USA > West Virginia > Summers County > History of Summers County from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 66
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He was a soldier in the Civil War, volunteering at the declara- tion of hostilities, serving until the final surrender. He first vol- unteered with Captain Thrasher's company, which was the second company of Confederate soldiers organized from Monroe County in that war, and was attached to Wise's Legion. In 1863, at his request, he was transferred to Captain George's company, in the Sixtieth Virginia Regiment, by reason of his having five brothers in that company and two brothers-in-law. He was engaged in the majority of the great battles of this bloody conflict :
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was in the battle of Scarey, which was the first battle of the Civil War; received several slight wounds, but none of a serious char- acter. His father's name was John H. Christian. His mother was Prunella Abbott, his parents being buried at the old Jasper Smith plantation on New River, opposite Gatliff's Bottom. His grand- father on the mother's side was a soldier in the war against Eng- land of 1812. He has three children, Edgar, Etta Luberta, who married Lee Peck, a son of Christian Peck, of Monroe County, and Bernard Douglass Christian, a lad of twelve years.
In 1892 Mr. Christian was the nominee of the Democratic party for commissioner of the county court of this county, and was elected by a flattering majority, defeating in that race his Republican opponent. In 1898 he was again elected, his sec- ond term of office expiring on the first day of January, 1905, having occupied the position as commissioner of the county court, and for the larger portion of its time its president for the period of twelve years, the only member who has filled two terms in suc- cession. In this position Mr. Christian has proven himself an honest official, and no charges have ever been brought against him for unfaithfulness to the public duties imposed upon him.
His record should be a matter of pride to himself and to his posterity. He is a farmer by occupation, a Democrat in politics of the Bryan stripe, and a Missionary Baptist in his religions senti- ments, being a member of that congregation. He is a self-made man who has built himself up into the confidence of his fellow citizens, and in his older age has acquired a comfortable competence. He married Laura Zella Stafford. of Giles County, Virginia, on the 28th day of February, 1870, and now resides on his farm, twenty-two miles from Hinton.
His brother, John H. Christian, was killed at the battle of Cloyd's Mountain, in the Civil War. Another brother still resides in Summers County, A. J. Christian, who was for a number of years overseer of the poor for Jumping Branch District. He is now engaged in the hotel business at Hinton, operating and run- ning the Riverside Hotel. For some years he resided in Raleigh County, during the development of the Piney region, and owns a farm in the Bluestone section. He was born May 25, 1843, and married Margaret Williams. They have nine children, Bell John- son, who married Green Hogan; J. R., who married Ada Lilly : Prunella, who married William Meadows, now deceased; Rox- anna, who married E. B. Dechart ; Willie, J. D., E. H., Clara Ver- million and W. L. Christian, remaining children unmarried.
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
J. THOMPSON HUME, M. D.
Dr. Hume is a native of Culpepper County, Virginia, born Feb- ruary 5, 1855, and is a son of Dr. C. E. and Mary Emma Hume, his mother being Mary Emma Thompson. He graduated in medi- cine at the College of Physicians of Baltimore City in March, 1877. He for some time occupied the position of resident physician in the Woman's Hospital of Baltimore; removed and located at Hin- ton in March, 1888.
In 1896 he was nominated by the Democratic party for the House of Delegates, to which office he was elected, that campaign being one of the hardest fought campaigns in the history of Sum- mers County politics.
For four years he and Dr. J. G. Haley practiced medicine in this county under the firm name of Hume & Haley. Dr. Hume has been largely interested in the real estate developments in Hin- ton, and for a number of years was in co-partnership with the late Luther M. Dunn in the real estate business, and it was through their joint efforts that the large three-story brick store, office and hall building was erected on the corner of Second Avenue and Temple Street. He has made his home and identified himself with the interests of this county since his location, except for the period of two years spent at Newport News, Virginia. He has been en- gaged in the active practice of his profession since his graduation ; is one of the enterprising citizens of the county, as well as one of the strong practitioners of medicine and surgery in this section.
He is of a family of doctors and surgeons, his father being a noted physician before him; his brother Dr. W. W. Hume, now of Beckley, being a noted physician, as well as his cousin, Dr. W. E. Hume, the Quinimont surgeon. He is considered one of the ablest physicians in this section, as well as a safe, careful and conservative business man.
