USA > West Virginia > Men of West Virginia Volume II > Part 18
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came the heir-at-law and inherited the great Chilton estates. He married a Miss Corbin.
Of the two other brothers who also came to America, after the restoration of Charles II, but little is known One settled in Virginia and the other in Maryland. Of the Virginia brother, a few descendants, perhaps, remain in Bedford or Campbell counties. In Maryland the name still lives, one branch having intermarried with the Snowdens of Baltimore. Laura Chil- ton, principal of the convent school at Wheeling, West Virginia, was one of that family. A late writer, comment- ing on the families of Westmoreland County, such as the Lees, Washington, Ashtons, and others, says: "Pursuing our journey along the river banks, we came to 'Curryoman.' A slab marks this as the home of the Chiltons. Their descendants settled in the upper county, Fauquier, where the name still lives. but there is nothing but a cross road and a hidden slab to recall the name."
In 1620, when the "Mayflower" landed at Plymouth Rock, Mary Chilton was the first to step ashore. This was some years in advance of the Parliamentarian emigrations, but the same resolute spirit prevailed and this was doubtless one of the same
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family. Dr. James Chilton, the emi- nent chemist, was one of the Puritan stock, although the name has not been a very noted one in the United States. A member of the family, Tom Chil- ton, of Kentucky, probably became one of the best known to the public. He was a man of surprising eloquence and of varied gifts and acquirements, but from an extreme fickleness of character never pursued any calling long enough to achieve enduring greatness. Sam Chilton of Fauquier County, was a man of fair talents and as a lawyer excelled as a criminal pleader. He was much esteemed by those who knew him well and was greatly admired for his genial, pleas- ant manner. John Chilton, of Vicks- burg, was a distinguished lawyer. Of those who embraced the medical profession, Dr. John Chilton of Fau- quier became the most prominent. The Chilton coat of arms, said to be one of the finest in the book of heraldry, is a chevron boar's head and red and white rose.
Charles B. Buster, our subject, the efficient county clerk of Greenbrier County, was an infant when his par- ents removed thither from Kanawha County. There he was reared and educated and passed his earlier life as
a farmer. In 1872 he accepted a clerkship with McMann & Company, contractors for the improvement of the Greenbrier River, and remained with them until the work was finished in 1874, after which he engaged with Barnum & Hurley, contractors of construction work on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway and continued with them until the work was almost com- pleted. He was first elected county clerk in 1884. Mr. Buster is serving his fourth term in that capacity and is one of the most popular of the county officials. He has also been justice of the peace for four years. In politics he has always been identified with the Democratic party.
Mr. Buster married Virginia W. Hamilton, who was a daughter of Jacob Hamilton, and was born near Blue Sulphur Springs, Greenbrier County, February 22, 1838, and died at Lewisburg, September 8, 1886. A family of four children were born to this marriage, namely : Annie H., who married Lewis P. Houseman of Pueb- lo, Colorado; Emma B., who married Harry A. Henderson, a native of Sus- sex, England; Fannie, who died at the age of 22 years, and Charles, who died aged 18 years. The second mar- riage of Mr. Buster was to Mattie W.
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Cooper, and two children have been born to this union: Blackwell C. and Mary E.
In religious belief Mr. Buster is a Presbyterian. His long connection with public affairs has given him a wide acquaintance and many friends.
MAJ. WILLIAM P. EWING, M. D., LL. D.
MAJ. WILLIAM P. EWING, M. D., LL. D., who is now living practic- ally retired at Charleston, West Vir- ginia, for many years has been at the head of his noble profession in his sec- tion of the State. He was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, Decem- ber 3, 1821, and is a son of Rev. J. D. and Drucilla L. (Tate) Ewing, the former of whom was born in Rock-
ingham County and the latter in Augusta County, Virginia.
Rev. J. D. Ewing was a Presby- terian minister and was of Scotch-Irish extraction. The Tate family belonged to Revolutionary stock and is quite numerous in Augusta County, Vir- ginia.
Dr. Ewing received the best edu- cational advantages his locality af- forded and in early manhood decided upon his professional course. In prep- aration he entered Washington Col- lege, now Washington and Lee Uni- versity, later took a course at the Vir- ginia Military Institute and later entered Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was graduated in 1846. From that date to 1871 he continued in practice in his native locality, interrupted some- what by the exigencies of the Civil War in which he took a noble part, and then he moved to Charleston, West Virginia. At the time the present flourishing city was but a hamlet, but its situation was favorable and its pros- pects bright, and Dr. Ewing wisely concluded it would be a desirable place of residence. As years passed on, his field of usefulness became larger and the measure of esteem in which he was held increased. Few men in the lo- cality are more thoroughly respected.
