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 37
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Thomas Day, junior, this son, was married to Miss Eleanor Thompson, who was born in 1786, and they were the parents of Enoch G. Day, and of the following named other children: Anne (born on November 10, 1810), John (born March 11, 1812), Gideon H. (May 18, 1815), and Francis Asbury (June 4, 1818). Francis A. and Gideon were minis- ters of the Methodist Protestant church, and the latter resided at Baltimore. John was also of Maryland. But Francis Asbury was an early minister of the Harrisville community, and he finally removed to Philadelphia, where he fell dead on the street, while making pastoral calls, on April 17, 1890. He had one daughter, Emma, and perhaps other children.
John Day .- Another branch of this family which has been known in the county since the ante-bellum days, is that of John Day, who, though no positive proof has been established. was almost without doubt the brother of Thomas Day, senior -the grandfather of Enoch.G. Day.
John Day, whose history begins in Anne Arundel coun- ty. Maryland, was the father of two sons, Thomas and Ed- ward, and two daughters, whose names are missing.
Thomas Day, the one son, whose history is of interest to us, was born near Baltimore, in 1800, and there he was mar- ried, in 1822, to Miss Sarah Aun Barnes, who was also a · native of that city ; and in February, 1832, they migrated to Ohio and settled near Barnesville, in Carroll county, where they remained until they passed to the other side.
They were the parents of eight children; viz., Joshua (1823-190?), Illinois; Francis (1824-1880), Adam Thomas (1827-), Edward (-1876), John (who died on April 8, 1864, while serving as a Union soldier), Elizabeth (died in 1893
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
unmarried), Mary (who became Mrs. Kerns, died on October 28, 1890), and Joseph, who is unmarried, makes his home with his nephew, J. E. Day, of near Auburn.
Francis Day was the one son whose family are known in this county. He was born in Baltimore county, Maryland. on October 27, 1824, and with his parents removed to Ohio, when he was but a child of seven summers; there, he grew to manhood, and married Miss Eliza Meredith, eldest daughter of the late William Meredith, of White Oak, on April 13. 1852, and seven years later (1858), removed to Harrisville, where he engaged in the mercantile business for about two years. But when the Civil war cloud threatened to burst forth in storm, he returned, with his family, to Lebanon, Ohio, and enlisted in the Union service for three years, and thus sus- tained disabilities which finally caused his death. At the close of the war he removed his family back to this county, and resided on White Oak until 1874, when he went to Kansas, going on from there to Alma, Marion county, Illinois, six months later, where he died on July 22, 1880. And there, in the Alma cemetery, by the side of his wife, who died on April 25, 1883, he lies at rest. Mrs. Day was born in Marion county, West Virginia, on July 14, 1837.
Their five children were as follows: John William, who. with his brother, James Edward Day, resides near Auburn, on the Doddridge county side: Thomas Lincoln, Jasper G., and Sarah T., who first married William Howton, of this county, later John Wheeler, of Illinois, and who is now Mrs. James Baldridge, are all of Illinois.
On October 2, 1880, James Edward Day was married to Miss Lou Stinespring, daughter of John Stinespring, of Doddridge county, and their only child is Miss Ella Day.1
1If no other evidence was at hand the strong similarity of the names in these families would be sufficient to establish the connection, but Francis Day often told his friends that he was distantly related to Enoch G. Day.
CHAPTER XXXVIII
Harrisville
ARRISVILLE is the oldest and most beauti- ful town in the county. It was laid out in the wilderness. in 1822, on land "belonging to Thomas Harris, in view of having it made the seat for a new county.
