History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 88

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Wesley Farr was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a man of intellectual power and force of haracter, and in spite of the fact that he was largely self educated he was regarded as one of the best informed men in his county. He held several positions of honor and trust, being a member of the County Court and justice of the peace. He was a strong Union man in the Civil war. In politics he was a democrat up to the war, but ever after was a republican.

Judge George W. Farr attended rural schools, and after exhausting these advantages he became in turn a teacher and taught for six terms. In the meantime he was study- ing law, and in April, 1881, he was admitted to the bar and on the twenty-fifth of the same month he established his office at West Union. During all the busy years of a professional career he has looked after an extensive private practice, has served as county prosecuting attorney, as mayor of West Union, for eight years was a state senator, and resigned that office to become judge of the Circuit Court by appointment from Governor Atkinson to fill a

vacancy. He was on the bench for twenty months, and then resumed private practice. Judge Farr has farm in- terests and has prospered in his business affairs as well as in his profession. He is a republican and a member of the Methodist Church.

On April 15, 1886, Judge Farr married Miss Agnes V. Stuart. Her father, Chapman J. Stuart, one of the able lawyers and prominent citizens of West Virginia, was born in Highland County, Virginia, January 8, 1820, and died at West Union, April 20, 1888, a son of Edward and Margaret A. Stuart, who removed to Harrison County, West Virginia, in 1822. The first wife of Chapman J. Stuart was Elizabeth E. Little, a native of Bedford County, Pennsylvania, who died in 1855. In 1858 he married Mary A. Stuart, who was born in Bath County, Virginia. Chapman J. Stuart served as county prosecutor from 1852 to 1861. He was an opponent of secession, and sat as a member of the First Wheeling Convention of 1861, was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1862, and in 1863 was elected judge of the Circuit Court and was on the bench for ten years, until 1873. His public service to the state continued after leaving the bench, and in 1874-75 and again in 1878-79 he represented Doddridge County in the Legislature. During the Civil war he did some valuable work as a lieutenant of the Fourteenth West Virginia Infantry in recruiting Union soldiers, raising Company A of that regiment. He was a democrat and a member of the Methodist Church.

Judge and Mrs. Farr have two children: Mary and Ruby T. Mary is the deceased wife of Ed. Maxwell, and her only child, Mary Agnes, is now being reared in the home of her grandparents, Judge and Mrs. Farr. Ruby is the wife of Everet W. Maxwell.

DAVID Fox. The entire absence of competition in his special line of business endeavor at Huntington cannot account for the worthwhile success that has attended the career of David Fox, proprietor of the Branchland Supply Company, jobbers in oil and gas well supplies. This enter- prise is entirely of Mr. Fox's own development, and in its building up he has displayed all the characteristics included in the make-up of a successful business man, including perseverance, aggressiveness tempered by practical con- servatism, and an integrity that has become proverbial.

Mr. Fox was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, September 27, 1888, a son of Sam and Henrietta (Adler) Fox. Sam Fox, now a resident of Huntington, was born February 26, 1863, in Bavaria, and was a youth of seventeen years when he immi- grated to the United States. In his native land he had received a common school education and learned the trade of tailoring, and on his arrival at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1880, applied himself to his trade and subsequently established himself in business as a merchant tailor. He was married in that city, where he continued to make his home until 1899, in that year removing to Huntington, West Virginia, where he opened a tailoring establishment. He has enjoyed constantly increasing success, and is now one of the leaders of the city in his line of business. Mr. Fox is a republican in his political sympathies, and belongs to Oheb-Sholom Temple, Huntington. He is fraternally affiliated with the Masons and with Huntington Lodge No. 313, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Mr. Fox married Miss Henrietta Adler, who was born in 1863, in Baden, Germany, and died at Huntington in 1911, a woman of many excellencies of heart and mind. Mr. and Mrs. Fox became the parents of the following children: David, of this review; Hilda, a graduate nurse of New York City, who saw much active service as a nurse in France during the World war; Leo, who is engaged in the insurance business at Huntington; Erwin, proprietor of the Fox Dry Cleaning Company of Huntington; and James, who is attending the Huntington High School.

