History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 189

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages:

USA > West Virginia > History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2 > Part 189

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mr. MeNemar is a acion of Scotch and Irish ancestry, his paternal grandfather, Col. Joseph MeNemar, having commanded a Virginia regiment in the Confederate service in the Civil war, his home having been in what is now Grant County, West Virginia, where he served aa sheriff and waa otherwise influential in community affairs. He married a young woman who had been abducted from the coast of Ireland and brought to this country, where she became the wife of Colonel MeNemar.

William V. MeNemar was born at Lahmansville, Grant County, this state, on the 4th of March, 1886, and is a son of Samuel B. and Lizzie (Harris) McNemar, the former of whom was born in that county and the latter in the State of Illinois. Samuel B. MeNemar became a successful teacher in the schools of Grant County, there gained prece- dence as a progressive farmer, and, while influential in community affairs, he invariably refused to become a candi- date for public office. He died in 1912 and his widow atill maintaina her home in Grant County. Samuel B. MeNemar was a member of the Southern Methodist Episco- pal Church, and Mrs. McNemar is a Baptist.

To the acheels of his native county William V. Mc- Nemar is indebted for his preliminary education, which wag advanced by his attending a preparatory school at Keyser, Mineral County. Thereafter he attended the

574

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

University of West Virginia until ill health compelled his retirement, hut in 1910 he graduated from the State Normal School at Shepherdstown. In the State University ha graduated in 1913, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and from the law department of that institution he received in 1915 the degree of Bachelor of Lawa, with virtually concurrent admission to the bar of his native atate. His professional novitiate waa served at Parsons, Tucker County, where he remained one year, and for the ensuing three years he was engaged in practice in the City of Charleston. He then removed to Logan and entered into a law partnership with Charles S. Minter, with whom he has since been associated in successful and representative practice in this thriving little city. In the World war period Mr. McNemar was not called into military service, but he was vital and zealous in the furthering of all patriotic activities in the City of Charleston, where he was residing at the time. He is identified with the Logan County Bar Association, the West Virginia Bar Association and the American Bar Association. In the Masonic fra- ternity he has received the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, ia affiliated also with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and he and his wife hold mem- hership in the Presbyterian Church.

At Oakland, Maryland, in the year 1913, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. McNemar and Miss Helen Babb, daughter of John L. and Margaret M. (Mathes) Babb, both natives of Grant County, West Virginia. Mr. and Mra. McNemar have two children: Margaret E. and Anna D.

CHARLES ZELLER. The following account of the career of Charles Zeller will explain the grounda for the confidence and esteem in which he is held at Terra Alta, where for forty-five years he has been a resident, a sound American citizen, and a busy worker at his trade of shoemaker.

Charles Zeller was born at Daetzingen, Oberambt Boe Blingen, about nine milea northeast of the City of Stuttgart in Wuertemberg, September 22, 1847, a son of Bernhard and Margaret Zeller. Hia father, who waa a carpenter by trade, died young, leaving hia widow and only child, whose name at christening waa Carl August.

Charles Zeller waa required to attend the Government school until he was fourteen, and then began his apprentice- ship as a student of ahoemaking. The arrangement provided for the payment to hia master of fifty guldena, amounting to about one hundred and fifty marks. After learning his trade he went to Stuttgart, worked as a journeyman three and a half yeara, wagea being about a gulden a week, and then returned home and after three weeks joined another young man and they puraued a real journeyman's existence to different portions of Southern Germany, including a portion of Bavaria and going on into Austria, where they worked for a time in a small country town. He alao worked in Radolfzell in Baden, then went to Switzerland, and for three years waa employed at Zurich.

In 1871 Mr. Zeller sailed out of Bremen Harbor on a ateam- ship which eighteen daya later landed him at Baltimore. From there he went to Frostburg, Maryland, apending the winter, and in the spring located at Cumberland, where he remained working at hia trade for five years. The only English words he knew when he landed were good morning. He bought a German-English dictionary, but it proved of little benefit. He mastered the new language largely by actual practice among his new American frienda. For the first few years he made progress alowly, since hia associations were largely with German speaking people, but after coming to Terra Alta, where hia business and social relationa were largely with Americans, he picked up the language rapidly.

Mr. Zeller came to Terra Alta in 1877, and from that year to the present has been the old and reliable, steady working and faithful shoemaker of the village and city. His business haa undergone a marked change during his residence. For years he made boota and shoes for a large territory around the town, but his work ia now altogether repairing. For many yeara he was the only shoemaker in the town, hence his acquaintance extended to all the old families and hia efficient workmanship was an important factor in hia popularity. Mr. Zeller haa carefully laid away in his shop three hickory ham- mer handlea, each showing deep indentations worn by his

fingers as they gripped the handles, this wearing progress co tinuing until new handlea had to be aubatituted.

