History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 103

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 103

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Like many another man who has risen to prominence, Governor Wilson had but ordi- nary advantages in early life. He subse- quently became well equipped in science, his- tory and politics, but his varied educational accomplishments were built on the foundation of the knowledge he had acquired in the com- mon schools of his day. supplemented by a

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commercial course in a business college. Hav- ing determined upon law as a career, it re- quired courage and determination to delve into its mysteries and complexities alone and unassisted, and still further courage to pursue the study to a successful issue and to pass the examinations which gained him admittance to the bar, in 1869. Together with iaw he stud- died politics : in 1870 he was elected to reprc- sent Jefferson county in the state legislature, and in 1872 he represented his district in the state senate. This was while residing in Jef- ferson county, and during his senatorial term he fought and won some important legislative battles, the bill that prevented the transfer of the rights of the Kanawha river to a corpora- tion, giving rise to one of the most notable.

In September, 1874, Senator Wilson moved to Kanawha county. Two years later he was elected from his new environment to the state legislature, and was re-elected in 1880. Again he proved a wise and far-seeing legislator, and made speeches and worked without ceasing to bring about the passing of laws favorable to the people and in restraint of corporate greed. In 1880 he was elected speaker of the House, and in this position he displayed a thorough knowledge and comprehension of its duties. His personal popularity was much increased thereby and it was said of him, when he was nominated for the gubernatorial chair, at Wheeling, in 1884, that monopolistic greed had received a severe blow. After a hotly con- tested canvas he was safely elected, on the Democratic ticket, and assumed the duties of office with the grave sense of public responsi- bility that marked all his actions, continuing not only until the close of his term, March 4, 1889, but afterward until the contested elec- tion of his successor was definitely .decided. This contest forms an interesting part of the history of West Virginia.

On April 27, 1874, Governor Wilson was married to Miss Henrietta S. Cotton, a daugh- ter of Dr. John T. Cotton, of Charleston, in which city Mrs. Wilson still resides, her beau- tiful home being located at No. 510 Capitol street. Governor Wilson died May 28, 1905. He left three children,-Ashton Fitzhugh ;

Willis, wife of Barksdale Lathrope, of Rich- mond, Va .; and Nan Cotton.

EDWARD CHRISTIAN BAUER,* pres- ident and treasurer of the Bauer Meat and Fish Company, at Charleston, W. Va., with admirable business quarters at Nos. 28-30 Capitol street, was born at Cincinnati, O., and is a son of Edward C. and Margaret ( Katten- baum) Bauer.

The parents of Mr. Bauer were born in Heidelberg, Germany, came to America in the later forties and lived in the city of Cincin- nati until the close of their lives. They were members of the Lutheran church. By trade the father was a shoemaker. Seven sons were born and but two now survive, Edward Chris- tian and his eldest brother, Robert, who con- ducts a stationery store in Cincinnati.

Edward Christian Bauer was the youngest of his parents' sons and is now forty-five years of age. He was educated in the public schools of Cincinnati and since reaching manhood close attention to business has marked his life and the time has come when he is able to enjoy some of the rewards that industry is pretty sure to produce. In 1888 he came to Charles- ton, already being equipped with a thorough knowledge of the meat and fish business but this was about his only capital. Borrowing $150 he embarked in the business with the firm determination to succeed and mainly through his energy, good judgment and ac- knowledged integrity this concern has been de- veloped into one that does an annual business of $125,000. In June, 1907, the business was incorporated. Mr. Bauer's associates are also practical men in this line and respected citizens of Charleston. William J. Buck is vice presi- dent of the company and one of the directors, and G. R. Edgar is secretary. The firm does some wholesale jobbing, carrying only fine stock and aiming to supply the very best trade.

Mr. Bauer married Miss Clara Bentz, who was born and reared at Charleston, a daughter of Henry Bentz, who came from Germany and married a German lady in this city. They spent their subsequent lives here. They were members of the Lutheran church, as are Mr. and Mrs. Bauer. He takes an active part in

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public affairs, belongs to the Chamber of Commerce and is a liberal supporter of all public spirited movements. In politics he is a Republican. He is a charter member and treasurer of the lodge of Elks at Charleston.

HENRY RUMMEL, manager of the Charleston Bottling Works, at No. 3101/2 Capitol street, Charleston, W. Va., is one of the well known business men of this city, which has been his home for forty years. He was born in Meigs county, O., July 27, 1847, and is a son of Henry Rummel, who was of German extraction.

