Waitman Melancthan Fast 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- Born: 25 August 1847, White Day Creek, VA 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
- Marriage (1): Delia Elizabeth Stansberry on 24 October 1867 in Monongalia County, WV 1 2 3 4 5
- Died: 12 May 1917, Herold, WV at age 69 7 10
- Buried: After 12 May 1917, Middle Run Cemetery, Middle Run, WV 7
 Other names for Waitman were Waitman Melanethan Fast 9 10 and Waltman Melanethan Fast.
General Notes:
Waitman Melanethan, son of Allen Fast and Rebecca Wroe, was born at White Day Creek, 25 Aug 1847. During his boyhood he helped his father at his mill. At the age of twenty, on 24 Oct 1867, he was married to Delia Elizabeth Stansberry (or Stansbury), of Little Falls, daughter of Stephen Stansberry and Sarah Sapp and granddaughter of Francis Stansberry. She was the youngest of sixteen children and the last to survive, having died 18 Feb 1930, aged 82 years, three months, and one day. She had long been an invalid and had not walked for ten years because of a torn ligament of the thigh caused by a fall.
Waitman Melanethan and Delia Elizabeth (Stansbury) Fast went to housekeeping on the Howell farm owned by Thomas and Edward Watson, one mile below Catawba, West Virginia. They lived for two years there where Waitman hired out to the Watsons for one hundred and fifty dollars for the first year and two hundred for the second, which payments give an idea of the estimated worth of farm labor at that time. From this location they moved to the Jesse Shuttleworth farm on Joe's Run where they resided for less than a year. They then moved to the property of Delia E. (Stansbury) Fast's mother, residing there until March 1882. Delia E. (Stansbury) Fast at the death of her mother inherited this land which was some forty acres on the Monongahela River just above Little Falls.
About this time Waitman Melanethan Fast was attracted by the enticing accounts of virgin land in Braxton, West Virginia, from his brother-in-law, who had visited Isaac Newton Holland then living in Flatwoods. He made a journey to visit Mr. Holland, who had formerly lived in Monongalia to investigate the reports. He returned, sold out his interests in Monongalia, and made the move to a four-year lease on the farm of Jacob S. Hyer located two miles north of Sutton.
At the close of this lease he moved to the Twistville country, now Harold, where he purchased a farm of 100 acres, only 30 of which were improved. He and his sons went to work, and within a few years the entire farm was cleared of its heavy timber which was burned or split into fencing rails for the most part. The timber then destroyed would be worth a small for tune if standing today; one string of fence was made of black walnut rails. This land produced well for a few years but was too steep for tillage, the top soil washed away into the Birch River. Waitman Melanethan Fast spent some years working in the lumber yards of the Pardee and Curtin Lumber Company at Sutton. The crops were cared for in the father's absence by the sons, who were strong and willing workers.
The old couple with the youngest daughter yet unmarried continued to live on this farm till the death of the father which occurred 12 May 1917. He was a member of the Methodist Protestant Church but found it more convenient to worship with the Baptists at Middle Run near the homestead, where his monument may be seen in the Middle Run Cemetery. His faithful and affectionate wife lies by his side.
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Noted events in his life were:
• He appeared on the 1850 US Census in District 36, Monongalia County, VA on 14 September 1850. 12
1850 US Census
Page 277, Family 794
District 36, Monongalia County, Virginia
Waitman Fast..2..VA
(Living with parents.)
.
• He appeared on the 1860 US Census in District 1, Monongalia County, VA on 10 August 1860. 6
1860 US Census
Page 182, Family 1303, Roll 1364
District 1, Monongalia, Virginia, United States
Waitman M. Fast..12..VA
(Living with parents.)
.
• He appeared on the 1870 US Census in Clinton Township, Monongalia, WV on 16 July 1870. 2
1870 US Census
Page 46, Family 348
Clinton Township, Monongalia, West Virginia, United States
Waitman Fast..22..West Virginia..Farmer
(Living with wife and daughter.)
.
• He appeared on the 1880 US Census in Clinton District, Monongalia, WV on 5 June 1880. 3
1880 US Census
Page 178A, District 94, Family 41, Roll 1409
Clinton District, Monongalia County, West Virginia
Waitman M. Fast..Self..32..VA..Farmer
(Living with wife and 6 children.)
.
• He appeared on the 1900 US Census in Birch District, Braxton, WV on 29 June 1900. 4
1900 US Census
Sheet 13B and 14A, District 2, Family 231
Birch District, Braxton County, West Virginia
Farm owned, no mortgage
Married 32 years
Wm M. Fast..Head..Aug 1847..52..WV..Farmer
(Living with wife and 5 children.)
.
• He appeared on the 1910 US Census in Birch District, Braxton, WV on 10 April 1910. 5
1910 US Census
Sheet 1A, District 1, Family 3, Roll 1677
Birch District, Braxton, West Virginia, United States
Middle Run Road; Farm owned, no mortgage
Married 42 years
W. M. Fast..Head..62..West Virginia..Farmer, General farm
(Living with wife and 3 children.)
.
• He was buried after 12 May 1917 in the Middle Run Cemetery in Middle Run, WV.
