History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 58

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HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

and served, with the rank of colonel, as a member of the staffs of Governors Glasscock and Hatfield.

Mr. Carspecken married Miss May Hutson, daughter of the Rev. J. S. Ilutson, a minister of the Baptist Church of Pittsburgh, and to this union there were born the following children: Harold, born in 1905; Margaret, born in 1907; Henry Louis, Jr., born in 1912; and John Frederic, born in 1915.

JAMES HI. MCGREW, cashier of the Bank of the Monon- gahela Valley and who is recognized as one of the able bank- ers and progressive citizens of the City of Morgantown and of that part of the State of West Virginia, has been identi- fied with this institution since 1891. During the moro than thirty years that have passed he has not only worked hia way to a substantial position with this concern, but has like- wise been a prominent factor in the development of some of Morgantown's leading enterprises, and has also contributed materially to its civic progress and welfare.

Mr. McGrew was born at Morgantown, October 31, 1873, a son of William Clark and Julia E. (Willey) McGrew, and is descended from an old Scotch family which has been in America since prior to the War of the American Revolution and in West Virginia (then old Virginia) for over a cen- tury and a quarter. The American ancestors of this branch of the McGrew family came from Scotland in Colonial days and settled first in Virginia, removing thence te Pennsyl- vania. Patrick McGrew, son of the original immigrant, was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and in 1786 came to Preston County, new in West Virginia, settling near what is now Brandonville. His son, Col. James McGrew, was born in Preston County, where he spent practically his entire life. He commanded a regiment of Virginia Militia during the War of 1812. Colonel MeGrew married Isabella Clark, the daughter of James Clark, a native of Ireland, who became an early settler of Preston County, James Clark's first wife, whe bore the maiden name of Mary Ramsey, died in 1770, and he returned to Ireland, where, in 1773, he mar- ried Eleanor Kirkpatrick, and later came back to America. James Clark McGrew, son of Col. James and Isabella (Clark) McGrew, was born September 14, 1813, near Brandonville. He began his business life at Kingwood, Preston County, as clerk in a general store, afterward be- coming a successful merchant and prominent and influential man of his community. He was a delegate to the Virginia State Convention in 1861, in which body he vigorously op- posed the ordinance of secession, and was one of the little band of about twenty men whose opposition to secession re- sulted ultimately in the erection of the new State of West Virginia. He served as a member of the House of Delegates of the first Legislature of West Virginia and later was elected a member of and served in the Forty-first and Forty- second sessions of the Federal Congress, but declined a re- nomination. He served as a director of the West Virginia State Hospital for the Insane, and was one of the organ- izers and the first president of the National Bank of King- wood, being likewise a trustee of the Ohio Wesleyan Uni- versity. Mr. McGrew was an earnest Methodist and was a delegate to the Methedist Ecumenical Conference held at London, England, in 1881. In that and the following year he traveled extensively in Europe, Asia and Africa. In 1841 he married Persis Hagans daughter of the Hon. Harrison Hagans of Brandonville, West Virginia.

Hon. William Clark MeGrew, son of James Clark and Persis (Hagans) McGrew, was born at Kingwood, Preston County, April 21, 1842, and was educated in select schools and at Preston Academy. He was engaged in the mercantile business at Kingwood from 1862 to 1870, and in the latter year removed to Morgantown, where he made his home until 1919. He was for many years prominent in the affairs of this part of West Virginia, and was frequently honored by election to political positions. He served five full terma as mayor of the City of Morgantown, and in 1878 and 1882 was sent as senator from the Eleventh District to the State Legislature. He was frequently called upon to preside over the deliberations of that body, and served as a member of various important committees. In 1907 he was elected a member of the House of Delegates. He also was active in

the building of the Fairmont, Morgantown & Pittsburgh Railway, of which he was vice president and for fifteen years its agent ut Morgantown; and was one of the organ izers of the Economy Glass Company, and served as its treasurer, vice president and president through a long term of years. In fact, Mr. McGrew was closely identified with about every phase of the civic and business advancement of Morgantown for many years, and probably no other one man did more for the development of that part of West Virginia. In 1864 he was united in marringo with Julia E. Willey, daughter of the IIon. Waitman T. and Elizabeth E. ( Hay ) Willey. Mr. Willey was the first man sent to the United States Senate from West Virginia. William Clark MeGrew died in 1919.

