History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 101

Author: Laidley, William Sydney, 1839-1917. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co
Number of Pages: 1066

USA > West Virginia > Kanawha County > Charleston > History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens > Part 101

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Graduating from Cornell University in

RICHARD COLLINS

JOHN B. LEWIS

MRS. ANN E. LEWIS

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1879, with his degree of B. S., and from Co- lumbia College in 1882, LL. D. (Cum Laude), he was admitted to the bar in 1883. He main- tains his business office at Charleston, and oc- cupies a beautiful residence at Coalburg, which is his home. He has been identified very prominently for some years with important oil, gas and coal interests in West Virginia, being president of the Kanawha Coal Opera- tors Association, and he is the author of many articles treating of these great natural re- sources of this state. He is a widely traveled man and a number of his most popular books are scientific in character and concern other countries as well as his own. Those best known are: "Coals and Cokes in West Vir- ginia," published in 1892; "To the Yukon," published in 1904; "Through Scandinavia to Moscow," in 1906; and "On the Mexican Highlands," in 1906-7. He contributed arti- cles on West Virginia in 1902 for the Ency- clopedia Britannica. He is a republican in pol- itics and in 1898 was his party's candidate for congress from the Third West Virginia Dis- trict, and was chairman of the West Virginia delegation to the Republican National Con- vention at Chicago, 1908. He is a member of University Club, and a member of the Alpha Delta Phi Club of New York city and belongs also to the Duquesne Club of Pittsburg. On July 5, 1902 he was married in Loudon to Miss Hope M. Christensen, daughter of the late C. T. Christensen, of Brooklyn, New York.

JOHN MILBEE, M. D., of Charleston, W. Va., who was engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery in Kanawha county, W. Va., for thirty-eight years and met with a large degree of success, is one of the oldest medical men in the county and is now practi- cally retired from professional work. Has a farm in Elk district, but has it under rental. Dr. Milbee was born in Nicholas county, Va., February 9, 1843, and is a son of Richard and Malinda (McGraw) Milbee.

Richard Milbee was born also in Virginia and moved into Kanawha county with his family in 1854, locating near Buffalo, where he followed farming for seven years. He 42

then came to the farm on Poca river, Putnam county, which he conducted until the close of his life, dying at the age of sixty-two years. He was married in Nicholas county to Ma- linda McGraw, who did at the age of sixty- four years. Her father was Martin McGraw, one of the old residents of that section. Of the seven children born to his parents, Dr. Milbee is the only survivor.

Up to the age of fourteen years, John Mil- bee attended the local schools and helped on the home farm, and for some years afterward kept himself as busily employed as possible in order to be able to gratify his ambition to become a physician. He finally accumulated enough capital with which to enter King's College, a medical school at Cincinnati, where he completed the prescribed course of one and one-half years, in 1857. He practiced in his home neighborhood until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he enlisted in Co. A, 22nd Va. Inf., under Captain Barbee, Confederate Army, and continued in military life until the war closed. He was slightly wounded on one occasion and in February, 1864, was taken prisoner and was kept at Fort Delaware until the close of hostilities. During a large part of his service he had been assistant surgeon. He located in Putnam county after he returned to Virginia and practiced there for four years and then practiced eight years in Poca district, at Sissonville, Kanawha county, following which he took up his residence in Elk district. Subsequently he removed to Charleston, where he now lives, being the owner of a comfortable residence. He owns a farm in Elk district but has it under rental.

Dr. Milbee was married to Miss Nancy M. Hoffman, who was born in Putnam county, W. Va., and is a daughter of Charles and Amy Hoffman. To Dr. and Mrs. Milbee six children were born, namely: Russell O., Maudena, Minnie, Grover C., Edith Ethel, and Clarence. Russell O. Milbee entered the Medical Department of the University of Louisville, in the fall of 1907 and was grad- uated therefrom May 30, 1911. He is now engaged in medical practice in Charleston. Maudena is the wife of William Harkins, of Charleston, and is the mother of two children.

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Minnie married Ulrich Warner, of Charles- ton, and she and her husband are the parents of two children. Grover C. Milbee enlisted in the U. S. Army, December 27, 1905; re-en- listed for foreign service July 18, 1907. He was discharged July 18, 1910, and is now a teacher in the public schools. Edith E. and Clarence are residing at home, the former be- ing also a teacher in the public schools. Dr. Milbee and family are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. In politics the doctor is a democrat, but has kept aloof from partici- pation in public affairs.

