USA > West Virginia > Men of West Virginia Volume I > Part 14
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Dr. W. E. Hill was the eldest of his parents' family, and his educational op- portunities were meager and mostly of his own making. The instruction he received at the subscription schools of the period he supplemented by the reading of every kind of literature he could find, and he early became ambi- tious to perfect himself in the study of the science of medicine. By the time he had reached his majority, he found opportunity to enter the Pittsfield Medi- cal School at Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and after attending lectures there he be- gan practice and study at Brown's
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Mills, now Brown, Harrison County, locating there November 17, 1867. There he continued until 1871, when he entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and received his degree in 1872. He continued at Brown until 1881, spent two years at Sardis, Har- rison County, and then located at Bridgeport, where he was in continu- ous practice until January 10, 1890. Dr. Hill then made a trip to Pierre, South Dakota, and after three years in the West returned to Bridgeport. In 1896, however, he visited Eureka, near the North Dakota line, and was so welcomed as a practitioner that he re- mained there for two years.
Dr. Hill is again settled among his old friends and surroundings in Bridge- port. He has made a special study of the digestive organs and has been par- ticularly successful in that line of prac- tice. Many serious cases have come under his care which he has managed with skill, securing complete recovery. His practice as a specialist in this line is growing fast, yet his only advertising has been his success, which has made him so popular in his specialty that to- day he possesses a nicely growing ex- press and mail practice in his native State, and his State of adoption as he calls it-South Dakota. As previously stated, he has no other method of ad-
vertising than the reputation extending from his work among the traveling public. He now sends his treatment into Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, the two Dakotas, Washing- ton, and California. The Doctor also is physician and surgeon of the Ocean coal mines, a large working of the Fair- mont Coal Company,-one of the largest, if not actually the largest, of its kind in the State. The Doctor is very popular among his patients and is said to be one of the most sympathetic physicians in the country, and is almost worshipped by his patients generally. His kindness and generosity to his patients has procured for him the ap- probation of all, yet will not suffer him ever to become rich, for he gives almost all his earnings to the needy poor.
PROF. W. L. McCOWAN, a gentleman who has attained consider- able prominence in educational work, is principal of the West Liberty State Normal School. He was born at Moss Run, Ohio, December 13, 1867, and is a son of Isaac and Mary R. (Dye) Mc- Cowan.
The McCowan family was estab- lished in America by Thomas Mc- Cowan, a weaver, who came from Dun-
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cannon, County Tyrone, Ireland. He married Isabella Beatty, and they be- came the parents of three children, namely : Thomas, William, and Alex- ander. William McCowan was the great-grandfather of W. L., and by his first wife, Mary, had a son, Thomas. He formed a second union, December I, 1814, wedding Hannah L. Viquers, by whom he had the following children : William L .; Elizabeth born October 16, 1816; James, born March 16, 1818; Joseph, born June 22, 1822 ; Margaret, born August 9, 1824; and Nelson, born in March, 1827. William L., grand- father of W. L., was born October 19, 1818, and died in 1890. He married Cynthia Matthews, and they reared the following children: Isaac; Minerva; Nancy; Harriet; William; and Ed- ward. Isaac McCowan, the oldest son, was born in 1847. In 1866 he married Mary R. Dye, a daughter of Ezekial and Betsey Dye, and they became par- ents of five children, of whom W. L. is the eldest.
Prof. W. L. McCowan attended the district schools of his native township 11p to the age of 15 years, at which time he was sent to the noted grammar school conducted by the late J. D. Phil- lips, at Harmar, Ohio. After spending two years there, he attended Marietta Academy, where he prepared himself
for college. He acquired a college edu- cation by attending the fall and spring terms, and teaching in the district schools during the winter. The late M. P. Wells, a trustee of Marietta Col- lege, and a wealthy merchant of the town, became interested in young Mc- Cowan sufficiently to give him a scholar- ship. Aided in this way, he was en- abled to graduate from the above named college, in the philosophical course, in June, 1891. In September of the same year, he accepted the principalship of the Ravenswood public schools, and during his incumbency of that office raised the standard of the Ravenswood High School until its graduates were admitted without examination to the freshman class of West Virginia Uni- versity. He served in that capacity for 10 years, and resigned in July, 1901, to become principal of the West Lib- erty State Normal School. He is a gentlenian of recognized ability, and is maintaining the standard which has characterized the work in previous years in the institution.
