USA > West Virginia > Barbour County > The history of Barbour County, West Virginia, from its earliest exploration and settlement to the present time > Part 37
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Mr. Corder had a good dog, but no horse or cow. Occasionally the howl of the wolves was heard. The low lands were usually swampy and
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somewhat unhealthful, and few persons settled in them. Mast was generally plentiful, and swine raising was profitable to the extent that the family's supply of meat from that source seldom failed. Grain was raised in small patches and was ground on hand-mills before better were to be had. Shoes for children in the summer time were not thought of, and often the winter was well on the way before the feet of the young members of the house- hold were clad. William Corder and his wife worked up from that humble beginning until they owned 1200 acres of farming land on Hacker's Creek, and a farm or two besides. They had eleven children, Joseph, William, Joshua, James, John, Edward, Elizabeth, Martha Ann, Mary, Ingaby and Hannah. One thing here should be said: when he owned only fifty acres of land, the Mount Olive Primitive Baptist Church was constituted at the Rice House, on the Philippi and Clarksburg pike, now owned by D. M. Proudfoot. This was on June 21. 1817. and by Phineas Wells, and perhaps Simeon Harris, with about ten members. They could not purchase a lot to suit them on which to build a church house, and Mr. Corder said to them: "I am not a member of your body, but the Lord has given me what little I have, and I will give you a lot on the corner of my little tract." The church accepted his offer and built on the lot a hewed log house, twenty- four by thirty feet, with a gallery and a pulpit after the English style. It was not long until Mr. Corder and his wife were baptized into the fellow- ship of the church. The subject of this sketch was their third son, and was born February 15, 1820, and was so sickly that there was little hope of his living. But his health and strength improved, and he was baptized into the fellowship of the Primitive Baptist Church when he was but fifteen years old. He composed a song commemorating his experience, from which the following verses are taken:
Come saints of God and hear me tell What dreadful thoughts I had of hell.
I felt myself so far from God The earth did tremble where I trod.
. Though I was young, quite in my youth, I longed to hear and know the truth, And often went in secret prayer To find my God in mercy there.
I often wept myself to sleep And prayed the Lord my soul to keep, Lest I should drop into the lake And never, never more to wakc.
The year of eighteen thirty-three, It pleased the Lord to set me free; My age was only twelve and one When Peace and Joy came through His Son.
ELDER JOSHUA SIMMONS CORDER.
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The division of the Baptists took place in this country in 1839, and Elder Corder was numbered with the Oldside, as they were called in that day; and the next year he was licensed by the church to preach. He was then but twenty years old and was limited in education. He attended the Clarksburg Academy and Rector College at Pruntytown, and afterwards took a tour to the West, preaching among the churches of Ohio and Indiana. He taught in Indiana eight terms of school, and in the meantime preached to a number of churches. In September, 1843, having returned to West Virginia, he was ordained by his home church. Then he returned to the West, as he supposed to make his home; but in his traveling and preaching he came home to see his parents, and went to visit the Virginia churches, and near Front Royal he became acquainted with a young lady, Virginia Ann Grant, to whom he became engaged.
On June 18, following, that is 1850, Elder Corder and Miss Grant were married and built a nice dwelling. Then came the War of 1861, just as they were becoming well situated. Nearly everything they had was distroyed by Federal troops. Wagon loads of household goods, books and furniture were hauled off, and bacon and grain were taken without payment. The family were driven from the house, a guard was put round it and the family were not permitted to return. After the soldiers had used the house nearly four years they burned it, together with nearly two miles of fence. This was done by the Federal soldiers because Elder Corder owned a few slaves )which came into his possession through heirship) and was true to his own State. He never attempted to injure any person, being a minister of the Gospel. He had appealed to the Federal authorities for protection. His loss was not less than $8000. He saved the Philippi bridge from being burned at the time of the Imboden raid, 1863. He successfully appealed to the soldiers to spare it after they had piled straw on it to burn it. When the Mount Olive Primitive Baptist Church was rebuilt (after the Union sol- diers destroyed it) he gave $250 toward the work, and borrowed at ten per cent interest the money. He is now about eighty years old and has been a preacher fifty-nine years, and never asked for a dollar in his life for preach- ing. He thinks that the Gospel should be preached without charge. He is now the pastor of Mount Olive Primitive Baptist Church on Hacker's Creek, has baptized over forty members into the fellowship of the home church, and more than a hundred into other churches of the same faith and order; has been the Moderator of the Tygart's Valley River Association of Baptists nearly thirty years; and has united in marriage over three hundred couple. He has been offered several political offices in Barbour County, but he always declined, saying that preachers had no business with political offices.
