USA > West Virginia > Men of West Virginia Volume I > Part 10
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Mr. Vrooman is a valued member of the Holland Society of New York, his ancestry giving him all the rights and privileges entitled to the descend- ants of the worthy burghers of Hol- land, that friendly country across the sea whose sons have ever found a hearty welcome in America.
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URIAH HERBERT DEBENDARFER, A. M., M. D.
URIAH HERBERT DEBEN- DARFER, A. M., M. D., a leading physician of Marion County, West Virginia, secretary and treasurer of the West Virginia Boiler & Machine Works, and a capitalist of Manning- ton, West Virginia, was born at Brick Church, Armstrong County, Pennsyl- vania, and is a son of Amos and Caro- line (Kepple) Debendarfer.
The Debendarfer family is of Ger- man extraction and its founder in Penn- sylvania was Frederick Debendarfer, our subject's grandfather, who emigrat- ed from Wurtemberg, Germany, at the age of 12 years. He married twice, his second wife being Salome Klingen- smith, -- and they had two sons, Amos and David L. David L. Debendarfer was a minister of the Gospel in the
Lutheran faith. For 10 years he was director of the Orphan's Home at Ze- lienople, Pennsylvania. He died in that State, December 5, 1877.
Amos Debendarfer was born May 24. 1845, at Leechburg, Pennsylvania, where he followed an agricultural life, and died November 7, 1891, at Brick Church, Armstrong County, Pennsyl- vania. In religious belief he was a I.utheran. In politics, he was a Demo- crat. He married Caroline Kepple, daughter of Samuel and Barbara Kep- ple, of Girty, Pennsylvania, February 27, 1868. She was born in Westmore- land County, Pennsylvania, November I, 1842, and now resides at Tarentum, Pennsylvania, aged 60 years. She is also a member of the Lutheran Church. The two children born to Amos Deben- darfer were: Uriah Herbert, born December 5, 1868; and Susannah Lou- isa, born March 18, 1872, now the wife of David A. Sober, who is engaged in mill work at Tarentum, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Debendarfer was educated in his own locality, having an academic training at Brick Church and Elderton academies, subsequently attending Thiel College at Greenville, Pennsylvania. Early in 1889 he began his medical reading under Dr. A. L. Slonaker of Pittsburg, and in September of the same year entered West Penn Medical
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College of the Western University of Pennsylvania, from which he was grad- uated March 22, 1894, in medicine and surgery. Owing to the death of his father, he was compelled to miss one term, but he filled in his time by practic- ing dentistry and by farming on the farm where he was raised, at Brick Church, Pennsylvania. In April, 1894, he located at Canton, Ohio, practiced there one year and then connected him- self with the Artificial Limb Manufac- turing Company of Pittsburg, and traveled over half the United States selling their goods. In September, 1896, he resigned his position and re- sumed professional practice, locating at Smithfield, Wetzel County, West Vir- ginia, on the 16th of that month. After a successful practice there of two and one-half years, he removed to Manning- ton, West Virginia, March 1, 1899. There Dr. Debendarfer enjoys a large and lucrative practice. He is a mem- ber of the alumni association of his college; of the county and State med- ' ical societies; and of the American Medical Association. A number of the leading insurance companies have se- cured him as their examiner, among which are the National Life, of Ver- iront ; the Mutual Life of New York ; the Aetna and others. In 1902, in as- sociation with LeRoy Taylor, a promi-
nent attorney, the Doctor erected one of the handsomest business blocks in Mannington, built on modern lines, with every convenience, known as the Mannington Real Estate Building. In 1901 he purchased the controlling in- terest in the West Virginia Boiler & Machine Works, which was burned September 4, 1902. A much larger and better structure was at once erected. Dr. Debendarfer is secretary and treas- urer of this company, J. E. Carnahan of Canton, Ohio, being president. They manufacture oil country boilers, for use in the oil fields, and also sta- tionary boilers, stacks, tanks, and every- thing in the line of heavy sheet iron. The Doctor is also interested in the Mannington Building & Loan Associa- tion and is its vice-president.
