History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 110

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 110

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).

Mrs. Job Thayer, whose given name was Fannie, was born February I, 1790, and died January 17. 1857, when nearly sixty-seven years of age. Her death proved such a shock to her husband that he followed her to the grave May 8. 1857. less than four months afterwards. They had ten children : Seth. William Lawrence. Fannie Z., Har- riet P., Caroline M., James S .. Job E .. Naomi L., William T. and Otis A., whose records in brief are as follows :

Caroline became the wife of Capt. Samuel Christy, a prominent Kanawha county man. by whom she had one daughter that died young. Naomi L., born April 29. 1829. died unmarried. October 4. 1850. Fannie Z .. became the wife of John Hanna and died leaving a large family. Seth, who lived and died in Braxton county. W. Va., was

OTIS A. THAYER

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married and had a large family. Job mar- ried Adelaide Harbin and both died at an advanced age, the former passing away in 1901 and his wife in 1908. At their death they left seven children, namely: Lyda, John J., Addie H., Julia, Hattie, Job E., and Edith. William T. married Annie E. Atkinson, of Ft. Smith, Ark., who was, however, born in Kentucky. They resided in Charleston, IV. Va., and had two sons and a daughter, namely : William T., Jr .; Mary A., wife of Sidney Arthur, of Covington, Ky. ; and John A., an attorney of Charleston, W. Va.

Otis A. Thayer, father of the subject of this sketch, was born at Point Pleasant, Va., October 26, 1835. He resided for some years in Malden, W. Va., establishing there about 1852 the first iron foundry in the Kanawha Valley. Here he manufactured all kinds of castings and machinery used in this section at that time. His brother, William T., was later associated with him, and they continued in this, busines's to-' gether until separated by death. In the year 1871 they removed their plant to Charleston, on the south side of Kanawha river. Their business was uniformly suc- cessful, owing chiefly to their prudent and capable management. During the activity of the salt furnaces in this section, they manufactured practically all the machinery and equipment used in that industry, and with the decline of the salt business they engaged in the manufacture and sale of equipment for coal mines, which were then beginning to develop in the Kanawha Val- ley. Later they were associated with Capt. Joseph L. Beury, who came here from Penn- sylvania, and with him opened one of the first commercial coal mines in the now fa- mous New River coal district. The coal lands and property then purchased are still held by the family and have increased in value, like all other mineral lands in this section of the state. The foundry has con- tinued in active operation ever since it was established here in 1871, and employs from 75 to 100 workmen, being one of the largest and most important industries in or about Charleston.

Otis A. Thayer died in Charleston, No- vember 23, 1900. He was an active mem- ber of the Presbyterian church, in which he held the office of deacon, and was liberal in his support of the church. Largely at his own expense he built a mission church on the South Side, opposite the city, and he was always to be found in support of any movement that was calculated to ad- vance the moral and material welfare of the city and community.

He was married in this county to An- nette Putney, who was born at Malden, W. Va., in 1844, a daughter of Richard and Alethea (Todd) Putney, and who is still living at the family home on the South Side, apposite Charleston. Mrs. Thayer's mother belonged to the Todd family of Vir- ginia and Maryland, while her father was . from Gloucester county, Virginia. They resided for many years at Malden where they died, the father at the age of seventy- six years, and his wife in 1897 at that of seventy-three. They were early settlers in the Kanawha Salines, or what is now known as Malden. The Putneys were all affiliated with the Presbyterian church.

Otis A. Thayer and wife had a family of five children, namely : Garland Todd, James R., Annette, Otis A., Jr., and Harry G., of whom we make the following brief men- tion: G. Todd is the direct subject of this sketch and will be further mentioned here- in. James R., born August 22, 1867, died June 12, 1896, after graduating from Per- due University, at Lafayette, Ind. Annette, the only daughter, became the wife of Hon. Stewart W. Walker, a prominent attorney and well known politician of Martinsburg, IV. Va. Mr. Walker is associated in his legal profession with the Hon. Charles J. Faulkner, ex-U. S. senator of Martinsburg, W. Va. Otis A. Thayer, Jr., who is asso- ciated with his brother. G. Todd, in the foundry business at Charleston, married Miss Coral Long. of Jackson, Ohio, and they have three children: two sons and a daughter, namely: Virginia, Harry James, and Otis A. (3d). Harry G. Thayer com- pleted his literary education at Hamden

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Sydney College, Va., and is now associated in business with his brothers, G. Todd and Otis A., Jr., in the foundry business. He is unmarried.

