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 42
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W. H. Lantz has long been a business man of the town, he having succeeded his father-in-law, (C. R. Brown) in the mercantile business, as far back as the eighties, and has been engaged in this trade continuously ever since. He has served as post-master for a number of years, and holds this office at the present time. He was born in the "Keystone" state, on September 8, 1851, and came here as clerk for Morris Brad- ford : and while thus engaged his marriage took place to Miss Ella Brown. The children of this union are: the late Mrs. Carrie Ruberry, Price, and Alma, who have also passed on ; and Charles, Minnie, Dessie, Hazel and John.
M. S. Mccullough, the founder of the marble-yard. is a
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
product of Greene county, Pennsylvania, and his natal day is August 26, 1853.
During the spring of 1818. he came to Tyler county, and there, on July seventh of this same year, he was married to Miss Ella Tallman, who died on November 1. 1884, leaving two daughters. Bertha. (Mrs. Wm. Smith of this town), and Miss Minnie, who is at home. The family have been citizens of this place since the summer of 1888, when the marble-yard ivas established.
Dr. George Phillip Sigler has been one of the prominent business factors of the town for thirty years. He was born in the "Starr settlement" on Indian creek, on March 10, 1854 . end entered upon the battle-of-life as clerk in his father's (J. R. Sigler ) store at Cairo. He began the study of medicine in 1875. and was graduated from the University School of Medicine, at Baltimore, in 1811 ; and practiced his profession at Ellenboro and at Harrisville, before coming to Pennsboro in 1880, where he has since been identified as druggist. He has been associated with various other enterprises here : among which are the Wholesale Grocery Company, the Farm- ers' and Merchants' Bank, the Pennsboro Mill and Feed Company, and the Pennsboro Manufacturing Company ; and he is an official member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
His marriage, to Miss Addie Lowther, daughter of Rob- ert and Mrs. Jane Mckinley Lowther, took place in May. 1878, and Bertram R., Robert Harold, and Grace P., who is now Mrs. A. D. Prunty, are the fruits of this union.
Hugh James Scott is another leading business figure of the town. He is a Harrison county product, and, at Syca- moredale, he first saw the light, on February 19, 1859. His father, John Scott, died when he was still in his teens, and his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Garrett Scott. then married Jef- ferson Broadwater, of this county; and to the Broadwater home he came at the age of twenty years. He taught school for three years, and in the meantime, on March 3, 1881. came to Pennsboro as clerk in Morris Bradford's store; and con- tinued his clerkship under this same roof until the spring of 1888, when he opened a store of his own in the old Crumrine building : and from that time until 1899 when he became
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PENNSBORO
cashier of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank, he was actively engaged in the mercantile business.
He is prominent in lodge and church (M. E. church) circles : and has official connection with the Pennsboro Wholesale Grocery Company, the Pennsboro Manufacturing Company, the Golden Rule Shirt Company, and the Penns- boro Furniture Company.
He was married to Miss Ella C. Harris, daughter of W. T. Harris, of Tollgate, on April 12, 1882, and on September 15, 1899, she was borne to the Presbyterian cemetery.
Thomas, the one son of this union died in childhood ; and Ada, who is in school at Morgantown, and Pearle are the two daughters.
On March 12, 1900, Mr. Scott was again married to Miss Nellie Strickler, daughter of Jacob Strickler, of Ellenboro.
John Bosler McGregor, who has been merchant trades- man, and miller here for sixteen years, was born on the old homestead on Bond's creek, on August 10, 1851, and began his business life as merchant at Central Station in 1873; and remained in this vocation in Doddridge county until 1892, when he went to Parkersburg, where he was engaged in the queensware business for one year, before coming to this place in 1894. He is now a partner with E. Z. Weekly in the Eagle Mill Company. He was married to Miss Catherine, daughter of Wycliffe Bee, on April 9, 1870, and has one son, Charles McGregor.
B. W. Wilson, son of Joseph Wilson, junior, and Rebecca Weaver, was born on Slab creek, this county, on October ?? , 1849, and has principally spent his life in this county, though he called the "Buckeye" state his home for a few years. How- ever, he has been a citizen of this vicinity since 1812 and of the town since 1892, when he opened a feed store here ; and he is now in the furniture and hardware business.
He was married to Miss Anna Collins, daughter of Ja- cob and Sarah Ripley Collins in 1820, and they have twelve children : viz., C. F. and B. B., of the Meat Market; Sarah, Harry, who is book-keeper at the Second National Bank ; Maggie (Mrs. W. W. Stuart) Clarksburg: Fred F., who is in
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
the F. and M. Telephone employ ; Ada, Artie, Ona, Nona, and Jack, who are at home.
