History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 39

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Gordon S. Seal acquired a common and high school edu- eatien at Charleston, and from there entered Johns Hop king University at Baltimore, where he graduated A. B. in 1902. Since his university career he has given undivided attention to his business affairs, first entering the coal busi ness with his father. In 1913 they sold their interests, and Gordon Seal was then for the following two years associated with the John T. Hesser Coal Company. Ile removed to Bluefield in 1915, and from 1916 to 1915 was in the real estate and banking business with the Virginia Realty & Loan Company. In August, 1919, he assisted in organiz ing and incorporating the Curtis-Seal Company. a firm handling general office supplies over an extensive territory in which the important points are Williamson, Bluefield Welch, Bramwell and Tazewell, but he soll oft this busi ness in November, 1921.

Mr. Seal in 1907, at Montgomery, West Virginia, married Miss Inez Austin, daughter of George C. and Jeonie Austin. Four children were born to their marriage, and the three living are Lyall Austin, John Ridley and Jane Ann. Mr. Seal and family are members of the Episcopal Church, an l he is a Royal Arch. Knight Templar and Scottish Rite Ma son and Shriner, a member of the Elky the Kiwanis Chb. Chamber of Commerce and Bluefield Country Club. He is an outdoor man, fond of strenuous exercise, plays golf an l tennis, and his hobby is motor trips to distant points.

WILLIAM H. F. DEMENT. During the ten years required to advance himself from the rank of messenger to enshier of the lluntingten National Bank Mr. Dement man festa l an unflagging devotion to his work and the ideals of servi exemplified by that institution. His influential and usefi place in the business community is a reward of merit, a distinction well worth the effort required to achieve it.

Mr. Dement was born st Proctorville, Ohio, June 4, 1549 His paternal ancestry came originally from France and Germany. His grandfather, William Dement, was born in Noble County, Ohio, following the trade of bl ckom th in Lawrence County, and died near Wilgus in that state. Il is great great-grandfather carried the first mail, in a canoe, from Marietta to Cineinnati, Ohio. Ilenry E. Dement, father of the Huntington banker, was born near Wilgus in Lawrence County in 1858, grew up there on a farm, became a blacksmith at Bradrick, Ohio, where he married, and sine abont 1880 has lived at Proctorville. With the development of the automobile he adapted his trade to the requirements

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of that industry, and for a number of years has owned and operated a public garage. Since 1919 he has owned a farm and large apple orchard in that section of Ohio. He is a republican. His wife, Cora J. Forgey, is a daughter of James Forgey, a captain on the Mississippi River during the Civil war. She is a granddaughter of Gen. A. F. Fuller of the War of 1812. Mrs. Dement was born at Bradrick, Ohio, in 1860. Of their children, Ruby D., a resident of Hunting- ton, is the widow of Charles Heinz, who was a blacksmith; Carl is manager of the home farm at Proctorville; Orla E. is associated in business with his father; Roma is the wife of Charles E. Rose, a millwright at Guyandotte, West Vir- ginia; William H. F. is the fifth child; Velmer is also associated with his father in business; and Valgene is con- nected with the home farm.

William H. F. Dement graduated from the Proctorville High School in 1907, and soon afterward came to Hunting- ton, graduating from the Booth Business College of that city in 1910. Mr. Dement on October 29, 1911, began his service with the Huntington National Bank as a messenger boy. His increasing experience and ability brought him successive promotions, and he did the work of individual bookkeeper, discount bookkeeper and general bookkeeper, was promoted to assistant cashier and on August 1, 1921, was elected cashier. Besides his executive duties with this large and important bank he is interested in the home farm and orchard.

Mr. Dement is a republican, is affiliated with Proctor- ville Lodge No. 550, A. F. and A. M., Huntington Lodge No. 313, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Tri-State Credit and Adjustment Bureau. Recently, in 1922, he completed one of the excellent homes in a restricted resi- dential section at 51 Ninth Avenue.

The only important interruption to his service with the Huntington National Bank came in the World war. June 14, 1918, he enlisted, was sent to the Training Detachment Public Schools at Hughes High School in Cincinnati, was there two months and was then transferred to the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Depot Brigade at Camp Meade, Maryland. On August 14, 1918, he was assigned to Com- pany H of the Seventy-first Infantry in the Lafayette or Eleventhi Division and later was transferred to the Head- quarters Company of the same regiment and assigned to the personnel office. He received his honorable discharge January 31, 1919, with the rank of corporal. Mr. Dement is unmarried.

