James Maynard, Revolutionary War Soldier
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Two weeks ago, after ten years of intense searching, and checking hundreds of Wayne County cemeteries, Robert (Bobby) Maynard and his father, Ronald (Ron) Maynard, members of The Wayne County Genealogical and Historical Society, located the grave of James Maynard in the Queens Ridge Cemetery. Robert said that he actually laid down on the ground to make sure this was the grave of his Maynard ancestor. He then applied chalk to bring out the hidden images on the field stone. He discovered the initials J. M. first. Then he could identify the numbers 175__. It was then that he realized that the zero was the missing number.
Genealogical records indicate that James Maynard was born around 1750. From the location on the crown of the hill, and the closeness of his son, Jesse Maynard, with whom James was staying in the 1850 census of Wayne County, VA/WV, another clue was found. This cemetery has had excellent care over the years, and it contains many field stones. Several of these field stones still have readable images after so many years. There are hundreds, possibly thousands, of descendants of James Maynard still living.
The Queens Ridge Cemetery is located on property which is nearly surrounded by the property of Penn Coal Corporation, and it can be reached by following the Coal Haul Road from the Cabwaylingo Park Road near Missouri Branch, Wayne County, WV.
James Maynard, the Revolutionary War Soldier, was born in Virginia in 1750, moved to Wilkes County, N. C., served in the Revolutionary War there, and moved to Kentucky around 1816. He was listed as a member in the "Roaring River Baptist Church," in the late 1780’s and 1790’s prior to moving to Floyd County, Ky.
James Maynard , a resident of Wilkes Co. N.C. enlisted for six months as a private under Captain Jesse Franklin and Colonel Benjamin Cleveland. He moved from Wilkes Co. N.C. to Floyd County, KY, and from there to Pike County, KY. He was granted a pension on Sept 1, 1832, as a citizen of Pike Co. KY. In 1841 he was living in Cabell Co. VA (that part of Cabell which became Wayne Co. in 1842). He died Oct 13, 1852, in Wayne County, VA/WV, and the location of his grave became unknown until discovered by Robert and Ronnie Maynard.
The widow of James Maynard, Chaney Smith, whom he married Dec. 25, 1801 in Wilkes County, NC, was allowed a pension in her application on February 28, 1857, at which time she was seventy seven years of age and living in Wayne County, VA/WV. Chaney died several years later, and is believed to be buried near her husband, James. Also known to be buried in this cemetery is James’ son, Jesse Maynard and his wife Sarah (Welch) Maynard. James was living in the Jesse Maynard household at the time of his death.
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