West Virginia and its people, Volume II, Part 72

Author: Miller, Thomas Condit, 1848-; Maxwell, Hu, joint author
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: New York, Lewis Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 866

USA > West Virginia > West Virginia and its people, Volume II > Part 72

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).

The name of Kirk is of Scottish origin, and as it is simply KIRK the Scotch form of the word "church," it would seem as if the ancestor who assumed it as a family name was connected in some manner with religious matters, and was probably a minister of : the church.

(I) Hiram Kirk was the first of this family to come from his native land of Scotland to the shores of America. He settled near Philadel- phia, where he raised a family.

(II) Joseph, son of Hiram Kirk, was born near Philadelphia, where he was a farmer and a member of the Society of Friends.

( III) William, son of Joseph Kirk, was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, in 1845. He was a farmer throughout his life with the exception of the years he spent in military service. He was a devout member of

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the sect of Quakers. He was only sixteen years of age when he vol- unteered his services during the civil war, enlisting in the Fifty-second Ohio Regiment, and served until the close of the war. Mr. Kirk mar- ried Lydia Jane, daughter of John Greenfield, and had children: Ida M., married Samuel L. Parks; Harvey L., Lemuel J., Oscar T., Walter W., Edith C.

(IV) Harvey L., son of William and Lydia Jane ( Greenfield ) Kirk, was born at Oak Grove, Ohio, March 11, 1874. Having finished his pre- paratory education at the public schools of his section of the country, he matriculated at the University at Valparaiso, Indiana, from which in- stitution he was graduated in the class of 1894. For a period of two years he was an instructor in mathematics at the university, then came to Wheeling, West Virginia, as a traveling salesman for the firm of Hubbard & Paull, and held this position until his election as mayor of Wheeling. From the time of his location in the city of Wheel- ing Mayor Kirk has had the public welfare of the city deeply at heart. He became identified with the Republican party, and has served as chairman of the Republican county committee since 1912. He is a clear and forcible speaker, and the arguments he advances in any cause are marshaled with such a convincing precision, and are so securely backed by facts and statistics, that it is no easy matter to overthrow them. In 1909 he was elected to the office of councilman, served until Octo- ber, 1912, when he was nominated to the office of mayor. He was elected to this office in May, 1913, by a large plurality. Mayor Kirk is a mem- ber of the Society of Friends, and is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Knights of Pythias, and the Order of Moose.

He married, November 1, 1899, Fannie N., daughter of Harry and Ruth Ann Nichols, and they have had children: Myron Paull, born August 27, 1900; Ruth Kennon, December 22, 1901.

HASKINS A distinguished representative of the medical profes- sion in West Virginia and proprietor of the Haskins Hospital, one of the splendid institutions of this order in the metropolis of the state, Dr. Thomas M. Haskins well merits special recognition in this history. He is a man of high character and profes- sional attainments and in the establishing of his well-equipped hospital, maintained at a high standard, he has provided a valuable and note- worthy contribution to the metropolitan prestige of his home city, where he commands a secure place in popular confidence and esteem and where he is known as a citizen of high civic ideals and distinctively progressive spirit.

The Haskins Hospital is located at 3327-29 Eoff street and adjoining the same is the beautiful home of Dr. Haskins. He was established in practice at Benwood, Marshall county, for four years, and in 1891 he purchased the site for his present hospital, where he forthwith initiated the erection of the main building, which is substantially constructed of brick and stone, is three stories in height, not including basement, and one hundred feet in depth by fifty feet in width. In 1900, satisfied with naught but the best of accommodations and most modern and approved facilities, Dr. Haskins erected an annex, twenty by thirty feet in lateral dimensions and five stories in height. All rooms in the building have running hot and cold water and every appliance and accessory through- out is of the best modern type, including a fine Turkish bath room, the privileges of which are accorded to all patients without extra charge. The building with its equipment represents an expenditure of fifty thou-

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sand dollars and its annual cost of maintenance is twenty thousand dollars. It has ample provision for the accommodation of forty patients ; compe- tent professional nurses are retained, and in connection with the institu- tion Dr. Haskins has a fine training school for nurses. Two assistant physicians are on the staff of the hospital, namely : Dr. S. F. Yohs and Dr. John W. Myers, who has charge of the administration of anasthetics. On the main floor of the building is located a finely equipped pharmacy, owned and conducted by Will Menkemeller, and a free ambulance and carriage service is maintained in connection with the hospital for the ex- clusive use of this hospital patronage.