The plat was made by John McKinney. and was recorded in the clerk's office at Parkersburg. Although lots were sold at this early date, but one was improved before 1837. On this lot. Stephen Stuart erected the first house, which was a frame dwelling ; and his father. Joseph Stuart-a pioneer before mentioned, lost his life here by the falling of a lumber-kiln, before the building was completed. And in this building, the first store in the county was opened by Matthias Cline, perhaps. as early as 1825: who, in 1827, sold to William McKinney, who was succeeded by John Nicklin, son of the late Dr. Nicklin, of Middlebourne. On this same lot, near 1843, Mr. Mckinney erected the old "Lincoln House." which served as a public hostelry until 1888. when it was destroyed by fire. The site is now owned by the Ritchie County Bank, and is marked by the handsome resi- dence of E. M. Carver, the founder and cashier of Ritchie county's oldest bank.
At the same time that Mr. Nicklin (1840) came into pos- session of the Mckinney store, O. and Granville Berkley, two brothers, built a store-house on the lot that is now the prop- erty of J. M. Hall ; and both Mr. Nieklin, and Granville Berk- ley built residences. Harrisville was now a village of four houses.
In 1842, Daniel Rexroad built the first hotel, which stood but a few feet back of the present dwelling of T. F. Leach -- a portion of which is still standing.
Mr. Rexroad was the son of Henry, and a first cousin of
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
Noah Rexroad. He married a Miss Wells, and went from here to Chicago, where he died a few years since, and where his sons. Isaiah and Harvey, still lived, at the last account.
The "Watson House" was built in 1843, by John Maulsby, who died here of typhoid fever, the following year ; and Henry J. Fisher, of Point Pleasant, then purchased the property, and placed Phillip Cox, father of D. W. Cox, in charge. The next tenant was John Smith, of Virginia, who opened what was, perhaps, the first and last saloon in the county, in connection with this hotel. He went to Parkersburg, where he fell asleep, and where one of his sisters still survives.
On March 28, 1862, Mr. Fisher sold this property to Enoch G. Day, who, shortly after, sold to Jeremiah Nay ; and on April 8, 1867, Mr. Nay transferred it to Mrs. Eveline Wat- son, who continued as owner until a few years since, when it passed into the hands of the First National Bank. The old building was then replaced by a handsome brick, and the name was changed to that of "National hotel." But its race was brief, a destructive fire having laid it in ruins early in the year 1906, while C. S. Corbin was the proprietor. A large three-story building of handsome architecture, which contains the post-office, the First National Bank. private offices, etc., now marks the site.
White Hall Hotel .- Near the year 1846, Robert Porter, came from New York, and built the old "White Hall" hotel, and opened a store in the same building. But, he, becoming involved in debt, lost the property, and went to Missouri, where he died a little later : and W. M. Patton, became the owner, in 1850.
Mr. Patton employed Morgan Blackshire to run the hotel, and in the meantime, he became the Sheriff of the county : but he, too, becoming involved in debt, lost the property. and his father. William Patton, senior, then became the owner, in 1859; and the "White Hall" hotel has ever since been in the hands of the Patton family. At the death of the elder Patton, in 1819, his son, the late A. J., took control ; and in the early nineties. he sold to his brother, the late B. F. Patton : and not long after this transaction, the old building was destroyed by fire, but was rebuilt by the owner in 1893.
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This now the largest hotel in the county, being three stories in height and numbering thirty-five rooms. It is practically the only hotel in town (there being a number of boarding-houses), and it is under the efficient management of Mrs. B. F. Patton, and her son, Frank.
White Hall Hotel
As early as 1843, Spencer T. Bukey,1 of Williamstown, built a residence and store house combined on the corner of Main and Court streets, on the lot that is now adorned by the palatial brick residence of W. W. Lawrence.
In 1850, Harrison B. Cunningham, son-in-law of the late Rev. James Hardman, erected a building on the corner of Main and Spring streets, and opened a general store ; but he, failing in business, was succeeded by Hopkins Burlingham, who continued to sell goods here until his death, on July 10, 1852. A gentleman by the name of Dunlap, and perhaps, a few others then heid this business in hand until 1859, when the late W. H. Peirpoint came forward with a small stock of groceries and confectionery, to which he added a general line of dry goods, a little later. And, with the exception of a year or so, he continued to serve his customers at this stand until 1904, when he sold to Harley and Carlie Moats, retaining his queensware department, which he rebuilt and enlarged, and sold to his brother, J. N. Peirpoint, shortly before his deatlı, in 1906.
