History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 105

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 105

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).

The earliest Young family annals which have been preserved, tell of the birth of John Young, in 1760, at Norfolk, Va., of German parents. Early in the days of the Revoluntionary War he was appointed, on account of his known bravery, as an Indian scout or spy and it is certain that he had much to do with the sup- pression of Indian outrages in the mountains and valleys and made such a name for himself that its mere mention was sometimes enough to prevent the savages from molesting the widely scattered settlers. In his trips on secret mis- sions, it being his duty to find out the temper

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of the Indians and their strength at given points, he was practically alone and had many thrilling adventures. At that time one fort was situated on the present site of Charleston and another was located twelve miles distant on Coal River. It is related that on one occasion the Indians besieged the upper fort and he was obliged to leave its protection. His wife and young son, Jacob, were with him at the time. He was a man of great resource and through a strategem managed to get his wife and child into a concealed canoe and pushed the light vessel out into the stream, swimming by its side and thus escaped under a shower of Indian arrows.

A number of years passed before the Kana- wha valley became a safe enough place for the establishment of homes but the time came when he located in Big Sandy district, as it is now called, on the Elk River, and secured 225 acres, on which he cut down the first tree. This prop- erty has descended from father to son and still belongs to the family, being now one of the finest farms in this section of Kanawha county.

John Young spent the remaining years of his life on that place, reaching a good old age. He married Keziah Tacket, who survived him for some years and died on the homstead, at the age of ninety. They were earnest Methodists and the traveling preacher and circuit rider always found a welcome at their fireside. Five sons and six daughters were born to them and all of them lived to be aged people. The family record is as follows: Jacob, the eldest, was a farmer all his active life and lived to be almost ninety years of age. He married and reared a family. Charles, the second son, also followed an agricultural life, married and left numerous descendants. Lewis was a prosperous farmer on Elk River and is also survived by descend- ants. John D., the father of John Mark Young, was the fourth in order of birth. Samuel, like his brothers, was a large farmer and sons and daughters survived him. Betsey married Stephen Nailor and both are deceased but chil- dren survive them. Nancy married Milton Woods and they died in Elk district, leaving children. Keziah married a well-known hunter named Jesse James, who spent his life in the Elk River district. Several children survived

them. Jane, who lived to be three score, was the only member of the family who never mar- ried. Polly married John Ashley and left a family, and Peggy married John B. Young (no relation) and also left a family.

John D. Young, son of John and father of John M. Young, was born in what is now Kana- wha county, W. Va., in 1799, and died Septem- ber 2, 1873, in the city of Charleston, to which he had moved during the Civil War. Prior to that he had followed agricultural pursuits on the paternal homestead. He was a very in- telligent man and was a Union sympathizer when trouble arose between the North and South, having identified himself with the Re- publican party on its formation. During the early part of the war he was captain of a bateaux fleet, boats pushed by poles, which carried on traffic from the mouth of the Kana- wha River for 100 miles to Kanawha Falls. He then became a member of the 7th W. Va. Vol. Cavalry and served two years, participat- ing in some engagements but returned home practically unharmed. He declined to serve in political office but accepted church responsibili- ties and was an official and leading member of the Methodist church for a long period.

He was married in Elk district, to Betsey James, who was born in 1809, in Nicholas county, and died in 1874, at Charleston, where she was well known and much beloved. Six children were born to John D. Young and wife, namely: Lewis Norman, America, John Mark, Milton W., Harriet and Martha, the last-named dying in infancy. Lewis Norman . Young who died at Charleston at the age of seventy-six years, was a lifelong resident of Kanawha county. He was a farmer and also conducted a livery business. He married Mary J. Ballard, of Monroe county, who survives and resides on Wilson street, Charleston, with their one son, Edward Young. America, who died at Buchanan, W. Va., in 1910, had passed her seventy-sixth birthday. She is survived by her husband, Rev. H. K. Dix, a retired Methodist minister, and by children who are married and settled in life. Milton W. Young, who died at Charleston at the age of fifty-seven years, is survived by his widow, formerly Sarah E. Carey, and a son and daughter, all residents of

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Charleston. Harriet is the wife of John Slack, a well-known resident of Charleston.

