History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 87

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Judge Woods was unanimously nominated by the repub- lican party, in August, 1920, as a candidate for the third term as judge of the Third Judicial Circuit. His splendid previous record on the bench is not only attested by this nomination but also by the action of the democratic party which met in convention in the same month and made no nomination to oppose him, and at the same time unani- mously adopted the following resolution:

"Whereas, at the Republican Judicial Convention, the Honorable Homer B. Woods was nominated for the Judge of this judicial circuit, and

"Whereas, we, the legally constituted delegates and representatives of the Democratic party in and for the third judicial circuit, in convention assembled, believing that the judiciary should be composed of able and honor- able men, well versed in the law and experienced in court procedure, and who would wear the ermine untarnished by partisan prejudice or political influence, and we, hav- ing confidence in the ability, integrity and fitness of the said Honorable Homer B. Woods for the high office of Judge; and to the end that the judiciary may be removed from and elevated above partisan political conteste; be it resolved, that this convention doth decline to nominate a candidate for judge of the third judicial circuit."

Judge Woods was, therefore, unopposed at the polls in the November election in 1920, and is now serving his hird term on the bench.

Judge Woods is a stanch republican, and he and his wfe are active members of the Baptist Church. He is affiliated with Harrisville Lodge No. 98, A. F. & A. M., and Odell Chapter No. 28, R. A. M., is a past grand of the 'ocal lodge of Odd Fellows, his wife being a member of the adjunct organization, the Daughters of Rebekah, and h> is an influential member of the Modern Woodmen of America, in which he has served as counsel of the local camp and also as counsel of the head camp of the organ- ization in West Virginia, in which he is now a member of the committee on appeals and grievances.

September 10, 1892, recorded the marriage of Judge Woods and Miss Winifred Davis, daughter of the late Thomas E. Davis and a representative of one of the oldest and most highly honored families of Ritchie County. Of the six children of Judge and Mrs. Woods five are living: Ralph D. is a graduate of the law department of the Uni- versity of West Virginia; Homer B., Jr., who graduated

in the high school and who became a successful teache received appointment to the United States Naval Acar emy, Annapolis, Maryland, and was attending that institi tion at the time of his death, at the age of twenty years Miriam graduated in the Harrisville High School and i 1922 is a student in the Cincinnati (Ohio) Conservator of Music; Robert J. is a high school student; and Samu. T. and Winifred are grade pupils in the public school The eldest son, Ralph D., entered the nation's militar service in connection with the World war, gained tl rank of first lieutenant, and was in service in turn & Camp Dodge, Iowa, the Central Officers' Training Cam at Waco, Texas, and the Second Training Camp at Fo Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis, Indiana. The war can to a close before there came a call for his command 1 enter service overseas. He is an active member of th American Legion, and is now engaged in the practice ( law at Harrisville.

JOHN A. MCCALLISTER is superintendent for the Faul ner Coal Company at Huffco in Logan County. His hon is in Huntington. Mr. McCallister has been acquainted wi practical mining operations for forty years, and his nan is widely and favorably known among the prominent co interests represented in the southern part of West Virgini The Faulkner Coal Company is one of the operations carrid on by the W. E. Deegans Consolidated Coal Company.

Mr. McCallister was born at Big Sewell Mountain, Fa ette County, West Virginia, November 13, 1868, son William and Rebecca (Campbell) McCallister. His fath was a farmer and shoemaker, and finally left the farm locate at Sewell, a station on the Chesapeake & Ohio Ra road. He was a democrat, and with his wife worshiped the faith of the Baptist Church. They had ten childre six sons and four daughters. The son Edward was f five years foreman of the Paragon Mines on Ram Cree and is now a mine foreman in the New River District.

John A. McCallister attended school at Fayette Count and was only a boy when his parents died. His educati. was abbreviated by the necessity of doing something f his own support. At the age of fourteen he went to wo as a trapper in the mines at Sewell, and his experience i cluded bailing water, hauling coal, mule driving, and final he was made boss driver, a job he held three years. F seven years he was a coal loader. Then, after an expe ence of a few months in the mines at Jellico, Tennesse he became assistant foreman of a mine on Loup Cree West Virginia, and from there went to the Paragon Min on Ram Creek as foreman. He spent eight years in t service there and was promoted to superintendent. E next work was with the E. R. Johnson Coal Company 1 low Peach Creek, on the Guyandotte, as superintendent, a: he was also superintendent of the operations at Peach Cree He spent about ten months there, and then became assi ant superintendent at Toplin, and in October, 1921, to up his present duties with the Faulkner Coal Comnany.

