History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 65

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Mr. Hennen married Miss Louise Reiner, daughter of Thomas P. and Emma (Porter) Reiner, of Dunbar, Pennsyl- vania, and she is a popular factor in the representative so- eial activities of Morgantown.

BERNARD JAMES MCDERMOTT, civil and mining engineer and coal operator, is one of the progressive citizens and representative business men of Morgantown, county seat of Monongalia County. He was born at Taunton, Massachu- setts, February 9, 1882, and is a son of Michael and Mary Ann (Lynch) MeDermott, the former of whom was born in County Leitrim, Ireland, and the latter at Cool Springs, New York, both being now deceased.

The parochial and public schools of his native city af- forded Bernard J. MeDermott his early education, and at the age of nineteen years he entered the engineering depart- ment of the Shawmut Mining Company at Byrnedale, Elk

County, Pennsylvania, in the capacity of draftsman. H technical ability and effective service led to his promotie to the position of division engineer for the company, which he continued the incumbent four years. He le Byrnedale in May, 1906, to assume the position of chi. engineer of the Elkins Coal & Coke Company at Morga town, West Virginia. Here he received appointment al. to the post of chief engineer of the Morgantown & Kin wood Railway Company, and of these two responsible o fiees he continued in tenure eleven years-until August 1917. Within this period Mr. MeDermott had charge the designs and construction of five new mines of the Elki: Coal & Coke Company and the reconstruction of two oth mines of the company. He became associated with Josel Miller, of New York City, and built and placed in opel tion mines No. 1 and No. 2 at Britz, West Virginia, a: mill No. 3 at Kingwood, of which properties he is now tl chief operator, under the title of chief engineer and ge eral superintendent, with office headquarters in the Pri Building at Morgantown.

Mr. MeDermott is affiliated with Morgantown Lodge N 411, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Branch N 62, Knights of St. George; and the Council of the Knigh of Columbus at St. Mary's, Pennsylvania. IIe is an acti member of the Morgantown Country Club.

Mr. MeDermott married Miss Angela De Lisle, and the have four children: Susan Marie, Bernard Joseph, Lou Leo and Mary Ann.

DAVID CHADWICK REAY, who is engaged in the practice his profession in his native eity of Morgantown, as ol of the representative members of the bar of Monongal County, is a scion of the fourth generation of the Rez family in America and of the third generation in what now the State of West Virginia. John Otho Reay, son Capt. John Otho Reay, of the Royal English Navy, came America in 1795, and first settled in Philadelphia, Pennsy vania, whenee he later removed to Baltimore, Maryland From the latter city he thereafter removed to Hardy Cou ty, Virginia. He was twice married, his second wife havin been Elizabeth, a daughter of Capt. John Neville and gran daughter of Gen. Joseph Neville, of Virginia, and of t! marriage were born two sons and two danghters, of who the son, George M., was the grandfather of him whose nan introduces this review.

George M. Reay was born in Hardy County, Virgini in 1813, and when he was four years of age his widowe mother became the wife of David Gilmore. Soon afte ward the family came to what is now Tucker County, We Virginia, and in 1833 George M. Reay established his res dence at Morgantown, where he continued actively in bus ness until 1870. Here he served as justice of the peace fro 1841 to 1859, and within this period served also as eapta of militia. December 24, 1840, he married Elizabet daughter of Thomas Maple, of Greene County, Pennsy vania, and their son, Thomas P., became the father of Dav C. Reay of this sketch.

Thomas Presley Reay was born at Morgantown, Angn 30, 1841, received good educational advantages, as gauge by the standards of the locality and period, and he pr pared himself for the legal profession. However, he turne his attention from the law and engaged in the coal ar oil business, in which he had active part in the develo ment of these produetive industries in this section of th state. He served as general deputy collector of intern revenue for the Eleventh Revenue Division, comprising We Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delawa and the District of Columbia, and this office he resigne in 1895, since which time he has continued his residen at Morgantown and given his supervision to his varie capitalistie and business interests. His wife, Sarah Vi ginia, a daughter of Dr. Marmaduke Dent, died on tl 17th of October, 1920, and her memory is revered by a who came within the sphere of her gracious influence.

