USA > West Virginia > Ritchie County > History of Ritchie County, with biographical sketches of its pioneers and their ancestors, and with interesting reminiscences of revolutionary and Indian times > Part 21
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John Hoff was another early settler on this creek, just below the "Ward homestead." He was, also, a Harrison county product, being born on October 9, 1825 ; and near the year 1846, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Ann Gaston,
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daughter of James and Charlotte Swisher Gaston. The Gas- tons being of Irish descent, and the Swishers (or Sweitzers as the name was originally spelled in the native land), of Ger- man. Mrs. Gaston was able to speak both German and English, fluently.
Mr. Hoff came to Bone creek near the year 1850, and remained until his death, on August 3, 1903. He was an honest, industrious citizen, and became a large land-owner. Mrs. Hoff, who was a most estimable woman, survived him but a short time, and both lie at rest in the Auburn cemetery. The simplicity of the inscription upon the marble shaft that marks the resting place of Mr. Hoff-"Honesty is the best policy"-leaves its impress upon the visitor to this cemetery.
Mr. and Mrs. Hoff were the parents of eleven children that reached the years of maturity-seven sons and four daughters. These sons are nearly all prominently known in the various walks of life: Eri B. is a minister of the West Virginia Methodist Episcopal conference ; Weldon A. L. Hoff was graduated from the Commercial college at Delaware, Ohio, after spending some time in teaching in his native coun- ty, and is now a professor in a commercial college in Okla- homa.
I. Samuel (unmarried), and Lloyd, who was also a teacher, are prosperous farmers, of near Cairo.
Lewis Ross, who began his career as a rural pedagogue in his native state, was graduated from a college at Winfield, Kansas, in the Bachelor of Science degree, and later took a theological course at Drew seminary, and is now a distingu- ished pulpit orator of the Methodist Episcopal church, of Lib- eral, Kansas.
Silas Marion is at this time one of the prominent official figures of his native county. (See Younger Men's Calendar.)
George S. and Miss Rosa Byrd, who were both known among the teachers of this county, are lying in their narrow beds in the Auburn cemetery.
Rebecca J., is Mrs. E. L. Bee, of Berea : Charlotte C., is Mrs. W. J. Butcher, of Hacker's Valley ; and Caroline is the wife of Alva Fitz Randolph, of Alfred, New York. She was, also, a teacher.
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The Hoff family is said to have originated in Germany near the fourteenth century. John Hoff was called from his native land to a professor's chair in the Oxford University, in England ; and members of this family migrated to America in Colonial days, and settled at York, Pennsylvania, and in Meigs county, Ohio. But shortly before the American Revo- lution, one John Hoff came across to visit his kinsmen in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and he settled in Virginia, where he took up arms in behalf of his adopted country in her struggle for liberty ; and from him the Ritchie county family come. Ile was a slave-holder and a large land-owner, and one of his slaves died at West Milford, in Harrison county, only a few years since, in a little home that he had thoughtfully provided for her by his last will and testament.
Samuel Hoff, his son, was born at the old homestead, in Harrison county, in 1802, and there spent his entire life, dying on January 8, 1887. Samuel Hoff was married to Miss Cathi- arine Faris, who was born of Scotch parentage, and they had , eight children; John Hoff, of this county, being the eldest son. The other children were, Silas, Lewis, Rose, Humphrey, James, Melissa, Rebecca, Amy, and Margaret.
Daniel Luzader, though not so early as the others, was the first settler on his old homestead on this creek.
He was born near Grafton, in Taylor county, on July 5, 1823, and his wife, Martha A. Newlon, was born near Prunty- town, in the same county, on December 17, 1828. They were married in 1850, and at the close of the Civil war, came to this county, and settled on Spruce creek, before coming to Bone creek, where they reared their family, and where Mr. Luzader passed away, on July 20, 1902. His wife followed him to the grave, on July 6, 1906, she having spent her last hours with her son at Pennsboro. Both rest in the Spruce creek Baptist churchyard.
Their children were nine in number, and some of them are quite prominently known.
Winfield Scott, the eldest son, who was long identified in the teaching profession, is the father of Everett. Mae and Mrs. Flossie Brown, who are among the present teachers.
Grant. who was, also, a teacher of former years, was
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
graduated from the Parsons Horological Institute, at Laporte, Indiana, and is now meeting with success in his trade at Pennsboro.
Sherman, who was likewise a teacher of Ritchie and Gil- mer counties, is a well-to-do farmer of Wayne town, Indiana, where he found his life companion.
