USA > West Virginia > Genealogical and personal history of the upper Monongahela valley, West Virginia, Volume II > Part 10
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THOMAS The family with which this Thomas line is allied were many years known in Maryland, near Baltimore. But few records have been preserved, hence it is impossible to trace back to the remote ancestors of this particular Thomas family. (I) George C. Thomas was a native of Baltimore, Maryland, born in 1846, and now resides in Berryville, Virginia, where he is en- gaged in the manufacture of carriages. He is a successful business man of his city. In church faith he is of the Episcopal denomination. Politically he votes the Democratic ticket. He married Mary Smith, born in Smithton, Maryland, in 1849.
(II) Clarence S., son of George C. and Mary (Smith) Thomas, was born at Berryville, Virginia, May 19, 1875. He was educated in his native town. He chose the profession of a veterinary surgeon and fitted himself for this useful calling at Cincinnati, Ohio, and goes to that city each autumn to attend the clinics, during the sessions of the same. He has attained high rank among the finest in his profession in his state. He has performed many difficult operations, some of which were altogether new in the treatment of animals, and in his fifteen years
of experience has built up a large practice. He is now permanently located at the city of Fairmont. He is a registered druggist of Man- nington. Politically Dr. Thomas votes an independent ticket, and belongs to the Episcopal church. He married, January 3, 1900, Willa Hough, born in Mannington, West Virginia, April 1, 1879, daughter of James A. and Mary Jane (Beatty) Hough, of Mannington, West Virginia. Children : James Summerfield, born March 13, 1903 ; Mary Eliza, July 14, 1907.
This family originally lived in Ireland. The genea-
HENNEN logical line down to the present generation is as fol- lows: Matthew-William-Enoch-William H .- Earl Malcolm, representing the fifth generation in America.
(I) Matthew Hennen, great-great-grandfather of Earl M. Hen-
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nen, came from county Downs, Ireland, and it is believed settled in Pennsylvania, where later members of the family resided.
(II) William, son of Matthew Hennen, married and reared a fam- ily including a son called Enoch.
(III) Enoch, son of William Hennen, was born in 1812, died 1888. He was a cabinetmaker by trade, and later in life conducted a hotel at Jollytown, Pennsylvania. He married (first ) Lucinda Stafford, of near Stafford's Ferry, Cheat River, Monongalia county. Children : Martha Jane (White) ; Mary Anne (White) ; William Harrison, de- ceased; Seth Stafford, deceased. He married (second) Eliza Ann Du- vall, and had a son, Robert Downey. He married (third) Susan Kiger; the latter still lives, as his widow, near Hoovers Run, Greene county, Pennsylvania.
(IV) William H., son of Enoch and Lucinda (Stafford) Hennen, was born in Jollytown, Greene county, Pennsylvania, February 18, 1841, died June 27, 1897. He engaged in the farming and lumbering business. He was politically a Republican. He belonged to the Meth- odist Episcopal church. He married, about 1863, Lydia Anne, born September 1, 1844, died April 4, 1897, daughter of Michael and Mary Anne White. Children of Michael White are : Henry Solomon, Will- iam Thomas, Lydia Anne (Hennen), deceased; Catherine, died in infancy; Israel Charles; John, died in infancy. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Hennen : Ida (Renner), deceased; Charles Everett; Frederick Herman; Alice Belle (Lemmon), deceased; Winona Estella (Shough) ; Ray Vernon; Mary Lizzie (Lemmon) ; Cassie Dora (Taylor) ; Earl Malcolm, of whom further.
(V) Earl Malcolm, youngest child of William H. and Lydia Anne (White) Hennen, was born in Monongalia county, West Virginia, near St. Cloud, July 12, 1882. He obtained his education at the public schools, Lebanon Valley Business College, West Virginia University, commercial department, and Elliott's Business College. April 7, 1902, he enlisted in the Signal Corps of the United States army for three years. From April 7, 1902, to July 1, 1902, he was at Fort Myer, Virginia, receiving military training, schooling, etc. He was ordered to foreign service in Alaska, June 24, 1902 ; sailed from Seattle, Wash- ington, July 8th; arrived at Fort Liscum, Alaska, July 18th of the same year, and reported for duty to Captain Wilson. He was appointed
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orderly and operator to General Greeley, chief signal officer, United States army, during his trip of inspection from Fort Liscum to Copper Center, Alaska, over military telegraph lines, from July 19, 1902, to July 31, 1902, serving two years and nine months in Alaska, along the Valdez section of the military telegraph lines. He was promoted from the rank of private to first class sergeant. He received an honorable discharge at the expiration of his three years enlistment, and returned to West Virginia, April 24, 1905. He was then employed as private secretary to Hon. H. L. Swisher, manager of the Acme Publishing Company and Swisher Theatre, for seven months. He then secured a position with the Standard Oil Company at Coalinga, California, as chief clerk of the field department, where he remained twelve months and a half; resigned February 1, 1908, to accept a position with the West Virginia Geological Survey as chief clerk, and private secretary to Dr. I. C. White, state geologist of West Virginia, which position he still ably fills. Politically Mr. Hennen votes the Republican ticket, and is of the Methodist Episcopal faith. He belongs to the Sons of the Revo- lution in West Virginia; Morgantown Lodge, No. 411, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; West Virginia State Automobile Asso- ciation; Monongalia Automobile Club, and Turn Verein Concordia.
