Berkeley County, West Virginia Biography of Amos Asbury WESTRATER, D. D. S. This file was submitted by Vivian Brinker, 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 II, pg. 184 AMOS ASBURY WESTRATER, D. D. S. In his native city of Martinsburg, judicial center of Berkeley County, Doctor Westrater has built up a practice that marks him as one of the representative members of his profession in this section of the state. He was born at Martinsburg on the 31st of December, 1878, and on the paternal side is of Holland Dutch lineage. His father William Westrater, was born in the city of Rotterdam, Holland, and was a boy at the time of the family immigration to the United States, the parents becoming pioneer settlers in the fine colony of their countrymen established at Holland, Michigan, in the early period of the history of that state. At the time when the Westrater family thus settled in Ottawa County, Michigan, that section was virtually a forest wilderness, with deer, bear and wolves much in evidence. The father of William Westrater purchased a large tract of land and reclaimed and improved a productive farm. Both he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives in Ottawa County, and their children were five in number, two sons and three daughters. William Westrater was a sturdy young man at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war, and promptly tendered his services in defense of the Union. He enlisted as a member of Company K, First New York Cavalry, known as the Lincoln Cavalry, and took part in the many engagements in which this gallant command was involved, including a number of major battles. Incidental to his military career he participated in the campaign in Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and was so favorably impressed with the country in this section and in West Virginia that after the war he settled at Martinsburg, Berkeley County, where he entered the employ of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company. He was soon promoted to the position of train conductor, and he continued as a valued employee of the company for nearly forty years. He was finally retired, with a pension from the company, and he continued his residence at Martinsburg, a well known and highly honored citizen, until his death, at the age of seventy- seven years. His wife, whose maiden name was Katherine Ringer, was born at Martinsburg and here passed her entire life, her death having occurred in 1919. They became the parents of six children, namely: Martin W., A. Leo, Charles C., Albert E., Amos Asbury, and Mina (Mrs. Charles Vine). Dr. Amos A. Westrater gained his early education in the public schools at Martinsburg and under the direction of a private tutor. In preparation for his chosen profession he entered the department of dentistry in the University of Maryland, and in this institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1901 and with the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. He opened an office at Martinsburg in the same year, and his technical ability and his personal popularity in his native county have resulted in his building up a large and representative practice. He has the most modern equipment and accessories in both the operative and laboratory departments of his office, and has kept in close touch with the advances made in his chosen profession. Doctor Westrater is affiliated with Equality Lodge No. 94, A. F. and A. M.; is a past high priest of Lebanon Chapter No. 2, R. A. M.; and a past high exalted ruler of Martinsburg Lodge No. 778, B. P. O. E. He is actively identified with the West Virginia State Dental Society and the National Dental Association. Both he and his wife are active members of the Presbyterian Church in their home city. On the 22d of January, 1910, was solemnized the marriage of Doctor Westrater and Miss Ethel Smoke, who was born in Frederick County, Virginia, a daughter of Joseph E. and Sarah (Payne) Armstrong. Doctor Smoke was born on the family homestead, Rosedale Farm, in Frederick County, Virginia, a son of John and Lucy (Krebs) Smoke. John Smoke removed from Ohio to Frederick County, Virginia, where he became a most successful agriculturist and stock-grower and where he passed the remainder of his life. His wife was born and reared in Virginia and was a daughter of Conrad Krebs, who was a young man when he came from his native Germany and established his home in Frederick County, Virginia, where he became a successful farmer. Dr. Edward B. Smoke graduated from the Virginia Medical College at Richmond as a member of the class of 1869, and at Whitehall, Frederick County, that state, he built up a large and important practice that marked him as one of the leading physicians and surgeons of that section of Virginia. Dr. and Mrs. Westrater have no children.