History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 66

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 66

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Robert L. Michie was born in Virginia and grew to manhood on a farm and then came to West Virginia and near St. Albans, Kanawha County, was married to Lena Tompkins, a daughter of Beverly Tompkins and a grand- daughter of William Tompkins, one of the sub- stantial pioneers of this section. Robert L. Michie later spent some time in railroading and was a passenger conductor on the C. & O. Railroad, but now lives retired with his wife on his farm. They had three children: Ruby, who is the wife of J. L. Baumgardner, of New York city; Ernest Lee; and Beverly C., who resides at home.

Ernest Lee Michie attended school in Jef- ferson District until he was thirteen years of age, when he became an employe of the Sun- day Creek Company and from a humble posi- tion has worked himself up through merit to the position of District Superintendent, this promotion coming to him in March, 1911, when he succeeded J. W. Taylor.

In November, 1907, Mr. Michie was married to Miss Bertha Morris and they have one son, Beverly Lee. Mr. Michie is prominent in Ma- sonry belonging to Coal Valley Lodge No. 74, F. & A. M .; Tyrian Chapter No. 13, at Charles- ton; Kanawha Commandery, No. 4. and Beni- Kedem Temple, Mystic Shrine.

DAVID A. BRAWLEY, county judge and county commissioner of Kanawha County, who has also carried on a prosperous hardware business in Charleston for thirty years past, was born in Big Sandy district, this county,

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HISTORY OF KANAWHA COUNTY

December 2, 1855, a son of Henry T. and Sus- an (Snyder) Brawley. His great grandpar- ents on the paternal side came from County Cork, Ireland, early in the 19th century, set- tling in the Kanawha Valley, W. Va. The great grandfather was accompanied by two brothers, one of whom located in the Virginia Valley and the other at Geneva, Pa. The Brawleys of this county are all descended from one or another of these three branches.

The great grandfather of our subject, whose name is now forgotten, had received a good education in his native land and following the occupation of a teacher, which he continued after coming to this country. He was of a good family, most of whose male members were noted for their size and physical strength. In religion he was a Roman Catholic. He mar- ried an Irish girl, who died in this valley, as did he also at an advanced age.

Their son James, grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch, was born in the Kanawha Valley and when he grew up was a very large and strong man, six feet four inches in height, and weighing 340 pounds. He acquired a good education and became a teacher and farmer, also serving for some time as an official of the county. His death, which took place at the age of fifty-five years, was due to an act of vio- lence. Being sent to arrest a man charged with a criminal offense, the latter struck him with the edge of an axe, sinking it deep into his chest. In spite of the wound he disarmed his man and took him to the lockup, but later died from its effects. He was a man well known in the valley, both for his valor and for his fairness of mind and keen sense of honor. He married Fannie Keeney, a native of the Valley, who survived her husband, dying at the age of seventy-seven years. She was of Irish parentage and a Methodist in religion. They were the parents of two sons and five daughters, all of whom married and had large families, ranging from eleven to fourteen chil- dren each. None of these brothers and sis- ters are now living. They were as follows:

Washington, who was a farmer, lived and died in Big Sandy district, this county. He married Catharine Snyder, of German parents,

who is also now deceased. They had a large family.

Henry T., the other son, was the father of the subject of this sketch and further reference to him will be made herein.

Adaline became the wife of Milton Snyder of Malden district, a merchant and farmer, and both are now deceased.

Lucinda married David Snyder, a tailor and grocer of Charleston. He enlisted in the Con- federate army at the age of fifty years, serving under "Stonewall" Jackson, and was severely wounded by a shell. Both are now deceased.

Emaline became the wife of Daniel Snyder, a farmer and miller, who at one time, in early days, traded a rifle for 1,000 acres of land. His mill at Queen Shoals drew customers from over a radius of 100 miles. He and his wife both died in Big Sandy district.

Jane married James Curry, a merchant in Malden District.

Henry T. Brawley, father of our subject, was born in Cabin Creek district, this county, in 1828. He was reared in his native district and adopted agriculture as his life occupation, making a sort of specialty of flax raising, tak- ing this product from the field and putting it through the various processes of manufacture until it was made into wearing apparel, the members of his family each taking part in the work. He was a quiet man, of domestic tastes, a good citizen, and in politics a Democrat. He and his wife were people of devout habits, members of the Methodist church, and held morning and evening prayer in the household.

