History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 151

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Soon after he entered business on his own account on October 22, 1867, Mr. Hartley married Miss Mary Martha 'arney, daughter of John and Lorinda (Madeira) Carney, f Fairmont. Their companionship endured as one of great appiness for many years until the death of Mrs. Hartley n 1915. Of their six children the oldest is Carney, born December 2, 1868, who is a graduate in mechanical engin- ering from Cornell University and now a resident of Den- 'er. Colorado. His son, Neil, was with the American Forces n France. The second child, Edwin Forest, bern January 3, 1870, is a law graduate of Cornell University, and is a prominent member of the Fairmont bar. He married Louise Moderwell, and their children are Mary, Francis, Joseph Mf., Kearsley and Forest. Joseph and Kearsley were en- rolled in the World war. The former saw several months' service in France, while the latter was not fortunate enough to have crossed into the field of real war. The third child, Mary Grace, was born February 16, 1872, and married H. G. Greer. Their son, Joseph, was a member of the Student Army Training Corps. Frank M., bern January 27, 1874, died at the age of twenty-seven years. Harry J., the active associate of his father in the J. M. Hartley & Son Com- pany, was born September 15, 1876, and by his marriage to Nellie Crane has a daughter, Mary Crane. The youngest of the family, Jay, born June 2, 1878, died at the age of two years.

CHAPE WILSON is a member of the real estate and in- surance firm of Haller & Wilson at Morgantown. This is an organization of two live and enterprising young business men, and Mr. Wilson, like Mr. Haller, is a man of thorough education and was formerly engaged in educational affairs of his native state.

His ancestors were pioneers of Ritchie County, West Vir- ginia. The genealogy on the father'a side follows:

David Davis Wilson, of Scotland, was born about 1658. Davis Wilson, son of David Davis Wilson, was born about 1690. William Wilson, son of Davis Wilson, was born in Ireland, 1722. He married Miss Elizabeth Blackburn, also of Ireland, and immigrated to America about 1755, settling in Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. Eleven children were born. John Wilson, fifth son of William Wilson, born in 1756, was severely wounded in an Indian fight near Wheeling when eighteen years of age. Married Miss Mary Wathin, a French girl. They reared six children. He served thirty years as clerk of the County Court of Randolph County. He was buried at Beverly. Archibald Wilson, son of John Wilson, was born 1801. In 1825 he married Miss Elizabeth Hudkina, daughter of Bartoa Hndkins, of Tayler County,

and moved to Ritchie County. They reared a family of twelve children. He was a teacher, first surveyor of Ritchie County, and member of the first constitutional convention of the state. Many descendanta live about Pennsboro. Horatio Nelson Wilson, third son of Archibald Wilson, waa born in 1831. In 1859 he married Miss Victoria Mariah Taylor, daughter of Sheriff James Taylor of Ritchie County. He served aa lieutenant in the state militia before the Civil war, but was not in active service during the re- bellion, being a Southern sympathizer. He was a teacher, served as county surveyor, land assessor, and member of the Board of Education. His children were: Lucian B., deceased; Floyd S., merchant of Parkersburg; Mack, of Spencer; Vista, wife of E. L. Hartman, principal of the Park School at Parkersburg; Carlin, who died in childhood; Burr, whe at the age of eleven, was killed by a boiler ex- plosion; Prince, who died in childhood; Chape, the subject of this sketch; Walter W., deceased; Claude, of Lost Creek ; and one son that died at birth. The genealogy on the mother's side :

Edmund Taylor, of English descent, was born in Virginia in 1796. He married Miss Rachel Mckinney, also a Vir- ginian. They came to Harrison, then to Ritchie County about 1820, settling near Pennaboro. They reared ten chil- dren. James Taylor, oldest son of Edmund Taylor, was born in Ritchie County in 1818. He married Miss Lovisa Detson, daughter of Emmanuel Dotson, granddaughter of William Dotson, and great-granddaughter of James Detson (origi- nally "Dedson"), who came from England to Richmond, Virginia, in colonial days. Mr. Taylor served in the State Legislature and ag sheriff of Ritchie County and went South during the Civil war. Victoria Mariah Taylor, oldest daugh- ter of James Taylor, was born in 1842 and in 1859 was married to Horatio N. Wilson.

