This site is focused on discovering the descendants of John Ridings b 1737 and the descendants of James M Hale Sr b 1765, both who were my great-great-great-great-grandfathers.
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The David Ridings' (b 1784) Family came to Virginia from Surry Co NC. Settling first in both Wythe and Lee County, VA. In the 1850s the family moved from Virginia to Claiborne Co Tn, and Pulaski Co KY. By 1880's The only family left in Virginia was David's daughter, Elizabeth Ridings Musser and three daughters of the late Mastin Ridings.
Throughout the 1800s the family were typical dirt farmers, but they often found work as blacksmiths or carpenters or in lumber. In the 1920s coal because the main means of earning a living and William Ridings (b 1875) and his family returned to Lee County, VA for work. The 1930s started the move to factories ranging from cotton mills to auto plants.
The picture is of three unidentified Ridings children.
Two of the Hale brothers, Evan and Murry came to Lee Co VA in the 1900s from Laurel Co KY to work in the mines. Back in Laurel Co KY the Hales were typical subsistence farmers. As the coal mines begin to decline the Hale family moved out of Lee Co. There are no known descendants living in Lee Co VA today.
The picture shows a group of friends out for a drive. Evan Hale is in the rear on the passenger side.
The White Rocks are part of Cumberland /Stone Mountain that runs the length of Lee County and continues into neighboring counties. The mountain acts as a huge natural barrier holding the coal fields to the north side of its limestone core
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