History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 199

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December 28, 1908, recorded the marriage of William J. Martin and Miss Ona Morris, daughter of C. E. Morris, of Hinton. The three children of this union are William J., Jr., Raymond and Marguerite.

David E. Martin married Miss Lessie Falls, daughter of Louis Falls, of Hinton, and they have four children: Hallie, Eva, Neta and Luther. Mr. and Mrs. David E. Martin are zealous members of the Christian Church at Hinton, and he is a Knight Templar Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine, his brother Giles R. likewise being affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and being also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

LEWIS N. TAVENNER was admitted to the bar in 1876, and from that year to the present his name has heen as- sociated with the best abilities of a lawyer, with public service on the bench, and with the highest attainments of good citizenship. Judge Tavenner is still in the vigor of manhood and in active practice as a lawyer.

He has been deeply interested in the history of his sec- tion of West Virginia, and has rendered much valuable service in connection with the present history as an advisory editor. His grandfather was one of the most distinguished men in the pioneer citizenship of the country around Parkers- burg.

His grandfather, Thomas Tavenner, was born April 18, 1776, in Loudoun County, Virginia. As a young man he visited Kentucky for the purpose of settlement, but eventu- ally took up land in what is now West Virginia. A survey was made for him in what is now Wood County in November, 1798. His first home, however, was on the property known as Lake Farm, on Elizabeth Turnpike. During the next half century he became one of the largest land owners, his home estate consisting of about two and a half square miles of land extending from the mouth of Neal's Run, and he owned much other property in Wirt County and elsewhere in the state.

Thomas Tavenner was a man of upright and kindly character. His personal magnetism drew to him many friends and admirers, and his active interest in public affairs resulted in his holding numerous public offices. In the first organization of militia of Wood County he was elected ensign, and was promoted from time to time until he retired as colonel of the 113th Regiment. At this time, it must be remembered, militia service was not a mere formality, but frequently involved real warfare. In April, 1794, the Armstrong family were attacked just below Parkersburg near the head of Blennerhasset Island, and it was such events as this and the subsequent treaties with the Indians of the Northwest Territory, just across the Ohio River, that required active service on the part of the militia. During the Burr-Blennerhasset excitement, when there were no orders from the President of the United States nor from the Governor of Virginia, and when the affair seemed threatening to the true welfare of the nation, the citizens assembled on October 6, 1806, adopted resolutions, for-

warded to the President and to the Governor, and enlis volunteers for the suppression of any treasonable enterpr Among those who served on the committee that recommen the adoption of resolutions and the enrollment of volunte were Colonel Tavenner and William Beauchamp, and Colo . Tavenner was one of those selected to "hand around subscription papers." Some modern writers have sta that these volunteers were a mob, as they were not un official orders, but the truth of this statement is cont verted by the fact that they placed themselves under direction of Col. Hugh Phelps, who was at that time command of the Virginia militia. At all events, they r dered their country valuable service at a time when it need action rather than formalities.

Colonel Tavenner served as deputy for Sheriff Hu Phelps as early as 1802; as presiding justice of the Cour Court, 1819-21; as high sheriff, commissioned by the gov nor of Virginia, 1821-23; and as deputy marshal of 1 Fourth Chancery Circuit, 1816. He was a member of 1 House of Delegates in the Virginia Asembly in 1805-6-7-3 and 1811-12. When the County of Wirt was formed Colo Tavenner gave the square of ground where the puh buildings now stand. He was active in securing for ! county Elizabeth Turnpike, the Staunton Pike and 1 Northwestern Turnpike. He contributed $1,000 toward sec ing the Northwestern Virginia Railroad and, though then man advanced in years, he rode about the county describi the benefits to be derived from the railroad and urging oth citizens to subscribe. His will records the emancipation eighteen slaves, or "servants," as he called them. As lived near the underground railroad, some of his slaves ( serted, but these he made no attempt to recover. He sa that if they could find a better home than he gave them th could go, and he would prosecute anyone who tried to hri them back. Colonel Tavenner was a liberal, warmheart and hospitable man, and his useful and public spirited li caused him to be held in great confidence and esteem hy l fellow citizens. It was one of his peculiarities never to li his hat to a man, though he was scrupulously polite women. He was a stanch upholder of justice and strong defended his rights. If compelled to go to law he fought the end. The case of Tavenner vs. Emerick, found in Nin Gratt, in which he was appellant, established a precedent regard to the rights of the landlord and the tenant that h been followed many years.