Chape Wilson was born on the home farm near Burnt House, Ritchie County, January 23, 1877. His early life was spent in that country community, and his early educa- tion came from the neighborhood free schools. At the age of sixteen he began teaching in the country schools of his native county. After fifteen years of such service he re- moved with his family to Glenville, Gilmer County, where he took the normal conrse in the State Normal School at that place, being graduated in the year 1910. Immediately after graduation he became principal of the Hillsboro High School at Hillsboro, Pocahontas County, West Virginia. After two years he went to East Bank, Kanawha County, where he established the Cabin Creek District High School, and there he remained for two years. For the three suc- creding years he served as principal of one of the city schools of Morgantown, to which place he had moved with his family in August, 1914. Between school terms and at other odd times he attended West Virginia University, and thus completed two years of the A. B. course. In 1917 he gave up his profession and his studies and engaged for several years as a traveling salesman. Then, in February, 1921, he formed his partnership with Mr. Haller in the firm of Haller and Wilson.

He is a member of the Morgantown Real Estate Board and the Chamber of Commerce, the Presbyterian Church, Pocahontas Ledge No. 121. A. F. and A. M., and Morgan- town Lodge of Perfection No. 6, of the Scottish Rite. On March 8, 1898, Mr. Wilson married Emily Della Fisher, who was born in Ritchie County, daughter of Adam M. and Sarah Ellen (McDonald) Fisher. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are the parents of seven children: Linn Wilson, bern May 15, 1899; Beulah Vista, bern November 26, 1902; Wilda Vic- toria, who died at the age of sixteen months; Goldie Ellen, born January 31, 1907; Ruby Juanita, bern October 1, 1909; Alma Virginia, born July 11, 1913; and Margery Jean, born December 12, 1920.

CHARLES S. SMOOT is a native son of Parkersburg and here haa made for himself a place of prominence in cen- nection with business enterprise and community life. He has become an expert in modern advertising enterprise, and now controls an extensive and prosperous business in street-car and outdoor advertising in his native city and

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county, besides which his progressive and civic loyalty have been further shown in his erection of the Lincoln Theater Building, in which he conducts a high-grade amusement enterprise, besides having control also of the Hippodrome Auditorium and likewise of the Camden Theater, which latter he leases. He is also part owner and director of the Fair- mont Theater Company, and is one of the vital and enter- prising men who play a large part in the general business and civic affairs of Parkersburg. His popularity in his native city is unqualified, and here he is an active member of the Rotary, the Elks and the Country Clubs, one of his major affiliations being with the Parkersburg Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Mr. Smoot is married and has one daughter, Sara.

Charles S. Smoot was born in Parkersburg on the 26th of February, 1875, and is a son of William Norman Smoot and Mary (Severance) Smoot, the Smoot family having early been established at Westernport, Maryland, and repre- sentatives of the Severance family having been pioneer settlers of Marietta, Ohio. William N. Smoot became a prosperous merchant at Parkersburg, where the major part of his life was passed, and where his death occurred.

Charles S. Smoot, one of a family of six children, gained his early education in the public schools of Parkersburg, including the high school, and later he became successfully identified with newspaper business, as advertising manager of the Parkersburg State Journal, with which he continued his connection in this capacity about thirteen years. His broad experience in this field specially fortified him when he carried to successful issue his well formulated plans for establishing an independent advertising business, and from a modest inception he has built up a large and important business, with a representative clientele. Mr. Smoot has deep interest in everything touching the welfare and progress of his home city, and has personally done much to advance its claims as a vital distributing center and a place of no mean metropolitan advantages.

LOUIS N. PICKENS. In almost every community may be found men of worth-while achievements in some line or another, perhaps in several, and that they should he held in esteem is natural and justifiable, for honorable and sue- cessful effort adds to the general welfare. The mercantile interests at Parkersburg, West Virginia, are large and im- portant and have a wide range, the products of the world finding sale here in such abundance that under the wise management of able and honorable merchants, Parkersburg has become an exceedingly important commercial center. A merchant of this city who has had long experience and stands high in the regard of his fellow citizens is Louis N. Pickens, who has been identified with business and civic interests at Parkersburg for many years.

