History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 213

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For a number of years Mr. Hennen bad been one of the ranking Masons of the state. He was master from 1902 to 1904 of Fairmont Lodge No. 9, F. & A. M., was grand master in 1915, held the official chairs in Orient Chapter No. 9, R. A. M., and Crusade Commandery No. 6, K. T., in the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite he was affiliated with West Virginia Consistory at Wheel- ing, and was a member of Osiris Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He was secretary-treasurer of the Masonic Build- ing Association at Fairmont, having charge of the con- struction of the building and acting as its manager since. He was a member of the board of governors of the Masonic Home now in course of construction at Parkers- burg. It was while attending a meeting of the grand lodge in Huntington that he was taken seriously ill, an ill- ness that ended in his death on November 26, 1920. He was a member of the Knights of Pytbias Lodge at Fairmont.

Another prominent interest of his life was the First Methodist Episcopal Church. At the time of his death he was church treasurer and member of the official board. February 21, 1905, Mr. Hennen married Miss Nellie A. Cochran, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. N. C. Cochran. IIer father for many years was in the jewelry business at Fair- mont. Surviving Mr. Hennen are Mrs. Hennen and two children, Thomas Wilbur, and Mary Emily.

An appropriate conclusion of this brief article is the following editorial from a Fairmont paper: "Mr. Hennen has been prominent in the business, religious and fraternal life of Fairmont for many years, and he was one of the city 's best known residents. His range of useful activities was remarkably wide and he will be missed sorely not only in his immediate family but in his church, his lodges and among his banking associates. In all of those fields he was always willing to do more than his share of the work, and whatever he undertook he performed well. Coming as it does in the very prime of his life, Mr. Henuen's death will be a great loss to the city."

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SAMUEL A. PALMER just graduated from the University of Virginia and had been practieing law about a year when America entered the war with Germany. He served throughout the entire period of that war, and was awarded the Croix de Guerre for special gallantry in France. Mr. Palmer recently located at Charleston where he is win- ning a successful place in the bar of that eity, and still continues an active interest and leadership in military affairs, being captain of a local company of the National Guards.

Captain Palmer was born at Petersburg, Virginia, in 1895, son of Malvern H. and Jessie Key (Arrington) Pal- mer. His parents were natives of Virginia and his father a lawyer by profession. Samuel A. Palmer was reared and received his early education at Petersburg, and took both the literary and law courses of the University of Virginia. He graduated from law school in 1916 and in the same year began practice in his native eity.

In April, 1917, he took the examination for commis- sioned officer in the regular army, was made a second lieutenant and assigned to duty in the training camp at Fort Virginia. Although in the artillery branch his du- ties were almost entirely with the Ninth and Twenty- third regiments of infantry, to which he was attached as liaison officer. These regiments formed a part of the Second Division, with which he went overseas in December, 1917. Mr. Palmer's serviec was attended with distinetion and gallantry and he was in all the great offensive move- ments in the summer of 1918, and after the armistice was with the Army of Occupation on the Rhine. He returned to America in September, 1919, and was soon afterwards discharged after having served over two years continuously. The Croix de Guerre was awarded him by the French Government for gallantry in action at Blane Mont Ridge in the Champagne in October, 1918.

Captain Palmer in March, 1921, established his home in Charleston, West Virginia, where his talents and ability quiekly gained him special recognition.

In September, 1921, Captain Palmer was selceted by the Adjutant General of West Virginia to organize and take command of Charleston's first company of the re- organized National Guard. This company, now comprising approximately sixty-five men, is a machine gun company known as Company D. Captain Palmer is a member of the Delta Psi fraternity. He married Miss Helen Swisher of Charleston.

JAMES A. MOFFETT. Known in later years as one of the leading officials of the Standard Oil Company and promi- nent in financial eireles both east and west, James A. Moffett began his career in Parkersburg and gained his first dis- tinetions as an expert on the refining and other branches of the petroleum industry in that eity.

He was born at Marlins Bettom in Pocahontas County, Virginia, April 12, 1851, son of Dr. George Boone and Margaret (Beale) Moffett. The Moffetts were one of the most numerous families of Augusta County and lived there practically from the beginning of white settlement. Dr. George Boone Moffett was a Confederate surgeon throughout the period of the Civil war, and later became prominent in the affairs of West Virginia.

