History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 61

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HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

States, and he has stoutly maintained his loyalty to his party ever since. He has responded to the call of his party to bear some of the burden and expense of campaign work, and was a member of the Second Congressional District Democratic Committee, and treasurer of the campaign of Col. Thomas B. Davis when the latter was sent to Congress from the Second District. He was chairman of the Mineral County Prohibition Committee when the constitutional amendment for national prohibition was submitted to the voters, and rejoiced in the positive victory that was given the amendment by the ballots cast by Mineral County citizens. Mr. MacDonald was city attorney of Keyser for a number of years and served as a member of the school board when the present high school building was erected.

William MacDonald married at Keyser, West Virginia, November 20, 1900, Miss Nancy J. Lauck, a daughter of Joseph B. Lauck, and aunt of Hon. W. Jett Lauck, a lead- ing labor statistician and a scholarly man of Washington, D. C., appointed on important commissions by President Wilson during the World war, and an authority on labor problems. Mrs. MacDonald was born at Huntington, West Virginia, but grew to womanhood at Keyser, where her father spent many years, Mr. and Mrs. MacDonald became the parents of the following children: Kenneth, who died May 25, 1917, on his twelfth birthday; and Janet, who is a student in the Keyser High School.

During the late war William MacDonald served as one of the zealous supporters of the administration policies. He took part as one of the "Four-Minute" speakers in the campaigns in behalf of all of the drives; assisted many of the drafted men in filling out their questionaires, and was a member of the Interstate Young Men's Christian Associa- tion Committee, and as such had the approval on the ex- penditures of all monies for educational purposes by that organization in West Virginia after the close of the war, and is still a member of this committee. While the above were the chief duties he so cheerfully performed, he was identified with many others, and did not shirk any respon- sibility, no matter what personal sacrifice might be entailed. His relation to the church is that of his membership with the Presbyterian congregation at Keyser, and he has had a voice in its spiritual leadership as an elder for some years, and in its finances as treasurer for nineteen years. For seventeen years he has been secretary of its Sabbath school, and has been its superintendent for some years.

EMORY LEDREW TYLER came from the University of Morgantown with a diploma as a law graduate some ten years ago, and began his professional career in Mineral County. He has made an enviable success, largely due to the two terms he held the office of prosecuting attorney, and is now engaged in private practice at Keyser.

Mr. Tyler was born in Doddridge County, West Virginia, March 6, 1885. His grandfather, John Tyler, came into the western county from the Valley of Virginia, was a farmer, and married a Miss Powell near Arthur, West Virginia. Their only child was Conrad Tyler, who was born after his father's death and was reared under somewhat adverse con- ditions, so that he acquired little education. He was born in Grant County sixty-five years ago, and farming was his steady occupation until he retired to Keyser, where he is now living. He is a member of the Methodist Church. Conrad Tyler married Margaret Veach, who was born in Grant County sixty-three years ago, daughter of John and Margaret (Seymour) Veach. The children of this couple are: Ura, wife of Benjamin Rotruck; Emory Ledrew; May, who married Howard Arnold; Homer, of Keyser; Erma, of Keyser; Mansfield, of Keyser; Otis, Winona and Jane, all at home.

While Emory Ledrew Tyler was an infant his parents moved to the vicinity of Mount Sterling, Ohio, and when he was seven years of age they returned to West Virginia and located in Grant County, near Maysville, where Emory Ledrew lived until reaching man's estate. He attended tlio common schools, the Keyser Preparatory School, and at West Virginia University took the literary as well as the law course. He graduated in law in the spring of 1912, and a few weeks later was engaged to try his first case, at

Keyser. This case was the prosecution of a man for piste toting, but the decision went against him. Mr. Tyler wa elected prosecuting attorney of Mineral County in 191: succeeding Arthur Arnold, and was re-elected for a secon term in 1916. During his eight years in office he mac a distinctive record of winning eighty per cent of his case and gave particular attention to the vigorous prosecutio of all violators of the liquor law. With greatly increase prestige he left office in the winter of 1920 to turn h experience to account in private practice. For several year Mr. Tyler was a partner of Charles Ritchie, now assistar attorney general of West Virginia, in the firm of Ritchie Tyler.

