History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 115

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December 20. 1913, he married Wenona Elizabeth Friend, who was born in Birmingham, Alabama, December 5 1890. She is the daughter of Lemuel Elsworth and Lulu Gertrude (Michael) Friend, both of whom were horn and reared in Garrett County, Maryland. hut now of Morgantown. Mrs. Lazzell is of pre-Revolutionary ancestry, heing a descendant of Capt. Andrew Friend, who fought in both the French and Indian and Revolutionary wars.

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Mr. and Mrs. Lazzell have one son, Rufus Fenton, Junior, born July 6, 1915. Mr. Lazzell is a director in the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Morgantown, a post he has held for over fifteen years. He is prominent among the live- stock men of West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsyl- vania and a member of the Farmers' Association of West Virginia. His business acumen has made him one of the strong, influential and reliable men of Morgantown. His public spirit and unselfish interests in all that pertains to the welfare of the community have always been prominent characteristics.

THE OHIO VALLEY ELECTRIC RAILWAY COMPANY operates the city street car lines in Huntington and interurban con- nections with the surrounding territory. The total mileage operated by the company is forty-six miles.

Very excellent street car service is provided on the lines, which extend from the heart of the city over the principal thoroughfares to all out-lying points, and the cars operated are of a commodious, modern type, being all steel in con- struction. Much of the system is double tracked. A schedule of frequent headway of cars is maintained so as to · convenience the needs of the traveling public on the various lines.

This company also operates an interurban system which extends west along the Ohio River through the cities of Ceredo and Kenova, West Virginia, and Catlettsburg and Ashland, Kentucky, a distance of sixteen miles. Through this populous territory is maintained a service which has a headway of fifteen minutes between cars.

The Ohio Valley Electric Railway Company operates also an electric line from Coal Grove, Ohio, through Ironton to Hanging Rock, Ohio, and connection is made with this Ohio line hy ferry at Ashland, Kentucky.

Electric current is purchased by the Ohio Valley Electric Railway Company from the Consolidated Light, Heat and Power Company, which furnishes electric light and power in Cabell and Wayne counties in West Virginia. The Con- solidated Light, Heat and Power Company also sells at wholesale electric current to the Boyd County Electric Com- pany, which serves Catlettsburg and Ashland, Kentucky, and the Ironton Electric Company, which serves Ironton, Ohio. The central power station of the Consolidated Light, Heat and Power Company is in Kenova, West Virginia.

In the very rapid industrial growth in all of this terri- tory these lighting companies have been a most potent fac- tor, as the rates for current are very equitable to every class of service. Practically all industrial plants in this terri- tory use electric current for power, and the availability of ample electric current at reasonable rates has been instru- mental in the low cost production of manufacturing plants in this territory as compared with other sections.

HARMAN FRANK GROVES. The superintendent of schools of Grant County, Harman Frank Groves, represents one of the old and honored families of this region of West Vir- ginia, his remote ancestor and the family founder here being his great-grandfather, Noah Groves, Noah Groves traced his genealogy back to the Saxons, where the name seems to have started with the Groffs, then was corrupted or changed to Graves, again changed to Grove, and finally to its present spelling, Groves. They have been strictly farm- ers and rural people through the generations to the present, and have invariably followed rural pursuits until the present generation of John Groves, some of whose children have departed from family traditions and customs and allied themselves with professional vocations.

Harman Frank Groves of this review was born in the "Ridge country," six miles northwest of Petersburg, Grant County, and there resided until nearly reaching his major- ity. His grandfather, Alex Groves, was born in 1814, in Grant County, West Virginia, and followed farming throughout his career in Grant County, where he was a pioneer. His industry gained him independent means, and in his daily life he so comported himself as to gain the confidence and esteem of his associates. He died suddenly when sixty-five years of age. Politically he was a repub- lican. He and his worthy wife were the parents of the

following children: Ellen, who died of diphtheria when six years of age; Ashford, a farmer in the "Ridge"' sectior of Grant County ; George, who spent his life in the locality of his birth and died there; Joseph, who spent his life af a stockman and shipper, and died from an injury received while following his daily occupations; Abel, who was & farmer in the "Ridge" locality and there died; John, the father of Harman F. Groves, and Annie, who married C. H Feaster and died in Grant County.