He was married to Miss Grace Benedict, of Hamilton, Ohio. He is a Democrat in politics.
1 DR. SHANNON P. PECK.
This gentleman is a descendant of the Peck family of this region of the State, as well as a noted family of Southwest Virginia. He is a son of P. P. Peck and A. E. Peck, who were early settlers in Hinton. He is a native of Monroe County, born at Centerville, then Virginia, March 20, 1853.
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He graduated in 1877 from the College of Physicians and Sur- geons of Baltimore City, and immediately located in Hinton for the practice of his profession in April, 1887.
He was married on the 22d day of November, 1882, near Meadow Brook, Virginia, to Miss Alice Clemmer. He was appointed sur- geon for the C. & O. Railway in 1879, which position he retained until he retired, some four years ago, having charge of the surgical department of that great corporation from Clifton Forge to Charleston.
Dr. Peck is a Republican in his political views, but is inde- pendent of the bosses, and usually votes to suit his own dictation, especially aiding the. opposite party in local affairs, when in his opinion it is to the interests of the general public so to do. He was elected mayor of Hinton for two terms, and administered the affairs of that important office to the satisfaction of the public. Dr. Peck is one of the leading surgeons of this country. His great practice, by reason of his connection with the C. & O. Railway Company, brought him into prominence, which he has maintained.
He is one of the enterprising citizens of Summers County, being connected with the leading financial enterprises of the city of Hinton, and is a large and extensive real estate owner. It was he who first undertook the construction of an electric light plant for the lighting of the two towns. At his own expense and at his own risk, he put into operation the original electric light plant, which he maintained for a number of years, he being the entire owner. Later, he sold out to the Hinton Light, Ice & Supply Company, which concern was finally absorbed by the present Hinton Water, Light & Supply Company.
He was one of the promoters and stockholders of the Hinton Water Works Company, is a stockholder in two of the leading banks of the city of Hinton and many other enterprises.
Dr. Peck's ancestor was one of the organizers of the county of Monroe. Peck was appointed by the government to organize the county in 1799. An uncle, Charles L. Peck, lives at Tophet and assessed the real estate of the county in 1890, and founded the "Hinton Independent," a Democratic newspaper, in 1883, at Hinton.
JAMES F. SMITH.
James F. Smith, now one of the leading citizens of the county, is a native of Kanawha County, born near Brownstown. He has been for fifteen years in the service of the Chesapeake & Ohio
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Railway Company, and is now, although mayor of the city of Hinton, still holding his position as freight conductor. He is a Democrat in politics, but never a partisan politician. In 1901 he agreed to make the race for mayor as the Democratic candidate, at the earnest solicitation of numerous citizens of the city, not being an office-seeker, and in this instance the office sought the man. That was a memorable campaign. A Republican leader, E. F. Smith, known locally by the name of "Fisher Smith," by reason of his questionable methods in politics, undertook to hood- wink the people by pretending to eliminate politics from town elections, and arrange for the railroad orders to agree on a ticket composed of some Democrats and some Republicans, but giving the Democrats a minority representation in the dispositions, and thus secure a ticket that would split and disrupt the Democratic organization. He had his ticket brought out by some kind of secret caucus, led by Captain Thomas Jackson, an ex-Democrat, for mayor, without the people having any voice in the selections. When the scheme was discovered, the purpose was apparent, and the Democrats at once called a meeting, and Mayor Smith was promptly decided upon as the "man of the hour." A full Demo- cratic ticket was nominated, with R. F. Dunlap, the attorney, as recorder, and John Orndorf for sergeant. A very active campaign ensued, the plan and ticket of "Fisher Smith" having none of the elements of strength, although supported by the Republican lead- ers, and by reason of his having on the ticket some gentlemen who were Democrats and some who were on the political fence. Judge Heflin was candidate for recorder and C. H. Hetsel for sergeant. The result showed the wisdom of Mr. Smith's selection for the mayoralty candidate.