In 1903 Dr. Haskins took over the glass manufacturing plant of Martins Ferry, known as the "Little Glass House," and engaged in the manufacture of a general line of illuminating goods. Finding his facili- ties not adequate for his ideas of the output of his factory, he formed a stock company and purchased of the National Glass Company the old Ellison Glass House and consolidated the business, remodeling and im- proving the plant at an enormous expense. Here they manufacture a large variety of cut and pressed glass for illuminating purposes. The business has become well-grounded and favorably known and their goods are sold in all parts of the Union. The company gives employment to from two to three hundred people. The plant is located in Martins Ferry, Ohio, the main office being in the Schudbaugh Building in Wheel- ing. The office consists of a suite of four rooms and a force of nine per- sons is employed. Dr. Haskins is the chief owner of the plant. The con- cern is producing a new feature in glass for illuminating purposes, called Haskins-Lucida, which produces a soft, soothing light, yet a brilliant one and an intensified one.

Dr. Haskins finds a great deal of satisfaction in referring to West Virginia as the place of his nativity and also in the fact that he is a scion of one of the old and honored families of the historic state of Virginia. He was born on a farm in Wetzel county, this state, fifty-seven miles east of Wheeling, August 19, 1859, and is a son of William H. and Anna J. (Brookover) Haskins, the mother a daughter of ex-Sheriff A. P. Brookover, of Wetzel county, West Virginia. The father was born in the eastern part of Virginia and the latter was likewise a native of the Old Dominion commonwealth. The father devoted virtually his entire active life to the great basic industry of agriculture, and was a man of sterling character, ever commanding the high esteem of all who knew him. Both he and his wife passed the closing years of their lives on the homestead in Wetzel county, near Burton. The paternal grandparents of Dr. Haskins immigrated to America from Ireland and established their home in Virginia in an early day. Dr. Haskins was second in order of birth in a family of six children, and other than himself two sons survive the honored parents: John C., who was department foreman of the Ben- wood Steel Works and who resigned this position to engage in the feed business, which he conducted successfully in Wheeling, West Virginia; and Abram P., who resides in Wheeling with Dr. Haskins and is con- nected with the Haskins Class Company, of which he is a director and stockholder.

Dr. Haskins is indebted to the schools of his native county for his early educational discipline, and his ambition to fit himself for a broader sphere of endeavor than that of the farm was early quickened into de- cisive action, as he determined to prepare himself for the medical pro- fession, in which it has been his aim to achieve marked distinction and success and to do a noble work in the alleviation of human suffering. As a means to an end he devoted several years to teaching in the public schools, and at the age of twenty-two years he was elected superintend-

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ent of schools for his native county, thus setting at naught any applica- tion of the scriptural aphorism that a "prophet is not without honor save in his own country." He held this office two terms and thereafter was for two years a valued and popular instructor in a private normal school at Burton, this state.

In 1884 Dr. Haskins was matriculated in the College of Physicians and Surgeons in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, in which well-ordered institution he completed the prescribed technical course and was gradu- ated as a member of the class of 1886. With characteristic determina- tion to hold none other than the highest standard of efficiency in what- ever he undertook, he completed an effective course in the celebrated Bellevue Hospital Medical College in New York City, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1888, thus receiving a supplement- tal degree of Doctor of Medicine. In 1894 he took a course in the Post-Graduate Medical College of New York City, and in his practice he has specialized in the treatment of diseases of the nose and throat, in which department of professional work he has gained a high reputation, as has he also in other departments of practice, and in his hospital he gives special attention to general surgery, which occupies a goodly por- tion of his time. He was still superintendent of the public schools of Wetzel county at the time of his graduation in the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Dr. Haskins served his professional novitiate in the community in which he was born and reared, and after the lapse of two years he lo- cated at Davis City, Tucker county, whence he removed ten months later to the city of Benwood, Marshall county, which was the scene of his earnest and successful professional labors until his removal to Wheel- ing, as has already been noted in this context. Though he has naught of animosity or intolerance for the various medical societies and associa- tions, Dr. Haskins never undertook to ally himself with the same until 1910, and he is now a member of the Ohio County, the State and the American Medical societies. He has never reported a case to medical publication from the time he began practice to the present, although his extensive experience and fine ability well qualify him for authoritative utterances along this line.

