ABEDNEGO5 KISER, (Elihu4, Abednego3, Joseph2, Charles1).  b. 7 Sep 1833, d. 7 Nov 1915, s/o ELIHU and JANE "JENNIE"SKEEN KISER.  (Elihu Kiser was the s/o Abednego Kiser and Mary "Polly" Jessee.)  (Jennie was the d/o Jonathan Skeen.)  They (Abednego and Margaret) were married in Tennessee and lived near Cleveland, Russell County, Va. before moving to Leck, Dickenson County.  He served as jailer, Dickenson County, 1896-99, and as justice of the peace.  Both were members of the Missionary Baptist Church.  They are buried on their home place at Leck, Virginia.  He married Margaret L. Jessee, b. 9 Sep 1838, d. 15 Dec 1902, d/o Jefferson Jessee and Nancy Counts.

MARGARET L. JESSEE’s parents were JEFFERSON JESSEE, b. 1802, d. 6 May 1866, (s/o John Jessee and Mary "Polly" Armstrong), and NANCY COUNTS, b. ca 1803, d. 6 Jun 1884, d/o John Counts and Margaret Kelly.  (Nancy’s father, John  Counts, called John Counts of Cleveland, Virginia, was the son of John Counts of Glade Hollow, Southwest Virginia, and Mary Magdeline __?__.)  There is a picture of Abednego and Margaret L. Jessee Kiser on page 266 of E. J. Sutherland’s Some Descendants of John Counts of Glade Hollow.

Abednego Kiser and Margaret L. Jessee had 15 children.  Only the first child is listed here.

1.  BEVERLY FLOYD6 "PROFESSOR" KISER, (Abednego5, Elihu4, Abednego3, Joseph2, Charles1)b. 25 Oct 1855, s/o Abednego Kiser and Margaret L. Jessee, married in Dickenson County, Virginia, to CHRISTINA "TINY" SMITH, b. 15 Apr 1854, d/o James W. Smith and Jane Mullins.  (James W. Smith was s/o George W. Smith and Phoebe Musick.  George was s/o Sarah Counts and James Smith; Sarah Counts d/o John and Margaret Kelly Counts, which leads you back to John Counts of Glade Hollow and Mary Magdeline __?__).  Phoebe Musick was the d/o Elexious Musick II  and Lydia Thompson, Elexious  Musick II was the s/o David Musick and Annie McKinney. Read about David and Annie in “Indian Atrocities Along The Clinch, Powell and Holston Rivers.” It is posted on the Russell County Website as well as surrounding SW VA county websites. Lydia Thompson was the d/o William Thompson and Nancy Jackson. William Thompson was the s/o Capt. William Thompson who fought in the Battle of Point Pleasant. (Christina’s mother was the d/o David Mullins and Ruth Buchanan. David was the s/o John “Holly Creek” Mullins and Olive “Ollie” Cox, John “HC” Mullins was the s/o John “Revolutionary John” Mullins and Virginia Jane “Jennie” Bailey.)  He, Floyd, was a farmer, miner and justice of the peace.  The last years of his life were spent at Henry Clay, Kentucky.

Beverly Floyd Kiser was called Floyd and "Professor".  The origin of the nickname "Professor" is not known.  Grandpa Floyd was known to be a very kind, quiet and patient sort.  Never raised his voice.  The worst he said was "CONFOUND" and "CONSARN IT".  He loved Ava's biscuits and "do sop" (gravy) and asked her to make this and cornbread often.  Floyd was  about 6'2", (Christina) Tiny was about 5'.

Aunt Juanita said that she was frightened by storms as a child.  She said that she would ask Grandpa to explain why they had to have storms and Grandpa Floyd would, in a gentle manner, reply that it rained because God was crying.  He cried because of all of the evil in the world.  Juanita said she would then promise to be good and not make God cry.