Adam Flesher .- A very interesting history, and one which dates back to Revolutionary and Indian times, would be omitted should we overlook the name of Adam Flesher, who is at this time one of the oldest citizens of the town.
Mr. Flesher opened his eyes on this mundane sphere, at Weston, on March 22, 1844; and there, remained on his father's farm until he had reached the age of fourteen years, when, with knapsack in hand, he trudged through to Park- ersburg where he learned the saddler's trade under John Lowry, finishing his apprenticeship under Joseph Coulter, at Marietta, Ohio.
At the close of this apprenticeship, he enlisted in the Union army, in the Seventh Ohio Cavalry, for three years, and immediately after the war settled down to his trade at He- bron, where he remained for twelve years. While there, in February 1871, he was married to Miss Mary Elizabeth Bailey, who died on November 1, 1874, and was laid away at St. Mary's.
Three years later, he came to Pennsboro (18 ?? ) and opened a harness-shop, and, with the exception of a few month's residence at Smithville, he has ever since been a citi- zen of this town; has twice held the office of Justice of the Peace, and has long been an official member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
In 1877, he was married to Miss Madisona P. Haddox. daughter of Jonathan Haddox, who died on April 29, 1910, and lies at Duckworth Summit. One daughter, Edith, died in childhood ; and the other daughter, Ida B., is Mrs. W. J. Martin of this place. Mr. Martin is a partner with Mr. Flesher in the harness business and is the assistant cashier at the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank.
Mr. Flesher's Ancestor, Henry Flesher, was born in Eng. land and emigrated to America in his boyhood and settled at Weston where he built a block-house, as early as 1:30. He married a Miss Butcher (?) and reared a family of six sons and one daughter. The daughter married and started to Ohio. but nothing was ever heard of her again ; and some time after
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PENNSBORO
her departure, a band of Indians crossed the Ohio river, at Parkersburg, and, following a trail to Weston, fell upon the rest of the family at sundown and wiped them all out of ex- istence, save the mother who escaped to the fort at Jane Lew, and one son, Adam, who fled to the mountains by way of Court House run.
When the Indians killed Henry Flesher, they captured his old flint-lock musket and carried it as far as the mouth of Stone Coal creek, where they dropped it; and, half a century after, this old gun was found, though rusted into three pieces, and it is now one of the interesting relics that can be seen at Weston.
Adam Flesher, senior, the one son of the family that escaped the scalping-knife of the savages, was married to Miss Mary Stots, of Clarksburg, and settled near two miles below Weston, where he reared a family of fourteen children, all of whom reached the years of maturity and married. He hay- ing reared them on "wild hog and bear," according to the statement of his grandson. It is said that he thought more of his old gun than he did of his wife, his whole heart being in the chase. He was a soldier of the Continental army dur- ing the American Revolution and was at the Battle of Bun- ker's hill. He was, also, a soldier of the war of 1812.
He was born at Weston in 1754, and died near there in 1856 at the age of ninety-six years, despite his many hard- ships.
His descendants are now scattered throughout the Union, (though they are more numerous in West Virginia, Indiana, and Texas) and will, perhaps, number twenty thousand. They are generally honest, law-abiding, and hard-working citizens, and many of them are to be found in the higher walks of lile.
Isaac Flesher, his son, who was born in 1810, and died in 1854, was the father of Adam Flesher, of Pennsboro; H. Flesher, of Gilmer county, who lost his life in the Civil war ; the late Porter, of Williamstown, who was, also, a soldier of the Civil war: the late Crayton, of Pleasants county, the late Mrs. Suemma Bush, and the late Mrs. Zelema Lowe, of Lewis county.
Henry Flesher, another son of Adam, senior, was the
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
father of the late Asa Flesher of Smithville, and the grand- father of Solon and Theodore Flesher : and Felix H. Flesher, a brother of Asa, was the father of the Hon. W. A. Flesher, of Smithville.
H. Newton Sharps is one of the widely-known citizens of the town. He came to the Cairo vicinity with the rest of the family more than forty years ago, and began life for him- self as clerk for Harrison B. Haddox.' He later "wielded the yard stick" in the store of Sigler and Gilbert, and served as deputy-sheriff under John B. Hallam, and then came to Pennsboro as clerk for the Thomas Brothers. He traveled for a Baltimore house, and is now on the road for the "Penns- boro Grocery Company."
