History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 26

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During the last yeara of his educational work Mr. Fleming was, during the summera of 1919-20, auperintendent for the Redpath Chautauqua Bureau, covering Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Weat Virginia, Illinois and Wisconsin. During war time he waa secretary of the Pleasanta County Chapter of the Red Cross, made many apeechea throughout the county in behalf of all the auxiliary war organizationa, and gave much of hia time to thia patriotic duty. Mr. Fleming ia a democrat, ia a trustee and steward of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, South, and is affiliated with St. Marya Lodge No. 41. A F. and A. M., Sistersville Chapter No. 27, R. A. M.,

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

West Virginia Consistory No. 1 of the Scottish Rite at Wheel- ing, Nemesis Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Parkersburg, and St. Marys Tent No. 20, Knights of the Maccabees. Mr. Fleming built his new home on Fourth Street in 1921. He married in St. Marys August 2, 1914, Miss Ruth Sayre, daughter of Edward A. and Ella (Giat) Sayre, residents of St. Marys. Her father was formerly cashier of the Pleas- ants County Bank and one of its organizers. Mrs. Fleming is a graduate of the local high school. They have one daugh- ter, Katherine Eleanor, born May 11, 1915.

JESSE EARLE RILEY, superintendent of city schools of St. Marys, was at one time probably the youngest teacher in West Virginia, qualifying for his first school when he was only fifteen. He has been alternately a student and teacher ever since, is a Master of Arts from Bucknell University, and has an enviable record as a teacher and school admin- istrator.

Mr. Riley was born in Taylor County, West Virginia, near Bridgeport, March 27, 1888. In the same vicinity was born his father, James Riley, in October, 1848, and the grandfather also bore the name James and was born in old Virginia in 1828. The Rileys came from Ireland and were Colonial settlers in Virginia. James Riley, Sr., as a young man moved to the vicinity of Bridgeport, was married there, and lived his life as a successful farmer. He died in 1913. James Riley, Jr., learned a mechanical trade, but for the greater part of his active life owned and managed an extensive farm near Bridgeport and since 1921 has lived retired at Shinnston in Harrison County. He is a democrat, and a very active member of the Baptist Church. He married Louisa Withers, who was born in old Virginia in November, 1850. Their family consisted of eight children: Effie, wife of Jonah Currey, a flour miller at Bridgeport; Leola, who died at Enterprise, West Virginia, in 1909, aged thirty-five, wife of Jesse Anderson, a farmer near Boothsville, West Virginia; Charles, a farmer who died near Bridgeport in 1908, at the age of thirty-three; Leonard, a mechanic and contractor at Shinnston; Marion, a general contractor at Shinnston; Ora, wife of Minor Currey, who is in the lumber business at Shinnston; Jesse Earle; and Truman, a general contractor at Bridgeport.

Jesse Earle Riley attended the rural schools of Taylor County, graduated from Broaddus Institute, then located at Clarksburg, with the class of 1909, and received his A. B. degree from Bucknell University at Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1914, and won his Master of Arts degree from the same institution in 1916. He was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity at Bucknell. During 1915 Mr. Riley also took special work in history and economics in West Virginia Uni- versity at Morgantown. As a youth of fifteen he was ap- pointed to preside over a rural school in Taylor County, and taught in rural districts four years. In 1914 he became an instructor in Latin and registrar of Broaddus Institute, remaining there a year. For two years he was teacher of science in the high school of Portsmouth, Ohio, then super- intendent of schools at Harrisville, West Virginia, two years, principal of the high school of New Martinsville two years, and in June, 1921, came to his present duties as superin- tendent of city schools of St. Marys. St. Marys has a well organized school system, there being six schools, a staff of twenty-five teachers, and a scholarship enrollment of seven hundred.

Mr. Riley is a member of the West Virginia State Educa- tional Association, and during the war had an effective part in stimulating patriotism and teaching Americanism in the schools and was also a worker in the various war drives at Harrisville. He is a democrat in politics, a member of the Baptish Church, and is affiliated with Shinnston Lodge No. 24, F. and A. M. Mr. Riley is a stockholder in the Riley & Riley Company, general building contractors at Shinns- ton, an organization in which the active members are his brothers, previously mentioned.

