History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 108

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 108

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).

Mr. High was married in Kanawha county, to Miss Caroline Olive, who was born here in 1850, and they have had six children: Greens- bury, who died when aged twenty-five years; Ella; Martha, who is the wife of Charles M. Roberts, of Charleston and has two children- Charles and Rheul; Charles G., John L .; and Anna who is the wife of C. S. Bracken, of

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Middleport, O., and has two children-John High and Bennetta.

WILLIAM R. MALONE,* a well known contractor at Charleston, W. Va., was born in Botetourt county, Va., May 5, 1840, and is a son of William and Rebecca ( Borden) Malone, and a grandson of Thomas Malone.

Thomas Malone was born about 140 years ago in County Waterford, Ireland and came to America about the time of the Revolutionary War. He found employment as a farm boy in Pennsylvania and remained there until 1780, when he moved with his family to Botetourt county, Va., where he acquired a plantation and there he and wife lived into advanced age. In Pennsylvania he married Sarah Oiler, who was of Pennsylvania-Dutch stock, and their children were Thomas, John, Henry, William, James B., David, Sarah, and two other sons who moved to the far West, whose family rec- ords are not known. Thomas, the eldest born, was an officer in the War of 1812. James B. was the first of the family to come to the Kana- wha Valley, but later in life moved to Ken- tucky and there both he and wife died. Sub- sequently the other members of this large fam- ily came to Kanawha, all married and reared big families and while all have passed away they have surviving descendants.

William Malone, father of William R. Ma- lone, was born in 1807, near Buchanan, in Botetourt county, Va. He learned the trade of bricklayer in early manhood and followed it for many years. For some years he had charge of large plantations, for eighteen years managing for Charles T. Beale and the Widow Taylor. Early in his political life he was a Whig but later became a Republican. His death occurred at Charleston, in 1880. In his native county he was married to Rebecca Bor- den, who died there in 1843, when in the prime of life. Of this marriage, the eldest son, Thomas, was born blind and died from the effects of an accident when five years old. Charles, the eldest survivor, a farmer and me- chanic who lives near Weston, in Kanawha county, was a private in the W. Va. Inf., in the Federal Army, serving four years in the Civil War. James, who was the second in

order of birth, died in Kentucky, at the age of fifty-three years. He served all through the Civil War as a private in the 2nd Va. Cavalry. William R. was the youngest of his mother's children.'

His father was married secondly to Sallie Bryan, a native of Virginia, who died in Up- shur county, W. Va., when aged sixty-two years, the mother of six children, as follows : Laura B., who died unmarried; Rhoda, who is the wife of Mr. Morrison, and resides at Graf- ton, W. Va .; Anna, who is deceased; Zacha- riah T., now living in Gilmer county, W. Va., who served as a private in the 3rd Va. Cavalry during the Civil War; Benjamin F., now one of the leading and influential citizens of Bu- chanan, Botetourt county, who enlisted when only fifteen years of age in the 3rd W. Va. Vol. Cavalry; and Andrew, who died unmar- ried at Kansas City, Kansas.

William R. Malone was seven years old when the family moved to Malden, Kanawha county. He remained at home for some years and at- tended school and then started out for himself. While he was in Mason county, now West Virginia, the Civil War broke out and in 1861 he enlisted for service, in Co. D, 4th W. Va. Vol. Inf., with the rank of sergeant, and served continuously until 1865, being promoted to first lieutenant. He took part in many serious bat- tles and was in that branch of the army com- manded by General Grant during the long cam- paign which resulted in the capture of Vicks- burg. He was an earnest and enthusiastic sol- dier and predicted the surrender of General Lee and frequently asserted that he would never resign his commission until that surren- der took place. He was as good as his word, sending in his resignation on the day following, but it was not accepted and he served until he was honorably discharged. He was never cap- tured although frequently in the greatest dan- ger, and was twice but slightly wounded. Mr. Malone is a member of George Crook Post, G. A. R., at Charleston. Since the close of the war he has been engaged in contracting in this city and makes a specialty of concrete side- walks.

M. Malone was married September 14, 1865, to Miss Sarah Alexander, who was born in

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Malden district, Kanawha county, January 23, 1845, a daughter of Otis C. and Mary A. (Ma- lone) Alexander. Mr. Alexander was born in Bedford county and Mrs. Alexander in Bote- tourt county, Va. They were married in Kana- wha county and lived here until after the Civil War and then moved to Greenup county, Ky., where he died at the age of seventy-four years, and she when aged fifty-two years. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church, south. They were the parents of nine children, of which family Mrs. Malone was the eldest. All married and all except herself now live in California.

