USA > West Virginia > Men of West Virginia Volume II > Part 30
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W. G. Freeman, our subject, went to the New River coal field in 1880 and to the Flat-Top region in 1883.
He was educated there and at Roanoke College, where he spent three years. He has been actively associated in the management of the Caswell Creek mines since the death of his father.
Mr. Freeman married a daughter of Hiram Beals, of Pennsylvania, and they have a family of four sons. They have one of the handsome homes at Freeman, and the among the represent- ative people of that thriving town. In politics Mr. Freeman is a Republi- can, but is not particularly active in public affairs. For a long time he has been prominent in fraternal life, and be- longs to all the leading secret organ- izations, being a member of Ivanhoe Commandry, No. 10, K. T., of Bram- well, and Beni-Kedem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Charleston ; the lodge of Odd Fellows at Bramwell and the Red Men at Bluefield. Religiously the family is connected with the Methodist Church.
HON. NATHAN GOFF, LL. D., a soldier, jurist and statesman of na- tional eminence, was born February 9, 1842, at Clarksburg, West Virginia, his present home. He is a son of Wal- do P. Goff, who bequeathed to him a perfect physique and a virile constitu- tion. He received his education in the Northwestern Academy at Clarksburg.
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and at Georgetown College, District of Columbia.
At the opening of the Civil War he entered the service of his country as a private in Company G. 3rd Regiment, Virginia Infantry, and took part in the battles of McDowell, Port Republic, Winchester, Droop Mountain, second battle of Bull Run, Antietam, Rockey Gap, Cross Keys, Rappahannock Sti- tion and others of minor note. Pri- vate Goff did not remain a private long, being promoted first to the rank of lieutenant and then, for bravery, to the rank of major. On January 20, 1864, Major Goff was taken prisoner at Moorefield, West Virginia, and for four months he endured the horrors of Libby Prison. Finally his release was secured and he rejoined his regiment with which he was actively engaged until the close of the war, when he was made a brevet brigadier-general, at the age of 23 years.
Entering the University of New York, in two years General Goff was graduated as a Bachelor of Laws and immediately began the practice of his profession at Clarksburg. He soon entered the political field, and in 1867 he was elected a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, from Harrison County, and was re-elected in 1868. In 1869 he was appointed by
the President to the office of United States District Attorney for the Dis- trict of West Virginia. For 13 years he filled this office with distinction and won universal commendation.
On January 6, 1880, General Goff was invited by President Hayes to be his Secretary of the Navy and on the following day he was confirmed by the Senate and served in that office during the continuance of President Hayes administration. In 1882 he was elect- ed, by a large majority, Member of Congress from the First Congressional District, although that district had gone overwhelmingly Democratic at the previous election. He was re- elected in 1884 and in 1886. These six years in Congress he filled with valuable service to the nation, attain- ing to high rank as a parliamentarian. In 1888 General Goff was made the candidate of his party for the guber- natorial chair of his native State. Offi- cial records show the results of a hard- fought campaign, but the inside his- troy which was made during that period reflects anything but honor up- on his political opponents.
For several terms General Goff served as chairman of the National Re- publican Congressional Committee, be- ing elected to that position in 1884 and again in 1888. He was the nominee
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in the Republican caucus in the State Senate for United States Senator. Through a long and monotonous dead- lock, his friends loyally cast their vote 100 times, but were finally defeated by a Democratic majority of one, on a joint ballot.
On March 17, 1892, General Goff was appointed by President Harrison to the high judicial position of judge of the United States Circuit Court of Appeals, for the Fourth Circuit and in this position he has displayed his pro- found legal learning and unquestioned powers of judgment, and has won the unqualified praise and earned the pro- found respect of even his political op- ponents.
In 1867 Judge Goff married Laura Despard, of Clarksburg, and two sons have been born to this congenial union. One of these sons, Nathan P., is en- gaged in medical practice in Clarks- burg. In 1888 Columbian University conferred the title of LL. D. upon Judge Goff.
J. A. MCKENZIE, prosecuting attorney of Hancock County and a prominent attorney of New Cumber- Jand, West Virginia, was born July 30, 1866, at Inverness, Columbiana Coun- ty, Ohio, and is a son of Thomas P. and Elizabeth (Smith) Mckenzie, na-
tives and residents of Columbiana County.
