Celebrating Black History Month
The Reverend Sanford Boggs in front of Wilson Chapel at Brownsburg where he served as pastor for many years. Born in Pocahontas County, June 25, 1908, he was a son of William Madison Boggs, Sr. and Mabel C. Wheeler Boggs.
His work life began with laying steel for the railroad. When the Great Depression hit, he took a job building sidewalks in Marlinton to replace the boardwalks near the First National Bank. He helped on the family farm, was a bellhop in a Michigan hotel, and worked a stint in the coal mines.
In 1941, after his family lost their home to a fire, he went to work for Bethlehem Steel in Pennsylvania and sent money to his father so that the family might have a home again. He married, raised a family, and as segregation ended in the 1950s he went to work for the State Department of Highways.
A heart condition in 1961 ended his days of hard work, so Sanford Boggs studied at home, was graded by mail, and was licensed to preach in the Methodist Church. He served at Pleasant Green Church on Seebert Lane, Wilson Chapel at Brownsburg, and held midweek services at Denmar. He pastored county churches for 22 years and retired at the age of 87.
On October 23, 1996, Rev. Sanford Boggs was accompanied by local photographer Doug Chadwick to Wilson Chapel at Brownsburg near Marlinton. It was on that trip that this photograph was taken.
The Reverend Sanford Boggs passed away January 3, 2005 at the age of 96.
Next week, Preserving Pocahontas will feature a photo of Rev. Boggs inside Wilson Chapel. (The Douglas B. Chadwick Collection, Courtesy of Deborah Clearman; ID: PHP010059)
“The Douglas B. Chadwick Collection” has been donated to Preserving Pocahontas and items are being added to the on-line digital library as they are inventoried and digitized. We thank Deborah Clearman and The Chadwick Estate for gifting Doug’s local work so that his legacy may be preserved.
Access the “Preserving Pocahontas” Digital Library at www.pocahontaspreservation.org or www.preservingpocahontas.org
If you have historical records or photographs to be scanned for the county Historical Archive contact Preservation Officer B. J. Gudmundsson at 304-799-3989 or email info@pocahontaspreservation.org Prints of photographs are available.
