History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 121

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HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

JAMES NOAH HESS has had an active part in the bank- ing interests of Clarksburg for the past twenty years, being assistant cashier of the Empire National Bank, one of the Icading banks not only of that city but of the State of West Virginia. He is a member of one of the very oldest families in this section of West Virginia, his ancestors having been obliged to protect their homes in this wilderness against the Indians.

The original ancestor of this branch of the Hess fam- ily was Balsar Hess (sometimes spelled Balthaser) a Hollander, who came over on the ship Neptune from Rotterdam in 1751, landing at Philadelphia September 24, 1751, and afterward settled in Winchester District of old Virginia, and from there came to Scotts Mill Run, Monongalia County, West Virginia, and everything here was a typically frontier character. For the greater part the Hesses have been farmers, have been members of the Methodist Church, and in polities for the last two or three generations, republicans. The children of Balsar Hess, the original settler, were James, who moved to Indiana, Charles who settled at the mouth of Deats Creck, near the Village of Granville, Monongalia County, West Virginia, and Jeremiah Hess, who was born in Winchester District of Virginia, November 20, 1779, and died near Tevervauglı, Marion County, April 20, 1855. He married Elizabeth Henry, daughter of Aaron Henry, who about 1785 moved from Winchester District, Virginia, settled on Scotts Mill Run, Monongalia County, Virginia, now West Virginia. He was a native of old Virginia and a member of the same family that produced the famous orator of the Revolution, Patrick Henry. Jeremialı Hess had ten children, Abraham, born January 21, 1804, Charles, January 5, 1807, Rebecca, June 29, 1808, Henry, June 28, 1809, Peter, Jeremiah, May 22, 1812, Elizabeth, March 16, 1814, Catherine, November 4, 1815, Mahale, June 21, 1817, and Eleanor, September 2, 1822.

The next generation of this family was represented by Peter Hess, who was born in Marion County, West Vir- ginia, September 26, 1810, and lived for many years near Tevervaugh on Harter Hill in that county, where he died January 4, 1891. He married Orpha Sandy, daughter of William and Rhoda (Shinn) Sandy, who was born in the same county April 3, 1816, and died March 19, 1882. Their children were named: John W., born November 7, 1833, died at Harter Hill October 13, 1889. Mahlon S., born August 16, 1835, died at Harter Hill February 15, 1856, Mary E., born August 3, 1837, died at Oakland, Maryland, August 25, 1911. Robert Nelson, born October 17, 1839, was killed at the battle of Fisher's Hill, Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, September 22, 1864. Jeremiah William, born August 17, 1841, died at Wyatt, West Virginia, March 25, 1910. George W., born September 24, 1843, died at Centerville, Tyler County, West Virginia, July 10, 1880. David L., born July 13, 1845, died at Harter Hill May 9, 1854. Lavina Jane, born January 28, 1847, is now living at Corbin, Sumner County, Kansas. Peter L., born Janu- ary 28, 1850, died at Harter Hill March 27, 1896. Riebard Marion, born December 13, 1852, died at Corbin, Kansas, August 25, 1919. Sarah S., born Mareb 16, 1857, died at Oakland, Maryland, August 10, 1912. Abraham Milroy, born October 2, 1862, is now living at Shinnston, West Virginia.

Of these children Jeremiah William was the father of the Clarksburg banker. He was born at Harter Hill in Marion County, August 17, 1841, and died on his farm at Wyatt, Harrison County, March 25, 1910. He married Mary M. Sturm, daughter of Jesse and Matilda (Davis) Sturm who was born in Harrison County, May 26, 1840, and died December 21, 1908. She was a granddaughter of Jacob Sturm, Sr., who as a boy enlisted under the banner of the Revolutionary patriots and followed the fortunes of the illustrious Washington in our country's struggle for independence. He was with the father of our country amid the hardships and stern realities of the long, cruel war, and was with him at Yorktown when he received the sword of the conquered Cornwallis.

