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 44
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William, another brother came to America near 1855, and enlisted in the United States Army, and served on the front- ier of Texas, Oregon, and other Western states, and in the Civil war, until he was wounded in the battle of Petersburg. He settled on Gillispie's run in this county after the war, where he died in 1900.
The mother, and two other sons, Robert and Joseph Mil- ler came from Ireland to Gillispie's run, this county, in 1865, where she died in 1893. Robert met his death in a mine at Monongah in 1901, and Joseph lives at Pittsburg.
Michael A. Ayres is also a native of Maryland, he having first seen the light of day at Lonaconing, Allegheny county, on November 20, 1840. When he was but ten years of age his parents removed to the mouth of Tanner's fork in Gil- iner county, where he grew to manhood. In 1861, on the twenty-first anniversary of his birth, he enlisted as a Federal soldier, in Company C, 11th Regiment, West Virginia In- fantry, and served throughout the war, and rose from the rank of duty sergeant of the company, to that of major of the regiment : he having had command of the regiment.
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throughout all the active campaign during the spring of 1865 until hostility ceased ; was in front of Petersburg, and Rich- mond; at Hackers' run; at the capture of Ft. Baldwin and Gregg ; and witnessed the surrender at Appomattox. In 1865, he led Miss Mary Smith, daughter of Isaac, to the altar as his bride, and in 1867, came to Smithville, and shortly after, purchased the homestead of his father-in-law, where he has since resided.
Since coming to this place, he has been pedagogue, farm- er, post-master, assessor, justice of the peace, depitty cen- sus-taker, and hotel-keeper, and has long been a prominent figure in the Baptist church. He is the father of five chil- dren : Miss Alberta and C. W., who is in the employ of the South Penn Oil Company, are still at home: H. B. and Allen reside near by; and Gertrude the eldest daughter, is sleeping in the churchyard.
Alfred Barr, too, claims a little corner in this town's his- tory, he having been identified with the community for al- most a half century. For thirty-three consecutive years, he has been the Superintendent of the Baptist church Sunday- school, and a prominent figure in other departments of church work.
He came upon the "battle field of life" in Lewis county, on September 25, 1839; and is the son of the late Samuel and Rachel Weaver Barr.
On December 22, 1859, he was married to Miss Cynthia Anne Smith, daughter of the late Isaac Smith, of Smithville, and a little later, this county became his adopted home. He enlisted in Company C, 11th Regiment West Virginia In- fantry Volunteers, on December ?? , 1861, and served in defense of the Union for three years, being a participant in many engagements on the field of battle. On July 24, 1864, he was wounded at the battle of Winchester, and was left on the field to die ; but was rescued and nursed back to life by the kind hands of the Southern women. When able to be removed. lie was taken to the far-famed Libbey prison, at Richmond, where he was exchanged and taken to the general hospital at Annapolis, Maryland, and there remained until able to re- turn home.
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
He is the father of ten children : Mrs. Eliza Nutter, Mrs. Hannahetta Sharps Law, Mrs. A. J. Riddel, Mrs. Mary L. Deem, Mrs. Julia Sinnett Shimer, Mrs. Florence Goff, Mrs. Laura Wilson, and Freeman Barr, all of this county ; and two died in childhood.
William A. Flesher is the only citizen of the village that has ever been honored with a seat in the Legislature halls of our state, and thus his public career merits more than a pass- ing notice.
He first saw the "light of day" at Parkersburg on De- cember 5, 1849, and when he was a child of but six summers, his parents removed to Tyler county where he grew to man- hood, and where he remained until 1880, when he came to Smithville.
He was the son of the late F. H. and Mrs. Matilda Ogden Flesher, his father a native of Lewis county, and his mother. of Dover, Mason county, Kentucky. His father was a brother of the late Asa Flesher of this place.
On April ?, 1870, he was married to Miss Caroline Long, daughter of George and Lydia Long, of Tyler county, and they are the parents of nine children.
Since coming to Smithville, he has served as member of the Board of Education, for eight years ; as County commis- sioner, for twelve: and has twice been elected as member of the House of Delegates, he having served at the regular ses- sion of 1907. at the special session of 1908, and in 1909. He was a member of the Committees on Labor, Roads, and Inter- nal Navigation, and of the State Prison during his first term : and of Military Affairs. Roads, Internal Navigation and Labor. at the second. His son, Master Gail Flesher. had the honor of being Journal Page at the session of 1909.
The other members of the family are as follows: Mrs. J. F. Miller, Mrs. S. E. Smith, Mack Flesher, and Miss Dee. all of this place; Mrs. G. G. Brown, Huntington ; Mrs. Okey K. Clammer, and George F. Flesher, Colorado; and F. E. Okla- homa.
