Scots-Irish Surnames in Pocahontas County

 

Here is the etymology, linguistic origin, and meaning behind each of those 20 historic pioneer surnames.

1. Armstrong

• Origin: Anglo-Scottish Border

• Meaning: "Strong in the arm."

• Etymology: Derived from the Middle English arm + strang. This is a classic descriptive nickname turned surname. According to border tradition, the name was famously bestowed upon Fairbairn, an armor-bearer to a Scottish king, who lifted the king onto his own horse by his thigh after the king's horse was killed in battle.

2. Bennett

• Origin: Anglo-Norman (via Latin)

• Meaning: "Blessed."

• Etymology: Derived from the medieval Old French given name Beneit (modern Benoît), which stems directly from the Latin Benedictus. It became highly popular across Britain and Ireland due to the widespread influence of the Benedictine order of monks.

3. Burnside

• Origin: Scottish

• Meaning: "By the side of the creek."

• Etymology: A topographic name for someone who lived next to a stream. It combines the Middle English/Scots burn (a stream or creek) and side. It originally designated specific land holdings in regions like Angus and Lanarkshire before spreading to Ulster.

4. Campbell

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic

• Meaning: "Crooked mouth" or "wry mouth."

• Etymology: From the Gaelic caimbeul (cam meaning crooked/twisted + bél meaning mouth). It likely originated as a nickname for an early chieftain with a prominent facial trait or a habit of speaking out of one side of his mouth, eventually becoming the name of one of Scotland's most powerful clans.

5. Crawford

• Origin: Scottish

• Meaning: "Ford where crows gather."

• Etymology: A habitational name derived from the old barony of Crawford in Lanarkshire. It combines the Old English crāwe (crow) and ford (a shallow river crossing).

6. Curry

• Origin: Scottish / Irish Gaelic

• Meaning: "From the hollow or marsh" (Scottish) or "Descendant of the marsh dweller" (Irish).

• Etymology: In Scotland, it is often habitational, from the place name Currie near Edinburgh, derived from the Gaelic coire (a cauldron, ravine, or hollow). In Ulster, it frequently represents an Anglicized form of Ó Corra, rooted in corra (rugged, pointed, or a marsh/bog).

7. Daugherty

• Origin: Irish Gaelic (Ulster)

• Meaning: "Destroyer" or "obstructive/hurtful."

• Etymology: Anglicized from Ó Dochartaigh. The root word is dochartach, which translates to hard-hearted, hurtful, or tumultuous. The clan was historically one of the primary ruling families of the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal.

8. Dilley

• Origin: Norman French / English

• Meaning: "From Dailly" (France) or "Dull/Slow" (descriptive nickname).

• Etymology: Most commonly introduced to Britain via the Norman conquest as a habitational name from places in northern France like Dailly or d'Allei. Alternatively, it occasionally traces to an Old English nickname dilig (meaning dull or gentle).

9. Doyle

• Origin: Irish Gaelic

• Meaning: "Descendant of the dark stranger/foreigner."

• Etymology: From Ó Dubhghaill, where dubh means dark/black and gall means stranger or foreigner. This specific term was used by native Gaels to describe the dark-haired Norse/Viking invaders who settled in Ireland between the 8th and 10th centuries.

10. Duncan

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic

• Meaning: "Dark warrior" or "Brown chieftain."

• Etymology: Derived from the Gaelic personal name Donnchadh, combining donn (brown/dark-haired) and chadh (warrior or chief). It was the name of early Scottish kings, including the historical King Duncan I made famous by Shakespeare's Macbeth.

11. Friel

• Origin: Irish Gaelic (Ulster)

• Meaning: "Bright pledge" or "Generous lord."

• Etymology: Anglicized from Ó Firghil. The name is built from fear (man) and gal (valor), or alternatively associated with frith (bright) and gial (pledge). The Friels were a prominent ecclesiastical family in Donegal, closely related to the O'Donnells.

12. Gibson

• Origin: Anglo-Scottish

• Meaning: "Son of Gilbert."

