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 36
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His wife was borne to her final resting-place in the Har- risville cemetery near the year 1896 : and his only son, Samuel, was laid by her side a few years later.
He spent the last two or three years of his life at Parkers- burg. at the home of his daughter. Mrs. C. D. Merrick, who, with his youngest daughter, Miss A. Grace Hall, is promi- nently known among the W. C. T. C. workers of the State. Here, on a calm evening in the early spring-time (April, 9, 1905) his long, useful life came to a close. And on the fol- lowing Tuesday, he was borne to Harrisville, and laid at rest.
Other Early Physicians .- Drs. William Walker. J. M. Lathrope, Moses Blackburn, Howard, Isaiah Bee, William McCauley, and W. M. Rymer, were other early physicians, of Harrisville.
Of Dr. Walker, we have no history.
Dr. Lathrope was a cousin of Dr. Hall, and like him was a product of the old Bay State, he having come to this county some years after Doctor Hall. He practiced his profession at West Union before coming to Harrisville, where death invaded his home and carried away his companion : and soon after this sad event, perhaps not long after the close of the war, he went to Dover, Ohio, near Cleveland, where his life came to an end, a few years since.
Dr. Blackburn came from Farmington, Marion county, in the early sixties, and went to Pittsburg, after a few years' stay, where he died. His two sons, Jackson and Dewese. still resided there the last account.
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Dr. Howard came from Tyler county, and figured during the war ; and from here he passed to the other shore. His fail- then returned to Tyler county.
Dr. Bee was a brother of Obadiah Bee, formerly of Spruce creek, but now of Belpre, Ohio, and of Azariah, of Berea. He was located here before the Civil war, and at the opening of hostilities went to other parts ; but has for many years been located at Mercer Court House, where he is still prominently identified in the medical profession. He married Mrs. Mary Smith Lacy, of Harrisville, while practicing here, and has one son, Dr. Isaiah Bee, junior.
Dr. McCauley was here for perhaps a year about 1865 or '66. He went to Clarksburg but finally returned here, where he died at the home of his daughter, the late Mrs. John S. Peirpoint, near 1876. He was the son of Dr. McCauley, senior, of Clarksburg, and the brother of John McCauley the first school-teacher in" Clay district, who afterwards became Dr. John McCauley, and practiced medicine at West Union and other points. Earle Peirpoint, of Harrisville; Mrs. Hermione Helmick, of Fairmont ; and Mrs. Helen Saterfield, of Middle- ton, are the grandchildren of Dr. William McCauley.
Dr. William M. Rymer was born in Westmorland county. Pennsylvania, on February 19, 1835; and in 1856, he came to the "Little Mountain State," and began the practice of medi- cine, at Jacksonville, Lewis county ; and in 1857, he came to Bone creek this county ; and there, the following year, he was married to Miss Agnes Law, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. An- drew Law, pioneer settlers of this section.
In 1865, he came to Harrisville where he remained a fa- miliar and prominent figure until his sudden death, on Febru- ary 27, 1907.
He was the oldest physician in the county, and one among the oldest practioners in the State, at the time of his death. he having been identified in this profession for a half century.
When he came to this county he and Dr. Hall were the only physicians within its boundary. He sleeps in the Har- risville cemetery ; and his widow still occupies the old home at Harrisville.
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He was the father of three sons and three daughters. Two of the sons, William A., and Hosea are identified in the medi- cal profession, and the late Homer, was a dentist. Mrs. Ella (B. F.) Ayres, Mrs. Mary (J. N.) Peirpoint, and Mrs. Anna (J. A.) Wells, all of Harrisville, are the daughters.
The Rymers trace their ancestry back to the Fatherland. Dr. William Rymer, senior, the great-grandfather of Dr. W. M., was born at Hanover, Germany near the year 1750; and distinguished himself by his service to the Government as naval physician and surgeon. He died on board his ship while in active service, and being held in such high esteem. he was not buried beneath the waves, as was the custom at that time, but his remains were taken to the home-land and laid away.
His son, Frederic Rymer, was born in the ancestral home at Hanover about 1:60. He married Miss Susan McGregor. and came to America, and settled in the Pennsylvania colony in 1285 ; and there the greater part of his life was spent. He was an artist by profession, and he spent his last hours in Mahoning county, Ohio, where he and his wife passed on in 1835.
His son William (II) was born in Westmoreland county. Pennsylvania, in 1296, and there he was married to Miss Eliza- beth Nailey ; and they were the parents of the late Dr. Wil- liam M. Rymer, of Harrisville, the subject of this sketch. He died at Columbus, Ohio, in 1869.
