History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 83

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While his influence as a school maa has become widely ctended over the state, Mr. Rosier for over twenty years is had his chief work in the City of Fairmont. He be- une superintendent of the public schools of that city in ›00. lfe held that post fifteen years, a period that coin- ded with the greatest development of the school facilities Fairmont. He became president of the Fairmont State ormal School in 1915.

Mr. Rosier has been an instructor at Teachers Institutes nearly every county in the state. He is a member of e National Educational Association, of the National Coun- 1 of Normal School Presidents, and of the West Virginia tate Educational Association, and has been secretary and resident of this state association. His interests have called im to active co-operation with movements outside school fe and work. He is president of the local association of asociated Charities, vice president of the local Young [ens' Christian Association, an organization with which e has been identified since its beginning, is a member of he Official Board of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, nd is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and Ancient rder of United Workmen. During the World war Mr. osier was food commissioner for Marion County.

August 14, 1895, he married Iva Randolph, of Salem, West irginia. She was born October 15, 1872, daughter of reston Fitz and Henrietta (Meredith) Randolph. Her ather was a successful teacher in West Virginia for more lan a quarter of a century. Mrs. Rosier's great-great- randfather, Randolph, was an ensign in the Continental rmy during the Revolutionary war. Mr. and Mrs. Rosier ave three children: Nellie, born May 29, 1898, is the wife

of Paul Coffee, formerly of Fairmont, their present home being at Canton, Ohio. Robert, born April 10, 1902, is a sophomore in tho engineering department of West Virginia University. Mary Josephine, born December 5, 1905, is n student in the Fairmont Iligh School.

HOWARD JOSEPH ROSS was born, reared and achieved hin tirst business success in Ohio, but for nearly twenty years has been a factor in the commercial life of Fairmont and also a progressive lender in some of the larger movements for that community's welfare and advancement.

Mr. Ross was born on a farm near Cadiz, Harrison Coun ty, Ohio, February S, ISTS, On the same farm on Febru- ary 20, 1-50, was born his father, Rev. S. F. Ross, who was the son of Joseph and Catherine Ross, natives of Pennsyl- vania and early settlers of Harrison County. Amanda Welch, who became the wife of Rev. S. F. Ross, was born on a neighboring farm in llarrison County, December 10, 1833, daughter of Joseph and Margaret Welch. Rev. S. F. Ross was reared on a farm, attended public schools, then Seio College, Seio, Ohio, an institution now incorporated in Mount I'nion College, and after several years' experience as a teacher and while still a young man he entered the ministry. For many years he has been one of the able workers in the Ohio Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is now serving as pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Wadsworth, Summit County.

Howard J. Ross spent his early life on the Ross farm, was educated in the public schools, and for a time was a student in Scio College. During 1898-1900, he attended Muskingum College in Ohio. While he was there Joseph Leiter, of Chicago, engineering the great wheat "corner," and young Ross, seeing the opportunity to make some money, bought wheat and carried the deal through to a considerable profit. This gave him his initial capital for his business career. His earnings from wheat he invested during the development of the oil fields around Scio, Ohio, and here, again, his investment and judgment were prof- itable. About that time he engaged in the furniture busi- ness at. Byesville, Ohio, in partnership with Edward Ken- nedy, subsequently bought out his partner, and soon after- ward sold the business. During 1901 he was a student in the law department of Ohio State University.

After his university career Mr. Ross became a traveling salesman for a furniture company, with headquarters at Zanesville, Ohio. In December, 1904, he came to Fairmont, during a vacation, to manage the Fairmont Furniture CoDi- pany. Ultimately he bought a half interest in that busi- ness, the firm becoming Nuzum & Ross, and in 1911, upon the retirement of Mr. Nuzum, Mr. Ross incorporated the Ross Furniture Company, of which he is now president and owner. This is one of the very special business enterprises of Fairmont. Mr. Ross became interested in the Moon Oil & Gas Company in 1907, and since 1915 has been active manager of this corporation.

He was holding the office of president of the Fairmont Chamber of Commerce when the campaign was inaugurated for building the magnificent new bridge across the Mo- nongahela River, connecting East and West Fairmont. He was twiee president of the Chamber of Commerce, and was also one of the organizers and president of the Fairmont Business Men's Association and is a member of the West Virginia State Business Men's Association. Mr. Rosa is a member and treasurer of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Fairmont, belongs to the Rotary Club, and is affiliated with Fairmont Lodge No. 9, A. F. and A. M.