To Mr. and Mrs. Malone the following chil- dren were born: Mary R., who is the wife of J. W. Martin, and a resident of Charleston; Charles B., who is a contractor at Hanford, Calif., married Oneda Price and has two chil- dren, Virginia and Catherine; Lida B., a well educated young lady who resides at home; Otey A., who is a contractor in California; Kathaline R .; Bertha G., who is the wife of C. G. W. Queale, residing at Swiftsville, Pa., and has one son, Charles William; William R., Jr., a concrete contractor, living in West Charleston, who married Flora Raynes and has three children-Mary E., Julia and Florence R .; Edith O., who, like her sisters, is employed in a physician's office at Charleston; and Ben- jamin, who is in the employ of Lewis, Hubbard & Co., wholesale grocers. Mr. Malone and family attend the Presbyterian church.

S. S. BEANE, who is one of the prominent and substantial men of Poca district, Kanawha county, W. Va., where he owns 700 acres of fine land situated within two miles of Sisson- ville, was born at Winfield, Putnam county, Va., October 25, 1850, and is a son of John J. and a grandson of William Beane, two of whose sons became ministers.

William Beane was born near Dublin, Ire- land, and in early manhood came from there to the United States, settling in Monroe county, Va., where he engaged in farming, on Potts Creek. He was married there to Rachel Wise- man, who was born and died in that section, and the following children were born to them: John J., Thomas, Archibald M., Frank, Floyd,

William, Betty, Lucinda, Caroline and Emily. During the Civil War, William Beane was ar- dent in his support of the Confederacy and it is possible that some differences of opinion be- tween him and a man named Booth, caused the latter to shoot the former, from the effects of which he died when aged about sixty years.

John J. Beane was educated in Monroe coun- ty and afterward taught school in Kanawha county and also in Ohio. When he came to Kanawha county, in 1845, he was unmarried but shortly afterward he was united to Mary A. Summers, at Winfield, Putnam county. She was born at Halifax, Va., a daughter of Sam- uel Summers. After his marriage, John J. Beane lived in Putnam and Kanawha counties, being engaged in teaching school and also as a merchant at St. Albans and Sissonville. About 1853 he bought 400 acres of land in Poca district, which was known as the old Der- rick tract, and to this first purchase he added until he had three farms, all in the same dis- trict, aggregating 12,000 acres. It was all wild land but he was a man of much enterprise and brought about the clearing of almost the whole tract. He was the first man in this dis- trict to sow blue grass seed. In his early polit- ical life he was a Democrat, but later changed in his opinions and cast his first Republican vote for William McKinley. For a number of years he was a justice of the peace, was consta- ble for some time and held other offices. The children who lived to maturity, born to J. J. Beane and wife were the following: S. S .; W. S., who lives on Poca river, three miles south of Sissonville, married Mary Johnson, a daughter of W. H. Johnson ; Arabella Wilmira, who was a graduate of Marshall College, died three months afterward, when aged seventeen years. The family home continued to be on the 400-acre tract that the father had first bought, and there his death occurred June 26, 1890. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

S. S. Beane attended the schools of Poca district and then taught one term of school on Derrick Creek, after which he began farming on his present land where he has continued to live, a large portion of which he assisted to clear. He is his own manager and overseer

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and carries on extensive farm operations and also raises cattle and sheep. He has a part of his land leased to an oil and gas company. In politics he is a Republican and has served for two terms as a member of the board of educa- tion in Poca district.

Mr. Beane was married to Miss Lucinda R. Matthews, a daughter of F. W. Matthews, of Sissonville, and the following children have been born to them: W. F., who resides in Poca district, married a daughter of Frank Carney's, and they have the following children-Goldie Beatrice, Golden S., Goble F., Ruby, Kyle and Irene; Effie B., who is deceased, was the wife of J. S. Fisher, and is survived by two chil- dren-Eula and Nellie; John J., who was mar- ried first to a Miss Woodall and second to Lil- lian C. Humphreys, lives on his farm one mile from Sissonville and has three children, born to his first union-Senate Benton, Paul Blackburn and Kenneth Clifford; and Ida G. and Ruby Pearl, both of whom are deceased.

