History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 158

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages:

USA > West Virginia > History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3 > Part 158

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

HERMAN S. HALLER is one of the active young business men of Philippi, has been a merchant, coal operator and farmer, and is now proprietor of the City Ice & Bottling Works, supplying essential service and produets through- out Barbour County.

Mr. Haller was born in the Nestorville community of Barbour County, February 26, 1889. This branch of the Haller family eame to West Virginia from Frederiek County, Maryland, in pioneer times. Eli Haller, grand- father of Herman S., was born in Barbour County, spent his life as a farmer and was living at Nestorville when he died. He was a Home Guard during the Civil war, was a republican and a member of the United Brethren Churel. He married a member of the Nestor family, and they reared four sons and three daughters: James, Jonas, Els- worth W. and George, Mrs. Millie Shanaberger, Lizzie, who married Lee Poling, and Mollie, who married Wesley Bennett.

Elsworth Wilson Haller, father of the Philippi business man, was born in Barbour County, and followed various active voeations. He was a miller at Nestorville and Philippi, building the Nestorville Mill. His last years were spent on his farm on Buckhannon River, where he died in 1915, at the age of fifty-two. He married Ella William- son, a native of Barbour County, daughter of Nathau Wil- liamson, and now living at Buckhannon. They had just two children, Herman S. and Dessie, the latter the wife of Cecil Rogers of Volga, Barbour County.

When Herman S. Haller was nine years of age his parents moved to Philippi, where he spent six years of his early boyhood. He came to young manhood on the family farm on Buckhannon River. He was edueated in the eoun- try schools, and may be said to have begun his active career at the age of seventeen. For about two years he was a merchant at Volga in Barbour County, then returned to the farm for a year, later resumed merchandising and for four years sold goods at Carrolton, and at the same time conducted a farm. Mr. Haller gave up merchandising to become associated with Herman J. Polin in the develop- ment of a coal mine at Boulder in Barbour County. He was superintendent of the Boulder Coal Company, and they did a prosperous business nntil the slump following the elose of the World war, at which time the Boulder Mine erased operations. For a few months after leaving the coal industry 'Mr. Haller conducted a garage at Philippi, and in 1920 bought the plant of the City Bottling Works.

The City Bottling Works was established by C. L. Mal- eolm and first located at Mansfield, a suburb of Philippi. When J. S. Smith acquired the business he moved it to Philippi, locating it near the old wooden bridge. Mr. Haller bought this plant, but subsequently ereeted a eou- erete building and moved the business to it. This is a thor- oughly equipped and modern bottling works, with a capae- ity of six hundred cases per day, and the iee plant has a capacity of six tons per day. All the iee manufactured is consumed locally, while there is a growing trade in the soft drink produet in Philippi and along the railroad lead- ing out of that city.

Mr. Haller is director in the Federal Carbonic Plant of Barraeksville, is a director of the State Bottlers Associa- tion of West Virginia, is a stockholder in the Citizens National Bank of Belington, belongs to the Kiwanis Club of Philippi and is on its attendance committee. During the World war he was registered for selective service, but was not called to duty.

In Barbour County October 3, 1913, Mr. Haller married Bly Shank, a native of Philippi, and daughter of John and Lean (Dickson) Shank. Her father is a native o: Barbour County, has been a farmer and public official, and about thirty years ago served a term as sheriff. Mrs Haller has one brother, Aud, a farmer near Philippi. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Haller is a son, M. Wood Aud Haller, born May 27, 1918.

LUKE WHITE has been a resident of Lewis County, Wes Virginia, seventy years, took up the serious tasks and re sponsibilities of life here on a modest seale, and successivi years and labors have brought him an ample prosperit: in the form of lands, livestock and other property, am he has stood equally high in the esteem of his friends and neighbors. Mr. White is a former president of the Count: Court of Lewis County.

He was born October 18, 1848, in the City of Providence Rhode Island, son of James and Mary (Brodrick) White His parents were natives of County Roscommon, Ireland but were married in the United States, then settled on a Rhode Island farm. In 1850, when Luke was two year old, the family came to Lewis County, West Virginia, and the parents spent the rest of their lives on a farm here They were devout Catholics, and the father began voting as a demoerat but later became a republican. Two of thei children are still living, Luke and Maria, the latter the wife of John Collins, a resident of Weston.

Luke White grew up on the farm and had only the com mon schools in his neighborhood from which to derive hi education. When he was twenty-one years of age he started out for himself, buying a tract of land eoverer with heavy timber, and his task was elearing away the woods and putting the ground acre by acre under culti vation. That process has continued through all his aetiv years until he now owns eight hundred acres, some of the best farming land in the county, and a large part of i under cultivation.

