USA > West Virginia > Upshur County > The history of Upshur county, West Virginia, from its earliest exploration and settlement to the present time > Part 66
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 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75
On November 21, 1865, he married Susan D. Hays of Albermarle County, Virginia and to that union were born ten children, five daughters and five sons, whose names are. Sarah M., Ella Hutton, Jane Camp, Charles Jonathan, Thomas Jefferson, Florence Burns, Oscar (dead), James Claudius, Solomon Randolph and Yancy Hays, His wife was the daughter of Col. David Hays, Jr., and Elizabeth Yancy Hays, and the granddaughter of David Hays, Sr., and a Miss Buster of Scotch descent. His wife's mother was the daughter of Charles Yancy and Mildred (Field) Yancy.
He moved from Amherst County, Virginia to Upshur County, W. Va., in the fall of 1873, settling on the Mlddie Fork River, near the Woodley Bridge, the land he had purchased was a forest. For several years he taught school in winter, cleared the forest, raised crops and surveyed land, during the summer and fall. On the Presidential election day of 1876, he and forty of his neighbors were served with writs of ejectment issued out of the Federal Court of the United States in behalf of Benjamin Rich and Company, who claimed to have an older and better title to the land occupied and improved by the residents than the present and then owners. The land owners thus involved organized for re- sistence and he was selected as chairman of the Executive Committee of that organization of farmers and land owners, to fight the Writ and Claim and retain the land for its rightful owners. This case continued in the Federal Court for several years and on account of the decree of the Court claiming that the plea of
536
FAMILY HISTORY.
disclaimer had not been entered up to the day of the trial and the defendants not owning all the land claimed by the plaintiffs (one hundred thousand acres), the cost of this litigatin shall fall on the defendants and the burden of it was borne by the subject of this sketch. It took his farm of five hundred acres of land and other valuable real estate and personality near Buckhannon to pay this cost. On February 28, 1904, Susan D., his wife, departed this life.
He is a Democrat in politics, a Baptist in religion. His political offices have been Notary Public, appointed by Governor Matthews and a member of the House of Delegates 1882 and 1883, from Upshur County.
CELIA A. POLING, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Reed) Boylen of Barbour County. Was educated in the public schools of Barbour County and in due time, and at the proper age, married Absolom Poling, a farmer of Barbour County, now a farmer of Upshur County, living on the Abraham Strader farm, three miles south of Buckhannon on the Buckhannon and Walkerville Turnpike ; of this farm he owns 270 acres. Mr. Poling was a son of Henry and Mary (Markley) Poling of Barbour County.
Mr. and Mrs. Poling have one child, a son. Members of the M. E. Church.
MATILDA J. POLING, wife of Lewis W. Poling and daughter of John and Elizabeth Ann (Reed) Boylen, was born May 11, 1861, in Barbour County, and married Mr. Poling, son of Harvey and Mary ( Markley) Poling, November 23, 1882. Her husband is a farmer and employee of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail- road, now working at the depot in the town of Buckhannon.
She is proprietor of the Central House, a hotel on Depot street, Buckhannon.
Children : Raymond Francis, born February 23, 1883, with the B. & O. R. R .; John Bosworth, born September 29, 1884, married Margaret Hinkle; Herbert Lloyd, born March 26, 1895; Harry Spencer, born July 21, 1905.
ADAM POST, born April 14, 1858, son of Isaac and Emily (Carper) Post. Married Lula Hevner, daughter of Uriah Hevner, of Pocahontas County, W. Va. He is a large farmer and stockman.
Children : Mary Rodgers Post, born July, 1895; Hevener Carper Post, born December 1896; Emma Louise Post, born October 3, 1903, dead.
WILLIAM F. POST, of Jane Lew, Lewis County, is a farmer, a live stock man and a shipper of live stock. He is the son of John and Sophia (Cookman) Post, the second son and the fourth child. He is the grandson of Martin Post. He was Sheriff of Lewis County from 1888 until 1892, elected on the Democratic ticket.