M. M. is of Harrisville. Mollie B. is Mrs. Randolph Weaver, and Harriett is Mrs. George Weaver, both of Law- ford : Martha C. married Alva V. Oldaker and went to Indiana, but they now reside on a fine old plantation in Virginia.
Malcolm M. Luzader is the one Ritchian whose reputa- tion as a vocalist is more than "state wide."
He first opened his eyes on this mundane sphere in Tay- lor county, on November 27, 1858, but came to this county with his parents when but a lad of eleven summers. A nat- ural born student, he early entered the profession of teaching and was for a number of years known among the pedagogues of Ritchie, Gilmer, Lewis, and Preston counties, he having at one time heid a position in the Academy at Kingwood.
His love for music developed at an early age, and he im- proved his talent about the fireside, as circumstances would permit, attended a few local singing schools, and then took a course of five terms in the West Virginia Normal Music school : and in 1883, he was made the secretary of the West Virginia Music Teachers' Association. He later attended the Indiana State Normal Music school, where he studied thorough base, harmony, composition, form and voice under instructors of national reputation. For more than thirty years he has been a successful teacher of vocal music, having in that time instructed more than twenty thousand pupils of all ages. Perhaps no other teacher in the State has instructed a greater number or covered a' wider range of territory. he hav- ing taught in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsyl- vania, and Missouri.
He has taken an active interest in politics ever since he reached his majority, and was one of the representatives from this county in the State Legislature in 1901: and having led to a "decisive victory for righteousness" in the defeat of the Salem (Harrison county) charter bill, he became the recog-
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mized leader of the Temperance forces of the House. He is a Baptist in religion and has twice served as Moderator of the Harrisville Baptist church.
On August 16, 1892, he was married to Miss Sarah E. Truax, of Alamo, Indiana, and after a five years' residence there, with his wife, he returned to this county and established his home at Harrisville, where he still lives. The one child born of this union died in infancy. (Since this was written, Mr. Luzader has sold his Harrisville home, and has gone to the "Old Dominion" to live.)
David E. Brown made his settlement on the "Hardesty"1 -- now the Thomas Mason farm. He was of Dutch descent. His ancestors came to America as British soldiers during the Revolution ; and being so delighted with the country, they took up their residence on the South branch of the Potomac when the conflict was ended; and from there John Brown emigrated to Lewis county, near the close of the eighteenth century, and settled on the waters of the West fork of the Monongahela river, near the Broad run Baptist church. There David E. Brown, the head of the Ritchie county family, was born, on September 9, 1801 ; there he grew to manhood ; there he was married to Miss Deborah Stalnaker, on February 15, 1827 ; and from there came to Bone creek in 1853.
In 1861, Mrs. Brown passed from sight, and at Auburn, she rests. Mr. Brown, who survived her by a number of years, died at the home of his son, John, at Hannahdale.
They were the parents of nine children. Five of their seven sons served as Union soldiers, and all returned home in safety.
The eldest son, Joseph C., went to California, during the gold excitement, in 1849. There he married and had a family, and there he sleeps. W. R. (the late father of W. R. Brown, of West Union, and T. A., of Elizabeth), has been sleeping in the Auburn cemetery, for many years; George W. married Miss Frances Nutter, sister of C. W. Nutter, and after hier early death, he went West, and, near Buffalo. Wyoming, in 1902, he fell asleep ; Andrew S. never married. He went to
1The Hardesty farm, which was owned by Asa Law, of Jane Lew, was tenanted by Otho Law, before the coming of Mr. Brown, who pur- chased it.
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Wyoming near 1875, and there he was murdered, in 1901. He lived alone in a secluded spot, and being known to have con- siderable means, robbery is supposed to have been the motive. Some of his property in the hands of suspicious looking in- dividuals, led to an investigation, which brought to light the heinous crime, and the attempt to conceal it by the cremation of the body. Samuel V. resides at Morgantown; E. M., at Auburn ; John M., at Hannahdale; Mrs. P. P. Brown (Mary Jane), at Jane Lew ; and Mrs. Elijah W. Summers (Caroline V.), at Summers.
George G. Brown-the well known timberman-formerly of Smithville, but now of Huntington, belongs to this family. He is the son of the late Lemuel Brown, of Doddridge county ; and grandson of Thomas and Mary Stalnaker Brown-brother of David-of Lewis county.