 Beverly Floyd Kiser and Christina had the following fifteen children (according to other researchers. If this list is from a census it could very well include relatives of the family of the household. Some researchers do not realize this. Ex. Otis Bartley (brother of Ava Bartley Kiser) and Asa Bartley (s/o Blucher Kiser and Osa Bartley Kiser) lived with Ode and Ava. They are on the census lists as members of Ode’s household. Many researchers make Otis into Otis Kiser and Asa Kiser into a Kiser child of Ava’s…especially because he came to stay with her as an infant and spent most of his growing years with them):
 i.  Viola7 Kiser, b.1865 b. Pike County, Ky.
 ii.  Arseno James Kiser - in dad's bible as Arishnoe b.1-29-1866 Pike d.5-11-1941, Caney, KY.  One list has him listed as Orson.  Dad says NO Orson.  E. J. Sutherland has him listed as Orceno Kiser.
 iii.  Offa V. Kiser, pronounced Offie
 iv.  Iona Margaret Kiser, b.1882 Pike married William Price b.1878
 v.  Jennie Iduma Kiser, b. Sept. 1884
 vi.  Ella Lura Kiser, called Ellie  b. 1885 Pike
 vii.  Auley Kiser, pronounced Ollie. Hassan and Juanita do not remember an Ollie. They say that there is a possibility of Ollie being a great aunt from VA they never met.
2.   viii.  Jefferson Kiser
 ix.  Floyd Rudolph Kiser, b. 1890
 x.  Hattie Kiser, b. 1892
 xi.  Holly Kiser b.  Feb. 1892 (?) Dad said he does not remember a Holly, perhaps another name for Hattie. There were some VA g-aunts he did not ever meet he thinks.  I am wondering if this might be confusion for Ollie.... Hassan and Juanita do not remember a Holly. They say she may be another great aunt from VA they never met or that if this list was a compilation of several lists then maybe this was an auditory interpretation of  “Auley” (see above) when dictated to a researcher.
 xii.  Ollie Kiser, Dad said there was an Ollie. no dates Hassan and Juanita do not remember an Ollie. See explanation for xi. Holly and vii. Auley.
3.   xiii.  Ode Owen Hall Kiser
 xiv.  Blucher Kiser, b. Feb. 1898 Pike  married Ava Bartley's sister, Osa. Their only son, Asa was named by Osa for her brother (his Uncle)  Asa Bartley. Osa’s Asa is often incorrectly thought by researchers to be a son of Ode and Ava because he was a Kiser and was raised by Ode and Ava. This placed him in their household census. He died in a mining accident in the Henry Clay mines. He was crushed between coal cars.
Blucher died of flu in 1918.
 xv.  Wyona Kiser.  Hassan and Juanita do not remember a Wyona. Possibly a great aunt from VA they never met or that if this list was a compilation of several lists, then maybe this was an auditory interpretation  of  IONA  (see above) when dictated to a researcher.

2.  JEFFERSON7 KISER (Floyd6, Abednego5, Elihu4, Abednego3, Joseph2, Charles1), b.1888 Pike  married Virgie Lee/Leah Stanley.  live in Rock House, Ky. and I am told they are very accommodating and friendly.  Dad says that all of Uncle Jeff's people were "good people".  There is disagreement as to whether Uncle Jeff was Andrew Jefferson or Jefferson Andrew.  Josie should know.  One day I might get to this.

 Some children of Jefferson Kiser and Virgie Lee/Leah Stanley
      i.  Josie Angeline Kiser,
      ii.  Fannie Kiser,
      iii.  Artie Kiser,
      iv.  Ivan Kiser,
      v.  Kominsky Kiser,
      vi.  Josie Kiser

3.  ODE7 OWEN HALL KISER, (Floyd6, Abednego5, Elihu4, Abednego3, Joseph2, Charles1), b. 4-12-1895, Lookout, Pike County, Ky, d. 10-1-1959 Floyd County, Ky of diabetes.  He married on 29 Feb 1915 to (1) Ava Bartley; b. 21 Jun 1898, d. 12-26-1986 in Ogden, Utah, d/o John Henry Bartley first husband of Sophie Ratliff Bolling.  He married (2) Lillie Mae Jacobs. (For Bartley/ Bolling researchers- Sophie was a Bowling Forks, KY Bowling/Bolling.  John Henry Bartley was s/o George W. Bartley and Priscilla “Pricy” Potter. Priscilla was a "Potter Flats" Potter and was the d/o Lt. John Potter CSA Co. K 14th  Regiment KY Volunteers (formerly Mays Battalion 10th Calvary Mounted Rifles) and Elizabeth Ramey. John Potter was s/o Richard Potter and mary Christina Ramey. These Ramey’s  are of the “Ramey Flats” of Dickenson Co, VA and related to the Founders of Elkhorn City and First Pioneers of Pike County, William Ramey and his wife, Teenie. See Pike County and Elkhorn City websites for more information.)

