History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 131

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On September 7. 1917, Mr. Tabler joined the colors & a member of the Three Hundred and Thirteenth Field A tillery, Eightieth Division. He sailed for France in Ma 1918, landing on June 9th, and took his position on the fi ing line September 9th. He was at the battle front nnt Armistice day, November 11th, when he was stationed o the River Meuse. He remained overseas with his divisio until May 30, 1919, when he sailed for home and receive his honorable discharge in June.

Mr. Tabler is affiliated with Washington Lodge No. Knights of Pythias, Lodge No. 778, Benevolent and Prote tive Order of Elks, and is a member of the American Legio: At the age of twenty-six he married Miss Louise Milbou

Williamy Lang Hamond

أسيدـ

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HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

reman, a native of Norfolk, Virginia, and daughter of ton and Harriet (Zimmerman) Foreman. Mr. and Mrs. bler have one child, Harriet Elizabeth.

JOHN A. WILEN until recently was connected with an lertaking business which was established at Martins- g more than three quarters of a century ago, and it re- ined continuously under the management and direction the Wilen family up to January 1, 1922.

Ir. Wilen was born on the spot where the business es- lishment is now located. His grandfather, Nicholas len, lived in Philadelphia, from that city removed to nesboro, Maryland, where he was in the hotel business, [ in 1836 eame to Martinsburg, West Virginia, where died a few years later. He married Margaret Dubal, was born near Boonesboro, Maryland, and she likewise 1 in middle life.

Their son, William Wilen, was born at Boonesboro, Mary- l, in 1818, and as a youth he began an apprenticeship the cabinet making trade at Hagerstown, Maryland, and years later removed to Baltimore, where he finished pre- ing for the trade. In 1845 he returned to Martinsburg . established himself in business. At that time coffins practically all furniture were made by hand, and the inet maker occupied a correspondingly important posi- in the business affairs of the community. William en was an expert in his line and a very thorough busi- s man. His establishment was located at the corner of en Street, one door north of East Martin Street, and continued in business there the rest of his life. During Civil war he was a Union sympathizer, and he was ted and served as representative from Berkeley County he Third State Legislature that met, in 1865. In Mar- burg, at the age of twenty-one, William Wilen married ry Schoppert. Her father, Adam Schoppert, was born r Shepherdstown in Jefferson County, West Virginia, moved to Martinsburg when it was a mere village. He ght vaeant land at the corner of North Queen and Mar- streets, and there established his business as a locksmith. continued a resident of that city until his death at the of seventy-five. His wife was Mary Craft, who was 1 near Leetown in Jefferson County, and she also lived i good old age. William Wilen and wife had five ehil- 1: Margaret, who married Capt. William Kantner, a on soldier; Melinda, who died young; Virginia, who be- e the wife of George Smith: William H .; and John A. ohn A. Wilen during his youth attended the city schools, was a mere boy when he began assisting his father. .870 he was made a partner in the business, and in 1880 emoved to Baltimore, where for ten years he had a part he business affairs of that city. On returning to Mar- burg he and his brother William H. sueeeeded to the ness of their father, and this partnership was eontin- until the death of William H. Wilen. Afterward Mr. n continued the undertaking business which was estab- d by his father in 1845, having as his active associate ert G. Coffman, until he sold January 1, 1922.

Baltimore, in 1881, Mr. Wilen married Almira Me- in, of Frederiek County, Maryland. They have a daugh- Mahel, wife of W. H. Wolfies, of Martinsburg. Mr n is an active member of the Lutheran Churel, Is a master of Robert White Lodge No. 67, A. F. and A. M., is a past exalted ruler of Martinsburg Lodge No. 778, volent and Protective Order of Elks, and also a member le State Elks Committee.

ILLIAM DEAN, present sheriff of Berkeley County, has a popular resident and business man of Martinsburg i number of years and is a member of an old and well- 'n family of the county.

eriff Dean was born at Martinsburg. The family resi- e for several generations was in Rockingham County, Virginia, where his great-grandfather, William Dean, ; his active career as a farmer and planter. His son, 's Deau, was born in Rockingham County, reared on a , and gave his entire life to agriculture there. He died a comparatively young man. His wife, Nancy Minick, his death married Ben Sullivan, and they came to