G. Todd Thayer, after attending public and private schools, continued his education in a business college at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and in a military school conducted by Maj. Thomas F. Snyder, in Charleston, which had an excellent reputation as one of the best schools in this part of the state. He later entered the foundry of his father and uncle, O. A. and W. T. Thayer, first as bookkeeper, but subsequently received practical training in every department of the industry, acquiring the necessary knowl- edge of the business in all its branches, as well as designing and construction. In 1890 he became the practical manager of the foundry business, and in 1895 he leased the business and conducted it until his father's death in 1900. Subsequently it was incorporated as the South Side Foundry and Machine Works, with our subject as treasurer and general manager, and it is thus operated at the present time. The prosperity and growth of the business of this concern has steadily advanced until their output has reached into adjoining states. Mr. Thayer is also interested in coal lands in the New River District, as well as iron ore property in Virginia. He is one of Charleston's active and useful citi- zens and is always to the fore when any practical measure for the benefit of the city is proposed, giving it his support. He is a member of the First Presbyterian church.

Mr. G. Todd Thayer was married in Charleston, in 1892, to Miss Gertrude Venable, who was born at Barbersville. W. Va., and educated in Kentucky. Her pa- rents were M. Walton and Margaret (Dyer) Venable, both natives of Virginia. Her father, a graduate of the University of Vir- ginia, served in the War of Secession. He is now a resident of Charleston, by profes- sion a civil and mining engineer. His wife. Margaret Dyer Venable, the mother of Mrs. Thayer, died in middle life in 1891.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. G. Todd

Thayer are as follows: Garland Todd, Jr., born March 21, 1894, is now a student at Culver Military Academy, at Culver, Ind., being a member of the Class of 1913. Mar- garet, born March 14. 1896, is attending school at home, as are also the two younger children, Dorothy and Gertrude, the former of whom was born January 11, 1898, and the latter October 9, 1899.

JAMES WILLIAM PRYOR, who con- ducts an undertaking business at East Bank, Kanawha county, W. Va., was born at East Bank. September 17, 1849, and is a son of William Paxton and Elizabeth ( Shelton) Pryor, and a grandson of a pioneer who once owned a large amount of land in this section.

William P. Pryor and wife were born in Cabin Creek district, Kanawha county, and the venerable mother of James W. Pryor still sur- vives, but the father who was a farmer and for many years also had charge of coal barges at Coalburg. Kanawha county. is deceased. Eleven children were born to William P. Pryor and wife, namely: Frances, wife of Rev. E. M. McVey: James William; Samuel S .: Levi W .: Sallie, deceased, formerly wife of Samuel Walsh; Mollie, wife of Joseph Hubbard; John H .: Tipton L .; Nora, wife of Arthur Robinson ; Elizabeth, and an infant, deceased.

James W. Pryor attended the early schools in Cabin Creek district and then learned the carpenter trade which he followed until some twenty years since, when he went into the un- dertaking business under the firm name of Pryor & Bricker. Mr. Pryor bought the Bricker interest at the time of the latter's death, and has conducted the business alone since then. He is an authorized embalmer. He has excel- lent quarters and equipments. a commodious building two stories high, 40 x 63 feet in di- mensions. operates a funeral car and has a large number of vehicles for hire, together with all the necessary and desirable appurtenances which go with funeral directing. He is a prac- tical business man and is a highly respected citi- zen and one of the best known residents of the place.

In April, 1879. Mr. Pryor was married to Miss Mary Porter Bricker, a daughter of

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James and Harriet Bricker, and they have had four children, namely: Harriet, who is the wife of Harry Davis, and they have four chil- dren-Gertrude E., Aline, Catherine and Mary Dilworth, all being residents of Oley, Cabin Creek district; Bessie Edith; Nora Ileen, who died at the age of three years; and Alice Man- ning. Mr. Pryor and family belong to the Free Will Baptist church. In politics he is a Democrat and fraternally he is identified with East Bank Lodge No. 63, Odd Fellows and No. 20, Encampment, the Knights of Pythias at Cedar Grove, and the American Mechanics at East Bank.

MALCOLM R. PRICE, D.D.S.,* one of the foremost members of his profession in Charleston, W. Va., has been established here since 1902, at that time being a recent graduate from the dental department of the University of Maryland, at Baltimore. He was born in 1877, at Newport, Va., and is a son of Capt. Charles R. and Anna (Ripley) Price.

