History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 109

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 109

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).

MOSES W. DONNALLY, oil operator and producer, at Charleston, W. Va., was born in Malden district, Kanawha county, WV. Va., January 27, 1859, and is a son of Dryden and Mary Rebecca (Thomas) Donnally. His great-grandfather was Col. Andrew Donnally, who was an officer in the Revolutionary War and built Fort Donnally in Greenbrier county, near the Kanawha river.

Dryden Donnally was born in 1811. in the vicinity of Malden, a son of Andrew and Mar- jorie (Van Bibber) Donnally, the former of whom was born in Greenbrier county, Va., and was one of the early settlers in Kanawha county and one of the pioneer salt makers. Dryden Donnally was a graduate of a medical college in Philadelphia and of the State College at Athens, O., but he early became interested in salt making and merchandising and never prac-

HON. SAMUEL C. BURDETT

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ticed his profession. He located in eastern Illi- nois, where his store was destroyed by a cyclone, after which he returned to Kanawha county and resumed business at Charleston, where his death occurred in 1884. He was a Whig in his political views, and was a member of the Pres- byterian church. In Jefferson district, Kana- wha county, he was married to Miss Mary Re- becca Thomas, who was born in this county in 1815, and died in the old home on the Kanawha river. Nine children were born to them, as fol- lows: Andrew M., who lives in Idaho; Anna and Florence, who reside at Charleston; Ed- ward, who died at the age of sixteen years; Alma, who died in childhood; Fannie, who is the widow of J. P. Crawford, who was a busi- ness man of Terre Haute, Ind .; Dryden, Jr., who died unmarried; Mary Rebecca, who died in early womanhood; and. Moses. W., who is the youngest of the family.

Moses W. Donnally attended school until he was ten years old, since which time he has been self supporting. He became a merchant and later a newspaper man, acquiring a one-half in- terest in the, Charleston Gazette, which, in 1880, he converted into a daily. Subsequently, at different times, he owned every journal in this city, including the Daily News, the Daily Gazette and the Daily Mail. For the past ten years he has been connected with the oil busi- ness and for the past eighteen months has been president and manager of the Big Five Oil and Gas Company, a valuable property situated six- teen miles northeast of Marietta, O. He also has twelve oil wells in the same vicinity, and is additionally interested in several other oil com- panies.

Mr. Donnally was married at Charleston in 1887, to Miss Mollie Starke, who was born and reared here, a daughter of John Willis and Jane (Stone) Starke, and a granddaughter of James Terrell Starke, who was a descendant of Gen. John Stark, of Revolutionary War fame. Mr. and Mrs. Donnally have four children : M. Starke, who is a student in the University of West Virginia: Edward T., who is a member of the class of 1912, in the Charleston High school; Mary P., who is a member of the class of 1914, in the same school; and Willis Ward, who is fourteen years old, and attends the pub-

lic schools. The family are all members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Donnally is a char- ter member of Lodge No. 202, Elks, at Charles- ton, in which he has served officially, and is also an Odd Fellow. He is a progressive Re- publican in politics, with independent ten- dencies.

CHARLES H. BOARD, who is engaged in the contracting business at Clendenin, W. Va., was born September 23, 1877, in Big Sandy district, Kanawha county, W. Va., and is a son of John H. and Susan (Guinn) Board.

John H. Board was born in Big Sandy dis- trict, December 15, 1850, a son of Patrick and Rebecca (Cobb) Board. The grandfather, born in Jackson county, Va., was the founder of the family in Big Sandy district, Kanawha county, securing the present family homestead, on which his son, John H., has spent his life and now lives retired. The latter was en- gaged in farming through his active years and built the old Board sawmill that is still in ope- ration. He married Susan Guinn, a daughter of Thomas and Rachel (Harrah) Guinn, of Raleigh county, and the following children were born to them: Patrick T., residing at Charleston; Charles H .; Nona M., wife of M. C. Shaver, a farmer living at Wellford; Laura, wife of W. L. Brown; O. E., of Garrison, Ky .; Kittie, wife of E. G. Young, of Wellford; and Carlos, living at home.

Charles H. Board attended school through boyhood and then began railroading, spending many years with the C. & O. railway in the line of contracting and construction work. At pres- ent he is associated also with his brother in building and contracting on the Coal River division of the above mentioned railroad. He is widely known in railroad circles and has property investments at Clendenin, Kanawha county.

