Genealogical and personal history of the upper Monongahela valley, West Virginia, Volume II, Part 34

Author: Butcher, Bernard Lee, 1853- ed; Callahan, James Morton, 1864-1956
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: New York, Lewis Historical Publishing co
Number of Pages: 660


USA > West Virginia > Genealogical and personal history of the upper Monongahela valley, West Virginia, Volume II > Part 34


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


He married, September 4, 1907, Jessie J. Moorhead, of Morgan- town, born in Morgantown, December 27, 1877, daughter of William Moorhead, a merchant and banker of that city, of Scotch-Irish descent, and Alice (John) Moorhead, a native of Morgantown, born in 1852, still living, and a direct descendant of Governor Greenbury, one of the early governors of Maryland. Mrs. Jackson is a Colonial Dame and is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, being a descendant of Governor Greenbury and Captain Duncan McVicar, a captain in the American revolution. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Jackson is Alice Moorhead, born November 8, 1908.


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The laundry business at Weston, Lewis county, West BAILEY Virginia, is well represented by the Weston Steam Laun- dry, conducted by James H. Bailey Jr., who is the son of James H. Bailey, who married Amanda McCue. Young Bailey was born at Leading Creek, Lewis county, West Virginia, January 15, 1874. He received his education at the free schools of his native county and assisted his father in the management of his farm until 1902, when he undertook the management of a sawmill for two years, at the end of which time he moved to Weston and for the next three years was connected with the Weston Milling Company. In 1905 he purchased the plant and goodwill of the Weston Steam Laundry which had been established six years previous. It is a modern laundry in all respects and the work turned out is of a superior quality. The building is thirty-four by sixty feet with a large boiler room attached. Mr. Bailey is a member of the National, Virginia and West Virginia Laun- drymen's Association. He belongs to Troy Lodge, No. 156, of the Odd Fellows order, and Weston Lodge, No. 10, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.


He was married, September 15, 1896, Grace Farnsworth, of Gil- more, West Virginia. Children: Russell Brooks, born October 17, 1897; Ethel, born November 12, 1902; Lottie Grace, born May 26, 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Bailey are consistent members of the Baptist church, and politically he is a Republican and takes a lively interest in all local measures and interests of his county and city.


This is an old and honored Virginia family of Marshall


CLARK county, where Hezekiah Clark was born at about the close of the revolutionary period. He operated an old- fashioned horse mill for grain grinding, and by its crude machinery was killed. He married and reared children, including a son Joseph Clark.


(II) Joseph, son of Hezekiah Clark, was born in Marshall county, Virginia (now West Virginia), in 1820, and died in 1860. He was by occupation a farmer, and in church faith a Wesleyan Meth- odist. Politically he was a Whig and a strong Abolitionist. He mar- ried Elizabeth Clouston for his first wife. Children: Jane, Margaret A., William H., Asa (deceased), and Lucinda. After the death of the


Jason Clark


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first wife, Mr. Clark married Mary Ann Cox, daughter of Joseph Cox. Children : Jason, of whom later mention will be made; Francis M., Thomas A., Absalom, deceased; Hannah, Phebe A. The mother died March 4, 1909.


(III) Jason, son of Joseph and Mary Ann (Cox) Clark, was born in Marshall county, West Virginia, November 19, 1850. He secured his education in the common schools and at Waynesburg College. He farmed summers and taught school winters for quite a period. In 1876 he was a clerk in a Grange (Patrons of Husbandry) store, continuing there a year and a half, when he purchased the store from the Grange Company and conducted it two years, then sold and went to St. Joseph, Missouri, where he engaged in a soap factory for one year, but then sold out and went to railroading. Having had enough of the West, he returned to his old home and followed farm life a short time, and then engaged in clerking in a general store, where he remained until Febru- ary, 1890, when he went to Mckeesport, Pennsylvania, and there en- gaged in the flour and feed business under the firm name of Louden- slager & Co. Here he remained four and a half years, then sold his interest in the business and went to Morgantown, West Virginia. In August, 1894, he engaged in the flour and feed trade at Morgantown, continuing until 1901, when he retired. He is a member of the Chris- tian church, of the Odd Fellows, Heptasophs, No. 31, of Mckeesport, and Elks Lodge No. 411, of Morgantown.


He married, October 19, 1887, Virginia A. Wolvington, daughter of William Wolvington. Children : Frederick H., who died in infancy; Raymond Earl, born in Mckeesport, Pennsylvania, in 1891.


BUMGARDNER This relates to the Bumgardner family of which James Andrew Bumgardner, of Salem, belongs.


