USA > West Virginia > Genealogical and personal history of the upper Monongahela valley, West Virginia, Volume II > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47
ANDERSON Among the enterprising, progressive and prosper- ous agriculturists of the Monongahela Valley may be mentioned Benjamin Franklin Anderson, born on his father's farm, four miles southeast of Boozeville, now West Virginia, September 16, 1847, son of Robert R. and Julia (Hill) An- derson, the former of whom was a farmer, a soldier in the union army, died about the year 1906, and the latter a native of Marion county, now West Virginia.
(II) Benjamin Franklin Anderson deserves especial credit for the success he has attained in his active career from the fact that it is assert- ed that he was self-educated. His first occupation was that of farming, along which line he worked up to 1875, when he disposed of his farm and removed to Shinnston, where he worked at the trade of shoemaker for twenty-seven years, then turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, continuing for a period of eight years, conducting a general store at Shinnston, after which he returned to his first occupation, that of farm- ing, owning two farms, one of thirty-five acres one mile east of Shinns- ton, one of one hundred and fifty acres, and in addition to this a lot and two houses in Shinnston, one of which is a business block, a large red
593
UPPER MONONGAHELA VALLEY.
brick structure, he and his family occupying the upper part for their residence. Mr. Anderson has gained the esteem and confidence of his fellow townsmen, and was chosen by them to act in the capacity of mayor of Shinnston in 1902, being the Republican candidate. His love of country was so great that he offered his services in her behalf, act- ing as a private in the union army during the civil war, and now is in receipt of a pension from the United States government. He holds membership in The Saints of God Church.
Mr. Anderson married (first), March 17, 1867, in Marion county, West Virginia, Julia Jackson, who died in 1875. Married (second), about 1878, Rockey Jackson, sister of his first wife. Children of first wife: George Washington, see forward; Benjamin, born May, 1871. Children of second wife: Boyd, Laura, Arthur, Frank, Rachel, all of whom are living at the present time (1911).
(III) George Washington, son of Benjamin Franklin and Julia (Jackson) Anderson, was born in Marion, West Virginia, June 28, 1869. He obtained a practical education in the local schools, then learned the trade of shoemaking, which he followed for nearly two decades in Shinnston, and since then has been engaged in farming, con- ducting his operations on a fine farm of one hundred and eight acres, located two miles east of Shinnston. He was formerly the owner of a farm where oil was struck, but he disposed of this to good advantage, still retaining an interest in the oil, from which he derives a goodly income. He is progressive in his methods, careful and painstaking in his labors, and his entire property clearly demonstrates this fact. He is a Baptist in religion, a Republican in politics, and a member of the Knights of Pythias. He married, at Shinnston, December, 1886, Minnie Ogden, born near Worthington, Marion county, West Vir- ginia, daughter of Jonathan and Rachel (Nay) Ogden, residents of Harrison county, the former of whom died about the year 1896. Chil- dren : Georgia and Delpha.
Charles Harry Higinbotham, of Shinnston,
HIGINBOTHAM was born in Fairmont, Marion county, West Virginia, February 17, 1873, son of Charles and Ellen (Roach) Higinbotham, the former of whom was born at 13-2M
594
UPPER MONONGAHELA VALLEY.
Fairmont, died about the year 1907, served as supervisor of construc- tion work on the railroad, as mayor of Fairmont, and was employed in the war department at Washington, D. C., under President Harrison.
Charles H. Higinbotham attended the public schools of Fairmont and the Fairmont Normal School, and entered upon his active career in the treasury department at Washington, D. C., remaining about three years. The following three years he was employed with the Fairmont Coal Company, at the expiration of which time he offered his services as a volunteer in the Spanish-American war, thus displaying his love of country, and upon his return entered upon his present position with the Consolidation Coal Company. Scrupulously honorable in all his dealings with mankind, he bears a reputation for public and private integrity, and being of a sociable and genial nature, he has a number of friends who estimate him at his true worth. He is a Republican in politics, and has just completed a term as president of the board of education of Shinnston. He is the owner of considerable real estate in Shinnston, and a stockholder in the Home Petroleum and Natural Gas Company. He holds membership in the Free and Accepted Masons and the Knights of Pythias.
Mr. Higinbotham married, at Shinnston, September 4, 1901, Rose Randall, a native of Harrison county, West Virginia, daughter of George F. Randall, a sketch of whom appears in this work. Children: Margaret, born November 22, 1902; George Randall, February 12, 1904; Ellen Caroline, September 18, 1906.