JOHN F. WOOTTON, a retired railroad man, residing in the city of Charleston, W. Va., first entered railroad life in 1852 and definitely left it in 1905. He was born in Henry county, Va., September 4, 1833, and is a son of Jesse and Susan (Eckles) Wootton.

The father of Mr. Wootton was born in Prince Edward county, Va., and the mother in Henry county, in the same state, he being of French ancestry and she of German. They were married in Henry county and mainly spent their lives there. For eighteen years Jesse Wootton was sheriff of Henry county, serving both before 1851, when an elective law went into effect, and afterward. Subse- quently he purchased the old Patrick Henry farm, on which he lived during the rest of his life. His widow survived him and died in North Carolina. They were members of the Christian church, in which his brother, Rev .. John F. Wootton was a preacher for many years, being one of the early exponents of the faith promulgated by Dr. Alexander Camp- bell. The father of Mrs. Wootton was Fred. Eckles, who was born in Germany, served in the Revolutionary War, followed the trade of a tanner, married Celia Stewart, in Virginia, and spent the remainder of his life in Henry county. A cousin of Mrs. Wootton was that distinguished Confederate officer of the Civil War, Gen. Joseph Eckles. Three children were born to Jesse Wootton and wife: Laura, John F. and Martha. Laura married James Jackson, of Henry county, Va., and died in Sarah county, N. C., survived by ten children. Martha was married first to William McWy-

ett, and second to Robert Hutchinson, both of North Carolina, who were survived by chil- dren.

John F. Wootton spent his boyhood in Henry county and attended school until old enough to start out for himself, which was in 1852. He then became a fireman on the Va. & Tenn. Railroad, where he was employed for two years, afterward going west, where, for two years he was in the cattle business. When the Civil War broke out, he was at Columbus, O., and there enlisted in 1861 as a scout. In 1863 he was made corporal in Co. B, 173rd O. Inf., and served under Captain Sanders and Col. Hurd, with General Thomas, and re- mained in the service until the close of the war, being honorably discharged at Camp Dennison, O., in June, 1865. Early in 1862, while on a scouting expedition on New River, Va., he was wounded while performing a brave action and otherwise he also has a fine record of military service.

After the war closed he came to Kanawha county and for twelve years engaged in farm- ing near Charleston, where he was given a railroad appointment, being made an inspector for the C. & O. Railroad, at Huntington. In 1884 he returned to Charleston and became an inspector for the K. & M. Railroad and con- tinued with this corporation for eighteen years, beginning when the road was opened and remaining until 1905 when he retired. He has a wide circle of railroad friends and is held in esteem by his comrades and officials alike.

In Fayette county, W. Va., Mr. Wootton was married to Miss Margaret Withrow, a na- tive of Fayette county and a daughter of Sam- uel and Sarah (Davis) Withrow. The father of Mrs. Wootton was born in Fayette county but her mother was a native of England and was brought to West Virginia when young. Mr. and Mrs. Wootton have one daughter, Magnolia M. She was born at Charleston in 1863 and is the wife of Alexander A. Smith, who, for twenty-five years has been an engi- neer on the K. & M. Railroad. They have two children: Frank O. and Maybelle. Frank O. Smith is in the employ of Armour & Co., at Cleveland, O., as a bookkeeper. He mar-

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reid Maybelle Snyder, and they have one son, Eugene Wootton, who is now three months old. Maybelle Smith is the wife of Albert Wilson, a commercial man representing the Charleston Milling & Produce Company. Mr. Wootton has always been a Republican in na- tional issues but is somewhat independent in local matters. The family as a whole belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church.

ANDREW J. STEPHENSON, deceased, was born in Nicholas county, now West Vir- ginia, April 29, 1829, and died at his home at Clay Courthouse, Kanawha county, W. Va., October 29, 1903. He belonged to an old Nicholas county family and was a son of Da- vid and Nancy (Rader) Stephenson.

Andrew J. Stephenson was afforded the usual educational advantages of the youth of his day in his section of Nicholas county and remained on the home estate until after his marriage, when he removed to Clay Court- house, establishing his home there and con- tinuing to make that his place of residence. With all his male kindred he was reared a stanch democrat but the public frequently sets aside political connections when a responsible office is to be entrusted to a man, selecting one that has the character and capacity to per- form its duties to the satisfaction of the whole people. Thus Mr. Stephenson was elected a member of both county and circuit courts for thirty-one years, in a county which had a large normal republican majority, finally declining to serve longer on account of advancing age. He was a very active member of the Method- ist Episcopal church and in every relation of life acquitted himself as became a man who possessed respect, esteem and full confidence from those with whom he was associated. The direct cause of his decease was an acci- dental fall.