In 1874 Mr. White married Catherine Murry. Of thei children James is deceased and all the others are stil living, named Mary, Ella, John, Luke, Nieholas, D. J. Kathryn, Walter, Leo and Martin D. The family ar members of the Catholic Church and Mr. White is a repub liean. He was a member of the County Court six years and during that term was president of the court. Outside of his farmiug interests he is a stockholder in the Fai Association, the People's Telephone Company, in the Wes ton Independent, a republican paper, and in the Conserva tive Life Insurance Company.

GEORGE C. HALL. The home and farm of George C Hall is located eight miles north of Morgantown, in Union Distriet, two miles south of Point Marion. This is one o the specialized farms in this section of the state, dairying and poultry breeding being prominent features, and no only Mr. Hall but his children are actively associated with him in all departments of the farm enterprise.

Mr. Hall was born at Cheat Neek on Cheat River Sep tember 29, 1872, son of Squire and Hannah (Sidwell Hall. Squire Hall, who was born in the same vicinity il 1843 and died at the age of thirty-one, was a son 0 James Hall, who came from Woodbridge, Fayette County and also died in middle age, though his wife, Elizabetl Trissler, lived to the advanced age of eighty-four. Squir Hall was a farmer and timber worker. In 1870, at Warn Hollow, he married Hannah Sidwell, daughter of Hugl and Elizabeth (Porter) Sidwell and granddaughter o: Hugh and Mary Sidwell, both natives of England, bu they were married after they settled in West Virginia and lived on a farm at Warm Hollow. Hugh Sidwell, Sr., wa a cabinet maker and also performed the duties of a pionee undertaker, making the eoffins when needed in the com munity. On the old Sidwell farm stood the historie place known as Fort Sidwell on West Run, at or near Easton Hugh Sidwell, Sr., owned several hundred aeres of land in the vicinity of Easton. Hugh Sidwell, Jr., died at the age of sixty-eight and his wife at forty-four. Mrs. Squir Hall had only one child by her first marriage, George C

Harry S. Shaffer

479

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

he afterward married Reece Swindler, and they lived on heat River, where he died at the age of sixty-two, there eing no children by the second marriage.

George C. Hall grew up in the home of his mother, quired a common school education, and at the age of venty-five married Sarah King, daughter of Henry and [inerva (Boughner) King. She was an infant when her other died, and before she was ten she was completely phaned by the death of her father, and after that lived the family of James Hare until her marriage.

Mr. Hall did his farming on Cheat River until eight ears ago, when he moved to his present farm on the oint Marion Road. He conducts a dairy and keeps it p to profitable production. The poultry feature includes large flock of brown Leghorns, kept for egg production, nd his fowls have been prize winners in a number of poul- y shows.

Active factors and partners in this family industry are e unmarried children. Altogether the children number ven: Gertrude, Mrs. Leo Cutlip, of Fayette County, ennsylvania; Ethel, wife of Joseph Rancjik, a coal miner ; essie, wife of James Rancjik, also a coal miner; while e younger children are Claude, Gladys, Georgia and Tildred. The son Claude in 1920 gained the first honors or quantity corn production, growing 142 bushels on a easured acre. Gladys and Georgia are conspicuous in the oys and Girls Clubs in this agricultural community and le special interest of Gladys on the home farm is the reeding of Berkshire swine, while Georgia is handling a ock of White Leghorn chickens.

Mr. Hall has always taken a good citizen's interest in is community. He served four years as road superin- endent. Usually in local affairs he votes for the best man nd is a democrat normally. His farm is underlaid with al, and those resources are now being developed. He kes an occasional vacation for hunting or fishing, is a ast master of Clear View Grange No. 430, and he and is family are members of the Eden Methodist Protestant burch.

HON. WARREN B. KITTLE was admitted to the bar in 894. In the general practice of the law his reputation eadily spread beyond the borders of his home county of arbour, resulting eventually in his elevation to the hench. le is now in his second term as circuit judge. His district the nineteenth, comprising Barbour and Taylor counties. The abilities manifested in his personal career seem in art the fruit of several generations of worthy and useful brefathers. The Kittles settled on the southwest Virginia order about a hundred and forty years ago. The founder f the family there was Abraham Kittle, Sr., who was born 1 New Jersey in 1731, and settled in Randolph County, in hat is now West Virginia, prior to 1781. He died there eptember 6, 1816, and left a large number of descendants. ne of his grandsons was Rev. Cyrus Kittle, who was dis- nguished as a soldier, a minister of the Gospel, and one f the strong men of his time. Rev. Cyrus Kittle was the randfather of Judge Warren B. Kittle.