Dr. W. E. Talbott has been a leading physician of Harris- ville. for more than a quarter of a century. He came liere from Upshur county in 1881; and not long after his arrival, was married to Miss Alma McKinney, daughter of the late James McKinney, of Harrisville.
After her death, he claimed Miss Metta Lambert as his bride. He is a member of the County Board of Health, and of the Pension Examining Board. He has no children.
Dr. A. C. Blair, a native of this town, who is now located in Randolph county, was identified in the profession here for several years.
There are now nearly twenty physicians in the county.
On the Memory
uf
Enoch George Day
The Founder of Ritchie County Newspaperdom
Enoch G. Day.
If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing. -Benjamin Franklin.
CHAPTER XXXVII
Newspapers
HE first newspaper sent out its initial nun- ber during the spring of 1856, under the name of the "Ritchie Democrat." It was edited and published by Enoch G. Day, who came from Bath county, Virginia, bringing his press and material with him. He continued to issue this paper until a few months before the breaking out of the Civil war, when he sold it to "Deck" Neal, who abandoned it at the opening of hos- tilities, and went South and took up his sword in behalf of the Confederacy. Mr. Day then again took charge and changed the paper to a religious publication, which he called "The Advocate:" and near the close of the year 1862, he sold out to Daniel F. Shriner, of Ohio, who issued it under the name of the "Ritchie Press."
Mr. Shriner was a member of a company of "Home- guards," and, he having just returned from a scout in the Southern part of the county, had written a graphic account of this trip for publication, and had the paper partly out of the press-the part containing this article-when General Jones, with a company of Confederate Cavalryman, made his appear- ance at Harrisville, on the morning of May ?, 1863, and paid a visit to the "Press Office." After pieing the forms, scatter- ing a few cases of type, and distributing the half-finished sheet among themselves, these distinguished visitors took their de- parture, leaving Mr. Shriner, and his two employees, Alvin McClaskey, and J. J. Sigler, to gather up the fragments, which they did, successfully, and the paper resumed publication from this same press and type, and soon appeared again filled with strong denunciations of this act of vandalism.
During the spring of 1864, Mr. Shriner, having failed to
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pay for this office, it passed into the hands of Miss Nancy Stevens, who purchased it of Allen and Catlett, of Bath county, Virginia. Mr. Shriner then sold his outfit (an old hand press with from one hundred fifty to two hundred pounds of second-hand type) to J. J. Sigler, and went to Wes- ton, where he edited a paper for a few months, before going to Chillicothe, Ohio, where he still survived a few years since.
"The Ritchie Press" was then published by J. J. Sigler and edited by S. P. McCormick for the next two one-half years. Then Frank Miller of Steubenville, Ohio, owned it for a few months (in 1867), and he was succeeded by the late C. F. Scott, of Parkersburg, who died in Washington city in 1906, and John T. Harris, who changed its name to the "West Virginia Star." James Murphy then purchased it, condition- ally, but Scott and Harris resumed control again after a few months.
Other owners from 1869 to 1872 were, J. J. Sigler, E. H. McDougal, (who put his son T. T. McDougal, now of the "Ceredo Advance" in the office to learn the trade). Leo J. Theiss, (a band teacher), T. E. Davis, Chas. T. Dawson and P. W. Morris.
In 1872, P. W. Morris, becoming the sole owner and proprietor. changed the name to the "Ritchie Gazette," and from that time until the summer of 1904, it was edited and published by the Morris family. The late E. H. Collins, of Berea, then became the purchaser, and from his hands it passed into the possession of a company, and was managed by W. R. Heaton. Watt Warren, an old newspaper man of Gilmer county, then occupied the editorial chair, until Sep- tember 1907, when it returned "to the house of its fathers." Robert Morris the present editor, becoming the occupant of the chair. Under his management it has now reached its maximum circulation, one thousand eight hundred.
P. W. Morris is a native of New Martinsville, Wetzel county, he having been born there on July 24, 1850. He be- gan his career as a school-teacher, and in his early manhood, came to Harrisville, where he was married to Miss Lydia Pat- ton, daughter of William Patton. In 1872, he was admitted to the bar ; he filled various municipal offices of the town : served
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
as a member of the Board of Public School Examiners; as County Superintendent, and State Senator. Since leaving Harrisville he has been the editor of the Parkersburg State Journal, and a candidate for Congress. He and his sons are now the sole owners of this paper which holds a high rank among the leading Republican organs of the state.
Mr. Morris is the father of five daughters and four sons, who have all had more or less experience in newspaper work : and the sons. Robert, Will. Ben, and Leland are thus inter- ested at the present time. The daughters are: Mrs. Hortense M. Cooper, Mrs. Beatrice Henry, Mrs. Sue Devol, and Katlı- rine, and Dorothy, who are still at home.
