History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 104

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In the parochial and public schools of his native city Dr. John P. McGuire acquired his early education, and thereafter he pursued higher academie studies by attending St. Michael's College at Toronto, Canada. Thereafter he completed the preseribed four years' course in the medieal department of the University of Maryland, at Baltimore, and he received his degree of Doctor of Medicine on the 13th of May, 1905. In the following month he estab- lished himself in practice at Clarksburg, West Virginia, and here he has gained secure snecess and vantage-ground as one of the able and popular representatives of his pro- fession in Harrison County. He keeps in close touch with the advances made in his profession and is actively identi- fied with the American Medical and the Southern Medical associations, and the West Virginia State Medical and Harrison County Medical societies. Ile and his wife are communicants of the Catholic Church, and he is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

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On the 21st of September, 1908, was solemnized the mar- riage of Doctor MeGuire to Anna (Mulheran) Summers, who was born at Clarksburg, on the 20th of June, 1878, a daughter of Thomas and Margaret (O'Ryan) Mulheran. Thomas Mulheran was born in Ireland and was six years old at the time of the family immigration to the United States. He served as a teamster with the Union army in the Civil war, and he was a resident of Clarksburg at the time of his death, July 3, 1887. His widow, who still maintains her home in this city, was born at Kingwood, Preston County, this state, June 20, 1853. Doctor and Mrs. McGuire have no children.

JAMES THOMAS BRENNAN, M. D. In the present century of expanding horizons in medical science, of marvelous dis- coveries and undreamed of surgical achievements, the pro- fession seems almost to have reached a point where its accomplishments are no less than miracles. Among the capable and well trained physicians and surgeons of the younger generation engaged in practice at Clarksburg, one who is making rapid strides in his calling is James Thomas Brennan, M. D. Doctor Brennan is a native of Clarksburg, and was born January 24, 1888, being a son of Thomas P. and Annie C. (Clifford) Brennan, and a grandson of John J. and Eleanor (Flanagan) Brennan. The grandparents were born, reared and married in Ireland, emigrating from County Mayo to the United States soon after their mar- riage and settling at Clarksburg, where John J. Brennan engaged in the shoe business as a merchant. There he and his worthy wife passed the remainder of their lives. Thomas P. Brennan was engaged in the coal business in early life, but later became the proprietor of a grocery. Fle is best remembered, however, as the proprietor of the old Hotel St. Charles of Clarksburg, where he was a most genial and popular host. This hostelry was well known to the traveling public and under Mr. Brennan's able man- agement became a favorite stopping-place. Mr. Brennan died when only forty-nine years of age. His widow, who still survives him as a resident of Clarksburg, was born in Harrison Connty, a daughter of James Clifford. She and her husband were the parents of three children: Mary Rose, the wife of Andrew J. Boyles; Dr. James Thomas, of this review; and Miss Bernadette, a teacher of music.

James Thomas Brennan was reared at Clarksburg, where he received his primary education, and after attending the public schools completed his literary education at Rock Hill College, near Baltimore. He then entered the medical school of Harvard University, from which he was gradu- ated in 1914, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine, and for three years thereafter served as an interne at Carney Hospital. When the United States became involved in the World's war, he volunteered his services in the Medical Corps of the United States Navy, and, being ac- cepted, was commissioned junior lientenant and sent to Washington, District of Columbia, where he remained in the service until July, 1919. He was promoted to the rank of senior lieutenant, and as such received an honorable discharge after something more than a year spent in the service. At that time he returned to Clarksburg, where he established himself in offices at 206 Empire Building, and since then has been engaged in building up a desirable gen- eral practice. Doctor Brennan is a close student of his calling and keeps fully abreast of its numerous advance- ments. He is a member of the Harrison County and the West Virginia State Medical societies, the American Medi- cal Association and the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States Navy. In politics he is a democrat, and his religions faith is that of the Catholic Church. Frater- nally he is affiliated with the Benevolent. and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Columbus, in both of which he has numerous friends.

On October 21, 1918, Doctor Brennan was united in marriage with Miss Irene Gertrude Little, of Boston, Massachusetts.