• Etymology: A patronymic name formed from the medieval pet name Gib (a short form of Gilbert) + son. Gilbert itself is of Germanic origin, meaning "bright pledge" (gīsel + berht). It became common in the Scottish Lowlands and Ulster.

13. Grimes

• Origin: Norse / Old English

• Meaning: "Fierce," "grim," or "masked one."

• Etymology: Derived from the Old Norse name Grímr or the Old English Grim, which originally referred to a person who was fierce or stern. In Norse mythology, it was also a name used for Odin when traveling in disguise (meaning "masked"). It took deep root in northeastern England and lowland Scotland.

14. Hannah

• Origin: Scottish / Ulster Gaelic

• Meaning: "Descendant of Shawn/John" or a connection to the lands of Sorbie.

• Etymology: While it sounds identical to the Hebrew female name, the surname in southwest Scotland (Galloway) is traditionally Gaelic, often spelled Hannay. It is believed to stem from Ap Shenae (Son of John) or linked to the old Gaelic word for a bog or marshy place.

15. McClure

• Origin: Scottish & Irish Gaelic

• Meaning: "Son of the brow-reader" or "Son of the pale/fair youth."

• Etymology: Anglicized from Mac Gille Uidhir (Son of the servant of the pale/swarthy man) or Mac Cluimhein. In some regional contexts, it is associated with Mac_Lure, indicating the son of an augur, fortune teller, or student.

16. McLaughlin

• Origin: Irish Gaelic (Ulster)

• Meaning: "Descendant of the defender of the sea" or "Son of the Viking."

• Etymology: From Mac Lochlainn. The root is the personal name Lochlann, which literally means "land of lakes" or "fjords"—the Gaelic term for Scandinavia. It was used as a personal name for someone of Norse descent or someone who fought them.

17. McNeel

• Origin: Scottish & Irish Gaelic

• Meaning: "Son of Neil" (Champion or Cloud).

• Etymology: A variant of MacNeil, stemming from Mac Néill. The personal name Niall has ancient roots, likely meaning either "champion" or "cloud." This branch of the family moved heavily between the Western Isles of Scotland and the northern coast of Ireland before crossing the Atlantic.

18. Moore

• Origin: Anglo-Norman / Middle English

• Meaning: "Open wasteland/heath" or "Dark-skinned."

• Etymology: Multiple origins exist, but in the Scots-Irish context, it is usually topographic from the Middle English mor (a moor, marsh, or fen), given to someone who lived on or near a heath. It can also stem from the Old French More, a nickname meaning dark-complexioned.

19. Sharp

• Origin: Middle English / Scots

• Meaning: "Acute," "quick-witted," or "keen."

• Etymology: A highly descriptive nickname turned surname from the Middle English scharp. It was given to an individual who was exceptionally sharp-witted, smart, or quick-moving.

20. Walker

• Origin: English & Lowland Scots

• Meaning: "A fuller" (cloth worker).

• Etymology: An occupational name from the Old English wealcere, meaning "one who walks or treads." In the medieval textile industry, a walker was a fuller who thickened newly woven woolen cloth by treading on it in a vat of liquid. It was a dominant occupational term in the north of England and Scotland.

Kellison Family

Jacob S. Kellison and Sarah Ann Morrison).

 

The Kellison family holds a deep, rooted place in the history of Pocahontas County, West Virginia, primarily establishing their presence in the early 19th century and anchoring themselves in areas like Mill Point, Little Levels, and later Jacox.

While the surname is relatively rare globally, it became uniquely concentrated in Pocahontas County over the generations, shifting with the county's transformation from rugged pioneer farmland to a logging and agricultural hub.

The Pioneer Generation: Edward Kellison and Mary Arbaugh

The definitive branch of the Pocahontas County Kellisons trace back to Edward Kellison (born c. 1783–1787) and his wife, Mary Arbaugh (born c. 1788).