This particular Smith family is of French-English-Scotch SMITH ancestry, traced down to the present members, now resid- ing in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Down through the genealogical lines of the paternal and maternal sides there have been many aged people and quite a number of interesting and historic char- acters have been found.
(I) William Smith was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia, and was of the shipowners firm of Bennett & Smith Bros. He died at the age of eighty-one years, in his native country.
(II) John Lea Richmond, son of William Smith, was also a native of Nova Scotia, where he lives at the present time ( 1912), leading a retired life at Middleton, aged seventy-three years. First he was a
595
UPPER MONONGAHELA VALLEY.
wholesale dry goods merchant, and later in life became an Episcopal clergyman, which profession he followed for thirty years, in Nova Scotia. He married Mary Lavinia Rice Smallwood, a native of Hali- fax, Nova Scotia, who is still living at Middleton, aged sixty-four years. Seven children, four of whom are still living: Charlotte Eva; Maude Lavinia, of Nova Scotia; Frederick, a dentist at Grafton, West Virginia ; William Richmond, see forward. Mrs. Smith's father was Rev. Frederick Smallwood, a Methodist minister, born in Birmingham, England, came to Nova Scotia at the age of twenty-four years, having been sent there as a missionary by the Methodist Missionary Society of London, England. He died in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, at the age of eighty-four years. Her uncle on the maternal side was General Atkin, of Sheffield, England; he was commander of the Queen's forces in Singapore, India. Another one of her uncles was Admiral Smallwood, of the Royal English navy.
(III) William Richmond Smith, D. D. S., son of John Lea Rich- mond and Mary Lavinia Rice (Smallwood) Smith, was born April 24, 1875, at Windsor, Nova Scotia. He attended a collegiate school at Windsor, after which he entered the University of King's College at Windsor, from which institution in 1897 he received his diploma and degree of A. M., and from there went to the Baltimore College of Dentistry, graduating in 1900, fully equipped for the duties of a mod- ern dental surgeon. He first began the practice of his profession at Baltimore, Maryland; he remained there one year and then went to Meyersdale, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, where he practiced two years, up to 1903, when he removed to Charleston, West Virginia, where he and his brother, Frederick Smith, opened offices at the same time, also having offices at Grafton, this state. They continued thus to operate in dentistry until 1909, when they went to Dallas, Texas, later to Waco, that state, but were not satisfied with their location and the country in general, so Dr. William R. Smith opened an office at Cleve- land, Ohio, in 1910, which office he still maintains. He located in Clarksburg, West Virginia, in November, 1911. Politically Dr. Smith is a Republican. He holds membership with the Xi Psi Phi fraternity, a college dental and medical society. He is a member of the Episcopal church, in which his father was for so many years a minister. When Dr. Smith first entered King's College it was for the purpose of becom-
596
UPPER MONONGAHELA VALLEY.
ing a minister and he graduated in theology, but concluded finally to practice dentistry. His Grandmother Smith's maiden name was Maria Godfrey; she was a French lady, a descendant of Pouzants, and a direct descendant of General Montcalm, who commanded the French forces at Quebec, hence it is that Dr. Smith has the blood of three nations in his veins, the English, Scotch and French.
MORGAN Among the numerous Morgan families in West Vir- ginia is the one residing in Wetzel county, scions of which now reside in Preston county.
(I) The earliest ancestor of which we have any definite account was Aaron Morgan, born in Marion county, Virginia, 1790, died 1825. He married a Miss Massey, and among their children was a son named Achilles.
(II) Achilles, son of Aaron Morgan, probably a native of Marion county, Virginia, married a Miss Heineman, and among their children was Francis A., of whom further.
(III) Francis A., son of Achilles Morgan, was born February 28, 1861. He married Margaret, daughter of Washington and (Liston) Snodgrass, the latter of whom was a daughter of Allen Lis- ton, of Preston county, West Virginia. They now reside in Jackson county, where he is a prominent farmer and an influential Democrat. He moved from Wetzel county to his present location in 1900. In religious faith he is of the Methodist denomination. They are the parents of four children : C. Ray, of whom further; Bruce; Frank; Sena M., wife of George W. Hogg, superintendent of schools of Cairo, West Virginia.
