History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 26

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Mr. Posten is a member of Morgantown Union Loge No. 4, A. F. and A. M .; Morgantown Commandery o 18, K. T .; West Virginia Consistory No. 1, R. and S .. Osiris Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S .; the Morgantown a sonic Club; Morgantown Lodge No. 411, B. P. O. G. and the Beta Theta Pi college fraternity.

WILLIAM MCKINLEY YOST. . Among the offices which I for the demonstration of ability, judgment and clear-heaed courage by the incumbents, one that in particular demais the possession of these qualities is that of sheriff. shrievalty is generally conferred upon an individual 10 in the past has demonstrated his fitness for the handlingof grave responsibilities, for the duties of the office inc le the possibility of necessity for quick thinkiug and in e- diate action in times of crisis. Monongalia County is favored in having as the incumbent of the office of shiff so capable and energetic a young official as William e- Kinley Yost, an overseas veteran of the World war ad a native son of Monongalia County, where he is grely popular.

Sheriff Yost was born on the home farm at Coal Sprg. Monongalia County, July 1, 1894, a son of Thomas ad Mary (Mason) Yost, natives of the same county. paternal grandfather, Jacob Yost, was an early farer of this county, as was also his maternal grandfather, can W. Mason. Thomas Yost, father of the Sheriff, folloed agricultural pursuits until 1911, in which year he remved to Morgantown, this city now being the family placeof residence.

William McKinley Yost was reared on the home fim, and as a lad attended the public schools. When his ir- ents removed to Morgantown he remained on the home f.m. where he was still carrying on operations at the time he United States entered the World war. With youthful ent 18- iasm and patriotism young Yost decided that his cou ry was in need of his services, and accordingly left the 1°m and went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where, December20, 1917, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Suse. quently he was sent to the Paris Island, South Carola, training camp, and after eleven weeks of intensive traing was sent overseas. On May 6, 1918, he disembarker at Brest, France, from which point he and his comrades ere ordered to St. Aignan. Five days later he was in a tiin- ing camp at Grandchamps, whence after two weeks of ir. ther training he was sent to the front, where he wasis- signed to the Seventy-ninth Company, Sixth Regiment, ec- ond Division of United States Marines. He arrived at the Chateau-Thierry front June 8 of that year andre- mained there from that date until July 4, when he 'as ordered to the reserve in the rear. On the 14th of .he same month he was ordered to Soissons, where he wa in the thick of the fighting on the 18th and 19th, and ;om which desperate engagement his battalion came out im- bering less than a full company. He was then retu ed to Mantreul, on the Marne, where, August 1, he subtra ed for Nancy, from which point a few days later he wer to the Marbach sector, directly in front of Metz. Mr. )st

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HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

was in the fighting on the front August 7, 8 and 9, and on the morning of the last-named day was wounded by a high explosive and sent to Base Hospital No. 3 at Montpont, France, where he remained until November 1, 1918. On that date he was ordered to the replacement camp at Le- Mans, reaching that camp on the 4th of the same month and was still located there when the armistice was aigned. lle was then ordered to join his company in Belgium, and with it marched to the front of the German lines at Lux. embourg. On December 13, 1918, they came to the Rhine at Broll, and on the following day erossed that historic stream. They were stationed at Rheinbrohl, Germany, until June 18, 1919, at which time they marched to within ap- proximately two miles of the neutral zone, and there re- mained until the peace treaty was signed June 28. Mr. Yost started for home July 18, 1919, embarked at Brest on the 25th, and reached New York City August 3. The company was then ordered to Camp Mills, but on the morn- ing of the 9th the entire division paraded in the streets of New York City, and in the evening of the same day was on its way to the Quantico, South Carolina, Marine Train- ing Station. Ou the 12th of that month Mr. Yost took part in the parade at Washington, D. C., and on the fol- lowing day, Angust 13, 1919, was honorably discharged at Quantico.

Returning to his old home, Mr. Yost resumed farming and was thus engaged when, May 25, 1920, he received the republican nomination for the office of sheriff of Monongalia County ja the primaries. In the ensuing election he was placed in office by an approximate majority of 1,800 votes, a gain over the normal republican vote of nearly 1,000. he assumed the duties of the sheriff's office Jannary 1, 1921, and in that position is as faithfully serving Monongalia County as he faithfully served his country overseas.

Sheriff Yost is a member of the American Legion and of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and as a fraternalist is affiliated with the Improved Order of Red Men and the Junior Order United American Mechanics. He belongs to the Methodist Protestant Church and to Baraca Sunday school elass. He is unmarried.