John Mark Young was educated in private schools and by tutors, a not unusual custom in the affluent families of Virginia when he was a youth. He was interested in looking after the family estate, 150 acres of which he still owns. Early in the Civil War he became active in local military matters and was captain of a militia company. In November, 1862, he en- listed for regular service in the 13th W. Va. Vol. Infantry, and was made lieutenant of Co. K. For six months he officiated also as color- bearer and through fourteen hours of hard fighting at the battle of Cedar Creek, he carried the banner without once faltering. He was promoted for this brave act on the following day. He took part in numerous other battles and served with equal courage and was hon- orably discharged June 22, 1865. Mr. Young returned to Charleston and has resided here ever since, having many interests and enjoying the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens. He is a stanch Republican and on that ticket has frequently been called to serve in office and has been city marshal, clerk of the city council and has also been deputy sheriff of Kanawha county.

In Cabell county, W. Va., Mr. Young was married to Miss Albina L. Ong, who was born in that county July 12, 1845, and was educated at Guyandotte. Her parents, Isaac and Susan (Burton) Ong, lived in Logan and Cabell counties. Her father was a captain in a band of border rangers, connected with the Con- federate army, and contracted a fever from which he died in 1862. His widow lived to the age of seventy-three years and died at Charleston. They were members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, south. Mr. and Mrs. Young have had five children, as follows: J. M. Q., born January 23, 1870, who married Nellie F. Dumble, of Ohio, and has had three children : Jessie O., Norman M. and John M .; Gus O., who was born November 7, 1872 ; Ora D., who died when about fifteen years of age; and Harry and Fred, both of whom died young. Both surviving sons reside in Charleston and both have been connected with business enter- prises. Mr. Young is a very active worker in

the Methodist Episcopal church and for 57 years he has been a steward in the same and since 1885 has been a member of the board of trustees at Charleston.

C. H. FINK,* a representative citizen of Loudon district, Kanawha county, W. Va., where he owns, in partnership with his son, ninety-four and one-half acres of particularly fine land, was born in Greenbrier county, Va., March 14, 1859, and is a son of A. L. and Ruth (Shuck) Fink. Both parents were also natives of Greenbrier county, where the father died at the age of sixty-eight years. He was a jeweler by trade. There were seven children in the family, C. H. being the sixth in order of birth. The others were William, J. L., G. P., A. E., M., and J. F.

C. H. Fink obtained his schooling in his na- tive county and was afterward engaged in farm- ing there until thirty years of age. He then went to work in' the coal mines and was so occupied until February, 1909, when he came to his present place. He has done a large amount of improving here, has erected all of the substantial buildings as they are today, and has so enriched his land that he is said to have one of the best farms in this section. He has always been an industrious, prudent man and has reason to be well satisfied with the results of his labors.

Mr. Fink married M. E. Holcomb, who was born in Greenbrier county, and ten children have been born to them, namely : George, Duff, Cora, John, Nellie, Effie, Vivian, Harry, Edgar and Pearl, all surviving except Duff and Edgar. The family attend the Meth- odist Episcopal church. He is a Republican in politics and belongs to the Masonic fraternity at Charleston.

GUSTAVE STOLLE, one of Charleston's older business men, a member of the jewelry firm of Stolle & Sons, No. 11 Sumner street, is proprietor of the oldest store, in this line in this city, it having been founded in 1854, by his father. He was born in Brunswick, Ger- many, March 5, 1844, and is a son of Edward C. and Augusta (Schmitt ) Stolle.

Edward C. Stolle was born in 1812, also in

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Brunswick. He was designed by his parents for the Roman Catholic priesthood and his studies were conducted for a time along that line but later he became interested in other directions, learned the jewelry trade and gave up his former plans for a religious life. He married a neighbor, Miss Augusta Schmitt, and fourteen children were born to them, all in Germany except the youngest. Eleven of the above children died young. One daughter, Mary, died after marriage, leaving a daughter, Emma, who is the widow of Victor Tischler, and has one son and two daughters. The two survivors of this large family are Gustave and Agnes, both of whom are residents of Charleston.

In 1852 Edward C. Stolle came to America alone and worked for two years at his trade in Baltimore, Md. He then came to Charleston and established his jewelry store on the present site of the St. Albert Hotel, on Kanawha street, subsequently returning to Germany for his family. They took passage for America at Bremerhaven, September 15, 1856, and after a period of six weeks and two days, landed safely at Baltimore and came on to this city. Here Edward Stolle continued in business un- the close of his life, being one of the valuable citizens of Charleston, ever ready to do his part in the development of the city and setting an example of thrift and sturdy honesty. His death occurred April 20. 1887. His widow survived him until November 29, 1895, being then about seventy-nine years old.