Edward and Mary settled in the region back when it was still part of Bath/Greenbrier County, Virginia, before Pocahontas County was formally established in 1821. They raised a large family whose descendants spread across the county's distinct districts. Their children intermarried with other foundational local families (including the Ruckers and McCombs), weaving the Kellisons tightly into the county's genealogical fabric.

Major Historic Branches in the County

The family footprint expanded significantly through Edward and Mary’s sons, particularly John J. Kellison and William S. Kellison.

1. The John J. Kellison Branch (Mill Point & Little Levels)

Born in 1817, John J. Kellison married Susan Laura Thomas in Pocahontas County in 1844. They became prominent fixtures of the Little Levels District and Mill Point.

• A Massive Household: John and Susan had at least ten children, including Joseph Allen, Mary, William, Elizabeth, Madora, Laurell, John W.S., Daniel Luther, George Mathias Clinton, and Virginia.

• The Legacy: This branch was deeply embedded in the agricultural development of the Little Levels area throughout the post-Civil War era. John J. Kellison lived to see the turn of the century, passing away in March 1900 in Mill Point, where he is buried.

2. The William S. Kellison Branch

Another anchor of the family was William S. Kellison, who married Sarah Rucker (and later Rebecca Rucker McComb). His household included children like Rachel, Martha, Elizabeth, and Nancy B. Kellison. This branch solidified the family’s presence in the central and southern portions of the county during the mid-to-late 1800s.

20th Century Adaptations: Farming and Community Life

As the 1900s progressed, the Kellisons adapted to changing economic realities in the mountains, expanding into the timber-heavy regions like Green Bank and the high plateau lands of Jacox (which historically boasts one of the highest concentrations of the Kellison surname in the state).

Historical records and community archives paint a picture of a family deeply involved in local farm heritage and civic life:

• Agricultural Roots: Federal Extension and 4-H records from the early 1920s highlight young family members like Forest Kellison and Susie Kellison earning regional recognition for livestock and poultry management under early county agricultural programs.

• The Civic Narrative: Into the mid-and-late 20th century, members of the family remained active in local culture. For instance, Jeanne Kellison was a well-remembered face in regional community theater and the county's annual Pioneer Days theatrical productions during the 1970s.

Today, whether tied to old homesteads near the Greenbrier River or the high ridges of Jacox, the Kellison name remains a definitive marker of Pocahontas County’s enduring pioneer lineage.

  

Burgess Family

 

The Burgess family is woven directly into the early frontier history of Pocahontas County, West Virginia, with records establishing them as true pioneer settlers of the region before the turn of the 19th century.

The Pioneer Era: Pre-1800 Settlements

Historical land and court records place the earliest members of the Burgess family in the Hillsboro and Mill Point areas (historically known as the Little Levels of the Greenbrier).

• Nathan Burgess: Documented on historical rolls as a pre-1800 pioneer settler of the Hillsboro/Mill Point area. He lived alongside other foundational families of the county, such as the McNeels and Kinnisons. On August 20, 1803, Nathan married Martha "Patsy" Kinnison in Bath County, Virginia (from which parts of Pocahontas were later formed). The Kinnisons were extensive landowners in the Little Levels; several branches of both families eventually migrated westward to Jackson County, Ohio, in the early 1800s.

• John Burgess, Jr.: Appears alongside Nathan on early regional pioneer rosters for the same district, indicating multiple closely related households managing adjacent mountain homesteads.

The Civil War Era & Late 19th Century

As the county developed, the family line solidifies in census and marriage records through branches that remained deeply rooted in the rugged terrain of the Edray and Spruce Mountain districts.

The Line of David M. Burgess

• David Matthew Burgess (b. ~1821/1832): A prominent figure in mid-to-late 19th-century Pocahontas County records. He married Mary Elizabeth Kellison (b. ~1852), connecting the Burgess line to another storied local family—the Kellisons (specifically the lineage of Jacob S. Kellison and Sarah Ann Morrison). David and Mary raised their family in the high-altitude lumber and farming zones of the county.

