USA > West Virginia > Randolph County > A history of Randolph County, West Virginia, from its earliest exploration and settlement to the present time > Part 23
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PHILLIPS-The surname Phillips is from a Greek word meaning a lover of horses.
PRITT-From the Norse Prudi.
RUSSEL-French from Roussel, a stream or brook. In Domesday Book as Rozell.
RYAN-Normandy as Royan, Danish as Ryan,.
SCHOONOVER-Derived from Schoonoven, a place in South Holland. The word is from "Schoon," an old Dutch word meaning fine and "hoven," a garden or court.
SCOTT-The origin of the name Scott is clouded in doubt. Scotylle, Anglo-Saxon for winnowing fan is given by some writers as the original word. Other scholars say the
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word meant rulers or possessors. Again it is maintained that the Scotts who invaded Argyle in 360 were so called because the word "Scotti" meant sacred painters or sculptors, an art in which these people were proficient.
SEE-German, lake. Thunersee, the lake of Thun.
SHANNON-The name Shannon is derived from the Shannon River in Ireland. The word was originally Shen- abhanon.
SHREEVES-Derived from "Schir," a Shire, division, or township and reeve, the Bailiff. The word then means a Bail- iff of a Shire.
S-The Welsh merely appended "s" instead of son as Edwards and Davis.
SMITH-The word Smith was an occupational one; the original word was "smote," the art of striking the anvil. The name is a very common one because, at the time of the adop- tion of surnames, the smith made almost everything used in the arts of war and peace. A very large number of people were engaged in the trades of gunsmith, blacksmith, tinsmith, silversmith, etc.
STALNAKER-Derived from the German word "Stahal" or "Stahl" meaning steele, and "Nagel," a sharp point or spear. Then the original word was Stahl-nagel, meaning a sharp pointed steele spear. So the name was, perhaps, first applied to a warrior who was armed with such a weapon.
TAGGART-Appears as McTaggart in Scotch.
TALBOTT-English, and appears in the Domesday Book as spelled at present.
TYRE-Derived from "Tyreman," a dresser. From the fact that the Norman suffix "er" is used to abbreviate the word, it is to be presumed that it is of Norman origin.
WARD-From the Anglo-Saxon "weard." a watchman. WARNER-Appears in the Domesday Book as Warn.
WEESE-From the German "weiss" meaning white, or "waas" meaning bold.
WAMSLEY-Derived from a Lancashire township of that name.
WEYMOTH-The name Weymoth is provincial in its origin, being first, perhaps, applied to residents about the
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mouth of the small River Wey in England. The City of Wey at the mouth of this river, is very ancient. The Anglo-Saxon word was Wagemuth, from "wage" meaning a wave or pas- sage way, and "muth" meaning a mouth.
WHITE-Derived from the Anglo-Saxon "hweit," mean- ing fairness of complexion.
WILMOTH -- derived from the baptismal name of Wil- liam as explained elsewhere. Originally the name was spelled Wilmot.
Nicholas was a favorite name in the Wilmot family in England. Sir Nicholas was Knight in the seventeenth cen- tury in England. His grandfather was named Nicholas. It is significant that the eldest of the Wilmoth brothers to lo- cate in Randolph was named Nicholas.
YEAGER-Danish, huntsman. Yagere also means a sweetheart.
Variation in Surnames.
Individual peculiarities in pronunciation largely accounts for the variations in spelling of surnames. In the earlier his- tory of the county names were seldom written and the ear was the only guide to the spelling and in some cases the only method of transmitting names from one generation to another. Then the settler often coming direct from European countries, embraced the opportunity to simplify and abbreviate a cum- bersome name. This was particularly true of German names. The object was sometimes to change the form into English. Thus we have Armikast changed to Arbogast, Herman tracht to Armentrout, Bauman to Bowman, Kromet to Crummett, Kerper to Carper, Dahle to Dolly, Herber to Harper, Herr- man to Harman, Heffner to Hevener, Huber to Hoover, Loch to Lough, Roeder to Rader, Sieman to Simmons, Schaefer to Shaver, Schneider to Snyder, Sponaugen to Sponaugle, Tehudi to Judy, Wetzel to Whetsell, Wildfang to Wilfong. Zwicken- fus to Zickafoose.
