History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 64

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Mr. Thomas is of Seotch Irish ancestry, and his people were among the early settlers of the Valley of Vir- ginia and also identified with the pioneering of Roanoke County. Some of his ancestors were soldiers in the Revolution and one of them was a signer of the Dee- laration of Independence.

Mr. Thomas assisted in organizing the Bluefield Country Club and is one of its Board of Governors. His favorite sport is hunting and fishing, and he par- ticularly enjoys the pursuit of big game in the Maine woods. He is a democrat in politics, is affiliated with the Royal Arch, Knight Templar, and Scottish Rite Masons and Mystie Shrine, the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Lions, and he and Mrs. Thomas are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Thomas in 1904 was a delegate from West Virginia to the World's Sunday School Convention at Jerusalem, and during that trip abroad he made an ex- tensive tour all through the Holy Land, Egypt and other Mediterranean countries.

JOHN M. MCCONIHAY, M. D. More than forty five years of the life of Doctor MeConihay have been devoted to the profession of medicine and surgery. One of the oldest and

best known members of his profession at Charleston, Doctor MeConihay has combined with his profession a distinctive service in the order of Masonry, the crowning honor in token of this long service coming in October, 1921, &! Washington, when the Southern Grund Jurisdiction con ferred upon him the supreme honorary thirty-third degree of the Scottish Rite.

Dortor MeConihay was born near Miton, Cabell County, West Virginia, in 1-53, son of Ira and Mary (Morris) Me Conihay, also natives of the state. Doctor MeConihay was a boy when his parents moved to a home on the Kanawha River in Mason County, where he was reared and where he attended the public schools. He completed his literary edu cation in Dennison University of Ohio, and in 1876 gradl- nated M. D. from the Kentucky School of Medicine nt Louisville. After about a dozen years of arduons coun try practice at Wwron in Mason County and Buffalo in Put nam County Dortor MeConihay removed to Charleston in 189, and for over thirty years has been one of the busy professional men of this city. Ile is a member of the County, State and American Medical Associations.

Ilis active service in Masoury began in Isso. Among other honors he is a past grand master of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia, a past grand high priest of the Grand Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons, was grand lecturer for eleven years, and his activities have covered a wide range of usefulness during forty years. Ile is also a past poten tate of Beni-Kedem Temple of the Mystic Shrine, and past commander of Kanawha Commandery of Knights Tem plar at Charleston. For several years Doctor Mel'onihny has been president of the Charleston Alumni Chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

He married Miss Anna Evelith, a native of Tennessee but of West Virginia ancestry. Their five children are Mrs. Evelith Wilkerson, Mrs. Almah Wilson, Mrs. Pauline King. Miss Vivian MeConihay and Morris MeConihay.

CARL REGER. Morgantown, West Virginia, has celebrity as the home of a great university. It has many additional advantages and cause for civic pride, and not the least of these is that it is the chosen home of professional men of marked ability and country-wide reputation. Among these valued citizens no one enjoys greater confidence or personal esteem than Carl Reger, architect, who during the past six years has contributed greatly to the material improve ment and general attractiveness of all parts of Morgan town and throughout West Virginia. His artistic designs appear in business structures in combinations making for utility also, in church edifices, hotels, apartment houses, schoolhouses and magnificent private residences.

Mr. Reger is a native of West Virginia and is descended direct and rollaterally, from old Colonial families of whnt is now West Virginia. The original American settler of this branch of the Reger family was Jacob Reger, who wne horn in Holland in about 1733. Ho crossed the Atlantic Ocean to this country in about 1765, accompanied by his wife and their older children. He settled in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, later removed to the sonth branch of the Potomar River in what is now West Virginia, and in 17-2, following the close of the Revolutionary war, he set tled near what is now the town of Volga in Barbour County, West Virginia, where he died. His children bor these names: Anthony, Jacob, Philip, John. Abram. Isaac, Elizabeth, Barbara, Annie Mary and Catherine.

Isaac Reger, son of Jacob and great grandfather of the present generation, was born on the south branch of the Potomae River, August 19, 1752, settled on Hacker's Creek in Upshur County and spent his life there. He married Mary Magdalena Brake, daughter of Jacob Brake, whe was known in Virginia as "the captive." During an Indian raid in his childhood he was captured by the savagee and taken with them to near what is now the City of Detroit Michigan, where he was detained for eleven years and then was returned to his parents. The children of Isane Reger and his wife were seven in number: Ruth. Rebecca, Philip . Lydia Elizabeth, David B. and MIaria.

