History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 24

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HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

Doctor Robins has three children: His daughter Madge is the wifo of Mr. Kemp Littlepage, of Charleston. His older son, Dr. Joseph E. Robins, Jr., pursued a literary course in the University of West Virginia and graduated in the medical department of the University of Cincinnati. is now practicing medicine. The younger son, Hugh Barbec Robins, was a literary student of the University of Penn- sylvania and now is a student of medicine in the University of Cincinnati.

JAMES MADISON SMITHI. The special business of writ- ing insurance has grown to enormous proportions, and this has come abont not entirely because the people have come to a realization of the necessity for proper protection, but in a large degree because of the efforts of the men engaged in this line of endeavor, who are educating the masses to an appreciation of the benefits acerning from insurance. This line of business demands many characteristics not demanded in other avenues. The successful insurance man must not only know his own business thoroughly, but be a competent judge of human nature, be possessed in marked degree of that faculty which enables him to speak clearly and con- vincingly to his possible client, and to be able to place the insurance with a reliable company which will conserve the interests of the insured. Of the able insurance brokers of Mingo County one who is also known as a successful oper- ator in real estate and a man of prominence and influ- ence in his city is James Madison Smith of Williamson, sen- ior member of the Smith-Pool Ageney.

Mr. Smith was born February 5, 1878, in Pike County, Kentucky, a son of Andrew J. and Mary (Staten) Smith, natives of Kentucky, and a descendant of an old Virginia family of Irish origin. Andrew J. Smith was identified with the timber business, in getting out logs, or what would be known today as a logger. While he was not in the Civil war, he had an uncle, for whom he was named, who met his death in the battle of Turkey Creek. Andrew J. Smith was active in the work of the Baptist Church and a man of in- tegrity and sound principles.

The country schools of Pike County, Kentucky, furnished James Madison Smith with his educational training, and when he was eighteen years of age he went to work hauling logs with a team from a mill ou Pigeon Creek to Warn Cliff, a railroad point, whence they were shipped. He fol- lowed this kind of work for six months, and when A. B. Crumb failed he lost his employment and one of his horses. With the proceeds of the sale of his remaining horse he went to school, and was able to seenre a teacher's certifi- cate, which he utilized in educational work in Pike County for six years. He then embarked in the grocery business, but after a short experience disposed of his holdings to ad- vantage, as he thought, only to be painfully enlightened to the contrary when the purchaser failed to pay. To make a new start Mr. Smith came to Williamson and secured a position as clerk in the grocery of W. R. Cranshaw, with whom he remained from May 1 to July 4, when he was taken down withi typhus fever and it was not until Decem- ber 29 that he was again able to resume work. Undiscour- aged by this series of misfortunes, he accepted a position as bookkeeper in the laundry at Williamson, which failed at the end of his fourth month of employment. Mr. Smith, however, had always been provident and saving, and at this time had accumulated the sum of $115, with which he pur- chased a small grocery business. Through good manage- ment and untiring industry he built up a good business, which he sold at the end of three years to W. L. French and went to Nolan, where for four months he was associated with W. M. Thompson. Later, at the same place, he was identified with G. R. Blackburn, but a short time later re- turned to Williamson, where he again entered the grocery business and continued therein until July, 1908. Selling out, he went to Nelson County, Virginia, where he pur- chased a farm and carried on agricultural operations, but at the end of his third year disposed of his land and again «ame back to Williamson, where in 1912 he purchased a furniture store. After conducting it for two years he sold this enterprise and embarked in the real estate business, in which he has been engaged to the present. In 1916 he

took in Mr. Pool as a partner, under the style of the Smith- Pool Agency, and since then insurance has been a big fea- ture of the business. Mr. Smith has made his name synony- mous with integrity and upright principles, and has gath- ered about him a large clientele, who have the utmost con- fidence in his judgment and reliability.

In July, 1907, Mr. Smith was united in marriage at Will- iamson with Miss Laura Leslie, daughter of Amos and Bettie (Millard) Leslie, natives of Kentucky, and to this union there have been born three children: Mary Eliza- beth, Robert Harrison and James E. By a former marriage Mrs. Smith is the mother of one son, William R. Hendricks.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith attend the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. lle holds membership in the Masons, the Odd Fellows, the Kiwanis Club and the Coal City Club, in all of which he is popular.

