History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 136

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Blaine Zickefoose was reared to the sturdy discipline of the home farm and early gained experience that has proved of great value to him in his independent farm operations. He supplemented the training of the public schools by at- tending the West Virginia Wesleyan College and by a course in a business college at Parkersburg. He has had no desire to sever his allegiance to the basic industries of agriculture and stock-raising, and is one of the pro- gressive farmers and dairymen of his native county. He is aligned in the ranks of the republican party, is af- filiated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and he and his wife are members of Reger Chapel of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

In December, 1910, Mr. Zickefoose married Miss Lura M. Reger, who likewise was born and reared in Upshur County, and they have two children: Martin W., who was born August 27, 1913; and Tuttle B., who was born Sep- tember 28, 1916.

CLARENCE WHEELER LEGGETT, prominent Clarksburg financier and business man, moved to that city more than a quarter of a century ago, reaching here with a very limited capital, and the large and important concerns now associated with him and in which he is a vital and responsible factor are a measure of his growing abilities and personal achievements.

Mr. Leggett was born on a farm near Waterford, Wash- ington County, Ohio, May 12, 1856, son of Samuel and Rebecca (Cooksey) Leggett. The Leggett family was among the first to enter the Northwest Territory beyond the Ohio River. His great-grandfather moved from Baltimore, Maryland, over the Alleghenies, for a time lived in an Indian blockhouse on the site of the modern Waterford and not far from the historic City of Marietta. Robert Leggett, grandfather of the Clarksburg business man, was born in this block house in 1796. The Leggetts are descended from three brothers who came from England to the American Colonies. Samuel Leggett and Rebecca Cooksey both claimed a village named Waterford as their birthplace, though the Waterford of Samuel Leggett was in Ohio, while his wife's birthplace was Waterford, Virginia. They had two children, the only daughter Janie C. being deceased. The parents spent their lives in Washington County, Ohio, where the father was a farmer. He was an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Clarence Wheeler Leggett grew up on his father's farm, attended rural schools, and completed his education in the Cumberland Presbyterian College at Beverly, Ohio. He graduated in 1876 at the age of twenty from Duff's Busi- ness College at Pittsburgh. Then followed an experience as a drug clerk in Ohio and subsequently in West Virginia and from clerking he was made salesman and later manager of the drug department of the J. N. Murdech & Company, wholesalers at Parkersburg. Still later he was city salesman and finally assistant buyer for the wholesale grocery house of C. C. Martin & Company of Parkersburg.

Mr. Leggett removed from Parkersburg to Clarksburg in 1895, and here established a merchandise brokerage busi- ness. This original line is still retained by him, though liis interests are now broadly divided. The merchandise broker- age business is continued under the firm name of C. W. Leggett & Company. Mr. Leggett in 1908 bought the building occupied by the General Distributing Company, and the business of the Central Storage Company, and he still owns and operates this. He is chairman of the board of directors of the Clarksburg Trust Company, a director of the Empire National Bank of Clarksburg, president of the Community Savings & Loan Company, is treasurer of the Eagle Convex Glass Specialty Company.

Mr. Leggett arrived at Clarksburg, November 7, 1895. The capital he brought for the purpose of establishing him- self in business was less than $500. More important was his determination to succeed, a diligent application of subsequent years, and the energy and ability that have paved the way to substantial success. Open and frank in his business dealings, always maintaining strictest regard for integrity of character and honesty, he has long enjoyed the confidence of all with whom his varied and extended affairs bring him in contact.

Mr. Leggett is a democrat, and that was the political faith of his ancestry. He is a Kuight Templar and thirty- second degree Scottish Rite Mason, a Shriner, life member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, a Knight of Pythias and a member of the United Commercial Travelers. As a citizen of Clarksburg he has rendered a constant public spirit and influence in behalf of sound, progress, though he has not been active in city politics. He was one of the organizers of the Clarksburg Board of Trade, now the Clarksburg Chamber of Commerce, and is active in its membership.

Mr. Leggett in 1895 married Miss Mary G. Coleman They have one child, Frances H.

REV. RICHARD ASPINALL, A. M., B. D., is an honored and valued member of the faculty of the West Virginia Wesleyan College at Buckhannon, Upshur County, where he holds the chair of Bible and Philosophy, and where he has the distinction of being the first incumbent of this professorship.