Mr. Tyler's father was independent in politics, while h mother's people were republicans, and he chose the repun lican party as his own political faith, casting his first vo for William H. Taft. He was a member of the State Jud cial Convention of 1920 at Wheeling, and is chairman of th Republican Executive Committee of Mineral County. prosecuting attorney he made his office an instrument upholding the patriotic record of Mineral County durir the World war, assisted in recruiting duty and was gover ment appeal agent and counsel for the Draft Board. M Tyler is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and Model Woodmen of America, and the Kappa Alpha College fr ternity. He is state lecturer for the Modern Woodme His church is the Methodist Episcopal.

On September 14, 1915, at Baltimore, he married Mi. Pearl C. Compton, who was born at Martinsburg, West Vi ginia, in December, 1885, daughter of John and Sall (Buzzard) Compton. She is a graduate of the high scho of her native city, the Cumberland High School, attende preparatory school at Keyser, and is an A. B. graduate West Virginia University and later took post-graduate wo: in Johns Hopkins University at Baltimore. Mrs. Tyler one of the best educated women in the state, and before h marriage was a successful teacher of English in the Milt High School and later in the preparatory school at Mor gomery, West Virginia. She is one of five living childre the others being: Chester, of Pittsburgh; Ada, connect with the Woman's Extension Work in West Virginia UI versity; Eva, in charge of domestic science in the Sta Normal School at Fairmont; and Vernon C., principal schools at Berkeley Springs. Mr. and Mrs. Tyler have tv daughters, Ruth Winifred and Janet.

While he has had an active career of only about ten year. Mr. Tyler has formed some substantial connections wi business affairs, being a stockholder in the First Nation Bank of Keyser, in the Marteller Coal Company, is vi president of the Mineral County Coal Company and t Eastern Coal and Mining Company, is attorney for t Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, the Marteller Cc Company, the Dean Coal Company, and has professional co - nections with the First National Bank of Keyser, Edingt & Company and other firms.

RICHARD A. WELCH. For considerably more than half century the name Welch has been one of prominence in t Mineral County bar. The record is not quite continuo since Richard A. Welchi was not qualified to begin practi until about a year after the death of his father, who w one of the ablest lawyers and men of affairs in Keyser fre about the close of the Civil war.

The first American of this name came to this count in the colony of Lord Baltimore, and for several genel tions the family lived on the eastern shore of Marylar Many states and localities have families descended from t original one in Eastern Maryland. The family supplied number of soldiers to the Revolutionary war, and the a cestor of the branch of the family in Mineral County w in the struggle for independence. Shortly after the clo of that war he moved to Allegany County, Maryland. Jo Welch, grandfather of Richard A. Welch, spent all his li in Allegany County, Maryland, where he was a "gentlem farmer."

William M. Welch, the pioneer lawyer of Mineral Coun was born in Allegany County, Maryland, January 10, 18: lIe attended the old Allegany County Academy and re

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Interles It Bachwand.

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HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

law for a time under Judge Ilunter at Cumberland. Hc was admitted to practice there in the fall of 1862, but soon afterward left the law to join the army as a Union man. lle was commissioned a captain in the Quartermaster's De- partment, and for a time was stationed at New Creek, now Keyser, then at Wheeling, and finished his service at Clarks- burg. He was mustered out soon after the surrender of General Lee.

At the elose of the war Mr. Welch came inte Eastern West Virginia, about the same time as Judge Francis M. Reynolds, and beth located at Romney, county seat of llampshire County, which then ineluded Mineral County, and they were together in practice. When the party was divided and Mineral created both these young lawyers, destined for great prominence in the future, moved over to Keyser, the new county seat, and they continued to be associated until 1872. After that William MI. Welch prac- ticed law alone. He became widely known for his master- ful handling of eases at trial, and was undoubtedly one of the best trial lawyers in Mineral County. His successful career in this profession continued until his death on Sep- tember 5, 1898. His name was alse well known in demo- cratic politics. For seven different terms he represented Mineral County in the House of Delegates and was twice Speaker of the House. He was a delegate te two national conventions, that of 1876, when Samuel J. Tilden was named for President, and that of 1884, when Grover Cleveland was neminated. He was useful to his party and to his friends in a number of campaigns, but had ne ambition for more of the political honors than were given him. Ile was not a member of any church, but was a Master Mason.

William M. Weleh married Virginia Adams, who was born at Clarksburg, on the same day of the month and the same year as her husband. She is now living at Keyser. Her parents were Josiah and Hannah (Moore) Adams. The Adamses were a Massachusetts family and the Moores came from Delaware. Josiah Adams settled at Clarksburg and secured a patent from Virginia for from 26,000 te 28,000 acres. He was one of the prominent farmers and land owners of that section. The Moore family came into that regien about the same time. William M. Weleh and wife had the following children: Mrs. T. P. Smith, of Parkers- burg; Mrs. Louise B. Martine, of Chicago; Mrs. Ida V. Rathbone, of Parkersburg; W. A., of Keyser; Richard A .; and Ralph P., of Holdenville, Oklahoma.