Thomas Tavenner, who died May 23, 1857, married Fe ruary 22, 1807, Elizabeth Beauchamp, daughter of Willia Beauchamp, who moved with his family from Delaware abo 1794, becoming a large land owner at what is now Elizabet West Virginia. His son William, a brother of Elizabe Tavenner, was a pioneer minister and church builder of t) Methodist denomination throughout several eastern and wes ern states. He was also a teacher, civil engineer, lawyer al master mechanic. Elizabeth Beauchamp was a devout Met odist. Colonel Tavenner had been brought up a Quaker, ar though he never allied himself with any church ministe were frequently entertained at the Tavenner home. MI Elizabeth Tavenner died September 30, 1844. Her olds child, Cabell Tavenner, gained distinction in the professic of law at Weston and married a daughter of Col. Alexand Withers, author of "Chronicles of Border Warfare."

Isaac Tavenner, father of Judge Tavenner, gave his li: to the farm. From 1837 to 1865 he lived on a farm adjoi ing the Town of Elizabeth and thereafter on a farm at wh is now Warthmore Station in Wood County. During the Civ war he declined to take an oath binding him to the support either the Federal or Confederate government. He bas his objection on the fact that he would stay where he w and would support which ever side was victorious, and su was his reputation as a citizen that he was allowed to abi by his resolution by the troops of both armies. Both he ar his wife were devout Methodists. He died March 13, 189 and his wife, on January 20, 1891. Her maiden name w: Priscilla Harriet Warth, whose grandfather, George Wart was a soldier in the Dunmore campaign of 1774, and afte ward fought on the Colonial side in the Revolution. Aft the war for independence he came into the Ohio Valley. H son, John Warth, father of Priscilla Harriet Tavenner, w

Lewis N. Shawvenner .

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orn in 1771 and became famous as a scout and frontiers- an, being at one time a companion of Daniel Boone, and was also entrusted with the dangerous duty of carrying ail and dispatches from Marietta down the Ohio River in canoe. He became a large land owner along the Ohio iver, and in his home the County of Jackson waa organized 1 May, 1831. He was elected presiding justice and was ommissioned first aheriff of the county, afterward justice, n office he held until his death on October 27, 1837. One f his sons, John Warth, served on the bench and compiled hree codes of West Virginia, and a grandson was Judge ohn Warth English, for twelve years a member of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeala.

Lewis N. Tavenner, youngeat child of Isaac and Priscilla 'avenner, waa born at Elizabeth, in Wirt County, February 7, 1855. He was educated in the public schools and con- inued his preparatory work in the John C. Nash Academy f Parkersburg, concluding his course there at the age of ighteen. He then taught school for two years, studied law nder Judge George Loomis and was admitted to the bar n April, 1876. For sixteen years he practiced law with his receptor in the firm of Loomis & Tavenner, until 1892. Che honors of his professional activity have been constantly ccumulating since then, but it is worthy of note that former Governor Atkinson as early as 1891 wrote of him: "He en- oys to an unlimited extent the confidence of his fellow citi- ens, practices law in an honorable way and has always maintained an upright life."

For a period of over forty yeara Judge Tavenner has been leader in public affaira and in politics. He was a demo- ratic committeeman from 1878 to 1834, and he has cam- aigned on the stump every year since then except while on he bench. He was city attorney of Parkersburg in 1881-82, ras commissioner of the United States Circuit Court from $83 to 1896 when he resigned, and in April, 1896. was ap- pointed by Gov. W. A. MacCorkle as succesaor of Hon. Ar- hur I. Boreman to the bench of the Fifth Judicial Circuit, omprising Wood, Wirt and Pleasant counties. While serving he unexpired term he was unanimously nominated by the emocratic party, and overcame an adverse majority in the ircuit and was elected by over 400 votes. Judge Tavenner ras on the bench until January 1, 1905. In 1910 he came within twenty votes of being nominated for governor. He vas a delegate to the national convention at Baltimore in 912 and supported the late Champ Clark for the nomination. Ie was an instructed Clark delegate, and it waa also a matter of personal choice, since he was distantly related to fr. Clark through the Beauchamps of Kentucky. Judge lavenner has served aa counsel for the board of education f Parkersburg, and during the World war he served without ay as permanent member of the legal advisory board. He as been active in the membership of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church since 1871, more than half a century.