Mr. Zeller took out his first citizenship papera in Cumb land and finished the naturalization procesa at Kingwor In 1880 he cast hia firat presidential vote for President G. field, and haa voted with the republican party ever since. served as a councilman of Terra Alta under Mayor Crawfor

At Cumberland Charles Zeller married Misa Rosa Reiche daughter of Valentine Reichert, of Baden, Germany, whe Mra. Zeller waa born. Mr. and Mrs. Zeller have had sev children: Frank, a jeweler and merchant at Terra Ali Maggie, wife of Ira Parsons, of Terra Alta; Theresa, at hon Alexander, a telegraph operator in the service of the Baltimc & Ohio Railroad Company at Terra Alta; Mary, who died childhood, and Carl and Anna, still members of the hor circle.

JEREMIAH RINGER. The duties of life aa presented au ceaaively to him through a period of over forty years Jeremi: Ringer haa diacharged to the extent of his ability and in su manner as to merit the eateem and respect in which he held. He recently aold hia farming interests, which co atituted his active career, and is now living retired at Ter Alta.

He was born in Portland District of Preston Count December 17, 1858. Hia grandfather, Philip Ringer, probab a native of Preston County, was one of several brothers wl in their day were accounted among the best citizena and lea. ing farmera in the community of Centenary Church. Phil: Ringer ia buried on the farm he owned at Centenary. He wa a Methodiat, a democrat, and took an unaaauming part i local affairs.

John Ringer, father of Jeremiah, was born near the Cel tenary Church in Pleasanta District March 2, 1823. He live there and followed farming until about the opening of th Civil war, when he moved to the Crab Orchard communit of Preaton County and remained there the reat of his year During the Civil war he drilled as a militiaman, but waa neve called to front line duty. Hia holdinga eventually becam extensive and occupied him as one of the leading farmera € the county. Hia apecialty aa a farmer was raising hay, grai and stock. He represented the family tradition and charac teriatica of quiet and unpretentious citizenship without seek ing the notoriety of politica. He waa active in the Albrigh Evangelical Church, was a republican and voted for the part candidate at every opportunity. John Ringer marriec November 5, 1846, Suaan Bishop, daughter of Henry Bishop and representative of one of the old families of Presto: County. Their children were: William Henry and Harrison both of whom took up farming as their vocation and lived in the Crab Orchard District and were survived by children Elisha, a farmer on Muddy Creek near Lenox; George A., 1 retired farmer at Kingwood; Jeremiah; Amanda J., whos first husband was M. L. Feather and her second Clark May o Terra Alta; Rhuey Belle, who died near Terra Alta, the wife of Robert A. Seal; and Joseph R., a farmer at Lenox, along the Brandonville Pike.

Jeremiah Ringer acquired his early education in the Licl Run schoolhouse in the community where he was born and reared. Hia advantages were superior to those of his father chiefly in the matter of more abundant and better text books From such booka he studied reading, spelling, geography grammar and writing. Jeremiah Ringer was exceptionally faithful to hia parents as long as they lived, was the mainstay of his father on the farm, and even after hia marriage, at the age of twenty-five, he remained and took charge of the home. atead. In the past eighteen yeara his home has been at o1 near Terra Alta, and he sold his farm there in September, 1921, and ia now living in comfort in the village.

February 7, 1884, at Lenox in Preston County, Mr. Ringer married Misa Dorothy Isabel Chidester, who was born October 3, 1862, daughter of Harrison Chideater and aister of Mrs. Daniel C. Feather, under whose name more detailed mention of the family ia made. Mr. and Mrs. Ringer have one daugh- ter, Nora May, wife of Earl Freeland of Terra Alta. Mr. and Mrs. Freeland have two children, Leslie Earl and Lucile L.

Jeremiah Ringer votes as a republican in national affairs and in local politics gives his ballot to the man he considera beat qualified. He and Mrs. Ringer are members of the

575

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

utheran Church, he joining that church after being reared a (ethodist. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias odge.

CASSIUS E. CLovIa, cashier and director of the Bank of undred in Wetzel County, has been actively identified with at institution for over ten years. It ia one of the most pros- erous banks in the entire county. Mr. Clovis ia a thorough business man and banker, and has made use of his years and oportunities for a varied and effective service as a teacher ad in various lines of business.

