USA > West Virginia > Braxton County > History of Braxton County and central West Virginia > Part 37
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HIGH PRICES.
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By reason of the Foreign war, and the combination of speculators, priees of all commodities are becoming extremely high, especially anything that is made of iron or steel. With food products, many artieles have gone as high as one hundred per eent above normal. Even in the midst of great national pros- perity, great numbers in the large cities are in great destitution. One reason is given why food eereals have soared so high is. the laek of railroad facilities to transport the western grain to the eastern markets. Another reason given is that the western farmers have either sold to parties who have bought for the Allies or that many farmers and local shippers are holding for advanee priees.
At this time of writing, March 8, 1917, ehop feed eannot be bought either at the wholesale at Sutton, Burnsville, Weston or Clarksburg. The lumbermen and a few of the farmers depend entirely on western grain. We are informed that at this time hundreds of lumber teams operating in the great lumber eamps of Camden, Riehwood, Gauley, and other timber distriets, will be destitute un- less speedily relieved by the shipment of grain.
We quote some loeal priees: Wheat, $1.90 to $2.00 per bushel; eorn, $1.25; oats, 80 eents; ehop, $2.00 per hundred; mill feed $ ......; elover seed, $4.00; timothy seed, $3.10; orehard grass, $1.75; bluegrass, $1.75; potatoes $2.00 to $4.00 per bushel; onions, $4.00; cabbage, 8 eents per pound, retailing as high as 12 eents; onion sets, 75 eents per gallon. While the winter has been one of un- usual severity, eoal is quoted as high as $6.50 per ton. At the mines, the priee
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prevailing now is $5.00 and $5.50. Those who had coal mines in operation at the beginning of the winter have made quiek fortunes, as the weather continues with heavy snows and the temperature almost to zero, breaking up with one of the greatest floods in twenty years.
Spring and summer of 1918, we quote priees as follows: Wheat $2.25 per bushel, eorn $2.75, oats $1.10, ehop $4.00 per hundred pounds, mill feed $2.50, clover seed $22.00 per bushel, timothy seed $4.70, orchard grass $3.25, blue grass $3.25, onions $7 to $8 per bushel; good shipping eattle are bringing $12 to $14 per hundred and lambs 16 to $18 per hundred. Baeon is 38 to 40 eents per pound; farmers are paying $2.50 per day for harvest hands, and unskilled labor on publie works is eonimanding from $4 to $5 per day.
BIOGRAPHY.
In preparing a personal biography of many of the families of Braxton county, it is more limited than we had intended, being unable to get the neces- sary data and in many eases we had nothing by which we could seeure the proper names and dates. We trust those whose records have been seeured may feel a satisfaction in their publieation. We regret that there are many others we failed to obtain.
JOHN ADAMS.
John Adams, son of Major P. B. Adams, was born in 1859. In 1884 he married Naney, daughter of Tubal and Delila Skidmore Cogar, and to them were born nine ehildren, Hannah, Pierson B., Delila, Ellowese, Mary A., Jordye, John G., Daniel J., and William M. Mr. Adams was a sueeessful farmer and stoekman; he owned the valuable and beautiful Boling Green farm. He was eleeted sheriff of Braxton eounty in 1896 and served a term of four years, and was elected sheriff again in 1904 and served the term of four years. Mr. Adams was well beloved by his countrymen. He died Deeember 17, 1912, and was buried in the Duffy cemetery at Sutton.
REV. RICHARD A. ARTHUR.
