Jackson County, West Virginia Biography of HERBERT SKEEN This biography was submitted by Valerie Crook, 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 III, pg. 468 Jackson HERBERT SKEEN is in his second term of efficient service as Circuit Court clerk of Jackson County. He is one of the younger men of the county, represents an old family of this section, and his prominence in public affairs is due to his exceptional qualifications and also to his personal popularity and character. Mr. Skeen was born at Kentuck, in Jackson County, August 3, 1887. His grandfather, Joseph Skeen, was born in West Virginia and wag an early day hunter and farmer at Kentuck, where he lived out his life. The grandmother was his third wife, Matilda Casto, a native and life-long resident of Jackson County. David L. Skeen, father of the Circuit Court clerk, was born at Kentuck in 1864, and has spent all his life there. He owns a large farm, is a cattle raiser, a timber man, and for two years was road surveyor of Washington District. His political affiliation is with the republican party. David L. Skeen married Cordelia Winter, who was born in Jackson County in 1863. Their children were Romeo, who was a merchant and died on the home farm at Kentuck; Clifton, who died when nineteen years old; Herbert; Georgia Adeline, who died in infancy; Otho H., a farmer at Kentuck; Minnie A., who died at the age of twelve years; Elva, at home; Oria, who has passed away, the wife of Delmar, Good; and Ada, wife of James Poling, principal of schools at Carpenter in Kanawha County. Herbert Skeen spent the first twenty-three years of his life on the home farm, and partook of its responsibilities and labors at the same time that he was getting his educa- tion in the rural schools. He had special inclination for mathematics, learned the art of surveying, did consider- able work as a land surveyor, and in 1912 was elected surveyor of lands for Jackson County. He resigned from this office in 1914 to make his first race for clerk of the Circuit Court, being elected in November and beginning his first term of six years in January, 1915. He was re-elected in November, 1920, and is now in the second year of his second official term. Mr. Skeen is an influential republican. Outside of his official work he is manager of the Ripley Real Estate Company, and is an individual property owner, having a modern home at South Ripley. During the World war he was active both as an individual and as an official, serving on the Advisory Board of the county, making many speeches in behalf of the various war organizations and spending much time in filing out questionnaires for recruited men. He is affiliated with Ripley Lodge No. 16, F. and A. M., the Eastern Star, Ripley Lodge No. 30, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is a past grand; is also district deputy grand master of the Fourth District of the Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows, and is a member of the Rebekahs. Other affiliations are with Walker Wright Lodge No. 198, Knights of Pythias, and Parkersburg Lodge No. 198, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In 1909, at Advent in Jackson County, he married Miss Lily Hamon, daughter of Joseph P. and Arena (Siders) Hamon, who still live on their farm at Advent. Mr. and Mrs. Skeen have three children: Dorothy Faye, born in 1911; Ralph Leon, born in 1913; and Inez, born in 1914.