Capt. Charles R. Price was born into one of the old families of Virginia. His title was ac- quired in the marine service. For many years he was a large stockraiser. Formerly he was a representative from Pulaski and Giles counties in the State Legislature, being elected on the Democratic ticket. He now resides near Hin- ton, W. Va. He married Miss. Anna Ripley, also a native of Virginia. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are prominent people in their section. Four chil- dren were born to them: Malcolm R .; Will- iam A., who is in the jewelry business at Hin- ton ; Thomas H., who is a commercial traveler ; and R. Emmett, who resides at Camden, N. J.

Malcolm R. Price is the youngest of the above family. He was a student in the Vir- ginia Polytechnic Institute at Blacksburg, after which he was employed by a business firm in a clerical position prior to entering the Baltimore school of medicine above referred to. Subse- quently he took a post graduate course in the Institute School of Orthodontia, where the art of regulating irregular teeth is taught, and Dr. Price has made this something of a specialty. He was president of his graduating class of ninety-eight students and was given honorable

mention for his fine crown and bridge work. He has elegantly equipped dental parlors, keeps thoroughly informed on every scientific discov- ery in dental surgery and has a large and ex- clusive clientege. His professional standing is high all over the state, and he is a popular and respected citizen of the capital city. He is a member of the West Virginia State Dental So- ciety.

Dr. Price was married in Virginia to Miss Mary B. McNeal, who was born in Virginia. In politics Dr. Price is a Democrat, but is only active in public matters as becomes a good citi- zen. Fraternally he is identified with the order of Elks.

F. M. RAY, a representative citizen of Sis- sonville, Kanawha county, W. Va., where he is a notary public, owns two hundred and fifty- nine acres of fine farm land situated in Poca district, on the Poca river, sixteen miles north of Charleston. He was born in Jackson county, near the Kanawha county line, November 22, 1842, and is a son of William and Mary (Strain) Ray, and a grandson of Thomas Ray.

William Ray was born in Augusta county, Va., and was brought by his parents when he was five years old, to Charleston, where he at- tended school and became a business man, ope- rating flat and salt boats on the river until 1833. He then moved to Jackson county, where he settled on a farm on which he died when aged sixty-five years. In the early days he was collector of taxes in Jackson county. He was a member of the Baptist church. He married Mary Strain, who was early left an orphan and was reared by an uncle. They had the following children born to them: Sarah Ann, who is the widow of David Hackney, and resides on the corner of Jackson and Roane counties; Elizabeth, who married Henry Painter ; John E., who lives on the old home- stead; William T., who was a soldier in the Confederate army during the Civil War, and lives in Poca district ; Amelia, who is the widow · of Nathan Cunningham, who was assaulted and killed by unknown parties on the public road; Theoda, deceased, who was the wife of George Crane; J. M., who has been twice mar- riedi resides in Putnam county, and during the

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Civil War was a soldier in the Federal army; F. M .; Henrietta, who is the widow of George Haynes; Isaac M., who served through the Civil War as a soldier in the Federal Army, is deceased; A. S., who was also a soldier in the Union army; and Ira, who died at the age of five years. The mother of the above mentioned family died in her fifty-fifth year and was buried in the family cemetery. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

F. M. Ray attended school in Jackson county, W. Va., and remained on the home farm until he was thirty-two years of age, since when he has made Sissonville his home. Dur- ing the Civil War he served as a member of the Home Guards. He has voted for every Repub- lican candidate for the presidency since Abra- ham Lincoln. Mr. Ray has served in public office for a number of years, being road super- visor, overseer of the poor and a justice of the peace in Poca district. In the latter office he served acceptably for four years and during this period he had one murder case brought be- fore him, which he sent to the grand jury.

Mr. Ray was married to Miss America Will- iams, who was born on Poca river, a daughter of John and Delilah Williams. She died at the age of about forty-two years and was buried at Sissonville. She was a member of the Presby- terian church. Two children were born to this marriage: Eva, who is the wife of Charles Bernard and lives at No. 6131/2 Virginia street. Charleston; and Frank M., who resides with his family in Wisconsin. Mr. Ray was mar- ried secondly to Mrs. Eliza ( Martin) Wheeler, widow of Edward Wheeler, and two children have been born to them: Osa A., who is the wife of John Schmittauer of Pomeroy. O .; and Ina, who lives at home. Mr. Ray is warden of the Sissonville lodge of Odd Fellows.

PHILIP C. RUSSELL,* city sergeant at Charleston, W. Va., a well known citizen and popular official, was born at Wellsburg. W. Va., May 2, 1849, and is a son of Edward and Eliza (Lourey) Russell, and a grandson of Philip Russell.

