My research revealed numerous news articles about the James Whiting, inmate 39926, enumerated at the Virginia State Penitentiary in Richmond on April 23, 1940, such as:
Suffolk News-Herald, Monday, June 27, 1938, p. 1.
In summary, James was arrested on April 18, 1938, following a “thrilling” – using the term of one newspaper account – robbery, police chase, and gun fight, in Suffolk, Virginia. The gun used by Whiting (also referred to with an aka as Whitten in an initial report) was obtained in an earlier attack on a Marine sentry at the Norfolk Navy Yard in which Whiting was accompanied by Raymond Segim, an ex-Marine. Segim claimed to have parted ways with Whiting prior to the robbery, police chase, and gun fight.
After his plea and sentencing, James was transferred to the State Penitentiary in Richmond on Tuesday, July 12, 1938, to begin serving his term.
The census record of 1940, and the above newspaper account, both describe Whiting as a West Virginia native/resident, a “…25-year-old Fairmont, W. Va., printer…” This translates to an approximate year of birth of 1913.
We stepped back just a bit to find what we might locate in the 1930 U.S. census for Fairmont, West Virginia. Lo, and behold!
The Williams Connection Confirmed
At 109 Eleventh Street in Fairmont, we find 16-year-old James R Whiting, described as grandson and residing with head-of-household Sarah I Williams, a 57-year-old widow, and her daughter, Amy D Williams, age 18. It is reported that both of James’ parents were born in West Virginia, he has attended some school since September 1, 1929, is literate, and working as a printer at a printing office.
The evidence points to this being the same James Whiting arrested and imprisoned in Virginia, and, the evidence points to this being the same Sarah Ida Williams née Cain, formerly of Gilmer County, West Virginia, and mother of Demma, Retta, Maida, Rebecca, Irene, Daisy, and Amy Drusilla. What has gone on in the 20 years since that 1910 census with baby Roy Williams?1
Continuing to work backward in time, we find a 1927 Fairmont City Directory in which the adults of the household are listed2 (Amy Drusilla is not, legally, an adult in 1927, but out of school and working):
- Williams Daisy B lndrs r109 11th
- Williams Druzville [sic] lndrs Am Lndry Co r109 11th
- Williams Sarah (wid Harvey H) h109 11th
There is no Fairmont listing for either Roy Williams or Roy Edwards (estimated age 17 in 1927), nor a James Whiting/Williams (estimated age 13).
Sadly, Daisy Belle Williams, 18-year-old laundry worker, died on 28 April 1927 of pneumonia with diptheria.3 It is noted that her illness was contracted at Cook Hospital, but unconfirmed if that is where she was working in the laundry.
The 1925 Fairmont City Directory indicates Sarah was living at the 11th Street address. There is no listing found in the 1923 directory.
On 31 January 1920, the U.S. Federal Census indicates Sarah (Ida) Williams, age 50; Irene Williams, 13; Daisy B Williams, 11; and, Druzilla Williams, 8, were residing near Watson in rural Grant District of Marion County4 (Watson is reported as Sarah I Williams’ address in the 1920 City Directory), and in April of that year, the Fairmont Times-West Virginian carries a news item that Drusilla was struck by lightning while being seated near a window at the home “of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Williams.” Drusilla is reported to have received burns about her arms and legs resulting in hospitalization at Cook Hospital, but with a full recovery expected.
It is surmised that Sarah and her minor children removed to Fairmont from the Watson area of Grant District sometime between 1920-25 , and prior to that resided in the Lost Creek area of Harrison County, where Harvey Williams had been killed in a mine slate collapse on 31 Oct 1918.5 No records are located in Gilmer or Harrison counties to demonstrate when Sarah Ida and Harvey left Gilmer County or arrived in Harrison County, but that Harvey’s estate administration was filed in Harrison (along with the guardianships of the minor surviving children), indicates they had residence in Harrison, rather than Marion, County at the time of his death. 6
Daughter Demma had married George Edwards in Gilmer County on 15 Sept 19157, and their son Willard89, 1916, and daughter Eula10, 1918, reported on their delayed certificates of birth as having been born in Gilmer County. But, by 1920, Demma and George and their family were also in Grant District, Harrison County, West Virginia, with George also working in a coal mine.