David Chadwick Reay, son of Thomas P. and Sarah Vi ginia Reay, was born at Morgantown on the 21st of Nover ber, 1870, and the local schools afforded him his preliminar education. In 1895 he was graduated from the law depar

N. E. Bek,

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nent of the University of West Virginia, and his reception of the degree of Bachelor of Laws was followed in the same year by his admission to the har of his native state. in 1896 he was appointed deputy clerk of the Supreme Court of West Virginia, and he continued his service in this capacity until 1902, when he resigned to enter the prac- ice of his profession at Morgantown. Ilere he was asso- iated in practice with Charles A. Goodwin, under the firm name of Goodwin & Reny, until 1918, when President Wilson appointed him auditor of the treasury for the Department of the Interior at Washington. In this office he gave a nost effective and ereditable administration, and in October, 1919, he resigned his Government post for the purpose of resuming the practice of his profession, but it was not un- .il October, 1920, that his resignation was accepted and he returned to Morgantown, where he has continued in the practice of law, with a representative clientage. Aside from his law business Mr. Reay has substantial interests n coal mining and oil production, and to these he finds t expedient to give the major part of his time and atten- tion. He is a member of the West Virginia State Bar Association and the Monongalia Bar Association, is af- iliated with the Phi Sigma Kappa college fraternity, is L.stauch democrat, holds membership in the Morgantown Country Club, and he and his wife are active members of the First Presbyterian Church in their home city. He is a loyal and progressive member of the Morgantown Cham- ber of Commerce.

July 2, 1900, recorded the marriage of Mr. Reay and Miss Margaret Katherine Krieger, daughter of Frederick and Margaret (Kirschner) Krieger, of Pittsburgh, Pennsyl vania. The names and respective dates of birth of the chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Reay are here recorded: Margaret Virginia, January 19, 1902; Virginia Dent, October 5, 1904; and David Neville, April 11, 1919.

DAVID HOTT, A. B., M. D., who is established in the prac- tice of his profession at Morgantown, Monongalia County. is one of the representative physicians and surgeons of his uative state and a scion of the third generation of the Ilott family in West Virginia, his grandfather, Jacob lIott, of French-Huguenot lineage, having settled in Berkeley County, this state, long before West Virginia had been seg- regated from the mother state of Virginia. David Hott, Sr., father of the Doctor, was born in Berkeley County in 1831, and his wife, whose maiden nante was Rachel llancher, was born in the same county in 1834, she having been of Irish ancestry. David Hott continued his activities as a farmer in his native county until he purchased and removed to a farm in Frederick County, just across the line from his old farm in Berkeley County. There he continued as one of the substantial exponents of farm industry until his death in 1916. His widow passed away in 1919.

Doctor Hott was born on the old homestead farm in Berkeley County, November 21, 1873, and was renred in Frederick County, to which the family removal was made when he was two years old. After his well direeted public- school training he entered the University of West Virginia, and in this institution he was graduated in 1900, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. In 1902 he received his de- gree of Doctor of Medicine from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in the City of Baltimore, Maryland, and in the same year he engaged in the active general practice of his profession at Morgantown, which city has since con tinued the stage of his effective professional service. save for the period during which he was a member of the Medical Corps of the United States Army at the time of the World war. He entered the medical corps in October, 1917, and was first stationed at Camp Greenleaf, Georgia, whence he was later transferred to Fort Hamilton, New York, where he remained until he crossed to France with the Fifty-ninth Regiment of Coast Artillery. With this command he barked March 27, 1918, and after landing at Brest, France, the regiment proceeded to Villiers-sur-Mare, and saw its first active fighting in the St. Mihiel sector. Thereafter it was in service in the great Argonne Forest campaign, pro- ceeded up the River Meuse, and was at Romain when the historie armistice was signed. Upon the return voyage

Doctor Hutt landed in the post of New York City, February 15, 1919, and two weeks later he received his honorable Jischarge, with the rank of captain, his commission as captain having been rerrivel when he entered service. H. is now a member of the Medical Reserve Corps of the United States Army, with the rank of major. After the close of his patriotic service livetor Ilott returnel to Mor gantown, where he hus since continued his netive professiona work, in which his sucresy attests ahke h's ability and his personal popularity. He is a member of the Monongam County Medical Society, West Virginia State Medeal So ciety, Southern Medical Society, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Doctor lott married Misy Alene Vance, daughter ot George and Mary (Scott) Vance, of Morgantown. Their one child, George David, was graduated in the Morgantown High School, and is a member of the class of 1923 in the University of West Virginia.