He married Elizabeth J. Young, daughter of James Young, Jr., and Nancy Griffith.
Children : Scott A. Birdie, wife of W. E. Rhodes; Alice Wilda,, wife of Dr. C. L. Cookman ; Dr. Wade H., married Mary E. Eib ; Ansel B., and Porter W.
SAMUEL PRINGLE, came here with his brother John, settling at the mouth of Turkey Run, years after his brother left the settlement on the Buckhannon River and went to Kentucky where he married and where his grandson still lives.
Samuel Pringle married Charity Cutright, a sister of John Cutright, and to them were born three sons and two daughters, whose names were: William, John, Samuel, Elizabeth and one daughter whose name' we do not know, this unnamed daughter married a man by the name of Wolf and went with him to Ohio, settling about Letart Falls and there lived, leaving one daughter, named Mary, who married Isaac Westfall, who later immigrated to Indiana.
William Pringle married Nellie Rollins, the daughter of Barnaby Rollins and to them were given fifteen children as follows: Hettie, the wife of William
537
FAMILY HISTORY.
Wetherholt ; Sinai, the wife of Christopher Cutright; Wealthy, the wife of Abram Crites; Alminy, the wife of Isaac W. Simons; Mahala, the wife of Jacob Crites ; Susanna, the wife of George Cutright, and Rachiel, the wife of Hiram Rollins ; John, who married Rhoda Casto, sister of David Casto; James, who mar- ried Mary Ann Wetherholt ; Isaac, who married Easter Rodgers ; David and Elias, died at or near the age of twenty, with consumption; Gilbert, died in infancy; Joel who married ; and Eliza Montgomery and Chaney, who married Melvina Olive Crites, daughter of Jacob Crites.
The second son of Samuel, John, married Mary Cutright, sister of Andrew Cutright and they had given to them six daughters and two sons as follows: Barbara, the wife of John Hunt; Catherine, the wife of John Howse; Elizabeth, the wife of Daniel Phipps; Christina, the wife of Elisha Tenney; Hepsy and Fanny, never married; Andrew, never married, and Miles marrying a Miss Rowan.
The third son of Samuel Pringle, Samuel, Jr., was never married.
Samuel Pringle's oldest daughter, Elizabeth, married Andrew Cutright.
ALIBATUS D. TABNER PRINGLE, born November 3d, 1860, son of A. Chaney Pringle and grandson of William Pringle, his mother was Melvina O. Crites, the daughter of Jacob Crites and the granddaughter of Abram Crites, Sr., and Susan Crites. Abram Crites, Sr.'s other child was Barbara, who married John D. Hyer. Abram Crites, Sr., came here about the year 1790, with his father, whose name was Abraham, and his brothers, Michael, Leonard, Phillip, John and Jonas and his sister Rebecca, the wife of Silas Bennet, came along.
The subject of this sketch was raised on a farm near Alton, was educated in the public school and from 1881 to the present time has been in the mercantile business, either as clerk or owner.
Married first wife, September 4, 1884, Luzetty E. Wyatt, daughter of John Wyatt. Children: Albert Harman and Ventley Dorr. Second wife was Minnie B. Westfall, daughter of A. L. Westfall, and their children are: Ethel May, Amos Chester and Artha Dale.
ISAAC S. PRINGLE, the son of Andrew Chaney Pringle, the son of Wil- liam Pringle, the son of Samuel Pringle, was born April 23, 1865. His mother's maiden name was Melvina Crites. His brothers and sisters are: R. H. Walker, A. D. Tavener, Eli M., Edward Duncan, Barbara Ann, wife of Greeley Phillips.
He has been a lumberman since young manhood, has had ups and downs in the business that would have discouraged most men. He is now owner of a saw- mill in operation a few miles south of Alton, where he lives. His first wife was Civilia Boseley, daughter of David Boseley. Child: Clara May. His second wife was Rebecca J. Zickefoose, daughter of Hanson Zickefoose. His third wife was Rosa Fitzgerald and their children are: Ruhl Koblegard, Hazel May and Letha.
