Biography of William A. Bodell - Mercer Co. WV The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, Page 372 William A. Bodell- Bluefield A number of business concerns have been developed at Bluefield that have a service and distribution of facilities radiating out over a wide territory. Among them is the heating and plumbing establishment of William A. Bodell, a business service that now extends to at least three states. Mr. Bodell learned heating and plumbing engineering when a young man, and for many years has been in business on his own account. He is prominently connected in business circles at Bluefield, where he is also president of the Acme Motor Company and is associated with the Cole Realty Company. He was born at Newmarket, Shenandoah County, Virginia, December 9, 1874, son of George M. and Ella M. (Clinedinst) Bodell. His father was a confederate soldier and was captured and spent six months in a northern prison. He was a coach painter by trade, afterward became a carriage manufacturer at Newmarket, and in 1888 removed to Charleston, West Virginia. He was an active member of the Methodist Church. He died at the home of his son in Princeton., Mercer County, in 1918, at the age of seventy-two. His first wife died in 1881, at the age of thirty-one. She was the mother of three children: John and Charles, both deceased, and William A. The second wife of George M. Bodell was Miss Mitta Figgatt, who is now living at Roanke Virginia. Her four children are: Russell B., in the heating and plumbing business at Princeton, Mercer County, West Virginia; Thomas, in a similar business at Springfield, Ohio; Nellie, wife of Phil Spencer; and Allie, wife of Bailey Wicks, superintendent of schools at New Market. William A. Bodell acquired his early advantages in the schools of New Market and Staunton, Virginia. He began his apprenticeship in a printing establishment at Charleston, West Virginia, at the age of fifteen. For six years he worked for others, and then started filling contracts for himself. For a short time he had J.A. Graham as a partner. He then continued the business alone, and later became associated with the West Virginia Heating and Plumbing Company. This corporation had plants in various localities, and in 1901 Mr. Bodell was sent to Bluefield to take the management of the Bluefield branch. In 1910 he bought the business, and has since continued it as a sole proprietor. He has handled some of the largest contracts for the installation of heating and plumbing facilities in and around Bluefield, and his business also extends over a large number of West Virginia counties and portions of Virginia and North Carolina. Mr. Bodell is affiliated with the Lodge, Royal Arch Chapter and Knight Templar Commandery of the Masons at Bluefield, the Shrine at Charleston, is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club, and is a democrat. He is much interested in Sunday school work. He is a Methodist, while Mr. Bodell is a Presbyterian. He married Miss Amy Miller in 1897. Her father was James W. Miller, of Hinton, West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Bodell have one daughter, Ruth. Submitted by Joan Wyatt **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages 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. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************