History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 117

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Mr. Edgar was born at Nankin, Ashland County, Ohio, in 1882, son of W. D. and Mary (Steinmetz) Edgar, who are still living in Ohio. His father is of Scotch-Irish and his mother of German ancestry. Glenn R. Edgar was reared and attended school at Nankin. As a youth he entered the service of the Cleveland Provision Company at Lorain, Ohio, and being promoted was transferred to the company's Pitts- burgh district and later to Wheeling, in 1905. In 1907 be was assigned the duty of opening a branch office of the com- pany in Charleston, and was put in charge of the Charles-

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ton District. Mr. Edgar continued with the Cleveland Pro- vision Company until 1909, when he formed an association with E. C. Bauer and organized and incorporated the Bauer Meat & Fish Company. Mr. Edgar was active in this partnership for several years, and still has his finan- cial interests there. His active time is now devoted to the Nu-Way Company, which he founded and the business of which is dyeing, eleaning and pressing men's and women's clothing. The business office and show room is at 706 State Street, while the main cleaning and dyeing plant is in a separate building in another part of the city. This is one of the most modern and complete establishments of its kind in West Virginia, and is thoroughly equipped with ma- chinery and skilled assistants for all branches of the in- dustry. Through the enterprise and business ability of Mr. Edgar this is an establishment that has achieved a notable success.

Mr. Edgar was one of the charter members and for four years secretary of the Charleston Rotary Club, being the first to hold that office. He is a member of the chamber of commerce, a director in the Y. M. C. A., a member of the Boy Scout executive committee, an Elk, a Knight of Pythias, a Knight Templar Mason and Shriner, and a mem- ber of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. He was honored by be- ing placed in charge of the Fifth Annual Roll Call of the Charleston Chapter of the American Red Cross, and under his direction the campaign was planned and carried out in Charleston in November, 1921. He is credited with be- ing the first person in Charleston to make an investigation of the workings of the "Community Chest" as applicable to Charleston's institutions and givers of funds to maintain its institutions, thus doing away with the monotony of drives and tag days throughout the year for Charleston.

Mr. Edgar married Miss Bertha Fruth, of a prominent Charleston family. They have one daughter, Mary Emma.

HUGH S. BYRER is a member of the Philippi bar, an expert title lawyer, and has done a great deal of profes- sional business with the coal interests of the state. His grandfather and father were both men of prominence in Barbour County, and the name is therefore one of long and honorable standing here.

His grandfather was David Frederick Byrer, who was born in Uniontown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and from there came to West Virginia. He was in the tan- ning business at Philippi, his old tanyard being located on Main Street. He built and operated it long before the Civil war, and he lived out his life in that city, where he died in 1899, at the age of seventy-four. David F. Byrer was a Union man in sentiment, and after the close of the war became interested in the success of the re- publican party. He was a Methodist, a pioneer in build- ing up the organization of that church at Philippi, and was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He married Mary Lewis, of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, who survived him for a number of years. Their children were: Frederick Samuel, Arabella, wife of John C. Mayer, of Terra Alta, West Virginia; John, who died unmarried; Emma, who died as the wife of Dr. R. B. Rhoderick; and Charles Marshall, who spent his life at Philippi, where he died in 1916.

Frederick Samuel Byrer, father of the Philippi lawyer, was born in that city May 25, 1848. His early youth was spent in the vicinity of his father's tanyard, and he supplemented his public school education with a course in a commercial school at Pittsburgh. As a young man he was a merchant at Philippi, and he continued in that business uninterruptedly until his death on August 29, 1911. He was not a citizen who sought the honors of politics, was rather modest and retiring, but was active in the Methodist Church and its Sunday school. He was a republican and for many years affiliated with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. He was probably the first in Barbour County to engage in the business of leas- ing coal lands to prospective operators.

Frederick S. Byrer married Isabella Woods. Her father was the late distinguished citizen and able jurist and lawyer, Judge Samuel Woods. Isabella was born at Phil-

ippi, August 15, 1852, and survives her husband. Her Bom oldest son, Harry llopkins Byrer, is a lawyer at Martins- im burg, West Virginia, is former assistant United States at- cq torney of the Northern District of West Virginia, and now a member of the law firm of Walker, Kilmer and Byrer. Joseph Woods, the second son, is secretary and! treasurer of the Tri-State Surety Company at Pittsburgh, li Pennsylvania. The last son is Hugh S., and the only daughter is Margaret Collins, wife of Frank F. Collins, of Beaver, Pennsylvania.