ULYSSES WOODWARD SHOWALTER, M. D. Nearly thirty years of devotion to his profession is the record of Dr. Ulysses Woodward Showalter, a veteran medical and surgi-

cal practitioner of Clarksburg; thirty years of his life given to the calling which he chose as his life work in young manhood; nearly a third of a century spent in the alleviation of the ills of mankind. Such is indeed a faith- ful service, a record of which no man could be ashamed. Always giving his best to his work, never sparing himself that the task to which he had dedicated himself might be completed, his life has surely been a useful one and he may now look back over the years that have passed with a sense of duty well done and take a pardonable pride in the accomplishment of a great work.

Doctor Showalter was born on a farm in Barbour County, West Virginia, April 27, 1858, a son of William U. and Sarah Elizabeth (Woodward) Showalter. His father was born near Uniontown, Pennsylvania, November 12, 1822, and died in Independence, Preston County, West Virginia, September 22, 1900. He was a son of Henry and Mary (Bilheimer) Showalter, natives of Pennsylvania, of Dutch descent, who were pioneer settlers at Fairmont, West Vir- ginia, removing later to the State of Illinois, where they died. On October 3, 1850, William U. Showalter married Sarah Elizabeth Woodward, who was born December 11, 1822, in Harrison County, West Virginia. She was a danghter of John Mills and Susan E. (Gillis) Woodward, natives of Maryland and Harrison County, respectively. They resided in this county for many years, the father following agricultural pursuits, although he was, by trade, a maker of sickles for reaping grain. Both he and his wife were of English lineage, mainly. To William U. and Sarah Elizabeth (Woodward) Showalter there were born the fol- lowing children who grew to maturity: Susan E .; Charles L. and Mary Caroline, both now deceased; Ulysses W., of this review; Jerre D., also deceased; Nancy Ellen; and Margaret M. The mother died August 4, 1903. She and her husband were Methodists in church faith, and in politics he was a republican. He had a good education for his day, and for many years, practically all his manhood, was a teacher in the public schools.

Ulysses W. Showalter grew to manhood on the home farm and attended the rural schools, subsequently pursuing a course at the Fairmont Normal School. This was supple- mented by a course at Kingwood Academy, following which he adopted temporarily the profession of educator and taught for fourteen conseentive terms. In the meantime he read medicine under a preceptor. His last position as a teacher was that of principal of the Newberg schools of Preston County. Previons to that he had been principal of the public schools of Philippi, West Virginia. Quitting the school- room as a teacher, he entered the Baltimore Medical College and graduated in medicine in 1892, at that time receiving his degree. For the next six years Doctor Showalter prac- ticed his calling at Independence, Preston County, where he was well known, going then to Kingwood, in the same county. In 1901 he came to Clarksburg, and in association with Dr. A. K. Kessler established the Kessler Hospital, with which he was connected up to 1905. For two years thereafter he was superintendent of the Clarksburg City Hospital and then for four years had a private hospital of his own. He is now engaged in the private practice of his profession, with offices at 158 West Main Street. Doctor Showalter has always been progressive in his profession. If any branch of his calling has received especial attention from him, it is obsteterica. During his professional career, he has delivered to the date of this writing 4,050 living babies. In politics Doctor Showalter is a republican, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Church. In his fraternal relations he is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite and Knight Templar Mason and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, in addi- tion to which he holds membership in the various leading organizations of his profession.

On Angust 8, 1886, Doctor Showalter was united in mar- riage with Miss Bertie May Cobun, who was born March 4, 1864, in Preston County, West Virginia, a daughter of Rev. I. B. and Isabel (Flahraty) Cobnn. The following children were born to this union: Dr. Percy Cobun; Mary Pearl, the wife of Harman Post; Ulysses W., Jr., who enlisted in the United States Marines during the World war, and saw overseas service in Hayti for eighteen months; and William

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lod, who was in the artillery branch of the service, but dù not go overseas.

erey Cobun Showalter, M. D., son of Ulysses W. Show- alr, M. D., and one of the prominent younger physicians of Harrison County, has been engaged in general practice at'larksburg for more than ten years, during which timo ngaas made steady progress in his profession. He was 01 at Kasson, Barbour County, West Virginia, May 3, 187, and received his early education in the publie sehools. Im1906 he graduated from the Clarksburg High School, rowing which he attended the Baltimore Medical Col- q, and graduated with his degree of Doctor of Medicine a1910. After spending one year as an interne in the Myland General Hospital, he located at Clarksburg, where henas sinee been engaged in the general practice of med- ice. Ile is a member of the Harrison County and the Wit Virginia Medical societies and the American Medical Aociation. He is a republican in polities and a Meth- ot in religious faith also holding membership in the Monie fraternity.