Henry Rummel, who bears his father's name, learned the bottling business at Pome- roy, O., where he was reared, and on March I, 1871, came to Charleston and opened bottling works on the present site of the city water works. He began in a small way and in the following year located his works on the Elk river, moving in 1876 to Capitol street and from there, in 1881, to Summer street, where he continued for fifteen years. In October, 1907, he moved to his present location, where he gives employment to twelve people and manufactures soft drinks of all kinds, bottling coca kola, and shipipng to different parts of West Virginia. His business has steadily in- creased year by year and is now one of large volume.

In May, 1872, Mr. Rummel was married to Miss Mary B. Newhouse, a daughter of the late Thomas Newhouse, who was an old resi- dent of Charleston, and nine children were born to them, namely: H. Dell, who is a prominent lawyer, a graduate of Johns Hop- kins University, and now assistant U. S. Dis- trict Attorney of West Virginia, who married Ruth Milard; Elizabeth; Hollister Smith, who is a resident of Texas; Frances, who is the wife of Luther C. Anderson, an attorney ; Rachel; Blanche, who is the wife of Prof. John H. Francis, of Charleston; Beatrice; Atherton, who is foreman in his father's works; and Bryan D. Mr. Rummel is identi- fied with the Odd Fellows.

WHIRLEY B. GEARY,* proprietor of the Fleetwood Hotel at Charleston, W. Va., is

a man well and favorably known throughout this section and to the traveling public gener- ally. He is a son of William Alexander Geary, and a grandson of Matthew Geary, who came to this country from Ireland in 1820.

Matthew Geary was born in County Down, Ireland, and was a weaver by trade. On com- ing to America in early manhood, he settled first in Pennsylvania, but subsequently re- moved to the Salt Licks on the Kanawha river, where he engaged in the manufacture of salt, making also the barrels in which it was shipped, and disposing of his product to a man by the name of Ruffner, with whom he was thus associated for a number of years. While traveling through the wilderness, buy- ing staves for his barrels, he met Almira Ash- ley, who became his wife in 1825. She was the daughter of John Ashley, who moved from North Carolina in 1810, when she was four years old, to the place now known as Osborne's Mills, Roane county, he being the fourth set- tler in the then dense wilderness. Matthew Geary and wife lived from 1825 to 1834 on the Kanawha river. They then moved to Os- borne's Mills, in which locality the rest of their lives were spent. He died January 24, 1865, aged 72 years, 9 months and 16 days. His wife survived him many years, passing away October 8, 1894, aged 87 years, 7 months and 24 days. A member of the Methodist Episco- pal church, she was a devoted and consistent Christian woman, a "mother in Israel," be- loved by all who knew her. Brave, heroic and unselfish, she was well fitted for the arduous duties that fell to the lot of a pioneer's wife. Matthew Geary, while he belonged to no church, had unwavering faith in a merciful God. He was noted for his peculiarities, his kindness of heart and his unfailing justice in all his dealings with men. He was one of the four men appointed to district Roane county, and Geary district was named in his honor. He was appointed justice of the peace, in which capacity he served till he died, and it is said that he never had a decision revoked. He was heard to say, "The Golden Rule is my code of religion;" and it is said by those who remember him that he lived up to it as thor-

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oughly as any mortal man could. He was the unfailing friend and counsellor of all around him. He never shirked his duty to his fellow man, however difficult or dangerous it might be. He was a friend to the needy, a father to the fatherless. He took William Hall, father of Hon. Grant Hall, of Kanawha county, when he was eight years old, his parents having died, reared him to manhood and deeded him 100 acres of land, and he performed many other similar acts of generosity, they having been related by the Hon. B. J. Taylor, who is well acquainted with the leading facts of his life.

Another old friend, Mr. John Slack, adds his testimony to the above, when he says that "Mr. Geary was at least 50 years ahead of his time-a man of much force of character and a natural leader. He had remarkable concen- tration of mind and could make a statement or tell a good story in fewer words and more to the point than most men. He was not only smart but honest, and though he had no early education, yet he was a well read man." He owned a large piece of land, containing more than 10,000 acres and was greatly inter- ested in public improvements. He had to do with the building of the turnpike between Charleston and Point Pleasant. At the time he was appointed justice of the peace, that office meant much more than it does today, in- cluding a wide jurisdiction and covering al- most everything connected with the preserva- tion of law and order. It hence fell to him to exercise a wide discretion and he was never found wanting in sound judgment and a com- mon sense interpretation of the law. Such was this admirable citizen, whose name and personality were known far and wide through- out the Kanawha Valley, and who, conscious of his inmost rectitude, and knowing that he had done his duty as he saw it, exclaimed just before he passed away, "The God I served will not condemn me."

