Preston County, West Virginia Biography of Page Robert MCCRUM This file was submitted by Tina Hursh, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc. Chicago and New York, Volume II Pg. 361 Page Robert McCrum is the leading merchant of Aurora, and has the distinction of being the oldest merchant from the standpoint of continuous experience in Preston County. His active connection with merchandising at Aurora is a matter of more than half a century, but at intervals he has also rendered a valuable service in public affairs. Mr. McCrum was born at Aurora July 19, 1852. His father, Summers McCrum, was born in Randolph County, this state in 1826, and was nine years of age when he was left fatherless. He lived with his step-father until he came to Preston County, and on going to Aurora he took charge of the Curtis Store and was not yet of age when he became a responsible factor in the business of Curtis & Son. Not long afterward, in 1845, he established a business of his own in the site now occupied by the Lantz Hotel. From that time until 1871 he was active in the business life of the village. Besides general merchandising he was also a farmer and one of the most extensive sheep growers, owning flocks which he let out on the shares and which were herded over portions of two or three counties. In time the sheep business represented the larger part of his capital and enterprise. Summers McCrum was not in politics to any extent. He began as a democrat, but through the issues of the war became a republican. In 1860 only one vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln in Aurora precinct. The voter, Adam Giessman, and old German citizen was threatened with mob biolence for thus expressing himself. K Summers McCrum at that time was a Douglas democrat, but immediately after secession he became a republican. He was a leader in church work as a Methodist, and the present Methodist Church at Aurora was constructed as the result of efforts in which he took a prominent part. In Tyler County Summers McCrum married Eliza H. Nicklin, a native of that county and daughter of Dr. Samuel Nicklin. She died in 1881, while Summers McCrum survived until 1905. Their children were: Page R.; Lloyd L., who was a merchant at Gormania and then at Hendricks and died at Gormania, leaving a son, A. Bliss; Alvin A., born September 9, 1858, and now associated in business with his brother Page at Aurora; and Lillie, Mrs. Charles F. Trotter, of Washington, D.C. Page R. McCrum attended some of the early sessions of the first free schools established at Aurora. At the age of seventeen he entered the University of West Virginia at Morgantown, completing his sophomore year there. K His father desiring to retire from merchandising, page returned to Aurora in 1871, and tough not yet twenty years of age took active charge of the business. With his accession the firm became McCrum & Son, later when Alvin became a partner, the title was S. McCrum & Sons, but for a number of years past the firm name has been P.R. and A.A. McCrum. This is the business in which Mr. McCrum has found his time and talents absorbed for half a century. He is a director in the First National Bank of Terra Alta, West Virginia, of which he was also the second president. He began voting as a republican and was one of the first young men in this community to announce his convictions for that party. His first presidential vote went to General Grant in 1872. The first official service he rendered was assistant to Clerk Henry Startzman, of Kingwood, for several months. His first elective office was as a member of the house of delegates. He was elected in 1878, serving under Speaker Moffett and re-elected in 1880 under Speaker Wilson. The house in both terms was democratic, and a republican member had little opportunity for constructive work. One matter of importance before the House during his first term was the increase of jurisdiction of magistrates. Mr. McCrum voted for the party choice for United States Senator when he knew in advance there was no chance to elect him. Subsequently Mr. McCrum was for several terms a member of the County Court. The business before the board was largely routine, since road building had not become an important issue involving a great expenditure based on bond issues. Only a bridge was built now and then, and perhaps the most important duty of Mr. McCrum was handling the yearly financial settlements with the sheriff. Mr. McCrum served a number of times as member of the Union District Board of Education, and was also its secretary. While he was a member of the board the addition to the Auroa schoolhouse was built. In Rock Island County, Illinois, November 16, 1887, Mr. McCrum married Miss Lucy B. Brown, going out to that state to claim his bride, who, however, is a native of Beverly, Randolph County, West Virginia, and member of an old family of this state. She was born at Beverly August 10, 1853, daughter of Bernard L. and Mary E. (Dailey) Brown, the latter being a daughter of Hugh and Edith (Butcher) Dailey. Bernard L. Brown was for about twenty years clerk of the Circuit Court of Randolph County prior to the Civil war. He died in 1869, and his widow removed with the family to Cordova, Illinois, where Mrs. McCrum finished here education in high school. She was one of a large family of children, of whom Edith, Edwin, Clarence, Oscar and Alice are deceased, and the others still surviving are Mrs. Addie F. Earl, of Fort Worth, Texas; Mrs. S.N. Bosworth, of Beverly, West Virginia; Charles B., of Clinton, Iowa; and Mrs. Roberta Williamson, of Pomona, California. Mr. and Mrs. McCrum have two surviving sons, Summers Daily McCrum and Harold B., the former born October 3, 1888, and the latter, December 8, 1891. Summers D. married Elinor Brown, daughter of John H. and Eugenia (Bishop) Brown, of Kingwood, and their two children are Robert Brown and Summer Dailey, Jr. They all live at Aurora. Harold Bernard McCrum graduated in law from the University of West Virginia in 1914, and is one of the popular attorneys of Preston County. He was elected and served in 1921 as a member of the House of Delegates, and in that session was on the committees of prohibition and temperance; counties, districts and municipal corporations and roads.