Rev. Richard A. Arthur was born in Randolph county, Va., March 6, 1817. He was the son of William and Davison Arthur. His maternal grandfather was Joseph Friend, son of Captain Joseph Friend of Revolutionary fame, whose wife was a daughter of Joseph Skidmore. and sister to Captain John Skidmore. His parents removed from Randolph county to what is now known as the famous Salt Sulphur springs in the year 1819. He was the next to youngest of seven sons, all of whom were respected eitizens. At the age of seventeen years, he left his home, erossed the Elk mountain with sueh sehool books as he possessed, and went to the little village of Summersville where he entered sehool and applied himself diligently until sueh time as he was enabled to teach. After teaching
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for some time to seeure sufficient means to educate himself for the ministry, he entered eollege at Marietta, Ohio. After completing his eourse and graduating with honor, he went to Wheeling, W. Va., where he became principal of one of the eity sehools. In 1851, he was married to Miss Isabella S. Fisher of Wheel- ing. He felt the eall to the ministry to be his life work, and after teaching in Wheeling and at the Clarksburg Academy, he again entered the work of the ministry which was so dear to his heart. He preached the gospel for many years, and held a number of prominent positions both in the ministry and in educational work.
In 1867, he moved his family from Cineinnati, Ohio, to Webster eounty where he went to recuperate his health which was failing from long and aetive serviee in the itineraney. He regained his health in a large measure, and often preached the gospel with great earnestness and power. He was a member of the Cineinnati M. E. Conferenee at the time of his death, having been transferred from the W. Va. Conferenee in 1869. In his memories of him, Judge Wesley Atkinson says that, "As much as any other man of his generation, in the state of his birth, he left his impress upon the times in which he lived." Rev. Ar- thur died Nov. 11, 1899, at Webster Springs, W. Va.
He inherited valuable lands in Webster eounty, and left quite a eomfort- able estate to his family. The children who sueeeeded him were William, a prominent business man of Webster eounty, and for several years was County Surveyor. William has sinee died. His daughters now living are Katie who was the wife of Captain Hillery (now dead), and Maggie who never married. One daughter Belle, died in Cineinnati before the family removed to W. Va.
The Rev. Arthur was a man of very fine talent. He was at one time Pro- fessor of Mathematies in a college in Ohio. As a pulpit orator, he had few .equals. He grew up in the ministry, and received inspiration from all that was grand in Nature. The deep gorges and murmuring waters, the valleys and giant mountains with its ever living foliage, the song of every bird of the forest, was to him a melody, while the beauty of the flowers which God had ereated to beautify his handiwork was to him an inspiration that throughout his ministry never lost its eharıl.
Rev. Arthur, his wife and son William are resting in a beautiful plot of ground near Webster Springs on the banks of the Elk.
G. W. ARBOGAST.
G. W. Arbogast, son of George and Mary (Reed) Arbogast, was born Jan. 29, 1849, and has always lived in Clay county. He married Ellen Sehoonover, and their children are Calvin P., James A., Wm. E., Glenna May, Daniel W.,. and George.
He married for his second wife Mary Riffle, and by this union there was born one ehild, Sarah. Mr. Arbogast has been a farmer, exeept for a period of twenty-eight months, which he served in the State Guard and in the 7th
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West Virginia Cavalry under General Custer. Mr. Arbogast was Sheriff from 1884 until 1889.
SOLOMON BAKER.
Solomon Baker and Mary, his wife, came from New River about the year 1812. They had several children, only two of whom became grown. Mr. Baker settled near the mouth of a run which empties into the Elk about a mile below the site of the old Union mills. It is now known as Bakers run.
E. W. HEFNER.
E. W. Hefner began in the merchandise business in 1890.
1902-Elected Clerk County Court of Braxton county, and in 1908 re- elected.
1915-Entered the real estate business, and continued same to present time.
1897-Married Mary Sue Hopkins, daughter of Wm. Hopkins, of Pendle- ton county.
Children-Charles Samuel, Ernest Lyle, Virginia Lee, Mary Louise.
Son of Samuel C. Hefner and Sarah E. Hefner.
LEVI BOND.
