History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 48

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Of his publie record and more extended business conner tions the first item of interest is that he began voting as republican and supported Benjamin Harrison as a candidat for President. He served four years as deputy assessor c Preston County under J. Ami Everly. Since then farm an other business interests have elaimed his time to the excl. sion of official service. Mr. Craig is one of the viee pres dents of the Kingwood National Bank, a director of th Roseburg Wholesale Grocery Company, a stockholder in th Masontown Bank, a director of the Preston County Lumbe Company, is financially interested in the Liek Run Collierie Company and the Barnard Coal Company of Kingwood, an is a stockholder in the Hilltop Orehard Company of Romine: West Virginia, a corporation owning and operating one ( the fine peach orehards in that horticultural seetion of th state.

September 30, 1891, in Preston County, Mr. Craig ma ried Miss Mary Avis Martin. She was born in Presto County, September 15, 1873, second among the children c W. D. and Mary Elizabeth (Shahan) Martin. The othe children of her parents are Lloyd, of Pittsburgh, Guy M., c Arizona, Lula, wife of Norman Cale, of Tunnelton, Wes Virginia, Sadie M. and Harry J., of Tunnelton. The Ma: tin home is a farm at Irona, where the mother of Mr. Craig died in May, 1918. Mrs. Craig had a very good edi cation in the publie schools, and has always kept in toue with the intellectual interests of the community. She an Mr. Craig have reared a splendid family of children namely: Charles W .; Virgie, wife of Jack Everetts, c. Morgantown; Ella, Mrs. J. Ross Manown, of Kingwood Mabel G .; Lula, who married H. H. Carrieo, of Tunneltoi West Virginia; Harold A .; Bertus M .; Juanita and Thoma Lantz. The oldest son, Charles W. Craig, who was bor September 24, 1892, graduated with the honors of his elas of 19II and as class president from the Kingwood Hig School, graduated in 1912 from the Elliott Business Colleg in Wheeling, and became bookkeeper and assistant eashie of the Kingwood National Bank. For a time he was genere

n .. Black m. D.

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hanager of the store and bookkeeper for the Gibson Lumber ompany, and then became a coal operator en his own ac- suat, opening and eventually selling tive mines near King. ood. At this stage of his promising business career came he call of patriotic duty, and he entered the Officers Train- ig Camp at Camp Lee, where he was commissioned a second eutenant. He was detailed to go te Frauce as a coal in- vector, but the signing of the armistice prevented him from oing overseas. On resuming civilian life he became n raveling salesman for the Jehn S. Naylor Company of Wheeling, but has since resumed the coal business and is now perating three different mines near Kingwood.

WILLIAM P. BLACK, M. D. A physician and surgeon shose home and practice have been in Charleston for half dozen years, Doeter Black is filling the office of county uroner of Kanawha County.

A native of West Virginia, he was born in Meadow Bluff District, Greenbrier County, in 15$3, son of S. T. and Laura Bivens) Black, natives of the state and members of old amilies in Greenbrier County. Doctor Black's uncle, Rev. Sam Black, was one of the prominent men in his section of the state, a Methodist minister, known and revered in nany localities.

Doctor Black spent his early life on the farm. He had ndifferent school advantages while there, and after leav- ng home at the age of eighteen he earned the money for is better education. . He attended the Smoot Normal School and graduated from the Dunsmore Business College 906, at Staunten, Virginia. He studied medieine in the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, new the nedieal department of the University of Maryland, where je graduated in 1914. For the first two years he practiced at Blakely, and in 1916 removed to Charleston. Docter Black is skillful and noted for the thoroughness of his work and consequently has a high standing in the medical profession.

Particularly he has won general approval by the judg nent and consideration with which he has discharged his luties as coroner, an office to which he was qualified in January, 1920. He is a member of the County, State and American Medical Associations, is a York and Scottish Rite Masen and Shriner, and a member of the Methodist Epis. ·opal Church.

Dortor Black married Miss Grace Royston, of Baltimore. Their two children are Iva D. and William P., Jr.

STALEY D. ALBRIGHT is one of the group of enterprising nen and public spirited citizens who have been responsible for the development of the Village of Albright as a center of commerce and trade in Preston County. He is a merchant there, and is also interested in the coal mining industry of this vicinity.

