History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 119

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Mr. Harris married Priscilla Holsberry, who was born in Glade District, daughter of Martin and Abigail (Stal- naker) Holsberry. Both the Holsberry and Stalnaker fam- ilies were old settlers at Glade District. Mrs. Harris has a brother, Henry, and a sister, Margaret, wife of Mella Stalnaker. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Harris are: Grover C., to whom a special paragraph is devoted; Virgil, associated with the Davis Drug Store at Philippi, married Lottie Boyles and has a daughter, Evelyn Gail; Bretts, a farmer; Martin, with the firm of Hauser and Harris in Philippi.

Grover C. Harris is one of the very prominent and popu- lar young men of Barbour County. He carries a distin- gnished service medal and for two years was with the army in the Telephone Engineering Department. On one particular occasion, when his comrades were being shelled heavily to destroy telephone connection, he and two others stuck to their posts aud kept the wires open to the rear, and for this work he was cited for bravery and distinguished service and a Government medal conferred upon him. Since the war he has been engaged in educational work and is principal of the high school at Junior. He married Bertha Ritenour, and they have a son, Ira Odell.

WINFIELD SCOTT WILSON. To Winfield Scott Wilson of Philippi belongs the credit of a long and active business career. For many years he was a traveling salesman over West Virginia territory, was a mereliant himself, and now, when past three-score and ten, he finds congenial work in looking after his interests as a farmer, a vocation to which he was reared.

It is doubtful if in all West Virginia there is a family tree with greater and more important ramifications than that of the Wilsons. As commanded in the Scriptures, they have multiplied and replenished the earth and have sent their representatives to all parts of the United States. If all the descendants of the first American ancestor could be mobilized, an army of Wilsons would entrain. They have been a family intellectually strong and physically vigorous, and have proved themselves worthy of the name " genuine Americans."

The direct line of ancestry runs back to Scotland, where David Wilson was born about 1650. His son, David, Jr., was born in the same country about 1685. The latter joined the forces opposed to the Government in the Scotch rebellion of 1715, and when his comrades were defeated and the rebellion crushed he fled to Ireland. He was living in Ireland when his son, William, the founder of this branch of the family in America, was born.

William Wilson was born in Ireland November 16, 1722. As a young man he came to the American colonies and was one of the pioneers in the Alleghany Mountain Dis- triet of Western Virginia. About 1746, after coming to America, he married Elizabeth Blackburn, a daughter of Archibald Blackburn. She was born in Ulster Province of Ireland February 22, 1725. After their marriage they established their home on Trout Run, Hardy County, in what is now West Virginia. William Wilson died Jan-

uary 12, 1801, and his wife, on May 2, 1806. They had eleven children, and among them were some distinguished characters, particularly John and Benjamin, both of whom represented Randolph County as delegates to the Virginia Convention of 1788 at Richmond, to ratify the Constitution of the United States. John Wilson was the first county clerk of Randolph County, in 1787, its first circuit clerk in 1809, and the first justice of the peace, in 1787, and in the same year served as a major of the Virginia Militia was county assessor the next year and sheriff of the county in 1798. His brother, Col. Benjamin Wilson, was in com. mand of the militia in this part of West Virginia during the Revolution, had charge of the defense of the frontier against the Indians and had many encounters with them He was the first clerk of Harrison County, and that office he held almost forty years. His chief service to his coun try was the contribution he made to its population of good men and women. He was the father of twenty-nine children.

The representative of the second generation in whon this sketch is particularly interested was William Wilson Jr., who was born in Hardy County, February 8, 1754. He passed away after a long and useful life on January 1 1851. For many years he was chairman of the Randolph County Court, and was the county's representative in the Virginia Legislature. He married a sister of the old Indian fighter and Revolutionary war veteran, Jonas Friend, whos home was at the mouth of Leading Creek.

Their son, William F. Wilson, representing the third generation of the American family, was born in Hamp shire County, West Virginia. He was a pioneer in Bar bour County and was associated with the first to lay the foundations of economie prosperity in this region. H. owned the land upon which Philippi was located and much other property besides. He perpetuated the reputation 0 his family as a mill owner. His forebears were the pionee mill-builders of Barbour County. The second mill erecter in Randolph County was built by his uncle, Col. Benjami Wilson, and the first mill on Bill's Creek was placed ther by Moses Wilson. William F. Wilson built the second mill on that scene. His brother, John, erected a horse power mill six and a half miles southeast of Philippi. On mill near Belington was built by William F. Wilson, an he built the first mill and carding machine at Philipp about 1818. He did not stop publie improvement an internal development with mill building, since he is credite with having constructed the first wagon road in Barbou County east of the river, a road some seven miles long extending from Philippi to Bill's Creek. This road wa built at a cost of about 75 cents a rod.