Mr. Board married Miss Etta Shaver, who was born in 1880, in Roane county, a daughter of W. H. and Ann (Turpin) Shaver, farming people in Roane county. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Board: Hila Vivian, Eugene Francis, and Thelma Vale, their ages ranging from six to two years. Mr. Board per- forms all the duties of citizenship but takes no

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very active interest in politics and belongs to no fraternal organizations.

CLAUDE M. BOREN, district commercial manager of the Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company, of Charleston, W. Va., for the past seven years has been representing the Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company in this district composed of five coun- ties. He was born at Wheelersburg, Scioto county, O., where he attended the public schools and a commercial college.

With ideas of independence, like the major- ity of young American boys, Mr. Boren early determined to be self supporting and accepted as his first work a position with Scioto Valley Railway Company, now the Columbus branch of the W. & W. railroad, then learned tele- graphing and finally became a telegraph opera- tor at Ironton, O. There his work and person- ality brought him to the attention of officials of the C. & O. railroad, and he was tendered a position, with headquarters at Russell, Ky. Within less than a year he was promoted to an agency at Vanceburg, Ky., where he remained three years and then returned to Russell, with increased responsibilities and commensurate ad- vance in salary. He gave faithful and efficient service as before, and then was sent to Ironton in the capacity of ticket agent and cashier in the passenger department. On January I, 1901, he was made city passenger agent. In February, 1903, Mr. Boren became interested with the Southern Bell Telephone and Tele- graph Company, with headquarters at Charles- ton, and his value has been abundantly recog- nized by the company, which has placed him in charge of many employes and with responsibili- ties that cover a large territory. In politics, Mr. Boren is a Republican and he takes a good citizen's interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the city but is no office seeker.

Mr. Boren was married at Vanceburg. Ky., to Miss Minnie Ingram, who was born, reared and educated there. Mr. Boren is a very promi- nent Mason, being a member of Kanawha Lodge No. 20, A. F. & A. M .; Tyrian Chap- ter, No. 73; Kanawha Commandery No. 4; Beni-Kedem Temple, of which he is a director, and is also a member of Perfection Lodge of

the Scottish Rite. Both he and wife are work- , ing members of the First Methodist Episcopal church at Charleston, and Mrs. Boren is active in the Ladies' Aid Society.

W. S. BEANE, a representative of a well- known old southern family, resides on his valu- able farm of three hundred and forty-seven acres, which is situated in Poca district, Kana- wha county, W. Va., sixteen miles northwest of Charleston. He was born at St. Albans, Kana- wha county, May 29, 1852, and is a son of John J. and a grandson of William Beane.

William Beane was born in Ireland, came to America and settled in Monroe county, now in West Virginia. He met his death during the Civil War, on Pott's creek, while endeavoring to recover some stolen goods, for which he had a search warrant. He was about sixty years of age at that time. He married Rachel Wise- man, who died afterward and their burial was in Monroe county. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church, south.

John J. Beane was born in Monroe county, Va., March 24, 1821, and when twenty-three years old went to Ohio and spent two years with his uncle, Isaac Wiseman, after which he came to West Virginia and taught school very acceptably in Putnam county and settled there after marriage. Later he moved to St. Albans and carried on farming and stockraising on his thirteen hundred acres of land in Poca district, and was also a merchant at St. Albans and Sis- sonville. His death occurred June 26. 1890, and his burial was at Sissonville. John J. Beane was married first, October 23, 1849, to Mary A. Summers, who died August 29, 1865. Eight children had been born to them, five of whom died in infancy. He devoted himself to the education of his little surviving daughter, but she also passed away on July 24, 1872, this being a very severe blow. Of his children two sons remained. On October 5. 1873. he was married second to Mrs. Eliza J. Holmes, who was reared in Kentucky and was the widow of N. G. Holmes and a daughter of John George. During the Civil War, John J. Beane was a member of the Home Guards. He was a Democrat until McKinley's first election, after- ward a Republican in politics. He was widely

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known and was held in high esteem by his fel- low citizens.

W. S. Beane attended school in Poca district and remained on the home farm, this being the present place of residence of E. C. Crane. Seven years after his marriage he came to his present farm, which he has greatly improved, particularly in the way of buildings. In addi- tion to cattle and sheep, he raises hogs, horses, mules and poultry and carries on all the various industries which find a place in the every day life of a large and well managed estate.

