History of the Upper Ohio Valley, with family history and biographical sketches, a statement of its resources, industrial growth and commercial advantages, Vol. I, Part 46

Author:
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Madison, Wis. : Brant & Fuller
Number of Pages: 842

USA > Ohio > History of the Upper Ohio Valley, with family history and biographical sketches, a statement of its resources, industrial growth and commercial advantages, Vol. I > Part 46

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Rev. James Thomas McClure, D. D., an able divine who has for forty years held the pastorate of the United Presbyterian church of Wheeling, was born near Pittsburgh, July 19, 1822. His parents, Daniel and Hannah (McFarlane) McClure, were both natives of Al- legheny county, Penn., the former being a son of William and Elizabeth (Holliday) McClure, and the wife, a daughter of Andrew and Mar- garet (Lewis) McFarlane. Both of the grandfathers were born in Ireland, of Scotch-Irish families. Daniel and Hannah McClure were married in their native county August 11, 1808, and six children were born to them, of whom the only survivor is the subject of this sketch.

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The father died June 6, 1823, and the mother March 24, 1846. James Thomas McClure gained the rudiments of his education in a district school; and then at the age of fifteen years, began teaching in similar schools, and for five years, when not employed on the farm of his parents, was busied in the school room. In the spring of 1845 he en- tered the senior class of the Pittsburgh college, and being graduated in July, 1846, he soon afterward entered the Theological seminary of the Associated Reformed (now the United Presbyterian) church at Allegheny City, and attended three sessions. He was licensed to preach about April 1, 1849, and during that year traveled four months as a missionary in western Pennsylvania, and attended one session of the Theological seminary at Due West, S. C., the following winter. While there, he was called by the Associated Reformed church of Wheeling, and this call he accepted April 16, 1850, and was installed May 28th following. He first occupied the pulpit of the congregation as pastor, to which he has since ministered, on the second Sunday of March, 1850, and the subsequent period of his pastorate, which has been longer than that of any other minister in Wheeling, has been one characterized by kind relations and hearty co-operation on the part of minister and congregation. Thechurch has notably prospered and its pulpit has been one of the most influential in the city. During this period, Dr. McClure has taken into the church nearly 1,000 peo- ple, and has married 309 couples. Being equipped with a good classi- cal education at the beginning of his ministry. Dr. McClure has been a close student and has made himself familiar with literary and scien- tific advancement. The important questions of the day have called forth from him valuable contributions to literature, articles for the press, and a well-known volume, entitled "Science and the Bible." For more than thirty years also, he has served as director of the Theological seminary of Allegheny City. The degree of D. D. was conferred upon him by Westminster college, of Pennsylvania. Dr. McClure was married March 28, 1850, to Helen Wall, of Pittsburgh, daughter of William and Lucy Wall, natives of England. They have had eight children, of whom the following survive: Helen Wall; James Hunter, wholesale grocer; Lucy, wife of W. J. W. Cowden; Robert Bruce, clerk in the Exchange bank; Zoe, and John H. Mc- Clure, D. D. S.

W. O. Mccluskey, the leading wholesale oyster merchant of Wheel- ing, is one of the enterprising young business men of the upper Ohio region. He was born at Wheeling, March 21, 1855, a son of James and Letitia (Reid) Mccluskey. The former was a native of Ireland, ot Scotch parentage, and the latter was born in Ireland also. The family came to the United States during the twenties, and at first re- sided for a few years in New Jersey, removing from there to Bridge- port, Ohio, and thence in 1828, to Wheeling, where the elder McClus- key entered the wholesale grocery house of Knox & McKee. He was so engaged for a few years, but was afterward in the employ of Paxton, Donlon & Oglebay and their successors. After a residence in Wheeling of fifty years he died in 1878, having witnessed the

