U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Raikes, James Madison (1852-1940) ------------------------------------------------------------------- The History of Upshur County West Virginia From its Earliest Exploration and Settlement to the Present Time by W. B. Cutright Buckhannon, W. Va., July 1, 1907 Page 540 JAMES MADISON RAIKES was born June 30, 1852, the son of Thomas Raikes whose wife was Mary Susan Woody. They came to the Little Kanawha River and made a settlement near Holly Grove, on a tract of a hundred acres of land, which he had previously bought, at a very early date. Mr. Thomas Raikes lost his mind in young manhood and was taken to the Staunton Insane Asylum and there remained till his death. His wife raised the family. The subject of this sketch married for his first wife, Sarah Frances Smith, daughter of Morgan Smith, she was born in 1859, and died in 1887, and their children were: William Henry, Alfred Morgan, Thomas Anderson and Mattie Elizabeth. November 15, 1888, he married for his second wife, Lizzie Lincoln Smith, a sister of the first wife and their children are: Virgie Frances, born December 18, 1890, and died in 1895; Merrill Clodus, born October 21, 1895; Janice Alice, born June 18, 1902. Mrs. Raikes' grandfather was Joshua Smith, an early settler of Frenchton, Banks' District. The subject of this sketch is a farmer and stone mason, he owns two hundred and forty acres of good land on the Little Kanawha River, near Holly Grove, and he has named his farm, Sugar Forest, after the fine Maple Sugar Orchard on his land. He has fine apple and peach orchards on his farm. In religion he is a Missionary Baptist and in politics he is a Republican. ------------------------------------------------------------------- From Death Certificate, Barbour County, WV #14133 FULL-NAME: James M. Raikes BIRTH-DATE: June 30, 1852 BIRTH-PLACE: W.Va. DEATH-DATE: November 18, 1940 (at age 87y-4m-18d) DEATH-PLACE: Philippi, Barbour County, WV MARITAL-STATUS: Married (Elizabeth Smith Raikes) OCCUPATION: Retired Farmer FATHER: Thomas A. Raikes (born in W.Va.) MOTHER: Mary Susan Woody (born in W.Va.) CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Ventricular Fibrillation / Chronic Myocarditis INFORMANT: Henry Raikes (of Philippi, W.Va.) BURIAL: Heavner Cemetery, Buckhannon ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Upshur County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/upshur/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------