William F. Wilson married Jane Booth, daughter o Daniel Booth, who lived on Bill's Creek. Their childre were: Isaiah, Asher, Almond, Maria, Lewis, Albert, Danie Granger, Alpheus, Sarah Jane, Rezin B. and Eugenu: The daughter Sarah Jane was three times married, he husbands being William M. Simpson, Henson L. Yoke an Sabeus Maine.

The representative of the fourth generation was Isaia Wilson, who was born in what was then Randolph Count: now Barbour County, in 1810. He died there in 189. With only such educational advantages as could be acquire at home by private study he equipped himself for th profession of land surveyor, and did that work throug nearly all his active years. He was a democrat in politic Isaiah Wilson married Deborah Yoke, whose father, Joh Yoke, was of German ancestry and a farmer. Debora Yoke was born near Belington in Barbour County and die in 1885, at the age of sixty. Her children were: Exerxe who died in Butler County, Kansas, in 1873; Albert G who was in business as a saddler at Philippi, where ] died; Winfield Scott; and Reason, who became a physician and died at Hutchinson, Kansas, in 1895.

Winfield Scott Wilson was born March 12, 1849, for miles from Philippi, in the Philippi District. From the ag of four years he lived in the town of Philippi, where ] attended the public schools. He was associated with h father on the farm, later became a clerk, and as a cor

for A Braddock.

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mercial traveler he represented the S. L. Delaplain Son nd Company of Wheeling four years. After he left the oad he was engaged in business on his own account as a merchant from 1873 to 1901. After twenty-eight years in Greeting his own business he again resumed work on the oad for Delaplain Son and Company and then with John 1. Horner of Baltimore, and covered a portion of West Virginia as his territory four years. After severing his onnection with the Baltimore house, Mr. Wilson retired rom business and went back to the farm. At different imes he has handled some contraets for grading and ex- avating on publie works.

Mr. Wilson comes of a. democratie family. He partiei- ated in his first eampaign as a voter in 1872, when he ave his ballot to Horace Greeley, and for fifty years has teadily supported the democratic nominees. Mr. Wilson as twice a member of the City Council of Philippi, is member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, is a past rand in the Lodge of Odd Fellows, and his membership 1 that order dates back fifty years aud he is entitled to he Order's Jewel for that honor. He is the only surviv- ig member of the Philippi Encampment of the Odd Fel- ws. He is a past chancellor and a member of thirty ears standing in the Knights of Pythias, and has sat in le Grand Lodge of both these Orders.

In Barbour County in April, 1875, Mr. Wilson married Iiss Nannie Townsend, daughter of Isaac Baker Town- end. She died in 1876, leaving two children. Zona is le wife of Judge Warren B. Kittle of Philippi, and they ave three children: Virginia, who married Walter Metz, od they have a son, Harry; Nellie, who married Sherman indsay, cashier of the Peoples Bank at Philippi, and eorge W. Kittle. Ernest is a civil engineer living at hilippi. In April, 1878, Mr. Wilson married, also in arbonr County, Miss Martha Zinn, daughter of Cornelius inn, who married a Miss Rogers. Mrs. Wilsou was born Barbour County, one of a family of three sons and five aughters. The only child born to the second marriage as Kemper, who died in 1881, at the age of two years.

JOHN MCKENZIE is a Seoteh Canadian, and the back- round of his early life and experience was a thrifty farm the north shore of Lake Erie. With the characteristic iterprise of his raee he fitted himself for complete exer- se of all the talents he possessed. He became a teacher ad then qualified himself for the ministry. He has sev- 'al degrees from colleges and universities, marking stages his training for usefulness. For the past thirteen years Test Virginia has been the scene of his activities. He has und time to do regular church work as a pastor, but le community at Philippi at least particularly appreciates e work he has done in building up a thoroughly modern nd efficient school system for that city.

