History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 168

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Joseph Bowers grew up in this locality and acquired common school education. With the exception of eleve months he has lived here ever since. For thirty-two year his father conducted a general store, and for twenty seven years of this time Joseph managed this enterprise until his father's death. Since then he has lived on th

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farm, and he and Mrs. Bowers have made a practice of opening their home to summer guests who come to enjoy the beautiful scenery of this locality from as far away as New York City and Pittsburgh. The house is full every summer, and there are many parties that motor out to enjoy the chicken dinners which are Mrs. Bowers' specialty. On December 11, 1886, Mr. Bowers married Hattie L. Mack, widow of David Savage and daughter of William and Elizabeth (Dusenberry) Mack, of Easton, Monongalia County, where her parents settled when Hattie was two years of age. Her parents moved here from Laurel Point, and her father was born at the City of Easton, Pennsyl- vania, and married about 1855, after coming to the Mo- nongahela Valley, his wife being a daughter of Samuel and Dolly (Brakeiron) Dusenberry, farmers in that locality. William Mack was a carpenter by trade, but for many years lived on a farm. He died in May, 1911, when past eighty, and the widowed mother of Mrs. Bowers is still living, in her ninety-fifth year, a remarkable example of longevity and well preserved faculties. Her home is now with Mrs. Bowers. Mrs. Bowers lost her first husband a year after their marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Bowers have no children, but they are rearing Eula Cuppett, now eleven years of age, and a bright and promising schoolgirl. Mr, Bowers is a democrat, but has kept out of politics, having refused to make a campaign for county commissioner. He is one of the original stockholders of the Commercial Na- tional Bank of Morgantown. Altogether he has prospered in a financial way, and is regarded as one of the best liked, most accommodating, self-sacrificing, public spirited citizens of Monongalia County.

GEORGE W. BAUSEMAN is successfully engaged in mine- construction work in connection with the coal mining in- dustry in Upshur and neighboring counties, and in his prosperous contracting business in this line he is associated with W. P. Barlow, under the title of the Bauseman Coni- pany. He owns and resides upon his well improved fruit farm of thirty-three acres near the village of Lorentz, Upshur County, and here is a successful grower of apples, peaches, plums, cherries and other fruits. He is a loyal supporter of the cause of the republican party, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Protestant Church at Lorentz.

Mr. Bauseman was born at Tenmile, Upshur County, September 21, 1874, and is a son of J. F. and Lavina (Boyles) Bauseman, the former of whom was born in Augusta County, Virginia, in March, 1843, and the latter of whom was born in Upshur County, in 1846. The par- ents now reside at Lorentz, and the father is living re- ired after many years of active and successful business as a carpenter aand contractor. J. F. Bauseman was a gal- ant young soldier of the Union in the Civil war, in which he was a member of the same company as was his father. After the close of the war he engaged in the work of his trade at Tenmile, Upshur County, whence he later removed to the Hatcher's Creek District of Lewis County, but for the past thirty years he and his wife have maintained their home at Lorentz, Upshur County, both being carnest mem- Ders of the Methodist Protestant Church. Mr. Bauseman is a stalwart in the ranks of the republican party, is affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republic and is one of the sterling and honored citizens of Upshur County. Of their children Minnie M. is the widow of G. L. Woodley; George W., of this review, was the next in order of birth; Viola is the widow of Hugh H. Fox; Charles F. met his death in a mine explosion in one of the coal mines of this section of the state; Addie M. became the wife of Asbury Bailey, and after his death she became the wife of Henry Snow, their home being in Upshur County.

George W. Bauseman gained his youthful education in the schools of Lewis and Upshur counties, and learned the carpenter's trade under the direction of his father. He continued in the work of his trade until about the year 1907, and then engaged in construction work in connec- tion with coal-mining operations. He later served a short time as superintendent of the Midway Mine, and then re- sumed contract work in mine construction, in which he is

now actively engaged, as senior partner in the Bauseman Company, which controls a substantial and prosperous busi- ness.

November 9, 1897, recorded the marriage of Mr. Bause- man and Miss Ella T. Wilson, who was born and reared in Lewis County, this state, and they have two children. Orville F., who was born December 9, 1899, is married and is a member of the United States Navy, with which he saw active service in the World war period. George M., the younger son, was born December 16, 1907, and remains at the parental home.

