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 50
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OHIO COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
has been exceptionally satisfactory to his employed labor. He aided materially in the construction of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis, and Cleveland, Lorain & Wheeling railways to Wheeling. Mr. Pollack is in no sense a politician. It was therefore with reluct- tance that he accepted the honor of a unanimous nomination for the position of an elector-at-large on the Harrison and Morton presiden- tial ticket for West Virginia, and contributed materially to the suc- cess of the campaign of 1888. His speeches in favor of a tariff for protection to American labor were of a high order of merit and were well received by his fellow-citizens. No man in all West Virginia commands higher respect both from business associates and the work- ing class, and no lingering prejudice overshadows his confidence in the promise and dignity of progressive tolerance.
Ephraim Pollock was one of the pioneers of Ohio county. As early as 1792 he came to America from Donegal, Ireland, and settled in Chester county, Penn. His wife and two children remained in the old country until two years later, when he sent for them and brought them over, the trip occupying in that period of slow navigation, ninety days. Ephraim Pollock removed with his family to Ohio county about 1804, and bought fifty acres of land from one Shepherd, on the hills near the present city of Wheeling. Here the old gentleman set- tled and followed farming until his death, which occurred about 1818. His wife survived him about ten years. To these parents two chil- dren were born in Ireland, Stephen and Mary, and in this country, Thomas, Jane, Hamilton, Ephriam and Letitia. These children are prominent in the history of the city. About the year 1825 Stephen and Thomas Pollock, and John Scott, established a foundry at Wheel- ing, which they operated for three or four years, when Thomas Pol- lock and Mr. Scott sold their interests to Stephen Pollock, who conducted the business alone for several years. In 1833 Thomas again joined him in the enterprise, but withdrew in the following year and engaged in farming in the Wells neighborhood, in Marshall county. In 1836 Thomas and Ephraim purchased the foundry, and Stephen settled on a farm in West Virginia, about fourteen miles be- low Gallipolis, Ohio, where he died about 1865. Ephraim subse- quently engaged in the boot and shoe business, but afterward retired from that and entered the wholesale grocery business. In 1852 he removed to New York city, and carried on business there with his residence at Jersey City. 'He died in 1867. Hamilton Pollock was also engaged in the boot and shoe trade at Wheeling. He died in . 1850. Thomas Pollock learned the trade of a tailor, and followed that, traveling from place to place, for a number of years. About 1820 he opened a shop at Wheeling. Five years later he engaged in the shoe business. In 1833 he re-entered the foundry business for a year, and subsequently located on a farm in the Wells neighborhood. In 1864 he returned to Wheeling, and there died in December, 1873, at the age of eighty years. He was married to Emily, daughter of William Fairchild, a pioneer of Wheeling. She was born at Newtown, Conn., in July, 1804, and died in March, 1889. To this union nine 26-A.
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children were born, five of whom survive: Mortimer; Mrs. Jacob Anshurtz, of Philadelphia; Mrs. Bernard Peters, editor of the Brook- lyn, N. Y., Times; Julius, of Wheeling, and Mrs. J. B. Taney, of Wheeling. Mortimer Pollock, son of the above, was born at Wheel- ing, February 12, 1822. He was reared in the city up to his twelfth year, when he removed to the farm and remained there until 1839, when he returned to Wheeling, and was engaged for two years in a shoe store. In 1841 his father and others erected a flouring-mill at the mouth of Sunfish creek, where the town of Clarington now stands, the latter having been laid out by Thomas Pollock subsequently. In 1842 Mortimer was sent to this place and became a clerk in the store, which was run in connection with the mill. He remained there until 1864, in which year he and his brother, Julius, erected and established the Pacific Flouring mills at Wheeling, the most extensive concern of the kind in this part of the country, having a capacity of 200 barrels per day. The roller process was introduced in the mill in 1882. Mortimer Pollock, in addition to the development of his business, has been public spirited and enterprising, and is a popular citizen. In 1866 he was elected a member of the city council from a republican ward, though he is a democrat, and continued to hold the office until 1872. He was married in 1850 to Mary J. Thomas, of Clarington, who died in June, 1854. In September, 1855, he was married to Helen Kimball, of Rome, N. Y., who died in October, 1856, leaving one son, Ernest, who was born in June, 1856. In 1857, Mr. Pollock was mar- ried to Amanda F. Smith, of Cincinnati, who died in 1884, leaving a daughter, now Mrs. John Dunlap, of Brooklyn, N. Y. January 4, 1887, he was married to Ophelia C. Smith, of Wellsbottom, Marshall county. Julius Pollock, the other surviving son of Thomas Pollock, was born in Marshall county, W. Va., December 11, 1834. He was reared in West Virginia and educated in Bethany college. From 1860 to 1863 he was engaged in his father's mill at Clarington, and subsequently came to Wheeling, and formed a partnership as has been stated, with his brother in the establishment of the Pacific mills. This firm is still in operation, under the firm name of M. & J. Pollock. Mr. Pollock is interested also in other enterprises of importance, is a director of the Wheeling Storage and Ice company, and is a stock- holder in the Ohio Valley National bank, the Belmont Bridge com- pany, and the Fire and Marine Insurance company. In 1878 he was elected to represent the Third ward in the city council for four years, and he is now serving in the same position. Mr. Pollock was mar- ried in 1877 to Mary A. Ray, of Burlington, Iowa, and they have three children.