Mr Mckenzie was born at Chatham, Ontario, Jnly ), 1874, son of Murdoch and Ann (Wilkinson) MeKenzie, oth of Scotch ancestry. His grandfather, Murdoch Me- enzie, was born in the Scotch Highlands, representing one : the historic clans of the country, and on coming to meriea settled near Chatham, Ontario, and devoted the :st of his life to the farm. His son Murdoch was also farmer, and died in August, 1920, at the age of eighty- vo. Of his eight children six are still living: John; enneth, a farmer at the old home; Alexander and Roland, so farmers near Chatham; Etta, wife of Robert Hender- n; and Miss Mary Belle.

While a boy on the Ontario farm John McKenzie at- nded public school in a country distriet where the average rm was ten and a half months. After completing his ork in the Dover publie school he entered the Chatham ollegiate Institute, finished the course there, and then ained for teaching in a model school at Chatham. For veral years he taught in public school work, and followed at with a year in the Hamilton Normal School at Ham- con as a student of his chosen profession. He attended pronto University one year, and after an intermission of ro years, during which he did high school work, he re- rned to the University and graduated A. B. in 1903,

being one of the honor men of his elass. In preparation for the ministry Mr. Mckenzie pursued his theological studies in Knox College of Toronto for three years, grad- uating in 1906. In that year he was ordained minister of a church at Hornby, Ontario, and preached there two years. In the fall of 1908, continuing his higher eduea- tion, he entered Yale University at New Haven, and in 1909 received his Master of Arts degree and the Bachelor of Divinity degree from the divinity school.

With this preparation Mr. MeKenzie came to West Vir- ginia to take up the substantial work of his life. In September, 1909, he began his duties as a member of the faculty of Davis and Elkins College of Elkins. For six years he held the chair of English in that school and for two years was dean. He left the college to become prin- cipal and superintendent of the publie schools of Belington. During the next four years he proved his ability as an administrator and as a progressive factor in educational work by adding to the curriculum of the school's agricul- ture and commercial courses.

In September, 1919, Mr. MeKenzie answered the call to a new field of labor at Philippi, as superintendent of the public schools. Philippi high school at that time was rated in the "second class," the high school work being done by two teachers and a three-year course. The school building was without any modern facilities, and had been constructed a number of years before at a cost of about $20.000. In the two sehool years sinee Mr. MeKenzie took charge, Philippi has been given "first class rating" among the schools of the state. There are now five teachers in charge of the high school program, which is a four-year course. Additions to the course nnder Mr. MeKenzie have been science, chemistry and commercial subjeets, while plans are now under way for the establishment of a domes- tie seience course and then manual training. On the site of the old building stands a modern school structure which cost the community $125,000. It contains a gymnasium 43 by 85 feet, an anditorium seating 700 people, and about $800 have been expended in addition to laboratory equip- ment and for 1922 $400 were appropriated for books and periodicals for the school library. It is the policy of the school to give the students some vocational guidance for the'r future work, and many of the graduates sinee Mr. MeKenzie took charge have continued their edneation in higher institutions.

In the ministry Mr. MeKenzie did his first work in West Virginia as a supply in Randolph County, and his first regular pastorate was at Beverly in the same county. He has served as pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Philippi, and has been pastor at Belington for seven years.

At Hesper, Ontario, in July, 1910, Mr. MeKenzie mar- ried Mary Christina Gilehrist, a daughter of Peter Gil- christ, also of Seoteh ancestry. Her parents were born in Seotland and were Canadian farmers. Mr. and Mrs. MeKenzie have three children, Margaret, John and William.

JOE NELSON CRADDOCK. On his record as mayor of Greater Clarksburg and the growing appreciation of his abilities that has been manifested for a number of years, his friends and admirers look upon Joe Nelson Craddock -"Uncle Joe," they call him-as one of the real men of power and action in the public affairs of his district. The following given him is by no means strictly partisan. His courage, independence, faculty for getting things done to the benefit of the public, have gained him friendship from all classes and all parties.

By profession Mr. Craddock is a newspaper man. He was born at Glenville, Gilmer County, February 22, 1864, son of Hugh Nelson and Saralı P. (Brannon) Craddock. His father was born at Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1826, and died at Glenville in 1904. As a West Virginian he was a Union soldier in the Civil war. While the war was still in progress he married, in 1862, and after his army career he lived at Glenville, devoting his time to farming and also to steamboating on the Ohio River. He was a republican, but never sought any political honors. His widow is still living at Glenville, where she was born in

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1846. They reared the following children: Joe N .; Clara B .; Herbert; Harvey L. (deceased) ; and Frankie.