At Washington, D. C., in 1917 Mr. Riley married Miss Ethel Heiter, daughter of James O. and Daisy (Kleckner) Heiter, residents of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Mra. Riley is a graduate of the Domestic Science Department of Bucknell University, and for one year before her marriage was dietitian in the university. The three sons of Mr. and Mrs. Riley

are William, born July 27, 1918, John Warren, born Februar 3, 1920, and Ellwood Withers, born November 20, 1921.

HENRY S. SMITH is vice president of the First Nationa Bank of Richwood, Nicholas County, in which city he also superintendent of the Cherry River Boom & Lumbe Company, one of the important industrial corporations o this section of the state.

Mr. Smith was born in the State of Maryland, Septembe 15, 1874, and is a son of Dr. Albert H. and Agnes I (Bradley) Smith, the former of whom was born in the Stat of New York, in 1836, and the latter of whom was born i the State of Delaware, where she was reared and where he early educational advantages included those of Newar Academy. Dr. Albert H. Smith was reared on a farm i the old Empire State and received his early education in th common schools of the period. He was a youth when l became a resident of Delaware, where he took a full cours and prepared himself for the dental profession. After h marriage he established himself in practice at Rising Su: Maryland, and there he continued in the successful practi of his profession until within two years prior to his deat which occurred in 1920, his wife having passed away i 1897. Of their four children the eldest is George A., wl is treasurer of the Baker-Whitelcy Coal Compauy at Balt more, Maryland; A. Bradley, a printer by trade and voc. tion, is in the employ of the great Curtis Publishing Cor pany in the City of Philadelphia; M. Adelinc, whose deat occurred in 1919, was a graduate of the Friends Norm Institute at Rising Sun, Maryland.

Henry S. Smith, the last in order of birth in the fami of four children, was reared at Rising Sun, Marylan where he supplemented the discipline of. the public schoo by a course of study in the Friends Normal Institute, & excellent institution conducted under the auspices of tl Society of Friends. In the autumn of 1888 he assumed tl position of stenographer and bookkeeper in the offices the Susquehanna Water Power & Paper Company, wi which corporation he continued his connection until Jul 1897, when he entered the employ of the Beaver Creek Lui ber Company at Davis, Tucker County, West Virginia. ] 1902 he resigned his position with this company and I moved to Richwood, where he became paymaster for tl Cherry River Boom & Lumber Company, he having be advanced in 1911 to the office of assistant superintender and the year 1920 having recorded his promotion to b present responsible office, that of superintendent.

Mr. Smith is known and honored as one of the loy and progressive citizens of Richwood, and he has given effe tive service in local offices of trust. He was city record two terms, has given several years of service as a memb of the auditing committee of the city government, and h been for ten years a member of the Board of Educatio His political allegiance is given to the republican party, al in the Masonic fraternity his affiliations are with Richwo Lodge No. 122, A. F. and A. M., of which he is a pa master; Richwood Chapter No. 97, R. A. M., of which is a past high priest; Sutton Commandery No. 16, Knigh Templar; and Beni-Kedem Temple of the Mystic Shrine the City of Charleston. Mrs. Smith, her two daughters al the elder son hold membership in the Presbyterian Church Richwood.

On the 16th of October, 1900, was solemnized the ma riage of Mr. Smith and Miss Flora L. Collins, who was bo and reared in Hampshire County, West Virginia, and t children of this union are four in number: Mildred . and Dorothy O. graduated from the Richwood High Scho and are, in 1922, pursuing higher studies in a school Beechwood, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania; William A. is the sixth grade of the public schools at Richwood, a Henry Bradley is the youngest of the number.

NEWTON JASPER KEADLE, the genial and popular por master of the City of Williamson, Mingo County, is fami arly known as "Doc" Keadle, and has been an influenti figure in Mingo County from the time of its creation 1895, Governor McCorkle having appointed him the fix sheriff of the new county and the ensuing popular electi

Joss ith.

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

having retained him in the office, in which he served six consecutive years.

Mr. Keadle was born at Madison, Boone County, West Virginia (then Virginia), on the 27th of April, 1860, and is a son of Maj. James W. and Harriet E. (Kessinger) Keadle, his father having been a major in the Confederate service in the Civil war, in which he was captured, and was held as a Union prisoner at Fort Delaware. His death in 1865 resulted from illness contracted while in the army, and his widow having died in 1869, their son Newton J. was doubly orphaned when a mere boy. The old home of the parents was in what is now Monroe County, West Vir- ginia.

