History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 192

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Mr. McManaway was born at Clarksburg, county seat of Harrison County, September 24, 1889, and is a son of John J. and Bee (Clifford) MeManaway, both likewise natives of Clarksburg. The parents of John J. McManaway were John and Julia (Foix) McManaway, who were born in Ire- land and who early established their residence in West Vir- ginia, where they passed the remainder of their lives. John J. McManaway became influential in political affairs in his native county, as a stalwart democrat. He served as deputy county sheriff and circuit court clerk, and was but thirty-four years of age at the time of his death.

James C. McManaway gained his early education in the schools of his native city, and in 1909 he received the de- gree of Bachelor of Arts from Rock Hill College, at Elli- cott City, Maryland. In 1912 he received the degree of Bachelor of Laws from Harvard University, and was ad. mitted to the bar of his native state in November of that year. He engaged in the practice of his profession at Clarksburg, and his law practice here has been interrupted only by the period of his military service in the World war.

In 1916, Mr. McManaway enlisted in Company A, First Regiment, West Virginia National Guard, and in June of that year he was made first lieutenant of his company; he became captain of Company K, First West Virginia In- fantry, in March, 1917. With his regiment he entered the Federal service on the 27th day of March, 1917, in com- mand of Company K of the First West Virginia Infantry. When that regiment became part of the Thirty-eighth Di- vision, U. S. A., he was made personnel officer of the division, at Camp Shelby, Mississippi.

In February, 1918, Captain McManaway crossed over to France, as a casual officer assigned to the Army General

way

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HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

taff College at Langrea, from which he graduated; he rved as observer with various French, British and Amer- an units in action and was then attached to the Nintieth ivision A. E. F. as Asst. G2 .; served through the St. ihiel campaign and was promoted major at the close that action. He was engaged with the Nintieth Division the Mouse-Argonne battle, and after the signing of the "mistice was with the allied army of occupation in Ger- any, where he was made A. C. of S. G. 2 of the Eighty- econd Division. After his return to the United States he ceived his honorable discharge in May, 1919, with the ink of major. He is a member of the American Legion, ne Clarksburg Country Club, Benevolent and Protective rder of Elks and the Knights of Columbus, is a democrat, nd he and his sister are communicants of the Catholic hurch in their native city.

CECIL OMAR POST, M. D., has gained by his professional bility and sterling personal characteristics a place as one : the representative physicians and surgeons of his native unty and ia established in successful practice in the City of larksburg, the county seat. He was born on a farm in [arrison County, September 10, 1888, and is a son of Michael olandus Post and Sarah (Norman) Post, both likewise ativea of Harrison County, and representatives of old and onored families of this section of the state. Michael R. ost is a son of John Burnside Post, who was a son of Jacob ost, the latter having been a son of Isaac Post. When it stated that each of these representatives of the family as born and reared in Harrison County it becomes evident hat the family was here founded in the early pioneer era, he lineage being traced back through numerous American enerations to German origin.

Doctor Post found his childhood and early youth com- assed by the benignant influences of the home farm, and his arents reared their children earnestly in the faith of the United Brethren Church, of which they are zealous membera. The father is a republican in politics and is affiliated with he Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He gave to hia hildren the best possible educational advantages, and after Doctor Post had completed the curriculum of the public chools he was enabled to continue his studies in the West Virginis State Normal School at Fairmont. In 1908 he was raduated from Salem College, and for two years thereafter e was a student in the medical department of the University f West Virginia. He completed hia professional course in he College of Physicians and Surgeons in the City of Balti- nore, Maryland, from which he received in 1912 his degree f Doctor of Medicine, the University of West Virginia con- erring upon him a similar degree in the same year. He has ince been continuously engaged in active general practice t Clarksburg, where he is a member of the regular astaff of hysicians for St. Mary's Hospital, and he ia actively affil- ated with the Harrison County Medical Society, the West- irginia State Medical Society, the Southern Medical Asso- iation and the American Medical Association. In the time- onored Masonic fraternity the Doctor has received the hirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, besides being & Noble of the Mystic Shrine. He is affiliated also with the Delta Tau Delta college fraternity and the Kappa Psi medical raternity. He is a republican in his political proclivities nd allegiance, and he and his wife are members of the United Brethren and Methodist churches, respectively, in heir home city.

In 1912 Doctor Post wedded Miss Clara Clayton, who was orn at Wilmington, Delsware, but who was a young woman when she accompanied her parents on their removal to Clarksburg, where she is a popular figure in the representa- ive social activities of the community.

