Family Files February 2022 - Person Sheet
Family Files February 2022 - Person Sheet
NameJohn LIFE 
, M
, MBirthca 1770, Pennsylvania
Death10 Aug 1856
FatherMartin LIFE , M (1750-1797)
MotherAnna LANTZ , F (1750-1810)
Misc. Notes
9 Jul 1850 Census of Lewis County WV
John Live b. PA 74 years
Samuel b. VA 33
Noah Live b. VA 29 years
“John Life, (B) the son of Martin Life (A) and Anna, was born in Pennsylvania in 1770. When he was about 15 years old, his father, Martin Life (A) moved from Pennsylvania to Virginia. There John grew into manhood. He apparently did not marry very early in life. The records show that he married Barbary Wimer in 1810. Barbary was born in 1780, and died in 1865. John died August 10, 1856.
In 1801 John took out title to 50 acres of land in Crabbottom Highland Co. Va. from the government. In 1805, John sold this land.
In 1816, he moved from what is now Highland Co. Va. to Lewis Co, W. Virginia. His brother, Martin Life (C) had moved there in 1810. In 1816 John (B) and Martin (C) purchased 200 acres of land in what is now Lewis Co. W. Virginia.
In about 1795 a treaty was made with the Indians in this area, so that it was safe for settlers to move in. By 1800, they were moving in very rapidly, so that when Martin and John moved in, they were there about as early as it was safe to travel. Both John and Martin Life were listed on the first Grand Jury in Lewis Co., in 1817.
John was a farmer and had a blacksmith shop in connection with his land. John and Barbary had 9 children. He settled with his brother Martin on Bonnetts Run, that is now located in Lewis Co. Va. near Jane Lew. The name of this run was later changed to Life’s Run. It still bears that name. I understand that John’s sons acquired many hundred acres of land in this area. At the time they settled there, it must have been a beautiful valley, lying between two ridges of hills, with a river flowing through the Valley. I located the land, and visited the area.
When I visited the valley, there was a new super highway being constructed down the center of the valley and had destroyed the beauty of the valley, as well as the land. Apparently John’s (B) family remained in the area, and grew up there.
I interviewed the people now living on the farm, and others in the area who were descendants. I learned that as was the custom in those days, the Life family laid out a family cemetery, near the house and barn of the old homestead. After there were 10 or 12 burials, it was discovered they had chosen a poor location, on the side of the hill. The land began to wash, and to slip and slide. They then selected another site, a short distance from the house and barn. I visited this cemetery, that is known as the Life Cemetery, and found that John Life (B), his wife, and most of their children are buried there. I will show a list of the burials at a separate place. I was unable to find the burial place of Martin Life (C), who lived here most of his mature life.
In discussing the original cemetery with some of the natives, I was told that there were 10 or 12 burials there before a new cemetery location was selected. There were no markers, and no one knew who was buried there. I was advised that when the grading for the new super highway was done, that all of those old graves were destroyed. I have never been able to find the burial place of Martin Life (C) and inasmuch as he died about 12 years before John did, it is my belief that Martin was one of the early burials in the original cemetery.
The early history of Lewis Co. does not say much about Martin Life, but states John Life was one of the early settlers, who came around 1800. However, I find Martin was there in about 1810 and John about 1816. John’s oldest son, Samuel, is shown to have been born in Pendleton Co., now Highland Co. Va. in 1816.
THE LIFE CEMETERY – Jane Lew, W. Va.
Located in Lewis Co., W. Virginia, on Lifes Run, off Hackers Creek, between Clarksburg, and Weston, W. Virginia, near Exit 105 on the new highway.
GEORGE LIFE – 1854 – 1921. CELLA J., his wife, 1862 – 1922.
JOHN LIFE – Died August 10, 1856 – 87th year. BARBARY, his wife 3-1-1865 86th year.
WIFE OF B. J. LIFE – 1870. (wife of Blackwell Jackson Life.)
JOHN, son of N. and M. LIFE – (b) 2-25-1848
(d) 10-9-1862
SANUEL – Son of NOAH and M. LIFE.
Died 8-3-1859 – 25 days old.
ELIZA LIFE HINZMAN – 1850 – 1944.
CREED D. HICKS – 8-28-1961 – 64 years.
ABRAHAM WHETSEL – 6-1-1869 – 63 years old.
PHOEBE – wife of A.WHETSEL – 6-10-1870 – Age 58.
MAJOR T. – 1880 – 1882. Child of GEORGE AND CELLA LIFE.
NOAH LIFE – 1824 – 1919 1st M. MARGARET, his wife – 1823 – 1859.
2nd M. MARGARET C. his wife – 1837 – 1911.
SAMUEL LIFE – 1816 – 1908. MARY E. his wife – 1821 – 1884.
John (B) and Barbary had the following children:
B-1 Sanuel
B-2 Noah
B-3 Phoebe (d) 1870. Age 58. (m) 1831. Abraham Whetsel.
B-4 Mary. (m) 1838. John Hardman
B-5 Christianna. (m) 1840. Isaac Butcher.
B-6 Barbery. (m) 1847. Elias Brown.
B-7 Henry. (no information on him).
B-8 Teeny Butcher. (no information).
B-9 Margaret. (m) George Smith.”
