USA > West Virginia > Men of West Virginia Volume II > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
G. H. SHREWSBURY.
G. H. SHREWSBURY, an able member of the bar of West Virginia, and a leading citizen of Charleston, Kanawha County, was born July 23,
469.
MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA
1872, at Point Pleasant, Mason County, West Virginia. He is a son of Colum- bus and Cynthia (Jarrett) Shrewsbury, both of whom were born in Kanawha County.
Columbus Shrewsbury followed steamboating on the Great Kanawha and the Ohio rivers for many years. Later he was appointed a deputy United States marshal and still later was elected sheriff of Mason County. He died September 4, 1902, aged 70 years. His wife passed away at the age of 48, in 1882. Both belonged to the Baptist Church. In political adher- ence Columbus Shrewsbury was a Re- publican, and fraternally he was a Mason.
G. H. Shrewsbury was educated in the schools at Point Pleasant and took an advanced course in the normal schools at Lebanon and Ada, Ohio. He read law with John U. Meyers and graduated from the law school at Lebanon, Ohio, in 1893. In that year he was admitted to the bar of West Vir- ginia, removed to Charleston and entered the law office of H. B. Smith with whom he remained for a short period and then going with D. C. Gallaher. Two and a half years later, Mr. Shrewsbury opened a law office in the Charleston National Bank Building. He makes a specialty of real
estate law and has gained the repu- tation of being a very able expounder of the law and a safe counsellor. Al- though he has a good citizen's interest in politics he chooses rather to win. laurels in his profession than in public life. He is identified with the Re- publican party.
On July 30, 1895, Mr. Shrewsbury was married to Carrie H. Seiker, who was born at Lebanon, Ohio. They have one little daughter, Ruth H. In religious belief Mr. and Mrs. Shrews- bury are Presbyterians.
W. H. McCLAIN, M. D.
W. H. McCLAIN, M. D., one of the leading physicians of Clendenin, Kanawha County, West Virginia, and'
470
MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA
a very prominent Republican politician, was born March 15, 1868, in Dodd- ridge County, West Virginia. He is a son of Robert Alexander and Sarah (Summers) McClain, and a grandson of Robert and Elizabeth McClain. .
The McClains are of Scotch ex- traction and the founders of the family in America located first in Pennsyl- vania, removing from there to Vir- ginia, now West Virginia. The Sum- mers family is one of distinction in Doddridge County.
Robert Alexander McClain was born November 16, 1837, and is an honored citizen of Roane County, near Spencer. In 1862 he married Sarah Summers, who came of Scotch-Ger- man ancestry, and four sons and five daughters were born to this union, all of whom are living.
Dr. McClain was primarily edu- cated in the common schools and re- ceived his medical education in the Col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons at St. Louis, Missouri, where he was grad- uated March 28, 1893. In April of that year he located at Clendenin and he has been heard to remark that his assets at that time included a pretty fair knowledge of his profession, a fine physique, a check for a small amount, and a determination to make a success of his life. He has done so and is now
regarded as one of the substantial men of that locality, while he has gained universal estcem. His ability soon be- came apparent and he has built up a large and satisfactory practice.
Dr. McClain has always taken a deep interest in athletics and is a liv- ing example of what they accomplish in perfecting physical well-being. From his college days he has found feats of strength easy for him and has won in many contests of speed and agility. A part of his strength was probably in- herited from an athletic father, but the genial Doctor is an advocate of ath- letics as a means to securing and re- taining health.
On April 21, 1897, Dr. McClain was married to Nona Campbell, who is a daughter of A. M. Campbell, of Scotch extraction. She was educated in the common schools and the Sum- mersville Normal School and became a popular teacher. No children have been born to them, but they are rear- ing a niece of Mrs. McClain. In poli- tics Dr. McClain has always been a Republican,-he began campaign work when 16 years old and has never failed to take an active interest ever since. He has been county committeeman and in other ways has been useful to his party. Fraternally he is very prom- inent in the State. Since 21 years of
47[
MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA
age he has been a Knight of Pythias, entering the order at Spencer in Lodge No. 55; he now belongs to Elkana Lodge, No. 63. at Charleston. For nine years he has been a member of Lodge No. 142, I. O. O. F., at Clen- denin, has filled all the chairs and is the present noble grand, belonging to Elk Encampment, No. 63, I. O. O. F.
Dr. McClain owns considerable real estate in the vicinity of his home at Clendenin, and has one of the pleas- antest offices in the town, located on the banks of the Elk River.