David B. Reger, of the above family, was born in Bar- bour County in 1422. and with his father moved to Hacker's

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Creek in Upshur County in 1830, and died on his farm there in April, 1906. His wife's name was Elizabeth Neely, and she was born near Morgantown in 1824, and died June 5, 1904. Their children were: Marion D., Joseph S., Isaac S., Mary and Angela.

Joseph S. Reger, son of David B. and father of Carl Reger, was born on the old family homestead in Upshur County, August 12, 1847, and grew up on the farm. He had educational privileges, attended Freneh Creek Academy, and afterward taught school for a number of years, al- though farming was his main occupation. He was prom- inent in republican polities in Upshur County, served two terms as eounty superintendent of schools, served as a member of the County Court and also on the State Board of Agriculture. He was a member and liberal supporter of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In his death on July 31, 1914, his community lost a man of great worth. On June 6, 1872, he married Miss Sirene Bunten, who was born at Sago in Upshur County, April 11, 1847, and died May 29, 1912. She was a daughter of James and Fanny ( Morgan) Bunten, the former of whom had come to Vir- ginia from Dunbarton, New Hampshire. The maternal grandparents of Carl Reger were Zedekiah and Rebecca (Watson) Morgan, the former of whom was born in Con- necticut, March 8, 1744, and died at Sago, Upshur County, October 12, 1822. His second wife, Rebecca Watson, was born at Boston, Massachusetts, and died at Sago, Upshur County, May 20 1846. Zedekiah Morgan was a descendant, four generations removed, from James Morgan, who came from Wales in 1636, settling near what is now Gloucester, Massachusetts. His branch of the family in New England and the Morgantown Morgans unite in Wales with a com- mon ancestor, Sir John Morgan.

Carl Reger was born on the home farm near Buckhannon in Upshur County, West Virginia, October 2, 1878. After attending the common sehools he took a preparatory course in the West Virginia Conference Seminary, now the West Virginia Wesleyan College. His tastes and talents led to an early interest in architecture, and before completing his education, as proposed, he had experience in the offices of several architects, following which he entered upon the study of architecture in the University of Pennsylvania, but did not remain to complete his course because of trouble with his eyes. In 1905 he gave them a needed rest and in the following year went to Los Angeles, California.

In the western city Mr. Reger found ready opportunity and appreciation of his talent as au architeet and there received a certificate enabling him to praetiee architecture in that state. During the nine years he resided there he built up an enviable reputation in his profession, and some of the most imposing structures of that city of today stand as testimonials to his artistic conceptions and architectural knowledge. While there he had charge, as architect's super- intendent and chief engineer in charge of construction, of the ereetion of some of the largest and most modern busi- ness blocks on the Paeifie Coast.

In 1915 Mr. Reger returned to his native state and on August 1st of that year establishing himself professionally at Morgantown, securing two small rooms in the West Vir- ginia Utilities Building, but his quarters soon became en- tirely inadequate, and at the present time his offices and busy employes occupy the entire floor of that building. He is not only the leading arehiteet at Morgantown but his talents have also been engaged in other sections of the state. He was the designer of the greatly admired Sales and Service Building of the Central Automobile Corpora- tion at Clarksburg, made the plans for the big fire-proof hotel now under way that will be a great improvement to Shinnston, West Virginia, and has many other contracts under way. He is secretary of the West Virginia State Society of Architects, and was the West Virginia delegate to the 1921 convention of the American Institute of Arch- iteets held at Washington, D. C.

Ou September 26, 1909, Mr. Reger married Miss Lura L. Law, who was born in Ritchie County, West Virginia, and is a daughter of Martin L. Law. Mr. and Mrs. Reger have three children: Ruth L., born May 15, 1913; Cath- erine, born April 24, 1917; and Carl Robert, born May 23,

1921. Mr. and Mrs. Reger are members of the First Meth- odist Episcopal Church at Morgantown, in which he is a steward. He has long been deeply interested in Sunday school work, and is a member of the State Executive Com- mittee of the West Virginia Sunday School Association and is secretary of the Monongalia County Sunday School Asso- ciation. He is an active eitizen in all that concerns the real welfare of Morgantown, but the politieal field has not at- tracted him. He belongs to the Morgantown Rotary Club.