At the end of Mr. Smith's first term he was again the choice of his party, being re-nominated over the popular hotel proprietor, John B. Parrot, and was again elected; W. L. Fredeking for re- corder, and R. T. Dolin, sergeant.
Again at the end of his second term he was re-nominated by his party in 1905 over Mr. Parrot and elected. His third term began January 1, 1906, and at the expiration of same he will have served in the honorable capacity of mayor for a period of six years, his administration having been fair and intelligent and gen- erally satisfactory to his constituents. During his occupancy of this position he has not run regularly on the railway. Mr. Smith is a popular man, being an officer in the order of Eagles and one of its founders in the city, as well as the order of Elks. During his
JAMES F. SMITH. Three Times Mayor of Hinton.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ARTOR, LENEX AND 1.N' FOUNDATIONE.
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administration in 1905 the new city administration building and jail was built at a cost of $5,000, also the extension of the sewer system at the lower end of town at a cost of $2,000.00.
He has tried and disposed of a number of violations of the law, and his decisions have been complimented as just and intelligent. Mayor Smith's wife was a daughter of Richard Gayer, an Irish gentleman and one of the pioneer railroad men in Hinton, acci- dentally killed in the yards in that city about 1885.
THOMAS G. MANN.
Thomas G. Mann, attorney at law, is a native of Greenbrier County, born and reared in that good old municipality. He was born July 29, 1859, attended the public schools and taught therein. He took the full course at the Concord Normal School, graduating therefrom with honor in 1881, and was one of the orators at the commencement, after which he taught for some time at the Green- brier, White Sulphur, studying law in the meantime, and was admitted to the practice in 1884, and first located at Beckley, in Raleigh County, for the practice of his profession, but soon after re-located in Hinton, and has been one of Summers' substantial citizens. In politics he has ben an old-line Republican, and has done much work on the stump for his party. In 1890, under the administration of President Benjamin Harrison, he filled the posi- tion of Supervisor of the Census for the southern half of West Virginia, with headquarters at Hinton, George W. Brown being supervisor for the northern half. In 1896 he was a candidate for judge of the circuit court before the convention of his party, which was held at Alderson. On several ballots was only short one vote of the nomination, but by a combination was defeated by Judge J. M. McWhorter, of Lewisburg. In 1904 he was again a can- didate for the nomination, but withdrew by reason of the alleged methods adopted by those opposing him, and he came out boldly and supported the Democratic nominee, doing much towards se- curing his election. Colonel Mann is a political leader of good judgment and sagacity. Upon locating at Hinton for the practice of his profession, he formed a co-partnership with the late Colonel James W. Davis, of Greenbrier County, for a few months, other- wise he has followed his profession alone. Mr. Mann is a lawyer of ability and a forcible and logical speaker, a man of strong con- victions and fascinating personality, and has been engaged in the defense in a large number of the important cases tried in the county.
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His practice extends to the courts of Raleigh and Wyoming and in the Supreme Court of Appeals and the federal courts. He is a bachelor.
CAPTAIN FRANK M. GALLAGHER.
Hon. Frank M. Gallagher is the present member of the House of Delegates from this county, and is a railroad conductor, from which he receives the appellation of captain. He, like many of the statesmen and representative men of this country, was poor and reared on a farm, the date of his birth being April 16, 1853; place, city of Albany, N. Y., of poor but honest parents. In 1865 he was hired as a farm hand at $14.00 per month and board, at- tending the common school in winter, his education having been begun and completed in the little red district schoolhouse. In 1869 he abandoned his native State, and began, on November 10th, his railroad career at Jackson, Mich., as brakeman, where he con- tinued as brakeman, baggageman and conductor until early in 1868, when he located at St. Paul. Minn., in the service of the Northern Pacific Railroad, in whose service he remained until 1886, when he again emigrated to Richmond, Virginia, and through the good service of J. W. Hopkins secured employment on the - Huntington Division of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company, in whose employment he has continued to the present.
He had the unusual distinction of having been placed in charge of a train of the Michigan Central Railroad when only eighteen years of age and when conditions were entirely different from what they are to-day.
