SILVER THREADS

 

Written and Published Online by Rex Redmon, Greenville, SC.

w/contributing articles by cousin John Silver

 

 

Greetings To Everyone In Our Extended Silver Family…

 

Autumn! One of my favorite seasons of the year. Spring is also a much-loved season of the year for me as well. I love both transitions that occur between winter and summer and again between summer and winter. Mother Nature is beginning to paint her landscaped here in the foothills of Greenville, in what is know as Upstate South Carolina. The maples now shine of crimson red, brilliant orange and radiant yellows. Sourwoods, sumacs and fruit trees like the Bartlett Pears also sparkle in the sunlight with luminous reds. The crisp yellows of the tulip trees, or poplar trees as they are know here in South Carolina, are glowing as well. Soon, in a couple of weeks, the hearty trees such as the many varieties of oaks, will begin too, to add their color to the landscape and we will have the amazing transition of nature’s annual masterpiece to enjoy before we put an extra blanket on the bed.

I do hope everyone enjoys this season of apple picking, apple butter making and of course, pumpkin gathering to create amazing jack-o-lanterns for Halloween.  Someone was burning a pile of dead leaves here in Greenville last week that were left from a tree which blew down during the inclement weather of recent hurricanes and I had a moment of deja vu. Suddenly, I was twelve years old again and I was back on the farm where I was raised. My grandfather and I were burning a great pile of leaves we had raked from the front yard of his farmhouse.  Things like the smell of burning leaves I think is one of God’s ways of keeping us in touch with the memories of our lives. In an instance I was transferred back to another place and time.

Following are some one-liners from some of our Silver cousins who have expressed what Autumn means to them:

Deborah Wright says Autumn is a trip to the mountains to buy apples.

John Silver Harris says Autumn is the trees ablaze in their Autumn splendor -- something he misses living in subtropical Florida.

Kay Silver likes Autumn because it is time to light the fireplace on a chilly night and the smell of cookies baking in the oven.

Speaking of Autumn and viewing leaves, Jennifer Sparks, an extended Silver family cousin from Oklahoma, and several other members of our extended family were scheduled to meet me in Asheville, NC on October 12. They were here to see the Autumn transition of our Blue Ridge Mountains and also, I was going to take them to KONA to visit some of the interesting Silver family sites. We were also going to Morganton, NC to visit the grave of Frankie Silver as some members of Jennifer’s family claim Nancy Parker ancestry. Jennifer called me on Monday, the 11^th, from Memphis, Tennessee and said the group was on their way back home to Oklahoma because a ruptured disc in her back was acting up and she was in severe pain. They only made it as far East as Chattanooga before turning back. They are going to reschedule their trip for sometime next year. Jennifer, we look forward to hearing from you again and please do not forget to pass on your ancestral lineage to our family historian, John Silver.

I received word from cousin Gladys Gibbs with regard to the Silver/Bradley Family Reunion held in Old Fort, (McDowell County, ) NC in September. I did not receive Gladys’ report in time to print it in the October issue of Silver Threads, nevertheless, Gladys tells me forty-two Alfred Silver descendants signed the guest roster, a small crowd in her estimate. Her sister, Georgia, still holds the honor of being the oldest person to attend a Silver Family reunion this year -- at least the oldest that has been reported to me. Georgia was the oldest person in attendance at KONA as well and young O’Brien Gibbs, a great grandson of Gladys’, was the youngest in Old Fort as well as at KONA. Gladys says everyone had a good time and there was an abundance of covered dishes prepared in the Silver fashion by all the Silver women. Alfred Silver was the oldest male child of Reverend Jacob Silver and Nancy Reed. Alfred, who was born in 1816 lived in Mitchell County, NC until after his wife, Elizabeth Gouge died in 1860. He then married Sarah Ann Chandler and with at least half his children who were still living at home, he moved the family to the Curtis Creek area of McDowell County near Old Fort. Three of Alfred’s oldest sons, Levi DeWeese, Lewis Perry and Tilman Blalock, had already enlisted in the Confederate Army before the family moved.

Aside from Gladys’ reunion report and the reunion reports I reported in October, I have not received other reunion news this year. I know there were events held in Georgia as well as Tennessee and the Parker/Robinson family reunion in Franklin, NC. Folks, let me hear from you with regard to your family events.

