Ohio County, West Virginia Biography of Walter J. GRIBBEN ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. ************************************************************************** Submitted by (MRS GINA M REASONER) WEST VIRGINIA In History, Life, Literature and Industry The Lewis Publishing Company, 1928 - Volume 4, page 27 WALTER J. GRIBBEN, an ex-service man who joined the colors from Wheeling, is auditor of one of the largest financial organizations in the state, the Fidelity Investment Association of Wheeling, which has branch offices in a dozen cities and has financial resources of over $15,000,000. Mr. Gribben was born at Wheeling, July 7, 1896, son of John G. and Anna (Schafer) Gribben. His parents were also born at Wheeling, and his father for many years was a member of the firm of Schafer & Driehorst. He died in 1903. Walter J. Gribben acquired his early education in Wheeling schools, graduating from the Cathedral High School in 1915. On leaving high school he took up accounting, and his working experience has made him a specialist in that field. He has been with the Fidelity Investment Association for five years, the first two years as general bookkeeper, and for the last three years as auditor. The chairman of the board of the association is W. V. Irvine, a veteran Wheeling banker, and the president is D. A. Burt, while the vice president is former United States Senator Howard Sutherland. Mr. Gribben married, in June, 1923, Miss Nellie Taffe, of Steubenville, Ohio, daughter of Owen F. and Rose (Mackinaw) Taffe. Her father was born in England and her mother in West Virginia, and they now reside at Steubenville, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Gribben have on son, Walter J., Jr., born November 7, 1924, and a daughter, Mary Catherine, born August 13, 1927. Mr. Gribben in June, 1917, entered the army as a corporal in the Twenty-first Engineers Light Railway, and was in service in France eighteen months. While overseas he was in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. He received his honorable discharge in June, 1919. He is a member of the American Legion, the Knights of columbus, Carroll Club, Cathedral High School Alumni, is a Catholic and an independent voter.