USA > West Virginia > Preston County > A History of Preston County, West Virginia, V. 2 > Part 29
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Rheua V. Bishop, child of Guy A. Bishop, was born in 1867. She mar- ried Thos. L., son of John T. Briggs. They live at Terra Alta. Iva M. Bishop born 1875, married C. W. Fornian. Mr. G. A. and his son, Ray- mond C. Bishop, are known as most excellent farmers. The yield of grain on their well cultivated lands exceeds that of former years, and of poor farming, at least two fold. Corn this year on G. A. Bishop's farm reaches about 150 bushels to the acre, and oats, buckwheat, and other grains in proportion. Mr. Raymond C. Bishop has probably the finest orchard in Preston county.
LAKIN FISKE ROBERTS.
Professor Lakin Fiske Roberts, B. A., principal of the Terra Alta Schools, is a descendent of the Ashbys and Morgans on his mother's side,, who were two of the oldest families in Preston county. His father the Reverend L. W. Roberts, now a retired minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, is living at Buckhannon, West Virginia, one of his former stations, and is of Scotch Irish descent. He was in active work as a minister and pastor in different parts of West Virginia thirty-three
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years. His wife was Miss Harriet (Morgan) Ashby. She was a daughter of Hannah Morgan and a descendent of William Ashby, who came from Frederick county, Maryland, about 1779 and settled in the Glades east of Terra Alta.
The children of Reverend and Mrs. Roberts were Lakin Fiske, Gert- rude and Loella, all teachers holding high and responsible positions in public school work. Miss Gertrude, a teacher of French and German in the High School of Wheeling, West Virginia, is a graduate of Allegheny College, Pennsylvania. She also took the degree of A. B. in 1909 from the West Virginia University at Morgantown. Loella Roberts is a graduate from the Fairmont Normal College in 1909, and is now teaching in the primary department of the Buckhannon Schools. Lakin Fiske Roberts was born in Brandonville on May 27, 1888. His father at one time was Presiding Elder of the Oakland District, and being on the circuit the family necessarily had to move from place to place in requirement of Mr. Roberts' work, finally a stop being made at Buck- hannon, where the son completed a three years course in the Seminary. Afterwards he graduated from the Wheeling High School, then went back to Buckhannon to the school there, which had changed its name name to that of the Wesleyan College. After another two years stay here he went to Morgantown, where two years afterward in the spring of 1909 he took the degree of A. B. from the State University of West Virginia. In the fall of that same year he acceped a position as as- sistant principal of the Terra Alta Schools, and the following year was made principal where he has been since that time, accomplishing a very successful work in the Superintendency, having about eleven teachers and about three hundred pupils under his charge.
Mr. Roberts is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, is a member of the Masonic Lodge, also of the Phi Kappa Sigma fra- ternity. He is a man of modest mien, but is scholarly and self-reliant, and well worthy of the praise that comes to him from his patrons for the efficiency of his good work in the city schools.
THE COBUN FAMILY.
James Cobun was of English origin and probably of Virginia. He was born December 2, 1746, and came to the vicinity of Morgantown before he was married-probably not far from the year 1770. In 1790, he settled on the present site of Masontown, having patented a tract
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of a 1000 acres of glade land. His house stood in the eastern part of the present town, and considerably to the rear of E. E. Cobun's resi- dence. The fact that he possessed a number of slaves would imply that the pioneer Cobun was a man of some means for the time in which he lived. He was a classleader of the Methodist church and was remem- bered by his granddaughter, Mrs. Hubble, as a person of excellent Christian character. He died at Masontown, September 17, 1822, aged almost 76 years.
His wife was Sabrah, a daughter of Arthur and Sabrah Trader. It was during her girlhood that her parents came West in the same party with James Cobun. She was of the brunette type, and was called the "pretty squaw" by the Indians because of her handsome features and her long and abundant black hair. Mrs. Cobun was born, September 10, 1756, and died October 1, 1843, at the advanced age of 87.