Their four children were: William Wallace, born May 2, 1867, lva Eliza, born June 12, 1869, James Noah, born

September 9, 1871, and Daisy Dean, born March 6, 18 The children of William Wallace are Raymond Cline, Ma M., Geneva I. and Mildred. Daisy Dean (Hess) Barge only child, Irene, married William H. Edwards.

Jeremiah W. Hess was a very strong character and. notable citizen of Harrison County in his day. Throug out the period of the Civil war he served in the Un Army first as a private of Company E, Third West V ginia Infantry; Company E, Third West Virginia Mount Infantry and Company C in the Sixth West Virgil Volunteer Cavalry, on March 25, 1865, was promoted commissary sergeant of his company. His brother, Roh Nelson Hess, was a lieutenant in the Union Army, and 1 killed in the battle of Fisher's Hill September 22, 18 He was in Company H of the Fourteenth West Virgin Infantry. Jeremiah W. Hess was a staunch republican politics, and for two terms represented his county ini West Virginia legislature, during 1894-96 and 1896-98, a: for a number of years held the office of justice of the pea Ile was also president of the Board of Education of magisterial district. He and his wife were both Met dists.

James Noah Hess, who was born at Wyatt, Harris County, on a farm, September 9, 1871, spent his early 1 on that farm and in the meanwhile acquired a coun' school education, also attending Spring Normal Scho For six years he taught in the rural distriets of the coun Subsequently he completed a course in the West Virgi Business College at Clarksburg, and then for one ye was a bookkeeper for the Waverly Stone Company Waverly, Ohio, this being the only period of his l when he was not a resident of Harrison County. In Mar 1897, he moved to Clarksburg, where he has since resid For six years Mr. Hess was deputy county clerk of Har son County. When the Empire National Bank of Clar burg began business, November 30, 1903, Mr. Hess was bookkeeper. He is now an assistant cashier. He has be continuously associated with the institution since organization. He is also a stockholder in the Uni National bank at Clarksburg. He is secretary of the hoa of education, Clarksburg School District, which position has held for the past twelve years.

He is a staunch republican, and for fifteen years 1 been a member of the Harrison County Republican Ex utive Committee. For two years he was a member the Clarksburg City Council. He is a member of the Fi Methodist Episcopal Church. He is Past Eminent Cc mander of Clarksburg Commandery No. 13; Knig Templar, was for twelve years secretary of his Blue Lod and at present is treasurer of Hermon Lodge No. 6, Ancio Free and Accepted Masons. He is a Thirty-second deg Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner, a member of . Clarksburg Country Club, secretary-treasurer of the W Virginia Fair Association and a director of the Clarksbt Building and Loan Association.

November 19, 1893, Mr. Hess married Miss Lenna Le Hess, a daughter of Jeremiah F. and Minerva Jane (Ci ningham) Hess, of Marion County. The children born their marriage are: Victor Howell, born July 26, 18 Ethel Lenore, born October 19, 1898, Bernard Leo, b( December 19, 1901, Edith Evelyn, born September 17, 19 James Noah, Jr., born October 8, 1908, Helen born Feb ary 20, 1912, died June 18, 1913, and Lenna Jean He born November 13, 1916.

The oldest son, Victor Howell Hess, volunteered service in the World war with the First West Virgil National Guard, Machine Gun Company, on June 11, 19 at the age of twenty years, at Fairmont, Marion Coun West Virginia. He left Camp Cornwell on September 1917, for Camp Shelby at Hattiesburg, Mississippi; v transferred from First West Virginia National Gua Machine Gun Company, to Company D, One Hundred a Thirty-seventh Machine Gun Battalion of the Regu Army; was promoted from private to the position of assi ant to supply sergeant, with rank as corporal, on Nove ber 6, 1917; was transferred to Company D, One H1 dred and Thirty-ninth Machine Gun Battalion, and ab May 1, 1918, was ordered to Camp Hancock, Augus

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J.rgia. June 13, 1918, he was promoted to sergeant of Fining Camp No. 13, Main Training Depot, Machine Training Center, and was made instructor in machine ¿nery, infantry drill, liason signalling, gas and flame knee, physical training and bayonet drill.

icutenant Iless entered the Officers Training School at Jip Hancock, was commissioned a second lieutenant of intry, U. S. Reserve Corps, on December 10, 1918, and corably discharged December 11, 1918, having been in h service exactly eighteen months.