Mr. Stephenson was married in Nicholas county to Miss Mary Jane Forsythe, who was born near Staunton, Augusta county, Va., March 10, 1832, and who still survives and at the age of seventy-nine years sets an example of useful activity to those who are many years younger. Her parents were Abraham and Jane (Wright) Forsythe, of Augusta, and

Frederick counties, respectively. After the birth of all their children they moved to Sewell Mountain, Fayette county, and there Mr. Forsythe kept a hotel and stage stand for years prior to the Civil War. He was widely known and many of the distinguished men of the time were his guests and rode over the ill kept roads of that day in his stage coaches, Mrs. Stephenson frequently having done the same. She has a very lively recollection con- cerning those days and her reminiscences might be permanently preserved with advan- tage to those who are interested in the build- ing up of this wonderful section from a com- parative wilderness. Some years before death Mr. and Mrs. Forsythe moved to Nicholas county, where the father died aged sixty years, his widow passing away at the home of Mrs. Stephenson, at Clay Courthouse some six years later. She was a Methodist but her husband had been a Presbyterian. Mrs. Ste- phenson is the only survivor of a family of four sons and five daughters, and the mother of nine children, the grandmother of twenty- four, and the great-grandmother of four. Her sons are all notable in appearance, being six feet in height and weighing 200 pounds.

To Andrew J. Stephenson and wife were born the following children: Glendora, born in 1855, who married Benton Stephenson, a cousin, resides at Clay Courthouse and has four children; Forsythe, born in 1857, who resides with his mother, and is a member of the lumber firm of Stephenson & Co .; Samuel, who was born in 1859; Loring, who was born in 1861, married Missouri Young, resides at Clay Courthouse and has three children; Albert, who was born in 1863, and resides with his family on a farm; Elizabeth F., who is the wife of John Carden, of Covington, Va .; David H., who is an oil and mill operator at Clendenin, married Lydia Nicholas, and has six children; Benjamin L., who was born in 1871, and died in the same year; and Estin B., who is a physician.

In the accumulation of his fortune Mr. Stephenson gave great credit to his wife, who assisted him greatly through her frugality, in- dustry and admirable judgment. With her sons she owns a block of fine residences at

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Charleston, cornering on Washington and years; Rachel A., who is deceased; and Bettie Quarrier streets and retains No. 1802 Quar- rier street as her own home.

ISAAC COMER,* justice of the peace and representative citizen of Poca district, Kan- awha county, W. Va., resides on his farm of forty-nine acres, situated fifteen miles north of Charleston. He was born in Poca district, December 29, 1846, and is a son of George W. and Matilda A. (Miller) Comer.

George W. Comer was a native of Kan- awha county as was also his wife. He served as a soldier in Co. A, WV. Va. Cav., during the Civil War and at one time during his service was slightly wounded. He was a republican in politics but never accepted any office, living a quiet, useful life on his farm, where he died at the age of seventy-eight years, his wife pass- ing away in her sixty-eighth year. They were members of the Adventist church and their burial was in Sigman Cemetery. Twelve children were born to George W. Comer and his wife. three of whom survive, namely : Isaac, Frances E. and Lydia C.

Isaac Comer had only public school advan- tages in his youth and at different times at- tended in Poca district. He was little more than a boy when he enlisted for service in the Civil War, becoming a member of Co. E, 13th IV. Va. Volunteer Infantry. After the ter- mination of the war he returned to Poca dis- trict and engaged in farming and after his marriage located on his present property, which at that time contained but thirty-five acres. He purchased sixteen additional acres at a later date and has all but two acres under a fine state of cultivation. He has been a pub- lic official here for a long time, having served for twenty-two years as postmaster at Legg, the mail delivery being three times a week. He is a republican in politics and for twenty years has been a justice of the peace.

Mr. Comer was married in 1866, to Miss Nancy J. Iman, a daughter of Jacob Iman, of Kanawha county, and twelve children have been born to them, namely: George H., who lives near Sissonville, W. Va .; Mary E., who is the wife of James A. Young, of Poca dis- trict; John W., who died when aged three

M., Jesse P., Sarah E., Barbara, Jennie E., Benjamin I. and Florence, the last mentioned being deceased.