Louis N. Pickens was born on his father's farm in Gallia County, Ohio, August 14, 1871, and is a son of Galvin and Mary Elizabeth (Waters) Pickens, and a grandson of John and Mary Ann (Lawrence) Pickens. The great-grandfather was born in Ireland, but John Pickens was born in Meigs County, Ohio, where he followed farming. He served in the Union Army during the war between the states. Calvin Pickens was a farmer in Ohio prior to coming to West Vir- ginia. He was thrice married. No children were born to his first union, but one, Renben R., to his third, and two to his second, Louis N. and one that died in infancy.

Louis N. Pickens obtained his education in the public schools, and then, in preparation for teaching, passed the necessary examinations, and for six years taught school most acceptably in Jackson County, West Virginia. He found himself, however, having a natural leaning toward active business life, and after taking a course in a commercial college, was variously employed for some time before becom- ing bookkeeper and general office man for a prominent merchant of Parkersburg, Daniel Gardway, dealing in wool, hides and fur. That situation lasted for six years. In 1907 he became Mr. Gardway's partner, and this association continued until the spring of 1920, when the partnership was dissolved but Mr. Pickens has continued in the mercan- tile business and still is largely interested in this field.

On October 5, 1898, Mr. Pickens married Miss Mary [. Murrey, of Sandyville, Jackson County, West Virginia.

In politics Mr. Pickens is a democrat, and at times is taken an active part in civic affairs. From 1914 until 17 he was Superintendent of Public Safety, an office wlh carried with it membership in the City Council. For twer- two years he has been a member of the Methodist Episcoul Church. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, Knit Templar, York Rite, and a member of Nemesis 'T'em. Mystic Shrine, and he belongs also to the Odd Fellows :d the Elks.

CAMDEN H. HOLDEN, president of the Ranwood Lum r Company, one of the important business concerns of e City of Parkersburg, is a native son of West Virginia id a scion of the third generation of the Holden family n this state, the Holden family having been founded in Am. ica in the Colonial period of our national history. J(1 C. Holden, grandfather of him whose name initiates ts paragraph, was a son of Alexander Holden, who was bu in the State of New Jersey and became a pioneer settler 1 Licking County, Ohio, where he reclaimed a farm and - came one of the influential citizens of that section of 19 Buckeye State. He served as justice of the peace, cour? commissioner and representative in the Ohio Legislatu, and his also was the distinction of having been a sold: in the War of 1812. He continued his residence in O1) until his death in 1832, at the age of sixty-eight yea. John C. Holden was born in New Jersey and reared 1 Ohio, where was solemnized his marriage to Miss Pruden Kettle. He gained pioneer honors in Barbour County, W.t Virginia, where he established his home when that cour was still a part of Virginia and known as Harrison Conn. A man of fine intellectuality and exceptional ability, gained much of leadership in the pioneer community, a by his activities, which included the reclamation and dev opment of a productive farm, he contributed much to t: civic and material development of what is now one of t prosperous counties of West Virginia. He was a stude. of the Greek language, and his broad mental horizon mas him a man of mature judgment and progressive idea Thus he gave to his children the best possible education advantages, and gave his influence to measures and ente prises that advanced the welfare of his community. Bo he and his wife were honored pioneer citizens of Barbo County at the time of their deaths. In that county w born their son Elijah K., who was there reared to manhou and who there married Miss Mahala Reed, likewise native of Barbour County. Elijah K. Holden gained su stantial success in connection with farm industry in h native county, effectively upheld the honors of the fami name and was content to follow his chosen vocation and make his value felt through earnest and worthy achiev ment and civic loyalty rather than through politic; activity of public office. Of his five children four ai living, and of the number the subject of this sketch is th only son.

Camden H. Holden, the eldest of the five children, we born on the old homestead farm in Barbour County, o the 30th of March, 1873. He was reared on this old hom farm, and the discipline of the district schools was suppl mented by his attending the public schools of the City c Buckhannon, Upshur County. That he made good use c his advantages is shown by the fact that, when seventee years of age he proved himself eligible for pedagogic sert ice and became a successful teacher in the rural school At the age of twenty years he initiated his association wit the lumber business in Randolph County, and with this im portant line of industrial and commercial enterprise he ha continued his alliance during the intervening years.

In 1907 Mr. Holden established his residence at Parkers burg, and as president of the Ranwood Lumber Compan of this city he is one of the representative business me of Wood County. He is a staunch democrat in politics and he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church, wit which the Holden family has been actively connected fo many generations. He has received the chivalric degrees i

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MONONGAHELA VALLEY BANK BLDG. IN WHICH THEY HAVE THEIR OFFICE

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HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

từ Masonic fraternity, in which his maximum York Rite Miation is with the Commandery of Knighta Templars this home city. He holds membership also in Nemesis Tiple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, u Parkersburg Lodge of the Benevoleut and Protective Der of Elks, and the Parkersburg Country Club.

