History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 44

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GEORGE A. WALLS, a resident of Kingwood forty years, was for more than a quarter of a century connected with the office of county clerk as deputy or chief, has also been in business, and his record is one of public spirited par- ticipation in the work and affairs that have constituted the progressive history of the community.

He represents one of the families that have lived in Preston County for a century or more. Their original seat was at Bruceton Mills in Preston County. Mr. Walls' great-grandfather came to this country from England. His grandfather, Charles Walls, established his home in Pres- ton County, was a farmer and died seven years before the Civil war. He married Elizabeth Foreman, and both are now at rest near Pisgah, Preston County. Their children were: Jonathan, who was killed in the Civil war; Eli J., a farmer who always lived in his native community; Ami F .; George W., who spent his life on the home farm; Annie, who became the wife of Col. William H. King; Jemimah, who died as the wife of Andrew S. McNair; and Mrs. Malinda Jenkine.

Ami F. Walls, father of George A. Walls, was born near Bruceton in 1828, grew up on his father's farm, and aside from a brief residence at Keokuk, Iowa, spent all his life in Preston County. Farming was his life work, and his death occurred at the age of fifty-nine. He was called

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out as a soldier in the Civil war a short time before the surrender of General Lee, but did not participate in any field duty. He was a democrat in politics. Ami F. Walls married Elizabeth Adams, who was born near Bruceton, and she died iu 1913, when past seventy-three. Her chil- dren were: Abner F., a farmer at Pisgah; George Adams; Sophronia T., wife of Adam Lyons, living near Gans, Penn- sylvania; Chester L., of Morgantown, West Virginia; Omer, a farmer at Pisgah; Charles, a merchant at Morgantown; and Margaret, of Morgantown.

George Adams Walls was born on the home farm at what is now Pisgah, Preston County, March 23, 1862. He grew up there, taking an increasing share in the work of the farm, attended the common schools, and spent one term in West Virginia University when John R. Thompson was president. The university then had an enrollment of per- haps 400 students, while now it is a great school with 2,000 students. Mr. Walls was a student in the preparatory de- partment, studied Latin and other subjects, and secured an equipment that would have fitted him for teaching had he chosen that vocation.

At the age of nineteen, August 1, 1881, Mr. Walls came to Kingwood and entered the office of County Clerk J. Ami Martin. He was deputy to Mr. Martin fifteen years, and in 1896 was himself elected on the republican ticket as county clerk and filled the office two terms. When he re- tired in 1908 he had rounded out twenty-seven years of ac- tive duty as clerk of the County Court and had the repu- tation of being one of the best clerks in the State of West Virginia. Following that Mr. Walls was a silent partner in a mercantile firm at Kingwood until 1919, when he sold out his business affairs and is now practically retired. For two years, from January 1, 1917, to January 1, 1919, he returned to the Court House as bookkeeper or office deputy for Sheriff J. D. Browning.

Mr. Walls has never been a political leader or party manager, but has steadfastly supported and worked for the success of the republicans in his county, state and national affairs. He cast his first presidential ballot for James G. Blaine, and has participated in every general election since that time. Mr. Walls has filled the various chairs of the local lodge of Knights of Pythias and has sat as a mem- ber of the Grand Lodge. His parents were good Metho- dists, and in later years he became an active member of that church and for fifteen years was recording steward and treasurer of the Kingwood Church and has also been superintendent of the Sunday school. Mrs. Walls is one of the prominent members of the Kingwood Methodist Church, has been active in the Woman's Foreign Missionary So- ciety, and for thirty-six years has been a member of the church choir. She began singing for the church when six- teen years of age.

The first wife of Mr. Walls was Miss Belle Snyder. By this marriage he has a daughter, Cora, now the wife of Forest M. McDaniel, of Clarksburg, and the mother of a son, Malcolm Wayne McDaniel.

