History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 12

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In the paternal line the founder of the family in Dod- dridge County, West Virginia, was Jacob Ash, who acquired nearly twenty thousand acres of government land, compris- ing a large portion of the northern edge of Doddridge County, the eastern part of Tyler County and the south- eastern part of Wetzel County. His son, William Ash, was born in Doddridge County and married Nancy Swiger, also a native of that county. The father of Francis Guy Ash was the late Benton Ash, who was born at Ashley, a town named for the family in Doddridge County, January 26, 1866. He was edneated in an Ohio college, being trained for the civil engineering profession, and was county sur- veyor of Doddridge County, with home at West Union. In

1891 his professional services as an engineer on railroad construction took him into Eastern Tennessee, and he died at Elizabethton in Carter County of that state June 22 1894.

The mother of Franeis Guy Ash was Ilattic Virginia Jeffery, who was born at West Union, Doddridge County October 18, 1872, daughter of Elias and Mary F. ( 1liek man) Jeffery and granddaughter of Neely D. and Delia Ann (Davis) Jeffery. Delia Ann Davis was a daughter ot Rhuhama Randolph, of the famous Virginia Randolphs. After the death of Benton Ash his wife returned with her family to her old home at Ashley, West Virginia, and later removed to Morgantown.

Francis Guy Ash was born at Elizabethton, Tennessee, November 13, 1893, but spent his boyhood in Doddridge County. He was educated in the public schools, graduated from West Union High School in 1912, and in the fall of that year located at Morgantown and enrolled in the uni- versity, being a student therein for two years. After leav. ing the university he had some good business training and experience in the office of Judge George C. Sturgiss. He then joined the real estate and insurance organization of Howard L. Swisher. At the same time he performed some duties in the office of Mr. Cassius MeCarl Lemley, the geologist of the Baltimore & Ohio Railway.

Mr. Ash was commissioned a second lieutenant in the West Virginia National Guard May 1, 1916, and promoted to first lieutenant June I, of that year. On March 28, West Virginia National Guard was called for duty in the war with Germany. They mobolized at Camp Cornwell, Fairmont, where he was mustered into the Federal service as first lieutenant of Company L, First West Virginia Regi- ment of Infantry. April 12, 1917, his company was or- dered for guard duty at the Pittsburg Storage and Supply Depot in the Quartermaster's Department, and remained there until July 22, 1917, when it returned to Camp Corn- well and on September 14th was ordered to Camp Shelby, Mississippi. At Camp Shelby Lieutenant Ash entered the "one pound platoon" of Headquarters Company, 150th Infantry. March 28 1918, he was ordered to the Infantry School of Arms at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he remained in intensive training until September 4, 1918, and then rejoined his outfit, taking command of Headquarters Com- pany. On Friday, September 13, 1918, he left Camp Shelby with his company for Camp Mills, Long Island, and soon afterward the regiment embarked and sailed for France, October 2d. On the day of sailing Lieutenant Ash entered the camp hospital a victim of appendicitis, and when he received his discharge from the hospital at Camp Mills, November 14th, the war had been ended three days by the signing of the armistice. On leaving the hospital Lieutenant Ash was ordered to Camp Merritt, New Jersey, where he was a casual officer in charge of returning wounded soldiers until January 26, 1919. Ile was discharged at Camp Lee, Virginia, January 28, 1919, and then accepted a captain's commission in the Reserves.

On returning to Morgantown Captain Ash resumed his 1:usiness relations with the H. L. Swisher Company, in real estate and insurance, and is also secretary of the Morgan- town Building Association, secretary of the Labor Building & Loan Association, and is treasurer of the Peerless Smoke- less Smithing Coal Company. Captain Ash was secretary of the Morgantown Business Men's Association until it was converted into the Morgantown Chamber of Commerce, and continued his duties as secretary until his successor was elected. He is now a member of the executive board of the Chamber. He is secretary and treasurer of the Mor- gantown Real Estate Board. Captain Ash is popular in both business and social circles, a member of Friendship Lodge No. 56, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, at West Union, Morgantown Chapter No. 30, Royal Arch Masons, Morgantown Lodge of Perfection No. 6 of the Scot- tish Rite and the Shrine, and of Morgantown Lodge No. 411, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, and Athens Lodge No. 36, Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club and Commander nf Monongahela Post No. 2 of the American Legion.