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Dr. Ewing continued in the pro- fession until 1900 when he practically retired from active work. He has been at various times much honored in his profession. Formerly he filled the chair of physiology and chemistry in the Kanawha Military Institute and was surgeon of the Institute with the title of major. For a number of years he served on the State Board of Health. During the Civil War his services were gratuitously given to both armies, in the cause of humanity, and the suffer- ings of many a poor soldier were eased by his gentle ministrations and pro- fessional skill. During the adminis- tration of President Cleveland, Dr. Ewing served as United States pension examiner. He has been city physician of Charleston and at one time was president of the Kanawha County Medical Society. He was local surgeon of the Chespeake & Ohio Railway and medical examiner of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. His personal character is of the highest standard and his profes- sional ability beyond question.
On January 20, 1848, Dr. Ewing was married to Annie Sturges of Dan- ville, Virginia, who was born in Lou- isiana. The three children of Dr. and Mrs. Ewing are : Henry P., Mrs. Fan- nie L. Scott, and Mrs. Ella W. Mar-
shall. In his evening of life Dr. Ewing was called upon to suffer a great grief in the loss of his devoted wife, on De- cember 10, 1902,-she was 81 years old. She was a most estimable Christian lady, beloved and deeply mourned. In religious belief Dr. Ewing is a Presbyterian.
HOMER P. DIXON.
HOMER P. DIXON, general manager of the Charleston Home Telephone Company, of Charleston, West Virginia, was born November 28, 1875, at Montezuma, Georgia, and is a son of O. F. and Sarah ( Renfroe) Dixon, natives of Georgia, the former being a prominent agriculturist and
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lumberman in the vicinity of Monte- zuma.
Homer P. Dixon is the eldest of a family of seven children born to his parents. After passing through the common school course and graduating with credit from the high school, he decided to enter the electrical field. Enrolling with the International Cor- respondence School of Scranton, Penn- sylvania, he took the prescribed course in that institution and gradu- ated in 1903. Previously he had oc- cupied a position as chief electrician with the South Carolina long distance telephone company, in which position he gave entire satisfaction. Desiring to find a more extended opportunity for work in his line, Mr. Dixon re- moved to Charleston, West Virginia, in 1902, and accepted a position as general manager of the Charleston Home Telephone Company. This pro- gressive enterprise was incorporated under the laws of West Virginia with James Payne as president, E. E. New- man as treasurer, and E. A. Barnes as secretary. The company owns and controls 1,050 instruments, is giving the best of satisfaction and is operat- ing lines from Charleston to Hunting- ton, Winfield and Clendenin, and sev- eral additional short lines. Its lines also connect with all the principal
points in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Kentucky, over the lines of the United States Telephone Company. The main office is located on the third floor of the Kanawha National Bank building where the quarters are com- modious and convenient.
On December 24, 1902, Mr. Dixon was married to Maud Macon, a young lady of Columbia, South Carolina. She is an active member of the Baptist Church at Charleston. Mr. Dixon was reared in the Methodist faith.
Mr. Dixon is a young man of energy and ability, devoted to his pro- fession and the people of Charleston can congratulate themselves that their telephone company, now a necessity of modern life, is under the management of a capable and practical electrician.
GEORGE A. FLACCUS, the originator and proprietor of the firm of Flaccus Brothers, which conducts the largest fruit preserving plant in West Virginia, and another large pre- serving plant at New Philadelphia, Ohio, is a resident and prominent citi- zen of Wheeling ; he was born in Wash- ington County, Ohio, and is a son of George C. Flaccus.
His father, George C. Flaccus, who has lived a retired life for many years
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at his home near Altenheim, two and a half miles east of Wheeling, on the Na- tional Road, is a native of Germany and came to this country in 1848, first locating at Pittsburg, where he re- mained a short time, then removed to a farm eight miles north of Marietta, in Washington County, Ohio, and moved to Wheeling about the close of the Civil War.
