History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 29

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Luther Rizer, grandfather of the subject of this review, was born and reared in Germany, was a skilled mechanic, and after coming to America established his home at Cris suptown, Allegany County, Maryland, where he passed the remainder of his life. Ilis children were six in number : Charles, Luther, Jacob. George W., Rosa ( Mrs. Robert Courts), and Lizzie (Mrs. Joseph Mellendon). The son Charles was a Union soldier in the Civil war, was captured and confined in Andersonville Prison, and his death occurred soon after his return home.

Oliver M. Rizer was but seven years old when he became a messenger for the telegraph office at Cumberland, Mary- land, and in that city he attended the public schools for a time. He learned telegraphy, but never followed the trade. Ile found employment in a rolling mill at Cumber. land, and later returned to Piedmont, his native place, where he learned the trade of boilermaker in the shops of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. He suffered the loss of his right eye shortly before completing his apprentice hip, and he thus abandoned this trade also. For seven years there after he was engaged in mercantile business in this e ty. and thereafter he was a traveling commercial salesman for F. W. Damast & Company of Balt more until 191 -. Ill health then led to his retirement, but a few months later he became a traveling representative for J. J. Lans urgh & Company, dealers in all kinds of sea foods, fruits and vege tables, with which he is still connected, with assigned terri- tory along the lines of the Baltimore & Ohio, the Chesapeake & Ohio, and the Western Maryland Railroads in West Vir ginia and Maryland. Ne is financially interested in the Rizer Electric Company of Piedmont, of which his son Charles H1. is manager, and is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Piedmont. He is a republican, and is a member of the local lodge and also the uniformed rank body of the Knights of Pythias, both he and his wife le ng affiliated with the Pythian Sisters.

September 25, 1883, recorded, at Piedmont, the marriage of Mr. Rizer and Miss Theresa W. Hath, who was born at Weston, this state. February 29, 1864, and who was reared and educated at Piedmont. She is a daughter of the late James Charles Huth, who was born and reared in Saxony. Germany, where his birth occurred April 2. 1833, and where he learned the baker's trade. In 1851 he came to the U'n'ted States and found employment at his trade in Wheeling, Vir- ginia (new West Virginia). In 1869 he established & bakery at Piedmont, and he successfully continued the enter-

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

prise until his retirement in 1901, his death having occurred in November, 1920. He was a stanch republican, served as justice of the peace and as a member of the city council, and his religious faith was that of the Lutheran Church. His wife, whose maiden name was Rose Monahan, was born in County Mayo, Ireland. Her parents came to America and settled in New Orleans, where her mother died of cholera. Thereafter she came with her father to Wheeling, where her marriage was solemnized. She died in February, 1890, when about sixty years of age. Of her children five are living at the time of this writing, in 1922. In conclusion is entered brief record concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Rizer: Harry F., who is engaged in the plumbing business at Pied- mont, married Elsie Tomlinson, and they have five children, Oliver M., Jr., Addie, Theresa, Ruth and Gardner. Gardner, the second son, died in 1901, at the age of twelve years. Mary Louise is the wife of Albert B. Clark, of Thorold, Canada, and they have four children, Robert, Sue, Dorothy and Margaret. Frank G., who was a soldier in the World war, is now in the employment of the Government as an auditor at Baltimore, Maryland. Charles H., who was a member of the Motor Transport Corps of the Seventy-ninth Division, American Expeditionary Forces, was in active service in France one year at the time of the World war, and received his discharge July 25, 1919. He is now the executive head of the Rizer Electric Company at Piedmont, as previously noted. He married Mary Margaret Johnson, and they have one child, Christine Louise. Elsie is in the service of the United States at Washington, D. C.

JAMES FORSYTH HARRISON, now serving as magistrate of Piedmont, and a veteran of the war of the '60s, is one of the highly respected men of Mineral County, and one who has taken an important part in its history for many years. He was born at Cumberland, Maryland, January 26, 1848, a son of George Harrison, who was born at Bath, Somerset- shire, England, August 10, 1808, a son of George Harrison. One of the uncles of James Forsyth Harrison, Charles J. Harrison, was engaged in the wholesale drug business at London, and so prospered that he extended his trade over a wide area and conducted branches at Bombay and Cal- cutta, India, and Melbourne, Australia, and when he died was a man of distinction in the commercial world.

