"Papa" Elton Ralph Dameron

The 1910 census listed Elton living with his uncle and aunt on the road "From Haynesville to Middleton's Mill." Wade's brother-in-law Frank Withers also lived with them and is listed as working at the saw mill.¹ Again on the 1920 census Elton was listed with Wade and Ida. He was marked as attending school that year and having finished 7th grade.²

On April 29th, 1925 Elton married Louise Frances Bryant. She was the daughter of Columbus Taylor Bryant and Laura Alice Sisson.³ They were married in Richmond County at the Baptist Parsonage by Rev. S.S. Robinson and honeymooned in Washington D.C.⁴

Daughters Hilda and Marguerite were born in 1926 and 1927. The 1930 census listed the family living on the "Road from Haynesville to Totuskey P.O." Elton was listed a farmer, and as owning his home. They lived next door to Wade and Ida Fallin.⁵ Their son Ralph was born just after the census in June of 1930.

Elton and Louise were members at Totuskey Baptist Church were Elton served as a Deacon and Clerk. He began driving a truck to Richmond City to buy fruits and vegetables to supply stores in the Northern Neck. The Downing Bridge in Tappahannock had opened in 1927 making it practical to transport goods by truck rather than by boat. He bought most of his produce on Hull Street in the city. It was a 60 mile drive and Elton passed time by shelling and eating peanuts while he drove according to family stories.

The 1940 census listed Elton's occupation as a wholesale fruit and vegetable merchant, he reported working 48 hours a week. Daughter, Mabel, was shown born in 1934.⁶ In 1942 Elton registered from the WWII Draft. He gave his height at 5'5 1/2" and weight as 160. He marked his eyes as gray, hair as brown, and complexion as ruddy.⁷

On the 1950 census Elton and Louise were again listed in Haynesville. Elton was recorded as a farmer and reported that he had worked 70 hours the previous week. Mabel, 15, and Ralph, 19, were also still living at home. Ralph reported working 50 hours as a farmer the previous week.⁸ Elton and Louise's last child, Anne, was born in June of 1950. About 1952 they bought Enon Hall farm on Antipoison Creek near White Stone and the family moved to Lancaster County. Elton and Louise joined White Stone Baptist Church. At first they lived in the Enon Hall farm house. Elton farmed and subdivided waterfront lots off of the property. For a while Louise's uncle, Philip Reamy Bryant lived in the old kitchen behind the house. Elton also purchased the nearby Hutchinson Farm and kept a hog farming operation there.

In 1963 Elton built a new home on the east side of the Enon Hall Farm. He built two docks on his property, one in the protected cove and another one for fishing that went off the end of the point into deeper water. He also returned frequently to Totuskey Creek for fishing as well.

Elton passed away on April 18th, 1987 due to cardiac arrest.⁹ He died a half hour before Easter Sunday at Rappahannock General Hospital in Kilmarnock. His funeral was held at White Stone Baptist Church on Tuesday the 21st followed by burial at Totuskey Baptist Church in Haynesville.