David Fox attended the graded schools of Huntington and the high school through the sophomore year, and, leav- ing school in 1904, joined his father in the merchant tailor- ing business. He remained with the elder man for four years, and in 1908 joined the Guyan Oil Company, as chief clerk at Huntington, continuing with that concern until

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1913. At that time he became the founder of the Branch- land Supply Company, jobbers in oil and gas well supplies, and has built up a prosperous and flourishing business, the only one of its kind at Huntington, where he maintains well-appointed offices at 201-2 Day and Night Building. Mr. Fox has won success entirely through his own ability and progressiveness, and at the same time has maintained a high standing in the esteem and confidence of those with whom he has been associated. He is a stockholder in the Huntington National Bank and the Ohio Valley Bank of Huntington. His political views make him a republican, and he is a member of Oheb-Sholom Temple of Huntington. As a fraternalist he holds membership in Huntington Lodge No. 313, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the B'nai B'rith. He is likewise a member of the Guyan Country Club of Huntington and the Huntington Rotary Club. He owns a comfortable, modern residence at No. 1115 Tenth Avenue.

In 1915, at Cincinnati, Ohio, Mr. Fox was united in mar- riage with Miss Blanche Goodman, daughter of Abram and Nessie (VanCleef) Goodman, the latter of whom is de- ceased, while the former still resides at Cincinnati, where he is the proprietor of a sales stable. Two children have come to Mr. and Mrs. Fox: Betty Jane, born August 19, 1916; and David, Jr., born February 19, 1921.

CECIL H. PERRY was born in Logan County at a time when this famous coal district was hardly known to the world. He received a training that equipped him with the highest degree of technical skill for service in the coal in- dustry, and as a civil and mining engineer returned to his native county a year or so ago and is now general superin- tendent for the Main Island Creek Coal Company at Stirrat on the Omar Branch of the Chesapeake & Ohio.

Mr. Perry was born in Logan, May 22, 1886, son of N. F. and 1da (Gore) Perry. The Gores are an old West Virginia family. The Perry family were early settlers in the famous Pike County District of Missouri. N. F. Perry was born, however, in West Virginia, and served in the Confederate army, being a member of the regiment known as the Wild Cats. He was once wounded in the forearm, and subse- quently was captured and was held at Fort Donelson until 1866. He was a farmer by occupation.

Cecil H. Perry attended common schools at Logan, and acquired his professional education in Columbia University of New York City, where he graduated civil engineer in 1907. As a civil engineer engaged in work of a mine en- gineer he spent two years in New Mexico with the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Coal Company. He then returned East and was at Washington from 1909 to 1912 as resident engineer for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. Returning to West Virginia, he became an engineer with the Consoli- dated Coal Company at Fairmont, and served with this corporation successively as mining engineer, superintendent and finally as general superintendent until January, 1920, when he resigned and took up his present duties at Stirrat with the Main Island Creek Coal Company. He is general superintendent of mines Nos. 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 for this company. Mr. Perry was discouraged from army service during the war, since he was more useful to the Government in securing a maximum of coal production.

On May 22, 1912, at Jackson, Kentucky, Mr. Perry mar- ried Miss Nancy E. Woodman, daughter of Jesse and Elizabeth (Combs) Woodman, both natives of Kentucky. Her father is a merchant at Hazard, that state. The two children born to their marriage are Mary Elizabeth and Paul. Mr. and Mrs. Perry are Baptists, and he is a Master Mason and is also affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias.

CHARLES W. ATKINSON is the efficient general superin- tendent of the Jenkinjones group of mines (Nos. 5, 6, 7 and 8) operated by the Pocahontas Fuel Company, in the vicin- ity of the Village of Jenkinjones, McDowell County.