Hugh S. Byrer, who is a native of Philippi, attended put the public schools there, graduated in 1903 from the West Virginia Conference Seminary at Buckhannon, and in 1906 was given his LL. B. degree by the University of West Virginia. In the same year he was admitted to the bar at Philippi, but he soon located at Huntington, where he practiced law until the early spring of 1917, when he re- turned to his old home. While in Huntington he was for two years in the coal fields of Northeastern Kentucky, abstracting titles to coal properties in behalf of the Beaver Creek Consolidated Coal Company. That service was a valuable schooling to him in the matter of real estate titles.

Mr. Byrer in politics differs from his father and has always voted as a democrat. He was the democratic can- didate in the Thirteenth Senatorial District for the State Senate in 1920. He has been active in several campaigns. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and has done much work in the Sunday school. He is affiliated with Huntington Lodge of the Elks.

At Harrisonburg, Virginia, February 16, 1921, Mr. Byrer married Miss Elizabeth Rothwell Ott, a native of that locality, where she finished her high school educa- tion. Her parents were Frank Campbell and Mary (Boyd) Ott, also natives of that section of Virginia, farming peo- ple. Mrs. Byrer, who is the oldest of a family of two sons and two daughters, is the mother of one son, Frederick Ott Byrer, born January 16, 1922.

ARTHUR F. BENNETT, former sheriff of Barbour County and now deputy fish and game protector for the Second District, is one of the best known of the younger men of Philippi, where he has performed good and efficient serv- ice in several different capacities.

He was born near Belington in Barker District of Bar- bour County, April 11, 1884. His grandparents were Laban and Sarah (Keller) Bennett. Laban Bennett was also a native of Barbour County and died during the Civil war when his sons were all too young for service in the Confederate Army, where their sympathies lay. Jacob J. Bennett, father of Arthur F., was nine years of age when his father died, and he spent his life as a farmer. He died in 1913, at the age of fifty-four. He married Mary Shingleton, daughter of Jonathan and Nancy (Yea- ger) Shingleton. Her father was a farmer and died while a Union soldier. Mary, his only child, was born after his death, and she grew up in the home of her stepfather, John Anderson, secured a free school education and was married to Jacob J. Bennett in 1881. She became the mother of five sons and six daughters: Ida, wife of M. L. Weese, of Meridan, Barbour County; Arthur F .; William Floyd, of Barbour County; James F., of Parkers- burg; Sarah Ellen, wife of Corder Weese, of Barbour County; Talbott F., of Augusta, Georgia; Susan, wife of Owen Day, of Barbour County; Viola, Mrs. William Stal- naker, of Barbour County; Porter L., of Elkins, West Virginia; Hazel and Masel, who still live with their mother on the farm.

Arthur F. Bennett was reared in Glade District of Bar- bour County, acquired a public school education, and with this education he began teaching and taught six terms of country school. His first term was in Hunters Forks School and his last in Mud Run in Glade District. During vaca- tion he worked on the farm, and he has never entirely separated himself from farming interests and owns a farm today.

Mr. Bennett was strongly inclined to take up and fol-

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w the profession of law. A good opportunity to acquaint mself with the practical side of the legal profession and quire knowledge at the same time came when he became aployed in the Belington office of the well known law firm : Ware and Viquesney at Philippi. He acted in behalf : the firm, handling some of the work required by their ients in Belington, and turning over matters of more portance to the head office. He read law there, and terward read with Mr. Ware at Philippi. While a law udent he was agent for several fire insurance companies, it soon afterward accepted the invitation of his friends make the race before the primaries for the nomination r sheriff. He was successful over three competitors, and the following November he defeated bis democratie op- nent and succeeded William B. Corder in the office. At at time he was the youngest sheriff Barbour County d ever had. He proved himself an able officer, and his ministration during four years was all that could be ked.

After retiring from the office of sheriff Mr. Bennett en- ged in the real estate and coal business at Philippi, tt in September, 1921, accepted appointment under the prest, Game and Fish Department of West Virginia as puty protector of the Second District, comprising the unties of Barbour, Taylor, Preston, Marion, Monongalia, arrison, Doddridge and Ritchie.

