and died Mar-1994
Alex, as he was called, was a farmer. Alex and Mattie
were in Oldtown, Grayson County, VA, for the 1900 census.
They went to Almagorda, NM, in 1908 and left in 1917.
Both Alex and his mother-in-law, Nancy Payne Felts,
homesteaded 160 acres in NM. They returned to VA and
bought a mountain known as Bedsaul Place of some
1200-1500 acres. They were still living at Bedsaul when
Mattie died. Both Alex and Mattie are buried in Pipers
Gap, VA.
An article in the 11-Mar-1908 Alamogordo News: "L.
Winsett, brother of the gentlemen who bought the
Judge Sherry farm has purchased the relinquishments
of the two Smith boys who had farms near the Kearney
switch. Mr. Winesett has gone back to Virginia after
his family and will return in a few months to work
on the farm."
Note: It is presumed Eli Winesett is the gentleman
who purchased the Judge Sherry farm and Alexander
Lemuel is the "L" Winesett that bought out the Smiths.
Mattie's mother grew up in the area of Missouri which
was the home of the outlaw James brothers. Relatives
owned the Baldwin Felts Detective
Agency which brought an end to the Hatfield and McCoy
feud in WV & KY. Mattie wrote poems. One is about
their arrival in the Sacramento Valley near Alamogorda
and living in a tent admist the sage brush.
Alex and Mattie's children are:
1. Jordan Lemuel (17-May-1892
to 23-Sep-1976),
2. Lewis Eli (23-May-1894 to Nov-1977),
3. Ila Grace (Jul-1896 to 1932/3),
4. Nancy Lucille (13-Mar-1898 to 20-Dec-1989),
5. Mrytle Virginia (30-Apr-1900 to 20-Apr-1990),
6. Loree [Lorie on gravestone] (18-Mar-1903 to 15-May-1904),
7. Frank Pierce (20-Mar-1905 to 28-Mar-2007
),
8. Daniel "D.A." Alexander (8-May-1907 to 17-Nov-1964
),
9. Velva Pearl (7-Jul-1909
to 1-Oct-2001),
10. Mattie Mae (21-Sep-1911 to 14-Dec-1997),
11. Basel Marvin (31-Oct-1913 to 1962) and
12. Donald Clarence (20-Nov-1916 to 20-Aug-1994).
Velva wrote a book of poetry.
Bertha was younger than most of Alex's children. Her father was a fox hunting crony of Alex. Not long after their marriage, Alex became disabled and unable to work. Bertha had to support the family. She worked long hard hours in a shirt factory where she contacted TB. She spent time in a sanitarium on three separate occasions before being cured. Times were very tough on Alex, Bertha and the children but they memained faithful to their Christian beliefs.
Alex and Bertha's children are:
1. Lemuel (6-Mar-1932 Surry County NC Birth Book 18, page 987 and Death Book 18,
page 394) who was premature,
2. Baby Winesett (28-Feb-1933 Surry County NC DeathBook 19, page 207) who was premature,
3. Franklin Deland (7-May-1934), and
4. Betty Lou (6-Feb-1941 Surry County Birthbook 27,
page 1088) who married Thomas Mondale Withheld.