Cyrus Kittle was a graduate of Bethany College. Dur- ig the Civil war he was a staunch Union man, and on ccount of his activities in behalf of the Union a reward f five thousand dollars was offered by Imboden of Vir- inia for his scalp. He served as colonel of the Tenth irginia Regiment, was a member of the Legislature of 863, and after the war he bought a large farm in Bar- our County and operated a mill at Philippi, first known s Corder's Mill, then Kittle's Mill. This old mill is now one with other ancient things that time has eliminated. olonel Kittle was a leading Methodist, and the last ten ears of his life were spent in preaching the Gospel. He ied April 26, 1885, at the age of sixty-six. He married erza Stalnaker, daughter of John White Stalnaker, whose other was a daughter of John Chenoweth, a Revolutionary oldier whose body lies in Randolph County, on Chenoweth's reek, about five miles above Elkins.

George Monroe Kittle, father of Judge Kittle, was for many years a contractor and builder in Barbour County, ut for over two decades has owned and edited the Philippi

Republican, and at the age of seventy-four is still active in that paper. He was born in Randolph County, and was educated in the common schools and under the direction of his scholarly father. He married Charity Ellen Poling, and they had the following children: Warren B .; George Bruce, who is a foreign representative of the Lima Loco- motive Works; Luther Ford M., in the tax commissioner's office at Charleston; Lucy Rebecca, wife of Lewis W. Wil- son, of Philippi; Miss Annie M., of Philippi; and Frank G., now associated with the Philippi Republican, is a gradu- ate with the degrees A. B. and LL. B. from Ohio State University, served as a first lieutenant in the World war, and did his duty in a home training camp as a trainer of troops and gun instructor.

Warren B. Kittle was born at Belington, Barbour County, December 23, 1872, but since early infancy his home has been at Philippi. He attended the public schools there, and took both the literary and law courses at the Univer- sity of West Virginia, graduating LL. B. on June 13, 1894. He was admitted to the Bar on the twenty-fifth of the same month, and was associated with his first trial case before the close of the same month. As a young lawyer he was associated with A. G. Dayton and J. Hop Woods in the defense of F. M. Russell, tried for the poisoning of Amanda Welch. The trial lasted for ten days, and the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty. In subsequent years Mr. Kittle's law practice took on a wide and varied range, involving some of the important litigations tried in local courts. In the fall of 1904 he was elected prose- cuting attorney of Barbour County, and held that office until 1909. Among other outstanding features of his term was the prosecution of the murderer of Nebo, the Car- lisle Indian, resulting in a life sentence for the murderer. Another celebrated case was where he got a conviction and penitentiary sentence in prosecuting a Pennsylvanian who stole a jeweler's sample trunk, the case attracting wide attention in both states. Another important case was the impeachment of a member of the County Court for bribery.

For about two years after leaving the office of prose- cuting attorney, Judge Kittle resumed his private prac- tice. Upon the creation of a new circuit, comprising Bar- bour and Randolph counties, he was appointed hy Governor Glasscock on May 24, 1911, the first circuit judge, and in November, 1912, was elected for the regular terms of cir- cuit judge. This first election was in the nature of a personal triumph, since in that year the democrats were generally victorious over the state, and he was chosen in a normally democratie circuit by a majority of 1167. At the close of his first eight year term the circuit by act of the Legislature of 1919 was changed to comprise Bar- bour and Taylor counties, and in 1920 he was elected judge of this circuit by a majority of 2,121.

The legal profession in general knows Judge Kittle as the author of two law books with a wide circulation. The first is a small volume of 150 pages, published in 1914, entitled "The Law or Rule Days in Virginia and West Virginia." The second volume, one of more general cir- culation which has contributed to Judge Kittle's reputa- tion as a lawyer, is entitled "The Modern Law of Assump- sit, " a volume of 879 pages and now entering its second edition.

In politics Judge Kittle has always been aligned with the republican party, casting his first vote for William McKinley. He has been a delegate to several state con- ventions. He is a past grand of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

On June 30, 1897, at Philippi, he married Miss Zona Wilson, daughter of W. S. and Virginia (Baker) Wilson. They are the parents of three children, Virginia, Nellie and George M., Jr.