CHAPTER XLIV
Burnt House
HE village of Burnt House, which now 11tim- bers near a half-hundred inhabitants, was born in 1882, when the late H. N. Wilson and J. K. P. Stalnaker, built the store-house that is now the wagon and blacksmith-shop of Henry Smith, and launched the mercan- tile business here.
The mill was constructed the same year by the Stalnaker Brothers, J. R., D. C., and the late Sanford, who passed from his earthly home in Dakota in 1896; and J. R. Stalnaker, at this time erected the first dwelling where his hotel now stands.
H. N. Wilson .- In 1883, this dwelling and mill passed into the hands of H. N. Wilson, and here, the following spring, one. of the saddest pages of Mr. Wilson's life was written when the mill exploded, instantly killing his little son, Burr, and dreadfully scalding his eldest son, L. B. Wil- son.1
Shortly after this sad occurrence, Mr. Wilson sold his mill to the late G. WV. Fling, and his step-son, A. C. Fisher : and a few months later, disposed of his interest in the store to his partner, Mr. Stalnaker, and went to Cornwallis, early in the year 1886, where he was engaged in the mercantile business for the next eighteen months, until his store was accidentally destroyed by fire: he then returned to Burnt House, and again, in 1890, opened a store here, and continued to sell goods until his death in 1892.
Mr. Wilson was born near Oxford in 1831 ; was a mem- ber of the pioncer family of Wilsons whose history appears
1Twice within the history of the village this mill has been the scene of a tragic accident, Absalom Wamsley having met his death here some years later by being caught in the machinery in some way.
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
with the South Fork settlers. In 1859, he was married to Miss Victoria Taylor, daughter of the late James Taylor. who was at that time sheriff of the county, the ceremony be - ing solemnized at the old jail at Harrisville, and shortly after his marriage, he settled on Straight fork of Spruce creek, on the old homestead that is now the property of his adopted daughter, Mrs. Stata Lowther Wilson Haddox, where the family have lived continuously since that time with the ex- ception of a few years. Herc he passed from earth and, here, he sleeps. His wife was laid by his side, in December, 1907
Ile served as Lieut. in the State Militia before the Civil war, but was not in active service during the Rebellion, as his sympathies were with the Southern cause. He filled the offices of County surveyor, Land Assessor, and served as a member of the Board of Education, of Murphy district.
He was the father of eleven children: L. B., Mack, F. S., Chape, Walter, Claude, and Mrs. E. L. Hartman, the other four died in childhood. Chape, who has chosen teaching as his profession, was graduated from the Glenville Normal school in the class of 1910.
The Stalnaker Brothers are natives of Barbour county, but came here from Gilmer county. J. R. married Miss Lou- isa Frederick, daughter of the late Nicholas Frederick : and D. C. married Miss Jennie Gainer, daughter of the late Nicho- las Gainer, of Gilmer county, but she is now gone to the other shore. Both are childless, but J. R. has an adopted daughter, Sadie Stalnaker.
With the exception of a few years both of these brothers have been identified with the town throughout its history. J. R., who is now the proprietor of the "Stalnaker hotel." has been miller, blacksmith, hosteler, merchant ; and D. C. has been both miller and merchant.
J. K. P. Stalnaker, after going out of business here re- turned to his former home in Gilmer county, where he still resides, and where his wife, who was formerly Miss Margaret Fling, sister of the late G. W. Fling, sleeps. He was the father of several children: Mrs. Gae Fisher, who died in 1910: Mrs. Zona Thorne, Mrs. Blanche Gainer, Mrs. Dolly Smith,
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Misses Maude and Bliss, and Howard and the late John, junior.
The Stalnakers are of German descent. They came to Gilmer county in 1859, with their parents, John and Mrs. Margaret Black Stalnaker.
These brothers belonged to a family of thirteen children, four of whom have been mentioned, and the remainder are as follows: William of Grantsville: Nelson, of Washington state; Henry and Mrs. Dana Fling, Nebraska; Mrs. G. W. Fisher, and Mrs. Elizabeth Goff, Gilmer county ; Mrs. Mahala Stemple, and Mrs. Sarah Hoffman, Barbour county.
G. W. Fling, who died in Colorado in 1887, was the first blacksmith of the village in 1884. His widow, Mrs. Mary Bush Fisher Fling, returned here after his death, and opened the first hotel.