The West Liberty State Normal School had its origin in a school of aca- demic degree,-the West Liberty Acad- emy,-which was established under the laws of Virginia in 1838; the building was destroyed by fire in 1841, thereby crippling the school in the
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very beginning. But its friends were un- daunted, and continued the work in private dwellings until 1857, when the generous patrons of education built, by private subscription, the older part of the present structure. In the fol- lowing years the school was carried on with varying degrees of success until 1870, when the Legislature was persuaded to accept the property for a nominal sum, and to establish a branch of the State Normal School in the his- toric old town of West Liberty. The school began its work under the new management, May 2, 1870, with Prof. F. H. Crago as principal, and A. J. Waycoff as assistant, the latter being succeeded the following year by G. M. Fleming. Under the judicious man- agement of these teachers, the enroll- ment increased to II0 students, with a graduating class of 20, in 1873. Prof. James E. Morrow became prin- cipal in 1873, and was assisted by An- geline Harding, Tillie Dunlap, and Charles Kyle, Sr. There was a de- cided falling off in numbers within this period, due largely to the failure of the Legislature to make the necessary ap- propriations. In the two years of this administration, the attendance fell to 43. In 1875, Prof. J. C. Gwynn took charge of the school, which at this time numbered only 13 students. The
good people of the community had pledged themselves to pay Prof. Gwynn's salary, but the Legislature came to the rescue with an appropria- tion. His assistants were Tillie Dun- lap, Mrs. Naomi Everett, and D. T. Williams. As the Legislature failed to make an appropriation in 1879, Professor Gwynn resigned. In that year Rev. Robert M. McPheeters be- came principal, and during his admin- istration the preparatory classes were taught by the seniors. The attendance, which had reached 70 in the last year of the previous administration, now fell to 43. Prof. D. T. Williams be- came principal in 1881, and served three years, the highest enrollment reached being 54. He was assisted by Mrs. Amelia Wendt. Prof. J. A. Cox was elected principal in 1884, and Mrs. Wendt was retained as assistant, the attendance showing a slight increase during his administration. In 1886, Prof. Robert A. Armstrong became principal and served for seven years, being assisted by Mrs. Wendt, Callie Curtis, Minnie Shields, and Mary Brown. During his administration the attendance more than doubled, reaching 138, and the Legislature ap- propriated inoney for a new building. Prof. J. N. Deahl was chosen principal in 1893, and for five years the school
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prospered under his guidance. The new building was completed and occu- pied in January, 1895, but was de- stroyed by fire in February, 1896. The school work was continued under the most adverse circumstances until May, 1898. The present accommodations were provided by building the new part and remodeling the old. The attend- ance reached 185. The assistants at different periods of this administra- tion were,-Mrs. Wendt, Callie Cur- tis, Verona Maple, Rebecca Wilson, T. G. Guinn, S. S. Jacob and J. C. Shaw. In 1898 Professor Deahl re- signed and was succeeded by Hon. W. B. Curtright, who served one year, and was assisted by Callie Curtis, Ag- nes L. Harvey and Messrs. Shaw and Jacob. Prof. J. M. Skinner was the next incumbent of the office of princi- pal, and was assisted by the Misses Curtis and Jefferson, and Messrs. Shaw, Jacob, Bowers, Fortney and Smith. After a very successful admin - istration, he was succeeded in 1901 by Prof. W. L. McCowan.
On October 22, 1891, Professor McCowan was married to Minnie Hart, a daughter of the late Dr. Seth Hart, of Harmar, Ohio. To them have been born two daughters and one son. On April 12, 1899, Corinne, the eldest daughter died at the age of six years.
Fraternally, Professor McCowan is past master of Ashton Lodge, No. 12, A. F. & A. M .; and past chancellor of Othello Lodge, No. 51, K. of P. In his educational work, Professor McCowan has manifested a kindly disposition, but has maintained firm discipline and pursued systematic methods.
GEORGE MERVIN FLEMING.
GEORGE MERVIN FLEMING, one of the best known attorneys of Central West Virginia, residing and practicing his profession at Buckhan- non, Upshur County, was born near Fairmont, Virginia, now West Vir- ginia, and is the youngest son of Ben- jamin F. and Rhoda (Brooks) Flem- ing. His father's farm was the scene of his boyhood's activities, and there,
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emulating the example set by his God- fearing parents, he learned the first les- sons of life, that always prove the most important, because of their value in shaping character. He was fortunate in being for years under the instruction of Rev. William R. White, D. D., a most accomplished scholar and thor- ough teacher, whose home was in Fair- mont.