Matthew Geary and wife were the parents of fifteen children, nine of whom lived to be heads of families-two sons and two daugh- ters. Seven of these latter are still living (March, 1911), two daughters having died. Of their descendants there are living altogether

seven children, seventy-nine grandchildren, 133 great-grandchildren, and thirty-two great- great-grandchildren, who are scattered through several different states, among them being rep- resented the various avocations in life, with the exception, it is said, of lawyers. During the Civil war Matthew Geary was a staunch Unionist, and he almost lived to attain his earnest wish-that of seeing the Union arms triumphant.

William Alexander Geary, son of the above mentioned, and father of the subject of this sketch, was born on his father's farm at Os- borne's Mills, Big Sandy Creek, Geary dis- trict, Roane county, W. Va., in 1846. He was reared on the paternal homestead, where he has since lived, and of which he is now the owner.

The parents of our subject had children as follows: Samuel V. is a resident of Chicago, holding a responsible position in the employ of the B. & O. Railroad; he is unmarried. Annie is the wife of P. S. Young, a real estate dealer at Clendenin, and her children are Otho, Joanna and Mary E. Matthew is inter- ested extensively in gold mines in Idaho, in association with his uncle, B. W. Geary. He is married and has a son, James. Melvin, who is unmarried, is interested in copper mines in Huston, Idaho. Ora B., who is the wife of T. E. Vineyard, a merchant and broker of Spencer, W. Va. Whirley, is the direct sub- ject of this sketch. James is superintendent for the gas company at Spencer and also for the Ohio Fuel Oil Company. William, unmar- ried, is a machinist at Portsmouth, Ohio. Okey J., unmarried, is interested in the oil business in Roane and Kanawha counties, W. Va.

Whirley B. Geary was born at Osborne's Mills, twenty-eight years ago. He was edu- cated in the public schools and at the age of sixteen, with money he had earned for him- self, he entered the state normal school at Athens, Mercer county, W. Va. After finish- ing the course there he taught school for one term. Later he entered the employ of W. N. Gwinn, a merchant, and afterwards he was with Foster Hardward, of Huntington, W. Va. Subsequent to this he was with the

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Charleston Hardware Company of this city and spent two years in becoming thoroughly acquainted with the business, resigning the place to become president of the Perfect Gas Stove Manufacturing Company, manufactur- ing the Wilson Gas Stove. After two years he sold out his interest in this concern and purchased Jarrett & Kehoe's shoe business and started the Diamond Shoe Store, now at 215 Capital street, the finest retail shoe supply house in the state of West Virginia. In 1909 Mr. Geary became interestetd with A. C. Law- rence in he Fleetwood hotel, six months later purchasing the entire interest. In July, 1910. he took charge of and became sole proprietor of the Elk hotel, located near the K. & M. R. R. station, in addition to which he has some valuable real estate holdings. These various enterprises keep him fully occupied and find scope for his superabundant energy, which, backed as it is, by a keen business acumen, has already placed him in the front rank of the hustling, wide-awake young business men of the city. He is an active supporter of the re- publican party in politics and fraternally be- longs to the Order of Elks.

ROBERT R. STEELE, undertaker and licensed embalmer, at Charleston, W. Va .. has been a resident of this city since December, 1899, and is one of the representative business men and substantial citizens. He was born at McArthur, Vinton county, O., May 6. 1877. and is a son of Jasper and Mary (Ervin) Steele.

Jasper Steele was born in Center county. Pa., a son of Robert Moore Steele, the latter of whom was a school teacher, as was also his wife, Caroline B. Leibrick Steele. They came to Ohio from Pennsylvania and lived into old age. Jasper Steele taught school in Ohio for twenty-six years and was principal of the schools of McArthur, Jackson and Wellston. O. In 1877 he was admitted to the bar but never practiced law to any great extent. He was a thoroughly educated man and in educa- tional work found his greatest pleasure. For fifteen years he was, however, otherwise en- gaged, when the school board of Jackson county asked him to resume charge of a school,

setting aside all question of examination. Mr. Steele, however, insisted on passing an exami- nation just as the younger teachers were com- pelled to do, and received a certificate for a term of two years. He taught but one term, however, and then retired and still resides at Wellston. He married Mary Ervin, who was born in Ohio, and they had four children: Rhoda M., who is the wife of Orren Braley ; Ervin D., who is with his brother Robert R .. in business; Robert R .; and John D., who is a resident of Wellston, O.