Mrs. Susan Brawley was the youngest child of a large family belonging to Rev. John Sny- der, the maiden name of whose wife was Boo- her. She was born in 1828 and died in 1891, in February, three weeks before the death of her husband. Her parents came to the present site of Charleston when the only visible habita- tions were three log cabins. The father was an educated man, a minister in the Methodist church from the age of twenty-one until his death. He walked two miles to preach his last sermon three weeks before his death. In the days of his early residence here he killed many bears and panthers and other wild game, never

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killing harmless animals, however, except for food. Besides attending to his pastoral work he followed farming, owning several thousand acres of land lying along the Elk river, which he subsequently divided among his children, of whom he had a large family. In politics he was a Democrat. He was eighty-nine years old at the time of his death, his wife dying at the age of seventy-four.

Henry T. Brawley and wife had eleven chil- dren, as follows: Rosanna, wife of Lewis Hart of Charleston (have family) ; Anna, wife of Rev. James Ramsey, a Methodist minister re- siding in Missouri; Washington B., clerk for our subject, married Corra Morgan (nee Mc- Clure) ; Mary J., deceased, formerly wife of C. M. Witter and a resident of Keystone, W. Va .; David A., whose name appears at the head of this sketch ; Susan S., who was wife of J. H. Carwithers, now deceased (she lives in Charleston and has family) ; John Morgan, who died unmarried, being accidentally killed while engaged at his trade of tinner, by falling from a house; Lucida, who died at the age of seven years; Betsey, who died in childhood; Lillian, who is the wife of Frank Lewis of Charleston ; and Daniel B., a real estate dealer of Charleston, who married Flora Donley.

David A. Brawley was educated in the pub- lic schools of his district and grew up as a far- mer boy until reaching the age of seventeen. He then came to Charleston to learn the trade of tinner or tinsmith. He subsequently went into business on his own account, dealing also in hardware and other similar goods, and has been thus occupied for thirty years very suc- cessfully. He has also made judicious invest- ments in real estate both in and outside of Charleston, whereby he has added considerably to his fortune. Mr. Brawley has served his district as commissioner, president of the school board and a member of the city coun- cil. In 1910 he was elected on the Democratic ticket as county commissioner, whereby he be- came one of the three judges of the county court, of whom two at least sit together. These judges fix the levies, finance the county's busi- ness and pay the bills. Mr. Brawley's election was by over 1400 majority in a county strongly

Republican. He is a member of the order of Elks of this city.

Mr. Brawley was married in Charleston to Miss Laura Temple, who was born in 1868 in Prince George County, Va., where also she was educated. Her parents were Joel and Dora (Belcher) Temple, the former now de- ceased and the latter still residing in Prince George County. Their farm was the site of Ft. Hell and Ft. Damnation, the scene of strug- gles between the Union and Confederate forces in the Civil War. Mr. and Mrs. Brawley are the parents of the following children :

Robert M., residing at home, who is asso- ciated with his father in business; Mary Sus- an, who is attending the high school; John Morgan, residing at home; David Earle, Can- taline and Julia.

By a former marriage to Miss Therina Lu- cadoe Mr. Brawley has three other children- Bessie, the wife of a Mr. Ayers, residing in Columbus, O., the mother of three children; Sallie, the wife of Richard Clarie of Charles- ton (has also three children) ; and William H., now with his father in business. Mr. Braw- ley's children are all strong, large and hearty to an exceptional degree and a credit to the communities in which they reside. The family are affiliated religiously with the Methodist Episcopal church.

JOHN P. RILEY, postmaster at Clendenin, W. Va., and one of the leading merchants, is a native of Kanawha County, born Septem- ber 15, 1854, in Big Sandy District, and is a son of Jesse and Hannah (Ellsworth) Riley.

Jesse Riley was born in what is now West Virginia and as a young man became a mer- chant on Elk River and conducted a mercantile business near Blue Creek, for thirty years. He was a man of business standing and was a very active Republican. For many years he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Blue Creek. He married Hannah Ellsworth and thirteen children were born to them, the survivors of the family being: John P .; Marcellus, who is a farmer in Big Sandy District; Melissa, who is the wife of M. Jack- son, of Roane County; and Caroline, who is the wife of J. Bevel, of Roane County.

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After his school period was over, John P. Riley engaged in farming for his father until he was nineteen years of age and then bought a farm for himself in Elk District, which he conducted for eighteen years, when he came to Clendenin, where he has been engaged in mer- chandising ever since. On September 6, 1907, he was appointed postmaster. Politically he is a Republican and has served on important com- mittees and as a delegate to conventions.

