John Labon Armstrong

1873 - 1933  (60 years)

• Name	John Labon Armstrong
  Born	23 Mar 1873	Sugar Grove, Pendleton, West Virginia, USA
  Gender	Male
  Died	5 Jul 1933	Harrisonburg, Rockingham, Virginia, USA
  Buried	Cooper-Mauzy Cemetery, Harman, Randolph, WV, United States
  	1 May 2013--changed from: Armstrong-Cooper Cemetery, Harman, West Virginia, USA to the information found on findagrave.com.
  Person ID	I1519	My Family Tree | Armstrong-Bird
  Last Modified	18 Jul 2015

  
  

  Father	Eli Armstrong,   b. 18 May 1835, Doe Hill, Highland, Virginia, United States ,   d. 8 Mar 1883, St. Paul Cemetery, Pendleton County, West Virginia, USA  (Age 47 years)
  Mother	Elizabeth Ann "Bettie" Bodkin,   b. 1 Jul 1840, Sugar Grove, Pendleton, West Virginia, USA ,   d. 19 Dec 1909, Mount Solon, Augusta, Virginia, USA  (Age 69 years)
  Married	7 Jun 1860	Highland, Highland, Virginia, United States
  Family ID	F508	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Estelle Roy
  Last Modified	18 Jul 2015
  Family ID	F527	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 2	Nora Belle Cooper,   b. 4 Aug 1880, Harman, Randolph, West Virginia, USA ,   d. 2 Sep 1921, Elkins, Randolph, West Virginia, USA  (Age 41 years)
  Married	9 Dec 1897	Harman, Randolph, West Virginia, USA
  Last Modified	18 Jul 2015
  Family ID	F526	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 23 Mar 1873 - Sugar Grove, Pendleton, West Virginia, USA Married - 9 Dec 1897 - Harman, Randolph, West Virginia, USA Died - 5 Jul 1933 - Harrisonburg, Rockingham, Virginia, USA Buried - - Cooper-Mauzy Cemetery, Harman, Randolph, WV, United States  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos

  John Labon Armstrong.jpg

  
  

  Documents

  The Obituary of Nora Belle Cooper Armstrong Includes a photograph of Nora and her husband John

  
  