JAMES FLETCHER PRITT, born March 1, 1858, son of James Pritt and Rachel McKisic, the former born in 1813 and the latter in 1818. His grand- father, Edward Pritt, was born in Bath County, Va. His mother was a daughter of Andrew and Susanna ( McCauley) McKisic of Ireland. His father came from Scotland here.
On February 3, 1881, he marriel Mary McKisic, who was born March 15, 1866, and their children are: John Vaut, born May 24, 1882, died July 28, 1904; Charles Stanley, Early Jackson, Orpha Edra, Arminta Bell, Fitzhugh, born De- cember 3, 1892, died January 7, 1895. and Mary Victoria.
The subject of this sketch is a farmer. Owns 200 acres of land near Arling-
538
FAMILY HISTORY.
ton and is a stone mason. He belongs to the Oak Grove M. E. Church at Kanawha Head and in politics is a Democrat.
DANIEL PROPST, born October 7, 1841, in Pendleton County, son of George and Malinda Propst, of Irish descent, 1861 enlisted in the Confederate Army, was shot through the arm at Williamsport, Md., re-enlisted in Company K, 62d Virginia Infantry, under Captain Karickhoff, was captured at Beverly and sent to Camp Chase, had been in the battles of Gettysburg, Cold Harbor and Fisher's Hill. In 1870 he moved from Pendleton to Barbour County, from Barbour to Gilmer County, and then back to Pendleton ; in 1906 he became a citi- zen of Upshur County.
He married Barbara Hoover, daughter of George Hoover and Susan Schrader. They have no children.
MAUD PROUDFOOT of Burnsville, W. Va., born February 4, 1890, in Randolph County. She is the daughter of R. L. Proudfoot and Jane C. Poe, the daughter of David Poe (See biography of David Poe).
On her father's side she is the granddaughter of Joshua Proudfoot and Juana V. Talbot and the great granddaughter of Alexander Proudfoot and Eliza- beth Cole, and the great, great granddaughter of John Proudfoot and Leah Hill, his Italian wife, both these last came from Scotland.
Juana V. Talbot was the daughter of Robert Talbot and Jane Stickles, and the granddaughter of Elisha Talbot, who was the son of Richard and Margaret Dowden, who were among the first settlers of Barbour County.
Richard Talbot was a son of William, a citizen of Fairfax County, Va. William came directly from England and settled in Virginia.
ALBINAS QUEEN, is a farmer of Warren District, but a native of Harri- son County, born there May 10, 1859, unto David and Rebecca (Love) Queen. His grandfathers were Amsted Queen and John Love, and his great grandfather was Charles Queen, who was the son of an Irish immigrant to the U. S.
Subject of sketch was educated in the common schools of Upshur for he was only four years old when his parents left Harrison County. He has always lived in Upshur County with the exception of these four years and the time his parents moved to Athens County, Ohio, in 1864.
November 17, 1881, he married Missouri O. Casto, a daughter of Job Casto of Peck's Run, they have but one child, a son, whose name is Clyde Smith Queen, who was born May 13, 1886.
His present home is at Peck's Run.
CRAWFORD L. QUEEN, minister of the Methodist Protestant Church. Was born about forty years ago at Lorentz, Upshur County. His father died while he was young and the responsibility of his raising and education fell upon his relatives, uncles and aunts, and they responded to the call of duty promptly and progressively, sent the young lad to the public schools of the neighborhood in winter and placed him in subscription schools, whenever possible, during summers. The desire for knowledge seemed inbred in the young man and he responded to every opportunity afforded him to acquire that which was more precious than gold and more lasting than rubies. After completing his course in the public schools, he took the means left him by benevolent parents and hied away to college in the State of Maryland and four years there saw him leaving the halls of Westminister College with a diploma calling for Bachelor of Arts Degree.
