USA > West Virginia > Men of West Virginia Volume I > Part 6
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On the Ioth day of May, 1894, George Poffenbarger was united in marriage with Livia Nye Simpson, born at Pomeroy, Ohio, March 1, 1862, daughter of George Perry Simpson, who in 1866 removed to Mason Coun- ty, West Virginia, and became a leading member of the bar and a prominent Democratic politician. George Perry Simpson and his father, Judge Nathan Simpson, were both natives of Meigs County, Ohio, and descendants of Jo- siah Simpson, who while under 14 years of age enlisted in the New Hampshire troops for service in the Revolutionary War, in which he was thereafter en-
gaged for seven years. Mrs. Poffen- barger's mother was Phebe A. Ken- nedy, a native of Meigs County, Ohio, and a daughter of James and Margaret (Von Schriltz) Kennedy.
Mrs. Poffenbarger's life has been one of great activity and has been full of incidents bordering on the heroic. She was educated principally in the pub- lic schools and followed teaching for a few years and was then employed for a time at indexing deed and trust deed books in the county clerk's office. While so engaged, her father appeared before the County Court as attorney for ap- plicants for liquor licenses in unincor- porated towns. One of these licenses had been granted, despite a remon- strance signed by a large number of temperance people, when an appeal was made to her, with the result that she went up into the court room and deliv- ered an opposition address, and at its conclusion the license granted was re- voked and all other applications from unincorporated towns for that year were refused. At first she naturally adopted the political faith of her father, and attended the Democratic State Con- vention in 1888. Being enthusiastic for her county, and perceiving the dan- ger of defeat, she took steps which stampeded the convention and made possible the nomination of Judge Eng-
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lish. In the same year she purchased the Republican newspaper of the coun- ty, named it The State Gazette and has ever since edited and published it as a Republican paper. In 1892 she attend- ed the Republican State Convention at the same place, in the interest of her paper; just before the final adjourn- ment, the floral decorations of the chairman's stand were presented to her by Hon. George W. Atkinson in a pretty little speech. She responded in a happy political talk of a few minutes which called forth a perfect ovation. In 1894, at the Republican Congress- ional Convention, held in her town, she delivered a nomination speech, in which she uttered expressions that are still remembered throughout the district. Though often urged to do so, she never did campaign speaking, but she enjoys her newspaper work and prides her- self upon having been the first of her sex to edit a newspaper in the State, and the first in the nation to edit a political paper. Notwithstanding her interest in public affairs, she is devoted to her home, her husband and her chil- dren.
Judge and Mrs. Poffenbarger have two children: Nathan Simpson, born August 4, 1898; and Perry Simpson, born November 24, 1899.
CLYDE BEECHER JOHNSON.
CLYDE BEECHER JOHNSON, one of the most prominent politicians and attorneys in St. Marys, Pleasants County, was born in Pleasants County, West Virginia, June 17, 1871. He is a son of James L. and Anna ( Martin) Johnson, the latter of whom is a daughter of Abner Martin, one of the promoters of the county's organization, and a member of its first grand jury.
At the age of 12 years Mr. Johnson entered the public school near his home and spent a part of one year under the tutorship of the late Prof. J. D. Phil- lips, at Marietta, Ohio. He began teaching at the age of 17 years and fol-
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lowed the profession for seven years. His education was completed at the West Virginia Conference Seminary, at Buckhannon, and he began the study of law in the spring of 1893, under Hon. A. M. Campbell of St. Marys, being amitted to the bar in February, 1895. In the following month he opened an office at Sistersville and prac- ticed his profession there nearly a year, when political aspirations recalled him to his own county. Mr. Johnson is a Jeffersonian Democrat, and ever since attaining manhood has taken a lively interest in politics. Every campaign, since his 16th year has found him on candidates.
Mr. Johnson cannot be said to be- long to any particular so-called faction of his party ; in fact with such schisms he has no sympathy, and while conser- vative upon every question may prop- erly be termed a typical American Dem- ocrat.
In the campaign of 1896, Mr. John- son was the nominee of his party for prosecuting attorney, but went down in the Democratic Waterloo of that year, but, even then, was defeated by but 22 votes. Since that date he has been suc- cessfully practicing law in Pleasants County, and also in other counties of the Fifth Judicial Circuit. He is re- garded with much favor by the mem-
bers of his party, who have not been slow to recognize his ability and his party zeal.