 

As I have completed all the stories about Aunt May Belle Silver-Rogers I feel it time to now write another extended Silver family story provided to me by cousin Karyl K. Hubbard of Omak, Washington. This story is about Alonzo Sidener whose line of descent is Emma Silver, Isaac Silver, Ed Silver, Edward Silver and George Silver III who left KONA and moved with his family to a farm in Indiana.  Alonzo still has three sisters living including Elfie Sidener-Switzer, 102 who lives in Marion, Kansas; Annie Sidener Honshu, 96 and the baby of the family, Dorothy Sidener-Snelling-Wilson who at 87 is a mere babe. The story about Alonzo is called…

The Prizefight!

 

Charlie Sidener's boys.  From left to right: George H. Alonzo ("Lon"), Edward,
Isaac ("Sack"), Floyd ("Buck"), Vergil, and Charlie himself.  About 1917.

 

This likely looking bunch is Charley Sidener and his gang of six boys. Charley is the son of Emma Silver. Karyl writes that the little ragamuffin in the front row on the left is Alonzo “Lon” Sidener who was the ninth of eleven children. To hear Lon talk, being one of the baby brothers was not an easy task. He was teased unmercifully by his older siblings. He admits it probably was not all that bad for him, because he was pretty much a Mama’s boy. When he went out to work on a neighboring farm for room and board at the age of thirteen, his older brothers told him he was not tough enough and he would never make it, that he would be back home on Mama’s lap within six months. Lon claimed their ridicule stiffened his backbone considerably.  He continued to work for the neighbor until he was sixteen years old, at which time he decided to see the world. Off he went to Idaho, where his uncle Nick and Edna (Silver) Sidener were farming and building an apple orchard. He stayed there until his big brother George decided to join them. Then he moved on with a friend.

The friend, Ben Nelson, was, Lon says, a big blonde Swede, built like a football player. The two of them started to Seattle working whatever jobs they could find along the way. They did all the sights in Seattle, managing to stay out of the hands of the police but not out of trouble. They soon started back home, broke, but happy to have seen what a big city had to offer. On the way back home they stopped in Yakima, Washington hoping to get a temporary job in the hop fields. There happened to be a fair going on, and among the attractions was the local boxing champ. `Take him on and if you can deck him you win $25.00’, the hawker barked. Big money in the early roaring 1920s.

The two boys watched a couple of bouts, both of which the local man won easily. Ben finally whispered to Lon, `I bet I could take that guy’! You second for me and we’ll split the money. Lon was game. The $12.50 would get him back to Caldwell, Idaho in fine style, so Ben challenged the champ. Lon says he was shaking in his boots. `I never was a very big guy and the idea of watching Ben get beat up scared me silly‘, Lon said. `I was afraid I would have to nurse him all the way back to Idaho‘.

Ben climbed into the ring, the protagonists danced around the floor for a few minutes. The crowd got restless and were really booing Ben. Lon was holding a towel and trying not to get sick. Finally the champ danced to within range of Ben’s glove. POW! Right in the kisser. The champ went down like a rock. Ben got roundly booed

And the crowd got unruly. Two policemen came and escorted Ben and Lon and their hard won money to the railroad station. It was strongly suggested they catch the next train east. Which they did.

Lon said he never did go back to Yakima regardless of the fact there were good  jobs working in the hop fields there. He was afraid someone with a long memory might remember the two kids from Idaho.

Note: Lon died at age 93 in Yuma, in March 2003. I was so glad I had a chance to get to know him and visit with him a number of times before he died. He spent his career driving produce trucks in California and Arizona. He followed the lettuce harvest.

Karyl Hubbard, 2004

 

It is now time to turn our attention to our Civil War Letters to Home ...

Both of this month’s letters are from by G.D. (Garrett) Gouge to his wife Rosanah who is living in Bandana, Mitchell County, NC.  Garrett is at a Confederate military camp near Clinton, Tennessee from where his last letter was written, dated April 20, 1863.

Clinton, East Tenn.

April  25, 1863

 

Dear Companion:

 

I seat myself to drop you a few lines to let you know I am well and doing the best I can

 

I am sorry to tell you William Gouge (his brother, Little Billy) is sick with the fever but he is on the mend very fast. I hope he will soon be well.

 

I have no war news to write you at present. There has been not been any fighting lately that I have heard of.

 

I have been on the hard march since I got here but we have got back to the same old campground. We had no fight. The Yankees had left before we got there. I hardly think we will have a fight here soon. There are no Yankees nearer than Kentucky that I know of. Rosanah, I would be glad this war would end.

