History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 62

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 62

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agriculture is carried on and cattle and hogs are raised.

On January II, 1866, Mr. Hanshaw was married to Miss Polly Ann Bloomer, who was born November 12, 1845, in Owen County, Ky., a daughter of Capt. Christo- pher and Mary Jane (Williams) Bloomer, the former of whom was commander of ves- sels on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers dur- ing the greater part of his life. Mrs. Han- shaw is one of a family of nine children and is the only one living in Kanawha County, her one sister and two brothers being resi- dents of Texas. To Mr. and Mrs. Hanshaw the following children were born: Mary, who is the wife of William Tellie, of Point Pleasant; David, who lives on the home farm; Josephine, now deceased, who was the wife of Clinton Copen; Eddie, who op- erates a meat market in the city of Charles- ton; Annie, who is deceased; Amos, part owner of the home farm, who lives on Chandler's Branch, Union District, married Myrtle Daniels ; Maggie, who lives in Union District, is the wife of Alfred Rodgers; William, who lives at Charleston, married Annie Gay; George, who is a resident of Charleston, married Minnie Hubner; Ber- tha, who lives at home; and Robert and an infant son, both of whom are deceased. Mrs. Hanshaw is a member of the Baptist church. In politics Mr. Hanshaw and sons are Republicans but none have ever desired to hold office. All are good citizens, hon- est and industrious, self respecting and law abiding. The family is well known all through this section.

HON. JAMES H. FERGUSON, who passed away from life's scenes on June 21, 1898, was not only for many years one of Kanawha County's best known and most highly esteemed citizens, but was also in a wider sense one of the eminent men of the State of West Virginia, and this eminence was gained by his own persevering efforts, backed by a self-reliant character, strong intellectuality, and sound heredity. He was born in an obscure home in Montgomery County, Va., April 14, 1817, his parents be-

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ing immigrants from Scotland-people in humble circumstances, yet doubtless pos- sessed of those sturdy self-reliant qualities of industry, thrift, and sound morality which are characteristic of the Scottish people in general and which are responsible for their prosperity in whatever land they choose to make their home.

The educational opportunities of the sub- ject of this sketch were naturally very lim- ited, so far, at least, as early school attend- ance is concerned. He must have picked up some elementary knowledge, but it was necessary for him soon to learn a trade, and he chose, or had chosen for him, that of shoemaker, and before he had reached man- hood he was traveling about the country from farm to farm as a journeyman cobbler. We can have little doubt, from what we know of his after career, that he was an in- dustrious and capable workman. The op- portunities for advancement connected with this occupation were, however, too limited to satisfy his youthful ambition, and we are not surprised, therefore, to find him in 1835 entering the office of an attorney at Bar- boursville, in Cabell County, where he ap- plied himself to the study of law. In 1840 he was admitted to the bar and from that date his real life work begins. Moving to Logan County five years later, he was there elected prosecuting attorney and served in that position until 1848. By the time his professional talents and his sterling quali- ties as a citizen had attracted general atten- tion and he was in that year elected to the House of Delegates from Logan and Boone Counties, being subsequently re-elected to the same office, in which he served continu- ously until 1851, when a new constitution was adopted.

In 1850, while serving in the House of Delegates, he was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention, this making him a member of both bodies at the same time. He was a member of the legislature during the exciting and momentous days when the question of slavery was agitated and the cel- ebrated Wilmot Proviso, prohibiting slav- ery in the territory acquired from Mexico,

was the subject of general and excited dis- cussion. Although an Abolitionist from principle and opposed to the dissolution of the Union, Judge Ferguson took the South- ern view with respect to all the other aspects of the question and during the Civil War period was in sympathy with the cause of the South. He supported the Clay compro- mise of 1850, which was subsequently adopted by Congress, and in spite of his Southern leanings he always felt it to be his duty to support the Federal Government in its measures of defense and in its efforts to preserve the Union intact. In 1864 he was elected to the state legislature from Cabell County and served until 1871, being chair- man of the Judiciary Committee throughout that period, except in 1865. He prepared and indexed the Code of 1868 and his handi- work is seen in every line of the laws of the State of West Virginia. Three years previ- ously he had introduced a bill abolishing slavery in West Virginia, which was passed after much opposition, this being accom- plished in advance of the adoption by other states of the amendment to the constitution forbidding slavery.

