History of Preston County (West Virginia), Part 37

Author: Wiley, Samuel T. cn; Frederick, A. W. 4n
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Kingwood, W. Va. : Journal Print. House
Number of Pages: 560


USA > West Virginia > Preston County > History of Preston County (West Virginia) > Part 37


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39


491


LYOR DISTRICT.


within the lines and boundaries of Lyon Township} ; thence with said Clarksburg road and the lines of Valley Township to a small W. O. on the north side of said road ; thence leaving said road N. 83, W. 82 p. (passing north of Gordon's dwelling house) to a stome ; thence west 230 p. to a W. C. on the west side of a new road; thence with the last named road to a small chestnut on the south side of said new road, and in the Monongalia County line ; thence with said county line reversed, S. 36, W. - , to a W. O. on the old Clarksburg road, and one of the original corners to the counties of Mon ongalia and Preston; thence S. 6, E. 980 p, or 3 miles and 20 poles, to a chestnut corner to said Monongalia County. and also corner to Taylor County ; thence with the last named county S. to the place of the beginning. "


In 1872, under the new Constitution, Lyon Township be. came, without any change of boundaries, Lyon District.


From 1818 to 1852, --- Matthews, William McGee, John Howard and D. H. Fortney were among the justices of the peace.


Magisterial officers from 1852 to 1863 :


1852 .- Justices, John Howard, David H. Fortney, George D. Zinn and William J. Kelly ; constables, no record.


1856 .- No record.


1860 .- Justices, Thomas Gregg, Kelso Pell, G. G. Mur- dock and O. Purinton ; constables, no record.


Township officers from 1863 to 1872 :


1864, 1866 and 1868 .- No record.


1869 .- Reason A. Pell, supervisor ; E. Huggins, clerk ; John V. Fortney, overseer of poor ; William Sharps, treas- urer ; R. Wilkins and J. W. McGee, inspectors ; Willian> Sharps, constable ; Reuben Warthen, W. C. Wilson and S. B. Pew, surveyors of roads; J. R. Smoot, school com- missioner.


1870 .- Reason A. Pell, supervisor : R. W. Monroe, justice (in place of Joshua Jenkins, resigned) ; John V. Fortney, overseer of poor ; E. Huggins; clerk ; R. Wilkins and J. W. McGee, inspectors ; Cornelius Gandy, school commissioner ..


492


HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.


Road surveyors .- Precinct No 1, B. P. Warden ; No. 2, R. A. Pell ; No. 3, Join Zinn.


1871 .- John C. Howell, supervisor; ,Reuben Warthen and John Zinn, school commissioners ; Eugene Huggins, clerk ; John V. Fortney, overseer of poor; Thomas Her- rington and Benjamin F. Sapp, inspectors ; Lucius C. Baker and John Vanzant, justices, William Sharps and Joseph Kimmell, constables. Road surveyors .- Precinct No. 1, Jacob May ; No. 2, W. C. Wilson ; No. 3, John Zinn.


District officers elected from August 22, 1872, to Decem- ber 31, 1881 :


1872-Cornelius Gandy and Lucius C. Baker, justices ; William Sharps and Burr Stephenson, constables.


1873-School board-no record.


1875-School board-R. W. Monroe (president), R. A. Pell, A. W. Moore.


1876-Justices, James McGee and L. C. Baker ; consta- bles. John F. Bratt and William Sharps.


1877-School board-Dr. T. F. Lanham (president), David J. Henry, Eugene Lanham.


1879-School board-U. N. Orr (president), Martin L. Shaffer, John V. Fortney, Caleb Piles, A. W. Moore ; M. T. Powell, secretary.


1880-Justices, James McGee and Charles H. McCafferty ; constables, William Sharps and John F. Bratt, whose father John Bratt came from Morgantown in 1855.


1881-School board-Dr. T. F. Lanham (president), Henry Bolyard, Eugene Lanham; John E. Stuck, secretary.


Road surveyors appointed by the court October 4th, 1881 : Precinct No. 1, Silas Sinclair : No. 2, B. F. Squires ; No. 3, C. Martin ; No. 4, James H. Squires ; No. 5, G. W. Wamsley.


In April, 1882, Washington M. Paul was appointed justice of the peace in place of Charles H. McCafferty, who resigned.


