Marion County, West Virginia Biography of Frank Rezin AMOS This file was submitted by Suzie Crump, 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 II, pg. 253 FRANK REZIN AMOS, who since January, 1921, has been the capable prosecuting attorney of Marion County, is one of the prominent young lawyers of Fairmont and is a native of that city, representing two well known names among Marion County's families. His grandfather was Edgar W. Amos, a native of Marion County, a farmer and an extensive land owner who at one time owned all the land now included in the site of the mining town of Baxter in that county. The father of Frank R. Amos was the late Elias S. Amos, whose life was largely devoted to the cause of education. He was born in Paw Paw District of Marion County in 1852, attended the common schools and the Fairmont Normal School, and also a summer school in Wetzel County. For over twenty years he was one of the best known schoolmasters of Marion County. In 1888 he removed to Fairmont, and for a number of years continued teaching in the city schools and he also served as county superintendent of schools. When he left the teaching profession he was for several years city collector and for ten years justice of the peace at Fairmont. Practically his entire mature life was devoted to public service, either in the school room or in public office, and it was very soon after the close of his last term as justice of the peace that he died in 1915. He was a republican and a member of the Baptist Church. Elias S. Amos married Rhoda Annis (Parker), who was born in Paw Paw District, only a few miles from the birthplace of her husband. Her parents were Capt. William C. and Rebecca (Conway) Parker. Captain Parker was a native of Marion County, was an officer in the Union army during the Civil war, and was a substantial farmer and influential citizen. Both the Parker and Conaway families furnished soldiers to the Revolutionary war. Frank R. Amos was born April 15, 1890, and until past his majority was busily engaged in securing a liberal education. He graduated from the Fairmont High School in 1908, from the Fairmont State Normal in 1909, and in 1912 received his LL.B. degree from West Virginia University. He was admitted to the bar that year, and has since been busy with his growing professional interests at Fairmont. Since July, 1913, he has been in practice with his brother Curtis E. under the firm name of Amos & Amos. Mr. Amos was for four years chairman of the Republican County Executive Committee, and for the same length of time was a member of the Republican Congressional Committee of the First District. He was nominated for prosecuting attorney in the republican primaries of 1920 and at the general election received approximately a majority of 1,500 votes. He entered upon the duties of his office in January, 1921. Mr. Amos is a prominent fraternal man, being affiliated with Fairmont Lodge No. 9, F. and A. M., Fairmont Chapter no. 9, R. A. M., Fairmont Commandery No. 6, K. T., Osiris Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Wheeling, Fairmont Lodge No. 294, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Fairmont Lodge No. 12, Knights of Pythias, and Fairmont Lodge No. 9, Loyal Order of Moose. He is also a member of the Sigma Chi college fraternity, the Marion County Bar Association and the Baptist Church. August 15, 1915, Mr. Amos married Katheryn Donham, a native of Fairmont, where she was a popular teacher in the city schools prior to her marriage. Her parents were H. L. and Ella (Harden) Donham. The Donhams came from Greene County, Pennsylvania, and the maternal grandparents of Mrs. Amos were Thomas and Cordelia (Barnes) Harden. Thomas Harden was a Union soldier in the Civil war. Mrs. Amos is a member of the Methodist Church. She and Mr. Amos have one son, John Donham Amos, born November 2, 1918.