On October 21, 1908, he married Miss Lenore Brahm, a native of Terra Alta, West Virginia, where she was born January 26, 1882. Her parents were Lynn F. and Elizabeth Brahm, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the lat- ter of West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Ross have two children : Joseph Finley, born October 11, 1911, and Elizabeth Elliot, born February 1, 1914.

GEORGE E. KESTEASON. Among those prominently known in the profession of law at Huntington and equally recog. nized as leaders in the coal industry is George E. Kesterson. During the twenty seven years that he has been identified

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with affairs in this state he has made numerous important connections and entrenched himself firmly in the confidence of his associates. He was born at Belpre, Washington County, Ohio, October 7, 1867, and is a son of William Franklin and Melissa (Treadway) Kesterson.

The Kesterson family originated in Germany, whence came the great-grandfather of George E. Kesterson, who first located at Baltimore, Maryland, where, upon the advent of the War of the Revolution, he joined General Washing- ton's army and fought bravely during the winning of American independence. His son, Willis Kesterson, the grandfather of George E. Kesterson, was born at Waynes- boro, Virginia, where he lived practically all of his life, being a well-known and prosperous planter of his com- munity. He maintained the family's military record by fighting with the American troops during the Mexican war. Late in life he went to Lubeck, West Virginia, where he died prior to the birth of his grandson.

William Franklin Kesterson was born in June, 1825, at Waynesboro, Augusta County, Virginia, where he was reared and educated and where he early adopted the vocation of planter. Later he located at Parkersburg, this state, where he secured employment at the trade of cooper. In 1866 he removed to Belpre, Ohio, where he also followed the same trade, and through industry and good management increased his capital until he was able to purchase land. Eventually he became a successful agriculturist and owned considerable property at Belpre at the time of his death, January 4, 1916, when he had reached the great age of ninety-one years, eight months, twenty-one days. He was a democrat in his political convictions, and a member and liberal sup- porter of the Methodist Episcopal Church, North. Mr. Kesterson married Miss Melissa Treadway, who was born in Wood County, Virginia (now West Virginia), and died at Belpre, Ohio. They became the parents of seven chil- dren: Willis II., who resides at Newark, Ohio, and is an agriculturist; Hester, who died at Somerset, Kentucky, as the wife of Hosea Johnson, also deceased, who was a farmer of Washington County, Ohio, and at Somerset; Hellena, who died at Rockland, Ohio, as the wife of John Waterman, township clerk at Rockland; Sylvester V., who is engaged in farming in Washington County, Ohio; Jeanetta, who died at Rockland, Ohio, as the wife of Edward Ames, an agriculturist, who later died in Iowa; William Franklin, who is engaged in farming at Rockland, Ohio; and George E., of this record.

George E. Kesterson attended the graded and high schools of Belpre, Ohio, and after graduating from the latter entered upon the study of law. He was admitted to the bar at Sistersville, West Virginia, in 1896, aud practiced there until 1906, then spending two years at Parkersburg and a like period at Columbus, Ohio. During a part of this time, however, he was handling undeveloped coal lands in Kentucky. Coming to Huntington in 1910, he opened a law office and has since been engaged in the practice of his profession at this place, where he has gained a large and representative clientele and established an excellent reputa- tion for sound ability and thorough professional knowledge. He is operating a coal mine at Hawk's Nest, West Virginia, and is a stockholder in the United Pocahontas Coal Cor- poration. His offices are situated at 1220 First National Bank Building. Mr. Kesterson is a democrat in politics, but not a seeker after political preferment. Fraternally he is affiliated with Huntington Lodge No. 347, L. O. O. M., and Huntington Lodge No. 33, K. of P.

On February 5, 1912, Mr. Kesterson was united in mar- riage with Miss Maude Mayfield, at Catlettsburg, Kentucky. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wood Mayfield, reside at Ash- land, Kentucky, Mr. Mayfield being a retired agriculturist. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kesterson: Josephine Virginia, born May 5, 1915, who is attending school, and William Woodrow, born November 22, 1921.

GIBBON M. SLAUGHTER, superintendent for the Thacker Coal Mining Company, with executive headquarters at Rose Siding, Mingo County, has been identified with min- ing activities in the coal fields of thissection of the

state since December 23, 1913, and has won advancemer through effective service.