BRADFORD N. RUBY,* a representative business man of Charleston, W. Va., who, in partnership with a brother, John Christopher Ruby, make up the grocery and real estate firm of Ruby Brothers, was born at Charleston, and is a son of John Christopher and Mary Frances (Noyes) Ruby.

John Christopher Ruby was born in 1838, in Gallia county, O., a son of John and Made- line (Tilly) Ruby, both of whom were born in Ohio. The Rubys were agriculturists and early settlers in Gallia county. The maternal grandmother of Bradford N. Ruby was born at Lyons, France, a daughter of a descendant of Count Tilly. The Tilly family became ob- noxious to the French government about 1812 and escaped from France and after reaching the United States, settled at Gallipolis, O. When eighteen years of age, John Christopher Ruby came to Charleston and embarked in the gro- cery trade on Kanawha street and continued in business almost until the time of his death, at the age of fifty-two years. He was a man of importance in this city, twice serving as mayor and enjoying the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens generally. He was married to Miss Mary Frances Noyes, who was born at

Charleston in 1840 and died in 1870. She was a daughter of Bradford and Harrie Noyes, old residents of Kanawha county. Mrs. Noyes lived to the age of ninety years. Five chil- dren were born to John Christopher and Mary Frances Ruby, namely : Hallie M., now de- ceased, who was married at Richmond, Va., to Luther L. Vaughn, who is also deceased ; Mary F., who married Wood Donnelly, both now de- ceased; Bradford N .; John Christopher, who is the junior partner in the firm of Ruby Bro- thers; and Emma Floyd, who died at the age of twenty-one years.

Bradford N. Ruby and his brother were ed- ucated in the Charleston schools. For thirty years they have been associated in business here under the firm name of Ruby Brothers and they are numbered with the substantial business men of the city. When they first occupied their present quarters, No. 15 Capital street, it was at the end of Capitol Lane. As grocers they carry a high grade stock, catering to the best trade. They are also extensive owners of res- idential property and during the last few years have acquired much realty and have shown their public spirit by improving it and making their holdings some of the most attractive and de- sirable parts of the city. Bradford N. Ruby and brother are both stanch Democrats and both are Masons, the former belonging to the Blue Lodge and the latter being a "Shriner." Bradford N. Ruby is a charter member of Lodge No. 202 Elks at Charleston.

Mr. Ruby was married in Cincinnati, O., to Miss Naomi C. Carpenter, who was born and educated at Maysville, Ky., and is a daughter of William B. and Maggie ( Coons) Carpenter, now retired residents of Cincinnati. Mr. Car- penter is a deacon in the Presbyterian church. Mr. and Mrs. Ruby have one son, John Brad- ford, who is a member of the class of 1913 in the Charleston High school, and an unusually bright student. Mr. and Mrs. Ruby are mem- bers of the Presbyterian church.

GEORGE HERMANSDORFER, a retired farmer, who has lived on his present place in Elk district, Kanawha county, W. Va., since 1869, was one of the first settlers in the Ger- man colony in this section and in his neighbor-

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hood is affectionately known as "Uncle George." He was born February 4, 1838, in Bavaria, Germany, and is a son of Nicholas and Maria (Kischner) Hermansdor fer.

Nicholas Hermansdorfer waws a son of Pan- tratz Hermansdorfer, and they were farmers and died in Germany. Nicholas married Maria Kischner, who died in 1895, aged eighty years, having long survived her husband. She was a daughter of Jacob and Mary ( Popp) Kisch- ner. Five children were born to them, their son George being the only survivor.

George Hermansdorfer came to America in 1866 and for three years worked on farms in Beaver county, Pa., and then came to Kanawha county and purchased 155 acres of timber land in Elk district, the only improvement on the plac being an old log cabin. This he soon re- placed with a substantial log house and subse- quently erected all the excellent buildings on the place. Mr. Hermansdorfer cleared his land and has long been considered a successful far- mer and gardener, although his previous work in Germany had been milling. Mr. Hermans- dorfer has always been a very active and in- dustrious man and is well preserved and still takes an interest in his farm operations, al- though the hard labor is done by his son-in-law. Kelly Cummings. He is a Democrat in poli- tics and in former years served in several dis- trict offices.