(I) David Bumgardner was born about 1848. He married Julia Carter, born in 1857, daughter of David Carter, who lived and died a farmer on Indian Run, Ten Mile district. He was eighty years of age at his death. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Bumgardner : Mary Jane, now Mrs. V. Bramer, born 1874, living at Adamson, West Virginia; James Andrew, see forward.


(II) James Andrew, only son of David and Julia (Carter) Bum-


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gardner, was born in Harrison county, West Virginia, August 5, 1875, on his grandfather's farm. He was reared by his grandfather and attended the public schools in Ten Mile district. He continued to work on the farm until fifteen years old, when he learned the barber business, in a thorough manner, at Wilsonburg. In 1898 he went to Salem and the year following established a first class barber shop at that place, on the corner of Water and Main streets, where the First National Bank is now situated. In 1902, after being burned out by the disastrous fire of Salem in 1901, he opened his present shop in the Merchants' and Producers' Bank building, where he has an excellent business in his line. Besides his shop he owns one of the most attractive houses in Salem. He is a thorough-going, highly-respected, public-spirited citizen, pur- suing a useful trade in a satisfactory manner to a large number of cus- tomers. He is one of the directors in the Merchants' and Producers' Bank. He is a Democrat; attends the Baptist church and is a member of the Masonic fraternity.


He married, in Salem, October 5, 1899, Sylvia Randolph, born in Salem, March, 1875, daughter of Camden F. Randolph, who died in 1900, aged sixty-five years, and his wife, Adaline (Davis) Randolph, sister of Squire Davis. Only child of Mr. and Mrs. Bumgardner: James Paul, born September 20, 1902.


CUNNINGHAM This relates to the Cunningham family who settled in Ohio at an early day, with one of its number as John Cunningham, born in that state in 1826, died August 9, 1880. He was a carpenter by trade and resided at Wilsonburg, five miles distant from Clarksburg, West Vir- ginia, at the time of his death. He was a Democrat, and in church faith of the Methodist (South) denomination. He married Susan A. Hardy, born in Hampshire county, Virginia, died aged sixty-eight years in 1891. Children : William J., born November 7, 1848, died October 25, 1864; Ivy E., November 24, 1852, died October 18, 1877; Martin G., August 28, 1856; Melissa, November 20, 1861, died No- vember 2, 1864; Alexander M. T., of whom further.


(II) Alexander Monroe Truman, son of John and Susan A. (Hardy) Cunningham, was born in Hampshire county, West Virginia, August 5, 1865. He received his education at the Harrison county


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schools, having accompanied the family there when a mere boy. At the age of nineteen years he began as a telegraph operator, and later became manager of the Western Union offices at Clarksburg. He re- mained in that company's employ for thirteen years. He leased the West Virginia and Pittsburgh Railway lines for a term of five years, from 1895 to 1900. At Clarksburg he conducted a drug store from 1893 to 1900, and was the proprietor of a shoe store from 1895 to 1900. He is now extensively engaged in real estate and erected the first apartment houses in the city of Clarksburg, two of which he still owns. "The Cunningham Apartment House," named for his mother, is a five-story structure. These buildings are modern throughout. He obtained the idea of these buildings while in New York City. He was general manager of the Consolidated Telephone Company for a period long enough to rebuild the lines. He founded the Roberts Hardware Company in 1905, the same being a wholesale and retail store, which business has so rapidly increased that extra wareroom has to be fre- quently added to the buildings originally employed. It is the largest business of its line in all the Upper Monongahela Valley. Mr. Cun- ningham is also president of the Cunningham Shoe Company, establish- ed in the spring of 1911. Having great faith in the fruit growing qualities of West Virginia, he is developing an orchard of fifty acres. His farm is nine miles west of Clarksburg, and contains one hundred and twenty-five acres of valuable land. He is a stockholder in the Union National Bank of Clarksburg. His financial interests are varied and many, but all seem successful. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, is past eminent commander of the Knights Templar, and past high priest of the Royal Arch Chapter. In his church faith he is a Presbyterian.


He married, at Staunton, Virginia, September 10, 1900, Hattie, born in 1865, daughter of Samuel A. Shuttleworth, merchant and farmer, a native of Harrison county, Virginia ; he died in 1901.


CARPENTER This old English family is now represented in Salem, West Virginia, by John Woodward Car- penter, a prosperous farmer and much respected citizen. On his mother's side Mr. Carpenter descends from German and Scotch-Irish ancestors, thus combining four ancestral strains of


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exceptionally fine and vigorous quality. The Carpenter family traces its origin from John Carpenter, who in 1300 was town clerk of Lon- don. From him descend the numerous Carpenters of the intervening six centuries.