HUGH ERNEST BEK is a Western man by birth and trains ing. is a mechanical and electrical engineer, and during the past ten years has been building up a highly successful business at Charleston, where he is president of the Triple State Electric Company, who are distributors for Stude. baker cars in Southern West Virginia.

Mr. Bek was born at Arago, Richardson County, No. braska, in 1884. Ile lived in his home town until he was of age, attending the public schools, and, showing special aptitude for mechanical lines, later entered the Iowa State College at Ames, where he was graduated in 1909 in Me chanical and Electrical Engineering.

Mr. Bek located at Charleston, West Virginia, in 1912. and soon afterward became principal owner of un automo- bile business that had been founded in 1903 and is now in eorporated as the Triple State Electric Company. Hle 14 president and active manager of this company, whose ex- clusive business is devoted to handling Studebaker cars. and parts. Its jurisdiction for sales and service comprises the counties of Kanawha, Putnam, Clay, Braxton, Webster, Nicholas, Fayette, Raleigh, Summers, Greenbrier, Boone and Monroe, and there are two branch agencies, one at St. Albans and one at Clendenin. The different departments of the business comprise one of Charleston's leading indus- tries.

Mr. Bek is one of the public spirited. active young bu-i ness men of the city, is affiliated with the Charleston Cham her of Commerce, the Charleston Automobile Club and Rotary Club. He married Miss Jesse Pearl Lanier, of Mason County, West Virginia, and they have one son, Hugh Ernest, Jr.

Mr. Bek is a Scottish Rite Mason, a Knight Tempdar and a Shriner. He is Master of Kanawha Lodge No. 20. 1. F and A. M. He is also a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Charleston.

JOSEPH ROBERT HINGHART, M. D., one of the leading phy sicians and surgeons of Morgantown, and health officer for Monongalia County, was horn on a farm on Cooper's Creek. Kanawha County, West Virginia, the son of James Mad son and Martha ( Rogers) IInghart, and grandson of Joseph Hughart, who was born in a log fort in Greenbrier County. Virginia, where his parents, with other settlers, had taken refuge during one of the numerous Indian raids of that day.

James Madison Hughart was born in Greenbrier County, Virginia. in 1-20, and during the war between the states served in the Union Army as a member of Company .1. Seventh Virginia Cavalry, under General Averil, and as such was captured and continedl in Libby Prison for six months. After the close of the war he married and removed to Kansas, where he homesteaded a tract of land, but in 1-74 returned to West Virginia and settled in Kanawha County, twelve miles from Charl ston. In 1980 he removed to Roane County, this state, where his death occurred in 1-SI. Ilis wife, Martha, was born in Nicholas County West. Virginia, in 1840, and died in 1S>0. She was a daughter of Robert Jackson Rogers, a full consin to Gen Andrew Jackson. The Rogers family wer Protestante wt came from the North of Ir land.

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Joseph Robert Hughart was born April 16, 1871, and was reared on the home farm and obtained his early educa- tion in the country schools. At the age of nineteen years he began to teach school and when he had reached his thirtieth year he had taught sixteen terms of school, he having secured a first-class certificate to teach at the be- ginning. While teaching he applied himself to the study of medicine, having early determined upon a professional career, and in 1903 was granted a license to practice by the State Board of Medical Examiners of West Virginia. He attended the Maryland Medical College at Baltimore, re- ceiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine from that institu- tion in 1904, and at that time entered practice at Burns- ville, Braxton County, West Virginia. In 1913 he went before the State Board and was given another license, and in 1914 entered practice at Morgantown. Here he has risen steadily in his calling, and is now accounted one of the leaders therein in Monongalia County, having a large, representative and lucrative practice and being recognized as a physician whose views accord with the highest and best professional ethics.

On April 1, 1921, Doctor Hughart was apointed county health officer of Monongalia County, to fill out an unexpired term, and July 1 of the same year was reappointed for a full term of four years. He is a member of the Monongalia County Medical Society and the West Virginia Medical Society, holds membership in the Morgantown Chamber of Commerce and is a well-known Mason, belonging to Morgan- town Union Lodge No. 4, A. F. and A. M .; Chapter No. 29, R. A. M., and Commandery No. 16, K. T., the two latter of Sutton, West Virginia. His religious connection is with the Methodist Episcopal Church. While he is not a pol- itician, Doctor Hughart takes an interest in public affairs, particularly those affecting the general civic welfare of his adopted city, its institutions and its people, and public- spirited movements and enterprises find in him a genero and willing supporter.