In 1879, he claimed Miss Mae. C. Zeveley, sister of Van A .. as his wife, and three children are the result of this mar- riage : viz .. Fred. June, and Coral, who was recently married to Dr. Cruikshanks.
Henry Sharps, the father of H. N., was born in Pocahon- tas county, on June 18, 1826; and on May 18. 1848, he was married to Miss Mary M. Terry, of Highland county, Vir- ginia, whose natal day was June 18. 1831. After spending ten years of their wedded-life in Pocahontas county, and some time in Ohio, and Wood county, they came to Cairo. more than forty years ago, where they still reside. Their family is as follows: James W., H. N., J. R., O. S., Mary F. (Mrs. Wm. Upton), Chas. F., H. H., George B., W'm. H., Sherman, Florence and Eva M. (Mrs. J. J. Calvert.)
J. A. Wooddell, though not one of the older citizens of the town, is one of the most essential to its well-being. since he wields the one Editorial pencil. and ably represents the in- terests of all.
He was born in Pocahontas county, on July 23. 1862, and obtained his education in the rural schools, and afterward studicd law, but entered the newspaper field in 1896. He was appointed as member of the Board of Directors for the Hos pital for the Insane at Spencer, by Governor White and served until this board was abolished. He has, also, served as Mayor of Ripley and of Pennsboro: is a member of the Ma-
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sonic order, the O. E. S., the Modern Maccabees and the W. O. W.
On June 16, 1896, he was married to Miss Mary Prickett. daughter of C. F. Prickett, of Ravenswood, and they have one son, Brooks.
Mrs. Wooddell is a direct descendant of Charity Prickett, the first white woman to cross the Allegheny Mountains ; and of Morgan Morgan. the first settler in the State and of David Morgan the renowned Indian fighter.
Mr. Wooddell comes of prominent Pocahontas and Har- rison county pioneer families, and is of Revolutionary stock. His father. John Stewart Wooddell, was born in Pocahon- tas county in March, 1825, and died here on August 31, 1902: and his mother. Mary Sommerville Wooddell, who was born in Wood county, on January 31. 1834, was the daughter of James Sommerville, a member of one of the older families ot Harrison county. The marriage took place on May 11, 1855. and they resided in Pocahontas. Jackson, Roane, and Wirt counties before removing to this place where both rest in the U. B. cemetery. She followed her husband to the grave, on April 30, 1906. Of their six children three died in child- hood; J. K. P. who was long a merchant here is now in the lumber business in Virginia : and Marvin P., who is a travel- ing salesman, lives here.
J. E. Cunningham, insurance agent and leader of the Prohibition movement : E. J. McKinley (merchant), Howard Broadwater, J. A. Leggett, and a number of others we might mention, are among the prominent younger men of the town, who are writing their names in its history : but they all came of pioneer stock, and must be content with their ancestral history until a future day. as space will not permit of more at this time.
CHAPTER XLII
Ellenboro
LLENBORO, like all the other railroad towns, came upon the stage as a station. But as early as 1840, a man by the name of Early, constructed a blacksmith shop here, and in 1842. a post-office was established under the name of "Shumley" with Mrs. Williamson as post-mistress.
The land where the village stands was, as before stated, originally settled by John Wigner, junior, who sold his pos- sessions here to Bazil Williamson, some time in the thirties, and went to Harrison county, where he died.
Mr. Williamson was born in Maryland. in 1429, and in his young manhood came to Harper's Ferry, where he met and was married to Miss Margaret Wager, daughter of Mrs. Sarah Harper Wager, and granddaughter of Joseph Harper, of Baltimore, who was a brother of Robert Harper, the founder of historic old Harper's Ferry; and from that place they came to Ellenboro, where Mr. Williamson found a rest- ing-place in 1852. The country at the time of their arrival, was in a wild state, and Mrs. Williamson said that it was no uncommon sight for deer to come and look over their yard fence. They owned a large estate here, and at the coming of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, they granted the right of way through it free, and in honor of the eldest daughter of the family, Miss Ellen Mariah, the station was called "Ellen- boro."
Virginia was the other daughter, and Robert Harper Wil- liamson, of Washington, D. C., and the late Dr. William L. Williamson, of Sistersville, who was the first physician of Ellenboro in 1845, were the sons. Some time after the death of the elder Williamson, the family removed to Sistersville.
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where Mrs. Williamson fell asleep, at the home of her son, Dr. Williamson, and there she reposes.
The old house, where she died, is still occupied by the Williamson descendants of the fifth generation.