F. Guy ash

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

OTHO CLARENCE HUFFMAN. Mr. Iluffman's approach to e larger responsibilities of industrial management was rough the clerical profession of stenographer and hook- eper, increasing to a specialized service in behalf of the veral companies who employed him and broadening out to the sales and executive departments. For some years ist he has been general superintendent for the W. E. cegans' Coal Interests, representing some of the largest ldings and operations in the coal fields of West Virginia. is home and business headquarters are in Huntington. Mr. Huffman was born at Harrisonburg in Rockingham ounty, Virginia, April 26, 1581. His grandfather was a ative of Holland, born in 1795, and on coming to this untry settled in Rockingham County, Virginia, where he came a prosperous farmer. He died near Bridgewater in at state in 1887. John S. Huffman, father of the Ilunt- igton coal operator, was born at Bridgewater, Rockingham ounty, in 1855, was reared and married in that county, nd after his marriage lived near Harrisonburg, where he indueted a large farm. In 1911 he retired from the farm nd lived at Weyers Cave in Augusta County until his death March, 1919. He was a democrat, held the office nf ustice of the peace a number of years, was a leading member in the German Reformed Church of his community, nd he had to his eredit a record of three years' service in he Confederate army. John S. Huffman married Margaret Anne Carpenter, who was born at Bridgewater in 1860, and s now living in the Village of Weyers Cave. Otho Clarenec " the oldest of her three sons. Harry C. is a farmer it North River, Rockingham County. Harm D. is manager if a lumber company at Springfield, Tennessee.

Otho Clarence Huffman spent his early life on the farm n Rockingham County, attended rural schools and in 1896 graduated from high school at Grottoes, Virginia. His

raining and preparation for a business career was ae- quired in the Dunsmore's Business College at Staunton. Virginia, where he graduated in bookkeeping, shorthand and :ypewriting in 1898. In the fall of 1899 Mr. Huffman came :o West Virginia, and at Thayer was bookkeeper and stenng- rapher for the Ephraim Creek Coal and Coke Company antil 1902. His next service was as bookkeeper and ste- uographer for the Collins Colliery Company at Glen Jean, with which he remained until 1905. For the following two wears he was bookkeeper for Lewis Hubbard & Company, wholesale grocers at Charleston, and in 1907 beeame hook- keeper and assistant treasurer of the Superior-Pocahontas Coal Company at Davy. In 1909 he was promoted to gen- eral manager and treasurer of the Pocahontas Smokeless C'oal Company at Welch. He was engaged in these duties un- til 1914, when he came to Huntington, and for the following four years was sales manager for the Pocahontas-Winifred Coal Company. In 1918 Mr. Huffman became general su- perintendent of W. E. Deegans' Coal Interests and a director in all the operating companies embraced in the interests. llis offiees are in the Deegans Building at 628 Tenth Street in Huntington. The mining operations under his general su- pervision include mines in Pike County, Kentucky, and in McDowell, Wyoming, Greenbrier, Boone and Logan coun- ties. West Virginia. The annual capacity of these mines is approximately one and a half million tons of bituminous coal. Mr. Huffman is also vice president of the Marietta Coal Company of Pinsonfork, Kentucky.

In politics he is a republican, is a member of MeDowell Lodge No. 112, F. and A. M., Sewell Chapter, R. A. M., at Thurman, Bluefield Commandery No. 19, K. T., West Vir ginia Consistory No. 1 of the thirty-second degree Scottish Rite at Wheeling, and Beni-Kedem Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Charleston. Mr. Huffman has a modera home at 1036 Tenth Street in Huntington.

At Washington, D. C., in 1912, he married Miss Bertha E. Whitsell, daughter of George and Margaret Whitsell, now deceased. Her father was a building contractor and sawmill operator and owner. The two children of Mr. and Mrs. Huffman are: Clarence, born March 4, 1913, and Margaret Anne, born March 12, 1915.

FREDERICK O. BLUE. The example of a lawyer who makes his profession a direct source of benefit to the public is the

case of Frederick O. Ittur of Charle ton, recognized as on of West Virginia's for ef 1 jullie men. Some years ag he was a member of the State Senate, har erred as tat tax commissioner, and is espaly war known for t aggressive fight he made in enfer ing the laws relating to taxation and public av unting and the state prohibit n laws.

Frederick Omar Blue was born nt Grafton, Wet Virginia November 25, 1-22, son of George Fre . k and Mlery Martha Spel Blue. He was educated in the h school and under private tutors, and was laittel t tr har at the age of twenty one. He began pra tor nt P' top in 1-93 and l'hilippi remained his home until 1911, ne he removed to Charleston. During the last three years ther. he practiced law with Arthur S. Dayton. He was a task r as well as a lawyer. Mr. Blue is now a member of the firin Blue & Mel'abe at Charleston, and is a d recter of t Kanawha National Bank and the George Washington l.if Insurance Company.