Mr. Aspinall was born at Bolton, England, December 1, 1881, and is a son of Archibald and Catherine (Barlow) Aspinall, the father having been a successful contracting stone mason and having passed his entire life in England. In his native city Rev. Richard Aspinall acquired the equiva- lent of a high school education, and he was twenty-four years of age when, in 1905, he came to the United States: and became pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at Charleston, West Virginia, his ordination to the min- istry having occurred after his immigration to the United States and after a course of preliminary study and other preparatory work. Ile continued in his pastoral charge at Charleston until the autumn of 1907, when he became a student in the West Virginia Wesleyan College, in which he was graduated with honors and from which he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He received from the New York University the supplemental degree of Master of Arts, and the degree of Bachelor of Divinity was con. ferred upon him by Drew Theological Seminary. For one year he held a pastoral charge at Philippi, Barbour County West Virginia, and he then, in the autumn of 1915, was elected the first professor of the chair of Bible and Philos. ophy in the West Virginia Wesleyan College, in which ca. pacity he has since continued his earnest and efficient serv. ice, the while he is known as a man of fine scholarship and of high ideals, which he is able to translate into ob. jeetive helpfulness. He is an honored member of the Wes! Virginia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church he having been ordained a deacon in 1909 and an elder in 1911.

Professor Aspinall is essentially broad-minded and pro gressive as a citizen and takes loyal interest in community affairs. In 1919-20 he was president of the Rotary Club of Buckhannon, and he was made district governor of the International Association of Rotary Clubs for the district comprising Western Maryland, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. When he assumed this position there were only twenty-seven Rotary Clubs in the district, and upor his retirement the district had forty-two thriving cluhs He is a member of the National Economic League, the headquarters of which are maintained in the City of Bos ton, Massachusetts, and he is actively identified also with the Religious Association of America. Professor Aspinal is a director of the People's Bank of Buckhannon, is a di rector also of a local building and loan association, and in politics he is a republican. In 1921 he made a trip to Europe, where he carried out a course of special study of post-graduate order at Oxford University, England.

OW. Leggett.

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On the 11th of June, 1912, was solemnized the marriage f Professor Aspinall and Miss Maude Rusmisell, who is graduate of the West Virginia Conference Seminary and f the vocal department of the Peabody School of Music the City of Baltimore, Maryland. Mrs. Aspinall is in- uential and popular in both the cultural life and social ircles of her home city, and is a specially talented musician. Professor and Mrs. Aspinall have two children, Catherine r., who was born August 10, 1913, and Samuel R., who as born June 27, 1915.

HAROLD T. STURM is mine engineer of the Philmont coal line of the Hercules & Pittsburgh Coal Company, and Iso of the Hesper Mine, all in Upshur County, and he maintains his home at Buckhannon, the county scat.

Mr. Sturm was born in Harrison County, West Vir- inia, October 26, 1896, and in the same county were born is parents, John J. and Leila (Tetrick) Sturm, who now eside at Shinnston, that county, where the father is liv- ig virtually retired, he having for a number of years een successfully engaged in business as a contractor in ailroad construction. John J. Sturm is a past master f St. John's Lodge No. 24, Ancient Free and Accepted Jasons, at Shinnston, and a Knight Templar, is a stalwart epublican and has served as a member of the County Court of Harrison County. Of the four children Harold 1., of this review, is the eldest; Richard, a graduate of he Shinnston High School is, in 1921, a student in Wash- agton and Lee University in Virginia; Frank is attend- ag the Shinnston High School; and Robert is attending he public schools of that city.

Harold T. Sturm was reared in West Virginia and Ohio, 1 each of which states he attended the public schools. ince his graduation from the high school at Shinnston e has given his active attention to mine engineering from he time of initiating his independent career, and he has ained his standing in his chosen field of service. He 3 aligned loyally in the ranks of the republican party, nd in the time-honored Masonic fraternity has received ne thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, besides be- ig a member of the Mystic Shrine, while his basic affilia- ion is with St. John's Lodge No. 24, Ancient Free and accepted Masons, at Shinnston.

In September, 1915, was solemnized the marriage of Er. Sturm and Miss Aladine Bassel, who completed her ducation by attending the West Virginia Wesleyan Col- ge and who is a popular figure in the representative ocial activities of Buckhannon.

