History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 98

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James E. Henry was born January 1, 1878, and was reared and educated in Grant District. At the age of twenty he began traveling for a Fairmont wholesale grocery house, and continued that business four years. In 1905 he bought the old store at Laurel Point and has enjoyed a prosperous and growing trade extending his patronage over a large part of the surrounding territory.

Mr. Henry is one of the very popular citizens of Mon- ongalia County, is justly esteemed for his integrity and executive ability, and is a stanch republican in politics. He was twice a candidate at the primaries for county

assessor. Mr. Henry married Nora Lezier. They have six sons, Robert, Stanley, Lee, Frederick, Max and Hugo. The first two are attending the Morgantown High School.

HUGH WARDER. A number of sound achievements stand to the credit of Hugh Warder, primarily in the law, to the practice of which he was admitted more than a score of years ago, and also in the politics and public affairs of his home city and state.

Mr. Warder, who is senior member of the well known Grafton law firm of Warder & Robinson, was born at Webster, Taylor County, West Virginia, January 30, 1879. His father Francis S. Warder was born on a farm near Pruntytown, served as a government teamster during the Civil war, was a stone-mason by trade, and spent nearly all his life at Webster, where he died in 1892 at the age of fifty-one. He was a republican in politics, and for a time served as a school trustee. He married Lucinda Keller, daughter of Isaac and Nancy (Moore) Keller. She was born in Barbour County, but was reared at Gilmer, and she died in 1892 the same year as did her husband. Of their seven children, five survive: Miss Clara B., at the old home in Webster; Charles H., a dairyman at Graf- ton; Hugh, the lawyer; Miss Ina M., a teacher in the Grafton public schools; and Mrs. J. F. Fordyce, whose husband is a train dispatcher of the Baltimore & Ohio at Grafton.

To a large degree Hugh Warder was left to discover his own resources and make his own opportunities. He was thirteen when his parents died, and he had the direction of his career from that time. After a country school edu- cation at Webster, he graduated from the Grafton High School in 1896, and while a clerk in the office of the circuit clerk of Taylor County, under Frederick J. Burdett and J. B. St. Clair, he read his first lesson in law. Mr. Warder finished his law course in West Virginia University and was admitted to the bar in 1900.

Instead of beginning practice at once, Mr. Warder deemed it more to his advantage to continue his duties as book- keeper for the Speidel Grocery Company, a wholesale house at Grafton. Then in 1904 he hecame associated with Judge Ira E. Robinson and was his partner until the latter went on the bench of the State Supreme Court. At that time a new firm was formed by Mr. Warder and Jed W. Rohin- son, a nephew of Judge Robinson, and they have a splendid business and a widening reputation over the state.

Mr. Warder's first case in court was a justice trial in- volving the recovery of a watch. He was successful in regaining the timepiece for his client, but never got a fee for his service. He has since participated in much litigation of a general nature, and of late years an im portant share of corporation practice. The firm have been attorneys for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.

In 1908 Mr. Warder was elected to the House of Dele gates. and was in the session of 1909 under Speaker Jame! H. Strickling. He was a member of a special committee to investigate the affairs of the penitentiary. served or the committee of cities, towns and villages, and devoted himself to the promotion of a number of worthy bills without having any pet measure of his own. Once he suc ceeded in getting the consideration of a bill that had beer adversely reported in committee, and it passed the House

Mr. Warder went to the Legislature as a republican. and he has acknowledged that political faith since boyhood He cast his first presidential vote for Major Mckinley il 1900. and has attended a number of state conventions and was an alternate to the national convention in Chicago il 1916. Mr. Warder managed Judge Robinson's primar campaign when the latter ran for governor, and had charg of the Robinson headquarters at Grafton.

In Taylor County, June 10. 1903. Mr. Warder married Miss Anna M. Moran, a native of Grafton and daughte of Patrick and Anne (Grayston) Moran. Mrs. Warde was well educated, and left a position as stenographer i the Merchants & Mechanics Bank of Grafton to becom the bride of Mr. Warder. They are the proud parent of seven children, Frederick B., Robert. Francis P., Thoma G., Anna M., Charles E. and John B. Frederick, the oldest son, is already on his way to distinction. He is a graduat

arthur James Woods

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of the Grafton High School, and is a cadet in the class of 1925 in the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis.