Ilis term in the State Senate ran from 1906 to 1919 arl he represented the Thirteenth District, embora ing th counties of Upshur, Randolph and Pendhton. From Hil t 1917 he was state tax commissioner of West Virginia, n 1 on the expiration of his time in this state offier hi enterel private practice at Charleston, January 1, 19}s. Mr. Bbre served as a member of the West Vrgini Mining Strik Commission in 1912 13. llis service as state comun sion r of prohibition was during the years 1911 17. After the state prohibition law was passed he had charge of the logs and administrative forces endeavoring to execute that law Especially noteworthy was the litigation conducted by hin under the Webb-Kenyon Federal Law against the dist ler and express companies for the purpose of prohibiting inter state shipment of liquors into West Virginia. He carril this contest to the I'nited States Circuit Court and finally to the Supreme Court at Washington, where he won a favorable decision. He has written an interesting fitt hook based upon his experiences, under the title "When a State Goes Dry, " published in 1916.

Mr. Blue is a trustee of Broaddus College at Philipp He is a member of the National Tax Asmiation, the Amer ican Bar Association, is a republican. a Baptist, a thirty- second degree Scottish Rite Mason, K. C. C. H. and S river belongs to the Rotary Clubs, was formerly governor of the Sixth District, and is teacher of the Men's Itible Class of the Charleston Baptist Church ( Baptist Temple , om of ti largest Bible classes in the state.

Mr. Blue's offices are in the Kawaha National Bank Building, while his home is at 522 Maxwall Street. O November 26 1695, he married Margaret Jarvis 1 .f Philippi. They have one son, William Blu

EGBERT E. YOUNG, who is one of the revet salt - the bar of Huntington, has practiced low nonter of ser in the state, and came to Huntington from Lin om | tr where he achieved particular notice through his off work as prosecuting attorney.

Mr. Young's grandfather was Isane Young, who wny ! ri in Noble County, Ohio, in 1531, and finally cum to Wet Virginia and bought a farm in Lincoln thi inty, w re lived until his death in 1499. He marriel lizzie Harr .. native of Noble County, who also ded in lan oln City

Frank M. Young, father of the Huntington lawyer was born in Noble County, Ohno, in 1s.5, was a farmer there until 1596, when he establishel his home in Line In it West Virginia. lle continued farming ther , and in 1 has been a carpenter and builder at Logan. He is a I erat and a very active member of the Church of ( r- Frank M. Young married Arbella Sowarde, wh w . ... in Lawrence County, Ohio, in 1.69. They are the art of the following children: Nern, wife of Wwla N Jos, a miner at Logan; Elvira, wife of Fmory Jolien afrer in Lincoln County ; Florence, wife of A. F. P .r . l well driller at Con inga, California; Goll wie Fur Brumfield. an oil well driller in lin in ( \ Wi Vir ginia ; Maude, whose hust anl. Ion M r. in w driller at Coalinga, California: Ivy, wife f Fr 1 I-, pr is a driller in the oil fields of Lin In Cou ty ; Exert E ;

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

Okey and Orie, both miners at Logan; and Nauna, the tenth and youngest of the family, wife of E. L. Pontier, a travel- ing salesman living at Baltimore.

Egbert E. Young was born in Lawrence County, Ohio, January 3, 1885, and was about eleven years of age when the family moved to West Virginia. He finished his rural school education in Lincoln County, spent two years in Marshall College at Huntington, and in 1909 graduated from the law department of West Virginia University. He was admitted to the har the same year, and after practicing two years in Logan County returned to his home community in Lincoln County and for eight years was prosecuting attor- ney of that county. He also held other local offices in Lin- coln County, and enjoyed a very successful practice there until 1921, when he moved to Huntington. He is a member of the firm Daugherty & Young, with offices at 914% Fourth Avenue.

Mr. Young is a democrat, and was elected to office on that ticket. He is a member of the Church of Christ, is a past master of Hamlin Lodge No. 179, A. F. and A. M., at Hamlin, West Virginia, is a past chancellor of Mountain Diamond Lodge No. 179, Knights of Pythias, and belongs to the Bar Association of Cabell, Lincoln and Logan coun- ties. Among other interests Mr. Young owns farm land in Lewis County, Kentucky, and has a modern home at 1016 Sixth Street in Huntington. As prosecuting attorney and also as private citizen he was foremost in promoting the cause of the Government at the time of the World war. He served as Government appeal agent for Lincoln County, was chairman of the Red Cross and several other drives.