JOHN A. SHARPS is the patentee of the excellent device hich gives basis for the conducting of one of the im- ortant industrial enterprises in the City of Buckhannon, pshur County. His window-shade invention is manufac- ired hy the Cutright-Sharps Company, and he was the ctive manager of the well equipped factory of the com- any for three years.

Mr. Sharps was born in Marion County, this state, on 10 2d of August, 1871, and is a son of Jesse and Priscilla

(Nichols) Sharps, both likewise natives of that county.

he father had exceptional natural ability as a mechanic, ad he was a skilled workman as a carpenter, wagonmaker ad shoemaker, besides which he became a prosperous armer in Upshur County, where he owned an excellent irm of 127 acres, upon which he was residing at the me of his death. He was a deacon in the Baptist Church or more than thirty years, was a democrat in politics, was filiated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is wife was a member of the adjunct organization, the aughters of Rebekah, besides being a devoted member : the Baptist Church. Of the five children four are liv- g: William H., who was formerly in service as a locomo- ve engineer, is now a mechanic at Clarksburg, this state; ancy is the widow of Joseph Kiddy; Thomas G. is em- loyed in a sawmill at Elkins; and John A. is the imme- iate subject of this sketch. The daughter, Mary J., is le deceased wife of John W. Kiddy.

John A. Sharps was a boy at the time of the family re-

moval to the farm in Upshur County, and he gained his youthful education in the public schools of this county. He early manifested exceptional mechanical skill, and for a number of years he was actively identified with lumbering operations in this section of West Virginia. He was em- ployed by a number of the leading lumber companies, and in the meanwhile he exhibited his mechanical genius by inventing a number of devices, of which the most im- portant is the window shade which bears his name and for the manufacture of which the Cutright-Sharps Company was organized and incorporated and the manufacturing plant established at Buckhannon. W. T. MeWorter is president of the company, Dr. O. B. Beer is its vice presi- dent, C. K. McCally is secretary and treasurer, and H. M. Wade is sales manager. The enterprise is proving success- ful, as a valuable contribution to the industrial and com- mercial activities of Buckhannon. Mr. Sharps was the active manager and superintendent of the factory. He is a stockholder and director of the company, is the owner of a fine fruit farm of thirty-four acres seventeen miles distant from Buckhannon, and is especially successful as a grower of the finest types of apples. His political alle- giance is given to the republican party, he is affiliated with Centerville Lodge No. 81, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and he and his wife hold membership in the United Brethren Church. The maiden name of Mrs. Sharps was Lydia F. Cutright, and she is a member of one of the representative families of Upshur County. Mr. and Mrs. Sharps have six children: Edna (Mrs. Harmon Pringle), Coy W., Julia (Mrs. Lester Cain); Elsie G., Dessie C. and Oleta.

WILLIAM REPPERT, the popular superintendent of the Peerless Coal Mine Company at Buckhannon, Upshur County, was born in Preston County, West Virginia, Decem- ber 17, 1883, and is a son of A. D. and Mary (Fortney) Reppert, the former of whom was born in Monongalia County, this state, March 3, 1851, about a decade prior to the separation of West Virginia from the mother state of Virginia. Mrs. Mary (Fortney) Reppert was born in Preston County, in 1854, was there reared and educated and there her marriage occurred. A. D. Reppert was reared at Morgantown, judicial center of his native county, and after his marriage he settled in Preston County, where he became superintendent of an ore plant. He later turned his attention to agricultural enterprise, of which he still continues a successful exponent in that county. He is a republican, is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and both he and his wife are active church members. Of the ten children all are living except one, four being residents of Upshur County, one of Preston County, one of Maryland, one of Michigan and one of Pennsylvania.

The public schools of his native county afforded William Reppert his early education, and he initiated his associa- tion with the coal-mining industry by taking employment in Marion County. He gave special attention to study in the engineering department of the industry, and with this department he continued his active association ten years, at the expiration of which, in 1909, he became a mine fore- man in Marion County. He was thus engaged one year and for the ensuing three years was a mine engineer in Fayette County. In 1913 he became a mine foreman in Upshur County, and here his ability and effective service has led to his advancement to his present office, that of superintendent for the Peerless Mine Company, with head- quarters at Buckhannon, the county seat, where he owns his attractive home property, at 100 South Florida Street. At Beckley, Raleigh County, he is affiliated with Beckley Lodge No. 95, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He is a republican in politics, and he and his wife hold mem- bership in the Christian Church.