In the neighborhood where he was reared Mr. Bennett arried, April 15, 1906, Miss Cleo Booth, who was born d reared in the same locality and was educated in the untry schools. Her parents were Jeremiah and Rebecca Poling) Booth and her maternal grandfather was Israel ling, of Barker District. She was born March 2, 1886, d is the youngest of three children, the other two being oyd J., a farmer and country merchant in Glade Dis- ict; and Ottis, who married Stephen Fitswater, of Bel- gton.

Mr. and Mrs. Bennett had one child, a beautiful daugh- r named Opal Lilie, who was born February 11, 1907, d died December 22, 1917. Her funeral was preached · Rev. G. S. Kanleiter on the day before Christmas. aternally Mr. Bennett is a past chancellor of the Knights Pythias and a member of the D. O. K. K., is a mem- r of the Pythian Sisters, the Independent Order of Odd llows and Rebekahs, the Junior Order United American echanics, Knights of the Macabees and Woodmen of the orld. He is one of the trustees in the United Brethren urch, and in politics is a republican. During the war was a member of the local Legal Advisory Board.

ALBERT GALLATIN CHRISLIP. An ambition to be a mer- ant was the leading motive in the early career of Mr. rislip. Having no capital but what he could earn, he med, taught school and clerked until the day of realiza- n came when he could get into business for himself. In int of years of service he is the oldest merchant of ilippi, and is one of the very successful and substan- 1 citizens of that community.

His family name involves an interesting story of his ginal German ancestor. At the close of the thirty years' r in Germany, known as the war of extinction, after ich that country was left practically desolate, a lonely be was found in an old oven and the king of the prov- e was asked to name the child. He called it "Chris- o," meaning Christ love. After coming to manhood s youth came to America and settled in Pennsylvania, ablishing his home near Carlisle in the Cumberland lley. The family name has since undergone a change form, and a number of branches of the descendants the original settler have become scattered over the egheny region and further west.

The grandfather of the Philippi merchant was Abram rislip, who, accompanied by two brothers, Isaac aud nuel, settled in Barbour County and were successful mers near Elk City. Abram Chrislip married Amanda Etton, and they are buried in the grave yard near the lit- Village of Elk City. Of their children Ervin was the est child; Elza lives at Elk City; Elmore Lee lives h his older brother; Elizabeth is the wife of Albert

Reeder, of Carthage, Illinois; aud Julia, married Alpheus Corder and died at Carthage, Illinois.

Ervin Chrisip was born near Elk City and spent his life there on a farm. He was a Confederate soldier, going through the war without injury. He died in April, 1919, at the age of eighty-five. His wife, who died in March, 1874, when about nity years of age, was Mary Daniels. Her father, Joseph Daniels, was a pioneer in this region of West Virginia, his home being near Elk City, and he died during the Civil war, He came here .from Augusta County, Virginia. At one time he was elected a member of the Legislature in old Virginia, and attended the legis- lative sessions, journeyed to and from Richmond ou horse- back. Ervin Chriship and wife had the following chil- dren: William L., a merchant of Philippi; Albert Gal- latin; Edmond H., who died, leaving a ramity, at Elk City; Emma, wife of Jacoo nogers, of Phimppi; Abram, a graduate of Columbia University, New York, and an educator living at Berkeley, Cantoruia; and Bessie, wife of Lawrence McGee, of LIK City.

Albert Galiaun Chrisup was born near Elk City, one of the old vilages of Barvour County, on August 20, 1809. During his youin he attended a brief term or instruction in the country school each winter, and the rest of the time he worked on the farm. At the age of twenty-two he began teaching, and taught in the country for two winters. lu 1882 he came to Imuuppi, and after taking a course in the select senool of Prozessor Cornwell, taught in the public schools at Philippi for two years. For another year he was a deputy in the onice of county Clerk Lutter C. Elnott, one of the good old citizens of barbour County, long since passed away. About that time came the op- portunity to get experience in the nine which he had ue- termined to follow permanently, and he became a clerk in the store of Joo H. Chasscock, this being then the largest general store at Phuppi, Two years later ne started in business for himselt as an implement dealer, and he brought to Pumppi the urst improved farm machinery onered ror sale here. About the same time he became a represeuta- tive of a fertuizer manufacturing concern, and it is ciamed that Mr. Chrisup sold the urst stock of fertilizer in bar- bour County. 'inis business brought him in direct touch with farmers, and he was soon marketing for his customers large quantities of raw wool. But his business expanded step by step, and later he added a stock of groceries and huany merged all his departments into one sarge general merenandise business ou Main Street now known as the Farmers Supply Store, which runs an annual aggregate of sales tolaung $30,000. Me erected his business house on Main Street, one of the modern structures in the town, and also owns one of the beautiful and attractive resi- dences of the city.