In 1917, in Lincoln County, he married Miss Ione Gallo- way, daughter of Sherman T. and Myrtie (Runyan) Gal- loway residents of Quincy, Kentucky. Her father is a farmer. The two children of Mr. and Mrs. Young are: Charles Egbert, born December 12, 1919, and James Doug. lass, born May 30, 1921.

REUBEN S. PRINDLE. From the time he finished his uni- versity education more than thirty years ago, Mr. Prindle has been actively associated with the mercantile and other business interests of Huntington. IIe has been in this city during its greatest period of growth, and his work has undoubtedly impressed itself for good on the welfare and progress of the community.

Mr. Prindle was born at Lancaster, Ohio July 8, 1863. The Prindle family is of Scotch origin, and was established in Connecticut in Colonial times. His grandfather. William Prindle, was born at Hornellsville New York, in 1795, and was an early settler and farmer near Lancaster, Ohio, where he lived until his death, in 1882. He married Elizabeth Beecher, a native of Connecticut, who died near Lancaster. She was a second cousin of the famous preacher, Henry Ward Beecher. Myron Beecher Prindle, father of the Huntington business man, was born at Canisteo New York, in 1834. He was reared there, went to Lancaster, Ohio, when a young man, married and settled down on a farm. In 1893 he came to Charleston, West Virginia, and though now well on toward ninety years of age he is still interested in the general merchandise and furniture business there. He is a republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Myron Beecher Prindle married Delia Shelten- barger, who was born at Lancaster, and died there in 1881. Elizabeth, the oldest of his children, is the wife of Frank Claypool, a farmer near Lancaster; Alice, is the wife of David A. Alspangh, a merchant of Huntington; Reuben S. is the third in age; William is in business at Huntington; and Myron B. is associated with his brother Reuben.

Reuben S. Prindle acquired a public school education at Lancaster, graduating from high school in 1884. Following that he was for three years a student in the Ohio Wesleyan University of Delaware, and finished his scholastic career in Otterbein University at Westerville, Ohio, where he graduated in 1888. Soon after graduation he came to Huntington, became a general merchant, and has been in that line of business ever since. Ile also conducts a storage warehouse, the offices and warehouse being located at 911 Second Avenne, and for a number of years he has done a large business in the buying, selling and development of

real estate. Besides his office and warehouse building ie owns six other business buildings in Huntington, .d twenty-three residences in the city, including his moden home at 547 Adams Avenue.

Mr. Prindle is a republican, is a steward in the Metho st Episcopal Church, North, a member of Huntington Lore No. 313, B. P. O. E., and in the line of public service is a member of the city council six years and on the selol board four years.

At Paris, Kentucky, in 1888, Mr. Prindte married Mas Jennie Carpenter, daughter of Squire John J. and Lya (Hoy) Carpenter, now deceased. Her father was a farer near Lancaster, Ohio. Mrs. Prindle, who died at Hunting n in 1910, is survived by one child, Elizabeth, born Septemer 1, 1909. In 1914 Mr. Prindle married Gertrude Callila, daughter of Daniel and Sallie (Willis) Callihan bh natives of Kentucky.

JOHN THOMAS HARRIS. His uninterrupted service sie 1895 as clerk of the Senate of West Virginia makes e name of John T. Harris probably as well known as tit of any public official of the state in the present generatii.

Mr. Harris was born in the Village of Harrisville, 1 :- chie County, Virginia (now in West Virginia), April 7, 1851. He reached manhood with a liberal educati though he first attended the subscription schools of e day. later the public schools of Washington, Pennsylvan, and during the year before the consolidation of Washis- ton College with Jefferson College he was for a short tie a student in the preparatory department of the forn. In 1870 he entered West Virginia University at Morgi- town, graduated Bachelor of Science with the class f 1873, and a few years later was honored with the Masr of Science degree. In the meantime, as a boy he Id learned printing in an old time country printing off ;. Following his college career he spent several years n newspaper work. In 1877 he went West, and was er nected with railway service from 1878 to 1883 at Peoa and Detroit, in general office work and as private secretty to superintendents and general managers. Ile held a similar position with one of the lake lines in 1884 al the early part of 1885. Then, returning to his old hoe in West Virginia, Mr. Harris took up the profession f a shorthand law reporter. In 1887 he established himsf in the City of Parkersburg, where he followed this wok for more than twenty-five years. In that capacity he ~ ported in Federal and State Courts, in some of the heavit cases ever tried in the state.

