Ezra Bug, the chair-maker was known as Ezra Vanover

Submitted by Edith Faye Redden

Dickenson County Historical Society President

Following a few clues given in last week’s article, a couple of Historical Society members, discovered that Ezra Bug, the chair-maker was known as Ezra Vanover. His daughter, Pina Baker, verified that we were correct in our assumption.

In the October 29, 1970, issue of The Cumberland Times, Hampton Osborne, who was noted for writing the column, Our Old People, presented an interview with William Ervin McKinley Vanover aka Ezra Bug, the chair-maker. However, Ezra’s death certificate listed his name as William Ezra Vanover. Osborne did not say how “Ezra Bug,” the chair-maker, got his nickname. Nor was that fact known to his daughter.
Hampton Osborne’s story has been adapted slightly so that it appears in the past tense. That story is presented below.

“Mr. Vanover was better known as ‘Ezra’ Vanover by his many friends and relatives. He was born July 13, 1894, in Pike County, Kentucky. (His death certificate lists his birth date as July 13, 1900.) His parents were William ‘Billy’ T. and Nancy R. Minda Vance Vanover.

“Mr. Vanover never attended school, as he was reared at the top of Cumberland Mountain, too far from school to attend.

“He was married to Emma Elizabeth Ratcliff, December 23, 1923, at Shelby Gap, Kentucky.

“Their first year of housekeeping was on Bear Pen Creek, a tributary of Pound River, at the old Sherman Phipps place. The next two years they lived in Terripin Bottom near the top of Cumberland Mountain, a beautiful basin. [A man by the name of Baker] first cleared up most of the land and then Mr. Vanover cleared up some there. There was only a sled road from Bear Pen to Terripin Bottom then.

“They lived at Thornton, Ky., a year where he worked for a coal company there. He worked for Estes Crabtree, Jim Fleming, Davis and Shortt. He also worked at No. 2, Jenkins, Ky., mine. He worked for W. M. Ritter Lumber Company two years in the timber business and laying track at the Pound River sector. He worked on WPA, and helped build the Pound River road from Bear Pen up the river.

“He told [Osborne] that he was once a ‘hoss trader’ of some note. He farmed on Howell Branch for some time and raised hogs and cows. He would fatten the hogs and market the meat in Clintwood. When he moved to Clintwood, he had to stop raising stock and sell out what he had on hand.

“Mr. Vanover was good at making and putting bottoms in chairs. Many of his chairs have been in service 40 years and are still in good condition. He built them to stand up, not to fall down. He used hickory bark for the bottoms. He said that he made G. Mark French seven big chairs of the rustic style.

“Mr. Vanover had no brothers. His sisters were Mrs. Linda Boggs, Mrs Cinda Maggard,, Rutha Linda (who died in infancy), and Almira.

“Mrs. Vanover’s parents were Mr. and Mrs. Silas Ratcliff. Mrs. Vanover’s brothers, Johnny, Andrew, Henry, Pleas, Richard, Woodrow, Arvil, and Eddie. She had two sisters, Mrs. Mary Laws and Mrs. Letha Ratcliff.

“She and Mr. Vanover were married in the store house of C. C. Greer at Shelby Gap, Ky., with Elder George Powers officiating.

“Mr. Vanover was not a member of any church [at the time Osborne interviewed him]. Mrs. Vanover was a member of Pound Fork Primitive Baptist Church (Solid Rock Church).

The following was the information given to Osborne as of the date of the interview in 1970.

“To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Vanover were born the following children:” Martha Jane, Orville Ray, Lillie May, Dewey McKinley, Virgie, Opal Jean, Creed, Charles Henry, Linda Pearl, Richard, and Pina Ann.

“Martha Jane, married Earl Bowens. Their children were Jearldean, James Elis, Linda Gay, Gary, Larry Ray, Cathy, Carylon, Rita Jo, Bonnie Lynn, Clayetta, David Allen, and Ralph.

“Orville Ray, married Emma Sutton of Detroit. They had one child, Houston. They were divorced and he next married Margaret Chester. Their children were Danny Ray, Loira Jane, Rosile, Susan, and Jimmie.

“Lillie May, married Troy Farmer. Their children were Ronnie Ferril, Mavis Gay, Sandra Kay, Connie Dean, Rodney Allen, Brenda Gail, Barbara Sue, David Wayne, and Troy.

“Dewey McKinley, never married.

“Virgie [no further info was given].

“Opal Jean, married Lonzie Mullins. Their children were Ricky, Vicky, Roy Lee, Kenny, and Randy.

“Creed, never married.

“Charles Henry, never married.

“Linda Pearl, married Darrell Mullins. Their children were Tammy, April, and Scotty Darrell.

“Richard [was not married at the time of the interview].

“Pina Ann married Junior Baker. They had one child, Neal Allen.

“Mrs. Vanover was always a hard worker for many people in town. [Osborne stated that if his] memory served him right, she worked for Mr. and Mrs. Garland Wilson for 16 years. They were pleased with her work at all times.

“Mrs. Vanover passed away on January 8, 1970.

“[Osborne stated that he had] known these good old people since [his family] came to Clintwood in 1934. They strictly attended to their own affairs and kept out of other peoples’ business. This is a mighty fine course for all of us to take...”

According to his death certificate, “Ezra Bug,” the chair-maker passed away on June 11, 1973. Both he and his wife are buried in the Farmer Cemetery.

Hampton Osborne’s column was a success because he recognized that every person has a story to tell. The people that he interviewed were the “heart and soul” of Dickenson County. They were people who lived their lives and were sometimes never recognized for the many contributions they made to our county’s society.

Our organization’s mission is to archive and preserve those stories. The Historical Society would like to continue Hampton Osborne’s legacy by interviewing senior citizens of Dickenson County over the age of 75 to preserve their stories. If you or anyone you know would like tell us your life story, please contact the Historical Society and one of our volunteers will be glad to set up an interview with you.

The Historical Society would like to thank all those who read our articles and who take the time to contact us about them. For more information about this article, or any of our publications, or to make corrections or additions to an article, or to purchase a local history book, please contact the Historical Society office at 276/926-6355, P. O. Box 52, Clintwood, Va., 24228, or dchs1880@gmail.com. If no answer, please leave a message and one of our volunteers will return your call. Or contact Edith Faye Redden at 276/926-4117.