ODELL SCOTT TENNANT


The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 581
Monongalia

ODELL SCOTT TENNANT graduated from the Law School of
West Virginia University, qualified for the bar, but found
more attractive opportunities in the business field, and for
the past fifteen years has been a leading figure in com-
mercial affairs at Morgantown.

Mr. Tennant was born on a farm in Clay District, near
Cassville, Monongalia County, January 8, 1885, son of
Jefferson and Phoebe A. (Chesney) Tennant. His father
was born on a farm near Pentriss in Clay District, February
9, 1845, son of Abraham and Mary (Rich) Tennant. Abra-
ham Tennant was born August 15, 1810, in Monongalia
County, son of William Tennant, founder of the name in
this section of West Virginia. Richard Tennant, the father
of William, was born in Glasgow Scotland, in 1744, served
as a drummer boy in the Continental army during the
Revolution, and was a pioneer settler in West Virginia.
William Tennant, who was born August 12, 1778, married
Catherine Brown. Abraham Tennant married Mary Rich,
who was born in 1817. The mother of Odell S. Tennant,
Phoebe A. Chesney, was born August 20, 1851, on the same
farm as her son in Clay District, daughter of William and
Mary (Hess) Chesney, representing two other pioneer fam-
ilies of Monongalia County. Jefferson and Phoebe Tennant
had the following children: Ida, wife of Shelby Aaron
Barker, of Morgantown; Miss Harriet, who lives at home
with her father; Etta, wife of G. H. F. Holy, who is con-
nected with the Westinghouse Company at Pittsburgh;
Willie Ritch, deceased; Iris C., wife of William C. Gist, a
farmer near Wellsburg, West Virginia; Abraham W., who
died June 10, 1921, survived by his widow, Mary (Smith)
Tennant; and Odell S.

Odell Scott Tennant was six years of age when his father
left the farm in 1891 and moved to Morgantown. The
object of this change of residence was to give the children
better educational advantages. Jefferson Tennant founded
the Morgantown Roller Flour Mills in the year 1893, and
he continued their successful operation until 1914, when he
retired from active business. Odell S. Tennant acquired all
his education in Morgantown, graduating from the high
school in 1903, and receiving his law degree at the Univer-
sity in 1906. He was admitted to the bar the same year,
but instead of taking up practice joined his father in the
flour mills in September, 1906, being a one-third partner.
When his father retired in 1914 Odell Tennant sold his
interest to his brother Abraham W. and entered the hard-
ware and roofing business. He continued in this line until
1921, and still does a large business in hardware and roof-
ing, though at the same time he was interested in the flour,
feed and grain business which was established in 1893 and
is the oldest enterprise of its kind at Morgantown. Mr.
Tennant since 1919 has also been a manufacturer of cement
blocks, and these various interests place a heavy demand
upon his time and energies. He owns one-sixth of 750 acres
of coal land in the Scott Run District.

Mr. Tennant is identified by membership with a number
of representative organizations. These include Morgantown
Union Lodge No. 4, F. and A. M., the Royal Arch Chapter,
Knight Templar Commandery and Osiris Temple of the
Mystic Shrine; Morgantown Lodge No. 411, Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks, Independent Order of Odd Fel-
lows, Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club and the First
Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a member of the Busi-
ness Men's Class in Sunday school, and for fifteen years was
secretary of the Sunday school and for thirty years has had
an unusual record of faithful attendance at Sunday school,
his absences not averaging more than five Sundays in each
year.

On September 18, 1908, Mr. Tennant married Eva E.
Townsend. She was born July 2, 1886, in Caro, Michigan,
daughter of Samuel and Emily Townsend. Mr. and Mrs.
Tennant have two children: Leland Chesney, born No-
vember 7, 1909; and Paul Scott, born June 26, 1917. Mr.
Tennant resides at 82 South Main Street and his business
is at 178 Clay Street.


==== 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.
**********************************************************************