History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 61

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JAY L. POLING, deputy sheriff of Lewis County, has been actively identified with business enterprises at Wes- ton, the county seat, and is one of the well known and popular citizens of the city. Mr. Poling was born in Bar- bour County, West Virginia, on the 8th of February, 1877, and is a son of Rev. Hamilton Poling and Alma (John- son) Poling, the former of whom was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, in 1837, and the latter was born in Bar- bour County, Virginia (now West Virginia), in 1838. The father was educated in a leading college maintained under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Vir- ginia, and he became a clergyman of this church, in the active work of whose ministry he continued thirty-six years, his death having occurred February 22, 1912. After his marriage he held various pastoral charges in Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, and he served in the Confederate army during virtually the entire course of the Civil war. He was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity. His wife is a daughter of Peter T. Johnson, who was one of the first to make a survey across the Blue Ridge Moun- tains and who became a pioneer settler and extensive land- holder in Barbour County, West Virginia. Rev. and Mrs. Hamilton Poling became the parents of six sons and three daughters, and the following are living at the time of this writing: Nieholas C. owns and operates a large farm in Barbour County; Sylvester is engaged in the mercantile business at Parsons, Tucker County; Della is the widow of John Haynes and resides at Morgantown, this state; N. D. is foreman for the Cherry River Lumber Company ; and Jay L., of this review, is the youngest of the number.

Jay L. Poling gained his early education in the public schools of the various towns where his father held pastoral charges, and supplemented this by attending a normal school. Thereafter he was for several years identified with the lumber business at Weston, where mercantile and other lines of enterprise likewise received his attention for varying periods. In January, 1917, he was appointed

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deputy sheriff, in which position he served four years under Sheriff R. R. Hale, and since which he has held the same position under Sheriff O. P. White. He is a democrat of utmost loyalty, is a past master of Walkersville Lodge No. 46 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, besides being affiliated with the Scottish Rite Consistory in the City of Wheeling, and with the Shrine of Nemesis Temple. lle is also affiliated with the Weston Lodges of the Knights of Pythias and Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mrs. Poling is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and holds membership in the Order of the Eastern Star and the Woman's Temple at Parkersburg.

February 27, 1897, recorded the marriage of Mr. Poling and Miss Edna Weaver, of Monongalia County, and they have six children: Grace graduated in the Weston High School and thereafter attended summer normal school, she being now a successful teacher in the public schools; Harry and Mabel likewise are graduates of the Weston High School, in which Arthur, the next younger, is a student in 1921; and the two younger members of the parental home circle are Doris and Chloe.

ANDERSON P. JONES, M. D. County health officer of Ritchie County, with a record of half a century of con- scientious and skillful work as a physician and surgeon, Doctor Jones represents a professional service that has been continuous from father to son through three genera- tions and covering a period of eighty years or more in West Virginia. He was associated with his father for many years, and for the past fifteen years his own son has shared with him the burdens of an extensive practice.

Anderson P. Jones was born on a farm in Tyler County, West Virginia, December 6, 1852, son of Dr. William N. and Jemimah (Smith) Jones, the former a native of Vir- ginia and the latter of Ohio. William N. Jones acquired his early advantages in the subscription schools of that day, became a teacher, later graduated from medical school and practiced for a number of years at Sistersville, West Virginia, and in Ohio. Later he moved to Pleasants County and had a large practice over that district. He died at Hebron in Pleasants County. He was a member of the Methodist Church, and was a captain of militia dur- ing the Civil war. Dr. William Jones was the father of sixteen children, and the only son now living is Dr. Ander- son P. of Pennsboro.

Anderson P. Jones was reared in Pleasants County, at- tended the common schools there, took up the study of medicine with his father, accompanied him on his rounds and later graduating from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore. For about fifteen years he was the active associate of his father in practice, until the death of the latter in 1887, and he then carried the bur- dens of the professional work there alone until 1903, when he removed to Pennsboro, and for nearly twenty years has been one of the recognized leaders in the medical profes- sion of Ritchie County. Doctor Jones, in addition to his private practice and his services as county health officer was the examining physician of the Local Draft Board during the World war, is health officer of the Town of Pennshoro, has been president of the Ritchie County Medi- cal Society, and is a member of the West Virginia State, Southern and American Medical associations. He served on the United States Pension Examining Board for several years. He is vice president and director of the Pennsboro Wholesale Grocery Company. He is a republican, a mem- her of the Methodist Church, and is affiliated with Hebron Lodge of Masons.

