"Major" John Calvin's parents were William McCallister (1782 - 1864) & Jane Edgar (1780 - 1866). After becoming married, they had 10 children of which the 4th was Major. Major's father, William McCallister, was a son of Thomas V. McCallister, who was a son of James McCallister & Mary McGloughlin from Ireland.
Major was born in Allegheny County, Virginia. He moved to Mason County in 1832 with his father. At the time Mason was part of the state of Virginia. It wasn't until 1863 when WestVirginia was carved out of Virginia that Mason County became part of West Virginia. Due to this, Mason County has never been referred to in Virginia history. He remained at home until of age, when he commenced the business of farming, afterwards working as a brick mason and carpenter. In addition to these pursuits, and other kinds of business, he clerked in a dry goods store for about 15 years. In 1862 he settled down to farming, which he followed steadily ever since. He was commissioned as a captain, then became 'major' of the militia of Mason County. He acted in this capacity for about 3 years.
His marriage took place on December 2, 1860 to Julia E. Lanham (11/27/1839 - February 11, 1922) at her parent's home at Pliny, Putnam County, WVa on the Childers Lanham farm. They bore 6 children: Walter M., Nannie Beatrice, Sara Elizabeth "Lizzie", George Robert "Robert", Shelby Augustin, and Anna E. Most of them live in Ohio. 'Major' is buried in the McCallister/Needham cemetery which is located on the old homestead McCallister farm of 100 acres in Mason County. After 77 years of life, he now is at peace with the world, being able to look back on an active, industrious, and well spent time on earth.
His wife, Julia, who was much younger than he, moved to Ohio with her children. Her sons worked there & she spent her last 3 years with them. She was living with her son Shelby in Mt. Pleasant Twp., Jefferson Co., OH at the time of her death. She is buried in Highland Cem. in Point Pleasant.
Walter (Sept. 13, 1861 - deceased) was born on the Kanawha River. At the time, Major was a resident of Pliny, Putnam County, on the Childers Lanham farm. Childers Lanham was Julia Lanham's father, therefore Major's father-in-law. The Putnam County birth records show his birth records on page 46. No other records are found of him.
Nannie Beatrice (1863 - 1908) went by the name Beatrice. For her the only record found was a 17 year old daughter in the 1880 Mason County census which calculates her birth to be about 1863.
Sarah Elizabeth (February 26, 1865 - 1948) was called "Lizzie". On page 56 of Putnam County birth records is shown that she was born on the Kanawha River. The spelling of her first name changes from "sarah" to "sara" in censuses varying with different census takers.
George Robert McCallister (January 6, 1868 - August 25, 1956) went by Robert. He was born at Apple Grove, Mason County, WV and died at his home in The Plains, Athens County, Ohio. He married Mary Luella Bateman (Oct 6, 1871 - Jan 3, 1951)
on January 8, 1896 in Mason Co. WV. Both are is buried in the Union Street Cemetery, Athens, Ohio.
Robert and Mary had 9 children: Maude Beatrice (Oct 24, 1896 - July 16, 1983), John William (March 7, 1898 - March 11, 1973), Francis Ann (July 15, 1900 – July 9, 1960), Virgil Avon (June 6, 1902 – Jan 1981), Mae Bateman (Sept 22, 1904 - 2___), Robert Harold (Dec 15, 1906 – Aug 14, 1935), Shelby Harrison (April 27, 1909 – 1939), Ray (died as an infant- no records available), and Ralph Roger (Jan 27, 1914 – 1940).
Robert & family along with his brother Shelby left Mason County WV and moved to The Plains, Athens county, Ohio by horse and wagon in 1906.
Robert was a coal miner for several years and later census records indicate his occupation as a teamster. He never owned an automobile, so probably used his horse and wagon to earn a living.
John William McAllister married Thelma Mae Hawk (Aug 9, 1906 – May 17, 1960) on November 28, 1923 at Chauncey, Athens County, Ohio. Thelma was the daughter of Henry Fletcher Hawk (July 9 1887 – Nov 10, 1969) and Emma Scott (April 9, 1883 – August 5, 1947). John and Thelma lived their entire lives at The Plains, Athens County, Ohio. Both are buried in the Union Street cemetery in Athens, Ohio. They had 7 children : Charles Edward (Oct 23, 1924 – Feb 22, 2002), Norma Jean, Robert Fletcher, John Richard (June 4, 1932 – Jan 5, 1995), Larry Lee (? - 2___), David Blaine, and Ray Dennis.
Charles Edward served in the Navy during WWII. Robert Fletcher served in the Navy between WWII and the Korean War. Larry Lee and Ray Dennis served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. David Blaine was in the Army during the Vietnam war. Larry retired from the Air Force in 1983.
John William is Larry McAllister's father and died in 1973. Mae celebrated her 100th birthday in 2004 and lives in Canton, Ohio. Robert, Shelby and Ralph all died young (30-35) of TB.
Concerning the spelling of the surname Larry McAllister said 'I know my grandfather, George Robert, spelled it McCallister and when asked, my dad said his brothers and sisters thought they didn't need the extra "C". So they all spelled it McAllister. I know that when my oldest brother Charles was in the navy in WWII, he was in the pay line and had to sign his name to get paid. He signed it McAllister like he had all his life and was told if he wanted paid, he had to sign it like his birth certificate indicated. Needless to say he used McCallister the rest of his life.'
SINCE RAY IS FROM "Word of mouth from John and Mae" IS Ray's MIDDLE NAME KNOWN? WHAT ARE ANY BIRTH AND/OR DEATH DATES? HAVE DATA ON ANY OTHER PEOPLE? ANY PICTURES?
Shelby Augustin McCallister's (March 25, 1879 - 1958) birth is in the Mason County birth records.
He married Stella Dalton on February 27, 1907 (Athens County License no. 3052). She was age 18, on May 20 1906, and had been born at Beaumont, Athens, County, Ohio to William and Mary E. Smith Dalton. Shelby gave his age as 26 and his residence as Beaumont and was engaged in coal mining. He and his brother GeorgeRobert went to The Plains Ohio by horse and wagon in 1906.
Anna "Annie" E. (1868 - deceased). Her birthdate is uncertain. The 1900 Mason County Census records it to have been February 1870. The 1870 calculates her birth at 1868. No death record or tombstone has been found for her.
She married William Frank Withers, December 4, 1889 (Book 5, P-488) at the residence of John McCallister. Rev Sebert Warden of the M.E. Church performed the ceremony.
WHAT DID HER MIDDLE INITIAL e STAND FOR? WHEN DID THEIR WEDDING TAKE PLACE? WAS >>December 4, 1889<< WAS HER HUSBAND'S BIRTHDATE? WHAT DOES >>M.E.<< STAND FOR IN >>M.E. Church<< ?