John Groves was born near the foothills of the Alle ghany Mountains in Grant County, March 4, 1865, and has spent his entire life within a few miles of his birth place. He is a product of the country school, and during his active years he applied himself industriously to the cultivation of his acres, but is now in retirement and ¿ resident of Petersburg. He has demonstrated his good · citizenship in a number of ways and has acquired loca influence which he exerts in behalf of those he deem worthy of support, and in politics is a stanch republican He has made no public avowal of membership in any re ligions body and has no fraternal affiliations. Mr. Grove married Miss Mahala Jane Phares, who was born nea Spruce Mountain in Pendleton County, West Virginia, : daughter of William Phares and his wife, who had been a Miss Mallow. The Mallows were an old-time pionee family of Pendleton County, where members of the famil had resided since the days of Indian warfare. To Mr. and Mrs. Groves there were born the following children: Myrtl Alice, who is the wife of C. O. Turner, of Forman, Gran County ; Harman Frank, of this review; Bertha Susan, th wife of Earl Trenton, of Keyser, West Virginia; Nellie who married H. C. Trenton, of Cumberland, Maryland Clarence B., who is identified with the "Ridge"' communit as a farmer; Gracie, who was the wife of Jesse Idlemar of Seherr, West Virginia; Thomas, who is engaged in agr. cultural operations on the old home place; Edith, wife o Olin Weese, now a resident farmer of Monticello, Indiana and Johnnie, who died in infancy.

Harman Frank Groves was born August 4, 1888, an secured his education in the country schools and a norma school in Grant County. He was only seventeen years of ag when he was given his first charge as a teacher, the Burges School, and for five years thereafter he continued in rura school work. He then entered the Shepherdstown Stat Normal School, where he took one year's work, but th constant confinement and too close application to his studie caused his health to fail, and he was forced to spend tw years in recuperating his strength. At this time M Groves was elected county superintendent of schools, an while engaged in the duties of the office, traveling abot the county and being in the open air, where he encountere new scenes and had new experiences, he recovered norm; health, and still continues his supervision work over Grai County. He has not given up the idea of the completion ( a college course for himself, as he is carrying on a corr spondence course, is a student at St. John's Academy, ar is a teacher in its normal training course. He will hay attained his ambition and hold a diploma of the She herdstown Normal School by 1924.

Mr. Groves was elected county superintendent to com plete the unexpired term of Superintendent Slusher in 191 He was elected to the office in 1914, and again in 1918, h present term expiring in July, 1923. His administrati has been characterized by an intense interest in the pro ress and effectiveness of the public schools, in the trainir of teachers for better service and creating a higher spir of citizenship for the county than it has shown heretofor While he was filling the unexpired term of his predecess he carried through the latter's plans and policies, whi included the building of country school libraries and t improvement of teachers' institutes. His own plans inclu increasing the efficiency of the teaching force through su- means of professional growth as organized reading circ work, and the reading of professional magazines and boo and papers on educational subjects. Also to change t character of the local teachers' institute work in order provide for the presentation of some of the most vit

Wenona E. Lazzell and son- RufusJ R.

BASwint.

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local phases of the educational question, such as improving school property with regard to the character and type of buildings, hetter school attendance, increased efficiency on the part of teachers and a closer intimacy and more vital relationship between the public school and the home.

As proof of the practicability of his plans the results worked out show the organizations are formed and doing systematic reading circle work; that a large number of up- to-date and approved school buildings have been erected; that the character of institute work is attracting a wide interest among the teachers; that educational meetings, with special speakers, are arranged and carried out from year to year; that unified action on the part of the school boards has been brought about through county board con- ferences, and that many teachers have been encouraged to enroll in accredited schools and colleges.