In 1878. Doctor Jones married Jaqueline Williamson. She died May 2, 1917, leaving two children, Alma O., of Pennsboro, and Dr. Latimer P.

Dr. Latimer Jones is a graduate of Marietta Academy in Ohio and also a graduate of his father's alma mater, the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, with the class of 1908. Since then he has been associated with his father. During the World war he volunteered for medieal service, was commissioned a first lieutenant and three months later promoted to a captaincy. He was mus-

tered out as sneh December 22, 1918. He is a republican, and is affiliated with Harmony Lodge No. 59, A. F. and A. M., and Odell S. Long Chapter No. 25, R. A. M. Dr. Latimer Jones married May Louise Waltham, of Balti- more. They have a son, James P., born May 25, 1910.

WILLIAM J. SMITH has long been a representative mem- ber of the har of Lewis County and is serving as prosecut- ing attorney of the county, he having previously served four years in this office.

Mr. Smith was born on a farm in Monongalia County, West Virginia, June 11, 1855, and is a son of George W. and Dorcas (Amos) Smith, both likewise natives of what is now the State of West Virginia. George W. Smith was born in Monongalia County, June 8, 1820, and died December 25, 1907. His wife was born in what is now Marion County, West Virginia, in 1830, and she likewise is deceased. After their marriage the parents settled on a farm in Monongalia County, and the father won success through his own ability and efforts, as he was with but meager financial resources at the time of his marriage. In Monongalia County he became the owner of a farm of 212 acres, and after selling this property he came with his family to Lewis County, where he improved a valuable farm of 292 acres, the ownership of which he retained until his death. He was a republican in politics and was a local preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was twice married, and of the seven children by the second marriage five are living.

William J. Smith was reared to the discipline of the farm and was a sturdy youth of sixteen years at the time of the family removal to Lewis County. Here he finally diverted his attention from farm enterprise to take up the study of law, and since his admission to the bar he has been engaged in the practice of his profession at Weston, where he assumed, on the Ist of January, 1921, the office of prosecuting attorney of the county, an office in which he had made an excellent record in a previous term of four years, 1904-8. He has been a loyal and active worker in the local ranks of the republican party, and he is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the Knights of Pythias. Though not formally a member of any religious organiza- tion, he attends and supports the Presbyterian Church.

The first marriage of Mr. Smith was with Lizzie Bart- lett, of Clarksburg, and her death occurred in 1909. She is survived by two children: Florida is the wife of Frank Cutright, a science teacher of considerable note; Miss Emily is a nurse by profession and now resides in the State of Texas. For his second wife Mr. Smith wedded Miss Cameo Pearl Romine, and her death occurred March 3, 1921. She is survived by three children-Catherine Pearl, William J., Jr., and Ruth.

GEORGE E. WHITE is a member of the bar of Lewis County, and at the time of this writing, in the autumn of 1921, is state senator from the Twelfth Senatorial District, comprising Lewis Doddridge and Harrison counties. He was born in Lewis County, November 4, 1884, and is a representative of one of the old and honored families of this section of West Virginia, his paternal great-grand- father, John White, having married an aunt of General Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson. Clark White, father of him whose name initiates this paragraph, was born and reared in Lewis County, and his widow, whose maiden name was Catherine Rohrbough. was born in Upshur County. She was reared in Buckhannon Connty, and her early edu- rational advantages included those of De Sales Academy at Parkersburg. After their marriage the parents set- tled on a farm in Lewis County, and the father became one of the leaders in the promotion of agricultural and live stock industry in this section of the state. He was the owner of a valuable landed estate of 1,200 acres on Freeman's Creek, and was a leader in the breeding and raising of Polled Angus cattle. Clark White remained on his homestead farm until 1900, when he removed to Wes- ton, where he passed the remainder of his life, he having been one of the founders of the Lewis County Bank, of

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which he was a director at the time of his death. While residing on his farm he was a trustee of the Baptist Church of the locality, his political allegiance was given to the republican party, and while he never sought office he gave effective service as deputy sheriff of Lewis County and was influential in public affairs in his community. He re- ceived the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite of the Masonic fraternity, his maximum York Rite affiliation having been with the Commandery of Knights Templars at Westón. His widow likewise is an earnest member of the Baptist Church. Of the two children the subject of this sketch is the younger. The daughter, Lucy, was graduated in Broaddus College, with the degree of Bache- lor of Science, and was gradnated also in the musical de- partment, after which she studied music and art in Denni- son University. She is now the wife of J. Cline Hood, of Weston.

