History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 123

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LUTHER WILLIAM HELMINTOLLER, superintendent for the Buffalo Thacker Coal Company at Chattaroy, Mingo County, has run the full gamut of experience in connection with the coal-mining industry, his first work having been as a trapper boy, when he was but ten years of age.

Mr. Helmintoller was born at Ronceverte, Greenbrier County, West Virginia, on the 17th of August, 1893, and is a son of William B. and Margaret (Morgan) Helmintol- ler, the former of whom was born in Alleghany County, Virginia, and the latter in Greenbrier County, West Vir- ginia, where their marriage was solemnized. Mrs. Helmin- toller passed to the life eternal on the 3d of March, 1919, at the age of fifty-four years. William B. Helmintoller was engaged in farm enterprise for a number of years, and for fifteen years thereafter he was identified with public work in Raleigh County, this state. He is a republican and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, as was also his wife. He now, at the age of sixty-eight years (1922) is living retired in the home of his son Luther W., of this review, who was fourth in a family of twelve chil- dren, of whom eight are living.

Luther W. Helmintoller gained his early education in

the public schools of Greenbrier and Raleigh counties, but early began to do practical work also in connection with coal mining, as noted in the preceding paragraph. By his mine work he earned the money to defray his course in the Dunsmore Business College, Staunton, Virginia. His first mine service was in Raleigh County, and he has since held various progressive positions in different mines, besides having had charge of general stores conducted by mining companies. His work has been in Raleigh, Logan, Boone, Kanawha, McDowell and Mingo counties, and his ambition and effective service gained to him consecutive advancement, as is shown by the fact that he became a mine superin- tendent when he was but twenty-three years of age. He has been a constant reader and student concerning matters per- taining to the coal industry, and has well earned the success which is his. He was with Jack Dalton in the World war period, and had charge of three mines on Coal River in Boone County. By thus spurring the production of coal he made effective contribution to the nation's war cause, the fuel production having been one of major importance. He has been associated with the Buffalo Thacker Coal Company in the capacity of superintendent at Chattaroy since August, 1920. He is a republican, is affiliated with the Blue Lodge and Chapter of the Masonic fraternity at Bramwell, and in the Scottish Rite Consistory at Wheeling he has received the thirty-second degree, besides which he is a member of the Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Charleston, the Lodge of Elks at Huntington, and the Lodge of Knights of Pythias at Pocahoutas, Virginia.

In 1916 Mr. Helmintoller married Miss Lillian White, daughter of Charles H. White, of Maybeury, McDowell County, and they have one daughter, Mary.

DUNCAN CRUIKSHANKS KENNEDY. Through the succes- sive steps of mine worker, mine union official, mine super- intendent and mine operator Duncan Cruikshanks Kennedy in the thirty years of his residence in West Virginia has attained a distinctive power and leadership in this fore- most industry of the state. Rather remarkable is the fact that his prestige is hardly less among the miners them- selves than with the coal operators. Mr. Kennedy is sec- retary-commissioner of the Kanawha Coal Operators Asso- ciation, with home and headquarters at Charleston.

He was born in Fifeshire, Scotland, in 1873. He grew un in a mining district of Scotland, and while he acquired a good common school education he went to work in the coal mines of that country as a boy. He was still only eighteen when in 1891 he came to the United States. Since then his work and experience have been in West Virginia. He began as a miner at Prince, Fayette County, in the New River coal fields, under James Kay, one of the pioneer operators in that district. In time he became mine fore- man for John Laing at Caperton and Brooklin, but subse- quently returned to the mines as a miner. In 1901 Mr. Kennedy was made sub-district president of the United Mine Workers of America for the New River District. A year later he was elected president of District No. 17, which at that time embraced all of West Virginia.

When the Kanawha Coal Operators Association was or- ganized in 1904 he accepted the post of first secretary, and for seventeen years he has been the responsible executive official in achieving the essential purposes of that organi- zation. It is one of the largest and strongest operators' as- sociations in the state, embracing the great corporations and companies whose mines are in the Kanawha Valley.

Besides his duties as secretary and commissioner of the association Mr. Kennedy is an independent coal operator. He organized the Anchor Coal Company and opened its mines at Highcoal in 1913. He has since sold his interest in this industry. He is a stockholder, director and member of the executive committee of the American Eagle Colliery Company in Raleigh County, director of the Hopkins Fork Coal Company in Boone County; vice president and director of the Imperial Smokeless Coal Company in the New River District of Greenbrier County.