October 9, 1910, recorded the marriage of Mr. Reppert and Miss Minnie R. Fortney, of Marion County, she hav- ing been graduated from the high school and also from the State Normal School at Fairmont and having taught school for one year. Mr. and Mrs. Reppert have two chil-

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HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

dren: Oliver, born August 11, 1911; and William, Jr., born July 8, 1918.

EDWARD ARNOLD BRANNON, a member of the West Vir- ginia bar since 1894, continues the high prestige enjoyed by the name Brannon in the bench and bar of the state, a prestige long associated with his honored father, the late Judge Henry Brannon.

Judge Henry Brannon, who was a justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals from 1888 to 1913, was born at Winchester, Virginia, November 26, 1837, member of a prominent family of Old Virginia and a son of Robert and Catherine (Copenhaver) Brannon. Robert Brannon was also a native of Winchester, and an influ- ential citizen of that locality, beiug a planter and a hotel proprietor. His children were named John, Harriet, Stuart, Morgan M. and Henry.

Judge Henry Brannon was reared on a farm and had all the advantages of a liberal education in the years before the war. He graduated A. B. from the University of Vir- ginia in 1857. He was admitted to the bar in 1859, and began his career as a lawyer in Lewis County, West Vir- ginia, before the war, having studied law with his brother- in-law. He was in active practice at Weston from 1859 to 1881. He was prosecuting attorney of Lewis County from 1860 to 1864, was a member of the West Virginia House of Representatives in 1870-71, and for eight years, from 1880 to 1888, was judge of the Circuit court. Then fol- lowed his long career of a quarter of a century as justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals. His last term on the supreme bench expired December 31, 1912, and he died November 24, 1914. He was a democrat until 1896, and after that a republican. Judge Brannon was author of "Treatise on Rights and Privileges Guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitu- tion."

December 28, 1858, he married Hetta Jane Arnold, of Weston. Of their six children five are living: Ida J., widow of Dr. John I. Warder, of Weston; Ella V., wife of Frank J. Flannery, of Baltimore, Maryland; Mamie B. Whelan, of Huntington, West Virginia, widow of James J. Whelan; Gertrude, wife of J. Hoffman Edwards, of Weston; Edward A .; and Henry, Jr., deceased.

Edward Arnold Brannon, only living son of the late Judge Brannon, was born at Weston, April 4, 1870, and grew up in his native town, acquiring a public school edu- cation, attending a preparatory school at Baltimore, finish- ing his literary education in the University of West Vir- ginia and Princeton University, and attended the law schools of the University of Maryland and of Washington and Lee University. After graduating LL. B. he was admitted to the bar in 1894, and now for almost thirty years has been associated with much of the important practice in his home state, having many cases before the Supreme Court. He has been city solicitor of Weston, was representative of Lewis County in the House of Delegates in 1910-11, and was democratic nominee for attorney general of the state in 1920. While he has participated in politics, his primary ambition has been satisfied within the strict limits of the law. He is one of the local attorneys for the Baltimore & Ohio Railway, and a director of the Weston Electric Light, Power and Water Company. He is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America.

February 10, 1909, Mr. Brannon married Irma K. Cowey. Mrs. Brannon is a graduate of the high school of Middle- port, Ohio. They have three children: Henrietta H., born July 8, 1910; Alice J., born August 3, 1913; and Edward A., Jr., born October 18, 1915. Mrs. Brannon and her daughters are members of the Episcopal Church.

IRA B. WESTFALL for a quarter of a century has car- ried on a prosperous business as a building contractor over Upshur and surrounding counties, but his home is on a farm a mile east of Buckhannon, and with the aid of his children he cultivates the land and takes an active part in this agricultural community.

His birthplace was not far from the home where he lives today. He was born August 17, 1872, son of Granville

D. and Martha E. (Day) Westfall. Few familiee ante-date the arrival of the Westfall family in what is now West Virginia. In 1772, three years before the beginning of the Revolutionary war, his ancestor James Westfall came to Randolph County and settled on the present site of Beverly. The line of descent from James Westfall to Ira B. West- fall leads through his son Zachariah, George Westfall who married Ruhama Cutright, Watson Westfall, who married Rachel Tinney, and Granville D. Westfall, who was born in Upshur County March 4, 1848. He grew up on his farm, made good use of his educational advantages and for several years was a teacher. After his marriage he settled on Sand Run, then moved to Buckhannon, and finally to a farm nearby, where he died March 8, 1908. He was one of the leaders of the United Brethren Church of his community and was a democrat. Of his six chil- dren the following are living: Ira B .; Lenora, wife of T. W. Hinkle, of Buckhannon; Iva F., wife of A. M. Hughes, of Akron, Ohio; and W. E. Westfall, a carpenter and builder of Buckhannon.