In 1868 James H. Ferguson was elected Circuit Court Judge of the judicial district composed of the counties of Logan, Boone, Lincoln, Wayne, and Cabell, for a term of six years, but resigned his position on the bench within two years in order to resume his private practice, in which the emolu- ments were better adjusted to the volume of duties. He became chief attorney for the C. & O. Railroad in West Virginia.

In 1875 Judge Ferguson came to Kan- awha County, and in 1876 was again elected to the House of Delegates, and one of the questions he took charge of was the securing of the State House for Charleston. It was ever his policy to avoid legal battles when matters could be otherwise adjusted. He was recognized as a well-informed law- yer along almost every line of the profes- sion, and on account of his knowledge of land laws his services were sought by the late C. P. Huntington, General Wickham, Holmes Conrad, Senator Camden and oth-

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ers, who relied implicitly on his advice. All classes had reason to respect and honor him. He was untiring in his efforts to se- cure better laws and protection for miners and would go fearlessly among them, coun- selling and advising during periods of riots and disturbances. It was due to his efforts that laws were made protecting the prop- erty and rights of married women in the State.

In politics Judge Ferguson was a Demo- crat, but he entertained a deep veneration for President Lincoln, second only to that which he entertained for Gen. Robert E. Lee. In the midst of all the stress and strain of his particularly busy life, he perserved his religious faith, being a devout Baptist, and in some way he found time to write numerous tracts on religious subjects, particularly on that of baptism. In his days and section the use of tobacco and alcohol was almost universal, . but in his later years he abandoned the use of both and became a strong advocate of prohibition. Perhaps nothing more illus- trates his inherent strength of character than this abandonment from principle, at an advanced age, of a life long habit. Such ac- tion is a strong moral lesson, and many such may be learned from a close study of Judge Ferguson's life and character.

Judge Ferguson was married while living at Barboursville, Cabell County, to Miss Lizzie A. Creel, who was born in Wood County, Va., in 1839, and who still sur- vives. Her parents were George A. and Prudence (Cook) Creel, the former of whom belonged to a pioneer family that sèt- tled in Wood County in 1800. His wife Prudence was of Puritan ancestry, the Cooks having emigrated to the American colonies from County Essex, England, in 1639. Mrs. Ferguson was born on the old plantation known as Bacon Hall, in Wood County.

In closing this sketch it is not too much to say -that Judge Ferguson stands out in the history of West Virginia as one of its splendid pioneers. Through his clear brain and steady hand was order brought out of

chaos, the natural result of the Civil War and leaving the Mother State. Broad, be- nevolent, generous, his hand always ready to help the needy and oppressed-devoted in his family, faithful in his friendships, truly in the words of the Old Testament it can be said, "A Prince in Israel has fallen;" or in the words of the New-"Behold a Gentile in whom there was no guile."

GEORGE W. HASTINGS, general mer- chant at Cabin Creek Junction, cultivates seven acres of the old homestead farm in Cabin Creek District, Kanawha Country, W. Va., and is a representative of an early settler here. Mr. Hastings was born in Cabin Creek Dis- trict, March 3, 1847, and is a son of Simeon and Sarah (Martin) Hastings.

Simeon Hastings was born in Pennsylvania, where he was left an orphan in childhood and was brought to Cabin Creek District with the family of Simon Guthery, who was one of the pioneers of this section. Simeon Hastings be- came a farmer, lumberman and miller, and was a soldier in the War of 1812. His death oc- curred here in November, 1868, at the age of eighty-seven years. His widow survived him for a time and was seventy-eight years of age at the time of death. They had ten children, namely: John, who died at the age of fourteen years; James, who died in 1904; Beckie Ann, deceased, who was the wife of Mark Wyatt, also deceased; Elizabeth Jane, deceased, who was the wife of Henderson Hannigan, also now deceased; Henry, Samuel and William, all of whom are deceased; Carolina, deceased, who was the wife of John A. Stone; Lucy, who is the wife of William Slack; and George Wash- ington.