The parents of James Cobun were Jonathan and Catherine. There is no record of the family name ever being spelled otherwise than it is now, yet it used to be spelled and pronounced Coburn. Because of their tendency to emigrate, the Cobuns are not so numerous in our county as formerly. The descendants bearing the family name are to be found chiefly at Masontown and near Tunnelton.
The children of Jame's and Sabrah Cobun were Catherine, Susannah, James, Arthur, Isaac, John, Jacob, and Sarah. All but the last three were born in Monongalia.
Jacob died of an accident in boyhood. Jonathan settled in Monon- gala. Catherine, born March 3, 1773; married a McGee, who lived near Independence. Susannah, born September 23, 1776, married a Holt, an- cestor to Judge John H. Holt of Grafton, and Sarah, born June 3, 1794, married William McMillen.
James, Arthur and Isaac remained in Valley district. Their birth dates, respectively, were March 27, 1781, Nov. 30, 1783, and October 30, 1786, and their wives, likewise, were Nancy Fortney, Jane Patton, and Prudence Davis. Isaac remained on a portion of the family home- stead, the farm of the late B. F. Cobun, while Susannah and her husband suceeded to the original home. James and Arthur lived a little farther southward, the former on the Simon D. Snider farm, and latter on the Simon M. Snider place. Arthur died suddenly while in a field. Isaac lived until June 24, 1867, being then in his SIst year. Prudence, his wife, died January 19, 1873, aged 81.
John Cobun, born November 3, 1790, settled in Fayette county,
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Pennylvania, and died there at an early age, leaving two daughters, Charity and Sabina A. The former married James M. Cobun, a cousin, and the latter married Thomas Watson.
The children of James Cobun, Jr., were Wesley, Samuel, Harvey, Jane, Polly, and Susan. Wesley never married. Samuel married and settled in Monongalia, and Harvey in Pennsylvania. Polly married Shay of Reno. Both the other sisters wedded Holts, and they lived in Pennsylvania.
The children of Arthur were: (1) James P., born January 6, 1807, died October 2, 1880. He married Mary A. Menear and settled on Pringle's Run. (2) Jonothan married an Evans and lived in Monongalia. (3) Isaac W. married Catharine Menear. (4), John F. married Eliza Greer of Harrison and settled in that county. (5) Robert, a preacher, went to Kentucky. (6) John, a twin brother to Robert, lived in Penn- sylvania. (7) Eugenus married Eliza Haywood and went to Harrison county. (8) Isabel, born 1814, died single in 1899. (9) Alpheus and (10) Mary left Preston county.
The children of James P. number the following: (1) Tabitha, wife of Enos Wolfe. (2) Louisa R., wife of William Braham. (3) Eugenus C., whose first wife was Frances Collins and whose second was Lulu -. (4) William A. (5) Marcllus J. H. (6) David S, who married (a) Re- becca Miller and (b) Victoria Summers. (7) Mary E., wife of Ellis Herndon. (8) Martha J., wife of Frederick Westerman. (9) Matthew E.
The children of Eugenus C. are Emma, Mollie, Carrie, Dell, Charles, William, Walter and Earl.
The children of David S. are: (1) Minnie, wife of Lucian J. Conley. (2) John D., who married and lives at Grafton. (3) Laura B., wife of Edward Helms. (4) Martha A., wife of Charles Stevens of Fairmont (5) David W., who married Melissa Bolyard. Also by second marriage : Mary L., Ada J., Desie E., Callie L., Bruce T., Thomas M., Annie B., Carrie L.
The children of Isaac W., are: (1) Harrison, who went to South Da- kota. (2) John. (3) David. (4) Robert, who married Laura Shaffer. (5) Jacob, who married a Collins. (6) Deborah C., wife of Marshall Duncan. (7) Jane, wife of George McMillen. (8) Albert N., who mar- ried (a) Kate Shaffer and (b) -Zotz, and went to Ohio. (9) Martha, wife of Silas S. Sterling. Albert N. had two daughters, Bessie and Agnes M. The latter married Philip Beavers.