He was born in Cranesville, Preston County, October 7, 1878. His great-grandfather was Daniel Albright, prob- ably a native of Germany, who settled in America at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Some years later he moved from Pennsylvania to West Virginia. lle was a tailer by trade. Among his children was Michael Albright, whe was reared at Cranesville in Preston County and spent his life there as a farmer. He owned a large amount of land and was a prosperous and substantial citizen in every way. He was a republican in politics. He married Miss Bishop, and their children were: Henry B., who served as a Union soldier in the Civil war; Edward, also a soldier on the Union side; Mary, who became the wife of Michael Feather; Eli G .; Malinda, who was married to Hiram Ringer; and Clinton.

Eli G. Albright, father of the Albright merchant and banker, was born at Cranesville in 1852, and is still living in that community. He finished his education at Flemington, and as a young man taught school around Cranesville. He finally settled down te farming and stock raising, and was formerly a drover to Eastern markets, and has done a very successful business as a dealer and feeder of livestock. Eli G. Albright married Isabel Frankheuser, a daughter of Israel Frankheuser. Her father was a farmer in Maryland, near Brandonville, West Virginia. Mrs. Eli Albright died

in February, 1919. She was the mother of three sons. Burr Albright was for several years a merchant at Howen. ville, served as sheriff under Sheriff Copeman in 1921 ant is now farming the homestead at Cranesville. The se ond son is Staley D., and the third 18 Floyd V., a farmer ut Cranesville.

Staley D. Albright, who has never married, grew up on his father's farm at Cranesvill, attended the cofimon schools, and after lenving home way for five years in the employ of the Davis Coal & Coke Company He tin r. moved to Albright and became successor to the head mer chant, B. F. Iloggins, and has been active in genera merchandising there since 1907. In addition he hler engaged in the coal business as an operator, and has ny sisted in the development of the properties of the Moright Coal Company. He was one of the founders of the Frut National Bank of Albright, and is a director and vice pres ident of that institution. Ile is also one of the company which constructed the garage at Mbright in 1921.

Mr. Albright comes of a repubbean family and cast his first vote for Major Me Kinley in 1900. Ile has never missed a national election and voting for his party ticket since then. Fraternally he is a Mason and Knight ul Pythias, and is a member of the Methodist Church, thoug reared in the Evangelical faith.

REV. PETER FLYNN, pastor of St. Francis Cathol Church in Morgantown, has been a consecrated worker il the diocese of West Virginia since he took his orders as a priest and came to the United States,

He was born in County Westmeath Ireland, January 29, 1876, son of James and Kate Kilian) Flynn, Trish farm ing people. Early in his life it was deruled that he should he edneated for the priesthood, and with that in view he attended the Christian Brothers school in his native county, also the diocesan seminary there, and followed this with the training of the theological seminary in County Wexford Here he was graduated in 1904, and in October of the same year arrived in the U'nited States.

Father Flynn's first post of duty was the cathedral city of Wheeling. For seven years he was located at l'arkers burg as chaplain of the DeSales Heights Academy, ful lowing which for fifteen months he was pastor of the church at Mannington in Marion County.

He has been engaged in his pleasant and useful latur- at St. Francis Church in Morgantown since 1911. The church, on MeLean Street, near Sixth, was built in Isy- The parish has enjoyed a steady growth during Pathe Flynn's pastorate, and the congregation now numbers ove six hundred seuls. Among other substantial improvements during the last eight years should be mentionel the bu lding in 1918 of the two-story and basement parochial school. while in 1920 was completed a convent for the U'rs hne Sisters, who have charge of the school. There are seven of these Sisters, the headquarters of the Uronline Order being at Louisville. The parsonage is also a creatable building, and was purchased by the parish as it stands.

SWAN N. GUSTAFSON has had an interesting can iem since coming to America thirty years ago, has worked in the timber and in lomber mills, in steel mills, for many years has been connected with merchandising, and now has the general stere of Rothbel, near the village of Albright, in Preston County, and has been one of the influential men in that community since 1913.

Mr. Gustafson was born in the Province of Werin anl. Sweden, August 4, 156%. His father was Gustav Mat on and his mother, Lena Swanson, Swedish farmers. Their ance try runs back many generations in Sweden. The forefather of Gustav Matson were the Shulstroms, a people who had decided artistie talents, and some of them were noted seulptors and painters. The Lutheran Church, built 1733. in the parish of Svanskeg in Wermland was decorated ty Mr. Gustafson's great grandfather, Shulstrom, who serv i his apprenticeship in art in Italy and other parts of South crn Europe.