While living at Paragon he was a member of board. Mr. MeCallister married in 1898 Hester -. daughter of Robert House. Her father was a na England, and Mrs. McCallister was born in Weer" Mr. and Mrs. McCallister have nine living childr sons and six daughters. The sons Kenneth G. and John are in the grocery business at Huntington. Mr. and M McCallister are Methodists, and fraternally he is affiliat with Longdale Lodge No. 14, F. and A. M., on Ke neys Creek, the Scottish Rite bodies of the Consistory Wheeling, the Mystic Shrine of Charleston, the Indeper ent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. politics he is an independent voter.

HON. BELVARD J. PRICHARD, president of the Way County Bank and president of the Southern West Virgil Oil and Gas Corporation, located at Wayne forty yer ago as a young lawyer, and while steadily maintaining reputation for skill and efficiency as a civil and cumm cial lawyer, his Interests have become widely extended 1 only in the industrial field but as a forceful influence all matters of progress in his section of the state.

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Mr. Prichard represents a pioneer family of West Vir- ginia and Eastern Kentucky, and was born June 10, 1856, near Garner, on Little Sandy, In Boyd County. His first American ancestor was William Prichard, who left Walcs when a boy of fourteen, accompanied by his brother John, and, getting on board an Italian vessel, was taken across the sea and left on the shores of Virginia about 1745. William Prichard finally went to Russell County, Virginia, where he was living at the beginning of the nineteenth cen- tury, and subsequently moved to what is now Boyd County, Kentucky, where he died in 1819. His children were John, James, Lewis and Elizabeth. Of these Lewis was the father of Dr. Lewis Prichard, long prominent as a banker of Charleston, West Virginia.

James Prichard, son of William, was born in Russell County, Virginia, in 1796, and as a boy saw service in the War of 1812 as a coast guard at Norfolk, Virginia. About 1820 he came down the Big Sandy and settled at Buchanan in Lawrence County, Kentucky, where he became a citizen of distinction, planter and slave owner, and it is said that he never sold a slave, and negroes were so at- tached to him and his family that after liberty was given them they declined to part. James Prichard was a practical ideal of the peacemaker in his neighborhood, and was well qualified for the office of justice of the peace, which he filled. He also served as county assessor. He married Eliz- abeth Stewart, who was born in Giles County, Virginia, in 1804. They were active Methodists, and their family con- sisted of eight sons and one daughter.

One of the sons was Dr. William Allen Prichard, who was born near Buchanan in Lawrence County, Kentucky, August 4, 1823, and died at Garner February 2, 1900. He graduated from the Eclectic Medical Institute at Cin- cinnati in 1854, and for many years practiced his profes- sion at Garner. He served one term in the Kentucky State Legislature, was a member of the Royal Arch Chapter of Masons at Ashland, a stanch democrat and a contributing member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Doctor Prichard married Samantha Jones, who was born in Lce County, Virginia, September 17, 1830, and died September 13, 1916. She was the mother of six children: James M., a physician in Lee County, Virginia; Mrs. James W. Mul- lan. of Catlettsburg, Kentucky; Belvard J .; Mary E., who died at the age of twelve years; Helen, wife of Samuel D. Finley, of Bolts Fork, Kentucky, and both now deccased; Robert A., a resident of Wheaten, Missouri.

Belvard J. Prichard acquired his early education in the public schools of Eastern Kentucky, attended an academy at Ashland, the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, and Center College at Danville, Kentucky. In the course of these educational advantages he taught three ru- ral schools. He began the study of law in the office of his uncle. Keener F. Prichard, and Judge John Elliott at Cat- lettsburg, and in 1879 received his law degree from the University of Louisville. Mr. Prichard began practice at Groszcastle, Indiana, where he was associated with C. C. rinningm, afterward an Indiana congressman and also nom- Harrisof his party for governor. Reasons of health caused 3 fat] Prichard to give up his promising professional con- ril . 6. in Indiana, and in 1881 he located at Wayne, first ne County, West Virginia. His first associate here was William Merrell in the firm Prichard & Merrell, later he was a member of Prichard, McAlister & Fry, and sub- sequently Judge Tiernan became senior member of the firm Tiernan, Prichard & Fry. As his practice increased Mr. Prichard confined his efforts more and more to his spe- cialty as a civil and commercial lawyer.

With his rising professional prominence came honors of a public nature, and for two terms he was mayor of Wayne, and in 1888 was elected a member of the State Senate, serving as chairman of the committee on counties and munic- ipalities and the finance committee. In 1914 he was again nrged to become a candidate for the Legislature, and was nominated by the democratic party. his nomination being en- dorsed by the republican and progressive parties. He re- ceived every vote in the county except 191. He went to the Legislature primarily to fight the pending bill designed to cut off a part of Wayne County, and he permanently

blocked that piece of legislation. In 1916 Mr. Prichard hecame a member of the County Court, but resigned he- fore serving his full term.