'he year 1895 recorded the marriage of Mr. Holden and Bis Alice Reger, of Buckhannon, this atate, and they have o daughter, Edna F., who is the wife of Ralph Jones, of Ikersburg.

VILBERT F. CARMICHAEL. A name well and honorably bown for many years in West Virginia for sterling busi- as achievement is that of Carmichael, and a prominent trer of the same at Parkersburg is Wilbert F. Carmichael, vo is the active head of the wholesale confectionery firm c Carmichael & Martin, an exceedingly prosperous enter- I se of this city. Mr. Camichael was born near Hanlon's il, Ritchie County, West Virginia, March 30, 1876. His jients were David and Nancy A. (Locke) Carmichael.

David Carmichael was a man of sterling integrity and of lasual business ability. He was a native of Ohio and was i ven years old when he came to West Virginia, a poor boy :king employment, which he accepted as a farm hand and rked for 50 cents a day. He had but limited opportunities r acquiring an education, but he had the ambition to better 3 condition and took advantage of such chances as came way, paying attention to those better equipped than nself and reading instructive books. Proving industrious d reliable in the employ of farmers, this reputation en- led him to secure better wages in the employ of tobacco ckers and he became manager of a warehouse. Later he is employed in Hanlon's Mill, situated on McKim Creek, 10 miles out of Hebron, and it was at this point, in a tle building 12 by 16 feet in dimensions which he had lilt himself, that he began business as a merchant. He id natural aptitude for merchandising, and from this imble beginning developed into one of the most successful erchants in Tyler County. Subsequently finding a pur- taser for his amall store, he opened another at Mole Hill Ritchie County, removing from there two years later Wick, Tyler County, where he was a merchant for five ars. His next removal was to Meadville in Tyler County, here he remained in the mercantile business and also perated a farm, and then moved to Smithfield, in the oil istrict of Wetzel County, and for fifteen years was the ading merchant in that county.

In the meanwhile David Carmichael married Nancy A. ocke, and three children were born to them: Floyd, who manager of the Carmichael Candy Company, wholesale onfectioners at Clarksburg, West Virginia; Alice, who ied at the age of twenty-two years, was the wife of Nathan Bane; and Wilbert F., who belongs to Parkersburg. David armichael was a member of the Christian Church. He was ctive in the democratic party, served one term as a justice f the peace and at one time was his party's candidate for heriff. When he retired from business he was succeeded y his sons, and he finally returned to Ohio. His death ceurred at Zanesville in April, 1917.

Wilbert F. Carmichael with his brother and sister had dncational advantages that had been denied to their father n his youth but on which he always set a high value. Mr. Carmichael learned telegraphing and was an operator for our years, then, with his brother, succeeded his father in usinesa, and for the next fifteen years the brothers were associated at Smithfield aa merchanta and lumber men, Wilbert F. attending mainly to their lumber interests in Nicholas, Webster and Clay counties. In 1915 they re- noved to Clarksburg and went into the wholesale con- lectionery business, where Floyd Carmichael continues, but n 1920 Wilbert F. Carmichael came to Parkersburg, and n association with his brother-in-law, Dr. J. E. Martin, organized the wholesale confectionery firm of Carmichael & Martin, ancceeding the old firm of D. W. Dabney. Mr. Carmichael has shown goed judgment in his choice of busi- less and the outlook is very promising.

In 1897 Mr. Carmichael married Miss Virginia Bucher,

who died in 1904, leaving three children: Mabel, wife of Ray Lang, Alice and David. In 1908 Mr. Carmichael mar- ried Miss Inez Martin, daughter of Sidney and Sophia (Morrow) Martin, of Shiloh, Tyler County, West Virginia. Mr. Carmichael is a Knight Templar Mason and belongs also to the order of United Commercial Travelers.

J. PaESSLEY CRAWFORD, member of the well known firm of Crawford & Son, real estate and insurance agents of Morgantown, West Virginia, is a son of William A. and Loumonia F. Crawford. He was born in Greene County, Virginia, September 17, 1897, where he was trained to work on his father's farm early and late. He attended the public schools of his county, also Elon College in North Carolina. On January 1, 1918, he married N. Grace Barker, who was born in Monongalia County, daughter of Joseph J. Barker and Sallie (Morris) Barker. They have a son, Milton Stanley, bern October 31, 1919.