Among the many others who have been identified in the mercantile business in this town, we find the names of William
1The writer has in her possession a statement of a bill of merchan- dise, bearing the date of 1843, which was purchased by her late paternal grandfather of Mr. Bukey while in business here.
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY'
McKinney, Burlingham and Rexroad (Daniel), Holt and Douglass, James McKinney and Noah Rexroad, Daniel Boughner & Co., John Hall & Son, J. M. Hall, Amos Culp, Samuel Kuykendall, J. M. Davis. A. J. & A. D. Patton, T. T. Flinn, J. K. P. Wooddell, C. C. Davis, J. F. Munsey, C. W. Winters, P. G. Brake, M. J. Crummett, J. H. Haddox, and doubtless many others.
The present ones are W. W. Lawrence, Fisher and Stump, Andrew Moats and sons, Harley and Carlie, A. F. Wilcox & Co., and E. J. Taylor.
The First Tannery in the county was established here as early as 18 ?? , by Thomas Chancellor, but in 1839, it passed into the hands of Zackquill M. Peirpoint, who continued to hoid this business in-tact until his death in 188? ; and shortly after this, it went out of existence, having been in continuons operation for sixty years. The D. B. Latimer flouring mill. which was erected by the Hardman Brothers-Fremont and Sheridan-in the early nineties, now marks the site of this old tannery.
Saddlery and Harness Business .- Joseph J. Vandivort, of Fairmont, brother of Mrs. Zackquill M. Peirpoint, and Thomas Reitz & Son launched the saddler and harness business here. which has principally been held in-tact by C. S. Martin and John B. Ayres for the past forty years. Mr. Ayres sold out his business in 1903, and went West, then East; but now rests in Oklahoma. C. C. Mckinley succeeded him, and then came H. B. Curry, of Troy, for a brief time, but he sold his stock to C. S. Martin, who now holds full sway.
C. S. Martin and his wife, Mrs. Matilda Sturms Martin. came from Marion county, and are the parents of two daugh- ters. Mrs. Cocoa D. Ailor, wife of Dr. C. W. Ailor, of Mur- phytown, and Della, who is now Mrs. Lester Snodgrass.
Thomas Reitz and his wife, nee Marshall, came here from Pennsylvania. He went to Pittsburg and finally to Kansas, where he died at the home of his son, the late Captain J. M. Reitz.
Besides the son above mentioned, he was the father of the late L. G. Reitz, of Ellenboro: Baltzer, of Florida: the late Mrs. Henrietta (W. H.) Peirpoint, of Harrisville, Mrs. .
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HARRISVILLE
Mary McGee, and Mrs. Virginia (John) Blackburn, Pittsburg.
The Post-office was established in 1830, under the name of "Solus," with William Mckinney, junior, as post-master. The names of the other early post-masters are wanting, but the following named gentleman have served in this capacity since 1863: Enoch G. Day, James M. Davis, C. S. Martin, the late T. E. Davis, J. J. Sigler, J. M. Hall. J. B. Ayres, J. M. Barbe, the late H. B. Mckinley, H. C. Showalter, and the present incumbent. R H. Freer-a number of these gentlemen have served several terms, or more than one, at least.
The Pioneer M. E. Church was erected near 1843, on the farm of the late Noah Rexroad, it having stood across the run just opposite the present R. E. L. Frymire residence. But the site was changed to the present one, near 1855; and a small parsonage was erected on this same lot at that time: but during the following winter, it was reduced to ashes, and the new church narrowly escaped a like fate-a timely snow having aided materially in saving it. This old church was replaced by a new and much larger frame structure, in 1877, but this building was destroyed by fire in 1888, when the Moats corner and the old "Lincoln House" went up in smoke. The fire having caught in the lattice work of the cupola, near sixty feet from the ground. A splendid brick structure now marks the site.