Towns .- Newburg, the largest town in the county, is situ- ated on the B. & O. railroad, 113 miles east of Wheeling,


.


493


LYON DISTRICT.


and 266 miles west of Baltimore. It is 14 miles southwest of the county-seat. It was made a point for a first class station and machine shops by the railroad company. A careful search failed to reveal why they selected the name of Newburg. Probably they had exhausted a long list of names, and as it was a new place, and likely to become of some size, they called it Newburg. It was called "88 " in 1852, because it was 88 miles west of Cumberland, next Simpson's Water Station, in '1853, and Newburg in 1854.


Washington M., the father of Jacob Paul, came from Pennsylvania in 1835, and built a house where the Orrel coal dump now is. In 1839, Joshua, father of James R. Smoot, came from Hampshire County, and occupied a house built by Henry Menear. In 1850, Wm. Frazier occupied it, and it is now occupied by William Stanhagen, machinist.


The helpers (engines) on the Cheat River grade were stationed here, and the town grew rapidly.


It was incorporated May 4th, 1868. J. W. Deck, mayor ; T. M. Clayton, recorder ; James R. Smoot, Patrick Plummer. David Kershner and J. M. Costelo, councilmen. The pres- ent council is D. J. Gibson, mayor ; Dr. F. M. Dent, recorder ; Dr. Wm. M. Dent, Bartley Rabbitt, John G. Shaw, N. S. Stevenson and H. H. Minear, councilmen.


Where D. J. Gibson's store is William Frazier built a small building, and in it S. L. Allen, from Baltimore, in 1853, kept a small bunch of goods. He next keptin Smoot's ware-house, then moving to a house on the site of his pres' ent building, built in 1867. In 1868, he associated with him Charles E. Ellis. In 1880, they rebuilt and enlarged. Mr. Ellis is a son of Joseph Ellis, who came in 1852, from Fred erick County, Maryland, and has been an engineer on the road since 1849. Robert Neil kept next in Mrs. Lackey's millinery shop, followed by James R. Smoot, in 1855, in a house on the site of Allen & Ellis's building, and in 1873 built and occupied his present mercantile establishment, and is now doing business as a member of the firm of Smoot & Berthy. Wm. B. Annan came from Frederick County,


1


491


HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.


Virginia in 1841. He bought and remodeled, in 1873, the house in which he then commenced and now does business. Mr. Annan resides at Rowlesburg. Gibson & Albright came next, succeeded by Gibson and Thomas, and George W. Lackey. On March 23d, 1880, G. H. Horchler & Co. opened in their present building. D. J. Gibson, ex-Deputy Sheriff, opened out his boot and shoe, hat and cap store in 1881. J. E. Paul and G. A. Lickle commenced in 1881 in their present establishment.


The first postmaster was S. L. Allen, in 1854, succeeded by D. A. Litzenger, in 1860. From 1865 to 1873, Allen again, and from 1873 to the present time, Charles E. Ellis.


The first tavern was kept by John Perry in 1854. Benja- min Gilbert came next, succeeded again by Perry, after whom came Wm. Golden the present proprietor of the West Virginia House. Miss M. A. Litzinger kept the Washington House several years, succeeded by C. E. Ellis and John Cross, as the Newburg Hotel.


S. L. Allen was the first ticket agent, succeeded by John F. Pickett, W. Atwood, and Thomas M. Clayton, who came from Marion County, in 1861. W. H. Anderson is now in charge, and Mr. Clayton is freight and express agent.


When the machine shops were established, the first master mechanic was R. Eiglehart, next S. B. Crawford, and then the present incumbent, J. H. Reitzel, who came from Pied- mont, August 23, 1872, and took charge


The telegraph office, since 1878, has been under the charge of W. H. Anderson, whose father, George E. Anderson,. came here from Maryland in 1855.


Albert G. Pickett came from Fauquier Co., Va., in 1850, and taught the first school. He was the father of J. F. Pickett.


The Independent, a small newspaper, was established March 24, 1880. The Newburg Herald was established by C. H. McCafferty & Co., June 15, 1881, and is now edited by W. J. Martin.


The town has a fair school building of four rooms, and the


495


LYON DISTRICT


school is the largest in the county. M. T. Powell, P. J. Crogan, and E. W. Zinn have been its last principals.