George E. White was reared on the farm to the age of fifteen years, and after leaving the public schools he con- tinued his studies in Broaddus College at Clarksburg, in which he was gradnated with the degree of Bachelor of Science. For three years thereafter he was a student in the literary department of the University of Virginia and for two years a student in its law department. Later he attended the University of West Virginia during one year. He was admitted to the bar of his native state, and in 1909 opened a law office at Weston, where he has since maintained his home and where he still continues in the practice of his profession to a certain extent. Since the death of his honored father he has had the active manage- ment of the family farm estate of 1,200 acres, besides which he is vice president of the Lewis County Bank at Weston, and one of the three partners in the garage bnsi- ness of the Hood-Dent Company. Mr. White is affiliated with the local York Rite bodies of the Masonic fraternity, including the Commandery of Knights Templars, and has made advancement also in the Scottish Rite division of Masonry, besides which he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He and his wife hold membership in the Baptist Clinreh in their home city.

A leader in the councils and campaign activities of the republican party in this section of the state, Mr. White was elected in 1912 a member of the State Senate, in which he served until 1916. In November, 1920, he was again chosen to represent his district in the State Senate. In 1914 he was the republican nominee for Congress. In the eleetion with three candidates in the field, he was defeated by less than 500 votes in the district which gave a total of 52,000 votes. He was for two years editor and publisher of the Weston Independent, a republican paper of influence and prominence under his regime.

The year 1912 recorded the marriage of Mr. White and Miss Genevieve Chidester, who was graduated in Mount de Chantel Academy. Mr. and Mrs. White have three sons and one daughter: George E., Jr., John Clark, Andrew J. and Jane.

JOHN L. ROBINSON, of Grafton, spent his early life in and about the mines, is still a coal operator and producer, and for the past decade has done an extensive business in general contracting.

Mr. Robinson was born at Pruntytown, the old county seat of Taylor County, December 5, 1867. His father, Christopher Robinson, was born in Yorkshire, England, was associated from early youth with the coal mines of that region, and when about thirty years old came to the United States, in 1849. As a practical miner he did work in the George's Creek District of Pennsylvania, and in 1859 went West to participate in the mining excitement of the Pike's Peak region. He spent a year in the mountains without finding any considerable wealth, and on his return came down the Platte River on a raft to Omaha, thence by the Missouri to the nearest railroad and back to West Vir- ginia. He resumed mining in Marion County, and in 1861 located at Pruntytown, where he leased coal lands and became an operator, continuing active in the industry the

rest of his years. He died at Pruntytown at the age of sixty-eight. As an American citizen he was in thorough sympathy with the abolition movement, and always voted as a republican. He was reared in the Church of Eng land, and in this country was an Episcopalian.

In Marion County Christopher Robinson married Miss Mary A. Barnes, daughter of Abram and Mary (Hall) Barnes. Her father came from New Jersey, and lived for many years and died on his farm near Fairmont. Mrs. Christopher Robinson died in 1905. Her children to grow up were: Albert M., who lost his life in the mines and left four children by his marriage to Augusta J. Utt; Mary M., who died in Pruntytown, wife of Thomas M. Cooper; John L., the only surviving member of the family; Charles J., who was a miner and then a mine operator and died at Grafton unmarried.

John L. Robinson was reared in Pruntytown, where he attended the free schools and was a pupil of the high- class private school conducted by Professor MePheters. The coal mines of this district afforded him his apprenticeship in mining, and in them he did all the routine duties from mule-driver to mine foreman and superintendent. He is president of the Gabe Fork Coal Company of Grafton, organized in 1918, and is also director and superintendent of the Jerry Run Coal Company, organized in 1920 and developing a property at Rosemont.