Richard A. Welch was born at Keyser, April 17, 1878, and during his boyhood and youth he profited from the public schools, and after finishing high school took his academic work in the University of Virginia. Ile left there at the end of his junior year and enrolled in the law depart- ment of West Virginia University, where he graduated LL. B. in 1899. He at once returned to Keyser and began practice, and a considerable part of his father's law busi- ness drifted te him. He has continued his professional work alone, and always in general practice. The law has abun- dantly satisfied him and he has permitted himself no diver- sien inte the field of politics for the sake of office. However, he has done considerable campaign work as a democrat, and until state conventions were abolished he was one of the leaders of his party in this seetion of the state. IIe was a delegate to the Denver National Convention of 1908, and in 1912 was a member of the West Virginia delegation pledged to the nomination of Champ Clark at Baltimore, though personally he was a Woodrow Wilson man, and voted fer Wilson as soon as the West Virginia delegation was released from its instructions. He also served as a member of the Demeeratic State Committee for eight years. While a good and loyal democrat, Mr. Welch cast his first presi- dential vete fer Swallow, the prohibition candidate, declin- ing to support the nominee of his own party.

His practical public service has been given te his home town. He consented to serve seven consecutive terms as mayer. During these administrations a large amount of paring was done, sewers laid, concrete walks built, water works installed, and when these improvements had reached a satisfactory stage he felt that his obligations te the com- munity had been discharged and he was satisfied to retire. During the World war he was chairman of the Legal Ad-

visory Committeo for Mineral County, of all of the Liberty Loan drives at Keyser, und member of the County Council of Defense.

At Martinsburg, West Virginia, August 16, 1911, Mr. Welch married Miss Mary D. Edwards, n native of Martins- burg. Her father, William G. Edwards, was a business man of that city, and by his marriage to Miss Roush had three children: William G. Edwards, Ir., of Chicago; Mrs. Welch, who was born October 5, 1857; and Mrs. Nell Sher- pick, of New York City. Mr. and Mrs. Welch have a family of four young children : Virginia, Mary, Louise and Rich- ard A., Jr.

Outside of his profession Mr. Welch has been interested in some business organizations that have contributed to Keyser's advancement. He was associated with Doetor Gerstell in the organization of the Farmers and Merchants Bank, and is a director of and attorney for the bank. For a time he was a director for the Keyser Electric Light Company, and for many years was president and director of the Alkire Orchard Company.

WHEELER HI. HACHMAN for a number of years has been a power in the commercial and financial affairs of Wheel- ing, was formerly in the dry goods jobbing business, and is now member of the investment firm of Speidel & Itach- man, Incorporated, of which he is president.

Mr. Bachman, whose citizenship has been distinguished by the broadest cooperation in enterprises for welfare and charity, was born at Wheeling, March 22, 1870. His father, William Phillip Bachman, was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1838, and was a boy of ten years when he accom- panied some relatives to the United States. He reached Wheeling, the city destined to be his permanent home, about 1-53, and in after years he achieved a position as a successful merchant, with associations with other business and banking affairs. He was a staneh repub- lican. Hle died at Wheeling in 1918. William P. Itach- man married Lucy Wheeler, who was horn at Dudley Port, England, in 1-45. Her father, Simmons Wheeler, was born in Dudley Port, was a shipyard owner there, and was killed when thrown from n horse. He married Martha Simmons, a native of Dudley Port, who came to the United States when her daughter Ley was fifteen years of age. Thereafter she made her home at Wheeling. where she died. Lucy Wheeler Bachman, who died at Wheeling in 1919, was for nearly half n century an netive member of St. Matthow's Protestant Episcopal Church. She was the mother of two children, Jessie Martha and Wheeler II. The former is the wife of George Grant Ralston, a resident of Martin's Ferry, Ohio.

