History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 20

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Mr. MeCullough has been an active worker in the ranks of the democratic party in this section of the state, has been a delegate to its state, district and county conventions and has otherwise been influential in its councils. He and his wife are communicants of the Protestant Episcopal Church, he holds membership in the Huntington Chamber of Commerce and the Guyan Country Club, and is affiliated with Huntington Lodge No. 53, A. F. and A. M., and Hunt- ington Lodge No. 313, B. P. O. E. He owns and occupies an attractive modern residence at 1500 South Twentieth Street.

On the 30th of January, 1912, was solemnized the mar- riage of Mr. McCullough and Miss Kathleen Guthrie, daugh-

ter of Dr. L. V. and Margaret (Lynn) Guthrie, Dr. Guth being superintendent of the West Virginia State Hospit at Huntington. Mr. and Mrs. McCullough have two ch dren : Witcher Guthrie, born July 8, 1915, and Fra Witcher, Jr., born December 4, 1920.

ROBERT J. WILKINSON, M. D. The professional career Doctor Wilkinson since he graduated from medical colle. has been almost entirely in some branch of public and ins. tutional service. For the past several years he has had t. responsible duties of surgeon-in-charge of the Chesapea. & Ohio Railroad Hospital at Huntington.

Doctor Wilkinson was born in Campbell County, Virgin, July 12, 1888. His grandfather, Thomas Jasper Wilk . son, was a native of Chesterfield County, Virginia, but why a young man removed to Lebanon, Tennessee. There : married Miss Lucy Wade, and not only led an active bu- ness life, but was a prominent whig in early day politics

Beverly J. Wilkinson, father of Doctor Wilkinson, w; born at Lebanon in April, 1844, and was reared in that ci. When the war between the states broke out, though butt hoy, he enlisted and served under General Jackson in 1; Valley Campaign, but was seriously wounded and d- charged. He then re-enlisted and served under Genel Morgan for three years. He was a graduate of Cumberlal University with an LL. B. degree, and after his univers; career removed to Campbell County, Virginia, where made a distinguished name and reputation as a lawy, being a leader in the affairs of the democratic party of t3 county. He was twice married, first to Mollie Turner, f Bedford County, Virginia, and later to Jennie Traylor, f Brunswick County, Virginia, who is the mother of Doct Wilkinson. After retiring from practice he lived with & son, Doctor Wilkinson, in Huntington, where he died 1 August, 1920.

The early education of Doctor Wilkinson was receiv from the public schools of Campbell County, supplemen' ] by private tutors. At the age of fifteen he qualified r work as a telegraph operator with the Southern Railwy Company. This occupation he followed three years, and vs then in the mercantile business until 1908. Abandoning? business career, he entered the Medical College of Virgia at Richmond, and remained there until graduating in 19 :. While there he had the honor of being a member of e Omega Upsilon Phi Medical Fraternity, and in his senr year was elected president of the Student Body. After s graduation he served one year as an interne in the Memont Hospital of Richmond, then for two years was associad with Dr. C. C. Coleman, of that city, specializing in genel surgery.

In October, 1915, Doctor Wilkinson was appointed s- geon-in-charge of the Chesapeake & Ohio Hospital at Hut- ington. He is a member of the Cabell County, West V- ginia State, American Medical Association, Virginia Mediul Society, Richmond Academy of Medicine, Southern Med'il Association, and through a special attainment as a surg n is a Fellow in the American College of Surgeons.

He was among the first to volunteer for service in e great World war, and after receiving his commission us assigned to the Base llospital at Camp Lee, where he 3- mained until after the armistice.

In April of 1916 he married Miss Elizabeth Richmol, a native of Milton, North Carolina, and with their the children, Robert, Elizabeth and Walter, they now resideit their home on Sixth Avenue.

Doctor Wilkinson votes as a democrat, and is a memer of Johnson Memorial Methodist Church, South, of Huntig- ton. He is also affiliated with Huntington Lodge No. 23, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Mohawk Tribe :0. 11, Improved Order of Red Men, The Kiwanis Club, Hit- ington Lodge No. 53, A. F. and A. M., West Virginia CI- sistory No. 1 of the Scottish Rite of Wheeling, Beni-Kecn Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Charleston and the Grott's Branch of Masonry.