(IV) C. Ray, son of Francis A. and Margaret (Snodgrass) Mor- gan, was born near New Martinsville, Wetzel county, West Virginia, July 28, 1883. He was educated at New Martinsville, in the city schools, and at Ravenswood high school, graduating in 1902, after which he attended the West Virginia State University for two years, when he was elected principal of the Mason City (West Virginia) high school, and held that position for three years, then became the principal of the Tunnelton (Preston county) high school, serving in that capacity three years. He then chose law and entered the law de- partment of the West Virginia State University, at Morgantown,
597
UPPER MONONGAHELA VALLEY.
graduating from the law department in 1910, since which time he has been engaged in the active practice of law in the state and federal courts. It may be stated that Mr. Morgan started to study law while yet teaching at Tunnelton and passed examination in the University in advance of the regular class, going direct to the senior class. From all indications he has a bright and successful professional career before him. His law offices are situated in the First National Bank building at Terra Alta, Preston county. He belongs to the Preston County Bar Association, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Free and Accepted Masons, affiliating with Clifton Lodge, No. 23. He is an active Republican in politics. He married, in 1907, Nellie Greenlee, of Mason City, West Virginia. Child, Raymond, born July 22, 1910. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church, where Mrs. Morgan is an active worker in different branches of the work.
ALLENDER The family of which this sketch will treat is a Penn- sylvania line, of which nothing positive is known earlier than John Allender, who lived in Washing- ton county, Pennsylvania. He married Jane, whose maiden name is unknown to the present generation. The ancestors were of that sturdy and self-reliant people of whom Pennsylvania owes so much in its mak- ing of past and honorable history-the Scotch-Irish.
(I) John Allender, of Washington county, Pennsylvania, above mentioned, reared a family among whom was a son called George.
(II) George, son of John Allender, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, April 27, 1819, died in 1897. He was a car- penter and joiner of the old type and counted a superior worker in wood. He followed his trade throughout his entire life, but in his later years bought a farm, as his health would not permit of steady carpenter- ing. He was a United Presbyterian in religion, and a Republican in politics. He married Margaret Adams, born in Ohio, died in 1889. Children : William, Annis, Ella, George Martin.
(III) George Martin, son of George Allender, was born in Bruns- wick county, Ohio, October 22, 1876. He was educated at the com- mon schools, his early life being spent on a farm, beginning at the age of fourteen years. He spent some years at the carpenter's trade which
598
UPPER MONONGAHELA VALLEY.
he learned of his father. In 1890 he commenced at the humblest posi- tion in the oil fields, and at the present time he is looked upon as one of the numerous safe and conservative contractors in the great oil and gas fields of West Virginia. When he is operating in full force he employs twenty-five men to assist him in his work. He has full charge of three companies-the Moon Oil & Gas Company, at Salem, Harrison county; the Bradley-Allender Company, which controls three properties; and another large corporation. He is the president and manager of the Moon Oil & Gas Company. This company was organized in 1907 and the others since that date. These properties are all on a paying basis and more wells are soon to be put in operation at Salem on the Moon property. Mr. Allender is a wide-awake, intelligent citizen and takes much interest in the workings of Free Masonry, being a member of the order as high as the thirty-second degree. He holds member- ship in Mannington Lodge, No. 31, Orient Chapter, No. 9, at Fair- mont; Crusade Commandery, No. 6, at Fairmont; Osiris Temple, at Wheeling, West Virginia; and belongs to Augusta Chapter, No. 6, Mannington. Politically he votes the Republican ticket, and in church faith is of the Methodist Episcopal denomination.
He married Lydia Orrill, born in Derbyshire, England, February 17, 1867, daughter of George Orrill, whose wife's maiden name was Edwards, of English ancestry. Mrs. Allender came to America when four years of age and returned once since her coming here. Her father was at one time engaged in the oil production business; he died in Pennsylvania in 1906; the mother still survives and resides in Penn- sylvania.
Everal J. Whiteman, a leading citizen of Shinns- WHITEMAN ton, active in promoting its welfare and advance- ment, is a native of Adamsville, Harrison county, West Virginia, born March 3, 1854. He is the son of Jacob B. White- man, still residing at Adamsville, a farmer by occupation.
Everal J. Whiteman acquired a practical education in the schools adjacent to his home. He was reared on his father's farm, and there gained habits of thrift and perseverance, which became active factors in the success attained later in his business career. He learned the trades of carpenter and builder, which occupations he followed ever
599
UPPER MONONGAHELA VALLEY.
after. His income, derived therefrom, has been wisely invested in West Virginia real estate, he being the owner of five houses in Shinns- ton, two adjoining his own and two others, as well as a thirty-acre tract located three miles east of Shinnston. He is a stockholder in the Farmers' Bank and the First National Bank, both of Shinnston, in the Water Works company and the Opera House company, all leading enterprises of Shinnston. His political allegiance is given to the Demo- cratic party, by whom he was appointed a member of council for several terms. He holds membership in the Methodist Protestant church, and belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Mr. Whiteman married (first), in Worthington, Marion county, West Virginia, 1890, Maud Della Sturm, who died May 18, 1892; married (second), February 11, 1900, Columbia G. Smith, who was born at Meadowbrook, West Virginia, daughter of Marian and Fran- ces M. Smith. Child of first wife, Byrd, born June 1, 1891, resides at home.