The children of Isaac were: (1) Gerry L. D., born March 26, 1813,
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who went to Pennsylvania. (2) James M., born January 14, 1815, died in a Confederate prison. His first wife was Charity Cobun and his second was Mary M. Hubble. (3) George, born October 4, 1816, married and lived in Pennsylvania. (4) Charity, born September 22, 1818, died single September 17, 1871. (5) Sabina, born December 10, 1820, married Samuel Graham. (6) Jacob G., born January 14, 1823, was mortally wounded at Droop Mountain and died November 26, 1863. (7) Cathar- ine, born August 7, 1829, married Clinton Jeffers. (8) Benjamin F., born September 1831, married Jane Hartley. (9) Isaac B., born May 4, 1834, married Belle Flaherty.
The children of James M. are (1) Alcinda, wife of Abraham Elliot. (2) Alcinus, and (3) Laverns.
The children of Benjamin F. are : (1) Albert D. (2) Harriet L., wife of Samuel Field. (3) Homer L., who married Attie Loar. (4) Sanford L, who married (a) Mattie Loar and (b) Rosa E. Roby. (5) Elmer E., who married Aura Brown. (6) William G., who married Clara Free- land. (7) Florence B., wife of Rev. Edward Lawson. (8) Louie W., wife of J. Allison Stuck. (9) Myra, wife of Sherman Snider, and (10) Allie, deceased.
Benjamin F. and Isaac B. Cobun were brothers. Isaac B., was the father of Wilbur F., born November 5, 1860. He married Emma Mc- Cauley, and has four children, namely : Nina M., wife of George Fleming of Chicago; Grace D .; Dennis B., and Clyde. W. F. Cobun came to Fair- mont in 1873. He is a plasterer. (2) Bertie May, born March 4, 1864, is the wife of Dr. U. W. Showalter of Clarksburg, West Virginia. They have four children, Percy and Pearl, twins, Ulysses and Boyd W Percy is a physician. (3) George M., born January 26, 1866. He mar- ried Bertie Orr, and lives in Morgantown. They have one son, Miles L. (4) Lincoln J., born in November, 1857. He was a lawyer in Philippi, and is now deceased, departing from his wife December 9, 1893. (5) Leonidas W. is a physician in Morgantown. He married Flora Wat- ers, daughter of W. Waters of Independence. (6) Alvin C., died in in- fancy. (7) Addie P., born May 18, 1873, is teacher in Rowlesburg. (8) Liz- zie Catherine, born March 23, 1875, is the wife of F. W. Gandy of Terra Alta. (9) Miles B., born May 20, 1877, is a merchant of Fairmont, W. Va. September 16, 1903, he married Minnie Horchler, daughter of Au- gust Horchler of Newburg. They have two children, Eleanor P. and Agnes Belle.
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SAMUEL NEDROW.
A goodly number of people now living in Preston county are descendants of first families, who came from Somerset county, Pennsyl- vania, in pioneer days. Among these were Peter Nedrow and his wife, formerly a Miss Penroid, who visited their son, Jonathan, then living in Preston county, when the father was seventy years of age, the parents coming on foot, and, after a three-months' stay, walked back home again. Peter Nedrow died there in the sixties, ninety years of age. His son, Jonathan, with his wife, formerly Lydia Haines, moved from Somerset county to Preston county in 1846, and located on a farm of two or three hundred acres near Bruceton. His two brothers, John and Jacob, moved West. Jonathan was killed when raising a house for one of his neighbors, being at that time forty years of age. His wife died in 1878, nearly sixty years old.
Seven children were born to this union, as follows: (1) Samuel, born September 13, 1847. (2) Harriet, now dead. (3) John S., the well- known physician, with residence and offices in Bruceton Mills. (4) Peter V., born October 7, 1854. (5) Lizzie, who married Luther Selby, and lives in Clarksburg. (6) Jonathan, who died in Somerset county, Pennsylvania.
