History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 134

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 134

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His lectures and public addresses seem to meet popular approval and he has many calls to that line of work.

He has a carefully selected library and is still a student. Called to deliver the annual address at Salem College at the 1911 Com-

mencement, the faculty of that institution hon- ored him with the degree, Ph. D. He has just been elected vice president of the West Virginia Semi-Centennial Commission, which will direct the celebration of the State's fiftieth anniversary at Wheeling in 1913.

Mr. Reed married Miss Bonnie Belle Smith, of Clarksburg, W. Va., June 16, 1898. Mrs. Reed traces her lineage both maternal and pa- ternal to Revolutionary soldiers. She studied at Lebanon, Ohio, and is a graduate of Broad- dus Classical and Scientific Institute. She is a charter member of the Clarksburg Chapter of Daughters of the Revolution, and was the first Worthy Matron of Eastern Star insti- tuted at Charleston, W. Va.

Stuart Reed's great-great-grandfather, Wil- liam Reed, lived in Loudon County, Virginia, and served in the Revolution in Col. Alex- ander Spottswood's 2nd Va. Regiment, Com- pany No. 2, as made up March I, 1777, of which Morgan Alexander was Captain. His son Peter Reed married a Miss Turner and was a soldier in the Pennsylvania Whiskey Insur- rection. Peter Reed's son Peter Reed, 2nd, was born March 10, 1904 and was married to Ruth Lewellyn of Pennsylvania, November 23, 1826. His son Milton D. Reed, (who is the father of the subject of this sketch) was born March 7, 1836 and on Aug. 12, 1843 married Margaret Jane Stuart, whose father John Stuart was a Virginian, born and reared near Monticello; her grandfather was a neighbor and friend of Thomas Jefferson. The children of Milton D. and Margaret J. Reed are Stuart Felix; Osea L. and Rose Belle; the father, mother and three children are living. Osea married Edward M. Jackson and resides at Buckhannon, W. Va., and Belle married Charles C. Wentz, who is located at Corpus Christi, Texas.

The father, Maj. Milton D. Reed was, as the saying goes, a self-educated and self-made man. Lacking educational opportunities he picked up a few books and mastered the funda- mental branches by hard study. In this he was ahead of most young men of the neigh- borhood and he was asked, in winter seasons, to teach the old time "subscription" school. Some of his pupils became well known in pub-

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lic life. Among those he taught was H. E. Engle, who composed the music of the well known popular song "The West Virginia Hills."

He was made Major of the 169th Vir- ginia militia, which position he held at the beginning of the Civil War. He opposed "se- cession" and asserted his loyalty to the Union. A physical disability prevented his continued participation in military affairs but many of those drilled by him became regulars in the Northern army. Mr. Reed is the owner and proprietor of Ebenezer stock farm located 15 miles south of Clarksburg. In 1910 he retired from active business and removed to Buck- hannon, WV. Va. He never cared for public office and would accept only positions relating to local education. He was one of the earliest champions of the "free school system" and over a quarter of a century ago, the best buildings and most progressive country schools in the state were those of Elk district where his influence was exerted.

ARTHUR P. HENNEMAN, architect with the Morgan Lumber and Manufacturing Com- pany, at Charleston, W. Va., has been a res- ident of this city since 1885. and has thor- oughly identified himself with its interests. Mr. Henneman was born at Marietta, O., May 30, 1866, and is a son of Jacob Henneman.

He attended the public schools of Marietta. in which city he lived until he was sixteen years of age. When seventeen he started to learn the trade of cabinetmaker and served four years and a half at Portsmouth, O. He came to Charleston in 1885 to assist in the construction of the State House, after which he worked as a carpenter with his father and his uncle until 1891. He then began contract- ing on his own account and thus continued until 1910, when he accepted his present posi- tion, in which he has proven himself a very competent man. He has the practical and tech- nical knowledge with the artistic taste which are requisites of a good architect. Mr. Henne- man married Miss Emma Kautz, a daughter of A. J. Kautz, of Pomeroy. O., and they have one child. Louise Elizabeth.

JOSEPH MAYER, M. D.,* a prominent physician and surgeon of Charleston, W. Va., was reared and educated here but was born in Mason City, July 25, 1865, a son of Dr. Daniel and Addie (Walker) Mayer.