GEORGE O. VIA, D. D. S., is numbered among the ale and representative dental practitioners of the younger ga- eration in McDowell County, where he is established un

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Georget . Baker

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

uccessful practice at Maybeury. He was born at Indian Tills, Summere County, this state, on the 19th of June, $94, and is a son ef Anderson Henry Via and Nareissus Clark) Via, both likewise natives of this state and both 9presentatives of families early founded in tho old mother tate of Virginia. Anderson 11. Via is a stonemason by rade but has long been actively and successfully identified 'ith farm enterprise in Summers County, where he is serv- ig, in 1922, as president of the County Court and where e is otherwise intlueatial in publie affairs, he having been member of the School Board many years and both he and is wife being zealous members of the Baptist Church at ummers, of which he is a deacon and also seeretary and reasurer.

To the public schools of his native county Doetor Via s indebted for his preliminary edneation, which included he eurrieulum of the high school, and in the meanwhile he ssisted in the work and management of his father's farm. Ie remained at the parental home until 1912, when he he- aa the study of dentistry. In the autumn of 1913 he en- Pred the Ohie College of Dental Surgery in the City of ineinnati, where he continued his studies two years. He uen transferred to the dental department of the University f Maryland, in the City of Baltimore, and in this institu- ien he was graduated as a member of the class of 1916 nd with the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. For even months thereafter he was engaged in praetiee at Pet- rstown, West Virginia, he next passed five months in prae- ice at Princeton, and in September, 1917, he established is professional headquarters at Maybeury, where in addi- ioa to his general private practice he is retained as official entist for the Pocahontas Fuel Company. In his large and Important practice he finds it expedient to maintain branch ffices at Keystone and Northfork, at which latter place be 88 charge of the MeDowell County Dental Clinic, with hree dentists and three nurses under his supervision.

When the nation became involved in the World war Dee- er Via subordinated all personal interests to the call of patriotism. He enlisted May 25, 1917, was examined at "harleston and there received his commission as first lieu- enant, on the 23d of September. Upon his return to May- eury he suffered an attack of measles, which was followed y symptoms of tubercular affliction, which resulted in his xemption from military service and eaused his isolation for . period of six months, at the expiration of which he had ufficiently recuperated to resume the practice of his pro- ession. The doctor is a valued member of the Dental So- iety of the three counties with which MeDowell County is ncluded, and is a member also of the West Virginia State Dental Society and the National Dental Association. He is ffiliated with the Knights of Pythias, is a member of the Baptist Church, and his wife holds membership in the Presbyterian Church.

At Peterstown, this state, in 1917, Doctor Via wedded viss Edith May Callaway, daughter of John and Sallie Spriegel) Callaway. Mr. Callaway had entire charge of he general store maintained by the Pocahontas Fuel Cem- any at Maybeury at the time of his death, several years ige, and his daughter Edith M. (MIrs. Via), was born at his place. Doctor and Mrs. Via have three children: Mil- Ired Merrill, Martha Hunter and Wilda Katherine.

HON. GEORGE COLEMAN BAKER, of Morgantown, one of West Virginia 's prominent native sons, represents a pioneer 'amily of Monongalia County, and has won individual dis- inction at the bar and in the domain of public affairs. His associates refer to him as a conscientious and as an able law- rer, & thorough scholar and a dignified, accomplished and inassuming gentleman. Mr. Baker represents the fifth gen- ration of the American branch of the family, and members of the successive generation are taken up in chronological order in the following paragraphs.

. Peter Becker, whose descendants adopted the present spelling of the family name, came to this country about 1740 lad settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He prob- ibly came over on the ship Loyal Judith from Rotterdam, 'Commander Lovell Painter," November 25, 1740. In the ship's list his age is given as twenty-twe.

II. His son, George Baker, who was boru in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, February 6, 1762, was founder of the family in what is now West Virginin. After the Revolution, in which he was n veteran, he traveled westward and southward until he reached what is now known as Cheat Neck, Union District, locating on land at that time partly occupied by the Indians and upon which land are the remains of an old Indian graveyard. lle wns n gunsmith by trade, and Inter owned two properties on lligh Street in Morgantown, one now occupied by Orr's store, the other by W. E. Price's brick business block George Baker, who died June 27, 1544, at the uge of eighty-two, married Elizabeth Norris, who was born January 5, 1771, and died October 13, 1557, aged righty . six. She was a daughter of William Norris, from whom she inherited the Baker farm. William Norris obtained the original traet of 400 aeres under Grorge HII of England in 1772, and deeded it to his daughter, Elizabeth Norris Baker, and her husband, Genrge Baker.