The Wayne County Bank was organized in 1904, and Mr. Prichard has been president of this institution ever since. In 1908 he organized the Belvard Oil & Gas Com- pany, of which he became president, in 1909 organized the Central Wayne Oil & Gas Company, and in 1912, the Wayne Light, Heat & Water Company. These three companies have since been merged together as the Southern West Virginia Oil & Gas Corporation, of which Mr. Prichard is president. He also organized the East Lynn Coal Com- pany and the Big Sandy, East Lynn and Guyon Railroad Company, and among other enterprises he has promoted is the Wayne Brick & Tile Company. He has been an en- thusiastic advocate of good roads construction for a num- ber of years. Fraternally he is a Royal Arch Mason, has been grand master of the State Lodge of Odd Fellows, and has filled all the district offices in the Knights of Pythias.

In 1880 Mr. Prichard married Catherine Finley, daugh- ter of Eb Finley. Mrs. Prichard died in 1901, the mother of five children. The oldest, E. F., is an accountant at Macon, Georgia; Dr. Allen C. was in the World war as first lieutenant, then as captain, and, finally, as major. He was on the battle front at St. Mihiel and the Argonne, being dangerously wounded in the latter action, and is now prac- ticing medicine at Hot Springs, Arkansas. The third child, Stella M., is the wife of Gordon Davis, of Huntington, West Virginia. The son Oscar died at the age of nineteen, and the youngest, Sallie, is the wife of C. W. Harp, of Lex- ington. In 1902 Mr. Prichard married Etta R. Rucker, daughter of John W. and Emma Bell Rucker, of Lawrence County, Ohio. To this marriage have been born three sons, Belvard R., Marion J. and Russell G.

WILLIAM A. SHANNON for a long period of years, in fact since early manhood, has been in the service of the Balti- more & Ohio Railway Company. For over ten years he has been the railway station agent at Springfield in Hamp- shire County.

His name introduces one of the oldest of the pioneer families of this section of West Virginia. The founder of the name was his great-great-grandfather, who came from Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, and settled about a mile below the old farm at Springfield. William A. Shannon as a bey could see the ruins of his old pioneer home. He was a blacksmith, and a number of his descendants followed the same trade. His pioneer ancestor was buried in the old graveyard at Springfield in 1792, his grave being marked by a common stone slah. The next ancestor was his son, Thomas Shannon, who likewise was a blacksmith and de- voted his active life to his trade in his shop on the Spring- field townsite. He was laid to rest in the same graveyard as his father. Thomas Shannon married a Miss Walker, and among their children were: James. who settled at West Union, West Virginia; Andrew; and Mrs. William Donald- son, wife of a large slave helder and wealthy farmer be- tween Springfield and Green Spring in Hampshire County.

Andrew Shannon, grandfather of the railway station agent, was born at Springfield, and died there in 1850, at the age of fifty-two. He also followed his father's trade, and was the village blacksmith of his generation. He was never in public service of any kind. He married Mary Cross as his first wife. She came from Wood County. They had four sons, Benjamin, whe was a Springfield black- smith and a magistrate when he died; Thomas, the only soldier representative of the family who volunteered fer the Mexican war, and removed to Ohio and died at Nelsen- ville in that state; Robert, who also went to Ohio and prac- ticed medicine at Circleville; and James.

James Shannon was born August 5, 1824, and was only a few weeks old when his mother died. He had only a sub- scription school education, hut hls inquiring mind led him to investigate and acquire a knowledge of many subjecta outside his immediate experience. He became a black- smith, and for many years worked as a partner with his brother Benjamin at Springfield. He was a member of the school board, a Presbyterian, a loyal and faithful Christian

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in all his years, was a Southern man in sympathy and a democrat in politics. He died in 1908. His wife was Eliza- beth Somerville, who was born in October, 1821, and died New Year's morning of 1900. She was the daughter of William and Elizabeth (Phillips) Somerville, who came to Hampshire County from Frederick County, Virginia, and settled at Romney, where the daughter Elizabeth was born. William Somerville was a saddler and harness maker, and died in 1865, at the age of eighty-three. The children of James Shannon and wife were: Charles, who followed his father's trade for a short time and later became a merchant at Springfield, where he died; Miss Mary, of Springfield; Emma, wife of Charles Towers, of Baltimore; Sallie, who died at the age of sixteen; William Andrew; and Hannah, Mrs. Elwood Parsons, of Springfield.

