USA > West Virginia > Men of West Virginia Volume I > Part 17
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OKEY JOHNSON CASTO, M. D.
OKEY JOHNSON CASTO, M. D., the leading physician in Ripley, Jackson County, West Virginia, was
born in Jackson County, West Vir- ginia, February 18, 1866, and is a son of Robert P. and Ellen (Barnett) Casto.
Robert P. Casto is also a native of Jackson County, where he resides at the age of 63 years, engaged in agricul- tural pursuits. He is identified with the Republican party in politics and with the Odd Fellows in fraternal asso- ciations. His religious connection is with the Methodist Protestant Church. The mother of Dr. Casto was also born in Jackson County and was a daughter of Robert and Elizabeth ( Rayburn) Barnett. She died in 1880, aged 45 years. She was a member of the united Brethren Church. These parents had a family of 10 children, as follows : Elizabeth F., the wife of Samuel Sey- mour; James P .; Okey Johnson, our subject ; Theodore D .; Eldridge E .; Holly O .; Alonzo M., deceased; Mary E., the wife of James Hollands; Win- field S. ; and Samuel O.
Dr. Casto obtained his literary edu- cation in the common schools and then taught school for six years. At the expiration of this time, he entered the office of Dr. Thomas Carpenter, of Poca, Putnam County, West Virginia, where he pursued medical reading for four months and then attended lectures in the spring of 1889, at the College of
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Physicians and Surgeons, Baltimore, Maryland, for an unofficial course, subsequently attending for two full courses the University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, where he gradu- ated in March, 1891. During the months of January and February, 1902, he took a post-graduate course at Jefferson Medical College at Phila- delphia. His first field of practice was in the spring of 1891 at Evans, West Virginia, where he remained for six and a half years, moving then, in 1897, to Ripley, where he has been estab- lished ever since. His skill has gained him the confidence of the public and he has a large and absorbing practice. He is a Member of the West Virginia Medical Association, is examiner for insurance companies and is also secre- tary of the U. S. pension examining board.
On April 8, 1888, Dr. Casto was united in marriage with Lily May Honaker, who was born in Putnam County, West Virginia, April 8, 1872, and is a daughter of Ephraim S. and Mary A. (Pine) Honaker. Two in- teresting children were born to this union, and bear the names of Frankie and Otho Jennings. Frankie was born August 21, 1892. Otho Jen- nings was born July 12, 1896. Mrs. Casto is a member of the United
Brethren Church. In politics the Doc- tor is a supporter of the Republican party.
B. F. RIGGS.
B. F. RIGGS, sheriff of Pleasants County, West Virginia, is one of the most popular officials the county has ever had. He was born November 15, 1855, in Washington County, Ohio, near the village of Wade. His parents are S. D. and Nancy R. (Moreland) Riggs, the latter being a daughter of Risha Moreland.
The father of Sheriff Riggs, a son of Basil Riggs, was born in 1816 on a farm about five miles above St. Marys in what was then a part of Tyler County. He was a prominent farmer and trader on the river. In political
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sentiment he was an Abolitionist and was one of the three members of the township in which he lived who first voted the Republican ticket and sup- ported John C. Fremont for President. He admired the character of John Brown and all through the Civil War was a strong supporter of the Union, With his uncle, John Riggs, he was engaged in the flatboating of produce down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to Southern ports. The latter walked home the entire distance from New Orleans, as it was then before the day of steamboats. James Riggs, the fa- ther of John and Basil Riggs, first set- tled on the site of the present town of New Matamoras, Ohio, and is recalled as a great hunter and trapper.
B. F. Riggs attended school at Lebanon, Warren County, Ohio, where he acquired a fair education which a life of study and close observation has served to make of more than usual ex- cellence. At the age of 21 in 1876, he was appointed a township commit- teeman, this being his entrance into politics, and he has been more or less interested ever since. In 1887 he moved to West Virginia and settled at Raven Rock on the old homestead farm which his grandfather, Basil Riggs, had en- tered in 1800. In the erection of his handsome residence in 1889, he found
he could utilize much of the whip- sawed lumber of the old dwelling, which was still sound. He engaged in farming and for 20 years also traded with flatboats on the river, far south. As an ardent Republican, he has faith- fully served his party's interests, and in 1900 he was elected sheriff of the county, for a term of four years, over an opponent who was the most popular Democrat of the county. He is well qualified for his duties, possesses a fund of good judgment, a wide experience, and the level head which is requisite for a public official.