Ode first worked as a coal miner and then for B&O railroad as a brakeman. His wife, Ava, taught him to read and write... thus allowing him to pass the written test required to be a fireman. He transferred to C&O as a fireman and worked at the roundhouse in Martin. The house at Martin was the first house they had that had an indoor faucet. They rented it from a Bolling Uncle that was a lawyer. I believe I was told it was Uncle Mont. The other houses had wells. When they lived at Hite they had to get water from creeks until the well was dug. All of the houses had outdoor privies. The rails released many employees during the Great Depression and Ode worked in the mines again when work was available until asked to return to the railroad. He retired from the railroad. Ode, (2)Lillie Mae and their son, Columbus Edward are buried at the old Kiser homesite. It is up a hollar on the road to Maytown from Martin, across twin bridges and after a stiff S-curve/rock cut. Look for an old, "wild" (small nuts) pecan tree. The property may now be owned by Levon Jacobs, a relative of Lillie Mae. Levon grows a garden on the property every year. A gas line was  run through the property since they lived there. I understand Levon is a friendly and approachable sort.

There is some confusion on Ode’s name. Hassan says he never knew his dad was an Owen. Juanita told me his name was Ode Owen Hall Kiser in a put out manner. She said (about my dad, Hassan) “ I am older than your daddy and your daddy wouldn’t know” She went on to declare that Owen Hall was a good friend of Ode’s father.

By the way, Beverly Floyd and Christina "Tiny" lived with Ode and Ava for 19 of the 23 years of their marriage.

Ode worshipped his mom according to Juanita.  Would come home in the evenings and go straight to her room to check on her every day before tending to anything else.  She chewed "Beechie Nut" tobacco, had a spittoon by her bed and liked to take her "medicine" (moonshine).  She took it by the spoonful and was never known to be drunk according to Juanita.  Her meals were served to her in bed.
As one might imagine; keeping a husband, her father–in–law, her bed ridden mother-in-law, a house full of kids, a dead brother’s child and one’s own brother was a hardship for Ava. This was especially hard when operating the house on a shoe string budget. One day  Ava decided she had enough and had to do something. She went to town, rented a wagon and loaded “Tiny” and her possessions up in the wagon. She pulled up in Iona’s front yard and announced, “Ionie, here is your mother.” “Don’t bring her back”. “Tiny” was back 2 weeks later and stayed until Uncle Jeff took “Tiny” and Beverly Floyd to live with them.

Ava was an industrious and talented woman. She was a good seamstress, fashioned patterns from what she saw in catalogs onto brown paper or newspaper and made clothes for the family. She was a good gardener and knew what was needed to make soil better for gardening. One interesting thing I’ve been told about her gardening was She would go to the  saw mill for saw dust to work into the soil to help with drainage. Often the soil was high in clay content at the various houses they lived in. She crocheted well and had a trunk full of her creations. She took in laundry to make extra money. She re-dyed faded clothes so they could be worn longer. When money was not there for store bought shoes she would make them.  I understand she used a tool called a shoe staff to do this. She was a good cook. She knew how to cook squirrel, possum, coon, mud and soft-shelled turtles as well as traditional critters. Twice a year she would pack up some food and picnic with the children. In spring they would go “birch sapping”. They would cut a large rectangular section of bark from birch trees and scrape the linings of the bark into a bucket. They would replace the bark sections and wax seal the edges. Then they would eat the scrapings with a spoon from the bucket, “like ice cream”. The next spring they would remove bark from the other side of the tree and repeat the process. Ava would make a hard ball by tightening up a ball of yarn and they would play ball. In fall they would go after chestnuts (before the blight). Aunt Juanita said they would pick up 2-3 bushels per tree. These would be roasted and eaten. Christmas was paper chain making time. Glue would be of egg whites, flour and water or cornstarch and water. If they had popcorn they would string it. Sometimes cranberries were strung. If they didn’t have popcorn they would parch corn and eat that. They also made gingerbread boys and made ornaments from scraps of shiny paper.