After the death of his mother the present postmaster of Williamson was taken into the home of one of his aunts at Welston, Jackson County, Ohio, where he remained and attended school until he was fourteen years of age. There- after he was employed on farms and around the blast fur- naces in that section of Ohio until his return to his native town, where he learned the printer's trade in the office of the Coal River Record. In 1887 he established the Logan Democrat at Logan, judicial center of the county of that name, and he continued as editor aud publisher of this paper one year. He served also as city marshal of Logan, and while a resident of that place became also a local offi- cial in the internal revenue service. Upon the erection and organization of the new county of Mingo, formerly a part of Logan County, Mr. Keadle was appointed its first sher- iff, as previously noted, and after his retirement from this office he was elected county tax assessor, in which posi- tion he served three and one-half years. He then resigned to take the appointment as postmaster of Williamson. the county seat, in 1910, under the administration of President Taft. He continued his service as postmaster until after the election of President Wilson, when he was succeeded by a democratic incumbent. Thereafter he served as state probation officer until the resumption of republican adminis- tration of the Government, when he was reappointed post- master at Williamson, in 1921. His present administration is proving as efficient and popular as did his former regime in this office, and more than this need not be said. Mr. Keadle has been steadfast and loyal in his allegiance to the republican party, and has been prominent in its councils in this section of the state. He was active in support of the various patriotic movements in the World war period, and gave four of his sons to the nation's service in that connection. He and his wife are active members of the Baptist Church in their home city.

In 1889 Mr. Keadle wedded Miss Lucy Miller, who was born in Logan County, this state, a daughter of Judge Miller, who was a leading lawyer and jurist in that county. Mr. and Mrs. Keadle became the parents of a fine family of ten children, all of whom are living: Roy H. entered the nation's aviation service shortly after the United States became involved in the World war. He was transferred to the American Relief Administration and was on the battle lines in France, caring for and assisting in the removal of wounded soldiers, his headquarters having been in the City of Paris and his service having covered a period of twenty-two months. After the World war he became a clerk at the Williamson Post Office. Okey P., an attorney in the office of a leading law firm of Williamson, went overseas with the Pittsburgh Railway Construction Regi- ment, which established headquarters at Tours, France. Mingo P. became a member of the United States Heavy Coast Artillery and was stationed on Fisherman's Island in Chesapeake Bay. Alonzo received his preliminary train- ing at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, received commis- sion as first lieutenant, was later promoted a captain and was then assigned to duty to Company E, Three Hundred and Seventeenth Infantry, in connection with the accept- ing of troops for overseas service. He is now captain in the West Virginia Militia. Emmet, eldest of the sons, is deputy sheriff of Mingo County. John S., the youngest son, is attending the public schools. There are four daugh- ters: Lucy is employed in the First National Bank of Williamson; Katharine is a teacher in the public schools of this city; and Mary and Virginia are still attending school.

REESE G. BAILEY has become one of the influential fig- ures in the coal-mining industry in Mingo County, and, with headquarters at Williamson, the county seat, he is president of the Bailey Pond Creek Coal Company and the Bailey Thacker Coal Company, the mine of the former company being on Pond Creek in Pike County, Kentucky, one mile distant from Williamson, The mining operations of the Bailey Thacker Coal Company are carried on within the corporate limits of Williamson.

Mr. Bailey claims the historic Old Dominion State as the place of his nativity and is a representative of families there founded many generations ago. He was born on his father 's farm in Tazewell County, Virginia, February 15. 1877, and his parents, George C. and Eliza C. (Gillespie) Bailey now reside in the City of Richmond, that state, the father having retired after many years of successful asso- ciation with farm industry and the tanning business. George C. Bailey is now (1922) seventy-eight years of age and his wife sixty-eight, both being members of the Meth- odist Church. Mr. Bailey gave four years of loyal service as a Confederate soldier in the Civil war, since the close of which he has continuously given his allegiance to the re- publican party. Of their ten children all are living except one, the subject of this sketch having been the second in order of birth.