GEORGE LEE DUNCAN is prominently identified with anking enterprise and other important business activities a his native city of Clarksburg, Harrison County, where his dvancement and distinctive success represent the results f his own ability and well directed endeavors. He received he advantages of the public schools of Clarksburg, and st he age of sixteen years he assumed the position of book- eeper and office clerk for R. T. Lowndes, with whom he

has been continuously associated during the intervening years. In 1896 he entered the private bank of R. T. Lowndes & Company, and in 1905 he became secretary and treasurer of the newly established Lowndes Savings Bank & Trust Company, of which he has since continued the incumbent. Mr. Duncan ia president of the West Virginia Bank, one of the oldest banking institutiona at Clarksburg, and ia also vice president of the Merchants National Bank of this city. He is treasurer of the Clarksburg Gas & Electric Light Com- pany, and ia associated with other enterprises of importance, including oil and gas production in this section of the state. Hia is a record of substantial and worthy achievement, and he commands secure vantage place in connection with the civic and business activities of his native county. He ia a loyal supporter of the cause of the democratic party, but haa had no ambition for public office of any kind. He has received the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite of the Masonic fraternity, besides being a Noble of the Mystic Shrine and a member of the Elks. He and his wife are com- municants of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

In 1898 waa solemnized the marriage of Mr. Duncan and Miss Gertrude Smith, a daughter of the late A. G. Smith, of Clarkaburg. Mr. and Mra. Duncan have four children, George Lee, Jr., Elizabeth Rankin, Meade Lee and James Jackson.

Mr. Duncan was born at Clarksburg on the 30th of Novem- ber, 1872, and is a son of James Jackson Duncan and Maude (Lee) Duncan, who likewise were born and reared in this county, and who are representatives of old, honored and influential families of this section of the etate.

FRANK VALENTINE LANGFITT, M. D., has made in his profession a record of worthy and successful achievement that haa fully justified his choice of vocation , and he ia numbered among the representative physicians and surgeons of Harrison County, where he ia engaged in practice at Clarksburg, with office at 505 Prunty Building.

Doctor Langfitt was born on a farm in Doddridge County, thia atate, March 24, 1883, and ia a son of Valentine and Caroline (Davis) Langfitt. The father was born in Brooke County, West Virginia, (then Virginia), April 14, 1833, and died in Doddridge County, April 1, 1904. He was a son of John and Martha (Farquer) Langfitt, the former of whom was born either in what is now West Virginia or in Pennayl- vania, in 1776, he having been a pioneer in Brooke County and having thence removed to Doddridge County, where he remained until his death, at the age of seventy-three yeara. Family tradition haa it that two brothers named Langfitt came from Scotland to America in the Colonial period. one settling in Pennsylvania and the other in Virginia, the West Virginia family being descendant from the Pennsylvania branch. Mrs. Martha (Farquer) Langfitt was born in what is now West Virginia, in 1787. She was killed by a rolling log which ehe had dislodged while attempting to extract a atick that was beneath it, and her husband likewise met an accidental death, from injuries received when he was thrown from a horse.

The mother of Doctor Langfitt was born in Doddridge County, June 30, 1836, and there abe passed her entire life, her death having occurred June 26, 1920. She was a daughter of William F. Davis, who was born in the part of Virginia now constituting West Virginia, and who was a prosperous farmer of Doddridge County at the time of his death, in 1865, at the age of seventy-one yeara. Valentine and Caroline (Davis) Langfitt became the parents of twelve children: Elizabeth J., wife of Lewis Bond, deceased; Silaa W., a banker; R. Belle, wife of Rev. M. A. Summers; Columbia L., wife of James Jones, deceased; Ila M., wife of J. E. Trainer, deceased; John H., a banker; Samuel E., a dentist; W. Creed, a traveling salesman; Effie M., deceased; Bruce B., a glass manufacturer; Mona G., wife of Dr. C. L. Parks; and Frank V., subject of thia aketch. The father was one of the substantial exponenta of isrm industry in Doddridge County, and represented the same in the West Virginia Legislature. He was a democrat in politics, and he and his wife were zealous members of the Baptist Church. He acquired a large landed estate, and Was & man whose life was guided and governed by the highest principles of integrity and honor. Of alert mentality, he became a man of broad information and mature judgment,

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and he was well fortified for leadership in community senti- ment and action.