Swan A. Gustafson was the oldest of the family of thr. daughters and two sons. His brother, John, die l unmar

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ried in Erie, Pennsylvania. His sister, Amanda, is the wife of Axel Nelson, of Sweden; Augusta lives with her widowed mother in the old country; and Axelia is the wife of Hjalmar Gustafson, living near the old Swedish homestead. The father of these children, Gustav Matson, died July 9, 1921. He had military training as a youth, but was never called to active duty, since Sweden has had no war since the Napoleonic era.

Swan A. Gustafson attended the public schools of his home locality, and after leaving home he followed farm- ing for a time in the central part of Norway. He was reared under a limited monarchy, one of the best govern- ments in Europe, but he early had yearnings for a life in the Republic of America. In April, 1891, he left Eu- rope, sailing from Gothenberg, Sweden, on a steamer of the Wilson line to Liverpool, thence the Cunard liner Gallia carried him over the ocean, and after a voyage of ten days he landed at Castle Garden, April 26th. On land- ing he had about $10 in cash and a railway ticket to Ridgeway, Pennsylvania. Soon after reaching Ridgeway he secured work in a sawmill at Mill Creek, remained there three or four months, and then secured better pay and a steadier job in a mill at Ridgeway. This mill closed in November of the same year, but he found a place in an- other mill. After about two years he went to Pittsburgh and secured work in the converting department of the steel mills at Homestead as a helper on the vessels. These mills shut down as a result of the panic of 1893, and he then returned to the lumber camps at Ridgeway.

In October, 1895, Mr. Gustafson came into West Vir- ginia, first stopping at Harmon in Randolph County, where he worked in lumber camps. In the spring of 1896 he went to Horton, and for five years was employed by the Condon-Lane Boom Lumber Company. In the spring of 1900 he moved to Elkins and entered the service of B. Golden, a merchant, and was one of Mr. Golden's most trusted men for ten years. Though he worked on a salary for a large part of the time, he had the real responsibility of running the business. On leaving Elkins Mr. Gustafson became manager of the store of Richard Chaffee at Wil- liams in Tucker County, remaining there three years. Mr. Chaffee formed the Ruthbel Lumber Company and built the mill at Caflisch, near Albright, and Mr. Gustafson went there to take charge of the company store. From 1913 to August, 1917, he continued under that management, and after the sale of the business he remained as the man- ager for the Caflisch Lumber Company.

Mr. Gustafson is also a stockholder and director of the First National Bank of Albright, a stockholder in the Bank of Kingwood, and is identified with coal operations in Kentucky. He has held a commission as notary public in Preston County, and he took out his first citizenship papers at Ridgeway, Pennsylvania, in September, 1891, his final papers being awarded him in Parsons, West Virginia, in October, 1906. He began voting as a republican, followed the Roosevelt element into the progressive party in 1912, and subsequently resumed his old affiliation. Mr. Gustafson is a Royal Arch Mason, a member of the Knights of Pythias, and is a past master of Elkins Lodge of Masons. He was reared a Lutheran but is now a Presbyterian.

In Tucker County, West Virginia, in August, 1910, he married Miss Lephia Hope Werner, a native of Michigan, who was reared near Eglon in Preston County. She is a graduate of the Ohio Northern University at Ada and before her marriage was a teacher in Preston and Tucker counties. Mr. and Mrs. Gustafson have two sons, Carl Werner and John Augustus.

WILLIAM HAWKER BILLINGSLEA, who has been a factor in the public and business life of Marion County over thirty years, is a resident of Fairmont, and has an extensive busi- ness throughout this district as a dealer in coal and mineral lands.

He was born July 20, 1864, in a log house built by his paternal grandfather, a house still standing in the Lincoln District of Marion County. His grandfather, Silas Billings- lea, was born in the Paw Paw District of Marion, then Monongalia County, and married Ann Morgan, a native of

Monongalia County and member of the pioneer family of Morgan for whom Morgantown was named.

