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 54
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office by a majority of over 300. While a member of the state senate for eight years he matured and had passed a number of laws of great benefit to the people of the state. In 1888 when a memorable con- test was made by both parties for the state of West Virginia, he was a member of the republican national committee, as has been stated, and his earnest efforts contributed in no small degree to that success which though hardly hoped for, was well nigh achieved by his party. He is of Episcopalian preferences, though not a member of any de- nomination. He was married April 29, 1872, to Agnes V. Cowgill, of . Iowa, and they have one son, Guy, a cadet in the naval academy, and a daughter, Ethel, who died December 20, 1889, aged fifteen years and three months.
Charles W. Seabright, mayor of Wheeling, came to the city in 1849, penniless and unlettered. In his native language, with which he was alone acquainted, his name was Carl W: Siebricht, but a teacher in the Sunday-school to which his good mother sent him, translated his name, and being desirous of becoming an American citizen as soon as possible, he adopted that version of the name which is now familiar to all. Mr. Seabright was born in Brunswick, Germany, October II, 1836. On July 1, 1849, he arrived in America, with his mother and a sister and a brother. For four years before coming he had been em- ployed it the German mail service, in which his father was a con- tractor. On reaching this country he proceeded with those of the family with him to Wheeling, where he found employment for two months with a brother who had preceded him and was engaged in the meat trade. On September 1, 1849, he became an errand boy for Thomas Hughes, merchant tailor, and remained in the employment of that gentleman for twenty-one years and five months, and was head clerk at the close of his engagement. On February 1, 1871, having a capital of about $1,500, he formed a partnership with Charles Pfafenbach, under the style of Pfafenbach & Seabright. The senior partner retired in October following, and Mr. Seabright took in C. A. Schmulbach as a partner, under the firm name of Seabright & Co. On the first of the next February he purchased his partner's interest, and since then Mr. Seabright has conducted alone an extensive busi- ness in general tailoring and men's furnishing goods. He now carries a good stock of an average value of $25,000, and does an annual business of $60,000, employing about forty hands. The trade of this large establishment extends in comsiderable portions of several states, and is a splendid testimonial to the business sagacity and enterprise of Mr. Seabright. In 1881, Mr. Seabright was elected to the state legislature as a democratic candidate, for a term of two years. In January, 1887, he was elected mayor of Wheeling by a majority of ninety-six over Capt. B. B. Dovener, and two years later was re-elected by a majority of 638. By an act of the legislature of 1889, on petition of the council, the mayor was given the power of a police judge, and Mr. Seabright has been exercising these functions since May, 1889. In his relations to the industrial advancement of the city, Mr. Seabright has been enterprising, and has assisted in the organization and is a
Eng vy F. C.Kernan & CONY.
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stockholder of several manufacturing concerns. He is a member of Wheeling lodge No. 28, Order of Elks, and is a member of the Zion Lutheran church. Mr. Seabright was married in 1861, to Isabelle O'Callahan, who was born in 1839, at Sistersville, W. Va., and died in 1877. These are the children of this union: Mary C., wife of Henry Jager, of Chicago, now in the lumber business in Davenport, Iowa; William H., in the store of his father, and Edward, in school.
Thomas P. Shallcross, ex-United States special agent and inspector of mail service, and also one of the pioneers of Wheeling, was born in Philadelphia county, Penn., in the year 1818. He is the son of John and Sarah (Dewese) Shallcross, both' Pennsylvanians. John was the son of Leonard Shallcross, a descendant of the Shallcross who came to this country with William Penn. Leonard passed his life on his farm in his native state. Of the nine children born to him all are now dead. John was born in 1780, he received a limited edu- cation in the Philadelphia schools, and then worked on his father's farm. During the war of 1812, he raised a company of which he was elected captain. His death occurred in 1832, of cholera. He was married in 1804, to the mother of the subject of this mention, and by her had ten children, all of whom are dead, with the exception of Thomas and one sister, who is at present traveling in Europe. The mother died in 1864. Thomas P. Shallcross learned the trade of a hatter after having completed his schooling, and was engaged in the manufacture of hats in Philadelphia until 1836, at which time he came to Wheeling, W. Va., and continued his business there for four years. Mr. Shallcross then embarked in the auction and commission busi- ness. In 1846 he was elected sergeant of the city, and held this office for about four years, during this time he brought to light eight very important United States mail robberies. In 1849 he was made special agent of the postoffice department. Two years later Mr. Shallcross was appointed superintendent of the state prison at Moundsville, which office he held for two and a half years. He was then re-ap- pointed to the mail service and continued in that pursuit until 1884. The following year he occupied the office of deputy United States marshal. Mr. Shallcross has not been actively engaged in any busi- ness since 1889. In 1853 he established a transfer line in connection with B. & O. railroad, having a contract with that company to trans- fer the passengers and baggage of the company. The business is now ably managed by his son, Alfred P. Shallcross. Sarah G. Lord became his wife in 1837. They are the parents of eleven children, seven of whom are still living, they are: Henry C., Thomas P., Jr., William D., Elwood W., Annie R., Sallie B. and Alfred P. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for many years, and also of the I. O. O. F. Although he has never taken any active part in poli- tics he has served as a councilman for thirteen years, being a repre- sentative of the democratic party. Mr. Shallcross is now one of the oldest citizens of Wheeling. His life has been actuated by integrity, and faithfulness to any trust which has been entrusted to him.