In politics Dr. Haskins was a Democrat until about 1903, since which time he has adhered to the Republican party. The intricate and exact- ing demands of his profession precluded his entering the arena of prac- tical politics until 1902, when he was elected a member of the city coun- cil, overcoming an opposition of four hundred party majority in his ward, the Eighth, with a majority of one hundred and sixty-three. His election was on the Democratic ticket. In 1909 he was elected on the Republican ticket a member of the board of control and was re-elected in 1911 over John Waterhouse, who was one of the popular wholesale grocers of Wheeling, this being strong evidence of the popularity of Dr. Haskins. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, the Shield of Honor, the Star of Bethlehem, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a man of broad views, unfailing courtesy, genial presence, deep humanitarian spirit and abiding human sympathy, so that he naturally has gained and retained the staunchest of friends among all classes and conditions of men.

On the 12th of September. 1893, Dr. Haskins was united in mar- riage to Louisa, daughter of F. Schenck, one of the representative busi- ness men and influential citizens of Wheeling, and the five children of this union are: Rhea, Mary. Edna, Thomas, Evelyn. The two eldest are students of Mt. De Chantal Academy.

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The Lawrence family is one of the most distinguished LAWRENCE in America, numbering among its members many who have become famous in the various walks of life. The family is of English ancestry and settled in Lancaster as early as 1150. Record is made of Robert Lawrence, of Lancaster, who distinguished himself at the siege of Acre and was knighted Sir Robert of Ashton Hall. From Robert Lawrence, of Lancaster, England, many of the Lawrences in America trace their origin. The first of this family to set- tle in New England was John Lawrence, who immigrated to America and located in Watertown, where on February 28, 1636, he purchased land. His descendants are widely scattered throughout the United States. (I) Wayman Clarkson Lawrence attended the schools of his native county. For a number of years he has been engaged as a traveling sales- man. He resided in Lowmoor, Virginia, for several years, and in 1900 removed to Columbus, Ohio, where he has made his home to date. He married Margaret Katherine Gaines, a native of Clermont county, Ohio. Three children have been born of this marriage: I. Theophilus Gaines, born in Lowmoor, Virginia, January 5, 1886; attended the public schools of his native county, and prepared for college at the Columbia, Ohio, high school, graduating from the mechanical engineering department of the Ohio State University ; at present he is engaged in the telephone bus- iness in Ohio. 2. Wayman Clarkson, mentioned below. 3. Julian Heath, born in Lawrence, May 19, 1890; now a student at the Ohio State Uni- versity.

(II) Wayman Clarkson (2), son of Wayman Clarkson ( I) and Mar- garet Katherine (Gaines) Lawrence, was born in Lowmoor, Virginia, April 8, 1888. He attended the schools of his native county and finished his preparation for college at the Columbus, Ohio, high school, graduat- ing in 1905. He then entered Princeton University and graduated in 1909 with the degree of B. Litt. In the fall of this last year he went to Washington, D. C., as private secretary to his uncle, Hon. Joseph H. Gaines, congressman from the third congressional district of West Vir- ginia. He retained this position two years, and during this time studied law at the George Washington University Law School, graduating in IQII. He was admitted to the bar in February, 1912, and soon began the practice of his profession in Logan, being associated with his uncle, Hon. Joseph H. Gaines. Mr. Lawrence is meeting with success in his profes- sional labors, and is considered one of the rising young attorneys of Logan county. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the Presbyterian church.

Mrs. Margaret Katherine Lawrence is a daughter of Major Theo- philus and Ariadne (Stockton) Gaines. She was born in Clermont county, Ohio, April 11, 1857. At the age of fourteen years she entered a noted boarding school in Washington, D. C., where she was a student for a number of years. Her father was born in Ohio in 1824. He grad- uated from a Cincinnati law school and was a successful lawyer. He was practicing his profession when the civil war broke out. He at once offered his services to the state, and on May 9, 1861, he was commis- sioned captain of Company I, Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. On No- vember 1, 1862, he was promoted first assistant judge advocate general with the rank of major, his commission being signed by President Lin- coln. He was honorably mustered out of service, May 31, 1866. He was a brave and efficient officer and highly respected by the officers and men of his command. Major Gaines then located in Fayette county, West Virginia, where he continued his practice for many years. He served- as prosecuting attorney of Fayette county for four years. He died in that county, March II. 1898, aged seventy-four years. His wife, Ariadne

