Berkeley County, West Virginia Biography of AARON THOMAS HESS 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. 449-450 Berkely AARON THOMAS HESS, former business man and a vet- eran of the Confederate service in the war between the states, is now living virtually retired at Martinsburg, Berke- ley County, and is a citizen whose character and achievement entitle him to special recognition in this history of his na- tive state. He was born at Martinsburg, which was then a Virginia village, on the 6th of September, 1840. His fa- ther, David H. Hess, likewise was a native of Berkeley County, where his birth occurred on a pioneer farm on Tus- carora Creek. His father was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and was a pioneer in Berkeley County, Vir- ginia, where he resided twenty-five years, when he removed to Logan County, Ohio, and settled on a farm in East Lib- erty Township, where he passed the remainder of his life. The name Hess is of Swiss descent, and most of them were Lutherans and Huguenots. They came to this country from the borders of France to escape religious persecution during the reign of Queen Anne, who rescued them from Louis XIV. David H. Hess was reared to the sturdy discipline of the farm and accompanied his parents on their removal to Ohio, but as a young man he returned to Berkeley County and purchased a farm near Martinsburg, the major part of the estate being now included in the city limits. He was a successful farmer of the old times before the introduction of mowing and reaping machines and other mechanical im- provements that have transformed agricultural industry. After returning to Berkeley County Mr. Hess made several horseback trips to Ohio to visit his parents. He was a pro- gressive farmer, and owned and operated the first two threshing machines in Berkeley County. He operated his machines throughout Berkeley and Jefferson counties, and was thus engaged during the greater part of the recurrent winter seasons, the while he customarily received his pay in grain. On his old farm stand today many attractive resi- dences and business buildings. In the Civil war period he was taken prisoner by the forces under Gen. J. E. B. Stu- art, and with other prisoners was sent forth, under guard, on the march to Winchester. His son Aaron T., of this sketch, was then with his Confederate command near Darks- ville, and by going to Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and making a personal appeal and representation he secured the release of his father. The latter was seventy-seven years of age at the time of his death. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary J. Cline, was born near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and died at the age of thirty-six years, she being survived by her husband and five children, Rayanna B., Emma E., Sarah Virginia, D. William and Aaron T. Also by two brothers John and D. Aaron Cline. The latter lived to be ninety-six years of age. Aaron T. Hess gained his early education by attending the subscription schools during the winter terms, and in the intervening summer seasons he aided in the work of the home farm. On the 19th of April, 1861, he went forth as a loyal young soldier of the Confederacy. He became a member of the Wise Artillery in November, 1859, after the John Brown raid on Harpers Ferry, and with this command he participated in many engagements and arduous marches under Gen. Robert E. Lee. His service continued until April 9, 1865, when he was captured and taken to Point Lockout Prison, Maryland, where he received his parole on the 9th of the following July, of which he is very proud. Aaron T. Hess' war record is numbered among those on the "honor-roll" in the Confederate Museum at Rich- mond, Virginia. Soon after the close of the war between the states Mr. Hess entered the employ of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company. He was soon advanced to the position of train conductor, and he continued in the service of this railroad corporation twenty-seven years. In the meanwhile he had established his wife and his son Edward L. in mercantile business at the corner of North Queen Street and Hess Avenue in Martinsburg, and they made the enterprise very successful. To assist them in the conducting of the busi- ness Mr. Hess finally felt it incumbent upon him to resign his railroad position. He was postmaster of Substation A located in his store. In 1910 his son Edward assumed full management of the business, and Mr. and Mrs. Hess have since lived retired, in the enjoyment of an attractive home and surrounded by friends who are tried and true. At the age of thirty-three years Mr. Hess wedded Miss Elizabeth C. Staub, who was born in Martinsburg, Virginia, a daughter of Henry L. Staub, who was born and reared in Baden, Germany, and who was a young man when, as the only representative of the immediate family to take such action, through the advice of his uncle he came to the United States and established his residence in Martinsburg, Virginia. Three of his paternal uncles, Henry, Philip and Jacob Staub, preceded him to America. In Martinsburg Henry L. Staub married Eva Margaret Heininger, who like- wise was born in Baden, Germany. Mr. Staub was a miller, and for a term of years followed the milling business at Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia). He finally removed to Frederick County, Virginia, where he purchased an extensive farm and mill on Green Spring Run, and there he lived, near Winchester, until the close of his life, when he was seventy-three years of age. Mrs. Eva Margaret (Heininger) Staub died at the age of thirty years and six months, and was survived by four children: Mary M., Elizabeth C., John F. and Louisa Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Hess became the parents of seven children: Edward Lee, Frank Tilden, Mary Virginia, Henry Hunter, Margaret Catherine, Carrie Leonora and Nellie Estelle. Edward Lee, who met his death in an automobile acci- dent November 22, 1914, married Mary Becker, who sur- vives him, as does also one son, James Frederick. Frank Tilden Hess married Bessie McPherson, of Baltimore, Mary- land, where they reside, and he is president of the Hess Printing Company of Baltimore. Carrie Leonora is the widow of Carroll G. Henkel, born near Spokane, Washington State, and has three children, Carroll Hess, Elizabeth Cath- erine and Virginia Marnell. Nellie Estelle is the widow of Prof. Martin L. Wachtel, and she has two sons, Martin L. and William Hess, twins, born in Martinsburg, West Vir- ginia. Mr. Hess is a democrat in political adherency, is affiliated with the United Confederate Veterans, and he and his wife are earnest communicants of St. John's Lutheran Church at Martinsburg.