Berkeley County, West Virginia Biography of John A. WILEN 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. 395 JOHN A. WILEN until recently was connected with an undertaking business which was established at Martins- burg more than three quarters of a century ago, and it re- mained continuously under the management and direction of the Wilen family up to January 1, 1922. Mr. Wilen was born on the spot where the business es- tablishment is now located. His grandfather, Nicholas Wilen, lived in Philadelphia, from that city removed to Boonesboro, Maryland, where he was in the hotel business, and in 1836 came to Martinsburg, West Virginia, where he died a few years later. He married Margaret Dubal, who was born near Boonesboro, Maryland, and she likewise ilicd in middle life. Their son, William Wilen, was born at Boonesboro, Mary- land, in 1818, and as a youth he began an apprenticeship to thee cabinet making trade at Hagerstown, Maryland, and two years later removed to Baltimore, where he finished pre- paring for the trade. In 1845 he returned to Martinsburg and established himself in business. At that time coffins and practically all furniture were made by hand, and the cabinet maker occupied a correspondingly important posi- tion in the business affairs of the community. William Wilen was an expert in his line and a very thorough busi- ness man. His establishment was located at the corner of Queen Street, one door north of East Martin Street, and he continued in business there the rest of his life. During the Civil war he was a Union sympathizer, and he was elected and served as representative from Berkeley County in the Third State Legislature that met, in 1865. In Mar- tinsburg, at the age of twenty-one, William Wilen married Mary Schoppert. Her father, Adam Schoppert, .was born near Shepherdstown in Jefferson County, West Virginia, and moved to Martinsburg wlien it was a mere village. He bought vacant land at the corner of North Queen and Mar- tin streets, and there established his business as a locksmith. He continued a resident of that city until his death at the age of seventy-five. His wife was Mary Craft, who was horn near Leetown in Jefferson County, and she also lived to a good old age. William' Wilen and wife had five chil- dren: Margaret, who married Capt. William Kantner, a Union soldier; Melinda, who died young; Virginia, who be- came the wife of George Smith; William H.; and John A. John A. Wilen during his youth attended the city schools, and was a mere boy when he began assisting his father. In 1870 he was made a partner in the business, and in 1880 lie removed to Baltimore, where for ten years he had a part in the business affairs of that city. On returning to Mar- tinsburg he and his brother William H. succeeded to the business of tlieir father, and this partnership was contin- ued until the deatli of William H. Wilen. Afterward Mr. Wilen continued tlie undertaking business which was estab- lished by his father in 1845, having as his active associate Robert G. Coffman, until he sold January 1, 1922. In Baltimore, in 1881, Mr. Wilen married Almira Mc- Cahan, of Frederick County, Maryland. They have a daugh- ter, Mabel, wife of W. H. Wolfies, of Martinsburg. Mr. Wilen is an active member of the Lutheran Church, is a past master of Robert White Lodge No. 67, A. F. and A. M., and is a past exalted ruler of Martinsburg Lodge No. 778, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and also a member of the State Elks Committee.