Lewis County, West Virginia Biography of W. KIRK SPAUR ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , July 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 177 W. KIRK SPAUR is county road engineer for Lewis County, an office he has filled to the satisfaction of all for eight years. He was born and reared in Lewis County, and besides his technical qualifications has an expert general knowledge of road and highway conditions, and has done much to advance the good roads movement in his section of the state. He was born on a farm in Lewis County December 15, 1873, son of Greenberry C. and Margaret V. (Alkire) Spaur. The first American ancestor of the Spaur family was Anthony Spaur, a native of Germany, who came to the United States when a young man, first locating in the Valley of Virginia, on the south branch of the Potomac River, and finally moved over the mountains to Lewis County, West Virginia, settling on Big Skin Creek. He was a local minister of the Methodist Protestant Church as well as a farmer. His family consisted of three sons: Anthony E., Hezekiah and Alpha. The son Anthony R. Spaur married Sarah Bonnett. Their family consisted of seven sons and three daughters: Gideon D., Jacob, John, Gilbert, Able, Greenberry C., Lafayette, Virginia, Johama and Nancy. Of these Greenberry C. Spaur was born in Lewis County December 9, 1845, and died August 16, 1908. He had a farm rearing-and training, possessed a meager education, but had sound sense and judgment and after his marriage began life on a tract of twenty-five acres given him by his father. His energy enabled him to prosper, and he ac- quired other land until he had a farm of 125 acres, which he sold, and then bought the L. L. Wilson farm of 245 acres, where he lived until his death. He was a democrat, and he and his wife were members of the Methodist Prot- estant Church. Greenberry Spaur married Margaret V. Alkire, who was born January 23, 1853, and died in 1902. Her parents were Oliver and Jane (Carter) Alkire, the former a native of Lewis County and the latter of Roane County, West Virginia. After their marriage they settled on a farm on Big Skin Creek, where Oliver Alkire did his work as an agriculturist and millwright. In the Alkire fam- ily were six children: Mandane, Tabitha J., Margaret V., Jeannette, John and Newton. Greenberry Spaur and wife had ten sons and three daughters, all of whom grew to maturity and eleven of whom are living. A brief record of this large family is as follows: Florence, born June 15 1871; W. Kirk; Etta, born in 1874, now deceased; Earl A. born December 15, 1876; Arch A., born in 1877; Lloyd J. born March 7, 1882, now deceased; Ernest N., born in 1883 Ray O., born in February, 1884; John B., born in 1885, Myrtle M., born in 1887; George O., born in 1889; Dent R., born in 1891; and Terry, born in December, 1896. W. Kirk Spaur grew up on his father's farm, attended the public free schools, and was a factor in the manage- ment of the homestead until his father's death. Ambition prompted him to prepare himself for a larger career than that offered on the home farm, and he did much to advance his education by private reading and for a period of about sixteen years while residing on the farm he taught in the public free schools in Lewis County. He has made a deep study of engineering, especially as connected with road building. His practical knowledge and qualifications led to his appointment as county road engineer in March, 1913. He was appointed for one year, but by reappointment has been kept in office now for eight years. On March 24, 1912, Mr. Spaur married May Harold. Their three children are William L., born May 11, 1913; Willis H., born August 27, 1915; and Greenberry H., born December 6, 1919. Mr. Spaur is a democrat in politics and is affiliated with Vandalia Lodge No. 322, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.