Thomas Wesley Danner was the first son of John Mack Danner and Martha J. Love. His brothers were William G., Lloyd Mac, and George B. There were no sisters. Tom was born on Monday, September 20, 1869, most likely in North Carolina and probably was named for his mother's younger brother Thomas and an older brother Wesley. At the age of 20 Tom Danner married the 14 year old Sarah Alice Jones, daughter of Hugh Jones and Mary Younce. They were married on Sunday, January 12, 1890. No marriage certificate or bond has yet been found. Their first child, Rosy E. was born on Friday, the 28^th of August, 1891. A second daughter, Mary J. was born on Wednesday, January 4, 1893 in Watauga county, North Carolina.

Six other children were born in Watauga county, around Boone or Laurel Creek. They were:

John Houston Granvil[le] William, also known as "Babe" Doxy E. Troy C. Sallie Effie Mae Grace Beatrice, born in Washington County, Damascus, Virginia Raymond Perry, born in Wise County, Pardee, VA.

Thomas Wesley Danner

Thomas Danner applied for a marriage license for his brother Loid M. This certificate from April 11, 1895 shows that Loid M. and Lou Harmon were wed at Thomas' house in Laurel Creek Township, Watauga county. G.W. Trivett, a Baptist minister performed the service and A.G. Cook, S.D. Mast, and Samuel Love were witnesses present. The license lists J.M and Martha J. Danner as parents of Loid and W.H. and Mary Harmon as Lou's parents. Tom, being the oldest of John and Martha's children must have cared for them and stood in for his father.

Watauga county Deeds show that Thos W. and his wife Alice were Grantors of 12 1/3 acres to J.R. Phillips in 1902; 5 1/2 acres to J.L Moore in 1907; 25 acres to M.P. Johnson in 1909 and another 25 acres to Johnson in 1910 when they also sold 1/3 acre to William Love. In 1911 they were Grantors again to Johnson for 19 acres of Laurel Creek, and two roads to H.E. Harman. 1912 shows 25 acres on Rush Branch, again to M.P Johnson. The final entry is in 1919 for 7 acres to Andrew Glenn.

Tom and Alice lived nearly 20 years in and around Watauga county, North Carolina before moving to Virginia. Tom sold his farm to go to Damascus, Virginia (Washington County) as a blacksmith and set up a wagon factory with a friend. This may have been around 1911 or 1912. Tom was to be the mechanic and his friend was the businessman. Raymond P. said that his dad did not like the way the friend did business, so Tom quit and left. Daughter Grace reports that Tom was swindled.

After the problems with the business in Damascus, Tom returned to North Carolina for a short time and then moved on to Pardee, Virginia as a blacksmith and foreman for the coal company in 1913. Raymond also said that his father may have worked in Baltimore for Bethlehem Steel company as a toolmaker during World War I. It is known that Tom's 1^st son, John, is listed in the 1920 Baltimore City Directory living at 918 N. Fulton and working as a machinist. Since the directories were compiled during the Spring of the previous year, we can be sure John was in Baltimore in 1919.


On the 26th of April, 1926 Tom Danner purchased two lots (12 & 13) in block 68 of a subdivision known as Santa Maria, adjoining the town of McClenny, in Baker county, Florida. This land was purchased from T.J. and Leona Knabb. The deed lists Tom as residing in Duval County, Florida at the time. A tax bill for $1.09 was paid on February 12, 1929 by Tom, who was residing in Pardee, Virginia. According to Raymond, Tom may have followed his brother, Lloyd Mac, to Florida for a short time.


Dwight Garland, son of Tom's daughter Grace, writes that "the Christian hymn "The Old Rugged Cross", written by George Bennard in1913 and first introduced in a special Gospel meeting in Pokagon, Michigan on June 7th, 1913, soon became very popular. Grace B. Danner Garland said her dad, Thomas W. Danner told her that he loved that song from the first time he heard it. She said he sang or hummed the tune regularly while he worked. She said he would sing that song at church meetings they had at their home in Pardee VA. She said he sang that song in the community of Pardee VA for family gatherings and sometimes funerals.

It is my belief that this hymn "The old Rugged Cross" helped gain Thomas W. Danner the reputation of "Singing Tom". As my mother put it, he loved to sing and he loved this song, "The Old Rugged Cross"."