Elder Corder has three children, Ann Belle, who married Elder J. N. Bartlett; Blue Dell, who married J. E. Cole; and Semma Ell, who is single.
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He has written verses and hymns all his life. Some of his songs are popu: lar in church service. The following hymn was written when he was sev- enty-five years old:
Without thy strength, O God, I'm weak, Without thy grace I'm poor; Oh, bring me to thy feet to seek 'Thy name for evermore.
Show me the riches of thy grace, My God, my God, my all, That I may see thy lovely face, Then I shall never fall.
O, let me taste those heavenly joys, Which I have felt before, Then I will part from all my toys, And learn to seek thee more.
So many things step in my way To keep me back from truth
That I am often made to say And cry, like ancient Ruth:
"O, keep me, gracious God of love, To fix my thoughts on thee And then my mind will soar above And better things will see."
Lift up my head, my hands, my feet; Show me the path of life, That I may walk the golden street Beyond the reach of strife.
WILLIAM B. CORDER, born 1858, son of William and Trena (Devers) Corder; was married December 25, 1877 to Bertha J., daughter of James K. and Sally Bartlett. Children, Guy Emmett, Iva, Ila, Sadie, L. R., Wait- man D., William Everett, H. Wade, L. B., Rossie A., Roxie B. and Sally F. He is a Baptist, a Republican and a farmer, living on Simpson's Creek, where he owns 304 acres underlaid with coal. He was educated at the West Virginia College at Flemington. He has held offices as follows: Member of the Legislature, Assessor, Member of the Board of Education, Post- master at Simpson, railroad agent at the same place. The ancestry of the Corders is given in the sketch of of Joshua S. Corder. The Devers were French, and Mrs. Corder's grandfather, James Devers, served seven years in Washington's army in the Revolution. He married Anna Barker.
WILLIAM ALONZO CORDER, born 1862, on Hacker's Creek, son of James W. and Mary C. (Bond) Corder, was married June 19, 1884, to Nannie R., daughter of Benjamin S. and Lucy (Pell) Reynolds. Their child's name is James Stanley, born October 11, 1887. Mr. Corder's mother was born in Harrison County, daughter of Reuben Bond. Mr. Corder is a Primitive
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Baptist; is a farmer and stockdealer, living three miles north of Philippi on the Beverly and Fairmont Pike, where he owns 350 acres of improved land underlaid with coal, and devoted largely to cattle grazing and grain. The farm is one of the finest in Barbour County. In early life he was in the mercantile business, and was post master at Switzer's. Mrs. Corder, born October 20, 1863, graduated from the Fairmont Normal School in 1881.