The public schools of his native county afforded Reese G. Bailey his early education, which included a course in the Tazewell High School, which he attended until he was nineteen years of age. Thereafter he was in the employ of the United States Bridge Company, his service being in connection with the construction of the crib or wooden work on bridges erected for the Norfolk & Western Rail- road. He continued in the employ of this company nine years and did much work in connection with the extension of the lines of the Norfolk & Western into the coal fields of West Virginia, his final service having been in the capacity of bridge foreman. Mr. Bailey next became actively asso- ciated with coal mining, and for six years was a contractor in getting out coal for the Springton Coal Company on Widemouth Creek, near Matoaka, Mercer County. As a contractor for the American Coal Company he passed the eusuing eleven years in coal production on Cram Creek, Mercer County. During this latter period he was also en- gaged successfully in contract mine-construction work. In 1919 Mr. Bailey transferred his field of operations and came to the Mingo District, where he purchased the busi- ness and property of the Black Diamond By-product Coal Company. Later he organized the two companies of which he is now president, and both are in successful production of coal. In the World war period Mr. Bailey served as a member of the United States Fuel Administration, and was influential in creating a large production of coal-a work of major importance in that climacterie period. His eldest son, W. Gruver Bailey, entered the United States Army in June, 1919, and is serving in the coast artillery at the present time. Mr. Bailey is a progressive and liberal citi- zen, takes active interest in public affairs in his home county and city, and is a staunch advocate of the principles of the republican party.

Iu the year 1896 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Bailey and Miss May Hawkins, daughter of Thomas Hawk- ins, of Tazewell County, Virginia, and the children of this union are four sons and four daughters. The attractive family home, known for its generous hospitality, is in the City of Williamson.

EDMUND A. STARLING. The experience and viewpoint of the practical miner belong to Edmund A. Starling, though his apprenticeship in the humbler roles was remarkably short. For a number of years he has been one of the very efficient mine superintendents in Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia.

Mr. Starling is now general superintendent of the Guyan Mining Company at Wilburn in Logan County. He has charge of the operations in four seams, the two upper seams being mines No. one and two of the Island Creek, and the lower seams No. one and two of the Eagle mines. These mines are situated on the west bank of the Guyandotte

HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA

River, and 500 feet of belting conveys the coal over the river to the tipple. The average output of the mines is 1000 tons daily, but the capacity is 3000 tons. Mr. Starling took charge of these mines in April, 1921.

He was born at Louisville, Kentucky, September 11, 1887, son of Judge Edmond A., Sr., and Mariam (Gallagher) Starling. His father was a native of Hockinsville, Ken- tucky, and his mother of Louisville. E. A. Starling, Sr., who died in 1912, at the age of fifty-two, was a coal operator at Pineville in Bell County, Kentucky, and built the first coke oven there. He was a pioneer in the coal production of Eastern Kentucky, moving to Pineville from Louisville. He served as county judge of Bell County, and was active in politics both there and in Louisville, being a republican. He was vice president of the Mingo Coal and Coke Company at Middlesboro, Kentucky. He was a member of the Episco- pal Church and a Mason and Elk. Mrs. E. A. Starling is an unusually able business woman, and has given particular evidence of that ability since the death of her husband. She owns a chain of eighteen dairy lunch rooms in Pitts- burgh. Besides her son Edmund A. there is a daughter, Shirley, wife of Carl A. Simmon, who is chief engineer for the Westinghouse Company of Pittsburgh.

Edmund A. Starling acquired a high school education at Louisville, and took special work in civil and mining engin- cering at Saint Mary's College at Saint Mary's, Kentucky. At the age of eighteen he left school to go to work in the mines of Eastern Kentucky, at Yellow Creek in Bell County. His first work was greasing cars at fifty cents a day, and he worked as trapper boy for seventy-five cents a day. He drove mules in the mines, worked on the tipple, loaded coal, operated machinery and motors, and in the course of a few years had graduated into the responsibilities of mine super- intendent and mine owner. During the World war he owned and operated mines in Bell County and subsequently became manager of the Elkhorn Coal Corporation's proper- ties at Fleming in Letcher County. From there he came to West Virginia. While in Kentucky he opened the mines of the Wisconsin Steel Company at Benham in Harlan County.

Mr. Starling married Miss Lula Shisler, daughter of Judge Lenoard Shisler, of Pineville, Kentucky. They were married in 1912. Mrs. Starling is a Methodist, while Mr. Starling is a member of the Episcopal Church and is affili- ated with the Elks Lodge. He is an independent in politics.