Mr. Riley married Miss Lucy Osborn, who was born in 1851, and they have had the fol- lowing children: Anna, who is the wife of H. S. Young, and has one child; Ella, who is the wife of S. W. Lynch, and has three children; John Wesley, who is a teamster, married Lizzie Summers and has three children; and Elmer Clark, who lives at home. Mr. Riley and fam- ily belong to the Methodist Episcopal church. He is identified with the Odd Fellows at this place.

CAPT. WILLIAM H. TOMPKINS, one of the best known and most respected residents of Charleston, who is now living retired after a long and active career, is a native of the Kan- awha Valley and a descendant of William Tompkins, Sr., who was born in Virginia some years before the Revolutionary war. This worthy, who was in fact our subject's pa- ternal grandfather, lived and died in Hanover County, Va., where during his industrial per- iod he was engaged in agricultural pursuits. He married Mary Michie and their family con- sisted of seven children-Harry, James, John, William, Jr., Elizabeth, Salley and Polly, all of whom lived to a good age. They all mar- ried but Harry, and all the married ones have families except Polly.

William Tompkins, Jr., was born near the home of Henry Clay, not far from Richmond, Va., in 1793. Losing his father when he was a mere boy, a little later he accompanied his mother to Georgetown, Ky. There, when a young man, he enlisted in a Kentucky regiment to serve in the War of 1812 with Great Brit- ain. He saw and participated in some warm fighting under Generals Harrison and Scott, but escaped unhurt. After his return from the

war he settled in Kanawha County, Va. (now W. Va.). His mother died in 1853, when over 90 years of age, having been twice married and there being children by both marriages. She was a native of Louisa County, Va.

From 1818 or 1820 to 1845 William Tomp- kins, Jr., operated a salt furnace at Burning Springs on the Kanawha river, during a part of this time being associated with his brother- in-law, Col. Aaron Stockton, and subsequently, up to 1857, the year of his death, he conducted it alone. He owned at Burning Springs over 600 acres of land, which is still in the family name. Without assistance also he built a church, which he practically supported there- after and which was of the Methodist denomi- nation, of which faith he was an adherent. In politics he was a life-long Whig. He was a good conscientious man and was highly es- teemed as a useful and reliable citizen. His death occurred May 2, 1857.

William Tompkins, Jr., was twice married ; first to Jane M. Grant, of Kanawha County, who had the reputation of being the hand- somest woman in the Kanawha Valley. She was not destined, however, to length of days, as she died in 1830 when about 27 years old. She had been the mother of five children, but, as though the Angel of Death had speciallv marked out this family, all died in early in- fancy. Mr. Tompkins was subsequently mar- ried in this county to his second wife, Rachel Maria Grant, who was born in Washington county, Pa., September 6, 1805, a daughter of John Grant. She was an aunt of General U. S. Grant, being a sister of his father, Jesse R. Grant. When an infant she accompanied her parents to Maysville. Ky., where she was reared and educated. It was while on a visit to Malden, Kanawha county, W. Va., that she met and married Mr. Tompkins. She was a devoted member of the Methodist Church South and an earnest Christian woman, ex- emplifying her faith by her life, upholding that which was of good report, a sincere and help- ful friend and agreeable neighbor. She was highly esteemed by her nephew, General Grant, who, in 1873, while then President, paid her a visit at her home in this county. Here, at Cedar

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Grove, she died on May 17, 1882. She reared eight children, two others having died young. Those who reached maturity were as follows : Beverly, born Oct. 18, 1833, died at the age of 49 years, April 17, 1882. He was married and had nine children, eight of whom are now living. He was a farmer. Virginia, born Sept. 7, 1835, is the wife of Rev. John C. Brown, a retired Presbyterian minister, living in Lewisburg, W. Va. They have eight daughters, of whom five are married. William H. is the direct subject of this sketch. Charles C., born July 26, 1840, resides in New York. where he is engaged in the real estate business He is married and has one son and three daugh- ters. Mary, born Oct. 31, 1841, died Aug. 28, 1907. She was the wife of Col. Thomas B. Swann, who served in the Confederate army and was subsequently a lawyer in Charleston, but is now deceased. Of this marriage there were no children. Ellen R. (always called "Boone"), born Sept. 22, 1843, died March 2, 1899. She married Col. Oliver A. Patton, also now deceased. They had a family of four children, three of whom are now living. Hen- ry Preston, born Sept. 1844, was accidentally killed by the cars near his home, Nov. 12, 1907, at Cedar Grove. He was married and had five children, all now living. John Grant Wilson, born January 18, 1847, died July 8, 1907. He was twice married and left one son.

