History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 211

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bachelors in this place. He is a trustee of Marietta Col- lege in his native city, and through his collegiate associa- tions maintains affiliation with the Delta Upsilon and the Theta Epsilon fraternities.

CHARLES H. NELSON. While he is yet numbered among the young men of Boone County, Charles H. Nelson, county clerk and good business man, has already had a wide and varied experience and brought to his office habits of industry, accuracy and dependability which are enabling him to give a service that is receiving high commendation from all who do business with his office. He is a native son of the county, having been born at Drody Creek, Boone County, January 2, 1891. His father, J. G. Nelson, was born in West Vir- ginia, but his father was a North Carolinian, of English descent. J. G. Nelson is a farmer and one of the important men in his business and for years has been a member of the Knights of Pythias. The mother of Charles H. Nelson, Mrs. Frances (McCormick) Nelson, was born in West Vir- ginia. She was the daughter of James and Eliza Harless McCormick.

Charles H. Nelson attended the common schools of Boone County, and then acquired the fundamentals of business by taking a course in the Capital City Commercial College in 1912. He then began his timber operations, logging on Hughes Creek, Kanawha County, but after nine months in that locality went to Indian Creek, Boone County, and was there engaged in logging timber for about a year. For the subsequent three months he acted as clerk in a general store at Indian Creek, when he was made manager of the store and pay roll clerk for the Hickory Ash Coal Com- pany, with which he remained for four years, his connection with this concern only terminating when the business was sold to the Sterling Colleries Company. Mr. Nelson re- mained with the last-named corporation for three and

one-half years, and with the new owners until the Sterling Colleries Company sold to the Kanawha Consoli- dated Corporation. Two months later, however, he re- signed in order to take charge of his campaign for the office of county clerk as the republican nominee, to which he was elected in November, 1920, and on January 1, 1921, he entered upon the duties of the office. During the war he was held with the coal company in charge of the store and pay roll.

On November 20, 1912, Mr. Nelson married at Peytona, Boone County, Miss Jessie Javins, a daughter of S. M. and Minnie (Elkins) Javins, all of whom were born in West Virginia. Mr. Javins is in the timber business. The Elkins family is an old and noted one in West Virginian history. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have one daughter, Helen E. They are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Well-known in Masonry, Mr. Nelson has been advanced in his fraternity to the eighteenth Scottish Rite. He also belongs to the Knights of Pythias. The record of Mr. Nelson's life shows that he has won his suc- cessive advancements because he has earned them, and not on account of outside influence. He was named by his party as its choice for county clerk on account of his reputation for fidelity and painstaking ability. The people of the county elected hini because they had faith in his pre-election promises, and he has already proven that he is going to live up to the spirit as well as the letter of them. As above stated, Mr. Nelson is still a young man, and many years stretch out before him, and, judging the future by the light of the past, he has not yet reached his goal, but may be confidently expected to win much higher honors from his constituents.

E. G. PIERSON is one of the leading members of the bar of Clay County, where he is engaged in the practice of his profession at Clay, the county seat, and aside from his pro- fessional activities, which have included service in public office, he has given effective service as a member of the State Senate.

Mr. Pierson was born on a farm near Elkhurst, Clay County, and is a son of William D. and Nancy (Hall) Pier- son, the former of whom was born in Nicholas County and the latter in Roane County, Virginia, now West Virginia,

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both having been children at the time of the removal of the respective families to Clay County. The venerable parents still reside in Clay County, they having there estab- lished themselves shortly after their marriage, and both being honored citizens who have contributed their part to civic and industrial prosperity in Clay County. They are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics, with well fortified views, the father is a stal- wart republican. Of their eight children all except one are living at the time of this writing, in 1922: D. D. is a prosperous farmer in Clay County ; E. G., of this sketch, was next in order of birth; Samantha J. is the wife of J. J. Daugherty; Webster H. is associated with productive activi- ties in the oil fields of the state; Alice B. is the wife of P. S. Hart; Anna V. is the wife of John Grass; and Russell remains in the parental home.