Gustave Stolle was twelve years of age when he accompanied his parents to Charleston. Here he attended school and learned his trade under his father, with whom he became associated as a partner in 1856, since which time the present firm name has been in existence, it being prob- ably the oldest continuous business house in Charleston. Its policy has always remained the same-honest goods and fair prices-with expert work in every department and only the most reliable goods being handled. Mr. Stolle is widely known in the trade and stands very high as a business man and citizen.

Mr. Stolle was married at Charleston to Miss Kate Manning, who was born near Richmond, Va., in 1848, and accompanied her parents,

Thomas and Catherine (Flaherty ) Manning, to Charleston during the Civil War, where her father followed contracting. Mr. and Mrs. Manning were members of the Roman Catholic church. Mr. Stolle belongs to the Odd Fellows, and is past grand and grand representative in the Encampment, and is also prominent in the order of Knights of Pythias, being past chan- cellor and also past chief patriarch. In politics he is identified with the Republican party.

JOSEPH RUFFNER DAVENPORT, who died suddenly September 1, 1911, was at the time of his death lockmaster at Lock No. 3, Kanawha River, at Riverside, W. Va. He had been in the employ of the U. S. Government since 1873, as a member of the engineer corps, and had had a large amount of experience in the line of surveying and lock construction on the Kanawha. He was born at Maysville, Ky., July 16, 1851, a son of J. B. and Mary Ann (Ruffner) Davenport.

J. B. Davenport was born in Grayson county, Va., where he was reared to manhood and there was first married, his wife being a Miss Hale. After her death he came to Kanawha county and located at Malden, which was then the lead- ing trading point in this section, and here be- came a merchant and one of the early salt- makers. Later he became a salesman for the firm of Morrison & Hale, salt manufacturers at Snow Hill, and after a number of years with them, retired to Poca, Kanawha county, where he operated a flour mill for some years. From there he went to Middleport, O., and became a salesman for the Ohio River Salt Company, but during the Civil War removed to Charleston, where he lived until his death, in 1893, being then 89 years of age. At Malden he married Mary Ann Ruffner, who died in May, 1893, aged 75 years. To his first marriage one child was born: Trocket H., who died in 1861. To the second marriage the following children were born : Edwin R., who died in 1895; J. B. H., who is a resident of Charleston: Eva, who is the wife of E. T. Thayer, of Charleston ; Joseph Ruffner ; and Mary S., who is the widow of John B. Vickers, and resides in California.

Joseph Ruffner Davenport was a child when the family went to Middleport, O., where he

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attended school and completed his education at Charleston. He was eighteen years of age when he entered into the flat-boat business on the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, in the salt trade, and he continued in it as long as it was profit- ably conducted. He also found employment as a clerk in stores and was otherwise active up to the time when he became a member of the C. & O. railroad engineering corps, under Col. Lewis Ruffner. He was with that body until the road was completed. He was also in the surveying party that laid out the line of the Coal & Coke railroad. In 1873 he became a member of the Government corps, with Mr. A. M. Scott, that was engaged in making surveys for locks and dams on the Kanawha River. He assisted in the construction of No. 4 and 5 locks and on July 20, 1880, four days after it was completed, he was appointed lockmaster of Lock No. 5. He continued there until May I, 1884, when he took a trip to North Dakota for his health. He spent nine years in the West, during the larger part of the time being en- gaged in waterworks construction in North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio. He returned to his former duties at Lock No. 5, on August 4, 1893, where he remained until 1898, when he took charge of Lock No. 9, re- maining there until January 23, 1902, when he became lockmaster at Lock No. 3. Mr. Daven- port had many interesting experiences along the river and no one was better informed con- cerning the numerous improvements which have served to tame and make useful the once turbu- lent flood of this beautiful stream.

Mr. Davenport married Miss Florence Bol- linger, a native of Pennsylvania, and they were the parents of one son, Joseph Ruffner, who is an electrician. He married Elsie Mowers and they have three children. Mr. Davenport be- longed to the Knights of Pythias lodge at Mar- met, W. Va.