James A. Moffett was one of three children, his sister dying in infancy, and his brother being Robert H. Moffett. All are now deceased. James Moffett had an academic education and at the age of eighteen eame to Parkersburg on the advice of his relative by marriage Col. Willian Payne Thompson of Wheeling. After coming to Parkers- burg he attended for a time the public sehools, though his reputation for learning and the great fund of special knowl- edge he acquired in later years was largely due to private study. Incidentally he read law, not for the purpose of practicing the profession, but to give him a superior equip- ment for business. Colonel Thompson and Senator Camden of Parkersburg had for several years been prominently interested in the pioneer oil belt of West Virginia, and Mr. Moffett as their elerk was sent to Burning Springs in Wirt County, but ahortly afterwards was brought back to Parkersburg and went into the refinery established here

by Senator Camden for the purpose of learning tho details of the oil business. The Parkersburg refinery eventually became consolidated with the Standard Oil Company, and during his experience there and elsewhere Mr. Moffett achieved recognition as a foremost expert in all branches of the refining art. While still superintendent of the Parkersburg refinery he and others helped build the old pulp mills, afterwards destroyed by fire and flood, and was ever alive to the best interests of his city.

It was the great American capitalist and official of the Standard Oil Company, the Jate II. HI. Rogers, who ap- prceiating the wonderful abilities of Mr. Moffett induced him to move to New York and become superintendent of the Charles M. Pratt refinery, belonging to the Standard Oil group of interests. Six years later he went to Chi- eage to build and take charge of the Indiana refinery at Whiting, and for eleven years made his home in that city and as superintendent had jurisdiction over several sur- rounding states. He also became president of the Cali- fornia Standard Oil Company.

Mr. Moffett returned to New York City in 1901 and was made a member of the manufacturing committee, member of the executive board and later became a vice president of the Standard Oil Company. He also had general charge of the Standard Oil interests in most of the western states and in a large measure he was the practical queeessor of II. II. Rogers in the Standard Oil Company. The relations he enjoyed with this corporation are of themselves the highest word of praise that could be spoken of his eapability, his integrity and the specialized knowl- edge that means power in business. Ilis business character was combined with a kindly, generous and just naturc.

Mr. Moffett continued active in business until his death on February 25, 1913. On January 25, 1883, he married Miss Kate Ingersoll Jackson, who survives him and re- sides at her New York City home, 903 Park Avenue. Her father James Monroe Jackson was long a prominent eitizen of West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Moffett were the parents of five children: George Monroe; James Andrew; Helen Seely, now Mrs. Harold Oakly Barker; Margaret Beale and Rebert, both deceased.

GEORGE W. BOWERS, address, Mannington, West Virginia. Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, September 6, 1878, son of Frank W. and Margaret Bowers, both natives of Wheeling.

Educated in the public schools of Wheeling and Jersey City, New Jersey high school.

Married Sara George, youngest daughter of Samuel and Eliza George of Wellsburg, West Virginia.

Manufacturer .- President and general manager of Bowers Pottery Company, Manningtou, West Virginia, manufae- turers of plumbers earthenware.

Active in public affairs for years in both Ohio and Marion counties.

Elected to the Senate of West Virginia, in November, 1920, from the 11th Distriet composed of Marion, Monon- galia and Taylor counties by a majority of 8,087 votes.

CHARLES WILLIAM BELL of Zela, Nicholas County, is an attorney by profession, but the big work and service of his active lifetime has been education with which he has been identified for fully a quarter of a century.

Mr. Bell was born January 7, 1874, on Peters Creek near the present post office of Zela, and represents two lines of early aneestry in Nicholas County. His father was John A. Bell, grandson of Samuc) Bell, one of the first set- tlers of the county. Ilis mother was Margaret Virginia Dorsey, whose people were also among the pioneers of this region.

Charles William Bell was about three years old when his father died and he grew up under handicaps that made his personal advancement dependent upon his aelf re- liance. He attended the free schools during their limited terms, and by hard study and close application he obtained a teacher's certificate and began teaching at the age of eighteen. He taught his first term of school in 1892, and

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in the thirty years since then has missed only five years from the work of the school room. He received a diploma from the Summersville Normal School in 1897, has a life certificate as a teacher, and has been a student all these years. Mr. Bell owns one of the largest private libraries on general information in Nicholas County. He has been a member of the County Board of Examiners and a grader for State Uniform Examinations, was District Supervisor of Free Schools for Jefferson District, Nicholas County for the school years 1919-20, and since June 15, 1915, has been commissioner of school lands. He was democratic can- didate for the office of county superintendent in 1902. Mr. Bell is a recognized anthority on local history, and at the present time is engaged in writing a history of Nicholas County.