As the name indicates, the McKen- zie family originated in Scotland, and was founded in Ohio by James McKen- zie, the great-grandfather of our sub- ject, who located in the State as a pio- neer, in the latter part of the 18th cen- tury. He lived to the age of 100 years. He was an extensive farmer and also conducted a woolen mill in Columbia County. His son, also named James, was a physician for some years in Hancock County, Virginia, now West Virginia, and was a party to the first deed ever recorded after the county was organized. He married a Miss Patterson and reared a family of 12 children, a survivor being N. K. Mc- Kenzie, a resident of Wellsville.
Thomes P. Mckenzie, the father of our subject, served during the Civil War in Company I, 78th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. The mother of our subject is a daughter of Alexander and Eliza- beth Smith, early settlers of the State of Ohio. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas P. Mckenzie, namely, J. A., of this sketch; Jennie, wife of T. C. Williams, of Utica, Ohio; Ella, wife of B. C. Grafton, of Columbia County, Ohio: and William, shipping clerk at the National Tube Works at Mckeesport, Ohio.
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Our subject was reared and edu- cated in Columbiana County, Ohio, and followed school teaching during five winters, taking a course in the mean- time, at Mount Union College, where he was graduated in 1890. In the fall of 1892 he entered the Cincinnati Law School and was graduated there in 1894, with his degree of LL. B. In January, 1895, he removed to New .Cumberland, started into the practice of his profession, and met with im- mediate and unusual success. In 1896 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Hancock County, being honored with a re-election in 1900. Mr. Mckenzie is a stanch Republican and has actively supported the candidates and measures of his party.
On November 27, 1895, he was married to Margaret Patterson, who is a daughter of Thomas and. Cather- ine Patterson, of Columbiana County, Ohio. Two children have been born to this marriage, Elizabeth and Thomas. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Kenzie belong to the Presbyterian Church. Fraternally he is both a Mason and an Odd Fellow, belonging to the New Cumberland lodges of both orders. Mr. Mckenzie has made an enviable record as prosecuting at- torney. He has given special study to the laws relating to the duties of
the position and is also well versed in other lines. His ability and industry, his carefulness, fairness and prompti- tude have won him a large clientele and he occupies a prominent po- sition among the members of the Han- cock County bar.
E. L. NUCKOLLS.
E. L. NUCKOLLS, junior mem- ber of the prominent legal firm of Dil- lon & Nuckolls and mayor of Fayette- ville, West Virginia, was born August 2, 1868, at Gambetta, Carroll County, Virginia, and is a son of Thomas and Charlotte J. (Stone) Nuckolls, both natives of Virginia.
The Nuckolls family is an old and honorable one in the Old Dominion,
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to which State its early founders cime with the settlers of Jamestown. The Stone family is of French extraction, and has long been established in Vir- ginia.
Thomas Nuckolls, the father of our subject, was born in Grayson County, Virginia, but the greater part of his life was spent as an agriculturist in Carroll County, where he died Jan- uary 21, 1903, aged 85 years. His widow still resides on the old home- stead. There were seven children born to our subjects' parents, the survivors being : N. G., a resident of Ketchikan, Alaska: E. V., a resident of El Paso, Texas ; H. C., a resident of Gambetta, Virginia ; C. B., a resident of Hills- ville, Virginia; E. L., of this sketch; and Bertie, wife of Robert Wade, of South Boston, Virginia.
E. L. Nuckolls was reared in Car- roll County and was educated at Wood- lawn Academy at Woodlawn, Vir- ginia, and at Washington and Lee University at Lexington. In 1894 he was admitted to the bar and first engaged in practice at Hillsville, Vir- ginia. where he remained five years. In 1899 he removed to Fayetteville and on January 1, 1902, entered into partnership with C. W. Dillon, having been associated with Judge D. W. Bolen, in Virginia. Both members of
the firm of Dillon & Nuckolls are able lawyers and enjoy an extensive prac- tice. They are the authors and com- pilers of "The West Virginia Pocket Code," a valuable work which since its issue in 1900 has had a larger sale than any other legal book in the State.
In politics, Mayor Nuckolls is a Democrat and is now serving his sec- ond term as mayor of Fayetteville, his administration having been most sat- isfactory to all of his fellow citizens. He takes a prominent part in public matters and is one of the representa- tive men in his section of the State.
On June 22, 1895, he was united in marriage with Berta Thornton of Hillsville, Virginia, and they have one child, Jesse. Mr. Nuckolls is a prom- inent Mason and also belongs to the Bar Association.