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(Stockton) Gaines, was born in Clermont, Ohio, died in Fayetteville, West Virginia, in 1864. Four children were born of this marriage: I. Ludwell Graham, married Martha Ebersolle; he died in 1900; one child, Ebersolle, now a student in Princeton University. 2. Margaret Kath- erine, mentioned above. 3. Nathaniel W. 4. Joseph H., born in Wash- ington, D. C., May 3, 1864; a lawyer and United States congressman from West Virginia.

Mrs. Ariadne (Stockton) Gaines was a granddaughter of Richard Stockton, who was born at Morven, near Princeton, New Jersey, Octo- ber 1, 1730, died there February 28, 1781. He graduated from the Col- lege of New Jersey, now Princeton University, in 1748. He studied law and became prominent in the political history of New Jersey and the American colonies. He was a delegate to the continental congress in Philadelphia, 1776-77, and was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. He served as inspector in the Northern army until November 30, 1776, when he was captured by the British army. He received such hard treatment while a prisoner he was unable to again enter the service after his exchange. He married Annie, daugh- ter of Elias and Catherine ( Williams) Boudinot.

This is a prominent family in the southern states, and

LAWSON at an early date located in Virginia. John Lawson, the progenitor of this branch of the family in West Vir- ginia, settled in Williamson, that state, at an early date. He was for many years a prominent farmer.

(II) Dr. George W. Lawson, son of John Lawson, was born in Wil- liamson, West Virginia. He attended the public schools of his native county and studied medicine. He practiced his profession in William- son for many years. He died in that town in 1906. He married Chloe Ann Robertson, who died in 1910. Among their children was Sidney B., of whom further.

(III) Dr. Sidney B. Lawson, son of Dr. George W. and Chloe Ann (Robertson ) Lawson, was born March 18, 1867, in Williamson, West Virginia. He prepared for college in the schools of his native county. and in 1886 entered the National Normal University in Lebanon, Ohio, where he graduated in 1890. He then entered the Baltimore Medical College, where he graduated in 1894 with the degree of M. D. He practiced his profession for a short time in his native town, and in the fall of 1894 removed to Logan, where he has continued his practice to date. He has met with marked success in his professional labors and is considered one of the ablest physicians in his county. In 1908 he or- ganized the Logan Hospital of twenty beds, which is owned and man- aged by Doctors Steele, Farley and Lawson as a general hospital. He is a prominent member of several medical societies, among them being : American Medical Society, Southern States Medical Society, West Vir- ginia Medical Society, and the Logan County Medical Society, of which organization he is now serving as president. He takes an active inter- est in the business affairs of Logan, and is now serving as president of the First National Bank of that city. In politics he is a Democrat and has taken a prominent part in the council of his party. He represented his district in the state legislature in 1894, and is now serving as chair- man of the Democratic committee of his county. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and is prominent in the Masonic order, having at- tained the thirty-second degree. He is also a member of the Shrine.

He married, 1892. Lucile Linderman, born in Trenton, Kentucky, 1871. They have three children: I. Lawrence Wells, born in Trenton, 32

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Kentucky, March 20, 1894; now a student in the Baltimore Medical Col- lege. 2. Julia N., born in Logan, June 25, 1896; now a student in Ran- dolph Macon Institute, Virginia. 3. Lucile, born in Logan, June 20, 1909.

LYNCH

The Lynch family of West Virginia traces its ancestry to

the state of Maryland, where John Lynch was probably born, and where in Washington county of that state he passed the principal part of his life. He seems to have been a black- smith, but this is not assured; it is known, however, that in his political opinions he was at first a Whig, changing in later years to the Democratic party. He died in Maryland about the year 1835. He and his wife, whose maiden name is not recorded, were members of the Catholic church ; she also probably died in Maryland where the family had made their home. There were six children, four sons and two daughters ; the names of the sons being as follows: George Nicholas, Thomas, Peter, John. Peter and John live in Virginia, and of George N., there is fur- ther mention.