Mr. Fleming entered Washington and Jefferson College at Washington, Pennsylvania, in 1868, and was gradu- ated in 1871, the faculty awarding him the second honor in a large class. He taught a year each in the State Normal schools at Fairmont and at West Liberty, and declined the principalship of the latter school to enter Princeton Seminary, at Princeton, New Jersey, from which he was graduated in the class of 1876. He studied law at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. was examined and licensed to practice in 1881 by Judges Thomas C. Green, Alpheus F. Haymond and Okey John- son of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. Shortly after being admitted to the bar, he located at Buck- hannon, in Upshur County, West Vir- ginia, at which place he has continued in active practice of the law to the pres- ent time.
In his practice Mr. Fleming has met
with a very fair degree of success, and in this way, and by fortunate purchases of real estate and wise business invest- ments, he has done well financially. He has always liked to be on the right side and his clientele has been largely made up of corporations, and the better class of business men, farmers, etc. Hav- ing never asked for office, he has not placed himself under obligations to the general public, except where he has chosen to extend his kindnesses and charity. He has a most thorough ac- quaintance with the land titles of Cen- tral West Virginia, and his collection of plats, original surveys, grants from the State of Virginia, etc., is surpassed by few, and those only among a gen- eration of lawyers that is fast passing away. He was an original member of the State Bar Association upon its or- ganization in 1886, and attends, when possible, its annual sessions.
As a side issue, and for recreation and politics, he has for the past 20 years edited the Buckhannon Banner, a newspaper owned and managed by his friend, Thomas McCreery, but has given no attention to the business inter- ests of the paper. He has during this time been an active member of the West Virginia Editorial Association and has been eight times a delegate to the National Editorial Association.
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In 1879, Mr. Fleming was united in marriage to Fannie Edmiston, daugh- ter of Judge Matthew Edmiston, of Weston, West Virginia. She is still living. Mr. Fleming is a past master in his Masonic Lodge and a past chan- cellor in the Knights of Pythias. In politics he is a Randall Democrat, and in religion an old-fashioned Presby- terian.
ANDREW F. STEWART.
ANDREW F. STEWART, master mechanic of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, at Huntington, West Vir- ginia, since October 10, 1891, has had a successful and interesting career as a railroad man. He was born May 22, 1849, in Sterlingshire, Scotland,
and is a son of Andrew and Jessie ( McAlpin) Stewart, the latter of whom was born 22 miles from Sterlingshire, in the same house where our subject was born, and was a daughter of John McAlpin,-she died at Galion, Ohio.
Andrew Stewart, father of Andrew F., was a son of a farmer of Dumfrie- shire, Scotland, who was reared at Glasgow. Andrew became a contrac- tor and prior to coming to America, in 1851, when our subject was 15 months old, had been largely engaged in a lum- ber business. After six years spent in New York City, Mr. Stewart removed with his family to Hamilton, Canada, where he was interested in the building of the railroad between Hamilton and Toronto,-it was then known as the Great Western, and is now a part of the Grand Trunk system. In 1864 he removed to Michigan and resided at Jackson and also at Adrian, but later settled at Buffalo, where he died in 1873, aged 64 years. He accumulated a large fortune in the lumber business, but misfortunes came upon him and he lost heavily. The family included one daughter and three sons, viz .: Eliza, who married, moved to Texas, and died there; John, who died at the age of TI years; Robert, a fine machinist, was engineer on the Lake Shore & Michi- gan Southern, Michigan Central, and
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the Pennsylvania Central railroads, and died at the age of 49 years; and An- drew F., of this sketch.
The educational advantages offered our subject, at Hamilton, Canada, were of an excellent character, but he was only 15 years old when he began to learn the machinist's trade, in the shops of F. G. Beckett & Company, at Ham- ilton, where he served three and one- half years. He then entered the employ of the Michigan Central & Northern In- diana Railroad Company, at Toledo and Buffalo, where he remained until 1869, when he went with the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railroad. From 1876 to 1891, he was general foreman for the Michigan Central, at Jackson, Michigan, and resigned to accept his responsible position at Huntington. Mr. Stewart has made many changes in the shops,-they have been greatly improved and enlarged and 1050 men are employed.