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growth of the city from its humble beginning. His widow is still a resident of the city in which she and her husband were pioneers, and has attained the age of seventy-seven years. Dr. John McCluskey, a pioneer Presbyterian minister, was a brother of James McCluskey, and to that church the latter and his wife were also prominent ad- herents. Of the five children of these parents, three are living. Their son, W. O. Mccluskey, was brought up in this city, was edu- cated in the public schools, and afterward in 1869 took a course in the commercial college of Prof. Duff, at Pittsburgh. In 1870, at the early age of fifteen years, he began his business career by engaging in the grocery and produce business at North Wheeling. After three years in that business, he was in the employ of his brother John, who was engaged in the oyster business. A year later he established his pres- ent business in the McLure House block, where he is still doing a prosperous business, handling oysters exclusively during the season for that delicacy, and during the summer months doing a fruit and berry commission business, and in both lines controlling the bulk of the trade of the city. Mr. Mccluskey is a member of Welcome lodge, No. 6, A. O. U. W. He was married in 1874, to Ella B., daughter of Hans W. and Elizabeth (Zane) Phillips. To this union two sons have been born.

M. J. McFadden, who occupies a high rank among the young busi- ness men of Wheeling, was born in Armstrong county, Penn., Febru- ary 10, 1860. When twelve years of age, his parents removed to Pittsburgh, and he, accompanying them, was soon initiated to his career as a business man, as clerk in a gentleman's furnishing store. Beginning that employment in 1876 he was so engaged until 1883 at Pittsburgh, and in the latter year removed to Wheeling and opened a furnishing store. He added hats and caps to his stock in March, 1889, and is now the proprietor of the largest establishment of the kind in the city, occupying two store rooms at 1320 and 1322 Market street. His business capacity and unfailing enterprise have given him an enviable place among the active young men of the city. He was married, October 31, 1883, to Stella Brennan, of Youngstown, Ohio, and they have two children.

Harlan P. McGregor, one of the leading business men of Wheel- ing, manager of the wholesale and retail glass and china-ware house of Barnes & McGregor, was born in Ritchie county, W. Va., then Wood county, Va., January 17, 1845. He is a son of William Mc- Gregor, a prominent early settler and land holder in West Virginia. The latter was born at Philadelphia, in 1818, the son of John Mc- Gregor, a native of the north of Scotland, and a descendant of Rob Roy. John McGregor was married in Scotland. He was a promi- nent Mason in Scotland and Knight Templar. William McGregor left his home at Philadelphia in 1838 or about that year, and removed to what was then Wood county, Va., and purchased 4,000 acres of good farming land at 17 cents per acre, the tract being a part of the Washington survey. An old tax receipt given by the sheriff of Wood county, now in the possession of H. P. McGregor, accounts

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for taxes on a few articles of personal property at $1.48, and on the entire tract of 4,000 acres of land at the total sum of 40 cents. Now, the portion of the land on which William McGregor resides has a selling price of $100 per acre. The senior McGregor was married to Elizabeth Hall, a lady of Virginia birth and English descent, and she is also living. Their son, H. P. McGregor, passed his early days on the farm, and received a common school education, which was sup- plemented with a course at the Baltimore commercial college during the war period. Toward the close of that struggle, in 1864, he served a few months in the West Virginia militia, and when the war was over, he opened a general store at Cairo, W. Va., which he conducted until 1870, when he was elected clerk of the board of supervisors of Ritchie county. In the spring of 1872 he removed from Cario to Wheeling, and took a position as traveling salesman for the wholesale queensware house of Barnes & Walton. This place he held for eleven years, and meanwhile the firm was changed from. Barnes & Walton to Thomas Walton & Co., the associate of Mr. Walton be- ing the subject of this sketch. Mr. McGregor was also the partner in the firm of James F. Barnes & Co., which succeeded the firm just named in 1877, and on February 29, 1889, the firm of Barnes & Mc- Gregor succeeded to the business. Mr. Barnes had died in 1888, and the estate of that gentleman and Mr. McGregor had conducted the business, with Mr. McGregor in charge, until the formation of the new firm. Mr. McGregor is also a stockholder in the Peabody and Fire & Marine Insurance companies. He has also taken a worthy and prominent part in public affairs. He was elected to the first branch of the city council in 1884 from the Seventh ward, and in 1886 was elected a member of the board of commissioners of Ohio county, from the Madison district, and re-elected in 1888. He was one of the organizers of the Union building and loan association in April, 1889, and is secretary of the same. He was made a Master Mason in Mt. Olivet lodge, No. 3, of Parkersburg, in 1886, and is now a member of Ohio lodge, No. I, of Wheeling consistory, No. 1, S. R. M., and has been secretary of the same since its organization in 1886. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Mc- Gregor was married in December, 1872, to Lucy Boggs, a daughter of James Baggs, deceased, who was for many years superintendent of the water works of Wheeling.