While teaching he took up the study of law, and in 1909 graduated LL. B. from Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tennessee. During the practice of his profession he was assistant proseenting attorney in 1919-20. Mr. Bell has prospered in his material affairs, and is interested in farm- ing and stock-raising, owning two farms comprising 200 acres. He is also a stockholder in the Nicholas County Bank. Mr. Bell has been a notary public since 1900, was a justice of the peace in 1903-04, and was candidate for the House of Delegates in 1920. He was one of the selective service men during the World war. He is affiliated with the Masonic Order, the Knights of Pythias and the Patrons of Hnshandry, but his chief interest ontside of education and his profession has been the church. He bas been clerk in the Salem Baptist Church since November, 1914, clerk of the Hopewell Baptist Association since 1915, and repre- sented that association as a member of the Executive Board of the Baptist General Association of West Virginia since 1916; was clerk of Hopewell Baptist Sunday School Con- vention 1904-09 inclusive and again in 1911; for seven years has been secretary of the Hopewell Baptist Sunday School Association and for four years president of the Hopewell Baptist Sunday School Convention for 1917, 1918, 1920, 1921. He was a trustee of Broaddns College in 1919.

WILLIAM YORK, M. D. A very successful physician and surgeon and also a highly respected citizen of Williamson, Dr. William York has had his professional and business interests in that community for the past fifteen years.

He was born at Glen Hayes in Wayne Connty, West Vir- ginia, September 10, 1880, and comes of rugged stock of mountain people who have been in this country for sev- eral generations. His paternal grandparents lived to a good old age, were natives of Ohio, and in search of tim- ber and mineral lands his grandfather emigrated to the Tng Fork of the Big Sandy River in early times. He ac- quired timber and mineral lands on a large scale. Doctor

York's maternal ancestors were natives of Kentucky. His father John Y. York, was a pioneer of Wayne County and a man of prominence in that locality, serving on the county court and for several years was State Senator, 1901-05. He had a very successful business as a lumber and timber- man, and was also extensively interested in agriculture and merchandising. He was a lifelong republican and he and bis wife devout church people. For the greater part of his life he was associated with the Christian Church. He died at his home in January, 1917, at the age of seventy- one. His wife, whose maiden name was Fanny S. Keyser, was a daughter of Martin Keyser, an old Kentuckian, and she died in 1891 at the age of forty-three. Their family consisted of seven sons and four daughters.

William York acquired a common school education in Wayne County, and in 1907 was graduated M. D. from the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati. In the mean- time as a boy he had worked on the farm and he was also associated with his father in the timber industry. Soon after graduating in medicine he established his home at Williamson and has been a resident of that town since June, 1907, and his work has been accorded high recogni- tion so as to rank him among the ablest physicians and surgeons of this county.

Outside the activities of his profession Doctor York is president of the Mnd Lick Coal Company of Sharrondale, Kentucky, secretary and treasurer of the Victor Coal Com- pany of Pinson Fork, Kentucky, and has some large inter- ests in Kentucky oil fields and real estate holdings in both Mingo and Wayne counties, West Virginia. Doctor York has been a member of the West Virginia State Senate since 1918, and is an influential worker in some of the most important committees including finance. He is the present clerk of the City Commission of Williamson, being first elected to that office in the spring of 1919 and again elected in 1921. A lifelong republican he has directed his efforts in every appropriate way to promote the success of the party and its program. Doctor York is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Williamson and is a Royal Arch and Knight Templar Mason, a member of the Beni Kedem Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Charleston and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Moose, Knights of Pythias and Improved Order of Red Men. While not an active member he is a firm supporter of the Christian Church.

Opposite the old home where he was born and reared and on the Kentneky shore of Tug River, Lawrence County, March 2, 1902, Doctor York married Elva H. Hughes, daughter of John W. and Bettie Lola Hughes. Her family originally came from Flnvanna County, Virginia. Doctor and Mrs. York have one son, William Edward York, born in 1911, now attending public school at Huntington.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 213

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