• Notes

  As a youth, John travelled to Illinois looking for work and adventure--arriving with only 4 cents in his pocket so the story goes) and found a job feeding cattle. By the early 1890's John had settled near Harman, Randolph, WVa. Harman had become a thriving community with the coming of the railroad, and had much to offer an adventurous young man. He worked in the lumber woods and at one point owned a saloon in Harman, although he was known as a "teetotaler". Before his marriage to Nora Belle Cooper he fathered a child, Effie Mae, by Estelle Roy. After Estelle's death little Effie Mae came to live with John and Nora and was raised as one of their own. John was prominent in community affairs and politics. He was a member and president of the Board of Education, Dry Fork District, and an active member of the Randolph County Democratic Executive Committee, Dry Fork District , for many yearsn was seldom seen without his hat, except on Election Day, when he went with "hat in hand" to meet and greet the public.John and his brother (my grandfather J. Riley were known as men of great honesty and integrity. Their brother , George Wesley, who was more "spirit"ually inclined, was sent to prison for "moonshining". Grandad was in the State Legislature at the time. He and John worked long and hard to get the sentence reduced to fit the crime! Johw was a champion fiddle player. He and his son, Norman, with Robert Lambert, played for Saturday night Dances at the "Platform" in Harman. In 1931 and in 1932 John won the "Old time Fiddler's Contest" in Pendleton Counts grandson Bill Armstrong son of Dick now has that old fiddle--Wish I could get my hands on it. According to my dad, Dice S., Uncle John would occasionally bring his fiddle over to J. Riley's home for an all night jam session. Granddad played the harmonica. Dad says his Uncle John's favorite tune was 'The bully of the town", written in 1896. It is also one of my favorites. I play it on the mandolin and must keep changing the words to remain politically correct -the origional made liberal use of the "n" word!!! My dad also said his Uncle John was very liberal and proficient with his fists, In those days you were always being challenged--esspecially after gaining a reputation!! Dad said a big roughneck challenged him one time and spent several wen the hospital!! John died at age 60 in the Rockingham Memorial Hospital, Harrisonburg, Va. due to complications thought to have been brought about from head and/or back injuries sustained in a fall many years before. He is buried beside his wife in the Armg-Cooper Cemetery, on the Louis Mauzy farm, near Harman. James H. Armstrong 2001. From the files of Janice L. (Armstrong) Nicholas 1-12-3-7 JOHN LABON ARMSTRONG 11237 JOHN LABON ARMSTRONG b. 3/23/1873 Sugar Grove, Pendleton Co., WV d. 7/5/1933 Harrisonburg, Rockingham Co, VA Bur: ArmstrongCooper Cemetery, Randolph Co., Harman, WV m. 12/9/1897 Nora Belle Cooper b. 8/4/1880 Harman, WV d. 9/2/1921 Elkins, WV Bur: ArmstrongCooper Cemetery, Randolph Co., Harman, WV Parents: Daniel & Phoeba (Snyder) Cooper John Labon Armstrong was born on March 23, 1873, near Sugar Grove, Pendleton County, West Virginia. He was the seventh child of Eli and Elizabeth Ann (Bodkin) Armstrong. We know very little about his early life. He was 10 years old whs father died and sometime during his youth he travelled to Illinois looking for work and adventure. He got a job feeding cattle and as the story goes, he arrived there with 4 cents in his pockets. I don't know what lured John to Randolph County, but he settled near Harman, in the early 1890's. Harman had become a thriving community with the coming of the railroad, and had much to offer an adventurous young man. I'm told John was an enthusiastic fox and bear hunter. He worked in the woods, and at one point, although known as a "teetotaler", he was the proprietor of a Harman soloon. He met Estella May Roy of the Red Creek area near Harmanhey had a daughter, Effie Mae, out of wedlock. After John married Nora Belle Cooper, Estella passed away, and they brought Effie Mae to live with them. On December 9, 1897, John and Nora Belle Cooper were married by the Rev. Asa Harman at the home of her parents, Daniel and Phoebe (Snyder) Cooper, in Harman. A copy of their Marriage License, the County Clerks Certificate and the Minister'urn Endorsement was found on file at the Randolph County Court House in Elkins, West Virginia. The Clerk's Certificate, says the party giving the information was Floyd McDonald on December 2, 1897. Nora Bell's name is listed as "Mary Nora Cooper". In her family Bible, Grandmother wrote her name as Nora Belle. Nora Belle was born August 4, 1880. Her maternal grandfather was the famous Sampson Snyder, a captain in the Federal Army during the Civil War. More information on the Snyder side of this family can be found in Carrie Harman Roy's book, &aptian Snyder and His Twelve of West Virginia". Nora Belle was a frail woman, and passed away on September 2, 1921. She had been ill for many years and her obituary said she died at the home of her sister, Laura (Cooper) Harper, in Elkins, W. Va. where she had been taken to be treated for "Brain Fever", which now days would have been called Meningitis. NOTE: In 1995, I asked Freda (Cooper) Yokum, being the eldest granddaughter of John and Nora Belle, what she remembered about our grandparents. Freda sent the following about Nora Belle: Nora Belle's brother, Hoy Cooper, took Typhoid Fever and none of his family would go to his home to take care of him. They were afraid of getting it too. Nora Belle said she was not afraid and went to nurse him. But in her rundown che did get sick and it affected her body and mind. Nora Belle was kept at home and Freda remembers the room she stayed in. When she got much worse they started with her to the hospital in Elkins. They got as far as Bowden and while they were crossing the river on the old bridge, Nora Belle passed away. This was before paved roads and about half an hour drive yet to Elkins. The John L. Armstrong family is considered a Randoplh County pioneer family. John was prominent