May 24, 1893, at Kingwood, Mr. Walls married Miss Olive E. Parks, daughter of the late James W. Parks, a native of Preston County and who for a number of years, up to his death, was cashier of the Bank of Kingwood. The mother of Mrs. Walls was Mary Electa Heermans, daughter of John Heermans. John Heermans was one of the notable citizens of Preston County in his day. He was born at Hyde Park, Pennsylvania, March 27, 1814, learned the blacksmith's trade with his brother Sylvanus, and followed that occupation until 1842, when he removed to Ottawa, Illinois. Illness in his family caused him to re- turn East, and he was associated with his brother Sylvanus in the mercantile business at Hyde Park. Selling out in 1845, he removed to Rush in Susquehanna County, Pennsyl- vania, was a merchant there on his own account and also engaged in the lumber business, rafting the finished lum- ber to market. In 1849, he brought his family to Preston County, West Virginia, and for several years was a success- ful merchant here. John Heermans was conspicuous for his zeal in the advocacy of the temperance cause and at a time when such advocacy won him much public odium, in spite of which he persisted in doing what he was con-

vinced was right, and became a leader in the prohibition movement in this section of the state. Otherwise he was an ardent member of the republican party, and he once wrote a powerful article on the protective tariff which in the opinion of competent critics, would have done honor to the editorial pen of Horace Greeley, himself. Mr. Heer- mans was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. By his first marriage, to Mary Pepper, he was the father of five children. Mrs. Walls had a twin brother who died in childhood. Her father, James W. Parks, died January 10, 1912, and her mother passed away March 8, 1911. Mrs. Walls was educated in the Kingwood schools and finished her musical course in Baltimore.

DANIEL MOSSER. One favorable characteristic of the Mosser family represented by the venerable Daniel Mosser, a retired farmer at Clifton Mills, is strong attachment to the home environment in which the family have lived for a century or more. The Mossers have been sterling patriots in time of war, but in peace have chiefly devoted themselves to the land, its cultivation, and the duties of good local citizenship.

Daniel Mosser is living today on the spot where he was born, September 21, 1837. His grandfather, Nicholas Mos- ser, was a native of Germany, and came to America in Colonial times, locating in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. where the City of Lancaster now stands. He left there and moved on west to the vicinity of Selbysport, Maryland, where he died and was buried ou the farm. The children of Nicholas Mosser were Nicholas, Chris, John, Mrs. Nancy Fike, Mrs. Elizabeth Teets and Mrs. Mollie Weimer.

John Mosser, father of Daniel Mosser, was born in 1786, either in Germany or Pennsylvania. His early education was in the German language, but he spoke English well. He was a good business man, a successful farmer, and left a fair estate at his death. It was John Mosser who entered the land and made the first improvements on the place where his son, Daniel Mosser, now lives. John Mosser was a sol- dier in the War of 1812, and drew a pension from the Government for that service. He was a democrat and a member of the Presbyterian Church. His first wife was Elizabeth Maust. Her two children were Jonas and Cath- erine, the latter becoming the wife of Samuel Fulk. They spent their lives at Grantsville and Salisbury, Maryland. The second wife of John Mosser was Susan Frankhouser. Her father, Nicholas Frankhouser, was a native of Ger- many and settled first at Hagerstown, Maryland, and sub- sequently came to West Virginia, and lived out his life near Brandonville, where the widow of his grandson, Henry, now lives. Susan Frankhouser was born on that farm, and died about 1869. Her children were: Rebecca, who be- came the wife of Joseph Thomas and died in Fayette County, Pennsylvania; Ann, who was the wife of Barclay MeCollum and died near Pisgah in Preston County; Henry, a blacksmith, who died in Fayette County; Joseph, whose home was at Dawson, Pennsylvania; Sallie, who became the wife of Augustine Wolfe and spent her life at Harmony Grove iu Preston County; Polly, who was the wife of Isaac Moyer and died in Fayette County; John and Jacob, who moved out to Illinois and died in MeDonongh County; Susan, who became Mrs. John Summers and spent her life at Clifton Mills, where she is buried; Elizabeth, who was married to John Eaton, went to Iowa and is still living in the vicinity of Chariton; Daniel; and Samuel, who was killed while a Union soldier. The soldier representatives of the family were Samuel and Henry, and Henry was a pensioner.

Daniel Mosser grew up on the home farm, was educated in the local schools, and for half a century, until the bur den of years made him incapable, he continued the culti vation and management of the liomestead in Clifton Mills He was a successful grain and stock farmer, and the Mos ser farm of 128 acres lies on the east side of the Big Sandy. This farm is now the property of his son, L. Harry Mosser. Daniel Mosser has always voted at election timer and is a member of the Methodist Church.

He married Elizabeth Frances Frederick, a native o: Eastern Virginia, daughter of Samuel and Rebecca (Der

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inger) Frederick. She was born in October, 1838, and ed, August 9, 1885. Her children were: Samuel, of andy Lake, Pennsylvania; Linley Harrison, everywhere 1own as Harry Mosser; John, who died unmarried; Mat- e, Mrs. J. J. Barnes, living at Morgantown; Lando Walter, ' Vanderbilt, Pennsylvania; Dwight Roscoe, of Star Junc- on, Pennsylvania; and Hampton Frederick, who died at ifton Mills, leaving three children. The second wife of aniel Mosser was Mary Virginia Wheeler, and she died May, 1919, leaving no children.