George A. Flaccus, subject of this sketch, was reared and educated in Wheeling, where he attended the public schools, Linsly Institute and the Wheeling Business College. From 1876 until 1879, he, together with his brothers, conducted a wholesale gro- cery store, manufacturing much of the goods that they sold. For the past 20 years, especial attention has been given to the manufacture of catsup, pre- serves, etc., the first plant being located at Altenheim, where the business was begin in a small way, together with the grocery at 23rd and Market streets. In 1890, the business was removed to its present location on the corner of 17th and Chapline streets. Mincemeat and canned goods were the first manufac- tured, but in later years the famous Steers-Head catsup became the special- ty, being manufactured and shipped by carloads, together with preserves, pickles, canned goods, sauces, etc., to
all parts of the country. The buildings occupied cover the entire square on 17th street, from Chapline street to. Eoff street, and are well equipped with up-to-date machinery, especially adap- ted for the purposes designed, most of it invented and made by the firm.
Flaccus Brothers were the first. firm to engage in the manufacture of this line of goods in Wheeling and. among the first west of the Alleghany Mountains, as then most manufactur- ers of these goods were located in East- ern Pennsylvania, New York, Mary- land and New Jersey. They contract. with farmers and gardeners in the ter- ritory adjoining Wheeling and at their plant in New Philadelphia, Ohio, to. furnish most of the necessary products, while large supplies are also drawn from other large fruit centers.
About 60,000 square feet is the- present area of floor space at the. Wheeling plant, which has been con- tinually added to since 1890, while the New Philadelphia plant has about 30,- 000 square feet more; the firm has agents and salesmen in all parts of the- country, from Maine to California, par- ticularly in the largest cities and is only able to partly supply the ever increas- ing demand.
George A. Flaccus married Ella B. Friend, a sister of Kennedy Friend,
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who is engaged in the furniture busi- ness in Wheeling. For seventeen years they resided on the Island and for the past six years have maintained a beau- tiful summer home on the National Road, near Wheeling Park, which since the spring of 1901 they have made their permanent residence,-it is called "The Pines" and is surrounded by beautiful and well kept grounds. Mr. and Mrs. Flaccus have one daughter, Adelaide, aged 18 years, who is attending school at Washington, D. C. Politically he has always been a Republican.
ARTHUR JAY VALENTINE.
ARTHUR JAY VALENTINE, one of the able lawyers of West Vir- ginia, residing at Parsons, Tucker
County, was born in 1866 in Barbour County, West Virginia, and removed to Tucker County in 1887. He is a son of Andrew and Rachel ( Digman) Valentine, both of whom were also natives of Barbour County.
Andrew Valentine died in 1888, at the age of 55 years. In private life he was a farmer, but during the con- tinuance of the Civil War he was a brave and gallant soldier. In 1862 he entered the Confederate Army, enlist- ing in Company E, 62nd Regiment, Virginia Infantry, and served through the war. While on a sick furlough, in 1864, he was made a prisoner, and spent the last II months of the war at Camp Chase. He entered the army as a private but for valor was promoted to the rank of Ist lieutenant and later became major. The mother of our subject died in 1891, aged 55 years. She was a most worthy member of the Methodist Protestant Church. Our subject is the oldest of their three chil- dren, his two sisters being: Sarah E., wife of Stephen Murphy, of Montrose, West Virginia; and Carrie Bell, who resides at Keyser, West Virginia, be- ing the widow of Charles Sharps, who was killed in a railroad accident in 1902.
Arthur Jay Valentine had only the advantages of a district school educa-
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tion and private instruction. After completing his own education, he be- gan teaching, a pursuit he followed for five years and then entered the law of- fice, in 1886, of A. C. Bowman, of Barbour County. After a few months' reading, in the fall of 1886 he was ad- mitted to the bar at Beverly, West Virginia. In the summer of 1887 he began practice at St. George, which was formerly the county seat of Tucker County. and remained there until 1893 when he removed to Parsons, which has been his home up to the present time.
Mr. Valentine is a director of the Tucker County Bank, but is not act- ively interested in other enterprises, giving all of his attention to his large and important practice. His chosen line has been mainly commercial and corporation law and for several years he has been local counsel for the West Virginia Central & Pittsburg Railroad Company ; the Parsons Pulp & Paper Company, an important industry capi- talized at about $500,000 ; J. K. Mosser & Company, probably the largest inde- pendent tanners in the United States ; the Otter Creek Boom & Lumber Com- pany and the Hamilton Leather Com- pany. Mr. Valentine bears the reputa- tion of being a hard student in his pro- fession, prompt and unfailing in his en- gagements and honest in his dealings.