THE EAGLE MANUFACTURING COMPANY is to be recorded as one of the important and well ordered industrial concerns of the state and is located at Wellsburg, Brooke County, the business having been established in 1894 and the company having been incorporated under the present title in 1897. In 1894, attracted by the abundant supply of natural gas to be found at Wellsburg, Harry W. Paull, now president of the company, here began manufacturing operations with a mod- est plant that was a subsidiary of the Wheeling Stamping Company. Within a short period Mr. Paull became as- sociated with his two brothers, James and Samuel O., in the purchase of the plant and business, and at the time of the incorporation of the company Charles B. Ott, of Wheeling, became actively identified with the business, he having since continued as vice president of the company, of which James Paull is treasurer and Samuel O. Paull secretary. The per- sonnel of the official corps remained unchanged from the time of the incorporation until W. C. Jacob, of Wellsburg, became associated in the business as assistant secretary of the company. He is a son of the late J. G. Jacob, one of the pioneer newspaper editors of West Virginia. W. C. Jacob married Elizabeth Paull, a sister of the Paull brothers of the Eagle Manufacturing Company.

In the initial period of operation, employment was given to a force of about thirty-five men, and the output was confined exclusively to glass linings for Mason fruit-jar caps, or liners. The plant at the beginning was in a build- ing 150 feet square, the same having been erected for the purpose to which it was thus applied. The great manufac- turing plant of this progressive corporation now covers about 11/2 city blocks, additions to the same having been

made from time to time, in consonance with the consecutiv expansion of the business. About one-half of the building are three or four stories in height, the floor space covere approximating 300,000 square feet.

The company is now engaged in the manufacture o illuminating glassware and stamped-metal lubricating oi containers, and each department operates on an extensiv scale, as is evident when it is stated that the compan now retains a force of about 500 employes, many of whoi are skilled operatives.

The glassware products are sold to jobbers and th stamped-metal products to railroads and wholesale hard ware trade. The export trade of the company is likewis one of importance, and is of a constantly cumulative ter dency.

The men who have been the dominating forces sinc its organization in the upbuilding of this splendid indu: trial enterprise have the satisfaction of knowing that whil they have furthered their individual success, they hav also contributed distinctly to the industrial and commercia prestige and prosperity of the fine little city in which the maintain their home.

Harry W. Paull, president of this company, James Paul the treasurer, and S. O. Panll, the secretary, are all sor of the late Judge James Paull, a distinguished lawyer wh served on the bench of the West Virginia Supreme Cour

Harry W. Paull was born at Wheeling, West Virginia and was reared in the City of Wellsburg, West Virgini: He has fully demonstrated his initiative and executiv powers in connection with the upbuilding of the busines of the company of which he is president, he having becom the active manager of the manufacturing enterprise its inception. He is a vital and progressive citizen wh takes loyal and helpful interest in all things tending 1 advance the civic and industrial welfare of his home cit is a democrat in politics, and he and his wife hold men bership in the Presbyterian Church. He married Mis Louise B. Beall, daughter of Col. C. H. Beall, and the on child of this union is a daughter, Virginia B.

James Paull, treasurer of the company, was born i Wheeling and completed his education at Wooster Unive sity, at Wooster, Ohio. He was for several years secretar of the Wheeling Stamping Company, and was later or of those instrumental in the establishing of the Eag Manufacturing Company at Wellsburg, and to his financi ability the company is greatly indebted for its success. 13 married Miss Mariana Jacob, a daughter of J. G. Jacol and the two children of this union are John J., who employed in the office of the Eagle Manufacturing Con pany, and James, Jr., who is a college student at the tin of this writing in Washington and Jefferson College.

Samuel O. Paull, secretary of the Eagle Manufacturin Company, is the youngest of the three brothers identifie with the Eagle Manufacturing Company, and was born i Wheeling in the year 1869. He there initiated his busine: career in the capacity of bookkeeper in the office of th Wheeling Stamping Company, with which he continued h alliance until he joined his brothers in the organizatio and incorporation of the company. He is the active hea of the metal stamping department of the Eagle Manufa turing Company, and it is largely due to his initiativ and enterprise that this department has reached its prese proportions and success. His wife, Celeste, is a daughter Dr. E. E. Worthen, who was for sixty years engaged : the practice of dentistry in the City of Wheeling. M and Mrs. Paull have no children.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 26

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