He married, August 15, 1911, Josephine Marie Stenger, of Morgan- town, West Virginia, daughter of Anthony and Elizabeth Theresa Stenger.
PHILLIPS This family is comparatively new in West Virginia, but has forged to the forefront as a family possessed of intelligence and business ability. They are helping to develop the vast industries of the state and have through their manu- facturing enterprise become quite widely known. The father and his two sons conduct a large business, with their headquarters at the thriv- ing city of Mannington, West Virginia.
(I) James Phillips was a native of England, was a blacksmith and an excellent workman in his line. He married Margaret - -, and in their family was a son Charles.
(II) Charles, son of James Phillips, was born in London, Eng- land, December 18, 1838. He was educated in London, where he 7-2M
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learned his present business under the instruction of his capable father. Believing he could better attain his object in life, in 1868 he came to America where he joined his brother David, who had preceded him to this country and succeeded in establishing a machine shop in Armstrong Run, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania. Charles remained with his brother one year, then engaged in the foundry and tool-making trade at the last-named place, where he remained ten years, then removed his works to Richburg, New York, where he followed the same line of busi- ness for fifteen years, coming to Mannington, West Virginia, in 1893. Here he incorporated the business with a capital of $20,000, which has grown to be a large manufacturing plant, covering about a full city block of ground. Thirty men are employed as expert forgers and tool- makers. The goods produced in this shop include well-drilling tools, drills for general purposes, "fishing" tools of all kinds connected with oil well drillings, etc. The products of this shop find ready sale in almost every part of the civilized world, where deep well drilling for water, oil and gas are found. They have various government and large oil company contracts and in 191 1 were filling a hundred thousand dollar order for the United States government in the Philippine Islands. Besides their regular line of work, they also make cast and forged parts of engines and boilers with repairs for such articles. The corporation is styled the Charles Phillips Tool Company and they are preparing to erect a new and larger plant at Mannington in 1912. Mr. Phillips Sr. spends about half of his time in looking after large oil properties, wells and drilling developments in the vicinity of Richburg, New York. Politically Mr. Phillips is a Republican, but in no sense a politician. In Masonry he has advanced to the thirty-second degree, his member- ship still retained at Buffalo and Bolivar, New York. He and the family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
He married, May 10, 1867, Helen A. Gough, of London, Eng- land, daughter of Richard and Caroline (Cooper) Gough. Living children are : Charles R., of whom later; Nellie C., a graduate of Rich- burg, New York, high school, at home; James I., of whom later. The children were all born in Queenstown, Pennsylvania, and educated at Richburg, New York.
(III) Charles R., son of Charles and Helen A. (Gough) Phillips, was born in Queenstown, Pennsylvania, April 28, 1874. He was well
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schooled at Richburg, New York. Since his school days he has been associated with his father in business and is now the secretary and gen- eral manager of the Charles Phillips Tool Company of which he is a member. Politically Mr. Phillips like his father votes the Republican ticket, believing that party best serves the interests of the masses. He is a member of the Masonic and Elks fraternities. He married Mary Hearons. Children : Kenneth, born May 17, 1898; Charles, Novem- ber 9, 1901; James, July 20, 1907. The family attend St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church.
(III) James I., son of Charles and Helen A. (Gough) Phillips, was born at Queenstown, Pennsylvania, April 12, 1877. He received his education at the schools in Richburg, New York, to which place his father removed when James I. was young. After graduating from the high school he associated himself with his father and brother in the tool manufacturing business, and is now thus engaged. Politically he votes the Republican ticket. He belongs to the Masonic and Elks fraternities. He married Ortha Miller. Children : Helen, born March 15, 1899; Catherine, August 7, 1902.