 

I would like to know how you are getting along. Write to me and let me know who you have got to live with you. I want you to write about the sale and what the things went at and who paid for them. Write how all the folks are getting along. Give Uncle Robin best regards.

 

Tell little Anderson I have not forgot him. Tell him to be a good boy till I get back. I would like to see him and little Richmond this evening the best kind but no chance now though I hope I will live to get back and enjoy home one more time.

 

Give sister Patty and Hector (McNeil) and mother and father my love and best wishes. Tell them all to write. Direct your letter to Knoxville, Tennessee., 58 Regiment, N.C. Volunteers, Co K, in care of Capt. (Samuel Marion) Silver.

 

Write soon. Yours as ever,

 

G.D. Gouge to Rosanah Gouge       (written by L.D. Silver)

 

Captain Samuel Marion Silver, born 1833 is one of the younger sons of Reverend Jacob Silver.  L.D. Silver, born 1836 is Levi DeWeese Silver and is the son of Alfred Silver. Alfred is an older brother to Captain Sam. Jacob Silver’s family, as well as his extended family, were apparently a literate family. One does not achieve the rank and responsibility of an officer in the military without a higher than average degree of literacy.

The second letter by Garrett is written only eight days later. He is still in camp in Clinton, Tennessee.

Clinton, East Tenn.

May 3, 1863

 

Dear Wife and Children:

 

I once more have the opportunity to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope this letter will reach you and find you and the children well.

 

I can say to you that I am doing the best that I can and am on guard today for the first time since I came here. I want you to do the best you can till I come home and I will do the same.

 

Rosanah, I want you to stay where your are if it is possible for you to do so. Write to me often and let me know how you are getting along. Write to me whether all of my bees are alive or not.   

 

Tell little Anderson to be a good boy till I come home and mind you and when I come home I will fetch him a hat or something else.

 

I want you to not listen to everything that you hear for they will try to get  you to leave home. I want you to stay where you are and do the best you can. You will do the best there where you are.

 

I will send you some money as soon as I get some and have any chance to send it. I expect that I will draw some money in a few days.

 

I don’t think there is any danger of being in a battle here. We have been in readiness to march in 15 minutes warning though I can’t tell when we will be called off.

 

I will close my letter by saying I remain a husband of yours till death. I hope that I will be permitted to write to you again. So farewell for this time.

 

G.D. (Garrett) Gouge to Rosanah Gouge   

(Written by Tilman B. Silver, write to me.)

 

Tilman B. Silver, born 1839, is a younger brother to Levi DeWeese Silver.

As I reported to you when I began this series of letters last year, these letters were almost lost to posterity. When the attic of the Gouge house in Bandana was being cleaned several years ago, the letters were discarded in a trash pile for burning. Someone rummaging through the trash discovered the letters and now they are all saved on disc and several family members have copies.

 

The next time you are getting ready to take a shower and you complain because the water temperature isn’t just how you would like it, think about how things used to be hundred’s of years ago. Beginning in the 1500s, most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. Regardless, they were beginning to have a little body odor so the bride carried a bouquet of fresh cut flowers to hide the body odor. Hence, the custom today of carrying a bouquet of flowers when getting married.

Before I close the newsletter this month, I am greatly saddened to say this will be my last issue as a writer and editor of Silver Threads. My life is indeed a busy one and I feel I must prioritize some things in my life in order to accomplish the goals and dreams, not only my goals but the goals and dreams both Margaret and I have set for ourselves. I have been retired for three years and now that Margaret is retiring next month we plan to do some extensive traveling both in the USA as well as Western Europe. We begin some of that travel in November. Also, there are a couple of novels and my own personal family history rattling around in my brain that needs to be published. I need some time to work on those projects too.

Writing Silver Threads has not only been a great joy and a pleasure, but writing the family newsletter has been a great accomplishment for me as well. I have also met many distant cousins whom I feel I would have never met if not for my involvement with Silver Threads. All things come to an end sooner or later and so it must be with my time as editor of Silver Threads. I want to thank all of you, our extended Silver Family, for reading Silver Threads the past two years and also I thank you for your contributing articles and your comments -- both objective and critical.