He was born at Wadestown in Monongalia County, July 23, 375. The name Clovis was associated with the pioneer bis- ry of Monongalia County. Hia great-grandfather, Mathias lovis, was born, reared and married in Germany, and then rought his family to the United States and settled on a farm Monongalia County, where he lived out his life. Jacob lovis, grandfather of the Hundred banker, was born in [onongalia County in 1817, and owned a farm and also oper- ted a flour mill known as Brown's Mill in that county. He ied near Wadestown in 1893. His wife waa Miss Chalfant, a stive of Monongalia County, where she was born in 1818 ad died in June, 1893.

Elijah C. Clovis, father of Cassius E., is still living near Tadestown and has been a resident of Monongalia County ver seventy years, He was born at Brown's Mill November 9, 1848. His active career of half a century has been devoted farming, and he atill owns his farm three milea northwest { Wadestown. He is a republican, a leading member of the Methodiat Episcopal Church in this community and haa erved as class leader and superintendent of the Sunday chool. Elijah C. Clovis married Catherine Lemley, who was born in Monongalia County September 19, 1848. This Id couple are the parents of six children: Clark L., a farmer ear Wadeatown; Cassius E .; Norah E., wife of George H. Iostutler, a farmer at Colerain, Ohio; Benjamin F., a farmer 'ear Wadeatown; Forna J., at home; and Charles H., a hyaician and Roentgenologist who has charge of the X-Ray od Radium work in the Ohio Valley Hospital at Wheeling. Ie served during the World war aa a second lieutenant.

Cassius E. Clovis was reared on his father's farm near Vsdestown, attended the rural schools there, was also & tudent in the Fairmont State Normal School, and in 1899 raduated from the Wheeling Business College. He began esching at the age of twenty-one, and altogether spent five ears in the rural schools of Monongalia County. When he eft business college he remained at Wheeling for two years aa bookkeeper for the Center Foundry & Machine Company f that city. He then taught another year in Monongalia County, following which for a short time he was employed in he County Court clerk's office at Morgantown and, going ack to Wheeling, was for six years bookkeeper and assistant ecretary for the Fort Henry Club. He then concluded his eaching with another term in Monongalia County, finally ea ving the school room in 1909.

The Bank of Hundred in Wetzel County was established 88 state bank in 1903. In 1910 Mr. Clovia becsme bookkeeper or the bank, was promoted to assistant cashier in 1911, and ince 1915 has been cashier and a member of the Board of Directors. The solid prosperity of this bank ia reflected in a ew items from a recent statement. It has capital stock of wenty-five thousand dollars, surplus and profits of forty housand dollars, and the deposits aggregate six hundred housand dollars. The active officials of the bank are: San- ord J. Talkington, of Hundred, president; John Mapel, of Burton, vice president; C. E. Clovis, cashier; the directors re S. J. Talkington, John Mapel, C. E. Clovis, William F. Stockdale, J. E. Shull, all of Hundred, R. S. Clovis, of Jolly- own, Pennsylvania. Simon Moore, of Metz, West Virginia, aron Furbee of Glover Gap, West Virginia, and Joseph ellers, of Deep Valley, Pennsylvania.

During the war Mr. Clovis went to the limit of his meana nd influence for the Government, and was chairman of all he loan campaigns in the Church District of Wetzel County. Ie is a member of the Town Council and town treasurer of Hundred, is a republican, ia a steward of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is affiliated with Hundred Lodge No. 4, Knights of Pythias. He and his family live in a home with

all the modern conveniencea on Hamilton Avenue. In Jan- uary, 1909, at Fairmont, Mr. Clovia married Miss Elizabeth A. Rixey, daughter of Charles W. and Roae (Allen) Rixey, of Wheeling, where Mra. Clovis waa born. To their marriage have come four children: Catharine, born December 1, 1910; Virginia, born May 27, 1912; George W., born February 23, 1915; and Mabel, born June 24, 1917.

JAMES G. TOOTHMAN, who for the past ten years has been associated in an official capacity with the Bank of Hundred, came into this business with a thoroughly successful record aa a teacher and school administrator.