Mr. Beane was married August 20, 1877, to Miss Mary G. Johnson who was born in Poca district, August 13, 1857, and is a daughter of William H. and Lavina J. (Samuels) Johnson. William H. Johnson was born August 27, 1832, in Fayette county, Va., where he married a daughter of John Samuels and afterward lived on a farm of three hundred acres in Poca district which is owned by his children. For several years he was president of the board of education of Poca district, elected on the Demo- cratic ticket. He was a prominent member of the Sissonville Methodist Episcopal church, south, and helped to build the present edifice. His death occurred January 8, 1899, at the age of sixty-six years, and that of his wife at the age of forty-four years. Mrs. Beane is the eldest of eleven children, the others being: J. N., Nancy E., E. B., Lizzie C., William H., Fannie E., George F., Thomas H., Eunice Anna and M. Clarence.

To Mr. and Mrs. Beane the following chil- dren were born: Mary Eliza, who is the wife of J. L. Barrett, of Boone County, W. Va., and they have two children-James D. and Mary G .; Wilhelmina, who has taught school very successfully, is at present a student at the Mountain State Business College, Parkersburg, IV. Va .; Edgar Arnold, who resides on the home farm, married Mira C. Melton, a daugh- ter of J. T. Melton, and they have three chil- dren-Virginia Hester, Edith Irene and Bea- trice Genevra ; and Albert Allen, Laurence Sum- mers, Samuel Clarence, Lulu Louvina and Katherine Belle, all at home; an infant son, who is deceased; and Carl Henry. Mr. Beane is a Democrat and is a trustee of the Poca dis- trict school board. He is interested in the

Home Folks Telephone line and the Kanawha & Putnam County Telephone.

ROBINSON B. CASSADY,* deceased. An interesting personality and successful man passed off the scene of life when death claimed the late Robinson B. Cassady. He was born in Greenbrier county, now West Virginia, August 9, 1840, and was a son of William Cassady, a native of Franklin county, who assisted in the construction of the old Point Pleasant turnpike road between Charleston and Point Pleasant.

Robinson B. Cassady was identified with many important business enterprises during a long and busy life. He was engaged in stave manufacturing on the Kanawha river, near Charleston, for a time and later, with Theodore Wright, purchased the Winnifrede coal prop- erty, one of the best known coal mines in this part of the state, this transaction taking place in 1883. Mr. Cassady became superinendent and general manager, continuing as such for twenty-seven years, and he also built the rail- road running from the mines to the Kanawha river, a distance of seven miles up Fields creek, this spur being known as the Winnifrede rail- road. He was one of the most thoroughly qualified coal men in the state, careful, observ- ant and conservative, and his reports on coal mine conditions and prospects, were accepted at their face value. He frequently was engaged to report on mines in different sections and in all cases his superior judgment was definitely shown. He was otherwise interested at the time of his death, as although then retired from active business participation, he was vice presi- dent of the Moore Construction Company, and president of the South Side Foundry and Ma- chine Company. He was also a director in the Capital City bank.

For many years Mr. Cassady was a member of the city school board and was on the build- ing committee for the recently completed school building at Charleston, which is a modern structure very creditable in every way to a pro- gressive city. In his views on public questions he was a strong Republican and when a young man served one term as sheriff of Fayette county. He was a Blue Lodge Mason, but was identified with no other fraternal organizations,

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being a man of domestic tastes and fond of his own fireside. Mr. Cassady's death occurred on March 25, 1910, at Denver, Col., while visiting there in search of health. A professing Chris- tian, he was a member of the First Presby- terian church at Charleston.

Mr. Cassady was married at Charleston to Miss Laura Dyer, who was born in Nicholas county, W. Va., in 1851, where she was mainly educated by private teachers. Soon after the close of the Civil War she accompanied her parents to what is now Charleston. She is a daughter of James R. and Katherine ( Byrne) Dwyer, natives of Virginia, who were married in what is now Nicholas county, W. Va., where they settled and there their six children were born. Later they moved to Cabell county and a few years later to Charleston. In early busi- ness life, James R. Dyer was a merchant, then was elected to the office of county surveyor in Nicholas county, but after he came to Kanawha county he devoted himself to farming. He was a Democrat in politics and was in sympathy with the Confederates during the Civil War. He died in 1900, at the age of eighty-seven years, having survived his wife, whose death took place in 1875, when she was in her fifty- sixth year. Their six children all grew to ma- turity ; all married and but one-Maria, the second born, who was the wife of M. W. Ven- able,-is deceased. Those surviving are: Louraina, who resides with a brother in Charleston; Mrs. Cassady; J. W., residing on the South Side, Charleston, who married Fan- nie Kelley, and has two children, Kelley and Mary L .; M. K., who is a physician but has not been engaged in practice for some years, having turned his attention to insurance at Charleston (married Maggie Woodhall, of Webster county, and they have a large fam- ily ) ; and E. B., who is a lawyer and resides on Quarrier street, Charleston. He married Lucy McMasters, of Marietta, O., and they have two daughters, Catherine and Dorothy.