III. Jehn N. Baker, one of the twelve children of George and Elizabeth, was born July 17 1501, died, and was buried July 17, 1594, at the advanced age of ninety. three. He was a man of self reliance, rugged ehnracter, intense honesty and untiring perseverance, and recognized widely as one of the strong characters of his generation. This was exhibited in his relationship to the church of which he was a leader, the Methodist Protestant. His early op. portunities for education were necessarily meager, yet his native ability made him recognized as the finest mathemati- eian in the county. lle lived his long life honored und respected. On June 29, 1823, he married Naney Norris, whe was born June 6, 1801, and died May 11, 1863. They lived on the Baker homestead, to which he fell heir as the oldest son of George and Elizabeth Norris Baker. By his wife, Naney, he was the father of ten children. After her death John N. Baker, in his old age, married her sister Elizabeth, better known as Aunt Betsey. There were ne children by this union. The family of Nnney and Eliza- beth Norris were not related to William Norris, whose daughter married the first George Baker.

IV. Andrew Coleman Baker, father of the Morgantown lawyer, was born January 20, 1532, on the old home farm, and died June 14, 18G3, He was a man of attainments and high Christian character and possessed many worthy traits, During the Civil war he served for a time in the State Militia, and died while that struggle was in progress. Mareh 6, 1860, he married Hannah A. Vance, who was born August G, 1841, daughter of the late Col. Addison S. and Mary (Sturgiss) Vance. She was a lineal descendant of John Lincoln, who was a Revolutionary soldier and a dis- tant cousin of President Lincoln. Her father, who was born in Frederick County, Virginia, in 1812, and died in Morgantown in 1883, moved to this eity in 1835 from Uniontown, Pennsylvania, where he had learned the hat. ter's trade, and for many years he manufactured hats in Morgantown. From 1847 to 1 51 he was owner nnd pro- prietor of the old National Hotel (now the Peabody). lle exchanged his city property for a farm (now the West Virginia University Experiment Farm) and successfully operated it for several years, until he retired.

George C'eleman Baker was born at the old Baker homestead in Union Distriet of Monongalia County March 4, 1862. Ilis father died, as noted, in 1863, and his mother then removed to Morgantown, where his first advan- tages were seeured in the city schools. Ile continued h 4 education in West Virginia University, graduating A. B. in June, 1883. The following yenr he read law with the firm of Berkshire and Sturgiss in Morgantown, and then entered the law department of West Virginia I'ni- versity, receiving his LL. B. and A. M. degrees in 14-6. Immediately after graduating he passed his examination before the Supreme Court of West Virginia at Wheehng and received his license to practice law from that court.

January 1, 1887, Mr. Baker became a member of the law firm of Berkshire Sturgiss, thereafter known as Berk- shire, Sturgiss & Baker until January 1, 1869. At that date he formed a partnership with Hon. Frank Cox. Mr. Cox then assumed the duties of prosecuting attorney and

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

appointed Mr. Baker as his assistant, and when Mr. Baker was elected to succeed Mr. Cox as prosecuting attorney, January 1, 1893, he appointed Mr. Cox as his assistant. Their law partnership has been one of mutual profit and advantage for over thirty-three years, the only interruption being two years when Judge Cox was on the bench of the Supreme Court of West Virginia.

March 4, 1909, Governor W. E. Glasseock appointed Mr. Baker judge advocate general of the State of West Virginia, with the rank of brigadier general on his staff, an office he filled four years. In and outside of his pro- fession he had exercised a prominent influenee in public life, and has welcomed opportunities to use his abilities in behalf of the welfare and betterment of community and state. Especially noteworthy was his part in the struggle for equal taxation during the period when that important question was before the people. Those familiar with the history of the movement eredit his efforts with having had a material bearing on the final settlement. For over a period of three years he participated in the public discus- sions carried on through the press of the state, and also by his arguments before the state courts, and thus was active in the campaign to edneate public sentiment, which finally resulted in the legislative enaetment providing for tax reform. This aet provided for the taxaton of lease- holds for coal, oil and gas which had never before been subject to taxation under the laws of West Virginia, though representing vast millions of untaxed wealth. Mr. Baker has found other important duties and responsibilities in social and religious organizations. He is a member and for many years a trustee of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

