Marion County, West Virginia Biography of Frank John WILLFONG This biography was submitted by Patty Tyler, E-mail address: 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, page 122-123 Frank John Willfong has shown much discrimination and resourcefulness in the work of his profession, that of civil engineer, has served as county surveyor of Marion County, and is at the present time the county road engineer of this most important county, with residence and official headquarters in the City of Fairmont. Mr. Willfong is a representative of one of the old and influential families of what is now the State of West Virginia. His paternal grandfather, George Willfong, was born in one of the Virginia counties east of the Allegheny Mountains and was a boy at the time of the family removal to the present Upshur County, West Virginia, where his father became a pioneer farmer and substantial citizen. The paternal grandfather of George Willfong was born and reared in Holland, and upon coming to America, became a member of one of the Dutch settlements in Virginia. George Willfong continued his residence in Upshur County until about the year 1855, when he removed his family to Opekiska District, Monongalia County, where he continued his association with farm enterprise and where both he and his wife remained until their deaths. Frank John Willfong was born at Opekiska in Clinton District, Monongalia County, February 12, 1885, and is a son of Charles and Margaret (Hildebrand) Willfong, the former of whom was born in Upshur County, in 1848, and the latter was born on the old Hildebrand homestead farm in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, across the Ohio River from Pittsburgh, the year of her nativity having been 1850 and her parents having been John and Mary (Wooster) Hildebrand. Both the Hildebrand and Wooster families were founded in America in the Colonial period of our national history, and representatives of the latter were patriot soldiers in the war of the Revolution, on which score the subject of this review is eligible for membership in the Sons of the American Revolution. The original progenitors of the Hildebrand family settled in New England, and members of the family later removed from Plymouth, New Hampshire, and became pioneer settlers in Western Pennsylvania, on land across the river from the present City of Pittsburgh. It is interesting to record that near Plymouth, New Hampshire, there is an old homestead that is still known as the Hildebrand place. Mrs. Margaret (Hildebrand) Willfong was seven years old when her parents came from Pennsylvania and settled in Monongalia County, West Virginia, as now constituted, her father having there become the owner of 500 acres of land, in Opekiska District, at the head of White Day Creek, he having been compelled to retire from the work of his trade, that of glassblower, on account of impaired eyesight. Charles Willfong was a lad of seven years at the time of the family removal from Upshur County to Monongalia County, in which latter he was reared on the home farm, the while he duly profited by the advantages of the common schools of the locality. He became a successful exponent of farm industry in that county, and was also in the employ of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company at Opekiska until 1918, since which year he has been living retired at Fairmont, both he and his wife being well-known and highly esteemed citizens of this city. Frank J. Willfong gained his early education principally in the public schools of Opekiska, and as a youth he manifested a distinct predilection for civil engineering, his interest in which was such that he determined to prepare himself for the profession. He procured textbooks and devoted himself earnestly to the study of the technical details of his chosen vocation, the while he gained coincident experience of practical order by serving as a rodman in connection with surveying work for Davis Coal Company of Thomas, Kanawha County. By this fortunate combination he was enabled to make substantial progress in civil engineering, and he continued in the employ of Davis Coal Company for two years. He then entered the employ of the Fairmont Traction Company as chain man and instrument man in engineering work, and after continuing the connection six years he served two years as assistant city engineer of Fairmont under S. B. Miller. In 1913 he was elected county surveyor of Marion County, and upon assuming his official duties he was also made county road engineer through appointment by the County Court. He continued his efficient services as county surveyor until the expiration of his term, on the 1st of January, 1921, and has since retained the post of county road engineer, an office in which he has been able and still continues to give valuable service, as the construction and maintenance of good roads is one of the most important phases of progressive enterprise in any section or community. In 1909 Mr. Willfong wedded Miss Audra Louise Kennedy, who was born and reared in Monongalia County and who is a daughter of Coleman and Susan Kennedy. Mr. and Mrs. Willfong became the parents of three children: Albert Kennedy, aged eleven years (1922); Alfred Lee, who died in 1918, aged two years; and Anna Lee, three years of age in 1922. ==== WV-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List ==== ********************************************************************** WV-FOOTSTEPS/USGENWEB NOTICE: These messages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. **********************************************************************