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Classification of Names.
The following classification of names though not free from error is in the main correct :
English.
Ayers.
Blair, Bosworth, Bell, Brown, Bradley, Barlow, Bent, Bennett, Bishop, Bond, Boseley, Blackman, Brandley.
Chenoweth, Cook, Channell.
Daniels, Day, Digman, Davisson, Dawson, Denton.
Earle, Elliott, England, Elza, Elkins.
Findley, Fox.
Goddin, Gibon, Gandy, Gawthrop.
Haymond, Hart, Harding, Hansford, Hunt, Hutton, Har- ris, Henderson, Hadden, Holder, Howell.
Isner. Jones, Jackson, Johnson. Kittle, Kelley, Kimble.
Lamb, Lee, Long. Marshall, Morris, Mason.
Porter, Powers, Payne, Pennington, Patterson, Potts.
Russell, Roy, Reed, Robinson.
Smith, Summerfield, Skidmore, Shreve.
Taylor, Turner, Taft, Thompson, Triplett.
Woodford, Williamson, Weymouth, Wamsley, Woodley, Ward, Wilmoth, White, Wilson.
Irish.
Adams, Adamson.
Burns, Bodkin, Boggs, Brady, Boyles, Beaty.
Clark, Collier, Connolly, Cain, Coff, Crickard, Cunning- ham, Currence.
Donohoe, Daugherty, Davis, Durkin.
Ford, Ferguson Flanigan. Gainer. Jordan, Joyce. Keenan, Kinnan, Kee, Kennedy.
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Murphy, MsLain, McAllister.
Phares.
Rains, Rooney, Ryan, Rowan. Scott.
Wood.
German.
Alt, Arbogast, Armentrout.
Bowers, Baker, Ball, Buckey, Bowman.
Car, Conrad. Caplinger, Crummett, Carper, Canfield, Col- lins, Curtis.
Dove, Dolly.
Eberman, Eye. Fisher, Friend.
Goff.
Haigler, Halterman, Harman, Harper, Hedrick, Hevener, Hinkle, Hoover, Huffman.
Judy. Ketterman, Kyle.
Lantz, Lough.
Marteny, Moyers, Marstiller.
Rigleman, Rosencranse, Rader, Riffle, Rohrbaugh,
Rinehart.
Shaver, Simmons, Sites, Snyder, Sponaugle, Swadley, Smith, Stalnaker, See, Swecker, Schoonover.
Teter, Tingle, Tolly. Vandevander, Vanpelt.
Westfall, Weere, Wolf, Wimer, Whetsell. Yokum, Yeager. Zickafoose.
Scotch.
Anderson, Armstrong. Collett, Cowgeer, Cunningham, Campbell, Crawford. Lambert, Logan. McLeary, McMullen, McClung, McLean, McDonald, Mc- Quain, McCorkel.
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Nelson. Simpson, Skidmore. Thompson. Vansoy. Welch.
Welch.
Davis. Howell. Lewis. Williams.
French.
Capitio, Cassell. Montony, Mullenix. Tyre.
Spanish.
Pedro.
Extinct Families of Randolph. .
This list includes pioneer families of Randolph that have no descendants of the same name residing within the county. Families of the same name may live in the county, but they are not of the same strain of blood as the names here men- tioned. As a rule these families pushed farther west when Randolph assumed the staid aspect of older communities; Anderson, Armstrong, Adams, Alford.
Barnhouse, Bingham, Blair, Bogard, Baxter, Bell, Blain, Bond, Botkin, Bruff, Bridger, Booth, Breckenridge, Bent, Brian, Buffington, Briggs, Bozart, Bogard.