OHN MATTHEW GAY FAIRFAX. The community of Rdsville has in the person of John Matthew Gay Fair- 's not only a splendid example of sturdy citizenship but sthe representative of one of the most distinguished le ilies of Old Virginia and Maryland. He is a grand- d of Colonel John Fairfax, who at one time was man- ur of the estate of General Washington, and whose duties might him to the Washington lands west of the Alle- inies and eventually he settled here permanently, the ty being more fully told in the record of another of ui descendants.

ohn M. Gay Fairfax was born at the Fairfax farm, now Arthurdale farm, a son of the late George Washington Frfax, who died near Reedsville October 25, 1885, at the of seventy-three. The wife of George W. Fairfax was Argaret S. Gay. Her father was Robert Gay and her her was a Stewart, accounting for that name in her u christian name. Margaret S. Gay was born in County "one, Ireland, in 1819, and came to the United States her parents at the age of twelve, in 1831. She died bruary 13, 1859. Her three children to grow up were n M. G., Emma R., who married D. G. Watson and '1 in Reedsville; and Anna C., now Mrs. John Shields, Mendocino County, California.

ohn M. Gay Fairfax was born July 10, 1847, and his Fy youth was spent at his birthplace. He finished his ty education in E. K. Lozier's Commercial College in timore, and was a bookkeeper in that city until that upation proved too confining for his health. He thea farned home, and subsequently became a teacher in the schools, teaching his first term near home. He taught school in Taylor County and the remainder of his years of educational work was passed in Preston anty. He then spent a summer in the employ of the sstone Bridge Company at Pittsburgh, the next year dug il for a Uniontown coal company in Westmoreland anty, near Scottsdale, and subsequently was employed an engineer by the Overholt Distilling Company. He In went to Louisville, Kentucky, and for eight months sed his uncle, William Gay, in his last illness. About t time he chose a profession, entering the Philadelphia ital College, and continued his studies until he was lified to practice. He was a dentist at Gladesville and his home community, and was active in the profession ore the introduction of the marvelous modern dental Is and apparatus and nearly all his work was hand ·k and of a quality that seldom failed.

Eventually Mr. Fairfax resumed farming, at first on the ite of his father near Reedsville, and he then bought David C. Miles farm and later the Heidelberg farm, 're his activities have continued since. Grain growing 1 stock raising have been his chief productive efforts, though now almost seventy-five he is still alert, vigor- and closely attentive to all the details of farm man- ment. He possesses a rugged constitution, and still oys life for its own sake and for the opportunities of ful toil and effort it affords.

fr. Fairfax for many years was active in eounty politics. father was a democrat, and he himself cast his first sidential ballot for Governor Seymour of New York. was hostile to the proposed fusion nomination of Horace eley for president, knowing the abolition record of that didate and realizing that his acceptance of the nomina- i was a confession of an overwhelming ambition for the sidency. He did not vote in the general election of that r, but since then has consistently aided every candidate

of his party and has been a delegate to various conventions, both local and state. In 1896 he supported Bryan and the free silver issue, and he continued lending his influence as well as his vote to campaigns until advancing age caused him to give up all political activity except voting. Ile is a Presbyterian, and joined Valley Lodge No. 97 of the Odd Fellows at Reedsville in March, 1859, and is a past grand representative and has attended many meetings of the Grand Lodge.

Mr. Fairfax a number of years ago became associated with the late B. M. Despard In the coal business. They optioned and sold 5,000 acres of coal in Preston County, and he still owns a similar number of acres in Taylor County. He is a charter member of the Farmers and Mer- chants Bank of Reedsville, was one of the most active in promoting that institution and is still on its Board of Directors.