Benjamin S. Reynolds, the father-in-law of the subject of this sketch, was born in Harrison County, August 21, 1821. He accumulated a fortune from a beginning of 200 acres given him by his father, Thomas P. Rey- nold's also a native Harrison County, where he was born April 11, 1798, and where he was married to Miss Margaret Thompson, (born in Harrison). After their marriage the young couple settled on Limestone Creek where they purchased a large farm and reared their children, Benjamin S. and Mary J. On this farm Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds died, the former in 1854 and the latter in 1881. The grandfather of B. S. Reynolds was John Reynolds. He was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, where he resided till 1785 when, with his family, he removed to Harrison, hauling his household goods in a covered wagon, said to be the first to reach that county. Mr. Reynolds located on West Fork, five miles above Clarksburg, and was one of the pion- eers in that vicinity. He made yearly trips to Winchester for salt and other supplies, paying with ginseng and deer skins. On those occasions he used an enormous bull as a pack animal, carrying on him a load of 500 pounds from Winchester to Clarksburg. Johh Reynolds' father was Cornelius Rey- nolds, probably a native of Ireland, but an early settler in Culpeper County where he died. The maternal grandparents of Thomas P. Reynolds were Thomas Phillips and his wife Mary, who were natives of Wales, who emi- grated to America in 1770 and five years later to West Virginia. They had two children, both daughters. One married John Reynolds, the other Robert Bartlett. The father gave each daughter 400 acres of land, and retained 200 acres for himself, which he afterwards gave to his name-sake, Thomas P. Reynolds. Mr. Phillips was a remarkable man, in one respect at least; he was never known to be angry. The maternal grandparents of B. S. Reynolds were James and Jane (McCaully) Thompson, natives of County Down, Ireland, where they were married. They landed at Balti- more after a stormy voyage of fifteen weeks. On September 5, 1849, Ben- jamin S. Reynolds was married to Lucy Ann, daughter or Hezekiah Pell, of Preston County. His father was a New Yorker who came to Preston at an early day.
WILSON P. CORDER, born 1845 at the old Corder homestead on the head of Hacker Creek, son of Joseph and Catherine (Patton) Corder, was married June 2, 1870, to Marietta, daughter of Bennett I. and Nancy Hud- kins. Children, Cony E., John F., Richard D., Ettie and Nettie (twins), J. Wayne, Mettie, Grover and Flora May. He is a Democrat, farmer and
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stockraiser, residing on Brushy Fork of Elk, where he owns 220 acres of fine land, underlaid with coal. He was educated at the Pruntytown Acad- emy. Cony E. Corder, his son, is one of Barbour's progressive teachers, and was educated in the public schools, at the Buckhannon Seminary,. and at the Fairmont Normal School. John F., his second son, taught four terms of school, attended the Fairmont Normal School, and in 1898 gradu- ated in law at the West Virginia University, and located in Grafton for the practice of his profession. Richard D., another son, is a teacher and a stu- dent at the Fairmont Normal School.
JOHN MARSHALL CARDER, born in Philippi 1851, son of Noah and Tab- itha (Bennett) Carder, was married June 1, 1882, in Greenbrier County, to Mary E., daughter of John and Elizabeth Rinker. Children, Florida and Lena May. Mr. Carder is a Democrat, a farmer and a stockraiser, owning 190 acres on the Fairmont and Beverly Pike. He raised 350 bushels of oats and 320 of wheat in one year; he also introuduced a new variety of wheat into the county; he spent a short time in Illinois, as a carpenter. A very fine sugar grove is among his possessions. His father, Noah Carder, was nine years a blacksmith in Philippi, and was married twice, his second wife being Sarah A., daughter of Barnett and Jennie (Sturm) Poling. Three children were born to each marriage.
REUBEN B. CARDER, born 1854 at Philippi, son of Noah and Tabitha (Bennett) Carder, was married September 28, 1885, at Philippi, to Mary A., daughter of Daniel and Rachel (May) Fridley. Children, Albert M. and Danah. He is a Democrat, a farmer and a stockraiser, living four miles south of Philippi on the Fairmont and Beverly Pike, where he owns 450 acres, mostly improved, and all underlaid with coal. In 1898 he handled 800 sheep in addition to his agricultural business. Mrs. Carder is the possessor of an elegant set of glass dishes brought from Ireland by her great-great-grand- father, whose name was Nicely. Noah Carder, father of the subject of this sketch, introduced the first mowing machine into Barbour County. He was one of the most progressive farmers of his time. The family is of German origin, coming to Virginia in 1740, and his immediate ancestors settling near Philippi early in the present century.
