Waitman Denver Corder Biography...Barbour County, WV ********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ********************************************************************** Submitted by: Valerie Crook The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 564 Barbour WAITMAN DEVER CORDER. Barbour County has repeatedly honored and given evidence of its esteem of the Corder family, who through a long period of years have been leaders in country life and in the official affairs of the county. W. D. Corder, one of the younger members, has given most of his active years either to business or the public service, and is the present circuit clerk of the county. His father is William Benton Corder, who was born near Berryburg in Barbour County in May, 1859. He acquired a liberal education, attending old West Virginia College at Flemington, an institution that gave many prominent men to the state. His active career has been devoted to farming and official affairs. He was elected assessor of Barbour County, and served four years, represented the county one term in the House of Delegates, was then chosen state senator from the old Tenth District for one term, and for four years was sheriff of the county. He is now president of the Barbour County Farm Bureau. William B. Corder married Bertha Jane Bartlett, who wag born near Simpson, Taylor County, daughter of William and Sallie (Reck) Bartlett. Their children are: Lander R., of Clarksburg; Waitman D., of Barbour County; Wil- liam Everett, a farmer near Berryburg; Hassell Wade, of Clarksburg; Laco Bartlett and Rossil Atkinson, both on the home farm. Waitman Dover Corder was born in Pleasant District of Barbour County, near Berryburg, March 24, 1883. He lived on the farm until he was about twenty-three. In the mean- time, after leaving the common schools, he attended Broad- dus College, then at Clarksburg, was a student in Wesleyan College at Buckhannon, and for five terms taught country school while getting his own education. Mr. Corder left the farm to become deputy sheriff under his father, and he performed these duties for four years. After leaving office he remained at Philippi and engaged in the general insurance business, building up an agency that is one of important service throughout Barbour County and of which he is still the active head. Mr. Corder in 1914 became a candidate for circuit clerk. He had no opposition in the nomination, but in the elec- tion had a rival on the other ticket and was chosen by a majority far beyond the normal majority for the county. He entered office in January, 1915, as the successor of Charles W. Brandon, and in November, 1920, was re-elected, so that he is now serving in his eighth year. Mr. Corder comes from a republican family, cast his first presidential vote for Colonel Roosevelt in 1904, and served as chairman of the County Committee from 1910 to 1914. He is a York Rite Mason, has taken the work of the Lodge of Perfection in the Scottish Rite, is a member of the Mystic Shrine, and is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church and of the trustees of Broaddus College at Philippi. Mr. Corder helped finance and build the Blanket Mill at Philippi, and was secretary and treasurer of the company for a time. He has been a director of the Kiwanis Club, and for two terms was on the City Council, when such important public improvements were under way as paving and sewerage. He is chairman of the Finance Committee of the Red Cross Chapter of Bar- bour County. In Barbour County Mr. Corder married Miss Iva Talbott, daughter of S. H. and Edith Talbott and sister of W. Bruce Talbott, the present prosecuting attorney. Mr. and Mrs. Corder were born within a mile of each other, attended the same country school, and she was also educated in Wesleyan College. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Corder are: William Dever, Edith Jane, Joseph Talbott, Waitman Bartlett, Ellen Rose, June Lee and Bettie Ann.