THOMAS SWINBURN, who has been a citizen of Charleston, W. Va., for the past thirty-two years, and for six years was clerk of the Circuit court, is widely known as an acceptable writer for newspapers and maga- zines on political matters, especially those deal- ing with the vital questions of the day. He was born in Lancashire, England, April 30, 1840, and is a son of Ralph and Mary ( Pat- terson) Swinburn.

Ralph Swinburn was born in Northumber- land, England, married in County Durham and then settled in Lancashire. He became a railroad man and was employed on the Stock- ton & Darlington Railroad and on the Man- chester & Leeds Railroad, and on the latter was a division superintendent. He was a per- sonal friend and a professional associate of George Stephenson, the great English civil engineer, who was the founder of the whole railway system. Mr. Swinburn left England for America near the time of his illustrious friend's death, in the early part of 1851, at- tracted across the Atlantic by an advertisement stating the demand for skilled men in his pro- fession, in the United States. He landed at New Orleans and came from there first to Cincinnati, O., where he met Charles O'Con- ner, who was then at the head of the Wini- frede Railroad in what is now West Virginia, and accompanied him to Kanawha county and remained in his employ as an engineer for one year. The closing years of his life were passed at his home on Davis Creek, where his death occurred in July, 1895, when he was aged ninety years. He was a skilled mechanic and was recognized as an expert engineer but he was also widely known as a lay preacher and also an ordained minister in the Baptist church and as a lecturer on temperance. The death of his wife preceded his own by ten years. Six of their children accompanied them to the United States and of these two survive-Thomas, and Mrs. Anna Conley, both residents of Charleston.

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Thomas Swinburn was eleven years of age when his parents came to West Virginia and ever since he has been a resident of Kanawha county, and of the city of Charleston since 1879, when he came from Davis Creek to as- sume the duties of clerk of the Circuit court. He has served in other local offices and has been a prominent political factor for many years. Early in the Civil War he enlisted un- der Col. Charles H. Oley as a private in the Federal Army, a member of the 7th W. Va. Cavalry, and served faithfully through three years and five months, at the time of his hon- orable discharge being sergeant. He partici- pated in the engagements at Cross Keys, Freeman's Ford, second Bull Run and Droop Mountain, being color bearer, and in this dan- gerous position was seriously wounded, a minie ball piercing his neck and dislocating his shoulder. Mr. Swinburn is an educated, well informed and serious-thinking man. His writings prove that he has deep convictions and there is a large and increasing class whose opinions on the subject of temperance and others equally important to the well being of the country coincide with his.

Mr. Swinburn was married in Kanawha county, to Miss E. Louise Matthews Scott, the last name being that of her foster parents. She was born in 1847, at Portsmouth, O., and lost her parents when young. Mr. and Mrs. Swinburn have had six children, as follows : Le Roy, who is manager of and a stockholder in the Elk Milling and Produce Company, married Henrietta Copen and has five chil- dren; Ralph, well known over the country as a cornet player, who is engaged with a rail- road company at Van Buren, Ark., where he is also the leader of the city band (married Lillian Givens and they have four children) ; Addie, who is the wife of Thomas Ullmon, re- siding on Penn Avenue, Charleston, and has three children; Maude, who resides with her parents; Algernon, who is a commercial trav- eler for the Elk Milling and Produce Com- pany, married Lyda Ault; and Thomas John- son, who is with the Elk Banking Company and lives at home. Mrs. Swinburn and Mrs. Ullmon are members of the Baptist church, while Miss Maude is a Presbyterian.

P. B. ALLEN, who is engaged in the slate, tin and tile roofing business, at No. III9 Washington street, Charleston, W. Va., is a well known business man of this place, of which he has been a resident for the past twenty-one years. He was born February 22, 1867, at Lexington, Va., a son of Alexander M. Allen.

P. B. Allen remained at Lexington through his boyhood and school period and until nine- teen years of age, in the meanwhile having learned the roofing business with J. F. Augen- bright. He has been in this line ever since and has been at his present location in Charleston since February, 1901. He is known as a thoroughly capable workman and as an honest and reliable business man.

Mr. Allen was married first in 1903, to Miss Bertha Via, who died August 18, 1908, leav- ing four children: Elma A., Madeline, Clar- ence and Rosalie. Mr. Allen was married secondly, April 6, 1910, to Miss Carrie Pat- ton, and they have one child, Ruth. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, south. Politically Mr. Allen is a democrat, and fraternally he is identified with the Ma- sons and the Modern Woodmen.