Mr. Atkinson was born in Montgomery County, Virginia, March 3, 1870, and is a son of James G. and Mary Eliza- beth (Cunningham) Atkinson, both natives of Bedford County, Virginia, where the former was born April 12,

1842, and the latter, September 7, 1844. The parents now reside at Alleghany Springs, Montgomery County, Virginia and all of their five children are living. James G. Atkinson was a valiant soldier of the Confederacy in the Civil war took part in many battles, including those of Chattanooga Lookout Mountain and Princeton, and his command wal with the forces of General Johnston on the retreat to the seaboard and at the final surrender in North Carolina Mr. Atkinson has been a successful farmer, and has beer engaged also in work as a carpenter and builder. He was for twelve years a resident of McDowell County, West Virginia, where he built houses at various mines and also did other construction work. At Northfork, this county he served as justice of the peace. He now owns and resides upon his well improved farm in Montgomery County, Vir ginia, and both he and his wife are in the best of health They are active members of the Missionary Baptist Church and he is a republican and a member of the United Con- federate Veterans. Edwin Thomas, eldest of the children is a farmer near the home of his parents; Charles W., of this review, was next in order of birth; Lillie is the wife of B. F. Barnes, of Floyd County, Virginia; Lulu Maude is the widow of John W. Doss, who, as a contractor, built hundreds of mine houses, and she resides at Alta Vista, Virginia; Frank M. resides at Graham, that state.

Charles W. Atkinson gained his youthful education in the schools of his native county, and he was twenty-one years of age when he came to MeDowell County, West Virginia and initiated his association with coal mining. He worked with pick and shovel in the loading of coal at Simmons Creek, and four months later went to the Upland Mine of the Crozier Coal Company, where he won promotion to the position of head trackman. After four years he became the company's slate foreman at Northfolk, and his effective serv- ice led to consecutive advancement, both at Northfolk and Arlington. He was assistant mine foreman three years, then became mine foreman at Greenbrier, and finally was made general foreman in charge of the Cherokee Mine. At Switchback. as general foreman, he had charge of five mines, and thereafter he was in service one year at Northfolk and later at Shamokin and Lick Branch. For two years he was general superintendent of the Rolfe collieries of the Poca- hontas Fuel Company, and in 1912 he assumed his present responsible position as general superintendent at Jenkin- jones. The railroad extension to this point had not been made at that time and the opening of the mines, including the general construction work, were effected under his super- vision, so that he is consistently to be termed a pioneer in this now important coal field. He has been closely identified with general development and progress in the community, and has served as a member of the school board of Adkins District. He is a republican, is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the Knights of Pythias, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Atkinson is more than six feet in height, strong in mind and body, and a fine representative of the productive workers of the world.

On July 3, 1896, Mr. Atkinson married May Flanner, daughter of J. K. Flanner, of Elkhorn, this state, to which he came from Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson have four sons and three daughters.

EARL MCCONNAUGHY has effectively upheld the prestige of the family name in connection with the coal-mining industry, and is one of its vital and progressive exponents in the Kentucky and West Virginia fields. He was the organizer and is secretary, treasurer and general manager of the P. M. C. Coal Company, which derives its title from the surname initials of its three promoters, Messrs. Palmer, McConnaughy and Countremen. The coal lands of the company comprise 600 acres on Hatfield Bend of the Tug River in Pike County, with a steel bridge across the river to afford connection with the company's tipple in West Vir- ginia. The residence and executive headquarters of Mr. Mc- Connaughy are maintained at Sprigg, Mingo County, West Virginia. He had the supervision of the opening of the mine of this company and the erection and equipping of the producing plant, operations at the mine having been

Bhas. Spindles

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initiated in August, 1918, and the company having de- veloped a large export trade.

Mr. McConnaughy was born at Bridgeport, Ohio, June 19, 1877, a son of Howell and Sophia (Heneke) McCon- naughy, both likewise natives of that place, where the mother died in February, 1911, aged fifty-nine years, and where the death of the father occurred in the following October, when he was sixty-two years of age. Howell Mc- Connaughy was actively concerned with coal mining during his entire business career, and operated mines in the Eastern Ohio District. Of the family of three sons and one daugh- ter the eldest son, Albert C., was president of the Buffalo Eagle Coal Company, operating in the Logan field of West Virginia, and also secretary and treasurer of the Guyan Coal Company, his death having occurred in 1920. Fred is district agent of the New York Life Insurance Company, with headquarters at Lead, South Dakota. The only daugh- ter is Mrs. Charles Adams, of Dayton, Ohio.