In recent years Mr. Johnson has de- voted himself almost exclusively to the practice of his profession, and to busi- ness enterprises in which he is inter- ested. His law practice had grown to such an extent that on January 1, 1902, he found it necessary to associate with himself another lawyer, and formed a partnership with E. R. B. Martin, un- der the firm name of Johnson & Martin. This is considered one of the strong law firms of their section of the State, and enjoys a lucrative practice.
Mr. Johnson is largely interested in the business enterprises that are bring- ing West Virginia to the front, and has valuable real estate, coal and timber holdings both in his home State and in Kentucky. He has been associated, professionally, with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company for some years, and is interested in the building of two electric railways traversing sec- tions of West Virginia.
On February 9, 1898, Mr. John- son was united in marriage with Anna Grace Hart, an accomplished young lady of Randolph County, West Vir- ginia, the only daughter of Hon. S. B. Hart, who was one of the best known men in that section of the State. They
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have a very pleasant home in St. Marys, which is brightened by two children which have been born to them, Myra Grace, born June 15, 1899, and Clyde Bosworth, born December 7, 1900. They live in modest unassuming man- ner, and upon this home the angel of domestic felicity smiles.
Mr. Johnson is a book lover, and a man of cultivated literary taste. He is said to have one of the best private libraries in the State. He is an ad- herent of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and a prominent member of the A. F. & A. M.
HON. WILLIAM M. O. DAWSON
HON. WILLIAM M. O. DAW- SON, Secretary of State of West Vir- ginia, is a son of Francis Ravenscraft and Leah (Kight) Dawson, the latter
of whom died during her son's child- hood. Soon after his mother's death his father moved to Cranberry, now Terra Alta, Preston County, Virginia, now West Virginia, and subsequently to Bruceton Mills, where he remained until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he removed to Ice's Ferry, in Monongalia County. The lad had ac- companied his father, but in 1863 he returned to Cranberry and there se- cured employment in a cooper shop.
Like many men whose eminent achievements have placed them con- spicuously before the public, Mr. Daw- son found it necessary to make his own way in the world. He was a poor boy. Alternating with work in the cooper shop, he attended the public schools and several terms at a private school in Terra Alta, and then for several years engaged in teaching and clerking in the vicinity. In 1873 he moved to King- wood and, although under 21 years of age, took charge of the Republican paper at that place, The Preston Coun- ty Journal, having had some news- paper experience as a correspondent for this paper and also for the Wheeling Intelligencer. Two years later he be- came the owner of this journal, which he made not only a paying property but a potent factor in State politics. From boyhood he had been intelligently in-
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terested in politics and public affairs, but when he was elected, in 1874, chairman of the county committee of Preston County, it was against his wishes. However he was twice re- elected, and served for 13 years. Dur- ing this time the Republican majority of the "banner Republican county" in- creased from less than 1,000 to 1,600. In 1880 he was unanimously nominated for State Senator from the Tenth Sen- atorial District, which was followed by his election, and he took his seat Jan- uary 12, 1881, the youngest member of a notable body. In 1884 he was re- elected, but at the end of this term he refused to be considered a candidate, though he could have had the nomina- tion for a third term without opposi- tion.
Mr. Dawson was no silent member of the Senate and no mere figurehead. He rendered valuable service as a mem- ber of the committee on banks and cor- porations, on finance, on the joint com- mittee on finance, on the joint sub-com- mittee on finance to prepare the appro- priation bills ; on counties and municipal corporations, on the penitentiary, on mines and mining, on public printing, and was the only Republican member of a special committee to investigate the public printing, and his report was adopted by the Democratic Senate. It
is a matter of public record concerning the stand he took for the protection of the school fund, and his advocacy of the regulation of railroad charges on the lines afterward adopted by the Federal government in the creation of the Inter-State Commerce Commission. He is the father of the present mine in- spection law of the State. Mr. Daw- son's genius as a legislator is shown by the great number of beneficent laws added to the statutes during his period of incumbency. Since then his name is associated with the "Dawson Bill" of 1901, making material and beneficent alterations in the corporation laws of West Virginia, and adding over a quarter of a million dollars to the reve- nues of the State.
In 1891 he was unanimously elected chairman of the Republican State Com- mittee, and has twice been re-elected, his present term expiring in 1904. His conduct of the campaign of 1892 was a revelation to the politicians of the State, and laid the foundation for the great Republican victory of 1894. When Mr. Dawson took charge in 1891, the State was Democratic by a majority of from 5,000 to 6,000, and had been in complete control of that party since 1871. Under the Dawson management, the Republican party won its great victories of 1894, 1896
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and 1900, as well as of 1898 and 1902 ; and the State, since 1896, has been Re- publican in all branches of the govern- ment.