Connonly, Cutright, Cade, Casto, Carpenter, Casey, Cass- ity, Claypool, Crane, Combs, Carney.
Donohoe, Dougherty, Dolbeare. Evick, Eberman England, Friend, Fink, Files. Gandy, Gibson.
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Haigler. Heath. Holder. Hughes. Hiller. Harris.
Kinnan. Kozer.
Lackey. Leeky. Longacker.
Mace. McLeary. McLean. McMullen. Maxwell. Myers, Maddix.
Nelson. Osborn.
Petty. Powell.
Ralston. Rummell. Reeder. Rollins.
Springtone. Stout. Steers. Slagle.
Taft, Taggart. Taffee. Troutwine. Turner.
Warthen. Warwick. Whitman. Whiteman. Wise. Wolf.
HISTORIES OF FAMILIES IN RANDOLPH COUNTY.
In this chapter will be found a brief history of the pioneer families of Randolph: their origin. place of settlement and such other facts as are now obtainable :
THE ARNOLD FAMILY.
Arnold. In the year 1765 three brothers. Jonathan. An- drew, and Jesse Arnold removed from Chester County, near Philadelphia. the place of their birth, and located in the vicin- ity of old Fort Redstone (now Brownsville. Pa.). The his- tory of Chester County makes mention of but one family of the name of Arnold residing there prior to the date named. viz : Richard Arnold, who died in the year 1720 leaving a large family. He was presumably the grandfather of the three brothers named. At that time this section was claimed to be a part of Virginia, and the Arnold brothers supposed they were locating in that State. They brought with them their family slaves. Later when the controversy as to the State line was settled. leaving this section in Pennsylvania. their supposed slaves being in free territory were free .*
I. Jonathan, the first of the above named brothers, had married Rachel Scott. There was born to them children as follows : Samuel. Benjamin. Levi. Jonathan. William. of
*The county records. of that period. containing enumeration of property includes the slaves and names of owners.
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whom further mention is made; James, Rachel, Hannah and Sarah. The said William and James were twin brothers. It may be mentioned as an interesting incident, that in a genea- ogical chart of the Arnold family on file in the Congressional Library in Washington, extending back to the eleventh cen- tury, inscriptions are copied from four tombstones in England, of about the sixteenth century, and three of the four bear the same family names above given, viz: William Arnold, born 1537, James Arnold died 1631, Sarah Arnold born 1623.
11. William, son of Jonathan and Rachel (Scott ) Arnold, was brought up and resided in what later became Greene County, Pennsylvania. He married Hulda Knotts, daughter of a prominent citizen of the same section. Here he owned a valuable farin and followed that occupation. Children, Jon- athan of whom further, William, Rachel, Sarah, Charles Pink- ney and Caroline.
111. Jonathan (III) the eldest son of William and Hulda (Knotts) Arnold was born and raised on his father's farm near West Brownsville, Greene County, Pa., the date of his birth being March 27th, 1802. He settled at Beverly, in Ran- dolph County, then Virginia, in 1822, where he continued to reside until his death which occured July 20th, 1883.
Upon locating in Beverly, Jonathan Arnold established a tannery. He continued in this business a few years only, when he engaged in speculating and cattle grazing, being us- ually successful in his business ventures. He was an ardent Whig, and was for years one of the leaders of his party in his adopted county. He never sought nor would he accept office, but many a political battle was waged in the county under his leadership, the result leaving no doubt in the minds of the opposition as to his active participation therein. He was a conservative man of the soundest judgment, of unquestioned integrity, of a kind heart, sympathetic and considerate with those in distress, of uncompromising sternness with dishon- esty in any place, and a trusted friend who could always be relied upon. His advice and judgment were frequently sought, and given freely to those whom he esteemed, and when ob- served rarely failing to benefit and profit the recipient.