The First Baptist Church stood on the lot now owned by John Hulderman, and Mr. Davisson. The present church. which was built in 1891, is on Main street, west of Court street. The Rev. George A. Woofter was the first regular pastor of the new church.
The M. P. Church was built in 1858, and was remodeled in 1894. It also stands on Main street, opposite the school building.1
The Court House came in 1844, and this old time build- ing served until 1874, when the present brick took its place.
Not far from the time of the erection of the old court house, the first jail came into existence with Alexander Glover as contractor and builder. This antique structure was made of logs one foot square, laid compactly together, with a twen-
"For farther history of these churches see chapter on Churches.
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
The Court House with the annex.
ty-penny nail driven in every square inch. In 1869, this old prison with "its walls so dark and gloomy," gave place to the present two-story brick building.
The greater part of these old landmarks have gone "the way of all the world"-have returned to their native dust.
The School .- Harrisville, like all the other towns, had its old time school; and one of the carly buildings used for this purpose, stood on the site now marked by the former P. W. Morris residence. But the first public-school building. which consisted of two rooms, came in 1864-the school being opened this same year with S. P. McCormick, of Monongalia county, as principal. It remained a district school with a term of four months until 1822, when the length of time was extended ; but since 1883, when the Harrisville Independent District was formed, its term has been eight months.
In 1848, the two-roomed frame building was replaced by a four-roomed brick ; and in 1904, this building was remod- eledi and enlarged, by the addition of two rooms and an audi- torium, which is a large, well-lighted and ventilated hall. seated with opera chairs.
The High School was established in 1894, under the di- rection of W. W. Tapp, and its graduates now number sixty- four (1909). The present enrollment is more than two
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HARRISVILLE
COLUMBL
The Jail.
hundred sixty, with fifty-seven of the number in the High School grade.
The present school course covers a period of twelve years, including the High School curriculum of four years. which embraces Greek, Roman and English history, Latin, Algebra, Geometry, American and English Literature, Music, Physical geography, and Physics, etc., the fourth year being added in 1910.
The school library numbers six hundred volumes ; and the grounds have, within the past year, been beautified by a cement walk that surrounds the building.
The following named gentlemen have occupied the posi- tion of principal here since 1880: George K. Scott, George W. Lowther, M. A. Hayes, J. H. Lininger, M. H. Willis, J. S. Cornwell, H. B. Woods, W. W. Tapp, J. F. Marsh. Robert Morris, B. H. Hall, H. E. Cooper, Elbert Jones, and J. H. Hickman.
Two new teachers have been added to the faculty (this year, 1910), which is now as follows: J. II. Hickman, prin- cipal: M. M. Powell, assistant: Miss Jessie Tresham. High School and eighth grade teacher; and Misses Jessie Hart-
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
mann, Mae Moyer, Ada Wilson, Nelle Fowler, Daisy Smith, and Eva Hall, the latter teacher of music.
I. W. Woods was an early artist here and W. S. Sher- wood is the present one.
MIrs. I. W. Woods has been identified in the milliner business since 1876 ; and while there has been not a few other ladies engaged in this trade, from time to time, her connection has been by far the longest.
Mrs. Eli Heaton, Mrs. Maggie Moats Robinson, Mrs. Samantha Martin Holland, the late Mrs. Jennie Tarlton, and Misses Dora Reitz and Anna Leggett. and Mrs. J. W. Fiddler are among others who have been engaged in this business.