A look at Demma & George’s 1920 census enumeration, indicates “stepson” Roy, 11 years old, is residing with them, and still carrying the Williams surname. (We don’t have evidence of when Sarah reported his birth in Gilmer County, but recall he is reported as being named Roy Edwards.)
There is no James, nor any five-to-seven year old male with Demma, or her mother Sarah, in the 1920 census.
It is of note that the Edwards’ household enumerator has Demma’s name misspelled, Willard’s name is practically illegible; and, daughter Eula is recorded as a son, Earl. Numerous scratches, marks, and over-writings indicate this was not an easy neighborhood for the enumerator, whose own signature is difficult to decipher, but appears to be A. Carl Workman. This does affect the quality of the census, overall, and should be factored in our consideration as to its completeness and accuracy.
A check of the other Williams sisters not residing with Sarah Ida for the presence of 1914-born James in the 1920 census reveals:
A. Retta, 27, is residing Fairmont, Ward 1, on Front Street (east side of the Monongahela) with second husband Lester Harris, son Von, 2, and newborn daughter, Jean. Lester is a driver for the American Laundry Company (per the 1923 City Directory) – Daisy and Amy Drusilla’s employer – further solidifying the family connections.
Retta and her first husband, Burton Parker, lost their son Davis in March 1913 at four months of age to “complications;” Burton then died from tuberculosis near Boothsville, Taylor county (at the Marion-Harrison-Taylor county lines intersection), where his father and stepmother were living, on 27 Dec 1913. Finally, Retta and Burton’s daughter, Clementine, died as an three-month-old infant. No birth record has been found on Clementine, but the death record of Marion county indicates she died on 17 Dec 191311. Her burial monument, however, was inscribed with a birth date of 24 Aug 1914 and death of 5 Dec 1914.12 Either birth date eliminates the possibility of Retta/Rita being James’ mother, considering his birthdate of 21 Feb 1914. We are left with only Demma of child-bearing age in 1914 among Sarah and Harvey’s children.
B. Maida, 19, is married to John Reger, 29, and they are residing with John’s parents on Merchant Street in Fairmont, just a couple of blocks away from Retta. No James or other child of the age to be James is listed in their household.
C. Rebecca Genevieve (Jenerva Rebecca) is 16 and married to Frank Halle, age 21. Frank works as a driver and they are renting at 1101 Center Street, Fairmont (on the west side). No James or other children are listed in their residence.
So, where is James in 1920? And, conversely, Roy in 1930? Is he/they the James who was residing with Sarah Ida in the 1930 census, and described as her grandson? An exhaustive search of Gilmer, Marion, and Harrison county census reports for “James,” “James Whiting,” “Whiting,” of the appropriate age returned no results in 1920 that could be correlated to this James, nor for a Roy Williams or Roy Edwards in 1930.
“Ray Williams,” a 20-year-old boarder in St Mary’s, Pleasant County, West Virginia, in the 1930 census, is reported to be working as a bit-boy in the glass plant, but the similarity of name and age is the only indication this could be Roy Williams-Edwards.
The 1940 census and WWII registration records, however, reveal Roy Edwards residing in Fairmont, with Sarah Williams, where he is a gas station attendant. He is described as 5’11” tall and weighing 270 pounds. In the 1950 census records, Roy Edwards continues to reside with Sarah Ida Williams, remains single, described as Sarah’s grandson, and is now listed as a painter.
Sarah Ida Williams died in Marion County, West Virginia, in 1957, with the 10th Street address listed as her usual residence. She was buried in what was then called the Brick Church Cemetery in Lost Creek, Harrison County, West Virginia13. Her will leaves her property distributed with particularity and residual among her surviving daughters: Demma, Arretta, Madia, Rebecca, Irene, and Druzilla; and, some particular items to “my grandson Roy Bernard Edwards.14” There is no mention of James R Whiting in her will.