John McKee, an old and estimable citizen of Wheeling, was born in Townland of Glastry, county Down, Ireland, July 28, 1824. He is the son of Hugh McKee, who died July 15, 1829. His mother's maiden name was Mary McCormick. Their four children were Samuel, Da- vid A., John and William H. Samuel, the eldest, a jeweler by trade, came to America in 1850 and settled in New York, where he died. David A. emigrated in the spring of the same year, settled first at Steubenville, Ohio, then resided at Wheeling for some time, and is now engaged in the grocery business at ÆEtnaville, Ohio. William H., the youngest, went to sea in 1847, under Capt. Herron, and was not heard of until long afterward when it was discovered that after sur-

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viving an attack of fever at Quebec, he made a trip to Montreal, and returning to the former place, was caught between two vessels and killed. John McKee, the subject of this mention, in his youth worked at clock making and gunsmith work with his brother Samuel, and in March, 1850, was married t. Margaret Kerr, in his native land. In the fall of the same year he and wife, her brother and his mother and brother Samuel came to America, and he settled at Pittsburgh, where he remained sixteen years, being employed during most of that time, with James McCuly & Co., wholesale grocers and flour dealers. Coming to Wheeling in 1866, he embarked in the grocery business at once, and has since that date occupied a creditable po- sition among the enterprising business men of the city. He first succeeded Daniel Tharp in business at No. 113 Clay, now 63-65 Eighteenth street, and in March, 1873, he removed to 59 Clay, now 50 and 52 Eighteenth, where he bought the old Baptist church and fitted it up as a store and dwelling at a total cost of $6,296.78. By his marriage above mentioned, Mr. McKee had nine children: Will- iam A. (deceased), Maggie (deceased), David John, head book-keeper for the Wheeling Pottery Co .; James K. (deceased), Samuel K., gen- eral secretary of the Y. M. C. A., at East Saginaw, Mich .; James B., was traveling salesman for Simon Baer's Sons for several years, and on March 1, 1890, bought the wholesale and retail cigar parlors 1209 Market street, opposite McLure House, where he is doing business on a large scale in his line of goods; Andrew K., in the produce house of Isham & Bigby, Philadelphia; William C., a student in the Y. M. C. A. training school at Springfield, Mass. The mother of these died February 20, 1872, and on June 3, 1875, he was married to Mrs. Rachel (McNabb) Shaw, by whom he has one child, Earl R. M. Mr. McKee is a member of the board of deacons of the Second Presby- terian church, and in politics is a republican.

- James B. McKee, the proprietor of the largest and finest retail cigar business in Wheeling, was born in Pittsburgh, Penn., November 25, 1863. He is the son of John McKee, a sketch of whom appears else- where in this work. Mr. McKee was educated at the Wheeling pub- lic schools and at Frazier's Business college. After leaving school he was employed as a clerk in his father's grocery store for several years, after which he clerked for his brother in his extensive grocery establishment on Wheeling Island. When the Wheeling Bakery company was formed, Mr. McKee accepted the position of book- keeper for that concern, and remained with them in this capacity for some time, afterward representing them as a traveling salesman. In July, 1883, he took a position in the wholesale grocery house of Simon Baer's Sons, and traveled for them until the Ist of March, 1890. At this time Mr. McKee bought the business then conducted by Emanuel Levi. Since his purchase of this business he has enlarged the trade to a considerable extent, and beside the retail department now does an extensive wholesale and jobbing business in cigars. He is recog- nized as one of the thoroughly reliable, enterprising young business men of Wheeling, and it is safe to predict for him a bright and suc-

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cessful business career. Mr. McKee is an earnest member of the Second Presbyterian church, of Wheeling, and also a member of the Order of American Mechanics, and of the Travelers' Protective asso- ciation.