Now his active work in the ministry began in West Virginia, and wherever he went and whenever he preached he made an impression of his earnestness and devout living. A few years more saw him President of his Conference, which position he has since twice held. He now lives at Grafton, where he is
539
FAMILY HISTORY.
loved and admired by all, and so thorough has been his educational training since his entry into the ministry that Adrian College, upon a sermon delivered there, confined upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity.
PARLEY QUEEN, a farmer of Meade District, was born on Laurel Fork, February 9, 1874, the son of Granville Queen and Hannah Grim, his grandfathers were Amsted Queen and Edward Grim. On reaching his majority, he left the parental roof to work for himself, for years he worked wherever work could be found, saving every cent that was not needed for actual expenses, and when his marriage to Luvina Phillips occurred on November 13, 1899, he had enough money to warrant his purchasing a farm of sixty acres near Ten Mile, where he now lives. His wife was the daughter of Osborne Phillips, the son of David, son of William, son of David, Sr. Children : Elsie, born May 15, 1900, Ruth, born April 25, 1902, Eva Cloe, born April 5, 1906.
GEORGE QU'CLEY, Geologist, lumberman, prospector for oil and gas, and an expert on i irerels. Was born September 16, 1847, in South Royalston, Mass. His parents were, Samuel Quigley and Jane McMickle, natives of Ireland. His father immigrated to Massachusetts from Ireland and after remaining in America some time went back to marry. He was R. R. Contractor.
The subject of this sketch joined the 2d Ohio Heavy Artillery, Company M, in 1863, and served in that regiment during the rest of the war, and was dis- charged at Nashville, Tenn. When he went west to Kansas and lived there two years, then came back to Ohio and in 1895 settled in West Virginia, near Pickens, Randolph County. He is now a citizen of Upshur and lives near Indian Camp, Meade District.
BENTON C. RADABAUGH, is a native of the County, born at Swamp Run, August 9, 1879. the son of Adam Radabaugh and Clara Eleanor Wagner, and the grandson of George Radabaugh and Sarah Heavner, and the great grand- son of Adam Radabaugh, Sr., and Catherine Simons, who were citizens of Chillicothie, Ohio, at the time of their death. The Radabaughs are of German extraction. His grandmother was a daughter of Nicholas Heavner and Catherine Kester.
His mother was a daughter of William Wagoner and Edith Boyles, who was a daughter of Gilbert Boyles and Ellen Goff, an own sister of Waldo Goff. Gil- bert Boyles was born in Ireland 1772, and emigrated and settled on the Waters of Teter's Creek, Barbour County. On April 10, 1905, he married Annie B. Van- gilder, the daughter of James M. Vangilder and Marian Bram, who was the daughter of Elijah Bram and Roanna Swisher, of Marion County. His wife's grandfather was Frederick Vangilder and his wife's grandmother was Dorcas Moran.
He was educated in the public schools in Union District, whence he graduated in 1897, and worked at Davis, Tucker County, on a saw mill until a call was made for soldiers to go to the Spanish-American War. He responded to that call by volunteering in the 3d U. S. Engineers at Piedmont. W. Va., and saw service in the United States and Cuba. He received an honorable discharge at Fort Mc- Pherson, Ga., May 17. 1899, after returning home he took up farming and school teaching, which he still follows.
He is a member of the Upshur County School Book Board and the M. E. Church, and in politics a Republican.
Child : Harold Abraham, born September 30, 1906.
FRANCIS MARION RADABAUGH, a farmer ofWarren District, born
540
FAMILY HISTORY.
June 29, 1875, at Montocello, Ind., son of Leisure Radabaugh and Hannah Low- ther, the grandson of Benjamin Radabaugh, who emigrated from Ohio to West Virginia, settling on the farm now owned by his son Sandusky Radabaugh. Leisure Radabaugh was a soldier in the Union Army and immigrated to Indiana after the war and there married and has four children: Walter W., Fanny F., Charles Ira, and the subject of this sketch, who was married October 28, 1900, to Maggie McDermot, the daughter of Mary Jane McDermot, and they have one child, Kenneth W., born June 14, 1902.