JOHN M. L. SMITH is one of the young business men of Tyler County and has what is probably the busiest real estate organization at Middlebourne. He has been a practical farmer himself, and is also extensively inter- ested in the oil and gas districts of this section.

Mr. Smith was born May 1, 1892, at Wilbur in Tyler County, where his father John M. Smith, now in his eighty- fourth year, is enjoying the comforts of an honorable and well spent life on his home farm. He was born in Tyler County in 1837 and has spent all his life there. The grand- father was also a native of Tyler County, and became owner of a large area of good farming land. John M. Smith took up farm work early, pursued it diligently and persistently through many years, and as a result provided for his family and accumulated the competency which now enables him to live retired. In younger years he served as county assessor, was a member of the board of educa- tion of his district, and is a stanch republican. As a young man he entered the Union army with a West Virginia regiment of infantry, and saw active service until the close of that struggle. He has been one of the leading sup- porters of the United Brethren Church in his community. John M. Smith first married a Miss Morgan, a native of Tyler County. She died leaving two daughters: Viola, wife of LeRoy Pierpont, a farmer at Alma, West Virginia ; and Susan C., wife of Henry T. Pratt, a farmer in Tyler County. The second wife of John M. Smith was Cordelia A. Underwood, who was born in Tyler County in 1851, and died at the old home at Jefferson Run in December, 1920. Of her twelve children all but one remain to do her honor: Benjamin O., a merchant at Parkersburg; Estella, wife of Henry C. Williamson, a farmer at Friendly in Tyler County; Bertha, who died at the age of twenty- 6ve; Florence, living at Alma, widow of Arch C. Moore, who was a farmer and merchant; Birkley J., who lives on a part of the old homestead at Wilbur; Wilbur M., Philip A. and Icy, all with their father on the farm; Orla S., who was a soldier, spending eighteen months in France and was on the battlefront 100 days, and is now at home; John M. L .; Maxie and Amy, both at home.

John M. L. Smith attended the rural schools of Tyler County, took the agricultural course in West Virginia Uni- versity at Morgantown, and from the age of twenty-two lid farming on his own account for two years. Since then he has been dealing in farms and building up an ex- tensive real estate business with headquarters at Middle- hourne. He individually owns a number of farms in the county and is a splendid judge of farm and land values in general. Since 1919 he has also done a large business in timber lands, and is financially interested in some of the oil and gas operations in the various West Virginia fields.

Mr. Smith is a republican, a member of Middlebourne Lodge, No. 34, Free and Accepted Masons, and during he war was associated with the various committees raising funds and carrying on other patriotic enterprises.

April 25, 1913, Mr. Smith married Miss Nannie Under- wood, daughter of Lamar and Mary E. (Seckman) Un- lerwood. the latter now deceased. Her father is a worker n the oil fields and lives at Clarksburg.

ARTHUR JAMES WOORE, an old and honored resident and business man of Martinsburg, is a native of England, but has no recollection of the picturesque and historic shire of his birth, since he was brought to the United States in in- fancy and spent most of his early youth and manhood in he Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Mr. Woore was born in Monmouthshire, England. His 'ather, Oliver Woore, Jr., was born at Llangattock Vibon Avel in Monmouthshire, July 5, 1839. His grandfather, Oliver Woore, was born in 1815, and was of pure English ancestry. Oliver Woore,. Jr., married Hannah Prince, who was born near the village of Husk in Monmouthshire, May 23, 1839, and at an early age was left an orphan and was 'eared by her maternal grandfather, a wealthy farmer lamed Williams, in Monmouth County. She was married to Oliver Woore, Jr., May 8, 1862. Three children were