JOHN G. CARLIN, born on Stewart's Run in 1846, son of John and Sarah (Gall) Carlin, was married December 12, 1866, to Hester, daughter of Lemuel and Jemima (Chrislip) O'Neale. Children, Rosetta and Laura B. He is a Democrat, a farmer and stockman living on Stewart's Run, where he owns 129 acres, all improved and underlaid with coal. The first Dur- ham cattle on Stewart's Run were brought by him. The record of the Car- lin family dates back to 1740, at which time John Carlin was born in Ireland. In 1772 he was married, and he raised a family of three children, viz: John, born 1773; Margaret, born 1775; Edward, born 1777. The family came from Ireland to Wheeling about 1774, and the history of the son John only
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is known. He grew to manhood at Wheeling, and in 1798 married Cath- erine, daughter of William and Abigail Reed. They had twelve children, viz: Robert, born 1800; William, 1802; John, 1804; Edward, 1806; Abigail, 1808; Margaret, 1810; Elizabeth, 1812; Thomas, 1814; Amos, 1816; Katie, 1818; Asa, 1820; Mary, 1823. Of these children, John, in 1835, married Sarah Gall, and their children were, Granville, Luther, Melvin, John G. (subject of this sketch), Miranda, Margaret and Matticia.
JOHN R. COLE, born on Pleasant Creek in 1856, son of Jesse and Eliz- abeth (Knotts) Cole, was married March 9, 1882, near Grafton, to Laura E., daughter of Lewis and Harriet (Wilson) Lewellyn. Their child's name is Everet E. Mr. Cole is a member of the M. E. Church, a merchant and farmer, residing on Pleasant Creek; he was educated in the public schools of Barbour. The sword carried by his father through the Civil War now belongs to Mr. Cole, who values it highly. His farm contains 205 acres of highly improved land, principally devoted to grazing cattle.
ALBERT G. CHRISLIP, born near Elk City, 1859, son of Irvin G. and Mary (Daniels) Chrislip, was married near Boothsville, October 27, 1898, to Ella, daughter of Allen Nuzum. Mr. Chrislip is a member of the M. E. Church and his wife is a Baptist. He is an Odd Fellow, and a wholesale and retail merchant in Philippi. The Chrislips came from Germany and the Daniels from Holland. He began life on the farm; tried the West three years; taught two years in the Philippi schools, introducing the word method; clerked in the store of Job Glascock, and then wrote in the County Clerk's Office under Luther C. Elliott, and finally went into the mercan- tile business in connection with his brother, William L. Chrislip, dealing in farm implements, and fertilizers. They introduced the first corn drill and the first ball-bearing mowing machine into Barbour County. They handle 50,000 pounds of wool a year, and their sales of merchandise aggre- gate $40,000 annually. This business has been built up in nine years.
The Chrislip family has been in Barbour 107 years the first comer, Jacob, settled six miles west of Philippi in 1792. The name comes from Germany where it is written Christleib, and in Pennsylvania and the West it is still often spelt that way. The family is traced back through Germany to a Turk who, when a child, at the storming of Belgrade, on the Danube, by Prince Eugene in 1688, tell into the hands of the Germans. The Turks had been defeated, and some mother, unable to save her child, hid him in an oven where he was found and saved. He was taken to Germany, educated there, and became a decorator of the Royal Court. The transla- tion of the name Christlieb is "Christ-love." The first to come to America was Frederick Charles, who had married Anna Catherine Buck, a widow, and their two sons were Frederick Charles and Jacob, the latter born 1747. They landed at Baltimore 1765, and settled in Pennsylvania, where Jacob, in 1779, married Nancy Singer, who was born in 1755. In 1792 they made
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their way into what is now Barbour and purchased land six miles west of Philippi. Following are the names of their children and dates of birth: George, 1782; Jacob, 1787; John, 1789; William, 1794; Abram, 1795; Isaac, 1797; Samuel, 1800; Mary, 1780; Elizabeth, 1781; Christina, 1785; Catherine, 1786; Nancy, 1790; Margaret, 1797, and Sarah, 1802. The father, Jacob, died 1822 and his wife 1824.
