This story begins with my mom's natural father Ray Kirk (about 1900-1984). His parents are said to be Silas and Hattie Kirk, with a sister named Ollie Mae Kirk - and I have found two other likely siblings: Harrison Kirk and Lewis Robert Kirk.
Where it gets interesting there are 3 Silas Kirk's who live in this general area. I first jumped to the conclusion that Ray's parents were Silas (son of James W. Kirk and grandson of William Kirk) and his wife Hattie Prophet, as did the compiler of the book on Pettry family (D.L. Petry editor). But now I believe the evidence points to the contrary.
First I will identify the 3 Silas Kirk's.
#1 Silas Kirk .He was born around 1850 as the son of William and Sarah Kirk. He first married Anna Davis and they had at least 4 children. She died and Silas then married Martha Jane Perdue and they had 4 children who survived into adulthood. Up until this time he lived his adult life in Kanawha County. Last Silas appears to have moved to Nicholas County where he married Betty Hodge and they had at least 3 children.
#2 Silas Wilson Kirk .He was born in 1870 as the son of James W and Clarinda Kirk, so he is a nephew of Silas#1. He first married Martha Keffer and they had at least one child. Next around 1900 he married Hattie Prophet and they lived at Mount Hope in Fayette County and they had at least 2 children. Silas later married Josephine Moore in 1926. They lived in Lincoln and Logan counties.
#3 Silas Allie Kirk.He was born in 1881. He was son of Preston & Dicey Kirk, grandson of John Eli Kirk who in turn was the first son of William Kirk & Nancy Asbury.
So here is the case for Ray being the son of Silas Kirk #1:
1. Harrison, Ollie Mae and Ray Kirk appear to be siblings in the 1910 census living with their reported mother Hattie Kirk. (But I confess to be puzzled by the listing in the Pettry book, presumed to be from one of Ollie Mae's descendents, which does not mention siblings Lewis and Harrison).
2. Harrison�s kin called his mother Hattie in his death record, and said she was a Wagoner which is �almost correct� as Martha Jane (Perdue) Kirk's mother was a Wagoner. Yet his birth record implies his mother was Martha Jane Kirk.
3. In Lewis Robert Kirk�s death record his mother is referred to �Addie.�
4. In the 1910 census she is not found as Martha Kirk (the Martha Kirk in Kanawha County then is clearly not this Martha, who lived until 1936).
5. In 1910 Hattie says she has 4 children, all whom are living (as does Martha if we can indeed connect her with Ray Kirk).
6. There is no record of this Silas Kirk marrying a Hattie. (OK I admit this item is weak given the other missing records on this trail).
7. There is no death record for this Hattie Kirk in WV, nor do I see a motive for her to leave WV where all her children lived.
As Martha Jane Kirk and Hattie Kirk appear to be the same person, I can only conclude they are. But of course I hope to find further evidence, if it can be found. Anyone who read this who is linked to any of these families please email me. I understand that Ray Kirk moved to the Morgantown area and did have other descendents, as also there are other descendants of Silas Kirk.
Charles Ray Kirk was born around 1900 likely in Kanawha County, presumably of Silas and Martha Jane (Hattie) Kirk. I cannot find a birth record but his social security index gives 7 June 1900. In 1920 he was living in Fayette County, single and working for a railroad. He first married Lula Mae Perdue in 1921 at Winifrede. They had 7 children before Lula Mae died of TB in 1938. Ray remarried to Alice Bertha Wilson in 1949 and later they moved to the Morgantown area.
Descendents of William Kirk
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