As written by Carlos A. Life in “A History of the “Life” Family” (1972)
John Live b. PA 74 years
Samuel b. VA 33
Noah Live b. VA 29 years
“John Life, (B) the son of Martin Life (A) and Anna, was born in Pennsylvania in 1770. When he was about 15 years old, his father, Martin Life (A) moved from Pennsylvania to Virginia. There John grew into manhood. He apparently did not marry very early in life. The records show that he married Barbary Wimer in 1810. Barbary was born in 1780, and died in 1865. John died August 10, 1856.
In 1801 John took out title to 50 acres of land in Crabbottom Highland Co. Va. from the government. In 1805, John sold this land.
In 1816, he moved from what is now Highland Co. Va. to Lewis Co, W. Virginia. His brother, Martin Life (C) had moved there in 1810. In 1816 John (B) and Martin (C) purchased 200 acres of land in what is now Lewis Co. W. Virginia.
In about 1795 a treaty was made with the Indians in this area, so that it was safe for settlers to move in. By 1800, they were moving in very rapidly, so that when Martin and John moved in, they were there about as early as it was safe to travel. Both John and Martin Life were listed on the first Grand Jury in Lewis Co., in 1817.
John was a farmer and had a blacksmith shop in connection with his land. John and Barbary had 9 children. He settled with his brother Martin on Bonnetts Run, that is now located in Lewis Co. Va. near Jane Lew. The name of this run was later changed to Life’s Run. It still bears that name. I understand that John’s sons acquired many hundred acres of land in this area. At the time they settled there, it must have been a beautiful valley, lying between two ridges of hills, with a river flowing through the Valley. I located the land, and visited the area.
When I visited the valley, there was a new super highway being constructed down the center of the valley and had destroyed the beauty of the valley, as well as the land. Apparently John’s (B) family remained in the area, and grew up there.
I interviewed the people now living on the farm, and others in the area who were descendants. I learned that as was the custom in those days, the Life family laid out a family cemetery, near the house and barn of the old homestead. After there were 10 or 12 burials, it was discovered they had chosen a poor location, on the side of the hill. The land began to wash, and to slip and slide. They then selected another site, a short distance from the house and barn. I visited this cemetery, that is known as the Life Cemetery, and found that John Life (B), his wife, and most of their children are buried there. I will show a list of the burials at a separate place. I was unable to find the burial place of Martin Life (C), who lived here most of his mature life.
In discussing the original cemetery with some of the natives, I was told that there were 10 or 12 burials there before a new cemetery location was selected. There were no markers, and no one knew who was buried there. I was advised that when the grading for the new super highway was done, that all of those old graves were destroyed. I have never been able to find the burial place of Martin Life (C) and inasmuch as he died about 12 years before John did, it is my belief that Martin was one of the early burials in the original cemetery.
The early history of Lewis Co. does not say much about Martin Life, but states John Life was one of the early settlers, who came around 1800. However, I find Martin was there in about 1810 and John about 1816. John’s oldest son, Samuel, is shown to have been born in Pendleton Co., now Highland Co. Va. in 1816.
THE LIFE CEMETERY – Jane Lew, W. Va.
Located in Lewis Co., W. Virginia, on Lifes Run, off Hackers Creek, between Clarksburg, and Weston, W. Virginia, near Exit 105 on the new highway.
GEORGE LIFE – 1854 – 1921. CELLA J., his wife, 1862 – 1922.
JOHN LIFE – Died August 10, 1856 – 87th year. BARBARY, his wife 3-1-1865 86th year.
WIFE OF B. J. LIFE – 1870. (wife of Blackwell Jackson Life.)
JOHN, son of N. and M. LIFE – (b) 2-25-1848
(d) 10-9-1862
SANUEL – Son of NOAH and M. LIFE.
Died 8-3-1859 – 25 days old.
ELIZA LIFE HINZMAN – 1850 – 1944.
CREED D. HICKS – 8-28-1961 – 64 years.
ABRAHAM WHETSEL – 6-1-1869 – 63 years old.
PHOEBE – wife of A.WHETSEL – 6-10-1870 – Age 58.
MAJOR T. – 1880 – 1882. Child of GEORGE AND CELLA LIFE.
NOAH LIFE – 1824 – 1919 1st M. MARGARET, his wife – 1823 – 1859.
2nd M. MARGARET C. his wife – 1837 – 1911.
SAMUEL LIFE – 1816 – 1908. MARY E. his wife – 1821 – 1884.
John (B) and Barbary had the following children:
B-1 Sanuel
B-2 Noah
B-3 Phoebe (d) 1870. Age 58. (m) 1831. Abraham Whetsel.
B-4 Mary. (m) 1838. John Hardman
B-5 Christianna. (m) 1840. Isaac Butcher.
B-6 Barbery. (m) 1847. Elias Brown.
B-7 Henry. (no information on him).
B-8 Teeny Butcher. (no information).
B-9 Margaret. (m) George Smith.”
As written by Carlos A. Life in “A History of the “Life” Family” (1972)
Spouses
Marriage1810
ChildrenMargaret C , F (1809-1888)
Phebe , F (1812-1870)
Mary , F (ca1814-)
Samuel , M (1816-1908)
Christianna , F (1819-1902)
Noah , M (ca1820-)
Barbary , F (1828-1887)