HARRY M. CAMPBELL, M. D., a prominent physician of Parkersburg, with office at No. 61512 Market street. was born in 1867, in Wood County, West Virginia, and is a son of Robert and Cornelia (Kinnaird) Campbell, the former of whom was a well known steamboat and river man, whose death took place in 1877, at the age of 40 years.
The grandfather of Dr. Campbell
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was Robert Campbell, who was born in Ireland, of Scotch-Irish parentage, and who came to America as a member of the British Army. After the close of hostilities, he located in Pennsyl- vania, on the Juniata River, married Letitia Wright, and soon after re- moved to Wood County, Virginia, now West Virginia. Two of their II chil- dren are still surviving, one being Cap- tain Campbell of the Big Sandy Pack- et Line. The mother of Dr. Campbell was born at Culpeper Court House, Virginia, and she was a granddaughter of John Asher Kinnaird who came from Scotland and was the founder of the family here. He married a Miss Williams, a descendant of the founder of Williamstown, and his son, Rufus Kinnaird, married Sophia Cook, who was a member of a prominent family of Parkersburg and Wood County. Mrs. Campbell was the eldest of a large family and she resides at Williams- town, near the original Isaac Williams residence.
Dr. Campbell is one of a family of five children, three of whom died young. His sister, Mrs. S. B. Mor- gan, resides at Williamstown. Dr. Campbell was educated in the schools of Marietta, Ohio, and also attended the Normal School, and in 1899 grad- uated in medicine at the Eclectic Med-
ical Institute of Cincinnati. After two years of practice at Williamstown, he removed to Parkersburg where he has since been located- and has become a prominent member of his profession. He is a member of the State Eclectic Society and his cordial relations with members of the profession were em- phasized by their request that he be- come a member of the State Medical, the Ohio Valley and the Little Kana- wha societies.
Dr. Campbell married Anna Berry, a daughter of the late Capt. George M. Berry, a native of Wood County who was well and widely known. Three children have been born to this union, namely : Carl, Catherine and Cornelia. Fraternally Dr. Campbell is a York rite Mason, a Knight Templar and a Shriner. He is a member of the Methodist Church.
F. KENT LOOMIS, managing editor of the Daily News Publishing Company, at Parkersburg, West Vir- ginia, was born at Marietta, Ohio, November 9, 1867, and is a son of Judge W. B. Loomis, and a brother of Hon. F. B. Loomis, the present United States minister to Portugal. The lat- ter was appointed to Venezuela in 1897, by the late President Mckinley,
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and was transferred in 1900, having been for the past 12 years in the dip- lomatic service.
Mr. Loomis who is very well known in the western section of the State on account of his vigorous management of the Parkersburg Daily Morning News, was educated at Marietta and graduat- ed from Marietta College, with the de- gree of M. A., in 1888. He immedi- ately became interested in journalistic work, residing at Parkersburg until 1893, when he went to Cincinnati and was night editor of the old Tribune, later the Commercial Tribune, for four years. In 1896 he was recalled to Parkersburg, to take charge as man- aging editor of the State Journal, then Governor White's paper. In July, 1899, he left the latter paper in order to re-organize and develop the Park- ersburg Daily Morning News, being backed by a strong company, and he has remained with this paper ever since with the exception of eight months, from May to December, 1901. On De- cember 1, 1901, Mr. Loomis, with Maj. Charles D. Elliott and C. B. Smith bought the News and the com- pany that has since conducted the paper is known as the Daily News Publish- ing Company of Parkersburg. By persistent effort, which includes all those activities which go to the making
of a first-class newspaper, Mr. Loomis and Mr. Smith, who are devoting their entire attention to the business, have brought the paper from the third in circulation in the city to the first place, and have made it a most necessary ad- junct to the family and business life of Parkersburg.
In June, 1902, Mr. Loomis was united in marriage with Mildred May Hall, daughter of C. W. Hall, of Park- ersburg. Politically he is a Repub- lican. Socially he is one of the direct- ors of the Blennerhassett Club and a member of the house committee. Mu- sic plays a prominent part in the lives of both Mr. and Mrs. Loomis, she be- ing the accomplished organist at the Presbyterian Church, while Mr. Loo- mis is the tenor of the paid choir.
W. FRANK FRAME, an attor- ney-at-law of Sutton, Braxton County, was born in 1865, near Strange Creek, Braxton County, West Virginia, and is a son of Maxwell H. Frame, who is also a native of this State.