On March 2, 1882, Sheriff Riggs was married to Mary L. Smith, of Watertown, Ohio, who is a daughter of James K. and Rosanna Smith. Two children were born to this union, name- ly : Dilly Keith, born February 28, 1883, who met death by drowning in the Ohio River, on August 27, 1889, aged six years and six months; and Nettie R., born June 27, 1886, who is a very promising student in the graded schools of St. Marys.
Mr. Riggs and family belong to the Methodist Church. Fraternally he is an associate member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen; the Tribe of Ben Hur; the Knights of Pythias and the Junior Order of United Ameri- can Mechanics. Mr. Riggs has strict
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views on temperance and is himself a total abstainer. His influence is always exerted in the direction of reformatory and educational movements, and he en- joys public esteem to a very high degree.
JACOB VAUGHT ARMSTRONG.
JACOB VAUGHT ARM- STRONG, cashier of the Bank of Ravenswood, was born in 1870, at Rip- ley, Jackson County, West Virginia, and is a son of Jacob Lorentz Arm- strong, whose sketch appears in this volume.
Mr. Armstrong was educated in the Ripley schools and Rock Hill College, at Ellicott City, Maryland, near Balti- more, subsequently taking a special
course in Professor Young's school, at Washington, D. C. Later he entered a business college at Lexington, Ken- tucky, and completed its course. In 1889 he went into the Bank of Ravens- wood as a clerk, his father being cash- ier, and remained in this capacity until 1893, when he accepted the position of assistant cashier in the Commercial Savings Bank, at Charleston, West Vir- ginia. Soon after, he returned to the Bank of Ravenswood as assistant cash- ier and in March, 1899, was elected cashier, which responsible position he still holds.
Mr. Armstrong is a director in the Jackson County Building & Loan Asso- ciation, succeeding his father, and is also a director in the Audit Company of West Virginia, recently organized. E. W. Warnock, ex-auditor of the the Ohio River Railroad, is the superin- tendent and manager of this latter en- terprise. Mr. Armstrong is at the present time president of the Ravens- wood Telephone Company, whose lines and equipment are now in course of construction, and will be completed in a few months. Through close and careful attention to business, Mr. Arm- strong has fully gained the confidence reposed in him and bids fair to become one of the leading capitalists of his section of the State.
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In November, 1897, Jacob Vaught Armstrong was united in marriage to Martha I. Roberts, who was born in Pennsylvania; one son has been born to them, William Lorentz. Mr. Arm- strong belongs to the Protestant Epis- copal Church. In politics he is a Dem- ocrat. In fraternal life, he is a Mason, a Knight of Pythias and an Elk. He has taken considerable interest in mu- nicipal affairs, and in 1900 was mayor of the city and has also been recorder.
HON. ERNEST BURTON CARLIN.
HON. ERNEST BURTON CAR- LIN, member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, and a successful practicing lawyer at Sutton, Braxton County, was born September 24, 1874,
on his father's farm in Barbour Coun- ty, West Virginia. He is a son of Capt. Granville Carlin, a grandson of John Carlin and a great-grandson of John Carlin, of Scotch-Irish descent.
About 1800 John Carlin came from Ireland to Virginia. He was a man of ability and education and engaged in teaching all his life, which closed in 1820. His son, also named John Car- lin, who was born in 1808 in Wheeling, Ohio County, Virginia, now West Vir- ginia, was a carpenter by trade, reared five children, of whom Capt. Granville Carlin was the eldest and died when the latter was II years old. Capt. Granville Carlin was born November 4, 1836, near Philippi, Barbour Coun- ty, Virginia, now West Virginia, and was educated in both common and pri- vate schools. He learned the carpen- ter trade and followed the same all his life, adding the business of a con- tractor. He married Susan Rider, daughter of John Wesley Rider of Bar- bour County, and six children were born to them, the four survivors being : John M., Ernest Burton, Edna and Rush. During the Civil War, Mr. Carlin served as captain of Company H, 18th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry, under Colonel Doyle, and came safely through all its dangers.