Wheeler H. Bachman was educated in the public schools of Wheeling, attended Frazier's Business College until 1588, following which he spent seven years with n retail dry goods store, familiarizing himself with the detail of the business and at the same time making n elose study of the jobbing phase of dry goods merchandising. In 1595 he embarked his experience and capital in a wholesale dry goods business, and was active in that line nearly twenty years, until 1914. As a jobber he had an extensive general trade through West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and in special lines he did a large volume of business over the United States, especially with jobbing houses in New York City and Chicago. Mr. Bachman became a memtur of the firm Speidel & Bachman, Incorporated, in 1914. This firm aets as underwriters and investment brokers, and the names of the partners nre the highest guarantee of their financial integrity and reliability. The offices of this firm are in the Wheeling Bank & Trust Company Building. Mr. Bachman is president, Joseph Speidel, Jr., vice president, and Jesse Speidel, secretary and treasurer.

Mr. Bachman is a member of the executive committee and a director of the Wheeling Bank & Trust Company ; is secretary of the Carr China Company of Grafton. West Virginia; a director of the United Dairy Company of Wheeling; a director of the Camden Coal & Land Com- pany of West Virginia; and a directer and assistant treasurer of the Arizona Messback Mino Company of Ont- man, Arizona. He is also a director of the Equitable

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Mortgage Company of Cleveland, director of the Fidelity Investment Association of Wheeling, vice president of the Union Mission of Wheeling, formerly secretary and treas- urer of the Wheeling Stock Exchange of Wheeling for a period of three years and a member of the Advisory Board of the Lutz & Schraunn Company of Pittsburgh, Penn- sylvania.

In 1908, at Wheeling, Mr. Bachman married Miss Edith Carr, daughter of Thomas and Alice (Stockwell) Carr, residents of Grafton, where her father is president and general manager of the Carr China Company. The Carrs were an old family of New York City, while the Stock- wells run baek into the Colonial history of Vermont. Mrs. Bachman was educated in public and private schools at Wheeling. They have one son, Wheeler Carr, born Sep- tember 4, 1911.

For a number of years Mr. and Mrs. Bachman have been closely associated with mutual interests and sym- pathies in many phases of broad and constructive charity and public spirit. They have helped support all the char- itable organizations of the city without respect to creed. Mrs. Bachman is a member of the Board of the Aged and Friendless Women's Home, and is a member of one of the "Hospital Twigs," organizations for the purpose of raising funds for the hospitals. She is a prominent member of the Presbyterian Church, while Mr. Bachman is one of the active supporters of St. Matthew's Protestant Episcopal Church and is president of its Men's Bible Class and a vestryman of St. Matthew's Church. He is a republican, is affiliated with Wheeling Lodge No. 28, B. P. O. E., is a member of the Wheeling Country Club, the Fort Henry Country Club and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. His home is a fine eld residence at Seventh and Thirteenth streets, and he has other real estate in the city and a summer residence at Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania. During the World war Mr. Bach- man was active in the placing of Government securities, and was a working member of all the committees in the Red Cross, Liberty Loan and other drives.

AMOS ASBURY WESTRATER, D. D. S. In his native city of Martinsburg, judicial center of Berkeley County, Doctor Westrater has built up a practice that marks him as one of the representative members of his profession in this section of the state. He was born at Martins- burg on the 31st of December, 1878, and on the paternal side is of Holland Dutch lineage. His father, William Westrater, was born in the City of Rotterdam, Holland, and was a boy at the time of the family immigration to the United States, the parents becoming pioneer settlers in the fine colony of their countrymen established at Holland, Michigan, in the early period of the history of that state. At the time when the Westrater family thus settled in Ottawa County, Michigan, that section was virtually a forest wilderness, with deer, bear and wolves much in evidence. The father of William Wes- trater purchased a large tract of land and reclaimed and improved a productive farm. Both he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives in Ottawa County, and their children were five in number, two sons and three daughters.

William Westrater was a sturdy young man at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war, and he promptly ten- dered his services in defense of the Union. He enlisted as a member of Company K, First New York Cavalry, known as the Lincoln Cavalry, and took part in the many engagements in which this gallant command was involved, including a number of major battles. Inci- dental to his military career he participated in the cam- paign in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and he was so favorably impressed with the country in this section and in West Virginia that after the war he settled at Martinsburg, Berkeley County, where he entered the empley of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company. He was seen promoted to the position of train conductor, and he continued as a valued employe of the company nearly forty years. He was finally retired, with a pen- sien frem the company, and he continued his residence

at Martinsburg, a well known and highly honored citi- zen, until his death, at the age of seventy-seven years. Ilis wife, whose maiden name was Katherine Ringer, was born at Martinsburg and here passed her entire life, her death having occurred in 1919. They became the parents of six children, namely: Martin W., A. Leo, Charles C., Albert E., Amos Asbury, and Mina (Mrs. Charles Vine).