Too, I want to thank Barney Kaufman for allowing John Silver and I to use his Silver Family website from where we published Silver Threads. Barney has been more than patient with us in our attempts to meet deadlines so he can do the final editing and posting of the newsletter. Also Barney, thank you for your interest in the extended Silver family and all the work you do with the website. Your interest and dedication is greatly appreciated by thousands of Silver family members scattered not only in America but around the world as well.

John Silver in Dover Delaware, how could I have written Silver Threads without you? Your encouragement, your support, not only as an interested family member, but your encouragement as a friend has been a great asset to me and I owe you a great debt of gratitude. You are a gentleman and a scholar and I thank you for your dedication to our Silver Family as well.

There are others whom I have met while involved with Silver Threads that I want to thank and recognize. John Silver Harris, who began a little newsletter some years ago called Silver Notes; Clarence Tillery who followed in John Silver Harris’ footsteps and continued publishing Silver Notes with John Silver of Dover Delaware; Kay Silver who picked up the ball -- writing and editing Silver Notes -- and ran with it for over a year in 2001; Jerelene Howell, Laura Cooper, Norma Westall, Wanda Silver-Freeman, Ruth Silver,  Mel Squires, Patty Smith, Karyl Hubbard, Howard Williams, Barbara Gregory, Judy Boring, Niel Stewart, Allen and Shirley Nelson, Carolyn and Ed Denton, Joe Ruth, all for their interaction with me as a supporter of my work and authors Sharyn McCrumb, Perry Dean Young, Jan McDaniel and Maxine McCall whose support and encouragement has been greatly appreciated beyond words; to all of you I am indebted.

Cousins, until we happen to meet again sometime and somewhere in the future, God’s speed, hold fast to your faith, your personal creeds and do not be afraid to reach for your goals, your hopes and your dreams regardless of the consequences. Success is not measured in failure but in the effort. Battles are won and wars are lost, but to have not fought and to have not tried…

          Happy Thanksgiving to each of you.

                                                        Cousin Rex

 

 

John’s History Corner

 

Mary McKeehan Patton

“Powder Mary”

Part 2

 

The land on which the powder mill was built passed down through several generations of the Patton family and finally was sold outside the family.  In 1961, nine-tenths of an acre was deeded to the Powder Branch Community Club by A. E. Miller Jr. and his wife. The deed states, “Whereas, the second parties intend to restore the Old Revolutionary War Powder Mill located on this property as a historical monument, the first parties convey the following described property to second parties so long as this property is used and maintained as a historical monument and no longer.”  No restoration work has been done as of this date, although a road marker has been placed near the site.

     The Patton powder mill was founded during the American Revolution and continued in production through the Civil War.  Although it was never a major producer of powder, it was typical of a little known part of the powder industry.

     History usually records large or spectacular successes or failures.  Hence major black powder producing mills such as the Continental Mill and the European mills are well documented.  The Mary Patton powder making endeavor comes from a completely different tradition, that of cottage industry.

     Powder making in England was legally a Crown monopoly.  This, however, did not preclude the existence of an illicit cottage industry.  Considering that Powder Mary’s maiden name was McKeehan, it is likely she learned her craft in Scotland.  The Scots during this period were particularly disinclined to obey English law, especially regarding weaponry.

     There are three distinct processes involved in the manufacture of black powder.  The first is the production of saltpeter, which the larger mills did not do, as they bought or imported the material.  The second is the production of charcoal; and the third is the actual manufacture of the powder.

     Saltpeter comprised about three-quarters (by weight) of black powder and its production was a particularly disagreeable process. The sources of the nitrate were animal and human droppings and decomposed leaves.  By law in England and on the Continent, the barnyard soil and contents of outhouses belonged to the government.

     There were early Colonial Acts making the same reservations for the Crown, but with a very few exceptions the Crown did not exercise its option.  Mary Patton’s mill was very fortunate to have nearby the Hyder and Gourley caves which contained accumulated layers of animal droppings (presumably from centuries of bat inhabitation).  Being a highly concentrated and convenient source of nitrate, it saved her from turning to barnyards and outhouses.  The latter would have provided only a very small amount at this early point in Western American history.

     After the nitrate-bearing cave soil was collected it was mixed with ash which contained quantities if potassium.  Water was then passed through the mixture and collected.  This liquor contained potassium nitrate, water solubility salts and other impurities.  After several passes through the cave soil, the liquor was boiled down, leaving a crystalline mass consisting of saltpeter and undesirable salts and dirt.