Grandfather Philip Russell was born in Ire- land and when he emigrated in early manhood located at Baltimore, Md:, where he married

Maria Coleman, who was also of Irish ances- try. All their children were born there, the family subsequently removing to Steubenville, O., and a few years later to Wellsburg, WV. Va., this being about 1847. Both Philip Russell and wife died there, he having lived out his three score and ten years and she reaching the age of ninety years. She was a devoted mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. Of their ten children, four grew to maturity but all have now passed away.

Edward Russell was born in 1826, at Balti- more, Md., and died at Charleston in 1854. In early manhood he served in the United States navy during the Mexican War, and then re- turned to Wellsburg. now W. Va., where he later embarked in a grocery business. In 1854 he came to Charleston and started the first con- fectionery store in the place but his death oc- curred one month later. His widow continued the business for seven years and at present the site is one of the best business locations on Kanawha street. Edward Russell was married at Wellsburg to Eliza Lourey, who was born January 20, 1828, at Milton, Pa., and who died at Clendenin, Kanawha county, May 17, 1879. They had three children, namely: Philip C .: Walter S., who was born March 28, 1851, died June 8, 1881 (married Cassie McQueen, of Nicholas county and is survived by two chil- dren-William and Lillian) ; and Anna M., who was born September 15, 1852, and is the, wife of Thomas Simms, who is in the jewelry business at Clay Court House, Clay county, Va.

Philip C. Russell was five years old when his parents came to Charleston. The death of his father was a very great grief and loss to the family, and resulted in the children not receiv- ing the educational advantages that they would otherwise have had. As soon as old enough he learned the carpenter's trade, and then served an apprenticeship of three years in the car shops of the Panhandle railroad. at Steubenville, O. Later Mr. Russell made his main business the building of houses and continued to work as house carpenter for some years and subse- quently became engaged in the saw-mill busi- ness in which he remained until 1900. Five years earlier he had been elected assessor of the Upper district of Kanawha county and served

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for four years. From 1889 until 1907 he was also interested in newspaper work and in the latter year was appointed, under civil service rules, as city sergeant of Charleston, by Mayor Holley. He has proved a very capable and ef- ficient official and has worked hard for the good of the service. Formerly Mr. Russell was a Republican, but later identified himself with the Democratic party.

In 1876 Mr. Russell was married to Miss Sophia James, a daughter of Samuel and a granddaughter of Jesse James. Samuel James lived in Big Sandy district where he died, aged sixty-seven years. Mr. and Mrs. Russell have had three children: John K., who was born June 6, 1877; Virgil, who was born in 1881, and died at the age of twenty-five years; and Sybil, who resides at home. Mrs. Russell and daughter are members of the Bowman Metho- dist Episcopal church. Sergeant Russell has never united with any fraternal organizations.

WILLIAM R. MORRIS, superintendent of mines for the Queen Shoal Coal Company and general manager of their mercantile store at Queen Shoals, Clay county, W. Va., was born July 18, 1872, at Clifton, W. Va., and is a son of James Dickinson and Agnes L. (Haymaker) Morris.

James Dickinson Morris was born sixty-nine years ago at Hanley, W. Va., and now lives at Pratt. He was sixteen years old when he en- listed for service in the Civil War. He served four years in Co. I, 8th Va. Vol. Cavalry, and after being mustered out of the army, became a blacksmith, and still does considerable work of that kind. He moved to Clifton about 1870 and has resided there continuously since then. He has been a lifelong Democrat. He married Agnes L. Haymaker, who was born in Bote- tourt county, Va., and who is a daughter of Michael Haymaker, who was a shoemaker by trade. The Morris family came originally from Kentucky. Of the surviving children of James D: Morris and wife, William R. is the eldest, the others being: Oscar L., who is con- nected with the railroad at Thurmond, WV. Va .; Eugene H., who is bookkeeper for a coal com- pany in Kanawha county ; and Henry E., who is a clerk with Armour & Co., at Louisville,

Ky. The father of the above family has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Clifton, for the past twenty-five years.

William R. Morris attended school at Clif- ton and afterward was a clerk for his uncle, W. S. Haymaker, for five years. He then fol- lowed the carpenter's trade for two years. In 1891 he went with the Coal Valley Mining Company in the capacity of clerk and book- keeper and remained for six years. For the following five years he was with the Beury Coal and Coke Company ; for one and one-half years was buyer for the firm of Carver Bros, Montgomery, W. Va .; for three years was with the Wacomah Coal Company; and for two years was with the Paint Creek Colliery Com- pany, after which he came to the Queen Shoals Coal Company, and occupies a responsible po- sition with this corporation. In politics he is an active Prohibitionist. For two years he was also postmaster at Queen Shoals.