Dr. Amos A. Westrater gained his early education in the public schools at Martinsburg and under the direc- tion of a private tutor. In preparation for his chosen profession he entered the department of dentistry in the University of Maryland, and in this institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1901 and with the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. He opened an office at Martinsburg in the same year, and his technical ability and his personal popularity in his native county have resulted in his building up a large and representa- tive practice. He has the most modern equipment and accessories in both the operative and laboratory depart- ments of his office, and has kept in close touch with the advances made in his chosen profession.

Doctor Westrater is affiliated with Equality Lodge No. 94, A. F. and A. M .; is a past high priest of Lebanon. Chapter No. 2, R. A. M .; and a past exalted ruler of Martinsburg Lodge No. 778, B. P. O. E. He is actively identified with the West Virginia State Dental Society and the National Dental Association. Both he and his wife are active members of the Presbyterian Church in their home city.

On the 22d of January, 1910, was solemnized the mar- riage of Doctor Westrater and Miss Ethel Smoke, who was born in Frederick County, Virginia, a daughter of Dr. Edward B. and Angelina (Armstrong) Smoke, the latter a daughter of Joseph E. and Sarah (Payne) Arm- strong. Doctor Smoke was born on the family homestead, Rosedale Farm, in Frederick County, Virginia, a son of John and Luey M. (Krebs) Smoke. John Smoke removed from Ohio to Frederick County, Virginia, where he be- came a most successful agriculturist and stock-grower and where he passed the remainder of his life. His wife was born and reared in Virginia and was a daughter of Conrad Krebs, who was a young man when he came from his native Germany and established his home in Frederick County, Virginia, where he became a success- ful farmer. Dr. Edward B. Smoke graduated from the Virginia Medical College at Richmoud as a member of the class of 1868, and at Whitehall, Frederick County, that state, he built up a large and important practice that marked him as one of the leading physicians and surgeons of that section of Virginia. Dr. and Mrs. Westrater have no children.

SAMUEL PAXTON WHITMORE showed in all of the rela- tions of life the same fine spirit of loyalty that marked his service as a valiant soldier of the Confederaey in the Civil war, and he was one of the substantial and honored citi- zens of Martinsburg, Berkeley County, at the time of his death, when about sixty-five years of age.

Mr. Whitmore was a native of the historic Old Do- minion State and a scion of a family that was there founded in the Colonial period of our national history, the lineage tracing back to sterling English origin. He was born and reared in Loudoun County, Virginia, as were also his parents, George and Rachel Priscilla (Wright) Whitmore. George Whitmore was the owner of a large and valuable plantation in Loudoun County, and in the operation of the same he retained a large number of slaves. He was sixty years of age at the time of his death, and his widow attained the venerable age of eighty-five years.

The early education of Samuel P. Whitmore was gained under the direction of private tutors, and he was reared under the influence of the fine eld Virginia regime prior to the Civil war. When the great fratricidal conflict be- tween the states of the North and the South was pre- cipitated on the nation, Mr. Whitmere promptly mani- fested his loyalty to the state and the institutions under

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e influence of which he had been reared, and in the irginia Confederate regiment in which he enlisted he as commissioned first lieutenant of his company. The giment became a part of the command of Gen. Thomas ("Stonewall") Jackson, and Mr. Whitmore lived np the full tension of the confliet, as he participated in any major battles, as well as minor engagements, and ontinued in serviec until the close of the war. After se war he resided for a time in Logan County, West irginia, and after his removal to Morgan County he ere operated a saw mill about one year. He then re- oved to Martinsburg, judicial center of Berkeley ounty, where he had various business interests and here he continued to reside until his death. Ile mar- ed Miss Phoche Ann Beach, who likewise was born id reared in Loudoun County, Virginia. Her father, hn Beach, was born in England and was a young an when he came to America and settled in Loudoun unty, where he purchased land and engaged in agri- iltural pursuits. He was sixty years of age at the me of his death. The family name of his wife was ullison, her father having come from England to Vir- nia and having purchased a large plantation in Lou- un County, where he owned a goodly contingent of aves. The closing years of life were passed at Mar- nsburg, West Virginia. Mrs. Phoebe Ann (Beach) Thitmore died at the age of forty years. Her children ere eight in number, namely: Ann Elizabeth, George ., Mary Kathleen, William Jasper, Sarah A., Samuel J., ›lin Ashley and Clara Paxton. Mary Kathleen resides Martinsburg and is the widow of George D. Lambert, hose biography follows.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 61

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