Of the children, George married Mary Rice, and died 1857. Their chil- dren were Thomas B. and Jacob. Jacob married Elizabeth Reger, and died 1868. Their children were, Lemuel, Abram and Jacob A. John married Margaret Harvey, and their children were, Nathan, William, Martin, Malinda, Elizabeth, Jemima and Matilda. William married Hannah Ward, and died 1847. Children, Peregrine G., William Turner, Johnson B., Sebia, Drusilla, Hannah, Rachel, Minerva, Susan and Sarah Ann. Abram married Amanda Britton, and died 1887. Children, Ervin G., Julia, Eliza, Elizabeth J., Elmer Lee. Isaac was unmarried; died 1881. Samuel married Eleanor J. Board, and died 1889. Children, Melissa, Virginia, Deniza, Lee, Harriet, Gibson and Marcellus R. Mary married David Willett; Elizabeth married Nicholas Crouse; Christina married James A. Connor, and died 1818. Nancy married Jacob Owens, and Margaret married David Jenkins. Sarah married Solomon Chrislip and died 1885.
JAMES K. CLEAVENGER, born on Simpson's Creek, 1846, son of Samuel and Kizziah (Cole) Cleavenger, was married November 24, 1870, in Harri- County to Elizabeth A., daughter of John W. and Rebecca Flint. Children, Cora May, Ira, Ara, Eva, Stella. He is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, is a Democrat and a farmer, living on Simpson's Creek, where he owns 208 acres, mostly improved. His education was obtained at the Corder school house. His ancestry was English, and his father, still in good health, is 89 years old, and never took more than two doses of medicine in his life.
CHARLES W. CLEAVENGER, born on Foxgrape Creek, 1856, son of Minor M. and Mary (Knotts) Cleavenger, was married November 9, 1884, in Taylor County, to Minerva, daughter of Patrick F. and Mary (Hustead) Fleming. Children, Cecil Wayne, Buford and Mary. He is a Republican, a farmer and stockdealer, residing on Simpson's Creek, where he owns 225 acres, and on Foxgrape Creek he owns 100 acres. He follows grazing mostly, and pastures seventy-seven cattle and twenty sheep at present. His father's brothers were, Frank, Charles, Samuel, John and Garrison. Their sister, Salley, married Cyrus Bartlett. Mrs. Cleavenger's grand- father, Samuel Bartlett, was the father of twenty-one children. She was descended from James Fleming, and as he has many descendants in this and neighboring counties, it is proper to give a sketch from his family record. James Fleming was born March 21, 1775, and on March 16, 1797, he married Elizabeth Welch, who was born November 29, 1777. He died
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October 11, 1846; she died March 15, 1847. Their children were, Lawrence Fleming, born July 26, 1798, married Miss Lake. Patrick Fleming, born April 15, 1800, married Margaret McDonald. Ann Fleming, born March 25, 1802. Jemima Fleming, born April 7, 1804; married William Reynolds, and died November 13, 1785. Mary Fleming, born June 10, 1806; married Samuel Bartlett. Sarah Fleming, born March 17, 1809; married John Bartlett. Emily Fleming, born September 14, 1811. M. Sylvester Flem- ing, born November 30, 1812; married Matilda Bartlett. Johnson Cassel Fleming, born October 13, 1815; married May Bartlett, October 13, 1843. James and Elizabeth Fleming, born June 14, 1819; Elizabeth married John G. Cleavenger, and died July 3, 1884. Benjamin James Fleming, born June 2, 1822.
AI CLEAVENGER, born on Simpson's Creek, in 1860, son of John G. and Elizabeth C. (Fleming) Cleavenger, was married September 24, 1784, to Cora B., daughter of C. E. and Elizabeth J. (Lake) Batson. Their daugh- ter's name is Sadie May. Mr. Cleavenger is a Missionary Baptist, a farmer and stockdealer, living on Simpson's Creek, where he owns a valuable farm of 340 acres of highly improved land, underlaid with 20 feet of coal in two veins. He owns the property known as "the J. D. Corder farm." He deals extensively in cattle and sheep. He has filled the offices of Pres- ident of the Board of Education and Justice of the Peace. He was educated at the West Virginia College at Flemington; and in politics he takes much interest in the cause of the Republican party.
