History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 71

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 71

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considered a wonderful sight and attracted peo- ple from long distances. He has always con- sidered public questions with a liberal mind, but has performed his duties as a citizen ac- cording to his own judgment. For twenty- two years he lived as a member of that strict religious sect, the Missionary Baptists, and then united with the Church of Christ, gener- ally known as the Campbellites.

FRANK L. McGEE, M.D., who died sud- denly at his home in Charleston, W. Va., June 27, 19II, was a physician and surgeon in active and successful practice and was highly esteemed by the medical fraternity of the city. He was born May 25, 1855, in Lewis county, now West Virginia, and is a son of James and Cordelia Ann (Talbott ) McGee.

Thomas McGee, the grandfather of Dr. Mc- Gee, was born in Ireland and was unmarried when he came to the United States and located at Lynchburg, Va., where he was engaged in tobacco manufacture prior to the Civil War. He married a member of the old Kellogg fam- ily in Virginia and she attained an advanced age. They had two sons and three daughters born to them.

James McGee, father of Dr. McGee, was born in 1818, in Bedford county, Va., and died in 1863 from an attack of typhoid fever. He was a soldier in the Confederate army, under Jen- kins, and was with him in his raid along the Ohio river, when the commander was wounded and Mr. McGee and his comrades were cap- tured and sent to prison. He was finally ex- changed, but at that time was sick and died shortly afterward. He was a farmer and stock dealer by occupation and was personally a man of high principles. He married Cordelia Ann Talbott, who was born in Lewis county in 1828 and died in 1876. She was a daughter of John Talbott.

Six children were born to James and Corde- lia A. McGee, three of whom still survive. Mary, the eldest, married William Hornor and died at the age of forty-four years, leaving one son, Charles. Thomas was a prominent citizen of Hemphill county, Tex., where he was elected sheriff and while in the performance of his duty was killed in 1893. John is engaged in farm-

FRANK L. McGEE, M. D.

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ing in Nicholas county. He married a Miss Christian and they have two living children- Edmund C. and Elizabeth. Frank Leroy, our subject, was the next member of the family in order of birth. Harry is a resident of Oldham county, Texas, of which he was formerly sheriff, and is a large cattle dealer. Ida is the wife of Thomas Copley, and they reside in Jef- ferson district, Kanawha county.

Frank Leroy McGee after attending Weston University entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, Md., where he spent two years, later graduating from the Ken- tucky School of Medicine, at Louisville, Ky., in the class of 1893. Soon afterward he es- tablished himself in practice in Nicholas county, and in the same year was elected a delegate to the West Virginia Legislature, on the Demo- cratic ticket. He then came to Charleston and realizing the advantages offered here in the educating of his children, he decided to make this city his home. He was highly successful in his profession and had built up an excellent practice when his life was suddenly cut short by paralysis, his death occurring as above nar- rated. His untimely demise caused a severe shock to a wide circle of friends and acquain- tances.

Dr. McGee was married in 1881, at Paint Creek, Kanawha county, W. Va., to Miss Mary Buster, who was born at Armstrong Creek, in Fayette county, June 27, 1857, and was edu- cated at Charleston. Mrs. McGee is a daugh- ter of William B. and Sarah A. Buster, the former of whom was born at Hanover, Va., and died at Mt. Carbon, Fayette county, in 1878. Mrs. McGee's mother was born in Mont- gomery county, Va., and resides with her widowed daughter; her ninetieth birthday will take place on November 21, 191I.

Dr. and Mrs. McGee were the parents of ten children, namely : Anna, who resides at home; Ida M., who is a teacher in the public schools of Charleston; Daisy, who died in infancy; Pearl, who is a teacher in Charleston; Blanche, who died at the age of four and a half years; Kittie, who is a high school student; Frankie R., who attends the public schools; Patrick H., who died at the age of eight years; and Will- iam B. and James Talbott. Mrs. McGee and

children are members of the Presbyterian church, in which Dr. McGee was also reared, although he was not identified by membership with any congregation. For a number of years he was a Master Mason, taking much interest in the order. A man of high character and up- to-date ideas, he interested himself actively in all matters of public importance.