Martinsburg, sojourned at Williamsport, Maryland, dur- ing the war and then returned to Martinsburg and lived here the rest of their days. James William Dean, father of Sheriff Dean, was born on a farm near Newmarket in Rockingham County in 1848, and was a boy when he ae- companied his mother to Martinsburg. Here he served an apprenticeship at the trade of boilermaker, and after his marriage bought a home on Sonth Raleigh Street, between West King and John streets. This location at that time was at the very edge of the city, and the corner lot was en- elosed with a rail fence. After completing his apprentiee- ship he entered the service of the Baltimore & Ohio Rail- way Company, and was in the shops of that railroad com- pany until his last illness. He died at the age of forty-one. James W. Dean married Emily Virginia Snodeal, who was born on West John Street in Martinsburg, was twenty years of age when she married, and she now occupies the old Dean home on South Raleigh Street. She is an active mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as was her hus- band. Emily Virginia Snodeal's father was John Snodeal, who was born on a farm near Martinsburg. His father, George Snodeal, was a native of Germany, came to America in Colonial times, and was a pioneer of Berkeley County. He owned a farm in the western part of the county, and on leaving the farm located at Martinsburg, where his enter- prise brought him extensive business eonneetions. He oper- ated a carriage and blacksmith shop, was in the livery and groeery business, and continued active in affairs until the close of his life. He married Polly Malone, of Irish an- cestry, and who lived to the age of ninety years. Their son, John Snodeal, learned the blacksmith and carriage making trade in his father's shop. During the Civil war he was a Union sympathizer, and after the retreat of Gen- eral Banks' army he refugeed to Williamsport, Maryland. He and his three children started out on foot to make this pilgrimage, and on the way a Government wagon took them up and conveyed them the greater part of the distance. lu 1865 he returned to Martinsburg, and he condueted a carriage and blacksmith shop on Winchester Avenue until his death at the age of sixty-four. He married Caroline Rhul, who was of English parentage. Her father was a well edneated man and taught a private school for several years in Martinsburg.

James W. Dean was a member of Jefferson Lodge No. 1, Knights of Pythias, and was also an Odd Fellow.

William Dean acquired his education in the city schools of Martinsburg. While still in school he went to work in the woolen mills, and continued with that industry until March, 1911. With his brother John he then entered the men's furnishing goods business and they have one of the best stores of that eharaeter in Berkeley County.

Mr. Dean was elected sheriff of Berkeley County in 1920, receiving a handsome majority of 1,500. He cast his first presidential vote for William H. Taft. Mr. Dean is affili- ated with Equality Lodge No. 44, A. F. and A. M., Leba- non Chapter No. 2, R. A. M., Palestine Commandery No. 2, K. T., and is also a member of the Junior Order United American Mechanies and the Modern Woodmen of America.

CHARLES ROUSH, who owns and ocenpies one of the at- tractive homes of his native City of Martinsburg, Berke- ley County, and who is the owner of valable farm property in this county, has the distinction of having been a gallant young soldier of the Confederaey in the war between the states. He was born at Martinsburg on the 8th of Deeem- ber, 1838, and on the same farm, now partly included in Martinsburg, his father, George Roush, was born, the lat- ter's father, Conrad Roush, having been born on the same old homestead in 1789. Nicholas Roush, father of Conrad, was born in Germany, where the family name was spelled Rausch, and, so far as known, he was the only representa- tive of the family to come to America. He became one of the pioneers of what is now Berkeley County, West Vir- ginia, where he was one of the thirty persons to purchase the first lots in the townsite of Martinsburg. This lot, which he thus acquired from General Stephen, was on the east side of Raleigh Street, at the corner of West King Street. He purchased also a large tract of land on the

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west side of Raleigh Street and on both sides of King Street. He erected bis house on the corner lot mentioned, and there he resided until his death. The maiden name of his wife was Dorothy Reinfeld. Conrad Roush learned the hatter's trade, and thereafter became a successful hat manufacturer at Martinsburg, where he continued to be thus engaged until his death. He married Sarah Randall, who was born in Frederick County, Virginia, a daughter of John and Re- becca (Mercer) Randall. John Randall was born in Fred- erick County, Virginia, and thence went forth as a patriot soldier in the Revolution. His wife was a daughter of Ed- ward Mercer, whose will was one of the first recorded in what is now Berkeley County, West Virginia,

George Roush was reared on the ancestral farm which was the place of his birth, and was one of the prosperous young farmers of the county at the time of his death, when but twenty-four years of age. He married Margaret Walters, who was born in Berkeley County, in 1816, a daughter of John and Catherine (Painter) Walters, her fa- ther having had a large farm on Dry Run, as did also the father of Mrs. Catherine Walters. Mrs. Roush survived her husband many years and was seventy-four years of age at death. Her two children were Charles and George.