Her son, C. W. Fisher, who married Miss Sallie Robin- son. and now resides at Glenville, launched the harness and saddier business here; and the late Dr. D. F. Ireland had charge of this business for a short time, a little later : but for a number of years past, it has been in the hands of A. L Hardman, who is also, the present post-master.
Mrs. G. W. Fling died here. She was the mother of A. C. Fisher and Mrs. V. E. Leggett, of Harrisville, and Mrs. Hat- tie Lemon, of Colorado, who, with C. W., above mentioned, were the fruits of her first union; and the late Mrs. Sallie Sovereign, John, Lee, and Newton Fling were the children of the second marriage.
The village stands on land that was once owned by the late Henry Fling, and David W. Sleeth. The post-office and church ante-date the history of the town by many years. The first church was built by the Southern Methodist near the year 1854, on the Sleeth estate; but this old time structure. which stood just across the road from the present school- house, was crumbling to decay, when the village was born ..
The one church here now is Presbyterian in denomina- tion, but is open for the worship of other sects. It was dedi- cated in 1890, and was chiefly the work of Dr. J. F. Hartmann and his family.
Dr. J. F. Hartmann was the first resident physician of
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
the town. Ife was born in Barbour county, on February 16, 1851, and there spent six years of his early life as a school- teacher. He was graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore in 1881, and came to this village the same year, and began the practice of his profession. On January 9, 1883, he was married to Miss Florilla F. Austin, eldest daughter of the late P. S. Austin, and has ever since resided at the Austin homestead. He is a Democrat in po- litical faith, and a leading figure in church and Sunday-school circles. And though a man of marked ability, he has never held a public office. Four of his children died in early child- hood, and three survive : viz., Miss Jessie, who is a prominent young teacher. and Karl and Fleet Hartmann.
The Hartmanns are of German descent. James T. Hart- mann, the head of this family was born in the Keystone state, on September 11, 1816, and with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Hartmann, emigrated to Pocahontas county (West) Virginia, in his childhood. There, near Greenbanks, his mother died, and his father re-married and removed to the Buckhannon river in what is now Upshur county, where he passed from earth.
On April 11. 1844, James T. Hartmann, was married to Miss Mary Hull Burner, who was born on May 19, 1826, and who came of a prominent Pocahontas family. she being the daughter of Jacob, and Mrs. Keziah Stump Burner, and the grand-daughter of Abram, and Mary Hull Burner, early pio- neers of that county. But her parents removed to Barbour county when she was a child of three years, and there the marriage took place, and there they established their home and remained until they came to this county in May, 1883.
Mr. Hartmann was one of the early deputy-sheriffs of Lewis (now Upshur) county, and he filled the office of County clerk, and other public positions in Barbour county. He died at his home above this town on July 29, 1894. and his wife survived until November 20, 1906. Both rest in the Burnt House churchyard. Their son, A. W. Hartmann died in his young manhood, and Dr. S. P., of Smithville, in 1901 ; and the rest are as follows : Dr. J. F .. Elden P., and T. J .. of Burnt House; E. L., of Parkersburg; C. R., of Clarksburg :
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Austin J., of Barbour county; Mrs. Washington Reger, of Roane county ; and Mrs. C. W. Reger, of Clarksburg. Sev- eral members of the family have been identified in the teach- ing profession in this county, and E. L. now holds a position in the Parkersburg schools. And to the Regers, and E. P. Hartmann this communty is indebted for some of its pret- tiest homes, they having redeemed from their primitive wil- derness, the farms that are now owned by the latter, and by T. J. Hartmann, and Preston Gainer, less than thirty years ago.
Mrs. j. W. Holden, Mrs. E. G. Rohrbough, wife of the principal of the Glenville Normal school; A. Clyde Reger, and Dr. E. L. Reger, are among the prominent younger mem- bers of this family.
. The site of the first school-house in this vicinity is now marked by the residence of C. A. Wilson, below town. It was built near the year 1850.
The village now has fourteen dwellings, including two hotels. It has two general stores, a mill, blacksmith and wagon-shop, saddle and harness-shop, post-office, and lodge hall, where three lodges meet, I. O. O. F., I. O. R. M., and Modern Maccabees, and one physician, Dr. Leroy Goff.
James Ellsworth Ferrell has been a leading merchant here since 1889. He is a Monongalia county product, though his parents, Robert R., and the late Delia M. Fast Ferrell, re- moved to Calhoun county, six months after the date of his birth on April 10, 1863. Here he grew to manhood, and spent sixteen years in the profession of teaching-serving four years as County Superintendent (1885-1889), before coming to this town. His store was destroyed by fire in 1906, but he kept his nerve, and was soon doing a good business again.