HON. HARRY G. SHAFFER. The associates of Hon. Harry G. Shaffer, state senator from Boone County, twice mayor of Madison, and one of the most distinguished men of this part of West Virginia, unhesitatingly place him among the com- ing practitioners of the West Virginia bar, for he is perfect-

480

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

ly at home in every department, whether civil or criminal, common law or chancery, real estate or corporation law. Because of this he has earned a firm place among the lawyers of the state. He is one of the ideal gentlemen of public life, a man of remarkable strength of character and nnassuming courtesy.

Senator Shaffer was born at Tunnelton, Preston County, January 22, 1885, son of Gus J. and Florence J. (Thomas) Shaffer. His parents were also born in Preston County, where his father is still living, his mother being now de- ceased. Senator Shaffer is properly proud of his family on both sides of the house. His maternal grandfather, Elisha Thomas, was twice sheriff of Preston County, and was the leading man of his locality for a number of years. The Thomas family is of Scotch-Irish descent.

The Shaffer family, of German origin, first settled in America prior to the Revolution, in Lebanon County, Penn- sylvania, at a point later known as Shafferstown. Adam Shaffer removed from this settlement to Washington Coun- ty, Maryland, where he married Catherine Wotring, and they immediately joined the German settlement in Preston Conn- ty, near Brookside. To them were born eight sons and four daughters, one of the sons, Daniel, being the grandfather of Senator Shaffer.

Daniel Shaffer, born in 1805, married Elizabeth Izenhart, horn in 1810. They had five sons and three daughters. Their home was also in Preston County. The sons were George Francis, Martin Luther, Jesse W., Gustavus Josephus and Arthur Mckinley. The daughters were Susan, who married Thomas Humbertson, of Frostburg, Maryland; Mary, who married George Lantz, of Preston County; and Priscilla, who married James H. Wilson, also of Preston County.

Gus J. Shaffer, the father of Senator Shaffer, has lived in Preston County the greater portion of his life, at differ- ent times at Fellowsville, Rowlesburg, Newburg, Austin, Carmel, Tunnelton and Kingwood. Gus J. Shaffer has been a merchant and a public man, for a number of years served as a director in Kingwood's oldest bank, and his home is in Kingwood. He has been an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. A member of the family at Carmel now has possession of the bullet moulds used by Catherine Wot- ring when but a small girl to mould bullets for the American Army. She was so engaged in 1777, the day the battle of Brandywine was fought, while her mother and older sisters worked in the fields in the absence of the father, who was in the army.

Growing up in his native county, Senator Shaffer at- tended its common schools, and later the Kingswood school conducted by Prof. Rnfus Holden at Kingwood, West Vir- ginia. Following that he had one year in an academic course and two years in law, graduating from the latter course in 1908. In 1909 he came to Madison, where he has since been engaged in the general practice of his profession. From the beginning of his connection with Boone County Senator Shaffer has taken a very active part in public affairs, and in 1918 and 1919 was selected mayor of Mad- ison. During his life in Boone County he made such a record for service that in 1920 he was elected to the Upper House of the West Virginia Legislature from his district, and as a member of that body has given convincing proof of his dis- interested desire to serve his constituents.

In 1916 Senator Shaffer married at Madison Miss Brookie Turley, a daughter of W. H. and Hester (MeClure) Turley, both natives of West Virginia. Mr. Turley is engaged in merchandising upon an extensive scale at Madison. Senator and Mrs. Shaffer have three children, namely: Catherine Hester, Florence Jane and Margaret Eleanor. The Baptist Church holds the membership of Mrs. Shaffer. Senator Shaffer is a thirty-second degree Mason and Shriner, and also belongs to the Knights of Pythias. Politically he is a republican, and is one of the leaders of his party in his district. Professionally he belongs to the Boone County Bar Association and West Virginia State Bar Association. He is a member of Sigma Chi college fraternity, Delta Chi Law fraternity and The Mountain, the latter a college society

of West Virginia made up of the leaders of all the other college fraternities.

In the nature of things, a man endowed with so bright and rich a personality as Senator Shaffer would be a leader in politics, and in him Boone County acknowledges an ex- emplar of the highest kind of republicanism-the leader- ship of honor, of loyalty to the integrity of the community, the state and nation, and of sturdy American manhood. He Icads the people because they have confidence in him. They have tried him and know him to be safe, fearless and ever alert and zealous for their interests.

WHIRLEY B. GEARY. The name of this Charleston citizen readily suggests success in commercial affairs. Mr. Geary has been connected with retail merchandising the greater part of his active life. He is president of the Diamond Shoe & Garment Company, the title of one of the finest stores in the capital city.