DAVID EGAN, building contractor at Charleston, W. Va., to which city he came in 1848, was born May 13, 1836, in County Cork, Ireland, a son of Andrew and Catherine (Nagle) Egan. In 1842, when Ireland ex- perienced famine on account of the failure of the potato crop, Andrew Egan parted from his family and came to America in the hope that he could find remunerative work and thus provide for his wife and five children. He met with success but it required three years of in- dustry to accumulate enough money with which to return to Ireland and bring his family back to America. In 1848 the Egan family set sail in one of the old slow-moving vessels of that time. Many misfortunes overtook them be- fore the shores of the United States were reached, the greatest of these being the death of the father at sea. For six months Mrs. Egan and her children managed to subsist in New York City and to earn enough to trans- port them to Fayette county, W. Va., and later to Charleston. She saw better days in her old age and lived to witness the prosperity of her children. She died February 16, 1888, being then more than eighty years old.

David Egan was twelve years old when he reached Charleston. He had three sisters and one brother. Mary, the eldest, who is now de- ceased, was the wife of William Kelly, of Cali- fornia. Elizabeth, who died at Charleston, was the wife of the late Alvaro Gibbons, who started the first Republican newspaper in Charleston, after the Civil War, and at one time was postmaster. Ellen married Hon. George W. Atkinson, of Charleston. John, who has been a farmer all his life, now resides at Charleston. He married four times. David Egan was yet young when he learned the car- penter trade and in 1864 went into business for himself but prior to that he had been in the

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employ of the government during the preced- ing years of the Civil War, in the construction and repair shops at this point. Ordinarily dur- ing this time he had from twenty to fifty men under his direction and when a special detail was made, had from 150 to 200 men. Mr. Egan has been a continuous resident of Charleston since he first came here, with the exception of seven years just prior to the war, when he worked in Memphis, Tenn. He has assisted in the building of many structures of all kinds in this city. In 1866 he built the first town hall and retained the ownership of it for some time. In earlier years he did a large business in constructing coffins, at a time when they were all made by hand. Mr. Egan has survived many men in his line of business that were here when he first embarked in it and he and Judge McWhorter are the only survivors of the old Masonic lodge of Kanawha county, of which he became a member in 1864. Since 1854 Mr. Egan has been a member of the First Presbyterian Church and during the greater part of this time he has been a deacon. Dur- ing the entire period of his political life, he has been a Democrat and twice he has served as a member of the city council. He has always been one, both as man and citizen, who has commanded the respect of the community.

Mr. Egan was married to Miss Mary F. Mahan, who was born in 1843 in Monroe county, W. Va. Mrs. Egan is well and fa- vorably known outside as well as inside the do- mestic circle. She is a member of the State Historical Society, to which body she has do- nated a valuable collection of curios and an- tiques, which are nominally valued at $500, although twice that sum would not purchase them. For many years she has taken delight in making such collections and probably is bet- ter informed concerning the same than any other member of the society. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Egan, name- ly : Katherine, who resides at home; Ella, who married Oliver Homer and they reside at Co- lumbus, O., and have two children, Catherine and John; Mary, who married Reginald Hughes, who is attached to the U. S. Engi- neer's office at Charleston, and they have three children, Mary E., Ella Louise and Ernest ;

Andrew Nelson, who is in the jewelry business at Charleston, married Ida Booker and they have two children, David Nelson and Florence ; and Percy E., who was accidentally killed by the railroad, on December 24, 1908. He was educated at Johns Hopkins University at Bal- timore and was a graduate of the Kentucky School of Medicine, at Louisville, and was a successful medical practitioner. He is sur- vived by his widow, formerly Miss Emma Wil- liams, together with two children, Percy and an infant. Mrs. Egan is a very active and thoroughly interested member of the First Presbyterian church at Charleston.

JAMES MORRIS, of the general mercan- tile firm of James Morris & Co., at Dana Sta- tion, Malden district, has been a resident of Kanawha county all his life. He was born in Malden district, Kanawha county, W. Va., March II, 1873, and is a son of Lewis and Tish (Waugh) Morris.