Mrs. Cora I. Thaw Dills, the last surviving daughter of Dr. Williamson died at Sistersville, in 1910. She was the mother of the late Dr. R. H. Thaw, of Elizabeth.
George B. Johnson,1 a grandson of John Wigner, is the oldest man in this section. His memory carries him back to the time when Husher's run, near Ellenboro, was a sugar camp; to the days of bridle-paths, before the coming of roads. or railroads and he was one of the builders of the Northwest- ern turnpike.
Early Merchants .- Samuel Blue, who married Hannah, the sister of the late General Harris, and Sinnett, son of George Sinnett, launched the mercantile business here. Then came Robert Porter, who has already been mentioned in connection with Harrisville, as merchant, and as builder of the first hotel. A. S. Core, Crone and Watson, W. F. Wil- liams, R. A. Jeffrey, Daniel Boughner, Daniel Rexroad, Alex- ander Lowther, junior, G. E. Jarvis, and J. P. Strickler were other early merchants here. The writer has bills of mer- chandise. found among her late grandfather's old papers, which were given by Williams and Jeffrey while in business here. The former bears the date of 1858, and the latter, of 1866.
The late Rev. Eli Riddell was the first minister of the town in 1845. The Methodist Episcopal and Methodist Prot- estant denominations now have influential churches. The school-house came near the year 1867, and the present one is a two-roomed graded school.
William F. Boehm was the first blacksmith. He came here from Marion county shortly after the town was laid out, and at the breaking out of the Civil war, enlisted in the Union cause. and lost his life at the battle of Cloyd Mountain, on May 9, 1865. He married Miss Matilda Hess, sister of the late Thomas Hess, of Harrisville, and was the father of the following named children : Judson W. Boehm, and Mrs. Vir- ginia Rogers, of Ellenboro: Thomas Boehm, Clarksburg: the
1See Johnson history in earlier chapter.
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
late Mrs. America Sliffe, of Wheeling; and the late Miss Carrie Boehm, of Parkersburg.
Ellenboro is now a town of more than two hundred in- habitants. It was incorporated in 1903, with J. C. Lacy, the present mayor, as first mayor. W. A. Strickler is recorder, O. K. Wigner post-master, Drs. E. A., and M. L. Corbin,1 and Charles Boyers, physicians ; A. G. Strickler, A. Hickman, and L. A. Cunningham, general merchants; Boehm and Strickler furniture dealers, Jarecki Manufactures of Oil Well supplies, and The Eclipe Flouring Mill Company include its business houses. There are two churches, one hotel, and two lodges ; viz., The Masonic, No. ?? , and the Knights of Pythias, No. 50.
PROMINENT FIGURES IN THE TOWN'S HISTORY.
Samuel Romulus Dawson was long a prominent figure in the public affairs of the county, and though he has been quietly sleeping in the Ellenboro cemetery for eighteen years, his memory is still revered.
It was on June 29, 1824, near Brady's mill in Maryland. not far from Keyser, West Virginia, that he "first saw the light of day."
His father, John Dawson, a blacksmith, was a direct des- cendant of one Dawson that went from England to Ireland with Oliver Cromwell, where he received a large grant of land from Cromwell's hand; and his mother, Miss Ravens- craft, was a member of a prominent Virginia family, who re- sided on the South branch of the Potomac river.
Samuel R. Dawson was the youngest child of a large family, and, as his educational advantages were very much limited, he became what was styled a "self educated man," he having mastered Greek and other languages at an early age without a teacher. He entered the mercantile business at Romney in Hampshire county while still in his teens ; and shortly after he had reached his majority, joined the Pittsburg Methodist Episcopal conference, and became identified with the pioneer "circuit riders" of this section of the country, dur-
1Dr. Corbin died a few months since.
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ing the forties, he having preached at Harrisville, and at other points. He also served the Weston, Clarksburg, Parkersburg and Wheeling charges, he being the only member of the West Virginia conference that has ever had the honor of serving as pastor of the Fourth Street church, at Wheeling, the minis- ters of this church having been continuously imported from other conferences.
Owing to an affection of the throat, he was compelled to give up his active ministerial work, but continued to hold services occasionally, and to conduct funerals, up to the time of his death, on January 28, 1892.
In 1860 he removed to Ellenboro, and was the County's first representative in the Legislature of the new State of West Virginia ; and was a leading factor in bringing about the establishment of the Free School system in this state. He served as private secretary for Governor A. I. Boreman ; was appointd United States Collector of Internal Revenues by President Lincoln; and filled the position of Commissioner for the War department in the settlement of the claims of the Civil war under President Grant. He was clerk of the United States Senate for both the Committee on Patents, and for the Committee on Territories; and, in 1876, he was made the president of the County court.