Robert and Mrs. Cooper have also been prominently identified in educational circles.
The Ritchie Democrat and Beacon Light .- The late E. S. Zeveley founded the "Ritchie Democrat and Beacon Light," at Cairo, in April 1817, and continued its publication until his death, in April 1884.
Mr. Zeveley was at this time the oldest newspaper man in West Virginia, he having been identified in this business for almost a half-century. He was born in North Carolina, in 1818, and there he was educated. and entered upon his journalistic career, by begint- ning the publication of the "Greens- boro Beacon," in 1836.
He was connected with journal- ism in different states; viz., Ohio, Maryland, North Carolina, and West Virginia.
After his death, the "Ritchie E. S. Zeveley. Democrat and Beacon Light" . passed into the hands of his son, Van A. Zeveley, who continued it at Cairo until 1889, when he moved it to Pennsboro, and. dropping the "Ritchie Democrat." issued it under the name of the "Beacon Light" until it went out of existence, in 1893.
He then went to Lincoln county, where he edited the "Lincoln News" for six years, until his failing health com- pelied him to give up the newspaper work, which had engaged
.
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NEWSPAPERS
his attention for a quarter of a century. He is now located at Cairo, where he has one of the best job printing offices in the state.
The elder Zeveley married Miss Charlotte Hinkle (1820- 1886), and his other children besides Van A. are the late John HI. Zeveley, Mrs. Malvina Soyster, Mrs. Zabenia Elder (de- ceased), and Mrs. Mae (H. N.) Sharps, Pennsboro.
Other Cairo Papers .- In 1895. C. H. Scoville started the "Cairo Times," but his office was destroyed by fire a few inonths later, and thus its brief history came to an end.
"The Cairo Enterprise" is the one publication here now. "The Enterprise" was launched by Dana R. McGlothlin and Charles Smoot, two young men of Parkersburg. Mr. Smoot severed his connection with this paper in 1905, and it passed into the hands of a company, and Mr. McGlothlin was retained as editor and manager ; but he sought "greener fields" a year or so since, and Earnest Prunty became his successor, but Robert Morris is now the owner, and Van A. Zeveley is in the editorial chair. (1910.)
Weekly Review Founded .- In 18:1, J. J. Sigler and T. T. McDougal purchased a small printing outfit and opened a job office at Harrisville : and after a few months, Mr. McDougal severed his connection with this office, and went to Lincoln county, where he set the "Lincoln Clipper" afloat; and Mr. Sigler became the owner, and continued in the job printing business until the Greenback movement became a political feature in this state, a few years later. He then became the publisher of a paper called the "Greenbacker," which was launched by some of the leaders of this movement, and which was edited by R. H. Freer. At the close of the campaign in 18844, this publication was discontinued, and the "Weekly Re- view" came upon the stage, in November of the same year, as a Democratic organ, with J. J. Sigler publisher, and Hon. L. G. Bennington, editor. Hon. R. S. Blair and other promi- nent Democrats being behind the movement.
Mr. Bennington only occupied the editorial chair for a few months, and he was succeeded by the late B. F. Ayres. This paper expounded Democracy for a little more than a year, and was on the eve of being discontinued when,
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
J. J. Sigler became the editor and proprietor, and changed it to a Republican sheet ; and thus it continued to expound the "principles of the Grand old Party" until 1899, when it was purchased by the late F. M. Moats, and incorporated with the "Ritchie Standard"-the Review office becoming the Standard office, and the Review press, the Standard press.
J. J. Sigler is a native of Evansville, Preston county, lie having been born in 1847. He is the son of the late J. R. Sigler, of Cairo, and the grandson of Israel Stevens,1 who came from Pruntytown to Harrisville, in 1850, and who served as post-master, deputy sheriff, and jailer, during the fifties.
Mr. Sigler was reared by his grandfather and his late aunt, Miss Nancy Stevens, his mother having bade adieu to earth when he was but an infant. So Harrisville has been his home from early childhood.
He married Miss Florence McDougal and is the father of five children: Homer E. Sigler, deputy County clerk. Parkersburg: Mrs. P. Z. Musgrave, Marion county : George T., who is book-keeper for the Cypress Lumber Company at Loughman, Florida ; and Miss Lelia and Byrl. All of the children spent most of their school vacation at the case in the Review office, with the exception of Mrs. Musgrave. Miss Lelia is regarded as one of the most efficient type-setters in this part of the state.
Mr. Sigler now has a job office at Harrisville.