(I) John W. Carpenter came as a, youth to Virginia from London, England. In his new home he engaged in farming, and for forty years was postmaster at Bridgeport, where for nearly one hundred years that office has been held by a member of this family. He married Elizabeth Woodward, born on the banks of the James river, near Richmond, and they became the parents of three sons and one daughter. Mr. Car- penter died in 1852, aged about fifty-five, and his widow passed away in Bridgeport at the age of seventy-three.


(II) John W. (2), son of John W. (1) and Elizabeth (Wood- ward) Carpenter, was born in Bridgeport. He was a house carpenter and cabinet-maker. He married Sarah R., born in Virginia, daughter of Reuben and Elizabeth (Perrell) Taylor, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Scotch-Irish parentage. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter had three sons: Franklin, who was distinguished as a metal- lurgist and civil engineer, some of the foremost business men of the United States availing themselves of his services, he died two years ago in Chicago; John Woodward, mentioned below; William Andrew, em- ployed by the South Pennsylvania Oil Company of Salem. The father of these three sons passed away in 1852, at the early age of thirty-one, his death being the result of a fall from a house in Parkersburg on which he was at work. His wife, thus early left a widow, survived to the age of seventy-three years.


(III) John Woodward, second son of John W. (2) and Sarah R. (Taylor) Carpenter, was born June 10, 1850, at Clarksburg. Owing to the early death of his father, he enjoyed but meager advantages of education, the entire period of his school attendance being only eighteen months. In 1863, though but thirteen years of age, he was inspired by military enthusiasm to run away from home in order to join the Union army, but his services were refused on account of his youth. His patriotic zeal, however, was not abated by what would have served to discourage most boys of his age, and he availed himself of the oppor- tunity to become a teamster for the army. At the age of sixteen he went to Kansas, where for three years he was employed on a farm, going


.


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thence to Chillicothe, Missouri, and there for eighteen months serving as a stage driver. From these wanderings Mr. Carpenter returned to his mother in Bridgeport, and for three years worked on the railroad, after which he was for nine years employed by farmers in the vicinity. At the end of that time he purchased a farm in the Grant district, which he cultivated for three years, and then transferred his attention to the timber business, in which he was engaged for four years in Lewis county. In 1900 he moved to Salem, becoming once more a team- ster, and he is now for the second time an independent farmer, his farm and residence being situated on the outskirts of Salem. He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Salem, also one of the organizers of the Industrial Land Company, which donated forty acres to the Industrial Home at Salem, this institution being for girls. He is largely interested in the Bayer Copper Mine in Church- hill county, Nevada. He is a member of Salem Lodge, No. 84, Free and Accepted Masons; Adoniram Chapter, No. 11, Royal Arch Ma- sons; Clarksburg Commandery, No. 13, Knights Templar; Wheeling Consistory, No. 1 ; Osiris Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine; he is the first Scottish Rite Mason as well as the oldest in Har- rison county, West Virginia. He is a member of the Methodist church. In politics he has always been a staunch Republican.


Mr. Carpenter married, August 3, 1871, in Bridgeport, Rachel, born in March, 1849, daughter of Jonathan and Ellen (Hall) Stout. Jonathan Stout was of Bridgeport, the owner of a farm on which he and his children were born and on which he died in 1873, at the age of seventy, his widow surviving him a number of years. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter became the parents of the following children : Charles Fred- erick, died in 1873; Jed Taylor, superintendent of the team department of the Hope Gas Company and living in the house next to his father's; Luther Stout, an oil well driller of Salem; Sarah Ellen, at home; Fan- nie Susan, at home; John Herman, who is still living on the farm with his parents.


This is an old Harrison county family. It is known that DAVIS Jacob Davis was the son of a Mr. Davis whose given name is now unknown to his descendants. This man lived near Janelew, on Hacker's Creek. He married and resided on the old home-


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stead, until, while still a young man, he was killed by being thrown from a horse.


(II) Jacob Davis was born about 1798. He married, and in his family was a son Samuel D.


(III) Samuel D., son of Jacob Davis, was born in 1823, on the old family farm in Harrison county, died at the age of eighty-three years in March, 1906. He was a Seventh Day Baptist minister who did missionary work all over West Virginia. At one time he was pastor of the church at Salem for three years. He married (first) Ford. He married (second) Elizabeth Randolph, born in Salem, died at the age of seventy-eight years in 1905. Children by first wife : S. Orlando, living on the old homestead; and two other sons. By second wife: Boothe C., president of Alfred University, New York; M. Wardner, of whom later; Samuel H., of Westerly, Rhode Island, a lawyer; and Simeon G., twin of Samuel H., who died at the age of seven years.