George Washington Hastings spent his boy- hood on the home farm and as he found oppor- tunity, attended the country schools. He was married in 1868 and then moved to Kansas where he rented land and followed farming for two years, but as the future in that section did not appear encouraging, he returned to Kanawha County and went to work at the car- penter's trade and followed it for six years, be- ing mainly employed at the coal works. He

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opened his general store at his present location in 1905, having previously been engaged in the same business and lost his building and stock in the great overflow of the river in 1887. When his father died he fell heir to a part of the home farm. He later bought out the other heirs and subsequently sold his mountain land to the coal companies and has laid out all the rest, except his little farm of seven acres, in building lots.

Mr. Hastings was married November 26, 1868, to Miss Martha Wells, a daughter of Meredith and Emily (Jarrell) Wells, of Raleigh County, Va., and they have had the following children: Samuel E., who married Virgil Wetherow; Meredith, deceased, who married Lucy Holstein; Cora, who is deceased, was the wife of Charles Perry ; William B., who married Belle Cordell; Minnie, who married William Brightwell; Charles, who married Mary Lacey; Burt S., who married Froney Simms; Calvin, who married Anna Belcher ; Cornelius A., who married Cleo Hannigan ; and George W. Mr. and Mrs. Hastings are mem- bers of the Baptist church and he has served as church clerk for fourteen years. He is the oldest member of the Odd Fellows lodge at East Branch, having become identified with it in March, 1872, and is still actively interested in its work.

WILLIAM E. CHILTON, Sr., deceased, for many years was a prominent citizen of Kanawha County, W. Va., active in all the duties of good citizenship, a business man of integrity and a supporter of church, school and law and a liberal dispenser of private charity. He was a representative of one of the substan- tial old families of Virginia and the name has been and still is honorably borne in the older and also the newer division of this state.

.The Chiltons trace their ancient line to France and from thence to England, the earliest American immigrant being John Chilton, who came to Virginia, settling in Westmoreland County in 1660. The next record is of Thomas Chilton, who was married in 1723 to Jemima Cook and they had five sons and three daugh- ters: Thomas, William, John, Charles, Ste- phen, Honora, Margaret and Elizabeth.

Col. Charles Chilton, of the above family, was married in Fauquier County, Va., to Eliza- beth Blackwell, a daughter of James and Lucy (Steptoe) Blackwell, and to them the follow- ing children were born: John, Samuel, Eliza- beth, Stephen, Blackwell and Mark A.

Blackwell Chilton, son of Col. Charles and Lucy Chilton, was born in 1783, in Fauquier County, Va., and died in 1873. He came to Kanawha County and settled in what is now the main section of Charleston, an opportunity being offered him at that time to purchase for $10,000 almost all the almost priceless land that now forms the site of West Virginia's capital city. Since that time this section has more or less claimed the Chilton family. He married Mrs. Sarah Beale ( Eustace) Gibson, who was born in Virginia and belonged to an old family that possessed and was proud of its coat of arms. To Blackwell Chilton and his wife the following children were born: Joseph, born July 4, 1822, died in 1900, married Martha Wilson and their children were Sallie K., Ed- ward. Emma and John Steptoe. William E., the second son, born July 12, 1828, died in Sep- tember, 1881. He was married June 9, 1852, to Mary E. Wilson, born October 31, 1831. George Steptoe, born July 13, 1833, married Hannah Catherine Wilson and they live at St. Albans, Kanawha County. Mary Elizabeth, the youngest, born in 1836, is the widow of Alexander Wilson and resides on Brook Street, Charleston.

William E. Chilton for many years was en- gaged in the mercantile business in Kanawha County. He was active in politics, a leading factor in Democratic politics in the county, of which he once was sheriff. He was reared in tlie Episcopal church and was a man of Chris- tian life and character. Mrs. Clifton is a mem- ber of the Baptist church in which she has been a hearty worker and was a charter member of the church at Clendenin, which was the family home for a number of years. To William E. Chilton and wife the following children were born : Samuel Blackwell, Joseph Eustace, William Edwin, George Oliver, John Savary, and Parthenia and Stephen Lee, both of whom died young.