(II) George Nicholas, son of Jolin Lynch, was born September 22, 1816, at Pleasant Valley, Maryland. He was reared in his native state where he attended the public schools, and where, after the completion of his studies, he became a farmer and contractor. He grew to be a prom- inent man in his locality, serving on the school commission and being ap- pointed road supervisor. He was a Democrat, though attained no great prominence in politics and was not politically conspicuous outside of the county. He and his family were all members of the Catholic church, being connected with the church at Harpers Ferry. He died at Harpers Ferry, Jefferson county, August 25, 1878, at the age of sixty-two years. He married Elizabeth Ann Payne, a native of Maryland, daughter of Rathiel and Polly ( Rhodes) Payne. Rathiel Payne was engaged in the business of transferring flour from the west to Baltimore, and was killed on the road between Martinsburg and Shepherdstown, Virginia, about the year 1832, by having his own wagon run over him. Beside their daughter, Mrs. Lynch, Mr. and Mrs. Payne had several children who died in infancy, and two sons who attained maturity; these were John J. Payne, who in March, 1911, was still living in Baltimore, at the age of ninety-five years ; and William Payne, deceased. Mrs. Lynch died in Jefferson county, West Virginia, at the age of seventy-seven years. She and her husband were the parents of five children, of whom only one is still living. They were as follows: I. Catherine. 2. John William, of whom further. 3. Frank, married Sarah Elizabeth Brady; - he died during his term of office as clerk of the circuit court. 4. Helen Virginia. 5. George Bell, married Fanny Cromwell; he died in Balti- more, being at that time in mercantile business there.

(III) Rev. John William Lynch, son of George Nicholas and Eliza- beth Ann (Payne) Lynch, was born September 27, 1847, at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. His early life was spent in the state of Maryland, and his education was acquired at Rock Hill College, St. Charles College and St. Mary's Seminary. He became a clergyman of the Catholic church, and for a period of thirty-one years remained in charge of St. Andrew's. Church, Baltimore. Upon giving up this pastorate he came to Harpers. Ferry, where for a year he was in charge of St. Peter's Church, but now resides in Danville. Father Lynch is a most public-spirited citizen of this place, being a Democrat in his political opinions, and taking a promi-, nent part in public affairs. He is chaplain of the order of Knights of Co- lumbus, member of several church organizations, a director of the City

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National Bank at Roanoke, and is actively associated with several build- ing and loan associations.

The Miley family is of German origin. Two emigrant

MILEY brothers of that name came from Germany prior to 1800, and settled in Virginia. One of these, Jacob by name, was the father of Moses G. Miley.

(II) Moses G., son of Jacob Miley, was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, in 1812. He was educated in the best private schools of the county. He married, in 1843, Ada Anna Fish, and they had three chil- dren: Henry Thomas, of whom further; Sarah Margaretta, Julia.

(III) Henry Thomas, son of Moses G. and Ada Anna (Fish) Miley, was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, October 4. 1844. When a lad eighteen years of age the war broke out, and he enlisted in the Sixth Virginia Cavalry in the Confederate army. As a boyish prank he enrolled under the name of W. A. Hickson, taking the name of a man who was sick and wished to leave the army. In this way Mr. Miley filled in the army the place of two distinct men, and when later the real Hickson died in Baltimore, Mr. Miley had the opportunity of reading his own obituary. He served during the war under General Lee, taking part in a great num- ber of engagements. He was captured May II, 1864, and taken as a pris- oner to Point Lookout, remaining in prison for ten months. When he was released he was given $115 in Confederate money which he has kept, and has in his possession at the present day. Like many thousands of other soldiers he followed General Lee's advice, and went back to the farm and went at once to work to repair the ravages of war. He has owned the farm known as "Badark," where he resides, for over twenty- five years. For eighteen years he served the county as road surveyor. He has also served on the Charles Town board of education, and as jus- tice of the peace, as notary public, and is at present marshal at Summit Point, West Virginia. He is a stockholder in the Farmers' and Mer- chants' Deposit Company. He is a Democrat in his politics, and belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, having served as a steward for forty years, and has been affiliated with the church for fifty-two years.

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West Virginia and its people, Volume II, Part 72

Author: Miller, Thomas Condit, 1848-; Maxwell, Hu, joint author Publication date: 1913 Publisher: New York, Lewis Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 866

Author: Miller, Thomas Condit, 1848-; Maxwell, Hu, joint author
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: New York, Lewis Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 866