BANTZ W. CRADDOCK, of Glenville, judicial center of Gilmer County. is one of the representative members of the bar of his native town and county, and the popular es- timate here placed upon him is vonchsafed in the fact that he is serving as prosecuting attorney of the county at the time of this writing, in 1922.

Mr. Craddock was born at Glenville on the 22d of No- vember, 1887, and is a son of Joseph M. and Vergie B. (Wooddell) Craddock, the former of whom was born at Glenville, in 1863, and the latter of whom was born in 1864. The father received the advantages of the schools of his native county, and as a young man taught four terms in the rural schools. He founded the Glenville Stranger, of which he continued the editor and publisher for twenty years. He is now one of the influential citizens of Clarks- burg, Harrison County, and formerly served as mayor of that city. He is a staunch democrat and a liberal supporter of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, of which his wife is an earnest member. Of the six children the eldest is Winnie, who is the wife of O. M. Ewing; Bantz W., of this sketeh, was the next in order of birth; Enla is the wife of J. C. Ewing; Ava is the wife of C. C. Stanard; M. Pauline is the wife of C. E. Elliott; and Thelma D. is the wife of J. C. Crews.

In the public schools of his native village, Bantz W. Crad- dock continued his studies until his graduation, and in Jan- uary, 1907, he took a clerical position in the Kanawha Union Bank, in which he continued his service until the autumn of the following year, when he entered the law de- partment of the University of West Virginia. In this in- stitution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1910, followed by his admission to the bar of his native state. He served his professional novitiate by practicing one year at Martinton, and since July, 1911, he has been established in professional work in his native village of Glenville. His ability and personal popularity soon en- abled him to build up a representative practice, and he con- tinned his general professional work until 1916, when he was elected prosecuting attorney of the county. He made an admirable record in this office. and in 1920 he was re- elected for a second term of four years.

Mr. Craddock is a loyal advocate of the principles and policies of the democratic party, is a past master of Gil- mer County Lodge No. 118, Ancient Free and Accepted Ma- sons, and has received the eighteenth degree of the Scottish Rite of Masonry, besides being affiliated with the Order of the Eastern Star, the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights of Maccabees, the Jun- ior Order of United American Mechanics, and two college fraternities, Sphinx and Phi Sigma Kappa. His wife holds membership in the Order of the Eastern Star and also in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

December 5, 1913, recorded the marriage of Mr. Crad- dock and Miss Hallie J. Whiting, who had been a student in the State Normal School at Glenville and who had been a successful and popular teacher in the public schools prior to her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Craddock have three chil- dren: Bantz W., Jr., Marjorie E. and Samuel N.

CHARLES STUART WAUGH. The importance of the practi- cal railroad contractor and highway constructor is very

C. andersen

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

well demonstrated in the recognition he is receiving in every community, for through the medium of his efforts are localities developed and communities put in touch with the outside world. While unfortunately there are some who take unfair advantage of their position, the majority of the men who are engaged in this line of work handle deals of such magnitude that it would be strictly to their disad- vantage to carry through anything but aboveboard trans- actions. Southwestern West Virginia has advanced very largely through the work of this class of men, and one who has been instrumental in developing Mingo and several other counties of this region is Charles Stuart Waugh, who now makes his headquarters at Williamson.

Mr. Waugh was born June 12, 1878, at Orange, Virginia, a son of Charles A. and Sallie (Jones) Waugh, natives of Virginia, a member of an old family of the Old Dominion State, and of English and Scotch ancestry. His father, a contractor in railroad construction, was also an extensive agriculturist in Virginia, and was active in civic affairs and political matters. Likewise he took a helpful part in the work of the Methodist Episcopal Church and served as steward.