JOHN L. MAHAN. An early settler of Hancock County, and for many years prominently associated with the river traffic on the Ohio, the late John L. Mahan was also a pioneer in commercial fruit growing in that district, and part of his extensive property is still devoted to that business.

He owned about 600 acres in his farm, what is now Arroyo Station, and during his lifetime he planted about 100 acres of that to a commercial orchard. His old home was on the river bank, close to the station, which is four miles north of New Cumberland. The old Mahan residence stood near the Ohio River. Part of the property is now occupied hy his son-in-law, W. C. Aikin, whose residence is a quarter of a mile away, on slightly higher ground and commanding a fine view of the river. The background of the home are the hills that rise to an elevation of from 200 to 300 feet. Arroyo is the center of the finest fruit section in the Upper Ohio Valley, and hardly surpassed by the fruit country of the Eastern Panhandle. Near Arroyo are probably a dozen men who make apple growing their leading industry. The higher ridges of land in this sec- tion are especially fitted for the production of most ex- cellent fruit.

John L. Mahan settled here in 1840. In early years he operated a saw and grist mill, and he also built barges and was part owner of the Cumberland Tow Boat Company. He did a large timber and barge business. He was an early convert to apple growing on a commercial scale, and the efforts he put forth in this line of development have been continued on his old farm ever since. He died in 1901, at the age of eighty-seven, having lived retired for some years.

John L. Mahan married Barbara Brennaman, daughter of Hernian Brennaman. She died at the age of sixty-eight. Of their ten children the survivors are a son, J. P. Mahan, an insurance man of Pittsburgh. Another son, S. H. Mahan, at Rochester, Pennsylvania. A daughter, Mrs. Car- rie N. Porter, widow of the late Capt. James Porter, a prominent character of the Upper Ohio Valley, whose his- tory is given elsewhere. Another daughter is Mrs. George W. Clark, widow of an old steamboat captain on the lower river. Her home is at Louisville.

Mary Mahan, another daughter of the late John L. Mahan, died August 29, 1919, wife of W. C. Aikin, who survives her. They were married in 1889. They lived at the old Mahan residence until 1910. She and her sister, Mrs. Porter, had purchased what remained of the old Mahan estate, and Mrs. Aikin remodeled the house erected by her brother, S. H. Mahan, on part of the old tract. Mrs. Aikin was an active member of the local Methodist Protestant Chapel.

W. C. Aikin was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and at the age of fifteen came to Wellsburg, West Vir- ginia. For three years he was employed in a drug store, and he then became an office employe of a steamboat com- pany, and was in the river traffic for about fourteen years, part of the time as captain. He was on steamboats all along the Ohio and Mississippi and their tributaries, and once or twice went up the Missouri to Fort Benton, Mon- tana. After leaving the river he was a bookkeeper in a brick yard at New Cumberland, and for seventeen years devoted his time to fruit growing and stock raising on the Mahan farm. He developed a fine dairy herd of Guernsey cattle. The manager of the orchard is William McDonald, who lives with Mr. Aikin. Mr. Aikin has a life interest in the farm and receives half of the profits. He has been an

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active citizen in this community, and for twenty years has been on the school board and has kept in close touch with school developments in the district.

RICHARD H. HALL has become one of the substantial and representative citizens of his native county, where he is president of the Citizens Bank at Westou and where also he is a progressive exponent of farm industry, his residence being on Center Street at Weston, the judicial center of Lewis County. He was born on a farm near Freemansburg, this county, May 24, 1855, and is a son of James M. and Nancy (Burnside) Hall. The former was born May 16, 1820, at Westfield, Harrison County, Virginia, now Lewis County, West Virginia, while the latter was born near Goodhope, then in Harrison County, Virginia, now West Virginia. James M. Hall was reared on a pioneer farm, and owing to conditions of time and place received limited educational advantages. After his marriage he settled on a farm in Lewis County, and he eventually became the owner of about 800 acres of land, which he developed and im- proved into one of the valuable farm properties of the county, his success having been the result of his own well directed efforts. He was fifty-two years of age at the time of his death. He was a republican, was a strong Union man during the elimacterie period of the Civil war, and he served for a time as a member of the County Court. He and his second wife were members of the United Brethren Church. His first wife was not a member of any religious body, although friendly towards all churches. By his first marriage he became the father of seven children and by the second marriage there were three children. Of those now living the following record is available: William II. resides at Weston and owns one of the best farms in Ritchie County; Minor J. is a successful farmer in Lewis County ; Richard H. is the immediate subject of this sketch; Lot is a farmer and stock dealer in Lewis County; Samuel G. is identified with a gas company in this county; Mary M. is the wife of H. D. Bailey, and they reside in Missouri; Vir- ginia is the wife of George A. Custer, residing in Clarks- burg; Luella is the wife of Lloyd Allman, of Lewis County ; and Bertha is the wife of Lee A. Beach. Sarah, who became the wife of N. A. Lovett, is deceased.