William A. Shannon was born August 25, 1861, and was reared and educated at Springfield. At the age of twenty- one he entered the service of the Baltimore & Ohio Railway Company as a track man, was promoted to section fore- man, then to supervisor, and in October, 1911, took over the duties of station agent at Springfield as successor of J. D. Pownall. He has given over forty years to the serv- ice of the railway company, has performed his duties with a high degree of fidelity and efficiency, and has also per- formed a good part as a public spirited citizen of his home community.

For twenty-eight years Mr. Shannon has been a member of the Springfield School Board, and is its president. He is a democrat, is an elder in the Presbyterian Church of Springfield, a former superintendent of the Sunday school and is now assistant superintendent.

At Springfield, November 27, 1884, Mr. Shannon married Miss Fannie C. Parsons, daughter of William C. and Louise (Jarboe) Parsons, her mother a daughter of Washington Jarboe. Her father was born near Springfield and her mother at Piedmont, West Virginia. William Parsons was a Confederate soldier. Mrs. Shannon was born September 16, 1864, seventh in a family of thirteen children, eleven of whom grew up and nine are still surviving, namely : Elwood, of Springfield; Mrs. Nannie Parker, of Lincoln, Nebraska; Mrs. Shannon; Mrs. Sallie Hughes, of Moundsville, West Virginia; William, of Cumberland, Maryland; Miss Louise, of Springfield; John, of Piedmont; James and Charles, both of Springfield.

Mr. and Mrs. Shannon have one son, Augustus, born De- cember 25, 1885. He was educated in the public schools, is a traveling salesman, and during the World war served as a member of the Hampshire County Draft Board.

J. FRANK JUNKINS, chairman of the Board of County Commissioners of Mineral County, is one of the most pro- gressive of the agriculturalists of this region. His finely- improved farm in the Elk District being one of the most valuable rural properties in this part of West Virginia. He was born in New Creek District, Mineral County, January 31, 1872, a son of Ephraim Junkins and grandson of John Junkins, of Irish descent, who established his home in Mary- land at an early date, but came to Mineral County in his latter years, and here died. During many years of his life he was a school-teacher, and he was a well-educated man. Twice married, his son Ephraim was born of his second union.

Ephraim Junkins, it is believed, was born in Maryland, and following the close of the war of the '60s he came to Mineral County. Securing land in Elk District, he de- voted himself to farming, but was a man of moderate cir- cumstances, and worked hard to support his family. His education was a limited one, and he never formed any fra- ternal connections. During all of his mature years he was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and died firm in its faith when fifty-five years of age. In politics he was a republican, but he did not enter the contests for public honor.

The mother of J. Frank Junkins was Sarah (Harrison) Junkins, and she was a daughter of Nathan Harrison, and was born in Mineral County, in 1841. Although now an aged lady, she survives and is enjoying excellent health. Her father left Virginia for West Virginia, and he was a

farmer all his life. Two of the brothers of Mrs. Junkins, Reynolds and William Harrison, served in the Union army, and received pensions from the Federal Government. They were farmers of Mineral County, and died without issue. Mrs. Junkins' educational advantages were those afforded the country girl of her generation and locality. She and her husband became the parents of the following children: Charles C., who is a farmer of New Creek District; Oliver R., who is a farmer of Elk District; James Franklin, whose name heads this review; John, who died when seventeen years old; and Lucy Virginia, who married Henry Roberts, a farmer of Welton District.

J. Frank Junkins was reared on his father's farm and attended the district schools. After attaining his majority he began working for neighboring farmers, and continued in this line until he was thirty. During these nine years he had but two employers, and his wages ranged from $15 to $20 per month. In spite of the small amount he received he was thrifty and saved a considerable amount, having in mind all the while the purchase of a home of his own. This he was able to do when he ceased working for others, acquiring ownership of the farm in Elk District which has continued to be his home ever since. He has 628 acres of very productive land, all paid for, on which he is carrying on grain and stock raising. The original purchase was of 410 acres, but he and his wife have since added 218 acres to their farm. The improvements made by Mr. Junkins are many and include the remodeling of the house and the erection of a barn 30 by 40 feet, with a mowroom for forty tons or more of hay. His buildings are kept in fine repair, his fences are good, and he has improved machinery and appliances for doing his farm work. His stock shows the effects of breeding up to a high standard of grades, of which the Durham strain is his preference because of the milk-producing qualities. Mr. Junkins has gone into sheep- raising quite extensively, keeping to the Shropshire strain, and he has found this the most profitable of his industries, for sheep require less for upkeep and make two cash returns each year. His profits from his sheep have played an important part in his success as an agriculturalist. In addition to his farm and stock interests Mr. Junkins was a stockholder in the Siever Hardware Company of Keyser, which business was wiped out in the disastrous fire in that city in February, 1922.