Jamee S. Billingslea, father of William H., was born in the log house just mentioned on June 6, 1837. After many years devoted to his farm he moved to Worthington, Marion County, where he lived retired until his death on March 10, 1919. He was a republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His wife, Nancy Hawker, daughter of William Hawker, a pioneer farmer of Marion County, was born in Mannington District and is now in her eighty-second year.

William H. Billingslea as a boy on the home farm at- tended the common schools, taught several terms in coun- try districts, and in 1885 went to the newer country of the West. In Hamilton County, Kansas, he pre-empted a farm, and subsequently was in the real estate business at Kendal. in that county. From Kansas a few years later he moved to Salt Lake City, where for a year he was in the abstract and title business.

In 1890 he returned to West Virginia, and in 1896 was elected county assessor of Marion County, being the only republican candidate on the county ticket elected that year .! He justified the confidence of his friends by the efficient record he made during the four years he was in office. Later he was nominated for the State Legislature, but de- clined in favor of a friend to whom he had pledged his support in convention. After leaving the office of assessor Mr. Billingslea entered the furniture business at Fairmont, but retired from that to give his attention to the coal business, and he handles coal lands, buying and selling coal acreage in the Fairmont District. He was one of the organizers and incorporators of the Fairmont & Cleveland Coal Company, and is still a director in the corporation.

Fraternally Mr. Billingslea is a member of Fairmont Lodge No. 9, F. and A. M., Orient Chapter No. 9, R. A. M., Crusade Commandery No. 6, K. T., and Osiris Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Wheeling. He is a charter member of Evergreen Lodge No. 14, Knights of Pythias, at Worth- ington, and at a recently called meeting of the lodge he was one of the six members presented with a gold medal as token of twenty-five years of membership in good stand- ing. Mr. Billingslea participates in the activities of the Fairmont Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the First Baptist Church.

He married Miss Florence Snodderly. She was born in Fairmont District in 1872, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Ice) Snodderly, both parents still living. Her mother is descended from that historic character, Abraham Ice, who was the first white child horn west of the Allegheny Moun- tains in West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Billingslea have two children, Paul and Jean. Paul, who graduated in civil engi- neering from Valparaiso University, Indiana, is chief engineer for the Brady Coal Company of Fairmont, and married Octavia Hunt. Jean, a graduate with the A. B. degree from the University of West Virginia with the class of 1919, is a teacher in the Fairmont High School.

OSCAR F. PAYNE. Becoming a resident of Charleston thirty years ago, Oscar F. Payne first devoted himself to the achievement represented by a successful business ca- reer, but for a number of years past has associated with his banking and business affairs a notable interest and leadership in the civic and social advancement of the com- munity. Such men as Mr. Payne constitute a powerful nucleus of means, instrumentalities and influence which in all times have built cities and made communities great and prosperous.

Mr. Payne was born at Palmyra, Virginia, in 1873, son of Collin Patton and Beatrice (Clark) Payne. His grand- father Joseph Payne, was a Confederate soldier and at one time sheriff of Fluvanna County. Collin Patton Payne for many years has been a resident of Charleston, West Vir- ginia. His first wife, Beatrice, died in 1885, Oscar F. be- ing her only eon.

Oscar F. Payne acquired a public school education and as a youth entered the service of the Kanawha & Michi- gan Railroad Company. He was in that service twenty- three years, and had he chosen to remain he might have

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ecome a prominent figure in the transportation life of the ation. In 1903, after many consecutive promotions, at le age of thirty, he was made general agent of the freight epartment of the Kanawha & Michigan. Ile served as eneral agent eight years, resigning January 1, 1911, to ok after other business connections he had formed. Mr. ayne has been a resident of West Virginia sinee 1886 and resident of Charleston eince 1891.

When he left the railroad he became associated as treas- rer and traffic manager with the Steele & Payne Company, rokers and commission merchants at Charleston. This usiness was incorporated in 1903 as the Steele & Brown Company. It is now Davis, Payne & Company, brokers and ommission dealers in produce, hay and grain, one of the irgest firms of its kind in the state, the aggregate of its ransactions running to annual figures of several millions. In addition Mr. Payne is president of the Security 'ank & Trust Company, one of the strongest and most ipidly growing banks of the city and also a director in he Bank of Dunbar. He is president of the Empire Sav- ngs & Loan Company, also president of the Commercial avings & Loan Company and is a director of the Community avings & Loan Company. In 1913 he served as president f the Charleston Chamber of Commerce, and is now chair- jan of the transportation committee of that body.

