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Do not know if mother is Bengamin Phlegar's first wife or his second wife Sarah Eleanor Surface The following is a transcription of letter from Mattie Phlegar Brown to Wells Goodykoontz, included in the bound manuscript Historical Sketch of the Goodykoontz Families in Virginia and U.S. Hendersonville, N.C. Feb 24, 1943 My Dear Wells Goodykoontz, Your letter comes like a voice of the far distant past and awakens most pleasing memories that had been dormant many years. I do remember quite well the handsome Wells Goodykoontz of Floyd and in recent years I have heard much of your success in your life work and in serving your country, so I am honored in being able to say that I remember you. When Eula Bell passed on I hoped that the data she had on family history could be placed in Clarence Smith's hands but I understand it was turned over to her brother in Roanoke [Dr. ?.?. Willis] and I've heard nothing more about it. Since he is a busy doctor I doubt if he has done anything with it. I didn't ever try to gather any data except that of my immediate line of ancestry. I have a facsimile copy of the signature of the first George Pflieger to arrive in this country. This came from the Librarian in Washington. This George settled in York, Penna. and I saw there the church in which he worshipped and the site where the building stood in which he made silk hats - a busy street now in the business center. My grandfather George Phlegar, born in 1762, fought in the Revolutionary War. He built the house [at Floyd, VA] - 1816 - in which I was born and grew up. It still stands on the same foundation and with the same walls. Also the older house of which Clarence [Smith] speaks is there and is known by hundreds of visitors of former days as Cabin Home. I could write a volume about the comforts and luxury of that plain [??] complete old home and its surrounding acres. My father [Benjamin, son of George Phlegar] was born in 1812 and died in 1892. He was a patriarch of the old fashioned kind - an elder in the Lutheran church for a half century - leader of the church singing [??] for many years. He was twice married and of the first set of children four sons volunteered in the War Between the States. Two were killed in battle and the other two went west immediately after the war. Ellen, who married David Willis, is grandmother of David Willis Brumbaugh who graduated from Harvard with high honors and then became Treasurer of Life and Time. He married a N.Y. girl and lives in the city. His mother, Anna [daughter of David Willis] is dead but his father lives in Floyd at the old home. His sister-in-law Maggie [Willis] keeps house for him. Their old home [at Floyd C.H., probably Court House] is absolutely unchanged from the time it was built and is full of antiques. They have the old family Bible which weighs 40 pounds. Arabella Willis - Anna's twin - married Henry Bishop and lives at Galax, Va. She had several children and when I last heard from them they were succeeding eminently in their chosen professions but I don't know just what they have done. Azula [Agula], the eldest of those girls, married a N.Y. lawyer - Harvey Hinman, and because of his health they came to Roanoke and bought a farm which he still operates with great success. His son David [Hinman] assists and the daughter was sec. to the Governor of Virginia through his term of office (Gov. Peery) then married in Richmond. In my own family, Nannie [??], who married Rev. J. W. Smith, lives in Ephrata, Penn. Her son Fred [Smith] is postmaster in that town. The eldest daughter, Margaret, is Supt. of Phipps Institute, Phil. She was a nurse in Syria in 1st World War. Mary Phlegar, the other daughter, is Dean of Hollis College, Va. John, my oldest brother, left two sons both of whom live in Russell, Kansas. Ben G. has been Cashier in the bank for many years and is Chairman of Board of Education and Hospital Board and general advisor for the population in financial problems. Hagan, his brother, was wounded in the 1st World War and has had many honors since. I will not enlarge upon my own family after the usual manner of parents, but will mention that my eldest son, James, is Chief Surgeon in the Naval Hospital in the Charleston, S.C. Navy Yard. He has been there two years and is not Commander in the Navy. John, my youngest, is a Captain in the Army but doing the work of a Major and Col. combined just now while his superior officers are away. This is in Texas. I have wandered along rather extensively and probably not touched on anything you would like to have. If I can be of any help please tell me just how. Nearly a year ago I heard a broadcast about Floyd and wrote Sue Harris Hall about it and in her cordial reply she said she was writing a history of Floyd. That will be a gem coming from her original pen. Sincerely yours, (Mrs. J.S.) Mattie Phlegar Brown |