Mrs. Radabaugh's mother, after the death of her husband, married Isaac Radabaugh, who raised the subject of this sketch until he reached his majority. He owns fifty acres of land and is a Republican in politics and a good farmer.
SANDUSKY RADABAUGH, farmer, was born November 15, 1835, son of Benjamin Radabaugh, he married Dora A. Brake, daughter of Melvin and Sophia Ellen Brake, June 13, 1877.
Children : Houston, Benjamin Bruce, Mellie B.
. He owns 400 acres of land in Warren District.
JAMES MADISON RAIKES was born June 30, 1852, the son of Thomas Raikes whose wife was Mary Susan Woody. They came to the Little Kanawha River and made a settlement near Holly Grove, on a tract of a hundred acres of land, which he had previously bought, at a very early date.
Mr. Thomas Raikes lost his mind in young manhood and was taken to the Staunton Insane Asylum and there remained till his death.
His wife raised the family.
The subject of this sketch married for his first wife, Sarah Frances Smith, daughter of Morgan Smith, she was born in 1859, and died in 1887, and their children were: William Henry, Alfred Morgan, Thomas Anderson and Mattie Elizabeth.
November 15, 1888, he married for his second wife, Lizzie Lincoln Smith, a sister of the first wife and their children are: Virgie Frances, born December 18, 1890, and died in 1895; Merrill Clodus, born October 21, 1895; Janice Alice, born June 18, 1902.
Mrs. Raikes' grandfather was Joshua Smith, an early settler of Frenchton, Banks' District.
The subject of this sketch is a farmer and stone mason, he owns two hundred and forty acres of good land on the Little Kanawha River, near Holly Grove, and he has named his farm, Sugar Forest, after the fine Maple Sugar Orchard on his land. He has fine apple and peach orchards on his farm. In religion he is a Missionary Baptist and in politics he is a Republican.
GEORGE W. RATLIFF, son of John and Mary Ann (Thorn) Ratliff, born April 12, 1820, in Hardy County, Va. Came to Upshur County in 1840, entered the war as a private of Company A, and later joined Company G, First West Virginia Cavalry. Served as Postmaster at Ivy, twenty years, as Justice of the Peace of Washington District, four years and as Constable eight years.
Married Catherine Hess, daughter of Peter Hess, May 5, 1838.
Children : Peter private in Company D, 10th West Virginia, was killed at the fall of Richmond; John; Mary Elizabeth, wife of Andrew Eskew ; Isaac ; Charles M., married Eliza Prichard; Emma Florence, dead; William, married Nancy Cox; Noah W., married Ladona Cutright; Benjamin, married Verna Westfall; Sarah Catherine, wife of William Tenney.
ARMINTA BELLE REED, daughter of Gideon Martin and Matilda (West- fall) Kesling. Born August 16, 1872, in Upshur County, married Ebbon B.
HON. WM S. O'BRIEN.
JUDGE OSCAR L. MOORE, Abilene, Kan.
REV. P. S. STRADER.
HON. DAVID POE.
PROF. CHARLES ROSS.
541
FAMILY HISTORY.
Reed, December 5, 1890, ceremony by Rev. John W. Reger, for whom the hus- band was working, in a coal bank.
Children, Laco, born December 10, 1891 ; Nora Estie, born August 17, 1895; Arthur Bryan, born April 9, 1900.
FLOYD A. REED, a farmer and lumberman of Washington District, was born September 1, 1874, son of David M. Reed and Mary Goodwin, the daughter of Elijah Goodwin and Ann Cutright the daughter of Jacob, the son of John Cutright. His grandfather, Jacob Reed, and his grandmother Metheney, were natives of Highland County, Va., immigrating to this county before the Civil War. The subject of this sketch is the oldest child of a family of seven, five boys and two girls, and was by age made foreman and leader and protector of his brothers on the farm and at school. When 19 years of age, he went to work for himself and followed teaming and lumbering for A. G. Giffin several years. He traded horses in Virginia two years and then entered into partnership with L. C. Wamsley, which still exists. They own a store at Sand Run and are operating two lumber mills, near their home. He owns one hundred and fifty-two acres of land.