The graded and high schools of Orange, Virginia, fur- nished Charles Stuart Waugh with his primary education, following which he pursued a course of study at the Vir- ginia Polytechnic School, which he left before graduation, in 1896. At that time he took up railroad construction work with the Eliason & Rhodes Company, and remained with that concern for two years, then joining the Rinehart- Dennis Company, with which he remained about one year. At this time Mr. Waugh embarked in business on his own account at Oakvale, West Virginia, his first contract calling for some double track work for the Norfolk & Western Railway from Oakvale to Glen Lyn. This occupied about a year and one-half of time, after which he continued fur- ther work for the same line. During this time he made his main headquarters at Orange, Virginia, although he always had headquarters likewise at the scene of his operations. Eventually Mr. Waugh transferred his main headquarters to his present location at Williamson, West Virginia, where he is engaged in general construction work, principally per- taining to railway construction and heavy highway work. He is possessed of full equipment, including steam shovels, graders, etc., of a most modern character, and his contracts generally call for in excess of $100,000 each. Mr. Waugh is likewise a coal operator, owning and operating the West Williamson coal properties, which are quite extensive in size. His reputation in the business world is that of a thoroughly capable, aggressive and reliable business man, and his standing in the community is an influential one.

In 1903, at Wytheville, Virginia, Mr. Waugh was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Porter, daughter of Steven and Maggie (Crocket) Porter, natives of Virginia and ag- ricultural people. Mr. Porter is active in politics at Wythe- ville. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Waugh: Charles S., Porter E., Margaret W., Esther, Stu- art A., Julia and Lee. Of these Charles S. and Porter E. are attending the military school at Waynesborough, Vir- ginia, while Margaret W. is one of the brightest pupils at the State Deaf and Blind Institute of Virginia. The fam- ily belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Waugh is a Chapter and Knight Templar Mason, a member of the Mystic Shrine and an Elk, and also holds member- ship in the Kiwanis and Coal City Clubs.

WILLIAM BOGGS ANDERSON. The high awards that are attainable in character and influence through a life of industry and probity, guided and regulated by a sense of Christian obligation, are illustrated in the career of William Boggs Anderson, for many years an agriculturist of Pendle- ton County. Possessed of more than ordinary industry, he entered upon his life work in young manhood and never failed to carry out the obligations laid upon his willing shoulders nor to follow up opportunities that opened before him with steadiness and industry, gaining step by step the rare fruits of well-directed enterprise, until he found him- self in a position where he was independent financially and held in high esteem by his fellowmen.

Mr. Anderson was born September 7, 1861, in Pendleton County, and belonged to a family that originated in Scot- land, the first American ancestor of which was his great- grandfather, who came from Glasgow, Scotland, in the first years of the United States as a republic. The grandfather of William Boggs Anderson, William Anderson, was born in 1800, at Woodstock, Virginia, and served as a drummer boy there during the War of 1812. When he attained mature years he became a business man, and at Woodstock followed merchandising for some years. Like his two wives, who were sisters, he was possessed of marked literary taste, and owned a splendid home library. He was a member of the Virginia Constitutional Convention and a prominent man generally in the State of Virginia, which he left in 1831 to cross the mountains into Pendleton County, settling on the South Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River, where he owned and carried on extensive operations on a large plantation. His son, David Crawford Anderson, estab- lished a school for boys in Pendleton County, and although it was located far from any communities which boasted of populations of any considerable size be made it something of an educational center for the youths of the county. He was a college-bred man himself, and in addition to teaching in his own school, was an instructor in a classical school at Franklin, and later in one at Moorefield. William Ander- son rounded out his career on his plantation, where he died, and his body was interred in the cemetery near Franklin with others of the family. His first wife was Rachel White, of Greenbrier County, Virginia, and the six children who were born to them were as follows: Mary, who died as a maiden; David Crawford, the educator and founder of the boys' school noted above, who married Louisa Boggs and died in 1891; William Henry, who died young; Junius Brutus, the father of William B .; Robert Allen, who joined the "gold rush" to California in 1849 and died in the gold fields; and Philip Williams, who was a physician and sur- geon throughout life and died at Charleston, West Virginia. For his second wife William Anderson married his first wife's sister, Mrs. Alice (White) Hupp. The White sisters were highly educated women, their father being Valentine White, the proprietor of a school for girls at Warm Springs, Virginia. Valentine White married a Miss Rhodes, a lady from Wales, and one of their daughters, Polly White, mar- ried John Cowardin, of Richmond, Virginia, one of their sons, James Cowardin, being editor of the Richmond Dis- patch during the war between the states. Mrs. Rachel (White) Anderson died July 19, 1831. The issue of William Anderson and his second wife was a son, Samuel, who passed his life in the main at Franklin, as a farmer, and died unmarried.