Mr. Frame's boyhood days were spent on the farm, attending the public schools. At the age of 16 he obtained, in the examination for the qualification of teachers, a No. I teacher's certificate, and commenced teaching school. Af-
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ter following this vocation for five years, he engaged in the mercantile and lumber business at Strange Creek, in which he remained for six years.
In 1893, Mr. Frame was made as- sistant clerk in the House of Delegates. It was in this year that the famous bill calling for home rule for Ireland was passed in the House of Commons, and Mr. Frame wrote the message of congratulation that the West Virginia Legislature sent to Mr. Gladstone. At the close of the legislative session, he returned to his native county and en- gaged in farming and blacksmithing until 1897. He was then employed by the government as its agent to prevent the obstruction of the Elk River during the building of the extension of the Charleston, Clendenin & Sutton Rail- road.
After filling this position in a cred- itable manner, he was admitted to the bar in 1897, having been a student in the office of W. E. R. Byrne, and com- menced the practice of his profession at Sutton. Mr. Frame was a candi- date for prosecuting attorney of Brax- ton County in 1900. In 1902 he was the Democratic candidate for the House of Delegates and, although he was prevented from taking an active part in the campaign by reason of the
illness of his wife, was defeated by only IO votes.
Mr. Frame was united in marriage in May, 1901, to Kate B. Bell, daugh- ter of Samuel Bell of Nicholas County, West Virginia, and one child,-a daughter-has blessed this union. Mr. Frame is an advocate of the principles of the Democratic party. He is a member of the Masonic order, and also of the Knights of Pythias, in the latter order holding the office of chancellor commander.
Mr. Frame is a young and ambi- tious man, full of vim and energy, and has risen to his present position in life, from an humble station, by his own exertions. His life from childhood, like the lives of many other successful men, has been one long struggle; but many whose names are enrolled upon Fame's tablets had their origin in the lowly walks of life.
HON. THAYER MELVIN, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has always belonged to the "Panhandle." He was born and reared in the village of Fairview in that portion of Brooke County, Virginia, which in 1847 be- came Hancock County. His parents
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were James and Philenia (Thayer) Melvin, the former a Pennsylvanian, of North of Ireland stock, and the lat- ter a New Englander, whose people came to Virginia while she was young.
Judge Melvin was the oldest of five children, and received a fair English education in the common and high schools of the vicinity. At the age of 17 years, he began the study of the law in Fairview, then the county seat, and later, in Lisbon, Ohio. He was licensed and admitted to practice in 1853, at the early age of 18 years. He began his legal career in his native place, and in 1855, while still in his minority, was elected prosecuting attorney of the county. He was elected for full terms in 1856 and 1860, although from 1857 to 1860 he resided in Wheeling, where he was associated with Joseph H. Pen- dleton, a distinguished lawyer of his day. Shortly after the breaking out of the Civil War, he enlisted from Hancock County in Company F, Ist Reg., West Va. Vol. Inf., and served for several months as orderly ser- geant and then as Ist lieutenant. He left his company to accept a Federal com- mission as assistant adjutant general of volunteers, filling that position until late in 1865. He was then honorably discharged from the army, with brev- ets for meritorious services in the line
of duty. Locating in Wellsburg in 1866, he was in that year again elected prosecuting attorney of Hancock County, and was elected by the Repub- lican party Attorney General of the State. He was again elected two years thereafter, to the latter office, and re- signed in June, 1869, to accept a com- mission as judge of the First Judicial District. A vacancy had resulted from the death of Judge E. H. Caldwell, and the attorneys of the circuit had signi- fied to the Governor their desire for his appointment. Before this, he had again taken up his residence in Wheel- ing, and under an appointment from the Governor had assisted in complet- ing the codification of the laws of the State. Subsequently, in 1872, he was elected judge of the same district for the full term of eight years. In 1880, he was elected one of the two judges to which the circuit had become entitled, Judge George E. Boyd being the other successful candidate. Resigning in November of the following year, he re- sumed practice in Wheeling. He be- came a member of the following firms in their order,-Ewing, Melvin & Ri- ley ; Ewing, Melvin & Ewing, and Mel- vin & Ewing. In September, 1899, immediately after the death of Judge Joseph R. Paull, Judge Melvin was appointed to his old position of judge,
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-again at the instance of the attorneys of the different counties,-to fill the vacancy thus occasioned. In the suc- ceeding year, an election being in or- der, he was nominated by both of the prominent political parties, and was continued in office by the people, with- out opposition or dissent. He is still performing judicial duties, and grate- fully acknowledges the flattering and unanticipated compliments bestowed by his brethren of the bar and by the people.
