USA > West Virginia > Kanawha County > Charleston > History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens > Part 137
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The children of William Jr. and Mary Ann Graham were as follows: Christopher B., the first-born, is the direct subject of this sketch. Mary E., the second born, was a teacher for a number of years and now resides at St. Al- bans. She is unmarried. Elizabeth Herd, married Dr. Hugh A. Nash of Virginia, a physician and author, and died near Roanoke, that state, in which vicinity her husband and
surviving family now reside. Isabella Best, the fourth child, first married a Mr. Young of Clendenin, and he and his only child died there. His widow afterwards became the wife of Samuel Shrewsburg and they died recently at St. Albans. Thomas P., the fifth child, was a merchant for some years in Dodgeville, Wis., where he married Jennie Hotchkiss. He now resides in Parkersburg, W. Va., and travels for the Brown-Kendall Co., of which he is a member. He has a son, William, and a daughter, Josie B. Jennie Ann, the sixth child, married Rev. Arthur L. Hughes and they reside in Washington, D. C., where he is employed in the War Department of the Government. Their children are Lotus and M. Christopher.
Christopher B. Graham, with whom this sketch is more directly concerned, was given a public school and academic education, pursu- ing his studies both in this state and in Ken- tucky. In October, 1879, he joined the M. E. Conference at Morgantown, W. Va., Bishop Matthew Simpson presiding. He was ordained deacon by Bishop Randolph S. Foster at the second conference held at Moundsville, W. Va., in 1881, and was ordained elder by Bishop William L. Harris in 1883. In 1904 Scioto College conferred upon him the degree of LL. D. Since his ordination he has served six pastorates, being now in his seventh; and two full years as presiding elder, first of the Charleston district and afterwards at Wheel- ing, W. Va., never missing a roll call. His service in Wheeling covered altogether a pe- riod of seventeen years. He helped to found the West Virginia college at Buckhannon, and has since been a member of its board of trus- tees. He has represented the State Normal School as a member of the board of regents, and is a member of the board of trustees of the Industrial School for Girls, besides serv- ing on the State board of the Humane Society. He was president of the first Anti-Saloon League of the State, organized at Wheeling in 1902, resigning at the time he left that city. He was a member of the General Conference in 1896 and also in 1904, at which time it was held at Los Angeles, Calif. He was chair- man of the West Virginia Delegation and never missed a session, or roll call at any meet-
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ing. Dr. Graham is a staunch Prohibitionist in principle though he votes the Republican ticket. For some time he edited the Charles- ton Advocate. Aside from his ministerial and editorial work, while a resident of Wheeling he was interested also in certain business en- terprises, which proved very profitable to him and from which he derived a handsome compe- tence. He has a beautiful residence on Oak- wood Heights, overlooking the Kanawha river and valley. Dr. Graham joined the Masonic order in 1875 and is now well advanced therein. He is a member of Kanawha Lodge, No. 4, A. F. & A. M., of Charleston; the Chapter of R. A. M., and Commandery, K. T .. also of this city, and belongs also to the Scot- tish Rite branch of the order, pertaining to the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States and the Valley of Wheeling, of Wheeling, W. Virginia.
THE TANNERS' AND DYERS' EX- TRACT COMPANY, located on South Side, Charleston, W. Va., is a flourishing concern whose plant, located on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad and River street, covers four- teen acres. The first works had a capacity of 150 barrels weekly, while the present capacity of the concern is 150 barrels daily, which alone shows a gratifying increase of business due to able management. The buildings of the con- cern have twice been destroyed by fire and twice rebuilt. Employment is given to 100 men and the full capacity of the plant is about 40,000 barrels annually of concentrated and refined extract of chestnut oak bark and wood for tanners' use. This concern makes the best of these fluids in the world and the com- pany ships its products to Germany, Russia. Australia and other foreign countries.
The officers of the Tanners' and Dyers' Ex- tract company are H. N. Gith, of Hanover, Pa., president: Morris B. Stine, vice presi- dent ; Guy H. Newcomer, secretary ; William P. Stine, general manager, and Edwin J. Stine, assistant manager.
William P. Stine has been identified with this line of manufacturing industry during his entire business life. He was born in Pennsyl- vania and is a son of Jacob Stine, and a nephew of J. S. Young, in whose plant, at Hanover.
Pa., he learned this business. His father was a large packer of hay and straw, at Hanover, Pa., a Republican politically, and the family were members of the German Lutheran church.
Mr. William P. Stine came to South Charleston and assumed his present duties in 1891. He married Mary A. Baer, a daugh- ter of Daniel and Susan (Bechtol) Baer, na- tives of Pennsylvania, her father being a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Stine have been the parents of six children-Edwin, Morris, Kentz, Marion, Harold and Clara the sons being all in the employ of the company. Mr. Stine is a Republican and with his family attends the Kanawha Presbyterian church. He is one of the men who are helping to put Charleston -viewed from a business standpoint-in the front rank of the cities of its size in the United States. He is identified fraternally with the Masons and Elks at Charleston.
