Greenbrier County, West Virginia         Biography of RICHARD JASPER.

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History of Greenbrier County 
J. R. Cole 
Lewisburg, WV 1917 
p. 132-134

RICHARD JASPER.

Mining operations have engaged the attention of the Jasper family for 
generations. John Jasper, of Cornwall Parish, mined copper and tin ore most 
of his lifetime. He died at the age of sixty years, having established a 
business that has been followed by his son, Richard Jasper, ever since.
About the year 1823 John Jasper married Jane Vine, and from that union were 
born Mary Jane, now deceased; Richard, who was born in Cornwall Parish in 
1846; Sophia, who went to Australia and has never since been heard from; 
Margaret, who married and had two children. She lived and died in Cardiff, 
Wales. Carrie, the fifth child, who is now the wife of Thomas Appleby, of 
Wales, a soldier now for his country in the war of the allies against the 
Turks at Constantinople.
In 1867, Richard Jasper came to this country, locating first at Clearfield, 
Pa., then at a mining point in Mercer county, coming to Fayette county, West 
Virginia, in 1881. at which time and subsequently he carried on an extensive 
business with James Laing and others for many years. During all that time his 
speculations and profits in mining lands, coal fields and timber tracts have 
netted him a comfortable living. His son, William Jasper, prominent in large 
coal interests belonging to a company in Charleston, of which he is a member, 
has also been very successful in mining activities, and in coal and timber 
lands as well.
He began clerking in the company store, then took charge of commercial 
interests, as manager, and having worked his way to the top, is now among the 
foremost in the business.
He was born August 10, 1867, and in 1890 he married Miss Ida Johnson, and has 
eight children: Nell, who married Dr. Lee Wray and lives in Charleston, Bess, 
Grace, Florence, Caroline, Ruth; William, and Thomas.
Jennie Jasper, second child, was born in May, 1869, and has nine children.  
Her first husband was William Averill, and by him had one daughter, Annie, 
and five sons, Eben, Thomas, Ray, Frank and William. Her second husband is 
Thomas Dixon, of Willock, Pa. To this union were born two children, Joe and 
Elizabeth.
Mary, the third child, was born November 13, 1872. She married John Burns, 
who, also, is interested in mining, in Raleigh county, West Virginia. Their 
children are: Caroline, Elizabeth, Helen, Agnes, Richard, Samuel, William, 
Fred and James.
Samuel, the fourth child, was born July 4, 1875. He married Barbara Wright 
and lives at Glen Jean, Fayette county, West Virginia, where he is justice of 
the peace.  They have one child, Virginia.
Fred Jasper, fifth child, was born in June, 1877.  He was. married in 1904 to 
Caroline Calloway and has two children, Marian and Margaret, twins. He is a 
railroad operator and lives at Glen Jean.
Helen, the sixth child, was born November 13,1879. On July 4, 1900, she was 
married to Frank Wissenger, a hardware merchant of Lewisburg. Their children 
are Margaret, Richard, Minnie and Frances.
Ida, the seventh child, was born August I, 1886. She married Houston Moore, 
August 1, 1912.  Two children, Caroline and John, were born to this union.
Richard Jasper, when about twenty years of age, married Caroline Nichols. She 
was the daughter of William Nichols, who was killed in a mine in 1858. Mr. 
Jasper bought his present residence in 1912. He owns considerable bank stock 
as wcll as other interests. He is the grandfather of thirty-eight children 
and has three great-grandchildren. His wife died August 23, 1911. The family 
worship with the Methodists