HON. WILLIAM MACCORKLE .* ex- governor of West Virginia and United States Senator elect from the same state. has been a distinguished figure in public life for many years and has been identified with many of the industries and enterprises that have contributed so materially to the upbuilding of all this sec-

tion. He was born in Rockbridge county, Va., where his Scottish ancestors settled perliaps as early as 1730. His parents were William and Mary ( Morrison) MacCorkle, who, in his child- hood moved to Missouri. They lived there un- til 1872, when they returned to Virginia and spent the remainder of their lives in their na- tive state.

William A. MacCorkle was graduated from the Washington and Lee University in 1879 and when admitted to the bar, established him- self at Charleston. At present he is a member of the prominent law firm of Chilton, Mac- Corkle & Chilton. This city has continued to be his permanent home although temporary ones have been maintained by him during the numerous periods when he was serving in high official positions. He early entered into poli- tics, identifying himself with the Democratic party, and has always upheld its principles and shown his loyalty to its candidates. In 1893 he was called to assume the duties of governor of the state and served in this high office until 1897, his public record showing his wisdom, honesty and public efficiency as chief executive. For some years he declined public office but was again called to the front in November, 1910, when he was elected to the United States Senate.

Senator MacCorkle has been more than usually successful in business as well as in the field of politics and in his profession. For years he was vice-president of the Citizens' National Bank, of which he is yet a director, is also presi- dent of the Kanawha Land Company, and is in- terested financially and officially with many other enterprises. He served as president of the Charleston Industrial Association and has been identified with a number of the developing movements which have brought attention and capital to both Virginia and West Virginia.

Governor MacCorkle was married in 1884, to Miss Belle Goshorn, a daughter of the late William F. Goshorn. They enjoy a beautiful residence situated on the south side of the city of Charleston.

HON. SAMUEL LIGHTFOOT FLOUR- NOY, formerly a prominent member of the Kanawha county bar, and twice a member of

HON. SAMUEL L. FLOURNOY

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the West Virginia State Senate, was born No- vember 25, 1846, in Chesterfield county, Va. He was mainly reared at Richmond, where he attended school until he enlisted for service in the Civil war, entering the Confederate states army at the early age of seventeen years.

Senator Flournoy was a brave and efficient soldier in war, and in times of peace was no less courageous in facing the problems of life. After the close of the war he returned home and then took a classical course in Hampden-Sid- ney College, where he was most creditably graduated in 1868, and for four years after- ward taught school. In the meanwhile he pre- pared for the bar, to which he was admitted in 1873, and rapidly came to the front in his pro- fession. Politics held interest for him and he became active in public matters in county and state, and in 1885 his party elected him to the West Virginia senate and reelected him in 1889. During his two terms in this body he was particularly useful, serving on such com- mittees as the judiciary, privileges and elec- tions, federal relations, immigration and agri- culture, and public printing. His vast fund of general information made his advice and coun- sel exceedingly valuable. He established his home at Romney, in Hampshire county, about 1873, where he was thrice elected mayor, and moved to Charleston, W. Va., in 1890.

In 1875 Senator Flournoy was married to Miss Frances A. White, who survives and re- sides at No. 1117 Virginia street. Four sons were born to them. R. Parke Flournoy, who is a graduate of the Law School of the Uni- versity of West Virginia, was admitted to the bar in 1899 and is engaged in practice at Charleston, with offices in the Kanawha Bank- ing and Trust Building. Harry L., the second son, is city auditor of Charleston. Samuel L., who was admitted to the bar in 191 1, is a grad- uate of the University of Virginia Law School and is engaged in practice at Charleston, with offices in the Wilson Building. Alexander W., the youngest, is clerk and collector for his brother, R. Parke Flournoy.

ANDREW JACKSON BOWLES, form- erly a well-known resident of Cabin Creek dis- trict, was born November 4, 1835, on his

father's farm, on Witcher's Creek, Kanawha county, and died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Eunice Bonham, in Cabin Creek district, on September 13, 1909. He was a son of John Wesley Bowles, a native of Franklin county, Va., who came to the Kanawha valley in the early salt manufacturing days and operated a flat-boat on the river in the salt trade. He died when his son, Andrew J. Bowles, was ten years old. The other members of his family were: Mary, deceased, who was the wife of Robert Keeney; Eliza, the widow of Benjamin F. Wyatt; Lucinda, who was the wife of B. Kelley; Woodford, deceased; and Julia, who was the wife of Woodford Keeney.