Samuel B. McKee, a leading retail grocer of Wheeling, is a native of that city, born January 25, 1858, the son of David A. and Mary (Nicholson) McKee, of Ætnaville, Ohio. He has passed his life at this city, where he received his education, and early in youth began a business career as a clerk in a grocery store, adopting at the outset that branch of business in which he has achieved an honorable and noteworthy success, though still one of the young men of the city. Mr. McKee began in business for himself in 1884, succeeding his father as proprietor of the store at No. 2227, Market street. Since then he has continued at the same place, which is the favorite with a large number of customers. Mr. McKee was married April 10, 1884, to Mary J., daughter of Alexander Cunningham, of St. Clairsville, Ohio, and they have two children, Sarah Blair and David A. He and wife are members of the United Presbyterian church.

R. O. McMaster, M. D., has been engaged in the practice of medi- cine in Wheeling since 1883, and has had notable success, especially in those specialties of the profession to which he has devoted his energies. He is a son of Robert McMaster, who was born near Gettysburg, Penn., August 10, 1793, the son of a native of the north of Ireland, of Scotch-Irish family. Robert McMaster was married March 8, 1813, to Sarah Meek, and in 1817, they removed to Belmont county, Ohio, and settled upon a farm. He was prominent among the early settlers, and was an associate judge of his county for a num- ber of years. By the marriage mentioned he had several children, three sons and two daughters of whom survive. His first wife died February 25, 1850, and on April 12, 1851, he was married to Mary A. Rankin, who was born at Harper's Ferry, Va., August 11, 18II. The father died May 30, 1874, and his widow passed away April 28, 1887, leaving one son, the subject of this mention. The latter was born January 5, 1852, and passed his boyhood on the farm in Belmont county. He studied in the common schools and then graduated from the high school of Newark in 1869. Subsequently he turned his at- tention to medicine and studied during two years that he was engaged in teaching school. After reading one year with Dr. William Piper, at Glencoe, Ohio, he entered Starling Medical college, at Columbus, Ohio, where he was graduated in 1875. He began the practice of this pro- fession in association with Dr. Piper, but after one year settled at New Athens, Ohio, where he was engaged in the practice five years. He then took special courses of study at New York during a year and a half, and in December, 1883, made his home at Wheeling. In 1885 he established a hospital for the treatment of his patients. He is a member of the County Medical society, and he and wife are members of the First Presbyterian church. Dr. McMaster was married Sep- tember 5, 1876, to Ella, daughter of Thomas Ault, of Bellaire, and they have two children: Mamie and Thomas Austin.

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Hon. Frank P. McNell, one of the leading younger members of the bar of Wheeling, was born at Cumberland, Md., March 26, 1854. He is the son of John \V. and Caroline M. (Bell) McNell, the former of whom was born at Baltimore in 1808, and the latter at Cumberland, Md., in 1818. They removed to Wheeling in 1854, and resided here during the remainder of their lives, both passing away in 1876. Five chil- dren were born to them, of whom three survive, Mrs. E. A. Adams, Mrs. L. B. Nobie, and the subject of this mention. Frank P. McNell being brought by his parents to Wheeling soon after his birth, was reared here, and received his early education in the schools of the city. He also attended a classical school in the city, and subsequently - pursued a collegiate course at Bethany college, where he was gradu- ated in 1874. He early manifested an inclination for the legal pro- fession, and as soon as he had completed his college course he took up the study of law. In 1876 he was admitted to the bar, and he at once entered upon the practice of his profession, in which he attained a creditable position among the younger attorneys at Wheeling. In ISSI he accepted the nomination of the democratic party for the office of representative in the general assembly of West Virginia, and was elected, and served in the sessions of ISSI with credit to himself and constituents. Gov. Matthews appointed him a member of his staff, with the rank of colonel. Having always taken an active inter- est in the cause of education, and being a friend of the public school system, Mr. McNell was honored in 1887 by appointment as a mem- ber of the board of regents of the State Normal school, from the First congressional district, a position he holds at the present time. Mr. McNell was married in ISSo, to Mary R., daughter of Samuel H. Greer, deceased, of Wheeling, and to their union, one son, Allyn, has been born.