Reared on the home farm, Doctor Langfitt early began to assist in its work, and after attending the rural schools he continued his studies in turn in Salem College and the West Virginia Wesleyan College. His pre-medical course was obtained in the University of West Virginia, and in 1907 he was graduated in the medical department of the University of Maryland, in Baltimore. After thus receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine he further fortified himself by a year of service as an interne in the Maryland General Hospital at Baltimore, and in 1908 he engaged in the active general practice of his profession at Salem, Harrison County, West Virginia, where he built up a large and successful practice and where he remained until October, 1918, when he was commissioned first lieutenant in the Medical Corps of the United States Army, he having volunteered his services when the nation became involved in the World war. He remained at Camp Greenleaf, Georgia, until December, 1918, when he received his honorable discharge. He then passed the following six months as assistant resident surgeon at St. Agnes Hospital in the City of Baltimore, and thereafter remained one year as resident surgeon in this institution. In 1920 the Doctor returned to Harrison County and estab- lished his residence at Clarksburg, the county seat, where he has since continued in an active practice that is largely in the surgical branch of his profession. He is a member of the staff of physicians at the Mason Hospital in this city and is actively identified with the Harrison County Medical Society, the West Virginia State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. Doctor Langfitt is aligned in the ranks of the democratic party, is a Knight Templar Mason and has extended his Masonic affiliations to include the Mystic Shrine.

The year 1913 recorded the marriage of Doctor Langfitt and Miss Veda Davis, daughter of Owen T. and Zeta (Sum- merville) Davis, and the two children of this union are June Leanore and Frank Valentine, Jr.

RANSEL JOHNSON, one of the influential citizens and successful business men of Clarksburg, Harrison County, was born on a farm on Shinn's Run, this county, June 5, 1865, and is a son of Ransel and Elizabeth (Richardson) Johnson, the former of whom was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, in 1829, and the latter in Clark County, that state, in 1824. Soon after their marriage the parents came to what is now West Virginia and settled on a farm on Coons Run, removal later being made to the farm on Shinn's Run, where the father became one of the energetic and successful exponents of farm industry in the county and a leader in community affairs. He and his wife were life-long members of the Baptist Church, of which he was a most generous and liberal supporter, and in his honor the Johnson Baptist Church of his community was named. He was one of the organizers of this church, aided liberally in the erection of the church building, and was for many years one of the strong pillars of the church. His death occurred in 1885, and his widow passed away in 1906, venerable in years and loved by those who had come within the sphere of her influence. Of their children the following named attained to adult age: Athela J., Wes- ley R. (now deceased), Samantha, Roberta, Zorada(deceased), Turner A. and Ransel, Jr. Both the Johnson and Richard- son families were founded in Virginia in the Colonial days, and representatives of both were patriot soldiers in the war of the Revolution. Joseph Johnson, grandfather of the sub- ject of this review, eventually followed his son to Harrison County, and here he passed the remainder of his life.

Ransel Johnson (II), immediate subject of this review, was reared on the home farm, and that he profited by his early educational advantages, those of the public schools of the period, is shown by the fact that as a young man he be- came a successful teacher in the schools of his home county, he having advanced his own education by attending, for three years, the State Normal School at Fairmont. Upon the death of his father in 1885 he became administrator of the family estate, and after the old homestead farm had been sold he purchased a small tract of land near Clarksburg. There he maintained his residence from 1889 to 1901, in which latter year he moved to Clarkeburg, where for a time

he was in the employ of the Stout Lumber Company. E finally purchased the retail end of the business, which we thereafter continued under the title of the Stout-Johnso Lumber Company until 1907, when he sold his interest an engaged independently in the wholesale lumber trade. 1 1912 the Johnson-Garrett Lumber Company was former and it continued a successful wholesale and retail busines until 1915, when Mr. Johnson became the sole owner. H continued operations successfully, but in August, 1920, i consonance with his judgment concerning business condition in general, he began to restrict his business, which is now confined to minor wholesale dealings. He gives the majo part of hia attention at present to stocks and investment Mr. Johnson has achieved substantial financial success and reputation as a fair, honorable and progressive business ma' and loyal and public-spirited citizen. He has been a directo of the Farmera Bank of Clarksburg from the time of it organization.