Daniel Mayer was born January 6, 1837, at Nierstine, Germany, a son of Joseph and Ber- tha Mayer. He came to America in 1852, be- came a citizen of this country in 1861 and died May 20, 1910, at Cincinnati, O. In 1859 he was graduated from the Ohio Med- ical College of Cincinnati. At the outbreak of the Civil War he put aside his personal ambi- tions and came to Mason County, Va., where he raised a company of which he was made captain. He later resigned that position in order to accept that of first lieutenant and as- sistant surgeon in the First W. Va. Inf., in which connection he continued until October 5, 1864, when he was honorably discharged. It was during his service as a soldier that he became acquainted with another Ohio soldier -- a famous one-William McKinley, whose friendship he never lost during the latter's lifetime. Many years later it was President Mckinley who appointed Dr. Mayer, in 1897, U. S. Consul to Buenos Ayres, Argentine Re- public, S. A., and to no one was the tragic death of President Mckinley a greater grief than to his old comrade in arms who had faced death with him on a number of battle fields. In 1903 Dr. Mayer was made consul general in the Argentine Republic by President Roose- velt. He returned to the United States in 1905. About 1870 he had taken up his resi- dence in Charleston, W. Va., and was en- gaged in the practice of his profession here for a number of years. He was prominent in Republican politics, served ably in the West Virginia House of Delegates. and his name was favorably mentioned as a candidate for chief executive. He served on the staff of Governor Atkinson with the rank of sur- geon-general. For ten years he was secretary of the Medical Society of West Virginia and held an eminent place in his profession. It has been said that he was the founder of Odd Fellowship in Argentina and he was grand chief patriarch in West Virginia. He was

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identified also with other fraternal bodies and was a 33rd degree Mason, taking his final de- gree in England. He was a man of number- less charities and was through his life of varied experiences, a faithful member of the Hebrew church.

Dr. Daniel Mayer was married in October, 1864, to Miss Addie Walker, who was born in 1847. at Brownstown, W. Va., a daughter of Albert and Mary Walker, he having met her during some of the trying experiences which fell to him as a medical officer during the Civil War. They were permitted to enjoy many years of companionship and ten children were born to them. Her death was one of the crush- ing trials of his life, occurring as it did, on April 15, 1905, while on the German Sea, on the way to the United States. Her burial was at sea. Seen sons and three daughters made up the family, the eldest being Dr. Joseph Mayer, now of Charleston. The eldest daugh- ter, Bertha, is the wife of Charles Winkles, a merchant at Charleston. Mary Virginia is the wife of Lewis Litt, a banker, in New York City and they have one son, Henry. Albert A, the fourth member of the famly, is a farmer in Monroe County. He married Sally Spang- ler. Edgar N. is a resident of Iowa. He mar- ried Nettie Bailey and they have one daughter. Ruth S. is the wife of James Fahy, book- keeper for John Wanamaker & Co., New York City. Ernest, an insurance broker at Charleston, is married and has one daughter. Daniel is agent for the Adams Express Com- pany, at Lowell, W. Va. He married a Miss Kessler. Ralph is a railroad man; he married Minnie Laird and they have two children. Bernard H. lives in Florida, is married and has one daughter.

Dr. Joseph Mayer is a graduate of the Bal- timore University of the class of 1889. For twenty years he practiced his profession at Winfield, W. Va., before coming to Charles- ton. He is an active Republican and for some time served as chairman of the Putnam County Republican Committee and is serving at pres- ent as U. S. pension examiner. He and al- most all of his brothers, are members of the order of Odd Fellows and he is identified with other fraternities.

Dr. Mayer was married at Winfield, W. Va., January I, 1890, to Miss Zoa Middleton, who was born and educated there and also at- tended school in Cincinnati. She is a daugh- ter of Dr. J. L. and Denise P. (Bowyer ) Mid- dleton, the former of whom was born in Vir- ginia and the latter in West Virginia. For many years Dr. Middleton practiced medicine at Winfield, where his death occurred Febru- ary 2, 1899. Mrs. Mayer has one brother, Frank, who is a banker at Winfield. He mar- ried Dennie Ball and they have three children. Dr. and Mrs. Mayer have one daughter, Mar- guerite, who was born July 20, 1891, who has been carefully reared and has enjoyed both educational and social advantages.

SAMUEL LEWIS WEB, attorney at law who commands a very substantial practice at St. Albans, W. Va., was born August 16, 1854, and until the age of eighteen years lived in Calhoun and Gilmer Counties, now in West Virginia. His parents were John and Elizabeth (Hays) Webb.