On February 12, 1898, Doctor Hughart was united in marriage with Miss Russia E. Carper, daughter of Clifton H. and Prussia (Stackhouse) Carper, agricultural people of Roane County, this state, and to this union there have come two children: Robert J., born July 14, 1902; and Joseph M., born March 24, 1905.

WILLIAM A. LUCAS. Among the alert and enterprising men who during the past several decades have utilized the opportunities offered at Huntington for business pre- ferment and attained thereby a full measure of success is William A. Lucas, whose carcer is typical of modern progress and advancement, and who as a man of affairs ranks among the contributors to his community's better- ment. Mr. Lucas, who is engaged in the real estate busi- ness, was born at French Camp, Choctaw County, Missis- sippi, December 6, 1875, and is a son of John and Margaret (Carter) Lucas.

John Lucas was born in 1836, at Chester, South Caro- lina. When the war between the states came on he enlisted under the colors of the Confederacy, his com- manding officer being General Longstreet. Under this leadership he fought throughout the period of the war, establishing a splendid record for bravery and faithful performance of duty. At the close of the struggle he moved to Choctaw County, Mississippi, where he passed the rest of his life in agricultural operations of some extent, and died at French Camp in 1901, when sixty- four years of age, respected and esteemed by all who knew him. He was a stalwart democrat in his political convictions, was fraternally affiliated with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and belonged to the Baptist Church. Mr. Lucas married Miss Margaret Carter, who was born in 1850, at French Camp, where she died in 1895. Six children were born to this union: Minnie Lee, the wife of Charles A. Torbert, a banker of Ackerman, Mississippi; James Walter, M. D., a physician and surgeon of Moorehead, Mississippi; Hattie, who died at French Camp when but three years of age; William A., of this review; Edna, who died at the age of three years; and Margaret, the wife of Porter W. Berry, super-

intendent of the agricultural school at Senatobia, Missis- sippi.

The early education of William A. Lucas was acquired in the public school at French Camp, following which he pursued a course in the academy there, and then en- rolled as a student at the University of Mississippi, from which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1898, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts. While attending college he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta Greek letter fraternity. After his graduation Mr. Lucas became an instructor at Jefferson Military College, Washington, Mississippi, and remained with that insti- tution for a period of eleven years. In 1909 he came to Huntington, West Virginia, and embarked in the real estate business, a field in which he has gained something more than ordinary success. His offices are situated at Nos. 1204-1205 First National Bank Building, and he is secretary and treasurer of several land companies and enjoys the full confidence of his associates in his various ventures. In political matters Mr. Lucas supports the principles and candidates of the democratic party. He is a member of the Huntington Chamber of Commerce, and has been a generous supporter of worthy civic enterprises.

On June 14, 1905, Mr. Lucas married, at Washington, Adams County, Mississippi, Miss Fannie Belle Raymond, daughter of Dr. Joseph S. and Margaret Paxton Ray- mond, of Rockbridge County, Virginia, both now de- ceased. Doctor Raymond was for forty years president of Jefferson College. Mrs. Lucas is a graduate of a young ladies' seminary. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lucas: William A., Jr., born May 29, 1906; Margaret Raymond, born August 3, 1908; and Minnie Lee, born May 3, 1913.

REV. THOMAS S. HAMILTON, the able and honored pastor of the Bland Street Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in the City of Bluefield, Mercer County, was born at Abingdon, Washington County, Virginia, October 17, 1867, and is a scion of one of the old and influential families of that section of the Ohl Dominion state. He is a son of John B. and Anna (Bradley) Hamilton, his father having been born and reared in Washington County and having there been engaged in mercantile business at Abingdon for many years. As a lad of fifteen years, John B. Hamilton ran away from home and followed an older brother to join a regiment of Virginia volunteer infantry that went forth in defense of the Confederate cause in the Civil war. The youthful sohlier lived up to the full tension of the great conflict, participated in many engagements, including a number of important battles, and the bullet which wounded him in one of his hands remained imbedded in the flesh of the hand until his death in 1905, at the age of fifty-nine years. His widow attained to the age of seventy-three years and passed to the life eternal in 1919, both having been devout mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in which Mr. Hamilton served many years as a steward. John B. Hamilton was a man of fine mentality and sterling character, was a stalwart supporter of the principles of the democratic party and was affiliated with the United Confederate Veterans.