Capt. William H. Tompkins was born April 4, 1837. He completed his education at the University of Virginia and was 24 years old when the Civil War broke out. He then, in 1862, enlisted in the Confederate army as a member of the Commissary Department of the 36th Battalion of Cavalry, receiving the rank of Captain. He was with his command at Gettys- burg and accompanied Lee's army on its re- treat. He was subsequently connected with an- other command, with which he remained until the surrender at Appomattox. The war being then practically over, he returned to his home to take charge of his father's affairs, his moth- er being still living. He was thus occupied un- til 1869, at which time he took charge of his father's salt furnace, which had been in other hands, and which he operated until 1876. He

then changed the scene of his activities, becom- ing captain of a vessel on the Ohio and Kan- awha rivers, and he was afterwards captain and owner of the Virgie Lee, named after his two daughters, and which was the largest pac- ket on the Ohio river. After four years of this life, which was not devoid of incident, he re- tired. He purchased his present home at 1322 Kanawha street in 1865, it being now one of the old landmarks on this street. He still has valuable business interests, owning 900 acres of coal land in the Cabin Creek district. In politics he is what might be termed an inde- pendent Republican, placing conscience before party, but supporting his party whenever he believes it to be in the right-the position that every good citizen ought to take. He was reared in the faith of the Methodist church and still adheres to it, and though he sometimes finds himself not fully in accord with the doc- trines of his church as put forth at the present day, it is due to the fact, as he puts it, that his church has left him, not that he has left the church. He is a man well informed upon local history, a subject in which he takes great inter- est, and he is well informed in many other di- rections, having, until his sight failed him, been a great reader. This great affliction came on him a few years ago, but he met it with manful resignation and with a courage worthy of the resolute men who wore the gray, as well as of those who wore the blue, in the days now long gone by.

Capt. Thompkins was married in Charles- ton, W. Va., to Ellen Carr, who was born here Sept. 29, 1837, and has always resided in this city. She was educated at Piedmount Insti- tute for Ladies, at Charlotte, Va., graduating in the class of 1855. Her parents were Maj. James L. and Sallie (Cook) Carr. The father, born in Albemarle County, Va., in 18II, was a graduate of the University of Virginia, and a lawyer, following his profession in Charles- ton. He was a strong Democrat and in re- ligion a Presbyterian. He served through the Civil War in the Commissary Department of the Confederate army, with the rank of major. He was once offered the position of Lieutenant- Governor of West Virginia, but declined it.

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His father, Samuel Carr, was near of kin to Thomas Jefferson. Maj. Carr died Feb. I, 1875. Sallie (Cook) Carr was born in 1816 and died in May, 1880. She also was a Pres- byterian. She was the mother of six children, of whom one is now deceased. The living are as follows: Ellen, wife of the subject of this sketch; Lawrence, a retired physician of Charleston, who is married but has no chil- dren; John, a resident of Huston, Texas, mar- ried and with four children; Mary, wife of Lewis Caperton, who lives near Charleston and has a daughter, Fannie; and William, who went to the far West and has not since been heard from.

Capt. and Mrs. Thompkins have six chil- dren living, whose record in brief is as fol- lows: W. W. Thompkins, born June 14, 1860, graduated from Columbia college, New York, (Medical Department) in the class of 1882, and has since practiced his profession in Charleston. He is unmarried. Lawrence C., born March 17, 1866, resides on a farm in this county ; also unmarried. Mary is the wife of William A. Slicer, resides in Charleston and has one son, William T. Virginia Brown is unmarried and resides at home. Thomas S., born April 1, 1875, is a graduate of the Uni- versity of Baltimore, and is now engaged in the practice of medicine in Lincoln county. He married and has two children-Thomas Blan- ford and Ellen Carr. Rachel Grant, unmar- ried, resides at home. Mrs. Thompkins and the children are members of the Presbyterian church.

HON. CHARLES B. COLEMAN, mayor of Pratt, W. Va., is one of the representative citizens of Cabin Creek District and is identi- fied with both public affairs and business enter- prises in this vicinity. He was born at Charles- ton, W. Va., March 13, 1880, and is a son of Robert A. and a grandson of Nelson B. Cole- man.

