USA > West Virginia > Men of West Virginia Volume I > Part 33
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In 1866, Mr. Edwards was mar- ried to Mary Olivia Hoffman, daugh- ter of Col. Weeden Hoffman, a wealthy pioneer citizen of Lewis County, and four children were born
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to this union: James H., Gertrude, Walter A., and Thomas A., all of whom, with Mrs. Edwards, survive him. The sons of Thomas A. Ed- wards are in every way worthy of their distinguished father. The eldest son, James H. Edwards, has been prominent in newspaper circles, hav- ing been editor of the Westou Dewo- crat, also editor and proprietor of the Huntington Daily Advertiser. He was postmaster at Weston, under Cleve- land's last administration. He is a prominent citizen of Weston and is in- terested in many business enterprises. Walter A. Edwards, cashier of the National Exchange Bank of Weston, is a young man of fine business qualities. Thomas A. Edwards, the youngest son, is a prominent mer- chant of Weston and is a polished and genial gentleman.
C. P. CRAIG, prosecuting attorney of Pleasants County, West Virginia, residing in St. Marys, and one of the prominent attorneys of the State, was born August 1, 1868, in Tyler County, and is a son of James and Edith (Gat- rell) Craig.
The Craig family originated in Ire- land. Our subject's grandfather, John
Craig, was born in Virginia, his father having come from Ireland. John Craig moved from Virginia to Pennsylvania. About 1826 he came to Tyler County, Virginia, now West Virginia, and set- tled near Shiloh, where he lived until death.
James Craig, the father of our sub- ject, was born August 16, 1816, dur- ing the family residence in Greene County, Pennsylvania, and died in Pleasants County, July 7, 1894. Dur- ing a portion of his life he engaged in a mercantile business at St. Marys, but in 1865 he removed to Tyler County and engaged in farming until 1878, when he purchased a farm near Heb- ron, Pleasants County, where his last days were spent. His wife was of Welsh descent, and was a daughter of John and Abigail Gatrell, who removed from Harrison County to Pleasants County about 1859. Mrs. Craig has reached the age of 68 years, retaining all her faculties, and resides with our subject, who was her only child.
On account of circumstances, Mr. Craig secured but few educational op- portunities, his present fund of knowl- edge having been gained by experience, wide reading and association with the world. It was his ambition to enter the legal profession, and with this end in view he devoted every spare moment
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from farm work to the study of the law, and in June, 1896, passed a very successful examination. In the same year he secured the Republican nomi- nation for prosecuting attorney of Pleasants County. After a hot cam- paign, in a county regarded as safely Democratic, his opponent being Clyde B. Johnson, one of the ablest lawyers of the county, Mr. Craig was elected to the office. He made his canvass on foot, a house to house campaign. Mr. Craig is regarded as a very strong man in the Republican party in his section. His practice has extended to other counties and in the Federal courts, his specialty being bankruptcy cases.
In 1895 Mr. Craig was married to Cora A. Wilson, who was born in 1872. near Hebron, Pleasants County, and is a daughter of Silas and Frances (Gar- ell) Wilson, being the eldest of two children. Four children have been born to our subject and wife, the three survivors being May, Edith Pearl and Vesta Lee, little Ethel having died in infancy. In religious belief, both Mr. and Mrs. Craig are members of the St. Marys Methodist Church. Mr. Craig has taken one degree in the Masonic order.
C. P. Craig is a fine example of a self-made man, having carved his own way, unaided by a college education or
social prominence. He stands well in his profession and enjoys the esteem of all who know him.
NAOMON J. CROOKS.
NAOMON J. CROOKS, one of the foremost citizens of Keyser, Miner- al County, West Virginia, manager, treasurer and a director in the Pied- mont Grocery Company, president of the Piedmont Feed & Ice Company and one of the managers of the pre- paratory branch of the West Virginia University at Keyser, in addition to be- ing identified with many other enter- prises, was born January 16, 1861, at Zanesville, Ohio. His father, W. B. Crooks, was a captain in the Civil War, was captured on North Mountain in this State, and died a prisoner of war.
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His great-uncle was General Crooks, who achieved fame as a great Indian fighter.
