Nora Nutter (seated), Emily Nutter Littlejohn, Russ Littlejohn, and MarSue Littlejohn holding LuCinda Littlejohn
Later edited and further researched by LaNora Littlejohn Rolph
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Nora Nutter (seated), Emily Nutter Littlejohn, Russ Littlejohn, and MarSue Littlejohn holding LuCinda Littlejohn |
Later edited and further researched by LaNora Littlejohn Rolph |
|
| Emily Nutter and Laing Littlejohn |
Emily Nutter was born January 15, 1905 and was one of five children.
Her parents were Anderson Odis "Oather" Nutter (b.1878 - d. 1938) and Nora White (b. 1880-d.
1965). Nora, at age 21, and Odis,
at age 23, were married December 29, 1901, in Fayette County, WV. They later had a total of seven children.
Two girls died when they were three days old. The other children were Grace, Pete, Madeline,
Emily and Alice, and Jay B. Nora White was the daughter of Samuel White
(b. 1848-d.1922) and Emily Radar (1850-1885). Samuel and Emily were married in Kanawha County, WV in 1868. Emily was named after her grandmother Emily
"Radar" White, Nora's mother. Nora had three sisters; a twin sister named Cora,
and two other sisters, Verna and Lydia. Anderson "Oather" Nutter's parents were John A. Nutter
(born 1854) and Malissa Alice "Sweetie" White. John Nutter got his eyes put out in the mines, one in Boomer mine and the other in Cannelton. He was blind by the time
their youngest daughter, Alice, was born. Based upon what my aunts and uncles
have told me, Oather was a musician and liked to play music, drink liquor, and
chase women, much to the disappointment of his wife and his daughter, Emily.
Eventually, Nora kicked Oather out of their home and, in spite of Emily's
adverse feelings toward her father's behavior, Russell took Oather in to live
with them until his death on October 3, 1938. Oather's siblings included a sister named Sophrona,
born 1880 in Falls, Fayette, WV, a brother named Jay B., another sister named
Glenna, and the youngest sister named Alice. Malissa Alice White's
parents were Issac White and Lucinda Polly Branham. There have been many rumors
of Cherokee Indian lineage in our family. However, the strongest evidence
of Indian blood on my father's side is through Malissa White. Apparently,
based upon verbal stories passed down through the generations, Lucinda Branham's
grandmother, Annie Terry, was Cherokee Indian. Annie Terry married Cornelius
Estep around 1808. Their daughter, Sabra Estep married Andrew Branham
February 2, 1826 (Pike Co, KY), and one of their daughter was Lucinda Branham.
Several of Annie Terry Estep's grandchildren filed claims with the US
Government in an attempt to receive money for the confiscation of Cherokee lands
in the North Caroline, Tennessee, and Kentucky area. The claim (#31011) was
filed by Lane Shannon Branham of Pond Gap, West Virginia. John Branham and Sabra
Estep Branham also filed a claim (#26091). Lane Shannon and John were sons
of Andrew and Sabra Branham. Unfortunately, the Pike County, KY., courthouse
records burned so it was hard to prove a marriage between Cornelius Estep and
the "Cherokee Indian Princess", Annie Terry. All the Branhams in that area
received cards from the Government to sign claiming money for heirs of Cherokee
Indians. It does not appear that any ancestor was ever enrolled in Dawes Rolls,
but the ancestors who did apply, came from Kentucky to West Virginia in or about
1835. They were not living anywhere near the Cherokee domain and were not
parties to the treaties of 1835-1836 and 1846. No connection to the Eastern
Cherokee tribe has been found.. I have a copy of the claim from Lane S. Branham, dated
07/29/1907, that states, "I have frequently heard my mother and grandmother, on
my mother's side (Annie Terry) say that they were by blood, related to the
Cherokee Indians, as those Indian's frequently camped near them when passing
through that country." Both Sabra and Annie were rumored to have long
black dark hair and dark skin. However, as stated above, I do not know how much
Indian blood Annie possessed. I have a picture of Malissa White Nutter and it
is very evident that she had Indian heritage. She was a very short women
(under 5ft), with black hair, stern deep set eyes, and a "hunched back" in her
elder years due to osteoarthritis in her back. My father nicknamed her
"Grandma Humpback". My aunts have assured me that she had black hair only due to
the ample use of sage and not by nature means. Malissa had a sister named
Mary Ellen who ironically married John Nutter's brother, William Nutter.
Emily was a very
energetic, cheerful, and faithfully religious woman. She loved to bowl,
travel, play Yahtzee, and sing in the church choir at the Methodist church in
which she was a long time member. I loved to spend time with my
grandmother, whom we called "Meme". Emily was very set in her beliefs, and
although she was small in stature, I know my grandmother could put any of her
children, or any other person, in their place with a stern look and un-challengable
tone. However, as her youngest granddaughter, I found my
grandmother a joy to be around. I enjoyed our visits on Sunday when we
would all pile into the family car and go to Cannelton, WV to visit Meme; even
though I undoubtedly suffered from car sickness due to the windy West Virginia
roads. But, I always knew that Meme would have an ice cold Coke waiting for me
whenever we got to her house, and because I was "car sick", I wouldn't have to
share it with one of my siblings. Emily was very fond of her Cokes. It
became a family joke that Meme's energy was fueled by caffeine from the many
Cokes that she consumed during the day. I also have fond memories of
eating ice cream and miniature Hershey bars that she kept in her many candy
dishes in her house. Meme was also a very stylish dresser. No
matter where she was going she was always dressed well and had her jewelry in
place. In her 90's, Emily developed dementia, or severe memory loss.
Whenever it was evident that she could no longer live by herself, her children
tried to care for her in their homes. However, eventually the dementia got
worse and she had to be admitted into a nursing home. After Meme moved
into the nursing home, I visited her often. She did not know exactly who I
was, but she was always glad to see me and always greeted me with a smile.
The staff at the nursing home loved Emily. On October 27, 2004 the Lord
called Emily home. She was 99 years old and lived a long and productive
life. She was proceeded in death by my father, Thomas E. Littlejohn, who
had passed away six months prior. Her other children, Gin, Ruth, and
Jerry, along with many of her grandchildren and other relatives attended her
funeral. She was buried beside her husband, Russell Littlejohn in
Montgomery Memorial Park, London, WV. I will miss my grandmother greatly, but
I know she is now singing with the Angels.
What is in a name....... It was ironic that the names Emily and Nora have been in every generation starting with
Emily White. Nora's daughter was named Emily; Emily named her second daughter Lenora;
Emily's youngest son Tom named his youngest daughter LaNora; and Tom Littlejohn II,
along with Billy Lanham, both carried on the tradition by named their daughters after Emily.
Tom, however, changed the spelling to Emilee.
More about the Nutter family can be found at AOL Nutter Family Home Page.
Emily Nutter married Fredrick
Russell Littlejohn at the Methodist parsonage in Montgomery, West Virginia on
November 30, 1925. Fredrick Russell (Russ) and Emily had four children, Emily
Virginia, Lenora Ruth, Gerald Fredrick, and Thomas Eugene.