Levi Bond, born in Harrison county, Va., April 3, 1817. He was the son of Abel Bond, and grandson of Major Richard Bond. This noted family came from Maryland to Virginia, in the seventeenth century, and settled on Lost Creek, Harrison county. Levi Bond celebrated his hundredth birthday, April 3, 1918, at which there was a large gathering of representative citizens present. - For almost 60 years he has been a Deacon in the Seventh Day Baptist Church, of Lost Creek, and has been a member of that church for eighty-five years, join- ing the church while in his teens. There are but two of his nine children now living, Mrs. Mary A. Courtright, of Lost creek, with whom he makes his home, and Abel Bond, of Tennessee. He has seven grand children, a number of great grand children, and one great-great grand child, Maxine Zollinger, the little daughter of Eva Zollinger, of Philippi. Mr. Bond was a boot and shoe maker, and worked on the bench for over sixty years.
WM. D. BAXTER.
Wm. D. Baxter was born in Greenbrier county, Virginia, March 25, 1795. Ann C. Sutton, daughter of James Sutton, of Alexander, Va., was born October 17, 1804. They were married October 21, 1828, and the following are their children :
Few men have lived in our community who commanded greater respect born July 16, 1834; Susan C., born May 17, 1836; John D. S., born August 21,
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1838; Jemima A., born June 1, 1841, and Joseph A., born one hour later; James A., born August 10, 1846; Mary M., born November 28, 1848.
Rev. W. D. Baxter was a local preacher in the M. E. Church, and was a member of that society for about sixty-five years. In an early day, his par- ents moved from Greenbrier to Kanawha county where he grew to manhood, and learned the cooper's trade.
After his marriage, he settled in Braxton county on the waters of Granny's creek where he continued to reside until his death which oeeurred April 1, 1881, his wife having died June 16, 1874.
They were both noted for their piety, kindness and benevolence. Mrs. Baxter was a woman of splendid intellectual attainments.
NATHAN BARNETT.
Nathan Barnett was son of Isaae Barnett, and eame with his father from Ohio and settled on Granny's creek some years before the formation of the county. Nathan married Elizabeth, daughter of John D. and Sally Sutton. Their children were Meletis L., John D., Susan who married Dr. Thomas Duf- field, Isaac who died young, Edward D., James K., Wm. M., Poindaxter W., and Felix J. For his second wife he married the widow Duffield whose maiden name was Lydda Knight. They reared one daughter, Rebecca. Mr. Barnett died in 1861.
REV. M. L. BARNETT.
Rev. M. L. Barnett, son of Nathan and Elizabeth Sutton Barnett, married Liza Hamric. They had one daughter who died early in life. The parents and daughter are buried on Hackers creek where the best years of his ministry were spent.
JOHN D. BARNETT. 1
John D. Barnett, son of Nathan and Elizabeth Sutton Barnett, married Mary Sprigg, daughter of Edward G. and Martha Smith Sprigg. Their ehil- dren were
E. D. BARNETT. 1
E. D. Barnett, son of Nathan and Elizabeth Sutton Barnett, married Anna Hinkle. Their children were Miletus, Edna, Becky and Early. For his second wife, he married Malinda Sowers, daughter of Henry Sowers. By this union, he had one daughter, Esther. Mr. Barnett served through the war of the 60's in the Confederate army. He owns a farm and lives on Wolf creek, and is a member of the M. P. church.
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FELIX JOSEPHUS BAXTER.
Felix Josephus Baxter was the eldest child of William D. and Anna C. Baxter, and was born in or near Sutton,. Aug. 10, 1830. In 1858, he was ad- mitted to the bar and began the practice of law at Clay C. H. In 1861, being opposed to slavery, he joined the Union army, again locating at Clay C. H. after the termination of that bloody conflict. In 1869, he married Miss Sarah Prudence Duffy of Nicholas county, and moved to Sutton where he resided until his death. His wife died leaving three children, two of whom are still living-Mrs. Mary Augusta Dillon of Sutton, and Mrs. Rose T. Cunningham of Fayetteville. In 1894, he married Miss Margaret E. Berry, a well-known lady of this county, who survives him.