THE MOORE FAMILY .- Thomas Moore was born in Pennsylvania in 1802. He was married in 1830 to Sarah Richards. He taught school, edited a paper. In 1844 he 1110ved to Ohio. He enlisted in the Iowa "Greybeard" Regiment, serving out his term and afterwards came to Kanawha and there died in 1876 and was buried in Spring Hill Cemetery.
Samuel Spencer Moore, son of Thomas and Sarah ( Richards) Moore, was born in 1837 near Bellefonte, Pa. He became a printer and worked at the trade in Cincinnati, Cleveland and New York. In 1863 he came to Charles- ton, W. Va., where he and his brother, E. T. Moore, founded the "West Virginia Jour- nal" and in 1869 they sold the same to Geo. W. Atkinson and A. F. Gibbons, after which he established in Charleston a large book store, which at this time is conducted by his four sons. He married in November, 1870 Miss Rachel C. Bryant, a most excellent daugh- ter of Mr. Bryant, who had been here nearly all his life-people that were noted for their good nature and kind hearts. She left four sons and died in July, 1887. Mr. Moore had an eye for bargains in real estate and always purchased property that some one else wanted. His sons were William C. B. Moore, who was married to Jesse Fellers in 1910. Herbert S.
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married Alice Hanson in 1904. G. Ernest is yet single. Thomas W. Moore married Eliz- abeth Kraemer in 1909. In 1890 Mr. Moore married Lethia J. Putnam. Mr. Moore was a man that had but little to say generally or publicly but socially was an interesting con- versationalist and was a man that had read deeply and learned much. He died suddenly Nov. 19, 1908. No one ever heard of his do- ing an injustice to another and by his friends he was sorely missed; he was a kind hearted, good man.
Edward T. Moore, another son of Thomas Moore. was born in 1839 in Pennsylvania, came to Kanawha with his brother, S. S. Moore, and like his brother was an expert printer. He was at Kenyon College, Ohio, and was in the 12th Ohio Infantry for three years in the service and in 1864, he and his brother established the West Virginia Journal in Charleston, W. Va. In 1866 he was elected superintendent of schools for Kanawha County and had seventy-six schoolhouses built during his term of office. In 1874 he was admitted to the bar, and in 1877 he removed to Gallip- olis and in 1902 retired from business. His wife was Martha Blake, of Snow Creek, Ohio.
The sons of Samuel S. Moore are men that are naturally interested in books, in schools, and in churches and in all matters pertaining to the betterment of the town and community. Neither they nor their father ever made them- selves or their political views or sentiments ob- jectionable to others that might entertain dif- ferent views on a subject.
OLD KANAWHA BAPTIST CHURCH. -The Old Kanawha Baptist Church was or- ganized by Elder James Johnstone, the first gospel pioneer in the valley, in 1793. The Church has enjoyed a continued existence. The records of the church from 1793-1796 were badly mutilated by the Federal Soldiers in 1861. Of this period however remain the "decorum" or "rule of discipline" adopted by the church July 2nd, 1796. In the early his- torý of the church following 1797, in the ab- sence of a Minister, this order and formula for worship and business was followed: After prayer, praise, and exhortation, proceeded to business." "The first order of business being to open the door for experiences."
The influence and interest in the church was very extensive, as is shown by the fact that it embraced all that territory extending on both sides of the Great Kanawha River from Gauley Bridge to two miles above Charleston and extending far into the interior. During these early years the places of meetings were many, selected with reference to accessibility and convenience of the membership. From 1798-1834 meetings were held at John Mor- ris's, Peter's Creek meeting house, John Hansford's, Catharine Morris's, John Jones's, Nelson's, Priddy's, Benjamin's, Morris's, Levi Morris's, Samuel Shrewsbury's, Felix G. Hans- ford's and Captain John Harvey's. During this period in 1803 the Greenbrier Association met with the Old Kanawha Church. Its ses- sions were held in the old Morris meeting- house on the North side Kanawha River which stood on the Tomkins Farm near Cedar Grove. It remained a part of this association until 1816. The first notice of its being a part of the Teays Valley Association being that year, when the Teays Valley Association met with the church at the house of John Hansford, Sr., now Crown Hill Aug. 21st, 1816. From 1797 there was no regular pastor but the fol- lowing ministers preached for the church. El- der James Johnstone, until 1803, John Mor- ris, James Ellison, and - McCoy. Then the following pastorates: Rev. John Lee, 1815- 1824; Elder W. A. Wood, 1824-1830; W. C. Ligon, 1832-1839.
The benevolent and Missionary enterprizes began early in its history by a resolution of- fered by Felix G. Hansford, Sr., June 4th, 1836, which was unanimously adopted by the church, and reads as follows: "Whereas we greatly desire to contribute towards the pro- motion of the general interest of religion and especially within the bounds of the association with which we stand connected; and whereas we believe that nothing short of systematic and persevering effort in the ordinary means of grace will, in our opinion, accomplish an ob- ject so desirable ; therefore,
"Resolved, that we recommend to members of this church to meet on the evenings of the first Monday in each month for the purpose of praying that God's blessing may attend the ef- forts which we are now making, and what
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may in the future be made to disseminate the light of the gospel over the world; and
"Resolved, that at each such meetings we will contribute according as the Lord may prosper us, toward raising a fund for benevolent pur- poses to be placed at the disposal of the churches; and
"Resolved, That the friends of benevolence generally be invited to cooperate with the churches in promoting the above object."
