Pleasants County, West Virginia Biography: Joseph Howard McBRIDE ************************************************************************** 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 Valerie Crook, , March 2000 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 360 JOSEPH HOWARD McBRIDE. The first, regular employ- ment of Joseph Howard McBride was with an oil and gas company, and he has been successfully identified with oil and gas production in Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia ever since. He is one of the well known producers, drilling contractors and business men who have their home at St. Marys, though his interests are widespread over this part of West Virginia. Mr. McBride was born at Oakdale, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, August 21, 1878. His father, George A. McBride, was born near Oakdale in 1845, and spent all his life in Allegheny County. He was a broom maker, owning and operating a broom factory near Oakdale, and was also a skilled violinist, for a number of years being member of a Pittsburgh orchestra. He was a republican and an active worker in the Presbyterian Church. His death occurred in 1888, near Cliff Vine in Allegheny County. His widow now lives at Coraopolis in Allegheny County. Her maiden name was Emma Pierce, and she wag born at Webster, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in 1856. A brief record of her children is as follows: Clarence, an oil refinery employe living at Coraopolis; Joseph Howard; Archie, who has charge of an electric light plant at Beaver Falls, Brighton, Beaver County; Arthur, an executive official in an oil refinery at Muskogee, Oklahoma; Essie J., a teacher in the public schools of Coraopolis; Miss Clara, a stenographer and typewriter with the Crucible Steel Company at Aliquippa, Beaver County. Joseph Howard McBride acquired his early education in the public schools of Allegheny County. His school days were ended at the age of fourteen, and then after two years of work on the farm he began his career as an oil man at the age of sixteen. For seven years he was on lease work with the Bellevue and Glenfield Gas Com- pany, beginning in the Oakdale Oil Field, and in 1899 was sent to West Virginia by the company, with head- quarters at St. Marys. For a year following he was in the water and gas department of the South Penn Oil Company at Wallace, West Virginia, and for a number of years was foreman for the Three Joes Oil Company at Hebron. In 1908 Mr. McBride bought the oil holdings of the last named corporation near Hebron, and since then has been an active producer, operating in Pleasants, Tyler and Wood counties, West Virginia, and Washington County, Ohio. His production at the present time is con- fined to Pleasants, Tyler and Wood counties. Since 1912 he has also been active in the business of oil well drilling. Mr. McBride is a man of prominence in the civic affairs of St. Marys. He served one year as recorder and one year as mayor. He is a republican, is affiliated with St. Marys Lodge No. 41, A. F. and A. M., Pennsboro Chapter No. 25, R. A. M., at Pennsboro in Ritchie County; Penns- boro Commandery No. 20, K. T., West Virginia Consistory No. 1, of the Scottish Rite at Wheeling, Nemesis Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Parkersburg, and is also affiliated with St. Marys Lodge No. 22, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Marietta Lodge No. 477, B. P. O. E., at. Marietta, Ohio. Mr. McBride owns a fine, comfortable home at George and Third streets in St. Marys and is owner of another dwelling on George Street. He married at St. Marys October 15, 1901, Miss Myrtle Sooke, daughter of John and Ella (Ruttencutter) Sooke, the latter still living in St. Marys. Her father, now deceased, was a flour miller and lumber dealer. Mrs. McBride finished her education in the Fairmont State Normal School. Five children were born to their marriage: Geraldine, born September 28, 1902, a student in the Pennsylvania College for Women at Pittsburgh; Josephine, born May 12, 1905, a student in St. Marys High School; George, who was born December 12, 1910, and died at the age of three days; Elizabeth, born December 3, 1912; and Richard, born January 13, 1915.