Mr. Pierson passed his childhood and earlier youth on the home farm, and after profiting by the advantages of the public schools he pursued higher studies in Marshall Col- lege and in the West Virginia Wesleyan College. While successfully engaged in teaching in the schools of his native state he began the study of law, and in 1896 was admitted to the bar and established himself in practice at Clay, judicial center of his native county. In 1896 he was elected representative of the Ninth District in the State Senate, where he made an excellent record during his term of four years. When war was declared against Spain he en- listed as a private in Company H, Second West Virginia U. S. Volunteer Infantry, in which he was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant, the regiment having been held in reserve and not having been called to the stage of active conflict. After the close of the war Mr. Pierson engaged in the practice of law at Fayetteville, Fayette County, where he remained until 1910 and where he served out an unexpired term on the bench of the Criminal Court of the county, besides having been prosecuting attorney of the county for one term. In 1910 he was appointed state pardon attorney by Governor William E. Glasscock, was reappointed by Governor Henry D. Hatfield, and held this position until the election of Governor Jno. J. Cornwell in 1916. After retiring from the office of pardon attorney he opened a law office in the City of Charleston, and maintained the same until he was elected prosecuting attorney of Clay County in 1920. He is known as a versatile and resourceful trial lawyer and well fortified counselor, and his practice is of broad scope and representative order. He is a stal- wart republican and is influential in the local councils and campaign activities of his party.

Mr. Pierson was united in marriage to Miss Nannie P. Johnson, who graduated from Baldwin University, at Berea, Ohio, and who is supervisor of music and art in the Clay County High School, she being an exceptionally talented musician and being a valued factor in the cultural life of her home community, as well as in its social affairs. Mr. and Mrs. Pierson have two daughters: Margaret E. and Dorothy A.

DANIEL D. RILEY as superintendent is directing the educa- tional program of St. Albans, where good schools and high- minded educators have been the rule for more than half a century. In a brief sketch it would not be possible to do justice to the history of the schools and their teachers, but some of them should be recalled.

Private schools have been maintained at St. Albans from early in the last century. One of the best remembered was that conducted by an Episcopal clergyman, whose academy is still standing on an elevation overlooking the village. As early as 1832 a school was conducted in what is now called Fairview. C. V. Hansford was teaching there as early as 1868, and continued at his post until his death.

The first free school was opened in 1868, Arthur Fox teaching that school. Another early teacher was Dr. George P. Thompson, and still another was Mrs. M. M. Thompson, who was killed in an elevator accident in the Capitol Build- ing at Charleston. Doctor Thompson had taught fourteen years, beginning in 1877. Miss Sallie Hansford was a teacher in 1878, while former United States Senator W. E. Chilton was principal. Mrs. S. L. Cato excelled as a primary

teacher, and was with the school for thirty years. High school work was begun under W. W. Trent as principal, he being followed by L. A. Edwards and the latter by C. P. Guice. Miss Bashaba White, principal of the Central graded school has taught in the grades for ten years. Miss Laura Wood began teaching in 1877, and after a service in the Kanawha Valley of more than forty years is still active and has been connected with the schools at St. Albans for a quarter of a century. Her present pupils comprise sons whose parents and grandparents received their early in- structions from her.

Daniel D. Riley has been in school work since early man- hood. He was born in Jackson County, and several other members of the family were teachers, including his mother. His grandfather, Elder Robert Hughes, was at one time county superintendent of schools, and was widely known as a Methodist minister. P. M. Riley, father of D. D. Riley, is now retired and has been a figure in public affairs, serving as surveyor and justice of the peace. D. D. Riley began teaching at the age of eighteen. In 1916 he took charge of the grade work in the St. Albans school, and his connection with the schools has been continuous except for nearly a year while he was absent on military duty. In 1921 he be- came superintendent of the St. Albans schools. The present enrollment is 810, including forty in the colored school and 130 in high school. There are twenty-seven teachers, six of them being high school instructors. Athletics has been much encouraged by Mr. Riley, and the St. Albans High School foot ball team has won an enviable record, being de- feated only once, during the season of 1921.

Mr. Riley is a lieutenant in Company B of the One Hun- dred Fiftieth Infantry, National Guard. During the World war he was in Coast Artillery and Ammunition Train. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and Junior Order United American Mechanics and is a charter member of the Rotary Club of St. Albans. Mr. Riley married Miss Essie Hollandsworth, a former music teacher at St. Albans. Their two children are D. D., Jr., and John Matson.

