William Dever Biography Hancock County, WV ********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ********************************************************************** Submitted by Dale Patterson Copied from " History of the Panhandle, being Historical Collections of the Counties of Ohio, Brooke, Marshall and Hancock, West Virginia". Compiled and Written by: J.H. Newton, G.G. Nichols, and A.G. Sprankle Published by: J.A. Caldwell, 1879, Wheeling, W. VA. Biographical Sketches of Hancock County: William Dever: a son of John Dever, whose father migrated from Germany and settled in Maryland, in the latter end of the last century. Was a soldier of the War of 1812, and fought under General Harrison on the frontier. He afterward migrated to Beaver County, Pennsylvania. His family numbered eight children. Died at the age of 76. John was his youngest son, who had a family of twelve children, all of whom are still living, our subject being the eldest, was born in Beaver County Pennsylvania, in 1834. At the age of sixteen, he left home and came to Hancock County and apprenticed himself to G. V. Swearingen, to learn the mill wright business, serving three years, under instruction, after which time he followed that trade on his own account until the breaking out of the rebellion, when he enlisted in Company K, Third Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Served under General McClellan in the early campaign and was in the engagement at Rich Mountain. Owing to the great exposure he was subject to in the march and in the camp, his health failed him, and he was honorably discharged from the army. Is principally engaged at farming. He and his family are members of the Presbyterian Church of Fairview.