J. B. Sheppard, proprietor of the Wheeling saddle, harness and col- 28-A.
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HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO . VALLEY.
lar factory, is one of the most enterprising citizens of the city. He was born in Cumberland county, N. J., in 1820, a son of Robert Shep- pard, a native of the same county. Robert Sheppard married Maria Stratton, of another old Jersey family. The Sheppards and Strattons were prominent New Jersey families, and Ferman Sheppard, one of the ancestors, was an officer of the Jersey line in the war of the revo- lution. The family removed to Philadelphia in 1828, and in that city, Robert Sheppard engaged in the wood business. There his son, J. B. Sheppard was reared, and educated. He served an apprenticeship of five years in that city, in the trade of harness making, and subse- quently, in 1858, came to Wheeling and established a harness, saddle and collar store of his own. From that beginning he has developed his present extensive manufactury and wholesale and retail business in harness, saddles and collars, which is one of the leading enterprises of the city. He has remained in trade continually, and now has one of the oldest business establishments in Wheeling. Mr. Sheppard has always taken an interest in public affairs, and has been honored with various trusts by his fellow citizens. Just after the close of the war he served two terms as one of the board of commissioners of Ohio county. He served upon the city council for a number of years, repre- senting the Seventh ward, and was instrumental in securing many of the improvements in that before neglected ward. Since 1842, he has been an Odd Fellow, and he is now a member of Virginius lodge, No. 2. Mr. Sheppard was married in 1852, to Irene Boyden, of Wheeling. who died ten months later. In 1856, he was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Joshua Lukens, of Wheeling, by whom he has four chil- dren: J. Bickell, Laura (wife of Frank Zook), Emily and Robert.
Members of the Simpson family have been from early days closely identified with the development and growth of this region, and none more so than the Honorable Robert Simpson. Mr. Simpson was born in Wheeling, Va. (now West Virginia), in 1834. His education was obtained in the public schools of his native city. His first business venture was made when he entered the general merchandising busi- ness at Bellaire, Ohio, in 1857. Three years later he removed to Claysville, Penn., where he was engaged in the same business. Re- turning to Wheeling in 1866, Mr. Simpson then established the whole- sale grocery house of Robert Simpson & Co. He operated this concern with enviable success up to January 1, 1890, at which time he retired from active business life. Few men have been more honored by the public than he. His political career has never been stained with reproach, and in whatever capacity he has served the people, the moving motive of his life has been to do that which would result in the most good to the community. In 1870 he was elected to the city council and served for five terms. For four years he was a gas trus- tee. He filled the office of a director of the West Virginia state's prison for one term, during which time he was the treasurer. From 1874 to 1878 inclusive, Mr. Simpson was an active and efficient mem- ber of the West Virginia legislature. During his incumbency of the postoffice at Wheeling the affairs of the office were conducted in a
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manner highly satisfactory to the citizens, no man ever having done more than he for the advancement and efficiency of the Wheeling postal service. Mr. Simpson was appointed postmaster during Cleve- land's administration, and completed his term of office in 1889. A representative man, both in public and private life.