PARKS J. SMITH, the general superintendent of the Stone Mountain Coal Corporation, maintains his executive head- quarters at Matewan, Mingo County. He was born on a farm near Moravian Falls, Wilkes County, North Carolina, August 30, 1879, a son of John and Frances (Kilby) Smith, both likewise natives of Wilkes County, where the former was born in 1842 and the latter in 1852. The father, now venerable in years, was closely identified with farm enter- prise throughout his entire active career, and still gives a general supervision to his farm property. His wife died in 1911. He was ready for service in the Confederate Army in the closing period of the Civil war, but on account of his youth was not called to the front. He is now a republi- can in politics, was a member of the Farmers Alliance when that organization was one of importance, and he is an active member of the Freewill Baptist Church, as was also his wife. Of their nine children three sons and three daughters are living. The Smith family was founded in Wilkes County, North Carolina, many years ago.

Parks J. Smith attended the public schools of his native county until he was sixteen years of age, and he has since broadened his mental outlook through well directed private study and reading. He remained on the home farm until he attained to his legal majority, and then found employ- ment in the coal mines at LaFollette, Campbell County, Tennessee, In his two years' service as a miner he became exceptionally expert in the cutting of coal, and after the expiration of that period he became a traveling demonstrator for the Ingersoll Machinery Company and the Harrison Ma- chinery Company, manufacturers of mining machinery. He continued in this service four years, and then became fore- man for the Burnwell Coal Company at Sprigg, West Vir- ginia. One year later, in 1913, he became contractor at the mine of the Stone Mountain Coal Corporation at Mate- wan, and April 14, 1919, he was chosen general superintend- ent for this company, in which important executive position he has since continued his effective service. In the World war period he made valuable contribution to the cause by bending his energies to producing and moving the maximum

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output of coal from the mines under his supervision. He is a staunch supporter of the cause of the republican party, and he and his wife are earnest members of the Apostolic Holiness Church, their Christian faith being exemplified in their daily lives.

September 29, 1906, recorded the marriage of Mr. Smith and Miss Della Hall, daughter of J. H. Hall, of Ironton, Ohio, and the two children of this union are Mary and Paul.

JOHN STARKEY superintendent at Spencer for the South Penn Oil Company, has been continuously in the service of that corporation in various West Virginia fields for a quarter of a century. His knowledge of oil production and his ability to handle men have been the chief factors in his busi- ness success, and he has likewise endeavored to carry his full share of civic burdens in his home community.

Mr. Starkey was born at what is now Seven Pines in Marion County, West Virginia, October 2, 1867. The Starkeys are of Scotch-Irish ancestry and the family first settled in New Jersey. Levi Starkey, grandfather of John Starkey, was born at Slainsville, Ohio, in 1802, and as a young man moved to Wetzel County, West Virginia, where he became an extensive land owner and farmer. His reputa- tion for being a man of considerable wealth caused three robbers, Carl Cartwright, John Freeland and Jack Reynolds, to attack and murder him at his farm near what is now Robinson 's Mill in Wetzel County in March, 1874. His assailants did not succeed in obtaining his money. Levi Starkey married a Miss Price, who died in Wetzel County. Their son Levi W. Starkey was born in Wetzel County December 9, 1829, was reared in that county and as a young man went to Marion County where he married. His life's active energies were devoted to farming and he kept in close touch with agricultural affairs all his life. In 1889 he removed to Steubenville, Ohio, where he died on December 20, 1906. For eight years he was associated with ex-Gov- ernor Fleming of Fairmont and Alf Pritchard of Manning- ton in the timber business in Wetzel County. Levi W. Starkey was a veteran of the Civil war, enlisting in the Seventh West Virginia Infantry and served two enlistments in that Union regiment and had two honorable discharges. He was at the battle of the Wilderness and at the battle of Spottsylvania Court House was shot through both hips, a wound that eventually caused his death. He was a repub- lican in politics and an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. While living in Marion County he served as a school commissioner. Levi W. Starkey married Eliza J. White who was born near Worthington in Marion County in 1823 and died near Steubenville, Ohio, March 20, 1903. John Starkey was the oldest of her three children. Robert is a business man at Lumberport, Harrison County. William B. operates the old homestead farm near Steubenville.