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Samuel Blackwell Chilton was born Novem- ber 14, 1853, and died at St. Albans, March 4, 1893. He was well known as a physician and surgeon and had been in active practice at Lin- coln and St. Albans. In 1880 he was gradu- ated from the University of Maryland at Balti- more, with his degree of M.D., and imme- diately entered upon the practice of his profes- sion in which he doubtless would have become eminent had his life been lengthened. He was a member of all the leading medical societies and was identified with the Masons and the Knights of Pythias, being past chancellor in the latter order. On November 5, 1884, he was married to Miss Nancy Woodward, who was born in Kanawha County, July II, 1859, a daughter of Capt. Daniel W. and Catherine D. (Hogue) Woodward. Captain Woodward was born in Kanawha County in 1827 and died in 1882. His wife was born in 1833 and died at the age of thirty-five years. Captain Wood- ward was the owner of numerous boats that plied on the Kanawha River transporting coal. To Dr. Samuel Blackwell Chilton and wife one son was born, Samuel Blackwell, August 26, 1885. He was educated in the public schools, Washington and Lee University and was a member of the class of the University of West Virginia in 1909, having been admitted to the bar in 1908 and now being a partner of his uncle, in the firm of Chilton, MacCorkle & Chil- ton, at Charleston.

Joseph Eustace Chilton was born December 6, 1855, and is a member of the law firm of Chilton, MacCorkle & Chilton, at Charleston. He served as judge advocate of the state dur- ing the administration of Governor MacCorkle, with the rank of major. Major Chilton is un- married.

William Edwin Chilton, born March 17, 1858, was educated at St. Albans and was ad- mitted to the bar at the age of twenty-one years. For years he has been one of West Virginia's distinguished men. From 1893 until 1897 he was secretary of State and in 1911 he was elected United States Senator. He married Mary L. Tarr, and they have two sons and two daughters.

George Oliver Chilton was born January 23,

1861, and is interested in oil production. On January 24, 1893, he was married to Minnie V. Noyes and they have had five children, of whom four are living and one is deceased.

John Savary Chilton was born November 16, 1867, and like other members of the family, is a thoroughly educated man. His tastes are somewhat different, his main interests being along the line of scientific agriculture. The Chiltons and Wilsons were so prominent in early affairs in the country that Revolutionary patriots bore their names and the descendants are eligible to membership in the societies of the Sons and Daughters of the American Revo- lution. Both Mrs. Mary E. Chilton and Mrs. Samuel B. Chilton are members of the societies known as Daughters of the Confederacy and Daughters of the Revolution.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN QUICK, post- master at Quick, Kanawha County, W. Va., where he has been engaged in a mercantile business for a number of years, belongs to an old West Virginia family and was born in Nicholas County, March 27, 1857, a son of John Wesley and Paulina Octavia (Spinks) Quick.

John Wesley Quick was born June 5, 1837, in Albermarle County, Va. In 1842 he moved to the Huddleton place on the Kanawha River with his parents and there engaged in farming, and subsequently moved from there to the Salt Valley on Bell Creek and later to Campbell's Creek, near Dana. By trade he was a mill- wright and from 1868 until 1870 he engaged in lumbering and saw mill work, and also ope- rated a large cooperage plant at Coal Fork on Campbell's Creek, after which he came to Blue Creek and settled on what is now the old Quick homestead. His death occurred September 25, 1896. For twenty-seven years he had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, was a class leader and for a long time was superintendent of the Sunday-school. During the Civil War he was a member of the organi- zation of Home Guards at Malden and all through that period and until the end of his life he gave hearty support to the Republican party. He married Paulina Octavia Spinks who stir-

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vives, being now in her seventy-second year. Her father, John Spinks, was one of the pio- neer settlers of Charleston, W. Va. Thirteen children were born to this marriage and ten of them are yet living.

Benjamin F. Quick attended school until thirteen years of age and then went to work a part of the time, in the coal mines. Later he engaged in the lumber business, in which he con- tinued until he was forty-three years of age. At the same time he conducted a store at the adjacent railroad station which was named in his honor, and since 1904 he has been post- master at this point and is also a notary public.

Mr. Quick married Miss Martha Jane Rich- ards, who was born in 1861, and they have twelve children, namely: Arilla O., who is the wife of Ernest Brown and resides at Quick with five children; Frank Wesley, who assists his father at Quick, married Elizabeth Winfrey and they have three children: John William, who resides at Quick, married Stella Black and they have three children; Edward Watson, who follows the carpenter's trade at Quick, married Myrtle Canterbury and they have three children; Adelia, who is the wife of Ed- ward Brown, a carpenter at Quick, and they have three children; and Emily J., Ella, Dora, Hobart Mckinley, Della, James Putney and Pearl, all at home. Mr. Quick and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is a Republican. He is identified with the order of Red Men, at Quick, the Knights of Pythias at Blue Creek, and the Odd Fellows at Quick.