Samuel Nedrow, the eldest member of the family, is a resident of Brandonville. He was raised a farmer, and having made that avocation in life a study, has become a scientific one in fact as well as in name. He has also had much to do in the coal lands for Elkins, owner of the M. & K. roads. In 1885 he purchased of Junior Brown a farm of 205 acres, called the Jackson and Jeffers farm. He also bought a farm of Ridenour, and in 1910 came to Brandonville and located here on seven lots, where he expects to spend the remainder of his days.
In 1863 Mr. Nedrow enlisted in the 3rd Md. Vol. Inf. and was honorably discharged after the war was over. His service in the field was mainly in discharge of guard duty, but he was also in some of the engagements, notably at Monocacy Junction, Leesburg, and at Win- chester. After his return from the war he did carpentering as well as farming until fifteen years ago, having contracted and built in the meantime a number of public and private dwellings in the county. At one time also he was in the grocery business.
August 1, 1870, he was married to Mary Ellen Lenhart, sister to James A. Lenhart, merchant at Kingwood. She was born February 5, 1853. Their children are as follows: (1) Elma, born June 12, 1871; (2)
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Oliver Frankin, March 18, 1872; (3) Callic Ann, September 4, 1874, died September 9, 1888; (4) Birdie Catherine, September 4, 1877; (5) Mary Ettie, January 30, 1880; (6) William Arthur, March 21, 1882; (7) Jennie Bell, July 7, 1883; (8) Ella Pearl, April 30, 1888; (9) John Aaron, July 12, 1890; (10) James Samuel, December 26, 1892; (II) Walter Herbert, July 16, 1895.
PETER V. NEDROW.
The old home where Peter V. Nedrow was born and raised was about three miles west of Bruceton. (For history of the family see sketch of Samuel Nedrow.) Peter was born October 7, 1854, and after the death of his father, in 1859, he lived with James Harvey about six years, then with John Spurgeon until the age of manhood, when he went home to take care of his mother, his oldest brother having gone into the army.
Mr. Nedrow's first venture was a trip to Bureau county, in Illinois. He stayed there two years, then returned to Bruceton and entered the mill, and here he remained three years. His trade as a miller was com- pleted in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and there is where he got his start in life. He was next employed at $100 per month in Fayette and West- moreland counties, Pennsylvania, and from there came to Somerfield and bought a half interest in a mill owned and operated by Jacobs, and here he remained eight years. This mill had a capacity of 50 barrels a day, and they made a specialty of buckwheat flour. Besides dealing extensively in the wholesale market, they also did a large custom busi- ness, their annual product averaging about 12,000 bushels. Mr. Nedrow then drifted into the saw mill business in Somerset county Pennsyl- vania, but in 1909, on the 16th of April of that year, he purchased a valuable farm of Frankhouser, near Brandonville, since which time his attentions have been devoted to expert agricultural pursuits.
In April, 1890, Mr. Nedrow was married to Venie May Bird, daugh- ter of Basil Bird, a well-known citizen of Somerset county, Pennsyl- vania. After this marriage the couple moved to Somerfield, where they built a residence and where they still live. Of this marriage two daugh- ters were born to bless the union, the eldest being Eunice Catherine, born in 1891. She is now in the last year of her musical studies at the College of Mount Pleasant Institute, Westmoreland county. The youngest daughter is Mary Ethel, born October 22, 1896.
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THE CROGAN FAMILY.
James Crogan was born in the town of Croghan, county of Ros- common, Province of Connaught, Ireland. In the year 1846 he came to the United States in company with John and James Doyle. They landed in New York, and from there journeyed to the state of Mary- land. Four years later, 1850, James Crogan was married at Mount Savage, Maryland, to Miss Rose Doyle, who came over from Ireland in the year 1849. Miss Doyle was from the same part of Ireland as Mr. Crogan, and a sister of John and James Doyle, who came over with Mr. Crogan.