The Woofters .- Andrew Woofter, in 1851, made the first improvement, on the farm that is now owned by Albert Smith, and he continued to reside here until he was borne to the tomb. He was of German lineage. His ancestors came to America near 1665, and settled in the New Jersey colony. John Woofter married a Scotch maiden by the name of Petit, and emigrated from New Jersey to Loudin county, Virginia : and from thence to Lewis county, (W.) Virginia, where he rests in the old churchyard at Broad run. His son, Jonathan Woofter, married Miss Jeannette Winans, and they were the parents of-the Rev. John Woofter, of the Baptist church. Andrew, William, Perry, Enos, and Jonathan, who resides at Washington, in Wood county. and who is the only survivor of the family ; the daughters were: Mrs. Lydia Simmons, Mrs. Sarah Ferrell, Mrs. Mary Bailey, Mrs. Alcinda Crowcer, and Jane.
Andrew Woofter was born in Lewis county, on Septem- ber 17, 1823: and on May 29, 1845, he was married to Miss Jane Simpson, who was born in Ohio, but was reared in Lewis county. Her father, John Simpson, having removed from that county to the "Buckeye state," where he was killed by lightning; and after his death the family returned to their former home.
Mr. Woofter was one of the early pedagogues of this
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vicinity, and several members of his family were identified in this profession in after years. He died in February, 1902, and his wife followed him to the grave four months later. Both rest in the Auburn cemetery.
Their children are as follows: Thomas J., Wood county ; the Rev. George A., of the Baptist church, Shinnston; Francis A. Woofter, DeKalb; John S., Houston, Texas; Clarke, Au- burn: Ellet, Charleston : Mrs. Sarah E. Adams, Oxford ; and Mrs. Columbia J. Bush (M. F.), Burnt House. Homer Adam's, the well known Harrisville lawyer, is a grandson of this pioneer; and the Rev. Emery Woofter, of the Baptist church, is a grandson of the late Rev. John Woofter, of the Baptist church-brother of Andrew.
Ebenezer Tharpe-son of Timothy-was the first to find a home on the farm that is still in the hands of his widow, Mrs. Amanda Wass Tharpe. Here he died, and at Auburn, he sleeps. They were the parents of eleven children: Alvin and John have passed on : S. S., Milton, Mrs. Rosa B. Wright, Mrs. Lillie Nestor, Mrs. Laura Woofter, and Mrs. Ida Robey, are all of Auburn; Mrs. Grace Brake, of Weston: Mrs. Bar- bara Aiken, of Greenwood, and E. T. Tharp , of Burnt House.
CHAPTER XVII
Otterslide Settled
HIS stream derived its name from the nun. .erous slides made by otters along its banks. William Gribble was the first settler. His ancestors came from Holland in Col- onial times and settled in Pennsylvania. where he was born, but his family later re- moved to Preston county, (West) Virginia : and there he (William) was married to Miss Lydia Rogers, who was of Scotch-Irish and Welsh lineage, and was tlie daughter of John and Elizabeth Wilson Rogers, of Preston county. Her mother belonged to one of the pioneer families of Monongalia county, who forted on the present site of Mor- gantown in Indian times.
The first years of their married life were spent in Pres- ton county, but they came to Otterslide in 1846, and reared their humble cabin on the farm that is now owned by Jack- son Hudkins, and here they remained until death clainied them.
They were the parents of the following named children, some of whom have been prominently known: William A. Gribble (lost his life in the Union army), the late Ezekiel, J. B., and Thomas N., Berea : Cornelius A., Harrison county ; and John M. Gribble, of West Union, all of whom served as Union soldiers, are the sons. John M. has been a leading figure in public affairs in Doddridge county for a number of years, he having served as assessor, sheriff, and has been the president of the West Union bank throughout its history.
The daughters of this family are: Sarah J., wife of the late R. H. Wilson, who died in the Andersonville prison dur- ing the Civil war; Perces, the late Mrs. A. J. Nutter, of Ox-
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ford; Mrs. Hattie Skank, who resides in the East; and the late Mrs. Annie (Alex) Stout, of West Union.
William Wall was the next settler. He married Miss Fluharty, a sister of the late Adam Fluharty, of Leatherbarke, and came here from Marion county and erected his cabin on the head of the stream, on what is now the Campbell farm. But he was only a squatter, and was supplanted by John Jett. in 1849.
John Jett and his wife, Mrs. Mary Watson Jett, camne from their native county-Barbour-and remained until 1875, when they removed to Roane county, where they found a final resting place in the Spring Creek cemetery.
They were the parents of the following named children :
George, Elizabeth and Sarah died in childhood; Wilson and Jacob, of Roane county, and Alden, of Charleston, have, also, passed on; John, junior, resides in Kanawha county ; Mrs. Mary Abbott, in Roane; Sylvester, at Holbrook; and William Jett, on Otterslide.
William Jett and his wife, Mrs. Safronia Lowther Jett, have had a longer connection with this creek than any other citizens in its history. He having been here since 1849, when he came with his parents, and she, since the day of her birth in 1845.