JOHN SHRIVER. Eighteen years of consecutive service as clerk of the Circuit Court of Morgantown has been suf- fieient to make Jolin Shriver one of the best-known citizens of Monongalia County. Moreover, Mr. Shriver represents one of the oldest families in this section of the state, is a lawyer by profession and has also been actively identified with banking and other affairs.

The Shriver family settled in Monongalia County before the elose of the eighteenth century. The head of the fam- ily at that time was Abram Shriver, who was born in Frederick County, Virginia, September 6, 1768. May 31, 1791, he married Mary Keekley, who was born in Frederick County, April 19, 1770. The brief record of their ehil- dren, the first three of whom were born in Frederick Coun- ty and the others in Monongalia County, is as follows: Catherine, born April 16, 1792, married Jacob Horner, and they settled in Monongalia County; Adam, born September 7, 1793; Elias, born August 9, 1795; Jacob, born in July, 1797; Christiana, born April 12, 1799, became the wife of Michael Core; Elizabeth, born April 5, 1800, was mar- ried to Ezekiel Morris; John, born April 30, 1801, died in 1885; Benjamin, born May 20, 1805; Isaac, born May 27, 1807, died March 30, ISSO, having married Minerva Sine; and Abraham.

This branch of the family record is carried through John Shriver, who, as noted above, lived to the age of eighty- four. He married Sarah Cannon, and their children were: Eunice, who became the wife of Peter A. Tennant; Abra- ham, who married Prudence Moore; Sarah, who was the wife of Daniel V. Moore; and Cannon.

Cannon Shriver, of the third generation of the family in Monongalia County, was born there September 29, 1831, and was a prosperous farmer and stoekman in the Clay Distriet, where he died in 1888. He served as a constable during the Civil war, was a republican in polities and a Methodist. He married Minerva Meyers, who was born in the Clay District, September 30, 1831, and died in 1908.

Iler father was John Meyers. Cannon and Minerva Shriver were the parents of eight children: Elizabeth, deceased wife of Jacob Shanes, who was a native of Pennsylvania; Prudence, who married Elihu Yost, of Monongalia County; Edgar, who married Nancy Yost; Martha M., wife of D. L. Hamilton, living in Monongalia County, West Virginia; John; Mark, who married Minta Wilson; Mary E., wife of Grant Wilson; and Laura, wife of Lemley Tennant.

John Shriver thereforo stands in the fourth generation of this prominent old family of Monongafia County. He was born on his father's form in Clay District, July : 1. 1570. He acquired a liberal eduention nt first in the public schools and later ia West Virginia I'niversity. He grad uated with the law class of 1901, and was admitted to the bar the same year. Ile begaa practice in Morgantown, but soon answered a call to other responsibilities. While living on the farm in 1896 he was elected justice of the peace, and filled that office 212 years, until he remove l to Morgantown. Mr. Shriver was elected clerk of the C'ireuit Court in 1902, and his eighteen years of service terminated January 1, 1921. Sinee leaving the office of cirent clerk he has been deputy sheriff. MIr. Shriver was one of the organizers and is a director of the Bank of Morgantown, and was also identified with the organization of the Mo- nongalia Building and Loan Association, of which he is a director. Ile is affiliated with the Knights of Pythian. the Junior Order United Amerienn Mechanics, and is a member of the First Methodist Episcopal Church.

February 3, 1592, he married Iva Nora Wilson. She was born in Clay District, daughter of Joha N. nnl Lucinda (Moore) Wilson. Her father is now deceased. The cld dren of Mr. and Mrs. Shriver, representing the fifth genera tion of the family in Monongalia County are: Goldie M., born April 9, 1894, died November 1%, 1921, as the wife of J. F. Smith, of Morgantown; Nellie Irene, born Febra ary 24, 1901; Beulah Ruth, born April 20, 1903; and Doro thy, born February 15, 1909.

JAMES SCOTT STEWART. One of the veteran figires in West Virginia educational affairs, and familiar as an in struetor and in other official capacities to the student body of the university at Morgantown for more than forty years, James Scott Stewart has made an enviable record of service and is one of the greatly admired citizens of Morgantown.

He was born in Jefferson County, Ohio January 5, 1954. Both his grandfathers were natives of Scotland. Ilis In teraal grandfather, Alexander Stewart, a son of James Stewart, left Scotland early in life and, going to London, England, became what is known as flour factor or a whole sale dealer in flour. Prior to 1-20 he left England and came to the United States, and somewhat later settled at Steubenville, Ohio, where he lived out his life. He bal a considerable fortune, and one of his investments was a good farm in Jefferson County about twelve miles from Steubenville. He was instrumental in instituting the first Lodge of Masons at Steubenville and became a harter member.