(IV) M. Wardner, son of Samuel D. and Elizabeth ( Randolph) Davis, was born at the old homestead in Harrison county, West Vir- ginia, April 12, 1865. He attended the Janelew schools, later taking a course in the business department of Alfred University, New York. He aided his father on his farm until twenty-five years old. In 1890 he went to Salem and engaged in a mercantile business with J. A. Ran- dolph, under the firm name of Davis & Randolph. After one year Mr. Randolph withdrew and M. H. Van Horn went in, changing the firm name to Davis & Van Horn. This partnership existed for twelve years, when Mr. Davis withdrew, on account of ill health, and took charge of the Salem Brick plant for two years. Then with E. O. Davis, he engaged in a department store business, which continued three years. On January 1, 1912, Mr. Davis succeeded to the Salem Concrete Com- pany at Salem, taking over a one-half interest of the same, and becom- ing the manager. This company deals in all kinds of concrete work, handling lime, sand, cement, wall plaster, crushed stone and concrete blocks. The firm is composed of E. M. Randolph, M. Wardner Davis and E. O. Davis. Mr. Davis has served for several years as member of the city council of Salem. He is a director of the Merchants and Producers Bank of Salem. He is also a member of the board of


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directors of Salem College. Politically Mr. Davis is a Prohibitionist and in his church faith is one of the Seventh Day Baptists.


He married, August 13, 1891, at Lost Creek, Harrison county, Ivie Alverda, born at Lost Creek, February II, 1870, daughter of William B. Van Horn, born at Lost Creek, died in 1911, aged sixty- three years. Mr. Van Horn followed farming all his life. He married Elsie Kennedy, born at the last named place in 1850, died May 24, 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have had three children: Nina Lorena, died seventeen years ago, in her infancy; Courtland Van Horn, born September 3, 1895, is attending Salem College at Salem; Alberta, born March 21, 1899.


LEONARD Distinctively a family who emigrated from Ireland, the Leonards became citizens of America and, faith- ful to every trust and duty imposed, they have been a blessing to the land of their adoption. It was only three generations ago that William Leonard, when but a young and vigorous man, emi- grated to this country with his young wife to seek out a home free from the tyranny of the British government. He never lived in West Vir- ginia, however; but settled in Ohio about 1820.


(II) William (2), son of William (1) Leonard, was born in Highland county, Ohio, in 1824, died at Center Point, Doddridge county, West Virginia, in 1881. After the civil war he resided at Cherry Camp. He enlisted under Captain Alexander C. Moore, in Battery E, First West Virginia Regiment, Light Artillery Volunteers, and served throughout the conflict between the north and south from 1861 to 1865. By trade he was a blacksmith. Politically he voted the Republican ticket, while in religious faith he was of the Methodist church. He married Prudence Bennett, who died in 1896, aged sixty- nine years. Children, of whom five still survive: Elizabeth, widow of A. G. Kiddy, now deceased, resides at Buckhannon, West Virginia ; Martha J., now Mrs. M. N. Campbell, of Missouri; Alice, Mrs. George V. Brown, widow; Kate, Mrs. J. H. Bailey, residing in Lewis county, this state; and William Edward, of whom presently.


(III) William Edward, youngest child of William (2) and Pru- dence (Bennett) Leonard, was born January 14, 1858, in Upshur county, West Virginia. When ten years of age his parents removed to


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Harrison county, this state, settling at Cherry Camp, now Bristol, where young Leonard was educated. He learned the blacksmith's trade of his father who had a shop at Bristol. He worked away at the glowing forge until he was twenty-one years old; then went to Salem, West Virginia, in 1880, and started a shop on his own account, which he conducted twenty-three years. In 1903, he gave his attention en- tirely to his present business of handling buggies and wagons, which business he had purchased in December, 1898. He sold his blacksmith shop in 1903, but still owns the building. He has a fine residence prop- erty. Politically Mr. Leonard is a Republican. He belongs to the Masonic, Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias fraternities; in church affairs holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal society.


He married December 28, 1882, Fannie Keesy, who was born, at Boothsville, 1856, daughter of Noah Keesy, who died in 1904, aged seventy-four years. Mr. Keesy was a soldier in the Union army during the civil war, and was a carpenter and cabinet-maker, following these trades at Bristol all his active life. His wife was Casander Harden, who died about 1901. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Leonard were : Pearl, born 1884, at home, unmarried; Eva, born 1886, died at six years of age; Hallie K., born 1888, at home, teaching in public schools at Salem; Maggie, died aged two years, at the same time as Eva, and both of scarlet fever; Willa A., born 1892, a teacher at Wil- sonsburg, 1912; Charles C., born 1895, attending the public schools in 1912; Valma, born 1898, at school.


