Harrsion Co., WV: Bios - Richard Ashville Farland
*******************************************************************
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 Valerie Crook

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III
pg. 75
Harrison County

RICHARD ASHVILLE FARLAND is a Clarksburg banker
cashier of the West Virginia Bank, and to that line of busi-
ness he has devoted his youth and adult manhood. Apart
from the value of the work he does and has done his name
serves to recall one of the most historic families in this section
of the state.

He was born in Clarksburg February 22, 1880. His father,
Joseph T. Farland, and his grandfather, Zebulon S. Farland,
were both natives of Tappahannock, Virginia, where Joseph
was born July 19, 1849. As a young man he came to Clarks-
burg, and on October 20, 1875, in Christ Episcopal Church
of that city, married Mary Thorne, and a few years later
began his permanent residence in the city. Joseph T.
Farland built up a prosperous coal business, and was head
of the Farland Coal and Coke Company. He continued in
this business until his death, on December 11, 1892.

Mrs. Mary (Thorne) Farland, still living,, was born at
Wilsonburg, Harrison County, October 4, 1857, daughter
of Ashville B. and Margaret (Wilson) Thorne. Her mother
was a daughter of Josiah Davisson and Mary (Martin)
Wilson, and a granddaughter of Col. Benjamin Wilson.
Col. Benjamin Wilson served as an aide-de-camp, with the
rank of lieutenant, to Lord Dunmore in the expedition against
the Shawnee Indians in 1774, and during the Revolutionary
war was a captain in 1777-8 and a colonel in 1787 of forces
engaged against the Indians on the frontier. Colonel Wilson
built and maintained what is known as Wilson's Fort in
Tygart's Valley. He was author of the history entitled
"Lord Dunmore's War." His distinctions did not end with
his military service, since he was a member of the Virginia
Assembly in 1783-4-5-6, and a delegate to the Virginia con-
vention in 1788 which ratified the United States Constitu-
tion. Again, from 1790 to 1794, he was a soldier in the
Federal service for the protection of the frontier settlers
against the Indiana.

Ashville B. Thorne, maternal grandfather of the Clarks-
burg banker, was born in Monongalia County, Virginia, now
West Virginia, August 8, 1826, and died at Clarksburg
November 19, 1913, in his eighty-eighth year. His wife,
Margaret Wilson, was born at Wilsonburg in Harrison
County January 13, 1829, and died at Clarksburg November
20, 1920. She was the last survivor of the original Wilsons
of Harrison County.

Joseph T. and Mary (Thorne) Farland were active mem-
bers of Christ Episcopal Church of Clarksburg, and reared
their children in the same faith. These children were three
in number: Frances F., who married Charles R. Powell, of
New York City; Richard A.; and Margaret Elizabeth, wife
of Clair P. Sutter, of Clarksburg.

Richard A. Farland, who on account of his maternal
ancestry is a member of the Sons of the American Revo-
lution, acquired a good common school education during
his boyhood, attended West Virginia University two years,
and gave up the idea of completing a university career because
of the shortage of funds, which made it advisable for him to
go to work. Soon afterward he became an errand boy in
the old Traders National Bank of Clarksburg. When the
Union National Bank was organized by the consolidation of
the Traders National and Peoples Banking & Trust Company,
Mr. Farland continued with the new bank and was in its
service until October 1, 1909. At that date he began his
duties as cashier of the West Virginia Bank of Clarksburg,
a position he holds today. The only interruption to his
experience as a banker came in the period between October,
1900, and January, 1902, when he was credit man for Armstrong,
Crislip, Day & Company, wholesale grocers of Clarks-
burg.

Mr. Farland is a member of Hermon Lodge No. 6, A. F and
A. M., Clarksburg, West Virginia, and a member of Clarks-
burg Lodge No. 482, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks,
of which he is treasurer. He has been treasurer of the Clarks-
burg Chamber of Commerce, and has acted as treasurer
for the local Salvation Army organization. On July 24,
1913, Mr. Farland married Miss Grace Simpson, a daughter
of Irwin and Mary (Sutter) Simpson, of Punxsutawney,
Pennsylvania. They have one son, Joseph S. Farland, born
August 11, 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Farland are members of
Christ Episcopal Church.

********************************************************************