William B. Simpson, of Wheeling, head of the wholesale house of Simpson & Hoge, is a native of Marshall county, W. Va., where his father, John Simpson, a native of Ireland, settled. The latter came to this country in 1820, and resided first at Baltimore, then at Harris- burg, then in Washington county, Penn., and afterward made his home in Marshall county, where he died in 1855. He was a stone mason by trade, and soon after removing to Marshall county, came to Wheeling in 1832 with his family, and lived here during the greater part of the remainder of his life. He was married to Sarah Brown, who was born in Ohio county, August 14, 1800, the daughter of Robert Brown, one of the pioneers of that county, whose occupa- tions were farming and linen weaving. She died in 1887. Their children were: William B .; Robert, a wholesale grocer and former postmaster of Wheeling; Eliza and John, both deceased. William B. Simpson was born November 14, 1831. Coming to Wheeling in the next year he was reared there and received his education. He first engaged in business as shipping clerk for Cooper & Harris, proprie- tors of the old Washington Iron works, on the Ist of October, 1850. In 1852 he embarked in general merchandise at Cameron and Glen Easton, on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, and continued in that until 1857, when he became connected with the establishment of which he is the present head, as traveling salesman for John S. Boyd & Co., wholesale dry goods merchants of Wheeling. In 1859 Mr. Boyd was succeeded by the firm of Norton, Simpson & Co., a firm composed of Joseph T. Norton, W. B. Simpson, Samuel J. Boyd and John E. Wil- son, who carried on the trade in dry goods and notions with much vigor. Mr. Norton withdrew in 1861, removing to Baltimore, and the firm became Simpson, Wilson & Boyd. In the next year the name was changed to Simpson & Wilson on account of the return of Mr. Boyd, and this style was unchanged until 1869, when Mr. Lucius Hoge was admitted as a partner, and the firm name was made Simpson, Wilson & Hoge. Mr. Wilson retired from the business and soon afterward died, and in 1872 the present firm of Simpson & Hoge was organized, which has continued without change to the present, except that in 1887 Z. F. Robertson was admitted as a junior partner. The business of the house was first transacted on Monroe street, subse- quently on Main street, where Johnson's tin store is now, whence the store was removed about 1881 to its present site, 1409 Main and 1408 South street. The business of the house has been splendidly de- veloped, and three salesmen dispose of its goods throughout eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Mr. Simpson has not confined his enterprise to this establishment, however. He was one of the first stockholders in the bank of the Ohio valley, of which he was for twenty years a director and ten years vice president. He
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HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
was connected with the Ætna Insurance company throughout its his- tory, from the organization until it was wound up in 1888, and was president for eighteen years, and he is now president of the Wheel- ing Insurance and Bond agency, organized in March, 1889, He is also interested in, and a director of, the Ætna Iron and Steel company of Ætnaville, Ohio. In organizations for the higher purposes of social life Mr. Simpson has always taken a great interest, and he is now a di- rector of the Children's Home, one of the board of trustees of Linsly institute, a prominent member of the Second Presbyterian church, and of the Masonic fraternity. In brief, it may be justly said that his broad-minded interest in the commercial and industrial and moral improvement of the city and its surroundings, and his various engag- ing traits as a gentleman, have made him one of the highly popular men of Wheeling. Mr. Simpson was married in July 10, 1860, to Mary A., daughter of George W. Johnson, deceased, once a manufac- turer of considerable prominence at Wheeling, and to this union four sons and two daughters have been born. Charles H. travels for the house; Robert B. is with the Providence Washington Insurance company.
John W. Sliffe, of Wheeling, W. Va., prominently identified with the grocery trade of that city, is a native of Washington county, Penn., the son of Philip Sliffe, who was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, of German descent, and died August 20, 1872. His wife, who still sur- vives, is Susanna, daughter of Amos de Normandie, who was born in Washington county, Penn., of French lineage. They had six children, of whom the subject of this sketch and a sister alone survive. John W. Sliffe was born at Claysville, August 7, 1859, and at six years of age accompanied his parents to La Grange county, Ind., where the family resided upon a farm seven years, until the death of the father. They then returned to Claysville, and in the spring of 1878 came to Wheel- ing, where Mr. Sliffe obtained employment in the hardware establish- ment of A. P. Franzell, for five years. Subsequent to September, 1883, he was engaged with D. J. McKee, grocer, eighteen months, and then was clerk in the hardware establishment of John Heiner, for four years. On October 29, 1889, he became the successor of W. R. Bas- sett, in the grocery business at the corner of Virginia and South Penn street, where he now conducts a profitable business. Mr. Sliffe is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and of the Senior Order of American Mechanics.