H. D. RJMMEL.
H. D. RUMMEL, a well known resident of Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia, is an attorney
and at the present time city solicitor of the city of Charleston. He was born in Kanawha County, West Vir- ginia, August 13, 1875, and is a son of Henry and Mary ( Newhouse) Rum- mel, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of what is now West Vir- ginia. Henry Rummel, who is a suc- cessful manufacturer of Charleston, is one of the substantial residents of this State.
H. D. Rummel attended the public schools of Charleston and later pur- sued an advanced course of study at Johns Hopkins University. He also took the law course at the Maryland University, Baltimore, and ranked fifth in the class of 1895 of 114 mem- bers. He was admitted to the bar in Maryland and later in West Virginia. He practiced in the former State for two years and then removed to Charleston. In 1901 he was elected city solicitor for a term of two years and in March, 1903, was re-elected for another term. He is a stanch Repub- lican, a good and logical speaker.
In 1900 Mr. Rummel was united in marriage with Ruth H. Millard of Baltimore.
S. L. WATSON, of Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia, born December 27, 1848, has devoted his en-
472
MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA
tire life and apparently inexhaustible energy to the development of West Vir- ginia and, particularly, of Marion County. Mr. Watson has been asso- ciated with his father and brothers in all stages of the development of the Fairmont Coal field and is one of the leading executive officials of the Fair- mont Coal Company. He is personally acquainted with more men of all classes than any other man in West Virginia and has taken an active part in State and county politics, although never an aspirant for office. His keen perception of opportunities combined with an ability to direct others, has inspired the confidence of all who have been asso- ciated with him and he has been inter- ested in practically every successful en- terprise, including electric light, gas, glass, industrial, development, banking, building and a score of other companies During the past month he has taken over the Fairmont & Clarksburg Trac- tion Company and is devoting his en- ergy to bettering its equipment and service.
Mr. Watson resides on Eighth street and is the father of one daughter and three sons, the sons being actively engaged with him in the various enter- prises with which he is prominently identified.
HOMER B. WOODS.
HOMER B. WOODS. It is al- ways a pleasure to contemplate the character of a man who has arisen from the ranks, alone and unaided by wealth and influence. Such a man is Homer B. Woods, the subject of this sketch. Rev. P. A. Woods, a prominent min- ister of the Baptist Church came to what is now West Virginia from Pennsylvania in 1844 and settled near Harrisville, in Ritchie County. It was there that Homer B. Woods was born, July 16, 1869.
He attended the district schools and at the age of 16 began teaching coun- try schools in winter, working on the farm in the summer. After following the vocation of teaching several years, he was elected principal of the Harris-
473
MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA
ville graded schools. While occupy- ing this position, he was nominated for the office of county superintendent of schools and in May, 1891, was unani- mously elected, and served two terms in this capacity. In the meantime he had been engaged in the study of the law and in 1891 he entered the State University Law School at Morgan- town. Having fitted himself for the practice of his profession, in 1892 he was admitted to the bar. In 1895 he founded the Ritchie Standard and served as its editor in 1896; in June of that year he was nominated by the Re- publican convention for the office of prosecuting attorney of Ritchie Coun- ty. He was elected to this position by a majority of nearly 700. As evidence of the manner in which he discharged the duties of this office, he was renom- inated in 1900, and was elected by the largest majority ever theretofore given in the county to any candidate for pub- lic office.
On September 10, 1891, Mr. Woods was married to Winifred Da- vis, daughter of Hon. Thomas E. Da- vis, of Harrisville, and three children have been born to them.
Mr. Woods is a fearless and able prosecutor but at the same time is care- ful and conscientious in his practice. No man's public record is cleaner or
more honorable than his. He is an active politician and has contributed in no small degree to the success of the Republican party in his native county and State. He was a delegate from West Virginia to the Republican Na- tional League held in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1895, and was at one time one of the vice-presidents of the organization in West Virginia. His large law practice attests his devotion to his chosen pro- fession and his large and well selected library proclaims him a student as well as an attorney.
JOHN SHRADER.
JOHN SHRADER, whose suc- cessful and extensive building and con- tracting has brought him into prom- inence in Hancock County, West Vir-
5
474
MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA
ginia, was born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, February 8, 1862, and is a son of William and Eliza J. (By- ers) Shrader, both of whom were born in Western Pennsylvania, and still re- side there, the father being retired from business.
