Barbour County, West Virginia Biography of Winfield Scott SIMON This biography was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 340 WINFIELD SCOTT SIMON is serving his second term as county assessor of Barbour County. He is one of the leaders in county republican politics, and his earnest, hard- working citizenship has won him a strong and loyal follow- ing of friends who repose implicit confidence both in his words and his actions. His grandfather was Anthony Simon, a native of old Virginia, who for many years conducted a farm on the waters of Stewart's Run in Barbour County. He married Minerva Corder. They had three sons and one daughter: Joseph B. A., Stephen, John and Helen, the latter of whom married J. B. Dickenson. Joseph B. A. Simon, father of the county assessor, was commissioned an officer in the Union Army, but was never called to active duty. He has been a farmer, is a member of the Baptist Church and is affiliated with the Junior Order United American Mechanics. Joseph B. A. Simon married Mildred McCoy, daughter of Benjamin and Mathilda Johnson McCoy. Of their ten chil- dren seven reached matured years: Winfield Scott; Tella, wife of O. J. Paugh; Addie, wife of Clark Wood; Icie, who is Mrs. Elbert McWhorter; John, of Junior, West Vir- ginia, and there were also triplets in the family, named, Dora, Cora and Ora, the two survivors being Dora, wife of Albert McWhorter, and Cora, wife of James White. J. B. A. Simon is now seventy-six years of age, and lives with his son Scott. By a second marriage, to Miss Nettie Russell, he has a daughter, Frasie, wife of John Woodford, of Pittsburgh. Winfleld Scott Simon was born in Elk District of Bar- bour County June 4, 1867. His parents were poor. He was fourteen years of age when his mother died, and he and the other children were scattered and grew up chiefly among strangers. Scott Simon had only the advantage of the free schools in his neighborhool, and his environment was the farming district. He had no capital by inheritance, and his first means were supplied from farm labor and work at the carpenter's trade, which he learned and followed for a number of years. During dull seasons at the trade he worked at farming, and he continued in this way until he was chosen superintendent of the county farm. His admin- istration of the county farm for seven years was a very efficient one, and during that time the farm became self supporting. When he turned it over to his successor the cash balance was greater than it had ever been at any previous transfer of administration. Mr. Simon left the superintendency of the county farm to become candidate for county assessor. In the republican primaries of 1916 there were five candidates, and he de- feated his nearest opponent by 137 votes. In the election he defeated Shaffer, the democrat, by 117 votes. He en- tered the office as successor of C. E. Corder. In the primaries of 1920 he was nominated over two competitors, and he defeated his democratic opponent, Lloyd England, by a majority of 1,756. This was a larger vote by 700 than was given to President Harding in 1920 in Barbour County. His reelection is a high testimony to the judgment and fair- ness with which he has administered his office. Incidentally it should be noted that the total assessed valuation of prop- erty in Barbour County in 1916 was $13,000,000, while five years later the valuation rose to $22,000,000. So far as his financial means permitted Mr. Simon has contributed generously to matters affecting the general wel- fare of Philippi and Barbour County. He was one of the contributing stockholders of the old woolen mill, which failed under the first management, but is now one of the live industries of the county. Mr. Simon has never voted any other ticket than republican, and is one of the able and in- fluential workers of the party in the county. He was a delegate to the state convention at Huntington for the naming of supreme judges. Fraternally he has served the chairs in the Knights of Pythias Lodge, is a member of the social branch of the order D. O. K. K., is a member of both branches of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Junior Order United American Mechanics. In Barbour County November 6, 1889, Mr. Simon mar- ried Miss Cora Reed, daughter of Nathan and Sallie Reed. She was born in Barbour County and died June 24, 1902. Her two children are Otto Simon and Helen, the latter the wife of Dellett Lanham. At Oakland, Maryland, October 13, 1909, Mr. Simon married Miss Alta West, a native of Gilmer County, West Virginia, and daughter of S. W. and Hanna (Wiseman) West, being one of their four sons and four daughters. Mr. and Mrs. Simon have one child, Paul, now eleven years of age.