History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 65

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 65

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Mr. Alexander is a member of the Ma- sonic order, belonging to Kanawha Valley Lodge, No. 36, at Buffalo, W. Va .; Chapter No. 7, R. A. M., Point Pleasant; Kanawha Commandery No. 4, K. T., and to Beni- Kedem Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is a deacon in the First Presbyterian church of Charleston and is a member of the City Democratic Committee.

Mr. Alexander was married in Green- brier county, W. Va., to Elizabeth S. Mann, a granddaughter of William Mann, a pio- neer citizen of that county, and a daughter of Matthew Mann, now deceased, who was well known as a leading farmer, banker and financier. Their children are : Andrew Stir- ling, born August 16, 1907; and Leonora Ruffner, born January 10, 1910.

NOAH C. POSTON, mine superintendent for three years of the Graham Mines in Elk District, Kanawha County, W. Va., is a suc- cessful farmer and since 1908 has also been engaged in a butchering business. He was born May 27, 1866, in Smith County, Va., and

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is a son of Thomas and Emily ( Debord) Pos- ton.

The father of Mr. Poston was born June 13, 1836, and married Emily Debord, who was born April 13, 1844, and died January 2, 1897. They had one son, Noah C., who was born two weeks before his father left home on a journey from which he never returned and was never afterward heard from.

Noah C. Poston was reared by his mother and attended school through boyhood. After- ward he followed steamboating on the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers and later followed farming for two years at Lock No. 8, and coal mining. For five years he was mining boss at Falling Rock, and for two years more was mine boss of the Mill Creek mines for the Cannel Coal Co. He then settled down to farming and with his additional work of butchering finds his time very thoroughly occupied.

On December 4, 1887, Mr. Poston was mar- ried to Miss Mary Vickers, who was born De- cember 10, 1867, who is a daughter of William M. and Telitha (Young) Vickers, and a grand- daughter of Mordecai Vickers and James Young, both of whom were pioneers in the salt industry in Kanawha County, both old and prominent families. Mr. and Mrs. Poston have had nine children, three of whom died in in- fancy. The survivors are: Maud E., who was born September 5, 1888, married Charles Hughes, and they have one daughter, Emma ; Teletha V., who was born September 22, 1893 ; Emma Lillian, who was born September 7, 1895; Nellie, who was born July 15, 1897; Raymond, who was born August 10. 1899, and Noah C., who was born July 5, 1904. Mr. Poston is a Socialist in his views on public mat- ters but has never accepted any office. He is identified with the fraternal order of Red Men at Villa.

J. FERRE E. BEDELL, member of Board of Affairs of Charleston, W. Va., and one of the leading business men of this city, is inter- ested in several enterprises in the city of Charleston, devoting the most of his time to the city's affairs. He was born at Mckeesport, Pa., Nov. 29, 1868, coming to Charleston in 1875.

Mr. Bedell left school in 1885 and became employed as a clerk in the Charleston National Bank and some years later became assistant cashier of the Kanawha National Bank, serv- ing as such for nine years. Later he secured coal interests and for three years had his head- quarters at Cincinnati, Ohio, after which he became connected with the wholesale grocery trade.

Mr. Bedell was married at Charleston, to Miss Cora Kiger, who was born and educated here. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bedell : Olive, born in 1902, and Fer- ree, in 1905. Mr. and Mrs. Bedell are mem- bers of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Bedell was elected city treasurer on the Democratic ticket, serving four years and in April, 1911, was elected a member of the Board of Affairs for a four year term, the first two years as vice-mayor, the last two as mayor. He is prom- inently identified with the Masonic fraternity, belonging to the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Com- mandery, Consistory and Shrine.

MELCHISEDECK MOORE, who owns and operates a ferry across the Kanawha River at Pratt, W. Va., was a farmer for many years and is a veteran Union soldier of the Civil War. He was born April 10, 1843, in Nicholas Coun- ty, Va., a son and one of thirteen children born to his parents, John A. J. and Mary ( Mor- ton) Moore, both of whom are deceased, hav- ing lived in Clay County, W. Va., for many years before death.