At Cumberland, Maryland, March 17, 1876, Mr. Fairfax married Miss Sadie Reed, daughter of Peter and Mary J. (Gilbert) Reed, of Franklin County, Pennsylvania. She was born in that county October 28, 1856. Two sons were bora to Mr. and Mrs. Fairfax. George W. was killed in a runaway when thrown from his cart at the age of sixteen. The surviving representative of the family and the chief lieutenant of his father on the farm is Ralph Bernard Fairfax, who was born September 23, 1881, and has spent all his active life on the home farm. He served as demo- cratic committeeman for Valley District. August 29, 1902, he married Miss Nellie M. Dent of Morgantown. They have an interesting family of four young children, Mar- garet G., William Dent, Mary Virginia and Francis Gaylord.

HAROLD R. MARKELL is the president of the Packard Motor Company of Wheeling. Ile was born in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, by the beautiful St. Lawrence River, on June 21, 1887. Mr. Markell completed his schooling at Morrisburg Collegiate Institute and started his business career with the Metropolitan Bank of Canada. Ile later went to the far West and for six years managed several different branches of the Northern Crown Bank in the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. During the latter period of his sojourn in Saskatchewan he gained his initial experience in the selling of automobiles, and in 1914 be- eame associated with the Packard Motor Company at Pitts- burgh, Pennsylvania. In July, 1915, his company decided to open a branch at Wheeling, West Virginia, and he was chosen as manager of the new branch. Packard's business at Wheeling has enjoyed a steady expansion until in the spring of 1922 Mr. Markell formed a new $100,000 corpora- tion, of which he is now president and Mr. George Row is secretary and treasurer. The new Packard Company is, at the time of going to press, erecting at Pleasant Valley, Wheeling, an automobile sales and service station which will be second to none in the Ohio Valley. The building is to have a frontage of 135 feet and a depth of 200 feet. It will require an average working force of about twenty-five employes.

In 1917 Mr. Markell married Elizabeth Cassell Stamm, daughter of Frank II. Stamm and granddaughter of Peter Cassell, and so is closely related to two of Wheeling's oldest and most influential families. Mr. and Mrs. Markell have two children, Betty Jane and Virginia.

During the past several years Mr. Markell has taken a considerable interest in club life and is now a member of the Fort Henry and Country Clubs, is a Scottish Rite Mason, a Kiwanian and a director of the Motors Trading Corporation.

WILLIAM T. JONES, of Omar, Logan County, is general manager of large and important coal-mining properties in this district and, though he is still a young man, he has had exceptional wide and varied experience in connection with the coal-producing industry.

Mr. Jones was born in the City of Washington, D. C., on the 14th of May, 1889, and is a son of Richard and Josephine (McAuliffe) Jones, the former a native of the State of

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Maryland and the latter of the District of Columbia, the father having become a successful and representative wholesale grocery merchant in the national capital.

William T. Jones is indebted to the parochial and public schools of his native city for his early education, which was supplemented hy his attending Mount St. Joseph College in the City of Baltimore, Maryland. After leaving this institution he entered the employ of the Union Mining Company at Mount Savage, Maryland, where, as a mining engineer, he assisted in track construction, besides serving as assistant mine boss. He continued three years in the employ of this company and thereafter was for a time assistant foreman with the Davis Colliery Company. He next became assistant to A. J. King, who was in the con- sulting engineering business in Charleston, West Virginia, for 31/2 years. He then came to Omar, Logan County, in the capacity of mine inspector and engineer for the Main Island Creek Coal Company. His efficiency led to his advancement to the post of superintendent, and in 1919 he was made general manager of all of the company's properties and productive activities in this district, where he is now manager of the Proctor Coal Company, the Five Block Coal Company, the Superior Eagle Coal Company, the Middle Fork Mining Company, the Omar Coal Company and the Madison Coal Company, in all thirty-one mines, besides which he is vice president of the Chafin, Jones & Heatherman Coal Company of Peach Creek, this county, an operating corporation which made its first shipment of coal (eight cars) on the 1st of March, 1922. Don Chafin is president of this company, and Dr. K. J. Heather- man, secretary, treasurer and general manager. Fidelity as well as ability and effective service have brought ahout the advancement of Mr. Jones, and he has made and is making a splendid record as one of the world's productive workers. He 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.