His membership in the Masonic Order has been an oppor- unity for important aervice to that fraternity. He became ffiliated with Mount Olivet Lodge No. 3, F. and A. M., in 883, aerved two terma as master, grand master from 1891 o 1892, as grand commander of Knights Templara in 1897-98, nd was crowned honorary inspector general, 33rd degree, of he Southern Jurisdiction of Ancient and Accepted Scot- ish Rite in October, 1897. He was the first illustrious poten- ate of Nemesia Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He has served n the committee on waya and means for the Masonic Home or West Virginia as chairman, as chairman of the committee hat visited other Masonic bomes in other atatea, as chair- nan of the committee to select a aite for the home, and ince 1918 has been president of the board of governors of be West Virginia Masonic Home.

At Parkersburg October 27, 1886, Judge Tavenner mar- ied Carrie Moore Kraft, daughter of William and Ann Eliza (Moore) Kraft. Her father was a native resident f Wheeling. Judge and Mrs. Tavenner have two children. The daughter, Helen Louise, was married October 24, 1921, o William George Mundinger, formerly of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, now a sugar refiner at Central Lugareno, Cama- quey, Cuba. The aon, Lewis N. Tavenner, Jr., is unmarried ind Is an employe in the Laboratory at Parkersburg of the Standard Oil Company.

ROSCOE D. MOMILLAN, M. D., one of tho able and popu- lar physiciana and surgeons of Summers County, baa been established in successful general practice at Hinton, the county seat, sinco 1921. llo was born at Rowland, North Carolina, September 13, 1887, and is a son of Dr. Benjamin F. and Lon (Purcell) McMillan. Dr. Benjamin F'. Mc- Millan provided by his service as a teacher in the public schools the means with which to defray the expenses of his higher academic and his professional education. In 1882 he was graduated in the medical department of the Univer- aity of Maryland, and ho haa since taken post-graduate courses in New York City, Philadelphia and Baltimore. After his reception of the degree of Doctor of Medicine ho was engaged in practice at Rowland, North Carolina, until 1899, aince which time Red Springs, that atate, haa represented the atage of his professional activities. The Doctor served one term as a member of the North Carolina Legislature, in which he was assigned to important house committees. He is a democrat, a progressive and public- spirited citizen, is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the Knights of Pythias, is actively identified with the North Carolina State Medical Society and the American Medical Association, and is local surgeon for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. He is a director of the Bank of Red Springs, and in that place he and his wife are zcalous mem- bers of the First Presbyterian Church.

Dr. Roscoe D. McMillan attended the North Carolina Military Academy, and in 1905 he graduated from the Uni- versity of North Carolina. In 1910 he graduated from the medical department of his father's professional alma mater, the University of Maryland, at Baltimore, and be further fortified himself by one year of service as an interne in the University Hospital in that city. Since receiving bis de- gree of Doctor of Medicine he has taken supplementary courses in the New York Post Graduate Medical College, in 1919 and 1921, besides which, in 1912, he took a post- graduate course at Baltimore. In the World war period be became a member of the Medical Corps of the United States Army, with the rank of first lieutenant, but he was not called into service overseas. Dr. McMillan was associated with his father and his cousin, Dr. J. L. McMillan, in prac- tice at Red Springs, North Carolina, from the time of his graduation in the medical college until December, 1921, when he came to Hinton and opened an office, which bas since continued the central point of the substantial and representative general practice he has here developed and which is constantly expanding. The Doctor is a member of the Summera County Medical Society, the West Virginia State Medical Society, the Tri-State Medical Society (North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia), the Atlantic Coast Line Surgeons Association, and the American Medical Association. He is a member of the Rotary Club at Hin- ton, is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias and the Elks, and he and his wife bold mem- bership in the Presbyterian Church.