Richard H. Hall was reared on the home farm and re- ceived the advantages of the public schools of the locality and period. He was nineteen years old at the time of his father's death, and thereafter he worked two years in the employ of others. He received as a bequest from his father a farm of sixty acres and also the sum of $800. He con- tinned to add to his landed estate until he had 1,400 acres, and he still gives a general supervision to his large and valuable farm properties in Lewis County. He remained on his homestead farm until 1914, when he removed to Weston, the county seat. In 1884 he was elected one of the assessors of the county, in which position he served eight years. In 1892 Mr. Hall was elected county sheriff, and his four years' administration fully justified his election. He continued the active management of his farms while serving as sheriff, and after retiring from office he lived on his home farm until 1914, when he and his wife came to Weston, where they have since resided. He was one of the organizers of the Citizens Bank, of which he later became vice president and of which he is now the president, his careful and well ordered executive policies having con- tributed greatly to the success of this representative financial institution of Lewis County. He is a republican, is liberal and public-spirited as a citizen, is affiliated with Weston Lodge No. 43, Knights of Pythias, and he and his family hold membership in the United Brethren Church, in which each of his sons have served as Sunday school superintendent.

February 3, 1886, recorded the marriage of Mr. Hall and Miss Virginia Gaston, who likewise was born and reared in Lewis County. Mr. and Mrs. Hall have two sons: Simeon A. is one of the representative farmers of Lewis County, as is also the younger son, Claude M., who studied law at Morgantown and who was for some time engaged in the practice of his profession, from which he withdrew to give his attention to progressive farm enterprise.

REV. HYRE D. CLARK, D. D., PH. D., who gave forty years of earnest and effective service in the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church and who is now instructor in Greek and Latin at the West Virginia Wesleyan Col- lege at Buckhannon, Upshur County, was born on a farm in said county, March 21, 1847, a son of Jacob and Susanna (Crites) Clark and a representative of one of the old and honored families of this section of the state. The Doctor gained his initial experience of practical order by assisting in the activities of the home farm, and after attending subscription and common schools of the locality and period lie continued his studies in the normal school at Fairmont, this state, while later he graduated from Allegheny College, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Three years later he received from the same institution the degree of Master of Arts, and his degrees of Doctor of Divinity and Doctor of Philosophy were conferred upon him by the Illinois Wesleyan University. While a student the Doctor gave intervals of service as a teacher in vari- ous schools, and after his ordination to the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church he held pastoral charges in the State of Illinois, where he thus labored with all of con- secrated zeal and devotion during the long period between 1880 and 1903. In the latter year he returned to West Virginia, where he continued his service in the ministry until 1920, when he retired from the high calling to which he had given the best years of his life. A man of high scholarship and exalted ideals, he finds an inviting field of service in his present position as one of the honored and valued instructors in the West Virginia Wesleyan College, the while he finds deep personal satisfaction, now that he is living in semi-retirement, in the fact that he maintains his home in his native county, where remain many of the friends and associates of his youth. He has served as district superintendent of the West Virginia Con- ference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he was for two years president of Hedding College at Abingdon, Illinois. Ilis political allegiance is given to the repub- ican party.

In 1891 was solemnized the marriage of Doctor Clark and Miss Grace Clippinger, a graduate of Monmouth Col- lege in the State of Illinois. Doctor and Mrs. Clark have two daughters, Misses Lois and Josephine, both of whom are graduates of the West Virginia Wesleyan College, from which each received the degree of Master of Arts, and a son Howard, who is deceased.