Lewis Morris was born in Raleigh county, Va., and came to Kanawha county with his parents who died in Loudon district. When young he worked in the salt furnaces in Malden district and at one period he also worked as a coal miner. He was one of six children, as follows : Lewis ; Daniel ; Mary, who is deceased, was the wife of Albert Carter; Martha, de- ceased, who was the wife of Caleb Casdorph ; and James, Ballard and Alfred. Lewis Morris spent the larger part of his life in Kanawha county, about the time of marriage moving back to Malden district, where he conducted a store for fifteen years. His death occurred in 1906, at the age of sixty-three years. He was twice married, his first wife dying when their son James was eight years old. The other four children were: Allen; Cora, who is the wife of John Holder; Newton; and Carrie, who is the wife of James Blunt. Mr. Morris was mar- ried second to Sarah Griffin, who survives, and they had four children : Lewis W. ; Willie May, who is the wife of Jack Seely; and Leonard and Shirkey.

James Morris obtained his education in a country school and when only a boy began to work as a tripper in the coal mines, afterward driving the entry for his father in the old Hud-

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son coal bank of the Campbell's Creek Coal Company. He then assisted his father in his store and again at the coal bank, and after- ward, for several years, followed teaming. Mr. Morris then went to Saginaw, Mich., and worked in the coal mines there for nine months, when he returned to his father's store. He thus had considerable experience in several lines before he embarked in the mercantile business for himself, in February, 1905, when, in partnership with his brother, Allen Morris, and his step-mother, Mrs. Sarah Morris, he opened his store at Dana Station. Subse- quently he bought his step-mother's interest and then admitted another brother, Newton Morris, as a partner, and the firm of Morris & Co., is made up of James, Allen and Newton Morris. All are reliable and capable business men and enjoy the confidence of this whole territory, which is largely supplied from their stock.

James Morris was married August 19, 1909, to Miss Ethel Casdorph, a daughter of Caleb Casdorph. In politics Mr. Morris is a Repub- lican. He is identified fraternally with the Masons and the Knights of Pythias at Malden.

RICHARD GUILL, for many years was a man of large business affairs at Charleston, W. Va., and an exemplary and useful citizen. He was born June 15, 1825, in Farmsville, Rock- ingham county, Va., and died at his home, No. 4II Donnally street, Charleston, on November 22, 1904. The only child of his parents, he was left fatherless when quite young. His mother married again and lived into old age, surviving her second husband and dying in Rockingham county.

Richard Guill remained in his native county until he was twenty-five years old and then came to West Virginia with Joseph J. Thax- ton. In association with William Coon they embarked in a lumber and dock business, under the firm name of J. J. Thaxton & Co., which continued and prospered for a space of thirty years when the long connection was broken by the death of both of Mr. Guill's partners, by a strange coincidence both dying from the ef- fects of an accident. Mr. Thaxton never sur- vived a fall. on the ice, and Mr. Coon a fall

over an embankment. Mr. Guill continued the business, but later retired to private life, and for five years enjoyed entire rest from business cares. In his political sympathies he was a Democrat. At the outbreak of the Civil War he became a member of the organization known as the Sharpshooters of the Kanawha Valley and was slightly wounded at the first land bat- tle of the war in West Virginia. He was a man of high personal character, a pronounced temperance advocate, and on one occasion was his party's choice of candidate for the office of mayor of Charleston, failing of election by a very small majority. For nine years he was president of the school board of this city and it was during this time that some of the fine school buildings of which Charleston is justly proud, were erected. For more than fifty years he was a member of the State Street Methodist Episcopal church.

On December 10, 1851, Richard Guill was married to Lovisa Price, who was born Sep- tember 22, 1830, in the northern part of Kan- awha county, near what is now the town of Clendenin, and died at Charleston April 25, 1904, her death preceding that of her husband by but a few months. She was a daughter of Edmund and Rebecca (Murphy) Price, who lived and died on their old homestead in Kan- awha county. She was reared in the Baptist faith. To Richard Guill and wife the follow- ing children were born: James S., who died at the age of five years; Robert, who died in early manhood; Helen, who was born Septem- ber 22, 1852, has been a member of the Baptist church for thirty years and has been a devoted daughter and loving sister; John H., who was born September 6, 1856, is engaged in the lumber business at Charleston; Albert J., who was born August 2, 1862, is chief of the police force at Charleston; Lewis F., who was born October 28, 1865, lives with his brother and sister, in the old family residence which was built in 1870; and Richard, who was born September 5, 1872, and is a skilled electrical worker, and resides at home.

O'JENNINGS A. JACKSON, a well known citizen of Kanawha and Roane counties, a farmer, merchant, school teacher and oil and

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gas producer, was born June 8, 1866, at Os- borne's Mills, Roane county, W. Va., and is a son of Almarine B. and Rosanna ( Atkinson) Jackson, and a grandson of Thomas H. Jack- son. The father now lives retired, having reached his seventy-fourth year.

