BARBARA W. FLEWELLYN
Author/Historian
My Story
Barbara W. Flewellyn
A major part of planning for my retirement from 40 years in healthcare organizations was to decide on a second career. The results of my skill assessment included strength in writing, research, organization and a love of history. An ideal choice of work would be that of a historian, specifically in genealogical venues. I retired in 2006, did a bit of world travel with my husband Thomas and then I enrolled in graphic arts courses at the local community college to gain skills using the IMAC and Adobe software. At the same time, I signed up for classes in genealogy within the community and joined local and state genealogy societies.
A year later, I felt ready to put my newly acquired skills to work beginning with researching and writing my own family history. This effort resulted in my first book, Jake Williams and his Descendants ~ Marengo County Alabama. The response from the 100 new relatives that I found during my research and travels was heartwarming. Each family planned to use my book as their only Christmas gift to other relatives and close friends because “they felt there could be nothing more valuable.” Embolden by this response, I followed that book with two other family histories and my first community history: The Howards and The Hughes of Marengo County Alabama & Escambia County Florida in 2010; The Searcy’s and The Flewellens of Monroe & Bibb Counties, Georgia in 2012; and The African American Community of Carolina, Marion County West Virginia in 2013.
My book signings and public speaking about my work led to others requesting that I assist them and/or write their histories. The three books that I have written for others have been most rewarding, each in a different way. The story of Helen Turner- Thompson, In His Presence, A Memoir in Traditional Gospel Music (2014), describes the most thorough history of African American churches in Cleveland, Ohio to date. Turner-Thompson a well known gospel musician around the world and a member of the History Makers Association had great success with her book.
The book of poems, My Mind in Rhyme (2015) by Dorohn Frazier in Tallahassee, Florida was indeed a work of love. Frazier, who happens to be my grandson, suffered a severe fall while in college leaving him a quadriplegic. His determination to remain whole was evident by his return to college where he earned a BS and a MBA and later secured a job in a law firm. Along the way he continued his penchant for writing poems. They are powerful in displaying his keen observations about people, politics, and God. It was a joy for each of us to have those poems published.
The memoir by David Namkoong, From Chosun to Freedom: Trek of the Namkoongs (2016) relates the history of his family from his grandfather Eok, interpreter of the king during the last dynasty in Korea, the immigration of his father to the U.S., to the life of he and his two siblings in New York. Namkoong, a retired aerospace engineer from NASA in Cleveland, Ohio, not only wanted his book published but translated and sent to Korea for distribution. As fate would have it, his book was chosen as a gift to the Korea delegation visiting West Virginia University in Morgantown in 2018. Namkoong died in May 2019 at the age of 92. It was my honor to speak at his funeral and share the tale of our partnership in documenting his history.
My hope is that others will be inspired, by these books along with this biography of Icabod Flewellen, to share the richness of their culture through storytelling.
Barbara W. Flewellyn
A major part of planning for my retirement from 40 years in healthcare organizations was to decide on a second career. The results of my skill assessment included strength in writing, research, organization and a love of history. An ideal choice of work would be that of a historian, specifically in genealogical venues. I retired in 2006, did a bit of world travel with my husband Thomas and then I enrolled in graphic arts courses at the local community college to gain skills using the IMAC and Adobe software. At the same time, I signed up for classes in genealogy within the community and joined local and state genealogy societies.
A year later, I felt ready to put my newly acquired skills to work beginning with researching and writing my own family history. This effort resulted in my first book, Jake Williams and his Descendants ~ Marengo County Alabama. The response from the 100 new relatives that I found during my research and travels was heartwarming. Each family planned to use my book as their only Christmas gift to other relatives and close friends because “they felt there could be nothing more valuable.” Embolden by this response, I followed that book with two other family histories and my first community history: The Howards and The Hughes of Marengo County Alabama & Escambia County Florida in 2010; The Searcy’s and The Flewellens of Monroe & Bibb Counties, Georgia in 2012; and The African American Community of Carolina, Marion County West Virginia in 2013.
My book signings and public speaking about my work led to others requesting that I assist them and/or write their histories. The three books that I have written for others have been most rewarding, each in a different way. The story of Helen Turner- Thompson, In His Presence, A Memoir in Traditional Gospel Music (2014), describes the most thorough history of African American churches in Cleveland, Ohio to date. Turner-Thompson a well known gospel musician around the world and a member of the History Makers Association had great success with her book.