RALPH W. SEE was a merchant for some years, but since selling his business has been progressively identified with the farming enterprise of Lewis County. His home is on an extensive farm ten miles southeast of Weston, on Ranges Run.

Mr. See was born in Randolph County, West Virginia, December 26, 1881, son of Seymour and Emma (Sexton) See. His parents were both born in the French Creek com- munity of Upshur County, his father February 9, 1849, and his mother, September 15, 1852. Both grew up on neighbor- ing farms, attended the same school, and after their marriage they lived on a farm for a few years in Upshur County, then moved to Randolph County, where they owned a farm, and after selling that returned to Upshur County in 1882 and are still living there, being among the most respected and substantial residents of their community. They are Presbyterians and the politics of the family is republican. There are five children: Clarence L., who is married and lives on a farm in Upshur County; Arden A., in the West Virginia State Hospital at Weston; Pearl M., wife of Clarence Wingrove, living in Upshur County; Ralph W .; and Miss Louise L., at home.

Ralph W. See spent his early life on the farm and had a public school education. He did farming chiefly until he was twenty-three, when he established himself in the general mercantile business at French Creek, and remained there for twelve years. When he sold his store he took a farm in Ashtabula County, Ohio, in part payment. In 1917 he moved to a farm in Lewis County, comprising 960 acres; and has made many improvements on this place. He is also a stockholder in the Bank of Adrian. Mr. See is a republi-

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an and a member of the Presbyterian Church at French Freek.

On September 24, 1913, he married Catherine Linger, who as born October 6, 1890, in Lewis County, a daughter of harlie E. and Mary J. (Strader) Linger, and she was pared on the farm where she now lives. They have two aughters, Enola L., born July 1, 1917; and Irene M., born une 14, 1920.

WILLIAM E. BRAITHWAITE. Of the West Virginia colony the City of Washington one of the very interesting and alented members is William E. Braithwaite, who for a umber of years has been connected with the Bureau of tandards, but is most widely known as a professional musician, being tenor soloist of the National Quartette of Washington.

Mr. Braithwaite was born in Berkeley County, West Vir- inia, in 1887, son of John W. and Martha F. (Jenkins) Braithwaite, who reside at Martinsburg. This is an old amily of Berkeley County of English ancestry.

William E. Braithwaite attended the public schools of Berkeley County and Martinsburg, and in 1908 he came to Washington as an employe in the administrative offices of he United States Bureau of Standards. His continued ervice with that burean has brought him progressive pro- otion from minor clerical duties until he is now adminis- rative assistant in the Industrial Laboratory of the United tates Bureau of Standards (testing of materials). This osition places him in the capacity of office executive of the lant of this division, located on Pierce Mill Road, near Connecticut Avenue.

As a boy he was regarded as an exceptional singer in his ome county of Berkeley, and after removing to Washing- on, a city rich in opportunities and facilities for study and ulture, he devoted his spare time to vocal music. He tudied under Professor Myron Whitney, son of the elder Tyron Whitney, one of the most famous singers of his day ; nder Herndon Morselle, for several years tenor soloist with he old Bostonian Opera Company; and another teacher of istinction with whom he worked was Charles Bartlett. In he meantime he sang with various church choirs and concert rganizations, and his work as a teuor soloist brought him idening appreciation in the best musical circles of Wash- igton. Mr. Braithwaite is one of the original members of he famous National Quartette, all of whom are professional ingers, and an organization that stands in the very front ank in this country or abroad. The quartette has been eard in many cities, though the time of each is quite fully ceupied with professional engagements in and around Washington. It has been a feature not only of choir con- erts, but of many ceremonial occasions at the National apital. Mr. Braithwaite sang with this quartette at the uneral of the late Admiral Dewey, the funeral of Hon. hamp Clark, the dedication of the Clara Barton Memorial, nd has appeared on many programs before fraternal and ther organizations meeting in Washington. One partieu- arly interesting appearance was in November, 1921, when e sang with a quartette in the amphitheater at Washington or transmission by telephone across the continent to San Francisco. The demonstration, arranged for and carried ut by the Bell Telephone Company, was entirely successful, nd was the pioneer effort of the kind. During the great ar the National Quartette was a feature in many patriotic rograms and also in entertainments for enlisted men.