Rev. Thomas S. Hamilton, eldest in a family of five children, received his preliminary education in the public schools of his native place, thereafter continued his studies in Emory and Henry College, Virginia, and later took a law course in historic old University of Virginia. Ile was admitted to the bar at Abingdon, judicial center of his native county, and there he continued in the suc- cessful practice of his profession for a period of twelve years. Nr. Hamilton likewise studied medicine, and thus further broadened his intellectual ken and practical knowledge-a fortification that has been of much value to him in the high calling in which he is now serving. Moved by a fine spirit of Christian stewardship, he finally decided to consecrate his life to the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, of which he had become an earnest member in his youth. He was or-

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ed a clergyman of the church in 1902, as a member the Holston Conference in Virginia, and his first coral service was on the Oldtown Circuit of that con- nce. He was thus engaged one year, and during the ring three years was in similar service on the Cedar ing Circuit. He then became pastor of the church Wise, Virginia, where he continued his labors two rs. For the ensuing four years he was pastor of ce Church at Bluefield, West Virginia, and the next · years found him pastor of Trinity Church in the , of Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 1916 he came again Bluefield, where he has since served continuously as ;or of the Bland Street Methodist Church. In evi- ce of the high cateem in which he is held in the munity and also of the estimate placed upon him citizen and a clergyman, it is interesting to record : the Bluefield Chamber of Commerce, every leading , organization in the city and all of the other ·ches of Bluefield recently sent representatives to the ual conference of the Methodist Church with in- ent requests that Mr. Hamilton be returned to his ent pastorate, to which he was duly reassigned. Ile forceful and eloquent pulpit orator and an able :ch executive, so that unequivocal success has at- led his work in his various pastoral charges. llis intellectual and professional attainments have htened his influence in connection with civic affairs. was one of the leaders in the movement which ed Mercer County to "go over the top" in the ous lines of patriotic contribution during the na- 'a participation in the World war, he having been of the most zealous of the four-minute speakers aged in furthering such war service in the county having served on many committees in charge of 1 campaigns in support of the Government loan, Cross work, etc. Mr. Hamilton was chairman of local committee which perfected arrangements for evangelistie campaign of Rev. "Billy" Sunday in field. He is a leader in community sentiment and on, ia a valued member of the Chamber of Com- ce, and of the Rotary Club, in which he holds the e of president of the local club.

1 the 26th of February, 1895, was aolemnized the riage of Mr. Hamilton and Miss Aldens Clark, daugh- of Isaac Lewis Clark, a representative citizen of igdon, Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have three and six daughters. One of the sons, Stokes Hamil- served with loyalty and efficiency as a soldier in United States army at the time of the World war, received commission as first lieutenant.

ATHANIEL BARNARD, D. D. S., who is successfully estab- d in the practice of his profession at Morgantown, Mo- alia County, is a native of Maryland and a scion of ing pioneer families in both that state and Pennsyl- 1, the Barnards being of Scotch ancestry and the Spear ly lineage tracing back to Irish origin. Nathaniel ard, Sr., father of the Doctor, was born and reared [aryland, became a miller by vocation and owned and ated the Moscow Mills at Moscow, that state. Subse- tly he moved to Westernport, Maryland, where he re- ed until his death. His wife, who likewise is deceased, the maiden name of Nancy Ellen Spear and was n sentative of a family early founded in Pennsylvania. ctor Barnard was born at Westernport, Maryland, h 2, 1884, and in 1903 he was graduated from the school, after which he took a course in the State Buai- College at Cumberland, Maryland. After three years ervice as a bookkeeper he took a literary or academic se in the Davis and Elkins College at Elkins, West inia, and in 1913 he was graduated in the department entistry of the University of Maryland. After thus re- ng his degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery he entered e practice at Elkins, West Virginia, where he remained engaged until he entered the service of the nation in lection with the World war. In August, 1917, he was missioned first lieutenant in the Dental Corps of the ed States Army and assigned to the Eighteenth Divi- Vol. II-28

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 65

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