of Little Switzerland, aka the Mountain State of West Virginia, you are cordially invited to attend a celebration of our great heritage of those mountains, creeks, hollows and the people who created us as well as enjoy some fried, green tomatoes and Grandma’s Barbecue.

West Virginia will celebrate 156 years of our Statehood on June 20, the date we separated from Virginia to officially fight for the Union during the awful Civil War, the War Between the States (just imagine that). Let it be known, this was not a deal that pleased all. I have ancestors who fought on both sides of that war (imagine that). My third great grandparents, William Henry Ossen Knight and Susannah Brown Roberts married, gathering their children from the first marriages to live at their 500-acre plantation in Amherst, VA. They then added more to their brood, which included Susannah Martin, Paul Marshall, Marcellus Hardy, Daniel Colwell, Sophia Victoria and Stephen Hamm.

When this awful war began, some of their sons wore Union Blue and some wore Confederate Gray. Their father, Billy Knight told their mother, Susannah, “My children and your children are fighting with our children”. (Imagine that.)

I could go on and transcribe here the very welcomed letter from Daniel to his Mama, dated 10 July 1862 siting the news of the war. I have a copy of his original letter and envelope in the book, "The Stone Wall - The Story of a Confederate Soldier" by cousin Brad Smiley. Daniel enlisted in the 19th Virginia Infantry, Company H on 22 August 1861 in Amherst County, Virginia. Private to corporal by July 3, 1863: Gettysburg; 3 corporal to 2 corporal by October, 1863. Wounded and at home; returned. Daniel died on 3 July 1863 in the Battle of Gettysburg — during Pickett’s Charge.

And, so as we just recognized all lost soldiers during Memorial Day celebrations and the 75th Anniversary of D-Day and as we continue to honor those brave men and women who protect our freedom, let me dedicate this West Virginia celebration to Daniel Colwell Knight and all the brothers who saw two sides of a situation and no other way out. Please contact me at kanawhacountylass@gmail.com for specifics.

Catherine M. Tokarz

Laconia