L. Harry Mosser, successor to his father's farming ac- vities and to the ownership of the old homestead, which s been in the Mosser family through three generations, as born on that farm, February 1, 1865, and has spent I the fifty-five years of his life in the same locality. He is educated in the schools of Clifton Mills, and he is one the sturdy and successful stock farmers in this section Preston County. The residence in which he and his mily reside was erected in 1873.

May 2, 1886, Mr. Mosser married Miss Elizabeth Boger, ughter of John W. and Clarissa (Smith) Boger. Her ther was born on the Boger farm near Brandonville, son Samuel and Elizabeth (Myers) Boger. The Bogers were German ancestry, and all of the name have been farm- s. John W. Boger was a Union soldier in Captain Clay agans' Company, and died in 1867, at the age of thirty- ree. He was survived by his widow until September, 1918, r death occurring when she was eighty-five. Mrs. Mos- r was born December 16, 1858. Her two sisters are ary Gatella, born April 10, 1860, who died as the wife W. M. Collier, of Clifton Mills; and Barbara Ellen, rn January 13, 1862, now Mrs. L. H. Kelley, of Fair- ance, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Mosser had o children. Jessie Clara died March 20, 1920, leaving a ughter Helen Lucile, by her marriage to J. M. Silbaugh. e only son, Harold Ray Mosser, died in 1896, when four ars of age.

WARNER W. CHAPMAN was reared in Lewis County, West rginia, has had a varied experience in commercial affairs tending over several states, and is now permanently lo- ted at Weston, where he holds the office of justice of e peace, and is also a member of the Chapman Cigar mpany, cigar manufacturers.

Mr. Chapman was born at Warsaw, Kosciusko County, diana, July 2, 1875, son of Charles and Phoebe J. (Wood- rd) Chapman. His father was born at Warsaw, Indiana, ew up there, was educated in Notre Dame University, diana, and while visiting in Weston, West Virginia, met iss Phoebe J. Woodford, who was born in Gilmer County, est Virginia, September 22, 1856. They were married at eston and returned to Warsaw, Indiana, where Charles apman was engaged in the abstract business. He was member of the Presbyterian Church, was affiliated with e Knights of Pythias, and was a republican in politics. and his wife are now deceased. They had three chil- en: Paul W., owner of a cigar store at Weston; John , of Indianapolis, Indiana; and Warner W.

Warner W. Chapman grew up in the home of Colonel W. Woodford, his maternal grandfather, in Lewis unty. He acquired a public school education, also at- ided Salem College, and while his early experiences and ining were connected with the farm he early sought her outlets for his energy and talents. For seven years was manager for the National Graphite Company of orth Carolina, and for one year was cashier of the Caro- a Construction Company. For six years he was on the ad as a traveling salesman. Finally he returned to Wes- n, where his principal business is the Chapman Cigar mpany, of which he is secretary and treasurer. He has 30 taken an active interest in pubile affairs and has been cted twice to the office of justice of the peace.

March 18, 1901, he married Mae Ervin, a native of Lewis unty. She and Mr. Chapman grew up in the same neigh- Thood. They are members of the Presbyterian Church. r. Chapman is affiliated with Weston Lodge No. 43, nights of Pythias, and while living in North Carolina was

chancellor of his lodge and a member of the Grand Lodge. He is a republican in politics.

JOHN WILLARD CUSHING was one of the first drillers attracted to the newly opened oil fields at Sistersville, and has been operating there and in adjoining fields for thirty years. He is one of the prominent oil men of this section and is active in the commercial and industrial enterprises that have made Sistersville one of the growing and pros- perous cities of the state.

Mr. Cushing comes of a family of oil field workers, and was born in the heart of the old Pennsylvania petroleum district, at the Village of Petroleum Center in Venango County, December 27, 1870. He is of Irish ancestry. His grandfather, Morris Cushing, was born in County Tip- perary in 1813. He married Bridget Donohue, of the same county. In 1851 they brought their family to America, locating in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, where they lived on a farm for a number of years. About 1866 they moved to Venango County, Pennsylvania, where Morris Cushing lived retired until his death in 1878. His widow died at Duke Center, Pennsylvania, in Mckean County, in 1913. They were the parents of eight children and the four still living are: Mrs. Bridget Kelly, of Cleveland, Ohio, whose husband was a railroad man; Mrs. McElwee, of Clairmore, Missouri; Will, superintendent of the West Virginia Natural Oil & Gas Company at Claysville, Penn- sylvania; and Timothy, who is in the oil well supply busi- ness at Tulsa, Oklahoma.