But little is known of the Smith family of which Henry
SMITH F. Smith, the secretary and treasurer of the extensive Smith-Race Grocery Company, of Fairmont and Morgan- town, West Virginia, is a member.
Charles L. Smith, father of Henry F. Smith, was born in Fairmont, when the territory was yet a part of old Virginia, in 1837. He mar- ried Cordelia Richey, a native of Fairmont, born in 1839. They had seven children, including Henry F., see forward. Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Smith celebrated their golden wedding, February 27, 1912, all of their children being present on this occasion.
Henry F., son of Charles L. and Cordelia (Richey) Smith, was born at Fairmont, then Virginia, May 3, 1863. He was educated at the common schools at Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia University. He came back to Fairmont in 1886, and in 1893 was one of the organizers of the West Virginia Grocery and Candy Company. In 1906 the company was reorganized as the Smith-Race Grocery Com- pany, with a capital of $200,000, which subsequently was increased to $300,000. Mr. Smith is the secretary and treasurer of this company,
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which concern also has a branch plant at Morgantown, West Virginia, equally as extensive as the one at Fairmont. Mr. Smith is president of the Monongahela Industrial Company and vice-president of the First National Bank of Fairmont. Politically Mr. Smith is a supporter of the Republican party, and in church affiliations is a Presbyterian. In Masonic circles he is far advanced in its ancient mysteries and history. He is a member of the fraternity to the thirty-second degree. He holds a membership in Fairmont Lodge, No. 9, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Orient Chapter, No. 9, Royal Arch Masons; Crusade Com- mandery, No. 6, Knights Templar; and has filled all the offices in these bodies. He also belongs to the Consistory, Scottish Rite Masons, of West Virginia; is a member of Osiris Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Wheeling, West Virginia. He is pres- ent grand generalissimo of the Grand Commandery, Knights Templar, of West Virginia. He has been a Mason since 1888. He is a member of the Association of the Sons of the Revolution of West Virginia.
He married, June 6, 1889, Anna M. Gould, born in Fairmont, West Virginia, February 28, 1865. Mrs. Smith is a member of Fair- mont Chapter, Daughters of the Revolution.
CLARK The recent development in the coal fields of West Vir- ginia have brought into Marion county a number of men who have been schooled along similar lines of business in the industrial centers of this and adjoining states. The central figure of this family is John A. Clark, president of the Clark Coal & Coke Company at Fairmont, where he is financially interested in a number of important business enterprises of prominent order.
Mr. Clark was born in the city of Cumberland, Maryland, January 22, 1855, son of Andrew and Ellen (Colvin) Clark. The father was born in Ireland, and left his native land when quite young to seek a home and fortune in the new world. He came to America and first located at Mount Savage, Maryland, but later settled in Louisville, Kentucky, where he died.
Mr. Clark's parents were only in moderate circumstances and for that reason, at the early age of eleven years, he was thrown largely upon his own resources. He first found employment in a store in the George's creek region, at Lonaconing, in which locality he was con-
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stantly employed from 1866 to 1880. In the latter year he accepted a position as clerk and manager of the store of the Orrel Coal & Coke Company at Newburg, Preston county, West Virginia, where he re- mained until 1889, in which year he removed to Marion county as man- ager of the store of the Monongah Coal & Coke Company at Mo- nongah. He filled this position until November, 1890, when he became superintendent of the Linden Coke Company at Clements. After two years at Clements he resigned his position in order to engage in business on his own account. In January, 1892, he organized a stock company, known as the Clark Coal & Coke Company. The plant of this concern was situated at Prichard, on the Monongahela River railroad. His next plant was located at Anderson, on the same railroad, and a little later he began to operate a plant at Chiefton, likewise on the Monon- gahela River railroad. In 1899 he developed property at Ocean, on the Parkersburg branch, the same being known as the Cleveland & Fair- mont Coal & Coke Company. In 1899 he gave his attention to de- veloping the Columbia Coal & Coke Company mine at Columbia, and the Fairmont & Baltimore Coal & Coke Company at Adamston, West Virginia. The above mentioned concerns were all successfully worked and eventually sold to the Fairmont Coal Company, in April, 1901.