The book of poems, My Mind in Rhyme (2015) by Dorohn Frazier in Tallahassee, Florida was indeed a work of love. Frazier, who happens to be my grandson, suffered a severe fall while in college leaving him a quadriplegic. His determination to remain whole was evident by his return to college where he earned a BS and a MBA and later secured a job in a law firm. Along the way he continued his penchant for writing poems. They are powerful in displaying his keen observations about people, politics, and God. It was a joy for each of us to have those poems published.
The memoir by David Namkoong, From Chosun to Freedom: Trek of the Namkoongs (2016) relates the history of his family from his grandfather Eok, interpreter of the king during the last dynasty in Korea, the immigration of his father to the U.S., to the life of he and his two siblings in New York. Namkoong, a retired aerospace engineer from NASA in Cleveland, Ohio, not only wanted his book published but translated and sent to Korea for distribution. As fate would have it, his book was chosen as a gift to the Korea delegation visiting West Virginia University in Morgantown in 2018. Namkoong died in May 2019 at the age of 92. It was my honor to speak at his funeral and share the tale of our partnership in documenting his history.
My hope is that others will be inspired, by these books along with this biography of Icabod Flewellen, to share the richness of their culture through storytelling.
What Are People Saying?
"Wow! I'm learning so much about my uncle.
This is an enjoyable read"
This is an enjoyable read"
- Kim Barnes
A Must Read. This history of St. Mary’s School of Nursing is a treasure, which gives the reader a look at the early beginnings and success of the school opened by the
Sisters of St. Joseph in 1905. It includes stories of students and their accomplishments and interviews of graduates—relating the impact of the school on their personal and professional lives. The author, also a graduate, has firsthand knowledge of life as a nursing student. Though research she gained knowledge of programs and events provided for the 690 students over the 64 years of the school’s existence.
—Mary Palmer, CSJ
Archivist, Congregation of St. Joseph, Wheeling, WV
This is a delightful eye–opening account of the history of nursing, specifically, St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Clarksburg. As a nursing diploma graduate myself and in light of our current pandemic, I found this book very uplifting and encouraging. Being aware of what those nurses faced in the past gives me great hope for the future.
—Kathy L. Stahl, MBA, MSN, RN
Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer
Wheeling Hospital, Wheeling, WV
A glimpse of health care in rural West Virginia from the turn of the 20th century until the late 1960s influenced by the determined and courageous nuns, nurses and doctors. It helps us to understand the progress we have made over the years. Of particular note are the stories of a determined nun who stood up to discriminatory practices and a child born with multiple health problems, who was raised by one of the St. Mary’s nurses—reflecting a core value of ‘caring’ taught by the Sisters and practiced by the graduates of St. Mary’s.
—Michael C. Tillman, MBA, MS
President & Chief Executive Officer
United Hospital Center Inc., Bridgeport, WV
Sisters of St. Joseph in 1905. It includes stories of students and their accomplishments and interviews of graduates—relating the impact of the school on their personal and professional lives. The author, also a graduate, has firsthand knowledge of life as a nursing student. Though research she gained knowledge of programs and events provided for the 690 students over the 64 years of the school’s existence.
—Mary Palmer, CSJ
Archivist, Congregation of St. Joseph, Wheeling, WV
This is a delightful eye–opening account of the history of nursing, specifically, St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Clarksburg. As a nursing diploma graduate myself and in light of our current pandemic, I found this book very uplifting and encouraging. Being aware of what those nurses faced in the past gives me great hope for the future.
—Kathy L. Stahl, MBA, MSN, RN
Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer
Wheeling Hospital, Wheeling, WV
A glimpse of health care in rural West Virginia from the turn of the 20th century until the late 1960s influenced by the determined and courageous nuns, nurses and doctors. It helps us to understand the progress we have made over the years. Of particular note are the stories of a determined nun who stood up to discriminatory practices and a child born with multiple health problems, who was raised by one of the St. Mary’s nurses—reflecting a core value of ‘caring’ taught by the Sisters and practiced by the graduates of St. Mary’s.
—Michael C. Tillman, MBA, MS
President & Chief Executive Officer
United Hospital Center Inc., Bridgeport, WV
