Pendleton County, West Virginia Biography of Hon. Harrison M. CALHOUN ************************************************************************** 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 Sue Schell , March 2000 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, Pg. 391, 392 & 393 BIO: Hon. Harrison M. Calhoun, Pendleton Co., WV Hon. Harrison M. Calhoun. To portray what manner of citizen and lawyer Harrison M. Calhoun undoubtedly is, how important are his services to the City of Franklin, the County of Pendleton and the State of West Virginia, and how ably and honorably he follows the profession of the, needs no friendly hand. They are matters of public knowledge, unassailable facts, and as such are merely stated in what follows. He was born at Dry Run, Pendleton county, West Virginia, September 18, 1866, and is of the fifth generation from the ancestor, John Calhoun, who founded the family in this part of what was then Virginia, and who was a first cousin of the distinguished statesman of South Carolina, once vice president of the United States, and for many years the leader of the democratic party, not only in the South, but all over the country. John Calhoun was also a nephew of Patrick Calhoun, father of the South Carolina statesman, and it is believed he was the son of William Calhoun, a member of the Calhoun family of Pennsylvania, dating back to the settlement of the Keystone State. John Calhoun was born in Augusta County, Virginia, where his father had settled during the Colonial epoch, but he left it in young manhood for Pendleton County, settling on Dry Run, a tributary of the North Fork of the Potomac River, and began there the pioneer work of developing a large farm, which work his descendants have continued to the present day, the original homestead still being in the family. The records do not show that John Calhoun was a Revolutionary soldier, but others of his family were. A great admirer of his cousin, John C. Calhoun, he followed him in his adherence to the principles of the democratic party. William Calhoun, one of the sons of John Calhoun, was the great-grandfather of Attorney Calhoun of Franklin. He was a soldier of the War of 1812, and he, too, spent his life in the rural community where his father had settled, and they both lie in the same graveyard, on the farm now owned by Robert Warner, on Dry Run. William Calhoun married Elizabeth Mallett, and their children were as follows: Eli, who was born in 1813; Aaron, who became the grandfather of Attorney Calhoun, was born in 1816, Mahela, who married Enoch Teter, was born in 1818; Amelia, who married John Mick, was born in 1820; Susannah, who married Absolute H. Nelson, was born in 1822; Elizabeth, who married Job Lambert, was born in 1824; Jane, who married William Rymer, was born in 1826; William J., who was born in 1829, spent his life in Upshur county, West Virginia; Martha, who died when a child; and Jacob, who was born in 1833, espoused the Union cause when war broke out between the two sections of the country, and because of his sentiments, the remainder of his family being Southern sympathizers, became estranged from them, and following the close of the war went to Missouri, where he continued to live, and where died childless. William Calhoun, father of these children, lost his first wife, and later married Sarah Simmons, who bore him one son, John C., in 1840, who became a Confederate soldier and was killed in action at Williamsport, Maryland, when his brigade was covering the retreat of General Lee, from Gettysburg. There was also a daughter, Margaret, born to the second marriage of William Calhoun in 1843. She married William Winner, moved to Missouri, and subsequently died in that state. Aaron Calhoun was a man of industry, and his entire life was spent on the farm in the community of his birth on Dry Run. There he lived an uneventful life and passed away being the first one to be buried on the home farm. His marriage license, as shown by the order his father gave him to secure authority to marry Catherine Lambert, is of interest, and states as follows: "October 24, 1835. "Mr. S. Dyer:-- "You will please give licens for my son Aaron and Catherine Lambert and by so doing you will much oblige, as I could nott cum myself. This giving from under my Hand the day and date above written. "William Calhoun "Elizabeth his wife." This issue of Aaron Calhoun and his wife were many children, for they had one of the old-fashioned families, as follows: Martha, who married Miles Tingler, was born in 1836; Winifred, who married Edward Mullenax; Elizabeth, who married George Wimer, and after his death, while serving in the Confederate Army, she was married to Henry Mullenax; Sarah C., who married William Mullenax; F. Marion, who became the father of Attorney Calhoun, married Phoebe C. Harper; John W. O., who married Elizabeth Rymer, moved to Hyland County, Virginia; Mary J., who became the wife of Pleasant D. Bland; Aaron F., who married Jennie Hinkle; Winifred Scott, who married Catherine Bennett, and of them all only F. Marion Calhoun served in the war, he being a member of Company C, Sixty-second Virginia Mounted Infantry, Imboden’s Brigade. Francis Marion Calhoun was born November 27, 1841 and received only those educational advantages afforded by the schools of his home community on Dry Run. When he was eighteen years old he enlisted in the Confederate Army, and helped to fight the battles of the South until the close of the war, being at the close of the war on detached duty on the North Fork of the Potomac as a member of doctor Priest’s company guarding against the Union forces at Beverly, where he was at the time peace was proclaimed. Although he saw some very severe fighting, especially at Gettysburg, he escaped without wounds