In 1893, Mr. Stewart purchased a fine large home, formerly the McClin- tock property, at No. 1412 6th avenue. In 1874 he married Susan Senorretta McGuire, who was born in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Her father was also a native of Pennsylvania, a mill- wright by trade and built and oper- ated a number of mills in that state. Her grandfather, Capt. Richard Mc-
Guire, who was born in Maryland and was a son of a Revolutionary soldier, was small when the family moved to Pennsylvania,-he won his title in the War of 1812. The three children of Mr. and Mrs. Stewart are: Sarah Jes- sie, John Bruce and Andrew Francis.
Mrs. Stewart is a member of the Catholic Church. Politically, Mr. Stewart is a Gold Democrat. Fratern- ally he belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen: K. O. T. M., and Tribe of St. Joseph.
JENNINGS B. CASTO.
JENNINGS B. CASTO, proprie- tor of the Grand Hotel, the leading house of Spencer. Roane County, West Virginia, and one of the best known men of that county, was born near Rip-
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ley, Jackson County, Virginia, now West Virginia, October 22, 1860. His boyhood days were spent on the farmn, and his education was obtained in the country schools. He lived in Jackson County for 19 years, most of this time being spent in farming and teaching school. He then went to Spencer, Roane County, and engaged in mercantile business, in which line he has been eminently suc- cessful, having built up a large and constantly increasing patronage. Later he opened the Grand Hotel, and as a boniface Mr. Casto has no superior in the State. His jovial manners and the tact of making himself agreeable to all classes constitute him an ideal host. He is the friend of every traveling man who seeks the comforts of his elegant little house. There are few houses in the State that can boast of finer rooms.
Mr. Casto is a man of great versa- tility and seems to be at home in any subject he undertakes. In addition to his hotel business he has a large gen- eral store and fine confectionery and gives his personal attention to every department of his business. He was at one time justice of the peace and en- joyed the distinction of being the youngest man in the State to hold such an office.
On March 19, 1888, Mr. Casto was
married to Sally Smith; three children have been born to them, all of whom are now living. His daughter, Vora, is quite a musician and bids fair to be an accomplished pianist. Mr. Casto is a stockholder in the Bank of Spen- cer and is also one of its directors. He is recognized as one of Spencer's lead- ing business men and has a host of friends throughout the State.
JAMES ROBERT ADAMS, com- missioner of accounts of Harrison County, and a prominent resident of Clarksburg, was born August 21, 1836, in Fauquier County, Virginia, and is a son of Charles and Harriet B. (Jones) Adams, the former of whom was born in Virginia and the latter in Kentucky. The Adams family is of English origin and of Virginia settlement.
James Robert Adams was carefully reared and as carefully educated in pri- vate schools, and at the age of 17 years began to teach school in Clarke County, Virginia, and remained so engaged in the Shenandoah Valley for two years. He then removed to Preston County and taught one term there, and then went on into Wirt and Wood counties, teaching three years in the former and remaining in the latter until 1858. He then took charge of the Centre Branch neighborhood school, in Harrison
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County, where he taught some three years and was thus occupied at the out- break of the Civil War. In the fall of 1863 he enlisted in Company B, 17th Virginia Regiment, Jenkins' Cavalry, in which he served all through the war, having been commissioned Ist lieuten- aut. On November 12, 1864, at the battle of Cedar Creek, he was taken prisoner, and with others was taken to Fort Delaware, where they were forced to remain, on account of insufficient means of transportation, until June 17, 1864. Lieutenant Adams participated in the battle of Gettysburg, where his regiment had charge of the prisoners. During his term of service his detach- ment was mainly devoted to scout duty.
At the close of the war Mr. Adams soon resumed teaching, and his ability was recognized by his election as super - intendent of schools for four consecu- tive terms, serving in this responsible position from 1872 to 1880. In 1885 he was elected commissioner of ac- counts, an office for which he is emi- nently adapted. He is engaged in sev- eral important business enterprises, is a member of the Monticello Brick Com- pany, is secretary of the Eureka Build- ing & Loan Association, and in connec- tion with I. N. Williams, his son-in- law, has made the former concern one of the leading industries of the locality.
In politics Commissioner Adams is a Democrat.
In 1859 Mr. Adams was united in marriage with Amanda Holden, a daughter of Lemuel and Eliza W. ( Hoskins) Holden, extended mention of this family being found in another part of this volume. Mrs. Adams died in 1894, leaving two daughters, viz .: Maud, wife of I. N. Williams, of Clarksburg, and Fannie, wife of Will Thompson, also of Clarksburg.
WILLIAM DEWITT STEWART, M. D.