Mr. Toothman was born at Anthem in Wetzel County December 7, 1882. Hia great-great-grandfather, Christopher Toothman, was a native of Germany and established hia home at Hagerstown, Maryland, in 1760, fifteen years before the beginning of the Revolutionary war. It was one of hia sona who moved over into what is now West Virginia and eatab- lished the family in Marion County. Davia Toothman, grand- father of James G. Toothman, was born in Marion County and spent practically all his life there. He was a farmer, and died at Brink at the age of eighty-four. His wife was Sarah Snodgrass, who was born in Marion County in 1822 and died at the home of her daughter, Mra. Mary Hayes, in Wetzel County in 1912. Jesse S. Toothman, representing the next generation of the family, was born in Marion County, July 21, 1847, and was a youthful soldier in the Civil war. He enlisted in 1863 in the 14th West Virginia Infantry and aerved until the close of hostilities. He participated in the battle of Cedar Creek and waa also in Hunter's raid. After the war he became a farmer, but after his marriage moved to Wetzel County, and during hia active career was a farmer and car- penter in the county. He has lived retired since 1911 and ia a resident of Hundred. He is a republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Jesse S. Toothman married Susanna M. Snider, who was born in Marion County October 22, 1849, and died at her home near Anthem in May, 1913. Their children were: Marcellus A., a farmer in Wetzel Coun- ty; Christopher J., a coal mine operator living at Fairmont; Ella J., twin sister of Christopher, wife of William J. Devine, who has charge of the meter department of the Carnegie Natural Gas Company at Hundred; Bertie. born in 1876 and died in 1910, was the wife of Ulysses G. Thomas, a farmer living near Hundred; Jessie C. is the wife of Dr. George W. Anderson, a physician at Littleton, West Virginia; the sixth child was Jamea G., and the youngest died in infancy.

James G. Toothman spent hia early life on his father's farm in Wetzel County, attended the country schools, was a student for one year in the Wealeyan Seminary at Buckhannon, and for two years was a special student of civil engineering in West Virginia University at Morgantown. He left the Univer- sity in 1904. At the age of sixteen he taught his first term of rural school, and altogether was a teacher in the rural achoola of Wetzel and Marion counties four years. In 1904 he became principal of a graded school in Marion County and for three years was principal of schools at Hundred, thua forming his first connections with that community where his interests are now permanently identified. Following that for a year he waa principal of the eighth grade in the Mannington School and for one year was an employe of the Carnegie Natural Gas Company, with headquarters at Hundred. Mr. Toothman in 1911 became teller in the Bank of Hundred, and since 1913 has been assistant cashier of that prosperous institution, one of the strongest banks in Wetzel County.

Mr. Toothman ia a republican, has served aa mayor of Hundred, is a member of the Christian Church and a past grand of Hundred Lodge No. 200, Independent Order of Odd Fellowa, and is a psat chancellor of Hundred Lodge No. 84, Knights of Pythias. During the war he gave much of his time to promoting the Liberty Loan and Savinga Stampa salea.

Mr. Toothman owns a modern "home at the corner of Cleveland Street and Hamilton Avenue. He married at Oak- land, Maryland, in 1905, Miss Ollie Kennedy, a daughter of Nathaniel and Vina (Reid) Kennedy, residents of Hundred, where her father ia a carpenter. Mr. and Mrs. Toothman had three children: James E., born October 2, 1905, a sophomore in the Hundred High School; Robert, born August 2,'1909, died in July, 1910; and Virginia, born February 6, 1914.

576

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

WILLIAM F. FARLEY, M. D., of Holden, Logan County, has been engaged in the successful practice of his pro- fession in this county for nearly thirty yeara, and has special prestige as a physician and surgeon in important service in connection with coal-mining industry in this section of the state. The doctor is one of the honored, influential and progressive citizens of the county, and in 1922 is aerving his second term as president of the County Court.

Doctor Farley was born at a point near the mouth of Pond Creek, in Pike County, Kentucky, on the 19th of February, 1866, and is a son of Thomas and Nancy (Pil- son) Farley, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Kentucky. Thomas Farley as a member of the Third Virginia Regiment served as a gallant soldier of the Confederacy in the Civil war, he having been in the com- mand of Gen. "Stonewall" Jackson at the time when that intrepid officer met his death in battle, and he served also in the command of General Lee, with whose forces he was at Appomattox at the time of the final surrender. Thomas Farley became a substantial farmer in what is now Logan County, West Virginia, and here he served as justice of the peace and also as county assessor.