On September 7. 1898, Dr. Deben- darfer was married to Minerva C. Kep- ple, who was born September 24, 1869, and is a daughter of Jacob and Eliza- beth Kepple, the former of whom was born in Greensburg. Westmoreland County, July 4, 1809, and the latter in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, April 29, 1826. Three children have been born to this union, namely: Eli- zabeth, born December 21, 1899, died December 23, 1899; Madge Virginia, born March 1, 1900; and Harold Kep- ple, born March 21, 1901. Dr. and
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Mrs. Debendarfer are members of the Lutheran Church, but are attendants at the Mannington Presbyterian Church. He is very prominent in Masonry, belonging to Lodge No. 31, A. F. & A. M., of Mannington; Chap- ter No. 9, R. A. M., of Fairmont Cru- sade Commandery No. 6, K. T., of Fairmont; the Consistory, of the 32nd degree, at Wheeling; and the Temple of the Mystic Shrine, at Wheeling. He is also a member of the Elks and the Odd Fellows. In politics he is a Re- publican.
HON. GALBRAITH STUART MCFADDEN.
HON. GALBRAITH STUART McFADDEN, the first warden of the West Virginia Penitentiary, and long one of the most prominent citizens of Moundsville, Marshall County, was'
born in 1825 in West Middletown, Washington County, Pennsylvania, be- ing a son of James and Margaret (Stuart) McFadden.
James McFadden, who was born in County Armagh, Ireland, came to the United States in 1802 and settled at Washington, the county seat of Wash- ington County, Pennsylvania, where he taught school and engaged in mercan- tile pursuits. He was a man of educa- tion and held settled convictions on the slavery question. In politics a Whig, he served as the secretary of the first Abolition convention held at Harris- burg, Pennsylvania. He later became identified with the Republican party and held office as a magistrate in West Middletown. His death occurred in 1865, at the age of 79 years. His wife, who was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, was a daughter of Gal- braith and Betsy (Scott) Stuart, who were of Scotch antecedents. Both she and Mr. McFadden were consistent members of the Methodist Church. At the time of her death in 1882, at the age of 88 years, she was the oldest Methodist in the whole Pittsburg Con- ference, having been connected with that religious body for over 70 years. The 12 children born to our subject's parents were: Elizabeth, Ann, Mary, Ellen, Thomas, Galbraith Stuart, Re-
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becca, Jane, Clarissa, James A., Nancy and William H.
Galbraith Stuart McFadden had led an active life, engaged in large enter- prises and became a well-known man, prior to his locating in Moundsville in 1857. He crossed the "Plains" twice with ox-teams; built the largest quartz mill, at that time, in the country, at Pla- cerville, El Dorado County, California ; and helped build the State House in Sacramento City, from 1852 to 1857. In 1856 while there, he cast his vote for John C. Fremont, the first candidate of the Republican party for the presidency. Prior to going to California he spent six years in the South and there built cotton-gin houses, also residences, and was prospering, but, finding labor con- ditions so abhorrent to his ideas as a Northern man, he decided to change his residence and in 1852 went to Califor- nia. Prior to 1866 Mr. McFadden was a farmer and it was he who intro- duced fine wool sheep into Marshall County, West Virginia; it was largely through his efforts during the period following that the State owes its suc- cess in sheep raising, one of its leading industries.
In 1866 Mr. McFadden was in- duced to leave his farming enterprises to take charge of the West Virginia Penitentiary for which he had drawn
the plans by which the immense build- ing was constructed. At the outset the convicts committed to his care worked inside a huge wooden stockade and the greatest care had to be exer- cised to see that they did not escape, but in this, as in scores of other big enter- prises, Mr. McFadden was eminently successful. In due time the cell halls were completed and the walls stand to- day as solidly and as enduring as when first erected. While always an ardent Republican, and a valued member of the Marshall County Republican Com- mittee, he has never sought political preferment. In 1877 he was elected to the Legislature, during which time he was successful in having bills of import- ance passed. He has always been in- terested in Moundsville and has been the means of bringing much capital to his section. In 1877 he built the Mound City Hotel and was its landlord for 15 years. He purchased the "Mound" in 1872, in order to prevent it being used as a beer garden and holds the property, and as its owner his name is known in every historical society in the United States. In business circles he has al- ways been a potent factor, first as pro- moter of a big rolling mill, then of the Thompson coal works, and subsequent- ly in connection with laying out the route of the P. C. & W. Railroad.
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Soon after locating in Moundsville, Mr. McFadden married Permelia Mor- ton, who was born in Moundsville, in 1832, a daughter of Richard and Mar- garet (Hill) Morton. Seven children were born to this union, as follows : Richard J., James, Margaret, Thomas, Ella J., Elizabeth B. and William H. Mrs. McFadden is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Our subject is the oldest Odd Fellow in Moundsville, and was initiated into the order in March, 1852. He is also the oldest member of the Republican party in Marshall County.