Junius Brutus Anderson, the father of William Boggs Anderson, was born November 19, 1824, and was educated by private tutors who came to visit his father's home for the purpose of instructing the children. He became one of the early merchants of Franklin, and during the war between the states engaged in the manufacture of grey goods for uniforms for the Confederate soldiers. He died August 9, 1870, and was buried in the family lot at Frank- lin. Mr. Anderson married Miss Margaret Boggs, a daugh- ter of Gen. James Boggs. She was a faithful member of the Presbyterian Church and a pioneer of the Franklin congregation, and she passed away in that faith July 22, 1894, aged over sixty-one years, having been born May 5, 1833.

Sallie Anderson, the oldest child of Junius B. and Mar- garet Anderson, is now Mrs. Cunningham and a resident of Franklin. She was born in this old country town in 1858, and completed her education at Fairfax Hall, Winchester, Virginia, from which she was graduated in 1881, subse- quently taking a post-graduate course in art. She estab- lished a boarding school for girls at Franklin, growing into it rather easily and unintentionally, until she found herself at the head of a popular and useful institution and con- tinued its life for seven years. She then gave up literary school work and took up art, giving over her entire time to instructing her pupils in oil painting and pastel work. Her paintings have attracted widespread attention and have received much favorable comment from critics. Many of

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

them grace the walls of leading homes all over this region. On May 4, 1893, she was united in marriage with Eliacum Cunningham at Edinburg, Virginia, while she was teaching for a short time at Winchester. Mr. Cunningham was born July 2, 1853, in Pendleton County, and acquired bis educa- tion in colloges in Virginia and elsewhere as he could provide the means to further his studies. He taught school for a number of years in Lewis County, this state, and after read- ing law for five years with William H. H. Flick, of Franklin, was admitted to the West Virginia bar. Soon after his marriage to Miss Anderson he established his home at Beverly, West Virginia, where he followed his profession during the rest of his life, dying in December, 1901. IIe was active in democratic politics, and was frequently an official in the State Senate, where he served as reading clerk and clerk. He never campaigned iu his own behalf. Mr. Cunningham was at first a warm supporter of William Jen- nings Bryan for the presidency, and while he lost some of his admiration for the Nebraskan he always remained loyal to the democratic cause. In May, 1902, Mrs. Cunningham resumed her connection with her native town, where she has continued her work in art and is an active member of the Presbyterian Church. She has not cared to exercise her right of franchise as a voter, but has raised no objection to others voting if they wish to do so.

William Boggs Anderson was reared in a commercial atmosphere, his father being a merchant, but when he en- tered upon his serious carcer adopted agriculture and stock- raising as his own pursuits. His education was secured in the public schools, and as a young man he taught school for a time, but soon abandoned the educational profession for the pursuits of the farm and became the owner of valuable lands in Randolph and Pendleton counties. He contributed much to the development of the several communities in which he was located by improving his own estates, and became known as one of the large operators of Pendleton County. Mr. Anderson's chief stock in cattle was of the Hereford strain, and he took particular pride in the pro- duction of live stock, constantly seeking to better the breed of his herds. While agriculture was his chief concern, he also had some experience in commercial affairs, having con- ducted a hardware store at Franklin for many years. He was also one of the directors of the Farmers Bank of Frank- lin. Politically he was a stanch democrat and manifested a strong interest in politics and political campaigns, being often a delegate of his party to conventions. No fraternity ever won his favor. He was a member of the board of deacons of the Presbyterian Church, and died in that faith March 16, 1920. He is survived by a brother, Charles, who is a farmer on the South Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River; and four sisters: Mrs. Sallie Cunningham, of Franklin; Mrs. J. J. Roberts, of Culpeper, Virginia; Miss Alice Anderson, of Franklin; and Mrs. Lucy Headley, also of Franklin. One brother, Dr. Walter, died at Franklin while engaged in the practice of dentistry.

