A Selection of Things Wiseman and Wykle

Wykle Reunion on the Knobbs 2001.
photo by Okey L. King

From Charles B. Motley’s Gleanings of Monroe County History:

Sarton Schools:

.....The first school was taught by Mrs Alexander (Eliza) Wikel (Wykle) who was born in the year 1802. This school was taught in her log home. There was a fireplace for heat, a McGuffey’s reader for text book, individual slates for work assignments, and candles for lighting Later a one-roomed school was erected. It was a great day for the pupils to have a school of their own.Mrs. Wikel was physically unable to teach in the new school (Motley 148).

From the History of Dropping Lick Methodist Church furnished by Roland E, Ballard to Charles B. Motley,

.....On February 20, 1809, John White, Richard Ramsey, Joseph Wiseman, Isaac Wiseman, Bartholomew Ramsey bought an acre from Van Swaringen and his wife Polly for a church ans schoolhouse site. A larger and better church of hewn logs was erected. The schoolhouse was never built but the church was used in its stead for subscription schools up to the Civil War (Motley 212).

Photo by Okey L. King in July, 2001

Mount Alexander Methodist Church

.....Mrs. Alexander (Eliza) Wikle died December 19, 1884 and was buried on the gounds in the rear of where the church stands today. She was born April 2, 1802. The land on which she was laid to rest was a part of the farm of her husband. Alexander Wikel requested that a church be erected on the ground at a future date. In the spring and winter of 1900, a church was erected on this tract of land. Aledander Wikel was born November 11, 1808 and died April 11, 1891. To this union ten children were born whose names were: Owen, Sylvestor, Fletcher, Mike, Washington, Robert, Madison, Morris, Jane, and Mary.
.....On December 15, 1899, a tract of land was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Madiosn Wikel for the church was erected one year later. After Corneilus Weikle designed the church, the men of the neighborhood gave freely of their time to build it. The women cooked hot meals for the men as they labourd on the church.
.....During the pprocess of planing the lumber, Lanie Weikle’s arm was amputated when a button on his sleeve was caught in the machinery. His arm is buried int he church cemetery. ((Motley 215-216).

Photo by Okey L. King

.....You can read more of this story in Motley’s book

Motley, Charles B. Gleanings of Monroe County West Virginia
.....History. Radford, Virginia: Commonwealth Press Inc., 1973