Isaac D. Prager, a prominent merchant of Wheeling, W. Va., is a grandson of John Prager, who came to America from Amsterdam about 1797, accompanied by his brothers, Mark and Levi. They set- tled at Philadelphia and engaged extensively in foreign trade, export- ing and importing vast quantities of goods, and ranking as one of the. foremost firms of the country in that business. They had branch houses in various ports in all parts of the globe, owned between
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twelve and fifteen vessels, and were owners, shippers and underwrit- ers. During the French and English war the Pragers were completely ruined in business and bankrupted by the depredations of the French privateers, losing all their vessels and cargoes. From such losses as these arose the French spoliation claims, about to be paid by the gov- ernment, and among those who will receive some compensation for the ravages of that war are the descendants of the famous firm of the Pragers, of Philadelphia. John Prager died in New Orleans in 1806, during an epidemic of yellow fever, being then engaged in the service of the government. His children living at that time at his home in Philadelphia were Charles, Susan and Harriet, and their half-brother and sister, George and Charlotte. Charles, the father of the subject of this mention, was born in Philadelphia in June, 1799. In childhood he was bound out, but being ill treated ran away and returned home, after which he was apprenticed to a gilder. About the year 1840 he left for Philadelphia and removed to Pittsburgh, where he was soon afterward married to Elizabeth Morrison. This lady was born in March, 1821, of a family that was prominent in the pioneer history of Pennsylvania. Her grandmother, Mrs. Smea, was scalped by the In- dians during one of their raids upon the settlements, but survived the injury. During his residence at Pittsburgh, Mr. Prager followed his trade. In 1843 he removed to Wheeling and found employment with the firm of Harbour & Mendel, furniture dealers, who then did busi- ness where the Grand Opera House now stands. He continued to re- side in the city until his death in June, 1881, and his widow is still living here. To their union were born ten children: John, who was born at Pittsburgh, enlisted in Company I, First regiment West Vir- ginia infantry, and was killed at New Market, Va., May 15, 1864; Mary, born at Wheeling, died in 1853; George, born at Wheeling, enlisted in the First West Virginia infantry and served three years; Charles, now a job printer of Wheeling; William; Isaac D., born April 4, 1850; Andrew B., Michael, James H., and Daniel L., all residents of Wheel- ing. Isaac D., the subject of this sketch, was reared at Wheeling, his native city. At sixteen years of age he embarked in the business to which he has since devoted himself, starting as a paperhanger and decorator. He worked at this until 1875, when he opened an estab- lishment on Main street, beginning on a small scale. His business increased from year to year until he became one of the foremost in his line of trade. In 1885 he removed to his present place of busi- ness, No. 17 Eleventh street, where he conducts an extensive whole- sale and retail business in wall paper exclusively, Mr. Prager was married October 27, 1881, to Mary E. Bigelow, of Wheeling, and they have four children: John Elwood, Austin B., Andrew B. and Eliza- beth E.