Dr. William Marmaduke Dent was born March 6, 1831, in Monongalia County ; read medicine with his father, Dr. Marmaduke Dent, graduated at a medical college in Ohio, practiced with his father, and in 1863 located in Newburg as a general practictioner, paying special attention to surgery. He started his drug store in 1871. He is a member of the American Medical Association, and also of the Medical Society of West Virginia, having acted as its secretary and vice-president, and is now president of that body. His son Dr. F. M. Dent is associated with him in the practice of medicine.


Dr. T. F. Lanham is a native of Marion County; read medicine, graduated at the Baltimore Medical University, and located at Newburg in 1874 as a physician and surgeon. Dr. Lanham was president of the Lyon District school board in 1877 and '78, and was reelected in 1881. He built where he now occupies in 1880.


Dr. J. W. Cameron came about 1880.


The town has a cigar factory, a tin and stove store kept by Charles P. Peters since 1879, a tailoring establishment by Jacob Gibson since 1877. It has three churches, a Masonic lodge, and lodges of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias (No. 5), and Knights of Honor.


Scotch Hill is a small village on the hill above and south of Newburg. It contains near 20 houses, a church, and school building, and was founded about 25 years ago by a colony of industrious Scotch.


Independence (the postoffice is Raccoon) is on the B. & O. Railroad at the junction of Crooks Run with Raccoon Creek It is 265 miles west of Baltimore and 112 miles east of Wheeling, and is 14 miles southwest of the county seat. The town was named by Squire John Howard in honor of the Fourth of July.


An old log cabin, where J. M. Hartley lives, and Thomas Water's mill were here when the railroad was surveyed. The


32


496


HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.


town built up after the completion of the road. In 1849. Robert Kidd and Brady kept store where William Stans bury lives. They next kept on the site of Hartley & Sharps's ware room, succeeded by S. Rodgers, Rodgers &. Ayers, Hagans & Hartley (1863), Hartley & John, J. M. Hartley, Hartley & Co., and, in 1878, Hartley & Sharps (J. M. Hart- ley and J. H. Sharps). Smoot & Asberry, in 1853, kept where Fream is, succeeded by Asberry (1854) and Jacob Fream (1855). William J. Morgan kept on the south side of the railroad, succeeded by C. Johnson and James Philips.


The first postmaster was Benjamin Huggins, succeeded in 1854 by W. P. Fortney, the Rev. Jacob Fream (1858), John Ayers, George D. Zinn, W. P. Fortney, Joshua Jenkins, and in 1868 the Rev. Jacob Fream again, who is the present incumbent.


John Howard opened the Gordon House, succeeded by John Perry, Hiram Hanshaw and Minor A. Gordon, whose widow is now keeping it. Hanshaw removed, when Gordon came, to the yellow house, and was succeeded by his widow, and she at her death by her daughters.


The first physician was Dr. Felix Elliott, succeeded by Drs. J. S. Gibson, A. Brown and J. P. Shafer. Dr. A. E. Tansey came in 1881.


Irondale was built by George Hardman, and called Frank- lin. It was built for the accommodation of the hands at the Franklin Furnace, and when the furnace changed its name to Irondale the town did likewise. It is 14 miles southwest of the county seat. Its stores have all been kept by the companies owning the furnace. Its resident physician is Dr. Bomberger. Mrs. Moon keeps a boarding house.


Gladesville is 12 miles southwest of the county-seat. Dr. A. Brown built the first house and practiced medicine. M P. Fortney and W. H. Zinn started a store. In 1869-70 George Hardman built the furnace, and opened a store, which was run by each succeeding furnace company. W. H. Zinn & Co. started in 1879, and are still carrying on the mercantile business. The first postmaster was Orman


497


LYON DISTRICT.


Trickett, succeeded by J. Waltren, and S. L. Zinn, the present incumbent. Dr. E. K. Sutton practiced here in 1881.


Austen is about 3 miles west of Tunnelton, and was named after Dr. Austen, and grew up after the discovery of the Austen vein of coal. It contains about 30 houses, and a store run by Martin L. Shaffer, who is also postmaster.


Mail Service .- Newburg has one western and two eastern mails each day, and Independence and Austen receive daily mails, all over the B. & O. R. R. A tri-weekly mail runs from Masontown into Lyon, past Lyon p. o. (established in 1880, near Brown's Mill, with John S. Snyder postmaster) and Gladesville, to Independence.