In the line or public duty Mr. Chrislip responded sev- eral times to election as a member of the city couuch. At that tune pians were being made for some of the public improvements which have since been completed. Mr. Curis- lip for many years was an active democrat, but with pass- ing years he nas cut away from partisan amiiations and regards himself as strictly independent. Since the age of fourteen he has been a member of the Methodist E'pis- copas Church, and fraternally he is a past noule grand of the Lodge of Independent Order of Oud Fellows and one of the oldest members of that fraternity at Philippi, also belongs to the Encampment and is a member of the hi- wants Club.

In 'Taylor County, October 28, 1898, he married Miss Ella Nuzum, daughter of Allen Nuzum, Boothsville, that county, where she was born and reared on a farm. Mrs. Chrislip was one of a family of two sons and four daugh- ters. Mr. and Mrs. Chrislip have four talented children. Lillian Nuzum Chrislip, the oldest, graduated from Broad- dus College of Philippi, and in 1922 graduated from the Boston Conservatory of Music. John Howard, the second child, is a graduate of the Philippi High School and of Broaddus College, and is now taking a course in electrical engineering. The two younger children are Allen Rockwell, a high school boy, and Charles Woodrow.

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EDGAR H. WATSON. In a busy and purposeful life of more than threescore and ten, Edgar H. Watson has meas- ured up to the responsibilities of manhood whether as a home maker, citizen or in his private industry and busi- ness. He retired from his farm several years ago and has since resided in Philippi, where he is well and popularly known.

This branch of the Watson family has been in West Vir- ginia for at least 125 years. Several generations of them lived in Preston County, and Edgar H. Watson is a native of that county, as was also his father, Rawley Watson, who grew up in Valley District. Rawley Watson devoted all his best years to his farm between Masontown and Reeds- ville, and was never attracted into any form of public service. He was a Methodist and a republican. Rawley Watson, who died in 1890, survived by several years his wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Ann Whipp. Her father, Hezekiah Whipp, moved out of Frederick County, Virginia, to Ohio just before the Civil war, and spent his active life four miles from Middletown, Butler County, Ohio. Rawley Watson and wife reared the following chil- dren : Julia R., who married William F. Menear and died at Kingwood; Sanford, who was a Union soldier and later a farmer near Masontown; George, also a Union soldier, who spent lis civil life in Preston County and is buried at Masontown; Daniel, who followed the trade of painter and paper hanger, was a farmer, and is now president of the Reedsville Bank at Reedsville, where he resides; Edgar H .; Maxwell, a farmer at Masontown; Orville, a farmer at Reedsville; and Masou, who was a merchant and post- master of Reedsville when he died.

Edgar H. Watson was born November 30, 1849. He was about twelve years of age when the Civil war broke out, and consequently his education terminated about that time. He learned the trade of blacksmith under E. J. Miller at Terra Alta, and for fifteen years followed the trade at Flemington. When he abandoned his shop he bought a farm in Barbour County, on Stewarts Run, and to this place he devoted his best energies from 1888 to 1917. In the latter year he moved to his town home at Philippi, but he still oversees his farm and looks after some other business interests.

Mr. Watson is a republican, and in 1872 cast his first vote for General Grant, voted for Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876 and for Gen. James A. Garfield in 1880, and has voted for every republican presidential nominee since then. While living on his farm he was president one term of the Board of Education of Elk District.

In Taylor County, April 26, 1884, Mr. Watson married Mrs. Julia R. Fleming, widow of Goff J. Fleming and daughter of H. W. LaFollette, who came to Taylor County from Eastern Virginia a few months after the outbreak of the Civil war. He died at the home of Mrs. Watson in Barbour County. His wife was Amy McKee. Mrs. Watson was the oldest of four children, the others being Felicia A., who died at Philippi, wife of James Wood- ford; L. M. LaFollette, former state auditor of West Virginia and a resident of Charleston; and Elery B., who died in Lewis County, West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Wat- son have four children. Hazel B. is the wife of Arch Mc- Coy, of Belington; Nellie B. lives at Philippi; Herman B. is assistant cashier of the Citizens National Bank of Phil- ippi; and the youngest child is Miss Mattie B.