Perhaps the most striking evidence of his power and prestige in the coal industry is found in the fact that from the time he became manager of the Kanawha Coal Op-

DeKenedy

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ators Association in 1904 until about 1919 there was uot strike or serious trouble of any kind among the miners nployed by the companies embraced in the association. [r. Kennedy came by his authority in a way to command aspect and allegiance. He was a miner himself for many ears, knows and appreciates the miner's standpoint, un- erstands the personal factors and problems of the industry ally as well, if not better, than the workers themselves, nd he possesses that broad sympathy and understanding at are the essence of the Golden Rule in industrial affairs. n a number of occasions, particularly in the year 1914, [r. Kennedy represented the coal operators as a commis- oner in the settlement and arbitration of disputes. Here is advice, counsel and decisions were of the greatest bene- t to both sides. He is one of the very few operators hose official acts as a commissioner and arbitrator have ceived unstinted commendation from the miners them- lves.

Mr. Kennedy was a member of the Board of Directors of iners Hospital No. 2 at McKendree by appointment of overnor M. O. Dawes. He served as a member of the first oard of examiners under John Laing, chief of the Depart- ent of Mines of West Virginia. During his earlier life in West Virginia Mr. Kennedy had his home at Gatewood in ayette County, but for several years past has been a popu- ir resident of Charleston. He is a member of the Board f Deacons of the First Presbyterian Church and is a irty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner.

By his marriage to Miss Eunice Martha Rodes he is le father of four children, Jean, John C., Harry G. and uncan C., Jr. The son John is a graduate of the Univer- ty of West Virginia and now a student in Jefferson Medi- al College, preparing for a medical career. Harry is a udent of engineering in West Virginia University.

CLEVELAND M. SEIBERT, mayor of Martinsburg, is a rominent young lawyer of that city, and among other ublic services was three times a member of the Legislature. Mr. Seibert was born on a farm in the Arden District of berkeley County, and his forefathers have dwelt in that gion, chiefly as farmers and land owners, for generations, inning back to pioneer days. The original spelling of le family name was Sybert, and another variation in pelling it is Siebert. One of the early settlers of Berkeley ounty was Wendell Seibert, who came from Pennsylvania. he old stone house built prior to 1800 is still standing and cupied by some of his descendants. His son was born in le same locality, and there also was born George Wendell eibert, grandfather of the Martinsburg lawyer. The father, /endell Seibert, was born at the old homestead, and suc- seded to its ownership and was a prosperous farmer. uring the Civil war he entered the Confederate army in ompany B. of the First Virginia Cavalry, and from private as promoted to second corporal. He was with the com- and in its many hard fought battles, including the first attle of Manassas, the seven days fighting around Rich- ond, Fredericksburg, second Manassas, Antietam, Gettys- irg, Spottsylvania Court House, and at Chancellorsville as severely wounded, a bone in his arm being fractured. he bullet was removed and is now in the possession of his n Cleveland M. Wendell Seibert died at the old home- ead in 1884, a few weeks before the birth of his son leveland. The latter's mother was Harriet Kilmer, a na- ve of Berkeley County and daughter of John Kilmer, who moved from Pennsylvania to Berkeley County and bought farm, where he spent the rest of his life. Harriet Kilmer ibert was left a widow with eight children, and carefully ared and educated them. She died in 1909.

Cleveland M. Seibert grew up on the homestead, attended strict schools, a private military school at Martinsburg id later entered the law department of West Virginia Uni- rsity, where he graduated when in his twenty-first year. i was admitted to the bar on attaining his majority, and s had a widely varied and profitable practice in both ate and Federal courts.

At the age of twenty-five Mr. Seibert married Elizabeth ·ammel, a native of Martinsburg and daughter of Jacob d Maude (Hollman) Trammel. To their marriage were

born three children, Harriet Ann, Cleveland M., Jr., and Philip T.

Mr. Seibert is a member of the Berkeley County and West Virginia State Bar associations, is affiliated with Martins- burg Lodge No. 378, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Robert White Lodge No. 67, F. and A. M., a member of the Knight Templar Commandery, the Scottish Rite Con- sistory at Wheeling and also Osiris Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Wheeling. He is a member of Washington Lodge No. 1, Knights of Pythias, and Tuscarora Tribe No. 50, Improved Order of Red Men. Mr. Seibert cast his first presidential vote in 1908 for Mr. Bryan. The same year he was a successful candidate for the House of Delegates, and was the youngest member of the House at the following session. He was re-elected in 1910 and in 1912, and during his three terms was an active and useful member, both on the several committees to which he was assigned and on the floor of the House. In 1920 Mr. Seibert had the distinction of being unanimously chosen by the city council as mayor of Martinsburg, the majority of the council being re- publicans.

PAUL H. MARTIN, clerk of the County Court of Berkeley County, has been a practicing lawyer in the courts of the Eastern Panhandle for ten years, and is one of the progres- sive leaders in that community.

He was born at Kingwood, Preston County, son of Joseph Ami and Mary Catherine (Snyder) Martin, grandson of Joseph and Ann (Forcman) Martin and great-grandson of Philip Martin, who was a son of John Martin. Paul Mar- tin's mother, Mary Catherine Snyder, was a daughter of Jacob and Clarissa (Carroll) Snyder and granddaughter of Jacob Snyder, Clarissa Carroll was a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Hawley ) Carroll.

Joseph Ami Martin was born on a farm a mile from Kingwood, and made the best of his limited opportunities to secure an education. On leaving the farm he removed to Kingwood, where for twenty-two years he held the office of clerk of the County Court of Preston County, finally declining to serve longer. He then turned his attention to railroad building. His first experience was in changing what is now the West Virginia Railroad from a narrow to a standard gauge. He then built fifteen miles of railroad extending from Morgantown to Kingwood, and was in oper- ating charge until the property was sold to Senator Elkins. He also built an electric line running out of Morgantown, following which he organized the company and built the first eight miles of railroad connecting Morgantown with Dunkard Valley, thus opening a large and undeveloped district. With this busy program completed he retired and lived at Morgantown until his death in 1917, at the age of sixty-eight. His widow is still living at Morgan- town. They reared four children: Grace, wife of William J. Snee; Bessie, wife of Frank P. Weaver; Paul H. and Carroll F. The parents were active members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, South, and the father was a Mason and Knight of Pythias.

Paul H. Martin was educated at Kingwood, attended the preparatory school at Morgantown, and graduated LL. B. from West Virginia University in 1907. Before taking up the practice of law he spent two and a half years with his father in railroad construction. Then, in 1910, he established himself at Martinsburg and devoted his talents entirely to his growing private practice until 1920, when he was elected clerk of the County Court. He and Mrs. Martin are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Martin is a member of Equality Lodge No. 44, A. F. and A. M.

October 27, 1909, he married Miss Marie Buxton, a native of Martinsburg, and daughter of George W. and Ella (Shaffer) Buxton. They have one son, Paul Buxton Martin.

Mrs. Martin's father, George Washington Buxton, was a native of Bedford, Pennsylvania, son of George and Elizabeth (Trail) Buxton, of Frederick, Maryland. George W. Buxton served as a Union soldier, and while in the army he first visited Martinsburg, where after the war he located and became a contractor and builder and brick manufac-

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turer. He was very young when his father died, grew up in the home of his grandparents, and acquired a good education. He lived at Martinsburg until his death at the age of seventy-eight. His wife, Sarah Ellen Shaffer, was born in Martinsburg, daughter of Christian and Susan (Poisal) Shaffer and granddaughter of George and Mar- garet (Mussetter) Shaffer. George Shaffer was a son of Peter and Susan (Gussman) Shaffer. Peter Shaffer, a native of Pennsylvania, served in the Revolutionary army, and was a pioneer of Martinsburg, owning the land at the northeast corner of West King Street and South Maple Avenue. The house he occupied was built of logs, and some years later the exterior was veneered with brick, thus making a sub- stantial brick house with its solid log frame. The house faced West King Street, while a long ell extended down South Maple Avenue. The house in which Mr. and Mrs. Martin now live is at the rear end of this lot, and faces Maple Avenue. The son of Mr. Martin is the seventh gen- eration to live on this ground.

MORGAN MORGAN, M. D. Identified with the honorable profession of medicine and surgery in Berkeley County forty years, Doctor Morgan through his professional activities lias kept up the splendid record made by the Morgan family in its various branches over West Virginia.