John Webb was born in Ritchie County, Va., a son of Benjamin Webb, also a native of that county. The latter was a millwright and established Webb's mill on the Hughes River, one mile below what is at present known as the village of Smithville. It was the first mill in that county and combined in its construc- tion machinery that was utilized equally as a carding-mill, saw-mill or grist-mill. John Webb was also a millwright and an engineer. He married Elizabeth Hays, a daughter of Samuel Lewis Hays.

Samuel L. Hays was born in Harrison County, Va., and moved from there to Gilmer County, settling one mile above Glenville, on the Kanawha River, where he purchased 1,000 acres, on which he built the first brick resi- dence in the county, which still stands and is occupied by a grandson, Samuel A. Hays. This house is a landmark and the place is known to all travelers in this section as The Brick House Farm. Samuel Lewis Hays was very prominent in the political life of his day. and in 1841 was elected a member of the U. S. Congress, defeating Judge Sommers, of Ka- nawha County. He married Roanna Arnold.

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a member of one of the old and leading fam- ilies of Harrison and Lewis Counties. Mr. Hays was later appointed land agent by Pres- ident Buchanan in Minnesota, and died in 1868 at Sauk Rapids, Benton County, Minn., 100 miles north of St. Paul.

Six sons were born to the maternal grand- parents of Samuel L. Webb, as follows: Pere- grine, John Elliott, Othello, Norval, Samuel L., and Calhoun. Peregrine died on the old farm above mentioned. John Elliott, who was an attorney both before and after the Civil War, served in the Confederate Army. He subsequently practiced law in Kentucky and resided in Gilmer County. Dying suddenly, he was survived by his widow who lives two miles from Glenville. Othello Hays, went to California in 1849 and was engaged there in business for a short time ; he died in the same year. Norval died at Glenville, aged twenty- six years. Samuel L., who served twice as sheriff of Gilmer County, removed later to Seattle, Wash. Calhoun, who is an attorney and editor of a newspaper, at Grantsville, the county seat of Calhoun county, was also a pros- ecuting attorney in Minnesota. Of the daugh- ters, the mother of Mr. Webb was the first born in the family. She had two sisters, Dru- silla and Mary, the former of whom was the wife of Levi Johnson, an attorney at Glen- ville, W. Va., where she died; and the latter the wife of Shelton Fur, a merchant in Gil- mer County, where his wife died, he dying in California in 1849.

The father of Mr. Webb had four sisters- Elizabeth, who married Samuel Hyman: Sarah, who married John Rogers; Anna, who became the wife of Dennis Dye, and Louisa, who be- came Mrs. John Hostetler. The greater num- ber of their descendants live in Ritchie county.

To John and Elizabeth (Hays) Webb, a large family was born, and the record may be given as follows. Roanna Steele, who is now deceased, was the wife of Henry B. Steele and their home was in Minnesota. Luverna Webb, who is the wife of De Lloyd Sessions, resides on her husband's orange plantation at Bartow, Fla. Roanna, and H. B. Steele left one daughter, Cora, who is the wife of James Weaver, of Austin, Tex. Martha Dunlap,

who is the widow of John A. Dunlap, resides in Kanawha County, at Mound and near St. Albans, and is the mother of five sons and four daughters: Hattie (deceased) who was the wife of John Whillington; Edward, unmar- ried who lives near Mound with his mother; Albert, who is a farmer in Kanawha County; Willard, who resides at Richwood, Nicholas Co., W. Va., with his family; Hampton and Kenna, both of whom reside in this county. Victoria is the wife of a Mr. Thurston. Laura V. Thomas, who died January 27, 1911, was the wife of John R. Thomas and is survived by her husband and two sons and two daugh- ters-Frederick, Herbert, Gertrude and Emma. Benjamin Hays, who is a practicing attorney at Charleston, is a member of the firm of Webb, Hays & Webb, composed of S. L. Webb, G. W. Hays, Benjamin H. Webb, and Samuel Lewis Webb, who is the next to the youngest of this family.

Of the above mentioned business firm, G. W. Hays, is the youngest ex-Confederate soldier in West Virginia, having entered the Confed- erate service at the age of fourteen years, joining Preston's Battalion, which was organ- ized at Christianburg, Virginia. Mr. Hays was in the battle of Droop Mountain, Pocahon- tas County, West Virginia.