The subject of this sketch was surveyor of this county from 1855 to 1858, was prosecuting attorney of Clay county and afterwards of Braxton county, and served one term in the state senate, having been elected in 1876. He was the first mayor of Sutton after the town was re-incorporated in 1873, and later served in that capacity. Until fifteen years before his death, he continued the practice of law in Braxton and adjoining counties. The date of his death was 1909. His remains rest in the Duffy cemetery at Sutton.
REV. HENRY ALLEN BAXTER.
Rev. Henry Allen Baxter was born in Braxton county June 15, 1832, and died near the place of his birth, April 30, 1915. IJe was the son of Wm. D. and Anna C. Sutton Baxter. He was united in marriage with Caroline Hudkins May 25, 1858, who died Sept. 27, 1876, leaving him the care and training of their two sons, Wilbur C. and J. Oscar, who survive him, and are honored and useful citizens. Early in life he was converted and united with the M. E. ' church, at the age of twelve years, in which he lived to the time of his lamented death, having been a member of the same seventy-one years. Soon after he united with the church, he was licensed a local preacher, and in that capacity continued actively as opportunity afforded and accasion required, to within two years of his death, when from excessive labors in conducting a series of meet- ings he was compelled to retire permanently. This meeting which resulted in over a score of conversions added several members to the church.
years, member of the board o feducation in 1881, and is still serving. He is a than Henry Allen Baxter. In his younger days, he was possessed of a musical voice, and often in his public discourses he became eloquent. He was an untir- ing worker in the Sabbath schools.
He was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace in 1862, and was elected County Assessor, but the war prevented him from serving in that capacity. After the close of the Civil war, he was elected to the office of County Treasurer. He died, loved and respected by all.
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CAPT. HENRY BENDER.
Capt. Henry Bender was the first-born of the children of John and Ann C. (Dabus) Bender, and his birth occurred Aug. 25, 1840, while his parents were living in Baltimore. They came to this eounty in the following year.
Henry Bender was united in marriage to Elizabeth Engle, and to this union nine children have been born, eight of whom are still living.
Their names are as follows: Rosa Ann, Leona Hester, Mary Berniee, Lil- lian Dale, Lucy Lee, Christena Caroline, Julia Alwilda and Victor Goff.
Henry Bender enlisted Jan. 7, 1862, in Company F, 10th West Virginia Infantry, and on the 3rd of May, 1862, was commissioned second lieutenant. He was in the engagement of Wardensville, Beverly, Droop Mountain, Cheat river, Leetown, Maryland Heights, Snickers Ferry, Winchester, Berryville, Opcquon, Fishers Hill, Cedar Creek (two battles), then transferred to the army of the James, and engaged in the fight at Petersburg, and was present at the surrender of Lee. He was slightly wounded at Droop Mountain and again at Opequon, and received brevet-rank of captain April 20, 1865. In a civil capaei- ty he was the first supervisor of Lincoln township, now Otter district, and was elected magistrate in 1866, serving one year. He was elected to the State Legis- lature in 1868, sheriff of Braxton county in the fall of 1870, and served two years, member of the board of education in 1881, and is still serving. He is a retired farmer, living on Straight fork of Stcer creek, having five hundred acres of land.
WILLIAM BERRY.
William Berry was the only son of William and Mary (Hagan) Berry- English extraction. William Berry was born in Virginia, near tide-water in 1778. A sister, dyng in chldhood, being the only other child. The children were left fatherless early in life. William was edueated for a sea eaptain, but did not like it, and on returning from a second voyage across the water, at the age of nineteen, deserted the ship on which his mother had placed him.
Early in life, he married Miss Agnes Kitehen, sweetheart of his boyhood. Five sons, William, Fielding, James, Lewis and Benjamin, and two daugh- ters, Mary and Emza, were born. All, save the last one named, married and reared large families.