Ernest Burton Carlin was educated
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at the West Virginia Conference Sem- inary at Buckhannon, West Virginia, where he was graduated in 1897 from the scientific department. He was grad- uated from the law department of the State University at Morgantown in 1900. He was admitted to the bar in the same year and located at Sutton. Prior to this, he served for two years as superintendent of the Sutton schools. In 1902 he was elected to the House of Delegates and has devoted his attention to many matters pertain- ing closely to the welfare of the pub- lic. His speeches against several of the objectionable bills before the house tes- tified to his abilities as a statesman and orator. He took an active interest in the making of a preparatory depart- ment in the State University at Mor- gantown and led the fight against the Trust and Guaranty bills and secured a large number of adherents. It has been said that in the defeat of the Au- gusta bill, he made the effort of his life and the result was an address that has been seldom equaled. He is one of the four young men who have earned the title of the "Young Four" of the House, and Mr. Carlin, with S. H. Bowman, have been designated by the Republicans as the Democratic "Watch Dogs." Our subject was selected to represent the House of Delegates at the
94th anniversary of the birth of Abra- ham Lincoln, and an eloquent address on "Lincoln, the Friend of the South," was delivered in the hall of the house to a crowded room, representing both the "Blue and the Gray." He is one of the most promising politicians of the State and bids fair to receive still high- er testimonials of trust from his party.
Mr. Carlin is prominent in fraternal as well as political and professional cir- cles. He is a member of Lodge No. 21, A. F. & A. M., of Sutton; Lodge No. 73, K. of P .; and of Tribe No. 40, I. O. R. M.
He was appointed captain of Com- pany B, Ist Regiment Infantry, Vir- ginia National Guards, by Governor A. B. White on the 8th day of April, 1903, and is one of the few Democrats hold- ing such a position under the State administration.
DR. THOMAS M. HASKINS, a distinguished physician and surgeon of Wheeling, West Virginia, is proprie- tor of what is known as Haskins' Hos- pital at No. 3327 Eoff street. He lo- cated at Benwood 13 years ago, and some four years later purchased the site of his present buildings and his beautiful home at No. 3333 Eoff street. Three years later he erected the main
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building of his hospital, and in the spring of 1900 built an annex. The former has four floors and a basement, is 100 feet deep and 50 feet wide, and is equipped with all modern appliances and conveniences. The annex consists of five floors, with two rooms on each floor, all the rooms and wards in the hospital having stationary wash stands. The patients of the hospital also have the privilege of free Turkish baths, with expert rubbers in attendance,-a luxury not provided in other hospitals. The buildings were erected and equip- ped at an expense of $50,000, and are maintained at a cost of $20,000 per year. The average number of patients is 40, but frequently the number is larger. Professional nurses are in at- tendance and the Doctor has instituted a training school for nurses, the stu- dents also having practical work. There are three assistant physicians,- Dr. Joseph Palmer, a graduate of Jef- ferson Medical College, Philadelphia ; Dr. J. Alexander; and Dr. John O'Brien, a graduate of the University of Virginia. Dr. John W. Meyers ad- ministers anaesthetics. These assist- ants complete a corps for operating and are constantly within call. On the first floor of the main building is located one of the finest pharmacies in the State, owned and conducted by Mr. Menke-
meller. A free ambulance is provided, and all cases for medical and surgical attention are received.
Dr. Haskins has practiced medicine for the past 16 years, and has a thor- ough mastery of his profession. He graduated in the spring of 1886 from the College of Physicians and Sur- geons, Baltimore, Maryland, and two years later from Bellevue Hospital Medical College of New York City. In 1894 he took a course at the Post- Graduate School of New York. He has also taken a special course in surgery at different schools. He makes somewhat of a specialty of diseases of the nose and throat, and has established a large practice in this department.
Dr. Haskins was born about 57 miles from Wheeling, in Wetzel Coun- ty, West Virginia, and was educated in the schools of this State. His father, W. H. Haskins, was from Eastern Vir- ginia, and for some years was in the ho- tel business, but spent the latter portion of his life on his farm. The great- grandparents of Dr. Haskins came from Ireland. His mother and father are deceased. The Doctor has two brothers,-John C., foreman in the steel works at Benwood; and A. P., who resides on the old homestead, which is the Doctor's property.