Melchisedeck Moore is one of the seven survivors of his parents' family. He remained on his father's farm until he enlisted for ser- vice in the Civil War, entering Co. C, 9th W. Va., July 13. 1862, under Captain N. H. Mc- Laughlin. He participated in many hard fought battles and during one year when he was in a cavalry regiment, almost every day brought a battle. He served until the war was ending and then returned to Kanawha County and went to farming in Malden District. He came to Pratt, in 1904, at which time he started the ferry, purchasing the property from Mrs. Robert Dickinson. Two years later he erected his residence.

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On November 12, 1864, Mr. Moore was married to Miss Sarah Bradley, a daughter of Joshua and Lucinda (Brown) Bradley, and nine children have been born to them, as fol- lows : Ella, who married Thomas Kelly; John W., who married Nellie Spriggle; Robert M., who married Rose Young; Mary C., deceased, who was the wife of Walter Gibson; Noah, who married Lillian Vickers; George W., who married Emma Bryant; Columbus C., who married Anna Burns; Merideth, who married Pearl Giles; and Moses, who married Cather- ine Johnson. Mr. Moore is very proud of his five great-grandchildren, the whole family showing evidence of hearty and virile stock. Mr. and Mrs. Moore are members of the Bap- tist church. In politics he is a Republican and he is a member of the Grand Army of the Re- public. Few men in this section are better known.

HON. WILLIAM ELLSWORTH GLASSCOCK, the present governor of the state of West Virginia, was born in Monon- galia County, this state, about forty years ago, a son of Daniel and Prudence ( Michael) Glass- cock. He is a scion of an old Virginia family, whose early progenitors settled in Fauquier County at an early date. The Governor's grandfather, Andrew Glasscock, removed from that county to Monongalia County, where he followed farming and where his last days were spent. He married Mary Arnett, a Vir- ginia girl.

Daniel Glasscock, the Governor's father, was born in Monongalia County, Va. (now W. Va.), and also followed agricultural pursuits. During the War of Secession he was captain of the Home Guards, a Union company. He died July 18, 1910, at the age of eighty-two years. His wife, in maidenhood Prudence Michael, whom he married in his native coun- ty, was a native of Marion County, W. Va. She died March 3, 1904, at the age of sixty- two years. They were members of the Metho- dist Episcopal church. In politics Daniel Glasscock was a Republican. The family of Daniel and Prudence Glasscock numbered in all nine children, of whom there are eight now

living, all married and the parents of children, except one only.

William Ellsworth Glasscock acquired a good education, becoming a teacher at the age of eighteen years, and later entering the West Virginia University at Morgantown, where he continued his studies for several years. He then began the study of medicine in the Medi- cal Department of the University of Baltimore, Md., but failing health subsequently induced him to give up the idea of a medical career and instead to take up the study of law. For this profession he laid a foundation during his ser- vice as clerk of the circuit court of his county, a position which he held for twelve years in all. He was admitted to the bar in January, 1903, and about the same time began to take an active interest in politics, as a working mem- ber of the Republican party. His ability was early recognized and in 1904 he served as chairman of the State Republican Executive Committee, becoming secretary of the commit- tee after the nomination of the state officers in that year, a position he held for three years. In 1907 he was appointed by President Roosevelt, revenue collector for the District of West Virginia, and served in that capacity until his election as governor in 1908 for a term of four years. Since his election Governor Glasscock has made a creditable record, main- taining the best traditions of his party, admin- istering the duties of his high office in a con- scientious manner and with an intelligent un- derstanding of the needs of the hour and all questions affecting the public welfare, so as to gain the respect even of his political enemies. Of an active and nervous temperament he never feels more completely at home than when engaged in the performance of some necessary duty, particularly if it promises to be of ulti- mate benefit to his state or country. He is a member of the Masonic order, belonging to the Beni-Kedem Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Charleston ; also to Lodge No. 10 of Morgan- town and the Encampment, I. O. O. F .; and to Athens Lodge, No. 36, K. P., in his home town.

Governor Glasscock married Mary Alice Miller, a native of Monongalia County, who,

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like her husband, comes of an old Virginia family. They have one living son, William Ellsworth Jr., who was born January 27, 1897, and is now attending the Charleston high school, being a member of the Class of 1915.

JOSHUA PARSONS, merchant at Clen- denin, W. Va., where he has been established since 1905, was born in Jackson County, W. Va., February 12, 1867, and is a son of George Wilson and Sarah Jane ( Rhoades) Parsons.