Wesley Jett, brother of John, senior, married Miss Nancy Lipscomb, and came to this county in 1845, and settled on Brushy fork of Bone creek, where they both died, and at Au- burn they sleep.
Their only son, Wesley, junior, died as a prisoner of war, at Camp Chase, the Union prison at Columbus, Ohio, during the sixties.
The Jetts are of Welsh ancestry. William Jett, senior, came from Wales with his wife, shortly before the American Revolution, and settled on the Potomac river below Washing- ton city. He served his adopted country as a soldier in the Continental army, being under the direct command of General Washington. His son, John Jett, senior, was born and rearcd in Franklin county, Virginia, and there he was married to Miss Sarah Smith; and from there they removed to Barbour county, near the year 1820, where Mr. Jett died in 1863, and
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IIISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
where his son, John Jett, junior, the Otterslide pioneer, was born.
Jonathan C. Lowther was another pioneer on this strean. And though he is now a nonegenarian, he is still a familiar figure here. He is the son of Elias Lowther and the only sur- viving grandson of Col. William Lowther. He married Miss Emza Neal. sister of M. A. Neal, of Pullman, and since her death in 1906, he has made his home with his daughter, Mrs. William Jett. He is the father of one other daughter, Mrs. Rebecca Bee, of Rutherford; and William Lowther, of Cali- fornia, is an adopted son.
Ezekiel Kelley was another early settler on this stream. He was the son of John Kelley, and in Doddridge county he was born and reared. Near the year 1849, he was married to Miss Estella Davis, and came to this county and established his home on what is now known as the L. M. Jett farm. Mrs. Kelley died in 1875, and his second wife was Miss Mary Stinespring, who survived him. He died in 1891.
He and his first wife were the parents of nine children : Ai, Fillmore, and Festus Kelley, Mrs. Verna Ehret, and Mrs. Lulu Zinn, all of this county; Mrs. Darlie Bond, Roanoke : Horace Kelley, Webster county ; and two who are numbered with the dead.
Lemuel Davis was another arrival of the year 1849. He. too, was a Doddridge county product. He married Miss Rhoda Bee, daughter of Asa Bee, and they spent the remainder of their lives here.
They were the parents of six children; viz., the late Phineas, of Alice, Gilmer county ; Ephraini, Alonzo, Gideon, and Daniel, and one daughter, Virginia.
Stephen Davis and his wife, Jemima Kelley Davis (sister of Ezekiel Kelley) came from their native county-Doddridge -in 1858, and from here they went to Clay county, where they rest. Their children: Arzander and Leander (twins). Isaiah, Grant and Gordon, and the daughter, Emza, are all living in Roane county ; and Elizabeth is dead.
Zibbie Davis, a native of Greenbrier county, married - Miss Dorinda Lowther, sister of Jonathan, and came here from Doddridge county in 1850, where they remained until
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death ; he was laid in the Pine Grove cemetery, in 1898. His only child, Talitha, married Thomas Gribble, and she was laid in the Pine Grove cemetery, on the same day that her father was laid away. Mrs. Davis had passed on two years before.
Jacob Fronseman married Katharine Kelley, sister of Ezekiel, and came here from Doddridge county, but did not remain until death, so but little of his history is available. But he had one son, Nelson, who died in Wood county, near Park- ersburg.
David Randolph, son of Jonathan Randolph, and his wife. Caroline Cornell, both natives of Harrison county, were known among the early people here, but their stay was brief : and they returned to their native county, where they died. She, in 1904 : and he, in 1908.
FitzRandolph has been one of the prominent names in this part of the county for almost sixty years.
This family are of English origin and of Revolutionary stock. Their ancestor, Edward FitzRandolph, came from Nottinghamshire, England, in 1630, and settled in the Mass- achusetts colony ; and from there the family emigrated to New Jersey, and thence to West Virginia. The Randolphs, also, trace their ancestry to Thomas Blossom, a prominent deacon in the Pilgrim church at Plymouth.
Edward FitzRandolph had a son, John. and this son (John) was the father of Samuel FitzRandolph, who was a member of the Continental army during the Revolution. And from Samuel's son, Jesse, the Randolphs of this county come.
Jesse F. Randolph migrated from New Jersey to what is now Salem, West Virginia, when this section of country was in its primitive wilderness, and the red man roamed the forest at will. Here his son, John F. Randolph, grew to manhood and married Miss Experience Brown; and on February 1. 1832. Asa F. Randolph, the progenitor of the Ritchie county family was born, of this union.