Politically, Judge Melvin was, at the beginning, a follower of Henry Clay, but since the war he has acted with the Republican party, at least on national questions. He is not recog- nized as a partisan, however, and has never figured in the political arena, having always preferred to devote him- self exclusively to the profession of his choice.
GEORGE R. BREADY, general manager of the Harper's Ferry Paper Company and Shenandoah Pulp Com- pany, general manager of the Harper's Ferry Electric Light Company, and one of the most respected and esteemed citizens of the city, was born in Balti- more, Maryland, September 5, 1858. He is a son of George C. and Margaret
E. (Hill) Bready, and a grandson of George A. Bready.
George A. Bready was a son of a farmer and was himself engaged in farming all his life. He was born in Pennsylvania and removed to Mary- land when the country was yet a wild- erness, settling in Frederick County, where now stands the town of Adams- town, and there he died at the age of 89 years. He reared a family of II sons and the youngest was named Eleven.
George C. Bready, son of George A. Bready, and father of our subject, was born in Maryland in 1830, where he resided all his life. For 40 years he was a freight conductor on the Bal- timore & Ohio Railroad. In 1857, at the age of 23 years, he married Mar- garet E. Hill, daughter of Robert M. and Cynthia A. Hill, of Baltimore, Maryland. Mrs. Bready died when her son, George R., was but six weeks old. Mr. Bready married for his sec- ond wife Mary M. Putts, who died without issue in 1900.
George R. Bready resided with his maternal grandparents in Philadelphia until they died, in 1874. Prior to that he had practically taken care of him- self, selling papers and engaging in the childish struggle for existence which is to be seen in every great city. His
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grandparents kept him at school as much as possible, but after their de- cease he turned his back on old pur- suits and entered into business on his own responsibility.' He soon obtained employment in Baltimore with Hoover & McVeigh, grain commission mer- chants, and served as clerk at Locust Point and then entered the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad offices as clerk at the same point. He was then promoted to be the messenger in the office of the chief train despatcher at the Camden station, Baltimore, and when the road took its express business out of the hands of the Adams Express Company in 1877. and established an office at Harper's Ferry, Mr. Bready was made clerk in the express department there. In 1878 he was promoted to be the clerk at this point in the transportation department and later was promoted to be cashier at the same station.
In 1889 the two pulp mills, just started at Harper's Ferry, offered the position of bookkeeper to Mr. Bready, an offer he accepted; in 1893 he was made superintendent, in 1896, manag- er, and in 1897 general manager, be- ing admitted to the firm in 1898. Un- der the present efficient management, the business has increased its output many fold and, while Mr. Bready gen- erously gives his assistants great credit,
is well known that his efficiency has had much to do with present pros- perity.
In 1881 he married Mary E. Furt- ney, who is a daughter of George W. Furtney, the family being of English descent. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bready, namely : Eu- gene, born in September 1882; Gor- don, born in 1883; Lillian, born in 1884; and "Uppie" born in October, 1893. In politics . Mr. Bready is a Re- publican, although formerly a Demo- crat, separating from the latter organi- zation because of his convictions on the tariff question. He was a charter member of the Hepta- sophs, but belongs to no other order. He is interested in a number of business enterprises in Harper's Fer- ry, and is a substantial, representative man, respected in his business relations and beloved by all who are permitted to know him intimately. He is a man of genial, rugged nature, open, candid and cordial, an independent thinker and an energetic business man.
J. W. BELTZ, president of the J. W. Beltz & Sons Company, which operates four large lumber yards in Wheeling, and also a large manufac- turing plant at the corner of 19th and Eoff streets, has been engaged in this
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business since 1867. They manufac- ture sash, doors, frames and general house finishing material, and have an extensive business patronage.
Mr. Beltz was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in 1837, and is a son of Peter Beltz. The latter, who was a native of Hessen, Germany, came to this country in 1837. He lived at various places in the United States and died at his home in Triadelphia in 1890, aged 84 years. His wife is also deceased. J. W. Beltz has two brothers in Ohio County,-Adam, who lives near the old homestead on Peter's run; and August, who conducts a carriage shop on Market street in Wheeling.
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