At Franklin, December 6, 1899, Mr. Anderson married Miss Catherine Dyer, a native of Pendleton County and a sister of Dr. Osceola Dyer, of Franklin. She was orphaned by the loss of her father when she was a child, and her girl- hood was spent at the home of her uncle, John McClure, who married Rebecca J. Skidmore, a sister of Mrs. Ander- son's mother. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Anderson: J. McClure, one of the young farmers of the Franklin community, who registered for the World war but was not called into active service, and he married Miss Marguerite Boggs, a daughter of Hugh Boggs; Effie Harness, who is a high school student at Franklin; and William Dyer, who has just completed his graded school work.

The Anderson home, standing upon a conspicuous site at Franklin, was erected by Mr. Anderson, and goes far toward teaching the present generation bis character and the manner of man and citizen he was.

CHARLES FRANKLIN RUTTENCUTTER was born and reared in Pleasants County, and since early manhood bas been a man among men, efficient in his private business, known for his integrity and wholesome personallty, and it was largely

on the score of his individual character and fitness that he was chosen to the office of sheriff, which he is uow filling.

Daniel Ruttencutter, his grandfather, was a native of Germany. When he came to America as a young man he settled in Tyler County, West Virginia, and after reaching there he married a young woman who had come with hin from Germany on the same ship. From Tyler County he moved to Middle Island Creek in Pleasants County. While he owned a farm, he was by trade a cabinet maker and one of the old time artistic masters of that trade. He made a great deal of hand made furniture, some examples of which are still in existence, showing not only sturdiness but artistic lines. - This old couple reared a family of eight children, and their descendants comprise the only Ruttencutters in the United States.

Abraham Burkhart Ruttencutter, father of the sheriff was born in Tyler County June 8, 1834, was reared there and in Pleasants County, was married in the latter county and since his marriage his home has been at St. Mary's For a number of years he owned and operated a water grist mill at Sylvan Mills, for thirty years was proprietor and land. lord of the leading hotel of St. Mary's, and eventually con. fined his attention to the ownership of a livery business He has been retired since 1901, and now, at the age of eighty. seven, makes his home with his son Charles F. He served a number of terms on the City Council, is a democrat, and since boyhood has been an active member of the Methodist Protestant Church. He has for forty years been a member of St. Marys Lodge No. 41, A. F. and A. M., and for twenty years has affiliated with St. Marys Lodge No. 22, Inde pendent Order of Odd Fellows. Abraham B. Ruttencutter married Christine Watson, who was born on Middle Island Creek in Pleasants County in 1841 and died at St. Mary in 1896. She was the mother of the following children Belle, wife of George W. Hutchinson, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, Mr. Hutchinson being a sub-divisional manager for the International Harvester Company, having charge of the agencies of this corporation in a number of counties; Mary who died at Covington, Kentucky, in November, 1920, wife of John C. Watts, a locomotive engineer with the Louisville and Nashville Railroad; John Daniel, superintendent of oi leases for a corporation at Tulsa, Oklahoma; Joseph A .. Louisville & Nashville Railway conductor at Covington Kentucky; Blanche, wife of John M. Brightwell, a loco motive engineer with the Louisville & Nashville Railroad with home at Louisville; Bessie, who died in infancy; and Charles F., who is the youngest.

Charles F. Ruttencutter who was born at St. Mary August 22, 1881, acquired a high school education in hi: native city, but at the age of seventeen left school and wen to work in the St. Marys oil fields. For fifteen years he wa in the oil district, turning his versatile talents to nearly every phase of oil production, and for a time had charge of prac tically all the production in Pleasants County for the firn of Bennedum & Trees. Mr. Ruttencutter has been al individual oil producer for the past fifteen years and own some of the productive wells in the St. Marys field. Hi chief business interests, however, is the St. Marys flourin mill, which he bought in 1913. This mill is on Washington Street and has a capacity of seventy-five barrels per day He also owns an ice house near the depot, which supplie: St. Marys and vicinity with ice for domestic purposes, and he also has a retail coal business. Mr. Ruttencutter is & stockholder and director in the Pleasants County Bank of St. Marys.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 24

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