Mr. Slaughter was born at Washington, Virginia, Marc 28, 1876, a son of Francis L. and Sue F. (Motley Slaughter. The father likewise was born at-Washington in 1834, and there his death occurred February 1 1902. The mother was born in Caroline County, Vi: ginia, December 11, 1841, and since the death of he husband she has continued to maintain her home a Washington, that state. Francis L. Slaughter gave hi active life to farm enterprise in his native county, wa influential in community affairs and served as magis trate and school trustee. He was a zealous member o the Baptist Church, as is also his widow. Mr. Slaughte was a gallant soldier of the Confederacy during th entire period of the Civil war, he having been a mem her of Company B (Captain Duncan), of the Sixth Virginia Cavalry, in the command of Major Grimsby and Col. John S. Green. He was made a non-commis. sioned officer and he took part in many important en gagements, including the battles of the Wilderness, Win chester, Manassas and Front Royal, or Cedarville, be sides the many engagements in which his command wa! involved in the Valley of Virginia. He had two horse: killed under him, and the skin on one of his wrist: was grazed by a bullet, but he was never captured 01 severely wounded. He was a descendant of one of two brothers of the Slaughter family who came from Eng land in the earlier part of the eighteenth century and settled in Kentucky and Virginia, respectively, the first governor of Kentucky having been a Slaughter, and a representative of the name in Virginia having been a member of the American navy in the War of the Revo- lution.

Gibbon M. Slaughter, one of a family of four sons, all of whom are living, attended the public schools of his native town until he was eighteen years old, and thereafter he continued his association with farm enter- prise in Virginia until he had attained to the age of twenty-five years. When the Spanish-American war was initiated he enlisted and was trained for service, but the war came to a close without his being called to the stage of conflict. On October 28, 1901, he went to Cin- cinnati, Ohio, where he found employment in connection with the wholesale and retail coal business in selling the output of the Glenalum and. Thacker mines in West Virginia. He was six years in office and two years on the road as a salesman, his territory extending from Michigan to South Carolina. In November, 1909, he came to the West Virginia coal fields in the capacity of shipping agent for the Glenalum mine. Two years later he was made assistant superintendent, and after holding this position two years he became assistant to S. G. MeNulty, general manager of the; Thacker Coal Mining Company, at Rose Siding. Two years later he was pro- moted to his present office at this place, that of super- intendent.

In politics Mr. Slaughter is inclined to consider men and measures rather than to be constrained by strict partisan lines. He registered for service in the World war but was instructed to continue the production of coal, the fuel industry being one of vital importance during the war period. He is affiliated with the Ma- sonic Blue Lodge at Washington, Virginia; with Rappa- hannock Chapter No. 33, Royal Arch Masons, at the same place; with Ivanhoe Commandery No. 19, Knights Templars, at Bluefield, West Virginia; and with the Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Charleston, this state. Mr. Slaughter's name is still enrolled on the roster of eligible bachelors in Mingo County.

GEORGE EDMUND PRICE recently passed the golden anni- versary of his admission to the bar. Fifty years a lawyer, he has spent all but the first few years in West Virginia, his native state, and for a third of a century . has stood among the leaders of the bar of Charleston. The progenitors of the family settled in

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ryland in early Colonial days, and the great-grand- her, Thomas Price, served as a colonel in the American ny during the Revolutionary war.

George E. Price was born on a farm near Moorefield, rdy County, West Virginia, November 9, 1848, and of Welsh ancestry. His family was a substantial one, h professional connections, and he acquired a liberal ication in preparation for his chosen profession. He ended Georgetown University at Washington, where enjoyed many of the college honors. In December, I, he was admitted to the bar in Frederick County, ryland, where he studied law with his great uncle, . James M. Coale. In 1875 he returned to West Vir- ia, and practiced at Keyser in Mineral County until 0. when he located at Charleston. In the meantime, 1882, he was elected a member of the State Senate, I served continuonsly for eight years and was pre- ing officer of the Senate in the sessions of 1985-1887 I 1989.