Since 1911 Mr. Robinson has given much of his time and energy to the general contracting business, particularly paving and road work. His first contract was excavating and furnishing material for the construction of the Graf- ton High School as a sub-contractor to the Roach-Brune Company of Cincinnati. He has performed a large amount of excavating and street work in Grafton, including a por- tion of the paving of West Maine Street to the river bridge. He is junior member of the firm Withers & Robin- son, who in recent years have handled several large con- tracts for Taylor County. Mr. Robinson is a sterling citizen and has been an interested worker in republican politics since boyhood. He cast his first presidential vote for Benjamin Harrison in 1888.

At Cincinnati, December 2, 1912, Mr. Robinson married Miss Olga Meister. Her father, Emil Meister, was a jeweler in the City of Zurich, Switzerland, being descendant of a family that has lived in this little republic for more than eight centuries. He died at Lake Lagano, Switzer- land, in 1921. He called himself an international grand- father, from the fact that his children had become so widely dispersed. His oldest son, Otto, was for six years in charge of a corps of civil engineers in China, then as a mechanical engineer had charge of an office at Kobe, Japan, and is now in charge of an office for Sulzer & Bush at Shanghai. Emil is an artist in Germany. Hans is a grocer in Switzerland. Edward continues the business of his father at Zurich. Leonora is the wife of Fred Gampers, a banker in London, England, Herman is an architect in Paris, France.

Olga Meister was liberally educated, and became profi- cient in both the French and German languages. While visiting an uncle at Garfield, New Jersey, she answered an advertisement for a teacher of French and German in the Hutchinson family at Fairmont, West Virginia, and while in that work she first met Mr. Robinson. After leav- ing the Hutchinson family she was a trained nurse at Morgantown five years, and engaged in a similar capacity at Birmingham, Alabama, three years. The three older children of Mr. and Mrs. Robinson are: Elizabeth Meister, Mary Virginia and Edward Lee. Mrs. Robinson died February 6, 1922, leaving a baby boy, John L., Jr., who was born on the day his mother died, which was also her birthday.

VIRGIL LEE HIGHLAND began his career in Clarksburg some thirty odd years ago. For twenty years he has been a banker, and an officer in a number of business and industrial organizations of this section. Over the state he is known not only for his success in business but as a leader in politics and public affairs, and for some years

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has been the national republican committeeman of West Virginia.

Mr. Highland was born at West Milford in Harrison County, August 31, 1870, son of John Edgar and Lucy Earl (Patton) Highland. His grandfather, Jacob High- land, was a farmer, and the same occupation was fol- lowed by John E. Highland, who was born at West Mil- ford, October 19, 1832, and died May 4, 1903. During the Civil war he served as a teamster in the Union army, was always a staunch republican, a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church and the Masonic fraternity.

Virgil L. Highland grew up on a farm, attended the common schools in the country, later took a business course at Delaware, Ohio, and finished his education in Seio College of Ohio. He was a young man of twenty when he came to Clarksburg in 1890 and entered the service of R. T. Lowndes and Company, merchants, as bookkeeper, remaining with that firm for seven years. While thus employed he became interested in local polities, was elected and served a term of six years as county clerk of Harrison County.

Mr. Highland was instrumental in organizing and be- came president of the Empire National Bank of Clarks- burg in 1903. He has made that one of the strongest banks of the state. Other important commercial organiza- tions which he has helped establish and conduct are the Clarksburg Telegram Company, publishers of the Clarks- burg Daily Telegram, of which he is secretary and direc- tor; the Union Gas and Carbon Company, of which he is treasurer and director, the West Chevy Chase Land Com- pany and the Union Land Company, being treasurer and director in both; and is a director of the Valley Coal and Coke Company, the Wilbur Coal and Coke Company, the Monongahela Valley Traction Company, the Elkhorn Coal Corporation and the West Virginia Metal Products Company.

Mr. Highland has been intimate in the affairs of the republican party for many years. He has preferred work within the party to any other form of public service, though he was appointed, in 1913, on account of his recog- nized business standing, as the first chairman of the Pub- lic Service Commission of the state. He was a delegate in 1904 to the Republican National Convention at Chicago, when Roosevelt was nominated for President. He was chairman of the Republican State Committee from 1912 to 1916 has had the distinctive honor of being the national committeeman from this state.