The year 1912 recorded the marriage of Dr. McMillan and Miss Gertrude Garrison, a daughter of Lewis E. Garri- aon, who resides in Northumberland County, Virginia, and is a pilot in the merchant-marine service. Dr. and Mrs. McMillan have two children: Roscoe D., Jr., and Franklin Ellison.

ADRIAN D. DALY began his carcer as a railway telegrapher, atudied law while acting as a train dispatcher at Hinton, and about fifteen years ago resigned from the railway to establish himself in practice in the county seat of Sum- mers County. In his profession and in public affairs he has earned a merited place among the first citizens of influence in the county.

Mr. Daly was born at Bridgeport, Alabama, July 11, 1876, son of P. E. and Margaret (Loving) Daly, who were also natives of Alabama. His mother died in 1883. P. E. Daly, now living at Knoxville, Tennessee, at the age of seventy-five, has spent many years in the service of the Southern Railway Company, chicfly aa a conductor. His second wife waa Martha Gray, of Powells Valley, Tennessee. By the first marriage there were two children: Adrian D. and Mand, the latter the wife of Sam P. Frost.

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Adrian D. Daly spent his carly childhood and youth in Knoxville, Tennessee, attended school there, and at the age of fourteen began learning telegraphy in an office of the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad, now part of the Southern Railway System. At the age of sixteen he was in the service of the Chesapeake and Ohio at Quinni- mont, West Virginia, and he rose to the responsibilities of train dispatcher and acted in that capacity for a number of years at Thurmond and at Hinton.

He began the study of law in a private office, and in 1902 entered the law department of West Virginia University, passing the bar examinations in 1903. He was examined for the bar by the West Virginia Law Faculty and his license was granted by Judges H. C. MeWhorter, Henry Brannon and George Poffenbarger on January 30, 1903. Though qualified for practice, he continued with the rail- road company as dispatcher until 1907. In that year, when a law was passed establishing the office of police judge for the city of Hinton, he received the appointment, and by his energy gave that office a standard of efficiency that well justified its establishment. Mr. Daly has also served as city attorney and as commissioner in chancery, and in 1916 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Summers County, enter- ing that office January 1, 1917, and serving until December 31, 1920. He was prosecuting attorney and in charge of the law enforcement in the county throughout the period of the World war. In addition to the unusually heavy burdens of his office he acted as Government appeal agent for the Draft Board, and was a leader in the sale of bonds and other war campaigns. He is an ardent democrat in politics.

In 1905 Mr. Daly married Vella V. Flanagan, daughter of Andrew G. Flanagan, of Hinton. They have two children, Dorothy and Nancy. Mr. and Mrs. Daly are members of the Methodist Church. He is a Royal Arch and Knight Templar Mason, a member of the Shrine at Charleston, is a past grand of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a charter member of Hinton Lodge of Elks and was formerly secretary of the Masonic Development Company. Mr. Daly is an adjutant in the Sons of Confederate Veterans, and is brigade commander of that order for West Virginia.

WILLIAM CLYDE AND RICHARD CLAUDE NEELY are brothers whose fraternal and business relations are specially close and noteworthy. They own and conduct a well ordered clothing establishment at Hinton, Summers County, and have made the title of the Hub Clothing Company a potent one in connection with the business interests of their native county. Apropos of their fraternal associations it is special- ly interesting to note that they are twins and that in a sense are able to celebrate their exact birthday anniversary only once in four years, as they were born February 29, 1888. The place of their nativity was the family home- stead farm in Pipestem district, Summers County, and they are sons of Matthew and Alice (Martin) Neely, the father being still one of the substantial and representative ex- ponents of farm industry in this county, he being fifty-five years of age at the time of this writing, in 1922. His first wife, mother of the subjects of this sketch, passed to eternal rest in the year 1902, and the maiden name of his present wife was Neely, the two families, however, being of no kinship.