John Cushing, father of John W. Cushing, was born in County Tipperary in 1844, and was seven years of age when his parents went to Canada. He grew up there on a farm, and at the age of eighteen went to Venango Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, where he married and became a teamster in the oil fields. In 1877 he moved to Bradford in Me- Kean County, where he continued the same line of work. and in 1892 established his home at Washington, Pennsyl- vania, where thereafter he was an employe of the Manu- facturers Light & Heat Gas Company until his death in March, 1920. John Cushing was a democrat and a mem- ber of the United Presbyterian Church. He married in Western Pennsylvania, Maria Jane Reed, who was born at Dempseytown, Venango County, in 1847, and died at Washington, Pennsylvania, in 1906. Of her children, John Willard is the oldest. Mary Jane is the wife of J. Wiley Sanders, a retired farmer living at Washington Pennsyl- vania; Morris E. was an oil well driller and died at Wash- ington at the age of twenty-two; Lester R. was also a driller in the oil fields and died at Spencer, West Virginia, aged twenty-nine.

John Willard Cushing spent his early life in Venango MeKean and Washington counties, Pennsylvania. He at- tended the rural schools of Venango, the public schools at Bradford, and at the age of eighteen finished his educa- tion in the Bradford Business College. On going to Wash- ington he spent a year working on oil leases, and then for three years was in the oil fields of Lima, Ohio.

The first oil discoveries around Sistersville were made about 1890-91. In 1892 Mr. Cushing came to Sistersville, and during the following five years assisted in drilling a number of wells. After that he set up in business for himself as an oil well contractor, and worked in the fields of Tyler County and also in Ohio. He has been a pro- ducer since 1900. His varied interests in oil and other industrial affairs are indicated by his official connection with the following: Director in the Petroleum Explora- tion Company of Sistersville; director in the Wiser Oil Company of Sistersville; director of the Amity Gasoline Company of Sistersville; vice president of the Sistersville Boiler Works; director in the McJunkin Machine Company of Sistersville; stockholder in the Oil Review Publishing Company of Sistersville; and stockholder in the Tyler Traction Company.

Mr. Cushing has his offices in the Farmers & Producers Bank Building and owns a modern home at 307 Hill Street. He is a republican in politics, a member of the Presby- terian Church, and is affiliated with Phoenix Lodge No. 73,

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A. F. and A. M., Sistersville Chapter No. 27, R. A. M., Mountain State Commandery No. 14, K. T., and Nemesis Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Parkersburg. He belongs to the Sistersville Country Club and the Kiwanis Club.

In 1895, at Sistersville, Mr. Cushing married Miss Cleo Fry, daughter of Joshua and Mary E. (Wherry) Fry, the latter living with Mr. and Mrs. Cushing. Her father was a teamster and died at Denver, Colorado. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Cushing: Cleo Luella, who died at Sistersville in 1918 at the age of eighteen; John W., born in April, 1905, now a senior in high school; and Harry Fry, born September 30, 1908, a pupil in the gram- mar school.

JAMES RALSTON. One of the oldest commercial concerns at Weston is the jewelry business of which James Ralston is proprietor. This business was established by his father sixty five years ago, and through all these years it has been a store adequate in stock and service for satisfying the demands and tastes of its patronage.

The founder of this business, the late Er Ralston, was a son of James Ralston and Ann (Lincoln) Ralston and was born in Ashland County, Ohio, January 23, 1834. When he was two years of age his parents moved to Richland County, Ohio, where he grew up, received his education and with some knowledge and experience in the jewelry business he moved to West Virginia and located at Weston, May 18, 1856. He was active in the business from that time until he retired in August, 1913, and he died October 14, 1914, in his eighty-first year.

November 8, 1859, he married Matilda Bailey, daughter of Minter and Sallie (Bastable) Bailey. To their marriage were born six children, the oldest, Lucy Ann, dying in in- faney. The other children were Sallie Gilberta, James, Min- ter B., Genevieve and Ernestine.