George Wilson Parsons, was born in Jack- son County, March 26, 1845, and died May 25, 1902. He was a son of Joshua Parsons, and a grandson of John Parsons, the latter being a Revolutionary soldier. Joshua Parsons mar- ried four times, the mother of George Wil- son Parsons being a Stewart. George Wilson Parsons enlisted for service in the Civil War when only sixteen years of age, becoming a member of Co. K, 7th W. Va. Cav., in which he served out a first enlistment of one year and later reenlisted for three years or for the dura- tion of the war. He was with General McClel- lan during the whole time he was commander- in-chief, but was wounded at the second battle of Bull Run and then returned home and con- tinued his farm operations until the close of his life. He was a valued member of the G. A. R. Post at Ripley in Jackson County. Mr. Parsons was a man of exemplary life notwith- standing his youth when he left home and for years was separated from the protecting in- fluences of home environment. During his whole life he never used profane language, and never was addicted to either drink or tobacco. He belonged to a notably patriotic family, be- sides himself there being two brothers, two brothers-in-law, one half-brother in the army, and of these the two brothers died in prison and the half-brother was killed. George WVil- son Parsons married Sarah Jane Rhoades who died at the age of thirty-three years. Her par- ents were James and Anna (Board) Rhoades. Mr. Parsons was married secondly to Susan Reed, who survives, being in her sixtieth year. To the first marriage four children were born : Joshua, of Clendenin ; C. H. and H. L., both of Jackson County ; and Isadora, who is the wife of D. J. Deweese. To the second marriage the

children born were: D. D., Lloyd, P. C., Jane and Ora.

Joshua Parsons bears his grandfather's name. He was reared on the home farm and attended the schools of Jackson County, after which he was engaged in clerking for one year, then was a merchant for some years, afterward followed farming for a year and again clerk- ing. In 1901 he opened a grocery store at Rip- ley, W. Va., and moved from there to Clen- denin in 1905, opening his store on the Elk River near the site of the first store ever con- ducted here. He is a Republican and is a member of the town council.

Mr. Parsons was married March 26, 1893, to De Morris Mangus, who was born February 9, 1871, in Atchinson County, Kan., a daugh- ter of Ballard and Catherine (Thomas) Man- gus. The latter was a daughter of George D. Thomas of Scotch-Irish descent. His widow lived to be IOI years of age, her death oc- curring July 19, 1909. The paternal grand- parents of Mrs. Parsons were Henry Thomas and Amanda (De Morris) Mangus. Mrs. Parsons was reared from the age of fifteen years by her grandparents, and was twenty- two at the time of her marriage. She was one of a family of twelve children. Mr. and Mrs. Parsons have had three children : Grace A., born in March, 1894; Charlotte Catherine, born in October, 1898; and Arthur, deceased. Mr. Parsons and wife are members of the Metho- dist Episcopal church. He is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America.

THE COX FAMILY-This family had its origin in England where many of its members were active and prominent in various ways, and whence they came to the colonies prior to the Revolutionary war, settling first in the Old Dominion state (Va.). Early records show that Mary Peyton, of a family belonging to the English gentry and eldest daughter of Robert Peyton of Gilham (Eng.), a knight of the shire and a member of the English parlia- ment in the time of William and Mary, mar- ried Sir Richard Cox of Ely, and they are sup- posed on reasonable grounds to be the found- ers of the American branch of the family.

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The Coxes were prominent in eastern Vir- ginia, being connected with many distinguished families of the state and of the South. Among their kindred were the Thermans, the Brecken- ridges, the Spottswoods and others almost equally well known throughout the Southland. One of them, William R. Cox (a family name ) was clerk of the U. S. Senate for some years.

The first American ancestor of the branch under present consideration was Peter Cox, who was resident in Campbell County, Va., in the middle of the 18th century. Peter had a son Jacob, who was born about 1750 and who became a well known man in the eastern part of the state. Jacob married a Miss Radford and they had five children-Milmer, Archer, John W., Patsey and William Radford. Arch- er was a distinguished soldier in the War of 1812 and participated in the battle of New Orleans, under General Jackson, as one of the Tennessee sharpshooters. He died later at Charleston. Patsey, the only daughter, mar- ried young, lived to be very old and died with- out issue.