Robert R. Steele attended the public schools at Wellston until he was twelve years old, at which age he began to be self supporting. working as a delivery boy in the grocery store of James Winkelman, after which he was with A. Hobt, in the shoe and harness business for two years. He then left Wellston and went to Rutland, O., where he was with R. H. Rawl- ings & Sons, harness manufacturers and un- dertakers. In the fall of 1895 he attended the Massachusetts College of Embalming and re- ceived his certificate in 1895. He then took charge of the firm's undertaking business and continued there for seven years. In Decem- ber. 1899. Mr. Steele came to Charleston and entered the employ of Killinger Brothers, then undertakers and furniture dealers here, and after one year with that firm entered into part- nership with Mr. Simpson, under the firm name of Simpson & Steele, undertakers, on Capitol street. In December, 1904, he sold his interest to Mr. Simpson and went out on the road for the Durfee Embalming Fluid Com- pany, and during 1905 and 1906 covered twenty-one states. In 1907 he embarked in business for himself, on Virginia street. Charleston, and on December 1, 1910, moved to his present location. He has well appointed quarters and carries all the necessary appurte- nances for appropriate, reasonable and digni- fied undertaking and funeral directing. He has diplomas from the Massachusetts College of Embalming. Barnes College of Embalming and Eckels School of Embalming and in 1900 passed the State Board of Embalmers of West Virginia, receiving license No. 29, and after the law was changed, in 1908 received license No. 245.

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Mr. Steele was married January 8, 1908, to Miss Ethel D. Hooper, a daughter of Ira W. and Alice W. (Barton) Hooper, and they have one little daughter, Alice Pauline. They are members of the First Methodist Episcopal church, south, at Charleston, in which Mr. Steele is a steward. He is identified with the Elks, Knights of Pythias and Modern Wood- men, all at Charleston.

OTIS L. AULTZ, M. D., physician and surgeon and commissioner of health in the city of Charleston, W. Va., is also a representative citizen of Charleston outside of his profession. He was born in 1867, in Union district, Kana- wha county, W. Va., and is a son of Henry Fry Aultz, and a grandson of Adam Aultz.

Adam Aultz was of German ancestry. Per- haps he was born in that part of West Virginia now known as Kanawha county and it is cer- tain that he lived and died here. He married Martha Samuels, who survived him for twenty years, dying when in her ninetieth year. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and this has been the family faith in the succeeding generations.

Henry Fry Aultz was born in what is now Kanawha county and died in 1884, aged fifty- one years. He was a man of fine presence and was distinguished for his personal bravery. He was active and interested in politics and served in numerous local offices and for twelve years was a deputy sheriff. During the Civil War he was appointed a United States marshal and no braver man ever faced the certain haz- ards that such a commission included. One incident proving his courage and determina- tion, among the hundreds that could be re- lated, is the following story. In the course of his duties at one time it became necessary to transfer a number of state prisoners from Charleston, W. Va., to Richmond, Va., and at the same time, carry $20,000 in cash. The distance to be covered was 200 miles and as there were no railroads on the route, the trip had to be made across country and on horse- back. It so happened that but one guard was available and with this slight assistance, Mar- shal Aultz started out on the hazardous expe- dition, carefully planning every move, and 43

successfully and expeditiously delivered men and money. It was considered a remarkable feat and a great test of courage.