EUGENE CALLAHAN, who, for many years was associated with the affairs of Charles- ton, W. Va., in an official way, was born at Charleston, June 28, 1846, and is of Scotch- Irish ancestry. His parents were James and Salina (Ellison) Callahan.

James Callahan was born at Lynchburg, Va., and grew to manhood in his native state. In 1852 he went to California, by the overland route, and eighteen months after arriving there died at a place known as Chinese Camp, near Sonora, that state. He was then in the prime of life but succumbed to a local epidemic and

his burial was in that part of the country. He was married in Virginia to Salina Ellison, who was born in Ohio, not far from Huntington, W. Va., but had been reared in Virginia. Some years after the death of her husband she set- tled permanently at Charleston and died at the home of her son Eugene, in 1900, when aged seventy-eight years and eight months. To James Callahan and wife five children were born. Of this family, Maria died in 1849, a victim of cholera; Salina is the widow of James Cunningham who was accidentally killed in a railroad accident while on his way to Cali- fornia ; she lives in Charleston. Eugene Calla- han and Salina are the only surviving members of this family.

After his school days were over, Eugene Callahan became a marine engineer, following his calling on many of the boats on the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers. Later he became chief of the fire department of Charleston, a position he filled efficiently for ten years. He is now retired from active business but finds his time sufficiently occupied with looking after property purchased by his mother, and to the ownership of which he succeeded.

Mr. Callahan was married first to Miss Ma- linda Naylor, who died at Charleston at the age of twenty-eight years, leaving no children. He married secondly Miss Malissa Fitzwater, who was born in Elk District Kanawha County. She died early and was survived by one son, Harry, who was afforded excellent educational advantages and is a graduate of the West Virginia Commercial School of Charles- ton, and the Eastman Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. For some years he has been captain of Co. I of the Charleston Fire Department. Mr. Callahan was married to his present wife, a most estimable lady, in Indiana. Her maiden name was Emma Bragg and she was born of West Virginia parents, in Lincoln County. They died when she was young. Mrs. Callahan is an active and faithful worker in the Methodist Episcopal church.

E. GRIFFITH, a well known resident of Hernshaw, W. Va., a farmer and mine worker, was born on Lens Creek, Kanawha County,

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W. Va., January 29, 1857, a son of Isaac and Mary (Price) Griffith.

Isaac Griffith was born and reared in Vir- ginia and came to Kanawha County when a young man, being a cooper by trade. He was also engaged in farming and worked in the mines and was a busy, useful and respected man as long as he lived, he dying at the age of seventy-six years. His venerable widow sur- vives and is now in her eighty-seventh year. She was twice married, seven children being born to the second marriage and two to the first.

E. Griffith was only thirteen years of age when he started to work in the mines, having previously attended school in his native dis- trict. He also became a farmer and so con- tinued until 1910. In the meanwhile his son had grown to manhood and engaged in business and Mr. Griffith has been the latter's assistant for several years. He owns much valuable property, including store and residence at Hern- shaw, four lots at St. Albans and twenty-six and a half acres of coal and timber land on Lens Creek.

Mr. Griffith was married first to Martha De- witt and eight children were born to them, namely: William, a miner, who married Ethel Meadows; John, who is an electrician, married Lura Ferrell, and they have two children; Charles, who is a railroad man, married Hettie Turner and they have one child, Eveline; Joseph B .; Ethel, who is the wife of Calvin Ferrell and they have three children-Damon, David and Charles; Fannie, who resides at home; and two children who are deceased. Mr. Griffith's second marriage was to Ellen Price. Politically he is a Democrat. He and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist church. For some years he has been identified with the Knights of Pythias and the American Mechanics.

Joseph B. Griffith who conducts a general store at Hernshaw-one of the largest in the place, best situated and most heavily stocked- is an enterprising business man and a very suc- cessful one. He started this store in August, 1910, and has prospered from the first. He married Miss Gracie Toney, a daughter of

James Toney and they have one daughter, Madeline. He votes with the Democratic party and, like his father, belongs to the Mechanics lodge.

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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 62

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