The Ritchie Standard .- This paper came into existence near the year 1889, when S. S. Stewart founded the "Rc- veille," which he published for a few years, and which was continued by his. wife, Mrs. Ella Haymond Stewart, until 1895, when it passed into the hands of H. B. Woods and W. R. Heaton, who became equal purchasers, and who changed the name of the paper-sending out the first issue of the "Ritchie Standard" on March 15, 1895.
Mr. Woods was the editor, and Mr. Heaton, the manager. but during the autumn of 1896, Mr. Woods sold his interest to the late F. M. Moats, who became the sole owner. a little later.
1Mr. Stevens wos the father of the late Mis . Nancy Stevens, Mrs. M A. Mckinney, and Mrs. Sarah A. M. Heaton.
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NEWSPAPERS
As before stated, Mr. Moats purchased the "Weekly Re- view," in 1899, and incorporated it with the "Standard," and continued its publication until his death, in May, 1901. The plant was then sold to a company known as the "Standard Publishing Company," and was managed and edited by the late J. Willis Fiddler, and W. R. Heaton, until October, 190?, when it passed into the hands of Lewis Harvey Adams, - a native of the "Buckeye state," who had been a resident of this county, since his early boyhood, and a prominent teacher, before stepping into the editorial chair. In September, 190%, he sold to Robert Morris, the present owner of both Gazette and Standard, and went to Parkersburg.
One interesting feature in connection with the history of this paper, is that it was founded by local talent-by a novice in the newspaper business ; and, though no other local pub- lication in the county has ever attained a higher degree of success, or reached its present circulation limit, it has been in such hands almost throughout its history.
Under the present management, the subscription list has been increased from thirteen hundred to two thousand, though the present editor cannot be styled a novice in this business. as he was "born and bred in a newspaper office."
Pennsboro Papers .- M. K. Duty was the author of the first newspaper venture at Pennsboro, some time in the early '80's. He called his spicy little sheet "The Monitor," and after a brief editorial experience, sold out to T. A. Brown, who continued it for a time at Pennsboro, and then removed it to Elizabeth. Wirt county, in April, 1886, where he issued it under the name of the "Elizabeth Times." It later passed into the hands of the Gray Brothers, but is now owned by the "Messenger Publishing Company," and is known as the "Elizabeth Messenger."
M. K. Duty is a Tyler county product. In a hickory cabin of unhewn logs, with a puncheon floor, and with but one window, and one door, he was born, on December 8, 1855. He is of Irish lineage-the great-grandson of Mark Duty. who distinguished himself by being the author of an arith- metic, which was used in the schools of his day, and who was the father of Elizabeth Duty, the founder of the Woman's
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
Christian Temperance Inn; and of Mrs. Jennie Duty Spencer, wife of the celebrated Platt R. Spencer, author of the Spen- cerian penmanship system. His parental ancestors came from Cleveland, Ohio, and his maternal, from Monongalia county, to Tyler county, where his parents, Andrew W. Duty, and Hannah Eleanor Jones Duty, were both born.
His father served as first sergeant of Company E, of the Fourteenth West Virginia Infantry Volunteers during the Civil war, being captured and taken prisoner at the battle of Cloyd Mountain, on May 9, 1864. He died at his home in Tyler county, in 1910, and his wife has long been sleeping 'mid the scenes of her childhood at Centerville, where she was laid at the early age of thirty-three years.
M. K. Duty has been a prominent figure in educational, political, and business circles ever since he came to this coun- ty, perhaps near thirty years ago. He has been teacher, edi- tor, lawyer, County Superintendent, member of the House of Delegates, candidate for Congress, and railroad magnate. He is President of the Lorama Railroad Company at this time, and is busily engaged in the extension of this road to Pullman.
He married Miss Ollie Howard. daughter of Henry Howard, of Tyler county, for his first wife, and they were the parents of three children, the late Okey, Price, and Jennie. His second wife was Miss Lora Crumirine, daughter of the late Dr. J. B. Crumrine.
The Zeveley Paper, whose history has already been noticed, was the second publication here. Then came Will A. Strickler with the "Lever," which he sold to a man by the name of Smith, who changed the name to that of "Pennsboro News." His (Smith's) editorial career here, was a brief one, and he was succeeded by the late D. A. Fawcett. of North Carolina, who, after a few months' experience, gave his place to J. A. Wooddell, the present editor and proprietor, who had the misfortune to lose the entire contents of his office by fire early in the year 1906, but who soon installed a new outfit, and resumed his publication after a brief intermission. This is the only Democratic paper in the county. but. though much in the minority, its editorials hold a high rank among the other weekly publications of the state.