Captain William Prince, of Wheeling, is one of those who are prominently connected with the river commerce and transportation which has contributed in so considerable a degree to the progress of the city. Captain Prince was born about two miles above Wheeling, August 15, 1833, and is the son of William Prince, one of the early
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HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
settlers of the upper Ohio valley. The latter was born in Stafford- shire, England, and there grew to manhood, and was married to Ann Shirley. In 1829, accompanied by their son and three daughters, the parents came to America, and by stages over the Alleghanies reached Wheeling, where they lived about two years before moving to their country residence, known as the Andrew Woods farm. Later in life they returned to Wheeling. . The mother died in 1854, and the father in 1857. Six daughters and four sons were born to them, and the sons alone are living at this time. When not quite sixteen years of age, Capt. William Prince had his first experience as a river man, making a trip on a coal boat to New Orleans, in the spring of 1849. At that time coal was floated down the river, and the trip was a long one from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. Captain Prince continued in the employment of the Pittsburgh firm for which he began work, for a period of thirteen years, floating coal during all that time. In 1862 he quit that employment and began steamboating, at which he has since been engaged. In 1876 he and Samuel Coughland built the "Iron Valley," a tow boat, and Mr. Prince became for the first time a captain, which position he has since filled. The "Iron Valley" blew up in August, 1879, and the owners built the "Belle Prince," which they now conduct in the towing trade. Of this Mr. Prince is half owner and captain. Captain Prince is a worthy gentleman, highly esteemed by the community, and he and wife are active members of the Meth- odist church. He was married May 28, 1854, to Belle Cloee, cf Wheeling, and they had six sons and four daughters born to them, of whom two of the sons are deceased.
John Edward Prosser, a leading retail grocer of Wheeling, was born in Shropshire, England, April 25, 1845, the son of Thomas and Ann (Nash) Prosser. In 1863 the father came to America and pro- vided a home for his family at Sharon, Penn., whither the mother with her five children, of whom John Edward was the eldest, came in 1865. In 1868, the parents removed to Hickory county, Mo., where they still reside, and the subject of this sketch came at that time to' Wheeling, where he found employment as a boiler maker, which trade he learned in England. From 1872 to 1879 he followed the same oc- cupation at Irontown, Ohio, and subsequently he made his permanent home at Wheeling. He has continued to follow the trade named, but in April, 1885, also started a grocery on Main street, of which he has since been the proprietor, but which has been under the immediate care of his family. The business has been successful and he has one of the popular groceries of North Wheeling. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which his wife also belongs, and in politics is a republican. Mr. Prosser was married January 1, 1871, to Elizabeth Dixon, daughter of Thomas and Jane Dixon, formerly of Belmont county, Ohio. Mrs. Prosser's parents were natives of England. His mother, whose maiden name was Jane Robinson, was born December 30, 1821, and came to America with her parents in 1834. Mr. and Mrs. Prosser have had four children: Thomas D., Annie B., Harry C. and Harriet.
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OHIO COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
Among the old and honored citizens of Wheeling was William B. Quarrier, now deceased, who for many years was connected with the banking interests of this city. He was a native of Richmond, Va., in which city he was born in the year 1800. His father was Alexander Quarrier, who was a native of Scotland, emigrating to this country during the colonial days. He served in the American army during the Revolutionary war, attaining the rank of colonel, while engaged in fighting for his adopted country's liberty. At the close of the war he located at Richmond, Va., and subsequently removed to theKanawha valley, where he owned large tracts of land, and where he established his plantation, living there the balance of his life. His son, William B., was given a liberal education, and while a young man, went to Nor- folk, Va., where he went on the United States man-of-war, "Delaware " as purser, in which capacity he served for several years, during which period he visited all the foreign countries. After leaving the navy, he came west, reaching Wheeling about 1830, on his way to Louisville, Ky. Friends then living in Wheeling prevailed upon him to locate here, and consequently he accepted the position of book-keeper in the old Merchants' and Mechanics' bank. He continued to hold this po- sition until his death, which occurred in April, 1862. He was mar- ried to Miss Mary A. Hudson, a native of the Kanawha valley. She survives him, still residing in Wheeling. To these parents ten child- ren have been born, seven of whom are living. Mr. Quarrier was one of the most highly respected men in Wheeling. He was a prominent member of the Second Presbyterian church, and from the time of the organization of that church, until his death, he was an elder in the same. A thoroughly conscientious man, one who both in a business and a social way, was very popular, and he had a large circle of friends and acquaintances who esteemed him for his many sterling traits of character. His memory still lives in the hearts of many of the older citizens. Hullihan Quarrier, a member of the large dry goods firm of L. S. Delaplain Son & Co., and the president of the chamber of com- merce of Wheeling, was born in this city November 19, 1847. He is a son of William B. Mr. Quarrier was raised and educated in Wheel- ing, and has always lived here with the exception of a short time spent in Louisville, Ky., where he went immediately after his father's death, being employed in the Commercial bank of that city. Returning to Wheeling, he entered the wholesale dry goods house of Tallant & Delaplain, in 1864, in the capacity of a clerk. He has since been con- nected with this firm. The firm of Tallant & Delaplain was dissolved in 1865, and in 1872, Mr. Quarrier became a member of the firm and is now the active partner, doing all the buying and attending to the details of the immense business done by this house. He was one of the prime organizers of the chamber of commerce, being made a vice president at its inception, and was the second president, succeeding Dr. Logan, the first president, who died in 1888, and is still the presi- dent. Mr. Quarrier is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity of this section, being a Knight Templar, he is also a vestryman of St. Matthew's Protestant Episcopal church. In 1867, Mary, daughter
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HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
of L. S. Delaplain, became his wife. Her death occurred February II, 1882. The second marriage occurred in 1888, when he married Miss Annie Hogg, of Cadiz, Ohio, a granddaughter of Chauncey Dewey, father of C. C. Dewey, of Wheeling. Mr. Quarrier is recog- nized as one of the representative citizens and merchants of Wheel- ing. He is progressive in his ideas, and is ready at all times, to assist in the promotion of any public enterprise. As president of the cham- ber of commerce, he has accomplished much in the way of advancing the interests of the city and the surrounding country.