The business was first established as the Diamond Shoe Store by Mr. Geary and L. T. Mathews, with a capital of $10,000, Mr. Geary being president and Mr. Mathews, vice president of the company. In 1914 they incorporated under the new name of the Diamond Shoe & Garment Company and added ladies' ready-to-wear garments. The first year's sales of footwear exclusively ran to nearly $10,000, and there has been a gradual increase in the trade ever since. In 1919 the firm moved to its present store, a three story building 75 hy 120 feet, all of which space is used in the business, and two other floors besides, which in the aggregate comprises an acre and a half of floor space. The business represents an investment, inelnd- ing real estate, of $500,000. The sales, all retail, for 192] aggregated $775,000. It is a business that caters to the city trade; and in its particular field, dry goods, ready-to- wear garments and shoes, the store is practically organized on the detachment plan, since women's garments, men's fur nishings and other stock are classified each under an in- dividual manager. There are about seventy-five employes, and the pay roll runs to about $8,000 a month.

W. B. Geary is a native of Roane County, West Vir- ginia, and is unmarried. He began clerking in stores as a lad, and he came to Charleston in 1907. For a time he worked in the Charleston Hardware Store. A number of years ago he bought 170 feet of frontage on Capitol Street from the Shrewsbury estate. This property was improved with a building, but that building has been entirely re- modeled to suit the needs of the present store. Mr. Geary sold all the frontage except the seventy-five feet occupied by the store at a handsome profit. The display front of this store surpasses that of any other retail establishment in Charleston, and the interior is a model of good arrange- ment. The store is equipped throughout with Grand Rapids fixtures.

Mr. Geary has also done considerable other business in real estate, and has built several residences. He is a mem- ber of the New Kanawha Country Club.

WILLIAM DOUGLAS BALDWIN has gained a place of prom- inence and influence in connection with the representative industrial and commercial activities of the capital city of West Virginia, where he is vice president of the Baldwin Supply Company, dealers in mine, mill and automobile supplies.

Mr. Baldwin was born in the City of Baltimore, Mary- land, November 21, 1878, and is a son of the late E. F. Baldwin, who was an architect of distinctive ability and who was long a member of the firm of Baldwin & Penning- ton, leading architects in the City of Baltimore. After hav- ing profited by the advantages of the public schools of his native city William D. Baldwin entered the University of Niagara, near Niagara Falls, New York, and in this institu- tion he continued his studies until 1898. In that year he entered the employ of the Thomas C. Basshor Company at Baltimore, and in this connection he gained his initial ex- perience in the mill-supply business. The plant of this com- pany was destroyed in the great fire that brought disaster to many other of the leading business concerns of Baltimore,

481

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

d soon afterward Mr. Baldwin engaged independently the mill-supply business, as a member of the firm of Idwin, Burgess & Company. In 1905 the business of this n was removed from Baltimore to Elkins, West Virginia, d in the same year articles of incorporation were secured, der the title of the Baldwin-Chandlee Supply Company. e company was incorporated with a capital stock of 5,000, nearly all paid in, and after the removal to Elkins , husiness rapidly expanded in scope, in the handling of plies for flour and sawmills. Later was added a depart- nt devoted to hardware and mine supplies, and finally, to et a definite demand, automobile supplies aud accessories ewise became an important department of the enterprise. e Elkins headquarters are still maintained by the com- ny, but in 1918 the main headquarters were established the City of Charleston, operations now being based on paid-in capital of about $200,000. The annual sales of company have now attained to an average aggregate of 50,000, and the enterprise proves a valuable contribution the commercial precedence not only of Charleston but o of Elkins. At Charleston the company utilizes 52,000 bare feet of floor space, and the Elkins plant has a floor ace of 36,000 square feet. In the handling of the widely tended jobbing trade the company retains a corps of rty-eight house employes, and has eight traveling sales- n. Charles S. Robb, president of the company, formerly ved as private secretary to Senator Henry G. Davis, repre- itative of West Virginia in the United State Senate, and er he became general manager of the West Virginia Coal Coke Company, which has large and valuable tracts of ] and timber land in West Virginia, Mr. Robb now main- ning his home and business headquarters in the City of ashington, D. C. W. N. Fitzwater and Lee McCallister, ckholders in the corporation, have active charge of the siness at Elkins. The corporate title of the Baldwin Sup- Company was adopted in 1905, and Mr. Baldwin has d the general supervision of the company's business at arleston from the time the enterprise acquired headquar- 's in the capital city. He is one of the vital, loyal and ogressive business men of the city and state, and is entified with representative social organizations at Charles- , including the Edgewood Country Club and the Lions ub. He is also a valued member of the Charleston Cham- r of Commerce.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 158

Author: Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: