A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III, Part 42

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 860

USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III > Part 42

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to maturity and educated in his native county ( Madison) and in 1832 he settled on a tract of eighty acres in Montgomery county. This land was covered with heavy timber but he eventually cleared and raised it to a high state of cultivation. His first crop was corn. This he fed to hogs, which he sold for the sum of four hundred and five dollars. With this money he purchased an old negro, called Uncle Jim. Uncle Jim became so attached to his new home that he ignored his freedom after the war and continued to serve the Che- nault family with all the old-time faithfulness until his death, some years ago. Mr. Ander- son Chenault became a most successful agri- culturist, owning at one time twelve hundred acres of land. He was originally a Whig in political matters but at the time of the Civil war he became a Union man and after the close of the war, a Democrat. He had in his possession forty slaves and he believed in gradual emancipation. He was active until his death and Mrs. Chenault, in spite of her eighty-one years, is yet active. To Mr. and Mrs. Woodford were born eight children, six of whom are living, namely: Margaret C., who is the wife of William W. Gay, of Bourbon county; Thornton, who remains at home; Catesby, of Bourbon county; Che- nault, William B., and Lucy Clay, all of whom remain at the parental home.

JOHN T. MAGOWAN .- A good citizen of Kentucky and one who will long be remem- bered for his many good gifts of mind and heart, his charities and philanthropies having brought good cheer and comfort into many a narrow life, is John T. Magowan, who was born, lived and died in Mt. Sterling, the first event taking place on Independence day of the year 1834 and his demise on July 14, 1909. The name of Magowan has long been associated with the finest of Kentucky race horses, and four generations of the name, at the least, have bred splendid animals for the track.

The first of the Magowans in Kentucky was the grandfather of the gentleman whose name initiates this review, whose name was James Strode Magowan and who was born in the Old Dominion. When he came to the Blue Grass state he located near Mt. Sterling. where the fair grounds now stand, and his property comprised several thousand acres of land in this vicinity and about thirty-five thousand acres of timber land in the moun- tains of Kentucky. He was an unusually fine business man and everything which he at- tempted met with success. The breeding of race horses was both a business and a recrea- tion with him, and the noble equines which left his stables were the pride of Kentucky.

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The parents of John T. Magowan were James P. and Eliza (Banks) Magowan, whose marriage was solemnized January 30, of the year 1827. The father was born November 15, 1801, in Montgomery county, and died about 1851. The mother was born in Bath county, Kentucky, May 16, 1806, and the date of her demise was 1871. Her parents were Cuthbert and Elizabeth (McIlvaine) Banks, the former born in Virginia in 1770 and the mother in 1779, her death occurring December 5, 1848. Upon their removal to the Blue

Grass state they located at Olympia Springs, Bath county. James P. Magowan grew to manhood in Montgomery county and was identified in a prominent manner with the ag- ricultural interests of Kentucky, but he by no means confined his interests to this field of endeavor, also carrying on a large merchan- dise establishment in Mt. Sterling and like his father before him breeding a fine variety of race horses. He was prosperous above the most of his associates and at his demise left a large estate.

John T. Magowan, the immediate subject of this review, was reared upon his father's great farm and received his educational dis- cipline in the country schools, choosing as his vocation in life that of the agriculturist. The love of fine horses was innate in him and he, too, in course of time took up the breeding of race horses, their quality being second to none raised in all the state noted for its achieve- ments in this line. His name was synony- mous for all that was kind and generous. He had the divine gift of sympathy and the no- blest of human attributes, a great heart, and no one knows or will ever know the money he gave away to the needy, for he was truly un- ostentatious in his giving. He never forgot a friend if he came to need and his charities to the mountain people, whose narrow lot and destitution particularly moved him. were great indeed. No one who came to him in distress ever left empty-handed and it was no un- common thing for him to send wagon loads of provisions and clothing to the poor and needy dwelling in the mountains. He believed that since God had been good to him it was his duty to share with those who had been less fortunate, and much wealth could scarcely have been entrusted to better hands. He left a large estate and a beautiful house. the home farm, a fair and valuable tract of eight han- dred acres, being at present operated by his son. The Magowans were all Presbyterians and the family of the subject's wife was of the Christian church faith. He was one of a family of six children, of whom only one is living at the present day, Anna, widow of

James W. Brooks, of Lexington, Kentucky.

Mr. Magowan was married April 25, 1872, to Emily G. Gatewood, who was born in Montgomery county, Kentucky, the daughter of Robert Harvey and Mary (Stoner ) Gate- wood. The former was a native of Mont- gomery county, and his death occurred in 1865. The mother was born in Mad- ison county, Kentucky, in 1818, and passed on to her reward in 1879. Mrs. Ma- gowan's grandparents were James and Lucy (Steward) Gatewood, Virginians, who came to the newer state of Kentucky and were among the earliest settlers of Montgomery county. They were of Scotch-Irish descent and possessed all the sterling characteristics of that mingled nationality, among them thrift and good management, and they came to be very successful farmers. Mrs. Magowan's father for years was a deacon and elder in the Christian church.

To the union of John T. Magowan and his wife has been born two children, James R., who, as previously mentioned, operates the home estate, and Mary, who died aged twen- ty-five years. The son inherits the taste. for fine horses which for generations has charac- terized his forbears and it has been his to ex- perience the same success which attended their efforts. His penchant has been for har- ness horse racing, in which field it has been his to find many honors. He grew up a pro- ducer of fine horses, as it were having been identified with the business with which the name of Magowan is indelibly associated since his thirteenth year.

MARTIN F. COOMES, M. D. was born in Bardstown, Kentucky, October 4. 1847, and is descended from one of the pioneer families of Kentucky. He received his education at Cecilian College, near Elizabethtown, Ken- tucky, following this up with a thorough course in the Louisville Medical College, where he received his degree in medicine.

As instructor, practitioner and author he has during the years which mark the period of his professional career met with gratifying suc- cess. A close and discriminating student, he keeps abreast with everything relating to the discoveries in medical science. Progressive in his ideas and favoring modern methods as a whole, yet he does not dispense with the true and tried systems which have stood the test of years, but upon these as a basis he has made many original improvements.

He began teaching medicine in 1873, as a pro-sector and demonstrator of anatomy in the Louisville Medical College. When the Hospital College of Medicine was organized he was made assistant demonstrator of anat-

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HISTORY OF KENTUCKY AND KENTUCKIANS

omy and lecturer on ophthalmology. In

1876 he was made demonstrator of anatomy in the Hospital College of Medicine, and dis- tinguished himself in that branch of science. In 1878 he was made professor of physiology and clinical diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat in the Kentucky School of Medicine, of Louisville, which position he held contin- uously for more than thirty years. He is a generous contributor to medical periodicals, and was the editor of the American Practi- tioner and News for many years. He has always manifested a lively interest in medical societies, and is a member of the better medi- cal societies of his county and state.

The doctor is devoted to his profession, and the measure of good which he has accom- plished in the world cannot be estimated ; but all who know his history acknowledge his worth-first, in his professional capacity, then as a citizen who has contributed to the ma- terial upbuilding of the city which he adopted as his home. In the year 1886 St. Mary's College of Kentucky conferred the degree of A. M. upon him, and in the year 1903 Notre Dame University, of Indiana, conferred upon him the degree of LL. D.

EDWIN F. POAGE .- Among the representa- tive citizens of Ashland whose contribution to the growth and development of Boyd county, Kentucky, has been of definite order is Ed- win Flye Poage, president of the R. C. Poage Milling Company of Ashland. He is a native son of Ashland, where his birth occurred on the 24th of July, 1880, his parents being Ash- land and Nellie May (Flye) Poage, the for- mer of whom is deceased and the latter of whom is now a resident of California. Ash- land Poage was the first white child born in Ashland, Kentucky, his nativity having oc- curred on the day of the first sale of lots, at the time when Ashland was laid out as a vil- lage. His parents were Robert Cyrus and Anne Poage, and the former founded the mill- ing business in this city in 1865, at the close of the Civil war. It was one of the first flour mills operated by steam to be erected in this section of the state and it is still known under his name. R. C. Poage & Son continued to run this mill until the retirement of the father from active participation in business affairs, at the age of eighty-two years. He was sum- moned to the life eternal at the patriarchal age of eighty-nine years. After his death the business was continued by John Henderson for several years and in 1904 Edwin F. Poage, of this sketch, assumed charge of the affairs of the mill. of which he is now president.

Ashland Poage was reared to maturity 011 the old l'oage homestead, which is now a part

of the city of Ashland. He received a com- mon school education, which he supplemented by a course of study in the Beach Grove Acad- emy, at Ashland. At the age of eighteen years he became associated with his father in the milling business and was identified with that line of enterprise until his death, which occurred at the early age of thirty-three years. He married Nellie May Flye and they became the parents of three children: Edwin F. and Robert Cyrus, twins, and Helen Marguerite. Robert Cyrus, Jr., twin brother of hini whose name initiates this article, died in infancy. Mrs. Ashland Poage was born at New Castle, Maine, and at the time of her marriage she was visiting relatives at Ashland. She now maintains her home in the state of California and she has reached the age of fifty-two years.

Edwin Flye Poage was reared to the age of eight years in Ashland and after the death of the father Mrs. Poage returned with her children to her native state, Maine. where the son grew to manhood. He received an excel- lent academic education and after leaving school returned to Kentucky, where he as- sumed the position of bookkeeper for the Ash- land Iron & Mining Company, at Ashland, and after being thus employed for some five years he became interested with others in the purchase of the R. C. Poage Milling Com- pany, of which prominent concern he became secretary and treasurer. In 1907 he was elected president of this important corporation and as its active head he has made extensive improvements and done much to promote its progress and development. The mill has a daily capacity of one hundred and twenty-five barrels of flour, three hundred and fifty bar- rels of meal and one thousand bushels of corn. The trade extends one hundred miles into the 1

surrounding country in Kentucky and West Virginia.

On the 26th of June, 1907, was recorded the marriage of Mr. Poage to Miss Virginia McCready Savage, a native of this city and a daughter of the late Judge Samuel S. Savage, long a prominent citizen in Ashland and for several years county judge of Boyd county. Mr. and Mrs. Poage became the parents of one son, Edwin F., Jr., who died at the age of twenty-two months. Mrs. Poage was a woman of most pleasing personality and gra- cious sincerity. She died February 4, 19II.

Mr. Poage is a stalwart Republican in his political proclivities and in the Masonic Order he holds membership in the lodge, chapter and commandery of the York Rite branch, besides which he is also affiliated with the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic

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Shrine. Mrs. Poage was a devout communi- cant of the Protestant Episcopal church and her husband also attends and gives his sup- port to that institution.

JAMES HARVEY POAGE, a citizen of promi- nence in Ashland, was long identified with the industrial affairs of this place and he is now living virtually retired, spending the evening of his life in the enjoyment of former years of earnest toil and endeavor. Mr. Poage was born in what is now a part of Ashland, Boyd county, Kentucky, on the 3Ist of October, 1840. His father, Robert Cyrus Poage, was born on the same homestead as was the son, the date of his nativity being 1815. The Poage family is one of the oldest in Kentucky, settling in Boyd county at an early date, about the time of the Revolutionary war, various members of the family having given valiant service in that sanguinary struggle. As a re- ward for military service they received land grants in the Blue Grass state, coming hither from Augusta county, Virginia, and locating their land between the Big and Little Sandy rivers, a distance of about twenty miles along the Ohio river and extending back from that river a distance of about twenty-five miles. This tract included portions of what is now Boyd and Greenup counties and included the territory upon which now stand Catlettsburg, Ashland and other towns. The Poage settle- ment was one of the well known pioneer sec- tions in the early days of the country, when it was still a part of the Old Dominion com- monwealth. Here the various families of the name lived, clearing and improving their land and doing much to advance the general trend of civilization. There were no churches or schools in those days, the roads were at best merely blazed trails and the Ohio river was the principal mode of transportation. George Poage, grandfather of James H., of this re- view, grew to manhood during the pioneer days. He married Judith Blair Kemper, who was born in 1788, in Garrard county, Ken- tucky, and was identified with agricultural pursuits throughout his entire lifetime, his homestead having been a part of what is now the corporation of Ashland, where his death occurred about 1850, his wife having passed away two years previously. They became the parents of eight children, five sons and three daughters, all of whom are deceased. Of their children Robert Cyrus Poage was born on the old homestead, within the present lim- its of Ashland. He engaged in farming for a number of years but upon the organization of Ashland, in 1854, sold his farm, which was laid out in town lots. A few years prior to the Civil war he erected a flour mill, which

was not operated until after the close of the Rebellion, at which time he equipped it with machinery and conducted it with much suc- cess for a number of years. It was the first steam flour mill at Ashland and was one of the first of its kind in this section of Ken- tucky. It has been enlarged and improved in later years and is now operated by one of Mr. Poage's grandsons, the business being carried on at the present time under the name of the R. C. Poage Milling Company. Robert C. Poage married Ann Gallaher, who was born at Guyandotte, West Virginia. They became the parents of four children, one of whom died in infancy and three of whom grew to matur- ity, two still surviving-Luella Kemper and James H., both of Ashland. Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Poage were members of the Pres- byterian church, in the various departments of whose work they were most active factors. The father was summoned to eternal rest in April, 1904, at the venerable age of eighty- nine years, and the mother passed away in the following July, at the age of eighty-five years.

James H., both of Ashland. Mr. and Mrs. ity on the old homestead farm and when four- teen years of age he helped lay out lots for the establishment of the present city, receiv- ing fifty cents per day as remuneration for his services. In later years he became associated with his father in the milling business, in which enterprise they were succeeded by Ash- land Poage, a brother of the subject of this sketch, he having been born on the day the town of Ashland was organized, in 1854. After retiring from the milling business James H. Poage was for a time engaged in the trans- fer business and for several years was man- ager of wharf boats. Prior to his retirement from active participation in business affairs he was a man of utmost prominence and in- fluence in the industrial and commercial world of Ashland and Boyd county. In poli- tics he is aligned as a stalwart supporter of the cause of the Republican party and he has ever contributed in generous measure to all enterprises projected for the general welfare of the community. He and his family are devout members of the Presbyterian church, in the work of which they have been most active factors and in a fraternal way he is affil- iated with the Knights of the Maccabees.

Mr. Poage married Miss Mary C. Haskell, who was born and reared in Ohio. To this union have been born seven children, five of whom are living. Nettie is the wife of F. J. Duesler, of Ashland; Mary died in infancy ; Eveline is the wife of A. R. Lawrence, of Peru, Indiana; Louis Kemper died in infan-

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cy ; Anna married Alexander Poage; Harriet remains at the parental home; and Robert Os- born is manager of the wharf boats.

THEODORE J. SHAUT is one of the leading representatives of the business interests of Ashland, Boyd county, Kentucky, and there is in the city probably no man who has done more for the business development and sub- stantial upbuilding of this part of the state than has Mr. Shaut. He certainly deserves great credit for what he has accomplished, as he started out in life empty-handed, possessing no capital in money but having a rich store of determination, of strong purpose and integ- rity. Upon these qualities as a foundation he has constructed his success and as the archi- tect of his own fortunes has builded wisely and well. His career is certainly one worthy of emulation and he belongs to that class of representative American citizens who while promoting their individual interests have also advanced the general welfare and public prosperity.

Mr. Shaut, president of the Ashland Leath- er Company, was born at Hornell, Steuben county, New York, on the Ioth of April, 1863, and is a son of Joseph E. and Elizabeth ( Prin- dle) Shaut, the former of whom was likewise born in the old Empire state of the Union and the latter of whom was a native of Connecti- cut. The father has been extensively engaged in the tanning of leather for many years at Hornell and other New York points. He has attained to the venerable age of eighty-two years and now maintains his home in the city of Rochester, New York. His business was incorporated with the United States Leather Company several years ago and he is now liv- ing virtually retired, in the full enjoyment of former years of earnest toil and endeavor. Mrs. Shaut was summoned to the life eter- nal at the age of fifty-two years. Mr. and Mrs. Shaut became the parents of six children, four of whom are now living, Theodore J. be- ing the fifth in order of birth. He was reared in his native place to whose public schools he is indebted for his preliminary educational training. He attended a commercial college for a time and at the age of seventeen years he began to work in his father's tannery at An- dover and later at Canisteo, New York. He gained a practical knowledge of the business by early becoming cognizant with the details of the various departments, continuing to work for his father from 1880 to 1892, in which latter year he located at Zepp, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley, where he purchased a tannery in the mountains, which he operated with increasing success for the ensuing four years, his principal product having been sole

leather. In 1896 he went to Rohcester, New York, where he engaged in the trade of cut- ting sole leather. Two years later, in 1898, he established his home in Ashland, where he purchased a tannery, then one small building, working thirty hides daily. This concern has since been conducted under his general man- agement, for several years under the firm name of T. J. Shaut. In the intervening years to the present time Mr. Shaut has erected many new buildings, which he has equipped with modern machinery, and the present capacity of the plant is five hundred hides per day. He employs an average of one hundred and thirty men and the buildings now cover a tract of about three acres. In 1902 the tannery was incorporated as the Ashland Leather Company, with a capital stock of one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. Mr. Shaut is the principal owner and is pres- ident and treasurer of the company, besides which he is also general manager. L. C. Ehle is vice-president and A. F. Kruse is secretary, these men also composing the board of direct- ors. The trade extends throughout the United States and into various foreign countries, and the principle products manufactured are sole and belt leathers.

Since coming to Ashland Mr. Shaut has manifested a deep interest in all matters tend- ing to advance the general welfare. He helped organize the Citizens' Bank & Trust Com- pany, of which he has been incumbent of the office of vice-president from the time of its incorporation, and he is a valued and appre- ciative member of various prominent clubs in this section of the Blue Grass commonwealth. He is vice-president of the Ashland Business Men's Association, and the original Commer- cial Club, organized about 1900, was promot- ed by him, he having served as its president for two years. In politics he accords a stal- wart allegiance to the cause of the Republican party and he has given most efficient service as a member of the city council, in which con- nection he did much to enhance the progress and development of Ashland, having been ac- tive at the time the street paving was inaugu- rated. He has passed through the circle of York Rite Masonry, holding membership in the Lodge, Chapter, Council and Comman- dery, besides which he is also affiliated with the adjunct organization, the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.

On the 7th of January, 1886, was solem- nized the marriage of Mr. Shaut to Miss Mary E. Eason, who was born and reared in Hor- nell, New York, and who is a daughter of Smith Eason, who was formerly an extensive farmer and stockman but who is now de-

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ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Shaut have four chil- dren, namely-Edna, Paul, Guy and Aline. Mr. Shaut and family are devout members of the Presbyterian church, in the various de- partments of whose work they have been most active factors. While Mr. Shaut has not been without that honorable ambition which is so powerful and useful as an incentive to ac- tivity in public affairs, he regards the pursuits of private life as being in themselves abun- dantly worthy of commendation and of emu- lation, for along honorable and straightfor- ward lines he has won the success which has crowned his efforts and which makes him one of the substantial residents of Ashland.

CHARLES H. LEE, JR .- As cashier of the Pendleton Bank at Falmouth, Pendleton coun- ty, Mr. Lee is numbered among the able and popular representatives of financial interests in this section of his native state, and the in- stitution with which he is identified is recog- nized as one of the substantial and ably con- ducted banks of the county, basing its opera- tions upon ample capital and effective con- trol and receiving a large and representative patronage.

The Pendleton Bank represents the consol- idation, in 1897, of the Falmouth Deposit Bank, which was organized in 1876, and the Farmers' & Merchants Bank, which was or- ganized in 1890. The coalition of interests has proved altogether justified by tangible re- sults and has given to Pendleton county a solid and prosperous banking institution. At the time of the incorporation of the Pendle- ton Bank under the laws of the state, in April, 1897, the following officers were chosen: Wil- liam Gulick, president, and J. E. Bohannan and Charles H. Lee, Jr., cashiers. Later Mr. Bohannan retired from the position of cash- ier and Mr. Lee has since continued as the active office executive of the institution, of which J. W. Thompson is now president. The capital stock of the bank is fifty thou- sand, five hundred dollars ; its deposits now ag- gregate more than three hundred and twenty- five thousand dollars; its loans and discounts reach about the same figures ; its surplus fund is twenty-five thousand dollars; and it has regularly paid eight per cent. dividends to its stockholders. Under its careful and con- servative management the bank has success- fully weathered the storms of financial de- pression and panic and it has thus retained the inviolable confidence of its many appre- ciative patrons.

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A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III, Part 42

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 860

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 860