20th Century: The Edray and Marlinton Branches

The lineage moving into the modern era is heavily defined by the large family established by David's son in the Edray District.

The Line of William Downey Burgess

• William Downey Burgess (1883–1961): Born in the historic community of Spruce in Pocahontas County. He spent his life as a resident of the Edray District and the Marlinton area.

• Marriage and Descendants: In 1910, he married Jessie Charity McCune (1894–1976), who was originally from neighboring Webster County. Together, they raised a large family of fourteen children (at least six sons and eight daughters), making the Burgess name a staple of the local workforce, agricultural community, and civic life throughout the mid-20th century. Notable children from this generation included Henry Arnold Burgess (1918–2006) and Hannah Mae Burgess (1929–2011, later Critchfield).

Research Tip for Local Records: Because Pocahontas County was formed in 1821 from parts of Bath, Pendleton, and Randolph counties, genealogical records for the earliest generations (like Nathan and John Jr.) are frequently found in the Bath County, Virginia courthouse or within William T. Price's definitive text, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County. Local vertical surname files and microfilm for later generations (1850 onward) are maintained in the Heritage Room at the McClintic Library in Marlinton.

 

To trace the deep roots of the Burgess family even further, we have to look closely at the earliest pioneer data preserved by regional oral histories, early tax lists, and the extensive cross-county land transactions before West Virginia became its own state.

Deep Pioneer Roots: The 18th-Century Connections

While Nathan Burgess and John Burgess, Jr. are listed on the foundational pre-1800 settler rolls for what became Pocahontas County, regional family logs—including detailed accounts compiled by David Burgess in the 19th century and preserved by local historians—reveal a tightly knit network of early familial alliances:

• The Mayse and Young Alliances: The earliest generations of the Burgess family were deeply tied to the foundational settlements at Mill Point.

  • Mary Burgess married her cousin, James Young, settling originally in Augusta County. Their son, William Young, went on to serve as a soldier in the War of 1812.

  • Nancy Burgess married William Mayse and settled permanently at Mill Point. Mayse was historically recognized as one of the very first blacksmiths to operate in that part of the county, establishing an essential frontier trade that supported the local agricultural expansion.

Geographic Distribution & Local Land Ties

As the 1800s progressed, the family's presence branched out across specific geological and economic zones of the county:

Era	Primary Districts	Associated Local Industries	Key Intermarriages
Late 1700s–Early 1800s	Little Levels, Mill Point, Hillsboro	Frontier Blacksmithing, Early Homesteading	Kinnison, Mayse, Young
Mid-1800s	Edray District, Frost, Green Bank	High-Altitude Farming, Early Timbering	Kellison, Morrison
Late 1800s–Mid-1900s	Spruce, Marlinton, Edray	Regional Logging, Railroad Workforce, Civic Trade	McCune, Critchfield

Sorting the Early Records

If you are cross-referencing these lines in early Appalachian court documents, keep these specific historical boundary shifts in mind:

1. The Bath County Gap (1791–1821): Because Pocahontas County wasn't officially formed until 1821, early family actions—such as Nathan Burgess's 1803 marriage to Martha Kinnison—were recorded in Warm Springs, Virginia (the county seat of Bath County).

2. The Pendleton and Randolph Overlaps: Families living in the northern and eastern stretches of the county (near Green Bank, Dunmore, or Frost) often appear in early Pendleton or Randolph County land grants before 1821.

3. The Spruce Mountain Dispersal: By the time the timber boom hit communities like Spruce and Marlinton in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, branches like that of William Downey Burgess became heavily concentrated in the Edray district, shifting from traditional pioneer farming into the regional industrial workforce.

Archival Note: To trace the explicit land deeds or wills of the earliest frontier Burgesses, researchers typically consult the Greenbrier County Records (for entries predating 1791) and the Bath County Deed Books, before moving into the Pocahontas County Court Clerk's archives in Marlinton for the post-1821 generations.

