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 88
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W. B. Hicks, of Cameron, one of the prominent merchants of Marshall county, of which he is a native, was born January 10, 1844, the son of Robert A. and Esther (Sampson) Hicks, well-known early settlers. The father was a farmer and an enterprising citizen. He died in 1886, aged about sixty-four years, and his wife died in 1846. Five children were born to these parents, four of whom are living. Three are residents of Marshall county and one of Washington county, Penn. Robert A. Hicks was married a second time, about 1847, to Lavina Messicker, by whom he had seven children. She sur- vives at the age of fifty-eight years, and six of her children are living: Albert, Harrison, Charlotte, Agnes, Margaret, Charles and Emma. The names of the children by the first marriage are: Wilson T., George W., Sarah J., W. B. and James W. The subject of this men- tion, before he was of age, enlisted in the Fourth Virginia cavalry, and served six months, and then re-enlisted in the Seventeenth West Virginia infantry, with which he served until the close of the war, be- ing honorably discharged in June, 1865. On returning home he em-
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barked in general merchandise and the buying of grain, and having continued in this since he was twenty-one years of age, is now one of the most prosperous merchants of the county, and carries the largest stock of goods in Marshall county. He has a comfortable home and is respected by all. In 1868, Mr. Hicks was married to Emma V. An- derson, and they have had two children: Wilson F., who died at the age of two years and a half, and Lutie. Mr. and Mrs. Hicks are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is a trustee and steward and class leader.
Brice Howard, a well-known old resident of Marshall county, of which he is a native, was born September 28, 1820, the son of Reason and Cassie (Burley) Howard, both natives of West Virginia. The father, a farmer by occupation, died about 1880, at the age of eighty- eight years, and the mother died some time before, at the age of sixty years and more. Reason was the son of Samuel Howard, who moved from Hampshire to Marshall county about 1795. He died in Black- ford county, Ind., at the residence of one of his sons, in 1878, at the age of ninety-three years. His wife, Polly Biggs, died about the year 1870. Of their seven children, three survive. Brice Howard is one of eleven children of his parents, nine of whom are living. He was reared amid pioneer scenes in Marshall county, and entertains lively recollections of the days when wolves, bears, panthers and wild- cats infested the forests. As a farmer he has been industrious and successful, and is now prosperous and everywhere esteemed. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and he is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in politics a republican. In 1844 Mr. Howard was married to Barbara, daughter of Edward and Betsey Strickland, natives of Maryland, who came to Marshall county about 1825, and were widely known as pioneers. Mr. Howard and wife have eleven children: Catherine, wife of Green Davis, of Cam- eron; Lucretia, wife of T. C. Pipes; Alfred, who married Miss Cooper and lives in Cameron; Lindsay, died November 26, 1853, aged two years; Frank, married to Miss Burton, and living at Newark, Ohio; George, of Cameron, married to Miss Dayton; Edward, of Greene . county, Penn., married to Miss Stout; Ella, wife of Thomas Parsons, of Moundsville; Elizabeth; Cora, wife of Frank Woodburn, of Cam- eron; and Metta.
William B. Humphreys, of Moundsville, a member of the well- known firm of Weaver & Humphreys, manufacturers of brooms, is a native of Ireland, having been born in county Tyrone, March 21, 1843. His parents, Samuel and Mary Humphreys, were of Scotch-Irish de- scent. The father came to America in 1848, and had reached Pitts- burgh, when in February, fourteen days after his arrival, he died of ship fever, at the age of about forty years. In the following July the mother and seven children came to America, and settled at Pittsburgh, where she died in June, 1863, at the age of fifty years. She was a woman of great resolution and industry and tenderly provided for her orphaned children. William B. Humphreys began work in 1852, in a glass manufactory at Pittsburgh, August 11, 1862, when he enlisted in
45-A.
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Young's independent battery G, of Pennsylvania volunteers, with which he served until June 22, 1865. On his return from the army he en- tered the oil business at Oil City, buying oil and boating it to Pitts- burgh, and continued at this until 1870, when he embarked in broom manufacture. He was superintendent for Watt, Lang & Co., at Al- legheny until 1877, when he came to Moundsville and became asso- ciated with A. Weaver in a firm which is one of the largest broom producers in the United States, turning out about 150 dozen per day. He is a liberal and enterprising man, popular in social life, and suc- cessful in business. He is a member of the Masonic order, the G. A. R., the A. O. U. W., and the National Union. March 10, 1870, he was married to Mary A. Logan, daughter of William Logan, of Butler county, Penn., and they have five children, Robert N., Kate, Charles W., Ellinor and Sarah. Mrs. Humphreys is a member of the Presby- terian church.