WADE H. POST, M. D. For sixteen consecutive years Doctor Post has applied himself to the practice of med- icine and the varied service demanded of a capable and high minded physician in the Masontown community of Preston County. He came here as successor to the old physician, Doctor Cobun, who had carried most of the burdens of local practice.

Doctor Post was born in Lewis County, West Virginia, April 8, 1877. Ilis grandfather, Jolin Post, spent his active life in Lewis County, and married a Miss Cookman. Of their eight children six are still living. William F. Post, father of Doctor Post, was a native of Lewis County and married Elizabeth Jane Young, of Harrison County. Her children were: Scott, of Seattle, Washington; Birdie, wife of W. E. Rhodes, of Lewis County; Wilda, wife of Dr. C. L. Cookman, of Buckhannon, West Virginia; Wade H .; Ansel B., of Lost Creek, West Virginia; and Porter W., who was killed in an automobile accident at Morgan- town in June, 1919, leaving a wife and a daughter, Jane Porter Post.

Wade H. Post lived on his father's farm during his youth and continued to call that his home until he was about twenty-five years of age and qualified for profes- sional work. He was educated in the country schools, in Union College at Buckhannon one term, then in the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, and prepared for his profession in the Baltimore Medical College, where he grad- uated in 1901. Doctor Post first practiced at Jane Lew in Lewis County, remaining there a year, and then at Dell- glow in Monongalia County. When he located at Mason-

town he moved only a short distance across the county line from Dellglow. Doctor Post has served a year as president of the County Medical Society, is a member of the West Virginia State and American Medical associa- tions, is a local surgeon for the Baltimore & Ohio Railway, and a member of the Railway Surgeons Association of the Baltimore & Ohio system.

Aside from his busy days as a physician Doctor Post was one of the organizers and is first vice president and one of the directors of the Bank of Masontown. He is also president of the Reed Run Coal Company, and has had other business interests but has disposed of them. He avoids too many of the honors and responsibilities of pol- ities, but is a member of the Executive Committee of the democratic party in Preston County. His first national vote went to Mr. Bryan in 1900. Doctor Post is affiliated with Preston Lodge No. 90, A. F. and A. M., Royal Arch Chapter No. 30 at Morgantown; Osiris Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Wheeling; and he is also a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias.

In Harrison County, October 7, 1902, Doctor Post mar- ried Miss Mary Eleanor Eib, a native of that county and sixth and youngest child of James M. and Arminda ( Arnold) Eib. Her father was a farmer of the Lost Creek community and member of an old family of German origin. Doctor Post lost his first wife by death. She was survived by three children : Mary Christine, James William and Helena Arminda. At Rockville, Maryland, April 8, 1915, Doctor Post married Miss Grace Clayton, daughter of T. M. and Josephine (Trickett) Clayton. The only child born to Doctor and Mrs. Post died in infancy.

EVERETT A. LUZADER, superintendent of the schools of Valley District in Preston County, is one of the forceful young men engaged in the modern educational program of West Virginia, and his life so far has been devoted either to getting an education himself or teaching and school ad- ministration.

He was born at Auburn, Ritchie County, West Virginia, March 2, 1884. His grandfather, Daniel D. Luzader, was born at Grafton, West Virginia, son of the founder of the family in this state, who came from Germany. Daniel D. Luzader was a Union soldier at the time of the Civil war, enlisting from Taylor County. He married Martha New- lon, of Grafton, and the oldest of their nine children was Winfield Scott Luzader. The latter was born at Grafton in October, 1853, and has spent his active career as a teacher and farmer. He taught in Ritchie County for ten years, but is now devoting his time to his farm. He married Clara Davis, whose father, John Davis, enlisted as a Union soldier in the State of Minnesota, and after the war re- turned East and spent the rest of his life as a farmer near Berea in Ritchie County. Mrs. Scott Luzader died June 10, 1900. Her children were: Lucretia, wife of Mr. Wood- zell, of Hot Springs, Virginia; Everett A .; Flossie, wife of E. E. Brown, of Auburn; May, a teacher in the Auburn schools; Gladys and Thyrza, twins, and Otis, all living on their father's farm. Scott Luzader has always kept in touch with educational affairs, and for twelve years was a member of the Board of Education of Union District. He has given an active support to the republican party, and the family record is that of men interested and more or less active in politics. He and his family are Baptists.

