History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 94

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record has already been given concerning the four children, but it may be stated that Winifred graduated from the Wheeling Female College and that her husband is now Judge Homer B. Woods of Harrisville; Juniata, who at- tended Broaddus College, became the wife of Rev. Wheeler Boggess, who served as a missionary of the Baptist Church in India, from 1892 to 1915, the death of Mrs. Boggess having occurred at Phillipi, West Virginia, February 20, 1920, as previously stated.

Thomas Jeffrey Davis gained his early education in the public schools of Harrisville, West Virginia, com- pleting his public school education in Washington, D. C., and was thereafter graduated in Woods Commercial Col- lege in that city. He also attended Broaddus College, Clarksburg, West Virginia, and in 1900 be was graduated in the law department of the University of West Virginia. He received at this time the degree of Bachelor of Laws, and later he received the degree of Master of Laws from Columbian University, Washington, D. C. In 1901 he was admitted to the bar, and he has since been successfully engaged in the active practice of profession at Harrisville, save for the interval of his service as private secretary of the president of the Senate of the West Virginia Leg- islature. He was elected prosecuting attorney of Ritchie County in 1912, and that his administration has been spe- cially efficient is indicated by the fact that in 1920 he was re-elected for a third consecutive term. He is a re- publican and is an influential figure in the councils of his party in his native county. Mr. Davis is the owner of a considerable amount of real estate in his home city and county, including his attractive home. He is a director of the First National Bank and is interested also in oil production enterprise in this section of the state. He and his wife are specially zealous and valued members of the Baptist Church at Harrisville, and he served nearly eleven years as superintendent of its Sunday school, besides having served twelve years as secretary of the Ritchie County Sunday School Association, and is also serving as record- ing secretary of the West Virginia State Sunday School Association and as secretary of its executive committee. He is past master of Harrisville Lodge, No. 98, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; is a member of Odell S. Long Chapter, No. 25, Royal Arch Masons; is a past eminent commander of Pennsboro Commandery, No. 20, Knights Templars; and is a member of Nemesis Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Wheeling. Both he and his wife hold membership in the Order of the Eastern Star, in which he is a past patron of the local chapter and a past grand patron of the grand chapter of the state, Mrs. Davis being affiliated also with the Daughters of Rebekah.

June 27, 1917, recorded the marriage of Mr. Davis and Miss Hermoine Goff, of Burnt House, Ritchie County. She attended Marshall College at Huntington, and the Fair- mont Normal School, and for four years was a popular teacher in the schools of Ritchie County prior to her mar- riage. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have two children: Thomas Jeffrey, Jr., born September 1, 1918, and George L., born May 4, 1921.

J. R. WILLIAMSON SMITH, of Phillipi, is a native of Barbour County and a member of one of the substantial old families of this section. He was born in Barker Dis- trict on Bill's Creek, January 13, 1848.

His grandfather, Henry Smith, left old Virginia in early boyhood with his brother Jacob, crossed the mountains on foot and settled on the waters of Sugar Creek in Randolph County, within what is now the limits of Barbour County. The two brothers located in the woods, put up a cabin of round logs, notched together, and they kept bachelor's hall there until they married. The old log house at a later period in the family history was used by Mrs. Henry Smith as a loom house. Henry Smith did some of the work that first brought the virgin soil of that locality into cultivation. To eke out the slender income from the farm he worked at the carpenter's trade. After reaching advanced age he turned over the property to his children, lived with his daughter in Roane County and died there about 1890, when past ninety years of age, and is buried near Spencer. The

FWHorahler

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wife of Henry Smith was Katie Lesher, who died at the old homestead on Sugar Creek, the mother of the follow- ing children: Polly, who married Bryan Gainer and died in Roane County; Alpheus; John, who spent his life as a farmer in Roanc County; Hiram, who served two years in the Confederate army, was a tanner by trade, and spent his last years in Texas; George, a farmer who was a Union soldier and died in Roane County; Bettie, who married Michael Nestor and died in Gilmer County; Martha Jane, who married Oliver Buck and died in Roane County; Hulda, who died in Roane County, the wife of Daniel Phillips; Rebecca Ann, who is living at Philippi, at the age of eighty-five, wife of Charles Wolverton.