He was appointed Secretary of State in 1896 by Governor Atkinson, and re-appointed in 1900 by Governor White, and is the only man who has served two terms in that important office. Besides the offices of State Sen- ator and Secretary of State, Mr. Daw- son has served as mayor of Kingwood and as clerk of the House of Delegates.
In the high office of Secretary of State (he being also as such e.v-officio the secretary of the Board of Public Works and the Superintendent of Pub- lic Printing) he has shown how admir- ably fitted he is for the great trusts reposed in him. Through both the administrations of Governor Atkinson and of Governor White, his services have been marked by a devotion to the public welfare, by an integrity of action far above criticism, tempered by a tact and a maturity of judgment which has made him an invaluable public servant. Both in public and private life, Mr. Dawson is a man of the highest char- acter, one who could, with dignity and honor, fill the highest position in the gift of this State. Asked by the writer of this sketch to state a guide for polit- ical action he replied, "He best serves
his party who serves his country best." Asked to state his standard of the con- duct of a public office, he said, "A pub- lic office is a public trust."
HON. ARTHUR .I. BOREMAN, deceased, ex-Governor of West Vir- ginia, was born at Waynesburg, Penn- sylvania, in 1823, and died April 19, 1896. He was the son of Kenner S. and Sarah (Ingraham) Boreman, both natives of Greene County, Pennsyl- vania.
Arthur J. Boreman attended the public schools in Tyler County, Vir- ginia, but completed his education un- der the tutelage of a private instructor. He studied law under liis elder brother and James M. Stevenson, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1845. In Novem- ber, 1845, he located in Parkersburg, Virginia, now West Virginia. In 1861 he was elected judge of the Circuit Court, under the "restored govern- ment," he having acted as president of the convention held at Wheeling that was the means of organizing the State of West Virginia. Previous to this, however, in 1855, he was elected to the Legislature from Pleasants County, and held that office until liis appointment to the bench. In 1863 he was elected first Governor of West Virginia, and occu-
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pied the gubernatorial chair until 1869, having been re-elected, and in January, 1869, he was elected United States Senator. He served as United States Senator until 1875, when he retired from politics and resumed his profes- sion until the fall of 1888, when he was chosen Judge of the Fifth Judicial Dis- trict of West Virginia.
HON. STARK L. BAKER.
HON. STARK L. BAKER, who represents the Thirteenth Senatorial District West Virginia in the State Senate, is a prominent citizen of Bever- ly, where he has large and varied busi- ness interests. He was born in Ran- dolph County, Virginia, now West
Virginia, August 30, 1860, and is a son of Isaac and Harriet (Wees) Baker. Isaac Baker is prominent as an agriculturist, stock dealer and mer- chant and one of the best known men of his section.
Stark L. Baker received his educa- tion in the common schools of his native county, then took an advanced course in Fairmont State Normal School, from which he graduated with the class of 1879. He then taught school for a period of two years, after which he turned his attention to agricultural pur- suits and stock raising, also buying and selling horses and cattle extensively. He purchased the Beverly Flouring Mills in company with his father, and has since conducted this plant, which is one of the best known in the State. He is also part owner of four or five thou- sand acres of farm, timber and grazing land, some of which is underlaid with rich deposits of coal. He is a true busi- ness man in every sense of the word and has met with excellent success in all his various ventures. He is vice presi- dent of The Beverly Bank, a stockhold- er and director of the Trust Company of West Virginia and a stockholder of the Tucker County Bank of Parsons, West Virginia.
Politically, Mr. Baker is a promi- nent Republican, taking a very active
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1889, he was appointed deputy revenue interest in local and State affairs. In collector under Revenue Collector A. B. White, the present Governor of West Virginia, and for four years served efficiently in that capacity. He also held the office of United States Com- missioner for four years and in 1898 was elected State Senator. He served his constituents in a most able manner as was evidenced by his re-nomination by acclamation and his re-election in 1902. He has been delegate to county, State and Congressional conventions, and for a period of 16 years was chair- man of the Republican County Com- mittee.