From Mount Savage, Maryland, Mr. and Mrs. Crogan moved to Tunnel Hill, Preston county, Virginia, or what is now West Virginia.
Mr. Crogan followed public works from the time he landed in this country, and at the time he moved to Tunnel Hill was in the employ- ment of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company, in which service he worked until about the year 1854, when he purchased the farm that is now known as the "Crogan Farm," one mile northeast of Newburg, West Virginia. From this time on he followed farming until his death, in the year 1856.
There were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Crogan four sons, namely : John F. Crogan, a well-known farmer of Lyon District, Preston county, West Virginia. James C. Crogan, who was a conductor on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and who was killed in the Grafton yards, December 22. 1902. Hubert A. Crogan, who when a young man went West. He first went to Colorado, where he was a baggage master on one of the rail- roads. Several years afterwards he went to Gainesville, Texas, where he was employed as brakesman on one of the railroads of that county. He was killed in a wreck in the year 1898. Patrick J. Crogan, who was born June 17, 1856, was educated in county schools and in a private school conducted by Professor Painter, of Roanoke College, Virginia, and then taught school for seven years. He was admitted to the bar in 1881, having studied law with Judge Mason of Fairmont, and he has been in continuous practice since that time in Preston county. He is one of the directors of the Bank of Kingwood.
John F. Crogan, the oldest of the four boys, chose as his vocation that of farming. He was married in 1875 to Miss Fanny Wilson, daughter of Eugenus Wilson, of near Tunnelton, West Virginia. He resides on what is known as the "Old Cool Farm," two miles north-
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east of Newburg, West Virginia. He is one of the enterprising farmers of Preston county, was elected County Commissioner from Lyon dis- trict in 1904, and re-elected to the same office in 1906.
There were born unto Mr. and Mrs. John F. Crogan seven children, six of whom are living, one dying in infancy. Those living are as fol- lows: (1) Addie J., now the wife of Thomas E. Pyles, a well-known farmer of Birds Creek, West Virginia. (2) Hubert G. Crogan, an attorney-at-law of Kingwood, West Virginia. (2) Hubert G. Crogan, an who went West in 1906, and at the present time has a position as electrician with the Cananea Consolidated Copper, of Cananea, Sonora, Mexico. (4) Bessie M., widow of Oliver M. Bell, deceased. Mr. Bell, at the time of his death, was employed as railway mail clerk on the Norfolk & Wesetern Railroad, and was killed in a wreck on that road December 24, 1910. (5) Walter G. Crogan, an engineer on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and who resides in Grafton, West Virginia. (6) John D. Grogan, the youngest, who is at home with his parents.
Hubert G. Crogan, son of John F. and Fanny Crogan, was born April 3, 1880, near Newburg, Preston county, West Virginia. He at- tended the public schools in early life; graduated at the State Normal School at West Liberty, West Virginia, in 1907; attended the West Virginia University at Morgantown, West Virginia, and graduated in law from that institution in 1910. In his early life he worked on his father's farm. Taught in the public schools for five years, during which time he attended the spring terms of the State Normal School at West Liberty, West Virginia. Was principal of the Newburg public schools in 1904 and 1905. He was admitted to the bar at the Circuit Court of Preston county in 1910.
JACOB JACKSON MARTIN.
Daniel Martin, an old Revolutionary soldier, was born in Germany, and with his wife, Elizabeth Wynne, settled first in New Jersey, but came to Preston county from Pennsylvania soon after the first of the eighteenth century. He was a nephew of Col. John Martin, in the War of the Independence, and served seven years and six months in that struggle. He went out as a hostler for the Colonel, but soon after car- ried a musket in the ranks. He died when very old-some say it was
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at the age of 102 years, and others at 105. Elizabeth, his wife, died with cancer in the breast about 1837. Their children were: Abigail, who married George Sypolt; Jacob, the father of Jacob Jackson ; John, a stone mason, who married Sarah Sypolt; Isaac, who married Susanna Metheny, was a cripple and a shoemaker; Sarah, who married John McNair, and lived where Stephen Martin does now.
