Riddle Family Bible | Roda, VA
What the Pages Tell Us
Handwritten Records: Because these bibles often predated official government registries, they are sometimes the only "official" record of our ancestors' births, marriages, and deaths.
Voices in the Margins: The notes scribbled in the margins are just as vital as the tucked-in certificates. They capture the immediate thoughts, prayers, and burdens of our family members in real-time.
- The Power of the "Missing": Sometimes what—or who—is omitted tells the most poignant story. A missing name or a removed record can point to a "black sheep," a hidden grief, or a family secret that was too painful to keep in the "Good Book."
A Cultural Snapshot
These personal tomes offer a window into the world our ancestors navigated. Records here can contain nuanced information about relationships, econonomic mobility, literacy rates, political leanings, education levels, social hierarchies, and mortality rates. By studying these, we can piece together the broader story of our family’s journey. Broader community functions can become enshrined within written poems, artwork, and recipes that become the only living record of those experiences. These works can have tremendous value in teaching, reference, and personal discovery.
Look Inside: Riddle Family History Saved in the Pages
By the Book: Riddle History of Family, Faith and Civic Duty
The Riddle family had a staunch work ethic rooted in religious and community service. This dedication is expressed throughout their activities in the Baptist Church, military service, and support for their friends and neighbors.
The photo above marks a graduation from religious schooling or "homegoing" event (possibly entrance into the Salvation Army?). The young woman (third from left)(Rosemary Riddle?), a former Bible School student, now in her formal occupation as a "Gospel Missionary" (my scan shows this pinned on her right lapel).
This group may be associated with bible study groups led for many years by Mary Elizabeth "Toddy" Collins, a legendary missionary from England who ministered from her arrival in 1905 to her death in 1947. She also taught sewing/embroidery, delivered babies, and checked in on the poor using horseback through the Appalachian Mountains. Note: This photo is not found in the book.
Two members of this possible "Toddy" bible study (5th and 10th from right) resemble two of the women (1st and 3rd from left) in the "graduation" photo below, a photo that was in the book.
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Mission students entered a period of training away from their hometown directly following graduation. If the photos above indicates formal religious service, this card may offer a clue about where that occurred, and with whom. One can also check local church or newspaper archives, or check in with the Virginia Baptist Historical Society for extensive records on Virginia Baptists.
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Successful training and exceptional military service in Korea for Rosemary's husband, Earnest Walker. Both are buried at Fayetteville, NC as per findagrave for Rosemary R. Walker (1941-1984).
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Family business - "Second Nite Open - Nov. 22, 1968" on back.
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A growing family, and two gone too soon.
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The book's eventual owner (Rosemary? Cynthia)? This photo, also in the book, features someone in the modern day who appears remarkably similar to the woman third from left in the "graduation" photo at top.
And More...
So much more, here, tucked away across family mementos and ephemera placed in the pages, stand-ins for things remembered and valued as the family grew and developed. Therein is evidence of love for a family pet, birth and death, proud family moments, photos, cards and receipts, employment documents, family papers, and dried flowers.
Roda History and Genealogy
Riddle Family Names
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The Context of Roda, Virginia
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The Coal Camp Life: Like many nearby settlements (such as Stonega, Derby, and Osaka), Roda was built specifically to house workers for the local mines. At its peak, Roda was a classic company town. The coal company owned nearly everything, including the houses, the local Methodist church, and the "commissary" (the company store).
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Roda's Coal-Driven Economy: Most Roda families had an immediate family member working in the coal industry, usually in the mine itself. Roda was primarily known for the Roda No. 1 Mine, which tapped into the high-quality "Imboden" coal seam. The coal from this area was marketed as "Roda Gas Coal," prized for its use in manufacturing gas for lighting and heating in cities. To move the massive amounts of coal, the Interstate Railroad extended its tracks 12 miles specifically to reach this area and connect with the Norfolk & Western Railway.
Social Landscape
Decline and Modern Day
The original mining operations at Roda lasted until 1957. While the mines were briefly reopened in the late 1960s through the 1980s, the town never returned to its former glory.
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Demolition: In the late 1960s, a large portion of the original coal camp was demolished to make way for strip mining (surface mining) operations. This removed many of the historic company houses and the original town layout.
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Current Status: Today, Roda is a quiet, sparsely populated community. Most of the original industrial structures are gone, though a few landmarks remain, such as the old Methodist church and some of the original company-built homes.
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Controversy: In 2002, the development of the Roda Resources surface mine sparked local controversy due to environmental concerns, specifically the burial of nearby streams like McHenry Fork.