Mr. Braithwaite besides his duties with the National Quartette is music director of the Vermont Avenue (Gar- eld Memorial) Christian Church. He has given this church splendid musical organization, including a chorus choir f from forty to fifty voices, a male quartette and a mixed uartette.

Mr. Braithwaite married a Washington lady, who shares with him his musical tastes and enthusiasm, Miss Helen ouise Crennan, a native of Yankton, South Dakota, who as musically educated in Washington and in the Conser- atory of Oberlin College, Ohio, and also under two famous New York voice teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Meehan. Her voice s a mezzo-soprano, and she has appeared as soloist with

Sousa's Band. Mr. and Mrs. Braithwaite have a little daughter, Edna Louise.

GUY MARTIN BONAFIELD is active head of the Bonafield Coal Company of Tunnelton, and for many years has been identified with merchandising, coal development and banking in that community. The family name stands out as one of the most prominent in the affairs of that section of Preston County.

His grandfather was Thornton J. Bonafield, a native of St. George, Tucker County, West Virginia, who established his home in Preston County in early days and was a success- ful farmer. He died at Tunnelton at the age of seventy- three. He married Sarah Ervin, and their only son was Arnold Jacob, while their daughters were: Susan, who be- came the wife of George W. Hartman; Flora, who married Wilber Posten, of Monongalia County; Lettie, who married John S. Graham; Miss Julia, who has spent her life as a Missionary in China; and Ida, wife of Luther MeMillen, of the Masontown locality.

The late Arnold Jacob Bonafield was born near the old Camp Ground on the Kingwood-Tunnelton Road, and died at Tunnelton, January 9, 1909, at the age of sixty. His active career was divided between merchandising and the coal industry. He was a democrat in politics, and very popular both in and out of his party, since he came very near to being elected sheriff of Preston County at a time when the democrats were in great minority. He was a thirty-second degree Mason and a member of the Methodist Church. Arnold Bonafield married Elizabeth Virginia Rob- inson, daughter of James and Betsy (Baker) Robinson, natives of West Virginia and for many years residents of Fairmont. Mrs. A. J. Bonafield is still living, with her children, her home being with her son Guy. Her other children are Hugh W., of Tunnelton; Ethelynd Virginia, wife of B. F. Hutton; and Stewart R., of Tunnelton.

Guy Martin Bonafield was born at Tunnelton March 18, 1874, and was well educated in preparation for the duties of life. He attended the common schools, the Fairmont Normal School and the West Virginia Wesleyan College. On leaving school he became bookkeeper and clerk for his father, and continued to be actively associated with the elder Bonafield until his death. As administrator he closed up his father's estate, and then engaged in the flour and feed business, but now for some years has been active as a coal operator. He and George Cummings, under the firm name of Cummings & Bonafield, developed a mine at the village of Tunnelton, operating it as the Loubert Coal Com- pany. This is a successful mine operation today, and in 1918 Mr. Bonafield bought the interests of Mr. Cummings and organized the Bonafield Coal Company, of which he is two-thirds owner.

His father was a prominent factor in organizing the Tunnelton Bank, which opened for business in 1903, and was its president until his death. Guy Bonafield is a stock- holder, vice president and one of the directors of the bank. He has frequently been honored with the duties of a council- man, and was once mayor of Tunnelton. Mr. Bonafield cast his first presidential vote for William Jennings Bryan, and is a democrat in national polities, though rather independent in local affairs. He is one of the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is a thirty-second degree Mason, a Knight of Pythias and a member of other fraternities.

In June, 1898, near Tunnelton, he married Miss Alberta C. Bolyard, who was born in that community in 1873, daughter of Henry and Nancy (Sigley) Bolyard, of Har- rison County, West Virginia, where her mother was born. Mrs. Bonafield attended the high schools of Kingwood and Terra Alta, also Mr. Bowman's school and normal in Bar- bour County, and was a popular teacher in Preston County until her marriage. Her last term was taught at Fellows- ville. She is the fifth in a family of eight children: Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bonafield and are still in the home circle: Daisy L., Elizabeth Adelaide, Arnold Jacob, Ethelynd Virginia and James Henry.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 168

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