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NEII SPAPERS
"The Republican" was another transient Pennsboro paper. W. B. Pedigo, the present Mayor of Parkersburg, was the editor for a time, and later, it passed into the hands of a com . pany of Pennsboro's business men, who continued its publica- tion until the spring of 1903, when it went out of existence.
In July following, the "Republican" outfit was sold to Hons. Anthony Smith, R. H. Freer, and Sherman Robinson. and removed to Harrisville, where it was pressed into service in the publication of a paper styled "The Eagle," which was edited by Mr. Freer, and published by J. J. Sigler. The clam- merous tones of this "glorious bird" attracted much atten- tion for a time-its screams being heard far and wide during the campaign. But alas! at its close the lovely thing dropped its proud head and died. The late E. H. Collins, of the Ga- zette, purchased the outfit in July, 1904.
The identity of the first newspaper editor of the county is a subject of more than ordinary interest to us, since his venture into this unpromising wilderness laid the founda- tion for the weekly publications which play such an import- ant part in our public affairs of to-day.
Enoch George Day was born in Anne Arundel county, Maryland, on September 5, 1809, and there his youthful days were spent. His wife, Miss Julia Anne England, daughter of Andrew and Katherine Buckley England, was a native of Frederick county, Maryland, and from Bath county, Virginia, they came to Harrisville in 1856. He brought his press and material with him, and soon after his arrival launched the "Ritchie Democrat." He not only figured as newspaper edi. tor, but as lawyer and post-master as well. He went from here to St. Mary's, perhaps, towards the close of the Civil war, and there practiced law for a time before removing to Wheel- ing, where he died, on September 12, 1870, at the age of sixty- one years, and there in lot No. 371 in Peninsula cemetery, he lies at rest. After his death, Mrs. Day went West to live with her son, Thomas, and, in Mexico, Missouri, on June 5. 1884, she fell asleep, at the age of seventy-five years.
Their family consisted of four sons and one daughter;
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
viz., Thomas E., Charles H., John Emery, W. Harry, and Mary C. Day. .
The sons were all Union soldiers ; all were wounded while in the service, and all are dead from the effects of these wounds, except Charles HI. Harry, who died in Oklahoma, in 1900, was Captain of the "Home-guards." Emory was wounded at the battle of Bull run, and died nine days later. Thomas, who laid down the cross at Mexico, Missouri. in 1894, was a colonel; and Charles H., who lost an arm in the conflict, was captain. He now resides at Agnewville. Vir- ginia, and is unmarried.
Mary C. Day, the only daughter (born on November 6. 1840), was first married to Peter E. Kerns, of Bath county. Virginia, on November 8, 1859. Mr. Kerns was born on November 2, 1830, and died on July 18, 1862, from cold con- tracted during his service in the Union army ; and Alda, the one child of this union (born on May ?, 1861, and died on April 29, 1862), lies by her father in the Harrisville cemetery.
On January 30, 1868, Mrs. Mary C. Day Kerns became the wife of J. B. Mallory, the marriage being solemnized at St. Mary's by the Rev. Mr. Belt, of the Methodist Episcopal church, and at Wheeling they resided until 1870, when they came to Ellenboro, where she feel asleep on October 6, 1894: and in the Ellenboro cemetery she lies buried. But Mr. Mai- lory still survives at the age of eighty years : he having been born at Geneva, Pennsylvania, on August 15, 1830; and with his uncle, the late Dr. M. M. Campbell, of Parkersburg, came to Fairmont, this state, at the age of seventeen years. He was a soldier of the Union army, and lost one eye in the service. He is a boot-maker by trade, and has had consider - able experience as clerk in the stores at Ellenboro, and was at one time assistant collector of Internal Revenue for his brother-in-law, the late General A. S. Core.
Mr. and Mrs. Mallory were the parents of six children : viz., Henry K. (1869-71), Henrietta (born and died in 1874). Harry K. (1875-1900), Wheeling; Joseph M., Wilsonburg : Edward, of the Jaricaki Manufacturing Company, Ellenboro. and Mary Day, the eldest daughter, who is now Mrs. Perry Strickler, of Ellenboro. She and her brother being the only . descendants of Enoch G. Day that remain in this county.
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The Days must have crossed the sea early in the eighteenth century, though this fact has not been positively established ; but they first settled in Anne Arundle county, Maryland, and from there scattered to different parts of the Union, the name being a prominent one in various sections of the country to-day. But our definite information begins with Thomas and Hannah Day, the grandparents of Enoch G. Day, who resided in Maryland as early as 1784, when their son, Thomas Day, junior, was born.
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