He is a great believer in organized labor, and has the unlimited confidence of that great army of the loyal yeomanry of the con- tinent, being the general chairman of the order of this State. At the session of the West Virginia Legislature in 1902-3 he was the legis- lative delegate of his and other organizations sent to look after remedial legislation beneficial to railway and other employees, and by his faithful and fearless loyalty to his trust, won the confidence of patriotic Union labor.
He kept a minute diary of the proceedings and occurrences of that session, some of which are amusing to the uninitiated in present-day legislative methods. When he failed in securing the passage of the labor bills advocated by him, one of which was an amendment to the present fellow servant doctrine, as adjudicated in the State, he learned the reason why. and the methods of the railway lobbyist. His experience was profitable, and his story
NATHANIEL BACON, Enterprising Farmer and Banker, (Descendant of Nathaniel Bacon, of Bacon's Rebellion. )
THOS. G. MANN, Lawyer, Orator and Politician.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.
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of the same is interesting to read. At the following election in 1904 he was the Democratic nominee without opposition, was elected over his Republican opponent, Mr. Charles Tinder, by a majority of 190 votes. After the expiration of the session he re- turned to his avocation, and took charge of his train as of yore.
Mr. Gallagher is a Bryan Democrat, and hideth not his light under a bushel, but proclaims his faith to all men. He is an in- telligent, well-read gentleman.
In 1906 he was again a candidate for representative from the county to the House of Delegates, and was nominated by his party without opposition, and at the election, on the 6th of November of that year, was elected over Captain Sant. Hamer by a close ma- jority of nineteen. Captain Hamer is also a very popular and in- telligent railway conductor on the C. & O. Railway. Captain Gallagher is a well-equipped legislator, a close student of passing events and looks closely after the interests of his constituents, and is an honest and consistent friend of organized labor, over whom the corporations hold no club.
JAMES K. SCOTT.
James K. Scott was an early settler at the forks of Hungart's Creek and Boone Creek in Talcott District. He died at the age of sixty-four years, leaving surviving him a widow, who has since followed him to the grave, and three sons, George P., Green L. and John David, and several daughters, one of whom married Richard Boyd; one the late Samuel K. Boude, father of Clerk Boude, and one, Joseph Riley.
James K. Scott came to the county from Rocky Point, in Mon- roe County, and participated in the formation of the county. He held the office of justice of the peace at two different dates, was a notary public and land surveyor and a man of intelligence and ability, thrifty in his business, which was principally that of farm- ing and lumbering. He operated a steam sawmill and owned a water grist mill on his plantation. His oldest son, James, died several years ago, leaving a family now grown, and his widow married Mr. Boude.
George P. was a man of unusual intelligence and education for his day and time. He was largely educated by his own industry, energy and efforts, being especially proficient in mathematics. He taught school for several years, and then attended the Concord
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Normal School, graduating in that institution with distinction, after which he was appointed a member of the Board of Examiners of the County, and continued in the school work and teaching un- til disabled by long illness, to which he finally succumbed, at about the age of forty-five years. For many years he was afflicted with rheumatism, and was so badly crippled that he could not occupy a chair in a sitting position. He was never married, and a short time prior to his death he sent for his old friend and schoolmate, James H. Miller, and had him to prepare his last will, by which, he made him the executor thereof and trustee for the beneficiaries, who were infants. He had accumulated quite an estate for a man in his physical condition. His beneficiaries were principally his two brothers, J. D. and G. L. Scott, and the children of the latter. for whom he had great affection.
John David Scott, the oldest son, is a prosperous citizen of Talcott District, occupied principally in farming, but for a number of years, also with his brother, G. L. Scott, engaged in the manu- facture of lumber. He is a gentleman of honesty, and has the con- fidence of his district, having been the constable, justice of the peace and road surveyor.
Green Lee Scott. the other son of James K., is a also a farmer and lumberman of Talcott District, energetic and responsible in business matters, and one of the reputable citizens of the district and county.
PATTERSON.