At this time the main objective of Mr. Groves as county superintendent of schools is the establishment of a perma- nent teachers' training school at the county seat, one within easy reach of the teachers of Grant, Pendleton, Hardy and Hampshire counties. A temporary school of this nature is already in operation and is accomplishing gratifying re- sults. Also, it is his ambition to equip teachers, first, pro- fessionally for their work as such; second, to enable them to meet the legal requirements of school legislation; and, last but not least, to increase the efficiency of citizenship as a means of the solution of the problems of our complex rural social life. All of this tends to prepare the county for rural school consolidation, the realization of which is in the not far distant future.

In the matter of interesting pupils of the county in farm club work Mr. Groves has not failed to give encouragement and support to the establishment of many girls' and boys' clubs, and, likewise, community clubs for parents. While this work is directed by the county agricultural agent, it could not have accomplished the results shown to date without the cooperation of the school superintendent. Grant County has already sent prize-winning pupils to the prize- winners' course at West Virginia University, Morgantown, and the interest in scientific farming and in the raising of blooded live stock has been wonderfully stimulated thereby. Mr. Groves was the prime mover in the establishment of the farm bureau in Grant County. In company with the state organizer of this movement he drove all over the county, encouraging the farmers everywhere to subscribe to the movement.

Mr. Groves' active work as a citizen and community man has not stopped with his labors in hehalf of the schools. He is identified with church and Sabbath school work, for five years has been president of the Grant County Sunday School Association, and has assisted actively in building up the work of the Sunday school here to the point where it is about to be a "front line" county, lacking only, at this time, eight organized classes in as many additional schools. In politics Mr. Groves is a republican by birth, training and conviction, but has not engaged in professional politics. He has been elected superintendent of schools three times on his personal merits, and supports every good measure and movement for the upbuilding of civic, moral and educational life.

On December 25, 1916, Mr. Groves married at Riverton, West Virginia, Miss Catherine Harman, who was born February 21, 1891, a daughter of John A. and Izurna (Dove) Harman, natives of Pendleton County. Mr. Harman is a merchant and farmer of Riverton, and represents a pioneer family of Pendleton County. His children are: Bessie, the wife of Curtis Hammer, of Cumberland, Mary- land; Fred D., of Elkins, West Virginia; Catherine, who is now Mrs. Groves; Dr. Robert, who graduated from Mary- land University in 1922 and is now engaged in the prac- tice of medicine, and Curtis, who is interested in the mer- cantile business with his father. Mr. and Mrs. Groves are the parents of one son, John Harman, born April 13, 1918.

DR. BENJAMIN HARRISON SWINT is primarily a surgeon, a young man with unusual abilities and talents in that field, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and is surgeon- in-chief at St. Francis Hospital.

A native of West Virginia, he was born in Randolph County in 1888, son of Peter and Caroline (Winkler) Swint. His grandfather and earlier ancestors were natives of the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg. Peter Swint was an early set- tler in Randolph County, and is now living at Weston. A brother of Doctor Swint is C. P. Swint, a leading law- yer in Weston and a man of considerable prominence in public and political affairs. Another brother is a distin- guished Catholic prelate, the Rt. Rev. J. J. Swint, of Wes- ton, who formerly conducted missions in various section of the state and who is now Bishop of Wheeling.

Benjamin Harrison Swint had his common school educa- tion, attended Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, and ac- quired his medical training in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Baltimore, where he graduated in 1911. He did three years' of post-graduate work in St. Joseph's Hospital, Baltimore, and in the meantime, in 1913, established him- self in practice at Charleston. It can hardly be said that he has been in the general practice of medicine at all, since practically from the first his abilities have been widely rec- ognized as a surgeon. His membership in the American College of Surgeons is a token of distinctive work in sur- gery, since fellowship in this organization is a very high professional distinction. His fellowship was conferred upon him at Montreal in October, 1920.

Doctor Swint was ahsent from Charleston for a period of service during the World war. He took training in the Medical Corps Training Camp at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, during 1918, and for eight months was on duty in France, going overseas with Surgical Group No. 3, and later was with the surgical staff at hase hospital No. 119. He held rank of first lieutenant, and received his honorable dis- charge in July, 1919.