The Social Security Death Index reports a Roy Edwards, with a birthdate of April 8, 1910, and last reported residence in Fairmont, West Virginia, died in September 1975. So our Roy-James/James-Roy question is settled; they are, indeed, two separate people.
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Footnotes
- We also find James with Sarah at the 11th Street address in the 1931 Fairmont Directory: Title: Fairmont, West Virginia, City Directory, 1931, pps. 406 and 409; Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011; and, with her at 206-10th Street (typesetter), in the 1933 Fairmont Directory: Fairmont, West Virginia, City Directory, 1933, pps. 352, 354. Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. ↩︎
- Fairmont, West Virginia, City Directory, 1927, p. 470-1. Source Information:
Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Accessed 22 Dec 2025. ↩︎ - Marion County, West Virginia, Death Certificates, Daisy Williamson [sic], 28 April 1927; digital images, West Virginia Vital Records Project (https://dach-image-proxy.digital-relativity.workers.dev/?film=1953330&frame=01950 : accessed 22 Dec 2025). ↩︎
- Year: 1920; Census Place: Grant, Marion, West Virginia; Roll: T625_1962; Page: 25A; Enumeration District: 28 ↩︎
- Harrison County, West Virginia, Death Certificates, Harvey H Williams 31 Oct 1918; digital images, West Virginia Vital Research Records Project (https://dach-image-proxy.digital-relativity.workers.dev/?film=1952759&frame=01061 : accessed 22 Dec 2025). ↩︎
- Inventories, sale bills & settlements (Harrison County, West Virginia) : Vols. 52-54 1917-1919 (54 to 461) : Harvey H Williams, Sarah I Williams, administrator, final settlement, 4 Dec 1918. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89V1-S449?lang=en&i=715 : Accessed 22 Dec 2025). ↩︎
- Gilmer County, West Virginia, Register of Marriages, George Edwards and Demma Williams 10 Sep 1915; digital images, West Virginia Vital Research Records Project (https://dach-image-proxy.digital-relativity.workers.dev/?film=808589&frame=00194 : accessed 9 Jan 2026). ↩︎
- “West Virginia, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3SY-S43X?view=explore : Jan 9, 2026), image 2225 of 3472; West Virginia. Division of Health. Vital Registration Office. Image Group Number: 008512907 ↩︎
- “Harrison, West Virginia, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89Z5-2XC8?view=explore : Jan 17, 2026), image 39 of 576; West Virginia. County Court (Harrison County).
Image Group Number: 004012255 ↩︎ - “West Virginia, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3ST-6SRQ-Z?view=explore : Jan 9, 2026), image 2460 of 3475; West Virginia. Division of Health. Vital Registration Office. Image Group Number: 008512929 ↩︎
- Marion County, West Virginia, Register of Deaths, Clematine Parker, 17 Dec 1913; digital images, West Virginia Vital Research Records Project (https://dach-image-proxy.digital-relativity.workers.dev/?film=834817&frame=00113 : accessed 16 Jan 2026). ↩︎
- Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89772405/clematine_alice-parker: accessed January 16, 2026), memorial page for Clematine Alice Parker (23 Aug 1914–5 Dec 1914), Find a Grave Memorial ID 89772405, citing Woodlawn Cemetery, Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia, USA; Maintained by S (contributor 47342597). ↩︎
- Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/182271023/sarah_ida-williams: accessed March 23, 2026), memorial page for Sarah Ida Cain Williams (12 Nov 1870–16 May 1957), Find a Grave Memorial ID 182271023, citing Seventh Day Baptist Church Cemetery, Lost Creek, Harrison County, West Virginia, USA; Maintained by Ms. Shanny (contributor 48550075). ↩︎
- “Marion, West Virginia, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-HGSB-41?view=explore : Mar 23, 2026), image 383 of 684; West Virginia. County Court (Marion County).
Image Group Number: 004715629 ↩︎