Furnaces .- Irondale Furnace was built about 1859 by George Hardman, and was known as "The Hardman Furnace.' He ran it until 1865, when the Franklin Iron and Coal Company came in charge of it, and called it Franklin Furnace. In 1866, Hardman again ran it. In 1877, Col. F. Nemegyei bought it, and, on November 15, commenced en- tensive repairs. On April 15, 1878, the first metal was made under the superintendence of Alex. Strausz and A. Evans. In the fall of 78, William Tate remodeled the furnace, in- creasing its capacity from 10 to 30 tons of iron in 24 hours. It was put in blast June 8, 1879, and ran until July, 1880; was repaired and ran until June, 1881, and stopped on ac. count of a strike of the laborers. Some repairs were made, and it was put in blast in October, and is still running. The furnace is 62 feet high, 14 foot bosh, and makes a coal short pig iron, mostly used for foundry purposes. It is an iron in nature resembling the Scotch pig. The motive power is an engine of 150 horse-power, and of boiler capacity sufficient for a 200 horse-power engine. It works the car. bonate ores known as rock and shell ores, the one 37 per .cent. and the other 50 per cent. metallic iron. A late dis- covered vein of hematite ore is 50 per cent. metallic iron. Colonel F. Nemegyei is the proprietor of the furnace, and


498


HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.


Alex. Strausz, general manager. H. C. Brown, who had been 20 years in government employ at Washington, is bookkeeper, assisted by R. P. Jackson, of Grafton. Isaac A. Jackson is store manager, assisted by A. M. Jeffers. A. T. Haney is foundryman ; Benjamin Flyn is outside manager ; Joshua Breakiron, foreman of the coal and coke burners, and George Cummings, manager of mines.


Colonel F. Nemegyei served in the Hungarian army in the Revolution against Austria in 1848, with the rank of Colonel of engineers. He escaped to Turkey when the Hun- garian forces surrendered in 1849, and from Turkey came to New Orleans in 1850. He was chief engineer of the Tehuan_ tepec Isthmus R. R. He next engaged in the mahogany business in Mexico for 20 years, running a line of vessels. He was next in the commission business, and, in 1877, bought the Irondale Furnace.


Alex. Strausz was born in Hungary in 1829 ; served as a lieutenant in the Hungarian army ; was captured and sen_ tenced to 10 years' hard labor ; escaped to the Russians, and was exiled in 1850. He came to Boston, engaged as an architect, and served in the U. S. Coast Survey. He was hydrographer and topographer on Admiral Porter's staff until the fall of Vicksburg. He next engaged in North Carolina in the manufacture of railroad cars ; and, in 1877, became general manager of Irondale Furnace.


Gladesville Furnace was built about 1870 by George Hardman. Matthew Haney, father of A. T. Haney, was a prospector of ores at this furnace. Calhoun & Evans suc- cceeded Hardman, and they were followed by Tate & Lafferty in 1879, who ran until 1881, since which time it has been idle.


Coal and Coke Works .- Lawrence Henry prospected and found coal at Newburg after the B. & O. R. R. was built. Hescock & Rusley opened coal mines in 1855. In 1856, the Newburg Orrel Coal Company bought them out. Lawrence Henry was appointed General Superintendent. Mr. Henry


y


N ir


0 n te 5 9


A


t 3 từ C


W th Su fu


an


S CO


U e 0 P


a


499


LYON DISTRICT.


1


was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1829, and came to the United States in 1845, and sent, in 1853, the first car of coal ever shipped from West Virginia, to General Columbus O'Donnel, Baltimore. The Newburg mines ran through the panic without stopping. They employ 50 miners and 30 laborers. They have averaged 300 tons of coal a day for 25 years. The track from the mines is 2} miles in length, on which is over 2000 feet of trestle work, three small tunnels, and an inclined plane 2100 feet in length down to the rail- road. The company own 1800 acres of timber land. The Newburg seam they work is 10 feet thick, and nearit is a 15- inch iron ore vein of 60 per cent. metallic iron, and a 16-foot vein of limestone. Their coal is always in demand. The Orrel Coal Co. have 20 bee-hive coke ovens running and manufacture a good article of coke. They bored a 500-foot test hole in 1881 for minerals, and at 143 feet struck a 5-foot vein of good coking coal, and at 329 feet struck a 9-foot vein of coal and ore. They are now (1882) sinking a shaft for the purpose of working these veins, especially the Austen coking coal.