in community affairs and politics. He was for many years a member and president of the Board of Education, Dry Fork District, and an active mr of the Randolph County Democratic Executive Committee, Dry Fork District. Daddy told me Grandfather John always wore a hat. He was seldom seen without it, except on Election Day, when he went with "hat in hand" to meet and greet the public. John was a champion fiddle player. Two years in a row, 1931 and 1932, he was the winner of the "Old Time Fiddlers Contest" in Pendleton County, West Virginia. His grandson, Bill Armstrong (son of Dick), had the old fiddle and at Bs death it was passed on to one of Bill's sons. Daddy told me he had often played music with his Dad for Saturday night dances at the "Platform" in Harman and at the "Picture Show" during intermissons. NOTE: Part of the following is from a write up Freda helped do for a fellow who wanted to know about old time fiddlers in the Harman area: Traditional old-time music has been an integral part of Harman coummunity life since its founding. In the 1950's there was appoximately five old-time musicians in the area, but today there are very few. One of the oldest fiddlers that could be traced was John Armstrong (1873-1933). Freda (Cooper) Yokum, Harman Judy and Josie Armentrout remember John coming to their homes to play music. Freda remembers playing the organ with her grandfather when she was a young girl. Her father, Floyd Cooper, taught her to chord the organ and her brothers, Morris, Jack and Eldon, all played guitar, mandolin and fiddle. She recalls her grandfather coming to their house often to play music with them at family gatherings. John played music at the movie therater in Harman along with the Harmans and Coopers. At intermission when the movie reels had to be rewound they would play for the audience. One of John's favorite tunes was "The Bully of the Town". Before her death, Carrie Harman Roy told me that she too had played music with my Grandfather and it was he who had encouraged her to get her teaching certificate and helped her to get her first teaching job. John died in the Rockingham Memorial Hospital, Harrisonburg, Virginia. In June 1933, his son Dick and Homer Yokum, his granddaughters "intended", took John to the hospital. It was a rough trip over the mountain roads that took sl hours. Later Homer took Freda Cooper, Eva Harman, Ethel Wolford and Madelon Cooper to visit him. On the 4th of July, Aunt Ruby and Uncle Ted took Daddy over to visit. Before they left that afternoon, Grandfather told Daddy to be sure to take care of things at home and that he would be home soon, but he died the next day. It is thought that death was due to complications from head and/or back injuries which were sustained in a fall many years before. I was told that while working in the woods skidding logs, a team of horses knocked him down and drug him sl yards. John's Death Certificate is filed with the Virginia Department of Health, Divison Of Vital Records, Richmond, Virginia. It states that John entered the hospital on June 8. 1933 and died at 7:22 A.M. on July 5, 1933. It also says, John had a Lumbar Puncture on July 3, 1933. The cause of death is listed as Hematologic Encephalitis and the date of onset is listed as 18 years before death. Also on John's death certificate is listed some personal misinformation: it says John was married, when in fact he was a widower, Nora Belle had died some 11 years before. It also says John was born March 25, 1864, at Doe Hill, Virginia bl other information says he was born March 23, 1873, near Sugar Grove Pendleton County, West Virginia. John and Nora Belle raised seven children and are buried in the ArmstrongCooper Cemetery, on the Louis Mauzy farm at Harman. THE CHILDREN OF JOHN AND NORA BELLE (COOPER) ARMSTRONG 1-12-3-7-1 EFFIE MAE ARMSTRONG 18961974 m. Floyd M. Cooper 1-12-3-7-2 ELI ARMSTRONG 18991959 m. Lucy Kate Warner 1-12-3-7-3 DANIEL ARMSTRONG 19021953 m. Mary E. Teter 1-12-3-7-4 RUBY ARMSTRONG 19051982 m. Theodore Harper 1-12-3-7-5 RICHARD ARMSTRONG 19071978 m. Naomi Edith Carr 1-12-3-7-6 BLAKE ARMSTRONG 19101971 m. Pearl C. Champ 1-12-3-7-7 NORMAN ARMSTRONG 19161990 m. #1 Elsie E. Miles m. #2 Nell Bennett ************** NOTE: The following was copied from a newspaper clipping. RESOLUTIONS OF RESPECT The following resolutions of respect to the memories of the late L. D. Cross of Roaring Creek District and John Armstrong of Dry Fork District, both members for many years of the Randolph County Democratic Executive Committee were passede County Executive Committee at a special meeting held at the Court House at Elkins July 15, 1933. "Whereas an all wise Providence has called from our midst, within the past few months, both L. D. Cross of Norton, Roaring Creek District and John Armstrong of Harman, Dry Fork District, both beloved and active members of this committr many years, the Randolph County Democratic Executive Committee in special session assembled this the 15th day of July 1933, does hereby order the following resolutions placed upon its minutes and direct that a copy of same be sent the families of our deceased members and also furnished the Randolph Enterprise and the Randolph Review. "Be it resolved that in the deaths of L. D. Cross and John Armstrong the people of their respective districts, irrespective of party affiliation, have sustained irreperable loss. "They were honest, industrious, talented and loyal tor convictions. "In thier untimely death, which came at the very height of their usefulness, the Democratic Party has lost two leaders whose influence and splendid example of party devotion and loyalty will continue and ever be cherished by all who knem or who knew of them by reputation. "In this hour of sorrow, this committee extends its deepest and most heartfelt sympathy to their respective familes with the comforting thought that their active lives of usefulness, their kind hearts and generous temperaments will everherished by the people of this county regardless of political affiliation." Signed: Mrs. Holt Wamsley, Joseph M. King, E.H.Arnold, Committee on Resolutions ***************