Henry Fry Aultz was married in Jackson county, W. Va., to Miss Mahala Jane Van Dine, whose ancestors came to America from Holland. Mrs. Aultz survives and although now in her seventy-third year is quite well and in the enjoyment of every faculty. She fre- quently makes the trip between Parkersburg and Charleston, W. Va., a distance of 150 miles, and with as much ease and independence as her children. Five children were born to Henry F. Aultz and wife-Erna, Adam E., Katherine, Julia and Otis L. Erna married Dr. David Thomas, of Red House, W. Va. Adam E. was graduated from Marshall Col- lege at Huntington, also from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, Md., and from Bellevue Medical College, New York City, at the age of twenty-five years. He afterward took a post-graduate course at the New York Polyclinic. Subsequently he prac- ticed his profession at Richmond, Ky., for seven years. He was a prominent citizen and politician of Union district, a member of the legislature and a strong supporter of Nathan B. Goff. He died suddenly from the effects of an accident, while visiting his brother, Otis L., in Kanawha county. Katherine is the wife of James Woodward, now residing at St. Louis, Mo., and has two sons. Julia is the wife of Dr. J. J. Goff, a physician at Parkers- burg and has a daughter, Katherine Jane.

Otis L. Aultz attended Huntington College, IV. Va., and the Ohio Wesleyan University, after which he entered the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons at Baltimore, Md., where he was graduated in the class of 1891. Sub- sequently he took a post-graduate course, in 1896, at the New York Polyclinic College. For twelve years Dr. Aultz practiced medicine in Union district and then came to Charleston where his professional field and opportunities were larger. Here he has long been in the enjoyment of a large and lucrative practice and has met with the appreciation which en- courages a man of scientific attainments and love for his profession. He is a member of the Kanawha County Medical Society, the

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West Virginia State Medical Society, and the American Medical Association. He has been an active and interested citizen in all that per- tains to the well-being and advancement of Charleston and served one term in the city council. For ten years he has been county physician and for two years city physician, and he attends all the contagious patients who are sent to the infirmary outside the city limits. In 1909 he was appointed to the important position of commissioner of health, by the mayor of Charleston, being the second incum- bent under the present law.

Dr. Aultz was married in Kanawha county to Miss Leslie Shirkey, who is a graduate of Marshall College, of the class of 1888, and they have two daughters,-Katherine Jane, born in 1902; and Julia E. Both daughters are creditable students and agreeable and at- tractive children. Dr. and Mrs. Aultz are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a Mason of high degree, and a "Shriner," and belongs also to the Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows and the Elks.

J. ROSS HUNTER, superintendent of the Sheltering Arms Hospital, at Hansford, W. Va., has occupied his present responsible posi- tion since October, 1907. He was born at New Sterling, North Carolina, February 26, 1880, and is a son of Rev. William and Mon- ica Nisbet Hunter, his father being a minister in the United Presbyterian church.

After completing his course at Erskine Col- lege, S. C., J. Ross Hunter taught school in that state for two years and then entered upon the study of medicine in the Medical College of Virginia, at Richmond, and was graduated in 1903. For eighteen months afterward he was resident physician at St. Vincent's Hos- pital, at Norfolk, Va., going from there to Smithers Creek, in Fayette county, W. Va., and then coming to Hansford as superinten- dent of the Sheltering Arms Hospital. His professional associations include membership in the Kanawha County Medical Society; the West Virginia State Medical Society, and the American Medical Association, and he is also an honorary member of the Fayette County Medical Society.

Dr. Hunter was married in September, 1909, to Miss Bertha Wehrle, of Charleston, W. Va. He belongs to the Masonic Blue Lodge at Montgomery, and to the Council and Commandery at Charleston.

STEPHEN RIGGS, a well known citizen of Charleston who now lives more or less re- tired from active business, belongs to one of the old families of the Kanawha Valley. He was born October 7, 1828, at Kanawha Falls, Fayette county, now West Virginia, and is a son of William and a grandson of Stephen Riggs, the latter of whom came with his fam- ily to this section in 1805. He moved later to Missouri and died there in 1855.

William Riggs was born in 1800, one of a family of fourteen children, and was five years old when his parents came to the Kanawha Valley. His ancestors came first to America about the time of the Revolutionary War and located in North Carolina. When his father brought the family to Fayette county, they came on a keel-boat and his life was mainly spent at Kanawha Falls. He was a blacksmith by trade and was well known for miles around on account of his skill. His death occurred in 1889. He was married in Fayette county to Cynthia Montgomery, who died during the Civil War. He kept the religious faith of his Scotch ancestors, but she belonged to the Methodist body. They had eight children, the survivors being: Stephen; James, who lives retired at Alderson, W. Va .; William, who is a resident of Montgomery; John, who lives in Greenup county, Ky .; and Nanna, who is the widow of T. W. Farley, and resides at St. Albans, W. Va.

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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 103

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