In 1901 Mr. Clark began to develope a mine at Wilsonburg, known as the Waldo Mine, and about this time he also opened up the Golf, the New Chiefton and the Randolph mines, the same being known as the Madera Hill-Clark Coal Company's properties. In 1910 he took over the Pitcairn Coal Company's mine, known as the Pitcairn mine, and organized a company under the style of the Harry B. Coal & Coke Company. In the latter project he has as his partners his two sons, Harry B. and John A. Jr. These mines which are being successfully worked at the present time have an annual output of one million tons. In addition to his mining interests Mr. Clark is president of the Smith- Race Grocery Company, president of the Miller-Clark Grain Company, and vice-president of the Citizens' Dollar Savings Bank, all at Fair- mont. In his political adherency Mr. Clark is a stalwart supporter of the principles and policies for which the Democratic party stands sponsor.
In 1880 Mr. Clark married Nannie E. Clark, daughter of Andrew Jackson and Rebecca (Cresop) Clark, of Cumberland, Maryland.
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Children : 1. Harry B., born 1882; married, in 1909, Anne Nolan, of Pittsburgh. They have one child, Mary, born April 26, 1911. 2. John A. Jr., born 1888 ; married, June 29, 1911, Annette Murphy, of Uniontown, Pennsylvania. 3. Kenna, born 1893; named in honor of Senator John E. Kenna.
Among the younger physicians now practicing medi- HOWARD cine at Fairmont is Dr. Edward W. Howard, a native of Masontown, Pennsylvania, born-October 30, 1870, son of J. M. and Susanna (Miller) Howard. The father was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1840. He served as treasurer of Fayette county, and is now actively engaged in the manufacture of car- riages and wagons. He married, in 1861, Susanna Miller, born in Masontown, Pennsylvania, in 1845. Children of J. M. and Susanna (Miller) Howard: Charles H., now residing in Masontown, Pennsyl- vania : William G., of the same place; Thomas L., of Uniontown, Pennsylvania; George L., of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania; a daughter, Mrs. L. W. Lewellen, of Tarentum; Paul, of Masontown, Pennsyl- vania, and Dr. Edward W., of Fairmont, West Virginia.
Dr. Howard received his education at Masontown and at the Cali- fornia Normal School, of Pennsylvania, entering Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1891. He graduated there in 1894, and com- menced his practice at Point Marion, Pennsylvania, remaining there until December, 1895, when he removed to Fairmont, West Virginia, where he is still practicing successfully. He is a member of the Marion County Medical Society, West Virginia State Medical Society, and the American Medical Association. He holds a membership in the Ma- sonic, Elks and Woodmen of America lodges. Politically he is a Re- publican. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Fair- mont.
Dr. Howard married, August 27, 1896, Lilly Conn, born at Mills- borough, Pennsylvania, July 14, 1870, daughter of Jacob and Mary Conn, of Point Marion, Pennsylvania; the father is deceased. Chil- dren : Dorothea C., born at Fairmont, West Virginia, July 18, 1898; Mary Katharyn, born at Fairmont, August 10, 1902.
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This family is counted among the many Scotch-Irish McNEELY lines who settled in Pennsylvania and Virginia and have left the impress upon the communities in which they have lived, by reason of their sturdy, temperate and law-abiding traits of character. This will treat and trace the family history of the three generations of the McNeely family who have lived in America.
(I) Robert McNeely, a native of Scotland, died in Greene county, Pennsylvania, aged seventy-one years. His wife, Katherine, also born in Scotland, died in Greene county, Pennsylvania, aged seventy years. Among their children was a son John, of whom further. The father followed farming for his livelihood, and was highly respected in Greene county.
(II) John, son of Robert and Katherine McNeely, was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, and died in 1869. He was a farmer. He married (first) Lucinda Coen, who bore him eleven children, five being deceased. Married (second) Katherine Stockdale, who died in 1888; they had five children, four of whom still survive. The parents of Katherine (Stockdale) McNeely were born in Ohio, of Scotch ances- try. Her father died in Pennsylvania in 1876, and his wife, whose maiden name was Scott, died in 1874.
(III) Dr. Jacob Owen McNeely, son of John and Katherine (Stockdale) McNeely, was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, April 27, 1865. He was educated in Waynesburg College, and graduated at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee. He commenced the practice of dentistry in 1889, the same year of his graduation. He chose Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, as the place in which to start in prac- tice. He there continued until 1894 when he moved to Fairmont, West Virginia, where he is still located, being next to the oldest dentist in Fairmont. He was elected mayor of West Fairmont in 1897-98, and in 1899, when the city of Fairmont was incorporated, he was elected and became its first mayor. He made an excellent official in both cases. In 1903 he was elected delegate to the house of representatives for West Virginia. He has been in the council many years, showing the interest he takes in public affairs. Politically he votes the Republican ticket. In church faith and profession he is a Methodist Episcopalian. He is a member of the Elks, Modern Woodmen and Royal Arcanum societies; also holds membership in the West Virginia State Dental
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Society and the Monongahela Valley State Association of Dentistry. He takes pleasure in outdoor sports and is numbered among the mem- bers of the Fairmont Gun Club.