There are very few persons of this name in the county, but it is one of the oldest of the old settlers. This family is an early one. This settlement was at the foot of the "Patterson" Mountain, on the Greenbrier side of the lower Lick Creek. The persons of the family, of whom the present generation have any recollection, were the family of brothers, of which two were bachelors, and lived to a ripe old age, and never married, and were born and died on the same spot. They were Charles and Lewis, and were noted for some eccentricities, something like the old French family of Ballangees, of the Hinton section, such as Evi, Lafayette and Lorenzo. They were tanners and farmers, and lived in a large hewed log house on the farm. The farmers for ten miles around would bring in their cowhides and have them tanned into shoe and harness leather. Also calf hides, deer hides, coon and other hides of wild animals.
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Both upper leather as well as sole were made. The deer hides were dressed and tanned, and the hides made the best of gloves, strings and straps. A niece of these brothers was Miss Alice Pat- terson, who married Lieutenant Nathan L. Duncan. She manu- factured these deer hides and others of the smaller wild animals into men and women's gloves. She had a wide reputation. They were hand-made, and her patterns, etc., were all original, and were developed from her own ingenuity.
A brother of these Patterson bachelors, Charles, married and owned a farm on the immediate top of the mountain, leading from the Meadows to Lick Creek. He died many years ago, leaving a large family of small children. His oldest son, A. G. Patterson, succeeded to the old farm at the foot of the mountain, and there resides to this day. He in his youth was considered the best shoe- maker in the region, and would go to a farmer's house and remain until he had "shod" the whole family for the coming winter. The shoes, both women and men's, were made from the tannery of his uncle, who had tanned the hides one-half for the other.
Another brother was John Patterson, who died during the war, leaving an only son, Thomas.
The old bachelors were noted for their drollery, slowness of speech and honesty. A bull was owned by Lewis. Jim desired to dispose of him. Lewis said : "N-a-w, n-a-w, Jim ! wait-till-fall!" One day the animal tried to kill Lewis, and ran him into the top of an apple tree, and he called loudly for help. Jim finally came to his rescue, and when he got in hallowing distance, Lewis yelled out : "Jim, let's kill this damn bull!" "N-a-w," said Jim; "w-a-i-t t-i-1-1 f-a-1-1!"
It is on this mountain, adjoining the Patterson lands, that the "Red Springs" Branch has its source, and it is a part of the old Schermerhorn patent, which was once claimed by Dr. Martin, a noted French physician and chemist, who located years before the war at the Blue Sulphur Springs, in Greenbrier County, and built his brick bath-houses, laboratory, etc., and pretended to buy this mountain country, including the "Red Springs." He ran long strips of rail fence around it, and took possession. Like many foreigners, his ideas of liberty were crude, he deciding what he could convert in possession of the soil was his by right, and thus he undertook to force and claim this mountain, but was ousted of title and possession when the true owner came to claim his own.
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BURDETT.
There are a number of families of this name in the county; but, so far as I am able to ascertain, they all sprang from one com- mon source-St. Clair Burdett, of Green Sulphur District, com- monly known as "Sincler." He lived all his life in that country, principally on Laurel Creek and its waters. He died in the win- ter of 1906-7, near New Richmond, at the advanced age of one hundred and five years. The date of his birth is not known to a day, but at the time of his death he was undoubtedly the oldest man in the county. He was all his life a peaceable, harmless man, and had no aspirations for wealth or social distinction. He was not educated, and lived by toil, and had no troubles, leading a tranquil, peaceful, easy existence. He was a Democrat in poli- tics, and attended probably every election after he became a voter until his death, except that of 1906. His mind remained active until his death, which resulted from the infirmities of age, and not from disease.
Mr. Burdett reared a large family, and his descendants are scattered far and wide over the land. One son, Joseph Green, married Miss Sarah Withrow, a daughter of Samuel H. Withrow. and died a few years ago. He lived for a number of years at the mouth of the Benbever (Vanbibber) Hollow, on Lick Creek, on the place now owned by Joseph S. Zickafoose.
Giles H. Burdett, another son, resides now on Laurel Creek, as does also Peck Burdett. Washington E. Burdett, an enterpris- ing salesman for the Hutchison Stevenson Company, hatters, of Charleston, West Virginia, is a grandson of St. Clair and a son of Giles H. Joseph Burdett, "Fiddler Joe," now of Fayette, is also a grandson.
There was also Lewis Burdett, a singular man, who lived on Keeney's Knob, near the Hurley place, for some years.
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