Ava made soap. She felt there was no excuse for poor hygiene and required the kids to sponge bathe daily They would tub bathe once a week. Tub baths were usually on Saturday or Sunday. She expected her children to behave at school and not start fights. If someone swung first she fully expected them to fight back. There are stories of the kids fighting on their walk home from school. As Hassan tells it-the walk was several miles and up hill both ways... as I am told it was mostly a “rich picks on poor” type situation. Juanita and Dad referred to the rich ones as “Town Rowdies”. The children did not have a lot of clothes and sometimes did not have shoes until November. Juanita told me she had only 2 dresses the year she was in 8th grade. She said she got in trouble with the Principal at school the day Billy Caldwell shot ink out of his pen at her. (This was when pens were filled from inkwells and the ink was permanent) It upset her that he tried to ruin her better of the two dresses, “It was a navy blue dress with pretty little red and yellow flowers”. So, she politely walked across the room and commenced beating him on his head with her Geography book.  Billy’s folks came over to the house that same evening and stood in the vacant lot next to their property to talk to Ode and Ava about the damage done to Billy. Juanita  said she watched and listened to the conversation from a window.  She said each time Ode agreed to “whup her” she would shout out that for each whupping she got, Billy would get beaten that many times again. Juanita was not punished by Ode. Another fight was over Monnie’s new dress being torn. Several fights were started over their being shoved out of the way and made to be last in line. Ava made several trips to the school to discuss the bullying situation that existed.

Contrary to modern belief, women DID talk about sex back in the old days. Juanita said it was a big “hen session” when the women gathered together to talk about it. She said they would all go to one house when all of the men were away and the kids were working or playing. They would shut and lock the doors, shut the windows, pull the shades, whisper and giggle. She said sometimes the men would figure out what was going on. The men would choose a man to hold a glass to the door where the women were and place it to his ear so he could listen in and inform the others what was being said. Juanita said until she was old enough to be included in  the discussions she thought the swollen bellies of the pregnant women was caused by eating watermelon seeds or sucking one’s thumb. That is what Ava had explained to the inquiring Juanita  before she came “of age”. She said she also thought a woman went to the doctor to have the doctor tell the Bird’s Eye Diaper Stork she wanted a baby.

Juanita, her cousin Asa and her Uncle Otis Bartley made moonshine. Otis and Asa made it to sell. Juanita made it in a miniature still Otis made for her and had set up in the side yard by the house. Juanita made  “medicine for” her Grandmother Tiny who took it by the spoonful several times each day.  “Revenuers” visited the house several times. One time Asa came running through the house and hollered, “Revenuers!” Ava stalled for hiding time by aiming a shotgun at the Revenuers and denying Asa’s presence. They eventually were allowed in but did not find Asa. Asa was under the one bed they did not check. Another time they were after Otis. A neighbor, Crow Osborne, had been caught for “shining” and Crow had tattled on Otis. Ava had been on the front porch and saw the Revenuers coming slowly down the road. Ava ran to warn Otis. He hid in a partially filled pickle barrel in the back yard. It had a wooden lid he lowered down over himself. I am told each time the Revenuers started toward the barrel she would fuss at them about spoiling her pickled beans. Otis was not found.