His son, James R. M. Stewart, was born in London and was only a boy when his parents came to the Umitel Stat s. He grew up in Jefferson County, Ohio, inherit ig the Stew art farm there, and in addition to the responsibilities of its management he was for years a lumber manufacturer. operating lumber mills. Ile died in Ohio in 1 &1. at the age of seventy-three. James R. M. Stewart marr el C'or delia K. Scott, also a native of London, England, ard brought as a child to the United States, her parents set tling in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Stewart and Sett families had not been acquainted while living in Lonl n. Cordelia Stewart died in 1995, at the age of seventy seven

Her son, Prof. James Scott Stewart, grew up on the ld homestead in Eastern Ohio. His interests were largely identified with the farm until after attaining his majority His apt scholarship gave him a good record in th mm >" and high schools, and in August. 1573. he enrolled as a atudent in West Virginia University. He was graduated with the Bachelor of Science degree in 1577, and three years later received the Master of Science degree. After his

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

graduation Mr. Stewart remained as an instructor in the preparatory department of the university, and continued through the various grades of instruction until he was pro- moted to professor of mathematics in the university in 1891. During the school year 1894-95 he was superin- tendent of public schools at Fairmont, West Virginia, but without exception he continued to perform his duties as professor of mathematics until June, 1907. Since leaving the faculty of instruction Mr. Stewart has continued with the university in an official capacity as manager of the University Book Store, which is an important adjunct of the university and a business of no small proportions meas- ured in the commercial scale.

During his long residence at Morgantown Mr. Stewart has acquired other business and civic interests. He was one of the organizers of the Farmers and Merchants Bank and has been a director since the early years of the institu- tion. He is vice president and a director of the Morgan- town Savings & Loan Society and is examiner for the real estate offered the society as basis for loans. He is also a member of the Board of Directors and secretary of the Board of the Chaplin Collieries Company of Morgantown. Mr. Stewart for forty-three years has been an elder in the First Presbyterian Church at Morgantown.

He married Louisa M. Hayes, daughter of Alexander Hayes, of Morgantown. Following the death of his first wife Mr. Stewart married Sara Meredith, daughter of the late John Q. A. Meredith, of Fairmont, West Virginia.

ALBERT KENNETH MILLER. Though he spent his early life on a farm in Pendleton County, Albert K. Miller has devoted practically all his mature years to commercial lines, beginning as a retail merchant, and has been an executive official in several of West Virginia's prosperous wholesale grocery houses. He is now an honored resident of Morgan- town and secretary, treasurer and manager of the Morgan- town Grocery Company.

He was born on a farm in Pendleton County, January 6, 1873, son of John H. and Eliza (Day). Miller, natives of the same county and now deceased. His grandfathers were early settlers in Pendleton County, grandfather Jonas Miller coming from Germany and grandfather Leonard Day, from Ireland.

Albert K. Miller learned some of the practical duties and discipline of the farm while a boy, also attended district schools, but in 1892, at the age of nineteen, left the farm and during the following six years was in the general mer- chandising business at Alexander, Upshur County. In 1898 he became a stockholder and one of the managers of the Upshur Grocery Company, a wholesale honse at Buckhan- non. He left Buckhannon in 1912, and for the following four years was manager of the Burnsville Grocery Company at Burnsville in Braxton County. He is still a stockholder in that company.

Mr. Miller has been one of the business men and citizens of Morgantown since 1916, when he took charge of the Morgantown Grocery Company as secretary, treasurer and manager. He is also a director of the Commercial Bank of Morgantown. He is affiliated with the local business men through the Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the First Methodist Church.

November 12, 1896, he married Julia Chenvront. She was born at Good Hope, Harrison County, West Virginia, daughter of Jeremiah and Mary Anna (Brooks) Cheuvront. Mary Anna Brooks was the daughter of a Methodist min- ister who in his time was a power for good throughout Western Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are the parents of six children: Dwight C., born in 1898, now associated with his father in the Morgantown Grocery Company; Ruth, born in 1900, a member of the class of 1922 at West Vir- ginia University; John H., born in 1902; Worth W., born in 1904, a student in the Morgantown High School; Lois I., born in 1906; and Albert. Kenneth, Jr., born in 1910.