Married in 1898 to Ivy B. Smith, daughter of Abraham Smith and Harriet, the daughter of Jerry Lanham, his wife. Children : Lena J., born April 6, 1901, and Nellie Dale, born January 15, 1907.
A FEW SKETCHES.
Data for the following sketches have been discovered among the miscellaneous manuscripts of the Rev. John W. Reger, D. D., and to his cherished memory they are affectionately dedicated
L. A. E. R. H., February 5, 1907.
JACOB REGER,
Born 1733.
The Trans-Allegheny Historical Magazine, published July, 1902, Volume I, contains the following copy of the original records of land certificates granted during 1781, by commissioners appointed by the State Government, for the ad- justment of land claims.
Page 241. "John Reiger, 400 acres, on each side of Buckhannon River, nearby joining lands claimed by Timothy Dorman, to include his settlement made in 1773." Again on page 190 we have further reference to the same tract of land, where its boundaries are more clearly defined.
Page 249 of same Magazine: "Jacob Reger, 400 acres, on second Big Run, to include his settlement made in 1776." John and Jacob Reger were brothers, "German Lutherans" and at this time wholly ignorant of the English language, hence the difference in orthography. For information in this matter, the writer is indebted to the kindness of Mr. Daniel O'Brien, an aged and most highly esteemed citizen of Barbour County, West Virginia. We have substantial reasons for the supposition that John Reger settled permanently in Pennsylvania, where his descendants may be found, bearing the same family names and traditions, also, with characteristics strongly suggestive of lineal consanguinity with those of Jacob Reger's family. Jacob Reger and his good wife, Barbary Crites Reger, were the founders of the somewhat numerous family bearing their name; portions
542
FAMILY HISTORY.
of which still remain in West Virginia, though perhaps the larger number have emigrated westward.
In the year 1776, when as DeHass writes: "straggling parties of Indians so filled the woods of Virginia and Kentucky that no one outside of a fort was safe," and each day the war cloud becoming more portentious, our sturdy Dutchman and his heroic wife, with several children, came to the land on which Burnersville now stands, and doubtless, "straight they set themselves' to work," to build their home, the remains of which may possibly still be seen ; as represented by those who were familiar with its structure, it was a very strong block house, small but well adapted for defense, situated upon a slight eminence near a spring of purest water. As indicative of the spirit and character of these emigrants reference will be made to an incident, which some may remember having heard narrated by eloquent lips, now alas; long silent,-"that through all the dangers of a long and tedious sea voyage and the vicissitudes incident to following for more than 150 miles a blind trail which led them over high and precipitous mountains, across deep and rapid streams, exposed at every step to ravenous beasts, poisonous snakes, and worse than all, to roaming bands of savages-still even as the ancient Israelites carried ever with them the Ark of the Covenant, so these carried their large German Bible, now in possession of their great, great grandson, Mr. Irvin Teter. As further illustrative of their religious convictions, it may be added that soon after their arrival, they established in their home for their own and neighboring families, a Sunday service which consisted in Bible reading, singing and prayer. In this home the first adventurous ministers of the Gospel, who found their way through the almost impenetrable wilderness, received a most cordial welcome. Here they preached and prayed and sang, and "broke the bread of life to hungry souls." After the marriage of their son, John, his home became the preaching place.
The great James R. Day, LL. D., in a speech delivered in New York City, February 26, 1903, refers to the eagerness evidenced by the early ministers in the cultivation of the intellect and storing their minds with knowledge. He further states, "they preached a gospel which awoke the brain, they also carried in their saddle bags, books and tracts, distributing them as they went." True, they had to be guarded from one appointment to the next, but not only Godliness, but civili- zation followed in their footsteps. May not the unusually large per cent of this family who, in each succeeding generation, have been conspicuous for their devotion to the faith of their fathers, be largely attributed to the influences and associations found within this humble pioneer's cabin? To its founders was ful- filled with promise, "Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season."
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.