At the breaking out of the Civil War Jonathan Arnold
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was strongly opposed to the State seceding from the Union, and he voted in 1861, with the minority in his county, against the ratification of the Ordinance of Secession. Early in the war, however, when he saw the policy of the Federal admin- istration trending, in his opinion, beyond the limits of the Constitution, he experienced no great change in finding his sympathies more in accord with the seceding states, as they seemed to him more nearly in line with the tenets of the Con- stitution. He was fearless in adherence to his principles and convictions, and he strongly opposed and voted against the formation of the State of West Virginia, at a time when such a vote stamped one with disloyalty in the eyes of the Federal commanders stationed throughout the State, and subjected him to risk of arrest and imprisonment. In the autumn of 1863, he was arrested by the United States authority ; was never informed as to any charge against him except the gen- eral charge of disloyalty, and was held as a prisoner until the close of the war. Through the intercession of influential friends he was paroled within narrow limits shortly after his arrest, but was not allowed to return to the vicinity of his home until a short time preceding his release.
Jonathan Arnold possessed one of the largest and most carefully selected libraries in his section of the State. En- dowed with an unusually retentive memory, he read his books and between the lines, the result being that he was a man of unusual information.
In the year 1827 he united in marriage with Thursa, daughter of Eli and Elizabeth (Hart) Butcher, a prominent merchant and resident of Beverly. He lost his wife within a little over a year, one child only surviving the mother, but dying in youth. In 1841 he married Phoebe Ann, daughter of Solomon and Edith (Davisson) Collett, and was again un- fortunate, his wife dying in a few months. In September, 1844, he was united in marriage with Laura Ann, daughter of Jonathan and Julia (Neale) Jackson, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, and the only sister of Thomas J., afterward Gen- eral "Stonewall" Jackson .* By this marriage there were four
*See sketch of Edward Jackson.
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children, the youngest dying in infancy, the three eldest being Thomas Jackson, Anna Grace, and Stark W., who died in 1898. Anna Grace became the wife of Major C. H. Evans, of Springfield, O. She died in 1878, having previously lost her two little children.
IV. Thomas Jackson Arnold was born at Beverly, No- vember 3, 1845. He was the eldest son of Jonathan and Laura Ann (Jackson) Arnold. At the age of thirteen he was placed in school at Lexington, Va., making his home with his uncle, Major Jackson, afterward General "Stonewall" Jackson. In 1863-4 he attended school at Parkersburg, West Va., under Rev. William L. Hyland, rector of Christ Church. In 1866 he began the study of law at Beverly, under Colonel David Goff, and afterward took the course in law and equity at Washington and Lee University, Virginia, graduating from that institution in 1867, with the degree of LL.B. Judge John W. Brokenbrough at that time filling the chair. The next year he began the practice of his profession in his native town and in the autumn of that year was elected Prosecuting At- torney for Randolph. In 1879 he was re-elected by a largely increased majority, and in 1872 was for the third time elected with a still larger majority. The last term was for four years, under the new Constitution, then but recently adopted.
On June 1, 1876, Mr. Arnold married Miss Eugenia Hill, daughter of Lieutenant-General D. H. Hill, a distinguished Confederate officer. General Hill was prominent in many battles of the Civil War. He was in command at Big Bethel, the first important Confederate victory. As Major-General his Division did some of the heaviest fighting in the Seven Days battles near Richmond, particularly at Fair Oaks, Gaine's Mill, and Malvern Hill : later at Second Bull Run, at .South Mountain and Antietam or Sharpsburg. At Chicka- mauga, as Lieutenant-General, he commanded an army corps, the right wing of Bragg's army. He surrendered with Joseph E. Johnston, April, 1865. After the war he was quite promi- nent in literary and educational work to the time of his death, September 24th, 1889. Miss Hill was a native of Lexington, Va., but from childhood her father's home was in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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In 1880, Mr. Arnold removed to San Diego, California, where he continued the practice of law. In 1886 he was ap- pointed by President Cleveland, Collector of the Port of San Diego, and continued in that position throughout the re- mainder of Mr. Cleveland's term and for nearly two years un- der the Harrison administration. The duties of the office during the period of his incumbency were particularly ar- duous, in consequence of the rapid growth of San Diego from a town of 3,000 to a city of 25,000 inhabitants. The records of the Treasury Department show that during Mr. Arnold's administration the cost of collecting in the San Diego District was reduced to a lower percentage on the dollar collected than had ever been done before or since. The following newspaper extract is from the pen of his successor in office under the Republican administration : "Mr. Arnold yesterday surrend- ered the office of Collector of the Port of San Diego to his successor. Mr. Arnold has held the office for nearly a full term, and has administered it with his characteristic integrity and fidelity. His rulings on close questions, upon which there were no decisions, have been sustained by the Department with much uniformity, and he has had the pleasure of seeing several of his suggestions adopted as Department rules of ad- ministration. The business of the office has increased largely during his term of office, and he turns it over to his successor in good condition."