The Town Incorporated .- Harrisville was incorporated as a town, on February 26, 1869-a corporation had existed before but for some (unknown) reason, had been abolished. Smith C. Hall was the first mayor, he having been chosen at the first municipal election in 18:0. Since that time the fol- lowing named gentlemen have served in this capacity, and some of them, for a number of years:
John Hall, Dr. W. M, Rymer, John B. Ayres (served fourteen years), Gen. T. M. Harris, D. F. Haymond (who died during his term of office and the unexpired term was finished by the recorder. J. J. Sigler). C. K. Peirpoint, John Flesher, Thomas Hess, H. C. Showalter, Dr. W. E. Talbott,
Harrisville looking from the cemetery south of town.
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HARRISVILLE
J. Willis Fiddler. Sherman Robinson, Homer Adams, W. W. Lawrence, P. R. Tharpe, Romeo H. Freer, and Anthony Smith, the present incumbent.
The Harrisville of To-day .- But let us turn from the town of the past, and take a panorama of the Harrisville of to-day, which is now a most beautiful town of eight hundred inhabitants. It is not only first among the towns of the coun- ty in point of beauty and location ; but it holds a high rank among the attractive towns of the state. With its good streets, and sidewalks, its cool, shady lanes, its substantial public buildings, and its handsome residences, it presents a pleasing appearance, indeed, to "the stranger within its gates."
Being the seat of the local government, it is the one town in the county around which the general public interest cen- ters.
It now has its own gas plant from which the town is heated and lighted, and is in the midst of an oil territory which is under development. Water works have been agitated for some length of time.
As above stated, it has been an independent school-dis- trict since 1883, and has a large six-roomed brick building with an auditorium, and a school population of three hundred.
The spires of three churches, with a combined member- ship of near four hundred fifty, lift their heads far above the town-pointing heavenward. The Rev. G. B. Stuart is the pastor in charge of the Methodist Protestant church ; the Rev. M. R. Eastlack, of the Methodist Episcopal; and the Rev. Jonathan Wood, of the Baptist church.
The Presbyterians, having no church building, worship in the M. E. church. Their pastor is the Rev. C. W. Comin, of Petroleum.
The different denominations have their young peoples societies : The Christian Endeavor, the Epworth League, and the Baptist Young Peoples' Union.
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union has an organ- ization, with branch organizations of the "Y's" and the "Loyal Temperance Legion."
Four secret orders flourish : the I. O. O. F., the Daugh-
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
ters of Rebecca, the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Masonic order.
More than a dozen lawyers claim their residence here, be- sides the many who come and go. Among them are the Hon. H. B. Woods, the judge of the Circuit court, R. H. Freer. Sherman Robinson, Homer Adams, S. A. Powell, S. M. Hoff. R. S. Blair, Anthony Smith, C. H. Harrison, T. J. Davis, and Victor Cooper.
Dr. W. E. Talbott, Hosca Rymer, and Dr. J. M. Goff are its physicians ; and Drs. S. H. Zickafoose, and H. A. Jarrett. its dentists.
George M. Cokeley and Son are the undertakers: and J. L. Frey, Grimes and Coffield, the liverymen. Mrs. J. W. Fid- diler and Mrs. I. W. Woods, the milliners, D. B. Lattimer, the miller.
There are at present six general stores, two clothing houses, two furniture stores, one hardware establishment, one tinware, one grocery, one jewelry and queensware store, one drugstore, one feed store, two meat, two barber, and one har- ness shop, one flouring mill, two milliner stores, one opera house, two newspapers, and three banks.
The Ritchie County Bank, as before mentioned, founded by E. M. Carver, who is cashier, with L. R. Snodgrass assist- ant, is the oldest bank in the county. The Peoples Bank, with J. H. Lininger, cashier, and J. M. Barbe, assistant, is second in age. The First National came in 1903. J. Blaine Westfal !. son of W. H. Westfall, is the cashier. He enjoys the dis-
P. & H. Train on the Trestle.
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tinction of being the youngest bank cashier in the state, he having just passed his twenty-first birthday when he accepted this position.
