Harrison County, West Virginia    Biography of Howard William VAN SCOY

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New 
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc. 
Chicago and New York, Volume II, 
Pg. 403 

HOWARD WILLIAM VAN SCOY.  In the requirements and efforts that it demands of its 
devotees the work of the educator is very exacting.  Primarily, the business of 
the teacher is to instill into the mind of youth a practical working knowledge; 
yet at the same time the ideal educator is he who can also instill character into
his pupils as well as worthy precepts.  When the teacher has risen to a position 
where he governs not only one school or class, but many, he must be possessed of 
executive abilities far beyond the ordinary.  In this connection it may be said of
Howard William Van Scoy, superintendent of schools of Harrison County, and at 
present a resident of Clarksburg, that during the time he was engaged in teaching
he was able not alone to teach his children the ordinary rudiments of education, 
but likewise to gain their interest in the more spiritual side of character 
development;  and that since assuming the duties of his present position he has 
exhibited abilities that have done much to advance the cause and standards of
education in the county.

Mr. Van Scoy is a product of the agricultural communities of Harrison County, West
Virginia, having been born on a farm near Good Hope March 25, 1895, a son of John 
A. and Rebecca (Cheuvront) Van Scoy.  His father was born in Harrison County, May 
10, 1863, a son of Adam and Susan (Wagoner) Van Scoy, the grandfather being a Union 
soldier during the war between the states, during which struggle he died as a 
prisoner at Andersonville stockade.  Jerre Cheuvront, the maternal grandfather of 
Mr. Van Scoy, was of French origin and married Mary M. Brooks, a daughter of a 
Methodist Episcopal divine, born in England.  Their daughter Rebecca was born in 
Harrison County.  The Van Scoys are of Holland Dutch stock.  John A. Van Scoy was
left an orphan when a lad, and his early life was filled with hardships and 
obstacles, which he overcame through persistence and industry.  In his young 
manhood he adopted farming for his life work, and this vocation he has followed 
throughout his active career, being now one of the substantial agriculturists of
Harrison County and a man much respected and esteemed in his community.  He is a
member of the Methodist Church, as is his worthy wife, and in politics is a supporter 
of the republican party, but not a seeker for personal preferment.  There are seven 
children in the family, of whom six are sons.

Howard William Van Scoy was reared on the home farm, where he assisted his father
and brothers during the summer months and in the winter terms applied himself to 
his studies at the rural schoolhouse.  Later he attended the high school at West 
Milford and spent two years at Salem College, finishing the standard normal course.
At the age of twenty-one years he began teaching, and has since devoted himself to 
educational work.  For a time he taught in two rural schools, after which he became
a teacher in the Lost Creek High School, where he spent one year.  He then moved to
Salem, where he again took up the work of teaching in the country schools, continuing 
until he became principal of the Wolf Summit Junior High School and was thus employed
until January 1, 1922, when he became county superintendent of schools of Harrison
County.  His career as an educator has been one marked with success, and he is giving
the people an administration as county superintendent that is gratifying to them as 
it is beneficial to the public school system.  Mr. Van Scoy is a republican in his
political allegiance, and his religious connection is with the Methodist Episcopal 
Church.  As a fraternalist he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and 
the Modern Woodmen of America, and has numerous friends in both.  He comes of good 
teaching stock, as his maternal grandfather was the first teacher of public schools
in the Harrison School, located at the mouth of Isaac's Creek, where he settled and
built a home.

In 1916 Mr. Van Scoy was united in marriage with Miss Mary Chadwell, of Salem and
they are the parents of two sons:  Frank and Warren.