Alpheus Smith was born on Sugar Creek, started life with only the meager advantages furnished by a term or two of school in an old log shanty in his neighborhood, and farming was the work which he prosecuted as a means of rearing his family. He lived on Bill's Creek and died in 1906, when almost eighty years of age. He was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church and a republican. The wife of Alpheus Smith was Ann Glasscock, daughter of William and Mahala (Cole) Glasscock. Her father, a native of Bath County, Virginia, came to West Virginia as a young man, served as a soldier in the War of 1812, and was a farmer. He died about 1855, survived by his widow. Their children were: William, who went to Iowa and died there; Chapin, who died in Iowa; Spencer, who died at Grafton; Ailsy, who married Abraham Reed and died in Barbour County; Peggie, who died in Barbour County, wife of Abner Bilan; Joshua, who lived in Barbour County ; Susan, who was the wife of Meredith Hathaway, of Barbour County; Nettie, who became the wife of Rev. Thomas Wood, a Baptist minister; Hannah, who died in Barbour County, wife of Henry Wood; and Mrs. Alpheus Smith, the youngest of the children, who died at the age of sixty- five. She was the mother of Mozell Smith, who spent her life in Barbour County, wife of Marshall Lake; John R. Williamson; Bettie, who died in childhood; and Julia Ann, of Barbour County, wife of Ransom Bennett.

Jolın Riekmier Williamson Smith so far as his literary education was concerned is a product of one of the old time schools now happily obsolete in West Virginia. Over the windows was pasted greased paper, there were slab benches for seats, no desks, and the material of instruc- tiou was almost as crude as the equipment. Mr. Smith continued to live at home with his parents for two years after passing his majority, and then married and went to farming in the same community. Eight years later he moved to the Philippi locality, and continued farming and stock raising here. In an early day he freighted coal for fuel for Philippi. Mr. Smith was old enough to observe some of the local events involved in the Civil war. He heard the guns at the battle of Philippi. He has been a resident of Philippi for thirty years, and is still keeping in touch with his farm. He is a member of the Baptist Church, and has voted the regular democratic ticket for half a century, beginning with Horace Greeley.

In Barbour County he married Miss Celia A. Wilson, daughter of Isaiah Wilson. An article on another page gives the very interesting history of this Wilson family, one of the most prominent in this section of West Virginia. Mrs. Smith was born at Galena, Ohio, in 1838, but was reared in Barbour County aud was married November 29 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Smith had three children. The oldest is Winfield Scott Smith, the Philippi physician. The second is Alpheus, professor of physics in the State University of Ohio. The only daughter, Zanna Grace, died unmarried in March, 1904.

WINFIELD SCOTT SMITH, M. D. Graduated from medical college in 1899, Doctor Smith has been a busy practitioner ever since, chiefly in the community where he was born and reared, Philippi. While in general practice, his suc- cess as a surgeon has attracted attention. Doctor Smith represents through his father and mother two of the old and prominent families of West Virginia. He is a son of J. R. Williamson Smith, whose record is given separately,

and Celia A. (Wilson) Smith, of the well known and his- toric Wilson family.

Doctor Smith was born on the Philippi townsite, where the Methodist Church now stands, September 7, 1873. As he grew to manhood he attended the public schools, worked during vacations on the farm, and had plenty of physical training to supplement the intellectual processes of school. After completing his work in the Philippi schools he passed the teachers examination, and for three terms had charge of a country school as teacher.

In the meantime he had definitely determined upon medi- cine as his life work, and he pursued the study in the Medical College of Virginia at Richmond, where he was graduated in 1899. Thus qualified for practice, he re- turned to his birthplace and opened an office at Philippi. His continuous practice here was interrupted in 1908 when he removed to Huntington, and was a physician in that city for seven years. For five years of that period he was associated with Dr. R. E. Vickers, one of the ablest surgeons of the state. For the past seven years Doctor Smith has resumed his post of professional duty in Philippi. He is a member of the Tri-county Medical Society, including Randolph, Tucker and Barbour counties.

Doctor Smith is a member of the Kiwanis Club, the Elks, Knights of Pythias and Odd Fellows, has for a num- ber of years been public school physician at Philippi. In polities he is an uncompromising democrat, having cast his first vote for Mr. Bryan in 1900. He served one term as city health officer of Philippi.