JOSEPH DONLEY MILLER, D. O. The marvelous prog- ress made in medical science during recent years must interest every normal individual, be his own condition of health what it may. Among the different schools of medi-

cine as a healing art perhaps none have made greater strides forward in the last decade than that of Osteopathy. It is almost fifty years since its founder, the late vener- ated Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, first announced the prin- ciples of this science, and for many years afterward its benefits had to be demonstrated in the face of what may be denominated fanatical opposition. Changed, indeed, is its present status, when a successful practitioner is found in every progressive community all over the world, when its richly endowed colleges offer unsurpassed advantages in the way of higher scientific medical training, and its beneficent results may be found in the practical banish- ment of the most dreaded foes of health that have so long afflicted misguided humanity. For fourteen years Morgantown, West Virginia, has been the home of a very able Osteopathic practitioner, Dr. Joseph Donley Miller, who may justly be called the pioneer in his school of medicine here, being preceded only by several practitioners whose stay was very short. The success that has attended Doctor Miller's efforts has firmly established Osteopathy in this community.

Doctor Miller is a native of West Virginia, born in Cass District, Monongalia County, May 4, 1862. His par- ents were James E. and Ruhama (Donley) Miller. His paternal grandfather was Amherst Miller, who settled at Osage, Cass District, at an early day, where he built and operated the first flour and carding mill in Monongalia County. He married into the prominent Locke family, and left descendants.

James E. Miller was born in Morgantown and grew to manhood there. He operated his father's mill at Osage ! for several years, but in 1876 removed to Mount Morris, Greene County, Pennsylvania, where he built a flour mill of his own and operated it for many years. He married Ruhama Donley, who was born at Mount Morris, where she still resides, being now in her eightieth year. Her father, Joseph R. Donley, was well known in Greene Coun- ty. The father of Doctor Miller died at Mount Morris, where he was held as a citizen of sterling wortlı.

Joseph Donley Miller was fourteen years old when his parents moved to Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, where he continued his public school education already under way at Osage. It was in 1903, while residing at Core, West Virginia, that he became enough interested in Osteopathy to begin serious study of the science, and later became a student in the American School of Osteopathy at Kirks- { ville, Missouri, from which institution he was graduated in 1906, with the degree of D. O. He entered upon the practice of his profession at Mount Morris, but in April, 1907, removed to Morgantown, West Virginia, which city has been his field of professional work ever since. In recognition of his skill as an exponent of Osteopathy Doctor Miller has been highly honored on numerous oc- casions by representative organizations of his school of medicine. He is ex-president of the West Virginia State Osteopathic Association, is a member of the American Osteopathic Association, the Pennsylvania State Osteo- pathic Association, and of the Western Pennsylvania Osteopathic Association.

In 1890 Doctor Miller married Miss Mary Tennant, a daughter of John and Phoebe (Mason) Tennant, of Greene County, Pennsylvania, and they have one son and one daughter: Harry Irving and Lois Lynn, the latter of whom was born October 3, 1899, attended the Mor- gantown High School, and at present (1921) is a student in the University of West Virginia.

Harry Irving Miller, D. O., was born at Core, West Virginia, August 29, 1891, attended the common schools, the high school at Morgantown and the normal school at California, Pennsylvania, and later became a student in the American School of Osteopathy at Kirksville, Missouri, from which college he was graduated in January, 1914, with the degree of D. O. He entered into practice at Lebanon, Missouri, where he remained until August, 1918, when he answered the call of the Government for medical men for service in the World war, and from that date until his honorable discharge on December 1, 1918, was stationed at Camp Lee, Virginia. He returned then to

For. S. Miller DO.

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

Lebanon, Missouri, but in May, 1920, came to Morgan. town to become his father's partner in Osteopathic prae- tice, and since that time the professional style has been Miller & Miller. He is a member of the West Virginia State, and the American Osteopathic associations, and like his father, belongs to the Greek letter college frater nity, the Phi Sigma Gamma. Ile also is active in the Chamber of Commerce and belongs to the order of Elks at Morgantown. Doctor Miller and his family are mem- hers of the Methodist Protestant Church. As a citizen deeply interested in the welfare and progress of his home city, he is an active factor in the Chamber of Commerce. His fraternal connections include the Odd Fellows and the Order of Maccabees.

W. C. WICKHAM RENSHAW is a leading member of the bar at Iluntington, former representative in the Legislature, and is a man of unusual gifts and accomplishments. Prior to becoming a lawyer he was in the civil engineering pro- fession.