Joe Nelson Craddock had his early friends and other associations in the Town of Glenville, where he supple- mented his common school education by a course in the State Normal School. He was only ten years old when he was given his first lesson in the printer's trade. He served an apprenticeship lasting several years. At the age of sixteen he left home aud took up the battle of life for himself. His first independent venture in journalism came at the age of eighteen, in the spring of 1882, when he established the Mountain Echo at Webster Springs. He was an editor and publisher for five years. With his brother Herbert he started the publication of the Grantsville News. At Glenville he founded and conducted two papers, the Stranger and the Imprint, and for two years he managed the paper at Sutton.

Mr. Craddock came to Clarksburg in the fall of 1914 to accept the post of city editor of the Clarksburg Exponent. He remained with that paper one year. His home in the meantime he had established at Broad Oaks, then a sub- urban incorporated town. In April, 1915, he was ap- pointed mayor of Broad Oaks, and in the spring of 1916 was elected for a year to the same office. In the mean- time he conducted a job printing business.

In April, 1917, Mr. Craddock was elected mayor of Greater Clarksburg for a term of three years. The opin- ion of the best citizens as well as his friends is that his administration was efficient, progressive and businesslike, that he always stood for those measures which mean the most good for the greatest number, and his record whether as mayor or in all the other relations of a busy life has been honest and straightforward. As mayor he could not be controlled by any clique or interest to the injury of another, and he treated rich and poor alike. One of the stories in local polities is that certain selfish interests of Clarksburg realizing their inability to defeat him for re- election as mayor, schemed to bring about legislation changing the form of city charter, so as to "legislate him ont" of office. Mr. Craddock is a democrat in national politics, and has been prominently mentioned as demo- cratic candidate for Congress.

He and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias. In 1884 he married Virgie B. Wooddell, of Green Bank, Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Craddock are proud of their six children, all mar- ried, and are donbly proud of their twelve grandchildren. Their only son, B. W. Craddock, is prosecuting attorney of Gilmer County.

JOSEPH HOWARD MCBRIDE. The first regular employ- ment of Joseph Howard MeBride was with an oil and gas company, and he has been successfully identified with oil and gas production in Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia ever since. He is one of the well known producers, drilling contractors and business men who have their home at St. Marys, though his interests are widespread over this part of West Virginia.

Mr. McBride was born at Oakdale, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, August 21, 1878. His father, George A. MeBride, was born near Oakdale in 1845, and spent all his life in Allegheny County. He was a broom maker, owning and operating a broom factory near Oakdale, and was also a skilled violinist, for a number of years being member of a Pittsburgh orchestra. He was a republican and an active worker in the Presbyterian Church. His death occurred in 1888, near Cliff Vine in Allegheny County. His widow now lives at Coraopolis in Allegheny County. Her maiden name was Emma Pierce, and she was born at Webster, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in 1856. A brief record of her children is as follows: Clarence, an oil refinery employe living at Coraopolis; Joseph Howard; Archie, who has charge of an electric light plant at Beaver Falls, Brighton, Beaver County; Arthur, an executive official in an oil refinery at Muskogee, Oklahoma; Essie J., a teacher in the public schools of Coraopolis; Miss Clara, a stenographer and typewriter

with the Crucible Steel Company at Aliquippa, Beave County.

Joseph Howard McBride acquired his early education in the public schools of Allegheny County. His schoo days were ended at the age of fourteen, and then afte two years of work on the farm he began his career as al oil man at the age of sixteen. For seven years he wa on lease work with the Bellevue and Glenfield Gas Com pany, beginning in the Oakdale Oil Field, and in 189: was sent to West Virginia by the company, with head quarters at St. Marys. For a year following he was i the water and gas department of the South Penn Oi Company at Wallace, West Virginia, and for a numbe of years was foreman for the Three Joes Oil Company a Hebron. In 1908 Mr. McBride bought the oil holdings o the last named corporation near Hebron, and since the' has been an active producer, operating in Pleasants, Tyle and Wood counties, West Virginia, and Washingto County, Ohio. His production at the present time is con fined to Pleasants, Tyler and Wood counties. Since 191 he has also been active in the business of oil well drilling

Mr. McBride is a man of prominence in the civic affair of St. Marys. He served one year as recorder and on; year as mayor. He is a republican, is affiliated with St Marys Lodge No. 41, A. F. and A. M., Pennshoro Chapte No. 25, R. A. M., at Pennsboro in Ritchie County; Penns boro Commandery No. 20, K. T., West Virginia Consistor No. 1, of the Scottish Rite at Wheeling, Nemesis Templ of the Mystic Shrine at Parkersburg, and is also affiliate with St. Marys Lodge No. 22, Independent Order of Od Fellows, and Marietta Lodge No. 477, B. P. O. E., a Marietta, Ohio.