The train on the Pennsboro and Harrisville railroad made its first trip to this town on Thanksgiving day, 1875. It is now known as the "Lorama." A broad-gauge road is under construction to Cornwallis, which promises many new ad- vantages to the town.
CHAPTER XXXIX
Prominent Harrisville Families
OAH REXROAD .- The name of Noah Rex- road was closely allied with the affairs of this town for more than fifty years. From 1840, when he came from his native county -Pendleton-with his wife, Mrs. Matilda Mullenax Rexroad, until 1891, when he was borne to the Harrisville cemetery, at the ripe old age of seventy-seven years, he was a conspicuous figure. in public affairs. He was prominently identified in various walks of life, being farmer, merchant, sheriff (for two terms), member of the House of Delegates, and a corner-stone. and pillar in the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mrs. Rexroad followed him to the grave in 1892, and their only child is Mrs. E. C. Fox, of Harrisville.
Mr. Fox, too, has long been prominent here, he having come from Greene county, Pennsylvania, where he was born (in 1835), in the year 1859, when he became identified with the firm of McKinney, Rexroad and Company. He is the father of but one child, L. R. Fox. of this town.
The Rexroads are of German lineage. The time of their coming to the Western world is unknown, but seven or eight generations of the family, at least, have laid claim to this soil.
Zachariah Rexroad, junior (son of Zachariah, senior), and his wife, Mrs. Sarah Hoffman Rexroad, were both natives of Pendleton county ; and here they resided until 1845, when they came to this county, with their family, and settled on the McNeill homestead, near Smithville. Here, on October 11, 1876, Mrs. Rexroad passed from earth; and on June 25, 1877, Mr. Rexroad died at the home of his daughter. Mrs. J. W. Osbourne, at Hardman chapel. Both rest on the James Moyer farm, on Den run.
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PROMINENT HARRISVILLE FAMILIES
They were the parents of eleven children: Noah, above mentioned, who came to the county five years before his parents, was the eldest son. Mary, the eldest daughter, mar- ried Harmon Rexroad, and remained in Pendleton county. The other members of the family were ; viz., Addison, Henry, Jehu, Zebulon (father of Dr. C. W. Rexroad), Lewis (father of J. C. and George), who fell at Beverly in July, 1863, while detending the old flag: Morgan, who fell in battle at Lynch- burg, in June, '64; and Jeremiah, who died in childhood ; Abi- gail, who married James Mover, of Den run ; and Sarah Mar- garet, who is the widow of the late J. W. Osbourne, of Hard- man chapel, and the only survivor of the family, all belonged to this county.
Henry Rexroad, brother of Zachariah, junior, was also an early citizen of this community, he having come from Pendle- ton county some time in the thirties, and remained until his death.
His sons were Daniel, Ephraim, Solomon, and Henry, junior, who all went West. The daughters were, Elizabeth, who became Mrs. Jacob Sinnett, Lucinda, who married her cousin Henry Rexroad, and Mary, the first wife of George Sinnett.
The Halls .- The family of the late John Hall have been identified with the business interests of this town since in the early fifties, when he with his wife, Mrs. Frances Patterson Hall. came from Greensboro, Pennsylvania, and entered the mercantile business, which has been held in-tact by his son, J. M. Hall. since his death, on September 27, 1877, at the age of sixty-seven years. Mrs. Hall lost her life on March 12, 1896, when the family residence was destroyed by fire.
They were the parents of five children: Ilarriett Ann died in 1875, and the rest are as follows: J. M., and Miss Frances Hall, of Harrisville: Edward, of Parkersburg: and Mrs. Ella (L. G.) Bennington, of Fairmont. Owing to the loss of the records when the residence was burned, this sketch is very brief ; but this family of Halls came from Delaware. and with but little doubt belonged to the same family as Syelus Hall, of Pullman. Though the connecting link is missing.
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