Mr. Johnson and his wife are zealous membera of th Baptist Church, with which he united in his early youth, and while residing on the farm he served as deacon of the loca church of this denomination. Politically he chooses to vote for the candidate who in his judgment is the one best fittec for office. Yet he leans strongly to democratic party policies He has been for many years affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

The year 1896 recorded the marriage of Mr. Johnson and Miss Annie B. Goodwin, daughter of Peter I. Goodwin, a well known citizen of Harrison County. The two children of this union are Paul and Mary, and both are members of the Baptist Church.

HUGH GORDON SMITH, of Clarksburg, Harrison County, is prominently identified with the coal production industry in this section of West Virginia, and is a popular citizen of the state that has represented his home from his boy- hood. He was born at Stevenstone, Ayrshire, Scotland, November 4, 1879, and is a son of David O. and Jane (Kelso) Smith, both of the stanchest of Scottish ancestry. In 1887 David O. Smith, in company with his wife and their eight children, came to the United States, and on the 17th of April of that year the family arrived at Clarks- burg, West Virginia. Soon afterward removal was made to Rosemont, Taylor County, in which locality David O. Smith worked two years at his trade, that of expert coal miner. Removal was then made to Elk Garden, Mineral County, and six years later the family home was established at Mid- land, Maryland, where the father is now living retired, at a venerable age, his wife having died while the home was at Rosemont, West Virginia. All of the eight children sur- vive the mother and all are now married and well estab- lished in life.

Hugh G. Smith was seven years old at the time of the family immigration to the United States, and he received his early education in the schools of West Virginia, though he was but twelve years old when he did his first work in a coal mine. His experience extended until he became a skilled miner, and at the age of twenty-one years he was appointed mine foreman for the Davis Coal & Coke Com- pany at Thomas, Kanawha County. Within a short tima thereafter he gained still more gratifying recognition, being chosen manager of mines for the Consolidation Coal Com- pany at Midland, Maryland. In 1907 Mr. Smith opened the Harrison Mine at Rosemont, West Virginia, and this mine he continued to operate until 1919, with residence at Rose- mont. In that year he removed with his family to Clarks- burg, where the home has since been maintained, as ara also his business headquarters, his offices being in the Union Bank Building. He was associated with his brother, Alex- ander G., and their father in the forming of the Harrison Coal Company, of which he is vice president, as is he also of the Smith Brothers Coal Company, of Lumberport, Har- rison County. He is also a director and the general manager of the Franklin Coal Company, is secretary of the Lau- retta Coal Company, vice president of the Smith Big Vein Coal Company, and president of the Percy Oil Company. In addition to these important connections Mr. Smith is a director of the Clarksburg Trust Company, the Liberty

Hough& Smith

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88 Company of Clarksburg and the Prunty Real Estate npany of this city. He was formerly a director of the yler County Bank, at Graften. He has served two years chairman of the Clarksburg Coal Club. While the busi- s interests of Mr. Smith are many and varied, he has en most of his time to the coal industry, and has found ortunity also to give helpful manifestation ef his un- inded civic leyalty and progressiveness. Ile is a valued mber of the Clarksburg Chamber of Commerce, and holds mbership in the Kiwanis Club, the Old Colony Club, the rksburg Country Club and other representative local janizations of business and social erder. Since 1919 he served as commissiener of the Boy Scouts, in the affairs which organizatien he takes deep interest. He and his 'e are zealous members of the First Presbyterian Church their home city and the year 1922 finds bim in earnest vice as superintendent of its Sunday schoel. He liated with the Masonic fraternity, the Independent der of Odd Fellows and the Benevolent and Protective der of Elks.

The year 1900 recerded the marriage of Mr. Smith to ss Jean Kelso Gibson, whe was bern and reared in est Virginia and who, like himself, is ef Scetch lineage. .. and Mrs. Smith have two sens, David K. and Thomas M. , is alse a versatile writer. The following verse is en native country :

"Scotland is a grand old place,

The land where I was bern. Its beauty and its grandness teo- May it forever dawn. The garden spot of peace and love, And friendship with the land above. Long may the thistle wave in peace, The emblem of my country.""

HOWARD HARWOOD HOLT is editor, owner and publisher the Grafton Sentinel, one of the oldest and most influential wspapers in the state. Practically from the beginning and rough its early destiny the chief figure in its management d editorial policy was the late Jamea W. Holt, father of e present owner.