The early education of Earl MeConnaughy was acquired in the schools of his native place. He was eighteen years old when he left the Bridgeport High School and initiated his association with the practical affairs of business. He became night superintendent of the Aetna Standard Mill, and four years later, at the age of twenty-two years, he became assistant superintendent for the Republic Iron & Steel Company at Toledo, Ohio. A year later he accepted the position of superintendent for the Henderson Coal Com- pany, operating in Ohio, and in this connection he main- tained his headquarters in his native city of Bridgeport for ten years. He then came to the Logan coal fields in West Virginia, and for two years was engaged in the buying of coal lands. He then became manager of the Alma Thacker Fnel Company in Kentucky, not far distant from Matewan, West Virginia, and his next decisive movement was the organizing of the P. M. C. Coal Company, of which he has since continned secretary, treasurer and general manager. He was in the last draft, at the time of the World war, but received from Government authorities instruction to bend his energies to the production of coal, an economic service of as much value as could be that which he might render in the army or navy. He spurred his energies to the maximum production of fuel, and thus effectively followed the instructions which had been given. Mr. McConnaughy's basic Masonic affiliation is with the Blue Lodge at William- son, and in the Scottish Rite he has received the thirty- second degree, besides which he is a member of the Lodge of Elks at Martins Ferry, Ohio. He was reared in the faith of the Methodist Church, and his wife holds membership in the Presbyterian Church.

On April 5, 1900. Mr. McConnaughy married Miss Lney Hill, daughter of Thomas Hill, of Bridgeport, Ohio. They have no children.

CHARLES SPINDLER. Before answering the summons of death on March 17, 1922, Charles Spindler had accumu- lated those achievements that mark for lasting honor, an individual life. He was a former sheriff of Preston County, and had spent thirty years as a contractor both in general building and in road construction and prob- ably had as much substantial work to his eredit in Preston County as any other man in his line.

The Spindler family has been in Preston County since prior to the Civil war. His grandfather, Jonathan Spindler brought his family to the United States from one of the German states about 1828, first locating in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, where Jonathan Spindler died. He and his wife were buried near Turkeyfoot. He was a farmer, and all his sons were farmers or mechanics. These sons- there were no daughters-were three in number, John, Jona- than and Andrew.

Andrew Spindler was a volunteer soldier at the time of the Civil war, but hostilities closed before he got out of training camp. He learned the carpenter's trade, made It his life work, though he also owned a farm and reared his family in the conntry. On coming to West Virginia he established his home near Clifton Mills in Grant District of Preston County. He was a contractor and builder in this locality. He died in 1908, surviving his wife two years.

They were buried at St. Peter'e in Grant District. Andrew Spindler was one of the respected men of his locality, though he never sought public honors, voted as a republican and worshipped as a Lutheran, He was a hearty and rugged man, about medium height, and had a fine sense of duty. His wife was Nancy J. Haines, of a family that came to Preston County prior to the Spindlers. She was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Her children were: Elizabeth, widow of Robert Maust, residing near Clifton Mills; William, a farmer and veterinarian in Grant Dis- trict, and a member of the County Court; Loretta, who died at Fairchance, Pennsylvania, wife of Steward Barclay ; Isabel, who became the wife of Edward Smith, of Union- town, West Virginia; James G., of Fayetteville, Pennsyl- vania; Samuel of Burkettstown, Pennsylvania; Charles; and Bruce, an undertaker and furniture dealer in King- wood.

Charles Spindler was born April 29, 1871, at his father's home in Grant District. He lived with his parents until he passed his twenty-first birthday. He attained a com- mon school education and attended two summer normals in Grant District. For four years he was an apprentice at the carpenter's trade, followed it as a journeyman, and gradually took on an ever increasing scope of activities as a contractor. For many years his work was in building houses and barns in Grant District exclusively. From there he expanded his business over a larger territory, and to include all classes of building and construction work, in- eluding road making.