Dr. Haskins decided on the medical
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profession at an eary age, but taught school several years in his youth. At the age of 22 years he was elected super- intendent of schools of Wetzel County, serve:1 as such two terms, and then taught a private normal school for two years at Burton, West Virginia. He was county superintedent of schools at the time he first graduated from a med- ical college. He practiced two years in his native town, and then 10 months at Davis City, after which he located at Benwood. He is not a member of any of the medical societies, although he has no feeling of animosity toward any of then1. He has never reported a case during his practice, although his exten- sive experience eminently qualifies him to prepare articles which would great- ly benefit the profession in many ways. Politically, he is a Democrat, and is a member of the second branch of the City Council. His office hours, which are necessarily long, do not permit much of his time to be spent other than in his profession. Socially, he is a mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias, Shields of Honor, Ancient Order of United Workmen and Star of Bethlehem. He also carries nearly $50,000 life insur- ance in old-line companies. He was united in marriage with Louisa M. Schenk, a daughter of F. Schenk, a prominent business man of Wheeling.
They have three daughters,-Rhea, Mary and Edna. Mrs. Haskins was renred a Lutheran, but favors the Presbyterian Church.
HON. STUART HAMPTON BOWMAN.
HON. STUART HAMPTON BOWMAN, member of the West Vir- ginia House of Delegates, 1902-03, from Barbour County, is a resident of Philippi, and a lawyer by profession. Mr. Bowman was born at Valley Furn- ace, Barbour County, West Virginia, June 28, 1875, and he is the eldest of the three children of Capt. Adam Cole- man and Tacy Jane ( Wilmoth) Bow- man.
The settlement of the Bowman family in West Virginia is coincident with the location here of the Van
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Meters. Both of them are of Holland ancestry, and both came from New York and settled on the South Branch of the Potomac, in what is now Hamp- shire and Hardy counties. An early ancestor, George Bowman, reared a family and his son Adam married Rachel Van Meter, and at an early day migrated with James Parsons to Cheat River, settling in what is now known as Tucker County, West Vir- ginia. Adam had a numerous family. his second son being Henry, the grand- father of our subject.
Capt. Adam Coleman Bowman was born May 1, 1839, on Cheat River, near Liberty Creek, and on May 4, 1874, he was married to Tacy Jane Wilmoth, daughter of Isaac W. Wil- moth, who was during his lifetime one of the prominent citizens of Barbour County; Isaac W. Wilmoth was a grandson of Thomas Wilmoth, one of five brothers who settled on Shaver's Fork of the Cheat River, east of the present town of Elkins. The youngest of these brothers was killed by the In- dians. Speaking of his wife, Captain Bowman gallantly pays her the tribute of transmitting the health, character- istics, moral and intellectual training of his family. Captain Bowman was born at a time when there were few educational facilities in his locality,
and his pioneer parents were struggling against poverty and the adverse con- ditions of early settlement. The lad was determined, however, to obtain an education and he fortunately was able to avail himself of the assistance of an old college professor, William Fergu- son, with whose help he mastered Latin, mathematics and surveying, was introduced to English classics, and be- came acquainted with the history of the past. At the age of 19 he determined to study the law, although he possessed neither means nor books. Those were days of mutual help, however, and he was able to borrow what he lacked and after two years of close applica- tion presented himself before Judges Gideon D. Camden, George W. Thompson and William Jackson and received his license, entering immedi- ately upon the practice of his hard- won profession. His present attitude is one of regret that he did not follow in that path, so eminently was he adapted for the bar, but the outbreak of the Civil War changed the current of his life as it did that of so many others. In 1861 he began raising a volunteer company for the Confeder- ate Army, and in this he was success- ful and at Grafton, Philippi and Lau- rel Hill, the "Mountain Guards" re- ceived their first baptisms of fire. At
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Rich Mountain they met with defeat and in the interval following this en- gagement Captain Bowman, after suf- fering much hardship and exposure, was taken prisoner. Soon after being exchanged, he returned to recruit an- other company which joined the com- mand of William L. Jackson and par- ticipated in the battles of the Wilder- ness, Antietam, Petersburg and the Early campaign, finally surrendering with General Lee at Appomattox. Captain Bowman survived the war, al- though he took part in many serious conflicts and was twice wounded, and became noted for his valor and cour- age. In every sense of the word he was a true soldier; faithful to his cause, gallant and brave in the face of danger, and magnanimous to those whom .the fortunes of war placed in his power. After its close he engaged in merchandising and an interrupted practice of the law.