Lucian. Mahone is a well-known contractor of Wheeling, W. Va. His parents both came of old Virginia stock, W. H. and Mary (Lips- comb) Mahone. Their fathers came to Virginia in Washington's time, and their son, Lucian, was born in Williamsburgh, James City county, Va., on the 13th day of August, 1835. His early education was derived from the schools of his native city. In the year 1855 he went to Racine, Wis., where he assisted in establishing a sash and door factory, operating a lumber yard at the same time. Remaining there but two years he removed to Wheeling W. Va., where he has since resided. Here he held the position of foreman in the planing- mill owned by Armstrong, Coen & Co., until 1885. Since that time Mr. Mahone has been in the contracting business, having built up a very lucrative business by means of energy, and uprightness in his deal- ings with all men. On September 17, 1868, he was joined in wedlock to Miss Rebecca Corbitt, a daughter of Robert S. and Mary (Parker) Corbitt, of Waverly, W. Va. Three boys and three girls are the fruit of this union: Albert S., Laura, Robert C., Lucian B., Mary C., and Emma C., all of whom are living. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mahone are active, consistent members of the Presbyterian church. The republi- can party numbers Mr. Mahone among its staunchest upholders.

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james C. Mansbarger, who was born at Wheeling, November 17, IS48, is now a well-known citizen of his native place, and prominent in business as a member of the firm of Mansbarger, Lots & McKowan, plumbers and gas fitters. He is the son of Samuel K. Mansbarger, who was born in York county, Penn., in ISII, and came to Wheeling soon after 1830. He was occupied as a mechanical engineer during a long and active career here, during which he gained the esteem of the community, but since 1888, he has been retired from business, and living with his son at Martin's Ferry. His wife, Nancy Reed, a native of Greene county, Penn., was born in ISII, and also survives. Of their seven children, six are living. The subject of this mention be- gan learning the trade of plumbing at the age of fourteen years, serv- ing an apprenticeship to William Hare, of Wheeling, and working two years longer at Steubenville for F. A. Hare. He then spent two years with Trimble & Hornbrook, then four years at Canton, Ohio, and was subsequently associated with William Hare, at Wheeling, un- til in June, 1886, he formed his present partnership with Joseph Lotz and Charles R. McKowan, a firm which is doing a prosperous busi- ness at No. 37 Twelfth street. Mr. Mansbarger is a member of the Wheeling lodge, F. & A. M., and the A. O. U. W., and his wife is a member of the United Presbyterian church. Mr. Mansbarger was married in 1886, to Lizzie, daughter of Mary Evans, of Evansville, W. Va., and they have one son, John E.

Thomas E. Marker, a well-known young citizen who fills the posi- tion of water rents assessor, was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, Sep- tember 23, 1862. His father, Isaiah Marker, a native of Ohio also, was the son of parents who emigrated from Pennsylvania at an early date in the period of settlement. Isaiah, who was a farmer by occu- pation, was married to Rebecca Arnold, also a native of Ohio. He died in 1866 and the mother in January, 188S. Their two children, Thomas E., and Daniel E., both survive. Thomas E., the subject of this mention, was reared upon his father's farm and received a com- mon school education. At the age of sixteen years he started out, and after sojourns at Carrollton and Canton, returned to Richmond, Jefferson county, and thence came to Wheeling in February, ISSO, where he took the position of night clerk at the St. James, now the Windsor Hotel. In February, 1885, Mr. Marker was appointed as- sessor of water rents in the city water office, to which position he was re-appointed in ISS7 and IS89. Mr. Marker was married in October, 1884, to Katie, daughter of Nicholas Riester, manager of the Belmont mills. To this union two children have been born.