John Starkey up to the age of twenty-six was more or less actively associated with his father's farm in Marion County, in the meantime obtaining his education in the rural schools. On September 16, 1893, he entered the service of the South Penn Oil Company, beginning as a roustabont at Mannington. Four years later he was transferred to Smithfield, where for two years he was a helper in clean- ing tools. He was then foreman two years, was transferred to Garnersville in Wetzel County as foreman two years, and active in a similar capacity at Middlebourne in Tyler County. April 1, 1903, he was promoted to the duties and responsibilities of superintendent, and since 1912 has been superintendent of the Spencer District, where he has 100 employes under his supervision. His offices are in the First National Bank Building.

Mr. Starkey is owner of a modern home on Center Street in Spencer. He is a republican, an elder in the Presbyterian Church, and fraternally is affiliated with Mannington Lodge No. 31 F. and A. M., Fairmont Chapter No. 9 R. A. M., Mountain State Commandery No. 14 K. T. at Sistersville, Virginia Consistory of the Scottish Rite at Wheeling and Nemesis Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Parkersburg. He also belongs to Sistersville Lodge No. 333 Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. During the war Mr. Starkey devoted his personal means and his influence to promoting

the success of all the Liberty Loan and other drives in his section.

In February, 1906, at Centerville in Marion County he married Miss Lillie B. Estlack, daughter of Thomas J. and Helen (Corhley) Estlack. Her father died in November, 1919, on his farm near Centerville where her mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Starkey have one son, Arthur, and in his education and proper training for a life of responsibility they have their main interests concentrated. He is now a student in the noted military school at Lewisburg, West Vir- ginia. Mr. Starkey has accumulated perhaps the best private library in Roane County and the well selected books have been chosen chiefly for this son.

ANDREW BRYSON RAWN. Because of the extent and im- portance of his interests and the manner in which he has contributed to the development of some of the leading enterprises of his community, Andrew Bryson Rawn is justly accounted a captain of finance and industry at Hun- tington and has built up a substantial reputation for sound business ability and integrity. He was born at Hartford, Connectient, April 3, 1882, and is a son of John Calvin and Georgiana Kate (VanNess) Rawn.

The Rawn family is of Bavarian origin, having come from the Palatinate on the Rhine. The immigrant to America was Carl Ralın (as it was then spelled), who settled with his wife, Barbara, at what is now Washington, D. C., in 1703. Charles Coatesworth Rawn, the grandfather of Andrew Bry- son Rawn, was born at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he spent his entire life in the practice of law and died before the birth of his grandson. He married Frances Clendennin, who was born in 1800, at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and died there in 1882, and whose ancestors had been pioneers of the community of West Virginia which is named in their honor.

John Calvin Rawn was born July 5, 1846, at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he was reared and educated, and in 1864 enlisted in the Union army for service during the war between the states, continuing as a soldier until the close of the struggle. Shortly thereafter he went to Tariffville, Con- necticut, where he was married and where he acted as resi- dent civil engineer for the New York, New Haven & Hart- ford Railroad. Realizing the need for an education of a more extensive character, Mr. Rawn then enrolled as a student at Princeton College (now Princeton University), where he pursued a full course, and from which he was duly graduated. Following his graduation he removed to the community of Bluefield, West Virginia, in 1887, and there became chief engineer of the Clinch Valley extension of the old Norfolk & Western Railroad. In this capacity he remained for about three years, then receiving further advancement when, in 1890, he went to Roanoke, Virginia, and became general manager of the Roanoke Gas and Water Company, a position with which he was identified until 1902. In that year he removed to Bramwell, West Virginia, and became chief engineer of the Pocahontas Coal and Coke Company, continuing to act in that capacity until 1907. Mr. Rawn next accepted a position with the Solvay Col- lieries Company, in the capacity of general manager, and was later promoted to the important post of consulting en- gineer, in which he has continued to the present time, with headquarters at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he is the owner of a pleasant, modern home. Mr. Rawn is one of the best known men in his field of work, an expert of acknowledged ability and understanding of his calling, and an authority who is frequently called upon by his associates for advice, counsel and leadership where matters of impor- tance arise. He is a republican in his political convictions, although not a politician, and has many important civic, business and social connections. His religions identification is with the Episcopal Church. Mr. Rawn was united in marriage with Miss Georgiana Kate VanNess, who was born in 1855, at Saratoga Springs, New York, and died at Mary- town, West Virginia, in 1909, a woman of many splendid qualities. They became the parents of two children: Edward VanNess, an operator of fluor spar mines at Hopkinsville, Kentucky; and Andrew Bryson.