The early educational advantages of Charles Roush in- cluded those of a well conducted academy at Martinsburg, and he was actively identified with farm enterprise when the war began. He promptly manifested his loyalty to the Confederate cause by enlisting in Company B, First Vir- ginia Cavalry, and with this gallant command he took part in many engagements, including the battle of Bull Run. At the battle of Winchester he was wounded, September 28, 1864, but he was not long incapacitated and was with his regiment at Appomattox at the time of the final sur- render. He was also wounded at Cannons Landing. His interest in his old comrades has been vitalized by his affilia- tion with the United Confederate Veterans. After the war he resumed his activities on the old home farm, which he and his only brother inherited and which they eventually sold to a syndicate that improved the property as an ad- dition to Martinsburg, many houses and business buildings being now on the tract. Later Mr. Roush repurchased a part of the land, and erected his present commodious and attractive brick house, which is on an elevation on West King Street, and which commands an excellent view of Mar- tinsburg and the neighboring mountains. Mr. Roush still manages his farm property in the county.

March 17, 1874, recorded the marriage of Mr. Roush and Margaret Virginia Seibert, who was born on a farm on Tuscarora Creek, four miles west of Martinsburg, in the year 1852. Her father, William T. Seibert, was born in 1815 near Lebanon, Pennsylvania, as was also his father, Michael, who came with his family to what is now Berke- ley County, West Virginia, in the pioneer days, much of the distance having been covered on horseback through a virtually trackless wilderness. Michael Seibert obtained a rather large tract of wild land on Tuscarora Creek, and with slave labor he improved one of the excellent farms of the county. Here he died at the age of eighty years, and his widow, whose maiden name was Mary Tice, died at the age of eighty-seven. They reared three children, Will- iam, Henry and Mary, the last mentioned having become the wife of Henry Small. William T. Seibert as a young man was given land by his father, who built for him a substan- tial stone house. He continued his successful activities as a farmer and slaveholder until his death in 1852, aged thirty-seven years. He married Margaret Fryett, who was born in Frederick County, Virginia, a daughter of James and Margaret Fryette, her father having been a farmer near Winchester. The young widow of William T. Seibert eventually became the wife of W. T. Hout, and they passed the remainder of their lives at Martinsburg. Of the second marriage were born two children, Rosa Amelia and William S. Mrs. Roush was the only child of the first marriage, and she inherited and still retains the old homestead farm of her paternal grandparents. Brief record is here given concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Roush: Howard Seibert met an accidental death when thirty years of age. George Conrad first married Annie W. Magalis, who is sur-

vived by two sons, Clement and Howard. For bis secor wife George C. Roush married Jane Jenkins. Edgar V continues his residence in Berkeley County. Miss Margar remains at the parental home. George Andrew marri Ruth DeHaven, and they have one son, Vernon Lee.

Mr. Roush is a director of the Merchants & Farme Bank at Martinsburg. His wife is a charter member the local Young Women's Christian Association, besides b ing a member of the Epworth League and the Ladies A Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, of whi all of the family are members, and she is a director of tl King's Daughters Hospital and is vice president of tl local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederac

CHARLES W. FREEMAN, of Bramwell, a retired co operator, whose former extensive interests are represent in the Pocahontas Fuel Company, of which he is a directc has been associated with every phase of the coal indust in Southern West Virginia, both on the business and t. technical side.

Mr. Freeman was born at Trevorton, Pennsylvania, Ju! 9, 1873, son of John and Isabel (Rutter) Freeman. B parents were born in England and were brought when your to Pennsylvania, where their people became coal mine) John Freeman was born at Clay Cross, England, as young man worked in the mines near Trevorton, Pennsy vania, and on moving to West Virginia was for a numb of years superintendent of mines for the Fire Creek Co Company in Fayette County. In 1883 he moved into t Pocahontas District of Mercer County and located at Six mons, where in the latter part of 1883 or the early part 1884 he made the first shipments of Pocahontas coal frc this section. He was active in the operation known at t Freeman & Jones Operation, but later became merged wi the Caswell Creek Coal and Coke Company and finally 1 came part of the properties of the Pocahontas Fuel Co pany.

Charles W. Freeman acquired his early education in t common schools of Simmons and Bramwell, took a busine course at Dunmore College at Staunton, Virginia, and co pleted his business education with special training in boc keeping, general office work and auditing in Packarc Business School of New York City. He then returned Simmons and entered the mines under his father, acquiri experience in all the various departments of coal op ation, from actual mining to the handling and execut: work of mine foreman, superintendent and general manag He was one of the leading operators of that section 1 a number of years. When the Caswell Creek Coal & Co Company was sold to the Pocahontas Fuel Company, M Freeman accepted as his share of the proceeds stock in 1 Pocahontas Company, and for a number of years has bo one of the directors of this great corporation. Since then has acquired other coal properties in Kentucky, includi the Elkhorn Seam Company at Yager.