To Mr. and Mrs. Cassady three children were born, namely ; Nellie Bright, Bruce Dyer and Robert Barr. The only daughter died when aged twenty years, just when blooming into beautiful young womanhood. She was a

graduate of the Charleston High School and at the time of death was a student in Randolph- Macon College, at Lynchburg, Va. Both sons are yet at home and have been well educated. The younger, now in his seventeenth year, is preparing to enter the Armour Electric School. Mrs. Cassady and sons enjoy a beautiful home, one of the most substantial residences of the city, located on Columbus boulevard. It was completed in 1910 and has an extended view overlooking the Kanawha river.

CHARLES L. OSBORNE, general mer- chant at Clendenin, W. Va., was born at Os- borne Mills, Roane county, W. Va., September 20, 1879, and is a son of Louis Dryden and Louise Mathilda (Stump) Osborne. The par- ents of Mr. Osborne still reside at Osborne Mills, where the father is a merchant and far- mer. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The paternal grandparents were Isaac and Salina (Hart) Osborne and the family name is perpetuated by the village and post office of Osborne Mills. Charles L. Osborne is one of a family of five children. the others being: Osie, who is the wife of N. J. Carper, residing in Roane county ; and Amy F., Holly and Erra, all residing at home.

Charles L. Osborne obtained a public school education and is a graduate of the Capital City Commercial College of Charleston. For five years afterward he was in the timber business, getting out railroad ties. Then for four years he was a traveling salesman, and for three years conducted a hotel at Clendenin, but rented that property in 1909 and then opened his general store. He carries a first class stock and is one of the prosperous business men of the place. He is a Republican in his political view's but has never been willing to accept any public office. He is a member of the U. C. T.'s at Charleston.

In June. 1905. Mr. Osborne was married to Miss Caroline Drake, who was born in March, 1879, in Roane county, a daughter of Marshall and Elizabeth (McQuain) Drake, natives of Putnam county, where they reside. Mr. and Mrs. Osborne have one daughter, Garnet Les- lie, born May 19. 1906.

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THOMAS J. MASON,* a representative citizen and well known business man of Charles- ton, W. Va., was for many years prior to his retirement in 1910 prominently identified with the oil and gas interests of Kanawha county, was born February 3, 1846, on Town Creek, Franklin county, Va., and is a son of Lewis T. and Catherine ( Pearson) Mason.

William Mason, the great-grandfather of Thomas J. Mason, was of English descent and a native of Franklin county, Va., where he died at an advanced age. He married a Miss Bob- bitt, by whom he had five children, two of whom, Samuel and Bird, were Baptist minis- ters, the former spending most of his life in Manchester, near Richmond, Va., and the lat- ter passing the years of his activity in Rich- mond proper. The other three sons were Charles, William and John.

John Mason, who was born in 1780, spent his entire life in Franklin county, Va., being engaged in farming and tanning up to the time of his death, which occurred when he was about fifty-six years of age. He married Julia Ash- worth, a native of the same county, where she died when advanced in years. They were members of the Missionary Baptist church.

Lewis T. Mason, the father of Thomas J. Mason, was born in Franklin county, Va., No- vember 13, 1823, and his death occurred May 12, 1865, on Snow Creek, where he had spent all of his life in farming and tanning. He was well and favorably known, was a stanch Demo- crat in political matters, and a consistent mem- ber of the Missionary Baptist church, being one of the organizers of the Providence church of that denomination, of whom seven were Ma- sons, including the father, the sons and the grandsons. John Mason succeeded to his father's tannery, and he was engaged in ope- rating it when he was conscripted into the Con- federate army. He was taken prisoner at Fishersville, near Staunton, Va., in February, 1865, and confined at Fort Delaware, later con- tracting smallpox, then epidemic, from the ef- fects of which he died as above narrated. He was a member of the Thirty-sixth regiment, Virginia infantry, in Smith's brigade.