Maj. Hanson W. Hunter, cashier of the Marshall County bank and ex-sheriff of the county, was born at Wheeling June 7, 1837. His father was Robert B. Hunter, a native of Ohio, a cabinet-maker and farmer by occupation, and a justice for many years. He died in Mis- souri at the age of sixty-three, and his wife, Artemisia Shepherd, died in 1859, leaving besides Hanson, one son, Oscar B., who died in New Orleans of yellow fever in 1878. Hanson W. became resident of Marshall county in 1844, and in youth was engaged in clerking and in boating until July, 1861, when he assisted in recruiting Company I, of the Third West Virginia regiment, of which he was mustered in as first lieutenant. In 1862 he was promoted captain. He took part in the battles of McDowel, Cross Keys, and in August, 1862, was de- tailed on Gen. Milroy's staff. He was in the second battle of Bull Run, and subsequently acted as provost marshal of the second division, eighth army corps, until 1863, when he joined his regiment at Phillippi. He was in the Salem raid under Gen. Averill, and then his regiment was converted into the Sixth West Virginia cavalry, of which he was commissioned major. Going to Beverly in command of a detach- ment he remained there until mustered out in August, 1864. Since the war Major Hunter has become one of the prominent men of the county, enterprising and successful in business, faithful and popular as an official. He served as revenue assessor of the first district from 1872 to 1876, was deputy sheriff from 1867 to 1871, under Sheriff Henry Keltz, and in 1876 was elected sheriff, an office he held until 1881. Since that date he has served as cashier of the Marshall County bank, of which he is the principal individual stockholder. The major is a member of the Grand Army, the Knights of Honor, the Knights of Pythias, and the National Union, and politically is a republican. He has lent his aid to various enterprises for the advancement of the interests of the town, and was one of the promoters of the sinking of the coal shaft at Moundsville, in 1883, an enterprise which dis- tributes nearly $1,500 weekly in the town. On February 22, 1865, he was married to Jane Edwards, and they have three children: Daisy, Carl and Lottie.
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John Ingram, a notable farmer of Marshall county, and one of the ore most sheep raisers of the United States, was born in Washing- on county, Penn., May 17, 1819. He is the son of Abraham and Elizabeth (Kick) Ingram, both natives of Chester county, Penn. The father, an intelligent and prosperous farmer, a whig in politics, and a soldier of the war of 1812 under Gen. Harrison, died at the age of eighty-four years, to which age his wife also lived. Of their eleven children, five survived. John Ingram worked upon the farm in his youth, and after he was twenty-three years old he engaged in herding sheep in Wetzel county. Subsequently he and his brother found vacant lands in that county to the amount of 2,727 acres, which they entered and divided between them, and there summered large flocks of sheep, having as many as 900 each. Mr. Ingram has since then devoted himself to sheep-raising, and has done more than any other man in the country to improve the stock of sheep in the United States. Starting with twenty-seven sheep at a cost of $11-, he bought better stock as fast as he saw it. At one time he purchased sixty- eight ewes at $35 a head and ten bucks at $45 to $325 each, and on another occasion six ewes that averaged a cut of fourteen and one- half to nineteen pounds at $roo each, and twenty more at $80 each. These. ewes yielded an average of twelve and one-half pounds at two years of age, and two bucks at nine years of age cut twenty-four and three-fourths and twenty-three and three-fourths pounds. Mr. In- gram exhibited fine wool at the Centennial exhibition of 1876, and received the following award: " International exhibition, 1876. Cer- tificate of award. John Ingram, Poplar Springs, Marshall Co., W. Va., Wool, No. 175, group IX. United States Centennial commis- sion. In accordance with the act of Congress, Philadelphia, Septem- ber 27, 1876. John S. Campbell, secretary; A. T. Goshorn, director general; James R. Hawley, president. The United States Centennial Commission has examined the report of the judges and accepted the following reasons, and decreed a reward in conformity therewith: The undersigned having examined the product herein described, re- spectfully recommend the same to the United States Centennial com- mission of award, for the following reasons, viz .: for ten fleeces of wool (weighing 144 pounds-five ewe fleeces and five buck fleeces) of excellent Merino combing and beautiful Merino clothing wool. John L. Hays, Elias H. Cowden, Gebhard, Charles J. Ellis, Hayami A. Deminos, A. Behmer, Charles LeBoutelier." This testimonial to his achievements as a wool-raiser is highly valued by Mr. Ingram, but he is now able to show ten fleeces as much superior to those exhibited in 1876 as they were to ordinary wool at that time. Mr. Ingram is highly es- teemed by all who know him. He is an enterprising man, and in politics a republican and a protectionist. He has owned as much as 2:478 acres of land, and now has 661 acres. Mr. Ingram was married in 1847 to Sarah, daughter of Samuel Allen, and they had three children: Abram, who lives near Loudensville, and Samuel and James, deceased. Their mother died in 1852 and Mr. Ingram was subse- quently married to Mrs. Amanda Sharpneck, by whom he had four
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children, Sarah, Siddie, Minnesota, and Daniel, deceased. This wife died in 1883, after which Mr. Ingram married the widow of John Sharpneck, one of the pioneers of Iowa.