Mr. Renshaw was born of American parents but his birth occurred in a foreign land. He was born at Oratava, Tene- riffe, Canary Islands, November 19, 1882. Ilis grandfather was William Renshaw, a native of Madrid, Spain, of Eng- lish ancestry. For many years he was in the British diplo- matie service, and some of the more important posts which he held were in Spain and Venezuela. He married a Span. ish lady, Miss Beatrice De Medieis. Robert H. Renshaw, father of the Huntington lawyer, was born at Bristol, Penn- sylvania, in 1833, but was reared at Caracas, Venezuela, where he acquired his early education. He graduated A. B. from Harvard University in 1855, and for several years practiced law at Baltimore. During the Civil war he was a captain in the Confederate army, and following the war he settled down to farming in Clarke County, Virginia, where he remained until 1900 and then retired to Charlottesville, where he died in 1910. He was a democrat, a member of the Episcopal Church and the Masonie fraternity. His first wife was Miss Luey Carter, a native of Virginia and their only child. Charlotte, died in infaney. His second wife was Maria Carter, of Philadelphia. To this union were horn two children: Charles C., now sales agent for a ceal com- pany in Philadelphia, and Maria, deceased. The third wife nf Robert H. Renshaw was Anne Carter Wiekham, who was born in Hanover County, Virginia, in 1851. W. C. Wick- ham Renshaw is their eldest child; Frank is a eivil engineer at Huntington; Robert is a road building contractor in Snow Hill, Maryland; and Julia is the wife of Alfred R. James, an architect at Cleveland, Ohio. Mrs. Renshaw was married in 1920 to Dr. W. E. Byerly, retired professor of mathematics of Harvard University, and now lives in Waverly, Massachusetts.

W. C. Wickham Renshaw grew up in Virginia, attended private schools, including the Clay Hill Academy in Clarke County, and in 1902 graduated Master of Arts in the Uni- versity of Virginia at Charlottesville. He is a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Greek letter fraternity. For three years he taught at Chattanooga, Tennessee and then fol- lowed bis career as a eivil engineer. a profession that en- gaged him in various distriets of Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. He first came to West Virginia in 1999.

Mr. Renshaw continued his profession as a civil engineer until 1914, in which year he was admitted to the har and since then has been busy with his work as a lawyer. He is a member of the firm Vinson, Thompson, Meek & Renshaw, with offices in the Holeswade Building.

Mr. Rensbaw was elected to represent Cabell County in the House of Delegates in November, 1916. During the session of 1917 he was chairman of the taxation and finance committees, and a member of the judiciary, mines and min- ing, labor and other important committees. He was elected as a demoerat. He is a member of the Episcopal Church, the Kiwanis Club of Huntington, the Guyandotte Club. Guyan Country Club of Huntington, the West Virginia and American Bar associations, and is a director in the Hunting- tou Development and Gas Company and president and director of the Guyan Big Ugly & Coal River Railroad.

His home is at 1105 Eleventh Street. In November, 1911,

at Riebmead, Virginia, Mr. Renshaw married Miss Martha Chaffin, daughter of Richard B. and Sarah ( Harvie) Chaffin

ARTHUR N. MCKEEVER is dean of the dental profession at Romney, and in his professional work and as a citizen has been prominent in that community sine May 1, 1895. 11 . name has been associated with several of the movement to give Romney a place among the progre ive cities of the state.

Hle was born at Edom, near Harrisonburg, in Rek nghan County, Virginia, February 6, 1-74, but pporcent at @1 family of Hardy County, West Virginia. This grent grab l father was one of three Scotch brothers whe caon fre Seetland and settled in New Jersey. The grandfather, Hagh MeKeever, was born in New Jersey in Ise and as a y ring man settled in Hardy County and was a farmer anl taver keeper at Wardensville. Hr died there in 1950 Mckeever married a Miss Ogden, who died at War kenny I in 18'S, at the age of eighty four. They rearel the foll w ing children: Isaac, who was a comma on merchant in Washington, D. C., when he died; John, who ded at War densville after many years of work as a phys tan in Hampshire and Hardy counties; William, who was in busi ness with his brother Benjamin and died at Warden Ih Hezekiah, a Confederate soldier killed in battle at Rich mond; Benjamin Warden; Rebecca, who married Ve Cline and died at Yellow Springs, Ham bore County, Amanda, who lives at Wardensville, wife of Tille rry Orn derff; Lydia, who married David Knee and died at War densville; and Jennie, who married David Dinges and du at Wardensville.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 26

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