Among the many souvenirs pre- served by Mr. McFadden are a number of curious and valuable canes, among these being one which was carried by John Tyler, when President of the United States, which has a sword of Damascus steel in its handle. A beau- tiful one Mr. McFadden made for his father-in-law, Mr. Morton, was sent by express, without notice of its being sent. This occurred about the time that "in- fernal machines" were in vogue. Mr. Morton, thinking that the peculiarly shaped box might contain an "infernal machine," had it set out in a coal-shed in order to give it a chance to run down and explode, if that was the game. The wood of the cane is termed mansanita in Spanish, meaning in English "little
apple." Still another cane is a typical Irish shillalah of thorn which was brought him by a friend from Ireland, and another is of ebony, inlaid with silver, procured in Turkey by one of his daughters in 1902, while on a cruise on board the steamship. "Celtic." Al- though now well along in years, our venerable subject is still quite active, looks after his many business interests, and is keenly alive to the present and future welfare of Moundsville.
ISAAC M. ADAMS.
ISAAC M. ADAMS, postmaster of Ravenswood, Jackson County, West Virginia, is one of the prominent citi- zens of that county. He was born in
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1843, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Andrew B. and Mary Ann (Townsend) Adams.
Andrew B. Adams was also born in Pennsylvania, and died in 1891, at the age of 82 years. By trade he was a carpenter. During the Civil War he served in the hospital service. Al- though in spirit he was a Republican, he never voted. Both he and his wife were members of the old Scotch Cove- nanters' Church. She was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in 1813, and died at the age of 81 years. The nine children born to these parents were: Elizabeth, deceased; Thomas D., now a resident of Washington City, employed in the United States Navy- yard, served through three years of the Civil War as a member of the 7th Reg., West Virginia Vol. Inf., as a sergeant and was wounded at the battle of the Wilderness; John T., a resident of Ravenswood, served over three years in the Civil War in the Pennsylvania Fly- ing Artillery, participated in the battles of Antietam, Stone Bridge, Peach Or- chard and Gettysburg, and was wound- ed at the two last named engagements ; Robert M., deceased, was a member of the 2nd Reg., West Virginia Vol. Inf., in the Civil War, and was killed in the second battle of Bull Run, when but 22 years of age; Isaac M., our subject ;
Margaret Ann, the wife of Calvin Jones, of Washington Connty, Ohio; William A. S., now in business at Old Point Comfort, Virginia, served three years in the Civil War, as a member of the 6th Reg., West Virginia Vol. Inf .; Andrew D., a resident of Wood County, West Virginia, was in the regular army at the close of the war between the States; and Mary C., deceased. The family moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1850, and to Pleasants County, Virginia, now West Virginia, in 1860.
Isaac M. Adams, like his brothers, fought for the Union in the Civil War. He served three years and was engaged in many battles, notably in the Valley of Virginia with Sherman, and under Grant at the surrender of Lee. He re- moved to Jackson County in 1868, and resided at Muse's Bottom until 1871, removing then, for one year, to Mason City, Mason County. Then he located in Ravenswood and embarked in a fur- niture business at which he continued until 1876, afterward following the lightning rod business for six years. In 1883 he was made deputy sheriff under F. R. Hassler, for two years, and under R. S. Morgan, for four years. Mr. Adams then engaged in contracting, and had much to do with securing the right of way and furnished the ties for the Ravenswood, Spencer & Glenville
MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA
Railroad Company, which occupied two years. In 1892 he was elected sheriff of Jackson County and served with the greatest efficiency in this office for four years. Since that time, Mr. Adams has not been actively engaged in either business or politics, but finds in- terest in looking after his farming property.
Mr. Adams was first married, in 1868, to Mrs. Mary A. Staats, the wid- ow of Dr. W. C. Staats, and daughter of Thomas and Sarah ( Rousch) Cole- man. Her death took place in 1874. His second marriage was to Mrs. Ella D. McElhinny, who died in 1882, leav -. ing one daughter, Edith H., now the wife of Lee Demiming, professor of surgery in the Kirksville ( Missouri) Osteopathy School. Mr. Adams was married in 1884 to Belle Park, who was born in 1859, in Ripley, Virginia, new West Virginia and is a daughter of Andrew and Sarah (Starcher) Park. The five children born to this marriage are the following : Marie Belle, Robert A. P., Isaac M., Jr., Thomas E. and Florence M. The religious member- ship of the family is with the Presby- terian Church. Mr. Adams belongs to the Masonic fraternity, the Grand Army of the Republic, Junior Order of the United American Mechanics and has been president of the associa-
tion of the Blue and the Gray, and was the principal one that organ- ized the society. In politics he is a Re- publican and entered upon his duties of postmaster at Ravenswood on January I, 1903. He has been prominently identified with municipal affairs and served with great credit as mayor of the town for two terms. He has been a member of the Ravenswood Board of Education for the past three years, and is justly regarded as one of the useful public spirited citizens of Jackson County.