In 1883, Mr. Baker was united in marriage with Mabel L. Burns, a native of Fairmont, West Virginia, and a de- scendant of an old and honored Vir- ginia family. Her father, J. J. Burns, was a prominent citizen of Fairmont and assisted largely in the development of Marion County. Our subject and his wife have one son, J. B. Baker. Mr. Baker is a direct descendant of John Hart, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He is a member of the Sons of the Ameri- can Revolution, also of Randolph Lodge, No. 55, A. F. & A. M. ; Beverly Chapter, No. 23, R. A. M .; DeMolay Commandery, No. II, K. T., Grafton ;
Osiris Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Wheeling; Knights of Pythias; and A. O. U. W.
J. FRANK DIXON.
J. FRANK DIXON, sheriff of Mineral County, West Virginia, and one of the leading citizens of Keyser, was born in 1848 in Mineral County, and is a son of James and Eliza (Thayer) Dixon.
James Dixon was born in Hamp- shire County, Virginia, now West Vir- ginia. He followed farming through life, and died in 1878. In politics he belonged to the Whig party until the formation of the Republican party, later becoming identified with that. The mother was born in Allegany County,
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Maryland, and still survives, at the age of 84 years. She is a worthy mem- ber of the Methodist Church, with which her husband was also connected. They reared a family of 10 children.
Sheriff Dixon was educated in the common schools and Fairmont Nor- mal School, graduating from this in- stitution in 1877. The following six years were spent in teaching school. Mr. Dixon then retired to a farm and engaged in farming and stock raising until 1892, when he was called upon by his party to accept the office of sheriff of Mineral County. After four years of faithful and efficient service, he went back to the farm, but was recalled to public life in 1900, by a re-election to the office of sheriff. His career has always been marked with activity, and characterized by fairness toward all, and although firm in the discharge of his duties, it can be truthfully said that he has never mistreated a prisoner nor caused unnecessary suffering. From a humanitarian standpoint, this is a very commendable trait of character.
Mr. Dixon is a stockholder and di- rector of the People's Bank at Keyser. He is an ardent Republican and for years served on the Republican County Executive Committee. He is also prominent in the Masonic fraternity, being a 32nd degree Mason. Plain and
unassuming, of a retiring nature, gen- erous to a fault and faithful to his friends and pledges, is it small wonder that he has so many friends and that he is one of the most popular officers Mineral County has ever known ?
WILLIAM H. NEALE, a well known business citizen of Parkersburg, Wood County, West Virginia, whose wholesale produce establishment is lo- cated at Nos. 101-103 First street, was born in that city in 1867. He is a son of Joseph L. and Lulu J. (Miles) Neale, grandson of William H. Neale, and a great-grandson of Thomas Neale, a pioneer in Wood County.
Thomas Neale came from the Valley of Virginia in 1802, married a Miss Winn and settled at Parkersburg, where he opened a retail store on the site of the site of the present wholesale business of his great-grandson. It is stated that he brought with him 100 slaves with which he worked a large plantation near Big Spring. He lost a large amount of money in shipping flour and wheat to New Orleans, and later removed to the Griffin farm, three miles from Parkersburg, where he died about 1835.
William H. Neale, son of Thomas Neale, was born at the corner of First
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and Ann streets, in the old home, May 13, 1813, and was named by William Henry Harrison, who at that time was a recruiting officer at Parkersburg. William H. Neale was a farmer and purchased the island, not far from the city, in 1833, and lived there until 1855, when he removed to the site near the present United States engine works, and resided there until his death in Sep- tember, 1889. He married Catherine Dils, and of their 12 children the three survivors are: Joseph L., of Parkers- burg; Henry Clay; and Mrs. Harriett Hopkins, of Parkersburg. Henry Clay Neale, who is a farmer, married Miss L. C. Davis, and they have 10 surviv- ing children, the greater number being well known in the vicinity of Parkers- burg.
Joseph L. Neale, the father of Will- iam H., our subject, was born June I, 1844, and is associated in the produce business with his son. He married Lulu J. Miles, of Cincinnati, who died July 27, 1898. Of their family of six sons and one daughter, the three sur- vivors are: William H. ; Mrs. Lulu E. Drake, who resides on the Market street extension, Mr. Drake being associated with the National Supply Company ; and Joseph K., who is in the real estate business at Parkersburg.
William H. Neale attended the pub-
lic schools at Parkersburg, and learned the produce business with his grand- father. He began his own career as a retail dealer and also dealt in feed, but he now handles produce exclusively and does only a wholesale business. His produce is secured fromi almost every State in the Union and Parkersburg is his distributing point. In June, 1902, he purchased his present large brick building, which has 44 feet frontage. This is a historic locality-the first court house of Wood County, built of logs, is still standing in the near vicin- ity.