On December 2, 1891, Mr. Valen- tine was married to Lummie Kalar, who was born in Preston County in 1868, and is a daughter of Samuel and Mary Kalar. Five children have been born to this marriage, namely: Jes- sie and Elsie, both deceased, and Zil- lah, Arthur J. and Mark Twain. Mrs. Valentine is a member of the Presby- terian Church. In politics Mr. Valen- tine is a Republican, and fraternally he is an Odd Fellow.
HON. WARREN MILLER.
HON. WARREN MILLER, judge of the Supreme Court of Ap- peals of West Virginia, a jurist of na- tional reputation and a prominent cit- izen of Ripley, Jackson County, West
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Virginia, was born April 2, 1848, in Meigs County, Ohio, and is a son of Lewis M. and Elizabeth (Shinn) Mil- ler, the former of whom was born in Ohio, and the latter, in Virginia. Lewis M. Miller removed from Ohio to Jackson County, Virginia, now West Virginia, in 1850, and there en- gaged in farming during the remain- ing years of his active life. Both he and his wife died at their home in Jackson County, in 1889, his death occurring at the age of 78 years, and hers at the age of 77.
Judge Miller obtained the rudi- ments of his literary education in the common schools, and in 1866 entered the preparatory department of the Ohio University, which he left four years later to begin the reading of law. In the meantime he taught school and applied himself to his chosen study, and in January, 1871, he was admitted to the bar. From the outset he com- manded attention in his practice, his earnestness and ability making him a notable figure in every case. In 1871 he was made assistant prosecuting at- torney for two years, his qualifica- tions for the office being so apparent. Other honors were given him: in 1873 he was made commissioner of school lands, and in 1880 he was made prosecuting attorney of Jackson Coun-
ty, and was re-elected in 1884. A partnership formed with Judge R. S. Brown continued for 20 years, during which time some of the most import- ant cases ever brought before the bar in the county, were handled with abil- ity by this firm, Judge Miller contin- ually making progress in the confi- dence of the public. Political honors were also given him. In 1890 he was elected a member of the House of Del- egates and there his trained mind and legal knowledge proved of inestimable value to his constituents. Defeated in 1892 by only 97 votes in the whole State for the position of Supreme Court judge, in 1894 he was elected a member of the 54th Congress, from the Fourth Congressional District of West Virginia. In 1896 'his course was marked with approval by re-elec- tion, and at the close of this long pub- lic service he was honored in the high- est degree by being appointed judge of the Sixth Judicial District, in No- vember, 1900. In 1902 he was elected to fill out an unexpired term; and on January 17, 1903, he was appointed judge of the Supreme Court of Ap- peals of the State. His earnest sup- port has always been given to the Re- publican party in which he is a lead- ing exponent.
In fraternal relationship Judge
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Miller affiliates with Ripley Lodge, No. 16, A. F. & A. M .; the I. O. O. F., and the K. of P. In religion, he belongs to the Protestant Episcopal Church. He has earned honor and re- spect in public life by his high per- sonal character as well as by his marked ability, and has performed ex- cellent service in the many responsible positions to which his fellow citizens have called him.
WILLIAM H. CARFER.
WILLIAM H. CARFER, one of the two incumbents of the office of justice of the peace, in the Parkers- burg district, Wood County, to which honorable position he was elected by the Republicans, in 1900, was born in
1854 in Marshall County, Virginia, now West Virginia, and is a son of Stephen and Sophia ( Roberts) Carfer.
The paternal grandparents of our subject came from Holland in the early days of the last century, and settled in Marshall County, Virginia, now West Virginia. There Stephen Carfer was born in 1817. He married Sophia Roberts, who was also a native of Mar- shall County. She died in 1875. In 1855 Stephen Carfer and wife removed to Wood County, locating near Lime- stone Hill, 17 miles from Parkers- burg, which place continued to be the family home. In the spring of 1864 he enlisted for service in the Civil War, in Company K, 15th Reg., West Vir- ginia Vol. Inf., and four months later, in July, was killed at the battle of Snicker's Gap, aged 47 years. In pol- itics he always took a deep interest and was a Whig, Know-Nothing and later a Republican. Of the family of 12 chil- dren born to Stephen and Sophia. (Roberts) Carfer, seven are deceased, three dying in infancy. The surviving members are: Sophronia Elizabeth, wife of Ithamer Brown, a veteran of the Civil War, who is now a farmer of Wirt County, West Virginia; Sarah Catherine, wife of William Brown, a farmer of Calhoun County, West Vir- ginia; and our subject and his two
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brothers, J. M. and S. M., who are well known contractors and builders at Parkersburg.