The wife of his youth having dicd, he married Miss Cynthia Triplett. Four sons, Thornton, Joel, Craven, Allen S. and Washington H. and three daugh- ters, Agnes, Elizabeth and Lueinda S., were born. All married and had fam- ilies.
In the spring of 1818, William Berry emigrated from Loudon county, Va., to what is now Braxton county, and settled on the O'Briens fork of Salt Liek ereek, a' veritable wilderness. He was the first sehool "master" in Braxton eounty. Felix Sutton, Mrs. Anna Sutton Baxter, Christian Hyer, William Gib- son and William Betts being among his pupils. He died at the age of 69 years,
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and his remains rest on an eminence on the farm of the late Col. Asa Squires, overlooking the valley of Salt Lick.
We cannot say too much in praise of this old nobleman of the forest and the school room. His numerous progeny attest his character and virtues-he imparted to his race that energy, frugality and honesty which have marked their generations down to the present time. He came to a wilderness country where young men and women were growing up without any educational ad- vantages, and he gathered many of them around him and gave them the rudi- ments of an education which enabled them to transact business, fill important stations in life, and become useful as teachers to others. The influence of such a life will go on and on until the humble slab at his grave will have moldered into dust.
JOEL BERRY.
Joel, second son of William and Synthia Triplet Berry, was born in Louden county, Virginia, November 9th, 1812, and married Elizabeth Cummings who was born December 18th, 1812. To this union were born Wm. H., Ephriam A., Thornton J., Manervia A., James W., Mariah A., Sarah E., Granville M., and Joel T. Mr. Berry owned a farm and lived on Obrien's Fork of Salt Lick creek where his son Thadeous now lives. Mr. Berry died August 1st, 1896, and his wife died December 26th, 1896; they were honored and respected citi- zens.
ALLEN S. BERRY.
Allen S. Berry, fourth son of William and Synthia Triplet Berry, was born in Lewis county, now Braxton county, August 28, 1821. He married Rebecca Alkire in 1840 and their children were William, Charles W., Homer, Emery A., David A., Joel M., John C., Racheal, Malissa, Synthia and Margaret. Mr. Berry was a farmer and owned a good farm on Obrien's Fork of Salt Lick creek, where his son John C. now resides. He was for several years a justice of the peace, and had other important positions; was a member of the M. E. Church, South, and died in the year 1893.
WILLIAM BERRY.
William Berry, son of Fielding Berry, married Evelyn Alkire; their chil- dren were, Fielding, James, John, Joel, David T., Granvil, Martha, Virginia and Mary. Their son John was a physician. Mr. Berry and his son Fielding were killed or died in the Confederate army. Mrs. Berry is living in her 94th year, and her friends are hopeful that she may reach the century mark.
JAMES BERRY.
James Berry, son of Joel Berry, was a soldier in the Confederate army. He married Betty, daughter of Elijah and Elizabeth Gibson Squires, and set-
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tled on a farm near Stone Run Church, where he raised a large family of chil- dren, who grew to be men and women. They are all married and have families. Mr. Berry and wife are living, at a good old age, having recently celebrated their Golden Wedding.
CRAVEN BERRY.
Craven Berry, third son of William and Cynthia (Triplett) Berry, was born in Louden county, Va., Nov. 3, 1814, and died Dec. 31, 1905, at the ad- vanéed age of ninety-one years.
On Feb. 26, 1818, Wm. Berry, his father, migrated to the wilds of what was then Lewis county (now Braxton) settling on the waters of Salt Lick, a tributary of the Little Kanawha river, arriving there on April 3rd. The means of travel was by a four-horse wagon. Many places along the way, roads had to be made and temporary bridges constructed. The travel required more than a month. Craven was in his fourth year. The family lodged in a 12x14 hunter's cabin, shrouded by a dense forest of stately oak, poplar, cherry and black walnut. Inured to the hardships of a pioneer life, he grew to manhood blessed with a sturdy, physical frame.