WILLIAM DEWITT STEW- ART, M. D., a well-known medical practitioner at Moundsville, Marshall County, West Virginia, was born in 1874, at Benwood, West Virginia, and
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is a son of Rev. Loren L. and Sarak E. (Corbett) Stewart.
Rev. Loren L. Stewart was born near Braddock, Pennsylvania, and died in 1893, at the age of 48 years. His life was devoted to the ministry of the Methodist Church. He was a strong advocate of prohibition. In fraternal life he belonged to both the Masons and Odd Fellows. Rev. Loren L. Stewart married Sarah E. Corbett, daughter of William Corbett; she was born at Steubenville, Ohio, and still survives, at the age of 55 years. The children born to this marriage were three in number, viz .: Clara C., the wife of Thomas H. Cotton, of Parkers- burg ; Loren H., a master mechanic at Parkersburg; and William DeWitt, of this sketch.
William DeWitt Stewart received his literary training at Marietta Acad- emy and College, and then read medi- cine with Dr. J. J. Richardson at Moundsville. He attended medical lectures at the University of Maryland and graduated in 1896, after which he began practice in Moundsville, where he has made very satisfactory prog- ress. In January, 1900, he was made physician to the West Virginia Peni- tentiary. He is a member of the Amer- ican Medical Association, fellow in the Medical Society of the State of West
Virginia, and a member of the staff of the Reynolds Memorial Hospital. In politics Dr. Stewart is identified with the Republican party. Fraternally he holds membership with the Masons, Knights of Pythias, the Elks, the Knights of the Maccabees, and the Na- tional Union order. His religious con- nection is with the Methodist Church. Dr. Stewart resides with his mother, and both are regarded with high es- teem in Moundsville.
H. F. ROSENSTEEL.
H. F. ROSENSTEEL, general foreman at the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway shops at Huntington, West Virginia, has occupied this responsible position for the past 14 years and has been engaged in railroad work since
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1873. Mr. Rosensteel was born in 1849 at McKee Gap, near Atloona, Pennsylvania, and is a son of J. J. Rosensteel. Both of his parents are long since deceased, but three of his brothers are engaged in the tanning business and still reside in Pennsyl- vania, this having been the business of his father.
After attending the public schools, Mr. Rosensteel began railroad service by braking and firing on the Pennsyl- vania Railroad at Altoona, and then changed to shop work and served his time as a carpenter. He followed this trade for 10 years and became gang foreman at Altoona, resigning his posi- tion there to accept the present one. His long association with railroad work has made him acquainted with all its details and all its requirements and as general foreman of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway shops he has given the titmost satisfaction.
In 1870 Mr. Rosensteel married Annie Long, of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, a daughter of a well known employee of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Four children blessed this union, namely : James Al- bert, who served in the Ist Regiment, West Virginia Infantry, U. S. Volun- teers, during the Spanish-American War, and, soon after being mustered
out, enlisted in the 13th U. S. Infantry and served three years in the Philip- pines ; Ida Lillie, who died in 1893 at the age of 19 years; Elsie Luetta, the wife of W. J. Mclaughlin, a gang foreman in the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway shops at Huntington; and Elizabeth Emma, the wife of Otis Da- vis, of the meat firm of Bowen, Davis & Company. In politics Mr. Rosensteel is a Republican ; during his residence at Altoona, he served in the City Council. Fraternally he is a member of the An- cient Order of United Workmen. The family belong to the Methodist Church.
GUY R. SINSEL.
GUY R. SINSEL, proprietor of the Geneva Hotel, at Philippi, West Virginia, was born in Taylor County,
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West Virginia, in 1869. When he was six years of age, his father, Will- iam F. Sinsel, moved to Central City, Nebraska, and there the youth attend- ed the public schools and later finished his course at Central City College.
Until he was 21 years of age, Mr. Sinsel remained at home on the ranch and then went to Boise City, Idaho, where he took charge of the Capitol Hotel, the largest hotel in the city. In 1898 he returned to West Virginia and accepted a position with T. B. Seeley at the Traders' Hotel, at Clarksburg.
In 1901, Mr. Sinsel became pro- prietor of the handsome Geneva Hotel at Philippi. This is a beautiful house, admirably adapted for a summer re- sort, being in close proximity to a fine medicinal spring. It is surrounded by inspiring scenery, and from the great comfortable verandas surround- ing it most charming views can be ob- tained, while the climate leaves nothing to be desired.
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