Nelson B. Coleman was born in Virginia and came to the Kanawha section when a young man. At first he was employed as a captain on a steam-boat and later was in the insurance business at Charleston. His death

occurred at Malden, Kanawha County, when he was eighty-six years of age and he was sur- vived but one year by his widow. They had four children: Robert A .; Fannie, who is the wife of Prof. Patrick, one of the old teachers of Charleston; Charles N., who is deceased ; and Lucy P., who is the wife of E. Oaks.

Robert A. Coleman was born at Malden when that place was larger and apparently had better future prospects than Charleston. In his earlier years he worked at salt manufactur- ing and transported the salt on flat-boats down the river to New Orleans. Still later he be- came cashier in the Kanawha Valley Bank at Charleston, where he continued to live until the time of his death, July 3, 1900, at the age of fifty-four years. For some years previously he had been connected with the office of the county clerk. He married Nancy V. Noyes, who died in 1896, the mother of six children, namely : Roberta, who is the wife of Dr. H. G. Nicholson, of Charleston; Charles Bradford; Fannie, who is the wife of J. A. Grimes, of Portsmouth, O .; Almira A., who is the wife of W. S. Kennedy, of Chicago, Ill .; Bradford N .; and Nancy.

Charles B. Coleman obtained his education in the public schools and his first work was with the Western Union Telegraph Company, as a messenger boy. He then sold newspapers and later was an employe of the Hotel Ruffner at Charleston. Mr. Coleman then perfected him- self in stenography and after serving for a time as stenographer for Brown, Jackson & Knight, came to what is now called Pratt, in 1900, accepting the position of stenographer for Charles Pratt & Co. Mr. Coleman has continued with this company and is now its cashier. He also entered into business for himself, becoming associated with L. H. Fer- rell in lumber operations on Paint Creek, un- der the firm name of L. H. Ferrell & Co. In June, 1911, in partnership with his brother-in- law, H. V. Frazer, he took over the hardware business of his uncle, C. N. Coleman, at Charlestown, Jefferson County, W. Va., the same now being conducted as the Coleman Hardware Company, Mr. Frazer being the general manager. In politics Mayor Coleman

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is a Republican and his first political office was when he was appointed a page in the State Senate when he was a boy. Although he is yet a young man he has made many strides forward and in January, 19II, was elected mayor of Pratt, and is giving his fellow citi- zens an admirable administration.

On October 12, 1904, Mr. Coleman was married to Miss Margaret C. Frazer, a daugh- ter of Charles H. and Carrie (Smith) Frazer, and they have a son and a daughter: Charles B., born in August, 1905; and Caroline C., born March 27, 1910. Mayor Coleman is a member of the old Kanawha Baptist church at Pratt, which was established in 1792 and is the oldest church in the Kanawha Valley.

JOHN H. WICK, D.D.S., who has been engaged in the practice of dentistry at Charles- ton, W. Va., since 1906, occupies well appoint- ed parlors in the Elk Banking Building, where he has all the equipments that are now made use of by the modern and up-to-date dental surgeon. He was born at Winfield, W. Va., in 1885, and is a son Elisha William and Phoe- be (Erskine) Wick.

Elisha William Wick was born in Butler County, Pa., and in young manhood located in Putnam County, now West Virginia, where he still resides, being a business man at Winfield. He has been twice married. His first wife, Phoebe Erskine, was born in Putnam County and was a member of one of the old families of that section. She died in 1897, at the age of thirty-seven years. She was a devoted member of the Baptist church. Mr. Wick married second, Nettie Salmonds, a member of an old Virginia family. Elisha William Wick has three children, John H. being the second child and only son. His older sister, Mary, is the wife of Dr. M. E. Hoge, of Jackson, Ky., while the younger, Myrtle Clyde, is the wife of A. W. Gatens, a merchant at Bancroft, W. Va.

John H. Wick attended the public schools of Winfield and then took a preparatory course in the University of West Virginia, after which he entered a school of embalming, where he completed the course and for four years after- ward followed embalming as a profession. He

then turned his attention to the study of den- tistry, and was a student for two years in a dental school at Cincinnati, subsequently en- tering the Northwestern University of Chica- go, Ill., where he was graduated in the class of 1908. In 1906 Dr. Wick established himself at Charleston and for two years was associated with Dr. H. S. Barr, in 1908 opening his pres- ent office, as stated above. He has a large practice, and is one of the most successful of the younger professional men of this city. He has as his associate, Dr. W. A. Barringer, who graduated from the dental department of the University of Michigan, in the class of 1910.

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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 66

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