September 4, 1889, he married Miss Juliette Boyers. Her father was the late Hezekiah C. Boyers, a minister of the Methodist Protestant Church. Her mother, Eliza- beth M. Broek, was the daughter of Rev. Fletcher and Rachel (Stevenson) Broek. Mrs. Baker, who is a graduate of the Morgantown Female Seminary, was prior to her marriage a teacher in the Morgantown High School and in Marshall College at Huntington. In later years, with some relief from the eares and the duties of home and motherhood, she has taken a prominent part in church and social affairs, and is widely known over the state in the Daughters of the American Revolution, having held the office of State Chaplain, Chapter Regent of the Elizabeth Ludington Hagans Chapter D. A. R., and has been a mem- ber of various state committees of this organization. Mrs. Baker is the proud possessor of a sixteen hundred hour badge for work during the World war. Mr. and Mrs. Baker have a son and two daughters, constituting the sixth generation of this family.

The son, Charles George Baker, born July 4, 1890, graduated from high school in 1907, then entered West Virginia University as a classical student and cadet, and received his A. B. degree in 1911 and his law degree in June, 1913, and at graduation was also major in the Cadet Corps. For four years he was a partner of Stanley R. Cox in the prosecuting attorney's office, and is now a member of the law firm of Baker & Posten and is as- sistant prosecuting attorney. For a number of years he has been in active work in the Boy Scouts movement and in other eivie organizations, is a steward in the First Methodist Episcopal Church and affiliated with the Odd Fellows and Masons. July 16, 1913, Charles G. Baker mar- ried Charlotte Amy Blair. Her father, William F. Blair, of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, was for several years a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature. Charlotte Amy Blair, who was born February 25, 1892, was educated in Beaver College in Pennsylvania, is a vocal graduate of West Virginia University and continued her musical studies in voice at Boston. Charles G. Baker and wife have two children: Mary Jane Baker, born October 24, 1915, and Betty Sue, born November 27, 1917.

The older of the two daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Baker was Grace Jullette Baker, who was born March 21, 1893, she completed her education in the Morgantown High School, West Virginia University and Washington Col-

lege in the District of Columbia, and life held out s greatest promise to her when, at the age of only twen. five, she passed away March 26, 1918. She was a m( .. ber of the Episcopal Church.

The younger and surviving daughter, Marguerite Bal, was born January 20, 1897, graduated from high sch] in 1914, in June, 1916, graduated from Rye Seminary a New York, and received a degree for work in piano at Wt Virginia University in June, 1917. She then entered Smh College at Northampton, Massachusetts, the largt woman's college in the United States, and June 14, 19, graduated with the Bachelor of Arts degree and "Mı .. cal Honors." She was married to James Offutt Lah, son of Hon. James S. Lakin, of Charleston, West Virgin, on Wednesday, December 21, 1921.

CHARLES GEORGE BAKER. In the domain of the lawt happened not infrequently that the male members o.'a family will show a predilection for the same calling, n following father in keeping the family name promineny before the people of the community in connection with so- ing the problems and perplexities of involved court liti - tion. This applies to Charles George Baker, of the jv firm of Baker & Posten, who is one of the promin t younger members of the bar of Morgantown, and whe father, George C. Baker, a sketch of whose career prece s this review, is one of the leading attorneys of Monongaa County.

Charles George Baker was born July 4, 1890, at M. gantown, where he received his early education in e publie sehools, being graduated from the high school f this city as a member of the class of 1907. Followg this he entered the University of West Virginia, from wha institution he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts o 19II and that of Bachelor of Laws with the class of 19, in which latter year he was admitted to the bar and bega practice in the office of Cox & Baker of Morgantown. 8 served as assistant prosecuting attorney for Monongaa County from 1917 to 1921, and on February 2Ist of e latter year became senior member of the law firm of Bar & Posten, a combination that has already attracted att .. tion for its capable handling of several important can. Mr. Baker has always taken an active interest in Boy Set activities, and served as seoutmaster for a number of yea. In 1921 he became scout commissioner for Monongaa County. He is a member of the local lodges of the Masc3, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Junior Order Unid American Mechanics and Modern Woodmen of Ameril, is secretary of the Morgantown Kiwanis Club and beloss to the Chamber of Commerce. His college fraternity s Kappa Alpha, and his religious connection is with e Methodist Episcopal Church.