In 1896 Mr. Arnold, with his family, returned to West Virginia to look after his business interests in that State. He resided on one of his farms at Arnold Hill station, midway between Elkins and Beverly. There were born to Mr. and Mrs. Arnold four children, a daughter, Miss Isabel, and three sons, viz : Daniel Harvey Hill, Thomas Jackson and Eugene H.
V. Daniel Harvey Hill, son of Thomas Jackson and Eu- genia (Hill) Arnold, was born at Beverly, W. Va. Ile was educated at the preparatory schools in San Diego, Calif., later attended Davidson College, North Carolina, then Washington and Lee University, from which he graduated with the degree of bachelor of arts in the year 1900. Later he took a course of law in the office of his uncle, Judge Joseph M. Hill, late Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas. From there
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he went to the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where he completed his law course. He has been engaged since 1902 in the practice of his profession at the city of Elkins, in which he has been successful and is an energetic and leading citizen. He is a director of the Peoples National Bank, is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Benevolent and Protective Orders of Elks.
Mr. Arnold married at Monticello, Fla., October 24, 1906, Mary Ann, born at Monticello, November 29, 1884, died at Elkins, September 1, 1909, without issue ; daughter of James and Mary (Hansell) Denham. Iler father served in the Con- federate Army in the Civil War, and was afterward a mer- chant and planter, living at Monticello. In Auguest, 1914, Mr. Arnold married the second time, Miss Rebecca Andrews, of Staunton, Va. They have one child, a daughter.
VI. Thomas Jackson, son of Thomas Jackson and Eu- genia ( Hill) Arnold, was born in San Diego, California. He attended the preparatory schools there and later in Lexing- ton, Virginia. He then entered the A. and MI. College at Ra- leigh, North Carolina, and afterward the Maryland Agricul- tural College near Washington City. After a few years of business life in Elkins, he decided to become a foreign mission- ary and was appointed by his church to become their business manager for the American Presbyterian Congo Mission, and is stationed at Luebo, Belgian Congo, Central Africa. In this work for the moral and spiritual uplift of these natives of Africa he is both happy and useful and constantly sees good results and would not exchange places with any one. In other words, life in Central Africa is not a hardship for him, and he has never felt that he was making a sacrifice.
VII. Eugene Hill, son of Thomas Jackson and Eugenia (Hill) Arnold, was born in San Diego, California. He was educated at Davis and Elkins College, West Virginia, grad- uating with the degree of bachelor of arts. He later studied law at the Georgetown University, and having a strong in- clination for newspaper work became a reporter on the Wash- ington Herald. After a few months he changed to the Balti- more Sun and served as one of their Washington City re- porters. Later he was assigned by the Sun to report news
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of the White House and the departments, being called to Bal- timore during the National Democratic convention of 1912. After being on the Sun's staff for a year, he resigned this po- sition and again resumed the study of law, this he continued, subject to one interruption. He was prevailed upon to act as press agent for the State of West Virginia for the National Democratic committee in the Wilson campaign. After dis- charging this onerous duty in the interests of his party, he entered the law department of the State University at Mor- gantown, and completed the two years course at this institu- tion in a little over one year. Since then he has been in con- tinuous practice, being the junior member of the law firm of Arnold and Arnold, Elkins, West Virginia. He has recently been elected city attorney. Mr. Arnold is a member of the B. P. O. Elks, of the I. O. O. F. and of the Loyal Order of Moose.