born to them in England: Edith, born May 22, 1863; An- nie, born December 23, 1865; and Arthur James, born Oc- tober 31, 1868. In 1869 the family came to America, and first located near Alton in Madison County, Illinois, where Oliver Woore, Jr., followed farming for nine years. Leav- ing Illinois, he came to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and bought a farm in Frederick County, continuing his oc- cupation as a farmer until acquiring a competence and there- after lived retired in Winchester. He was a man of good education, and continued his intellectual interests all his life. He and his family were devout members of the Bap- tist Church. While in Winchester he cultivated a beautiful little garden during the summer season, but the rest of the year he devoted to reading in his private library. He died December 9, 1919. His widow is now eighty-three years of age and lives with her daughter in Frederick County, Vir- ginia. The children born after the family came to Amer- ica were: Edgar, born December 14, 1870, on the farm in Madison County, Illinois; Lucy, born December 23, 1873, and died October 20, 1875; William Oliver, born March 21, 1876 Julia, born June 29, 1878, and Frank Lee, who was born June 26, 1881, the only one of the family a native of Frederick County, Virginia. The daughter Edith married John L. Hauptman, a wealthy farmer in Frederick County. Annie became the wife of Joseph Cooper, a prominent farmer near Winchester. Edgar is a farmer and orchard- ist near Winchester. William Oliver is junior partner and manager of a large furniture store at Covington, Virginia. Julia married W. K. Alther, general superintendent of the Masonic Life Insurance Company, with headquarters in Buffalo, New York, Frank Lee, the youngest child, is a traveling salesman living at Winchester.

Arthur James Woore had his first conscious recollections in Southern Illinois, of the farm in Madison County, and there he first attended school; later he attended school in Frederick County, Virginia, working on the farm in the meantime, and began his active career as an extensive farmer and stock raiser in Clark County, Virginia. For several years he farmed, then took up contracting and building and has erected several fine residences and busi- ness buildings. Since 1912 he has been in business at his trade in Martinsburg.

December 28, 1893, Mr. Woore married Fredda Milton Darlington. Her father, Joseph Benton Darlington, was born on the old homestead at Gainesboro, Virginia, where his father and grandfather owned three large farms. It was on one of these farms where the British and Hessian prisoners taken at Saratoga in 1781, were kept, and one field on that farm, is to this day, known as the Barracks Field, being the one on which stood the barracks in which those prisoners were confined. He was born April 15, 1840, son of Meredith and Rachel Ann (Swartz) Darling- ton, and a grandson of Gabriel and Margaret (Edwards) Darlington. Gabriel Darlington was a son of Meredith and Sarah (Davis) Darlington, and a grandson of William and Mary Darlington, of Pennsylvania. An extensive genealogy of the Darlington family was compiled by Gil- bert Cope and published in 1900. Mrs. Woore's father entered the Confederate Army, at the beginning of the war as a member of Imboden's Cavalry, served in Stone- wall Jackson's Brigade, and at one time was a courier between General Jackson and Lee. A man of good educa- tion, he taught school for a time after the war, then learned the trade of house painter and decorator, and fol- lowed that business in Martinsburg until his death on March 9, 1913. Mrs. Woore's mother, Hannah Vincent, was born in Clark County, Virginia, daughter of John and Julia (McDonald) Vincent. John Vincent was a native of Scotland, came to the United States when a young man and was an American soldier in the War of 1812. He followed his trade as a miller in Clark County, Virginia, until late in life, and spent his last days in Iowa. Julia McDonald, his wife, was a native of Ireland and died in Clark County, Virginia. Mrs. Woore was one of four children. Her brother Lagona Vincent married Margaret Clark, of Fred- erick County, Virginia. Her sister Emma May married Charles H. Coachman, of Martinsburg, West Virginia. Her brother John Meredith married Cora Roberts, of Martins- burg, West Virginia.

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Mr. and Mrs. Woore have three children, Emma Hannah, Arthur Meredith and Frank Randolph. These children are members of the Baptist Church. Miss Emma is a gifted mu- sician, a professional singer, a teacher of vocal and instru- mental music, and has been a lecturer on musical subjects in city schools. She is a member of the extension depart- ment of the National Academy of Music, and is a member of the Wednesday Afternoon Music Club at Martinsburg.

The son Arthur Meredith Woore enlisted as a volunteer August 15, 1918, and was assigned to duty at the Univer- sity of West Virginia as a sergeant instructor in the Stu- dents Army Training Corps. He was honorably discharged December 15, 1919. He graduated from the Martinsburg High School in 1919, and is now a student of law in the University of Virginia.

Frank Randolph Woore received his education in the Mar- tinsburg grade and high schools, and is now a clerk.

NOAH S. PARKS. Probably no business man is better and more favorably known in the agricultural districts of a number of counties around Philippi than Noah S. Parks. His active association with the farms and their owners in this extensive territory has come from his business as a salesman of agricultural implements and machinery. All along he has carried on some farming of his own, the occupation to which he was reared and trained as a youth.