On July 18, 1889, he was married to Miss Mollie Fling, only daughter of F. Gainer and Elsie Bush Fling, and they now have charge of the Ferrell-formerly the Fling-hotel.
Pearle, who became Mrs. Clyde Boso, of Parkersburg, on October 19, 1910, Glenn, Willard, and Kenneth are their children.
F. M. Ferrell, Fremont Hardman, A. C. Cunningham, F.
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
S. Wilson, L. B. Wilson, Jacob Manear, and perhaps others have also been identified in the mercantile business here from time to time.
"Goff's" which has never been but little more than a post-office, came upon the stage in the early sixties when the post-office was established with the late Thomas Goff (front whom it took its name) as first post-master. He resided where his nephew. E. C. Goff. now lives, and finally went to Iowa where he fell asleep.1
The late James R. Brake, of Berea, and the late Dr. Lee Goff, of Hazelgreen built the first store here, late in the seven- ties. Mr. Brake furnished the capital and Dr. Goff had charge of the business.
E. C. Goff, who is the grandson of Aaron Smith, the original pioneer of this vicinity, has been the merchant and post-master for more than a quarter of a century past.
He has been quite prominent in business and political circles as well, he having represented this county in the Legislature a few years since.
He was first married to Miss Priscilla Bee, daughter of Asa Bee. of Berea, and they were the parents of, Alfera, Wm. A., and Herbert H. Goff, of Goff's; Mrs. Ida (Willy) Law. and Mrs. Inis (A. C.) Huff, of Lawford. His present wife was Miss Kitty Smith, of Columbus, Ohio.
The mill which has long since ceased to grind was built by the late Perry Gainer, of Bone creek, brother-in-law of Mr. Goff.
Fonsoville .- And there's Fonsoville! though scarcely out of its swaddling clothes, yet with its beautiful location and environments, and its high-sounding-name, it is destined to be a subject of no little importance to the future historian, and we will here tell you something of its origin and size.
This tiny village was born on October 10, 1901, when Charles E. Hatfield opened his store here. The school-house. Frederick's mill. and the dwelling of J. C. Rexroad had long been in existence, and on December 6, 1901, Mr. Hatfield
ISee Spruce creek chapter for farther history of Thomas Goff.
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BURNT HOUSE
was commissioned as post-master. The office opened on January 1, 1902, under the name of "Fonzo" with mail three times a week, but a daily route was established the following spring. Then came J. C. Rexroad with his blacksmith-shop during the summer of 1904 (with F. S. Moyer in charge) ; and when Miss Addie Leggett opened her milliner and dress- inaker shop during the autumn of 1907, the "youngster" really began to put on the airs of a village. The country in this section is so thickly settled that it is hard to determine the boundary line, but the new county bridge that spans the river at the mill connects the village and adds the pretty residence of J. L. Frederick.
Charles Edwin Hatfield, the originator of this little "speck on the map," is the second son of Abner and the late Mrs. Elizabeth Fordham Hatfield. Goff's is the place of his birth. and February 16, 1871, his natal day. He was a tiller of the soil, and school-teacher, for five years, before launching the mercantile business here, and he has been the Secretary of the Board of Education for Murphy district since May 6, 1904, and is a Notary Public.
On October 7, 1894, he was married to Miss Bessie Wil- son. daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. H. Wilson, of Goff's who died on July 22, 1899, and four children were the result of this union : viz., Mabel Pearl and Mary Elizabeth, who survive ; and Abner H., and Bazil W. (twins), who died in early child- hood.
On October 22. 1907, he again took the nuptial vow. when Miss Isa F. Wamsley, daughter of Samuel Wamsley became his bride, and Edna Mae, and Charles, junior, are the two children of this union.
Note-This town is the home of the writer and she naturally feels an unusual interest in it despite its seeming insignificance to the "stranger within its gates."
CHAPTER XLV
Auburn
HIS town, which is the second in size in Union district, was first called "Bone creek," the name having been derived from a bone lick on the farm of Robert Sommer- ville. It was later changed to "Newberg," and in 1872, to "Auburn," there being an- other Newburg in the state.
The town stands on the original farms of the first set- tlers-Robert Sommerville, Timothy Tharpe, and Andrew Law.
The first school-house was built in 1844, and the first church, in '49 or '50. This church, which stood near the late Thomas C. Hardman residence, was erected by the Baptist and the Methodist Episcopal people, and was, also, used for school purposes.
The first Methodist Episcopal church was built in 1855, where the present one, which was completed in 1889, 110W stands. Andrew Law gave the grounds for this church, and Timothy Tharpe, for the cemetery. The town now has four good churches,1 representing as many denominations-the Baptist, the United Brethren, and the Methodist purchased the grounds for their churches.