The Shrader family is an old and honorable Dutch one of Pennsylvania, the great-grandfather of our subject having settled near West Newton at an early date, at which time the spell- ing of the name was Schroeder. Will- iam Shrader, the grandfather, was a farmer and was also engaged in the flatboat business, taking provisions to New Orleans and frequently walking the whole distance home. The family is a hardy and long-lived one, and the grandfather lived to a good old age. The father of Mr. Shrader engaged in farming and later in the stock and coal business, and now resides at Mckees- port.
John Shrader is one of a family of six children born to his parents. He was reared and educated in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. He began his business career as a farmer, and he re- mained at home assisting his father until he became 20 years of age. After marriage he settled on a farm of his own and continued in agricultural pur- suits until 1889. He then sold his
farm to the United States Glass Com- pany, and then began contracting and building. His work has included every line, from houses to railroads. On De- cember 3, 1895, he received the con- tract for building a bridge across the Ohio River, between East Liverpool and Chester. Mr. Shrader was doubly interested in the success of this great undertaking, as he not only contracted to build the bridge, but also supplied the East Liverpool Bridge Company with much of the money with which to do it. He owned a one-fourth inter- est in the ground upon which Chester stands and much of which land he still owns, and the completion of this bridge, on January 1, 1896, made sure the permanent growth of Chester, which is now a town of about 3,000 inhabitants. He continues to own stock in the bridge, which is one of the most important public improvements ever made in the locality. At the same time he was constructing the bridge he was engaged in building the East Liverpool & Rock Springs Railway, and the latter was completed in May, 1895.
On March 15, 1882, Mr. Shrader was married to Mary E. McDowell, who was born in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. One daughter, Pearl, was born to this marriage, now a very
475
MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA
attractive young lady. Few men are better known in Hancock County than Mr. Shrader, and few have more push and progressiveness. He is one of the substantial and enterprising men of Chester.
SAMUEL H. SHANNON.
SAMUEL H. SHANNON, post- master at Clay Court House, Clay County, West Virginia, a member of the mercantile firm of Rhodes, Shan- non & Company, and also a large lum- ber dealer, is one of the prominent men of his section. He was born June 21, 1866, on a farm in Clay County, and is a son of Rev. Norval W. and Sus- anna (Summers) Shannon, of Nich- olas County.
Rev. Norval W. Shannon was a minister in the Methodist Church. He was born in 1817 at Morgantown,
Monongalia County, Virginia, now West Virginia, and was a son of Ben- jamin Shannon. The latter, with his brother John, founded the family in this part of the country. They were born in Ireland and, after immigrating to America, became wholesale mer- chants at Philadelphia for some years, but later removed to Morgantown, Vir- ginia, now West Virginia. There he married and had five children born to him, his three sons being Norval W., Robert and Frank. Benjamin Shannon engaged in a milling business at Mor- gantown and then moved to Weston and later to Clarksburg, and to Ohio in 1858 where he died in 1861. Rev. Norval W. Shannon had only a mea- ger common-school training, and spent his earlier years in teaching school and in as close an application to his books as he could. Thus he prepared for his ministerial work.
Samuel H. Shannon was educated in the common schools and had the ad- vantages of but one term at the Nor- mal School at Concord, Mercer Coun- ty, West Virginia. He began teaching school after finishing his own course and continued to teach in Clay County, 14 terms in all, until 1899. He has been very prominent in the political life of his section and has been much honored by his party. For three years
476
MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA
he was jailer of the county jail, and from 1896 to 1901 served as a justice of the peace. On January 1, 1892, he was elected mayor of Clay and served through his term to the satisfaction of all concerned. For three years he served as trustee of District No. 5, and for three years was a member of the Town Council during which period the town was incorporated. On August 8. 1899, he was appointed postmaster by the late President Mckinley and is still the popular incumbent of the of- fice. Both in 1900 and in 1902 he was a delegate to the State convention of his party and since the former year has been a member of the congressional committee and secretary of the county committee. He was nominated by the County Court and later appointed by the State Board of Health as a mem- ber of the county board.
In 1892 Mr. Shannon was married to Maggie E. Reed, who is a daughter of Solomon Reed of Clay County. They have a family of four children, viz .: Irma Blanche, born December 10, 1892; William Halley, born March 10, 1895; Susan Berenice, born Feb- ruary 7, 1897; and Rebecca Olive, born June 29, 1900. Mr. Shannon and family belong to the Methodist Church.