On July 16, 1913, Mr. Baker married Miss Charlce Blair, daughter of William F. and Narcissus Blair, f Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, and to this union there hie come two daughters: Mary Jane, born October 24, 19i, and Bettie Sue, born November 26, 1917.

WILEY MARION HALE. One of the substantial and wl ordered financial institutions of Mingo County is the K- mit State Bank, at Kermit, of which Mr. Hale was one f the organizers and of which he has served as cashier fra the time of its incorporation. The first president was D. I. Hewitt, who continued the incumbent of this office uil his death, in the winter of 1921-2. Floyd Brewer is ve president.

Mr. Hale was born on his father's farm ten miles et of Inez, Martin County, Kentucky, and the date of s nativity was February 21, 1873. He is a son of George '. and Sallie (Parsley) Hale, the former of whom died a 1904, at the age of sixty-one years, and the latter of who died in the following year, at the age of fifty-six. The - ther was born in Floyd County, Kentucky, and in additu to becoming one of the progressive farmers of his nate state he was also identified with the timber business si was associated with M. H. Johns in the conducting ofa general store on Wolf Creek in Martin County, Kentue. In 1888 he was elected county clerk of Martin County, vs

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

re-elected at the close of his first term, and thus held the office eight years. As a gallant young soldier of the Union in the Civil war he was a member of Company K, Four- teenth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, and he took part in many engagements. He was with General Sherman's army in the historie Atlanta campaign and subsequent march to the sea, and at the battle of Kenesaw Mountain he was wounded, though not seriously. He was a republican, was affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republie, and he and his wife were earnest members of the Methodist Church at Inez, Kentucky, which he served as superintendent of the Sunday School. Of their five children, all sons, John W. is now serving as assessor of Martin County, Kentucky; Rob- ert L. is cashier of the Deposit Bank at Inez, that county ; Wiley M., of this sketeh, was next in order of birth; Julius C. is a merchant at Pilgrim, Martin County, a village near the old home of the Hale family; and Wallace B. is asso- ciated with a coal company at Burch, West Virginia.

Wiley M. Ilale completed his early school work in the publie schools at Barbourville, West Virginia, under the tutorship of G. W. F. Hampton, and for twelve years there- after he was a successful and popular teacher in the schools of his native county, where his final pedagogie service was in the village schools at Inez. He became assistant to his father in the office of county elerk, and iu 1904 was elected cireuit elerk for Martin County. In the following year he there became cashier of the Inez Deposit Bank, and of this position he continued the ineumbent fifteen years, his resignation taking place when he became one of the organ- izers of the Kermit State Bank, of which he has sinee eon- tinued the eashier. In his native county he was active and influential in securing leases for those who there carried forward oil and gas development, and the same progressive and loyal eivie spirit has animated him since he established his home in West Virginia.

Mr. Ilale is a stauneh republiean, he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and in the Masonie fraternity he has received the thirty-second de- gree of the Scottish Rite as a member of the Consistory at Covington, Kentucky. In connection with his York Rite affiliations he served ten years as master of the Blue Lodge at Inez, that state, besides having been for one year the noble grand of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

The year 1894 recorded the marriage of Mr. Hale and ' Miss Niekotie Spaulding, daughter of John K. Spaulding, of Warfield, Kentucky. Of the children of this union the - eldest, George W., is assistant cashier of the Kermit State Bank; Maude is the wife of Elmer Stepp, a member of the West Virginia State Police, their home being at Madison; and the younger children, still of the parental home circle, are Rudolph, Wallace M. and Lewis D.

HARRY G. WILLIAMS has been successfully engaged in the real-estate and insurance business in the City of William- son, Mingo County, since 1911, and his insurance ageney, of general order, is one of the most substantial in Mingo County.

Of English and Irish Ancestry, Mr. Williams is a seion of families founded in Virginia many generations ago, his maternal grandfather having been a prominent eivil engi- aeer in that historie old commonwealth. He is a son of Cyrus and Octavia (Davis) Williams and was born at Taze- well, Virginia, August 20, 1880. His father was long a representative farmer and eitizen of Tazewell County, and served as a member of a Virginia cavalry regiment under Gen. Jubal A. Early, throughout the Civil war, he having made a splendid record as a gallant young soldier of the Confederacy and having never been wounded or captured.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 20

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