In 1839, he was united in marriage to Miss Susan Cunningham. To this union were born eight children ; five sons, Wm. C., Jesse, Thornton T., John P. and Asa M., and three daughters, Louisa, Vena and Lucy.
CHARLES EMERY BERRY.
Charles Emery Berry was a son of Emory Allen Berry. His mother was Caroline Anderson, daughter of John Anderson. Mr. Berry was born Jan. 6, 1863, and died Feb. 20, 1914. His wife was Hermonie Ophelia White, daugh- ter of John W. and Charlotte Mitchell White. Their children were Rubal Ben- nett, Hallie Mitchell and Newlon White.
Mr. Berry was educated in the public schools of Braxton, his native coun- ty, and when a young man, went west and after a few years looking over the western country, came back and married, and settled on his father's farm on Fall run where he engaged in farming and merchandising for a few years. He then moved to Sutton and kept hotel until he was appointed Superintendent of the County Infirmary. After two years of service in that Institution, he died of cancer of the liver. Mr. Berry was a kind and congenial gentleman, he had an estimable family and his wife was a lady of culture and nobility of char- acter.
THE BOSLEY FAMILY.
Wm. Bosley, an Englishman, eame to Baltimore and thence to Braxton county early in the eighteenth century. Peter, the only one of the family now living, was born on Little Kanawha river nearly ninety-three years ago. He has for a great many years lived on his farm on Cedar creek. About a year or so ago, he lost the use of his eye sight entirely. He is living with his son Wm.,
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who who a Confederate soldier. It is extremely rare at this day to see an old man and his soldier boy who participated in the Civil war over fifty years ago.
(Later)-Since the above was written. Peter Bosley has passed away.
THOMAS BLAND.
Thomas Bland was born in 1796, in Fairfax county, Va., a descendant of Theodoric and Richard Bland, who were among the pioneer settlers of Fairfax county. Thomas Bland served in the 1812 war, and was at the siege of Fort Meigs. He married Mary Newlon who was born in 1796, and they settled in Lewis county, first at a place called Westfield where the county seat of that county was originally designated to be located, and then at Weston where Thomas Bland built the first hotel. He represented his distriet in the State Senate a number of terms, and was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1950, was a number of years Deputy Sheriff for Lewis county, and a man of note in the county. Mrs. Edmiston, Mrs. Brannon, and Mrs. Jacob Lorentz were the three daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bland. Their sons were Dr. W. J. who was at one time superintendent of insane asylum at Weston; Thedrie G., (dicd in 1845), Thomas, (died in 1834), Newton B., (at one time physician of Weston), Dr. John T., (murdered on the Mississippi in 1876), and Edwin S. Thomas Bland died in 1867, and his widow died in 1882.
EDWIN S. BLAND.
Edwin S. Bland was born at Weston in 1835, son of above mentioned par- ents. He married Lavinia E. Evans in 1859 at Morgantown, and their union was blassed with nine children: George T., Mary N., Edwin L., Harry E., . Frank G., Charles H., Julia, Thomas E. (deceased), and Earl Dorsey.
Edwin S. Bland began to read law at the age of twenty-one with Judge John Brannon, and was admitted to practice in 1859. He continued the prac- tice of law, also taught in the public schools of Sutton for many years. He died Feb. 1. 1903.
THE BYRNE FAMILY.
This family in all probability settled in America early in its history, one George Byrne being the first to come, he having come from the county of Wick- low, Ireland, and settled in Virginia. The only accurate data we have on this pioneer family is furnished by Prof. S. B. Brown of Morgantown.
Samuel Byrne married Clary Buckner, and to this union were born seven children, as follows: Peyton Byrne married Barbara Linn before 1790 and moved from Prince William county, Va., in 1794 to Preston county, and in 1798 he moved on to a four hundred acre tract of land at the mouth of Salt Lick creek, this county. He was sheriff of Lewis county when he died in 1824. His wife Barbara died in 1838. Their age at time of death is not known. To
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