ROBERT E. BILLS.
ROBERT E. BILLS, prosecuting attorney of Pleasants County, West Virginia, and one of the prominent lawyers of the State, was born April 17,
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1877, on a farm near Calcutta, Pleas- ants County, and is a son of Francis K. and Mary ( Miller ) Bills.
The Bills family is of English de- scent, its founder in America being William Bills who came from England with General Braddock. He was a son of John Bills, Member of Parliament from Sheffield. After Braddock's de- feat, William Bills settled on the Po- tomac River, in Virginia, and there contracted a second marriage, with a Miss Davison, by whom he had five children. Later he moved to Pleasants County, where he engaged in farming and died near the town of Schultz. Several of his children removed to the West, but William, the great-grand- father of our subject, married a Miss Hoskins and settled at Moundsville, Virginia, now West Virginia, and there reared a family of three children, Joseph, Solomon and Charles. Joseph Bills married Emeline Reynolds, set- tled first in Marshall County and then bought large tracts of land near St. Marys, where he was a very early settler. His brothers did the same. Solomon died in 1888, leaving a widow and three children. Charles Bills, who resides near St. Marys, is 67 years old, and has a large family. Joseph and Emeline (Reynolds) Bills had a large family of children, named as follows :
Sarah, John, Francis K., Amanda, Cassie, Isaac, William, Elva, Emma and Aaron.
Francis K. Bills was educated in the common schools of Pleasants Coun- ty, the accommodations being of a very primitive character. On May 10, 1873, he married Mary Miller, of Scotch-French descent, daughter of Madison Miller, who was killed at the battle of Gettysburg, during the Civil War, and they settled on a portion of the 1,200 acres owned by his father. Here they resided until 1900 when they purchased a residence in Williams- town. They reared seven children, six of whom still survive, namely : Eva, who married Charles Schonwecker of St. Marys; Robert E., of this sketch; Joseph, who resides in Cali- fornia, having traveled all over the world before locating there; Leroy, who has spent a number of years in Texas; Augustus, who is engaged in cattle and stock raising on the home farm; and Molly, who resides at home. Nellie, the seventh member of the fam- ily, died in 1900 at the age of 16 years.
Robert E. Bills graduated from the St. Marys High School in 1894, and spent 1895-96 at the State Normal School at West Liberty, where he grad- uated in almost all of the branches, and then entered the University of West
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Virginia at Morgantown, graduating there in 1897, with his degree of LL. B. During his university career he paid his expenses by teaching. When he en- tered upon his work at the bar, his ability was immediately recognized, and in 1900 he was elected prosecuting attorney for the county, being the only Democrat on the ticket that was suc- cessful. His private practice extends over a wide territory and, although he is young in years and in experience, he has become prominent in his profession throughout the State. He has also be- come one of the active and successful oil operators and owns much valuable property in the oil fields. He is an ex- officio member of the County Court and is on the Board of Health. He was reared an Episcopalian, but liberally contributes to all religious bodies.
G. EDWARD MENDEL, who is at the head of the large furniture estab- lishment of G. Mendel & Company, of Wheeling, W. Va., has been identi- fied with this company since 1865. This is the oldest furniture business in Wheeling, and the present building at No. 1124 Main street was erected in 1864 and consists of three floors. The firm also uses the two upper stories of the two adjoining buildings. A very
extensive wholesale and retail business has been built up, and about 20 people are employed. The undertaking de- partment is on the third floor, and was established by George Mendel and since maintained by our subject, who received a license from the State Board of Embalmers. G. Edward Mendel was one of the originators of the West Virginia Fair Association and assisted in its organization 22 years ago. He is a member of the Board of Trade, and also a director in the Fort Henry Club, of which he was one of the original members. Fraternally, he is a member of the Ancient Order of United Work- men, and was formerly connected with various other orders.
