Mary Elizabeth Nihoof married David Tamplin and lived most of their lives at Boomer, West Virginia. David was an auditor for the state and they resided in Charleston, West Virginia, for a few years. They had eight children, four girls and four boys. Julia Alice was born at Cannelton, West Virginia on June 18, 1882 and died February 10, 1962. She is buried in Montgomery Memorial Park at London, West Virginia. Clayton married Pearl Kincaid. They had two children, Evelyn and Elizabeth. Hannah Tamplin married William Laidley. They had four children, Lillian, Mary Elizabeth, William, and Amelia Jo, who at last account resided in St. Albans, WV. Joseph Tamplin married Mame. They had several children of which two are still living, Thelma and Mildred of Boomer, WV. Kate Tamplin married Earl Hugg. Eliza Tamplin married Walter O'Brien and had one son, Walter Fenton Tamplin. Walter resides in Salem, Virginia, with his wife Estelle. McKinley Tamplin's date of death is unknown. David Tamplin married Ethel Lyons. At the time of this writing they were still living and reside in Boomer, West Virginia. Dave, as he was well known was 93 and Ethel 94 years of age (Ethel died in 1985). They had one son, David Jack, who lives nearby with his wife Lorraine. Dave was noted as a historian and a fisherman.
Julia Alice Tamplin married Frederick Littlejohn of Buchtel, Ohio on November 12, 1900, at Fayetteville, West Virginia, by Reverend John Light. When Julia and Fred met, Julia was at home in Boomer after attending school in Washington, DC and Fred was in Boomer installing mining machinery at the Boomer Coal co. Their courtship was started under proper supervision. Julia stated that she was on a ladder painting the family home when Fred asked her to marry him. She said yes, but she had to finish painting first.
After their marriage, they lived in Boomer, WV for several years. They had seven children, Frederick Russell, was born in July 18, 1902, Lewis Preston, was born July 24, 1905, Stella Laing, born June 10, 1908, and Elizabeth Caroline, born on December 31, 1910. Soon after Laing was born Fred accepted a job in Ohio. Then shortly after moving to Ohio, Elizabeth was born in Frazeysburg, Ohio. At a later date Fred accepted a job as Chief Electrician with the Sunday Creek Coal Co. at San Toy, Ohio. On December 20, 1912, another son was born, David William.
The town of San Toy was a bustling mining town complete with a jail, several stores, churches and two saloons. On Saturday nights it came alive with a band playing in the town park for dancing, and, of course, with the intake of drinks from the local saloons there were many fights.
Soon after the birth of David, the family moved to a farm outside of town that was owned by the coal company. The coal company used ponies to pull the loaded coal cars in the mine to the main entries. The cars would then be pulled to the cage and be hoisted topside for dumping by electric locomotives, as the mine was a shaft type. As the ponies aged, they would be brought to the outside and then brought to the farm to live out their remaining years. The two oldest boys, Russell and Lewis, were paid a token wage to feed and water the ponies on the farm.
The family moved back to town in 1915 to a new house provided by the coal company. On June 5, 1915, another daughter was born, Ruth Dickerson. Ruth contracted measles and died June 2, 1917 and was buried on her second birthday, June 5, 1917, at Porterville, OH. On September 7, 1917 a fourth daughter was born, Mary Hannah. Soon after her birth, during the winter of 1917, Fred accepted a position with the same coal company at Corning, Ohio. The family lived in Corning during World War I and lived through the flu epidemic that raged in 1918.
Fred was offered a position with the Ohio Collieries Company at Glouster, Ohio, in 1919, and the family was on the move again. Fred was in charge of 17 shops operated by the company and he had to travel to each one to check on their operation. Fred was driven on his rounds by a company car and driver. Even though Fred could operate all types of mining machinery her never attempted to drive a car.
On Easter Sunday morning, 1921, Fred was shaving in preparation to attend church services and was using a new shaving brush. While shaving he nicked a place on his face. He attended church and later that day complained of feeling ill. By the next day he was running a high fever and the family doctor was called. It was determined on Tuesday that he had blood poisoning, a type called Anthrax, common to horses. Fred died April 12, 1921 and is buried in the Littlejohn plot at Greenlawn Cemetery at Nelsonville, Ohio.
After Fred's death, Julia decided to return to Boomer, West Virginia, Lewis remained in Ohio and lived with his "Grandmother Littlejohn" in Logan in order to complete his high school education.
Julia's mother, Granny Tamplin, owned several houses in Boomer and provided a four room house close to their own home for Julia and her family on their return to West Virginia. Russell, who was 19, accepted a job at Montgomery, West Virginia, as a mechanic for the General Sales Co. Julia's brother, Dave, was employed there as shop foreman.
The younger children attended school at Boomer to continue their education. Laing, the oldest daughter, went to Beckley, WV, to stay with Julia's sister, Hannah, as she was ill. A year or so later, Laing went to Nitro, WV, to care for Mrs. Lyons, the mother of Dave Tamplin's wife, Ethel.
Lewis completed high school in Logan, Ohio, and returned to Boomer. He worked as a mechanic in a Buick garage at Montgomery, West Virginia.
David and Elizabeth finished grammar school at Carbondale, WV, which was near Cannelton. At this time, Russell had gone to work for the Cannelton Coal and Coke Co. as a mechanic. David and Elizabeth entered high school at Gauley Bridge, WV. They walked two miles to catch a bus and sometimes had to go by train. Eventually they had to leave school to help with family wit family expenses, as this was the beginning of the depression years.
Mary Hannah attended the Carbondale school and Montgomery High School, but she did not complete her education as she also went to work.
Julia worked at various jobs; sewing, nursing and sometimes helped in at the B.C. Hooper Funeral Home at Montgomery, WV. She took part in her church and lodge and lived an active life visiting friends and family. Fred's mother in Logan, OH, insisted that Julia and the younger children visit her during the summer. On these visits, Julia with at least four children, would travel by train for two days, going from Boomer to Charleston on one line and from Charleston to Athens, Ohio, on another, and then from Athens, Ohio to Logan, Ohio, on another line.
In 1951 Julia became ill and was an invalid for 11 years. During her illness, she stayed with her children and in nursing homes. Her mind stayed alert and she entertained her grandchildren with tales from down through the years. As stated before, she died February 10, 1962 and is buried at the Montgomery Memorial Park at London, WV.