Find A Grave Memorial #43432718. 7
Waitman married Delia Elizabeth Stansberry, daughter of Stephen Stansberry and Sarah Ulysses Sapp, on 24 October 1867 in Monongalia County, WV.1 2 3 4 5 (Delia Elizabeth Stansberry was born on 17 November 1847 in Virginia,2 3 4 5 13 14 died on 18 February 1930 in Widen, WV 14 15 and was buried after 18 February 1930 in Middle Run Cemetery, Middle Run, WV 14 15.)
Noted events in their marriage were:
• They appeared on the 1870 US Census in Clinton Township, Monongalia, WV on 16 July 1870. 2
1870 US Census
Page 46, Family 348
Clinton Township, Monongalia, West Virginia, United States
Waitman Fast..22..West Virginia..Farmer
Delia E. Fast..22..West Virginia..Keeps House
Viola A. Fast..1..West Virginia
.
• They appeared on the 1880 US Census in Clinton District, Monongalia, WV on 5 June 1880. 3
1880 US Census
Page 178A, District 94, Family 41, Roll 1409
Clinton District, Monongalia County, West Virginia
Waitman M. Fast..Self..32..VA..Farmer
Delia E. Fast..Wife..32..VA..Keeps House
Viola A. Fast..Daughter..11..WV..At Home
Launa V. Fast..Daughter..9..WV
Rufus A. Fast..Son..7..WV
Harry A. Fast..Son..4..WV
Herrman O. Fast..Son..2..WV
Ivah E. Fast..Daughter..4m..WV
.
• They appeared on the 1900 US Census in Birch District, Braxton, WV on 29 June 1900. 4
1900 US Census
Sheet 13B and 14A, District 2, Family 231
Birch District, Braxton County, West Virginia
Farm owned, no mortgage
Married 32 years
Wm M. Fast..Head..Aug 1847..52..WV..Farmer
Delia E. Fast..Wife..Nov 1847..52..WV..9/8
H. A. Fast..Son..Jul 1875..24..WV..At School
H. O. Fast..Son..Dec 1877..22..WV..Teacher
Ivy E. Fast..Daughter..Jun 1880..19..WV..At School
H. G. Fast..Son..Mar 1884..16..WV..At School
F. H. Fast..Son..Jul 1889..10..WV..At School
.
• They appeared on the 1910 US Census in Birch District, Braxton, WV on 10 April 1910. 5
1910 US Census
Sheet 1A, District 1, Family 3, Roll 1677
Birch District, Braxton, West Virginia, United States
Middle Run Road; Farm owned, no mortgage
Married 42 years
W. M. Fast..Head..62..West Virginia..Farmer, General farm
Delia E. Fast..Wife..62..West Virginia..9/8
Harry Fast..Son..34..West Virginia..Salesman, Wholesale house
Iva Fast..Daughter..29..West Virginia
Fletcher Fast..Son..20..West Virginia..Teacher, Public Schools
.
Marriage Notes:
Name: Waitman Mcfast
Event Type: Marriage
Event Type: Marriage
Marriage Date: 1867
Marriage Place: Monongalia, West Virginia, United States
Spouse's Name: Delia E Stansberg
Source Reference: County Records
Record Number: 4530
Citing this Record
"West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FBCV-TLS : 11 February 2018), Waitman Mcfast and Delia E Stansberg, 1867; citing Monongalia, West Virginia, United States, , county clerks, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 840,910.
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Waitman Melanethan and Delia Elizabeth (Stansberry) Fast went to housekeeping on the Howell farm owned by Thomas and Edward Watson, one mile below Catawba, West Virginia. They lived for two years there where Waitman hired out to the Watsons for one hundred and fifty dollars for the first year and two hundred for the second, which payments give an idea of the estimated worth of farm labor at that time. From this location they moved to the Jesse Shuttleworth farm on Joe's Run where they resided for less than a year.
They then moved to the property of Delia E. (Stansberry) Fast's mother, residing there until March 1882. Delia E. (Stansberry) Fast at the death of her mother inherited this land which was some forty acres on the Monongahela River just above Little Falls.
About this time Waitman Melanethan Fast was attracted by the enticing accounts of virgin land in Braxton, West Virginia, from his brother-in-law, who had visited Isaac Newton Holland then living in Flatwoods. He made a journey to visit Mr. Holland, who had formerly lived in Monongalia, to investigate reports. He returned, sold out his interests in Monongalia, and made the move to a four year lease on the farm of Jacob S. Hyer located two miles north of Sutton. At the close of this lease he moved to the Twistville country, now Harold, where he purchased a farm of 100 acres, only 30 of which were improved.
He and his sons went to work, and within a few years the entire farm was cleared of its heavy timber which was burned or split into fencing rails for the most part. The timber then destroyed would be worth a small fortune if standing today; one string of fence was made of black walnut rails. This land produced well for a few years but was too steep for tillage, the top soil washed away into the Birch River. Waitman Melanethan Fast spent some years working in the lumber yards of the Pardee and Curt in Lumber Company at Sutton.
The crops were cared for in the father's absence by the sons, who were strong and willing workers. The old couple with the youngest daughter yet unmarried continued to live on this farm till the death of the father which occurred 12 May 1917. He was a member of the Methodist Protestant Church but found it more convenient to worship with the Baptists at Middle Run near the homestead, where his monument may be seen in the Middle Run Cemetery. His faithful and affectionate wife lies by his side.
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