121Thompson ELZA [aka: Elzy] moved to Randolph county from Mineral county 1844, was Captain of the militia in 1844. Thompson was married to Sarah WHITE. Their children are Solomon, Taylor, William, Sampson, Alfred, Lafayette, Joseph, Adam, Caroline.

Census: 1850 Randolph Co., WV
* Census: 1860 Randolph Co., WV
* Census: 1870 Randolph Co., WV
* Census: 1880 Randolph Co., WV

1201. Thompson Elza's father Edward Elzy and Gaurdian Levi Coberly ref." Early Orphans of Randolph Co., W.Va. from Minute Books of the County Court of Randolph Co., Va.

2. Thompson was a Pvt. in the 62nd Inf Va. Co. C. 15th Mar 1863- Present at Muster 30 April 1863.  He deserted on 12 May 1863 and took the Oath of Alllegience 10 Nov. 1863.  It seems he switched sides of the war.  He would have been about 56 years old.

3.  In 1851 Thompson was granted 390 acres on Gandy Creek Book 1 pg. 505. (According to Sims' Index to West Virginia Land Grants.)

More About THOMPSON ELZA:
Fact 1: 24 December 1821, Guardianship to Levi Coberly from Edward Elzy

Children of SARAH WHITE and THOMPSON ELZA are:
    i.    ALFRED4 ELZA.
    ii.    SAMPSON ELZA.
17.    iii.    SOLOMON ELZA, b. 1837, Randolph County, Virginia.
    iv.    WILLIAM (TIP) ELZA, b. Abt. 1838; d. Abt. 1890, Rich Mountian, Seneca Trail, West Virginia; m. ALMIRA WHITE9, 18609; b. 1840.
18.    v.    CAROLINE ELZA, b. 1839; d. Bef. 1880.
19.    vi.    LAFAYETTE ELZA, b. 1840; d. 1923, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
20.    vii.    ZACHARIAH TAYLOR ELZA, b. 1849; d. August 1929.
21.    viii.    JOSEPH SYLVESTER ELZA, b. 1852, Gandy Creek, Randolph, West Virginia; d. Abt. 1929.
22.    ix.    ADAM ELZA, b. 1854; d. Abt. 1930.


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This information pertains to my 4th great-grandfather, Thompson Elza, who was named a Justice of the Peace for Randolph County, Virginia in 1848 by the Governor of Virginia.  He also served as Captain of the Militia during the Civil War.
When a new county was organized the Governor com-
missioned a number of men to act as "Worshipful Justices."
They were not only Justices of the Peace, but were also a
board of County Commissioners. They held office for life,
except that the Governor might remove them for cause. Vac-
ancies were filled by new men recommended by the Court,
and commissioned by the Governor. The Court was there-
fore self perpetuating.

This was the law of the land until 1852. The senior Jus-
tice in point of service became Sheriff. The Justices were
selected from the influential and land owning class; they
alone were entitled to the title of "Squire" or "gentlemen."
The office often descended from father to son. To be eligible
to vote or hold office in that day, it was necessary to own a
plat of ground of 25 acres and have a house thereon of the
dimensions of 12 x 12 feet or in lieu thereof, a plat of fifty
acres of unimproved land.

 
Margaret Kerr Beckwith
Elkins, West Virginia
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/6874139/person/4397...amp;pgpl=pid%7cpgNum

121More about Sarah:
Census 1: 1860, living in Dry Fork, Randolph County, West Virginia
Census 2: 1880, Randolph County, West Virginia, Living with her son William H. age 64