     The final refining step was separating the saltpeter from these undesirables. Saltpeter has a higher solubility in hot water than the salts and dirt.  Taking advantage of this property, the refining operation consisted of again putting the material with a solution with water in large kettles and regulating the temperature.  Over a period of hours of heating and concentrating the solution by evaporation, the dirt and some other impurities rose to the top and were skimmed off.  The unwanted salts settled to the bottom, as they were not soluble, and were ladled out.  As the remaining liquid cooled, pure saltpeter crystallized.  A final washing followed.  As purity was of prime importance, the refining cycle was often performed twice.  Since the nitrate gathering and refining required an enormous amount of effort, the production capabilities of the Patton Mill were limited. 

     The charcoal for the Patton Mill was undoubtedly locally produced.  Enormous quantities of Colonial timber were used in making charcoal, which was in great demand by the iron industry.  The craft of charcoal burning was fairly common in Colonial America.

     Charcoal, before the opening of the anthracite regions, was called coal.  It was made from the carefully controlled burning of wood.  It was a dangerous and unpleasant craft.  There were variations in how the craft was performed which said more about the region from which the burner learned his craft than about the efficiency of the process.

     A large pile of cut timber was carefully stacked into a mound.  This was carefully covered with earth or sod, leaving only a vent hole in the top.  The burner introduced live coals into the vent hole, then retreated to a nearby hut to watch the burning day and night. Occasionally the fire would break through the covering and needed to be quickly refined.  It was not unusual for a burner to fall to his death into a mound while repairing it.  When the burner thought the charcoal to be ready, he broke open the mound and doused the coal with water.  Often something went wrong and both the wood and the effort were wasted. 

     The third ingredient – sulfur -- is not indigenous to the area and had to be brought in.  The documentary evidence specifies only that it came in by horse from a distance.  There are three possibilities of its origins.  There were sulfur springs in Virginia, and it is remotely possible sulfur was obtained from them.  A second possibility was a process by which sulfur could be obtained from high sulfur fuels. There is a single reference in the Continental Congress’ papers to a set of tools for obtaining sulfur by this method.  The most likely sulfur, however, was through importation.  The major eighteenth-century source was the Island of Sicily.  After the revolution sulfur supplies from Sicily were available.

     Sicilian sulfur suffered from a purity problem.  If Mary Patton used sulfur originating in Sicily, she had three options.  She could ignore the purity problem and produce an inferior quality of powder, she could refine it herself, or she could purchase Sicilian sulfur refined by someone else prior to her purchase.  The most likely hypothesis, since she produced late in the Revolution when the Continental importation supply problem was not severe, is that she probably had access to refined sulfur from Sicily and was refined by our French allies.

     Proportioning the ingredients by weight was the first step in the manufacture of powder. Black powder formulas vary slightly, but the most common is 75% saltpeter, 12-½% charcoal and 12-½% sulfur. In order to reduce the explosion risk during manufacture, water was added.  The mixture was then placed in a hollowed out log to begin the stamping process.

     The stamping machine consisted of a pole suspended in the middle by a large o large oak pin through it resting in two forks.  The front end had another pin placed perpendicular in it forming a pestle.  The back end had a box on it; into which water poured and by its weight the front end was raised.  When the water rushed out the pestle came down with a thud into a box chopped in log where the mixture of saltpeter, charcoal and sulfur was placed. 

     After several hours of stamping, Mary with her trained eye, determined when the powder was ready for drying.  After several hours of drying the powder and after Mary decided it was ready, it was removed from the drying area and stored for shipment. Mary’s powder sold for a dollar a pound and was considered well worth the price.

This article was taken from “Mary Patton, Powder Maker of the Revolution.” Rocky Mount Historical Association.

(George Silver Sr. > George Silver Jr. > Rev. Jacob Silver > William Jacob “Billy” Silver m. Sarah Anna Patton)

 

(John Patton m. Mary McKeehan > Anna Patton m. Samuel English > Samuel English Patton > Sarah Anna Patton m. William Jacob “Billy” Silver)

 

 

OBITUARIES:

 

Glenn William Silver

 

Glenn William Silver, 88, of Mills Gap Road, Fletcher, NC, died Tuesday, October 5, 2004. at Mission Hospitals.

Mr. Silver was a native of Yancey County and a son of the late Loranzie and Stella McMahan Silver.  He was also preceded in death by a twin brother, Stanley Louis Silver, who died in 1939 and a daughter, Jackie Dudney, who died in 1981.  He was the owner of Silver’s Small Motors and a U. S. Army veteran serving during World War II.

Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Ethel Shipman Silver of Fletcher; four daughters, Stella Moore and husband, Bill, of Fletcher, Mary Blackwell of Saluda, Pat Youngblood and husband, Bill, of Hendersonville and Glenda Sternal of Hendersonville; eight- grandchildren;  10 great-grandchildren; sister, Helen Kanupp of Skyland; half-brother, Ed Birchfield of Fletcher.

The family wishes to acknowledge the physicians and staff of the VA Medical Center, Mission St. Joseph’s Hospital and Magnolia Healthcare for the care Mr. Silver received during the past several weeks.

Groce Funeral at Lake Julian on Long Shoals Road is in charge of the arrangements and a memorial register is available at “Obituaries” at www.grocefuneralhome.com.

(George Silver Sr. > George Silver Jr. > Rev. Thomas Silver > Jacob William Silver > William Anderson Silver > Adolphus Lorenzo Silver > Glenn William Silver.)

[Glenn William Silver is the brother of Claude J. Silver]

 

The Reverend T. A. Watts

 

The Reverend T. A. Watts, 85, of Eller Ford Road, passed away Monday, October 18, 2004, at Madison Manor Nursing Center.

A native of Madison County, the Rev. Watts had lived in Buncombe County since 1955. He pastored numerous churches in Buncombe and Madison Counties and was a retired farmer.

The Rev. Watts was preceded in death by his father, the Rev. Jesse Nelson Watts; mother, Charlotte Silver Watts; daughter, Shirley Faye Watts; grandson, Rodney Watts; sisters, Alpha Watts Laws, Cester Watts Shuford, Reba Watts Matthews and Mable Louise Watts and brothers, Woodrow Watts, Herman Watts and Perry Watts.

Surviving are his children, Jerry Paul Watts, Joanne Watts of Weaverville, Garry Emerson Watts also of Weaverville, Sharon Kaye Watts of Marshall;  grandchildren, Rusty Watts, Randy Watts, Nicky Watts, Melinda Watts and Melissa Watts Snooks; great-grandchildren, Tiffany Watts, Jacqueline Watts, Jennifer Watts, Dillon Watts, Dillon Watts, Robin Bishop, Ricky Keith, Jeffery Keith, Edward Keith, Joseph Keith and Cindy Gosnell; sisters, Viola Fore of Burnsville and Orpha Keith of Arden and special friends, Tonya Weaver, Laura Spence and Lane Baker.

The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Mt. Zion Freewill Baptist Church. The Reverend Elmer Edwards will officiate.  Interment will follow in the Church cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Madison Funeral Home, Marshall, NC.  At other times the family will be at the home of Garry Watts, 320 Sparrow Drive, Weaverville.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to the staff of Madison Manor Nursing Center for the care they gave to Reverend Watts.

(George Silver Sr. > George Silver Jr. > Rev. Jacob Silver > Reuben Silver > Samuel Reuben Silver > Nancy Charlotte Silver m. Rev. Jesse Nelson Watts > Rev. T.A. Watts)

 

Claude J. Silver

 

Claude J. Silver, 82, of Ivy Street, Burnsville, died Thursday, September 30, 2004, in the Yancey Nursing Center.

A native of Yancey County, he was a son of the late Loranzie and Stella McMahan Silver. He served in the U. S. Navy during World War II. He was preceded in death by a son, James “Jim” Silver, who died in 1994.  He was a retired carpenter.

Surviving are his wife, Gladys Wheeler Silver; two daughters, Carol Pate of Burnsville and Lisa Autrey of Marion; two sons, Marty Silver of Green Mountain and Mike Silver of the home; two granddaughters, Mandy and Nicky Silver; two grandsons, Todd Fox and Zackery Autrey; great-grandson, Conner J. Fox; brother, Glenn William Silver of Hendersonville; sister, Helen Kanupp of Skyland; half-brother, Gene Silver of Hendersonville and step-brother, Ed Birchfield of Hendersonville.

The funeral service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the chapel of Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home.  The Reverend Bud Edwards will officiate.  Burial will be in the Eddie McMahan Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

(George Silver Sr. > George Silver Jr. > Rev. Thomas Silver > Jacob William Silver > William Anderson Silver > Adolphus Lorenzo Silver > Claude J. Silver)

[Claude is the brother of Glenn William Silver]