January 8, 1895, Mr. Harris received the republic caucus nomination for clerk of the Senate of West V- ginia. At the organization of that body on the followiz day he was duly elected, and since then he has been - elected thirteen times. Beginning in 1901, at every bi - nial session up to and including that of 1921 he has - ecived the unanimous vote of the Senate, the demoer:s seconding his nomination. For twenty-seven years the - fore without a break he has filled the office of clerk f the Senate, and it is said that no other man in the Unitl States has to his credit so long a continuous service reecl in a similar legislative position.

Ex-officio in a sense, Mr. Harris has performed an i- portant routine of duty in related capacities, serving s secretary and official reporter of the Legislative Mine ]- vestigating Committee, of a committee raised by the Leg- lature to visit and report upon the public institutions f the state, and also of the Virginia Debt Commission. T> work, however, by which he is widely known throughct the state is as compiler, editor and publisher of the We Virginia Legislative Hand Book and Manual and Offich Register. He brought out the first Hand Book in 1916. was adopted in 1917 as an official publication of the Leg- lature, and has since then been issued yearly under 1; management and direction. Mr. Harris still keeps 1; home at Parkersburg. He is affiliated with the Benevole; and Protective Order of Elks.

THOMAS E. EVANS, secretary and treasurer of the We Virginia Paving & Pressed Brick Company, which rep.

John I. Harris

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

sents one of the important industrial enterprises in the City of Huntington, was born at Clarksburg, Harrison County, this state, on the 16th of February, 1893. He is a son of Thomas Evans, who was born in the State of Pennsylvania, in 1859, and whose death occurred at Hunt- ington, West Virginia, in 1911.

Thomas Evans was a son of Thomas Evans, Sr., who was born and reared in Pennsylvania, a representative of a family of Welsh ancestry, that was there founded ia an early day, and he became a pioneer farmer in Harrison County, West Virginia, where he continued his residence until his death.

Thomas Evans, Jr., was a boy at the time of the family removal from Pennsylvania to Harrison County, where he was reared on the home farin and gained his youthful education in the schools of the period. His marriage was solemnized in Gilmer County, and there he was engaged ia the buying and shipping of live stock for a few years. Ile then returned to Harrison County, where he became the owner of a large and well improved farm estate and en- gaged in the raising of and dealing in cattle and horses upon an extensive scale. In the autumn of 1902 Mr. Evang came to Huntington, and here he became associated with George F. Miller in establishing the West Virginia Par- ing & Pressed Briek Company, of which he became the general manager and which under his able direction de- veloped a substantial and important industrial enterprise. Ile continued general manager of the business until his death. Mr. Evans was a republican in political adhereney, was affiliated with Huntington Lodge No. 313, B. P. O. E., and was a member of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, South, at Huntington, as is also his widow, who still main- tains her home in this eity. Mrs. Evans, whose maiden name was Virginia Dent, was born in Gilmer County in 1850, her father having been a representative farmer of that county. Dora Grace, eldest of the children, remains with her widowed mother in the pleasant home at Hunt- ington; Margaret May is the wife of Richard Murphy, of Cereal, Oklahoma, who is actively identified with opera- tions in the oil fields of that state; Dorsey D. is vice president and general manager of the West Virginia Pay- ing and Pressed Briek Company; Florence remains at the maternal home; and Thomas E., of this sketeh, is the youngest of the number.

As a boy and youth Thomas E. Evans made excellent educational advancement under the direction of private tutors engaged by his father for such service at the family home, and thereafter he entered Marshall College at Hunt- ington, in which institution he was graduated as a mem- ber of the class of 1911, the year in which oreurred the death of his honored father. At the age of fourteen years he had initiated his service in connection with the brick company of which his father was the general man- ager, and the experience which he had gained in the practical details of the business proved of great value to him when, in 1913, he was made secretary and treasurer of the company, of which dual office he has since continued the efficient ineumbent. The company is incorporated under the laws of West Virginia, and Charles M. Gohen is its president, the names of the other two executive offieers having already been noted in this context. Tbe offices and yards are situated at the corner of Sixteenth Street and Fourteenth Avenue, and the extensive plant has a capacity for the production of 75,000 briek daily, the concern being now one of the largest of its kind in the state and its business being of most substantial order.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 12

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