Mr. Crooks received a liberal educa- tion in the schools of his native State. Coming to Keyser 22 years ago, he en- tered a mercantile house as a clerk, and for six years remained in that position. He then accepted a position with the Baer Grocery Company, of Wheeling, West Virginia, with whom he re- mained until 1901. Mr. Crooks then started a wholesale grocery house at Piedmont, a stock company being formed with a capital of $100,000, with T. C. Dye as president, T. B. Davis as vice-president, and Mr. Crooks as manager, treasurer and one of the directors. Other enteprises with which he is identified are the Keyser Electric Light Company in which he is man- ager, treasurer and stockholder; the Keyser Bank, of which he is a director ; the Keyser Telephone Company, of which he is a stockholder and director ; the Terra Alta Bank of Terra Alta, of which he is a stockholder and direc- tor; and other leading business or- ganizations.
In September, 1882, Mr. Crooks was married to Mrs. Emma Lee, and a family of five children has been born to this union. The family home is a handsome brick residence, of two
stories, with 16 rooms, including our subject's private office, lighted by elec- tricity, with telephone connections, hot and cold water, sanitary plumbing, etc., in short one of the most modern and finely equipped homes in Keyser. Mr. Crooks has been a member of the Town Council and possesses to the fullest ex- tent the confidence and esteem of his fellow townsmen. He came to Keyser in very limited circumstanecs, and has attained his prominence and acquired his large means not as a speculator, but as an industrious, wealth-making toil- er, seeking to build up all around him. His interest and faith in this section has never wavered, while it owes much to his excellent judgment and his pub- lic spirit. The founding and promo- tion of various industries have contrib- uted no little to the general prosperity.
E. C. EWING, who until recently was president of the Wheeling Corru- gating Company, comes of a well known family of this State. He was born in 1853, at Wheeling, and is a son of James M. and Mary (Lukens ) Ew- ing.
The ancestry of the Ewing family may be traced back to Henry and Eliz- abeth (Glenn) Ewing, both natives of Ireland. The former was born on
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Lord Abercorn's estate in County Ty- rone.
John Ewing, who was born in the North of Ireland in 1782, came to this country with his father between 1795 and 1797, and for 12 years was located in Maryland, where he worked at the trade of a cooper and carried on farm- ing. He removed to Wheeling in No- vember, 1808, and took out naturaliza- tion papers while Moses W. Chapline was clerk of the Circuit Court. In 1812 he joined the State militia and went to the Maumee River, under General Har- rison. Later he received a commission as ensign in the 4th Regiment, which he retained several years. His broth- er, Capt. James Ewing, distinguished himself in the service during the War of 1812, and died in 1836.
James M. Ewing, father of E. C., was born in Wheeling, December 30, 1814, and first worked at book binding and job printing under J. Fisher & Son. After 12 of 13 years, he engaged in the same business with his brother William, and in 1863 established a prosperous business of his own at No. 14 12th street. He retired some years before his death, which occurred in Oc- tober, 1889, at the age of 75 years. He was united in marriage in May, 1842, with Mary Lukens, second daughter of Abraham Lukens, of Phil-
adelphia, Pennsylvania, who is de- scended from the illustrious Penn fam- ily. She was born at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and died August 19, 1901, at the family home, No. 120 15th street, Wheeling. This union was blessed by the birth of four sons and one daughter, as follows: John H., who resides at the home place; Lukens, who died in infancy ; William L., who is manager of the St. Louis depart- ment of the Wheeling Corrugating Company and resides at St. Louis; E. C., the youngest son ; and Annie, who is single and resides at No. 120 15th street, Wheeling. Mr. Ewing was a member of the City Council, Board of Education, and held other offices. He was a Democrat in politics.
E. C. Ewing attended the public schools, and later Linsly Institute, and began his business career with the Whitaker Iron Company in 1870. In 1890 the Wheeling Corrugating Com- pany was organized by the men inter- ested in the Whitaker Iron Company, and Mr. Ewing became the president of the new concern. He served in that capacity until April, 1901, when he re- tired from active business life for the time being. He has resided at his pres- ent home at Leatherwood for the past eight years.
Mr. Ewing was united in marriage
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with Margaret W. Bell, a daughter of Joseph Bell, and a native of Wheeling. Mr. Bell is 81 years of age, and has been a prominent business man of the city. Three sons were born of this union. namely: Joseph, who died at the age of nine years ; Nelson J., aged 14 years ; and Wylie B., aged II years. Politically, Mr. Ewing is a Republican, but has never accepted office. Religi- ously, he favors the Protestant Epis- copal Church, although reared a Pres- byterian.
ROBERT E. VICKERS, M. D.