Everett A. Luzader is, therefore, representative of a fam- ily long identified with the cause of education and agri- culture. He spent his early life on a farm, attended coun- try schools, and completed the normal course of Salem College in 1909, but had already taught two years before graduating. The next three years he devoted his time consecutively to the duties of the schoolroom. The fol- lowing year he was a student in the University of West Virginia, and then returned to Salem College, where he finished his literary education and graduated A. B. in 1915.

After graduating Mr. Luzader was principal of the Salem High School for four years, was principal of the Newburg High School one year, and came to Masontown as principal of the school of that village, but a year later, in July, 1920, was elected superintendent of Valley District. As super-

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intendent he has supervision of soventeen schools, two of them being high schoola, aud a staff of thirty-one teachera. He has done something constructive and progressive in the local educational program, ineluding the completion of the Masontown school building, the improvement of its eampus, adding a course in citizenship to the school curriculum and also increasing by a year the timo devoted to the study of argriculture, economics and sociology.

Mr. Luzader is affiliated with Salem Lodge, Knights of Pythias. At Tunnelton, December 10, 1914, he married Miss Gail Hemsworth, formerly of Harrisville, Ritchie County, where she was reared. She was born May 26, 1892, grad- usted from the Harrisville High School and the normal de- partment of Salem College, and at the age of sixteen began teaching. She is the mother of three children, Brooks, Morgan and Ralph, but at the same time she keeps up her educational work as one of the teachers in the Valley District High School at Masontown.

MILES H. ORR, an honored Union veteran of the Civil war, for half a century a farmer in the vicinity of Masoa- town, represents a family that was established in that part of Preston County late in the eighteenth century, and the name has been one of honorable associations in that com- munity ever since.

The great-grandfather of Miles Orr was John Orr, a native of Ireland, who came to America about 1758. His son, John Dale Orr, took part as a soldier in the American Revolution. Hle was with the American forces at the sur- render of General Cornwallis at Yorktown. Soon after the elose of the war he left MeClellantown, Pennsylvania, and came to Preston County, West Virginia, establishing his home on Sand Ridge near Independence. Here he eleared the land and spent the rest of his active years farming. He died about 1840, and is buried in the cemetery on Scott 's Hill. His wife, Elizabeth Johns, lies besides him. Their children were: Catherine, who became the wife of Elisha Fortney and lived in Harrison County; John, whose life was spent as a farmer in Preston County; Ruth, who be- came the wife of William Menear and died at Scott's Hill; Hiram, whose record follows; George, who lived near Inde- pendence and is buried on the home farm; and James, who became a Baptist minister, moved to Illinois, and died in that state.

Hiram Orr was born in Preston County, near Inde- pendenee, in 1803, and his effective work and most of his yeara were spent in the Seott's Hill locality, where he died in 1856. His wife, Keziah Menear, was born near Glades- ville and died in 1845. Her father, John Menear, was a farmer and died while visiting in Ohio. Of the children ef Hiram Orr and wife, Major Uriah was an officer in the Sixth West Virginia Infantry during the Civil war, was for many years in the lumber business as a mill man and apent his last years retired at Kingwood. Martha became the wife of A. B. Menear and died at Kingwood. Eugenus lived near the old homestead. Morgan D. was a Union soldier in the Third West Virginia Infantry, and spent his last days at Fairmont. Miles H. is the next in age. Keziah is Mrs. Monroe Martin and a resident of Reedsville, West Virginia. A half brother of these children, W. Lee, spent most of his life at Baltimore, where he is buried.

Miles H. Orr was born December 17, 1844, was an infant when his mother died, and only twelve at the death of his father. He lived among his uneles and acquired a sub- seription-school education, and at the same time was trained to farming. On August 15, 1862, at the age of eighteen, be enlisted from Preston County in Company B of the Fourteenth West Virginia Infantry. His two eaptaina were Clinton Jeffers and John D. Elliott, while the regi- ment was first commanded by Colonel Core and then by Col. D. D. Johnsen. The regiment rendezvoused at Wheel- ing, went thenee to Clarksburg, then to New Creek, now Keyser West Virginia, and was ordered to Gettysburg, but arrived too late to take part in the great battle. His com- mand then went into eamp at Romney, moved from there to Petersburg, and the regiment took part in the Salem raid as far as McDowell, where the Confederates blocked the way. Returning to Petersburg and then to Keyser, the