CARDER John W. Carder, a venerable and highly-esteemed citi- zen of Shinnston, was born in Simpson district, near Bridgeport, West Virginia, January 9, 1838, son of Cincinnatus and Mary (Golden) Carder, who were the parents of nine children, two sons and seven daughters, seven of whom are living at the present time (1911), and John W. is the eldest. Cincinnatus Carder was a farmer by occupation, an old line Whig in politics, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
John W. Carder pursued his studies in the schools of the neighbor- hood, after which he worked on his father's farm, and throughout an active career has followed that occupation, deriving therefrom a com- fortable livelihood. He is the owner of the property on which he resides, and of a number of town lots from which he expects to derive some benefits. He is also a stockholder in the Home Petroleum Gas Company, a leading enterprise of the town. He served as justice of the peace of Shinnston for a period of twelve years, and also as notary public, the duties of which he performed in an acceptable manner. He is a Methodist in religion, a Republican in politics, and affiliates with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He displayed his patriotism by enlisting in the union army, August 9, 1862, in the Twelfth West
.
600
UPPER MONONGAHELA VALLEY.
Virginia Volunteer Infantry, Company E, and was honorably dis- charged as sergeant at Richmond, Virginia, when hostilities ended, June 16, 1865.
Mr. Carder married, at Shinnston, March 26, 1866, Sarah A. Morris, born in Marion county, West Virginia, three miles from Fair- mont, September 29, 1842, daughter of James R. and Lovina (Patter- son) Morris. James R. Morris, who was a farmer by occupation, died in February, 1852. His wife was a native of Marion county, West Virginia. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Carder: I. Quillen M., born December 3, 1868, resided in Shinnston; married Estelle P. Morrison, who died February 27, 1908, leaving a son, John T. 2. Ida M., born May, 1870, died July 12, 1888. 3. Lucius L., born August 14, 1872. 4. Harry H., born July 2, 1874, is a baker; married (first) Abbie Harmer, (second) Gelia Lee.
OGDEN This Ogden family is one of large numbers and great strength throughout the entire country. It is believed that all Ogdens in this country come of the same original English stock. They may be found in almost every part of America, and among them are many bright illustrious characters in civil, mili- tary and professional life. Other accounts of this family will be found within this work.
(I) Nathan Ogden, of whom but little is known, was a resident, possibly a native of Port Tobacco, Maryland. He emigrated to the Monongahela Valley about the beginning of the nineteenth century.
(II) William R., son of Nathan Ogden, the Maryland emigrant, was born in Port Tobacco, Maryland. He came to what is now West Virginia when a mere boy. He was born in 1804, died in 1884. He married and among his children was the son Robert S., of whom fur- ther.
(III) Robert S., son of William R. Ogden, was born in 1836, in Harrison county, now West Virginia, and still survives, residing at Clarksburg. He was postmaster at Sardis during the civil war and on up to 1890. For many years he was a leading merchant at Sardis, and is now looked upon as the pioneer merchant of Harrison county. He married Jane Rittenhouse, born in Harrison county, Virginia, January 2, 1842, died at Clarksburg, Harrison county, West Virginia, February
601
UPPER MONONGAHELA VALLEY.
28, 1900, daughter of Bennett and Zilpha (Shinn) Rittenhouse. Chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Ogden : Mrs. Anna Garrett; Zilpha, deceased; James, deceased; Dr. George R., practicing at Flemington, West Virginia; Robert S. Jr., of Clarksburg; Daniel Miller, of whom further; Charles G., of Salem, West Virginia; Dr. C. R., of Clarks- burg; Mrs. Bessie Ogden Hornor, of Illinois; Mrs. Virginia Ogden Garrett, of Clarksburg; Henry Clay, of Wheeling; Nathan Hale; Mary, resides in Clarksburg with her father; Horace, deceased. The grandfather, Bennett Rittenhouse, was born in Norristown, Pennsyl- vania, and went with the family to Louisa county, Virginia, and later came over the mountains to Harrison county in what is now West Vir- ginia.