After he completed his own education, O'Jennings Jackson taught school for twenty- seven terms and was considered a clever and efficient instructor, making many friends dur- ing this period who have continued to be in- terested in him. He also engaged in merchan- dising and conducted a grocery store in Roane county for two years and then resumed farm- ing and merchandising where he is now estab- lished. He is associated with his brother in the feed business at Clendenin and also in the oil and gas business.

Mr. Jackson was married to Miss Florence J. Hershberger, who was born June 16, 1870, in Roane county, a daughter of W. M. L. and Margaret (Steele) Hershberger, natives of Logan county, and they have two children : Willa, aged sixteen years; and Lucille, aged twelve years, both at school. In politics Mr. Jackson is a Democrat.

HON. GEORGE WESLEY ATKINSON, one of West Virginia's distinguished sons, formerly governor of the state and at present an associate judge of the United States Court of Claims, at Washington, D. C., has been a prominent factor in public life in his native state since early manhood. He was born in Kanawha county, W. Va., then Virginia, in 1845, and is a son of Col. James Atkinson, once a man of prominence in public and busi- ness life in the Kanawha Valley.

George Wesley Atkinson enjoyed both edu- cational and social advantages in his youth and when he reached manhood he was well prepared for almost any position in life. He chose law as his profession and entered into politics more or less from a sense of duty, after graduating in the classical course from the Ohio Wesleyan University, in 1870, and in 1875 was graduated from the Columbian Law School, later in which year he was admitted to the bar. Early identifying himself with the Republican party, Mr. Atkinson became a

leader in a short time, his public spirited ef- forts and high ideals of citizenship attracting and gaining the confidence of his associates, while his loyalty to them and the cause enabled him to retain it. In 1876 he was made a mem- ber of the Republican State Executive Com- mittee, when first his talents as an organizer began to be recognized, and he served as its chairman from 1880 until 1884, and its secre- tary for four years more, continuing his active membership with this powerful body for twenty-eight consecutive years. He was also chairman of the Kanawha County Republican Executive Committee for eight years; of the Third Congressional for ten years, and of the First Congressional for six years, and for a number of years afterward he served as a member of the National Republican Congress- ional Committee.

In the meanwhile, Judge Atkinson had oc- cupied positions of still greater power and im- portance, serving for four years as a United States marshal, and in 1888 being elected a member of Congress from the First Congress- ional district of West Virginia. In November, 1896, he was elected chief executive of West Virginia. On March 4, 1901, Governor At- kinson retired from that office on which his administration had reflected credit. Shortly afterward he assumed the duties of United States district attorney for the southern dis- trict of West Virginia, serving therein a term of four years, and subsequently, in April, 1905, was appointed a judge of the Court of Claims for the United States, a position of grave re- sponsibility, the members of which are chosen for life and for their combination of qualities which only few men possess.

Governor Atkinson is a man of versatile talents and has made a name for himself out- side public affairs and his profession. For seven years he was an able editor and one of the proprietors of the West Virginia Journal, a leading party organ published at Charleston, and despite his many other interests, has found time to put forth a number of books, on still other subjects, which show his great fund of knowledge and his understanding and appre- ciation of the deeper things of life.

Governor Atkinson was married first in

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1868, to Miss Ellen Eagan, who was survived of Clendenin; Philip and Henry, both of Queen Young; and Emmeline, wife of S. Jarrett, of Clendenin.

by five children. In 1897 he was married sec- ond to Mrs. Myra H. Camden, widow of the late Judge G. D. Camden, of Clarksburg, W. Va. They reside in Washington, D. C., and are members of the social-official circles which make a residence in that city delightful and stimulating. As a member of the Methodist Episcopal church from youth, Governor At- kinson has led a consistent life and in 1876 and again in 1888, served as a lay delegate to the general conference of that church. He is one of the few members of the Masonic fraternity, comparatively speaking, who have attained the 33d degree. His connection with Freema- sonry, in all its higher branches, has widened his acquaintance all over the country. In 1876-77, he was grand master of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia, and was grand sec- retary from 1885 to 1905 inclusive. During that period of twenty consecutive years, he wrote the annual reports on Foreign Corre- spondence for the Grand Lodge, which re- quired both research and ability.