George WV. Smith was one of the pioneer citizens and ale brewers of Wheeling and Pittsburgh. He was a native of Lincolnshire, Eng- land, where he was born in 1799. He first came to the United States in 1819 with his father and family. Thomas, his father, was a wealthy citizen of Lincolnshire, but sold out all his possessions and came to America. Leaving his family in Philadelphia, he and his son George traveled over the state of New York looking for a site to establish a home upon. He was possessed of $100,000 in cash when he came to this country, and he located a tract of land where the city of Syracuse now stands, and made arrangements for purchasing the same, but
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upon returning to Philadelphia he sickened and died. Before he died he advised his son to take the family back to England, which he did. In 1820 the son returned to New York, from which city he was engaged as supercargo to run between New York and Tampico, Mexico. He continued for a year or so in that calling, during which time he had many exciting adventures, having several fights with pirates. The last cargo he carried to New Orleans after trying to dispose of it in. Mexico, but being unable to sell it there he loaded it on a model barge and took it up the Red river to Little Rock, Ark., then a fron- tier trading post. After selling the cargo he started on horse for New York. He rode through Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and crossed the Alleghenies in West Virginia to Baltimore, and from the latter place staged it to New York city. After that he and his brother started a brewery in New York on Broadway. After being in busi- ness there for several years he sold out and went to Albany, N. Y., where he ran a brewery for some time. In 1829 he was induced to go to Pittsburgh as a brewer for the firm of Brown & Verner, then ex- tensive brewers of that city. He was paid the largest salary west of the Allegheny mountains for this position, the sum paid being $500. Remaining with that firm for three years, receiving for the last two years he was with them a salary of $1,000 per year, at the expiration of this time he was taken in as a partner. Three years later he bought the entire business, and ran it with great success, erecting a new brewery and making other extensive improvements. He con- tinued in the brewery business in Pittsburgh until 1862, when he sold out. In 1847 he purchased the old brewery in East Wheeling, which was built in 1822, by the father of Philip Henry Moore, purchasing it from the old Northwestern bank. After selling out the Pittsburgh brewery he operated the one in Wheeling until the fall of 1865, when he retired from active business. In 1856 he removed to Wheeling and bought the old Spring farm from Dr. Chappel, which he improved aed took possession of as a home for his family. He named the farm after his father's estate in England, Waddington. A. Allen Howell now owns the homestead. He was married in Pittsburgh in 1834, to the widow Elizabeth Faddington, who was born in 1800 in Yorkshire, England. Three children were born to this marriage: Eliza, who married Joseph Fleming, a Pittsburgh druggist, and died in 1863; George, died in 1858; and our subject, Alfred E. The father died in 1872 on his farm in Champaign county, Ill., where he was temporarily living, his home being in Chester, near Philadelphia, where he re- moved after his second marriage in 1865, having married Mrs. Dar- lington, mother of Harry Darlington, a prominent brewer of Pitts- burgh. A. E. Smith was born in Pittsburgh, on Penn avenue, where Library Hall now stands, April 29, 1843. He was reared in Pittsburgh, attending Sewickley academy near Pittsburgh. In 1856 he came to Wheeling with his father and family. In 1859 his father sent him to England to complete his education. Attending the London univer- sity for one term he was then compelled to abandon his studies on ac- count of the failure of his eyes. For a year he was under the care of Wal-
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ton, the eminent oculist, who sent him to Malta, he then returned to the United States, arriving in New York the same night that Lincoln was first declared elected. He was under Dr. Houston's care after his return to Wheeling, until the summer of 1861, when he went to St. Cather- ines Springs, and remained there that summer, when his eyesight was recovered and he entered his father's brewery to learn the business. After his father's retirement from business he brewed for Carson, Darlington & Co., remaining with that firm in Pittsburgh for three years. He then went to Newark, N. J., and worked for Peter Ballen- tine & Son, then the largest brewers in this country. After three years he returned to Wheeling and took his father's old brewery in partnership with Arthur Teece, his father being a silent partner. In 1877 the firm dissolved and Mr. Smith bought out the old brewery known as the Brook Heart brewery on Market street, where he has since been engaged in the ale brewing business. February 9, 1869, he married Virginia Barton, daughter of John Barton, an attorney of Pittsburgh. Ruby, George W. and Allen E. are the issue of this marriage.
