Lewis County, West Virginia         Biography of THOMAS E. STALNAKER

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 462


THOMAS E. STALNAKER taught school for several years
before getting started as a farmer, but in the main his
activities have identified him as a man of practical and
progressive leadership in the agricultural community of
Horner in Lewis County.  He is a well known citizen
there, and has exerted an influence for good both in social
and civic affairs.

Mr. Stalnaker was born near Horner, May 2, 1867, son
of Sobieski and Christina (Waggoner) Stalnaker.  His
father was born in Harrison County, West Virginia, Janu-
ary 8, 1839, and his mother, in Lewis County, near Jane-
lew, November 6, 1835. Sobieski Stalnaker was a son of
Samuel and Elizabeth (McWhorter) Stalnaker, the former
born near the present site of Janelew in 1800 and the
latter born in 1811. Samuel Stalnaker had a family of
fourteen children, named Andrew, John, Charles, Julian,
Levi 2nd, Marion, Walter, Sobeski, Amanda, Whitman,
Margaret, Adam and Elizabeth.

Sobieski Stalnaker was reared on McKenney's Run, and
after his marriage spent his active life as a farmer near
Horner.  Of his eleven children two died in early life,
one at the age of fifty, and the eight now living are:
Elias M., a farmer in Lewis County; Rebecca, wife of
A. C. Hardman; Thomas E.; George W., a farmer in
Braxton County; Thaddeus S., a Lewis County farmer;
Ira A., a salesman; Charles B., a farmer in Lewis County;
and Victoria.

Thomas E. Stalnaker spent his early years on the farm
near Horner. He attended the common schools there, took
a commercial course at Buckhannon, and for three winters
taught school. During the past thirty years he has been
diligently engaged in his tasks as a farmer, and owns a
well equipped place of 200 acres. He has also been ac-
tive in public affairs, serving four years as deputy county
assessor. He is a republican, a charter member of Golden
Lodge No. 139, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, is a
past noble grand of the Lodge, past chief patriarch of the
Encampment, and has attended sessions of the Grand
Lodge. He is a trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

On September 5, 1889, Mr. Stalnaker married Julia V.
Hall, who was born in Lewis County, October 16, 1870.
Their family consists of seven children:  Roy S., who
graduated from a commercial course at Buckhannon and
now lives at Ashland, Kentucky; Thomas C., formerly a
teacher now a farmer in Lewis County; Anna G., wife
of Jacob Jackson, of Clarksburg, West Virginia; Frieda
O., wife of Ray Harris, of Weston; Ethel, who is a grad-
uate of the Weston High School and the wife of Stokes
Swisher, of Weston; Mary, wife of Edwin Waggoner, of
Weston; and Walter C.