JOHN F. SNYDER, a representative citi- zen of Clendenin, Kanawha county, W. Va., where he is a carpenter contractor, was born January 5, 1857, in Big Sandy district, Kan- awha county, and is a son of Daniel B. Sny- der and a grandson of John F. Snyder.

John F. Snyder was one of the earliest set- tlers at Queen Shoals, Kanawha county, and acquired 400 acres in Elk district and 3,000 acres in Big Sandy district and erected the first grist mill in the northern part of the county. He married Elizabeth Booker and they reared a large family. All the Snyders came origi- nally from Pennsylvania.

Daniel B. Snyder was an infant when his parents came to Kanawha county and remained on the home farm until he was fifty years of age and then rebuilt the old Snyder mill that his father had erected. This mill has been in operation ever since. He died in November, 1885, at the age of seventy-two years. He married Emmeline Brawley, a daughter of John and Fanny Brawley, and they had the following children: William H., of Queen Shoals ; Milton R., of Queen Shoals; John F.,

After his school days were over, Mr. Sny- der followed farming on the homestead until he was twenty-two years of age, and then went into the lumber business and for three years was also interested in merchandising. Since then Mr. Snyder has been engaged in carpen- ter contracting and along business lines is wide- ly known in this section. He is a Democrat in politics and has been a very active citizen, serving three terms as a member of the city council and also has been city recorder.

Mr. Snyder was married first to Nancy Lynch, a daughter of the late Joseph and Mel- vina (Price) Lynch. Mrs. Snyder died in 1891, aged thirty years and was survived by three children : Elmer, Noane and Bessie. Mr. Snyder was married secondly to Mary J. Ken- nedy, a daughter of William and Caroline (Young) Kennedy and four children have been born to them, namely: Daniel, Wendall, Har- ley and Donia. Mr. Snyder is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, south, at Clendenin and belongs to its board of trustees.

ANDREW L. RUFFNER, a member of the well known firm of Ruffner Bros., at Charleston, W. Va., and a representative of one of the oldest county families, is one of the most enterprising business men of this city. He was born at Charleston, in the old home- stead on Kanawha street, formerly called Front street, September 11, 1841, and has al- ways lived here. His great-great-grandfather was Peter Ruffner, the original settler, and his descent is through Joseph, Daniel and James Ruffner. James Ruffner married Martha Mor- ton, a daughter of Josiah Morton, who moved from Prince Edward county, Va., to Greenup county, Ky., and died there. Mrs. Ruffner was a woman of beautiful character and beloved by all who knew her.

Andrew L. Ruffner was just nineteen years of age when the Civil War broke out and had worked for one year before becoming a sol- dier. In May, 1861, he enlisted in the com- pany made up of the flower of the city, the Kanawha Riflemen, and served until the sur-

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render of Gen. Lee at Appomattox, April 8, 1865. During the last year of the war he was chief of the non-commisisoned officers of his regiment. Mr. Ruffner owns valuable land now included in the city of Charleston, which is a part of his heritage from his great-great- grandfather, who secured it in 1796. Mr. Ruffner has never married. In his political life he has always been a Democrat.

The business firm of Ruffner Bros., dates back to August, 1865, when James Ruffner, father of the present members of the firm, in association with Mr. Arnold, embarked in the notion and dry goods business here. A few years later the father turned over his interests to his two sons, A. L. and M. P., and six years later they sold to Mr. Arnold and the two brothers went into the grocery business locat- ing on Kanawha street. Their beginning was somewhat modest but business ability and ex- cellent judgment have caused the growth and development of an enterprise that has wonder- fully prospered. In April, 1876, they em- barked in the wholesale business and now their name is well and favorably known over fifteen counties. They keep twelve commercial trav- elers, the name having stood for business in- tegrity ever since it has come before the pub- lic. They have met with some misfortune, a fire in March, 1885, proving a disastrous one for them, and a second one, November 8, 1907, causing them great loss, but they have sur- mounted all difficulties and stand as represen- tative business men of this part of the state. They have recently remodeled the Ruffner Ho- tel, adding two more stories, and it is a mod- ern hostelry that has few equals in the state, and they have erected business blocks on Kan- awha and Virginia streets. The Ruffners have been public spirited to a large degree and have contributed greatly to the commercial advancement of Charleston.

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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 71

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