HERBERT VOLNEY KING, M. D. The fearless, questioning attitude of the twentieth century is nowhere more strikingly apparent than among the exponents of the medical pro- fession. The tendency of the latter-day scientifie physician to avoid, beyond all things, hasty jumping to conclusions or too ready dependence upon formulae is rapidly destroy ing aneient delusions. The heights to which a man with reason and courage may climb are practically limitless, and such men deserve, and in this age of the world usually receive, the hearty co-operation and support of the people: of intelligence and worth in their communities. To this class of rational thinkers belongs Dr. Herbert Volney King, whose opportunities along professional lines, and particularly those dealing with diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat, have been exceptional and whose use of the same has made him an important factor in connection with professional cireles of Morgantown and Monongalia County.

Doctor King is a native of Ohio, having been born at. Bellaire just across the Ohio River from West Virginia, Jannary 10, 1883, a son of the late William and Belle (Powell) King, natives of Belmont County, Ohio. Doctor King was but a boy when both his parents died. At the age of eleven years he removed with his guardian to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he attended the eity schools, grad- mating from Humbolt High School of that eity in 1901. Entering then the University of Minnesota, he was grad- uated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine as a member of the elass of 1905. Doctor King embarked in general practice at St. Paul in the same year, and continued as a practitioner of that eity until 1917. He was assistant to Dr. L. A. Schipfer, the noted eye, car, nose and throat specialist of Bismarck, North Dakota, for a time, and later was assistant to Dr. Harry J. Heeb, professor of ophthalmol- ogy at Marquette College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He took further post-graduate work under Dr. H. P. Mosher, now professor of nose and throat diseases at Harvard Uni- versity. In the fall of 1920 Doctor King entered practice at Morgantown, where he has since been engaged in special- izing in the treatment and cure of ailments of the eye, ear, i nose and throat, and in the short period of time that he has been located here has established himself firmly in the estimation of the people of the city and its surrounding environs.

Doctor King is a member of the Monongalia County Medieal Society, the West Virginia State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Masons, and his religious connection is with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a man of genial and confidenee inspiring personality, a philosopher in his attitude towards the world and a rationalist in his sane and practical purpose.

Doctor King married Miss Abbie Abbott, danghter of J. D. and Sophia (Peterson) Abbott, of St. Paul, Min- nesota, her father of Scotch stoek and her mother of Swed- ish aneestry. Five children have come to Doetor and Mrs. King: Edwin and Ethel, twins, born August 1, 1911; Mary Belle, born November 25, 1913; Herbert William, bern April 11, 1915; and Dorothy, born August 25, 1918.

PETER DILLE ARBOGAST, M. D. In the passage of time, ineluding the momentous events of recent years in the world's history that have wrecked personal ambitions and overturned thrones, America has never forgotten or failed to pay tribute to that noble and substantial friend of other days, the Marquis de Lafayette of France. In a measure, this interest has clung also to those brave cavaliers who accompanied him to the unknown land across the sea and

Frank P. Hall

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heathed their swords to aid the struggling American onies to secure independence. Not all of these brave liers returned to France, a number of them deciding remain in the goodly land to which duty had led them, I bere they founded families that generations afterward 1 bear their honored names, and through emulating their ponse to the eall of need some of their descendants e wiped out the old-time debt on their native soil.

The Arbogast family of West Virginia was founded in feriea by two brothers who accompanied the Marquis de fayette from France in 1777 and fought in the Revolu- nary war to assist the American colonies. The Arbogast thers afterward returned to France, but subsequently urned to the state, and both married women of German raction. The great grandfather of Dr. Peter D. Arbo- it came to what is now Pendleton County, West Virginia, ere he became the father of seven sons, of unusual physi- development, all being over six feet in stature.

Adam Arbogast, the grandfather of Doctor Arbogast, a ding medical practitioner at Morgantown, was born in adleton County, West Virginia, and was one of the first ee men to settle in what is now Pocahontas County, and ch his brothers assisted in the defense of Fort Seibert en the Indians attacked the settlers, who had taken uge in that old log fort.