Doctor Morgan, who was born on a farm in Berkeley County, about three miles above Gerardstown, is in the sixth successive generation to bear the name Morgan Morgan. The original of the line was the historic character Col. Morgan Morgan, who was born in Wales, but was liberally educated in London, was an ordained minister of the Church of England, and in the time of William III or a little later settled in Delaware, where he married Catherine Garretson and somewhat later moved into the Valley of Virginia and at Winchester established a church of which he and his son Morgan Morgan, Jr., were pastors for many years. The cabin erected by Col. Morgan Morgan in 1726-27 in the vicinity of the present Bunker Hill iu Berkeley County was the first home of a white man in that section of the state. Colonel Morgan had a grant of 1,000 acres of land in that vicinity, and it was on part of this grant that Doctor Mor- gan was born. The church Col. Morgan Morgan established with Doctor Briscoe and Yost Hite has long been known as Norbourne Parish. Col. Morgan Morgan and his wife had eight children, and from these are descended many of the Morgan families still prominent iu West Virginia. His son Zackwell was founder of Morgantown, while another son, David, was the ancestor of the present Governor Morgan.

The descendants through his son Morgan, a son in each generation named Morgan, have continued successively to occupy a portion of the old homestead in Berkeley County. Morgan Morgan, father of Doctor Morgan, inherited a por- tion of the homestead and was a farmer there throughout his life. He died in 1878. His wife was Mary Silver, who was born in Frederick County, Virginia, daughter of Zephania and Virginia (Henshaw) Silver, natives of Vir- ginia, the former of Scotch and the latter of Scotch-Irish ancestry. The mother of Doctor Morgan died in 1886. Her five children were named Morgan, Zephania, Josephine (who died at the age of twenty-three), William E. and Charles W.

Dr. Morgan Morgan attended the common schools, the preparatory school at Newmarket and graduated in medicine from the University of Virginia in 1877. He took post- graduate preparation in Bellevue Hospital, where he gradu- ated in 1879. For three years following he practiced at Berkeley Springs and then returned to the old homestead and conducted a large and successful country practice in that vicinity until 1921, when he removed to Martinsburg, where he lives today.

Doctor Morgan in 1906 married Mary J. Brannon, a native of Frederick County, Virginia. They have two chil- dren, Morgan and William Hilton. Doctor and Mrs. Mor- gan are members of the Episcopal Church.

EUGENE BUCKLEW, of Terra Alta, is one of the oldest surviving native sons of Preston County, now past the age of four-score, was a soldier in the Civil war, devoted half

a century to the tasks and responsibilities of agriculture and is now comfortably retired among his children and grandchildren at Terra Alta.

While the record of his family is more completely re viewed on other pages, some of the chief facts concernin, his parentage should be set down here. Mr. Bucklew wa born near the old Fairfax Ford on Cheat River, now th Caddell community of Preston County, March 30, 1840, so of John Elzy and Abigail (Sipolt) Bucklew. His fathe was also a soldier in the Civil war, and the family was on of the first to settle in Preston County. Eugene Buckle' grew up at the old home farm, and he gained only a litt] knowledge from the community schools of that day. Th chief text books were the spelling book and the New Testa ment. His knowledge of reading was largely acquired fron reading the Testament. He never studied arithmetic at a in school, though he learned something of the multiplicatio table. When he left school to enter the army he coul little more than write his name. While a soldier in cam he got most of his education, learning to write and do some thing with figures. One of his comrades set the copy an he practiced until he was proficient enough to write letter lome. This was in every sense a practical education, an he put it to good use in the varied activities and responsibil ties of his subsequent life.

In 1863 Mr. Bucklew joined Company O of the Sixt West Virginia Infantry. This regiment was broken up inf detachments for guard duty along the Baltimore & Oh. Railway from Parkersburg and Wheeling to the easter border of the state. Mr. Bucklew participated in th guard, scouting and skirmish duty, and remained with lı company uutil discharged at Wheeling, June 11, 1865, ar mustered out a few days later.

Having done the part of a patriotic citizen in preservir the Union, Mr. Buckley returned home and went to wol on the farm in Portland District. From that time unt December, 1918, his lot was that of a hard working ar progressive farmer in the rural community, and then wi: the burden of years he retired from the country to Terr Alta.