William A. Jeffers was born in Belmont county, Ohio, May 22, 1859. His parents, Granville and Susan A. (Carman) Jeffers, have been respected citizens of Marshall county, W. Va., for many years. The father has been a commercial traveler for thirty years, during which time he has represented some of the best concerns in the Ohio valley. Mrs. Jeffers has ever been a devout and active member of the church, and is a woman much beloved for her many virtues and attainments. The children that have been born to them are: Edgar, Lee, Emma L., Mary L., William A., Anna M., Minnie E., Archie P., Henry W. B., Frank E., Edna C., and one that died in its infancy. William Carman, grandfather of these children, was born May 21, 1799. He was a miller at East Richland, Ohio, for many years, sub- sequently becoming a commercial traveler. He and his wife, Eliza (Cooper) Carman, were life long and earnest communicants of the Methodist Episcopal church. The mother is still living, having reached the advanced age of eighty-three years, sixty-seven of which she has spent in active church work. Gehial Carman, great-grand- father of our subject, was a native of Wales, in which country he was born. Coming to America he first settled on Long Island, but after- ward located in Pennsylvania, where most of his life was passed. He was a farmer by occupation and was a useful Christian man. William Jeffers, at the age of twenty-two years, embarked in the dairy busi- ness, which he has conducted until the present time, having met with success in this occupation. Mr. Jeffers has added to his dairy busi- ness by establishing a general store. Mr. Jeffers was the first post- master ever appointed at McMechen's, and still holds this office. His store is a model of its kind, and the proprietor is noted for his strict integrity in all his dealings. Amanda Rice became his wife, October, 1883. Mr. Jeffers is a daughter of Thomas and Mattie (McCombs) Rice, who were prominent residents of St. Clairsville, Ohio. Four children have come to bless Mr. and Mrs. Jeffers's home. They are: Hope M. and Christopher R., who are living with their parents, and Ethel May, and one unnamed, are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Jeffers are both members of the church, and are held in esteem by their large cir- cle of friends and acquaintances.
James N. Jefferson, justice of the peace of Moundsville, is a grand- son of James Jefferson, a soldier of the war of 1812, a Baptist minis- ter of great notoriety in this portion of the country during the days of early settlement. He was one of the pioneers of Marshall county. His son, James Jefferson, is a prominent farmer of the same county, who by his marriage with Melinda Mundell, has eight children, seven of whom are yet living. The eldest of these is James N., the subject of this mention, born March 4, 1849. He first was engaged inde- pendently in school teaching, a profession he followed for seven years, achieving a high reputation. Subsequently he has been occupied as a traveling salesman, as a carpenter, a craft in which he displayed
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great proficiency, and in the fall of 1884, he was elected justice of the peace. His service was such that he was re-elected in the fall of 1888. His well-known integrity has led to the bestowal upon him of various other trusts, such as the administration of estates, and he has held various minor town offices. Mr. Jefferson was married November 29, 1877, to Mary B., daughter of A. B. and Mary R. Gordon, worthy early settlers, the mother being a daughter of Benjamin Shepherd, a notable pioneer. The father, who died in Missouri, was a contractor for several years on the B. & O. railroad. Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson have five children: Ella O., Carrie E., Elsie M., Rene B. and Ivie Parthenia. Both he and wife are members of the old school Baptist church.
Thomas J. Johnson, superintendent of the West Virginia peniten- tiary at Moundsville, is a native of the state, having been born in Putnam county, November 17, 1852. His father, Robert Johnson, was a farmer by occupation, a citizen of much influence, and a mem- ber of the Catholic church. He died in 1877 at the age of sixty- eight years, but his widow, Lucinda Thacker by maiden name, survives. Of the fourteen children of these parents, twelve are living. The subject of this mention, the second born, engaged in farming at the age of nineteen, and followed that occupation for ten years. He then became chief of police of Malden, W. Va., a position he held two years, exhibiting marked qualifications as an officer. Subse- quently he was engaged in coal mining, and then as second mate of the steamers "D. T. Lane" and " Thomas Means," and after some serv- ice in the latter capacity he was appointed guard in the West Vir- ginia penitentiary. From this he was promoted to captain of the guard, and then to superintendent, displaying in every position a strict fidelity to the interests of the public, and sleepless diligence as an officer. Politically Mr. Johnson is a democrat. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and his wife is affiliated with the Baptist church. Mr. Johnson was married March 9, 1871, to Nancy, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Waters) Allen, of Marion county, Ohio, and they have four children: Joseph W., Hattie M., William, Walter and Mina.