Adam Arbogast, son of Adamı and father of Doctor Arbo- st, was born in 1792 on his father's farm in Pocahontas onty, and died there in 1874. He was a prosperous mer, and in addition to the old homestead owned another uable farm. He married Sarah MeDaniel, who was born Randolph County, Virginia, in 1841, and survived until 17. Her parents were born in Scotland.

Doctor Arbogast was born on the old family farm in cahontas County, West Virginia, March 19, 1867. He ended the free sebools and later Hillsborough Acaden

lowing which he taught school for several years. In 1997 entered the University of Virginia, where he completed nedieal course and was graduated from that institution :h his degree June 12, 1901. He entered into practice at rbin, Pocahontas County, removing in 1903 to Gorman, ryland, but returning in 1904 to Durbin, where he con- ued until 1911, when, in search of a wider field, he came Morgantown, where he is now very firmly established in : confidence and affection of the people.

Doetor Arbogast married, January 31, 1894, Miss Hodie ne Burner, who was born in Pocahontas County and was daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Beard) Burner, be- ging, like the Doctor, to an old pioneer family of this tion. Her great-grandfather, George Burner, and Adam bogast and Jacob Yeager, all married sisters, and, as : three earliest pioneers, settled for a time in Upper eenbrier Valley, Pocahontas County, and all became ›ple of importance. Mrs. Arbogast passed away on tober 14, 1919, leaving five sons and one daughter and a le circle of attached friends. The eldest son, Harry Me- il Arbogast, after spending two years in the University West Virginia, was a member of the United States Army dical Corps for six months during the World war, heing lineeted with the hospital at Fort Lee, Virginia. Hle f rried Miss Luella Howell, daughter of Charles G. How- of Morgantown, and they have one son, Richard Dille, o was born on Easter Sunday, 1921.

The daughter of Doctor Arbogast, Gertie Gale, is the sie of Lester E. Frazier, and they have one daughter, (therine Jane. Mr. Frazier is a graduated chemist of the Diversity of West Virginia. He was born and reared in Inceverte, Greenbrier County, but after his marriage tved to Monessen, Pennsylvania.

Charles Merle Arbogast, who is an overseas veteran of t, World war, was a member of the West Virginia Na- Inal Guard at the outbreak of the World war, and as sch went first to Fairmont, then to Pittsburgh, then baek t Fairmont and then to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, where I spent a year in practice on the rifle range, following vich he accompanied the American Expeditionary Forces t France. There he saw active service until military of- fisives were terminated by the signing of the armistice v:h the enemy, and he returned to the United States in

July, 1919. He is now a member of the West Virginia State Police. The three younger sons of the family are. Hoyt, who was graduated from the Morgantown High School in 1919, and Keith Bailey and Grey, who are yet in the grade schooly.

Doctor Arbogast has never fren particularly active in politieal life, although his convictions are sound and rea sonable, but he is recognized as a dependable citizen who is justifiably proud of his long line of American ancestry. He is identified with a number of professional organiza tions and fraternally is n Mason and Odd Fellow. He ix n member and liberal supporter of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

GRANT P. HALL, mayor of Charleston, has set some new standards of municipal administration in the State of West Virginia. His life has been distinguished by faithfulness and well executed duties in several fields, education, busi ness and publie affairs.

Mayor Hall was born in Roane County, West Virginia, Derember 21, 1865, son of William and Isabel (Guinn Ilall, also natives of this state. In 1566, the year after his birth, his parents moved to Kanawha County and lo cated on a farm in Big Sandy District. There Grant l'. Hall grew to mature years. He started life with a country school education, began teaching at the age of sixteen, and subsequently, in the intervals of teaching, he attended Mar- shall College at Huntington. He taught altogether for ten years in Kanawha County, and he finished his education in the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware.

Mr. Hall was elected county superintendent of school- for Kanawha County in 1994, serving two years. In 1996 he was elected elerk of the Circuit Court, and filled that office six years. While in office he studied Inw, was admit ted to the bar, and in addition to his private practice he served for a time as assistant prosecuting attorney of Ka nawha County and as a member of the County Court. Later. giving up his law practice, Mr. Hall was for several years actively and successfully engaged in the real estate bn-I ness at Charleston.