Benjamin H. Webb, of the above firm, served during the Civil War in the Confed- erate army being a youth not quite 15 years of age when enlisted in 1864 in the 19th Va. Regt. commanded by William L. Jackson, known as "Mudwall" Jackson, Col. Jackson being a noted commander. Mr. Webb was a member of Co. A. and assisted his Regiment to win many victories. He was badly wounded on June 17, 1864, at the battle of Lynchburg, Va. He married Allie V. Barber, of Virginia, and eight children have been born to them, namely: Della, now deceased, who was the wife of John Thompson and was survived by three children-Edgar \Vebb, Catharine

Louise and Barber Hansford: Naomi, who married Mark Jarrett, a railroad agent. and resides at Coffeyville, Kan .; Kate, who is the wife of Allen Peyton, of Charleston; Mary, who is the wife of Cabell Pierce, a coal opera- tor of Cabin Creek, Kanawha county ; Harry,

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who is chief clerk to the superintendent of the C. & O. Railroad at Huntington : and Louise, who resides at home; two died in infancy, Warren and Tressa.

Samuel Lewis Webb received his early education in the schools of Glenville, W. Va., and was subsequently a student in the first State Normal school. In 1875 he began educational work in Kanawha county and con- tinued with more or less regularity to teach school for about twelve years. He was in- terested also in other lines and in the mean- while began to read law with Judge John A. Worth, at St Albans, who gave him valuable instruction in his law studies, continuing his studies later with Judge W. S. Laidley. Prior to make application for a license to practice law he was principal of the St. Albans' schools

for one term. He was admitted to the bar in 1884 and maintains offices both at St. Albans and in the Kanawha National Bank Building on the corner of Capitol and Virginia Streets, Charleston, W. Va. He was elected a justice of the peace, serving for four years in Jeffer- son district, in Kanawha county and after an interval of four years was re-elected and served four years longer. He was also elected by the people to the office of County Super- intendent of Free Schools. In politics he is of Democratic antecedent but an uncompro- mising member of "The Socialist Party."

Mr. Webb was married in 1897 to Miss Margaret T. Schlife, of Cleveland, O. Their only son, Arnold Hays, died at the age of three and one-half years. Mrs. Webb con- ducts an independent business, owning and ably managing a dry goods, notion and milli- nery store on Main Street, St Albans. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Webb is a member and at one time was the youngest member of Washington Lodge No. 58, A. F. & A. M., at St Albans; and is a charter member of Spring Hill Lodge, No. 140, Odd Fellows.

COL. JOHN Q. DICKINSON,* capi- talist, banker and long one of Charleston's representative men, belongs to one of the interesting old families of the Virginias. This family traces descent from Joseph

Dickinson, who may have been born in Bedford County, Va., April II, 1742, his death being definitely fixed as having oc- curred September 16, 1818, in Virginia, on his plantation on Goose Creek, in Bedford County. There are records to prove that he was a man of sterling qualities and that he was worthy to be the ancestor of his present descendants. He married Eliza- beth Woolbridge, who was born January II, 1744, was married March 6, 1769, and died November 7, 1818. For many years they were leading members of the Goose Creek Baptist church.

The following were children born to Jo- seph and Elizabeth Dickinson. The eldest, Edna, was born September 15, 1770, and married Joseph Stratton. They came to what is now West Virginia and they died and were buried near the mouth of Hughes Creek. William Dickinson was born Jan- uary 7, 1772, and is the direct ancestor of Col. John Q. Dickinson. Nancy the third child, was born October 20, 1773, married Jeffrey Robertson and they lived in Bed- ford County. Sally was born September 15, 1776, and married Joseph Shrewsbury

and they came to Kanawha County. Pleas- ant, the youngest son of whom there is record, was born April 15, 1785 and lived, married and died in Franklin County, Va.

William Dickinson of the above men- tioned family became associated with Joel Shrewsbury first as a tobacco merchant in Bedford County and after their marriage they came with their wives to the Kanawha Valley, the growing of tobacco being some- what interrupted by the disturbance inci- dent to the War of 1812. About this date they located in what was called the "Sa- lines," now Malden, in Kanawha County, on the Kanawha River, after a few years spent at a point now known as Dickinson. Here the salt wells were dug and the fur- naces started of the Dickinson & Shrews- bury Company and during many years af- terward they largely controlled the salt industry and developed the business into a leading one of the state. They continued in business until about the outbreak of the

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Civil War, when they dissolved partnership and the death of William Dickinson fol- lowed in the succeeding November.

William Dickinson (2d) was born in Bed- ford County, Va., January 1, 1798 and was reared and married there, coming to Kan- awha County in 1861, after which he be- came selling agent of the output of his father's salt mills, having his headquarters at Nashville, Tenn., where he remained until he decided to give up active business responsibilities to a large extent. He re- turned then to Malden and thereafter until his death on November 8, 1881, his time was occupied in looking after one salt fur- nace and the family's large landed posses- sions. He resided at that time on the Dick- inson farm, lying fifteen miles up the Kan- awha River and which is locally known as the Dickinson-Shrewbury homestead. He was a Whig and later a Democrat, casting his vote for Bell and Everett when that ticket was in the field for National consid- eration. Like his father he had high qual- ities of business ability.