George Harrison, father of James Forsyth Harrison, was a highly intellectual man, educated at Rugby, Eaton and Oxford, and was graduated from the university with honors. He was commissioned a barrister, but instead of entering upon the practice of the law came to the United States in search of good health, and not only secured it but became one of the notable men of his adopted country.

Landing at New York City, George Harrison left the vessel, Lord Ashburton, on which he had made the trip, traveled first to Baltimore, Maryland, and from thence went west over the old road to Wheeling, West Virginia, it being his intention to become an Indian trader on the frontier. However, at Wheeling he met a lady who so attracted him that he changed his plans, settled at Wheel- ing, in order to woo her, and established himself in business as a dealer in books. He continued to live at Wheeling after his marriage until 1846, when he moved to Cumber- land, Maryland, and in that city opened up connections as a forwarding and commission merchant, under the name of Calhoun & Harrison, remaining there until 1852, when he returned to Wheeling, continuing there until about the middle of the war period, when he came back to Cumber- land, and this city continued to be his home for the remainder of his life. He was a delegate to the convention from Ohio County, which formed the convention that divided the Old Dominion, creating the new state of West Virginia. As mayor of Cumberland he did much for the city, but he was equally zealous in its behalf in a private capacity. Following the close of the war he engaged in the wholesale flour and feed business in partnership with his son, and was so engaged when he died, November 10, 1870.

During the war George Harrison held a civilian appoint- ment in the Quartermaster's Department of the Union army in this region, and was not only personally acquainted with many of the leaders in West Virginia, but with President

Lincoln himself. Until the outbreak of the war he was democrat, but in 1860 cast his vote for Abraham Lincoln f the presidency, and thereafter gave the republican par his hearty and effective support. From the time he came this country he was a strong Union man, and thorough believed in the abolition of slavery. While he was an acti participant in public affairs, he possessed none of t qualifications of an orator, but he could deliver himsel from manuscript convincingly and to the point. He w a Knight Templar Mason. In England he belonged to t. Established Church, and after he came to this country } became a communicant of the Episcopal Church, its prot type in America.

On December 27, 1833, George Harrison married Wheeling, West Virginia, Miss Clerimond Smith Woodro a daughter of Simeon Woodrow, and through her mother s belonged to the Adamson family. Mrs. Harrison was bo at Morgantown, West Virginia, in the eleventh house that city, which her father erected. He was born in Cla County, Virginia, but his father was born on the Woodrr farm near Chester, Pennsylvania, where the battle of t Brandywine was fought. This grandfather of Mrs. Harris was also named Simeon Woodrow, and he served from Pen sylvania in the American Revolution. The younger Sime Woodrow took a company of soldiers from Morgantow to fight in the second war with England. By profession was a civil engineer, and built the first furnace in t Alleghany Mountains between Morgantown and Kingwoo the ruins of which are still standing. He died at Wheelin West Virginia, at the home of his son, also named Simed Woodrow, when he was nearly 100 years of age, prior to t outbreak of the war of the '60s. He, too, served in t American Revolution with an official rank. Mrs. Geor; Harrison, his daughter, died at Piedmont, West Virginia, 1886, when seventy-five years old. The children born George Harrison and his wife were as follows: Virgin E., who married Andrew White of the old Northweste Bank of Wheeling; Capt. George W., who died at Piedmo when nearly seventy-five years old; Victoria Mary Brow who married Capt. George W. Jenkins, of Wheeling, a] died in that city in 1870; Capt. Charles J., who is preside of the Somerset County Trust Company, of Somerset, Pen sylvania; James Forsyth, whose name heads this review and Samuel Buel, who lives at Piedmont, West Virginia.