Hle was chosen mayor for the term of four years at the spring election of 1919. He entered the office at a critienl time. During the war all except the most indispensable publie improvements had stopped and the city was far behind in its program of pavement, sidewalks, sewerage, street lighting and other needed facilities. The execution of well eonsidered and broad plans providing for such im- provements has been carried forward with great vigor dur ing Mr. Hall's administration. Millions of dollars have been expended the last four years to make Charleston the modern city that it is. These improvements have had to keep pace with the remarkable growth and expansion of Charleston territorially during the same period. Mr. ITall has won the heartiest commendation and approval for his efficient, businesslike and honest administration. It is an offer to which he gives all his time, and he is in every sense the mayor of the city. One great improvement that is likely to be considered n permanent memorial to his administration is the City Hall, constructed at a cost of $650,000.

A republican in politics, Mr. Hall for many years has been an influential and prominent figure in city, county and state polities. In the general election of 1920 he was cam- paign manager for Ephraim F. Morgan, and the splendidl majority rolled up for General Morgan testifies to Mr. Hall's efficiency as a political organizer. During the war with Germany he was a member of nearly all the campaign committees and worked heartily for the success of every local quota.

He is a member of the First Methodist Episcopal Church. By his marriage to Miss Anna Steele Mr. Hall has six chil- dren: Lucile, wife of J. A. Shanklin; Frank B., Harry A., Grant P., Jr., Marion S. and Isabel.

ROBERT D. HENNEN, of Morgantown, Monongalia County, has achieved high standing in his profession, that of civil engineer, is actively identified with important industrial and capitalistic interesta, and is a scion of one of the old and

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honored families of this section of West Virginia. He was born at Morgantown, Angust 17, 1883, and is a son of the late Frederick A. and Ella E. (Coil) Hennen. The father was born at. Morgantown, February 26, 1844, a son of Robert P. and Elizabeth (Wilkins) Hennen. Robert P. Hennen was born in the State of Pennsylvania, where his father, Matthew Hennen, settled upon immigration to America from his native County Down, Ireland. Robert P. Hennen later came to Morgantown, in what is now West Virginia, and here engaged in the work of his trade, that of cabinetmaker, in which connection he became one of the pioneer undertakers of this place. He served as a member of the borough conneil during the '60s, and here his death occurred in 1873. His wife was born in New Jersey and her death occurred in 1871.

Frederick A. Hennen learned the trade of cabinetmaker under the direction of his father, and at Morgantown he followed his trade and engaged in the undertaking business, the enterprise later being amplified to include the furniture business, in which he continued until about 1912, when he retired. He was one of the honored and influential citizens of Morgantown, served about twelve years as a member of the City Council and was one of the most loyal and pro- gressive citizens of his native city and county. His mar- riage to Miss Ella E. Coil was solemnized in 1882, and the gracions ties were severed by the death of Mrs. Hennen in 1910. He survived her by more than a decade and his death occurred June 5, 1921, both having been earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, a .. he having been affiliated with the Independent Order of (): Fellows.

Robert D. Hennen gained his preliminary education in the public schools of Morgantown, and in 1908 he was graduated in the celebrated Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the City of Boston. He received from this institution the degree of Bachelor of Science, and in 1912 the same degree and also that of Civil Engineer were con- ferred upon him by the University of West Virginia, in which he had taken effective post-graduate work. In 1908 he was appointed civil engineer of Monongalia County by the County Court, and he served in this position four years, within which he did mueh important work for the county. From 1912 to 1914 he was engineer in chief in the con- struetion of the Morgantown & Wheeling Railroad, and in the latter year he organized the Monongahela Valley Engi- neering Company of Morgantown, of which he continued the executive head until he disposed of his interests in the corporation in 1920. Mr. Hennen was one of the organizers of the Moore-Tex Oil Company of Morgantown, of which he is vice president, and he was likewise one of the or- ganizers of the Knob Coal Company, of his interest in which he later disposed.

Mr. Hennen is affiliated with Morgantown Lodge No. 411 Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is a valued and progressive member of the local Rotary Club and the Morgantown Chamber of Commerce. He is a member also of the Morgantown Country Club, is treasurer of the Alumni Association of the University of West Virginia, a trustee of the Phi Kappa Psi college fraternity, and he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church in their home eity.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 64

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