Mr. Junkins is one of the most prominent republicans in this part of the state, and cast his maiden presidential vote for Major Mckinley in 1896, since which time he has remained faithful to his party's candidates. His personal success commended him for public service, and he was strongly urged for some time to become a candidate for county commissioner. Responding to these appeals, he entered the race in 1916, defeated his five competitors for the nomination, and won the election over the democratic candidate by the normal republican majority. Sworn in as commissioner in January, 1917, as the successor of J. R. Bane, for the first two years he served on the board with Alfred Ridgely and George Klenke. During the next two years George T. Carskadon took Mr. Klenke's place, and the last two years Aaron Thrush took Mr. Ridgely's place. The most important work accomplished by the board during Mr. Junkins' term of office have been the building of the New Creek "drive," the Keyser-Piedmont Road, eight miles of road grade from Blaine to the Northwestern Turn- pike, and nearly six miles of grade from Ridgely toward Patterson's Creek.

Mr. Junkins married Miss Eliza Virginia Dixon, a daugh- ter of Joseph and Amy (Bragg) Dixon. Joseph Dixon was born in Pennsylvania, but following the close of the war of the '60s he came to West Virginia as a school-teacher, and here met and married Amy Bragg. They spent the remainder of their lives on their farm in Mineral County. Mrs. Dixon was noted for her good spelling, and was a school-teacher prior to her marriage. Spelling was one of the branches in which she specialized, and was not satisfied until she thoroughly grounded her pupils in it. Mr. Dixon died in 1901, but she is still living, although over eighty years of age. She and her husband had three children who reached maturity, two of whom are now living, namely :

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lbert C. Dixon, who lives in the Elk District; and Mrs. unking, who was born April 7, 1875. Mr. and Mrs. unkins have a son, Albert Dixon, who was born April 7, 901. He graduated from the Elk District High School, nd is now a farmer. There are two children, Bessie and . Richard, born of his marriage with Myrtle Dixon.

While J. Frank Junkins is not identified with any ro- gious organization, he is a believer in the effectiveness of 18 work of the Protestant churches, and is a liberal sup- orter of all the denominations in his neighborhood, espe- ally of the Methodist Episcopal, as Mrs. Junkins was eared in its faith and is now a member of the local church. [r. Junkins's success is but the natural outcome of his idustry, thrift and good management. He early learned le value of money and how to invest it so as to yield a rofit. While he has been steadily adding to his material rosperity, however, as the years have passed he has not ailed to also win the approval and gain the respect of his eighbors, and is today recognized as one of the most repre- entative men of the county.

GEORGE WILLIAM FARR, who began the practice of law 1 West Union more than forty years ago, has served the rofession with all his abilities and character, has earned hose things that constitute success, and among other onors was for some time judge of the circuit including Joddridge County.

Judge Farr was born on a farm in Fayette County, Vest Virginia, December 18, 1857, son of Wesley J. and lizabeth (McCue) Farr. His father was born February 1824, in Vermont, son of Artemus and Chloe Farr. , Artemus Farr was born and reared on the south coast of Vales, and on coming to America settled in Vermont. Ie was accompanied by three brothers to this country. Vesley J. Farr was thirteen years of age when his father ied in 1837, and he was soon bound out to a New York ian, but on account of cruel treatment ran away and walked to New York City and from there traveled by teamboat to Richmond, Virginia. In Virginia he sought work, and was variously employed for several years and n the meantime added to his education by private study. Ie finally moved to what is now Pocahontas County, West Virginia, and a few years later to Nicholas County, where le met and married Elizabeth MeCue. She was born in Nicholas County, daughter of John and Malinda (Mc- Hlung) McCue, natives of Nicholas County, where they pent their lives. After his marriage Wesley Farr re- nained in Nicholas County farming until 1856, and then established his home on another farm in Fayette County, where he lived until his death, on May 29, 1900. His wife, Elizabeth, died in 1866, the mother of five children, two of whom died in infancy. The other three were: Chloe M., Mrs. Charles Judy, of Lansing, West Virginia; George W .; and James C., of Fayetteville. For his second wife Wesley Farr married Mary E. Legg, who was born and eared in Fayette County, and is still living. She became he mother of nine children, named Ellen, Leonard, Grant, Rosa, Walter, Arthur, Susan, John and Lud.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 87

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