ROBERT E. VICKERS, M. D., who is generally recognized as one of the most successful physicians and sur-
geons at Huntington, West Virginia, was born in 1857 at Charleston, Vir- ginia, now West Virginia, and is a son of Leonard and Mary M. (Tuck- er) Vickers, the former of whom died when his son was but three months old.
The Vickers family is an old one in Virginia, where the great-grand- father settled in 1797, coming from England. He secured much land and followed plantation life. Griffin Vick- ers, the grandfather of our subject, was also a farmer and came to what is now West Virginia from Botetourt County, Virginia, and died in 1891. His broth- in-law, Albert Allen, was State Rep- resentative at Richmond for three terms some years ago.
Leonard Vickers, the father of Dr. Vickers, was also a native of Virginia, and followed the occupation of a steam- boat pilot. On the maternal side, the family is also an old one of the Valley of Virginia, where the Tuckers have been prominent for a number of years, Col. John Randolph Tucker, being a close relative. Dr. Vickers' mother, who resides at Huntington, aged 68 years, is a daughter of James A. Tuck- er, who was long actively engaged as an expert and manager in the salt busi- ness along the Kanawha River. The Tucker family is noted for its long- evity.
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Dr. Vickers is an only child, and obtained his literary education in dif- ferent parts of West Virginia, where his mother resided. He attended his first medical lectures at Louisville, Kentucky, and graduated from the medical department of the University of Maryland in 1884 and at Bellevue, Hospital Medical College, New York, in 1888. Having secured a State certi- ficate, he began his practice in 1882. prior to entering the University of Maryland, and located at Huntington, after graduating at Bellevue. Dr. Vickers has met with most encourag- ing success in his general practice and has become known as one of the lead- ing surgeons of his section of the State. His well equipped office apartments are located in a fine home which he erected at No. 917-919 5th avenue. He is a member of the State Medical Society.
In February, 1890, he was united in marriage to a daughter of J. L. Thornburg, a well known civil engi- neer of Cabell County, now living re- tired. Four children have been born to Dr. Vickers and wife, two of whom, one son and one daughter, survive. Politi- cally, Dr. Vickers is a "Sound Money" Democrat. Fraternally, he is a Knight Templar and member of Beni-Kedem Shrine, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; of Charleston, and a member of the
Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows, Golden Eagles, and Elks. The family belong to the Methodist Church.
NATHANIEL CAMDEN PRICKETT.
NATHANIEL CAMDEN PRICKETT, a leading member of the Jackson County bar, and a well known citizen of Ravenswood, was born April 30, 1853, near Fairmont, Marion County, Virginia, now West Virginia. He was brought to Jackson County by his parents in 1865.
His father, John T. Prickett, was born near Fairmont, February 15, 1812, and died September 20, 1897. For many years a farmer, four years prior to his death John Prickett en-
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gaged in a mercantile business in Wood County. For a number of years he was assessor of Marion County, served as justice of the peace in Wood County and was one of the first trustees of the Independent School District of Ravens- wood. Both he and his wife were mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
The mother of our subject was Susanna Morgan, who was born March 6, 1814, in Wetzel County, Virginia, now West Virginia, and was a daugh- ter of Morgan S. and Mary (Hill) Morgan, and died January 27, 1898. Her great-grandfather was David Morgan, who, in 1779, at the age of 60 years, was attacked by two Indians ; he slew both of them and for this act of courage a monument was erected to his memory, on Prickett's Creek, near Fairmont. The children born to John T. and Susanna Prickett were: Edwin M., of Missouri; Sandford H., de- ceased: Charles F., the editor of the Mountaineer in Ripley, who served in Company F, 17th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry, under General Jenkins during the Civil War, and was a prisoner at Point Lookout, Maryland, being dis- charged at the close of hostilities ; Isaiah T., now a practicing physician in Parkersburg, who was long a leader in his profession in Ravenswood; and
Isabella, who married J. Willis Rhodes, who is in the hardware business at Point Pleasant. Our subject was the fifth member of the family.
Nathaniel C. Prickett, completed the common school course in the Ravenswood schools and then became a student of the University of West Vir- ginia at Morgantown. A short season of teaching followed and then he en- tered upon the reading of the law with Lindsay B. Haymond, of Fairmont. In 1877 he was admitted to the bar and immediately began practice. Mr. Prick- ett on many occasions has shown his legal ability and enjoys a large patron- age. He is the attorney for the three banks of the city and also for the Jack- son County Building & Loan Associa- tion.