G. A. Jones, deputy sheriff of Marshall county, was born in the same September 25, 1838, the son of Jeremiah and Jane (Parry) Jones. The father, a farmer by occupation, was president of the board of super- visors under the old constitution, and justice of the peace many years. He died August, 1889, aged eighty-four years, and his wife survived until the age of seventy-four years. Their eleven children are
all living in Marshall county, except two in Belmont county, Ohio. G. A. Jones was engaged in farming in his youth, and in 1858 was mar- ried to Melissa, daughter of Thomas and Ellen Riggs, respected pio- neer settlers of Marshall county. On August 16, 1862, he enlisted as a non-commissioned officer of Company A, Twelfth West Virginia in- fantry, and served nearly three years, taking part in Sheridan's cam- paign, Hunter's raid, and in the battle of Winchester. He then went with his regiment into the Twenty-fourth corps, and his brigade took Fort Gregg, the key to Petersburg. He saw Gen. Lee at the surren-
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der and helped cut the first chip from the historic apple tree. Two of his brother and four brothers-in-law were in the army, and the seven served fourteen and a half years in the aggregate. Mr. Jones is a member of the S. B. Stidger post, G. A. R., of which he has been com- mander for several years. After returning from the war he resumed agriculture and continued at that until January 1, 1889, when he be- came deputy sheriff and removed to Moundsville. To his marriage have been born nine children: Theodore N., a carpenter and painter; Lucy O., wife of George M. Longdon; Sarah J., wife of John Harsh, of Greene county, Penn .; Jerry H. Maggie P., Lemuel O., Charles A., Eva C. and Girtie E.
James R. Jones, a prominent citizen of Moundsville, was born near Cumberland, Maryland, October 20, 1844, the son of Edward and Mary (Woods) Jones, who were married in England in 1839, and im- migrated to this country in 1840. They " first settled at Mt. Savage, Md., but came to Wheeling in 1848, where they still reside. The father is a blacksmith by trade, and came to Wheeling to work on the suspension bridge. He learned his trade by a seven years' appren- ticeship, and has reared his four sons to the same useful calling. These parents, who celebrated their golden wedding October 13, 1889, had eleven children, nine of whom are living: Edward, Mary, James R., Anna; John, deceased; Cyrus, deceased; Adelia, William, Maggie, Charles E., and Carrie Lillian. Edward is engaged as manager of the Bellaire Iron and Nail mill, William is employed in the Ætna mill, and Charles carries on the blacksmith shop where all learned the trade. James R., leaving home at twenty years, attended college two years at Waynesburgh, Penn., having previously been a student at the Linsly institute, and he then taught school for several terms and engaged in farming. He has prospered in his undertakings, and is one one of the influential men of the community. He has held the office of president of the board of education of Washington district, the past six years. He and wife are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church, and he has served as a Sunday-school superintendent some seven years, three years at the Third Presbyterian church, Wheeling, and the remainder at Fairview, Marshall county. Mr. Jones was married September 20, 1871, to Mary H. Zink, by whom he has two children: James Alton and Lula. Mrs. Jones is a daugh- ter of Reuben and Mary A. Zink, highly esteemed old residents of Brooke county, W. Va., who celebrated their golden wedding March 13, 1884. Just four years later the father died. He was born at Baltimore, May 1, 1812, and moved in 1822 to Brooke county, afterward to Marshall county. He was a worthy citizen, holding sev- eral county offices, and was prominent in the church.