James II. McGrew was educated in the Morgantown public schools and at the University of West Virginia, and in 1891 entered the Bank of the Monongahela Valley as a clerk, having been continuously identified with that institution as hoy and man for more than thirty years. He was made teller in 1893 and later promoted to assistant enshier, and in 1903 was elected to his present post of cashier. Mr. Mc- Grew is president of the Monongahela Building Company, organized for the construction of the magnificent new home of the Bank of the Monongahela Valley, which is the largest and the only "sky-scraper" business block in this section of the state. He was one of the organizers and is vice presi dent and treasurer of the Monongalia Building and Loan Association; was one of the organizers and is president of the Sesamine Coal Company; was one of the organizers and is treasurer of the Chrisman Foundry Company; was one of the organizers and is treasurer of the Liberty Investment Company; was one of the organizers and is president of the Morgantown Machinery and Supply Company; was one of tho organizers and is treasurer of the Dellslaw Coal Com. pany; and is one of the owners of the Union Traction Com- pany, the successor to the Smith Morgantown Traction Company,

Mr. MeGrew is receiver for the Monogalia County Circuit Court. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Mor. gantown Lodge No. 4, F. and A. M., and the Morgantown Country Club, and is an old time member of the Old Colony Club of Everywhere.

CEPHAS JACOBS became a resident of West Virginia, as now constituted. in the year 1853, nnd was one of the vener able and honored citizens of Morgantown, Monongalia County, at the time of his death, on the 2d of February, 1903. He was born in Allegany County, Maryland, January 8, 1826, and was a descendant of Zachariah Jacobs, who immigrated from Wales to America in 1740, and who first made settlement in Connecticut. In 1760 he removed to New Jersey, and Colonial records show that his son Jacob Jacoba served as a captain in the Patriot Army in the War of the Revolution, in which he was with General Washington at Valley Forge. Gabriel, son of Capt. Jacob Jacobs, was born in New Jersey, July 7. 1781, and was a young man when he settled in Allegany County, Maryland, where he remained until his death, October 11, 1848. Ho married Margaret Jakson, who was born May 27, 1783, and died October 20, 1855. Cephas Jacobs, son of Gabriel and Margaret Jacoba. was reared on his father's farm in Allegany County, Mary land, and from that state he came to West Virginia, then a part of Virginia. in 1853 and settled in Preston County, where he engaged in farming and where he built and oper ated grist and saw mills and a tannery. There he continued his residence until 1869, when he removed to a farm on the west side of Monongahela River in Grant District, Monon galia County, opposite the City of Morgantown. He there continued as one of the substantial exponents of farm indus. try in the county until 1892, when he removed to Morgan town, in which city he passed the remainder of his life. He was one of the organizers and became president of the First National Building & Loan Association at Charleston, this state, and was a director of the Second National Bank of Morgantown. He was a stanch republican, and he served two terms as justice of the peace in Grant District and one term as a member of the city council of Morgantown. He was affiliated with Morgantown Union Lodge No. 4, Free

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and Accepted Masons, and he and his wife were zealous members of the First Methodist Episcopal Church at Mor- gantown.

April 10, 1851, recorded the marriage of Cephas Jacobs with Margaret Ann Ravenscraft, daughter of Abner and Nancy (Corbus) Ravenscraft, of Maryland, and she sur- vived him by nearly twelve years, her death having occurred September 13, 1914.

Elmer Forrest Jacobs, son of Cephas and Margaret Ann Jacobs, was born on the home farm of his father on Bird's Creek, Preston County, this state, June 11, 1866, and was three years old at the time of the family removal to Monon- galia County, where he was reared to manhood, received the discipline of the public schools and finally entered the Uni- versity of West Virginia, with the intention of preparing himself for the profession of civil engineering. But upon the advice of Gol. T. Moore Jackson, then at the head of the School of Engineering, West Virginia University, Mr. Jacobs decided to take up architecture, Colonel Jackson having given him special instruction along this line. He was impatient at the delay in placing himself in a position to earn a salary, and on this account left the university and entered the office of J. L. Beatty, an architect in the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He remained five years with Mr. Beatty and gained a thorough technical and practical training in the architectural art and science. In 1893 he as- sumed charge of designing and construction with the Pitts- burgh firm of W. A. Hoeveller & Company, and later he be- came superintendent of construction for the Standard Sanitary Manufacturing Company of Pittsburgh.