William Radford Cox, who is next in the present line of descent, being grandfather of Frank Cox of Charleston, was born in Camp- bell County, Va., March 5, 1788, the youngest of his father's children. He was by occupa- tion a farmer and salt maker. He died in Kanawha County, W. Va., in 1843. In 1823, at the age of 35 years, he married Elizabeth Hedrick, a Virginia girl, and not long after- wards came to Charleston, it being at that time but a mere hamlet. Here he owned three or four farms, one of which lay right on the very site of the present city. He was a busy and active citizen, a Democrat in politics and a member of the Presbyterian church. At one time he belonged to the order of Odd Fellows. His wife survived him, dying here in 1890 at the advanced age of ninety-one years. She was a co-religionist with her husband. They were the parents of one child, William R., Jr., who was born near Charleston, W. Va. (then Va.), in 1825, and who died here June 8, 1870.

William R. Cox, Jr., was reared in Charles- ton or the vicinity and was given a collegiate education, being one of the first young men in this section to be sent to college. While yet a

single man he joined the "forty-niners," or "Argonauts," as they have sometimes been called, making the journey to California via Cape Horn, and remaining on the golden shores of the Pacific slope for about eighteen months, and meeting with varied experiences, some agreeable and others the reverse. After his return he engaged in salt making, which occupation he carried on successfully. He died June 8, 1870. He belonged to the order of Odd Fellows, was a Democrat in politics, and in religion a Presbyterian. He served in the Civil War four years as quartermaster under Major Carr.

He was married in this county to Elizabeth Wood, who was born here in 1833, and died June 8, 1880, a few hours from 10 years after her husband. She was a daughter of Henry Hewett and Ann (Reynolds) Wood, natives respectively of New York state and Kanawha County, W. Va. Her father when a young man became a strong southern sympathizer whereby he lost his substantial fortune. He died in Charleston at the age of seventy-seven years in 1883 ; his wife died here December 24, 1879; she was aged sixty-five. They were members of the Episcopal church.

They were the parents of four children, of whom two died young. Ida, born in Charles- tion in 1855, was educated in the public schools, married C. C. McDermott of Pennsylvania, a civil engineer who was for some time in the government employ, engaged in building the blocks and dams on the Kanawha river. Mrs. McDermott died leaving two children-Cath- erine and Elizabeth-and Mr. McDermott has since married again.

Frank Cox, son of William R. and Elizabeth (Wood) Cox, was born on the old homestead, opposite the present site of Malden, this coun- ty, November 19, 1861. He was educated in the public schools and early became interested in mining and is now one of the prominent men in this line of industry in the state. He has operated extensively in the west as well as in West Virginia, and is at present associated with Mr. Albert E. Humphrey, who attends to the western business, having headquarters at Denver, Colo. The business includes extensive gold and silver mining interests. Mr. Cox is

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also secretary of the Republic Coal Co., at Re- public, W. Va., the West Virginia Colliery Co., of Wevaco, W. Va., and the Carbon Coal Co. of Carbon Kanawha County, W. Va. He spent some fifteen years in the state of Minne- sota, being one of those who opened the iron mines at Meseba, that state. He is one of the leading citizens and business men of Charles- ton and has contributed much to the welfare and advancement of the city, the interests of which he has ever at heart.

Mr. Cox was married in Gallipolis, Ohio, to Miss Emma McClurg, who was born, reared and educated in Gallia County, Ohio, and whose father died in 1871 and mother in 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Cox have two children, both daugh- ters, namely : Margaret, born November 15, 1889, who was educated in the city schools and at Columbia Southern College; and Alice Boyd, born August 26, 1891, who is being educated at the same schools. Mr. and Mrs. Cox are members of the Episcopal church.

HON. ADAM B. LITTLEPAGE, member of the United States Congress, to which he was elected in November, 1910, from the Third Congressional District of West Virginia. has been conspicuous in Democratic politics in this state for a number of years and is also widely known as a foremost member of the Charleston bar. He comes from old Virginia stock, and his birth took place in Kanawha county, Va., April 14, 1859. His parents were Adam and Rebecca T. (Wood) Littlepage.