 

To unpack the deeper branches and lesser-known historical footprints of the Burgess family in Pocahontas County, we have to look past general census listings and dig into specific homestead plots, military records, and the internal tracking of the Edray and Spruce Mountain lines.

The 19th-Century Civil War Micro-History

During the Civil War, the mountains of Pocahontas County were a heavily contested, dangerous borderland characterized by guerrilla skirmishes and shifting military occupations (especially around Huntersville, Marlinton, and the Greenbrier River bridge). The Burgess family, like many families in the Little Levels and Edray districts, found themselves split or directly impacted by the conflict.

• David Matthew Burgess's Era: Born in the early 1830s, David came of age during a period when families were actively establishing deep-woods homesteads in the more rugged, high-altitude terrain north of Marlinton. His marriage to Mary Elizabeth Kellison solidified a network of kinship with families who managed the high gaps and ridges.

• The Guerrilla Environment: Local court files from the post-war era reveal how families in the Edray and Elk districts had to continuously navigate property destruction, livestock raids, and the structural collapse of local government between 1861 and 1865, forcing many lines to temporarily retreat deeper into the ridges or western counties before returning to rebuild.

The Industrial Boom: The Transition to Spruce

By the late 1890s and early 1900s, the economic landscape of Pocahontas County shifted dramatically from isolated mountain farming to massive industrial logging operations, driven by the arrival of the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company (WVP&P) and the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Railroad.

• The Community of Spruce: This is where William Downey Burgess (1883–1961) laid down deep roots. Located at an elevation of over 3,800 feet near the birthplace of the Cheat River, Spruce was a legendary, isolated logging town. It was completely dependent on the heavy rail lines that hauled spruce and hemlock logs off the mountainsides.

• The Workforce Shift: William Downey Burgess and his sons transitioned into this rigorous industrial environment. Working in the woods or on the logging lines required immense physical endurance, navigating extreme winter weather and dangerous terrain.

The Fourteen Children of William Downey & Jessie McCune

The expansive family established by William Downey Burgess and Jessie Charity McCune in 1910 effectively populated several branches of the surname across the region. Tracing their fourteen children reveals a clear picture of mid-20th-century Appalachian migration and local legacy:

• Henry Arnold Burgess (1918–2006): Born in Marlinton, Henry represents the generation that served in World War II. After his military service in the U.S. Army, like many young men from the timber counties during the post-war industrial shifts, he migrated up the industrial corridors to western Pennsylvania (settling near Mercer/Grove City), where he worked for decades in industrial manufacturing (Quality Tools Corp. and SATEC Systems) while remaining a passionate woodsman.

• Paul Dorsey Burgess (1932–2019): Paul chose to remain deeply rooted in the home county. He lived out his life as a well-known face in Marlinton, preserving the immediate local presence of the family name.

• The Sibling Network: The remaining brothers—Lloyd Salis, Ed, Asa, and Pat—alongside sisters like Bertha (Robinson), Alice (Ramp), and Hannah Mae (Critchfield)—created a family network that stretched from the home tracking in Marlinton and Pennsboro out into the industrial centers of Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Geographic Namesakes & Property Markers

For researchers trying to pin down physical land ties in the county's geography:

• Cochran Cemetery (Onoto): Located rurally outside Marlinton/Edray, this historic cemetery serves as the final resting place for William Downey Burgess, Jessie, and several close kin. It stands as a primary physical focal point for the 20th-century branch of the family.

• The Edray Property Lines: Throughout the 1930–1950 agricultural censuses, the Burgess holdings are consistently mapped adjacent to traditional Edray families (such as the Hammons, Cochran, and Sharp lines), marking their participation in the small-scale mountain farming that supplemented their primary income from timbering and civil trade.

Methodology Tip for Further Tracking: To bridge the gap between the pre-1800 Nathan Burgess line (who left for Ohio) and the mid-century David Matthew Burgess line, look directly into the Pocahontas County Land Grant Index (Chancery Court Records) under the Kellison and Morrison partition suits. These civil suits frequently map out exactly who inherited which high-ridge plots when a patriarch died without a formal will.