His grandfather, whose name was also Noah S. Parks, came to this section of West Virginia more than a century ago and settled on Brushy Fork in Harrison County. He was one of five brothers who started west from old Virginia, and he was the only one to locate in West Virginia, the others going on into Ohio. Noah S. Parks was a man of God from boyhood, practiced his religion and contributed faithfully of the tenth of his income for the support of the Gospel. He was a man of good judgment as well, and left a good estate. When he settled on Brushy Fork he bought land at twenty-five cents an acre, and in subsequent years he gave each of his children a farm, on the condition that the property was to be held for the use and benefit of each child as long as he lived and at death it should he divided equally among the respective children. Noah S. Parks and wife spent their lives at their home on Brushy Fork. He was well read, especially in Bible and church literature. He voted as a republican. This pioneer died at the age of eighty-two. His wife, Rachel Willett, whom he married in Harrison County, died a number of years before him. Their children were: David, who died in Harrison County, leaving two daughters by his wife, Re- becca Lawson; Robert, who was a farmer in the home community, married Semantha Hickman, and left two daugh- ters and a son; Mary Jane, who died in the community where she was reared, the wife of Amos G. Marple; Gran- ville, the subjects' father; and Albert, who lived at the old homestead, married Ann Hart and is survived by one daughter and two sons.

Granville Parks was born on Brushy Fork in Harrison County, May 12. 1841. There were practically no schools for him to attend, and he learned to read, but could scarcely write. His life was devoted to the farm, and with more than an average degree of success. After the Civil war he moved to Barbour County, and his home for fifty-six years was on the waters of Elk Creek, where he died Janu- ary 30, 1922. He was industrious. thrifty, accumulated property, and was very religious. He was reared in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, later was a member of the United Brethren Church on Brushy Fork, an institution he practically built, and in the last years of his life he was a communicant of Hall Church of the Methodist Episcopal, South, near Elk City. He was a sympathizer of the South during the war and a democratic voter. In early days he was a noted singer, and he taught singing school. He was a man of fine and rugged physique, six feet, four inches high and weighed about 200 pounds.

In Harrison County Granville Parks married Barbara Susan Hardman, who was left an orphan when a chikdl and was reared in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Romine. She acquired a common school education, and has been an example of greatest loyalty to the duties and obligations

of motherhood and of Christian conduct. Everyone loves and respects her for her splendid character. She is now eighty-two years of age. Her children were: Noah S. Parks; Mary Jane, wife of John Fridley, of Barbour County; Sidney L., of Tucker County; Homer Albert, a farmer near his father's old home; Jennie, who married Mordecai Reed, of Clarksburg; Martha, Mrs. Ira Wood- ford, of Philippi; Amos G., a farmer near the old home; Berthena, wife of William Nutter, of Clarksburg; John C., who has spent most of his life as a soldier in the Regular Army, was in the Spanish-American war, and dur- ing the World war was a drillmaster and did other work in the training of soldiers, and is still an officer in his regiment; Grover C., the youngest, a railroad man with the New York Central Lines in New York.

Noah S. Parks was born at Brushy Fork, Harrison County, August 2, 1863, and two years later his parents moved to Barbour County, where he has had his home ever since. He acquired a country school education, and was the only one of the children to remain on the home farm until he reached his majority. After leaving home he worked as a farm hand at 50 cents a day, and put in long hours to earn this modest stipend. The first money he made for himself was filling a contract with a neighbor farmer to cut and split 1.000 rails at 50 cents a hundred. He did this work with his ax in five days' time. After two years as a wage earner he married and settled on a farm near Philippi, and soon bought a small place in that locality, and continued to give his personal attention to his farming for about three years.

About the time he left the farm Mr. Parks entered business as a salesman of farm machinery. For four years he traveled for the International Harvester Company, and then joined the Feiser Manufacturing Company of Waynes- horo, Pennsylvania. For twenty-two years he sold the goods of this firm. Since January 1, 1922, he has been with A. B. Farquar of York, Pennsylvania, selling the heavy machinery made by this firm, including saw-mills, threshers, boilers, traction engines and similar goods. The territory in all these years has been in his own state. His immediate jurisdiction is fourteen counties, and he is proh- ahlv better informed as to agricultural conditions and has a larger personal acquaintance among farmers and farm owners there than any other man.