From 1834-1857 almost uninterruptedly the meetings of the church were held in the old Hansford meeting-house, on Meeting House Branch, now Crown Hill Coal property. This was a private property built by John Hans- ford, Sr., and his sons for Baptist worship. This building was used as a camping place by the Federal Soldiers until burnt by them in 1861. About 1859 Felix G. Hansford, Sr., of his own private means provided and fitted up a comfortable building which was used by the church until the opening of the war in the town of Clifton. For this period the follow- ing ministers preached for the church :
Elders James Mitchell, Wythal, Wood, Mitch- el and Bradley. From 1843-1849 M. M. Rock and to 1859 R. Swinburn and to opening of war Rev. M. Bibb, Jr., and up to 1867 the following preached for the church: Thomas Harmon, Hezekiah Chilton, Lewis Anderson, Dodge, Mathew Ellison, James Ely Ellison, and Felix Ellison. Rev. T. C. Robertson was called to the pastorate in 1867, serving only one month and by his death the church was without a pastor until 1874 when Rev. Bay- lus Cade was called. During this pastorate on Oct. 13th, 1874, the church was reorganized by Bro. B. Cade and A. M. Simms. During this period and later the church met somewhat irregularly holding its regular services in the union church at Hansford, below Paint Creek, and made its church home there, although the congregation met at times in the union church at Clifton. Brother Cade was succeeded by Rev. S. M. Ferrell in a pastorate of six months in 1876. After this and up to 1878 the fol- lowing ministers and students as supplies preached : Rev. P. B. Reynolds, W. P. Walker, A. Reppetoe, R. Swinburn, A. M. Simms, C. T. Roberts, Thomas Allen, Samuel Gibson
and J. B. Foster. In 1879 Rev. Weeks was called and after him up until about 1889 the following ministers served : Revs. Cline, Adams Fitzgerald, Hoover and Berger.
The Old Kanawha Baptist Church has been a part of the Kanawha Valley Baptist Associa- tion since its organization, electing delegates to meet with that body July 12th, 1884.
During the ninety-nine years of continued service the church was without a building strictly its own. The reason for this is ob- vious. Its meetings were held over a large territory and the place of meeting, whether in private homes, or union churches it had helped to build, or churches of other denominations ; many had been built by private individuals and had always been selected for the convenience of the worshippers. Methods change with time, and the membership began to feel that the larger interests of the church could better be conserved by its having a home of its own. This long felt need soon became a real issue in the life of the church. Hence in May, 1889, the church took under serious consider- ation the necessity and possibility of its own denominational edifice. Under the leadership of Rev. T. F. Holt and his little band of en- thusiastic Christians, after due deliberation, there was soon subscribed and paid in $377-75 and then followed the appointment of commit- tees on location and building. In May, 1890, the lot having been secured by the gift of Mrs. Julian E. Dickinson near the river, a contract was let for the erection of the new building. On July 31st, 1890 this house just before its completion was burned to the ground by an incendiary. At this time there was an empty treasury, the contractor having been paid over eight hundred dollars. The loss caused sor- row and disappointment deep and great. The church was not utterly discouraged, however, but with increased faith in its ability. God ap- proving, a new lot was purchased, and arrange- ments made to rebuild. On June 11th, 1893 this new and first church home of the Old Ka- nawha Baptist Church with its one hundred years of history, dedicated its new building free of debt. Bro. T. F. Holt closed his work after an eventful and successful pastorate of three years. Then followed the pastorates of
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Rev. W. J. Cocke 1894-1896; Rev. G. S. Dougherty, 1896-1897; Rev. F. W. Asquith, 1897-1898; Rev. C. T. Curtner, 1900-1901 ; Rev. L. H. Suddith, 1901-1902; Rev. B. F. Howell, 1902-1903. Rev. Geo. W. Huddles- ton was called to the pastorate Mar. 27th, I904. During this pastorate the church re- solved to build a parsonage and committees were appointed early in the pastorate to arrange matters. The work of these committees was very faithfully performed and the pastor was soon at home in the new and commodious par-
sonage. Brother Huddleston closed his rela- tion as pastor on the second Sunday in Sep- tember, 1908. The present pastor, Rev. C. B. Ayars, was called September 19th, 1909. The membership of the church is 69.
The church has property valued at $6,000.00. The officers are as follows: Deacons: C. H. Frazer, Dr. J. A. Wood. Trustees : Dr. J. A. Wood, C. H. Frazer and B. A. Bangham. , Clerk, C. B. Coleman. Caleb B. Ayars, Pas- tor, Pratt, W. Va.
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