In fraternal association Mr. Shan-
non has long been actively interested and has taken all the honors in the Junior Order of United American Me- chanics of which he is counsellor, a po- sition he has held for four years; and he belongs to Zara Lodge, No. 116, Knights of Pythias, and to Pisgalı Lodge, No. 180, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Clay. In this order he has filled all the minor offices and is now vice-grand of the lodge.
Mr. Shannon is much esteemed in his vicinity and is identified with many of the leading business interests.
SAMUEL BRASHEAR AVIS.
SAMUEL BRASHEAR AVIS, prosecuting attorney of Kanawha County, and a prominent citizen of Charleston, West Virginia, was born
477
MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA
in Virginia, February 19, 1872, and is a son of B. D. and Hattie E. (Wilson) Avis, both of whom were natives of the Old Dominion.
S. B. Avis received his education in the common schools and at a mili- tary academy at Staunton, Virginia, and later at Washington and Lee Uni- versity, at Lexington, Virginia, re- ceiving his degree of B. L. at that old established institution. Mr. Avis then located at Charleston and accepted a position in the United States attorney's office, where he remained about four years. In 1898 he was commissioned captain in Company A, 2nd Regiment, West Virginia Inf., U. S. Volunteers, and served as such in the Spanish- American War, being stationed at Camp Meade and Greenville, South Carolina.
After the close of this war, Cap- tain Avis returned to Charleston and re-entered the office of the United States attorney and remained there un- til 1900 when he was elected prose- cuting attorney for Kanawha County. In politics he is an ardent Republican and enjoys the confidence of the party leaders.
In December, 1899, Mr. Avis mar- ried Florence M. Atkinson, who is a daughter of ex-Governor G. W. At- kinson, of Charleston, West Virginia.
JOHN T. GAINER.
JOHN T. GAINER, cashier of the Clay County Bank and one of the most prominent financiers and esteemed citi- zens of Clay Court House, West Vir- ginia, was born May 31, 1871, in Au- burn, Ritchie County, West Virginia. He is a son of Albert and Susan A. (Loudon) Gainer, the former of whom was born in January, 1848, and the latter on January 2, 1849. Our sub- ject's mother was a daughter of Thomas Loudon, who removed from Virginia and settled in Upshur County, West Virginia. She was born in Gil- man County and there was married to Albert Gainer. The father of the sub- ject of this sketch is a son of John Gainer and a grandson of Bryan Gain-
478
MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA
er, of Irish ancestry, who removed from Barbour County to what is now Lewis County, West Virginia. Since 1879 Albert Gainer has been a travel- ing salesman.
John T. Gainer was educated in the common schools and was reared on his father's farm. From the age of 17 to 19 years he was engaged in clerical work in a general store, and then en- tered the Calhoun County Bank at Grantsville as assistant cashier, where he continued until August 20, 1902, when he accepted his present position. The Clay County Bank was organized June 4, 1902, with C. S. Pearcy as its first cashier, our subject succeeding him. Since taking charge, the capital stock has been increased to $50,000, and the institution ranks high with others of its kind with respect to its stability and to the safety and value of its investments.
Mr. Gainer was married July 28, 1895, to Minnie A. Jeffries. His sec- ond marriage was to Belle Ball, on August 18, 1901. One daughter, Madeline, has been born to this union.
Mr. Gainer is one of the leading Republicans of his county, in fact has been conspicuous in party affairs ever since he reached his majority. In Cal- houn County he served on the Repub- lican Executive Committee and has
been elected from that county a dele- gate to many conventions. His inter- est is, however, only that of an intelli- gent and public spirited citizen. His business is banking, and few are more thoroughly conversant with its require- ments than he, and he has never been willing to accept public office. His. fraternal relations are with Eureka Lodge No. 40, A. F. & A. M., of Grantsville, Calhoun County; Jerusa- lem Chapter, No. 3, R. A. M., of Park- ersburg; and Calvary Commandery, No. 3, K. T., also of Parkersburg.
JOSEPH POPP.
