Cabell County, West Virginia Biography of Carl Roush BIBBEE This file was submitted by Barbara Maurer, 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. 271 CARL ROUSH BIBBEE, who is serving as county agricultural agent of Cabell County, with headquarters in the City of Huntington, has made a splendid record of excellent constructive work in the furtherance of the agricultural and live-stock industry in his native state. He was born at Hanna, Wood County, West Virginia, November 9, 1897, a son of Paul H. Bibbee, who was born on a farm near Hanna, that county, January 26, 1858, and who is a son of John and Permelia Ann (Barnett) Bibbee, both likewise natives of the Virginia County that is now Wood County, West Virginia, where the respective families were founded in the early pioneer days. John Bibbee was one of the extensive farmers of Wood County, and there he and his wife passed their entire lives. Paul H. Bibbee has resided near Hanna, Wood County, from the time of his birth to the present day, and is one of the progressive and successful agriculturists and stock-growers of that county. He is a republican in politics and has held various local offices of public trust, including that of road supervisor of Clay District and that of member of the school board of that district, a position which he held six years. He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church. Mrs. Bibbee, whose maiden name was Sarah Francis Roush, was born at Mason City, Mason County, this state, August 13, 1862. Of the children the eldest is Paul Cecil, who served as a private of the first class in Hospital Train No. 54, with the American Expeditionary Forces in France in the World war. He was on the stage of conflict overseas for eighteen months, and is now a successful exponent of farm industry in his native county. Carl R., of this sketch, is the second son. The youngest is William J., who is, in 1922, a student in the high school at Parkersburg. Carl R. Bibbee gained his preliminary education in the rural schools of his native county, thereafter graduated from the eighth grade of the city schools at Parkersburg, and graduated from high school as a member of the class of 1915. In 1921 he graduated from the College of Agriculture of the University of West Virginia, and received the degree of Bachelor of Science of Agriculture, he being affiliated with the Theta Chi fraternity at the university. While a student at this institution he there entered the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, received four years of military discipline, and he now holds the rank of second lieutenant in this corps. In connection with the nation's participation in the World war he was in service three months at Camp Gordon, Georgia, where he received his discharge December 13, 1918. For six months of that year he had previously served as assistant county agricultural agent of Berkeley County, and during the first eight months of 1919 he was assistant county agricultural agent of Wood County. For three months in the summer of 1920 he was employed by the Extension Division of the College of Agriculture, University of West Virginia as state camp instructor in Boys' and Girls' Club Work. On the 22d of July, 1921, he was appointed county agricultural agent of Cabell County, the office of which he is the present efficient and popular incumbent, his executive office being at room 205 in the Federal Building at Huntington. He is a republican in politics and holds membership in the Baptist Church. November 24, 1921, recorded the marriage of Mr. Bibbee to Miss Isabel Stoker, of Morgantown, where her parents now reside, her father, Sheridan Stoker being there in the employ of the Standard Oil Company. Mrs. Bibbee graduated from the Morgantown High School and later attended the musical department of the University of West Virginia, she being a talented pianist. The following article from the 1921 Annual Report of the Director of Agricultural Extension is well worthy of reproduction in the connection: "C. R. Bibbee, county agent in Cabell County, is a fine example of a club boy who has grown right into county agent work. He is one of the first club boys in the state and was one of the three boys who came to the first State Prize Winners' course at Morgantown, in 1911. He had entered the 200-hill corn club and won the prize, a trip to Morgantown, for the best ten ears of corn in Wood County. This recognition got Carl stated. He began to produce seed corn, and his Reid's Yellow Dent seed corn was soon being sold by Parkersburg seed dealers, there being reason to believe that it was the first seed corn produced in Wood County. Working closely with his father in the seed-corn business, Carl was able to save enough money to put himself through Parkersburg High School. In the meantime he had received a quart of Government sample soy beans, and began raising soy beans for seed also. By the time he was ready to graduate from high school both his farm projects were going strongly and had enabled him to save some money to enter the university. After getting into the university he kept alive his club-work activities by working with one or two other boys in organizing the All-Stars, the state club of the leading club of boys and girls. Carl was assistant county agent in his home county, Wood, another summer, and when the county agent suddenly died he carried on the whole county agent job for a time. His junior summer vacation was spent as camp instructor. Immediately after graduation he went to Cabell County as county agent, and is still on the job there. Is it any wonder Carl can understand his club boys? He knows what club work has done for him."