(IV) Daniel Miller, son of Robert S. and Jane ( Rittenhouse) Ogden, was born at Sardis, Harrison county, West Virginia, January 21, 1870. He attended the public schools and one term at the old West Virginia College, at Flemington, and then entered Salem Col- lege. In a business way Mr. Ogden commenced by working in a wholesale hardware store at Parkersburg, where he remained for a year and a half. He had some experience in his father's store at Sardis, and remained there assisting his father until he reached the age of twenty- one years, when he engaged at Parkersburg with R. L. Neal & Com- pany, and after he left that firm he worked for another year for his father at Sardis, and in 1895 entered the employ of Mckinney & Dils, of Parkersburg, a retail dry goods house, where he was in charge of the dress goods department. In 1896 he resigned there and accepted a position with a wholesale dry goods firm of Pittsburgh, with whom he remained until 1899, then went to Clarksburg and opened a store in the Annex building on Main street, where he carried a full line of dry goods. It was then known as D. M. Ogden, dry goods and notions, and in 1904 the business was legally incorporated as the D. M. Ogden Company, which title it still carries. January 20, 1911, the entire store was totally destroyed by fire, but two months later business was being conducted as before. He belongs to the Baptist church, and in politics is a Democrat. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
He married, June 30, 1896, at Galesburg, Illinois, Florence Bog- gess, a native of Harrison county, West Virginia, daughter of Dr. Ben- jamin Boggess, who for many years practiced medicine at Lumberport,
602
UPPER MONONGAHELA VALLEY.
West Virginia. He married Matilda A. Shinn, born at Shinnston, daughter of Resin K. Shinn, a merchant of Shinnston for many years, but who emigrated to La Harpe, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Ogden have no children.
The Shinn family to which this relates has long resided in SHINN Harrison county, in what is now West Virginia. Many excellent characters are here noted as coming from the Shinns and intermarried families connected with them.
(I) Abel W. Shinn was probably a native of Harrison county, at least his life was largely spent there. He was both farmer and mer- chant, doing business at Adamsville. He died in 1888, aged sixty years. He was imprisoned at Camp Chase during the civil war for aiding the confederate soldiers. He married Elizabeth Ann Gowthrop, who bore him a large family, among whom was Joseph Melville, of whom further.
(II) Joseph Melville, son of Abel W. Shinn, born born at Adams- ville, West Virginia (then Old Virginia), in 1847, and died in Octo- ber, 1898. He was engaged in the real estate business both in Iowa and at Chicago at different times. He published a real estate journal in Creston, Iowa, back in the seventies, returning to West Virginia in 1875, and ever after made this his home. Concerning an earlier period in his life it should be said that when but sixteen years of age, and while attending the old Monongahela Academy at Morgantown, he was given the position of instructor of Latin in that institution. He was burned out twice in great fires in the city of Chicago, losing a good for- tune each time. He married Ella Short, born near Shinnston, and she now resides with her son, Fred L., at Clarksburg, West Virginia, aged fifty-four years.
(III) Fred Lawrence, only child of Joseph Melville and Ella (Short) Shinn, was born May 23, 1881, at Adamsville, Harrison county, West Virginia. He attended the public schools there and then entered the State Normal at Fairmont, later attended the public schools at Farmington and Shinnston public schools, entering the University of West Virginia in the autumn of 1901, graduating in 1906. The first half of the time spent in the University was in the preparatory de- partment, then entered the law department, receiving his legal diploma
603
UPPER MONONGAHELA VALLEY.
in 1906. He served one year, from the fall of 1906 to that of 1907, on the Clarksburg Daily News as a reporter. In the autumn of 1907 he opened his law office, the present location of which is No. 222 Court street, Clarksburg. In 1909 he formed a partnership in law with Frank M. Powell, which exists now (1912). He is engaged in the promotion and development of new oil fields in Maryland. He has twice been a candidate on the Democratic ticket for city clerk. He is now secretary of the central Democratic committee of his county, and ever on the alert to advance the interests of his party. He is commis- sioner of accounts for Harrison county. He has been a member of the West Virginia National Guards since 1904, was commissioned second lieutenant, July 17, 1907, and assigned to Company K, First Infantry, and March 12, 1908, was promoted to first lieutenant. He is an ardent Odd Fellow, and also holds membership with the local order of Elks at Clarksburg. His college fraternity is Phi Sigma Kappa. He be- longs to the Presbyterian church. He is a member of the Harrison County Bar Association.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.