Mr. Freeman in 1909, at Lynchburg, Virginia, marr Martha Francis Wheeler. They have four children: Marl Wheeler, Charles Wesley, Margaret Ann and May Llewell Mr. Freeman and family are members of the Episco Church. He is a Royal Arch and Knight Templar Ma: and Shriner, a life member of the Elks, and belongs to Bluefield Country Club, the Shenandoah Club of Roano Virginia, the Falls Mills Hunting and Fishing Club Bluefield, and is a charter member of the new Mer County Country Cub. His favorite diversion is golf.

J. ROY NADENBOUSCH. Some of Berkeley County's n useful citizens in the past century or more have borne family name Nadenbousch. Their service has been rende as tillers of the soil, business men, public officials and several of the professions, particularly the law. Roy . denbousch is in the insurance business at Martinsburg, : his father, John Nadenbousch, has for many years been of the bankers of the city.

One of the first members of this old family in Berkd County was Frederick Nadenbousch, who was born Octo! 14, 1778, and died June 20, 1854. On April 6, 1815, ! married Eleanor Collins, who was born May 4, 1792,

Cher & Freem

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ed May 17, 1871. Their son, Moses Nadenbousch, was rn at Hedgesville in Berkeley County April 5, 1827, and a youth learned the trade of wagon maker and ear- nter. From Hedgesville he removed to Martinsburg, and r many years was a successful building contractor in at city, where he died at the age of seventy-two. He trried Margaret Ann Wood Harris, who was boru July , 1833, and died at the age of sixty-two. Their seven ildren were named: Moses Preston, William Henry, John omas, Adrian Collins, Lucy May, Cora Belle and Robert e.

John T. Nadenbousch was born in Martinsburg, attended public schools there and the J. P. Hynes Seminary, and the age of sixteen was appointed deputy sheriff by his ther, filling that office six years. He was then au em- ye of the Adams Express Company until 1894. In 1892 Merchants and Farmers Bank had begun business as First State Bank in Martinsburg, and John Naden- usch joined it as assistant cashier in 1894. For some time and the cashier did all the clerical work required in the nk. In 1895 he was elected eashier, and has continued fill that post for over a quarter of a century. This bank s reorganized in November, 1916, with a stoek dividend 100 per cent. It has a capital of $100,000, surplus and divided profits of over $30,000, and deposits for a number years have aggregated over $1,000,000. John T. Naden- usch has been one of the direct instruments in the up- ilding of this splendid bank. He is a man of prosperous nneetions in Berkeley County, owns two farms in Arden striet, and is a member of Equality Lodge No. 44, F. d A. M. He and his wife are both active in the Meth- ist Episcopal Church, South. At the age of twenty-six he rried Laura E. Goff, a native of Hedgesville and daugh- · of James and Mahala (Miller) Goff.

J. Roy Nadenbousch, the only child of his parents, was rn at Martinsburg and acquired a public sehool educa- n there. Soon after leaving sehool he became an insur- ce solicitor, and his work has been continued along these es. In 1911 he purehased a half interest in the Frank J. ammell Insurance Company, an old established ageney at urtinsburg, and later purchased the remaining interest. , has developed a very prosperous general serviee in all : important branches of insurance. He also has some meral farming and orchard interests, being especially in- ested in horticulture.

At the age of twenty-one he married Eva E. Gerling, a tive of Martinsburg, West Virginia, and daughter of uis Gerling. Mr. and Mrs. Nadenbousch have one son, hn Louis. Mr. Nadenbousch is affiliated with Equality dge No. 44. A. F. and A. M., Washington Lodge No. 1, ights of Pythias, and Lodge No. 778, Benevolent and Pro- tive Order of Elks. Politically he is a democrat, casting first presidential vote for William J. Bryan.