and was never taken prisoner. Returning from the army, Francis Marion Calhoun, or F. Marion Calhoun as he preferred to be known, began farming in the pace of his birth, and here he has since resided, giving to local affairs an intelligent interest, and to the democrat party the loyalty to be expected of one of his name. The Methodist Episcopal Church is his religious home, and he has served the Dry Run church of this denomination as steward for many years. Phoebe C. Harper, wife of F. Marion Calhoun, was born near Riverton, west Virginia, in 1846, a daughter of Philip and Sarah (Hinkle) Harper. The Harpers came to Pendleton County from Rockingham county, Virginia a little prior to the advent of the Calhouns. They identified themselves with the farming interests of the county. The Hinkles, too, were among the first settlers of this region, coming here about 1760, and at once becoming prominent in agriculture. They were active in county politics, and many of them were elected to office. The children born to F. Marion Calhoun and his wife were as follows: Harrison M., whose name heads this review; Etta, who is the wife of George R. Lambert, of Franklin; Gilbert, who is operating the Calhoun homestead; and Clinton, who lives at Cuyler, New York. Harrison Mayberry Calhoun, named for a confederate soldier, spent the first thirty years of his life upon his father’s farm and in educational work at Dry Run. The common school fitted him for teaching, and he began it at the youthful age of sixteen years. After several years however, he commenced taking summer courses in normal school work, and he left the educational field after sixteen years spent in it. During that time, from 1894 to 1898, he served as county superintendent of schools for Pendleton County. He continued teaching during his official life, and as the head of the public schools he carried on the routine work of his office. With the expiration of his term of office Mr. Calhoun was admitted to the bar, having studied law while teaching, and in November 1898, was sworn in by Judge Daily of the Circuit Bench. He opened his office at the county seat, and his first case was a criminal one in which he was assistant counsel for the defense of John W. Sites charged with the murder of Ed Sites. This was one of the noted criminal cases of the county, and the trial resulted in the acquittal of the defendant. Since then Mr. Calhoun has been conducting a general practice in this and adjacent counties of West Virginia and Highland County, Virginia, and in the Supreme Court of the state. In 1900 Mr. Calhoun was elected prosecuting attorney on the democratic ticker, succeeding B. H. Hiner in the office, and was re-elected four years later and served for a second term. In 1912 he was elected a member of the House of Delegates, and served for one term in the House. Taylor George of Philippi was the speaker of that body and Mr. Calhoun oftentimes laughingly states that there were so few democrats in it that he felt lonely all the time he was a member of it. However, he served as a member of the judiciary committee and other committees and was very active in many ways. It was he who introduced a resolution to ratify the amendment to the National Constitution ratifying the election of United States senators by the people and another resolution to ratify the income tax amendment to the National Constitution. He also introduced a resolution to amend the constitution of West Virginia to provide for the initiative and referendum, and also one for the recall of officials, but the last two failed of passage. In the election of a United States senator by the House he voted for a time for Col. R. P. Chew, but later supported Judge Daily of Romney, but Judge Nathan B. Goff was elected. He has frequented state conventions of his party, and has also been a delegate to those of his congressional district, and as such helped to arrange the ticket for the subsequent elections. In the matter of assisting in local business enterprise, he organized the Pendleton County National Farm Loan Association, of which he is secretary-treasurer. He is a prominent layman of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and in fraternal circles is well known as an Odd Fellow. On May 28, 1889, Mr. Calhoun married in Highland county, Virginia, Miss Virginia Mullenax, a daughter of Henry Mullenax and his wife, formerly Elizabeth Calhoun, a daughter of Aaron Calhoun. Mr. and Mrs. Calhoun have the following children: Camden H., who is now engaged in the lumber business in Nicholas County, West Virginia; Alfred R., who is a merchant of Franklin, married Mary Judy; Edwin M., who is a merchant of Millwood, West Virginia, married Lena Shinn; Mary Lillian, who is the wife of V. M. McMains, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Phoebe Evelyn and Elaine, who are teachers in the schools of Pendleton County; and Harlan M., who is a student in the Potomac Academy at Keyser, West Virginia, is the youngest child. Of these children, Camden H. Calhoun served in the World war as a member of Company a, Sixty-first Infantry. He served overseas and was in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensive, in the latter of which he was wounded. In July, 1919, he reached home after his honorable discharge. Mr. Calhoun’s office is a veritable curiosity shop. For many years he has been a collector of rare objects of art, archaeological specimens and aboriginal relics until his office presents the appearance of a museum. The development of fire arms from the old punk rifle and flint-lock through all the stages of improvement to the sporting and military rifles of today are shown, and these, together with the multitude of pistols which decorate the walls, give the impression of an arsenal or military stronghold.