By his first marriage he has a daughter, Beatrice, who was educated in Marshall College at Huntington and Broad- dus College, and is now a teacher of Elkins. On March 4, 1915, at Huntington, Doctor Smith married Dei Gratia McWilliams. Her father, R. W. McWilliams, was one of the best known men in the public life of Cabell County, serving as circuit clerk for eighteen years. He was born at Grafton, was orphaned in childhood, was crippled by the railroad at Grafton while driving the village cars, and in spite of these two handicaps secured a liberal education and hecame a successful man, few citizens giving a better account of themselves in the community. Mrs. Smith is one of a family of four sons and four daughters, and she completed her education in the Huntington High School before going to college.

FREDERICK WILLIAM HORCHLER has always had his home at Newburg in Preston County, and has devoted fully a third of a century to the varied work and duties of coal mining. He is one of the coal operators of that section, and has borne his share of civie duties in the community.

Mr. Horchler was born at Newburg, May 28, 1869. His father, William Horchler, was born in Germany, son of a forester to the king. William left Frankfort on the Maine to avoid the enforced military duty in the German army. Two of his brothers, Frederick and August, also came to America, Frederick spending his life at Eckart, Maryland, where he left a family, while August lived as a neighbor to his brother William at Newburg, was a shoemaker by trade, later in the railroad service, and is now a retired engineer living at Cumberland, Maryland. William Hor- chler established himself at Newburg in 1857. He was young at the time, and at Newburg he applied himself to the trade he had learned in the old country, shoemaking. He soon became interested in railroading, first as a section hand, was then foreman of the section at Newburg, and from that transferred to the train service, beginning as a fireman, and he ran an engine for more than thirty years. He retired from the service at the age of sixty-five. His home was at Newburg for more than a half a century, and he died there in November, 1910, at the age of seventy- three. For a time he was a member of the town council, was a democrat and a member of the Lutheran Church. William Horchler married Mary Hilgartner, a native of Hesse Darmstadt, Germany. She came to the United States as a young woman and met her husband at Newburg. She was a working girl, and they were married at Independence in the home of her employer, Colonel Monroe, then a super-

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visor of the Baltimore & Ohio Railway. She died in No- vember, 1913. The children of this good old couple were: Henry, who left a family at Newark, Ohio, at his death; Annie, wife of G. M. Frazier and living at Laurel Lee, West Virginia; Amelia, wife of J. F. Stanhagen, of Fair- mont; Frederick W .; and Lena, wife of John M. Carrico, of Rowlesburg, West Virginia.

Frederick W. Horchler spent several terms in school at Newburg, but his substantial education has been the result of working experience. At the age of fourteen he entered the service of a coal company. Through successive duties as mule driver, coke worker, store clerk, boiler fireman at the mine, he eventually became mine superintendent, and for eighteen years had charge of the Austen Mine. Leav- ing the Austen Coal and Coke Company in 1916, Mr. Hor- chler became an operator on his own account and on his own capital. Under the name of the Horchler Coal Mining Com- pany he opened a mine in the Upper Freeport vein, and this company when operating to capacity employed sixty men. He opened a new coal field at Newburg, the property being operated by the Ilorchler Big Vein Coal Company, working the Pittsburg and Bakerstown seams. Mr. Horchler was also one of the original stockholders and is a director of the First National Bank of Newburg. In the role of good citizenship he was elected in 1918 as county commissioner for Lyon District as successor of Commissioner O. W. Zinn. During his term on the court the Morgantown- Kingwood Pike was improved and a number of wooden bridges over the county replaced by concrete and steel structures. Mr. Horchler grew up in a democratic home, cast his first presidential ballot for Grover Cleveland, and has departed from party regularity only in local elections, where the man is more important than the ticket. Mr. Horchler is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias. His two older sons, Frederick and Albert, are Masous, Frederick having reached the thirty-second degree of Scottish Rite, and his other son, Edward, is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the dramatic and social branch of that order

At Newburg, August 5, 1901, Mr. Horchler married Miss Annie Brain, who was born at Newburg, October 4, 1869. Her father, John G. Brain, married a Miss Downey and their three children were: Frank Brain, who died in the Philippines as a member of Company C of the Tenth Penn- sylvania Volunteers; ; Mrs. Horchler; and Ollie, who died at Connellsville, Pennsylvania, in 1910, wife of Samuel Moxley.

The oldest of Mr. Horchler's children is Frederick W., Jr., now associated with his father in the coal business and who was a member of Company C of the Thirteenth United States Marines during the World war, fighting with that organization in France one year and coming home after the signing of the armistice. The second son, also connected with his father's coal industry, is Albert Lee, who married Mary Dorsey, of Fairmont. The third son, Edward J., is a farmer at home. The two daughters are Mahel and Mary, the latter attending high school.

OMER P. FRAME, cashier of the Farmers and Mechanics Bank of Gassaway, is one of the astute financiers and solid citizens of Braxton County, who has won an enviable repu- tation for integrity and efficiency. He was born at Frametown, West Virginia, August 27, 1886, a son of Elliott and Rebecca (James) Frame. Elliott Frame was also born at Frametown, a son of Thomas Frame, an early settler of Frametown, for whom the town was named. Upon locating there he built a grist-mill, operated by water power, and this he conducted the greater part of his life, and his son, Elliott Frame, also operated this old mill. Elliott Frame was educated in the common schools of Frametown, and in early life was a teacher in Braxton County, but is now a carpenter in the employ of the Balti- more & Ohio Railroad Company. For many years a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, he is active in Sunday School, and has a class. In his political con- victions he is a democrat. There were two children born to him and his wife, namely: Etta, who was graduated from the common schools, is now the wife of J. L. Barker; and Omer P., whose name heads this review.

Like his father, Omer P. Frame was reared at Frame- town and attended its common schools, remaining at home until he reached his majority. He has been cashier of his present bank since its organization, and associated with this institution in an official position are Dr. J. W. Smith, president ; V. G. Bender, vice president, who with Mr. Frame and J. C. Kinton, S. W. Rosenberger, Leslie Frame. Dr. L. A. Jarrett, P. C. Belknap, Norman Sirk and A. C. James form the Board of Directors. The Farmers and Mechanics National Bank of Gassaway is one of the most solid institutions of Braxton County, and a very large banking business is carried on.

Mr. Frame was united in marriage with Elizabeth Sin- clair Longwell, the ceremony being performed November 27, 1912. Mrs. Frame graduated from the common and high schools of Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Frame have two children, namely: Eugene M., who was born May 27, 1915; and Evaline E., who was born August 27, 1919. They belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and he is a member of the local Official Board. Well known in Masonry, he belongs to Gassaway Lodge No. 133, A. F. and A. M., of which he has been past master five times; Sutton Chapter No. 29, R. A. M .; Sutton Commandery No. 16, K. T., and Beni-Kedem Shrine of Charleston, West Virginia. He is also a member of Gassaway Lodge No. 196, K. of P., of which he is a past chancellor.

CHARLES C. RUSMISELL, M. D., one of the physicians and surgeons of Gassaway, is one of the faithful and skilled members of the medical profession of Braxton County, and one who is held in affectionate esteem. He was born near Frenchton, Upshur County, West Virginia, July 15, 1877, a son of John D. and Amanda A. (Hull) Rusmisell, both of whom were born on farms near Frenchton, and both were reared in the rural districts and attended the local schools of the country regions. He is now retired, and they are still living on the homestead where they settled at the time of their marriage. The paternal grandfather of Doc- tor Rusmisell was Dr. Adam Rusmisell, one of the early physicians of Upshur County, to which locality he came from Virginia, and where he was engaged in practice for half a century. John D. Rusmisell and his wife had seven children, namely: Flora, who is the wife of Charles Marsh, of Buckhannon, West Virginia; Doctor Rusmisell, whose name heads this review; James A., who is a physi- cian and surgeon of Buckhannon; Fred H., who is a con- tractor and builder of Buckhannon; John E., who is a farmer, is operating the homestead; Gay D., who is an oil driller; and Mrs. Wilda Duncan, who lives at Gassa- way. The parents of these children belonged to the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. In politics the father was a re- publican.

Growing up on the homestead, Doctor Rusmisell at- tended the district schools, and later took a commercial course at the Mountain State Business College at Parkers- burg, West Virginia, and after leaving college was for two years engaged in business. In 1901 he entered the American Medical College at Baltimore, Maryland, and was graduated therefrom in 1905 with the degree of Doc- tor of Medicine, and in 1906 located permanently at Gas- saway, where he has built up a large and valuable connec- tion. He is unmarried. Professionally he maintains mem- bership with the West Virginia State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He is a stockholder in the Bank of Gassaway and of the Gassaway Development Company, and is much interested in the advancement of his home community. During the years he has been at Gassaway he has witnessed many changes, and is proud of the fact that he has participated in some of them, and that while he has advanced in material prosperity he has at the same time built up a solid reputation for profes- sional skill and personal integrity.