JAMES W. CLEAVENGER, born 1853, son of Minor M. and Mary (Knotts) Cleavenger, was married July 11, 1876, to Melissa Ann, daughter of Rich- ard S. and Margaret (Weaver) Talbott. Children, Anna and Ada. He is a member of the U. B. Church, a Republican and farmer, residing on Indian Fork, where he owns 137 acres, well improved. He was educated in the common schools and in the West Virginia College at Flemington.
JOSEPH N. B. CRIM, son of Michael and Catherine (Strickler) Crim, was born in 1835, in Rockingham County, Virginia, and when twelve years old removed with his parents to Barbour County and settled on a farm six miles from Philippi; but soon afterwards moved to Philippi and made his home with an uncle who was engaged in merchandising. He at once entered the store, attending schools when he could, and thus learned by practice the principles of business and acquired the habits of industry which ever afterwards characterized him and placed him the foremost of the business men of the county. About the time of his majority he went into business for himself, and soon became the leading merchant of the county, which position he held for years, in the meantime buying extensive real estate interests. William McClaskey, afterwards Sheriff of Barbour, was his first partner in the merchantile business. Mr. Crim owned a store at Elk City from November, 1861, till March 4, 1894. In 1878 he
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became a partner with L. D, Morrall in Philippi, and at the end of three years sold his interest to his partner. From 1867 till 1872 he was in part- nership with W. W. Daniels in a store at Peel Tree; and had a store also at Overfield, with T. B. Douglas as a partner; and also a store at Beling- ton; and later he was a member of the firm E. H. Crim & Company, at Philippi. He became largely identified with the banking business, and at present is the president of the Tygart's Valley Bank, one of the solid institutions of Barbour County. He might have turned his attention to politics, and, so far as one can judge, the way was open for his advance- ment to high places; but he did not choose to do so, except that, 1866, he was a candidate for Sheriff, and in 1872 a candidate for the Constitutional Convention of the State. In the former instance, at the primary election, he carried the county by 460 majority, but did not go on the ticket at the general election. In 1872 he was elected to the Constitutional Convention by 350 majority. Mr. Crim married Almyra J., daughter of John N. and Harriet (Rightmire) Hall, and they have two children, E. H., who is a merchant of Philippi, and Cora May, who is the wife of Melville Peck, Esq. Mr. Crim's grandparents were Peter and Elizabeth (Shaffer) Crim, of Rockingham County, Virginia, where he owned a mill. He was a native of Pennsylvania. Mr. Crim's grandfather, on his mother's side, was Joseph Strickler, a farmer of Page County, Virginia.
GEORGE CAMPBELL, M. D., born 1855 in Barbour, son of George G. and Elizabeth A. (Bryan) Campbell, was married July 26, 1882, to Burnettie daughter of James and Hannah (Skidmore) Nestor. Children, George How- ard and Delores Elizabeth. In politics he is a Democrat; by profession a physician and farmer, living at Danville, where he owns 125 acres, princi- pally cleared. He devotes much of his attention to stock-raising. He was educated at the University of Maryland, and takes a deep interest in schools. His father, George G. Campbell, was. born in 1824 in Baltimore, and was a son of George Campbell, of whom Judge Samuel Woods said: "He was the mostremarkable man I ever knew." Geo. G. Campbell in 1845 came to the farm on which he now lives, and engaged in the mercantile business with his half brother, George W. Bedford, until the beginning of the war. He married Elizabeth A., daughter of William and Barbara (Swisher) Bryan, February 8, 1854. Children, George, Bedford, Mary William, Albert, Florence B., Leander, Littlewood and Rosa Alice. He owns 700 acres. Among his possessions is a writing desk which his father carried across the Atlantic Ocean nineteen times, and the papers left in it at his father's death 1866, are still in it.
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