regiment from the latter point marched to Burlington, where it ny during the remainder of the winter. In the spring of 1864 they went on the Dublin rand, and stopped at the battle of Cloyd Mountain and New River Bridge, and then dropped back to Meadow liluff and then to Lynch burg, Virginia, and finally to Camp Pintt. From there they marched to Martinsburg, and suun nfterward joined in the Shenandoah Valley campaign. They fought in the minor engagement at Stephenson's Depot on the 19th of Septem. ber and in the battle of Winchester on the 24th. Thence they fell back to IInrpers Ferry, and from that point movel up to Cedar Creek, but was forced back to Bolivar Heights. About this time General Sheridan brought re-enforcements from the Army of the Potomne into the Valley, and the troops moved on, striking the Confederates under old Ju al A. Early at llulltown. They then fought the battle of Fisher's Hill, soon after which occurred tho conclusive bnt. tle of Cedar Creek, in which Sheridan made his famous ride and which eleared the Confederates from the valley. Afterward the Fourteenth West Virginia was assigned duty guarding different points on the Baltimore & Ohio Rail way, and Mr. Orr was in that service until discharged. When he heard of the surrender of General Lee's army he was one of thirty men guarding a division truin three miles north of Winchester. He was discharged at Cumberland but mastered out at Wheeling. llis regiment bnd a record of twenty four battles and skirmishes and he participated in twenty-one of them. His elothing was riddled by bul- lets, but he escaped without & aliot.

When he resumed the life of a civilian Mr. Orr returned to the farm and soon bought a traet of land in Valley District. He was occupied with the duties of that farm until the early '80s and since 1853 has been a resident of Masontown. He bought other lands in this vicin ty, and farming has constituted the bulk of his businesa responsi- bilities. Ile was one of the promoters and is a director of the Bank of Masontown.

Mr. Orr cast his first ballot for President Lincoln while in the field as a soldier in 1564, and hus never failed to support the republican candidate at presidential elcetions since then. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Grand Army of the Republic. He attended the National Encampment at Washington in 1902, and has met and visited with his ohl Colonel Johnson several times and in 1915 had the good fortune to meet his old com- mander, General Duval.

December 24, 1867, Mr. Orr married Miss Elizabeth .Ash. burn, daughter of Anron and llannah Ashburn. She was born in the Valley Distriet of Preston County, January 31, 1845, and died November 25, 1913, forty-six years nfter their marriage. The children of their union were: Birdie M., wife of George M. Cobun, of Morgantown; Olive M., wife of N. J. Seaman, of Paden City, West Virginia; Lucy May, at home with her father; and Furest U., who died unmarried at Morgantown.

MAHALA JANE ELLIOTT, a business woman of Kingwood, is a native of Preston County and a member of un old and well connected family near Newburg.

Her grandfather, Thomas Shay, founded the family near Newburg. He was the grandson of an Irishman who estab- lished this branch of the Shay family in America. Thomas Shay served as a soldier in the War of 1512. Otherwise his life was devoted to hia farm, and he never sought the dis- tinetions of public service. He was a member of the Moth- odist Episcopal Church. He was about eighty years of age when he died. Thomas Shay married Phoebe A. Sidwell, who survived him three years. Their children were : Ezekiel, a blacksmith, who died in Monongalia County ; Mary, who became the wife of Alfred Moreland and died in Barbour County; Reea, a farmer who died in Preston County; Benjamin, who died on his farm in Lyon Distri t of that county; Hugh, who spent his life as a farmer in Preston County; Jesse, a farmer of Preston County ; D+ b- bie, who died in Preston County, the wife of William Shannon; and James.

James Shay, youngest of the children and the father of Mrs. Elliott of Kingwood, was born near Newburg,

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October 7, 1829. He became a farmer, and besides enlti- vating the soil raised stock on a rather extensive scale. His entire life was spent on the farm where he was born. He died there in May, 1878. He participated in politics only to the extent of voting, and, like all the other mem- bers of the Shay family, was a stanch republican. James Shay married Mary Hanway, daughter of Samuel and Ma- hala (Cox) Hanway. Samuel Hanway was a resident of Reno District of Preston County, but in the early '70s re- moved to Kansas and settled in Bourbon County, and he died at Barnsville. His children were: Mary, George, Ezekiel, Mrs. Sarah Bishop, Mrs. Rachel Bishop, Mrs. Jane Thomas, James Madison, Holton, Mrs. Rebecca Shaw, John, who died during the Civil war at Camp Chase, Ohio, Robert, and Joseph, a resident of Howard, Kansas. Three of the children, Ezekiel, George and Mrs. Sarah Bishop, died in Bourbon County, Kansas. Mrs. James Shay died April 5, 1892, mother of the following children: Mrs. Mahala Elliott; Thomas R., of Tunnelton; Carmac and George L., of Kingwood; Elibabeth E., whose first husband was Walter B. Garner and she is now the wife of Elmer Christopher, of Kingwood; Della A., wife of Waitman T. Newcomb, of Kingwood; and Ella, wife of Charles A. Fletcher, of Washington, D. C.