He married, August 26, 1890, Dora Belle Clovis, born January 20, 1868, daughter of William Clovis, who died in 1899; he was a success- ful and quite extensive farmer as well as stock buyer and shipper throughout his life. Children: Elizabeth E., born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, July 23, 1891 ; Alta R., born in Greene county, Pennsyl- vania, May 20, 1893; Olive K., born in Fairmont, West Virginia, January 4, 1895; Dorothy C., born in Fairmont, January 5, 1899; Jacob O. Jr., born in Fairmont, October 27, 1903.
BLACKSHERE Coming from old and honorable revolutionary stock, the family of Blackshere now to be con- sidered was an early family in Pennsylvania. The revolutionary soldier, who it is said served seven years seven months and seven days during the struggle for national independence, was named Ebenezer Blackshere. It is believed that this revolutionary soldier came with his family with a government land warrant to what is now Marion county, West Virginia, for the purpose of utilizing his script.
(II) Elias, son of Ebenezer Blackshere, was born either in Greene or an adjoining county, Pennsylvania. He married Eliza Ramer, born in Greene or Fayette county, Pennsylvania. Children : 1. Jacob Ramer, born September 3, 1834; married Melissa A. Martin; children: Carl, Cora, Earl, Frank, Ramer and Harold Blackshere. The father, Jacob Ramer Blackshere, died on his six thousand acre cattle ranch, "Clove Cliff," near Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. 2. Rebecca, born September 7, 1836, died when aged about twenty-one years. 3. John, of whom later. 4. Francis, born January 25, 1841. 5. Benjamin Franklin, born March I, 1844; now a director of and vice-president of the Exchange Bank of Mannington, West Virginia. 6. Elias A., born October 22, 1846; graduated from Yale College and practiced law in Virginia until he lost his library by fire, when he went to Baltimore and engaged in live stock commission business in which he succeeded remarkably well. He mar- ried Harriet Gray, of Greene county, Pennsylvania, and they were the parents of two children : William, who died aged six months, and Cath-
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erine, married Albert Donaldson, a Baltimore lawyer. 7. Margaret A., born March 25, 1849; married Newton S. Beaty, deceased, of Mannington, where she still resides.
(III) John, third child of Elias and Eliza ( Ramer) Blackshere, was born in Marion county, Virginia, December 19, 1838. He was educated at the old-fashioned subscription schools common in his day. He also attended Professor White's Academy, at Fairmont, after which he associated himself with his father in his mercantile business at Man- nington until his father died, when he sold his entire business to Newton S. Beaty, and then engaged in banking business himself. He was one of the organizers of the Exchange Bank of Mannigton, which concern he built up to become a strong financial institution. He also had large farm property holdings at the time of his death, the same being in the Mannington district. He developed a number of paying oil wells on his property and left a very large estate. He was well advanced in the order of Free Masonry, being a thirty-second degree Mason. He was buried after the impressive rites of that order. He also held mem- bership with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, but was not active in the workings of that society. Politically he was a Democrat, but never cared for office in his party, but did consent to serve as mem- ber of the city council in Mannington. He was liberal hearted and gave many a man a start by aiding him to get into an independent business of his own. He loaned money where others would not, but never lost by it and never distressed his creditors. He died December 31, 1899, and was buried in the cemetery at Mannington. Of such noble char- acters the world has none too many. He married, January 28, 1874, Zana V., daughter of Thomas L. and Eleanor (Hunt) Sanders. Chil- dren : 1. Jessie, married Edward G. Smith, an attorney; children : John Blackshere and Jill. 2. Eleanor, married A. C. Free, who died in Okla- homa, January, 191I.
Concerning the Sanders family, to which Mrs. John Blackshere belongs, it may be said that they are of Scotch-English ancestry and are entitled to a coat-of-arms according to family tradition, but the mem- bers of the present day are too democratic and American in their views to even look the matter up. Her father, Thomas L. Sanders, was born near Morgantown, West Virginia, June 5, 1822. His father was from Delaware where the Sanders were very prominent people. One of the
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