Mr. Bucklew began voting even before he reached h majority, and he cast a ballot at Kingwood in 1860, votir for Abraham Lincoln for president. There has not been national election in the past fifty years in which he has n. contributed his ballot for republican principles and canc dates. He has been equally devoted to the religious pha of life, was reared in the Methodist Episcopal Church, b for convenience of attendance he has for many years be identified with the United Brethren. He joined the Grai Army of the Republic when its ranks were full of veterar and is a member of Terra Alta Post, perhaps one of t most active of the remaining posts.

In Preston County in 1861 he married Miss Rachel W son, daughter of John Wilson. The only surviving child this union is Lydia, wife of George Shaffer, of Elkir September 11, 1873, Mr. Bucklew married Miss Mary Fre land, who was born near Terra Alta and reared there, beis one of the ten children of Hiram and Nancy (Buckley Freeland. The other children to grow up were: Geor. Freeland; Susan, wife of John Braham; Sarah, who ma ried Wilber Teets; Rachel, wife of Nicholas Braham; ar Philip Freeland, of Cumberland, Maryland.

Mr. and Mrs. Bucklew had five children, and their gran children number fonrteen. Vernie is the wife of Daniel Metheny, of Taylor County, West Virginia, and their ch dren are Ray, Hazel and Clarence. Laura married Geor Nine, of Preston County, and they have three children, As Clara and Walter. Ella, who died as Mrs. Walter Listo left six children, Mary, Densel, Isa, Ethel, Ruby a Georgia. Robert H., who lives in Fayette County, Penns vania, has two daughters, Dorothy and Velva Goldie. T. youngest of the family is Russell Bucklew, still at t family home at Terra Alta and who married Cora Tee daughter of Bert and Mary Virginia (Rodeheaver) Tee Russell Bucklew is an ex-service man, having trained as: soldier at Camp Meade, Maryland, but the war ended befc his command reached overseas.

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ROBERT LOGAN WALKER. One of the finest establishments in the retail shopping district of Charleston is that of the Walker Dry Goods Company, a house that has kept its service well within the lines of dry goods staples. The four- story store building is one of the most popular centers of the retail trade, and the business at its present prosperons stage represents in an important degree the enterprise and commercial ability of its president, Robert Logan Walker.

While the title of Walker Dry Goods Company is com- paratively new, the business itself represents a consecutive development over a long period of years. There was a firm name of Sterrett Brothers, who were in business here for thirty years. About ten years ago R. L. Walker and W. B. Geary purchased this business, and for a year continued it as the Walker-Geary Company, which was incorporated October 11, 1912. Mr. Geary then sold his interest to Mr. Walker, and since then the name has been the Walker Dry Goods Company. The capital was doubled, increasing it to $150,000. The investment represented in the stock of the old Sterrett Company was about $50,000. Mr. Walker is president and general manager of the present company, and his active associate and partner from the beginning has been C. W. McClurg, who is vice president of the company. They now employ from forty to fifty persons in their store, and while the sales the first year ran to about $130,000, the volume of business is now equivalent to $500,000. They use all the four floors of the store, 42 by 100 feet.

Mr. Walker was born on a farm at Tipton in Nicholas County, West Virginia, February 28, 1872, son of Jolin A. and Fannie Walker. The father was a farmer, and his youth was spent in a rural environment. After a limited period of schooling he began clerking in a store near home, and for two years he taught school in Nicholas and Fayette counties. Then followed several years of experience in stores and commissaries of coal companies in Fayette County. At the age of twenty-two be became elerk in the store of the Fire Creek Coal Company, then was manager and bookkeeper of the store of the Harvey Coal and Coke Company, and as a member of the firm Mosley & Walker he was engaged on a modest scale in coal production and merchandising at Cliff Top in Fayette County. He sold his interest there and came to Charleston for the purpose of Improving his school advantages. Soon afterward he bought an interest in the Diamond Shoe Store, but several months later accepted the opportunity to become associated with W. B. Geary in the purchase of the Sterrett Brothers store, and now after ten years he is head of a business that is one of the most successful in its line in the state. In 1918 Mr. Walker helped organize the Bank of Dunbar, with a capital of $25,000, and now with assets of $150,000. He is presi- lent of this institution. In 1909 he organized the Winona National Bank and soon became its president. This bank has also a capital of $25,000, but its assets are now around $500,000.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 123

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