Adam Littlepage was born in Greenbrier county, Va., where his French-Scotch ancestors had early settled. In 1840 he built salt works near Kanawha Saline, where he engaged in salt manufacturing and contracting, removing from there in 1847 to a farm near Kanawha Two- Mile. He possessed business qualifications of a high order and became a man of large estate. During the unhappy Civil War he suffered great losses, many of which he claimed to be unjust, and he subsequently gave up his life, in a duel at Dublin, Va., in an effort to substan- tiate his right to a valuable property. Although the large fortune which he had acquired was not preserved to his family, they were able to retain nine hundred acres of land, little of

which, however, was contributive to the com- fort or maintenance of his immediate family. Adam Littlepage married Rebecca T. Wood. She was born in Kanawha county, Va., and died at Charleston, W. Va., in 1898, aged seventy-one years. Seven children were born to this marriage, several of whom died in in- fancy. One son, Alexander, became a noted physician, while Adam B. and Samuel D. both became lawyers, and both have gained promi- nence as members of the Charleston bar.

Adam B. Littlepage attended the public schools in Kanawha county. The death of his father, in 1862, had brought about domestic changes and the advantages that might have been accorded the children of the family were measurably limited. When the youth decided to study law, he went to his uncle, who was a resident of Lodi, Ind., and remained with him until the latter's death, after which, for a time, he was employed in settling up his uncle's large estate. In his early endeavors to secure an education in law that would admit him to practice, Mr. Littlepage met with many dis- couragements which to a man of less determi- nation, would have caused his turning to some other means to gain a livelihood. Fortunately lie had faith in himself, an important factor in the pursuit of any ambition, and struggled on until he attained his desire. In painful meas- ure, in his early years of law practice at New- port, Ind., in which state he had been admitted to the bar, he was hampered by lack of means, increased somewhat by the desire as well as ne- cessity of contributing to the support of those dear to him. In this connection it may be men- tioned that when his income was fifty dollars a month, he sent thirty-five dollars of this amount to his mother. Also, in Indiana he found him- self not altogether in touch with the people and conditions which surrounded him, and after two years of trial, a natural feeling of home- sickness perhaps had its influence and he re- turned to Kanawha county. He opened an of- fice at Charleston and has never had cause to regret the move he made at that time.

Mr. Littlepage has been more than usually successful in his profession and has won dis- tinction both as a criminal and civil lawyer. He has practiced alone and also with partners,

HON. ADAM B. LITTLEPAGE

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and in February, 1907, he became the senior member of the well known law firm of Little- page, Cato & Bledsoe, with offices in the Kana- wha Valley bank building, at Charleston. This association continued until February, 19II, when the firm became Littlepage & Son. The younger member of the firm, S. Collett Little- page, is a graduate of the class of 1908, of the West Virginia College, and was admitted to the bar in September of that year.

For many years Mr. Littlepage has been a prominent and loyal member of the Demo- cratic party in this state, but has never been un- duly anxious to secure office for himself. On one occasion his party brought him forward as a candidate for prosecuting attorney, when he was defeated by but forty-nine votes, a later ac- counting resulting in the division of the office between the two candidates. In November, 1906, his personal popularity was well shown when he was elected to the state senate from a district that was over 3,000 votes normally Re- publican. He served ably through one term, being a member of the finance and other im- portant committees, but declined a second nomi- nation. He then withdrew from politics, de- voting himself more closely to his profession, but was recalled to public life by his party and in November, 1910, was elected to Congress, overcoming a normal Republican majority of 6,000 votes by 1,866 ballots. His nomination had been by acclamation and his election was held as a great triumph not only for himself but for his party. He will take his seat in March, 19II.

Mr. Littlepage was married April 8, 1884, to Eva Collett, daughter of Stephen S. and Jane (Dunlap) Collett. Her parents were natives of Vermillion county, Ind., Mr. Collett being president of Collett & Co.'s Band at Newport, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Littlepage are the parents of two children, Clara Frances and S. Collett. The former, who is a graduate of Lutherville (Md.) Ladies' Seminary, is the wife of F. W. Boyce.

Mr. Littlepage is an enterprising citizen in all that concerns Charleston, lending his sup- port and influence to various movements calcu- lated to enhance her prestige and promote her moral or material prosperity. He is identified

with the Masonic Order, the Odd Fellows, the Red Men and the United American Mechanics. A man of refinement and scholarly tastes, he takes justifiable pride in his excellent library, which is probably one of the most complete and well selected libraries in the whole state.

ERNEST LEE MICHIE, superintendent of the mines of the Sunday Creek Company and a resident of Cedar Grove, W. Va., has lived in Kanawha County all his life and was born on the home farm near St. Albans, June 18, 1887, a son of Robert L. and Lena (Tompkins) Michie.

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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 65

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