Mr. Highland is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason, an Odd Fellow and Elk, a member of the Clarks- burg Rotary Club, Country Club, New York Bankers Club, National Republican Club of New York, and is a Baptist. December 31, 1902, he married Miss Gertrude E. Mor- gan, of Clarksburg. Their children are: Stephen Lee, Anita, Linda Marion and Florence Jean.

SAMUEL A. POWELL. Few lawyers in the state have had a more uniformly successful record than Samuel A. Powell of Harrisville. He has handled cases in all the state and many of the Federal courts, and has been unusually suc- cessful in the pursuit of his chosen profession. Mr. Powell has extensive interests in business and civic affairs in Ritchie County, and has practiced law there for the past seventeen years.

He was born on a farm in Wood County, West Virginia, September 13, 1876. His parents were Hiram D. and Ann (Hubbard) Powell, of Wood County. The father died January 21, 1922. They were both natives of Monroe County, Ohio, where the father was born July 8, 1847, and the mother in 1859. They were reared and educated in their native county, and after their marriage lived on a farm there for a few years. On coming to West Virginia they located in Wirt County, where they bought a farm. Hiram Powell was a factor and did work at his trade and as a contractor in connection with farming. After selling his farm in Wirt County he moved to Elizabeth, where he was elected and served as a member of the County Court. While there he went on the sheriff's bond, and

when the sheriff defaulted it took all his property to meet the requirements of the bond. Hiram Powell was a demo- crat and a Catholic, while his wife is a member of the Methodist Protestant Church. Until the demise of Hirain D. Powell there had not been a death in their family cir- cle since their marriage, though they had nine children. These children are: Thomas E., a teacher at Parkersburg; James T., a farmer at Hartley, Iowa; Jane, wife of Sam- uel Lindewood, of Alberta, Canada; Philip A., a farmer at Hartley, lowa; Samuel A .; Mary, wife of E. A. Leach, of Mineral Wells, Wood County, West Virginia; Bessie, wife of Floyd Melrose, of Chesterville, Wood County; Thurman A .; and Clarence E. Powell, both located at Scott City, Kansas.

Samuel A. Powell spent his early life on a farm, at- tended the common schools, and is a graduate of the law department of West Virginia University with the class of 1901. He passed a practical examination, was admitted to the bar, and for several years practiced in his home county of Wood. In 1905 he removed to Harrisville, and has since then been busied with a constantly increasing volume of private practice and business responsibilities. For a time he was assistant prosecuting attorney of Ritchie County. He is a stockholder of and attorney for the First National Bank of Harrisville, attorney for the Pullman State Bank and the Bank of Cairo, all in Ritchie County, and is a stockholder in several other corporations. He is secretary-treasurer of the Safe Oil Company, owning a quarter of its stock. Mr. Powell is a republican, and is affiliated with Harrisville Lodge No. 98, A. F. and A. M., and is a member of the Maccabees. On December 24, 1899, he married Miss Minnie L. Archer. They have two children: Virginia M., who, at the age of sixteen, grad- nated from high school and has since taken the Master of Arts degree from Ohio University at Athens. The sec- ond daughter, Mabel, was born in 1909, and is attending school at Harrisville. The family are Methodists. During the World war Mr. Powell was chairman of the Local Board of Ritchie County and was very active in both the Red Cross and Liberty Loan drives.

CHARLES MARSH GOHEN at the age of fourteen began work as a messenger in a Huntington bank. That was over thirty years ago, and his service has been continnous with one banking institution, under two organizations, and throughout he has been in close touch with the practical and technical side of banking.

The bank that first employed him was the Commercial Bank of Huntington. From messenger he became teller. In 1894 the consolidation of this bank with the Bank of Huntington resulted in the present Huntington National Bank. Mr. Gohen continued with the new institution in the capacity of teller, and was successively promoted to assistant cashier, cashier and other responsibilities, and since July 1, 1919, has been president of this, one of the largest and strongest banks in the state, with total re- sources aggregating nearly $8,000,000. The bank has a capital of $700,000, which with surplus and undivided prof- its total considerably over a million. The deposits in 1921 averaged over $5,000,000. The active executive officers are: Charles M. Gohen, president; James K. Oney, H. O. Aleshire, C. R. Carder, J. W. Ensign, Frank Enslow, C. W. Phiellis, vice presidents, and W. H. F. Dement, cashier.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 61

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