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Andrew Bryson Rawn attended private schools at Roanoke, Virginia, and the Virginia Military Institute, at Lexington, from which he was graduated with the class of 1902, with the degree of Civil Engineer. During his college career he joined the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Greek letter college fra- ternity, in which he still retains membership. In 1902 Mr. Rawn became a member of an engineering party for the United States Coal and Coke Company, at Gary, West Virginia, where he remained six months, and then spent a like period with Bert Paddock, a contracting engineer at North Fork, West Virginia. He was then made chief of party land surveys for the Pocahontas Coal and Coke Company, in Mercer county, West Virginia, and re- mained one year, then succeeding to the position of mining engineer for the Wenonah Coal and Coke Company; the Hiawatha Coal and Coke Company and the Smokeless Coal and Coke Company, all of Mercer County, West Virginia, and remained until 1905. In that year he was made resi- dent engineer for the Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio Railway Company, at Alta Pass, North Carolina, and in October, 1906, was appointed superintendent of the American Coal Company, with headquarters at Pinnacle, West Virginia. In 1907 he was made superintendent of the Majestic Collieries, in Pike County, Kentucky, remaining in that capacity until January, 1910, when he became superintendent of the Solvay Collieries Company, with headquarters at Kingston, West Virginia, until 1914, when he became general manager, with headquarters at Kingston, until February, 1917. He then came to Huntington in the same position, which he retained until August, 1920, when he became vice president of the same company, a position which he holds at this time. The company is incorporated and the other officers are: P. K. Malin, president, Syracuse, New York; and F. L. Lancaster, secretary and treasurer, Syracuse. The company has an $8 000,000 capitalization, and operates extensively, its fields being in the Kanawha, Pocahontas, Tug River and Thacker districts.

Mr. Rawn is vice president of the Carryon Coal Company and of the Black Gem Coal Company, both of Pike County, in the Thacker district; a director of the Huntington Na- tional Bank; a director of the West Virginia Insurance Agency ; a director of the Kanawha Operators' Association and the Williamson Operators' Association, and president and a director of the Tug River Coal Operators' Associa- tion. His offices are situated at 501-510 Robson-Pritchard Building. In politics Mr. Rawn is a republican, and his re- ligious connection is with the Episcopal Church. He is a member of the Guyan Country Club, the Guyandot Club of Huntington and the Huntington Chamber of Commerce. He owns a modern residence at 1313 Eighth Street, one of the fine homes of Huntington.

In December, 1909, at Bramwell, West Virginia, Mr. Rawn was united in marriage with Miss Elsa Brown, daughter of Heury S. and Hattie (Khuen) Brown, residents of Bram- well, where Mr. Brown is president of the National Carbide Company. Mrs. Rawn is a woman of numerous graces and attainments and a graduate of Anne Brown Seminary, Park Hill, New York. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Rawn: Andrew Bryson, Jr., born September 14, 1910; and Anne Brown, born February 1, 1918. -

HUGH LEONADUS CARTER, M. D., familiarly known as Dr. H. Lon Carter, is admittedly the leading citizen, as well as physician and surgeon, of Boone County, his public spirit and bighearted generosity drawing all classes to him, and his popularity is as great at Madison as it is in Dan- ville, where he maintains his residence. He was born at Union, Monroe County. West Virginia, August 21, 1866, a son of William L. and Maggie (Keadle) Carter. His grand- father on the paternal side was a Baptist minister, and his wife belonged to the Wilson family, one of the most prom- inent in state affairs of West Virginia. The Carters are of Scotch-Irish origin. William L. Carter was born in West Virginia, and his wife was also a native of this state. A machinist by trade, he also worked as a millwright, and was one of the pioneer saw-mill men of the state. As such he moved about considerably, for his services were in great demand by all of the big mill operators. When war broke

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 211

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