In the fall of 1894 Mr. Jacobs opened an office in Mor- gantown, where he now stands virtually at the head of his profession in this part of West Virginia, as well as being the oldest architect in point of experience and continuous practice at Morgantown. Among many important buildings designed by and erected under the supervision of Mr. Jacobs are the Madeira (formerly the Franklin) Hotel; Woodburn Hall and an addition to Science IIall, of the University of West Virginia; chapter houses of the Sigma Chi, Beta Theta Pi, Kappa Alpha, Phi Sigma Kappa, Phi Kappa Psi and Phi Kappa Sigma fraternities at the State University; Farmers and Merchants Bank; the old post office at Morgan- town, which was the first fire-proof building in this section of the state and is now occupied by the Union Savings and Trust Company; the plant of the Seneca Glass Company; plant of the Union Stopper Company; Fourth Ward school building; First Methodist Protestant Church, Morgantown; First Methodist Episcopal Church, Mount Morris, Pennsyl- vania; and residences of George C. Baker, William Moor- head, J. H. MeDermott, J. C. MeVicker, Francis Heermans, J. C. Frazier, and many others of the most modern type in Morgantown and vicinity. Mr. Jacobs is a member of the American Institute of Architects, his affiliation with that organization dating from May 24, 1902.

He married Miss M. Ella Wood daughter of the late A. C. Wood, of Morgantown, and they have two children. Virginia is the wife of Allen Davis Bowie, of Wheeling, this state, and they have one child, Mary Eleanor. David Wood Jacobs is at the time of this writing, in 1921, a stu- dent in the Morgantown High School.

JOHN M. GREGG. One of the widely known, prominent and popular men of Monongalia County is John Morton Gregg, county clerk and president of the Bank of Morgan- town. For nearly half a century he has been closely identi- fied with the business, civic and political history of this county and city, a man of initiative and energy, and a mov- ing force for progress and the general welfare.

John M. Gregg was born in Washington County, Penn- sylvania, November 18, 1865, but has spent all but the first eleven years of his life at Morgantown, to which city he came in 1876 with his parents. He is a son of Thomas M. and Margaret M. (Cooper) Gregg, both natives of Pennsylvania. Thomas M. Gregg was born in Washington County in 1836, and became a farmer there and afterward in Monongalia County, but later became a merchant. He married Margaret M. Cooper, who died June I, 1911. They had children as follows: Oscar C .; Charles T., who is deceased; Ira L .;

Mary E., wbo married Taylor N. Dawson; Jesse W .; Roma P .; Bessie, who married R. A. Wilbourne; and John M.

John M. Gregg acquired his education in the public schools of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, attending the university also in the latter state. He early took an interest in public affairs and so won the attention and confidence of those in authority that in 1888 he was appointed deputy clerk of the Circuit Court by Col. R. E. Fast, and served for four years. In 1889 he was elected city auditor of Morgan- town, and filled that office with entire efficiency. In 1890 he was a candidate for the republican nomination for Circuit Court clerk, but was defeated by Hon. William E. Glass- cock, later governor of West Virginia. Mr. Gregg served as deputy for Mr. Glasscock for two and a half years, when he resigned to become bookkeeper for the Morgantown Union Improvement Company, which later became the Union Utili- ties Company. On January 1, 1898, while still with the above company, he was appointed secretary of the West Virginia State Geological Survey, which position he resigned January 1, 1903, in order to assume the duties of county clerk, to which office he had been elected in the previous fall. In 1908 he was re-elected county clerk, and has served continuously since his first election. He is very popular in this office because of his sterling integrity, his complete effi- ciency and his never failing courtesy.

Mr. Gregg has been a very loyal citizen of Morgantown and has given encouragement to many substantial local enter- prises. He was one of the organizers of the Bank of Mor- gantown, an amply financed and carefully managed financial institution, and served as a member of its board of directors until 1919, in which year he was elected president, and so continues.