The twin Neely brothers, who are familiarly known by their second personal names, Clyde and Claude, worked to- gether on the home farm until they were twenty years of age, and in the meanwhile attended the same school and kept pace in educational advancement. When they were twenty years old, in company with their younger brother, Dr. Robert S., who is individually represented on other pages of this work, they borrowed from a local bank sufficient money to enable them to open and stock a small grocery store in the Masonic Building at Hinton. The twin brothers continued to be associated in the conducting of this enterprise nine years, within which period they pur- chased the interest of their brother, the Doctor. Their success and experience justified their progressive move in expanding their mercantile operations by opening the Hub Clothing Store on Third Avenne. Here they initiated busl- ness August 28, 1913, and two years later they removed to

their present modern and handsomely cquipped quarters 213-215 Temple Street, where they have ample space for th display of their comprehensive and select stock of high grade men's clothing and furnishing goods and where the cater to a large and appreciative patronage. Their success has been based alike on their fair and honorable dealing effective service and personal popularity, and they are vita and progressive young business men. Both are active men bers of the local Chamber of Commerce and the Rotar Club, both are staunch republicans, and both are affiliate with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Fror their childhood the companionship of the twin brothers ha been of the closest and most gracious order, and now tha both are happily married they and their families occup. the same house.

There has been one lack of coincidence in the carcers o the two brothers-in that Clyde anticipated his brother i appearing at the hymeneal altar, his marriage to Miss Ger trude Mannix, daughter of Patrick Mannix, of Hinton. having occurred in 1910. Claude Neely did not long con sent to be a laggard in the matrimonial field, however, fo on the 2d of July, 1913, was solemnized his marriage t Miss Amy, daughter of J. W. Shepherd, of Hinton. H. and his wife have four children: Harold, Richard Claude Jr., Virginia and Caroline.

GEORGE S. ABBOTT, one of the progressive citizens and substantial business men of the City of Hinton, Summer County, has here given effective service as a member 0; the City Council and at the time of this writing, in 1922 he is chairman of the excentive committee of the City of Hinton. He is senior member of the firm of George S Abbott & Son, which here conducts a large and prosperou. wholesale and retail business in the handling of flour and feed. Mr. Abbott came to Hinton in 1907, to assume charge of the business of the Domestic Laundry, of which he con tinued the active manager ten years, when he retired to be come associated with his only son in the flour and feed business. When Mr. Abbott took charge of the laundry at Hinton ite equipment was somewhat meager and the estab lishment was hampered by debt. He brought the laundry up to the best modern standard of equipment and service and when he finally sold the property, which he had freec from indebtedness, he realized 125 per cent. more than represented in the original investment.

Mr. Abbott was born in Pendleton County, Kentucky May 18, 1861, a son of Alexander and Mary (Rush) Abbott his father having been a prosperous farmer in that county In 1880 the family removed to Kansas and settled at Del- phos, the father having become one of the pioneers of the Sunflower State, where he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives. Their children were thirteen in number.

George S. Abbott gained his early education in the schools of his native state, and was about nineteen years of age at the time of the family removal to Kansas, where he aided in the development of his father's pioneer farm and where he continued his studies for some time in the public schools at Delphos. At the age of twenty-one years he left the farm and learned telegraphy. He was thereafter operator and in charge of other station work at various points on the Union Pacific Railroad, and finally he turned his atten- tion to the laundry business, as manager of a laundry at Concordia, Kansas. He later had supervision of leading laundries at Covington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio, and after being identified with this line of business in Covington for a period of ten years he came to Hinton, West Virginia, in 1907, noted in the opening paragraph of this review. Mr. Abbott has shown deep and loyal interest in civic affairs at Hinton and is one of the most progressive and public-spirited men in this vital little city. He is a member of the Hinton Chamber of Commerce, in the Knights of Pythias he is a past chancellor of the local lodge, and is, in 1922, deputy grand chancellor of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party, and he and bie wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.

In 1906 Mr. Abbott wedded Miss Genevieve N. Robin, daughter of John Robin, of Kankakee, Illinois, and the one

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ld of this union, Otis G., is not only associated with his ther in the flour and feed business but is also fitting him- f for the dental profession, he being, in 1922, a student the Ohio College of Dental Surgery in the City of Cin- unati.

THOMAS J. NOONAN. Though only forty-one Thomas J. ponan has been engaged in the work that constitutes a isiness career for more than thirty years. He has hieved more than the ordinary success by an uninterrupted dustry beginning in boyhood, when the necessity of self- pport forced him into the ranks of wage-earners.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 199

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