WILLIAM STANTON BERT, president of the Board of Edu- ion of the City of Martinsburg, Berkeley County, was 'n at Greencastle, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on the ) of March, 1862, and at the same place his father, John rt, was born in the year 1835, a son of Peter Bert. Peter rt was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, and in con- ·tion with a revolution in his native land his property s confiscated. He then came to the United States, ac- opanied by his wife and by two of his brothers, Peter 1 John, the former of whom settled at Strassburg, Penn- vania, and the latter at New Brighton, that state. The ling vessel on which they crossed the Atlantic did not ch its destination until the lapse of fourteen weeks. Ie family name in Germany was spelled Bertt. Nephews Peter Bert came to this country and settled in Balti- tre, Maryland, and they changed the spelling of the name Burt. From New York City Peter Bert proceeded to ;eneastle, Pennsylvania, where he followed the work of trade, that of tailor, but his death occurred within a or years, his widow, a native of France, having survived n by a number of years. They reared five children: Liisa, George, Benjamin, John and Adam. Adam Bert wy killed in the battle of Fredericksburg while serving a Union soldier in the Civil war.

John Bert learned the shoemaker's trade, and became skilled in the making of boots and shoes by hand. He be- came a successful manufacturer of boots and shoes, and continued his residence at Greencastle until his death, at the age of seventy-six years. He married Rebecca Houser, who was born at Greencastle, a daughter of George and Elizabeth (Cantner) Houser. Mrs. Bert died at the age of twenty-six years, leaving three children: Mary Eliza- beth, Julia Frances and William Stanton. The father later married Kate Good, and four children were born of this second marriage: Charles Wesley, Arthur A., John W. and Elizabeth R.

William S. Bert attended school until he was eleven years old, and then devoted six years to clerking in a gro- cery store. He next entered upon an apprenticeship to the tailor's trade with the firm of L. Cantner & Son, and after his three years' apprenticeship he worked a similar period as a journeyman at his trade. He next went to Mereers- burg, where he served two years in the merchant tailoring establishment of J. W. Reariek, and became an expert eut- ter. He then returned to Greeneastle and formed a part- nership with T. W. Brendle in the merchant tailoring busi- ness. Six years later he engaged in the manufacture of trousers and overalls, in which he continued operations at Greencastle until 1898, when he became associated with his brother Charles in operating the Shenandoah Pants Fae- tory at Martinsburg, West Virginia. Later he withdrew from the firm and organized the Southern Merchant Tailor- ing Company, with which he continued his eonneetion un- til 1906. From that year until 1910 be conducted a men's elothing and furnishing-goods store, from 1910 to 1913 he was engaged in business as a merchant tailor, and in the latter year beeame associated with the Royal Woolen Mills Company of Hagerstown, Maryland, and later with the Na- tional Woolen Mills of Parkersburg, West Virginia, of whose business at Martinsburg he has since been in charge.

Mr. Bert is a loyal and publie-spirited eitizen and has been influential in community affairs at Martinsburg. In 1910 he was elected a member of the eity eouneil, on which he served two years. He was again elected to the couneil in 1916, and he served two years as eity treasurer. In 1920 he was elected president of the board of education. He and his wife are members of the First Methodist Epis- eopal Chureh, and Mr. Bert is president of the Sunday sehool elass of 200 members. He is affiliated with Mount Pisgah Lodge No. 443, F. and A. M .; Lebanon Chapter No. 2, R. A. M .; Palestine Commandery No. 2, Knights Templars; the Scottish Rite Lodge of Perfection at Mar- tinsburg : and Osiris Temple of the Mystic Shrine in the City of Wheeling.

In 1899 Mr. Bert married Miss Minnie M. Diffenderfer, who was born at Martinsburg, a daughter of Charles and Ann Maria (Poisal) Diffenderfer. Mr. and Mrs. Bert have no children.

BYRON W. STEELE, M. D. For the past several years Dr. Byron W. Steele has been engaged in the general prae- tice of medicine at Mullens, and by his devotion to the duties of his profession, his elose study and his pronouneed skill has won a liberal and representative praetiee. His talents and sympathy have gained him recognition as a Jeader, and he has maintained throughout his eareer a high standard of professional ethies and honorable principles.

Doetor Steele was born at Moundsville, West Virginia, July 14. 1889, and is a son of Dr. S. M. and Florence N. (Cheadle) Steele. Dr. S. M. Steele was born September 14, 1860, in Tyler County, Virginia (now West Virginia). and after completing his normal school education at West Liberty engaged in school teaching for two years, in the meantime pursuing his medical studies. He then entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, from which institution he was graduated with his degree with the elass of 1886, and commenced practice at Moundsville. West Virginia, where he remained until beeoming superin- tendent of the West Virginia Hospital for the Insane. He remained in this capacity from 1906 until 1914, and his tal- ents as an authority on nervous diseases made his work of particular value. He returned from the hospital to Mounds-

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 131

Author: Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author:
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