Mr. Morris married Miss Edna Hughes, who was born in Fayette county, W. Va., a daughter of Ellis Hughes, who was born in Wales, and emigrated to America prior to his marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Morris have two chil- dren : James, aged ten years, and Agnes, aged six years. The family attends the First Presby- terian church at Charleston. Mr. Morris be- longs to the Knights of Pythias, Uniform Rank, at Montgomery, W. Va.

H. S. MATHEWS, treasurer of the Math- ews Storage Company, No. 600 Capitol street, Charleston, W. Va., and additionally interested in a successful lithographing business, has been a resident of this city since 1907. He was born in the city of Philadelphia, June 1, 1882, and is a son of James M. and Bessie B. (Thompson) Mathews.

H. S. Mathews spent his youth and early school days in his native city, afterward taking a course in Drexel Institute. Mr. Mathews then came to Kanawha County, W. Va., and spent six years in the coal business, being con- nected with Kelley's Creek Colliery Company, at Ward. In 1907 he came to Charleston as bookkeeper for the Charleston Tribune, and in the following year started his storage business in partnership with his brothers, R. L. Math-

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ews, who is president of the company, and M. R. Mathews, its secretary. In 1911 Mr. Math- ew's and brothers embarked in the lithographing business and they occupy the third floor of the Capitol building. The family is one of busi- ness enterprise and their undertakings are pros- pering.

Mr. Mathews was married March 24, 1909, to Miss Irene Taylor, a daughter of the late Charles T. Taylor, formerly of Parkersburg, W. Va. They reside at No. 8 Hubbard Court. Mr. Mathews is a Republican, but could scarcely be called an active politician, his in- terest being only that of an intelligent and in- terested citizen. He belongs to the order of Knights of Pythias, and is a life member of the order of Elks, both at Charleston.

BENJAMIN F. MAYS*, who was born in Kanawha county, W. Va., not far from the capital city, Charleston, October 28, 1838, is the third son of Ezekiel W. and Malinda E. (Glispie) Mays, and a grandson of William Mays, the latter of whom was a native of old Virginia. He lived in Albemarle county for many years, moved then to Kanawha county and died in 1869, in extreme old age. in La- fayette county, Ind. He married in Virginia and his wife died in Cabell county. They were members of the close communion Baptist church.

Ezekiel W. Mays was born in Albemarle county, Va., about 1800 and was one of the older members of the family. He had a brother, Hamilton Mays, who lived and died in Cabell county and was survived by descendants. There was also a sister, Elizabeth, who be- came the wife of Washington Mitchell, and they lived and died in Texas, leaving children. Ezekiel W. Mays was yet in boyhood when the family settled in Loudon district. Kanawha county, and there he became a merchant and farmer, owning two farms two and one-half miles from Charleston, on one of which he died. He was married on the Kanawha river at the mouth of the Elk river, to Malinda E. Glis- pie, who was born early in 1800, near Red House, in Putnam county, now West Virginia. Her children were pleased when they recalled that she was born on the exact day and year

that witnessed the birth of that beloved and royal lady, the late Queen Victoria of Britain. She doubtless had a less troubled life than had the English queen but both of them are remem- bered for their tender motherhood, a quality tliat makes all women equal. Mrs. Mays lived to be eighty-two years of age. surviving her husband for twelve years. They were people of worthy life, kind, neighborly, charitable. and were devoted members of the Baptist church. Twelve children were born to them, namely: Albert, who died at Lewisburg. W. Va., from illness contracted while serving as a soldier in the Confederate army; Mary, who is the widow of Samuel Gilliland, who died at Fort Donelson, while serving in the Confed- erate army during the Civil war (lives with her one son, at Columbus, O.) : Benjamin F .; Fannie, who is the wife of P. M. Price, and lives in a suburb of Charleston: Kate, who (lied some years ago, was the wife of Charles Harmon and is survived by a son and daugh- ter : Ella, who is the widow of Charles Wal- ton, was first married to William Grove, and resides at Detroit, Mich .; Laura, who is the wife of Henry E. Wintz, of Elk City, and has two sons: Robert, who is a resident of Okla- homa City, Okla., has been twice married and has children: and others who died in infancy.

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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 110

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