Doctor Farley gained his early education in the schools of Pike County, Kentucky, and Logan County, West Vir- ginia. After leaving the high school at Pikesville, Ken- tucky, he was for ten years a successful teacher in the public schools of Logan County, West Virginia, and in the meanwhile he determined to prepare himself for the medical profession. In 1893 he graduated in the medical depart- ment of the University of Louisville, Kentucky, and after thus receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine he was for ten years established in the successful practice of his profession at Logan, judicial center of Logan County. Upon the organization of the United States Coal & Oil Company in 1903 Doctor Farley became its official physician and surgeon at Holden, and under its reorganization as the Island Creek Coal Company he has continued in charge of the medical and surgical service of all of its mines and incidental operations, besides having executive management of the excellently equipped and thoroughly modern hospital which the company established at Holden, the building having been erected and its equipment installed under the personal supervision of Doctor Farley. This hospital, which was erected in 1907, has accommodations for fifty patients. In the war period, when work at the coal mines was brought up to the maximum production, Doctor Farley found exigent demands upon his time and attention in this connection, but he found opportunity also to give effective service as a member of the Logan County Medical Exam- ing Board in connection with the drafting of soldiers, and also to give vital aid in the advancing of the various pa- triotic enterprises and movements in the county. The doctor has taken two effective post-graduate courses in the medical department of his alma mater, the University of Kentucky, and a similar course at Miami Medical Col- lege, Cincinnati, Ohio. He is an active and valued member of the Logan County Medical Society, and is identified also with the West Virginia State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He has completed the circle of both the York and Scottish Rites of the Masonic fraternity, in the former of which his maximum affiliation is with the Commandery of Knights Templars at Logan, and in the latter of which he has received the thirty-second degree, besides which he is a member of the Mystic Shrine, Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Improved Order of Red Men. His religious faith is that of the Baptist Church, and his wife holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

In 1904 Doctor Farley wedded Miss Matewood Moore, daughter of F. R. and Belle (O'Brien) Moore, of Louisa, Kentucky, and the three children of this union are Mildred, Thomas Frederick and Elizabeth. The elder daughter is, in 1922, a atudent in Chatham Inatitute at Chatham, Virginia, and the two younger children are attending the public achoola at Holden. The doctor is unwavering in hia alle- giance to the democratic party and, as previously noted, ia president of the County Court. He is a grandson of John

Farley and a descendant of one of the three Farlı brothers who came from their native Ireland and becan early settlera in the Kanawha Valley, in what is now We Virginia. Doctor Farley has five brothers who likewise a physicians, and are individually mentioned on other pag. of this work.

CLARK S. FORTNEY, M. D. After graduating in medici in 1905 Dr. Fortney established hia home and office at Hun dred in Wetzel County, and for over fifteen years has bee recognized as a physician and surgeon of splendid attai: ments. He also has the good fortune of practicing with most capable partner, Mrs. Fortney, his wife being a gradual physician, and they have shared in their practice and pre fessional work as well as in their home.

Dr. Fortney represents an old and prominent Presto County family and was born in Kingwood in that count August 24, 1869. The family was established in Presto County by his great-grandfather. His grandfather, Dani. R. Fortney, was born near Reedsville in Preston County i 1817, and spent practically all his life on the old Fortney home stead near Kingwood, where he died in 1904. In additio to his duties as a farmer he was a minister of the Methodis Protestant Church. Daniel R. Fortney married Mahala Pel. who was born in Preston County in 1817 and died at the hom farm in 1889. Francis A. Fortney, father of Dr. Fortney was born near Howesville in Preston County in 1837, and though a carpenter by trade nearly his entire life waa spen on the home farm near Kingwood, where he died in February 1918, at the age of eighty-one. He had an honorable record as a Union soldier in the Civil war. In 1861 he enliated il Company C of the Third West Virginia Infantry, being ? fifer in the regiment, and later was transferred to the Sixth West Virginia Cavalry as bugler. He was captured at the second battle of Bull Run and was in Andersonville Prisor five months. He also participated in the battles of Shiloh Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. He never fully recovered hia health from the hardships of his prison experience. Francis A. Fortney married Louraine Virginia Pickering, who was born near Elizabeth in Wirl County, West Virginia. in 1847, and died at her home neal Kingwood in July, 1917. Dr. Clark S. was the oldest of her children. Ellen is the wife of Claude E. Keefover, a farmer at Reedsville, Preston County. Dr. Frank D., a physician and surgeon at Newburg, was a captain in the Medical Corpa during the war, stationed at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. Florence is the wife of George W. White, a farmer and school teacher with thirty years of service in educational affairs, their home being at Pleasant Dale in Preston County. Re- becca, whose first husband was Alonzo A. Pell, a coal miner, is now the wife of Mr. Phillips, of Newburg. Evelyn is a graduate nurse connected with the Hope Mont Tuberculosis Sanitarium at Terra Alta, in Preston County. Millard H. ia a veteran of the World war and is now a practicing physician at Peoria, Illinois. Milford D., twin brother of Millard, ia a former school teacher and now a student of dentistry at Baltimore; Pansy died at the age of eight years of diphtheria.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 189

Author: Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: