USA > West Virginia > West Virginia and its people, Volume II > Part 31
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Hon. Edward C. Colcord married, in 1883, Mary Agnes McManigal. of Williamsport. Pennsylvania. They have had the following interesting family: 1. Edward Clark (2), a draftsman, manager of the Atkinson Foundry & Machine Shop in St. Albans: married Gertrude Rock, and has one son : Edward Clark (3). 2. Francis C., a civil engineer, operat- ing in Raleigh county, West Virginia. 3. Sylvia Prudentia. 4. Eugene L., connected with an engineering corps busy in Raleigh county. 5. Mary Agnes, at school. 6. Tristram Coffin .. 7. William Allison, also at school. Senator Colcord's record is one to be eminently proud of, and his remark- able work in the two houses of the West Virginia legislature is a mat- ter of record, well-known to all.
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WHITE Remington Breckinridge White, the first member of this fam- ily about whom we have definite information, was born in Freemansburg, West Virginia, March 20, 1854, and died in 1885. He received his early education in the public schools and then worked upon his father's farm and assisted him in his extensive lumber business. In 1883 he removed to Doddridge county, West Virginia, where he purchased a farm and resided until his death. He married Melinda Ellen, daughter of Henry and Mary ( Sandy) Knight, of Knight, West Virginia. She married (second), in 1898, H. A. Cox, of West Union, West Virginia : children : Frederick Raymond, Silas Lehman, and Arthur Glen. Children of Remington Breckenridge and Melinda Ellen (Knight) White: Wilson Henry Stout, born December 1, 1881 ; Hor- ance Laban, mentioned below : Mary Jane, born October 4. 1884; Ada Columbia, born May 3. 1886.
(II) Horance Lahan, son of Remington Breckinridge and Melinda Ellen (Knight) White, was born at Knight, Doddridge county, West Virginia, May 5, 1883. He received his early education in the public schools, and after pursuing a course of study at Salem College, West Virginia, he taught school for three years in Doddridge county. He then entered the State Normal School at Glenville, being graduated in 1904. after which he taught for two years in the graded and high schools of West Virginia, and then, with the purpose of preparing himself for higher work, he entered the West Virginia University at Morgantown, and graduated in June, 1911, with the degree of A. B. While at the University he distinguished himself as an efficient debater and was elected president of the University Debating Association, and he was a member of the team that won the debating contest with the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ; also while at the university, during the absence of one of the professors, he was appointed as a substitute to the position for a period of six months. In 1909 he was appointed superin- tendent of schools for Williamstown, and served as such for two years, meanwhile, continuing his studies at the university. In 1911 he was appointed superintendent of schools at Spencer. West Virginia, which position he now holds. He is a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fratern- ity : and the University of West Virginia, Young Men's Christian As- sociation, and also of the Young Men's Christian Association at Mari- etta. He was raised a Mason in Moriah Lodge, Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons, of Spencer, West Virginia, and he is a member of Camp- bell Lodge, No. 101, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
John D. Keister, the first member of this family about
KEISTER whom we have definite information, was born at Oak Flat, now Brandywine, Pendleton county, Virginia, about 1815, and died about 1896. Children : John D., of whom further : Susan, Sarah, Polly and Jennie, (these four are deceased) : Margaret, Andrew J., and William C.
(II) John D. (2), son of John D. (1) Keister, was born about 1843. He is living at Brandywine and is a farmer. In the civil war, he was a member of Company K. Sixty-second Regiment Confederate Army, un- der General Imboden. He was wounded in the battle of Berryville, Vir- ginia. In the battle of Newmarket. Virginia, his company went into bat- tle with forty-four men and came out with twenty-two. He served two terms as a member of the legislature of West Virginia, 1909-1911. He married Mary S., born at Fort Seybert, Pendleton county, Virginia, ahout 1845, daughter of Jacoh Trumbo, a farmer who lived and died at Oak Flat, Pendleton county : he was born about 1806, died about 1893. Chil-
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dren of Mr. and Mrs. Keister: 1. Walter Dyer, of whom further. 2. Emma, married J. M. Smith ; lives at South Branch, near Franklin, Pen- dleton county, West Virginia. 3. J. Bowman, born in 1874, died at Huntington, Cabell county, West Virginia, in 1901. 4. Myra D., died in Richmond, Virginia, July 31, 1911, in the hospital, where she was a nurse 5. Elmer L., a farmer at Brandywine, living on the old homestead with his parents.
(111) Walter Dyer, son of John D. (2) and Mary S. ( Trumbo) Keister, was born at Oak Flat, Pendleton county, West Virginia, Novem- ber 24. 1867. Having attended the public schools of Pendleton county, he took a business course in the commercial department of Kentucky University, at Lexington, Kentucky, and for five years he taught school in Pendleton county. In 1891 he came to Huntington, the place of his present residence. For the next six years, he was employed in a drug store, after which he entered the partnership of Keister & Mccullough, but eighteen months later sold his interest to Mr. Mccullough and took a position with Biggs-Watts & Company, wholesale drygoods dealers. He was with this firm three years, and then became bookkeeper for Sehon, Stevenson & Company, wholesale grocers. After two years in this posi- tion he, in 1903. entered the employment of Gwinn Brothers & Com- pany as bookkeeper. From January first to the following May he held this position : the company was then re-organized, and he became treas- urer. Two years later he was also made secretary, and since 1908 he has held the triple position of secretary, treasurer and manager. Gwinn Brothers & Company are the leading merchant millers and dealers in grain and hay in the western part of West Virginia. Mr. Keister is a stockholder also in the Huntington Banking and Trust Company. He is owner of three important pieces of real estate. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and in political belief is a Democrat. Since 1895 he has been a member of the Central Christian Church at Huntington : for fourteen years he has been treasurer and for ten years an elder of this church. He married in Huntington, in October, 1895, Lena, daughter of John H. and Virginia (Doss) Weaver, who was born in Henry county, Virginia, May 30. 1871. Her mother died in her early childhood : her father is living at Birmingham, Alabama, where he is a contractor and builder. Children : Mary Lee, born September 10, 1898; Jessie Elizabeth, born July 19, 1901.
CARPENTER Thomas Carpenter, the first member of this family about whom we have definite information, was born in Gallia county, Ohio, in October, 1796. He was a son of Jesse Carpenter and a neplfew of Basil Wright, both of whom were soldiers in the war of 1812. By occupation he was a farmer, and in religion a Methodist Protestant. He married Sarah Wright, who was born in 1812, on Fork Lick of the Big Elk River, and died July 23. 1872, in Roane county, West Virginia. Children : John, married Bridget Rey- nolds and removed to New Brighton, Pennsylvania, where he died : Eliza. married Hiram Chapman : James, mentioned below.
(Il) James, son of Thomas and Sarah (Wright) Carpenter, was born March 7. 1838. on Storer Fork of Rudy, in what was then Jackson county, Virginia. When six years of age he removed with his parents to Charles Fork of Spring Creek, six miles south of Spencer. West Vir- ginia, where he resided until his death in May, 1908. He served for eight years in Captain Donaldson's company in the Federal army. He was a Republican in politics and a Methodist Protestant in religion : and he was a school trustee for a number of terms, and trustee of Hundley
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Chapel, of the Methodist Protestant church, at the time of his death. He married, December 2, 1857, Rachel, daughter of Robert R. and Elizabeth (Heinzman) Raines, born April 10, 1839, in Harper District, now Roane county, West Virginia. Her father was born in Pendleton county, Vir- ginia, and her mother in Lewis county, Virginia. They settled in Jack- son, now Roane county, in 1838, where Mr. Raines died in 1863, and his wife died, March 6, 1882. Children of James and Rachel ( Raines) Car- penter : Daniel W., born April 4, 1859, died October 23, 1862: Mary D., born September 8, 1860; George B., born December 16, 1861 ; Martha F., born November 11, 1863, died March 10, 1910: Anna M., born October 15, 1865 : Barbara E., born November 27, 1867: John B., born May 26, 1870: Sarah E., born December 29, 1872; Thomas D., born June 17, 1875, now deceased : Harvey H., born January 15, 1878: Eliza R., born March 17, 1880: and Walter Audas, mentioned below.
(III) Walter Audas, son of James and Rachel (Raines) Carpenter, was born near Spencer, West Virginia, January 31, 1884. He obtained his early education in the public schools, and in June, 1901, graduated from the Spencer Summer Normal School with the highest grade of his class, of which he was president. He was awarded at the time a gold medal with first honors in debate. In the same year he received a first grade certificate to teach school, and in 1905 received a state certificate, having made one of the highest grades in the state. He taught school for many years, commencing when seventeen years of age, and teaching for six terms near Spencer, and two months at a private school nearby ; and in 1905 he was made secretary of the board of education of Spencer dis- trict. He was then appointed principal of the Dingess graded school at Dingess, Mingo county, West Virginia. In 1908 he was offered the same position at an increased salary, but he declined in order to become a candi- date for the office of clerk of the county court of Roane county, and after making a vigorous and surprising campaign, on June 6, 1908, he won the nomination over three opponents by a handsome majority. He was elected on November 8, 1908, after one of the hardest fought political battles ever waged in Roane county and assumed the office on January I. 1909, enjoying the distinction of being the youngest county clerk in West Virginia. In 1912 he was elected a delegate to the state convention to select delegates to the National Convention at Chicago, instructed for Roosevelt. He is a member of Spencer Lodge, No. 55. Knights of Pythias, of which he has been chancellor, commander, and is now a past chancellor and a member of the uniform rank. He is also a member of the Knights of Golden Eagles, and a past consul of the Modern Wood- men of America. Mr. Carpenter was active in the organization of the First National Bank of Spencer, having served as secretary of all the meetings up to and including its establishment, and was a stockholder and one of the directors of the bank. He became a member of the Protestant Methodist church when seventeen years of age, and was secretary for two years of the Inter-denominational Sunday School Association of Spencer district ; he was for two years secretary of the Methodist Pro- testant conference of the Spencer circuit, and was a delegate to the an- nual conference at Morgantown in August, 1909. At present he is sec- retary of the quarterly conference of Spencer Station and is superintend- ent of the Sunday school at Spencer. He married, at Clarksburg, West Virginia, March 30, 1910, Mary Gertrude, daughter of William P. and Anna Brown ( Rockhold) Pool, born January 13, 1891, near Spencer. Children : Ruth Elaine, born January 3, 1911 : William Audas, born Jan- uary 23, 1912.
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George Schwender, the founder of the family in SCHWENDER this country came from Germany. He settled at Martin's Ferry, West Virginia, and was a grape grower. His wife's name is unknown. Among his children was Michel George, referred to below.
(II) Michel George, son of George Schwender, was born at Mar- tin's Ferry, West Virginia. He received his early education in the public schools, and later worked in his father's vineyard. When eighteen years of age he went to Wheeling, West Virginia, and entered the employ of the Riverside Iron Works, remaining with the company for seventeen years and by his industry and perseverance rose from the position of an ordinary laborer to be one of the most responsible employees of the company. In 1891. he removed to Roane county, and took up farming. purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of land, and later one hundred ind seventy acres more, all of which he brought to a high state of culti- ration. He was a member of the Amalgamated Iron Workers Associa- tion, and took an active part in promoting the interests of the association. He married Mary Ann, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Jane Dowler, who was born in 1854. Children: I. Minnie, married James J. Harlow ; children : Carlos, Pearl, Elsie May, Mabel. 2. William Wiley, referred to below. 3. Joseph Melvin, referred to below. 4. Maud May. 5. Addie Bell. married Alexander, son of Robert Short ; child, Kenneth.
(III) William Wiley, son of Michel George and Mary Ann (Dow- ler) Schwender, was born at Wheeling. West Virginia, August 1. 1879. He received his early education in the public school at Triplett, West Virginia. When twenty-one years of age he became a commercial trav- eler, and two years afterwards settled in Spencer, West Virginia, where he entered the dry goods business, in which he is still engaged. He is a member of Spencer Lodge, No. 55. Knights of Pythias, has held every office in the lodge, and has represented the lodge in the Grand Lodge for the past two years. He is also a member of Moriah Lodge, No. 38, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He married. November 2, 1904, Rebecca Lupton, daughter of John C. and A. A. (Simmons) Campbell. Children : William Campbell, born July 28, 1905: Paul George, born December 28, 1907 : Harry Chambers : Ruth Elizabeth.
(III) Joseph Melvin, son of Michel George and Mary Ann (Dowler) Schwender, was born at Wheeling, West Virginia, August 3. 1883. He received his early education in the public schools, and then taught school for two years, and entered the Mountain State Business College, apply- ing himself so diligently to his studies that he graduated from the insti- tution in four months. He then entered the employ of the Spencer Mill Company, resigning after four years service to accept an appointment in the Roane County Bank, which position he still holds. He is a Republi- can in politics, and is a member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Modern Woodmen of America. He married. December 9, 1909, Olive Mae, daughter of John Nelson Robey of Spencer. No children.
SIMMS This family is of ancient origin, antedating the Elizabethan period. and residing in Daventry, Northamptonshire, Eng- land. The first of this familyof whom record is made was the Earl of Northampton, who was granted a coat-of-arms in 1592. The name of the family at this time was variously spelled. Symes, Symmes and Simms. The progenitor of this family in America was Sir John Simms, who settled at an early date in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the churchyard of St. Peter's Church in that city is a gravestone bearing the Simms coat-of-arms. The name of the family in America is various-
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ly spelled, Sims and Simms. Descendants of Sir John Simms settled in Maryland, Virginia. West Virginia and other southern states, taking a prominent part in the development of their various communities. A branch of this family settled on the Kanawha river in West Virginia. The family in West Virginia has been conspicuous for its adherence to the church and for its patriotism.
(I) P. William Simms, a descendant of the Virginia branch of the family, was born on the Gauley river, West Virginia, February 2, 1804. and died in 1895. He was a farmer and blacksmith. He married Eliza- beth Dorsey, who was born in Greenbrier county, West Virginia. Eight children were born to them, of whom four died young : the surviving chil- dren are : Franklin Pilcher, mentioned below ; Melitus, now a farmer, re- sides in Nicholas county, West Virginia ; John D., a farmer, resides near Summerville, West Virginia : William B., a farmer, resides in Nicholas county.
(II) Franklin Pilcher, son of P. William and Elizabeth ( Dorsey ) Simms, was born near Delva on the Gauley river. West Virginia, in 1831. He engaged extensively in farming until a few years ago, when he retired from active labor and went to live with his son, Meredith J. Simms, but he still owns a farm in Nicholas county, West Virginia. He married Eliza Simms born in 1845. died October 2, 1910. Thirteen children were born to them, of whom five died young : the surviving children are : Mere- dith J., mentioned below ; Lawrence : Dora, now Mrs. Hendrick, resides in Greenbrier county, West Virginia : Emma, now Mrs. Hill, resides in Nicholas county, West Virginia ; Charles, resides in Tennessee ; Homer, resides in Nicholas county, West Virginia ; Letha, resides in Montgomery, West Virginia and Robert, resides in Tennessee.
(III) Meredith J., son of Franklin Pilcher and Eliza Simms, was born on a farm near Sims. Nicholas county, West Virginia, April 9. 1862. In 1873 he removed to Fayette county, West Virginia, where he attended the public schools. In 1886 he went to Montgomery. West Virginia. where he secured a position as bookkeeper for the Straugham Coal Com- pany. This position he held until 1889. when he was appointed postmas- ter by President Harrison, retaining the office four years and was subse- quently for ten years engaged as a wholesale bottler : he also engaged in the mercantile business several years, meeting with marked success. He is president of the Montgomery & Cannelton Bridge Company, which erected the fine bridge at Montgomery, costing $90,000. He has been a director of the Montgomery National Bank four years, and its presi- dent two years. This bank was established in 1901 with a capital of $25,000 which was later increased to $75.000. Its total deposits in June, 1912, were $310,963.11. S. H. Montgomery served as its first president. The present officers of the bank are: M. J. Simms, president; J. W. Montgomery and S. H. Montgomery, vice-presidents ; R. L. Matthews. cashier : A. G. Newby, assistant cashier : and O. J. Henderson, chairman of the board of directors. Robert L. Matthews, cashier of this bank, is a son of Levi W. Matthews. Mr. Simms is a Republican in politics and was delegate to the national Republican convention which nominated William Mckinley for president in 1896, and William H. Taft in 1912. He is now serving his fourth term as county commissioner, making a to- tal service of twenty-four years, the longest time the office has been held in the state. He is a member of the Presbyterian church.
He was married in St. Albans, West Virginia, January 3. 1887. to Alwilda, daughter of William and Mary ( DeFore ) Ramson. Five chil- dren have been born to them; Forrest DeFore. December 29, 1887: Ira Ramson, December 22, 1889, resides in Texas: Mary Mabel, born in 1891, died September 20, 1894: Maud Meredith, May 13. 1895: and
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Agnes Eugene, June 28, 1897. Mrs. Simms was born in Jackson county, West Virginia, December 25, 1860. Her father is of English descent and her mother's family is of Huguenot stock.
This is a family of English descent, prominent in the NUTTER pioneer days of Harrison county. Virginia. Three fami- lies of this name, or branches of the one family, have set- tled in various parts of Ritchie county.
(I) Thomas Nutter, the first member of this family about whom we have definite information (perhaps the immigrant ), entered his home- stead of four hundred acres, about two miles from Clarksburg. on the west side of Elk creek, and on the road to Buckhannon, in 1775, and pre- empted one thousand acres adjoining. On this tract was built Nutter's fort, which was a harbor of refuge for the neighbors in the Indian wars, and in these wars he was personally active. The census of 1782 shows that he then had eight children. Some of his descendants are still in Har- rison county ; they have spread to other West Virginian counties and to other states. The following Nutter marriages were probably among his children : Rachel, married, May 4. 1785, Isaac Richards: Christopher, married, June 28. 1785. Rebecca Moorehead: John, probably the John of whom further, married, October 2, 1786, Elizabeth Cottrill : Mary, married, August 31. 1790, Richard Hall.
( II) John, son of Thomas Nutter, was the father of Andrew, of whom further, and of John.
(III) Andrew, son of John and, probably. Elizabeth { Cottrill) Nut- ter, was born in Harrison county, Virginia, about 1795. At the age of seventeen he enlisted, and he saw service in the war of 1812, having part in the engagement of Fort Defiance on the Maumee river. He married Malinda, daughter of William and Anna ( Douglass ) Willis. Children : Willis, of whom further ; John : Andrew : Julia. married Warren : Nancy, married Hart ; Malinda, married Hart : Elizabeth, married Hart ; Sarah, married Watson.
( IV) Willis, son of Andrew and Malinda ( Willis) Nutter, was born in Doddridge county, Virginia. He married Julia Richards, of Harri- son county, Virginia. Child, Thomas E., of whom further.
(V) Thomas E., son of Willis and Julia ( Richards) Nutter, was born in Doddridge county, Virginia, died in 1886. He was in his main occupation a farmer, but for a time was engaged in mercantile business. In the civil war he served his country as a member of the Sixth Regi- ment West Virginia Volunteer Infantry. He married Sarah A., daugh- ter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Vangrift) Allender, of Ritchie county. Chil- dren : Okey E., of whom further : Emma F., married Lee Prunty ; Lola G., married Benjamin Wilson; Elizabeth H., married F. F. Ross: Eva M., married Porter Tharp.
(VI) Okey E., son of Thomas E. and Sarah A. ( Allender ) Nutter, was born at White Oak, Ritchie county, West Virginia, June 17. 1875. He was educated in the public schools and in the business college at Parkersburg, from which he was graduated September 17, 1897. For eight terms thereafter he taught school. In 1902 he was one of three contestants for the Republican nomination for the circuit clerkship, and was defeated in a very close contest, receiving every vote in his home pre- cinct save one. In 1903 he was made cashier of the state bank at Pull- man, Ritchie county. In 1004 he was elected as sheriff of his county. and he entered on the duties of this office, January 1. 1905. and served four years. He was the youngest man who had ever held the shrievalty in this county, but his administration was remarkable for executive abil-
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ity and efficiency. At the end of his term he was able immediately to turn over to his successor the whole amount due the various county and district funds. According to the tax commissioner none of the fifty-five sheriffs of the state had a better record in general than Mr. Nutter, and from the standpoint of the collecting of taxes and the returning of delin- quents, his record was the best of them all. At the expiration of his term be bought a farm of seven hundred acres, and he lived on this for one year. He then moved to Pennsboro, Ritchie county. West Virginia, and since January, 1910, he has been president of the First National Bank at this place. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Maccabees. Mr. Nutter married. August 5. 1898, Ada, daughter of John and Henrietta Miller. Children : Darrell, born July 6, 1899: Mabel, July 6, 1903.
WEEKLEY It will be noted that this old Virginian family has been settled for a century in Tyler county, now West Vir- ginia, and that it has branched from that county into Ritchie county ; but another branch of the family has been established in Ritchie county since the middle of the last century, also having come hither from Tyler county. The family is of English origin.
(I) Jacob Weekley, the first member of this family about whom we have definite information, was born in Fauquier county, Virginia. From that county he came to Tyler county, where he was a farmer, and erected the first brick building in the county. For a time he lived at Middle Island, afterward at Arnold's creek. He married - Williamson. Children : Daniel, of whom further : Martha. Caroline, Eliza, Isaiah. John. William M., George W., Malinda.
(II) Daniel, son of Jacob and - ( Williamson) Weekley, was born in Tyler county. Virginia, May 4. 1826, died August 24, 1909. All his life he was a farmer and dealer in stock. and he was one of the repre- sentative men of his town ; but he sold his farm, and moved to Salem, Harrison county, West Virginia, where he lived a retired life to the time of his death. He was a member and one of the staunch supporters of the United Brethren church. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Wil- liam and Martha Pratt, who died March 27, 1897. Children: 1. Wil- liam M., minister of the United Brethren church. now officiating in Kan- sas City, Missouri. 2. Sarah E., married Clay Heckert. 3. Martha, de- ceased. 4. Ellen, deceased. 5. Laura C., married Frank Wildwood. 6. George M., of whom further. 7. Agnes. married J. R. Grove. 8. Martin Luther, minister of the United Brethren church, and now preach- ing in New York City. 9. Milton L., assistant cashier of the Citizens' National Bank, Pennsboro, West Virginia. 10. Effie M., married Alvin Davis, of Charleston, West Virginia.
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