Mr. McBride owns a fine, comfortable home at Georg and Third streets in St. Marys and is owner of another dwelling on George Street. He married at St. Mary October 15, 1901, Miss Myrtle Sooke, daughter of Joh and Ella ( Ruttencutter) Sooke, the latter still living in St. Marys. Her father, now deceased, was a flour mille. and lumber dealer. Mrs. McBride finished her educatio in the Fairmont State Normal School. Five children wer; born to their marriage: Geraldine, born September 28 1902, a student in the Pennsylvania College for Women aj Pittsburgh; Josephine, born May 12, 1905, a student in St Marys High School; George, who was born December 12 1910, and died at the age of three days; Elizabeth, bor December 3, 1912; and Richard, born January 13, 1915.

N. W. BALLANTYNE. Of the citizens of known busines ability who have been called to public office in Hancoc County, one of the best known is N. W. Ballantyne, member of the Board of County Commissioners, and on of the proprietors of the West Virginia Fire Clay Company of New Cumberland. Connected with this line of enter prise practically since youth, he has made a success of his operations therein, in view of which fact it was though that he would be equally successful as a county official His record in office shows this faith to have been full. vindicated.

Mr. Ballantyne was born at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is a son of Alexander Ballantyne, a glass manufac turer, who died when his son N. W. was but fifteen year of age. The latter then went to live with his materna grandfather, James L. Freeman, a son of Thomas Free man. Thomas Freeman was the original operator of plant taking out fire clay, which was under his own farn one mile south of New Cumberland, and James Freema; was also engaged in the fire brick and sewer pipe business his plant being on the site of the present Freeman plan one-half mile below the above plant. James Freeman die when past eighty years of age. His daughter, Irene (Free man) Ballantyne, who was the mother of N. W. and C. A. Ballantyne, died at the age of sixty-eight years.

N. W. Ballantyne secured a good, practical educationa training, and with his brother, C. A., came into the owner ship of the old Freeman home place. In 1896 they starte a small plant of their own in partnership, and have cor tinued to be associated together in their business venture

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ver since. In 1903 they founded the West Virginia Fire lay Company at New Cumberland, and in 1906 the busi- ess was incorporated hy them, with a capital of $50,000. This plant manufactures fire clay, which is sold to the manufacturers of fire brick and similar products, and has capacity of 300 tons daily, this coming from a vein of lay of from eight to twelve feet thick under the hill on the dge of the works. Something unusual and most opportune onnected with this plant is that immediately above the ein of clay lies a three-foot vein of excellent steam coal, he mining of which involves but slight expense, and which upplies the fuel for the plant. Above this is the solid ock forming a natural permanent roof. The average out- ut for one entire year was 6,000 tons per month, and he securing and preparation of the product, done by elec- rical machinery, necessitates the employment of from welve to eighteen miners, and from about thirty to forty en in all. This clay goes into grinders to make it uni- orm, and is then shipped to the southern states, New Ingland and Canada, from 120 to 175 cars monthly being tilized. The pay-roll approximates $2,500 monthly. The elling office of the concern is at Pittsburgh.

N. W. Ballantyne is also interested in other plants, manufacturers of fire clay products in Beaver Valley, Pennsylvania, and in Ohio, with offices at Pittsburgh. He as several civic and fraternal connections, and is actively terested in all good movements for the community wel- are. In 1920 he was elected a county commissioner, hav- ag been nominated by the republicans and receiving the ndorsement of the democratic party. The county is now ngaged in building good roads, keeping pace with other ections, and in 1921 a new Court House was built, cost- ig approximately $100,000, to replace the old building, estroyed hy fire, which was erected in 1884 and donated the county by the citizens in order to secure the county at from Pughtown, four miles distant. The sheriff's sidence and jail are in a separate building, but in close roximity to the Court House.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 119

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