James Forsyth Harrison attended a private school taug by a Mrs. Radcliffe of Wheeling until he went into t Union army. At the outbreak of the war his father t longed to the Senior Home Guards, was secretary of it, a) made a list of its members in 1861, secured their individu signatures to the minutes, and left one of the neate records now in existence of this exciting and momento period of the country's history. This historic and valuat document is now the property of James Forsyth Harrisc and the penmanship shows the artistic capabilities of i author. It is so perfect that it hears a close resemblance copperplate. Living in the midst of such intense loyalty the Union it is little wonder that James Forsyth Harris should have been fired with the determination to serve in i cause in spite of his youth, and this resulted in his enli: ment in July, 1862, in the Quartermaster's Departmen He participated in the engagement at Williamsport, V. ginia, being in command of the little company which m the enemy, and all who were not killed or fatally wound were taken prisoners. Mr. Harrison was sent to Libl; Prison, Richmond, Virginia, and was held there for ni months and three days as a hostage for Private Lynn, Confederate soldier, who subsequently escaped from t Union prison at Fort Delaware, where many of the Co federate prisoners were kept. Mr. Harrison was final released from Libby Prison through the influence of I Hunter McGuire, a surgeon on the staff of Gen. Stonew: Jackson, who was personally acquainted with George Ha rison. On account of disability Mr. Harrison was honorab discharged from the service in May, 1864, and, returni home, entered the Alleghany County Academy at Cumbe land, Maryland, under Professor Pryor, and was graduat therefrom. He then studied law under Judge George Pearre, and was admitted to the bar.

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

Entering upon the practice of his profession, Mr. Har- rison remained at Maryland until ISSI, when he went to Arizona as a member of the regular army, nad was stationed at Willians, Flagstone, Volunteer Prairie and other points. and he continued his law practice in these places. Returning to the Enst, after a year's practice at Emporia, Kansas, he located at Piedmont, West Virginia, and has continued to make this city his place of residence ever since, and during this period has been connected with the practice of law and court work.

Mr. Harrison cast his first ballot as a republican, and has continued faithful to that party ever since. Ite has been especially active in convention work, and knows intimately all of the leaders of the Sceond Congressional District. During the campaign of Judge Dayton for the nomination for Congress from Elkins, West Virginia, Mr. Harrison played a very important part. President MeKinley ap- pointed him postmaster of Piedmont, and he continued to serve under the Roosevelt administration until hus successor was appointed.

The marriage of Mr. Harrison took place at Stewart, Athens County, Ohio, when he was united with Miss Meta Byron, a daughter of Capt. Charles and Ruth ( Stewart) Byron. Captain Byron was a veteran of the Union army, and an extensive woolen manufacturer. Mrs. Byron was a daughter of the man who, with John W. Garrett, built that part of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad from the vicinity of Athens to l'arkersburg. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison became the parents of the following children: Lucile, who is the widow of Landen Heskitt, who died in 1918 as a victim of the influenza epidemie, while serving during the World war; and Mildred B., who married George Boyd, superintendent of the Blaine Mining Company of Potomae Manor, West Virginia, and has one son, George, Jr.

Mr. Harrison bas resided at Piedmont for practically a third of a century, but his connection with this locality dates back to the time when as a soldier he was stationed at New Creek, now Keyser, and doing his duty as a defender of his country's flag. Ile has worked steadily and long to advance the interests of Piedmont and Mineral County, and is proud of the fact that he has been associated with so much of its development. As a lawyer he is sagacious, resourceful and learned, and as a magistrate, wise and purposeful, and his decisions are seldom reversed by the higher courts. In every phase of life Mr. Harrison has proven his worth as a man and a citizen, and no one in all this region stands any higher in public regard and affection than he.

FRANK R. BELL. After twenty years in business and with twenty years measuring his residence in West Virginia, Frank R. Bell stands in the front rank of insurance men in this state. An interesting honor to him and to the state was paid at the annual convention of the National Associa- tion of Fire Insurance Agents at Los Angeles in September, 1921, when Mr. Bell was elected a member of the executive committee of the association.