Asa FitzRandolph married Miss Marvel Maxin, daughter of John Maxin (her mother being a sister of Ezekiel Bee), who was descended from a well-known Rhode Island family
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
that emigrated from New Jersey to Salem with the FitzRan- dolphs and the Bees.
The marriage took place on October 1, 1851, and, shortly afterwards, they came to this county and settled on the divide between Otterslide and Bone creek; but after a two years' residence here, they removed to Doddridge county, where Mr. Randolph opened a tannery, at New Milton; but in 1856, they returned to this vicinity and established a permanent home on the river below Berea, where he operated a tannery for a number of years : and where they reared their family.
He and his wife were both strong advocates of education, and despite the many disadvantages that surrounded them, their children nearly all obtained good educations. They were both faithful communicants of the Seventh Day Baptist church, and he was a deacon in this church. Mrs. Randolph died on December 2, 1883; and seven years afterwards, hc married Miss Mary HI. Saunders, of Alfred, New York, ard removed to that state, where he claimed his residence to the end of his earthly race. He died while on a visit to his old home at Berea, on September 3, 1903, and was laid at rest by the wife of his youth in the Pine Grove cemetery, at Berea.
He and his first wife were the parents of eleven children, two of whom died in infancy, and nine grew to the years of maturity. Their early training developed in them a love for education, and all of them joined the ranks of the teacher, seven of them having taught in this county.
Five were graduated from the Alfred University in New York ; viz., Experience, California, who is now Mrs. Meathrell, of Berea ; Virgil, and Alva, of New York, and Delvenus, of California. Experience, who was the late Mrs. Leon Burdick, of New York, was also graduated from the Alfred Theological Seminary. The other members of the family are: Mrs. Clev Jordan, and the late Mrs. Emza Coon, New York; the late Ellsworth. and Preston, of Berea. (See chapter LI for more extended account of Experience Randolph.)
CHAPTER XVIII
Spruce Creek Settled
PRUCE CREEK derived its name from the numerous pines that adorn its banks.
John Shores .- It was first settled near 1815, by John Shores, who came from Salem, Harrison county, and reared his cabin near the present site of the E. C. Snodgrass resi- dence. He was a native of the "Old Domin- ion." His parents came from Devonshire, England, in 1740, and settled in the Virginia colony, where he was born in 1762; and from there he came to Harrison county, at the age of twenty-one years. He three times took the marriage vow. Miss Matilda Howard was the first wife, and of this union one daughter, Amanda (who became Mrs. William Parks), was born ; and one son, Thomas, who died in his early man- hood, was the fruit of the second union; his third wife was Miss Sarah Mitchell, of Barbour county, and their children were : Mrs. Rachel Smith, of Slab creek ; the late Mrs. Sarah Jane Watson, of Cherry Point, Illinois ; the late James Shores, of Cairo, who died at Parkersburg, in 1900; and Mrs. Mary Ann McDonald, of Spruce creek, an octogenarian, who is the only survivor of the family.
Mr. Shores went from Spruce creek to the mouth of Slat creek, and made the first settlement there on the farm that is now designated as the "Westfall farm." There he died in 1849, and in the old Pleasant Hill cemetery, he sleeps. His wife was laid by his side in 1875.
William Parks-son-in-law of John Shores-who located his cabin on the Minor Bartlett (now the H. C. Buzzard) farm, was the second settier on this creek. After a short resi- dence here, Mr. Parks and his family went to Texas, and one letter reached their friends after their departure; but the
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
silence was never again broken, and the supposition was, that they met a tragic fate at the hands of the red man, or in some other manner.
Cornelius Wyer .- Near the year 1827, Cornelius Wyer became the owner of the Parks' improvement. He was the son of George Wyer, an Irishman, who married an English lady and settled on Bingamon creek, in Harrison county, where he (Cornelius) was born near 1798. Near 1825, he married Miss Elizabeth Malone, sister of James Malone, junior, and the following year, his connection with this coun- ty's history began, when he made the first improvement on the Harrison Wass homestead, above Goff's; and the next year he went to Spruce creek. Being driven from his home, on the Bartlett farm, by a high tide in the creek, he went farther up the stream, and reared a cabin on what is now the J. W. Goff homestead, and here he passed away in 1842. (This farm has been continuously occupied ever since the date of his settlement.) His wife, who was born in 1802, died on the waters of Tanner's creek, in Gilmer county, in 1877.
They were the parents of four sons and two daughters ; all of whom have passed on, except Archibald, of Alfred, Gil- mer county. The other sons were John, Mattison, and Benja- min ; and the daughters were Elizabeth, who married Phillip B. Goff-son of John A. Goff, of this county ; and Sarah, who married the late Daniel Valentine, of this county.
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