FREDERICK M. EXLINE. Through the industrious appli- cation of his own talents Frederick M. Exline has achieved a position of credit and influence in the City of Charleston. He came here practically a stranger when a boy, for a num- ber of years was active in railroad service, is now cashier of the Security Bank & Trust Company and a leader in the progressive younger element of the city.

Mr. Exline was born in 1894 at Findlay, Ohio, where he was reared and received his public school education. He was fifteen years old when in 1909 he came to Charles- ton. His first work here was driving an automobile for Sen- ator William E. Chilton. Leaving the senator's service after about two years, he was first employed in a station service at Charleston for the Kanawha & Michigan Railroad as

yard clerk, and subsequently became station agent. The only break in the continuity of his service in business at Charles ton was a period he spent in California, being traffic man ager at Sacramento for the Union Oil Company about five months. After returning from California Mr. Exline be came assistant credit man with the firm of Lewis, Hubbard & Company, wholesale grocers, and subsequently was as sistant manager of the brokerage offices of Terry, Dabney and Herscher, leaving that position to become assistan chief clerk in the office of Assistant General Passenge Agent J. F. Youse.

Mr. Exline entered the Kanawha National Bank in June 1917, and, in August, 1918, became cashier of the Glen wood Bank on the West Side. On January 1, 1921, when the Glenwood Bank was succeeded by the new Security Banl & Trust Company, Mr. Exline became cashier and activ manager of that prosperous institution.

The Security Bank & Trust Company in March, 1921 moved to its splendid new bank building at the corner o Bigley Avenue and Charleston Street, a modern two-story structure, the banking rooms being equipped with ever feature and convenience for carrying on its rapidly expand ing business. It is one of the most popular banks in th city and serves adequately and efficiently the banking need of the prosperous and rapidly growing West Side section Its capital stock is $100,000. The president of the bank i O. F. Payne, whose career as a Charleston citizen is sketelier elsewhere.

Mr. Exline is a Knight Templar Mason and Shriner, : Knight of Pythias and a member of the Charleston Kiwani Club and John Bream Memorial Presbyterian Church. H married Miss Kate Adams, and they have a son, Frederic. Adams Exline, and a daughter, Barbara Morland Exline

CHARLES R. MITCHELL. In Charles R. Mitchell the peopl of Boone County have one of the most efficient and depend able circuit clerks to hold this office, and because of hi characteristics he is recognized as one of the leading me of this region. Nature has fitted him for leadership, fo he is one ready and capable of taking the initiative i everything, and he is also able to carry out to a successft conclusion whatever he undertakes.

Mr. Mitchell was born in Boone County, West Virginia August 23, 1876, a son of Joseph S. and Roxey (Pauley Mitchell, both natives of West Virginia and farming pec ple. During the war between the two sections of the cour try the father served as a member of the home guard! His father was a Virginian, of French descent. Accordin to the family tradition Charles R. Mitchell's great-great grandfather belonged to the Freneli contingent which cam to this country during the American Revolution under th leadership of Lafayette, and who, being impressed wit the country, remained here after the close of the war, set tling permanently in Virginia.

Like so many of the prominent men of Boone County Mr. Mitchell has devoted considerable time to educations work, for which he prepared himself at the normal schor at Madison, after he had completed his common schod training. Securing his teacher's certificate, he began teacl. ing, and taught in the county for ten years. During tha time he studied the jewelry business, and about 1906 en barked in it at Danville, where he conducted the best an most complete jewelry establishment, outside of Huntington in this part of the state. In 1914 he was elected to th office of clerk of the Circuit Court, sold his business, an assumed the duties of his office. At the expiration of hi first term he succeeded himself, being re-elected in 1920 He has been a member of the Teachers' Examining Boar of Boone County, and for some time has been a member c the Town Council of Danville, where he has long maintaine his residence. He is one of the dominant republicans o the county, and lias always run for office on the straigh party ticket.

In 1917 Mr. Mitchell married in Boone County Mis Martha Tawney, a daughter of James M. and Elizabet (Chambers) Tawney, natives of West Virginia, and als farming people. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell have three chi dren: Theodore, Hattie and Eva Estell. The Missionar

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 117

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