George Mendel, deceased, father of our subject, was born in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Virginia, now West Virginia, in 1812, and came when a boy to Wheeling in poor circumstances. He learned the trade of a cabinetmaker and in 1836 opened an establishment of his own. He subsequently formed a partnership with Henry Harbour, under the firm name of Mendel & Har- bour, and upon its dissolution his brother became a partner, the firm name becoming J. & G. Mendel. At the close of the Civil War Crawford H. Booth and Curran Mendel became part- ners and the firm name was changed to
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J. & G. Mendel & Company, continuing as such until the death of John Mendel in 1873. Curran Mendel then sold out his interest and G. Edward Mendel be- came a partner in the firm, which was then styled G. Mendel, Booth & Com- pany. The company erected a large factory on Eoff street, the largest in the city at that time, and the business in- creased from year to year until at the time of the death of George Mendel, January 29, 1875, the annual amount transacted was $100,000. George Mendel was active in various other enterprises, being president of the Franklin Insurance Company, president of the Wheeling Savings Bank, a di- rector of the Exchange Bank of Wheel- ing, and a stockholder and director in several other enterprises in which his energy was felt. Mr. Mendel was united in marriage with Sarah Rich- ardson, of Wheeling, and eight chil- dren, five sons and three daughters, blessed this union : Cecelia G., wife of Crawford Booth, of Texas; John R., of Pittsburg; Belle M., of Wheeling ; G. Edward, of Wheeling; Mrs. John H. Myers, of Milwaukee; James V., of Wheeling; Charles L., of New York ; and Harry J., of Wheeling, who resided in Texas eight years. George Mendel was an ardent Republican, although he took no official part in political affairs.
He lived a life that was a notable illus- tration of the success that may be obtained by men of perseverance, in- dustry and talent, without the aid of capital or influence. He was also as- sociated with Judge Cranmer and others in caring for and beautifying Green- wood Cemetery.
HARRIS B. DODGE, LL. M.
HARRIS B. DODGE, LL. M .- Under the firm name of Dodge & Via, Harris B. Dodge and L. R. Via are ably conducting a large general legal practice and are coming rapidly to the front as members of the Parkersburg bar. Harris B. Dodge was born No- vember 27, 1875, and was reared at Manassas, Virginia. His parents are H. P. and Augusta ( Barnes) Dodge,
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and on both paternal and maternal sides he is able to trace a long and honorable ancestry.
The Dodge family is of English ex- traction and from England came the great-grandfather of Harris B. Dodge, by way of the Great Lakes to the State of Ohio. H. P. Dodge, the father, taught school for a number of years in Ohio, where for two years he was professor of Greek and mathematics at the State University at Athens. He owns several farms near his home at Manassas, Virginia, where he has been postinaster for the past six years, under appointments of Presidents Mckinley and Roosevelt.
The brothers and sisters of our subject are: Joseph H., who is presi- dent of Dodge's Business College at Tazewell, Virginia; Arthur, who in June, 1903, will receive his degree of Ph. D. at Johns Hopkins University, at Baltimore; Esther F., who is a teacher at Hamilton, North Dakota; and Katrina S., who is assistant post- inaster at Manassas, Virginia.
Harris B. Dodge attended the schools at Manassas, and afterward went to the College of William and Mary, graduating therefrom in 1898, he was immediately appointed United States deputy collector of internal rev- enue for the Sixth District of Virginia.
After holding this position for about a year, he was transferred to the In- ternal Revenue Bureau of the Treas- ury Department at Washington, D. C. Mr. Dodge received the degree of LL. B. from the Columbian Law School, and the degree of LL. M. from the Na- tional Law School. In June, 1901, he was admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia. Having previously formed a partnership with L. R. Via, he im- mediately located in Parkersburg, where he has since been hard at work at his profession.
Politically, Mr. Dodge believes in the doctrines enunciated by the Repub- lican party, and with that faith ever before him he is always found laboring for its interest and success.
LEMUEL R. VIA, A. M., LL. M., M. Dip., D. C. L., member of the law firm of Dodge & Via, of Parkersburg, was born August 25, 1873, near Char- lottesville, Albemarle County, Virginia, and comes of an old and prominent Vir- ginia family. His parents were B. L. and L. E. (Maupin) Via, the former of whom is a farmer. Mr. Via's grandfather, J. A. Via, conducted a large Virginia plantation, and owned 163 slaves at the close of the Civil War. The mother of L. R. Via was a
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granddaughter of Marquis Maupin, a general in the French army. His two sons, Thomas R. and Socrates, the former the father of Mrs. Via. settled in Virginia, about 1825. Later So- crates was elected to the chair of Greek at the University of Virginia. He filled that chair for 40 years. Mr. Via, of this sketch, has four younger broth- ers, viz., Dr. B. A., a physician in practice in Albemarle County Virginia ; J. T., James D. and W. F. who are engaged in farming.
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