The Austen coal mines were opened in June, 1866, and run till December, 1876; then closed till April, 1877, when they commenced again, and are still running. They employ 30 miners and 40 hands ; run 73 coke ovens, manufacturing the Austen coke, which is somewhat superior to the famous Connellsville coke, as shown by analyses of Prof. Dwight, of Wheeling, and Prof. Button, of Philadelphia. Martin L. Shaffer is general superintendent of the mines and property, consisting of 2300 acres, nearly all of which is underlaid with the Austen vein of 4 feet. Prof. J. P. Leshley says of the Austen coke that "it makes a clear, even, silvery coke, sufficiently hard to bear the heaviest burden of the blast furnace."


At Irondale furnace they have some 25 or 30 coke ovens, and manufacture a good article of coke.


Oil Well -- A well was sunk for oil, about 1867, on Fields's


1


:


d S


500


HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.


Creek, and after boring some 600 or 700 feet, work was stopped and never resumed.


Religious Denominations .- The Baptists had, some time about 1818, a church at what is now Scotch Hill. This church was known as the old Ironside Baptist Church, in which the Rev. Kidd Smith preached.


The Three Fork Baptist Church was organized in 1841, at David H. Fortney's, near the site of Irondale Furnace, by Elders John Curry and William Davidson. The members were D. H. Fortney, John Orr, George Orr, James Orr, Samuel Powell, Leah Fortney and Mary Armstrong. The pastors, until 1855, were John Curry, James Gawthrop, C. Keyes, L. Howell, J. M. Purinton and W. P. Fortney. They wor- shiped in an old house close to the residence of James McGee, and later at the old church on Scotch Hill, called Eden. D. B. Purinton came next for a short time, and the name of the church was changed to Independence. The following pastors have served the church: J. M. Purinton, D. D., P. G. Sturgiss, Dr. Felix Elliott, D. W. Rogers, Aaron Bennet, J. C. Jordan, and E. M. Sapp, the present minister. The present church at Independence was built in 1876, and its membership at this time is about 60.


The Ebenezer Baptist Church at Gladesville was organized October 4, 1845. The first deacons were William Miller, John V. Martin, John V. Fortney, and Jacob Hibbs, the father of Laban Hibbs, who came to near Gladesville about 50 years ago. The first pastor was James Martin, succeeded by several of the ministers of the Independence church. Joseph Clarke is the present pastor. The Rev. D. W. Rogers has often served the church. His father, Archibald Rogers, was an ordained minister in the Anti-Missionary or Old-Side Baptist Church. He married Elizabeth Boyles, and had 15 children who grew up. His fourth son, the Rev. D. W. Rogers, was licensed to preach in 1858. Since 1875, on account of ill health, he does not preach regularly. The


501


LYON DISTRICT.


youngest child of the family, the Rev. S. N. Rogers, was licensed to preach a few years ago.


The M. E. Church for many years had preaching at New- burg and Independence, and the Newburg circuit was formed March 3, 1869, out of Kingwood and St. George circuits. In 1873, Newburg was set off as Newburg Station, and its pastors since have been W. C. Wilson, W. C. Snodgrass, J. M. Warden, Spencer King, Daniel Cool, a native of Upshur County, who served 12 years on the Pleasant Hill Circuit, two on the Brandonville, one year at Masontown, and in 1880 and 1881 at Newburg, and now at Evansville. Lewis E. Leslie is the present pastor.


The Presbyterian Church had no organization until 1867. In 1866, the Rev. C. D. Roberts, of Grafton, preached at Newburg and Scotch Hill. The Rev. W. R. Sibbet, of King- wood, preached in 1867; and on the 20th of December of that year, the Rev. W. R. Sibbet and the Rev. J. H. Flana- gan, with ruling elder Thomas Watson, organized a church at Newburg, consisting of 20 members and one elder, namely, R. Love. Lawrence Henry and William Campbell were in- stalled as elders in 1869. Mr. Sibbet gave the church one- fourth of his time until 1871. The Rev. Samuel Graham became the next stated supply, giving that church one-half his time until Sept., 1874, when he was elected the first pas- tor of the church, giving it all his time until 1879, after which he has given only one-half of his time to Newburg. During his pastorate five elders have been installed, as fol .. lows : Allen Morrison, Thomas Hunter, J. F. Picket, George Campbell and B. F. Jenkins. Within the same period, 115 persons have been added to the church.