Hassan said one of his earliest memories was when he was in the front yard. He said Ava was in the house making gravy. (He said it was probably made from bacon grease, flour and milk as that was how it was made when he was older. Juanita told me Hassan would know because he spent a lot of time in the kitchen with her. She said he was sort of a "mama's boy".) Anyway, the was  whole lot of commotion in the woods nearby. When Hassan looked toward the noise he found it was from 2 of his older brothers. They had fear on their faces and were running as fast as they could. As they came into the yard they snatched Hassan up and ran into the house. When Ava saw asked what was going on they said that they had been in the woods and a Painter (Panther) was after them! Hassan said the brothers were all scratched up from running through the briers and underbrush.

My mom, Patricia, knew Ava and Lillie Mae.  I only have a few memories of Ava; she would play chase and softball in the yard at Aunt Juanita’s with my older brother, Steve and me, despite her age.  I thought this to be a special quality in her.  I also remember something odd to remember about someone.  Ava would eat catsup stirred into her macaroni at supper.  This was definitely unique to me..

 Ode Kiser had 12 children, 11 by wife #1, 1 by wife #2:

 Children of Ode Owen Hall Kiser and (1) Ava Bartley:
      i.  Swanee/Suwanee8 Kiser, b. 1-15,1916 Millbranch, Pike Co.  d. 1-15 1915
      ii.  Monnie Gee Kiser, b. 2-4-1917  Lookout, Pike Co.  d.5-27-1878 Salt Lake City, Utah  married Clarence Knops. Monnie Gee did not like the Gee and called herself Monnie Lou.
      iii. Blucher Rupert Kiser, b. 4-24-1919 Lookout  d. Jan 1998   Married:  Ainer Hudson of Alabama. Ainer was the sister of Chester’s wife
4. iv.  Albert Luther Kiser
5. v.  Juanita Kiser
6.  vi  Chester "Chet" Paul Kiser, married Virginia Hudson, Virginia was a sister of Blucher's wife.
7. vii.  Hassan Kiser
 viii.  Blane Kiser, b. 10-7-1930  Hite, Ky   d. 2-21-1982 Houston, TX
 ix.  Blanche Kiser, b. 10-7-1930  Hite, Ky   twin and named for the midwife, (Blanche Keathley) d. 11-21-1930  buried behind house.
 x.  O.H. "Chubby" Kiser, name was "O.H."  b. 6-13-1932 Hite, Ky  married Sakiko.  I believe I was told she was Japanese.
 xi.  Sophia Tean Kiser, b. 10-31-1934 Edgewater, Ky   d. 10-1-1998 Spokane WA, married (1) Fred Walton, married (2) Melvin Hodges, married (3) Rick Krast.  "Teany" was named for neighbor and best friend of Ava's - Tean Osborne.

 Child of Ode Kiser and (2) Lillie Mae Jacobs:
   xii.  Columbus Edward Kiser, b. 1946  Floyd Co.  d. 1959, Floyd County, Kentucky, in a hunting accident.  Sad story.  Apparently stumbled over a log and shot self through stomach.  Hunting dog began to howl and Ode climbed the mountain in failing health to find him dead.  Mom attended the funeral.  Lillie had Columbus Edward’s body in the front room of the house for 3 days and was so distraught that it took the mortician coming out from town to convince her to consent to his burial.  Mom said it was incredibly sad and something she does not like to recall.

4.  ALBERT LUTHER8 KISER, (Ode7, Floyd6, Abednego5, Elihu4, Abednego3, Joseph2, Charles1), b. 3-3 1921 Lookout  d. 12-4-1984 Little Rock, AR, married Margaret Jeannine Campbell in Fairview, WY d/o Leslie Fredrick Campbell and Alice Daisy Tolman

 children of Albert Luther Kiser and Margaret Jeannie Campbell
 i..  Shandra Jeannine9 Kiser,  married (1) Martin Earl Holland, married (2) Daniel Edgar Oliver. She has children and grands.  I don't know this info.
 ii..  Sheila Dianne Kiser, married (1) Richard Lynn Cook, married (2) Max Sommerville
 iii.  Aleta Kim Kiser,  married (1) ? Lawton i, married (2) Lavon "Norma" Wilardson Banks

5.  JUANITA8 KISER, (Ode7, Floyd6, Abednego5, Elihu4, Abednego3, Joseph2, Charles1),  Lookout (really at Esco but it no longer exists), Pike County, Ky, Eldridge C. "E.C." Hall.