J. B. FISHER. Gassaway, West Virginia, while not as important numerically as some other of the cities of the state, is known over a wide territory as one of the pros- perous communities and as the home of some of the most dependable financial institutions and sound business

MRS. DANIEL C. FEATHER

DANIEL C. FEATHER

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houses. This prestige has been gained through the whole- hearted efforts of men of high character and efficiency, among whom none stands higher than J. B. Fisher, cashier of the Bank of Gassaway and president of the Gassaway Development Company.

J. B. Fisher was born near Flatwoods, Braxton County, April 7, 1884, a son of F. R. and Nancy V. (Hyer) Fisher, natives of Flatwoods, where he was born in 1857 and she in 1859. They grew up in the rural districts, and acquired their educations in the district schools. She died in 1904, having been for many years a devout member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. He belonged to the Improved Or- der of Red Men. Their children were as follows: John L., who is a resident of Flatwoods; Frank, who is a farmer and merchant of Flatwoods; and J. B., whose name heads this review.

Growing up on his father's farm, J. B. Fisher attended the local schools and later the Glenville State Normal School, and taught school for a time in Braxton County. Entering the business field, he was store manager and bookkeeper for the Boggs Stave & Lumber Company, with which he remained for seven years, leaving that concern to enter the Bank of Gassaway January 1, 1915, as cashier, which connection he has maintained ever since. This is a state bank, and Mr. Fisher's fellow officials are: W. P. Bartlett, president; Alexander Groves, vice president ; and Dr. Norman Good, J. B. MeLaughlin, A. N. Lough and Alfred Walker, who with the president, vice president and cashier from the board of directors. In addition to his interest in the bank Mr. Fisher is active in real estate, and is the prime mover in the Gassaway Development Com- pany, which has already done so much for the city, and which is planning many additional improvements in the near future.

In September, 1910, Mr. Fisher married Miss Grace Lloyd, who was born in Braxton County, West Virginia, and they have three children, namely: Earl, Carl and Eu- nice. Mrs. Fisher is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church. A Mason, Mr. Fisher belongs to Gassaway Lodge No. 133, A. F. and A. M .; Sutton Chapter, R. A. M .; Sutton Commandery, K. T., and Beni-Kedem Shrine. While a consistent democrat, he limits his participation in polities to exerting his right of suffrage. It has been Mr. Fisher's policy through life to do thoroughly what lay at hand, and at the same time keep in touch with other mat- ters so that when the time came he would be ready for added responsibilities.

JOHN BYRNE. The most prominent, successful and ca- pable men are not always those who started out in life with the ambition to achieve something especially great or famous, but almost invariably are found to be individuals who at the outset placed a proper valuation upon indus- try, integrity and determination. Possessing these quali- ties as a capital, John Byrne, of Sutton, entered npon his business career, and during the course of many years rose to a position of independence and prominence in his local- ity, where he is now living retired. For him the path to success was not an easy one, for his youthful advantages were limited and his earlier years were ones crowded with labor, but these facts made his success all the more wel- come and gratifying when it had been achieved.

Mr. Byrne was born at Sutton, February 9, 1848, a son of John P. and Sabina C. (Sterrett) Byrne. He traces his ancestry back to George Byrne, a native of Wicklow, Ireland, who immigrated to America in the year 1720 and settled near what is now the City of Washington, D. C. He was the father of Samuel B. Byrne, whose son, Peyton Byrne, was the first of the family to migrate westward, lo- cating in what is now Preston County, West Virginia, in 1794. He was the father of John B. Byrne, whose son, John P. Byrne, was the father of John Byrne. John P. Byrne was born in Lewis County, West Virginia, July 6, 1817, and acquired his education in a private school. Dur- ing the greater part of his life he applied himself to agri- cultural pursuits, but was also prominent in public and political affairs and was a leader of the whig party. When Braxton County was organized, in 1836, he was made a

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 94

Author: Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages:

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