Schools .- Lyon District is divided into 14 school districts, whose teachers for the winter of 1881-82 were as follows : No. 1, Independence, Miss Mattie McGee, principal, and Miss Mary Snyder, asst .; No. 2, James Newcome ; No. 3, Scotch Hill, J. C. Nay, principal, Miss Florence Jaco, asst .; No. 4. Newburg, E. W. Zinn, principal, J. F. Stanhagen, Ist


502


HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.


asst., Miss Belle Swearingen, 2d asst., Mrs. Rachel Debolt, 3d asst .; No. 5, Austen, Miss Alberta Shaffer, principal, Miss Ella Menear, asst .; No. 6, W. W. Graham; No. 7, S. Stans- berry ; No. 8, Irondale, M. T. Powell, principal, Mrs. H. G. Osgood, asst .; No. 9, S. S. Broderick ; No. 10, Gladesville, A. A. Menear ; No. 11, Thomas Loar; No. 12, B. J. Fort- ney ; No. 13, Sherrard C. Shaw ; No. 14, Miss Amanda J. Strahin.


In April, 1882, the pupils between the ages of 6 and 21 were as follows : White -males, 583 ; females, 530 ; colored, 9; total, 1122.


The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad runs through Lyon for 6 miles and 294 poles.


A strong mineral spring was recently struck at Irondale in digging for water. Its ingredients are chloride of soda, sulphate of lime, proto sulphate of iron, sulphate of potash, magnesia, manganese, and some silesia. It is a splendid tonic, and is prescribed as a remedy for kidney and liver diseases.


Lyon District in 1880 contained 25,903 acres in farms, worth $172,966; buildings, $50,075; town lots, $82,286; personal property, $109,172 ; total $414,509.


The district was named Lyon by William H. Brown, in honor of General Lyon who fell at Wilson's Creek early in the War of the Rebellion.


NEIL J. FORTNEY.


505


LYON DISTRICT.


NEIL J. FORTNEY.


Daniel Fortney, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, came from France to Frederick County, Maryland, about 1785. His wife, whose name is lost, was of German extraction ; and, about 1790, they settled near the site of Reedsville in what is now Lyon District. Their children were Henry, Jacob, John (father of Thomas Fortney, ex-County Superintendent, and one of the present Assessors), Catherine, Elizabeth and David H. The family has produced several ministers, physicians and teachers.


David H. Fortney married Angeline S. Zinn, and their children were Eugene W., Fernandez E., Lycurgus H. (who died upon the eve of entering the Baptist ministry), Charlotta A., Caroline N. (wife of Col. R. W. Monroe), Silas M., Ashford E. (who was promoted from a private to 1st Lieu - tenant in Co. E., 15th W. Va., Infantry ; served in the U. S. Signal Corps, and is now a minister in the M. E. Church in Ohio), Loretta R., Orpah S., and Neil Judson, the subject of this sketch, who was born near Independence, November 22, 1849. He removed with his parents, in 1865, to Indianola, Iowa, and attended Simpson Centenary College at that place.


In 1870, he left his home in Iowa and traveled for four years over a considerable portion of the West, including a trip up the Missouri River as far as the Montana line. For a livelihood he followed house painting, sign writing and school teaching, and was an occasional correspondent for home and other newspapers.


He returned to Preston County in 1874, and the next year began the study of the law with Col. R. W. Monroe. He was appointed Deputy County Clerk in 1877, in consequence of which appointment he suspended the study of the law for some time.


In April, 1879, he passed examination at Wheeling before


506


HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.


Judges Greene, Moore and Johnson, of the Supreme Court of Appeals, and was licensed to practice law.


Mr. Fortney was married on the 3d of June, 1879, to Miss Alice Edna, eldest daughter of Capt. Joseph M. Godwin, of Kingwood.


In 1880, he was the Republican candidate for Prosecuting Attorney, and was elected by a handsome majority. He took the oath of office, January 1, 1881, and the court records show that out of the indictments found and disposed of during the four terms of court held since his entrance upon the duties of his office, there have been fifty-one judgements in favor of the State against a very small number of acquittals or dismissals, and but one of his indictments quashed.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.