On removing to Charleston Mr. Price was associated practice with Hon. S. L. Flournoy until the latter's th. He is now senior member of the law firm Price, ith. Spilman and Clay, one of the most highly ac- dited firms of the state bar. The group of attorneys nciated with Mr. Price in this firm include Harrison Smith. Robert S. Spilman. Buckner Clay. Arthur B. Ages. David C. Howard, T. Brooke Price, John J. Preston and Frederick L. Thomas.

n the settlement of the boundary dispute between st Virginia and Maryland Mr. Price was selected by rernor Fleming to represent the State of West Vir- ia before the Supreme Court. His brief, pleadingg t oral arguments in that case were the contributing tors in the final decision. and the cage became one importance bevond immediate results as a precedent settling similar onestions. Mr. Price was one of the anizers of the Kanawha National Bank and also the Kanawha Banking and Trust Company. of which is a director and vice president. In and out of his fession he has exercised an important influence in iv industrial developments through the state.

n June. 1878. Mr. Price married Miss Sallie A. Dorsey, Howard County. Maryland. Of their children two g are lawvers. For many years Mr. Price haq served a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church. While he not the Nestor of the Charleston bar. he has long n regarded as one of its most honored members, with nestioned ability and versatility of talent and per- al character that mark him as one of the eminent 1 of the state.

ICHARD EARL MCCRAY is a graduate doctor of dental rery and for over a dozen vears has enjoved prestige [ the leading practice in Fairmont, where he has been illv known for his business enterprise.

ostor McCray was born at Fairmont. October 15. 1886. of Charles Edward and Martha Virginia (Prichard) rav. His grandparents John and Rebecca (Cunning. 1) McCray, were also natives of Marion County, and maternal grandparents, Thomas and Harriet (Morse) hard. were born in the same county. so that more than te generations of these worthy families have been rep- nted in this section of West Virginia. Charles E. Mc- tr was born in Marion County in 1850. and has spent life there. By trade he is a harness-maker, an occupa- he followed in Marion County. but later became a rhant of Fairmont and is now living retired. His wife, tha Virginia Prichard. was born in the Paw Paw Dis- of Marion County in 1855.

chard E. McCray acquired a public school education Fairmont. graduated from high school in 1904, apent year at the Fairmont State Normal School, in 1905 red the Ohio State University at Columbus. and took "course in dental surgery at the Starling. Ohio. Dental oge. now incorporated in the Ohio State University. He · nated with the degree of D. D. S. in 1909, and soon foward took up active practice at Fairmont. Doctor Gray is a member of the West Virginia State Dental Vol. II-29

Society, tha Monongahela Valley Dental Soclety, of which he was president in 1919, and is the present secretary of the Marion County School Dental Clinic Society.

One of the widely known business enterprises haring its home at Fairmont is The McCray System Advertising Company, Inc., with which Doctor McCray has been ae- tively associated for a number of years, and of which he was formerly president. He is now president of the firm McCray & McCray, theatrical enterprises, an organization founded in 1908 by him in association with his brother, Frank C. McCray.

Doctor McCray is affiliated with Fairmont Lodge No. 294. B. P. O. E. and is a member of the Psi Chapter of the Ohio State University and of the Psi Omega dental fra- ternity. In 1912 he married Miss Bonnie Marie Orr. She was born at Clarksburg, West Virginia, May 27. 1895, daughter of Frederick Bruce and Laverna Angelina (Wyer) Orr, of Harrison County, West Virginia. The two children of Doctor and Mrs. McCray are Bonnie Jean, born March 11, 1916; and Richard Earl, Jr., horn March 3, 1921.

JABEZ B. HANFORD for a number of years has had an in- teresting place of power and influence among the executive officials connected with the great coal mining industry of West Virginia and Pennsylvania. He is one of many men prominent in the business who have come up from the ranks. As a boy he was a worker in the mines of Western Pennsyl- vania, and he comes of a coal mining family in which the raising of coal to the surface is practically a traditional occupation,

Both he and his parents and his foreparents for genern- tions were natives of Staffordshire, England. His maternal grandfather. William Smith, was a coal miner nearly all his life. The Smith and Hanford families have been miners for many generations in Staffordshire. Jahez B. Hanford was born in Staffordshire. June 4. 1865, and his parents. Joseph and Emila (Smith) Hanford. were horn there re- apectively in 1843 and 1845. The father died in 1978 and the mother in 1905. Joseph Hanford brought his family to the United States in 1870 and located at Sharon. Penn- sylvania. in the midst of one of the great industrial and mining districts of that state. His previous training brought him connections with the coal mining industry, and he con- tinued this work until he met his death as the result of a mine accident.

Jabez B. Hanford was thirteen years old when his father was killed. He had very few achool advantages, and two years before his father's death he had gone to work in the mines of Mercer County Pennsylvania. He served the long and arduous apprenticeship of the common miner, but after getting started his promotion was singularly rapid.

