John James Via

This picture was copied from a tintype that was handed down to me by my Aunt, Maria Via Lieberman. It was taken around 1900 and the man on the right wearing a hat is my Grandfather, John James Via. I am not sure who the man on the left is, but I like to think that it is my Granfather's Brother: Willie.

John James Via was born on September 17, 1880 in Buckingham County Virginia. He was the Son of John James Via and Mary F. Ragland. Life in Buckingham County in the Eighteen Hundreds was hard, but The family bond was strong and there was a closeness of the family that is somehow lacking in today’s complex society. John was listed in the 1900 Buckingham County Census as a farm laborer. He was 19-years-old and living on his Father’s farm.

When John was 25-years-old he married Daisy Lee Gunter; she was the Daughter of Richard Bennett Gunter and Nora Lee Powell. They were married On March 21, 1906 in Buckingham County. In 1910 John and Daisy Via were living in Nelson County Virginia with their young Daughter Dorothy. Dorothy died in 1913.

In 1935, John, Daisy, and there children moved in with Daisy’s Mother, because Daisy’s Father had died and they did not want her living alone. Daisy’s Mother, Nora lived in Buckingham. The Via Family lived there for about four years until Nora also died. After that the family moved back to Nelson County, where they lived until about 1941 when John moved his family to Chesterfield County Virginia. By my best estimate they had Eight Children, five of whom lived to adulthood.

John and Daisy lived together as Husband and wife from March 21, 1906 until January 18 1966 when Daisy died. My Grandparent house burned down in late 1965 and my Grandmother never recovered from the fire and she died in the hospital. I do not remember much about my Grandmother except for the fact that she was in a wheelchair and I also remember that she use to take me into her room and feed me candy while we looked at old family photos. Unfortunately most of those photos were lost in the fire.

My Grandfather lived another six years after the fire. He would tell me about his childhood, but I was young and did not care much about such things. He was a small gentile man with a great strength and I will never forget how he touched my life. I will care him in my heart always. He died April 8, 1972, of complications from a stroke.

.

This page is dedicated to the memory of my Grandfather John James Via
(Daddy John) 1880-1972

The picture on the left was taken by me in 1971