Mr. Parks for many years has been interested more or less in the lumber business as a manufacturer. He has shipped out large quantities direct from the saw-mills in the woods, and is still interested in that line. He is a half-owner of the city garage at Philippi, and was one of the firm that put up the building in the spring of 1916. The City Garage is the authorized Ford Agency in Philippi.

Mr. Parks is a democrat. having cast his vote regularly for the democratic candidates since the time of Grover Cleveland. In local affairs he is not particularly partisan, considering the man rather than the party. Mr. Parks has been a successful business man, he owns the old home- stead where he grew up, and some valuable property in Philippi. He has filled the chairs in the Encampment degree of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, is also a member of the Subordinate Lodge and the Grafton Lodge of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a member of the United Brethren Church, is liberal in his donations to other denominations, and the unfortunate and the afflicted have always had in him a generous helper and one ready to respond with his personal aid and his purse.

January 29, 1889, Mr. Parks married Miss Mary Etta Zinn, daughter of John Riley and Amanda (Simon) Zinn. She was born in Barbour County, February 23, 1865, the third in a family of six children, the others being: Ingaby, wife of Josiah Nutter; Margaret, who was the first wife of Josiah Nutter; Francis, a farmer in Barbour County ; Jacob, who operates the old homestead; and Aldine, one of the very successful farmers of Barbour County.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Parks, Lulie, Opal, Rosa, Miss Von. Miss Zella and Lowell, were all liberally edu- cated in the public schools. The daughter Lulic is the wife of William Brown, of Akron, Ohio, and has a son,

Jums arthur James Moore.

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Blaine. Opal is the wife of George Hall, of Wheeling. Rosa married Fred Daddisman, of Philippi.

LUTHER CLEARFIELD STEVENS. There has hardly been auy time since he was ten years of age when Luther Clearfield Stevens has not been engaged in some work of practical usefulness to himself or others. For over twenty years he has been a resident of Philippi, and has built up a lead- ing service in Barbour County as an undertaker and funeral director.

He was born not far from Grantsville in Calhoun County, West Virginia, June 4, 1871. His parents were David E. and Jane (Goff) Stevens, the former a native of Fleming- ton and the latter of Clemtown in Barbour County. David E. Stevens was a small boy when his father died, and he grew up an aid to his widowed mother and acquired only a common school education. He was the only child to survive his father's death. His step-father was Johnson Kelley, and he had a half-brother, Luther Kelley. David E. Stevens was a carpenter by trade, and in 1869, after his marriage, moved to Calhoun County, where he became a farmer. Later he returned to Flemington and resumed the work of his trade, and was employed about the mines until he retired. He is a veteran Union soldier, having served as a private in the Fourth West Virginia Cavalry.

L. Clearfield Stevens spent the first five years of his life at his parents home on Sycamore Creek in Calhoun County. His parents then returned to Taylor County, and he grew to manhood at Flemington. He had only a com- mon school education, and about the time he entered his teens he left home and began earning his own way. For two years he worked for a farmer, earning about 50 cents a day, and for four years drove team for Dilworth & Poling, merchants. His next employment was in a saw-mill, and while his industrious habits gave him instant employment at this and other occupations he saved little from his wages. After about six years with the saw-mill he operated a threshing machine around Flemington for two years. He then worked as a housebuilder for a year at Mountain Lake Park. In 1896 Mr. Stevens acquired a saw-mill in Barbour County, and conducted this with a fair degree of profit until 1901, when he sold the mill and, having since 1898 been located at Philippi, he took up the livery business in the county seat. He was in the livery busi- ness four years, and since then has been an undertaker and funeral director. He was attracted as a young man to this profession, but the idea was usually discouraged by his friends. It was only after he was able to command some capital of his own that he put his long cherished purpose into practice, providing himself with some equip- ment and establishing an office on Main Street at Philippi in 1905. The first call for his services was made in March of that year. In May the State Board of Embalmers licensed him after a correspondence course and demonstra- tion work with H. S. F. Echols of Philadelphia. In the passing years Mr. Stevens has steadily added to his equip- ment until he has every facility of the modern funeral director, including motor hearse and office building pro- vided with funeral chapel.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 98

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