Among a number of civic honors and responsibilities he as enjoyed, doubtless Mr. Payne derives the greatest sat- sfaction from his connection with Charleston's unique or- anization known as the Union Mission. He has the honor f being president of the board of directors of this mission. The title of this institution in no wise describes the mani- old activities and directions of useful service. In fact here is no institution quite like it in the country nor one hat excels it in practical helpfulness in its equipment of buildings and staff of teachers, nurses and physicians; in he amount of money it has raised for carrying on its work, nd in its vocational, educational and recreational facili- ies. From this mission like missions have been estab- ished in many places in West Virginia and in a number of ther statea. The mission is governed by a board of di- 'ectors representing all the different denominations in Charleston, two members from each church, this board ·lecting the president.

Mr. Payne is a vestryman and treasurer of St. John's Episcopal Church, and is affiliated with the Rotary Club, Elks and United Commercial Travelers. He is the type of citizen who honors any party by a place on its ticket. In 1916 he was elected as a democrat to the House of Dele- rates in the State Legislature, serving in the sessions of 1917-18. While in the Legislature he was a leader in the prohibition enforcement measures, and another object to which he devoted his earnest effort was the good roads leg- slation under which the state began the construction of ts present good roads system.

Mr. Payne married Miss Mary R. Rnffner. She was born in Charleston in 1873, daughter of Henry D. and Sal- ie (Patrick) Ruffner. Mr. and Mrs. Payne have one son, Ruffner Roger Payne, who was born March 12, 1899.

LEE R. HOWELL, superintendent of the mines of the Wood Coal Company on Dingess Run, Logan County, with the Village of Ethel as his headquarters, was born at Fairfield, Kanawha County, this state, March 28, 1876, and is a son of John W. and Lucinda (Jones) Howell, who came to this tate from Floyd County, Virginia, shortly after the close of the Civil war, the overland trip having been made with team and wagon, before the construction of railroads chrongh this section. John W. Howell had much skill as a blacksmith and worker in wood, but he became an exponent of farm enterprise in Kanawha County, where his farm, on the Great Kanawha River, had an excellent deposit of coal. He later sold the property to coal companies, and when the line of Cheasapeake & Ohio Railroad was under construction he was employed in the building of its bridges. He was a member of a Virginia regiment in the Confederate service in the Civil war, and took part in many engagements, in- luding the battle of Gettysburg. He was captured several times but on each occasion contrived to escape through the

aid of friends. In later years he delighted in recalling his experience in trading tobarco to Union soldiers for coffee He was a stanch republican after the war, was affiliaterl with the United Confederate Veterans and was one of the well known and highly honored citizens of Fayette County at the time of his death, November 3, 1900, when sixty four years of ago. Ilis widow is now past eighty years of age and a resident of Montgomery, that county. Both carly became active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Their children were twelve in number, and two of the sons, Lee R., of this sketch, and Homer G., are ident fied with coal mining, the later being superintendent for the American Eagle Colliery Company at Colcord, Raleigh County.

Lee R. Howell attended the schools of his home county, and sinee identifying himself with the conl-mining industry he has been indefatigable in advancing his technical and practical knowledge of the same. He has studied constantly. and also took an effective course in mining engineering through the medium of tho International Correspondence Schools, Seranton, Pennsylvania. Ile remained on the home farm until he had attained to his legal majority, and then entered the employ of the Powelton Coal Company, at a wage of $1.25 a day. His experience has since covered all phases of coal mining operations, and he has gained high standing as a mining engineer of much ability and din- crimination. He did blacksmith work in the mines, was made a foreman in the coal mines of his native county, and finally became a mine foreman for the George A. Laughlin Coal Company at Brilliant, Ohio. lle also served as mine superintendent nt St. Clairville, that state, and after his return to West Virginia he was mine foreman at Burnwell, later at Christian, and made a record of splendid production in the mines. Since October 15, 1916, he has been a valued and efficient executive with the Wood Coal Company in Logan County. In a basic way Mr. Howell is n republican, he is affiliated with the Lodge and Encampment bodies of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, and the Junior Order of United American Me chanica, and he and hia wife are zealous members of the Missionary Baptist Church, in which he is a deacon.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 48

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