Ira B. Westfall lived on the home farm until he was twenty-one, acquired a common school education and learned the trade of carpenter. He worked as a journey- man carpenter for several years, but for the past quarter of a century has done a business as a general contractor and has had a share of the contracts in the general up- building of this section of the state. He owns a business house and dwelling in Clarksburg, and also has seventy- six acres of farm land, his home farm comprising forty- two acres.

Mr. Westfall married Ida C. Lowe, daughter of William R. and Mary E. (Mowery) Lowe, natives of Virginia. Mrs. Westfall was reared on a farm and had a common school education. To their marriage were born twelve children, all but one still living: Lottie M., born Septem- ber 29, 1897, wife of Henry Ours; Veta F., born July 12, 1899; William D., born September 5, 1901, now serving in the United States Navy; Burton J., born July 3, 1903; Winnie W., born February 9, 1906; Ida V., born August 4, 1908; Solomon D., born December 29, 1909; Virgil D., horn November 20, 1911; Kelso L., born January 4, 1914; Mary E., born December 8, 1915; Henry F., born in Septem- ber, 1917, and died January 1, 1918; and Robert M., born April 19, 1919.

The family are members of the United Brethren Church, of which Mr. Westfall is a trustee. He is a democrat and served as president of his local Board of Education two years.

ROBERT A. DARNALL is one of the prosperous citizens of Upshur County. He is a farmer and farm owner near French Creek, but his career has been one of varied service and activity, and he is one of the best known men of the entire county.

He was born in Upshur County June 20, 1850, son of Morgan A. and Jane (McDowell) Darnall. His father was a native of Greenbrier County and his mother of Monroe County, and they grew up in the same vicinity. Both were well educated, though they had only the subscription schools during their youth. After their marriage they settled on a farm in Upshur County, living near French Creek, and in 1859 moved to the farm now owned by Robert A. Dar- nall. Here the father died in 1883 and the mother in 1911. They were active members of the Baptist Church, of which Morgan Darnall was a deacon. He was affiliated with the Masonic Order and was a republican. During the Civil war he became captain and later was colonel of the Tenth West Virginia Infantry, Union Army. For a number of years he held the office of justice of the peace. Of his sixteen children, nine are still living.

Robert A. Darnall grew up on a farm in Upshur County and his advantages in the common schools were supple- mented by two terms in the French Creek Academy. As a young man he taught school eight years. He was in the lumber business fourteen years, and since then has been quite steadily identified with the management of his farm of 325 acres in the French Creek neighborhood.

1837 tenex Brannen 1914

FOR THITY TWO YEARS A ILDGE OF A WEST VIRGINIA FOLRT OF RECORD CIRCUIT BENCH 1081/1888; SUPREME BINCH 1889 1912

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HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

Mr. Darnall was for six years a member of the County urt of Upshur County, is now one of the overseers of poor, and is a fire insurance agent for the Grange tual Insurance Company. He is a republican, a mem- · of the County Grange, and is a Baptist.

Tune 20, 1880, he married Malinda C. Rexroad, who was 'n in the south end of Upshur County. They have five Idren: Thomas A., a mechanic at Buckhannon; Roscoe a merchant of Gilmer County; Porter A. who is in wholesale and retail feed business with his brother, coe A .; Nellie, wife of Fay Hammer, of Upshur County; I Nora E., wife of Philip Phillips, of Upshur County.

TERNON LEE BENNETT is a veteran business man of Rock ve, Upshur County, where for nearly forty years he has ducted a jewelry store.

Ir. Bennett was born in Lewis County, West Virginia, y 6, 1861, son of James M. and Jemima S. (Wilson) inett. His father, a native of Lewis County and a ner by trade, was a first cousin to Judge George Ben- t and Lewis Bennett. Vernon Lee Bennett grew up on arm at Glady Fork, received a common school educa- 1, and found his interests and activities centered in home farm until he was twenty-two years of age.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 136

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