Dr. Charles E. Mason, deserving of special mention among the dentists of Wheeling, was born and reared in Portage county, Ohio, where his parents are still living, honored and respected by the com- munity. The father, Lewis B. Mason, now a stock-dealer by occupa- tion, was married to Myra M. Lewis, and to them their son Charles E. was born, April 23, 1856. Dr. Mason was educated at the Hiram college, at Mentor, Ohio, where he was graduated in 1873. He then selected dentistry as his profession, and began its study with J. W. Snyder,

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one of the most eminent dentists of Ohio, who resided at Alliance. After two years' study and practice with this preceptor, Dr. Mason went, in 1875, to Columbiana, Ohio, where he practiced for a year and a half, then entering the New York School of Dentistry, where he remained one year. Then returning to Columbiana, he took charge of a practice. In 1879 he was graduated by the Philadelphia Dental college, and while in that city he also took a course in medicine at Jefferson Medi- cal college. In the spring of ISS5 he began a practice at Pittsburgh, which occupied him over two years, after which he returned to his Por- tage county home. He began his residence at Wheeling in the spring of 1884, beginning at the same time hissuccessful practice here, which in spite of the crowded condition of his profession at the beginning of his practice, has been most successful, giving him a leading position among the dentists of the city. In the spring of 1888, Dr. Mason engaged in the drug business, he in partnership with Henry Soneborn, establishing the McLure House pharmacy. The doctor is a member of the First Presbyterian church, and is a prominent Mason, being connected with Bates lodge, Salem chapter, of Ohio, and Cyrene commandery, K. T.

Mifflin Marsh, a venerable and highly esteemed citizen of Wheel- ing, has; for half a century been connected with the tobacco manufac- ture which has contributed in so large a degree to the prosperity of that city. He is descended from an Irish family, and his grandfather was the first of the family to come to America. His father, William, who became one of the pioneers of Jefferson county, Ohio, was born near York Springs, Penn., and he was married to Ann, a daughter of John Naylor, of the neighborhood of William Marsh's native place. To them were born nine children, of whom Mary, John, Margaret, Susan, Isaac, and William are deceased; and Ann, of St. Louis, Mo., Elizabeth, and the subject of this mention, are living. The parents were members of the Society of Friends. Mifflin Marsh was born at Smithfield, the Ohio home of his parents, in ISIS, and in IS31 he removed with his family to Wheeling. Here he learned the cigar- maker's trade in his youth, and in IS40 he opened a business of his own - a cigar factory on Quincy street, between Market and Main. About the year 1859, he removed to his present location, and nine years latter formed the firm of M. Marsh & Son, by the admission of his son William M. Mr. Marsh was married in IS41 to Rachel Robin- son, a native of Jefferson county, Ohio. She died in 1851, leaving five children, four of whom are living: John, William, Amanda and Ann. In 1852, Mr. Marsh was married to Lucetta Tolliver, and they have one daughter, Margaret. William M. Marsh, who has been mentioned as the business associate of his father in their prosperous establishment, was born in Wheeling, February 19, 1841. Learning the trade of cigar making with his father when a boy, he has always followed that business, and as manager contributes much to the suc- cess of Marsh & Son. He was married in 1862 to Louise Wurst, and they have four children: Settie, Bessie Jessie and Lettie. Mr. Marsh has taken an active part in public affairs, and is serving as a represen-

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History of the Upper Ohio Valley, with family history and biographical sketches, a statement of its resources, industrial growth and commercial advantages, Vol. I, Part 46

Author: Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Madison, Wis. : Brant & Fuller Number of Pages: 842

Author:
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Madison, Wis. : Brant & Fuller
Number of Pages: 842