The Holt family has been in Virginia, Pennsylvania and est Virginia for a number of generations. John W. Helt, a tive of Virginia, was an early shoemaker in Fayette County, ennaylvania, later a farmer there. His sen, James W. olt, moved to Lewis County, West Virginia, and followed rming. His sen, Alfred T. Holt, was born in Pennsylvania id after hia marriage settled at Kingwood in Preston County. e was a farmer and one of the highly respected citizens of a locality. He died at Grafton in 1902. His wife, Maria . Stone, was born in Virginia, in Culpeper County, but from .rly childhood was reared at Kingwood. She died in 1877, (e mether of four children: James W .; Keturah, whe mar- ed Joseph N. Brown; Katherine, who married Scott Garner; ad the late Judge John Homer Holt of Graften, whose career briefly sketched elsewhere.

James W. Holt, who died in January, 1918, when in hia xty-ninth year, was for more than forty years connected ith the Grafton Sentinel and retained an interest in the aper until his death. He was bern at Kingwood February 1, 1849, was educated in the old Kingwood Academy and e and former Governor William M. Dawson as boys together arned the printing trade in the office of the Preaton County ournal at Kingwood. He was not twenty years of age when e was called to Grafton at the request of John W. Mason, mbrose Snively, Samuel McCormick and others, who wned and were attempting to publish a newspaper in Taylor County, then strongly democratic, and thus the young printer pek charge of this enterprise ag editor and publisher and ithin a year purchased the plant. In a aense the Grafton entinel ia the result of the merging of several old weekly apera of Taylor County. The publication for several years 788 known as the Eagle-Sentinel, but for half a century it 88 been the Grafton Sentinel. It was James W. Holt's onnection with the atruggling effort that made it a final uccess and incidentally had aomething to do with changing the politics of the county. Jamea W. Holt beld a position a the revenue service in the early '80a, was elected mayor f West Grafton in 1885, and under Harrison's administra-

tion he waa poatmaster of Grafton until 1894. For several terma he was a member of the School Board and for one term its president. He was an active Lutheran, interested in Sunday School work, was a Mason and a member of the Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias, and for one year colonel of the Rank in the state.

In May, 1873, in Taylor County James W. Holt married Anna Jordan, daughter of John Jordan, who was a pioneer of Grafton, in the service of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company. Mrs. Anna Holt died in 1896. For his secend wife James W. Holt married Florence Stemple, member of a prominent old family near Aurera in Preston County. She is still living. By his first marriage James W. Holt had the following children: John A., of Gage, Oklahoma; Alfred A., a Grafton druggist; William A., of Elaworth, Kansas; Howard 1I .; Lillian, wife of W. E. Rightmire, of Grafton; and Cather- ine, who was married to Frank W. Shrewsbury, of Mont- . gemery, West Virginia, but died the same week as her father, leaving a son, David Thompson Shrewsbury.

Howard Harwood Holt was born at West Grafton Sep- tember 13, 1883, and he practically grew up in the atmosphere of a printing office. Ile attended the Grafton High School three years and took freshman work in the University of West Virginia. During 1903 he engaged in a subscription canvass for the Grafton Daily Sentinel, and then entered the Iron City Business College at Pittsburgh, finishing a short- hand course. On returning home he was appointed official court stenographer by hia uncle, the late Judge John H. Holt, who presided over the old Third Judicial Circuit, then the largest circuit in the state, comprising the counties of Tucker, Randolph, Barbour, Taylor and Preston. He continued his service with Judge Holt until 1907, when he resigned and entered the law department of the State University. He completed hia course in 1909. While engaged in his work as a law student he served as court atenographer in Monen- galia County for Judge John W. Mason and also did similar werk in the Federal Court. After hia admission to the bar for a few months only he practiced in the office with A. W. Burdett. In the spring of 1910 he was offered and accepted a place as assistant secretary to Stephen B. Elkins, then United States senator from West Virginia, and he remained a member of the Senator'a official staff until his death. Soon after returning to Grafton Mr. Holt took up some matters in connection with the Sentinel office, although at that time he had no particular aspirations for a career as a newspaper man, but as a result of circumstances he became manager of the business, and later he bought the Sentinel, acquiring the controlling interest in the plant in 1911. Since then he has become owner of all the stock. The Grafton Sentinel Publishing Company was incorporated in 1907, and while the corporation haa aince been dissolved the plant continues under the old name. The Grafton Sentinel haa for a number of years been both a daily and weekly paper. The weekly Sentinel has been published continuously aince 1869 by the Holta, father and son.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 192

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