Nelle Sarah Duncan was born in April 1879, in Cameron, Marshall County, WV, the fourth child of James Clarke and Rebecca (Hooton) Duncan. On September 17, 1902, she married John Earl Woodruff, who had moved to Cameron a few years previously, and was then working as a clerk.
Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Harrison County where John Earl began work for an insurance company. On March 16, 1911, they had their only child, John Earl, Jr.
By 1914, John Sr. had developed active tuberculosis so took his wife and son back to Cameron, then traveled to Arizona where it was hoped the climate would relieve his condition. The treatment was unsuccessful, and he boarded a train home, hoping to see his family before he died. He almost made it, but died on the train, only 100 miles from Cameron. His body was sent to his parents' home for burial in Upshur County, but was later reburied in Highland Cemetery.
Nelle returned to Harrison County to live and raise their son. She opened a boarding house, where one of her boarders was William Claude Davis, employed at a local bank. On August 1, 1919, they married. They had no children and the marriage didn't work out. They were divorced before 1930. Nelle never married again but supported her son and herself with the income from her boarding house. She died on December 8 1961 and was buried beside her first husband.
The couple has no headstone, but the cemetery recorded the burials.
Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Harrison County where John Earl began work for an insurance company. On March 16, 1911, they had their only child, John Earl, Jr.
By 1914, John Sr. had developed active tuberculosis so took his wife and son back to Cameron, then traveled to Arizona where it was hoped the climate would relieve his condition. The treatment was unsuccessful, and he boarded a train home, hoping to see his family before he died. He almost made it, but died on the train, only 100 miles from Cameron. His body was sent to his parents' home for burial in Upshur County, but was later reburied in Highland Cemetery.
Nelle returned to Harrison County to live and raise their son. She opened a boarding house, where one of her boarders was William Claude Davis, employed at a local bank. On August 1, 1919, they married. They had no children and the marriage didn't work out. They were divorced before 1930. Nelle never married again but supported her son and herself with the income from her boarding house. She died on December 8 1961 and was buried beside her first husband.
The couple has no headstone, but the cemetery recorded the burials.
Nelle Sarah Duncan was born in April 1879, in Cameron, Marshall County, WV, the fourth child of James Clarke and Rebecca (Hooton) Duncan. On September 17, 1902, she married John Earl Woodruff, who had moved to Cameron a few years previously, and was then working as a clerk.
Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Harrison County where John Earl began work for an insurance company. On March 16, 1911, they had their only child, John Earl, Jr.
By 1914, John Sr. had developed active tuberculosis so took his wife and son back to Cameron, then traveled to Arizona where it was hoped the climate would relieve his condition. The treatment was unsuccessful, and he boarded a train home, hoping to see his family before he died. He almost made it, but died on the train, only 100 miles from Cameron. His body was sent to his parents' home for burial in Upshur County, but was later reburied in Highland Cemetery.
Nelle returned to Harrison County to live and raise their son. She opened a boarding house, where one of her boarders was William Claude Davis, employed at a local bank. On August 1, 1919, they married. They had no children and the marriage didn't work out. They were divorced before 1930. Nelle never married again but supported her son and herself with the income from her boarding house. She died on December 8 1961 and was buried beside her first husband.
The couple has no headstone, but the cemetery recorded the burials.
Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Harrison County where John Earl began work for an insurance company. On March 16, 1911, they had their only child, John Earl, Jr.
By 1914, John Sr. had developed active tuberculosis so took his wife and son back to Cameron, then traveled to Arizona where it was hoped the climate would relieve his condition. The treatment was unsuccessful, and he boarded a train home, hoping to see his family before he died. He almost made it, but died on the train, only 100 miles from Cameron. His body was sent to his parents' home for burial in Upshur County, but was later reburied in Highland Cemetery.
Nelle returned to Harrison County to live and raise their son. She opened a boarding house, where one of her boarders was William Claude Davis, employed at a local bank. On August 1, 1919, they married. They had no children and the marriage didn't work out. They were divorced before 1930. Nelle never married again but supported her son and herself with the income from her boarding house. She died on December 8 1961 and was buried beside her first husband.
The couple has no headstone, but the cemetery recorded the burials.
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