Mahala Jane Shay was born at Newburg, March 1, 1860. She and the other children had only the advantages of the common schools, and her years were spent at the old home- stead until her marriage on December 20, 1891, to James M. Elliott. Mr. Elliott was born and brought up on a farm within three miles of Kingwood. His father was John Elliott, and he was the youngest of the children to reach mature years, the others being Isaac, William, Mrs. Rebecca Bailey, Mrs. Nancy Forker, Samuel, John Dougherty and Mrs. Minerva Bailey.

When Mr. and Mrs. Elliott were married they established themselves on the old Elliott farm, and lived there until Mr. Elliott's death, which occurred January 12, 1912. Mr. Elliott was chiefly interested in the efficient condnet of his farm, and outside of this he worshiped as a Methodist and voted as a stanch republican. The only child born to Mr. and Mrs. Elliott was named John Shay, and he died at the age of three years.

Mrs. Elliott in 1919 removed to Kingwood, and has since engaged in the grocery and confectionery business. She cast her first ballot in 1920, and the head of the ticket bore the name Warren G. Harding.

ROBERT LAMLEY ARCHER, vice president of the First Na- tional Bank of Huntington, has been through every de- partment of that bank's service beginning as messenger. His record of over thirty years constitutes him one of the older active bankers of the state. Mr. Archer is one of the best known of West Virginia's financial leaders, and has been honored with the offices of secretary, treasurer and president of the State Bankers Association and he also served as a member of the Executive Council of the Ameri- can Bankers Association.

He was born in Lawrence County, Ohio, August 24, 1871. His father, Thomas Archer, was born at Penrith, Cumber- land County, England, was reared and educated there, married his first wife in England, and his career through- out was merchandising. About 1861 he came to the United States and located at Cleves in Hamilton County, Ohio, and in October, 1871, came to Huntington, where he estab- lished and built up his successful mercantile enterprise, and was active in its management when he died in 1876. He was a very devout Presbyterian. His second wife was Frances Mather Richey, who was born in 1833 at West Point, New York, and died at Huntington in 1917. Her three sons were: Richard M., a newspaper editor at Wheeling; Robert Lamley; and Frank M., a wholesale merchant at Bluefield, West Virginia.

Robert Lamley Archer was reared from early infancy in Huntington, attended the public schools there, and after leaving high school at the age of fifteen was employed for three years in an insurance office and then became clerk in the lumber agent's office of the Ensign Manufactur- ing Company, now the American Car and Foundry Com-

pany. Leaving there in 1890, Mr. Archer entered the First National Bank of Huntington as messenger and collection clerk, and subsequent promotions gave him a definite work- ing acquaintance with the duties of individual bookkeeper, general bookkeeper, teller, assistant cashier and cashier and in 1920 he was elected vice president. Mr. Archer is also president of the Huntington Roofing Tile Company, treasurer of the Huntington Orchard Company, and has other business interests.

For nine years he was a member of the Huntington Board of Education. He is a republican, a vestryman in the Episcopal Church, a member of the Sons of the Ameri- can Revolution, the Rotary Club, Guyan Country Club and Guyandotte Club, all of Huntington. His home is at 1505 Sixth Avenue. During the World war Mr. Archer was chairman of the Huntington committees for the prosecu- tion of the first and second Liberty Loan drives, and then received appointment from the secretary of the treasury to act as state director of War Savings. In this post he thoroughly organized the state, establishing committees in every county, made many speeches and gave personal direction to the campaign, and altogether his organization effected the sale of $20,000,000 worth of War Savings Stamps in the state.

In 1893, at West Columbia, Mason County, West Vir- ginia, Mr. Archer married Irma Louise Knight, daughter of Dr. Aquilla L. and Susan Frances (Willis) Knight, now deceased. Her father was an honored and capable phy- sician and surgeon at West Columbia. Mrs. Archer is a graduate of Marshall College of Huntington.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 39

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