JOSEPH POPP, who is success- fully engaged in a wholesale and retail harness business at Charleston, Kana-
479
MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA
wha County, West Virginia, and is one of the city's valued and useful citizens, was born in Baden, Germany, in 1854. Seeking a wider opportunity for busi- ness success, Mr. Popp came to this country in 1872, located in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and removed to Charles- ton in 1875, being engaged in farming and tanning until 1884 when he started his present business. His capital at that time consisted principally of his knowledge of the saddlery and har- ness trade. The work that he put up was of the satisfactory kind, both in quality and in price, and the customers he made stayed with him, many of them from his first opening to the pres- ent time. Each succeeding year found him with a larger store and a larger trade until he passed all competitors and now stands at the head of his line of business in the Kanawha Valley. The stock he carries embraces every- thing in his line, in all the various qualities, from the cheapest up to the better grades of goods kept anywhere. He manufactures most of the goods he sells and the trade has learned that what he says about any article he offers for sale can be relied upon. The gen- eral knowledge of this fact has had much to do in bringing his business up to the large proportions it has at- tained.
In addition to the saddlery and harness business proper, he carries a large line of shoe findings and shoe- maker's supplies. The public in gen- eral knows that he sells his goods at the right prices. The splendid suc- cess of nearly 20 years has fully dem- onstrated this. Mr. Popp enjoys a large mail-order business, and all or- ders intrusted in his care are highly ap- preciated and always attended to with great promptness and to the satisfac- tion of the customer.
JOHN S. MARCUM, the well known criminal attorney of Hunting- ton, West Virginia, and a member of the law firm of Marcum, Marcum & Shepherd, was born in Wayne County, Virginia, now West Virginia, in 1851, and has been a resident of Huntington since December 15. 1886. He is a son of Stephen M. and Jane ( Damson) Marcum.
The Marcum family is one of the old settled families of Virginia, where our subject's grandfather and father were both born. The latter died in 1896. The mother is also a member of an old Virginia family and on January 27. 1903, celebrated her Srst birthday. A very pleasant occasion was the 50th anniversary of the wedding of Mr. and
480
MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA
Mrs. Marcum when their six sons and four daughters assisted in the exercises of the occasion and were photographed with their venerable parents. The sons are: Thomas D., an attorney, but at present engaged in a general insurance business at Catlettsburg, Kentucky ; James H., a farmer of Cabell County, and an ex-member of the State Senate; William W., residing at Ceredo, Wayne County, West Virginia ; P. S., living at Catlettsburg, Kentucky; and John S. and Lace, who are partners in the practice of the law at Huntington.
John S. Marcum was primarily ed- ucated in Wayne County, where he also studied the law and was admitted to the bar 26 years ago. He was prosecuting attorney for two terms in Wayne County and later in Cabell County, serving 10 consecutive years in that office. Mr. Marcum has been very suc- cessful in criminal practice and has won distinction all over the State on ac- count of his ability as an advocate. He has associated with him other able members of the bar, and their well ap- pointed offices are located in the Ab- bott Building, on the corner of 4th avenue and 9th street.
Mr. Marcum married a member of the Wellman family, also an old and aristocratic one, and two children have been born to this union. J. A. Roy, the
son, aged 19 years, is preparing for the law at the West Virginia University at Morgantown. The daughter, aged 16. is a student in the local schools. The pleasant residence of Mr. and Mrs. Marcum is located at No. 626 10th street. Mr. Marcum and family be- long to the Baptist Church. Formerly, Mr. Marcum was a stanch Democrat, but at present votes independently. Fraternally he has served through the chairs of the blue lodge, chapter and commandery in the Masonic order and also belongs to the Elks.
ROBERT BENJAMIN BERNHEIM.
ROBERT BENJAMIN BERN- HEIM, a well known citizen of Welch, McDowell County, West Virginia, who is clerk of the County Court, was
481
MEN OF WEST VIRGINIA
born July 1, 1870, in the city of New York. He is a son of Samuel C. and Charlotte Bernheim, both of whom were born in Germany and are now residents of Welch.
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel C. Bernheim came to the United States in 1861 and located near New York, where Mr. Bernheim engaged for some time in the mercantile business. In 1885 he removed to West Virginia and served as postmaster of Bramwell during the administration of the late President Benjamin Harrison. In 1903 Mr. Bernheim retired from active business life.
Our subject is one of a family of five children born to his parents. He acquired a solid education in the com- mon schools at Newburgh, New York, and at Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie. After leaving school he accepted a position as buyer and book- keeper for the Tide Water Coal & Coke Company at Vivian, West Vir- ginia, and remained in that position from 1891 to 1893. In the latter year he moved to Welch as stenographer for Rucker, Keller & Hamill, at- torneys-at-law, and also as reporter for the McDowell County Criminal Court. He continued with this firm until Jan- uary, 1897, when he took up the du- ties of the office of clerk of the County
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.