Mr. Dawson three times took the marriage vow. His first wife being Miss Mary Kidwell, daughter of Hon. Z. Kid- well, a member of Congress from the Fairmont district be- fore the state was separated from the "Old Dominion:" his second, Miss Luvina Jackson, of Fairmont, and the third, Niss Rebecca J. Gallagher, of Moundsville, who died on April 21, 1907.
The one daughter of the first union, Georgianna, died at Washington, D. C., near the year 1865, unmarried.
The late Charles T., of Pittsburg; William B., who is probably in South America, if living; Mrs. Virginia Emmel, New York city : and Mrs. Emma Moore Scott, of Mounds- yille, who is a well-known missionary and lecturer (she, witlr her late husband, having spent some time in the mission- fields of India), are the children of the second union.
And the late John G., of Moundsville; Harry H. and
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
Joseph G., of Ellenboro, and Perla Hurst, who, with her parents, rests in the Ellenboro cemetery, are the fruits of the last union.
Jacob P. Strickler .- Few names have been more pron- inently associated with the affairs of the county, since the early sixties than that of "Strickler."
Jacob P. Strickler, the head of the Ritchie county family. was born near Luray, Virginia, on January 22, 1822, and there spent the first years of his youth as a farmer-lad. He entered public life as a pedagogue, and later peddled tinware in a vehicle, and finally, near the year 1848, entered the mer-
J. P. Strickler.
Mrs. J. P. Strickler.
cantile business, as a member of a firm at Monterey, in High- land county, and there continued in this occupation until the breaking out of the Civil war.
He cast his vote for Bell and Everett in the campaign of 1860, and at the opening of hostilities when a call was made for the militia of Highland county to join the Confederate ranks, he, being captain of the junior company, reported to the command with his men ; but his company was disbanded to get men to fill up the senior ranks, and he did not enter the service, but returned home and set about the closing out
ELLEN BORO
of his business; and after the Union forces had been conl- pelled to withdraw from Highland county, he left there and came to Barbour county, and from there, went West, where he visited Illinois and other states; and upon his return in 1862, he came to Ellenboro. Here, he and Granville E. Jarvis. of Taylor county, purchased the mercantile stock of General A. S. Core, and went into business under the firm name of "Strickler & Jarvis." And near the year 1868, he became the sole owner and proprietor of the establishment, and thus con- tinued until 1893, when the name was changed to that of "Strickler & Sons."
Mr. Strickler was a man of marked ability, and was ever prominent in Democratic circles. In 1842, he was chosen as a member of our State Constitutional convention-was one of the distinguished body that gave us the present Code of West Virginia.
On July 16, 1850, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Gil- mior, daughter of Alexander Gilmor, of Virginia, and grand- daughter of Samuel Gilmor, a Revolutionary soldier of Scotch descent, who carried to his grave the scars of twenty-four sabre wounds inflicted by the enemy in battle, and seven chil- dren were the result of this union ; viz., Will A., Belle (who died in youth), Thomas G., Alice, who became Mrs. J. W. Boehm, and died on December 8, 1898, at Ellenboro; Perry A., Nellie (Mrs. Hugh Scott, of Pennsboro), and Ella Blanche, who married E. F. Drey and passed on, on September 24, 1897.
Mr. Strickler died very suddenly from heart failure, on October 20, 1895, and in the Ellenboro cemetery, he reposes. But his wife still survives.
At his death his mantle fell upon his sons who are as prominently identified with the Ellenboro of to-day as lie was with the town of the past.
Will A. Strickler, the eldest son, was born at Monterey. Virginia, on March 5, 1852, and came to this county with his parents in his boyhood. On January 1, 18:5, he led Miss Tea McCoy, of Ellenboro to the altar as his bride, he being at this time employed as clerk in his father's store ; and three years later (1878), he was elected to the office of Clerk of the Circuit court, on the Democratic ticket, he being able to over-
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come the candidate of the dominant party by a majority of nineteen votes : and at the expiration of his first term in this office, he was re-elected by a majority of three hundred thirty-two votes, and the third time, he went down in defeat.
He served as assistant Clerk in the State Senate and in the House of Delegates for several terms; was deputy-clerk in Tyler and Wetzel counties, assisting the present Circuit clerks in learning the duties of their offices. He was a promi- nont figure in the Good Templar's order, having held differ- ent offices from that of Grand Chief down : and he represented the Grand Lodge of West Virginia in the International Ses- sion of the order at Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1891.
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