William H. Carfer had but limited educational opportunities and began active life at the age of 13 years. Be- ing reared on the farm, he followed that vocation in Wood County until he was 36 years old, being also occupied for five years in a sawmill business. In 1800 he moved to Parkersburg and in 1891 began work in the railroad shops of the Baltimore & Ohio Rail- road Company as a carpenter. In 1893 he accepted a position on the city police force and in July, 1896, was made lieutenant of police. In the succeed- ing August he was nominated for con- stable of the Parkersburg district and was elected in the following Novem- ber, serving most efficiently for four years, or until his election to his pres- ent position.
In 1880 Mr. Carfer married Violet Adalaide Owings, daughter of Will- iam and Mary A. Owings. William Owings followed the trade of tobacco packer and farmer in Wood County. Mrs. Carfer died in 1898; one daugh- ter, Mary Estella, is also deceased; and William Clayton, the eldest son, died in June, 1902. Two surviving sons, Archie Boyd and John Franklin, re- side with their father in the pleasant
family home at No. 1021 Avery street, Parkersburg.
Mr. Carfer has always been iden- tified with the Republican party. For the past 25 years he has been a member of the Methodist Church. Fraternally he is a past chancellor in the Knights of Pythias, being a member of Hope Lodge, No. 10. He is also a member of the Senior and Junior Orders of United American Mechanics; and has represented the Seniors at State meet- ings four different years.
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J. C. SIMMONS.
J. C. SIMMONS, one of the lead- ing business men of Harrisville, Ritch- ie County, West Virginia, was born
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December 24, 1868, near Harrisville. His father, Aaron Simmons, was one of the prominent farmers of that local- ity.
Mr. Simmons was reared on his fa- ther's farm and attended the local schools until the spring of 1890, when he entered the Normal School of Har- risville, to fit himself for the vocation of teacher. This profession he fol- lowed until 1893, when he entered the drug store of W. S. Hamilton at Har- risville where he remained until 1896, when he passed a highly creditable ex- amination before the State Board of Pharmacy, at Wheeling, after which he took charge of the same store for J. WV. Mckeever & Company, successors to W. S. Hamilton. In 1898, he pur- chased a drug store at Middlebourne, Tyler County, West Virginia, and commenced business for himself. In 1900, he sold his store in Middle- bourne, and purchased the drug store in Harrisville, formerly owned by J. W. Mckeever & Company, where he has since carried on a large and suc- cessful business.
On April 29, 1896, Mr. Simmons was united in marriage to Bernice Mc- Dougal, daughter of A. S. McDougal, of Harrisville. One son, Donald Cam- eron, has been born to this marriage, August 31, 1900.
Mr. Simmons' success is an illus- tration of what a young man may ac- complish, when possessed of will and energy, combined with excellent habits.
FRANK WELLS CLARK.
FRANK WELLS CLARK was born in New Martinsville, Wetzel County, West Virginia, where he still resides, November 30, 1868, and is a son of Josephus Clark, one of the most prominent business men of that section of the State. His mother was Lina Russell Cox, daughter of Friend Cox.
Mr. Clark prepared for college in Magnolia High School, in his native town, and entered the freshman class
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of the West Virginia University the fall of 1886. He was prominent among the student body during his course, editing the college magazine and daily, and representing on public occasions the organizations to which he belonged, and graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts with the class of 1890, of which he was presi- dent. The following year he returned to the University and was graduated from the Law School. During his college career he became one of the founders of the West Virginia Alpha Chapter of the Phi Kappa Psi fra- ternity.
After two years, Mr. Clark entered Harvard University, where he contin- ued the study of the law, also giving attention to history, economics and so- cial science. He received his diploma from the Harvard Law School in June, 1896, and located in New Martinsville, with whose subsequent growth and de- velopment he has been actively identi- fied. He was one of the founders of the New Martinsville Bank, of which he is a director. He helped organize the New Martinsville Grocery Compa- ny (wholesale), of which he is a lead- ing stockholder. He is the president of the New Martinsville Glass Manu- facturing Company, having been one of the leaders in the work of putting
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