The St. Francis Hospital at Charleston, of which Doctor Swint is chief of the surgical service, was founded by the Sisters of St. Francis, but is now operated under the aus- pices of the Sisters of St. Joseph. It was opened January 1, 1914, with a capacity of twenty heds. In 1916 a mod- ern addition was built at a cost of about $80,000, increas- ing the capacity to about sixty-five beds. A further addi- tion soon to be completed will give the hospital a capacity of 110 beds. Ever since this hospital was opened in the old Laidley residence on Laidley Street it has been taxed to full capacity, with more applications than could he accom- modated.

Doctor Swint is a member of the Phi Chi fraternity, member of the County, State and American Medical Asso- ciations, and is a prominent member of the Knights of Co- lumhus, at the present time being head of the local assem- bly of the Fourth Degree. He is also district chairman for Southern West Virginia of the National Catholic Welfare Council.

He married Miss Marcellene Smith, of Charleston. Their three children are Benjamin H., Jr., Caroline Marie and Bernice.

VICTOR N. GRIFFITH. This country is entering upon one of the most wonderful periods of its existence, and during the next quarter of a century history is going to be made of a surprising character by the young men who during the titanic war that convulsed the world were developed in every way and prepared for the years of civic useful- ness to come. Some of them have not yet found their right place in life since their return home, but a few have, and are already showing of what they are capable. One of these young Americans of the finest type of citizenship is Victor N. Griffith, sheriff of Boone County, and a forceful factor in the life of Madison.

Victor N. Griffith was horn at Griffithville, Lincoln County, West Virginia, October 28, 1893, a son of T. A. and Martha A. (Midkit) Griffith, both of whom were horn in West Virginia. The father is a farmer, and very active in public matters, having served for some time as a justice of the peace, and otherwise rendered good service to his community. He maintains membership with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and belongs to the Baptist Church, in the good work of which he is very active. The Griffith family is one of the old ones of the South, and

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Griffithville was named in its honor. Sheriff Griffith's paternal grandfather was born in Virginia, and came of English and Scotch ancestry. The maternal grandfather was killed while serving as a soldier during the war between the two sections of the country.

Growing up at Griffithville, Sheriff Griffith attended its common schools, and subsequently took a course in the Mad- ison Normal School and one in the Broaddus School at Bar- boursville. When he was twenty-two years old he took a position as bookkeeper in a general store, and held it until he was appointed deputy sheriff of Boone County in 1917, which office he resigned in July, 1918, to go into the army under the selective draft. After receiving his honorable discharge, following the signing of the armistice, he went with the Crane Company as bookkeeper at Van, West Vir- ginia, leaving that concern in 1919 to become assistant cashier of the Boone County Bank at Madison. In the fall of 1920 he was elected sheriff of the county, and assumed the duties of his office January 1, 1921. He is making a splendid record as sheriff, and both as an official and per- sonally he stands well with everybody.

In 1915 Sheriff Griffith married at Charleston, West Vir- ginia, Miss Jeane Workman, a daughter of John L. and Harriet (White) Workman, both natives of West Virginia. There are no children. Fraternally Sheriff Griffith is a Scottish Rite and Shriner Mason, an Odd Fellow and Knight of Pythias. He maintains membership with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Sheriff Griffith is an earnest young man who fears nothing when in the pursuit of his duty, and yet is so square that he insists on each man in his charge receiving fair treatment no matter what his crime may be. He is a young man who knows how to secure from others a whole-hearted cooperation, and he and his depu- ties are proving to the people of Boone County that they are perfectly capable of maintaining order, and determined to faithfully enforce the law. Such a man as Sheriff Griffith will go far, and it is safe to predict that his prog- ress will be attended with a loyal public service.

EVERETT E. WHITE, cashier of the Madison National Bank and one of the most substantial men of Boone County, is recognized as a leading factor in the business life of Madi- son. He is a man whose sound good sense and excellent judgment are at the service of his fellow citizens, and who, notwithstanding the fact that his time is much occupied with business cares, is never too busy to give heed to civic mat- ters, in which he has always been interested.

