From The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 424

HARRY W. BAYER. The high standing which is that of
Mr. Bayer as one of the representative members of the
bar of Morgan County is the more gratifying to note by
reason of the fact that he is a native son of this county,
having been born on a farm in Sleepy Creek District. His
father, Robert Bayer, was born in Washington County,
Maryland, where he was reared and educated and where as
a youth he served an apprenticeship to the plasterer's trade.
He was a young man when he came to Morgan County, West
Virginia, and after his marriage he here settled on the
old homestead farm of his wife's parents and continued as
one of the substantial farmers and representative citizens
of Sleepy Creek District until his death.  On this old
homestead farm was born his wife, whose maiden name was
Angeline Johnson, and she still resides on the place, which
is endeared to her by many gracious memories and associa-
tions. She is a daughter of James and Sarah (Ohlinger)
Johnson and a granddaughter of John Johnson, who was one
of the very early settlers in what is now Morgan County.
He here purchased land and reclaimed a productive farm,
his farm having been situated nine miles distant from the
courthouse and he having been familiarly known as Nine-
mile Johnson, to distinguish him from another Johnson of
the same personal name. It is of local historic interest that
this sturdy pioneer in 1870, when 109 years of age, walked
from his farm to Berkeley Springs to cast his vote for
General Harrison for president of the United States. James
Johnson passed his entire life in Sleepy Creek District, and
was one of the substantial exponents of farm industry in his
native county, where he commanded unqualified popular
esteem. The Ohlinger family likewise was established in
Morgan County in the pioneer days, this county having at
that time been a part of Berkeley County, and the home-
stead farm of the family having been in the Hedgesville
District. The subject of this sketch is the eldest in a family
of three children, the other two being daughters, Sarah and
Latona, who remain with their widowed mother.

Harry W. Bayer waxed strong in mind and physique
through the discipline which he gained in connection with
the activities of the home farm and the advantages which
were his through the medium of the rural schools of the dis-
trict.  He advanced his education by attending summer
normal schools, and at the age of nineteen years he became
a teacher in a rural district. By his pedagogic service he
earned the funds to defray the expenses of his course in
the Shenandoah Institute at Dayton, Virginia. He taught
eight terms of school, in Morgan and Berkeley counties,
and for two terms was principal of the graded school at
Hedgesville. In the meanwhile he applied himself diligently
to the study of law, and in 1893 was admitted to the West
Virginia bar, after passing a specially successful examina-
tion before Judges Faulkner, Hohe and Dailey. He forth-
with opened an office at Berkeley Springs, where he has since
continued in active general practice, except for an interim
of two years passed at Manning. He has proved his powers
as a resourceful trial lawyer and well fortified counselor,
and has built up a large practice that marks him as one
of the representative members of the bar of his native
county. He gave twenty years of most effective service
as prosecuting attorney of Morgan County, and was for two
years city attorney of Manning. Mr. Bayer has been in-
fluential in the local councils and campaign activities of
the republican party, and has served as a member of the
Republican Executive Committee of Morgan County, as well
as a member of the republican committee for this congres-
sional district. He has frequently been a delegate to the
district and state conventions of his party, and in 1920 was
a republican candidate for nomination for the office of state
commissioner of agriculture.  His first presidential vote
was east for Gen. Benjamin Harrison.

As a youth Mr. Bayer became deeply interested in horti-
culture, and he started one of the first commercial orchards
in Morgan County. He has been a progressive and public-
spirited citizen, and his influence has been felt in connec-
tion with many movements and enterprises projected for
the general good of the community. He organized the Peo-
ples Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Morgan County,
and continued his executive connection with the same until
it had been established on a firm foundation and had de-
veloped a prosperous business. He was the organizer also
of the Berkeley Springs Telephone Company, promoted and
effected the establishing of the cold-storage plant at Berk-
eley Springs, and has otherwise shown lively interest in all
things touching the welfare and advancement of his home
town, the judicial center of Morgan County.

At the age of twenty-nine years Mr. Bayer wedded Miss
Agnes Slaughter, who was born in Berkeley County, a
daughter of James T. and Henrietta C. Slaughter. Mr.
and Mrs. Bayer have three children: Rana C., Beverley
C. and Alice.