Among the early settlers of the region of Marshall county, late in the eighteenth century, were George and Elizabeth Jones. They raised a goodly family, Mary, Margaret, Philip, Abram, Daniel, Jer- emiah, Betsy, Sallie, Samuel, Garrett, Ann, and George W., of whom Samuel and George W. are the only survivors. Samuel, at the age of eighteen, began to preach, and he subsequently traveled on a
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circuit. He has given much of his time to clerical duties. Rev. Sam- uel Jones was married in 1830, to Elizabeth Standiford, a daugh- ter of John and Elizabeth Standiford, of Maryland, who still lives as the helpmate of her husband. They have had eight children: Elizabeth R., wife of Housand Riggs; John G., who served in the United States army three years, and was seriously wounded at Piedmont; Mary J., wife Dr. Samuel Griffith, both now deceased; George L., who enlisted in the Twelfth regiment West Virginia, and was killed at Piedmont; Anna R., wife of William Goudy; Philip, deceased; Theodore S. and Samuel E., the subject of this sketch. Samuel E. was born in Marshall county in 1845. He has given his life to farm duties, and is now one of the prosperous people of the county, and none are more highly esteemed by those who know him. In religious work, and in the cause of the Methodist church he has been an active worker, having filled various offices, and taken much interest in the Sunday-school. On November 27, 1867, he was married to Martha E., daughter of Jacob T. and Mary Jane (Griffith) Cox, prominent pioneer settlers and Methodists of Marshall county. Mrs. Jones has been a member of that church since her fif- teenth year. To this marriage have been born six children: Lenora O., Lillie H., Theodore F. D., Lizzie B., Glenna F., and Chauncey W.
John Kyle, a worthy farmer of Fairview Ridge, was born in Mar- shall county, April 20, 1820. He is the son of John Kyle, a native of Virginia, a successsul farmer and old resident, who died in Meigs county, Ohio, from paralysis, at the age of seventy-five years. He and wife, Jane Pollock, were both members of the Presbyterian church. They had five children: Mary A., wife of David Meredith; John, Stephen H., and two daughters who died young. John Kyle has led the life of an industrious and enterprising farmer, is prosper- ous, and is well known throughout the county and everywhere re- spected. He served the county as overseer of the poor from 1861 to 1872, and in this official capacity discharged every duty with scrupu- lous fidelity. He is a member and has served as deacon for twelve years and as elder for twenty years of the Presbyterian church, to · which his wife also belongs. He was married September 1, 1840, to Elizabeth, widow of Hamilton Johnston, by whom she had two chil- dren: Mary; who became the wife of S. L. Bloid, and died July 7, 1874, and Elizabeth, who married Joseph Marsh. Mr. and Mrs. Kyle have seven children: Jane, wife of James Rogerson, and mother of five children; Joanna, wife of G. W. Blake, one child; Amanda, wife of Philip Cunningham, five children; Sarah C., deceased; Virginia, wife of J. W. Marsh, nine children; and Martha, wife of William Norris, five children, one deceased; Melissa, wife of John I. Camp- bell, five children.
John W. Leach is a prosperous and prominent citizen of Benwood. He was born August 29, 1860, the son of Edward R. and Eliza J. (Con- ner) Leach. The father, who was of English descent, was born June 3, 1818, and the mother in 1821. The latter's parents were Will- iam and Sarah (Carney) Conner, who came to this state from Dela-
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ware, in 1821 or 1822. Patrick Conner and Edward Carney, great grandfathers of Mrs. Leach, were both valiant soldiers in the Revolutionary war, Mr. Carney having been wounded six or seven times at the battle of Germantown. Both of these grandparents were natives of Ireland, and arrived in this country but a short time prior to the Revolutionary war. Mr. Leach's grandparents were Ambrose and Mary (Arnold) Leach, they came to America during its early days. All of these forefathers were consistent members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. Mr. Leach's father, Edward R., was a class leader in the Methodist church for many years, and was probably the first to fill that office in the church at Gravel Bottom, afterward serv- ing in the same capacity in the brick church, at McMechen's, below Benwood. He and his goodly wife were very highly respected and useful members of that church for the greater part of their lives, and passed from labor to reward within three days of each other, her death occurring November 13, 1887, and in three days he followed her to the other and better land. John W. Leach was a nail feeder for some years in his younger days, subsequently he learned the nail- er's trade, and has been engaged in this occupation for eight years, having met with abundant success. Besides this pursuit he is also interested in "a mercantile business with his brother, they doing busi- ness under the firm name of Leach Bros. The latter firm conducts a very prosperous trade in groceries and dry goods. Mr. Leach es- poused Mary Peabody, December 17, 1884. Mrs. Leach's father and mother are Horatio N. and Aurelia Peabody, old and well-known resi- dents of this city, the father being one of the oldest nailers in Ben- wood. During the late war he was sergeant of Company K, Second regiment of the New Jersey infantry. Two bright little girls have grown up in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Leach, they are: Olive L. and Nellie. For many years these worthy people have been com- municants of the Methodist Episcopal church; the former having been a class leader in the same for eleven years, and is also the su- perintendent of the Sunday-school, and trustee and steward. Mr. Leach is a member of the I. O. O. F., and of the National Union, hav- ing been the first president in this city of the latter organization. He is an ardent republican and a thorough Christian gentleman.
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