D. L. Ratcliff, a prominent business man of Wheeling, senior mem- of the popular firm of D. L. Ratcliff & Co., general merchants at the corner of Thirty-sixth and Jacob streets, was born at Wheeling in 1844. He is the son of Thomas Ratcliff, an early settler and manu- facturer at Wheeling. The latter was born in England in 1819, and in 1836 came to the United States, landing at Baltimore and thence proceeding directly to Wheeling, making most of the journey over- land on foot. He engaged in the manufacture of pumps at Wheeling for many years, but is now retired. His wife, Ann Exley, an aunt of Col. William Exley, and of one of the old families of Wheeling, was born in England in 1817, and is still living. Eight children were born to then, five of whom survive. D. L. Ratcliff, their son, with mention of whom this sketch begins, was reared and educated at Wheeling, and at the age of eighteen years began clerking in the store of which he is at present one of the proprietors. He clerked for J. & W. C. Handlan, then the owners, for three years, after which period he purchased the interest of W. C. Handlan, forming the firm of Handlan & Ratcliff. Louis Hoelsche came iuto the firm at the same time, and upon the death of John Handlan in 1880, he and Mr. Ratcliff formed the firm of D. L. Ratcliff & Co. Aside from his in- terest in this prominent house, Mr. Ratcliff is a stockholder in the Hobbs Glass works, the Riverside Glass company, of Wellsburg, and he is a director in the West Virginia Tobacco company, and People's bank. In 1869, Mr. Ratcliff was married to Rachel Dillon, daughter of James M. Dillon, of Wheeling, and they have one daughter.
Charles J. Rawling, a prominent citizen of Wheeling, is a son of John S. Rawling, well-remembered as a business man of that city for many years subsequent to 1835. John S. Rawling was born in the village of Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, England, in 1798, the son of John Rawling and his wife, Mary James, of Norman lineage, the latter of whom was very prominent in the societies of England. John S. received his business training in the Friend house of Guerney, linen man, in London, as a clerk, and in 1826 he came to America, settling first at Washington City. He then embarked in business at George- town, D. C., conducting the leading store of that place for about six years, after the expiration of which period he removed to Orange county, Va., about 1833, and engaged in gold mining on Mine Run, not far from Orange Court House, where Lee fortified in the winter of 1863-4. In 1834 Mr. Rawling removed to Pittsburgh, and in the fol- lowing year came to Wheeling. He was married to Margaret,
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OHIO COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
daughter of Georgeand Margaret (James) Godfrey, of Saxon descent. . Her father, George Godfrey, came to Wheeling in 1826, walking from Philadelphia, when seventy years of age. He purchased a farm at Scotch Ridge, Belmont county, where he lived until his death in 1845. James and Joseph Godfrey, brothers of Mrs. Rawling, were engaged in business at Wheeling, when Mr. Rawling arrived, and he was connected with the establishment subsequently for forty years, succeeding to the proprietorship in 1875. In 1876 he removed to Moundsville, Va., where he died August 18, 1877. His widow passed away in December, 1885, at the age of eighty-seven years. The elder of their two children, Georgia Anna, was born in 1829, at Wash- ington City, and died in December, 1887. Charles J. Rawling, the subject of this mention, was born at Washington, in 1830. Coming to Wheeling in childhood he was educated at the Linsly institute, and first had his experience in business with Sweeney & Bell, glassware manufacturers and queensware importers. Afterward he spent one year in the west, and on returning learned the drug business with Dr. F. A. Breitlinger, and afterward clerked for various druggists until 1861. At the outbreak of the war he enlisted in the famous First Virginia regiment of infantry, organized at Wheeling in May, 1861. He entered the service as a private. He served at the front until wounded in the Virginia valley, when he entered the quar- termaster's department, and at the latter period of the war he rep- resented that department at Martinsburg, supplying Sheridan's army with supplies. The heroic deeds of his regiment have been preserved for posterity by Mr. Rawling