The late Elisha M. Hall built the first store in 1852, on the lot where C. L. Zinn's residence now stands. Some time after he had gone out of business, Timothy Tharpe became the second merchant.
He built a. house of round beech logs, on the bank in the bend of the creek, where he served his customers. which were "few and far between." The country was so thinly
1The M. P. church was burned since this was written.
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AUBURN
settled, at this time, that he found this business rather irk- some, so much so, that he was led to remark to some of his friends, that "keeping store" reminded him of "watching a lick."
The tannery was instituted in 1852, with Timothy Tharpe at the heim, but it went out of existence a number of years ago, and the pretty residence of Dr. Lawson now marks the site. J. E. Norman was the last owner, he having held this business in-tact for quite a length of time.
The post-office was established in the early fifties, with Andrew Law post-master, and C. L. Zinn is the present in- cumbent. In 1871, this office only paid three dollars a year : it now pays six hundred.
Timothy Tharpe built the first mill, which was a corn- cracker and saw-mill. The late H. H. Fling, of Roseville, Gilmer county, erected the first burr-mill near 1870; and H. H. Norman and M. B. Watson put in the roller process, which is now owned by J. K. P. Connolly and Smith. The planing-mill is owned and manipulated by M. B. Watson.
The pioneer mill site was on the lot now owned by C. L. Zinn.
John Miller opened the first blacksmith-shop in 1856. This old pioneer shop stood near the present site of thie Cookman residence.
Jacob Williams was the first blacksmith after the cont- ing of the town, he having come here in 1871, and opened a shop where his son, Chester Williams, now wields the ham ?- iner. He married Miss Jane Wiseman, and both sleep in the Auburn cemetery. His other children, besides the son men- tioned, are, Samuel, who died in the West; Thomas, Mrs. Viretta Adams, and Mrs. Ellen Crumrine, of Iowa.
J. C. Gluck .- Though the history of the town dates back to the early fifties, it was but a hamlet of a few buildings in April, 1871, when J. C. Gluck came here and opened a store in the Timothy Tharpe store building. And since that time it has grown into a pretty, thriving town of two hundred twenty-five or more inhabitants; and, perhaps, this progress is due more to the efforts of Mr. Gluck than to any other one individual, as his business connections (with the town)
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
have been continuous since his first arrival, with the ex- ception of a few years.
He was born ncar Glenville, in Gilmer county. on June 18, 1841, and, in 1821, as before stated, he came to Auburn and entered the mercantile business: and built the residence that is now the home of W. S. Baker.
On October 29, 1812, he was married to Miss Elosia Gravenstine, of Baltimore, and of this union three children were born. Howard, the only son, is in business here with his father at this time. Alma is Mrs. A. W. Westfall, of Parkersburg: and Ella, Mrs. Harvey Stalnaker, of Pittsburg. Mrs. Gluck died on December 18, 1910, and rests at Troy.
Mr. Gluck was a soldier of the Civil war, he having served the Union cause as Sergeant of Company G. Tenth West Virginia Infantry Volunteers ; and at the battle of Lec Town, on July 3, 1864, he was wounded on the head by the bursting of a shell. He also served, as Quarter-master of the Second West Virginia Regiment, in the Spanish-Ameri- can war for one year. He represented this county in the House of Delegates in 1889, and was a member of the extra session of the Legislature, in the nineties ; was Superintend- ent of the Reform School at Pruntytown for two years: and was President of the Board of Education of Union district for twelve years.
The Glucks hail from Germany! Joseph Gluck, senior, with his family, crossed the sea in 1839, and settled in Balti- more. He was the father of four children; viz., Christian. Henry, William, and Mrs. Lena Hess.
Christian married Miss Anna Elkhart, who was also a native of the Fatherland, and was the father of J. C., Adam, W. T. Gluck, and Mrs. Ellen (David) Steinbeck, of Troy.
J. C. Gluck was the first hosteler of the town, but he was succeeded by the late Daniel D. Bush, whose public service in this connection extended over a period of eighteen years -longer than that of any other individual in the history of the town-he having played his part well as host from 188? until 1900, when he retired to private life.
Daniel D. Bush was born in Gilmer county, on July 18.
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AUBURN
1826. His parents, Paulser, and Elizabeth Heckart Bush, being pioneers of that county.
He married Miss Nancy Riddel, daughter of George M. Riddel, who was also a native of Gilmer; and in 1813, came to Auburn, where he remained until February 24, 1906. when he passed to his final home. And in the Auburn ceme- tery his body rests.
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