Andrew Jackson Bowles was the fourth mem- ber of the above-mentioned family in order of birth. He had but few early advantages but nevertheless grew into an honorable and in- dustrious youth and prior to marriage was en- gaged in farming. About this time arose the excitement attendant on the finding of gold in California and Mr. Bowles became anxious to visit the country and see for himself. Being wiser than many of his comrades he permitted his bride to accompany him, which she was brave enough to do and cheerfully faced in- credible hardships in order to remain at his side. They went to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama and safely reached the goldfields, and remained in that state for eight years, moving to different mines as the richer lodes were discovered. By that time Mr. Bowles decided that they had accumulated enough to permit them to return comfortably and pur- chase and stock a farm. They located four- teen miles up Paint Creek, in Cabin Creek dis- trict, buying a large estate, on which they lived for fourteen years, moving then to Pratt and afterward to the present residence of Mrs. Eunice Bonham, where both subsequently died. In the meanwhile, however, they had spent several years at Charleston. Andrew J. Bowles was a Democrat in his political opinions and while living in California, became identified with the Masonic fraternity.

About 1855 Mr. Bowles was married to Miss Leetha Wyatt, who was born in Kanawha county, a daughter of Mathew P. Wyatt, and died in Cabin Creek district, May 21, 19II, at

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the age of sixty-eight years. Five children were born to them, the three older ones in Cali- fornia and the two younger in West Virginia, as follows: John W., who was accidentally killed by falling into a mine shaft, when a child of four years; Eunice, who is the widow of C. Bonham; Wade Hampton and Alexander, both of whom are deceased; and Mathew P., who lives in California.

The only daughter of the above family, Eunice, with her brother, Wade Hampton, spent their early years in California and ac- companied their parents back to West Virginia, where the brother died and the sister has spent her entire subsequent life. In January, 1882, she was married to John Hensley, who died September 15, 1894, leaving three sons, namely : Wilbur, residing at Ashland, Ky., who is an engineer on the C. & O. Railroad, married Maude Huffman and has one child, Clyde T .; Clyde L., who lives at Ohley, Kanawha county, where he is manager of a store for a coal com- pany, married Pearl Bonham and has one child, Harold B .; and Andrew Jackson, a merchant at Witcher, who married Wiona Walker, and has one child, John W.

In April, 1903, Mrs. Hensley was married secondly to Columbus Bonham, who died October 1, 1910, leaving one child, Lucy Leone. Mrs. Bonham received her comfortable home from her father, this including a commodious residence surrounded by six acres or land, a large part of which is an orchard. Although too young to remember much of the rough life of the California mining camps of her child- hood, she can relate in an interesting way, numerous events in the life of her parents in the far west, including the occasion when the family pocketbook was emptied of its final thirty cents for a delectable pie, and of the friendly attentions of the Indians with whom they came into contact.

DAVID F. HOSTETLER, secretary and treasurer of the Elk Milling and Produce Com- pany, at Charleston, W. Va., is one of the city's active and progressive business men, one who has the ability to see business opportunities and the courage to grasp them. He was born in Juniata county, Pa., February 27, 1868, and

is a son of Jacob and Hannah ( Branthoffer) Hostetler.

The Hostetler family is of Pennsylvania German stock and is a prominent one in that state. The parents of Mr. Hostetler conversed almost entirely in Pennsylvania German and the children learned the language, which is used by a large body of residents of the Key- stone state throughout Berks, Bucks, Lancaster and Juniata counties, a thrifty people of Ger- man and Holland extraction. Jacob Hostetler was an admirable type and like his forefathers industriously and successfully carried on agri- cultural operations and, with his wife, sub- scribed to the simple faith of the Dunkard church. He died at the age of seventy-three years and she survived him for seven years. Nine children were born to them, the survivors being: John W., formerly a postmaster in Juniata county and a justice of the peace. who lives on his farm there with his family; Mary A., who is the widow of George Hockenbroch, is a resident of East Salem and has two sons; Howard L., who lives in Illinois; Emma. who resides with a sister in Juniata county ; David F .; Amanda, who is the wife of L. L. Gray, lives at Thompsontown and has one daughter ; Adaline, who is the wife of Charles McMillan and lives in Missouri.

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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 105

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