in his volume entitled the History of the First Virginia Regiment Infantry, 1861 to 1865. The war ending, Mr. Rawling returned to Wheeling and in the fall of 1865 became a partner with Dr. Logan, under the firm name of C. J. Rawling & Co., in the drug business on Twelfth street. In the following year he purchased Dr. Logan's interest and opened a store on the corner of Sixteenth and Market streets. In the fall of 1867 Mr. Rawling began a long and honorable service as postmaster of Wheeling. He was appointed by President Johnson, and served through the administra- tion of Grant, and part of that of Hayes, in all twelve years. Mr. Rawling is prominently connected with manufacturing and financial interests, being president of the Wheeling Hinge company, with which he first became associated in 1868, and he is president of the Fire and Marine Insurance company. He was married in 1866, at Ellicott Mills, Md., to Maria A. Donnelly, and they have one son, C. Q., teacher of chemistry at the Linsly institute of Wheeliug.
James Reed, formerly a prominent druggist of Wheeling, now re- tired, was born in what is now Ohio county, February 23, 1820. Of this county his grandfather, Charles Reed, a native of Scotland, was _ a prominent pioneer, clearing and subsequently cultivating a farm which was his home until the end of his days. He had seven children: James, John, William and David, and three daughters. John, who be- came the father of the subject of this mention, was born in Ohio county, in 1797. He was a farmer by occupation, and a worthy and respected
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citizen of this county, in which his whole life was spent, eighty-five years. He was married to Margaret McMurray, by whom he had seven children: James, Samuel; Mary, wife of Joseph Gerry; Nancy, wife of Hiram Elliott; Margaret, wife of Thomas Hand; John B. and Henry. The mother was a daughter of Samuel McMurray, a native of Ireland, who settled in an early day near West Alexandria, in Washington county, Penn. James Reed has resided in Ohio county with the exception of five years, during his entire life. In early man- hood he engaged in general merchandise at Triadelphia, where he was in business for fourteen years. In 1854 he settled at Wheeling, where he engaged in the drug business with Dr. Isaac Baguley, his. brother-in-law, with whom he learned. the business. He continued in this business, with much success, conducting one of the popular and leading establishments of the city, until 1885, when he was succeeded by his son, J. T. Reed. His business career as a druggist in Wheel- ing extended over thirty-one years. Mr. Reed was married in April, 1843, to Mary A., daughter of Charles and Sarah (Bowers) Baguley, of Triadelphia. By this union there are four children living, Anna, James S., Charles and John T. Mr. Reed has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church since 1839. He has served one term as member of the city council.
Leon N. Reefer, V. M. D., was born in Meadville, Penn., July 24, 1867, the son of Morris H. and Jeanette Reefer. The father is a prominent and wealthy merchant of Meadville, Penn. Dr. Reefer re- ceived his preliminary education in the excellent public schools of his native town, and afterward entered the Allegheny college. In 1885 he became a student in the University of Pennsylvania, and was gradu- ated therefrom in June, 1888. Dr. Reefer took the highest honors of his class, and all through his course was the recipient of the chief honors. Among the many articles which he has contributed to the medical journals may be mentioned one on "Media Union," which was published in the Comparative Journal of Medicine and Veterinary Surgery. This article attracted wide-spread notice from horsemen all over this country, and was copied in the London, England, Lancet. Dr. Reefer came to Wheeling in October, 1888, and although a young man, has come to be recognized as pre-eminent among those practic- ing in this locality. He was united in marriage to Miss Jessie Brinton, of Wheeling, November 27, 1889. Dr. Reefer has medical charge of all the horses used in the several city departments, and also of most of the blooded stock owned in Wheeling and vicinity. In his short residence in this city he has not only made a success in his profession, but has also made a host of friends, and is regarded as a very prom- ising young man.
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