In 1868 Mr. Hermansdorfer was married to Margaret Ehman, who died November 22, 1910, at the age of seventy-two years. Of the nine children born to them there are five liv- ing, namely: Barbara is the wife of Clifton Edens, of Elk district, and they have seven chil- dren. John, who is a farmer, married Tacy Wheeler and they have five children. Anna is the wife of Kelly Cummings, a farmer on the homestead, and they have one daughter, Mar- garet Dora is the wife of John Thumm, a mer- chant at Elk City, and they have five children. Herman, who is a farmer, married Susie Sie- genthaler and they have two children. Mr. Hermansdorfer is a charter member of the Lutheran church in his neighborhood. He is widely known and universally esteemed.

GEORGE SINGLETON,* who is doing a very satisfactory business in the grocery line at Charleston, W. Va., with quarters at No. I14 Lovett street, was born in this city, April 20, 1870, and is a son of George and Amanda (Jarrett) Singleton.

The grandparents of Mr. Singleton lived and died in England. They had a large family --- two sons, Thomas and George, and a number of daughters-none of whom ever married. George Singleton, father of George, was born in 1829, in Lancaster, England, where he grew to mature years and then came to America, lo- cating at Charleston, W. Va. He began busi- ness here as a baker and confectioner and pros- pered, and so continued until near the close of his life, when fifty years of age. A fine marks- man, he was fond of hunting, and frequently went after game. He belonged to no church, but was a kind, generous man, nor did he take any active part in political campaigns. He was twice married, and four children survived the first wife: Anna, Emma, Belle and Lillian. the last named being deceased. Anna is the wife of Joseph Harper, and they reside at Co- lumbus, Ohio, and have two children-Byron and Marion.

The second marriage of Mr. Singleton was to Miss Amanda Jarrett, who was born in Raleigh county, W. Va., in 1840, and died at Point Pleasant, W. Va., April 24, 191I, her burial being by the side of her husband in Spring Hill cemetery. Five children were born to this marriage, George being the second in order of birth. The others are: John, who is a plumber doing business at Gillipolis, O .; Fred, who is a member of the police force of Charleston; Mollie, who is the wife of William Kenney, of Point Pleasant; and Lulu, who is the wife of George A. Jones, residing at Cin- cinnati.

George Singleton secured a public school education and was only a boy when he first be- came connected with the grocery business, his earliest duties in this line being delivering commodities in a basket to particular custom- ers. He then became a clerk and learned the details of the business so rapidly that soon

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afterward he went into business with his friend, Wayne Clay, shortly afterward pur- chasing Mr. Clay's interest and becoming sole proprietor. He continued his store until 1896. For four years afterward he was a city patrolman, and then for three years he was with the wholesale house of Lewis, Hubbard & Co., grocerymen. In 1902 he opened his pres- ent store on Lovett street and has built up a large and reliable trade. Mr. Singleton is a Democrat in politics ; and in 1901 he served as street commissioner and in May, 1908, he was elected councilman and served until May, 191I.

Mr. Singleton was married to Miss Etta Chapman, who was born in Gallia county, O., thirty-two years ago, a daughter of George and Malissa Chapman, natives of Ohio, who spent their last years at Charleston, their burial being in Spring Hill cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Singleton's children are : Julian Walton, Laura F., George L., Homer C., Geraldine and Roseanna V. The elder children are in school, the eldest son making creditable progress in the High School. Mrs. Singleton is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

J. KING SHEPHERD, deputy sheriff of Kanawha county, W. Va., and a member of one of the prominent and substantial families of this section, was born in Kanawha county, August 22, 1872, and is a son of John and Louise Ann (Aultz) Shepherd, and a grand- son of Robert Shepherd.

Robert Shepherd was born at Salem, Va., just after the close of the Revolutionary War, his parents being natives of England. He was probably reared and educated in Roanoke county, where he married Mary Good, and some time previous to the Civil War they moved to what is now West Virginia. Mr. Shepherd settled in Charleston district but sub- sequently purchased a farm in Union district, becoming a man of substance and importance there and he lived to be seventy-nine years of age, dying in 1889, and being survived six years by his widow. They were quiet, virtuous people, devout members of the Methodist Epis- copal church. Three children were born to them: John, B. King and James Robert.