· In 1889 Mr. Gregg married Miss Elizabeth M. Berkshire, a daughter of Nicholas W. and Virginia (Morgan) Berk- shire, and they have two daughters and one son: Lucile C., John Morton, Jr., and Margaret. John M. Gregg, Jr., mar- ried Miss Stella Duncan, daughter of George H. Duncan, of Clarksburg, West Virginia.

Mr. Gregg and his family are members of the First Methodist Episcopal Church at Morgantown, and they take a prominent part in church affairs and also in the city's pleasant social life. As a public man Mr. Gregg is often called upon to serve on benevolent boards and civic com- missions, and fraternally is identified with such representa- tive organizations as the Masons, the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Junior Order United American Mechanics, warm personal friendship often entering into these relations.

FRENCH D. WALTON has effected a crystallization of his former years of newspaper experience by establishing in the City of Wheeling an important business enterprise, which he conducts under the title of the Wheeling Publicity Burean. He was born in this city, October 23, 1875, and is a son of John and Allie (Ebbert) Walton. The latter died when French D. was but six weeks old. John Walton was born at Woodsfield, Ohio, in 1842, was reared and edu- cated in the old Buckeye State and represented the same as a gallant soldier of the Union in the Civil war, shortly after the close of which he came to Wheeling, West Vir- ginia, where eventually he became a leading member of the bar of Ohio County and where during the last fifteen years of his life be held the office of chief deputy of the Circuit Court for this county. He was a stanch democrat, was an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was long and actively affiliated with the Masonic fra- ternity. He was one of the honored and well-known cit- izens of Wheeling at the time of his death in 1898.

At the inception of the Civil war John Walton enlisted in the Twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and his active service covered virtually the entire period of the war, save for the intervals when he was incapacitated by wounds. His regiment took part in the various engagements of the Army of the Potomac, he was twice wounded, and ae a result of the severe wounds he received at the battle of Gettysburg he suffered the loss of a part of his left foot. He vitalized his interests in hie old comrades by his affilia- tion with the Grand Army of the Republic. Of hie three

F. S. walton

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ildren the first, William, died in childhood; Lotta is the fe of Edward S. Campbell, a traveling salesman, and ey reside in Wheeling; and French D., of this sketch, s an infant at the time of his mother's deatlı, as previ- sly noted.

In the public schools of Wheeling French D. Walton ntinued his studies until he was sixteen years of age, and then took a position in the tea store of the C. D. Kenny mpany, where he continued to be employed three years. then initiated his career in connection with newspaper rk by becoming a reporter on the Wheeling News, with ich he continued his connection five years. On account ill health he next entered the service of the Baltimore Ohio Railroad Company, in a position that did not list heavily against his physical powers, but as soon as ex- dient he resumed his active alliance with newspaper ork as a reporter for the Whecling Intelligencer. He ntinued with this paper until 1905, when he accepted the st of cashier in the freight office of the Wheeling & ike Erie Railroad. In 1907 he resigned this position to ke that of court reporter for the Ohio State Journal at lumbus, Ohio, but one year later he returned to Wheel- g and became a reporter on the staff of the Daily News. hereafter he served in turn as city editor and telegraph itor of the Wheeling Intelligencer, and later was tele- aph editor for the Wheeling Daily News. In 1918 Mr. alton became assistant general manager of the Wheeling lamber of Commerce, and of this executive office he con- nued the incumbent until 1920, on the 5th of August of hich year he established the Wheeling Publicity Bureau, which he is the sole owner and the active manager. This ircau has the best of modern facilities for the effective nducting of publicity campaigns in connection with com- ercial, industrial and mercantile enterprises and for other comotive service of the first grade. Here are prepared id issued booklets, folders, form letters, etc., and Mr. alton specializes also in writing publicity articles for wspapers, magazines and trade journals. The Wheeling iblicity Bureau is a center for well directed general ad- rtising and promotive service, has a department devoted addressing and mailing commercial letters, with a com- ete multigraphic equipment. In short, Mr. Walton has pitalized his long and successful newspaper experience in prosperous and valuable business enterprise of his own. e maintains his well appointed office headquarters at 5-206 Court Theater Building.