WILLARD F. COMSTOCK, one of Charleston's best known citizens and one who has done as much if not more than any one man in bringing about permanent improve- ments on property, was born in 1879 in this city, and is a son of Dr. L. L. and Mary E. (Ruffner) Comstock.

Dr. L. L. Comstock was born in the State of New York and became a resident of Charleston in 1865, where he died when aged fifty-two years. He was a successful medical practitioner and was prominent in many of the city's activities. He was one of the leading supporters of the Kanawha Presbyterian church and was a member of the building committee when the present modern church edifice was erected. Dr. Comstock is kindly and gratefully remembered by his patients and his fellow citizens in general. He married Mary E. Ruffner, a daughter of Augustus Ruffner. Mrs. Comstock belonged to an old settled family of this section. She survived

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her husband until 1904. To Dr. and Mrs. Comstock the following children were born: Laura, who is the wife of J. J. Arter, now of Charleston, and has two children-John C. and Elizabeth; Harry W., who is a resident of Charleston; Carry L., who is the wife of Judge A. D. MacCorkle, and has three chil- dren-Alvin D., William R. and Leonora; Willard F .; Mary E., who is the wife of Charles M. Alderson, of Charleston, and has three children-Mary E., Martha and an in- fant; and Lydia, who resides at home.

Willard F. Comstock was educated in the public schools of Charleston, the University of West Virginia and Center College, at Ash- ville, Ky. He has been more or less in the real estate business ever since he reached his majority and has been very active and suc- cessful in promoting and improving the differ- ent subdivisions that almost encircle Charles- ton. To the improvement of the properties which he handles, Mr. Comstock has given much time and thought and the result is that they have been made desirable as residence sec- tions while equally well suited to business in- vestment of any kind. He has not favored any building not along modern lines, his idea being to make these subdivisions architectur- ally beautiful, such as will attract the best class of people, and he has been signally successful.

Mr. Comstock was married at Malden, W. Va., to Miss Helen Reynolds, a daughter of Thomas W. Reynolds. They enjoy a beauti- ful home which is situated at No. 1515 Vir- ginia street, Charleston. Since early in 1904, Mr. Comstock has been a member of the order of Elks and has taken a very active interest in its work and progress. He has served in nu- merous offices and in April, 1911, was elected to that of Exalted Ruler. He is particularly well fitted for this office, being a man of su- perior education and of business and social prestige.

JAMES G. CARPENTER,* who is a general former and a justice of the peace in Union district, resides on his farm of ninety- seve- acros, which is situated eight miles north of Charleston, on Tupper's Creek. He was ' r ' this district September 1, 1866,

and is a son of Granville and Elizabeth (Thaxton) Carpenter.

Granville Carpenter was born in 1832, in Madison county, Va. In boyhood he came to Kanawha county, his parents settling on the farm now owned by his son, in Union district. He was educated for the law and the larger part of his life was devoted to his profession, his practice being both in Charleston and all over Kanawha county. He continued to make his home on his farm, owning 107 acres, in Union district, and died here at the age of seventy-two years. His burial was in the fam- ily cemetery on Tupper's Creek. He was not only a man of scholarship but an active and useful citizen, serving for sixteen years as a member of the school board, also as a justice of the peace and a member of the board of supervisors. He was a democrat in politics and in his religious life was a member of the Missionary Baptist church. He married Eliz- abeth Thaxton, a daughter of David Thaxton, of Union district, and eight children were born to them, namely: J. W., who lives in Kanawha county; R. F., who lives in Putnam county ; D. P., who is a resident of Kanawha county ; Mary A., who is the wife of David Harker; Araminta Jane, who is the wife of George Thaxton, of Charleston; Melissa, who is the wife of James Connor, of Kanawha county ; Julia C., who is the wife of Frederick Whittington; and James G.

After his school days were over, J. G. Car- penter operated the coal mines on the home farm until 1905, since then giving some atten- tion to general agriculture. On January I, 1897, he was elected a justice of the peace on the Democratic ticket and his time has been greatly occupied with the duties of his official position, he having handled nearly all the jus- tice work of Union district for the past four- teen years.

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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 101

Author: Laidley, William Sydney, 1839-1917. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co Number of Pages: 1066

Author: Laidley, William Sydney, 1839-1917. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co
Number of Pages: 1066