John Shepherd was born in 1833, at Salem,

Roanoke county, Va., and died March 17, 19II. He came to West Virginia in early manhood as a school teacher, teaching in both public and private institutions, and probably was one of the best informed men concerning the history of the great Kanawha valley in the state. He was an active member of the Methodist Episco- pal church, and in his views on public questions was very clear headed, casting his vote with those working for Prohibition. He married Louise Ann Aultz, who was born in Kanawha county, in 1841, and died at Charleston, April 6, 1907. Her parents were Adam and Mary (Samuels) Aultz, the former of whom came from Rockbridge county, Va., to Charleston settlement, in 1800, when the beautiful Capi- tal City had but one dwelling house, and when he could have bought this entire section of land for twenty-five cents per acre. Adam Aultz did purchase a tract of one thousand one hun- dred acres of unbroken timber land, situated about nine miles from the present city limits. It was possible to subsist on the wild game that was then abundant in the forest, but the pio- neer had to exercise caution and ingenuity in order to protect his family and stock from the bears, panthers and wolves which were frequent unwelcome visitors. He died at the age of seventy-nine years, after having cleared off some four hundred acres of his purchase. He was well and favorably known in his section, a man worthy and reliable in every relation of life. In religion he was a Methodist and in politics a Republican. Mrs. Aultz bore her part in life as became the wife of a pioneer and in spite of hardships during many years, sur- vived until 1890, rounding out eighty-eight years. The children of John and Louise Aultz were five in number : Clark W., L. Ella, Adam Robert, J. King and Mattie M.

J. King Shepherd was educated in Charles- ton, after which he went into the nursery busi- ness, in which he continued until 1907, when he sold his nursery property to the Kanawha Land Company, locating at South Charleston. He continues to have some landed interest, however, and owns fifty-five acres, which, on account of its nearness to South Charleston, is yearly increasing in value. Politically he is a Republican, and since January I, 1909, has

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been deputy sheriff. He has been active in party councils and for eight years has been a member of the Republican County Committee and is secretary of the organization. He is also quite prominent in fraternal circles, belonging to the Masons at St. Albans, the Odd Fellows at Spring Hill, the Knights of Pythias at Spring Hill, and to the Red Men, also at Spring Hill.

HON. SAMUEL C. BURDETT, judge of the Circut Court for Kanawha County, W. Va., for many years has occupied a prominent position as a lawyer in this state, and since 1904 has honorably and efficiently served on the bench. Judge Burdett was born September 23, 1848, in Scioto County, O., and is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Rat- cliffe) Burdett.

Samuel Burdett was born in England and resided in Ohio for a number of years after coming to the United States and died there in 1869. He married Sarah Ratcliffe, who was born in Pennsylvania but was also of English ancestry, and eight children were born to them, Samuel C. Burdett being the youngest of the five who lived to ma- turity.

Samuel C. Burdett attended the public schools in Ironton, O., to which place his parents moved while he was an infant and then learned the trade of decorator and painter under his father, and afterward fol- lowed the same more or less continuously until 1880. He was ambitious for other things, however, and from youth had de- termined to engage in the practice of law as a career, and thus, while following his trade, spent all his spare moments in study and was finally rewarded by being admitted to the bar in West Virginia. In November, 1870, he located at Charleston, which place has remained his home. His rapid advance- ment at the bar followed as he soon dem- onstrated his ability as a criminal pleader and as such is probably best known over the state, in which branch of law he pos- sibly has no equal in West Virginia. In 1884 he was first elected prosecuting attorney of Kanawha County and was subsequently re-elected and served until 1889. in which

year he was appointed assistant United States district attorney, which important office he continued to fill for four years. When President Benjamin F. Harrison's administration closed, Judge Burdett re- turned to his private practice, from which he was again called by reappointment as assistant United States attorney, by Presi- dent Mckinley. His private practice, how- ever, by this time demanded so large a part of his attention and its emoluments were so satisfactory, that in 1900, Judge Bur- dett resigned his public office and for the next four years devoted himself entirely to his clients, who sought his services from all over the state. As judge of the Circuit Court he has shown himself the master of every situation, and his clear and practical decisions have still further added to his former judicial reputation.

Judge Burdett has been twice married, first to a member of the old Taylor family of Louisiana, who was survived by eight children. His second marriage was to Miss Mary Cunningham, of Greenbrier County, W. Va. Judge Burdett and family reside at No. 1423 Quarrier Street, Charleston. He is a very prominent factor in Republican politics in West Virginia and has the repu- tation of being intensely loyal to his friends.

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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 108

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