Fr. Harry Winter featured at Book Signing of Cloud of Witnesses, Kittles in Union, August 16, from Noon to 2:00 P.M.

Originally Published by the Monroe Watchman, re-posted with permission

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A book event will be held on Wednesday, August 16, 2023 from Noon-2:00 P.M. at
Kittles Hardware and Supply, Union, WV, featuring Father Harry Winter signing his
book, Cloud of Witnesses.

From 1982-91, Father Winter was pastor of St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, Union, WV;
St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Peterstown, WV; and St. John’s Chapel, Sweet Springs, WV.
During his time in Monroe County, Father Winter became interested in the historical
roots of the Lewis-Preston-Floyd Family in Sweet Springs. He discovered that Virginia’s
Governor John Floyd Jr. (1783-1837) was buried in the Lewis Family Cemetery in Sweet
Springs.

The governor’s wife, Letitia Preston Floyd, who is also buried in the cemetery next to
her husband, had no marker on her grave so with the help of local contractor Rich
Mundell, a marker was made and dedicated by the Roman Catholic Bishop Bernard
Schmitt on August. 15, 1990, with many visitors attending from Smithfield Plantation
(the Preston Family home) in Blacksburg, VA.

Letitia Floyd Lewis , daughter of Governor and Mrs. Floyd, enlarged the mansion of
Lynnside at Sweet Springs and built the historic St. John’s Chapel, across the road from
the mansion. Father Winter worked with Lynn Spellman, the last descendant of the
family living in Sweet Springs (now deceased), to restore St. John’s Chapel and have
regular services there. Currently the chapel only has services annually on August 15 on
the Feast of the Assumption.

Father Winter wrote the book Cloud of Witnesses to describe the importance of Sweet
Springs and the families of Lynnside Mansion. The short book contains many historic
photos of Sweet Springs. He hopes to enlarge the book and welcomes comments at
hewomi@aol.com.