On March 29, 1878, Mr. Prickett was married to Ruth E. Johnson, who was born in Jackson County on August 31, 1856, being a daughter of John and Betsy Johnson. Mr. and Mrs. Prick- ett adopted as their own an infant of 14 months and they have given it the beat- tiful name of Faith. Mrs. Prickett is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Prickett is a Democrat in political faith, and was made State fish commissioner by Governor Flem- ing. He was nominated on August 15, 1896, at the Democratic Judicial Con-
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vention, on the 154th ballot, as a can- didate for Circuit judge of the Sixth Judisial Circuit, but was defeated by Judge Reece Blizzard, on account of a "slump" in the vote in Calhoun County, caused by sectional prejudice of the in- terior counties against the front county. Fraternally he belongs to the Masonic, Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias orders, and in the latter is Grand Outer Guard of the Grand Lodge.
HON. M. A. KENDALL.
HON. M. A. KENDALL, com- missioner of banking of West Virginia and a prominent resident of Parkers- burg, has had an interesting and varied career. He was born on a farm in Ritchie County, West Virginia, July
23, 1862, and is a son of Ransom and Lydia (Rex) Kendall.
Mr. Kendall's early education was acquired in the schools of Ritchie County, supplemented by home instruc- tion, until he attained his 14th year, when he secured employment as clerk in a store at Elizabeth, Wirt County ; in addition to working in the store, he attended school as his duties would per- mit and graduated from the high school. At the end of five years, he bought out his employer's business, conducted it successfully for four years, and then sold it and removed to Parkersburg. He engaged in the flour mill business for about one year, then acted as traveling salesman for a Wheeling house and later traveled over West Virginia and Eastern Ohio for one of the leading business concerns of Cincinnati, establishing for himself the reputation of being one of the best and most popular salesmen throughout the territory traveled by him. In 1896 he received the Republican nom- ination for State treasurer and was elected, his popularity adding strength to the ticket. As State treasurer of West Virginia he made himself con- spicuous for the zeal with which he performed the duties of his office. He served in this office until March 4, 1901, and on April 1, 1901, he was ap-
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pointed commissioner of banking of West Virginia. He has always been an active, enthusiastic Republican, whose best energies have been devoted in council and on the stump to the suc- cess of the party, and whose voice has ever been raised for purity in politics and honesty in office. Mr. Kendall was chairman of the Republican Exec- utive Committee of Wirt County for several years and rendered such splen- did services during the Blaine cam- paign as to stamp him as a leader whose ability should be recognized and rewarded in future political contests. As a lecturer and public speaker, his services are constantly in demand.
Mr. Kendall, in 1888, was united in marriage with Hattie Lowther, a native of West Virginia and a direct descendant of Col. William Lowther, the noted Indian fighter. She is a daughter of Rev. S. Lowther, who is now in charge of the Butler Street Methodist Episcopal Church of Pitts- burg. One child, Virginia, has blessed this union. Our subject has had the honor of being a lay member to the General Conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which were held at Cleveland in 1896, and at Chicago in 1900. He is a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, a member of the executive committee of
the State Sunday School Association and a trustee of Ohio Wesleyan Uni- versity, of Delaware, Ohio. He is also president of the Tribune Printing Com- pany. of Charleston, West Virginia.
RUDOLPH WILD.
RUDOLPH WILD, wholesale confectioner and manufacturer, is one of the leading business men of Park- ersburg, West Virginia. He was born October 1, 1842, in Bavaria, Germany, and is a son of Rudolph and Sophia (Poller) Wild, the former of whom died in 1884, aged 72 years, and the latter in 1902, aged 84 years. The fa- ther came to the United States in 1854 and located at Pittsburg, where for many years he successfully engaged in a grocery business.