At Charleston, in the year 1917, was solemnized the mar- riage of Mr. Jones and Miss Rose Crump, daughter of James and Mary Crump, both natives of West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have two daughters: Josephine and Mary Jane.

KENNA J. HEATHERMAN, M. D., is engaged in the suc- cessful practice of his profession at Omar, Logan County, where he is official physician and surgeon for the Main Island Creek Coal Company and the Middle Fork Coal Company, besides which he is secretary, treasurer and man- ager of the Chafin-Jones-Heatherman Coal Company, a new operating corporation which made its first shipment of coal from its mine at Peach Creek, Logan County in March, 1922.

Doctor Heatherman was born at Bramwell, Mercer County, West Virginia, on the 8th of December, 1889, and is a son of William T. and Harriet Ann (Gilmore) Heatherman, the former of whom was born in West Virginia and the latter in Ireland, the father being now superintendent of mines at Powhatan, near Bramwell, in which former place lie and his wife maintain their home. The Heatherman family ancestry is of Scotch-Irish origin.

Doctor Heatherman acquired in the schools at Powhatan, McDowell County, his early education, and in 1908 he graduated in a preparatory school in the City of Baltimore, Maryland. He then entered the medical department of the University of Louisville, Kentucky, and in this institu- tion he was graduated in 1912, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He engaged in practice at Glenalum, Mingo County, West Virginia, as mine physician for the War Eagle Coal Company, and there he remained until January, 1918, when he removed to Omar to assume mine practice for the various mines controlled by the Main Island Creek Coal Company. He has proved personally and professionally equal to the responsibilities placed upon him in connection with a large and important mine practice, which includes many surgical cases, and he utilizes the hospital facilities at Huntington, Hatfield and other points. The Doctor was anxious to enter the Medical Corps of the United States Army in connection with the world war, but field-produc-

tion was a matter of major importance during that clin terie period and he was held to his executive professic duties at the mines, where the government considered services of equal value. He is a member of the Lo County Medical Society, the West Virginia State Med Society and the American Medical Association. The Dor is affiliated with the Pi Mu medical college fraternity.

At Louisville, Kentucky, in 1912, Doctor Heatherr married Miss Pearl May Arbuckle, daughter of J. M. : Jane Arbuckle, the Arbuckle family having heen one prominence in Indiana. Mrs. Heatherman's death occur at Omar, and she is survived by two children, Kenna Jr., and Harriet Jane.

JAMES O. HILL, M. D., has been engaged in the succi ful practice of his profession at Logan, county s of Logan County, since 1912, and has specialized in stetries and the diseases of children. He was born his father's farm in Putnam County, this state, May 1881, and is a son of George F. and Nancy S. (Bail Hill, the former of whom was born in what is now W Virginia and the latter in Virginia. She was nine ye of age when her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Bailey, ca to West Virginia, about 1867, and established their ho in Putnam County, where they passed the remainder their lives. Tradition in the Hill family is to the eff that three hrothers of the name came to this country fr their native Ireland and first made their way to Penns vania, whence they continued their journey by boat do the Ohio River to what is now Point Pleasant, West V ginia. Two of the brothers continued their way and si posedly settled in the eastern part of Virginia, the ( who remained in what is now West Virginia having be the ancestor of the subject of this review. The fat] of Doctor Hill served many years as a member of 1 School board of his district, was affiliated with the In pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and both he and his w became specially earnest and active members of the Me odist Episcopal Church, South.