Raymond often related the story of his father making musical tuning forks as a blacksmith. Tom would shape them and then temper them to the exact pitch, tuned by ear alone! He also says that "his dad took care of his father [John Mack] for two years during an illness and that he hardly had his shoes off during that time except to bathe his feet. Uncle [Lloyd] Mac's son, adopted by a [Jim] Vance family, who lives near Bristol, said that John Mack was in a mental institution in Morganton, N.C. and was buried there."

Other stories about Tom deal with his extra senses. Raymond remembered being in a nearby field in Pardee planting or caring for a small patch of vegetables when his father said "We have to go back son, your uncle Mac has died." And sure enough after they returned home, they received word that Lloyd Mac had passed away.

Tom used to ride to work with Charlie Stewart, Raymond's future father-in-law. It seems Charlie Stewart had a car and would take riders to the mine for a small fee.

Tom Danner was an accomplished carpenter and blacksmith. The author and a cousin, Dwight Garland, son of Grace Danner, are in possession of side tables made of black walnut. A daughter of Effie Danner, has a fine clock made by Tom. There are certainly other pieces of furniture still around with the mark of "TW Danner" somewhere out of sight.

Thomas Wesley Danner died on Monday, February 3^rd, 1936 from a stroke he suffered in his home in Blackwood. He was taken to the Norton hospital. His funeral was at 2 pm two days later at Black Creek cemetery with Reverend Powers officiating. The King Funeral Home certificate shows that Tom was a carpenter who had lived 66 years, 4 months and 13 days. His wife's name was Alice and his father was John Danner. His mother was Patsy Love. The total charge for his funeral was $86.50 which was paid by check.

Children of Thomas Wesley and Sarah Alice Danner as listed in the Family Bible:


• Rosy E. (28 August 1891 - ?) born in NC
  
• Mary J. (4 January 1893 - ?) born in Watauga County, NC
  
• John Houston (13 May 1895 - 1 November 1977) born in Boone, NC and died in Baltimore, MD. Worked in the mines of Pardee as a young man. A picture shows John, along with Gilbert Reed, on a coal car at the opening to a mine. John first married Rotha Ward Perry. According to Raymond, Rotha Perry was born in Connecticut and became a missionary who came to Pardee from Baltimore. She was at the birth of Tom and Sarah's last child and named him after Rotha's brother, Raymond Perry. John went back to Baltimore with Rotha and appears in the 1918/19 Baltimore City Directory as a riveter living at 918 N. Fulton Ave. John married two more times: first to Myrtle Lou Towe(?) and finally to Myrtle M. Beckett. John and the second Myrtle were very close to the author in his early life.
  
• William Granville "Babe" (1 January 1897 - 30 January 1980) born in Laurel Creek, NC. He first married a Lona Johnson and second Laura Payne on the 14th of August, 1919 in Pardee.
  
• Doxy E. (7 May 1900 7 - May 1900) born in NC.
  
• Troy C. (6 May 1902 - 1976) born in Boone, NC. and died in TN. Troy was a coal miner and finally a photographer. He first married Pearl Sapp on December 20, 1922 in Pardee, whom he divorced, and second Bonnie Blummer. The author remembers his uncle Troy and aunt Bonnie and stayed at their house in Knoxville, Tennessee. The author has memories of his uncle Troy demonstrating his camera (a 4x5 Graphflex), his darkroom, and other photographic equipment. Troy took pictures of Estes Keafauver, Senator from Tennessee, when he ran for president.
  
• Sallie (15 August 1904 - 1913) born in NC. and died in Pardee, VA. Sallie was playing by the opening to a mine shaft. She was hit by an empty coal car that crushed her leg and severed a vein or artery causing her to bleed to death. Her grave site in Pardee was removed in 1995/96 due to continuing strip mining and was moved to Norton.
  
• Effie Mae (20 November 1909 - 27 November 1977) born in Boone, NC and died in Baltimore, MD. Effie first married Roy S. Spinks on September 16, 1927 in Wise, VA. She married secondly Cossie Sylvester Peters and moved to Baltimore were she and Cossie spent the rest of their lives. Effie and Cossie lived very close to my parents after we moved to Elkridge, MD and we visited often.
  
• Grace Beatrice (27 July 1912 - 9 June 2000) born in Damascus, VA and resides in Tennessee. Grace married Bascomb T. Hodges on the 26th of June, 1931. She later married John Garland. Grace worked for the Kingsport Press in Tennessee.
  
• Raymond Perry (30 October 1916 - 4 March, 1996) born in Pardee, VA and died at the home of his son in Riva, MD. Raymond married Lottie Louise Stewart on Saturday, October 18, 1941 and they had one child, Raymond P., Jr. born on October 18, 1945.




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