Rev. Stark W. Arnold, son of Jonathan Arnold, was born in Beverly, December 20, 1851. Early in life he was appointed to a clerkship in the Interior Department in Washington, where he remained about seven years. During this period he took the course of law, graduating from the Columbia Law School. He then came to Beverly, locating soon afterward at Buckhannon, engaging in the practice of his profession. In the fall of 1876 he was a candidate for the office of Prose- cuting Attorney of Upshur County, and was elected by an overwhelming majority, the largest that had been given a can- didate in that county at that time. On account of his father failing in health, requiring his personal attention, he returned to Beverly to reside in the year 1879, and continued there un- til after his father's death in 1883. During this last residence at Beverly he was elected to the senate from that senatorial district, serving out the full term of four years, introducing and successfully carrying through several measures of legisla- tion that attracted considerable attention throughout the State, notably, the election law, the changes then made lead- ing up to the present system. It was while serving in the Senate that he concluded to do that which had long been a subject of deep consideration with him, viz: to go into the ministry. In order to prepare himself for this, he entered
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Drew Theological Seminary, where he remained and complet- ed his theological course. Shortly afterward he began his ministerial work in the State of New York, where he con- tinued in active work to the end of his life, August, 1898, preaching his last sermon only three weeks preceding his death. In December, 1880, he married Miss Lizzie Gohen, of Cincinnati, O. She and four children survive him.
THE ARBOGAST FAMILY.
The Arbogast Family. This family, numerously repre- sented in Randolph, is of German descent, and settled in what is now Highland County, Virginia, prior to 1779. The name was originally spelled Armikast. Adam Arbogast was Captain of a company of Pendleton militia in 1793.
THE ARMENTROUT FAMILY.
The Armentrout Family. This family is of German de- scent. The name was originally spelled Erhmantrout. Chris- topher Armentrout moved from Rockingham County, Vir- ginia, to what is now Grant County prior to the Revolution. The immediate ancestors of the Armentrouts in Randolph lived in Grant and Pendleton counties.
Hiram, son of Christopher, was born in Pendleton Coun- ty in 1811. He married Amanda Smith. Their children were, John W., who married Martha Dolly ; Christopher, who mar- ried Pheoba Mullenix; Aaron, Mary, Martha, Isaac, Anne, Susan, Adina and Nevada.
John W. Armentrout was born in 1843 and was married in 1868 to Martha, daughter of John and Susan Dolly. Their children are Robert E., Laura V., Stella C., Jasper C. and Wilbur E.
Christopher Armentrout was born in 1845. Children, Ola E., Vista G., Carrey I .. , Elva T., Viva and Orgie. He came from Pendleton to Randolph in 1872 and was elected a mem- ber of the countty court in 1888. His grandfather, Christopher Armentrout, was born in Grant County in 1775. In 1792 he entered 218 acres of land in the vicinity in which his grand- son, Christopher, is now a resident, but he did not occupy it. His greatgrandmother, Catherine Peterson, was captured at Fort Seybert by the Indians in 1758. About forty settlers
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were in the fort and all were massacred but two who were held in captivity and taken to their village near Chilicothe, Ohio. Catherine Peterson was among the number spared. The Shawnee Trail by which they returned to Ohio passed through or near the city of Elkins. A brave had pity on Mrs. Peterson and gave her a pair of moccasins that she might travel with greater comfort. She remained in captivity for six years. Two hundred captives were rescued by General Boquet, who attacked the Indian towns in Ohio in 1764. They were returned to Fort Pitt. Mrs. Peterson was among the number and from there returned to her home in Pendleton.
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