Doctor Hill acquired his carlier education in the pub schools of Putnam and Jackson counties, later contint his studies in Marras & Harvey College, at Barhoursvi and in 1912 was graduated from the medical department the University of Louisville, Kentucky, in the meanwb having there gained valuable experience by serving c year as a hospital interne. In the year in which he th received his degree of Doctor of Medicine he establish his home at Logan, and liere he has developed a large a representative practice of general order, with special : tention given to obstetrics and diseases of children, which department of practice he has gained high reputatie In 1915 and 1917 the Doctor did effective advance wo in the Post-Graduate Medical College in the City of N York. In the World war period he served as a meml of the Medical Examining Board that had charge of . amination of recruited soldiers in Logan County, and w active and influential in furthering the success of the loc drives in support of the Government war loans, Red Crc work, etc. He is actively identified with the Logan Coun Medical Society and the West Virginia State Medio Society, has received the thirty-second degree of the Ser tish Rite of the Masonic fraternity, besides being a uol of the Mystic Shrine, and he and his wife hold membe ship in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

The year 1914 recorded at Logan the marriage of Doct Hill and Miss Lena Ferrell, daughter of Anthony a: Elizabeth (Mullins) Ferrell, both natives of West Virgin and both still residents of Logan County. Doctor a) Mrs. Hill have two daughters: Elizabeth Ann and Nan Susan.

JOSEPH LACONIA MCCLUNG. A representative of prominent old Greenbrier County family, Joseph Lacon McClung is a graduate Doctor of Dental Surgery fro Baltimore, and for a number of years has been secure established in his professional work at Huntington.

Doctor McClung was horn at Rupert, Greenbrier Count October 26, 1877. The MeClung family is of Scotch-Iri

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a estry, and there were seven brothers of the name who ene to Virginia in Colonial times. The grandfather of Itor McClung was Hinton MeClung, a native of old Vginia and an early settler in Greenbrier County, where h. was a farmer. Ile married Miss Jones, also born in ol Virginia, who died in Greenbrier County. Their son N'Jison MeClung, father of Doctor MeClung, was born in Genbrier County in 1838, was reared and married there, owned and operated an extensive farm. After 1894 befarmed in Putnam County, and after he retired from h farin in 1917 he lived in Huntington until his death February 1, 1919. Ile was a democrat, has served four urs in the Civil war as a Confederate soldier, was a very Kiest member of the Baptist Church and was affiliated si the Masonie fraternity. Madison MeClung married M tha Martin, who was born in Greenbrier County iu ¿j, and died at Hurricane, Putnam County in 1903. Her ner, Jobu Mack Martin, was born in old Virginia in 83, was a eireuit rider of the Methodist Episcopal Church, u carried on his work in many of the mountain com- mities of Western Virginia, where he was widely known w greatly beloved. He died at Hurricane in 1900. His h. wife and the mother of Martha Martin was a Miss "ne, a native of old Virginia, who died in Greenbrier anty. Madison MeClung and wife bad thirteen children, v of whom died in childhood, and a brief record of the ters is given: Nora, wite of Leonard Shawver, a farmer 1C'riekmer, Fayette County, West Virginia; Clownie V., was connected with the International Harvester Com- dy and died at Hurricane at the age of forty-five; Mintie, re of William F. Wilson, building contraetor of Louisa, Stucky; Laura, who died at Hurricane at the age of vuty-four; Samuel Tilden, a physician, who died in brado, aged twenty-six; Richard, for a number of years vil service employe of the Government, living at Hun- rton; Joseph L .; Albert, a foreman for the Norfolk and 7 tern Railway at Portsmouth, Ohio; Mrs. Dena Leighton, fIuntington, widow of a railroad contractor; Maude, who i. at Huntington at the age of twenty-seven, wife of ch Irwin, now a locomotive engineer, living at Russell, Litucky; and Mrs. Mona Slack, wife of a railroad hinist living at Handley, West Virginia.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 121

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