The year 1911 recorded the marriage of Dr. Perey Cobun S walter and Miss Bertie McConnell.

COSCOE JAMES NUTTER, M. D. It is seareely possible in tse modern days for a man to be a successful physician whout being also a man of learning and of solid, seientifie quirements. Often the youth who feels the inspiration tit ultimately leads him into the medical profession, finds lr progress one of difficulty from lack of encouragement, dvortunity or capital, and when all these drawbacks are o rcome through personal effort, battles have been won tt make firm the foundations of character. Of the phy- sans of Harrison County who have advanced through p sistent effort and striet adherence to the highest ethics o their ealling, one who has traveled far is Dr. Roscoe Jnes Nutter, who has been engaged in practice at Clarks- beg since 1919 and who is now the possessor of a large al representative clientele.

Doctor Nutter was born on a farm in Barbour County, West Virginia, August 26, 1886, and is a son of Enoch and Inh (Hudkins) Nutter, natives also of Barbour County, were they have always resided, the father being engaged i agricultural pursuits. Enoch Nutter was born in 1856 al his wife in 1859. The paternal grandparents of Doetor L.tter were Hiram and Hannah (Chrislip) Nutter, and they tre natives of Barbour County, as were also the maternal sindparents, Richard Hudkins and his wife, who was Miss 1 .· kenson.

The fourth oldest in a family of eight children, three rughters and five sons, Roseoe James Nutter was reared « the home farm, where he had the usual experience that Alls to the lot of farmers' sons, working at all the tasks ( the home land and learning the value of industry and te virtue of hard work. In the meantime he attended the ral schools and later had the benefit of attendance for io years at the West Virginia Wesleyan College, and then r three years taught in the country schools, the money ined in this manner assisting materially in defraying 3 expenses in gaining an education for the profession of dieine, which he had decided to adopt. When he eeased mehing he enrolled as a student at the Medical College Virginia, at Richmond, where he was graduated in med- ne in 1910 and received his degree of Doctor of Medicine. mediately thereafter he located at New Milton, Dodd- Ige County, West Virginia, where he practiced his pro- ssion with a measure of success until December, 1915, ia at year joining the post-graduate elass at the New York olyclinie Hospital and Post-Graduate School, for a course

surgery. He remained there nntil July, 1917, when he cated at Glenville, Gilmer County, and while there tendered s services, August 1, 1918, to the United States Army edieal Corps. He was accepted, commissioned a first lieu- nant, and sent to Nitro, West Virginia, where he remained itil January 26, 1919, then being given his honorable scharge. February 1, 1919, he located at Clarksburg, here he is steadily building up a good general practice, 'eupying offices at 26 Lowndes Building. Doetor Nutter is reached a high standing in professional eireles and is

known as one of HInrrison County 's reputable and entirely capable physicians and surgeons. Ilo is on the visiting staff of St. Mary's Hospital, and is an netive and interested member of the Harrison County, the West Virginia State and the Southern Medical societies, and the Amerienn Med- ieal Association. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the In dependent Order of Odd Fellows and the Benevolent nnd Protective Order of Elks, in both of which he has numerous friends.

In 1911 Doctor Nutter was united in marriage with Miss Vera de Vera Oneal, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, n native of Barbour County. The Doctor and Mrs. Nutter are the parents of two children: Paul James and Eva Lec.

WILLIAM SAYLOR WILKIN, the present prosecuting nt torney of Brooke County, is one of the able and represen- tative younger members of the bar in the City of Wellsburg, the county seat. He had previously served as assistant prosecuting attorney under Robert L. Ramsay, and in that connection the first case in which he appeared was the cele- brated Galehek murder ease, of which specifie mention is made on other pages, in the personal sketch of Mr. Ramsay.