James Ralston was born at Weston, May 15, 1863, grew up in his native town and acquired a public school educa- tion there. For about four years he was employed as a clerk in the general store of Barnes & O'Hara, and then worked in a hardware store at Weston for two years. Leav- ing West Virginia, Mr. Ralston went to the Southwest and at Chloride, New Mexico, put in his time for four years in a store and in work around the mines.

When he returned to Weston in 1889, he entered the jewelry store of his father, learned the business under the elder Ralston, and also took special courses of training in Chicago and Philadelphia. Nearly two years before his father's deatlı he took over the active management, and for the past eight years has been proprietor. He owns the building and has a splendidly stocked store.

October 3, 1894, Mr. Ralston married Emma Hoffman Harrison, daughter of Matthew and Sarah E. Harrison. Of their four children, the oldest is Er, a graduate of high school, who spent two years in West Virginia University and is now associated with his father's business. Anna Mayburry is a graduate of high school, attended Gunston Hall at Washington, District of Columbia, and finished her education in the Emerson College of Oratory at Boston. James G., the second son, graduated from high school and is now continuing his higher education in the State Uni- versity. Richard, the youngest, is still in school. The fam- ily are members of the Episcopal Church and Mr. Ralston is a vesiryman and trustee. He is a past master of Weston Lodge No. 10, A. F. and A. M., a member of Bigelow Chap- ter No. 4, R. A. M., is a past commander of St. John Com- mandery No. 8, K. T .; a member of Wheeling Consistory of the Scottish Rite, and Nemesis Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Parkersburg. His participation in politics has been as a demoerat, and he is one of the directors of the Citizens Bank of Weston.

WILLIAM H. HALL. For a long period of years William H. Hall devoted his time and energies to his extensive farm. He still retains his land, does some business as a dealer and shipper of livestock, but enjoys an ample competence to enable him to live retired. He has a comfortable home at 352 Center Avenue in Weston.

Mr. Hall was born seven miles north of Weston, August 2, 1848, son of James M. and Nancy (Burnside) Hall. His father was born near Westfield, Lewis County, May 16 1820, and his mother, near Goodhope in Harrison County August 22. 1822. They grew up on farms and after their marriage lived for two years near Goodhope, on the Wil liam Burnside farm, and then moved to a tract of land near Freemansburg. Nancy Burnside Hall contributed a large share to the substantial fortune, which she and her husband accumulated, though they started life poor. She looked after her household and also took her place in the fields with her husband until they could feel sure of the future. James Hall in time accumulated about a thousand aeres of good farming land. His first wife, Nancy, diec during the war, in 1863. She was the mother of seven chil dren: Sarah E., deceased, who married Norman A. Lovett ; William H .; Mary Margaret, wife of H. D. Bailey; Minor J., a farmer in Lewis County; R. H. Hall, of Weston; Vir ginia, wife of George A. Custer; and Lot, a farmer on Poll Creek. James M. Hall married for his second wife Cath erine Lovett, and the three children of this union are: Samuel G., a farmer in Lewis County; Ella, wife of Lloyd Allman, of Lewis County; and Bertha, wife of Lee Beech

William H. Hall grew up on his father's farm, had a common school education, and he found his work and duties on the homestead until he married and started life for him self. August 25, 1870, Miss Mary E. Ervin became hi: wife. She was born in Pocahontas County, West Virginia September 3, 1851. She died July 28, 1908, nearly thirty eight years after her marriage. Of her six children, five are living: Cora, wife of A. D. Dent; James H., present sheriff of Gilmer County; A. F. Hall, a farmer in Ritchie County; Minor Roy, a merchant at Hurst; and Guy L. a farmer in Ritchie County. For his second wife Mr. Hal married Isa Somerville, widow of Albert Brown. She had three children by her first husband, Harry, Ruth and Pauline Brown. In the half century since he left his father's home Mr. Hall accumulated and still owns eight hundred acres including the best farming land in Ritchie County. For forty years he carried on an extensive outside business a: a dealer and shipper of livestock, and was also a breeder of Hereford cattle. He sold out most of his livestock ir 1912. He is a stoekholder in the Exchange Bank of Auburn West Virginia.

Mr. Hall is one of the prominent members of the United Brethren Church, has been a member fifty-eight years, was class leader, has been superintendent of the Sunday schoo at Weston and a delegate to the State Conference. He is affiliated with Troy Lodge No. 156, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a republican, having filled the office of justice of the peace several years.

JAMES J. LOGUE is a practical expert in the oil and gas industry, received his early training in the fields of Penn sylvania, for a number of years has been with the Reserve Gas Company and is now acting as superintendent for that company at Weston.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 44

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