In 1918, at the age of twenty-one, Mr. Crawford began his business career at Morgantown aa a salesman for W. B. Sharp, real estate and insurance, and in 1920 he and his father bought out the growing business of Mr. Sharp, and the firm of Crawford & Son was formed, which has grown and now enjoys an extended clientage, representing some of the standard lines of insurance and specializing in city property, improved orchards, farms, coal and timber lands. He also represents the E. A. Strout Farm Agency for his section of the state, the largest farm agency in the world. Mr. Crawford is one of the younger business men of Morgan- town, and has displayed remarkable energy and resource- fulness in everything he has undertaken. He, like his father, is a son of the Old Dominion and feels at home among the "West Virginia Hills." J. Pressley Crawford possesses that indomitable will power to make a thing go if there is any chance, never yielding to failure, and the firm of Craw- ford & Son, of which he is a part, will no doubt be known through years to come.

WILLIAM A. CRAWFORD, SR., member of the firm of Craw- ford & Son, was born in Old Virginia, in the County of Greene, November 30, 1864. His ancestors were of Scotch- Irish and English descent. He was educated in the public schools of his county and at the age of eighteen he com- menced his chosen profession of teaching in the public schools of his native county, and followed this work for twenty-seven consecutive terms. Mr. Crawford was brought up in the rural part of his county, where schoola were few and far between, and he was forced to walk from four to six miles to school, but as soon as he was old enough was able to pass a creditable examination and take charge of a school of his own.

In 1866 Mr. Crawford married Miss L. F. Morris, one of his pupils, and to this union three children were born, Iola Graham, who died at the age of twenty-eight years, Addie and J. Pressley.

Mr. Crawford always took an active part in the polities of his county, and has held offices of his county from justice of the peace to high sheriff. When he entered polities his county was overwhelmingly democratic, but by hard work he waa able to swing it over to the republican column, where it has since remained.

Being a farmer and teacher and living in one of the best fruit sections of his state, he became interested in horticul- ture and planted out three of the largest commercial orchards in his county, the largest of which he still owns and refuses to sell, and by his influence in that direction many people have planted good aized orchards in Greene County.

In 1920 Mr. Crawford removed to Morgantown, West Virginia, where his youngest daughter and son, J. Pressley Crawford, both live. He has always been interested in the welfare of the rising generation, and outside of his school work has been an active member of the Christian Church (better known in some places as the Christian Connection) and has held several important positions in his conference.

GEORGE L. DUDLEY. Three generations of the Dudley family have had a very substantial participation in the

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life, affairs and progress of the Parkersburg community. George L. Dudley is a man whose business qualifications have been appreciated by all who have come in contact with him, though normally he is very unostentatious, ac- complishes his work with a quiet efficiency, and has been well satisfied to remain completely outside the sphere of politics and political honors.

His father, Lysander Dudley, was born about 1847 in Connecticut. When he was about a year old he was brought west by his parents Lysander and Betsy (Hull) Dudley, to Wood County, where they located on a country property on what is known today as Dudley Avenue in the northern part of Parkersburg. Lysander, Sr., was a carpenter and contractor, and in that industry he erected many of the im- portant buildings of his day. He also was very active in the Baptist Church, and met all the tests of good citizen- ship.

His son Lysander up to 1892 lived on a farm that is now included in the City of Parkersburg. After he left the farm he gave his attention to the buying and selling of coal, timber and other lands. As a matter of duty and not in line with any ambition he accepted the responsi- bilities of public office when called upon, and among other local positions he was a councilman. He was also a de- vout member of the Baptist Church. His death occurred in 1916. Lysander Dudley, Jr., married Mollie F. Burdette, a relative of the late Bob Burdette, the famous humorist. She is still living, and of her nine children seven are living.

George Lewis Dudley was born at Parkersburg November 1, 1868, and supplemented his public school education with a course in a business college at Wheeling. He also left the home farm in 1892, and for several years thereafter was associated with his father in business. For about two years he had merchandising and timber interests in Roane County, but his chief business now and for some years past has been the Citizens Lumber Company, of which he is vice president and general manager.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 151

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