Mr. Wilkin was born in Hancock County, West Virginia, November 30, 1890, and is a son of Andrew F. Wilkin, former sheriff of Hancock County and still a resident of New Cumberland, the county seat. Andrew F. Wilkin was born in Hancock County in September, 1×59, a son of James Wilkin, a native of West Middletown, Pennsylvania. James Wilkin became a prominent and successful teacher in the schools of Virginia, and gave effective pedagogie service in Haneoek and other counties of what is now West Virginia. He was educated in Washington and Jefferson College and was but thirty-eight years of age at the time of his death. His grandfather, Andrew Wilkin, settled in Washington County, Pennsylvania, in 1773, upon immigra- tion to America from Londonderry, Ireland. James Wilkin died in the present Haneoek County, West Virginia. ITis wife, whose maiden name was Lillie Hobbs, was born in that county, where her father was an early settler. ller paternal grandfather was a patriot soldier in the War of the Revolu- tion and was a resident of Pennsylvania at the time of his death. Mrs. Lillie ( Hobbs) Wilkin attained to advanced age. The old Hobbs homestead farm at Pughtown, is now included in part in the corporate limits of New Cumberland, judicial center of Haneoek County.

Andrew Frank Wilkin was reared and educated in Han- cock County, and for years he was in service as captain of vessels plying the Ohio River. He twice served as sheriff of his native county, and he is now living retired at New Cumberland.

William S. Wilkin was graduated from the New Cumber- land High School as a member of the class of 1908. In 1912 he received from Bethany College the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts, and was valedictorian of his class. In preparation for his chosen profession he entered the law department of Yale University, in which he was graduated in 1915 and received his degree of Bachelor of Laws. lle was admitted to the West Virginia bar in 1914. while still a student at Yale. At the university he became affiliated with the Kappa Alpha fraternity, the Phi Alpha Delta fraternity and the Book and Gavel Club. He had the satisfaction of receiving at Vale two years of instruction under the direction of Prof. William H. Taft, former presi dent of the United States.

In April, 1917, Mr. Wilkin engaged in the practice of his profession at Wellsburg, but on the 17th of the following September he entered the air service of the United States Army, shortly after the nation beeame involved in the World war. He was graduated in the aviation school at Cornell University, and was thereafter in active service at Dallas, Texas, and the aviation field at Rantoul, Illinois, at which latter place he remained until he received his honorable dis- charge, November 30, 1918. He then resumed his practice at Wellsburg, and shortly afterward was made assistant prosecuting attorney of the county. In November, 1920, he was elected prosecuting attorney, and he is giving a vigorous and resourceful administration, he having assumed the duties of this office January I, 1921. As assistant prose-

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cutor he was actively identified with the celebrated Calcheck murder case, in which the only death sentence ever rendered in Brooke County was made. Mr. Wilkin is a stalwart advocate of the principles of the republican party, as is also bis father, is (1922) president of Bethany College Alumni Association and vice president of the Athletic Coun- cil of that institution, is affiliated with both the York and Scottish Rite bodies of the Masonic fraternity, and with the Wellsburg Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias, besides which he is an active member of the local Kiwanis Club.

HIRAM DEWITT HUFFMAN, general manager of the Econ- omy House & Material Company, one of the important busi- ness concerns of the City of Blucfield, Mercer County, was born on a farm near Harrisonburg, Virginia, on the 14th of January, 1891, and is a son of John S. and Margaret Ann (Carpenter) Huffman, the former of whom died in 1920, at the venerable age of eighty-two years, and the latter of whom resides at Weyers Cave, Virginia. John S. Huff- man was one of the extensive farmers and substantial citi- zens of that part of Virginia in which his entire life was passed and which he represented as a gallant soldier in the Confederate command of Gen. J. E. B. Stewart in the pe- riod of the Civil war. The genealogy of the Huffman family traces back to sterling Holland Dutch origin, and the fam- ily in many generations held to the faith of the Dutch Reformed Church.

Hiram DeWitt 1Iuffman is the youngest in a family of four children, his brother Otho C. being general superin- tendent of the W. E. Deegans Coal Interests of Huntington, West Virginia. The early education of Mr. Huffman in- cluded an academic course at Woodstock, Virginia, and a course in a business college at Staunton, that state. After leaving school he was for some time engaged in clerical work in the coal fields, and in connection with the coal- mining industry he finally became identified with the con- struction work of the Consolidated Coal Company at Flem- ing, Kentucky, where he remained two years. At Jackson, that state, he then assumed charge of the business of the Jackson Lumber & Supply Company, with which he con- tinued his connection until the spring of 1920, when he took the position of assistant manager of the Minter Homes Corporation at Huntington, West Virginia, but within a short time lie came to Bluefield, where he is doing an ex- cellent promotive and constructive service as general man- ager of the Economy House & Material Company, which handles all kinds of building materials, has a department devoted to house construction and controls a large and sub- stantial business. Mr. Iluffman is an active member of the Bluefield Chamber of Commerce and the local Kiwanis Club and is a vigorous and enterprising young business man of sterling personal qualities. In the Masonic fraternity he has completed the circle of the York Rite and is a member of Jackson Chapter of Jackson, Kentucky, Lon- don Commandery of London, Kentucky, and Oleika Shrine, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Lexington, Kentucky. His first per- sonal name was given in honor of one of his uncles, Hiram Huffman, and his second personal name was given in honor of Rev. DeWitt Talmadge, of whom his father was a great admirer.

