Lewis County, West Virginia         Biography of C. BURTON 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. 460-461
lewis

C. BURTON STALNAKER found his work ready for him
when he reached the years of manhood and the necessary
qualifications, took an increasing share in the burdens of
management from the shoulders of his father, and sub-
sequently acquired the entire homestead of the Stalnakers
on Little Stone Coal Creek in Lewis County, five miles east
of Weston. Mr. Stalnaker is one of the principal feeders
and shippers of livestock in this part of West Virginia.

He was born on his present farm August 19, 1875, son
of Sobieski and  Christina (Waggoner) Stalnaker. His
father was born in Harrison County, West Virginia, Jan-
uary 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 for-
mer 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, Levi 2nd, Marion, Walter, Sobieski, Amanda, Whit-
man, Margaret, Adam and Elizabeth.

C. Burton Stalnaker has always lived at the old home-
stead, and began performing some of its practical duties
while attending school. After his marriage he became a
partner with his father in the management of the 600 acres,
and in 1916 he bought the livestock and land and has
since carried on a large and profitable business in the
feeding and shipping of livestock of all kinds. He has
shipped many carloads in a single shipment. Besides the
stock he buys he maintains good grades of cattle, horses
and sheep. A considerable portion of his 600 acres is
underlaid with coal, and shafts have been opened at two
places, with a normal capacity of two carloads daily.

On August 19, 1897, Mr. Stalnaker married Agnes Lee
Hefner, who was born in Upshur County, West Virginia,
October 9, 1878, daughter of William T. and Virginia
(Farrell) Hafner. Her parents were natives of Upshur
County. Mr. and Mrs. Stalnaker have two children. Reta
V., born June 13, 1898, completed the course of the pub-
lic schools and is the wife of dark Smith, a farmer, who
is in partnership with Mr. Stalnaker. Leda A. is now
a student in the Western High School. The family are
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Stal-
naker has taken a prominent and official part in his home
church and has been superintendent of the Sunday school.
He is affiliated with Golden Lodge No. 139, Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America,
and does his political duty as a republican.