He was married in early manhood to Margaret C. Gray, a daughter of John Gray, of Bedford County. Mrs. Dickinson sur- vived until 1859. She was a devoted mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church and was a woman of most engaging personality. She was the mother of two daughters and two sons: Mary, Jane, Henry C. and John Q. Mary, who died in Kanawha County, was survived for some years by her husband, John A. E. Winkler. Jane was the wife of John A. Cobb and at death left three daughters.

John Q. Dickinson, the only member of his parents' family surviving, was born in Bedford County, Va., November 20, 1831. He grew to manhood on his father's plan- tation and early had duties assigned him in looking after the extensive farm operations and in directing the work of the slaves. When the Civil War broke out he was ready to shoulder his musket with the first detail of soldiers called out but was re- strained until a favorable opportunity came for him to leave home. In the spring of

1862, when his brother, Capt. Henry C. Dickinson, was in camp in Albemarle County, he decided to join him and taking a horse from his stable was soon on the way, subsequently enlisting in Co. A, 2nd Virginia Cavalry, with his brother as his captain, Col. Radford being in command of the regiment. He proved himself a good and reliable soldier and took part in many serious battles before he was captured near Green Court House, Va., after which he was confined in the Federal prison at Fort Delaware until the close of the war.

Mr. Dickinson then came to the Kan- awha Valley and his success in business life is a source of pride to his fellow citi- zens. Although the adverse fortunes of war fell upon him and his, he was of the manly fiber that enabled him to put aside much of the past and to plan hopefully for the future. He is the only one of the many salt makers of this valley who has contin- ued in the industry and makes it profitable. He is one of the largest land owners in this section and his properties are rich in min- erals and gas. He is extensively interested in the production of coal and is president or otherwise officially connected with n11- merous coal companies of the state. Mr. Dickinson was one of the original stock- holders of the Kanawha Valley Bank, the largest banking institution of the state, which was founded and incorporated in 1867. At that time his father was presi- dent and both he and his brother, Henry C. Dickinson, were directors. The capital stock of this bank is now $400,000, with a liberal surplus. For many years past Mr. Dickinson has been president of this bank and in this, as in his other business enter- prises, he has displayed the indispensable characteristics which contribute to finan- cial success. His whole business career has been, more or less, a series of success- ful undertakings and his time and attention have been so continuously engaged that public office, along the path of politics, has attracted him not at all. He is a Democrat from rearing and conviction but his activity goes no farther than to performing the full

CHARLES M. ALDERSON

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duties of citizenship. He has been identi- fied with the Masonic fraternity since early manhood.

Mr. Dickinson was married during the Civil War, to Miss Margaret D. Lewis, who was born in 1843, in Kanawha County, in which she has always lived. She is a daughter of John D. and a sister of Charles C. Lewis. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson, of whom a partial record is as follows: William and Mosby, both of whom died in manhood, both hav- ing been graduates of a military institute and brilliant students; John L., who was graduated with the class of 1890, from the Virginia Military Institute, and is also a graduate of Eastman's Commercial Col- lege, at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and is cashier of his father's bank (married Maude Hub- bard, and they have five children) ; Charles C., who has charge of his father's salt fur- naces at Malden, is a graduate of the above military school in the class of 1895, mar- ried Nellie Alderson. Mr. and Mrs. Dick- inson are members of the Presbyterian church at Malden.

CHARLES CAMERON DICKINSON,* superintendent and manager for the J. Q. Dickinson & Co's. salt works at Malden, Kanawha county, W. Va., has numerous other important business interests and is numbered with the substantial men of the county. He was born January 23, 1876, on his fathers farm at what is now known as Quincy, in Cabin Creek district, Kanawha county and is a son of John Q. and Mary D. (Lewis) Dickinson. The name of Dickinson has been identified for many years with the great salt manufacturing industry as well as with the best citizenship of West Virginia.

John Q. Dickinson was born in Bedford county, Va., November 20, 1831, and is a son of William and Margaret C. (Gray) Dickin- son. After the close of the Civil War, in which he honorably participated, he came to the Kanawha valley and became actively con- cerned in salt manufacturing, practically con- trolling the industry here at the present time.

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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 134

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