Mr. Walton is aligned in the ranks of the democratic rty, is a member of the Official Board of the Methodist piscopal Church in his home city, besides being assistant perintendent of its Sunday School, is past chancellor of ystic Lodge No. 24, Knights of Pythias, and is an active ember of the local Kiwanis Club. He owns his attractive me property, in the Edgedale District of Wheeling. In e World war period Mr. Walton gave characteristically rnest and effective service in the furtherance of local triotic objects, was publicity secretary in the Govern- nt loan drives, Red Cross campaigns, etc., in Wheeling ed Ohio County, and did all in his power to advance the ork to which he thus set himself.

February 28, 1898, recorded the marriage of Mr. Walton id Miss Edna R. Watkins, daughter of the late Charles . and Anne (Marsh) Watkins, of Wheeling. Mr. and Mrs. alton have three children: John Marsh, who was born ovember 26, 1900, is a graduate of the Linsly Institute at heeling, later continued his studies in the University of est Virginia, and there, at the age of eighteen years, became a member of the Students Army Training Corps hen the nation became involved in the World war, he ing now in the employ of the Clarke Paper Company of heeling; French D., Jr., who was born November 10, 01, is an assistant in his father's offices; and J. Elwood, rn October 23, 1904, is, in 1921, a student in the Tri- elphia District High School.

GARFIELD DAVIES. In the impersonal discharge of their icial duties a large majority of the incumbents of public ice appear to feel that they have fully fulfilled their sponsibilities. In a way this may be true, but, and this is

a fortunate thing for various of our communities, there are others who are not satisfied mercly with taking care of their duties by rote and rule, but are constantly seeking oppor tunities by which they may benefit their communities and add to the value of their services. In this latter class un doubtedly stands Garfield Davies, clerk of the Circuit Court of Monongalia County, and a public-spirited citizen whom ideals of citizenship have found an outlet in his identifien tion with a number of constructive and beneficial eivic move ments.

Mr. Davies was born August 14, 1858, in Wales, and is a son of William A. and Mary (Phillipa) Davics, both also natives of that country. His father, an ironworker in Wales, brought the family to the United States in 1892, and was one of the first expert workmen to come to this country when the steel industry was beginning to assume important proportions through expansion. He located at Gas City, Indiana, where he was employed in tho mills until 1905, in which year he removed to Morgantown, where he has since been living.

Garfield Davica received his carly education in the public schools of Gas City, where he had arrived as a Ind of four years. From 1902 to 1904 he attended the Marion (Indiana Normal School, and his business experience was commenced in the latter year as bill clerk for the Vonnegut Hardware Company of Indianapolis, where he advanced by promotion to the position of credit man of that company, with which he continued for eight years. During that period he apquied himself at night to the reading of law, and was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1909, at the age of twenty-one years. He entered the University of West Virginia in the spring of 1914, taking parts of the arts and science course and a part of the law course.

In the winter of 1917-1918 Mr. Davies worked at the Bertha Mine near Morgantown, and five months later was called to the main office of that corporation at Pittsburgh. After two weeks he left that concern nnd returned to Mor gantown, where he accepted a position as court reporter. He thus became well known to the people because of his daily attendance at court proceedings, and this, in connec tion with his knowledge of the law, his general popularity and his known all-around ability, caused him to be con sidered as good material for public office. In the spring of 1920 he was successful in the republican primarics for the nomination for the office of Circuit Court clerk of Monon galia County, and in the ensuing election was put into office by a large majority for a term of six years, starting Janu ary 1, 1921. His record thus far has been an excellent one and his conscientious and energetie service has won him the esteem of his fellow officials and the confidence of the public.

During the World war, being prevented by physical die abilities from entering the United States service as a sol dier, Mr. Davies became secretary to the Advisory Board of Monongalia County, which body worked in conjunction with the Draft Board and performed other valuable service. Mr. Davies is secretary of Monongalia Lodge No. 10. I. O. O. F .. secretary of Orphans' Friend Chapter No. 14 of that order ; manager of Camp No. 6931, Modern Woodmen of America : and an active member of Monongalia Lodge No. 264, Loyal Order of Moose. He has been associated with several local movements for the welfare and recreation of boys and young men, and is director of the Sunday School choir of the First Baptist Church of Morgantown, of which he is an active member. Energetic, enterprising and public-spirited, he is a force for advancement and progress in his city, where his acquaintance is wide and his friends are legion.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 58

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