 Children of Juanita Kiser and Eldridge Hall:
 i..  Robert Blane Hall
 ii.  Ava "Avie" Alice Hall
 iii.  Clarence Vernon Hall
 iv.  Monnie Lee Hall
 v.  Blutcher Ray Hall, died in Vietnam

6. CHESTER "CHET" PAUL KISER, married Virginia Holder

 Children of "Chet" Kiser and Virginia Hudson

 i.  Ricky Paul Kiser
 ii.  Vicky Kiser

7.  HASSAN8 KISER, (Ode7, Floyd6, Abednego5, Elihu4, Abednego3, Joseph2, Charles1), no middle name, married (1) Patricia Allison Hilldrup. d/o Albert Graham Hilldrup 1909-1966 and Thelma Elizabeth Allison  1904-1990.  Married (2) Elizabeth 'Betty' Ann Juanita White.

Hassan received his name because while she was pregnant, Ava had read Ali Baba and the Forty thieves and liked the name.

Hassan Kiser SURFSIDE BEACH | Hassan Kiser, 74, of Pine Drive, died Monday, Jan. 7, 2002, at home. He was born March 1, 1927, in Weeksbury, Ky., a son of the late Ode and Ava Bartley Kiser. He was a member and past master of Cherrydale Lodge No. 42 in Arlington, Va. He was also a 32nd degree Mason of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. He was a member of the Eastern Star. He attended Socastee Freewill Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife, Betty Ann Juanita White Kiser; three sons: Steven Kiser of Amsterdam, The Netherlands., Daniel Kiser of Manassas, Va., and Hassan "Pete" Kiser of Myrtle Beach; two daughters, Linda Ridge of Crossville, Tenn., and Amanda Upton of Cross, SC; a sister, Juanita Hall of Arlington, Va.; and seven grandchildren. A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Grand Strand Funeral Home of Myrtle Beach. Memorials may be made to Secretary of the Seaside Masonic Lodge No. 419 A.F.M. P.O. 3082, Myrtle Beach, SC 29578.

 Children of Hassan Kiser and Patricia Allison Hilldrup:
 i.  Steven Graham9 Kiser.
8. ii.  Linda Louise Kiser
 iii.  Male Child

 Children of Hassan Kiser and Betty Ann Juanita "Bonnie" White
9. iii.  Amanda "Mandy" Swanee Kiser
10. iv.  Hassan "Pete" Mitchell Kiser

Ninth Generation

7.  LINDA9 LOUISE KISER, (Hassan8, Ode7, Floyd6, Abednego5, Elihu4, Abednego3, Joseph2, Charles1),  to Timothy Stuart Ridge , s/o Albert Hailey Ridge, and Betty Jane Shields

 Children of Linda Louise and Timothy Stuart Ridge
 i.  Jennifer Allison Ridge,
 ii.  William Shelby Ridge,

8.  AMANDA9 "MANDY’ SWANEE KISER, (Hassan8, Ode7, Floyd6, Abednego5, Elihu4, Abednego3, Joseph2, Charles1), married (1) Kevin Upton in Houlton Maine; married (2) Nelson Casey.  We call her "Mandy".  If you really want to get on her nerves, call her "Mandy Swanee"

 Child of Amanda Kiser and Kevin Upton:
 i.  Jeremiah Upton
Child of Amanda Kiser and Nelson Casey
 ii.  Katelyn Casey

 Child of Amanda Kiser and "Buddy" __?__
 iii.  Michael Christopher

9.  HASSAN "PETE"9 MITCHELL KISER, Hassan8, Ode7, Floyd6, Abednego5, Elihu4, Abednego3, Joseph2, Charles1), b. 6-9-1963, Arlington, Virginia, married Renee Haney  "Pete" was originally nicknamed Peeps as a baby by Betty because he would quietly "Peep" at everyone through the bars of his crib and from under blankets.

 Child: of Hassan "Pete" Mitchell Kiser and Renee Haney
 i.  Kendall Marie Kiser