Jacob Martin, who was a soldier in the War of 1812, was born Feb- ruary 6, 1793, in Fayette county, Pennsylvania. He married Mary Metheny, about February 7, 1816. She died March 16, 1887. By her first husband, Peter Miller, she had two children, Susanna and John P., both now dead. The children by the second marriage weere: (1) James, born February 20, 1816. He was a Baptist clergyman and school teacher. He married Minerva Rogers, and died June 14, 1896. (2) Daniel T., born January 6, 1819, died June, 1887. He married first Elizabeth Teets. His second wife was Mary M. Kirkpatrick. He was a soldier in the Civil War. (3) Elizabeth, born April 9, 1821, died in January, 1888. She married George Meyers, and is living near Martins- ville, on the Ohio River. He was a soldier in the Civil War also. (4) Lydia, born April 3, 1823, died March 12, 1893, in Iowa. She married William Liston. Her death was caused by a prick from a barbed wire fence. (5) Isaac WV., born July 28, 1825, died June, 1910, eighty-four years old. He married Sarah Wilhelm and lived near Valley Point (6) Moses R., born May 6, 1827. He lived in the southern part of the state. (7) Jane, born August 24, 1830, died October 21, 1906. She mar- ried first James Walls, who died in the army. Her second husband was A. W. Devall. He was a soldier also. (8) Jacob Jackson, men- tioned again. (9) Benjamin F., born March 23, 1835. He married Catherine Lemasters, and moved to Arkansas. (10) Mary, born Feb- ruary 16, 1837. She is the wife of P. D. Kirkpatrick and lives in Ne- braska. He died a soldier.
Jacob Martin, the father, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was at Fort Meigs and Fort Erie. He died at the home of his son, the sub- ject of this sketch. He was a farmer and a blacksmith.
Jacob Jackson Martin, a land surveyor, of Preston county for about twenty years, was born November 16, 1832. He learned blacksmithing, but farming has been his chief occupation, and he is still active though eighty-one years old. He is well known generally throughout the county, having held several positions of trust and responsibility. Dur- ing the war he was constable for three years. He was a school teacher
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in all ten terms. His educational acquirements fitted him for a mem- ber of the Board of Education, which position he held twenty years, eight of which he was president of the board. He was justice of the peace fourteen years, and refused to serve longer. In 1869 he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, and soon afterwards became a leader. February 17, 1880, he was chosen exhorter, and served in that capacity until 1903, when a runaway horse hitched to a hay rake crippled him badly. The rake struck a stump and threw him about twelve steps, or 36 feet. The force with which he was thrown was so violent that his shoulder blade and five ribs were broken, and he was crippled for life.
October 5, 1856, Mr. Martin was married to Sarah A. Martin, daugh- ter of Jesse Martin, one of the original county surveyors of Preston county. She was born in 1840, and died May 11, 1896. The children were: Mary E., born November 22, 1857, married Joab C. Groves, December 10, 1874. They lived on a farm adjoining the home place. He is a farmer and a carpenter. Troy D., born September 30, 1859, married Magdaline Hennessy. They have three sons and live near Hudson. Marshall J. Martin, born April 2, 1859, was married to Rachael C. Liston. To this union one daughter, Minnie, was born, May 22, 1884. They live adjoining the home place. Minnie married Carl Messenger. The third child is Malettie O. Martin, born November 12, 1871. She was married to J. W. Goff, December 20, 1898. They have four children : Cora Ethel, born December 3, 1889; Carl D., born April 20, 1892; Jessie M., born June 22, 1895; and Mabel, born June 22, 1902.
Mr. Jacob Martin's second marriage was to Mrs. Hannah Groves, whose maiden name was Sterling. She was born November 26, 1833, and married first to Jacob Groves in 1850. Five children were born to this union. They were: William W., Joab C., Catherine, Eva Ellen, and Jacob Anderson. There is no issue by the second marriage.
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