Mr. Spindler perfected an organization for handling per- haps the most important class of public improvement to- day, road building. Of hard surface road in Preston County he constructed some fifteen miles. In 1921 he completed three and a half miles of the Corinth and Albright roads. The building of durable and permanent roads was a subject to which Mr. Spindler devoted a great deal of time and study, and he appreciated some of the limitations imposed upon the contractors. While the type of hard surface roads recently constrneted is a wonderful improvement over the old dirt road, it will not stand up, in the opinion of Mr. Spindler, under the heavy traffic of many years, since the construction work specified is too light. Ordinarily five and seven inches of thickness has been the standing for road building over the state, and while experience shows it to be insufficient, county courts have been slow in conceding their mistake and have failed to adopt heavier type, involving greater initial expense, but undoubtedly the better for permanent wear. Insufficient drainage is another feature of road building that Mr. Spindler discovered through experience, but the matter of drainage has been well taken care of in his territory, and undoubtedly an ideal system of drainage and con- strnetion will in time be the standard.

One good example of Mr. Spindler's activities in house building is his Kingwood home, a ten-room brick of two stories, which with its modern features, stands as one of the finest residences in the county scat. Earlier in his career he built his home in Bruceton and another at Terra Alta. One high class artistic home which he constructed is the Lincoln home at Kingwood. He erected four of the Hopemont sanitarium buildings, the Masontown school building and the bank building at that place, perhaps the equal or better than any other banking house in the connty. He was also contractor for the Methodist Church and par- sonage at Terra Alta. The best example of his concrete construction is the three-story Herring business building at Kingwood.

Along with contracting Mr. Spindler found other inter- ests to engage his time and attention. The people of Pres- ton County nominated him for sheriff in 1908. He was the successful one among five candidates for the republican nomination. He was elected, defeating William M. Schaeffer, and served the four year term allowed by law. He was a village and peace officer, though he had per- haps only the normal routine of duties. Three murders were committed in the connty during that time, and he used his official authority to break up some of the illicit traffic in liquor. Mr. Spindler was twice elected mayor

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of Terra Alta, and served one term in the same office for Kingwood. At Kingwood. his administration was marked by an era of street improvement. Mr. Spindler was a member of West Virginia Consistory of Scottish Rite Masonry at Wheeling, and was also affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, and Woodmen of the World. He was reared a Luth- eran but for a number of years was a member of the Methodist Church.

In Preston County April 11, 1899, Mr. Spindler married Miss Nettie Matheny, daughter of W. J. Matheny and Fanny (Bush) Matheny. Mrs. Spindler was born in Lewis County, West Virginia, in 1876, the oldest of eight children, the others being Effie; Jessie, a trained nurse who died unmarried; Mrs. Hattie Lyons; Howe; Ray; Miss Willa and Miss Myrtle. Except Mrs. Spindler all these children now live in Southern California, around Los Angeles.

Surviving the honored husband and father are Mrs. Spindler and two children: Charles Hobart was associated with his father in the contracting business. He married Miss Josephine Brown. Gerald Ralph is a student in the University of Morgantown.

The first wife of Mr. Spindler was Luanna Wirsing. By this marriage he had a son, William W., who after reaching manhood became associated with his father in business, and left civilian life to enlist at the beginning of the World war. He was in the field artillery and died at Camp Meade of the influenza and was buried with the honors of a soldier at Kingwood.

DON CUNNINGHAM. Although one of the younger mem- bers of the Braxton County Bar Association, Don Cunning- ham has already proven his ability as a lawyer and worth as a man, and is enjoying a large and growing practice at Gassaway. He is a veteran of the World war, and his record as a soldier is characteristic of the man. He was born in Randolph County, West Virginia, June 17, 1895, a son of David S. and Minnie (Warner) Cunningham, born in 1858 and 1865, respectively. The paternal grandfather was Solomon F. Cunningham, and the family is of Scotch-Irish descent. David S. Cunningham was reared on a farm, and educated in the free and normal schools of West Virginia. During his younger years he was engaged in teaching school and held a first-grade certificate, but later on in life carried on an extensive business as a lumber merchant, and was a member of the lumberman's organization known as Hoo Hoos. In his political sentiments and actions he was a re- publican, and stanch in his party support. The Presbyte- rian Church held his membership. The following children were born to him and his wife: Guy, who is a graduate of the Keyser preparatory branch of West Virginia University, and is at home; Warren, who is auditor of the Central West Virginia & Southern Railroad; Margaret, the wife of Floyd Harris; Robert, a resident of Montrose, Randolph County, West Virginia; and Don, whose name heads this review.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 88

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