Mr. Bell, whose business home is at Charleston, was born at Staunton, Augusta County, Virginia, son of Frank R. and Cynthia Estelle (Trotter) Bell. He grew up there, attending the public schools of Augusta County and the Augusta Military Academy. As a young man in 1902 he came to West Virginia. The insurance business of which he is now the head was founded at Thurmond, West Vir- ginia, in 1907, with Mr. Bell in charge of the office. In 1911 he removed the business to Charleston, and in the past ten years it has enjoyed sueh growth and expansion that it is now rated as one of the largest insurance agencies in the state. Quite recently the Bell-Crane Company, as the cor- poration is known, has absorbed and taken over the business of the Scheer Agency, a prominent insurance organization in the Charleston field. Mr. Bell is president of the Bell- Crane Company. The company occupies quarters in the Kanawha National Bank Building, and has a complete organization in various departments, including fire, casualty, accident, bonding and surety. The company represents only the largest and best companies in the United States. While it is a general insurance business, practically eighty-five per

cent of its fire insurance service is with the coal mines and mining industries of West Virginia. This is a service de- manding pecular te hnien! facilities, and for that purpose the company maintains a staff of experts and engineers

Mr. Bell, though one of th younger men in Charleston's commercial affairs, has as unrd tus share of community work, and for several years has been a prominent member of the Chamber of Commerce and is our of its Directors. He is a member of the Edgewood Country Club, and C'barles ton Lodge of the Benevolent and Prote tose O ler of Fikk. He married Miss Judith Gassaway. Sh repre erts an oil West Virginia family, our of whoso mm nlere was the late Henry Gassaway Davis. Mrs. Bell was born in the City of Washington and reared in Brooklyn. Their two children are Sallie Lee aad Frank R., Jr.

WILLIAM HENRY BOWDEN is a young man in years but old in the service of one of the largest industrial corpora tions in America, the E. I. Dupont de Nemours & Company of Wilmington, Delaware. Faithful work and surce ive promotions recently brought him to Huntington as hend quarters for his duties as sales manager over an extensive distriet.

Mr. Bowden was born at Lonacouing, Maryland, Ortoler 26, 1886. The several generations of the family before hun were chiefly represented in the coal mining industry. His grandfather, John Bowden, was a native of England. brought his family to the United States in 1569, settled nt Lonaconing, and was a mine worker for the American Coal Company until killed there in a mine are dent.

llis son, Richard Bowden, was born in England in Isot. and was about five years of age when the family came to America and settled in Lonaconing, Maryland, where he was reared and married and where for a number of years he was employed as a track layer around the coal in urs. His home since 1904 has been at Pittsburgh, where he has been associated as an employe of the Westinghouse Electric Com pany, being now a department superintendent. He is u republican. Richard Bowden married Mary Dick, who was born at Lonaconing in 1>61. They have two sons, William Henry and John. The latter is an employe of the Westinghouse Electric Company of Pittsburgh.

William Henry Bowden acquired a public school education at Lonaconing, graduated from high school in 1901, spent one year in the State Normal School at Frostburg. Mary land, and in 1903 removed to Pittsburgh and became n elerk in one of the departments of the Westinghouse Eler tric Company. He was with the Westinghouse Electric Company about a year, and on January 5, 1905, at the age of eighteen, entered the service of the E. I. Dupont de Nemours & Company. Ile was a clerk in the Pittsburgh office until January 1, 1916, though in the meantime he had risen by successive promotions until he was third in rauk below the manager. He was then transferred to the main offices of the corporation at Wilmington, Delaware was chief clerk of the sales department, August 1, 1916, wa made assistant director of sales, on November 1, 192), was again transferred to the Pittsburgh District and put in charge of the office of sales manager, and on November I, 1921, became a resident of West Virginia as sales manager at Huntington for the West Virginia District. This dis triet is one of the most important in respect to volume of business originating in the territory, which is a great mining section requiring an enormous volume of powder, dynamite and other explosives manufactured by the Dupont Company. The distriet ineludes the southero part of West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, old Virginia and North Carolina. Under Mr. Bowden's supervision are eleven traveling sale men covering this territory, and there are thirteen employes in the office in the Robson Pritchard Building.

Mr. Bowden is a republican, and a member of the Presby- terian Church. June 22. 1916, at Pittsburgh, he married Miss Mary Brek, daughter of Charles J. and Margaret (Gearing) Beck, residents of Arnold, Pennsylvania, where her father is a building contractor. Mrs. Bowden is a graduate of the Pittsburgh High School. They have two children : William, Jr .. horn April 11, 1917; and John B., born January 12, 1920.

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

JOHN F. JAMESON. Webster Springs, the judicial center of Webster County, has been fortunate in enlisting the services of Mr. Jameson as superintendent of its public schools, the standard of which has been materially ad- vanced under his able administration.