Lewis T. Mason was married in Franklin

county to Miss Catherine Pearson, who was born on Town Creek, Va., September 20, 1823, and died March 23, 1899. Thomas Pearson, the grandfather of Mrs. Mason, was probably born in Virginia, of English parentage, and he was reared to the occupation of farmer. Wher the Revolutionary War broke out, he enlisted, and at the battle of Camden, N. C., he was se- riously wounded and left on the battleleld as dead. Only the help given him by an old colored "Mammy," who took him to her little cabin and there nursed him until he was taken in charge by the Relief Corps, saved the life of Mr. Pearson, who later returned to Loudoun county, Va., and there married and lived to be an old man. His son, also named Thomas, was born in Loudoun county, Va., about 1790, and after his marriage to Elizabeth Hickman, set- tled in Roanoke county, but in 1820 removed to Franklin county, settling on Town creek, where he died at the age of eighty-seven years, his wife living to be ninety years of age. They were Dunkards in their religious belief. To Lewis and Catherine (Pearson) Mason there were born seven children, of whom six are liv- ing: Thomas J .; Joseph S., who is postmaster and a merchant at Villa, in Elk district; Na- thaniel C., who is a farmer, surveyor and civil engineer of Franklin county ; Benjamin L., who is a retired merchant of Crescent Road, Charleston; Sarah E., who married William H. Lucas, a merchant of Charleston; Nancy A., who is the widow of J. W. Wilks ; and George W., who died in infancy.

Thomas J. Mason was educated in private schools and as a young man located in Elk dis- trict, purchasing a farm at what is familiarly known as Big Chimney, residing thereon until 1896, in which year he came to Charleston. Here he entered the coal business, which he had started some years before at Big Chimney, and he carried on the business until his retire- ment in August, 1910. While in Elk district he shipped the first load of merchandise-ten carloads of tanbark-that was sent out over the Coal and Coke railroad, in 1893, and he was a heavy shipper over this line for a number of years. For fifteen years Mr. Mason was post- master at Graham Mines and for twelve years he was a member of the school board. His po-

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litical views are those of the Democratic party. For some years he was a director of the Charleston National Bank. Mr. Mason is prominent fraternally, belonging to Kanawha Lodge No. 20, A. F. & A. M .; Tyrian Lodge No. 13. R. A. M .; Kanawha Commandery No. 4, K. T., and the Order of the Mystic Shrine, and he also has taken degrees in the Odd Fel- lows, the Red Men and the American Me- chanics.

Mr. Mason was married in this county to Miss Harriet Ashley, who was born in 1844, in Elk district, a daughter of John and Debora (James) Ashley, and died June 12, 1907, at her home in Charleston. Mrs. Mason was a lovable, Christian woman and a loving wife and mother, and during over forty years of married life had ever exhibited those traits of character that go to make up the true type of motherhood. To Mr. and Mrs. Mason there were born two sons and six daughters, as fol- lows: John L., who died in infancy; Thomas H., who died when twenty-four years of age: Catherine L., born in 1875, who married David Carson, is now residing in Charleston and has three children, Clyde, Irene and Dorothea ; Bessie, who married Claude A. Sullivan, confi- dential man for Hubbard & Bedel, wholesale grocers, and has two children. Mason and Har- riet : Frances D., who married A. M. Sprague, of Charleston and has three children. Harry. Arthur and Thomas: Julia E., who, like her sisters has been granted an excellent education, and who lives at home with her father: Nellie E., also residing at home, who is a graduate of the high school and a teacher by profession in the schools of the city : and Hattie D., living at home. who is a graduate of a commercial col- lege and is now employed as a stenographer for the Goshorn Hardware Company. Mr. Mason is a great believer in education, and his daugh- ters have been all given a thorough training aiong this line, fitting them for whatever posi- tion in life they may be called upon to fill. He has always supported those movements which have for their object the advancement of edu- cational, religious, business or social interests, and even during the busiest years of his career he found time to serve his county as a public official. The family are members of the Mis-

sionary Baptist church, in which Mr. Mason is a deacon, and his daughter Nellie assistant treasurer.

GARLAND TODD THAYER. pro- prietor of the South Side Foundry and Machine Works. Charleston. W. Va., and one of the prominent business men of this city, was born at Malden, Kanawha Coun- ty. W. Va., October 26, 1864, son of Otis A. and Annette (Putney) Thayer. He is a grandson of Job Thayer, born August 6, 1782, who died near Malden. W. Va., May 8. 1857. The grandfather came with his parents (Job Thayer. Sr. and wife) when a young man, from Braintree. Mass .. in the year 1798. to what is now Upshur county. W. Va., they forming part of a colony of settlers. They purchased land on French Creek. Upshur county (then in Virginia). but owing to some legal in- formality the colonists lost their title to their possessions, and our subject's grand- parents thereupon took up their residence near Charleston, which was then but a small settlement. Later they removed to Malden. Kanawha county, of which locality they were pioneer settlers. Job Thayer fol- lowing agriculture for a livelihood. They were people highly esteemed for their many sterling qualities.

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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 109

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