At the age of twenty-five Mr. Hanford was mine foreman, at thirty he was mine superintendent, at thirty-six. was division superintendent for the Shawmut Mining Company of Elk County, Pennsylvania, and at thirty-eight. hecame general superintendent of this, one of the larger mining cor- porations of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Hanford has been identified with the coal mining industry in West Virginia aince 1905, in which year he moved to Morgantown. as general superintendent of the Elking Coal & Coke Company. This corporation was then engaged in developing the West Virginia field. Mr. Han- ford continued ag general superintendent until the Elkins company's interests were taken over on October 28. 1919. hy the Bethlehem Mines Corporation. Since then Mr. Hanford has been with the National Fuel Company, with headquarters at Morgantown, and he has all the duties if not the official title of chief executive for that corporation. The coal min- ing industry all over the country recognizes him as a man of marked achievement. He is a member of the Executive Board of the Coal Mining Institute of America, and was one of the organizers of the Coal Mining Institute of West Virginia and was ita president for the first three vears. He is also a member of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers and is president of the Mor- gantown Engineers Club. When the Morgantown Post Com- pany was organized to take over the Post-Chronicle news- paper in 1918, Mr. Hanford became a member of the new

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company and has since served as vice president. He is vice president of the Morgantown Country Club, a member of the Episcopal Church, and is affiliated with Lodge No. 187, A. F. and A. M., and the Royal Arch Chapter No. 137, R. A. M., at Barboursville, Kentucky.

Mr. Hanford married Joanna Dillon. She was born at Aberdeen, Wales, daughter of Lawrence and Mary (Downey) Dillon. Mr. and Mrs. Hanford have a son, James, and a daughter, Josephine. The latter graduated A. B. from West Virginia University in 1920, and is now a teacher in the Masontown High School.

The son, James Hanford, born October 2, 1892, attended West Virginia University and studied mine engineering at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. March 4, 1918, he joined the colors, going from Morgantown to Camp Ogle- thorpe, Georgia, and two weeks later to New York, where he was assigned to the Three Hundred and Second Sanitary Train of the Seventy-seventh Division. April 6, 1918, just a month after enlisting, he was ordered overseas, landed at Liverpool, crossed the channel from Dover to Calais, and proceeded to the St. Omer sector of the western front, and at the signing of the armistice was in the Baccarat sector. He returned to the United States May 6, 1919, and was discharged at Camp Meade May 28, 1919. James Hanford is now superintendent of the National Fuel Company of West Virginia. He is a highly qualified mining engineer, and is a member of the Coal Mining Institute of America. He belongs to the Sigma Chi college fraternity.

R. LINDSAY CUNNINGHAM, former sheriff of Marion County and for many years the leading funeral director in the City of Fairmont, the county seat, was born on a farm in Paw Paw District, this county, July 13, 1851, and is a son of Nimrod and Martha (Danley) Cunningham, both likewise natives of Marion County. Nimrod Cunning- ham was born on a pioneer farm in Paw Paw District, and in 1855 removed to Mannington District, virtually his entire active career having been given to farm industry.

R. Lindsay Cunningham received the advantages of the common schools and as a young man he learned the car- penter's trade, to which he gave his attention for some time. In 1880 he established a saw and planing mill at the corner of Jackson and Monroe streets, Fairmont, and this mill, opposite his present place of business, he operated nine years. While working as a carpenter he frequently was called upon to manufacture coffins, and it may con- sistently be said that he has been identified with the under- taking business since about 1870. From year to year the undertaking department of his business increased in scope, and he is now the oldest representative of this line of busi- ness at Fairmont, where his establishment is the largest of the kind in the county.

Aside from his direct business activities Mr. Cunning- ham has contributed much to the material development and upbuilding of Fairmont. He was one of the organizers and became president of the old Coal City Furniture Com- pany; he built the McAlpin Hotel Block, in the heart of the business district, and this property he still owns; he erected the block in which the Home Furniture Company is located, and also an adjoining building, which he re- cently sold; in 1921 he completed the Cunningham Block, at the corner of Jackson and Monroe streets, this being a structure of four stories and basement, the first and second floors and basement being occupied by his undertaking establishment and the upper two floors being fitted up as apartments. This last mentioned building was the first tile and stucco building erected in Fairmont, and is one of the most modern and attractive structures in the city.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 2, Part 83

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