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Rudolph Wild attended school in his native land and was 13 years old when he acompanied his parents and five brothers and sisters to America. He became an apprentice in the bakery and confectionery business of Maginn Brothers, at Pittsburg, and completed his term of apprenticeship with a Phil- adelphia firm. By 1862 he was con- ducting a business of his own at Pitts- burg, but he saw a wider field at Park- ersburg and removed to that city in 1865. His bother August was asso- ciated with him for a time, but the death of August in 1877 left our sub- ject alone and so he has since contin- ued. Mr. Wild established himself at his present location, Nos. 115-117 Ann street, and now finds it necessary to employ from 12 to 15 assistants. He has one of the best managed establish- ments in West Virginia, his products of cakes, bread, pastry and ice creams, being of standard quality and in great demand not only in the city but in the surrounding country. Mr. Wild has fitted up his establishment with all modern and sanitary appliances and es- pecial care is given to cleanliness and healthful production. He personally superintends the workings of the con- fectionery department which is noted for the choice dainties it manufactures. For many years Mr. Wild has been
classed as a leading business man. In 1880. 1883 and 1892 he served with the greatest efficiency in the City Coun- cil, being a particularly useful member on account of his public spirit and his excellent business judgment. For the past TO years Mr. Wild has been presi- dent of the Parkersburg Ice Company, and since its organization a director, which concern started with a 12-ton machine, but which has now a capacity of 140 tons daily. He is a stockholder in the West Virginia Telephone Com- pany and has various other interests. In connection with his bakery and con- fectionery business, Mr. Wild has added a grocery department for the accommodation of steamboats and river craft.
Mr. Wild married a daughter of Frederick Pahl, who is one of the old residents. Five children were born to them, and the eldest son, G. A., is a practical engineer at the plant of the Parkersburg Ice Company, at the foot of Sixth street. One daughter, Mrs. Wright resides at Fairmont, West Virginia, while the others are at home. Mr. Wild and family belong to the Presbyterian Church. His fraternal connections are with the Elks, Odd Fellows and the Masons.
In private life Mr. Wild is gener- ous, hospitable and benevolent. He is
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a Republican in politics but has never sought political honors, his ambition having been more in the direction of promoting the city's interests and in providing for the welfare of his family.
HON. DAVID PORTER CROCKETT, M. D., M. E.
HON. DAVID PORTER CROCKETT, M. D., M. E., member of the House of Delegates from Good- will, Mercer County, West Virginia, a physician by profession and a well known and prominent citizen, was born December 12, 1872, near Burkesville, Kentucky, where his mother died in 1876. He is a son of James R. and a grandson of James Crockett, of Scotch- Irish descent, who was a brother of the
distinguished Davy Crockett, who took such a prominent part in the early history of some portions of the country, especialy Tennessee and Texas, and who fell at the Alamo in the Mexican and Texan War. Many Crocketts still reside in Tennessee. James R. Crockett, the father of Dr. Crockett. for the past II years has been a suc- cessful cotton farmer near Mckinney, Texas. Our subject's mother, whose maiden name was Jane Dilliard Lut- trell, was of English descent and a native of Kentucky.
Dr. Crockett resided until about 22 years old near Albany, Kentucky, where he was educated, having begun to teach school at the age of 17, and having taught four terms in Kentucky and one in Tennessee. In the meantime he had commenced the study of medicine. He graduated from the Kentucky School of Medicine, at Louisville, in 1894, and in 1898 graduated from the National College of Electro- Therapeutics, with the degree of M. E. Dr. Crockett first located at Savage, Kentucky, but removed one year after to Goodwill, West Virginia, as physician for coal mining companies. In 1902 he was elected to the Legis- lature of West Virginia, having for some time been active in politics.
On September 7, 1898, at Roanoke,
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Virginia, Dr. Crockett married Eliza- beth Toland, who is a daughter of D. M. and Mary (Johnson) Toland. Mr. and Mrs. Toland were both born in Ireland and came to the United States when small ; they were married in Penn- sylvania and lived in that State until 10 years ago, when they moved to Roanoke, Virginia, where they still re- side. One child has been born to Dr. and Mrs. Crockett, Cletus, born April 15, 1900. Mrs. Crockett is a member of the Catholic Church, but the Crock- ett family belongs to the Methodist Church. Dr. Crockett is very promi- nent in the various branches of the Masonic order, belonging to Lodge No. 45, A. F. & A. M., at Bramwell, West Virginia ; Chapter No. 15, R. A. M., at Bramwell; Ivanhoe Commandery No. 10, K. T., at Bramwell; Beni- Kedem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Charleston; and also belongs to Red Cloud Tribe of Red Men, No. II, at Bramwell.
In politics Dr. Crockett has always been a pronounced Republican and since taking his seat in the House of Dele- gates has been one of the conservative and useful members of his party. His vote and influence are always given after careful consideration, and he is re- garded as one of the safe guardians of the public's interests.
JOHN MORTON GREGG.
JOHN MORTON GREGG, chief clerk of the West Virginia Geological Survey, is one of the leading young men of Morgantown, Monongalia County. He has risen to prominence through his own efforts and enjoys the esteem of all with whom his long official life has thrown him in contact.
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