John Smith, a native of Germany, and for many years an honored citizen of Wheeling, was born near Alsfeld, Hesse-Darmstadt, Sep- tember 2, 1830, the son of Henry Adam and Julia (Schoenhals) Smith. At his native place he attended school until fourteen years of age, and was then employed at a hotel three years. His parents, of whom he was the only child, came to America in 1847, and located at Wheeling, where they died a few years later, the father in Novem- ber, 1851, and the mother in October, 1857. In 1849 the subject of this sketch joined his parents at Wheeling, and in 1851 he made his home on the island, where he has since resided, with the exception of a portion of 1863-4 spent in Monroe county, Ohio. Mr. Smith's first employment here was in a glass factory, and then as a gardener for two years for Daniel Zane. For the son of the latter, E. E. Zane, he worked from 1853 to 1863, and two years further after his return from Ohio. In 1866 he bought five acres of land in the southwestern part of the Island, where he has since resided and engaged in gardening, meeting with such success that he has increased his landed property to twenty-five acres, which has cost him, with improvements, not less than $15,000. He and wife are active members of the German Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics he is a republican, hav- ing cast his first presidential vote for John C. Fremont in 1856. Mr. Smith was married October 13, 1853, to Caroline Schaub, who was born at Nordwiler, Rhine province of Bavaria, the daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Dauber) Schaub, with whom she came to America when not a year old. Her family settled in Monroe county, Ohio, where the father died in April, 1873, and the mother in Octo- ber, 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had eleven children: John H., Frederick E., David D. (deceased), Louis A., David L. (deceased), Elizabeth C., Harry, Anna J., Emma M., Charles W. and George F.
Porter Smith, ex-chief of police, and present gas inspector of Wheeling, was born at New Castle, Penn., August 6, 1841. He was
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reared at New Castle, and after obtaining his education he became an apprentice at the age of seventeen as a blacksmith. In 1857 he came to Wheeling and found employment working at his trade in the shops of the Belmont mill, and later in the Top mill, going from there to New Castle, Penn., where he took charge of a shop. Return- ing to Wheeling in 1865, he was employed in various mills, while at home, until 1885. At the outbreak of the war in 1861, he was one of the first volunteers for the First Virginia infantry, and was elected fourth sergeant of Company E. After the close of three months' service sickness prevented his re-enlistment. In 1864 he was com- missioned by Gov. Pierrepont, captain of Company D, state militia, and upon its reorganization he was elected captain and commissioned by Gov. Boreman. In 1866 was elected and served in council eleven successive years. While the capital was located at Charleston, he was appointed military store-keeper by Gov. Jacobs, and at that time he held the position of captain of Company C, Wheeling Grays. In 1885 Mr. Smith was elected sergeant of police for two years, and was re-elected in January, 1887, filling this position to the general satisfac- tion. In October, 1889, he was appointed by the board of gas trustees as gas inspector for the term of two years. Mr. Smith is a member of Wheeling lodge, I. O. O. F., Wheeling encampment, Alpha lodge, K. of H., and was first past chancellor, and has been representative of Ivanhoe lodge, K. of P. In 1865 he was married to Mary, only daughter of E. R. Bartleson, formerly editor and proprietor of the Wheeling Times and Gazette. They have two daughters, one being employed as teacher in the public schools.
George M. Snook, of Wheeling, head of the prominent dry goods house of Snook & Co., was born at Martinsburgh, Berkeley Co., W. Va., November IS, 1854. He passed his childhood and youth in that town, and at the age of fourteen years began his mercantile ca- reer as a clerk in a store at the same place. There he remained until 1876, when he removed to Wheeling, and accepted a position as clerk with C. T. Brues, in the dry goods business, and remained with that gentlemen until the firm of Stifel & Co. was formed, when he occupied a position with that firm until 1882, when he became a part- ner. In February, 1884, he organized the firm of George M. Snook & Co., his partners being George Reutsch and Albert Wilkie. This firm opened a line of dry goods, dress goods, notions and wraps, at No. IIIO Main street, and soon, by a thorough grasp of, and attention to, business, established a fine reputation as a business house, and gained a trade that is constantly growing. Mr. Snook is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He was married in 1884 to a daughter of Henry Truxell, of Wheeling.
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