In 1888 Mr. Neale married Irene T. Fairfax, who was born in 1870, in Wirt County, West Virginia, and is a daugh- ter of John A. and Jane ( Beatty) Fair- fax, the latter of whom was a daughter of Rev. Mr. Beatty, who was born at Burning Spring, Wirt County, became a pioneer Methodist divine, and was killed by bushwackers during the Civil War. Mr. Fairfax conducted a mer- cantile business at Belleville. Wood County, where he died in 1888. aged 60 years, but Mrs. Fairfax still survives. Mrs. Neale is in direct descent from William Fairfax, cousin of Lord Fair- fax, who married the eldest sister of General Washington. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Neale are : Howard Fair- fax, Alfred Earl, Raymond Miles, Ad-
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die Virginia, Catherine Culpeper and William H., Jr. The religious connec- tion of the family is with the Methodist Church. In politics Mr. Neale is a Re- publican. The pleasant family resi- dence is at No. 801 21st street, Parkers- burg. The family is prominent socially.
EDGAR CRAVEN HENSHAW.
EDGAR CRAVEN HENSHAW, a well known resident of Hedgesville, Berkeley County, was born November 9, 1859, at the old homestead of the Henshaws on Mill Creek, near Bunk- er Hill, Berkeley County, Virginia, now West Virginia. At the close of the war, his parents moved to Hedges- ville, West Virginia. He was edu- cated in the public schools and has always taken the greatest interest in their success. During vacations, and
after he had finished his school life at about the age of 18, he worked on a farm until September, 1881, when he went to Springfield, Ohio, to try his fortunes. In 1882 he returned to Hedgesville, and went into the live stock business in which he has been successful.
Mr. Henshaw was married De- cember 16, 1886, to Sallie Mason Lin- gamfelter, the only daughter of New- ton Lingamfelter and Annie Eliza- beth Mason, his wife. Their children are: Edgar, Levi, Elizabeth, Newton Lee and Frances Snodgrass.
Mr. Henshaw was appointed post- master of Hedgesville, West Virginia, April 4, 1889, and the office was graded excellent, there being only three in the county so graded at the end of his four years' term. At present he is deputy collector of internal revenue, mayor of Hedgesville, a director of the People's Trust Company, Martins- burg, and a member of the Republican State Committee. He is a member of Berkeley Lodge, No. 37, A. F. & A. M .; Lebanon Chapter, No. 2, R. A. M .; Palestine Commandery, No. 2, K. T., of Martinsburg; and Osiris Tem- ple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Wheeling, having received the Mystic Shrine de- grees at Wheeling on the 27th of Feb- ruary, 1903. Mr. Henshaw's life and
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fortunes are intimately identified with the county of Berkeley. His ancestors were among the earliest settlers in this locality, and in an old poll list in 1788- 89 of the voters in Berkeley County are the names of three of his direct ances- tors .- Robert Snodgrass, William Henshaw, and William McConnell. There were only 239 voters; the small number of voters in the county is ac- counted for by the fact that only "free- holders" voted at that time.
Edgar Craven Henshaw is a son of Levi Henshaw, Jr., and Sarah Ann Snodgrass, his wife, whose children were as follows: Lillie Snow, wife of Dr. M. S. Butler, of Hedgesville; An- nie Laurie, wife of Dr. E. C. Williams, Jr., of Martinsburg; Robert Levi; Ed- gar Craven; Valley Virginia; Frances Little; and Mary Bell, wife of Dr. I. H. Gardiner.
Levi Henshaw, Jr., was born at the old Henshaw home place. He was a man of sterling qualities and beloved by all who knew him. He was 46 years old at the beginning of the troub- lous times of the Civil War. When on the 17th day of April, 1861, Virginia passed the Ordinance of Secession at Richmond, he remained steadfast in his devotion to the Union and refused to follow his State into the ill-fated Confederacy.
Mr. Henshaw's grandfather, Levi Henshaw, was born on the 22nd of July, 1789, and died September 9, 1843. His first wife, Nancy David- son, was born March 30, 1770, was married to Mr. Henshaw, May 18, 1797, and died December 15, 1804. Their children were: Eleanor, born February 25, 1798, married Hugh Lyle; Nancy, born January 1, 1800, died September 3, 1807; Rumah, born December 12, 1801, died in November, 1805; William D., born April 9, 1803, married Charlotte Cooper.
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