Stuart Hampton Bowman attended the county schools until the age of 15 years and then taught the Location school, five miles east of St. George. Later he taught ungraded and summer Normal schools in Barbour County, while working his way through college, possessing much of the determination of his father. In 1893 he graduated from the Fairmont State Normal
School, and, standing highest in a class of 21, was made valedictorian. A year later he entered the Peabody Nor- mal College at Nashville, Tennessee, where he was graduated after one year with the degree of Licentiate of In- struction. He won the gold medal in debate in the contest between two two literary societies of the University of Nashville, in the same year. He graduated from this University in 1896, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, again being class representative. During his two years of study at the University, he edited the Peabody Rec- ord, the official organ, and during his second year was editor-in-chief. In 1896-97 he was assistant in the Fair- mont State Normal School, his former alma mater. It was his privilege to de- liver the address of honor before the alumni at the commencement in June, 1897. In the same year he entered the West Virginia University and grad- uated in June, 1898, with the degree of A. B., giving special attention at this time to political science, and economy. In 1898 Mr. Bowman was nominated by the Democrats of Barbour County for the House of Delegates and was elected by a majority of 60, running over 100 votes ahead of his ticket. His ability was at once manifest on the floor of the house, and he was made chair-
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man of the committee on education and a member of the committee on taxa- tion and finance and other important committees. He has done so much that the limits of a sketch of this kind can only refer to a small part of his work. He introduced the bill for in- creasing the tax on telegraph com- panies ; the Bowman Express Bill, for increasing the tax on express com- panies ; advocated the legislative duty of reducing and equalizing taxes; in- troduced a set of resolutions which at- tracted favorable notice, bearing on special tax laws, advocating the enact- ment of a State income tax, and he was identified during his first session with important educational reform bills. He was the youngest member of the house during his first session, and after its close he was appointed by Governor Atkinson as a member from the Second Congressional Dis- trict on the board of regents of the State normal schools and served until 1901.
In 1899 lie re-entered the Univer- sity, studied law and was admitted to the practice of law in 1900, but accepted a position with Ginn & Company, the largest independent school book pub- lishers in America and continued with them until August 1, 1902, when he
resigned in order to enter upon the practice of his profession at Philippi. In 1900 he was renominated against his own wishes for a second term in the Legislature. This campaign witnessed perhaps the most memorable struggle for political supremacy in the annals of West Virginia. This political battle brought into action all of the finesse, tact and experience of the contending political giants, and ended in the defeat of the Democrats, Mr. Bowman with his party. Again without his desire or even knowledge, in 1902 he was re- nominated for the House of Delegates and was elected by a majority of 190 votes in a heavily Republican county. His work during the second session is a matter of State history. He was one of the most active members of the mi- nority side, being numbered among the "Young Four," a combination of talent especially influential in securing the en- actinent of a number of desirable ineas- ures, as well as potent in accomplishing the defeat of several bills of exceeding- ly questionable character. Mr. Bow- man was the patron and champion of the C. O. D Liquor Bill, and the bill establishing a system of uniform exam- inations for teachers, two important measures which became laws. He led the opposition to the creation of Au-
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gusta County, and accomplished its de- feat by a strong speech upon thè uncon- stitutionality of the proposition.
Mr. Bowinan is interested in a num- ber of business enterprises, and enjoys a remunerative and rapidly growing business at the thriving county seat of Barbour County.
JAMES PORTER SCOTT.
JAMES PORTER SCOTT, presi- dent of the Tucker County Bar Asso- ciation, is a prominent citizen of Par- sons and one of the leading lawyers of the northeastern section of West Vir- ginia. He was born April 21, 1857, in Taylor County, Virginia, now West Virginia, and is a son of Sandy M. and
Rachel (Davis) Scott, both of whom were also natives of this State.
Sandy M. Scott was born Novem- ber 24, 1827, in Monongalia County, and at the age of 69 years passed away in 1896. During the Civil War he was a brave and efficient soldier, a member of the 17th Reg., West Virginia Vol. Inf., enlisting at Grafton. By occupa- tion he was a carpenter and an archi- tect. The mother of our subject was born June 26, 1824, in Harrison, now Taylor, County, and died in 1878, at the age of 54 years. She was a worthy member of the Baptist Church, and the beloved mother of the following chil- dren : Lemuel M., an architect of West Union ; Dora M., deceased, who was the wife of H. A. Lake; James Porter, of this sketch ; and Nathan B., a merchant at Dennison, Texas.
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