The birth of Everett E. White took place at Gordon, Boone County, West Virginia, September 28, 1881, and he is a son of Asa and Amanda (Brown) White, natives of West Virginia. For the past thirty-five years Asa White has been postmaster of Gordon, where he is couducting a mercantile business, and he has always taken an active part in local affairs, being particularly zealous in behalf of the public schools.

After completing his studies in the Gordon common schools Everett E. White attended Marshall College, 'Hunt- ington, West Virginia, for twelve weeks. After attaining his majority he secured an appointment as bookkeeper for White Brothers, in which his father was interested. This concern handled lumber at Pond, West Virginia, and Mr. Everett E. White remained with it for about a year, and then became manager and part owner of Sidney White & Company, proprietors of a general store at Van, West Vir- ginia, and discharged his duties there for five years. His ambition, however, had been to enter the banking business, and in 1907, when he was offered a position as bookkeeper in the Madison National Bank, he accepted it and moved to Madison, which has since continued to be his place of residence. Within a year he was made assistant cashier, and in 1916 was elected cashier, and is still holding that office. This is one of the sound banking institutions of the state, with a capital of $50,000 and a surplus of $75,000. During the late war Mr. White practically carried on the business, as his younger associates were all in the service, but in spite of the added burdens he was glad to be able to release the men to the country. Like his father, he is a firm friend .of the public school system, and has long

been a member of the School Board and served as its presi- dent for four years. Another movement which has his hearty and effective support is that looking toward the building and improvement of the roads, not only of his immediate community but all over the country, and his work in this connection received proper recognition in his appointment by the governor as a delegate to the National Good Roads Convention held at Phoenix, Arizona, in 1922.

In 1912 Mr. White married at Madison, West Virginia, Lula Burdette, a daughter of William and Virginia (Chit- tum) Burdette, born in Putnam County, West Virginia. For a number of years Mr. Burdette was a farmer. During the war between the North and the South he served in the Confederate Army. Mr. and Mrs. White have two chil- dren, Everett E., Junior, aud Helen. Mr. White maintains membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He is a Scottish Rite and Shriner Mason, and also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Both in his busi- ness affairs and personal character Mr. White measures up to the highest ideals of American citizenship, and his community has benefited greatly through his constructive ideas with reference to its public affairs.

MANDERVILLE T. MILLER. From the records of the hu- man race handed down from the earliest days it is gathered that the clergy have given more or less of their time and attention to educating the masses. In fact, for centuries all of the learning was confined to the priesthood. In more recent times the custom has prevailed of selecting clergy- men to hold chairs in institutions of learning, as well as to give individual instruction, but Boone County has shown a further appreciation of the profession by electing as its county superintendent Rev. Manderville T. Miller, a min- ister of the Baptist denomination and an educator of long standing in this locality.

The birth of Manderville T. Miller took place at Low Gap, Boone County, West Virginia, December 31, 1879, aud he is a son of Silvanus and Susan (Pauley) Miller, both natives of Virginia and members of old families of the South. The Millers are of Holland Dutch descent and the Pauleys of French origin. Silvanus Miller was a farmer, and a man who always took a dominating part in public affairs. He served as constable and member of the school board for a number of years, and was equally prominent in the Baptist Church of Turtle Creek, West Virginia, which he long served as a deacon. His death occurred at Low Gap in April, 1906.

Manderville T. Miller is a self-made man, and one who has worked hard to secure the education he so desired. After he completed his studies in the common schools of Low Gap he attended the summer normal school at Madison, and in 1896 secured a certificate to teach. From then on he has been an educator, and has continued to be a stu- dent, taking different courses by correspondence with the Concord State Normal School at Athens, West Virginia. All of his educational work has been done in Boone County, and in 1918 he was elected to his present office for a four- year term. He has thirty graded schools and 150 teachers under his supervision, and these schools have from two to four rooms. As before stated, Mr. Miller is a minister of the Baptist Church, and has charges at Seth, Whitesville and Chelyan, West Virginia, where he is doing mission field work and accomplishing remarkable results. He is an clo- qnent preacher, and his earnest sincerity is very convincing whether his subject be a religious or a secular one.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 115

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