In 1916 was recorded the marriage of Mr. Huffman and Miss Minnie Davis, daughter of Judge H. F. Davis, of Jackson, Kentucky, and the two children of this union are Francis M. and Helen Davis.

BENJAMIN H. MCCULLOCH is one of the progressive young business men of his native city of Bluefield, Mercer County, where he is secretary, treasurer and manager of MeCul- loch's, Incorporated, of which his mother is the president and his sister Ruth the vice president. This company con- ducts one of the leading general mercantile establishments of this thriving little city.

Mr. McCulloch was born in a house at 19 Bland Street, just to the rear of the present building of the First Na- tional Bank of Bluefield, and the date of his nativity was August 25, 1894. He is a son of Benjamin J. and Georgia McCulloch. His father was born in Montgomery County,

Virginia, September 21, 1861, and his death occurred De- cember 6, 1919. Benjamin J. McCulloch was a son of Ben- jamin and Elizabeth (Bower) McCulloch, the latter having been the widow of Peter Bash at the time of her marriage to Benjamin McCulloch. Mrs. McCulloch had two sons by her first marriage and two also by the second. The latter two sons, Benjamin J. and John R., became associated with their half-brother, George M. McCulloch, in the general, merchandise business at Hinton, Summers County, West Virginia, where also they established a cannery. The three brothers were among the first to realize the advantages and promising future of Bluefield, which was a mere village when, in 1888, they came to this place and opened a store at the corner of Bland Street and Princeton Avenue. Later Benjamin J. conducted a store in the 300 block on Bland Street, besides one at 910 Grant Street, these two stores having been consolidated in 1914 and constituting the large and well equipped establishment now conducted by his family under the corporate title of McCulloch's, In- corporated. Benjamin J. McCulloch was a business man of marked ability and prevision, was always ready to grasp opportunities and achieved substantial and worthy suc- cess, together with inviolable place in popular confidence and esteem. He became the owner of valuable real estate at Bluefield, and in many ways aided much in the develop- ment and upbuilding of the city. Benjamin McCulloch, father of Benjamin J., first married Elizabeth Ackers, and the only son of this union was George M., of whom mention has been made in an earlier paragraph. Ben- jamin McCulloch was born in Pennsylvania and upon re- moval to Virginia his father settled on a farm near Roanoke. It is interesting to note that the McCulloch; family, originally from Dornoch, Scotland, was founded in America in the early Colonial days (1665), and that Robert H. MeCulloch, an ancestor of the subject of this review, was living in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, when he went forth as a patriot soldier in the war of the Revolution, for his valiant service in which connec- tion he received from the Government a large grant of land in what is now Mercer and McDowell counties, West Virginia.

Benjamin J. McCulloch was an earnest member of the Bland Street Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and was superintendent of the first Methodist Sunday School or- ganized at Bluefield. Of his four children two are de- ccased, William having died at the age of twenty-three years. The two surviving children, Benjamin H. and Ruth, are associated with their mother in McCulloch's, Incor- porated, as already noted, and Ruth is a popular teacher in the public schools of Bluefield.

Benjamin H. McCulloch received the advantages of the public schools of Bluefield and continued his studies in the University of West Virginia, his intention having been to prepare himself for the legal profession, but as he had gained youthful experience in connection with his father's mercantile business be was led to identify him- self actively with this line of enterprise, in which he is making a splendid record and adding to the prestige of the family name. He is a director of the Bluefield Chamber of Commerce, is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and is a member of the Bland Street Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He entered the nation's service at the time of thee World war and was in training at Camp Johnston, Jacksonville, Florida. He was in service in France.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 104

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