Mr. Jameson claims the old Buckeye State as the place of his nativity, his birth having occurred on the old home- stead farm in Holmes County, Ohio, July 13, 1877, and both his paternal and maternal ancestors having been pio- neer settlers in that county. In Holmes County Robert and Rebecca (Hersh) Jameson, parents of the subject of this review, passed their entire lives, the father's entire career having been one of close and effective association with farm industry save for an interval of three years. Robert Jameson was born in the same house as was his son John F., and the date of his nativity was January 17, 1845, his wife having been born June 9, 1854. He was one of the substantial and representative citizens of his native county at the time of his death, was a democrat in political allegiance, and both he and his wife were earnest members of the Presbyterian Church. Of the three children the sub- jeet of this sketch is the elder of the two surviving, his sister, Mildred, being the wife of Cloyse O. Dailey, of Elm Grove, Ohio County, West Virginia.

Reared on the old homestead farm, John F. Jameson acquired his preliminary education in the district schools, and in 1897 he graduated from the high school at London- ville, Ohio. After having been a successful teacher in the schools of Ohio about six years he entered Wooster College, Ohio, in which he continued his studies one year. Later he graduated from the Ohio Northern University, with the degree of Bachelor of Science, and in the meanwhile he continued teaching in the vacation periods and at other intervals. Later he received from Bethany College the degrees of Bachelor of Philosophy and Bachelor of Peda- gogy, after effective post-graduate courses in this institu- tion. He taught in turn in the public schools of Cameron and Tunelton, West Virginia, and thereafter was for four years in similar service in the public schools at Webster Springs. In connection with the nation's participation in the World war Mr. Jameson was in the government service for several months, as a member of the Federal Board of Vocational Education in the City of Indianapolis, Indiana, and since the completion of this service he has continued his effective regime as superitendent of the public schools of Webster Springs, his wife being supervisor of music in the schools, a position in which she had previously served at Benwood, this state. At Webster Springs Mr. Jameson is affiliated with Addison Lodge No. 116, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and with the camp of the Modern Wood- men of America, both he and his wife being zealous mem- bers of the Christian Church.

In 1911 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Jameson and Miss Hallie Janes, who was graduated from the Thomas Training School in the City of Detroit, Michigan, and who is a specially talented musician. Mr. and Mrs. Jameson have no children.

WILLIAM SIDNEY WYSONG has brought most excellent equipment to his profession, is engaged in the successful practice of law at Webster Springs, judicial center of Webster County, and has distinct status as one of the repre- sentative members of the bar of this section of his native state.

Mr. Wysong was born at Hamlin, Lincoln County, West Virginia, February 13, 1876, and is a son of William M. and Bertha M. (Holt) Wysong, both natives of Virginia, where the former was born November 30, 1845, and the latter was born at Newcastle. Their marriage was solem- nized in 1873. The family name of the first wife of Wil- liam M. Wysong was Smith, and sbe was survived by one son, Creed M., who became an officer in the United States army. The subject of this review is the eldest of the four children of the second marriage; Georgia, next in order of birth, is the wife of Charles F. MeGhee, of Hamlin, Lincoln County; Lillian is the wife of John T. Day, of Hinton, Summers County; and Joseph H. is a resident of Chicago, Illinois. The death of the father occurred August 9, 1903, and the widowed mother is still living (1922).

William Sidney Wysong attended the public schools of Greenbrier County, this state, until he was eleven years old, and thereafter continued his studies in an academy until he had attained to the age of fifteen years. He later received from Hampden-Sidney College, Virginia, the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and in preparation for his chosen pro- fession he entered the law department of the University of West Virginia, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1898 and with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. In the same year he was admitted to the bar at Webster Springs, and the county seat of Webster County has since continued the central stage of his successful professional activities, his clientage being of representative order.

Unfaltering in his advocacy of the principles of the demo- cratic party, Mr. Wysong has been influential in its local councils and campaign work, and he served two terms as representative of Webster County in the State Legislature, besides which he was mayor of Webster Springs during one term and gave a most progressive administration of mu- nicipal affairs. He is a past master of Addison Lodge No. 116, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 29

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