Where to Find It
Key Ancestral Groups
The ancestry of families in Roda is primarily a mix of Appalachian families with deep roots in Southwestern Virginia/Eastern Tennessee and Central/Eastern European immigrants who came to the area for work in the coal mines in the early 20th century.- Family Origins: The Riddle family in Wise County predominantly descends from Asa Tyre Riddle (born c. 1790) and his son Isom (Isham) Riddle (born 1819). As early settlers, Isom Riddle and his wife, Sarah Joyce, moved from North Carolina to Wise County by the mid-1800s. Their descendants became a cornerstone of the local community, branching out into mining, farming, and local business
- Appalachian Settlers: Many families in the area have long histories in the region, with ancestors living in the mountains of Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee before the coal boom. Surnames in the broader Wise County area often reflect early American, often English or Scots-Irish, origins.
- European Immigrants: A significant number of families in Roda are descendants of immigrants from various parts of Central and Eastern Europe (e.g., Hungarian, Polish), who were rerouted from northern entry points like New York and Bridgeport to work in the expanding Virginia coal fields between the early 1900s and mid-century. Common immigrant surnames mentioned in local discussions include Skorupa and Auer.
Researching Roda Family Ancestry
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Family and Local Records: Start by gathering information from
existing family members, including birth, marriage, death
certificates, Bible records, and old photographs. Social media
groups like those on Facebook dedicated to "Roda, VA" or "Wise
County VA ancestry" can also provide anecdotal information and
connections to distant relatives.
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Wise County Resources: Work on local, county resources first,
then move to state level. Focus research first on Wise County,
as Roda was a small, now largely surface-mined, company town.
The FamilySearch Wiki for Wise County, Virginia is a "go-to" resource, listing available local records
like death registers.
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Library of Virginia: The Library of Virginia (LVA) holds vast state archives, including a death index from
1853-1896, and offers free public access to select Ancestry.com content for Virginia citizens.
- Family and Local Records: Start by gathering information from existing family members, including birth, marriage, death certificates, Bible records, and old photographs. Social media groups like those on Facebook dedicated to "Roda, VA" or "Wise County VA ancestry" can also provide anecdotal information and connections to distant relatives.
- Wise County Resources: Work on local, county resources first, then move to state level. Focus research first on Wise County, as Roda was a small, now largely surface-mined, company town. The FamilySearch Wiki for Wise County, Virginia is a "go-to" resource, listing available local records like death registers.
- Library of Virginia: The Library of Virginia (LVA) holds vast state archives, including a death index from 1853-1896, and offers free public access to select Ancestry.com content for Virginia citizens.
Key Resources
The Mother Lode of Resources ------> Start Here. Wise County deed indexes, church, miltary, marriage, birth,
death, and of course, taxes. Connect to the shared family tree.
Wise County Clerk's Office: For vital records (birth, death, marriage) and land/deed
records. Standard strategy is to look first in local, then go to state
level.
Virginia State Archives: Holds older county records and state-level documents (like
county formation petitions).
Wise County Historical Society: Excellent for local history, photos, and genealogical
assistance.
Virginia Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007How to Build Your Family Tree
The Fragility of Physical Records
Natural disasters are becoming much more common in the age of climate change. While this bible was able to be saved from obscurity, the 2022 Appalachian floods erased thousands of similar genealogical and cultural records in an instant. The after-effects of "slow-motion destruction" like mold and rot make paper items particularly vulnerable.A Word on Preservation...
- Remove Loose Items: Take out newspaper clippings, flowers, or photos that can cause acidic damage. Place these in Mylar sleves and all within acid-free box.
- Store books flat in acid-free box, wrapped in unbuffered tissue paper.
- Digitize Contents: Scan or photograph the family record pages (births, marriages, deaths) to reduce the need to handle the physical book.
- Storage Environment: Keep in a climate-controlled room (ideally 65–72°F and 45–55% humidity) to prevent mold or brittleness.
- Avoid Damage: Do not use tape to repair tears; do not store in plastic bags.If possible set up a staging area for the work.
Preservation Tips for Flood Damaged Items
- Rinse photos, do not scrub.
- Separate papers and lay flat near fans or dehumidifiers.
- Wrap items in wax paper.
- Cool items in freezer as soon as uncovered -below 40 degrees.
- Consult a local specialist- call contractor or local university for advice.
Sources
General Region & Culture:
Bibliographic Record
Title
Publisher
Copyright
Condition and Characteristics
Scope of Family Items / Papers
Formats of Items in the Book Accumulated by the Family
Items in the Book Accumulated by the Riddle Family
Organizations Mentioned on Items in the Book Accumulated by the Family
Religious / Clergy Mentioned on Cards in the Book Accumulated by the Family
Artwork
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