John A. Handley married Sarah Jean Beard, daughter of William and Peggy (McNeel) Beard, on October 24, 1867. She was an invalid all her life, and a devout Christian woman. She died March 21, 1910.

History of Greenbrier County
J. R. Cole
Lewisburg, WV 1917
p. 226-227

JOHN A. HANDLEY.

This branch of the Handley family comes from old Virginia stock. Alexander Handley, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a lieutenant in the War of 1812. He was a slave owner and a man of social standing where he lived. He was married twice. By his second wife, Henrietta Burke, he had six daughters and two sons, John A. being the youngest of the family. His wife was a daughter of William and Almira (Campbell) Burke, of Albemarle county,

Virginia.Alexander Handley moved first to Missouri and then to Monroe county, West Virginia, where he died in 1843. The widow died in 1865.

John A. Handley was horn January 21, 1841. When two years of age, his father died, and after twelve years more, he came with his brother-in-law, George Law, to Lewisburg, where he has remained since that time.

Mr. Handley was a soldier in the Confederate army and participated as a member of the Fourteenth Virginia cavalry in all the engagements of that regiment from 1862 to the close of the war.

John A. Handley married Sarah Jean Beard, daughter of William and Peggy (McNeel) Beard, on October 24, 1867. She was an invalid all her life, and a devout Christian woman. She died March 21, 1910.

There were four children horn to this union, namely: Launa Kate, wife of Charles E. Conner. Their daughter, Ruth, is in the Lewisburg Seminary. William Law, who died in infancy. Sarah McNeel and Lucy Austin, wife of James George, a farmer.

John A. Handley and George Law built many houses in Lewisburg during their partnership of long standing. As an under-taker for thirty-five years, most of those lying at rest in the old grave yard of the Stone Church were taken care of by Mr. Handley. He was a member of the town council for ten years; has been a steward in the Methodist Episcopal church for fifty years and a standing member of the conference committee during the past ten years.


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