{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl {\f0\fnil\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}} \uc1\pard\ulnone\f0\fs20 From The History of West Virginia, Old and New\par Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,\par Chicago and New York, Volume III,\par pg. 420\par \par AARON BECHTOL was a permanent resident of Berkeley\par Springs and was elected and served as a member of the\par First State Senate of West Virginia. He was born in that\par part of Berkeley County, now Morgan County, and for a\par number of years carried on an extensive real estate business.\par He owned much property at Berkeley Springs, including the\par historic house in which he had his home and which was\par built by General Washington for a summer residence.\par \par With the formation of the State, of West Virginia, Aaron\par Bechtol was elected to the Senate from the Tenth District,\par and was a member of the Legislature that convened at\par Wheeling in June, 1863. He was also a member of the\par Second Legislature convening at Wheeling in January, 1864,\par and he likewise represented the Tenth District in the\par Senate in the Third Legislature, which met in 1865.\par \par However, during the Civil war he was taken prisoner\par by the Confederates, and was held in Richmond for some\par time. After his release he returned home and lived at\par Berkeley Springs until his death.\par \par Aaron Bechtol married Sarah Roach, a life-long resident\par of Berkeley Springs. They had four children, Mary, Henry\par C., John W. and James E. Mary became the wife of\par William Tritapoe. Henry married Alice Hines, John W.\par married Catherine Coughlin and James married Mary\par Wheat. \par \par }