Marion County, West Virginia Biography of Judge Winfield Scott MEREDITH ************************************************************************** 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, , March 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 39-40 JUDGE WINFIELD SCOTT MEREDITH, judge of the Circuit Court of Marion County, has been an active member of the bar at Fairmont forty years. At the time he was admitted to the bar he was enjoying some congenial and useful rela- tions as a teacher in the public and normal schools of the state, and in his case there was no waiting period bridging over his career as an educator and that of a lawyer. Judge Meredith has been a prominent factor in West Virginia affairs for many years. Through four generations the Meredith family has been identified with the development of the northern section of the state. In the latter years of the eighteenth century there lived in South Wales a prosperous and hard working silversmith, Thomas Meredith. About 1800, seeking a change of fortune, he immigrated with his family to America, spending a short time at Hagerstown, Maryland, and then coming to what is now Marion County, West Vir- ginia, locating on a farm in the Paw Paw District. He soon removed to another farm in Monongalia County, and for a number of years was busily engaged in its fanning and stock raising activities. Becoming dissatisfied with that section of the state, he went on a homeseeking tour through Canada, and while there died without making permanent arrangements for a new home. His son, William Meredith, was born in Wales, was three years of age when brought by his parents to America, and he grew up in West Virginia and as a young man cleared a farm on the Monongahela River near Smithtown in Monongalia County. Later removing to Marion County, he bought a farm of 300 acres on Pickett's Creek, and there lived, a man of industry and influence, until his death on February 13, 1869, at the age of seventy-two. For fifteen years he was justice of the peace,, was deputy sheriff sev- eral years, and for one term president of the County Court of Marion County. His wife was Hannah Powell, daughter of John Powell and a native of Monongalia County. The third generation was also represented by William Meredith, who was born near Smithtown in Monongalia County November 17, 1824, and lived to the advanced age of eighty-six, passing away in 1910. By trade he was a wagonmaker, and also successfully engaged in other enter- prises. From 1866 to 1887 he was a lumber miller in Harri- son and Ritchie counties, was a building contractor, a farmer, and held the office of justice of the peace in Wirt County. Governor Pierpont commissioned him a captain of militia. April 13, 1845, William Meredith II married Harriet Wilson. Her father, William H. Wilson, was a Marion County farmer and served as a soldier in the War of 1812. Winfield Scott Meredith is a son of William and Harriet (Wilson) Meredith and was born in Marion County August 13, 1855. He grew up in the atmosphere of the Civil war, but had better than the average educational advantages. He attended Salem Academy in Harrison County, and graduated with the class of 1879 from the Fairmont State Normal School, subsequently taking post-graduate work there. He had been a teacher in the Normal school a year before he graduated, and for one year was principal of the public schools at Cherry Camp. One of his preceptors at the Normal School was Dr. J. G. Blair, who died in 1879, and Judge Meredith was elected by the board to conduct his classes until they were graduated. For three years Judge Meredith was principal at Palatine, now a ward of Fairmont City, and for two years was principal of the Mannington grade schools. In the meantime he was diligently studying law, beginning under Judge James Morrow Jr., of Fairmont. He was ad- mitted to the bar in 1881 and in 1888 admitted to practice before the West Virginia Supreme Court. Judge Meredith in 1882 was elected prosecuting attorney of Marion County to fill an unexpired term, and was then re-elected for a full term of four years. For many years he has been one of the recognized leaders of the republican party in his section of the state. In 1908 he was elected a member of the State Senate, taking his seat January 1, 1909, for a term of four years. That was the year of the memorable deadlock, when fifteen republican senators and fifteen demo- cratic senators failed to agree as to the admission of some elected republicans. A republican caucus was in session fifteen days, Judge Meredith being its chairman, and when these republicans were threatened with arrest for not taking their seats and permitting the organization of the Senate, Judge Meredith and his followers avoided arrest by going to Cincinnati, where they remained about a week and then returned, after which the organization was completed with a republican as president of the body. Judge Meredith became chairman of the Judiciary Committee. With this exception Judge Meredith was engaged in a growing and important private law practice until January 1, 1921, when he went on the bench as judge of the Circuit Court of Marion County. He was elected on the republican ticket in November, 1920. When he went on the bench Judge Meredith resigned as a director of the People's National Bank of Fairmont and severed all his official relations with other corporations. Judge Meredith is a member of the West Virginia Bar Association and in 1918 was a delegate to the annual con- vention of the American Bar Association. During the World war he was active in Draft Board work, the Red Cross and Liberty Bond. campaigns, and as a "Four Min- ute" man made numerous addresses all over the country. In 1883 he married Dora Swisher, daughter of B. F. Swisher, of Fairmont. She died in 1886, leaving two sons: Dana S., who was born in 1884 and died in 1910; and Aubrey W., who was born in 1885 and died in 1915, having graduated from the Fairmont High School, attended the Fairmont State Normal, and in 1910 graduated LL. B. from West Virginia University and was coming into a successful practice as a lawyer at the time of his death. The second wife of Judge Meredith was a daughter of the late Sylvanus Hall, of Fairmont. She died leaving no children. In June, 1914, Judge Meredith married Frances Dent, who was born at Ironton, Ohio, daughter of H. C. Dent. They have one son, Winfield Scott Meredith, Jr., born January 6, 1916.