Joseph Martin Wood, a well-known, active and experi-


WOOD enced business man of Morgantown, who may feel justly proud of the success he has attained, and who enjoys the confidence and respect of his many employees in a large degree, is a son of John S. Wood and grandson of Joseph Wood, a resident of Juniata county, Pennsylvania.


John S. Wood, mentioned above, was born in Juniata county, Penn- sylvania, in 1818. He was a bridge builder by occupation, and located at Parkersburg, West Virginia. He married Elizabeth Smith, of Parkersburg, and their children were: Edward V., John W., George S. and Joseph Martin (see forward).


Joseph Martin Wood, son of John S. and Elizabeth (Smith)


Somwood


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Wood, was born in Tyler county, near Sistersville, West Virginia, April 12, 1855. He attended the common schools in the neighborhood of his home, and at the early age of eleven years began his active career. His first position was as errand boy in a dry goods store in Wheeling, West Virginia, and later he was clerk with Bloch Brothers, engaged in the tobacco business. In 1876 he took up his residence in Morgantown, West Virginia, and engaged in mercantile business with G. W. John & Company, continuing until 1880, when he removed to Scottdale, Penn- sylvania, where he engaged in the same line of trade, establishing a store which he conducted until 1890, when he removed the stock to Morgantown and continued conducting it for four years. In April, 1894, he was one of the incorporators of the Morgantown Planing Mill Company, and in the following year purchased the interests of the other incorporators and became sole owner. He remained alone until 1901, when he took his son, George W. Wood, into partnership. The business was successful from the beginning, and in August, 1910, when he disposed of the plant to the Crystal Tumbler Company, it was num- bered among the largest enterprises in the city. It was the oldest plan- ing mill in the city, was equipped with the most modern machinery for turning out every kind of work in the line of wood for house building and construction, and gave constant employment to a number of men, whom he treated with the utmost consideration, keeping the old hands employed during depressing periods even at a personal loss, which fact endeared him to many of them. Being a man of strict integrity, up- rightness of character and strength of purpose, he was chosen to fill im- portant offices, and served as president of the Freeland Oil Company, vice-president of the Athens Building & Loan Company, and director of the Citizens' National Bank, the Federal Savings & Trust Company, and as president of the Crystal Tumbler Company. He was also select- ed to serve in the responsible position of mayor of Scottdale, Pennsyl- vania, and was a member of the council of Morgantown. He is a mem- ber and trustee of the Methodist Episcopal church, and also holds mem- bership in the Free and Accepted Masons, lodge and chapter, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.


Mr. Wood married, December 29, 1875, Ella John, daughter of Dr. George W. John; she died in June, 1902. Children : 1. Blanche,


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married Harry D. Wintringer; one son, Harry D. Jr. 2. Daisie W., married Lewis D. Bell; died September 18, 1911. 3. George W., engaged in the fire insurance and real estate business; married Mary Wintringer, and they have one son, John W.


POST This family originally emigrated from Germany to Amer- ica, the earliest member of the family being George Post, a native of Germany, born during the last half of the eight- eenth century, who evidently came to this country when yet a young man. He married and had a son named Jacob.


(II) Jacob, son of the German ancestor, George Post, was born in what is now West Virginia. He followed farming pursuits and died in the seventies near Good Hope. He married and reared a family of ten children, among whom one son was John Burnside, of whom fur- ther.


(III) John Burnside, son of Jacob Post, was born March 26, 1 842, near Good Hope, West Virginia, died November 23, 1890. He served as a teamster in the Union army during the civil war; but was a farmer by general occupation. He also conducted a general store at Jarvisville with his son M. R. Post, who still runs the business. He married Mary Adams, a native of Harrison county, West Virginia, born June 19, 1846, who is still living on the old homestead, situated near Jarvisville. John Adams, her father, lived on Kinchelow creek, Harrison county, and died at the same place. He was a soldier in the Union army from 1861 to 1865. Children: M. Luther, died Novem- ber, 1899; Mrs. Ella Jarvis, of Springdale, Arkansas; M. R. Post, of Jarvisville, this state; Mrs. Edith May Farris, living in Doddridge county, West Virginia; William S., of Cannon City, Colorado; Mrs. Sophrona Summerville, lives at Buckhannon, West Virginia; Howard Benjamin Franklin, of whom further; Hiram O., of Clarksburg; Tru- man A., on a farm, near Jarvisville; A. Earl, living on the old home- stead with his mother and wife.




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